Dana Hendrickson


Career development 9h
Can you tell me, did I fail the interview? Everything seemed fine, but my chair was wobbly. I just read that this can be a test to see if a candidate will ask for a better chair. Now I’m really worried.
Has anything like this ever happened to you in an interview?

Career development

 10h

7 Best Job Posting Sites for Employers of 2026


Methodology: Our research included a review of job sites' features, pricing, responses to a brief questionnaire and web traffic data. Read our full process here.

Hiring is consistently challenging for employers big and small. With unemployment rates still under 5% and a flood of AI-generated resumes hitting job boards, hiring managers are having difficulties finding and vetting skilled talent --... and some even admit to making the wrong hires, according to research from Robert Half.

Nailing job ads and making use of the best job posting sites is critical to attracting top talent to your job openings.

Are you an employee looking for the best job search sites? We have that covered in this guide.

Our Top Picks for the Best Job Posting Sites

* Indeed: Best Overall

* LinkedIn: Best for Professional Hiring

* Craigslist: Best for Local Hiring

* ZipRecruiter: Best for Small Businesses

* Handshake: Best for College Recruiting

* Levels.fyi: Best for Tech Jobs

* Upwork: Best Freelance Marketplace

Aside from LinkedIn (which doubles as a social media site), Indeed gets more web traffic than any other job posting site in the U.S. To put it simply, Indeed is the best way to get a job listing in front of the maximum number of job seekers, and it's almost guaranteed to expand the pool of applications for your company to review. Tons of job seekers rely on Indeed to find work and the site's users are highly engaged compared with other job sites. Indeed had over 170 million monthly U.S. visits in January, according to Similarweb, a digital intelligence platform.

Employers can post up to three jobs for free in a month with a 30-day limit for each post. The site tightened its limits around free job posts in December, and yet Indeed's free services still compare favorably against those of its competitors. "Standard" and "Premium" job posts, which draw more reach than free listings, both require payment.

More than a million companies use LinkedIn Talent Solutions for hiring. LinkedIn is the largest job posting site in the U.S. and an essential platform for employers of all sizes. You can only post one free job at a time on LinkedIn, but for small businesses, that may be all you need to hire your workforce. LinkedIn also has a free trial for promoting a job, which typically triples the amount of applications.

LinkedIn is a social media and networking platform in addition to a job board, and with paid versions, employers can search profiles and message users to invite them to apply to open positions. LinkedIn's more interactive style allows for quicker and easier connections with potential employees, as well as providing a broader look at who each candidate is.

Craigslist is the original online classifieds page of the web, and to this day it plays a major role in local hiring in cities across the U.S. Of all the sites Money analyzed, Craigslist had the third most monthly visitors, according to Similarweb.

While most of Craigslist is free, there actually is a fee to post jobs. The good news: At $10 to $75 (depending on the market), posting in the jobs section isn't too expensive -- at least compared to other sites that charge hundreds of dollars for job posts.

Craigslist sometimes gets a bad reputation for containing spam, but no matter what site you use, receiving some low quality applications is inevitable when posting jobs online. With Craigslist, you'll have to learn how to filter through responses (just like any other platform), but it can be worth it to find local talent in industries like hospitality and construction.

If free job posting services are not meeting your small business's needs, ZipRecruiter's hiring solutions can help put your listings in front of the right candidates.

The job site has broad reach with over 30 million monthly visits, and jobs posted to the platform can be distributed to over 100 other job boards.

A two-day free trial offers employers a feel for the platform. With paid plans starting at $299 per month, ZipRecruiter's pricing compares competitively with premium options from competitors. One way the plan stands out: Once you've paid, posts can attract an unlimited number of clicks and applications.

Read Money's full ZipRecruiter review.

Do you want to hire college students and alumni with .edu email addresses? Handshake is the most robust job posting site for college hiring and it allows recruiters to take advantage of the company's direct relationships with U.S. universities -- Handshake has more than 1,500 "educational partners."

Posting a job or an internship opportunity on Handshake is free, and this option is suitable for hiring one or two roles, the company said. Companies with more hiring needs will likely need to use a premium version, either Handshake's "Plus" option for small and medium-sized businesses or the job site's enterprise tier.

Companies hiring tech professionals like software engineers may want to use industry-specific sites to reach job seekers with the specialized skills and qualifications they need.

Levels.fyi, a tech-specific job board and compensation "benchmarking" site founded in 2017, has grown to become the most visited career site for the industry. Compensation benchmarking is a tool that provides data about pay bands that are typical for a role and level at a given company, and it can help employers determine pay and retain employees.

The company says that posting a job is free with a basic account. When you post a job, the listing will also be indexed by Google. The job site offers premium accounts that grant access to the site's compensation data. The lowest-priced option is $1,000 per month (or $800 a month if you subscribe for a full year).

There are two main online sites for freelance work: Upwork and Fiverr. These sites serve slightly different types of freelance work, but between the two, we gave the nod to Upwork based on its lower fees and more engaged network of skilled freelancers.

Upwork makes it easy to get tasks done. It's simple to make an account with the site. From there, you can either post a job or search the profiles of freelancers who are advertising the type of work you need done. Upwork can be used for hiring contract workers for quick short-term jobs all the way up to year-long projects.

According to a spokesperson for Upwork, the company does not report how many freelancers are on the platform, but the company says its freelancer network has skills in over 10,000 categories ranging from website and app development to creative and design niches.

Other job posting sites we considered

Employers may want to use multiple job posting sites for their hiring. Here are some others to consider:

Monster

Monster is one of the longest standing job sites, recently celebrating 30 years since its launch. The job board remains active, but has lost monthly visits since its peak. Last year, the company was acquired by BOLD, which also owns CareerBuilder. Its $299 per monthly subscription for Monster+ Pro is designed for small businesses to post jobs to Monster, CareerBuilder and partners sites.

Red Money's full Monster.com review.

Fiverr

Fiverr isn't exactly a job board. It's a freelance marketplace best-known for gig projects. For example, you could hire an artist to design your company's logo.

You can either search the marketplace of freelancers or post a "project brief" with the option of using Fiverr's AI assistant. When you're posting a job, you can set a budget between $25 and $50,000. Keep in mind that sellers (aka the talent you're hiring) on Fiverr pay a 20% fee, which may force freelancers to ask for higher prices than they would on other platforms.

Built In

Built In is another industry-specific site that you can use if you need to hire for a tech role. It's a well-designed online job board used by programmers and coders in Silicon Valley and beyond. Built In claims that its job seekers are typically more qualified and experienced than applicants on general platforms. To post a job on Built In, you will need to contact the company for a quote.

What you need to know about posting jobs online

Online job boards are immensely popular among job seekers, and the most time-efficient way for recruiters to reach a vast pool of them. Here's what you need to know to use them to your advantage:

Choose the right job posting site

Our guide is designed to help you choose the best job posting sites for your business. Indeed is great for general hiring and free job posts. LinkedIn is best for professional hiring, while Craigslist excels as a local classifieds option. Other job posting sites serve specific needs: Handshake is optimized for college recruiting and Levels.fyi is our top pick for tech hiring, and depending on your industry, there are likely other niche platforms worth looking into.

Optimize the job description

Once you've chosen a recruitment platform, the next step is to craft a compelling job post. Keep the ideal candidate in the back of your mind as you write, and be sure to clearly -- and truthfully -- outline the following details:

* An overview of the position and its responsibilities

* Qualifications and requirements

* The company's mission, culture and values

* Salary information

A well-written job post can make all the difference in the success of the hiring process. Write in simple language, and avoid using jargon. Proofread it for spelling and grammar errors, too. If a post seems thoughtless and done without care, people will perceive your company as unprofessional, or even fraudulent.

More states are passing pay transparency laws, but the practice of posting a job listing with clear salary information still isn't universal. If you want the best applicants to apply, your job post should include the expected salary or salary range for every position you list.

Use multiple job posting sites

Most companies should use more than one job posting site, says Kyle Patrick Smith, a talent acquisition expert. While you could use a paid applicant tracking system or a service like ZipRecruiter to target multiple job boards, it's not always necessary. Even if you have a limited budget, you can still reach potential candidates on individual job boards. "Some opportunities will play very well on some of the low cost or no cost options," Smith says, mentioning Indeed as his top choice for non-managerial roles.

While there are many different companies that can blast your job post to dozens of job boards, Smith says he prefers posting directly. "You begin to lose control over your employment message," he says. "When you aggregate it out to those sites, you have no idea how that job posting is going to appear." Also, many of the job posting sites that these listings get cross-posted to are lower quality and lack the web traffic of the major companies featured in this guide.

Message candidates you want to apply

Some job posts will quickly attract dozens (or even hundreds) of qualified applicants, but other roles are harder to fill, potentially because of the skills required, the location or other factors. When hiring for key roles or harder-to-fill roles, employers often build their applicant pool by reaching out to employees at other companies or job seekers who've indicated they are on the market.

The paid tool LinkedIn Recruiter is one of the main ways for employers to message job seekers. LinkedIn Recruiter matches employers to possible candidates based on filters and enables access to AI messaging features. Indeed and ZipRecruiter also offer employers similar tools for browsing resume databases and engaging candidates.

Latest news

* Major job posting sites have launched AI tools that are helping employers post jobs and identify candidates. Indeed Talent Scout, a new AI-powered tool for premium clients, helps employers find top candidates through a chat experience, and a new Indeed app in ChatGPT aims to connect more job seekers to employers' listings. In September, LinkedIn launched an AI-powered agent for recruiters, Hiring Assistant. The tool is designed to help recruiters across the world speed up talent sourcing.

* Traffic changes: As job seekers look for networking opportunities, LinkedIn traffic is climbing. In the past three years, LinkedIn's visits increased 14%, according to Similarweb data. In that same time, Indeed's visits declined 9.9%.

* The unemployment rate is 4.4%, slightly above the 4% level that typically indicates "full employment." However, officials say it's a time of low job creation. The hiring market is relatively slow, in part because employees aren't changing jobs at a fast pace. Employers are also still processing how the evolution of AI may affect labor needs.

How we chose the best job posting sites

Money assessed the best job posting sites for employers by comparing companies' pricing, candidate pools, job board design and special features.

We compiled an initial list of over three dozen job sites. Using web analytics data provided by Similarweb to identify the most active job boards, we narrowed this down to a shortlist of 12 sites. Two industry-specific job boards for tech recruiting were also considered. We conducted additional research on the pricing and features of these companies, reaching out to each one with the opportunity to respond to a brief questionnaire that included questions about pricing tiers and free trials/demos. Finally, seven companies were selected based on their excellence in individual categories.

To be considered for this article, a job posting service must have its own online job board, even if submitted job posts are also distributed to other platforms. This requirement excluded many popular applicant tracking systems. If you're interested in that kind of service, we've covered them in a separate report on the best recruiting software.

In March 2026, Money reviewed and updated our picks of the best job posting sites for features and pricing. We will continue to monitor this industry and update our selections when appropriate.

Summary of our top picks for job search sites more

Career development

 11h

Shelley Zumwalt Receives $90,838 Parting Grift... - The Lost Ogle


A few weeks back, I took my kid to Stella Nova on N. Western for an after-school snack.

After placing our order and looking for a spot to sit, who did I see in the middle of the coffee shop, dressed nice and non-frumpily, having what appeared to be a job interview, but famed N. Western bar fly turned infamous Stitt grifter Shelley Zumwalt!

I have to admit, it was weird seeing her at a place on... Western that doesn't serve Lost Lake:

Out of professional courtesy, I didn't say anything to ol' Zums.

Call me crazy - or a coward - but interrupting her job interview to reminisce about the various times she was accused of age discrimination, forced out of tourism, or slapped with a $20,000 ethics violation as a state employee seemed kind of mean and inappropriate. Let grifter bygones be grifter bygones, right?

In hindsight, it also would have been a bit of a dated discussion.

According to Wendy Suares with Fox 25, there's newer, more relevant stuff to discuss!

Last night, Wendy reported that Shelley received a $90,838 payment from the state in February to settle a somewhat mysterious open records request she made for her personnel file and other documents.

When you combine that with the $108,000 or so she made via her original severance agreement, it means Shelley walked away with nearly $200,000 after her "retirement" from the public sector.

Out of all the money she received, the $90,838 payment - which is 4.5 times the amount she paid for her ethics violation - is the most mysterious and concerning.

Here are the deets:

In addition to those payments, Zumwalt received a $90,838 payment in February 2026.

Documents obtained through an Open Records Request show that money was part of a separate settlement agreement between Zumwalt and the state.

The agreement indicates Zumwalt agreed to withdraw three open records requests she filed with the Department of Tourism around February 5, 2025.

Yep, the state essentially spent $90,838 to settle an open records request with Shelley Zumwalt. That begs the question - what the hell was in those records?! And more importantly, how can we get them... or at least be the ones paid $90,000 to not look at them?

Seriously, for a state and administration that supposedly value transparency, paying nearly $91,000 to make an open records request disappear is certainly an interesting strategy.

Wendy was wondering the same thing...

FOX 25 filed its own request to determine what she was seeking. One of those requests specifically sought records the state had already provided to Fox 25 back in October 2024.

She also requested a copy of her own personnel file and all documents that "recently came to light" leading to her dismissal from state service.

What was in those records that would lead the state to fork over $90K? Is it something juicy and gossipy, or just another Stitt grift at play?

I have no clue. Maybe I should finally take Shelley up on that non-combative coffee meeting and she can tell me. I know a good place.

Stay with The Lost Ogle. We'll keep you advised. more

Mvuselelo B Nzama
Career development 3d
How can a newly employed individual maintain financial and career independence without becoming trapped in the rat race?
1   

  • Randall Giancaterino

    22
    12h

    You give solid advice. Kudos. Pat yourselves on the back. A lot of wisdom and experience....shared. :)

  • Randall Giancaterino

    22
    2d

    Treat yourself as if you are "a business" when employed by someone or a company, and that will guide you. Businesses do not view employees as being... singular, as an entity who owns their own "business."  more

    1
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Career development

 13h

Gombe 2027: Power, Memory, and the Burden of Choice - The Nation Newspaper


As Gombe State inches toward the 2027 governorship election, the political temperature is rising, not with noise alone, but with quiet calculations, shifting loyalties, and the familiar choreography of ambition.

Within the ruling APC, the field is crowded. Aspirants have emerged with long résumés, deep networks, and, in some cases, louder reputations than measurable outcomes. Yet beneath the... surface of this political activity lies a more consequential question:

Who can inherit power without disrupting stability, and govern without dividing the state?

Because in Gombe, succession is not just about victory. It is about continuity, balance, and trust.

Experience Is Not Impact

Senator Saidu Ahmed Alkali represents experience in its purest form. His political journey spans decades and multiple offices. On paper, he is perhaps the most seasoned contender.

But politics is not an archive of positions held, it is a ledger of impact delivered.

The central criticism that trails his ambition is not about his competence, but about the absence of a compelling public memory of transformation. For many, his years in power have not translated into visible change in everyday life.

Even more delicate is the perception of political distance. In a state where leadership is expected to be physically and emotionally present, detachment carries a cost.

His perceived reliance on Abuja influence only deepens this concern. It raises a simple but uncomfortable question:

If a mandate must be negotiated elsewhere, where does its legitimacy truly lie?

Wealth Cannot Substitute for Connection

Arc. Yunusa Yakubu Lubell brings financial strength and influence, assets that matter in modern politics.

But in Northern Nigeria, wealth is not enough. It must be seen, felt, and shared.

The prevailing perception is that his success has not translated into broad societal impact. Beyond isolated gestures, there is little evidence of sustained engagement with the struggles of ordinary citizens.

Politics, especially at the state level, is built on human relationships, not balance sheets.

And when people do not feel your presence, they rarely deliver you victory.

National Profile, Local Reality

Prof. Isa Ali Pantami stands out for his intellectual pedigree and national accomplishments. His record in public service is not in doubt.

However, governorship contests are not won on national reputation alone.

They are decided at the grassroots, in the quiet spaces of community life where presence matters more than profile.

The recurring concern is accessibility. Leadership, in this context, is not about being respected from afar, it is about being felt up close.

A strong national image, without corresponding local engagement, often becomes politically insufficient.

Energy Without Restraint

Hon. Usman Bello Kumo is visible, vocal, and politically active.

But leadership at the gubernatorial level requires more than energy, it requires discipline, restraint, and strategic depth.

His confrontational style, while effective in gaining attention, raises concerns about his ability to manage the complexities of governance, where patience often achieves what noise cannot.

In politics, volume can win moments, but only composure sustains leadership.

Technocrats in a Political Arena

Both Aminu Umar Yuguda and Muhammad Gambo Magaji represent a category often misunderstood in politics, technocrats with administrative influence but limited political structures.

Their challenge is not competence, but connection.

Elections are not decided by institutional authority. They are decided by people who must feel represented, not just managed.

Without deep grassroots networks and emotional resonance, even the most capable administrators struggle to convert relevance into votes.

When History Refuses to Stay in the Past

Alhaji Umaru Kwairanga is perhaps the most recognizable name in the race.

But recognition, in politics, is not always an advantage.

For many, his name remains tied to the Ashaka Cement privatization, an episode that continues to shape public sentiment. Whether fairly or not, it has become a symbol of economic loss in the collective memory of the state.

And in politics, memory is not neutral.

It influences trust, and trust determines outcomes.

A Different Proposition: Leadership Anchored in People

Amidst these contrasting profiles, Dr. Jamil Isiyaku Gwamna presents a different political proposition.

His strength lies not in titles or proximity to power, but in consistent engagement with people. Over time, he has built a support base that is organic, visible, and emotionally rooted.

In a political environment often defined by division, he is widely perceived as a unifying figure, one whose relationships cut across political, social, and institutional lines.

But beyond goodwill, the real question is readiness.

Gombe's next phase demands more than popularity. It requires:

Economic expansion driven by industry and private investment

Youth employment anchored in skills and innovation

Agricultural modernization with real value-chain development

Infrastructure that supports productivity, not just visibility

Governance that is transparent, inclusive, and accountable

Encouragingly, his trajectory suggests an understanding of these priorities.

That is where the distinction lies, between a candidate who is known, and one who is prepared.

Not between individuals alone, but between approaches to leadership.

Because ultimately, elections do not just produce leaders.

It is what kind of leadership Gombe can afford next. calculations, shifting loyalties, and the familiar choreography of ambition.

Within the ruling APC, the field is crowded. Aspirants have emerged with long résumés, deep networks, and, in some cases, louder reputations than measurable outcomes. Yet beneath the surface of this political activity lies a more consequential question:

Who can inherit power without disrupting stability, and govern without dividing the state?

Because in Gombe, succession is not just about victory. It is about continuity, balance, and trust. more

Career development

 15h

A Day in the Life: Allie Faulkner - Miami University RedHawks


MiamiRedHawks.com goes behind the scenes with Miami Tennis freshman Allie Faulkner for an all-access look at a day in the life of a Division I student-athlete

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- -... -

"Shall we go over the test?"

It's 8:31 a.m. on Tuesday, February 17 and a College Algebra class is getting underway at Upham Hall.

As the instructor at the front of the room began to explain and diagram the correct answers to each problem, followed along from her third-row seat near the window. The exam in question had been a successful one for her, although "it kind of stunk because there was only 10 questions and each one was worth 10 points," she explained later as she counted up the few points she'd missed.

Other students might not have fared so well, which the teacher seemed to take into account. "If I found a way to offer extra-credit homework, would we like that?", he asked a few moments later.

(Unsurprisingly, no one objected to that idea!)

Faulkner used her stylus pen to take occasional notes on her tablet while equations like b^2 + xb^3 - 1/x + 2/b + 2x showed up on the chalkboard one-by-one with step-by-step solutions. "If I couldn't factor any of this, there'd be no point asking you to simplify it," the instructor explained at one point as he combined like terms. "We're just using the distributive law applied a bajillion times."

In between references to a barrage of mathematical concepts such as the difference of perfect squares and the FOIL method, there were occasional moments of levity -- including an obligatory 'six-seven' joke -- but time seemed to move slowly as the early-morning exam review concluded and the next lecture began.

"A function f is said to be increasing if f (x) < f="" (y)="" when="" x=""><>

And on and on it went.

"Hour-and-20-minute classes are just tough," Faulkner shrugged as she exited the building afterward to continue what she knew would be a very long and busy day.

- - -

For a Division I student-athlete balancing academics and high-level athletics, most days are just that: Very long and busy. Faulkner, a freshman Marketing major on the Miami Tennis team with a sparkling 3.92 GPA, is certainly no exception, even on Tuesdays like this one where she only has to attend one class. The next stop on Faulkner's itinerary was the Armstrong Student Center, where the self-described 'Type A perfectionist' settled in for a couple of hours of homework.

Strawberries certainly help, though!!

She ordered a bowl of oatmeal with brown sugar, pecans and strawberries to go along with her strawberry lemon-flavored Propel water before beginning to tackle a geology online quiz and hopefully recall everything she had learned about isotopes, half-lifes and atoms.

Once the quiz was over, it was time to turn the page to an assignment for her Sport Leadership and Management class. "Our SLAM teacher always reminds us, 'You can't play your sport forever,'" Faulkner said, as she recounted a recent in-class exercise of creating a résumé to showcase what she'd already accomplished as an athlete. "We've talked about people who really honed in on their sport, and when they got injured, they felt like they lost their identity.

"The main goal [of the class] is helping us, even if you do go pro, preparing for [life] after play."

- - -

Speaking of résumés...

Faulkner's list of on-court accomplishments since first picking up a tennis racquet (which only happened because she saw a purple one in the store as a little girl and instantly gravitated to any item in her favorite color) is already impressively long, even though she hasn't yet finished her first collegiate season.

Recent examples include Faulkner and partner being named MAC Doubles Team of the Week on April 6, capping a stretch where Faulkner has won nine of 12 matches in conference play (5-1 at No. 2 singles, 4-2 at No. 1 doubles) over the past month for the Red and White.

"Allie is very competitive and also very coachable," said head coach . "Her energy and drive to win is always there, and then she just wants feedback...[When we were recruiting her], it was just a green light: Exactly the player that we want.

"She has improved each match from the fall to now! To be 5-1 playing at No. 2 is not easy to do, especially as a freshman...but she was ready and she's been steady for us there throughout the whole year.

"That's been really good to see."

It's success that comes as no surprise for the Knoxville, Tenn. native, who came in with high expectations after capturing four consecutive Division II-A state titles from eighth to 11th grade to tie a state record.

"The whole reason I got to play up in eighth grade was that my middle school was on the same campus as our high school," Faulkner recalled. "I was an eighth grader playing against juniors and seniors: The goal was obviously to win states, but just going for fun. I played really well -no pressure -- and won. That was probably my favorite one. I was 14 years old and still had braces [on my teeth]!...

"Freshman year, I got a really bad back injury a week and a half before and wasn't sure I was going to be able to play...I was proud of myself for battling [through] the injury, and I cried when I won. I usually don't do that.

"Sophomore and junior year, it was more like, 'Okay, this is a business trip. It would be embarrassing if I didn't win.'"

Faulkner spent her senior year of high school training at Vandermeer Tennis Academy in Hilton Head, S.C. - making the temporary move there with her mom and pet black Labrador retriever 'Bear' and finishing her remaining coursework as a homeschooler - so she passed up the opportunity to try and win a fifth-straight title in Tennessee. "I got to do practices twice a day [in Hilton Head], which I think really helped me to get to a great level before college," Faulkner elaborated as she polished off a lunch of Ciao Bella pasta in the bustling student center.

That preparation on the island paid off this past fall when Faulkner came out on top in Miami's traditional early-season intrasquad tournament. "I thought I did a good job of handling the emotions of being a freshman and trying to prove myself," she said, understanding the importance of embracing a leadership role on a young roster with no seniors and having an impact, even as a first-year player.

Faulkner briefly paused her study session (and train of thought) to check the time on her cell phone, not wanting to be late for afternoon practice and knowing she still needed to take the short scooter ride back to her dorm to change clothes.

As she glanced at her phone, six simple words in massive font jumped off the lock screen for everyone to see.

"HOW BAD DO YOU WANT IT?"

- - -

"I put that there after the preseason poll came out," Faulkner explained.

The poll in question picked defending Mid-American Conference regular-season champion Miami to finish sixth in the 2026 league standings, and to say it motivated Faulkner a bit would probably classify as one of the biggest understatements in recent world history.

[Insert the famous Michael Jordan 'Last Dance' meme: "And I took that personally."]

"The MAC ranking picture is my home screen too, behind all these apps," she pointed out. "When we got ranked sixth in the preseason poll, I sent a message to our team: 'This is great motivation for us - this is an INSULT to Miami Tennis!'"

(Faulkner admitted that she was on her second cup of coffee in the airport getting ready to return to campus when she sent that particular message, which may or may not have been a contributing factor!)

"I feel almost like having the poll there [on my phone] and looking at it every day subconsciously will help me find the motivation," Faulkner continued. "It's hard going from week to week playing different people in different matches, but when you're really tired, 'How bad do you want it?' Are you still willing to go 100% in practice to achieve a higher ranking?"

- - -

"HOW BAD DO YOU WANT IT?"

Fast forward a few hours, and Faulkner was yelling that exact phrase word-for-word to encourage teammate through a drill during Miami's afternoon practice at Riverside Athletic Club in Hamilton.

"The other MAC schools have nothing on us!," Valentinsson responded loudly a few moments later.

Spend any amount of time around a practice or match for the RedHawk tennis team, and it's clear that vocal encouragement is a significant element in the Miami program's success under Rosas (who has won more than two-thirds of his MAC matches with the RedHawks at 56-27 all-time).

"We do talk about it, and I think it's important," Rosas said later. "Sometimes the match can be going away from you, but when you hear your team, your people, your coaches...call out your name, it helps them to kind of get away from themselves and understand we're competing, but for the whole team...

"This group especially is a young team, but very close, and they've been taking that to a very strong level. They understand that every time they cheer for each other, you're lifting everybody up...

"When we win a set or win a match [and we yell that out], they get a little bit more energy and start digging deeper if they're doing well. If they're not doing so well, that helps them reset and say, 'Okay, I've got to do this for the team.'

"That's been really nice to see with this group."

The different call-and-response chants repeated frequently around the building throughout this particular practice, with each one echoing the next.

"Let's go, RED-HAWKS!"

"Let's go, Miami!"

"Let's go, Red!"

"Let's go, White!"

"Let's go, Malu!

"Let's go, Allie!"

"Let's go, Evelyn!"

"Let's go, Lovisa!"

"Let's go, Avery!"

"Let's go, Nina!"

"Let's go, Maria!"

"Let's go, everyone on the team!"

(Yes, really: That last phrase was definitely overheard right along with the rest. Seems like the perfect catch-all, right?)

While the vibes were high throughout the afternoon, practice was obviously strenuous, with a focus on stamina and outlasting every remaining team Miami might face over the next few months.

"If we go three sets, we OUTWORK the opponent," Rosas instructed, immediately repeating that particular teaching point a few more times for emphasis.

Back and forth went the ball. Back and forth went the pitter-patter of each player's feet. Forehands and backhands. Up to the net and then quickly retreating to the far corners. Long, looping shots followed by low drives that screamed right over the edge of the net.

At one point, Rosas and graduate assistant oversaw a drill that didn't even involve using a racquet, as the RedHawks darted in and out of neon-colored cones while running start-and-stop figure-eight patterns. "In the third set, it's about fatigue," the coaches explained. "You know you can hit, but your legs are tired: Focus on the footwork and tell your brain to get to the ball...

"In those moments, your shots are there. It's the footwork!

"Lateral, quick feet. Stay low. In and out. Be quick, but don't hurry.

"Your legs should be burning."

(They certainly were.)

"In January, there were lots of lessons learned. In February, we almost accomplished what we set [out to do]," Rosas told his team with the majority of the non-conference slate out of the way and MAC play looming.

"Now, it doesn't change. Momentum is created right here, right now. I feel the momentum! Let's keep after it."

The remainder of the practice simulated a variety of different situations, with Zalukar pitching in to be an eighth player for even numbers' sake and Rosas yelling out hypothetical scenarios and scores for motivation.

"It's 5-0 in the third set!"

"7-7 to win the championship!"

"Get four in a row! Now six in a row! How about eight in a row?"

"I'm sweating more than [I was during] my third set Sunday," one player joked during a rare break (which was timed to last exactly 35 seconds before the grueling pace resumed).

While Zalukar is out of eligibility after an All-MAC collegiate career as a Miami student-athlete, the 2025 graduate more than held her own through the high-tempo workout.

"Sara is never tired," Valentinsson smiled. "She doesn't know what tired means. What is 'tired?'"

By 4 p.m., it was time to wrap up and begin to pick up the hundreds of tennis balls that were both strewn around the courts and seemingly lining every inch of the room's perimeter. (For those readers who might be curious, a few small shopping carts help with that particular project!!)

"Last one, best one!", Zalukar exhorted as Faulkner prepared to contest her final point of the session.

Before the team headed out to the parking lot, they took an extra minute or two to -- what else? -- huddle up in a circle and practice yet another cheer.

"When I say, 'Red', you say 'White'!"

And then it was time to load up for the half-hour drive back to Oxford after what seemed on all accounts to be a successful practice.

Or as one RedHawk laughed, "Another day, another 'slay!'"

- - -

"Please don't stop the music!"

A 30-minute van ride with the Miami Tennis team is reminiscent of one of former late-night host James Corden's most well-known bits: Carpool Karaoke.

"Don't judge: We're not the best singers," a few of the players fore-warned as they climbed into the backseat.

To be fair, there was a decent amount of vocal talent displayed...but the makeshift choir's enthusiasm was the most notable part of the impromptu singalong as Rosas navigated the vehicle back to campus to the strains of artists old and new like Britney Spears, Taylor Swift, Bruno Mars, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Camila Cabello and many more.

Most of the songs got skipped about halfway through by whoever was handling DJ duties on this particular trip, probably just to get more tunes out before arrival. (Quantity over quality, right?)

The trip started, fittingly, with 'Let's Get Loud' by Jennifer Lopez. And it ended, even more fittingly, with Rihanna's 'Don't Stop the Music' before the music did, in fact, stop.

Faulkner said that her favorite part of being a college student-athlete so far is the relationships she's built with her teammates, and that's easy to see. Although the roster literally comes from all over the globe (five different countries are represented among the seven RedHawks), the team's bond is obvious, whether in the heat of battle between the lines or in the relaxed conversations and inside jokes that flow freely during the many hours spent together daily.

"Allie's got really cool pants!", exclaimed earlier that afternoon within minutes of seeing Faulkner for the first time.

"Allie's got really cool socks!", chimed in, referencing a pair of 'Monsters, Inc.' themed socks Faulkner had worn recently with cartoon character Sulley's face on them.

"We're so close, and I don't know how I would navigate college without them," Faulkner said that morning as she reflected on teammates and friends that she may have only known for a year so far but feel like they've been together forever.

"It's so nice having girls that have gone through the classes that I've taken and can help me and give me tips. [It means a lot], just knowing that they went through all the same struggles I did and are there to support me.

"Honestly, I just love them so much."

- - -

Beyond the draw of the people, Faulkner came to Miami initially because the university checked every single box on her list, including a good business school, a big school ('but not Ohio State-big with 30,000 people'), a tennis program she could play at where she knew she was wanted, and even a 'college town surrounded by farmland.'

"I love farms," Faulkner had smiled that morning. "That's my dream: to live on a farm." The Faulkner family owns a farm in west Tennessee where they like to go duck hunting and then recently bought another farm property in the Knoxville area where they plan to build a house (or perhaps several houses if Allie and her older sister Kate decide they want to live nearby as adults!).

"I want chickens, maybe some more dogs, and I want a donkey," Faulkner said matter-of-factly as she daydreamed about that potential future.

Why? "Well, a donkey seems fun, and I want to name it 'Donkey', like [in the movie] Shrek!," she promptly responded.

One of Faulkner's favorite hobbies is hunting with her dad, which includes an annual February quail hunt in Georgia that she knew she would miss out on for the first time because of when it falls during the spring semester calendar.

"We hunt for ducks and doves," she said. "I really like the dogs part of it too; we'll have little dogs and bigger dogs...

"I've been [around hunting] since I was probably four years old, and I got my hunting license in sixth grade so I could start going with my dad," she added.

"I'm just not a big-city person. I don't like the hustle and bustle; I like it calm and quiet. And [when I was choosing a school], I really liked that Oxford was so community-based, if that makes sense.

"Miami just worked out perfectly for me, and I've loved it here!"

- - -

Faulkner's whirlwind day was far from over, as the RedHawks piled out of the van at 4:28 p.m. and immediately made the trek upstairs to the tennis offices at Yager Stadium for a mental training session with Dr. Robin Vealey and Nicholas Elliott. The two professors from Miami's Department of Sport Leadership and Management spent the better part of the next hour helping the RedHawks process the results from their past weekend of non-conference matches against Cincinnati (a tight 4-3 road loss) and Butler (a 6-1 home win).

"Our [training] has definitely helped me pick up little nuggets of information to just keep me mentally 'there'," Faulkner had said that morning as she previewed what the team would discuss with its mental coaches. "Honestly, everyone is good at this level, so [it comes down] to who has the better strategy or who can handle their emotions the best...

"We just go over the past week together and talk about: What did we see that can help us for the next weekend or what challenges did we face?"

Each player had a copy of a 'feeling wheel' handout on the table in front of them to try and zero in on words such as 'happy,' 'surprised', 'bad', 'angry', etc. and put both victories and defeats into perspective.

"Reflect back and write down what happened," Elliott requested. "Brain-dump first, then try to put it in a sentence, then get that experience in a phrase, then down to one single word."

For Faulkner, the weekend had been a 'rollercoaster,' including a scoring dispute in a set she thought she'd won multiple times but ended up dropping (one of the difficult things about a sport where players make many of their own officiating calls). However, she knew the difficulties that she'd battled through and the lessons she's learned would pay off for her when MAC play rolled around.

"I started low, but I finished high," she told the group.

Several teammates chimed in with their individual viewpoints on the resilience and determination it takes to excel in matches like the ones the RedHawks had just completed.

"It was a gritty weekend with a lot of growth," one player summarized.

"Play gritty, not pretty," Faulkner said, referencing the mantra displayed on a nearby wall.

"We're becoming better in the battle," Rosas added.

Elliott and Vealey asked the team to brainstorm together and come up with a new slogan or phrase they could take into each game and point going forward, a project that occupied the next few minutes of conversation.

The session concluded with an in-depth visualization exercise to help the student-athletes be hyper-aware of their senses and breathing, as Elliott introduced the concept of 'proprioception', a 'sixth sense' of how the body moves in space.

Afterwards, Vealey suggested in a sidebar conversation with Faulkner that the hat Faulkner wears at every match could serve as a mental trigger to help the rookie standout zero in on the approach she wants to incorporate: namely, not getting easily frustrated while still staying aggressive.

"You see that narrow cone [of the brim] in front of you, and it can serve as a reminder to focus in," Vealey mentioned.

- - -

From mental training to physical training, the next stop on the agenda was the weight room at the Walter L. Gross Jr. Family Student Athlete Development Center. , the team's strength coach, was waiting along with her dog Denver at the top of the steps to lead the RedHawks through an hour-long workout.

Faulkner took her sweatshirt off and picked up a foam roller before moving to the next station with its five-pound plates and red and purple resistance bands. Each student-athlete had a personalized folder with instructions for what to do and where to do it, which helped the group maximize its 60-minute session.

The small details clearly mattered, as one set of a dozen jumping jacks was repeated because not all seven student-athletes ended the 12th and final maneuver at the exact same time. From box climbs to leg lifts to weights, Faulkner and her teammates made progress to the soundtrack of techno music blaring in the background.

Was it hard work, especially for student-athletes who had been on the go for basically 10 hours straight? Yes.

Were there plenty of smiles? Also yes.

- - -

"The advice I'd give someone if they're doing a sport is 'Make sure you find the joy in it,'" Faulkner had mused out loud that morning. "I've struggled with that at times, but my mom would always tell me, 'Find the joy. Find the joy.'

"Without the joy, you're just going to be miserable. It's hard. College athletics is especially hard. If you can't find the joy, pursue something where you DO find the joy."

Faulkner's day on February 17 -- and her freshman year as a whole so far -- exemplifies that message. And whether or not the season ends with her reaching every goal on her checklist (including qualifying for the MAC Tournament, winning a title, and capturing MAC Freshman of the Year honors, just to name a few), the work she and the RedHawks have already put in under Rosas' leadership have the senior-less roster perfectly set up for not only a crucial stretch run, but also a bright future.

"There's no pressure because we're such a young team and we're not graduating anyone, so it's kind of like we're all trying to figure it out," Faulkner said back in February. "We might not be the favorite, but we're holding the title at the moment...

"Coach is very positive...he always tells me that he's proud of me and that I'm doing well. Even throwing me in the top of the lineup as a freshman: He holds us to a high standard, but he's always very helpful getting us there and maintaining it...

"I just know every time I got out on the court, I need to give it all that I've got. That's going to help the team, and for my personal goals, help me there too."

Fast forward to the present, and Miami will host Dayton and Eastern Michigan this week (Friday and Sunday, respectively), before concluding the regular season with trips to Marshall and Ball State. The conference matchups against the Eagles and Cardinals will prove pivotal in Miami's hopes of making the four-team MAC Tournament, which is scheduled to be contested April 25-26 on the RedHawks' home courts in Oxford. Miami is currently a half-game out of the field, just behind Western Michigan and Toledo (who both still have to play undefeated league leaders Buffalo and/or UMass over the next two weeks).

"It's just one match at a time, and we really control our own destiny," Rosas said this week. "Our group understands that - we talk a little bit about where we are - and the best part is that since we've started playing MAC matches, in each match we're becoming a better team in terms of all the things we've been working on. Especially in our last match against NIU [a crucial 4-3 win]...

"We've got to take care of Eastern Michigan and then Ball State, but we've been playing better and better...

"That's something really good to see, so we've just got to go match-by-match and hopefully things go in our favor."

In other words, expect Miami Tennis to take things one day at a time.

Because stacking a few more productive days in a row like February 17 just might be enough to help and the RedHawks achieve their dreams this spring...

...which would make for a very memorable 'day in the life' indeed.

Find more Front Row Features at: MiamiRedHawks.com/FrontRowFeatures

Miami Tennis wraps up the home portion of its regular-season schedule with matches this Friday, April 10 against Dayton and Sunday, April 12 against Eastern Michigan. Both contests are currently scheduled to be played outdoors in Oxford beginning at noon; check back to MiamiRedHawks.com for up-to-date schedule information. The MAC Tournament gets underway Saturday, April 25 on Miami's campus, with the championship match set for Sunday, April 26. more

Career development

 16h

From Applicant to Inmate in Minutes


(KPEL News) - In any section and sector of Louisiana, it can be tough to secure employment. For one Baton Rouge woman, she went to the Elayne Hunt Correctional Center for a job interview and ended up arrested, according to a WBRZ report.

It's Hard to Find a Job in Louisiana

You may hear this often in conversations with people who are job hunting: "It's so hard to find a job in our area," or... "It's so hard to find a good, high-paying job in Louisiana." While you may hear phrases like these, it's not a joke. WalletHub doesn't rank Louisiana well for job hunting.

WalletHub delved into a variety of data to produce comparisons of job markets across all 50 states. Unfortunately, Louisiana came in at 49th on the list! It truly is tough out there!

We rank 48th in median household income, and it's harder to find a job in Louisiana than in other states. Another tough statistic is that Louisiana ranks 50th among states for job security. Ouch! So, don't repeat what this woman did when going on a job interview.

Louisiana Woman Arrested at Jail Going for Job Interview

Now, as for the woman going to jail for a job interview, her name is Jeraneka James, and the 21-year-old was just there trying to get gainful employment.

As the woman's vehicle pulled up at the jail, a K-9 unit gave the alert that something was there, and when the search to place, the woman was found to have 1.5 grams of marijuana, according to the report. The marijuana was found in a cigar pack.

Once the search was concluded, officers at the scene placed James under arrest. She was taken to the Iberville Parish Jail and booked on the following charges: more

Career development

 17h

From Applicant to Inmate in Minutes


(KPEL News) - In any section and sector of Louisiana, it can be tough to secure employment. For one Baton Rouge woman, she went to the Elayne Hunt Correctional Center for a job interview and ended up arrested, according to a WBRZ report.

You may hear this often in conversations with people who are job hunting: "It's so hard to find a job in our area," or "It's so hard to find a good, high-paying... job in Louisiana." While you may hear phrases like these, it's not a joke. WalletHub doesn't rank Louisiana well for job hunting.

WalletHub delved into a variety of data to produce comparisons of job markets across all 50 states. Unfortunately, Louisiana came in at 49th on the list! It truly is tough out there!

We rank 48th in median household income, and it's harder to find a job in Louisiana than in other states. Another tough statistic is that Louisiana ranks 50th among states for job security. Ouch! So, don't repeat what this woman did when going on a job interview.

Now, as for the woman going to jail for a job interview, her name is Jeraneka James, and the 21-year-old was just there trying to get gainful employment.

As the woman's vehicle pulled up at the jail, a K-9 unit gave the alert that something was there, and when the search to place, the woman was found to have 1.5 grams of marijuana, according to the report. The marijuana was found in a cigar pack.

Once the search was concluded, officers at the scene placed James under arrest. She was taken to the Iberville Parish Jail and booked on the following charges: more

Career development

 17h

5 interesting conversations to have on your first date


You are on your first date. You want to get to know the person, but you don't want it to feel like a job interview. How do you move past small talk and surface-level questions to really get to know your date? Here are some questions that move beyond the résumé and reveal their personality, values, and whether you actually vibe together!This question cuts straight to authenticity. Instead of asking... the age-old question, "Tell me about yourself," ask this. This way, you are encouraging them to talk about themselves in the most genuine way possible. You can really learn about their personality, energy, and the kind of world they inhabit. Some feel most like themselves when they work, which means their career is a crucial part of their life. For some, it might be while spending time with family, which means they value relationships. Their answer reveals how they recharge, what environments make them thrive, and whether their life matches yours. Consider this question a window into their secret dreams and values. This question is not about their present life; it is about the life they yearn for. And that says a lot about the person. One may want to travel the world. Another may want to spend time working on a passion project. The answers reveal their priorities beyond everyday life: adventure, creativity, rest, connection, skill-building, or freedom. Interestingly, this conversation often leads to deeper discussions about whether they're living the life they actually want right now.Instead of asking your date about their dream destination or favorite food, ask them about their non-negotiables. Ask them about that one rule they follow. This will tell you a lot about their boundaries. For example, weekends are reserved for relaxation, or they never discuss money with immediate family, or perhaps they always prioritize their parents. All these tell you about the standards they have set for themselves that feel non-negotiable. Understanding these rules will help you navigate further.Now, this is not about whether they go to the gym every day. This is certainly not about predictable habits. You are looking for micro-habits -- small but specific actions that improve their life. For instance, they don't like to panic at the last minute, so they always plan ahead. Or perhaps gratitude journaling before going to bed. Or setting a rule to check in on friends once every week.You don't want your date to feel like an interrogation. So ask this question, which will kick-start storytelling. They might talk about buying a used camera that ignited a passion for photography, or perhaps a kitchen gadget that has made life easier. This is a great conversation starter. You will get to hear real stories and understand the person emotionally. This is one of the best questions for first dates, as it is unpredictable and fuels natural conversation. more

Anonymous member


Career development 1d
I talk to clients a lot because I’m an account manager at a bank. After one call, a company director said there was “a spark” between us and started asking me out.
I’m not interested at all, and his wife even works as an accountant in his company. I’m trying to say no politely and avoid any problems at work.
What’s the best way to handle and end this situation?
Thanks

1   

  • Anthony Wambua

    17h

    From experience, I would advise that you must keep everything totally professional; State your professional boundaries; Though illegal record all the... conversations; Don't bow to pressures of him moving the account to another bank;NOO NOO double speak, No ambiguity, No personal talk; Remember some institutions value profits and clients more than staff -- check very quietly how your employer handles such issues etc etc etc. If the client persists, let your immediate supervisor and HR through official channels, and request for the particular account to be transferred to another person. Companies with good system.  more

  • TSC K

    19h

    If you report it, HR will manage you out and tell other companies. I would play it off, talk about your fiancé, and remain professional.

Load more...

Career development

 18h

Claude Context Pollution Is Real -- This Is How I Solved It


I keep a repo of markdown files that I use as context for Claude. Notes about how I write, project details, decisions I've made and why, things I want Claude to know about me so I don't have to re-explain them every session.

It works well. Until it doesn't.

The problem showed up when I started adding job-hunting material - cover letter drafts, notes about specific companies, salary expectations,... the whole thing. Suddenly that information was leaking into unrelated sessions. I'd be thinking through a technical essay and Claude would have all that hiring context loaded for no reason. It felt noisy. And a little weird.

What I wanted was simple: one repo, all my notes, but a way to tell Claude which context to use for a given session. Job hunting context when I'm writing applications. Essay-thinking context when I'm drafting technical pieces. Writing preferences always.

Claude Code looks for a file at the root of your repo and loads it automatically. You can also pass a flag at invocation time, which lets you supply an arbitrary file as the system prompt for that session.

That second option is the lever I wanted. It means I can generate a context file on the fly, pass it in, and Claude gets exactly what I decided - nothing more.

Each markdown file in my contexts/ folder has a small frontmatter block:

Some files are tagged global - writing preferences, general notes about how I think. Those always get included. Everything else is opt-in by tag.

A small TypeScript script, ctx, reads those files, filters by the requested tag, and writes a single .claude-context.md file:

Then I run Claude with that file as the system prompt:

I have a shell alias that chains both steps so it's just ctx job-hunting and Claude opens with the right context loaded.

The generated file is gitignored. It's ephemeral by design - the source markdown files are the truth, the generated file is just today's lens into them.

But here's the thing that makes this system actually grow: when I finish a writing session and realize Claude was missing something - context that would've made the conversation better - I ask Claude to rewrite my context files to include it. That gap becomes a patch. Over time, my context repo gets richer and more useful without me having to manually maintain it. The system learns from what it was missing.

It's a small feedback loop, but it compounds. Each session that reveals a gap also enriches the next one.

Everything in a system prompt gets counted as tokens on every message in the session. That's different from how CLAUDE.md works, where Claude can be more selective. So if your context files grow large, you'll feel it in cost and (marginally) in speed.

The script prints a rough token estimate when it runs, which is a good habit to build. My current contexts are small enough that it doesn't matter. But it's the kind of thing that quietly gets expensive if you stop paying attention.

To be clear: the system doesn't depend on any particular tool. You could do this manually - write a merged markdown file by hand, paste the right pieces together, pass it to Claude. The concept works regardless. What a tool buys you is removing the friction between "I want job-hunting context" and Claude actually having it.

I built a small CLI for exactly this: ctx. You install it once, tag your markdown files with YAML frontmatter, and then it's:

It scans your notes directory, matches everything tagged job-hunting, merges them into a single file, and tells you how much it wrote. Then you pass that file to Claude as the system prompt. That's the whole thing.

The reason I bothered packaging it is that the manual version has just enough friction to make you skip it. And skipping it means Claude gets the wrong context, or too much context, or you spend the first five minutes of a session re-explaining things you've already written down. The tool makes the right behavior the easy behavior.

Check ctx out here

There's something clarifying about making context explicit and intentional. Before this, my context repo was growing into a single blob of everything-about-me. Now it has structure that reflects how I actually think about different modes of work.

Tagging a file job-hunting isn't just a filter instruction - it's an acknowledgment that this information has a scope. It's relevant here, not everywhere. That's just good information hygiene, and it's nice when the tooling reflects it.

The whole thing is maybe 80 lines of TypeScript and a naming convention. Most good systems are. more

Career development

 19h

CV Revamp & Professional Website


External Client I have an existing résumé that needs a full refresh. The content is solid but dated, so I want you to: * Re-structure the layout for a cleaner, more modern look * Strengthen the wording throughout, tightening phrasing and highlighting quantifiable achievements * Add my most recent role (2022-present) so the document is fully up to date Once the CV is polished, I also need a... single-page personal website that mirrors the same professional tone and visual identity. Think crisp typography, balanced white space and a straightforward colour palette -- minimal ornamentation, no gimmicks, just a confident, executive feel. The page will serve as an online profile where I can host a downloadable PDF of the revised CV, a brief bio, headshot and contact form. I'm happy to supply current résumé, headshot and any copy you need. Please handle both the copy-editing and the front-end build; lightweight HTML/CSS or a platform like Webflow is fine as long as the end result is responsive and easy for me to update later. Deliverables * Final CV in PDF and editable Word/Google Docs formats * Live, mobile-friendly personal website with source files and clear hand-over notes If you have a portfolio of similar work, that will help me gauge fit. Looking forward to collaborating. more

Career development

 20h

6 Questions To Ask In Your Next Job Interview


In a job interview, after answering all the interviewers questions, one of the last things you are usually asked is 'Do you have any questions for me?'

When preparing for the interview, having some questions ready to ask at the end demonstrates that you are prepared and interested in the role. It makes you look enthusiastic and engaged; qualities that the employer will be looking for.

Try to... come up with a few questions to ask. Then if one or two of them are answered during the earlier discussion, you have backups in place.

Avoid asking questions that focus too much on what the organisation can do for you. Save questions about salary and holiday allowance for when you've got a job offer. Also, stay away from questions that require a yes or no answer, as you're likely to find this information on the company's website.

While it's ok to ask your interviewer to clarify certain points, avoid asking about anything that has previously been covered, or that can be easily found on their website. You do not want them to think that you haven't been paying attention, or that you haven't done any research prior to the interview.

If you need some inspiration, here are some good questions to ask at an interview...

The answer will provide insight into what skills and experience are needed and will also help you decide if the role is right for you. It will also give you an idea of what the employer's expectations are, so if you're offered the job there should be no surprises when you start.

Enquiring about development opportunities demonstrates to the interviewer that you are serious about your career progression and committed to a future within the organisation.

The answer to this question will give you an insight into the company's progression plans, while giving you a general idea about job security. You may also get a heads-up on any major upcoming projects. Asking about future plans shows a real interest in the organisation and reiterates your commitment to the company.

Asking this question is a great way to assess the working environment of the company and it gives you the opportunity to discover whether you'll fit in.

From the interviewer's response, you will learn if and how the organisation prioritises employee happiness, of any benefits on offer, and what the work-life balance is like.

This question enables you to build up a sense of camaraderie with your interviewer. It requires a personal response, so you could learn a lot from their answer. You'll get an insider's view of the company culture and working environment and you may even get to discover how your interviewer got their start in the business and how they progressed.

This will help you understand the way the company is structured, who you'll report to, and the department the role sits within. These are the people you'll work most closely with, so it's worth trying to find out about the team dynamic and working methods.

Depending on the response, it may also give you the opportunity to mention any experience or success you've had working in similar teams - just to give the employer one final example of how well you'll fit in if you get the job.

If the employer doesn't give an indication of what happens next, then a good way to wrap up the interview is to ask about next steps and when you can expect to hear from them. more

Career development

 23h

Organize 10K Resumes in Excel


I have roughly 10,000 résumés that all arrive as Word documents. Some follow the same template, others drift a bit, so intelligent judgement will occasionally be needed to pull the right details into place. I need every résumé parsed and entered into a single Excel sheet with these columns in this exact order: * Name * Contact Number * Email * Phone No. (if different) * Skills * Experience *... Address * LinkedIn Profile URL * Certification (if listed) * Education History Accuracy matters more than speed, yet I still want a realistic timeline for completing the full batch -- please include your projected turnaround when you respond. A few notes: - All files are already in Word format, so no PDF or image conversion is required. - Because formatting varies, some manual review will be essential; scripts or macros are fine as long as the final sheet is clean and human-readable. - Remember to start your proposal with **@_-&** so I know you read everything. Deliver the finished Excel file plus any supporting scripts or notes you may have used. Let me know the tools or methods you prefer, and we can get started right away. more

Anonymous member


Career development 6d
I’ve been working at a big bank for six months, and I still can’t get used to how people treat each other. Many employees look down on drivers, cleaners, maintenance staff, and kitchen assistants. They treat them like they are “lower”.
I can’t act like that and try to be kind and respectful to everyone. But my colleagues criticize me for it and even push me to be rude to support staff.
How can I... stand my ground and help others treat them with respect?

 more
1   

  • Arido Emmanuel

    1d

    I like Ishmail Muhammed's response. I couldn't have said it better.

    Additionally,
    1 Corinthians 12:22-25 NLT
    [22] In fact, some parts of the body... that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary. [23] And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care. So we carefully protect those parts that should not be seen, [24] while the more honorable parts do not require this special care. So God has put the body together such that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity. [25] This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other.


     more

  • Murego tharcisse

    1d

    it is up to you to choose the person you want to be to them without anyone's influence

Load more...

Anonymous member


Career development 2d
Hi! I work in an all-women team and no one has a car. My husband picks me up every day and my coworkers often ask for a ride too. They got used to it and if I say no, they get upset. But I’m tired of driving everyone home. How can I stop this without arguments? Thanks

1   

  • Jayne Ngugi

    1d

    I will give them notice. I will not be sharing a ride from next week on Monday. Period!

  • Sheila Milburn

    1d

    Say No. Let them be mad. Its not your responsibility to transport them to or from their jobs. What did they do prior to you working there? Do they... even offer to pay? If not, they are truly taking advantage.
     more

    3
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Career development

 5d

My Husband Can't Get a Job. Should I Divorce Him?


My husband is a very smart and capable person, but he became very sick in early 2020, and he has barely worked since then, despite tirelessly applying for positions. What can he do?

We recently moved so I could go to graduate school for music, but the stress of trying to make enough money to live on (even with help from my mom) has made it nearly impossible to focus and develop my skills. It's... literally ruining my life.

Currently he is doing an online master's program in computer science, but I worry that this will not improve his prospects. I don't really want to get divorced, but I think about it constantly. It's just too hard trying to support two adults as a nonprofit administrator. I can't live this way for the next 30-40 years.

Thanks for your help,

 more
1   

  • kevin nyamai

    1
    1d

    I read this message with alot of empathy. We have gone through same with my wife since 2018 september to date and she hasnt asked me for a devorce... neither have i thought of devorcing her. She alo doesnt have a full time job but does forever living sales. I do part lecturing and the last payment was in 2023 todate. We have sort for assistant from all sides of our familiessometimes in vain. We have severally missed sleeping hungry by whiskers. I am an orphan she lost her Dad during Covid and her mother my mother inlaw is struggling with Cancer. We have 2 kids who actually go to school by grace of God. I lost my full time lecturing job a month after our wedding.Shes from a well up family while i come from the opposite extreme but educated though shes also a graduate. We opened up several businesses but 2 collapsed during covid. I have tried politics things went south with the little i had saved hoping that would be our spring board to life again .We are desperately looking for any job v more

  • Olumide Sampson

    1d

    Should this question have been asked here? Why do we take Social media as a counselor? Well thankfully people here have been reasonable

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Career development

 1d

Technical Interview Representative (Proxy Engagement)


We need articulate and quick-thinking individuals for a high-paying, part-time remote position. (This position is only open to male candidates.) The Role: You will represent experienced software engineers in their job interviews. Using their profile and our support, you will be the "face" that helps them get hired at companies. The work involves some character acting/impersonation. Apply only if... you're comfortable with that and want to earn well through a unique, efficient model. Requirements: -A fluent, native-level English speaker with excellent communication skills. -A fast learner who is calm and professional under pressure. -You have some coding experience or technical understanding. A strong background is a plus, but it's not mandatory. Your speaking ability is our top priority. -Don't worry if you're not a coding expert. If you have the speaking skills, our company will provide the technical coaching and real-time support you need to pass live coding tests and technical interviews. Working Hours: 7~8 hours per week at the beginning stage. Will be increased 30~40 hours if everything goes well. Clear Pay Structure: Start at $25~$50/hr during the onboarding phase. Earn a $1,000~ $1,500/month permanent raise for every job you help secure. Your maximum income would be $6,000 per month. more

Career development

 1d

How to find your next hire in the age of AI


How real estate agencies can adapt hiring practices for the AI era by testing real thinking, adaptability, and character - and using AI smartly to shortlist candidates without losing the human touch.

Everyone's CV looks amazing now. Here's how to find the actual human behind the prompt.

Thomas McGlynn nailed it a few years back when he said that a job interview has always been the meeting of two... lies: The employer exaggerates how great the culture is. The candidate exaggerates how great they are. Ninety days later, everyone finds out.

Now multiply that problem by AI.

Today's candidates are running their cover letters through ChatGPT. Their CVs have been polished by Gemini. Their LinkedIn summaries read like they were written by a professional copywriter - because, in a way, they were. And here's the thing: you can't really blame them. If you had a tool that could make you sound 30% more articulate, you'd use it too.

But it means the old hiring playbook could be a little broken.

Reading cover letters to "get a sense of the person" doesn't work when the person didn't actually write them. And dumping those AI-written applications into another AI to summarise them? Congratulations - you've just created a game of robot tennis where nobody's keeping score and the human wandered off to make a coffee.

So what do you do instead?

Change the medium, change the signal

If every candidate can produce a flawless written application, then written applications stop being useful as a filter.

You need to test for things AI can't fake - yet.

Build a smarter application form

Tools like Jotform or Tally let you go way beyond "upload your CV." Instead, create situational questions that reveal how someone actually thinks:

* A tenant calls at 4:45 PM on a Friday with a burst pipe. Walk us through exactly what you do in the next 30 minutes.

* A vendor disagrees with your recommended sale price. How do you handle the conversation?

* You've got three inspections, a settlement, and a staff meeting all on the same morning. What gets moved?

There's no ChatGPT template for your specific office scenarios. That's the point.

Test their AQ, not just their IQ

Adaptability Quotient matters more than ever. Ask candidates to rate how much they enjoy various tasks on a scale of 1 to 10. If someone rates admin a 2 but the role is 80% systems and data entry, you've just saved yourself a 90-day disappointment - no matter how polished their application looked.

Think of it as a compatibility test for your office. Tinder for task preferences, minus the awkward ghosting. (Actually, no - realistically there's probably still ghosting!)

Ask for video

A 60-second selfie video answering one specific question is worth more than a two-page cover letter right now. AI can write a script, but it can't fake warmth, energy, or the way someone's face lights up when they talk about something they actually care about.

Keep the question simple: Tell us why this role, at this agency, right now. You'll know within 15 seconds. Either they light up or they sound like they're reading a ransom note from a teleprompter.

Ask the questions that actually matter

Once you've filtered for real humans, the interview itself needs to evolve too.

The culture question nobody asks:

Most agencies advertise the same role. Same duties, same salary band, same "dynamic team environment."

Your culture is the differentiator - so test for it.

Ask candidates what they found when they looked at your socials. If they didn't look, that tells you something. If they did, what they noticed tells you more.

The future question:

If property management shifts from being mostly about maintenance to being mostly about asset advisory and client experience, how would they see their role changing?

This isn't a trick question: It's a genuine window into whether someone sees this as a job or a career.

The AI question:

Do you see AI as a collaborator or just useful for checking your emails? There's no wrong answer here, but the answer tells you a lot about someone's mindset toward growth, learning, and change. You want people who are curious, not threatened.

Profiling tools still work.

DISC, Kolbe Index, Wealth Dynamics - these aren't new, but they're more valuable than ever when the written application has become unreliable. Use them at the shortlist stage to understand whether you're hiring a Starter when you actually need a Finisher.

Use AI on your side (smartly)

Here's where it gets fun. AI isn't just changing how people apply - it can transform how you hire.

Use AI to help you build your application form in the first place. Feed it your role description and ask it to generate situational questions tailored to your agency.

Use it to create scoring criteria so incoming applications get flagged immediately against your shortlist requirements. Connect it to a Calendly link so high-fit candidates can book a meeting straight after they've finished the application.

The workflow becomes: application lands → AI flags the best fits → you get a cheat sheet of their responses → you walk into the interview prepared and focused on the human in front of you. You know, the bit you as a leader went into real estate for: talking to people. Not reading 47 variations of 'I'm a passionate self-starter.'

By the way: That's not replacing the human decision. That's giving the human decision-maker better information, faster.

The bit about staying legal

If you're using AI to help shortlist candidates - even if it's just a smart spreadsheet that scores responses - you need to know about the Privacy Act reforms landing in December 2026.

The short version: if AI "substantially assists" in deciding who gets an interview, that counts as automated decision-making under the new rules, and you have obligations around transparency.

Best practice right now is a simple three-layer approach:

A clear notice on your application form: "We use AI-assisted shortlisting to help our team process applications faster."

A brief explanation that AI helps rank candidates on skills and experience, but all final hiring decisions are made by humans.

An updated privacy policy that covers how you use applicant data - including which AI tools are involved.

This isn't something to panic about. It's something to get ahead of. And frankly, being upfront about using AI in your hiring process is a good look - it signals that your agency is modern, efficient, and transparent.

We'll be diving deeper into the compliance side in a follow-up piece. For now, the three-layer approach above will put you well ahead of most agencies.

Stop reading resumes. Start testing for talent

The job interview was always the meeting of two lies. AI has just given both sides a better script. Your job as a hiring manager hasn't changed - find the right person for your team - but your methods need to catch up.

Change the medium. Test for thinking, not writing. Ask the questions that reveal character, not credentials. And use AI yourself to work smarter on the back end.

The agencies that figure this out first won't just hire better people. They'll keep them. And maybe, just maybe, both sides will stop lying by interview two.

Ready to find your next team member? Post your role on Elite Agent Jobs - it's free to post and you can amplify to reach more real estate professionals who read The Brief.

For more on how to think AI first about other systems in your business, consider doing the AI Accelerator course where you will learn the AI first formula, how to win listings and more. more

Career development

 1d

With AI, Job Searches And Recruiting May Be Less Onerous, Hopefully


As most of us know, whether you're hiring or seeking to be hired, job hunting and screening is an onerous, nerve-wracking process. Adding artificial intelligence to the mix may provide some relief to both side of the process.

That's the word from Cliff Jurkiewicz, head of strategy at Phenom. I had the opportunity to sit down with Jurkiewicz at the company's recent annual conference in... Philadelphia. "The traditional hiring process consists of "human beings having to manage a lot of the process that doesn't help focus on finding the right person and connecting them to meaningful work."

AI is disrupting the onerous process of search and interviewing for positions, he continued. Jurkiewicz and I also talked about the work of Richard Nelson Bolles, author of What Color is Your Parachute?, who urged people to create their own jobs by researching company needs, versus expending energy answering publicly posted job ads.

AI will help with that process, he predicted. "You're going to see more initiatives to create your own job. Every industry is moving towards skills-based, allowing us a dynamic way of looking at work and redefining work. You create a blueprint of work based on skills and outcomes, proficiency levels, and soft skills. It's an ontology, based on the organization of information, and the relationship with information itself."

Those ontologies represent infinite amounts of combinations that AI can sift through. "People want to work dynamically," he said. In particular, millennials, genZ, and gen Alpha "don't want to be siloed into just one definition of work. They want the ontology to say 'I can move up the organization with these skills to add value, and I'm building my own value in the organization, regardless of what my job title is.'"

A survey of 1,005 U.S.-based hiring managers from Insight Global found that 99% of hiring managers used AI in some capacity for the hiring process. At the same time, 93% agreed that it is no substitute for humans in the hiring process. Some of the most common uses include scheduling interviews (86%), establishing talent strategy (73%), creating ads for other open roles (72%), and taking notes during virtual interviews (72%).

This is where current tools and technology are making a difference. "We've gone from file folders to systems that help us organize and process people," Jurkiewicz said.

We're already seeing AI ease the process immensely when it comes to gig work - and, potentially, not just for requests outside enterprises, such as DoorDash or Uber. "You're going to see that come to inside the enterprise, with gig ecosystems being built inside," he said. "You'll have three or four different roles, and you'll work ten hours over here, five hours over there, ten hours over there. Because that's what people want."

From the job candidate's perspective, be it for production floor or even CEO openings, introducing greater AI and automation into the process means interviews can take place at times that are convenient for applicants, without all the phone tag or attempts to conduct interviews during business hours if one has a current job.

The most popular time for such interviews, Jurkiewicz finds, is 10 a.m. on Sunday mornings - not a time when recruiters or interviewers are available.

Plus, with an online AI-driven interview, people "get to review their answers before they submit them," he added. "The agent will do the screening, and you can either keep that answer or change it."

The information a candidate is able to present may be more complete than what may be put forth in a live-human, and perhaps intimidating, screening. "The candidate wants to feel a sense of agency for themselves, and such tools allow candidates to fully represent themselves through the process."

For the recruiting side, the availability of agentic AI tools means time saved. An organization may need to interview hundreds of candidates, which means a considerable time investment for overstretched recruiting staffs. For example, a large hospital system may need to process 1,500 candidates coming out of nursing school at the end of a semester.

Simply scheduling interviews "takes a high amount of time for a human recruiter, : he said. "It takes no time for an automation to do it." By alleviating the burden of reaching out to perhaps hundreds of candidates, AI and automation "puts 11 hours back into a recruiter's schedule - that's 25% of their time."

That provides recruiters and interviewers more time to connect with prime candidates, "talking about meaningful work, culture, values and purpose."

There is the advantage that data and intelligence provides. For example, onboarding "has never been seen as a goldmine of intelligence," he illustrated. "It has just been a checkbox. Here's the paperwork, fill it out, give the paperwork back, we do a background check, everything's good. But what if you could turn that into an intelligence-gathering effort? Because during that process of onboarding, you discover new things about the person."

This AI-driven job-market system parallels the e-commerce system that has evolved in recent decades. "You can't imagine a world today where you shop online with a thousand choices, and the system is helping you decide which one is the best for you. We're doing that for work. Like where you best fit, where you're going to get the most value out of it," he said. An AI-driven system helps you determine where "you're going to increase your market value, and you're going to be a great contributor to the enterprise." more