Career development

Jena Yasava

23h

I’m new and have only worked at the company for 2 weeks, but the rule that everyone has to go to lunch together is really bothering me. I’d like to spend my lunch break alone - eat quietly, relax and think.
But in our team that doesn’t seem okay. One time I went to lunch by myself and five minutes later they called me saying they couldn’t find me.
How can I tell my coworkers that I prefer to... have lunch alone without hurting their feelings?
Thanks

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1

Kathleen Ewing
3h
Really good question. Maybe just be honest and say that a new job is stressful, and lunch alone helps you to relax, but you are sure in time, you... will feel more comfortable. Tell them it's nothing personal. I think they are being pushy and should have given you the option to join when you want to. more
Vasant Barve
11h
It is good practice to eat together that makes new friends.

Career development

8h

GORE: Workforce landscape is continually changing

With 2026 still in its first quarter, the job market is experiencing slow but reasonable growth, a trend shaped by the significant challenges of 2025.

Partially due to the nerve-wracking government shutdown in the fall of 2025, many Americans not only lost faith in the system's working process, but also felt the discomfort of having the job security blanket yanked from under them. Though the... landscape of employment seems to have shifted with technology making job searching more accessible than ever before, it still hasn't replaced that void of concern when it comes to everyday living, let alone trying to store up any reserves for the future.

The increase in job-searching sites such as Indeed and ZipRecruiter has made finding employment much more accessible. Job seekers can now apply for positions and submit resumes online, eliminating the need for in-person applications. Although this ease of access benefits applicants, it has reduced opportunities for direct eye contact and handshakes with potential employers. Despite urgent hiring needs in many companies, the true extent of these needs is not always clear, and onboarding remains a costly endeavor as businesses strive for operational efficiency.

Understanding both perspectives is crucial: Workers may find discrepancies between job descriptions and pay, with limited prospects for advancement or raises. Employers tend to make promises that resemble political rhetoric and defend their business practices. Some supervisors and directors may misuse their authority and avoid meaningful engagement with candidates. For applicants, asking relevant questions -- such as whether the company has a high turnover rate could be quite essential.

Today's workforce has not only become diverse, but also lenient when it comes to the hiring method. Employing inexperienced and uneducated workers, as well as disengaged high school students, has pushed child labor laws to their boundaries, all for the sake of filling voids instead of employing. Drug testing has almost become extinct, largely due to marijuana legalization. Many businesses have relaxed their "no smoking" policies, allowing employees with poor performance, attendance, and apathetic attitudes. Some employers have lowered their standards by permitting smoking and vaping on company premises to appease workers. Additionally, older individuals remain in the workforce because of insufficient retirement or Social Security income.

The sense of honor and respect once associated with blue-collar work has diminished. In the past, maintaining steady employment was a source of dignity, and welfare was considered only as a last resort. These days, many adolescents are preoccupied with their phones, often neglecting their responsibilities, which creates challenges in the workplace. Other issues, which include nepotism, cronyism, passive racism, and tyrannical actions among employers and administrators, continue.

Post-pandemic research shows unemployment rates have risen, with many people having difficulties overcoming the complacency due to welfare benefits, side jobs, and recurrent unemployment support. Though these alternatives only offer short-term stability, many have gotten too relaxed and complacent without giving a second thought to finding long-term employment. For younger adults, the thought of building a strong work ethic may not be conceived or encouraged due to limited opportunities. The workplace has evolved dramatically.

Many young people are unlikely to succeed in corporate environments and may settle for mediocre jobs simply to cover cellphone bills or recreational expenses. Factors such as their level of education, proper application techniques, and business acumen play important roles in today's job market. If going by the everyday working person, skill may win over education, and though having a degree may be a mark of diligence, it is not always equivalent to having natural skills. Receiving healthy social security and retirement benefits in the future is based on having a strong working foundation early in life, and it's unfortunate that many younger adults won't realize that relevant importance until their latter days.

Despite many negative portrayals of earning income, such as particular content posted on social media or places that pay workers under the table, consistent hard work remains highly valuable. Regardless of the job, dedication, productivity, and strong character define a hard worker and provide the foundation for success. more

Career development

23h

Post-Grad Advice From Job Recruiter

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at FSU chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

The road from university to full-time employment can be a daunting one. With advice coming from all outlets and angles, it's difficult to get a straight answer on the dos and don'ts of job applications. What exactly should we include in our résumé? What should we avoid?... How do we stand out? Most importantly, how do we get hired?

I had the chance to sit down with FSU alumna and technical recruiter, Gabriella Miller, to ask for her professional and sisterly advice. From start-ups to big tech, Gabriella has spent the last eight years in the recruiting field, sourcing talent and shaping the future of hiring. While specializing in advanced career placements, she shares her personal views on early career experiences and what makes a standout interview, résumé, and overall candidate.

Her Campus (HC): In a few words, what stands out to you in an interviewee?

Gabriella Miller (GM): Keeping the lens that we're focusing on early careers, what makes a candidate stand out to me is going to be communication and how they present the experience they do have. Whether it's on the job, via an internship, or what they learned in school, it's important that they're able to articulate what they can bring to the table today.

HC: Are there any red flags that immediately jump out at you in a candidate?

GM: For sure. I think on a résumé, it's important to only include experience that's relevant to the type of job you're looking for, or find a way to gear your experience towards that job. You have limited space on your résumé and attention from the recruiter, so focus on highlighting the experience that most aligns with the role you're seeking.

In an interview, some of the biggest red flags for me are candidates who just didn't do their research. You're always going to be asked, "Why are you interested in working for this company?" The answer needs to be meaningful. How do your interests and skills contribute to that company's mission? You should be thoughtful about how you articulate that because the candidates who do are more likely to move on to the next stage.

HC: With classes at FSU geared toward résumé writing and interviewing, some claim that cover letters are making a comeback. Have you also seen that revival?

GM: It largely depends on where you're applying. Smaller companies generally get fewer applicants, which means their recruiters might have time to read a cover letter. If you're going to use them, use your best judgment. I always recommend looking for ways to help your application stand out. That could be a cover letter, or a better use of time may be finding a hiring manager or recruiter on LinkedIn and sending them a message.

I usually tell people that first impressions are really important. I've heard that on average, recruiters scan a résumé for about 30 seconds before determining if they'll move forward or not. Are cover letters beneficial? Sure. Is everybody going to read them? Probably not. Just use your best judgment to decide if it's worth it.

HC: It sounds like recruiters don't always have time to comb through résumés in detail. What key points on a résumé do you hit in those first few seconds?

GM: For an early-career candidate, I'm going to go with years of experience first. After that, I'm going to look at education. If that checks out, I'm going to dig a little deeper. How does this person describe their work, and does it align with the requirements of this job? At a minimum, I'm going to look at the bullets for their most recent job experience. If there are no major spelling errors or crazy formatting and they meet the role requirements, I'd probably move forward.

HC: In a transparent way, what do you just not care about in a résumé or interview?

GM: Definitely fluff. Show who you are and what you bring through your work experience instead of relying on buzzwords or fluffy objective statements. Same thing applies in interviews. Especially in the world of AI, people are heavily using ChatGPT for interview prep. While I think that can be a very efficient way to prep for interviews, my experience is that AI is always going to spit out more fluff than you need.

Focus on conveying what you want to convey in a precise manner, while still being sincere. You don't want to sound robotic. Sometimes I get candidates who I can tell spent a ton of time prepping for our interview. It's always appreciated, but if we can't cut through the fluff, it can easily derail our conversation.

HC: On that same vein of fluff, how should we balance soft skills versus technical skills? What soft skills are just intuitive?

GM: Convey your "soft skills" in your resume bullets. Don't just say you have these skills in a designated section; prove it. Prove it in the limited real estate you have on your résumé by providing examples. You're also going to have a chance to showcase those skills in the actual interview. They'll show through how you present yourself and how you participate in the conversation.

Every job is going to have a different set of technical skills they'll require for the role, but I've found that early-career roles are going to be more flexible on those. Hard skills are going to be things you've learned through school or internships. Make sure you point those out and show they're a strength of yours, and be transparent about what you're not an expert in. If you do a good job conveying the skills you've developed, you'll make the interviewer feel that you have the aptitude to learn the things you haven't mastered yet.

HC: If you could give "post-grad you" one piece of advice, or if there's something you wish you knew then, what would it be?

GM: There have been studies that show that women are less likely than men to apply for jobs they're not qualified for on paper. Sometimes job descriptions are very cookie-cutter and not an accurate representation of what a team is looking for. With that, I'd encourage everyone, especially early-career candidates, to apply anyway. If you think "I'm missing this one requirement," try anyway. Be resourceful about it, try to find a recruiter at that company, send them a message on LinkedIn, and start a conversation. Just throw your line out!

The next phase isn't so scary with some help. It's baby steps the whole way through, facing one new experience at a time. Gabriella Miller is one of millions waiting for your applications. Recruiters and hiring teams want to see you: what makes you special, what you bring to the table, and what you can do. Let's get hired!

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1

Jane Ntiringa
2
12h
It is an eye opener for many job applicants. Thank you for this piece of advice.
Richard success
20h
that's is informative and helpful
tap tips

Anonymous member

Career development

1y

I'm a graduate nurse with over 4 years working experience in Clinical settings and 2 years of volunteering in project and event management. I'm currently working part time as an admin assistant for an NGO but I don't find it as fulfilling. Any advice on what kimds of job a graduate nurse can do that is not the normal hospital shifts but still related to health?

1

Rick Barber
16h
Gee, why no answer?
Author
1y
Thank you very much. I have actually considered Psychiatry. I’ll have to do my research about that.
I’m in Nigeria and planning on staying. I would... love a coach but I don’t have the resources to hire 🙈 more

Career development

1d

Why Job Search Feels Harder Than Ever

Career development

1d

Elon Musk bans résumés and cover letters in hiring for his chip team. These are the 3 bullet points he's looking for instead | Fortune

It takes hours for some people to craft a résumé and cover letter, listing past experience and accomplishments on a sheet of paper -- details your interviewer is likely to ask you to explain face-to-face anyway. That redundant, time-consuming process has forced many to ditch the career materials, and Elon Musk is leading the charge.

The Tesla and SpaceX CEO is now asking anyone who wants to join... his AI5 chip design team to nix the conventional cover letter and résumé in favor of just three short bullet points.

In an X post Musk said he was looking for applicants to join Tesla as it restarts work on the AI supercomputer project Dojo3. To be considered, all applicants have to do is to submit "3 bullet points on the toughest technical problems you've solved," Musk wrote in the X post.

The move is characteristic of the CEO, who during his time at the helm of the Department of Government Efficiency, issued a directive asking government workers to email five bullet points of recent accomplishments amid a mass firing campaign that led to the termination of more than 250,000 federal employees. "Failure to respond will be taken as a resignation," Musk said in an X post last February. Musk also brought that tactic to X (formerly Twitter) when he took over as the social media platform's CEO.

Musk also tends to opt for conversation over credentials. In a recent interview with Stripe cofounder John Collison and tech podcaster Dwarkesh Patel during a joint episode of their podcasts, the tech CEO said "the résumé may seem very impressive," Musk said. "But if the conversation after 20 minutes is not 'Wow,' you should believe the conversation, not the paper."

While a résumé is still required to apply for most other jobs at Tesla in the U.S. -- with some positions even calling for an "evidence of excellence" statement -- Musk's unconventional request follows a growing trend in skills-based hiring. Almost three-quarters of companies are using skills-based assessments during the hiring process, according to a report from skills assessment platform TestGorilla's The State of Skills-Based Hiring 2023 report. Surveying 3,000 employees and employers from around the world, the results marked a sharp uptick from only 56% of companies employing skills-based assessments from the prior year.

AI is democratizing the hiring process

AI has thrown fresh fire on that trend. According to hiring experts, AI has had a democratizing effect on the application process. Because of the technology, all résumés and cover letters look the same, spelling a hiring nightmare for recruiters who are left to emphasize other parts of the hiring process to differentiate among candidates.

"AI is killing the résumé and the résumé has been bad for a long time, but AI makes it so much worse," hiring expert Dr. John Sullivan, dubbed the "Michael Jordan of hiring" by Fast Company, told Fortune. "When every résumé is perfect, has no spelling errors, flaws of any kind, imagine how many you have to sort in order to determine who you're going to interview." Sullivan said AI allows applicants to perfect their résumé, adding keywords that bypass ATS résumé checkers and check for spelling and grammar errors which otherwise tend to disqualify candidates.

Sullivan said the résumé has been obsolete for quite some time, especially when it comes to finding top talent. "There's just no correlation between a great résumé and being good on the job," Sullivan said. From his time in recruiting, including work with Agilent Technologies and HP, he said it was actually the best employees who often had the worst résumés.

"Top-tier employees are often so busy performing high-level work that they don't have the time or the need to look for a job or update their career materials," Sullivan said. more

Anonymous member

Career development

1d

Hi everyone. It looks like our company is planning layoffs, and now they’re secretly testing all the employees. For example, the boss “accidentally” drops a pen and waits to see if someone picks it up. Or he says he’d like some tea and watches who goes to make it for him. There are other situations like this too.
My question is: do they really want to keep only the people who try to please the... boss? Are they ready to let good professionals go just because they don’t flatter him? What would you do in my situation?

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1

Dominic Abala
1d
I am a survivor of these actions.A company awarding loyalists and disregarding experience and expertise is braced for failure.
2
Daria Dillard Stone
1d
Leave, no one is going to be treated like a slave these days for money. That is like "pimpin people" and if you don't value what I bring to the table,... then I won't bring your pen to the table. However, if you don't have faith you will fall for it. Trust that you are worth more that a boss treating you less than the S.T.A.R. (Smart Talented Awesome Respected) Person that you are. more
1

Career development

1d

Four things you should lie about in a job interview

A recruitment specialist - who has "been conducting interviews for years" - has outlined the four questions you should lie about in a job interview.

Taking to Reddit, the expert revealed that there are certain questions she feels are permissible to answer with a fib because being honest may have a negative effect on the interview process.

She went on to dub a job interview as less of an... "exhaustive exam" and more of a "negotiation", where the product the company is hoping to buy is your skills.

With that in mind, she encourages applicants to "have a few tricks" up their sleeves and lie about the following questions.

She advises hopefuls to lie about their previous salary, as human resources professionals are trying to find the most qualified person for the lowest cost to the company.

"During negotiations, if they pressure you to reveal your salary (which we will pressure you to do), don't give the real amount if you want a bigger raise," she shared.

She also encouraged applicants to lie about why they're looking for a new job.

"Don't tell us you didn't like your previous work environment," she instructed. "That makes you seem like a difficult person to recruiters and makes us think you might cause problems in this job.

"Instead, say you're looking for new professional challenges."

The recruitment expert added that one should lie about how their previous boss made them feel, otherwise you will be viewed as a "difficult person incapable of leadership".

"Look, I've worked with some real jerks in the office, and everyone knew it. But even though we all know tyrants exist in companies, don't tell anyone at another company that your old boss was one, because we're not from there."

Lastly, she advised applicants to lie about their goals five to ten years in order to seem like a better investment to the company.

"Although I also see myself running a farm with cows, I'm not going to tell people at the company," she hilariously shared.

"The company wants you there for a long time and they're thinking about the future with you.

She then compared the scenario to navigating relationships.

"It's like going on a date and saying you're afraid of commitment," she noted.

Social media users piled into the comments section to give their two cents on the controversial advice.

"Interviews aren't lie detectors, they're sales meetings so stop confessing and start marketing," one person wrote.

Another chimed in: "Literally treat all interviews as acting auditions and do/say whatever you think they'll like best until it gets down to the real details (pay, hours, etc)."

"God interviews are so exhausting. Like you need someone to do the job, I need a job to do, cool let's shake hands and see how it goes," one person penned.

Another added: "I learnt all this the hard way. Nobody told me anything. My honesty screwed me over so much. Companies want the best liars. Not the hard workers. At least in all my cases." more

Career development

1d

More than half of Latvian adults are satisfied with their career development - poll - The Baltic Times

RIGA - More than half of adults in Latvia are satisfied with their career development, according to the results of a survey conducted by the State Education Development Agency (VIAA) and the research agency Norstat Latvija.

Satisfaction is particularly high among those who continue their studies.

The data show that 63 percent of respondents are satisfied with their career development, while 21... percent say they are not satisfied. Those who have studied in the last year have 17 percentage points higher career satisfaction than those who have not.

31 percent of respondents have not received any training in the last year. Meanwhile, 28 percent have received on-the-job training, 18 percent have received training in educational institutions and 24 percent have acquired new skills through self-learning.

Elina Purmale-Baumane, Director of the Adult Education Department of the VIAA, pointed out that regular development of knowledge and skills contributes to professional growth and improves competitiveness on the labor market. This process is supported by the skills management platform Stars, where it is possible to create an individual learning account, take digital skills tests, receive career advice and choose suitable training programs.

To date, more than 50,900 people have created an individual learning account on Stars. It offers nearly 240 training programs in a wide range of sectors, including ICT, business, finance, energy, health and social care.

The survey was carried out in February this year and involved 1,006 people aged between 18 and 74. more

Career development

1d

How Corporate LMS Platforms Support Employee Growth - The Baltic Times

While organizations are continuously looking to upskill their talent, they also emphasize the importance of career development. A corporate learning management system (LMS) is a controlled environment that allows for continuous improvement. LMS platforms enable professional growth and help meet company goals by providing access to training.

Centralized Training Resources

Corporate learning... management systems consolidate all learning resources into one place. Workers no longer struggle to locate these documents or courses scattered across various platforms. The simple accessibility to resources helps people learn at their own pace. This convenience bolsters autonomous development and focuses on building staff confidence with new skills.

Personalized Learning Paths

Each employee has their own strengths and learning styles. Recognizing this, corporate LMS platforms allow for personalized training routes. Those pathways align with the learner's skills and aspirations in the workplace. This ensures that employees receive relevant, useful, and engaging content. It helps to ramp up the motivation and avoid wasting time on unnecessary topics -- personalized instruction!

Consistent Skill Development

LMSs are designed to train employees through periodic training modules, thus maintaining uniformity in knowledge throughout the organization. Standardized lessons are beneficial for both new and seasoned professionals. This process also helps keep quality in check and keep everyone strongly aligned with what the company wants to achieve. Uniform training also reduces miscommunication and allegiance to a corporate identity.

Tracking and Measuring Progress

Employee development proves to be the single most useful insight through learning management systems. The system comes with native tracking features that allow users to monitor completion rates, quiz scores, and attendance. They help managers track these metrics, which can reveal strengths and weaknesses. Using this data-driven modality, we can better support and coach.

On-Demand Access and Flexibility

For busy professionals, it is all about the flexibility to learn at any point when the schedules allow. With LMS for education, organizations conduct on-demand training, breaking the barriers set by fixed classroom sessions. Imparting information this way allows learners to return to the material as needed, solidifying their understanding. Flexible access ensures that professional development is integrated into the daily practice of individuals who are already engaged in their work.

Encouraging Collaboration and Engagement

Interactive experience is a common feature of any supportive learning environment. Most LMSs have forums, group projects, and discussion boards. These tools encourage employees to share ideas, ask questions, and provide feedback. Learning from each other as well as working together creates greater engagement while enabling knowledge to permeate more widely.

Adapting to Changing Business Needs

Skills and knowledge requirements are changing as industries change. With corporate LMS platforms, you can easily update your course content. This adaptability ensures that employees remain aligned with industry standards and regulations. Regular updates ensure that teams don't get caught off-guard when changes, which are heavily strategy- or technology-oriented, occur.

Supporting Compliance and Certification

Regulatory shifts can happen overnight. Many organizations have compliance training to make sure staff are compliant. A Learning Management System (LMS) records certifications and alerts employees of expirations. A system with automated reminders and clear documentation will simplify the process and ensure that your organization never faces a fine again.

Empowering Career Advancement

Employees are more hardworking because they strive to climb the corporate ladder. An LMS with the right implementation offers avenues to grow professionally. Providing courses relevant to senior roles gives employees opportunities to develop new skills and make themselves more promotable. Transparent pathways allow workers to stay focused on their work while feeling invested in their careers.

Cost-Effective Development Solution

Training a large number of workers can cost a lot of money and take time. LMS platforms cut down expenses by removing travel costs and printed materials. Online training can be scaled to train a tremendous number of employees simultaneously. This efficiency enables organizations to allocate more resources towards team development opportunities.

Support Continuous Learning

Encouraging continuous learning and education itself says a lot about company values. This encourages an environment in which taking the time to learn something new is welcomed and almost expected, and LMS platforms are key in creating this sort of culture. With it, employees become flexible, creative, and willing to face new challenges. This environment not only promotes the individual employee but also promotes the overall organization.

Conclusion

A corporate LMS bridges the confidence gap with employee training that is accessible, personalized, and cohesive. These platforms allow both individual and organizational gain through flexibility, tracking, and connection features between participants. By investing in structured learning tools, businesses can equip their teams for the challenges and opportunities that await. more

Career development

1d

The job market in Britain is 'so ridiculous' that this maths graduate applied to over 1,000 jobs and still didn't hear back -- so he moved to Austria | Fortune

"The job market in the U.K. is so ridiculous," Anna, his Austrian-born partner, said in a TikTok video that's now resonating with thousands of frustrated young workers. "Even for qualified people, it's so hard to find a job."

The couple -- who post on TikTok as @tamandanna -- explained that despite having multiple qualifications to his name, Tam still couldn't get a bite from British... employers.

While he was firing off applications in the U.K., she was applying for roles back home in Austria -- and immediately felt the contrast. "Within two or three weeks I had a job," she said. "In Austria companies are literally crying out for good qualified staff and then in the U.K. it is so hard to find a job even when you're highly qualified."

Tam is far from alone. Many Gen Z graduates are discovering that their qualifications no longer guarantee a direct path to graduate schemes, high-profile jobs, or even a foot in the door they once did.

Many major employers have dropped their long-held degree requirements; meanwhile, recruiters globally are more likely to search for new hires by skills over higher education.

At the same time, entry-level roles are being swept up by AI, and even in less-affected areas, employers are pausing hiring to see what happens with automation and the economy. It's creating what Korn Ferry described as "a perfect storm" for mass youth unemployment. Now, nearly 20% of 16- to 24-year-olds in the U.K. are unemployed, and some 4.3 million Gen Zers in the U.S. face the same fate.

Tam said his year of job hunting didn't just dent his résumés -- it wrecked his confidence. After months and months of form-filling, rejection, and silence, he felt like he was "going nowhere" and couldn't "move forward with his life while stuck in job market limbo. "It just feels like you're just banging your head against the wall," he added.

One company even took an entire year to get back to Tam about his job application, only to tell him he'd been rejected for the role he'd applied for.

Now, it's been nine months since the couple uprooted to Austria for work, and Tam said it's all been worth it: "It's been such a good decision because now I'm in a job, I'm earning, and the quality of life is good."

Since they started sharing their story, Tam said his DMs have been flooded. "The amount of people that have reached out to us that's in the same position is crazy," he explained in another video. "I feel for everyone because I know how sh-t that is. I wish I could help more."

Their advice for the millions of young unemployed people who just can't seem to catch a break? Think outside the box.

Tam admitted he had to look outside of his field of study to successfully land work. After having no luck securing a data analyst job, he widened his search and struck gold. "I thought, what have I got to lose? Keep open because there are opportunities, it's just tough to see them sometimes."

"If you're in the UK and you can't find a job, honestly keep open-minded," Anna echoed. "Often there's opportunities that you haven't even thought of... Stay positive. There's something out there for you."

"I'm not saying the moving abroad is for everyone, but I do think it's worth remembering that the world is bigger than just one job market," she said in another video. more

Career development

1d

Video Resumes: How to Stand Out in 2026 | Socialnomics

In a job market shaped by remote work, artificial intelligence, and global competition, traditional résumés are no longer enough to capture attention. By 2026, video resumes have moved from novelty to necessity in many industries. While a polished PDF still matters, candidates who combine it with a compelling video introduction often gain a powerful edge. A well-crafted video resume can showcase... personality, communication skills, and confidence in ways that paper simply cannot.

The shift began as companies increasingly adopted remote hiring practices through platforms like Zoom and Microsoft Teams. Recruiters became comfortable evaluating candidates on screen. At the same time, short-form video platforms such as TikTok and LinkedIn normalized professional storytelling through video.

In 2026, employers expect candidates to demonstrate digital fluency. Submitting a thoughtful video resume signals adaptability, creativity, and confidence with modern tools. For roles in marketing, sales, tech, education, customer service, and media, a video resume can be especially impactful.

However, standing out requires more than simply recording yourself speaking. Strategy, clarity, and professionalism matter.

1. Keep It Concise

Attention spans are shorter than ever. Aim for 60 to 120 seconds. Recruiters review dozens -- sometimes hundreds -- of applications. A sharp, focused video respects their time and increases the likelihood that they will watch until the end.

2. Start With a Strong Hook

The first 10 seconds determine whether someone keeps watching. Instead of stating your name and job title immediately, lead with a value statement:

This positions you as a problem-solver from the start.

3. Tell a Focused Story

Rather than listing skills, briefly share one or two achievements that highlight your strengths. Use a clear structure:

This approach demonstrates impact instead of just potential.

4. Show Personality -- Professionally

Video gives employers insight into how you communicate. Maintain eye contact with the camera, smile naturally, and speak with energy. Avoid memorized, robotic delivery. Authenticity builds trust.

At the same time, professionalism remains essential. Dress appropriately for your industry, choose a clean background, and ensure good lighting and audio quality.

In 2026, poor video quality signals a lack of preparation. You don't need expensive equipment, but you do need:

Editing should be clean and subtle. Overuse of flashy transitions or loud music can distract from your message. The goal is clarity, not cinematic production.

Just as you customize a written resume, tailor your video resume. Research the company's mission, culture, and values. Reference them naturally in your introduction.

For example, if applying to a sustainability-focused organization, highlight relevant projects or values. If pursuing a creative role, you might integrate subtle visual elements that demonstrate your design sense.

Generic videos feel impersonal. Specificity shows intention.

Artificial intelligence tools are now widely used in job applications, from resume screening systems to automated interview scheduling. Candidates may use AI to script or refine their talking points -- but authenticity is crucial.

If your delivery sounds overly scripted or unnatural, recruiters may question your communication skills. Use AI as an assistant, not a replacement for your voice. Practice enough that your message feels conversational and confident.

A simple closing such as, "I'd welcome the opportunity to discuss how I can contribute to your team," reinforces confidence and professionalism.

In 2026, candidates often include video links on their digital portfolios, personal websites, and professional profiles. Some upload unlisted videos to platforms like YouTube, while others host them directly on LinkedIn profiles.

Always ensure privacy settings are appropriate and test your link before submitting applications.

A strong video resume does more than summarize qualifications. It humanizes your application. Employers aren't just hiring skills -- they're hiring collaborators, communicators, and culture contributors.

In a competitive 2026 job market, differentiation is essential. A compelling video resume demonstrates initiative and confidence. It shows you understand modern hiring dynamics and are willing to go beyond minimum requirements.

While not every industry mandates video resumes, the trend is unmistakable. Candidates who learn to present themselves clearly on camera will gain an advantage in interviews, networking, and personal branding.

Ultimately, the purpose of a video resume is simple: to make a memorable first impression before the interview even begins. When done thoughtfully, it can transform you from just another name in a stack of applications into a professional who already feels familiar, capable, and ready to contribute. more

Career development

1d

Technical CV (EU) Optimization

I need my current résumé transformed into a polished European-style document (Europass layout preferred) that I can send straight away for a specific Technical/IT vacancy. Please reorganise the content so the recruiter immediately sees my strongest selling points: * Proven programming language proficiency * Relevant technical certifications * Hands-on project-management experience across multiple... software deliveries I already have a draft with all the raw information; your task is to distil it, tighten the wording, and format it to the accepted European standard while matching keywords typical of IT job-screening systems. Deliverables: 1. Editable file (Word or Google Docs) with clear section headings, consistent typography, and ATS-friendly structure. 2. Final PDF ready to submit. 3. A brief note (bullet points are fine) explaining any re-ordering or phrasing choices so I can adjust future versions myself. Turnaround within two business days would be ideal. more

Career development

1w

8 Common interview mistakes and how to avoid them

What shouldn't you do at a job interview? WRS take a look at some of the most common job interview mistakes and offer advice on how to avoid them!

Start your preparation a few days before your interview. Research the company by looking at their website, social channels and press releases. Get familiar with your CV and prepare for possible interview questions.

Avoiding last minute prep will help... you remain as relaxed as possible the night before, allowing you to get a good night's sleep so that you are fresh and energised for your interview, and ready to make a great impression on your interviewer.

Plan ahead, research the location of the interview and plan your route. Try to arrive no more than 10 minutes early, it suggests good time management skills, and respect for the company, the position, and even your interviewer. Turning up late to an interview gives the impression that you are not enthusiastic about the position even if you are.

Make sure you've eaten and are well hydrated before the interview, a trip to the toilet just before you get there will mean that you are comfortable and able to give complete focus to your interviewer.

Unless the interviewer broaches the subject, you shouldn't discuss salary on your first stage interview. The same applies to benefits such as holidays, flexible working and company perks. Save these topics for subsequent interviews.

According to a recent survey by CV library a staggering 84.9% of interviewers describe overconfidence and arrogance as a job interview turn-off. It's important to be confident and to give the recruiter proof of your achievements and abilities, rather than walking into the interview like you've already got the job.

One of the best ways of doing this is to give your interviewer figures, stats and facts from your previous work experience, showing them unequivocal evidence that you get results and why you're a strong applicant for the role.

Often the interviewer will ask you why you are thinking about leaving your current role. If you say you hated your line manager or the company it may make the interviewer doubt your motivation for the position and your attitude. Avoid being critical, try saying that you want a new challenge or that you wish to be part of a bigger or smaller company, these are perfectly understandable and suitable reasons.

Avoid being tempted to use your phone at the interview, leave it in your car. Or put your phone on silent and put it away in your bag. Texting, or taking a call during your interview is not only rude and disruptive, but it sends a clear message to the hiring manager that the interview is not your top priority.

Don't be tempted to look at your phone when you're waiting to go into your interview. Instead, pickup some company literature and read through it whilst you wait or look at any marketing material/corporate messages on the wall. This makes a far better first impression.

If you feel like your attention is slipping, try to make every effort to stay engaged. If you're feeling tired try to take in deep breaths and sip some water to re-hydrate. Remember to keep eye contact and make an active effort to listen.

Not listening could lead to you misunderstanding the question and giving a poor answer. Don't let yourself zone out during an interview. Your potential employer will question your ability to remain focused during a day on the job.

Keep your answers concise, no matter how welcoming or friendly the interviewer seems. An interview is a professional situation so don't get side-tracked and start talking about your personal life too much.

At the end of the interview the hiring manager will always ask if you have any questions. Surprisingly, the most common answer to this question is no. This is a missed opportunity to find out more about the company and to highlight your interest in the position and reinforces your suitability as a candidate. Ask questions related to the job, the company and the industry. Don't ask questions that you should have covered in your research! more

12

Geoffrey Gasana
1d
Good one indeed
LOKUT PAUL
1w
its really too real but i suggest if the complete interview questions can be shared

Career development

1d

This Résumé Is Going Viral For All The Wrong Reasons. Hiring Experts Dive Deep On What Makes It So Bad.

Job seekers get ghosted all the time, but this one reason is raising eyebrows.

The next time you get ghosted by a hiring manager, the rejection might not be because of your actual qualifications, but because of the fun hobby you listed on your résumé. At least, that is what one viral X post is claiming made the difference between a candidate moving forward or not.

"Cannot stress how much of an... advantage it is to be a normal, well adjusted, applicant for banking roles. I reviewed a résumé that listed 'olive oil' as an interest," the post with over 110,000 likes on X states. "That is not an interest. It's been hours and I cannot stop thinking about it. There will not be an interview."

The viral post could be a joke; we can't know for sure. The X poster did not respond to HuffPost's questions. But this kind of snap judgment happens all the time, according to hiring experts.

"From my research, [hiring managers] are 100% making judgments based off of the extracurricular activities or interests that are listed on the résumé," said sociologist Lauren Rivera, a professor of management and organizations at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management.

In one of her audit studies, Rivera and her fellow researcher sent out fictional law students résumés to elite law firms in 14 U.S. cities. The résumés were identical except for markers of gender and class. Listed interests like sailing and polo were used to signal higher class, and these activities helped men in particular get ahead.

Men perceived to be from socioeconomically privileged backgrounds got significantly more job callbacks than other applicants with the same qualifications.

As one lawyer in the study who positively reviewed one résumé put it: "Although his law school and college are not the highest...My firm has a maritime orientation and sailing will also serve him well interpersonally here."

It's an example of how certain hobbies outside of work can make all the difference, no matter how unfair that sounds.

"So much of your fate in the hiring process is: 'Do I see myself in this person?'" Rivera said about what her research has found. "Athletes wanted to hire other athletes. People who did theater wanted to hire other theater people."

And in this case, liking olive oil did not kick-start the hiring conversation this job seeker may have wanted.

The olive oil post is "an example that these activities are Rorschach tests," Rivera said. "You get one person who thinks it's awesome, the other person posts on X and goes viral making fun of you."

When you're just starting your career, your résumé is scant, which is why many junior employees pad their application with interests in the first place. That's why Rivera would not recommend leaving off interests when you are junior level because the personal interest section can help you stand out. "I would love to take these things completely out of the hiring process, but it's not going to happen," she said.

During on-campus recruiting, it's "an expected part of the template" for firm jobs, Rivera said. "People want to know what makes you interesting, distinctive." But the olive oil example shows that you may want to poll your friends and ask them before listing an activity outside of extracurriculars like varsity sports.

Ideally though, subjective interests should not make a significant difference with whether you get a job interview or not. Bonnie Dilber, a senior talent acquisition manager with app-automation company Zapier, said interests on résumé are not "a huge value add or differentiator."

If someone does want to include their interests, it should not be the first thing a hiring manager reads. "I think it should go at the very bottom because it's one of the least relevant things," Dilber said.

For her, the olive oil interest "is one of the most ridiculous reasons I've ever seen for rejecting a candidate," Dilber said. "If a hiring team is holding this against someone, I would say the candidate is dodging a bullet."

So if your passion for Mediterranean oils is holding you back from getting a job, that says more about that employer than it does about you.

"If a company is that rigid and a manager jumps to conclusions based on something like someone having varied interests...then it's likely not going to be a culture they're going to do well in or where they'll be valued," Dilber said.

If you're a hiring manager who sees a résumé interest you don't typically see, take a step back before judging the candidate based on that one answer.

"Even if I don't find it interesting, can I still work with someone who has different interests than me? And the answer should be yes," Rivera said. "If the answer is no, we need to do some other work." more

Career development

2d

Are cover letters still relevant or are they Victorian-era essay? Employees debate whether HR actually reads them

A Reddit post sparked debate on cover letter relevance, with one user claiming ditching them improved callback rates by focusing on resume alignment. While some recruiters reportedly ignore them, others insist on their importance, highlighting industry variations and the overall confusion in modern job hunting.

A blunt Reddit post has reignited one of the most exhausting debates in modern job... hunting: are cover letters still worth the effort, or are they just outdated rituals nobody truly reads anymore? The discussion, sparked by a user who says ditching cover letters actually improved their callback rate, quickly turned into a crowded comment section filled with contradictions, frustration, and lived hiring experiences.

The original post came from Reddit user. According to them, job seekers are "wasting HOURS" writing elaborate cover letters that recruiters barely glance at, if at all. They argued that once they stopped obsessing over perfectly crafted letters and instead focused on aligning their resumes with job descriptions, interview invites started coming in.

In their post,the user described spending entire afternoons polishing cover letters to sound like the ideal "cultural fit," only to see no results. The turning point, they said, was treating the job search like a data-matching exercise rather than a creative writing project.

From their perspective, recruiters are overwhelmed with hundreds of applications and are more interested in whether candidates can do the job, not whether they can write what they called a "Victorian era essay" about passion and purpose. Their workaround? If a portal requires a cover letter, they upload a short note expressing interest in the role and direct recruiters back to the resume. "It is not about being lazy," they wrote.

The comments that followed showed just how divided job seekers are. Another user pointed out that every cover letter discussion splits the same way: some hiring managers swear they haven't read one in years, while others insist they won't consider a candidate without one. With no clear consensus, many applicants feel forced to play it safe.

That confusion resonated with the another user, who summed up the broader job-search chaos. They listed conflicting advice applicants hear daily, from messaging hiring managers versus never contacting them, to tailoring applications for hours versus mass-applying as fast as possible. "What are we actually supposed to do?" they asked. "It's a hellscape out here."

Not everyone agreed with the original post. Several users pushed back hard. Someone said they were explicitly told they landed an interview because of their cover letter. While others as well echoed that sentiment, saying interviewers often referenced details from their letters.

Others stressed industry differences. One Reddit user, who hires in nonprofit policy work, said cover letters are just as important as resumes for evaluating communication skills and mission alignment.

Meanwhile, some commenters landed in the middle. One usummed it up neatly: "Nobody reads them, but they all check if you made an effort to include.

The thread never reached a clear verdict. Some users argued applicant tracking systems still scan cover letters and can flag inconsistencies. Others admitted they use AI tools to generate them quickly, seeing the letter more as a checkbox than a storytelling opportunity.

What's clear is that the job market feels inconsistent and opaque. Whether cover letters are ignored, skimmed, or carefully read seems to depend heavily on the role, the industry.

Do recruiters actually read cover letters anymore?

Some do, some don't. The Reddit thread shows practices vary widely by industry and hiring manager.

Is skipping a cover letter risky?

It can be. While some candidates see no downside, others report landing interviews specifically because of theirs. more

2

Patrick Igbana
1d
A cover Latter is a snap shot of the candidate's ability to hold the advertised position.
Sometime in 2022, I invited candidates for interview to... fill a position. One of the interview question was for each candidate to write an Application Letter requesting to be considered for the position. Funnily, more than 70℅ of the candidates could not. And that made my interview easier.
Cover Letters are still relevant. more
Maryann MacIntosh
2d
If you cannot take the time to express yourself as it relates to your interest in the position and how it can benefit the company, I question your... ability to be the right person for the job. Cover letters are an introduction of your character. more