Abdulsalam Kamarudeen
Career development 1d

hello, Please give me tips on the likely interview questions for the position of HR Assistant.
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  • Ojo othow

    1
    1d

    Tip I'm very ready for interview

    1

  • kelechi peter

    3
    1d

    Tip: Be ready to describe a time you handled confidential information and how you ensured discretion — HR assistants must build trust.

    Example... question: "Can you give an example of a time you handled confidential employee information? How did you protect it?"

    How to answer (brief STAR structure):
    - Situation: briefly set the context (e.g., payroll discrepancy, disciplinary record).
    - Task: state your responsibility (e.g., review records, communicate outcome).
    - Action: explain concrete steps to protect confidentiality (limited access, secure files, encrypted email, follow company policy, disclose only to authorized parties).
    - Result: show positive outcome (issue resolved, no breaches, maintained trust).

    One-line practice answer: "When resolving a payroll discrepancy, I reviewed secure records on a company computer, discussed details only with payroll and the employee in a private meeting, logged all changes per policy, and the issue was resolved with no data exposure."     more

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Career development

 3h

'Fold Hands, Close Eyes': Bizarre Virtual Job Interview Leaves Internet Shocked


A bizarre virtual job interview experience shared by a chartered accountant has gone viral on social mediaA chartered accountant's viral Reddit post detailed a bizarre virtual job interview where she was allegedly told to sit in a "namaste" posture with closed eyes for 15 minutes. The incident triggered widespread online outrage over unprofessional hiring practices.

A bizarre virtual job... interview experience shared by a chartered accountant has gone viral on social media, triggering widespread outrage and disbelief over unusual hiring practices in corporate workplaces.

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The incident came to light after the candidate posted on Reddit describing how she was allegedly instructed to sit in a "namaste" position with her eyes closed during an online interview. The unusual request left many internet users stunned, with several calling the process "humiliating" and "deeply unprofessional."

According to the viral Reddit post, the woman had applied for an accountant role through a recruitment agency. During the interview, she claimed the interviewer abruptly instructed her to join her hands and close her eyes while remaining silent.

"She asked me to close my eyes and sit in namaste posture," the candidate wrote in the post.

The applicant further alleged that the interviewer asked her to remain in that position for nearly 15 minutes while observing her reactions on camera.

"I was confused whether this was an interview or some meditation session," she reportedly wrote.

The post quickly gained traction online, with thousands of users reacting to the strange experience. Many questioned whether companies are increasingly crossing professional boundaries during recruitment processes.

Several social media users criticised the interviewer's conduct and expressed concern over psychological pressure tactics being used during hiring.

"This is not recruitment. This is manipulation," one user commented.

Also Read: Love Shopping But Tired Of Carrying Bags In Crowded Delhi Markets? This Startup Says, 'We'll Do It'

Another user joked: "Next round probably involves chanting mantras before salary negotiation."

The incident has reignited broader conversations about toxic work culture and unconventional hiring methods that job seekers increasingly encounter during interviews. Many users shared their own uncomfortable experiences involving aggressive questioning, unpaid assignments, personality tests, and excessive screening rounds.

Career experts say interviewers should maintain clear professional boundaries and avoid activities that may cause discomfort, embarrassment, or emotional distress to candidates. Human resource specialists also warned that unconventional behavioural experiments without consent can negatively impact employer reputation.

The viral discussion also highlighted the growing role of Reddit and social media platforms in exposing workplace culture issues. Posts describing strange interview experiences frequently gain attention online as frustrated candidates seek validation and advice from others navigating the job market.

While some users speculated that the interviewer may have been testing patience, mindfulness, or stress tolerance, many argued there are ethical and professional ways to evaluate such qualities without making candidates uncomfortable.

The company involved has not publicly responded to the allegations so far. However, the incident continues to spark debate online about whether hiring practices in some organisations are becoming increasingly intrusive and performative.

As the post spreads across social media, many professionals are now questioning where recruiters should draw the line between candidate assessment and personal dignity during interviews.

Also Read: Viral Clip Shows Pune Woman Buying Microwave At Midnight, Internet Calls It Peak Adult Money

Read Full Article more

Career development

 5h

GETFund equips Service Personnel with skills for the job market - Metro TV Online


The Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) has organized an Entrepreneurship Seminar for its National Service Personnel (NSP) to equip them with essential employability and professional development skills, while fostering a spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship.

The event took place at the GETFund Head Office on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, with a strong focus on capacity building. Participants were... provided with practical tools and knowledge to help them navigate the nation's competitive job market and create opportunities for themselves beyond national service.

The seminar brought together experienced professionals who shared practical insights on communication, professionalism, career development, networking, and personal growth to prepare participants for the future.

Delivering the keynote address, Head of Corporate Affairs, Mr. Bailon Afful, encouraged participants to take advantage of every opportunity available to them. He urged them to network with colleagues across different units and departments in order to learn, grow, and broaden their career prospects.

Speaking at the event, a Principal Manager of Corporate Affairs at GETFund, Mr. Samuel Edem Assisi, emphasized the importance of effective communication in career development, describing communication as the "number one skill" every professional must possess.

He further encouraged participants to always understand their content and audience when communicating. Mr Edem advised them to master the "7Cs" of communication to enhance clarity, confidence, and professionalism in both personal and workplace interactions.

On her part, a Principal Manager of Operations, Grace Afari-Mensah (PhD), stated that beyond academic qualifications, employers increasingly seek qualities such as professionalism, communication skills, teamwork, emotional intelligence, adaptability, and problem-solving abilities.

Presenting on how to build a strong Curriculum Vitae (CV), a Principal Manager of Human Resource at GETFund, Mrs. Pearl Ama Akordor, highlighted the key elements required in preparing a professional CV. She emphasized the need to include at least academic and professional references when writing a CV. more

Career development

 5h

coworker wrote a sonnet about my absences, boss asked me if I was job hunting because of her, and more


It's five answers to five questions. Here we go...

1. My coworker wrote a sonnet about my absences

I am a teacher. We have professional development days every so often. I take sick time for about half of them. Recently on a PD day I was here for, one of the other teachers read (in front of my colleagues) a sonnet he wrote about me being absent frequently. It was written in a joking, or depending... on how you look at it, mocking tone. I was kind of stunned in the moment while it was happening and laughed it off.

I don't know this teacher very well, and he has only been in our district for a couple years. What he doesn't know is that the reason I'm often absent on those days is that after my son died, I had a hard time coming back to work. I couldn't make it through more than a week or so without being absent for one or two days. As part of a strategy to address that, my counselor and I came up with the idea to be absent on PD days and less on regular days -- that way the absences were less impactful on me and the students, and being out only on PD days gave me a goal to reach. I got better slowly, but it's still a process and I still struggle. PD days are still kind of a target to make it to for me -- a kind of relief valve. I'm trying to be out less of them, but it's slow progress.

The more I've thought about it, the more I feel like I have to respond to him, and I drafted an email (he works in another school and I have no desire to talk in person to him about this) professionally addressing the issue. In the email I told him why I am absent, and made it clear I'd not address this further. What's your opinion on sending it? I just don't feel like I can let it go, but I also have no desire to bring admin into the situation. Also, I feel like I should cc to the other teachers who were present when he read the poem.

I'm so sorry -- both for your loss and for this ass writing a poem to mock your coping strategy. Even if you missed a lot of PD days for some less sympathetic reason, he would have been out of line, and it doesn't sound like you have the sort of relationship with him where he could have reasonably expected that it would taken as good-humored ribbing.

I haven't seen the email you've written, but as long as it's short and matter-of-fact, just giving him the information he lacked, I think you can send it. If he has any sense at all, he'll feel mortified, and he should. I'm less convinced that you should cc the other teachers ... but I do wonder if there's someone you'd be comfortable confiding in who would quietly fill in others who were there so that you don't have to.

2. My boss asked me if I was job hunting because of her

I'm in an uncomfortable spot right now. My boss asked me point-blank during my yearly performance review if I was job hunting because of her. I deflected with a half truth -- that I'm job hunting because I need to make more money, and the only way to do that is to move up into a management position, which isn't a possibility at my current job.

The thing is, I'm also job hunting because of her. I could write a novel about her poor management, but that's not the point of this email.

How can I address how inappropriate that was with both my boss and with my grandboss (her supervisor)? It was a supremely uncomfortable moment, but more so because it happened during a meeting regarding my performance review. I have no doubt that whatever facial reaction I gave negatively impacted the review, and I've already had upper management (my great-great-grandboss) ask me about my review since it happened.

It's not outrageously inappropriate for a manager to ask an employee if they're job hunting, particularly in a review conversation where how things are going generally is being discussed. It can be a naive question because there's no reason to assume they'll get an honest answer, and it obviously can make the employee uncomfortable if that's not information they care to share -- but it's not so inherently out-of-line that you should raise it afterwards.

I can't tell if your manager already knew you were job-searching and only asked if it was because of her, or if she was asking whether you were job-searching, period. The former would make even more sense ("are there things we're doing that are driving you to want to leave?" is a reasonable thing to ask about) but neither would change what I said in my first paragraph.

For what it's worth, while she's welcome to ask the question, you're never obligated to disclose anything about a job search that you don't want to disclose. In most cases, it makes sense that say that you're not actively looking, regardless of whether or not you are. (There are some exceptions to this, but they're very much exceptions.)

3. Why would a company announce layoffs in advance?

This article makes Meta sound awful but also says that in April, Meta announced that it would lay off about 8,000 people in May. Their head of human resources is quoted as saying, "I know this leaves everyone with nearly a month of ambiguity which is incredibly unsettling."

Why would they publicly announce layoffs in this way? What's the benefit to the company's bottom line that makes the incredibly awful morale this brings worth it? I'd understand if they were offering employees to volunteer to be laid off, but it doesn't sound like they are. Are they afraid the info would leak? Do they get some benefit from telling shareholders? But is a month of time really worth that?

When a company announces layoffs in advance and tells specific people that they're being laid off, it can be to comply with the WARN Act, which requires employers with 100 or more employees to give 60 days' notice of mass layoffs (or to provide an equivalent amount of severance in lieu of notice). But in cases like this, where they're not notifying specific employees and instead it's just a general announcement that layoffs are coming but no one knows who's affected, sometimes it's because they know word is likely to leak anyway and people will lose trust (or lose more trust) in leadership for denying that it's happening. Other times they're sending signals to investors about their management of the company, particularly if it's obvious they need to make cuts. And sometimes, too, they're hoping for attrition -- that if some people leave on their own, that's fewer layoffs for them to do. (That's generally a terrible idea since the people who can usually leave the fastest are likely to be your strongest employees.)

This question is timely because the first round of layoffs that Meta announced back in April happened yesterday. For some reason they chose to do it by informing employees that the people being laid off would receive an email letting them know at 4 am local time in their region (why?!).

4. How can I get back in touch with former coworkers who I really liked?

At my last job, I got along very well with most of my coworkers, but never became the type of friends to hang outside of work. There was also a pretty significant age gap, with me being about 20 years younger than the next youngest coworker.

I left this job to go back to school, which has been overall a good choice, but it can get a bit lonely. I miss spending time with my coworkers from my last job -- it wasn't a close relationship, but they were all really lovely and interesting people, and I enjoyed our lunchtime conversations. I'd like to see them again, but I'm really not sure if it would be appropriate to reach out and say this.

And, if it would be appropriate to reach out, what would be the best way to do this? Should I invite them all for a happy hour? Ask individuals to get coffee? Just send a general message expressing that I value their friendship?

I know I'm probably overthinking this, but it's hard to know what is normal this early in my career. Any advice or stories from you or the commenters would be appreciated.

Yes, tell them you'd love to catch up and suggest a happy hour (or, if you're geographically close enough during the day, a lunch during the work day like you used to do). Or if there are a couple of people who you especially clicked with, invite them to coffee! Any of those are fine and normal. (Personally I would be delighted if a much younger former coworker suggested that -- they may think you're not interested in keeping in touch because the age gap puts you in different stages of life and they might be honored to know you're actively interested in staying in touch.)

5. Our department chair doesn't know about major work I'm doing

I'm an assistant professor at a community college, where I've been on the faculty for a couple of years. I have a PhD, I publish actively, and I'm involved in curriculum development and department leadership. By most measures, I'm a engaged and productive faculty member. Previous to this position, I worked at a much more prestigious university but made this move so that I could prioritize my family (and I do truly love teaching at a community college).

Recently our department completed a hiring search, and during a conversation about the new hire, the newly appointed chair of the department made a comment that surprised me. She said she was excited because the new person would bring active scholarship and publishing to the department, and that no one else in the department does that kind of work. This isn't true. I publish. I present at national conferences. I've done this consistently since joining the faculty. My chair either doesn't know this or didn't think of it in the moment, but the effect was that my contributions were erased in a fairly public way, and despite my best efforts, it has really affected how I feel about the chair, the department, and the college in general.

I want to address this with my chair, but I'm not sure how. My goals are twofold: I'd like her to actually know what I'm doing professionally, and I'd like to understand whether there's something I should be doing differently to make my work more visible at the department or institutional level. I don't want this to come across as a complaint or as me being precious about recognition. I genuinely want to have a productive professional conversation, and I also want to feel like my work is legible to the department and college.

You can be pretty straightforward about it: "When you announced Valentina Smith's hiring, I was surprised that you said that no one else in the department is doing active scholarship and publishing! I wanted to make sure you know that I am doing ____ (fill in with specifics)."

Depending on her response, you might then say, "It made me wonder if there's more I should be doing to ensure that work is visible in the department and more broadly. Do you have thoughts on that?" more

cyusa shawn
Career development 2d
hey guys am new here, i had a questioni would like to become the youngest successfully tech entrepreneur, i would like some advice from you on the 5 big mistakes a startup should avoid as experienced people in the field that would mean alot to me
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  • peter elweu

    19
    6h

    Don’t to sound rude but LLMs are everywhere, use Gemini AI for example to do your research. Above all, many people have ideas, a few execute, that’s... what divides those who talk from those who walk the talk. Good luck. more

  • Tony Delisi

    1
    18h

    Make sure there is a market for your idea before you develop it. You can do this for free by creating a free report on the problem you are solving and... going to Facebook groups and offering it for free. If you get lots of people asking you to send them the report, you have a winner. more

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Career development

 7h

Phone-Based Entry Job Search Help


I'm ready to transition into a role where I can speak with people over the phone all day -- think call-center, customer-service or similar positions that do NOT demand advanced degrees. What I need is your expertise in guiding me to jobs I can realistically qualify for, polishing my résumé so it highlights my strengths, and coaching me through the short phone interviews these roles usually... require. Scope of work * Identify a shortlist of entry-level, phone-based openings in my area (or remote) that match my limited formal education. * Tailor my résumé and a simple cover letter to fit those positions. * Give me practical, step-by-step interview coaching focused on clear communication and confidence over the phone. * Optional but welcome: tips on using job boards, LinkedIn and any quick certifications that could boost my chances without long study. Acceptance criteria 1. At least five active job leads with application links and brief notes on why I'm a match. 2. One revised résumé in both PDF and editable format plus a reusable cover-letter template. 3. A concise guide or recorded mock session covering common phone interview questions. If you have a background in career coaching, staffing, or customer-service recruitment and can lay this out in plain language, let's get started. more

Career development

 1w

Biggest Résumé Mistakes and How You Can Avoid Them


Going into my first year of college, I had no clue what a résumé even was. I had experience, but none of my previous jobs required me to submit a résumé when I applied. So, when my on-campus job asked for one, I scrambled to throw it together. I asked everyone I could for their help. With a horrible résumé (and a ton of grace given by my boss), I was hired.

Now, as a student assistant in the... Journalism Dean's Office, I review résumés daily. This is a list of the biggest mistakes I see in the office and how you can fix them to improve your résumé and chances of getting hired.

Contact information

Contact information is located beneath your name at the top of your résumé. This section includes your phone number, email address, LinkedIn, city and state and portfolio (if you have one).

More than one email address

The first mistake I see in the contact information section is including more than one email address. A lot of college students think it's best to list both their student email and personal email address to give the employer more options to choose from. While this is a good idea in theory, it can be confusing for employers to figure out the best way to contact you. Instead, list the email address that you check most frequently, whether that's personal or school. If you're a graduating student, you should list your personal email and make a habit of checking it regularly.

Not including LinkedIn

If you do not have a LinkedIn profile in college, you're doing it wrong. LinkedIn is an extremely important form of social media used for networking with people in your industry. Although it is understandable not to have a LinkedIn profile your first year of college, it is highly recommended that you create one before the beginning of your sophomore year.

The next step is putting the hyperlink to your profile in your contact section. Don't just link it to the word "LinkedIn;" copy and paste the full URL to ensure your profile can still be accessed easily if your resume were to be printed.

Including a picture

In the United States, federal law prohibits discrimination based on race, gender, ethnicity, age, etc. Including a picture on your résumé may trigger unconscious bias from your employer and prevent you from even making it to the interview stage. Some employers will even immediately reject résumés with photos to avoid potential discrimination accusations.

Education

This section is the most important information on your résumé as a college student. It includes your college, major, degree, GPA (if a 3.0 or above), expected graduation and minors or certificates, if applicable.

Getting your degree and major name wrong

This might be surprising to some, but in fact, many students get their degree and major wrong! All colleges have different degrees and major names, so it's important to check your school website for the official name of your degree.

High school information after your first year

As unfortunate as it is, employers don't care what you did in high school if you're a college student. It is much more important what you are doing in college, so high school should be completely omitted.

The exception to this rule is first-year college students. This is because until the end of the first semester of college, first-years do not have a GPA or much experience in their degree. That being said, it is generally recommended to remove your high school information from your education section after the first semester of freshman year, and definitely before the beginning of your sophomore year.

Experience

Your experience is the second most important information on your résumé. This section includes your past and present work experience with two to four detailed bullet points describing the work you did in each position, as well as the location and time frame you worked.

Missing detail

An important thing to remember when writing the bullet points for your experiences is to add detail! Employers don't just want to know what you did; they want to know how you did it. Instead of saying, "Wrote articles for Her Campus." You should say, "Wrote 6+ articles for Her Campus over topics of self-love, entertainment, culture, etc." This way of writing gives your employer a better understanding of your capabilities while quantifying your work and adding credibility.

Not including unpaid experiences

Unpaid experiences make up a large portion of a college student's experience. From internships to organizations, college students gain lots of unpaid experience. And many students think that because they did not earn a paycheck for these experiences, they cannot include them on their resume. That is not true. Employers care much more about the knowledge you have gained and experience you have in the position, rather than the amount of paid work you have.

Skills

Your skills section should always be the last section of your résumé. This section is a simple list of skills that you haven't expressed in your experience sections.

Soft skills

Your skills section should be solely hard skills. Things like teamwork, leadership and other soft skills are good to have, but they can easily be demonstrated in the bullet points of your experience section or in an interview.

Instead, include hard skills relevant to the job you are applying for. If you're a journalism major, your skills section should include things like AP style writing, video editing and photojournalism. You can also include programs that you are familiar with. Think Microsoft 360, Canva or Adobe. These kinds of skills will give your employer more information about the skills you possess.

Formatting

Although not a section, formatting your résumé the correct way is extremely important to the hiring process.

Using templates

As tempting as a super cute Canva or Word template is, do not give in! Most templates are formatted in a two-column style that doesn't scan well with applicant tracking systems (ATS). This means that your résumé could be thrown out before an actual human even takes a look at it. Instead, make your own one-column template that you can use over and over again.

Typos

This might sound like an obvious one, but it is so important to triple-check your résumé for spelling and grammar errors. Even one typo can get your résumé thrown in the trash. Employers tend to see typos as a liability later down the line. If you're not checking your résumé for misspellings, it signals to your employer that you'll make that mistake with important work as well.

More than one page

Résumés are recommended to be only one page in order to not overload your employer with unnecessary information. The average amount of time an employer spends reviewing a résumé is six to seven seconds. A résumé that is short and easy to read will allow your employer to focus less on trying to decipher your résumé and more on the skills you could bring to their team.

The most important thing to remember is that your résumé is a living document. This means that you can (and should) constantly be updating it. You should change your résumé for every application you submit.

Résumés are a hard skill to master, but once you understand the reasoning behind all the factors, it will all click and you'll have no trouble creating and editing your résumé. more
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  • Latasha Hayes

    13h

    This post is highly appreciated! Thank you so much for all the tips in such a wonderful format. The removing high school from a resume is especially... helpful. I've been to job fairs where I've gotten assistance regarding my resume and no one advised me to remove high school from it! That part has been making it difficult to keep my resume at 1 page.  more

  • CHERYL GLODOWSKI

    8
    1w

    Great points! Thank you for sharing!

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Career development

 14h

His Roommate Was So Bad That He Finally Decided to Get Revenge Instead of Putting Up With It Anymore


As we grow up, we're often taught of the importance of first impressions. Whether you're on a date or a job interview, starting school or meeting a partner's family for the first time, it's inevitable that their first impressions of you count for something. Of course, in a long-term relationship, like with in-laws, you can gradually change a person's impressions of you, but in a short-term... meeting, like an interview, you have no such chance.

This means that the kind of person an interviewer or a first date sees when you shake hands or say your name at the beginning is something that they'll hold onto as they're silently judging you, determining if you're a good fit for them. It sounds scary, but if you are a warm and open person, or a very knowledgeable team member, you really have nothing to worry about.

The real problem comes when you make a bad first impression. Not just being a little timid or cracking an awkward joke to break the ice - we're talking really bad stuff here. Saying something inappropriate, staring, dressing far too casually, swearing, injuring someone else - all these are reasons to believe that the first impression you made was poor, and to learn from that.

The guy in this story was keen to make a good impression on his new roommate, particularly since he was feeling low in his own self-esteem. But the first thing the new roommate said to him was a bad sign for things to come, with everything getting considerably worse from there.

Read on to find out what happened.

A few years ago, when I was in my early twenties, I moved in with a friend - we'll call him Bob.

Bob was a bit of a heavy drinker and partier, but mainly did so outside the house, so it was really no inconvenience. It was me and my (long since ex) girlfriend also living there.

I had lost my job and had been out of work for a while (not for lack of trying) in a very small town with not much to do for work.

Bob worked two jobs (he loved money and alcohol so much, he didn't mind if he hardly had a life to get to enjoy it) and my girlfriend worked in a nursing home during the day.

Let's see what kind of place this left the guy in this story in.

I felt pretty worthless, since I was no longer the breadwinner anymore, but did what I could to help out.

I got food stamps to take on the food situation for the household, cleaned, cooked and did whatever I could to keep anyone needing to do a thing once they were done working for the day. It was literally the least I could do given the circumstances.

About a month or two into our living arrangements, Bob suggested his old high school buddy (we'll call him Rick) move in. Bob explained that he worked on the boats and he would be gone for a month at a time and back for two weeks. Dry, rinse and repeat.

My girlfriend and I thought, shouldn't be a problem right? WRONG.

Uh-oh. Read on to find out what the issue with Rick was.

From moment one, day one, Rick was a major passive aggressive *******. Bob walked him over to introduce us and he shook my hand in a manner that he was obviously trying to crush my hand and intimidate me.

I could tell from how he looked and acted like an entitled *******, but what he did and said immediately after confirmed it: "So, you don't work and live here rent free? Must be why Bob asked me to move in. Sure is nice for you huh?"

Before I could say anything, Bob spoke up and clarified that while I didn't work, I kept the house clean, cooked and kept the fridge stocked, I was not mooching and was doing my part.

Rick proceeded to say," But his girlfriend works while he stays at home all day? That's totally not cool, it should be you taking care of her. Not the other way around."

Let's see what he had to say to Rick's mean comments.

While I totally agreed that I'd rather be there for her than the other way around, I didn't need this ******* commenting and making assumptions that this is what I wanted or needed to hear.

"Look, I don't enjoy being the one who stays at home while everyone else works. I'd rather be out there working, contributing and doing something worthwhile. This is not something I chose. If someone called me and offered me a job right now, I'd take it in a heartbeat. I'd prefer it if you stopped inferring that I'm just a lazy bum," I said as politely as I could, despite how angry I was.

Rick looked at me like I grew a second head or something and told me to calm down, like he hadn't said anything that was the least bit insulting, even though he clearly had.

He didn't apologise of course, and he eventually met my girlfriend when she came home.

But what happened when Rick was introduced to this guy's girlfriend was even worse.

Rick was very polite, but proceeded to make passive passes at her. "We need to find you a working man" or "You could use someone like me to treat you right." My girlfriend was less than enthused by this, and told him it was none of his business and she was more than happy with me.

So, from the get go, neither of us liked Rick at all. We resolved to keep as much space between him and us as possible.

Unfortunately, Rick had about as much social awareness, social cues, personal boundaries and proper etiquette as a rock. He constantly came barging into our living area, even after being told to either knock and be acknowledged to enter or not come in at all.

Also, Rick turned the upstairs half of the house into a two week long party central when he was home.

Yikes! This guy was truly out of control.

It was loud, between having over a dozen people all drunkenly stomping around and being loud, he was BLARING music so loud that the entire house was vibrating. His parties were also causing a huge mess in both the house and yard, as well as damage.

Rick and his buddies were also cleaning out the cupboards and fridge of all the food for the rest of us, effectively leaving the rest of us with nothing and having to re-buy the food out of pocket.

Bob was almost never home, he was either working or at a girlfriend's place. Even when he was home, he came in so drunk that he would pass out so hard he couldn't hear any of it.

He also woke up hungover and rushing into work, so he hardly noticed all that was going on.

So the couple decided to take matters into their own hands.

My girlfriend and I sat down with Bob and explained the situation to him. We explained that we had tried talking to Rick and telling him that he needed to quit coming into our living area all the time, and to either politely keep it down so my girlfriend could get some sleep for work or take it elsewhere.

We told him about the food, the major mess he was making and the damage to the house. Bob was livid. He told us that he'd have a talk with Rick and fix it. We hoped that would fix the issue. WRONG.

This clearly, like everything else, didn't get through at all. And from there, it only got worse.

The intrusions into our living area were more frequent, ruining our personal lives when Rick was home, and the parties got even bigger and more out of hand. A couple of times, the neighbours actually called the cops on Rick's parties and he still wouldn't calm down. It was a living hell.

After going through all this, it became clear that they were going to have to figure things out for themselves.

We now knew that the situation would never improve and further complaints would only make it worse than before. We couldn't move out given our financial situation and between us and Rick (being Bob's oldest and best friend), we didn't want to risk getting kicked out for causing issues. So I began finding ways to get back at Rick silently and without a way to try link it to us.

Firstly, he had to do his laundry downstairs since that's where the washer and dryer were located, in our living area. So whenever he had to put his laundry in the dryer, I'd stop it and pee in it before starting it up again. All his clothes and bedding smelled like straight up urine and he couldn't figure out why (Rick wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed).

Secondly, whenever Rick was gone, I'd go upstairs and dump out 75% of the alcohol out and replaced it with water. This reduced how loud and rambunctious he'd get, with the added bonus of having to go out and get more alcohol in the middle of the night. Effectively, we cut down the disruption by 50%, but it still persisted.

Thirdly, I would also, just for fun, put his toothbrush in the dirty toilet while he was out and put it back. Rick started complaining that he constantly tasted **** every time he used his toothbrush and that he couldn't understand why. This was just icing for me, but he actually had a lot of trouble hooking up with anyone because of it.

But when all of this didn't make much difference, they came up with an even more elaborate plan.

Eventually, despite all this, it didn't rid us of either his presence or behaviour, and it was still taking its toll on my girlfriend. This had continued for a few months before I concocted a way to get him out of the house longer.

Rick always left on the last Sunday of his two weeks off in the morning to return to the boats. He also had a big fancy truck with HUGE custom tires on it. These tires typically ran about $300 to $400 a tire and were special order tires, hard to find outside of ordering them online.

So, I started putting nails under a couple of his tires before he left, so they'd puncture his tires when he left, but they wouldn't go flat immediately. He'd get to the boats fine, but his tires would be flat.

Rick would have to stay a week or even the whole two weeks special ordering or tracking down new tires while he was stuck in the town he was in at a hotel. My girlfriend and I would either have just one week of misery or the whole thing being peace and quiet. It was glorious.

Finally, things started to look up.

This continued for about two or three months before Rick finally couldn't take all his misfortune anymore. He told Bob he was moving out when he got back and that it was because everything was going wrong since he moved in.

This was especially funny because Bob told us afterwards that he was planning to ask Rick to move out because he was trashing the house, driving up the utilities, eating all the food and refusing to pay the difference.

Rick finally showed up a week late from the boats because of the tire situation, so there was no time for him to relax, between finding somewhere to put his stuff, somewhere to live and move everything. This took him all of his final off week to do.

Finally, on his last day, Rick came busting into our room and started being rude and saying he was leaving because everything had been going wrong and felt off since he moved in, clearly wanting sympathy or something.

Let's see how they responded to Rick's attempts at garnering sympathy.

We just nodded and said that's tough while going about our business. Rick just kept going on and on about everything, despite the fact that we weren't paying him any attention and you could clearly see that we didn't care about anything he had to say.

Finally, we both got fed up and just looked him dead in the eye and told him he had been a terrible roommate who had no respect for anyone and that he deserved everything that was happening to him, plus some. He stormed off and we never saw him again.

Bob did tell us that he had been couch surfing since he moved out and that nobody would let him stay with them because of his behaviour. It was glorious and it brought a smirk to my face every time I heard it.

I've long since moved out and am no longer with that girlfriend, and my life is in a much better place. I lament to myself that maybe I was being too underhanded and vindictive, but this guy was toxic and in all honesty, he got what he deserved. I just hope no one else gets stuck rooming with this guy.

Wow, you've got to feel sorry for this guy going through this experience.

Sure, some of the things he did to Rick were a little mean, but sometimes when you're a horrible person to others, you have to stop and wonder if all the awful things that are happening to you are just a coincidence.

Given everything he put them through, he should probably look at it as karma.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about an apartment tenant who is being called petty for blocking her parking space with trash cans.

Let's see what folks on Reddit made of this.

This person was delighted with the revenge plot.

Though others took issue with one aspect in particular.

Meanwhile, this Redditor pointed out that his actions could have had dire consequences.

When someone is ruining your life week in, week out, like Rick was, sometimes perfectly reasonable people can be driven to do something crazy. And there's no question that these unhinged revenge strategies were crazy - it's just a bonus for the couple involved that they did, indeed, drive their horrible, disruptive housemate to leave.

But some of these pranks could have been downright dangerous, with Rick getting seriously ill, or his damaged car driving a stranger off the road. That really wouldn't have been okay, and could have actually landed the housemates in serious trouble. But as it was, all's well that ends well, and their constant, irritating schemes drove this menace of a housemate out of their lives.

It is absolutely not recommended to follow any kind of strategies like these. Instead, the tenants need to take up the issues with their landlord - in this couple's case, Bob. But for the guy in this story, at least all this drama is in the past. No more Rick. It's good to know that he's got his life together now - and hopefully he will never cross paths with this disrespectful loser again. more

Career development

 14h

Recruiter Reveals Biggest Interview Mistakes Candidates Still Make - 20 May 2026 | O Heraldo


A recruiter's viral Reddit post has sparked widespread discussion online after revealing how candidates often damage their chances in job interviews by being "too honest" instead of giving polished, strategic answers.

The post, titled "Things recruiters know you're lying about in interviews (and honestly we expect it)," was shared on the popular subreddit r/recruitinghell. In the lengthy... explanation, the recruiter argued that interviews function more like sales conversations rather than completely transparent discussions, meaning candidates are expected to carefully present themselves instead of sharing every blunt opinion.

One of the biggest mistakes, according to the recruiter, involves speaking negatively about former employers. Candidates who openly criticised toxic managers, poor office culture, or workplace conflicts often unintentionally created doubts in the minds of recruiters. Even when the complaints were genuine, interviewers sometimes viewed such responses as warning signs about how the person might behave in future workplaces.

Instead, the recruiter advised candidates to frame their job changes around growth opportunities, professional learning, career progression, or the desire for greater responsibility.

The post also touched on salary negotiations. The recruiter claimed many companies ask about previous compensation levels to maintain lower salary offers, especially if candidates were underpaid in earlier jobs. Applicants were encouraged to focus discussions around current market value, experience, and skills instead of relying solely on past salary figures.

Another commonly discussed topic involved the famous "Where do you see yourself in five years?" question. According to the recruiter, employers are not necessarily expecting a perfect life plan. Rather, they look for signs of ambition, stability, and commitment to long-term professional growth.

The recruiter further argued that highly talented candidates often undersell themselves during interviews. Many describe their achievements as pure luck or only as team efforts, while less qualified applicants frequently present themselves with far greater confidence.

"A resume is marketing, not autobiography," the recruiter wrote, explaining that resumes are designed to secure interviews rather than document every single career detail.

The post quickly gained attention online, with users sharing personal interview stories. One user wrote that people often say "insane stuff" during interviews, recalling a customer support candidate who answered "I hate people" when asked about his biggest weakness.

Another user admitted struggling with self-confidence during interviews due to being taught from childhood that bragging was wrong. Several commenters agreed that many professionals unknowingly downplay their own accomplishments.

The discussion highlighted how modern hiring processes often reward candidates who know how to position themselves effectively rather than those who simply reveal every detail with complete honesty. more

Career development

 16h

The hidden cost of job hunting: Breaking down the 'ghost tax'


The American job hunt used to cost time. Now it costs money -- sometimes thousands of dollars -- for a process that increasingly rewards effort with silence. Nearly half of U.S. job seekers say they've applied to roles that never actually existed, and many didn't find out until they'd spent real money chasing them. The listings are louder than the openings, the applications longer than the... interviews and the cheapest part of the search is often the only part still under the candidate's control.

Call what's left over the "ghost tax": the financial, emotional and time-based price candidates pay to participate in a hiring system that no longer reliably hires.

When job searching became an economic activity

Looking for work has always carried an opportunity cost. What's changed is the scope.

Тhe average U.S. job search now runs 24 weeks, according to recent labor data. Only 45.6% of Americans believe they could find a new job within three months if they lost their current one.

It's as if job seekers aren't just sending resumes but running a small, unfunded business -- managing pipelines, customizing materials, paying for tools and absorbing every operational expense a hiring company used to cover.

The rise of the 'ghost tax'

The ghost tax begins where authentic hiring ends. A new Enhancv survey of 1,000 U.S. job seekers, cross-referenced against the Bureau of Labor Statistics' January 2026 JOLTS report, found that 47% of candidates have applied to roles that never actually existed.

A quarter -- 25% -- made it to the interview stage before realizing the listing was a phantom. One recruiter quoted in the survey summed up the mechanics bluntly: "Companies will just have their ATS system plug in a job and post it to LinkedIn or Indeed... They're just posting it to show they are hiring." The cost of that performance is paid by the people who took it seriously.

From time cost to financial cost

The financial side of the ghost tax is no longer trivial. In the same survey, 37% of candidates reported out-of-pocket expenses tied to listings that later turned out to be ghost jobs:

● Childcare or eldercare arranged for interviews that produced no offer: 8.1%

Last year, it was reported some candidates spent upward of $10,000 over the course of a single search, including coaches, courses and writers. What was once a budget line is starting to look like a household expense category.

The expansion of unpaid labor

Between the click of "Apply" and the polite rejection, candidates now perform hours of unpaid work that used to belong to employers. Tailored resumes engineered for applicant tracking systems, cover letters rewritten for each posting, multi-round interviews that include video pitches and live presentations, trial projects submitted before a single offer is on the table.

All of it expected, almost none of it compensated. Over time, there's been a steady creep of these requirements as employers chase signal in an oversaturated funnel. The funnel is oversaturated, in part, because employers built it that way.

The psychological cost of a high-friction system

Friction has consequences. In the Enhancv survey, 24.2% of respondents said they had significantly reduced the number of applications they send, and 12.1% had abandoned major job boards altogether. More than 40% said they avoid purchasing from companies they suspect of running ghost listings. When the cost of trying repeatedly outpaces the odds of success, people stop trying -- and they remember which brands made them feel that way.

When job searching becomes pay-to-play

A small but growing segment of the market has responded by selling candidates a way around the friction. "Reverse recruiting" services now charge job seekers $900 to $1,500 a month, plus a percentage of first-year salary, to handle outreach and applications on their behalf, according to reports

One executive coach framed the inversion plainly in that report: "When companies pay recruiters, it's because talent is scarce. When candidates pay them, it's because jobs are scarce."

The job market hasn't disappeared but has been quietly reclassified as a service economy, with the candidate as the customer.

Who bears the real cost

The ghost tax is regressive. Enhancv's survey found that 63.4% of respondents in the lowest income bracket reported significant financial losses tied to the search itself. Mid-career and senior professionals aren't insulated either: 51% of candidates with eight or more years of experience said they had encountered ghost jobs, and in marketing and advertising the figure climbed to 87.5% -- the highest of any industry surveyed.

Higher salary expectations don't translate into higher signal. They often translate into longer searches and more elaborate, unpaid evaluation processes.

Candidates who understand the system will win

The job market isn't broken, but it has become more complex, costly and opaque than the "send a resume, get a callback" model most workers were taught to expect. The ghost tax is what happens when high-volume, low-trust hiring systems are allowed to externalize their costs onto the people they're supposed to be evaluating.

The candidates who succeed in 2026 aren't the ones who apply the most. They're the ones who understand how the system works -- which listings to trust, which signals to read and where their time and money are quietly being spent on someone else's behalf. more

Career development

 19h

Add One Role to Resume


My current résumé is up-to-date everywhere except the Work Experience section, where I need to insert one new position. I will share the existing file in Word and PDF; you simply weave the new role into the timeline, match the tense and formatting I'm already using, and make sure the document still reads smoothly and looks consistent. What I'll provide: * The résumé in both formats * A brief... description of the new job, key achievements, dates, and title What I expect back: * The revised résumé in editable Word and print-ready PDF, with the new position seamlessly integrated and no other sections altered If you can deliver within a day or so and keep the style identical to the original, let's get started. more

Career development

 19h

What if the undergraduate journey were a four-year internship?


Attending workshops or polishing a résumé in their final semester does not make students career-ready. They need to practise how to work - how to collaborate, navigate ambiguity, manage projects and apply knowledge in context - throughout their academic experience. The reality is that career readiness is not a co-curricular programme; it is an essential part of an integrated curriculum.

To be... clear, employers do not expect classrooms to become training centres. What they are asking for - implicitly and explicitly - is graduates who can function in complex environments from day one. That means graduates who can work in teams, communicate professionally with stakeholders, adapt when plans change, apply theory to real constraints and learn continuously on the job.

These capabilities do not develop through passive learning. But experiential learning is often misunderstood as a single, high-impact activity: an internship, a capstone project or study abroad. In reality, its power comes from repetition and progression. One experience introduces exposure. A sequence of experiences builds competence.

We are proposing a paradigm shift: repositioning the undergraduate journey as a four-year professional internship rather than a continuation of the K-12 classroom environment. This doesn't mean abandoning disciplinary rigour. It means students applying their knowledge in increasingly complex settings - with guidance, feedback and reflection along the way.

In practice, it requires curricular structures that:

When experiential learning is a throughline rather than an exception, career readiness stops being aspirational and starts being operational.

It's important to distinguish between activity and experience. Simply adding projects to a course does not automatically make learning experiential. True experiential learning requires:

Without reflection, experience can reinforce bad habits. Without responsibility, it becomes simulation without stakes. Without context, it remains abstract.

Some academic institutions are beginning to rethink the structure of their undergraduate programmes, not just individual courses, in response to this challenge. At my own institution, a new curriculum, Pamplin+, emphasises cohort-based projects, required co-curricular experiences and integration of experiential learning through industry partnerships in the classroom. We're repositioning the classroom so students see their four years here as a time to experiment and learn by doing, moving them from day one in the classroom to day one in the boardroom.

What matters here is not the specific model but the underlying principle. Experiential learning works best when it is expected, supported and documented - not optional or invisible. When experiences such as internships, research, leadership roles or teaching assistantships are clearly valued and formally recognised, students take them more seriously. Faculty can connect classroom learning to those experiences more intentionally. Advisers can guide students more strategically.

Experiential learning also changes expectations for faculty. Designing and supporting experience-rich courses takes time, creativity and institutional backing. Faculty need support not only in pedagogy but in managing partnerships, supervising projects and mentoring students through uncertainty.

Equally important is cultural alignment. If experiential learning is framed as "extra work" rather than core academic labour, it will never scale. Institutions that succeed in this space treat experiential design as central to teaching excellence.

Experiential learning also has an equity dimension that is often overlooked. When career-relevant experiences are embedded in the curriculum, access goes beyond students who already know how to navigate opportunity. Structured experiential pathways help ensure that all students - not just the most confident or well connected - gain meaningful exposure to professional practice.

Students who have practised professional roles repeatedly are more likely to see themselves as professionals. That identity shift is a powerful, and often underestimated, component of career readiness.

Higher education does not lack commitment to career readiness. What it often lacks is infrastructure - curricular, cultural and organisational systems that make experiential learning inevitable rather than exceptional.

As institutions face increasing pressure to demonstrate value, the temptation is to bolt career outcomes on to existing structures. A more sustainable approach is to redesign those structures so learning and work preparation are part of the same conversation.

Michelle Seref is associate dean of undergraduate programmes and professor of business information technology in the Pamplin College of Business at Virginia Tech. more

Career development

 19h

They Graduated Into the 'Bleakest Job Market.' Now It's Their Children's Turn.


Julia Bognar was thrilled to be graduating this spring with a degree in graphic design from Arizona State University.

But when it came time to find a job, she stumbled. U-Haul rejected her application for a typesetting role. Most companies never responded.

As her final days of college approached, Ms. Bognar, 22, began wondering if any businesses were hiring at all.

"I believe that I would be a... great asset to any team that would hire me," she said. "What's frustrating is trying to convey that to companies."

Her mother knows the feeling.

Jennifer Bognar was one of a dozen college seniors who spoke to The New York Times for an article in April 1991 about "the bleakest job market in a decade or more" for young graduates. A relatively mild recession, fueled by higher oil prices brought on by the Persian Gulf war, had jettisoned roughly 1.5 million jobs from the U.S. economy and intensified competition for entry-level positions.

Jennifer Bognar, then a 22-year-old political science and history major at Rutgers University in New Jersey, spent her spring break in Washington, D.C., knocking on doors asking if anyone had a job opening.

"I just can't find anything out there," she said at the time.

With young degree-holders today similarly desperate for jobs, The Times checked back in with three of the people featured in the article to see how graduating into a tough job market affected them.

Rather than floundering, they discovered fulfilling, if occasionally unexpected, careers. One has worked all over the world. Another is a communications executive at a pharmaceutical company. A third works in fund-raising at a university.

They have something else in common, too: They now have their own children who are going through the same thing.

'You've got to keep going'

Sharon Dilling started looking for a job midway through her senior year at Rutgers in 1991. She had switched from a major in theater to journalism after her father questioned her career prospects.

"I was like, this is great because newspapers will be around forever," she said.

A year later, the outlook was less promising. Newspapers were laying off workers or closing, and reporter positions were drying up.

Back then, job seekers paged through notebooks with listings at their career centers and perused classified ads to find open positions. They printed résumés on special paper and sent applications by mail.

Ms. Dilling, now 57, remembers scouring newspapers on Sundays for hiring announcements and trying to network her way into a job, without success. Demoralized and anxious to earn money after graduation, she accepted a job as a secretary at Rutgers.

"It wasn't what I wanted to do," she said.

Yet that first job led to a series of roles in communications and public affairs, including at local hospitals. She is now a communications executive at a global pharmaceutical company, punctuating a career she would never have predicted during the depths of her job search.

"You don't have the luxury of sitting down and feeling sorry for yourself," she said. "You've got to keep going."

She hopes her advice -- be adaptable, be resilient -- will help her son.

Dan Dilling, 23, graduated last year from the College of New Jersey with a degree in industrial organizational psychology. Unable to find a full-time job, he interned at a pharmaceutical company nearby until December.

To keep busy, he is working in the tools department at a Home Depot near his parents' house in East Windsor, N.J. He plans to start a master's program in analytics in the fall.

"Persistence is what's going to create that opportunity," he said.

'Take what you can get'

At Arizona State, Julia Bognar honed her creativity and burnished her leadership credentials as president of the women's rugby team.

Enamored with the warm Southwestern weather and confident she would land a job as a graphic designer, she lined up an apartment in downtown Phoenix for after graduation.

A host of challenges is working against her.

Economists have found that workers who graduate from college during periods of lousy hiring contend with long-term negative effects on their wages and employment. Some analysts have also estimated that graphic design is among the industries likely to lose jobs because of artificial intelligence.

The rise of A.I. is "definitely scary," Ms. Bognar said, though she believes that anyone who thinks A.I. can replace graphic designers is mistaken.

"People are using A.I., and it's obvious," she said. "What we bring to the table is something a little intangible."

Yet while her job search has been frustrating and stressful, she is optimistic that something will work out -- in part because it did for her mother.

Jennifer Bognar, who is now 57 and lives in East Brunswick, N.J., never landed a job with a government agency or organization in Washington, as she had hoped. But shortly after the 1991 Times article was published, the district manager at a Social Security Administration field office expressed interest in interviewing her for a position.

"I put that interview suit back on, went downtown with my résumé and I got the job," she said.

She went to graduate school to study arts administration and now works in fund-raising at Rutgers.

She sends her daughter job listings and encourages her to stay nimble and resourceful.

Julia Bognar is heeding her mother's advice. As she waits for a full-time job to fall into place, she is considering taking a job at a coffee shop or as a waitress.

"She kind of gave me that perspective of, just take what you can get for now," Julia Bognar said. "I'm like, yeah, I guess I don't have to have it completely figured out."

'It does get better'

Glen Lockwood did not have it figured out.

In his senior year as a member of the class of 1991, he applied for the banking and consulting jobs preferred by certain soon-to-be graduates of Princeton University.

The recession shattered his vision.

"The standard career routes and sending in résumés just weren't working," said Mr. Lockwood, who is now 57.

A professor suggested he apply to a military academy in France. While there, he declined a parachuting excursion in Morocco with friends, staying behind because he was supposed to be organizing a marketing seminar that week as part of an internship with a computer company.

He was miserable and vowed not to let a once-in-a-lifetime experience pass him by again.

A month later, he received a fax from someone in Russia. Was he interested in joining a business that involved digging for woolly mammoth ivory in Siberia?

Mr. Lockwood said yes.

The woolly mammoth venture was a flop, but Mr. Lockwood met people in Russia involved in the fledgling tourism business. That led to his next job running rafting, hiking and helicopter tours for travelers eager to explore a Russia that was newly opened to the West. He also met a Russian woman who became his wife.

Over the next decades, Mr. Lockwood worked all over the world in a variety of jobs: as a contractor to the U.S. military in Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Afghanistan and managing oil contractors in Russia and South Korea.

He worked in Zambia on a project to provide drinking water to rural villages and in Mozambique to construct and run a training center for small businesses. In 2023, he moved to Ukraine to help rebuild damaged schools. He now lives in Moldova.

"This is all because I didn't get a job with Price Waterhouse," he said.

Naturally, when his daughter, Anita Lockwood, started thinking about college, she wanted to study international relations.

Ms. Lockwood, 21, attends the Australian National University in Canberra and aims to work in humanitarian aid.

But U.S. federal funding cuts have limited those opportunities. Jobs in Australia are difficult to come by, especially for foreigners. A listing for a job at a pub near the university received over 1,000 applicants, she said.

With her graduation coming up in December, she is mulling a second degree in nursing to improve her chances of getting a job.

Mr. Lockwood wonders if he led his daughter down a fruitless academic path. He has encouraged her to apply to as many jobs as she can and to have a backup plan.

He also views any setback as an opportunity.

"His main advice to me so far has been pretty much to persevere," Ms. Lockwood said.

"As difficult as it is, it does get better," he tells her.

Sheelagh McNeill contributed research. more

Career development

 20h

6 Examples for Describing Yourself in an Interview (and Why They Work)


Here's the right way to answer when asked how to describe yourself in a job interview.

Editor's Note: This story originally appeared on Zety.com.

When an interviewer asks, "How would you describe yourself?," they're throwing you a softball. Learn how to describe yourself in an interview so you don't strike out from the start.

Read on to learn how to describe yourself in an interview and... actually impress.

You'll find out the intent behind interviewers asking you to describe yourself and see examples of a great response.

The Intent Behind This Common Interview Question

Many interviews kick off with the hiring manager asking you to describe yourself. At first glance, the question seems like a benign and friendly way for the interviewer to get to know you.

And in many ways, it is. It's a light-hearted question that helps lighten the mood and warm things up before more difficult interview questions.

But that doesn't mean there's no wrong way to answer it. In fact, there are many ways to screw your response up. To figure out what makes a good answer, it helps to know why interviewers so often ask some variation of "Tell me about yourself."

The two main things an HR manager is looking for are:

* To see your interpersonal skills in action.

* To get acquainted with you on a professional level.

The best way to describe yourself will be fulfilling both of those requirements.

First things first, soft skills are important. The key to showing off your soft skills while answering this question, or any interview question, is to appear confident, remain calm, maintain eye contact, listen carefully, and respond succinctly without rambling.

The second key to describing yourself is to make sure you're answering the question in a professional way. You may be a very funny person, but describing yourself as a class clown won't help you land that software engineering job. Instead, use professional words to describe yourself and leave out any personal details.

Examples of How to Describe Yourself in an Interview

Let's get concrete. Here are some real-life examples of how to describe yourself in an interview.

As persistent

Example answer:

"I'm persistent. Once I set my eyes on the prize, I work hard to achieve my goal. In my role as marketing coordinator at Boston & Borris, I organized marketing campaigns with budgets over $250,000.

The bar was set very high for those campaigns in terms of OKRs, but I continuously analyzed our content metrics to suggest new ideas whenever the current strategy wasn't delivering."

Why it works:

Find character traits that give you the opportunity to talk about your biggest career wins and achievements. Bringing up your accomplishments also provides an opportunity for the hiring manager to ask follow-up questions and create a natural flow to the conversation.

As highly organized

Example answer:

"I'm someone who loves to be organized. As the junior project manager at TechBubble, I was constantly creating and modifying existing project procedures to make our processes more efficient. When I saved my team 10 hours of collective work by simplifying the organizational structure in our project management system, I felt warm and fuzzy inside."

Why it works:

The way to hit a home run when describing yourself in an interview is to figure out which skills are most important in the job ad and highlighting the ones you embody. In this example, if one of the requirements was organizational skills, then this answer checked that box without a doubt.

As creative

Example answer:

"I love letting my creative juices flow. When I was the graphic designer at Rainbow Media, I often led brainstorming sessions with clients to come up with new brand logos, icons, typography, and other marketing material.

While there, I developed over 50 complete brand strategies that satisfied even the most demanding clients. If you'd like, I could go into more detail on a few in my portfolio."

Why it works:

Creativity is one of the most difficult job skills to provide proof of, and yet it's a must-have for many professional fields. Using your answer to bring up your portfolio or other pieces of evidence can turn creativity from something airy-fairy to a skill with real-world results.

As dedicated

Example answer:

"I would have to say I'm dedicated. Although this will be my first year teaching full-time, I've been tutoring students one-on-one for over six years. During that time, I've gone above and beyond helping students turn around their grades and receive competitive scores in standardized testing.

The secret to my success is that I am internally motivated to help youth reach their goals."

Why it works:

Describing yourself as passionate or dedicated can tell the interviewer that the job you're applying for is more than just a job to you. With that said, be careful with these terms. This is a trait often implied by candidates, so you can come off as dishonest if the HR manager is unconvinced of your authenticity.

As detail-oriented

Example answer:

"Well, I'm detail-oriented. I have over 5 years of experience in nursing, and in that time I've developed a talent for noticing small details that could be otherwise easily looked over. As you know, this is one of those skills that is quite difficult when you're working in a fast-paced environment like a hospital.

But I think my attention to detail is what allowed me to maintain 96% positive patient scores even while handling up to 10 patients at a time."

Why it works:

Being detail-oriented is crucial for some jobs, and relating to the HR manager is a great way to build rapport and make a good impression. This works especially well when the hiring manager has been in the same role as the one you're applying for. Just remember not to oversell yourself, as an experienced professional is likely to catch a whiff of your exaggerations.

As sociable

Example answer:

"I'm a sociable person. I'm quite extroverted, so I get more energized when I'm in direct contact with people. As a customer service professional at XYZ Inc, I was constantly interacting with clients and I loved it.

Being able to communicate with customers in a casual way was the best part of my day. I think that's part of why I was able to maintain a customer retention rate 25% above the average."

Why it works:

You can't go wrong when describing yourself if you talk about your communication skills. They're the key job skill in many roles. Just remember -- with this character trait, you'll have to walk the talk. You can't talk about your great communication skills while mumbling and looking at the interviewer's feet. more

Career development

 21h

What could you do less of?


Are you the kind of person who is always wondering what more you could do? What else might you add to your to-do list today, this week/year/lifetime? Berating yourself for not doing more, for not committing to more things when it comes to work or your business?

When it comes to work we are always thinking about what else - it's even a question that I say many times as a coach. "What else?"

Not... just 'what else comes to mind' but what else could we be doing.

For job hunters it's about more applications, more CV editing, more cover letter tweaking.

For freelancers and the self employed it can often be about more networking, more connecting, more handing out business cards, more cold or warm emailing.

If you feel exhausted but also drawn to 'keep on keeping on', then I have a question for you this week.

What could you do less of?

This isn't about giving up, slowing down or throwing in the towel. It might be about taking a break but it's not about stopping entirely. It's about re-evaluating your current actions and asking yourself: "Are these serving me? Could I be doing things differently?"

The idea here is to really focus on what's important, and think about what you are focusing in too hard on. Where you are spending too much of your precious time and energy - and where could you focus it instead?

We often add to our emotional inbox as well as our physical to-do list and checking in with what you could do less of is really freeing.

Deciding to do less is about finding ways to slow down, and asses your behaviour before taking practical steps to change. It's about recognising when you are doing too much of the same thing, over and over, and it's not yielding results. Asking: "What could I do less of?" is about connecting with where you are spending too much of your precious time and energy.

For example, take a woman in her 40s who is on Instagram a lot of the time* and knows she is spending too much time there. She needs to 'do less' Instagram, especially scrolling.

It's not as simple as saying 'I need to be on Instagram less'. The Woman* needs to start thinking about the actions to put in place to make the change happen. Turning off notifications, for example. Or even removing the app from your phone (no, not dared to do this yet). One thing I've started doing is leaving my phone on the other side of the room in the evenings, so I avoid scrolling while watching TV.

*Yes, that's me.

Networking is another area where I've 'done less' lately. I was going to a lot of networking and co-working and actually feeling a little bit burned out by all the chat. So, in May, I took a step back and went to a few less events. Remember this can be temporary - I will ramp things up again in June and through the summer!

With the instagram example, I am prone to overcomparing, especially when evening rolls around. The reason I'd want to do less of it is the over comparing can actually make me quite anxious or upset. With networking, it was about burnout and needing to reset my social battery a bit.

If you want to do less job hunting, for example, think about why. Is job hunting become a source of anxiety or negativity? You might decide to only apply for jobs that fit a certain criteria, or have a whole day off from even looking at job ads.

For freelancers, it might be about outreach - cold emailing people or connecting on social media, especially LinkedIn. Can you be more choosy with the connection requests you send, perhaps take time out from sending those 'Hi!' emails or messages? Do less of the 'jazz hands' just for a bit and focus instead on some content for your website, or updating your profiles.

For freelance journalists, it might be about sending fewer but more targeted pitches.

Doing less of one thing doesn't mean doing nothing at all. It's about toning down the effort on one thing so you have more time and clarity for another.

It's also a feeling. If you have said to yourself: "I am doing everything I can, it's not working, I'm exhausted!" then ask: "Ok, what could I do less of?". It might not be that you stop entirely, but you do less of a particular certain action - whether that's scrolling at night, clicking easy apply or going to yet another networking event.

I hope this has helped - let me know what you feel you could do less of! And if you want help talking through the challenges you're going through with work or your business, head over to www.jennyholliday.co.uk for information about coaching and mentoring.

xJenny

Dealing with the 'please want me!' feelings of job hunting and pitching for work

How to move on from redundancy

Shout out to Suzy at Wish Freelance Writing - Suzy has done an SEO audit for my website, www.jennyholliday.co.uk and encouraged me to embrace adding in particular to the blog section of my website. If you are a coach and in need of some SEO help, I highly recommend her services!

On a side note, I turned down a work opportunity because the day rate was lower than what I would have quoted. There was no wiggle room, so I said I didn't want to go ahead with being on the list of potentials. I felt sick. I still feel a bit sick and regretful.

I have spent most of my career as a journalist and journalists rarely set the rates. We're told what the fee is, what the day rate is. It's a take or leave it scenario. As a coach, I set my own prices.

The middle ground now is projects that I put my name forward for - content, editing and so on. But they still often come with a day rate offer. My actual reply wasn't 'that's not enough' but 'I would quote XX for this project'. They weren't able to budge. I felt like a fraud - who was I to say what the work was worth? But I knew deep down that the work and commitment was way more than the day rate on offer. As Mr H said: "Nothing changes if nobody takes a stand". More on prices, setting prices and knowing your worth and value to come another week. What's your take on setting rates and prices? I think it's one of the hardest and ickiest things to do as a freelancer. more

Career development

 22h

Quantity Surveyor


Our client is one of the UK's fastest-growing Civil Engineering Consultancies, delivering projects across the Energy sector. Known for their dynamic culture and long-term client partnerships, they are a trusted delivery partner on major national infrastructure frameworks -- offering strong job security and genuine career development opportunities.

The Opportunity

Due to continued project wins... and sustained growth, the company is seeking a Quantity Surveyor to join its expanding team.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced QS to take on a key commercial role on large-scale energy and infrastructure schemes, while continuing to develop professionally within a supportive consultancy environment. You'll work closely with senior leadership, with clear progression opportunities available as the business continues to grow.

Supporting the delivery of pre- and post-contract Quantity Surveying services

Managing the commercial aspects of energy and infrastructure projects

Preparing and reviewing cost plans, procurement strategies, and risk assessments

Supporting contract administration, change control, and commercial reporting

Attending client meetings and supporting long-term client relationships

Working collaboratively as part of a growing and high-performing project team

Operating within a hybrid working environment, with a maximum of 2 days on site per week and the remainder worked remotely

Travelling to project and client sites as required

A degree in Quantity Surveying or a related discipline

Strong consultancy/PQS-side experience (essential)

Proven experience delivering energy or major infrastructure projects

Excellent commercial awareness and client-facing communication skills

MRICS status or working towards chartership (support provided if required)

The ability to manage multiple projects and work with minimal supervision

Willingness to travel as required for project and client commitments

Ambition to progress within a growing, collaborative consultancy

Why Join?

Secure workload across long-term national infrastructure frameworks

Clear progression opportunities within a growing consultancy

Market-leading reputation in infrastructure and energy consulting

Excellent company culture with strong mentorship and professional development

Hybrid working with flexible arrangements and limited site attendance

Interested?

Apply in confidence via this advert, or contact Ben Chappell directly at (phone number removed) more

Career development

 23h

Senior Quantity Surveyor


Our client is one of the UK's fastest-growing Civil Engineering Consultancies, delivering projects across the Energy sector. Known for their dynamic culture and long-term client partnerships, they are a trusted delivery partner on major national infrastructure frameworks -- offering strong job security and genuine career development opportunities.

The Opportunity

Due to continued project wins... and sustained growth, the company is seeking a Senior Quantity Surveyor to join its expanding team.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced QS to take a leading commercial role on large-scale energy and infrastructure schemes, while continuing to develop professionally within a supportive consultancy environment. You'll work closely with senior leadership, with clear progression opportunities towards Associate level and beyond.

The Role

As a Senior Quantity Surveyor, you will be involved in:

Leading the delivery of pre- and post-contract Quantity Surveying services

Managing the commercial aspects of energy and infrastructure projects

Preparing and reviewing cost plans, procurement strategies, and risk assessments

Overseeing contract administration, change control, and commercial reporting

Leading client meetings and supporting long-term client relationships

Mentoring and supporting junior members of the commercial team

Working collaboratively as part of a growing and high-performing project team

Operating within a hybrid working environment, with a maximum of 2 days on site per week and the remainder worked remotely

Travelling to project and client sites as required

A degree in Quantity Surveying or a related discipline

Strong consultancy/PQS-side experience (essential)

Proven experience delivering energy or major infrastructure projects

Excellent commercial awareness and client-facing communication skills

MRICS status or working towards chartership (support provided if required)

The ability to manage multiple projects and work with minimal supervision

Willingness to travel as required for project and client commitments

Ambition to progress within a growing, collaborative consultancy

Why Join?

Secure workload across long-term national infrastructure frameworks

Clear progression opportunities to Associate and Director level

Market-leading reputation in infrastructure and energy consulting

Excellent company culture with strong mentorship and professional development

Hybrid working with flexible arrangements and limited site attendance

Interested?

Apply in confidence via this advert, or contact Ben Chappell directly at (phone number removed) more

Haleem Abdulsalam
Career development 3d
Hey everyone. If you're on Linkedln. I don't know whether youre facing a kind of low engagement reach on your account;impressions, reactions and comments. After my research, I realized one bad to be really active before engagement starts resonating with the content. I just want to know if its only me or any other person experiencing this.

#Linkedln
3   

  • Promise Mbalewe

    1d

    Hi... Yes you are right. Understanding the platform first and contents th audience would likely engage in would do you you a lot of help.
    This is a... business platform filled with experts, enthusiasts, entreprenuers and even newbies looking for opportunities.

    Your posts has to cut across this giving intrinsic knowledge from experience or outcome that would give anothr readr an edge such that it can be implemented or acted upon to make an impact in their fields or personal lives.     more

  • Dr Niamo Muid

    Pro
    2d

    Greetings. I find myself responding to others much more than getting the engagement I'd like. Intend to move to YT eventually.

Career development

 1d

I had multiple miscarriages -- now put them on my résumé


We have this saying in academics: publish or perish.

As a professor at University College London, peer-reviewed articles in top journals are the currency of my profession.

Earlier in my career at a previous institution, I experienced recurrent pregnancy loss. During this time, I was still expected to carry on as normal -- teaching my classes, meeting with students, attending faculty meetings and... continuing to produce research. I was even scheduling dilation and curettage procedures around my teaching timetable.

But the emotional and physical toll of miscarriage made it difficult to function at the level I once had. There's a visible gap in my publication record that reflects that period.

When I tell people that I put miscarriages on my résumé, they are initially shocked. A résumé isn't an autobiography, I understand that. If a parent dies, you can walk into work and send an email to say there's been a death in the family.

There's a language we can use to talk about that, but when it comes to pregnancy loss, there's a strange culture of silence and shame surrounding it.

That lack of support wasn't accidental -- it was built into the system. The workplaces I moved through were designed with male bodies in mind, not bodies that menstruate, miscarry or give birth.

I knew what my résumé would show: a gap in productivity that could easily be read as a personal failure, but that wasn't the truth. It was a reflection of the support I didn't receive.

Stopping publishing work has a whole host of knock-on consequences. Your chances of a promotion fall by the wayside. Salary increases and performance increments that were once available move out of reach.

Of all the areas affected, the most significant was my ability to produce rigorous research because I was overcome by grief. I spent hours of my day crying, which isn't conducive to having the headspace for research, which demands creativity, focus and concentration.

When I include miscarriages on my résumé, it allows anyone reading it to draw a clear line between that experience and the dip in my productivity.

Academic work doesn't happen instantly -- there's often a lag of several years between doing the work and seeing it published -- so the impact shows up later. Including that context helps explain what would otherwise look like an unexplained gap.

Too often, women are asked to solve institutional problems. When I was experiencing recurrent pregnancy loss, I was asked to get a friend to cover my class -- which I did.

We've been taught to be kind and helpful -- and agree to this kind of request. I'd argue that this isn't just bad for women and their careers, it has negative consequences for organizations too.

There needs to be a policy in place when an employee is incapacitated and cannot deliver the core work of the organization.

By sharing what I do on social media (@rainabrands_phd), I've allowed other people to feel seen and heard by experiences that have affected their productivity. It's opened up meaningful conversations, particularly with men, I wouldn't otherwise have had.

I have a male colleague who is a carer for someone in his life with a disability, for example. I've given him a framework to normalize his circumstances to an extent.

Moments like that made me realize this wasn't an isolated issue. It was part of a much bigger pattern -- one that affects far more people than we acknowledge.

That's why I chose to include my miscarriages on my résumé. I'm aware that decision won't feel right for everyone -- pregnancy loss is, for many, deeply private.

What I'm trying to do is highlight the systems behind these experiences -- the structures and rules that shape what is, and isn't, possible for women within them. It's not about discouraging anyone from taking action, it's about understanding the framework we're operating in, and how it can limit the choices available to us.

All views expressed in this article are the author's own. more

Career development

 1d

13 Targeted Resume Examples for Every Job (2026)


A targeted resume is a version of your resume rewritten for one specific job opening, restructuring what you emphasize to match that employer's stated requirements. It works because hiring decisions get made on proof of fit, not breadth of experience -- and a targeted resume puts the proof of fit on top.

The difference shows up in response rates. Generic resumes get callbacks on roughly 2% of... applications. Targeted resumes land in the 15-40% range. Recruiters spend about 7 seconds scanning a resume before deciding whether it's worth a closer look, and what they're scanning for is a match: a signal that the person on the page has already done the kind of work the role requires.

This guide gives you 13 copy-ready targeted résumé examples across the most common roles and situations (now including graphic designer), ATS rules, before-and-after bullet rewrites, a full template, and a pre-send checklist. By the end, you won't be guessing whether your resume is targeted. You'll know.

A targeted resume is a version of your resume written specifically for one job opening, restructuring what you emphasize to match that employer's stated requirements. It isn't a fancier version of your general resume -- it's a different instrument entirely.

Indeed defines a targeted resume as one written for a specific job opening that highlights skills and experience relevant to that position. Resume Genius calls it a customized resume that highlights qualifications directly matching the job posting. Both definitions capture the surface. The deeper point is this:

You're not changing who you are. You're changing what the reader notices first.

A general resume says "here is everything I've done." A targeted resume says "here is the proof that I can solve your specific problem." In a hiring process that's increasingly skills-based and ATS-filtered, that distinction determines whether you get called.

The targeted version performs better because it removes guesswork. Recruiters shouldn't have to infer that your "client reporting experience" equals "executive stakeholder dashboards." When the job asks for it, say it clearly.

These examples are written as résumé snippets you can adapt. Each one gives you the target job signals, a targeted headline, summary, skills line, a before-and-after bullet pair, and -- new -- a rendered preview of what the targeted résumé looks like after optimization.

If you've been searching for how to write a targeted resume for a specific job, the move-by-move is simpler than it looks. Before each example below, here's the process you'll see in action:

Each of the 13 examples below shows what this looks like in practice for one specific role -- text first, then a rendered mockup of the optimized résumé.

Target job signals:

Targeted headline: Growth Marketing Manager | Demand Generation, Lifecycle Campaigns, Paid Social, HubSpot

Targeted summary: Growth Marketing Manager with 5+ years of experience building demand-generation campaigns for B2B SaaS teams. Skilled in paid social, lifecycle email, HubSpot reporting, and sales-aligned campaign strategy. Generated $4.2M in qualified pipeline by improving MQL-to-SQL conversion and campaign attribution.

Quick note: MQL = marketing qualified lead, SQL = sales qualified lead. These are the pipeline handoff metrics most B2B marketing roles care about.

Targeted skills: Demand generation · Paid social · Lifecycle marketing · HubSpot · Salesforce · Google Analytics 4 · Campaign attribution · MQL/SQL conversion · Webinar marketing · Landing page optimization

Why this works: The original is a task description. The targeted version mirrors the job's exact language and proves business impact with a number the hiring manager actually cares about.

Targeted headline: Backend Software Engineer | Python, FastAPI, AWS, Docker, CI/CD

Targeted summary: Backend Software Engineer with 4 years of experience building Python APIs, automating CI/CD workflows, and deploying cloud-native services on AWS. Strong background in FastAPI, PostgreSQL, Docker, and distributed systems performance.

Targeted skills: Python · FastAPI · Django · PostgreSQL · AWS Lambda · ECS · Docker · Kubernetes · GitHub Actions · CI/CD · REST APIs · Microservices · Terraform

Why this works: "Worked on backend features" sounds junior and unmeasured. The targeted bullet proves scale (1.2M requests), impact (37% latency reduction), and production ownership.

Browse our software engineer resume examples for additional templates, or check the software engineer salary guide to benchmark your compensation expectations before your next negotiation.

Target job signals:

Targeted headline: Data Analyst | SQL, Tableau, A/B Testing, Revenue Analytics

Targeted summary: Data Analyst with 3+ years of experience turning customer and revenue data into decision-ready dashboards. Advanced SQL user with strong Tableau, Excel, and A/B testing experience. Partnered with marketing and product teams to identify conversion opportunities and improve reporting speed.

Targeted skills: SQL · Tableau · Power BI · Excel · Python · A/B testing · Cohort analysis · Funnel analysis · Revenue reporting · Stakeholder dashboards · Data storytelling

Why this works: The job wants analysis that drives decisions, not just reports that get filed. This bullet shows the tool used, the business question answered, and the actual outcome.

Targeted headline: Customer Success Manager | B2B SaaS, Onboarding, Renewals, QBRs

Targeted summary: Customer Success Manager with 6 years of B2B SaaS experience managing mid-market and enterprise accounts. Skilled in onboarding, renewal strategy, QBRs, risk management, and customer health scoring. Improved net revenue retention by strengthening adoption playbooks and executive business reviews.

Targeted skills: Customer success · B2B SaaS · Gainsight · Salesforce · QBRs · Onboarding · Renewal management · Churn reduction · Expansion revenue · Stakeholder management · Product adoption

Why this works: "Supported customers" is passive and proves nothing. CSM roles live and die on retention, adoption, and revenue. This bullet shows all three.

Targeted headline: Project Manager | Agile Delivery, Jira, Risk Management, Cross-Functional Execution

Targeted summary: Project Manager with 7+ years of experience leading software and operations projects from planning through launch. Strong background in agile delivery, Jira workflows, budget tracking, risk management, and executive status reporting. Known for turning unclear priorities into realistic milestones.

Targeted skills: Agile · Scrum · Jira · Confluence · Project planning · Risk management · Stakeholder communication · Budget tracking · Vendor coordination · Sprint planning · Executive reporting

Why this works: The targeted version gives scope (14 people, 6 months), method (Jira, agile), and outcome (early delivery, under budget). Every PM job description wants exactly this evidence.

Targeted headline: Account Executive | B2B SaaS, Outbound Pipeline, Discovery, Quota Attainment

Targeted summary: B2B SaaS Account Executive with 4 years of experience prospecting, qualifying, and closing mid-market accounts. Consistently exceeded quota through structured outbound, consultative discovery, and disciplined Salesforce pipeline management.

Targeted skills: B2B SaaS sales · Outbound prospecting · Salesforce · HubSpot · Discovery calls · Pipeline generation · Demo delivery · Contract negotiation · Mid-market accounts · Quota attainment

Why this works: Sales resumes live on numbers. Pipeline generated, deals closed, quota attainment percentage, and sales motion are the proof stack hiring managers actually read.

Targeted headline: Registered Nurse | Acute Care, Patient Assessment, EMR Documentation, Care Coordination

Targeted summary: Registered Nurse with 5 years of acute-care experience supporting high-volume patient units. Skilled in patient assessment, medication administration, EMR documentation, interdisciplinary care coordination, and patient education. Recognized for calm prioritization and accurate documentation during busy shifts.

Targeted skills: Patient assessment · Acute care · Medication administration · EMR/EHR documentation · Care coordination · Patient education · Discharge planning · Infection control · Vital signs monitoring · Interdisciplinary communication

Why this works: Healthcare resumes should be specific about setting (acute care), patient load (6 per shift), systems (Epic), and care outcomes. The documentation completion metric signals compliance awareness.

Targeted headline: Entry-Level Business Analyst | Excel, Research, Reporting, Presentation

Targeted summary: Recent Economics graduate with internship and class project experience in market research, Excel modeling, and business reporting. Strong communicator with experience presenting findings to faculty and student teams. Seeking an entry-level analyst role focused on data-backed decision-making.

Targeted skills: Excel · Market research · Data cleaning · Pivot tables · PowerPoint · Written communication · Presentation · Teamwork · Survey analysis · Business reporting

Why this works: Entry-level candidates often believe they have "no experience." That's usually untrue. Class projects, internships, campus roles, and competitions become targeted proof when written in the employer's language. NACE's April 2026 guidance confirms that employers want students to connect academic, experiential, and extracurricular work to the roles they're applying for.

Browse our entry-level business analyst resume examples for format guidance. If you're a student, we also offer a 40% student discount on all premium features.

Target move: K-12 teacher transitioning to corporate Learning and Development.

Target job signals:

Targeted headline: Learning & Development Specialist | Instructional Design, Facilitation, Curriculum Development

Targeted summary: Educator transitioning into corporate Learning and Development with 8 years of experience designing curriculum, facilitating live and virtual learning, measuring learning outcomes, and adapting content for diverse audiences. Strong background in training delivery, stakeholder communication, and learner engagement.

Targeted skills: Instructional design · Curriculum development · Training facilitation · Adult learning principles · LMS administration · Zoom training · Learner assessment · Stakeholder communication · Workshop design · Feedback analysis

Why this works: The targeted version translates teaching into business language without pretending the candidate already held a corporate L&D title. It doesn't hide the background. It reframes it in the employer's vocabulary.

Our AI Resume Rewriter is particularly useful for career changers. It takes your existing experience and restructures it around the language of the target role, so you keep every accomplishment while shedding the titles that don't translate.

Target job signals:

Targeted headline: Operations Director | P&L Leadership, Transformation, Cost Reduction, Multi-Site Teams

Targeted summary: Operations leader with 15+ years of experience scaling multi-site teams, improving margin, and leading transformation initiatives across service and technology businesses. Managed $48M P&L, reduced operating costs by 14%, and built executive reporting systems used by board and finance leaders.

Targeted skills: P&L ownership · Operations strategy · Cost reduction · Process improvement · Multi-site leadership · Executive reporting · Workforce planning · Vendor management · Transformation programs · Margin improvement

Why this works: Executive resumes shouldn't read like job descriptions. They should show scale, strategic ownership, and measurable business outcomes. "Oversaw operations" tells a hiring committee nothing.

Targeted headline: Ecommerce Growth Consultant | Shopify, CRO, Landing Page Testing, Analytics

Targeted summary: Ecommerce growth consultant helping Shopify brands improve conversion rates, landing page performance, and funnel visibility. Experienced in Google Analytics 4, heatmap analysis, A/B testing, and lifecycle campaign recommendations. Delivered conversion lifts across fashion, wellness, and consumer goods clients.

Targeted skills: Shopify · Conversion rate optimization · Google Analytics 4 · Landing page testing · Hotjar · Klaviyo · Funnel analysis · Ecommerce strategy · A/B testing · Customer journey mapping

Why this works: Freelancers need case-study bullets. Clients don't care where you sat. They care what changed after you arrived.

Explore the management consultant career path for career progression context, and use our AI Cover Letter Generator to create a proposal-style letter that leads with your client outcomes.

Announcement signals:

Targeted headline: Program Analyst | Policy Research, Reporting, Stakeholder Coordination

Targeted summary: Program Analyst with 6 years of experience supporting policy research, performance reporting, and cross-functional stakeholder coordination. Experienced preparing briefing materials, tracking program metrics, and improving documentation workflows for public-sector and nonprofit teams.

"Analyzed monthly program performance data across 12 grant-funded initiatives, preparing briefing materials and dashboard summaries used by senior leadership for budget and compliance reviews."

"Coordinated input from finance, legal, and field teams to update policy documentation, reducing review cycle time from 21 days to 12 days."

Why this works: Federal resumes have specific requirements. USAJOBS guidance specifies that federal resumes must include start and end dates with month and year, hours worked per week, and descriptions showing you can perform the listed tasks. As of September 2025, OPM guidance caps most covered federal applications at two pages. Plain language, structured experience entries, and direct alignment to the job announcement language are non-negotiable.

Targeted headline: Senior Graphic Designer | Brand Systems, Adobe Creative Suite, Figma, Digital Campaign Design

Targeted summary: Senior Graphic Designer with 6 years of experience building brand systems and shipping production-ready digital and print assets for consumer and B2B brands. Expert across Adobe Creative Suite, Figma, and motion-design fundamentals. Built scalable design systems that lifted brand consistency across 40+ marketing channels.

Targeted skills: Brand identity · Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign) · Figma · Web design · Motion design · Typography · Design systems · Print production · Cross-functional collaboration · Brand guidelines

Why this works: Generic graphic designer bullets read like task lists. The targeted version proves scale (40 assets), tools (Figma + Creative Suite), business outcome (brand-recall lift), and channel breadth -- the exact proof stack a hiring creative director scans for.

Browse our graphic designer resume examples for additional format options and a matching graphic designer cover letter to complete your application package.

Copy this structure and replace the placeholders. Keep formatting simple: ATS systems parse clean text better than PDFs with decorative columns, icons, or graphics.

Once you have the structure down, paste it into our AI Resume Builder. You can generate a targeted draft from the job description, then edit every section to match your actual experience.

Keywords matter. Keyword stuffing is lazy and counterproductive.

② Prove the skill inside a bullet, not just in the skills list.

③ Include both the acronym and the full term when both are useful (e.g., "Applicant Tracking System (ATS)").

④ Keep formatting simple: no decorative tables inside your resume content, no text boxes, no unusual fonts.

⑤ Don't hide keywords in white text or footers. Some ATS systems detect this, and any human reviewer who looks will notice.

⑥ Don't claim tools you can't actually use. If you get the interview, you'll defend every line.

Jobscan's 2025 keyword guidance recommends finding keywords in the job posting, using them naturally in your summary, skills, and bullets, matching exact phrasing where it's accurate, and avoiding stuffing. UC Irvine's 2025 ATS guide gives the same practical advice: match keywords and terminology, include full terms and acronyms, focus on hard skills, write naturally, and avoid complex formatting.

The fundamental rule: Every important keyword should appear inside at least one bullet that proves you actually used it. A skills section full of keywords paired with bullets that never mention them is a red flag, not a signal.

After rewriting, run your resume through our AI Resume Scanner to get a keyword gap report. It shows which must-have terms from the job description are missing or unproven in your bullet points.

Targeting means selecting and translating real evidence. It doesn't mean creating a persona.

This matters because the pressure to embellish is real. Resume Genius's 2026 Job Seeker Insights Report found that 53% of surveyed job seekers had either added a skill they planned to learn later, or had seriously considered doing so. The same survey found 68% said ATS makes job searching harder, 67% worried their resume would be rejected before a human ever saw it, and 50% said they don't understand how ATS works.

The pressure is understandable. But lying is still a bad strategy. If you get the interview, you have to defend every line.

A skills list without proof is just a claim. Put keywords in bullets, too.

Weak: "Skills: SQL, Tableau, stakeholder communication"

Better: "Built SQL-based Tableau dashboard for finance stakeholders, reducing monthly close reporting time by 4 days."

The second version has all the same keywords. It also proves them.

ATS systems and recruiters expect standard headings: Experience, Education, Skills, Certifications, Projects, Volunteer Experience. Avoid headings like "My Journey," "Superpowers," "What I Bring," or "Career Wins." Creative headings force both systems and humans to work harder. That extra friction usually means your resume gets skipped.

You don't need to rewrite your entire resume for every application. The highest-return edits are: headline, summary, skills order, first 3-5 bullets, projects, certifications, and file name.

Resume Genius data shows that 39% of job seekers spend 10-30 minutes tailoring per application, 23% spend 31-60 minutes, and 9% spend more than an hour. The goal is precision, not exhaustion. For a practical guide to application volume vs. effort trade-offs, see our breakdown of the best way to apply for jobs. Focus your effort where the signal-to-effort ratio is highest.

Relevance is the goal, not length. A one-page resume full of vague bullets is worse than a two-page resume with direct proof. A two-page resume padded with old, unrelated tasks is worse than a tight one-pager.

The easiest way to manage targeting without burning out:

Step 1: Keep one master resume. This is never sent to employers. It stores every job, bullet, metric, project, tool, certification, and accomplishment you've ever had.

Step 2: Create 3-5 role-family versions. Examples: "Data Analyst resume," "Product Analyst resume," "Marketing Analytics resume." These are already targeted to a category and take less time to finalize per application.

Step 3: Create one final version per specific job. Customize the headline, summary, skills order, and top bullets for the exact posting. File name example: yourname-data-analyst-companyname-2026.pdf

Step 4: Track what changed. Save the job description, resume version, and date together. When you get an interview, you'll need to remember exactly what you emphasized.

Manual targeting works on one or two applications. It gets exhausting fast at 20+ roles, and exhaustion shows up in the work -- repeated phrases, missed keywords, generic bullets that slip back in because you're tired.

The point of automating is not to skip judgment. It's to remove the mechanical steps so judgment has somewhere to land. The workflow below is the one we've seen produce the best results across the 1.16 million job seekers who have built resumes on AIApply, and the structure holds whether you use our tools or your own.

An eight-step targeting workflow:

Whether you use AI tools or do the work by hand, the principle is the same: automate the mechanical steps, never the judgment.

A targeted resume for a data analyst role would include a headline like "Data Analyst | SQL, Tableau, Revenue Reporting," a summary focused on analytics outcomes and the industry the role is in, a skills section with tools from the job description, and bullets proving those skills. For example: "Built Tableau dashboards from SQL-based revenue data, reducing weekly reporting time by 6 hours and surfacing a checkout issue responsible for an 11% conversion drop-off." Every element connects directly to the job's stated requirements. Browse our full data analyst resume examples to see complete formatting options.

For serious applications, yes, but you don't need to rewrite everything from scratch. Keep a master resume with all your experience, create role-family versions for categories you're applying to, then customize the headline, summary, skills order, and top 3-5 bullets for each specific job. The role-family version does about 70% of the targeting work already. Our AI Resume Builder stores your master resume and lets you generate a targeted version per job description in under two minutes.

Copy the job description, highlight repeated skills and tools, identify the employer's core problem, then rewrite your top third around that problem. Top third means: headline, summary, skills section, and first few bullets. These four elements determine whether your resume passes the initial screen. Everything else is supporting evidence. Our free Job Description Keyword Finder speeds up step one. It extracts and categorizes every keyword from any job posting so you can see at a glance what the employer prioritizes.

Yes, if it's truthful. If your background fits "Customer Success Manager," use that phrase in your headline or summary. Don't give yourself a false past job title, but a target headline that reflects the role you're applying for is both honest and strategically effective.

There's no universal number. Add the must-have skills, tools, certifications, and industry terms that genuinely match your experience. The better question is: does every important keyword have proof somewhere in a bullet? A keyword in the skills section with no corresponding bullet is weaker than a keyword embedded inside a quantified accomplishment.

Yes. If you remove too much career context to make room for targeting, your resume can feel thin or raise questions about your work history. Keep enough progression to show growth, but spend the most space on what's directly relevant. Targeting is about emphasis, not erasure.

Use projects, internships, coursework, volunteer work, freelance work, certifications, labs, competitions, and campus roles. The key is translating them into the job's language. "Class project" becomes "Analyzed 1,200 survey responses in Excel and presented pricing recommendations to a faculty panel" if that's what actually happened. That's not fabrication. That's accurate translation.

Add a dedicated Projects section when you're early in your career, changing industries or roles, working in a project-heavy field (tech, data, product, design, marketing, or research), or when your paid job title doesn't reflect your actual skills. MIT's career guidance notes that experience can include jobs, internships, research, leadership roles, class projects, competitions, and personal projects -- as long as relevance to the target role is clear.

Not always. Use one page if you can show strong fit without squeezing. Use two pages if you have enough relevant experience to justify it and the role is mid-to-senior level. For federal USAJOBS applications, follow current OPM guidance and the two-page cap where applicable.

Yes, as long as you review everything carefully. AI is useful for extracting keywords, rewriting bullets, and identifying gaps between your resume and the job description. It shouldn't invent metrics, fabricate tools, or claim credentials you don't have. Use AI as a strategist and first-draft writer, not as something you submit without reading. Our AI Resume Builder is designed exactly for this. Every generated line is editable, and the system prompts you to verify claims before finalizing.

Targeting keywords without targeting evidence. A resume with "SQL, Tableau, analytics, communication" in the skills section is weaker than one bullet showing how you used SQL and Tableau to answer a real business question. Skills lists are claims. Bullets are proof. Hiring decisions are made on proof. After rewriting, run your resume through the AI Resume Scanner to confirm every keyword in your skills section has a corresponding proof bullet.

The terms are used interchangeably, but "targeted" often implies a deeper level of customization: not just adding keywords, but restructuring what's emphasized, rewriting the narrative, and ensuring every section speaks to one specific role. A "tailored" resume might mean adjusting a few bullets. A truly targeted resume is purpose-built for one job.

It depends on how competitive the role is. For a job you really want at a company you've researched, 20-40 minutes of targeted editing is reasonable. For a role-family version you're applying to broadly, 10-15 minutes of adjustment is usually enough if you built a solid base. Research shows most job seekers spend 10-60 minutes per application. For a real priority role, the time is worth it.

The employer has a problem. The job description describes that problem. The ATS searches for signals that you understand it. The recruiter skims for proof that you've solved it before. The hiring manager wants evidence you can do the work.

Your resume's job isn't to tell your whole story. It's to make the match obvious.

The 13 examples above show what that looks like across roles, industries, and career stages. The method, template, and checklist give you the mechanics. If you want to move faster through the process, AIApply brings the whole workflow under one roof -- AI Resume Builder, AI Resume Scanner, AI Cover Letter Generator, and Auto Apply -- so you can focus on the parts that require your judgment: making sure every claim is true, every number is defensible, and every bullet speaks directly to the role you're going after. more