Andrea Pollak


Career development 1d
Why does everyone tell me about their family? I spend the whole shift listening and I’m tired of it. Every person who sits in my chair starts talking. Do women think a hairdresser is a therapist or a place to cry? I can’t work properly. Maybe I should put a sign that says “Be quiet” not to go crazy?

  • Victoria Sijamba

    2h

    Sometimes people disclose family information because they want solutions from you. So the best thing is to let them pour their hearts to you and if... you are in position to give advice, do so accordingly. But don't take advantage of their weaknesses. more

  • _Miss_ Barbosa

    5h

    Te has preguntado porque eso te pone incomoda? Como es tu relacion con tu familia?

Load more...

Career development

 6h

How I Hire and Build Teams That Don't Fall Apart Under Pressure


Entrepreneur Media LLC and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some products and services through the links below.

Early-stage founders spend a lot of time thinking about product and fundraising. They spend less time thinking about team design. That is a mistake.

In my experience, companies rarely fail because of one bad feature. They fail because the wrong people were in the... wrong seats for too long. Early hires shape culture, speed and decision-making patterns. Once those patterns set in, they are hard to undo. If you want a team that lasts, you have to be intentional about who you bring in, how you evaluate them and when you make hard calls.

Hire for trust first, credentials second

I've met candidates with degrees from elite schools, impressive titles and big-name brands on their résumés. That can open the door to a conversation. It does not guarantee they can execute in your environment. When I hire early, I ask one primary question: Do I trust this person? Trust doesn't imply perfection. Everyone makes mistakes. Trust means I believe they will take ownership, communicate honestly and improve when given feedback.

In a startup, there is no room for passengers. You need people who will follow up without being chased. People who send the email when they say they will. People who take criticism without defensiveness and come back better the next week. Large organizations can absorb mediocre performers for longer periods. Early-stage companies cannot. They don't have the luxury of extra layers. Every person directly affects momentum.

When evaluating beyond the résumé, test for three things:

* Responsiveness. Do they follow through during the interview process? Do they prepare?

* Coachability. When you challenge an idea, do they get curious or combative?

* Ownership. When discussing past failures, do they blame others or explain what they learned?

Assess fit, not just experience

Experience only helps if it translates. I have seen companies hire executives from massive corporations, expecting instant transformation. What they forget is context. Managing a $450 million marketing budget is not the same as stretching a startup's limited resources. Leading at scale is different from building from zero.

The question is not whether someone is impressive. The question is whether their experience matches the problem you are solving right now. Early-stage teams need builders. People that are willing to do unglamorous work. People who are comfortable without clear job descriptions and can operate with ambiguity. As you grow, your needs change. The operator who thrives in chaos might struggle in a structured Series B environment. That doesn't make them bad leaders. It means fit evolves. more

Career development

 7h

Giving graduates an edge in today's job market -- Nuruladilah Mohamed


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JUNE 14 -- "Lights, camera, action!"

For many university graduates, a job interview can feel like stepping onto a stage. The spotlight is on; the panel is watching and every answer... matters.

Unlike a performance, however, there is no script to memorise. What graduates need is not a perfect act, but the ability to present their real experiences with confidence, clarity and purpose.

This is where job interview preparation in university plays an important role. In today's competitive job market, academic qualifications alone are no longer enough. Employers are increasingly looking for graduates who can communicate effectively, think critically, solve problems and show that they are ready for the demands of the workplace.

For many students, the journey from lecture halls to interview rooms can be challenging. They may have the knowledge, skills and potential, but struggle to express them clearly when facing interview panels.

Some give answers that are too short, while others speak at length without highlighting the point that matters most. This is why structured interview techniques should be treated as an essential part of graduate employability.

In job interview skills classes, students are often introduced to a simple but useful technique known as the STAR method. STAR stands for Situation, Task, Action and Result. Although the name may sound technical, the idea is simple. It teaches students how to tell their experiences like a short story, but in an organised way.

From my experience teaching job interview skills, I notice that many students already have stories worth sharing. The challenge is that they often do not know how to present these stories during an interview.

When I ask them to respond to a common interview question such as, "Tell me about a time when you worked in a team," many would begin with a simple answer like, "I am good at teamwork." While the answer is not wrong, it does not tell the interviewer much about who they are or what they can do.

This is why I encourage my students to go beyond general statements. I remind them to think of a real experience, perhaps from a group assignment, a class project, an internship task or a university programme they helped to organise. Then, I guide them to explain what happened, what role they played, what action they took and what the outcome was.

I often see students become surprised when they realise that they do have useful experiences to talk about. Many fresh graduates feel that they lack working experience, but they sometimes forget that university life itself has exposed them to many workplace-related skills. Group discussions, presentations, club activities, volunteer work, community programmes and part-time jobs can all become meaningful examples in an interview.

For instance, a student who helped organise a campus event may not see it as something impressive at first. However, when we break down the experience, the student may realise that he or she had practised leadership, teamwork, communication and problem-solving. Another student who completed a difficult group project may be able to explain how the team handled different opinions, managed deadlines and completed the task together.

These simple stories matter. They help employers see the person behind the certificate. They show not only what a graduate knows, but also how the graduate thinks, responds and contributes to real situations.

In my classroom, I have seen how the STAR method helps students recognise the value of their own experiences. It gives them a clear way to arrange their ideas and speak with more confidence. When they know what to say and how to say it, they are less likely to panic or rely on memorised answers.

Most importantly, I want my students to understand that an interview is not about giving the perfect answer. It is about giving an honest, clear and meaningful answer. It is about showing who they are, what they have learned and how they can contribute to the workplace. Sometimes, all fresh graduates need is the right way to tell their own story.

In the end, getting hired is not only about having skills. It is also about knowing how to communicate those skills effectively. For graduates preparing to enter the working world, mastering this structured approach may be one classroom lesson that makes a lasting difference in their future careers.

* Nuruladilah Mohamed is a Senior Lecturer at Akademi Pengajian Bahasa (APB), Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Cawangan Terengganu. more

Career development

 18h

After Months Of Job Hunting, I Finally Understand Why So Many People Have Just Given Up Entirely


Man. It's amazing to think that I worked my first on-the-books shift at a job I enjoy in almost six years. Though I have put in thousands of applications in my field, I still do not have a W-2 job in writing, editing, or marketing.

Rather, I got myself a perfect part-time job as a secretary at a doctor's office. It's actually a really nice fit for me. It's quiet, fun, and a great way to just... spend time organizing and filing.

Words cannot describe how much relief I felt when I got the offer. I actually had to speed off the phone because I had to scream, jump, and cry for joy. It's wild, really. Six years, man. Six years of madness.

Though I'm now employed, I'm still traumatized by the absolute nightmare that is the American job search

Surface / Unsplash

You know, I consider myself a strong person. I survived stuff most people die from, repeatedly. I struggle with CPTSD every day, but I don't let it own me.

Things like hearing gunshots? Seeing violent crime happen in front of me? That stuff doesn't faze me. (Make of that what you will.) So knowing my tolerance for horror, I find it very telling that I remain deeply traumatized by the stuff I endured during my job search. Job hunting remained one of the most deeply destabilizing things I've ever had to go through.

I'm far from alone in that sentiment. Studies show a direct link between long-term job searching and depression. In fact, there's even a name for it: Job Search Depression.

Job hunting in America is designed to break you

Think about it: The modern job hunting experience doesn't really seem to be about finding the best fit for a company's culture anymore. It often seems to be more about dotting the i's, crossing the t's, and covering HR's behind.

With every month that rolled by, I noticed that jobs wanted people to jump through more and more hoops:

* You need to have a keyword-optimized resume these days. ATS, or Applicant Tracking Systems, use AI to filter out people who are not deemed to be suitable. They do it via tracking keywords in a resume. If you don't have the right keywords or don't phrase your resume well, you're boned, even if you have all the right skills and then some.

* You have to have a degree for almost any corporate job. The number of times I was told that I needed a degree to prove my value after working in publishing for decades was shocking.

* Companies also don't want to hire people who are unemployed or overqualified. I was desperate for a job, but kept being told I was "not a good fit" because I was unemployed and focused on writing. Despite my being one of many to have this issue, corporations keep saying that "people don't want to work anymore."

* It's also an open secret that companies are trying to lowball workers. They often make a point of asking questions that make you doubt yourself, or trying to show how little your experience means. There are even reports of people asking for five years of experience in a two-year-old program!

Whatever happened to just being able to do a job?! It seems like most companies operate by trying to get the most submissive, desperate, and hungry people possible.

Then, there's the issue of the complete and utter lack of feedback, piled with rejections

The way employers reject applicants is also cruel, in that weirdly inhuman "mean girls" way that only businesses can be. Most businesses don't even give a reply saying they've moved on.

Even when they do offer a reply, it's always the same automated, canned response: "We had so many great applicants, but we have decided to move forward with other candidates. Please try again later."

After a while, it's hard not to take those rejections personally, even when you get the feeling that the job that you applied for could be fake. Sometimes, you just want to know why you weren't hired beyond the trite "other people were more qualified."

I don't know if other people have done this, but I started asking hiring managers and recruiters what was wrong with me. I wanted genuine feedback. After all, how are people supposed to improve if they don't know what's wrong? You really can't improve without knowing what you're doing wrong in the first place!

All I ever got from anyone was an awkward, "I'm sorry..." or "It's hard..." Maddening, much?

HR notoriously can't give feedback because they are worried that they are going to get sued if they say the wrong thing. In many cases, the people reading the resumes don't even see yours because ATS just decided your resume was not enough.

Rather than offer help and feedback, companies and recruiters do nothing. And in that weird, messed-up way, that silence makes you feel less than human.

If you're not hired after a year of searching, that silence starts to feel like a subtle way of the world saying, "You're not even worth helping."

Trying to get help via government programs or nonprofits is an unmitigated disaster, too

It's a mess trying to get nonprofit/public assistance in my job hunt. Long story short, I got no help. I didn't qualify for any job search help, despite being a human trafficking survivor and being unable to afford to pay rent.

If I divorced my husband, I would have qualified for a program that helps women who are moms/divorced re-entering the workforce with training. That was the only program that was even remotely interested in helping me find a job.

So, if I were to leave my husband, I could have gotten free training to become a Certified Nursing Assistant. However, I am not interested in divorce, so I was not "qualified" to have that job training.

Not for nothing, but I really searched high and low for non-profits and government programs that would have been able to help me find a job. Most of those programs were either full, never called me back, or didn't want me in.

Trying to get government assistance in job seeking or even getting job search help often meant I'd have to navigate an infuriatingly poorly-built spiderweb of programs, referrals upon referrals, and time wasters.

Weirdly, it adds salt to the wound. It's almost as if society wants you to know, "Hey, you're not worth helping."

The excuse of 'trying to find the right fit for our culture' is also dead as a dodo

Getty Images / Unsplash+

There was a point in time when there was an excuse that HR was "busy at work, trying to find the right culture fit." It's true. In an ideal world, HR would be working on a human fit because hiring is a somewhat human practice.

That got shot to hell with AI.

People are posting videos of botched job interviews where AI interviewers and screenings make zero sense. Some even glitch out so badly that it's embarrassing to even consider.

A lot of great candidates are failing job interviews because of AI. Somehow, CEOs think this is a good move for their companies and claim that it's great for them to find the "best fit."

Yeah. No. Let's cut the nonsense. I don't think even CEOs know what they want anymore. The fact that HR seems to back this just shows how ridiculous some of these companies really are.

There's a very easy solution to the 'nobody wants to work' whine

People do want to work. Companies regularly ignore those in need of work.

There's an easy way to handle this: offer "instant hire" lines for people based on their skills, complete with basic living wages and healthcare. The way it would work is simple:

* Line people up based on the skills they have. If they want to get customer service skills, have them write that down. Clerical? Write that down too. Farm labor? Write that down. Construction? Cool. Willing to learn? Write the specific trades you would be willing to learn there.

* Have companies post openings for all their jobs. The companies will not be allowed to turn people away unless they don't pass a background check. They must say yes and fire them only if their work is inadequate or if they are chronic no-shows. People are not allowed to quit their jobs until one year has passed.

* Give people the job openings that fit their skills, closest to their home address. Boom done. Everyone gets labor. Everyone gets a paycheck. The economy is saved.

* If a job requires certifications or education, tell the companies that they must pay for the education to get any workers from the program. And tell workers that they must work a minimum of one year at the job if they accept it or have their checks garnished for the remainder of their tuition.

* If the workers no-show, quit, don't work adequately, or act inappropriately, they get a strike on their resume. Three strikes and they're out of the program for good. They can appeal this process.

Done. Simple. Easy. Oh, and it's what I've gathered was the basic way that jobs were doled out in communist Romania. And sadly, this process I just outlined is a lot more empathetic, calm, and orderly than what we're doing right now.

America's work culture stopped asking if people can do the job in favor of servitude

When I hire someone, I want to know if they can do the job adequately. If they can? Cool. Hired. I don't care how old they are, how weird they are, or what they do on their weekends. I just want them to work.

When did that stop being the case? I don't know. But that sure explains why so many larger companies are failing.

Ossiana Tepfenhart is a writer whose work has been featured in Yahoo, BRIDES, Your Daily Dish, Newtheory Magazine, and others. more

Career development

 18h

Résumé Paper - Southworth - 100% Cotton Fiber - 50 sheets


Résumé Paper - Southworth - 100% Cotton Fiber - 50 sheets

Southworth - 100% Cotton Fiber Résumé Paper, 32 lbs., 8-1/2 x 11, Ivory, 100/Box (50 sheets left)...$8 firm

100% cotton fiber -- perfect for any documents where prestige is the look and feel desired. Strong and durable to withstand years of average wear and tear. Watermarked and date-coded. Laser, inkjet and copier guaranteed. For a first... rate résumé. Includes a résumé writing guide. Paper Color(s): Ivory; Sheet Size: 8 1/2 x 11; Paper Weight: 32 lbs.; Paper Finish: N/A. more

Jozef Alexi


Career development 4d
I'm a student looking for a part-time job as a waiter in a cafe. On my first day they told me to work for free so they could see if I was good enough for the job. I worked 10 hours.
The next day the same thing happened. I worked another shift and still didn't get paid.
Now it's the third day in a row. They want me to work another free shift and say that if everything goes well, they'll... officially hire me on Monday.
But I don't really trust them. Maybe this is their trick - they keep bringing in new people, make them work for free for a few days, and then replace them with someone else without paying. What do you think?

 more
3   

  • Jasmine Bootle

    16h

    I have worked in restaurants for 20 years and this is not normal. I worked at a restaurant that was very exclusive and they would have new applicants... work one shift before hiring. After the shift you would get paid and receive a portion of the tips. The tips were always shared their. So even if they want to see if you can cut it and have you come work 1 shift to see if you're a fit you still get paid. What they are doing is illegal and they are taking advantage of you because you're young. I would asked to be paid for the work you did and if they won't pay you, contact the better business bureau on them. Just know that this is not normal and no body should ask you for free labor.  more

  • Ackson Siachona

    19h

    Some employers are just selfish,uncontented and
    Unhonesty.Those are strategies for cunning people. Therefore, the faster you realise the better you... leave them.

     more

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Tom Seliga


Career development 5d
At our company we go away for a weekend once a month. The boss buys everyone barbecue and beer as a thank-you for our work. But we have to pay for our own hotel rooms. I know I'm bringing my wife, so we'd need a double room anyway, but if it's a company event, shouldn't the company pay for the hotel too? I'm thinking about stopping these trips because they end up costing quite a lot.

  • arthur kateeba

    20h

    You do not need to go unless its mandatory.
    The purpose of the event is to bond with fellow employees not with family. If you would like you wife to... tag along then you should chip in. more

  • Sheila Milburn

    4d

    They should pay IF its mandatory. If not required, stay home. If you still feel obligated go less frequently, like once a qtr. Or rent a Airbnb... with another couple. Ask your tax preparer, you may be able to claim on your taxes.  more

    1
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Career development

 22h

MBA Applications: Resume Clarity Beats Fancy English


Among all components of the MBA application, the resumé is often the most underestimated. Applicants devote enormous effort to essays while treating the resumé as a routine document.

In reality, it is frequently the first item that admissions officers read, which shapes their entire impression of the candidate.

Unlike essays, which unfold gradually, the resumé must communicate trajectory,... capability, and impact simultaneously. It functions as a screening document, and represents the first filter that candidates must pass through.

One of the most common mistakes applicants make is confusing sophistication with effectiveness. They attempt to impress through elaborate vocabulary, abstract phrasing, or dense corporate language. However, admissions officers are not evaluating literary style. A resumé that requires interpretation slows down the reader and weakens signal strength. In a context where hundreds of resumés are reviewed in compressed timeframes, ambiguity is costly. Clear and direct language should be part of your strategy.

How to achieve clarity

Clarity outperforms ornamentation. Admissions officers are not persuaded by decorative English. They are persuaded by simple verbs, precise metrics, and clear structure that communicates confidence and maturity. A resumé that is easy to understand signals a candidate who thinks clearly and communicates efficiently, both essential traits in a business school environment.

Quantification plays a critical role in achieving this clarity. Numbers anchor credibility and provide context: revenue growth, cost reductions, percentage improvements, team size, budget size, geographic scope, and client market cap. Even in roles where financial metrics are less direct, measurable outcomes exist: efficiency improvements, timelines shortened, or systems implemented. Without quantification, achievements appear anecdotal. With numbers, they become concrete.

Another structural weakness in many resumés is the overemphasis on responsibilities rather than accomplishments. Admissions committees are not interested in job descriptions; they are interested in performance within those roles. Simply stating that you were responsible for managing projects or overseeing operations does not distinguish you. Instead, your resumé should reflect outcomes achieved or challenges overcome. Measurable impact is the differentiator.

Clarity also extends beyond using plain English and includes formatting. Dense paragraphs or inconsistent bullet points create cognitive friction. Admissions officers should be able to scan your resumé and reconstruct your professional arc quickly. A logical sequence of roles, consistent formatting, and disciplined use of bullet points enhance comprehension.

Clarity is especially important for applicants coming from technical, specialized, or region-specific industries. Excessive use of acronyms or industry specific terminology assumes knowledge the applications committee may not possess. While it is unnecessary to oversimplify technical expertise, it is essential to translate it into universally understandable impact. A strong test of clarity is whether someone outside your industry can summarize your career trajectory after reading your resumé for two minutes.

Goals of an effective resumé

An effective MBA resumé accomplishes four objectives simultaneously by highlighting:

These elements allow admissions committees to quickly assess not just what you did, but how well you performed and how your responsibilities evolved over time. Titles alone are insufficient. Two candidates may share identical job titles, yet one may have managed x-billion dollar portfolios while the other executed narrow operational tasks. The difference must be visible without inference.

1. Progression

Progression is a signal that admissions committees evaluate closely. Business schools favor upward trajectories, whether through promotions, expanded scope, larger teams, or cross-functional exposure. Even if formal promotions are limited or absent, increasing responsibility should be evident. If your path includes lateral transitions, the rationale should appear intentional rather than accidental. Coherence matters.

2. Leadership

Leadership, too, must be presented with specificity. Leadership is not confined to formal management titles. It includes initiating projects, influencing senior stakeholders, mentoring colleagues, or driving cross-department collaboration. However, simply stating that you "led a team" or "managed stakeholders" lacks substance. Effective resumés illustrate leadership through tangible results achieved under your direction.

3. Impact and Scale

It is also important to recognize that an MBA resumé differs from a job-search resumé. The objective is not immediate employment but rather to demonstrate long-term potential. This shifts emphasis toward impact and scale rather than technical detail. The resumé should align with your stated career goals. If your essays describe an aspiration toward strategic leadership, your resumé should reflect analytical exposure, cross-functional engagement, and increasing decision-making responsibility. Misalignment between documents weakens credibility.

Final thoughts

Before finalizing your resumé, conduct a disciplined review. Remove jargon. Replace vague titles or activities with measurable outcomes. Ensure progression is visible, and confirm alignment with your career narrative.

When executed well, your resumé should not merely summarize your past, but rather provide the backbone of your application narrative.

In the next article, we will examine how to structure MBA essays with logic and thematic consistency, ensuring that every component of your application reinforces a coherent story.

Casey Ma is an MBA and MPH student at Yale University, specializing in Healthcare Management. With a background in strategy consulting, marketing, and project management, her passion lies at the intersection of healthcare transformation and strategic problem-solving. She is an advocate for collaborative innovation and enjoys engaging with professionals who share her enthusiasm for the healthcare and marketing sectors more

Career development

 1d

Beyond AI buzzwords: What employers are really looking for in 2026


At DevSparks Bengaluru 2026, leaders from Toast and Zoho Corp share why judgment, adaptability, and real-world problem-solving matter more than tool proficiency.

With AI tools becoming commonplace and technical skills increasingly accessible, employers are now looking beyond résumés packed with buzzwords. The qualities that stand out today are harder to automate: sound judgment, adaptability,... curiosity, and the ability to solve real business problems.

That was the central message from a panel discussion at DevSparks Bengaluru 2026, where industry leaders argued that hiring decisions are no longer driven by familiarity with the latest tools alone. Instead, recruiters are paying closer attention to how candidates think, learn, and apply their skills in practical situations.

During the session, 'The modern interview: What are companies actually looking for?', speakers explored the realities of hiring in an AI-driven workplace and the skills they believe will remain valuable in the current market and years ahead.

Moderated by Shivani Muthanna, Senior Director - Strategic Partnerships & Content, YourStory Media, the discussion featured Murali Vasudevan, Head of People & Org Success, Toast, and Ramprakash Ramamoorthy, Director - AI Research, Zoho Corp.

Judgment, adaptability, and ownership: The real signals in hiring

Both speakers pushed back against the idea that AI-era hiring was about stacking tools and buzzwords. Ramamoorthy argued that while AI had made it easier to code and ship features, it had also raised the threshold for what counted as real competence.

"For me, judgment is the real differentiator. You can build apps all day, but what matters is deciding what to build and what to write. AI hasn't changed that," he said. "Your fundamentals are non-negotiable too. When I scan CVs, the ones that stand out show real work in production, a QR code or URL I can click and see what you've actually shipped."

Vasudevan added that as software development becomes increasingly commoditized, companies now expect candidates to act as architects who could audit and validate AI outputs.

"It's not enough for me that you can just prompt a model. I expect you to challenge its answers, design safety nets, and constantly think in terms of business impact and customer outcomes. For me, AI skills sit on top of deep, durable capabilities but they don't replace them," he said.

The Toast leader stressed that each employee needed to have an 'adaptability quotient', the ability to move across domains and industries without feeling diluted, and to keep solving problems wherever the business needed them most.

How hiring managers separate signal from noise

Both speakers stated that an AI-polished resume was just the starting point. Vasudevan explained that his teams leaned heavily on situational awareness assessments that mimicked real business scenarios.

"We watch how candidates reason through ambiguous problems, how they balance trade-offs, and whether they genuinely factor in the customer's point of view. We test technical depth through extended assessments, but the real filter is how people think under realistic constraints," he said.

Ramamoorthy revealed his own litmus tests: in the final round, his decision rested on three questions.

"Those questions are: has the candidate actually done something meaningful before, are they truly ready to pivot into new work, and are they someone I'd be comfortable sitting down to lunch with," he said.

The Zoho director added that he urged developers to become 'T-shaped professionals' who knew a bit of everything, but went deep in one area, and continuously updated themselves as AI tools and practices shifted.

Staying relevant in the AI era

Both speakers framed the advent of AI not as a "job apocalypse" but as a reality check. Ramamoorthy urged engineers to stick to fundamentals yet stay curious, using side projects and small experiments as a way to learn quickly.

"Then developers can turn the best of those into real products people actually use. For me, coding has never been easier, but building reliable, privacy-aware, production-grade software is where careers are made," he said.

Vasudevan echoed that the differentiator wasn't how many AI tools one touched, but whether one could translate them into business value without burning out or chasing every trend.

The closing message to the DevSparks audience was crystal clear. AI will keep evolving, titles will keep changing, but those who combine strong basics, real shipped work, and a clear sense of impact won't just survive this wave but also help define it. more

Hussaini Abdulhaleem
Career development 2w

i am a computer science graduate for upto two years now i dont have a job, i have been applying and applying, but nothing has come out of it🤦🏾‍♂️

  • peter elweu

    20
    1d

    This post may not have all the info for us to advise but, have you considered doing some volunteerism?

  • Aluonzi Emmanuel

    1d

    Perfectly said! My friend I trust that if you simply take the necessary steps above, your actions will yield fruits with faith in God who blesses work... of our hands.
     more

Load more...

Career development

 1d

Beyond AI buzzwords: What employers are really looking for in 2026


With AI tools becoming commonplace and technical skills increasingly accessible, employers are now looking beyond résumés packed with buzzwords.

The qualities that stand out today are harder to automate: sound judgment, adaptability, curiosity, and the ability to solve real business problems.

That was the central message from a panel discussion at DevSparks Bengaluru 2026, where industry leaders... argued that hiring decisions are no longer driven by familiarity with the latest tools alone. Instead, recruiters are paying closer attention to how candidates think, learn, and apply their skills in practical situations.

During the session, 'The modern interview: What are companies actually looking for?', speakers explored the realities of hiring in an AI-driven workplace and the skills they believe will remain valuable in the current market and years ahead.

Moderated by Shivani Muthanna, Senior Director - Strategic Partnerships & Content, YourStory Media, the discussion featured Murali Vasudevan, Head of People & Org Success, Toast, and Ramprakash Ramamoorthy, Director - AI Research, Zoho Corp.

Judgment, adaptability, and ownership: The real signals in hiring

Both speakers pushed back against the idea that AI-era hiring was about stacking tools and buzzwords. Ramamoorthy argued that while AI had made it easier to code and ship features, it had also raised the threshold for what counted as real competence.

"For me, judgment is the real differentiator. You can build apps all day, but what matters is deciding what to build and what to write. AI hasn't changed that," he said. "Your fundamentals are non-negotiable too. When I scan CVs, the ones that stand out show real work in production, a QR code or URL I can click and see what you've actually shipped." more

Marcel Köver


Career development 2d
I had an interview for a junior developer position yesterday. I have experience as QA tester. They grilled me for almost an hour, giving me tasks and tests, but in the end they said they didn't need me because AI could do the job.
I'm still shocked. Were they trying to show me that AI knows more than I do or were they just being rude? Has anyone else experienced something like this?

1   

  • Randall Giancaterino

    1d

    Maybe they had to go through the formality of a hiring process, even though they had planned to use AI. Someday karma will come around, and the... positions of these "unprofessionals," too, may bow to AI. Yes, their comments were uncalled for. more

  • Emmanuel Locham

    1d

    So unfortunate that most jobs nowadays can be done by robots but let's focus on handy skills that can't be done by AI

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Career development

 1d

EnsembleIQ Wins Comparably Career Growth Award


Previous Honors: Best Leadership Teams, Best Place to Work in Chicago, and Canada's Best Employers for Recent Graduates.

Named by Comparably as a Best Career Growth Company

Chicago, June 12, 2026 - EnsembleIQ, North America's leading source of insightful information and actionable connections in retail, healthcare and hospitality, has been recognized by workplace evaluation firm Comparably in... its "Best Career Growth" category as a leader in career development and workplace growth. This is the second time that EnsembleIQ has been recognized in this category.

This honor is based on ratings voluntarily and anonymously submitted to Comparably by EnsembleIQ employees over the past year regarding satisfaction with professional development opportunities.

Jennifer Litterick, Chief Executive Officer, EnsembleIQ said, "We are very pleased to be recognized as a company that fosters employee career growth. Our employees are the foundation of our business success. By investing in our workforce, we have built a strong culture, driven innovation and achieved sustainable results."

EnsembleIQ is dedicated to cultivating a workplace where professional growth and lifelong learning are integral to the employee experience. Through comprehensive development programs and a strong commitment to advancement, EnsembleIQ empowers team members to build meaningful careers. Employees have access to clearly defined career pathways, providing visibility into future opportunities. EnsembleIQ supports continuous development by rewarding employees who achieve goals outlined in their personalized development plans, including completing training courses, leading projects, expanding cross-functional knowledge through job shadowing and sharing expertise with colleagues. In addition, the program recognizes and celebrates key career milestones while enabling employees to proactively identify and develop the skills, knowledge and experiences needed to achieve professional growth through a structured framework.

Ann Jadown, Chief People Officer, EnsembleIQ added, "I am incredibly proud of our comprehensive career development program. By offering clear career paths across every department, we have given our team a tangible roadmap for future growth. Our program isn't just about the next promotion; it's about empowering our employees to identify the skills they want to grow and the experiences they want to have. And to keep momentum high, we've built in incentives to celebrate those who hit their milestones and share their insights with their peers, fostering a true culture of collaborative learning."

Additionally, EnsembleIQ was previously was honored by Comparably in the Best Leadership Teams category, as a Best Place to Work in Chicago and Canada's Best Employers for Recent Graduates.

To learn more about EnsembleIQ, click here, and view open positions at EnsembleIQ here.

About Comparably

Comparably (a ZoomInfo company) is a leading platform for workplace culture insights and compensation data, empowering employees and job seekers to make more informed career decisions. With 20 million anonymous employee ratings across nearly 20 core culture metrics, covering 70,000 companies, Comparably provides one of the most comprehensive datasets on workplace culture, salaries, and leadership. Trusted by employers and job seekers alike, Comparably is the go-to resource for employer branding and workplace culture. For more information, visit www.comparably.com.

About EnsembleIQ

EnsembleIQ is the premier resource of actionable insights and connections powering business growth throughout the path to purchase. We help retail, technology, consumer goods, healthcare and hospitality professionals make informed decisions and gain a competitive advantage. EnsembleIQ delivers the most trusted business intelligence from leading industry experts, creative marketing solutions and impactful event experiences that connect best-in-class suppliers and service providers with our vibrant business-building communities. To learn more about EnsembleIQ, visit ensembleiq.com.

Media Contact

Nicola Tidbury

Senior Director, Marketing

EnsembleIQ

[email protected] more

Career development

 1d

8 ways to balance job searching and starting a side business


If you're job hunting while trying to build a side business, you're probably familiar with a unique kind of mental tug-of-war. One hour you're tailoring resumes and preparing for interviews. The next, you're brainstorming product ideas, reaching out to potential customers, or tweaking your website. Both pursuits demand energy, optimism, and persistence. Both can feel like full-time jobs.

What... makes this challenge especially difficult is that the goals can seem contradictory. A job search often rewards stability and specialization, while entrepreneurship rewards experimentation and calculated risk-taking. Yet many successful founders started exactly where you are: seeking reliable income while testing a business idea on the side. The key is not choosing one path too early. It's learning how to make both efforts support each other instead of compete for attention.

Here are eight practical ways to balance job searching and building a side business without burning yourself out.

1. Treat your job search like a business function

Many aspiring founders make the mistake of viewing job searching and entrepreneurship as separate worlds. In reality, your job search is a revenue-generating activity. A stable paycheck can provide the runway needed to grow your business without making desperate decisions.

Approach your search with systems instead of emotions. Set weekly application targets, maintain a networking pipeline, and track interview stages the same way you'd track sales leads. This reduces the mental burden of constantly wondering whether you're doing enough. When the process becomes operational, it frees up mental bandwidth for your business.

2. Define different success metrics for each goal

One reason people feel overwhelmed is that they use the same expectations for both pursuits. They expect rapid traction in a new business while simultaneously expecting immediate interview offers.

The reality is that both processes often move slowly. Separate your metrics. For job searching, focus on applications submitted, networking conversations, and interviews secured. For your business, focus on customer conversations, product improvements, or revenue milestones.

James Clear, author of Atomic Habits, frequently emphasizes the power of focusing on systems rather than outcomes. That principle applies here. Progress becomes easier to recognize when you measure the activities you control instead of obsessing over results you don't.

3. Use your side business to strengthen your professional story

Many job seekers worry that employers will view a side business as a distraction. In many cases, the opposite is true.

Building something from scratch demonstrates initiative, resourcefulness, and problem-solving ability. If you're learning digital marketing, sales, customer support, or product development through your business, those experiences can strengthen your candidacy.

The key is positioning. Rather than presenting your venture as a competing priority, frame it as evidence that you're proactive and capable of driving results. Hiring managers increasingly value entrepreneurial thinking, especially in startups and growth-oriented companies.

4. Create time blocks instead of constant multitasking

One of the fastest paths to burnout is switching endlessly between interview preparation and business tasks throughout the day.

Research from the American Psychological Association has repeatedly highlighted the productivity costs of frequent task switching. Every transition creates cognitive friction that drains focus.

A simple framework can help:

Your exact schedule may differ, but the principle remains the same. Dedicated focus periods allow you to make meaningful progress without feeling pulled in multiple directions every hour.

5. Prioritize validation over expansion

When founders have limited time, they often spend it on low-impact activities. Designing logos, tweaking websites, and researching software tools can feel productive, but they rarely generate meaningful business traction.

During a job search, your side business should focus on validation first. Talk to potential customers. Test demand. Make sales if possible.

Sara Blakely famously spent years refining and validating her idea before Spanx became a household name. While every entrepreneurial journey differs, the broader lesson remains valuable: proving demand matters more than building a perfect operation.

Limited time can actually become an advantage because it forces you to focus on what truly moves the business forward.

6. Be realistic about your energy, not just your schedule

Many productivity discussions focus exclusively on time management. Entrepreneurs know energy management is often more important.

A three-hour block after a draining interview day may not be ideal for strategic planning or complex creative work. Instead, reserve lower-energy periods for administrative tasks and save your best hours for work that requires deep thinking.

One pattern I've observed among early-stage founders is that burnout often starts when they consistently ignore their natural energy cycles. Ambition is valuable, but sustainability matters more when you're pursuing two demanding goals at once.

7. Let financial realities guide your decisions

Entrepreneurship content sometimes glorifies taking massive risks. In practice, many successful founders made calculated moves based on their financial situation.

If your side business is generating modest revenue but not enough to replace a salary, securing employment may be the smarter short-term decision. That doesn't mean you're abandoning your entrepreneurial ambitions. It means you're protecting them.

According to data from the U.S. Small Business Administration, many businesses begin as part-time ventures before becoming full-time opportunities. Building gradually is far more common than overnight success stories suggest.

A paycheck can buy something every founder needs: time to make better decisions.

8. Remember that both paths create opportunities

It's easy to think of job searching and entrepreneurship as competing options. In reality, each path can create opportunities for the other.

A new role can expand your professional network, expose you to industry challenges, and provide skills that strengthen your business. Likewise, building a side venture can help you stand out in interviews and uncover opportunities you never anticipated.

Some founders discover a business idea through their day job. Others find investors, customers, or future co-founders through professional relationships. The line between employment and entrepreneurship is often much blurrier than people realize.

The goal isn't necessarily to pick the perfect path immediately. It's to keep moving forward on both until one creates a compelling reason to go all in.

Balancing a job search and a side business is rarely easy, but it can be one of the most strategic phases of your entrepreneurial journey. You're building optionality, learning new skills, and creating multiple paths toward financial security. Instead of viewing these efforts as competing priorities, think of them as complementary investments in your future. The founders who navigate this stage well aren't necessarily the ones who work the longest hours. They're the ones who build sustainable systems, stay patient, and give themselves enough runway to make smart decisions when opportunities arrive. more

Career development

 1d

My company fired one manager and is doing an 'organizational reshuffling.' Am I in trouble?


'They let go of a pretty high-up manager who they only hired a month ago'

"The executives told us not to panic." (Photo subject is a model.)

Dear Dollar Signs,

This week, my company called a last-minute all-hands meeting. There was an announcement. They let go of a pretty high-up manager who they only hired a month ago. They also said they are doing an "organizational reshuffling."

The... executives told us not to panic and that this was a good thing, but none of us are sure what the "reshuffling" means or is supposed to accomplish. I've worked here for less than two years, so I'm not sure what is normal.

Are layoffs coming? Should I start looking for a new job?

Anxiously Employed

If you're just starting out on your money or career journey and have questions about how to navigate your finances, we want to hear from you. Write to Dollar Signs, MarketWatch's new advice column, at dollarsigns@marketwatch.com.

Dear Employed,

Always be prepared for a layoff. No matter how stable your job feels, take some time every couple of months to spruce up your résumé, schedule coffee catch-ups with old bosses and peruse job listings, if only to get the lay of the land. Don't get discouraged by office gossip.

This ensures you're prepared for a potential layoff and familiar with the state of your industry. Start contributing to your emergency fund a little more aggressively. Have enough saved to cover your expenses for six months to a year. This would be a good time to focus on building that reserve.

Regarding your specific query: One firing typically doesn't signal mass layoffs. But if it's part of a larger pattern of opacity, instability and conflicting messaging, something larger might be coming down the pike.

Reorganizations are not uncommon, especially in large companies. Yes, a "reshuffling" can result in layoffs, but it can also mean a change in reporting structures, consolidation of teams, letting go of a bad hire or recalibrating to stay current with new technology and industry changes.

"If the firing is not performance-related or is paired with hiring freezes, budget cuts, leadership turnover, low transparency or more people quietly exiting, those are stronger warning signs that larger layoffs may be coming," says Matt Berndt, a career strategist at Indeed.

How many times has this happened at your company? If there are constant reorganizations, that's a "red flag," he adds. Pay attention to how attitudes are shifting, both from leadership and your peers. Often, a reorganization happens in waves.

Pay attention to company culture

And if there are bigger problems afoot? "Culturally, you may see declining morale, reduced transparency from leadership or key talent exiting," Berndt says. "If entire functions or business units are suddenly deprioritized, employees in those areas should pay close attention."

But don't jump to conclusions. From what you say in your letter, I'm not sure you're in danger of being let go. Does this "reshuffling" make sense to you? Do you understand the company's goals and what is expected of you? If the answer to those questions is yes, your job may be safe.

"A healthier reorg usually comes with clear communication about company direction, priorities and the rationale behind decisions, along with clarity on expectations, growth paths and how decisions are made," Berndt says.

If your company is investing in its talent, like developing mentorship programs or creating clear pathways to promotions, that is a sign that they are interested in retaining employees. It may be that the recently hired role turned out to not be integral to the company's mission.

Don't let your work slide

When you start suspecting that your position might be terminated, it's easy to mentally check out. While I understand the impulse, I'd advise you to stay focused. Not because working hard will save you from being let go, but because your colleagues can be a resource in your job hunt.

And they are more likely to help if they see you as reliable and talented. Are you hitting your goals? Do you have a good relationship with your manager? Are you a net contributor to your organization? If so, this should give you some peace of mind.

"Keep your work standard high during the day and do light, regular career maintenance outside of that," Berndt says. "That might mean nurturing your professional network, exploring roles selectively or building a financial cushion, without letting your current responsibilities slip."

One firing isn't indicative of larger layoffs. There may have been issues with that manager you are not aware of if they were let go so soon after being hired. But if you sense a pattern of instability and see some illogical decisions being made, it might be smart to apply for other roles.

Write to Dollar Signs at dollarsigns@marketwatch.com.

By submitting your story to Dow Jones & Co., the publisher of MarketWatch, you understand and agree that we may use your story, or versions of it, in all media and platforms.

-Aditi Shrikant

This content was created by MarketWatch, which is operated by Dow Jones & Co. MarketWatch is published independently from Dow Jones Newswires and The Wall Street Journal.

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

06-12-26 1118ET Copyright (c) 2026 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. more

Career development

 1d

Unpack your childhood trauma at Boulder Comedy Festival, or, just belly laugh


If you were to blind-read the résumés of the performers arriving for the Boulder Comedy Festival, it could be reasonable to assume the city was hosting a lifestyle retreat organized by a rather confused booking agent.

The roster features a recently retired psychotherapist of nearly 40 years, a one-time host of an obscure HGTV home makeover show and a former professional mixed-martial artist from... Albuquerque.

These people are not, in fact, coming to the Front Range to unpack your childhood trauma, teach you how to take a punch or renovate your living room. Instead, they're part of the lineup for the 2026 Boulder Comedy Festival. Running Tuesday through June 21, the event places more than 30 comedians across four local venues. Shows will be held at the Dairy Arts Center, 2590 Walnut St., Boulder; Junkyard Social Club, 2525 Frontier Ave., Suite A, Boulder; The End Lafayette, 525 Courtney Way, Lafayette; and, for the first time, Niwot Hall, 195 2nd Ave., Niwot.

During the festival, the lineup includes local and touring comics such as Ren Q Dawe, Peter Liu, Tiel Pearce, Ruth Banks, Sam Doctor, Chip Nicholson, Rebeca Trejo, Jonathan Huynh, Sohile Ali, Gabby Gutierrez-Reed, Janae Burris, John Novosad and Aaron Foster, among others.

Historically, the demographic breakdown of an average comedy club lineup leans heavily in one direction. Festival co-founder and organizer Zoe Rogers actively built a different kind of roster for the event.

"One cool thing about this year is that we have more women than we have men," Rogers said. "As somebody who started out doing festivals where I was one of, like, three women, that is really nice."

Rogers said the breakdown was a pleasant surprise, though not entirely an accident. Looking at a submission pool that usually skewed heavily male, she offered women a discounted application rate, charging 80 cents on the dollar in an attempt to broaden the field.

It worked. Rogers said the festival received more applications from women and a more varied pool overall, including comics she had not seen before.

"It makes me feel like people feel safe coming to my festival," Rogers said. "They might feel unwelcome at other festivals, but they feel welcome in mine, and that means a tremendous amount to me."

The festival is also stretching a little farther into Boulder County this year. A connection from a sponsor led Rogers to Niwot Hall, which will host the festival's Tuesday night opener.

For Rogers, the new venue fits the basic idea behind the festival: People should not have to drive into Denver every time they want to see a good stand-up show, nor should comedy be treated as something that happens somewhere else and occasionally visits.

"You shouldn't have to trek really far to get good comedy and arts," Rogers said. "It should be right there."

One of the comics on the Niwot Hall bill is Priscilla Courtney, a local writer and psychologist who took up stand-up about a year ago, after retiring from nearly four decades as a therapist.

"My opening line is, 'I've been a therapist for close to 40 years, and since I'm retired, the most logical next step is to do stand-up comedy, right?'" Courtney said.

Courtney, 69, had spent enough time being the adult in the room to know that starting as a beginner at anything is unpleasant. Comedy added a few specific indignities: She had to learn how to hold a microphone without getting tangled in the cord, she had to learn the difference between a bit and a sketch, and she had to learn that open mics and comedy classes do not generally cater to people who prefer to be home before 7 p.m.

She also found herself surrounded by younger comics whose material often took a more anatomical focus.

"When I first was going to comedy classes, I realized that a lot of jokes that other comedians tended to make were about penises," she said. "I'm not that uptight, by any means, but that is not what my material is."

Instead of forcing herself toward someone else's version of funny, she built her act around what she actually knows: marriage, parenting, grandparenting and the ongoing mystery of getting Instagram to work.

"My material is life," Courtney said. "Everything from being a parent, being a grandparent, not knowing anything about technology."

Courtney said audiences seem to find that perspective refreshing. For her, the stage has also become a place to practice being seen, something she said feels especially meaningful for women.

"I really don't want to feel ashamed about being on stage and taking up space," she said. "Comedy has helped with that."

Sarina Ochoa arrived at the comedy scene via an entirely different route.

Based in Albuquerque, Ochoa spent years treating mixed-martial arts as what she calls a full-time hobby. She trained for hours each day, had several amateur fights, and, in 2023, had her first professional MMA bout. She lost, decided she needed a break from training and looked for something else to do with her time.

"I eventually worked up the courage to do an open mic and basically never looked back," Ochoa said. "Now comedy is my full-time hobby. And a much less painful one."

Boulder has already played a strange supporting role in Ochoa's extracurricular life -- She once fought a boxing match at the Boulder Theater in 2023.

Her comedy draws from her daily life, which she describes as naturally vulgar, and she often turns to her wife for inspiration.

"I write a lot about my wife," Ochoa said. "She's hilarious and I never get tired of speaking about her on stage."

Ochoa performs Wednesday at Junkyard Social Club, followed by shows on June 18 and June 19 at the Dairy Arts Center. She performed at the Dairy last year during the Colorado Queer Comedy Festival and said she enjoys the formality of a theater, even if her material may not always behave accordingly.

"It feels almost too nice for the things I'm going to say up there, and that is what I'm most excited for," Ochoa said.

Rogers, who also performs on June 21 at the Dairy Arts Center, said the festival's continued growth depends on the same thing most live arts events depend on: people actually leaving the house.

"When people say, 'How do you support people in the arts?' I'm like, buy tickets," Rogers said. "That's how you support people in the arts."

The full Boulder Comedy Festival schedule, lineup and ticket links are available at bouldercomedyfestival.com. All shows are 18 and older. more

Career development

 1d

EnsembleIQ Recognized for Empowering Career Growth and Creating Advancement Opportunities


CHICAGO, June 12, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- EnsembleIQ, North America's leading source of insightful information and actionable connections in retail, healthcare and hospitality, has been recognized by workplace evaluation firm Comparably in its "Best Career Growth" category as a leader in career development and workplace growth. This is the second time that EnsembleIQ has been recognized in this... category.

This honor is based on ratings voluntarily and anonymously submitted to Comparably by EnsembleIQ employees over the past year regarding satisfaction with professional development opportunities.

Jennifer Litterick, Chief Executive Officer, EnsembleIQ said, "We are very pleased to be recognized as a company that fosters employee career growth. Our employees are the foundation of our business success. By investing in our workforce, we have built a strong culture, driven innovation and achieved sustainable results."

EnsembleIQ is dedicated to cultivating a workplace where professional growth and lifelong learning are integral to the employee experience. Through comprehensive development programs and a strong commitment to advancement, EnsembleIQ empowers team members to build meaningful careers. Employees have access to clearly defined career pathways, providing visibility into future opportunities. EnsembleIQ supports continuous development by rewarding employees who achieve goals outlined in their personalized development plans, including completing training courses, leading projects, expanding cross-functional knowledge through job shadowing and sharing expertise with colleagues. In addition, the program recognizes and celebrates key career milestones while enabling employeesto proactively identify and develop the skills, knowledge and experiences needed to achieve professional growth through a structured framework.

Ann Jadown, Chief People Officer, EnsembleIQ added, "I am incredibly proud of our comprehensive career development program. By offering clear career paths across every department, we have given our team a tangible roadmap for future growth. Our program isn't just about the next promotion; it's about empowering our employees to identify the skills they want to grow and the experiences they want to have. And to keep momentum high, we've built in incentives to celebrate those who hit their milestones and share their insights with their peers, fostering a true culture of collaborative learning."

Additionally, EnsembleIQ was previously was honored by Comparably in the Best Leadership Teams category, as a Best Place to Work in Chicago and Canada's Best Employers for Recent Graduates.

To learn more about EnsembleIQ, click here, and view open positions at EnsembleIQ here.

About Comparably

Comparably (a ZoomInfo company) is a leading platform for workplace culture insights and compensation data, empowering employees and job seekers to make more informed career decisions. With 20 million anonymous employee ratings across nearly 20 core culture metrics, covering 70,000 companies, Comparably provides one of the most comprehensive datasets on workplace culture, salaries, and leadership. Trusted by employers and job seekers alike, Comparably is the go-to resource for employer branding and workplace culture. For more information, visit www.comparably.com.

About EnsembleIQ

EnsembleIQ is the premier resource of actionable insights and connections powering business growth throughout the path to purchase. We help retail, technology, consumer goods, healthcare and hospitality professionals make informed decisions and gain a competitive advantage. EnsembleIQ delivers the most trusted business intelligence from leading industry experts, creative marketing solutions and impactful event experiences that connect best-in-class suppliers and service providers with our vibrant business-building communities. To learn more about EnsembleIQ, visit ensembleiq.com.

Media Contact

Nicola Tidbury

Senior Director, Marketing

EnsembleIQ

[email protected] more

Career development

 1d

What The Changing Entry-Level Job Market Means For UK Tech Career-Changers


Kirsten has worked in career development, recruitment, and people-focused roles for several years. She knows what it's like to navigate career change and to search for a role that's more aligned with your goals; she's proud of the work she does to help our customers develop the tools, mindset, and confidence to land jobs they're proud of.

The First Step Into A New Field Has Changed

The latest... government entry-level hiring snapshot highlights that roles are moving with the wider labour market. Hiring has slowed down across the board. In summary, "entry-level" no longer means "basic".

Employers still hire people starting in a field, but they want clearer evidence that career starters are equipped with the right foundational skills.

The report found that 30 of 38 tracked entry-level occupations were declining in April 2026, while eight were growing. These roles - in areas like sales and business development - show that people-facing, commercially useful skills such as communication are extremely valuable. This is unsurprising as the line between "technical" jobs and "people" jobs has "collapsed entirely" over the past decade.

AI And The Entry-Level Job Decline

Although AI is a key part of the conversation, the report stays realistic about its impact. AI is changing entry-level hiring for roles with a lot of monotonous tasks - the data does not prove that AI is the primary cause of the overall decline. Employer selectivity, looser labour markets and skills mismatch are all pulling in the same direction.

The market is no longer just asking, "have you studied this?", it's questioning, "can you step into this work stream and add value quickly?".

Employers Want Specific Skills, Not Just Potential

One of the most significant findings is the skills mismatch.

In selected occupations - including data analytics - the government found zero overlap between the top 10 skills employers struggled to find and the top 10 skills candidates most commonly offered. Candidates often lead with broad analytical skills, general knowledge or transferable experience. Employers are asking for specific operational capability.

That could mean using the right tools, understanding delivery processes, working with data, protecting systems, managing projects, or applying AI responsibly inside a role.

The Skills England Annual Skills Report 2026 points in the same direction. More than a quarter of vacancies are hard to fill because of skills shortages. Priority occupations in key sectors like tech, construction and defence are projected to grow by around 1.8 million jobs by 2035, a 24% rise from 2025.

Significant reskilling is essential to tackling this, with around two-thirds of new entrants into priority occupations being expected to need Level 4+ qualifications.

Top 10 skills in shortage vs surplus

(Source, GOV.UK, 2026)

Career-Changers Need Proof, Not Permission

For career-changers in the UK, this gives a clearer idea of what skills you should develop for a more successful job search.

"Your past experience absolutely still counts. Communication, problem-solving, commercial judgement and resilience all matter. But they need to sit alongside job-ready skills that employers can recognise quickly: the correct balance of hard skills and soft skills is essential.

That is where vocational qualifications, practical projects and career-focused learning earn their place. They turn from a mere interest in tech or project management, into "I can analyse data, support a project, secure a system, or build with the tools employers use."

Build Skills Employers Can See

Our courses allow career-changers to build recognised qualifications in IT, cybersecurity, data analytics, coding and project management, backed by career support, to help you evidence your skills clearly to prospective employers. Speak to a Career Consultant to kick-start your new career. more

Eliot Feldman
Career development 1w
How do you proactively manage your career development to ensure you are consistently moving toward your goals?

  • Eliot Feldman

    3
    1d

    One of the things I discuss with my clients is to define what FORWARD actually means.

    1

  • Samuel Obina

    1
    4d

    By being constructively conscious of the level you are in, regularly building on your knowledge base trough research and extensive reading

    1
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Career development

 1d

EnsembleIQ Recognized for Empowering Career Growth and Creating Advancement Opportunities


Named by Comparably as a Best Career Growth Company

CHICAGO, June 12, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- EnsembleIQ, North America's leading source of insightful information and actionable connections in retail, healthcare and hospitality, has been recognized by workplace evaluation firm Comparably in its "Best Career Growth" category as a leader in career development and workplace growth. This is the... second time that EnsembleIQ has been recognized in this category.

This honor is based on ratings voluntarily and anonymously submitted to Comparably by EnsembleIQ employees over the past year regarding satisfaction with professional development opportunities.

Jennifer Litterick, Chief Executive Officer, EnsembleIQ said, "We are very pleased to be recognized as a company that fosters employee career growth. Our employees are the foundation of our business success. By investing in our workforce, we have built a strong culture, driven innovation and achieved sustainable results."

EnsembleIQ is dedicated to cultivating a workplace where professional growth and lifelong learning are integral to the employee experience. Through comprehensive development programs and a strong commitment to advancement, EnsembleIQ empowers team members to build meaningful careers. Employees have access to clearly defined career pathways, providing visibility into future opportunities. EnsembleIQ supports continuous development by rewarding employees who achieve goals outlined in their personalized development plans, including completing training courses, leading projects, expanding cross-functional knowledge through job shadowing and sharing expertise with colleagues. In addition, the program recognizes and celebrates key career milestones while enabling employees to proactively identify and develop the skills, knowledge and experiences needed to achieve professional growth through a structured framework.

Get the latest news

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Ann Jadown, Chief People Officer, EnsembleIQ added, "I am incredibly proud of our comprehensive career development program. By offering clear career paths across every department, we have given our team a tangible roadmap for future growth. Our program isn't just about the next promotion; it's about empowering our employees to identify the skills they want to grow and the experiences they want to have. And to keep momentum high, we've built in incentives to celebrate those who hit their milestones and share their insights with their peers, fostering a true culture of collaborative learning."

Additionally, EnsembleIQ was previously was honored by Comparably in the Best Leadership Teams category, as a Best Place to Work in Chicago and Canada's Best Employers for Recent Graduates.

Advertisement

To learn more about EnsembleIQ, click here, and view open positions at EnsembleIQ here.

About Comparably

Comparably (a ZoomInfo company) is a leading platform for workplace culture insights and compensation data, empowering employees and job seekers to make more informed career decisions. With 20 million anonymous employee ratings across nearly 20 core culture metrics, covering 70,000 companies, Comparably provides one of the most comprehensive datasets on workplace culture, salaries, and leadership. Trusted by employers and job seekers alike, Comparably is the go-to resource for employer branding and workplace culture. For more information, visit www.comparably.com.

About EnsembleIQ

Advertisement

EnsembleIQ is the premier resource of actionable insights and connections powering business growth throughout the path to purchase. We help retail, technology, consumer goods, healthcare and hospitality professionals make informed decisions and gain a competitive advantage. EnsembleIQ delivers the most trusted business intelligence from leading industry experts, creative marketing solutions and impactful event experiences that connect best-in-class suppliers and service providers with our vibrant business-building communities. To learn more about EnsembleIQ, visit ensembleiq.com. more