cyusa shawn
Career development 1d
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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  • Tony Delisi

    5h

    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

  • Lara Schuler

    14
    7h

    You can’t pitch your ideas if you can’t write a coherent sentence. The people who have the money you need to bring your idea to fruition are most... likely well educated and will care if you can’t present your ideas in a clear and cohesive manner. Learn to write or learn to use the tools you need so it appears you can write. This all matters more than you think it does. Good luck.  more

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Career development

 5h

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

 5h

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

 6h

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

 6h

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

 7h

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

 9h

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

 9h

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 2d
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
2   

  • Promise Mbalewe

    10h

    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

 11h

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

Abdulsalam Kamarudeen
Career development 23h

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

    11h

    Tip I'm very ready for interview

  • kelechi peter

    1
    12h

    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

 12h

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.

â‘¡ Prove the skill inside a bullet, not just in the skills list.

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

â‘£ 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.

â‘¥ 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

Career development

 14h

Full-Time Marketing Job Search


I'm actively transitioning into a full-time role in the marketing arena and would value hands-on support to speed up the process. My focus is broad enough to include digital marketing, content strategy, SEO or any closely related discipline, so long as the final position aligns with my overall marketing career path. Here's what I need from you: * A short discovery call to pin down my strengths,... target industries and preferred locations. * A polished, ATS-friendly résumé plus a master cover-letter framework that can be quickly adapted for each application. * Ongoing research and a running spreadsheet of suitable vacancies, complete with links and application deadlines. * Brief, role-specific tweaks to my résumé/cover letter for the strongest opportunities. * If you have LinkedIn optimisation skills or can offer interview prep, let me know -- these extras could become additional milestones. I'll share my current résumé and any previous cover letters right after project award so you can start refining them straight away. Successful delivery is a shortlist of at least ten active job leads and their tailored application materials, ready for me to submit. If your work gets me interviews, expect glowing feedback and potential follow-on collaboration. more

Career development

 20h

Crafting a Powerful Mission Statement and Vision for Success


Creating an inspiring mission statement and vision can be a transformative process for individuals and organizations alike. They serve as guiding stars, mapping out a path toward future success. Today, we delve into the fundamental components of crafting a mission statement and vision, providing clear examples to help you in your journey of self-discovery and strategic planning.

Example of... Mission Statement and Vision: Understanding the Basics

Mission statements and vision statements are akin to the compass and map for an individual's or organization's journey. While they both outline purpose and intent, they serve distinct functions. A mission statement details the core objectives of an individual or organization, answering the question of why you exist. On the other hand, a vision statement projects a future you aspire to achieve, answering where you are heading.

For instance, a personal mission statement might focus on one's career development and lifelong learning, such as: "To continuously improve myself and contribute to the well-being of society by applying my analytical skills." In contrast, a vision might be: "To be recognized as a leading expert in my field, inspiring positive change."

Crafting an Impactful Mission Statement

The core of a mission statement is a succinct expression of an entity's reason for being. To create a compelling mission statement, consider the following steps:

* Identify Core Values: Start by defining the principles that guide your actions.

* Clarify Purpose: Consider what unique qualities distinguish you or your organization.

* Be Specific and Concise: Effective mission statements are clear and straightforward.

An example of a well-crafted mission statement might be: "To empower underrepresented communities through education and technology, bridging the gap between opportunity and success." This statement clearly identifies the intended impact and methodology.

Key Elements of Strong Mission Statements

A strong mission statement should incorporate the core purpose and inspiring intent while remaining clear. It is vital to review and refine your mission statement regularly to ensure it continues to align with evolving goals.

Vision Statement: Envisioning Future Success

Unlike the mission statement, which focuses on the present, the vision statement should capture where you see yourself or your organization in the future. It is a source of inspiration and a focal point to guide growth and innovation.

Consider these steps when crafting your vision statement:

* Visualize the Future: Imagine the ideal outcome you aspire to achieve.

* Set Ambitious Goals: Your vision should capture high aspirations.

* Keep It Motivational: Use positive language to fuel motivation and commitment.

An example of a visionary statement could be: "To innovate the world of education by creating inclusive and accessible learning environments for all."

Examples from Renowned Organizations

Observing examples from established organizations can provide additional clarity and inspiration. Google's mission statement, "To organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful," coupled with their vision, "To provide access to the world's information in one click," highlights this duality effectively.

Visit Wikipedia's page on education for further insights into these concepts and examples.

Implementing Mission and Vision Statements

Once you have crafted your mission and vision, the next step is implementing them in everyday operations. Starting with transparency, ensure that these statements are communicated across all levels of your organization or within your personal network. Encourage feedback and be open to modifications based on new insights or changing circumstances.

Moreover, it is essential to align daily tasks with the broader goals defined in your mission and vision. This way, you maintain focus and direction in advancing toward your objectives.

Consider reading about starting fresh career paths for personal growth to see how mission and vision statements can facilitate career transitions.

Example of Mission Statement and Vision: Final Thoughts

In essence, the example of mission statement and vision serves as the foundational framework for guiding future actions and maintaining direction. Whether for personal growth or organizational development, investing time in crafting these statements can significantly impact your path to success.

* Mission statements clarify your purpose and present operational focus.

* Vision statements outline future aspirations and inspire progress.

* Both play integral roles in guiding strategic decisions.

* Regular review and adaptation keep mission and vision statements relevant.

* Communication is key to effectively implementing these guiding statements.

FAQs about Mission Statements and Vision

What is the main difference between a mission statement and a vision statement?

The primary difference is that a mission statement focuses on the present, defining what you do, whereas a vision statement looks to the future, detailing what you aim to achieve.

Can an individual have a mission statement?

Yes, individuals can create personal mission statements to guide their actions and decisions, much like organizations do.

How often should mission and vision statements be revised?

It's recommended to review them annually or whenever significant organizational changes occur to ensure they remain aligned with objectives.

Why are mission and vision statements important?

They provide direction, inspire commitment, and help align strategies and values with long-term objectives.

How do organizations benefit from a clear mission statement?

A clear mission statement helps unify employees, focus efforts, and differentiate the organization from competitors. more

Career development

 1d

How Academic Lab Leaders Can Retain Talent and Adapt to Funding Pressures | Lab Manager


Academic laboratories face a difficult balancing act. They must compete for talent, secure funding, support growing student populations, and maintain research productivity, often with fewer resources and rising expectations. At the 2026 Lab Manager Leadership Summit, Tarshae Drummond of Fayetteville State University described academic labs as being "at a crossroads," where leaders must adapt... quickly or risk falling behind.

Drummond's session centered on a challenge many academic lab leaders know well: doing more with less. She pointed to declining federal budgets, growing competition from industry employers, and shifting workforce expectations as major pressures reshaping academic labs.

"Academia is competing with industry labs for our talent," Drummond said, noting that younger professionals increasingly prioritize flexibility, career development, and workplace culture alongside salary.

Staffing shortages continue to strain academic labs

Those pressures extend beyond recruitment. High turnover disrupts research continuity, slows projects, and increases training burdens on senior staff. Several attendees described struggles with temporary staffing models, shrinking operational support, and rising enrollment without matching budget increases.

One attendee shared that their institution experienced a 60 percent increase in student enrollment while simultaneously facing a budget reduction and restrictions on permanent hiring. Another attendee from Canada described managing 43 lab spaces with only 1.6 technician positions while supporting undergraduate labs, graduate research, and industry collaborations.

Despite those challenges, the discussion highlighted several practical ways that academic lab leaders can improve stability and resilience.

Retention requires more than competitive pay

One recurring theme was the importance of creating clearer career pathways for technical staff and early-career scientists. Drummond emphasized that retention depends on more than compensation. Mentorship, recognition, intellectual freedom, and opportunities for professional growth all contribute to stronger retention.

Professional development programs can help support those efforts. Encouraging staff to attend conferences, leadership training, or cross-functional initiatives gives employees a clearer sense of long-term growth while strengthening the lab's internal capabilities. Cross-training also helps reduce operational risk when staffing shortages occur.

Attendees also discussed the value of building stronger pipelines for recruiting talent early. Several institutions reported success using undergraduate internship programs, summer research positions, and partnerships with enrichment programs to identify potential long-term hires.

For labs struggling to compete with private-sector salaries, leaders emphasized the importance of communicating purpose and impact. Employees are more likely to stay when they understand how their work contributes to student success, scientific advancement, or broader institutional goals.

Collaboration can help offset funding limitations

Another actionable takeaway involved resource sharing across departments. One attendee described how collaborating with neighboring labs helped reduce equipment costs and improve operational flexibility. Rather than purchasing duplicate instrumentation, labs coordinated access to existing equipment and supplies across research groups.

Academic institutions can formalize these efforts by developing shared instrumentation programs, centralized core facilities, or equipment-sharing databases. These approaches reduce capital expenditures while improving utilization rates for existing assets.

Efficiency can sometimes hide operational problems

The discussion also highlighted a less obvious leadership challenge: efficiency can sometimes hide operational strain. One attendee cautioned that continually compensating for understaffing through extra hours and workarounds may unintentionally prevent administrators from recognizing the true extent of resource shortages.

That insight underscores the importance of using operational data to advocate for support. Lab leaders should document workload growth, overtime demands, turnaround delays, equipment utilization rates, and training burdens to help leadership understand where capacity gaps exist.

Throughout the session, Drummond repeatedly returned to one core idea: academic labs cannot afford to remain static. Leaders must intentionally shape workplace culture, staffing strategies, and funding approaches rather than simply reacting to challenges as they arise.

"Labs that adapt will lead," she concluded. more

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Chicago Woman Asked a Question About Diversity in a Job Interview. Then the Manager Said 'I Don't Wanna Get Into That' and Told Her They Have Other Candidates


Chicago comedian Suz Ballout just exposed a job interview so unprofessional it's making waves across the internet. In a TikTok video posted in early April 2026, Ballout recounted a disastrous experience interviewing for a position at a local dispensary, where a district manager repeatedly no-showed before shutting down her question about diversity with the dismissive line, "I don't wanna get into... that rabbit hole right now."

The moment she shared the story, it struck a nerve with thousands of job seekers who've faced similar frustrations in today's chaotic hiring landscape. Ballout, an Arab-American creator known for her bold, unfiltered comedy, didn't hold back in her three-minute-36-second video. She described how the interview process started strong - a first round with a store manager who seemed enthusiastic and even emailed her within minutes to schedule a second interview. But from there, things spiraled.

The district manager rescheduled their meeting four times, leaving Ballout waiting for hours each time. When they finally connected, the vibe was immediately off. "We immediately, immediately do not like this guy's vibe," she said in the video. "And you know what? I don't think he even liked me."

The breaking point came when Ballout asked a straightforward question about the company's diversity efforts and support for people of color. Instead of engaging, the manager shut her down, calling it a "rabbit hole" he didn't want to "get into right now." He added that anyone, regardless of background, could get promoted, but the damage was already done.

Ballout, frustrated and disrespected with the interviewer's ignorance and dismissiveness, withdrew her application on the spot. "I called that first manager up and I said, hey, I really appreciate you... but I would like to pull my name out of the running," she recounted. The manager didn't even ask why.

The video resonated deeply with viewers, racking up hundreds of thousands of views and tens of thousands of likes. Many praised Ballout for her composure and self-respect, calling out the manager's behavior as a red flag for toxic workplace culture.

Commenters pointed out that questions about diversity aren't just common; they're essential for candidates evaluating whether a company aligns with their values. For communities of color, especially, conversations about diversity and inclusion can reveal whether an employer is genuinely inclusive or just paying lip service to the idea.

Ballout's storytelling style, which she describes as "comedy, chaos, emotionally unsupervised," turned a demoralizing experience into something relatable and even cathartic. Her background as a performer -- she produces and stars in shows like Braided Comedy and Brown Noise Comedy at venues like the Lincoln Lodge -- shines through in her ability to blend humor with raw honesty.

In this case, her Arab-American identity added another layer to the story, highlighting how workers from marginalized communities often face extra scrutiny when advocating for themselves in professional settings.

The timing of her video couldn't be more relevant. With rising prices and an affordability crisis squeezing households across the country, job hunting has become more stressful than ever.

Workers are demanding transparency, respect, and professionalism from employers, and when those expectations aren't met, they're speaking up. Her decision to walk away from a disrespectful process sent a clear message: candidates deserve better, and they're no longer willing to tolerate unprofessionalism just to land a paycheck.

The manager's repeated no-shows alone were a major warning sign, but his dismissal of a legitimate question about diversity was the final straw. For Ballout, it wasn't just about the job; it was about being seen and valued. "I'm done looking," she said in the video, her exhaustion palpable. "I cannot stand the job market right now."

Unfortunately, her experience isn't unique. Job seekers everywhere are navigating flaky hiring teams, ghosted interviews, and workplaces that talk a big game about inclusion but fail to back it up.

Ballout's video has sparked a larger conversation about accountability in hiring. Viewers are sharing their own horror stories, from interviewers who ghosted them mid-conversation to companies that demanded unpaid "trial shifts" before offering a job. The takeaway is clear: if an employer can't be bothered to show up on time or answer basic questions about their values, they're not worth your time.

If something feels off during the interview process, it probably is. Asking about diversity, company culture, or even communication styles isn't just acceptable; it's smart. Employers who react defensively or dismissively to those questions are revealing their true colors, and in Ballout's case, those colors weren't worth sticking around for. Her video isn't just a viral moment; it's a call to action for workers to demand the respect they deserve.

Ballout has definitely earned the right to step back and regroup after the disappointing episode. But if her past work is any indication, this won't be the last time she turns personal chaos into public conversation. Whether on stage or on TikTok, her ability to find humor in the messiness of life is exactly what makes her voice so necessary right now. more

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Chicago woman asked a hiring manager about diversity. Then the manager refused to answer and told her 'we'll get back to you in a couple days'


Job hunting is a struggle, and as Chicago resident Suz Ballout just shared on TikTok, the interview process can sometimes be the test that leads to burnout. After navigating a series of scheduling nightmares, she found herself in a bizarre, dismissive final interview that Ballout declaring, "I'm gonna just stop looking for a job." If the comments are anything to go by, her story resonates with... everyone tired of the repetitive, often soul-crushing nature of modern jobs.

Ballout described her first interview as amazing. They obviously agreed since she got an email 10 minutes later to schedule a follow-up. Meeting that district manager was easier said than done. It wasn't just about the 4 attempts to schedule the meeting; it was the three no-shows. In that third time, she got a call, after she left, to meet hours later, and when he finally showed, she said she "immediately [did] not like this guy's vibe."

Would you like to know what makes this process even more hilarious? She was interviewing for a role at a weed dispensary. He asked the standard questions and then asked for her concerns. Rightfully, she mentioned the communication. He straight-up ignored that and asked for her next question. She was a little taken aback and then, out of curiosity, asked, "What do you do for diversity for your company? What do you do for people of color?" Yeah, that didn't go down well.

The response was jarring to say the least. The manager told her "that's like not really a discussion that I wanna get into right now. Um, I would just be too long. Um, but anyone who comes in here with any background, uh, can get promoted."

After that response, as you would expect, the manager finished the interview by saying they had other candidates and would be in touch in a couple of days. Ballout of course, could read the writing on the wall, so she called the first manager to pull her name from consideration.

While Ballout's experience feels personal and frustrating, it touches on a much larger, systemic issue regarding how companies handle diversity, equity, and inclusion. A study from Stanford Graduate School of Business, highlights a major disconnect between corporate rhetoric and actual internal change. After analyzing 1,300 DEI-related controversies, they found that even when companies face public backlash, their efforts to improve diversity are often surface-level.

According to the report, most companies respond to controversies by modestly increasing hiring, but almost exclusively in lower-paid, junior, or non-core back-office roles. However, companies are not just failing to promote diverse talent. The study found that turnover increased among women and people of color.

The researchers called it "DEI washing." Companies ramp up their diversity-related language on social media and in corporate reports without making meaningful structural changes. As the lead researcher points out, firms often rely on slogans like "people are our greatest asset" but don't commit to it in practice. Then, they face similar controversies the next year. Unfortunately, it echoes Trump's push to cut DEI programs for being 'woke' or to deem them illegal.

TikTok agreed. Users shared their own horror stories, ranging from hiring managers hiding in the back room to avoid onboarding new hires to companies using AI to psychoanalyze candidates based on text-based interviews. For many, the process feels like a complete waste of time that leaves them feeling undervalued.

As one commenter, HRene, wrote, "I am so tired of applying and not hearing anything. It makes me feel worthless and sad. Like I am not good enough despite my years of experience." more

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I hid the fact I had children in job interviews - it's the only way to get hired


When author and mother-of-two Davina Quinlivan was interviewing for new roles online five years ago, she would hide all evidence of her two children, moving Mother's Day cards, their artwork and stray Pokemon cards.

Quinlivan, author of recently published Possessions: A Memoir of Transformation in an Era of Precarity, felt she needed to give each interview "the best shot" and couldn't take the... risk of motherhood "impacting me, even a small amount". As an academic who has spent much of her career teaching feminist theory, she found it deeply conflicting.

"It's a difficult feeling, because why would I do that? It's so painful to pretend to vanish [my children] away. Yet I know on some unconscious level that people interviewing are thinking: 'Well, if this child is unwell, our teaching schedule goes down.' Of course, there is support for working carers, but you have to jump through the hoops of getting the job in the first place," she explains. "I wanted to give myself opportunities. I don't think there were vast numbers of mums being interviewed for these jobs, and I knew who would get those jobs in the end - and they weren't mums."

She's one of an increasing number of women who have felt the need to hide motherhood during job interviews. Peanut, the world's largest community app for mums, ran a poll exclusively for The i Paper and found that the majority of mothers - 60 per cent - don't mention caring responsibilities during job interviews, while six per cent actively hide any trace of motherhood until they are offered a role. This compares with 34 per cent of mums who actively mention their children in interviews, the poll of 580 mothers found. "We're seeing more mothers concealing their children from interviewers, which underscores the need for our working culture to catch up. When honesty becomes a hiring risk, the problem isn't with the candidate - it's with the system," Michelle Kennedy, CEO of Peanut, believes.

You might think caring responsibilities should never be discussed in a job interview. But research consistently shows that men can actually experience a "fatherhood premium" - where having children actually increases their chances of getting hired. In one study, professor Stephen Benard at Indiana University sent identical fictionalised CVs to companies from female and male job "candidates", some mentioning their volunteer work for the Parents Teacher Association. Fathers received a slightly higher callback rate than childless men, while employers were 100 per cent less likely to call back mothers than childless women.

Lana Phillips, a marketing assistant from Derby with two children, aged six and four, learnt to hide motherhood after a job interview went wrong. "My children were three and one at the time. The interview was going well and it came up naturally that I had kids. The head of operations asked how old they were. When I told her, she replied, 'They need their mummy at home with them at this stage.' Then explained she stayed at home with her three children until they were school age. I was already back at work. I found it especially shocking that a woman was making this judgment. The interview went sour and ended five minutes later. I received an email saying I hadn't got the job," she remembers.

Since then, she has avoided mentioning her children in interviews. "Then, if I'm turned down, I know it's because of me, not because I have children," she says. She is relieved her employer is supportive and offers flexibility if she wants to watch a school show.

Discrimination against mothers is something that charity Pregnant Then Screwed has been campaigning against for a decade. CEO Rachel Grocott says: "The reality is that many bosses still see motherhood as a burden to business. Women have faced this discrimination for decades - from assumptions they might become parents, to the belief they 'won't come back' from maternity leave, to the stereotype that mothers are less passionate, less talented and less productive. Anyone experiencing it should seek advice on their rights and protections. Mothers are some of the most talented, productive employees and when you discriminate or push them out, you pay the cultural and financial price as parents move to employers who support them. That's the economic truth."

Joeli Brearley, founder of Growth Spurt which gives advice to women returning to work after becoming parents, says: "I spoke to a recruitment consultant who was told by 80 per cent of his clients not to put forward women with children under the age of five. We are seeing pregnancy and maternity discrimination rising year on year. When the economy gets tricky, people feel uncomfortable and revert back to old biases," she explains. "Things are taking a step backwards but we have a government that is making positive changes with the Employment Rights Act last year and the Parental Leave review currently underway."

Many mothers have experienced "ghosting" from recruiters. Florence, who has three children under five, recently started interviewing. "I have multiple childcare options, from nursery to family living closeby," she explains. "I had one recruiter contact me saying I was a perfect fit for a role. They were really positive until I mentioned children, when he asked how I'd manage work and my childcare responsibilities. I never heard from him again."

Brearley says in a job interview it's not illegal to ask a candidate if they are a parent, but it is illegal if an employer acts on that information. "We cannot prove that is the reason for discriminating, though," she says. "More often than not, interviewers ask subtle questions about candidates' personal lives, such as: 'How do you manage your personal life alongside work?' How to react to this depends on where you are in your career; we know that bias exists. For the majority of people, it is better to wait until you are offered a job to ask for flexible working or mention children, then you can prove discrimination. But if you're very senior, have privilege [to choose your role] and power, then ask the questions you want."

She says this is the opposite for men: mentioning children in an interview - as long as there is no request for flexible working - boosts their chance of success as they are seen as "responsible and better employees". Fathers are perceived as five percentage points more committed than childless men at work, according to research by Harvard Kennedy School, while mothers are seen as 12 percentage points less committed than non-mothers.

Sophie Catto, managing director of AllBright everywoman, which supports development of women in leadership roles, and whose children are seven and five, says: "No woman should ever feel she has to hide being a mother in a job interview. There is no lack of ambition in women who are mothers. Motherhood builds skills from prioritisation and decision-making under pressure to resilience, adaptability and problem solving. It strengthens emotional intelligence, empathy and communication, while also sharpening efficiency and the ability to manage competing demands. When businesses recognise and value this, it has a direct impact on confidence, progression and retention, something we have positively experienced in our office.

"I recommend training for line managers who aren't parents and an open calendar policy from business leaders: I have sports days and parents evenings in my diary and this inspires others to do the same. When working flexibly feels normal and doesn't come with a hidden career trade-off, we see stronger retention, deeper engagement and more sustainable long-term progression."

Quinlivan, whose children are now 13 and 10, found the experience of "vanishing" her children so painful that she will never do it again. "It seemed impossible [at that time] to think I had choice. But I did: by giving myself the tools so that I could make my own work," she says. She's built her self-employed creative career over the past four years, while remaining in academia running an online course with the University of Bristol and holding a Research Fellowship.

"Luckily, I've been treated brilliantly - sometimes my children come along and sit at the back in seminars. I now display motherhood in a way that makes it easier [for employers] to understand how my skills are immensely important and translatable to any kind of professional life. Anyone who is a carer knows the amount of creative power, care, love and challenge that goes into raising a human. I bring all those skills to the workplace." more

  • Munyaradzi David Matimba

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    I think the female boss in the interview was primarily focused on what’s best for the children, rather than assuming that hiring a mother of young... children would negatively affect work throughput or productivity. more

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FREE Character Reference Letter Template + How To Develop a Clear Process


Character reference letters land on HR's desk from two directions. Candidates submit them to vouch for personal qualities a résumé can't show, and current or former employees ask managers to write them for everything from court hearings to rental applications. Both directions carry real upside but also real risk.

A poorly worded letter can expose your organization to defamation or discrimination... claims, while an over-weighted incoming reference can bias a hiring decision. This article covers what character reference letters are, where HR encounters them, and the policies that let managers help without putting the company at risk.

Contents

What is a character reference letter?

Character reference letter vs. professional reference letter

What to include in and exclude from a character reference letter

8 steps to guide managers to write character reference letters

Character reference letter example

Free character reference letter template

8 best HR practices for handling character reference letters

A character reference letter talks about a person's qualities beyond just their job skills. It gives the reader insight from someone who knows the person either professionally or personally. As such, the writer can be a current or former employer or colleague, or a friend, teacher, or mentor who can speak about the person's behavior, values, and how they interact with others.

Here are the two main scenarios in which you might come across character reference letters in an HR context:

Current employees may request character references for court cases, immigration or citizenship applications, rental or housing applications, university admissions, scholarships, or volunteer positions. Former employees may also contact their previous supervisors or managers to request character references for job opportunities.

For HR, it's more important to know whether a character reference letter is written personally or on the company letterhead than to focus on the specific use case. This distinction determines if you should treat it as a private personal endorsement or an organization-backed communication, which influences approval, recordkeeping, confidentiality, and risk controls.

Job candidates may choose to submit character references, especially if they have little work experience or gaps in their employment history. Recruiters might also ask for them if they value personal qualities as much as job skills. This is common for roles that involve working with vulnerable people, handling money, sensitive information, or making important decisions without supervision.

A good character reference does not replace employment references, but it can provide helpful context for roles that require a great degree of trust, internships, or checking cultural fit for entry-level jobs. You can use it as extra information, but not as the deciding factor in hiring decisions.

A character reference letter and a professional reference letter serve different purposes. The table below explains the differences:

A professional reference letter is useful for a hiring manager who wants to know if a candidate can do a specific job. If you need to understand a person's temperament, reliability, or ethics, a character reference letter is more appropriate.

Character reference letters do not need to be very formal, but they should be organized so that all important information is included. Here are the key features of a character reference letter:

When a manager agrees to write a character reference for a current or former employee, HR should make sure the letter does not create risk for the manager or the company. Advise managers to leave out:

When a manager writes a character reference for a current or former employee, the company faces two main risks. First, the subject could claim defamation if the letter contains false or harmful statements. Second, a third party could claim negligent referral if the letter exaggerates the employee's character and someone is harmed as a result.

Your role is to guide managers so the letter helps the employee without putting the business at risk. Below are eight steps you can take to guide managers in handling character reference letters safely, truthfully, and responsibly.

Before anything else, check what your reference policy permits. Some employers restrict references to dates, title, and employment status; others allow performance references but exclude character letters.

If your company's existing policy doesn't address this, decide if the manager should write the letter personally (using their own observations and a clear statement that the views are their own) or officially (using company letterhead and following your template and approval process).

At the same time, if the manager has had a mainly negative professional experience with the requester and can't write a positive letter without resorting to untruths, they should politely but firmly decline the request with a standard reply. Below is a sample email they could send in response to such a request:

Ask the manager to confirm what the requester will use the letter for, who will read it, and the submission deadline. The associated risks differ across character references for a new role, court proceedings, custody disputes, immigration, professional licensing, or housing.

For instance, a letter sent to a regulator or court may be quoted publicly and stay on file for years. Knowing the use case lets you decide if the request aligns with company policy, if Legal should review it, and if including the company letterhead is appropriate. Be sure to also log the request and your approval in the employee file for record-keeping purposes.

Advise managers to focus on qualities they've directly observed and can support with concrete examples. Avoid broad character statements like "honest" or "of high moral character", as these can be hard to defend if issues arise later.

Concrete, observable traits, such as "reliability under pressure", "ability to calmly resolve conflict", and "consistent communication with stakeholders", are easier to substantiate and less likely to be quoted back at the company.

Managers should leave out any trait they can't back up with records, and include only traits they can support with a brief situation-action-outcome example they could point to in performance reviews, project records, or documented peer feedback. This strengthens the letter and gives the company evidence if a statement is ever challenged.

Also advise managers to remove any information they can't prove, anything based on second-hand information, and any detail that could come across as a comment on protected characteristics like age, ethnicity, nationality, disability, gender identity, or sexual orientation.

Give managers a short, approved template. It should start by stating the relationship and how long they've known the person, and include two or three paragraphs about specific traits with supporting examples. It should then offer a recommendation for the purpose, and end with a sign-off and contact details.

A template helps keep language consistent across the organization, which ensures fairness and consistency. Giving positive references to some employees but not others can lead to discrimination or retaliation claims, especially if patterns that disadvantage employees of minority backgrounds emerge. Using a template also speeds up your review process.

Longer letters increase risk. Each extra paragraph adds more for the company to defend if the letter is used in a dispute. Keeping the letter to one page helps managers focus on the most important, defensible points and reduces the chance of including off-topic comments, such as reasons for leaving, conflicts with colleagues, or guesses about future performance, which can cause issues.

Aim for a warm and professional tone. Avoid emotional language like "they're the best employee I've ever had" or "I'd trust them with anything," as these can sound like exaggeration or be used against the company in legal situations.

Tone also shows who's speaking. If a letter sounds personal but is on the company letterhead, it can be unclear whether ot not it represents the company. Proofread as usual, but focus on removing any statements the business cannot support.

Where possible, have the manager send the letter directly to the named recipient rather than handing it to the employee to forward. Direct delivery limits the chance the letter might be altered, recirculated, or used outside its stated purpose.

Keep a signed copy in the employee's file with the original request, so you have a clear record of what was said, when, and to whom. If the recipient calls later for follow-up, the manager should route them through HR rather than answer ad hoc.

Here's a sample character reference letter written from a manager's viewpoint:

We've created a free customizable character reference letter template you can help managers adapt for different recipients and situations, whether it's going to an employer, a landlord, a membership committee, or a court or immigration officer. You can download this template for free and quickly compose a clear, professional character reference letter on the first draft.

Guidelines help keep character reference letters factual, brief, and in line with company policy. Here are some best practices for HR to follow:

Character reference letters can provide HR with helpful context that résumés and professional references may miss, but only if there are proper policies, training, and processes in place. As such, it's crucial to make sure your company has a clear policy for writing character reference letters.

For incoming letters, it is important to know how to use them to assess a candidate's integrity and cultural fit without adding bias or risk. To improve your sourcing, screening, and evaluation process, consider AIHR's . more

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Top 5,000+ Job Openings in Bogotá (May 2026) - Where to Find Work & High-Paying Opportunities - Archyde


On a Tuesday morning in late May 2026, the air in Bogotá's Plaza de Bolívar hummed with a rare kind of optimism. Job seekers, many clutching résumés and folders of certifications, gathered beneath the shadow of the City Hall's neoclassical façade, where a banner declared: "Trabajo Sí Hay." The event, organized by Bogotá's Secretaría Distrital de Desarrollo Económico, was more than a hiring fair --... it was a microcosm of a city navigating the fragile recovery from a decade of economic turbulence. With over 5,072 vacancies announced for the following Thursday, the numbers alone hinted at a broader story: how Bogotá's labor market was adapting to shifting global dynamics, while its residents grappled with the realities of opportunity and exclusion.

The Numbers Behind the Noise

The official figures -- 476 vacancies on May 20-21, 930 available jobs in a separate report, and a staggering 5,072 openings by week's end -- paint a picture of a city desperate to reinvigorate its workforce. Yet these numbers, while impressive, mask a more complex narrative. According to the Banco de la República, Bogotá's unemployment rate had stabilized at 10.2% by mid-2026, a slight improvement from the 12.4% recorded in 2024. But this progress was uneven, with youth unemployment (18.7%) and underemployment (23.1%) remaining stubbornly high. The job fairs, while critical, were not a panacea. "These events are a lifeline, but they also highlight the systemic gaps in our labor market," said Dr. María Elena Martínez, an economist at the Universidad Javeriana. "We're creating jobs, but not always the right ones."

Who's Hired, and Who's Left Behind?

The vacancies spanned sectors from tech to healthcare, but the distribution revealed stark disparities. A report by the Colombian Institute of Labor Studies (ICETEX) noted that 62% of the openings required technical or vocational training, while only 18% offered roles for those without formal education. This divide disproportionately affected marginalized communities, including Afro-Colombian and Indigenous populations, who often lack access to the certifications these jobs demand. "It's a paradox," said Carlos Ramírez, a labor rights advocate with the Centro de Derechos Humanos de la Universidad del Rosario. "We're seeing more jobs, but the barriers to entry are higher than ever."

Yet the fairs also showcased a shift in employer priorities. Companies like Siemens Colombia and local fintech startups explicitly sought candidates with experience in renewable energy and digital literacy, reflecting Bogotá's growing alignment with global sustainability goals. For young professionals, this meant new pathways -- but also new pressures. "I've spent months taking online courses to qualify for these roles," said Ana López, a 24-year-old IT graduate. "But I worry about the ones who can't afford the training."

The Policy Puzzle: A City in Transition

The scale of the job fairs was no accident. Bogotá's government had made labor inclusion a cornerstone of its 2025-2029 development plan, allocating $230 million to vocational programs and public-private partnerships. The Secretaría Distrital de Desarrollo Económico, led by Director Luis Felipe Gómez, emphasized that the events were designed to "connect talent with purpose." But critics argue that the focus on quantity over quality risks perpetuating a cycle of low-wage, unstable work. "We need jobs that lift people out of poverty, not just fill positions," said Gómez, who previously served as a labor advisor to the Ministry of Trade. "That requires more than just a job fair -- it requires systemic change."

The government's strategy also faced scrutiny for its reliance on temporary contracts. A 2025 study by the National University of Colombia found that 41% of new hires in Bogotá's service sector were on short-term contracts, limiting long-term economic security. This trend, critics say, reflects a broader challenge: how to balance immediate job creation with sustainable growth.

Looking Beyond the Fair

For many, the job fairs were a starting point, not a solution. Community organizations like Fundación Éxito and the Asociación de Mujeres Emprendedoras de Bogotá offered workshops on interview skills and financial literacy, recognizing that job placement required more than just a resume. "It's not enough to have a vacancy," said Laura Martínez, a program coordinator at Fundación Éxito. "You have to empower people to seize the opportunity."

As the city's labor market evolves, so too must its approach. The success of these fairs will depend not just on the number of jobs created, but on how well they address the deeper inequities that have long shaped Bogotá's workforce. For now, the Plaza de Bolívar remains a symbol of both hope and challenge -- a reminder that in a city more