Career development

 1d

How To Negotiate Salary And Promotions In The New Year


The New Year always feels so fresh, so new, and so full of new intentions and lofty aspirations. However, it's also a time when professionals often begin to consider raises.

But even when they are hungry for an increase, they put the brakes on when it comes to asking for a raise. It might be fear of being rejected, but it could be fear of being perceived as being aggressively ambitious or selfish... when they ask.

In reality, discussing compensation and career development is a part and parcel of professional life. Organisations expect employees to raise their voices, particularly after adding value. The beginning of the New Year is one of the best opportunities for this, as budgets, positions, and performance reviews are on an individual's mind at this time.

This will be your step-by-step guide on when to negotiate, how to negotiate, and what to negotiate in order to confidently walk into a negotiation situation.

Organisations usually start a new year with new budgets, new objectives, and new plans for managing their workforce. Thus, January, February, or March is an opportune time to talk about pay and career development.

Managers are concerned with thinking about:

Performance Appraisal and Raises

Promotions and changing roles

Keeping high performers

Mentioning the issue when the time is right will make it seem more like your request is connected to the planning of the company and not unexpected. This again goes back to the idea that the more preparation that goes into the request, the better planned out it is.

Your value needs to be known before starting on the negotiation process, or else confidence will result from wishful thinking rather than preparation.

Start by reflecting on the year that has just gone by and ask:

What results have I achieved?

Was I assuming duties that were outside my scope?

What ways and to what extent have I helped enhance revenue, efficiencies, client satisfaction, and team performance?

Whenever possible, quantify the impact. For example:

Handled 30 per cent more clients than last year

Reduce turnaround time by two days

Analysed and led a project to secure new business

This changes the dialogue from "I need a pay raise" to "This is the value that I offer."

Doing negotiations without doing your homework tends to set you up for expectations that are out of reach or too low.

Research the following before the discussion:

The typical pay range for professionals in comparable roles with similar experience

Standard annual increment levels across the industry

The usual time frame for promotions in equivalent positions

This research will help you decide what's fair and provide you with data to back your asks. It can also help you respond calmly if your manager pushes back on your expectations.

Too many people walk into a talk without a clear aim, which weakens their stance.

Decide ahead of time:

Are you looking for a raise?

Do you want a promotion with more responsibility?

Or a role upgrade that doesn't necessarily come with an immediate pay increase

Sometimes a promotion may take longer, but it may pave the way for greater growth down the line. Other times, a salary raise is the more practical move. Knowing your priority keeps the negotiation focused.

Timing is everything, and more important than most people realise. The better times to negotiate:

During performance reviews

Following a successful project delivery

In scheduled one-on-one meetings

Avoid bringing it up casually or during stressful moments. A planned conversation signals professionalism and maturity. Request a meeting and say you want to discuss growth and future expectations.

Preparation turns nerves into confidence. Your pitch should include:

A detailed summary of your contributions

Tangible proof of its growth and influence.

A clear ask - salary range or pathway for progression

Frame your case in terms of how your work supports the company's goals. Avoid using personal reasons for requesting an increase, such as having personal expenses. Negotiation works best when it is business-focused, rather than personal.

Not every negotiation closes with a positive response. This is far from failing.

If you hear:

"Not now," ask when you can go back to the discussion

"Budget issues," look into non-monetary gains or future assessments

A counteroffer: determine whether it meets your objectives

Make sure the discussion clearly defines the next steps. There should be no doubt about what happens after the conversation.

The reason negotiations over salary go wrong more often is because of poor communication of the ask than because the ask itself is too high. Confidence is derived from being well-prepared and confident in your worth.

Make sure to always put a range instead of a fixed number when it comes to asking for a salary. This indicates adaptability with a limitation in place.

The discussion of your desired salary scale should be determined in relation to your responsibility level, occupational standards, and performance, but not dependent on your personal requirements or speculations.

When asked about your current or past salary, you could steer the conversation away from anchoring on that figure. You could draw attention instead to what the position entails or what someone with your level of contribution is supposed to command.

The key here is to position your expectation as a future-oriented action and focus on why your skills and achievements render the number justified, rather than what you've accomplished in the past.

In case of a lower offer, one should resist the urge to respond immediately. Take a moment to make inquiries about the reasons behind the low number of offers.

Attempt to determine whether it is budget cycles, role bands, or internal policies that create the restriction before answering.

Consider alternatives like a performance-linked pay raise, a fixed review period, increased responsibilities, or non-financial benefits other than flatly turning down the offer. This is because a composed response demonstrates maturity, apart from acting as a stress reliever.

An upward promotion is not acquired by holding a position for a long time. This is dependent on whether one is already functioning on the next level.

Before you initiate the conversation, you also need to examine your current responsibilities and identify areas that are beyond your described responsibilities.

Offer specific instances of the time when you have assumed ownership, acted autonomously, handled complex problems, and aided fellow team members even when they didn't ask.

Base your marketing argument on what you are doing versus what you want or feel that you deserve.

Focus on impact and accountability instead of effort and workload.

You may want to ask your manager what is required of someone in a next-level position to guide the conversation towards development.

Use this feedback to determine the skill deficiencies, performance levels, and timescales involved in promotions.

It creates a situation whereby promotion is a natural progression and a share growth plan, and not a call to a title.

Most negotiations go sour due to avoidable errors, for example:

Comparing yourself to colleagues

Giving Ultimatums

Preparing to negotiate

Allowing feelings to dictate the dialogue

Calm and objective-speaking tone gets respect, even if it's not immediate results being delivered.

If the outcome isn't as expected, take it as feedback, not as rejection. You can: Look for specific criteria to qualify for a promotion or pay increase

Provide training on identified skills gaps. Go back through the discussion several months later. A lack of growth despite consistent performance might mean it is time to look for an even better opportunity, perhaps somewhere else.

When it comes to negotiating a salary as well as promotions, it's not a game of hardball. This is something that requires knowledge on your part as to your worth.

New Year's is the first opportunity in the year to refocus hopes, plan for growth, and hold important conversations about what's in the future for you. Negotiation is an investment that will reward you time after time when it's done well. more

Monica Hills


Career development 1w
Hey everyone! I’m a mom on maternity leave. I’ve been home for a year already. My job was expecting me to come back on March 1, but I’m pregnant again and told them I’m going on maternity leave again, so I won’t be returning yet.
They said I can stay home for 4 more months and then that’s it, otherwise they’ll fire me.
Is that even allowed? Can they fire someone who’s pregnant and on maternity... leave? Thanks!

 more
5   

  • Ruth N

    3h

    Congratulations, these things happens when least expected and one become a subject for criticism. But it is good to mind others too.

    However, there... are other ways to get income when you are stay home mums and mums and dads who strive to have time with their kids in their critical stages.

    If you would like get more info on this, we can connect     more

  • Steward Tony Pacheco

    3d

    Of course they can because you have proved to your employer that you have settled for another opportunity "Mothers Hood". Its not their business model... to enhance your bloodline within their profit margin. They helped once and that was above and beyond.  more

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Anonymous member


Career development 14h
Hello Everyone!
im an independent contractor for the theatre, tv, movie, fashion and cruise ships as a tailor. I'm looking for a remote job with flexibility when i get called in for work where i can stop and go back to it when i finish my job. Does anyone know of any job like this ? any other ideas ? im already doing food delivery and uber which i dont want to do it anymore been doing it past 7... years more
3   

  • richard pugh

    13h

    I would say to learn how trade stock options. You can earn in an hour what you are probably making in a day or week with Uber. Then you can control... your time and financial plan..If your interested, I can send you the link on who I learned from... more

Career development

 16h

CEO Refuses To Hire Job Candidates Who Have This Particular Response To Common Interview Question


CEO Gary Shapiro said that he won't hire anyone who has a particular response to the common interview question that asks how soon they can start in the new role.

Even if you spend all of your time prepping for a job interview and crafting the perfect response to every possible question, there's still no guarantee of a job offer. Between a difficult job market and the fact that every CEO and... hiring manager seems to have a different set of criteria for what they want and what they think will make a perfect candidate, the odds seem forever stacked against the candidates.

Gary Shapiro, the chief executive officer of the U.S. trade association Consumer Technology Association (CTA), spoke with CNBC about what he considers to be "red flags" from job candidates during interviews.

Controversially, Shapiro said that when a candidate is asked how soon they can start, responding right away or within two weeks is not a good answer if they are currently employed. According to him, this shows a lack of dedication and loyalty.

"They don't get the job because they'll treat us the way they treat that former employer," he told CNBC Make It. "I want an [employee] with a level of commitment to their organization -- even if they don't love their job -- where they won't leave their employer hanging."

Shapiro insisted that how people leave their jobs is "very important" and that departing on good terms makes all the difference in the world. He doesn't want to employ job hoppers or people who will abandon their positions without warning.

RELATED: Career Expert Warns Workers To Lie About 5 Specific Things During A Job Interview

He asked the woman he eventually hired how soon she would be able to start, and her response was ideal. She said that she would need six weeks to transition from her former job.

fizkes | Shutterstock

"I was very thankful she answered [that way]," he recalled. "I said, 'That's perfect. You got the job.'" Of course, if you are currently unemployed, this standard doesn't apply.

According to career development expert Quinisha Jackson-Wright, this question really is a way to test the "work ethic" of already employed candidates. She reiterated exactly what Shapiro stated: "If you're too willing to leave your current job with little to no notice, it could indicate that you might do the same to them in the future."

RELATED: CEO Hires Woman With Zero Experience & A 2-Line Resume Because She Did 2 Unexpected Things During Her Interview

Giving employers notice of resignation is not legally required, but it is proper etiquette, and it's usually two weeks. Of course, your position, level of seniority, relationship with your team, and reason for leaving all factor into how long transitioning out of your job will actually take.

What's more important than actually giving your employer a firm start date is letting them know that your priority is to discuss how to seamlessly transition out of your role so your team members and management aren't left scrambling. Jackson Wright suggested, "I am excited for the opportunity to join your team. I have several projects to wrap up in my current role at [Company]. I plan to give them [number of weeks] notice to make a smooth transition for my co-workers, and I will be happy to come on board with the team here after that time."

Employment expert Susan P. Joyce added, "Be very careful when answering. Think about what you absolutely need and what you would like." She went on to say, "It's better to initially ask for more time than you think you will need." She offered an example answer: "I am working on an important project for my current employer and would like to remain until [reasonable date] to ensure a smooth transition."

When interviewing, the best practice is always to avoid doing or saying anything that would lead a potential new employer to think you have bad feelings toward your current job or boss. It's almost like being on a first date. That's not the time to talk about your ex in a bad way. Showing respect and kindness even if you are leaving because of a toxic workplace is the best approach because it shows integrity, and even if you don't get the job, you can hold your head high that you conducted yourself in a way that won't have anyone bashing your professional reputation.

RELATED: There's A Bar In Japan Offering Free Drinks To Anyone Thinking About Quitting Their Job

Megan Quinn is a writer with a bachelor's degree in English and a minor in Creative Writing. She covers news and lifestyle topics that focus on justice in the workplace, personal relationships, parenting debates, and the human experience. more

Career development

 18h

Given a 60-day layoff notice, employee lands a job using these hacks, including ChatGPT -- key takeaways for job seekers


60-day layoff notice leads to new job: A 19.5% interview rate beats the 2% market average. Use ChatGPT to build a master bullet list. Only apply to jobs with an 80% match score. Target fresh postings under 48 hours old. Use HiringCafe to find hidden roles. Email recruiters directly after applying. Practice interviews with AI roleplay. This data-driven flow turns job hunting into a winning... science.

After receiving a 60-day layoff notice in mid-January, this job seeker submitted 46 tracked applications, secured 9 initial interviews, and accepted a new role within weeks. Leveraging AI tools, targeted research, and systematic processes, they optimized their resume, prioritized high-fit postings, and maintained mental and physical health throughout the search. This data-driven approach shows how structured job hunting can significantly improve outcomes in today's competitive job market.

The first step in this structured job search was creating a master inventory of every task and responsibility from the previous role. Using ChatGPT, they generated a comprehensive bullet list that served as the backbone for all resumes. The AI also analyzed the resume for ATS optimization, revealing duplicate information invisible to the human eye but flagged by applicant tracking systems.

This ensured each submission was not only tailored but keyword-rich and optimized for search algorithms used by major companies. By removing redundant entries and prioritizing action-driven language, the resume passed ATS filters with higher likelihood, improving visibility and reducing automatic rejections.

Instead of applying randomly, the job seeker focused on local companies first, expanding to hybrid and remote positions over time. A critical strategy was prioritizing postings less than 48 hours old, which research shows receive more attention from hiring teams.

Using AI, each job description was analyzed and rated on a 0-100 fit scale, with only postings above an 80 threshold pursued. ChatGPT extracted keywords from job postings and summarized company pain points. These insights informed customized resumes for each application, ensuring the materials spoke directly to the employer's needs.

Application portals were the primary submission method, supplemented by direct outreach. Identifying recruiters and hiring managers, the job seeker sent personalized emails attaching resumes and expressing interest, increasing the chance of response. This multi-channel approach highlights the value of combining AI analysis with personal initiative.

The job seeker used ChatGPT for realistic interview simulations. Inputting the job posting, company website, and profiles of potential interviewers, the AI acted as the hiring panel, asking questions one at a time. Each answer was evaluated, scored, and refined based on suggestions, allowing for continuous improvement.

This method allowed the applicant to anticipate behavioral and technical questions, tailor responses to company culture, and reduce anxiety during live interviews. Data shows candidates who rehearse and refine answers in context-specific ways improve their success rate by 20-30%, underscoring the importance of AI-assisted preparation.

The applicant maintained a disciplined schedule, applying to 3-5 high-quality jobs per day, while avoiding overexertion. They remained active on LinkedIn, posting and commenting to increase visibility and appear in recruiter searches.

Equally important was prioritizing health: regular exercise, scheduled breaks, and a hard cutoff at 5 p.m. or on weekends prevented burnout. Research highlights that structured downtime supports cognitive performance, emotional resilience, and interview readiness -- crucial for high-volume job applications.

The job seeker relied on HiringCafe, ZipRecruiter, LinkedIn, and AI-driven searches to find relevant postings. ChatGPT helped discover opportunities not listed on mainstream job boards, while direct outreach to recruiters and hiring managers created personal connections, often speeding up interview timelines.

In total, 46 tracked applications led to 9 initial interviews, demonstrating that quality-focused strategies outperform sheer volume applications. Integrating AI, data analytics, and human judgment allowed the applicant to target roles where their skills had the highest impact, leading to a successful offer in a competitive market.

Q1: How can I optimize my resume for ATS and increase interview chances?

Data shows over 75% of resumes are filtered out by ATS before reaching recruiters. Using AI tools to remove duplicates, highlight keywords, and format action-driven bullets can improve your pass-through rate. Tailoring each resume to the specific job posting boosts visibility and ensures your skills match what hiring managers are actively seeking.

Q2: What strategies improve job application response rates?

Research indicates that applicants who combine portal submissions with direct recruiter outreach see up to 30% higher response rates. Personalizing emails, attaching AI-optimized resumes, and demonstrating knowledge of company pain points increases attention from hiring managers. Targeting only jobs with high fit scores maximizes the efficiency of every application.

Q3: How can AI tools help prepare for interviews effectively?

Candidates using AI-based interview simulations improve answer quality by 20-30%. Inputting job postings, company data, and potential interviewer profiles allows AI to ask tailored questions and provide scoring and feedback. This process builds confidence, reduces surprises, and sharpens answers for both technical and behavioral interviews.

Q4: How can job seekers balance search intensity with personal well-being?

Studies show burnout reduces application success by 15-25%. Limiting applications to 3-5 high-quality roles daily, scheduling breaks, exercising, and setting hard cutoffs after work hours maintains focus and energy. Consistent LinkedIn engagement further supports visibility without exhausting mental resources, enabling sustained performance throughout the job search. more

Career development

 20h

Winter Reruns: "After 14 years as a librarian, I honestly don't recommend librarianship to anyone anymore.


After taking a few months off, I've decided to sunset this project. I'm finishing up my scheduled selection of Hiring Librarians' greatest hits and most reviled posts, and then will stop updating in late February/early March. Thanks so much for reading!

This survey response was submitted on February 6, 2023 and the post originally ran on June 9, 2023. It's fairly high up in my "most viewed of all... time" list, especially for a more recent post. I think perhaps it's the quote I pulled for the title; many of the most-viewed posts express some form of library doomsaying - librarianship is dead, we're tired, things aren't what they used to be, etc.

Please note: this is an anonymous response to an online survey; I do not have any way of contacting the respondent or verifying responses. Their answers may reflect good, bad, or middling job searching practices. I invite you to take what's useful and leave the rest.

Your Demographics and Search Parameters

How long have you been job hunting?

√ Less than six months

Why are you job hunting?

√ Looking for more money

√ Because I reassessed my priorities after COVID

√ Other: Looking to possibly get out of librarianship

Where do you look for open positions?

Indeed, ALA jobs, CCC registry, friends

What position level are you looking for?

√ Other: Something that pays better than librarianship

What type(s) of organization are you looking in?

√ Other: Maybe higher ed (but not a library) or an organization or company or work from home

What part of the world are you in?

√ Western US (including Pacific Northwest)

What's your region like?

√ Urban area

√ Suburban area

Are you willing/able to move for employment?

√ No

What are the top three things you're looking for in a job?

Flexibility, work from home, better pay

How many jobs have you applied to during your current search? (Please indicate if it's an estimate or exact)

None. I'm willing to go to a community college library but nothing open. All other jobs are entry level and pay is very low. No good jobs to apply to.

What steps, actions, or attributes are most important for employers to take to sell you on the job?

√ Pay well

√ Having (and describing) excellent benefits

√ Funding professional development

√ Prioritizing EDI work

√ Prioritizing work-life balance

Do you expect to see the salary range listed in a job ad?

√ Yes, and it's a red flag when it's not

Other than not listing a salary range, are there other "red flags" that would prevent you from applying to a job?

Jobs that say you may need to work overtime often

The Process

How much time do you spend preparing an application packet?

2-5 hours: the cover letters take a while and having to repeat my resume on an online application is a time waster.

What are the steps you follow to prepare an application packet?

Carve out time to do it

How do you prefer to communicate with potential employers?

√ Phone for good news, email for bad news

When would you like potential employers to contact you?

√ To acknowledge my application

√ To tell me if the search is at the interview stage, even if I have not been selected

√ Once the position has been filled, even if it's not me

How long do you expect an organization's application process to take, from the point you submit your documents to the point of either an offer or rejection?

Depends on the institution but academics take months. Took 6 months from application to hire in my current job.

How do you prepare for interviews?

Review questions, review position description

What are your most hated interview questions, and why?

Why do you want this job? (Because I need money. It's like jobs want you to tell them that it's your dream to work for them. I need money to live)

What are your strengths and weaknesses? (Again, we all know they want a weakness and how we make it a strength).

During your current search, have you had any of the following experiences:

* Submitted an application and got no response √ Happened the majority of the time or always

* Had an interview and never heard back √ Happened more than once

* Interviewed for a job where an internal candidate was eventually chosen √ Happened more than once

* Asked for an accommodation for a disability √ Not Applicable

* Withdrawn an application before the offer stage √ Not Applicable

* Turned down an offer √ Happened once

If you want to share a great, inspirational, funny, horrific or other story about an experience you have had at any stage in the hiring process, please do so here:

Haha! The whole process of applying and interviewing is a joke. Applications are repetitive and waste time. The actual interviews are awful most of the time. People are not welcoming and a whole day interview for an academic librarian job is just unnecessary. Stop acting like jobs are sacred. It's a job! Hire the person that can do it and don't take 6 months. People need jobs asap. If a job doesn't post the salary I no longer consider it. Low ball offers are a waste of time.

What should employers do to make the hiring process better for job hunters?

Actually respond to people, add a decent salary, make the interviews less than 1 hour, be friendly and inviting, answer questions honestly. I can't tell you how many times I've actually gotten to a second interview and then heard nothing. I've learned about not getting the job by seeing LinkedIn postings of people sharing their new jobs. HR depts need to do better.

You and Your Well-Being

How are you doing, generally?

√ I'm frustrated

What are your job search self-care strategies?

I only apply to jobs worth my time now. No more jobs with no salary posted or jobs that list everything under the sun with low pay.

Do you have any advice or words of support you'd like to share with other job hunters, is there anything you'd like to say to employers, or is there anything else you'd like to say about job hunting?

Don't give up and only apply to jobs worth your time. Something great will come along, whether it's a library job or not.

Do you have any comments for Emily (the survey author) or are there any other questions you think we should add to this survey?

Maybe add questions about salary (like what do you make and what should you be making and how long you've been in libraries), are you looking for jobs other than library jobs, are you thinking of leaving librarianship. After 14 years as a librarian, I honestly don't recommend librarianship to anyone anymore. It's low pay, people don't respect us, and there are no jobs. Ask about the kind/type of library jobs they're looking for.

Job Hunting Post Graduate School

If you have an MLIS or other graduate level degree in a LIS field, what year did you graduate? (Or what year do you anticipate graduating?)

Got my MLIS in 2009

When did you start your first job search for a "professional" position (or other position that utilized your degree)?

√ Six months before graduating with my MLIS/other LIS degree

In relation to your graduation, when did you find your first "professional" position?

√ I was actually hired before I graduated

What kind of work was your first post-graduation professional position?

√ Full Time

Did you get support from your library school for your first job hunt (and/or any subsequent ones)?

Nope! Library's school did nothing.

Is there anything else you'd like to tell us about searching for or finding your first post-graduation position?

I started my search about 3-4 months before graduation and was lucky to start a month before my graduation. Unfortunately, I was laid off a year later. Only reason I feel I got lucky was because I had been working in libraries PT before I graduated so I had some experience. My advice: don't get a non-librarian job once you get the degree. Only apply to librarian jobs. more

Career development

 20h

Smart Careers Today Launches CareerSMART 90 Program to Support Senior Leaders Navigating Competitive Hiring Markets


Waterloo, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - February 10, 2026) - Smart Careers Today, a North Americabased career strategy and executive branding firm, has announced the launch of CareerSMART 90", a structured 90-day career transition program designed to help senior managers, directors, and executives approach leadership job searches with greater clarity, strategy, and visibility.

The new program... reflects shifting dynamics in executive hiring, where experience alone may not be enough to secure leadership roles. CareerSMART 90" provides a coordinated framework that combines executive résumé branding, LinkedIn positioning, structured outreach, and one-on-one coaching within a guided system intended to bring focus and direction to complex career transitions.

CareerSMART 90" is built on the firm's proprietary S.M.A.R.T. Method", a five-stage framework that supports professionals in aligning their career goals, refining their professional narrative, increasing targeted visibility, and preparing for interviews and negotiations. The approach emphasizes clarity of positioning and consistency of messaging across materials and conversations.

"At senior levels, career transitions are rarely about capability alone," said Indira Banerjee, Founder of Smart Careers Today. "They are about how clearly a leader's experience, judgment, and relevance are communicated in a fast-moving hiring environment. Structure and positioning can make a significant difference in how opportunities develop. CareerSMART 90" exists to make that signal unmistakable."

(In Frame: Indira Banerjee, CHRP, CRS, CES, CCS, Founder of SmartCareersToday and creator of the S.M.A.R.T. Method")

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/12182/283353_85360cbad4d5abcd_001full.jpg

A key element of the program includes structured networking and outreach support, which enables professionals to connect more directly with recruiters, hiring managers, and industry decision-makers. These initiatives are designed to complement traditional applications while helping professionals be more intentional in how they approach relationship-building.

Banerjee, who began her career in recruitment before transitioning into career coaching in 2018, brings over 10 years of combined industry experience. Her background in hiring and coaching across sectors from IT to manufacturing has shaped her analytical yet creative approach to career development.

In addition to CareerSMART 90", Smart Careers Today offers a range of career development services, including résumé and cover letter development, LinkedIn profile optimization, interview preparation, and one-on-one career strategy consultations. The firm works with professionals seeking to advance into leadership roles, reposition their careers, or navigate periods of transition.

While technology plays a growing role in hiring, Banerjee notes that human insight remains central to effective career strategy. "Digital tools can support visibility, but meaningful career decisions still rely on thoughtful planning and personal judgment," she added.

Job seekers interested in learning more about SmartCareersToday's programs or the S.M.A.R.T. Method" can visit www.smartcareerstoday.com to explore services and book a consultation.

About SmartCareersToday and Indira Banerjee

SmartCareersToday is a North America-based career strategy and career coaching firm dedicated to helping professionals redefine their career paths through clarity, strategy, and authentic storytelling. Founded by Indira Banerjee, a multi-certified career professional and the creator of the S.M.A.R.T. Method", the company provides full-spectrum services including resume and cover letter writing, LinkedIn profile optimization, interview preparation, and AI-powered networking support. The company's client base includes professionals at various stages of their careers, those seeking to pivot industries, reenter the workforce, or advance into senior leadership roles.

With a background spanning recruitment and executive coaching, Banerjee combines analytical precision with creative storytelling to help clients articulate their leadership value.

SmartCareersToday's mission is to empower professionals to take charge of their career narratives - one smart, strategic step at a time.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/12182/283353_85360cbad4d5abcd_002full.jpg

Source: SmartCareersToday

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/283353 more

Career development

 20h

Smart Careers Today Launches CareerSMART 90 Program to Support Senior Leaders Navigating Competitive Hiring Markets


All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here

Waterloo, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - February 10, 2026) - Smart Careers Today, a North America-based career strategy and executive branding firm, has announced the launch of CareerSMART 90™, a structured 90-day career transition program designed to... help senior managers, directors, and executives approach leadership job searches with greater clarity, strategy, and visibility.

The new program reflects shifting dynamics in executive hiring, where experience alone may not be enough to secure leadership roles. CareerSMART 90™ provides a coordinated framework that combines executive résumé branding, LinkedIn positioning, structured outreach, and one-on-one coaching within a guided system intended to bring focus and direction to complex career transitions.

CareerSMART 90™ is built on the firm's proprietary S.M.A.R.T. Method™, a five-stage framework that supports professionals in aligning their career goals, refining their professional narrative, increasing targeted visibility, and preparing for interviews and negotiations. The approach emphasizes clarity of positioning and consistency of messaging across materials and conversations.

"At senior levels, career transitions are rarely about capability alone," said Indira Banerjee, Founder of Smart Careers Today. "They are about how clearly a leader's experience, judgment, and relevance are communicated in a fast-moving hiring environment. Structure and positioning can make a significant difference in how opportunities develop. CareerSMART 90™ exists to make that signal unmistakable."

(In Frame: Indira Banerjee, CHRP, CRS, CES, CCS, Founder of SmartCareersToday and creator of the S.M.A.R.T. Method™)

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/12182/283353_85360cbad4d5abcd_001full.jpg

A key element of the program includes structured networking and outreach support, which enables professionals to connect more directly with recruiters, hiring managers, and industry decision-makers. These initiatives are designed to complement traditional applications while helping professionals be more intentional in how they approach relationship-building.

Banerjee, who began her career in recruitment before transitioning into career coaching in 2018, brings over 10 years of combined industry experience. Her background in hiring and coaching across sectors from IT to manufacturing has shaped her analytical yet creative approach to career development.

In addition to CareerSMART 90™, Smart Careers Today offers a range of career development services, including résumé and cover letter development, LinkedIn profile optimization, interview preparation, and one-on-one career strategy consultations. The firm works with professionals seeking to advance into leadership roles, reposition their careers, or navigate periods of transition.

While technology plays a growing role in hiring, Banerjee notes that human insight remains central to effective career strategy. "Digital tools can support visibility, but meaningful career decisions still rely on thoughtful planning and personal judgment," she added.

Job seekers interested in learning more about SmartCareersToday's programs or the S.M.A.R.T. Method™ can visit www.smartcareerstoday.com to explore services and book a consultation.

About SmartCareersToday and Indira Banerjee

SmartCareersToday is a North America-based career strategy and career coaching firm dedicated to helping professionals redefine their career paths through clarity, strategy, and authentic storytelling. Founded by Indira Banerjee, a multi-certified career professional and the creator of the S.M.A.R.T. Method™, the company provides full-spectrum services including resume and cover letter writing, LinkedIn profile optimization, interview preparation, and AI-powered networking support. The company's client base includes professionals at various stages of their careers, those seeking to pivot industries, reenter the workforce, or advance into senior leadership roles.

With a background spanning recruitment and executive coaching, Banerjee combines analytical precision with creative storytelling to help clients articulate their leadership value.

SmartCareersToday's mission is to empower professionals to take charge of their career narratives - one smart, strategic step at a time.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/12182/283353_85360cbad4d5abcd_002full.jpg

Source: SmartCareersToday

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/283353 more

Career development

 21h

Smart Careers Today: Smart Careers Today Launches CareerSMART 90 Program to Support Senior Leaders Navigating Competitive Hiring Markets


Waterloo, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - February 10, 2026) - Smart Careers Today, a North America-based career strategy and executive branding firm, has announced the launch of CareerSMART 90, a structured 90-day career transition program designed to help senior managers, directors, and executives approach leadership job searches with greater clarity, strategy, and visibility.

The new program... reflects shifting dynamics in executive hiring, where experience alone may not be enough to secure leadership roles. CareerSMART 90 provides a coordinated framework that combines executive résumé branding, LinkedIn positioning, structured outreach, and one-on-one coaching within a guided system intended to bring focus and direction to complex career transitions.

CareerSMART 90 is built on the firm's proprietary S.M.A.R.T. Method, a five-stage framework that supports professionals in aligning their career goals, refining their professional narrative, increasing targeted visibility, and preparing for interviews and negotiations. The approach emphasizes clarity of positioning and consistency of messaging across materials and conversations.

"At senior levels, career transitions are rarely about capability alone," said Indira Banerjee, Founder of Smart Careers Today. "They are about how clearly a leader's experience, judgment, and relevance are communicated in a fast-moving hiring environment. Structure and positioning can make a significant difference in how opportunities develop. CareerSMART 90 exists to make that signal unmistakable."

(In Frame: Indira Banerjee, CHRP, CRS, CES, CCS, Founder of SmartCareersToday and creator of the S.M.A.R.T. Method)

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/12182/283353_85360cbad4d5abcd_001full.jpg

A key element of the program includes structured networking and outreach support, which enables professionals to connect more directly with recruiters, hiring managers, and industry decision-makers. These initiatives are designed to complement traditional applications while helping professionals be more intentional in how they approach relationship-building.

Banerjee, who began her career in recruitment before transitioning into career coaching in 2018, brings over 10 years of combined industry experience. Her background in hiring and coaching across sectors from IT to manufacturing has shaped her analytical yet creative approach to career development.

In addition to CareerSMART 90, Smart Careers Today offers a range of career development services, including résumé and cover letter development, LinkedIn profile optimization, interview preparation, and one-on-one career strategy consultations. The firm works with professionals seeking to advance into leadership roles, reposition their careers, or navigate periods of transition.

While technology plays a growing role in hiring, Banerjee notes that human insight remains central to effective career strategy. "Digital tools can support visibility, but meaningful career decisions still rely on thoughtful planning and personal judgment," she added.

Job seekers interested in learning more about SmartCareersToday's programs or the S.M.A.R.T. Method can visit www.smartcareerstoday.com to explore services and book a consultation.

About SmartCareersToday and Indira Banerjee

SmartCareersToday is a North America-based career strategy and career coaching firm dedicated to helping professionals redefine their career paths through clarity, strategy, and authentic storytelling. Founded by Indira Banerjee, a multi-certified career professional and the creator of the S.M.A.R.T. Method, the company provides full-spectrum services including resume and cover letter writing, LinkedIn profile optimization, interview preparation, and AI-powered networking support. The company's client base includes professionals at various stages of their careers, those seeking to pivot industries, reenter the workforce, or advance into senior leadership roles.

With a background spanning recruitment and executive coaching, Banerjee combines analytical precision with creative storytelling to help clients articulate their leadership value.

SmartCareersToday's mission is to empower professionals to take charge of their career narratives - one smart, strategic step at a time.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/12182/283353_85360cbad4d5abcd_002full.jpg

Media Contact:

Contact Person: Indira Banerjee

Email: indira@smartcareerstoday.com

Source: SmartCareersToday

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/283353

Source: Smart Careers Today

© 2026 Newsfile Corp. more

Career development

 21h

Smart Careers Today Launches CareerSMART 90 Program to Support Senior Leaders Navigating Competitive Hiring Markets


The new program reflects shifting dynamics in executive hiring, where experience alone may not be enough to secure leadership roles. CareerSMART 90™ provides a coordinated framework that combines executive résumé branding, LinkedIn positioning, structured outreach, and one-on-one coaching within a guided system intended to bring focus and direction to complex career transitions.

CareerSMART 90™... is built on the firm's proprietary S.M.A.R.T. Method™, a five-stage framework that supports professionals in aligning their career goals, refining their professional narrative, increasing targeted visibility, and preparing for interviews and negotiations. The approach emphasizes clarity of positioning and consistency of messaging across materials and conversations.

"At senior levels, career transitions are rarely about capability alone," said Indira Banerjee, Founder of Smart Careers Today. "They are about how clearly a leader's experience, judgment, and relevance are communicated in a fast-moving hiring environment. Structure and positioning can make a significant difference in how opportunities develop. CareerSMART 90™ exists to make that signal unmistakable."

(In Frame: Indira Banerjee, CHRP, CRS, CES, CCS, Founder of SmartCareersToday and creator of the S.M.A.R.T. Method™)

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/12182/283353_85360cbad4d5abcd_00 ...

A key element of the program includes structured networking and outreach support, which enables professionals to connect more directly with recruiters, hiring managers, and industry decision-makers. These initiatives are designed to complement traditional applications while helping professionals be more intentional in how they approach relationship-building.

Banerjee, who began her career in recruitment before transitioning into career coaching in 2018, brings over 10 years of combined industry experience. Her background in hiring and coaching across sectors from IT to manufacturing has shaped her analytical yet creative approach to career development.

In addition to CareerSMART 90™, Smart Careers Today offers a range of career development services, including résumé and cover letter development, LinkedIn profile optimization, interview preparation, and one-on-one career strategy consultations. The firm works with professionals seeking to advance into leadership roles, reposition their careers, or navigate periods of transition.

While technology plays a growing role in hiring, Banerjee notes that human insight remains central to effective career strategy. "Digital tools can support visibility, but meaningful career decisions still rely on thoughtful planning and personal judgment," she added.

Job seekers interested in learning more about SmartCareersToday's programs or the S.M.A.R.T. Method™ can visit www.smartcareerstoday.com to explore services and book a consultation.

About SmartCareersToday and Indira Banerjee

SmartCareersToday is a North America-based career strategy and career coaching firm dedicated to helping professionals redefine their career paths through clarity, strategy, and authentic storytelling. Founded by Indira Banerjee, a multi-certified career professional and the creator of the S.M.A.R.T. Method™, the company provides full-spectrum services including resume and cover letter writing, LinkedIn profile optimization, interview preparation, and AI-powered networking support. The company's client base includes professionals at various stages of their careers, those seeking to pivot industries, reenter the workforce, or advance into senior leadership roles.

With a background spanning recruitment and executive coaching, Banerjee combines analytical precision with creative storytelling to help clients articulate their leadership value.

SmartCareersToday's mission is to empower professionals to take charge of their career narratives - one smart, strategic step at a time.

To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit:

https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/12182/283353_85360cbad4d5abcd_00 ...

Source: SmartCareersToday

To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/283353 more

Career development

 1d

Printer-Friendly Resume Page Development


I need a front-end developer who can code a résumé page that reads elegantly on screen yet prints perfectly on a single or double sheet. The page will contain multiple sections -- Personal Information, Work Experience, Education -- and should be flexible enough for me to add or hide others later without breaking the layout. Key expectations * Modern, semantic HTML and clean, maintainable CSS. *... Dedicated print-style rules: @media print queries, controlled page breaks, margin handling, and type adjustments so nothing gets chopped or leaves widows/orphans. * Responsive web view that stays visually consistent across major browsers. * No JavaScript * A short README explaining build steps or dependencies. When you reply, include links to any résumé or similarly structured profile pages you've built before and note which parts of the print optimisation you handled. I'm ready to start as soon as I see work that proves you're comfortable with both screen and paper. more

Career development

 1d

Skills-Based Hiring: A Practical Guide for HR


Skills-based hiring is becoming important as job titles, career paths, and credentials no longer reliably predict performance. Traditional recruitment, which is often built around degrees, years of experience, and past job titles, is struggling to keep pace with the rapid evolution of skills and business models.

Many companies reported significant benefits from this shift: clearer hiring... decisions, reaching more candidates, and stronger alignment between people's capabilities and business outcomes. In practice, organizations apply skills-based hiring techniques across the entire employee selection process, most often during interviewing (87%) and screening (65%). They also create competency-based job descriptions (81%) and interview rubrics (58%).

This article explores why skills-based hiring matters now and provides a practical guide for HR and talent acquisition leaders to implement it responsibly and at scale.

Contents

What is skills-based hiring?

Why skills-based hiring matters now

Benefits of skills-based hiring

8-step skills-based hiring guide

Skills-based hiring best practices

Skills-based hiring is a hiring approach that evaluates candidates based on demonstrated skills and competencies required for the job, rather than on proxies such as degrees, pedigree, prior titles, or years of experience. Put simply, organizations design the hiring process around the skills needed to deliver business outcomes.

This approach to hiring is defined by:

Instead of relying on vague traits commonly listed on résumés (good communication skills, problem-solving, team player), recruiters use skills assessment tools to surface observable abilities such as "build an SQL query," "run a structured interview," or "manage a vendor budget."

Skills-based hiring does not mean:

Many organizations face unprecedented skills shortages due to automation, digital transformation, and ever-changing business needs. To address this, they have adopted a skills-based mindset to compete, adapt, and innovate.

Defining work in terms of tasks and associated skills gives them a more flexible and accurate way to match people to outcomes. It also allows them to redeploy employees internally based on where their skills are most needed.

In such skills-based organizations, workforce planning becomes more data-driven, performance and rewards center on demonstrated skills and outcomes, and learning & development is geared towards building strategic competencies, not just training for roles.

Skills-based hiring contributes to organizational goals by removing traditional educational requirements to hire people who can do the 'actual' work. As shifting labor markets, business needs, and candidate expectations converge, this approach helps organizations build workforces that are more adaptable, inclusive, and aligned with real performance requirements.

Here's why businesses are adopting skills-based hiring practices:

Skills-based hiring offers a broader range of benefits beyond recruitment, shaping future business decisions:

In a skills-based hiring process, candidates prove their capability with work samples, assessments, and structured interviews. That way, new hires meet the job's demands from the get-go. It cuts performance risk and ramp-up time. Kelly reported that companies using skills-based hiring cut mis-hires by 88% by evaluating what candidates can actually do, not just what's on their résumé.

Skills-based hiring applies fewer unnecessary degree filters, resulting in better access to non-traditional candidates. By removing educational barriers, you can build a more diverse pool of candidates who may be just as capable as degree-qualified peers.

Clearer job requirements reduce back-and-forth and late-stage misalignment. Once skill criteria are standardized, recruiters and hiring managers spend less time debating fit and more time evaluating the skills required to perform the role. Kelly also found that skills-based approaches save employers $7,800-$22,500 per role by catching mismatches early and shortening recruitment cycles.

Structured, skills-led criteria reduce "gut feel" bias. Using structured interviews and skill assessment tools creates a shared standard for evaluating candidates across roles and teams.

Employees can move within the organization based on skill match, not job title history. Clear skills visibility makes it easier to identify internal talent for new roles, projects, or stretch assignments. This makes promotion decisions more objective by focusing on performance rather than tenure or visibility.

Skills data helps forecast gaps and training needs. By aggregating skills data across roles and teams, HR can anticipate scarce capabilities and align hiring and L&D investments with future demand.

Better role fit reduces early turnover. When you know what to expect from new hires, you are more likely to decrease employee dissatisfaction and turnover rate. According to TestGorilla, 65% of employers found that candidates hired through talent assessment stay longer in the role.

Implementing skills-based hiring requires a shift in how organizations think about talent, performance, and potential. Prioritizing demonstrated capability over job titles and credentials changes how teams scope roles, evaluate skills, and connect hiring decisions to real business needs.

This eight-step skills-based hiring guide translates that shift into practical actions HR and talent acquisition teams can apply across the hiring process.

Piloting a skills-based recruiting program allows you to identify bottlenecks without overloading the hiring teams or disrupting the entire organization.

Start where success is measurable, and requirements are skill-heavy (e.g., customer support, sales development, analysts, IT support). At the beginning, avoid roles with less well-defined outputs and complex success criteria unless there's urgency. Establish KPIs to track, such as quality of hire, time to hire, and new hire turnover rates.

Once you have the pilot results, compare them with traditional hiring methods to assess the effectiveness of the skills-focused approach.

Within the organization, align on a shared skills taxonomy so the same skill means the same thing across roles and teams. Define skill categories, names, descriptions, proficiency levels, and observable indicators in plain language. Document them in a central reference so everyone can access them.

This prevents duplication, reduces confusion during hiring, and ensures skills data can be reused for assessments, learning pathways, and internal mobility, not just recruitment.

Separate must-haves from nice-to-haves. Must-haves are the essential competencies a candidate should possess to do the job effectively. Nice-to-haves are valuable additions that enhance a candidate but aren't considered deal-breakers.

Skills should include technical skills, soft skills (behavior-based), and role-specific knowledge. You should also define required proficiency levels. The skills you define should be observable, or the candidate must display behaviors that validate the respective skill level.

For example, for a data analyst role, the must-have skills are SQL (working level), data interpretation, and stakeholder communication, while treating tools like Python or Tableau as learnable, not gatekeeping requirements.

When writing job descriptions and job posts, replace degree or years of experience with skill requirements and measurable outcomes. Add a 'how you'll be evaluated' section, explaining that candidates will do assessments, structured interviews, or be asked to provide work samples.

Connecting skills to outcomes enables HR and talent acquisition teams to confidently prioritize candidates who will help the company achieve its objectives.

Instead of listing "problem-solving" on the job description, write down "resolve customer issues accurately within SLA while maintaining high customer satisfaction".

Train the recruiting team and hiring managers to assess skills using evidence (work samples, assessments, and structured interviews), rather than relying on résumés, credentials, or past job titles.

For example, you can run a short calibration workshop within the hiring team. In this workshop:

Continue by creating a scoring process before sourcing begins. Before opening a role, HR/Talent Acquisition and the hiring manager should agree on what will be evaluated and how it will be scored before any résumés are reviewed.

Design a skills-based hiring guide on avoiding bias during the selection process, focusing on how decisions are made and interview guidance. Document final decisions, including which skills influenced the outcome.

Screen for evidence of skills: portfolios, projects, certifications, quantified results, case narratives. Evidence shows that a candidate not only listed skills but also actively applied them to produce results. It's also effective in predicting their future performance based on their past accomplishments.

For example, when screening for an entry-level UX role, recruiters may agree to treat portfolio work, community projects, or documented design challenges as valid signals of skill. Candidates who demonstrate these signals progress in the process, regardless of where the experience was gained.

You can also use knock-out questions based on true must-have skills (sparingly). These types of questions focus on whether the applicant has the necessary license, technical proficiency, or legal requirements for employment.

Use work samples, case tasks, simulations, or skills tests that match the role. These assessments allow candidates to demonstrate their actual ability to perform job-specific tasks in a real-world or simulated environment.

Use structured interviews with consistent questions and scoring rubrics. Ask scenario-based questions to assess problem-solving skills. To evaluate communication and collaboration skills, ask behavioral questions. Each skill should be scored on a pre-defined scale.

For example, when hiring for a business development position, every candidate answers the same 6 questions (objection handling, call structure, prioritization). Interviewers score each answer on a 1-5 rubric tied to outcomes (e.g., "can progress a skeptical prospect to the next step"). This ensures candidates are evaluated against the same criteria from the start, rather than being compared subjectively.

Track quality of hire signals (new hire performance, ramp time, retention), pass-through rates, and candidate experience. These metrics define whether the recruitment process is successful or needs improvement.

Improve the skill definitions, assessments, and scorecards before expanding to more roles. This helps ensure candidates are accurately assessed for roles critical to achieving business goals.

Skills-based hiring works best when organizations apply it consistently and with clear intent. The following best practices highlight how HR and talent acquisition teams can design skills-based hiring approaches that are practical, fair, and aligned with real business needs.

Work samples simulate real job tasks and give proof of how candidates perform under realistic conditions.

For instance, for a customer success specialist role, candidates complete a 30-minute ticket-resolution simulation. Recruiter scores them with a rubric tied to SLA adherence and empathy indicators.

Evidence rules explicitly define what counts as valid proof of skill or capability in the hiring process, such as work samples, structured interview responses, or task-based assessments.

Without these rules in place, hiring decisions often default to familiarity or intuition. Interviewers may unconsciously favor candidates who share the same background or attended the same school rather than their work samples or interview responses.

When hiring is based on explicitly defined skills, organizations gain a clearer view of the capabilities they already have. This makes it easier to identify internal employees whose skills match open roles, reducing unnecessary external hiring and shortening time to fill.

Using the same skills framework for both hiring and internal movement helps create consistency across talent decisions.

Skills-based hiring shifts the recruitment process from titles, degrees, and tenure to evidence of actual capabilities tied to results. Clear skill definitions, structured evaluation, and documented evidence make hiring fair, repeatable, and defensible. It should be built systematically so it doesn't collapse back into subjective judgment.

Skills-based hiring becomes valuable when it connects to internal mobility, learning, and workforce planning. It's important to start small, standardize early, and refine continuously to build momentum without overwhelming teams. Skills-based hiring sets clearer expectations and supports more confident, evidence-based business decisions. more

Career development

 1d

6 Questions To Ask In Your Next Job Interview


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Career development

 1d

Executive Profile PowerPoint Deck


I need a sharp, executive-ready PowerPoint that tells one clear story: how my experience and achievements align with the posted role and its key deliverables. I will supply a predefined company template, my résumé highlights, and the official job description. Your task is to merge these pieces into a cohesive, professionally toned deck suitable for senior-level presentation. What matters most is... clarity, concise messaging, and slide design that respects the brand guidelines embedded in the template. Expect to handle slide structuring, headline writing, data or metric call-outs where relevant, and light visual enhancement -- all while keeping the file fully editable in PowerPoint. The final deliverable is a polished .pptx file. I would like one draft for comments, followed by a refined version ready for the executive meeting. more

Career development

 1d

Comprehensive Career Planning Guidance


I'm a job seeker ready to make a decisive move in my career and I want a seasoned career counselor to partner with me in mapping out the way forward. The core of the engagement is career planning -- no résumé polishing or interview drills right now -- just a clear, research-backed strategy that aligns my abilities with realistic, rewarding paths. Here's what I need from you: help me explore and... compare potential career directions, give me an objective assessment of the skills I already have, identify gaps I must close, and translate all of that into concrete short- and long-term goals. If you normally rely on recognized tools such as StrengthsFinder, MBTI, Holland Codes, or labor-market platforms like O*NET or LinkedIn Talent Insights, feel free to build them into your process. The more data-driven and actionable the insights, the better. I prefer virtual sessions (video is fine) plus shared documents I can revisit between meetings. By the end, I expect a concise written roadmap that includes: * 3-5 viable career paths ranked by fit and market demand * a skills inventory with gap analysis and suggested upskilling resources * a 90-day action plan with measurable milestones If that scope matches your expertise and you have a track record of guiding job seekers into well-matched roles, let's talk timelines and your collaborative approach. more

Career development

 1d

8 Common interview mistakes and how to avoid them


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

At the end of the interview the hiring manager will always ask if you have any questions. Surprisingly, the most common answer to this question is no. This is a missed opportunity to find out more about the company and to highlight your interest in the position and reinforces your suitability as a candidate. Ask questions related to the job, the company and the industry. Don't ask questions that you should have covered in your research! more
10   

Career development

 1d

New Job Acquisition Career Support


Securing a role that truly reflects my skills and aspirations is the professional achievement I'm concentrating on right now. The focus is career advancement -- more precisely, new job acquisition -- so I need my professional story shaped into a compelling package that catches both applicant-tracking systems and human eyes. I will share my current résumé, previous cover letters, and LinkedIn URL.... From there, the deliverables are: * A revamped, ATS-ready résumé tailored to the positions we identify * One adaptable cover-letter template plus a customised version for a specific posting I supply * An optimised LinkedIn profile: headline, summary, skills, and keyword guidance * A concise action plan outlining priority job boards, networking tactics, and interview prep pointers The project is finished when the documents arrive in editable Word format, the LinkedIn copy is ready to paste, and the action plan provides clear, next-step instructions I can act on immediately. Clarity, persuasive language, and professional tone are essential throughout. more

Career development

 1d

Laid off 3 weeks ago, employee gets no interview calls - wonders if his resume is the problem, gets useful advice


Job search tips after layoff explained: A digital marketing professional, facing their third layoff in three years, is struggling to secure job interviews, suspecting their resume is being filtered by Applicant Tracking Systems. Despite tailoring applications and direct outreach, responses are minimal, prompting concerns about ATS effectiveness and employer silence.

Job search tips after layoff:... Laid off three weeks ago, a digital marketing professional is struggling to get any responses from job applications, raising concerns about whether their resume is being filtered out by applicant tracking systems (ATS), as shared by a user on social media platform Reddit. This marks the third layoff in three years for the individual, who had previously secured interviews quickly after past layoffs.

Since September, the user has applied widely but seen almost no traction, only three interviews in October. One company ghosted, another was withdrawn after the initial screen, and the third involved five rounds before ending with a rejection, as per a post shared in a subreddit community r/Layoffs.

In his most recent effort, the employee applied to a LinkedIn posting and commented on the hiring manager's post. The manager viewed the profile, but a rejection email arrived within 24 hours despite resume adjustments.

The user said, "well last week I came across a post on LinkedIn from a hiring manager about a job I thought would be a great fit. I immediately applied and then commented on her post. She looked at my LinkedIn profile but then within 24 hours, I got a rejection email. And I made sure to tweak my resume for that job," as per the Reddit post.

Also read: Why Anthropic's Claude Cowork sparked $300 billion tech market sell-off this month - see which sectors are winning and losing amid AI boom

The employee wondered if silence from employers signals automatic filtering by ATS systems or if a lack of response within a week essentially means a rejection. The user wrote, "Should I assume my resumes aren't making it through the ATS? Or that if I haven't heard back within a week that it's a no?"

Financially, he can sustain himself for six months and possibly over a year but expressed concern about waiting too long and being forced to accept a lower-paying role.

Reddit commenters offered advice and shared their personal experiences. Many noted that getting no response is common in today's competitive job market and often reflects automated systems or overwhelmed hiring teams rather than the applicant's qualifications.

Users recommended strategies such as networking, asking for referrals, and carefully tailoring resumes to job descriptions. Some suggested working with resume specialists to increase the chances of passing ATS scans. Others encouraged applying to slightly lower-paying roles strategically, rather than taking a significant pay cut out of desperation.

Also read: Spotify stock plunges after KeyBanc cuts SPOT stock price target - here's what investors need to know ahead of earnings tomorrow

One user recommended that the "Only thing that's worked for me is treating volume differently from targeted apps. Volume = spray and pray, don't expect responses. Targeted = research the company, tailor resume, maybe find someone to refer you. Only the targeted ones get responses these days."

Another advised, "The market's rough, but if you're not even getting rejection emails, something might be off with your resume or how it's getting through the ATS. I had the same issue: applied a ton, zero responses. After working with a resume expert and cleaning it up, I started hearing back," adding, "Before taking a big pay cut, I'd fix the resume first and see if that changes things."

What is an ATS?

An Applicant Tracking System automatically screens resumes before a human recruiter sees them.

Does commenting on LinkedIn posts help?

It can help visibility, but results are not guaranteed.

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Jimmie Opakovsky


Career development 3d
I’ve been working at a karaoke bar for a couple of weeks, and honestly, drunk people are driving me nuts. They can’t sing or carry a tune, but they still scream through songs and ruin them. Every day it’s getting worse. Do you think I’ll ever get used to it, or should I just quit and find something else?

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  • David Beal

    1d

    I'm not working these days but I am a karaoke host. Your experience is pretty much the norm. As a host I try to mix up my singers so that patrons... don't have to hear one really bad singer after another. I also tell my singers if they scream they be taken off the roster. It's really hard on the mics. If the host is not doing these things then they're not a very good host. Good hosts attract good singers. If the bar is marriedvtonthis host, it's not going to change. You can get accustom tonit a little. But I'd be looking for another bar. more

    3

  • Joe Twizerimana

    1d

    First of all know that the customers are your boss if you don't like them quit or tell them not to comeback. That's karaoke bro!!!

    1
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Career development

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Latest NET rankings: Tighten at the top as massive week looms in college basketball


The newest update to the NCAA men's basketball NET rankings, released through games played on February 8, does not crown a runaway No. 1. Instead, it confirms just how narrow the margin has become at the top of the sport as February ramps up and résumés begin to separate on fine details rather than clear dominance.

Michigan currently sits at No. 1, but that position comes more from volume than... separation. The Wolverines and Arizona are tied in Quad 1 wins, and the difference in the rankings largely comes down to Michigan owning more Quad 2 victories. It's a technical edge, not a definitive one, and it underscores how fluid the top tier remains entering a week packed with résumé-defining opportunities.

Arizona's unbeaten record still carries weight, but the Wildcats now head into one of their most important tests of the season with a road trip to Kansas on Monday night. That game alone could reshape the top of the NET, particularly with both teams firmly entrenched in Quad 1 territory.

Michigan's resume remains strong, but it is not airtight. The Wolverines have done an excellent job avoiding damaging losses and stacking wins in the Quad 2 range, which continues to buoy their overall profile. Still, with Arizona matching them in Quad 1 success and remaining undefeated, the gap is more procedural than persuasive.

That's why Arizona at Kansas matters so much. A road win at Allen Fieldhouse would not just reinforce Arizona's status as the nation's last unbeaten team, it would almost certainly swing the balance at the top of the NET. On the flip side, Kansas has an opportunity to add one of the most valuable wins available anywhere in the country, regardless of what happens in the standings afterward.

The Big Ten continues to show its depth inside the top 40, and one of the most intriguing matchups of the week comes Tuesday night when Purdue travels to Nebraska. Both teams sit comfortably inside the NET's upper tier, and both have built résumés around efficiency and home dominance.

For Purdue, this game represents another chance to prove it can win consistently away from Mackey Arena against tournament-level opponents. Nebraska, meanwhile, has turned road competitiveness and strong defensive numbers into one of the league's most impressive profiles. A win over Purdue would only reinforce the Cornhuskers' growing case as more than just a nice story.

Saturday's showdown between Clemson and Duke is another game with real NET consequences. Duke remains safely inside the top 10, but Clemson has quietly climbed into the top 30 by pairing strong conference play with a résumé that avoids bad losses.

A road win at Duke would be Clemson's most impactful result of the season and could push the Tigers into an entirely different tier of at-large security. For Duke, the task is about protecting home court and maintaining separation from the crowded pack behind the top eight.

The Big 12 continues to look unforgiving, with Iowa State, Houston, Kansas, BYU, and Texas Tech all carrying multiple Quad 1 opportunities every week. Losses in that league rarely cripple a rsume, but wins still matter, especially away from home.

The SEC's middle class remains crowded, with Florida, Vanderbilt, Tennessee, Alabama, Kentucky, and Arkansas all inside the top 30. These teams are benefiting from frequent Quad 1 chances and strong home records, even as road inconsistency keeps them tightly bunched.

In the ACC, beyond Duke and Virginia, positioning remains volatile. Louisville's rise into the top 20 is notable, while North Carolina's spotless home record continues to anchor its résumé despite uneven road results.

Saint Louis continues to be the standard-bearer among mid-majors inside the top 15, while Gonzaga and Saint Mary's remain locked together atop the West Coast Conference. Utah State's placement inside the top 25 reflects both consistency and an ability to avoid damaging losses, which remains critical for teams outside the power leagues.

At this stage of the season, the NET is no longer about projection. It's about proof. And this coming week offers several teams the chance to provide it. more