James Petchett


Career development 11m
Hi! I recently became the manager of the courier department and everything has been going well. But last week we hired a new courier and he keeps coming to work with his dad. His father tries to get involved in everything and control the work process. I understand he cares about his son, but it’s starting to bother me. How can I politely tell him not to come to our office anymore and not to stick... his nose into our work? Thanks more

cyusa shawn
Career development 4d
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
1   

  • Kelvin Mulembe

    2
    7h

    Focusing on the mistakes starts on the wrong page. "Youngest successful tech entrepreneur" sounds like an ego adventure rather than an innovative... idea. Your idea must attempt to solve a problem, improve something, or meet a need. Otherwise, find a job and climb the ladder.  more

    2

  • Tawny King

    1
    19h

    I do not know the tech industry but what I can say generally speaking which I could have benefitted from when I started my cleaning services is....1.... do your research and know the industry you are entering 2. look up competition 3. Get a mentor  more

    1
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Career development

 9h

Agentic AI In IT Staffing: 52% Of Execs Are Already Deploying -- Is Your Team Ready?


Agentic AI In IT Staffing: 52% Of Execs Are Already Deploying -- Is Your Team Ready?

Originally published at PamTen Blog

The AI Agent Tipping Point

Something shifted in Q1 2026 that most companies haven't fully processed yet.

According to data published by leading enterprise research firms this spring, 52% of executives are already deploying agentic AI tools in some part of their operations.... Not piloting. Not evaluating. Deploying. That number was 18% eighteen months ago.

The companies in the other 48%? Some are planning carefully. But a lot of them are just slow -- and in a market where AI-fluent engineers are already scarce, slow has a cost.

Agentic AI isn't the ChatGPT moment people got excited about in 2023. It's quieter and, frankly, more disruptive. These systems don't just answer questions. They execute tasks, make decisions within defined parameters, and loop back when they need human input. In IT staffing, that means a recruiting tool that doesn't just surface candidates -- it reaches out to them, schedules screens, and flags anomalies in résumé patterns without anyone clicking a button.

Your teams are operating in an environment that's being reorganized around this shift. The question isn't whether to engage with it. It's whether you're building the team that can work alongside it.

What 'Agentic AI' Actually Means for IT Teams

The term is getting muddied fast, so let's be specific.

An AI agent is a system that can take a goal, break it into steps, execute those steps using available tools, and adjust its approach based on what it encounters -- without a human scripting every move. It's not a chatbot. It's not an autocomplete. It's closer to a junior employee who can be handed a project and trusted to run it to a defined checkpoint.

For IT teams, this shows up in a few concrete ways: automated code review pipelines that flag issues before they reach a human reviewer, infrastructure monitoring agents that detect anomalies and open remediation tickets, and data pipeline managers that self-correct when upstream data quality drops.

None of this eliminates the engineers. What changes is what those engineers spend their time on. The engineers who thrive are the ones who understand how to configure, supervise, and course-correct these systems -- not the ones who are doing the repetitive work the agents now handle.

The 52% Statistic Unpacked -- What Early Adopters Are Doing

Early deployers aren't necessarily the biggest companies. Some of the most aggressive adopters are mid-market firms in financial services and healthcare IT -- industries where compliance pressure creates an enormous appetite for reliable process automation.

What they're actually building: AI agents that handle tier-1 IT support tickets (resolving up to 60% without human escalation in the best implementations), agents that manage vendor invoice reconciliation, and agents embedded in CI/CD pipelines that run pre-deployment compliance checks.

The pattern across all of them is the same. They started with one high-volume, low-stakes process. Got it working. Built the internal knowledge to manage it. Then expanded. Nobody went from zero to full agentic operations overnight.

The companies getting this right aren't the ones who bought the most expensive AI platform. They're the ones who hired two or three people who genuinely understood how to configure and oversee these systems.

New Roles Emerging: AI Workflow Architect, AI Ops Lead, Prompt Engineer

Three titles that barely existed 18 months ago are now among the most searched in enterprise IT hiring.

The AI Workflow Architect designs the task decomposition logic -- deciding what a multi-agent system should handle autonomously versus escalate to humans and building the feedback loops that keep the system from drifting. It's a blend of systems engineering, process design, and risk thinking.

The AI Ops Lead is operationally focused. They monitor agent performance, manage the tooling layer, and own the relationship between the AI systems and the human teams working alongside them. Think of it like a DevOps role, but the system being managed is agentic.

Prompt Engineers -- the title that got a lot of hype early -- are evolving into something more sophisticated. The best ones now write structured workflows and evaluation frameworks, not just better prompts. The skill ceiling is much higher than the job title suggests.

These roles don't exist in large numbers yet. That's exactly why companies that need them are struggling to find them through generalist recruiters who've never seen the role before.

How to Hire for AI-augmented Teams Today

Stop writing job descriptions that ask for 5 years of experience in tools that are 2 years old. It signals to strong candidates that you don't understand what you're hiring for.

What actually matters: demonstrated work with production of AI systems (not research, not demos), comfort with ambiguity at the system level, and the ability to evaluate AI outputs critically rather than accept them uncritically.

Practically, this means asking candidates to walk through a project where they built or managed an AI-assisted workflow. What were the failure modes? How did they detect them? What would they do differently? These questions surface real experience instantly. Candidates who've actually done the work answer differently than those who've read about it.

Skills-based screening matters more here than anywhere. There's no standard credential yet. The people who have genuinely built in this space often have nontraditional backgrounds -- philosophy majors who learned to code, infrastructure engineers who got deep into ML systems, product managers who built AI evaluation frameworks. Degree-first filtering will cost you the best candidates.

PamTen's Approach to AI-fluent Talent Matching

PamTen screens for AI fluency as a core competency in every technical role, not a specialization filter. That means evaluating prompt engineering awareness, hands-on experience with AI-assisted tooling, and the ability to work in workflows where AI and human judgment share the decision-making space.

Our recruiting team works from a 200,000+ contact network built over 15 years -- and increasingly, the candidates we're placing in AI-adjacent roles came through our existing relationships, not job board applications. The engineers building real things with agentic systems aren't browsing job boards. They're heads-down in their work.

For clients starting to build out AI-capable teams: brief us on your technology roadmap, not just your open headcount. Knowing that you're moving toward autonomous infrastructure monitoring in Q3 tells us which relationships to activate in Q2.

The Bottom Line

52% of executives deploying agentic AI in 2026 isn't a trend story. It's a workforce restructuring in progress. The roles it creates are real, the skill sets are identifiable, and the companies that staff for this reality now will have a meaningful advantage over those that treat it as a 2027 problem.

Your team is either building the capability to work alongside these systems, or it isn't. There's not much middle ground left.

Ready to build an AI-fluent IT team? Talk to PamTen's specialist recruiters -- pamten.com or 888-344-9837. more

Career development

 10h

Apply To Mid-Level SCM Roles


My profile is ready, my résumé is polished, and I now need consistent, strategic applications sent to the right openings. Your job is to identify fresh mid-level Supply Chain Management positions -- specifically in Demand Planning, Logistics Management, and Procurement -- within reputable Indian companies, then apply on my behalf through LinkedIn as well as leading Indian job portals such as... Naukri, Indeed, or Monster. You will log into my accounts (secure access will be arranged) and tailor each application to match the stated requirements, drawing on keywords from the job description and the strengths already highlighted in my résumé. Whenever a platform allows or requires a cover message, adapt my existing template so it feels personal and role-specific; no generic blasts, please. Deliverables I expect each week * A minimum target number of quality applications submitted, agreed in advance. * A tracker (Google Sheet) capturing company name, role title, portal used, date applied, and any follow-up actions required. * Copies of customised cover notes or screening question responses you used. Acceptance criteria * All roles must clearly state mid-level seniority. * Each position must fall under Demand Planning, Logistics Management, or Procurement. * Applications must be completed in full with no missing mandatory fields. * Tracker kept up to date within 24 hours of each submission. Timely communication, respect for confidentiality, and an eye for matching my skills to the right job description will be key to our success. If this fits your expertise, I'm ready to start right away. more

Career development

 11h

Celebrating Four Class Acts


BusinessWest launched its 40 Under Forty program in 2007 to recognize the rising stars in the 413. It's become an immensely popular initiative that has created a somewhat exclusive club, if you will, one that now boasts 800 members.

That's a big number, and something to bear in mind when considering a spinoff from that original program, something we call the Alumni Achievement Award, which, as... that name suggests, recognizes 40 Under Forty winners who have continued to build on their résumés, both professionally and with their work in the community.

This is a far more exclusive club and, in many ways, a more notable achievement, just because of those numbers.

Which brings us to our latest AAA competition, presented by Baystate Health/Health New England. There can be only one winner -- and he or she will be announced at the 40 Under Forty gala on June 11. But we celebrate our finalists because it's an honor just to be in that group. And their accomplishments provide us with a great opportunity to tell more stories about individuals who continue to excel and find new ways to give back and make a difference.

Each of our finalists has a unique story, but there are common denominators, especially a commitment to this region and using their talents to improve quality of life here. Each story is compelling, and each finalist is certainly worthy of being the next AAA winner:

* Jim Krupienski, part of the 40 Under Forty class of 2010 and a finalist for the AAA in 2025, has risen to the rank of partner at the accounting firm Meyers Brothers Kalicka, where he is a real leader and mentor to many young people entering the field. And he gives back to the community in many ways, whether it's through his own work with the Westfield State Foundation or the Westfield YMCA, or the way he encourages the firm to support agencies ranging from the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts to Habitat for Humanity.

* When Modesto Montero-Forman entered the 40 Under Forty class of 2020, he had been leading the middle school he founded for three years. Now, Libertas Academy serves grades 6-12 -- around 600 students in all -- and graduated its first class of high-school seniors last year. He has also shepherded the school to a new, larger location, where it has been able to expand its educational and enrichment offerings, while overseeing some of the most impressive math and language arts performances in the state.

* Adam Quenneville launched his roofing enterprise, known today as Adam Quenneville Roofing & Siding, 31 years ago, and he was honored for that success with inclusion in the 40 Under Forty class of 2009. But not only has he continued to expand his client base -- growing revenues by 500% over the past 17 years -- but the company has also become well-known for its philanthropic endeavors, gifting roofs to numerous area nonprofits and donating free roofs annually to veterans, first responders, and teachers.

* It took Ciara Speller only three years since being honored in the 40 Under Forty class of 2023 for her success as evening anchor at WWLP-22 News. And it's not hard to see why. Since that time, she has turned a personal tragedy -- the death of her father to a rare form of cancer -- into the Jeffrey Speller Foundation '4 Change,' which raises tens of thousands of dollars every year to help young people participate in golf. Ciara's father believed in the power of the sport to connect people and improve lives, and she is certainly seeing his vision to fruition.

As noted earlier, all four are worthy of the AAA award, and all four should be celebrated for all they've done, and all they continue to do in -- and for -- this region. more

Career development

 13h

Download share of top job searching apps U.S.


During the first half of 2022, ****** was the most downloaded job-searching and professional app among users in the United States, followed by social media ********. In 2021, ****** accounted for over ** percent of downloads, while *********gathered ** percent of downloads from U.S. users in the same year. Freelancing platform ****** accounted for ** percent of downloads of job searching apps in... 2021, up from ***** percent registered in 2020. more

Career development

 14h

Young Australians wary of AI despite strong skills


Research by Anyway, KPMG Australia and Microsoft found that 45% of young Australians say they have a strong understanding of artificial intelligence, but only 10% believe it will make it easier to get a job.

The survey of 1,029 Australians aged 15 to 24 points to a gap between growing familiarity with AI and confidence in using it at work.

That divide is most evident in job preparation. Only 34%... said they felt highly confident explaining their use of AI in a job interview, even as employers increasingly seek workers who can use the technology in day-to-day tasks.

AI use was far more common in education than in work-related settings. Some 41% of young people said they use AI regularly for assignments and learning, compared with 15% who use it for work or career development.

Schools and universities may be contributing to that disconnect. More than a quarter of respondents, 27%, said their institution actively discourages AI use, limiting opportunities to build practical experience relevant to early-career roles.

Will Stubley, co-founder and co-chief executive officer of Anyway, said the findings revealed a divide between experimentation and application.

"It's great to see so many young Aussies trying out AI, but what we're seeing is they're not always being supported to actually apply that in a career context. There's a bit of a gap between learning and doing," he said.

"If we can bridge that and give young people the tools and guidance to turn those skills into something practical, that's where the real opportunity is."

Job concerns

The findings also show widespread anxiety about AI's effect on work. Nearly half of those surveyed, 49%, said AI makes them worried about their future.

Most respondents expected AI to reduce employment rather than expand it. Some 63% said they believe AI will eliminate jobs, while 35% think it will create jobs in equal measure.

Two-thirds said AI is already helping them overcome challenges, suggesting young people see direct value in the tools even as they remain cautious about what the technology may mean for the labour market.

Stubley said that concern could persist without clearer support during the transition from education to work.

"Fear will continue to own the narrative around AI unless industry and government work together to create clear career pathways and guidance for students during the school-work transition," he said.

Usage divide

The report found that patterns of AI use differ sharply by career path. Young people pursuing technology and institutional careers recorded the highest levels of regular use, both at 45%.

That compared with 39% among those interested in people-centred roles and 33% among those pursuing practical careers. Creative and cultural pathways recorded the lowest regular use, at 17%.

Career direction was a stronger divider than gender, geography or socio-economic background, although those factors still mattered. Rates of rare or non-use stood at 47% in rural areas and 52% among young people from low socio-economic backgrounds, compared with 35% in higher socio-economic groups.

Microsoft said AI skills should not be limited to those planning careers in technology-related fields.

"AI skills development shouldn't be limited to young Australians pursuing tech-adjacent careers. It's important that everyone, regardless of where they live or the path they choose, has the opportunity to build these skills. We're all on this journey together, and everyone should have access to the AI advantage. AI capability will be valuable across the entire workforce and is highly transferable across roles and careers," said Tim Allen, elevate skills director at Microsoft Australia and New Zealand.

KPMG Australia said employers are already building AI into graduate recruitment and training.

"Demand for AI capability is accelerating across Australia, with employers rapidly integrating AI training into graduate programs. Students who are already leveraging AI to learn faster and work smarter are positioning themselves ahead of the curve. The real challenge now is ensuring young Australians recognise AI not just as a disruption, but as a generational opportunity to step confidently into the future workforce," said John Munnelly, chief digital officer at KPMG Australia. more

Career development

 16h

Graduate job coaches offering access to the 'unwritten rules' of recruitment


Some parents are paying high fees for career advisers even though the results are patchy

Steven Round hoped that by supporting his sons through school and university, "the job was done". However, seeing one struggle to find a job and another desperate to progress in his role, he decided to hire a coach to help them navigate the professional world.

"I didn't realise stuff like this existed," he... says.

Executive coaches have become an established part of corporate life in recent years. They offer counsel to senior leaders, helping them to decide on priorities and navigate the rungs of organisations. But a burgeoning niche is now appearing at the other end of the career ladder: graduate coaches who advise young people on how to choose the right job and help them spruce up their CVs, hone their job applications and network in a recruitment market that has become swamped by AI.

The idiosyncrasies of modern graduate job hunting were alien to Round - his last corporate roles came about through approaches from headhunters, and he came of age at a time when two "E" grades could grant admission to his college.

Despite his sons attending "good universities", he says, "it's tough." "There's been a real paradigm shift in the way people are recruited."

Graduate job searching has spawned a small industry of services offering job placements and coaching, with patchy results. One jobseeker told the FT they felt they were given a hard sell on a coaching service that included "technical training and career support" - for a monthly fee of £5,700 (€6,574).

Anne Clinton, director of careers at the London School of Economics and Political Science, says some advisers make "undeliverable promises of guaranteeing internships, particularly in highly sought-after businesses". They target "highly ambitious" students interested in banking and finance.

But in a marketplace where school and university fees run into tens of thousands of pounds, some parents see the cost of a graduate coach as worth it if it helps their offspring to break into working life.

At the top end, Graduate Coach, for example, offers a package that includes interview preparation and application support and costs £12,500, with an additional £6,000 when the applicant secures a paid job. It also provides cheaper, shorter services including one focused on writing a CV, cover letter and LinkedIn profile for £2,000.

[ AI is turning Ireland's graduate recruitment market upside downOpens in new window ]

Nonetheless, such costly services underline the competitive advantages afforded to jobseekers who can get additional help, typically paid for by parents, says Lee Elliot Major, professor of social mobility at the University of Exeter.

"We tend to think of recruitment as a test of ability, but in practice, it is often a test of cultural fluency, knowing how to signal 'fit'." Coaches, he says, sell "access to the unwritten rules of the system: how to present yourself, how to network, how to approach interviews".

Trudy Morrice decided to pay for help for her son after watching his confidence fade as he made application after application, only to be ghosted by employers. "They've been to university and have a massive debt rocketing up. You can see them think, 'Maybe I won't get a graduate job.' As a parent, it's really distressing."

Georgie Blackburn, a graduate coach, says such anxiety is not unusual as "the sheer competitiveness of the graduate and entry-level job market" can mean "clients applying for often hundreds of jobs and not getting through to the interview stage".

AI is exacerbating the situation by enabling candidates to submit more applications. In turn, recruiters are using algorithms to screen applicants. "Graduates feel a real sense of helplessness as a human rarely reads their application," says Blackburn. "They rarely hear back from applications, so it feels impossible for many to navigate and to improve."

AI-driven video interviews mean graduates can no longer even rely on an interviewer's facial expressions for feedback. For graduates whose education was punctuated by stints of online schooling during the pandemic, this lack of interaction can be particularly dispiriting.

[ 'People like dealing with people': Reed boss on the challenge of AI in hiringOpens in new window ]

Chris Davies, founder of Graduate Coach, says the "principal change" in the 15 years he has been in this sector is that "now nobody wants to hire a graduate without relevant experience".

Advisers encourage graduates to consider less mainstream opportunities than large graduate programmes, and to overhaul their CVs to incorporate AI keywords and create LinkedIn profiles.

Morrice says that when Davies helped her son, the first step was to make sure his CV was compliant with AI, break down extracurricular undergraduate activities and recast them as skills and experience. "You have to spell it out and make it easy for them to fill out their scoring system."

Together with his coach, he rehearsed interview techniques, eventually finding a role that suited his engineering degree.

Chloë Garland works with graduates even before the job-hunting stage, helping them find a vocation they want rather than conforming to parental expectations or being swayed by their peers.

"When a young person is looking for a career, they open their laptop, scroll through LinkedIn and Indeed, find something that they could do based on their degree and might get stuck in that for 10 years. I sometimes get them to slow down," she says. "On the other end of the scale, I get people in their late 20s or 30s stuck in finance who tell me they write poetry and are really creative. Figuring out what you want to do takes time."

Graduates have grappled with how to find a suitable career for decades but the context has changed, she says. AI has increased uncertainty, while social media has fuelled "hyper comparison" among peers, which can make graduates "shrink and feel less confident".

Too often, decisions are made out of fear rather than curiosity, she adds. "They feel they are running out of time. There's still this myth that we're going to have one career for life. The pressure to figure this out at 18 is extreme."

One employer describes a "cottage industry out there" feeding on graduate anxieties. "You shouldn't need to pay money to be successful." Instead, they advise job hunters to use resources on employers' websites and find opportunities to develop leadership, communication and organisation skills.

For those who cannot or do not want to pay for additional help, experts stress the importance of university careers advisers. Some, such as those at King's College London, have created software to help candidates game the AI algorithms. Some social mobility charities and social enterprises offer mentoring.

Blackburn recommends that students consider building experience throughout their time at university. "Aiming for internships, work experience or volunteering in a field that's relevant to their career interests is extremely important. Having a great degree isn't enough." Some parents hire her while their child is an undergraduate "to help them get the best start, or to gain support with internships".

Davies rejects stereotypes of pushy parents and recognises the challenge of steering their children through the modern graduate jobs market. "Many of the people I coach, their parents are graduates themselves [who] got jobs when there weren't that many. [They] went to university, and in banking, law, got jobs through introductions. That has all gone. There's a parental approach of, 'blimey, what are we supposed to do?'"

Georgy Petrov, director of skills and employability at Queen Mary University of London, says coaching can "undoubtedly be valuable ... but it cannot fully compensate for wider economic pressures facing young people."

Still, it worked for Round's sons. "But it's expensive," he acknowledges. "It's like sending your kids to private school; it gives you a set of advantages." - Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2026 more

Career development

 16h

Rebuilding confidence and navigating the job hunt


NABS offers practical advice on how to build your confidence, look after yourself, and deal with the practicalities of job-hunting post-redundancy.

Redundancy can severely knock your confidence - even if (in fact - especially if) you're a longstanding adlander with an established career to be proud of.

These feelings are often intensified when you're made redundant after a number of years at one... company. Your feelings of success and security can be shattered in far less time than it took to build them up.

Having to turn your mind to the important matter of a job hunt when your confidence is low is no mean feat.

If you've spent years building your reputation in one place, suddenly having to sell yourself can feel very uncomfortable. In a tough market, this can feel even more challenging. On the NABS Advice Line, we often speak to people who haven't had to look at their CV for years. Suddenly, with redundancy landing on them, these people find themselves launched into an active job search.

So, how best to build up your confidence, look after yourself and deal with the practicalities of job-hunting post-redundancy?

First of all, an uncomfortable truth

The most common issue reported to us by jobhunters is ghosting. Not just reserved for dating apps, ghosting has become the norm throughout the job-hunting process. Rejection is one thing, but silence is another, especially when it happens after completing successful applications and interviews. To hear nothing back but silence can be exhausting and upsetting, and it takes its toll.

Being on the receiving end of silence can make you doubt yourself: your relevance, your ability, your work identity. It can mess with your mind , too. One person we supported told us how emotionally draining it felt to sit at their laptop, refreshing their inbox in the hope of a response after one particular interview.

What helped this jobseeker wasn't doing more applications but stepping away from their desk. They built in regular walks to regulate their emotions - time to break the circuit, reset their nervous system, and come back with a clearer head.

So, be aware that you will probably get ghosted, not just once, but a few times, and that none of this will be your fault. Have some strategies up your sleeve to handle ghosting when it happens.

Regular walks are great, as trailed above. Another helpful tactic can be to call the NABS Advice Line when it happens. We're in your corner and here to chat as many times as you need.

Factors that lie outside of your control

Roles that are put on hold, especially after multiple interviews; communication stalling  between HR and recruiters; and simply the number of suitable roles available to apply for in the first place.

None of the above is a reflection on who you are or what you have to offer. You may be more inclined to take all of this personally when your confidence is low. If you can, try to take an objective step back to remind yourself of the reality: the tough aspects of job hunting are to do with the process and not you.

That said, there are elements to the job search that are within your control. Being clear on these can help build your confidence, as well as your sense of agency and perspective.

Making the choice to support your mental wellness throughout the process is positive, empowering and indeed necessary. Take time to think about how you will look after yourself through the rounds of applications until you get your next role. You could choose a handful of non-negotiables to support yourself during this period.

Tactics that have been shared with us by jobhunters include: keeping to a regular schedule; starting the day with some fresh air; time blocking so that you can match your energy to your job search (ie if you're a morning person, block out hours in the morning to focus on applications); making sure you have time for exercise; building up your skills for free, for example with NABS' training or YouTube videos, so that you can keep yourself current while exercising your brain.

Tips for job searching

The question of how to actually search for a job is, of course, a huge one, especially if you haven't been in the job market for a few years. A few tips to get you started:

* Reframe your CV and profile to focus on your expertise rather than your experience. Where have you added value? Demonstrate where and how you've made a positive impact.

* How to approach LinkedIn - it's worth taking the time to watch one of the many excellent LinkedIn tutorials online to see how the experts do it. Don't feel as though you have to go it alone; there's a lot of information out there that's worth exploring.

* Combine confidence and skills-boosting with a workout for maximum efficiency. The NABS Podcast has much expertise to share, from dealing with redundancy to getting to grips with AI. Every episode features inspiration and support from an industry leader: check one out with your morning coffee and walk.

* Your network can be invaluable, not just for job leaders, but also to lend support. Speaking to others who've been through redundancy can help to normalise what you're feeling, and to give insight into how they successfully approached the process.

* Working with a coach can give a sounding board and a fresh perspective. You may be able to access coaching through NABS; give us a call to find out more.

Steve Rowe is the lead senior support advisor at NABS. Need confidential help with redundancy? Get in touch with NABS today. more

Career development

 1d

I was rejected for a job 6 minutes after I applied. I told the company that AI was screening out strong candidates.


Tellez said he told the company's HR chief that AI was filtering out qualified candidates.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Tony Tellez, a 49-year-old IT professional based in Indianapolis. This story has been edited for length and clarity.

I started my career at the entry level and worked my way up to essentially running IT companies in the managed-services space,... overseeing IT operations for multiple clients. Recently, I found myself on the job market for the first time in 10 years. It's changed a lot.

I got some interviews right away, but I also got a lot of rejections. Nobody likes to be rejected. I've got children, rent, and animals to take care of, and those responsibilities start to weigh on you.

One Sunday night, my frustrations reached a breaking point. I had applied for a senior position at a managed-services firm that I was more than qualified for around 11:15 p.m. About six minutes later, I received an email that simply said, "We have declined your application." The company didn't even provide a reason like, "we're pursuing other candidates."

It didn't make any sense. I applied at a time when no one was likely to be manually reviewing résumés and rejecting them. I reread the job listing, and it clearly said that a bachelor's degree -- something I don't have -- was preferred but not required.

Also, my best friend is an HR consultant, and she made sure my résumé included all the necessary keywords. I even ran it through an open-source applicant-tracking system to check that it was well-optimized.

So, after I saw that rejection email come in, I went to the company's LinkedIn page, found their HR director, and sent him this message.

I sent it partly because it's already frustrating for someone to lose a job and have to search for a new one. It's even worse when you have to deal with rejection from a robot.

Another reason is that I've developed and deployed applicant tracking systems, so I understand what it takes to configure them properly. There's a problem here, and the company's leadership may not know that they're potentially missing out on quality candidates.

I haven't heard anything back, and I probably won't. The job listing is no longer up, so I don't know if it was filled. I just know that I'm not ready to retire anytime soon. I love working. I love fixing things.

I've since used AI to make my résumé more AI-friendly. You've got to fight fire with fire. However, I've also started targeting companies that say in their job listings that every résumé submitted is reviewed by a human. In some of my past jobs, I was responsible for hiring people, and I prided myself on reading every résumé that came in. It's crazy how much the job market has changed. more
7   

  • Luella

    17h

    Im so sorry. Even medical professionals with master’s degrees cant get hired. There is a manor issue with the entire process. I wish you the best of... luck and know that its not your fault, everyone is dealing with this mess more

Career development

 23h

Recruiter Defends 'Ghosting' Job Applicants Because They 'Probably Deserve It'


In a LinkedIn post that stirred controversy, Karla Nagorsen, a seasoned talent acquisition professional, made waves with her candid opinion on ghosting job applicants.

Applying for a job is a difficult process. When people send their résumés and cover letters to employers, many hope to at least get a response, whether or not they get an interview. Unfortunately, this isn't always the reality, as... it's become increasingly common to be stuck in a sort of limbo as to whether their application was even looked at.

Karla Nagorsen has worked in talent acquisition for four years at iVantage Group. She posted to LinkedIn, which was subsequently shared on Reddit's "r/LinkedInLunatics," a subreddit for people to share those on LinkedIn who engage in "rampant virtue signaling" and stories that seem too good to be true.

Nagorsen's post was actually shared due to the controversial nature of her opinion, in which she wrote, "Ghosted? You probably deserve it." The person who then posted it on Reddit sarcastically captioned it, "Can't imagine why recruiters have a bad reputation!"

voronaman | Shutterstock

Nagorsen pointed out that recruiters shouldn't shoulder all the blame for ghosting, asserting that sometimes the applicants themselves are to blame. In fact, she went so far as to suggest that some candidates were not just unfit for the job but also undesirable individuals altogether. "I don't always have time to call and tell you all the reasons you are a bad candidate/human," she continued.

RELATED: 1 in 10 Job Seekers Have Been Ghosted By A Recruiter For Asking This Simple Question, Survey Finds

The incident involved a candidate who cited "health reasons" for resigning from a job after being placed on an assignment by Nagorsen. "I placed a candidate on an assignment -- candidate called and needed to resign due to 'health reasons,'" she wrote.

However, a critical error on the candidate's part and a vigilant manager led to the exposure of their lie. It turned out that the candidate had used their work email to engage in negotiations with another company, which the manager discovered after they had already departed. "After the candidate left, the Manager scanned through all emails -- Manager sent me the email chain of the candidate negotiating an offer with a mother client (and staffing company)," she wrote.

To make matters worse, Nagorsen revealed that after failing to secure the other job, the candidate reached out to her company to regain their position. The audacious request only fueled Nagorsen's frustration, prompting her to share her opinion on ghosting.

Following a wave of backlash, Nagorsen ultimately deleted her LinkedIn post, leaving the remaining details of the story obscured. The incident, however, catalyzed a heated debate on the ethics of ghosting in the job application process.

RELATED: Recruiters Warn Workers That This 'Degrading' Method Of Applying For Jobs Doesn't Really Work Anymore

One person on LinkedIn said it was "a bit harsh and lacking empathy, understanding, or grace" to say that some candidates "deserve" to be ghosted. On Reddit, a job recruiter also weighed in on the debate. "I have been a recruiter for a long time now and have dealt with the good and bad in the industry -- candidates, clients and other recruiters. But venting about it on Social Media like LinkedIn is just immature," they wrote.

Pixel-Shot | Shutterstock

Another person defended her, saying that it was a mistake to post it, but she didn't deserve the harsh criticism. "I'm 100% positive that every single one of us has had a long day, had a bad take, or had a short temper at some point that wouldn't serve us well. She was just unfortunate enough to post it," they wrote.

Other people mentioned that a manager spying on a work email seemed like a "breach of some security protocol." However, according to a 2023 post from NOLO, a law encyclopedia, it is legal for employers to go through their employees' work emails as long as it pertains to a "valid business purpose."

So, it would've been wiser for the candidate to use a personal email to contact the other company and not lie about the reasoning for resigning, but they don't deserve to be called a bad human! Instead of blasting her opinion on LinkedIn, people suggested she should have more empathy and try to understand why the candidate would respond in this way. Maybe it's something that needs to be changed within the company, or how she communicates with candidates!

RELATED: Worker Petitions To Abolish 'Ghost Jobs' After Applying To Over 1000 Openings And Only Hearing Back From 22

Ethan Cotler is a writer and frequent contributor to YourTango, living in Boston. His writing covers entertainment, news, and human interest stories. more

Career development

 1d

Job Application Assistant Needed


You will take my current résumé and portfolio -- focused on AutoCAD, Civil 3D, and Revit drafting/design -- and turn them into a steady stream of contract-based/freelance opportunities. I am already handling one full-time client but can comfortably run six projects at once; to hit my 240+ billable-hours target I need five additional contracts secured before July. Scope of work * Identify and track... remote contract postings that match drafting, civil design, structural design, civil engineering, or structural engineering skill sets. * Tailor each application, cover letter, or proposal so it speaks directly to the project brief and highlights relevant drawings from my portfolio. * Submit applications promptly, monitor responses, and coordinate interview times on my calendar. * Keep a shared spreadsheet updated daily with links, dates, and next actions so I can see pipeline progress at a glance. Acceptance criteria A minimum of five qualified contract offers (or permanent roles) signed or in final negotiation by 30 June, each aligned with my listed disciplines. If you already have proven strategies for sourcing work on LinkedIn, industry-specific boards, or other channels, that initiative is welcome -- what matters is landing the right contracts quickly and professionally. Let's start as soon as you have everything you need from me. This could turn into a permanent position if you are a champion at sourcing new work for my team and I. more

Career development

 1d

Here's How Burnout and Frustration Are Reshaping Job Searches in 2026


Extended search times and increased pressure to compromise are the hallmarks of the current job market.

Editor's Note: This story originally appeared on Monster.

For many workers, finding a job is no longer a short-term process -- it's becoming a prolonged and increasingly competitive effort.

According to recent job search statistics from the Monster Research Institute, 1 in 4 job seekers say... they've been searching for more than a year. At the same time, about 45% report searching for at least three months, highlighting how extended job hunts are becoming more common in today's labor market.

As searches stretch on, the experience is becoming more intense. Nearly 4 in 10 job seekers (39%) say they feel more pressure to get hired than in previous searches, and 46% say they're applying more broadly than before.

Key findings:

* 25% of job seekers have been searching for more than a year.

* 45% have been searching for at least three months.

* 39% say they feel more pressure to get hired than in previous searches.

* 46% are applying to a broader range of roles.

* 64% have applied to jobs outside their industry or typical role.

* 32% would accept a pay cut to secure a job.

* 73% would give up at least one major job benefit.

How Long Does It Take to Find a Job?

While some candidates find roles quickly, many others are navigating months-long or even year-long searches. With the average length of job searching taking over a year for 25% of job seekers and another large share searching for months, long job searches are no longer the exception -- they're part of the norm.

The data points to a job market where persistence is more important than ever, but longer timelines can make it harder to stay focused, especially when responses from employers are limited or delayed.

Candidates Are Expanding Their Search

In response to a competitive environment and job search strain, many job seekers are widening their approach.

Nearly half (46%) say they're applying to a broader range of roles than they have in the past. At the same time, 64% report applying to jobs outside their industry or typical role.

Among those expanding beyond their field:

* 20% say they're actively trying to change industries or roles.

* 44% say they've applied to a few roles outside their usual field.

This shift reflects a more flexible approach to job searching, as candidates prioritize landing a role, even if it's not a perfect match.

Job Seekers Are Making Trade-Offs

As searches continue, many candidates are becoming more open to compromise. Overall, 73% say they'd give up at least one major job benefit to secure a role.

As shown in the graphic below, nearly one-third (32%) say they would accept a pay cut to get hired:

* 13% would accept up to a 10% reduction.

* 11% would accept up to 20%.

* 8% would accept up to 30%.

Beyond pay, many are willing to adjust other expectations:

* 23% would give up full-time hours.

* 22% would consider leaving their preferred industry.

* 18% would give up title or seniority.

* 15% would give up remote work options.

Pressure Is Rising

Job search difficulty and longer searches are impacting strategy and affecting how job seekers feel. Nearly 4 in 10 (39%) say they feel more pressure to get hired compared to previous searches, while 30% say their level of urgency is about the same. Only 25% say they feel less pressure.

This growing sense of urgency can influence decision-making, from applying to more roles to considering opportunities that may not have been a first choice in the past.

What's Driving the Shift?

For many job seekers, expanding their search is a practical decision. Among those considering roles outside their usual field, the top motivations include:

* Better pay (33%)

* Job stability (29%)

* Work-life balance (23%)

* Remote flexibility (20%)

* Fewer opportunities in their industry (17%)

* Burnout (16%)

These factors highlight how both economic conditions and personal priorities are shaping job search trends in 2026.

What Does This Mean for Job Seekers?

A longer job search doesn't mean a stalled career -- it means adapting your strategy.

If your search is taking longer than expected:

* Focus on roles that align closely with your skills and experience.

* Stay open to adjacent opportunities that can build new skills.

* Continue networking to uncover opportunities beyond job boards.

* Be strategic about where and how often you apply.

The job market may feel more competitive, but persistence, flexibility, and a targeted approach can make a difference.

The Bottom Line

Today's job search is becoming longer, broader, and more complex for many candidates. As a result, job seekers are expanding their strategies, exploring new industries, and reconsidering what they're willing to accept in their next role.

While the process may take more time and create job search struggles, those who stay adaptable and focused are better positioned to navigate today's evolving job market.

Methodology

This survey was conducted by Monster on March 17, 2026, among 1,003 U.S. job seekers using the Pollfish platform. Respondents answered a mix of single-selection and multiple-choice questions about their job search experience and how it compares to previous searches. more

Career development

 1d

LinkedIn for physicians is not optional in 2026


A physician without LinkedIn in 2026 is making a business mistake, a reputation mistake, and a public health mistake.

This is no longer about keeping up with social media. It is about controlling your professional identity in a world where search results, AI summaries, recruiters, hospital leaders, journalists, patients, and even opponents look you up before they call you. LinkedIn reports more... than 1.3 billion members worldwide. That makes it one of the largest professional databases on earth, not a side platform for people who like networking.

Physicians still underestimate what has changed. For years, a doctor could rely on referrals, hospital reputation, board certification, and a CV. That is over. Today, your digital footprint shapes whether people trust you, contact you, recruit you, quote you, or ignore you. KevinMD made this point years ago, first by arguing that physicians should claim a professional presence online, later by making the case that LinkedIn had become the best place for an online professional profile that supports career growth and visibility. That advice was right then. It is more urgent now.

I did not learn this in theory. I learned it in real life.

LinkedIn, of which I have been a member since 2010, brought me concrete opportunities as a physician. It opened doors to medical director's work, consulting, writing, leadership conversations, and professional relationships that would not have come from a static website or an old résumé. People found me there, saw what I had built, and understood my training, expertise, and point of view before the first conversation. That matters. In a crowded market, clarity gets attention.

Then came the harder lesson. When negative news and distorted narratives entered the public space around my name, LinkedIn became one of the few places where I could build a clean, credible, current public record in my own voice. It helped me show who I am, how I trained, what I published, what I lead, and what I stand for. It helped serious information rank higher. It helped stale or hostile material lose ground. That was not vanity. That was survival. LinkedIn also helped me keep publishing, supported the visibility of my books, and gave me a stronger platform while I fought back and later published Doctor Not Guilty.

Physicians need to stop thinking about LinkedIn as self-promotion. It is professional infrastructure and where people verify who you are. It is where opportunities start. It is where your public record gets organized before somebody else organizes it for you.

There is also a money issue here, and many physicians avoid saying it out loud. I have not seen a clean study proving that a LinkedIn profile directly causes physicians to earn more money. But the mechanism is plain. Visibility brings attention. Attention brings opportunities. Better opportunities usually mean better compensation. Physician Side Gigs makes the point directly for doctors pursuing advisory board roles, consulting, and other nonclinical work. Physicians who are visible, networked, and clear about their expertise get found. Those who stay invisible do not.

This matters even more for physicians who want leadership roles. Recruiters and organizations live on LinkedIn. LinkedIn's recruiting business states that hires sourced through LinkedIn are 37 percent less likely to leave in the first year than hires from other sources. Employers go where the signal is stronger. So if you want to become a medical director, chief medical officer, consultant, startup advisor, speaker, expert witness, or board member, staying absent from LinkedIn is not modesty. It is self-erasure.

The platform has also moved closer to direct business generation. LinkedIn now allows eligible members to add profile buttons such as Book an appointment, View my services, or Request services, depending on account type and features available. LinkedIn also supports Services Pages that let prospects send service requests. That means the platform is no longer only a place where people read about you. It is a place where they can move toward hiring you. For physicians offering consulting, speaking, executive advisory work, second opinions, education, media expertise, or other professional services, this matters. A strong profile is now closer to a landing page than a résumé.

Trust has become another reason physicians need to take LinkedIn seriously. In late 2025, LinkedIn announced that more than 100 million members had added a verification on the platform. In a world full of fake accounts, weak credentials, and misinformation, trusted identity matters. A current, professional, verifiable profile is now part of digital credibility. Physicians should care about that because our professions run on trust.

Then there is the AI layer, and this is where the issue gets bigger than career management. A 2026 Semrush analysis of 325,000 prompts across ChatGPT Search, Google AI Mode, and Perplexity found LinkedIn to be among the most cited domains in AI-generated answers, with roughly 11 percent citation share in the dataset. Whether that exact percentage shifts over time is not the main point. The point is that AI systems are already reading LinkedIn as a source of professional identity and expertise. Your profile is no longer only for human readers. It is part of the machine-readable layer of your reputation.

That should matter to every doctor because misinformation is now a daily feature of medicine. The World Health Organization defines an infodemic as too much information, including false or misleading information, that causes confusion and harmful behavior. The U.S. Surgeon General has warned that health misinformation is a serious threat to public health. If physicians stay absent from visible professional platforms, we leave the public conversation to louder people with less training, less accountability, and less concern for evidence. LinkedIn is one of the few large platforms where doctors can speak in a professional tone, reach colleagues and decision-makers, and still push back against falsehoods in public.

No, every physician does not need to become a full-time content creator. Every physician does need a current profile, a professional headshot, clear headline, accurate credentials, training, publications, leadership roles, and a short summary that explains who they are and what they do. And if you have expertise worth sharing, which you do, you should use LinkedIn enough to make your voice part of the record.

Medicine has changed. Reputation has changed. Search has changed. AI has changed. Many physicians are still acting like none of that affects them. That is naive.

In 2026, LinkedIn is not optional for physicians. It is a career asset. It is a credibility asset. It is a business asset. It is a reputation defense asset. It is also one place where physicians can push back against misinformation with facts, authority, and consistency.

If you are not there, or if your profile looks abandoned, you are letting the internet decide who you are.

That is a bad plan for any physician.

Muhamad Aly Rifai, known professionally as Dr. Rifai, is a psychiatrist, internist, addiction medicine physician, physician executive, author, and Forbes Business Council official contributor based in the Greater Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania. He is the founder, chief executive officer, and chief medical officer of Blue Mountain Psychiatry, a multidisciplinary mental health and addiction medicine practice focused on psychiatry, telepsychiatry, brain health, integrated medical care, ketamine treatment, transcranial magnetic stimulation, and evidence-based addiction treatment.

Dr. Rifai holds the Lehigh Valley Endowed Chair of Addiction Medicine and is board-certified in psychiatry, internal medicine, addiction medicine, and consultation-liaison psychiatry. He is a distinguished fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, a fellow of the American College of Physicians, and a fellow of the Academy of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry. A former president of the Lehigh Valley Psychiatric Society, he advocates for access to high-quality psychiatric care, ethical telemedicine, physician rights, and integrated behavioral health. more

Career development

 2w

Biggest Résumé Mistakes and How You Can Avoid Them


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

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

Contact information

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

More than one email address

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

Not including LinkedIn

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

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

Including a picture

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

Education

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

Getting your degree and major name wrong

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

High school information after your first year

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

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

Experience

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

Missing detail

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

Not including unpaid experiences

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

Skills

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

Soft skills

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

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

Formatting

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

Using templates

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

Typos

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

More than one page

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

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

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

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    1d

    Describing WHAT you did is meaningless to me unless there are specific details of what those WHATs translated to RESULTS. What did you propose and... implement to improve the tasks you performed? What did they result in? Higher revenues? Quicker process times? Tasks are meaningless unless results of you performing them are improved. more

  • Latasha Hayes

    2d

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

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Career development

 1d

Recruiter Feels Heartbroken After Older Job Candidate Struggles With Basic Technology


Folks, I'm not gonna sugarcoat it.

This is the kind of story that will probably make you upset.

Because it's tough to imagine being an old person right now trying to deal with all these technological advancements.

We'd like to think that most older people can kick back, relax, and retire, but the fact is that a lot of them are still struggling to make ends meet and they have to work.

In this... story, a person talked about how they felt bad for a job interview they helped conduct with an elderly man.

Read on and get all the details below.

"I'm not a recruiter, but I was asked to sit in on an interview a few days ago.

My only job was to chat a bit with one of the applicants to verify his language proficiency since I speak it well. After I finished my part, the rest of the team would continue.

Looking for a job as an older person is tough.

One of the last applicants we saw was an elderly man. He looked defeated even before we started, and it was obvious he had been away from the corporate environment for a long time.

He passed the language portion with me very well, but then one of the hiring managers asked him to share his screen to walk us through a short presentation. It took him a full 25 minutes just to figure out how.

He kept sharing the wrong screen, and the anxiety and fear started to become apparent.

And it's depressing for others to see them struggle with technology.

My God, it was so hard to watch him trying his best to connect with us and say the right things, even though it was clear his best days were behind him and he was very exhausted.

When he was fumbling for 25 minutes trying to share his screen, I wasn't annoyed with him at all.

To be honest, I felt a lump in my throat. This man deserves to be enjoying his retirement right now, not struggling and going through all of this.

Things are tough out there right now, especially for older folks looking for work.

This situation gave me a terrible feeling about what might be waiting for all of us in the future.

His CV was truly impressive; he must have had a great career in his time. But everyone on the call, including him, knew it wasn't going to work out.

We were all just playing our roles in a small, sad play.

There's no real point to this story, I just feel upset and suffocated by the whole thing. The entire situation was just depressing."

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about an employee who figured out how to stop his manager from constantly stealing his phone charger.

And this is how readers reacted to this story.

This person shared a story.

And this Reddit user weighed in.

Maybe I'm a big softie, but these kinds of stories really tug at the heartstrings.

You gotta feel for a person in his situation.

And, a word of advice: if you see an older person having a hard time, HELP THEM OUT.

Technology is moving at the speed of light right now and a lot of people don't have the skills to make sense of it all.

Hopefully this poor guy landed a job somewhere... more

Career development

 1d

Find My Resume on CareerBuilder: A Comprehensive Guide to Optimizing Your Profile - Cooking recipes, simple and delicious recipes for dishes on Cook Like Mom


So, you've just completed your resume, poured hours into crafting the perfect narrative of your professional journey, and now you're ready to get it in front of potential employers. A common first thought for many job seekers, myself included, is: "Where is my resume on CareerBuilder?" or more precisely, "How do I ensure my resume is actually discoverable by recruiters using CareerBuilder?" This... initial step can feel a bit like searching for a needle in a haystack if you're not entirely sure how the platform works. It's not just about uploading your document; it's about strategically making it visible and appealing to those who are actively seeking candidates like you.

My own experience with CareerBuilder, and other job boards for that matter, has evolved significantly over the years. Initially, I treated it like a digital filing cabinet - upload and forget. But the reality is, employers and recruiters often use sophisticated search filters and keywords to scour the vast database of resumes. If your resume is buried or not optimized, it's likely to be overlooked. The good news is that CareerBuilder offers a robust platform, and with a little understanding and effort, you can dramatically increase your chances of being found. This guide aims to demystify the process, offering practical steps and insights to not only help you find your resume on CareerBuilder but, more importantly, make sure it's working hard for you.

Before we dive into the specifics of finding your resume, it's crucial to grasp how CareerBuilder operates regarding candidate profiles and uploaded documents. CareerBuilder is essentially a massive database where job seekers can upload their resumes, and employers can search this database for candidates who match their requirements. When you upload a resume, CareerBuilder doesn't just store it as a static PDF. It parses the information, extracting keywords, skills, experience, and education to build a searchable profile for you. This parsing process is key to how recruiters find you.

Think of it this way: a recruiter types in search terms like "Java developer," "project manager," "marketing specialist," "five years experience," "Excel," "strategic planning," etc. CareerBuilder's system then sifts through its database and presents a list of candidates whose parsed profiles contain those keywords and qualifications. Therefore, simply having your resume uploaded is only half the battle. The other half is ensuring that the information CareerBuilder has extracted from your resume is accurate, comprehensive, and keyword-rich.

So, how do you actually go about finding your resume once it's uploaded? It's a straightforward process once you're logged into your CareerBuilder account. Here's a step-by-step approach:

From my own experience, it's always a good idea to periodically check this section. Sometimes, minor formatting issues can occur during the upload or parsing process, and catching these early can save you a lot of potential trouble. Seeing your resume displayed within the CareerBuilder system also gives you a tangible point of reference for the optimization steps we'll discuss later.

Now that you know how to find your resume on CareerBuilder, let's talk about why simply having it there isn't enough. An optimized profile is what truly makes your resume work for you. Recruiters are busy. They don't have time to scroll through pages of search results. They rely on keyword searches and filters to quickly narrow down their candidate pool. If your resume doesn't contain the right keywords or isn't structured in a way that CareerBuilder's system can easily interpret, you might as well not have uploaded it.

What does "optimized" mean in this context? It means ensuring that:

This is where the "find my resume on CareerBuilder" search query really becomes about maximizing your visibility and opportunities. It's an active process, not a passive one.

Optimizing your resume for CareerBuilder involves a multi-pronged approach, focusing on both the content of your resume document and how CareerBuilder presents your profile. Here are some in-depth strategies:

This is arguably the most critical aspect. You need to think like a recruiter. What terms would they use to find someone with your skills and experience?

For instance, if you're a marketing professional, you might search for terms like "digital marketing," "SEO," "SEM," "content marketing," "social media marketing," "email marketing," "campaign management," "lead generation," "marketing automation," "brand strategy," and specific platform names like "HubSpot" or "Marketo."

Your resume summary (or objective, if you're early in your career) is the first thing most recruiters will read after seeing your name and title. It's prime real estate for keywords and a concise overview of your value proposition.

This is where you provide the bulk of your qualifications and demonstrate your capabilities. Beyond just listing job duties, focus on accomplishments.

Many job seekers underestimate the power of a well-organized skills section. CareerBuilder's parsing system heavily relies on this to categorize candidates.

Don't overlook this section. List your degrees, the institutions you attended, and the years of attendance. If you have relevant certifications (e.g., PMP, AWS Certified Solutions Architect, CPA, Google Ads Certification), list them clearly. These are often key search criteria for employers.

It's vital to understand that CareerBuilder uses technology to "read" and interpret your resume. This is called parsing. The system extracts keywords, job titles, company names, dates, skills, and education. If your resume has an unusual format, uses graphics extensively, or has text embedded in images, the parser might struggle to extract the information accurately. This can lead to your profile not being fully searchable.

I've found that sometimes a resume that looks perfect on my screen might not parse perfectly on the job board. This is why the "preview" or "view parsed profile" feature is so important. It's your direct window into how the system sees your information.

Beyond the content of your resume, there are other factors that influence how easily your resume can be found on CareerBuilder. Being active on the platform and ensuring your profile is discoverable are key.

CareerBuilder offers options for controlling who can see your resume. It's essential to understand these settings to ensure you're not inadvertently making yourself invisible to recruiters.

An outdated resume is a less effective resume. Recruiters often filter by "last updated" or "date posted." If your resume hasn't been updated in a long time, it may appear less relevant or indicate a lack of current activity.

While this article focuses on finding and optimizing your resume for search, actively applying for jobs is another way to ensure your resume is seen. When you apply for a job directly through CareerBuilder, your resume is sent to the employer. This process also helps CareerBuilder's algorithms understand your job search preferences and can influence the types of jobs they recommend to you.

Here are some common questions job seekers have when navigating their resumes on CareerBuilder:

Ensuring your resume is found by recruiters on CareerBuilder hinges on two primary factors: making it searchable and making it appealing. Firstly, you must log into your CareerBuilder account, navigate to the "My Resumes" or "My Profile" section, and verify that your resume is set to "Public" or "Searchable." If it's set to private, recruiters won't be able to find it through database searches. Secondly, and arguably more importantly, your resume content must be optimized for the search algorithms and for human recruiters alike. This involves meticulous keyword research. You'll want to identify the terms employers are likely using to find candidates with your skills and experience - think industry-specific jargon, technical proficiencies, and sought-after soft skills. These keywords need to be naturally integrated throughout your resume, especially in your summary, experience descriptions, and skills section. Furthermore, quantifying your achievements with data and using strong action verbs will make your resume stand out when recruiters do find it. Regularly updating your resume with new experiences and skills also helps keep it fresh and relevant in the system.

When you upload a resume to CareerBuilder, you're essentially providing the raw material - your professional history, skills, and education in document form. CareerBuilder's system then *parses* this document, extracting key information to build a searchable candidate profile. This parsed profile can include fields for your skills, job titles, employers, education levels, and more. A CareerBuilder profile, therefore, is the structured, keyword-rich representation of your resume that the platform uses for its search functionality. While uploading a resume is a crucial first step, it's the information that CareerBuilder extracts and organizes into your profile that truly dictates your discoverability. You can often edit this parsed profile directly within your CareerBuilder account to ensure accuracy and completeness, which is a vital step beyond just uploading the initial document.

Yes, when your resume is set to public on CareerBuilder, recruiters who find your profile through their searches will typically be able to see your contact information, including your name, email address, and phone number. This is a fundamental aspect of the platform's design, enabling direct communication between employers and potential candidates. However, CareerBuilder also offers options for managing your privacy. You can often control which specific pieces of information are displayed. If you have concerns about privacy, it's always a good practice to review your account settings thoroughly. Some users might choose to use a secondary email address for their job search profiles to maintain separation from their primary personal or professional inbox. The default setting for a public resume is generally to share contact details to facilitate the recruitment process.

To stay relevant on CareerBuilder, it's highly recommended to update your resume at least every three to six months, and more frequently if you have significant new achievements or have acquired new skills. The job market is dynamic, and recruiters often use filters that include "date last updated" or "date posted" when searching for candidates. An older resume may appear less current or indicate a lack of recent activity, potentially causing it to be overlooked. Beyond just the date, you should update your resume whenever you complete a significant project, achieve a notable accomplishment, gain a new certification, or learn a new valuable skill. Regularly reviewing job descriptions in your field and incorporating those keywords into your resume also ensures it aligns with current industry demands. Think of it as a continuous improvement process. If you've recently changed jobs or taken on new responsibilities, those should be reflected immediately. Even small additions of quantified achievements can make a difference. The goal is to ensure your profile accurately represents your most up-to-date qualifications and experience, making it more attractive to hiring managers.

If CareerBuilder's parsing technology misinterprets your resume, it can lead to inaccuracies in your searchable profile, making it harder for recruiters to find you based on specific keywords or qualifications. For example, a skill might be misidentified, a job title could be incorrect, or dates might be jumbled. The good news is that CareerBuilder typically provides a way to review and edit the parsed information directly within your account. After uploading your resume, navigate to your profile or resume management section and look for an option to "View Parsed Profile" or "Edit Profile Information." This allows you to manually correct any errors, add missing details, or clarify information that the system may have misunderstood. It's crucial to use this feature. If the system doesn't recognize a particular skill or keyword because of formatting or an uncommon phrasing in your resume, you can often add it directly to the relevant fields in your CareerBuilder profile. This manual correction is a vital step to ensure your profile accurately reflects your capabilities and is optimally searchable.

Beyond the fundamental steps, there are some advanced strategies you can employ to boost your visibility on CareerBuilder. These often involve a deeper understanding of how recruiters use the platform.

While not directly about *finding* your existing resume, setting up job alerts and paying attention to recommended jobs can indirectly help. When you actively engage with the platform by searching for jobs and setting up alerts, CareerBuilder's algorithms learn more about your preferences. This can influence the types of jobs that appear in your personalized recommendations and, by extension, the types of candidates the system highlights to recruiters searching for similar roles. Ensure your search criteria for alerts are specific and aligned with your target roles.

CareerBuilder allows you to upload multiple resume versions. This can be a powerful tool if you're targeting different types of roles. You can tailor each resume version with specific keywords and focus areas relevant to a particular job family. For example, you might have one resume optimized for software engineering roles and another optimized for project management roles. When you upload a new version, make sure to label it clearly within your account so you know which is which. This ensures that when you apply for a job, you're sending the most relevant version.

It's important to distinguish between keywords within your uploaded resume document and keywords that you might explicitly add to your CareerBuilder profile fields (like skills, interests, or a personal summary section within the profile itself). Both are important. The parsing technology reads your document, but CareerBuilder also has structured fields designed for searchability. Ensure you're filling out all relevant profile sections completely and accurately, as these can act as direct search filters for recruiters. For instance, if your resume document mentions "Agile methodologies" but your "Skills" section in your profile explicitly lists "Agile," "Scrum," and "Kanban," you're reinforcing your qualifications and making yourself more discoverable through multiple search avenues.

Finding your resume on CareerBuilder is the first step, but the real power lies in optimizing it to work for you. By understanding how CareerBuilder's search and parsing technology functions, you can move from simply uploading a document to strategically positioning yourself for career opportunities. Consistent updating, meticulous keyword integration, and careful attention to your profile settings are not just good practices; they are essential components of a successful online job search strategy in today's competitive landscape.

My own journey with online job platforms like CareerBuilder has taught me that proactive engagement and continuous refinement are key. Don't just upload and hope for the best. Take the time to learn the platform, understand what recruiters are looking for, and invest in making your resume and profile as powerful and visible as possible. By following the steps and strategies outlined in this guide, you'll be well on your way to not only finding your resume on CareerBuilder but also ensuring it's a compelling tool that opens doors to new career possibilities. more

Anonymous member


Career development 5d
I want to pursue a certification for accountant but the microfinance I work for doesn't expect it's employees to have anything that distracts them from work.


As a matter of fact, working hours are from 7:30 AM up until 6:30 PM on average days monday to Friday (Saturdays work stops at about 4:20 PM give or take).


I don't know how I'll balance the two because the company has no guidelines... for such and its seen as a potential reason for employee exit which they don't want!

What should I do? more
3   

  • Joyeve SelmanTsalachChesed

    1d

    Try evening classes 8pm to 10pm

  • Sandra Tarkenton

    3d

    Not sure what country you are in but that’s a lot of hours which would make getting additional education difficult. You have to plan study time too... which is typically 2 or 3 additional hours of your time for every hour spent in class. A lot of companies in some countries actually encourage their employees to get more education and offer tuition reimbursement. Maybe it is time to look at other opportunities.  more

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Career development

 1d

Summer Camp Isn't Free From Teen Career Anxiety


For counselors at today's priciest sleepaway camps, roasting marshmallows by the fire now comes with a side of serious networking.

Parents who can afford to ship their teens to summer camp want them to have the best of both worlds: enjoying the outdoors without the fear of missing out on ...

Abdulsalam Kamarudeen
Career development 3d

hello, Please give me tips on the likely interview questions for the position of HR Assistant.
3   

  • Ojo othow

    1
    2d

    Tip I'm very ready for interview

    1

  • kelechi peter

    3
    2d

    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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