Question The VP made me a same-day offer contingent on a background check, a physical and a drug test. He gave me a tour of the business, showed me where I’d be sitting, and then took me into his office to discuss pay. I signed permission for the background check and I did the drug test and physical within an hour of the offer. HR assigned me a hire date that was five days later. On my first day, HR began my orientation online and pressed me to complete it within two days. I got it done in ...| Ask The Headhunter®
If you're ghosted by an employer after interviewing for a job, don't waste time "staying in touch" and waiting. They're the problem, not you!| Ask The Headhunter®
In the April 9, 2013 Ask The Headhunter Newsletter, a transitioning military officer asks how to break through: I have spent the morning drilling through Ask the Headhunter. Thank you for the time and effort you put into that forum. I especially appreciate the reasoned, personal responses you give to select comments on your posts. I would like to ask you for some advice if you have the time. I am retiring from the U.S. Army after 24 years as a senior commissioned officer and rated aviator, ...| Ask The Headhunter®
Headhunter Nick Corcodilos gives you an insider's edge on job search, hiring, resumes, interviews, recruiters, salary, and much more.| Ask The Headhunter®
Question Every day I read about frustrations of people looking for work. It’s usually some version of this: “I sent out X number of resumes (usually in the low 100s) and got nothing (or two interviews but no offers.)” That kind of effort might be worth it if it yielded even a 5% return — say, 20 interviews on 400 applications. Such results might make it worthwhile but nobody gets 5% on hundreds of resumes! Your short article “They’re not headhunters” got me to thinking. If it we...| Ask The Headhunter®
Your career success doesn't hinge on applying to as many job postings as you can. It depends on who's in your circle of friends.| Ask The Headhunter®
If the job offer is low and the employer won't increase the salary, one way to get more money is to negotiate a signing bonus. Here's how.| Ask The Headhunter®
Question I just finished my second year working for an information technology (IT) company. It’s my first job. I have seen my interests change from the tech side of the house to the business side, and have begun pursuing an MBA. I have been looking for another job in order to go ahead and change careers and I am expecting a written offer this week from a major telecommunications corporation. The position looks to have very good potential. The only drawback is that I’ll probably have to ta...| Ask The Headhunter®
Faced with a low salary offer? Don't give up higher total compensation! Assess your options and, rather than negotiate, have a candid talk.| Ask The Headhunter®
Question I am 20 years old and going into my senior year of college shortly. I’ll be facing a tough job market. I am looking to work in the finance and investments industry next year and am trying to get as prepared as I can for one of the biggest decisions in my life. All of the major financial services companies that I am looking at possibly working for have these large recruitment fairs, and almost none of them are coming to my school. (I go to a small private liberal arts college.) What...| Ask The Headhunter®
A manager can't attract a passive job hunter to apply for a job. The manager has to go find that person where they live and work.| Ask The Headhunter®
In the October 13, 2015 Ask The Headhunter Newsletter, a reader wonders whether rejection in the jobs marketplace suggests it’s time to start a business instead. Question My husband and I have been in the software business for ten years. Paul was a crucial part of two successful start-ups. The products he developed won awards and were best-sellers, and as a result he was hired by an established company. (They hired me, too.) There, Paul started, designed and finished a small project for a c...| Ask The Headhunter®
You raised your kids and now want a job for Mom? Resumes, job postings, interviews getting you nowhere? Don't look for jobs. Look for work!| Ask The Headhunter®
Question I try to keep my head down and not stress too much while looking for a new job. But there’s no avoiding the really weird news reports. For example, what do you think about articles like these that suggest my job search is in trouble? Fake Job Postings Are Becoming a Real Problem One in five jobs advertised is fake or not filled, according to a new analysis; ‘more soul-crushing than ever’ Employers Are Buried in A.I.-Generated Résumés Candidates are frustrated. Employers are o...| Ask The Headhunter®
Did you lose your federal job to the DOGE patrol? Decided to jump to the private sector? Don't know how? Here's how to land softly.| Ask The Headhunter®
Competing for job interviews with every job seeker? The real job opportunities are in real business meetings talking about something else!| Ask The Headhunter®
In the September 15, 2015 Ask The Headhunter Newsletter, a reader just doesn’t get all the fuss that’s called networking. Question I’ve been trying to find a mentor who understands networking better than I do. I just don’t get it. We are not expert in everything, and this is one area where I want to get some help. Can you give me some clarity about networking? Nick’s Reply So much has been written and said about networking that networking has become a business, an industry, a racket...| Ask The Headhunter®
You made it to the final interview to meet the boss's boss. How do you stand out in this meeting? Get help from who knows the big boss best.| Ask The Headhunter®
Take control of any salary negotiation now. Don't believe the myth that whoever puts a number on the table first, loses. That's bunk.| Ask The Headhunter®
Are online job applications driving people insane? Or just driving them away from jobs they can do? When PBS NewsHour‘s Paul Solman reported on America’s biggest job killer — the automated job applicant sorter — he asked me what I think about this practice. And what do you think I said? Check out Ask The Headhunter on PBS NewsHour’s Making Sen$e. We taped my sections of this segment at the Wharton School of Business in Philadelphia recently: . ? . Is the Ask The Headhunter approach ...| Ask The Headhunter®
How can I get a job 3,000 miles away?| Ask The Headhunter®
In the June 10, 2014 Ask The Headhunter Newsletter, a reader doesn’t want to pay so an employer can interview him: I applied for a sales job, but it’s in a distant city. I don’t think the company pays relocation costs. They insist that applicants pay a portion of the interview costs, including mileage, airfare, hotel, meals. (The job posting says interview expenses are “negotiable.”) I’ve never faced this before. I may be willing to pay my own relocation if I want the job, but I ...| Ask The Headhunter®
For every stupid networking event promoted to job seekers, I think there’s a gathering unrelated to job hunting that coincidentally yields new jobs for some people some of the time while they’re doing something else.| Ask The Headhunter®
The best way to become well-connected is to meet and stay in touch with people who do the work you're interested in and who are good at what they do. Real networking is about shared experiences.| Ask The Headhunter®
Do you live in a career desert where job choices are few and employers take advantage of job seekers and employees? Up your game.| Ask The Headhunter®
How to answer “What’s your salary expectation?”| Ask The Headhunter®
Lying about your salary history might get you a higher job offer, but it will likely get you fired from your new job, too.| Ask The Headhunter®
Try this insider tip: Hang out with people that do the kinds of jobs you want. Talk shop, make friends. That's where jobs come from.| Ask The Headhunter®