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Work & Careers?

Notice, negotiation, and what to say in the interview. 36 questions and counting.

How do you answer the greatest weakness question?Name a real, non-fatal weakness plus the system you built to manage it. The perfectionist humblebrag is a known dodge, and…
How do you answer tell me about yourself?Give a 90-second professional arc, not a life story: where you are now, the most relevant thing you have done, and why this…
How do you ask for a raise?Build the case before the conversation: what you have delivered, what the market pays, and a specific number. Schedule it…
How do you quit a job without burning the bridge?Tell your manager first and in person, give the standard notice, keep the reason brief and neutral, and spend your last two…
How long should a resume be?One page for most people, two if you have roughly a decade or more of relevant experience. Academia and federal jobs are…
How do you give two weeks' notice?Tell your manager live before anyone else, follow with a three-sentence resignation letter stating your last day, and stay…
How do you negotiate a salary offer?Always counter; rescinded offers over polite negotiation are vanishingly rare. Thank them, ask for a day, come back with a…
What is a 401(k) match, and how much should you contribute?A match is free money: your employer adds to your retirement account based on what you put in. Contribute at least enough to…
How do you evaluate a job offer beyond the salary?Total compensation is base plus bonus plus equity plus the employer's benefit contributions, and the last one is frequently…
Is severance negotiable, and should you sign right away?Usually negotiable, and you should almost never sign immediately. Severance agreements typically require waiving legal…
Can you collect unemployment if you quit?Usually not, unless you quit for good cause attributable to the employer, which states define narrowly. Being fired does not…
What is COBRA, and is it your best option after leaving a job?COBRA lets you keep your employer health plan after leaving, but you pay the entire premium plus an administrative fee…
What is FMLA, and who qualifies?Up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave per year for serious health conditions, a new child, or caring for family. It…
What should you ask at the end of a job interview?Questions that get you real information rather than questions that perform interest. Ask what success looks like in six…
How do you find out if you are underpaid?Triangulate several sources rather than trusting one: BLS occupational data, salary transparency laws now requiring ranges…
How do you answer the salary expectations question?Deflect once, then give a researched range with your target near the bottom of it. In a growing number of states employers…
What does exempt vs. non-exempt actually mean?Non-exempt means the overtime law protects you: time-and-a-half past 40 hours. Exempt means it does not, and requires both a…
How do you deal with a bad manager?Diagnose the type first: disorganized, insecure, absent, or genuinely abusive. The first three are often manageable with…
How do you follow up after an interview?Send a specific thank-you email within 24 hours to each interviewer, referencing something actual from the conversation…
How do you network without it feeling gross?Stop treating it as asking for things and start treating it as being useful and staying in contact. The research finding…
How long should you stay at a job?The old two-year rule is directional, not law: one short stint explains itself, a pattern of many raises questions. Stay…
Do you still need a cover letter?Sometimes, and it costs little to include one. Many recruiters skip it, but a specific, short letter still helps for career…
Should you put references on your resume?No. Do not list them and do not write references available upon request, which wastes a line stating something universally…
Do you legally have to give two weeks notice?In most US states, no. At-will employment cuts both ways, so you can generally leave immediately, just as you can be fired…
How much should you have saved for retirement by age?Common benchmarks: about one times your salary by 30, three by 40, six by 50, and eight to ten by retirement. These are…
What do employers actually ask in a reference check?Less than people fear. Many large employers restrict references to dates of employment, title, and sometimes whether you are…
What does at-will employment actually mean?Either side can end the job at any time for almost any reason or no reason, without notice. But it is not unlimited: firing…
What should you wear to an interview?One step dressier than the team's daily norm. Research the company's actual culture, then err slightly formal. Fit and…
What should actually go on a resume?Accomplishments with numbers, not duties: what changed because you were there. One page per decade of experience, keywords…
What is the difference between exempt and non-exempt employees?Non-exempt employees must be paid overtime past 40 hours a week; exempt employees are not entitled to it. Exempt status…
What are RSUs, and how are they taxed?Restricted stock units are company shares granted to you that vest over time. They are taxed as ordinary income at vesting…
What does vesting mean, and why does it matter when you quit?Vesting is when employer-provided money actually becomes yours. Leaving before you vest forfeits it, which is why the timing…
What is a performance improvement plan, and does anyone survive one?A formal document listing performance deficiencies and a timeline to fix them. Some are genuine development tools and some…
What actually belongs on your LinkedIn profile?A headline stating what you do rather than your job title, an about section written in first person, and accomplishments…
Are unpaid internships legal?Only when the intern is the primary beneficiary of the arrangement, judged by a seven-factor test. If the intern is doing…
What is an ESPP, and should you participate?An employee stock purchase plan lets you buy company stock at a discount, commonly 15 percent, often with a lookback…