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Work & Careers?

Notice, negotiation, and what to say in the interview. 22 questions and counting.

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 st…
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, a…
How do you negotiate a salary offer?Always counter; rescinded offers over polite negotiation are vanishingly rare.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…
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 bo…
What should actually go on a resume?Accomplishments with numbers, not duties: what changed because you were there. One page per decade of experience, keywor…
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…
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 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 t…
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 enoug…
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 i…
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 n…
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 …
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 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 …
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…
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 car…
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: fir…
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 …
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…
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 universal…
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…
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 fir…