And beneath the official jobs data is a growing accessibility crisis. More and more job seekers are finding themselves shut out of the labor market - not because there are no jobs to be had, but because torrents of AI slop are crowding them out of consideration. Case in point: a few months back, tech publication The Markup posted an opening for an engineer role.
I'm a parent myself. I have three college-age girls. We all want the absolute best for our kids, and I recognize the job market is tough. But it blows my mind how many parents think it's appropriate for them to reach out to me on LinkedIn or by email and say, Hey, if you could talk to my child, you'd be able to inspire them to apply.
Practice humility. Let the hiring manager see your true personality. "Being open and humble in responses is something I value in most candidates," says Jenny Amalfi, president of the Americas at Airswift, a Houston-based full-service employment agency. "While being technically great is always important, the personal side of a candidate often outweighs their technical ability in the interview process." She notes that companies seek hires who are strong collaborators-keep that front in mind, even as you navigate late-stage interviews.
In an age of merit-based hiring decisions, how can one justify settling for a candidate who does not meet all of the position criteria? Or turning a blind eye to exceptionally qualified candidates?