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Job Search Challenges: Not Getting Phone Screens

5/12/2026

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By Brenda L. Peterson, The Layoff Lady

Interview Progression Issues

After you apply for a job, your goal is to be selected for an interview. That process usually includes an initial phone screen, one or more face-to-face interviews (virtual and/or in-person), then a job offer.

As you progress in your job search, it's important to take time on a regular basis to evaluate what you are doing and see if you need to modify your approach. Let's look at possible ways to proceed if you are not receiving callbacks from employers for initial phone screens.

No Initial Interview Invitations

I’ve seen variations on the following LinkedIn post way too many times: “I’ve applied for 300 jobs over the last six months, and I have only gotten a couple of interviews.” Realize you won’t get a phone screen for every job application you submit, but you should be getting some. If you apply for even 20 jobs and don’t hear anything back from any of them, it’s time to reassess and figure out what you need to change to have more success. 

As an applicant, the first challenge is getting out of the virtual pile of job applications and into the much more selective “we gotta talk to this one” pile. Taking these steps can help.

Step 1: Identify Your Target Job

Often, people who struggle with getting job interviews need to revisit what they want in a job and target their job search toward that goal. Unfortunately, while applying for as many jobs as possible seems logical, it often backfires. ​Instead, job seekers who identify what they really want, then apply for those roles more closely matching their interests and qualifications get hired sooner. 

Step 2: Realign Goals and Messaging

Another problem shared by people who struggle with job searching is not talking about what they want, their work experience, and their most relevant qualifications. Ensure your resume has a strong Professional Summary highlighting the type of role desired and your value to your target role. 

Step 3: Focus on Fewer Applications

How many applications should you do in a given week? Applying for 300 jobs over six months (26 weeks) is an average of 11.5 applications per week. That is A LOT. When I’m job searching, my weekly goal is three applications per week, and I might submit as many as six per week if I see a few more role roles that look especially promising. By focusing on fewer job applications, I increase my quality instead of relying too heavily on quantity. 

Step 4: Customize your Resume for Each Application

When I decide to apply for a role, I take 15-30 minutes per application to customize my resume. Taking this extra time to update my language helps potential employers understand how my skill set aligns directly with what they are looking for in a candidate. Ensuring the right keywords are present for an Automated Tracking System (ATS) and for the recruiter who initially reviews each resume will give you a better chance of being selected for a phone screen.

To make these updates efficiently and effectively, I focus on two sections: Professional Summary and Skills & Competencies. Check out the Learn More section for additional information on strategies for customizing your resume. 

Learn More

  • The Layoff Lady: Prioritizing Job Applications
  • The Layoff Lady: Career Planning - Figuring Out What You Want To Be Next ​
  • The LayoffLady: Customizing Your Resume for Each Job Application
  • ​​The Layoff Lady's Ultimate Guide To Answering The Question, "I Just Got Laid Off--Now What Do I Do?"​
  • The Layoff Lady Book: Seven Lessons From Seven Layoffs: A Guide​​​
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Self Reflection: Your Values and Your Goals

5/5/2026

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By Brenda L. Peterson, The Layoff Lady

A Time of Reflection

Beginnings and endings often make us think. When relationships, jobs, or projects end, we often reflect on recent events and our desired future state. Likewise, as we prepare to begin a new month, season, or year, we often set goals.

Many times, we set big amorphous goals athat end up going nowhere fast. "Eat better," "get a better job," and "build my professional network" all sound fine, until you look back months later and realize that nothing much has changed. Sometimes we even write more specific goals like "eat a vegetable at every meal" or "make one new LinkedIn connection per week"--and even then they fall flat. Why is that?

Turns out, it’s perhaps even more important to figure out what matters to you and why.  This often skipped step is how we discover a deeper seated motivation, which can help us to actually make those goals into action and new habits.  

Where To Start: Your Values

When you’re setting personal goals, and you want to make sure they stick, identifying your values is a great place to start.

When thinking about the life you want to live, it's essential to start with what is truly important to you. Identifying those guiding principles will help you decide how you budget your money, how you want to spend your time, and what type of work is right for you.

​Finding the words to express your values can help you live in alignment and increase your overall wellbeing—as well as give you the much-needed motivation to progress towards goals that support your values. 

Step 1: Take The Values Assessment

I find it challenging to think of the right words to articulate what I value. While there are many lists online you can use as a starting point, I prefer using the think2perform Online Values Exercise.

This free online assessment includes 51 named value cards and four rounds of reviewing the cards. The total time to complete this activity is about 15 minutes, and perhaps more depending on how much contemplation time you need. In the end, you'll have five value cards that name and start to describe key areas that matter to you. 
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Recently, when I retook the values assessment, I identified these as my top 5 values:
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Step 2: Personalize Your Values

After you identify your top five values, think about how you live those values in your everyday life and even how they play out in your career. As I took the assessment this time, I found that I liked some of the value names, like autonomy and helping others, as well as parts of the value descriptions from other cards. ​I realized how important it was for me to personalize my values to make them truly my own.

Fine Tuning Value Names

For one, I work in the field of Learning and Development, and previous job titles I have had included the word “training” in the title. For me, the idea of education resonated with me, but the word "education" was not quite right.

When I thought more about what matters to me, I landed on the word "learning." For me, "education" has the connotation that I need to take a class in order to learn. I'm a firm believer that learning comes from all directions all the time.

Fine Tuning Value Descriptions

I also took more time personalizing the descriptions. While I chose the word "relationships" to label one of my values, I incorporated details from descriptions for related terms like "family" and "community." I also included details that help inform how specifically I want to be sure to live those values. I included one line about different types of individual and groups, and what might bring us together, including this line: "Seeking out groups and individuals that align with my priorities, preferences, and interests." 

While I kept the word "health" as the value that mattered to me, I decided to update the standard description of “placing importance on physical and emotional wellbeing.” Instead, I thought about what health means to me and how I can live that value. My description for health included these details: "Leveraging habits and routines that maximize my energy and support my overall wellbeing. Prioritizing my physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing by focusing on nutrition, movement, and self-care. Honoring my need for social and alone time.”

Value Evolution Over Time

I have completed this values exercise multiple times, and I find it comforting that the tend to be relatively stable, but always evolve as I do. I notice that my results change a bit depending on what personal challenges I've faced since my last assessment.

The words that have remained in my top five consistently over time are autonomy, relationships, and health. When life has felt unpredictable, words like stability, security, and safety have moved up. Similarly, since work is such an important part of my life, there are always words directly related to what I do for a living. In this case, learning and helping others round out my top five, and represent not only my work, but my general approach to the world. 

What Do You Think?

Do you take time to think about and name your personal values? How do you go about that process? Share your thoughts in the comments. 

Learn More

  • The think2perform Online Values Exercise
  • The Layoff Lady: Career Planning - Figuring Out What You Want To Be Next 
  • ​The Layoff Lady's Ultimate Guide To Answering The Question, "I Just Got Laid Off--Now What Do I Do?"​
  • The Layoff Lady Book: Seven Lessons From Seven Layoffs: A Guide
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Let's Talk Money: Your Target Salary Range

4/28/2026

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By Brenda L. Peterson, The Layoff Lady

Your Salary Requirements

Most of us work so we can pay for our lives. When you are job searching, it’s important to determine your target salary range to make your job search more effective. 

​​Having this information will help you prioritize which jobs to apply for and help you have those early salary conversations. Let’s look at a few strategies for answering the question, “What are your salary requirements?”

Start With Your Target Roles

First, ensure you’ve done the requisite amount of soul-searching to determine what you want to be next in your career. Have a list of what you want to do, possible job titles, relevant skills, core responsibilities, daily activities, focus areas, types of companies, and industries. Having these details on your desired job will help as you start to do salary research. 

The Disclaimer

While I feel comfortable discussing various financial and insurance concepts, I do not currently hold a license or any certification that deems me inherently qualified to give financial advice. The information provided here is intended to be used for educational purposes only. 

Sometimes, the core challenge is knowing how a system generally works, the terms used to describe what you’re asking about, and where to go for additional help. My goal for this article is to share information to guide you as you navigate the murky waters of  job searching. I hope my personal experiences can help you cut a path through the wilderness as you try to figure out your next steps.

Feel free to take my recommendations or not. Whatever you do, double-check my facts--and everyone's purported facts, for that matter. This is your life, and you will care more about your financial and healthcare decisions than anyone else. Use this information as a starting point for further research as you ultimately decide what’s right for you.

Identify Your Priorities

Now that you understand your target job and what that looks like, think about what you value in a job. 

For example, some may prioritize having a specific job title, receiving tuition reimbursement money to earn their next credential, and opportunities for a promotion within the company. Another person may prioritize having interesting work while also having schedule flexibility, the ability to work remotely most days, and low health insurance premiums. Still another person may prioritize alongside colleagues in an office, having the opportunity to mentor new employees, and finding a job they can keep for the next 20 years. Think about what is the most important to you.

​In addition, think about what you value in an employer.  Working for a non-profit, government entity, start-up, family business, or Fortune 500 company will have salary, benefit, job security, and total compensation-related implications.

Overall, think about what matters to you, and be aware of the salaries that align with your overall job preferences.

Factors That Influence Your Target Salary Range

When considering your salary requirements, I suggest using a range instead of one specific number. Let’s look at strategies for determining your target salary range. 

​Here are numbers you might have in mind that could impact your range:

  • What you need to make to pay your core monthly bills
  • The absolute minimum salary you are willing to accept
  • What you need, based on your budget, savings plan, and financial goals
  • The minimum salary you would happily accept
  • What you’ve made previously
  • What colleagues make
  • What you’ve seen listed in current job postings
  • What you think you are worth
  • What would you like to make
  • What you’d be really excited about 
  • Your dream salary

I suggest the salary range you share with potential employers includes the lower number that is the minum salary you would happily accept and the maximum number is what you'd be really excited about. 

What Companies Are Paying

Knowing what companies are paying for what you do should also factor in to your target salary range. Here are a few strategies for finding out more:

Search For Openings in Pay Transparency States

Take these steps to find out what open positions are paying:
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  1. Search for your target job title and details in a major city in a state with pay transparency laws. I often search for San Francisco, CA or Denver, CO. 
  2. Find positions that most closely match your target job and details.
  3. Make a note ofthe minimum and maximum salary range numbers, and any descriptors the company has on what qualifications would push a candidate towards the upper end of the salary range.
  4. As needed, use a Cost of Living calculator to adjust the minum and maximum numbers for each role. Make a note of these numbers. 
  5. Repeat this process a few times to identify trends. 

Research Your Job Title and Geographic Location

Many websites have salary information. Two that come highly recommended by recruiters are Salary.com and Payscale.com. In fact, Salary.com has a Know Your Worth calculator where you can add details like your job title, location, education level, and years of experience and see the impact each factor has on your potential market value. 

Ask Around

Find out from other job searchers, recruiters, and hiring managers what salaries companies are paying for specific roles. You can also inquire with professional development organizations to see if there are industry or job-specific studies available that include salary-related information. 

Confounding Factors

Here are a few factors that might make this process challenging:

  • Salaries vary by industry, geographic region, job title, and individual company.
  • Not all companies (even those that are legally required to do so) always publish salary information on job postings.
  • During the application or interview process, companies may ask you for your salary requiements before you know their target salary range.
  • Some companies adjust salaries by geographical area for the same role, while others do not.
  • Titles are not used consistently across organizations. Titles may have varying responsibilities as well as salary levels.
  • Company benefits can range from few and expensive to plentiful and low-cost. Benefit costs can impact your take home pay significantly.
  • Not all interesting jobs will pay what you want them to pay.
  • Some companies will pay sinificantly lower or higher than the salary information you find. 
  • Not all companies, even with your target job title, will have salary ranges that align with yours. 

Learn More

  • Payscale.com: Cost of Living Calculator
  • Salary.com: Know Your Worth Calculator
  • GovDocs: Salary Transparency Laws by State (Interactive Map) 
  • The Layoff Lady: Let's Talk Money: Salary and Total Compensation
  • The Layoff Lady: Interview Preparation: The Initial Phone Screen
  • The Layoff Lady's Ultimate Guide To Answering The Question, "I Just Got Laid Off--Now What Do I Do?"​
  • The Layoff Lady Book: Seven Lessons From Seven Layoffs: A Guide​
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Managing Your Professional References

4/21/2026

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By Brenda L. Peterson, The Layoff Lady

About References

When you’re getting ready to apply for jobs, at some point, those companies will ask for professional references. Some organizations will ask for references during the initial application. Other employers will ask as they approach the final stages of their interview process.  Let's look at how you can select and communicate well with these people who you want to vouch for you and your skills.

About Professional References

Your professional references will speak well of you and help potential employers see your value. While personal references are generally people who can vouch for your character, professional references can share their experience with you in a work-related capacity.  Typically, you'll need the names and contact information for three people who can share their experiences with you.

Selecting Your References

When selecting your professional references, here are a few ideas on who you may want to use:
  • Previous managers
  • Coworkers
  • Direct reports
  • Contacts from professional organizations
  • People with whom you've volunteered
  • Someone who is referring you for a role

Overall, it's helpful to find people who have worked for you doing relevant work (paid or volunteer) and who can attest to your skills. Here are a few of the people I have used a reference in the past:
  • A recent manager when I was in an individual contributor role.
  • A director who was not my immediate manager but who I collaborate with on projects
  • A colleague who I worked alongside when we each led different teams
  • A project manager who managed a team I was on
  • One of my direct reports
  • Someone who I interacted with while I volunteered for a professional development organization
  • Someone who was also a contractor for the same company I worked for
  • A parent who also volunteered to chaperone a school event  

Which References To Use

When I apply for jobs, I have two references I use consistently.
  • One is a colleague I've worked with at three different companies. I have worked with him for over ten years. I first had him as a trainee in a class, then we both worked at another company in different departments, then he was my direct report at another company.  He is one of my go-to references because he has seen me work in several roles, can comment on me as a leader, and has first-hand experience with my instructional design skills. 
  • One is a recent manager of mine.  I worked with her on a small team in a large organization. She can also attest to my skills as a learning consultant and in a technical role while commenting on how I work on project teams and meet deadlines. Having at least one former manager as a reference is essential. 

Depending on the role for which I am applying, I will choose which other reference might be the most helpful: 
  • For a role focused on finance, I might include a former colleague of mine who was a  retirement coach.  He and I have collaborated on projects, created financial education materials, and fine-tuned a process for coaching individuals on retirement planning concepts. 
  • For a role with a healthcare company with an opening for a technical trainer, I might include a former colleague of mine who used to work on the same team as me. Since she and I had worked together to co-facilitate classes, she could speak to the specific skills I would bring to the role. She could also refer me for that role as well. 
  • For a role focusing on career coaching and resume development, I might include a board member for a professional organization where I put together and regularly deliver content on career development. 

Overall, make sure that your references can speak to your skills as they might pertain to the specific job. 

Information To Include

Make sure to collect the following details on your potential references so you are ready to share it with possible employers:
  • First and last name
  • Current company and job title
  • LinkedIn profile (if available)
  • Phone number
  • Email address
  • Background information on your relationship

Asking People To Be Your Reference

Before you start giving out people's contact information, be sure to confirm they are okay with being your reference. I suggest doing this before a specific job asks for references. I usually send them a message via email, LinkedIn, or text that reads something like this:
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Hi, [first name].  I'm launching my job search, and I'm wondering if you'd be willing to be one of my professional references. If so, please share the following contact information details with me:
  • Current company and job title
  • Preferred phone number
  • Preferred email address

Thanks for your help!
​​--------------

The Heads Up Message

After you have their initial permission to give out their name as a reference, be sure to also inform them if they should expect someone to reach out to them. In addition to letting them know who may contact them and the type of position, it's also good to share a reminder of your previous work relationship so they aren't scrambling. Here is an example of that type of message.
​---------------
Hi, [first name]. Thanks for being willing to be my reference!

I recently applied for a [job title] position with [company name]. I am in the final stages of their interview process, and they may contact you via phone or email.

As a reminder, you and I worked together at [company] from [date range] when I was a [my job title] and you were the [their job title].  

Thanks again!
​​---------------

Learn More

  • The Layoff Lady: Customizing Your Resume for Each Job Application 
  • The Layoff Lady: Prioritizing Job Applications​​
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No Rambling=No Regrets: Answer Job Interview Questions Like a Pro

4/14/2026

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By Brenda L. Peterson, The Layoff Lady

It's Interview Time! Make It Count!

No doubt, you've been applying for a lot of jobs--and now a company wants to talk to you! Since you're over the first hurdle, it’s time to get ready to make a good impression. Your goal is to help your interviewers see how amazing you are! To do that, you need to figure out how to shape and share your story. Let's look at what you're likely in for and how to set yourself up for success.

About Behavioral Interviewing Questions

During the job interview process, hiring managers and recruiters often ask behavioral interview questions since past actions often predict future behavior. Old-school interview questions rely on asking how you would handle a hypothetical situation (which, of course, would be perfectly).
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Conversely, behavioral interview questions require you to share a story of what you actually did in a similar situation. The stories you share come from your previous work experience and demonstrate how you think, solve problems, measure success, and overcome obstacles. 

Anticipating Behavioral Interview Questions

Traditional interview questions usually start with, "How would you?" while behavioral interview questions often begin with, "Tell me about a time." 

Here are a few examples of old-school questions and behavioral alternatives:​
Traditional Interview Questions:​
  • How would you deal with a customer complaint? What would you do to make it right?  
  • How would you manage a project team and select a new software vendor?
  • How would you prioritize your workload between day to day tasks and longer-term projects?
Behavioral Interview Questions: ​
  • Tell me about a time when you solved a complex customer problem.
  • Tell me about a time when you managed a team and had to make a big decision.
  • Tell me about a time when work was hectic and how you prioritized your workload.

Finding Your Stories

When answering behavioral interview questions, you will tell a story. It's valuable to think about your previous jobs and be ready to mine that experience for stories to explain key points to your interviewers. Your goal should be to give a 1-3 minute answer that showcases your skills in ways that address the question. 

The tendency is for people to either not know what to say or to ramble and hope they stumble upon something useful. For the next little part of this article, we'll explore different strategies you could use to answer the following question:

Tell me about a time when you had to finish a project with a short turnaround time. ​

The Non-Plan: Start Talking and Hope For The Best 

Here goes nothing:
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Gosh. I've done a lot of projects where I had to get something done quickly. Those have included software implementations, making a video, and even designing or updating a class with little to no notice. I usually just work really hard and put in extra hours to get something done.

So, one case I can think of was right when the pandemic started in 2020. I worked for a software company that delivered most of its training in person at customer sites. Since government guidelines for dealing with COVID were changing daily during the early part of the pandemic, over the course of a couple of days--maybe it was like two weeks. I can't quite remember.

Anyway, we realized that we would not be able to travel to customer sites to deliver their training like we had always done. We had to figure out how to deliver what was usually a week or so of in-person training without traveling to a customer site. We really didn't know how we were going to pull that off--and we were really worried that we were going to totally screw it up. I mean, who even knew what was going on early pandemic? What a mess that whole thing was. 

So anyway, we had to figure out how to do that well--and we had to figure it out in literally days. I had the trainer cancel their travel plans. Then, a few of us--including a salesperson, a trainer, and an instructional designer--sat down and tried to figure out what to do. We didn't want to bore people to death or make it an awful experience. We thought about doing videos, but those take a lot of time to create and produce. We also had to figure out a short-term plan for the next week and figure out a more interim plan after that. It was really hard to figure out. I mean--the whole WORLD had changed! 

[Note: we're still on the stage setting part of this and not even on to the question answer. So. Much. Talking.]

PAR: Problem/Project, Action, Results

Having a plan for your answers will make the whole interviewing process better.

PAR is one method you can use to structure your answer. Here are key components and what each letter represents:
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  • Project or Problem: Set the scene for the story you are telling and the problem you were trying to solve. What company did you work for? What was their focus? What was the problem? Why did the problem matter? 
  • Action: Describe what you did. What did you think about first? What actions did you take? What specifically did you do? Why did you choose that course of action over others? Who did what?
  • Results: Explain the end result. What tangibly happened? Was the customer happier? Did a problem go away? What were the short term impacts? How did this work out in the long run? What did you gain? Did you avert a loss?

A PAR Answer

Project/Problem: 

In March of 2020, when COVID was declared a pandemic, I worked at XYZ Software Company, and my team trained new users right after their software went live for each customer. Because we did new user training in person at each customer's site, and travel restrictions were going into place, we had to figure out what to do instead--and we only had a few days to figure something out.

Action:

I talked with my manager about how to deliver this training the following week to ABC Company. We thought through options and decided to use a combination of Zoom meetings and hands-on practice. I repurposed some of our materials to be self-paced activities, and my manager and I talked with the customer about our plans. We agreed to do a 90-minute instructor-led session in the morning and another one in the afternoon each day that week. Learners would also do self-paced activities, and the instructor would be available to answer questions as needed. 

Result:
​
This resulted in us delivering the training during the planned week using the time already scheduled, but in a different way. In the end, the customer was happy that we were still on schedule, and end users appreciated the combination of instructor-led training and self-directed time.

CARL: Context, Action, Results, Learning

CARL is another method you can use to structure your answers. Here are key components and what each letter represents:
​
  • Context: Set the scene for the story you are telling and the problem you were trying to solve. What company did you work for? What was their focus? What was the problem? Why did the problem matter? 
  • Action: Describe what you did. What did you think about first? What actions did you take? What specifically did you do? Why did you choose that course of action over others? Who did what?
  • Results: Explain the end result. What tangibly happened? Was the customer happier? Did a problem go away? What were the short-term impacts? How did this work out in the long run? What did you gain? Did you avert a loss?
  • Learning: What did you learn? Did you continue to do this? Did you come up with another better option later? Did you learn something about yourself?

A CARL Answer

Context:

In March of 2020, when COVID was declared a pandemic, I worked at XYZ Software Company and my team trained new users right after their software went live for each customer. Because we did new user training in-person at each customer's site, and travel restrictions were going into place, we had to figure out what to do instead--and we only had a few days to plan.


​Action:

I talked with my manager about how to deliver this training the following week to ABC Company. We thought through options and decided to use a combination of Zoom meetings and hands-on practice. I repurposed some of our materials to be self-paced activities, and my manager and I talked with the customer about our plans. We agreed to do a 90-minute instructor-led session in the morning, and another one in the afternoon each day that week. Learners would also do self-paced activities, and I would be available to answer questions as needed. 

Result:

This resulted in us delivering the training during the planned week using the time already scheduled, but in a different way. In the end, the customer was happy that we were still on schedule, and end users appreciated the combination of instructor-led training and self-directed time. 

Learning:
​

Through this process, we learned more about how we could deliver effective learning at a distance. We also found that encouraging learners to turn their cameras on during training helped build a sense of community among class members. We built upon our lessons learned to improve our training with each customer.

Additional Question Answering Models

In addition to PAR and CARL, here are two more question answering models. 
​
  • CAR: Context, Action, Results: This method is similar to content in PAR. Both CAR and PAR do not include what you learned during the process.
  • ​STAR: Situation, Task, Action, Results: STAR breaks apart the Situation and the Task, and still covers the Actions taken, then Results. 

In the end, it doesn't matter as much which one you choose, just that you structure your answers to minimize rambling. 

Learn More

  • 25 Behavioural Interview Questions (With Example Answers)
  • LinkedIn's Guide to Screening Candidates: 30 Essential Behavioral Interviewing Questions
  • The Layoff Lady's Ultimate Guide To Answering The Question, "I Just Got Laid Off--Now What Do I Do?"​
  • The Layoff Lady Book: Seven Lessons From Seven Layoffs: A Guide​​
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LinkedIn Is Your Billboard: Optimizing Your Profile

4/7/2026

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By Brenda L. Peterson, The Layoff Lady

Your LinkedIn Profile: Purpose

While your resume is a concise 1-2 page marketing piece intended to showcase your skills as they apply to a specific job, LinkedIn is your professional billboard to the whole working world. 

When actively searching and applying for a job, you’ll include your LinkedIn profile on your resume. Hiring managers and recruiters will often view your profile to see which connections you might have in common and to learn more about you in general. Furthermore, recruiters may source you (invite you to apply or interview for an opportunity) based on the content of your profile.

Whether you are actively applying for a new job or simply building your professional network, it's a good idea to review your LinkedIn profile regularly and make updates to ensure your information is current and complete.

Your LinkedIn Profile: The Basics

Filling in these fields on your LinkedIn profile will make it an even more valuable tool as you build and grow your professional network:
​
  • Profile Photo: This is the primary image, displayed in a circular frame, that represents you on LinkedIn. It should be a headshot—a photo featuring a recent picture of you focused on your face. You don’t need to suit-up for this either. Make sure you’re pictured solo, and the photo has the look and feel that best represents you.
 
  • Background Photo: When someone views your LinkedIn profile, they’ll see your profile photo, front and center, and your background photo along the top of your profile. Be sure to include a background photo aligned with your professional brand. You can even use a tool like Canva to personalize your background.  
 
  • Headline: Your headline defaults to your current job title and company name. Since this is a high-value space, I suggest personalizing this text based on your LinkedIn goals. For example, if you're job searching, consider including your target job title and your most relevant skills. Keep in mind that when you comment on someone's post, they will see your name and the first part of your headline. Overall, the keywords in your headline impact your findability on LinkedIn.
       
  • Experience: List your recent work experiences and share a few details on each role. For each job, fill in the required fields, including your dates of employment. For the description, include a sentence or two about what you did and keywords to highlight your skills further. Consider focusing on your last 10-15 years of work experience.
 
  • ​Education: Include the schools attended and degrees earned. I suggest leaving off years since they may cause people to speculate on your age or form opinions on your experience level. Adding schools attended here is a great starting point for connecting with others who attended those institutions. 

​Your LinkedIn Profile: Next Level

Here are a few ways to make your LinkedIn profile even more impactful: 

  • ​​About Section: The About section is at the top of your LinkedIn profile and gives you a chance to tell. If you're job searching, this is a great place to include details about who you are and what you are looking for in your next role. You also have room to add additional bullet points if you like. Write this in the first person (using “I” language) and further showcase who you are professionally. 
 
  • Customize Your Profile URL: By default, your LinkedIn profile's URL (web address) will be long and not very meaningful. You can customize your URL to make it friendly. I suggest using some version of your name. This minor update will look more professional on your resume—and make your profile easier to find. 
 
  • Emojis: While you don't want to add too many cutesy emojis, using these tiny graphics is a nice way to break up longer bodies of text. Using a unique graphic for a bulleted list, an envelope next to your email address, or a splash of color to divide up long bodies of text, you can leverage emojis to liven up your profile and posts. 
​
  • Skills: Within LinkedIn, you can select up to 50 skills that will be included on your profile. This is another great opportunity to look at keywords you commonly see in job listings for your target role. For added impact, you can indicate which skills you used in the experience section, too. 

What Do You Think?

What information do you include on your LinkedIn profile and why? What details do you skip and for what reason? Share your thoughts in the comments. 

Learn More

  • ​How To Customize Your LinkedIn Profile URL
  • How to Add and Remove Skills on Your LinkedIn Profile
  • ​​How The LinkedIn Algorithm Works
  • The Layoff Lady's Ultimate Guide To Answering The Question, "I Just Got Laid Off--Now What Do I Do?"​
  • The Layoff Lady Book: Seven Lessons From Seven Layoffs: A Guide​
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Managing Job Search Rejection

3/31/2026

3 Comments

 
By Brenda L. Peterson, The Layoff Lady

Rejection and Negative Emotions

Searching for a new role is a rough process riddled with rejection, which is never pleasant.

If you're in a post-layoff career transition, It starts with your former employer kicking you out of the whole company and, in essence, saying, “You are no longer one of us.” At every step of the way, you’ll experience people telling you no in a variety of ways--and it hits hard since you're navigating so much uncertainty and so many life changes. 

Even if you are currently employed, job searching and the associated rejection is still no picnic. You're also dealing with the uncertainty of knowing how long it will take to find something new and the challenge of doing good (enough) work at your current job while not knowing how long you'll be in limbo. 

Here is how that rejection may look.

 Applying for a job and:

  • Hearing the booming emptiness of no reply at all.
  • Receiving a rejection email in what feels like moments after hitting submit. 
  • Seeing that role repeatedly reposted as if to say, “We can’t find anyone—but certainly not you.” 

Having what felt like a great interview for a job and:

  • Hearing a fat lot of nothing back. Ever.
  • Finding out the job is on hold, they made an internal hire, or they went with another candidate.
  • Receiving a canned “thanks, but no thanks” email months after your last conversation.

Receiving a job offer and:

  • Seeing that the pay rate is significantly below the salary range you had discussed.
  • After a long delay, receiving an offer with the demand that you accept immediately and start right away. 
  • Wishing it was from another company for a different role.

Accepting a job offer and:

  • Hearing nothing from your new employer about the details of your first week. 
  • Getting a last-minute call from the recruiter that your start date has been postponed. 
  • Having the offer rescinded due to company changes.

​The Necessity of Experiencing Your Emotions

Because of all of the uncertainty and rejection, this whole process can be a lot to bear. It’s hard to keep going when there are obstacles at every turn. Sometimes, even well-intentioned people who are genuinely trying to be supportive ask just the wrong question and make you feel even worse. 

It is paramount that you experience your emotions, then manage your mindset so you don’t let your feelings make the already complicated process of finding a new job even harder.

Coping Strategies

Here are a few ideas to help you work through the unpleasant emotions that will pop up during your quest for a new role. 

Acknowledge Each Emotion

Befriend your feelings. Don’t pretend that you don’t feel how you do. Name them, acknowledge them, and then move on. Pretending those unpleasant feelings don’t exist will not make them disappear. Instead, it may silence them for a bit, but they will pop up later, usually at the worst possible time. Acknowledging each one will help them run their course–and also help you to increase your ability to manage the ups and downs of this process.

Wallow a Little

It’s impossible to will yourself into feeling better. Sometimes, you need to just sit with an uncomfortable feeling for a while and let it run its course. Cry a little. Rewatch your favorite movie for the bijillionth time. Have a little ice cream. Do a puzzle. Take a walk. Take the afternoon off from your to-do list. Some will run their course more quickly than others. 

Research The Problem 

​If you’re worried about something, researching answers and managing your expectations often helps. How many job applications does it typically take to get an interview? How long does it take most people to find a new role post-layoff? Which companies are hiring? You'll probably feel a little better by researching options, clarifying goals, and taking useful action.

​Even if you don’t find a complete solution, you at least know more. Having added knowledge will help you worry less or at least direct your worry toward taking productive action that will help you solve a problem.

Take a Social Media Break

Social media, specifically LinkedIn, can be a great job search tool. Unfortunately, it can also give you the illusion that everyone else is doing great and you are downright hopeless. Posts like “It only took me a week to find my dream job,” or "I just got an awesome job (aka the one you were interviewing for)," “I’m still employed but I feel SO BAD for my former coworkers who are jobless,” or “Every company ever is doing more layoffs (which means more competition for each job)” will only make you feel worse. Remind yourself that social media isn’t real life and disengage. 

Leverage Basic Self Care

When everything feels hard, taking care of yourself needs to be your top priority. Here are a few quick and easy ideas to make you feel almost instantly better: 
  • Breathe.
  • Drink water. 
  • Eat regularly.
  • Rest.
  • Shower.
  • Take a break.
  • Move your body.
  • Go outside.

Learn More

  • ​Podcast Appearance: Unfiltered Unspoken Connecting Through Life Experiences: Finding Hope After Layoffs, Brenda L. Peterson, The Layoff Lady
  • The Layoff Lady's Ultimate Guide To Answering The Question, "I Just Got Laid Off--Now What Do I Do?"​
  • The Layoff Lady Book: Seven Lessons From Seven Layoffs: A Guide​
3 Comments

Job Search Skills You Didn't Know You Needed: Remote, Hybrid, Onsite, and Hiring Eligibility

3/24/2026

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By Brenda L. Peterson, The Layoff Lady

Onsite, Remote, and Hybrid Work Implications

When searching for a job, one challenge is figuring out what work arrangements a given employer has in mind. Since 2020, companies in the United States often label their open positions as onsite, hybrid, or remote. Even with those labels, job seekers and individual employers are still not always aligned on what exactly that means
​
​Let's look at some of the factors in play. 

Remote Job Clarifications

For a job labeled as "remote," their expectations could be any of the following:
​
  • The candidate lives in the United States and can work from anywhere.
  • The candidate lives in the United States and must work from their home.
  • The candidate lives within a specific list of states where the potential employer is set up to conduct business.
  • The candidate lives within a specific time zone.
  • The candidate is willing to work hours in a specified time zone.
  • The candidate lives within a specified distance from one of the company's physical office locations.
  • The candidate lives in the metropolitan area of the company's headquarters.
  • The company is "remote first" with no physical office location.
  • The company is "remote-friendly," meaning there may be the option to work in an office location, a designated shared space, or fully remote.
  • The company is "open to remote" and may consider a candidate who does not work in their office location.

Onsite, Remote, and Hybrid Roles in Practice

Regardless of the label, each role may work differently in practice. Here are a few of the many possible scenarios:

  • A company may label a job as remote, then later in the job description mention preferences for being onsite.
  • A company may label a job as hybrid when it could more accurately be described as remote with some travel to the corporate office.
  • A company may label a job as onsite or hybrid, and in the body of the job description, explain that they are also open to remote.
  • A company may label a job hybrid, expecting people to be onsite (in the office) anywhere from never to 4 days per week. 
  • A company may have an unstated preference for the location of employees.
  • A company may not be clear about their ongoing thoughts on having workers return to the office or the timeline for that change.
  • Many companies label roles as remote but do not clarify additional details about arrangements (which states, preferences for specific geographical locations).
  • Companies may decide on a case by case basis where they prefer employees to be located or if they will be remote, hybrid, or onsite.
  • Any of these designations may also include travel. 

Navigating Job Listings for Remote Roles

As a job seeker who understand the different stated options and possible meanings, here are a few strategies for navigating job listings:

  • Review posted job openings for additional details on work arrangements. For remote roles, read the main job description and skim the listing for additional location restrictions (time zones, states, and proximity to a physical office).
  • If you're on a job search site, find the job listing on the company's website. Sometimes they will include additional details on the specific states where they are able to hire and/or want to hire for a given position. 
  • If you’re not sure if a company can do business in your state, use LinkedIn to search for employees at that company who currently live in your state. This would indicate that the company is legally able to hire someone in your state.
  • Connect with and speak with someone at the organization and ask for additional clarification on work arrangements and remote work policies.
  • If it’s unclear, reach out to a company recruiter to clarify details (or, if time is of the essence, apply first, then ask questions later).

Overall, my biggest reccommendation is to err on the side of applying for jobs that look interesting and having a more robust conversation about working arrangements during the interview process. 

Remote Work Implications: Locations and Pay

There are also a few other implications of remote work to keep in mind:
​
  • Salary ranges will be all over the board for the same role. For example, a title like "Training Manager" could have a salary of anywhere from $50,000 - $225,000 per year, depending on the location of the company's corporate office. 
  • Some companies adjust their salary ranges based on the candidate's geographic area, while others do not. 
  • Even with pay transparency laws in some states, not all jobs list the salary range--even when they are now required to do so. 

Strategies for Remote Work Salary Conversations

Given these variations on how salaries work for remote roles, be sure to think through your financial requirements and how you will address questions about your desired salary:

  • Identify your desired salary range overall. Use this range as a starting point for all conversations.
  • Review posted salary ranges for the role. Make sure they at least meet your minimum salary.
  • During the interview process, when a recruiter or hiring manager asks you for your desired salary range, answer that question with the question, “what is the salary range for this position?” This assures that you’re not selling yourself short.

Learn More

  • The Layoff Lady: Interview Preparation: The Initial Phone Screen
  • The Layoff Lady's Ultimate Guide To Answering The Question, "I Just Got Laid Off--Now What Do I Do?"​
  • The Layoff Lady Book: Seven Lessons From Seven Layoffs: A Guide​
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Using LinkedIn To Identify Your Career Keywords

3/17/2026

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By Brenda L. Peterson, The Layoff Lady

The Challenge: Describing What You Do

Whether you're searching for a new role or thinking about your professional development, not having the right words to describe your skillset can hinder your progress. Identifying your career keywords will help you create effective messaging for your LinkedIn profile, resume, conversations with colleagues, and other written communications like email and social media posts. 

Where To Start: LinkedIn and Keywords

Here is my recommendation for how to begin gathering keywords that align with your chosen profession:

  • Identify a job title that interests you.
  • On LinkedIn, search for job openings for that job title. Make a note of the specific variations on job titles you see in your search results.
  • On LinkedIn, save 5 or more jobs that resonate with you. 
  • Make a list of the 10 top skills for 3 or more of those roles you saved. 
  • Identify which keywords you saw more than once and look for trends.
  • Make special note of keywords that resonate with you. Keep a running list of terms and update it as you encounter new terminology. 

Let me take you through an example.

Search for Your Target Job Title

I searched LinkedIn's Jobs section for Business Partner Organizational Development in the United States. From the results, I selected ten currently open positions to review further (because I'm an overachiever like that). Here are those job titles:
​
  1. ​Director, People Experience
  2. Lead People Business Partner
  3. Learning and Development Business Partner
  4. Organizational Development Partner
  5. Organizational Development Program Manager
  6. People Business Partner
  7. People Business Partner Director
  8. People Partner
  9. Principle People Business Partner
  10. Senior People Success Partner

Lesson Learned: When you search for a job title, your results will include a variety of titles different companies use. Be sure to review the job description to learn more about what that company expects from that role. The duties for the same job title might vary widely from company to company, as might the terminology they use to describe it.

Identifying Skills and Keywords

Total Number of Different Skills Returned for All Ten Jobs
For the 10 jobs I reviewed, 69 different skills were included in the results. For context, if all roles had the exact same skills, this number would be 10. If all of the roles had different skills, this number would be 100. 

Lesson Learned: ​Not only will job titles vary across organizations, but what skills they value can also differ.  Be sure to review the job description to learn more about what skills the company thinks will help make someone in that role successful. 

Specific Skills Returned For More Than One Job
Several skills came up more than once across those ten jobs. Here is the number of times a specific skill appeared for more than one role:
​
  • Communication: 6
  • Human Resources: 6
  • Employee Relations: 6
  • Employee Engagement: 4
  • Problem Solving: 4
  • Talent Management: 3
  • Confidentiality: 2
  • Group Facilitation: 2
  • Organizational Development: 2
  • Succession Planning: 2
  • Teamwork: 2
  • Workforce Planning: 2
  • Written Communication: 2

Lesson Learned: ​Even if there is not widespread agreement on the terminology used across organizations, some keywords will show up more often. Consider including popular keywords in your skills section on your LinkedIn profile and in your resume.

Different Keywords for Similar Skills 
While specific keywords like "communication" and "problem solving" appeared more than once within the 10 job descriptions, several related terms might be included instead. Here are a few groups of terms that take different approaches to describing similar concepts:
​
  • Succession Planning, Workforce Planning, Talent Strategy
  • Communication, Written Communication, Interpersonal Communication
  • Build Strong Relationships, Relationship Building, Relationship Development
  • Consultation, Consultative Approach, Influencing Others
  • Facilitation, Group Facilitation, Presentations,
  • Flexible Approach, Free Thinking, Problem Solving
  • Performance Planning, Performance Consulting, Performance Review
  • Confidentiality, Sensitive Information, HR Policies

Lesson Learned: When you look at the groupings of keywords, you can see the broader areas where roles like this would operate. Each company may use slightly different terminology regarding the skills that they value. When you talk about the work you do, consider weaving some of these words into your stories. 

What Do You Think?

How do you identify the right keywords to use to describe what you do? How could you loop in AI into this process? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Learn More

  • The Layoff Lady: Career Planning - Figuring Out What You Want To Be Next
  • The Layoff Lady: What To Include on Your LinkedIn Profile
  • The Layoff Lady's Ultimate Guide To Answering The Question, "I Just Got Laid Off--Now What Do I Do?"​
  • The Layoff Lady Book: Seven Lessons From Seven Layoffs: A Guide​
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Examining Your Energy to Fight Burnout

3/10/2026

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By Brenda L. Peterson, The Layoff Lady

Energy Management Beats Time Management

Many people equate productivity with making progress on a task list. When you're going through a trying time, everything can feel harder. Whether you are navigating family drama, work burnout, or a post-layoff job search, there will be times when you can't just "buckle down" and get things done--no matter how efficient your to-do list is. Managing your energy levels, not just your ever-growing task list is the key to making progress. 

Reflect on Your Time and Your Energy

As you think about how to spend your time, learn about yourself and when you will be the most productive and happiest with each activity. I interact with LinkedIn posts during my first cup of coffee, enjoy afternoon walks, and do yoga at night before bed. There are no absolute right or wrong times for many things, just ones that are a better fit for you. 

Your Most and Least Productive Times of Day

Take time to reflect on your most and least productive times. Use these questions as a starting point: 
​
  • Are you a morning person, a night person, or somewhere in between?
  • What time of day do you seem to get the most done?
  • Do you think about something for a while before doing it, or do you jump right in?
  • What tasks take you very little time? What tasks seem to take a long time?
  • Do you prefer to work on the same task for while? Or do you prefer switching between tasks regularly? 
  • How much structured time do you need? How much unstructured time do you need?

​Remember, there are no right or wrong answers, just what is true for you.

Factors Influencing Your Energy Levels

In addition, reflect on the following factors and their impact on your energy levels:
  • ​How do you feel when you have too much or too little social contact?
  • How do you feel when you have too much or too little time at home? 
  • How do you feel when you have too many or too few new experiences?
  • How do you feel when you have too much or too little routine?

​Remember, there are no right or wrong answers, just what is true for you.​

Patterns for Energy Builders and Energy Depleters

Based on your responses to those questions, you may have identified factors that energize you and those that deplete you. 

  • For me, I am energized by having enough alone time, having time to think about a task before doing it, and having a balance of unstructured and structured time. 
  • I also know that I am depleted when I have too much structured time, too little time at home, and too many new experiences all at once. 

Knowing these things about myself helps me know how to organize my time to maximize my energy.  Letting family and friends know what I need also helps them understand and support me as I work towards my goals. 

Self Care Builds Energy

After you identify your energy depleters, here are a few steps you can take to build your energy:

  • Basic self-care: eating, drinking water, showering, walking outside, breathing deeply, and stretching can help make you feel better almost immediately. 
  • Accomplishing something: sending an email, making a phone call, paying a bill, or wiping down your kitchen counters will help you feel like you made even the most minor contribution to the world today. There is something inherently satisfying about crossing one task off of your list.
  • Changing it up: taking breaks, going to a different grocery store, walking in a new place, driving a different route as you run errands, working from your kitchen table, or doing whatever you can to add newness to your daily routine.
  • Recovering: sleeping, walking in nature, watching a movie you’ve seen before, reflecting on your day, playing games, journaling, and meditating are all great ways to heal.

Leverage Your Energy To Achieve More

When I identify my energy patterns and take steps to recover when needed, I have more capacity. Having my energy in a good place helps me accomplish more in less time. Then, I can leverage my to-do lists and make real progress towards my goals.

Learn More

  • The Layoff Lady: The Secret To Time Management
  • ​​Podcast Appearance: Unfiltered Unspoken Connecting Through Life Experiences: Finding Hope After Layoffs, Brenda L. Peterson, The Layoff Lady
  • The Layoff Lady's Ultimate Guide To Answering The Question, "I Just Got Laid Off--Now What Do I Do?"​
  • The Layoff Lady Book: Seven Lessons From Seven Layoffs: A Guide​
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