What Will Happen to the Labor Market in the Age of AI?
I still remember the mainframe developers. I was never one, but they were friends of my dad. They had an awesome job. Then came...
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7 Common Tech Interview Mistakes That Cost You Job Offers
Key insights from my recent live session with 100+ tech job seekers. Last week, I hosted a webinar that drew over 100 tech professionals...
Is It a Step Up or a Step Down?
A director recently asked me, “Is this move a step up or a step down?” He was looking at a principal role in a different industry. The...
Why Speaking in Abstracts Fails in Interviews, and What to Do Instead
Generic answers feel safer, but they don’t get you hired. Here’s why—and how to fix it. If you’ve ever walked out of an interview...
Why Your Personal Project Might Not Get You Hired
And what to do instead if you’re serious about landing interviews Over the years, I’ve seen dozens of career changers and aspiring...
Why Junior and Manager-Level Tech Candidates Struggle — While Senior ICs Keep Getting Hired
Over the past year, I’ve watched something striking unfold across my network. Junior candidates can’t break in. Managers can’t stay in....
Where Should You Bet Your Career? An Economic View
How Supply, Demand, and Hidden Barriers Shape Your Real Opportunity A veteran with top-secret clearance came to me, convinced her next...
Why Location Matters for Your Tech Career—Lessons I Learned the Hard Way
Seven years ago, I lived in Pleasanton, a picturesque town at the edge of Silicon Valley. Professionally, life was ideal. I worked at...
Why You Should Leave the House and Meet People
If you're trying to land a great job today, it can feel a lot like online dating at its most frustrating: You spend hours perfecting your...
What Should I Do Next? A Personal Framework for Moving Forward
A lot of people have asked me lately: So, what will you be doing next? I’m still figuring that out. Two weeks ago, I left Google after...
When Traditional Job Search Fails, Try Reverse Job Search
If you've been searching for jobs recently, you might feel stuck. A friend I recently spoke with—a seasoned healthcare IT...
Pantser vs Plotter: Mastering Your Interview Story
When you're telling a story, there are two main styles: Pantsers and Plotters. What's a Pantser? Pantsers are storytellers who improvise...
Why You Still Need to Update Your LinkedIn (Even If You're Applying Everywhere)
You’re applying to jobs. You’re tweaking your resume. You’re staying consistent. So why does LinkedIn still matter? One person in my...
You Say It’s Your Dream Job. But Where’s the Proof?
I had coffee with a friend recently. A seasoned tech director who was just laid off from Big Tech. As we caught up, he said something I...
What Are Your Real Odds of Landing a Job?
A Real Case Study from a Senior PM Search If you're applying to tech jobs right now and hearing nothing back, you’re not alone. A friend...
3 Ways to Land an Internship Without Applying Online
Many of my computer science graduate students at Cal State Fullerton have solid skills, solid work experience—and still get stuck without...
Will AI Steal Your Job? Here's the Truth.
The fear is real. And it's not unwarranted. AI is reshaping the job market. Some roles are disappearing. Some are transforming. And...
You Have the Skills—But Your Words Are Getting in the Way
You’ve done the work. You’ve built the experience. You’ve made it to interviews. But the offers aren’t coming. If that’s where you are...
Why You Might Need a Second Job to Get Your First Break in Tech
If you're trying to move into tech—or into a new area within it—chances are you're already running into the same wall over and over...
Application Owl Blog: Insights and Tips
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