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Guide to Making a Mark at a Career Fair

August 1, 2025

Picture this: a packed room, recruiters scanning the crowd, and just minutes to prove you’re a good hire.

Career fairs can seem intimidating. But there’s one secret to making the most out of your experience — come ultra-prepared. Whether you’re after your dream job or just expanding your network, this guide will show you how to turn quick conversations into real opportunities. Let’s make your career fair debut one to remember!

What is a Career Fair?

Organized by universities, non-profits, and industry associations, a career fair (aka job fair) is a networking event where job seekers can connect with recruiters, discover different companies, and broaden their professional network IRL.

A career fair is a cool chance to scout job openings, pitch your skills, and perhaps even score an on-site interview with your dream company. In simpler terms — a career fair is your chance to convert connections into employment. Among those who attended a job fair last year, 45% received an offer to interview, and a quarter received a job offer, according to NACE. …

How to Deal with a Difficult Boss Professionally

July 20, 2025

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You worked hard to land this job. The interviews went great. The job offer came through. And now? You’ve got a boss who makes every day feel like an episode of Survivor.

To put it mildly, having a difficult boss is utterly frustrating. The better news? You can handle this! Learn how to deal with a difficult boss professionally, so you can protect your sanity and keep your career moving forward.

First, Understand What You’re Dealing With

Let’s call it like it is: some bosses just aren’t great. They lack interpersonal and managerial skills and thus struggle to convey their expectations effectively. Others? They may be downright toxic. The fastest way to figure out which one you’ve got is to listen closely.

Here are some things toxic bosses say:

“You should be grateful we hired you”
“No one wants your opinion on this”
“That’s way above your pay grade”
“I don’t have time to explain — just figure it out”
“Why don’t you act more like [favorite employee name]”
“If you don’t like it here, there are plenty of people who’d take your job”

If any of these “catch phrases”, you’re likely dealing with an insecure, manipulative, or just plain bad manager, just like over half of American employees.…

Resume Summary: Examples and How-To Tips

July 2, 2025

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If there’s just one piece of career advice you should follow, it should be this: spend 50% of your time polishing your resume summary.

This approach may seem unconventional, but it is what works today. When hiring managers have to wade through hundreds of applications, they inevitably take mental shortcuts. That is, read the top parts of most resumes to line up the first batch of candidates.

Not sure what to put in your summary? Let’s fix that. In this post, you’ll learn to craft the perfect resume summary for your next job application!

The Basics: What Is a Resume Summary?

A resume summary (also known as a professional summary) is a snappy paragraph that you add to your resume header, right after your contact details, to highlight your main skills, accomplishments, and other qualifications.

how to create an effective resume layout

Think of your resume summary statement as a product description for a new iPhone: it’s punchy, enticing, and makes the reader intrigued to find out more. …

Primer to Self-Advocacy in the Workplace

June 14, 2025

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Let’s be real: the modern workplace isn’t kind to quiet achievers. And for those who don’t fit the traditional mold, whether because of race, gender, background, or personality, it can feel even more taxing.

The better news? You don’t have to keep playing by those rules because you have one incredibly powerful asset that can change the game: your voice.

In this post, we’ll break down how to make your voice matter through practicing self-advocacy at the workplace.

What is Self Advocacy?

Self-advocacy in the workplace indicates your ability to communicate your needs, preferences, and boundaries to others — your peers, superiors, or clients. It’s about speaking up for yourself, professionally and proactively, so your contributions don’t get overlooked or undervalued.

Let’s face it: not every workplace is designed to give every voice equal airtime. Statistically, women are 14% less likely to get promoted because managers are more likely to underestimate their potential.

“Women get progressively lower potential scores relative to their actual future performance as we rise up the corporate ladder.…

Got Laid Off? Here’s What to Do Next

June 2, 2025

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The labor market is as tough as parallel parking on a hill during rush hour — high pressure, low margin for error. People are getting laid off even from traditionally stable federal jobs, not to mention the ongoing wave of terminations in the corporate sector. Whether your pink slip came with a heads-up or hit you like a plot twist, one thing’s for sure: it sucks.

But being laid off isn’t the end of your career, not even close. In fact, this moment can be a powerful pivot point. With the right mindset (and some solid next steps), you can turn your layoff into a launchpad for something better.

This guide walks you through what to do right after a layoff — from sorting your benefits and rewriting your resume to figuring out what you actually want next. Let’s get you back in the driver’s seat.

How Many People Got Laid Off in 2025?

2025 didn’t wait — the layoff wave hit hard and early across sectors.…

What is Weaponized Incompetence and How to Deal with It in the Workplace

May 9, 2025

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It’s your usual day at the office. You’re minding your tasks when Jamile pops up at your cubicle, pleading to show how you’re “doing your magic in Salesforce” because he’s totally desperate. Why not help, right?

A week goes by, and the situation virtually repeats itself. The same colleague keeps asking for your help with this or that because “he’s just not good with tech.” When such behaviors become the norm, it’s not just laziness or genuine ineptitude — it may be weaponized incompetence.

Never heard the term? We’re diving into what this behavior really means, how it shows up in professional settings, and what you can actually do about it.

What is Weaponized Incompetence?

Derived from psychological studies and amplified by social media, weaponized incompetence is an attempt to avoid responsibility by underperforming or downplaying one’s skills instead.

In most cases, it’s not about a genuine lack of skill or training — it’s a strategic move to take advantage of someone else’s good graces, shift workload, and otherwise dodge accountability while still reaping the benefits of “team effort”.…