A straightforward belief: A person’s results speak for themselves. Making excuses for being a “victim of,” “not having the same advantages as,” or blaming your parents, the government, and the stars not being aligned doesn’t change this. A person’s results are influenced by how they respond to their circumstances, their actions—playing the hand they’re dealt—and the amount of… Read More »

We all know the adage, “What’s done is done,” which savvy hiring managers cite to themselves as a reminder that a candidate’s past achievements do not guarantee future achievements. From experience, I’m now cognizant that while a candidate’s past behaviour and results offer insight into their likely future actions, they aren’t a foolproof predictor of performance, hence why… Read More »

A job seeker’s mindset determines their job search success. A crucial mindset shift job seekers should adopt to improve their chances of job search success is recognizing that, in the context of their job search, employers are customers—potential customers looking to purchase skills and time. Consider the similarity between an employer paying employees, freelancers, and contractors to accomplish… Read More »

Most interviewers appreciate candidates who come prepared with thoughtful questions. However, while your questions are important, the strategic timing of when you ask them is more crucial. You’ve likely heard, “Timing is everything.” This is especially true in interviews. Asking about work-life balance too early—during the initial (introductory) or second interview—can lead to elimination. Sure, work-life balance matters,… Read More »

Adages—sayings that have stood the test of time. Increasingly, the Internet and social media are reinforcing the truth behind many common sayings. Since the advent of the Internet, we’ve been inundated with ads promising the impossible—wealth overnight, flawless skin in days, or losing 20 kg in 7 days. Our feeds are a minefield of “too good to be… Read More »

“Despite our suffering, nobody cares about us. We have shared our stories, but even then, they have not done anything for us.” – Leyla Telo, a survivor of the Yazidi genocide. Some films make you “realize.” Ezda, a short documentary film by emerging Kurdish-Canadian filmmaker Halime Aktürk, in which Ezda, a survivor of the Yazidi genocide carried out… Read More »

You don’t own your job; your employer does, making the phrase “my job” an oxymoron. Layoffs illustrate that jobs belong to employers, not employees. In 2025, as layoffs remain prevalent and the economy becomes more unpredictable, job seekers, as if in denial, continue to equate finding a job with finding a permanent home. This mindset leads to prolonged… Read More »

Social media amplifies the fact that people will quibble over anything. LinkedIn isn’t immune to this type of, for lack of a better word, “engagement.” The latest quarrelling is over whether or not 80% of all jobs aren’t advertised, the estimated (keyword) size of the hidden job market, an estimate that’s been tossed around for as long as… Read More »

Thanks to the Internet, we live in a strange age of parasocial relationships. Social media users feel they know the people they read, view, and follow. Ever since Google declared me an “Internet Personality” (Google “Nick Kossovan”), the number of “I feel like I know you” reach out and comments have significantly increased.   You don’t truly know someone… Read More »

Many job seekers won’t like the following:  When you’re not selected for an interview, for subsequent interviews, or hired, chances are the hiring manager didn’t think you’d be a value-add to the company. When a hiring manager considers a candidate, especially during the interview phase, they ask themselves four essential questions: The fourth question is the determining factor;… Read More »