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Recruitment teams are no strangers to pressure. With job applications surging, up by 42% year over year, there’s a growing strain on resources, tools, and time. Yet while job seekers are rapidly adopting AI to optimize their resumes and cover letters, many recruiters are still navigating how best to bring AI into their own workflows.
So, where does AI actually make sense for recruiters?
While the hype around Generative AI has been loud, the practical, scalable applications in recruitment are still emerging. The industry has seen a few meaningful wins, largely around speeding up tasks, but we’ve yet to witness widespread AI-led transformation in hiring.
However, that doesn’t mean recruiters should sit idle. In fact, now is the ideal time to prepare, experiment, and upskill. Based on our work at JobAdder, here are five practical ways recruiters can leverage AI now to work smarter and more efficiently.
1. Automate the Admin That Slows You Down
It’s no secret that recruiters spend a significant chunk of time on repetitive, low-impact tasks. Reviewing resumes, extracting skills, formatting candidate profiles, and comparing CVs against job descriptions; these are essential but time-consuming processes.
AI can:
Automatically parse resumes and extract core competencies
Match candidate profiles to job briefs using contextual language models
Summarize experience and highlight potential red flags
These features aren’t about removing the recruiter’s judgment. Instead, they create a faster, cleaner starting point, freeing up time to focus on what matters: candidate engagement, stakeholder communication, and strategic hiring conversations.
2. Improve Job Ad Quality and Clarity
Writing compelling job ads isn’t just about grammar and keywords. It’s about clear communication, inclusive language, and an accurate reflection of what’s actually needed for success in the role.
AI tools can assist by:
Generating first drafts based on role descriptions or templates
Flagging jargon or biased phrasing
Suggesting clearer alternatives based on proven best practices
While these tools shouldn’t replace human editing, they’re valuable for reducing friction in the writing process and ensuring consistency across teams. The result? A better candidate fit and fewer applications from those who are unclear about the role.
3. Focus on Integration, Not Just Innovation
A key reason AI hasn’t been widely adopted in recruitment is simple: it’s clunky to use.
When AI tools sit outside the core recruitment platform, they create extra steps, exporting data, re-entering information, and switching between interfaces. This creates friction and, ultimately, abandonment.
What works better is embedded AI features that show up within the existing workflow:
In-line resume parsing during shortlisting
Candidate insights that surface in CRM profiles
AI-generated summaries built directly into candidate cards
Until full integration becomes the norm, recruiters can still reduce friction by building workflows with clear prompts and templates that minimize toggling between tools.
4. Train Your Team to Speak AI
Adopting AI tools isn’t just a tech upgrade, it’s a skill shift. Teams need to understand how to prompt AI tools effectively, where to trust them, and how to catch the inevitable errors or hallucinations.
At JobAdder, we’ve found that formal training, from engineering teams to recruiters, is essential. Even non-technical team members benefit from exposure to:
Prompt engineering basics
Data privacy implications
Realistic expectations of GenAI capabilities
Recruitment leaders should consider internal “AI champions” or training programs that encourage exploration and experimentation across teams. The better your recruiters understand the tool, the more confident (and efficient) they become.
5. Start with the Problem, Not the Tool
AI has a lot of potential, but not every challenge needs it.
Before rolling out another new platform or chatbot, it’s worth asking: what’s the actual problem we’re solving?
For example:
Are you struggling to prioritize candidates fast enough?
Is your team overwhelmed by scheduling?
Are hiring managers asking for more market intelligence?
Once the pain point is clear, AI can be tested in a focused way, rather than bolted on with vague hopes of efficiency. Recruiters who start small, measure the impact, and iterate will get the most from AI, now and in the long run.
What’s Next for AI in Recruitment?
While the tech industry loves to talk about revolutions, AI’s impact in recruitment may look more like evolution. The gains will be real, but incremental.
Think faster, cleaner and more structured. Not yet a total reimagining of hiring, but a definite shift in how recruiters spend their time.
At JobAdder, we’re doubling down on areas where AI can already add value: working with unstructured data like resumes and job ads, summarizing large volumes of information, and eliminating time-heavy bottlenecks in workflows.
Recruiters who embrace this wave early, not with hype, but with curiosity, will be best positioned to thrive as the technology continues to evolve.
By Joel Delmaire, Chief Product Officer at JobAdder, an end-to-end recruitment platform empowering HR and talent acquisition professionals to simplify and streamline their workflows. He leads product innovation across AI, automation and user experience.
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The hunt for top creative specialists is fierce. The market is overflowing, demands are constantly shifting, and truly unique skill sets are rare. But don’t worry! This guide offers recruiters actionable strategies to attract and retain exceptional creative talent.
Think Beyond the Traditional
Sometimes, the best hires come from unexpected places. Instead of fixating on rigid criteria like years of experience or formal education, prioritize passion, potential, and cultural fit.
Embrace unconventional backgrounds: A D&D Dungeon Master might possess the imaginative thinking and leadership skills needed to excel as a game designer.
Look beyond the resume: Give candidates opportunities to showcase their unique qualities through diverse interview stages and assessments.
Essential Skills for Creative Specialists
In the dynamic world of game development, creative specialists need a blend of specialized knowledge, core game design principles, and essential soft skills.
Adaptability: The ability to embrace new technologies and trends is crucial in the ever-evolving GameDev landscape.
Out-of-the-box thinking: Generating innovative ideas within technical limitations and genre constraints is a must.
Teamwork: Collaborative spirit and effective communication are vital for bringing creative visions to life.
Hard skills: A deep understanding of game mechanics, trends, and player psychology is essential, along with the ability to apply and reimagine popular mechanics (like the A4 mechanic) in engaging ways.
Prioritize Culture Fit and Soft Skills
Technical prowess is important, but it’s only one piece of the puzzle.
Cultural alignment: Observe how candidates interact with potential colleagues to assess their compatibility with your team’s values and working style.
Strong communication: Seek individuals who can effectively share, pitch, and negotiate ideas.
Adaptability and collaboration: Prioritize candidates who are receptive to feedback, embrace constructive criticism, and foster collaboration.
Empathy and emotional intelligence: Understanding player motivations and emotions is key to crafting compelling game experiences.
Experience Trumps Education
In GameDev, a strong portfolio often outweighs a formal degree.
Real-world evidence: Prioritize candidates with a portfolio demonstrating practical skills and experience through personal projects, indie games, or concept art.
Relevant experience: When faced with a choice, favor candidates whose experience aligns with your project’s specific needs and style.
Evaluating Creativity: A Multi-faceted Approach
Go beyond traditional interviews to assess a candidate’s creative potential.
Test assignments: Gauge their ability to adapt to new challenges and problem-solve.
Brainstorming sessions: Observe their ideation process, collaboration skills, and ability to bring ideas to life.
Real-life case studies: Evaluate their problem-solving approach and creative thinking in practical scenarios.
Portfolio reviews: Assess the diversity, originality, and depth of their work.
Unconventional Hiring Strategies
Think outside the box when hiring creative specialists.
Indie game festivals and hackathons: Connect with passionate junior developers and observe their teamwork and problem-solving skills under pressure.
Workshops and lectures: Engage with aspiring professionals seeking opportunities in established studios.
Social media: Follow industry experts and engage with potential candidates sharing their knowledge and projects on platforms like LinkedIn, Telegram, and Medium.
Key Takeaways for Recruiters
Focus on potential: Go beyond resumes and standardized evaluations to uncover hidden talents and assess a candidate’s true potential.
Build a strong employer brand: Cultivate a reputation for creativity and innovation by actively participating in industry events and sharing your company’s success stories.
Invest in development: Attract and retain top talent by offering opportunities for growth through mentorship programs and training initiatives.
By embracing these strategies, recruiters can navigate the competitive landscape of GameDev and secure the creative talent needed to build exceptional games.
Inessa Baianova is a recruiter at Nexters with over four years of experience in HR, specializing in IT and game development. She leads teams, builds processes from scratch, and mentors young professionals.
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Unless you’re a robot, it’s all but impossible to avoid having work stress. But it’s not impossible to avoid taking those feelings home with you at the end of the day and really lean into work-life balance.
True leisure time, in which anxiety and frustration over work can be set aside until you’re next at the office, is essential to staying mentally in check and avoiding burnout. Here are seven ways to keep work stress, rage, and anxiety where they belong.
1. Make today’s work stress your Future Self’s problem
“Don’t worry!” has never been particularly helpful advice. But what may be helpful is saying to yourself, “I know you’re worried about that call tomorrow, but that’s Future Me’s problem.” It’s less about the elimination of worry and more about placing the worry in someone else’s capable hands for a while.
2. Buddy up
If you live with a partner or a roommate, don’t make them the designated person to whom you complain about your job or process frustrating work situations. Choose a different friend or family member to vent to (and make sure they don’t mind if you do).
That way, you won’t be constantly tempted to dissect work stresses because your processing partner is always available to you at home. This reduces your roommate or partner’s stress levels, too!
3. Set your boundaries
As part of the conversation with your team, it’s a good idea to propose new boundaries that you believe will be most impactful.
If you’re hoping to exercise over lunch, for example, ask your team to avoid scheduling meetings during that hour when possible. Perhaps you’d like to be more engaged with your family in the evenings: Let them know that you won’t respond to emails after a certain hour (but that you can be reached by phone if something is truly urgent).
Remember to maintain a degree of flexibility: If one of your new boundaries is negatively impacting your work or your team’s ability to deliver, it’s your responsibility to recognize this and adjust accordingly.
Make (some) personal time non-negotiable
Sometimes, our impulse is to jump at every important meeting or phone call. Don’t let it eat into the time carved out for enjoyment and happiness. By establishing at least one block of time per week as non-negotiable personal time, you’re upholding a contract to yourself.
Make your work commute more enjoyable
For those who commute, here are a few ways to make the most of that time:
Don’t rush it
Ensuring your journey to the office is leisurely can have a big impact on your mood throughout the day. Starting the workday with the stress of running to catch a train, being stuck in traffic, or arriving late to a meeting can throw off your attitude. It’s often easily avoidable with appropriate planning.
Do what you can to adjust your travel plans to better fit your schedule. For example, if you have an early call, ask if you can take the call from home and come into the office after rather than rushing in at the crack of dawn.
Disconnect
While some people may relish commute time as a chance to catch up on emails or news, it’s just as valid to use it as a time to unplug. You shouldn’t feel guilty for not being more “productive” on your commute.
The unconscious mind can sometimes solve problems, particularly complex ones, more effectively than conscious thought. This means you might come up with some of your brightest ideas while zoning out on the way into or out of the office.
Reconnect
On the other hand, your commute can be a good time to chat with family, friends, or even strangers. If you drive to work, consider using the time to make phone calls you won’t be able to make once in the office. Trust us, your mom will appreciate it!
4. Make small changes for improved work-life balance
Are you unhappy with your daily routine? Feel like you’re having a mental block? Switch things up in a big way by changing some small details.
Nora Herting and Heather Willems, authors and co-founders of graphic recording agency, ImageThink, have great advice for slightly shifting your perspective: “Try arriving to work 30 minutes early or taking a different route. How do you process information differently when you write with a brightly colored pen versus typing?
Simply moving things around on your desk could help you see and think about your project differently.” These small changes can cause cracks in your routine, say the pair, breaking down the brick wall a mental block causes. You can also try working in a new space, like a quiet coffee shop or a nearby co-working space, suggests Nisha Garigarn, founder of Croissant (an app that gives users access to co-working hotspots). “Stimulate your creativity and make work more of an experience.”
5. Work smarter
If your job affords you flexibility, establish a schedule that works for you. This doesn’t necessarily mean sitting at a desk from 9 to 5.
For Tiffany Kumar, former Global Head of Songwriter Relations at Spotify, it means working in the morning and later in the day and breaking for an afternoon hike. “This step back allows me to see a straight line to the company’s big picture goals,” she says. I have come up with some of my best ideas during a mid-day hike on Runyon Canyon.”
These schedule changes can be difficult at first, particularly if you (and coworkers) are used to constant availability. But working smarter enables you to work better, says Kumar. “I no longer have shame, because I know my contribution and what I need to be at my best. I just wish I knew more hardworking people that realized this.
Too many of my peers get burnt out after years of being absent from their home life. As a result, they quit a job they once loved. It doesn’t have to be that way. Balance is key.”
Originally written by Lauren Hoffmann in December 2016. Updated by Hired Content Team in March 2024. More
The average person will reportedly spend more than 90,000 hours of life at work — more than any other activity outside of sleeping. You will encounter days and even extended periods when the actual act of doing your work is hard to reconcile with the other things occupying your brain. Put simply: Sometimes work is not the most important thing.
Regardless of the magnitude of your emotional storm — whether you’re going through a breakup, reeling from recent world events, or grieving the loss of a loved one — below are a few things to help you be a whole and (mostly) functional person at work, even during incredibly trying times. Some of them are obvious, but worth repeating.
1. Be ruthlessly kind to yourself
Take a moment to pause and reflect on how you’re feeling. Are you experiencing stress or frustration? By identifying your emotions, you can better understand their impact on your behavior and decision-making processes. Don’t suppress or ignore your feelings; instead, acknowledge them as valid responses to your environment.
Self-care is one of the first things that flies out the window in times of severe stress. Correct this immediately, because no one else will do it for you. Unsure of where to start, or even what the term ‘self-care’ really means? Here’s a handy playlist of TED talks about the importance of self-care.
If you do just one thing every day, repeat this mantra: “I am doing my best. I am enough.” Because you are, on both counts.
2. Reach out for support
Everyone in your inner circle wants to be helpful. This is an important part of friendship. While many are inclined to endure hardships alone in a feat of martyrdom, don’t do that. In whatever way you are most comfortable, reach out to your closest friends and give them a heads-up that you need them. Don’t underestimate the power of being vulnerable.
Whether it’s venting to a friend, seeking advice from a mentor, or attending therapy sessions, reaching out for support can help you navigate difficult emotions and build resilience in the workplace.
3. Communicate with your manager
Also at the very least: Be upfront with the person who manages you about the many things you are navigating emotionally. Put some time on their calendar or send them an email briefly filling them in on the situation, and asking for a time to talk further.
Be honest and transparent about how you’re feeling and express your needs clearly. Constructive dialogue can help resolve conflicts, build trust, and foster a supportive work environment where emotions are openly acknowledged and addressed.
Tell them what you are carrying and ask for their help distributing the load. Even if your manager can’t take things off your plate, they can help you prioritize and manage expectations.
What do you do when you need to soothe yourself? What do you do to de-stress? Make a list of everything that has ever made you feel better, including the wild and crazy things. Then move the immediately accessible ones to the top. Pick three to implement this week.
Consider practicing emotional regulation techniques to prevent emotions from negatively affecting your work. Deep breathing exercises, mindfulness meditation, and progressive muscle relaxation are effective techniques for calming the mind and reducing stress levels. Additionally, reframing negative thoughts and focusing on positive aspects of the situation can help shift your perspective and improve your emotional well-being.
5. Take action (however small or big) every day
Taking action is a key part of moving through grief or turmoil. Stasis will only amplify your frustration and magnify your sadness. Plus, per a Harvard Business School study, “rituals” have been shown to instill emotional resilience in times of grieving.
The study discovered an interesting behavior: “Rituals appear to be defined by purposeful behaviors designed to achieve some desired outcome and that the specific behaviors that constitute those rituals are less important than performing some form of ritualistic behavior.” TL;DR: It doesn’t matter what you do, so long as you do something you believe will make you feel better.
Manage emotions at work
Emotions are an inherent aspect of the human experience, and they inevitably influence our professional lives. By implementing these strategies, you can effectively manage emotions in the workplace while maintaining productivity and well-being. By integrating these practices into your daily routine, you can cultivate a healthier and more fulfilling work environment for yourself and those around you.
Originally written by Whitney Ricketts in November 2016. Updated by Hired Content Team in March 2024. More
Though promises of efficiency, productivity, and experience boosts may have served as initial motivators for HR leaders’ investments in connected technology, there’s another benefit that is slowly but surely stepping into the spotlight: objectivity. As digital toolsets expand and their capabilities grow, talent acquisition (TA) teams are increasingly recognizing the value that comes with quantifying outcomes—especially in a field in which “success” often feels like a moving target.
That said, not all data is created equal. Some metrics prove more valuable to teams than others, and knowing which ones speak to your organization’s goals is critical to benchmarking performance and making progress. As recruiting’s digital transformation journey continues, learning about the metrics that digital suites can provide—and which matter in the context of your optimization journey—is critical to improving outcomes.
Seeking success with statistics
Employ’s recent Recruiter Nation study aimed to get to the heart of the matter, asking participating practitioners to rank key TA performance metrics by their value. Here’s what they said…
Quality of hire: Quality of hire was overwhelmingly cited as the most valuable metric TA teams use to evaluate success, with nearly one-third (31%) of respondents putting it at the top of their lists and 73% ranked it in their top five. This metric takes into account employee productivity, engagement, culture fit, and other performance feedback to try to add color to recruiter and TA team performance. It also helps teams correlate skills and qualities with successful hires to build more precise profiles for different roles.
Time to fill: Time to fill reflects the timeline of the average hire, from the day the listing posts to the day a candidate accepts the offer. More than half (59%) of practitioners put time to fill in their top five metrics of value, with 14% saying it is the most valuable metric they use. This information can help highlight opportunities to improve sourcing and interview processes by department, role, or sector.
At present, the average time to fill across industries, business size, and roles is 47.5 days, but it can vary wildly across industries. At one end of the spectrum are things like media roles, which take an average of 62.21 days to fill in today’s market. Healthcare roles, which are on the other end, take just 38.23 days on average. Knowing the timeframe for your industry critical to planning, as is seeing how your company compares to others.
Cost per hire: Cost per hire uses operational data to estimate how much it costs to fill a given role. This metric ranks just behind time to fill, with 12% of respondents ranking it in the top spot and 57% putting it among their top five. Knowing the cost of each hire helps teams contextualize recruitment spending and find opportunities to cut waste by adjusting processes to avoid superfluous costs.
Retention rate: It’s no secret that retention is a top priority in modern businesses, and retention rate data was an easy choice for respondents’ top five lists. Despite only 11% of respondents saying it’s the most valuable metric in their operations, 62% put it in their top five and 14% cited it as their second-most valuable data point.
To determine retention rates, teams calculate the percentage of employees meeting specific criteria that remain employed over a set period. This exercise can help reveal the characteristics that may lead to employees staying at your company for the long haul and signs that someone might be gearing up to leave.
Hiring manager satisfaction: Hiring manager satisfaction rounded out respondents’ top five metrics of value, with 53% of practitioners citing it among their top choices (7% said it was their most valuable). This measures managers’ overall satisfaction with the hires made on their behalf using data from qualitative and quantitative surveys. With this information, acquisition teams visualize performance, evaluate progress, and learn from feedback about areas they could improve.
Of course, all of the above metrics can function at various levels of the business to provide different types of insights and speak to different opportunities for improvement. For example, one company may look at retention rates by department while another may look at this measure through the lens of the recruiter that conducted the search. The former can give insight into ways to improve department-level management practices, while the other may speak to the performance of the TA team member.
The same is true for any of the metrics noted above—and others. As teams filter results down by various criteria, they are able to find patterns, identify correlations, and identify and test possible solutions.
What matters to you
Perhaps the most notable insight is the lack of alignment on the issue overall. Yes, some metrics—like quality of hire—stood out as clear frontrunners. Still, though, none of the options presented were seen as unanimously without value. Even those that scored lower overall were at the top of someone’s list, which speaks to a truth about measuring progress: The perceived value in any metric is directly linked to organizational goals. In short, the difference isn’t between having data and not having it; it’s how you use the data that makes the real difference within an organization.
Candidate relationship management (CRM) platforms, applicant tracking systems (ATSs), and recruitment marketing software (RMS) all serve as records of past successes and failures. For companies that are used to having “lifers” among their ranks, a metric like retention rate may not be important. But for someone else, finally putting retention performance into tangible, quantifiable terms may yield the insight they’ve been missing.
Because the possible variations, combinations, and applications of data made available by CRM, ATS, RMS, and other connected platforms are near infinite, it’s up to each company to identify what matters to them. That’s the beauty of connected operations; if you can capture it, you can track it and measure against it. That’s what allows you to experiment with new approaches and find solutions that move the needle for your business, whatever they may be.
By Josh Jones, talent acquisition manager at Employ Inc.
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Although we’ve made tremendous strides in gender equality, data shows we still have a long way to go, especially when it comes to pay. The gender wage gap represents the difference in salaries between men and women. Pew Research Center shared that it hasn’t changed much in the past two decades in the US. In fact, the gap is still narrowing so slowly that at its current rate, it’s not expected to close until 2088.
When it comes to equitable compensation, particularly as it relates to gender, one important piece of the puzzle is the fact that women, on average, ask for lower salaries than men. This is often referred to as the expectation gap.
Hired platform data tells us the wage gap has widened for all except white and Asian women, driven by a widening expectation gap. We also see Black women had the widest wage gap in 2021 and again in 2022.
When we surveyed tech talent, we learned only 25% of women, compared to 39% of men, felt they had adequate knowledge or resources to request compensation in line with the market, their role of interest, and their skills and experience. Nearly 25% of women admitted they need a lot of help in this area compared to 18% of men. Combined, 68% of men and women say they could use help, ranging from “some,” to “a lot.”
Glassdoor recently published research indicating some women they surveyed hesitated to negotiate salary offers.
The impact of salary transparency is promising
While still early in the journey, there is emerging evidence salary transparency is effective. More cities and states have initiated laws mandating the disclosure of salary bands to some degree. As a metropolitan area, New York City’s legislation became effective November 1, 2022. It requires employers to disclose the compensation or range in any ad for a job, promotion, or transfer opportunity.
In New York City, Hired’s data shows a positive effect, as the gender wage and expectation gap
narrowed. Representation also increased for women in NYC.
As companies and employees alike think about how to create a more diverse and equitable environment, addressing both the expectation and wage gaps should be a top priority.
Now, let’s dive into some of the key ways women can advocate for themselves and combat the gender wage gap.
1. Know your worth and advocate for it
The first step is understanding your own value in the job market. (As a reminder, companies are not allowed to ask about pay history during the interview process.) Research industry standards and salary benchmarks for your role and level of experience. You’ll find out what a fair salary should look like.
Armed with this knowledge, confidently negotiate your salary during job interviews and performance evaluations. Don’t shy away from discussing compensation, and be prepared to articulate your accomplishments, skills, and the value you bring to the organization. Remember, negotiation is a standard part of the hiring process, and advocating for fair compensation is not only acceptable but expected.
Women with specialized jobs may find accurate information on sites like PayScale, Glassdoor, and Hired’s Salary Calculator. These will provide valuable insights into salary ranges for similar positions in your geographical area. Consider asking about the company’s compensation philosophy and whether they publish their internal wage gap stats.
In addition, understand the potential for career progression with the company — and how salary growth mirrors this. This is an important part of evaluating whether the role can help you stay competitive from a salary perspective.
Related: How to Ask About Growth Opportunities During an Interview
Even if the initial salary offer is not exactly what you expected, you must be able to grow (both in terms of role and salary) within the company. This will put you in a better position when you make your next move.
Lastly, remember to calibrate for more than just salary as you’re negotiating with potential employers. Particularly as you progress in your career, additional factors beyond the cash compensation offer may become more valuable to you. These could be helpful leverage as you advocate for fair treatment.
Those in more senior roles, for example, may be offered significant amounts of stock compensation. While some companies won’t budge on their salary offer, you may be able to argue for a better overall compensation package by being flexible in your cash requirements.
2. Leverage your network
Cultivate relationships with mentors, peers, and industry professionals who can provide guidance, support, and valuable opportunities. Attend networking events and industry conferences, and join professional associations relevant to your field.
Hired is a great resource as we regularly hold events and summits to support jobseekers in fostering connections with employers and fellow tech professionals. Keep an eye out for upcoming events.
Networking not only opens doors to new job opportunities but also provides access to insider information about salary trends, job openings, and negotiation strategies. Additionally, a strong network can serve as a source of encouragement and empowerment, helping you navigate the complexities of the workplace with confidence.
3. Don’t stop learning
Continuously investing in your professional development not only enhances your skills and expertise but also increases your market value. Identify areas for growth within your field and seek out training programs, certifications, and workshops to expand your knowledge base.
By acquiring new skills and staying abreast of industry trends, you position yourself as a valuable asset to employers, deserving of competitive compensation. Moreover, demonstrating a commitment to learning and growth showcases your dedication to excellence and can bolster your negotiating power when discussing salary.
4. Seek out employers committed to pay equity
When exploring job opportunities, prioritize organizations that demonstrate a commitment to pay equity and gender equality. Research prospective employers’ policies and practices related to compensation, diversity, and inclusion initiatives.
Look for companies that conduct regular pay audits, have transparent salary structures, and actively work to address gender disparities in pay. By aligning yourself with employers who value fairness and equality, you increase the likelihood of receiving the salary you deserve and contribute to broader efforts to close the gender pay gap.
Related: How to Identify Value-Driven Employers in the Job Search
Advocate for equitable treatment and equal pay
While much of the onus is on companies to be sure that they are paying both genders equally, women jobseekers can play an important role in narrowing the gender gap. If there’s a willingness to progress toward equality, women just need the information to get there.
By holding companies accountable, you not only position yourself to receive fair pay but also give the company a chance to rise to the occasion and combat the gender wage gap.
Originally published April 2017. Updated March 2024. More
One of the most undervalued but beneficial resources any professional can have during their career is a mentor. In an increasingly competitive world of work, a combination of emotional intelligence, a refined skill set, and a great network will drive your career’s growth trajectory.
If you speak with any accomplished (senior) professional, the last piece of that puzzle is having a mentor. In your path to success, it’s important to have guidance and positive encouragement from someone who has been there and done that.
Harvard Business School’s Thomas DeLong wrote, “Everyone we spoke with over age 40 could name a mentor in his or her professional life, but younger people often could not.” Before you can reap the benefits of a trusted advisor, you have to find one. To kick off your search, here are six strategies for finding a career-defining mentor:
1. Unearth hidden gems in your current network
Start with your closest friends at work who have an understanding of you professionally and personally. The motto “If you don’t ask, you shall never receive” could not be more true. Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. Ask your colleagues to recommend former coworkers or friends who may be a great fit for you (as a mentor).
Additionally, reaching out to your friends who work in a similar industry can prove to be fruitful on multiple fronts. Let them know where you are mentally and what you are looking to gain from a mentor in your corner. Once they suggest a few names, research them through their LinkedIn profiles to get a better sense of their career trajectory before you reach out.
2. Remember your (professional) heritage
You may not be at your previous employer for a variety of reasons. But there may be an opportunity you’re missing out on by overlooking this option. Think back to some of the managers you enjoyed conversing with and have shared values.
Consider reaching out to them to connect further (be flexible: coffee, lunch, or a quick Zoom call) and catch up. In some cases, managers who worked in a cross-functional team could be ideal too. Your mentor doesn’t have to be in your direct line of work for the relationship to be mutually beneficial.
Building a relationship with someone whose opinion you trust is rooted more deeply in them understanding your ambitions and having a strong sense of leadership. This can help guide your decision-making at crucial points of your career.
3. Network strategically
This mentor acquisition strategy, although effective, may take longer to materialize. That’s because you have to build the initial relationship before you establish a “formal” mentor relationship.
Also, not all industry events attract high-caliber professionals you’ll want to connect with. So be strategic about which ones you attend. If you choose to invest time into an event, make sure you are stepping out of your comfort zone. Connect with new faces and ask insightful questions to spark great conversation and help you learn about their experiences. You may find your mentor in the most unexpected place, so don’t discount anyone before learning more about them.
Related: Job Searching? Online Networking Strategies to Get you Started
4. Don’t overlook your peers
Depending on where you are in your career, it’s valuable to consider colleagues as mentors. We all have different experiences and learnings based on how we got to where we are, so there may be learning opportunities for both of you.
5. Aspire to learn from differences
Intuitively, we are attracted to what we are most familiar with. When you’re looking for a mentor, be open to connecting with someone who may not have the same personality or approach as you.
The differences between the both of you can lead to you learning so much more about yourself and vice versa. There isn’t just one path to success and it’s important to gain wisdom from various sources.
Although differences can add more to the mentor relationship, honesty, integrity, and great listening skills are must-haves.
6. Know your value as a mentee
One of the biggest misconceptions around mentorship is that you are just seeking someone to help you achieve your goals. A mentorship is a dynamic relationship that involves both sides providing value and feedback to each other.
Of course, more experienced individuals can contribute in a different capacity but your perceived lack of experience does not exclude you. You’d be surprised by how your mentor can learn from your experiences!
Top traits of a great mentor
So when you use those tips to go about looking for your mentor, which specific traits should you seek in them? Guest contributor Ted Jaffe shares his recommendations.
1. Give honest and constructive feedback
Great mentors will always tell you when you’re doing something well – and when and how you need to improve. Constructive feedback is the key to an impactful mentorship. It’s what truly helps you learn and grow. You’ll learn more from your failures than your accomplishments.
It’s important to identify a mentor who conveys feedback in a way that’s constructive for you. You need a consistent, trustworthy source to tell you where you can improve – and more importantly how to improve for next time.
Even as a senior product manager, I get a lot of constructive feedback from my mentors at work. This includes how I communicate a rollout plan, use data to make important product decisions, or how a presentation I delivered to the executive team could have gone better. I know my best mentors are the ones who are:
Taking notes on my work
Thinking carefully about how I performed
Telling me how I did and what areas I should focus on improving
2. Motivate you to do your best work possible
Mentors are people you look up to. They motivate you to work harder and put time and attention into your work, which will ultimately make you successful.
If it weren’t for mentors encouraging me to grow and develop my skills, I would not be able to accomplish what I have thus far in my career. For example, when I was building a plan to revamp our app onboarding process, I faced many obstacles and differing opinions across stakeholders. This made progress extremely difficult. I had to keep the scope reasonable and stick to a predetermined deadline.
My mentors helped me frame my presentation and proposal in a way that helped me move forward and set scope boundaries. They also ensured we delivered a product all stakeholders could fully support. While it may sound manageable, in practice it was extremely difficult. Many times I wanted to give up. My mentors kept me motivated throughout the process and ultimately helped me deliver a great result for the company and product.
3. Highly skilled in their area of expertise
Your mentors should have a track record of success. You can look at their LinkedIn profile and draw inspiration from their career trajectory and growth. You should expect a great mentor to share their learnings and stories with you when you ask them about it.
At the beginning of my career, I developed relationships with senior directors at both Symantec and RingCentral. Over time, as I delivered value for them by doing great work and helping them accomplish their goals, they rewarded me with mentorship. They talked me through their own career stories and how they developed themselves through skill and experience.
These stories ultimately gave me a North Star that I used to inform my own career path.
4. Want to see you succeed in your career goals
Your mentors should be your biggest fans. They should cheer you on from the sidelines as you focus and execute your career goals.
They should have a genuine interest in helping you succeed beyond what’s in it for themselves. You will be able to sense this as you share your progress in your career journey.
Throughout my early career, I established a regular 1:1 meeting cadence with my mentors so I could brief them on how I was doing. If I was doing well, we would discuss why. If I was struggling, we would discuss how I should turn it around and get back on track. These conversations may be rare, but when they occur they’re extremely valuable.
Originally published January 2017. Updated February 2024. More
Do you dread going to work in the morning? You might not dislike your actual job, but the culture or environment of your workplace itself. Unfortunately, a toxic workplace is all too common and can be difficult to handle.
You’ve got an inbox full of real work to do. Yet, you spend much of your time at work worrying about a negative boss or a colleague who always blames others. A toxic workplace can leave you feeling drained, demoralized, and disengaged. But how do you know if your workplace is toxic? And more importantly, what steps can you take to navigate or escape that environment?
If you’re stuck in a bad situation, use this blog as a guide to handle it. We’ll delve into the telltale signs of toxicity in the workplace and provide actionable strategies to reclaim your well-being and career satisfaction.
Signs of a toxic workplace
1. Poor leadership
Toxic workplaces are often characterized by ineffective or abusive leadership. This can manifest in various forms, including micromanagement, favoritism, lack of transparency, and a disregard for employee well-being.
2. Negative culture
If negativity pervades the office atmosphere, it could be a sign of toxicity. Gossip, backstabbing, and a general sense of distrust among colleagues indicate underlying issues that need to be addressed.
3. Lack of support
In healthy work environments, employees feel supported and valued by their superiors and peers. However, in toxic workplaces, you may find yourself constantly undermined, belittled, or ignored, with little to no avenues for assistance or guidance.
4. High turnover rates
Pay attention to the rate at which employees come and go. A consistently high turnover rate may indicate systemic problems within the organization, such as poor management, unrealistic expectations, or a toxic culture.
5. Stress and burnout
Chronic stress and burnout are common symptoms of a toxic work environment. Perhaps, you find yourself constantly on edge, experiencing physical symptoms like headaches or insomnia, or feeling emotionally drained. It’s likely your workplace is taking a toll on your well-being.
What to do next
Realize you’re not alone
“Everybody has a terrible workplace story. May it be micro-managers or owners that are temperamental, the examples of poor business leaders are endless,” says Steve Farber, president of Extreme Leadership, Inc.
While it may not be in your best interest to discuss the environment with colleagues while you are physically in the office, it can be helpful to talk to others who are experiencing similar situations. Find out how your friends and mentors use healthy coping strategies in their workplaces. Evaluate which strategies work for your personality and situation.
When it comes to talking to your own colleagues about employers and bosses, remember it’s best to do it over coffee or a drink. Leave the conversations outside the workplace. You don’t want to add fuel to the fire.
Document your effort
When you work in a toxic environment, your work may be called into question, you may feel like you are blindsided by sudden deadlines or expectations, or you may simply receive nasty or unprofessional emails.
To combat this, rely on written communications to back you up. If your boss says they want reports on their desk by 5 p.m. Friday, follow up with an email confirming when you’ll have the completed reports. This way, when Wednesday rolls around and suddenly the reports are “late,” you’ll have an email chain (as opposed to an offhand remark) to back you up.
Further, you can jot down notes about toxic situations as they unfold. Farber encourages employees to “document what is happening, and try to meet in-person with their boss or HR to go over any concerns, or continue on their path to professional growth and search for a healthier work environment elsewhere.”
Interview the workplace
When you’re interviewing for a job, remember that it’s not just about you. It’s about them too! It’s important to create a non-negotiable list of what’s most important for you in a new job. Keep this list in mind to evaluate before, after, and during your interview.
Emily Merrell, founder of Six Degrees Society, says, “How badly do you want to work from home on Fridays? Is this a culture where they offer training or are you thrown right in? I would also grab a coffee and talk to previous employees of the company and ask them about their experience there and why they left.” Former employees will be free to speak more candidly about their experiences, giving you a good indication of what the culture is like.
Assess your health and happiness
“A toxic workplace can bring teamwork to a grinding halt, jeopardizing goals, affecting employee retention, and potentially becoming an enormous liability,” says Farber. “Some clear signs include not listening to their employees, constantly blaming others when things go wrong, focusing on the negative, and not setting goals or providing enough instruction to their team.”
If these things drive you crazy, it may be time to move on, especially if your health is at stake. A toxic environment can hurt your morale and your health. If you’ve noticed you’re grinding your teeth, clenching your jaw, or getting stress headaches at work, it’s probably not worth staying. Move on to a company or organization that values your contributions and treats you fairly.
Related: How to Identify Value-Driven Employers in the Job Search
Move on from a toxic workplace
Trust yourself, advocate for your needs, and pursue opportunities that align with your values and aspirations. If you’re ready to be in a better role and workplace, check out how Hired helps jobseekers find dream jobs. We work with companies hiring around the world for remote, hybrid, and in-office positions.
Originally published October 2016. Updated February 2024. More
