Never Assume

PLUS: A new job search trends report, how to relaunch your Fall job search, resources every job seeker needs, interview questions YOU can ask, and more!

Author

Hannah Morgan
August 10, 2025

Welcome to Career Essentials, where I share actionable insights and curated articles that will help accelerate your career and supercharge your job search.

Never Assume

Stop guessing your way through your job search.

Every day, I see job seekers making silent assumptions that cost them opportunities:

  • “Since I haven’t heard back, they must not be interested.”

  • “The interview tomorrow will only last 30 minutes.”

  • “I meet every requirement, so of course they’ll call me.”

Here’s the truth: assumptions create false expectations. False expectations lead to disappointment, wasted time, and sometimes, lost offers.

Instead, replace assumptions with facts. How? Ask.

  • Not sure why you’re meeting the hiring manager again? Ask the recruiter.

  • Don’t know why someone referred you? Ask what prompted the recommendation.

  • Think you know the interview process? Confirm the steps and timeline.

No two companies operate the same way. The only way to know is to clarify.

Bottom line: In your job search, don’t fill silence with stories—fill it with facts.

Using data from their app plus respondent surveys, you get a snapshot of today’s job search. Here are some of the key points from this report:

  • The time to first offer has jumped 22% since April, now taking a median of 68.5 days.

  • Candidates wait nearly twice as long after interviews (11 days) as they do to get them (6 days).

  • Interviewed resumes feature richer education blurbs, stronger LinkedIn presence, and fewer but more detailed work achievements.

  • 68% of job seekers say they’d accept a job offer without ever speaking to a human.

  • Nearly half of job seekers report completing unpaid projects during the interview process.

Some of the findings validate what you’re seeing. Some will help you use new methods or alternatives. And some is just disappointing.

Summer is winding down and many people are ready to jump into job search mode. Don’t wait another minute to start networking, update your LinkedIn and resume and begin searching for your next great gig. Follow the five recommendations in this post to launch (or relaunch) your job search successfully. 

To help you progress in the hiring process, here are factors that may hinder your chances of getting hired, along with corresponding tips and resources from The Job Hopper.

🗨 INTERVIEWING

An interview should be an exchange of information between you and the interviewer. This requires you to have prepared questions. (The interview does!). This article provides questions you could ask and ways you can generate role-specific questions.

⚙ AI

Use ChatGPT to research companies before you apply - Teegan A. Bartos, Jolt Your Career

Follow these instructions and save yourself a bunch of time researching a company BEFORE you apply. Gaining intel on the company will help you tailor your resume and cover letter. You can even reach out to people you might already know before you apply!

💰 CAREER

How to Earn Credibility - Frank Sonnenberg

Your credibility can make or break your career. Give some deeper thought to how you show up in the workplace. These are 14 factors that contribute to your credibility. 

📶 RECRUITER PERSPECTIVE

Ghosted by a recruiter? Read this. - The Random Recruiter

Whether you are dealing with an agency recruiter or an in-house recruiter, sadly, ghosting happens. Recruiters are humans and can get overloaded or they often don’t get the feedback they need. Understand that recruiters aren’t being rude, and be sure you continue your search with a full pipeline.

EVENTS

Stay tuned for a couple of events in the works…

I’ll be doing a couple of LinkedIn Lives with top career coaches in August plus I’ll be offering another Job Search Challenge in September.

JOB SEARCH VISUAL

Want a killer resume AND unforgettable interviews? 🎯 Start by building your accomplishment stories!⁣

Too many job seekers wait until they're filling out applications or prepping for interviews to think about what they’ve achieved. But the truth is: ⁣⁣

✨ Your stories are the foundation of EVERYTHING.⁣
💼 They highlight your top skills.⁣
📝 They create powerful resume bullets.⁣
🎤 They make you sound confident in interviews.⁣

⁣Use these 15 prompts to recall wins big and small—so you can identify themes, measure impact, and speak to your strengths.⁣

⁣Start early. Build your story bank. Own your career narrative. 💪⁣

Your goal is to develop 25 powerful stories that show what YOU bring to the table.⁣

See the Instagram post here

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DID YOU MISS THESE

WEBSITE OF THE WEEK

Catalant connects organizations with highly experienced independent consultants and executives to solve complex business challenges on-demand. For executive job seekers, it offers access to top-tier projects with leading companies, flexible work arrangements, and the opportunity to leverage your expertise for impactful roles without full-time commitments.

If you are an SME, consultant, or executive interested in being a consultant, check it out!

(This site was recommended by a couple of different career coaches this week who had very positive opinions about it.)