Asking smart questions can help position you at the right level! 

Here’s what I regularly remind people I’m coaching for interviews, consider this a meeting with your boss.

I ask “if you were meeting with your boss, would you ask questions throughout the meeting?” What would you want to know? What information do you need to make your next move?  

If your former boss was a micro manager, you obviously want to know what your next manager will be like. But how do you uncover this? Instead of asking “Are you a micro manager?” ask them to “Give me an example of when you expected autonomy and when you collaborated closely with your team.”

You see, you are asking for a concrete example, not a hypothetical. It’s much harder to bluff or cover up when asked to give an example. 

During their answer, you are listening for things that would match and what you want next. You can even ask a follow-up question for greater clarity if necessary. 

Interviewing is a two-way street.

Asking the right questions also helps position you at the right level for the role.

I recently created an updated list of questions director-level and above job seekers can ask during the interview. 

As a special New Year’s gift, I’m giving you questions you can ask

You can just as easily create your own list based on the role you are interviewing, the person you are interviewing with, the elements of culture that are important to you, or other things you want to know. 

Here’s a sample prompt:

Below you’ll see a recap of the articles Career Essentials readers found interesting/click-worthy. These are the top posts/articles of 2025! (and they still apply today!)

10 most valuable free resources I’ve ever created - Sarah Johnston

Top 7 warnings for those in job search mode - Bernadette Pawlik

Stuck in a Prolonged Job Search? Here’s 8 Things You Might Be Doing Wrong - Shelley Piedmont, My Career GPS

My husband landed a new role in just 2 months. Here’s how - Adrienne Tom

How I Landed A Job In 57 Days - Dan Dougherty

How To Find Companies That Are Still Hiring - The Job Hopper

Let’s set the record straight about Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) - Sam Wright, Huntr

When the Job Search Stalls—What to Ask When “I’ve Done Everything” Isn’t Working - John O’Connor

How to Build a Target Company List for Your Job Search in 2025 - Sarah Johnston, Briefcase Coach

How Recruiters Find Talent Using Linkedin Recruiter - Adam Broda

Recent Data Proves Where You Apply Impacts Job Search Success - Marie Zimenoff

6 Big Mistakes Job Seekers Commonly Make - Judith Humphrey, Fast Company

Here's how I'm coaching my 1:1 clients to skip the black hole mess and get direct access to decision makers - Jessica Hernandez

The Real Reason Your Resume Gets Rejected in Minutes - Jan Tegze

Are Referred Candidates More Likely To Get Hired? - Ashby

Every Job Description Is A Cheat Sheet For Getting Hired - Dave Fano, Tealhq

Updating Your Resume By Only Adding Your Latest Job Is Wrong - Shelley Piedmont

The Hidden Résumé Metric That Predicts Whether You’ll Get An Interview - Donna Svei, Fast Company

Executive Resume Trends for 2026: What Works and What to Retire - Adrienne Tom, Career Impressions

How to Write a Truly Authentic Cover Letter (with AI prompt) - Jon Shields

How to Use AI for Networking - Jan Tegze

3 Cold Messages That Actually Got Responses - Adam Broda

Stop Overthinking—Send This One Networking Message Today - Greg Roche, The Introverted Networker

Do You Know These 9 Networking Secrets? - Mac’s List

The Networking Trap No One Warns You About - Greg Roche, The Introverted Networker

7 Questions To Ask When Networking (To Turn Strangers Into Referrals) - Austin Belcak

What Recruiters Actually See When You Apply on LinkedIn (+ the 3 Spots That Make or Break Your Application) - Jessica Hernandez

5 Most Common LinkedIn Outreach Mistakes - Jessica Hernandez

9 Ways To Beat The Algorithm As A Job Seeker On LinkedIn - Richard van der Blom

8 LinkedIn tips, tricks, and strategies - Alison Doyle

Are You Overlooking These 7 LinkedIn Strategies That Can Get Interviews in 48 Hours? - Jessica Hernandez

32 Quick Improvements to Your LinkedIn Profile - Neil Danzger

3 Hidden LinkedIn Features for a Faster Job Search - Jan Tegze

Most Job Seekers Get Overlooked On LinkedIn. Here’s How To Fix It - Mary Southern

Embrace Market Value Filters and Be Found - Kevin D. Turner

4 New LinkedIn Tactics & More - Richard van der Blom

Interview Preparation Tips for 2025: Land Your Dream Job - Jan Tegze

What Recruiters Really Mean When Giving This Specific Feedback - Lisa Rangel

The First Interview is a Filter, Not a Test - Sonika Arora

Do you use ChatGPT to research companies before you apply? - Teegan A. Bartos

Looking for your next job? Use this AI trick to make a list of potential companies in seconds - Donna Svei, Fast Company

7 Popular AI Resume Prompts Hurting Job Seekers & What to Do Instead - Marie Zimenoff

Pre-application and pre-interview research for job seekers - Donna Svei

How to Use AI in Your Executive Job Search Without Losing Your Human Edge - Maureen McCann

The Latest 7 Sleazy Ways Job Scams Steal Passwords - Mark A. Dyson

30 Common Job Scams and How to Protect Yourself - FlexJobs

Explore Insights from the World of Work - ADP Research

Rewire Your Mindset: 10 Phrases That Shift Your Inner Dialogue - Mark Danaher

Brené Brown and I (Adam Grant) discuss why executive presence is overrated—and charisma is too - Adam Grant

How to Stop Negative Thoughts & Reset Your Mind for Positive Thinking - Mel Robbins

Good Recruiters Are Gathering Signals From Each Touchpoint. Here are 3 - Kelli Hrivnak

The Future of Recruiting 2025: How AI Redefines Recruiting Excellence - LinkedIn 

You don’t need another webinar. You need a plan and structure! 

In January, the Motivation Monday Job Search Accountability Group opens for a small, focused cohort of professionals ready to make real progress.

No fluff.
No guest speakers.
No endless “tips.”

Members of this cohort get 5 weeks of structured action, real accountability, and live problem-solving with peers who take their job search seriously.

Each Monday at 12pm ET, you’ll bring your real challenges to the group to get unstuck fast and leave with specific actions to take. 

Spots are limited to 12 mid-to-senior level professionals with a clear career goal.

Join the waitlist now to get first access when dates are announced—this will fill quickly

Consider this your roadmap for your 2026 job search!

In case you missed this list of newsletters, I’m sharing it again!

By: Sarah Johnston, Founder, Briefcase Coach

Best for: Senior leaders and executives

Why it’s worth your inbox: One of the longest-running career newsletters, Career Briefs focuses on long-term positioning, leadership credibility, and market awareness for thoughtful careerists.

Check out this featured post: The Evolving Landscape

By: Jan Tegze, Talent Acquisition Leader

Best for: Recruiter-insider insight

Why it’s worth your inbox: Jan brings clarity to how hiring decisions are actually made. His guidance is practical, direct, and grounded in real-world recruiting experience across thousands of candidates.

Check out this featured post: How to Make Your LinkedIn Profile Stand Out to Recruiters

By: Lara Perlstein, VP of Operations, Teal

Best for: Proactive, career-focused job seekers

Why it’s worth your inbox: Teal Talk breaks down recruiter behavior, search mechanics, and workflows so you can stop guessing and start moving forward with confidence.

Check out this featured post: LinkedIn’s Hidden Rules: What Recruiters See When They Search You

By: Adrienne Tom, Executive Resume Writer, Career Impressions

Best for: Senior-level and executive job seekers 

Why it’s worth your inbox: Career Accelerator emphasizes positioning, storytelling, and clarity for leaders navigating complex, competitive job searches, informed by more than 15 years of executive-level experience.

Check out this featured post: How To Write A Resume That Lands Interviews in Today’s Tough Job Market

By: Dr. Heather Maietta, Career In Progress

Best for: Career professionals and coaches

Why it’s worth your inbox:
Designed for those who support others through career transitions, this newsletter delivers tools, frameworks, and insights that strengthen your practice and improve client outcomes.

Check out this featured post: Why Some Clients Drain You and How To Fix It

And 

Check out this featured post: Better Interviewing Strategies: Interview Like a Consultant