Job hunting

Can you find a new job in a different industry?

Most managers have more transferable skills than they may realize, but overcoming a lack of industry experience can be tough. Here's how you can do it.

The dumbest interview questions of 2012

If some of the things you've been asked in job interviews lately have struck you as kind of peculiar, cheer up. It's not you, it's them.

FORTUNE -- "Are you a nerd?" "Can you dance?" "If you were a doughnut, what kind would you be?" When talent management consultants Development Dimensions International quizzed more than 2,000 newly hired employees about strange questions they had fielded in job interviews, the researchers got MORE

Why the holidays are the best time to find a new job

Contrary to a persistent myth, many companies do hire in December. Here are six ways to get on their radar.

FORTUNE -- Dear Annie: Can you settle a bet? A friend of mine who has been out of work for quite a while is planning to take the month of December off from job hunting because he says hiring managers are taking time off, or are distracted by their own holiday preparations, MORE

Should you wish a job interviewer a happy birthday?

Some kinds of personal chitchat are just fine in a job interview, while other topics are best avoided. Here's how to tell the difference.

Dear Annie: I am applying for my dream job with a software company. So far, I've made it past the phone interview and a technical competency screening, and the next step is an in-person interview. I looked up this hiring manager on LinkedIn and noticed that we MORE

The tech job market keeps heating up, but not for everybody

While demand for some IT skills is soaring, finding a tech job isn't always easy. A Silicon Valley recruiter explains what employers want now.

FORTUNE -- At first glance, you might think that anyone with up-to-date IT skills and a few years of work experience has it made in the shade. Unemployment among this group has dropped from 4.2% in the third quarter of last year to 3.3% now, according to MORE

5 ways to make the most of a campus career fair

Graduating from college in the spring? The job market for the class of 2013 is super-competitive, but standing out from the crowd at a career fair can help.

FORTUNE -- Dear Annie: I'll be getting a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering next spring, and I'm nervous about my chances of having a job offer in hand by then. With a lot of student loans to start paying off, I really have MORE

Holiday hiring is headed for a five-year high

Not only are retailers staffing up for a fourth-quarter surge in spending -- a good sign for the economy overall -- but many more temporary jobs look likely to turn permanent.

FORTUNE -- Ho ho ho. Recent announcements by Macy's (M) and Toys 'R Us that they'll add 125,000 more holiday jobs this year than last are, it turns out, just the tip of the iceberg. Altogether, U.S. retailers, including restaurants, MORE

Employers not calling you back? 5 reasons why

Being out of work for two years or longer makes candidates harder to place than people with a criminal record, recruiters say. Gen Y, take note: A history of job hopping is a deal-breaker, too. By Anne Fisher

5 questions to ask your next boss

The chemistry, or lack of it, between you and your immediate boss could make or break you in a new job. Here's how to tell if the fit is right.

FORTUNE -- Dear Annie: At the end of your recent column about cultural "fit," the expert you quoted said that most job candidates don't ask enough questions. But what should interviewees ask, especially when talking with a prospective boss? I'm now in MORE

Job hunting? How to spot the right (or wrong) cultural 'fit'

It's not always easy to get a clear picture of a company's culture in a job interview, but thoughtful preparation can help you ask the right questions. By Anne Fisher