The Realign career blog
Advice for every stage of your career, from the coaches who do this every day.
Browse by topic
Job search
Plan the search, reach the right people, and keep it moving.
- How to Find a Job in 2026 (A Step-by-Step Guide)
- Job Search Plan: A Weekly Schedule That Gets Interviews
- The Hidden Job Market: How to Find Unadvertised Jobs
Interviews
Preparation, interview formats, video calls and sample answers.
- How to Prepare for an Interview: A Coach's Checklist
- Common Interview Questions and How to Answer Them
- How to Answer "Tell Me About Yourself" (With Examples)
Resumes and LinkedIn
Resumes, cover letters and a LinkedIn profile recruiters can find.
- How to Write a Resume That Gets Noticed in 2026
- How to Optimize Your LinkedIn Profile for Job Search
- How to Tailor Your Resume to a Job Description
Salary and job offers
Negotiating pay, comparing offers and handling counteroffers.
- How to Negotiate Your Salary (Without Losing the Offer)
- How to Evaluate a Job Offer (Beyond the Salary)
- How to Ask for a Raise (and Actually Get It)
Layoffs and job loss
What to do first, how to explain it, and how to restart your search.
- What to Do After Being Laid Off: The First 30 Days
- How to Explain a Layoff in an Interview
- Losing Your Job: How to Cope and Rebuild
Career change
Plan the move, use the skills you have, and test a new field first.
- How to Change Careers Without Starting Over
- Transferable Skills: 50+ Examples and How to Use Them
- How Long Does a Career Change Take? Realistic Timelines
Finding your direction
Work out what you want next, and whether it is time to leave.
- What Career Is Right for Me? A Coach's Way to Decide
- Feeling Stuck in Your Career? How to Get Moving Again
- 9 Signs It's Time to Quit Your Job
Growth at work
Getting noticed and promoted, and handling a difficult workplace.
- How to Get Visibility at Work Without Bragging
- How to Talk to Your Manager About Career Growth
- Passed Over for Promotion: What to Do Next
Leadership and executive careers
From first-time manager to the executive search.
- First 90 Days as a New Manager: What to Do and Avoid
- Manager to Director: How to Earn the Promotion
- Executive Presence: What It Is and How to Build It
AI and your career
Where AI tools help with a search, and where they fall short.
- Is AI Good for Job Search? A Stage-by-Stage Map
- Should You Use AI to Write Your Resume?
- AI Career Coach vs Human Coach: How to Use Both
Working with a career coach
What coaches do, how they compare, and how to choose one.
- Is a Career Coach Worth It? An Honest Answer
- How to Find a Career Coach Who Fits Your Situation
- 12 Questions to Ask a Career Coach Before You Hire One
Latest articles
Best Background for a Zoom Interview: Real, Blur or Virtual
How to choose the best background for a Zoom interview: real vs blur vs virtual, what to remove, small-space fixes, and a 5-minute camera-eye audit.
Can You Use Notes in a Zoom Interview? Yes, With Rules
Can you use notes in a Zoom interview? Yes. What to put on your cheat sheet, where to place it, how to glance without it showing, and when notes are not OK.
How to Look Good on Camera for an Interview
How to look good on camera for an interview using what you own: lighting, camera height, framing, glasses glare fixes and a quick test-recording routine.
Microsoft Teams Interview Tips: Joining, Lobby and Settings
Microsoft Teams interview tips for candidates: joining as a guest without an account, the lobby, device settings, background blur, captions and screen sharing.
One-Way Video Interview Tips: How to Win a Recorded Round
One-way video interview tips for recorded rounds: how the format works, how long answers should be, how to use the prep window and what to do with a retake.
Technical Difficulties During a Video Interview: What to Say
A calm recovery playbook for technical difficulties during a video interview: exact scripts for frozen video, dropped calls, lag and dead laptops, plus an email.
Zoom Interview Etiquette: The Unwritten Rules
Zoom interview etiquette nobody spells out: when to mute, handling lag, the chat box, interruptions at home, and how to leave the call without awkwardness.
Zoom Interview Tips: Settings, Timeline and What to Say
Zoom interview tips that go past generic video advice: the app settings to change, app vs browser, the waiting room, and an hour-before timeline.
How to Ask for a Title Change (Even Without a Raise)
How to ask for a title change: build the case with market comparisons and scope evidence, pick your moment, and decide if a title alone is worth accepting.
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