Career Candour

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Why Do So Many Smart Foreign Candidates Misread Jakarta Completely?
Smart expats often misread Jakarta hiring by confusing politeness, ambiguity, and corporate aesthetics with real market progress.
 • Leigh McKiernon
Stop Selling Recruitment. Sell the Decision the Client Is Afraid to Make
Clients do not just buy recruitment. They buy confidence before making a senior hiring decision that could expose them.
 • Leigh McKiernon
'Your' Recruiter Is Not Your Therapist, Your Agent, or Your Mum
Recruiters do not ignore every candidate because they are rude. Sometimes the candidate is simply too unclear, too heavy or too hard to place.
 • Leigh McKiernon
Why Do Startups Love Wasting Weeks Interviewing the Wrong People?
The best startup hiring teams do not chase endless applicants. They define roles clearly, source precisely, and move fast on strong candidates
 • Leigh McKiernon
Most CV Rewrites Miss the Point. Great CVs Start With a Career Interview.
Generic responsibilities, AI rewrites, and resume templates promise transformation. Most simply rearrange words while the real value of your work stays…
 • Leigh McKiernon
Why “Why Are You Here?” Is the Most Misanswered Interview Question
Most job candidates focus on what they’re escaping. Smart ones focus on what they’re choosing. Here’s how to get it right.
 • Leigh McKiernon
The One Interview Question Candidates Should Always Ask (But Never Do)
The one interview question that exposes real expectations, hidden constraints, and what success actually means once the job starts.
 • Leigh McKiernon
The Mid-Career Job Crisis and Why It’s Time to Dumb Down Your CV
Too senior for mid-level jobs, not senior enough for director roles. Reframe your CV to match today’s barbell job market.
 • Leigh McKiernon
People Say The New BI Deputy Governor Isn't Qualified For the Job. But Hear Me Out...
Indonesia’s central bank appointment has sparked a debate on nepotism, experience, and whether confidence can replace competence in high-risk leadership…
 • Leigh McKiernon
Why Most People Can’t Write a Decent CV If Their Life Depended On It
If your CV needs 8 pages to prove you’re senior, you’re not. Hiring teams reject bloated, chaotic resumes. Here's what actually works.
 • Leigh McKiernon
In Indonesia's Recruitment Industry, Madness Isn’t the Exception... It’s the Business Model
Recruiters in Indonesia want to form a governing body. Sounds good, until they suggest price fixing. It gets worse from there.
 • Leigh McKiernon
Misunderstanding the Recruitment Industry is Ruining Your Job Search
You're not broken. You're just not fee-worthy. Learn why recruiters pass, and how to take control of your job search.
 • Leigh McKiernon
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