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Calling the Interviewer after the Interview for Feedback It's been a week after I had an interview with a bank. They told my recruiter that I had done well and it is looking good for me. However, it's been a week and my recruiter has not been able to reach any of them for feedback and neither have I heard anything, although they did not say to me or my recruiter that I didn't get the job. My recruiter has placed numerous people with this bank with other managers and never with this one, so my recruiter has no clue what's going on. I have already sent an email, however I have not gotten a response. Would it be appropriate for me to call my interviewer and ask for some feedback? <Q> Do remember that employers also have other work to do than filling a particular position. <S> A week isn't much time, I have seen employers take months to decide on a hire. <S> Further at this time of year, one or more of the hiring officials may be on vacation. <S> So I wouldn't panic. <S> Now the reality of life is that even if you did well, you may not get the job. <S> Someone else may have done better or they may have decided not to fill the position for financial reasons or any one of a hundred different things. <S> Companies aren't terribly concerned about letting those who didn't get hired know. <S> So you may never hear from many of the jobs you apply for or interview for. <S> So don't put all your eggs in one basket, keep pursuing other opportunities. <S> If this one is going to happen it will, but in the meantime keep looking, you may find something you like better. <S> Hiring offficals do like the immediate follow up of a thank you note, but continual contact after that, is annoying and may, in fact, lessen your chances of being hired. <S> If you are the person they are interested in, they won't forget you. <S> Since you are going through a recruiter, let him do the contacting. <A> No , it would not be appropriate for you to call the interviewer. <S> The interviewer's responsibility was to meet with you, determine if you are a good fit for the open position, and deliver that evaluation to the hiring manager. <S> The interviewer is not able to hire you, and has no further responsibility to you. <S> The interviewer will go to the hiring manager and say "I just got a strange call from czchlong wondering whether we were planning to hire him. <S> I don't know why he called me instead of talking to the recruiter." <A> No . <S> It already sounds like you've done enough follow up on this. <S> Pushing any further will just make you come across as annoying or pushy. <S> It can take up to a month for them to get back to you about a job. <S> They are also busy. <S> Just wait and don't hold your breath. <S> Keep looking for another job. <S> You've done all you can do.
| If you do anything more than sending an E-mail to say "Thank you, I enjoyed meeting you", you will reduce your chance to be hired.
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How hard is to sponsor an overseas developer from outside the US/UK? This question has been bugging me for over a year already. I've been working as freelancer or on a remote basis since I started earning money for programming (around 8 years ago). Despite the fact that I don't have the amount of experience that many developer can show, I have some time in the job already and have learnt a trick or two which leads to the point that every time I make an interview for a .NET or PHP position, I get qualified as a Senior Dev. That's very nice, however, when they realize that I'm not from EU or inside the US and I need sponsorship, most companies will fall back saying that it's too complicated to get this done, or that they rather take a less skilled developer, anyways, except for a few which offer a remote work, they mostly bail. Is sponsoring a candidate that hard ? Note: the tag sponsorship would be best for this question, but since I registered yesterday, I'm still considered a newb :) EDIT: By sponsoring I mean visas, work permits and any process that will allow a foreign national to work in another country, like me (Cuba) to work in the UK or in the US. With the existence of SO Careers and Linked In, having international candidates is fairly common these days, so I think this is a fair (if not common) problem Final Edit: I hope this brings some hope to those who are in the same process. I'm currently living in the UK, so the final answer is It's hard, but possible! if you work hard enough and find an employer willing to believe in you. I thought this might give hopes to somebody around there :) <Q> Short answer: <S> Not 100% impossible, but very hard. <S> Good luck, you will need it! <A> To take the US example a bit further, if you were planning to get in under an H1-B visa, these tend to hit the cap rather quickly. <S> H-1B Cap Reached Today; Didn't Get In? <S> Too Bad notes for April 5, 2013: <S> "Employers stampeding into the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service to get their H-1B petitions filed before the cap is reached are getting the door slammed in their face today. <S> The cap was hit in near record time of 5 days, compared to the 10 weeks it took last year to have more than enough petitions to fulfill the combined cap of 85,000 statutory and advanced degree H-1B petitions. <S> While U.S. tech workers scream that they're losing out on jobs as H-1B workers are hired, employers are countering that the talent pool is lacking and they need to increase the cap. <S> Of course, Congress is wrangling in on this one as to whether it's time to raise the bar." <S> Given that the annual cap was hit in 5 days, what kind of chance do you think you'd have for getting in this way? <S> For those developers in Canada or Mexico there are NAFTA visa provisions so it is worth considering what kind of international treaties may affect one's ability to work in country A coming from country B. <A> Speaking for the US: very hard indeed. <S> The typically sequence is "H1B Visa", "Advanced Parole" (really, I'm not making this up), "Green Card" and then "Citizenship". <S> As JB King pointed out, H1B have a tight quota which is quickly exhausted. <S> Coming from Cuba probably doesn't help because of the political situation. <S> The application requires careful preparation from the hiring company and the associated immigration lawyers. <S> This costs time and money. <S> A lot of it. <S> H1B cost: <S> ca. <S> $5k-$10k plus whatever overhead <S> the company has internally. <S> Green Card is at least twice as much the application is more complicated (depending on category). <S> Most of these are lawyer fees, so it depends somewhat on how the company operates.
| yes, sponsoring a candidate in your situation is very hard. You can get information about those very limited situations where your government can let you leave and emigrate to another country and adopt a strategy to qualify for one of those.
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Asking a potential employer for references Normally when you are looking for a job you are asked for references. Would it be fair to ask the company for references as well? For example, could they give me two managers and two developers to talk to about the company? <Q> What you may be really looking for are some more "2nd level" and in-depth interviews, plus feedback from past employees. <S> Say that you're are really excited about the company but <S> you want to really make sure it's a good fit for both parties before committing. <S> So you'd like to meet with a couple more folks, just to get the chance to know them a little better and make sure that you can have a good working relationship with them. <S> An employer-employee relationship depends on good interpersonal relationships between all parties and people involved <S> so you feel it's important that it is the right fit. <S> You make a big personal investment in all the companies you work for so this is important to you. <S> You'll notice that the language here puts you in control, demonstrates your professionalism and commitment to results. <S> Language is important. <S> for meeting with other folks and ex-employees that can give yo ) <S> perhaps more honest) feedback <S> you'll need to network and search linkedIn and then figure out the best away to approach such folks. <S> In the long term you're better off joining user groups and getting to know people and through them, company reputations. <A> Absolutely. <S> As another answer has said, don't say "reference". <S> Just say "Can I talk privately with a few other employees about the company?". <S> Notice, I said privately. <S> It's amazing how much more someone will open up if no one else is around. <S> Pay attention to how they act. <S> Ask them if they like working there. <S> If they hesitate before answering, that's a bad sign. <S> Don't be afraid to ask for things like this. <S> You are looking at changing careers. <S> You have much more to lose than they do. <S> Put yourself in the driver's seat. <S> Don't let the employer drive everything. <A> If the company is a start-up there may not be developers and managers to discuss the company. <S> Alternatively, some companies may have non-disclosure agreements that may limit what could be discussed between someone who wants to interview the company if you are getting a job in a sensitive area. <S> For example, if you are going to be a developer within an IS department that is just being started to be brought in-house there may not be other developers and managers to discuss. <S> In other cases, you may have to be careful of how far back you go in looking at former employees as where a company is now may not be the same as where it was a few years previously. <S> Overall, it is good to ask the question and see what kind of response you get. <S> Does the interviewer seem uncomfortable answering it? <S> Do they understand why it is being asked? <S> It may be a very interesting can of worms to my mind.
| It's a great idea, just don't make any references to it being "references" (and excuse the pun). While I would say it can be fair, there are some possible issues you may run across in some cases.
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How to test specific written communication skills in an interview setting When evaluating candidates for technical support positions, one of the requirements is that the candidate must be able to communicate well with the developers and the clients. So, as an interviewer, it is my job -- in the span of half an hour -- to test whether a candidate can write clear, effective test cases and technical report. In your experience, are there any questions I can ask or simulations the candidates can perform in order to test his or her writing skills in this area, within the bounds of the interview setting? <Q> When teaching students a skill teachers use the following guideline: If the homework takes the teacher X minutes to do, it will take the best student 2X minutes and the average student 3X minutes. <S> If the goal is to see "whether a candidate can write clear, effective test cases/ technical report.", make sure that the scope of the task can be done in the 30 minutes. <S> They will not know your code base, that 30 minutes includes giving them the instructions and the task. <S> They will not be able to include screen captures, and references to previous requirements or features. <S> You might have have a series of common applications/web pages, and ask them to pick one they use regularly. <S> (gmail, stack exchange, facebook, twitter...). <S> Then tell them that you are customer of the developer, and that you want to add a feature to the current application. <S> Then ask them to write the use case so that it can be sent to the developers. <S> By having them pick a program they use a lot they will not need as much time to familiarize them selves with the application. <A> The resume is a great test. <S> It won't guarantee an ability to write (someone else can write it) <S> but if it's written poorly, you can be sure it's not by accident. <S> To test presentation skills, I've asked people to give a presentation during the interview process. <S> To test someone's writing skills, you can ask for a sample of their work. <S> (Or school assignment if they're a college hire) <S> Then ask them about the topic during the interview. <S> If they know the topic, they probably wrote it themselves. <S> And it can give you some insight into what interests them. <A>
| One thing you could ask is to write a document on a technical project the candidate worked on previously (either as a school project or a previous job), and ask him to report the most difficult challenges he met while working on the project.
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Applying for a position, getting offer on another I recently applied for a position of technical management at a local company. Upon reviewing my history they determined I would not be well suited for the management position but they were very interested to have me at a technical spot. Should I continue to entertain, and can I assume now that they are the ones actually pursuing me? <Q> If you really want to move into management, make sure you discuss that with them as a part of looking at this other offer. <S> Say: <S> I like this technical position <S> and I'll take it, <S> and I'd also like to move into this other management position (or one like it) within n years. <S> Can we do this? <S> If they are open to it, then it might be worth it. <S> Bear in mind that things change (as they always do) <S> and after n years they may not be actually be able to move you into that position. <S> You would have to accept that if you take the alternate offering. <A> Only you can determine if it is a position you are interested in. <S> Some things to consider <S> : Is the job one you consider you are qualified for? <S> I once got told I wasn't qualified for the job that I was very qualified for (but had not held the specific title) and they wanted to interview me for a job that I was in no way qualified for instead. <S> The level of ignorance of the HR person who determined qualifiecations was so poor <S> (She had no idea what programming languages they used or if that was even important) that I declined and have never applied at that paarticular place again. <S> On the other hand if the jobs sounds like something you can do, whether you should continue to pursue may be based on several things: <S> How urgently do you need to leave your current job or get employed? <S> Is the pay scale near what you are looking for? <S> Will it give you the chance to move up (espcially if that chance ismissing in your current position)? <S> How badly do you want to move to management (or do you just want toescape your current situation)? <S> Does the work sound interesting? <S> If, after asking a few questions about this new job to get a feel for what it involves, you are not interested, then thank them politely, tell them that you are not interested in that position and move on. <S> Otherwise, feel free to pursue. <S> Sometimes when they tell you that they have another position you qualify for, they are having trouble filling that position and then they may be very interested in you. <S> Usually when we recommend someone for a different position than the one they applied for, we see something about them that makes them a particularly good candidate from our perspective. <S> If we didn't like you or your resume, it wouldn't matter that we had anopther position you could qualify for, we won't tell you then. <S> And sometimes it is a new postion we haven't started advertising for. <S> And we would love to not have to pay recruiting costs. <S> So if you are interested in the position they want to talk about, you probaly have a decent chance at it. <A> In general this is a good sign about a company. <S> If recruiting was HR driven, they would have eliminated you because you didn't fit all the checked boxes. <S> When a company does this, it suggests they're looking for the best candidates first, and then finding the right spot second. <S> It doesn't work for everyone (Denny's would have nobody to clean the dishes) but is a good sign for knowledge work. <S> When someone says, "I think you're a very good fit for Job X <S> " you should ask yourself two questions: 1) <S> Do they have a hidden agenda? <S> 2) <S> Are they seeing something in yourself that you don't see? <S> If the answers could possibly be "No <S> and Yes", or even, "I don't know <S> and I don't know" <S> it's probably worth entertaining the offer. <S> Have more discussions, talk to more people there, and do some introspection. <S> Don't take a job you don't want, but as long as you're honest with everyone it is ok to continue the process.
| You could entertain their other offer if you like it (you'd like to do the work, you are qualified, the compensation is good).
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Are there situations in which an employer would accept a candidate that doesn't meet posted requirements? I just came across a job which require the following: Degree in IT related discipline; 2 - 6 years application development experience in COBOL/VSAM, CICS IBM Main frame, Database Knowledge of DB2 is a plus Good commuication skill As for myself, I have 2 years experience in plain COBOL (without VSAM, CICS). We don't use IBM main frame, we use another brand (VAX). Of course we use Oracle so I don't know DB2. Are there situations in which an employer would accept a candidate who fits all of their descriptions, or would the employer consider hiring someone who knows something and decide to let the senior teach him/her? <Q> Are there situations in which an employer would accept a candidate who fits all of their descriptions, or would the employer consider hiring someone who knows something and decide to let the senior teach him/her? <S> Yes to both. <S> Often, jobs get posted in response to someone leaving, and that person had accumulated a variety of duties and expertise in her tenure at the company. <S> Ideally, the company would like to replace that person with someone with the exact skill set. <S> Then, reality sets in, in that there aren't people available with that set of skills whose salary requirements are at the desired level. <S> So they lower their standards. <S> So, to answer the implicit question of whether not meeting this requirements <S> should stop you from applying, the answer is no . <S> When reality sets in, and the company relaxes the requirements, you want to be the first person they see when they look down the bench. <S> You get there by applying now , not waiting to see if they will lower their standards. <S> You also give yourself an opportunity to blow them away in other dimensions not captured by the requirements. <S> Also have to note the irony of "Good communication skill" <A> However there are a HUGE number of other factors that are, or can be considered, including: salary, attitude, education, experience in other areas, etc., etc. <S> So in some cases (and generally) yes the most experienced candidate but not always. <S> A fresh young face can be good.... <S> especially if they are half the price... and the organization has good mentors... <S> so just a lot of factors. <A> I had someone explain to me once that job announcements were more like wish lists than requirements lists. <S> In a perfect world, there would be candidates who have all of the criteria listed, but in actuality, the real people who are available rarely have experience in all of the areas listed. <S> Don't take the list TOO literally, but consider that you will likely need to fit SOME to MOST of the criteria in order to be considered seriously. <S> I remember seeing announcements for positions that listed 10 years of .NET experience when .NET had only been released 3 years before. <S> Obviously noone was going to fit this "requirement". <S> This job announcement probably should have been written differently to say "senior level experience", and "long term .NET project work". <S> Read critically, and consider if the announcement has a lot of REQUIRED items. <S> The more REQUIRED items, likely the less flexible the employer is going to be. <S> For example, if it states that a certain Military Security Clearance level is REQUIRED and you don't have the clearance, it's probably not worth applying, since that clearance process is expensive, and the announcement is worded to suggest that the employer is not going to want to pay for that process for any new hire. <S> The same thing with Visa requirements. <A> In answer to your exact question: Many employers prefer less-competent candidates. <S> Sometimes this is done deliberately in an attempt to reduce turnover; past experience tells them that stronger candidates may accept the position but are unlikely to stay. <S> There is a famous court case, Jordan vs. New London , where a candidate sued after being rejected for police work because he scored too highly on the aptitude test. <S> Sometimes this happens because the hiring manager is insecure and doesn't want any internal competition from a new employee.
| When there is a choice and with all other things being equal , yes employers want to hire the most competent candidate.
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Should I try and remain seated as much as possible while at a desk job? I have been observing my supervisor and found that he doesn't move around much. In contrast, I move around the office quite often. I go to the restroom, go to the pantry to refill my tea about 5-6 times a day, etc Maybe sitting in front of the computer all day long gives an impression that you are working hard. Should I be using my supervisor as a role model to follow, and trying to restrain my activities? Why or why not? <Q> What should count is that you finish your allotted work within the agreed time frame (what ever that happens to be). <S> If you are working with a computer you should be taking 5 minute breaks every hour anyway to refocus your eyes on something else other than your screen. <S> You don't have to get up from your desk to do this, but if you combine it with a toilet break or a visit to the kitchen to get a drink then that's not a problem. <A> Your boss is modeling a style that could send you to an early grave . <S> That seems more important than making my workstyle an exact match to my boss's. <S> Most people accept that different people will have different styles of work within certain boundaries. <S> Some people drink coffee; others don't. <S> Some people like to listen to headphones; others don't. <S> Some people bring their lunch; others go out or skip lunch. <S> It seems what you're talking about falls within the boundaries of legitimate diversity of styles. <S> Rather and adapting your style to his lead, it seems he should be following your model. <A> It's easy to appear busy at the workstation staring at the PC everyday <S> (like Alt - Tab 'bing to a spreadsheet when your boss passes by), but that's bad practice, especially if you aren't finishing your work in time. <S> However, if you want a better chance at promotion or a pay rise, here are a few things you could do. <S> Finish your given work on time, or faster. <S> Finishing your work on time helps to make it clear that you are interested in working for your company and that you are able to handle the workload easily. <S> Faster is sometimes better (although not always), but in some companies they might give you fresh work to do without recognizing your ability to work harder than others. <S> However, that doesn't mean your work should be full of errors. <S> Rely on the saying - "Do it once, do it good!". <S> Have a break <S> Taking breaks helps the mind break away from the monotony that is the constant usage of computers and documents. <S> Make it like a reward for working hard for that past hour or two, breathe some fresh air, drink a cup of tea or do whatever you like (just don't breach company rules). <S> Giving suggestions to improve workflow <S> If your company allows this, though (and also if you have stayed at the company long enough). <S> Many companies are sufficient enough to handle themselves and may list you as a vigilante that is out to get the company if you're a new hire trying to change things around the company. <S> You might end up getting burnt on a stake. <S> Make sure you're visible in the workplace <S> Hey, nobody is going to notice what you're doing for the company if you're going to hide in that pigeon hole everyday without talking to anyone, right? <S> Get up and talk to people, communicate, try not to make too many enemies and you might be well on your way to be noticed by the supervisor. <S> Remember, you might want to suck up to only the supervisor, but the angry mob forming below you is going to drag you back down. <S> Be nice. <A> At some point, pretending you're working can be harder than the work itself. <S> I found a co-worker sitting in a chair and not the toilet in the bathroom and reading a newspaper. <S> He has his own office. <S> Make sure you understand what your supervisor wants and whether or not he/ <S> she feels like you are meeting those expectations. <S> Unfortunately, they build up a general opinion and rarely have some objective and quantifiable account of your work. <S> If they have to lay people off, they won't target the employees that make their job easier. <A> You shouldn't change your work habits if they don't impact your work negatively. <S> As long as you feel comfortable with them and get your assignments done on time, they shouldn't be an issue. <S> If you forced yourself into taking fewer breaks, it could lead to stress, and it would make you focus on how uncomfortable you feel, rather than taking your mind off those issues so you can concentrate on the task at hand. <S> If with time you find out that your break habits are changing, those should come organically, rather than being forced upon you by someone else or yourself. <S> All in all, have breaks as you are comfortable, as long as you are getting your work done on time and not "slacking off" for an extended period of time at once (which can be viewed negatively). <A> I work at home, and I sit a lot. <S> I am having pain in my feet that some people describe as gout and others indicate are due to atrophy in leg muscles. <S> Sitting for long periods is widely viewed as unhealthy. <S> CDC Study
| Certainly being at your workstation all day gives the impression of working hard, but it's easy to "slack off" while still appearing to be working, and not moving all day can be bad for your health. I've seen quite a few people at work not doing a lot of stuff all day long and jumping into their seats once the boss arrives for work in my previous workplace, but I'm not sure if that applies to all companies.
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How often should I contact a company when they keep telling me my application is "under consideration"? I've been through three interviews with one company: an initial phone interview, a 1hr phone interview with director, and was flown in and stayed overnight for the 3rd interview. I feel the interviews all went well, and was told I would hear something early the following week. When I did not hear from them a week and a half later, I sent them a benign email expressing my interests and asking if they have reached a decision yet. I received a very nice email from them a day later saying they are still interviewing candidates, and they are interested in me and consider myself in the running, but had not made a decision yet. They would try to let me know if they want to pursue further by the middle to end of next week. Its now two weeks later, and I am wondering if I should send another follow up email, and if so what should I say? I sent the typical follow up email right after each of the interviews, and a 4th follow up email when I didn't hear from them the first time, so would a 5th email be unwelcome? How often should I try and follow up with this company after getting no response? <Q> I once interviewed with a company that I didn't hear from for about 4 months. <S> When I did finally hear from them, they offered me a job. <S> I would pursue other leads, assuming this one to be on hiatus or perhaps dead in the water. <S> But, I wouldn't be shocked if you wind up hearing back finally, later. <S> The people doing hiring are often quite busy with work other than hiring. <S> In some cases, this is a purely unusual and extra curricular activity. <S> So, you interview and then the CFO goes on a two week vacation so no money decisions like a hire can be made. <S> Then the HR liason goes on vacation for a week. <S> Then there's some emergency at some offsite location where the people who interviewed you have to go for two weeks. <S> Suddenly, more than a month is gone. <S> It's not that they forgot about you or intend any offense -- just that businesses have certain amounts of bureaucracy and things have a way of getting put off. <A> While persistence often pays off, sending emails repeatedly is not likely to help your situation. <S> There's a good chance they've already filled the position and simply not told you. <S> Very few recruiters ever call to "sign off" potential recruits who are not chosen for a variety of reasons: it's unpleasant (no one wants to deliver bad news), <S> the one they've chosen might not actually start or might not work out (so they want to still be able to call you without admitting that), they will have another opening eventually or they're busy filling other positions and doing other aspects of their job. <S> The other day, someone wrote in to a morning show asking if they were crazy for sending Donald Trump a letter with their business ideas once a week for 4 years. <S> They thought they were just being persistent, but 200 letters was just crazy. <S> The advice provided was to start implementing the ideas instead of waiting for Donald Trump to become their sugar-daddy. <S> If they want you, they know how to reach you. <A> It can be difficult to feel you have been "left hanging" by a firm when you felt that the interview process you went through was very positive. <S> I've been on both sides of the fence and understand the frustration you feel. <S> One tip to help to mitigate this is to always ask at interview how many other people are being considered for the role, and, at second or third interviews to follow this up by asking if you are the preferred candidate. <S> You may not get a straight or honest answer, but no matter what the response you can then easily ask about time lines. <S> In this situation, I would suggest they are still interested, but they are not in a position where they can let you know one way or the other. <S> There are a number of possible reasons for this I can think of or have experienced, starting with the hardest one first: <S> you are not the preferred candidate ; <S> you are their number 2 pick, and they are negotiating with their #1 who has not committed to the role, or perhaps is going through reference checks and so on <S> they haven't interviewed everyone ; a stand-out candidiate on paper couldn't make an interview for a valid reason, and they want to give them a chance <S> the decision makers can't get together ; <S> stuff happens - people get sick, have to travel and so on. <S> Getting everyone into the same room to make the call can be tricky <S> they can't get sign off on the role ; some companies have a sign-off and approval process that takes time, or some other internal company political barrier that they can work around, but takes time <S> In the meantime, it is well worth starting the process with other companies. <A> Its good to follow up with the company especially once the company has given you a get back date <S> and they have gone past that. <S> As a hiring manager I was never put off by job seekers mailing or calling me for a status update - if they didn't make it they were told. <S> If the application was still processing they were told - more <S> so I told them to call me back in a couple of weeks if they hadn't heard anything. <S> Most people who say emails don't get them jobs don't really understand the anxiety that job seekers go through. <S> Sending them a mail every 2 weeks doesn't do any harm - if they don't respond to you then <S> yeah - give it up. <S> If they do respond to you every time you send them a mail - keep sending. <S> Some recruitment processes can take up to 3 months.
| So, my suggestion is to simply move on - you have done your due diligence and excessive follow up might raise a red flag for them. I would send another e-mail after two weeks, or perhaps talk to the HR department, and ask them for a time line on when you should hear by.
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What username to use for my own domain on a resume? I've been reading around, but I want to see what would employers or what does the general prefer to use or see for their e-mail address? I have my own domain. Some say to do: resume@johndoe.com And I've also read:johndoe@johndoe.com Which I think is really repetitive? There are other variations of this. What would be the best approach to using your own domain's email address? <Q> contact@johndoe.com would be the best, I think. <S> After all, you're not having them email your resume (unless you set up some sort of Daemon to automatically reply to any emails to that domain with a copy of your resume). <S> I would avoid using things such as me@johndoe.com (too short and unprofessional) or webmaster@johndoe.com (again, fairly unprofessional sounding). <A> john.doe@johndoe.com. <S> In general it's kind of a status symbol to a lot of people to have a first name only email, for example bill@microsoft.com would be kind of special. <S> As some who reviews resumes I'd find resume@johndoe.com <S> to be kind of confusing. <S> Why would I email your resume, I'm looking right at it! <A> I thnk any email address is OK as long as it doesn't sound unprofessinal. <S> Therefore it should not: Include swear words Include sexual references Sound hateful (john@kukluxklan.org) <S> Sound silly or immature <S> (gigglesnort@jackass.com) <S> Sound religious or political <S> If your name falls into one of these categories naturally, consider long and hard as to whether to use it or at least how to use it in your personal email.
| I'd go with john@johndoe.com, or if that seems too informal then
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How do you diplomatically say that something cannot technically be done? I'm working on the tech side of a company, and the business side sometimes asks for things that cannot be done. Yet, I never want to say "XYZ is impossible". Maybe it's possible but it would take 20 years to do, or maybe it's simply not worth my time (as I have 10 other higher-priority tasks to complete). How do you diplomatically smooth over these issues? Is inaction or deferring to later dates OK? <Q> Ask questions. <S> If you ask enough good questions either they will realize that it is actually impossible or you will realize that in the end it is not that impossible after all. <S> Inaction or ignoring is not an acceptable action. <S> Giving bogus dates is not either. <A> Inaction or giving a date you intend to ignore is pretty much the worst kind of action you can do. <S> You are basically promising what you have no intention of delivering and that will get you fired. <S> And justifiably so. <S> They are making business plans based on what they asked for. <S> What you do is provide them with an estimate of how long it will take to do. <S> Most of what you think is impossible is possible with enough hours. <S> So tell them how many hours and let them choose whether or not to do it. <S> You may need to ask further questions to do this. <S> That is a good thing as the questions may lead them to realize on their own that what they are asking for is more complicated than they think. <S> Talk about what business problem they are trying to solve with the suggestions, it is often psossible to solve their problem by offering a differnt, less time-consuming solution. <S> If you truly cannot give an estimate of how long it will take, then write up a document explaining why you cannot (this might be because a techology that would be needed is not invented yet). <S> Not worth your time is NOT your call. <S> If the business needs something and they are willling to put it as a higher priority than things you want to do, then tough luck. <S> You need to do it first even if you don't want to. <S> However, you give them the list of what you are currently scheduled to do and ask them where the new task falls in the priority list and which tasks they want you to move down in priority. <S> If several stakeholders are involded, let them duke out the priorities among themselves. <S> Make sure you let the stakeholders for the stuff that will be done later know. <A> There are several kinds of "impossible", there's "running IE9 directly on an Apple II, using just two floppies", "fix this bug in Word", and "move this 500,000 line VB6 windows app to the web, by the way we need it next month", "you've said feature X can be done in 2 weeks, do it in 1". <S> One is truly impossible, one is possible but probably illegal and unrealistically expensive, one has an unrealistic time frame but is otherwise probably doable, and the last is feasible but you may be unwilling to do so under the circumstances. <S> Your response to these should differ, but should include a common element, the why. <S> Let them either accept the barrier or try to find their own solution to that problem. <A> Kinda late to this answer, but thanks to a duff comment/answer <S> it's moved back into the list <S> so I'll give my spin. <S> I'm assuming you get a lot of these adhoc requests and have no way of pushing them via someone else. <S> So what I'd do is this: Define a list of off the hip sizes (say t-shirt sizes) and grade them according to do-ability (s means a couple hours up to 5xl which needs billions and NASAs help). <S> You can the respond with something like: hi {someone} Thanks for your request, <S> I have a scale for estimating these and <S> my gut feel is this would be {t-shirt size}. <S> If you would like to pursue this further please contact {my manager} who will be able to give you a priority call over my current work. <S> Thanks <S> {your name} Don't let them know something is impossible, there is little that actually is if you have the resources, time and money, but often just letting the know that their idea isn't something that can be knocked out ( <S> and they need to run the gauntlet of pushing your manager) <S> will be enough to stop it in its tracks, and if not, <S> you haven't let anyone down, you've been instructed it's a higher priority and any argument will be with your manager who is paid to have these fights.
| Everything you see as being a problem to accomplish, ask for clarification on how would that be done.
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What is the best way to arrange three desks so we don't kick each other? So there are three desks at my workplace, for three developers. The problem is, right now, we have them arranged like so: Do you see the problem yet?Well, I'm sitting in position A.and there's another guy sitting in position B.We now and then stretch our legs about a hundred times a day, and in doing so we kick each other. Sometimes, when I am deeply engrossed debugging (or coding or anything) our legs touch and it takes me by surprise, at times I have even jumped up due to it. I've spent endless hours thinking about how to re-arrange them best and also tried a few different arrangements but it always ends up in being a discomfort to at least two of us. We don't have much space so we cannot just put the three desks next to each other. Assuming the area available is more or less the same space as the desk occupies now. How can I arrange them so we don't nudge each other sometimes? <Q> I will offer you two solutions (woot Balsamiq integration!) <S> : <S> Turn the desks outward , if you have space, which the mock-up you provided seems to show you do. <S> We do this in my office and it works very well: <A> You may consider, if you have the space, simply offsetting the desks. <A> no moving of furniture. <S> If that doesn't work out, it looks like you have room to rotate the bottom desk: <S> I'm assuming that if C in your original diagram isn't bothered by kicking the legs at the corners of the other desks, then no one will be bothered in this arrangement either. <S> In addition to being fairly compact, this arrangement preserves the property that nobody is looking at anyone else's monitor directly. <S> In addition, nobody is looking directly at anyone else past the monitor. <A> You don't need to keep a "square" layout; you can make a triangle: <S> And in the centre you can put a potted plant, lamp, or something else :-) <A> Add dividers at all intersections of the desks reaching from the floor to the desk. <S> That way your feet will hit a wall instead of someone else's feet. <S> This of course will only work if none of you guys are scared of walls <S> , in that case I don't know what you can do.
| Skew your seating position relative to the desk , if your desks are large enough. If skewing your seating positions per this answer works, that's easiest --
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In a new job should I be quiet initially or engaging I have a personality that many folks say they find engaging and a big asset to me. In a new job should I be out-going and gregarious and try to engage and talk to as many people as possible, or should I aim to be as quiet as possible as listen as much as possible? If so, for how long? <Q> Listen a lot more than you talk. <A> In any job, you should be yourself ; one would hope that being yourself is what helped get you the job in the first place. <S> If you were outgoing and engaging in your interview, then that is what your new employer will expect . <S> (Similarly, if someone is meek and quiet in an interview, and gets the job, that will be what the new employer expects as well.) <S> Always, still, be yourself, and if Joe Smith can't take your level of co-worker engagement but Jane Jones can, then adjust as the situation calls for it. <S> The only way you're going to know the lay of the land is to engage, and if you are naturally predisposed to engage, then that's super. <S> Remain respectful of boundaries but still be yourself . <S> If people don't like it, they'll say something to you or your manager, and if you are new you'll get the grace period to adjust without repercussions. <A> It's a good idea to read the emotions of the people around you. <S> One of my interviews went amazingly well. <S> I had posted a resume on Monster, been invited the next day (Friday) to interview the next Monday. <S> The hiring manager was lapping up my story, and after half an hour introduced me to the owner, who hired me on the spot. <S> I was set up in a cubie the next day. <S> When I started circulating through the bull pen, however, I discovered that no one in the ranks was initiating conversations, and didn't particularly like hanging around if I started one. <S> There were a couple of other big talkers in the group, but they had their hands full - <S> I could tell their project was in serious trouble. <S> So I progressively backed off until I could figure out what was going on. <S> Turns out the company was not so much a developer as it was simply a documenter - they read source code and flowcharted business rules, but didn't write anything. <S> Much of this was done through code analysis software, so a lot of the people simply ran scripts on files, and cleaned up the generated flowcharts. <S> Having a real programmer in their midst was a bit threatening. <S> The project I was engaged in was a new direction - actual development rather than simply documentation. <S> As we hired other people to fill in, the original workforce, with a few exceptions, warmed up. <S> Some of them got new and more interesting work as a result of the project I was working on, and I was able to bring them up to speed on salient points. <S> Initially, I was viewed as a bull in a china shop. <A> You should use examples from the new work place to dictate your habits. <S> See how the people who are in the position you want to be are behaving. <S> There is no 'one' solution or answer to your question as it is very dependent on the situation and work environment. <S> Until you understand the workplace a little more I would opt for a conservative amount of engagement.
| However, of course what the hiring manager might have valued in you may not be what all your other colleagues value in a co-worker, so you must remain aware of other people's needs/likes/dislikes and adjust accordingly, just like you would when interacting with anyone for the first time. Yes, you should engage as many people as possible. Keep your opinions and advice to yourself for a while.
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What obligations do I have when faced with a promotion opportunity that I don't necessarily want? Background: I started with my company about 4 years ago in a role that was client-facing and was hired as a non-exempt employee. The culture of the firm is that people work a lot of overtime, especially in the winter months (80 hour weeks are typical, sometimes approaching 100 hours). While I am not a fan of overtime (I have 3 kids so it obviously cuts into family time) at least I was compensated for every hour I worked. About a year and a half ago I had the opportunity to work on the development of an internal software product that would be used throughout the whole US firm and several international offices as well. It as a very large undertaking, with me assuming the lead business analyst/program manager role (though not officially a management position). The project was completed on time and was very successful. Last year my wife became pregnant with our third child and we wanted to move back to our home town all the way across the country on the West coast. My boss agreed to allow me to go and I made the move, working remotely from home and traveling back to the East coast offices every 3 months or so. Current Situation: We just had our annual review and I was rated the top rating amongst my peers (it's a relative rating scale). The managers were impressed with my work and wanted to promote me to the next level up. All of the levels that are above my current position are exempt, and also as of this year my current level and the one I would be promoted to are not eligible for bonuses (but all levels above that are). However , I have been wanting to leave the company for awhile so I can focus on growing my career as a business analyst or getting into program management in the software field, which I would not be able to fully focus on in with this company. Given the following: I have stayed at this company due to a prior lack of other opportunitiesthat pay a similar rate (overtime accounts for around 30% of my payso it's quite significant). The software project I work on is mainly owned by me and I'm not surethere would be someone suitable to take over the project in the samecapacity. The "promotion" would result in a pay cut (approximately a 30%reduction in total pay without a reduction in hours), andraises/bonuses are non-negotiable as they are determined in advanceand each level has a certain pay-range. My company allowed me to move back to my home city and work remotely How much of an obligation should I have to the firm to take the promotion I don't necessarily want? How best can I make preparations to leave so that I do not burn any bridges? <Q> You shouldn't feel any obligation at all. <S> Refuse the promotion, find another job and leave. <S> I have felt obligations to companies who have done me favours in the past. <S> The one thing I've learned <S> : They don't feel any obligation towards you for any favours you've done them. <S> You're not immune when they're in trouble and redundancies or pay cuts come around. <S> Your employment with a company is at best a mutually beneficial agreement. <S> As soon as it's not beneficial to either side, it's time to cut the ties. <A> That is the employer-employee relationship and is as it should be. <S> As to the more subtle part of the question, this is quite a 'it depends' question. <S> Factors that I would consider are: <S> decide what work you want to be doing in 2 years time <S> what your financial obligation are. <S> what your spouse wants and where they work. <S> what you enjoy doing how important your friendships are at work. <S> Sometimes it's better to work with friends. <S> You are remote but maybe you maintain remote friendships with work colleagues. <S> how imprtant their reference is (though this might determine more how you leave than if you do). <A> A promotion with a pay-cut is not a promotion. <S> I'm curious, are all your peers non-exempt? <S> Do your peers look at overtime as 30% of their salary as well? <S> If such is the case, how do they get anyone to accept that "promotion", ever? <S> Not knowing anything beyond what you put in your question, you have no obligations towards your employer beyond what they pay you for. <S> If they want to you accept this new position (which you would be thrilled to take and give your absolute best) they have to offer a fair pay. <S> That is: either continued expempt status, or a base pay equal to what you make today, plus a bump reflecting your, now, increased responsibilities. <S> Non-negotiable goes both ways.
| You shouldn't feel any obligation because you did the work and they paid you.
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Indicating that the candidate had help preparing their resume. I am helping a friend who has limited English skills to prepare a resume for mostly general labor jobs (e.g. cleaning/maintenance of apartments). Do I 'dumb down' the resume so it seems like it was prepared by the limited English speaker or do I indicate that he/she received help preparing it? It seems like a happy medium between these two is warranted but I definitely need some direction to what I should do. I am a bit worried about creating too strong of a resume so the employer has higher expectations for the candidate than they should. <Q> I think the best option is just to make sure that it is your friend who actually writes the CV, not you. <S> That way you don't need any form of disclaimer. <S> He or she will need to be able to explain anything and everything on that CV to a potential employer, so needs to understand it. <S> In an interview there would be few things worse than blank look response to a "What did you mean by ..." question. <S> If there are problems with the grammar or spelling, explain what the problems are and how to fix them, but make sure your friend actually fixes them. <S> Encourage him or her to ask questions and talk to them about what Employers in your area like and dislike, what they expect and what they abhor. <S> It will be frustrating, time consuming and could strain your relationship, but it could also end up strengthening your friendship immensely and will almost certainly help them to improve their English language skills. <A> The job of a resume is to get you into the door and get the employer to focus on the things you want the employer to focus on. <S> If your friend is not a good at writing English but can speak at least passably then providing a well written resume may help bridge the gap between the employer and your friend and help him get the position. <S> If reading and writing English is an important part of the position then the employer should make sure that your friend can do so at least to the point of being able to perform the job function. <S> But your friend will need to be able to read at the level the job requires in order to perform well in the position. <A> It is very common, even recommended, to get help writing a resume. <S> It's even common in some places to have community centres that will help you write a resume and loan you a clean suit for an interview. <S> Because of that, and because your friend is technically (at least partially) multi-lingual, there should be a languages section on the resume. <S> Something of the format: [Language] <S> : [Proficiency] ... <S> where the proficiency would indicate whether they're proficient, vocational, limited and possibly listing any language certification. <S> e.g. English: Proficient, nativeFrench: Proficient, IELTS Level whateverSpanish: <S> Limited <A> This is why you have a cover letter in addition to a CV. <S> The cover letter is one page (and one page only) where a candidate can tell an employer about themselves. <S> The cover letter is an opportunity to fill in any gaps which cannot be expressed in the CV/resume format. <S> It is also an indirect means to demonstrate communication skills. <S> In this case, the candidate can talk about his background and how he has learned to communicate in another language, how he has learned to ask for help with his new language, and write the letter himself to demonstrate competency.
| The resume should be easy for the employer to read but your friend needs to be able to speak to and answer questions about that resume.
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What problems may come from accepting a job with more responsibilities but the same compensation? I was offered a management position in a different company that pays roughly the same as I make as a regular staff member in my current company. However, the new position will have more opportunity for growth. What problems might come from taking a job with more responsibility, but basically the same compensation? <Q> Not if you're satisfied with it, no. <S> Here's the way I look at it <S> : Say that you're going from being a Senior Grommiteer to a Grommit Manager. <S> While your skills as a Senior Grommiteer are important to your ability to be a Grommit Manager, there are a whole new set of skills in play, managerial skills, most of which you're pretty Junior in. <S> You will need and expect more support from your new manager than you ever did before. <S> But you will grow, and gain experience in those new, softer skills, <S> and then you will be able to demand more money than you ever could as an extremely experienced Senior Grommiteer. <S> And if the company you're currently working for don't pay you that, you can go elsewhere. <S> It's very much in your interests long-term. <S> However, I will temper that with a word of warning: If you're going to another company, make sure that they're paying you based on your inexperience as a manager. <S> If it is simply that they underpay everyone, you're going to have a hard time building a good team, you'll end up doing half the work yourself and still failing (because you won't have time to be a good manager), and responsibility for that will be entirely yours. <S> ("Hey, we hired you as a manager -- <S> you said you could do the job already.") <S> Your experience as a failed manager will get you nowhere in the future. <A> Compensation has many forms: <S> Cash Benefits <S> Equity Learning Resume value <S> If you're long term greedy, you can't just focus on the first 3 items. <S> If a job will advance your career, in the right cases it's ok to gain learning and resume value even if you don't get more cash. <S> The question is: Is the underpayment part of a larger problem? <S> Or is it corporate culture? <S> In a made up example, P&G could pay less for a brand manager than Kraft would pay for an assistant brand manager, because P&G has great learning, future opportunity, and brand value. <S> Then again, some places underpay because they don't need the best talent, and there you need to be careful. <A> There are so many factors it is almost impossible to answer completely, but I would use some of these criteria to judge if it is worth it in any individual case. <S> How bad is your current work environment? <S> (There are some jobs so bada pay cut is worth it to escape) <S> How stable is your current job? <S> Is the contract going to be up or isa layoff coming? <S> Are you going to be resentful if you don't get a pay raise? <S> In thiscase you should forget it, you will start out unhappy and it nevergoes up from there generally. <S> Is the job better for your overall career prospects? <S> Is is somethingyou <S> want to do that you can't do where you are? <S> Is the business domain likely to be more lucrative in the long run? <S> Would the work be interesting and challenging? <S> Personally I canaccept less money if the job is really something interesting. <S> YMMV. <S> Do they appear to have a corporate culture that you think would suityou better? <S> Will they commit in writing to a payraise after a probationaryperiod? <S> Will they offer some other benefit that compensates (more vacationtime, better 401K match, flex time, ability to work remotely, betterhealth insurance policy) <S> How much do you make right now? <S> Is money tight in your householdwhere <S> you need a raise or are you doing OK without it? <S> Would you be moving from an old or almost obsolete technology stackto a more modern one? <A> Pay is a means to an end, not an end in itself. <S> The goal is to live the life you want. <S> On a personal level, only you can decide if the new position looks like it is what you want. <S> If you are worried about future employmers looking askance at the change, most will consider it unexceptional. <S> If you are worried that the new company won't live up to it's promises, the only thing you can do is get everything in writing -- training, promotions, power and responsibility. <A> No - I am sure that the employer says "there are opportunities for growth" <S> but they would say that wouldn't they :-) <S> In a lot of cases you are giving up Overtime - or becoming non exempt. <S> And from direct experience with a a large telco having Linemen (Engineers) earning much more than their managers <S> it was not good for mangers morale and industrial relations. <S> It also indicates that the employers ethics are not what they should be. <A> It depends on more that what you have said. <S> For example some larger companies do not pay as much as small companies but they have much better promotion prospects. <S> Some small companies pay more because they do not want employees to leave, so there is less chance for promotion.
| In some cases, it's even worth taking a pay cut.
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How long should I wait before sending a thank you email? Should I send a thank you email immediately, or perhaps wait a day or more? Does it make a difference if its a phone interview or an in person interview? If you wait too long, then it is likely to have no effect, or even seem out of place. However, if you send it right away, it takes away one of the advantages, which is that it reminds them of your strengths. <Q> It is a good thing when you have an excuse to contact them by phone or email. <S> Sometimes they need a list of references, or an electronic copy of the resume. <S> While you are sending the email turn it into a thank you email. <S> You should send it within 24 hours. <S> I try for close of business for a morning interview, and by early the next business day for an afternoon interview. <A> Exception being if your interview was on a friday, try to send one by EOD, or an hour or two after opening on monday. <S> Lots of times, over the weekend, people get flooded with emails, and won't always want to read them all if they're not urgent. <S> Waiting until the recipient(s) have settled down, gotten through their morning routine, and will notice a new email appear is somewhat courteous. <S> If you're sending a paper letter as thank-you, put it in the mail the next day. <S> Make sure you date it in formal style, so they'll tell when you sent it. <A> I would wait about 1/2 a day. <S> It's a good idea to draft it immediately after the interview while ideas are fresh, but it's also a good idea to then put it aside for a few hours, maybe sleep on it, and then review it for both content and tone and send it. <S> I would have a minimum of 4 hours to not be (or seem) rushed and a maximum of 3 days while you are still current in folks minds and they are still deciding- <S> which can vary (a lot) by industry and technology from minutes to months (e.g. startup to government) so adjust accordingly. <A> If the decision is being made right away, such as even the very next day, it is imperative that the thank you note arrives right away. <S> This is often the case with teacher interviews. <S> Send on the same day for email responses too, waiting several hours. <S> Even if the decision is already made, a nicely written thank you note will keep you in the running for the next posting.
| Send them the same day as your interview for snail mail, so hopefully they will arrive the next day before the decision is made. Emails should generally be sent within a day or two.
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Is it beneficial to show online certificates on a CV? Coursera offers quite a lot of very interesting courses and provides certificates after completing them. They're good not only for learning new things, but also revising the material that has been previously learned at a standard university. I was wondering if it would be beneficial to put a note/list of the online courses completed on my graduate (computing science) CV/resume. In my opinion it shows not only that you did the course, but also curiosity and general interest in learning. <Q> If you have a section on your resume that lists additional professional development activities, and those activities are relevant to your actual profession, then it can't hurt. <S> Whether or not it helps depends on how much weight the reader puts into additional professional development, and Coursera (or Udacity , or MITx , etc) in particular. <S> Note that I would not list these courses under education, as they are not credit-bearing and were not part of your degree. <S> From my perspective as a hiring manager, when I review resumes and someone has listed additional professional development, it always stands out to me. <S> Given that many of my own employees have been encouraged to develop themselves professionally by using Coursera, Udacity, MITx, etc even during "work time", I obviously view these things favorably from the start. <S> However, even if I did not, I would still take note of professional development on one's CV/resume. <A> Take a look at LinkedIn. <S> There are three sections under your profile: Certifications, Courses and Education. <S> You can list all your Coursera, Udacity, MITx, etc courses under Courses. <S> LinkedIn has done a lot of research and thinking on what hiring managers want to know about you. <S> Write your resume using elements from LinkedIn. <S> Include sections for Certifications, Courses and Education. <S> Think about it: If you were to hire a candidate you would like to know about these Coursera courses. <A> It requires passion, interest and commitment for one to start, complete and earn a certificate at any online course. <S> This is also being well acknowledged by recruiters these days. <S> I hope you have taken the online courses for shaping a specific part of your career or advancing into a particular domain. <S> So, phrases like "self-taught ___ <S> " would help the recruiter recognize the work you put in. <S> Example: If you have taken online courses for becoming a data scientist, then including a phrase like "A self-taught data scientist" would help the recruiter learn that you have self learnt your skills. <S> I had and have it on my resume and LinkedIn profile, and it worked really well, in fact I was well appreciated by the interviewers for putting those extra efforts. <S> After all those days of HW's, assignments and quizzes, it feels good. <S> Instead, include a project which you have done as part of the MOOC, and then include this line: "Done as a part of the ___ MITx1003 course on EdX" .This <S> would help the resume stand out, and also earn brownie points, as you have not only finished the course, but also have done a project with the knowledge obtained. <S> Same can be done on LinkedIn profile too. <S> Here, you might want to increase the length of your project description by adding the University and the Professor's name, topics learnt during the course, etc. <S> Include the course certificates in the certifications section. <S> Resonate the same, in the summary section of your LinkedIn profile <S> (Feel free to refer to my profile if you need help). <S> A similar answer which I have written (but is a bit inclined towards stats) <S> A Quora link which can help you in adding the MOOC details and certifications to your LinkedIn profile. <A> Not really. <S> A course list doesn't really add value or distinguish your CV. <S> Would would be better is to take a few select examples of things you did during your course that show how good you are. <S> i.e where you went beyond the course material and self taught because you were interested in the subject material. <A> If the hiring manager knows what MOOC platforms are doing to the learning space, offering up certificates to relevant completed courses may be beneficial. <S> Harvard Business Review has run multiple articles about the future of learning and relevance of degree programs, with the general upshot that competency-based learning is becoming more and more relevant in hiring decisions. <S> Organizations like Coursera are partnering with well-respected institutes, and that's part of the value of the certificate - so be sure to get the certificate and to include the host institute (Johns Hopkins, etc.). <S> It shows you're aware of the future and willing to take steps to get there.
| Make sure your recruiter knows that you have put in those extra efforts to learn those courses, apart from classroom education. Coming to the resume, including courses would just extend it's length without adding much value.
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Why would recruiters ask "How much would you like to earn?" if the initial pay for all employees is the same? I've recently been to an interview for a company that had a set pay amounts for each "level" of employees that is based mainly on the amount of time spent with the company. This basically meant that all new employees would be earning the same amount of money no matter what. They still insisted to ask me the famous question of "How much would you like to earn?". What could be the point of asking such a question if it won't really influence the pay of the employee? <Q> Typically these pay levels are a range and are attached to the position being filled. <S> So, a 'Junior Widget Flipper' could have a range of 10k to 20k while a 'Senior Widget Flipper' could have a range of 30k to 40k. <S> As a data point to evaluate in the future if the salary range is reasonable in the market. <S> If the candidate is really desirable, they could offer a salary higher in the range rather than lower in the range, despite it being for the same position. <S> So, they ask to see if they're an affordable candidate. <A> The main purpose is to avoid wasting both the candidate's and the company's time if the candidate would not accept an offer at a certain level. <S> If the position is for 60k, and the candidate's lifestyle demands 80k, it's better to know that up front than to go through the whole interview process only to find this out in the end. <S> It's a pre-filter. <S> EDIT: <S> Of course, that's the good , or benign reasons they might ask you that question. <S> The bad , or malevolent reason would be to get you to commit to a lower salary than they are willing to pay. <A> To see if the candidate: has reasonable expectations and understands the fixed pay scale system in place. <S> wishes to have a higher salary and would soon move for more money <S> wishes to gain higher pay through internal promotions for doing a good job. <A> Companies typically have a range of salary for each particular position. <S> They also have a default salary if the interviewee doesn't provide their desired salary. <S> The default salary is generally lower than they are willing to pay for a good candidate. <S> So the trick is to learn what the company's range of salary for the position is and then fit your skillset into the appropriate portion of the range and ask for a little more than that. <S> Negotiating your starting salary is a huge part of staying happy in a job. <S> Once you are an employee, your raises will generally not keep up with what the new hires are being hired in at for your equivalent position, so if you start low you will get disgruntled when you find out that people with less skills are getting hired at higher salaries than you are getting. <S> So I don't know why you think it won't matter. <S> You are allowed to make a counter offer to any offer made by a company. <S> If you impressed the person who wants to hire you then you will certainly get more than the standard rate.
| Despite having these ranges established, this question gets asked for a few reasons: To determine if the candidate's expectations are in line with what the company is willing to pay.
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Should I point out spelling mistakes in a reference letter? I just finished an internship and my boss gave me a very nice reference letter. While I'm happy with the content, I found one spelling mistake and it is really bothering me. Should I tell him to re-write it or just live with it? <Q> There should be no embarrassment about asking a colleague or even a boss to correct a spelling mistake. <S> We are all human and we all make mistakes. <S> Wrap it up with a note of thanks for producing a nice reference letter <S> and it doesn't have to be a big deal. <S> If it is likely that any reader of the letter would notice the spelling error then it could put the opinion of your boss in doubt. <S> Similarly if the reader of the letter knows that you have read the letter (because you forwarded it to them) then it could reflect badly on you for not getting it corrected. <A> You might ask him to correct a typo or two. <S> Given the number of errors, I think you should let it go. <S> He has already done you a favor by writing it. <S> However, you shouldn't send the letter as part of your initial contact with a prospective employer. <S> That might give the wrong impression that you see no faults in the letter. <S> If someone asks for references, send it, but tactfully mention his lack of fluency: <S> Here is a letter from my former supervisor. <S> We had a great relationship, but he is not fluent in English. <A> Not for a reference letter, but I've corrected typos in what my manager wrote for my appraisal. <S> I've done this with three out of the four managers I have had. <S> (The final one didn't have any typos.) <S> Two of them were non English speakers <S> so it was easier for me to notice than them. <S> The other made a genuine typo. <S> None of the three seemed to mind me pointing it out <S> and two thanked me. <S> I don't think it is bad to ask for the correction; you said it is only one error <S> so it isn't going to embarrassing. <S> Remember that the letter reflects on your boss too. <S> He would likely rather not have his typo/lack of English knowledge shared with whomever <S> you show the reference letter to either! <A> I would pretty much live with it if it is minor. <S> If it is the only problem with reference letter, it is even less of a reason to change it. <S> Unless of course, the spelling mistake relates to some important information such as your details, or your job information. <S> If you look close enough to any document, the chance of find an issue with it is usually quite high. <S> If you really want to get it change, read the rest of the reference letter to determine what else you want changed and submit those changes in one request. <S> That way, your boss would be more likely to put some effort into making those changes in one hit.
| So, in summary, ask your old boss for the mistake to be corrected, but do it tactfully. Letting it slide however could be a problem.
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How should I greet my professor if he/she is also my customer? I am a student working in the IT department of my college campus. Typically, since we service both students, staff, and faculty, sometimes we run into the issue of addressing our own teachers. I would like to address them in a respectful way that also makes sense regarding the situation. If I am working with one of my own teachers, it sometimes feels awkward to address them by the title of "Doctor" or "Professor". On the other hand, addressing them by their first name can appear too casual along with not attributing a level of respect to them. Has anyone else experienced this issue? What different ways can I address my own teacher if they are also my customer who I'm helping? <Q> It depends on the culture of the university you're at - but if in doubt how to address anyone, you can always ask. <S> I know of a few departments where formal titles aren't even on the office doors - just names. <S> However - if you're feeling awkward because you're unsure whether to be more (or less) formal <S> - why not just ask? <S> Just smile and say something like "I'm actually not sure how to address you because I'm also a student - what would you prefer?". <S> Most academics <S> I've met prefer informal greetings, and if they've directly given you permission to address them informally, then you don't need to feel awkward about it. <S> Similarly, if they prefer the title, then just treat it as if it were their name, and carry on as usual. <S> On the other hand, addressing them by their first name can appear too casual along with not attributing a level of respect to them. <S> I personally believe that conveying the appropriate level of respect is unrelated to using their title. <S> For example, it's possible to use the right title and still be disrespectful. <A> While you see them as your customer, and they are to some extent, they are a customer of the IT department. <S> If you know that they are a professor, then call them by Dr. or Professor unless told otherwise. <S> If they are another employee of the university/department such as a secretary, teaching assistant or graduate assistant: Mr., Mrs., or Miss is more appropraite. <S> Again unless told otherwise. <S> They didn't select you, they came to the IT department for help. <A> Regardless of the relationship you have with the individual, you can never go wrong in addressing someone by their professional title. <S> So, doctor/professor is just fine in any situation <A> I don't see any problem in greeting them how you would normally greet them. <S> If on a normal day you would greet them as Mr then greet them as Mr. <S> If you'd normally use Dr then use Dr. If you normally call them by their first name, then call them by their first name. <S> Think of it as if you were working at a grocery store. <S> Whenever I saw my teachers come in, I'd refer to them by Mr/Mrs and their last name, like I would in school. <S> That's just the type of relationship I have with that person. <S> Whenever you don't know a more formal way to greet someone is when you use sir or mam. <S> Any time you do have something else you normally call them, use that. <S> There's nothing wrong with it. <S> If I ran across my doctor somewhere, I'd call him Dr, simply because I know him as Dr. Someone else who runs across us may call him by his first name, as they know him by his first name. <S> While you may know a person's first name, you don't normally call them by their first name unless they directly give you permission. <S> Usually they'll tell you that you can call them by their first name. <A> In general the senior person in the relationships dicates the level of formality. <S> That is senior organizational level (Professor outranks IT support in a university) or <S> age (if you are roughly the same level). <A> As for greetings, I have found that it does not matter if the person is coming to you or if you are going to them. <S> Greet the person as if you came to their office area. <S> Some people care about title-ship, and some prefer being called by their first name/ last name / nick name, and normally if you mess up they will tell you. <S> Remember that Professors are people too, but have just have earned a higher level of respect. <A> It will depend on the professor. <S> Some will be completely fine being on a first-name basis with students, and this is normally quite apparent within the first week or so of class. <S> I would avoid using 'Dr.' unless you're SURE they have a doctorate (lots of universities do not require a doctorate in order to teach, after all). <S> Even then, it tends to be a much safer bet to address them as 'Professor,' given how you're rendering them IT support due to their position as a teacher at your university.
| Address them by the formal title uless they sepcifically ask you to address them by their first names. Otherwise, simply saying 'Professor,' without a name or anything else is 100% fine. At universities in Australia and New Zealand, an informal "Hello" is probably fine. I think it is more important to show respect by being polite, listening and valuing what they say, not wasting their time, and so on.
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What would be a good response to "Do you like spending special time with coworkers"? Background: I was asked this in a phone interview. It took me by surprise, and I faltered here. I couldn't figure out just what to make of "special time" - unfortunately, that time I didn't get the job. Let me also say that in this interview, I was not allowed to ask questions. Strange, but that was the rule from the get-go. In fact, when he asked me the "special time" question, I did ask him "what do you mean by special time"; at which point, he quickly and somewhat roughly reminded me about the "no questions" rule. Maybe it is relevant that it is a big market-research/polling type company.. What would be a good response to “Do you like spending special time with coworkers”? <Q> Provided that requirement was not to ask questions (this sounds like interview for a job that does not require thinking) , the right answer would be like: <S> I don't understand the question. <S> If possible, please repeat. <S> Note there are no questions above, just as required. <S> "Please repeat" part is added to make sure that you heard them right ("if possible") <S> - based on discussion in comments there is a chance that question was misheard. <S> After making sure that the question was heard right ("if possible"), exactly as you spelled it, most reasonable answer would probably be like <S> I don't understand the question. <S> I don't understand what "special time" means. <S> I'd recommend an answer like above because in the context of the question, term "special time" doesn't appear to have meaningful semantics. <S> I searched the web for this term and the only somewhat relevant definition I could find <S> was at IBM Rational Portfolio Manager Help - <S> > section Glossary of Terms : <S> Special time Non-standard working hours (overtime). <S> Per se, above definition makes some sense, but when put in the context of the question you have been asked, any shade of sense appears to fade away: “Do you like spending special time with coworkers?” <S> Huh? <S> Do I like spending overtime with coworkers? <A> If they remind you of "no questions" in that context, it's either a test or just stupid. <S> I'd politely ask twice what their question meant and if still refused more info, maybe say 'only if its truly "extra special" time with co-workers' and see how they respond. <S> Maybe a little humor will help. <A> You should have asked them to clarify what they meant, as pointed in the comments to your question. <S> But, whatever they meant, I hold that a good response is an honest response. <S> Are you ready to give "good responses" and then get a job in a social environment you dislike? <S> Would you be happy simply getting a job and spending the working day with resentment or apathy?
| I'd point out to them that it's not a question, you are just seeking clarification on their question to you.
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How to mention weakness in the self assessment section of an employment form I have been trying to write this section of "Developmental Areas" in a employment form given by my organization. This is the place where I need to cite a few of my weaknesses. I actually want to state that "I pay attention to detail in every aspect. (which is actually a positive point) . But sometimes in doing so it tends to getting my work completed beyond normal time, meaning my over perfectionism tends to create issues of delay in project completion." Now I would like to state that point in a direct manner without being overtly harsh and honest. How can I explain this clearly without making myself look bad/exaggerating the issue? <Q> I would focus on areas where you want to grow or receive training. <S> These do not need to be weaknesses. <S> Rather areas where you do not have the knowledge or training you would like. <S> ie: I would like to be trained on the new ACME 2012 EOW Solutions package. <S> You can also include certifications, licencing, or professional development that would help you grow in your field. <S> If you have a path you would like to take to address your "Attention to Detail" issue then you may want to include it. <S> However including it in this form will likely hinder your career growth. <S> Prospective managers in the future are liable to look at the issue and even if you have made corrections it is likely to be used against you for your entire career with the company. <S> Even though the document is an employment form do not assume that it will not be used in determining future assignments. <A> If the emplpoyer puts this section on an employment form, they expect you to fill it out. <S> In terms of how to write this section, try to keep it positive. <S> For example, instead of: But sometimes in doing so <S> it tends to getting my work completed beyond normal time, meaning my over perfectionism tends to create issues of delay in project completion." <S> I'd recommend phrasing it as: <S> I wish to improve my skills in completing assignments in smaller discrete units so that I can focus on perfecting the final product as well as producing deliverables in smaller time frames. <S> This second phrase doesn't begin with "But", mentions improving your existing skills rather than deficiencies in your existing skills, and emphasises how you want to do this and how it will benefit the employer. <S> It still mentions how you like to perfect the final product and suggests ways that you can meet deadlines and still aim for perfection. <A> I blogged about this four years ago. <S> For example, perhaps you're a streaky worker, someone who gets lit up by a problem and just can't put it down and works till midnight until it's solved. <S> You need an employer that will accomodate that, and give you some time off afterwards so you can rest. <S> Or perhaps you're a little absent minded sometimes. <S> You need an employer that has process, checklists, checks and balances - not one that encourages developers to edit files live on the production server. <S> Maybe you don't like to juggle multiple projects at once and do best with the predictability of long term stable assignments where you know weeks in advance what you'll be doing all day. <S> Or maybe you get bored with that and need a roller coaster of unexpected assignments and fires to put out. <S> In some firms this is a weakness: in some it's a great fit and just what they're looking for. <S> (Woe betide you if you make something up here and end up in a job that's a perfect fit for the rare maverick you pretended to be. <S> Tell the truth. ) <S> The ideal weakness that you would write down here would not be a thinly disguised "I am too awesome for mere mortals" but an insightful truth that helps to show why this company is actually perfect for you. <S> It has to come with a companion phrase " and that's why I need an employer that... " - without the second half, you run the risk that they'll interpret your weakness differently. <S> Always close the loop for them. <S> The more confident you are that you have a lot to offer to the right employer, the easier you'll find this question to answer. <A> This is the place where I need to cite a few of my weaknesses <S> I assume the form actually asks you to cite a weakness. <S> Dilbert tried this: " <S> I work so hard that I forget to eat or bathe for weeks at a time. <S> Eventually, I starve to death at my desk. <S> I become a bloated, stinking corpse. <S> Insects breed in my body. <S> I spread disease to the entire company." <S> Sadly, that won't fit on one line. <S> Perhaps you'd like to know about scripting languages, XML parsing, advanced sort algorithms, BOOST. <S> Pick your buzzword, preferably something related, but not central to, the job requirements. <A> Your resume is not the place for this. <S> Your resume and cover letter are to get you in the door - and you won't do that by volunteering your weaknesses. <S> If you're asked during the interview, then you can point this out as a weakness. <S> However, I haven't actually been asked this question in my last couple of interviews, so maybe it's fallen out of favor.
| Try something skill specific, "I need to improve my knowledge of [insert something you would like to know more about here that is somewhat job related]. Don't leave it blank, or put "Nothing, I'm perfect!". I encourage you to find a genuine weakness in yourself and explain what you need from the company as a result.
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Will changing jobs because of a national economic crisis have a negative effect on my career? Because of the crisis in my country, employers are no longer able to pay for employees. This has forced me to change my job twice before finishing 6 months with them. I bet this may hurt my career. How can I overcome this and compensate for this weak point? <Q> You can look at it from a couple of perspectives. <S> Employers perspective <S> The employer may think that you are not able to have much medium to long term stamina for a job. <S> You will have to explain in your interview about the economic situation. <S> Technical perspective <S> By changing jobs frequently, you don't end up being a master of knowledge <S> and you end up being a person whom skills are stale. <S> You can keep up to date by volunteering at a non-profit organisation. <S> Eg, If you are an accountant, volunteer to do their book-keeping. <S> If you are a software developer, join in some open source project and contribute. <S> Good luck! <A> You have to assume that whenever there is wide spread economic crisis employers will understand the impact on job histories. <S> I would expect that auto workers in Detroit didn't have to spend much time explaining why they lost their job, and that other workers in Detroit didn't have a hard time explaining how the related job losses impacted teachers, hospitals, restaurants... <S> It can be be used to explain a gap in the work history, or a short job that only lasted a couple of months. <S> Flipping burgers for 3 months does pay some bills, even though it doesn't help your programming skills. <S> While the news reports unemployment numbers, they sometimes mention the underemployment number's. <S> Those are people who have to work part time, or in lower paying jobs because they have no other choice. <S> A non-perfect employment history in the economy the world has had the last few years is not something you need to worry about. <A> Put this note by each job: Position ended due to company closing down. <S> Closing down may not quite be true, but if they stop paying everyone due to being out of cash, it's now a company in name only. <S> At least until it gets further funding. <S> Just make sure that their website doesn't make them appear to still be in business, i.e. if it has recent content. <S> The main aim with items like this is to deflect questions with up-front honest information. <A> Find something! <S> Any job is better than no job especially while others are out of work. <S> In a few years this collapse will be forgotten as the one that happened in 1989 and 2001 are now. <S> Employers will respect if you continue to work <S> but if you wait for things to get better it will not be respected. <S> Will employers understand? <S> Some will, some wont. <S> But you are not going to get credit for not working <S> but you will get credit for continuing to work. <S> It is not really fair and not a situation of your making. <S> But how you react to that situation is what the employers will respect or not.
| Yep, having a number of jobs over short period of time can be damaging to you career, but it doesn't have to be. You will also have to be make it clear in your CV that you were force to change jobs due to your companies financial situation, and is not due to your own doing. Volunteer if you have to, so long as you have some experience to put on your resume.
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Does it hurt me to use smiley faces in correspondence with potential employers? I find myself constantly using text smiley faces when typing messages to other people. It doesn't matter if I am writing something casual like a facebook message, or something serious like replying to a job offer I usually use them to convey emotion, such as friendliness :) , sarcasm :p , or excitement :D . To me, they add a little more warmth and "human-ness" to text-based conversations, and they're part of who I am. Typically I re-read anything serious I write before sending it, and will usually remove any compulsively-added smiley faces (the other faces are almost always kept for casual text conversations only), however today as I was removing a smiley-face from a response I was writing to a job offer, I found myself wondering if things like text smiley faces actually hurt me at all. Does including text smiley faces in correspondence with potential employers hurt me at all? I am mostly concerned with correspondence after the initial contact. I try and keep the initial contact correspondence very professional, however during replies I tend to let my personality show through a bit more. <Q> I'd say this is definitely a judgement call without a single right answer. <S> I wouldn't worry overly much about the occasional emoticon if you truly feel the relationship has already loosened to a friendly level. <S> I've had one or two winning hiring managers reach this point with me before the process was completed - we'd already exchanged a very well received joke or two, and I felt comfortable using my typical level of creative wording in correspondence. <S> I will say, though, that it's not a two way street. <S> If you are going to have an error in judgement, it's always better to err on the side of formality. <S> If you scrub emoticons with someone who wouldn't have minded, then you don't do yourself a disservice. <S> If you go all smiley on someone who would have perferred more formality in email, then it is likely to form a bad impression. <S> Another thought - I often find myself using the three particular smiley's you mention when I am also using wording that I am concerned may be mistaken. <S> For me, particularly, the issue is usually sarcasm - when I'm sarcastic, I feel a need to moderate with a smiley, so folks will know I'm kidding. <S> Also, when I am about to say something that may be construed as harsh, but would not be harsh-sounding if I had said it face to face. <S> In these cases, I have to ask myself if the emoticon is a crutch I'm using when what I really should do is reword. <S> I think keeping that level of awareness engaged in still-forming professional relationships is a VERY good idea. <S> Whether or not you ditch the emoticons, keep the awareness of tone in your email and how it might sound if you reread with the "mean voice" that might happen if the smiley wasn't present. <A> It may be just me, but I would refrain from using anything other than purely professional English if your correspondence is for professional matters. <S> That would still allow you to be explicit about your sentiments of joy or concern, but again very professional and as little personal as possible. <S> My biggest concern is that in writing without much context such displays of friendliness and personalty risk being misinterpreted. <S> Also - this goes the other way as well <S> , I routinely receive emails from higher ups with emoticons, and I don't like how it looks or how it feels. <A> You're definitely better off not including emoticons in correspondence with potential employers. <S> Employers want to see that you are going to be able to communicate professionally with clients and most clients would be put off by the presence of emoticons in business communication. <S> Something like sarcasm or jokes probably ought not be in professional communication in the first place because of the risk that it will be taken the wrong way by the recipient. <S> Even if the employer tries to ignore the emoticons, they will likely assume that you are less mature and a less capable communicator than another candidate that writes exactly the same message without emoticons. <A> If you wouldn't want to work for somebody who got bent out of shape over emoticons, continue using emoticons. <S> If on the other hand work isn't finding you yet and you can't afford any risks when searching for new employment, don't take any unnecessary risks. <A> Professional writing is different from casual writing. <S> Certainly emoticons and leet speak are inappropraite when contacting customers, when sending out resumes, etc. <S> Once you know someone and have a personal relationship with them, then you can be more casual in your contacts. <S> But even then, if the email is something likely to go to people you don't know well, avoid this. <S> Especially be wary of using a wink or other emoticon to indicate you are kidding. <S> And the need to put one in should be an indicator that you are saying something you should not be saying.
| Although some employers will simply ignore emoticons, you're much better off if the text of your message conveys whatever emotions you intend to express without needing to resort to emoticons. So if in doubt, I'd say leave it out. This is never appropriate in professional correspondence.
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Numbered rooms in the workplace What are the disadvantages (if any) to having numbered rooms in an office? Numbering rooms is obviously helpful as a way to navigate to a room and to unambiguously talk about a precise room. Are there any disadvantages to numbering rooms? (These could be tangible, psychological, or social reasons, etc.) <Q> The question was disadvantages to numbering rooms. <S> There is one disadvantage I can think of: If the interior walls are expected to change, Or the number of employees is expected to grow a lot before the lease is up: Numbers can make the changes even more confusing. <S> I have seen companies turn a conference room into new offices. <S> Now you could have the problem that conference room was #007, but now one of the new rooms will be 007 1/2 or 007A. <S> I have also seen closets turned into office space. <S> If you forgot to number the closet, now you have to stuff two people into an unnumbered space, and describe it as the 2nd unnumbered door after #007. <S> Turning offices into conference rooms or senior mangers offices results in the need to skip a number. <S> All these changes result in confusion. <S> and they redid the floor when the new CEO was hired" <S> The advantages are many: navigation, logistics. <S> These are so important once the lack of room identification it is time to develop a numbering or naming scheme. <S> Keep in mind that employees may start to name the rooms themselves. <S> They will say "I see you were assigned Sean's old office, he was here long before Daniel" <A> In cases like this, numbers provide the most convenient way to navigate to a room (one of a many others ) and to unambiguously talk about a precise room. <S> Numbers are also quite handy for "bureaucratic" purposes, like eg tracking equipment / furniture location, movement and delivery. <S> When there are not that many rooms, or when there is small specific subset like conference rooms, it can make sense to give rooms non-numeric, "personalized" names. <S> These are more fun and (when there are not many rooms) are easier to memorize. <S> This appears to be quite a popular practice, just search the web for something like conference rooms names . <S> 1 , 2 , 3 , ... Note "personalized" names don't necessarily exclude an option to use room numbering in parallel. <S> For "bureaucratic" purposes, boring numbers may be still more convenient, especially when there could be room renaming. <S> Room 42 has been recently renamed from "Alpha Centauri" to, well, " 42 " <A> Room numbers serve two purposes: they identify the physical location and provide cues to help people navigate to the room. <S> Modern "Class A" office space for a variety of reasons are usually configured as open plan or modular, so the navigational benefits of a number are less useful.
| If you are in an older building with a series of rooms, a numbering system makes sense. To start with, when there are many rooms in workplace, numbers are hard to beat - exactly for the reasons you mention. Employees room numbers change without them moving, others refer to the space as "we are meeting in room which used to be #007 before Joe retired
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How do I advise a habitually tardy coworker? A coworker of mine, an intern like me, is always at least 30 minutes late. But not more than an hour usually. Today the CEO even noticed. But I didn't tell him that part. Is it advisable to tell him that? <Q> Honestly: Mind your own business. <S> Unless you have a vested interest in keeping this person around/helping them out, you're either a rat or nosy. <S> Consider even that it may be known to the person's manager, and they have a good reason. <S> I have a workmate who is gone for an hour every friday for prayer - and for the longest time I thought he was taking lunches that were "too long". <S> His boss knows and he has never failed to work an extra hour every friday to cover it, but I was gone so I never saw that part. <S> Leave the managing to your manager and do your job. <A> If the CEO/Senior Manager noted their absence in front of you, I would have found a way to tell them. <S> I agree that you don't know what agreement they have made with their manager regarding work hours. <S> But there were several pieces of information in that incident that need to be conveyed: <S> The CEO stopped by and was looking for them. <S> It may have been to give them a task, or to praise them, or to yell at them. <S> The CEO has noted that the last x times they came by in the morning during core hours it was clear they hadn't arrived for work. <S> They might want to track down why the CEO wanted to talk to them, they should talk to their manager to see what they should do. <S> This tells them to talk to their manager without you being in a position to judge them or lecture them. <S> It is possible that their manager will know why the CEO stopped by. <S> The manager might also contact the CEO or have the intern contact the CEO, depending on what they decide the next step should be. <A> If you are close friends outside of work then I would address them as a friend. <S> I would explain that being late all of the time can be viewed as laziness or even theft by employers. <S> Unless you have been assigned to monitor the comings and goings of the interns, it is not your responsibility to monitor them. <S> As stated else where they may be an agreement with management about his work hours. <S> Even if not mentioning your noticing it to him is liable to create more problems for you at work rather than helping. <S> So unless he asks you directly if anyone has noticed I would not address it at all. <S> If this is a problem with your employer then your coworker will be advised that his tardiness is a problem. <S> If not then making it an issue will not benefit either one of you. <A> If, for example, your co-worker's tardiness means you have to cover for him, it might be better to raise that with him directly rather than escalate that to your manager. <A> Talk to your manager in private about your concerns. <S> Bear in mind the following factors: <S> Do they work later than others? <S> What's their work output, regardless of hours? <S> Do they work remotely? <S> Do they have a family life with obligations? <A> Most likely, you don't - because you're not in a position to advise ("coworker of mine, an intern like me"). <S> Most reasonable course of action for this case would probably be for you to ask advice on that from your manager / senior / mentor. <S> They will take appropriate actions, if needed.
| That the CEO noticed may make your team look bad, but I would say that is a problem for your manager, not you. As a peer, I would only mention it if there is a direct impact on you . If you are not friends outside work I would leave it be.
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Customer thinks that I'm female due to a name mixup. How should I correct them? My surname is a feminine name and I do occasionally get people misreading my email address ( forename.surname@etc... ) in reverse, although I do always sign the email off: Kind regards, Forename Mostly, I'm fine with either correcting the person after a few emails, or calling them, or they realise in their own time. However, most of my contact with customers is in a support role, where the customer's feelings towards me personally only really affect my effectiveness as a support engineer. In other words, if they feel embarrassed at their mistake or affronted by my correction, it doesn't really change anything. Recently, my role has shifted more towards providing sales information. Now I have a situation where a business analyst is analysing my product via email correspondence. I feel I can't easily correct the person without potentially jeopardising the sale because the person's impression of me may influence their decision and I certainly wouldn't want to make them feel uncomfortable. Do I correct them, or wait for them to realise? Clearly if I call them, they will realise, but is it better to correct them via email so they aren't put on the spot? <Q> There is no harm in correction by email in my book. <S> I too have the "my last name sounds like a first name" problem, although since both the gender of my first and last name sound female, I mostly feel like a decent chunk of the time I must be in the military or gym class. ' <S> Personally, if I am hoping or expecting to continue the communication, I nip it in the bud. <S> I figure the embarassment will be much less if it's a first time mistake and quickly corrected than if I let it linger over many emails. <S> Something like: <S> Hello {customer} Just to clarify my first name is {firstname} . <S> {surname} is my last name. <S> Sorry for any confusion! <S> Our email addresses seem to be the culprit, I get it all the time! <S> Anyway - moving on to our thread of conversation. <S> Then never mention it again. <S> I've seen cases where people really don't get the point, and I get called by my last name for endless conversations. <S> I usually give up on the first one, and figure it'll work itself out... <A> When you correct someone on this, it eliminates the possibility for them to recover gracefully and save face. <S> Continue signing your emails in the way that you are and when you call, provide enough information for them to put 2 & 2 together -- <S> "This is forename, calling from company name, we've been corresponding over email regarding X. <S> " If they mention the discrepancy, you can say "ah, it's no big deal, happens all the time" and keep them at ease. <S> If, rather, you send them an email correcting them, then the recipient is going feel obligated to provide an apology or some other acknowledgment of the mistake and that may or may not cloud your future interactions. <A> For future, how about using this in your emails/signature: <Name> <Initial of Surname><name>.<Initial of Surname>@mycompany.org eg <S> James K.james.k@mycompany.org <S> You may ask your IT department to create such an email id for you and set auto-redirects from the old email id to the new email <S> id <S> (so that you don't miss the communication sent to the old email address). <A> I periodically correct people on the spelling and gender of my name. <S> One sentence. <S> "Just wanted to let you know I am female." <S> And then proceed to other business. <A> I had the exact opposite issue -- a support person assumed <S> I was male because most people in my field are. <S> I didn't bother correcting him, and eventually we had to talk via phone (where he realized his mistake). <S> Future emails had my gender correct. <S> So my suggestion is to arrange a phone conversation or face-to-face meeting :) <S> That lets them correct their mental assumption without anyone ever being put on the spot or made to feel embarrassed. <A> I see the awkwardness of your situation but the good part is that you have options: <S> Do you have a middle name you would rather go by? <S> Do you have a nick name <S> , there is a guy here everyone knows (even hisofficial e-mail) as Jimmy7 - no clue where that came from. <S> When you sign you can just use Mr. + last name <S> Depending on how much it effects <S> you <S> - you always have the option of legally changing your name. <S> If it is something you really want, you can do that too! <A> In similar situations I usually just let it go unless for some reason it actually matters. <S> Not only do I have a name that has become entirely feminine but my voice on the phone is androgynous to many people and feminine to many others. <S> I see no point in embarrassing them about a mistake an awful lot of people make. <A> Never use Lastname,Firstname as a signoff. <S> 2) Just leave it and correct it when it comes up. <S> Have a little laugh about it, and a canned joke about it to ease the tension if they ever do say something like "Oh I thought Jane was your first name! <S> " <S> You could say something like " <S> Oh ho ha ha, that is a common mistake sir. <S> Actually my first name is George. <S> Jane is my last name. <S> < I don't even have long hair. <S> > <S> " <S> The last sentence is a < joke asserting you are male > . <S> You could use anything, from a common (nonsexist) assumption a person would make about you if you were a woman. <S> Or, you could leave the joke off.
| I go for simple, forgiving and sincere in my gentle correction, in the hopes that the person will get over it quickly and move on to whatever we are communicating about. I wouldn't bother and instead let them come to the realization themselves. I think the best way to go is a combination of 2 things: 1) Always sign either just your firstname, or use Firstname Lastname.
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How can I manage technical workers when I have no experience in their position? I've been asked to manage a team working on a project with which I am only marginally familiar. Getting more familiar with the project (desired outcome, expected timeline, etc) won't be a problem, but the technical work the team members are doing is outside my area of expertise. I've never done the kind of work they are doing on this project, or worked with the technologies in question (although I do have some experience in similar areas). I know they are all capable in this area, and I'm confident in my abilities to manage a team where I'm familiar with the technical work and have been in the positions of the team members before, but I'm not sure how that will translate to leading a crew where I don't fully understand all of the technical details. (How) can I effectively lead the team if I don't fully understand the technical details of the project? <Q> Well the good news is that you trust the capabilites of the people working on the project. <S> That makes it significantly easier. <S> You know project management, so you know how to keep them on track as far as budget and deadlines, etc. <S> When they want to do something you don't understand, ask questions. <S> You want to feel more up to speed on the subject, so make sure you aren't questioning their judgement but rather trying to educate yourself. <S> Where the biggest problem comes in is when you need to make a choice when two (or more) of these people disagree about what to do. <S> In this case, I recommend that you have them do a formal decision analysis where each rates what they want to do against the criteria that you determine <S> (hours to develop, performance, etc.) <S> Then once you have those ratings, go take a quick look around the Internet to see if they are relatively correct. <S> Once you have a rating for each choice for each possible criteria (and you determine the relative importance of the criteria based on project needs) <S> then it is usually easily to see which is the better choice. <S> But make them keep it civil. <S> Weighting Plan <S> A Plan B <S> Criteria factor Score <S> Total <S> Score <S> Total Performance 4 <S> 3 12 <S> 4 16Maintainability <S> 3 <S> 3 <S> 9 <S> 4 <S> 12Development <S> Speed <S> 3 <S> 2 <S> 6 <S> 2 <S> 6Security <S> 5 <S> 5 <S> 25 1 <S> 5Total <S> 52 <S> 39 <S> So truly listen to both and choose based on the criteria you give them. <A> When managing a technical team you certainly do not have to be fluent in the technology - you need to manage the project, not the technical details of finishing it. <S> This means you need to understand the project outcome, timeline and budget concerns, and understand enough about how the team will achieve these. <S> Your description of yourself tells me that you are a technical person - you will be able to tell whether someone in the team is trying to pull the wool over your eyes and should be able to tell whether estimates are reasonable or not. <S> You already have a leg up on non-technical managers in this respect - and many non-technical manager are more than capable to deliver a technical project, as they focus on their role as facilitators. <S> What I am trying to say here is that you should leave the technical decisions to your team and balance those with the other goals and requirements of the project. <A> Let's take the perspective of this situation as more of a blessing than a problem, by way of giving you the chance to hone your managerial skills. <S> The better manager you are, the less you need to know anything about the technical details of the work being done. <S> What's more, lack of technical knowledge could prevent (unconscious) micromanagement on your side. <S> So let's go through the checklist: <S> a) project structure - "Getting more familiar with the project (desired outcome, expected timeline, etc) won't be a problem" - fine; b) <S> human factors - any conflicts or tension between team members?/ enthusiasm level?/ any obstacles stealing out of productivity?/ do people feel appreciated and rewarded?/ is work interesting and <S> inspiring?/ do people see possibilities for professional growth?/ etc - you do not need any knowledge on the technical side of things to cover any of these; c) quality control, decision making - well, come think of it, is it your job to have the final say on important decisions or is it to organize work in such a way that your team competently solve things among themselves (thanks to the mechanisms you have set up for them)? <S> Is it your job to personally proof-check quality of work or is it to organize your people in such a way that they competently monitor, check and correct each other's work (thanks to the mechanisms you have set up for them)? <S> A great manager should create the infrastructures/ the medium/ <S> the soil/ <S> the environment for the right events and let them happen on themselves rather personally act on them. <A> You can do 3 things: <S> Get educated as quickly as possible. <S> Buy a book and read it. <S> This should give you the general terminology, ideas, etc. <S> Ask for help/clarification along the way. <S> As the manager/team leader/supervisor, part of your role is to ensure that everybody understands what is going on. <S> The way to do that is to ask for clarification along the way. <S> There's no shame in it, and people will have more respect for you then if you try to BS your way through. <S> Whatever your role is on the project, do it VERY well. <S> If your job is to harness political support in your organization for the project, be darn sure that the political support is there. <S> Don't try to do everybody else's job, because you'll only end up cheesing everybody off.
| Your job is to facilitate - help them achieve the goals (within the allocated time and budget) - there is absolutely no need for you to be conversant in the technology in order to get things done. After you know the people better, you will have a feel for who is usually right, then you may give some extra credence to what that person wants to do, but remember, no one is right all the time and automatically picking George's solution over Simon's every time will make Simon resentful. Have them bring their analysis to a meeting and discuss so each side has a chance to shoot holes in the other's argument.
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Severing the relationship with a recruiter On the heels of the double-presentation question , I'm curious about the best way to sever ties with a recruiter who has represented me in the past. Let's say I was presented by this recruiter to a firm in January, but in the interim, have decided that I no longer wish for that recruiter to represent me. In addition, what if the aforementioned firm has a job opening in August that may be a fit? Am I free to apply on my own? How do I need to communicate to the recruiter that the relationship is over? What implications are there for a conflict at the potential employer? I have no contractual obligation to the recruiter, none of any kind. They've just presented me to their clients over the years. I don't exactly know how to communicate that I no longer wish to be a client to them and the firms they may have presented me to in the past. <Q> Just say, "I'm no longer in the job market, and don't want my resume in circulation. <S> Please contact me in advance before presenting me to anyone. <S> " <S> Every time they ask you if they can send your resume to someone, before they share the name, politely say, "I'm sorry, but I'm not interested." <S> Eventually they'll get the idea. <S> It is unethical to apply directly to a firm if the headhunter makes the introduction. <S> If they give you a position or a firm that you are already aware of, you can say, "Thank you for the intro, but I already know of them" <S> I think the industry standard is not to chase the same firm for a year, but I'm not positive on this one. <S> If it's a different job in a different department, and you're not using any connections they gave you, less could be ok. <S> You can always tell the HR rep at the company, "I heard about you from X 7 months ago. <S> I'm no longer working with that firm...." <S> and then it puts this on their head. <S> The bottom line is that headhunters don't have much recourse when you go around them, but it's still poor form to violate the unspoken rules. <S> At some point in your future one of them could be helpful. <A> That will free you to pursue jobs on your own or with other recruiters. <S> If a recruiter ever represented you to a company, and at some point in the future you are offered a job by that same company, then you want to be sure to mention to the hiring company that you were at one time in the past referred to the hiring company by a recruiter. <S> You may well be opening up your new employer to a lawsuit if you don't disclose your prior relationship with the recruiter in question. <A> If the job is a different one and you are applying from scratch, you have no legal obligation. <S> However, <S> if you think your chances will be enhanced by them having met and maybe tested you already via the recuiter, then ethically <S> you should at least contact the recruiter. <S> Also, it may well pay off later. <S> Often recruiters are allied to companies and it might look pretty bad if he stops by the company after you are hired. <A> Had the headhunter not made any preliminary agreement with you, even as lightweight as an email? <S> I have recently decided to take back more control on when/which employers get to receive my CV, so <S> I re-read <S> the emails I exchanged last year with a headhunter. <S> In his 1st email there were some conditions, which I naively accepted, implying in vague language that he could send my CV to other potential employers besides the original one, with no expiration date. <S> So I emailed him to withdraw from the agreement, as @Jim <S> In Texas advised. <S> Further to that, whenever I work with headhunters in the future, I plan to put in an email right from the start that they have to get my consent before proposing me for each single job opportunity. <S> They earn big fees when they place someone, so I figure they will still propose me if they really believe my profile matches, while giving me more control on my job search.
| Just give the recruiter written notice that you are withdrawing permissions to discuss you with any outside agency, company, or person.
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Offering help without seeming like a jerk I have a few colleagues who work on interesting projects but they face problem in certain domains that I am good (but not expert) at. I wish to offer them help for my own reasons (experience, networking and I like doing it). How do I offer them help without seeming too pushy or coming across as a braggart? I have mentioned casually during talks that I know about the subject they have problems in and that I'd like to offer my help if needed. But for whatever reason, I am not being approached. (They are seeking help from some others but not me. I don't have an unappealing personality as well) <Q> This approach serves 6 purposes: <S> For your other colleagues, it's a middle ground. <S> By offering your own questions, you give them a means to quickly gauge your competence without having to face the proposition of saying "get lost, go do your job, I'll do mine." <S> In other words, they can gauge whether it's worth their time to bring you up to speed. <S> It allows you to build the relationship with the other employee; a must for any kind of collaborative work venture. <S> In fact, if you're just asking questions about whatever somebody else is working, if they don't answer or acknowledge you, they come off looking like the jerk. <S> It gives you an out, in case the problem is over your head. <S> Nothing is less respected than a guy who comes into the office and claims to know stuff but can't deliver when somebody asks him/her to. <S> It also prevents the boss from asking questions like "didn't we hire inquest here to work in sprockets? <S> Why is he always over here trying to work in cogs?" <S> It doesn't threaten your colleagues. <S> If you can do the job I am struggling with, why should the company have me around? <S> Coming on strong makes you seem self-serving and ego-driven. <S> Building on a relationship through questions come across as though you are interested in helping the other person. <S> Here's a script to follow: <S> inquest: <S> Hey Susie, whatcha workin' on? <S> Susie: <S> Oh, we're having problems with the widget again! <S> inquest <S> : Is it a problem with the widget's manifold? <S> Susie (suddenly attentive): <S> Yes! <S> You've worked with a widget's manifold? <S> See how this works? <S> This is much better than: <S> inquest: <S> Hey Susie, didn't you know I was a world-class level 4 black-belt widget manifold specialist from 1984-1986? <S> Step aside! <S> I can solve all your problems! <S> In the former, your a helpful colleague concerned for Susie's plight. <S> In the latter, you are self-seeking and egotistical. <A> I have mentioned casually during talks that I know about the subject they have problems in and that I'd like to offer my help if needed. <S> That really is the extent of what you can do - any more than that <S> and you will come across as pushy. <S> But for whatever reason, I am not being approached. <S> Perhaps they want to learn for themselves? <S> It is entirely possible that they believe in their own problem solving abilities and that they simply do not want help. <S> Update: <S> You have mentioned in your comment that you are new - <S> this may very well be the reason. <S> If your colleagues have not had a chance to measure your abilities in the field you are working in, they will not be able to assess your abilities in the domain they are now working on. <S> That is, if you haven't proven yourself to them yet, they may very well not look up to you for advice on any domain. <S> This particular problem would be more prevalent in teams where most people have worked together for a very long time and you have joined only recently. <S> This is of course speculation - I can't guess what goes through the minds of your colleagues <S> and I don't know the exact circumstances you are working in <S> (there may be some prejudice that I and you are not aware of). <A> Not being an expert is fine. <S> You are possibly more easy to relate to if you are closer to them in learning. <S> I believe the topics here are really about psychology / sociology <S> and I would recommend the following: Use the right words and phrases. <S> Examples: ' <S> yeah <S> that drive me crazy when I was learning", "I didn't get x at first myself, but <S> once someone explained y I got it, and the key was.... <S> ", "That's a weird concept <S> huh? <S> confused the heck out of me at first, but then I realized that it was saying a,b,c" Compliment them: <S> Whatever they get or understand, no matter how small, praise them. <S> This doesn't mean saying "you are doing a great job" in a fake way, rather it's that when you explain something and they are interacting with you, you praise the effort they are making and <S> their progress "Yes, that's right, Exactly!". <S> Don't criticize. <S> It's probably obvious that you don't say "duh, you don't understand <S> x ??? <S> " <S> but it's sometimes (or for some people) <S> less obvious that the following language is also not good <S> (even if true) - "This is a really basic concept that I'm explaining...", "This is really simple", "This is simple". <S> If any of the subject matter is simple, they probably don't need the education. <S> Don't talk down to them, but do try and talk at their level, taking cues from them. <S> Take initiative to 'lead' discussions and study groups. <S> Think about setting up a lunch time group where, in a relaxed environment you can look at some code, maybe a peepcode, video or book chapter and then just discuss what you see. <S> Better to do this "in the abstract" than to wait until you need to do it for real.
| Ask questions that allows them to gauge your level of competence.
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What are some good techniques for finding a jack-of-all-trades employee? My specific situation is based on finding a jack-of-all-trades employee in Software Engineering or IT, but the core question can apply to more than a few areas. Over 7 years ago I was hired by a mid-sized company that had a small IT team of 3 people. My initial responsibilities were to design and write a major corporate n-tier application. Today, I am responsible for maintaining and writing new software projects, troubleshooting servers (both hardware and enterprise software), managing databases and much more. There is a chance that soon I will have the opportunity to hire a new employee to take care of most of these responsibilities because they are secondary to my current title of being an Embedded Systems Engineer. Yes,I've worn a lot of hats around here! We would be looking to hire a person to take on all of the IT & software related work so I can return to my primary job but that person will still need to perform as a jack-of-all-trades IT worker. When I think about hiring this person, the primary competencies that come to mind are: ...a very good understanding of general computing and softwaredevelopment principles. ...a tenacity to manage IT infrastructure that "just works" for its users. ...the ability to use one or two tools well but isn't a guru in every tool. ...ability to learn how to use new tools and write excellent software through continual self-education. These are broad competencies and make for a job description that isn't as specific as most descriptions for IT workers. This leads to a bit of a hiring problem because weeding out the pool of potential applicants by resumes and then asking the right questions for the right hire is a bit intimidating since bullet-points aren't as important as personality. The specific questions I have are: What are some effective techniques for finding a good jack-of-alltrades? In my case, a jack-of-all-trades IT professional that canboth code well and manage infrastructure? What should I look for in resumes and what type of general questions should I ask in interviews? <Q> Do you believe that the right people are in your resume pile, somewhere, or are you concerned that you haven't attracted them? <S> In my experience both as a generalist and as someone occasionally trying to hire them, the first barrier is usually the job description . <S> A description of what the candidate will do in the job, and how you can't know specifics in advance, is key. <S> The people who are deterred by the (common) descriptions calling for expertises are exactly the ones who will be intrigued enough by your position to apply. <S> When networking for candidates, don't limit yourself to conventional IT/software folks. <S> I've found that software quality assurance tends to select for the kinds of skills you're looking for -- learn a new system quickly and well. <S> In their case it's so they can break it; in your case it's so they can extend and support it. <S> The mindset to do either well is similar. <S> Sometimes there's crossover with the more technical among technical writers, too. <S> No matter what field you're in, there are probably related fields where you can find good candidates. <A> As someone who had been in your shoes I can tell you that you have a big problem . <S> You can probably take a look at: this book to get some of the reasons. <S> So if you really want to get a person who actually can fill the shoes you should probably have the interview process involve: Understanding of concepts of computing - for software developers algorithms/data structures and not just definitions and O() but usage and internal representation. <S> Problem solving - <S> like deductive reasoning Application of knowledge - for example <S> my personal favorite C++ "expert question" "What is "placement new"?" <S> and if definition is given "Why would you use it instead of regular new?" <S> (Most C++ "experts" can't answer the second one) <S> Try to gauge their general curiosity <S> - like whether or not they look at code for some of the free tools they have used in the past. <S> One more thing to be mindful of. <S> If you're really looking for a person who can actually understand basics and solve problems they usually, at least the experienced ones, can command higher salaries. <A> Recruit someone who has: Worked both in IT and development <S> Worked in smaller companies, where they usually have to take on multiple responsibilities. <S> Done some freelancing work, where they usually have to "wear multiple hats". <S> Typically that's not someone who will impress recruiters. <S> They will most probable be more impressed by candidates who have a degree - even more a specialized, specific degree, and worked for big corporations, where work would be more streamlined. <S> I think it would be fair to disclose that I have the profile described above, and this is said from my perspective.
| Make sure yours doesn't seem to ask for most or all of a long list of specific skills, and make sure you convey the dynamic nature of the job.
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Sticking to one field vs rotation I have just finished education and started to work. I have a few questions I need to be clear about: The very basic thing is sticking to one technology or one area of development vs rotation. Is it better to gain experience in one area (e.g development for Android or Game Development for instance) or keep on switching or trying different things and exploring? If rotation should be done (as things become obsolete with time as well) how often? How does having a broader experience of different fields and technologies measure up against a long experience of single technology. And how does it measure up against having a broad experience of a single area (like developing games for different platforms). I am asking in context of when someone applies for a job, how are these things evaluated and what impression about a professional they leave. <Q> You mention Android, but that has only been in use for about 4 years. <S> You may have a goal of focusing on one area and then have the entire market change. <S> There are developers with years of experience developing software for Palm, RIM, who may have trouble getting jobs developing for Android, iOS, and Windows phones. <S> If you are just out of school, focus on what can help you grow in your company. <S> Sometimes a company abandons a technology because they don't see themselves in that market anymore. <S> The market and the changes in technology will dictate if switching is necessary. <S> When you do jump make sure you also try to gain authority, the goal is to become a senior developer or manager, not just a programmer with 2 years experience in 10 technologies. <S> The balance between years in one technology and the years spread across a few technologies is hard to predict. <S> Some projects are have small staffs: you may find yourself writing all the code, testing all the code and installing all the code. <S> On a larger project you only be responsible for speeding up the openGL routines. <S> The first project requires broad experience, the second project needs expert level. <S> The choices you make along the path will constantly open and close future doors. <S> You just can't predict which ones they will be beyond the near term. <A> Honestly, I'm not sure there's a right answer here. <S> Back in the day, I chose heavy rotation via a corporate program. <S> It was a real boost to my career, because it gave me a breadth of skills and make it easier in the long run for me to see a big picture and to have enough technical chops for almost any occasion. <S> It's helped my career numerous times - I still fall back on some of those experiences 15 years later. <S> However, if I was looking at someone's resume and they had bounced around a lot without the benefit of being in a corporate program and/or without showing that they were loyal to a single company - it would raise some red flags for me. <S> It takes 3 months to make an employee minimally competent and in a technical world, you don't really expect to break even on your investment in someone for at least a year. <S> So... if I see that a candidate has focused too much on rotation, without digging in and being productive in a single role, I get nervous as a hiring manager, because the candidate may do similarly on my team. <S> So -- I'd say in an ideal world you get both. <S> You strive to learn a breadth of technology, but while pursuing a singular goal. <S> You also should be around long enough to see the outcome of the technical decisions you make. <S> No technical choice is perfect, and learning how your work plays out in the long run is key to moving forward in a technical path. <S> Even without a snazzy corporate program, I think there's plenty of opportunities for this - most development positions involve learning a range of skills - even within a single programming language. <S> And many jobs these days involve integrating a pretty wide variety of technologies. <S> I would say we have hit the end of the days when being a guru in a single technical domain will guarantee success. <S> People need a depth of understanding about the critical aspects of their field, but coming "the guy who knows everything about X technology" is becoming a risky proposition given how fast technology requirements are changing these days. <A> In case of applying for a job as per the company's requirement your knowledge of different technologies will matter. <S> e.g. If a company deals with various technologies as per the client's requirement (This is the case with small and middle level org) then the candidate having knowledge of different technologies is best suited. <S> where as if you are heading towards MNCs there are less chances of having different technologies stand you out in the crowd because their tools and frameworks are already beyond the programming languages. <S> Though you can keep exploring multiple technologies and you should explore most in one you are working on. <S> My suggestion is in the spare time you can always have a look at different technologies and sky <S> is the limit
| If you don't see a clear path to growth in the technology you know, decide if it is better to learn a new technology or move to a different company.
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What digital format to send resume/cover letter in? In a world where it is equally easy to apply for a job in Asia, Europe, US or most anywhere else, the available software to read documents is likely to vary greatly. Unless specified, what format(s) does one use to send digital information to someone, for example the HR department, when you have no idea what they can open? LibreOffice , Microsoft Office , PDF , more than one of them, or something completely different? <Q> This has the added benefit that most recruiters (if you are using them) will not edit and change the CV. <S> A close second is Microsoft Office, this format can be read using Open/Libre Office, so offers most compatibility. <S> Another option is to have your CV online, on your server (or a trusted server) in HTML and simply point to it. <A> My main recommendation is to prepare your resume in multiple formats. <S> I'd also recommend that one of the formats be plain text, and that you should use plain text for electronic submission. <S> Almost by definition, everybody can read HTML. <S> PDF is a good choice too, as many readers are freely available, and it preserves formatting well. <S> However, once you submit a resume you have no control over how it is processed. <S> It might be printed out or faxed and then scanned and OCR'd. <S> Somebody might decide to scrape the text out of whatever format you provide, or cut and paste just the text. <S> I've received emails with horribly mangled text that was somehow derived from the nicely formatted document the candidate had submitted. <S> For electronic submission, plain text is the least likely to be mangled in transit. <S> If you prefer something like HTML, MS Word, or PDF, use as little formatting as possible. <S> It's quite likely that the fancy fonts, boldface, and italics you've chosen won't survive by the time the document reaches the eventual reader. <S> Use simple headings and use lots of whitespace to separate headings and paragraphs. <S> Also, avoid multiple columns or inset text. <S> If any text is cut-and-pasted, it might interleave text from the different columns when it's pasted. <S> This will leave the result all but unintelligible. <S> Worse, most people along the chain from you to the eventual reader won't notice and probably don't care that much about the fidelity of what they pass along. <S> As someone who reads resumes and interviews candidates, I'm aware of all the formatting pitfalls and try to look past these issues. <S> However, I suspect others are much less forgiving, and so malformatting will reflect badly on you. <S> If formatting is bad enough, it'll make your resume too hard to read, and they'll just ignore it. <S> Bottom line: <S> keep formatting as simple as possible. <A> I would suggest to have multiple formats to be prepared in the given order below. <S> Also, try to include the web presence elements in your resume. <S> 1) Start with a pdf format . <S> It is very convenient format. <S> 2) <S> Another copy in MS Word format , preferably with .docx extension . <S> Having docx extension will allow to access it through Open Office software, which is Free. <S> 3) Create your resume online. <S> (for ex: <S> LinkedIn will work fine). <S> Other online community/website where you might be involved into the project are also welcomed to be listed. <S> Displaying web presence is a good sign that you are involved and up to date on subject matters concerning your business area.
| I send PDFs (after all the name stands for Portable Document Format).
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Should one omit experience in tasks unrelated to the position applied for? When one has accumulated a number of previous positions, and writes a CV for a new one, there will likely be some positions held, often entry-level jobs, that are nothing at all like the sought position. Should one simple leave such positions out from the CV all together? <Q> You only get 30 seconds to make an impression with your resume. <A> It depends on quite a lot of factors, First is career stage. <S> You've indicated a fair bit of experience so, <S> yes as the previous positions become older (in time) or longer ago (if there's a lot more jobs recently in sheer numbers), then you'll eventually stop listing the oldest ones - which can be a little difficult sometimes, as you may still have a fair amount of emotional attachment to them. <S> Second is Industry. <S> Some industries may more interested in all previous positions, for example those in security or government, when compared to new tech where it's really the recent relevant technology experience that's important. <S> Technology skills over 10 years old (at the coding level) can be too old to be worth listing or list in much detail. <S> Third is the position level. <S> If this is for quite a senior management position, you'll likely not want to show many low level jobs - other than for character purposes and in that case having janitor listed may actually be a bonus! <S> (No offense to Janitors though, key folks!) <S> Third is career change. <S> If you have switched careers and have many positions/employers in the previous career you may want to sum them all up under a broad heading that is not employer specific. <S> Or perhaps mention one the the larger/longer (employment) ones as an example (one that you can talk about well and perhaps provide references for). <S> Forth is the brevity required. <S> Some positions and applications don't have much space for listing stuff. <S> Also if your resume is reaching 5 pages instead of the standard 1-2 (as mine was) then it's time for some pruning! <S> Fifth is just how many jobs you are actually talking about. <S> There are many positions where, if you have more then say 10 jobs you probably want to avoid listing them all, particularly if you can just prune the oldest. <S> Sixth is nature of the work, e.g. if this was for seasonal jobs within a community where it's usually a different employer from year to year, it may be more ok. <S> Finally, you can also address this as I did by basically turning previous long descriptions into 1 or 2 line summaries. <A> You only need the last ten years. <S> If you have those postions in that time, it is best to leave them in the chronological list of your jobs and not really have more than a one liner about the job. <S> It is better to be seen as employed than not employed. <S> However, you don't need to say you are a qualified Access programmer if you don't want to be considered for jobs in that area! <S> Just keep the stuff that is irrelevant to the job you are applying for out of the accomplishments and technical qualifications sections.
| Leave everything off the resume that isn't relevant to the specific position you are applying to.
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Side-stepping age discrimination with graduation year I've been asked in a couple of interviews what year I graduated from college. Of course, I think an offer should be made contingent on showing proof of degree with transcripts that will indicate graduation date. One of the jobs I landed, so it wasn't a big deal. That was several years ago. I didn't get the most recent one. Personally, it was a sign the person didn't know what they were doing and probably did me a favor. There were several indicators that I would not like the job. Is this a form of age discrimination I need to look out for in the future? EDIT: Just had another one like this. I usually list relavent experience going back ~12 yrs to keep the resume length shorter and was asked if this was my first job (refering to the oldest position listed). To top it off, the person refered to me as "... a young man like you." It was a phone interview. <Q> Many resources that discuss permissible questions state that asking when a candidate graduated from high school is not a permissible question. <S> Typically, a person is about 18 when they graduate high school, so knowing a high school graduation year can be used to get pretty close to someone's actual age. <S> However, I didn't see any examples or cases where someone was asked their year of college graduation, but I would suspect that it's harder to obtain someone's age with it <S> - there are different length programs, people graduate at different rates due to any number of circumstances, people who hold multiple degrees, and so on. <S> To me, questions about marital status, age, religion, citizenship or national origin tend to be red flags. <S> The hiring process is a first interaction with a company, so if they are careless with the law in this regard, that could be indicative of other problems in the organization. <S> However, if you suspect some form of illegal things happening, it's more appropriate to consult a lawyer who specializes in the nuances of this aspect of the law. <S> It should be noted that the US federal law that prohibits age discrimination, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 , only protects individuals of at least 40 years of age and only in companies with 20 or more employees. <S> Individual states might extend protections to a wider portion of the population. <A> I feel the pain - <S> and I can see how there's a definite typical flow that lines up to the general rule of thumb that most folks are under 25 when they finish their undergrad (and even their grad work if they have a conjoined degree or streamlined system). <S> However, I have to say there are also valid reasons for asking this - at least in the computer industry - but perhaps in many engineering or science related areas - there's a big difference in the type of education you received in various decades. <S> If the technical worker hasn't kept up with with these innovations, it's valid to say he isn't qualified to work in an workplace that relies upon the latest and greatest technologoies. <S> That's not to say that a degree in 1980 isn't a valid credential - especially if follow up education <S> (course work, bootcamps, seminars, self-study, on-the-job education) supports the fact that this person has kept up with the trends and best practices. <S> But the interviewer is well within their rights to verify that their is qualifying experience here. <S> And I'd think that any battle over ageism would take this into account. <S> I don't think you can reasonably dodge the question without raising red flags about being defensive. <A> Its a great question to be asked.. .because it immediately tells you to stop talking about your tech skills and start talking up your interpersonal, experience and general "wisdom" skills. <S> They're obviously going to take age into account, to your detriment, so this is an opportunity to fight back at it, to explain that they need some old guys on the team to help mitigate the excesses of the youngsters, bring some long-term stability, not job-hop, etc etc etc. <S> I suppose if you're at interview, and they're discriminating based on age <S> , then you've already lost - I'm sure you don't look as smooth and sprightly as a 20 year old, so they can tell your rough age already. <S> If a telephone interview, then its a judgement call whether to appear younger than you are, you may get to a face-to-face interview only to find you've wasted your time if they're never going to hire older people. <A> According to the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, federal law against age discrimination in the US only applies to people 40 and older. <S> https://www.eeoc.gov/laws/types/age.cfm <S> " It is not legal to say "We prefer a 50 year old to a 40 year old" or vice versa. <S> So I don't see how it could be illegal to ask questions intended to determine your age. <S> Maybe, possibly, if you are obviously over 40 it could be an issue. <S> If someone asked me for my graduation date, I think I'd say, "I'm not sure. <S> The calendar hadn't been invented yet when I graduated."
| The general rule of thumb from an interviewing perspective is to not ask any questions that can be perceived as being used to determine someone's age. It is completely legal to say, "We prefer a 40 year old to a 30 year old.
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Should I list skills that I am familiar with in my Resume? I have just finished my Advanced Diploma in Computing, and I am currently looking for a job as a junior .NET Developer. There are few Languages/Technologies that I’ve used in real projects, like: C#, Visual Studio, WinForms, ASP.NET, LINQ, SQL Server, CSS, HTML, etc… However, there are also some Languages/Technologies like C/C++, Java, WCF, WPF, and others that I know about, and I have played around with for a while, but I have no real experience on. I mean I haven’t developed any real projects with them, I am just aware of their existence and what they are for. My question is: Should I write those Languages/Technologies in my resume? Should I write “Familiar with” and just list them? Or should I discard them all and stick only with what I am comfortable with? I am interested in an answer that does not apply specifically to students or entry-level positions, like the similar question does: As a student, how should programming language familiarity be described on a CV/Resume <Q> In your case, you should list the technologies you know in two (or more) categories. <S> List the ones you've worked with significantly in one category, and the others in a "Basic Experience" (or similarly titled) category. <S> It shows that while you have a solid skillset in one area, you aren't limited to it and have some (if minimal) experience with other technologies. <S> Sticking strictly to what you are comfortable with could limit your potential job options. <S> If I see you have some exeperience in the field, but it looks like you know absolutely nothing about the technologies my company works with, I might pass you over for someone who's more skilled in the areas that matter to me. <S> However, if you list that you have some basic skills in those areas, I'd expect your knowledge and experience gained working with your primary technologies would be at least somewhat transferable, and that you could develop your skills. <S> The only benefit I could see of not listing them would be if you wanted a job specifically working with the technologies with which you are most familiar, and you wanted to cut opportunities outside that area out of your job search. <A> If you list them, the interviewer gets to ask you technical questions about them. <S> If you don't know the answers, then you look bad. <S> The more experience you claim to have, the more likely the interviewer is to not be pleased when you can't answer basic questions. <S> If you have no real work experience (I would consider a major open source project as real work experieince, but not a couple of days of fooling around with it) with a language, it should not appear on your resume. <A> But I'd be cautious to include some qualifying words so if you are quizzed, you can say, Hey, I said I only knew a little about it. <S> For example, on my resume I have on occasion said things like "some PHP", indicating <S> yes, I have written programs in PHP, but I don't claim to be particularly proficient at it. <S> That one word "some" tips off the reader without going into a long discussion. <S> And frankly, I don't want to go into a long discussion about what I DON'T know, I want to fill my resume with what I DO know. <S> When you say you are "aware of their existence and know what they are for" ... <S> well, there are lots of things that I know exist, but I don't mention them on my resume. <S> Like, I know that nuclear reactors exist and what they are for, but I haven't the vaguest idea how to design or build one. <S> So I don't put nuclear reactors on my resume. <S> That would just set up totally false expectations. <S> And what if an interviewer happens to pick one of these things that you really know nothing about as the thing to quiz you on? <S> If he asks one or two questions and you don't have right answers, he may not give you a chance on other things but just assume that you're trying to bluff your way through the interview <S> and he's caught you. <S> You list a fair number of things that you claim to know well. <S> That should be plenty to make your resume look credible. <S> If you've written a couple of small programs in some other language and you think it's important, you could put it on a resume with a serious qualifier, like "have played with C++". <S> But if it's just a matter of, you've seen the name "C++" on course listings or in want ads but all you know about it is that it's some sort of programming language or something to do with computers ... <S> I definitely would NOT put it on your resume. <S> You're just setting yourself up to look bad.
| If the number of technologies that you are really skilled in is small, then you might want to push the limits a little on what you include. Under no circumstances would I list technologies I don't know.
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Asking a mentor about listing him as a reference on my resume I am about to complete my degree and look for jobs. Having worked as a developer in open source projects, what is the etiquette for asking mentors or managers for references in a resume? Also what is the best way to put it in the resume (hard copy)? <Q> I wouldn't put references in a resume. <S> I also would not leave in anything to the effect of "references available upon request". <S> It's not uncommon for companies to ask for contact information for managers, supervisors, or coworkers from previous jobs at some point in the process, but there's no need to include any of that information on a resume. <S> Use a resume for exactly what it is intended to be used for, which is to provide an overview of your education, experiences, and knowledge to a potential employer. <S> As far as reaching out to potential references, if you are actively looking for a new job, you should reach out to people early. <S> If they are willing, they should provide their most recent contact information that's appropriate. <S> Keep this information until a company you are applying to asks for it. <S> In terms of who to ask, most places I've seen expect you to provide contact information for your immediate supervisor during your job. <S> If your immediate supervisor is not available, then someone that you worked closely with. <S> I've never seen a company ask for references from places that were not considered employment (as an example, volunteer opportunities or open source contributions), with the exception of a character reference (who can be someone that you know personally but have never worked with). <A> Why would you be looking to put your mentor's reference on your resume? <S> If you have a good relationship with him/her, then they're most valuable as a networking aid. <S> Mentors/doctoral professors/similar people are, as far as networking opportunities go, second only to CEO's you meet accidentally on the train. <S> What i mean by that is that most of the time, they'll know a LOT of people in the industry. <S> And, hopefully, their name will carry some weight. <S> Helping you find a position by putting you into contact with others <S> can be much more beneficial to you than putting it on your resume, since you'll still get the implied reference/recommendation from the mentor because they're putting you into contact with the company. <A> Add the mentor to the CV/resume if naming them adds to the quality of the resume, but only if they truly were a mentor or adviser. <S> If they barely knew you, then you will get caught when they contact your mentor. <S> You don't say you clerked for a judge, you say you clerked for Supreme Court Justice X. If the name is not recognizable to and respected by the people reading your resume, or you can't defend it, it can actually detract. <S> It looks like name dropping.
| Let them know you are in the process of looking for a new job and ask if they are willing to be a reference.
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Should I send a resume before the second interview with a new person? I have applied for a job. A contact person was a group leader. I sent him my resume and a cover letter. Later, I had a phone interview with him. Now they want me to have the second phone interview with a CTO. Is it a good idea to send him my resume before the interview? Nobody told me his email, but it's easy to find it.In my opinion, this could look like I really care about the interview. On the other hand, next interviewer should definitely have my resume from the previous one and my email could look stupid. <Q> Like you said, he probably already got your resume from the previous interviewer. <S> Personally, I think it would seem weird to send him your resume because: They did not ask you to send him your resume <S> They did not give you the interviewers e-mail address, so it might seem stalker-ish that you are e-mailing him. <A> Like you said, there's no need to. <S> Going into the next phone interview, the second interviewer should have at least your resume, if not any notes from any previous interviews. <S> You should only resend your resume to a company for the same position if you are asked to. <A> It might be a good idea to ask before the interview actually starts (i.e. they call, <S> introduce themselves, you introduce yourself, and then immediately before any discussion begins) ask if they have a copy of your resume, and if they do not, inquire if they'd like you to email it to them real fast <S> (i'm assuming you're at a computer when this occurs). <A> Take a copy of your resume with you to the interview. <S> I give the CTO a 50/50 chance of even looking at your resume beforehand. <S> Save them some face by offering a "cleaner" copy. <S> You're better off getting his/her business card and sending a thank you email after the interview. <A> Generally speaking, it's reasonable to expect the CTO to have received your resume via his internal channels. <S> Thus, unless you've been asked for it, sending it to him/her before this second interview seems unnecessary and may make you look over-anxious. <S> There is one exception I'd like to note: <S> You don't say how long it has been since the first interview and the second one. <S> Hopefully, not much time has elapsed. <S> However, sometimes these things take time; if several weeks (or a few months) have elapsed, and you've picked up new experience you'd like to highlight, then sending an updated resume could be a good idea. <S> While the situation is different, a few years ago I submitted my resume to a company which contacted me a few months later about a different job than the one I'd originally inquired about. <S> In that time, I had picked up some experience which was directly relevant to the new job, so I submitted a new resume and that helped me get the job. <A> Don't send it. <S> Leave it to their internal process to pass the resume along to the CTO. <S> Take a copy with you for the interview, but don't send it beforehand. <S> It also could make you look a little "too eager" (desperate or inexperienced in these matters), which is the kiss of death for you as a potential candidate. <S> What I mean by this, is: a desperate candidate does not earn respect and often gets the short end of the stick during salary negotiations.
| I wouldn't send your resume a second time.
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Effectively adding "Self-taught" skills on your Resume I am preparing my resume for development jobs. I have several self-taught skills that I need to add to my resume. I am not sure how to articulate these items on it. The only technical school I have is all hardware-related, from many years ago. For example, I have self taught myself in HTML, CSS, PHP, MySQL, jQuery, JavaScript, Java and Android development. These are all skills that I am targeting for employment. It is important that I can express that I can do these things because I am light on on-the-job experience but have many personal projects under my belt. <Q> List each of your projects, along with the technologies you've used, and (if possible) <S> a link to the project source. <S> They will evaluate your skills based on what you say you know, and then ask you questions based on what you purport to know. <S> Example listing: <S> WEB DESIGNER, FooBar.com Programmed back-end and front-end of website. <S> Primary responsibilities included setting up secure transaction model for online store and creating mobile-friendly website. <S> Spearheaded project to set up load balancer and caching engine, which resulted in a 10x increase in site responsiveness. <S> Technologies used: Javascript, jQuery, CSS, APC, memcached, Web Server Director Pro+ for load balancing <A> If your personal projects are: Paid freelancing gigs Volunteer stuff for non-profits Contributions to a well-known open source project <S> At least reasonably popular releases on an app store like Google Play <S> , for example Side projects for any of your last jobs that used these technologies in a production environment <S> Then they're fair-game resume-fodder not only for your list of skills, but also for your experience/projects section. <S> If they're not, then it will be harder to display that you're actually competent in the technologies you list, but still doable. <S> Even if you don't have it open sourced, making your code available to review by your prospective employers will go a long way to them considering you, despite your lack of formal experience. <S> You can provide the code easily through sites like GitHub (it may also be worth annotating with something like DocBlock or Docco, and explaining why you did certain things the way you did). <S> When it comes to software development, what you know and have used -- and your ability to demonstrate your knowledge -- is more important than how you learned it. <S> To developers, it's generally a given that you taught yourself the vast majority of languages and technologies that you use <S> (it's part of the personality that's expected of good developers - the ability to learn and find resources without a formal structure or a teacher). <A> HR and other non-technical people will first look for the necessary alphabet soup in your resume. <S> Listing job experience makes their task easier (in their mind), but they may want additional explanation on other projects. <S> I don't care if you worked for a major tech company. <S> If you can't sit down in front of a computer and show me something, you're not good enough. <S> All the multiple-guess quizes, certifications, and bizare puzzles are not what you'll be doing on the job. <S> Also, get your references in order. <S> You may have a degree and good grades, but letters of recommendation from professors who are strong in their field are priceless. <S> It's not what you know; it's who knows what you know. <A> I have an entire section of my resume dedicated to skills that are important to the position. <S> I simply denote the level of experience (Experienced, Advanced, Expert) for each skill. <S> This is the first section on my resume, following contact info, since it is what the employers want to know. <S> This puts it square in the middle of the front page of my resume and what employers refer to when looking to see if I have any experience in a skill.
| On your resume, no one cares how you learned what you learned, they only care that you're proficient in your stated skills.
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How can a recent graduate get an international internship? I have just finished my Advanced Diploma in Computing, and I am currently looking for an internship. I live in Libya and Software Development here is dead. If I stay here, then I am certainly doomed. I would have no choice but to become one of those Code Zombies who write code without any craftsmanship, or give it all up and find something else to do. I have passion and enthusiasm for programming and I don’t want to give it up. But a junior needs to work in a healthy environment and get some real mentorship to be a real craftsman, and that is what I am looking for. I want to get experience and mentorship as I don’t care much about money at this stage of my career. I would even be happy if they paid me just enough to survive while providing me with mentorship. Is it possible to get an internship in USA or Canada? Please, any advice or ideas to help me out of my dilemma? <Q> I would suggest you look for a university in the US/UK that would accept you as an international student, working towards a Masters degree (not sure if that's comparable to wat <S> you have or not.) <S> Most private schools in the US pay for a huge part of masters degree work, and will sometimes (depending on your grades/accomplishments beforehand) will even pay for your living expenses. <S> After you're done with school, you could apply for a work visa, and just stay in the US. <S> Some universities that do such things are places like University of Pennsylvania, Drexel University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, etc etc. <S> Try sending a representative of one of those schools an email inquiring about international students and continuing education. <S> As a bonus, employers will LOVE the fact that you came across the ocean to better your skills. <S> That demonstrates a drive for success, and a passion for the work. <A> To a large extent, this depends on your immigration status. <S> If you don't, then this will be a lot harder. <S> I work for a company in San Francisco and we are always looking for interns, but I don't think we sponsor visas for interns. <A> It is very possible to get an internship or even a Junior position at a company in the USA or another country outside of your own. <S> You should probably begin by looking at the laws and requirements to working in another country, and then take the necessary steps to make that happen. <S> There are plenty of companies that are looking outside of their own country to fill positions. <S> Having a diverse environment at work is rarely a bad thing. <A> I am in a similar case, and have a few advises for you. <S> First of all, don't panic! <S> You have quite a few options. <S> Let me point you to a couple: <S> You can try to get into one of Canada's federal programs. <S> Each province has one, you should look it up on a quick Google search <S> Take one of the ESOL tests and try to apply for a PhD on any University <S> If you have some resume to show of, sign up here and start searching Create <S> a LinkedIn account <S> You can't lose hopes that things won't go out for you, just keep pushing. <S> Also, try looking into the whole Google Summer of Code, although given the fact that you live in Lybia, getting a VISA might be a problem (I know, I'm from Cuba myself). <S> One last word of advise, try aiming to countries that have a "good" migratory system (Netherlands, Germany, UK), since perhaps getting a VISA might prove to be easier and keep in mind that the best option is to improve yourself and try to get employed by a company willing to provide sponsorship. <S> Finally, best of luck for you! <S> You will need it! <A> It's hard. <S> Very hard. <S> 2) Learn the language(s) of where you want to go. <S> (In this case English, and perhaps French, but <S> this applies anywhere.) <S> 3) Get an advanced degree from a top school. <S> This will help demonstrate competence, ease the visa process, and help with networking.
| If you are a citizen of, or you have proper work authorization in, the US, Canada or any other country you are interested in, then you have a good chance at getting an internship. A couple things that can help: 1) Get "above and beyond" competence.
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Is it considered rude to turn down a job after initially accepting it? Earlier today, I was offered a position which I accepted. It is supposed to start in about a month. I feel like I've made a huge mistake. Can I do anything about it without coming off as unappreciative to the company? Is it considered rude or inappropriate to change your mind when you've already accepted a job offer? Edit: Thank you for the answers - you all helped me deal with my panic. As a result I'd called the HR and apologized explaining my reasons. She wasn't angry at all and proposed to send information about another position in their company with similar skills requirements. And it's a happy ending I suppose = ) <Q> From the perspective of a hiring manager: I've faced this kind of situation a number of times, and no, I don't consider it rude. <S> If you're going to feel miserable and be unproductive, I prefer you not join the company in the first place. <S> Considering that you believe you've made a huge mistake and will eventually leave, and it would be better to do so sooner rather than later, right? <S> There is one disclaimer however: don't lie. <S> I feel perfectly OK <S> when you say you don't like the salary, you have heard bad things about the company, or, on second thought, you think it's a poor match. <S> But I don't want to hear that you can't leave your current company just to learn a month later on LinkedIn that you actually have done that, only that you've joined another employer. <S> In that case, I wouldn't talk with you about any job in the future. <S> I don't like to work with liars. <A> How about just admitting you've made a huge mistake? <S> Apologize, withdraw acceptance of their offer, and move on. <S> Better that than make a bad career decision based on fear of being impolite. <S> It's your life. <S> They'll find someone else, and ultimately forget all about you. <S> Also, it doesn't even go on your résumé. <A> Assuming that the company hasn't done something new to precipitate your change of mind, then I would consider it rude to back out after accepting an offer. <S> The company may well have already waved off other candidates, and finding another candidate is just that much more annoying than if you'd declined their offer. <S> HOWEVER, if you really don't want to work there, then it may in fact be the best thing for everyone to back out before you start, rather than get in there, be miserable, and quickly leave or be let go for not doing your job. <S> Just remember, if you back out, the company or the relevant managers might remember this fact and your prospects of ever being employed there in the future go down. <A> From the view of the employer, let them know quickly. <S> When they decided to make you an offer, they put others on hold. <S> Once you accepted the offer they started to let the other finalists know that they selected somebody else. <S> The longer you wait the more likely they have notified them, and they may have even lost one or two. <S> This assumes they haven't spent any money one you. <S> The closer you get to the start date <S> the more likely they are to setup accounts and office space. <S> Some will only do the drug test after you have accepted. <S> You may have an obligation to pay them back if they paid relocation expenses, which seems unlikely if you are changing your mind the same day you accepted. <S> Be honest with them, you probably haven't destroyed your future chances, but waiting to tell them or lying about it will only make it worse. <A> You apologize profusely and explain that you had something of a first-choice dream job that was a perfect fit for you which you'd been miscommunicated to about <S> and they just informed you they'd actually like to hire you. <S> What really matters is that you get to them promptly so they don't lose other potential candidates in the meantime. <S> The idea is to avoid causing problems for the other party. <S> That's what will make a name stick in the ugly place of the brain. <S> Regardless, burn the bridge if you have to, if you think you'll be unhappy there. <S> As the likely top-answer points out, They don't want you being all miserable at their parade either. <S> I of course disagree with that answer on the subject of lying/exaggerating thing. <S> He might not be offended by the truth but a surprising number of people are when you don't demonstrate adequate jubilation for a position. <S> I can only imagine how they'd feel to be snubbed at the last second unless a miracle dropped out of the sky for you. <S> Be prepared to answer what you like better about the "dream" job. <S> They might ask. <S> Regardless, that bridge should burn if it needs to. <S> There's no point in taking a job <S> you know you don't REALLY want when you have other options. <S> Been there, made that mistake. <A> Rudeness is at least partly in the eye of the beholder, so no one can really answer that. <S> What we can answer is: what are the likely/predictable consequences of declining the position? <S> The most likely consequence is that you're unlikely to be offered another position by the same manager. <S> That's not a guarantee, and it is independent of whether or not the manager feels you've been rude. <S> To a slightly lesser extent you're unlikely to be offered a position at the same company. <S> But that's not the question you should be asking. <S> The question you should be asking, is do you feel you'll be better off taking the job or declining it? <S> Keeping in mind that better off doesn't mean making more money. <S> This isn't a question we can answer. <S> You might just be having cold feet, you might be recognizing a significant problem.
| If the company has done something to change your mind (somehow changing the deal after you'd accepted, for instance), then I think it's not unreasonable for you to back out. And yes, you should do it promptly, via phone if you can and ASAP.
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How to inform a recruiter about a competing offer, and hopefully encourage them to move faster I am currently in the last interview stages with two companies, A and B . I reached a stage with company A where they are already willing to write me an offer. I have completed three phone interviews with company B (the last one four days ago), and I would like to notify their recruiter that I have a competing offer and hopefully encourage them to " move a bit faster ". How can I politely communicate to the recruiter of company B that, if they are interested in me, they would need to "speed up" the process? Is this a good idea in general? What language could I use for this? Also, if the recruiter of Company B asks the name of Company A , is it OK if I say I am not comfortable sharing that information? Would that hurt me? <Q> I think it would be fine to say: <S> Hi Recruiter! <S> How are things going? <S> Have you heard from Company B yet? <S> I just wanted to let you know that I am receiving competing offers <S> and I must respond to them within n days. <S> Sincerely, roseck <S> I don't think you have to tell them who the competing offers are from. <A> I have noticed that the moment you mention something about competing offers, the focus of the recruiter shifts to the details of the offers that you may have. <S> They try to coerce you to tell them about it stating that they would match it. <S> That might not be what you intended and it becomes a bit uneasy at times. <A> If this is a third party recruiter then yes. <S> That recruiter is working for you. <S> So letting the recruiter know he needs to get an answer can help. <S> If the company needs more time they will tell the recruiter that. <S> And the recruiter will navigate the protocols for you. <S> Otherwise, it depends on what your reason for pushing is. <S> If you just want to compare offers then pushing them will probably not hurt. <S> After all if the company decides not to make an offer then the result is the same as if you just took the offer from company A. If you are wanting to work for Company B and Company A is willing to sit on the offer I would give company B as much time as you can. <S> I would continue to probe company B to see what the status is once a week to make sure that you are still being considered. <S> You are interested in working with company B <S> but unless you have an offer from them to consider you will be accepting the offer. <S> Worst case Company B wishes you well in your career with Company A.
| When you are ready to commit to A then, I would contact the recruiter at company B and let him know that you have a company that intends to extend you an offer in the next few days.
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Switching career tracks back , how to get recruiter's attention for an interview? I have a Master's Degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering (graduated in 2010). I took courses in the areas of signal processing and digital communications. I have also had teaching and research experience (journal papers) in the same and a couple of internships. Right after graduation I started working as a verification engineer (working with Verilog, systemverilog, ovm testplans etc). Worked there for about a year. Right now I work as the sole Quality Assurance person at a dot com (coding in Python, writing test plans, setting up an automated testing environment etc). Both my job choices were influenced by financial and personal reasons. I now want to go back to working with communication and DSP software. An ideal position would be as a developer working in close tandem with a research team. However, most similar positions listed on job/company sites require a recent college grad or a M.S degree with 2-3 years of relevant experience. I am no longer a recent grad and though I have work experience, it is varied. This is the daunting part because I am not sure my resume will be picked up in the initial scan either by the software or the recruiter. Once I am at the interview stage I know I can perform well, but how do I get past this roadblock and end up being called for the interview? Edit: Cannot seem to post comments so here goes: Thank you @jcmeloni for the link. @pdr you have nailed the subtle difference that i was trying to put in words. The post linked to by @jcmeloni seems to question the correlation between skills and the years of experience. I get that part totally. If that weren't so i wouldn't be looking for recent graduate jobs.My dilemma is that recent graduate jobs are for recent graduates and the ones with 2-3 years of experience want "relevant" experience. My degree is in the relevant field, for example i know the theory behind wireless communication,have written code for protocol simulation (MATLAB,C,C++) and come up with new formulas. But my development experience in this field has not been for real world applications.Just trying to explain my background here. @Rarity No the top answer in that other post does not answer my question. I will edit this post based on your feedback, but i will have to think just a little bit. Please hang on till then. <Q> Although I think getting certificates is a good idea, you may not have enough time for them because you're looking for a DSP related job now. <S> My suggestion is, emphasize the DSP related courses you took while in graduate school. <S> Get recommendation letters from the professors who taught you those courses if you can. <S> Generally speaking, MS degree is equivalent to BS plus 2-3 years experience. <S> It depends on the recruiting managers' view. <S> Some think experience is important. <S> Some think the theory you learn in school is crucial. <S> After all, DSP requires quite a bit expertise knowledge. <S> If I did not misread the first part of your post, you had written journal papers. <S> You should mention it in your CV. <S> You said you want to work with researchers, that's what they pay most attention to. <S> Also, make sure you indicate in your CV that you would like to work with research team. <A> My 2 cents... <S> Most recruiters won't know the difference, so you have to get to the hiring manager. <S> Put the buzzwords for the job you want on your resume. <S> As long as you're confident enough to talk about them, and not lying about the context, you'll be fine. <S> The buzzwords will get through the automated HR, and will get you into the interview. <S> Once you're in the interview, you just need to convince the interviewer that you're smart and useful. <S> Doing a little moving around early in your career is fine. <S> 10 or 20 years it might be an issue if you're still shifting once a year and haven't found what you're looking for. <S> Don't get disheartened. <S> A lot of people find jobs that have nothing to do with their experience or degree. <S> In your case you are least in the ballpark. <A> I faced a similar situation like you, what I did was to go for some certification courses and training. <S> With that I worked for small companies as a part time and Intern employee and finally landed up in a contract job for 6 months, all in the relevant field which I want to go. <S> Now I got finally selected by a big MNC. <S> I would recommend to first acquire the skills that is need for whatever the job that you are going to apply. <S> To show that you must have some relevant experience in your resume. <S> That could be your projects you done before in college. <S> It all comes down to how you write your CV and Cover letter convincing enought to get a call for the interview.
| Emphasizing the word "research" will make your CV stand out to attract a research group hiring manager's eyes. List them in details : the grades you received, the contents covered in the courses, the interesting topics you learned in the class, etc.
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Should studying on a scholarship be listed in a resume? If I am two years out of university, is it still worthwhile listing that I was studying on a scholarship on my resume? It wasn't anything especially prestigious, just a standard Merit Scholarship . Related questions: How important is a grade point average on a resume? <Q> Before putting it on a resume or application you have to ask yourself the question "will it be recognizable to a recruiter or hiring manager?". <S> In the US <S> the Intel Science Talent Search is an example of a scholarship that should be listed. <S> If you find yourself having to write an entire paragraph to explain what the scholarship is for, then it might be a sign it isn't significant. <S> If hundreds earn it every year, it isn't prestigious enough. <S> is less important. <S> The qualities that went into earning the scholarship: hard work, dedication, perseverance, are still important; but they don't help the hiring manager know that you still have those qualities. <A> In short: what you put in resume should be relevant to jobs you want to apply for. <S> Or in other words it should be something that either gives a potential recruiter better background bout you <S> or it is something you'd like to talk about during interview. <S> For me personally most of the time scholarship isn't significant enough to make it through above criterion. <S> Note however, different hiring people may look differently at such thing. <S> But then again -- is it important enough that you'd like to talk about it during an interview? <A> Two questions: 1) <S> How long have you been out? <S> The longer you are out, the less you emphasize your degrees. <S> They go to the bottom of the resume, you take out clubs, and other things. <S> Very few people 20 years out of school have anything more than a single line. <S> 2) <S> What is the brand you are trying to present while showing the resume? <S> By brand, what is the one sentance (or 3-4 words) <S> you are trying to get across in the 30 seconds it's read. <S> If it supports that brand, leave it in. <S> If it detracts from that brand, leave it out. <A> if it is directly related to your future place of work , you can specify . <S> You can also specify the grant if it is not so easy to get, but you do it. <S> It will show you best. <S> For example, you are a Nigerian , and went throughout the program Scholarships for Nigerian Students , which provides scholarships for students from developing countries . <S> This scholarship has been difficult to obtain because of the large number of persons concerned , but you could . <S> Show it
| Yes, as time goes on the prominence of the award should decrease on your resume because it relevance to being able to do the job
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My company wants me to switch to a different position that I'm not sure I'll be happy in. What should I consider? I am currently an iPhone developer with 2 years of experience. I have a situation where my organization wants me to switch to a C# developer because of significant rise in .NET business they are getting. They've assured me that I'll be working on iPhone in the future as well, but I'm not sure how long "the future" will be. I never want to leave iPhone development, or at the very least if I have to do a switch, I want to do it in another mobile technology like android or designing. This is a very critical decision for me. What should I consider when deciding if I should accept this offer or not? <Q> First, a disclaimer: I believe that attachment to a specific technology is overrated. <S> Having experience in different technologies gives you more insight and broader knowledge and, often, allows you to come with different approach to a problem than you would otherwise (as in Law of the instrument ). <S> Having said that, I don't consider you have only one viable option: <S> You may want to stay to: <S> see how you like the new technology <S> learn things that broaden your views <S> learn completely different class of projects <S> (C# won't be anything close to iPhone apps) <S> get yourself out of your comfort zone <S> grow your career within the ranks of your current organization (if it is even a case) You may want to go to look for other mobile development job to: keep honing your iPhone development skills <S> stay focused on a single technology <S> so you eventually become awesome in this <S> exploit your current skills in most productive way <S> are convinced that mobile development is the thing to do for you <S> find a better job considering <S> your current skill set (if it is even a case) <S> All in all, the decision should be mostly driven by how you picture career in a couple years of advance. <S> Note, that you can pretty safely stay for a while to see how it goes and then eventually leave if you don't like it. <S> What more, if you work for healthy company you might be able to state that openly. <S> In such case, again it is possible, that if you don't like the new role you might be offered a switch back to the current one. <S> It is however about how your org is functioning and what kind of relations you have with your bosses. <A> Early in your career, you need to get the broadest experience you can get. <S> While iPhone development is hot right now, it may be totally obsolete in five years. <S> Technologies change, sometimes fairly rapidly. <S> Further, the organization needs you where they need you. <S> You can't expect that assignments will always align with your personal preferences in any job. <S> The company needs what they need and all jobs eventually have some work you would rather not be assigned to do. <S> Step up and do a great job and impress people. <A> It depends largely on trust. <S> Do you trust your manager to get you back to mobile development since that's what you want? <S> Do you trust your company to compensate you appropriately for essentially delaying your career progression towards a more senior mobile developer role? <S> In my experience, you shouldn't. <S> If C# work is there, they'll keep you there and care very little about your career.
| As a young developer, your boss is doing you a favor moving you to the C# team which will broaden your skills and perspective and make you more valuable to the company.
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Will an unpaid internship be considered experience for getting a paid internship? I am currently a major in computers and information technology with a concentration in web development. I have the education but I don't have much work experience. Right now the only web development internship I can find is an unpaid one. I am aware that unpaid internships are not considered legitimate work experience for jobs but will it help me get a paid internship in the future? Or is just a waste of time? <Q> Internships of any kind (paid or unpaid, full or part-time; even volunteer work) are absolutely considered legitimate work experience for jobs and for other internships. <S> That's the whole point of the unpaid internship-- your compensation is in the form of work experience that you can use to give yourself a leg up when you apply for either jobs or paid internships. <A> An unpaid internship is by better than having done no work at all. <S> At the very least, you will have references to vouch that you are a good employee. <S> The kind of work you do will determine whether future potential employers consider the internship "valid work experience. <S> " You'll want to be able to show them that the projects you worked on in the internship prepared you for the work you would do for them. <S> If the internship consisted of coffee-fetching and typing, then it might be a waste of time you could be using to work on your portfolio. <A> See whoever told you that unpaid internships doesn't matter is completely mistaken. <S> These days, many internships are unpaid but more than anything <S> , it’s the experience that matters. <S> Hiring Managers value a candidate having valuable experience. <S> Yes, you should put your internship project work on your resume, as long as it’s relevant to the position in which you are applying. <S> Here you need not to mention in your resume that these jobs were unpaid. <S> So just include what you did and believe me nothing is mere waste. <A> I think an unpaid internship is a bad idea. <S> If you can't find a paid internship in your country, maybe try abroad (if this is something that interests you)? <S> I know in my home country the economy is failing, so people do get the sense that an unpaid internship with the potential for a job is better than nothing, but in the country I currently live in, nobody, <S> and I mean, NOBODY, with a CS degree (or working towards it) would accept that and no self respecting company has the gall to offer it. <S> The only way one would work for free is if they were doing their own startup as <S> another poster pointed out. <S> Also, if you have the discipline, instead of working for free, you can use your time to contribute to open source or do personal projects or read programming books. <S> Someone with a good github account or open source experience is a very attractive hire, if not in your home country, then where the action in CS is at. <A> and it's great for networking. <S> You also get hands on experience, as an unpaid intern, few expect you to know everything about the technical aspects of a job. <S> So, several people are willing to help you learn and establish your career. <S> From my unpaid internship I wasn't looking for a paycheck, I was looking something that I could you to give me a step up in my career and <S> what's in my bank account doesn't do that. <S> It's the knowledge I learned from my internship, the connections I made with managers, who did help me get a well paying job and continue to invest in my success. <S> For me that was more valuable than a paid internship.
| Unpaid internships are a great way to show your work ethic to a company you actually want to work for
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What is the exact definition of "years of experience"? A lot of places that are hiring Software Developers have a requirement that is more or less similar to the following: 5 years experience as a software developer 5+ years experience in back-end web development Two or more years of professional software development experience, ideally with exposure to the full software lifecycle (from requirements through production) 5+ years of development or testing experience While the above requirements would make sense for positions such as Senior Software Engineer, too many places I see that have an opening for a job with a minimal requirement of Bachelor's degree seems to be asking for a lot of experience. Unless of course, I'm completely misunderstanding what they mean here. When companies say that they want 5+ years of experience, does it include the years of coding experience you had from your college? Or does it only include the years you have worked in other companies? How about if you worked as a freelancer for many years? What if you worked on a project on your own? What is the scope of "experience" that companies are looking for? <Q> I don't think there is an "exact" definition. <S> For many employers <S> the "x years of experience" requirement is much more of a general guideline to help applicants self-filter (and to do the same for the person in HR who screens applicant resumes prior to letting anyone from the technical team see them) than a strict requirement. <S> My advice would be to focus on the actual requirements of the role (i.e. do you have experience/knowledge related to the stated programming languages, platforms, software, and tools that the job description mentions, and can you demonstrate it?). <S> If you do, and the position seems interesting to you, then it doesn't hurt to apply. <S> Most employers will consider you as long as you can demonstrate knowledge in the required areas. <S> The ones that will not will be the minority, and the worst they can do is say "sorry, but you don't have the background that we require". <S> And if that happens then just forget about that one and move on to the next. <S> Anyhow, the general metric I use when applying for a position and when reviewing applicants for a position is that if it can legitimately be argued that I gained knowledge or skills directly related to the role being applied for by doing something then it counts as "experience". <S> If you built a thesis around implementing a native iOS app, then that counts as iOS development experience. <S> If, on the other hand, your thesis was on sorting algorithms, then it does not (though you might want to talk to Google about getting a position there). <A> It generally means years of experience in a professional setting. <S> It generally wouldn't include any experience before you graduated college unless you were working full-time while going to school. <S> If you have been freelancing for many years, that would certainly count assuming that you are working roughly 40 hours a week 50 weeks a year. <S> Asking for between 2 and 5 years of experience doesn't seem particularly excessive. <S> It just indicates that the company is looking for someone that isn't fresh out of college. <S> A couple years is realistically enough time for someone to get some experience in the complete lifecycle of a piece of code and to experience first-hand <S> how easy it is to support your own code. <S> At most places, Senior Software Engineer implies quite a bit more than 5 years of experience. <A> The filtering by HR makes it a strict requirement. <S> If the posting requires X years of experience, and they don't see it on the resume, you are immediately dropped from consideration. <S> I have also found that those years of experience are reviewed as part of the first phone screen. <S> They don't count your years in school, because there is no way to measure it. <S> Remember they aren't ignoring your degree, it was counted when another requirement was Bachelors in CS or other equivalent technical degree. <S> Some of the skills they are looking for are generally only learned on the job. <S> They might be discussed in classes but you don't start using those skills till you get in the workplace. <S> Freelancing would be up to the company. <S> You will have to be able to point to specific projects. <S> I developed X on a contract for company Y. Projects on your own will not generally be viewed as experience. <S> They want to know where you are in the learning curve for that language, tool or skill set. <S> They are also looking to measure how much time you have worked with a small or large team. <S> In many companies they are using internal or external systems to collect, discover, and filer resumes. <S> They are looking for keywords, and for being able to check the box for certain technologies. <S> People with nonstandard employment history make it hard to measure. <S> Sometimes they can't get around the requirements. <S> The customer will not pay the rate you want unless these minimum requirements are met. <A> It means "The number of years of experience that we would ideally like a candidate to have". <S> It implied that candidates with that amount of experience would be a good fit for the position. <S> In reality (and certainly in the current technology hiring climate), it's really your skills that count. <S> If you have amazing personal code that you can talk through and explain the best practices you follow, you'll likely be considered. <S> Conversely, even for candidates that have the requisite experience, most employers today are checking their real ability to code and for some it doesn't matter how much experience (as measured by number of years) they have. <S> So in the end its a guideline, not a rule. <A> You can't count the time you spent writing programs in school, since taking a class is nowhere near as intense a coding experience as doing it full time in a professional environment. <S> It used by HR and by managers to screen resumes, though the interview process should determine whether your time was useful to your prospective employer. <S> It may also be an indicator of the salary range. <S> With 20 years of experience in programming, I know that something requiring 3-5 years might be at a far lower rate than I'm used to earning and those requiring "no experience" won't be able to pay me enough to cover my mortgage. <S> Of course, it also depends on how many resumes they get. <S> If they only got 3 resumes, they would likely bring in all three to interview. <S> If they got 300, they're likely to throw away anything that doesn't look close to what they requested. <S> It never hurts to submit your resume, but you won't get an interview every time regardless of your years of experience.
| The "years of experience" would only be years of professional experience.
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What is the protocol when you are talking with your boss and his phone rings? I've encounter several times when I am talking to my boss that his phone rings. He picks up the phone and starts talking. The talking could last for 5 minutes or 15 minutes, depending on the content of the call. Maybe I should return later instead of waiting next to him endlessly, doing nothing but having frustration? However, I think it is rude to interject by saying: "I should look for you later." Moreover, the matter we were originally discussing is not finished so maybe I shouldn't go? <Q> It'll depend heavily on your boss and his personality. <S> If that doesn't happen, and it becomes too awkward, <S> Go grab yourself a cup of water, some coffee, or check your email, and then return. <S> If they're still not off the phone, well, keep waiting I guess. <A> In a perfect world your boss would let you know verbally what to do as soon as the phone rang. <S> Most offices have caller ID, so they have a good idea of who is calling before they answer the phone. <S> Normally I would expect one of several actions from the person whose office I am in: I can ignore this call for a few minutes, I will call them back later. <S> This means your conversation will continue. <S> Wait <S> one second, I need to get from or give to this person some key info. <S> The conversation is something like: "Ok the meeting is now scheduled for the big conference room. <S> Great see you later". <S> This means don't move, we will continue our conversation is a few seconds. <S> I need to take this call, it will just take a second. <S> Ask quickly if they want you to step outside. <S> If they say yes, then do so and close the door. <S> If they don't reopen the door in about 5 minutes, then leave. <S> If the conversation needs to be rescheduled, drop them a note via email. <S> This is very import call. <S> They may put the person on hold, then ask you to reschedule for another time. <S> Do so graciously. <S> When they answer a call they are telling you they need to interrupt your conversation for a new conversation. <S> If they don't use phrases such as these, they are telling you to leave their office. <S> I would suggest saying "I see you have a phone call, I will let you go, talk to you later" If your conversation is important, then reschedule it. <S> Sometimes when you address the issue, by offering to leave, they realize they need to tell you what they expect you to do. <S> They will then utter one of the phrases mentioned above. <A> Shouldn't the boss be asking this question as well? <S> Is it professional for either party to extend their call while the other person just stares at the walls? <S> If not, what behavioral expectations should be set? <S> I would frankly and respectfully ask my boss this question and negotiate a mutual agreed and accepted protocol. <A> Resolve the issue with communication and modesty. <S> Ask your boss for a 10 minute chat. <S> Raise the issue - but do it in a humble deprecating way, e.g. "I feel silly for asking but when you get phone calls during our quick meetings, I don't know what I should do - wait for you, walk away, hand-signal "back in 10" or whatever. <S> Please could you give me some direction at to what you think would the best thing to do that would also work well with you." <S> This way you have basically: 1) <S> Made them aware of the issue <S> (they really may not realize it as an issue - which is their failing) 2) Asked for assistance and guidance - your boss is responsible for that 3) Said "I don't know what to do" which is an important statement to make, when true. <S> 4) Communicated that this makes you feel awkward and uncertain which is not a good feeling to have. <A> It is rude of your boss to pick up the phone without notifying you what's up. <S> If the first words out of my boss' mouth to the person on the phone weren't "Excuse me, i'm in a meeting, i'll have to call you back. <S> " i would get up and leave. <S> If he had issues with that i'd tell him that he dismissed me and ended the meeting by taking the call.
| Most of the time, when I've encountered a situation such as this, my boss has, after a few minutes, waved me off, at which point I go back to my desk and either shoot him an email or just come by later, to see when it would be a good time to finish our talk. I'd suggest standing up and moving towards the door, pointing at your watch and holding up 3 to 5 fingers, implying that you'll come back in 5 minutes.
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My recruiter made a mistake which has cost me my reputation with a company, what should I do now? My recruiter submitted me for Job A with a company I really like and this job paid X amount of dollars. Job A was filled so they offered to submit my resume to Job B with the same company. I took it for granted that they were the same salary since I was told that they are similar roles and because the recruiter already knew my salary requirements. Obviously, now that I look at it, I should've asked but didn't even think about it then. I went through the onsite interview process with the company. Afterwards, the recruiter asked me again what I wanted for my base pay. I told them and they questioned me. They stated, "you do realize they're paying considerably less than X?" "No, you never told me that." Today the company wanted to go forward with the hiring process. I never received an offer but my recruiter kept pushing me for the lower amount. This person was exasperating trying to haggle a lower price with me but I would actually lose money accepting it. Recruiter calls me back later in the day and states that the company is not happy and probably won't extend an offer. I told the recruiter that I would send the company an apology letter for the miscommunication and the recruiter actually stated, "If you do that, they'll know we did something wrong." I replied, "Yeah". I sent the apologies, should I make a call? What should I do next? <Q> Oh, definitely send the apology for the mis-communication. <S> Describing the situation in detail. <S> From the last bit it sounds like the recruiter screwed up, and what the recruiter means is that they'll know that the RECRUITER screwed up. <S> And that's something you want them to know. <S> For the future, you'll know to quiz the recruiter about everything - even if it was just a mistake (as opposed to him being lazy), you've learned you need to keep an eye on these folks. <A> It sounds like you've already done the right thing. <S> There's no reason why you should take a hit because the recruiter neglected to advise you of the salary difference that existed between 'Job A' and 'Job B'. <S> Granted you should have asked, but if the recruiter was the one suggesting that you give 'Job B' a shot then they really should have advised you of any nontrivial differences between 'Job A' and 'Job B'. <S> Salary differences count as "nontrivial". <S> Once when faced with a similar situation I actually sent an angry e-mail to the recruiter demanding that they admit their mistake directly to the employer so that I didn't have to waste my time doing it myself. <S> It had a slightly better outcome in that case (the employer offered me the position at a reasonable salary; although I ultimately declined their offer), but otherwise pretty much played out as you describe. <S> As for what to do next, I don't know. <S> You've already apologized in writing and set the record straight regarding the miscommunication. <A> First of all you use the phrase <S> "My recruiter submitted me for Job A with a company I really like <S> and this job paid X amount of dollars" but according to your comment the recruiter worked for the employer. <S> Their job was to find somebody to fill certain positions at a price that makes the company a profit. <S> The recruiter may have tried to sneak you into another position. <S> The company already had evaluated your skills and background, and may have realized that they would not make the profit they needed in position A. <S> What you don't know is was this a decision by the recruiter to try and salvage time already invested in your evaluation? <S> was this a shot in the dark to see if you would accept lower pay? <S> or was this a decision by the company management and the recruiter was just playing their role. <S> Though if they have other potential candidates they may just go with another choice. <S> Pushing the case may get the recruiter in trouble, but they could still reject you and fire the recruiter. <S> I would chalk it up to a lesson learned and move on. <S> There are three types of recruiters: ones who work the employer, ones who work for you, and ones that work for a 3rd party. <S> Each has different motivations during the hiring process. <S> Add salary to the list of questions you always ask about.
| If you believe the recruiter was at fault, it might be possible to negotiate a higher pay. Beyond that I don't think there's much to do other than put this one behind you and move on to the next opportunity.
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What's the correct way to format business emails? My colleague sends emails with odd spacing. For example, no line breaks between salutation and the first paragraph. I'd love to send him a reference so he knows how to lay out formal/business emails better, but I can't find one. I'd also like to know myself! Can anyone point me in the right direction? <Q> There are no formal standards that enforce how you write business emails. <S> There are however a lot of articles on the Internet that talk about email etiquette, which could be the closest things you'll encounter on this topic. <S> Examples of articles: <S> http://www.dailywritingtips.com/email-etiquette/ <S> Caveat with Email Etiquette <S> Unfortunately knowing the proper etiquette does not always make you a effective communicator which should be more of an issue. <S> For some types of personalities; being all too formal and/or wordy may become detrimental for your communication. <S> Manager/ <S> Career Tools have several podcast episodes that discuss personality types (relating to the DISC personality assessment model ) and how to respond effectively on email. <S> You'll be surprised how people with certain tendencies want their emails; e.g. some want it short and to the point while some want it as a rant with lots of smileys and highlighting colors. <S> Email and the High D Email and the High <S> I Email and the High S Email and the High C Sending Effective Email - What Result? <S> Being a more effective communicator is better than slavishly following email etiquette. <S> However if you do value proper formatting of emails, send your colleague a sample email (just don't always expect him to follow it). <S> ... or just tell him nicely that he should space the email appropriately because it is driving you crazy. <A> Do not bring it up. <S> No matter how much one's personal style may clash with others, it's not a good idea to ask others to change due to this. <S> If you are a co-worker or colleague you could consider asking their manager (in private) - but be aware that in all such cases you will really need to be able to prove that it is an issue. <S> The argument will need to be about a specific thing or event that affected the customer or the product specifically because of how the email was formatted. <S> As you can probably imagine, this is pretty hard to do. <S> The manager would also (reasonably) expect to see several examples to prove that this is a 'pattern' that needs to be addressed, not just one or two cases. <S> This sets the bar even higher as you can imagine. <S> It's the mark of a professional to be able to overlook everyone's personal foibles and differences and still be able to work with them. <S> It's not easy but <S> with practice and determination it's a worthy goal. <A> Strongly depends on relationship... <S> I do bring this up when mentoring others - whether I'm the boss <S> or it's a peer situation, <S> but it's much easier to bring it up gently, and if you don't have a formal advisory relationship and aren't asked for advice, it may be best to skip. <S> If you hear the guy complaining that people don't respond well to his emails, it's a different story. <S> If, however, you can't make out what he's writing or effectively do your job with the communication you receive from him --- different story! <S> But I'm guessing that if salutations blended onto content is the only problem, this is not a big one <S> , it's a 5 second hiccup <S> and you move on... <S> Trick is - there is no standard, and it highly depends on form factor. <S> When someone's writing from a traditional keyboard, they write very differently than if they are using a blackberry with their thumbs - if your company's communication mediums are mixed, you have to accept that format is going to get pretty muddy. <S> If I addressed it at all, it would be from the point of view of being effective. <S> Is his message clear and easy to read? <S> If yes, then move on. <S> If no, then focus on that whether text format changes would help. <A> I wouldn't do that. <S> What do you care how someone else formats their e-mails ? <S> Why do you think your way is the correct way, <S> its purely subjective. <S> I don't think worrying about a colleagues formatting of e-mail to yourself is a particular productive pastime. <S> If they are customer facing, well thats a bit different - but thats not the question.
| I personally have completely removed salutations, and try and get as much info into the subject line before even starting the email, which is more often than not itself blank.
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What factors/questions to consider when hiring for technical support I have a small but growing software company and the number of support requests as well as "how do I do something almost plainly simple with the software" are coming up more and more frequently as the user base expands. I'm looking at hiring some additional eyes and hands to filter/respond to the basic data that comes through these questions. How do I tell if candidate is suitable for job like that? What are factors to take into account when hiring for customer support? UPDATE: Nic's comment below about discussing tying shoelaces got me thinking on the questions to ask a prospective applicant to do. Many applicants (though not all) are not US-based so testing English language ability is fairly important. I ended up asking some basic checkbox questions on software packages they have used, then asked two natural language questions: Please describe as simply as you would like, how would you tell a Mac computer user to find their Documents folder. Please describe as simply as you would like, how to tie your shoelaces. I had them submit all answers into a Google Docs form and the answers thus far have proved perfectly insightful as to what I'm looking for and not looking for e.g. Hello , The best way to find the documents folder would be searching via the finder's toolbar. When you type ""Documents"" in the Search field and press Return, your MAC will search for items whose names contain the terms you typed. Please let me know if you need any additional assistance. Regards, John Another one: to be honest I have no idea since I am not a mac user. I'm not easily dismissive but the above contender also wrote: No good, then stretched shoes! ...whatever that means. <Q> Hire people that want to help people. <S> Maybe someone who enjoyed working in customer service, but wants to get into a technical field. <S> You don't want someone who was a waiter/waitress and hated it because customers were rude. <S> All things being equal, get someone who can write and type fast. <S> There will be a lot of email and chat support, but they need to be professional. <S> They won't get away with most of the 'styles' they use with their friends. <S> If you think you can take someone who wants to be a future developer, you may be able to have them do support for a very short period of time. <S> They will get bored and frustrated quickly, but may stick it out for a future position doing what they really want. <S> This could also be true for someone wanting to get into sales. <A> To interview for this position, pick several commonly used applications (to be sure the candidate will be familiar with at least one), and come up with a list of questions about how to use each. <S> These questions should range from the simple "how do I create a new file?" <S> to the complex "I tried to foo the bar by clicking "foo", but that fooed the baz instead. <S> How can I unfoo the baz and foo the bar?". <S> Don't necessarily expect them to know how to answer every single in-depth question (after all, customer support for these products is (probably) not their job). <S> What you should consider is how they go about answering the simple questions and explaining to you how to do each task. <S> Since you're (presumably) going to train them on what your product does and how it's used, the only two things you need to look for are ability to translate understanding into a helpful explanation and demeanor/attitude. <A> Since it sounds like is your first customer support focused hire, and it isn't something you have <S> a core company exepertise in already <S> , I'd strongly lean towards someone with similar job experience in the long term. <S> -- there's a different personality type that excels at this vs. someone who likes development on its own, and you want your first few people doing support to be easy to manage. <S> There's a pattern to how good customer support folks communicate. <S> able to document the problem - I've noticed bug reports always have worse grammar than externally facing communication, but even within some level of tolerance, the person has to write clearly enough to ask for help by email. <S> Can do a writing sample to verify. <S> Some level of technical skill. <S> You don't need a programmer, but you do nees someone who gets the basic parts of your system enough to do diagnostics. <S> This is like more of a "is he smart? <S> can get things done? <S> " <S> sort of verification than asking for code samples and having in depth archectural discussion. able to follow a process - you'll likely have a process for when and how to escalate - you want to make sure this guy is doing it. <S> You may find quickly that the support folks require a different style of management than you have in your current company, as well. <S> I've been watching the customer facing folks in my own department and they have a different rhythm. <A> My advice would be to test candidates with tasks from your daily support activities. <S> Do role playing - <S> you or someone else play the customer and then have the candidate solve the issue. <S> You could water down the real life situations to make them easier to solve on the spot/ in a phone interview but do keep the underlying problem's structure. <S> Then watch the candidate's behaviour. <S> Is s/ <S> he intelligent enough to grasp the core issue in seconds? <S> Or doe s/ <S> he picker at minor details instead and not help the customer at all? <S> Is s/ <S> he friendly enough? <S> Does s/ <S> he follow the customer's mood and speed of reaction or does s/ <S> he try to impose her/ his own over the customer? <S> Does s <S> /he seem to have the most important thing - the mindset of a problem solver and not that of yet another administrator who needs to follow a script and who needs excuses in formalities so as to do the minimum effort to help a customer?
| And when interviewing, I'd be looking for candidates who like the work and want to keep doing it Things to look for: customer talking skills - able to communicate technical things non-technically, able to ask good question, able to set and meet very clear expectations - you might even roleplay a sample call with them.
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Got a job offer from a friend, but been on a new job for a couple of months Possible Duplicate: Switching jobs - how soon is too soon? I've recently got a job with a big consulting firm; however, I'm not enjoying the work much. While I don't see much advancement within the team, I know that the company might have some good opportunities down the line. Actually, I'm dissatisfied with my daily job, but I hang on because of future prospects and good conditions. I was contacted recently by a friend to join him at a company where he works. I'll have to review the position with him and see if it's interesting (have no idea what position I might get offered). My main concern is that leaving my current job so soon would definitely sting my reputation a bit, and since I'm unhappy at work, coworkers have picked up on that. Again, leaving so soon will cement my fragile reputation among my current coworkers (although I'm starting to pick it up strong now). I'm pretty sure that I will get a no-rehire mark. TL:DR : Most likely to stay at current job, but what do I do if the new offer is super great? <Q> As much as I, as a hiring person, am not fond of jumpers, life is to short to get stuck in dissatisfying job. <S> In this spirit I wouldn't consider leaving soon a mistake. <S> Bearing that in mind I wouldn't consider the situation a problem unless there is a real offer on the table. <S> Not only do I think about the salary but also about description what you're going to do etc. <S> If you trust your friend you can expect the description would be honest. <S> There's no point in changing one mediocre job to another. <A> You don't actually have a job offer, you have a friend that has submitted your name to HR to be considered as a potential employee. <S> If you are seriously considering looking for another job, then put this one on the list, but only if you think your friend is a good judge of companies/work environments. <S> Among the things you don't know are: <S> Will you be working near your friend? <S> (this could be a plus or a minus) <S> Do they have any interesting jobs? <S> Do they have jobs in your desired salary range? <S> Do they have jobs in a desirable work location? <S> Long term prospects, future growth? <S> If your friend had the ability to give you a actual offer letter that would be different. <S> What he has done is put you at step 0.5 of the process. <S> How you act is related to some of the other questions about interviewing for positions you don't intend to take. <A> If you're not happy with your current position, it makes your productivity go down. <S> It's a good reason to change job. <S> You can always go for an interview. <S> Think whether you'd fit in the new company or not. <S> Get to know workplace, ask about wages, projects you'd be working on, etc. <S> If all the important conditions satisfy you, don't hesitate, apply. <S> You only have about 35-40 years (max) of your life to be spent on career. <S> How many of them are you willing to waste? <A> There are things you can do at a consulting firm/contracting agency to help your situation out. <S> If you're unhappy your current work try to talk to your boss in private about it. <S> Hopefully the firm will be serious enough to consider putting you on other projects that are not completely brown-field development. <S> As long as you'll let your boss know where your actual interests lie and your actual expertise and remind him of this he can do something about it. <S> Consulting firms usually have resource meetings, figuring out how to allocate their resources. <S> If there are any openings that are more interesting for you, let your boss know. <S> Changes in positions may take months, but do make sure that they know what you want. <S> There is nothing worse than to be let go from a company because you were unhappy about it.
| If you're serious about being unhappy at work and the firm can't absolutely do anything for you then you should consider other opportunities. Then, I'd consider a move only if the new offer was significantly better than what you have now.
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How do you research which job skills or technologies to learn? On Stack Overflow and Programmers we often see questions like Where to start? What language to learn first? and What language should I learn next? These questions should always be closed as not constructive or too localized, since the answer depends largely on the current skills of the person asking, where they're located, whether they're willing to relocate, what skills are in demand at that time, and a lot of other factors that make the question virtually unanswerable. In short, the person asking such questions really needs to do some research on their own. It would be great if we had a resource that showed people how to do this kind research. So my question for The Workplace is, other than simply searching on Career Builder or Monster, what steps can I take to find out what skills are in high demand in a given industry, and what skills will be in high demand for the next two to five years? Note: My particular examples (and interests) are in software development, but I'd welcome answers that could apply to any industry. <Q> There's an increasing number of ways. <S> Most of the following make it easier to see this, though it's still hard to see growth/future aside from sheer numbers (which can actually indicate a mature, but well-used technology) <S> so try and look beyond the basic numbers to get an idea of growth and future. <S> Look at meetup.com. <S> Look at your area (ideally) or the nearest big city. <S> Try to get an idea of size from the number of members and if possible growth, even if start date and current membership count are your only 2 data points. <S> Look on monster and search under the major terms you are dividing things by. <S> Search on stack overflow by tag and see how many questions are asked for the given topics and how many questions seem recent. <S> Look on salary sites and see what is paying well. <S> A new hot skill like ruby can pay well and conversely an older technology like php with more practitioners less so. <S> Read Wired, reddit and other blogs and sites that feature new technology. <S> None of the above will do the job "on their own" but all together should help put you in "the zone" for knowing what's new and what's up and coming. <A> I realize that I am answering a paleo-question from a year ago, but I think it is a good question.... <S> When it comes to career choice, it is vital to find the "right question" before trying to find the "right answer". <S> What I mean is you may NOT want to choose a career path because it is (or may become) <S> "high demand". <S> Sure, you'll want to choose something that makes you employable and that yields a sufficient salary and on the surface it sort-of makes sense that high-demand jobs will do that. <S> The problem is that with high demand eventually comes throngs of competition which is composed of wannabe's to super-elites and everything in-between. <S> Unless you're talking about fields with very very long educational requirements, you're going to quickly find yourself in an ocean of similarly qualified candidates all looking for "the best" opportunities. <S> Some will find their dream jobs but many will find themselves in unsatisfying career ruts after making a bad choice simply because it seemed like a good idea at the time. <S> Moreover, it is truly a guessing game to try to select what the hottest technology or career path is going to be in the future, or what will fall out of favor or be sustaining. <S> It might seem that Java web development, for instance, is the most flush with opportunity for now and the near future, but what about the next things coming down the pipe. <S> I would have sworn in 2003 that .NET was going to bury Java-- but guess what, it hasn't. <S> Who is say what is coming next? <S> Nobody really knows and it is dicey to make career plans based strictly on such reasoning (not saying either .NET or Java would be mistake). <S> Basically I am trying to say two things: 1. <S> There is NO WAY to really predict what is going to be "next"2. <S> You may not want to choose a career path based on demand. <S> It is vastly more useful to find something that you're very good at, that you enjoy doing, and that puts you in a unique niche. <S> Instead of trying to put yourself in the center of the bell curve and hoping for the best, find something in what people have called "the long tail"-- something that very few employers need but which is very valuable to those few employers. <A> I try to address the following: <S> Do I have immediate needs in my current position or one <S> I'm currenly applying? <S> What type of work do I want to do? <S> Identify the skills needed. <S> What am I capable of and where can I stretch myself? <S> Just like it is difficult to anticipate all the features an application would need, it's tough to predict the future. <S> Usually, something comes up and you have to learn it on the fly. <A> So my question for The Workplace is, other than simply searching on Career Builder or Monster, what steps can I take to find out what skills are in high demand in a given industry, and what skills will be in high demand for the next two to five years? <S> I'd probably want to turn this question around and consider the following: <S> What core values do you have as a person and would want in your workplace? <S> There is something to be said for working where there is a sense of belonging and that feels like home which would come from having values be in alignment. <S> What strengths do you have that would indicate the kind of role you'd want to have in a dream job? <S> Do you want to be working with people all day? <S> Do you want to be taking on new technologies regularly? <S> Do you want to be drawing up plans? <S> Knowing yourself will be something that could be of immense value as if you feel like you are always having to fake it in the office, that could be the recipe for burnout. <S> Do you know how you learn? <S> Do you know how to pick up some new system quickly? <S> Do you know how you prefer technical specifications to be presented to you? <S> These are some other ideas to consider.
| Considering the kind of natural talents you have and how do these translate into various roles could be useful as well. Go to new technology and nerd meetups and see what smart people think.
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What should I ask for from an indirect contact at company (Google) I would like to work at? I mentioned I was thinking of applying to Google to a friend I've known for years. He said that he knows one of the technical higher-ups (let's call him "Bob") in Google and gave me his home number. What should I say when I call Bob at his home address? I don't think I should ask for a job directly, but I should ask if I can send my resume to him, right? What are the proper etiquette and pitfalls here? Could I hurt my chances by saying to wrong thing? I do feel uncomfortable calling Bob at home, but my friend is family to Bob and told Bob to expect my call. I don't want to let this opportunity pass. <Q> Well, as long as you'd ask such question your colleague, e.g. I don't think asking Bob how much he earns would be proper. <S> Such attitude relives Bob from any pressure he might face when talking with you, especially that Google, as far as I know, seems to be rather crazy in terms of keeping all the inhouse secrets. <S> At the same time it gives you freedom to ask about any important things without much stress what the reaction might be. <S> When you start hearing "rather not say" as answers you know that you shouldn't go further in this specific area and ask about something different. <S> It would also be great if your friend could do the introductions first, before you call Bob, as it will make the whole thing a bit easier for both of you. <A> Of course you're calling to ask for a job. <S> There's a big difference between saying, "Give me a job right now!" <S> and acknowledging how much you want to work there. <S> At some point you should get an indication on whether or not your friend made a mistake by giving you the number. <S> Apologize if the Google person is upset. <S> If all goes well, get a name to send a CV. <A> First, when you ring Bob, check if he is happy to talk to you about applying to Google. <S> If not, thank him for answering and apologise for taking up his time. <S> If he is happy to talk, be aware that he will have signed a NDA and anything he can talk about he will probably have to be vague. <S> Keep your questions brief and vague and limit them to recruitment and advise only. <S> Make sure you thank him after.
| Considering you state at the beginning that if something goes beyond the line you will feel perfectly OK when Bob refuses to answer any specific question, I wouldn't hesitate to ask pretty much about anything. Ask how long the hiring process would take and what form the interviews are.
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Should I make a personal website so that I can write that on my resume? There is always a field in a typical resume which is website. I don't have a personal website and don't like to make up stuff. Although I've once built a website 10 years ago, I really do not like making websites. You need so many things to build a website, e.g: theme, content, design, hosting. A website could possibly introduce a person better, but I think it could be too much. What do you think? <Q> A website is a sample of your work. <S> What are you trying to highlight? <S> It sounds like you aren't doing web development... <S> so highlighting that you can build a website doesn't really focus attention on your skills. <S> If you build a website, you need to have a solid, impressive system. <S> The worst thing I've seen was a website with shoddy HTML and misspelled words... <S> it suggested that perhaps the candidate didn't care about the work, or didn't know right from wrong. <S> Anything you put out there is a means of judging you - show yourself in the best light. <A> If the position requires a portfolio of graphic arts, animation, music... <S> Then a website is a very good way to display some samples of your work. <S> Keep in mind that some customers will not allow you to show more than screen captures of the websites you created for them. <S> Some won't even allow that. <S> But a website for the sake of having a website, doesn't help you in the job hunt. <A> You should create a personal web site if you're passionate about something you want to document in a web site. <S> A "home page" on the Internet is no longer impressive or worth showing to people who are considering you for employment. <S> Don't create a website because "everyone else is doing it" or because you want to fill a field on a resume. <S> It will be obvious and likely misunderstood by those who are looking at you for employment. <S> Say you do create a personal website because there's something you want to put out there (projects, writing, photos, etc), should you even include it on your resume? <S> If it's something you're proud of and helps sell you to potential employers then you should include it. <S> I only provide URLs for websites that are relevant to the position.
| If the position you are applying for involved web development, then a personal website would be beneficial.
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What should be the ideals of setting up an additional career track? I have an exciting opportunity to redesign the career tracks in my current company. Each department decides its own titles, job descriptions, salary ranges, and progression. I'm pretty excited, as I've seen how the nature of formalized roles and the criteria for promotion can have a profound impact on culture and morale. What are the best rationales for setting up parallel career tracks? What are some specific gotchas to avoid? <Q> Here's what I've got so far... <S> DO create a new track if: <S> switching between jobs at the same track is at times virtually impossible without complete retraining. <S> For example, one cannot move from chemical engineer to software engineer without some significant education. <S> you want to encourage growth in particular areas <S> - people don't see that there is an ability to get promoted by specializing in an area. <S> you need a competitive advantage for certain roles - you can't pay the base rate of an "staff member" and get the skills of "specialized staff member" - so you need to sets of roles to clean up the pay infrastructure. <S> Any form of favoritism <S> Creating roles that won't make sense a year from now or to someone coming into the department. <S> Terminology that can't be understood quickly by most managers and many employees COMBINE when(*): People are able to change career tracks by changing teams but with no real change in skill set or ramp up time, other that what would be expected from a team change within a career track. <S> Pay grades are very close and skill set differences even at the more senior levels are minor. <S> You can't figure out why they are separate. <S> There is a perceived higher status to one path over the other that has absolutely nothing to to do with the reality for the business or the reality of the talents of the people. <S> An interesting side note is that people in an organization turn over in 2-4 years, so the crazy managers who came up with the skill sets and tracks 4 years back, are substantially different from the crazy managers hiring and promoting people in those same career tracks today. <A> I would consider that most tracks need to have at least three levels: Junior or trainee Intermediate Senior <S> Then for some tracks you might want a level that is reserved solely for the very few experts in their field who you would prefer to pay a senior management level salary to in order to retain them as technical experts rather than force them into management get a pay raise. <S> You could call this expert level. <S> This will help you avoid turning a great developer into a mediocre manager. <S> The majority of your employees should be at Intermediate level <S> but Senior should be attainable. <S> Expert level should be rare and should require significant contributions to the organization and/or the profession. <S> You should spell out what tasks (and level of independence at performing them) <S> a person at each level should be able to accomplish, so that people can know what they have to do to move from Junior to Intermediate and Intermediate to Senior. <S> HAving the differences described helps immensely when you have to explain to one employee why you promoted someone else but not her/him. <S> It also helps that underperforming employee see that once the performance criteria is met, he or she can still get promoted. <S> Some of the worst employees I ever worked with were ones who were capable of doing senior level work but who had gotten the idea that they wouldn't get promoted no matter how good the work they did was. <S> In particular, I believe the move from Junior to Intermediate should be automatic once certain criteria have been met. <S> Keeping people at trainee level once they are no longer trainees is short-sighted and ultimately bad for the company. <S> You will lose the best ones (who can easily find intermediate level jobs elsewhere) and retain the worst ones. <A> Based on your comment on HLGEM's answer , it seems you're trying to figure out when to break up into different career tracks. <S> I'm assuming you're looking at something like "when do I break down the Engineer career track into Electrical Engineer, Software Engineer, Mechanical Engineer, etc."? <S> If this is really your question (or even if it's not), I'd answer " Break them up when it makes business sense. " <S> If the specific responsibilities of one job are different than another, but the expectations for promotion (i.e. performing work independently, leading others, reviewing designs, etc.) are similar enough you can leave them together. <S> On the other hand, if you pay a software engineer differently than an electrical engineer then this would be one reason to not just have them both in an "engineer" career path. <S> You should resist making separate tracks just enough to reduce unnecessary complexity. <S> You also don't want to change these very frequently, so resist change to an extent so you can keep from creating, then removing titles later. <S> You should also consider that there are forks in many career paths . <S> For instance a software engineer may decide to go down a technical path or a managerial path. <S> You could have an intermediate step of "principal engineer" and "lead engineer" title to express the different focus of their roles even before they completely diverge, but isn't required. <S> Eventually one would become a "technical architect" and the other a "development manager" or something like that.
| You want to enable people to pursue careers that fit their strengths. Avoid: Creating a new track just to pacify people in your department
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Old employee wishes to rejoin I had an employee (lets call him 'Old') who worked for me for 1 year. He had learnt a lot of things during the job. Two month ago he left the job and joined some other company (not a competitor of course). For the first 2 weeks after he left, I faced a lot of problem but on the third week I hired a new employee (lets call him 'New'). 'New' is hardworking and completes the job in less time than 'Old'. 'New' is also less expensive than 'Old'. The problem now is that 'Old' wishes to rejoin my company. For financial reasons I can afford any one of the two. I need help in deciding if I should let 'Old' rejoin and kick off 'New' or should say no to 'Old'. Also require logics to justify myself. Note: There're no "Minimum serving period" contract signed by my employees For your reference, below are some stats. 'Old' Positives: Knows the entire process Trustworthy I'm emotionally attached More qualified than 'New' 'Old' Negatives: Expensive ($10 per hour) Sometimes takes advantage of my trust over him (like being absent, late to work) 'New' Positives: Fast learner. Does work faster that 'Old' Less Expensive ($8 per hour) 'New' Negatives: Don't know if he can handle all work 'Old' had been handling ('New' is just one month old) Don't know if I can trust him Don't know if he may leave the job <Q> Generally I would go with the new employee. <S> I don't how many employees you have and how important it is to you, but firing a good performing new employee for a reason like that <S> ... really leaves a bad aftertaste. <S> When I as an employee sign a contract I do so in good faith, i.e. I don't plan to leave quickly just because I see another opportunity that interests me. <S> When I get hired the employer has to plan on some training while I already get paid...etc. <S> I expect the same from an employer. <S> Firing someone quickly because the position becomes rebundant for really unexpected reason... ok. <S> Firing because of bad performance... <S> ok. <S> But firing someone for this wouldn't be okay for me. <S> What is true for the employer is also true for the employee - he might have had to move, quit an old job, invested personal time in training for the job... <S> Now, you are not legally required not to do this. <S> You may also not see yourself as morally required, depending on your personal outlook. <S> But you can still expect that this can hurt your reputation and you should care about that. <A> Lets assume that the new guy has more upside potential. <S> If you fire him, then the old guy leaves again, you will now have zero employees. <S> You can tell the old guy that if the new guy doesn't work out, then you will consider rehiring him in the future. <A> What I read between the lines it that both guys can do the job and the main difference is that you know the former employee better than new, which is natural. <S> In such case I would more look in values that indicate future potential of these guys and how these values are aligned with the goals of the company. <S> However, in your case the context can be <S> different -- reliability and knowledge of the stuff may be valued higher for example in maintenance projects. <S> There's one more flavor in it: the guy who left and wants to come back learned an important lesson -- your org is better that he thought it is. <S> I worked with such guys and they seem to be pretty loyal employees. <S> Note however, it definitely wouldn't be the most important factor when making up my mind. <A> If you fire New to hire back Old , you better also think of what could happen if Old decides to leave you again. <S> And if that happens, you might find that none of those in contact with the guy who was fired that way will be willing to work with you. <S> Oh that guy fired New without a reason - I better pass. <S> If you are concerned about this, consider at least giving New <S> some compensation package at firing. <S> Yeah that guy fired New - but even if that happens to me I can expect a compensation - likely a nice one to deal with in any case.
| Personally, I value urge to learn very highly thus I'd rather keep the new guy.
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How should reducing development costs metrics be listed on a resume? Every few months at work we add a feature X. On average it took 10,000 LOC (lines of code) to develop. Through design improvements I reduced it to an average 1,000 LOC, which meant fewer associated bugs and less duplication and effort. I know metrics are good to have on a resume. How can I turn this into a metric? I know LOC doesn't translate to effort, but there is a correlation. "Reduced development effort in LOC by 90%"? <Q> I personally would not be interested in an LOC metric on a resume. <S> However, if you could say that you Reduced development time for complex features by n % while maintaining high quality output <S> I'd be interested. <S> My point is not to use the LOC metric but to associate it with something else that is more meaningful. <S> Of course, if you say this, it should be true - reducing LOC by that much should probably be associated with less development time. <A> LOC is a lousy metric. <S> After all, linebreaks normally count as LOC. <S> Plenty of languages don't even require whitespace at all, yet reducing a 1200 line program to a single line might sound impressive, but it turns into an obfuscated mess for maintenence and upkeep. <S> I think a bit of context might be useful, mentioning the language(es) involved, that your changes made the code more efficient, and maybe a short bit about reducing the number of LOC. <A> I would include it as a quick statement "reduced code base size by 90%" and make it just one of a half dozen or more such references to achievements <A> In theory you could list that statistic there. <S> However, unless you can enumerate the savings in terms of real cost then listing it on a resume is not very useful. <S> Some related metrics that might be useful: <S> Improved performance <S> Benchmarks <S> Reduced actual costs of operation Reduced actual costs of development <S> Reduced actual costs of on going maintenance. <S> However for these, as a prospective employer I am going to want to to be able to explain and talk about how you came by your metrics. <S> You need to be able to speak with confidence about them and understand those numbers inside out. <S> If you can not do that Unless you have some documentation to back up the numbers I would leave them off. <S> A generic "significant improvement in X," suffices. <S> Lean Metrics is a good way of coming by these numbers. <S> However it requires planning ahead to capture the before and after numbers. <S> It is hard to establish good numbers for a resume after you have left a position. <S> So it is important if you wish to include them in your resume that you capture them regularly. <S> Fortunately they are also useful in business <S> so you manager will probably thank you for producing the numbers for him. <A> However, using "metrics" like percentages and cost reduction in dollars or time or LOC can be really hard to do right. <S> These things are <S> not necessarily measured accurately (or even valid-- <S> in the case of LOC) <S> and they are rarely the result of the singular efforts of one person. <S> I know that career advice these days says to cite "metrics" to quantify job experiences, but they're dubious figures unless you can back them up and make a strong case for why they're valid and true.
| I think the best thing to do is to describe in convincing and appropriately detailed terms what benefit you provided to the project. I have a section under my employers where I list any notable accomplishments.
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Dealing with unpleasant food odors Several coworkers and I share a rather small working area (not absurdly tiny, but small enough to cause this problem). Most of us usually eat lunch in the cafeteria area, and sometimes at our desks. One coworker, though, always eats lunch at her desk. I'm not sure what exactly it is that she is eating, but it has a rather strong (and unpleasant) smell to it, which some of us find nauseating/distracting. It often lingers in our workspace until mid-afternoon. What can we do about this? Our coworker obviously has the right to eat whatever she chooses for her lunch, but it's causing an unpleasant work environment for the rest of us. We should be comfortable in our own environment to be able to do our job, but we can't really force her to change her daily lunch to accommodate that, can we? <Q> Have you tried talking to your coworker? <S> I think you should should pull your coworker on the side, and ask her if she would mind eating in another area. <S> I would leave out the nauseating part, and go with something along the lines of it being distracting since the smell is so strong. <S> Going to management would be your next step, but if you do that first it will make her feel like she is not part of the group or being singled out. <S> I find it is best to give everyone the benefit of the doubt and treat them like adults until I am given a reason to think otherwise. <S> Sometimes this does backfire, but it helps me sleep better at night. <A> Have you tried taking the issue up with the manager? <S> If this is something disruptive (and your description of the issue certainly applies), then as a manager it is their responsibility to remove disruptions. <S> If a number of those who suffer each have a quiet word with the manager (don't do it in a group, as this may devolve into something less than civil), the manager will then know the problem is real and <S> not something that only one person is perceiving. <S> At this point it will be up to your manager to take it up with the offending party. <S> This should be your first avenue. <A> I would suggest the following. <S> Change your own habits <S> : You and all your friends should always eat lunch at the cafeteria. <S> You can't ask someone else to change when you yourself follow the same thing. <S> Ask her to change : After about 2 weeks of applying step 1, ask her to have lunch in cafeteria. <S> Speak to Manager/HR : <S> When step 2 fails, speak to your Manager or HR. <S> Say that this employee is not following a rule of lunch break. <S> Room freshener : You may skip step 3 and use this. <S> Your co-worker will be humiliated by the act and may change herself. <S> Step 1 and 2 will take at-least 3 weeks <S> and I'm sure your co-worker will change. <S> This will be a healthy way to deal the situation. <S> Include step 3 when absolutely necessary.
| When you prove that everyone in the office except her eat lunch in cafeteria, she may feel guilty and improve herself. I do not recommend confrontation between co-workers at work place.
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What is the accepted method of indicating a company being acquired on a resume? For conditions where you are presently employed at a company that has been acquired and your job (title, responsibilities, assignment) has not changed because of the acquisition, what is the best way to indicate this on a resume? When a company that you have previously worked at has been acquired (or otherwise changes names), what is the best way to indicate this on a resume? Should you continue to indicate the name of the organization as it was when you worked there or change it to match the current name of the organization? Finally, does the format have a difference in how an acquisition is treated on a resume? Does a paper resume have different conventions than an electronic resume (such as Stack Overflow Careers or LinkedIn)? <Q> Use the newer/older name in brackets, preferably qualified with a small description. <S> So if you joined OldCorp inc. <S> and it was changed to NewCorp Inc. <S> before you left(or, you are in the process of leaving), my preffered style would be: <S> Company: <S> NewCorp Inc. (previously known as OldCorp Inc.) <S> Location: My City. <S> If you left before the company before the name change: <S> Company: OldCorp Inc . <S> (now known as NewCorp Inc.) <S> Location: My City. <S> In case of mergers too the same rule applies. <S> If LittleCorp was aquired by MegaCorp before you left: Company: <S> MegaCorp Inc. <S> (merged from <S> LittleCorp Inc.) <S> Location: <S> Description: (mention your date of joining in LittleCorp and the date of merger in a brief history, along with any designation changes.) <S> otherwise Company: <S> LittleCorp Inc. (acquired by MegaCorp Inc.) <S> In case of multiple name changes , you dont need to mention all of them in the title. <S> You may do it in the description but it isn't really necessary. <S> Just include the final name in the title. <S> Company: <S> LittleCorp Inc. (now part of MegaCorp Inc.) <A> I don't know if there's a standard format for this, but I just added a brief explanation after the name of the company (which had 4 different names while I worked there, and has a 5th name now): Name4 <S> YYYY-YYYYCity, <S> State(Name4 was previously known as Name3, Name2, and Name1, and is now part of Name5.) <A> If I've survived an acquisition, I list both company names: <S> Tiny Startup / Humongous Corporation <S> (I don't list past employers' addresses on my resume.) <S> If your title changed, you can list both: Coding God / Junior Ant Farm Engineer (Dilbert Comic) or the final one, or the less ridiculous one. <S> Unlike DPD, I rarely list the new name of a past employer has changed its name. <S> I just list the name of the company as it was when I worked there: <S> Best Company <S> Ever (now known as Defunct Hopeless Failure) <S> Best Company <S> Ever
| The broad rule is: Always use the same name in the title as is present on your job experience letter(or certificate).
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Interviewing a Non-Programmer for a Programmer Job A project manager in my department (software development) wants us to interview a non-programmer for a programming job. He has experience in technical support for an international software company. What kind of questions can we ask to determine that he would be suitable for learning on the job? <Q> You would ask him the same questions you would ask someone who is a programmer that is interviewing for the position. <S> Don't confuse the current job title of an applicant with their technical (or other) abilities. <A> When I interview a candidate for an entry level position, I expect that they will have at least done some home work. <S> I expect they can at least answer these questions: <S> What languages have you worked with at home? <S> What was your most challenging bug you have run into? <S> Tell me about a program/website you have written. <S> (what language? <S> did it connect with any services or databases? <S> what did you want to do that you did not know how to complete? <S> How did you overcome that?) <S> To me these questions should elicit enough information to tell if the applicant is passionate about programming or if he/she saw the giant salaries that programmers make in some magazine and said I want to do that. <S> You can teach the programming but if the passion is not there then it is harder and the likelihood of success is much lower. <A> Presumably, the reason you're considering bringing this person on-board is because they have some deep domain knowledge in an area that is valuable for the project. <S> I would probe that domain knowledge deeply to be sure that this person can pull their weight as part of the team knowing that the programming part is going to be a bit of a risk. <S> Of course, you'll also have to make the difficult assessment of whether or not this individual can eventually come up to speed on the programming tasks. <S> Generally, it is better to have a well-rounded team than to have each individual be well-rounded. <S> If this person can do the job, your team will be stronger for it even if they have to tutor the new guy more than usual in the beginning. <A> To assess whether he has the capability of learning while on the job (presuming you've already decided he in fact does have excellent domain knowledge that would make him valuable after coming up to speed): Has he done any hobbyist programming or tried to learn programming to any degree before? <S> What languages did he use? <S> Did he find it rewarding? <S> Fun? <S> Challenging? <S> In what ways? <S> If not, has he ever done anything remotely like programming? <S> (Web pages, shell scripts, batch files, word macros, excel formula, encountered a bug in software, etc) <S> What did he find enjoyable and/or difficult about his most programming-like experience? <S> Did he feel a sense of pride or excitement when he got his project to work? <S> Did he have to overcome any hurdles of knowledge he didn't already have? <S> Does he have a batchelors or associates degree in an of sciences discipline? <S> What is the highest level of math or physics he ever completed? <S> Did he enjoy high-school math, especially algebra? <S> Was that one of his favorite subjects in school? <S> (while loving math is not a requirement per se, having an analytical mindset is most beneficial to having an aptitude for programming) <S> Did he prefer classes where you could just write some "bs" <S> and there wasn't right/wrong answers? <S> Has he ever learned a new skill from reading a book? <S> How does he learn best? <S> If you hired him, what would he come up to speed on programming? <S> What sort of training would he want to have? <S> Show him some some fairly simple code (loop, conditionals, etc, maybe not all at once) and ask him what he thinks it might do...if he's totally stumped, ask him to give his best guess (even if it's way off) about a single line of the code. <S> Maybe have a harder one handy if the fundamental stuff he totally knows, or move into questions you'd ask a junior programmer. <S> ask him problem-solving skills questions. <S> What would he do <S> if he realized he didn't know what a piece of existing code does? <S> Does he enjoy being a problem solver? <S> ask him questions about his exposure in his previous role to software developers and software development processes, was he fascinated with what they do? <S> Converse with them about their jobs to learn more about what programmers do? <S> Does he know something about the stages of development? <S> Used version control? <S> etc.
| I would not ask exactly the same questions for this candidate as one who is strictly a programmer.
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What is my obligation to my current employer when changing jobs is imminent but (at this point) not guaranteed? I am scheduled for a second interview for a job with a company that I would like to have. Changing jobs would require changing cities, which would also mean more opportunity for my spouse. If the opportunity is offered (and if the money is right), I have got to take it. The company is also excited about my application. I was worked through the preliminary interview pretty quickly, and the tone of it was more towards selling me on the company than me selling myself. I currently have no offer, but one is likely to come in about a week-and-a-half. If the offer comes, I will put my 2 weeks notice in and begin the preparations for a move. In the interim, though, I currently work for a small city, for which I do a lot of web and mobile development. I just recently had an app submitted to Apple's app store be accepted, but due to organizational politics, certain people want to pull it back. Additionally, some might want to go ahead and release it if they can get their changes built into the next release of the app (i.e. version 1.1). My employer is also looking to invest about $5k (that's a lot of money for my organization) in a vendor-built API, on the premise that I build an iPad app that integrates between enterprise systems. Finally, it is also unlikely that my employer will be able to (or even want to) replace me with a like quantity. If I don't build the integration app or the second version of the submitted app, nobody likely will. My question: What am I obligated to do here? Do I need to tell my supervisor that I am possibly on the move, and that no second version is likely to be built? My new position would be with a consulting company, so if they wanted a new version, they could have it--they would just have to pay more to get it. So it's not like I am telling them it can never happen. EDIT: another dimension of this, is that my supervisor wants to have a conversation with my director about the timing of the second release. I don't want to lie here (i.e. I'll have it in December), but I also don't want to tell the truth (i.e. I am likely to have a job offer in a week, and I will leave this place so fast it will make your head spin). <Q> Until you actually have the job offer from the new company in writing <S> you are best to keep quiet about any potential move. <S> You are under no obligation to tell your current employer anything about your job hunting. <S> In fact doing so might well hurt your future employment with your current company were the job offer not to materialise. <S> Think about it from the other side <S> - how much notice would your employer give you if they were thinking of making your job redundant? <S> Once you have that offer in writing, then tell your current employer that you are leaving, giving as much notice as you either have to legally (should there be such a law where you are) be it 2 weeks, a month or whatever, or what notice you can given the date the new employer would like you to start. <S> If you think that leaving with this notice is not sufficient for your current employer to make arrangements to cope without you then you could try to negotiate with your new employer for a delayed start - but don't make it too long <S> otherwise they might have second thoughts about you and retract the offer. <S> You have to attend meetings etc. <S> that discuss things you hope you are not going to be around for as if you were still going to be working there. <S> Anything else is unprofessional. <S> If you think that the job offer is going to come through in a few days or a week then suggest that the meeting be put back - though you'd have to have a convincing reason for this - then any potential awkwardness is sidestepped. <A> Unless there is a contract involved with your current employer, then you don't owe them anything. <S> The fact that they might never build the next version can't be your concern. <S> Though I admit the idea that they may purchase a API in the next few days while you are in limbo would cause me to have some regret. <S> Don't tell them anything until you have accepted the offer. <S> Because you will need to move, you have no idea when your last productive day in their office will be. <S> Only tell them after you have finalized the schedule with the new company. <S> A meeting discussing schedule can be bizarre, when only you know that you will not be there for the bulk of the project. <S> Any company that starts a projects knows that there are risks. <S> If you tell them it will take 90 days, and you quit 30 days into the project, they will be unlikely to meet the schedule, especially if they need to hire a new employee. <S> People leaving is a risk that is in every project. <S> If you are the only person with that skill set, that is a big risk they live with every day. <S> Many times when you move to the new company you are unable to go back and help them. <S> I have been able to help old projects when I transferred to another part of the same company, but never when switching companies. <S> I mentioned contracts because sometimes you will owe them a certain amount of time if they helped pay for your degree, or sent you to a special training class, or helped pay your moving expenses when you joined them. <S> They either want a specific number of years, or for you to pay them back if your don't stay the entire duration. <A> That's your obligation. <S> Now if you arrange things in a way to minimise damage to your current employer, as long as this doesn't put your own interests at risk, that's a sign of good character and recommendable. <S> Minimising damage to your own employer while putting your own interests at risk, that is stupid and very likely to backfire and cost you dearly. <S> Let's say you tell them "maybe you shouldn't buy this API because I might not be here to implement the application". <S> Quite possible that they give you notice, demonstrating that you were less needed than you thought, and if your new job falls through, you have nothing.
| Your obligation to your employer is to give them notice, as specified in your employment contract, when you want to leave.
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Is it normal for a direct-deposited paycheck to be late? So I get paid on the 15th and 30th of each month. Normally before the notification of payroll is received via email, the money is direct deposited into my account. However, today (the 30th) I checked that the money was not in my account. Is it normal for companies to have hiccups in their payroll? <Q> Many medium to large size business will normally hire professionals to handle payroll. <S> For instance, many organizations I've worked for either used Paychex, ADP, or some other provider whose job it was to process the payroll as a service to the company. <S> In my experience, my pay was always on time. <S> However, the times that I worked for really small, informal businesses, the lines really blurred. <S> Sometimes a check could be handwritten and signed directly by the owner, who was also my boss. <S> In these small businesses, the payroll was oftentimes done in-house, with a calculator and an Excel spreadsheet. <S> I helped with it at one place I worked; it was sort of a mess, but we did what we could with the resources we had. <S> Depending on local labor laws, there could very well be issues with this. <S> I know the places I've worked for in the medium to large size category always took pay very seriously and some received the checks the day before payday, with instructions not to hand out the checks until Friday at noon or some pre-arranged time. <S> If you're not being paid on time, it could just be symptomatic of the disorganization of a small business, but it also could be a sign of financial stress in the business. <S> I'd strongly suggest taking a hard look at how the business is doing. <S> If this becomes a habit, you may want to come up with a backup plan! <A> Just go ask the payroll department. <S> This is you getting paid, and if something is out of the ordinary with your paycheck, you need to follow up ASAP. <S> There's probably just a deposit slowdown at your bank or something, but do NOT let this sit - if something is actually wrong, the relevant parties need to know so they can fix it! <A> If this is a one-time thing, don't worry about it. <S> Stuff happens at times. <S> If you don't want to give it a day or two to clear, go talk to either your company's HR department, or your accounting dept. <S> (depending on which one handles paychecks - i've seen both do it at different places). <S> It's not 'normal' in the sense that it doesn't happen all the time. <S> however, that's not to say it's an issue. <S> Like i said, sometimes the system hiccups slightly. <A> The size of the company is very important to the reliability of the system. <S> If only one person can complete the key task being late is more likely. <S> You must determine the cause before panicking: <S> Did you submit your hours? <S> Some companies put you in Leave without pay if you don't submit a time card. <S> Did your manager sign the time card? <S> Did they send the money to the bank? <S> This would trigger a statement from the payroll processer. <S> Did the bank fail to process it? <S> One company changed the bank they were using, so my bank didn't recognize it as a payroll check and put 3 day hold. <S> Therefore the balance didn't go up. <S> Did the bank put it in the wrong account? <S> Was there a weekend/holiday involved? <S> Was the bank computer down for maintenance? <S> Mine is today. <S> You must contact payroll to determine if you are the only one, or one of many. <S> You phone call may be the first of a wave of complaints. <A> If you have to deal with a payroll company, then yes, it may be delayed if there is a holiday. <S> My deposit goes in at the same time exactly every week. <S> When there is a holiday I have to wait 8 to 24 hours longer before they deposit. <S> This has happened with 3 different payroll companies.
| If there is an entire department involved in getting pay processed it is unlikely to be late because somebody is sick.
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How can I change my career path to better align with my career goals? This is probably something common so if anyone has dealt with this before please advise what is the best approach I can take to overcome this problem. I'm nearly 30 and I'm seriously not happy about where I am so far. I feel stuck because I’m not doing what I was supposed to be doing when I came out of my Computer Science Bachelor degree in 2005 – 7 years ago. And the longer I stay in this pigeonholed career the slimmer my chances are of getting back on track. Back in 2005 it was really hard for me to find any role after my graduation. So after 6 months of searching, I landed on a Telco helpdesk role, and I took it without hesitation. Then this lead to web content management – which was great as it was closely related to what I was supposed to be doing. This was supposed to be my opportunity. However, things changed quite rapidly within this organisation. I was no longer working with web content, but rather company processes – dealing with process improvements and escalated customer issues by means of managing the content. So it became less technical, and more about the process. Systems changed, so I no longer am required to work with HTML/Dreamweaver. We are now using word docs and the occasional visio flow for the processes. When I try to look for other jobs, they require technical skills that I have not touched for a very long time! The experiences that I have are tied in with the organisation as it deals with the company processes. I do have transferable skills such as stakeholder management in a corporate etc. But how far can transferable skills take me if I want to get back to my root – IT related roles? I have considered doing a Master in IT, but I’m told by many that I will become overqualified, and it isn’t something that employers look for more so than experience. For me, the master degree is an outlet for me to get back into learning new technologies and get a bonus in master accreditation to boot. However, I don’t want it to hinder my career option. Would a certificate be more appropriate for what I want to achieve? I have also considered starting my own site/company. I have a few ideas that I want to achieve, but it is taking a long time to get it off the ground since I have full time work. And it is taking a lot longer especially since I have to update my knowledge on programming as I march on this one man band wagon. If you have overcome something similar, please let me know how you achieved this, or give me some advice on how best to manage this? It has been 2 years since I started feeling this way. It is making me depressed and is affecting my life in general. <Q> Since you already have a Computer Science degree, you have the necessary foundation to be a software developer or to work in another IT role. <S> I know people who have even secured jobs in these fields without having a degree. <S> They were part of open source projects or they volunteered at places like FreeGeek , building computers for people who can't afford them or doing IT support for them. <S> There is a lot of experience out there that you can gain in your free time. <S> You have a job right now, and it sounds like you've been there awhile, so that shows that you're reliable and committed. <S> Adding side projects during your off-time will show that you're a hard worker who enjoys learning new things, and employers desire developers and IT specialists who love to expand their knowledge. <S> Lastly, working on different open source projects or volunteer work will also help you get a handle on what you want to do. <S> For instance, if you volunteered at FreeGeek, you may decide that IT support isn't for you and move onto something different. <S> Volunteer opportunities will give you a chance to explore your options, gain new skills, and build confidence that will help you get your foot in the door. <A> If you are unhappy with your career path then talk with your manager about it. <S> You already have 7 years with your company and from your description you are on a Process management track. <S> This is not as pigeon holed as you probably think <S> but that does not mean it is heading in a direction you want to go. <S> "Not This" , is not an acceptable response for a constructive conversation with your manager. <S> But if you tell your manager that you would like to get into Web Application Development, then you have something you can work towards. <S> Your manager can help you get training you would need and help you find a position that will move you down that path. <S> Realize that you have taken steps down one path and may be required to take a short step backwards to get on the path you want. <S> I made the change from Support to programming about 9 years ago. <S> It was not painless but I am much happier now and am further on my career path now than I would have been had I stayed in support. <S> In the end you have to be responsible for your career. <S> If your manager is unable/unwilling to move you to a position you would rather be in you will have to take control yourself. <S> Watch for openings in your company. <S> Talk with the manager of the area you would like to be in see if he would be willing to have you job shadow or talk with the team. <S> Find out what he would need to see from you to accept you on to the team. <S> If none of this works out you will have to decide whether it is worth it to you to give up the time at your company and security it provides to move on to another company. <S> I would never mention the possibility of leaving the company to anyone there, until you have an offer you are ready to accept. <A> In your case, I would look for a job as a business analyst. <S> Your process skills will be a real plus in that, as would your Computer Science degree. <S> Someone who understands both users and developers is a person who would make a great business analyst! <S> However, I suggest this for you, not as a career, but as a stepping stone into the career you want. <S> Business analysts tend to be in larger organizations with a programming staff. <S> You will deal directly with the people who manage developers, the same people who hire developers. <S> Making a good impression on them as a business analyst, you can then tell them that you would like to get back to programming and have people who would like to have you on their team. <S> It is, of course, critical that you do a good job as the business analyst from the perspective of the development managers. <S> But that is one of the best jobs I can think of to network with the very people you need to get to know in order to get hired. <A> It's hard to know what you want at 30 <S> so I wouldn't rush it if I were you. <S> If you think you are interested in management down the road, you are actually in a pretty good position. <S> Involvement in process management gives you access to the inner workings of how business operate on a broad level. <S> This is something that is rarely available to most employees, even managers. <S> This understanding often naturally translates to managerial work down the line. <S> If you are interested in doing technical work, ask yourself why. <S> If it's the purity of development that you enjoy, I say go for it and start digging into whatever free resources you can lay your hands on. <S> BUT always remember to ask yourself why because too many people choose the technical road for the wrong reasons. <S> Trust me, if you want to change the world using software, it's almost always cheaper and better to get hired help.... <S> 30 isn't old when you are considering life long choices, well, at least it isn't old enough to make you rush into any decisions.
| If you want to change careers into an IT related role, take advantage of the fact that self-learning tools for these careers are highly accessible. Before talking to your manager you should know what it is you want to do. If you aren't sure, I'd say relax, go with what you are doing and see where it naturally leads you.
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How can I incorporate all of my interests into a career path, without over-specializing? I am currently a student. I have high interests in the areas of Physics, Neurology, Software Engineering, and Computer Engineering. In my eyes, they are similar in as many ways as they are different. As I research careers, I see that I cannot incorporate all of my interests into one job without specializing to the point where it will be nearly impossible to find a job. I don't want this at all. So, how can I incorporate my interests into my career, without over-specializing to the point of doom? <Q> I am currently a college student working as a software developer <S> and I literally have this exact same problem myself (same subjects and everything). <S> As noted above, the great thing about the increasingly ubiquitous nature of computers is that a computer scientist/engineer can really participate in any field they like. <S> Lately I have been reading anything and everything on combining these subjects and have found some pretty awesome stuff. <S> Here's what I would suggest to you: read On Intelligence by Jeff Hawkins. <S> He's the guy who invented the palm pilot, but basically got bored and went to go compile a theory of how the brain operates and ultimately figure out how to mimic it. <S> If you like that, go read about the research <S> his neuroscience center is conducting and see what you can do to get on board. <S> read <S> The Singularity is Near by Ray Kurzweil. <S> He was the inventor of the first commercially available voice recognition system and is recognized as one of the greatest american inventors of all time. <S> Where Hawkins is trying to understand the brain as it is, Kurzweil is trying to imagine the brain as it could be one day: supplemented with technology in order to create the next species in our evolutionary line (my personal favorite). <S> He is also a founder of Singularity University, which is kind of a summer graduate school program focused on current and future issues (seriously check this one out). <S> check out Planetary Resources.. <S> I know this is a little off the neurology topic, but I'm assuming you might like other things that I do given the previous similarities. <S> This little start-up is only the first ever proposed mother-freaking asteroid mining company backed by billionaire software developers and astronautics pioneers . <S> Sorry that may have been a little much, but that's honestly the first thing in my life that I have ever considered "science fiction". <S> Regardless of my emotion, it is an incredibly interesting (and surprisingly lucrative) new field and you should check that out if you are at all interested in space exploration. <A> I would say that the thing you'll have to figure out here is whether your interest is more science or engineering. <S> In Software/Computer Engineering <S> the focus is building/designing/ <S> verifying something that is being created for some purpose. <S> Most careers are focused on either creating something or keeping it running. <S> Physics/Neurology most often focus on studying something - creating a hypothesis and verifying it, collecting information, producing conclusions. <S> There's certainly some roles for physicists in the realm of creating things, but I haven't seen it often - at least not in the computer world. <S> Apart from the fun of learning these things - it's important to see what style of work might make you happier. <S> Also what environments might suit you best. <S> For example, most research work has an academic setting or a research lab that comes pretty close to academic culture. <S> Computer development can have a very different vibe. <S> There's a lot of places some of these overlap - but you probably won't find all 4 in a single job <S> - you may end up switching focus here and there to accomodate all your interests. <S> I'd say best bet is a smaller company, since there's more need for a jack of all trades who can pick up a number of different areas. <A> First off realize that these days it's hard to find a career that does <S> not involve computers in some fashion, and if you have an aptitude and interest in computer software or hardware you're likely going to find ways to utilize it regardless of what you study. <S> In my current job, which is full of highly skilled computer folks, the educational backgrounds of my co-workers span the full spectrum. <S> Two are linguists, one studied music, a bunch are various types of engineers. <S> I'm an aerospace engineer originally. <S> So this is to say, your choices today aren't going to pigeonhole you into a specific career. <S> Indeed, you may well not know what career you're going to end up in, until you're out of school and through one or two jobs. <S> Second, who says you're going to have only one career? <S> Pick one of the things you're most passionate about right now, and delve into it. <S> 5-10 years of working experience later, maybe you decide that you don't actually like abstract research and want to get to something more hands on (or vice versa). <S> But one thing you might want to consider right now is, how much education do you want to get? <S> For software engineering a simple 4-year bachelor degree is likely going to be quite sufficient, but for neurology and especially physics <S> some post-graduate education might be necessary. <S> Will the difference in salary, type of work, or etc. <S> be worth the time and money for getting the additional education? <S> Finally, I should think that the particular combination of neurology, physics, computer software, and computer engineering do indeed meld into a specific career field: Robotics. <S> This is a very active field these days, both academically and commercially. <A> Sure, just get a job a CERN as the psych doctor that implements new technology. <S> But seriously. <S> Which is <S> most fun?To avoid the issue of over-specializing I would probably tend more towards Software Engineering & Computer Engineering as this field is huge and just growing bigger all the time and the demand is massive and the pay is good too. <S> Mind you, I'm a programmer. <S> Physics and Neurology are likely to be more limiting in terms of career options. <S> You may have a lot less choice in location and pay. <S> You may also be more at the whim of government funding (or not). <S> You're longer term career may also be negatively impacted by technology development.
| Try to find which you enjoy the most personally. Check out if your university has any robotics hobby groups that'd let you dip your toes in to see what the field's like.
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Why would people make interviewees and clients wait to meet with them, even if they're available right away? There's two people in my office who get a fair number of people visiting them. One of them has clients coming to visit them, and the other is often performing job interviews. Every time, regardless of how busy they are or they aren't, they always make the person coming for the meeting wait at least 5 minutes before greeting them. Even if they person is on time, early, or late. This really bugs me, because I hate being kept waiting when I'm on time. And I know that sometimes they do this artificially. Because I'm actually in the office I can see them just pretending to fiddle with papers, or finish reading whatever blog/news article/comic/whatever. Is this something that should bug me? Is it common? Is this some sort of power play? Are they playing good cop/bad cop? Making them sweat for some reason? Should I bring it up with them? We're all on a similar heirachy level, so they're not my manager, but I work in a technical role and they work in managing the company. <Q> This is not about etiquette but it is a rather simple way to show who is in charge and show who has control. <S> It can also be used to make a person more nervous. <S> But in general it is a rather bad way especially if they do it with your colleagues as well. <S> If they don't do it to you I would not confront them but ask them for their reasons and try to understand their mindset. <S> But if it bothers you (and I assume it does as you asked here) talk to them in a non-confronting way and try to bring up some rational points why it is bad behavior <S> (e.g. technical interviewees get a bad impression and won't follow up as there is a high demand for them) <A> Imposing a wait is just one of a series of strategies used for guaging a potential hire's suitability. <S> The most classic, of course, are off-topic/odd questions. <S> But other strategies include requiring interviewees to be doing something with their hands while answering questions (I've been required to play with some clay/playdoh and shuffle then sort a deck of cards on separate occasions), forced waiting, and food (bringing a bowl of crackers/pretzels to an interview, placing them in center of table, and paying attention to whether interviewee just takes some, asks if they can take some, or ignores it completely). <S> All of these help interviewers to get insights about the things people can't put on resumes. <S> Personality, attitude, patience, level-headedness... <S> None of those can be easily (or believably) expressed on a resume. <S> If they're terse and somewhat ruffled, then they are very impatient/have a very high opinion of themselves. <S> If they're fine, then they're probably much easier to get along with. <S> It's mostly to bring out the subconscious tendencies, as some of the most unpleasant and annoying individuals can memorize their resumes and ace interviews, however it is far harder to suppress subconscious behaviors. <A> I've worked at firms where we sometimes penalized interviewees who arrived too early (e.g. 20-30 minutes). <S> Even for some interviewees who timed things the right way, there was still a waiting period imposed. <S> Say, 10 minutes. <S> The point was to test them interviewee a bit. <S> There was a psychological component in demonstrating that we were in control. <S> I asked about it once, and was told that it's part of the process to throw the interviewee "off their game". <S> And the delays were absolutely artificial as well... <S> so it was just a game. <A> Artificial delays and games are childish if there is no purpose other than the demonstration of power. <S> While there can be reasons for delaying someone to evaluate their reaction or to review information prior to the meeting, doing it simply to demonstrate who is in charge would strike me as a red flag. <S> I wouldn't want to work for someone who is so insecure in their position that they need to play games to feel like they're in charge. <S> Nor would I want to give my business to someone who tries to appear busy when they aren't. <S> I think the one conducting interviews is far more likely to have a valid reason (seeing how the interviewee reacts) than the one meeting clients (demonstrating that you're important and busy strikes me as petty). <S> Since it bothers you and they're in a management role, you could ask them in order to learn their reasons. <S> They may have good reasons and, as long as you ask in the right way, they will likely feel it is a compliment that you're asking to learn from them. <S> If it's about establishing power relationships, you will just have earned "points" by indicating you know they're more powerful or important than you are. <A> All this pathetic personality testing often from smart engineers who score -10 on working with each other. <S> Argh. <S> School is over folks. <S> testing against your peers is over. <S> it's time to focus on working with a variety of people and personalities instead of competing against them. <S> Once you start dissecting personalities like this you're focusing on the wrong stuff and <S> you're not making half the effort to get along yourself. <S> Never substitute a direct question with this sort of personality 'test'. <S> If you want the answer to a direct question try just bluntly asking it first. <S> You'll tell a lot more from the answer even if subconsciously you're not sure why. <S> You'll also be setting the stage for an HONEST relationship. <S> The other approach isn't exactly fostering the beginning of a great relationship. <S> imho of course!
| Making someone wait a bit can tell you alot about their personality, depending on how they act in the subsequent interview.
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Quitting an exploitative job My best friend is working in a small firm (approx 20-30 people) which has recently gone under change in management. The new partner/director treats employees like hell & has clear ideology of treating employees like his personal servants because he pays them. They have salary issues as well and most of the time the cheques are passed well after 15-20th of every month (add to it the delay in in-cashing the cheque) since the last few months. My friend and his colleagues were also tricked into signing a three month notice period contract by one of the directors (who was running the company solely before the new guy came in) by stating as requirement for some big contract that they were supposed to get. Recently one of the person from the company quit after notice but he still hasn't received all his dues. Now how can a situation like this be handled properly. If he quits by serving a notice period, there is a high chance he would end up losing some of his salary. If he quits immediately after getting a month's salary he would end up losing some salary amount (considerably less) of the current month but he won't get his relieving / experience letter which he would have to explain to every single company that he may interview with. This person is really talented & handles a lot of responsibilities at this place and I'm sure that the company will not be ready to relieve him early and will be forced to serve the full notice period. <Q> This is definitely a case of know your legal system. <S> Here in the US, the terminology and rules are bit different than what ChrisF writes of the UK. <S> But we do have a system for guaranteeing pay and covering employees who give notice. <S> Knowing what you are legally obligated to do and what the company can be forced to provide is the key to this one. <S> Also - I would think that even with a 3 month notice obligation, your friend could leave the company if his pay is not provided in a timely manner. <S> No one is required to work for free. <S> This is an area where I'd check local law - because if an employee stops getting paid, in most cases, the return obligations - like giving notice - are also no longer applicable. <S> If I were him, I'd investigate the law first and when giving notice have a sit down with the management (whoever will be on the hook for meeting the terms of his contract with them) and explain the concern that there have been several cases of pay problems, and that he wants to avoid this <S> or he'll follow the procedures provided for by law <S> and he should be ready to elaborate. <S> In some cases, employers don't know the law, either, so realizing the nature of what they are obligated to do may be a surprise to them. <S> Judging by your profile, I'm guessing you're in India. <S> I won't go into US law, then - <S> but I will say that I know the norms of quitting and giving notice are very different from India to the US. <S> I have a number of friends there, and it seems the standards for both employee treatment and employer notice are very different than in the US or UK - <S> so it's well worth checking out the rules in your locale. <A> The proper procedure is to play by the rules. <S> This is especially important when the other party doesn't or is threatening not to. <S> This way there can be no doubt as to who is the injured party and who is the offender. <S> Your friend should hand in their notice and work the three months required, unless their employer tells them to leave early. <S> If they do get asked to leave early make sure they get it in writing - <S> an e-mail should be OK. <S> You should either print it out or forward it to a personal address <S> so you have a record of it. <S> In the UK there are industrial tribunals and (possibly) small claims courts for this sort of thing. <S> Usually the threat of such action is enough for the employer to pay up. <S> Regarding the reference - in the UK <S> all the old employer is legally obliged to provide is a record of when the employee worked for them. <S> Questions such as "would you employ this person again?" are ignored. <S> If your friend does everything "by the book" then there shouldn't be a problem with this. <S> Any failure to provide necessary references will reflect badly on the old employer not your friend. <A> Most of the work contracts do not mention exact dates for salary credit and it is generally not considered an acceptable ground to quit without relieving documents. <S> More and more companies in India are opting to use longer notice periods as a general method of retention which IMHO is failing big time as it leads to employee frustration. <S> Companies expect people to join immediately while at the same time having extended notice periods for their own employees. <S> My suggestion is to wait till the next paycheck and then resign by dropping an email. <S> The email should be generic and not include any exact details about serving a notice period but more about the intention to resign and a need to discuss on the same. <S> After the email he can discuss with the management on an informal note giving some alternative reason like quitting for further studies at some other location, or family moving to a new place, . <S> This way he can propose a sense of urgency while also putting an impression that he is not switching jobs but quitting for other purposes. <S> This might help him negotiate the notice period them and also by reminding about the gentlemen's agreement that they had at the time of signing the 3 month notice contract. <S> Once they reach a mutual agreement he can then drop another email as part of the same thread stating the conclusion of the discussion suggested by the previous email and also get a confirmation from the management side. <S> Now the only question is how references would end up for the new job. <S> Is it acceptable to mention about your equation with the top management of your previous company to your new potential employer?
| If their salary isn't paid then they should be prepared to take the company to court to recover the lost money.
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Is it too early to take a vacation day after only seven months? I've been working at a software development firm since January. It's my first job out of college. The last few months have been particularly busy for me (50+ hour weeks) and I'd like to take maybe a Monday off so I can take a three day weekend at some point soon. Is it inappropriate to begin thinking about vacation at this juncture? I have more than enough PTO saved up, I just don't want to cause any trouble with my employer. So far they seem to be pretty flex about working hours. Since I'm just a junior developer I don't know how it would look. <Q> Just ask; you're often expected or even required to take a portion of your vacation days within the year you earn them (in the US/UK anyway). <S> Asking for vacation 7 days after starting would be a little awkward. <S> If you're concerned about how it looks, check with your boss that the time is okay. <S> Check your department calendar first to make sure you're not asking when half the department is off. <S> Your only concerns here should be: 1. <S> Do I have days I can take off? <S> 2. <S> Can I do it without disrupting my department more than necessary? <S> I was in about this exact situation, but it was pretty obvious taking vacation in your first year <S> was okay; we actually are only able to carry over up to 3 days of vacation time, so I had to take those vacation days! <S> Ask your Payroll or Human Resources department for what their policy of that is. <S> Bottom line is, if HR/Payroll gave you vacation days, they gave you them for a reason. <S> Any good manager understands that time off is important for productivity, and that's not only true for those who have been at the company for a long time. <A> Check the HR policies to see the procedure. <S> I still know of a few companies/contracts that have a requirement to fill out a request form in advance. <S> They expected this for vacation, but you were allowed to fill out the forms when you returned if it was sick leave. <S> The fact you used the term PTO (paid time off) means that it is mixture of vacation and sick. <S> They expect that a one day event might have little or no notice. <S> One place I worked <S> I told them I was going to take the kids to the amusement park on the first nice day next week. <S> Nobody had a problem with it. <S> So first check the procedure, then check the shared calendar, then email your boss/team members. <S> This is the same procedure you will follow when you need to miss time for a doctors appointment, or if you need to settle on a house, or some other inflexible event that will take more then a few hours. <S> Because the OP has flexible working hours, if the PTO balance was small you could makeup some hours by working longer days during the same pay period. <S> That can be a good way to minimize the impact of a dentist appointment, but doesn't help when the vacation is supposed to relax you. <A> Book your time off now, 7 months is plenty of time. <S> In Australia and Europe you get about 20 days of holidays per year. <S> After 7 months you should have accumulated over 10 days - two weeks off. <S> BRW. <S> 50+ hour weeks for a junior developer for an extended period time is bad.
| After 7 months, probably not.
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Should I send a "thank you" email to a colleague in the same office? I was temporarily relocated to a different location by my company and people at the new location have helped me to set everything up. I interrupted one colleague a couple of times because of minor questions (e.g., how do I connect to this printer? Who is responsible for this and that? May I get a different keyboard and so on). Sometimes, I would walk back to my office and make use of whatever information he gave me. I'd then like to thank him, but I don't really want to interrupt him again. Should I send a short "thank you" email although he is just a couple of steps away? Or just mention it the next time I see him? <Q> If you are saying "thank you" verbally at the end of your conversations, there is no need to send an email once you get back to your office. <S> If you're not saying "thank you" verbally at the end of your conversations, you should start. <S> If one person in the office goes above and beyond the call of duty in helping you get settled in, you may want to bring in a token of appreciation for him once you're all settled in. <S> It should generally be relatively inexpensive-- <S> the gesture is the important part. <S> Cookies, cupcakes, a gift card to the local coffee shop, etc. are common choices depending on the recipient. <A> I send thank you emails all the time (at least three so far this week). <S> If someone has helped me, I want it on record for them. <S> It makes people feel good to be appreciated. <S> If you write the thank you, it is something they can use in their performance evals to show what a fine and stalwart employee they are. <S> I certainly mention the number of thanks yous I get in my eval. <S> If someone goes out of his or her way to help (or the help was critical on a high priority project that the client is particularly interested in), I send the email to his or her boss as well. <S> We have an awards program that we can submit such things to as well <S> and I make frequent use of it (although that is overkill for someone helping you get set up). <S> Thanking people this way has helped me have good relationships with my co-workers and makes them more likely to want to help me the next time I need it. <S> It would be a rare case indeed where someone would not be pleased to get a written thank you. <A> It is never a bad practice to be polite, and to thank people for their help. <S> Politeness is an underrated thing in the workplace. <S> A big reason some people leave an otherwise good position is because of feeling unappreciated. <S> Your acknowledgement of this person's help is good for the helper, and spreads good will for you, the helpee. <S> Whether you feel it merits a small gift (as others have said), or just an email is up to you. <A> Say it in person. <S> That's generally the best way to go about things like this. <S> Or, if it's just the people in your section of the office in general, go out and pick up a dozen bagels from dunkin donuts or someplace like that, and bring them with you in the morning. <S> In Philadelphia, it's generally soft pretzels, but the idea is the same. <A> He is two steps away <S> but he might as well be two million miles away if he tied up on a critical task. <S> When somebody is tied up on a critical task, the last thing you want to do is interrupt his train of thought, even to say "thank you" - I don't want to be interrupted either. <S> Be a pal and send him the email, so that he can read it whenever it's convenient to him i.e. uninterrupted. <A> For simple tasks, a "thank you" or "thanks" after the info should be enough. <S> To some degree this is expected of them. <S> But if someone really goes out of his/her way to help you out and you feel you want to acknowledge that, then I would try to do a public thanks. <S> For example; If you have a team/department meeting, you might ask to say something and thank everyone for helping you get settled "... and especially thanks to X who took the time to help me understand system Y, without you I would have been lost. <S> Thanks" . <S> This way others, presumably including his boss, will hear how helpful he has been.
| If you feel like thanking people for their help, do it.
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Protocol for Adding people on Linkedln Is it unreasonable to add a person on linkedln that interviewed you? I want to add a person who did a phone interview with me. Is this seen as a bad gesture? <Q> It's very normal and very common. <S> It's become an acceptable and public way to check someone out in more detail and vica-versa. <S> It communicates a "I'm still quite interested in the job after the call". <S> It's frequently seen as providing immediate references (including actual recommendations on linkedIn) and many folks can create resume's there too. <A> I think you want to play it by ear, and take refusal with a grain of salt. <S> Some companies advise against such links to insulate hiring managers from the expectation of followup after the interview. <S> Others don't care or may even encourage the link. <S> Conversely, I'd advise against doing it just because you had an interview - because it's pretty likely that in 3 years you won't have any idea who these people were, or why they mattered - and <S> LinkedIn is really geared towards sustaining professional connections... <S> If you'd prune your connection tree of this guy if you don't get the job, I'd say don't invite in the first place. <S> If you think that 3 months down the line, you'd want to read a status update from him - then go for it. <A> As an interviewer I would not be a fan of this. <S> My feeling is that LinkedIn is a way to form a network of trusted colleagues. <S> After one interview I am not really a colleague of yours and certainly haven't formed a trust relationship. <S> It would seem to me a bit awkward. <S> I would not hold it against you in terms of the interview process, but I would not accept the invite.
| If you had a good rapport with the person, if they stuck out to you as particularly worth keeping contact with - then give it a shot, but don't be upset if you get ignored.
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In an exit interview, (how) do I tell my manager about my replacement's lack of skills? I'm a software engineering co-op that's finishing my term in the next few days. I've worked solo on a decently sized project that seems to have garnered some interest from my co-workers. I really like this team and my manager. I'm leaving because I have to go back to school, no bad blood and a few hints at a possible full time position. About 2 months ago, my replacement co-op was hired, and we worked together so I could catch him up to speed. For context, he's from a nearby University and has had 2-3 times as much schooling as me (4 years as CS versus my 1.5 years as CE). I've served as a shield from the rest of the team, taking most of his questions, but when I'm gone, he'll be going to the rest of them. They all have real work to do, and can't spend hours a day explaining what inheritance, XML, or character escaping is. I don't want to just dump the new guy on them, but I'm not sure what I can do. Significant language barriers exist between him and me, and a lot of the questions come from my comments and documentation not translating well into his own language (he's not fluent in English). But even accounting for those barriers, he still has a long way to go before he can be useful. Shotgun/voodoo programming seems to be his thing, etc. My manager hired this co-op over someone I had recommended, and was the 10th pick or so. My question: My exit interview is coming up with my manager. Should I bring up my concerns about my replacement co-op? And if so, how? <Q> If your goal is to be helpful to the company, I would suggest that the manager assign the new Co-Op a new mentor. <S> I would let him know that he is coming along but still has lots of questions. <S> This may feel like throwing one of your co-workers under the bus <S> but it could help them in the end. <S> I would rather see the mess being made and try and do something than wait till the mess is there and have to fix it. <S> You mentioned in comments that this is a favorite pick of your manager. <S> So putting a good spin on it should be most helpful all around. <S> If you just want to give the manager a heads up... <S> it is too late. <S> You are leaving, and if you had complaints about this person the time to voice them was when the problems occured. <A> Unless s/he asks your opinion about the new co-op, let it go and don't say anything . <S> This is because: Negativity in exit interviews can come across as self-serving. <S> If I was your manager, I might be thinking that you are correct, but I might also think that you are seeking to burnish your image before leaving. <S> If he doesn't know what to do and how to do it, what can the manager do? <S> He's already got the replacement lined up. <S> He can't fire somebody because another co-op says that there might be an issue with the quality of work. <S> If this manager is the person who hired the new co-op, then by you introducing your knowledge of that person's incompetence, you also reveal that you know that the boss made a bad decision. <S> Bosses don't like it when co-ops know that they made bad decisions. <S> If the co-op truly isn't up to snuff, it will become apparent immediately. <S> It might be just what the new co-op needs, to get up to speed. <A> Yes, you should. <S> In an honest and straightforward way. <S> Do remember to keep it as factual as possible, although some of opinions is likely unavoidable. <S> This is valuable piece of feedback for any reasonable manager. <S> If you bring it as your concern (as in the question) you also show that you care about the org. <S> A thing you should likely avoid is advising the manager what to do. <S> Unless they ask you that is. <S> Actually, even if the manager, who hired your co-op, reacts negatively for your honest feedback you still win -- you learn much about the manager and the workplace. <S> In such case, personally, I wouldn't consider working for the org. <S> I don't like working for people who can't admit they made a mistake. <A> Because this coop was hired over your recommendation, I think anything negative you say will be taken as sour grapes over having not chosen your friend.
| That said, if asked, you could say that you think the new coop is going to find the work very challenging and leave it about there.
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Should I be flexible or decisive if asked when I'm available for an interview? I am a recent graduate. I have been going to a lot of interviews lately (software development), and I've noticed that interviewers rarely give you a specific date they want to arrange the interview on (unless it's an assessment day). This gives me two options: Request an interview at a specific date - appearing more dominant. Say something like "Any time next week is fine, I'm happy to workaround your schedule" - appear more flexible. Both stances could be seen as positive or negative, but which would be considered a better general approach and why? <Q> Flexibility doesn't really matter. <S> You don't work for them and you haven't made any commitment to them, so they don't expect you to be able to accommodate anything at any time for them. <S> Just because you're too busy with other things to be completely open to any time they suggest doesn't mean you'll be too busy with other things to do your job once you're hired. <S> Their job, or at least part of it, is to interview candidates to hire someone. <S> Name an interview time that is convenient for you, and they will make time for it. <S> If it does conflict with something important that can't be rescheduled, they will let you know and ask for an alternate time. <S> If there are a lot of things on their calendar that would get in the way, they'd let you know that those times aren't possible. <S> If they are asking you to specify a date you'd like to come in, they are expecting you to answer with a date. <A> I can't think of one interview <S> I've ever been on where the person scheduling the interview was the person doing the interview. <S> If you're a morning person and they have 3 openings where only one is in the morning, your best bet is to ask for that appointment. <S> Honestly, though, they wouldn't give you the option to select a date/time if the date and time really mattered. <S> My advice: Don't read too much into the details of stuff like this. <A> I highly doubt this matters at all. <S> You should foremostly look at your schedule. <S> Often times the recruiter doesn't even sit-in to the interview and just arranges the interviews. <S> I would try to choose a time-slot where you are comfortable with, e.g. if you are not a morning person, don't suggest 8-10 <S> but something later. <A> Most companies expect to have to spread the interviews over a few days or a few weeks. <S> If you were still in school they would realize that class requirements can trump interview times. <S> If you are currently in another job they realize that you have commitments to the other job. <S> If you are unemployed, they realize you might have other interviews. <S> Once you agree to a interview time, don't switch it, especially because a more desirable option wants to interview you. <S> You have no idea before an interview which one has a better chance of offering you the position. <S> Picking a date/time is a simple negotiation, but it is not a test. <A> It's likely that "any time is fine" for them as it is for you. <S> So selecting a date and time is indeed a hassle, albeit trivial, that they don't want to bother with! <S> And so the happy medium between your two options is probably to suggest 2-3 specific dates and allow them to pick.
| In general, if they have a range of open dates/times, I try to select one optimally around my schedule and personality. It's unlikely that the people actually doing the interview scheduling are going to care whether you appear dominant or flexible.
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What should I do if I suspect someone is intoxicated? Let's assume the following scenario. One early morning, at work, you walk to the coffee maker to refill your coffee mug. When you get over to the coffee maker, two individuals are there talking. Based off of the strong smell in the general area, it is quite evident that one of these individuals has been consuming alcohol. Furthermore, let's assume that one of them works on a plant floor and operates heavy machinery which is quite dangerous. What should you do in such a circumstance? If both of these individuals were office workers, it might be worth forgetting since you're not sure who the individual is who may have been drinking. However, there is a chance that one of the two could be putting themself and others in serious danger, due to the nature of their job. You would never want to accuse someone of committing such a serious offense without reasonable proof. This one is a bit of a sticky wicket. Could anyone offer any guidance? <Q> Personally, I'd take the flak and go for speed over anonymity. <S> But I've always had a good rapport with HR and at this point <S> , I'm a manager... <S> so that may bias me. <S> I'd go in this order: <S> direct supervisor Human resource representative plant safety (if there is such a thing?) <S> escalating chain of management <S> Depending on who is easily accessible and who responds quickly. <S> I wouldn't do it like a panicked fire drill, but with some sense of urgency - and in ways that can't be ignored - in person or by phone -- <S> email only as a last resort. <S> My thought is that the political issues of blowing the whistle on a coworker are vastly outweighed by the bad case of someone getting hurt because of this guy. <S> After getting the message through to someone in charge, however, I'd let it go and trust the system (at least the first time). <S> By "getting through" I mean that you get the feedback that the message was received (like you talked in person, or got a follow up phone call saying "thanks, got it"). <S> For the record, there are legitimate medical conditions in which someone can end up smelling like alcohol. <S> I believe diabetes (if not managed properly) is such a case... <S> but I think there are others. <S> The management and/or HR should have a procedure for following up that takes this into account and handles the situation properly. <S> Of course, that's an idealized world... <S> NOTE: <S> My answer would change in the event you, yourself, are a manager. <S> If you have reason to suspect a safety issue and you are a manager, you can be held liable in some cases for everyone's safety because of your position of authority. <A> Unfortunately I know this one from personal experience. <S> As pointed out by the other, this is way to dangerous to let it slide: <S> In many organizations it's known as "the nurse". <S> See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occupational_safety_and_health <S> They are specifically tasked with this sort of thing and you can call them directly. <S> They would have to make a determination whether the specific worker is fit or unfit for duty. <S> The call can also be treated anonymously (within reason). <S> If there is a pattern or a history of similar behavior, Occupational Health would typically know about and act accordingly. <S> On the other hand, any medical issues are highly confidential, so this also helps protecting the affected worker to some extend. <S> Occupational Health acts as a buffer between employees and the company. <S> IF you don't have an OH department, than you should start with a person you trust either in HR or within your management chain. <S> It's also a good idea to get a second opinion from someone who you trust who may have observed the same behavior. <A> Send an anonymous note to HR. <S> There is all kinds of liability here. <S> If it's anonymous, you won't have to deal with follow-up stuff, nobody will wait for you by your car after work with their baseball bats, and the company can deal with its liability issue. <S> If HR doesn't find cause to fire the guy/gal, then you've done your part and can sleep at night. <A> Alright, the lack of a union complicates this immensely. <S> They're the ones who can adequately judge if disciplinary actions should be taken, and normally will have discretion no matter what. <S> going to upper management is not a good plan, as it can really ruin someone's career/job. <S> Without a union present, however, you can only really report them to your HR department. <S> Try to do so anonymously, however. <S> Bad feelings can propagate quickly in a production plant, and that's never good. <A> Do you feel comfortable talking about this with someone empowered to take action (AKA a manager)? <S> (Do you believe that the manager will protect you from retribution or even reward you for your diligence?) <S> If yes, the answer is obvious report the unsafe condition, collect your reward, and be secure in the knowledge that there will be no retribution. <S> If no, the answer is also obvious, keep your mouth shut, look for a new job, and hope that <S> no accidents while you are on the floor. <S> If you don't feel comfortable reporting unsafe conditions, then who does. <S> There may be some hidden dangers - in addition to the stuff you see. <S> Someone else is aware but not reporting - just like you.
| A good union rep will send the worker home, and then keep a close eye on them from then on. At that point, you try to touch base with HR and then figure out how to talk to the guy. If you are in the US (or many other countries) and the company has a reasonable size, you should have a department called "Occupational Health". For posterity, if there was a union, you should speak to either the plant manager OR the union representative for the plant workers.
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How do I give someone realistic expectations when I am doing a project for free? I volunteered to produce an app for a non-profit for free. Before beginning the project, I researched already existing solutions. I am in the process of writing an email to summarise my findings. One of the already existing solutions is quite polished. I want them to be aware that if that decide to get me to produce an app, it mightn't be quite as polished. This wouldn't be because I'm not capable of it, but rather because it wouldn't be worth my time. I mean, polishing an app takes a large amount of time after its already perfectly functional and user friendly. I want them to be aware of all advantages and disadvantages of me building them an app, including this one. How can I communicate this clearly and professionally? <Q> Harlan Ellison explains it best; Never work for free! <S> (some NSFW language) , not even for non-profits, they are non-profits but they don't get electricity for free, their president doesn't work for free, none of their employees work for free, the cleaning staff don't work for free, etc. <S> Non-profit means they aren't in business to make a profit, but they do make money and they do have money to spend, how else would they be non-profit if they didn't spend what they took in? <S> In the USA, you can't take off free work for a non-profit on taxes either. <S> It is a lose-lose situation. <S> You lose your peers lose, and you dilute the value of the market for your peers! <S> Never work for free! <S> They will take advantage of you, you will eventually realized you have lost thousands of dollars and quit, and they will find some other sucker and use you as an example of so <S> and so did all this for free <S> , you should take it up and continue working on it for free . <S> Like I said, everyone loses, even the non-profit; because they get what they paid for, no one will really put any priority on something they are working on for free. <S> There is extensive discussion about this on programmers.stackexchange.com and really old questions ( that are off topic now that Programmers exists ) on Stack Overflow. <S> Look there you will see the same answers by everyone. <S> Not working for free doesn't exclude you from not making a profit, it just excludes you from not charging something ( at least going rates ) to at least to break even. <S> But I think you already have decided on this "... because it wouldn't be worth my time ... <S> " is in your question. <A> I'd agree with Jarrod that you shouldn't work for free - if there are no consequences to asking you to put in more time, they will always ask you to put in more time. <S> So, a discounted rate would be more appropriate, but it's all water under the bridge. <S> Be up front about not planning on making it pretty. <S> You've allocated a certain amount of time and I would suggest that you let them decide whether they want all the functionality you're proposing or if they want less functionality and more polish . <S> I suspect they will opt for functionality (and later ask you or someone else to polish it). <S> It's even possible that if you give them an option of "more polished" at a specific hourly rate, they will choose to pay you instead of getting "less polished" for free. <A> If an app exists in the Market that does what they need <S> Either:A) <S> Recommend they purchase THAT appB) <S> Purchase the App our self and Donate it to the Org Building <S> it will cost YOU more than what they (or you) would spend on the app.m <S> Plus they would get a better App with better support. <S> (I completely disagree with above sentiments to never work for free.) <S> http://shouldiworkforfree.com/ <A> When I do projects for friends/family/organizations I let them know up front what I will provide, and what my offer does not include. <S> I will write up a document that itemizes the deliverables I intend to provide. <S> I also try to itemize those things commonly asked for that are not included. <S> These include ongoing support, maintenance, changes, and new functionality. <S> I usually include an hourly rate that I am willing to perform these functions for. <S> I also enumerate how these ongoing activities must be requested. <S> I am on the <S> do not work for free bandwagon. <S> That does not mean that you need to make income. <S> A small fee that the group commits to paying <S> helps ensure that your efforts are not discarded after you complete them. <S> You can always donate the fee back to the group afterward. <S> The same goes for ongoing changes. <S> Let them commit to paying for the service you provide to protect yourself from having your generosity abused. <A> Non-profits tend to pay contractors MORE than similarly-sized for-profit organizations. <S> After all, at a for-profit place, the money they pay you hurts them in the end. <S> At a non-profit, the money they pay you can't exist in their accounts in the end. <S> Thus, non-profits tend to invest heavily in their people, sending them to trainings/conventions/etc and putting huge upgrades into their office space. <S> Contractors can make out quite nicely, if they can deliver a good product. <A> There is absolutely nothing wrong with working for free if you want to help out an organization you believe in. <S> You should however keep track of your hours and expenses. <S> The expenses are tax-deductable if the org has 501c3 status and you get a tax receipt from them (assuming USA here). <S> It is good for them because it can help them to get matching contributions. <S> It might be good for you as well if subsequent work you do for this non-profit can be paid for by a sponsor (and that might be tax-deductable for sponsor, I think). <S> As for expectations, why should it be different than work for any other client? <S> Agree to expectations (timeline, deliverables, etc) in advance and do your best to stick to the agreement. <S> It really is no different.
| That said, when you've agreed to do a project, regardless of what you're being paid or not paid, let the customer know what to expect and when. Never Work For Free! In general, the org should know the actual value of what they are receiving.
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If you must report incriminating information about a 3rd party to HR, should you do so anonymously? If you noticed improper behavior at work, ranging from petty theft of office supplies to deliberate, willful manipulation of a company's financial statement, and you decided to report it to HR, should you do so anonymously ? <Q> Remember that you can always claim an anonymous tip after the fact, but you cannot remove your name from it once given. <S> IT's safer to do things anonymously, and be willing to put your name on it later if need <S> be (as in <S> , you report an exec for misconduct, HR wishes to press charges, but have no actual witnesses/evidence). <A> There are a few things that affect the decision you choose <S> Is the problem something you want to simply report and say you've done your duty, or is it something where you want to be sure action is taken? <S> How HR handles it from there is up to them. <S> However if you want to ensure action is taken, it is better to report in person. <S> An anonymous tip can often be disregarded as someone just out to cause trouble, and does not have the same credibility as someone risking their reputation and possibly job to make the same claim in person. <S> How confident are you in your HR Manager's ability to keep a secret? <S> Every HR manager I have worked with has been really good about keeping secrets, even when their boss asks. <S> Just be sure you specifically tell HR that you want to keep your name confidential, as they might not immediately assume that is the case. <S> If you have a valid reason for doubting their ability to keep a secret and you want to do more than just report the problem and be done with it, then I'd suggest reporting anonymously. <S> It would be best if you give them an opportunity to ask you questions, such as calling in person from a payphone or using a non-identifying email account, instead of simply doing something like leaving a letter on their desk. <S> How serious is the crime? <S> If it is something likely to attract a federal (or state) investigation, it is possible the HR manager will be forced to give up your name, regardless of what they'd prefer to do. <S> If this is a possible scenario, you may want to report anonymously just because you can't be forced to share information you do not have. <S> But these cases are pretty rare. <A> With something like theft from the company, I'd use a payphone from outside the building to report anonymously to HR. <S> Even though every large company I've worked for has had a stated policy of not harassing whistleblowers, I'd never want to test that policy by letting the reporting get traced back to me. <S> The fact that a company WANTS to do the right thing doesn't mean that everyone in the chain will actually DO the right thing. <S> You have no idea what inter-office politics might get triggered by the report, so anonymous reporting lets you not be in the target zone if the whole thing blows up. <A> Most big companies have an anonymous 3rd party managed whistleblower phone number and/or email address. <S> If that exists, I would use it. <S> If it doesn't, I would determine how important it is to me. <S> Stealing office supplies is petty and not worth the trouble. <S> Cooking the books is. <S> I would report those directly, after updating my resume. <A> There are times where reporting anonymously is not possible or the best course of action. <S> This is to protect yourself. <S> There have been several cases where the person reported it ended up being blamed as the person responsible for the wrong numbers. <S> If you can document that as soon as you found the problem you came forward <S> it can help protect you from being blamed for someone else's crimes. <S> In the investigation it is possible that it will come out that you had knowledge of the crime. <S> Being the one to bring it forward can protect you, though I would engage a lawyer immediately to be sure. <S> Further if there are victims of the crime you have a responsibility to those victims to stand as a witness for them. <S> This may or may not be a legal obligation <S> but it is a moral responsibility. <S> The consequences of accusations like these are serious so they should not be made lightly. <S> But when doing so it is more likely to be in your best interest to do so in a way that protects you when it goes sideways. <S> When criminal activity is involved it nearly always does. <A> In some cases you have an obligation to report adverse information to a security officer or compliance officer. <S> If the people involved are working on government contracts not reporting the situation can cause major problems. <S> The longer the problem goes on the bigger the penalty, and you might get swept up into it if anybody knows you could have reported it. <S> Big companies in the US have ways of protecting whistle blowers, small companies may not fully understand the laws. <S> Government agencies have an Inspectors general. <S> Some companies have an ombudsman. <S> These organizations are insulated from the rest of the organization. <S> An anonymous phone call or note slipped under the door won't be enough to guarantee action, you will have to give contact information.
| If you're reporting just because you feel it is the "right" thing to do, then an anonymous tip is a good way to do so without getting involved in the whole process. If you are reporting problems with financial numbers or criminal activity then you should do so in a way that it is documented that you are bringing the problem forward.
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Presenting open source development during a resume-gap? Say one has an extended leave of absence from the workforce as a software engineer. During that time, over a period of time, one makes a series of non-trivial contributions to an open-source project, as they wish to keep their skills current. As there would otherwise be a significant gap between the most recent employer and the current time, is it suitable and appropriate to list it in the "Experience" section alongside past paid employers, so long as the experience is not mis-construed? Would an employer find it misleading? Should it instead be relegated to a "hobbies" section later in the resume? How can it best be presented to be both truthful and flattering to the person submitting the resume? <Q> If the volunteer work that you did for the open source project relates to the work you are applying for, by all means, include it. <S> Just make sure you are crystal clear that it was a volunteer position. <S> Having volunteer work on your resume between employment gaps demonstrates that you are the type of person who uses her time wisely, and an employer will (or should) appreciate your demonstrated desire to continue to learn new things and keep your skills up to date. <S> My suggestion is to include it in a section titled "Employment/Volunteer Work" so that you can show a chronological breakdown of where this fits in. <S> When I applied for my first job, I was volunteering at a local FreeGeek . <S> I listed this on my resume to show the time that elapsed between graduating from college and applying for the job. <S> I received an offer 4 days after my interview. <S> By the way, I'd leave out hobbies. <S> If it doesn't apply to the position, don't put it on the resume. <S> Think about the last time you had a pile of paperwork to go through, or something that involved finding a needle in a haystack. <S> You are the needle, so make sure the recruiter only sees relevant information. <S> Good luck! <S> I just read your bio, and you are freaking awesome! <S> I especially enjoyed reading about the Twister game you made as a kid. <S> I'm not sure you can put that on the resume, but it's a cool story ;) <A> It should definitely be on the resume, assuming it's significant and extended over time. <S> Recruiters want to know that there's a reasonable explanation for a gap, and they want a feeling that you were proactive during the gap. <S> That's why behavioral interviewing is so popular now: how you have acted in the past and how you act now is how you are going to act if they hire you. <S> Making significant contributions to a reasonably complex open source project over a period of time is a sign that you love to program, you're reasonably good at it, you can work with a team, and you made time to keep your skills up instead of moping around the house and playing video games. <S> (I was 6 months between jobs recently. <S> Not a long time, but the first time in my career <S> and I got a lot of good advice during that time and talked to recruiters and learned a lot about the interviewing process and what they think.) <A> List the leave of absence right in the employment section and include details on the reason for the leave (if appropriate) and what you did during the leave. <S> If you had planned on taking time off, you can call it a leave of absence. <S> I would certainly mention that during this time you made significant contributions to open source projects (assuming they were significant). <S> List URLs of the projects and any quantifying info would be helpful (tickets, lines, etc.) <A> Do not discount the significance of side-projects, or other between-jobs work. <S> If anything, this will likely be a huge boon to your job search. <S> It shows you have been practicing your skill, that you are an eager worker, and that you have the ability to collaborate with others on large-scale projects. <S> If anything, I would highlight these skills as much as your job experience - you might even feel inclined to reference the specific project, so that your prospective employers can look at it themselves to get an idea of what kind of coding you're capable of. <S> You should of course mention that it is Open-source <S> - it would be very poor form to claim sole ownership or even propriety of the project, but as long as you're clear about that, I see no downsides to including it on your resume.
| If you've been collaborating on open-source coding projects, and are seeking employment in a coding field, and you made significant contributions to those projects, it is very relevant to add it to your resume. If you were fired from a job or if you quit a job without having another job lined up, I think it would be misleading to call it a leave of absence.
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How do I represent career progression within a single company on a CV I started in a Company 5 years ago as a Service desk operative. Although I had a lot of experience in computer administration for many years, I was out of the "computer workplace" during college (fine art degree!) and a few years after. Due to my experience I rose up through the company quickly, and am now system administrator and Service team supervisor. The company is small, and don't "do" Job titles as such, although technical analyst is written on my contract. My question is, given that my role within the company has changed so dramatically, should I represent this as two separate entries on my CV (under work experience), or should I combine them into one, I would ideally like to show my progression, but I am worried someone speed reading the CV will see "service desk" and bin it instantly. <Q> To show you progression, you can list all of the different positions in reverse order, under one company. <S> This will put your latest role first, and the service desk role last for this entry - it will certainly show career progression, in particular within the company. <S> Listing each separate position along-side with the length of time you held it and the distinct responsibilities. <S> You can end each section with "Promoted to XXX, due to the following skills/competencies" (though that might be over egging it). <A> Just break things down into subheadings. <S> Company A Senior Widget Wrangler (2010-present) <S> Description... <S> Widget Wrangler (2008-2010) <S> Description... <S> Company B Help <S> Desk Operative (2007-2008) <S> Description... <A> For the more recent, technical positions list this first and also break this position down (with sub-headings) for projects. <S> For example; Installed new servers with.... <S> [details] <S> Streamlined 3 separate tracking sysems into one.... <S> Maintained user registrations system <S> 24x7... etc.
| Listed the positions separately and with the headings (font, style, size) looking like others resumes different companies. Rising through the ranks is a great way to show career progression, and you have a very good opportunity to shine a light on how much you have progressed.
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How to ask for an agreement about a side income I was working together with a freelancer on a project here in my company for about 18 months. As he had some knowledge, that no one here had, this work was very educational for me (and in certain cases for him). Interpersonal we got along very well. I mentioned in a Smalltalk, that I am interested in another technology, that we both do not master. I told him about my plans how I want to learn this. It came out, that he has a quite similar problem and offered me a side job, so that we both struggle through this new material in a team. We both know that, as being a newbie, a serious side income for me is not our focus. It will be more something like a “community study” with some participation fee. I am bound to indicate any side incomes to my employer. I have not seen any problems or conflicts for an agreement, because this new task would be a program in a health service environment and I am working in the industry. But as I talked to my boss, he looked somewhat puzzled. He said that he will not (and cannot) forbid this, because I just have to indicate this side income, but do not need an agreement from him. But he does not recommend this. He fears that there might be situations in future where others may ask if I always can separate these tasks or if I can prioritize my tasks in times of heavy workload and/or trouble. He explicitly mentioned that he does not think that this will ever be reality, but if I/he/whoever needs to start explaining about some rumors, this can lead to a bad taste and in a loss of reputation for me here in my company. Here is my dilemma: Learning this technology would complement my skills and widen my view for future projects. Working on a concrete project does significantly increase my knowledge. It won’t be possible to make a project here with this technology as there is nothing in sight soon. May be this will be interesting for this company in 2 to 7 years from now. But I want to become prepared and recommend myself for new projects. I want to keep on learning and not become rusty. I do not want to annoy my boss by just ignoring his recommendation. Our discussion is suspended and we want to talk about this on another day this week. How can I prepare myself for the next round in this discussion? Note: I tried to keep this question generic. For those who think it will be helpful to know more about the “new technology”: I am currently programming Windows applications (WPF). The project with the freelancer was a Silverlight application and we both want to learn HTML5/JavaScript. <Q> It sounds like both this side project and your current job are in the same industry, right? <S> If so, that may be the crux of the problem. <S> Company's vary considerably in their approach to freelance work, but in general, the closer your project comes to day to day work, the more jumpy a company will be. <S> Most people who work side projects or freelance have a way of clearly separating the work. <S> More and more, I see them avoiding the use of company resources in any way (use of personal computer, personal phone, personal software licenses, no work in the company's physical location, etc), and usually it's easy to make a distinction. <S> It becomes harder when you've built an app for an external use that borrows heavily from your problem domain knowledge on the job - where it becomes hard to separate something that might be company proprietary from the work you've done off the job. <S> For ease of use, I'd say learn the tools without working in your existing industry - either with a goofy side project that has little marketable value, or something so far from your day to day work life that you have little doubt that crossover is minimal. <S> If not that, then figure out an agreement with your boss where it's very, very clear what is the company's and what is the side projects, in particular use of ideas and business logic. <A> Just go for it. <S> You already talked to your boss and he said you don't need an agreement. <S> Don't press the issue and try to get one. <S> This will make you look bad as your boss explicitly told you, you don't have to get an agreement as he probably can't give you one anyway. <S> And don't take the concerns of your boss too seriously <S> , they are just a way trying you to give the company all your attention. <S> They are also just a safeguard mechanism to say look i told you, please go back to your work. <S> If you look at it from the point of your boss why would he encourage you to get a side-income? <S> You may find your new job/income much more interesting and leave or don't devote all your time to your existing job. <S> Btw. <S> don't work on company time on your side project, or use company resources like Fax, Phone, Time or e.g. Webservers or Noteobook. <S> This is a no-no and may result in IP/Copyright problems. <A> Please make sure any side-work or additional income is noted in writing. <S> Even though you've spoken to your boss, it would be good to ensure this is noted in your employee file if it ever comes up again. <S> E.g. you don't want the boss denying knowledge of your outside activities in the event something happens. <A> Sounds like your boss has decided to take a negative outlook on this from the start, which is a bit sad. <S> While it's a legitimate (and expected) concern that your side-project might interfere with your job duties, he doesn't seem to really give you any benefit of the doubt, flat out assuming that it will become an issue. <S> Anytime in the future when something slips or gets delayed that you are in any way involved in, he'll blame you and your side project. <S> If (when) that happens, you'll be well served if you have some way to show that you haven't been neglecting your duties.
| My advice, which might sound paranoid, is to carefully track and record time and effort spent on this side-project and your "real" job and a brief journal as well. There is no real reason to encourage you to do freelancing on the side.
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What kinds of questions should I ask a recruiter? When interviewing with the actual company, I can ask about all sorts of details such as benefits plans, what kind of software they use, vacation schedules, etc... When I'm dealing with a recruiter, I've tried to ask similar questions and get vague responses, or they don't know the answer (they're not the employer, after all). Often, they can't say much more than what's already on the job posting. I'm lucky if they seem to know about the company in more detail than what is already on that company's corporate website. How should I approach recruiters (in terms of interviewing with them) since it doesn't seem as though I can treat the situation the same way I would with an actual employer? Should I ask questions about their history as a recruiter? Should I ask about the firm they work for? What kind of payout they get for successful recruiting? <Q> If you're establishing a relationship with a recruiter, then the questions you want to ask should initially cover their representation of you: <S> Will you modify my resume without my approval? <S> Do I get final say on which opportunities I'm presented as a candidate for? <S> How does your firm source new candidates and new opportunities? <S> Do you present multiple candidates simultaneously for a position, or one at a time? <S> Can I speak with the account manager for each opportunity that you may present me for? <S> etc <S> Hopefully, when they bring you an opportunity, they have enough information about the company to help you decide if it's a good potential fit or not. <S> Most recruiting firms split responsibilities between Recruiters and Account Managers. <S> Recruiters source the bodies, Account Managers source the slots. <S> For each opportunity, you should be able to at least have a phone call with the Account Manager so that they can tell you what they know about the culture. <S> Be wary here, though, as they can be "Sales-y" and are obviously motivated to fill the position. <S> If you're being contacted out of the blue by a recruiter for a specific position, beyond the position details, I usually ask the following: <S> How did you get my information? <S> Why do you think I would be a good fit for this position? <S> I feel like these questions help me get a feel for the people I will be working with and <S> I can decide if they do business in a way that works for me. <A> There isn't much point in asking about benefits and such from a headhunter. <S> The headhunters are primarily concerned about salary. <S> Their pay is usually based the salary of the person they ultimately place. <S> You can ask the recruiter for references from other people they placed. <S> Another good thing to ask is if they deal with contracting, contract to perm or permanent positions. <A> Some general thoughts: 1 - Always be polite in your questions, don't come off as aggressive. <S> 2 - Ask for the company in question. <S> They may not give it up. <S> If there is no company in question, don't bother with the recruiter. <S> If the lead is real, but they can't give you the name, as for as much detail as you can so that you can infer the company. <S> ("What offices?" <S> "What business are they in?" <S> "Who do they compete with?") <S> 3 - Find out why they are going outside for the position in question. <S> 5 - Find out the strategic issues facing the client. <S> Point 2 is important, because it allows you to research the company on your own. <S> Point 3 and 4 tell you how to present yourself. <S> Point 5 tells you if the recruiter is actually tight with the company, and can tell you points to discuss in the interview. <S> Some recruiters are awful, but the good ones are worth their weight in gold to both parties. <S> Just remember that they work for the hiring firms. <A> Will you call me back if I don't get the job? <S> Have you ever placed anyone with this company? <S> What suggestions have you made to the company to make the job more attractive? <S> (Salary, benefits, flex-time, telecommuting opportunities, get over your disgust for body piercings). <S> You're right. <S> For the most part they don't have a clue. <S> In larger firms, you may not even get to talk to the person handling the account until you get a first or second interview. <S> Their main goal is to help people who know nothing about hiring technical people and/or saving the person doing the hiring from getting 500 emails and phone calls. <A> The recruiter is only adding value for you if they can put you forward for jobs that you otherwise don't have access to. <S> Therefore I don't really think it is necessary for you to evaluate them on any other basis than that - do they get you interviews for positions that interest you. <S> There is nothing stopping you from working with many recruiters at once and working with a "bad one" doesn't really impact you negatively, it just doesn't help you as much. <S> I think that recruiters should be able to quickly get the information you need to answer some of your basic questions on benefits, software environment, etc. <S> If they fake their way through it or claim they can't get the information then they are just being lazy. <S> I am usually on the "hiring manager" side of the equation and both myself and our internal HR department would be happy to give that information if required to the recruiter.
| The only place where it might get dicey is if you are asking specific guidelines around compensation, that is often a case by case basis and companies aren't comfortable with giving generalizations before getting deeper into the interview process. You can ask them about their process and the types of companies they deal with. 4 - Find out what they're looking for in a candidate.
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Is it normal to list contractors on a corporate website? A company that I previously worked for (full/part-time) is wanting to list me as a contractor on their website. I built the website originally and they wanted to have an area with a name and picture of all of their contract employees. I find this a bit uncomfortable and strange... is that just me? I feel as though if you're a contractor or freelance then the whole point is to avoid being tied to a business. Am I wrong in feeling this/not wanting myself to be listed? <Q> Isn't that why they're asking you? <S> Or is it more of a demand? <S> You have every right not to be listed there. <S> The choice is completely up to you whether or not you want to be associated with them or not (unless you signed a contract saying they could list you, in which case you should have read the contract). <S> Honestly, if I ever hired anyone to do something for me concerning my website, I would ask them if they wanted to be mention in the credits in some way. <S> It's just polite. <S> There's nothing wrong with them wanting to recognize you. <S> If you don't want to be listed, politely tell them that. <S> If the person refused, I'd probably just fill it in with something anonymous like "He Who Shall Not Be Named" just to tell people someone helped with this but didn't want to be mentioned. <A> Assuming the contractor and company have good reputations <S> it is a win-win situation. <S> They can associate themselves with known good contractors - helping their shareholders gain confidence in the company. <S> As a quid pro quo you get a free reference (after all, why would the company want your name up there unless they were happy with your work) <S> so you may be able to use this in future. <A> To answer the question: No it is not 'normal'. <S> It indicates that they want to maximise their marketing, advertising and public image through such efforts. <S> Most companies (in my experience) focus on their products and on contributions by current employees. <S> So it's not normal. <S> If you actually have no need for it yourself and no need for the visual reference for future work I would tend to be a little wary and maybe question that a bit more to see exactly where they are coming from. <S> If you don't want your personal information their (and a photo counts as that), let them know <S> and they'll probably comply. <S> If it was a real issue you could potentially take legal action but for your situation that's unlikely to be wanted, warranted or needed.
| As to my 'opinions' about it (what most other people are giving), I think it is fine if you are proud of the work and happily putting on your own resume and talking about it. For a lot of large corporates it is absolutely normal - it can work in your favour as well as theirs.
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Cover Letter for an experienced professional I'm looking for what should be in a cover letter for someone who has at least 5 years of experience in the field (software engineering). Should it focus more on previous education, specific projects I've worked on, be more general about myself or something else? If you could link to your own personal successful cover letter that would be best, otherwise samples or snippets are appreciated. <Q> If a cover letter has one goal it is grabbing attention of recruiters. <S> With a goal like this, there just can't be a single universal way of preparing it. <S> If you apply for a corporate job, you likely want to do nothing fancy. <S> Just highlight the strongest point of your career. <S> If you think about medium company (and many small ones as well) showing how your career is connected and your skills relevant to what the organization does is probably the best strategy. <S> Note: in cover letter you can show such things even if, in the context of your whole career, they aren't that significant. <S> If you try to get a job in a small company or a startup <S> and you know that they aren't wimps you may go creative and surprise them with your passion and involvement. <S> I remember Joel Spolsky's story about one of guys who redesigned whole area51 site to show his passion for the idea. <S> He ended up being hired (although I'm not sure if this was the goal). <S> If you apply to more creative company there are fewer boundaries as there are fewer expectations how "proper" cover letter should look like. <S> For example you definitely can, and should, allow yourself more when applying for a job in a creative agency than it you try to get a job in bank. <S> Finally, the more you know about a company you write to and the more you use this knowledge in a cover letter the better. <S> Also, arguably, you can get rid of a cover letter at all . <S> Many claims that recruiters don't read them, and this is true in many cases I know. <S> It's always sort of a balancing act -- how do you show your involvement, what are the best means to do so, and how much time you're willing to invest in it. <S> A cover letter may, or may not, be a right tool for you. <A> There's no consensus in terminology, so please consider my answer as "one of many". <S> Résumé is usually a static document which changes along with your career. <S> Cover letter should be individual per application . <S> Its primary intent is to tell the HR why you are eligible (and the best!) <S> candidate for the very position you are applying to , by polite highlighting only those of your expertises that worth more for a particular position. <S> There are opinions the HR would never read cover letters. <S> It is correct, because people write bad cover letters! <S> The main goal of cover letter is to save HR's time . <S> If you are not someone they are looking for, cover letter will provide with opportunity to quickly skip your résumé . <S> There's nothing bad in skipping. <S> You express kindness toward the HR, and you should expect kindness from them by keeping your résumé atop of the others for future use. <S> If you could link to your own personal successful cover letter that would be best A small sample. <S> Your CV tells jobs and projects you've been working for, you don't change it very often. <S> Say, you're applying to a Project Manager position in a company that makes XML-based tools for e-Learning industry , and you know their soft is written in .NET . <S> Your cover letter may contain something like: <S> • <S> My strongest technology is .NET <S> (C#, ASP.NET) <S> - <S> X years; • X years experience with XML , XSLT, XSL-FO and related technologies; <S> • ... <S> interest in languages <S> (X years Chinese, X years Spanish) and theoretical linguistics ; <S> ... results across entire development cycle : <S> • ... initial research and prototyping; <S> • ... <S> key business requirements ...; <S> • ... <S> project architecture ... <S> ; • ... automated team collaboration procedures and TDD practices; Risk Management; <S> • ... development on time and on budget ... <S> ; <S> • ... <S> communications with the customers; <S> • ... <S> deployment and support ...; <A> You are trying to highlight what part of you makes you the best choice for the position. <S> The information will be in your resume or on the application, but this is your chance to politely point it out to them. <S> If you know something about the company, its history or culture and how you are a good match point that out also.
| You need to match your strengths to what in in the job description.
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HTML5 Buzzword by Recruitment Agencies Recently over the last few weeks I have started applying for a number of different Front End Developer roles. I notice a lot of the job descriptions ask for good HTML5 knowledge. The sticking point I find is that no website uses a large amount of HTML5. See here for a list of different unused tags. This is because websites are required to work in older browsers, sometimes IE6, which does not work with HTML5 tags. So my question is this: When applying for jobs should I state I know and use HTML5 when explicitly asked even if I only use the HTML5 doctype & a few different tags? Or should I try and explain to the recruiter that the job does not actually need HTML5? <Q> There are a lot of misconceptions currently held by non-technical and semi-technical people with respect to HTML5, what it is, what it's <S> capabilities are, how well-supported it is among various web browsers, and how it relates to "standard" HTML. <S> So on the one hand I'd fully support any effort you wanted to make to help clear those up. <S> On the other hand, in terms of applying for a job that may not be the best thing to do. <S> However, if those things don't hold true then contradicting your interviewer's understanding of something might just upset them and/or cause them to think that you don't know what you're talking about. <S> So there's a fine line to tread. <S> Or you can take a gamble and try to explain to them how their understanding of HTML5 isn't really accurate/applicable in a real-world context. <S> If you do that well (and if your interviewer is smart) then you can make yourself look very strong. <S> Do it poorly (or get a bad interviewer) <S> and you've basically killed your chances at getting the job. <S> Also note that when dealing with an external recruitment agency it's generally unlikely that the person you're talking to will have much in the way of technical knowledge or background, or much reason to care about learning new things about a technology. <S> It's more likely that they'll just see that the requirements say "HTML5" and then consider only candidates who claim to have strong HTML5 skills. <S> I think there'd be little sense in trying to explain to the recruiter <S> that their understanding of HTML5 isn't really correct or that the job doesn't require HTML5. <S> There's just no reason for them to care. <S> They were hired to find someone with HTML5 skills, and would almost certainly just dismiss any candidate who claimed that HTML5 was not required. <A> Consider the following quote from HTML is the new DHTML : <S> It’s true: For all intents and purposes, “HTML5” has become a meaningless catch-all marketing phrase defining a platform rather than a specification. <S> It’s “DHTML” all over again. <S> Now to your question <S> : When applying for jobs should I state I know and use HTML5 when explicitly asked even if I only use the HTML5 doctype & a few different tags? <S> "HTML 5" is a collection of new things that developers can apply to a web page. <S> It's not an "all or nothing" proposition. <S> All "HTML 5" developers apply a subset of "HTML 5" technologies whenever they make sense. <S> Or should I try and explain to the recruiter that the job does not actually need HTML5? <S> No matter who you are, that's a difficult case to make. <S> Even if you are correct, new requirements or new market conditions could warrant the use of "HTML 5" in the near future. <A> Always explain (honestly) how your qualifications fit the role being filled. <S> An external recruiter isn't going to care what you actually do once you work there, as long as you fit what the company expects the recruiter to find <S> and they are satsfied with the hire. <S> When you actually interview with the company, however, it's a slightly different matter. <S> I would not suggest outright telling them the job doesn't need HTML5. <S> Instead, explain you have some experience, but due to factors like the large presence of incompatible browsers, you haven't gone throughly in depth. <S> Ask how they deal with that issue, or if it's even an issue for them (maybe they're hiring someone to work on internal-facing sites, and mandate modern browsers for all employees). <S> Make sure you make it clear that you understand what it is and how it works, and explain why you don't use it to its full extent. <A> Or should I try and explain to the recruiter that the job does not actually need HTML5? <S> Telling the recruiter about the job they are screening you for is probably not a good idea. <S> That could come off like you are running your mouth, not a good first impression. <S> Stick to answering the questions. <S> Just because something is listed in a job description does not mean you will be using it. <S> Sometimes all they want to know is if you are aware of a specific technology, if you could pick it up quickly if needed, etc.
| If you can do it well and if your interviewer is a clever and reasonable kind of person, then you can certainly earn a lot of points for yourself by showing that you understand the technology better than your interviewer. You can play it safe and just stick to answering their questions directly and demonstrating what knowledge you do have about HTML5, and explaining why you haven't delved into it more deeply (if necessary).
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What are some common salary negotiation tactics from the employer's perspective? I received a job offer this past Monday. The job offer, requiring relocation to a different, more expensive city, was attached to a salary offer that was a couple thousand dollars more than I currently make, but given the expense of living in the new city, taking the job would require about a $7K a year cut in my lifestyle, in real terms. So I did some research, and according to multiple cost-of-living sites, my current salary projects out to about $7k a year more than I currently make in the new, more expensive city. Also, I checked references like payscale.com, and given my education and experience, the city, the industry and the firm size, a fair salary offer is about $9k more than their offer was for. So after checking with multiple business sites around the internet (e.g. HBR, Forbes), I decided that I would politely communicate these points and say that I thought my value was about $5K more than their offer. This company decided to send the offer letter via email with no call, so I decided that I would respond with an email of my own, pointing these things out (in a very polite and positive manner). That was Monday night. It is now (at the time of typing) Wednesday afternoon. The office manager I was in communication with never responded to my email. It's like the guy fell off the face of the earth. So here is my question: From the employer's perspective, what are some common salary negotiation tactics that are used? I googled around and everything I saw was from the employee-perspective. What are the tactics that the other side is trying to use, and to what end? This would be very valuable information for me (and I am assuming others). It's hard to believe that this firm (or any firm) would just cut off communication and say "screw you" without even a note that says "sorry, but that is out of this position's salary range." <Q> When I act as a recruiter (it happens 1 or 2 times each year), I know exactly the range that I can allocate to hire someone. <S> For instance (since the person I hire are mainly software engineers working on research projects) <S> I make sure that the person understands that he will travel in Europe each month, that he must be in office at least X days a week, and that he can or cannot freelance on his free time, etc. <S> Every aspect that I don't mention during this interview is negotiable. <S> And what I am waiting for is the start of a negotiation during the interview, then by phone, with a mail by the candidate summarizing his expectations. <S> Then I make a phone call to find an agreement, followed by a formal mail if the agreement is reached. <S> Otherwise (no agreement) I send a formal letter with a deadline for a formal answer with my terms. <S> The latter is to free the job offer so that I can move to another candidate. <S> I don't use tactics, I know what I can give, and if the requests are outside my range, I will look for another person, it's that simple since most job offers can be fulfilled by more than one unique person. <S> Concerning the read-receipt/delivery-receipt, I don't think this is a good practice. <S> E-mail read-receipt is not a reliable medium, for various technical and psychological reasons. <S> If you want an acknowledgement that the mail has been received, ask explicitly for it by email or phone, or use snail mail with delivery-receipt. <S> Finally, a point concerning what you ask to the company. <S> You ask for 5k$, so you are telling the recruiter that you are ready to lose 2k$ compared to your current lifestyle. <S> I think this does not send a good message to the recruiter. <S> Unless the job is far more interesting or with better prospects. <S> Why did not you ask for 10k$ with the idea of accepting 7k$? <A> The bigger the company, and the more volume they are hiring, the less flexibility the recruiters have. <S> If this was a one-on-one negotiation for a single position, I'd be very surprised if the manager in question would behave this way. <S> On the other hand, if he's in the box of "get me 10 for 100K each", once you're out of the box you're of no further interest. <A> Here is my take at it. <S> I can't speak for how much you can make or the company can provide you. <S> First before salary negotiation started you should have had the references and rough figure on your wishlist right? <S> So why did not you bargain for that before the offer letter was extended. <S> 1 <S> Worst part in interviews is still people don't negotiate what they are worth and how much it costs for a living in fear of being turned off by employer <S> 2 Employer says he will extend offer but will awfully make you wait just to check your urgency is this job important for you <S> is this the only job offer you got ( YES!! <S> they will try to play you down most of the times since you haven't started any relation with them <S> you are worth nothing to them except filling the vacancy) <S> 3 <S> Now quickly fire a email (before they offer the letter) stating it is a request to "Reconsider salary" stating the reasons you had in the question <S> ( reasons are so true that i will do what ever it takes to give you <S> that figure provided you hit a home run on the interviews ) <S> 4 <S> The email did not work? <S> call them to ask if they received the email and what they think about it? <S> not the points on why if they feel you are not worth that money, what practical difficulties they face 5 Did not work?? <S> Congratulations there is a Bigger opportunity that is waiting outside <S> now you knew what employer wants for that sort of money <S> Community <S> : Feel free to add more behavior tactics and negotiation tactics
| During the last interview (in which I make a job offer to the person) I give the information on the non negotiable aspects of the job offer.
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When is it appropriate to change communication methods? Situation: I have received a job offer(s) and/or interview related communication from a potential employeer. This has been communicated either in person, via phone, or through email (or some combination). It seems you often receive a phone call which is a "by the way, you will shortly receive an email containing information related to XXX." I am never sure what communication medium is the most appropriate to respond with. I personally find email most convenient for most of my communication, so I normally respond with email - if I have received an email communicating details of next steps, offer, etc, but I am not at all sure this is considered most professional or appropriate. Specific Questions Should you respond to all job communication in the form it was first communicated in? Are there situations where it is considered improper to use either email/phone? When is it appropriate to change the communication form? Related to and derived from: Negotiation for Fulltime Conversion After Internship <Q> Where a recruiter moves a conversation to email from phone, this is most likely to indicate the desire to send something like a job specification that is too involved to communicate over the phone. <S> In other words, they are reacting to the circumstances and the communication in question. <S> Likewise, you will have circumstances that dictate which mechanisms work for you. <S> For example, I sit in an open plan office, and it is thus rarely easy to have a full discussion with a recruiter over the telephone. <S> Often I'll ask them to email me, so that I can email them any details I'm not able to say out loud. <S> Alternatively, I may only have access to work email which could be monitored, so I may take a phone number and call them back when I've found a quiet corner or empty office. <S> There are times when only one of the options will be available to you. <S> Talking over the phone is more immediate and personal, and <S> so all other things being equal is probably to be prefered over email. <S> But no recruiter worth their salt will mind a communication in any format - if it works, use it. <A> Make a phone call if possible. <S> Most communications during the interview process are setting up interviews and asking/answering questions. <S> You have a number and an invitation to call, take advantage of it. <S> Finding time to contact people during business hours can be difficult by phone, so follow their lead, and respond by email. <A> In general responding using the medium you were contacted with is a good rule of thumb. <S> However if you get a phone call saying "you will soon receive an email" and the email contains the information <S> then it is fine to respond by email (unless the email tells you otherwise, of course). <S> For most companies email is the norm. <S> The only time it is inappropriate to use email is for formal offers and documents, where a signature is needed.
| If you have details to communicate that must be captured accurately, for whatever reason, then email is probably to be prefered over phone. In general, I would say that any communication mechanism is acceptable.
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How do I argue for a 3-day, 30 hour workweek? I am currently working full time as an intern, but now want to switch to 3-days-a-week in the fall. It is to continue finishing my graduate studies. However, the VP who is 2 levels above me doesn't like the idea.. and wants me to come to work 5 days a week at less hours(i.e. come a few full days , and come a few half-days ). Is it unreasonable to ask for 2-full days off. BTW I am an intern too. <Q> Ask what his concern is. <S> My guess is that it is responsiveness to emails. <S> Not wanting to wait a day or two. <S> For example, you could propose working Monday, Wednesday, Friday. Or to telecommute 1.5 hours on Tuesday/Thursday and work in the office 9 hours on the days you are there. <S> Or maybe it is that 10 hours is a long day. <S> You could mitigate that by asking for it on a trial basis. <A> Jeanne's Answer is a good start but I would follow up with explaining that you need 4 days off a week to focus on finishing up your school work. <S> Many employers forget that their Interns are also going to school and think of them just like other employees. <S> If you are still having difficulty you might want to talk with your school's Intern adviser. <S> Perhaps they can put a bit of pressure on the company from their side to be more flexible with your schedule. <S> Many times companies are receiving a subsidy to have you work for them on an internship, in this case the companies do not want to risk losing out on their essentially free or low cost workers. <A> 10 hours a day is a really long day - whether you are doing physical work or mental work <S> you are not going to be able to perform at your full potential during the last 2 hours or so of the day. <S> As far back as the early 1900's Ford (the motor company) found that the 40 hour week was the optimum length . <S> This is normally split into 5 working days of 8 hours duration each. <S> What's really scary is that people are still ignoring this over 100 years later. <S> While you might be able to meet some of the VP's objections I would expect that after a few weeks of this you'll find it hard to be productive for an increasing part of the day. <S> Rather than ask for a three day week, ask for a four day week and see how that goes.
| Once you know his concern, it is easier to mitigate it. I suspect that if your VP understood that your intent was to work on school not just have a couple extra days off to goof around there would be more willingness to work with you on your schedule.
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What is the difference between software developer and graphic/web designer? Im trying to create an account in a job/career site and they want me to specify a role. Im basically an IT person. The suitable matches I could find are: Software Developer Graphic/Web designer Client-Server technology My key skills are PHP, CakePHP, CSS, HTML, AJAX etc. And I prefer working in them. I dont have any claimable expertise in graphic designs (if they mean photoshop/flash etc.) So which one is most suited for my case? And by Graphic/Web designer, do they mean, only those candidates with both qualities? Is it ok to choose Web Designer role even though I dont have much graphic design abilities? Because they both are given together - Graphic/Web designer . <Q> You would ideally title yourself as a software developer or software engineer. <S> In your case, you have experience with back-end languages and frameworks which, in some companies put you squarely in programming the back-end of websites, far removed from the design. <S> Other places would have you using a lot of HTML, CSS, PHP and some frameworks, bridging the contexts of design and function. <S> The degree of specialization often depends on the company size. <S> Website/graphic design is concerned with the presentation and organization of information in the medium. <S> In a perfect world, having an expertise in graphic design would carry over well into website design, but website design comes with its own idiosyncrasies and rules for good practices. <S> So those designers have to understand the technical requirements and limitations for design for an online medium. <A> It sounds like you're what some would call a web developer, though I'm not a fan of that term. <S> Personally, of the three, I'd choose "software developer" from what you've said. <S> A web designer is a graphic designer with specific expertise in designing websites. <S> They will likely have UX (user experience) skills in addition to graphics/design skills. <S> The person responsible for taking the output of a web designer and producing a website from them that is more than a static HTML site, for example using PHP, is called a web developer to distinguish them - but really they're a software developer with web skills. <S> Client-server technology is a bit dated as a term, I wouldn't pin your colours to that one. <S> It's generally applied to thick client (e.g. Windows application) development, talking to a central server hosting database and/or services. <A> " You've basically answered your own question about not being a graphic designer. <A> My rule of thumb is: if you're worried about how something looks, you're a designer. <S> If you're worried about how it works, you're a developer. <S> However, since many development teams don't have a designer on the team to work on the look and feel of the program, you get some overlap where developers are designing as well (and often get clunky, hard to use applications if they're not qualified in that department). <S> In the web world, the developers are the ones writing functionality (ASP, PHP, JSON), whereas designers work primarily with the HTML/CSS "look" of the site. <S> (However, you're probably not going to find much useful from an umbrella job hunting site, so you might as well check all three boxes and get ready to ignore a truckload of spam anyway.) <A> This is a rather ill defined area of job titles at the moment. <S> Consider the following jobs: UX Designer Web designer UI Designer <S> None of these titles directly imply anything about development. <S> At certain companies these titles mean "developer who also designs X". <S> At others these are completely separate job functions and the designers may never need to touch code, or they may only code to create prototypes as opposed to final working products. <S> The scope of expected job capabilities can generally be inferred from the size of the company. <S> When Microsoft says Web Designer, they mean designer ; you will almost certainly mostly do design. <S> They have distinct, large teams for all areas of projects. <S> On the other hand, at a small start up, you can probably bet that their "web designer" does a great deal of coding work. <S> This is something you'll have to clarify by reading the description and asking . <S> If the job description lists coding responsibilities, clearly code is involved. <S> As for how much balance between design and code, you'll have to ask directly; they may even be flexible. <S> This is a very fuzzy area <S> so you're just going to have to look at what each company is looking for in their web designer/developer. <S> Now, if the job is graphic designer <S> you can really assume <S> Photoshop and Illustrator are going to be a large part of what you do rather than anything code related. <S> Slamming "graphic" and "web design" together (as the only option) is a pretty terrible choice frankly, but I'd say many companies looking for "web developers" also (hopefully) look in the "graphic/web designer" section as well. <S> Again, horrible categorization, but employers are hopefully looking for skills not job titles.
| I would describe you as a "web developer.
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How to find warning signs about a company's business practices during a job interview? When going to interviews, I often want to take a peek at how the company works on the inside, but they may not show you everything or want to "keep up appearances" to make them more inviting. Obviously the latter is expected when management wants to really sell the job to you, especially if the company is a well-talked about brand. But then there have been those times where I take a job and some nasty skeletons come out of the closet. An actual experience follows: An owner of company A interviewed me and mis-represented his company by showing a large work environment, when in fact all that space belonged to a different company B. He told me A and B are in a partnership so I assumed the space was shared. It was not until a month later I found out that A's owner works for B and subleased a small space from B to run company A on the side. So A's own employees don't represent B, work in a cramped area and receive no company benefits from either A or B, as A is too small of a company to afford fancy things like that. There wasn't much info about his company online, so it was hard to do research on. How to I look for warning signs like this in the future, before I take the plunge and find out when it's too late? <Q> I always ask the interviewer a question that will send up red flags if there are any: If you could change one thing about the company with no possibility of veto, what would it be? <S> This will usually (>95%) stump the interviewer, and make them think for a minute. <S> I have interviewed a lot in my life, and interview for fun sometimes, and this almost always takes them by surprise. <S> This is useful because most people answering questions on the spot tend towards honesty. <S> Second, this question will almost always elicit what someone considers a negative thing about the company, even though you didn't specifically say "what negative thing" they would change. <S> You will almost always get red flag answers if there are any big ones. <S> For example, I've heard everything from "team communication really needs improvement" to " <S> the CEO has a temper" to "we spend too much time in meetings". <S> You will get red flags before the interviewer even realizes what you're doing. <S> I've even heard some things that would probably be considered against the law. <S> For what it's worth, I interviewed at the Googleplex and six out of my seven interviewers said some variation of " <S> I wish I could work on things that challenge me", with one guy summarizing perfectly by saying "all the low-hanging fruit has been solved and only star engineers get to work on the really hard problems". <S> I would attribute this question as the main reason I didn't accept their offer. <A> I have found two things to be extremely helpful: <S> Go to lunch with one or two people <S> form the team you are trying to get hired on. <S> Ask them as many questions as you can and try to get adequate information on what it would be like to work in that group. <S> Preferably, this should happen on a separate day from the interview. <S> Ask everyone you meet to list one good thing and one bad thing about working at the company. <S> On <S> (2) if they can't give you some sort of substantive answer for both pieces, then that should be an instant red flag. <S> No company is perfect, but the ones trying to improve will be open about their shortcomings and will be able to tell you what they are trying to do to overcome them. <S> I don't know what your profession is, but adapting your own Joel Test during an interview can be extremely helpful as well. <S> You should have a set list of questions about how the company operates on a day-to-day basis in order to help you make a more informed decision. <A> "receive no company benefits from either A or B, as A is too small of a company to afford fancy things like that" - that shouldn't have been a surprise that you learned after you started work. <S> Every job offer I have ever seen for professional position included a description of benefits: vacation, sick , holidays, health insurance, life insurance, education benefits, pension, 401K. <S> Even if they don't provide all the options they do discuss the ones they have. <S> You need to know things like the number of locations, where the employees work, where is the company HQ. <S> It is OK to work at a customer site, but they should let you know where the rest of the company works. <S> They will be handling HR, purchasing, management... <S> The actual working conditions will depend on the work location. <S> The customer site may control hardware, software, and office space. <S> The customer site may be more or less impressive then the company site. <S> You also need to know the other contracts they have to judge their ability to provide a follow on contract if the current contract ends. <A> It's really hard, you have to do some scratching yourself, ask specific questions, examine their website and previous work (to see the quality of their work). <S> Just don't expect anything until you have worked for them for a while. <S> I went through a similar experience. <S> I guess we both learned our lesson. <S> But in general, they way you are being dealt with during the interview phase should give you an idea of how you will be treated later. <S> In my case, I was asked to start "like, next week". <S> That was the beginning of general disrespect trend, such as receiving an SMS on Friday night asking me to show up for work the next morning <S> (Saturday was normally off). <S> In your case the company (supposedly a big company) not having a website might have been a clue. <A> First off, I'm assuming you have no friends or acquaintances that work there, and must expand your network. <S> From your post, I'm assuming this company's office is small, and they share the building with several other companies. <S> If this is the case, look for events happening in/near the building, professional events being best. <S> Even if you do not meet someone who works there, someone will likely know people who do. <S> You can ask them about the company.
| Start asking at those events about this company. A small number of contracts, with growth but an inability to keep current employees is a warning flag.
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What should I tell potential employers if I'm not sure I'm leaving my current position? I'm currently working as a contractor; in six weeks, either my current company will have offered me a permanent position or I'll be moving on to another position. If they offer, I'll accept a permanent position, unless they ridiculously undervalue me. How much of that should I disclose when interviewing with other companies? At what point in the process should it be disclosed that I may suddenly drop off the market after all? ETA: I'm looking to end contracting, so this would be a permanent position as well. <Q> You are under no obligation to disclose this at any point until you have accepted either the permanent position or the new contract. <S> The fact is, if you do disclose the possibility and it costs you a possible position and then you don't get the permanent position you are currently contracting at (for whatever reason), you have just closed a door that could have remained open. <S> Keep your options open. <S> It may feel unethical to you, but we can't tell the future and the unexpected can always happen - in particular in the contracting arena, though also in the permanent arena, to a lesser degree. <S> Most employers looking for employees know that the "market" is volatile and people who are available one day are gone the next. <S> If asked, do not lie - you should explain your position and that if the offer from your current employer does not represent your true value that you will not accept. <A> How much of that should I disclose when interviewing with other companies? <S> You should say you're currently employed as a contractor. <S> You should say when your contract is up. <S> If asked, you should be as honest as you feel comfortable about the likelihood of converting to full time. <S> The standard "I like it at my current job, but want to explore my options <S> " response is usually sufficient, and truthful enough that people understand it (and you don't need to feel bad about being deceptive). <A> If you feel secure in your current position, being opening about entertaining other offers could inspire your current company to make a more competitive effort to keep you when your contract expires. <S> Likewise for the new offer. <S> If your current position is on the rocks, being more reserved would play to your benefit, but then I'd have to ask if staying should even be an option for you. <S> As far as the new offer is concerned, I find it's usually better to be honest. <S> Letting this company know about your current position puts them in a position to fight to get you. <S> You will quickly find out how badly they want you and what they are willing to do to get you. <S> Putting them in the know will also buy you time to make a proper decision. <S> They won't expect an immediate answer and they are more likely to be flexible in scheduling meetings and interviews. <S> Making them aware that you are comfortably employed will also "keep them honest". <S> They'll be forced to bring real offers to the table because they will know that they have to buy you out of your current position. <S> Finally, it makes you look better to the prospective employer. <S> An employee with a stable position is less risk than an unemployed one. <S> Who doesn't want an employee who's in demand? <S> It displays responsibility in that you are not waiting until the last minute to get your irons in the fire. <S> All of which make you a better prospect to a new employer. <A> In the meantime, you are evaluating your options and you're very interested in exploring what other opportunities and challenges might be out there.
| I would say that you're currently working as a contractor, that your contract expires in 6 weeks but that you are considering terms for converting to a full-time employee. You should disclose as much as you are comfortable with to each side.
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Ways of Making a good impression in the new job It has been two weeks since I began working in a new job as a C++ software developer in a medium size factory equipment manufacturing company. I am in a small team of 4 developers and a manager. Since it is a manufacturing company,the work culture is totally different from IT. But I like the job and the culture. For the first two weeks, I have been reading the source code and the documentations. One day my manager explained the machine workings and he left to go onsite for servicing. At this point in time, I have acquired an overall understanding of the machine and the source code and I am confident of working hands ON. But my coworkers, including my manager, seem busy doing projects. Now I don't want to give the impression of being "laid back". Can someone tell me what are the things I can do to impress my manager and my boss in the first 3 months of my job.? NOTE: I tried approaching my colleagues for help and most of them were helpful. But I did not ask more questions from them since they look busy all the time. I eat my own lunch and can't discuss the issues with the team. I speak a different language than the rest of the team and I find establishing a rapport with everyone is taking some time. <Q> In a new position, the first thing that you need to do in the first 3 months to make a good impression is to deliver the work. <S> Meet deadlines and do as good a job with the task as possible. <S> The better you do at delivering, the more respect you will have and the easier it will be later to propose and make changes. <S> The one thing you don't want to do is start out telling them that their software is horrible and their techniques need to change. <S> Even if this is true. <S> You have no chance of making a change to company policy, software design or tools, etc until you have earned respect through the quality and timeliness of your work. <S> If you come in as a person who thinks everything should change to how you want to do things, people will resent you and you will never gain respect. <S> It sounds like you have started well <S> and it is time to ask your manager for some hands on tasks. <S> Once you do the first task, ask for a code review even if this company doesn't normally do them. <S> It is critical that you get started in the right direction and a code review should catch anything that you should know about that no one has told you yet. <S> Don't feel bad about asking for your manager's time, everyone will be less busy once you are up-to-speed. <A> You need to convince your manager/boss you are a valuable member of a team . <S> Some possibilities: Ask intelligent questions that you have attempted to answer yourself (just a note: <S> there are tons of easily available resources on the question you asked online already. <S> If you have looked at them, you can say "I've found X, Y, and Z but am not sure about XXX - what are some additional ways to impress bosses?" <S> instead of "how can I impress my boss") <S> The number one thing, given how you have described things in your question, it seems, is you need to take initiative and look for ways you can add value to your company rather than waiting for someone to tell you what to do. <A> If I am reading this right, you are still in the process of learning the system and want to know what you can do to move onto working on the system, without directly confronting your manager and asking for a task to do. <S> I would suggest that you review outstanding bugs, the older the better, and try to verify them. <S> If you're able to reproduce the bug, then try to add additional details such as what part of the code <S> you think the bug is in. <S> Do NOT try to fix the bug. <S> What you want to do is (a) add value in the fact <S> you have verified that the bug still exists, (b) combine that with learning the code and what kinds of problems they are facing. <S> You should inform your manager that you are doing this, giving him the opportunity to put you on something else. <A> Excellent way to gain a deep understanding of the implementation and the various rules buried in the logic <S> You can never have too many tests (well, obviously you can <S> but within reason). <S> I've yet to see a place that has 100% coverage and where they don't think a little more would be good. <S> It's a sure-fire way to get approval from your peers (especially the more senior ones). <S> Test coverage is usually something that nags every diligent developer or architect, but they can never get the time to do anything about it (plus many find it tedious for some reason). <S> If the software doesn't have a test suite or any infrastructure set up for proper unit testing, then take it upon yourself to set one up! <S> Get approval from your boss first though. <A> I believe you must have heard about the story of " Rabbit/Tortoise Race ". <S> When we are new to a job we pay our full attention and try to learn more n more ASAP and after a certain time we might feel that we are way ahead of some employees but the hard fact is that experience is experience and it is not a race, learning is a constant process . <S> You can utilize your time by learning new concepts that you feel that your company may adopt in near future, try to be decent in the circle, observe the points that are more weighted in your company, make them feel that you are responsible with the work rather than a "Rabbit". <S> I think these things will going to certainly help you to nourish your career and best of luck for the future :)
| If you haven't got any firm assignments yet and you're for something to do with your time, improving test coverage is a very good way to make yourself useful. Ask your boss for additional responsibilities and do an excellent job on all your responsibilities Take initiative in finding additional ways to add value to your company Find documented bugs and begin fixing them
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Notice Period at a Small Business At my current employer I do not have a written contract. This includes not knowing how much notice period I am required to give. My problem is that prospective employers are asking for my notice period during interviews. Is there anyway I could ask my current employer without giving away the fact I am job searching?Alternatively, is there any other way I could attempt to deal with the issue? <Q> In the UK, the minimum notice you are allowed to give is one week. <S> From this business link article: <S> Contractual and statutory notice periods <S> An employee who has worked for a company continuously for one month or more must give and receive notice of dismissal/redundancy or intention to leave. <S> The notice period must be included in a written statement of employment particulars which must be issued to your employee within two months of them starting work. <S> ... <S> This minimum is unaffected by longer service. <S> Minimum notice does not apply to the following people: <S> independent contractors or freelance agents - see our guide on employment status employees whose fixed-term contracts have come to an end, with a few exceptions Note that since you have no formal contract and thus presumably haven't been given your written statement of employment particulars <S> then you are perfectly at liberty to require one of your current employer, if you have been there more than a couple of months. <S> This doesn't necessarily have to give away the fact that you are job hunting. <S> You could approach HR and say "Hi, I've just been catching up on paperwork at home and realised that I never received my copy of my contract or employment particulars. <S> Could you get them to me as I should have got them within two months of starting" . <S> If they refuse or delay your request, then you can remind them that it is a legal obligation on both of you, and that you would really feel more comfortable if your working relationship were on a solid legal footing. <A> Is there anyway <S> I could ask my current employer without giving away the fact I am job searching? <S> Not really. <S> Alternatively, is there any other way I could attempt to deal with the issue? <S> Investigate the standard business practices of your region. <S> Otherwise, companies understand that the notice time is actually kind of negotiable (where not otherwise limited legally). <S> When you say you're going to leave, your current company may ask for you to stick around for some extra time to transfer knowledge. <S> Then it's up to you to work with them. <S> For example, I just changed jobs recently and my new company asked, and I told them "I have a bit of knowledge so it might take a little bit more than 2 weeks. <S> " They said 'Sure. <S> We'd love to have you here as soon as possible, but understand that you need to maintain those professional relationships.' <S> When I put in my resignation, my old company asked for 4 weeks, I said I could give them 3 <S> so I was there for 3 weeks. <A> Anyone hiring you would have some concern if you indicated you would leave your existing position with too short of notice. <S> What is considered "normal" is specific to where you live. <S> In the US, 2 weeks is typical. <S> You can ask the interviewer for an acceptable range of time. <A> I happened to see this at work on the www.xperthr.co.uk site (I work for RBI) <S> The Employment Rights Act 1996, section 86 provides that the statutory minimum notice to be given by an employee who has been continuously employed for one month or more to terminate his or her contract is not less than one week . <S> Where the employee has been employed for one month but less than two years, the statutory minimum to be provided by the employer is one week 's notice. <S> After two years' service this rises to one week for each year of continuous service, although a maximum of 12 weeks' notice applies where the employee has been employed for 12 years or more.
| The minimum statutory notice period which must be given by an employee is at least one week's notice if employed continuously for one month or more by that employer. At least in the US, 2 weeks is the standard notice time.
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Citing work experience when it ended terribly At one point, I worked somewhere, and while the vast majority of the time things went well, it ended quite poorly (quitting on less than ideal terms). It is highly unlikely that I would be able to get a recommendation from my boss at the time, but it is possible to get several from co-workers. When I list this under previous work experience, is there anything else that I should add to the listing (other than position, and responsibilities and the like) to differentiate it from all of the other positions that I have held (that ended well)? Should this even be put on the resume at all? <Q> If you don't include the job there will be a time hole that must be addressed. <S> Most companies will provide a neutral set of facts when contacted by potential employers. <S> It will generally be period or employment, and might include job titles. <S> Though a job tittle can be rather meaning less: is Engineer 3 senior to member of the technical staff? <S> If it was a bank/mortgage company asking for information they will include current salary information. <S> Large companies actually have a separate 800 number to handle these background checks. <S> The person who confirms the information can be thousands of mile from you with no access to detailed work history information. <A> A gap raises questions immediately. <S> You should not include details of how the job ended, just represent it in the same way as the rest of your positions. <S> But as it's a single bad experience out of several, you can keep it up your sleeve for interview questions. <S> Being asked about work experiences that haven't gone so well is quite common. <S> Be prepared to answer questions on why it went wrong, and what you would do differently next time you found yourself in the same position. <S> You can turn it to a positive. <S> As for references, this does depend somewhat on your country. <S> In the UK, references nowadays are generally no more than an official confirmation from HR that you worked the dates you say. " <S> Proper" references are informal and off the record and, as such, you tend to provide contact details for them yourself rather than them going through official channels. <S> So based on the UK, a former coworker who would take your side would be fine. <A> Your specific question is is there anything else that I should add to the listing <S> and I feel the answer to that is no.. <S> List it as with all other positions. <S> The only difference is that you'll not be giving them a reference from your manager. <S> If you've had other managers, and a recommendation / reference / linked in recommendation from them, then that is fine. <S> Co-workers from the place in question will be good (assuming they are don't bring up any issues by mistake). <A> I would not skip listing the job entirely on your resume unless you are also not including other employment prior to the dates of that job. <S> I often hear it not recommended not to include more than, say, for example, the most recent ten years of your experience on the resume, to avoid age-discrimination or being prematurely disqualified for too much experience, or just because very old experience may be irrelevant to your current industry. <S> So, if it's the last job on your resume anyway, and you have enough other experience, trimming it off for the sake of brevity <S> probably will not raise any eyebrows, and it doesn't look like you're trying to hide something. <S> But, if on the other hand, it leaves a huge gap between two more recent employers, you may start getting questions about what you were doing during that time, and when they find out you had another employer you didn't want to list on your resume, things might get awkward fast, and having to explain why you left them off and how you left on bad terms, which you probably don't want to get into. <S> It might be better to, instead, include the position on the resume, but give it less emphasis or detail than jobs you'd like them to ask lots of questions about during your interviews. <S> Typically, whatever your resume advertises about you is what you'll get the majority of your (non-technical) questions about. <S> so there's absolutely no reason not to subtitute the positive reference of a peer instead. <S> And if you have enough references from other companies, you may not even need to provide a reference from that position at all. <A> Yes, include it. <S> From the recruiters point of view this will tell them how you handle stress, bad management and that sort of things. <S> Did you just quit? <S> Did you come with suggestion for improvements? <S> How did you make sure the clients didn't suffer due to poor management? <S> If it was a personality clash, this will tell them what kind of persons you can/cannot work with. <S> Just make it doesn't turn into a blame game. <S> In the words of Mythbusters; "Failure is always an option" , <S> how you handle <S> it says alot about you.
| Yes, you should definitely include it on your resume. Often, employers will not even ask for references specifically from every previous position, and even if they did there are plenty of reasons your previous manager may not be available as a reference, he or she may have left the company, or even the country, perhaps even become deceased, A bad job can still be turned to something good I think.
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Time interval for a sequence of interviews Usually, I have several interviews with potential employees when I act as a recruiter. For every prospect, I have 2 interviews, one rather informal (often by phone or in a neutral environment such as a conference, an hotel, etc.) and one more formal (in an office). Then if the prospect looks good, there is a technical interview and a last interview with a job offer and the start of the negotiation. Most of the time, there is a few weeks interval between the two first interviews, while the last two are closer. What is the best scheduling in this setting? Do I have to move the interviews closer? Which ones? <Q> Unless you are trying to go from a hundred candidates to 10 there should be a followup email after the first two round within 24 hours. <S> That way they know they have passed the early hurdles. <S> Assume they are applying for several jobs, <S> so periods without apparent progress will cause them to focus their energy elsewhere. <A> I'm guessing from your profile <S> you're asking about recruiting in France; my perspective is from the London market, so things may be different. <S> But here goes... <S> there is a few weeks interval between the two first interviews <S> A few weeks is far too long. <S> Assuming you're in a relatively fluid market, the better candidates from the informal interview will already have found work by the time you schedule the formal one. <S> You are lowering the quality of candidates by taking so long. <S> If I receive 30 CVs for a vacancy (which is quite normal working through specialised recruiters) <S> then I will generally only interview 4 or 5 even in the first round, meaning I can spend more time with each candidate. <S> What is the best scheduling in this setting? <S> Above all, the key is managing candidates' expectations. <S> Make sure they know how many stages there are, how quickly they'll hear after each one, and what the approximate gaps in the process will be. <S> The process is about you selling the opportunity to them as much as it is about them selling themselves to you, so always be conscious of how professional you are made to look by the way you run your recruitment procedures. <S> From my experience on the candidates' side of the process, in my field/industry it is normal to have around three rounds of interviewing, often with different people involved at each stage, and for the process to take one or two weeks from end to end. <S> Nobody likes being called back to be asked questions that could have been asked in the previous round. <S> What is the difference, apart from the setting, between your informal and formal interviews for example? <S> Could you consider a single, longer interview instead. <A> I'm going to overstate things a little bit for effect, but only a little . <S> If you want me to go through 4 interviews, I will not work for your company. <S> Especially since many candidates these days are trying to do interviews while already working full time. <S> Asking them to step out more than twice is unusual, and frankly insensitive to their needs. <S> Further, if I need to wait more than a week for a second interview, I will not work for your company. <S> If you really can't get your act together to schedule interviews promptly, what makes me believe that the actual workplace isn't just as... glacial? <S> When job hunting, people are looking at different opportunities. <S> If your competitors can get an offer into a good candidate within a week or two, guess who the talent is going to work for. <S> If the candidate is unemployed, that's only going to make this effect worse. <S> Cut it down to (at most) a HR phone screen, a technical phone screen, an in-person interview with manager & peers. <S> The last should be the main technical interview as well. <S> You don't need to meet to supply an offer. <A> I would try and get these all lined up within a week. <S> It depends on industry but given that you mention a technical interview <S> I'm guessing that's it quite likely a programming sort of job. <S> If so it... also depends on location. <S> Here in the northeastern US if I wait weeks (or even days in my specific technology), the person I talked to has frequently already been hired. <S> Especially if they are good and have a track record. <S> As for the specific interviews, for an imaginary week, I would start with a bunch of candidates and then do phone interviews on Monday, formal's on Wednesday and the technical on Friday. <A> Being on the other end of this I can say, a week is long waiting for a response. <S> I prefer hearing back within the first 48 hours after any interview if things are going forward. <S> I don't like wasting interviewers time, and I would like the same respect for me as well. <S> It's just me, but when I have over 30 resumes I pump out a week in some cases, I have a lot of hooks out there, and I don't want to pick them up if I don't have a reason to. <S> That's me though.
| If you are putting large numbers through the informal/telephone interviews, and that is what is causing this delay, then I would suggest looking back at previous vacancies you have filled to see if you can find a way to be more selective/ruthless at the stage of screening resumes/CVs. Most of the time, there is a few weeks interval between the two first interviews, while the last two are closer. Timeboxing this way will help both you, your organization and the candidates themselves. Overall, make sure that there is a specific purpose to each interview round.
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How to create a desirable resume / career for international software development work What qualities in a resume / career path for a software developer are desirable enough that would make an employer look as far away as international to find new employees? For Example:I want to work in Seoul, Korea at a foreign (non-Korean) company. What are the most important aspects of a career / resume for employers to look for when selecting software developers or EPR systems engineers to go internationally? How would one go about finding positions like this? Is it, more certifications? specific programming languages? years of experience in the company before sending the person internationally? Visa requirements? Language requirements? I find some large companies have positions in other countries, do you need to work at that company first at your current country location or can you apply for foreign position and still expect to be considered? <Q> Look at it from their perspective, not your own. <S> Is there any risk to them? <S> For every risk you represent, they will want something in return -- either an extra skill or a lower wage demand. <S> You say you have a work-permit, so the biggest risk is mitigated. <S> Make that one very clear on your resume, take the doubt out of their mind immediately. <S> Other risks are probably locale-specific. <S> For example, in London, people come and go very quickly. <S> So the first thing on an employer's mind is "how long are they going to stick around?" <S> This isn't even about nationality. <S> I am English and, when I first moved to London, I couldn't demand as much money as I can now. <S> To an employer, there was a high chance I'd just head back to the country after 6 months. <S> People call it "London Experience" <S> because the longer you've been here, the more likely it is that you'll stay, or at least stay near enough to work here. <S> I obviously haven't a clue if there are similar concerns in Seoul, nor what other concerns you might find there, but it's your task to figure out. <S> I would sincerely advise calling some companies and asking them. <S> Find out what the concerns are and either mitigate them or accept that your monetary value will not be as great until you can. <S> Beyond that, it's just the same as any other application. <S> The more you have to offer, the more they're going to want you. <S> That is no different if you're applying for a job down the street or on the other side of the planet. <A> I've worked in Korea (still here) and Japan in the software industry. <S> Basically, you will need a degree and a few years experience to get an interview. <S> Degrees are pretty much mandatory in East Asia and they are required for most visas. <S> My Korean is basic conversational <S> and I struggle through meetings <S> but I still got work in a Korean company. <S> For me, if I spoke with fluency I could command a much higher salary. <S> I know others who speak more and less fluently, how well they fit in seems to have more to do with their personality than with their language proficiency. <S> It isn't only migrant workers in the West who get screwed by their employers and you should be familiar with the basics of the legal environment you want to work in. <S> Having a working level of a language will help prevent you from getting screwed around. <S> Ideally, always get sponsored first. <S> If you get sponsorship before you leave you can usually get your airfares paid, relocation allowances and help settling in. <S> This makes a huge difference when switching jobs internationally. <S> For most multinats you should expect at least $7000 in these allowances (which is a nice first month bonus). <S> Some companies will pay flights and other costs after you are in country <S> but this is not the norm and most won't so apply beforehand and get some extra cash. <S> Good luck. <A> I think good things to include would be that you have either had cultural experience (e.g. traveled or worked or worked with people from those countries) or cultural interest <S> (e.g. you are learning the language, enjoy the music or food).
| Speaking the language will certainly help (especially if you are native one or more other languages as well).
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How do I approach my boss about a side project? Recently (~1.5 mos.) started a position at a tech startup, in a tech support position. Some friends and I are thinking about forming a company to see if a project that we've been working on is viable as a business. When I was hired at this position, the project was listed on my resume, and I have talked to HR and to legal about this in order to make sure that I was doing everything by the book. I haven't had an explicit conversation with my boss about this, however -- what is the best way to approach him? <Q> I would avoid talking to your boss/supervisor unless you have a compelling reason to do so. <S> And your comment on the question doesn't give a compelling reason. <S> You have already dealt with HR and legal, which I am assuming that they have agreed that there is no overlap of IP or customers, and that you can divide your time and effort adequately. <S> I would have any paperwork you have signed reviewed by your lawyer when you setup the company to make sure you are on firm legal ground, and that you understand the implications of what you have agreed to. <S> From a boss/supervisor point of view they are only concerned about <S> can you do the jobs they need you to do with out distractions, and that you won't skimp on their work to focus on the new company. <S> They also want to know that you will be around for a long time, so they don't have to start looking for a replacement, and can count on you as they try to grow their part of the business. <S> If you can avoid the conflict and can work the hours they expect, I see no reason to worry them. <A> Given the information you have provided, dare to say, don't disclose anything unless it may impact your performance on the main job. <S> The key to good relationship is openness. <S> However, your private life is yours, and you are not obliged to let others in. <S> There are serious exceptions to that. <S> I'm not sure if they apply to you, but the others who may read this, should consider those very carefully: <S> Once you sign a working contract, you write all prior inventions . <S> They are specifically for the purpose of protecting you against any accusations. <S> Here's a good article to learn from . <S> Your private life should not violate your prior agreements on your job - NDA, non-competing, etc. <S> If the side project is in a similar business area or uses some knowledge you have obtained while working in your company, please stop and consult your lawyer . <S> If you work on a side project till late, you may simply not have enough time to sleep. <S> This will certainly affect your performance during daytime. <S> This seems to be a good reason to ask for fewer working hours. <S> Avoid spending even a tiny fraction of your work time for a side project. <S> It sounds trivial, but hard to follow. <S> One can't sail on two boats . <S> Sooner or later you have to choose. <S> I've seen a few people who constantly have side projects, but they all are highly motivated and self-organized. <S> They just can't stop inventing . <S> You know better who you are. <S> You should also prepare for accidental disclosure . <S> Make sure you are absolutely clear on your main job so that nobody even suspected you wasting business time for a side project or violating any rules. <S> Depending on a country, you may risk a legal prosecution . <S> Also, there are several discussions you may find useful: one , two , three . <S> Notice there is no agreement on this subject <S> , so please consider everything above as a suggestion, not an ultimate answer. <A> At some point you may develop enough rapport with your boss to have this discussion. <S> You also should have demonstrated early on that you get the things done that your boss thinks are important (You should be able to make the distinction.). <S> " You have to be able to answer questions that probe deeper. <S> You're young, so claiming you have enough time to juggle both is not a stretch. <S> Maybe your partners have other jobs as well, so off hours are the only time you get together. <S> He may want to know if this is for fun or are you trying to make it a full-time enterprise. <S> And if so, what do you think is the time-frame. <S> Any boss that has an interest in your career development knows there is always the risk of you finding a better opportunity. <S> It's not something that gets discussed frequently, but is understood. <A> Its a good thing to be transparent with the side works you do " but all fingers are not of equal length " so as the bosses. <S> Let just discuss the thing once not at regular intervals as that may show that you are more inclined to your project implementation. <S> The best time to discuss it is after work when you feel that your boss is little relaxed. <S> Then you can discuss the things with him. <S> Points to remember - Don't make them feel that you are more inclined to your project work andshowing less responsibility with the current office job. <S> Every individual wants to reach his/her career heights so make themsure <S> it is just a try to reach that <S> and you are open to every consequences(as you mentioned that you are testing the project to be viable as abusiness). <S> Talk about this only when you feel your boss is in a good mood <S> andhe will actually hear to what you are going to say. <S> Talk to the HR as you already explained your situation to the HRREPEAT POINT 1 for the HR too.
| He may just say, "As long as it doesn't interfere with work, go for it.
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What kinds of conflict of interest concerns are there when interviewing with a vendor of my current employer I am being recruited by a vendor who sells equipment and software to my current employer. My recruitment would not put me in a position where I would be selling or working on projects for the company I work for now. Assuming I act ethically, adhere to my confidentiality agreement, protect all trade secret information obtained in my current position, and I am not under any explicit agreements to the contrary - is it ok for me to pursue this position? <Q> It's not entirely clear what your specific concern is, but <S> yes, assuming you "act ethically in keeping any confidential and trade secret information" confidential/secret, then there should be no issues with you pursuing the new position. <S> Note that this doesn't mean that your employer will be happy <S> if/when they eventually find out about it, but in most cases you will have just as much a right to pursue a position with the vendor as you would with any other company. <S> So even if such an agreement exists between your company and the vendor, it's not something that you personally need to worry about. <S> And the fact that it sounds like the vendor approached you strongly implies that no such agreement exists. <S> Either that, or their recruitment person is about to get themselves into some trouble. <S> If you're concerned about the possibility of unintentionally letting any sensitive information slip as part of the interview process, then you might want to insist upon signing a mutual NDA with the recruiter. <S> That way, even if you fail to act ethically (either intentionally or otherwise), any sensitive information you disclose cannot be used or reproduced by the vendor. <S> If you want to ensure you're doing right by your current employer, a mutual NDA is an easy way to do so. <A> It sounds as if there are no legal concerns on your side and since the company knows who your current employer is, they would know in pursuing you if there were any legal concerns on their side <S> (Recruiting firms for instance often have written agreements not to poach from their customers). <S> So you are probably safe to pursue it. <S> I will remind you that you are under no obligation to tell them where your new position is when you leave. <A> Sounds like legally and ethically you are covered. <S> Be aware if you move that the danger zones are often the grey areas - answering questions from former collegues, networking to connect people in the vendor company with people in your former (the customer) company who normally wouldn't be connected, or inadverently using inside knowledge in subtle ways that aren't a direct disclosure. <S> One thing that may be worth researching is whether your current employer has been litigious with regard to any non-compete agreement you may have signed. <S> There are cases where employees have been sued for intellectual property or non-compete issues that are fairly nebulous and dubious. <S> It's not a situation that would be likely to win a court case, but rack up enough legal fees, and you'll be in bad shape whether you win or loose <S> and you can't necessarily count on your new employer to back you up. <S> It's worth nosing around to see if your current company has a reputation for pulling such tricks. <A> If there were actual issues regarding this, there would or could be a severe negative impact with the new employer, the vendor. <S> I'm not talking legal agreements, though quite often those are included in their contracts. <S> I'm talking about the desire not to anger or alienate a paying customer and lose their business over hiring away an employee. <S> So.... the vendor is pursuing you for a position. <S> I can't believe that they would be oblivious to issues, if there were any, and, certainly, they wouldn't be so foolish as to recruit you for a position that would be impossible for you to function in, if there would be bad blood over the hiring. <S> If it's okay with the vendor, I think it's safe to assume it's okay for you to pursue, because all the potential negative ramifications, some of them quite substantial, would fall on them, primarily.
| It may be the case that your company and the vendor company have an agreement to not poach each other's staff, but if this is the case then it's the responsibility of the vendor to abide by the terms of the agreement. Anyways, yes, it's okay for you to pursue the position.
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What's the appropriate way to thank a recruiter or HR person? I would like to thank an HR person who has been very helpful in managing my placement at my current company, including arranging and organizing interviews for further internal advancement. What would the appropriate way to thank them be? Would a gift be appropriate, and if so, what kind? <Q> The best present is a thank-you copied to their manager, or a nomination for some internal award. <S> The recruiter is doing a job, not doing you a personal favor. <S> If you don't know what would be appropriate, that is a good sign that the correct answer is nothing. <A> I think the best gift you can give is to refer him/her to other job applicants. <S> This not only shows you appreciate what they did for you, but that you acknowledge their abilities and are willing to go out of your way and put your reputation on the line by vouching for them. <A> I would strongly recommending checking with their boss to ensure such a gift is not violating company policy. <S> Some companies have policies in place to prevent things like this which can result in the feeling of favoritism or even bribery (just imagine seeing the following from the perspective of a coworker - XXXX helps gets YYYY a better job. <S> YYYY gives XXXX a gift). <S> Second, I would make sure they are going above their job responsibilities if you are to make a formalized gift. <S> Especially because you directly benefited from their actions, although the company presumably did too, the role of HR is as several others have said to do this sort of work. <A> The company recruiter / HR person is tasked with finding a good employee to fill the need. <S> From a company perspective the important metrics are: does the new employee create income and profits? <S> ; Do they make it more likely that they can continue to win business by the quality of the work? <S> In some way the company does care the the new employee is happy in their position. <S> Because if the employee is not happy they might not stay around long enough to overcome the cost of hiring them. <S> The praise for a job well done shouldn't come from the new employee, but from the manager of the new employee. <S> They are the one who can determine if the new employee has met the metrics. <S> A gift from the new employee to the HR person might make it more likely that the HR person will help them in the future. <S> But it only shows that the employee is happy with the position, not that the HR person did a good job for the company. <A> HR people are not robot drones (even if that's not always apparent) and they appreciate a "thank you" same as anybody else. <S> Nor are they solely devoted to the company bottom line or performance metrics as has been suggested, but take pride and satisfaction in a happy employee. <S> A small potted plant and a handwritten thank-you note gets you a long way! <S> Just be sure to keep it within a reasonable price-range ($5-$10). <S> Of course, it could be that the brown-shirts have taken over at your company and any sign of affection or gratitude between co-workers is equated with bribery or harassment and severely punished, in which case I can only say that I'm sorry and that you should restrict yourself to a company-approved "thank you" nod as you pass each other in the hallway.
| If you truly feel that level of gratitude towards this person, I don't see anything wrong, per se, with a small token of appreciation.
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What can I do when the answer to every question is "call a meeting"? Background - I'm the technical lead on a software project. I came up from software engineering and I am responsible for technical interaction with the customer, other vendors, the software product team, and I still get to write some code. I work under a project manager. Problem/Challenge - Frequently there will be seemingly simple questions from the customer. I'll consult with my experts, and let my PM know this came up. Frequently its a relatively simple answer or action to address my customers question. Despite this, my PM very frequently responds "I can email $CUSTOMER_PM and $CUSTOMER_TECH_GUY and 3 other people and have a meeting". I don't feel a meeting is necessary, its something that can be handled offline, is not urgent, and in fact is better expressed in writing than a phone meeting. Meetings can be good, but I feel that they are often called when they aren't needed. It wastes my time and creates extra work for more people. Questions - Is there something I'm missing, from a general project management perspective, where calling a meeting is a default action? Is there a reason for this? How can I politely, clearly, and properly explain that this doesn't really warrant a meeting? If the action is in scope I can simply iron it out man to man with my technical counterparts. <Q> My response to this is usually something like, "Let me talk to this other person first, and if necessary, we can call the meeting." <S> Also, if you can solve the problem without the PM, why don't you? <S> An email message to keep the PM in the loop or to ask for permission or a schedule adjustment may be all that is necessary. <A> The reason for doing it is (and <S> I admit I'm cynical, but this is still roughly true): what other value does the project manager bring to the project? <S> Their goal is to make sure that the software is delivered to the satisfaction of the client . <S> To be perceived to be doing that, they should be asking the client whether they're satisfied and what needs to be done. <S> Let me rewrite part of the above now: <S> Their goal is to make sure that the software is delivered to the satisfaction of the client. <S> With this emphasis, the project manager's task is to remove impediments to the technical activities: <S> and yes, a meeting is indeed [potentially...] <S> an impediment because it uses time that could perhaps be put to better use building the thing. <S> It also sounds like you're getting frustrated by the meetings which isn't helping the progress of the project. <S> So that's the tack you can use for discussing the frequency of meetings with your project manager: they're slowing down the project. <S> Another thing you can do which I've used to good effect, but which is a bit more of a nuclear strike option, is just to decline the meeting invites. <S> If the PM complains (which, in my experience, they do the first couple of times) you can tell them you've got some details from your counterparts that you're working to, but you'd appreciate being given a summary of the meeting outcome to delete compare with what you've already got done. <A> This is a pretty standard mindset of an Agile-style project management strategy, although it is taking the whole "feedback and re-think" part a bit far. <S> Normally in Agile dev situations, the customer will be contacted either every X number of days/weeks/unit of time, or after any pre-determined milestone along the project's timeline (building the framework, prototyping the GUI, first/limited roll-out, etc...). <S> However, sometimes project managers can go a bit overboard, and then you get this mindset of requiring feedback/input on every decision. <S> In your situation, the fact that it is the customer asking a question, means that your PM is most likely interpreting that as "the customer needs some information, we should update/get feedback from them!!!!!" <S> Also, it might be good to ask your PM to either put together a set schedule for meetings, or get them to ask the customer to request meetings whenever they feel it is needed.
| You should simply explain that a meeting is not necessary, because the issue/question is incredibly simple, and the customer might not want you guys to waste their time.
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How much work experience is equivalent to a Computer Science degree? A lot of software developer jobs list "a CS degree or equivalent work experience" as a requirement. I have a degree in a somewhat related field but only about 6 months of on-the-job experience as an intern and then a severely underpaid developer. How much work experience will it take for employers to consider me as on par with a CS graduate, and take me seriously as a candidate for a junior level position? <Q> It depends. <S> Some people may have 20 years experience as software developers but in practice are juniors (no idea about separation of concerns, design patterns, SOLID and DRY). <S> Some people come out with CS degree and need to learn software engineering from scratch (never worked in a team, <S> wouldn't know maintainable code <S> if it hit them in the face, source control is a new concept etc, etc, etc...). <S> My point with the above two paragraphs is that the comparison is meaningless. <S> Experience does not translate to a CS degree and vice versa. <S> What matters is provable capability - some of that comes from experience, but not all. <S> If you can show your developer chops (open source projects or your own private projects) and impress them, they will consider you. <A> I usually see the line CS degree or equivalent. <S> Or the line: "Bachelors degree plus 10 years experience, or masters with 5 years experience, or PHD +1 year experience. <S> " <S> When it is written this way it means that if there is an automated process to screen applicants or resumes the lack of degree will stop the resume from being moved forward. <S> I have even seen a resume rejected because they wanted a BS, and the person had a BA. <S> The requirements "CS degree or equivalent" means that they will take a large assortment of technical degrees. <S> They can even take a degree if is not technical but related to the subject matter. <S> The less automated the screen the better the chances of them taking a degree in marketing. <S> In a few cases I have seen them write the line: "X years experience developing software, a Bachelors degree can substitute for A years, or an advanced degree can substitute for B years. <S> " <S> In this case they can be very flexible. <S> Remember that they might also trying to meet the requirements of a customer. <S> If they are a government contractor, the customer frequently establishes for the contract the specific rate levels. <S> If the applicant can't meet the requirements for the lowest rate category they can't be hired for the position. <S> The category and rate level they fit into determines the maximum salary for that contracted position. <A> If they don't state the amount of experience, you should apply anyway. <S> You've done an internship and have a full-time job as a programmer. <S> The low salary at this point in your career would be considered as a valid reason to leave that job. <S> Make sure you have strong recommendations from your internship. <S> While you are looking at other jobs and hopefully landing interviews, keep track of the skills they want. <S> You maybe able to do some new project at work where they can implemented. <S> I can't imagine a years worth of experience, wouldn't get you past the lack of degree for a junior position. <S> There may be some companies that just prefer college graduates, so there's no getting around this bias in their mind. <A> If the posting states "relevant work experience considered in lieu of a degree", apply for the job. <S> Basically what they're asking for is proof you can do the job, and you can answer that two ways; by showing them you've been taught to do the job, or by showing them you've already done it. <S> That gets you the interview, where you show them you can do the job.
| If you have a few years' experience at a job level roughly equivalent to what they're hiring for, you should be considered (perhaps even more so in this environment since without a degree you'll probably be asking for less).
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Should I include work done under another name in my resume/CV? Most of my experience is from my online freelance work. However, as I started when I was 16, I had to use a fake name on a freelance site and and ask users to pay me through PayPal (I couldn't take money out of the site otherwise). Most of my work was done during this time. It would greatly benefit my resume. Should I include it? <Q> Was it for legal reasons (i.e. you can't be a freelancer if you're under the age of 18)? <S> If yes, avoid mentioning this work. <S> It will harm you much more to mention in your CV that you did something illegal and than you don't pay your taxes, even if you don't do it any longer. <S> Professional experience is, as it says, your professional experience (note that professional experience doesn't always have to be positive ). <S> If you did a porn website, don't mention it, even if it's technically outstanding. <S> Even if it's legal to create one in many countries, such a project may be perceived dirty or embarrassing by other people. <S> If you hacked CIA server, don't mention it, either (unless you're hired as a hacker or you really want to have problems with the FBI). <S> If you found a way to have an internet access without paying anything, it may show your hacker skills, but doesn't have to be on your CV. <A> In the case you mention, I would not bring up experience under another name. <S> What you did was fraudulent and <S> thus not something you want a potential employer to know about. <S> In another situation (say a woman who changed her name with a marriage or divorce or a transgender person), if you need them to know the work was under a different name becasue that is the name your references would know you as, I would not address this in the resume at all but in the cover letter. <S> You could use language such as My references from CompanyXYZ <S> would know me under my previous name of Mary Smith. <S> or (the transgendered who had a different name might need a longer explanation) <S> In May 2010, I underwent a change of gender. <S> My work history until that date was under the name of John Smith and that is the name <S> my references from that time will know me by. <A> Can someone google you under that fake name? <S> If no: don't include it, would make no sense. <S> If yes: are you sure that you want to be found under that name by someone reading your resume? <S> If the answer is yes, include it.
| If you're a freelancer, it contains what you've done for real customers, and should avoid illegal or embarrassing activities.
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How much do interviewers look into your websites/blogs? I have a website that establishes my creditals, passion, and attempts to create a conversation about the previous projects that I've worked on. From my personal experience I've never had an interviewer ask about the decisions I had made wtihin the projects, nor have I had them admit to even looking at the projects on more than just a listing basis. Is it common for interviewers to ignore these details? [The context that I'm referring to is during a face to face interview] <Q> Ahead of time and during initial interviews they rarely look at them has been my experience. <S> It's more likely that they'll look after the interview, <S> once they've met you, seen if there's a personality and basic skills match. <S> Looking at projects and code usually comes after this. <S> Frequently they will expect you to walk them through any given project and describe your specific duties and tasks in a 2-way conversation fashion. <S> Other factors that will influence this process are: Number of candidates: <S> If there's 20 candidates, they usually will not spend the 30-60 minutes reviewing each ones portfolio. <S> Again, first they'll try and winnow down the candidates that can meet the basics. <S> If there's just 2, there's a higher chance they'll be looking at your work ahead of an interview. <S> Type of job <S> : Backend end processing type jobs are less likely to look at front end work, whereas a web design developer would be expected to have an extensive and impressive online library and examples of their work and personal design projects. <S> Seniority of the position <S> : They're way more likely to do this review if you're applying for a principal/chief/etc role than if you're applying for a junior position. <S> That's because people at the higher levels will influence more than just their assigned projects, so you want to get a fuller picture. <S> Interview Round: If it's the first round and every candidate gets 1/2 hour, the interviewer is unlikely to look at stuff ahead of time. <S> However if it was a 3rd round 'final' interview before offering you a position / determining your salary, the interviewer is much more likely to spend some prep time researching your stuff. <A> Since doing this kind of research is a bit time-consuming, and may end up being a waste of time (interview is a disaster), this usually wouldn't be done until after the interview. <S> I peronally wouldn't bother looking at such a website unless its presentation and context in the resume really pique my interest outside of the hiring context (eg. <S> you've developed some software product that sounds really cool <S> and I would check it out if I discovered the same link on the internet - which is not the case in most cases). <S> Once the interview has happened, though, and has a positive outcome, then it would be worth the time to look at it a bit more in depth (probably only in-depth enough to verify that it's legit, or possibly exploring every detail). <S> Since it's unlikely for an interviewer to comb through such content before your interview, you usually wouldn't see questions about it in an interview beyond " <S> I see you have done a project using XYZ. <S> What challenges did you encounter working on it?" or other similarly general questions. <A> I've had them look at my personal sites and some client sites <S> I'd been the sole developer on after the face-to-face interview. <S> They could also download code from them (VB.NET, C# and PHP) and look the the HTML/CSS side as well. <S> I don't think most of them looked into the code extensively though. <S> I think that they might have reviewed it more closely if I was applying for strictly web design rather than presenting myself as an all-round solution provider.
| If the interviewer has some down time while prepping for your interview, he/she might give your website a quick look to grab some basic information.
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