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Where should I say that I need sponsorship? I want to emigrate from my country to U.S., Canada, UK or Australia. Living in EU, move to UK isn't a problem legally talking, but I can't say the same about the others countries. Basically, you can't move there unless you be sponsored. Should I say in the cover letter that I'll require sponsorship? Knowing that this will practically knock me out of the selection process. Or is it better to wait and see whether or not I get an interview, and then say it personally? <Q> When applying for jobs in other countries, I usually put something like this in my resume: <S> Citizen of Sealand, Work Permission for EU, US, Japan <S> Many companies will state in the job description, "applicants must be current residents of Country X" which is a fancy way of saying, "if you're not allowed to live here now, we're not going to help you live here. <S> " Ignoring this (or failing to provide information allowing them to determine if you meet that criteria) will likely upset them as it's a waste of their time (it is a huge burden to try to get someone work permission). <S> My suggestion is to clearly state what your work status is in the country you are applying to, because this isn't something you can sneak through -- if you want the job you will need to broach the subject eventually, and better to do it early to prevent yourself from wasting time interviewing for a job that won't sponsor you. <A> I can speak for the U.S. <S> Most states require a certain number of rejections in an interview process before applying for an H1B (permanent work visa). <S> Companies in the U.S. also are not allowed to discriminate against workers based on citizenship. <S> To put it bluntly, it's more work than most companies want to do. <S> However, if you can find a company that REALLY wants you, they will usually write up a job description specifically for you, wait the apportioned amount of time/number of applicants, and hire you. <A> Your resume or CV probably indicates your current location. <S> Usually, this is either by listing your current position or your current university. <S> If the job ad doesn't specify that they require local candidates (or candidates who are already currently legally employable in that country), then I think that the location listed in your resume is sufficient when you are applying for a position. <S> If your location is a concern for the company, the recruiter (or hiring manager, if there isn't a recruiter involved) will ask you about it. <S> For me as someone who conducts interviews, anything that is related to immigration is handled through Human Resources. <S> If you ask me about it during a telephone interview or an in-person interview, I won't be able to answer any questions about it, and I'll refer you to the recruiter who set up the interview. <S> This isn't because I don't want to answer the question, but because I have no insight into the process. <S> Note <S> : my answer is based on my experience in being involved with hiring for a couple of large US employers in the software industry, although I do have some experience of being a candidate and getting hired in the UK and Australia as well. <S> My conversations with my Australian employer gave me the impression that the process was similar enough. <S> They've each said that it was quite clear from my resume that I'm an American citizen <S> and they assumed when they got my resume that I would require a visa.
| I would recommend putting your citizenship in your resume or cover letter, as that will prevent companies that are truly not interested from sponsoring you, and give a heads up to companies that would be willing.
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Best approach to dealing with pranks My coworkers are constantly playing pranks on each other. I don't really want to be a part of it. What is the best way to approach others about it without being alienated and being seen as the outlier? <Q> I have the same situation. <S> I find that if I don't play pranks then I don't get pranks played on me. <S> Should that not work, the first time a prank was played on me, I'd be assertive but not aggressive. <S> I'd laugh it off but say something like <S> "Come on guys, there's no need to bring me into it. <S> I've done nothing to you. <S> Yet. <S> " And if they suggested that I have no choice, I might even joke that it's really not in their interests to start a prank war with me, because I'm smarter and more competitive than they could ever hope to be. <S> But, and this is important, I wouldn't get involved. <S> The minute you cross the line and play a prank on someone else, there is no coming back. <S> You're involved. <S> If they continued to target me then I'd have a quiet but serious word with one or more of the ring-leaders. <S> Make it clear that it's just not a game you want to play, and it's unfair of them to ask, or to make you feel like an outsider for wanting to get on with your job and not spend time thinking about what trick you're going to play next. <S> Note <S> : Did you see what I did there? <S> It's never about wanting to stop them playing pranks on each other, it's never about wanting to stop them playing pranks on you, it's about you not wanting to play pranks back. <S> If all this fails then it's time to talk to managers and HR, get them to put a stop to it. <S> But I'll bet there aren't many companies where pranking is such an integral part of the culture that you can't stay on the edge of it. <S> Amused but not involved. <A> Alright, here are two separate questions here.1) <S> How do you keep them from pranking you?2) <S> How do you keep them from disliking/shunning you because of item 1. <S> I'll answer them both separately. <S> 1):Preventing the pranks from hitting you is generally as simple as letting the pranksters know early that such things don't interest you. <S> During your "initiation" to the workplace, laugh at whatever happens, bu then calmly tell people that you'd appreciate it if they left you out of any further pranks. <S> BUT, tell them you'd still like to know about what happens, as it is still entertaining to see everybody else's actions. <S> That last bit plays directly into part 2, but we're not quite there yet. <S> In the event that the pranks don't stop, find the "leader" of the group (generally not the manager, often one of the more junior employees that actually started everything back in the day) and tell them that you really don't appreciate that it's still happening. <S> This is the time to be firm. <S> Set your boundaries, but don't be angry or confrontational. <S> sometimes a simple "Hey man, I really don't appreciate the pranks you guys play on me, and I'd like it to stop" will work wonders. <S> escalating is a last-resort option. <S> 2):Now, in part 1 <S> i mentioned that being informed in this situation can help with the alienating aspect. <S> to that end, go out to lunch with them once in a while, converse, chat, talk about stuff they've pulled in the past. <S> Laugh, learn, and listen. <S> Pranksters always want people to talk to about their pranks, and it can go a long way towards preventing alienation/shunning. <A> Follow these steps until the problem is resolved. <S> Tell them it is inappropriate, and it creates a negative work environment for you. <S> Talk to your manager about it. <S> Talk to HR about it. <S> Tell them it is negatively impacting your ability to do your job. <S> Deal with the pranks or find a new job <S> I don't know about you, but a prank war isn't something I'd want to be a part of. <S> These guys will be the first to go if your company ever has layoffs. <S> Just do your job and find your own clique, if you feel the need to.
| If I keep a good balance of amused but not involved, when other people play pranks, I don't seem like the outlier. Talk to your coworkers about it. Tell them it is negatively impacting your ability to do your job. I'd continue to be amused by the jokes but aloof.
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Is it improper to use Powerpoint to ask questions? When inheriting a pre-existing project/task, what's the best way to conduct a meeting in which the primary purpose is for the meeting lead to be more informed, as opposed to the other members? I'm looking to run a meeting to gain answers to several loose threads on a task I inherited. Being as it's my task, I have the beset knowledge of the specific problems being encountered. As such, I was planning on creating a slide presentation to present these problems. However, when creating the presentation, I noticed there are several portions of the task I am unsure of, and need answers to better understand the task as a whole. Is it improper just to ask questions directly in the slides? Is it still okay if contiguous portions of your presentation are just questions? <Q> There are nontrivial benefits to including the questions in the slides: <S> You can't forget questions: <S> depending how many questions you have this may be a significant plus Everyone's on the same page: The question's right there on the projector <S> Closure <S> : Once you're done talking about X <S> you're talking about Y, switching slides shows closure and lets you ease into the next question Deciding whether to include the questions as slides depends on the situation, but the more appealing the above points sound, the more likely it is you'll want to put the questions right on the slide. <S> Is this a big board meeting or a group of 3 people brain storming? <S> The more people there are, the more important it is to keep everyone on the same page. <S> Are there lots of questions? <S> If there are only one or two questions, including them in slides may not be necessary. <S> The purpose of Powerpoint in a meeting is to guide the meeting visually and keep everyone on the same track. <S> If you need to do that when asking questions I don't see any reason why not to use Powerpoint. <A> what's the best way to conduct a meeting in which the primary purpose is for the meeting lead to be more informed, as opposed to the other members? <S> Seriously. <S> Then, don't get into the dozens of related-but-not-quite-as-important discussions which will happen. <S> Is it improper just to ask questions directly in the slides? <S> Is it still okay if contiguous portions of your presentation are just questions? <S> It's totally ok to do this. <S> But keep in mind your reports who are not actually needed in the meeting are going to start judging you, and quickly, if you waste their time by scheduling a meeting with the entire team to work through a variety of things which you can get answered "off line" - especially if most of the questions are individuals answering you. <A> Ask questions in any format where they can be conveyed accurately. <S> For that purpose, I don't have anything against your use of PowerPoint. <S> In fact, I think it's a nice innovation :) <S> The PowerPoint format forces you to be concise and organized in the way you ask questions, and I think that's a good thing. <S> The one aspect you need to be concerned about, in my opinion, is that you arrange your questions in a way that does not break up the flow of your Powerpoint presentation. <S> That's important because that flow leads the audience to the next question or the next set of your questions. <S> Having said that, what arrangements are you making for your questions being answered i.e. do you want the audience to give you some or most or all of the answers to you on a real time basis during the presentation? <S> Do you want these answers given to you face to face just after the presentation, or do you want them to communicate with you by email, IRC or homing pigeon <S> (provide email address, IRC forum, pigeon nest and pigeons) for the answers? <S> :) <S> You need to work out those arrangements ahead of time :)
| It can be overkill of course, but if your meeting is mostly/significantly a Q&A session, your powerpoint should be a tool to guide the discussion, questions included. Have an agenda prepared in advance.
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Is it appropriate to make notes when being interviewed? In the past when I've been interviewed, I often find myself trying to make 'mental notes' about potential questions or things I should mention. I usually bring two copies of my CV with me, but would it be appropriate to have a small notebook (like a moleskin) and a pen and jot notes. Jotting in a notebook is something i would almost always do when doing my job, so I think it should be allowable during interview, but maybe it would be viewed as rude, or not paying attention. <Q> I bring: A portfolio like this A list of typed questions I have to ask (in the portfolio) <S> A couple extra resumes <S> A nice looking pen ( <S> ie not basic bic pen) <S> Supplemental material as necessary (portfolio, information about the company, printed things such as their mission/vision/etc, project plans/suggestions, other stuff like this) <S> The portfolio lets you bring everything else, store stuff they give you, and look more prepared. <S> For $10 to $20 you can make yourself look far more professional and <S> it helps avoid the "what do I do with my hands" problem (hold the portfolio!). <S> Typed questions lets you say, "I had a few questions I was hoping to ask, you have covered some, but would you be answer the others? <S> " <S> I've made use of my extra resumes a ton. <S> It's always really helpful to be able to look at your resume when someone else says, "tell me about some of the stuff on your resume. <S> " You don't want to blank on what your resume actually says. <S> The pen is obvious, but, make sure you don't fidget/spin it. <S> Supplemental material is optional but beneficial. <S> At my last interview I brought a typed up, less than one page, "here's what I'm assuming the expectations for 30, 60, 90 days are" document I put together, which allowed myself and the interviewer to talk about this as if I already had the job which absolutely helped sell the job. <S> " <S> Here's what my assumptions about my first few months and expectations, how well do they line up?" is a great question to ask. <S> A warning - don't use a phone/tablet unless you are confident you will be seen as taking notes and not showing disrespect (or willing to take that risk). <S> Many, many people will see this as disrespectful even if you do the same as taking paper notes. <S> This seems unfair and indeed it might be. <S> But unfortunately you play by the rules of the interviewers, not what you want, and if you aren't willing to make that gamble, don't make it. <A> Absolutely. <S> It shows that you have an interest in the position and it also allows you to write questions down that you may have but can't ask right away. <S> It's also beneficial to come prepared with questions. <S> I'm not sure if I would come to an interview with a notebook. <S> Perhaps a leather portfolio would be more professional? <A> I take my own notes so I don't forget to ask a question, or a followup on something one of the panel said. <S> I have been on multiple interviews where they provide a pad, writing implement, and tell you straight out that they are there for you to take notes. <S> I would suggest looking at the face(s) of your interviewer(s) and seeing if anyone appears annoyed. <S> If so, then I might consider stopping, but at that point, it might be too late. <S> The choice would be yours, but if it helps you, then I wouldn't stop. <A> so they don't think you are doing something else or being distracted when you look down and scribble things on the notebook before the interview starts.
| It is definitely not a problem, and I would probably even make a point of saying that you have some questions listed and would like to make some notes
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My new boss was junior to me, what do I do? Recently I was in competition for a promotion to manager which I did not get. The promotion went to someone with less experience than I have and someone who, I believe, is less qualified than I am and who got the promotion by playing politics which I refused to do because I believe organizational politics are bad. Now I have to work for this person. What should I do? I was thinking about complaining to HR about the unfair promotion and asking to be assigned elsewhere? Is this the right thing to do or is there a better choice? <Q> How is it unfair? <S> Management needs to play organizational politics. <S> Your refusal to play them (rather than diffuse them, or sell yourself in other avenues) pretty much spells out your lack of qualifications to be a manager. <S> While you can choose to work for the new boss, or ask for a transfer, or look for new employment, the best thing you can do is learn from it. <A> Congratulate them! <S> Even if it is not official yet the decision has been made and there is nothing that you can do that is going to change it. <S> Because this is a management position, even if you are union the company is not required to promote by seniority. <S> Instead of making an enemy, you can try and get them on your side. <S> When you have the chance work with them and help make them look good. <S> It will only help to have them as your ally when the company is making the decisions on who to consider promotions in the future. <S> I would definitely keep a positive attitude when you have the meeting though. <S> And next time there is an opening coming up get proactive about asserting yourself as the front runner. <S> You can do this while respecting the person currently holding the position. <S> But allowing your competition a few weeks to get ahead of you in line makes it more difficult to stand out when it is time to make the decision. <A> Complaining only shows a bad side in you. <S> If this is how you feel, the company made the correct decision in not promoting you (I know this is not easy for you to read). <S> Life is not always fair, as an employee you need to demonstrate the ability to give any new manager a fair chance to lead you. <S> I worked in a team, in which a co-worker was upset with the promotion given to a different member - he could not accept it and every discussion or decision became an argument. <S> It made him look bad and we disliked him for making everything an argument, I seriously considered leaving because I could not bear his behavior (luckily he eventually left). <S> This is an opportunity for you to grow, try to make the most of it. <A> It's unfair to the people you are leading if you are unable to have influence in the company. <S> Call it politics. <S> Call it being liked. <S> The reality is, it's about getting things done. <S> Will people in your group get cheated out of their own promotions, raises and bonuses because you refuse to play ball? <S> How will you get them the tools they need to do their job and provide the protection they need? <S> Unless your company explicitly places importance on time served and level of technical knowledge, you may have no arguement to present to HR. <S> They may have done you a favor by not giving you this position. <S> It is naive to think playing politics isn't a requirement for a manager. <A> Personally, I still think the question is a little too much of a rant even after the rewrite and should be changed to something that focuses more on "What is office politics?". <S> Unless this is made clear, any answer would probably be moot. <S> If your definition of politics is akin to the backstabbing and dramatic power plays so common on television, and you genuinely believe that the person has employed such means to "leapfrog" over you, I think that anything you do, or plan to do, will be tinted with negative connotations and not necessarily realistic expectations. <S> If your definition of politics is to something more in line with "influencing people through soft skills to accept your ideas", I'm sure your plans would be different as well. <S> In any case, its my experience as a long time manager and head of department that the ability to influence people is my number one job description. <S> Does this require the use of non traditional soft skills? <S> Definitely. <S> Would I be doing my job to the best of my ability without these soft skills? <S> Definitely. <S> At the end of the day, your understanding of the event will drive your perception of whether or not something was "right" or "just". <S> What I would suggest is to review those perceptions and try to come at the question at different angles before coming to a conclusion and that this review should be done before you even start thinking about what you plan or want to do about it. <A> Like Chad, I think that you should congratulate the guy. <S> And the main reason is the following : <S> If the new guy is good at playing politics, and if you complain about him to HR or to n+2, he will likely reorient his full attention on you. <S> And I guess you don't want that, except if you want to leave afterwards. <S> By the way, but it is personal view, I always find difficult to stay after applying for a position and not having it.
| I think you could have a meeting with your manager to find out what you should improve to maximise your chances for the next promotion. Anything you could say now is likely to look like sour grapes, which is going to work against you. Congratulate them, and give them the respect that the position deserves(even if you do not feel the person in the position deserves it).
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Is it unprofessional to leave Post-it notes on somebody's monitor? Is it unprofessional to leave Post-it notes on the monitor of people who you need to get ahold of at work? In my specific situation: My coworker is extremely busy They spend most of their workday in meetings, not at their desk I need to discuss an important, but non-urgent matter with them They haven't responded to my last few emails <Q> Leaving a note is sometimes ok. <S> However it is rude <S> if: the person has an office with a door, and you open the door and go in to leave the note. <S> Handle that by leaving the post-it on the door. <S> the content of the note should not be seen by others. <S> Handle that by folding up the note so that it won't be read accidentally by passers-by, and not putting super confidential or gossip-worthy details in the note. <S> the note is located highly obtrusively. <S> I react with anger when I find items on my chair or post-its on the part of my screen <S> I look at - as opposed to on the bevel. <S> Handle that with great care - one person's HOW DARE <S> YOU INVADE <S> MY SPACE is another person's "oh, I never saw that there." <S> Make sure you include information in the note that is not in the emails. <S> Do not write the note in advance and set out to deliver it. <S> Go to their office or desk, and if they're not there, leave a note that says: <S> Sorry <S> I missed you, came to discuss Johnson reports. <S> I need your help to make the deadline. <S> Can we talk at 3? <S> They need to know why you need an answer and when, and you need to give them an action item. <S> That would be true of emails too <S> but it's all the more true with such a constrained communication device as a post-it. <S> If you really need an answer, I would risk being rude. <S> Later if the person says it was rude, you can ask what would be better - not angrily, like "what the heck do you expect me to do?" <S> but patiently, like "how can I let you know when I really need you during a busy day?" <S> As an alternative to leaving a note, consider sending a meeting request. <S> I blogged about someone else's blog about makers schedule and manager's schedule , and I think it's relevant here. <A> The appropriateness depends on the situtation and the person and how often you do it. <S> Clearly some people are bothered by them and if I knwe <S> someone did not like Post-it notes <S> , I wouldn't put them on his monitor unless I had no other choice. <S> Personally I think a post it should be reserved for a situtation where you need an answer as soon as someone else gets out of a meeting and <S> you don't want it lost in a sea of emails and phone messages. <S> I will leave these for my boss when I know he is going from one meeting to another, so he knows that I need to urgently talk to him as soon as he can spare 5 minutes. <S> I will usually send an email followup to these types of post-it <S> notes so there is a record of the answer as well. <S> Another time to avoid <S> the Post-it note is when you are the boss and you come in earlier than your reports (or stay later) and leave a lot of new tasks for them to do in the form of post it notes on their monitor. <S> I had a boss like this who left me no less than 6 of these a day. <S> Being faced with a bunch of new tasking before you have even sat down is beyond annoying. <S> I also will leave Post-it notes to myself about something I want to be reminded to do. <S> Things like take the "take the salad home" or <S> "Password changed" when I had to change the password just before going on vacation. <S> Under no circumstances put a password on a Post-it note. <A> For very busy people it is usually necessary to book their time. <S> Consider inviting to a physical meeting just the two of you in your company calendar. <S> This is usually much more visible than the arbitrary email, and you have the option of inviting your boss(ses) <S> if it is very important. <S> This escalates it slightly and may be enough to get the attention you need. <A> I think so. <S> I normally leave a message like "I'm looking for you", or if I'm in close relation send a text message with more information.
| Some people are just hard to find (valuable resource in the company :-)), leaving them some kind of a message would allow them to prioritize the things they need to do in between meetings, or even tell you someone else can help. I don't mind a non-adhesive note on my keyboard but some people do. I don't leave them for unimportant things or just for information unless the info is something he specifically asked for and I am positive he won't want to search through a bunch of emails to find it.
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Why would an employer seek candidates by an employment agency that sends out job advertisements describing requirements, but not the employer? I'm a PhD student in my final year. Regularly, I get spam advertising bogus journals, unknown conferences, or sites that want to list my CV. Recently I received an e-mail from a recruiting firm. The content of the e-mail is partly wrong and partly very generic. However, there is an attachment that is very specific for my speciality. For example, from the content of the e-mail: Dear IT Professional (I'm not in IT and I'm not a Professional; I'm a PhD student) (...) I am emailing to ask if you would like to be considered for the long term contract which is summarised in the attachment. (...) As far as I can see, this is nothing more than informing me of a job opening. (...) at this stage, you have been selected from many hundreds of records on the basis of examining a summary of your skills and/or speed reading your CV (...) So, some software decided I'm more on-topic than someone working in the humanities.This still doesn't mean very much. However, the attachment describes very specifically my quite narrow field of expertise; it includes an element that probably less than 25 people worldwide have experience with. So topic-wise, they have targeted the right person. The weird thing is: there is no mention of the employer whatsoever . The e-mail speaks in terms of their client . It is signed by the recruiting firm. It describes in vague terms in what region the employment will be, but precisely enough that I can guess (certainly in combination with the job description) the employer with 99% certainty. Indeed, the employer's name is mention on Pactums website and Pactum is mention on the employer's website. So it's likely not a scam. Then why the mystery? Why would any company, organisation, university, or other employer, attempt to employ people through a recruitment company that sends out job openings that are completely opaque as far as the employer is concerned?Why the mystery?Why doesn't the employer advertise the position on their own website? <Q> The vague job description has to do with the economics of employing a staffing firm. <S> The staffing firm gets paid only if they refer the candidate that gets hired. <S> If the staffing firm expends the time and effort to locate one of the 25 people on Earth that have experience with a particular topic, they don't want the target to then submit their resume to the employer and deny the staffing firm their rightful commission. <S> As to why the employer doesn't list the position on their web site, there are a variety of potential answers. <S> Often, employers find that they get an avalanche of resumes that are poorly suited to the position and have to expend a large amount of effort in order to sort through them looking for people worth following up with. <S> Outsourcing that work to the staffing firm can sometimes be well worth it. <S> Other times, employers don't want to signal to the world that they're hiring for a particular position. <S> If Amazon decided tomorrow that they wanted to build their own cell phone, for example, they might want to assemble the team quietly rather than posting a bunch of job openings that would make it clear to competitors that they were starting such a project. <S> Still other times, a company may be looking to replace an existing employee or for a position that would signal some sort of internal reorganization where the company wants to make an announcement once they have made a hire rather than when they start looking. <S> If you advertise that you're looking for a new CFO, your existing CFO will probably be a bit upset, for example. <A> Filtering resumes, and interviewing applicants is time and resource intensive. <S> Employers use recruiting firms in order to outsource the activity that has the least return on investment for the employer which is finding candidates worth interviewing. <S> As an interviewer, it takes a lot of my time and energy to prepare for the interview, conduct the interview, evaluate the interview, and fill out all of the paperwork that goes with it. <S> That is in addition to getting my work done, for which there are enough hours in the day. <S> A good recruiting firm will interview you and try to find the best match for you and the employer. <S> Use them as a tool to help you. <S> Using a recruiting firm is my preferred way to find a job now. <S> It saves me from searching a bazillion sites, and weeding out those that appeal to me. <A> This won't apply in all circumstances, but as my answer to another question states, some secretive agencies won't want their identities known until they're reasonably certain you can and want to be hired.
| Often times a recruiting firm has access to job openings that employers don't post anywhere else.
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Are there potential consequences of letting your employer know about your personal projects? Yesterday, while talking with my boss, I mentioned I am working on a personal project in my free time at home. A senior was sitting nearby and he advised me not to tell the boss such things. What consequences could there be? My senior says while scolding boss will use the personal project against me. Why would that matter? Is it really a costly affair to tell such thing to boss? I am a fresher so don't know these things ... please tell me what and how can go wrong? <Q> There are many possible reasons your co-worker may have for suggesting that you avoid telling your boss <S> you have a project outside work. <S> To be certain of why this specific co-worker said what he <S> / <S> she said, you need to ask him/her. <S> It is possible <S> this co-worker said what was said for personal reasons. <S> For example, he/she is frustrated that he/she doesn't get to work on at home projects. <S> There are also several valid reasons that wouldn't be personal. <S> These reasons could be specific to this boss or this company, legal, cultural, or just general "good advice": <S> Maybe your boss is controlling and thinks you should spend all your time working for the organization, even when you aren't at work. <S> Such a boss may perceive a project outside work as a lack of loyalty and this could lead to a deterioration of your relationship with your boss. <S> The opposite of the above reason may be that your boss wants you to take a break from you work so that have a clear mind when you get to work. <S> Thus he/ <S> she believes you won't have that clear mind if you have a project at home. <S> The organization you work for may have a policy (which attempts) to claim any work you do while employed by them as theirs, even if it is done on your own time and with your own resources. <S> Depending on the laws in your area, this may not be legal, but it would be better to avoid the legal issues - sometimes lawsuits are won and lost not on the facts, but because one party has significantly more resources for paying attorneys, investigations, etc. <S> As a worst case scenario, the organization may end up making money from what you did during your personal time. <S> If you intend for your project to become a product that you sell, lease, license, etc. <S> and it might compete with something your company does, then you are likely in violation of a no-compete clause in your employment agreement. <S> This would definitely be seen as disloyal and could get you fired. <S> When the boss wants you to work overtime, you won't be able to argue that you need a break from this sort of work (assuming your home project is similar to what you are doing at work). <A> As mentioned by others, the answer will vary depending on the country and state you live in. <S> You need to look that up. <S> Moonlighting laws aside, some things to watch out for is: Q: <S> Does your project IP overlap with the companies? <S> A <S> : You risk contaminating your companies product, and invalidating any IP/patents they are working on. <S> Q: Does your project compete with your companies? <S> A: <S> The company can have a case to claim ownership/damages. <S> I'd also recommend reading this answer. <S> http://answers.onstartups.com/a/20136 <A> Yes there is a downside. <S> The boss might decide to let you go. <S> It could cause problems with your co-workers. <S> Never use company resources to do it whether it's a laptop or internet access. <S> Don't even use the company printer or recycling bin for anything that even looks like your own project. <S> Never tell your boss or co-workers, even if they seem like your best friends. <S> Never talk about it at work. <S> Make sure it has nothing to do with your work projects. <S> Never try to sell something you developed at work as your own. <S> It belongs to the company. <S> That's just the way it is. <A> It depends on your company and where you live. <S> Where I live, employees are not allowed to do any project other than work. <S> If they do, it is considered freelancing, even if they do that project at home. <S> Working on your own project isn't allowed as well. <S> So you should be very careful when mentioning such things. <A> This really depends on your particular boss and the relationship you've built up to this time. <S> If you're not sure how she will react, don't mention it. <S> You can also gauge the amount you should talk about by home much they talk about. <S> Was your boss just curious or really shocked when you told him you do not think of work at home? <S> Maybe you've thought of other projects? <S> There are many who believe good programmers often program away from work on side projects.
| In my company if an employee is caught freelancing, he might be fired. Rules about doing you own projects: Never do any of it at work. You could get yourself a bad reputation if you break any of the rules below.
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Should I include a copyright notice on job application submissions? A job for which I am applying has, as part of the application / interview process, a test which requests real source code. Should I include a copyright notice on this code? I'm guessing the practice would be similar to portfolios for art folks, but for code in particular I think the opportunity to point out an interest in IP law ( and disapproval of related clauses of many employment agreements ) shouldn't be passed up. <Q> Legally, at least in the US, you own the copyright to anything you create the moment it is created (provided you aren't creating the work under a work-for-hire arrangement). <S> So there is no legal need for it in that sense. <S> However, for a sense of pride, I say go for it. <A> When making a decision on this I would ask myself what is it <S> I hope to achieve. <S> Generally I would follow the guidelines of the third party owner of the code, in the sharing of the code and the copyright status. <S> If the copyright to the code is owned by you and you have the right to grant licence to use it then you have a decision to make. <S> Most companies I have worked with require that any code submitted be done so with a licence that would prevent my making a claim against them for any contents of code submitted to them in the application process. <S> The reason is that you could submit some very easily duplicated code, then make a claim against them. <S> So it is in their interests to demand the rights to use any code you submit to them. <S> For this reason I never include my "best" stuff. <S> If there is a need I would remove the code that does work I wish to protect and insert a comment that the code is proprietary and you are unable to grant a blanket licence. <S> If you feel the need to protect your code then you may be best served by contacting a lawyer and getting them involved in reviewing what you plan to submit to the client. <A> Is this code that you write for the interview (like a coding test?), or pre-existing code that they want to see? <S> If it's pre-existing code, (for instance, something you did on your own time), then yes, absolutely keep the notices on there. <S> If it's written for the interview, then no, don't. <S> If you are writing to answer a coding test, then putting a copyright notice on the answer indicates that you are more concerned with outside affairs than the problems they are looking to hire you to solve.
| If the code is property of a third party company but you are submitting it as an example of the type of work that you do then including the third party copyright is appropriate so that you can indicate that the code is not owned by you and that you do not have permission to grant licence to use it. It certainly wouldn't hurt anything (and if anything, maybe would help as it shows you take some ownership in your work).
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How should I handle same name email mix-ups? I recently started working with a large company where someone shares the same first and last name as myself. I have been receiving a lot of technical emails that should be addressed to the other individual. What is the best way to handle this? Should I reply to them and CC the intended individual? Or forward them to the intended individual? Is there anything that can be done short of changing my name in the directory to fix this? Edit: Despite having the middle initial show up in the directory (differentiating between the two of us), people continue to include the wrong person on emails. <Q> I usually reply to the sender with "I think you intended for this to go to someone else. <S> " <S> Do not just forward it to the intended recipient, because then it is unlikely that the sender(s) will learn the difference, at least in a timely fashion. <S> Changing your name in the directory may be the most expedient way to get it resolved - do you have a nickname that you can use, or add a middle initial? <S> But even then, if the sender has added you to their own address book (some mail clients will automatically remember names that you email frequently), it may be stuck in there until they manually clear or fix it. <A> I've been dealing with this same issue for the past couple years (fortunately it has gotten better). <S> I share a first, last, and middle name with another employee at the same location. <S> I've taken a couple steps to prevent confusion: <S> I changed appearance of my name in the global email directory. <S> Since our names couldn't be differentiated by middle initial (probably wouldn't help most people anyway), I updated my first name to a nickname. <S> This can help prevent people from sending it to me by mistake, and highlights the fact that there are multiple people with the same name when looking at the address list. <S> While this doesn't prevent a mistaken first email, I've never had repeat erroneous mail from the same sender. <S> For suspicious email (potential spam, etc.) or for actual mail or packages, I contact the other guy with a description of the item, including sender, subject, and possibly contents to see if it is something that he would expect he might receive. <S> If so, I either use step 1 above (with the intended recipient CCed), or hand-deliver the mail/package. <S> Importantly, make sure the other person is aware of the problem, and that you are both taking steps such as these to prevent and/or resolve issues. <S> Additionally, make sure you let people know when they send something to the wrong person, not just so that particular item can be redirected, but so that they can correct their address list and prevent future mistakes. <S> Additionally, some email systems allow addresses to have a picture or some sort of status message associated with them (visible internally to an organization). <S> If your organization's system enables this, try to use it as an additional means of differentiation between the two of you. <A> I have faced these kind of incidents many times because there are multiple people who share part or all of my name. <S> The appropriate action for these kinds of accidental emails are, <S> My manager found one permanent solution for this problem. <S> He added a unique identifier: my department name. <S> Now my name appears in the directory as FirstName LastName DeptName. <S> This avoids confusion and helps people to identify me uniquely. <S> From then on, these type of accidental emails were reduced drastically. <S> I also suggest that you talk with your manager or concern department to modify your name in the directory which helps others to identify you uniquely. <S> Reply back to the sender politely, saying something like “I think this email was sent to me by mistake. <S> Please let me know if it is really intended for me.” <S> He will realize and take preventive actions if it was an accident. <S> Just ping him and get clarification about the mail. <S> Something like “Hey, I am slightly confused by the email that you sent yesterday with the subject XXXXXX. <S> What is that about?” <S> If the email was a mistake, he will realize and take preventive actions in the future. <S> In my organisation, two other people share my name. <S> Quite often, I receive emails intended for others. <S> At such times, I usually try to identify the right person and send it to them. <S> Often, I search in the directory for other recipients. <S> If many of the recipients (CCed people also) belong to same group or department, I will go to that department and check the members of that department. <S> If anybody in the group has the same name as me, I will forward that mail to him, saying “I believe this email is intended for you. <S> I received it by mistake.”
| Whenever I receive an email in error (that doesn't appear to be spam or junk), I send a polite response to the sender letting them know about the confusing situation, and asking them if they had meant to send it to the other guy (and including his correct email address).
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What is the origin of "Junior" and "Senior" terms to refer to positions? When looking at companies' job offers, it is common to see junior and senior positions which are clearly distinguished in their offers, each one with its respective requirements. In several cases the main difference is the number of years of professional experience, but in my opinion there are more factors rather than just the number of years (I know people with a couple years of experience who are more skilled than others with the double of years). In general, what is the motivation of this distinction? When did this terminology started to be used? I know other professions that don't make this distinction, but it seems to be quite common in the IT industry. <Q> The education system in North America where in 4 year programs the names for each level are Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors and Seniors respectively. <S> There can also be the use of Junior and Senior when it comes to someone being given the same name. <S> For example, while my legal name would be John Brock King II, some places may want to refer to me as John King Jr. while my father would be John King Sr. <S> as he had the name before I was born. <S> Junior / professional / senior categorization would be another question from Programmers. <S> SE that may be useful to note here as another reference. <S> There are a couple of other systems that companies may use as a general point: <S> Numeric levels - Some companies may have a Programmer I, Programmer II, Programmer III as ways to differentiate different skill levels rather than use the Junior, Intermediate, Senior terms. <S> Terminology for each level - <S> In this case, there could be a series of terms that cover the same thing in theory but within a specific company form a hierarchy where there could be programmer, developer, engineer, and architect that each represents its own level even though some people may see some of these terms as close to interchangeable. <A> Every profession I have worked in has used some equivalent of these terms. <S> They pretty much date back to the middle ages when you had apprentices, journeymen and Masters of a particular profession. <S> While they often seem to be deternmined by number of years, really the true distinction is in the difficulty level of the work you can assign and the abilty to work with more or less supervision. <A> While I can't speak to the origins of the terminology, it's motivation is apparent; Spending enough years at an endeavour, even with just a modicum of skill at it will result in ability that the skill alone would not confer. <S> Force of Habit <S> While time could serve to improve skill, the mere fact of having carried out a task (or group of related tasks) will inevitably result in your proficiency at it. <S> Take any profession. <S> Plumbing, wine-tasting. <S> While you may not have grown in skill in 7 years at a plumber, you'd have stared at so many elbow pipes that you can give details about it that a rookie won't have, simply because he hasn't seen enough pipes. <S> In the technology field, spending enough years with a piece of technology will inevitably result in you experiencing some corner case that would be unlikely for anyone else. <S> You've implemented a framework so many times you've covered most of the gotchas and pitfalls. <S> Lessons learnt Employers looking for experienced hands <S> know what they're doing. <S> When most of us are starting out, all we have is textbook experience. <S> Anyone who's been in the field for a while will tell you that theory doesn't always translate well into practice. <S> Mistakes will be made. <S> Bugs will be introduced in stable codebases. <S> You will UPDATE without a WHERE at least once. <S> These are mistakes that your first employer or two will have to suffer. <S> The employer that wants 5 years experience expects these mistakes of a newbie and won't want to be the one to take the hit. <S> They expect that at 5 years, some other poor shop has paid the blood price of your goofs.
| The idea is to differentiate those new from those that have developed proficiencies so that those new to the field could be seen as Freshmen or Freshers depending on one's cultural reference.
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Is it okay to withhold previous salary information during the interview process? So here's the situation. I have a friend who is applying for a job as a Business Analyst. He has been working as a Business Analyst for another company for a year, but wants to move. However, his salary at the previous employer is much lower than average for a BA. Therefore, in order to prevent HR from having this information and using it to offer a dramatically lower salary during the negotiation process, I want to tell him not to divulge his current/previous salary if asked. However, I don't know if it's appropriate to not share the information, or if it's even appropriate for the prospective employer to ask about it. I defer to your wisdom, workplace.SE. <Q> As the candidate, you always get to choose what you do and do not say, and how important it is to provide (or not provide) an answer to a question. <S> The candidate can try to sidestep the question and answer the similar question of, "what is your expectation of salary for this role?", and thus the candidate can discuss their research about salaries for business analysts in the area with this experience, and hope that HR accepts this response. <S> As HR, they always get to choose what questions they ask, and how important it is to have an answer to that question. <S> If there is a piece of information that HR really wants but the candidate refuses to provide it, then HR is in the position of deciding whether they want to make an offer without this information, or if they simply want to move on to another candidate who is willing to share that information. <S> Personally, as a software engineer, I don't think that I've ever not been asked about salary when interviewing. <S> The general interview process that I'm used to is a phone interview with a recruiter, a phone interview with the hiring manager or someone on the team, and then an in-person interview with the team. <S> Of all of the in-person interviews that I have done, salary expectations are always discussed before the in-person interview. <S> From the hiring manager's point of view, there is no point in interviewing a candidate whose salary expectations are above their budget. <S> When I'm asked about salary, I talk about total compensation: base salary, bonuses, stock options or grants, and benefit package. <S> For entry-level positions such as those that require less than two years of experience, there are often many candidates who are just as qualified but who are more forthcoming with the information that HR wants. <S> Your friend needs to decide whether their desire to get as high of a salary as possible is higher than their desire to get a salary that is higher than the too-low one that they currently make. <A> Yes, it's okay. <S> Will the interviewer be annoyed with you for withholding this information? <S> Most likely. <S> Failing to disclose salary information may very well disqualify him from several jobs he could otherwise get. <A> in order to prevent HR from having this information and using it to offer a dramatically lower salary during the negotiation process, I want to tell him not to divulge his current/previous salary if asked. <S> Yes, he should try to hide it. <S> Usually, they tell not to ask for a higher salary, which would be 10-15% more then the current. <S> If he would not to tell them, he can tell that his current job contract forbids him to tell salary to anyone. <A> Responding honestly to that question will probably serve a candidate better than other ways of answering it. <S> Avoiding the question will raise red flags. <S> Do you really want your prospective employer (and not just HR, but your hiring manager/the interviewer) having an informal chat with your current or previous employer's HR staff, or supervisor? <S> It likely won't be just about your salary, but on your secretive mannerisms... <S> That is, if you've utterly aced the rest of your interview, such that your new employer even cares to follow up after that harbinger of future difficulties. <S> I recommend forthright honesty, especially on something that can be back-checked so easily. <S> And instead of airing dissatisfaction over your current/previous compensation, the time might be better spent inquiring about your potential new group's salary range; what others with your qualifications and experience are currently making. <A> Therefore, have an answer prepared about the value you will bring to their position, and why it is worth the money you are requesting. <S> Be willing to say something about how what he was earning at a different job has little or no bearing to the value he brings to this job. <S> Point out that he's looking to earn more because the going rate is such and so, and why he is worth that or more. <S> Give a ROI that justifies what he is asking.
| I think the best solution (if possible) would be to share his previous salary information with the caveat that the main reason he is moving away from his other company was lack of compensation. It's ok to not divulge it, but as others have said, if asked directly, refusing to answer can count against you.
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Is it unprofessional to attempt to negotiate for less than two weeks when announcing resignation? When announcing resignation, is it unprofessional for me to ask my boss if it would cause an inconvenience for me to work only another 5 to 8 days instead of a full two weeks? I am able to work for two more full weeks if my boss deems it helpful to the team or necessary for out-processing. However, it would be useful to me personally to be able to move more quickly to my new job. I do not think there will be a need for me to perform a lengthy hand-off, since my skillset in my current job is not so much an in-depth knowledge of the product (I have only worked on my current team for four months) but an acuity for software design and knowledge of C++. I also suspect that the out-processing will leave me with very little to do my last several days of work if I stay a full two weeks. I have vacation time I could use to fill in final days if this caused any sort of legal hassle with the contract, provided my boss didn't have a problem with it. The importance of not committing a faux pas here lies not only in not burning bridges with my current boss but with not giving the wrong impression to the company that is hiring me. <Q> I don't think there is any faux pas in at least asking. <S> so they save a few days of pay. <S> I've certainly seen that situation happen with co-workers who hadn't been with an organization very long. <S> Just present it to your boss in such a way that makes it very clear that you're asking if this would be OK, that you know you're committed to two weeks notice, and that of course you will work the two weeks if it would cause any problems at all for you to leave earlier. <A> "I have vacation time I could use to fill in final days". <S> I don't know how it is in the US, but here <S> (The Netherlands) <S> these days subtract from the resignation period. <S> If that period is 14 weekdays and you have <S> 10 vacation days (workdays) left you could leave now <S> ;-) <S> [assuming you work 5 days/week] Technically you are still employed for the 14 days but practically you just take your vacation days. <A> You can always ask. <S> In fact sometime they are happy to be able to stop paying you early. <S> They can bring in somebody on the bench sooner. <S> If they don't jump at the offer be prepared to offer them something: Make an offer to return for part of a day after being away for a few weeks. <S> or Provide some other level of support after the new person starts. <S> This will have to be worked out with your new manager. <S> Keep in mind they may have a contractual obligation to a customer and can get penalized if the position is not filled. <S> Sometimes they can make more money having you sit at a desk <S> those last few days because they can charge the customer. <A> I think the key here is in discussion with the new employer. <S> They're not going to look favorable on you not giving enough notice. <S> Both parties need to know that you will give 2 weeks if it is beneficial, but it is your "preference" to start earlier. <S> It's up to you, but making an informal offer to allow your former employer to call if they have a question later on, is a sign of good faith. <S> Of course you want to make sure they don't abuse this.
| If your situation is, as you say, such that there's unlikely to be any need for a lengthy handover, and if you don't have a lot of work in progress that they'll want you to finish before you leave, then they might actually be glad to have you leave a little earlier If the transfer is within the same company, then offer to be available part time for longer.
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Convincing a technically inexperienced boss to not interfere? My boss does a few things very well, such as keeping her team happy. Unfortunately, she is not quite as strong with the technical skills relating to the technologies we work with. Her inexperience in these matters quite often interferes with our ability to work on and progress with projects. The issue is compounded by her stubborness regarding taking advice from us, her team. We are all quite experienced with the technologies, and would be able to make some decisions relating to said technologies and our projects better through group consensus, but our boss normally ignores our consensus. How should we go about remedying this situation, and making her understand that she should delegate some decisions to us? Some additional details, for the sake of completeness. 1) The manager hasn't coded anything for 10 years. 2) Our legacy software is 23+ year old MFC code, so it is definitely inferior to newer technologies 3) We spend all our time fixing bugs that still exist in the legacy that take a week to do instead of five minutes in newer languages. 4) This might be the case with us. 5) I have tried explaining how it would help us, but not the customer, no. Our manager really only assigns random bugs to each worker each week and nothing else, even if the bugs are a decade old or not bugs at all. <Q> Let's start with the fact that to get respect, you also have to give respect. <S> Why should she delegate to people who clearly (from the initial rant in the question ) think she is useless. <S> What possible reason would a boss have to give more power to someone who is continually putting her down? <S> So the first step is to fix your own attitude towards your boss. <S> The technical skills are not the be all and end of of reasons why decisions are made. <S> There are a lot of economic and political variables you may not be aware of. <S> And she is more likely to pay the price for poor decisions than you are. <S> So present your case before a decision is made (but do it professionally and with no condescension), but work really hard to implement the decision once it is made and above all do not complain about it. <S> Once she feels she has your support, she is more likely to loosen up and listen to you more. <A> You say your manager does a good job of keeping her team happy, but that doesn't seem to be reflected in your problem - that she doesn't listen to you. <S> There are several ways to go about trying to make her hear more of your side. <S> You can start by making it a point to acknowledge when she does the things you think she does well. <S> When she removes roadblocks, comment on how much easier the project is with out xyz. <S> When she gets you the tools you need, comment on how much more efficient they will make your process. <S> You also could try leading her to your conclusion. <S> Just telling her the benefits doesn't always work, sometimes you have to make sure she really understands them. <S> It's not ideal, but we have all had to do it at some point or another. <S> It really doesn't matter who comes up with the ideas, just that the best ones are used. <S> The biggest thing is to isolate why she isn't listening to your ideas now. <S> Is there information she hasn't conveyed to you that affects her decision? <S> Try to get to the root of the problem, that is the only real way to find the answer that will work for you. <S> And if you can't understand it, then make a decision on whether you can live with it. <S> If you can then just move on to the work she has assigned. <A> It's a complex problem, but most of this will stem from how much coding your boss does or would have to do in case of a crises. <S> Here are some variables to consider: <S> Does your boss feel like she has to know every technology being used? <S> If she has to step in when someone leaves or handle over-flow, any sane programmer would want to make sure they understand as much of the development stack as possible. <S> Not all teams are staffed to the point where the lead manager doesn't have to code. <S> Are your technology suggestions really superior, insignificanlty better or just personal preference? <S> When it comes to being in charge, there is a premium on using what works. <S> There's an old saying, "No one ever got fired for buying IBM." <S> What is the big picture for your team? <S> Do your suggestions consider hiring and training replacements? <S> Are you going to take on the task of providing documenation? <S> Does it make it more complex to create and maintain a developer's workstation with all the new toys? <S> Upper management may consider any time devoted to implementing these new solutions as unbillable or wasteful. <S> Is it possible you and <S> your team members present poor arguments? <S> Everything makes sense in your mind, but having several people present a huge number of changes/suggestions can become over-whelming. <S> The easiest solution is to deny all of them. <S> You may be better off if you are able to pick and choose your battles and make a focused presentation on the parts that really matter. <S> Can you create a link between your suggestions and customer value? <S> Will things get done faster? <S> Does your group have a history of not being able to keep up with requirement changes or injecting more bugs with each release? <S> I think anyone would have a hard time believing that your boss has "never" used anyone else's suggestions <S> and it is unrealistic to think she should use all of them. <S> It's natural to dislike rejection but don't blow it out of proportion. <S> I don't think you should hold it against your boss because she won't adopt the framework that is obviously supperior when you consider the most obsure edge case.
| A good manager doesn't need to know the technical details to do the job, he/she just needs to be able to see that the details are carried out in the best way possible. If you treat your boss as if she or he is stupid, I can guarantee that person won't be giving her/his decision-making power to you. Ask questions and gently guide her until she thinks it is her idea.
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Requesting a dress code change that is up to my manager's discretion When I started working for my current company, they permitted a dress code consisting of either jeans or khakis and a polo shirt. About a year ago, something unrelated happened in which the CEO was pissed off and he decided to punish everyone for the actions of the few. An e-mail was sent out stating that the dress code for everyone would be shirt and tie. I have been abiding by this dress code for about a year and have hated every minute of it. As an engineer who does not interact with any external customers or visitors that would warrant such a dress code, it does not make any sense to me. Furthermore, I easily get dust/crap on my fancy clothes with the work that I do and throwing stuff in the washing machine is much easier than dry cleaning. I was recently looking through our employee manual and discovered that it is apparently up to my manager's discretion as far as how I dress in the workplace. I am planning to send him an e-mail requesting permission to return to the former dress code which was much more comfortable. I am looking for help in how to phrase this request appropriately to my manager. <Q> I'd probably suggest a mix of sending an e-mail asking to discuss a change in the dress code rather than explicitly stating the change in that format. <S> In the follow-up meeting presuming there is one, that is where you'd mention that you believe the former dress code would be better for you and give reasons for wanting this other than personal convenience. <S> Make sure you have plans if the CEO happens to be near your area as this could be an issue if it isn't covered. <S> To get it in writing, I'd probably consider the idea of an e-mail after the in-person discussion as not everyone will want to openly discuss everything in a form that is electronically tracked. <S> Thus, it may be useful to send an e-mail, have a meeting where some ideas may be discussed but not written out as they were used to lead the discussion towards a conclusion and then either send or have sent an e-mail stating the agreed upon conclusions from the meeting. <S> While you could quote the section in the handbook, I'd consider what kind of relationship you have with your manager as this could be seen as trying to correct someone that may not go over well. <S> In some cases this is useful as a starting point and in other cases it is possibly seen as childish. <S> "Look, I can do this! <S> It says so right here if you let me!" <S> would be how I could see this being taken in a negative light. <A> I've had some managers where I would have run into their office on day one and asked if his department had to put up with this stupid rule. <S> With others, I would send an email and explain my circumstances if he wasn't aware of them already (Which a good manager should). <S> You've probably had enough correspondence to know how to be respectful and professional. <S> If you get a response that it is out of your manager's control, you can then mention the discressionry provision. <S> It's difficult to determine how far you can push this issue. <S> Some managers just don't stand up for their team members as much as others. <S> Ultimately, you need to change into something appropriate to wear in your lab to prevent ruining your good clothes or get another job. <A> At one company I worked the powers-that-be upped the dress code for an engineering building. <S> Everyone simply chose to ignore it. <S> So the company had the choice between a massive disciplinary action (it was a big building) or letting it slide. <S> A few weeks later they revoked the dress code. <S> There may be strength in numbers. <S> If you can show that this hurts morale and/or productivity for a sizable part of the employees you have a good chance of getting someone's attention. <S> Once you have this, you need to make a specific and actionable proposal. <S> Ideally that would address your discomfort and address the concerns of the CEO. <S> Example: different dress codes for roles, level of interaction with the outside world, parts of the building, etc. <A> I am looking for help in how to phrase this request appropriately to my manager. <S> Just send an informal email, requesting permission. <S> Make it non-confrontational <S> and fact-based. <S> Make it clear what you want your manager to do. <S> Acknowledge that this is contrary to the CEO's email, but state your reasons for why you think your request is appropriate. <S> Just be cognizant of the fact that, in spite of what the employee manual says your manager could do, your manager is in a difficult position. <S> You may get what you are wishing for, but you may not. <S> (BTW, most dress codes are silly, subjective, and outmoded. <S> Yet such is the life of many/most businesses.)
| Thus, you could say, "I have some concerns about following the dress code and would like to discuss this with you privately," or something similar where the point is to note that the dress code is the topic, you want this done privately and avoid getting too specific. This depends on your relationship with your manager.
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What are the benefits of Receiving an MBA when I already have a Masters in my current field? I already have a masters degree in Computer Science. I am currently working in the IT industry as a Software Engineer, but I want to move towards management. so how would an MBA help me advance my career towards management? <Q> It likely won't help you enough in getting that first level management job to be worth the money, but it is the ticket to higher management jobs. <S> I say this because most of the first line managers I have worked with don't have an MBA, so it is very possible to break into the lower levels of management without one. <S> However, since you are not a manager now, I would hold off on spending the money until you get to the first line management job and find out if you really want to spend your career as a manager. <S> I have seen too many people take that first management job and then move back to development because they hate the tasks that come along with management. <S> Better to find this out before you spend more money on a degree you may not need if you decide management isn't for you. <S> However, once you are first line manager and see it is the career for you, then it will be valuable to get the the really high levels of of management. <S> An experienced manager with development experience and an MBA and a Masters in CS would be very valuable in a CIO position. <A> An MBA could actually cost you employment opportunities. <S> While the following sounds negative, the point is that there are people in senior management that have been burned by MBAs or MBA teams. <S> There is a feeling, for instance, that the .COM bust was largely caused when the east coast MBAs started showing up in Silicon Valley, and the techs were replaced by 'money people'. <S> One can trace a string of business disasters to MBAs that were long on doctrine and short on common sense. <S> A lot of employers look particularly critically at MBAs, in part because some emphasize their school or contacts rather than their experience. <S> At the very least, talk to people that have seen the bad actors at work, and learn in advance what not to do. <A> In theory an MBA will teach you to understand why a customer buys a product and how to market your product to a customer and how to actually get them to purchase that product. <S> You already know how to make the product in theory, your undergraduate and graduate degree provided you that knowlege. <S> There are other skills an MBA can provide you depending on your background. <S> If you already know accounting and economics for example then you already have those skills. <A> I don't know whether an MBA is better for you than any other degree or training. <S> You have to consider the cost/benefit. <S> Maybe it would be more beneficial to start with a certificate program rather then a full degree. <S> Any experience or additional education is good for you. <S> Even doing something not related to your field is good for you. <S> It shows that you're interested in learning more, and not just satisfied with coasting on what you learned in four years of college for the rest of your life. <S> The reason Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates and Steve Jobs could get away without the stamp of approval of formal training is that they are very self driven, and extraordinary people. <S> They're rock stars in their fields. <S> However, most people are just backup singers, and they need to do something extra to even get the gig. <S> I wouldn't hire anyone who has spent ten years in their field, and not demonstrated an interest in learning more. <S> Instead, they've demonstrated an unwillingness to learn new things or adopt new things. <S> My experience has taught me that such people are not able to adapt to change, they are a frustrating lot to work with, and they hold back the employees who do adapt to change. <S> Also, as you get older, it is important to have more education. <S> Better to do it now than wait until you are in your 40s or 50s, and trying to pay a mortgage, and take care of children. <S> I have friends in their 40s who have discovered that they need to go to graduate school just to be employable in their company, and it is very hard to do that at that stage of life.
| The MBA will teach you about the financial and business things you need to know to move up the management chain.
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How to deal with "unresponsive" colleagues? I routinely have to deal with a situation when some of my colleagues do not reply to my chat messages or emails. I can't just ignore them, because I get tasks from them and occasionally need to consult with them. How should I deal with this situation? <Q> Some people think that they have no need to answer IM or emails because they only want to do the tasks they want to do. <S> Your task isn't important to them, so they ignore it. <S> So if I have a colleague who doesn't get back to me in a timely manner, I go actually ask them the questions in person (or by phone if they are remote). <S> Be polite but firm. <S> YOU cay say it casually (not in a nasty manner) <S> so something like "Hey I hadn't heard back from you about ABC <S> , so I thought I'd see if you can help me out or when you will be able to get me the information." <S> Ask if they will show you where you can get the information so you don't have to keep bothering them. <S> Note that you don't do this if they are only not answering you instantly, but if several hours have gone by without even an acknowledgement of the message. <S> Another approach is to schedule a meeting with them. <S> Then discuss how they would prefer to be contacted and how you can resolve the communication issue so that both of you can get your jobs done. <S> You may find they think you are bothering them with things that you should be able to figure out on your own. <S> If they still refuse to give you what you need, you may need to escalate it to the boss, but this is an action of last resort. <S> You won't make friends this way, but sometimes you have to do what you have to do to get the job done <S> and if people know they can't tromp on you they will be less likely to try in the future. <A> I think Dale Carnegie's How to Win Friends and Influence People has some good advice on how to get people to see things your way. <S> It would seem these would apply in your case: <S> Six Ways to Make People Like You Become genuinely interested in other people. <S> Smile. <S> Remember that a person's name is, to that person, the sweetest and most important sound in any language. <S> Be a good listener. <S> Encourage others to talk about themselves. <S> Talk in terms of the other person's interest. <S> If they want to think they are better, and you aren't treating them with respect, it will make you have a smaller chance of getting them to do what you want. <S> Yes, you don't approve. <S> So what? <S> You say yourself you have to work with them. <S> Play along. <S> If you actively dislike them and seek to avoid them except when you want something, it is any wonder that they don't bend over backwards to meet your requests? <A> You never mention missing deadlines. <S> Make sure you have established due dates along with your time estimate. <S> If you have a question, let them know the request is on hold and what level of risk there is for not getting it to them when they need it. <S> If they don't provide a due date, you can only assume it has no priority, so why stress yourself? <S> No one can expect you to have something completed today, if you have to wait until tomorrow to get answers. <S> Don't assume everyone is aware of your daily schedule. <S> Give some insight into your current workload. <S> Let them know you have another project starting tomorrow, so it's important they get back to you sooner if they want it completed. <S> Meetings and other things happen, so don't think everyone is ignoring you for no reason. <A> Make sure you include the reason your question is important in your written communication. <S> For example, "I can't make progress on task X without this info," or "This is a blocker for task Y. <S> " If that doesn't work, call or show up at their desk.
| If they try to avoid answering, explain you need the answer immediately becasue you can't make any progress until the issue is resolved and then stand there until they help you. Make the other person feel important – and do it sincerely.
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Is it acceptable to add a small clause when negotiating a contract to work for a large company? My idea is I want to add a clause called "Skill development" where I am allotted a small(3/40) amount of hours per week working on projects of my choosing. The idea is working on these projects will actually increase my value/productivity as an employee of the company. Is this acceptable? Will I be laughed off of the negotiating table? <Q> Like most elements of negotiation, it might go either way. <S> If you're some fresh out of high school Janitor, you'll have a hard time negotiating for personal projects. <S> If you're one of a handful of people with a certain skillset, then companies will be happy to cater to far more outlandish demands. <S> In my experience, this sort of thing isn't common. <S> Training is often already handled by the company, and (contractually) treating you specially isn't worth the minor benefit of your increased value/productivity. <S> Some companies see that sort of thing as something you should do on your own. <S> And not a few companies simply won't negotiate, since paying the lawyers to validate the contract is more time/money than finding another acceptable candidate (who is happy not negotiating). <A> You can ask for anything you like, and if the company wants you enough they may well agree to it. <S> However I would not hold out a lot of hope, at least of getting it written into your contract. <S> There are some big disadvantages for the company, which I will list: <S> Who decides what you work on? <S> If it's you and only you, what guarantee does the company have that you will work on something even slightly relevant to what they want you to learn? <S> What's to stop you spending three hours learning underwater basket weaving? <S> If it isn't written into your contract, they can grant it to you and then cancel it if it isn't working out <S> When there is a crunch on they want you working 100% on your actual job. <S> If it's in your contract you can take those three hours off even if everyone is waiting in you. <S> It sets a precedent. <S> When your new colleagues find out, they are going to be disgruntled because they didn't get this perk too <S> They may have other ways of training you and improving your productivity which they want to use (and which may be better!) <S> Is this clause in your contract going to continue when you are promoted to manager? <S> Or when you are transferred to some supercritical project? <S> It's probably worth pointing out that even the most famous company that employs the 'work on your own project' perk doesn't have it written into their contract. <S> You are more likely to get them to agree verbally to this for some length of time. <S> But if it's not policy for all employees I'm afraid they are unlikely to make a special case. <A> The idea is working on these projects will actually increase my value/productivity as an employee of the company. <S> This is not a given and will test your ability to influence people. <S> If after 6 months and you have nothing additional to offer your company, should they fire you? <S> There could be a situation where a company is struggling to find someone to maintain a legacy code base in an unpopular language. <S> If they allow time to work on other areas, it could be good compromise.
| Go work for Google and you won't have to worry about it because they already do this.
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How should I address an email application if I don't have the last name of the receiver? I'm sending an application to a freelance software developer by email. My goal is to work for free in my spare time (not quite an internship, but basically an internship). I have a completed, and appropriate, resume, however I'm stuck with one problem: I can't find their last name anywhere! I have found their first name is Matt, but I hardly think "Matt:" is an appropriate way to start an introductory email, since we're hardly on a first name basis. How do I address this email without their last name yet retain the formality of a business introduction? I have no other contact avenue besides email. <Q> You do not need to start an email with a salutation. <S> Just start writing. <S> 99% of the emails I receive professionally have no salutation. <A> When I don't know to whom I'm writing, or I have only a first name and want to be more formal, I use "Hello" as the salutation rather than just diving in. <A> Something like Dear Matt, I am writting in regards to the offer bla bla bla... <S> Best Regards, Me. <S> Most of the time I write to ambiguous emails, where name or gender is not obvious, in which case I would start off with <S> To Whom it May Concern, blah blah blah. <S> Best Regards, Me. <S> Using <S> Dear Sir / Madam is a bit risky as I deal with people who have names like Jackie, Alex, Jess, etc. <A> I've learned in school starting with "Dear Sir or Madam" but I think that's only appropiate if it should be considered formal. <A> I would go with "Good Morning," Or afternoon, or evening, whenever you write it. <S> I may be "Old School," but initial emails should be written as informal business letters. <S> However, my grandmother was an English teacher, and drilled proper communications etiquette into us. <S> I'm probably more of a stickler than most.
| Another option in your case, since you have a first name with unambiguous gender, is "Dear Sir", though in my experience that's better suited to executives, business people, and seniors; most software developers I know would find that unusual and overly formal, especially if they're young. For me a name would suffice.
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Is it worth redoing a very long resume after I've already gotten an interview? I submitted my 9 page resume (I have 15 yrs exp) to Amazon.com, and have been scheduled for my 1st phone screen with them. I've been wanting to convert my resume into 2 pages, however since I already got my foot in the door I feel like I should focus my time on preparing for the interview, instead of spending hours writing the 2 pages resume and giving that to the Amazon recruiter. Is it worth redoing a very long resume after I've already gotten an interview? <Q> A nine page resume is a sure fire way of annoying your interviewers, even if they do not mind the extra time they must put in. <S> Most importantly, having a nine page resume shows a total inability to distill information for presentation and lack of effective written communication, which is perhaps one of the most useful non-technical skill. <S> For the other, it shows a lack of familiarity with industry norms and common sense. <S> Remember， you are not putting together a legal factum, but a marketing document, only include the recent, relevant, impressive cream-of-the-crops, and you will be much better off. <A> They will much prefer the 2 page version compared to the 9 page one, and it also shows your ability to summarize and present yourself well. <A> Many interviewers will want you to discuss previous projects that are relavent or one <S> you're most proud of, etc. <S> You may have a skill they require, but you haven't used in a long time. <S> Basically, refresh your memory. <S> I wouldn't spend all your time on it, but it will be helpful in the future.
| Having said that, if you only have a limited amount of time, and if you still have lots of preparation for the interview then you might just want to do a quick summary for the 9 page interview instead, because it can take a lot of time to compress all that information (remember it is not necessary easier to write less). Go through the excercise of updating your resume and focus on tailoring it to this job. Think about how much time you have to spare and where you should put your effort into.
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I currently have a job, but I'm sending a resume for a job opening. Should I add my current boss as a reference? I've been currently employed for 9 months as a developer in a company with an excellent working environment, and I really mean it. I have no pressure on my shoulders, and an excellent relationship with my boss and coworkers. Almost friendship like. The pay is awful, though, so I'm always looking for new opportunities. A very known software company is starting to look for programmers on my city, and I want to apply. My dilemma is... should I add my current boss as a reference? I know for a fact that he would give me a great review, and ahving him as a reference would look good on the resume, but I wouldn't want him to know that I have been applying to other jobs until I at least get an interview. How likely is it for an employer to call for references before I'm in an advanced stage of the hiring process? <Q> With that in mind, the question becomes: do you feel comfortable asking your current boss to be a reference? <S> If you don't then perhaps it's not a good idea to put them down as a reference - think of how they would react if they got the reference call. <S> From your description it sounds like this shouldn't be a problem. <S> If your work environment has a positive attitude towards the needs of individual employees then they should be receptive and hopefully supportive as well. <S> In fact, broaching the topic may lead to something improving where you are! <S> I'm in favor of frank, open discussions. <S> If they're not aware of the problem then they can't do anything about it. <S> If they are aware but can't do anything about it then that's fine, and perhaps it's time to part ways. <S> At least let them know that it's an issue for you. <A> Don't put contact details for your reference on your CV. <S> If the CV gets into the hands of an agent it may (will) lead to your references getting multiple calls from agents trying to either fill the role you are leaving or simply cold calling to try and place their clients. <S> Instead put "references available upon request" then you can control when and who sees the details, and it is perfectly acceptable to wait until after an interview to give out references. <A> They probably won't call references early in the process. <S> They will not call your current employer until they have no choice. <S> So list your current employer in the appropriate employment section. <S> When they do check your employment history many large companies will only provide the fact you worked there from date 1 to date 2, and your job title was X. <S> They might provide the reason why you left, or your pay rate. <S> Some companies even setup a toll-free number to handle the reference checks for employment, and loans. <S> The interviewer won't generally talk to your supervisor, they can't trust that they will get an unbiased answer. <S> You current company doesn't want your supervisor to talk to the interviewer, they don't want to be sued if you don't get the job. <S> Don't start the conversation with your current manager until you have a written offer. <S> While everything may seem great now, you have no idea what will happen when you have basically told him that you could leave at any time. <S> Some companies will counter offer but you don't even want to see it until you have a written offer in hand. <A> No worries, employers deal with this all of the time. <S> Just tell the prospective employer not to contact your supervisor without checking with you first so that you can give him a heads up. <S> For example, if you're giving them a list of references then put [current employer, do not contact yet] next to your boss's contact information. <A> Don't give information away that you don't want the recipient to use. <S> Giving your boss' reference, not telling him, and hoping they don't call is not the way to win this one. <S> In all honestly, there are a fair number of cases where references <S> aren't called, especially in an early phase of reviewing candidates. <S> But the fact that they asked means they have the right to follow up on what you provide. <S> Taking your boss' perspective: Being told a great employee is looking is never great, but in a case where really sub-par pay is a known fact, it's not unusual for boss's to be quite open to employees looking, if they are very good bosses. <S> Being asked if you are comfortable being used as a reference is always at least a little bit nice - it means you are respected <S> and you have the trust of the asker. <S> He may not say "yes" - corporate policies can play a role here. <S> Being called about being a reference you didn't agree to is just about the worst way to find out your employee is looking. <S> It tells you they don't trust you <S> , they aren't happy, and they would sooner disclose your contact info without asking you than talk to you about their dissatisfaction. <S> Based on what you've said about the job, I don't think this is the impression you want to give. <S> My general tricks are: In cases where there is a lot of honesty about the work environment issues (company going bankrupt, really, really bad pay, relocation of job) <S> - I go to the boss and ask for a reference. <S> I don't name an opportunity, I say "I think I need to start the job hunt..." <S> In cases where I don't feel comfortable asking within work I either find other references outside of the current job, or say "references available upon request". <S> In many cases, when I get an interview, we go through the "why are you looking?", and "are you willing to have your boss give a reference after an offer is made?" - which is a pretty decent way of working around the fact that MOST people don't want to tell their current boss they are looking.
| If you're not happy about your pay then you should talk to your employer about it. It's courteous to ask someone before putting them down as a reference.
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How do I bring up relocation/resignation? I will be moving away in about 5-6 months time because my significant other has an opportunity in another location. I have done quite well at my current firm. I came in as an intern then was brought in full time and was promoted in less than 1 year's time to a senior. I like a lot of the people here and if things were different I probably would not leave for another year or two (I work in the tech industry and lots of people seem to jump around every 2-3 years it seems). I want to do the right thing; offload my responsibilities and cross-train team members appropriately while documenting as much of my knowledge about things as possible. I am having trouble coming up with a good way to bring up the discussion with my managers. Should I just come out and say 'Hey I am leaving in a few months'? <Q> Your Bosses are Human Too <S> It is unlikely that any reasonable person will fault you for moving away for family reasons. <S> This is a nice clean split, with a clear reason, with advance notice, and that should be good for all parties. <S> Don't assume you are doing something wrong -- you aren't. <S> Life gets in the way sometimes, and there isn't much you (or your bosses) can do about it. <S> How to Bring it Up If you get along well with one of your managers, and you trust him/her (e.g. he/ <S> she is a decent human being), just schedule a meeting and explain the situation like you did in this post. <S> Hey boss, my significant other just got a great job opportunity in a different city. <S> I don't want to leave this company yet, but I also owe it to my significant other to let them take advantage of this opportunity. <S> That job starts in 5-6 months, and we will be moving, <S> so my last day would be around X. <S> What can I do to make this transition easier for the company? <S> Handling the transition is your boss' responsibility -- not yours. <S> And giving him/her more time to do it will make it easier for them. <S> So just be honest. <S> Remember -- <S> you're not doing anything wrong. <S> I'd even take it a step further, and add in something like: <S> Since I just found out, I haven't really figured out what I will be doing for work once I get there. <S> I would really appreciate it if you would be a reference for me. <S> If you have any contacts in that city, I would really appreciate any support you can give. <S> If you don't trust your manager as a human being and/or are worried that they may shove you in a corner to pay for your sins for the next 5-6 months before you leave, then don't share that info until the minimum notice time. <S> But realize it will leave a bad taste in everyone's mouth. <S> You want to keep these people as references, so hopefully you can trust them to act like non-spiteful folk. <A> Are you absolutely sure you will be leaving? <S> And are you sure about the timing? <S> If you express it thoughtfully the way you have in your post here, most managers I know will appreciate your consideration greatly. <S> Skip the part about "for another year or two" and emphasize that you want to do the right thing and be helpful to them in any way you can. <S> I know I've been in similar situations where folks on my team have given me similarly long notice. <S> I thanked them for their professionalism, and it made for a very pleasant transition. <S> If you aren't completely sure, then wait until you are sure. <S> You can't unsay this sort of thing. <S> Also, read this first: <S> Is it discrimination when my boss treats me differently after finding out that I'm looking for a new job? <A> If it's a good company and a good line manager, you have nothing to lose and a lot to gain by being open and transparent. <S> Not all companies/bosses are like that, but your story about how quickly you were promoted makes me think this one probably is. <S> Trust your own judgement on that, though. <S> Just to illustrate the good things that can happen, I was in the same situation once - I told my boss that I was going to move away in a year, then confirmed the move date 3 months ahead of time. <S> At that point I was offered a remote working arrangement to stay with the same company, which I did for years. <S> (Also in the tech industry.) <S> But even if this didn't happen to you, or you didn't want to work remotely, being open and honest is a simple and powerful way to build goodwill, with potential benefits much further down the line (even decades). <S> And frankly, being honest is so much simpler than having to carefully hide part of the truth, even if you do it with the best intentions.
| If you are, then yes - find a good, private time to have a discussion with your manager, and say "It's difficult for me to bring this up because I enjoy working here so much, but I'll be leaving in a few months, and here is why..."
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Should I include the name but not the phone number of a personal reference on my resumé? When I am applying for jobs, I usually send out my resumé to a lot of companies (about 10 or more). I always have personal references on my resumé. That being said, I don’t want each and every recruiter to call and hassle this reference. I could’ve solved this issue by writing “References available on request” on my resumé. However, the thing is, I want to include his name on my resumé, because it makes a good first impression on hiring managers. He is the principal of my university and a well respected person in our country. One of his books is used as the standard book for operating systems in a good foreign university. It has worked, too. I get an interview call from each and every company I apply to. The thing is, I don’t want to hassle the guy. Should I use his reference at a later stage? So is it okay to include someone’s name on your resumé for reference but write “Available on request” for his phone number? Note: I have obtained his permission to list him as a personal reference on my resumé. I am not doing anything without his permission. He also used to teach at our university and I was his student. <Q> Unless it's directly relevant to work <S> you did (e.g., "served as editor for A Field Guide to Big Toes by Joe Schmoe"), mentioning someone else's name on your own resume as a way to impress a candidate company is name dropping . <S> Your resume is about you and should be able to stand on its own if you and the person reading it were the only two people on the planet. <S> I'm hiring you, not the people you're bragging about having worked with. <S> I don't do it because I assume that if a company wants references, they'll ask. <S> If you have an excellent resume and are really, really good at what you do, a company that does a thorough job interviewing you won't need to ask. <S> You should protect the privacy of your references by only giving the list to those who actually have a need for it. <S> You don't want your colleagues to be ticked off with you because they've had to burn valuable time fielding calls from companies who are just doing screening or, worse, <S> some headhunter who fished their contact information from your resume. <S> My usual policy is that a company doesn't get the reference list until they're serious, which means having interviewed me and need that last bit of information in deciding whether or not to extend an offer. <A> Although I understand that you are engaging in a bit of name-dropping, it seems rather silly to me. <S> I'm not sure how I'd feel as a hiring manager if I saw a famous name with no number attached to a resume. <S> I suspect I'd feel you were playing games. <S> Personally, I'd prefer to get the references only later in the process. <S> That said, I suspect your approach isn't fatal to your job search, and may help in some circumstances. <S> Anything is "OK", if you have the individual's permission. <S> It's hard to say if it will be "effective" or not. <A> Why not talk to your reference and ask him? <S> If he's getting a lot of annoying contacts that seem to come from your reference of him on your resume, then remove him. <S> If he's not getting bothered, then you know he's not getting bothered. <S> Personally, I'm saddened to think that you get more promo out of a contact than you do out of your own merit. <S> One thing I'd ask you to consider is whether the majority of the interviews you go to turn out the way you want - if they have little interest in you and just want to hear about your contact, then is going on interviews like that a good use of your time? <S> Getting a large hit rate is not the same thing as finding a job that suits you.
| Some write "References available on request" on their resumes, and I think it's an acceptable practice.
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How to decline an already accepted offer, professionally and politely, if I want to accept counteroffer from current employer? I am working for Indian outsourcing organization for 5 years. I got frustrated with the recent situations faced with the management and also not happy with the assignments that I got. Hence, I decided to leave the organization and searched for other opportunities. I got a better opportunity and the new employer is very keen to appoint me. I have initiated resignation process. I have discussed with my current manager about reasons for resignation and got the tentative release dates. Meanwhile I have accepted and confirmed my joining dates to the new employer. However my current organisation come up with counter offer which is better than the offer offered by new employer and the current assignments also inline with my expectations. Now how can I politely and professionally reject the offer from the new employer without any hard feelings and without burning bridges? Research that I have done I have found that the post How to decline a job offer in writing and followed that. My situation is not very simple as described in the above post. <Q> Now how can I politely and professionally reject the offer from new employer without any hard feelings and without burning bridges? <S> You probably can't. <S> Some might ask "Why not?" <S> The reason is (at least in my over 36 years of experience), rejecting an offer you already accepted will almost certainly lead to hard feelings and probably blacklisting from the company you are rejecting. <S> Your best bet is to discuss what happened with the new employer. <S> The new employer may understand and not have any hard feelings, or they may still end up with hard feelings. <S> Either way, when you say "politely and professionally" I think you are on the right track. <S> You want them, your current employer, and others to remember you as a polite, professional person, even if they aren't happy with your new situation. <S> Meanwhile, what did your current employer counter-offer with that caused you to change your mind like this? <S> I have found that people generally have several good reasons when they conclude that they should leave a company. <S> Usually a counter-offer is "more money" and covers only one of the real reasons. <S> In my experience, such folks leave soon anyway. <S> I'd be curious to hear more about the specifics of your situation. <A> First: I'm a bit confused between the title and the actual question. <S> Title says "How to decline a counteroffer" and that's what I'm answering. <S> I assume that at this stage you have a valid written contract with the new company. <S> In that case "I have accepted an offer by another company, and it would be very unprofessional to refuse to join them now. <S> " should be fine. <S> It should be obvious to your old company that they would be very annoyed if they had just made an offer to a new employee, that offer had been accepted in writing, and then the new employee refused to join. <S> So you are just doing exactly the same thing that they would expect any new employee of their company to do. <S> (If it is not obvious to them, then there is nothing you can do). <S> Importantly, you are not saying anything negative about your old company, you are just saying that unfortunately things have progressed too far so you couldn't professionally accept any counter-offer, even if you really wanted to. <S> (Independent of that, accepting a counter offer is rarely a good idea, as others explained. <S> Even if the counter offer looks better than what the new company offers). <A> Even though you have accepted a counter-offer from your current employer, you should think of it as a third option. <S> Just tell the other company that during the acceptance process, you were offered a new opportunity which you weren't even looking for and have chosen to go in that direction. <S> Certainly, they can understand someone wanting a better situation. <S> Telling them you accepted a counter-offer from your current employer may make them think you used them just to get a raise or as a way to get them to counter-offer. <A> I think instead of looking at how to get out of the contract with your new employer, you should think very hard about accepting the counter offer. <S> Your position in the old company will be weakened. <S> They will forever know that you are the guy who wanted to leave, and whatever you got through your counter offer, you didn't get because you deserved it, but because you threatened to leave. <S> When your colleagues find out what happened, they will be unhappy, which will cause trouble in the company. <S> Basically, you will be a marked man, and once they are able to let you go, they will. <S> So the old company will keep you because it is currently inconvenient to lose you. <S> The new company will hire you because they want you. <S> That's a much better situation to be in.
| Be honest and open about how you felt when you accepted their offer, why you wanted to leave your current employer, and what happened to change your mind and then reject their offer.
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How to get an internship, or something like one, long after college Some particulars, to be followed by a generalized, yet specific question: I got my BA (in English) 6 years ago. I had been an occasional programming dabbler since 1995-ish (HTML/CSS/JavaScript, mostly). After a couple of years of dissatisfying corporate work (neither English nor programming related), I began seriously training myself in software development a few years ago, specifically in Java and Android, with yet more dabbling in python. I believe I am prepared for software development full-time, but it's tough to prove without workplace experience or a relevant degree. Basically, how do I convince a company to take me on as a lower-paid trial employee, or essentially an intern without the current school connection? <Q> One of the keys to success might be to try to find a position where you can capitalize on your domain knowledge and/or the degree you have. <S> Assess your actual experience and try to find companies in that field who are looking for beginners. <S> Perhaps even the company where you currently work has an opening? <S> I have hired entry-level folks from other departments within my company in the past. <S> They had something that other entry-level people couldn't have - knowledge of the company's culture, products, etc. <S> In many cases it worked out very well. <S> I have friends who took that route and were able to land contracting positions as a result, without having a formal Computer Science background. <S> Good luck! <A> Have your efforts with Java and Android led to you finishing and releasing any Android apps? <S> That would probably be the most effective entry into a development role without any workplace experience or a degree. <S> Mobile app development is not as "wild west" as it was a few years ago, but from my observation it's still a field - particularly in an agency environment - that you could break into on the strength of an app that you've developed, rather than a previous Android developer role on your résumé. <S> If you haven't completed and released any apps, do you have any half-finished ones or any ideas bubbling around that could become finished apps with some focused time? <A> You might consider approaching some non-profit organizations in your area. <S> They usually can't afford programmers, so it would be more in the nature of an unpaid internship. <S> But developing an app for them would give you solid work expereince that would include determining requirements and dealing with the users to get things the way they need it as well as the development parts. <S> You might even consider suggesting a mobile app for them. <S> You might even research grants and apply for one to get a chance to be paid for your work. <S> As an English major, you could probably do a pretty good job of writing a grant application and thus might have a good shot of getting one.
| You might also try to contribute to an open-source project as a way to add to your reputation, and to give you opportunities to network with people who might have job leads. It's still possible to get an entry-level position without a Computer Science related degree, at least in my part of the world.
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How important is a LinkedIn profile? Many of my friends have a LinkedIn profile and they claim that it is quite useful for making industry connections, but I am not sure how these connections work. Will they be able to replace the need to apply specifically to a company? Are people flocking to LinkedIn just because it is the latest fad, or there is some concrete need behind it? <Q> Depending on your job role, this can vary from quite important to not at all important. <S> If you want to claim to be a social media expert then it may be quite important to have a profile on LinkedIn(LI) as it can often be seen as a professional version of Facebook. <S> On the other hand, there may be some people that have worked for a number of years in a field where their work tends to be viewed as classified and thus there may not be much they could into a profile on LinkedIn. <S> Government spies could have trouble with making a profile on LinkedIn if 99% of their work is top secret and not for the public to know. <S> I doubt that I'd say this replaced the need to apply specifically in a company as various places will have protocols. <S> However, LI does have capabilities to send your profile as a resume that could be quite useful for some situations. <S> LinkedIn was launched on May 5, 2003 <S> so in a way it isn't that new of a site. <S> There are a few ways one can use LinkedIn that may be worth noting here: <S> Profile of self - <S> It is a way to list your experience and interests for others to find you. <S> This is a way to build your brand and show off your skills and experience. <S> Maintaining contacts <S> - It can be a way to know who you know and thus be able to send information to specific contacts. <S> This can be useful if you meet various people and would like to have a centralized place to find out about each of these people. <S> Apply for jobs <S> - There is a portion of the site where companies can put up jobs and thus you could apply through LI directly. <S> Groups - There are various groups on LinkedIn that can be useful for helping to network, discuss interests and the like. <S> My current job was found in a LinkedIn group so I do have first hand experience of this working. <S> For example there is an "IT Jobs Calgary" group that worked for me. <S> Articles - Some people will write articles on LinkedIn and thus could use the site to build a following to some extent. <S> Thus, while one could have a profile on LinkedIn, there are more than a few other things you could also do with that site. <A> Alison Green from Ask a Manager had this to say about the use of LinkedIn : <S> I can’t imagine rejecting an applicant because she wasn’t on LinkedIn, unless the position I was hiring for included social media, in which case it might raise my eyebrows. <S> I think that recruiter really overstated this to you. <S> That said, it’s true that the vast majority of applicants for professional jobs these days do have LinkedIn profiles, and if I notice that someone doesn’t, it does feel a little off. <S> Not like “this person is horribly flawed,” but more like, “ <S> huh, I wonder if she’s less keyed into professional trends.” <S> It’s not going to stop me from hiring someone … <S> but there’s also no reason not to just throw together a profile and have some reasonable presence there. <S> Being on LinkedIn doesn’t really require more than setting up a profile; you don’t need to be constantly logging on or anything like that. <S> I’d think of this kind of like sending a thank- <S> you note: <S> Neither is likely to be a deciding factor on your candidacy, but both take minimal time and make you look more polished, so it’s hard to find a compelling reason not to do it. <S> Source: <S> do I really need to be on LinkedIn? , 2015-03-31 <S> Speaking from experience, not having a profile would be even stranger for certain "modern" fields like IT and certain industries like consultancy. <S> Consultants may even be required by their employer to maintain an up-to-date LinkedIn profile. <A> I use Facebook for my friends and family and LinkedIn for my business contacts. <S> As you and your current co-workers move from job to job over time it's easy to lose track of them. <S> LinkedIn provides a way to maintain that contact without having to track email addresses, etc. <S> Whether that contact is useful in the future is unknown but it's a pretty low-level of effort to ensure it's in place. <S> LinkedIn is also useful for maintaining a history of employment. <S> I wouldn't use it solely as a resume to send an employer but it can be useful for keeping one up to date. <S> As with most online services, it's useful if you find it is useful. <A> I changed positions three times in the past few years, and all three job opportunities came through my LinkedIn profile, as well as other opportunities that weren't the right match. <S> In my opinion, having an up-to-date profile with connections to close co-workers is a bare minimum for professional networking and self-promotion. <S> Are there other things one can do instead? <S> Certainly. <S> One can have a more informal offline professional network, if you enjoy doing the work to maintain that sort of thing. <S> In my judgement, the LI profile is the most efficient way to establish this. <A> It depends on if you rely on connections and contacts for job opportunities. <S> It also depends on the type of industry and how the recruiters operate. <S> In IT any social or network related platform will definitely get a lot of attention. <S> I think the need comes from being able to identify or uncover links that you might not have otherwise been aware of (for both companies and employees).
| So in short: not having a LinkedIn profile isn't a red flag unless social media are a key element of your work, but it's better to create a simple profile to avoid looking out of touch with modern workplace trends.
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Did I Make a mistake by sharing my salary to my future employer? I am planning to leave my current job and therefore I have interviewed with a company a couple of days back. At the end of the day of my interview, during a discussion with the HR of the company, I unexpectedly answered her question about my current salary. I gave honestly correct figure of my salary to the HR. It looks like I might get an offer letter soon from that company. But now I am feeling bad that I might have missed a chance to negotiate a good salary. What should I do if I won't get a satisfactory offer letter? How to deal with this? Please tell me. <Q> No, you did the right thing. <S> If you are asked your current salary, and you feel that you must answer, the right thing to do is to answer honestly. <S> Make sure to include any bonus received. <S> If you are expecting a raise soon, and/or a bonus soon, you want to mention that as well. <S> What you don't want to do is lie about it. <S> And lies during the interview can be cause for immediate termination (at least in my part of the world). <S> This doesn't compromise your ability to negotiate! <S> Sure, they know what you make now, but you can always make a case for why you were underpaid and deserve lots more, should it come down to that. <S> Fight for what you feel you need and be ready to decline if your needs aren't met. <S> And of course be realistic when you contemplate what you really need in salary. <S> Don't forget to consider the entire package - the salary, benefits, etc, but also the company culture, the commute, the chance for advancement, the opportunity to learn, etc. <S> Don't sweat it - <S> what you did was fine! <S> Good luck! <A> I would typically suggest evading the question, and saying what salary you will work for. <S> Someone has to start with a quote for the salary, and it's not unusual for the candidate to be the first to offer information. <S> Having given your current salary - I really don't think it's the drop dead serious issue that other people often do. <S> The really important number is what you're willing to work for. <S> Neither you, nor your potential employer should assume that that is the same figure as your current salary <S> - it's not the same job. <S> Don't stress out. <S> Wait for the offer and review the whole offer . <S> Health care, education benefits, <S> your commute - anything you care about and anything the company offers that might help you. <S> Figure out overall whether this improves your life, or not. <S> If not - ask for more. <S> And ask for it in light of that total package. <S> Different companies will use "current salary" differently. <S> At the very least, it's a ballpark telling them approximately what salary you'll work for. <S> Presumably someone who can bill for $100,000 isn't going to take a job for $50,000, and would likely be happy with a job at $110,000. <S> Would you have done better if with a current salary of $100,000 <S> you quoted $110,000 or said "I won't tell you". <S> Maybe. <S> Maybe not. <S> But all things are open for negotiation. <S> Your current job and this job are not the same, and where they differ you will either: Have to pay money from your salary to fix the difference in total compensation - in other words - covering elements of health care that aren't covered, paying more in gas and mileage for a longer commute, paying for educational expenses that aren't covered to stay current in your field <S> Have to demand more money to make up for a disincentive that affects your work/life balance. <S> More overtime = less family time - reasonable if the pay makes up for it. <S> Weird hours = family disruption - doable, but what compensates you when you could also take a job with normal hours? <S> Either way, you have reasons to go back and ask for more. <A> Yes. <S> But, given that you've already revelealed the salary you can't go back and change the past. <S> There are two reasons why you don't want to name the last salary: 1) <S> You may be breaching confidential company information by disclosing it. <S> That information is between you and your previous employer. <S> It can be used to gain a competative advantage over them by other companies. <S> You can always (and perhaps should always) say that you can't disclose it. <S> 2) <S> In all negotiations the first person who gives information tends to be in a worse off position in subsequent offer exchanges. <S> Imagine that instead of being asked how much you make now, you asked them how much the salary fork is for - would that make it easier for you to estimate how much more you can/should ask for? <S> It sure would.
| Once you receive an offer, or once you are asked what salary you are seeking, that's when the real negotiations can begin. There's a chance you might get away with a lie, but there's also a good chance that you will be caught (eventually if not immediately). You never owe details that you hold personally. Use this as your learning experience to not do this again in the future. There's a lot of ways to interpret it - go too high, and they may say "not worth it".
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Major differences between direct hire and contract to hire? I have been getting a lot of recruiters calling me since I went on the job market and many of them have been pointing me towards contract to hire positions. Each recruiter assures me that if I get the contract then future employment is "pretty much set in stone" but this seems a little fishy to me. What are the major differences between direct hire and contract to hire, and how can I be sure the company doesn't want to simply use me for a few months to get some task done then not hire me? <Q> Contract to hire people do not get the employee benefits provided by the employer to which they are contracted. <S> The contracting house might provide nominal benefits. <S> Contract to hire is usually <S> a W-2 so you wouldn't need to pay the employer's part of your taxes as opposed to a 1099. <S> (If you're not in the US.) <S> It gives the employer and yourself a trial period to see if they want to keep you, and if you want to stay. <S> It tells you that there is a FTE position <S> and it's yours to win. <S> A regular contract position tells you that there is no FTE position at the end of the rainbow. <S> I got my current job by starting out as a contract to hire. <S> The company I work for only brings in IT through contract to hire because they like the tryout period, and the opportunity to see how you fit in with the rest of the group. <S> Also, my employer only has two people in the HR department, and the managers are busy,and they don't have time to sift through a bunch of resumes. <S> The recruiter may get a reward if you stay, but who cares? <S> It doesn't come out of your pocket. <S> The recruiter did the work for the company, and for you to find the match, so why shouldn't they get rewarded. <S> The recruiter provides a service to the company that benefits you. <S> They sifted through the resumes, sought candidates, and did the initial round of interviews. <A> Direct hire may not seem as risky as contract to hire. <S> Most recruiting firms I've worked with in the US set things up where you are a full-time employee of theirs. <S> They manage the contract with the other firm until you are switched over. <S> This seems to be more and more popular in the technology field. <S> I see it as more of a trial period. <S> Although more firms are hiring, they are able to take advantage of the job market and be a little more demanding. <S> I see a big disadvantage is missing out on 401K and any other retirement or seniority benefits during this temporary period. <S> There are always people out their trying to scam, so you may want to make sure the company is solid. <S> Another indicator would be how many of their current full-time employees had to go this route. <A> Contract-to-hire has become very popular. <S> Here is how your hourly rate translates to salary: <S> If you are W2 then your "recruiter" will handle your paycheck and deduct federal and state income taxes and all of that. <S> Most recruiters will not offer benefits. <S> No PTO! <S> So here is the ballpark annual conversion math: Your hourly RATEx2080 equals the number of dollars you would gross if <S> and only if you worked 40/week for 52 weeks a year. <S> Now, from that you have to pay yourself (subtract from gross) <S> 80 hours for 2 weeks of vacation plus 40 hours for sick leave plus another 80 hours for 10 holidays per year. <S> So that's what? <S> (RATE*2080) - <S> (RATE*200) or just (RATE*1880). <S> So since there are 26 pay periods you need to escrow RATE*7.7 hours. <S> Now, you can comfortably assert you make the equivalent of RATE*1880 a year plus 2 weeks of paid vacation, 1 week of sick leave (or 3 weeks of PTO) and 10 paid holidays per year. <S> Your mileage may vary, but those are the major things. <S> Health care is something you have to pick up, but honestly you can do it for about as much as would be deducted from your full time direct hire pay check. <A> Sometimes the hourly rate is increased to allow you to pay for your own health insurance. <S> This means the eventual offer from the company for a permananet postion may involve a lower pay rate than you get as a contractor. <S> You may not get paid holidays or fewer holidays than the permanent employees get. <S> Second, you need to be able to impress the company fairly quickly to be converted. <S> So this type of hiring is often not a good idea for someone inexperienced and is much riskier for them than for someone experienced enough and capable enough to produce good to excellent results in less than 3 months. <S> If you are not already an excellent performer, the job becomes much riskier. <S> Third, contract employess at many businesses are treated worse than regular employees. <S> Be prepared for people to not bother to learn your name, for instance, until you are brought on board for real. <S> You may also be assigned to worse work spaces. <S> Fourth, these things take time and things can change for the company in the meantime. <S> Sometimes the three months stretches to 9 or 10. <S> Sometimes the funding for any new permanent hires disappears especially if it is the government. <S> Sometimes the whole project is killed. <S> Be prepared to pay for your own benefits for longer than you estimated. <S> All that said, you have to evaluate the risks for yourself. <S> Balance the risks against your current situtation. <S> Remember nothing will keep you from looking at other positions during the contract period. <S> Many people do successfully get hired in a contract to hire situation. <S> And sometimes it is the only way to get hired in a particular company you may want to work for. <A> Keep in mind also that the company may end up not being able to offer you a direct hire position. <S> I took a chance on a contract to hire in 2012, and they did want to keep me. <S> They extended my contract several times, but there were several organizational changes, and they were told they couldn't hire anybody. <S> Right after I left, a person transferred out, and they didn't replace the position.
| First, you may get no benefits or reduced benefits. Contract to hire has several risk factors involved.
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How to handle awkward relationship romance in a team? My team has an awkward situation. Two of the team have been caught in various stages of undress in the stairwell and they disappear regularly. Job performance has taken a hit and both parties have assumed a cavalier attitude to the impact that it's making on the rest of the team. Because one of the parties involved is great at customer service (something the boss holds as #1 priority) and the other is the boss's favorite, it is hard to know how to handle it. We do have an HR department. This is seriously affecting our team - how can we resolve this tension? <Q> Tell him how the behaviour is affecting how you do your job <S> : you have to talk to a customer because they are absent and you are unfamiliar with the issues so it takes longer to help the customer <S> , you need their help and are not getting it in a timely manner, or some other concrete way in which you are impacted. <S> Ask the boss how they would like you to handle it. <S> You don't have to say what they are doing, just that they are not available when you need their help. <S> You don't put them down in any way, nor deal on their behaviour. <S> Your question to the boss is what steps you should take so that you still do a good job under these circumstances. <S> Make it about what you can do -- because ultimately, you're not responsible for your co-workers work, or lack of it. <S> If it's not affecting your work, just your attitude because of their lack of work, then it's really not your problem to solve. <S> If your boss wants to pay them for substandard work, that is between him and them. <A> I love @thursdaysgeek's point about keep the focus on the work. <S> If you talk to the boss - I absolutely recommend that the discussion center around issues and blockers in your work because your coworker's aren't there to do their jobs in a way that impacts you. <S> In particular, it's good to have metrics for what's going on. <S> Being a crazy spy and checking on their outages down to the minute is a waste of your time. <S> But if you look for a coworker at 2:00 and look every half hour because the issue is urgent and don't find them until 4:30 - it's safe to say they were unavailable for 2.5 hours. <S> Similarly if you write an email an have to wait 3 days for a response. <S> Keep a light weight note of <S> how much and when this is happening - generally it's not a problem <S> when it's rare, it's the frequency of such behavior. <S> Public demonstrations of affection (PDAs) and/or lewd behavior in the office is another story. <S> If the two are putting on a display of behavior that is better taken up in private in an office environment, it's OK to complain that this is NOT OK. <S> That includes quickie's in the stairwell ("we don't want to see you naked" seems like a fairly safe office rule for most workplaces), and also any really long lingering kisses and heavy petting. <S> The team may have to get over quick pecks on the cheek or hand holding at lunch - but this sounds quite a bit beyond that. <S> For inappropriate sexual behavior in the office, this falls into the sexual harassment window. <S> If they are normal people, the fact that you are blandly stating the problem and asking calmly for a fix may just be enough to embarass them into stopping. <S> If it isn't, take it your manager or HR. <A> I think before doing anything else: Have you talked to both (individually) of them? <S> I think something like: <S> Hey, do what you want, but consider for the sake of your reputation and the team performance: <S> don't get undressed where other people see you when you are here, you work, keep your breaks at an acceptable length and inform your co-workers log out for the time when you are absent from work in general, please try to minimize the impact on the team.
| If it is affecting your job (not just your attitude about the job), then go to the boss. The general approach is to take the pair aside and ask them to stop the specifically inappropriate behavior. Just make sure you're doing good work.
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When interviewing, is it prudent to tell the hiring manager that you're a parent and your spouse works full-time? These days, many households include two parents who both work full-time. These parents face many challenges while balancing work and child-care responsibilities. But this situation also presents a challenge for each parent's employer . For instance, when children reach school-age, one parent is typically obliged to pick up each child from school(s); and so, that parent may be entirely unable to work overtime. And when a school-age child is sick, one parent may need to stay home. So my question is: When interviewing, is it prudent to tell the hiring manager that you're a parent and your spouse works full-time? <Q> Most shops won't ask about it. <S> You don't want to raise a red flag unnecessarily. <S> Leave it unsaid unless you need to do otherwise. <S> On the other hand, you do want to learn about the company culture as it relates to a family-friendly environment, overtime requirements, weekend/night work, etc. <S> You need to see if they meet your needs. <S> That sort of thing usually comes out at some point during your interviews, often when talking with an HR representative. <S> If it doesn't you'll need to find some way to approach the question. <S> In my shop, our culture is very family-friendly. <S> I allow people to work from home when they feel it is best (perhaps due to childcare issues), and allow them a lot of flexibility in regard to when they arrive at work and when they leave. <S> It works out well for me to arrive before 7:00 AM, and usually leave by 5:30 PM. <S> Others like to arrive after 10:00 and stay late. <S> If the family-friendliness isn't clear, you'll need to ask. <S> You don't want to be in an environment that isn't a good fit for you and your family. <S> And the employer doesn't want people who can't work the style they require either. <S> Interviews are all about fit - on both sides. <A> Your mileage may vary, but let me tell you about one of my best hires. <S> He contacted me for a job and told me this story: 8 days ago my first child was born. <S> I stayed off work for a week <S> and when I came back, I asked my manager about changing my hours so that I could spend time at home with him. <S> My manager reacted very poorly, told me that all his staff worked full time, reminded me I had three mouths to feed now, and encouraged me to go home and think about my priorities. <S> I have thought about them, and that is why I would like to come and work for you. <S> We hired him 20 hours a week at first, and he decided when he was ready to go up to 40. <S> His wife and baby accompanied him when I sent him to a conference (he paid for their plane tickets, I covered the hotel room since it cost no extra for him to share it.) <S> Not all employers would react the way we did, but by being a family-friendly employer we got a great hire. <S> By being clear about what he wanted, he got what he wanted. <S> If you're good, this can work for everyone. <S> But don't do it if you're ordinary :-) <A> It is considered none of their business. <S> They should not be making their hiring decisions having this knowledge. <S> You are supposed to determine if the job will fit your personal circumstances. <S> Otherwise why would one hire a young woman (child care falls disproportionately on the woman in the relationship on a societal basis) who just had a baby when they had a good single candiate? <S> How would parents with seriously ill children ever get new jobs? <S> How would single people get jobs if the hiring manager thinks everone should be married? <S> In hiring, asking for any special treament due to your personal life before they have decided to hire you would be likely to move you down the list of people they are interested in and should be left until you are negotiating an offer. <A> Prudent? <S> No. <S> Naive? <S> Probably. <S> Like HLGEM rightly stated, it's not their business and a hiring decision based on that information is borderline illegal. <S> Such information, I believe falls under the no-need-to-know category. <S> It's almost effectively the same as stating it on your resume along with: Gender Race/Ethnicity Age Health Peculiarities To be frank one or both of the last two might affect your ability to perform, but you're not obligated to disclose either. <S> Same goes here. <S> It's more to do with being honest with yourself than with the employer. <S> You're well within your rights to inquire the schedule and nature of your prospective job (actually, you'd be wise to do so) and determine for yourself; <S> whether your schedule will adversely affect delivery of your job functions. <S> If however you BS yourself into taking a position you were fully aware would not fit into your personal obligations, and it turns out to be a crapshoot, you have only yourself to hold accountable <A> No, I don't think you should offer this information at all during an interview. <S> They could misinterpret it from, " <S> no worries, I'm sure you can afford a baby-sitter" to "warning: <S> candidtate won't be willing to put in absurd hours. <S> " <S> If a company has time expectations, they need to inform you during the interview. <S> They should be upfront about: travel, business hours, over-time, time-off, vacation, sick leave, etc. <S> A company is putting themselves at risk by being shaddy about this subject and get what they deserve if they trick candidates into taking a job that doesn't fit their lifestyle. <S> It's up to you to determine if you are able to work under these restrictions.
| In my opinion, this isn't the kind of information you want to disclose. Your personal life circumstances are not the business of the hiring panel unless you choose to ask for some type of special treatment.
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Quitting job in order to prepare for my career move OK, so I have been in the tech industry in the Silicon Valley in the US for over 6 years. I want to move into a different kind of roles which requires some skills and knowledge that I currently do not have/use in my current job. My current job is fairly demanding and I get exhausted when I come back home after working for 10+ hrs. In short I do not get time to prepare myself for the kind of roles I am looking for. I did interviewed couple of times for the roles I am looking and the feedback from the prospective employer has been on the lines of "that the other candidate had more knowledge from technical standpoint". This has led me to believe that I need to spend some time (like 6-8 weeks or so) in order to bring myself up to speed (The knowledge that I am trying to acquire is well within my reach, it's just that I have not used it in a while). I have been considering to quit my current job (I am not happy in my current job anyways) so that I lock myself in a room and prepare for the future interviews. My question(s):I always read/hear that finding a new job is much easier when you have are employed. I would like to understand how would a prospective employer look at this move? Most often recruiters on initial contact will ask what is your work situation. I don't want to look like a somebody who looks suspicious (because he/she is out of work) and with a looser attitude. Will this decision harm more than the benefits that it will bring? Edit:I can sustain myself financially for over 1 year as I have saved enough. <Q> In my experience, recruiters and hiring managers alike would see a red flag raised with any break in your work history. <S> It's not always logical, but the thought is "Why wasn't this person working? <S> Is there something wrong here?" <S> This can happen after a layoff. <S> We all know of people who are laid off and immediately launch into a full-scale attack on the job market, working intensely to find their next position, and shorten their time off as much as possible. <S> And we all know of people who use a layoff as an excuse to take it easy for a while, as they collect unemployment checks. <S> Recruiters and hiring managers often welcome the first group, and discount the second group. <S> If you take yourself out of the job market in order to beef up you skills for a career change, you risk being lumped in with the "taking time off people" - fairly or unfairly. <S> You also raise the possibility in the hiring manager's mind that you may be the kind of person who will never be happy for long. <S> That, basically you'll do to them what you are thinking about doing to your current employer. <S> Again, this may be fair or unfair, but it's a real reaction for some hiring managers. <S> And you also risk raising the question about your ability to learn new things. <S> In many jobs, learning is an ongoing process. <S> And even if you can sustain yourself for a year without income, there will come a time (sooner or later) when you start to feel stressed. <S> That might not happen for a year, or it might happen in a month, everyone reacts differently. <S> (I know that at many points in my career I would have been stressed with any amount of time at all when I wasn't on a payroll). <S> Either way, you won't raise any flags at all by taking the time to learn what you need for your next career while still working at your current position. <S> If you quit your current job first, you may not raise any red flags, but then again you may. <S> Tough choices, but that's the real world (at least as I see it). <S> Good luck! <A> As someone who has done this, let me offer a bit of caution: Spending 6-8 weeks isn't enough time to get up to speed technically at anything. <S> Worse yet, it's not experience that can go on a resume, and isn't experience that (nearly all) hiring managers respect. <S> Doing exercises at home is good, but tend to be more shallow and not 'business-like'. <S> I personally ended up spending 15 months looking high and low for a place to give me a chance, and once there I had less than no leverage to negotiate salary. <S> Sure, I did very well once there and have built a successful career from it. <S> But for the first 2-4 years after spending multiple months unemployed, you're going to be making a fraction of what you should be (or perhaps expect). <A> Bad plan. <S> Spending the time learning the skills in more depth is great but you will still be rated lower tha people who are using them in their jobs every day. <S> So you gain virtually nothing by doing this. <S> Further, many people who try this find out that they end up frittering their time away and don't actually spend concentrated time on the skills. <S> You talk about the long hours you currently work and how that makes it difficult for you to learn new skills. <S> Now here is something you can do something about. <S> First take a minimum of a one week vacation and do not do anything technology realted. <S> You sound (And probably are) exhausted and need to recharge. <S> When you come back, scale back your hours to no more than 40 a week. <S> Now you do have the time and the energy to learn, you are still employed and thus will be more attractive to hire than if you were unemployed.
| If you can't learn what you need for your career change while working at your current job, perhaps you can't learn within your next job (or, so the thinking goes).
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My ex-employer wants me back. How should I evaluate? My previous employer recently reached out to explore possibility of getting me back on board. I worked with them for 6+ years before moving on three years ago, basically to check out grass on the other side. I would consider my previous stint with them successful and my departure was on friendly terms. My current workplace is good - and I was not considering leaving otherwise. The only downside I can think of is that the work is not as exciting as it was at previous place. On the monetary front - I'm making twice of what I was making at my earlier place with slight possibility of some serious amount if I manage to stay couple of years. Every thing is in air at this point - but I believe they'll be offering significantly increased responsibilities (title) and will match (if not exceed) my current stub. On a personal front, I may get an opportunity to move close to my home town, which is non-existing in my current job. I would normally evaluate it as any other fresh job offer - however this coming from my previous employer is making it a bit more challenging. How should I proceed to evaluate this situation? What are the factors I should consider while evaluating and negotiating? Will going back raise some flags on my resume? <Q> You should indeed consider this as a fresh job offer, with one difference - you know something more about this company than you would about most others. <S> In particular, you know the reasons why you left in the first place. <S> Something was lacking at that time, or you wouldn't have moved on. <S> You didn't mention how long ago it was when you left, but you need to consider: have things changed since then, or will I be moving back into the same situation that I decided to leave? <S> My friends who have done this tell me that nothing really changes, that the "freshness" wears off very quickly, and that the real reasons behind their original desire to leave resurface. <S> Your situation may be different, but it would make sense to think this through. <S> I don't think it would look too bad on a resume, but it may indeed be something you'll have to explain to potential future employers. <S> Just make sure your reasons are clear, so you don't come off as "flighty". <A> I think there is an additional thing to consider: why is your former employer interested in hiring you back? <S> It could be great if they need you to lead a new project or product, or generally to assume a role with more responsibility. <S> It could be terrible, if they need you because of some deep domain knowledge (that you aren't interested in pursuing), or simply need more talent. <S> I've been in this situation twice, and both times declined after thinking though what the employers motives were. <S> Returning to the same company, same role, would definitely trigger some questions if I was interviewing you. <S> Also, if you do go back, you might want to work through your benefits, and ask if you can retain your seniority. <S> That is, if you get X vacation for every year worked, see if you can get credited with your previous years of work. <A> In my experience the jobs always look better in the rear view mirror than they did when I was actually working them. <S> That is not saying that it is not a good job or that you would not enjoy it there, but distance tends to cause the bad memories to fade and the good ones to shine. <S> The place you left 3 years ago has changed. <S> There are new people, new dynamics, and a culture that you have been 3 years removed from its evolution. <S> There is a good chance that it will feel like a completely foreign place <S> should you choose to return. <S> Even many of the people you worked with 3 years ago will have changed. <S> So for this reason it is important that you consider the move the same as you would any other. <S> Evaluate it as you would any other offer. <S> I would not give it any penalty, after all you had a good experience there once. <S> But I would not give it any bonus either. <S> Do they want you back possibly because they have become dysfunctional and want to get back to where they were before? <S> If you manage your expectations well you should be able to stay happy. <S> If you go in expecting it to be like it was when you left you will be sorely disappointed. <A> I've seen it recommended to HR departments of any good company to keep track of who was leaving, and a note whether they would consider hiring them again or not. <S> If they do that, and they need a new employee, they can just go through their list, find someone who left maybe three years ago and who was a good employee when they left, and call them. <S> There's a good chance that they get a good employee at the cost of a phone call, instead of paying to agencies, and wasting time on a dozen applicants who are no good. <S> Worst case <S> it's one wasted phone call. <S> From your point of view, if you wanted to leave your company, that might be a good opportunity. <S> If you are happy where you are, and don't want to leave at all, you tell the old company that you are very pleased that they considered you, and that you would love to return if your current company wasn't as excellent as they are. <S> If you read any good news about the old company, tell them to show you are interested in them. <S> That way, they might call you again if the opportunity arises in three years time, which can't hurt. <A> Is the position offered part of a career track and if so, what is this career track? <S> Why are you being offered the opportunity to return? <S> Is it because you were a good performer, or is there skills, experience and contacts that you have acquired that is of value to them? <S> Are you going to be a care taker, or do they want you to lead a new venture or new approach to doing business? <S> Are they asking you to reprise your old role or do they have another role in mind for you? <S> Will you easily adjust to your former employer's company culture and management? <S> What is your former employer hoping to gain by welcoming you back?
| Regarding your resume, returning can be a positive, but ONLY if there is a sincere reason and some evidence of growth. In my personal experience, most folks who go back to a former employer end up leaving again within a few years. If you accept the position I would do my best to keep my expectations low.
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Should an email group include the manager? We have an "email group" set up for our department whose intended purpose is to provide a way to share information that everyone should know. However, because the manager is included on the list, it is rarely used. The reason is that people are afraid that the information may be in some way taken in a derogatory way by the manager. For example, if someone would want to say "the last report left out x y z information... I think it would be better if that was included going forward" the fear is that the manager would have a negative view of the person that wrote the report leaving out x, y and z. (They should have thought of it themselves without having to be told.) Is it a good idea to remove the manager from the list so that it gets used? As it is, there is not enough communication. <Q> Keep in mind that anything you put on corporate email is not private. <S> Thus creating a group that skips management, may not actually avoid the problem. <S> Any item that criticizes the performance of one person, can be easily forwarded or blind carbon copied to management. <S> Knowing that management is reading the emails, is actually a good thing. <S> It keeps the message traffic professional. <S> Knowing that items can be taken out of context makes you think about how to construct the message so that the message is more than a rant. <S> You need a group email; once the list gets longer than a few names there is a chance that key people are forgotten when constructing the address list. <S> It also cuts down on the misdirection of emails due to somebody picking the wrong name from the global address list. <S> Embrace the presence of management. <S> It make it less likely that people will assume management can't see the emails, and end up in even more trouble when they realize that management has been seeing the emails. <A> You don't have to name names or refer to a particular instance of a task, to inform everyone about potential problems or mistakes. <S> Just indicate how things should be done. <S> Some sort of wiki site is beter for this stuff anyway. <S> There will be occassions where you need to follow-up on something that is late or you have a question about something you think is an error, but that should be directed to <S> the person(s) and not broadcasted to the team. <S> Again, if it turns into a need to keep everyone from repeating a mistake, dont' point fingers. <S> Seems like this group may have a little fear of failure. <S> It's sad if the manager has created this type of environment. <S> Good leaders want to hear bad news quickly. <A> Always include the manager/supervisor when sending information. <S> There are two reasons for this. <S> The first is so that the manager can keep tabs on what work is being performed and can analyze any weak points or issues which may be forming in the work group. <S> Secondly, keeping management in the loop of business matters will make things flow much more smoothly. <S> Ultimately, managers will deal with issues better if they find out sooner than later, especially if it is important information. <A> Is it a good idea to remove the manager from the list so that it gets used? <S> If the purpose of the group isn't being served, due to its composition, then the list should be modified. <S> If this list isn't being used, solely due to the presence of the manager on the list, then yes - remove the manager from the list . <S> Note that it's not all that hard to contact others in your group without using this list. <S> But far, far better would be to get to the source of this fear of the manager's negative view. <S> Perhaps this fear is unfounded? <S> Perhaps you could discuss this with some safe third party in your organization? <S> Perhaps some group-plus-manager team building is in order? <A> OK, since my original answer was apparently too "technical" here's an adjustment: <S> No you should not ask to have your manager removed from a distribution list that is for your whole department. <S> It's just fishy-sounding. <S> If you are trying to send emails to smaller groups, have your IT Team create additional groups that include people you want but not the manager, OR do the following if it is possible in your situation: (warning - mildly user-level technical answer follows) <S> I don't know if you're using Outlook for your email client or what, <S> but I know that in Outlook you can manually expand your distribution lists and trim out the people you don't want to send emails to. <S> We do that at my company all the time for things like birthday-card-signing invitations and things of that nature that should be a surprise or otherwise don't directly involve the extracted individual. <S> I would hope whatever email client you're using has a similar feature. <S> Also, if you're saying things to people that could be construed by the manager as a complaint, common courtesy should probably dictate that you take it up with the person "off-line" and not in a group setting anyway. <S> I know I personally hate it when some jerk drops a dime on me in front of a group of people for no particular reason. <S> However, if it's a group discussion about the best way to generate whatever reports, then merely saying "Hey, I realize this wasn't in the original requirements for this report, but it would be nice if we had x, y and z in it, too" really shouldn't upset anybody who's not a complete sociopath. <S> There are really a number of different ways to handle this situation. <S> Heck, you could even try setting up a meeting with the manager where you explain that every bit of constructive criticism isn't necessarily damning towards the person in question and that having the ability to debate a little bit via the email system is a good thing and will help overall communication and productivity.
| I think the manager should be included if he/she feels there's information he needs to know.
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How can I work with a client who gives ambiguous directions but refuses to clarify--and is just more adamant that I follow his instructions? I'm working on an assignment that my client thinks should have taken me twenty minutes... for one day and counting. He gave me ambiguous instructions, and when I said, "What do you mean by saying that I should put one button "at" another button? Do you mean [just] before, or after, or overwriting it?" I got a more forceful and angry email insisting that I do what I was told. And I've spent at least half my time on this iteration trying to understand his instructions, and so far he has been insistent that I have not added two buttons that I should add to the link--even if I copied and pasted them from staging. He insists that they're not there. How can I use professionalism to make sure I know what he wants, and wrap things up, preferably to his satisfaction? <Q> Part of your responsibility as a consultant (I presume) is managing your client and his expectations. <S> As a professional developer, the onus is on you to set the standard operating procedure when relating with clients. <S> When I relate with a client I set the following minimum <S> A project scope A document defining a project scope <S> Delivery timelines <S> An agreed communication route Use of Change request document <S> The last two, I believe apply to you in this case. <S> Your means of communication with your client as it is now, can be construed as unprofessional. <S> I can't think of a situation that will afford a client the opportunity to bark requests at me; Be it email or in person. <S> This is the situation that informal communication channels will breed. <S> A Change request document that we'll both sign off on is mandatory, before I go back to my keyboard. <S> It appears to me, that with your client, that ship has sailed. <S> It appears to me that you've lost political capital with your client, and they might be less inclined to adhere to further communication guidelines set forth by yourself. <S> You've set a precedent of being unnecessarily flexible, and now, it's haunting you <S> In an ideal situation, there should be a Change Request Document that states exactly what the requirements are. <S> This document will Itemise what your client expects of you Cause your client to think deeper and better about what exactly they want <S> Cause you both to dialogue on the change request and <S> come to an agreement before pressing forward. <S> Only when you've obtained a signoff on the Change Request should you proceed. <S> Try this article on for your next engagement. <S> Look at a sample change request document <A> I agree with the others about setting up the scope of the project, communication channels, the use of change requests, management of expectations, etc. <S> But your problem is that "the cat is already out of the bag". <S> It is probably too late to set-up proper change request ground rules at this point. <S> The best thing you can do now is to humanize the communication and try to re-establish some rapport with the client. <S> It seems like you are using email to communicate. <S> In situations like this where anger becomes an issue having a conversation on the phone or in person might be more helpful. <S> Email has a way of making people more rude and dismissive and this is particularly acute if you're dealing with a stubborn person who can't imagine that what he wrote could have an ambiguous interpretation. <S> If you talk with him, preferably with a drawing in hand, you are going to be more able to make him appreciate the nuances of what you're saying, and he will be able to see that you're not trying to give him a hard time. <A> You need to find better way to communicate different types of development requests. <S> Simple logic could be addressed in a short emailed paragraph, but design and layout requests need diagrams. <S> If time is an issue, you could setup a Skype meeting and use some type of drawing app to make sure you understand what the client wants. <S> Of course this can be handled by sending files back and forth, but that is not as efficient. <S> Also, you need to arrange some sort of minimum billing for ad hoc change requests. <S> There is no such thing as a 20 minute change. <S> Reviewing the request, making changes, testing, putting into source control, documentation, approval and billing will take much more time. <S> I'd suggest a 2 hr minimum. <S> Anything that can be done in less time is not important. <A> I think the best way to deal with this is to write up what you think he meant, send it to him, and let him know that if it's wrong he has to get back to you and say what should be different. <S> If he doesn't get back to you, give him what your write-up said, and if it doesn't match his expectations, it's his fault, not yours. <S> If this doesn't fix it, and you can't bill him for extra time spent (or he rants about it), you may have to dump him as a client.
| Cause your client to express himself better, in a structured, concise manner
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Is it a good idea to use a group exercise for potential new hires to see how they will work together? Not entirely certain this is the right place to ask this however looking through StackExchange I couldn't find an alternative. In a couple of days I will be running through 10 developer interviews for a remote site. Our normal process is a technical test with a follow up interview. However as this is a remote site, and there is not likely to be frequent management presence there, I need the successful candidates to be more "engaged" than a normal head office developer. These kinds of aptitudes can come out of a normal interview, however I am also considering running some sort of group exercise to see how they work together. Is this generally considered to be appropriate/a good idea? If such a course of action would be beneficial, what kind of activity might be the most effective for this? My current line of thought is to give them a fake 3rd party API technical specification and ask them, as a group, to comment, review and create a series of questions that they would take back to the author. However this is more a single person, rather than group, exercise so I am not entirely convinced of its value. <Q> My thought is that a group exercise will show you a lot about how the group functions, but not necessarily give you the greatest test for how an individual functions within that group. <S> A small change in a team - like replacing a single team member - can have a huge impact, or a relatively minor impact depending on all sorts of variables, include the other factors on the team. <S> Doing a group exercise may give you an accurate perception if what you end up doing is hiring everyone who participated in the exercise. <S> But if you plan to use it as a way to choose which n out of these 10 people will be the best fit, I think you won't get the info that you want. <S> It's too easy for someone who might actually be a standout in the right personality mix to get obfuscated in the wrong personality mix. <S> Perhaps using this as a final vetting tool is better? <S> You could pick your target team and use the exercise as a final <S> "did we get it right? <S> " check. <S> Also, if you're looking for a hands on demonstration, how about trying something individual but focused around remote communication? <S> Presumably this team will need stronger written and verbal skills with their lack of proximity. <A> What is being proposed is very close to a recipe for disaster. <S> You may be training a team for an Antarctic research station, or a shift for the International Space Station, or a team of developers - the details matter very little. <S> What matters is you're proposing to have no real manager on-site and expect the team to perform diligently and seamlessly. <S> Please be aware that such miracles happen very rarely. <S> There has to be one person on the team with more authority than others . <S> Such a person can be either selected by internal dynamics of the team or appointed by you. <S> Ideally, s/he would combine both sources of authority, and work for the benefit of the company and the team. <S> But the requirement for finding a team leader is glaringly absent from your description. <S> You have to work to fill that vacancy from the start . <S> Now, the whole process of setting up your team is naturally subdivided into two parts - first, individual selection, second, group dynamics test. <S> During the first section you cull out candidates who are not able to work in a team , and rank those who pass the sieve according to their suitability for leadership. <S> In the second part, you can organize a group exercise where natural leaders can emerge, opportunistic behavior can be detected, and interpersonal compatibility is determined. <S> However, you have to put a bit of ingenuity into this exercise and be prepared that it won't be the real thing (TM) and that the time to complete selection process will be longer than usual. <S> The expected outcome: one person will become a team leader; all team members will meet the necessary proficiency, interpersonal compatibility, and diligence criteria. <S> Whatever the process please don't leave the team without effective monitoring and feedback, with site inspections if possible. <A> I'll give my take. <S> During your initial interview process (follow up interview), I would bring up working remotely: If they've ever done so in the past, and if they'd be willing to do it now. <S> What's the next phase you ask? <S> So, for example if they'll actually be developing APIs, then as a group exercise they could develop a small API with multiple levels of abstraction, documented, and an example application that would use the API. <S> I know that sounds like a lot for 10 devs, but again, that's just an example and it should mimic the demands of the real-world. <S> You also have the option of giving directives from management, or allowing the group to micro-manage themselves and just giving the requirements of the API. <S> An example like this will allow you to see how they work without direct supervision, whom the leaders in the group may be, and also their thought-processes and workflow processes. <S> Disclosure: I'm not management, just a developer who loves to teach others .
| A group exercise is okay, but if you want something that is going to mimic what they actually be doing once hired , and how they perform once hired, then the group exercise should reflect that. Following your normal interview process initially, and also bringing this up in the interview will help to ensure only appropriate candidates make it to the next phase of the interview process.
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Should I inform my manager that a colleague is looking for another job if I was told that in confidence? I'm in a situation in which a colleague informed me that he/she was looking for a new job and has a couple of good prospects. I am concerned for the team if this person leaves and I'd like to give my boss a heads-up. But I'm torn because I told this person I wouldn't say anything to anybody about it. Should I let my boss know about this anyway? And why or why not? <Q> Don't tell your boss that your colleague is looking for another job. <S> You explicitly state <S> you told the colleague that is leaving you <S> would not say anything. <S> Just on general principle you should not say anything. <S> Let the managers manage, and keep your honor intact. <A> Don't do this. <S> News Flash: People typically find the best jobs by networking. <S> Do not kill your relationship with this colleague. <S> If you keep a good relationship with this colleague, <S> he/ <S> she can be a source of information and a reference going forward. <S> If you develop a bad relationship with this colleague, he/she could sully your name, and hurt your chances with a prospective employer. <A> Keep your word and don't tell your manager. <S> Since you are concerned about the well-being of your team, maybe you need to start working on ways to lessen the impact of one person leaving. <S> Without giving up any secrets, start looking into your contacts to see if you can find a qualified candidate a little quicker than normal. <A> Your manager or team lead is the one who has to worry about the impact to your team, not you. <S> I hate using football analogies, but here goes: <S> You're a lineman. <S> It's not your concern as to whether it's a pass play left or right, or whether the QB is going to run to the side. <S> Your job is to take that defensive lineman and either stop him, or push him left or right. <S> You're not the QB, you're not the offensive coordinator, and you're certainly not the head coach. <S> You're a lineman. <S> Concentrate on your assignment and do it well, and let the rest of the team worry about their assignments. <S> Realistically, play it out: 1) <S> You tell your boss. <S> The employee gives notice. <S> Boss gets angry, "Yeah, John already told me. <S> Thanks for keeping me in the loop." <S> 2) <S> You tell your boss. <S> The employee decides to stay, but your boss already recruited the replacement. <S> Boss has a budget problem with you to thank for it. <S> 3) <S> You tell your boss. <S> The boss confronts the employee. <S> Maybe even fires the employee <S> (Thank you HLGEM). <S> Now the employee is angry and will let all your coworkers know that you can't be trusted. <S> Good luck on the team from now on. <S> NOTHING good will come from telling your boss. <S> Best advice <S> I ever got: <S> "Never let a good opportunity to shut up pass you by." <S> Sounds personal, but it's not. <S> The only thing you should take away from this is that you should get familiar with your coworker's responsibilities to your project, and do it quietly. <A> If you are concerned about the impact to your team, tell your colleague as much and advise him/her to disclose to the boss as soon as he/she feels comfortable. <S> But do not tell the boss yourself. <A> There are two things here. <S> One is your integrity. <S> You gave your word and should keep it. <S> Second, the professional relationship between your employer and coworker is their business alone. <S> Should your employer ever give any indication a coworker would be let go or reassigned, its up to the employer to communicate that, not you (unless you're a manager of that person). <A> There are other good answers that explain some reasons why - mostly this may lead to a lack of trust from both your co-workers and boss. <S> That said, I want to add something I've not seen mentioned: <S> You don't yet know for a fact <S> the other employee will leave. <S> Just because this other employee goes on interviews doesn't mean that a job offer will be issued to them, even if the interviews appear to be "good prospects". <S> If the other employee receives a job offer, it doesn't mean they will accept. <S> So, telling your boss may lead to a lot of unneccessary anxiety on everyone's part. <S> Furthermore, through actions like this, your boss may come to think of you as his/her informant within your team. <S> That might help you with your boss for a while, but will likely hurt you with your co-workers. <S> Ultimately I'd expect this to be more negative than beneficial - your team members will tend to shun you and then you won't have information for your boss anymore, at which point the boss is likely to stop viewing you as useful. <S> (Also, I don't think having such a boss who would do such a thing would be good, but that's starting to get off topic.)
| From experience, my recommendation is that you do not tell your boss. Aside from the matter of personal integrity, there is also the whole idea that you are trying to work above your level.
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How can I un-burn a bridge? I worked in a company more than 2 years ago which I still want to work, after this time. But when I left I did not leave under the best terms. Now when I tried to come back the HR told me that I from technical point of view I'm ok, these past difficulties mean I did not get rehired. How can I change the bad impression I made in the past when I have changed? What can I do to convince the company to give me a second chance? <Q> Consider it a burned bridge and let it go. <S> Your first impression will last a lot longer than you think, and you may not have changed as much as you think since you left. <S> Let it go. <S> note: <S> the above was written as an answer to the original question . <S> The edited question is much more mellow. <A> I think Thorbjorn Ravn Andersen is probably correct. <S> But if there's hope at all for you to reconcile with the company, it would likely have to be through the people that you worked with before and it would have to take place outside the company; you're unlikely to reconcile during an interview or application process. <S> Remember that although companies can be soulless and cold, they are run by people. <S> It's people that you must have left a bad impression with the first time <S> and it's probably those people that told HR they would prefer not to rehire. <S> In fact, it wouldn't surprise me if there is actually a "rehire" flag on employee records at some companies. <S> Do you have any contact with your former co-workers or supervisors? <S> If you do, and you're on at least neutral terms, have a lunch with them and discuss your interest. <S> If you were a jerk in the past, it's a chance to make amends. <S> If they were the ones who were jerks, well, then I'm not sure why you'd want to go back, but at least you could discuss things with them. <S> I actually did return to a company that I'd left and that's how I did it. <S> I met with my old supervisor outside work and expressed my interest in returning. <A> I happened to face similar situation. <S> I was working with an organization which I liked a lot. <S> Then due to some personal reasons, I had to leave it <S> and I did not leave with a very good impression. <S> Then after 1.5 year I tried to join back. <S> I cleared the interview but the HR got not so good feedback about me from my previous supervisor <S> and I could not join. <S> However, the organization had a rule that the previous supervisor's feedback will be taken/considered only if the employee is joining back with 2 years. <S> So I tried again after 3 years. <S> This time I cleared the interview and luckily it did not go to that supervisor for feedback. <S> They looked at the old record of the type of work I had done earlier which was good in my case. <S> I am now working there again. <S> Also you can show the type of work you have been doing after leaving which can show that you have improved since you left. <S> Hope <S> this would be of some help.
| So my point is, if you had done good work there earlier, but made a bad impression only when you were leaving, you can ask them to consider your earlier work.
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Leaving a contract-to-hire position that I just started I've recently started working a contract-to-hire position that is turning out to be not so hot. I have been speaking with a potential employer that I am very excited about, and I think they are going to make me an offer soon. Once I am offered this new position, what would be the best way to leave my current gig? Should I give the standard two-week notice, or since I haven't been there that long and it is a contract position, am I not obligated to do that? <Q> You definitely should give notice but there is a good chance you won't have to stay for the 2 weeks. <S> I would definitely not tell the employer why you don't like his workplace unless he directly asks and even then I would keep your personal comments to a minimum. <S> If you don't want to stay around for the 2 weeks after giving notice then you can always ask your employer if he has any more work for you and if you can transfer it to someone. <S> If he doesn't have work then you can ask if you can leave earlier than 2 weeks. <S> As a side note, I would always make sure your other offer is solid before committing to it. <S> Job jumping is not desirable. <A> Communicate why you dislike the job you are presently in. <S> Since you have another avenue of employment, being honest and direct will only help your employer in the future and it may provide you with an unexpected opportunity. <S> IE. <S> Please stay, we should and will change x and y. <S> We really value your input. <S> Although this case is unlikely its not predestined. <S> Think of everything even quitting as an opportunity. <S> The same goes with giving a notice. <S> Just ask your current employer what they would consider fair and that wouldn't cause them hardship. <S> Try to avoid burning bridges even if you never intend to cross them again... <A> This is one of the important aspects of being a contract-to-hire worker. <S> The contractor and the hire-r both have an opportunity to evaluate each other without involving a gamut of other beneficial attachments. <S> Nevertheless this 'contract' phase of your employment would have to be bound by a contract which usually specifies the notice period in case you want to leave before you are hired. <S> AFAIK, this holds good for all 'at will' employments. <S> So your answer should be in your contract. <S> Of course, the decision to quit before you even get an offer from the other firm who you think will be hotter than the current firm, is yours to make.
| Once offered the other position, explain your situation to your current employer. I can think of very few situations where you shouldn't give notice and this is not one of them.
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Potential risks of rescinding verbal acceptance to apply for a different position with the same company I applied to two CO-OP positions at the same company and I have already been interviewed for the first position. A few days later I received an offer but I realized that this is does not align with what I would like to do. I feel it would be a waste of both my potential and time. I am a computer science major and the offer that I received is a position for testing and debugging which I feel is more of a MIS or IT related position, whereas the position that I am more interested in is the development aspect of Software Engineering. I have verbally accepted the first offer but I have not signed anything, although they have sent me the contract by email. The other CO-OP opportunity has been removed but they have recently re-posted it as an Internship. I am unsure of how I should handle the situation. I would like to call the HR manager tomorrow morning and speak of my concern with her so that I could interview for the other position. I am afraid of the HR managers reaction, although she seems nice. I am afraid because I have wasted the hiring managers time for the interview and the HR manager who was working on my paperwork today. What are the potential issues I could face by rejecting this offer and applying for another opportunity with the same company, and likely the same people? <Q> What are the potential issues I could face by rejecting this offer and applying for another opportunity with the same company, and likely the same people? <S> Potentially, you could face any of the following: Nothing. <S> The company understands that these things happen, and treats the new opportunity all on its own Dislike. <S> The company may not like you changing your mind on a verbal acceptance, but offer no resistance. <S> Rejection. <S> The company may conclude that you aren't mature enough to work there, or that you are "flighty", and thereby choose to withdraw any offers. <S> It's hard to tell which would apply in your specific case, and it's unfortunate <S> you hadn't made this decision before <S> you verbally accepted the first offer. <S> Calling the HR manager, being honest in your explanation, and living with the consequences makes the most sense. <S> When I have hired interns in the past, maturity was near the top of the list of attributes I sought. <S> But that's just me. <S> It may or may not be the same in the company you are targeting. <S> Full disclaimer: I run a QA Team. <S> Your comment about the "position for testing and debugging which I feel is more of a MIS or IT related position" tells me that you don't understand testing in general (which unfortunately isn't uncommon with college students). <S> You may be right that in this particular company the testing/debugging position is part of a different group than development positions, but that's not the case in places where I have worked. <S> I don't think your opinion on testing/debugging has colored my answer in any way, but I felt it was necessary for me to be completely transparent here. <S> This might help: http://www.allthingsquality.com/2010/04/hiring-qa-interns.html Good luck! <A> As far as the two jobs at the same place. <S> If you have verbally accepted the offer, I personally would not consider you for the other job. <S> You need to be mature enough to live with the results of your choices and you chose to verbally accept the offer. <S> If you turn it down, you have likely burned your bridges at that employer and probably for the future as well as right now. <S> You may also find out it is a small world out there <S> and you have burned your bridges with people who are friends of the hiring manager as well at other companies. <S> People don't like someone who agrees to come on board and then change their minds before they show up as it creates extra work for them. <S> On a side note: Don't think either position is going to give you amzing interesteing thigns to do. <S> People rarely give the hard development tasks to interns as they have the lowest set of skills and are least likely to succeed, so even in the development shop you are likely to have tasks you think are beneath you. <S> We certainly don't give them the kinds of tasks that will make or break the product or that will go to the client. <S> And in the real world you can't just work on what you want to anad what you personally find interesting. <S> All those other pesky things like debugging and testing and cleaning up bad data and maintaining legacy applications wrtitten 15 years ago in technologies you never heard of are all things you may have to do. <S> You will probably also have to fill in timesheets, and make copies and attend meetings. <S> There is no reason to give you something better to do until you prove yoursef to me with the less difficult tasks. <S> People who wont do the less popular tasks, make a bad impression with the boss and don't get the interesting work later. <S> People who whine that stuff is beneath them can easily find that no one wants to work with them. <S> If you think testing and debugging is beneath you, I wouldn't hire you for any development position as 100% of these jobs require these skills. <S> A chance to concentrate on those things and get good at them will help you in any future job. <A> this will almost certainly get you dropped as a candidate and have you flagged as do not hire. <S> I can't speak universally. <S> However, HR does not want to deal with this. <S> Few candidates are valuable enough where they want to deal with this.
| Once you changed your mind on a verbal acceptance from me, I'd make sure you were never invited back to my company.
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Is it ethical for a future employer to insist on knowing my other employment opportunities? A future employer insists on knowing what other opportunities I am considering. Is this an ethical practice? Am I obliged to tell them? <Q> You're not obliged to tell them. <S> Of course, they're not obliged to offer you a job either. <S> It's pretty common for an employer to want to have an idea about the sorts of companies they are competing with for particular types of employees. <S> That helps the company do things like <S> ensure that they're paying competitive salaries and that they've got a competitive benefits package. <S> There is generally nothing unethical about doing this sort of market research. <S> If you don't want to divulge the information, most companies will respect that. <S> You can certainly tell them that you consider all negotiations confidential and that you intend to respect the company's privacy just as you do for the other companies that you've talked with. <A> Answer the question truthfully but in generalities. <S> Leave out specific company, title and compensation information. <S> If pressed for the specifics, decline to answer and note that the information they request is confidential. <S> Interviewer: <S> What other opportunities are you considering? <S> Me: <S> I have a second interview scheduled for tomorrow for a similar position at a company in a different industry. <S> I have had initial phone interviews with two other companies for project leader positions in the last week. <S> I am hoping for an offer for a manager position at a large company nearby next week as they asked for references. <S> Interviewer: <S> And what companies are those with? <S> Me: <S> I can't divulge that, it is confidential information. <S> Interviewer: <S> I realize that it is sensitive, but it is important that we know so that we can know how quickly we have to proceed. <S> Me: <S> I am sorry, but I cannot give out that information. <S> I must respect the confidentiality. <S> I will let you know as things progress and let you know of any time constraints as soon as I know them. <S> Tone and demeanor are hugely important here. <S> Don't get defensive. <S> Keep your voice level, keep your tone a bit light. <S> Don't rush your answer, but don't drag it out either. <S> Don't hedge. <S> Be matter of fact about the answer, and about any aspects that you do not answer. <S> One important sub-text to this question and others like it is the evaluation of how you handle difficult or sensitive conversations. <S> Do you get flustered? <S> Do you appear uncomfortable or do you hesitate? <S> Do you come across as trustworthy? <S> Are you just saying what the interviewer wants to hear? <A> There are good reasons for a company to know who else you are talking to - not all of which will disadvantage you . <S> It may affect how fast they need to schedule the recruitment process. <S> I may also reflect positively on you if you have an interview with a high-reputation company. <S> There is also the possibility that they may try to use the information against you. <S> While it's not unprofessional for them to ask, you are always within your rights to refuse to answer. <S> It's entirely up to you whether you tell them or not. <S> I personally wouldn't, just because the possible disdvantages outweigh the advantages. <S> If they push you, tell them the other company has asked you to keep it confidential. <S> If they are still pushy after that, walk away. <S> If they don't respect confidentiality in this (and asking you to breach confidentiality IS unethical behaviour) <S> it is highly likely they won't respect ethics in other areas. <A> It's not 'unethical', but it puts you at a disadvantage. <S> They're doing this to gauge how little to pay you. <S> In a negotiation, the person who makes the first move loses. <S> Use it to your advantage - hint at other opportunities that pay more, but haven't got back to you. <S> Or tell them of job offers you've turned down and why (because you don't like the lack of benefits, overtime, etc). <S> (i.e. are you competent?) <S> Make sure not to bluff about other opportunities too much. <S> I know one interviewee who said he only applied for one other job (to make himself look loyal) and he came across as lazy, spoiled, not proactive. <S> You can safely insist that it's private. <S> If they still pressure you, it's a good sign that you're working with a pushy/nosy potential employer. <A> It depends on how small of a world it is that you live in. <S> For example, within the niche that I work in, over the years people have travelled from one company to another. <S> I can honestly say that I can probably call up and find managers within most of the big shops. <S> If someone asked me which companies I am interviewing, and had worked within this field long enough, they would be able to find the exact people that I am interviewing with. <S> Chances are they might actually be having beers with this person every third Friday, or something to that effect. <S> The gist of my answer is this: if the world you work in isn't 'small', then by all means you lose next to nothing if you tell the company who it is that you're interviewing with. <S> They probably just want to make sure you're not interviewing with Google (in which case, your interview process might take half a year, and when you get the offer they won't be able to compete - not a good idea to invest in the hire). <S> If, on the other hand, the world is small, then I would suggest you not put yourself in a situation where the job market colludes against you.
| If you don't want to tell them, simply say you'd rather not say. They might also do this to gauge why you haven't had a job yet It's neither unprofessional nor unethical for them to ask. You'll need to determine how badly they want the information and how strongly you feel about not divulging it to figure out whether it's worth fighting this battle.
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Doing a presentation to look more professional I don't know if this is the best place to ask this question, but I couldn't find another stackexchange site to ask it. I am a computer engineering student that doesn't work anywhere, and I don't have a company as well. I decided to develop an android application for a famous person in my country. We talked a few times on phone, tomorrow I will go to the city that he lives to show demo application and get an agreement about details, such as price etc. Getting agreement is quite important because, he may be a great reference. I want to look like professional, because that will obviously increase my chance on getting an agreement. So, I decided to make a small presentation about application. But the problem is, he already knows that I'm still a student, and I'm not a professional yet. For my case, instead of being an advantage, creating a presentation may be a disadvantage. Do you think presentation is an advantage or disadvantage in these kind of cases? Edit: Thanks a lot for all the answers. I did a small (6-7 pages) power point presentation, and I can easily say, it impressed the client a lot, and we made a deal. <Q> First of all, it is really nice to know that you are developing stuff that is useful for others. <S> It doesn't really matter whether you are a student or a professional. <S> What you have done is most important. <S> Of course, it depends on how you present it. <S> I would like to suggest the following. <S> Presentation : <S> Power point presentation might be helpful. <S> However, try to make number of slides according to the appointment time you have given. <S> May be 8 to 10 slides would be good. <S> This presentation is more about the high level view of the application. <S> Its usage, how the clients get benefit from it, one slide for how it is implemented, etc. <S> Test the application thoroughly. <S> Your client has many questions on the usage of the application. <S> Therefore, you should prepare for the demo of the application. <S> Focus more on how easy to use the application, benefits of the applications, etc., rather than its implementation in the demo. <S> Of course, if the client asks about the implementation, you should answer it in simple manner. <S> Dress : I wouldn't suggest wearing a suit. <S> Try to wear an outfit that is business casual. <S> Conversation : This is the most important part of the business. <S> Don't start conversation about money. <S> You should more focus on the application and its usage. <S> You should talk about it when he/she brings that topic. <S> Be prepared for the questions regarding the money such as "how much you are expecting?" <S> etc. <S> I would suggest to do some homework on this. <S> In the worst case, even if the business fails, you should maintain good relationships with the client. <S> Be positive and confident. <S> All the best. <A> If you need to represent data, charts, images, video, etc., that would be different. <S> I think this applies even more if this is going to be one on one. <S> Also, don't do a presentation if you don't have a projector. <S> I don't know what you mean by"famous" but they don't have a lot of time and will become bored quickly. <S> And if they're not a business person (actor, politician, athlete, etc.), this will be worse. <S> Focus on demonstrating your app and listening to feedback. <S> They'll want to talk. <S> You're going to get interupted. <S> Don't let it upset you. <S> Stay calm. <S> Even though you're a student, let them know you can solve problems and work hard. <S> Be natural and confident. <S> Important: <S> Practice your demonstration to anyone you can find. <S> Family or friends and all different technical levels. <S> Edit: If you're just going to read your slides, don't do a presentation. <A> Being a student and not a professional doesn't mean you can't work professionally. <S> A good presentation can be very impressive. <S> For a developer like me a demo application would be more interesting but that is up to you. <S> I guess more information and more things to show are always better in your case. <A> Helping a potential customer visualize how your product will be like is always a good thing. <S> It would be better if you could show him a prototype but a presentation is still beneficial. <S> And i think it is always good for a student to act professional. <S> I don't see how it could be considered a disadvantage. <S> Good luck...
| Demo : Compared to the presentation, the most important part is how you demo the application. Don't do a PowerPoint presentation if you're just going to show some bullet points that match what you're saying. Don't talk about future enhancements of the application early, only bring this matter when it is needed.
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Discontinued Master's Degree on resume I've been working as a software engineer at a government organization for ten years since graduation. Now I am looking for a new job and i need to work on my resume. There is one minor detail i am not sure about. I am a computer science graduate from a reputable university in my country (Turkey). Between 2007 and 2009 i attended a master's program and completed courses with 3,56/4 GPA. The courses i completed were strongly related with my career and work. Unfortunately i couldn't continue to thesis phase because of my work load. My question is whether i should include this information in my resume or not. Would i look like a quitter or someone with valuable knowledge about his field? Thank you. <Q> My question is whether i should include this information in my resume or not. <S> Would i look like a quitter or someone with valuable knowledge about his field? <S> I would include it. <S> As long as you don't claim to have attained the Master's degree, and as long as the courses are relevant, it shouldn't be too much of a worry. <S> That said, be prepared with a good answer in case you are asked "Why didn't you complete your degree?" during an interview. <A> I think that including that is valuable information. <S> It indicates additional course work and furthering of your knowledge base. <S> In software development, what you know is far more important than degrees and certificates that you've completed. <S> Including it on your resume also provides the interviewer an opportunity to ask about it in the interview, which will likely lead to discussion of your course work. <S> I think it helps to list it. <A> The approach I'd use, if I wanted to include the classes I took while I was considering whether or not it was worth getting the MS, would be: "Post-graduate studies: Additional classes in ..., ..., and ... <S> (grade of A in each) <S> " Put the positive focus in the resume -- you like learning and you have additional skills -- rather than talking about what you didn't do (for whatever reasons). <S> They may ask why you didn't continue to the degree -- but at that point they're already interested in you, and you'll have time to actually discuss it, so it's a better place and time for that discussion. <S> (I sorta regret not having gotten further degrees -- I would have loved to stay in academia -- <S> but the way my career has gone, it was never clear exactly which additional skills were going to be of value to me, so I kept putting it off.)
| Lots of people include "additional coursework" on their resume.
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Why would a company prefer firing people to laying them off? During the interview process with a company I once worked for, the company bragged about how they had never had to lay off anyone. This was a company that had been in business for decades and which had built itself up to a few thousand employees, so I was impressed. After I'd been there a while, the client sponsoring the project on which I worked let it be known that during the next phase of the project they would be willing to pay for only half the staff that we had. Over the next couple months, 30% of the staff were fired for "failing to meet expectations". This included me - while I wasn't the top performer, I was getting my work done on schedule and with good quality. During the meeting in which I was informed that I was being terminated, the manager even said they would keep me if there was more work. As best as I could tell, the others who were fired were also getting their jobs done reasonably well - all of them had been there longer than me and none had bad reputations. I don't know if others on that project were fired after my termination, but I have met a couple other people who had similar experiences in other divisions of the company. Why would a company consider it better to fire someone instead of laying them off? <Q> A major benefit is something you mention in your question. <S> If a company can tell prospective employee that it has never laid off an employee, that can make the candidate more likely to join the company or to accept less compensation in return for the perceived better stability. <S> Of course, as you've discovered, that perceived stability may evaporate quickly in the harsh light of reality. <S> It's also possible that the company is able to challenge some unemployment claims as well if they are terminating for cause. <S> Whether the employer actually has a chance to prevail will depend on state law and the specific reason the employer uses to fire a particular employee <S> so it's hard to generalize. <S> But anything the company does to make it less likely that a former employee files for unemployment as a result of leaving the company has the potential to lower its unemployment costs. <S> Of course, the company may also see it as more truthful to fire employees rather than laying them off if they have no intention of calling them back. <S> That may be a problem for employees when most other employers euphemistically refer to terminations for anything other than gross malfeasance as lay-offs. <S> But the company may not particularly care about the feelings of terminated employees. <A> When someone is laid off, if they qualify for unemployment, the employer actually pays part of that money (to the government, which then includes it in the check). <S> If you're fired though some governments will deny the unemployment claim. <S> In a similar vein, companies sometimes try to make someone so miserable they quit, also to avoid paying unemployment benefits. <A> The company man not want the potential obligation to rehire those people "laid off." <S> In some places when a company lays someone off if they were to have an opening for a similar position they are required to attempt to bring back any personnel that they laid off. <S> This could mean a few weeks of work to contact these people, get their responses, then interview them to find out if they can fill the position. <S> Then if they would decide that they do not want to rehire these people there is the potential court battle of workers trying to force the company to honor their workers rights that exist because they were laid off instead of being terminated for performance. <S> The time to challenge the termination for workers rights is when terminated rather than when the company wants to rehire. <S> The company has already decided to keep the best and lay off those that are not at the top. <S> If they fire everyone but have someone that they may want to bring back they can still contact those people. <S> But without the obligation to potentially be force to bring back someone else that was an underperformer simply because they had more time at the company when they were laid off. <S> It also allows them the choice to bring in new blood that has potential to be a top performer. <S> Generally there is a minor advantage to laying off when it comes to unemployment insurance. <S> If the company is letting hundreds go at the same time the numbers generally come up in favor of it. <S> Especially if the company may be want to rehire many of them in the future. <S> However if the company is only sporadically letting a few people go here and there and not rehiring them, then the numbers probably lean in favor of termination. <A> There are many potential reasons which have to do with getting around some legal obligations (which obviously vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction so not all of these are going to be valid in any given place): <S> If you lay off a certain number of employees in a predefined time period, you might have to provide extra support (e.g. pay for training/coaching or extra severance pay). <S> If you are not firing for individual performance problems, it might be more difficult to chose which employees get to stay <S> (e.g. it might be mandatory to lay off the most recent hires first). <S> Others have mentioned some impact on the cost of unemployment insurance for the company, which would fall under the same category. <A> I have been in this situation 1) <S> To avoid paying redundancy money2) <S> To avoid losing the option to recruit a replacement (if needed) following a redundancy. <S> It is a really sick way of working, but there are companies out there who would do this even if that means somebodies career is affected.
| Potentially, some fraction of the individuals that the company fires either fail to apply for unemployment or delay applying for unemployment which can lower the cost of unemployment insurance for the company. Another reason not mentioned in other answers is the possibility of avoiding unemployment payments. So the company can go about its business hiring those it wants to fill the positions.
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How do I negotiate a higher salary without being offered yet? Acme Inc.'s HR called me and said they are interested in me and that the salary is $XYZ. I asked if it was negotiable, and she said it was dependent on their hiring manager, and she made it sound like that is all they can offer. She also wants me to include my current manager as a reference even though I have not told my current manager that I am looking. Acme Inc. said they are serious about hiring me and that this would be the final step before we get into anything official. I am wondering if this is a "handcuff" HR tactic so that now my current manager knows I am leaving and Acme Inc has leverage on me. After all, Acme Inc can say, "Sorry, we can only offer you $XYZ! What are you going to do? Your boss now knows you're leaving!". I am desperate and do want this new job even though it pays only $4K less than what I make now, hence the negotiation I want to try to come out "even" on my salary. I want to maximize what I can get. But since Acme Inc have not officially offered, I feel that asking/negotiating might be premature until I give them my current manager as a reference. How should I play this? Update on 6/4/2013: I tried refusing to give my current manager's information, and got in contact with the hiring manager directly, but the hiring manager was unable to circumvent HR. I was desperate so I talked to my current manager and explained the situation. In the end, everything worked out, but it was not an ideal scenario for me. I guess this is a good reason to always to do your best at work and have a good relationship with your current manager. The end <Q> Acme Inc. said they are serious about hiring me and that this would be the final step before we get into anything official <S> If they are actually serious about hiring you, they will respect your wish to not contact your current manager until you have an official offer. <S> Playing hardball on this suggests to me they are either not as serious as you think, are trying to manipulate you, or are incompetent. <S> Suggest something like: <S> "Hi, I would prefer to not provide references until I have an official offer, because I have not yet had a conversation with my current manager about my desire to seek better opportunities. <S> I do want to work for Acme Inc <S> but this would put me into a very difficult position <S> should we not come to an agreement on a new position." <S> You should try to get in contact with the hiring managers, too, because they are likely going to be on "your side" compared to HR. <S> They can make all sorts of magic happen within HR if they really want to hire you. <S> If you can get in contact with a hiring manager, something like: <S> " <S> Hello Hiring Manager, as I understand it, HR is requiring me to provide contact information for my current boss prior to receiving an official offer. <S> This may cause problems in my current position - do you know if there is any way we can come to a more agreeable solution? <S> I have no problems with my manager being contacted, I just would rather have confirmation I am leaving to pursue new opportunities with Acme Inc first." <S> etc. <S> It is more premature for them to force you to give them a reference for your current boss without an official offer. <S> Do you have other references? <S> Prior managers at different companies? <S> Also could try suggesting that. <S> As a side note, do you not communicate with your manager enough? <S> If you are as desperate as you sound this seems like something you and your manager would have talked through already. <A> I have previously used my current manager(s) as a reference, but they were well aware that I was unhappy <S> and I was trying to leave the company. <S> In any situation but that one, I would absolutely refuse to use any current manager or co-worker as a reference. <S> As you stated, too many bad things can happen if it falls through and your current employer now knows you are looking to leave. <S> If you really want the job, then take it. <S> If you do it politely, the worst case scenario is they say "no. <S> " There are several questions on here that can help with asking for a higher offer. <S> I unsuccessfully tried the tactic from one of those questions recently , but the offer was not rescinded, it simply remained the same. <S> It is all about delivery. <A> My response in this situation would be: <S> I would be happy to entertain a formal offer from your company for the position of X <S> but I would need a rate of $Y . <S> Include any other requirements in compensation here as well such as: <S> This should include the 3 weeks of paid vacation we have spoken of previously. <S> Upon receipt of a formal offer letter, with in 1 business day, I will provide your company with the contact information for Z professional references that have always provided sterling recommendations for me in the past. <S> The references include my former manager at Company A <S> where I did <S> B for them for C amount of time . <S> As well as my current X whom I have been working closely with for D amount of time . <S> This communicates to them that you are serious, know what you want and lets them know what you will provide them and when. <S> Since there is no formal offer there is no real negotiation, but you can set your expectations and so long as you do show willingness to lower them it will serve your purpose. <A> As Robbie Dee mentioned, don't give contact information of your manager. <S> If they really like you, then they should pay more (at least a bit more) than what you are getting now. <S> However, you should focus on the whole package -- medical benefits, signon bonus, etc., not just only base salary. <S> Don't reveal your current salary or the number in your mind FIRST. <S> Regarding the negotiation, first get their initial offer and then ask more. <S> Here, more means reasonably more -- research on glassdoor.com etc. <S> , websites to know the range of the package. <S> Based on that you can counter offer. <S> All the best.
| If you want a higher salary, then ask for it. But since Acme Inc have not officially offered, I feel that asking/negotiating might be premature until I give them my current manager as a reference.
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Got Hired as a Software Developer (Intern) Without Coding in the Interview I recently got hired as a software developer (internship) at a very reputable company whose product is widely used. The interview consisted of ONLY a phone interview. During the interview, the co-founder of the company's main product asked me a lot of "technical" questions regarding the programming projects that I did in school. I am graduating this summer with a BS in Computer Science, by the way. I answered every question very well because I was very involved in all of the projects that I did including two projects that I lead in. He must have really liked me because I got an offer from the president of the company 4 days after the interview. My main question is, was this a good thing or a bad thing? I see that in the Joel Test , it is highly recommended that employers have candidates code during the interview. I can completely understand the reasoning behind it. But could a good company get away without having candidates (at least interns) code during an interview? I am completely confident that this company is not just desperately hiring code junkies. <Q> Most companies hire without making people code. <S> I'm not saying it's a good thing, but it's very common, and it's done by good companies. <S> There are plenty of good companies that only score 10 or 11 on the Joel test - despite what he says. <S> There are a number of reasons why companies don't ask you to write code in the interview, some of which are good and some bad. <S> If this is the only thing you have against this company, don't let it worry you. <S> Now if it's only scoring 5 or 6 on the Joel test, that's another matter. <S> You did ask about the other items on the Joel test, didn't you? :-) <A> I recently got hired as a software developer (internship) <S> A key here is internship . <S> Interns are pretty cheap for a company, especially when compared to the cost of bringing a new full-time employee on board. <S> They are also fairly low risk should things not work out. <S> But could a good company get away without having candidates (at least interns) code during an interview? <S> You are going to be coding a lot during the interview. <S> Your internship is part of an extended interview process, as most companies with interns use internships to get a much better feel for the answer to, "would this person be a good full-time hire?" <S> I am completely confident that this company is not just desperately hiring code junkies. <S> Also consider that as an undergraduate, you likely haven't worked on any project remotely close to the scale and duration of real software. <S> Being a good software developer is not just about being able to write code which does amazing things. <S> You could be amazing at programming and yet make life miserable for your entire team. <S> Or somewhere else on the spectrum of "awesome vs awesome-and-impossible-to-work-with." <A> Next month I will begin my third position that involves software development. <S> I admit that I am not the best programmer <S> (in fact, I have very little "formal" programming training, although I do have a four year IT degree), but that has not stopped me. <S> I occasionally get stumped, but I work through it, and am better for having done so. <S> In the real world you will often get hired based on how well you sell yourself, not how well you can actually code something. <S> From an employer's perspective, you may be the best programmer in the world, but if you do not fit in the company culture, you will not last <S> and you will have proven a costly mistake. <S> In your situation, consider it good. <S> You now have an internship with what you consider a good company. <S> This will look good on a resume after you graduate, and perhaps you will be asked to stay on as a full time employee, which would also be good. <A> I think the fact that you'll get to work on a widely used product at a reputable company should override any fears of the company's immature hiring practices. <S> Since you're doing an internship, you're probably just trying to get some good experience under your belt so that you have an easy time finding a job after graduation, right? <S> Most internships consist of working on trivial projects, so you should jump at the chance of working on a widely used product in an internship. <S> There are a multitude of reasons for this, but I bet one of the most common reasons is that the interviewers feel that they can get a good enough grasp of your technical skills through conversation. <S> Of course, this is not true in most cases because there are many people who can talk intelligently about programming and software design, but who can't even pass the Fizz Buzz Test . <S> My main question is, was this a good thing or a bad thing? <S> For you, it's not good or bad. <S> For the company, it's somewhat reckless. <S> I don't think you should be too concerned about it. <A> One draw-back to being an intern at a large company is you're not going to write one line of production code. <S> A smaller company may let you get involved on a pilot project at least. <S> You're there to prove you can learn how to program and get a real job. <S> If it's just pencil and paper with no discussion on how you code/think and why you did what you did, I think it is less relevant. <S> Some may even just have you use a pseudo language. <S> Anyone who is overly concerned with dotting the semicolons, would probably be better off not testing at all. <S> Different projects have different demands on adding new people and some time it is important to just get a technician in a certain language/framework. <S> If they want to convert interns into employees, they better be able to measure upside.
| Like @DJClayworth says, there are many good companies out there hiring developers without making them write code in their interviews. Doing a code test during an interview is important, but that depends on the type of test. I have never been asked to code as part of an interview.
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What projects can I write in my resume if all my company projects are confidential? I am a software developer. I am a little worried about my future as my company doesn't allow its employees to reveal anything about their projects, even after they have left the company. Currently I have about 1 year of experience. When we apply for a job, the first thing the interviewer asks about is our industry projects. They have detailed discussions about our projects before going forward with the technical interview. But what can I write in my resume if I can't even reveal the name of my project? Of course, I can write that I worked in x technology using the a, b, c tools but it wouldn't look good unless I have something to tell them about it. <Q> The name of the project does not matter. <S> The nitty gritty details of how the project fit in to the company's business model do not matter. <S> The technical aspects of what you did are what the company is looking for. <S> For instance, let's say I was working on Google's search algorithm and not allowed to disclose it. <S> I am currently working on an algorithm named PageRank which creates search results based on a link weighting system. <S> Each page on the internet is given a ranking based on how many other pages link to it. <S> So if a page has many other pages linking to it, it is seen as more reliable. <S> And if a more reliable page links to another page, that page is seen more reliable by association. <S> This way we are able to create a better web search that allows ranking to be based on something akin to reputation rather than keywords. <S> The above description is a great explanation of what the company is developing, but doesn't say anything about what I'm actually doing. <S> I am currently working on a complex algorithm in PASCAL that analyzes over a trillion data points that maps the relationships between those points to assign a value to each. <S> This description focuses on what I'm doing without giving away any trade secrets whatsoever. <S> Having a non-disclosure clause in your contract is something you should respect, but it doesn't mean that you can't discuss in general terms what you are working on or what problems you are tackling. <S> Use common sense and just ask yourself, "If I shared this information, would it harm the company I'm working for? <S> " The second description shouldn't, and should be enough for your prospective employer. <S> If during the interview they ask for more specific details which you are uncomfortable sharing, just explain something like: <S> I can tell you that the data points I am working with are a network of linked items (think friends on Facebook), but due to my non-disclosure agreement I can't tell you the specifics of what we are actually analyzing. <S> At the end of the day, if you can't explain what you are doing without explaining what the overall project is, you probably aren't going to have a very good interview. <A> Be sure not to break the confidentiality, including on any technology implementations if they are under NDA (keep in mind, that most of the technology is not a break-trough innovation, so apply common sense to what should go under the terms of NDA). <S> The eventual employer not only will understand that you can't reveal any details, but this would form a good impression, because you are not breaking your promises even when you are leaving your employer. <A> I work on a project that I describe as 'real estate' related when the 'real estate' component is somewhat trivial. <S> In short, don't try to describe what you're doing, but find analogies or similar kinds of work in other industries and describe how yours are 'somewhat like' those. <S> Within that framework, you can describe issues you confronted and what you did about them. <S> At one point I worked on a project 'Converting an IMS mainframe application to VB.NET and SQL Server'. <S> That didn't really tell anyone who the client was or what the project was, but it would speak volumes about what someone could expect me to do. <A> Most companies request an updated resume from their employees. <S> Some do it as part of their annual review process, others have their own schedule. <S> The purpose of the resume is so that it can be used to bid on projects, and to be used as part of a database when looking for internal ways to fill positions. <S> Generally when there is a significant amount of work that is done for projects or customers that must remain confidential, they also provide a way to help the employee write that section of the resume. <S> They will also vet all the annual updates to those resumes to make sure they still don't break the rules. <S> The goal for the company is to help the employee create a resume that is true, yet shows the extent of skills and experience. <S> They need to do this to win future work.
| You can include high-level description of the projects, such as 'eCommerce software', 'software for X type of company" (banking, insurance, etc.), and at the interview discuss technical challenges in developing such software, without mentioning any names or concrete project details.
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Including independent projects before professional projects if independent projects are more relevant to the new company? Lets say I am working on technology x in my current company.I want to work for a company working in technology y. I am really passionate about technology y.In order to get a job at this new company,I did some projects in technology y in my spare time.So should I include these independent projects before my professional projects?The new organization likes to hire employees with some experience in their technology.Thats why I am confused on the ordering of my projects? EDIT: By independent projects I meant projects that I did in my free time(Not for any customer or company). EDIT2: My independent project is not a small project.Its a large project that took 6 months to complete.I followed a very famous book to complete that project.The book ends with a finished project.The thing is, lets say I developed mobile phones and that company I am applying for develops robots.So I followed this famous book to learn this technology and made a similar robot in 6 months.Ofcourse, their robot would be much more advance than mine as they have been working on it for years.But I created a robot with very basic features ,in order to learn this technology.So is'nt this project more important than my industry work? I am sure my industry work is of no use to them as there is a large difference between the two technologies. EDIT3: What if that independent project resulted in a publication? <Q> This sounds like a perfect opportunity for a well-written cover letter . <S> Rather than worrying about what to put first in your resume, put what you think is important in the cover letter. <S> Dear Employer, I am a huge fan of dinosaur cloning. <S> The only time I put down my dinosaur toys is to look at what your company is up to. <S> It has been my dream to work at InGen, which is why I am applying for a job as egg-sitter at your company. <S> I think I would be a tremendous addition to your company because in addition to my professional experience, I spent the last 6 months re-sequencing apatosaurus <S> DNA taken from an amber pendant with a mosquito trapped in it my mother had, and cloning it in my bathtub. <S> I have attached my resume with more details on my employment history and education for your review. <S> I look forward to hearing from you. <S> Sincerely, Ian Malcolm Obviously take it a bit more serious than the above, but if you think your personal project is the reason that you're a good fit, sell it in the cover letter! <S> If it's a good selling point, then they will be sure to read the information on it in your resume more closely (regardless of the order). <A> So should I include these independent projects before my professional projects? <S> Many people use reverse-chronological order on their resume. <S> That highlights the most recent work - which is what interviewers tend to consider the most relevant. <S> You could use this traditional format, but highlight your experience in the relevant technologies in a "Summary of Relevant Skills" section. <S> You could also choose to break from the traditional and organize your resume functionally, in order to highlight the specific technologies that you believe are most relevant for this potential employer. <S> This might help: <S> http://www.ivyleagueadmission.com/organization.html Be careful here. <S> I'm not sure what you mean by "independent project", but many interviewers will discount your non-professional work as less relevant to them. <S> Work done to further a company's goals, perhaps under time and budget deadline, is often considered more relevant than side projects done for fun or self-education. <S> If you have published something, and this publication involves your independent project, you can easily reference this in your resume, perhaps in a "Publications" section. <S> Of course, you can expand on that in your cover letter when this publication and independent project are particularly relevant for one potential employer. <S> Good luck! <A> Do not include the projects that pertain to Y before your actual job-related projects about X. It doesn't matter if you made money from your projects on Y. You were employed by your company to work on X, and that is what you should display first. <S> Even if you do display the Y projects first, the interviewer will ask you, "Were these projects what you did at work? <S> " You can't lie because it will be easily discovered, not to mention dishonest. <S> So then what is the point of putting the Y projects first? <S> It will only get in the way for the interviewer, who will say, " <S> What <S> did <S> you do at work? <S> " <S> Definitely include your project work on Y, especially if it were compensated. <S> Even there you need to be a little careful, as you don't want to give the impression that you do a lot of moonlighting. <S> your education, depending on how much emphasis you want to give to that.
| But it is very helpful to include the Y related projects, as long as you actually accomplished something and can use them to demonstrate some familiarity with Y. Make sure that they appear after your current experience, and just before, or after,
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How to deal with a colleague who's trying to piggyback on my work for a presentation? I am an entry level developer, I and a senior colleague are working on a project. We are part of a much larger team (30 people) that are working on other projects. I have been asked by my manager to give the whole team a session on the project I am working on to gain some visibility . I've spent time and effort to make a presentation on my own and now my colleague wants also to pitch into the session. Now I am not sure what is the right way to deal with this situation. On one hand I feel I should NOT let him in, as I have done all the work getting the presentation ready. But, I do not want to spoil the relationship with a senior colleague who is otherwise helpful. Another perspective is to let him join as one should be a team-player. But here I feel, he too should have helped with the presentation rather than just present my work. I just don't know how to deal with this.I am worried that if I allow him to help present then I will not get the visibility I need to grow in my team and career.How does one manoeuvre through such situations? <Q> Your boss assigned the project to you. <S> If the other person wants to be part of the presentation (and there could be many reasons why), the person who should make the call is your boss not you. <S> If he asks to be part of it, refer him to your boss. <S> If the boss agrees, then go along and above all do not act mad or disgruntled. <S> If the boss does not want him to do it, then it is no longer your problem. <S> You might also suggest a different topic for him to present on (you said he had been helpful so you might be able to think of something he can share) when you talk to the boss about the issue. <S> That way he can get some spotlight on a differnt occasion, you look supportive of his ideas, you are giving him some credit with the boss, and the boss is happy that you two aren't arguing about your presentation! <S> Remember that if the boss lets him help with the presentation, it is not a reflection on you and that helping a senior look good (as long as you still get credit as well) is generally not a career limiting move. <S> Where the problem comes in is when someone who didn't work on the project takes over the presentation and makes it sound as if he did it and never mentions who did. <S> If the boss says no, you might practice your pitch to the senior guy and ask him for advice on how you can improve it. <S> That will still make him feel like he is contributing and you may get some good advice. <S> You however are under no obligation to everything he suggests. <S> If he does suggest something that is a real improvement, be sure to give him credit at the end of your presentation for the idea. <S> People who give other people credit when credit is due tend to gain more respect in the workplace (unless you work in a really toxic place full of cheaters and sharks). <A> One way to tackle this is to tell your coworker that you are looking to enhance your presentation skills as a professional development goal (this very well could be true for you). <S> If he insists, you don't gain much by denying him from participating in the presentation, but if he is normally considerate, he may very well accept this and let you do this presentation solo. <S> In either case, if he has contributed, I would try and mention what he did during and/or after the presentation. <S> This is a good way to approach the problem because it gives your coworker an opportunity to bow out non-confrontationally, and it doesn't really hurt you either way. <A> Am I making a trivial situation complex? <S> Is my dilemma justified? <S> How does one manoeuvre through such situations? <S> Yes, I do think you are making too much of a big deal out of this situation. <S> And tell him that you are sure your manager will let him do his own presentation at a later date. <S> It's your presentation. <S> Your manager asked you to do this, not the both of you. <S> Just saying "no" in a respectful way should be sufficient.
| Simply tell your colleague that you appreciate his offer, but that you prefer to do this particular presentation alone.
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Including an academic reference for a job in the industry? Would it be beneficial to include an academic reference for a job in the industry? What if that reference is a senior like the head of a department or a principal? When I talk about an academic reference,I mean a reference from a university. EDIT: The reference was my teacher and I was a very good performer.He is the most senior person in our university(Being one of the few 'Professors' ,not lecturer or assistant professor). He has also written a few books which are used in other universities as standard course material.Not mentioning several research publications. <Q> In general, the people you select to be your references should be those people who are best equipped to talk about you and your work, work ethic, personality, competencies, and other qualities that match the position or position types you are targeting in your job search. <S> Plenty of hard working, smart, personable, competent people were great research assistants or teaching assistants for professors and can use that experience in industry an thus the reference is "valid". <S> Similarly, even if you did not work for a professor but he was your major advisor or someone with whom you had several classes <S> and he can honestly speak to the qualities I'm looking for in a professional reference, then that's great! <S> Here's when the "using a professor as a reference" goes awry -- and this is both for jobs inside academia and in industry as well: if the professor doesn't remember you and can't speak to your skills and expertise and other personal attributes, if you are only using the professor's as a reference to get a foot in the door and have nothing of your own to back up that reference, or if you are still using professors as references after your second, third, or fourth (or more!) <S> job. <S> By that time you should be considering using actual industry references, otherwise a hiring manager is going to wonder what is wrong with your or <S> what went wrong in all of your jobs since school. <S> As always, different hiring managers are going to have different interpretations of the types of references they value and do not value. <S> As long as you have put some thought into the reference request and your referee can provide a thoughtful and personal reference for and about you, you've covered all the bases. <A> some focus that is relevant to the context of the opportunity <S> Are relatively recent And <S> academic resource may well fit this criteria - particularly if you're talking about a person who's academic expertise is closely related to your field (ie, you are seeking a software developer position, and this person is a computer science professor), where you've been working together relatively recently and have some depth of experience together. <S> I'd worry less about what the rank of that person is in the academic context. <S> A professor who lead your independant study on a work-like project is going to be way better than a dean who hardly knows you but speaks glowingly of you. <S> Remember, the focus is not what the reference has done, but how articulately he can speak about what you've done and what you are capable of. <S> Figure that many references do have a shelf life. <S> Coming fresh out of school, most folks have a significant number of references from academia. <S> After a few years of working, references provided on the job are both more relevant and more recent. <S> So it changes over time. <A> It's perfectly fine to use an academic reference if that's all you have. <S> You want references who can talk about what you've been up to recently, so if you're making the transition from being a student to being part of industry, academic references make sense. <S> As you build up professional experience, you'll also have more "recent" references and you'll want to sunset your use of the one from academia. <S> Having an old academic reference can be a useful thing if you're applying for something related to what you did in college. <S> As jcmeloni's answer points out, you do need to make sure your reference remembers you and can talk cogently about your performance.
| References are best when they: Can accurately speak about your work Provide As a hiring manager, I don't care where those references come from; in the specific situation described, of using a professor to be your reference for a position outside of academia, it wouldn't make a difference to me as long as the reference is valuable for the reasons I described above.
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What should I disclose about second jobs or additional sources of income when my employer asks? My employer is requiring me to fill out a "Disclosure Form" which provides them with information such as additional sources of income (such as investments) and other employment. I feel this is a breach of privacy, so I spoke to human resources, and their response was that the information is required to determine whether a conflict of interest exists. While I can understand an employer's need to determine if I am working for a competitor or otherwise creating a conflict of interest, I do not feel that my personal finance or investments is any of their business. To whom should I talk in order to determine the appropriate information to disclose? I feel I've exhausted internal company resources and need to turn to outside help. I am asking this question on behalf of another person, employed in the state of Utah, USA. <Q> It's quite legitimate - most places <S> I've worked have requested some of this information in one format or another. <S> If you want to know what's legal to ask - see a lawyer. <S> We can't answer this here. <S> I can say, I've been asked this sort of information for a number of reasons, and the specifics I was asked for usually connected to the concern of the company. <S> For example: Investments - the concern is usually whether you hold stock or have another close financial relationship with an organization that gives you a conflict of interest. <S> For example, shares in a supplier company could cause you to influence the company to make more purchases at the supplier than from its competitors - against the company's best interest. <S> This usually includes your spouse or others with whom you are financially connected. <S> It typically is asked as a question, not as a flat out listing. <S> If your investments are all groupings - like mutual funds - you can usually just describe that. <S> I'd be surprised if you asked for numbers. <S> Work - it's fair to ask who you're working for and what you're doing. <S> Typically this is from the perspective of conflict of interest and intellectual property. <S> I've also seen this asked from a "does the person have time? <S> " perspective, particularly in a part-time model. <S> They have the right to ask this, and to ask for a listing of exactly what companies, how much time it takes, and how long you expect the engagement to last. <S> I'd be surprised if any of the questions expected to hear specific monetary information. <S> Privacy <S> - It's all a privacy issue. <S> Your work history, education, home address, phone/email - all of this is personal information that you wouldn't give to just anyone. <S> They can always ask. <S> You can always say no. <S> The question is a total judgement call - if you won't answer the question, they have the right to hire someone who will. <S> So the final call is <S> - how bad do you think it will be if you don't answer? <A> If you are looking for a job to work part time with your current full time job I would recommend having a brief meeting first with you're boss. <S> Even if you have made them aware of working it may still be seen in a bad light. <S> There are some important factors to remember when approaching this situation as well as understanding why they need to know. <S> Know <S> Why Your Company is Worried <S> Employers typically don't see any advantages to their employees working side jobs, but it can be beneficial for both employer and employee, stimulating creativity, motivation, and new ideas. <S> The key is to keep the focus on your current position: Put the company first. <S> Most employers want to hear that you'll continue to put your job at their company first. <S> Assuage your manager's concerns by letting her know you won't work at your second job during office hours and that you'll still be able to work overtime during periods of heavy work. <S> Show your commitment to your current position as a priority. <S> Lay out how you'll remain effective. <S> Your boss doesn't want you to be overwhelmed and fatigued just because you're working multiple jobs, so lay out the strategies that will allow you to remain just as effective as you are now. <S> Don't talk about the new job; discuss how you'll continue to rock your current one. <S> Keep quiet about confidential information. <S> A small number of companies will be concerned that you'll leak confidential, in-house information, particularly if your side job is utilizing the same skills that your existing job does. <S> If you can't get permission to work in the same vertical, try a side job in a different arena all together. <S> Act as a good representative. <S> What you do off-hours can seem like none of your employer's business, but it is, especially if what you're doing could be deemed offensive to your employer's customers. <S> Make sure that whatever side job you choose won't put you in an awkward position with any of your company's clients, partners, or customers. <S> These tips should get quick approval to take on the side job. <S> It may also give the person in question an insight into why the company may be interested in this information. <A> I've worked for auditing agencies, for government contractors, held a security clearance, and worked in a highly regulated industry. <S> This type of request is ordinary in those industries and necessary because of the potential for insider trading and conflict of interest particularly if the job has fiduciary responsibilities or access to protected information. <S> Failure to disclose is often a firing offense. <S> There is an accounting concept called internal controls. <S> This means that they seek to prevent problems by reducing the risk by having particular processes in place. <S> This is an internal control. <S> If your spouse works for the same people that you buy supplies from, you may be paying more for them in order to make the spouse look good and thus harming the company. <S> If you have a part-time job as an exotic dancer or building porn sites, you could embarrass the company.
| If you have a financial stake in a competitor, you are a risk to the company.
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Is unused vacation time compensated when leaving a company? I have given my notice at my current company but I realized that I have over a years worth unused vacation time. Is it a standard practice for an employee to be compensated for unused vacation time when leaving a company? I realize this question might be subject to local so if needed I can change it to be more specific for USA or even more specific to California as is my current case. <Q> That said, as others have noted, this usually depends on the employer's policies and/or your employment agreement. <S> In my experience (25+ years in technical jobs), unused vacation time is usually paid out when you leave a job. <S> However, as mhoran_psprep's answer indicates, many employers set some sort of maximum on the amount you can accumulate or how much you can carry from one calendar year to the next. <S> A quick web search turned up a write up summarizing California law for this issue . <S> However, this can be modified by a collective bargaining agreement. <S> Question 10 on that page specifically addresses this issue. <A> There is no standard policy for this: <S> Some companies will write a check for the whole amount. <S> Some will cap the amount of the check at X hours. <S> Some will delete any amount above X hours at the end of each calendar/fiscal year. <S> Some will write a check for any hours over X at the end of each calendar/fiscal year. <S> You will have to talk to HR, or look at your policy documents from HR. <A> Start with your employment agreement - that's where the company will have documented their policy. <S> Then ask HR. <S> This has to be dealt with by them, and they'll know the rules.
| Generally, the law views vacation time as part of your wages, so you would be paid for it upon leaving. United States' law does not establish any precedent in this area, so it is up to the individual states to set the legal environment.
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Writing a letter asking for a job that's not advertised I'm in a position where I am about to write a company asking for a job, and basically describing my own job position. This company is aching for people and is looking for smart people, but at the same time they don't have a lot of posted jobs on their site - recruitment appears to go through a lot of word of mouth. One of the VPs from this company spoke with my advisor and recommended I write her. Thus in my email cover letter I have to basically sell myself, but also I have to sell a position. I'm in Usability/HCI and I have a Ph.D in computer science, but I want to lean more toward prototyping and user experience design work rather than software development work. The typical advice for this type of cover letter is to aim your letter to address all of the qualities they ask for in the position posting. Since there's no position posting, is there a typical style or way to try to effectively "sell your own position" or get them to create a position that is basically for you? <Q> I have done this once or twice (the second time they had a position <S> but they didn't know what they really wanted, so I shaped it). <S> The key for me was to point out their need first and my skills second . <S> If your approach sounds too much like "give me a job that you don't list" they'll probably punt, but if you can hook them with an insight about a need that they actually have, you can get somewhere. <S> In the first case I reviewed all their job postings, the "our people" section of their web site, and their product descriptions, and from all that it appeared they did not have anyone with my (relevant) specialties. <S> So I said that, as diplomatically as I could (I worked at that :-) ) <S> -- you're doing cool stuff, it looks like you could do even cooler stuff if you had someone who could bring these skills, I have those skills, and I'd like to discuss opportunities for us to work together. <S> That was enough to get me to the phone call with the team lead, which allowed me to ask probing questions and sell myself. <S> Do it in that order -- you're making an unsolicited pitch, <S> so you have to evaluate their needs, not yours. <S> In the second case I had a contact who was able to take me straight to the phone call, so I didn't have to write a cover letter, but the rest of the conversation played out the same way. <S> I also learned from both of these that the more quickly you can get to a synchronous conversation, the better. <S> You're asking them to rethink their set of roles; try not to do that by email for too long. <S> You need to be able to interact and brainstorm together. <A> It needs to be unique and reflect you and your aspirations. <S> The format should be that of a professional business letter and should avoid any form of humor or profanity. <S> The use of any business letter template should be fine as there is no fixed format that you have to use. <S> Ensure that you cover all of the points mentioned in the section above; but do not write more than a paragraph for each section unless there is a real need to write more. <S> Long letters tend to be skimmed or not read at all. <S> You can use the following template to help guide you to create your Cover Letter. <S> Dear Mr. or Ms. Last Name, I would like to formally apply for the a Position in the Following Department. <S> As you may have been made aware, I have been working doing the following work for said amount of time. <S> Since then I have held positions where I have gained skills that will allow me to contribute to the company on a wide scale. <S> I have worked on the following projects that show I can bring knowledge and experiance to the Company. <S> I have a demonstrated ability to work collegially with leaders across business units and lines of business. <S> In addition, I have been responsible for various tasks and staff where I have had to do the following job roles to maintain the high standards expected. <S> These are just a few examples of my accomplishments. <S> I hope that you will find that this brief view, in combination with the attached resume, describe a dedicated employee of ABCD with the experience and skills to meet or exceed the requirements of the position of This Job. <S> I appreciate your consideration and look forward to discussing this opportunity with you at your convenience. <S> Best Regards, Your Name <A> If you're truly driven to work at that firm, consider using your UX/HCI expertise to create an in-depth usability analysis of or prototype for one small element of their or a major competitor's product, service, app or web page. <S> Attach a clear and succinct summary of your analysis and recommendations to your cover letter. <S> It's a significant investment of time, but if your analysis, recommendations and communication are all exceptional, they should convince anyone of your capability. <S> Of course you'll be able to share this case study with other firms, as well as related Meetups, etc. <S> Good luck!
| You need to write clearly and concisely and show how you are going to be a success within the new position. If you company has a specific business letter format however use that.
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How do I show on my cv that I have did some work as part-time in a company while working a full time job for another company? I'm updating my resume, and I've worked at the same place for the past 7 years. During the first 2 years, I worked part-time in another company in the role of tech support, and the last 5 years has been as a Programmer also in another company as part-time while doing my full time job. How should I list this on my resume? <Q> My rule of thumb is that if the roles are closely related, they get one entry. <S> This would be when you move from developer to senior developer for instance. <S> If the roles are very different with different duties, I list them separately. <S> If the job was some time ago and the experience isn't all that important anyway, you could combine them. <S> If it was more than ten years ago you could just eliminate it. <S> To list them combined, I would do something like XYZ corp - Senior developer (2009-present), developer (2006-2009) - then list the duties <A> Tech support and Programmer typically have very distinct roles and responsibilities. <S> Depending on the format you are following in your resume, if I were you, I would list them as two different positions. <S> Even more so since you were only a tech support -part time, which would also justify you being able to manage your time efficiently when you were studying. <A> HLGEM's answer is spot on, but for completeness here is a sample of how to explain working at two distinct positions in the same company: <S> Spacely Sprockets (2050-2063) Senior Sprog Analyst (2055-2063) <S> Analyzed market trends for sprog failures Led a team of 14 sprocketologists to create future sprocket design strategy <S> Janitor (2050-2055) <S> Responsible for keeping the floor clean of sprockets <S> Answered impossibly difficult sprocket-related math question on board to be promoted
| The point is that if both jobs provided dramatically different experiences/used different skills, listing them separately allows you to highlight the experiences in each one which may contribute to the job you're applying for.
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How should I list my programming technologies on a resume? I'm updating my resume, and have realized that many programming skills are very brief and abbreviated. My old resumes would list them in a bulleted list, however due to all the new technologies I'm adding, this leads to a rather long list of very short items, with a lot of whitespace to the right of the section. I am wondering if it would be appropriate to list these items in a table instead of a list, or to put them inline in a sentence For example, * C#* WPF* WCF* VB.Net* ASP.Net* HTML* CSS* Javascript* T-SQL versus C# VB.Net HTMLWPF ASP.Net CSSWCF T-SQL Javascript versus C#, WPF, WCF, VB.Net, ASP.Net, HTML, CSS, Javascript, T-SQL Is one method preferred over others on my resume to make it easier for employers or recruiters to scan through? <Q> I'm no hero when it comes to CVs, but there's a lot of .Net tech in that list. <S> I'd list those in one line. <S> That way you make most of the space available. <S> You could opt to use some kind of matrix style. <S> I'd still make some kind of distinction between the MS tech and the other techniques. <S> Something like: .Net technologies and languages: C#, VB.Net, WPF, WCF, ASP.Net. <S> (IIS 7.5?) <S> Web technologies and languages: Javascript, HTML and CSS. <S> I'm familiar with databases. <S> T-SQL. <S> (Maybe MSQL2k8?) <S> If the DB stuff is a bit off you could recatagorize the 'web' to 'other'If you catagorize the line with list of skills to fit some kind of structure, like: "languages, API's, markup languages, software stacks", the structure should be apparent to any human reader. <S> The automated resume scanners just look for strings anyways, so I can't imagine that you'd get slammed by those on how you lay them out on the page. <S> I don't know how to do the formatting on SE, but you could even have two columns, each with a title and list the techs in a comma separated format like I just presented. <S> That way you can save space without sacrificing structure. <A> I often receive CVs with long lists of skills, and on further questioning find the applicant has only very basic knowledge of a claimed skill. <S> They say "SQL"; they mean "I once saw a database on TV". <S> When I see such a list, I normally know at least two or three of the technologies in depth and will ask a couple of pointed technical questions. <S> Are you ready for that level of scrutiny? <S> If you are - fair play; but my experience is that most aren't. <S> I realise that agents and HR can filter by keywords, so sometimes you have to do this. <S> But for my hiring, you get a lot more credit for only claiming skills you truly have. <A> If the requirements spell out Visual Basic for Applications then say Visual Basic for Applications (VBA), if they say VBA don't spell it out. <S> Many companies use software to search for the key words. <S> Also consider putting the most relevant at the start/top of the list so a human doesn't miss it. <S> Also if they specify a particular version, e.g 10.X , don't say 8.0+. <S> This is an easy part to let get stale, so you should review it every time you update the resume, or at least every year to make sure that nothing is skipped or out of date. <A> This allows you to list technologies you have some experience with, while also highlighting which technologies you're best at. <S> Of course these wouldn't give that much information in absolute terms (one person may call themselves an "expert" while someone else might call that level of knowledge "basic exposure"), but it does give some information in relative terms - you should at least be better at the language you listed under a higher competency than one you listed under a lower competency. <S> For example: Proficient in C#, Javascript, T-SQL Comfortable with WPF, WCF, VB.Net Real-world experience in ASP.Net, HTML, <S> CSS <S> You can change the names of these groups to your preference. <S> Although I would recommend sticking to 3 groups (or even just 2). <S> Any additional group would likely just be noise - a general idea of how well you know which technology is good, trying to convey this exactly is much more prone to error and disagreement. <S> I might not recommend this approach if you're mixing different categories of technologies - programming languages, databases, operating systems, etc. <S> Those might be best grouped by category instead. <A> I want to add that you need to remember that your CV has two audiences: Recruiters/HR who don't know how the technology is being used, and are possibly just looking for some key buzzwords. <S> Technical leads who do know how the technology is used, and aren't going to be impressed with just a list of buzzwords, or self-assessed x/10 ratings for technologies. <S> The challenge is - you need to appeal to both people. <S> The way I solve it, is at the start of my CV <S> I have a section that looks like this: SKILL SETCore Skills <S> Some ExposureJavaScript SQL Node ... <S> React... <S> This is to appeal to the recruiter who just needs to tick some boxes. <S> Later in my experience section, I write it like this: Acme Ltd 2005 <S> -2007Software EngineerI was responsible for creating a frontend with React/Redux,working from designs from a designer,and a REST API spec from the backend team. <S> I also created frontend tests using Jest and Enzyme. <S> Technologies used: Javascript, TypeScript, React, Redux,ImmutableJS, Jest, Enzyme, Git, Jira. <S> The technologies used list is to provide more credibility to the recruiter for the technologies you have used (ie. <S> how recent it is), while the description of the task is to provide credibility to the technical lead (ie. <S> that you're not just listing some technologies), and give them some context for them to ask further questions. <S> You'll note that I include 'git' and 'jira' in the technology list. <S> This is more for the recruiters sake - as this may be one of the things they are looking for, whereas a technical lead really doesn't need a sentence explaining how you used git and jira, unless you were doing something particularly special with it.
| I'd suggest grouping them by your competency at each, with each group being comma-separated. It all boils down to compact, neat and updated If you are constructing the resume for a particular job then make sure the ones mentioned in the job requirements are easily found.
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Should I list Design Patterns on my resume? I'm rewriting my resume, and am trying to figure out if I should include design patterns in the "Summary of Skills" section. Is it recommended to include major design patterns on my resume? Or does this just contribute to the tldr factor, and I should just let design patterns come up in the interview? The design patterns I am considering adding are MVC and MVVM, and they directly relate to the sort of jobs I want to apply for (ASP.Net or WPF/Silverlight development). <Q> In general I would add "Design patterns" as a single entry in the skills section. <S> That's worth doing because it draws attention to the fact that you know what a design pattern is and that its important. <S> Don't list individual patterns like Singleton or Visitor. <S> That's far too detailed and looks like you are trying to pad your resume. <S> MVC and/or MVVM might be the only exceptions to that - however only do that if you think they are explicitly relevant to the job you are applying for, and you haven't listed other experience where they would be considered normal. <S> So if using MVC would be normal in ASP.Net programming, and you have ASP.Net experience, don't bother listing them too. <S> It also depends how long your resume is. <S> If its short, adding a couple of things won't hurt. <S> If it's long then those are the things you should cut. <A> MVC and MVVM are closer to frameworks, and you should definitely list them. <S> Most resumes I see <S> have a Technologies section that is just a list of languages, frameworks, tools and the like, something like: C#, <S> ASP.NET MVC, SQL, Windows Forms, WPF, XAML, MVVM, Visual Studio, Git, TFS, Scrum, Python, <S> Ruby <S> I do pay attention to that list - if I want to hire a Windows 8 C++ developer then a C# dev who knows XAML and MVVM is still eligible for consideration, but a C# developer who's been doing exclusively web things will need to show me a reason I should believe they can do client development. <S> Don't get worked up about whether something is a language or not, is a framework or not, since half the people reading your resume are screening for buzzwords and don't know what any of them mean. <S> The 6 extra characters it takes to add , MVVM to your resume could be the difference for getting the interview. <A> Depends. <S> If you are junior to mid, it is worthwhile putting such things. <S> But if you are senior or above, it will sound a little cheesy. <S> The reason I say cheesy is because if you are a decent senior developer worth his or her salt, you should be using design patterns anyways. <S> That's an integral part of Object Oriented Development
| To me a Design Pattern is something like Singleton or Strategy and that's way too small to go on a resume.
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Is it OK to exclude my mailing address from a resume? I was reading this thread about if an address is really needed on a resume. Does not having an address on a resume exclude it from consideration? I recently had a difference of opinion about whether job seekers should include their address on their resume. I hold that it is not necessary since most contact is done by phone or email, and not by snail mail. I also think that it has a risk of ending up in the wrong hands. My co-worker disagrees and says that HR professionals want to know whether the applicant is within commuting distance or not. He says that if there isn't an address included, the resume will be immediately discarded. which was answered with My view is aligned with your position. At least as far as the software industry goes, tons of people are leaving physical address off these days. In fact, many people don't have resumes and instead use online profiles. In software, there is much more demand than available engineers, so if we throw out a resume just because it doesn't have an address, we're shooting ourselves in the foot. It results in fishing in a smaller pond and with more competition. Throwing the resumes out might be reasonable when doing high-volume recruiting in an industry where available candidates far outstrips demand. I happen to also share the opinion that since most contact these days is done by email or phone, the address is not necessary on a resume. Is this actually the case? Or would excluding my mailing address from my resume be detrimental towards my chances at catching a potential employer's attention? <Q> I'd say yes. <S> Most contact is going to be by phone or e-mail; a mailing address isn't necessary these days -- and if they want to mail you something, they'll probably have called or e-mailed you first, and can ask for your home address then. <S> My resume shows my home city and zip code. <S> It gives readers a good idea of where I live without showing my actual address. <S> (This is specific to the US; for other countries, showing a postal code but not a street address should serve the same purpose.) <S> It looks something like this: <S> MY NAME ======= <S> My City, ST, 12345 <S> My.Email@example.com . <S> . . <A> I think that the answer to this question is dependent on the industry and your location. <S> For positions where the demand for employees is high and applicants are highly-skilled and highly-educated, location is less of a concern for the employer. <S> For positions that don't have such high requirements for education and skill, location is more likely to be a consideration in hiring because employers have no need to consider potential employees outside of the current area. <S> "Commuting distance" is a tricky thing for recruiters to evaluate. <S> Different people have different definitions of this. <S> One of my colleagues has a 2-hour commute each way, and he makes that commute every day, which I find unfathomable. <S> Personally, as a software engineer, I haven't listed my home address on my resume in several years. <S> My resume and LinkedIn profile list my employer's location, which I view as sufficient information. <S> Most recruiters who have pinged me and are outside of my local area have noted this in their email to me, and have asked in their introductory email whether I'm open to positions that would require relocation. <A> I think it is important is if you are relocating or you telecommute, so your current employment history is not in the area where you're applying. <S> You don't want there to be any confusion. <S> An employer may think you'll request moving expense reimbursement or you're goling to want to work remotely. <S> Living in a large city can bring up commuting concerns. <S> Several companies have mentioned this during interviews. <S> Some have had issues with employees who are willing to take a job with a long commute until something comes up closer to home. <S> These aren't a big deal, but why force an employer to ask uneccesary clarification questions during the interview. <A> It is indeed alright to leave out snail main address(es) from resumes. <S> In most scenarios the recruiters will ask for a current address from the qualifying candidate, which is then used to either mail in an offer letter or just update HR records. <S> A lot of candidates give just a PO Box no. <S> which is perfectly fine. <S> One has to remember that resumes these days are no longer local. <S> If an employer is participating in E-Verify, or requires clearance for candidates on work permits, they may be required to gather a candidates mailing address and cross check with the latest AR-11 form the candidate filed. <S> This is of course a situational/circumstantial thing. <S> Although one is not required by (US) law to live at an address (so no employer can deny employ-ability for the lack of an address) <S> it could raise an eyebrow. <S> Nevertheless, a commonly followed trend is to at least provide a PO Box no.
| A lot of international candidates will mention at least one 'permanent address' on their resumes.
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Should I ask my project manager to review my work? I completed my coding part in our project and I would like to have a code review with my overseas project manager (who is also involved in code development). But I'm a little scared of asking him because I am a fresher. I think that a code review could help for two reasons: A senior programmer might catch errors. The exercise will serve as a mentoring/learning experience and help me grow. But on the other hand: I don't want the project manager to think that I lack confidence in my code. And I don't want the project manager to lose confidence in me. In the future, I want more interesting, engaging work that will help me grow. While my specific situation applies to programming, I'm wondering more generally: Should I ask my project manager to review my work? <Q> Asking a project manager seems odd especially if they don't do any day to day development. <A> Focus on what is good for your company, and you'll get pretty far. <S> If getting a code review is right, ask for it. <S> Just remember that your view of the situation may be skewed because it can be hard to compare "getting a review" against "not getting a review" because "not getting a review" actually means that you'll free up resources in your organization to do something else that you can't estimate the value of. <S> But anyway, if your peer seems to have time and you believe it adds value, go ahead. <S> Asking for a review can just as well be a sign of confidence - not lack thereof. <A> The project manager is assigned to get the promised deliverable on time. <S> A good project manager will also ensure the deliverable is of the best quality possible without further delaying the project and without asking the team members to put in more resources than the project plan!Since your project manager wears the 'Developer's hat' too, and I am guessing (in your company) <S> He (the project manager) has a long experience being a developer then rose up to the rank/position of the project manager, so he is an experienced developer as well. <S> If that's how he rose up to the rank in your company and thats how your company interprets 'project manager' too then you be fine running your code through him. <S> It doesn't suggest that you lack confidence in your code, rather suggests that you don't hesitate to ask questions even on your own work in pursuit of a higher quality deliverable. <S> Also, research about the logic blocks you are coding and see what are other practices over the internet. <S> During the code review, suggest those different practices to your 'project manager' to show that you are well aware of how else it could be done, just didn't know what would best suit your organization in the longer run. <S> This will suggest that you have a wide perspective and can think out of the box to find the best route to the solution. <S> A good skill for a programmer. <S> But usually (by PMI conventions) a project manager is a temporary position that a fellow takes up for the term of the project and he is given the hat to manage the project, not necessarily to make sure that the deliverable are of the utmost quality. <S> There are other people to take care of that, even peers of the developers.
| Asking a senior developer (or even just another developer) to review your code is a good thing - most companies have a formalised process for this.
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How to include not-launched-startup experience in resume? On June 2012, two of my friends (let's say john and smith) and I worked full time on building a mobile application from scratch. Long story short, john left the team in July, and smith and I did not get another developer to replace john's role. Smith and I agreed to continue working toward the launching date (planned September, 2012). However, we weren't able to launch the project and had to postpone project launching indefinitely. Smith and I worked on this project full time for 13 weeks total. Smith and I are claiming 50% each for the rights of project we have worked on, and we still have not made any progress since last summer as we had to attend university classes full time. This summer, I am thinking about applying for summer internship as a mobile application developer. How should I explain this experience in my resume? Is it helpful/harmful to include such experience? Few points here: I worked on building a mobile application last summer for 13 weeks; it has not yet been launched (indefinitely postponed). I would only like to share technical details about the project (e.g. programming languages, project management, tools we used) with my employer. I would not like to share resources about the project (e.g. logo, app name, objective of the app) with my employer. <Q> List it as a side-project, disclosing only what you have done and the target industry of the app. <S> Don't say what it does, don't say the name, don't say whether it was commercial or not. <S> Be prepared to have to disclose more information in an interview, or to reject questions politely. <S> Basically, do the same as what you'd do if you were to list a project protected by a rather strict NDA. <S> And keep in mind that it technically isn't "employment", so be upfront about that (hence the listing as "side-project"). <A> The point of a resume is to get you an interview. <S> To do that you should only list those items that apply to the position you are applying for and that you want to talk about during an interview. <S> Personally I do not think I would list this project. <S> It points out that you failed to work with a team to meet a release date. <S> It is quite possible that this should not be seen as a negative but the truth is business managers look for a record of success. <S> This does not help you build that record. <S> In addition it appears that there was difficulty with the team and that also looks bad. <S> It happened during your time at the University so you will not be expected to show work history so there should be no problem with the gap that might appear if it happened post graduation. <S> If you talk about the project during interviews emphasize what you learned from the project, do not bad mouth <S> your team members in any way, and be prepared to talk about how you would tackle the problem differently. <S> If you can not do that then I would refrain from speaking about it during interviews as well. <A> I agree with @Chad's starting sentence, but I think the answer is more nuanced than his assessment. <S> Your resume is nothing more than an advertisement of your skills and qualifications, intended to land interviews. <S> As Chad says, you will want to customize your resume for each job application. <S> Some positions—particularly corporate ones—may not appreciate the experience gained through a failed entrepreneurial venture. <S> Others—particularly small businesses—will understand that you've gained invaluable leadership training and management skills, and that your experience has given you an understanding of cash flows, marketing, personnel management, and handling stress. <S> To that point, if you think that the person reading your resume will appreciate such experience, definitely list it. <S> When doing so, list your intended product and your responsibilities. <S> Do note that anything on your resume is fair game for questions during the interview, so you'll need to be ready to provide good answers to questions such as, "why did the venture fail?" <S> and "what role did you have in the failure of the venture? <S> " If you can think of good answers to questions of that nature, feel free to list it. <S> Good luck! <A> Take a look at it from an interviewer's perspective. <S> How would you trust someone genuinely did what he claims he did, but does not want to back up his/her claims with additional details ? <S> What if you were to list this as a not-launched project (and if you are not in the state of California) and the future mobile app employer actually employs you and makes you sign the standard agreement contracts (which basically means any work you do when employed is the employers IP) ? <S> How do you prove your IP owner ship if someday you finally launch this app. <S> This, IMHO, just leads to a lot of unnecessary questions and a difficult position to be in. <S> If I were you, I would mention the skills on the resume and in the interview mention developing a mobile app(s), out of interest. <A> I wouldn't include this, you risk coming across as too committed to your own interests. <S> It's good to have side projects but being defensive about the details makes you sound like you're committed to doing your own thing over and above, say, projects at work. <A> I personally feel that it is ok to write any experience that allows your skills to shine rather than keeping your resume shallow and full of keywords (which everyone does these days). <S> You can explain on your resume what you learned so far from your mobile application development experience and <S> what tricks and skills you picked up which shapes the way you look into development roles in the future. <S> Basically what I am trying to say is, try to avoid the negative of things you cannot change (experience with your team) but still find a way to give yourself some light by molding how you tell your story.
| Given your few points here , I would not list this project at all. You can also keep in mind what you can offer to a company based on your experience while constructing your resume which you feel might land you bonus points from the company reading your resume.
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How to get more from a laid-back QA internship? I started an internship 2 weeks ago as a Quality Assurance Engineer intern and in the intern orientation I was told: "You can only get out as much as you put into your internship." After the orientation I was sent to work with my team. My manager has not met once with me to discuss expectations or job requirements. I have been proactive in constantly asking for work to do from the other QA engineers and I still feel like I have a lot of time on my hands. I try my best to come up with stuff to do but as I am new I have very limited information about what their existing systems do. My iOS developer internship before this one was a lot more structured and I always had more than enough work to do. I also felt that my programming skills were being strongly developed and now in QA I feel like I am not getting as much programming time. How can I get more from my current internship? <Q> You can't generalize about any career field based on one job. <S> So no, not all QA shops are laid back. <S> He is the one who should be providing you with work not the other QA engineers. <S> Since he didn't intiate the conversation, you must. <A> The phrase "You can only get out as much as you put in" means different things to different people. <S> For example, I'm a member of some "influencer" programs at Microsoft, and in that context, we use that phrase all the time, meaning that we'll get some opportunities and invitations, but it's up to us to attend things, learn things, and make a difference. <S> If I don't bother attending something, no-one will remind me, it's up to me how much I want to be involved. <S> This is a typical use of the phrase for a volunteer activity. <S> I think it carries a different meaning in the sense of employment and especially an internship. <S> Interns vary wildly in their abilities and enthusiasm. <S> I think your boss means something like <S> I'll let you slack off if you want; I have a lot to do and interns don't produce a ton of value anyway, so I won't be reminding you to finish things or asking you if you need more work. <S> If you want to work hard, come and let me know. <S> I'll let you soar as high as you want to, but don't count on me to get engaged with your career and run it for you. <S> This would seem to fit with the laid back environment you're experiencing and having time on your hands. <S> Go to that boss and ask how you can be busier. <S> It would help if you knew whether you wanted more of what you're getting now, or if you'd also like to try something else in your "free time". <A> 1) Just Do It <S> No matter how much work you are assigned, you will have downtime. <S> If you've been paying attention around the office, you may have noticed things that should be done, but <S> nobody's had the time to do. <S> Some examples could be: Creating an excel spreadsheet to automate a common task (be it something mundane like a business expense report, or the like) Creating a computer-readable index of some resource (for instance, create a library of all the company-owned reference books and where they are stored) <S> Create a script to improve testing (if you have any sort of repetitive work in your testing, why not use the time to throw together a script to do it) <S> When you are actively trying to create something to help out everyone, it shows that you aren't averse to hard work, it means you're self-motivated, and if you create something that makes their life easier they will be more likely to ask you to help with other tasks. <S> 2) Talk to your manager Asking other QA engineers, who aren't responsible for your work, may make them uncomfortable. <S> They are not responsible for keeping you busy, but are responsible for the quality of the work they produce. <S> If you impose yourself on them, they are given the additional responsibility of making sure you do it to their standards. <S> Going to the manager will give it the official "OK". <S> If your manager says, "That sounds like a great task to teach Korey how to do" then it will be much easier for the other employee to shift the task to you and have it be your responsibility. <S> 3) <S> You are a QA Engineer <S> If you were keen on being an iOS developer, picking an internship as a QA Engineer probably wasn't the best choice. <S> Rather than being disappointed that a duck is not a pig, how about you start quacking? <S> There is little more miserable than a coworker who seems to think they are above the position they are in. <S> Perhaps instead of focusing on developing your programming skills, this is a good opportunity to practice your QA Engineering skills instead? <A> Jmac has a good answer, but I would do a few things in addition or in different ways. <S> You mentioned that you have never spoken with your manager - <S> while I believe that is unfortunate, don't let it become a roadblock - have you e-mailed him to discuss expectations or requirements? <S> have you asked him to schedule a meeting? <S> (or schedule one yourself if you have the available software, after checking his calendar for available times). <S> If your manager does not want to do this with you, ask him to refer you to whom you can speak about these things with - once he has given his approval, another person would be much more inclined to work with you and find work. <S> Find out how the company operates - do you have a kanban board? <S> do you know what projects are going on, which ones are pending, and which ones were due yesterday? <S> - see if you can figure this out - perhaps a team leader or supervisor can provide you this, and you can volunteer to do something for the manager. <S> I disagree with jmac's QA Engineer position - if you don't have a job description as a QA Engineer or QA Engineer work, find work that you can do & are skilled at (or would like to learn) - if the company needed a QA Engineer, they should have QA engineer work for you. <S> Find out what other/previous interns have done and look for inspiration there - if you are the first intern, start documenting an on-boarding process for interns, such that the second one has a document to look at and bring them up-to-speed with how the company operates and other useful stuff that they should know.
| What you need to do is talk to your manager. If you've shown you actually have ability, you are more likely to get better tasks.
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Why don't employers email you their “official” offer immediately? So a company made an "informal" offer to me, today, and said a formal offer would be forthcoming if I accepted. Which kinda begs the question.. why not just make the "official" offer immediately? Doesn't seem like it'd cost anything to make an "official" offer. <Q> For larger companies, an official offer is a formal affair. <S> It consists of putting together some documentation and mailing you a letter. <S> (yes a letter, <S> how quaint.) <S> There are three reasons I can think of to offer unofficially first: <S> If you aren't interested, why waste time with the letter. <S> It gives both parties the opportunity to negotiate salary and the like BEFORE the official offer is written down. <S> To keep you. <S> If they don't say anything and wait a couple days to have the official offer ready, you might take a different job. <A> And another thing not yet mentioned: many companies (especially large ones) have long stretched out approval processes for new hires and other (major) expenses. <S> These can often take weeks or even months. <S> So you could get an informal, tentative, offer now as an indication that the team lead or department head <S> you're going to be working under wants you, but he still has to get approval from HR, Finance, regional sub board, and worldwide board. <S> Getting all that, especially with holidays interfering or other days off can take quite a while (my last job, they told me they had all the required signatures but one in a week, a record time, and that last took another 2 weeks because the person was on a skiing trip and could not be reached), and they don't want you to go accept another job in the meantime. <A> Some companies have a long period between unofficial offer and official offer. <S> As well as some of the things Jeanne Boyarksy mentioned, more and more companies are doing police and background checks before making official offers. <S> There can be other bureaucratic stuff. <S> Sometimes the hiring manager can tell HR that they want you, but it takes HR a while to process it. <S> In a recent case it was six weeks between unofficial and official offer. <S> But they won't make it official before they are done in case the background checks find something. <S> Only you know the likelihood of a background check turning up something undesirable.
| Technically the company can withdraw the offer before it is official so never act on an offer until it is official.
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How long should you wait to re-apply to a company? I interviewed with a software company about 6 months ago but unfortunately did not get a job offer extended. They didn't tell me what to work on professionally or what I did wrong, etc. (as expected) but I've been studying things I believe are relevant to the sector and for my career. Some things are based on the interview I had with them. More recently, from industry mailing lists, I see this same company advertising that they are hiring. I've also had 2-3 recruiters mail my LinkedIn acct saying they are helping this company recruit workers and if I'm interested. It sounds like this company wants to ramp up fast right now. When I talked to them 6 months ago, they said they wanted to double in size within 18 months. Right now, that gives them about another 12 months to reach their goal. Since they seem to be making a hiring push right now, should I attempt to re-apply again or is 6 months too quick to do so? My hesitation to apply again so soon is I don't want to be blackballed as annoying. Maybe 3 yrs down the road I might be a better candidate but because of this mark in their internal records, I'll be shot down before I knock on the door. Thanks in advance for your reply. <Q> It's quite possible that you didn't get hired simply because your skills at the time didn't quite match what they were looking for at the time. <S> If they're still hiring, this could be a good opportunity to demonstrate what you've been working on since then. <S> The advantage you have is that you know the interviewing process, since you've already experienced it before. <S> You know what they were looking for at the time, and it sounds like you're prepared to demonstrate what you've learned in the 6 months since your last encounter with the interviewers. <S> While it never hurts to apply a second time, focusing heavily on the specific areas and skills that are important to this position will make you appear like a more attractive candidate. <S> If you mention you've applied before, explain to them what you've been doing with your time since the last time you spoke, and explain how your skills will help move the organization forward. <S> If nothing else, this demonstrates your passion and dedication, which could be a benefit. <S> If I were interviewing you, and you followed these guidelines, I would strongly consider hiring you. <S> This of course assumes that you didn't do or say something that made me feel like you weren't going to be a good candidate. <S> If there were cultural fit issues, applying a second or subsequent time may not lead to success. <S> Lastly, remember that finding employment is a numbers game. <A> I interviewed with a software company about 6 months ago but unfortunately did not get a job offer extended. <S> There are all sorts of reasons this is possible. <S> In addition to what jmort said, there are a variety of possibilities: <S> You weren't qualified (this is what everyone immediately thinks) <S> You were qualified, but someone else was more qualified <S> They had a lot of great candidates interview and only could choose 1 Budget reasons meant their position was no longer available or other internal issues <S> Someone was having a bad day interviewing you <S> The specific position you interviewed for required a very specific skill you did not have <S> The interviewers thought you didn't match company culture Tons of possible reasons. <S> A few of those are a "you would not change their perspective" types of reasons. <S> Some are fine. <S> You might be able to get a good feel from some of the recruiters whether you should consider applying or not. <S> Maybe even explore the subject with some of those you interviewed with if you have connections to them. <S> I think our general tendency with job offers (especially rejections) is to assume the company rejected us because we are failures and then assume the company will remember everything about us. <S> Companies interview a lot of people and while we might like to think we're so special the HR <S> /hiring managers remember all of who we are, it's a lot less likely to be the case... <A> Without applying, you can't get the job! <S> There is not a definite timeline you need to wait. <S> The main concern, from a Recruiter standpoint, is when a candidate applies to tons of positions with no consistency. <S> If your applications are focused, indicating that you are passionate about the career path and company you are pursuing, then you are fine to apply multiple times. <S> There are many situations where not being selected is not a negative reflection of yourself. <S> For example, they could have give preference to an internal candidate originally, and the next opening they decided would go to an external candidate. <S> A general rule-of-thumb is that recruiting stories or rumors like "wait __ amount of time before applying again" might be an excuse used for not hiring someone who wasn't a good fit to begin with, however something that superficial would not be a reason to miss out on hiring someone who is a good fit.
| Don't get too hung up on any one employer as there are many great employers out there who are looking for your skills.
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How should my in-major or technical GPA be calculated for my resume? In my unofficial transcript, all that's listed is my cumulative GPA, semester GPA, transfer GPA, etc. I often see the recommendation that your resume should contain your in-major or technical GPA, especially if it's better than your cumulative GPA. I know that my in-major GPA is quite a bit better than my overall GPA, but I'm not entirely sure what classes I should include to calculate it. I'm a Computer Science major. Every class in the major is a CS class aside from Calc I, Calc II, and a Logic class. Should I include these three non-CS (but required) classes when calculating my in-major GPA? I would like to only include CS classes, but I obviously do not want my calculations to be unethical. Is there a standard way of calculating this? Also, what should it be called on my resume? Should I just label it as my GPA, or should I call it my "technical GPA" or "in-major GPA"? As always, I greatly appreciate your insight. <Q> The Purpose of the "In-Major GPA" If you are a CS major applying for a programming job, chances are the employer wants to use your GPA within CS as an indicator of whether or not you'll be able to do the job. <S> If you nailed the pure CS portions, but failed at statistics, that is probably important information to the employer (since a lot of programming requires math). <S> If I'm applying for a job as an economist, and leave off the fact that I can't do simple arithmetic, it has a large impact on my ability to be an effective economist. <S> So the employer is (probably) expecting that while you'll try to make yourself look good, you will be giving them a good representation of your ability to do that type of work. <S> Think About the Consequences <S> So let's say I have the following grades: <S> CS 101: 3.5 CS 201: 3.5 CS 301: 3.5 CS 401: 3.5 Math 101: 2.0 Math 201: 2.0 <S> They are all requirements for my major (they are assumed by the school to be important in having a well-rounded CS education). <S> I have two choices: List <S> my in-major GPA as 3.5 (leaving out the math) <S> List my in-major GPA as 3.0 (including the math) <S> Obviously listing the 3.5 will make me look better, but is it worth the risk? <S> Let's say my overall GPA is even worse (2.7, let's say) on my transcript. <S> Any employer is going to notice there's probably something fishy going on. <S> How did I get a 3.5 in my major (which is the bulk of my classes) while only managing a 2.7 overall? <S> If you'd be embarrassed to answer a reasonable question about the disparity, then you're better off not listing it in a 'creatively positive' manner. <S> Your Resume Shouldn't Focus on Your GPA <S> Your resume is supposed to sell you as an individual. <S> If the difference between success and failure is a few tenths of a point in GPA within your major, then your chances are likely bleak. <S> List your GPA in a way that makes you comfortable (that you can explain when asked by someone with access to your full transcript), and then focus on making the resume and cover letter bang-on for the job you're applying to. <A> Is there a standard way of calculating this? <S> Also, what should it be called on my resume? <S> Should I just label it as my GPA, or should I call it my "technical GPA" or "in-major GPA"? <S> This is simple. <S> Is it a required class for your major? <S> Yes? <S> Then it's part of your major. <S> Your degree program requires you to take those specific classes. <S> How are they not part of your major? <S> If you have something different you could use, such as a "CS Core" or something like this (my degree had a "core" which included mostly just classes directly related to my major, <S> electives were outside this core), that might be different. <S> You are asking for problems if you say your overall GPA is 3.5 when anyone looking at a transcript is going to see 3.3 or 3.2 or whatever it is. <S> Now, if you had taken classes outside your actual degree program, then you might put something like Major GPA: 3.5 Cumulative GPA: 3.2 <S> You could probably put something similar in your case and do ComSci GPA: 3.5 Cumulative GPA: 3.2 <S> but I would definitely not use "in-major GPA" to exclude classes which are part of your major. <A> If your school has a placement office for helping soon-to-be graduates and recent alumni find work, they may have more insight into this than people on a Q&A site such as this. <S> OTOH, they may just tell you to do it in the manner which makes you look best. <S> That latter comment is probably the real answer, since resumes are supposed to make you look the best. <S> It seems to me that for something like this as long as whatever method you use can be reasonably justified, is acceptable. <S> That said, to my knowledge, your "in major" GPA applies to those classes in the department of your major field of study. <S> So, if Mathematics and Computer Science are different departments, you would only use your computer science courses when calculating your in major GPA. <S> In fact, this may depend on your college/university. <S> My Bachelor's is also in CS. <S> My undergraduate school had a department of Mathematics and Computer Science. <S> There were several math courses required to get a CS degree. <S> However, these math courses did not count as C.S. classes when you calculated how many CS credits you had toward your degree in CS <S> As such, whenever I computed my CS GPA, I only counted the CS classes. <S> However, if your math credits are rolled into your CS credits, you may need to include them. <A> Unless your GPA is stellar, it is better to leave it off your resume altogether. <S> If it is great or you don't have a lot of experience, then any classes that were specifically required for your degree should be part of the degree GPA. <S> 4 credits of humanities may be required but are not specific, but the required Statistics 205 class (for instance) is specific and is part of the core GPA. <S> If you can code but you can't write or communicate, you're not as good of a choice as the person who can. <S> Plus, if the potential employer requests transcripts, that is what they'll see, so there will be less confusion.
| Better is just to include the cumlulative GPA: the writing classes were also important, and you'll use the education you got in non-core classes too.
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How to reply to "Tell me about your last project?" in an interview I am a software engineer, I get confused what to answer, where to start, when I am asked this question: "Tell me about your last project?" I usually start with the problem description, then stating the solution as the project. Project architecture, one line intro about all the modules. By this time the interviewer looses interest or very desperate to finish quickly just wants me to jump straight to my module. Listening 2-3 sentences they guess and ask me 2-3 direct technical questions before wrapping up. I find it difficult to answer these questions as, they had not allowed me to fully explain the modules. So I feel they might assume me as a person who has insufficient knowledge about the project or my module. What's the best way to explain a big project within few minutes. And how would I know what they are looking for? ( Should I just limit my explanation limited to their requirement?) <Q> Yes, you should just limit your explanation to their requirement. <S> As an interviewer, I am asking this question not to get the full picture of the project, but simply to understand enough to ask you follow-up questions. <S> That's the real point of this question: to see whether you can explain the "why did you do x instead of y?". <S> It's in those follow-up questions that you get to show that you really understood the full project. <S> If you try to show all your understanding up-front, you will get bored looks, as you have already encountered. <S> Also, explaining it up-front only shows that you've been able to memorize a script, not that you really understood the project. <S> Be especially careful of this with phone interviews, as you will not be able to read their body language. <S> I've performed lots of phone interviews where I asked a simple question and got a 5-minute monologue which I then had to try to interrupt tactfully. <S> At a bare minimum, you should pause at spots and ask something like "would you like to hear more detail on that, or does that give you the basics of what you wanted to know?" <A> Keep it short and sweet by trying to stick to the following points: Planning implementation and achieving results <S> Include your objective, what you did, any changes you made or assisted in implementing plans and state how you measured your success. <S> Influencing, communication and teamwork Describe how you have achieved a goal through influencing the actions and opinions of others (perhaps in a team context). <S> What were the circumstances? <S> What did you do to make a difference? <S> How do you know the result was satisfactory? <S> Analysis, problem solving and creative thinking <S> Describe a difficult problem that you have solved during this project. <S> State how you decided which the critical issues were. <S> Say what you did and what your solution was. <S> What other approaches could you have taken? <A> "Tell me about your last project?" <S> I usually start with the problem description, then stating the solution as the project. <S> Project architecture, one line intro about all the modules. <S> By this time the interviewer looses interest [...]. <S> Try this: <S> Short sentence on what problem your last project was solving <S> If the architecture (or anything else) gave you bigger responsibilities or challenges that you overcame, mention them briefly here. <S> As an interviewer, I wouldn't care that your project had six modules or what they were (I am not an interviewer). <S> Speak about your activity/responsibility in the last project. <S> E.g.: <S> My last project was adding a reporting module for an in-house data management system. <S> I was in charge of loading all the wibbles and generating wibble -reports from the non-expired ones, in real time.
| Describe the project, activity or event which you have worked on and taken through to a conclusion.
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Should I include unfinished/cancelled projects to my portfolio? I worked for about a year on an application before it got cancelled by the company. I am quite proud of the work I did, and am considering adding a description of it along with some screenshots of the unfinished product to the Projects section of my portfolio. The project scope was pretty impressive and the screenshots look great, however it's pretty obvious that the product is unfinished. When starting the project, I was young and optimistically said "Sure I can have this done in a year", and a year or so later we realized it would require much more time and manpower to finish completing the project. The company decided they didn't want to hire more programmers, and that they wanted me back on my regular duties full-time, so they cancelled it. So I suppose it was kind of my fault for not understanding the scope of the project and giving a bad estimate, however, I am quite proud of the work that got finished, and think it is a great showcase of my skills. Would adding an unfinished and cancelled project to my portfolio make a bad impression? <Q> When I fill in my resume / portfolio I include all of the relevant work I've done. <S> As a general rule of thumb the company will care more about the technical experience you gained from that endeavor than they will about the success of the project. <S> There can be any number of reasons for a failed project, lack of funding, client is bought out. <S> Client no longer wants the application. <S> Your company goes under, cancelled for lack of other employees, cancelled because a new technology makes it redundant ect. <S> There are a thousand and one ways it can fail that are out of your control. <S> Not to mention you don't even need to say it failed, I've certainly never seen a resume that says "Worked on X for Y years for Z client: Success" ect. <S> So I would encourage you to list all relevant experience <S> , it's part of your job history and that knowledge doesn't just disappear. <S> If asked about it in an interview then there is no harm in saying "This project was cancelled because of Y but dealing with these problems helped me learn X, Y and Z." <S> Focus on how this had a positive impact on your career and show them that you can even turn failure into a personal success. <A> I don't think it's a bad thing if you highlight the new skills and techniques you learned and how your experience on the project will benefit potential future employers. <S> For instance, I worked on a .NET project, with fairly complex requirements, and it was built in a very short time frame. <S> I left the organization before it was completed. <S> I have no idea what the fate of it was, but I included it on resumes to illustrate my ability to to quickly pick up new languages and frameworks, efficiently gather requirements from users and implement them in a timely fashion. <S> Whatever management did to the project after that has nothing to do with the skills I can offer to future employers. <S> I also have read resumes, I know others who read resumes. <S> No one ever seems to care that much about the status of the final projects that are listed (because that's often beyond what a humble developer does, and if it's not: who will admit on a resume to killing a project through incompetence or mismanagement?) <S> - there is much more interest in the capabilities and skills described. <A> In business managers look for people with a history of success. <S> Including a project that was cancelled can allow a hiring manager to focus on a failure. <S> Even though this failure (I am assuming) was not your fault, managers tend to ignore where the blame belongs and focus on the people on the team that were not able to save the project. <S> Including this project could expose you to a series of uncomfortable questions that could end up in answers that sound like you are bad mouthing <S> your former company. <S> So if you have a portfolio that looks good without the cancelled project I would leave it out. <A> however it's pretty obvious that the product is unfinished. <S> IMO if it's good work, you should do what you can to include it. <S> Is it possible to present the material in a way that it's not so obvious that it's unfinished? <S> No need to lie: Simply present the samples as examples of your work that you consider well done. <S> If the interviewer asks " <S> So, how did the customers (users...) like the product?", or something along those lines, at that point you will indeed have to deal with the fact that the project was never completed, but you should be able to 'finesse' that in a manner that doesn't reflect on you negatively. <S> ( But be careful not to put blame on others for the failure! )
| I think that most interviewers/potential employers would be far more interested in the quality of your work than the overall outcome of the project you worked on for someone else, particularly since that outcome is often completely out of your control.
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Difference between a scheduled interview and a walk-in interview? I am going to a "Walk-In Interview" session a company is having at their location. This is a respected company that a friend of mine works for and really enjoys. There was a recruiter who told me to just come on in at any time. The interview is scheduled for a non-workday (Saturday). All I was asked to bring was a few copies of my resume. In what ways are walk in interviews different from regular one on one interviews? Should I expect HR representatives or my future boss and/or coworkers? Update: I went to the company and it was basically a regular interview in a more casual setting which lead to a job offer, it was a legitimate and well thought out interviewing session. There was a longish wait to get into the interview though, and was a single interview with three current employees, not the boss or even with HR. <Q> Personally I feel this says either one of two things about the company. <S> 1 <S> They are either too lazy to schedule proper meetings with structure so they are fine with not giving you a set structure. <S> This also gives you the potential to clash with other people who just want to walk in at the same time as you. <S> This basically puts all of the inconvenience onto you rather than on the company, which I think speaks volumes about how they view your time. <S> Or 2 <S> They are attempting to make a more relaxed, less rigid meeting structure hoping to keep you relaxed as it seems more informal. <S> Still professional, but more informal none the less. <S> This could be seen as a large positive as they are willing to make sure you are comfortable in their work environment. <S> As you can see you can get two equal and opposite views of a company doing this, good or bad, so you can't really make any assumptions about this. <S> Be sure to think about your answers and come prepared with a few questions. <S> Whilst it could be more informal <S> I still suggest making sure you have some background research done on the company <S> so you are at least partially knowledgeable about them, but honestly, I would treat it as you treat any other interview, because at the end of the day the journey is different but the goal is the same, to get you a job! <S> Edit <S> : A few things probably worth taking into consideration <S> Don't turn up right at the end of the day, it will make you look lazy and unprepared, plus the interviewers will be tired and bored from a day of interviewing. <S> I suggest turning up an hour to an hour and a half after they 'open'. <S> This gives them a chance to have interviewed others and got into their stride, and still gives you the chance to turn up early enough in the day to seem eager and professional. <A> In what ways are walk in interviews different from regular one on one interviews? <S> Typically, a walk in interview strategy is used to conduct interviews when the recruiting firm is wanting to hire in huge numbers. <S> Or are so desperate for good people that they are ready to scan anyone who can 'walk-in'. <S> The number of rounds of an interview generally remain the same. <S> The time taken from start to finish can be painfully longer than a scheduled interview. <S> I have found that being at the venue as soon as the event begins is the most helpful since no part is worn out and almost no one 'just wants the day to end' <S> Should I expect HR representatives or my future boss and/or coworkers? <S> Did the email say same day offer ? <S> I think you should expect HR and your future boss. <S> I have found that most often interviewing firms usually offer on the same day (if there is no other clearance sort of requirement) with a condition of a background check being met. <S> However a lot of walk in interviews will just line up a bunch of people who have cleared the first few rounds of the interviews and then later schedule a one on one with them. <S> Good luck <A> While not having a scheduled time means that you can't be late, there is the potential for there to be a wait in some cases if there is a rush of people all coming at the same time. <S> Around here there a couple of different situations that come to mind like this. <S> Medical appointments can be scheduled in some places and others will take walk-ins so that the latter can end up waiting until a doctor is available. <S> The other case where I see this is for salons where some people can have appointments and other people will be walk-ins. <S> Depending on the size of the company, the HR representatives may or may not be possible. <S> The boss would be quite likely unless it is a large company where senior developers would be the ones doing the hiring decision.
| Don't turn up right at the beginning of the day, sure you will seem eager and ready to go, but they might still be settling themselves. I suggest treating it no differently to any other meeting, you should always be presenting yourself professionally in the best light possible.
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Managing Up: How do I "manage" a boss who doesn't know how to set expectation? I am managing a team of five, so I can be considered as a team lead of them. Above me there is a general manager, who is managing 4 team leads, and I being one of them. The problem-- as I see it from a team lead perspective-- is that my boss doesn't know anything about management generally, and expectation setting specifically. My boss would let us just "do our best", with absolutely no idea how to measure our output, neither does he has a way to gauge whether our efforts/excuses are reasonable. So if we just slack off, and we can't meet our target, as long as we can invent a half-convincing excuse, we can be let off the hook. The net result is that other teams under him ( not mine, I think my team is donig fine, but I cannot know for sure because there is no feedback mechanism from my boss) are not putting in enough effort to make company as a whole succeeds. They are trying to do minimum jobs to get away with whatever they can. It is very painful for me to see our company languishes because the boss has no direction. I feel like this company is struggling, but I don't want to leave the company just yet, and I can't ask to be transferred to another boss. Is there anyway I can wake my boss up, so that he is really managing and getting his act together and behaving like a boss? <Q> Every manager should expect to get some advice and direction from their experienced employees, that's a mild form "managing up" but there are some situations that I've seen that go beyond that: <S> New Manager <S> - The employees have to train the manager and that puts them in charge for a litle while. <S> Apathetic Manager - A manager that could do a better job <S> and just doesn't so that the employees have to pick up the slack to keep their company / group running. <S> Unskilled Manager <S> - An ineffective manager doesn't focus on the right things may delegate real management to the employees I've seen this done intentionally and unintentionally. <S> Most bad managers I've seen were a mix of 2 and 3 and that seems to be what you are facing, everyone is different <S> so I can only offer a few suggestions and leave it to you to judge and adapt: <S> You're going to need him to "buy in" to your idea <S> so he needs to be able to take some ownership, <S> a good way to do this is to go to him with an abstracted version of your idea and ask for his "expertise" on what kinds of goals should be reasonable, effective, and make you all look good to upper management. <S> It's important that you listen and use that advice as best <S> you can - remember you aren't asking for an opinion you are asking for expertise. <S> Guide the suggestions by asking questions - <S> "Measuring lines of code is a bad measurement." <S> would be better asked "Do you think that would that encourage sloppy coding and reward people adding fluff?" <S> Once some buy in has happened then offer to do the research on different measurements and get back to him on it with a summary by X deadline. <S> He doesn't have to do anything and deadlines <S> make things official. <S> Build <S> a "Dashboard" - People love dashboards with charts and status lights, especially managers - just be careful about what you put on there. <S> You want him to use measurements so make it easy and fun. <A> Focus on your team and let your boss know what you are doing. <S> Show some metrics of your own. <S> Don't wait for him to figure this out. <S> Hopefully, he will try to apply some of this on the other teams. <S> His boss may wonder why your team is performing so well compared to the others. <S> Oh I forgot, you have to make sure your team is performing to a high standard. <S> You may not want a promotion, but you may have to unless you want an even worse boss. <S> Imagine a boss who doesn't know what he's doing and tries to tell you what to do. <A> Focusing on what you need from the manager in order to perform, you'll stay out of the "don't tell me how to do my job"-tar pit, but should stand a decent chance of getting better support. <S> If this seems to take off, you can move on to talking about what (de)motivates you in general. <S> Such as other teams slacking. <S> Of course, all this can't take place unless it's on a backdrop where your team is producing good results.
| You can't "manage" your manager, but you can explain what you need him to do in order to help you produce the best results, which obviously includes (but isn't necessarily limited to) some kind of benchmarking.
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Do BBB complaints predict employee treatment I was looking at different companies for employment. I noticed that one might be a good fit, but then I looked them up using the Better Business Bureau's(BBB) website . It turns out they had 605 complaints closed with BBB in last 3 years and 109 closed in the last 12 months. This was enough to make me skip over the company. Is there a correlation between customer complaints and the treatment of employees? Or is this an overreaction on my part? Is this an accurate reflection of the company's ethics? <Q> Though poor conditions for employees will eventually result in poor customer service either because of constant turnover, or the poor mood of the employees. <S> Their ratings tend to only be about resolving disputes. <S> Here is a quote regarding a famous software company A BBB Accredited Business since 11/01/1987 BBB has determined that redacted meets BBB accreditation <S> standards, which include a commitment to make a good faith effort to resolve any consumer complaints. <S> BBB Accredited Businesses pay a fee for accreditation review/monitoring and for support of BBB services to the public. <S> BBB accreditation does not mean that the business' products or services have been evaluated or endorsed by BBB, or that BBB has made a determination as to the business' product quality or competency in performing services. <S> Your example, 100+ complaints in a year, may or may not point to a company that treats their employees poorly. <S> But it more likely points to a company that treats their customers poorly. <S> If you don't like that, then you would be right to look elsewhere. <S> But a clean record with the BBB doesn't mean they treat their employees fairly. <A> The numbers alone don't really tell you anything, even about how they treat their customers. <S> At the very least, look at the content of the complaints, and how they were resolved. <S> Then, use that as a basis for more research, if needed. <S> Some good examples can be found in this article . <S> In the opening, it specifically talks about the interaction between Southwest Airlines and a customer. <S> More generally, it talks about how the author feels it's important to stand behind one's employees than to appease customers (when the employees have done the right things, of course). <S> In the Southwest example, it's quite likely that the customer may have filed one or more complaints with the BBB. <S> Likewise, customers who are jerks, and then "fired" from the company, may file complaints as well. <S> These probably aren't valid complaints, and even if they are, it doesn't accurately reflect on how the company treats its employees. <S> In fact, using your method of judging, it actually shows the complete opposite from reality - the company pissed off one or more customers because they defended their employees. <S> If you look at the content of the complaints, you can get a general idea of the nature of the complaint, and whether employee treatment may have even factored at all into the equation. <S> It will also help you better gauge the company's overall ethics, especially if there are themes to the complaints (for example, I probably wouldn't want to work for a company that has a high proportion of complaints about breach of contract on the company's part). <S> Even then, it's not necessarily going to be an indicator of how the company treats its employees . <S> It might give you leads to follow up on, but your best bet will be to talk to people who actually work(ed) for the company. <S> Very often, word travels about who treats their employees badly and who treats them well. <A> I think you would have to take it into consideration with a other factors. <S> For instance the cable company receives a lot of complaints, because their customers are ordinary people. <S> It is likely that a service company like this has a lot of unwarranted complaints as people are trying to get something for nothing. <S> Lockheed has mostly government agencies for customers and thus would be less likely to have a lot of BBB complaints to adjudicate. <S> This says nothing about how either company treats their employees, <S> particularly not how they treat their non-customer-facing employees. <S> Large business treat employees differently depending on what category they are in and while the customer service reps may be treated badly (or even may not work directly for the company), the accounting people or sales people or developers may not be. <S> Where I would see this being most important in evaluating a company would be if it was a smaller, local company. <S> I would see it as a more important thing to evaluate if the position I was applying for was a customer-facing position. <S> The general level of unhappiness of the customers will make a difference in your work environment and unresolved complaints may mean they didn't give the employees a way to make the customer happy. <S> And it would only be useful as a weed out factor, there are companies with happy customers (or the type of customers unlikely to go to the BBB) where employees are not treated well. <A> I would look at the nature of the calls and consider if they are going to affect your work. <S> If you're in customer service, these are only a small sample of the calls you're going to have to handle. <S> The most frustrating part of this type of work is not having access to the resources to solve the customer's complaints. <S> Are deliveries a problem? <S> Will you be able to track packages or inventory. <S> Some companies want to help their customers, other's work very hard to train their employees and setup systems to screw their customrs. <S> The number of complaints should be balanced against the size of the company along with industry standards. <S> Even the best cell phone carrier has a high number of unsatisfied users.
| Then yes, probably if they treat their customers poorly, it is more likely that they treat their employees poorly as well. The BBB in the US has nothing to do with the treatment of employees.
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How can I politely request a correction via email? Yesterday, a person in another company sent me a file that I had requested. The file was shared via an online document system, and even though the online document is brand new, the downloaded file is the same as the version I was sent last time. The files are identical in every way (name and md5). Even though I know this is wrong, it's an innocent mistake anyone can make, it hasn't inconvenienced me at all, and I don't want to make it seem otherwise. I'm having trouble coming up with the right words — how can I correct and ask for the right file in the most polite but simple/direct way possible? <Q> I would simply and briefly explain the circumstances, and ask the person if they would check on their end. <S> Of course, leaving open the possibility that it is someone else's (including your own) mistake. <S> Unless the other person is totally irascible, this should be acceptable. <A> Be polite, personable, and understanding. <S> You've already stated you don't think that it was intentional, and that you weren't inconvenienced. <S> A good example of what you could say might be: "Hello {person}, Thanks for sending me the {file} I requested. <S> Do you happen to have any more up-to-date versions? <S> The one you sent me is identical to mine, and I was wondering if my copy already was fully up-to-date. <S> It's completely possible that is the case, but I'd just like to be sure. <S> If you could let me know, and send on any more updated version you have I would be really appreciative. <S> Sorry for the inconvenience, especially if it turns out that I made a mistake about the file versions originally. <S> Have yourself a great day, and thanks again! <S> ~!Acolyte" <A> Check to Make Sure <S> It's a Mistake <S> Make sure you clicked the right link. <S> Use compare documents to ensure there are no changes (or use a checksum, like you did). <S> Before making a request and causing conclusion, do your due diligence to save some headaches. <S> The Issue with E-mail <S> E-mail is a really really messy medium. <S> You send out to multiple people at the same time, some of whom you may not know, and tone of voice isn't attached. <S> This means it is a playground for silly managers and people too big for their britches to read whatever they want in to the context of the e-mail. <S> For that reason I suggest a quick IM or phone call (at a minimally-intrusive time, like first thing in the morning, or just after lunch). <S> That allows you to speak directly to the person, make it easy for them to fix it immediately (rather than become another request in the inbox), and allow your tone of voice convey information lost in an e-mail. <S> If you do send an e-mail, I highly recommend sending it just to the person who sent the file. <S> Remove all the CC's, and just send a quick simple e-mail like: <S> Hey John, I double-checked the file you sent yesterday, but it hasn't been updated since last time. <S> When you get a chance, could you give it a look and update if needed? <S> Thanks. <S> Don't include any negative language assigning blame E-mail by nature <S> feels "serious" <S> so keeping it short can be a good strategy to mitigate the seriousness. <S> If you format the same above e-mail in incredibly formal fashion, it feels totally different: <S> Hey John, I double-checked the file you sent yesterday, but it hasn't been updated since last time. <S> When you get a chance, could you give it a look and update if needed? <S> Thanks in advance, - Nick <A> How annoying, huh. <S> My approach is usually something that doesn't try to cast blame on them for the mistake but makes it clear that they didn't send the right item. <S> "Hi {so-and-so}. <S> I'm sorry if I was vague in my request. <S> I already have version X, dated MMDDYYYY, of the file <S> and I believe there is a newer version Y, I think from yesterday? <S> Would you be able to send the latest, or if you don't have it, let me know who to ask? <S> Thanks so much for your help, sorry to keep bugging you." <S> Now, you know darned well that they screwed up <S> but you're playing nice guy. <S> And so-and-so will not be pissed (but should be embarrassed). <A> I would write: <S> Hi, <S> The download link for the document at still gives the previous version, even though the version that is displayed in the page has been updated. <S> Cheers ... <S> This is feedback which helps them as much as you.
| The keys are: Explain that you already checked Provide them with a clear action
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How should I convince my manger to give me interesting work? I've been working on the same technology for the past year. Almost 6 months back, I asked my manager to either give me some interesting work or switch me to some other technology which the company uses. Every time I ask him to do something, he keeps on delaying. I don't want to leave the organization but neither do I want to stay away from new technologies. <Q> Make sure you’ve done a great job on the assignments that you’vecompleted. <S> Can you document that you’ve finished all yourresponsibilities ahead of time and exceeded expectations? <S> Yourability to demonstrate why you should have more challenges impressesyour boss. <S> He/ <S> she will know you take your job seriously and want toadd value to the company. <S> Be careful not to belittle any efforts by other co-workers who may be performing the same tasks as you. <S> Choose your language carefully when your boss asks why you want moreresponsibility. <S> Instead of using words like “boring,” or “repetitive”to describe your dissatisfaction with your assignments, explain thatyou want to do more to develop your skills and to help the companyreach its goals. <S> You may even add that you’re willing to continueyour original assignments but want more challenging work in thecompany, even if it means working longer hours. <S> Do some research before you approach your boss. <S> In other words, becareful what you ask for because you might get it. <S> You can ensurethat your new tasks will be ones that you’ll enjoy if you haveparticipated in selecting them. <S> Also, you’ll be much more successfulif you pick fresh challenges that showcase your talents. <S> If you’reexcellent at research, ask if you can work on a research project. <S> Ifyou’re a computer whiz, suggest an assignment in that area. <S> Prepare abrief report, outlining potential new challenges along with goals andtimelines. <S> How can your boss say no? <A> Your boss's reaction is perfectly understandable. <S> You come to him with a problem (which is not even a real problem for the company) without providing him any solutions. <S> You could be making your overworked boss's life easier. <S> He will react better to you saying "Here is a problem, here are my three possible solutions. <S> Choose one and I can work on it. <S> " <S> I've always been able to find them in my experience. <S> Caution: initially, you should work on these projects on your own time, or on project down time. <S> You may not know the context, and you may discover that what you thought was important is actually irrelevant to the company. <S> Regardless, you will likely have learned something new even doing an irrelevant project, which is one of your goals. <A> Ask for it <S> Your boss is generally trying to match tasks that are appropriate to skill levels. <S> A good boss is trying to maximize your output. <S> In asking for a task he'll see that you have interest in the task. <S> People tend to do better work on thing they have interest in or have a passion for. <S> If you boss is aware that you want it <S> and he feel you'll a great job on it <S> , you'll get it. <A> If you're unhappy to continue as it is, make a firm statement that unless the situation is addressed you consider leaving. <S> Obviously be prepared for "I call your bluff", as I'd estimate chances over 80%. <S> The alternative IME is sour, if your comments and requests are ignored for long time, all chances are that will stay that way. <S> So your choice is limited to suck up the situation or find greener pastures elsewhere. <S> OTOH sometimes your input is noted just with low priority, and forcing the issue may get that up actually.
| Maybe it depends in the business or company, but surely you can find interesting projects that are falling through the cracks (i.e. need to be done and no one is doing them).
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Should I list salary expectations on my resume? In this question about resumes , one hiring manager brought up that he/she wanted to see Salary Requirements. There was a brief discussion on whether this was important information or not. Unfortunately, I worry that the range of salaries for software jobs is extremely high and that putting a number out first can put me in a weaker position. Should I list salary expectations on my resume? What are the benefits or drawbacks of doing so? (As for my personal context, I have a Ph.D degree but I am considering transitioning into industry, possibly into software development. Some people assume that a Ph.D command some ridiculously high price, but that could not be farther from the truth, so in this situation listing a salary range that is within lines of an entry-level position may help reorient the recruiter's expectations.) <Q> In a word - "No". <S> One way to look at this: In a sense, a resume is a sales brochure. <S> The "customer" is the organization from which you seek employment. <S> The "product" is you, or more precisely, your ability to do work the organization wants done. <S> Putting a salary on your resume is similar to putting a price on a sales brochure. <S> Usually only commodity products list prices on their sales brochures. <S> Thus, unless you want potential employers to treat you like a commodity, it seems best to leave a desired salary off your resume. <S> My experience creating resumes for myself and occasionally helping friends and family now goes back over 30 years. <S> I've heard and read countless pieces of advice about resumes. <S> Never once do I remember hearing or reading anything that recommends putting salary information of any kind on your resume. <S> What I do remember is frequent advice (including this Q&A site) that you avoid being the first to give a number in salary negotiations. <S> If you give out a number on your resume, you have violated this "rule" and (most likely) set the maximum salary you will get from any organization who sees that resume; even if the organization had more money budgeted for the position, they have no need to offer more now that you have said what you would settle for. <S> If you find you are not getting interviews from your resume, you might consider an objective statement in your resume or mentioning in your cover letters the level of work you are seeking. <S> For example, your resume might have "Objective: An entry level position in software development", or your cover letter might say something like " <S> Now that I have completed my Ph.D., I seek an entry level position in the software development field. <S> " <S> You might then go on to explain why your Ph.D. will help you (either through "transferable skills", or maybe by entering a domain related to your Ph.D., or both). <S> Note <S> : Generally, I don't think objective statements on a resume are that useful, but this is a situation where I think one could prove beneficial. <A> It depends. <S> By and large, I agree with the accepted answer. <S> Particularly in the case where you are new to this particular market, <S> and I'd be doubtful that you know exactly what range to quote. <S> For example - yes you may be entry level, but the depth and experience of graduate studies mean that in some industries, you are above the general cut of "entry level" salaries. <S> Saying in your cover letter that you are changing industries, and thus interested in entry level positions gives you a way to set expectations without locking yourself down to a number. <S> I do get tired, however, of seeing <S> "don't be the first to set an expectation" as the defacto advice to negotiation. <S> Someone has to start. <S> It's not just a blanket rule <S> - we're not playing tic tac toe (where the person who starts has a distinct advantage, and there are no secrets - the next move is entirely discernable!). <S> In a negotiation, the person with most power is the person with the most information, and the person most able to find creative ways to get what they want at the least cost to the other party. <S> The best time to quote numbers is to save yourself, and the other party, some time. <S> That's the big thrust of the answer referenced in the question - <S> that resumes and cover letters are terse, because time for review is tight, and managers appreciate any way of narrowing down the pile. <S> That's absolutely true - so quote a pricetag when you want the pile to be narrowed down <S> and you're willing to accept that you might not be part of it. <S> That sounds awful in a case where you're looking for every and any opportunity. <S> But it isn't if you have a great job, and you're just looking for an even dreamier position. <S> At that point, giving the minimum you'd ever consider saves you and the company time so you can continue with your realistic career options. <S> I don't think that's the case here. <A> No. <S> A lot of what you write in the CV is priming the reader. <S> This is where you set predefined expectations of who you are. <S> If they aren't mentioned, then the reader defines them based on their personal experience. <S> By setting a salary in the CV you risk the following. <S> Being dropped from first round interview as "too expensive". <S> Allowing the employer to drop their offer before you even get to the interview. <S> You also run the risk of crippling yourself with a salary which does not reflect the cost of living where the job is. <S> For example the average SWE salary in Massachusetts is $104K while in Ohio it is $85K. ( reference )
| When you really don't know the value, and are testing the opportunities, state the expectation in a way that doesn't lock you down. For the most part, I'd default to "no".
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Performance review for internship I've been doing an internship for a large company and I have an evaluation with my boss. The company was acquired 5 years ago and most people I work with tell me how much they hate working for the company that acquired them. In a way they tell me working here is a bad job. Because the people who work here tell me this isn't a good place to work, and because I don't like the kind of work I'm doing, I really don't want to work here. I'm worried about how this may affect my evaluation because at times I find it hard to be motivated and in a sense I don't care if they think I'm doing a good job. How should I go about this? What kind of mindset should I go into the evaluation with? For example should I say something like “I do not think this job is a good fit for me” or should I just listen and say as little as possible. I've never had an evaluation like this before. <Q> Do not burn the bridge. <S> You may think you hate working there now. <S> You do not know what will happen in 2, 5, 10 years <S> and you may decide that the factors that made you hate working there as an intern are exactly the type environment that you prefer to work in as a mature and established professional. <S> It may also happen, that what was a decent review before you told them you did not like them, could turn the cold and damning review after. <S> Smile take all their feedback as constructive criticism and thank them for the time they took to help you learn. <S> Find nice things to say about the company and tell them you have enjoyed your time there. <S> If the company says they want to make an offer tell them you would be happy to entertain an offer. <S> You might find that the new offer is enticing and that the company is much easier to tolerate when making regular pay with benefits that it was at the cut rate intern pay. <S> Or you can find something else knowing that at least one company is willing to hire you on. <S> A polite decline does not burn the bridge and makes the transaction end on a high note that you can look back on positively. <A> Since this is your first evaluation in the real world, you should go into the evaluation with open ears, and a closed mouth. <S> The evaluation is the company evaluating you, not you evaluating the company. <S> Companies don't care why their employees or interns leave because they can always get more. <S> Unless you are the CEO or another executive, an employee's opinion is just a bean in a hill of beans. <S> Your 'evaluation' won't improve if you tell your evaluator that you'd do better if the company didn't suck all of the motivation out of your body. <S> A company isn't there to motivate you or make you happy. <S> It is there to make money. <S> Companies talk about motivation, and all that other happy days and rainbows stuff, but that isn't why they exist. <A> First, make sure you have your own review of the work you've done and examples to back up <S> whatever points you want to make about your work. <S> For example, how did you handle conflict in the workplace? <S> How did you handle work-life balance? <S> How did you manage whatever quality of work you did do? <S> Be prepared with examples of whatever you think you may claim in terms of, "I've done good work," that the boss may ask, "Where was that?" <S> Second, be prepared to both give and receive feedback on your work. <S> You may be asked, "What was the hardest part of the job?" <S> or "What advice would you have for someone that was taking an internship here? <S> " that are rather standard questions that may come. <S> At the same time, you may be asked, "What was the best part of working with me?" <S> or "What was the hardest part of working with me?" <S> from the boss that may be part of his review. <S> In terms of mindsets, be prepared for both asking and answering questions. <S> There may be more than a few moments where you didn't know the whole story on something that may be explained in the review. <S> There is also the chance that it is mostly paperwork that has to do be done and thus isn't likely to get the attention that it may get in some organizations. <S> If you state something like, "I do not think this job is a good fit for me," that may well merit a "Why?" reply that you then have to articulate why it isn't a good fit. <S> Is there another department that may be a better fit? <S> Is there a different kind of work within the department that may work better?
| If you have another offer already it is easy to politely decline the offer, and move on. If you say, "No," too much you may appear fussy which I doubt is the intention you want to be giving here.
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What in a background check can be grounds for revoking an offer? I recently accepted an offer from a big company. The employment offer was contingent on a 10-year background check. I accepted the offer since nothing in the background check should be any problem. The start date from the big company was 4 weeks after I received the offer, so I put in my notice (3 weeks) at my previous company and have already resigned. When the start date for the new job came up a week ago, they told me that the background check was still not finished, and I will not be allowed to start employment until it has been finished and reviewed internally. I have been pushing for them to complete the review, but the only information they have given me is that one of my prior (unpaid) self-employment periods was not able to be verified. I have references for that period, but the company has not asked for them. I was recently informed that my report has been sent to ER and what I really want to know is if a Division within HR of a company can clear me as an exception even if one of the items (eg: my self employment status) has been reported by the background check company as "unable to verify?" I am basically asking if anyone has had similar experience of something being treated as an exception on their report? Note: I understand that it wasn't the smartest thing to resign my previous employment before the background check had been finished, but there isn't anything I can do about that now. <Q> The lesson you should take away from this is " never resign my previous position until I have an unconditional start date for my new job ". <S> Background checks can cover a wide variety of matter, depending on how thorough the company wants to be. <S> They will probably call your previous employers to verify employment details and find out if there were any red flags relating to employment (if you were fired, for example). <S> They may check with your college to see if you really graduated with the degree you said. <S> They may do a police check for criminal activity (although you usually have to give permission for that). <S> But the important thing is that there are no guarantees about how long this will take. <S> Several weeks is not unusual, and it can certainly be longer, I once had one that ran six weeks, and I had to go to the police station to get my own police record due to a dispute between the police and the background check company. <S> And of course, it is entirely up to them to decide if the background check passes. <S> Of course this sometimes results in the bizarre situation where the company is simultaneously pressuring you to commit to a start date and not telling you when the background check will complete (usually because it's the hiring manager doing the first and HR doing the second). <S> The only way to handle this is to say "I will start when the offer is unconditional, plus the notice period I have to give to my current employer". <S> Don't let yourself be pressured out of that position. <A> Big companies usually act slowly. <S> Based on the information you provided, the delay is normal. <S> The reason you were given is that prior(unpaid) self-employment periods was not able to be verified which is not a very big deal. <S> If the reason was something like previous criminal record, then you need to worry. <S> I would give at least another week or two before taking further action if I were you. <S> Just relax. <S> Do something you always want to find time to do while you do have the time now. <A> During a background check, a hiring company takes a good look at your personal and professional history. <S> They verify your education and past employment, check to see if there is criminal activity in your past, and talk to your references. <S> Any of these may either slow the process down if it is slow to get the required information or even be enough to revoke the offer. <A> A background check is not a grey area. <S> Your background is either verified or it is not. <S> Unfortunately, a background check isn't just about a criminal record or substance abuse. <S> It also verifies all information you provided during your interview process. <S> Most job offers are valid 'pending background verification'. <S> The company reserves the right to revoke your offer letter if you don't clear the background check, since for them, you have falsified information.
| Some companies may even look at your driving record, credit history or previous drug testing results.
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Should a disability be included on the resume or cover letter? I have a friend who is trying to find a job who happens to be deaf. She can read lips and communicate effectively. Currently, she has those facts listed both in her cover letter and resume. When she asked me to review them, I felt like this information is not directly related to the job and thus she should leave it off? On one hand it is who she is and I wouldn't want prospective employers to feel as if she was trying to hide something from them. On the other hand, it really should not be a consideration as she can communicate effectively and it has no direct correlation to the job. Any advice or help would be appreciated. <Q> It might be helpful if the job is in a medical field or working with deaf people or similar. <S> Otherwise, it just gives employers a reason to not interview her. <S> If she can do the job without any accommodation (or if in the US, with reasonable accommodation as per the Americans with Disabilities Act), then she should avoid mentioning it to a company at least until she is offered an interview. <S> If they want do a phone interview <S> and she can't do that, then she can mention it at that time. <S> The company might choose to do the interview in person or via Skype or other video chat. <S> If they want to do an in-person interview and no special accommodations are required, then she can either mention it when the interview is confirmed or wait until she arrives. <S> If minor accommodations are required, then she should say so when the interview is confirmed, just as you would do if an interview would include lunch and you have dietary restrictions. <S> Even if an employer isn't overtly prejudiced, they might feel awkward about interviewing someone who is deaf, thinking they won't know how to act. <S> Avoiding mentioning it early on will allow the employer to evaluate your friend's qualifications without that bias being a factor, even a subconscious one. <A> I wouldn't reject or accept a candidate because of a disability <S> but I feel a disability which may require work to accommodate should be highlighted. <S> It means that if companies need to make special facilities available then they can do so in advance, the interviewers can be aware in advance and additional time potentially allocated to the interview which may be necessary. <S> Generally when it comes to interviews, don't surprise the interviewers. <S> but I'd put it on the cover letter. <S> Better still - use it to demonstrate your (presumed) strength at communication and your ability to communicate with more people than your "average" applicant. <A> First off, as one may or may not know, it is illegal in the US to discriminate against people with (ADA recognized) disabilities. <S> For example a blind person could not perform the job of a bus driver safely or adequately. <S> I would leave it off to start with. <S> Dont give the interviewers a reason to pass her over before she has a chance to interview. <S> If the interview goes well, that might be the push she needs to get the job that she would have been passed over for. <S> However, if she finds that she is consistently interviewing and getting turned down for her deafness - illegal, but hard to prove. <S> Then I would put it on, just to weed those companies out.
| No, your friend should not disclose deafness on a resume/CV or cover letter unless it will help her get a job. The only exceptions that I know of, are if the disabled person would be unable to do the job adequately, or caused an unsafe environment. Edit: Leave it off the cv, it's not part of your marketing brochure
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What do I say to a candidate at the end of a phone interview? I've managed to get into the working world without going through a phone interview; now I have to interview/hire someone and I have a basic question. At the end of the phone interview, what do I say? Do I let them know immediately if they are getting an in-person interview, and schedule it then, or do I say "we'll let you know"? If the former, what should I say to a candidate that didn't pass the interview? <Q> As a hiring manager who has done this a lot , I have a standard line no matter <S> the situation: <S> For instance, if it's at the end of a phone screen, when I know that the next round of candidates will be called for longer interviews with the team, I say, " <S> Thanks for talking with me today. <S> Here's how the rest of our hiring process works: I'll finish the phone screens in the next n days <S> , then we'll select some folks for longer interviews, and we hope to have the whole process wrapped up by x date. <S> If this conversation is at the end of a longer interview, I adjust what I say to take that into account. <S> I try very hard not to give anything away, either positively or negatively -- although I know my tone changes if I know a candidate is bombing or excelling -- and instead focus on giving information about the process rather than the person. <S> This method avoids any extended discussions or arguments, as well as avoids any sort of commitment that might be assumed/misinterpreted by the candidate, and has the added bonus of being transparent about the hiring process itself. <A> I would suggest that you not give the pass/fail at the end of the phone interview. <S> This gives you, as the interviewer, time to reflect on the interview and go over your notes. <S> Sure, in many cases you may already know that the candidate was a great fit or a poor fit <S> but I always like to take a little time to reflect. <S> It certainly isn't going to hurt to think about it a bit before making a decision. <S> It also lets the candidate have some breathing room to do the same. <S> They may need some time to think about whether they want to move forward with the process. <S> The goal is always to make sure the fit is good for both the employer and the potential employee. <A> Most people say 'We'll be in touch'. <S> In most companies more than one person is involved, and you can't be sure if someone else will see something in the candidate that you don't, <S> so you can't tell them anything definite. <S> In the case where you are the one making the decision, if they are really wrong for the job, I don't see a problem with telling them ' <S> Sorry, you aren't what we're looking for'. <S> It saves everyone a lot of time if you get it over with quickly. <S> Similarly, if you decide you want to move to an in-person interview, I don't see any problem with scheduling that immediately. <A> At the end of the phone interview, what do I say? <S> Do I let them know immediately if they are getting an in-person interview, and schedule it then, or do I say "we'll let you know"? <S> If the former, what should I say to a candidate that didn't pass the interview? <S> Some additional thoughts no one else has mentioned why not to be too "see you tomorrow" happy - even if you are. <S> Multiple excellent candidates. <S> If you are phone interviewing multiple people, you may not know you <S> can invite this candidate on site. <S> Perhaps all the other phone calls will be even better? <S> Companies sometimes may "reject" people they would otherwise want because multiple fully qualified people apply, HR causes problems, or something else. <S> If you aren't interviewing multiple people, you really don't want to let the candidate know this... <S> Giving candidate negotiating power. <S> If you interview, then get a "hey come on site for interview tomorrow?" response during the interview <S> you know (as a candidate) <S> you are wanted by the company. <S> This gives you a lot of leverage during negotiations. <S> Both the above also apply to on-site interviews, as well. <A> You're not obligated to provide specific feedback on the spot. <S> You can always simply say: "Thank you for your interest. <S> If you believe they've passed, it is possible you will decide later that they are not among the strongest candidates, and that you'd prefer not to take the time to bring them in for a second round, especially if you receive a large number of applications. <S> You may find it useful to compare notes on all your candidates before making a commitment to bring anyone back. <S> However, if you are certain they are a strong candidate, you can always end the call by scheduling the next round of interviews. <S> If you are certain they've failed, there is almost never an upside to telling them so. <S> They will inevitably want to change your mind, ask for a reason, or even possibly become emotional. <S> Since your objective is to quickly screen out those who are a poor fit, putting yourself in the position to need to deal with these complications is counter-productive. <S> Again, you can use the above statement. <S> Saying that you'll contact them if... is not lying, it is simply a polite way to reject them indirectly. <S> Specifying a specific timeframe (ie. will contact them within the next 3 days if...) can be helpful in providing the unsuccessful candidate with certainty about the outcome of the interview.
| I will contact you within (a specific timeframe) if you are selected for the next round of interviews." I tell the candidate how the rest of the process will go, regardless of how I may or may not have judged them during our conversation. I'll stay in touch with you as we move through the process." Telling someone immediately afterwards gives them a lot of negotiating power.
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Writing an email reminding an employer about my internship I was interviewed last week Thursday. The interviewer said I passed and she asked me when I could start and discuss my internship but she didn’t contact me. This might be because she's only an employee and not an official on the department. I sent my final requirements to the HR department and she said she'll email about when I should start. I asked her if I can discuss it with my department (where I was interviewed) but she said it’s not necessary. It's been a week now and I have not received any email or call. How can I write something to remind her about my internship without being rude and too formal? <Q> That can begin an email conversation with your contact, and after she replies it would be appropriate for you to ask if she knows when your start date would be, and if not, how soon you can expect to find out. <A> If it is imperative that you start the internship soon I would definitely email her. <S> Otherwise I would just wait it out and interview at a couple of other places, if that is a possibility, and see if you can find something better. <S> If you do choose to contact them remember to be polite but try not to be overly formal. <S> Just be your polite self. <A> Remind them that you’re extremely interested. <S> After about a week and <S> a half has gone by you’ll have had even more time to reflect on the opportunity and your interview. <S> When you follow up, be sure to communicate that you’ve been thinking about it and remain really excited and enthusiastic. <S> Tell them why you’re a great fit for the position <S> In the interview you hopefully explained why you would be an asset to the company and a perfect fit for the job. <S> No harm in reminding your interviewer the types of skills you bring to the table and how you can make an immediate impact. <S> It won’t be new information, but it’s worth emphasizing. <S> (if applicable) Show off an accomplishment <S> This won’t always be possible, but in certain fields and situations, you may have a recent accomplishment to show off. <S> For example, if you work in PR and have just got your company some amazing press you could share it. <S> If you have organized an event that went off without a hitch, you can mention that. <S> Ask about next steps <S> The most important part of the “follow up” is to find out what’s next. <S> While you reaching out won’t be able to speed up the process, the goal is to get information so you are in the loop. <S> Even great companies will be transparent with you about what types of things are unfolding in the process and what the timeline looks like. <S> They will also let you know if they need additional information from you. <S> Try something as follows and fill in the gaps that apply to you. <S> Dear [interviewer], <S> Thank you again for the time you spent with me last <S> [enter day you spoke]. <S> Since our interview, I’ve been thinking a lot about the [insert job name] and I remain incredibly excited about it. <S> I know that my past experience with [experience at company] will make me an incredible asset to [company name]. <S> I wanted to check in on next steps in the process. <S> Please let me know if I can provide any additional information and if you have any information on what’s next. <S> Best wishes,
| You could send a polite email thanking her for the opportunity to interview with her, saying how much you're looking forward to working there, and asking if there is anything you still need to do before you start.
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Tattoos and after work events I have tattoos covering the upper portion of one arm. I of course keep these covered during work and would not consider letting them show in an event where I was representing the company to the public. I am curious, however, if it is appropriate for my tattoos to show in after work events that are purely social in nature. For instance, next month the firm will be taking the employees out to a baseball game. Being that it will be the middle of July and I live in the southeast, I would prefer to not have to wear a long sleeve shirt to keep my tattoos hidden. I have just begun at my job (I am actually an intern) and haven't learned what the culture is regarding tattoos. What is the most commonly accepted etiquette when it comes to tattoos and work sponsored events? <Q> Tattoos get reacted to on an individual level not a group one, although a common group consensus can be derived, by the majority of individuals. <S> As an example, I work in the City of London, for a very old school financial institution. <S> The consequence is that, I can never roll my sleeves up or undo my collar, I have a three quarter Japanese Style Suit and Sleeves (from knees to throat and full arms). <S> People at work have noticed my tattooed wrists when I'm doing whiteboard presentations and my shirt cuffs ride up. <S> We never mention it. <S> I would suggest that you err on the side of caution and assume everyone will be offended and keep covered. <S> The tattoo etiquette is currently very confused as more and more people in mainstream society are revealing body mods that hither too would never have been shown. <S> Act as though it is normal, treat others with respect and consider their feelings in regard to this. <A> As several here say - the reaction is individual by individual, although it does play into the overall corporate ecology. <S> In other words - if the person that is put off by the tattoo is someone without a lot of impact, no big deal... <S> but it's just as likely that some senior executive is going to react badly, and that's a bigger deal. <S> For almost anything unusual, my tip is - don't be the first. <S> Let someone else take the first step on this. <S> For the super-cautious, keep an eye out for tattoos, wait for any fall out and <S> if there's none, show your tattoos at the NEXT corporate event. <S> For the less cautious, keep an eye out at this coming event, and if you see others display tattoos, feel free to follow along. <S> This is particularly true where you are new to working this job, new to the company, and thus potentially more dispensible than other employees might be. <S> In general for unusual body/fashion choices, my rule of thumb is: <S> I break the norms more often when I am more certain that I am awesome and indispensible. <S> Be sure that whatever you show, it's PG - tattoos of nude people, or violence, or anything particularly negative or gory are a higher level of risk than something relatively benign. <S> Know the culture <S> first - there's no one right answer, so have a sense of the culture. <S> A nice test balloon might be to raise the concept of tattoos in a lunch conversation, and get a test of the reaction. <S> In the US - the coasts are more liberal of unconventional dress, and urban culture tends to be more liberal than country/suburban culture. <S> Tattoos are particularly funny, as certain cultures react very differently - not just ethnicities - there are quite a few tattoos in the military, for example. <S> The absolute safe bet is not to sport them. <S> As with many things - you can't retract knowledge, so if you are really worried, find yourself a light, long sleeved shirt. <S> There's some great loose cotton shirts out there. <A> I don't think "most commonly accepted etiquette when it comes to tattoos and work sponsored events" exists, and even if it did, would be pretty irrelevant. <S> You don't live with some "average" or idealized company but a very concrete one. <S> Therefore you shall figure out the local rules. <S> If you have an ombudsman position in the company I suggest to consult there first. <S> If not, I'd suggest starting with colleagues who you trust, then possibly the boss or some HR folks. <S> (In general I would not think it be a problem of any kind, but the fact you feel for asking here raises suspicion.) <A> What is the most commonly accepted etiquette when it comes to tattoos and work sponsored events? <S> In my many years working, I haven't found a "most commonly". <S> The culture regarding tattoos is very contextual, and likely varies depending on your company and the the individuals you work for and with. <S> Where I work today, it would be frowned on. <S> Where I worked about 10 years ago, it wouldn't have been surprising at all. <S> Different people, different company cultures, different contexts. <S> Until you learn the specifics of your situation, err on the side of caution and keep it hidden. <S> If you see no tattoos at all during this event, that's a strong sign. <S> If you see may others in similar roles as yours with tattoos, that too is a sign. <S> If you see the CEO with a tattoo - Bingo! <S> Good luck!
| A generally sound idea is - "don't be the first". While many people and many companies wouldn't think anything of a tattoo, others wouldn't be as tolerant. I made it clear at my interview that I have tattoo's but do not expose them in the workplace as it may cause offence to others.
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Address of Former Employers on Resume I now have 6 previous employers on my CV. A few (2) of them have evidently moved offices since I have left. Is it good practice to: Leave the addresses as they were when you left. Update the addresses whenever you update your resume. Do something else. <Q> I wouldn't even use a URL unless it points to some very fancy stuff related to your project. <S> Even then, that probably belongs in a different section. <A> As others say - don't get into specifics, if your concern is street and number, skip it - keep it to the city. <S> If your concern is that they were in a certain city or town and have since moved - I recommend keeping the location you worked in. <S> Resume items are most useful as a way to reference your job history - the majority of readers of your resume are looking to get a sense of you and your job history. <S> Keeping the location you actually worked at, lets the reader: <S> Scan his memory for anything he knows about that company <S> and it's location - the business, the people working in it, anything about its reputation. <S> Even in a city, the people in a given industry often know quite a bit about other employers of a similar skill set. <S> Shows your pattern of work - <S> if you change the city each time the employer moves, you run the risk of giving the impression that you yourself have moved. <S> What that means to the reader is anyone's guess - my only point is that it isn't accurate, and you don't want to try to explain that in an interview. <S> Assume consistency - after all, you're not going to remove a company when it goes out of business - <S> so keep a consistent pattern. <S> Also, this will keep you from having to launch an update every time there's a move. <S> If a company wishes to do a reference check, they will likely send you a more detailed form asking for location and contact points. <S> That's the time to get accurate information to share. <S> At that point, they will likely be calling and checking history, and so it helps to provide as much accuracy as possible in terms of finding the company. <S> In the meantime, you may encounter questions like "I didn't know that X company was in Y location..." - which are a great jumping off point for explanation. <S> For example "Well, when I worked there there was Y location, it was a great site. <S> I left when the business was waning, and eventually they had to disband Y location. <S> " <S> I've done similar, even when companies left my country entirely, and never had a problem with it. <A> The CV needs nothing more than the name of the company and the city. <S> Most of the people that will read the resume don't need the address, because they will not be the one contacting the old employers. <S> Publicizing a name, address and phone number on a resume that may end up being posted in place were thousands can see it would require getting permission from each contact. <S> That electronic submission may live for years and the contact information will become stale. <S> For many midsized and large companies the reference check will not go to your old manager but to a central location that will only confirm the dates of employment and job title. <A> It is better not to mention the address in your CV. <S> If you like you can put the website in instead of the address. <S> In my opinion it's better to use a website address.
| You should on only mention your employers names. Scrap the addresses for good as it's only noise.
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Do I have to put "References available upon Request" on my Resume? From what I understand, it's uncommon to put full contact information of references on your resume. In place of that do I need to put "References available upon request"? Alternatively, is it safe to leave it out and leave that implicit? I'm afraid not mentioning it may make it seem like I have no references. <Q> Do I have to put “References available upon Request” on my Resume? <S> In my years of experience as a US-based hiring manager, I always expect people to have references available when I ask for them. <S> I don't need to see a phrase "References available upon request" on the resume. <S> It's perfectly safe to leave them off. <S> I would never assume that anyone has no references. <S> Another reason for leaving them off of your resume is that you want to be in control of presenting your references. <S> When asked to provide them, determine how many are necessary, and choose which references will best represent you for this particular position. <S> Contact your references so they will expect a call or email from this company, and discuss the job with them so that they can represent you in the best possible light. <S> Then give the list of references to the requester. <A> Do not put on your resume, “References available upon request.” <S> HR managers already know this <S> and it’s a very overused phrase. <S> Do not put the names and contact numbers of your professional references on your resume. <S> You don’t want just anyone and everyone calling up your references every time they see your resume. <S> You should be in control of your references and know who is going to call them and when. <S> Sometimes, recruiters and other companies will contact your references to recruit them. <S> You’re the one looking for a job, so make sure that your references remain yours and out of the public domain. <A> Be wary of putting your references directly on your resume. <S> Unscrupulous recruiters may strip this information from your resume without ever contacting you and use it to develop their own business. <S> There is no need to mention your references on your resume, recruiters and hiring managers will ask you directly. <S> It doesn't harm you to put "references available upon request," but it doesn't help you, and since a general rule of thumb is to keep your resume as brief as possible, why waste the space? <A> This probably varies by region and culture, but here in the UK, you should leave out that statement. <S> Stating it could make you look naive.
| I don't need to see the references themselves on the resume. The normal assumption is that you have some referees - it's not something that needs to be stated. In your locale, the norms may differ.
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How long should a person wait for an interview call after applying to a post? How long should a person wait for an interview call after applying to a post? I am not applying to other companies because I am happy where I am. Recently, however, I saw an even better opportunity and applied to that job. It's in a different technology so I take time out of my weekends to prepare for the interview. It's been one week since I applied to that job. I was wondering: how long should I wait for the interview and keep on preparing? <Q> How long it takes for companies to set up interviews varies dramatically from company to company. <S> And others are just really slow — they should be contacting people within a few weeks but because of disorganization, inefficiency, and so forth don’t contact candidates for months. <S> If you want to follow up in some way, send a polite email reiterating your strong interest in the job and saying that you’d love to talk when they’re ready to begin scheduling interviews. <A> In my experience, companies that are serious about hiring will get back to you fairly quickly. <S> I've had employers contact me almost immediately after sending my resume (minutes/hours) <S> , though usually it's at least a couple of days. <S> Anything more than 2 weeks <S> and I'd usually assume I wasn't going to get a call. <S> That said, I've had companies (usually the big ones) <S> contact me a couple of months after I'd already interviewed for and started a new job somewhere else wanting to set up an interview. <S> While that's irritating, if I had still been unemployed, I probably would have accepted the interview. <S> I wouldn't stop applying and sending out resumes until you've accepted a job offer... <S> worst case you end up with a week or two of back-to-back job interviews. <S> Maybe even multiple offers. <A> In the software and tech business, no more than a week. <S> I've been hired at the close of the interview five or six times. <S> I've been in a few situations where I faxed a resume at 10:00 in the morning, interviewed at 2:00 in the afternoon, and gotten my offer at 4:00 PM. <S> Companies that take 'weeks' to respond to developer and network tech resumes are 'out of the running' a lot of the time - qualified candidates will already been in their new job by the time a slow employer decides to schedule an interview. <S> The 'unusual' circumstances might include something with heavy background checking, one's first attempt in a management role, or a 'long shot' migration to a new technology. <S> However, you should hear something: a hint that they're interested and plan to talk to you within a particular timeframe.
| Some employers do interviews on a rolling basis, as strong applications come in. Others have a set application period of, say, three to four weeks possibly and don’t contact anyone until that period is over.
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What to expect / how to prepare for Occupational Personality Questionnaire (OPQ) interview I'm doing an online Occupational Personality Questionnaire ( OPQ ) followed by an interview. I'm simply going to answer the online test as straightforwardly as I can. I'm more concerned about the interview, however. I've been happy fielding technical questions in the previous interviews for this company: it's my job after all, and I have no complaints if I get a tough question and mess it up. On the other hand, I have little or no experience of the kind of questions I'm likely to get in the forthcoming OPQ interview. Should I be preparing for this interview? If so, how? <Q> The OPQ measures 32 different personality traits that are relevant to occupational settings. <S> Ultimately the test measures traits with the purpose of determining your behavioural style at work. <S> Employers often use this personality test to see how well job applicants fit the role they are applying for. <S> The 32 personality traits measured in the OPQ are grouped into categories such as: Relationships, Sociability (e.g., outgoing, socially confident), Influence (e.g., persuasive, outspoken, independent minded), Empathy (e.g., democratic, caring), and Thinking style (e.g., evaluative, rational). <S> The OPQ also includes a social desirability measure to detect ‘faking’ responses. <S> It will also ensure that you are capable of demonstrating your relevant personality characteristics and demonstrate your fit against the job requirements to your potential employer. <S> To learn more about how to effectively prepare for the OPQ, try a free sample personality test . <S> Plan and maintain a quiet, calm environment <S> When taking an ability test or completing the OPQ, it is vital that you maintain a quiet, non-interrupted environment all the way through the process. <S> Check that you will be comfortable for the duration of the test/questionnaire before starting. <S> Maintain a positive frame of mind <S> Whilst you need to visualise yourself being successful in completing an ability test to ensure lack of confidence doesn’t get the better of you, over confidence can have a detrimental effect on candidates where they fail to pay sufficient attention to the questions and skip through them too quickly. <S> Even if you have done well in the practice tests, remember the questions are likely to be different ones and require fresh thinking. <S> A happy balance is required here. <S> Have sufficient resources to hand Have a few pieces of paper and a pen to hand <S> should you wish to write something down whilst you are on-line. <S> For some Numerical Reasoning tests, a calculator is allowed, so ensure you have one of these beforehand. <S> Take a break between tasks <S> If you are likely to be sat completing several tests and/or questionnaires, you may want to consider having a drink to hand before starting and taking appropriate breaks between these tests/questionnaires to ensure you maintain full concentration. <S> (Sources: http://www.psychometricinstitute.com.au/SHL_personality_test.html , http://www.ksl-training.co.uk/free-resources/psychometric-testing/shl-test-preparation ) <A> You don't need to prepare in any special way for such interview. <S> It'll probably look like any other behavioral interview in which the recruiter will ask you to describe various situations from you past. <S> This will help him/ <S> her understand how the way you've presented yourself in the questionnaire corresponds to the way you act. <S> You can expect questions like "Please give me an example of a situation in which you had to make a difficult decision? <S> What were you trying to achieve in that situation? <S> How did it end? <S> etc. <S> Perhaps the interviewer will describe briefly your results in some of the dimensions measured by the OPQ and will ask some follow up questions. <S> Assuming that the interview will be conducted professionally, you shouldn't expect anything else (like the need to "defend" or "explain" your answers in the QPQ), so it should be a pleasant experience. <S> You can read more about such interviews here: http://hr4startups.quora.com/How-will-Google-hire-now-as-the-in-famous-puzzles-are-over <A> As Arek Dymalski wrote , the interview is a lot like a regular behavioural interview, except that it's tailored to the answers you give in the questionnaire, so if you're concerned about these kinds of interviews it makes sense to record your answers somehow, identify the areas you're liked to be asked about, and make sure you've got your answers down pat in those areas. <S> My strategy was as follows: <S> I took screen grabs of the questions and my answers as I answered them. <S> I answered the questions honestly. <S> (In any case, the test has built in cross-checks to detect lying). <S> I then worked through my answers and identified the common themes. <S> The test is forced answer (e.g., often gives you options that all seem reasonable and you have to choose) <S> so inevitably you tend to come out as "spikey", strong in some areas and weak in others. <S> For each theme, especially where I identified as weak, I tried to come up with a response. <S> Where I could, I came up with examples in my previous career where I had had to overcome that particular weakness. <S> E.g., from my answers it was evident that I could take some time to make decisions. <S> My prepared response was: "Yes, I can be slow to decide strategy on larger projects, but I tend to get it right. <S> When I'm making decisions, I engage in plenty of consultation, and make sure I get feedback on possible mistakes." <S> This approach I took was quite costly in time and effort, but as a result I was well-prepared for the interview <S> and it went fine.
| Practicing for the OPQ personality test will ensure that you are confident and free of stress when taking this personality test.
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How do you list skills that you used to be proficient in, but haven't used for years on your resume? While working on the skill list in my resume I realized I haven't used some of the specific tools or languages in many years. I still know them and I could get back up to speed quickly, but I don't want to pass myself off as an expert either. For example, the C programming language. It was the first language I learned to program in, but I have hardly used it since I got out of school over 10 years ago. I could get back into it quickly if needed, but if an interviewer asked me a specific question I could look like I don't know what I'm talking about. Is there a positive way to say that "I was good at this, but now I'm rusty"? <Q> My resume could say things like this: Z80 Assembler (1970s), Databus (1980s), QuickBasic (1980s), Borland Turbo C (1980s), FoxPro (1990s), Visual Basic 6 (1990s), LabView (1990s). <S> Within the last few years I've been asked to migrate a number of 'legacy' applications, including one written in Microsoft PDS (Professional Development System) AKA QuickBasic. <S> Strictly speaking, all I had to migrate was the data files, I never did anything with the code. <S> Having a background in 'old' programming languages first shows you've been around for awhile, and second you might have a running start on maintaining or upgrading some creaky rust bucket. <A> There are two basic reasons why you might have a separate "Skills" section of your resume. <S> One is to provide a bunch of keywords for HR systems to be able to find your resume if the term in question doesn't appear elsewhere in your resume. <S> This is particularly true where there are tons of acronyms that have changed over time <S> and you can't be sure what someone is likely to search on (i.e. Java vs. J2EE vs JEE vs. Java EE). <S> The other is to list specific skills and technologies that you want to emphasize to a human reading your resume. <S> Languages <S> you haven't touched in a decade <S> are unlikely to satisfy either criteria. <S> If you are trying to get HR systems to match the skill list on your resume, listing languages you're not proficient in is unlikely to be helpful. <S> It's much more likely that you'd end up popping up for jobs that you're not likely to be a good fit for (someone looking for a C developer is probably not going to have too much difficulty finding someone with much more recent experience). <S> And it increases the odds that someone decides to quiz you about things you've long forgotten in an interview. <S> If you are trying to emphasize technologies to a human reader, you want to be very selective and only list those you're really comfortable with. <S> If I'm reading a resume and I see a skills section that lists dozens of different technologies, I'll generally just skip the section entirely on the assumption that it's just a keyword dump for the search engines. <S> It makes perfect sense, on the other hand, to list the technologies that you worked with in the descriptions of your prior jobs. <S> That allows you to put the experience in context both in terms of what you accomplished and in terms of when and allows interviewers to naturally infer that you're probably a bit rusty if they don't see any more recent mentions. <S> And it solves the problem of people who list technologies on their resume because they happened to make a change to a script written in that language once at a job 5 years ago <A> My approach is that if an employer picked you based on a skill and you could do it reasonably well, or could pick it up quickly, then list it. <S> Otherwise, don't. <S> The rationale for this, I feel, is its not unreasonable to list all of the things you've attempted and have had to let slide for whatever reason. <S> You might have learned 10 programming languages, but that's more than someone could hold in their head and be proficient in at any point in time. <S> However, its unfair not to be able to list some or all of those, especially since refreshing or picking up a new programming language is generally an exercise in learning some new syntax. <S> For example, I learned Java at university, <S> I hate it, where possible I never code in it (haven't since I left university), but I list it because I could pick it up quite easily. <S> In contrast I had to get a CCNA for an old job (programmer supporting network engineers) <S> , I've let it expire and couldn't manage much more than my home network at this stage. <S> I don't list that because if I was picked based on that implied skill or qualification, I wouldn't be as effective and it would look quite negative for me. <A> Just list your skills in order of familiarity . <S> If people ask you can say that is the ordering. <S> You never know when one of those older skills will get you an important interview.
| Don't feel like you have to be an up-to-date expert on everything you list on your resume.
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My job was advertised at a higher salary than I was offered. Should I say something? I took a job 4 months ago. The job is a 12 month fixed term contract. I let the recruitment agent negotiate my salary, he ensured me he'd 'get the most for me'. I was happy with the salary offered and took the job. I've since found my employer was advertising the job at +£5k more than the recruiter put me in at. I'm the only developer there and I'm mad busy, they keep telling me how good my work is and how happy they are with me being on the team. I feel a little burnt about the salary thing though. Is there any professional way to bring it up? Or do I need to just swallow it up because I signed the contract? <Q> You signed the contract, so you're bound indeed. <S> You can consider the difference as price for a good lesson: agents serve their pocket, not yours. <S> And if you want something done well, do it yourself. <S> (At least in the non-professional field. <S> Leave doctoring to doctors, architecting to architects.) <S> And at least do yourself a favor to verify things before signing, you could find the ad if you just looked, right? <S> Certainly every contract can be canceled, renegotiated, etc following up on the original agreement and using the law framework, you can ask raise nicely, or you can call up some ultimatum. <S> Any of those carry risk, obviously. <S> I'd probably wait up the next regular time point of salary raise/renegotiation, if such thing exist. <A> The advertised salary for a new hire is generally the maximum available for the ideal candidate. <S> It is very rare that the new candidate is 100% perfect, and so there will be some give and take in the negotiations for what they are prepared to offer you and what you are prepared to accept. <S> Since you did accept at your current rate, this was the rate you both compromised on. <S> You agreed to this, so you are under contract; swallow it up until your contract ends. <S> Nobody has cheated you; you agreed to this rate and it is quite possible they would not have gone higher based on your knowledge and experience at that time . <S> When you reach renegotiation, you can use this as leverage to argue for an increment. <S> Your added experience and in-house knowledge now makes you worth at least as much as a new hire <S> would be worth (you can say). <A> This following information applies to the US. <S> I don't know if it applies to the UK where you are, but it might apply to you. <S> You indicated that you were in a contract position. <S> If you are contracting through the recruiting agency, be aware that some companies will negotiate a rate with the company, then negotiate a rate with you. <S> The recruiting company gets to keep all the money between the two figures. <S> So for example, if they agreed to charge the company $100k for the year and agreed to pay you $80k then they would make a gross profit of $20k, which is their normal profit. <S> If they get you to agree to a salary of $75k then they get to keep the extra $5k, making their gross profit $25k instead of $20k. <S> This would only apply if you are contracted through the recruiting company, or a company under their control, but would not apply if you are contracted directly to the company. <S> Hypothetically, let's say the recruiting company's normal cost of placing you is $15k (salaries, advertising, commissions, etc). <S> That would mean that they normally have a clear profit of $5k. <S> If they can get you to take $5k less, they have now doubled their profit to $10k, so these recruiting companies have a strong incentive to do this. <S> This happened to a friend of mine.
| You accepted the salary, so there is nothing you can do now.
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Should I cancel 2nd interviews if I plan on taking a different job? I have two follow-up interviews scheduled for next week, and had originally planned on accepting one of the two positions if they were offered (which I think both would make an offer). I went to a 3rd interview yesterday with the intention of just getting interview experience, and came away with a job offer from them instead, and an unexpected excitement for working for that company. I'm going to accept the offer from the 3rd company (even if the first two come up in salary to match the 3rd company's offer, the experience I'd gain and work environment from the them doesn't compare to the 3rd opportunity), and I am trying to figure out if I should cancel my follow-up interviews or not. I don't want to be inconsiderate in wasting either company's time, but it also seems rude to just abruptly cancel on them when the meetings have been scheduled for almost a week now, and I feel that both companies are making special plans just to meet with me. The first company is going through an extremely busy time in their development cycle. They had a hard time finding a break for their software lead to interview me the first time, and the follow-up interview would be meeting with the entire development team. The first interview was Monday and their follow-up was scheduled for next Tuesday. Today is Saturday. The second company I would be meeting with the CEO and COO the day after they return from vacation, late next week. The first interview was last Friday, and their follow-up was scheduled for next Thursday (it's so much later because of the CEO/COO vacation). It seems inconsiderate to waste both company's time when I have already decided to accept a different job offer, however both follow-ups were scheduled almost a week ago, and I'm not sure if canceling would be worse, or bad for networking. The practical side of me realizes that the 3rd job is a contract role, with only a potential for full-time employment, and there is a very real possibility that I would be looking for a job again in a year. Is it preferable to cancel follow-up interviews when you've decided to take a different job, and why or why not? Are there factors that would affect the response? The question What should you say when you don't want to go back for a 2nd interview with an Employer? seems very similar, however in this case the 2nd interviews have been scheduled for almost a week by now, and I had originally intended to take one of those jobs. Would the answer be the same? <Q> I was exactly in your position a month ago. <S> Initially I also wanted to attend the followup interviews of the companies (my least interest). <S> However, I learnt that if you are sure that you like your current offer and 100% decided to join the company <S> then it is nothing but wasting their time to attend the followup interviews. <S> That being said, some companies respect their offers for 1 to 2 years. <S> My advise is to talk with the HRs of those companies and explain that you have received an offer from your dream company, however, you would like to attend the followup interviews and learn about those companies further. <S> In my case, their HRs encouraged me to attend the interviews even though they know that I wouldn't join their companies "immediately". <S> You don't know you might change your mind once you join your dream company. <A> Sure you have an offer from another company and you're planning on accepting it. <S> But until you have that job signed off you are still not guaranteed that position. <S> I'm going to focus on two potential things that could happen. <S> 1. <S> Something goes awry <S> There is still no guarantee you have that job yet. <S> You have an offer. <S> Something can still prevent that from going through. <S> Be it a sudden cut in budget that closes the position. <S> A bad review or audit that closes the company. <S> Bad sales causing that location to be shut down. <S> Any number of things could stop that position from still being there. <S> Perhaps the people who interviewed you reported back up to their superior who disagrees with their choice. <S> Alternately you could go in ready to sign over and see / hear <S> / learn something that turns you right away from wanting that job. <S> I'm sure you would rather still have those other options if you go in to sign and learn that it wasn't all that it first appeared to be. <S> 2. <S> The others become better On the flip side of the above there is the possibility that those second interviews will allow you to learn more about those companies, perhaps benefits or perks or job / training opportunities that you didn't know about before. <S> Something that will make you rethink your choice of company completely. <S> Conclusion <S> So in conclusion, i think that until you actually have a job, signed onto a contract and begin working then you are still on the market, and should still be wary of other opportunities. <A> How could it be rude to NOT waste one's time? <S> While the opposite is definitely an offense. <S> It is to be expected and no one should hold it against you. <S> To ensure you handle things fairly, you'll want to announce your withdrawal at your earliest opportunity. <S> The really rude thing is when someone is scheduled and %#$@#%s turning up, or dropping a note. <S> We blacklist such people immediately and if anyone asks we suggest not bothering to deal with them. <S> So just send a polite note or phone call telling that you're out. <A> Don't worry about their time, worry about yours. <S> Your experience is itself a demonstration that you never know in advance what you will feel like after an interview. <S> You went to an interview, expecting it to be nothing more than a learning experience and now you want to work there even if you could make just as much (or possibly even more?) <S> elsewhere. <S> Now, that said, if you're happy with the offer, you don't have to keep looking, there's nothing wrong with just picking the 3rd company. <S> But don't just not show up for the other interviews. <S> You should either notify them that you will not be attending, or, if you are willing to do so, ask them if they would like you to attend even though you have accepted a position elsewhere. <A> Consider the interview with the software lead. <S> You may learn more about the projects and his/her management style to help you have the most information to make a final decision. <S> The one with the CEO/COO are just a formality and will give you little insight about the specific job. <S> You can always tell them you're taking another offer, but would be open-minded if they wanted to interview you anyway. <S> I'm guessing most managers would see this as a ploy to get a counteer-offer. <S> If you were working with a recuriter, they'll want you to take the interview to fill their quota. <S> The offer you're taking just seems like the best fit for you, either take the one interview (software lead) or cancel all of them. <A> I have been in this situation and broken both ways. <S> If I'm getting face time with a CEO/COO, I will generally take the interview even if I'm going to pass. <S> I have done this and ended up liking the other job better and then gone back and told the other company I got a better offer. <S> I have also been able to negotiate more money (be careful trying this). <S> telling someone you have another offer is sometimes important because companies sometimes drag their feet. <S> on the other hand, I have cancelled them because I don't want to be bothered interviewing again. <S> its not worth the hassle. <S> This is business and in business you have to look out for yourself. <S> I have seen employers interview people when they have candidates in hand because HR requires that they interview a certain number of people. <S> They don't care about wasting people's time. <S> It breaks both ways. <S> You need to be selfish and look out for yourself.
| In recruitment it's the most natural thing that good candidates get plenty of offers and might withdraw from the interview process at a particular company at any point. I'm going to take a different approach to the other answers here and say No .
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How should I address a non-violent criminal record when applying for jobs? I have cleared interview of a major tech company and right now background checks are going on through third party company. I had a small issue of being charged with a misdemeanor that is a reduced form of DUI. The charges have been resolved and I am trying to move on with my life. What is the best way to address this when applying for jobs? Should I just hope they do not find it on the back ground check or if they do that they will ignore the problem? If I have not informed the company of the issue is it too late for me to address it? <Q> If you look on the website of the company that you indicated is doing the background check ( http://hireright.com/Background-Checks.aspx?apsi=0 ) <S> you will see that they include criminal record searches as part of their process. <S> Thus, they have a pretty good chance of detecting this part of your background. <S> So, it makes sense to me to get out in front of this, rather than just hoping they don't find it. <S> Tell the hiring company about this now. <S> In the many years I've been interviewing potential hires, I'm always far more favorable when people are forthright and tell me about potential red flags in their background, rather than waiting for me to discover them on my own and confront them. <S> I don't like to see interviewees try to "sneak one past me". <S> Past problems I can deal with. <S> Present sneakiness (or lying) is far more problematic. <A> The best course of action when you are informed of a background check is to be proactive and inform them of any information they are likely to turn up during the background check. <S> The company is more likely to react negatively to having a recent conviction show up on a background check if they were not aware prior the check. <S> Many times companies will ask you either on the application or on the background check form if you have been arrested. <S> If you are less than honest on this part of the form then it may cost you the job. <S> I have seen many times over the years where people will start work before their background check comes back only to be walked out in their first few weeks because of a problem in their past. <S> Many times if they had just disclosed at the outset it would not have prevented them from being hired. <A> It really depends on the state and how the background check is performed (ie. national or country, etc). <S> In your case, I think if it is misdemeanor and a DUI you should be fine. <S> As long as you are not driving you should be fine.
| You won't always get hired when you tell potential employers about these issues, but in my experience, you'll have a much, much better chance when the news comes directly from you (with your explanation about how you have changed things), than if the news comes from a third party. Many times the conviction will not prevent your from being hired but your failure to disclose the arrest might be.
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Should sales staff get commissions for customers who seek / contact the company? I work as a software developer in the United States for a very successful (but small) SaaS company (less than 80 employees). It's privately held with no profit sharing or equity options available. Our development team is salaried, and most of us have been here since the startup phase. We have between 2,000 and 3,000 enterprise (high paying contract) customers, and are growing at a rate of about 5-10 new sales per day. In response to our growth, the leadership team has been hiring a lot of sales staff to handle this very large volume increase in customer interest. We literally did not have enough warm bodies to take calls. In our current landscape of an overflow of customers & interest... Should our sales staff receive a commission for customers who contact us ? Is it normal practice for a sales staff to be on commission (rather than salary) regardless of the company landscape? These questions obviously stem from a perceived inequality in pay (or at least profit sharing) by the developers, including myself, in that we feel an earned commission should involve more than taking an order over the phone. <Q> Should our sales staff receive a commission for customers who contact us? <S> Is it normal practice for a sales staff to be on commission (rather than salary) regardless of the company landscape? <S> Everywhere I have worked over the past 35+ years, from startups to huge companies, many of them SaaS or SaaS-like, all have had commissioned sales folks. <S> I have <S> seen Sales teams broken down into "Phone Sales" and "Outside Sales". <S> The phone sales folks had a significantly lower commission base than the outside sales folks (since it took far less work to land a phone sale). <S> Even there though, they did have a commission. <S> These questions obviously stem from a perceived inequality in pay <S> I understand how you feel. <S> I generally try not to worry what others are paid, particularly sales. <S> My feeling is - if they sell more, we all benefit. <S> If sales slow down and they get less commission, I still expect to be paid my regular salary. <A> I think you're wanting to have your cake and eat it too. <S> The developers have been paid a salary to build an application that until recently, didn't bring in much money. <S> If it failed, you still got paid. <S> Your company is going to need to get enough customers signed-up to start making a profit and pay for all those devs and servers. <S> You decided to take less risk and now that things are sucessful, you want to cash in on that too. <S> I don't know how difficult it is to close a sale when a customer calls, but if it is such a trivial order taking task, why not have customers just signup on line? <S> There are no guarantees for commissions. <S> Miss a day of work or just get up and go to the bathroom? <S> No sales. <S> Eventually, it is going to be very important for your company to retain customers. <S> This may be the phase where support and development bonuses are tied to keeping customers. <S> Unless there is some upselling involved for additional services or contract renewals, I don't think the sales team will be involved. <S> I agree you should be compensated when the company is successful, but you have to factor in the risk you took. <S> You could have worked for a startup that was going to pay you eventually based on your sweat-equity. <S> Decide how your compensation compares. <A> Developers get a salary. <S> Salespeople are on commission, they usually have to meet a quota and if the quota is high, it's a tough way to make a living. <S> Any paycheck they get is structured as an advance against their commissions. <S> On one hand, sales people should be more than order takers. <S> On the other hand, they HAVE to be more than order takers if they are to meet their quotes and even make a living. <S> Salespeople take greater risk because if they don't catch, they don't eat. <S> I don't envy salespeople. <S> Yes, they take orders but that's the only way to reach out to the customers and talk to them and get to know their needs. <S> And it's much easier and cheaper to expand a relationship with an existing client and to make money off that existing client than to develop a new client from a cold call.
| If they make a good living at it, then good for them.
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How do I indicate I'm not a foreign national on my resume? I'm a first-generation American, but my parents are from The Old Country and as such gave me a pretty traditional name for their culture. The problem is: in my field of choice, it's common for those of my cultural background to require visa sponsorship in order to work in the U.S. However, I am an American through and through (raised in the heartland, tidy American accent, US passport, etc.) and don't need H1-B sponsorship at all. A friend of mine, in reviewing my resume, pointed out that even though I'm a US citizen, my name might lead others to believe I do need that sponsorship. How (and where) on my resume should I indicate my American citizenship? Is this, as my friend pointed out, necessary or am I overthinking this? I'm curious what professional recruiters and hiring managers would think upon seeing a resume with a name like Hwang Lo or Lakshmi Chandiramani at the top without citizenship indicators on it -- would those candidates be screened out, especially at a smaller company? I'm worried that, despite the strength of my resume, I'm getting passed over because of what amounts to a miscommunication of my citizenship status. <Q> Over the years, I've done a lot of hiring of folks with similar names. <S> I never care about the name. <S> I usually care about the ability or lack of ability to work without sponsorship. <S> If I'm not able to offer a sponsorship for a particular position, I note that in the job description, and always ask about it during the phone screen. <S> I'm looking at a resume as I type this. <S> The very last line simply says "US Citizen". <S> That works fine for me. <A> Which field of choice would be yours ? <S> I'm getting passed over because of what amounts to a miscommunication of my citizenship status. <S> I think that is highly unlikely, at least in the software field. <S> Where most recruiters will confirm with you, your work status. <S> Along with the summary section in the resume, most people mention this as : Work Authorization : US Citizen/(with Security clearance XX where ever applicable) <S> Most jobs will advertise 'Must be eligible to work for any employer in the US'. <S> You should target those and your resume should be easily picked if you have the skills. <S> The ones which don't state the above, you can write a line in your cover letter saying how excited and interested you are in the opportunity as well as mention that you are a citizen and that you wont require sponsorship. <A> As you, they have foreign names. <S> People put this under personal data. <S> See this example . <S> Although it may be a bit weird in US, I have also seen people putting place of birth. <A> Put US Citizen under your name in the header. <S> If you do work for the US government you have to be a citizen to pass a background check. <S> Also note, that some recruiters will try to offer you less money if they think you are on a visa. <S> I have friends who have had this happen to them. <S> If you live in the DC area, its important that you do this, since most work is for the government and requires citizenship. <S> If your wondering, I know plenty of naturalized citizens who have passed background checks.
| What has been most useful to me has been to see somewhere on the resume that the candidate is a US citizen. I live in Germany, and I have seen several resumes where people wrote that they hold German citizenship (or are entitled to work in Germany).
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How best to communicate an "FYI" a meeting is taking place? Fairly often I create (or attend) a meeting I would like to communicate to others an FYI without needing them to attend. Generally, I forward it with text along the lines of, "FYI - no need to attend” included as text. This is somewhat unwieldy and has the unintended side effect of prepopulating them as “Tentative” on their calendar. It also includes them on any meeting correspondence/updates, which generally is not necessary. It also sends a "meeting was forwarded" notice in Outlook if I am not the meeting organizer. This may happen for a variety of reasons. An example would be if a next-step item for me was this meeting, letting the project manager know is helpful, even if they are not interested in the details of the meeting. Or letting your boss know about meetings you either were invited to (by other teams/etc). Is there a better process for how to do this? <Q> I usually just send an email or an IM not a meeting request. <S> I would include some explanation as to why I thought they should know about it. <S> For my boss it might be something like: <S> I've been asked to attend a meeting on XYZ on Jun 6 at 4. <S> Just wanted to give you a heads up in case you had anything you needed me to bring up in the meeting and to let you know I won't be available during that time in <S> case client A gets back to you about a time to discuss issue JKL. <S> Or You asked me to meet with John on issue ABC. <S> The meeting is currently scheduled for 10 on Thursday. <A> Have you thought about creating an entity in Exchange to act as a proxy for these FYI/Optional events? <S> Similar to how you'd create a conference room, create an account that can receive invites and host a calendar. <A> One way is the use of a team calendar. <S> All the meetings the team will be attending are entered on to the calendar. <S> This lets people know what events are on the schedule without a requirement that it appear on their calendar. <S> It isn't perfect because team members have to update the calendar, and people need to review the calendar. <S> It can also breakdown if the number of events overwhelms the system, so that you can't see everything when looking at the week or month view.
| Add the "Conference Room" as a resource in your meeting invitations, and your group can subscribe to the Conference Room calendar in Outlook alongside their own and see what meetings they should be aware of. I have seen teams use different colors to show the purpose/type of event.
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When is the best time to ask about my contract status/extension My contract is going to be up in about 1 month. Since this is my first contracting gig, I don't know how to go about this. Some of my friends have said to ask my boss next wk to give them time to do the paperwork, etc. to extend my contract here since I'm not finished with my project yet. On the flip side, since I'm not finished and therefore have nothing to show for my value to the company, I don't think I should ask or if I'm in any position to ask about a contact extension. I've been working pretty hard, even working OT (which I didn't charge to the company) to get this project done but it's still not done. I think part of the reason I'm not finished yet is I was asked to help with other tasks that weren't directly associated with my project. I sent a weekly status report to my manager outlining what I did for the week but I didn't break down to the hour or minute for each task. It might also be because they guessed the project would take 6 months for someone to complete when it should take 9 or 12 months, so their planning was off. They may have been calculating against someone who has worked at the company for 10 yrs, knows the product inside out, and is as smart as Thomas Edison, which would be an unreasonable estimate for a new person, even if the worker was Einstein. It might also be I'm a little slower b/c some of the tech I used I'm not at an expert level so that slowed me down a little. In any case, what is the right approach? Get some prototype working to show my progress before asking or listen to my friends and ask ASAP so there's no uncertainty? Or third, wait for them to come to me? Thanks in advance for your help. <Q> Story: read into it what you may.... <S> I was hired to do a six week project demonstrating 'Rapid Application Development', in this case using VB3, in 1994 at a local Air Force Base. <S> The government contractor had been instructed to hire someone with VB experience, and they asked me point blank 'Do you know Visual Basic?' <S> The literal answer was Yes, in that I had created a project in VB1 to print polynomial spline curves on T-Shirt stencils. <S> Of course, at that point, I had been making a living as a programmer since 1979, including rounds of experience with C, Microsoft Access, dBase, FoxPro, various reporting tools, and assemblers from IBM 360, Datapoint 2200, Z80, and 80186. <S> It took about three days for a large number of people to find useful things for me to do. <S> I fixed the project manager's Access programs and reports, fixed another Access project that was suffering a severe performance issue, taught another contractor how to normalize databases, and so forth and so on. <S> It became clear that I could do more than simply write VB3, I could figure out the business processes that the client organization needed, and as a result they decided convert the 'demo' into a 'production project'. <S> The 'six week project' lasted from 1994 to 1998, although I worked for another organization in 1997 doing rocket science (LabView). <S> You might be thinking that you are to finish a 'project' as per the contract <S> : your employers are more likely simply viewing you as a productive resource and value your ability to fill other roles as needed. <S> In short, whether you 'finished on time' or not should be the least of your worries, what you really want to know is whether they think you can do whatever you're asked. <S> If that answer is yes, they will probably renew without giving it second thought. <A> Communication is a good thing. <S> They should not be surprised by where you are on the project, which means you should be keeping them in the loop. <S> You should not be surprised if your contract is renewed or not, which means you should be talking to them. <S> Your goal is helping them to get this project done, so start talking to them <S> so both of you know where each other is! <S> And, if you are not going to be done and they are not going to renew, make sure that it is left in such a way that another person can pick it up and keep going and using your progress. <S> That too requires communication, both in what they consider most important, and what is necessary to know in a hand-off. <S> This also makes you look more professional (because you are), and are thus more likely to be retained. <A> I would say that you should have a little something to show them. <S> I would say that you also would want to ask when they aren't so stressed, like a Friday maybe, or during or right after lunch. <S> It all depends <S> but I don't think you should wait to long, but also don't do it without anything to show. <S> Also, the way you ask it is important, don't just be like "Hey so can you extend my contract?"Do something more like " <S> Hey what other projects do you guys have coming up? <S> " <S> Insert status update on your project, then say "I really enjoy working here <S> do you think you guys have some more work for me to do?" <S> EDIT: <S> Asking about it this way eases into what you are trying to get out of the conversation. <S> Just being blunt isn't always going to work. <S> This is a delicate situation and you want to handle it as such.
| If you ease into it then you can control the conversation as opposed to just asking out front and you might catch your boss off guard and ruin the one chance you have of getting a good answer.
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What should I ask as an applicant in a job interview? At the end of a job interview (at least for mid- or high-level positions), the interviewers usually give a chance for the applicant to ask any question s/he may have for the interviewers. Does what one asks have a significant effect about the committee judgement? If yes, what kind of questions are better to be asked? Are the interviewers waiting to see what is the main point of interest by the applicant to consider? <Q> Does what one asks have a significant effect about the committee judgement? <S> IMO, If you don't have any questions about the company you are interviewing for then they could take it to mean that you aren't that interested in the company. <S> what kind of questions are better to be asked? <S> You should ask questions that show you really want to know about the company. <S> This will show that you are intelligent enough to want to learn enough about a company before working there. <S> * <S> *EDIT <S> : If you can't come up with any questions because the interviewer has really answered all of them already, you could tell the interviewer they've succeeded in already answering your questions. <A> You 100% should ask questions. <S> What balog pal is saying is not a good idea. <S> The interviewers are not going to try and decide if you are just so smart that you know everything about their company. <S> You <S> NEED to ask questions. <S> It is your turn to interview them. <S> Some good questions would be: <S> What is the work environment like at work? <S> Why have you stayed here, what keeps you coming back to work here? <S> Maybe something wasn't clear in the job description so ask about it, What would I be doing in this area? <S> What is a normal day like at work? <S> DO RESEARCH ON THE COMPANY <S> You guys seemed really involved in _ _ _ _ _ <S> How can I get involved in that? <S> Are you involved in that? <S> Remember people love to talk about themselves, so ask about them, related to work and geared toward some things that would help you choose the job if you got it. <S> EDIT: <S> Also a good rule of thumb I go by is to have about 5-7 good questions thought up in my head and ask 3-4 of them. <S> You want to have a few more thought up because it is likely that they are going to answer them already. <S> You also want to stay engaged while asking questions. <S> When they give an answer to your question ask a question that branches off their answer. <S> Remember EYE CONTACT AND FIRM <S> HANDSHAKE <S> you want to start off on a good note and end on one as well. <A> That part of the interview is not there as another manipulation opportunity. <S> As an applicant you should ask question that you're genuinely interested in and need the information. <S> Especially whatever is relevant to make a decision on accepting an offer. <S> But "just curious" is also a fair game. <S> I suggest NOT asking anything just for show. <S> A good interviewer will not build any conclusion of that section, as candidates may be well prepared so not need to ask. <S> Or what is usual, just be mentally exhausted at that point. <S> Os just shy or anything.
| They will be more impressed if you have detailed and specific questions to ask about their company. If you ask a few good questions you will leave the interview just fine.
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Tendering a proposal in a corporate environment Our corporation has acquired a new company, and one of the positions that has come about as a result of this is that we have a high level executive position in charge of workplace environment and satisfaction, as a chief cultural officer. They have welcomed ideas and suggestions, and would like to propose a corporate wellness program. I am well versed in the area as it was my major in college, and I have been reading on the recent advances in the subject, as well as gathering published studies on the impact and dollar return on investment for similar programs. My question is, what sort of format would be preferred for this? Business writeup, scholarly approach, or just an outline of benefits with relevant studies cited? I would like this to be looked at and not just dismissed. <Q> Executive Summary <S> Rather than worrying about the format of the document, worry about the approach. <S> Here is one way to do that, feel free to adapt the steps to suit your personality, but remember the goal is to inspire passion for the idea. <S> Step 1 <S> : Send an E-Mail Catch their attention with a brief executive summary distilling the important points you want to make so that it can be scanned in 2-3 minutes max. <S> A simple 5-paragraph (Introduction, Point A, Point B, Point C, Conclusion) would be fine so long as you keep them brief. <S> The conclusion should be simple like: <S> This e-mail is just scratching the surface -- if you're interested in discussing this more, I'd love to sit down with you. <S> I am free at the following times: July 9th, 9:00-9:30 July 10th, 2:00-2:30 July 11th, 4:15-4:45 <S> Let me know when is good for you Step 2: <S> Passion > Proposals <S> When you get a meeting to discuss it, don't focus on "$3-$4 for every $1 investment!" <S> This person is in charge of "workplace environment and satisfaction" -- don't act as if he <S> / <S> she is the Chief Financial Officer. <S> Explain what wellness means to you. <S> What it means to your family (if you have one). <S> Why you love it. <S> Why you studied it. <S> Why you want the company to support it. <S> Passionately. <S> You want to convince the Chief Cultural Officer that regardless of cost, wellness programs are a great way to improve the workplace environment and satisfaction. <S> Step 3 <S> : Selling it to their bosses <S> If you do step 2 right, they will be passionate about your idea and want to sell it. <S> Your job is much easier -- you give them a wealth of information on the benefits (financially), how to confirm them (calling up health plans or whatever, how to get whatever numbers are needed from other sources), and then let them find the best way to present it to their bosses. <A> I would do a cost-benefit analysis. <S> You might add a page of links to the various published studies, but the bottom line is <S> business is what does it cost and what would I get for that money that would further the corporate goals. <S> You also need to look at the cost benefits from the viewpoint of a senior company manager, not from your level. <S> I know I worked for a company where having the wellness program reduded the health insurance costs the company had to pay. <S> This is more compelling a reason in business than our employees will be healthier (not that you shouldn't mention that as a benefit, just the cost savings in insurance shoudl be a higher priority on your cost benefit analysis). <A> Disclaimer: I tend to work at rather small, close-knit companies, and prefer that environment. <S> This answer is directed more for smaller companies. <S> While it may not be the best option, consider inviting the new officer to a lunch, propose it casually there, and offer to bring some extra research to their attention in a day or two at the office. <S> You get a chance to actually know the person, discuss with them casually, etc.
| The best way to get things implemented is to get the decision-makers passionate about it, and have them take ownership of it as if it's their own idea.
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Good question to ask a potential employer at a job interview? I'm not currently looking for a job, but this question just started rolling through my mind. When on a job interview, it is not only important to properly respond to questions, but also ask some. Would this be an appropriate question to ask: Tell me why I should I work for you? Granted, you may already be answering the question to Tell me why you want to work for us? but this is an inverse of that. How can I ask this in a way that is useful in learning about the company? <Q> Generally speaking question Tell me why I should work for you? <S> comes across with some (IMHO large) degree of arrogance on your part and to some if not all interviewers would be a turn off. <S> Normally if you're trying to gauge whether or not the company or this particular department is worth working for look at external reviews like Glassdoor or if you want to know about the company I'd ask: <S> Do you like working for this company? <S> And if so: Why? <S> This question sort of puts the ball in interviewer's court to do sort of a "sales" pitch to you about the company/department/team you're applying to and <S> their reaction also allows you to gauge their happiness in their job and to some extent the result of an interview (if the answer basically blows you off). <A> It a question that's on every interviewee's mind, but put like that it can seem like you're not really interested. <S> I've found in my years a version that works for me, plus a followup: 1. <S> (to the interviewer): What was it about this company that made you want to join? <S> Once the interviewer has answered (which is usually positive as you are asking the interviewer for their opinion) follow up with: 2. <S> What is it about this company that keeps you here? <S> You'll soon know if they think it is really a great place to work, or the red face will speak volumes... <A> If you asked me "Tell me why I should I work for you?" , it sort of sounds like "Actually I don't want to work for you" <S> You want questions that demonstrate clear interest on your part. <S> Maybe "i'm the type of person who really likes teamwork <S> and I like pair-programming <S> , how does your firm foster this?" <S> etc
| You want to avoid asking questions that put the interviewer "on the spot" or contain ambiguity in their implication.
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Conflict of Interest in the Hiring Process I work at Big 5 Sporting Goods. I want to work at Foot Locker. I went in for the interview at Foot Locker and told them that I work at Big 5 but am willing to quit if I was hired at Foot Locker. The manager I was interviewing with stopped me, said there was a conflict of interest because they are competitors and the interview was over. Was this legal to do? Is there a conflict of interest? <Q> Disclaimer: for legal advice go see a lawyer. <S> It depends. <S> You should check what exact paper work you have signed with your current employer. <S> It's possible that Big 5 has an extensive non-compete and that they have already been in a fight with Foot Locker (or another competitor) on that. <S> In which case the hiring manger will treat you like a dead rat: no potential employee is worth a prolonged and painful legal battle. <S> If nothing if this sort is going on, it's a bid odd. <S> General Motors hires people from Chrysler all the time (and vice versa). <A> Now, you don't say what position you occupy and would occupy. <S> The higher-up folk in each company might have non-compete agreements (which the competition might be aware of). <S> The only other way I can see this making sense is if you are in a high up marketing or other position where you'd have deep knowledge of Big 5's operations. <S> In such a case, Foot Locker may not want the appearance of impropriety by hiring you - <S> the fact that you know you need to leave the trade secrets and such at the Big 5 door doesn't mean someone isn't going to think you didn't. <S> Beyond that it's perfectly normal to hire your competitor's employees in every business. <S> It's certainly not a conflict of interest (how the heck else are you going to get experienced people?), and in fact agreements to not do so are generally fraught with legal peril. <S> Apple and friends found that out the hard way . <A> I think the problem is in the way you couched your answer. <S> "Willing to quit" is different than "Intending to quit." <S> While it is legitimately possible to work for both of those companies at the same time as a line-level clerk, it is not possible to do so in any sort of leadership position. <S> Even as a line-level employee, you are aware of corporate communications and promotions before the public is, and there is legitimate concern. <S> If you keep the information to yourself, you are being true to company A. <S> If you share the information, you are being true to company B. <S> It isn't possible to be true to both. <S> I worked in a production company that produced commercials for concerts. <S> We had tour information weeks before the press. <S> I had a colleague who worked with me duplicating the productions <S> (This was before everything was done over the Internet). <S> He got a part-time job at a radio station. <S> They paid him a bonus for getting the tour dates for that market before they were publicly available. <S> That cut the concert promoter out of some arrangements with local businesses and other media. <S> The person had to be fired. <S> There wasn't a way for him to be loyal to both companies. <S> You should have made it clear in the beginning that you were looking to CHANGE <S> jobs, not to <S> ADD <S> a side job. <S> What you (probably) intended was the right thing to do, but it's not what you communicated to the hiring manager. <S> Chalk this up under " <S> Lessons Learned." <S> Communication without regard to perception is dangerous. <S> Best of luck to you in your job search.
| Hiring from the same business segment is perfectly normal since that's where the actual skill set is.
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Is it appropriate to negotiate for an internship position? I tried to find a clearcut answer to this question, but after searching for a while on the site I decided to post it. I've read through many informative answers on general salary negotiations and have gotten the general feeling that you should always negotiate because 9 times out of 10 it can't hurt. However, is this still the case when it comes to interns, who have much less leverage? I realize that the value in internships is mostly due to the work experience and the potential for future job offers, but I was just wondering whether salary negotiation is appropriate. <Q> I was just wondering whether salary negotiation is appropriate. <S> The answer to this is yes. <S> But the "why" is more complicated. <S> For many companies, internships are part of their full-time interview process. <S> An intern is a relatively cheap, "should we hire this person?" <S> question they can answer considerably better with an internship than hiring a full-time person just on interview alone. <S> Hiring full-time employees is really expensive for companies. <S> This article sheds some insight. <S> So what? <S> An extra few hundred dollars a month is a very small cost to the company. <S> Even $1,000 a month more is only $3,000 for a summer, which is still a relatively small cost for most internships. <S> Some companies will say no, some will say yes. <S> If you say something like, "I was hoping for something in the range of $3000-3500 a month, is there any way we could work something out? <S> " you are unlikely to get shot down, without passing go, having your offer rescinded, or having it be game over. <S> Note that success may vary considerably by company and job function. <S> I work for a 50k+ company and know of interns who negotiated pay increases, but in technical positions. <S> If you are a political science intern, you might be lucky to get any salary. <S> Engineers/software interns are much more desirable. <S> Leverage Don't undersell yourself here. <S> If you are a competent person, especially in technical areas, you have a lot more leverage than you might think. <S> This increases significantly if you can prove it (previous work experiences, good interviewing skills, good project work, good GPA, etc). <S> Most highly talented people are on the job market a short while. <S> After they are employed, it's normally their terms they seek employment. <S> So a company looking to hire them wants to get them into their system as early as possible. <S> Internships are really good for this. <S> So my point on leverage is, <S> if you are a desired candidate, you have a lot more leverage than you give yourself credit for. <A> This is an area where I suggest you act with care. <S> An internship is not a normal job. <S> It's a resume builder for the intern. <S> In at least some cases, the organization is doing this to create goodwill with its community and prospective entry level hires. <S> It may also be auditioning possible future employees. <S> Sometimes the return on investment for the organization is less than the cost of bringing in the intern. <S> Thus, seeming greedy may annoy your prospective employer and cause them to withdraw the internship or label you as a problem. <S> While I realize you may have bills to pay, most internships I've seen have a fixed salary and there's no budget for an increase. <S> In fact, many internships are unpaid. <S> In the organization in which I work interns are expected to either be local, or find roommates if they have to move to the area temporarily. <S> Thus, I'd suggest you avoid an attempt to negotiate here. <S> If you feel you really need more money to cover expenses, you may want to ask if there's any way for the organization to pay more. <S> However, realize you don't have a lot of leverage <S> (if you refuse to work for the organization, they probably won't have much difficulty finding someone to take your place) and be very polite in your actions and accepting of whatever response you receive. <A> I think the safer bet would be to treat an internship like an extended interview. <S> Prove to the employer how good you are, make them want you, and then once they offer you a permanent position, begin negotiations. <S> An internship is an opportunity to learn, make a good impression, create contacts and show off what you've got.
| The main compensation you gain from an internship is a "real-world" working experience and new skills from what you do in the internship.
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What criteria should I use to judge job-posting sites? The amount of sites (both free and paid) offering to post job openings keeps growing. Free or paid is not a good criteria to judge quality by, as many paid sites just take jobs from other (free or paid) websites and aggregate them just to get better traffic from search engines. When looking for a place to post a job opening, what criteria are most important in finding the best candidates? Are sites (like Stackoverflow Careers for programmers) directed toward the audience you want to fill the job more effective than aggregation sites (like Monster.com)? Is it better to advertise to a wider audience, or to focus on a single site to post all job openings? Does it depend on the type of position? What criteria should an employer use to judge the effectiveness of these postings? Although, it can be a general question, but my focus is on teaching and education jobs! <Q> Are you tracking how your current applicants hear about the job openings to which they're applying? <S> That information will tell you where people interested in your open positions have been going to find you, and it's a good place to start. <S> Applicant Tracking Systems often record how the applicant found the opening and affix it to the candidate's profile as something like "Original Source". <S> If you have an urgent need and can't wait to build that data set, you might talk to a friendly recruiter from another company to see where they get the best results. <A> First, start off by searching the different sites for the kind of job you are advertising, using the keywords you think are important. <S> You will get a good idea from doing this as to which sites are best for your kind of job. <S> The other thing you'll get is plenty of examples of how to write job ads, and an indication as to what the state of the market is like. <S> After that, suck it and see. <S> Post some ads on the job sites that you liked the most, and see what you get back from each site. <S> What I've found is that if you get in touch with the job sites, they may have an introductory offer, and, more importantly, they may be able to give you some help and advice as to how to get the best results from their site. <S> When I first advertised with a major site, I got some useful tips as to what to put in the title, etc, to get the most hits on my ad. <S> It's very difficult to answer your question in more detail. <S> Hiring, just like job searching, is quite interactive, and very dependent both on your own individual requirements, and on the state of the market. <S> You put your foot in the market, see what happens, invest some more time and effort, and try to make judgements about your successes and failures as you take it forward. <A> When looking for a place to post a job opening, what criteria are most important in finding the best candidates? <S> The quality of the people using the site which I admit is likely hard to measure. <S> The key is to find a few quality people to interview and not get a deluge of resumes. <S> Are sites (like Stackoverflow Careers for programmers) directed toward the audience you want to fill the job more effective than aggregation sites (like Monster.com)? <S> For very specialized jobs, I'd say yes though this is worth understanding that the specialization here means that you are looking at what a rather small percentage of people would have. <S> A .Net <S> Developer may be sufficiently common, however someone that can build graphics, build games in XNA, develop in .Net and handle all the security of things would be a bit more specialized. <S> Is it better to advertise to a wider audience, or to focus on a single site to post all job openings? <S> Depending on what is working each has its merits. <S> Does it depend on the type of position? <S> Yes. <S> What criteria should an employer use to judge the effectiveness of these postings? <S> Perhaps no one is found and hundreds of hours are spent which would lead to thinking it isn't that effective. <S> On the other hand, if only a handful of hours can produce a few good candidates then it may be much more effective though I would likely consider having a few levels of what is effective here. <S> Getting a hire is one level but having that hire get past a probation period and contribute greatly are a couple of other stories to consider here.
| Look at how much time is spent on various sites and see what kind of ROI there is.
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Better position of two monitors in the labs Here in my lab, all my co-workers have dual monitors in their workstations.They want to know the best position of the monitors, because some guys don't feel comfortable with both monitor aligned at horizontal and height in line to their heads. I asked the medic but he said just to make a distance from a brace and set the height to head height. How can we determine the best position for dual screens that works for everyone? <Q> Allow (encourage, require) <S> each person to set things up the best way that works for them . <S> Attempting to force everyone into a single arrangement, or attempting to arrange things for a person without their direct input, will make everyone unhappy. <S> That your co-workers are asking someone else to set up their desk is a worry. <S> What is preventing them from adjusting their own setup? <S> Do they ask others to adjust their chairs for them as well? <S> For some people, finding the right positioning may mean giving up the second display altogether. <S> I used to have a second display, but due to the arrangement of my desk, it was just not usable long-term. <S> I ended up with terrible neck & shoulder pain and could never get things into an arrangement that was workable for me. <A> There is no one-size-fits-all solution. <S> Many people use two monitors in landscape (default) orientation, and a common complaint is that mouse gestures (to cross from one edge to the other) are too big. <S> The relevance of that depends on how much you use the mouse, of course. <S> I use one portrait and one landscape, thus: <S> (They're not really tilted; it's just a bad photo.) <S> The portrait one is mainly for things that want to be vertical -- documents, code, browser (for my usage patterns), etc. <S> The landscape one is for things that need the horizontal space -- spreadsheets with many columns, Outlook, some web pages, and so on. <S> As you can see in the screenshot, some things (like shells) work fine in either place. <S> You will also see from the photo that the monitors are not top-aligned. <S> Through trial and error I identified what for me is optimal; looking straight ahead hits the top portion of the landscape monitor, and the "extra" for the portrait one is workable. <S> Meanwhile, nothing is too low to be usable, though the bottom part of the portrait monitor tends to be relegated to stuff where clear vision isn't as important. <S> (You'll see in this photo that my monitors are closer to the edge of the desk than most people's. <S> This is due to a vision issue; you will probably be more comfortable if you push them back as far as you can and still see clearly.) <A> Normally One monitor directly in front of you <S> , screen should be based on where the middle of your eyes would naturally fall when in your working position (presumably seated). <S> Other monitor to the side. <S> You shouldn't be using the secondary monitor that much, most ~ 80% <S> ~ of your work should have you in a neutral alignment facing the first monitor. <S> If you find your self looking at the secondary monitor for a while ( > 10 min )just drag whatever is on that screen to the primary monitor. <S> Edge case <S> If your work entails you always using both, then side-by side with neither directly in front of you is fine. <S> This lets your head go from side to side naturally. <S> General Idea Avoid prolonged use with the head facing one direction or another - it is bad for you!
| The best positioning is what works best for each individual. Ideally you want to be looking straight at your monitor (and especially for LCD monitors where viewing angle subtly affects color), but with two large monitors, there's just too much -- you can't look straight at everything.
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Interview: What to say about my possible start date I want/need a little plastic surgery before I start a job, from which I need at least 2 weeks to recover. That means 13 August. if I don't do it now, I will never have such an opportunity to fit it in.2 weeks ago the recruiter said that they want someone to start the end of this month (July). I have an in-person interview this week. Do I let them know up front that I cannot start until 13 Aug, or do I wait until I get an offer and let them know that I have something scheduled out of town and not give them specifics? <Q> For the employer, a delay of 2 weeks ought not to be a big deal, and most companies would wait longer than that to get the right person. <S> If they don't ask, you could just raise it by saying "I've heard you wanted someone to start as soon as possible, but I'm only available on Aug 13, is this ok? <S> " It does need to be discussed however, as the employer has established the expectation already that you could start earlier. <S> Raising this sort of thing by email ahead of an interview is awkward and risks cancelling or delaying the interview, and gives other candidates a look in. <S> It makes sense to do a good job selling yourself in the interview to get them "hooked", and then give them a little bit of bad news. <S> However as you are going through a recruiter, you already have someone whose job is to grease the wheels, and I would suggest raising it with the recruiter now, and discussing whether your recruiter should bring it up before the interview, or whether you should raise it at interview. <A> This is probably a moot question, as you will almost certainly be asked during the interview when you could start. <S> But if not then you should volunteer the information. <S> Do NOT wait until the offer has been made. <S> If they expect you to start immediately, they are not going to be happy to find out at the last minute that you are unavailable. <S> If the start date is their number one priority, then they will immediately go on to their second choice regardless of when they find out that you can't start when needed. <S> If it is not their number one priority then being surprised with your unavailability is going to be at least as big a mark against you as your unavailability <S> - how can they trust you to meet your deadlines if their first experience is you failing to do so? <S> As for how to convey this, just say that you can start work after X date. <A> Wait until they get serious. <S> Go to the interview and leave it open. <S> If you're asked point blank at the company, don't lie, but keep the summary short - you would like to take X weeks between jobs to cover a personal/medical objective. <S> No details. <S> Make sure you cover the time adequately - for example, if you don't plan to schedule the medical treatment until you know you'll be quitting a current position, it's not that your start date is "August 13th", it's that you will start X weeks after you have a formal offer where X = notice given to current position + reasonable time you can schedule the appointment + reasonable recovery period. <S> That way, they understand that delays in formal offers will invoke delays in start time. <S> The thing to avoid here is a lot of details about the treatment. <S> You might say "health related" or "medical" just to give a sense that you are at the mercy of the medical system here. <S> But where you're new to the position, going into much detail about your medical concerns or history is not a win.
| So if you were applying direct I would bring it up at interview. The two weeks should not be a big deal - unless for some reason this is a very short term/tight deadline engagement.
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Is insomnia a valid reason to file for a sick leave? Say you had insomnia the other night and were able to fall asleep at 4, maybe 6, in the morning and there is almost no way you could go to work with that and perform. Would it be a valid reason to file for sick leave stating the above mentioned reason? Because I guess insomnia is a medical condition too. The kinds of leaves I know off are casual, sick and annual. Now say, like alroc pointed out, you don't have to state that reason of your sickness and the company doesn't require it, and you had a rarely occurring sleepless night caused by insomnia. Would it be right to categorize the leave you took because of that, under "sick"ness? <Q> Depends on the industrial laws in your jurisdiction, but I'd say being unfit for work classifies as sick leave. <S> I should also point out that being fatigued, which you certainly would be if severely sleep deprived, can be quite dangerous. <S> The risk of having an accident while driving, operating machinery or even crossing the street, is significantly higher than normal. <S> Depending on your job, this may pose a risk to your colleagues. <S> For example, fatigue is a serious problem in the mining industry, which is why large mining companies often have regulations regarding fatigue <S> (e.g. one company I worked at previously has a no-fault policy if you call in sick due to fatigue, you just don't get paid for that day). <S> Even if you drive a desk, chances are the work you produce while fatigued <S> will be of a lower quality, or even counter-productive (you'll just have to fix all your mistakes the next day). <A> Unless your contract states that it is not a valid reason <S> and you think that it will cause you to be inefficient and physically & mentally unable to perform your duties, then it should be acceptable. <S> Insomnia affects people differently. <S> It's good to keep in mind if you do call in, because if the boss is someone who never had that bad symptoms from insomnia, s/ <S> he might not relate to you even if you feel poorly. <A> For doctors appointments I would specify doctors appointment. <S> For anything else: insomnia (the original question), flu like symptoms, migraine... <S> I would just label it not feeling well. <S> If the situation lasts more than a single day, or occurs more often than you are comfortable with, then see a doctor; and claim those hours for the appointment as a doctors appointment. <S> A longtime ago the company I worked for used the number of sick occurrences during the year into account when evaluating low level employees. <S> The definition of sick occurrence required strict accounting of the reason for each absence: <S> Not feeling well, so leaving early or arriving a few hours late: one occurrence <S> Missing 4 hours for pre-surgical appointment, <S> then 3 days for surgery and recovery, and two 3 hour post-op appointment 2 and <S> 4 weeks later: one occurrence. <S> going to physical therapy 2 times a week for 3 months: one occurrence. <S> If you missed 3 days in a row, you needed a note from a doctor. <S> They were looking to make sure some employees weren't treating the 10 days of sick a year as extra vacation, or that they were using it to leave early on some Fridays, or were masking frequent hangovers as being sick. <S> Now that most companies have combined short term illness and vacation into one pool, the paperwork requirements have virtually disappeared. <S> My current company time card system only asks for you to apply your daily allotment of your 40 hours a week to charge numbers, holiday, and annual leave. <S> If an employee were going to miss multiple days in a row they have a short term disability program and a long term disability program. <S> These extra programs do require additional paperwork and forms from the doctors office.
| Your employer may require and be entitled to receive a medical certificate from your GP, so you may pro-actively like to go talk to your GP about it if insomnia is something you experience regularly.
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Asking CEO if my company would donate to a fund I am in the process of trying to raise funds for the Jimmy Fund as part of an event that I am participating in (with another subsidiary of the parent company). I have been considering asking the CEO if the company can make a contribution to this cause; however, I don't want to put my career at risk if this is inappropriate. The company often gives money to charities and good causes; otherwise, I wouldn't be considering asking. My questions are: Would this be considered a donation solicitation, as far as HR isconcerned, since I am asking the company and not individuals? Would this be an inappropriate thing to ask if I have no personalrelationship with the CEO? Should I ask my supervisor instead even though I know he will have no authority in the matter? <Q> If it was me I would ask HR or my supervisor what the correct procedure is for this and if they allow you to fund-raise whilst at work. <S> To expand a little on this, each company will normally have some sort of policy on charities or fund-raising at work - doing the wrong thing could result in disciplinary action or similar because you haven't followed the company procedure, so it's always best to ask first and get it right first time. <A> Some companies have a program of matching funds contributed to charities. <S> They might have a maximum amount they will match for each employee. <S> Some will also send funds to a charity based on volunteer hours contributed by the employee. <S> If HR has a produce for donations to charities they should have a reference to it on the HR website or the employee manual. <S> The company may also have a community outreach department, since they frequently use some of these donations/sponsorships to show that they are a contributing member of their communities. <S> If the company is spread over many parts of the country they may even have a fund to be used by local offices, as a part of advertising. <S> Unless the company is very small, it would not be wise to start with the CEO. <A> If your company has made other donations, then there is some process involved in making the decision and vetting the charities (making sure the donation is or is not tax deductible). <S> Simply ask your fiscal department about this process and who you should talk to about a charity. <A> Instead, ask that they make some sort of announcement to the company about your charity, through an email blast or the like. <S> This is not only a much easier/less risky request <S> (it's asking them to throw their weight around, rather than shell out) but also likely to result in them donating something, AND putting the cause out there for everyone to see. <S> Still run it by HR first, or bring it up with our boss/mid-level management, or even the CEO's secretary before marching right into their office. <A> Does your company have a marketing department? <S> Companies are capitalistic. <S> The reason why companies donate money to causes is not because they are good-hearted, it's because they want to improve their public image. <S> Supporting charities is thus part of the marketing strategy. <S> So you should send your proposal to the marketing department, and focus your proposal on how the donation can be used for maximum public effect.
| The company will generally want to approve the charity before donating or matching funds to make sure that the charity is real and the employee is not getting a benefit. I'm not sure if this is enough for a full answer, but I think that if you end up asking the CEO, don't ask him to donate.
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What does a very small raise that is equal to the inflation rate mean? I started working for this company 8 months ago. There was a annual review and I got an "above standards" mark in my review. They give my a 1.7% raise which is almost equal to the inflation in the U.S. This basically means my income has not changed. Does this type of raise mean that my company is not willing to pay more for the position I'm working for? To be more specific I'm a computer programmer in Northern California with 140K salary. I am extremely "replaceable" because work that I'm doing can be done with a new employee without too much of learning curve. <Q> 'Above standards' is HR gobbledegook. <S> In Lake Woebegone every child is 'above average'. <S> There are two signals here, the first one is the 140K salary. <S> If they gave you a review after 8 months and have decided to keep you at 140K, count your blessings. <S> Average wages for programmers are more in the 90K area. <S> In that respect at least, you are absolutely 'above standards'. <S> The second signal is the 1.7% raise. <S> I'm used to seeing 3% raises after one year, so this is a shorter interval and a smaller nudge. <S> I wouldn't take this too personally. <S> ' <S> I am extremely "replaceable" <S> because work that I'm doing can be done with a new employee without too much of learning curve.' <S> Not even. <S> Best guess is that there are about 500 million programmable devices in the US, including Desktops, Laptops, Servers, and Smart Phones. <S> There are somewhere between 1.2 million and 2.0 million <S> programmers/developers/database designers. <S> You would be very hard to replace. <A> Maybe I'm dating myself here, but I have always been of the mindset that raises are based on responsibilities, and not necessarily on individual performance. <S> My experience with raises has always been that they come either at the end of a probationary hiring period (typically 6 months), or at the same time as a promotion with increased responsibilities. <S> Having your pay adjusted to be commensurate with inflation seems to be just that - an adjustment. <S> I believe your HR department is making a small mistake in making the adjustment coincident with your review, and that's why you are feeling that your review was "negative. <S> " <S> You've been there 8 months, and got a positive review. <S> That's great. <S> Your company is adjusting your pay to compensate for currency devaluation <S> (what most people think inflation is). <S> That's great. <S> I don't think the two should be tied together, and what you're feeling now is the reason why. <S> Were I you <S> , I would spend another 8 to 12 months becoming the best employee in your group, and then approach your manager about a lead developer role, if your structure has such a thing. <S> That would be when to expect a significant increase. <S> My opinions and experiences. <S> Your mileage may vary. <A> The 1.7% raise in less than a year isn't bad. <S> It also may be very good. <S> I have experienced the performance review chain for a number of companies that result in raises 4 months after the end of the review period. <S> So the 1.7% raise 8 months later might actually be 1.7% after 4 months of work. <S> Some companies will not even give an increase to any employee with less than 6 months of time with the company at the end of the review period. <S> If they do give one to a new employee they may be forced to keep them at the average or neutral level to be fair to the longer term employees. <S> Raises have been reduced at many company due to the economy the last few years. <S> Some companies have even skip raises based on real or perceived financial pressures. <S> Some have even realized that small raises will not alienate employees because of the tight job market. <S> Many companies at the end of the process let everybody know what the average increase was this year. <S> Others will keep the who process secret. <S> Both schools of thought have pluses and minuses. <S> I wouldn't be concerned, and would probably be pleased.
| It is also possible that the finances of the company meant that the average raise was essentially equal to inflation.
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How do I deal with too many cooks spoiling the broth? I work for a corporation that owns multiple companies. At the highest level is the owner of the corporation, under him are two CEOs, under them is a general manager, managers for each department (HR, IT etc) and then finally the managers of each of the companies. I am the sole web designer and developer for the corporation and all of the companies. All of these higher ups have different ideas for what should be done and none of them are willing to budge (to the point where I can't even arrange meetings because two of them insist we have them at their specific locations and neither of them is willing to travel or do it online) When I work with 1 person at a time, things go smoothly. Unfortunately, the projects need to be signed off by all of the previously mentioned higher ups before the projects go live. War breaks out every time this happens as each person tries to get their plans ideas and agendas pushed forward while stopping the others (It really feels like a not so fun game of Netrunner...) This caused 4 months worth of work to be pushed live today only to be taken down an hour later (the majority of the time was spent with the higher ups arguing over what should be done, then they all quietened down and I got to work with what I was told was going ahead only to have them argue it out again when we were ready to go live) How am I supposed to handle this in a way that does not involve leaving my job? <Q> There are a couple options. <S> 1.) <S> Leave <S> I don't see a bright future for this company. <S> No company can continue to be successful with this type of leadership. <S> If the CEOs are the problem and the owner will not step in then <S> it's like the company is on a plane and the engines failed... <S> you are just going to glide <S> but eventually you are going to nose dive and crash. <S> 2.) <S> You step up. <S> Give them some options. <S> Say "this is what we can do and since we can't come to a decision <S> I think we should vote on it and go with the majority. <S> " <S> The fact that some of them won't do the meeting online is just absurd. <S> But to fix this maybe have the owner of CEO choose the place to meet. <S> Or if they can't get the kahunas to do it then you choose <S> and it looks like you can please all but two people. <S> If you just say "this is where we are having it because it works the best and we will be making a decision at this meeting <S> " I'm sure they can find time to show up, either in person or online, because they will probably want to be apart of the decision. <S> Somehow you need to find a neutral ground/location/environment for these people. <S> If you have a good owner and CEOs then eventually these "bad cooks" should be put in their place but if you have a bunch of people who can't put their egos aside for the betterment of the company I don't see this ever getting better <S> and I would consider a new place of employment. <A> The "Please everyone agree" pushes the disagreement up front instead of having it linger to the last moment, and the email trail will most likely clearly show that you need a direct superior and only one. <A> There is not doubt this is a bad situation with lots of politics and territorial urinations going on, but how does it reflect directly on you? <S> Are you being held responsible for failed projects and having your bonus and/or promotions denied? <S> Does this cause you to put in extra-hours? <S> Again, I get it is frustrating. <S> We all want to be efficient and have meaningful work, but these types of huge battles at the top are probably out of your reach. <S> Single Sign-Off <S> Does there really have to be a sign-off on everything by all three? <S> That's the real problem. <S> Are some companies more responsible for their part of the website? <S> Why not just get sign-off from one of them <S> (Hopefully the one who is most cooperative and available.)? <S> Focus on satisfying your direct supervisor or which one can fire you. <S> Stop trying to hold a meeting. <S> People go crazy in congregations anyway. <S> Just let them know where the site/documents are where they can review and they have until date 'X' to indicate their disapproval. <S> Otherwise, you'll assume their silence is a form of acceptance.
| Consider just asking everybody else who may decide what you should do, when a change request comes in, and await consensus. The owner or the CEOs need to step in and put their foot down.
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