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Is refusing job offer after getting it unprofessional? I am currently student and have never applied for a job before. I won't graduation until March-April. Now, I want to see what my skills are worth, like: How much salary I can earn if I start working now? How an interview process actually goes? How much chance there is of me being hired by a good company? But, I don't want to start working at this stage. I want to study higher. So, will this be considered unprofessional: If I refused job offer after getting it? If yes how much impact it will have on future career? Also, in the end, what reason should I give for declining of job offer? <Q> It's not unprofessional to decline a job offer. <S> It is unprofessional, though, to look for a job that you have no intention of taking regardless of the offer. <S> Now, realistically, it's unlikely that anyone would know whether you're interviewing just for practice and that you'll go on to graduate school regardless of the offer or whether you're honestly considering your options. <S> You're wasting the time of everyone you meet with and forcing them to do a lot of work that they wouldn't do if you were forthright with them. <S> But as long as you don't admit to your motives, it's unlikely that it would negatively affect you. <S> If you turn down a position at a particular company, that may affect your ability to get a job at that company in the future. <S> Policies depend, of course, on the company along with the job that you're applying for now vs. the job you turned down and how much time has passed. <S> Applying for a different position years later will be less of a concern than if you apply again in a few months for the same position because you're finding graduate school less interesting than you expected. <A> You probably won't get an interview for positions that require a degree so how can you campare this to the jobs opportunities available after you get one? <S> How are you going to respond to these interview questions: <S> When can you start? <S> If you're still a full-time student, when will you have time for a full-time job? <S> You're going to have to tell some lies or at least half-truths to these questions. <S> Indicating you're this close to graduation, but decided to quit isn't going to get you very far IMHO. <S> Things always come up. <S> You can tell them you have another offer or <S> the dog ate your homework. <S> Consider an internship and don't waste grown-up's time. <A> If this is just an experiment to collect data, then you are wasting peoples time because you have no plan to accept the job. <S> But run this past your placement office at the university if you need help deciding to work now or go to graduate school full time. <S> They can tell you what companies may be offering for people with your degree. <S> They can also discuss typical benefits levels from the companies they work with. <S> These benefits could also include help for graduate school tuition. <S> They may be able to set up an appointment with a company that can answer some of your questions regarding pay and benefits for a typical position you might be qualified for. <S> Again only go through this process if you will be using the information to make a career path decision. <S> If you go through the charade and are offered the job you will have to either tell the truth, and risk getting blacklisted by that company. <S> Or lie and get away with it. <S> I suggest only going though the process if you really considering the offer. <A> How much salary I can earn if I start working now? <S> Probably not as much as you think, if you are coming out of school/university most companies will need to train you to do the job they need. <S> How an interview process actually goes? <S> Your school or university possibly has some extra curricular activities which focus on this. <S> There are also organizations which can help you with this, as you don't state your country I can't point you in any directions. <S> How much chance there is of me being hired by a good company? <S> About 0% chance, unless they are well staffed and a manager looks kindly on you most good companies have people beating down their door. <S> Will this be considered unprofessional: <S> If I refused job offer after getting it? <S> No, whatever somebody might say it's not unprofessional to refuse a job offer. <S> It however is unkind to waste somebody's time, just as you would find it annoying if somebody wasted your time. <S> If yes how much impact it will have on future career? <S> Almost certainly none. <S> EDIT: <S> After a discussion in the comments I realized that the best practice would really be to do interviews for a part-time job next to your future studies. <S> You get the answers to the things I left our, such as organizations who can help you learn interviewing skills, with some simple searches with your favourite search engine.
| It's unlikely to disqualify you but a company may be hesitant to hire you now if you thought it was a poor fit in the past-- that might lead the company to believe that you're only settling for them now and that you'll be moving on to a different position shortly.
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How can a candidate sell two degrees in different fields? I have a friend that is planning his career path. He had trouble finding work with a bachelors in civil engineering, and is now considering getting a masters degree in computer science (versus a masters degree in civil engineering). When competing against candidates with higher degrees in the same field as their undergraduate, how can a candidate with two somewhat unrelated degrees sell their education as a strength to employers? <Q> I wanted to know on a general level <S> , would the unrelated degree hurt the candidate's ability to be chosen for a software engineer position unrelated to civil engineering? <S> It would not hurt a candidate anywhere I have ever worked. <S> For software engineers that I have hired, a CS degree at any level would be sufficient. <S> Holding an additional unrelated degree would in no way detract from that. <S> Clearly there are many other job requirements and usually relevant experience is high on the list. <S> But a Bachelors Degree in Civil Engineering would not be a negative for me as a hiring manager. <S> how can a candidate with two somewhat unrelated degrees sell their education as a strength to employers? <S> Having a varied background (as indicated by degrees in two distinct fields) can be an advantage. <S> First, just the simple diversity can indicate that you are capable of embracing and learning many things. <S> These days, the ability to be a lifelong learner is more important than ever. <S> You have evidence that you can be that. <S> Second, you can have a huge advantage with your non-CS background if you target software positions in companies whose domain involves your other field of study. <S> Companies in the civil engineering domain would consider you particularly interesting for their software positions - you already know the "lingo" and understand their user's needs. <A> In my experience, it's not about selling the undergraduate degree if you have a graduate degree, but being able to explain why you switched from one type of degree to another. <S> Many people have graduate degrees that are different from their undergraduate degrees. <S> This is a pretty easy conversation to manage: you can discuss gaining an appreciation for programming or another aspect of CS during your undergraduate degree, or a job where you had to learn CS concepts and that got you interested in an advanced degree, or a hundred other things. <S> Make sure that the conversation is positive about what got you interested in CS <S> , rather what is negative about the difficulty of finding jobs in civil engineering. <S> A civil engineering degree could be helpful in certain CS jobs. <S> For example, I would guess that a company that makes CAD software would find a candidate with both a CS and a civil engineering background to be of interest. <S> In short, it is unlikely to hurt you for most positions, and it could turn out to be a benefit in others. <S> Keep the conversation about both the undergraduate and graduate degrees positive, and be able to talk about how you're a great candidate for the role. <S> (I realize that this is for your friend and not you, but it's faster to type "you" than "your friend" all the time. :) <A> An employer in the civil engineering field looking to hire a developer would probably look favorably on someone with domain specific knowledge. <S> If your friend can find a position with a company that makes civil engineering software, she'll have an advantage. <S> If she applies to a company that makes computerized toasters, then there may not be any benefit. <A> I got a Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, followed by a Master's in Computer Science. <S> Actually I don't consider them unrelated, as I have found lots of jobs (I'm a consultant/contract programmer) working on embedded systems -- either doing both the hardware and the firmware design, or just one or the other with a good knowledge of the entire system. <S> My combination of a BSEE and MSCS degree has directly gotten my contracts -- my clients have told me so. <S> Likewise, I don't see that a BS in Civil Engineering and an MS in Computer Science are unrelated, due to the heavy use of computers in the civil engineering field today. <S> I would definitely go with the mixed degrees. <S> As far as "selling" the mixed degrees vs the BS/MS in one field, generally pursing an advanced degree in the same field would lead one to some degree of specialization, and unless the employer just happens to be looking for that specialization, the extra education is not of much benefit. <S> Where with the mixed degrees, I was able to do a thesis on a topic that involved both hardware and software and demonstrated knowledge of both fields. <S> So I believe your friend would be wise to consider a MS thesis along similar lines, which would combine his newly acquired computer science knowledge with his undergraduate training.
| You can use your undergraduate degree to differentiate yourself from other candidates for some positions; this will be about tailoring your cover letter to the position in which you're interested, as well as being able to discuss in depth during the interview how your degree makes you a great candidate for the position.
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How to handle hostility in interviews? I had attended a Skype interview recently with a pretty known firm in a foreign country. Part of the interview involved a fairly easy task but the interviewer pronounced words that I did not understand. While trying to clarify, there were misunderstandings which caused friction that hadn't been there at the start. The interviewer seemed to become hostile and made sarcastic remarks about people from my country. Eventually, I was able to understand what he wanted and the interview progressed. But by this time the mood had soured, the interview went downhill and in the end the firm decided not to progress to the next round. What can I do to salvage an interview if it has turned based on a misunderstanding? And how can one be better prepared to handle interviews turning hostile? <Q> I think this is one of those things where you are just out of luck. <S> He said "empty array" and you heard MTRI <S> and you just couldn't get your brain to let go of that. <S> After all, when it was finally settled, what he really said to you was "Is that how Americans call empty array , huh ?" <S> but even in reporting it here you can't seem to realize that he said empty array. <S> From his point of view it would be as if he had said dahtabase (as most Australians do) and you had no idea what he meant <S> and it took 5 minutes <S> and then you said "oh, daytabase!" <S> and then wrote the code he wanted. <S> He probably thinks you were hostile to his accent and were making fun of him. <S> I doubt there is a way to recover, but a nice email (since written language will probably work better for you two) <S> might go some way to getting you a second chance. <A> When you simply aren't understanding someone, apolgize profusely and ask them to spell the word. <S> "I am so sorry, but I am just not understanding what you are saying. <S> Can you spell MTRI for me?" <S> If you think it's an acronym, then if he really just gives you letters, you can then ask for what the acronym means. <S> In this case, you would have realized it was not an acroymn. <S> Having it spelled makes it obvious that you're having trouble with the accent (which can portend trouble in the future if he would be your boss). <S> But it can also clear up misunderstandings, because you'll understand at least some of the letters, and you're getting additional clues to what he is saying. <S> (I was introduced to a NZ cousin and he said his name was 'Mack'. <S> I didn't understand, and asked a couple of times, and finally asked him to spell his name: "em ah kay ee, mack." <S> I understood 3 of those 4 letters and realized his name was Mike!) <S> The apology is important too. <S> Even though he may be having trouble understanding you as well, it looks good that you're not holding that against him, but apolgizing for your inability to understand. <S> It also defuses the situation. <S> The interviewer is frustrated, you're frustrated, but an apology breaks that mounting tension. <A> How to handle hostility in interviews? <S> what are some of the ways one can handle these types of situations in the future ? <S> I basically pretend that it didn't happen, or that I didn't even hear the slights. <S> But I mentally note what happened, and typically put that in the "cons" column when I later assess my feelings of how the company and people came across during the interview. <S> Then, I weigh that against the "pros" I observed as I try to make my decision whether to continue pursuing the position or not. <S> Depending on the depth of the hostility, I may follow up with the next interviewer on my list. <S> I want to try and find out if everyone at this company is like that hostile person, if he is the only one like that, or if he was just having a bad day. <S> My sense is that no good can come of reacting hostilely to hostility. <S> I may get rejected from a job I would otherwise want if I react in kind. <S> I'm not usually one to suffer fools gladly, but I'm willing to swallow my anger and pride to the best of my ability for a few hours, in hopes that it might lead to something good. <S> If it doesn't turn out well, so be it.
| While I tend to blush when I get angry, I try hard to remain calm and completely ignore any hostility I'm sensing during an interview.
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Working for two companies at the same time Are there any concerns with working two remote full time tech jobs in the US (one in networking and one in photo sharing)? I understand there might be health concerns, but assuming you are able to complete tasks for both jobs each day and your work does not suffer for each, are their any other issues? <Q> assuming you are able to complete tasks for both jobs each day and your work does not suffer for each, are their any other issues? <S> You have to check your employment contracts and terms of employment. <S> Read everything you sign very, very carefully. <S> If you have non-compete or anything like that, you may be contractually unable to work for competitor. <A> Issues arise when there is a conflict of interest. <S> In your example, it appears the two careers are segregated. <S> However, many people will take a second career between competing companies. <S> In addition, both companies may feel (if they are aware of the situation) that you are not committed to them and subsequently get lower pay raises or passed for promotion. <S> Best to check with both companies to see if there are any conflicts. <S> A conflict of interest (COI) occurs when an individual or organization is involved in multiple interests, one of which could possibly corrupt the motivation for an act in another. <S> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conflict_of_interest <A> Are there any concerns with working two remote full time tech jobs in the US (one in networking and one in photo sharing)? <S> I understand there might be health concerns, but assuming you are able to complete tasks for both jobs each day and your work does not suffer for each, are their any other issues? <S> The one word in your question that raises a red flag for me is "remote". <S> Are you planning to work 80 hours per week and thus work these jobs back-to-back? <S> Or are you planning to work at these jobs simultaneously, and end up with something more like a 40-hour week? <S> If the former, and you truly meet the complete needs of both companies, it should probably be fine. <S> People who work in an office often hold a side job (although not usually a full-time side job). <S> But if you were planning to interweave both jobs and execute them simultaneously, I'd be very concerned. <S> When I permit someone to work remotely, I'm expecting their full attention - just as I would if they were physically located in the office. <S> Remote work isn't an opening for making extra money with your left hand while doing the work I assigned to you with your right - just as it isn't an opening for taking care of the children all day and only occasionally paying attention to your work. <S> As long as everyone agrees, then anything could work. <S> But if you are reluctant to be completely honest with these two companies, then that says something about what you believe in your heart about your plan. <S> I always recommend honesty. <S> My advice is to ask both of your employers if this is permissible, and follow their directions. <A> Basically every company will have its own policies and the policy related to your question is called "Concurrent Employment"... <S> Most of the companies mention in its "Concurrent Employment" policy that "An employee of our company shall not, without the prior approval of the managing director of the company, accept employment or a position of responsibility (such as a consultant or a director) with any other company, nor provide “freelance” services to anyone". <S> So be Careful. <A> Generally full time employers assume that they are your primary work related commitment. <S> It varies from employer to employer how demanding that expectation is, but in most positions offering full time employment (particularly with benefits), it will not go well with your boss if you regularly have to reschedule your time at work due to other work-related engagements. <S> It's usually assumed that some level of interruption for family or health needs will come up, but it's not typical for a full time employee to be granted time off for the sake of working a second job. <S> I have trouble understanding a case where you could juggle the competing scheduling demands. <S> Obviously if the two schedules are locked in stone so that you know exactly how many hours and what times/days you'll be working, you could pull off two jobs, because they'd never compete. <S> But I have yet to see such an arrangement remain static and predictable in the long term. <S> I'd also expect very little advancement in either career at that point - it's hard to advance if you can't put in that little bit of extra work that lets you improve your skills. <S> With two jobs demanding full time hours, I'm not sure there'd be any slack for that. <S> I've seen people work a full time and a part time job <S> - it's hectic, but doable if you have a clear set of priorities and way of arranging it. <A> Each company would expect you to work 40 hours for them, in a well-awake and rested state, as any other employee would do. <S> You are not going to do that. <S> You may imagine that you would do it, but you won't. <S> Even if you did, your employers won't believe it, just like I wouldn't believe it. <S> Once they find out, the number of full time jobs will very quickly go from 2 to 0.
| If you have told both companies how you plan to work these two jobs (whatever that plan might be), and they have both agreed - then you should be fine. In this situation, it is best to be sure there is no conflict of interest or legal concerns.
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Declining entertainment at an off-site interview - could it put an offer in jeopardy? This is a case where a software developer is interviewing for a position requiring relocation to a city a couple of thousand miles from home. The host company is planning off-hours entertainment. Imagine for example a harbor cruise, and a city tour on the weekend before a Monday interview. These activities are outsourced, meaning no company employees would be there to get to know the candidate better in the context of the activities. If the interviewee is an introvert, or just enjoys exploring on their own and does not want to participate, does this give the impression that they are not really interested in getting to know their potential home city? Would declining put a potential offer in jeopardy? Not looking for research here, just anecdotal evidence either way. <Q> Probably not, but It depends on the circumstances and on how it is handled. <S> On the other hand, they may not care at all and just trying to be nice and express serious interest in the candidate. <S> If the candidate does not want to participate, it's perfectly okay to decline, but it should be done in advance and carefully. <S> " <S> Thanks for inviting me to that harbor tour. <S> It sound like great fun <S> but I unfortunately I have to decline since I'll be only coming in early this morning after a long flight <S> and I want to try and get some rest to get over the jet lag and be ready for the interview on Monday". <S> or "I've already made other arrangement to meet with local friends and family" etc. <S> Just not showing up or cancelling at the last minute would be bad form (and potentially wasting time and money for the employer). <S> More important may be looking at the big picture here: If the company culture has a very active party and social component, than it may not be such a great fit for an introvert candidate. <A> It is fairly rare for most organizations to do this. <S> If they are as invested as getting you city tours on their dime, on a weekend before interview, it might as well be a peek into what could be coming. <S> If you are introvert and want to explore the city on your own, how will you deal with such invitations from within the team in the future ? <A> I would be more concerned with taking a job and moving to a location that may not be a good fit. <S> Most people are put off to a certain extent when offerings are declined. <S> Some people and cultures more than others (Going to my grandmother's house and not eating; well, I never saw anyone turn her down.). <S> Hopefully, you're doing your homework before going on this interview and taking this position. <S> Unless you're being offered food that you may be allergic to or is against your religion and you're such an introvert that you're going to have a panic-attack, I would accept this offering. <S> Are you comfortable enough with your "introvertness" that you openly use it as a reason to not socialize? <S> If so, stay true to yourself. <S> At some point, if the company has a problem with this, you may not want to relocate for this job. <S> I realize this is just a question post, but I'm not feeling your pain on this one. <S> You're considering a very far location. <A> Would declining put a potential offer in jeopardy? <S> Perhaps. <S> Your comments indicate that they are setting all this up specifically for you. <S> Better to call ahead and see if they have already booked the entertainment. <S> If they have already spent significant money, and you waste it by turning down the entertainment - that wouldn't be good. <S> But, if you talk with them, they may be perfectly happy to have you go it on your own. <S> As often happens, clear communication with both sides is the key to success here.
| If every new experience is going to make you uncomfortable, this may not be for you. The company may be interested in how the candidate handles herself in such situations and may ask the provider to take notes and report back. May be the organization does this regularly with other team members and wants you to get a feel of how it will be once you are on board.
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What options do I have when my team leader is not assigning me any tasks? I am totally frustrated with my team leader because of his attitude. It's not only me, but the entire team is fed up with his nature. He is not assigning tasks to me for the last 2.5 months and if I discussed this matter with senior management then he would cause me more trouble , which I experienced before. This being my first job , it's not acceptable to me that I am not learning anything as he is not giving me any tasks. What are my options, dealing with him and this situation in general? he comes late to office which is not my concern but problem is that he want every one to seat late daily to do work .he created lot of dependencies on him so we keep on waiting for his response as whole day he is busy in meetings.he is not giving me work from which i can learn he just wasting my time.our company strength is 30 + few out source emp. i think my problem got personal with him as i have complained about him twice so he is angry with me,it was necessary to complain at that situation because things were above my head now he is taking revenge of it. <Q> i have complained about him twice so he is angry <S> There was your first (and second) mistake. <S> Maybe he forgot to assign you work or is waiting for you to learn on your. <S> Is it possible other team members were suppose to be working with you? <S> You're eager to learn and made a mistake. <S> Don't let your emotions get in the way. <S> Whatever is going on, ask for a meeting. <S> There is no reason to "complain" about the situation. <S> Make sure you understand why your boss is doing things this way. <S> If he doesn't have time to meet, that may be another problem. <S> He may not be in a position to drop all of his other duties just to deal with your problems. <S> Another option is to ask a team member if you can work with them on one of their tasks. <S> Unfortunately, they may want to dump some boring and tedious task on you. <S> Hopefully, they'll share in something to help stretch your skill set. <S> You are given a completely clean slate to learn whatever you want. <S> Use the tutorials, materials and whatever else you can find on the Internet (Stackoverflow?). <S> If all of your time is wasted, it's your fault. <S> Take control of your learning. <S> And yes, it would be nice if your boss gave you something to do. <A> Assume you're in business for yourself, and research the market your business operates in. <S> Become familiar with the needs of your customer or customers, how the business meets those needs, how the business model is evolving, and what 'should' be in the product development cycle. <S> If people won't answer direct questions, simply keep your ears perked up. <S> Study up on those issues - language features, programming methodologies, etc., and practice developing solutions. <S> It's also a good idea to keep working on writing and language skills. <S> I worked with someone with database development responsibilities who had grown up in the Middle East and had been left high and dry in the US due to political upheaval in his homeland. <S> He had been a database programmer for several years, but was unsatisfied with his employment situation - to put it mildly. <S> After we had known each other for a year, he asked me to look over his resume - it ran 2 1/2 pages long and did not contain a single properly constructed sentence. <S> We spent a lunchtime rewriting it, he had a better job offer two days later. <S> I don't know how long he kept that job <S> - I fell out of contact with him. <S> I suspect, however, that his communication skills left him with unnecessarily limited prospects. <S> Anyone in that situation needs to be reading and writing constantly. <S> It's not good enough to be able to understand what someone else is saying, one has to be able to explain their own ideas. <S> This means writing, thinking about what one is going to say, organizing the message, and figuring out whether something needs to be said at all. <S> One of the most common complaints in the US from employers is that the people that have just graduated from four year university degree programs can't present a simple idea in a single page memo. <S> Managers may be reluctant to assign work to someone who has difficulty explaining what they're doing. <A> You yourself are of the opinion that you need to learn something. <S> Then how would you expect a team lead to assign you tasks ? <S> Would you give your money to a plumber who is learning to fix taps at your dime ? <S> If I were you, I would talk to the team lead. <S> Sort out hard feelings. <S> Even apologize if you have come across as over stepping boundaries. <S> Ask if there is a genuine reason why he is not assigning you tasks. <S> Explain him my strengths and weaknesses and the approach I would take for any task assigned. <S> I would also explain what steps I plan to take if I am stuck with a given task. <S> Even draw a map on what I think is the right process once I have completed my task (regression testing etc). <S> From my experience, I would get used to the idea of sitting late at work especially since you are a fresher. <S> Stop forming opinions about others and start focusing on how you can improve. <S> If nothing works and you are still idling time away, start creating POCs around the technologies you use and demo them to your team lead. <S> Make an effort to show you can be a dependable software engineer.
| Let your boss know you are ready to take on tasks and ask when he thinks he can assign one to you. If you're supposed to be writing software, get on Stack Overflow and look for questions that relate to the platform you should be writing things in.
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How can I stop a flirting co-worker without damaging our professional relationship? There is a co-worker that is being way overly friendly with me. Nothing that would really be deemed unprofessional, and I am not offended in any way, but it is just that little notch beyond what a normal friendly working relationship should be. This behaviour is only directed at me, and I’m pretty sure that it’s not just her way of going about in the world. My concerns are two-fold. I don’t want there to be any awkwardness between us going forward. We will occasionally have to work together, and if this person tries to “escalate” the relationship we may have a problem. Secondly, I don’t want there to be a perception amongst others on the team that there is “something between us”. I am happily married and I really don’t need any unfounded rumors or gossip, which this person’s behaviour is now starting to generate. For any other issue I would just talk it over with the person privately. But in this case, I’m not exactly sure what to say. “Please don’t smile so much when talking to me” sounds like a very strange thing to say to someone. This person hasn’t done anything offensive or inappropriate (yet). Is there some sort of a textbook solution to this kind of a problem that I am not aware of? <Q> If her behavior is beginning to cause others to notice, then you probably need to take her aside and tell her something like: <S> "I hate to bring this up, but for some reason, people are getting the impression that there's something going on between us. <S> One of our coworkers mentioned specifically that when he [saw you do [action] / heard you say [phrase]], he started to wonder. <S> I told him that there's nothing there, but I just wanted to let you know that that's how it's starting to look, so we should probably take a step back and make sure that people don't continue to think that. <S> I'll probably mention it to our boss as well, so that he knows we've heard the rumors and we're going to work to shut them down." <S> Mentioning it to your boss is probably the smart move regardless; it's best if he hears it from you in the context of "I just heard about this rumor; there's nothing to it; I talked to [her name] about it, and going forward <S> we're going to make sure it gets squashed." <A> It seems like you're overthinking the problem. <S> If she is acting professionally you have no grounds to confront her on. <S> Doing so would be unfair to her (confronting someone about assumed intended behavior the person hasn't taken is a really bad idea). <S> If she is not acting professionally you should address that behavior. <S> Doing otherwise would only make the gossip and rumors worse ( <S> no matter how 'happily married' you are, if your interactions are interpreted by level-headed coworkers as indicative of an improper working relationship, then that is something that needs to be addressed). <S> If you are both acting professionally, and there is nothing going on, coworkers who spread rumors or gossip are not acting professionally. <S> Confronting them probably won't solve the issue, and if you aren't doing anything wrong in the eyes of normal coworkers, the rumors will quickly die. <S> Some people just like office gossip, regardless of accuracy. <A> Also, when things get to that point make very sure to redirect clearly to Work Thing. <S> "I'm busy this weekend. <S> This report needs more....". <S> "Please don't talk about my body. <S> During that meeting to morrow...." You could bring it up to your boss as "hey, I'm in this type of situation, have you ever been in this situation before and do you have any advice? <S> " Which makes it clear to your boss that you still are able to handle the situation (i.e. boss does not need to get involved) but that things are Not Right and you are fixing it. <S> There's a lot of great advice in Captain Awkward's archives <A> Pulling her aside and dealing with it blatantly might be the easiest way, but personally I would leave that as a least resort, specifically because of <S> I don’t want there to be any awkwardness between us going forward. <S> Put yourself in her shoes, if you do that there IS going to be awkwardness between you. <S> Even though she knows you are married, she IS going to feel called out, she might not even realize her behavior towards you was so obvious. <S> Depending on how strongly she feels, she might even feel quite hurt and get quite angry. <S> You need to weigh up the options, either "I want to deal with this quickly", or "I want to deal with this on the down low". <S> I was in a similar situation, personally I think ratchet freak had a great idea:"discourage her by bringing up your happily married life more". <S> If you want to try being a bit more subversive, this kind of thing can help to shut down both conscious and subconscious feelings she may be directing towards you, both the following worked for me: <S> Steer casual conversation towards your current relationship <S> "oh wow, you wont believe where my wife and I went for dinner we had such a great time, shes the best". <S> You can be a bit more frigid towards her in daily interactions, if you say "hi", don't smile, don't strike up casual conversations etc. <A> Remember that people's definitions of acceptable flirting can vary widely. <S> Some folks consider a backrub or a bit of mild teasing of someone whom they know is "safe" to be a friendly game and nothing more. <S> As long as everyone knows and agrees that this is what's going on, I tend to agree with that. <S> But if it (and/or the possible gossip) is making you uncomfortable, or you think the two of you may disagree about what's actually going on, it's entirely appropriate for you to say "Hey, this is a bit over my comfort line; could you dial it back? <S> I like working with you <S> but I'd prefer we keep it a little less informal." <S> Or whatever phrasing makes sense for your situation and your understanding of how to ask her to back off without hurting her feelings more than necessary.
| First, make sure you start documenting any behavior from her that is "little notch beyond what a normal friendly working relationship should be".
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Should I include education section in resume if I dropout college after K-12 This is my follow up question to the How do I make companies to consider me for the job irrespective of my very young age? After completing K-12 I joined college for graduation but within a month I drop out college and became self guided student. Some of the reasons for the dropout was: Syllabus esp. of programming was very less. None of student was really interested in programming. So, I felt miserable in the class, decided to drop out and became self guided student. Now, I am about to began my first job search and wondering should I include my educational qualification in the resume or should I just leave education section? Also, If my future employer asks me about my educational qualification, what should I tell him? Should I be honest or should I make some story? <Q> Should I be honest or should I make some story? <S> Try to act like a mature professional and avoid all lies. <S> Immaturity is what many employers worry about when a teenager applies for a job. <S> Don't start your search off on the wrong foot. <S> If you have any relevant educational qualifications, include them. <S> But 1 month of college won't be relevant for any programming jobs <S> I've ever seen- leave that out. <S> The reasons you felt compelled to leave after 1 month aren't likely to make you a better candidate in the eyes of a recruiter/interviewer. <S> Leave them out of your resume. <S> If you have self-guided educational attainments that could be independently confirmed (such as some sort of certification), you could include that. <S> But if you only have a K-12 education, omit the Education section completely when applying for a programming position. <S> No employers care where their programmers went to High School. <A> An issue that you have to address as a part of the hiring process is that dropping out after a month tells me that you make irrational decisions. <S> Let me explain. <S> You applied to one or more colleges, were accepted, and picked a college and a major. <S> Registered for classes. <S> Started taking classes. <S> Then discovered that Syllabus esp. <S> of programming was very less. <S> None of student was really interested in programming. <S> Not everybody is in college for programming, and that you have to take some classes that are unrelated to programming. <S> So you quit. <S> What happens when you are asked to perform a task that isn't related to programming. <S> For example become an expert on subject X because we may want to write software for that market next year; or writeup these use cases so we can start the requirements process. <S> College is more than programming. <S> Your self directed learning is not a broad or as deep as what would be experienced in a college or university. <S> You need to let them know that you decided that college wasn't for you, and that you are interested in taking classes at night. <S> You will also have to find positions that don't require a college degree, but do allow you to grow into a programming position as you prove yourself. <S> Or you just might have to go back to school. <A> Include any job relevant coursework you completed <S> (they may ask for school records) along with any other self-driven studies (e.g. Standford University has an open Objective-C course.).
| Why you chose not to continue your eduction and how you were able to make yourself a qualified candidate should be explained in your cover letter.
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Just signed my contract for my first christmas job Today I went in to sign my contract and all related documents for my first job (I'm 16 in the UK). There was a section that had spaces for two references from previous employers however as this is going to be my first job, I didn't have anything to put in there. I did put details of my ongoing volunteering at a charity shop however I put the other space blank and noted that I haven't been in employment previously. I passed the store manager my signed "starter pack" with all my information including the reference page and she checked through it and allowed me to go home telling me that I'd be contacted with my shift information shortly (She didn't mention anything about the blank reference space). However I am now worried because all of those documents are going to be sent to the HR department at main office (it's a clothing store with many branches across the country) and on my contract it said the offer for the job is subject to obtaining two satisfactory references. Is it possible that my job offer/contract would be nullified once it reaches HR? Would it be possible to get another reference after starting the job? I left it blank purely because it specified references from previous employment which I don't have and to reiterate the store manager didn't mention anything about it when she looked and what I put down. Thanks all! <Q> It is unlikely. <S> The manager knew this was your first work assignment and offered you the position anyway. <S> In addition this sounds like a seasonal position. <S> Companies regularly take on people for these short term positions that might not otherwise qualify for a full time position with the company. <S> Many times it is this type of position that lets them discover someone who has the potential to be a great employee. <S> This may lead to a call to return next year for a similar or more advanced position. <S> In the worst case they have someone to help with the increased load the holiday shopping season brings. <A> First off, yes, usually it is possible to file additions to your paperwork after it has been files, provided you work at the company, but to alter your application (which will usually be filed (at least in copy) is unlikely to happen. <S> Now, relax, don't worry . <S> You're sixteen and nobody expects you to have references from multiple former jobs. <S> The form is a standard form for everybody applying and people twice your age (for example) can be expected to be able to provide those. <S> By putting in your volunteering you likely surpassed expectations already. <S> Make sure to collect a reference from this job after the holidays, though, so you have something to put into the form next year, when they call back or when you try something else. <A> I don't think it'll be a problem.
| If they did ask for a second reference you could ask a teacher to give you a reference, that's what I did when first applying for work.
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Underpaid and overworked, how should I approach my boss? About a two months ago a co-worker and I caught our superior embezzling money from the company. After consideration, we approached our boss and told him the whole story. Our superior quit immediately. Since he left, his responsibilities fell on my co-worker and myself. We now do his job as well as our own. We work in the export industry, and November - March is our busiest time of the year, where our monthly turnover gets to about $1.5m. Myself and my co-worker now do all the work (except for the marketing manager who sells the products); we procure, do admin, financing, logistics, etc. When payday came we were quite excited, thinking we would get a nice raise with all the extra workload. To our surprise we got a $100 raise. Meanwhile, our superior who quit came in about four times to tie up a few loose ends. At the end of this month where my co-worker and I got a menial salary, our superior still received a salary - and not just pay for the 4 times he came in, but for the whole month. We feel that as we have taken up additional responsibilities, we are deserving of a large pay rise than we were given. How do we approach our manager about this? <Q> How you approach your manager: <S> Walk into his/her office. <S> Close the door. <S> Yes, it's really that simple. <S> However, it really isn't a big deal. <S> Tell them you want a raise and <S> how much you think you are worth. <S> There are 3 possible responses: They give it to you; they say no; they fire you. <S> The last one is actually the least likely scenario especially if you have a good rapport with the company. <S> If you are on shaky ground, e.g. boss isn't happy with your performance, then don't ask. <A> I think the company is being fair and reasonable by paying you the additional $100 for completing the additonal tasks. <S> There is a significant difference between: Being responsible for the work (simply: doing it); and Being accountable for the work (simply: making sure it's done). <S> As these are not your actual duties you cannot be held accountable for them not being completed, unless of course this has been formalised which would be your opportunity to raise your concern with the amount of additional salary offered. <S> A salary is renumeration for both responsibility and accountability If you feel that you were capable and competent to take over the manager's role you could start acting up into this role informally <S> and then if you are successful in carrying some of these tasks then approach the employer about taking over the role on a formal (either temporary or permannent basis). <S> Put the issue if your Manager being paid for the month he was leaving aside. <S> That's his relationship with his employer and there will be reason's why he served out a notice period that you may not be privy to. <A> I think that to get a raise you need to prove that you can do this person's work well for over two months, you got some kind of a promotion, which is prove of faith in your abilities. <S> Prove that you can do this job well in the long run, I would wait at least 6 months, and then approach your boss to discuss a possible raise or a different title. <S> It is possible that the company is looking for a replacement, and you two are doing these tasks temporarily. <A> In general salaries are not based on your responsibilities or the work you do, they are based on the alternatives the business has. <S> If the business can replace you with someone else for the same or lower salary (including the training time), then it will and you will have a hard time demanding a larger salary. <S> Using the responsibility argument will fail 9 times out of ten. <S> If, however, you can make the case that either you go and take another job that pays close to what you want, then the business will have much less room to negotiate with you and you will likely get the higher wage. <S> So, look around and get a couple other offers if possible. <S> Use the fact that you are now doing the superior's job as credibility <S> you are ready for the next pay grade.
| Sit down and state that you'd like a raise. A lot of people have issues speaking with their manager about money.
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Are employer's reference letters still commonly asked for in R&D (Central Europe)? I am wondering how important it is to have an employer's reference letter made by your supervisor if he already agreed to serve as a reference person (for your resume/CV)? The circumstances are that I quit working as a R&D intern (software/algorithm development) in order to proceed as PhD in computer science. Is it common practice to have reference letters from your past employers or are reference persons in your CV state-of-the-art and sufficient? Does this similarly apply to long-term company interns? I ask this because I got the opinion that tailored recommendation letters (for a specific application) or contacts of reference persons are mainly used/asked in contrast to employment reference letter. Sidenote:I do not have such a reference letter yet as I primarily studied until now and I do not want to regret having not asked now when there is the chance. EDIT: It relates mainly to central europe (Germany) and research and development (close to academia) companies. <Q> In start-up Germany, real written-paper reference/recommendation letters ('Arbeitszeugnisse') are usual but not required. <S> Some people manage their references on LinkedIn or similar tools and usually only provide these in digital form . <S> Reference contacts to call are often times are very valuable - mainly because IT or start-up people just tend to know one another. <S> Either way, in germany the rule of thumb is still to collect all written documents <S> you can get your hands on that speak well of you (see the 'corporate germany' answer), and provided you don't drown your future employer in paper, those certainly do no harm in the start-up world either. <A> Referencing actual people as contacts is pretty much unheard of. <S> You can do it, but you will probably get a few raised eyebrows because you will be the only person to do this. <S> Best case, people will think you are a US citizen. <S> "Arbeitszeugnis" is only relevant for actual jobs you had. <S> For purely academic experience, when you apply for jobs, your degree is sufficient. <A> German-speaking countries have special traditions and laws regarding employers' references. <S> Here are some select passages from the current version of the wikipedia article about it, which corresponds to my experience as an expatriate living in Switzerland: " <S> An employment reference letter (German: Arbeitszeugnis) is a letter from an employer about an employee's qualities, common in German-speaking countries. <S> An employment reference letter can be written by co-workers, customers, vendors and colleagues. <S> This letter can then be used to help the employee find a new job at another company. <S> Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Bulgaria are the only countries in Europe where employees can legally claim an employment reference, including the right to a correct, unambiguous and benevolent appraisal. <S> ... <S> Most potential employers will verify the information provided in the employment reference letter."
| In corporate Germany (academia may differ), you are supposed to have an "Arbeitszeugnis" (job reference/certificate of employment) for each job you previously held.
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Is it better to apply for jobs as a new grad or someone with a one-year of work experience? Here's my situation. I've been working for this company for about six months while completing my MS degree. (I'll graduate this December.) My current salary is lower than the average in the industry and it doesn't look like I will get a salary hike any time soon. I want to move to a different company because with student loans and the cost of living, I barely have any money left over at the end of month. I plan to stay at my current company for a year or two and move on to a job that pays me better. My friend who is an employee at an established company tells me that most companies either hire new grads or people with 5 years of experience at least. Anywhere in between, I'm out of luck. He advises me to quit my current job so that it can fall under the student's work experience and apply for jobs as a new grad. How sound is this advice? I thought that with some kind of experience, you're in a better position to negotiate for a higher salary than the ones just out of school. PS: I'm working as a software developer right now. <Q> My friend who is an employee at an established company tells me that most companies either hire new grads or people with 5 years of experience at least. <S> Anywhere in between, I'm out of luck. <S> He advises me to quit my current job so that it can fall under the student's work experience and apply for jobs as a new grad. <S> How sound is this advice? <S> It's terrible advice. <S> When you graduate in December, you will have an advantage that few new graduates have. <S> You will also have relevant experience. <S> In addition, you will be looking during a time of year when there are fewer new graduates competing for the same positions. <S> So it makes perfect sense to be looking for a job right now. <S> But why would you quit your job? <S> That part makes no sense. <S> While your current job might not be the high-salaried position you desire, it does pay your bills. <S> Thus, you won't feel as pressured to jump at the first offer as you would if you had no income. <S> I always advise people to never leave their current job until they have accepted their next job. <S> Start looking for a job right away. <S> Don't wait until your graduation. <S> And tell your friend "Thanks anyway." <A> I would play it the way you've got it - 1 year of experience and an MS degree. <S> You will need to focus on improving your workplace skills and productivity - that's going to be the principal driver of your income. <S> If you're in banking, for example, there are a few people that do well and a lot of people that do miserably - I keep walking into branches where I see people practically asleep at their desks. <S> Most of these people are not going to get far. <S> If you're in a slow growth industry, you're going to see 'slow growth' wage increases, and if you're in a business that is dependent on a lot of government money, you're likely to get your legs cut off. <S> Therefore, you need to think about the entire market you serve, and see if it's worth it. <S> You might have to back up and take the other fork in the road. <A> The advice by your friend is a high risk proposal <S> there are some facts which are required but not provided How bright is your academic track? <S> what is your area of work? <S> Giving advice base upon assuming things at median.. <S> You reason for change does not seem satisfactory enough.. <S> i quote "because with student loans and the cost of living, I barely have any money left over at the end of month" which essentially apply that you are able to pay off your loans and maintain a suitable residence but you are unable to save or have surplus money. <S> At your stage it is not advisable to work for money <S> i would have been glad to hear if the reason for change would have been "there is only repetitive work <S> no real learning opportunity" or "The work is company specific and will not add any thing significant to my resume even after three <S> years". <S> I think best option is to consider your current job as extension of your college and stick to it for 2-3 yrs <S> and i am sure <S> there will be increments , at least two. <S> if you choose to go for a job change and there is a gap in resume then it wont look good. <S> My advice stick to your organization cut down on your expenses <S> dont look at the starting packages of your batch mates. <S> EDIT
| But don't quit your current job until you find the job you really want. First job with a long stretch say 2-3 years add a stability factor to your resume and does make the recruiters feel comfortable about the attrition issue though its degree of relevance is different in different sectors.
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What are some effective strategies in implementing a new technical request protocol throughout a large and diverse company? I am trying to institute a technical request protocol throughout my very large and diverse company. The problem is, this protocol has existed for years, yet it has never been implemented effectively, as many of the requestors make informal, personal requests to the developers and/or request through email/phone call/in person without filling out the form. This leads to miscommunication and lack of clarity. What are some effective strategies for implementing this protocol? <Q> "Never introduce a managerial change without first introducing the managerial change." <S> Mark Horstman, http://www.manager-tools.com Since the protocol has never been implemented effectively, start over. <S> You effectively don't have a protocol in place now, so begin implementation anew. <S> (Other responders have some pointers along those lines.) <S> Consider redesigning the protocol - if you consult with stakeholders on both ends of the request, you may discover other approaches to solving the same problems. <S> Then introduce the protocol as a change. <S> Ignore <S> the fact that it should have been used all along. <S> Follow organizational change management best practices - review the change individually with at least a representative subset of those affected, announce it to the organization, present the change to organizational units that will be affected, provide materials well ahead of the change implementation date, and so on. <S> Searching the web for "change management" will turn up a lot of resources, if this isn't in your skill set already. <S> Once the change has been implemented, following the protocol is now a management exercise. <S> And how that's done is a different question, well outside the scope of personal productivity. <A> The question you need to ask is why these individuals are not using the form. <S> Is it much easier to just contact the individual directly? <S> If that is the case then there is no reason for them to change. <S> They will see your plan as annoying and inefficient. <S> If there is no direct benefit to them you might need to look in the opposite direction - official word from the top that says if they don't follow the procedure then their project does not go ahead, their change is not approved or they are disciplined in some way (lower score at annual review etc) <S> Sounds harsh <S> but if the process doesn't benefit them it won't happen. <A> Developers should never be disturbed by various people with feature requests. <S> Instead it is the duty of the product owner to act as a gatekeeper, taking note of all requests and prioritizing the backlog items. <S> If you don't have these roles in your organization, you should introduce them before dealing with your form problem.
| Start by revisiting why you need such a protocol, the benefits for the organization and for the individuals in the organization.
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How do you stay in touch with people you use as references? I've worked with some people who said it's ok to use them as a reference, but I haven't spoken to them in 4 years. Is this normal? And if yes, is a brief e-mail next time you want to use them as a reference, making sure it's still ok, all that is needed? How should I approach using someone as a reference if it's been 4 years? <Q> If you flip this upside down, you see what makes sense. <S> Imagine that you worked with a highly respected colleague from the time you graduated from college to you <S> 're late thirties - say 15 years. <S> You are now 53 ( <S> fifteen years later) and you've met this individual a few times either personally or professionally - in other words you've kept up your conversation. <S> Giving this to a prospective employer is pure gold. <S> Now imagine that you worked with someone four years ago, but the project was only for six months, and the two of you barely paid attention to each other. <S> If your employer calls this person, they're going to hear 'huh?' <S> at the other end of the line. <S> A good rule to follow, give or take, is the longer you worked with someone, <S> the longer the interval before they're probably no longer a meaningful reference. <S> This is another danger in frequent job hopping <S> , no one 'knows who you really are' - other than you are transient. <S> If you have a four year old reference, it would be good if you worked with them for a period of three to five years - particularly if the two of you transitioned through multiple projects - or multiple employers. <S> If I were a prospective employer with your reference, I would ask the reference ' <S> What did (upthehill) do?'. <S> It would not be 'is he a good person?' <S> or 'would you work with him again?'. <S> If the reference said 'reports design and database work' then I will follow up with 'what were some of the more complex or exotic reports that he wrote or maintained?'. <S> In short, does this reference give me the ability to gauge your appetite for challenge? <S> That being the case, the duration of your work interval with your reference will matter as much as how long ago the two of you worked together. <A> I've worked with some people who said it's ok to use them as a reference, but I haven't spoken to them in 4 years. <S> Is this normal? <S> Is it typical? <S> Maybe. <S> Is it optimal? <S> No. <S> It's not optimal because you want your references to speak from the heart when prompted by a hiring manager. <S> If you stay off of their radar screen for too long, your references may forget specifics about why they enjoyed working with you. <S> [Should you simply] send a brief e-mail next time you want to use them as a reference, making sure it's still ok? <S> Yes, but asking someone who you haven't spoken to in four years to act as a reference is not an ideal situation. <S> Let's review your original question. <S> How do you stay in touch with people you use as references? <S> By staying interested in them. <S> Every now and then, send them an email . <S> * <S> * Ask "How are thing since we last spoke?" <S> Recall what you last spoke about and ask if anything has changed. <S> When they respond, make a mental record of what they say. <S> Track how things change <S> /evolve in their personal and professional lives. <S> * <S> And plan to stay interested in them in the future. <S> ** " <S> Every now and then" should be interpreted to mean no less than twice per year. <S> But you shouldn't be fixated on the number of communications and it shouldn't be a chore <S> , Also, asynchronous electronic communication (i.e. email) is, by definition, an impersonal mode of communication, but it's also less intrusive/disruptive than a phone call. <S> More personal modes of communication like a phone call or a lunch date are preferable, but not 100% necessary if circumstances or relationships don't make it possible or convenient. <S> * Again, your relationship with the reference may be such that you don't trade details about your personal lives. <S> If so, that's perfectly fine, but if you do, then you should definitely incorporate these into your semi-frequent communications. <A> How should I approach using someone as a reference if it's been 4 years? <S> While some employers prefer more recent references, it's occasionally useful to use an older but more-targeted reference. <S> For example, if you are now a .NET programmer but need a reference from a Perl job you held several years ago, that's certainly a great reason to dig through your older contacts. <S> However, if you haven't remained in touch with that person over the years, the contact information you have may no longer be valid. <S> Even if you've stayed in close touch, and have received carte blanche to use them as a reference without checking in first, it's generally good etiquette to give the person a heads-up that you've recently put them down as a reference. <S> It may also be useful to tell them the name of the company that may be calling, the role you applied for, and the name of the person (if you know it) who is likely to be calling to check the reference. <S> The more information your reference has, the more likely it is that they will be mentally prepared to extol your virtues when called, instead of being caught by surprise or (worse yet) ignoring an email or phone call from some stranger that they don't know and weren't expecting.
| You should definitely reach out to them to ensure that the contact information you have is still good, and that they are still willing to provide a positive reference for you.
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How do I approach my boss regarding being incredibly bored with my work? I've been working at my current place for about 6 months now. The people are fantastic, the money is fine and it's a 5 minute walk from home. No complaints on those fronts. This company has interesting projects, which they told me all about during recruitment, and some boring ones. I'm on one of the boring ones, the really boring ones. I have tried to make it interesting for me but I just can't. The technologies I am working with are widely regarded in the industry to be the worst (look up worst programming language , worst source control , worst amount of screens to have etc on your favourite search engine, what I am working with just happens to be at the top of all of those lists). Not only this but the domain would put you to sleep. Very profitable I'm told, but incredibly dull! Long story short, I want on to one of the fun projects, and I know that there's an opening right now. A monkey could do what I'm doing (in a recent review I was praised for doing a good job, despite doing about 10 minutes of work per day in between StackOverflow and remapping my keyboard to see if I can still type legibly). I want to work with something better. I work hard to keep my skills relevant, and I have good experience. What's the professional way to approach management about this? Is there one, or should you suck it up, and hope that if you work hard you will be put onto something more interesting? Is it professional to go to your boss and say I want onto that project over there? Would it be ethical to go to management and say I'll keep doing what I do if you give me some more money? Thoughts? <Q> If there is an opening then apply for it. <S> Make sure he knows that you wanta career path beyond what you are doing now but don't describe it a soul-numbing or boring. <S> Instead talk about how interesting this other thing is and why you woudl be a good fit for it. <S> Be prepared with a plan for how you would transition your existing project to someone else. <S> If that doesn't work, then you need to start making contacts with the managers who manage the projects you want to be on and get them to ask for you. <S> It is easier to move if someone specifically requests you. <S> If you are bored, then do something about it and don't just be passive. <S> Write a white paper for the company, create a training session on some interesting technical thing that applies to the project you would like to be on and present it (especially if it is something that the people onthe project don't know how to do). <S> Write a technical blog (not on work hours) and make sure the folks at work see it. <S> However you can use these sorts of things to show how much more you could do and impress the people who choose the people on the more interesting projects. <A> First you need to try to make the existing project better. <S> Start by looking for ways that you can contribute that interest you. <S> It really does not matter what it is <S> but the point is to make yourself shine like a star. <S> The managers of the interesting project want people on their team that can make the project better. <S> The best way to attract their attention is to shine where you are. <S> It sounds like this is the perfect place to start for you since the project is dull any advancement in the project you make is likely to get your noticed. <S> The thing to remember is you are not going to walk in and be the guy leading the coolest project in the company. <S> Instead you have to establish yourself first. <S> That is probably going to take you a year or more. <S> Then you can start looking for better projects and working your way up. <S> Take the time to network with your team and with the other teams. <S> Having a friend on a new project recommend you for the team is one of the fastest ways up the ladder. <S> But you have to put your time in the salt mines. <S> We all did at some point, and in 10 years you will look back and understand why. <S> Until then the best thing you can do for your career is to make sure you are exceeding expectations, and making friends with with other people in the company. <A> You dont mention what type of worker you are (QA? <S> dev? <S> design?) <S> but here are the two options I see: 1) <S> You try to transfer inside the company - i would directly talk to you manager about switching to more interesting positions, "you outgrew this task" sort of a thing. <S> Do not use the word bored. <S> 2) <S> You keep being bored and doing totally unrelated things as you prepare to find a new job. <S> This could be things like sharpening your resume, working on projects that you will talk about in interviews, or adding new skills that increase your value. <S> And try to enjoy the boredom, if you get hired at a google-like place I am sure you will miss it sometimes ;-)
| Then go talk to your boss about how you can move to the projects you would like to be on and what your career path should be. No one will give you a more interesting task to do if you fail at the boring one. Volunteer for your local user groups and give presentations there. Don't let any of this interfere with the work you actually are being paid to do.
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How critical is a minor programming error during an interview? I understand that this is quite a general question and it depends on the company, but I will try and explain. I was given a problem where I had to write some code to verify a sudoku puzzle was solved correctly (inputted using a 2 dimensional array). The interviewer had me go to a https://code.stypi.com page, and had a template ready for me. He watched me write the code to verify the sudoku puzzle, and asked me questions about why I did it the way I did. Now, using the website he gave me, I couldn't compile, run, or debug the code (I asked him). It was equivalent to writing it in a text editor, and hoped it worked. I finished the code up, and the interview ended. I was told I will be contacted when someone reviews the code. As soon as it ended, I of course tested the code to see if it worked. There were minor errors, such as redeclarations of variable names and variables that were undefined (because I renamed some, and didn't think to change the parts where I was using it). Besides those errors, I had one major one. This is the part that actually messed up my algorithm. I switched up a + and - in one spot, so the code didn't work as it was suppose to because of this. With that said, if you switched the + and - in that one spot, and fixed like 1 redeclaration and 1 undefined variable, then it worked perfectly. This was my first interview, so I really don't know how well I did. If I were writing code and just going at it by myself, I would've been like, "wow, I can't believe I only have 4 errors after writing that..." after compiling. Is this a big deal, or is the company trying to determine whether or not I have basic programming skills? I feel as if it is unfair for them to take this harshly, because I couldn't test or compile it - which is obviously unrealistic. EDIT: The real error was also easy to track down. Fixing everything took me less than 3 minutes after the interview ended. <Q> Is this a big deal, or is the company trying to determine whether or not I have basic programming skills? <S> The only people who can really answer this question are at the company where you interviewed. <S> Nobody here knows for sure what their goal was with this task, nor how they will score it. <S> We can only speculate. <S> Most companies would be more interested in your general skill level, your approach, and the explanations you gave to their questions as you wrote your code. <S> But some companies view these exercises as a measure of excellence and set them up such that they are pass/fail. <S> If you write elegant code and it works, you pass. <S> If not, you fail. <S> In my company, we are more in the former category. <S> We are typically more interested in overall understanding and approach than exact correctness. <S> Another factor that comes into play is the experience level associated with the role you are applying for. <S> A Junior Developer may not be held to the same standards as a Senior Software Architect, for example. <S> I feel as if it is unfair for them to take this harshly, because I couldn't test or compile it - which is obviously unrealistic. <S> It's hard to characterize anything in an interview as "unfair" - particularly when you don't know how you are being scored/judged. <S> Almost certainly all the other candidates for this job are going through the same exercise. <S> So, if it's "unfair" to you, it's similarly "unfair" to them as well. <S> As far as "unrealistic", unless you applied to a company that's in the business of selling "code to verify sudoku puzzles", of course it's unrealistic. <S> That's the nature of interview tests. <S> I guess we could argue the value of such a test for this particular job. <S> But, good or bad, that's how some companies operate. <S> And if you want a chance to get hired at their company, you go through their interviews, and you play by their rules. <A> In general, minor errors when whiteboard or text editor programming are not a big deal. <S> That said, redeclaration of variables seems like a big deal to me. <S> It indicates that you gave them bad names, had functions that were too long, or are simply not careful. <S> And switching the operators might be a big deal, since the way you coded it might make such an error non-obvious. <S> The problem there of course isn't the error, but that your code lends itself towards errors. <S> Especially for a problem so trivial as verifying a sudoku solution, I would be concerned about how those errors would grow in number and severity with a real problem - compiler or no. <S> Even if in general little errors aren't a big deal. <A> Depending on the level of proficiency you've stated, what the company is expecting and what you said in the interview itself, this could vary from a huge deal to being rather trivial. <S> You could have done manual tests of walking through the code to verify functionality which could have caught some of the errors. <S> Did you ever state anything about the quality of the code you were producing? <S> If so, then that would be where you may have issues. <S> While it took you less than 3 minutes to fix it, does the company know this? <S> Did you send a follow-up <S> thank you message with this in the notes? <S> If you did then you're relying on the company to see that you can admit errors and value this. <S> On the other hand, the company may view verifying a Sudoku solution as something that is easy to verify where errors tend to be things that may be hard to overcome. <S> If you were a developer with 5 years of experience with a university degree and made these kinds of errors it may be taken another way. <A> Not a deal breaker. <S> I would email them the fixes if you feel confident in it. <S> That would let them know you were thinking about it, and working hard. <S> When I interview with a whiteboard, I am usually looking for big picture items, but if there are gross errors, and they do not attempt to "mentally" run it, that can be a bad sign. <S> The flipped +/-, is probably not a big deal at all.
| For example, if you claimed the code to be flawless and perfect then you could have problems as the company may question your ability to be honest. Syntax is less important than concepts and how you approach the problem at hand. As you're in high school, chances are this isn't likely to be a big deal.
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The boss asks to return money? Ok, the situation is: I have just started with a very fresh (6 months-old) company and the source code of the app is not the greatest, the time of few deliveries were missing and I got to the point when the boss asked me "Why things are late?" The next day my boss said, "Oh you know what, I actually sent you a salary of a wrong person, could you please return it asap" - My reply was: "Once I receive someone else salary, will do that in the same minute", the boss didn't like it, saying: "Well, I sent you money just right now, and I have to pay for the office, marketing, etc etc, so if we could speed up things.." that would be brilliant. I said that nothing is going to change my mind, and I will return money as soon as I receive. There are two days have gone, money haven't arrived yet and the boss doesn't follow up on this topic (strange, isn't it?). So my question is... what would you do in this situation. PS. Personally I am feeling down, as I usually like to create the environment of trust at the workplace. <Q> I may be wrong, but I think what you are getting at is you are concerned that he didn't make a mistake and asked you for some other reason, (presumably because of serious financial problems). <S> If the extra money hasn't come into your account within a couple of days of you receiving your usual salary, just say something like " <S> Hey, I never did get that extra money, did you manage to sort it out? <S> " <S> He may have just managed to contact the bank and resolve it and never thought to bother you again. <S> You definitely did the right thing though to refuse to pay up. <A> Talk to him about how you haven't received it. <S> Request a meeting with him and HR to discuss it so that everything he says is recorded and official. <S> That's not a big request because it's related to money, which is very serious. <A> Tell your boss you have not received any salary. <S> Do not give him your bank statement now as he has not asked for it officially <S> , he made a mistake so if he produces proof of transfer then you produce proof that you have not received it. <S> Dont throw your financial status as it can be effectively used to make decisions concerning you...
| Ask for proof that the money was in fact sent (from accounting or payroll) and bring proof you never received it (bank statement, etc).
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Are workers on holidays and weekends in the US paid more? I live in Israel, here if an employee is working on a holiday or on the weekend, they are paid a double salary by law. So if your salary for a normal work day is 10$ an hour you'll get 20$ (before taxes) for each hour you work on the holiday. There was the recent issue of US retail stores opening on Thanksgiving and many sources claim that it's not fair to the employees. I wanted to know whether an employee who works on a federal holiday and/or weekend in the US is payed more by law? <Q> According to the United States' Department of Labor web site , this will depend on whether you're considered an "Exempt" employee for the wage and salary laws and also whether the holiday or weekend hours worked put you into overtime. <S> To explain this, I need to define a "work week" as a set period of 7 consecutive days in which an employee works. <S> Note that a work week need not correspond to a calendar week. <S> A standard work week will contain 40 hours of work. <S> Any time over that 40 hours is overtime. <S> However, an employer can (and some routinely do) schedule an employee to work 8 to 10 consecutive days that split those days over two work weeks in such a way as to avoid overtime pay. <S> Exempt employees (often called salaried or salary employees) are generally just that - exempt - from receiving any extra pay above their salaries for work they do, whether it is overtime or done on holidays or weekends. <S> The trade-off is that an exempt employee is supposed to be paid a full wage for times <S> he/she works less than 40 hours and also that salaries are expected to be higher than non-exempt wages. <S> Non-exempt (sometimes called hourly) <S> employees have to be paid overtime for any work they do over 40 hours in a work week; there is no legal requirement of which I am aware that work done on weekends or holidays automatically receive extra pay. <S> However, if the employee has to work over 40 hours in a work week because of this weekend or holiday work, then he/ <S> she is entitled to overtime pay. <S> Note this answer is only addressing the United States as a whole; state or locality laws may modify these requirements. <S> Also, employment contracts (union negotiated or individually negotiated) can also modify these requirements. <A> I wanted to know whether an employee who works on a federal holiday and/or weekend in the US is payed more by law? <S> No. <S> There is "business practice" and "law". <S> Some employers choose to pay extra, some do not. <A> This article indicates that Walmart (one of the largest examples of "open on Thanksgiving" this year) employees got an extra full day's wage - meaning they likely got at least double their usual rate. <S> US Government workers get double their salary when working on holidays. <S> In general, I've seen "time and a half" (1.5x wage) <S> be the usual standard for hourly employees. <S> Still, it can easily be argued that making a few dozen extra dollars isn't worth losing the holiday.
| Businesses in the US are not required by Federal law to pay extra for working on a Federal Holiday.
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What should I do when I don't have anything to say in daily stand up meetings? I'm not skipping my work, but I have dependencies on other teams' work which block my own. What should I say in daily stand up meetings, if I cannot do any work? I agree that telling I am waiting for dependancy should work. But that cannot go on for weeks, right? I am being paid on daily basis, and I should be saying some useful work for every day. <Q> And If I cannot do any work, What should I say in status meetings? <S> If your status is "Cannot do any work until X is done by Team Y", then that's the minimum you should say in your status meeting. <S> What is the current status of the other Team and the prediction as to when you'll become unblocked While I am blocked, is there anything else I can help with to keep things moving? <A> Nothing to say? <S> You have the MOST IMPORTANT thing there is to say in a daily meeting: something (that someone else can fix) is keeping me from doing what I am supposed to be doing <S> You need to say this loudly and clearly at every opportunity until the block goes away or someone tells you the task is no longer yours. <S> You may also want to say until I can work on <S> x I have been doing y <S> But if you don't volunteer that, I sure will ask you. <S> The reason most teams hold daily meetings is that blocks like this are quite common. <S> They used to go on for weeks and the blockers often had no idea they were blocking others. <S> So telling someone your issue is really the whole point of the meeting. <S> The whole "yesterday I narrowed in on the layout bugs and today I think I should have them solved" report is fairly boring. <S> The excitement and value comes when problems in the project can be entirely averted by vital information at the right time. <S> So take a big breath and sing out. <A> If your current status is "waiting for Joe to finish what he's working on", then Joe (and everyone else on the team) should know about it. <S> It's your manager's / scrum master's responsibility to either help Joe finish a bit faster, or find you something else to do while you wait. <S> That's what stand up meetings are all about, keeping the team informed of every member's current status. <A> One of the major points in stand up meetings is to identify blockers, they should be brought up and hopefully resolved. <S> That's also why they generally take place at the start of the day. <A> It is imperative that you say that you are blocked due to a dependency on another team, I would even do that the moment it happens and not wait for the stand-up meeting. <S> In our scrum we have an impediment column, which means a certain sub-task is blocked due to an external issue (another team, environment, etc.). <S> This is also important because if you (and your scrum) have many or long impediments it might be a sign that the planning was incomplete and you started working on tasks before everything was ready. <A> Inform the team of your status, and use available time for professional development. <S> What you can say at the standup, in such circumstances, is 'Still waiting for x: in the meantime studied up in HTML5/CSS3/Canvas-Object as implemented in Chrome'. <S> If some of your coder pals get upset at your training window, they might dump some work on you to keep you busy. <S> I've heard stories of government contracts where people were supposed to design, code, test, and document the system in parallel. <S> Needless to say, much effort is wasted and the project doesn't get done any sooner or any cheaper. <S> Often the people 'blocked' are in Unit Testing, Integration Testing, Technical Writing, or similar roles that only become active toward the end of the development cycle. <S> In such circumstances one can use the opportunity for professional development, whatever that means in your discipline. <S> For technical writing one suspects this is focused on online-help development tools, screen capture and cropping tools, 'infographics', etc. <S> If you're a coder in some capacity then it may not matter whether you're focus <S> is on QA - probably any coding area is worthwhile.
| But, if I were running the meeting, I'd also want to hear quick thoughts on: What you are doing to mitigate the time lost due to waiting Who on the other Team you are talking with about how to get their part done so that you can start
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How to setup a contract position? I have been told that I am going to be laid off at the end of the year but the company would like to make me a contractor for a few months . The company has only asked for my rate and my decision. I was wondering what do I need to do to set up this contract? Do I need to makeup a formal contract or not? EDIT: I'm located in the United States . <Q> YES <S> You need a formal contract. <S> The contract needs to include when and how you'll get paid, recourse for disagreements, and other things I haven't thought of. <S> There are plenty of resources online <S> that will tell you what needs to be in that contract. <S> You may also want to talk to a lawyer. <S> The best way to save money with a lawyer is to use one before you have problems. <S> As for the rate, that's something you'll need to figure out. <S> A starting point might be to multiply your existing salary times by 1.25 (see edit below) <S> or so, then break that down into an hourly rate. <S> (You'll need to pay your own health insurance and assume you'll be off contract / looking for work a certain fraction of the year). <S> Another starting point is to find out what other contractors with roughly your experience are charging in your neighborhood. <S> [edit] Per comments from thursdaysgeek and mhoran_psrep, <S> my 1.25 factor is terribly low - you'll want higher. <S> 2.0 was mentioned as a better figure. <A> Ask your company if they usually contract through an agency; if so, all you'll have to do is go meet with the agency and sign the contract and the usual hiring paperwork (such as direct deposit and whatnot). <S> You will then be a W-2 Employee of the agency, on contract with your old employer. <S> If not, they're expecting you to be a 1099 Contractor, or an Independent Contractor. <A> YES you need a contract. <S> It should include, at minimum: What your deliverables are. <S> Where you are expected to work / who provides equipment and software. <S> Who to invoice / when you will get paid. <S> Assignment of legal costs to the prevailing party if legal action has to be taken to collect. <S> Interest rate / fees for late payments. <S> Start <S> / End date of contract. <S> Notice period for early termination for both parties. <S> Who you report to. <S> Also, you should figure your rate at about DOUBLE your salary (my opinion). <S> In the U.S., you will now have to pay your own insurance <S> (wait until you see what COBRA costs), additional taxes, and "savings" for the down time expected at the end of your contract. <S> If the contract is 6 months to a year, maybe a little lower. <S> See if you can find someone in your field who is contracting in your market, and ask them for advice. <S> They may even have a contract you can use as a starting point. <S> You may not need a lawyer, but make sure that everybody's expectations are in writing. <S> Nothing is just "understood" when it comes to contracting. <S> Thoroughly document your deliverables as you complete them, and do it on your systems, not theirs, or at least BCC your personal email with them.
| In this case, you'll want to draft up a contract with the company as the others have suggested.
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What should I provide as my Current CTC (cost to company) to a Company where I am going to work? I am going to join a new company, so I wanted to give my CTC 1 details to them.In my current company I am getting a salary of sum of Basic & Variable pay, where variable pay depends on how many hours I effectively worked for the company. Until 2 months ago, I had been getting almost the full amount of variable salary, since we had a lot of projects. Now condition have changed, and only 2 or 3 projects are running, and I've been getting much less variable pay for the last 2 months. Suppose this example: Monthly Salary details: Basic Pay: 1500 Variable pay : 8000 for 166 hours per month For an hour : 48.17 Total salary : 15000 + 8000 = 23000 For a year : 23000 * 12 = 2,76000 Total salary without Variable : 15000 For a year : 15000 * 12 = 1,80000 At a condition I worked less [suppose 83 hours] Variable Pay : 4000 Total salary : 15000 + 4000 = 19000 For a year : 23000 * 12 = 2,28000 So which one should I provide to them? Also I have to provide my last 3 months of pay slips to them. 1 Cost to Company is a term used in India to indicate the total cost of an employee to the company including things like salary, taxes, bonuses, and other benefits <Q> Maybe this is a local custom, if I were asked to show the paychecks from my previous employer, I'd be freaked. <S> That's none of their business, that's between me and my previous employer. <S> But if it's common where you live, I guess you just show them your last paychecks <S> and if they differ your employer may want to know why, so you may want to simply send the formula. <S> If you are unsure how to do that, it would be best if you ask them. <S> If your employer needs that, they will know what format is best. <A> It is a common practice here in India to show the total possible cost for yourself as the CTC. <S> This cost is not what you get in hand or not what you get on the salary slip but what you were offered in your offer letter or increment letter. <S> Take the following example: <S> Basic pay: <S> 5,000All allowances: 8,000(like House rent allowance, Travel allowance, Dearness allowance, Medical allowance)Employer's provident fund contribution: 2000---------------------------------------------Total basic (fixed) <S> monthly pay: 15,000Total basic (fixed) <S> annual pay: 15,000 x 12 = 180,000Annual bonus (pro-rated): 18,000Insurance permium (life cover, health cover, etc.): 10,000------------------------------------------------------------Total <S> annual variable: 28,000Overtime (if applicable): 100 per hour <S> Considering this example, your projected annual cost to the company would be: 180,000 (fixed) + 28,000 (variable) = <S> 208,000 <S> And you have to mention the overtime rates separately. <S> You don't have to include overtime in your CTC as it is already covered in the salary slips. <S> The companies in India make offers based on verified salary slips and not on what CTC amount you tell them. <S> If your salary slip shows overtime income more than your basic pay, the new employers would make an offer accordingly. <S> Furthermore, you can always negotiate your salary before a formal offer is made. <A> As a non-Indian I don't know if the formula to caluculate this is standard or company specific but either way HR will have the answer. <S> When you ask them just say that your pay varied month to month depending on your project load and you would like to know how many months should be factored into this calculation. <S> If this isn't a standardized thing you probably don't want them to knowing how to influence the results. <A> I would suggest a six month average, or even a one year average if your work has seasonal fluctuations. <S> Provide pay slips for the period you average, if you must do so. <S> Then explain what you're doing and why - that your work fluctuated and you wanted to give them a complete picture. <A> For example, some of the things included are Office Space Rent , Incentives or bonuses (which might include your variable pay), and Income tax savings . <S> There's no way for you to know what the company is spending on your office space, without asking them. <S> You might not be able to tell what tax-free benefits <S> you're getting that they're covering the tax on. <S> And so on. <S> The only way to get a solid CTC is to ask.
| When you provide your salary slips, all the fixed components are mentioned on it, along with the overtime. Having read a definition of CTC and its components, I'm going to say that you have to ask your current HR for an official breakdown.
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How to list concurrent jobs on a CV? Normally on a CV I would list previous jobs in chronological order, for example if working as a widget builder I would list each position like so. 2009-Present Senior Widget Builder at Widget Ltd.2005-2009 Widget Builder at Widget Inc.2001-2005 Junior Builder Maker at Widget Co. However if two jobs had been held at the same time and in the same field, for example working/volunteering at a non-profit/charity organization, how would such a job be listed? Normally I would not list such a job in the same section as my employment history, however in this case the skills from the second job are directly relevant to my field. By keeping things in chronological order, the more prestigious position is not the most visible. 2011-Present Widget Builder at Widgets4Kids.2009-Present Senior Widget Builder at Widget Ltd.2005-2009 Widget Builder at Widget Inc.2001-2005 Junior Builder Maker at Widget Co. However when not doing so the time line does not seem correct. 2009-Present Senior Widget Builder at Widget Ltd.2011-Present Widget Builder at Widgets4Kids.2005-2009 Widget Builder at Widget Inc.2001-2005 Junior Builder Maker at Widget Co. How should just a job be listed on a CV, if at all? <Q> This should remove any concerns that you made a mistake in your CV concerning the dates. <S> HR isn't going to ask about salary, benefits and other questions they may want to know about your full-time employment. <S> Depending on the type of companies you're applying for, this will help in drawing attention to the fact you volunteer. <S> The only other choice is to drastically change the format of your CV to be more of a functional CV and not chronological. <A> Reading and evaluating dozens of resumes every day, I would suggest keeping everything in chronological order, and then just including the fact that the work is volunteer. <S> Your goal should be to provide information that is accurate, clear and motivating (i.e., to select you for an interview). <S> If you went with something like: 2011-Present (Part-time Volunteer) <S> Widget Builder at Widgets4Kids.2009-Present Senior Widget Builder at Widget Ltd.2005-2009 Widget Builder at Widget Inc.2001-2005 Junior Builder Maker at Widget Co. <S> It is clear enough that a) <S> you did this on the side, b) <S> you took the time to volunteer which always looks good, and c) you can add any additional technical experience you deem appropriate. <S> I would however make the time commitment clear. <S> The only question that could come up is whether you switched to a part-time status or contract work at Widget Ltd. after you started as a volunteer. <S> A reviewer might not necessarily think that, but better to remove any doubt. <S> The most important thing to avoid is having a hiring manager or HR person be in a situation where they have to "fill in the blanks" on their own because the resume doesn't provide enough detail. <S> People have a tendency to make negative assumptions and look for reasons not to interview. <A> If both jobs are current, as you show here, I don't think you are violating any sort of chronological order by putting the one you want first. <S> In either case, you have a continuous job history, which is what you want to demonstrate. <S> If you have to do a little bit of explaining during an interview, that's a good thing. <S> I have a similar overlap and talking about it gives me a chance to elaborate on what I was doing in a manner I choose. <S> Since you know you are going to be asked, prepare a good response in advance. <A> My rule on resumes is that the first line of text has to tell the most important story. <S> Therefore, the first position listed should be the one most persuasive to the employer. <S> If that happens to be work you've done five years ago <S> and you've had two jobs since, the five year old role goes to the top. <S> My normal first line runs something like this: <S> "Business System Design and Applications Development in C#, SQL Server, Winforms, ..." <S> The last time I did instrumentation work was in 1997. <S> However, if I was applying for an instrumentation job, the first position would be: "National Instruments LabView 5.0 for sounding rocket ion and electron sensors..." <S> You will need to customize your CV for each position you're applying for, ordering the responsibilities from most to least important for the role you wish to fill.
| List it under another section called: Volunteer Work, Other Projects, etc. An alternative would be to mention this experience next to the appropriate item(s) in a skill section, if this does not over-lap your other work experience.
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At what point is it appropriate to approach management about an uneven workload distribution? I'm a web developer who works primarily building clients' sites and web apps. At least, that's what I was hired for. There are 3 developers at this shop, and 2 "piles" of work, new development and maintenance. We build sites using a CMS ( Content Management System ); we train the clients in the usage of the CMS, but none of them ever use it. Instead, they hand us 70 page word documents full of paragraphs of text, and they give it to us to input into the system. Instead of having somebody in a position specifically to do fixes such as this (there is most definitely 40 hours/week of "2nd pile" work to do), they assign it to the developers to do. Specifically: Developer #1 is the "senior developer", rarely ever has to do this. I can somewhat respect that given his seniority, but personally only think it fair that he occasionally help out with second-pile work, especially considering his overall skillset is comparable if not smaller than the 2 other developers. Developer #2 is of the same seniority as me and has been there only slightly longer, and has a smaller skillset. He gets his fair share of the "2nd pile" work, but not quite as much as me. Then there's me, developer #3. I have been doing "2nd pile" work, almost exclusively content input, for over a month now. This is not what I was hired for or what I had in mind when I agreed to leave my old job for here. I understand that there are bad parts 'grunt work' in any job, and that I have to do my fair share. The issue is that, in my opinion, I'm doing more than my fair share, and that the work isn't distributed evenly among team members. So I guess my question is: at what point is it appropriate to approach a member of management with concerns about how they are distributing the workload ? <Q> We build sites using a CMS, we train the clients in the usage of the CMS, but none of them ever use it. <S> So the problem here is that the clients are getting free data-entry out of your team. <S> Normally, data-entry is to be done by the client once the tools are completed, but that has to be specified in the contract, or they can try to get you to do it. <S> I've seen it happen. <S> I'm guessing your manager doesn't think this is a problem, but maybe you should phrase it something like this: <S> If we can ensure that clients will do their own data-entry and content-management, then I'll have more time to work on coding projects or bug fixes and that will enable us to pick up more clients, and then more money! <S> Putting it in terms of wasted time and lost potential profits might make it seem more important to the management team. <S> In the meantime, have you looked into building a tool that can automatically load their content to a database? <S> If they send you a word doc, maybe you could separate the parts into text files, and then write a little script that loads them to the appropriate part of a client's site. <S> Not sure how easy this would be without knowing more about the details of these CMS sites, but it might help. <A> This is not an unusual problem, it is really indicative of bad management, so going to management may have limited results, but it is really your only recourse. <S> You should try and schedule a meeting with your manager. <S> As a new employee you really should have several of these anyway in the first few months. <S> Don't threaten to leave or anything, but explain your dissatisfaction and that the job was not sold as a support or data entry job, but a programming one and you feel that the work load should be more balanced. <S> It is not being unreasonable to ask the lead engineer to take as much as 30% of that stack 2 stuff. <S> Additionally, they should be aware that customers are taking advantage of their support agreements. <S> Management may be charging for this or may not. <S> Ask, I mistakenly thought one time it was bad for our business only to find out most of the client charges were this kind of work. <S> Lastly, you may want to start looking around again. <S> If it was just recently that you were looking you may be able to find something faster if you start that machine up again. <S> You don't want to wait a year or two down the line and find all your skills gone. <A> So how many years has the sr. <S> dev. been doing this type of grunt work with the promise they'll "soon" hire another jr. devs to take on this type of work? <S> Doesn't make it right, but it would explain it. <S> I don't agree with misleading you during the hiring process, but you could be dealing with people who have been doing what you're doing for a much longer period of time and see this as sort of a vacation and the new guy has to pay his dues. <S> You shouldn't go over the sr. <S> dev's head just yet. <S> Unfortunately, they type of work you're doing means you're easily replaceable due to no fault of your own. <S> If you feel there is no chance to change this or the time-table is exceeded, you may need to go to a higher-up. <S> Please try to leave this job in a better place than you found it, but it is understandable if you have to move on.
| Acknowledge that you're not doing the type of work you thought you would be doing and try to find out how long this will go on. See if you can speak to clients about the tasks they may be paying a developer to do and see if it is a communication and/or training issue.
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Do self-employed also write resumes? If I am applying to contract work (mainly UK, Ireland, but would also want to know how things look like in North America), do I need a complete CV like an employee? Updating my CV is bothersome sometimes (many small projects going on) and clients seem to have different expectations about what is a good CV (therefore it seems that my CV will always be a disadvantage at one end or the other). I wonder whether a short description of my career would be the most common and most appropriate (in terms of getting clients) in this case. (It would be like went to such and such institution, worked at 3 countries and feel comfortable in 2 languages, ... stuff like that. <Q> The rules are the same as with permanent staff, the CV should really be tailored to be relevant to the role you are applying to, if you are getting mixed responses it sounds like you are firing in the same CV to everyone, you need to spend the time for each application, just as you would with covering letter, it's part of your sales pitch <S> so you need to spend the time on it. <S> The way I look at it is the cover letter is how you meet the requirements of my role, the CV then provides the evidence to back up your claims. <A> If you self employed, don't think resume, think portfolio . <S> They're very similar, but a resume is a detail of work you have done under the supervision of others, whereas a portfolio is a detail of projects you have seen through and managed as an independent firm. <S> I would even consider a portfolio website over a resume for the self-employed. <A> Expanding on both answers above: you absolutely need a CV, and as Mark points out it should be tailored to the specific employer's needs. <S> The first line of narrative should be the 'elevator pitch': the closest match of skills and experience you bring to the proposed job - even if that work is something you did four years ago, followed by three jobs of other kinds. <S> The portfolio idea serves two purposes - in particular this is what you need to have on-line, and it should be detailed. <S> Your resume will be returned with searches on various skills and applications, so for the on-line version 'you want them all'. <S> The second is that the employer can see your 'range'. <S> In short, 'SQL Server, C#, Winforms, HTML, JavaScript, CSS3, Microsoft Access, and SSRS' overlaps 'MySQL, Java, Swing, HTML, JavaScript, CSS3, and Oracle' in web components but doesn't in terms of server and business rule implementation. <S> Sometimes it's that last little nibble of experience that closes the deal.
| As a hiring manager of contractors in the UK, I'd certainly expect a CV showing how your experience is relevant to me and my business.
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How do I help my new boss succeed? We have hired someone to be the new boss of my department (the old boss left). I was one of the interviewers for the new boss, and along with other technical peers did some of the boss' tasks while we were without a boss. But my (and my peers) jobs are very tactical. We organize the herd of cats that are software engineers, and our boss is meant to be the more strategic sort of figure that helps our department work with others. I am in an awkward spot because my boss' boss(es) have very little insight into the day to day operations. I'm wondering if there are any well known best practices for someone in my position to help onboard my new boss - how to set them up for success in the new role? <Q> Looking at the role that you play and your boss will play, he would find someone very useful who can help understand & project (externally) the team's tactics/operations and align them with the company's strategy (as your boss's bosses understand it). <S> I would pair with him and hold workshops/q & a sessions to educate/demonstrate - <S> Why is the team doing what it is doing ? <S> How is the team doing it ? <S> How are 1 & 2 connected and in sync ? <S> How would they be tracked and remain in sync ? <A> Less interruption from your side will give your boss more time to concentrate on his job. <S> Know how to communicate in emergencies. <S> Know what kind of information help your boss best make a decision and try to provide them in right time. <A> Three things that will help: <S> Collectively, your team should help him structure the project schedule so that he has a realistic idea of at least current completion estimates. <S> Now that he's there all requests should be directed to him. <S> There may be some value in discussing the workload balance, to see if someone is carrying more or less weight than they should, and recommend a rebalancing if need be to redistribute the load. <S> I recall a situation in particular where I was getting paid more then someone I viewed as an equal co-worker <S> - this was in a startup situation where cash was precious and the two of us were friends of about five years. <S> I suggested after a few weeks that the pay between us be equalized.
| If users are attempting to guide the delivery priorities you should name those users to the boss, so that he can go talk to them. If you see 'bumps in the road' - issues that might derail the schedule or the project, bring these up right away.
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What should I tell about myself in a interview I faced this question many times earlier. My friends are going for their interviews now. I used to tell about all my schooling, college and family etc in answer to this question. One of my friends said that when he was answering this question the interviewer interrupted him and told to tell only about professional information. I want to ask what should be the ideal answer for "Tell me something about yourself" in a technical/HR interviews at a small/large company. <Q> I have asked this question in interviews. <S> It means tell me things about yourself that might make me consider hiring you. <S> It is also a chance to give you an easy question to break the ice (After all you should know what is on your resume, right?) <S> So yes concentrate on professional experience and education. <S> The only time I would bring up things like hobbies is if I can see from the interviewer's office that we have something in common and then I might mention, " <S> Oh I see you ski, too" (figured out from his pictures of skiiing) <S> Have you been to Vail? <S> I love it there. <S> But it would be part of casual conversation before or after the interview, not in answer to a question unless someone directly asked me about hobbies (Which has never happened). <S> Mentioning family is an absolute non-no. <S> It is irrelevant to whether you can do the job. <S> And it could very well take you out of the runnning especially if you are woman with children or planning to have children. <A> Your friend was dead right, whenever Interviewer ask about yourself tell him about your profession. <S> Some things you must tell him/her, Name Education Qualification (schooling , collages, university ,Degree etc) <S> Experience <S> Your Age <S> You can tell these things too, But these are not compulsory. <S> Your Hobbies <S> , Hobby is a part of your living, <S> Although it might be tempting to share a list of your most compelling qualifications for the job at hand, a more low-key approach will probably help you to develop a personal rapport with your interviewer. <S> Examples might include a hobby which you are passionate about like quilting, astronomy, chess, choral singing, golf, skiing, tennis or antiquing. <S> Interests like long distance running or yoga which help to represent your healthy, energetic side are worth mentioning. <S> Pursuits like being an avid reader or solving crossword puzzles or brain teasers will help to showcase your intellectual leaning. <S> Siblings Just tell them how many members are in your family and that's it. <S> No more If interviewer ask about it then you should tell them. <S> Any person you know working presently in that company <S> Your Address(Not detail one) <A> IMO this question is an ice breaker and usually asked in the beginning of the interviews. <S> In replying to this question, I have mostly heard people talk briefly about their education, work/technology experience along with domain (knowledge) demonstration. <S> Achievements and out of work involvement with technology if any (like a certification or an open source project code commit-ter). <S> All of this is sufficient for me when I am conducting interviews for (IT)developer roles and I would think would be sufficient in most interview scenarios. <S> However, if the interviewer needs to know additional details s/he will ask you to give additional details about your family or probably your nocturnal routine. <S> In case if you are from a region where fudging resumes is common place, an astute interviewer might use your answers to cross reference what you say with what you have written in your resume. <S> Of course if you are applying for positions which require security clearance and if it is not just the initial interview rounds, then the interviewer will ask for very detailed answers. <A> But answering it well is really, in my opinion, more about preparation. <S> Here are some things to think about before you go into the interview: <S> Do your research on the company. <S> What is the culture like there? <S> Who would be a good fit in terms of personality and work style? <S> Same sorts of things from 1. apply here as well. <S> Rehearse an honest answer (i.e. a truthful one that you can back up with examples) <S> prior to the interview; but cater the content of your answer to what you know about the position. <S> Taking this approach will let the interviewer know that you have done your homework and give him/her an opportunity to dig deeper into what is most important to them. <S> This isn't just a matter of telling them what they want to hear, but it is a matter of telling them what they need to hear about you.
| How best to answer this question depends on the specifics of the job and company for/at which you are interviewing. Interests like golf, tennis and gourmet food might have some value if you would be entertaining clients in your new job. Do not talk about your personal life (this may be culturally different in other countries, I am in the US). Do your research on the position.
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How to deal with a pressuring colleague? I have an over-ambitious colleague that keeps pressuring people who work with her. She has a spectacular plan which is in order to please the top management, that I am ok with it. I chose to get out of her way, shut up and let her play. Even that I don't like her "political tricks". However, her plan took her so much time that she cannot finish what she is supposed to do in the agenda. Thus she turned to me, asked me to do part of her job. She made it like it is my responsibility to achieve it. Although, according to the plan, my work is already finished. Technically, she's the user of my work. However, I already handed over what she needs, she only has to read my work (I guess she doesn't have the time) and she can proceed. But she still asks for more, which should be done by herself. She put her aggressive face to me, looks like she's not happy with my uncooperative attitude (FYI, I am not the first one to suffer this). Come on, that is YOUR job! Don't push other people because you have a tight deadline which is due to overspent your time on some "super plan"! Everyone has their own schedule to follow. Why should I give my way to you!? I don't think it is possible to just ignore her and focus on my work. She keeps pulling people to her desk, asks a lot of questions that can speed her work without caring if people are busy with their own work, like the office should only serve herself. The whole team is interrupted time and time again. Anyway, I am fed up with her arrogance. How could I deal with this without making it ugly? <Q> 'Grand plans' are often diversionary - 'I've got the plan to save the world and you will serve me as I do this'. <S> This is some kind of hero complex and most likely isn't going to get anywhere. <S> It appears from your post that she's dragging a lot of people into this - it might work if she is charismatic, but if everyone else is burning out she'll end up left with nothing when it's time to count the chips. <S> The best thing to do is stand back and watch. <S> Take care of what you're supposed to be doing, and nothing more. <S> They should get a sense of the fact that she has turned into a bull in a china shop. <S> People learn by making mistakes, and some companies encourage or even demand experiments with potential for failure. <S> Maybe this is a good idea, and it's possible <S> she's being cultivated for higher roles. <S> You might see something in all this you respect, later on. <S> Second, don't organize or participate in a 'revolt'. <S> If several of the other workers are cooperating to 'bring her down', stay out of it. <S> Each of you should do what you can and make your own choices, but there is no point in trying to undercut constructive efforts, even if they're misguided. <S> Ms. Ambitious will have to learn to get what she wants done with limited resources. <S> As do we all. <A> Anyway, I am fed up with her arrogance. <S> How could I deal with this without making it ugly? <S> Your answer should be: " <S> I'm sorry, I can't help you right now because I am busy with my own work." <S> That is all you need to do. <S> If she is not your boss, she has no rights to re-prioritize your work or tell you how to do your job. <S> Be nice, but firm. <S> Whatever you do don't start getting into arguments with her. <S> For example, don't let her ask you what it is that you are busy with and whether it is more important than helping her. <S> People like that tend to latch on to whatever 'lifeline' you give them. <S> She will only sucker you into doing her work so long as you let her. <A> This often happens to most people in the office. <S> Some people have a nature to be over smart and make complains of their colleagues to the boss. <S> Manage your reactions. <S> If someone annoys you, don’t show your reactions to him and don't focus on his behavior. <S> Keep it to yourself.
| Things not to do: first, don't try to 'defeat' her plans. If you and her (as well as others) are in weekly progress meetings with higher level managers, prod her to describe to her managers the demands she's making on her co-workers. Some people need push back in order to respect your boundaries.
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Are there disadvantages of having a higher designation at low salary? I have a situation at hand. I have a option to get a higher Designation (Senior Software Engineer) but the remuneration being provided is less then whats average in the market for a SSE. My question is if i take the designation at low salary will it effect my future growth as i will be low paid SSE. <Q> There are two aspects this will have impact on: <S> future salary prospects within your current company perceived value to other potential employers <S> Salary prospects <S> Usually there is some pool of extra salary companies hand out year-by-year in the form of small-ish percentage increases. <S> On the other hand you don't want to be passed over when promotions are coming up. <S> So there's a trade-off when chosing this route . <S> Outside value <S> If your short to medium term plan is to leave/switch companies anyway, grabbing titles and certifications will put you in a better position when negotiating with potential new employers. <S> This may differ from country to country <S> but I don't know of any laws that force you to disclose your exact current/last salary during an interview, <S> so accepting a lower-than-average one for a promotion that will increase standing may be a good idea. <S> Conclusion <S> You have to know which direction your 'future growth' is taking , then the answer will be clear . <A> Not really, many companies promote from within because it allows them to increase your salary rather than provide you with a new one, which sometimes leads to you being paid a little less than someone employed from outside. <S> Which never really made sense to me because you have specific domain knowledge and can hit the ground running. <S> As well as that, some companies have less resources so <S> can't pay more. <S> Anyway, companies tend to understand this and it won't make a difference to most. <A> No, the salary may be lower than average but your still be getting senior position experience. <S> You can then easily request a payrise at your next appraisal or transfer to a better paying company in the future.
| New titles are always opportunities to negotiate pay raises beyond what these annual increases would give you, so to situate yourself better for future raises , you should drive a hard bargain to come with a new title (as there is new responsibility involved, too).
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How to title my last programming position? My previous job title was 'Senior development engineer'. I was basically a sole developer in a midsized manufacturing firm and the go to guy for programming / supporting any software project undertaken by the company. The firm titled it 'Senior' due to my 8 years experience in programming and to reflect my pay grade. Compared to a programmer in a large corporate, software house I am probably equivalent to a mid level programmer as I am mainly self taught and haven't worked in a team programming environment. The word 'Senior' often causes confusion with recruiters who associate this word with being in charge of a team of software developers. They also sometimes match me against position's superior to my skill level due to the word 'Senior' in my job title. Is it acceptable to prospective employers if I alter a title on my resume to reflect the duties performed rather than the title assigned by the company? Are there risks to doing this? <Q> I don't think you need to. <S> Senior sounds nice. <S> If you have experience as a team leader, you put that in the CV. <S> If the agent or HR manager is careful, he'll spot it's not there and ask you about it. <S> Plus you can always clarify during the interview. <S> But let's say you remove it from the title. <S> Suddenly you have a software engineer who has worked for 8 years and never held the title Senior . <S> I'm not saying this will cost you a job or an interview because I'm not experienced enough myself to answer that. <S> I'm only saying that in my book it might look suspicious. <S> Do you need more justification for keeping the title? <S> You were the only programmer in a manufacturing company for 8 years. <S> Now that's seniority. <S> tl;dr: <S> You are not responsible for what a recruiter assumes your previous role entailed, only for what you say it did. <A> Always put in your exact title, it is something easily checked in a reference check and can look bad if you changed it. <S> Discuss with the recruiters that you are looking for mid-level positions not senior ones, then you can be compared to the devs for those positions rather than the seniors with broader Enterprise experience than you have. <S> I see all kinds of silliness around the senior designation these days. <S> I see devs with less than 2 years experience with the senior title. <S> I've seen some really great senior people too who never got the designation because the organization they were in didn't use it. <S> I would never assume that having the title elsewhere means that you are senior as my organization defines it nor would I assume the reverse - <S> that having the title actually makes you a senior dev. <S> I am more concerned with actual accomplishments than titles when I hire. <A> The value and meanings of titles are company specific. <S> Both potential employers and recruiters will know this, and it is their job to take it into account when looking to fill a position. <S> If you feel concern about your ability to fulfill the requirements of a position that you are applying for, then that is a topic for conversation during the interview. <S> If you are working with a recruiter and are afraid that he will be looking for the wrong jobs for you, then have a discussion with him about your concerns. <S> It does him no good for you to either turn down interviews or even worse positions, because they are outside the scope of what you can/want to do. <A> I think you are under valuating yourself. <S> 8 years experience, self taught, in charge of a development dept (even if it was only you). <S> I know programmers two years out of uni who are nothing special and are Project Managers & Team Leaders. <S> Just make it clear at interviews that you were senior more with a bias towards project design and direction rather than people organization <S> and I'm sure you'll be fine.
| Tell the truth, use your actual title.
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How to reply in a professional manner to emails that I am the wrong recipient for? My current issue: I receive an email asking for my help to solve a system issue, but I'm not the one responsible for it and I don't even know who the right contact would be. Question: How to reply to emails that I may have received by accident, name mixup or whatever reason where I don't even know the right recipient? Do I just tell them or make an effort to find the intended recipient or forward it to a manager to deal with it? I'm trying to be professional and polite about it at the same time. <Q> Hi there. <S> Was this email sent to the wrong person? <S> I am [Joe Bloggs] in [XYZ Department] <S> , I am not responsible for this issue. <S> Sorry, I'm unable to refer you to correct contact person. <S> Regards, Joe Bloggs. <A> I'm going to say that it really matters who the email is from. <S> If it is from someone within your own company, and not the highest level of management, then a quick reply that you think they have the wrong person, what you do, such as geekrunnings' example shows, is very appropriate. <S> That gets it going in the right direction and shows that you're not just blowing them off. <S> I think this was sent to the wrong person, but I've been told that Justin Thyme in Shipping might be the correct person to handle this. <S> I'm sending this request to him, but please let me know if I do need to help in some way. <S> If the question is from outside the company, then you again want to track down who might be the right person, starting again by checking with your manager. <S> You want your company to look like it cares for its customers, so it's important to care about getting the email to the right person or department. <S> The reply is similar to the reply to management, but show that you're willing to be contacted again if this redirection doesn't help. <S> I think this was sent to the wrong person, but I've been told that Justin Thyme in Shipping might be the correct person to handle this. <S> I'm sending this request to him, and here is his contact information as well. <S> (include phone and email for contact as appropriate.) <S> If your request isn't handled, please let me know, and I'll try to find out more how we can help you. <S> If your manager also doesn't know who might be the correct person to contact, then it's worth looking up in a directory and trying to find someone. <S> Or asking the manager who might know. <S> For a CEO or customer, you really do want to direct the email in the right direction as well as sending a reply back. <S> If you really can't, then at least cc your manager in the reply back <S> , so the responsibility for finding the right contact is moving up the chain. <A> If you can find out who the right person might be with < 30 minutes effort, it can boost your reputation for being helpful if you do so. <S> In my organization, I know certain people might be able to tell me who is responsible for system X; a quick walk and a chat <S> and I could reply, copying the correct person, indicating that they might know. <S> It's not worth derailing your whole day over, but it makes you look very considerate and helpful if you can pull it off. <A> I feel that you really have two options. <S> First is the "sorry <S> , can't help you" email, which geekrunnings provided a fine example of. <S> The other is to forward the email to your manager with a note: <S> Hey, [Jane Smith] in [ABC Department] sent me this email about an issue with the Foozlewotsit System, but I don't actually know who can help her. <S> Can you pass it on to the right person? <S> It's a managers job to handle things like this. <A> Make sure you have some idea who is sending this email. <S> Depending on their status within your organization, you may have to put more time and effort into this. <S> You don't want it to get back to your boss that your best client's top decision maker was the one sending this email. <S> This is probably a rare case. <S> Check with your supervisor and find out how to address requests like this in general. <S> You may get some insight into how far up the "food chain" you need to be involved on solving this problem. <S> Regardless, be polite and professional.
| If the question is from a high level of management, it's worth asking your manager for who might be the right person or department, and send an apology email back, but cc that person as well.
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When should I use a functional CV/resume? I am trying to understand when I should use a functional CV/resume over a standard chronological one. A lot of the advice I've gotten tells me that a functional CV is a good way to hide over gaps in employment, but if that were the only merit then nobody would use them as it would seem as if the candidate had something to hide. When is using a functional CV appropriate over a standard CV/resume? <Q> Your CV should be about where do you want to focus the reader's attention. <S> What gets "hidden" should be things not important to an interviewer. <S> If you choose to lie about something, you better have a good memory and be prepared to maintain it throughout the interview process. <S> I don't recommend it. <S> The focus is on education, training, skills developed, projects, etc. <S> Some people have so many experiences in a large variety of areas, that a functional CV is a more concise way to demonstrate 20 yrs of experience. <S> For someone who does several contract jobs a year for several years, it's not important to list all of them. <S> It would be a little more common for contract workers to have gaps I employment, so it's not to cover it up. <S> Some CV's are a combination. <S> Maybe the chronological part only goes back 5-10 years? <S> Someone who has made a career change, would leave out a lot of the details about work in their previous fields. <S> There are so many things anyone could include in their CV that could negatively affect getting a position that people leave out all the time. <S> The goal is to omit any potential bias (we're all human). <S> You're not applying for sainthood. <A> This is not a point of view: I participate on a lot of interviews and selection process, but i worked for the gaming industry. <S> So it may be a lot different from common software development companies, or other business in general. <S> We had one person to take care of the HR in our company. <S> This person handled all CV's and Portfolios that were handed to us. <S> But we used the CV for almost nothing - what we did was search on the web about the person itself. <S> Profiles on websites like deviant, newgrounds and gamedev for junior developers and moby for seniors. <S> I helped with technical analysis of the person past jobs. <S> The CV was only a Formality and something we used to remove those that we would not even "waste" (because it's never really a waste) <S> our time interviewing them. <S> But when we gave the CV the first look, and we saw holes in your working timeline, we will ask for them, and what they are about. <S> Why there is nothing between your job 1 and 2? <S> Even they have a year of difference? <S> I used to help on these kind of questions on the interviews. <S> So, some companies will surely look with more details at holes at the CV.But <S> it's not a big deal - just be ready to answer questions. <S> “ In the information age, the barriers just aren’t there "And that means (the following is just my point of view), in this case, that holes in your CV won't be what will define if you get the job or not. <S> At least not if you don't lie about them if asked! <A> Personally I throw all functional CV's and resumes into the trash. <S> It's starting to be more of a trend, especially when people have a varied background without necessarily having anything to hide, but to me they don't provide what I'm looking for. <S> When I look at a resume, I look for where they worked, when they worked there, and what they personally did at the job. <S> I'll also look for where they went to school and hopefully their personal accomplishments at school if they're a relatively recent graduate. <S> A functional style CV or resume makes it much harder to correlate accomplishments and skills with the jobs where those were met and used. <S> Certainly some will disagree with me, but I quite literally trash them immediately.
| Functional CV's are good for those without any job experience.
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What should I consider before wearing Google Glass to a job interview when I do development for them? I am not sure if it's okay to wear Google Glass to an interview. It seems like many people are worried about their privacy, but I am a mobile application developer and I wear them pretty much all the time since I got them. Because I am involved in development for Google Glass, it seems natural to wear these to an interview as well. I am aware there may be concerns with this due to privacy/etc, so my question is: What should I consider before wearing Google Glass to a job interview when I do development for them? <Q> I don't think it's appropriate. <S> There's the usual concerns about the privacy of the interviewers but that's not what I'd be concerned about. <S> You would turn off your cell phone for an interview, you wouldn't check any mobile devices. <S> Laptops, cell phones, hand held computers and any in ear devices would all be put away unless you were demonstrating something <S> so why would you want to have wearable tech that only you could interact with? <S> If I was interviewing someone and they decided to wear something that could potentially take their focus from the interview or even allow them to have reference material in front of them without me knowing <S> then I would be slightly insulted and I'd question how serious this interviewee was about the job, perhaps even if they were capable at all. <S> Many people in addition to that would also be unhappy as to this breach of their privacy. <A> I would not. <S> I would not worry about privacy issues, but about attention that you will call to yourself. <S> And that has two sides: <S> If you caused a good impression, this will make it even better: People will remember you easily. <S> It's also something different to add to the scale when deciding whether or not to hire you — people who embrace new technologies are the ones that will probably adapt easier to programming new languages and in new ways. <S> If you caused a bad impression... you will be just "the guy with the glasses". <S> But anyway, I would bring it, and show it around along with what I have made with it, and explain how it helps me in my development. <A> No. <S> Do Not. <S> Allow me to illustrate with some 'wearable tech' that is more mainstream - bluetooth headsets. <S> Would you walk into an interview wearing a B/T and then say "excuse me let me just remove this nifty device". <S> No, that would be silly - you'd take it off before you went in. <S> If your involvement in Glasses dev is appropriate for the job, it should be in your c.v., not on your face. <A> An interesting question for sure! <S> I'd say bring them but realize that in the current moment you are in uncharted territory. <S> Any interview is generally about: Showing what you are capable of - in <S> which case, a development capability you are working with is very relevant! <S> Showing you can connect with those around you and be respectful of the limitations of your work place - in which case, the Google Glass could easily be a hindrance. <S> I'd figure that it's an area you want to negotiate this way: <S> Whenever bringing recording devices to an interview, make sure you are in an environment where that will be OK. <S> Traditionally high stakes security jobs are not OK with recording devices. <S> Do two things <S> if you're unsure (1) - figure out the overall rules of the site you'll be visiting, and leave the equipment in the car if the site doesn't allow recording devices (2) - check in with individuals as you meet with them and ask if they mind. <S> Offer to leave the google glass sitting on the table between you, turned off, or stowed in your bag if this is a problem. <S> Make sure that they are not a point for disengagement <S> - they are a device that has a user interface. <S> Make sure that you are interfacing first and foremost with your interviewers, not with the device. <S> You're not selling the tool, you're selling yourself. <S> In the end, you want the impression to be "hey, that was a smart guy who I can work with", not "cool toy, weird guy". <A> "I would love to wonder if a candidate was recording this interview and might potentially question me or sue me down the road", said no hiring manager ever. <S> Bring them in your pocket and offering to demo things with them during relevant parts of the interview? <S> That's probably ok. <A> What a great conversation piece. <S> You're a developer at a developer position interview and you work on Google Glass. <S> Yes, I would wear them to the interview. <S> It could be relevant to the job. <S> Maybe put them in a pocket. <S> Turn off and put away all electronic devices.
| Also individuals may not be thrilled by this violation of privacy. Leaving them on and not informing the interviewer would be a mistake. This is very important: Make sure you let the interviewer know that they are Google Glasses and that you have every intention of turning them off. There's no standard pattern on this yet, and just like the rules for bringing laptops and SmartPhones to interviews have been changing and adapting, I think you want to figure the mileage is going vary widely by the organizations you're interviewing with. You should be asking yourself why you would want to. Same rules as any smart phone - don't spend time messing with the device, and lock out any distractions that may happen - for example, turn off alerts or other notifications. If demoing your work - make sure the demo is prepared well and focuses on your work, not on the tool's overall capabilities.
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Giving two-weeks notice when on maternity/paternity leave? My wife is a nurse and is currently on maternity leave. For reasons with work life balance, she wishes to possibly look at another job for when she is ready to go back to work. She has a promising interview this week that might turn into a job offer. If this is the case, she would want to give two weeks notice to her current employer, but these two weeks would occur well before she is supposed to get back to work. When giving two weeks and one is on family medical leave (viewed as short term disability in the US), would this be considered a reason to blacklist the person from future employment? She is concerned because she works for a near monopoly, and if this other job doesn't work out, she would be in serious trouble finding a job. <Q> When giving two weeks and one is on family medical leave (viewed as short term disability in the US), would this be considered a reason to blacklist the person from future employment? <S> It might be different in the nursing profession, but in places where I have worked, it's pretty much a tossup when a woman takes a maternity leave if she will ever actually return. <S> It's never a surprise when they don't. <S> Usually, it's because the mother never actually planned to resume work after the leave was complete. <S> But I know of one other occasion where the mother found a new job waiting for her after her maternity leave and thus never returned. <S> I've also had people take a 1-month vacation (back to their home country), give a notice within their vacation time, then never return. <S> Maternity leave, paternity leave, leave for other reasons - it happens. <A> This answer does not answer the original question about blacklisting. <S> However, I think it's important enough to deserve a separate answer rather than a comment. <S> She needs to be very careful with this. <S> If she is currently on FMLA leave (Family Medical Leave Act) and quits while on it, the company can require repayment of the company's share of health plan premiums that they paid while she was on FMLA leave. <S> They can also stop health care benefits (subject to COBRA) immediately upon learning that she doesn't plan to return to work. <S> Some info here . <S> The particular statement is in 825.311 and more detailed information in 825.213 . <S> Many companies probably won't bother trying to recover the premiums. <S> If word got out, it could be a public relations nightmare, but the possibility is there. <S> Thanks to Joe Strazzere for a link to better information. <A> A company that somehow has a "near monopoly" status is generally large enough that they have well defined rules with regards to "blacklisting" a departing employee from the possibility of returning. <S> The following assumes it's a large company. <S> These will be defined in either the employee handbook or by HR policies which she should be able to get access to. <S> Generally speaking, the only times I've seen people "blacklisted" has been if one of the following situations apply: <S> Terminated for Cause. <S> Performance prior to leaving left a lot to be desired. <S> Manager fills out the exit interview stating that employee is not eligible for rehire. <S> That 3rd option is generally the biggie. <S> If she leaves things in such a way that the manager is unhappy then they will likely leave a black mark on her record; which would be reviewed by HR if she reapplies for work. <S> That said, I completely agree with Joe: when a woman goes on maternity leave most managers <S> know it's a complete crapshoot as to whether she will return or not. <S> She might very well have every intention of returning right up until she sees the baby then decides she simply couldn't leave the little bugger in day care. <S> The thing is, anyone that has been in that situation (ie: had a baby) knows this. <S> They leave the door open just in case the employee returns (it is the law) <S> but they aren't counting on it. <S> Another thing that impacts an employees ability to return is simply demand for her job skills. <S> If demand is pretty good in your area then the company will likely do what it can to ensure it can rehire her if the situation presents itself. <S> The flipside is that if the market is flooded with workers with a similar skill then HR might very well skip over her just to get someone new. <S> The tldr; version of the above is: only the company she works for can really answer this question. <S> Unfortunately you are unlikely to get a real answer until it comes time to try it out. <A> I don't see a problem. <S> Having a child changes personal and professional lives, so it's a valid reason to find a job that is more conducive. <S> I wouldn't just give 2 weeks notice if at all possible. <S> When people go on extended leave, they usually tie-up loose ends on projects, clients, etc. <S> and do some sort of helping with the transition to a replacement. <S> In a way, they've already replaced her, so I don't think resigning while on leave presents a lot of problems. <S> Finding enough good nurses is hard enough in many part of the world, so I don't think too many companies can afford to "blacklist" anyone with a good performance record because of one incident that isn't job performance related.
| In the software world, while it might cause bad feelings, it wouldn't cause a blacklist.
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Are independent projects appropriate to list on a resume? I am an undergrad student and I am going to sit for placements next semester. I plan to do a project on my own (without supervision by a professor or anyone else) during vacation. Even though it isn't a project officially done for school or work, is it appropriate to include it in my resume? <Q> Yes it is acceptable to put projects that you do on your own on your resume. <S> In fact it's standard practice. <S> Make sure that they are worthwhile projects, and be prepared to talk about them and ideally provide code samples. <A> The projects you make are the only ones which count in an interview, <S> well you made them as an employee or as an enthusiast are two different things and they need to be handled differently. <S> Handling Personal Project <S> With personal projects you have to really own what ever you do and choose <S> , You cannot just say it was client requirement or <S> my Tech lead asked me to follow this approach. <S> You have to be prepared to justify technically any third party library you have used or design pattern you have used. <S> If you want to start on a project and intend to show it on resume make sure it is best of your effort and <S> " your effort " part is more important. <A> At my university, you could not get credits for your personal projects. <S> When i'm understanding the question right, you just want to add them to your resumee - which is completely fine.
| Yes if your project has potential it will count.
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Staying in company after they offer higher pay than my new job I am currently working in a company which paid only 4% hike. I asked them for more and they clearly said that its not possible, not even 1 % more. So I decided to search for a new job and got one with 25% hike. I accepted the offer and now I'am in my notice period. My current employer now offers same 25% since I told them hike is the only reason for my leave. They are forcing me to accept their offer with same hike. I am confused here. After accepting the offer with the current employer will I be treated fair and square? will they put on some legal agreement to lock me with current employer for years? is it advisable to accept current employer's offer? If not, how can I refuse it ? <Q> You accepted the offer with the new company. <S> That is the only thing that you need to tell them. <S> Unless there is some other obligation you have: must work for X years after tuition or training or owe them the cost of the benefit; accepting moving expenses and need to pay it back if you leave within X years; they can't really stop you. <S> Many questions on this site ask about trying to determine if you should stay with the old company. <S> Many times people find out that the promised benefit by the old company never materializes, or they are never trusted by the old company again. <S> Accepting the increased offer by the old company frequently just delays the time frame of the move to another company. <S> Sit though the meeting with the managers, be polite; and then thank them for the offer, but tell them you have made a commitment to join the new company. <S> Finish the notice period, and enjoy your new job. <A> "forcing" you? <S> You already quit, all they can do is force you not to work through your notice period. <S> The answer is they feel they have to meet the higher rate, but it's a lose-lose situation for both of you. <S> Other coworkers will see how to get rises, and you have very little goodwill for management, nor, I am betting, them for you. <S> There are other questions on this topic <S> I think you should accept the new offer, and just work through the notice period you've already given. <S> Reversing that would be unfair to everyone. <A> Leave. <S> They tell you a further pay hike is not possible but then offer you one 6 times larger as soon as they are faced with you leaving. <S> This means you are worth the original pay hike you requested and that they can afford it but didn't want to give you it for reasons unknown. <S> This is not the kind of place you want to work if you need to threaten to leave in order to be paid what you are worth to them. <S> How much more will they secretly deny you?
| There's no need to be rude, just say that you've committed to the new job and have already begun the quitting process in your current job.
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How should I react to a change in my boss' body language? My boss used to smile at me at work. I do not always feel comfortable smiling, preferring to make sure I produce good work to show my value instead. Recently he has stopped smiling at me. I am worried that this may mean he has a worse perception of me than before, maybe because I don't smile back at him. What can I do if I am worried by a recent change in my boss' body language? <Q> He may not be smiling due to personal or work issues totally unrelated to you. <S> For instance, maybe he has a child in the hospital or he is having a work issue with his upper management that has him worried. <S> Most bosses (but sadly not all) will tell you if they have a performance issue with you. <S> I would only be concerned if he smiles to everyone else and not to you. <S> That could indeed be a clue that something is wrong. <S> However, it is generally a good idea to check in with your boss frequently (whether his body language changes or not). <S> Just ask him how he thinks you are doing or what he thinks you could do better at to be a star performer in his eyes. <S> The only way to know for sure what your boss is thinking about you is to ask. <A> Context is everything. <S> I would not read too much into the body language unless you have a baseline to go on. <S> * <S> For example smiling requires more then just moving your mouth. <S> A persons eye structure will also change. <S> Someone who is anxious will smile but you should see a difference in their eyes as well. <S> But this is something that is not normally easy to pick up on unless you know the person for a while. <S> So the easy check is, does his body language change from person to person. <S> For example, does he smile while talking to X and Y? <S> Or when switching conversation to Y, does the body language change only then? <S> If it is the former, it is more likely other environmental factors impacting him. <S> I would not take it personal. <S> If it is the latter, then I would recommend to casually ask in private if there is an issue that needs to be addressed. <S> I would go with something like "You appear to be stressed with me recently, is there any reason why?". <S> If he says nothing, follow up with reassuring him that if there is an issue now or in the future that we can discuss in private, as you may not be aware if you have done something wrong. <S> Another aspect for this is " Mirroring ". <S> This is where he will copy your body language. <S> As you don't smile back, he may be mirroring back the same response. <S> It's not easy to see if this is the case. <S> Normally you have to be aware of your body language as you watch his, and be aware of the conversation/surroundings. <S> * <S> From "The Silent Language of Leaders: <S> How Body Language Can Help—or Hurt <S> —How You Lead" by Carol Kinsey Goman. <S> Related chapters. <S> 5 mistakes people make reading your body language. <S> 6 Body language tips for inclusion. <S> Body language guidelines for negotiators. <A> Maybe he's just not that into you anymore. <S> It happens. <S> Seriously, the only person who can answer this question for you is your boss. <S> Ask your boss simple non-threatening questions like "How are things going?" or say something positive or interesting about your current task when you catch your boss in the hallway. <S> The hallway is good because it will limit the duration of the encounter. <S> You don't need to know why he or she is not smiling. <S> You may find out, but you don't really need to know. <S> What you need to know is whether your work is appreciated or if he or she has improvements for you to make.
| If the boss seems disinterested or non-committal toward what you've said, ask to schedule "a couple of minutes" to go over your progress. I would also not read into a single body change.
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How can I turn down a promotion gracefully? I am about to be offered a very large promotion, but it would require me to relocate which I don't want to do. I will hear out the offer, but am almost sure I will end up turning it down. When doing so, I want to make sure that the rejection doesn't come across badly, letting my company/manager know: how much I appreciate the offer, and the faith and confidence in me behind it; that I fully understand the fantastic opportunity being placed before me; that I greatly value both his friendship and his leadership; that I'd leap at the chance to work with him if circumstances were different; and how difficult a decision this is to make. How can I turn down a promotion gracefully causing minimal risk to my career or resentment by management? <Q> Ask for time to consider the offer. <S> Go away, think about what he's said and along with the views you expressed here (as long as none of them change) you use what he said to show that you've thought long and hard about it and reject the offer in a polite but respectful way, i.e. as you have described it here, describe it to him. <S> I'm sure he'll understand that because it's a great offer, it doesn't mean it's a great offer for you. <A> Let your manager know ahead of time that you are not interested. <S> This will eliminate any potential hard feelings from your rejecting the offer. <S> Management team will not have to go back on a decision they make. <S> All in all, smoother sailing for everyone. <S> Just work with your manager to find something that suits you. <S> He/she will only be happy you stopped him before the doomed offer was made. <S> Don't let that offer land! <A> At first glance this situation seems an uneasy topic. <S> I think that whole of the conversation depends on the relationship with your manager. <S> If you trust in her\him you could be transparent and telling your worries about the promotion. <S> Of course be polite and saying that how much appreciate the offer and so on but at the moment this type of role is not suitable for you. <S> Other scenario is if you not rely on your leader fully. <S> I think the same regarding the polite communication <S> but if I were you I probably show some pros and mostly cons about the relocating and try to explain that this promotion could be a wrong decision for the long haul. <S> If you could give pure and clear reasons for the staying you will "win".
| If you are sure that you don't want the promotion and won't accept it, I recommend that you don't receive the offer. I think if you get on well with your manager she\he will accept your answer and solve the topic.
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What does this phrase mean in a job description? "Release night and weekend work occasionally expected and required" This is for a software developer position. Obviously they're expecting night and weekend work "occasionally" but not sure what they mean by qualifying it with "release". Also, is this word "occasionally" likely to really mean "we expect tons of overtime out of you that we're not going to pay you for because you're on salary"? <Q> I've seen this phrasing on more than a few ocassions, and typically in postings specifically for release managers, but it doesn't strike me as crazy ... <S> just a little awkward. <S> "Occasionally" probably means "everyone has a scheduled weekend rotation". <S> I wouldn't jump straight to the conclusion that "we expect tons of overtime out of you that we're not going to pay you for because you're on salary" -- it is certainly a possibility, but you can clarify that in your phone screen or interview if there's no way to ask an HR or other contact directly before submitting your application. <A> Release night refers to any night on which a new version of their product is being released. <S> Some companies expect you to work till the code is stable enough to release. <S> Working usually involves just fixing bugs and regression testing as new features at this point are dangerous to the stability of the build. <A> "Release" is software release since this is for a software developer position. <S> I think this sentence is intentionally left vague . <S> They are not sure how often the software releases will be. <S> "Occasionally" could mean once every three months. <S> It could also mean every two weeks. <S> Even it's usually once every three months, what if they decide to have an emergency release one week immediately after a normal one? <S> I won't be surprised if you get an unclear answer after you ask them to explain. <S> Companies want to have flexibilities. <S> As far as I know, software industry typically have busy time before a software release . <S> Whether it is tons of overtime depends on the situation. <S> I once had more than one week of continuous work without much sleep before a release. <S> Welcome to the club!
| By qualifying it with "release" the company probably means "we push our releases at night, and when we do, we expect developers to be available in case something goes wrong."
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How can I appear as a contractor to customers in the stores I service? I work for a gas station chain as their IT Manager. I travel from store to store, fixing issues, doing upgrades, etc. When I'm the store, customers can't differentiate between me and the clerks (the clerks don't wear uniforms and neither do I). I'm constantly having to explain to customers that I can't help them check out, even though I am standing behind the counter. This wastes everyone's time, and some people just cannot fathom someone behind the counter that doesn't actually work there :) I know it's a pretty basic question, but what could I wear that would cause a "Oh, he doesn't work here" response? Given that I climb around in dirt and grime, I can't wear a shirt and tie, but I also don't want to have to wear overalls or crazy orange safety vests. I head the department so I can basically wear anything I want. Any suggestions for how I could appear as a contractor to the customers? <Q> I was in an extremely similar situation. <S> I was an on-site technician for a convenience store company and constantly was mistaken for a Cashier when on-site. <S> I typically wore slacks and a button down shirt, but that didn't even cut it. <S> Here are a couple ways I found that helped: Carried my toolbox and laptop with me, even if I did not need it for that job. <S> This makes it appear like I am there to serve a different purpose, and most people would default to a cashier. <S> Carried a "Register Closed" sign with me for when I would be working on a POS system at the front counter, so they would know to proceed to a different Cashier <S> Placed an orange traffic cone (gas stations almost always have these) around where I was working, which naturally people try to avoid. <S> This method worked surprisingly well for me! <S> This solved a lot of the issues, but not all of them. <S> It was, however, a noticable difference when our department made the decision to make departmental clothing, as in polos / shirts that would say "[Company] IT Dept. <S> " Letting customers know that you are not a cashier <S> This a pretty niche problem, <S> but I can definitely understand how it gets in the way of trying to accomplish a task. <S> In some rare situations where it was getting frustrating, I would ask a cashier to run interference for me and make sure to guide the stores traffic away from me (again, sometimes utilizing the magical orange cone!) <S> Hopefully some of these will be of some use to you! <A> People crawl around in the dirt wearing a shirt and a tie all the time. <S> A set of strudy white shirts and dry cleaners' fee every now and then don't have to be that expensive. <S> There are stain resistant ties, too (think company colors). <S> Having a couple white shirts and ties in the trunk at all times feels nice , and walking around like that feels even nicer . <S> You should look around for that and give it a try . <S> If that doesn't work out for you, try branded shirts with your department name or logo across the back and basecap style <S> hats with the same logo. <S> Logo on one piece of clothing may be coincidence but having it on two is a clear sign and people who pay the least bit of attention won't get that wrong. <S> That logo has to be distinctly different from the chain's general CI, though, which may or may not be a problem. <S> So, seriously. <S> Give the shirt-and-tie a try. <A> Ideally maybe a collection of things, because people can be startlingly dense: A name badge saying your company (the IT provider), and your role. <S> No one is going to bet that the IT manager is going to ring them up. <S> Get a sign that can be placed on or near the equipment you are working on that says "out of order" - presumably if you are working on broken equipment, neither you nor the equipment will be able to help them. <S> Have a pattern in mind for what the clerk should be doing while you are working on the equipment. <S> I'm willing to bet that in most gas stations you are working in tight quarters, so figuring out an arrangement where the clerk can help customers and you can get work done probably takes some discussion. <S> In the process, gently point out that more aggressively helpful the clerk can be in helping customers, the more efficient you can be in fixing the problem.
| My basic thought is do anything you can in each store you work in to make getting to the real clerk the most obvious path. Well, you can wear a shirt and a tie.
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Networking with people who are not from the HR If you're networking with people who are not from the HR, how can you benefit from knowing them? For example, as a college student, if you reach out to those who are not from the HR but employees in the companies that you like, how can you use that to improve your odds of getting in? Would it be inappropriate to ask them to write you a referral or an email to the HR? <Q> If you're networking with people who are not from the HR, how can you benefit from knowing them? <S> In many small companies, there isn't an HR department you do realize, yes? <S> In this case, everyone from the CEO and founders to the minions on the front line are all going to be outside of HR and knowing any of them may help get you in the door if the company is thinking of expanding but doesn't want to go through the chore of posting job ads to get a flood of applicants. <S> For example, as a college student, if you reach out to those who are not from the HR but employees in the companies that you like, how can you use that to improve your odds of getting in? <S> There could even be possibly being connected to a hiring manager which would be way better than HR as this is who makes the decision about who to hire. <S> This is how I would use such a connection unless you are looking at huge companies that are likely to be quite bureaucratic. <S> Would it be inappropriate to ask them to write you a referral or an email to the HR? <S> Unless your desired job is in HR, I question the useful of this approach. <S> If you want to work in the IT department for example, the chances of an HR recommendation being useful could well be quite low as a development manager may think, "What the heck does HR know about what we really do here? <S> " Consider what would be the point of that referral or e-mail going to HR. <S> Is it to get the meeting you could get otherwise? <S> Is it to find out if the company is hiring? <S> The reason I have the qualifier there is that if you do work in HR then it may well be worthwhile to have connections in the desired department you want to work. <A> These days most of the job opportunities are not advertised I think around 60-70%. <S> So if you are only looking for new roles on job and another sites I am sure about that you chose the harder way. <S> At the moment I am working as a tech talent scout and recognizing the same situation as I am mentioned that earlier. <S> The bottom line is that if you have some desired companies and roles feel free to get in touch with the non HR related guys at offline events or on-line forums\blogs and so on. <S> These steps might useful for you because several times not the HR decides for the hiring but the project manager\senior developer.... <S> and so on.. has the last veto regarding the process. <S> Respectively if you get on well with the "would be" co-workers they could promote and introduce you as well if they know any empty position. <S> In a nutshell you will gain a lot of inside information\new <S> acquaintances\undercover opportunities if you come into contact with the employees.... <S> let's do it:) <A> Many times, people begin a task without considering the purpose or desired outcome. <S> And when it comes out to be positive, we take that in our stride. <S> Likewise, you don't know the employee of a company may indirectly help you apart from HR.
| You can use it by finding out more about a possible opening that you could use to tailor your resume and cover letter to fit that niche.
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How to deal with a sneaky competitive colleague? As a member of a small team of six communication professionals, I value working independently while being a strong team player. I enjoy training colleagues and in particular mentoring younger team members on using various software. However, I have recently been on the receiving end of 'sneaky' competitiveness from a younger colleague who is one rung below me. We both are on fixed term contracts. When this colleague first came on board early this year, I patiently trained her on how to undertake various tasks for which she was responsible. Now, I am training her in other tasks as requested by my boss. However, the young girl tends to put me down in the office. Firstly, the deputy-director had sent an email out to others outside of our team and across the organisation to tell them to seek my advice and training on producing a particular kind of report. The young girl said in front of other colleagues: "How can you train them on how to do the report when you barely know it yourself. Plus you are supposed to teach me." When I do train her, she says things like, "the more you teach you will get better at it" and loudly for the others in the team to hear. This extends beyond the report. When finishing with dealing with clients on the phone, the young girl says things to me like: "That sounds difficult. Why do you have to take so long on all that?" Her continuous put-downs and constant negative talking about my work has required me to stand up for myself. Something, when put on the spot, I'm not the best at especially when I am busily concentrating on my work. At first, I thought I could ignore it and keep working but now I'm starting to see that she is playing dirty office politics. What is your advice on how to professionally respond to these negative comments? <Q> This behavior doesn't sound sneaky at all. <S> It does however sound rude, and you say it's inaccurate. <S> So I would look at her when she says something like that, wait a beat or two (silence adds emphasis) and then say: <S> Wow, that's rude. <S> And inaccurate. <S> Wait <S> another beat and say We can discuss that later. <S> And then return to the topic at hand such as addressing whoever just said you should do the training and saying "I'd be happy to set up a session" or "I'm available for anyone who wants a demo" or whatever. <S> You can get away with the <S> "we can discuss it later" line because you are above her in the hierarchy. <S> It asserts that relationship pretty strongly, so don't use it if you're not above her, just have been in the company a few months longer. <S> You may have to discuss it later or you may not. <S> But you have let her know how you feel <S> and you have let others know that what she is saying isn't true. <S> Don't get into "Oh my god <S> I SO <S> CAN'T BELEIVE <S> YOU JUST SAID THAT" mode or start arguing the facts of whether or not you know your stuff in front of other people. <S> Keep your dignity and behave like someone who is sure of their own abilities, not someone insecure who needs to fight in public. <A> I agree that her actions sound rude, and you should address that. <S> Kate Gregory's answer is a good one on addressing that rudeness. <S> But I want to point out that part of your professional behavior is treating her also as a professional. <S> Your posting sounds very condescending to her, and she may be picking up on that. <S> "Young girl"? <S> Is she 10? <S> Quit focusing on her age and gender, and start focusing on her behaviour. <S> When she does something well, be sure to let her know. <S> When her actions are rude or detrimental to the team, then let her know that too. <S> But quit thinking of her as a kid -- once you start showing some respect to her, it will certainly help her in showing some respect to you. <A> I've been 'this kind of person' at various times, and been at the receiving end of it as well. <S> Some people are <S> 'junior' others are 'senior', it doesn't much matter. <S> Having done this myself, I would look back on the encounter and cringe. <S> It's quite possible that your working associate is shooting from the hip and doesn't think first. <S> So it can't hurt to ask her to think about it after the fact - when she says "the more you teach you will get better at it" immediately invite her to sit at the computer and show you how it's done. <S> Obviously if you don't know <S> and she does, then she can teach you. <S> What she will perceive eventually is that you're going to call her out on every slight - not by insults or snappy answers, but by "put up or shut up". <S> There's a poster on the wall of my auto mechanic that says something like "Move out now and get a job while you still know everything". <S> She is probably somewhat tense, as happens when someone either perceives themselves lower in the pecking order or less qualified.
| There would be some value in giving her some space to relax - while you demand that she show that she knows what she's doing, create some room for her to land 'softly', rather than maximize embarrassment. If she is an adult, then start treating her as an adult.
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Conflict of interest for unpaid work? I work for a funeral home as full-time vocalist. When not working on a weekend, very seldom, I am asked by a family to sing at a local church for the funeral mass. Is there any possible conflict of interest with my employer if they are not paying me? How should I address this situation to avoid any problems in the future? <Q> Is there any possible conflict of interest with my employer if they are not paying me? <S> Anything is possible, but in this case I don't see any conflict at all, unless you have a contract with your employer that prohibits such outside work. <S> The vocal services at the funeral home and vocal services at the funeral mass aren't in competition with each other, and in a way may be complementary roles, right? <S> I wouldn't be worried about it. <A> It depends on the situation: <S> if this is a service that your employer would have provided but charged money for, then you are undercutting them by providing it for free. <S> if the contact came from your work for your employer, you are on shaky ground as the opportunity came from paid work. <S> It's probably worth it to have a discussion with your employer and work it out. <S> I work for a dance troupe where dancers do participate in outside activities, and the cornerstone to working successfully together is to discuss it and clarify boundaries in what is and isn't a conflict of interest... <S> I can see this working the same way. <S> Your employer is likely not a huge organization with very strict rules - so a quick checkin ought to be pretty easy <S> and I would think it would be appreciated by your employer. <A> In some work contracts it is forbidden to compete with your employer. <S> When your employer would like to do something for money which you do for free, you are competing, and on quite unfair terms on top. <S> Is there any chance that when you would refuse to do it for free that they would hire you (or another singer) through your employer and pay for it? <S> When that's the case, your behavior is bad for their business. <S> Check your contract. <S> When you do not have a contract, check the work laws which apply to the jurisdiction where you are working. <A> This is pretty clearly a contract issue. <S> Whatever your contract says applies. <S> Also, many people don't understand "Conflict of Interest." <S> It means advancing the interests of one party will damage the interests of another, and both of whom are compensating you in order to advance their interests. <S> It does not mean doing similar work for another party. <S> If the mass was not to be at the funeral home in the first place, and it is not making you "unavailable" for an event at the funeral home due to the mass, then there is no damage to the funeral home's interest. <S> However, that is not the issue. <S> If you are precluded from performing at other events in this agreement, then you are violating your agreement. <S> Whether or not it is an actual conflict of interests is moot.
| If you contract doesn't preclude you from performing outside the funeral home, there is no problem. The issue is your employment agreement / contract.
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Get colleagues to use the phone instead of instant message/email in high priority situations How do you encourage your team members to pick up the phone when a high priority situation arises. They tend to always use email/instant message and assume the recipient has got the message, no follow up phonecall or heads up that you have an important message to deal with. I sometimes think some of my team would send the fire brigade an email requesting help if the building was on fire. We use skypeout for phone calls and all team members have direct mobile numbers stored in that account (so it is easy to get a hold of someone's number). We actually prefer email/instant message for less urgent communications (as it doesn't interrupt our programmers during their normal work). To date with have discussed this with team members ad naseum, and also issued guides & emails. <Q> I've noticed that it's easy to get people to nod their heads to clarifying or changing communication and hard to get them to do it in practice. <S> My thought is that it's not generally an issue of understanding that: High priority - <S> > use phone <S> Not worth interrupting someone -> use <S> email/IM <S> But that clarifying who owns the problem and what "urgent" or "high priority" is can actually be the harder step. <S> My next step here would be: <S> Make note of cases where the issue really should have been treated as a high priority with a phone call, and wasn't. <S> Get a sense of the impact of doing it the wrong way, and discuss the issue of specific cases with the team at the next meeting. <S> You shouldn't have to name names, although with a small team, this may become self-evident. <S> Having notes on specific occurrences may highlight a pattern where only one or two people on the team are causing the problem - which may be a matter for a 1 on 1, not a whole team meeting. <S> Make it clear that ownership of an issue ends with getting a positive response from the NEW owner saying that he or she claims responsibility. <S> In other words - you will still be held accountable for fixing an issue if all you do is send an email and get no response. <S> Get some clear cut rules for what "urgent" is - for example, <S> if the issue must be fixed in 4 hours, it's urgent. <S> Or if it affects a customer. <S> Reinforce that no one really wants to have to check their email every hour <S> - it messes up the flow for high-focus work. <S> So don't do unto others what you wouldn't like yourself - mail a mail and expect a 1 hour turnaround. <S> I've noticed that people who aren't confident of their own judgement will lower the urgency of their own requests at times. <A> Forgive me for saying this, but "What we have here is failure ... to communicate." <S> (Cool Hand Luke). <S> You don't have a problem with the medium. <S> You have a problem with your team understanding what communication is. <S> Your team doesn't seem to understand that without receiving an acknowledgment from the receiving party, you have not communicated. <S> You have just made noise. <S> It doesn't matter if it's email, chat, or phone. <S> You must receive an acknowledgment from the other party before you are done. <S> This seems to be a common cultural issue with Millennials, but it is certainly not limited to them. <S> Explain it to them this way: <S> Notification is TCP, not UDP. <S> Unless you get an ACK, you must retransmit. <S> [EDIT] - <S> I believe @bethlakshmi put more meat on this concept. <S> I recommend accepting her answer as the answer to this question. <A> It may be worth discussing & brainstorm with the team how to best handle high priority communications. <S> They may have a completely different view on what works most efficiently. <S> You may be used to picking up the phone but that doesn't mean others feel the same, nor does it make it an efficient communication means. <S> Personally, I think that the phone is a rather poor tool for this <S> and I'm using it infrequently. <S> Here is why: I'm rarely in a situation where I can pick up the phone during the work day without it being very disruptive and/or rude. <S> So it just gets to voice mail <S> and then I have to get back to it later (sometimes with questionable quality and garbled numbers to call). <S> A text message works a lot better: you can discreetly peek at it right away (and decide whether it warrants a larger interrupt) and you have a written record. <S> We also use Skype very efficiently. <S> We use text-chat to establish contact and level of urgency and then switch to phone/e-mail/video-call/in-person-visit/Skype-call as appropriate. <S> Again this can be done while being in the middle of a meeting or another activity with minimum interruption and impact on ongoing activities. <S> You and your team need to decide what works best for you in your specific setup but it may be useful to reshape the question to "how do we handle high priority communication most efficiency" and keep an open mind while listening to your team. <A> What's the problem? <S> Are you getting negative feedback for not responding to important emails in a timely fashion? <S> What are your supervisor's expectations? <S> Does everyone assume you get email and IM on your phone as well? <S> It just seems like if emailing <S> /IM didn't work, they would use the mode of communication that does. <S> Are you sure they see these issues as important as you do? <S> Sounds like a pet-peeve.
| Having clear cases for what is urgent and making it clear on who should take accountability will help eliminate that quandary of whether to interrupt others to get help.
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Email etiquette to boss: formal or informal? What should the email formality be towards one's boss? For example, is there a need to leave a "Thank you," or "Sincerely", at the end of each email? I feel that doing Thank you/All the best/Best regards[name] at the end of every email is sort of superficial, and that its value decreases over time. I generally don't do this with co-workers or friends, but have been with my supervisors. Is this appropriate? Context: Software engineering job, Silicon Valley/American culture <Q> That is say that your ability to write at the correct formality level, and to determine what those levels are, is important. <S> Consider dress code standards. <S> Regardless of what the employee dress code says, you should know that if you're alone in your office on a weekend that shorts and a t shirt, or maybe jeans and a t shirt, are fine. <S> Conversely you'd probably show up in your boss' office on Monday to discuss a sensitive topic looking a little bit different. <S> As a mid-level executive I spend a lot of time looking for good candidates for management positions. <S> You need to know when to be informal and have a beer with your colleagues, but you also need to know that how you interact with my boss (and others) reflects upon me as your mentor. <S> I think the formality is fine and you should keep it up. <S> It's not overly klunky <S> , you're not saluting people in the hallways and snapping to attention, and when they need to pick someone to interact with higher-ups your value as someone with tact will be important. <S> In short, there's a difference between what you should do and what you can get away with. <A> In the US software industry, intra-company email is informal. <S> I don't know anyone who pays attention to the salutation and closing. <S> Some people omit one or both. <S> But avoid chat shorthand, e.g. "u" for "you". <A> What should the email formality be towards one's boss? <S> I've worked in US software companies for many years. <S> My emails to everyone are pretty much the same - short, informal, to-the-point. <S> Whenever I write an email to my boss, I address it by her first name, and virtually always end it informally. <S> Sometimes: <S> "Thanks, -- joe" <S> Sometimes just: "-- joe" <S> Occasionally, I'll omit both the Thanks, and my name. <S> (In our email system, we also have a boilerplate Signature line, so it's always obvious who sent the email)
| Most communication these days is very informal, and emails even more so. I think you need to display situationally appropriate formality.
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Should you treat recruiters and employers differently when looking for a job? Earlier I asked this question about how forth coming you should be your career development plans. Now moving forward, I notice that a lot of IT jobs are advertised through recruiters. I'm considering ringing them and telling them straight up 'I'm really looking for some objected oriented programming experience', in hope that they can hook me up with the right role. Is this is a situation where it's more appropriate to be a bit more forthcoming with what you're wanting, if it's a recruiter, than dealing with the employer directly? <Q> I would treat head hunters like potential employers and disclose the same level of information to them. <S> If it's a big agency you may want to stay in touch and add more information as the process advances <S> and it becomes clear that the initial opportunity won't fit for you. <S> There's the other side of the recruitment market though which is job agents looking for jobs that specifically fit you . <S> If you find and want to work with one of those, by all means, drown them in information about your skills, ideas and plans, professional as well as personal. <S> Take a look at this question and answer which are related to your question here. <A> Generally speaking, being up-front and honest about what you're looking for increases your chances of actually finding it. <S> An internal recruiter will be able to tell you either "Yes, that sounds like us <S> , I think you'd be suited to role X " or "That doesn't sound like us <S> , I wish you lots of luck finding a new job". <S> A recruitment agency will be able to tell you either "It sounds like you'd be suited for some of the opportunities we have, for instance role X at company Y , or ..." or "Nothing immediately comes to mind, but let me take down your details so I can contact you if something comes up". <S> Remember that work is a two-way street: you're looking for a job that suits you, <S> employers (in this case through recruiters) are looking to find people who can fill the job openings they have. <S> Naturally, the way you phrase what you're looking for is important no matter who you're talking to. <S> Saying you're looking for a role where you can 'just do what you're told to do without thinking about it too much' won't go over nearly as well as "I'm looking for a with a clear and well defined scope". <A> I think you should “treat head hunters like potential employers” because of they has a powerful network and if you could tell the head hunter what you want clearly <S> you are on the right track. <S> We are know small and big specialized agencies who are mostly working on IT related roles such as OOP joint opportunities. <S> If you find the right guy who has deep network and skills you could receive several offer from different kind of employers from variant countries as well. <S> In a nutshell I spur you to get in touch with well trained recruiters and they will help you. <S> Let use social and technical forums\blogs\sites and other platforms to find these guys. <A> It depends who you would talking to at the company. <S> In my experience, the first thing a recruiter does when engaged by a company is to go through their own database and see if there are any suitable candidates they have been in touch with. <S> If you call a recruiter and describe what you are looking for then they will probably be more than happy to add you to that database, since they stand to profit if they successfully place you. <S> Talking to an in-house recruiter at a company is much the same, they are happy to know who is out there and what they are looking for. <S> A hiring manager however tends to be more specifically interested in the position they are hiring for, and may just discount you if you present an incompatible set of aspirations.
| Whether they are an internal recruiter or someone working for a recruitment agency, if you describe to them exactly what you're looking for, they will be better able to help you.
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Should freelancer and self-employed workers disclose for whom they were working? Freelancer and self-employed workers don't really have an employer, but clients. Since it could be in their interest to keep the client list secret, how should they proceed when applying for jobs as a potential employee? Putting the company name, address and person of contact would be opening a door for other competing freelancers. Not putting anything, would mean closing the door for the job seeker. <Q> I have some clients I keep confidential, and others I have no problem naming publicly. <S> My employment history is a mix of 'full time' and contract, and I tend to name the 'full time' employers, and keep the 1099 relationships a bit closer to the vest. <S> This is done to protect them more than it is to protect me. <S> Much of my work since 2009 has been 'reverse engineering', and some of what I've been reverse engineering is software that is anywhere from 10 to 20 years old. <S> Some software license agreements demand that the user not 'reverse engineer' their product. <S> Since I am not usually literally decompiling the code, but only analyzing the resulting output files, and given that vendor support and marketing for the product ended eons ago, it's hard to tell whether the vendor would care. <S> Discretion is simply a good idea under the circumstance. <S> Similarly, if I am working on a 'custom' system that supersedes a commercial product that a user has installed, the existing vendor might be interesting in knowing they will soon lose this customer. <S> Therefore, I don't name names. <S> I was working for an employer on a full-time basis that had a policy that the employees would not discuss the company in their personal social media sites. <S> Given the business they were in, I could easily see the reason for it. <S> I quit working for them due to what emerged as excessive demands, however I've honored their policy ever since. <S> I don't have any personal animosity from the experience - they wanted things I couldn't do, I left, and life goes on. <S> Other companies I've contracted with no longer exist, therefore naming them isn't going to do any competitor much good. <S> I can't even recall when I've been in a situation where someone else wanted my client - <S> the kind of jobs I pick up are usually things no one else will touch. <A> It would depend upon the requirements of the potential employer. <S> If the company in question has never hired, or only rarely hires, freelancers, then they may not understand the desire of the freelancer applying for a position to keep his/her clients confidential. <S> They may request references who they can contact and this will mean listing your clients. <S> If the company does have experience in hiring freelancers and they are willing to "risk" hiring you without contacting references or only after testing your abilities prior to an offer of employment, then you might be in a better position to negotiate. <S> It's up to the discretion of the hiring company how they decide to hire potential employees. <S> While you can discuss with them your concerns about revealing certain information,ultimately they will decide what they need from you, the applicant, to comply with hiring processes. <S> Have a brief discussion by telephone (as an email or text can be misconstrued) with someone in the target company's human resources and discuss your concern. <S> They will then let you know what is required and what is not. <A> It is somewhat a game of salesmanship. <S> If the clients object to this, it is much better to know this early on than after the fact. <S> If they want your relationship with them to be confidential, then it is up to you whether to accept this or ask for additional compensation due to this. <S> Once the expectation is set, then you must also explicitly ask to use individuals at that client to be references, as well. <S> Once all of that is established, then you should be selective as to who you reveal to your prospects. <S> My rule is that you should tell them of clients you have that are one level above the prospect. <S> As an example, I was a freelance video engineer in a major market years ago. <S> I was chief engineer of one of the "Big 3" production houses for some time before striking out on my own. <S> I got a lot of work from the second-tier companies because of my reputation there, and eventually a lot of work from one of the others in the "Big 3. <S> " <S> When it came to the "third tier" plants (usually one or two people working independently), telling them I worked for the "Second tier" companies worked well, because that was where they aspired to be, and they knew I could help them up that path. <S> Telling them I worked with other "third tier"companies didn't work well, as they were viewed as competitive threats. <S> As for "competing freelancers" - if the client knows about you, then the client most likely knows about them. <S> You have to beat the competition the old-fashioned way <S> : Better performance at a better rate.
| First, it should be explicitly understood with your clients that you will use your relationship with them for your own marketing purposes.
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Telling my manager that he made a huge budgeting mistake I have a very good relationship with my manager but he is clumsy and takes details for granted. Today he sent me a spreadsheet and - by accident - he sent the budgeting allocations for 2014 in it (I was not supposed to see it as I'm a consultant/contractor and not an employee). The huge mistake he has done in the budget WILL affect the whole team including me.How do I go about telling him his mistake? <Q> I would sit down with him in person (alone) and present the matter in the form of a question along the lines of " Hey "X", I got a copy of the budget emailed to me. <S> Did you want me to do something with it?" <S> That way you are being a "good" contractor by confirming that you are checking to see if he really DID want you to see it. <S> If he asks if you looked at, admit that you have and then point out the error. <S> If he doesn't, then simply don't point it out. <S> Obviously, his work will be checked by others, so the error(s) will be caught when it is. <S> As a contractor, and not an employee, you have no involvement in the budget; nor should you want any. <A> How do I go about telling him his mistake? <S> If your relationship is good enough, it's simple. <S> You simply say "Hey, boss. <S> You made two whopping mistakes today. <S> First, you sent me your budget for 2014. <S> But more important, [include the details that you think are problematic here]. <S> Just wanted to let you know. <S> " <S> If you aren't sure your relationship is good enough, then just ignore it. <S> Respond only if your boss realizes his mistake and asks you about the details in the spreadsheet. <S> Technically, you probably shouldn't have read the details once you realized the spreadsheet wasn't supposed to be delivered to you. <S> Budgets are usually closely checked along the way, so mistakes like these will likely be caught by someone else. <S> He might be embarrassed by those mistakes, but they aren't likely fatal. <A> In the corporate world, especially as you indicated with a political environment, "No good deed goes unpunished." <S> That's especially true for good deeds that were unasked for. <S> Relationships are more important than "helping when not asked to help." <S> And relationships are based more on soft skills and regular "feel good" interactions and talking instead of "helping someone with a business matter". <S> You did work on something without being asked to do it, which - based on context - itself could be going out on a limb. <S> First let your manager know you got the email, and ask if he wanted you to look at it. <S> If it could be a problem with him even sending it to you, then ask in person, very casually and quickly and privately. <S> If he says yes then go back to your desk and give it a reasonable but quick amount of time before you come back to him with your "discovery". <S> Send it back in email with a caveat <S> "I'm not sure if this is an issue <S> but I noticed... <S> is that what was intended?" <S> Focus more on dependability and productivity in regards to what your manager asks you to do instead of "being the teacher's pet helper. <S> " <S> I don't know if that's where you are coming from or not, but sometimes the desire to "help when not asked" can be based on a lack of social/political awareness and wanting to "score points" with your boss, which in my experience can indicate a narrow view of relationship building. <A> Do it over email so that it is documented in order to avoid any accusations.
| Simple, save yourself and manager, it was sent to you so take the assumption that he intended to send and check the numbers and give him the feedback asking if he wants you to revise.
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Is the amount of work really a workplace culture? I recently moved to a large bank as a consultant and looking at the strategies, I understand the projects I'm working on are NOT mission critical and have less priority. but what I'm observing is millions of dollars are being spent and nothing is getting done. Everyone is skipping work and I have ridiculously little amount of work to do. I discussed this with my manager very indirectly but he says this is the "work culture" here. Aside from being worried about the bank's money, I'm worried that the projects might get cancelled. I have a key technical position here and I don't know how to deal with this situation. Any help is appreciated! <Q> As a consultant at a large bank, I'm sorry to say that this is not uncommon at all and these projects can run for years and years. <S> I don't know if I'd call it a culture <S> but I'd definitely say that it's something that is observable in a number of large organisations, not just finance. <S> I'd add that the best thing I can suggest is that you observe, work out what the business need or want in the project <S> you're leading and "be the change you want to see". <A> I promise if you head over in to the wealth management division of your bank, work is getting done at a reasonable pace. <S> The fact of the matter is that when working for a business who's core competency is not yours, you're going to find varying degrees of this attitude. <S> The work is simply not as important to the brass as the core of the business is, and frankly they rarely know enough about technology to even realize that those divisions are under performing. <S> Sometimes you'll find a business who has a really competent CTO that pushes for proper practices, but rarely. <S> You can certainly "be the change you want to be" as Michael suggested, and that's a good policy in life in general...but don't get frustrated when nothing really changes. <S> People, as a rule, will take as much rope as they are given. <S> In a scenario where your core competency does not line up with the mission critical parts of the business, people are going to take a lot of rope. <A> Often the slackers at 'your level' are there because their managers are slackers at 'their level'. <S> In short, they don't want people campaigning for resources that other departments need more, so things kind of muddle along slowly. <S> What happens, of course, if some crisis erupts that needs action right away - this is the 'utility worker' model - most of the time the people on the power lines don't have much to do, but <S> when everything ices up they're in over their heads. <S> Best thing to do is drill into your systems and know them thoroughly. <S> While these other people might be slow, they might eventually wake up to the fact that their pay and advancement is commensurate with their output. <S> Financial services is an area where testing and security are paramount - thus the best thing to do is try in every way you can to 'bust' the systems you're responsible for. <S> Do the absolute best you can to harden them up, even if they aren't changing much.
| What you're experiencing is working for a business, really any business, who's core competency is not software/technology.
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Dealing with rude senior colleagues I have a colleague who holds a higher position than myself and is very very abrupt and rude, in particular to people who are in lower positions than she is. I believe the management dont really see this because she treats them in a different way and makes sure she always looks good. I have no idea how to deal with a person who behaves like that, especially when they are in a higher position than I am. Any suggestions? I did try to discuss this with one of the main managers but they may have thought I am just being overly sensitive. <Q> Is this any help? <S> Point being is that the work environment often rewards such behavior, even if such rewards are unintentional. <S> In such a circumstance talking to other managers won't get you anywhere. <S> As a male, I'm not well equipped to make suggestions in this narrow context. <S> I grew up reading books and spending a lot of time riding my bicycle along back country roads - it wasn't exactly Little League or high school football. <S> Therefore I stood out as 'different', and never made any attempt to suggest otherwise. <S> In the workplace, the people that resent me think I have some sort of 'unfair advantage' - I seem to know things and be able to do things that others can't. <S> This happens when a software developer is working around people in chemical reprocessing plants or food packing operations. <S> I saw the female to female side of this when my (now-ex) wife was telling me that her boss explained to her that she (the boss) hadn't gone to an Ivy League school or had a debut, etc., etc. <S> My wife, of course, had grown up in one of the rougher parts of town, had total recluses for parents, and only got into the school she did by spending months filling out financial aid applications. <S> Perhaps the behavior of this co-worker is designed to suppress competition. <S> If so, such effort is only worthwhile when invested at competitive threats. <S> This suggests she thinks you could eventually crowd her out. <S> An appropriate approach then is to differentiate - <S> you don't do what she does (professionally) and vice versa. <S> Carve out a niche where you aren't a threat, but could become 'equal' to her as your skills evolve. <S> This would mean looking carefully at what she does, so you can structure your role to complement it. <S> Eventually this creates a situation where she can't prosper unless you do, and this would attenuate a lot of the harassment. <A> These kind of situations is not rare thesedays. <S> Don't engage in any sort of fight or argument, always maintain a professional disposition. <S> Limit your contact with her as much as possible. <S> And don't overanalyse this situation, relax. <A> Based on your question it's hard to determine how your roles interact with one another but a couple of things come to mind... <S> If it's performance related - you could be proactive and schedule a meeting with her to get her feedback. <S> Is there something that you're not doing or something you should be doing differently? <S> Do you have the same understanding around whatever it is that you're working on? <S> Is there something she needs from you that she's not getting? <S> If it's work related - you could talk with someone in your HR department and ask for their advice. <S> They would understand your working environment better. <S> She may feel that she needs to be stern or direct with others so she's taken seriously. <S> This has worked for me in the past when I've worked with a very direct manager. <A> In this situation, I would put your worries into writing, and formerly describe your issues. <S> That way you have backing if anything happens. <S> Plus you don't need to openly say to them you have a problem. <S> In a professional workplace, 'bullying' will not be tolerated, and anything of the sort will be taken seriously. <A> I am a rude senior. <S> I never shouted a co-worker, but there are things what I simply can't tolerate. <S> It is a big disadvantage for me. <S> I am trying to fight it. <S> Everybody can have bad days and a rude senior, if he is not a boss, are much more threatened by such a situation as you would think. <S> However, you have a common interest: you want to make your projects success and your company success. <S> Never make final decisions, or commit unrepairable acts on single cases. <S> React always the habit. <S> If it is not a habit, then forgive it. <S> Also I think that you are over-sensitive. <S> Using over-sensitivity as a weapon, is a particularly evil weapon. <S> Reacting badly for single events is always over-sensitivity. <S> It seems as if you would like to punish him by using a single mistake.
| If it's personality related - you could try making polite small talk with her. Always keep your calm and try not to be reactive, even when it's really hard. There could be things going on in her personal life which are causing her to be come across short tempered. If you feel you are having any sort of issues, I would greatly advise you to put it into writing - I can't stress it enough!
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What is the best way of listing technical skills in a resume So far, I've been listing the skills mentioning technologies related to the field: Networking: subnetting, DHCP, DNS, IPv4, DLP, IDS/IPS, NAC. Programming: C++, Java, Python, Perl. However, recently, I have seen a couple of resumes in which the writer explains briefly his experience in each field. For instance: Networking: designing of large networks and set up of security measures like DLP, IDS/IPS and NAC systems. Programming: C++, Java and some exposure to scripting languages like Python and Perl. So now I'm wondering, from the point of view of a recruiter, whether one way is preferred above the other or it's irrelevant the way I'm listing technical skills. <Q> Most CVs are scanned and fed into a system that picks up on the keywords. <S> So I would recommend to trigger as many references keywords related to the field you want to be in. <S> This allows the person reading it to get a clearer picture of your experience relative to the current time. <S> For example: Job1: 'Title' - Company - Duration. <S> Skills: Java, C++, <S> etcDetails: <S> The details section can go into more in relation to your job. <S> This helps because it gives a clearer picture to the interviewer to your skills. <S> For example if you only put "10 years Java experience" and failed to mention you hadn't touched it in the last 3 years <S> then you are going to get a negative response from the interviewer. <A> Well you want your CV to have as much information as possible but make it digestable in a very short space of time over a small area. <S> That way anyone scanning can pick up everything they need to know quickly but re-read, study and reference to find out much more information once you've caught their eye. <S> What I tend to do in order not to waste space with lists (as they take up valuable vertical space), is just describe my job and put the technologies or key points in bold <S> so a scan of my CV says " Company X...2011-2014... <S> Software Engineer... <S> Java, Hibernate, XML, SQL ", ok information digested in 20 seconds, I have their interest, a re-read then reads Company X - 2011-2014 <S> Software Engineer <S> Working on a fantastic system writen in Java that does magical things using Hibernate with some nifty XML and SQL tricks. <S> Working to deadlines with huge customer bases. <S> I enjoyed this part and this part but not so much this part. <S> This means you can also expand on how you used technologies which fit the narrative and are easily referable in interviews. <A> We like the skills, like you've been listing them at the top. <S> The details on how you used them should be detailed in the job section. <S> It's important for hiring managers to know where you did what. <S> Example. <S> Networking. " <S> Installed and configured Microsoft servers, updated software and supported business unit users" Is vastly different if you did this at a 10 person law firm vs. a 10,000 person technology company. <S> That's why employment specific details are needed in the body of the résumé
| From a reading perspective I would recommend to put the related skills against the block of work experience area (again just the keywords).
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What is a professional way to inform clients about missed deadlines? I am supposed to send a monthly dashboard to a client by the end of the day. I have not been able to get it done but will send it in the next two days. I have to let the client know that the work will be delayed, but want to do it without getting the client angry if at all possible. What is a professional way to inform clients about missed deadlines? <Q> There no perfect answer when you've blown a deadline that was completely your responsibility. <S> General tips for "this will make the client less angry" would be: <S> The earlier the better - telling a client the day of the missed deadline is far worse than telling the client several days prior. <S> But if you have no information, use the communication stream that is most likely to get to the client in a timely way - which may be a phone call or a phone call AND a message that is set the way the report would have been sent if it was available. <S> Apologize - take ownership of the things you messed up, don't take ownership of that which you did NOT mess up. <S> If partial work is possible or there are ways to remediate the harmful effects of missing the deadline, provide what help you can and/or ask if that would be useful. <S> Also, be willing to take on the onus of mitigating problems that you have caused by doing extra work. <S> Don't let it happen again - if the deadline is a recurring thing an <S> it's not feasible, fix the deadline <S> , don't promise what you can't deliver. <S> Anger at mistakes is cumulative and past a certain point it is nearly impossible to recover from, <S> so don't let the accumulation happen in the first place. <S> There's a generally good "underpromise, overdeliver" strategy that helps a great deal. <S> It can't fix every missed deadline <S> but if you are promising your work and deadlines with some degree of caution, you can into a pattern where missing one is rare. <S> The more trust you build up with a customer, the more likely it will be that the rare miss is not anger inducing. <A> As soon as you know you are not going to make the deadline, you communicate that. <S> Do not wait till the deadline nears; if it's a month early: fine. <S> You apologize ( Properly ). <S> Part of the apology can be telling what measures you have taken to prevent this happening again. <S> You say when you will deliver (you make a new promise). <S> You could add 'Does that work?' <S> If possible you do it personally, in a conversation (phone call). <S> That gives you more credit than doing it in a written communication. <A> If he is finding out after the deadline has been missed it is too late to avoid him getting angry. <S> And rightly so, it shows your incomptence if you didn't knw you would miss the deadline ahead of time. <S> The longer you wait the angrier <S> he will be so bite the bullet and call (not email) <S> him immediately. <S> You should always let clients know of dealys as soon as they are apparent to you, never after a deadline has been missed.
| Be short, sweet and clear - have a new deadline, if there is a serious and unexpected issue that the client could help with - describe it, or outline a way for resolving it (for example - "it's complicated, let's book a meeting"). Use the client-preferred or most reliable/most timely communication mechanism - for example, if the client has said he prefers email, use it.
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How can I prevent my employer from finding my resume on job-hunting sites? Resume-posting sites like Monster.com have options to hide contact information and the name of a current employer. Even if I hide that information, someone familiar with my experience from my company would be able to identify me even with that information hidden. I would like to put my information up on sites so I can be contacted with potential offers, but I would like to minimize the chance that my employer finds out about it having a potentially negative impact on my current situation before I can find an alternative job. How can I minimize the chance of my employer finding out that I am looking for other jobs when I have very unique work experience? <Q> I think this is a good question but sadly I would say the answer is " <S> no, it's impossible". <S> These public sites are just that - public! <S> Even if they wanted to offer a "public.. to everyone except my boss!" <S> service, how could that possibly work? <S> Even if there were some way to prevent staff from your company seeing it, what happens when your boss engages a new recruiter to find staff, and they tell him "hey I have this guy Mr. A. Nonymoose who is a perfect fit!" <S> No, if you want to jobhunt but don't want your boss to know about it, then you need to rely on push not pull. <S> You need to find the job ads, and send your résumé to the employers/recruiters. <S> Not just post it online and hope that someone comes asking for you. <A> Just put your CV on any site you like and if someone asks you about it, just say you forgot to take it down, or you are simply keeping a record in case you need it in future. <S> The working world isn't what it was 50 years ago. <S> It is expected that people will change employers a few times during their lifetime. <S> For instance, it is very common for people in the information technology sector, especially software development, to change jobs every 3 to 5 years as they either outgrow their current job or they wish to take on a new area of expertise. <S> Leaving your CV up on a site isn't frowned upon. <S> That being said, <S> many job hunter sites I know <S> of have the option of making your CV private. <S> That way, only if you take the initiative of applying for a position can a prospective employer view it. <A> If you want your search to be confidential, do not post your resume on public career boards/sites. <S> Consider going through a Recruiter: <S> This is one reason why Recruiters exist. <S> Going through a reputable recruiter (or 2) ensures complete confidentiality. <S> Recruiters are not suppose to present you a company without your permission <S> and they keep your information confidential. <S> That's their job to do so. <S> Do your own search: <S> You can also search for positions on your own, but that's more of a reactive job search . <S> You want to include proactive techniques in your search . <S> In other words, rather than finding the position and applying to it online, start with first identifying 10 to 20 companies that you want to work for based on your personal criteria (i.e., less than 10 miles from home, their involvement in the community, the size of the department you'd be working in, their reputation on sites like glassdoor.com , etc. <S> Build Your Proactive Job Search Strategy: <S> Now that you know WHO you want to work for, now you can determine WHO you need to build rapport with at each company and dedicate at least 90 days to the process of reaching out to people at that company that are either decision makers or influencers. <S> LinkedIn.com is a perfect tool to use for this. <S> If you take this approach and focus at least 90 days to 4 months on it, natural attrition will likely occur in the department: someone will quit to relocate with a spouse to a new city, someone will get promoted, someone will get fired, maybe even a female employee will elect not to return back to work after being on maternity leave. <S> When any of these situations occur, you want to already be TOP OF MIND. <S> If you wait for the position to be posted, you're several weeks behind because that hiring manager starts first with his/her inner network to try and get referrals before posting it online. <S> By the time it's online, it's usually been open for several weeks. <S> There's no better way to do that than to start building rapport with the people who have the influence or authority to hire you before the position even shows up on the internet. <A> Depends really. <S> If your company works only through recruitment agencies then you have a buffer area. <A> This actually happened to a colleague of mine some time ago. <S> We both work for a fairly large company (well I finish tomorrow). <S> My colleague's CV was spotted by our HR department and they contacted him to ask if everything was OK, I see this as a good thing. <S> He can either say 'I am unhappy here' and this could possibly lead to discussions about his role and whether he needs a change within the organisation, and at least he is being heard. <S> Equally he could answer 'No everything is fine' but of course leave his CV online. <S> I realise this could work very differently depending on the role and organisation. <S> From my own point of view I am a full time <S> Front End Developer, however I do offer freelance work, and seem to be doing that alot, so I feel that I am entirely justified in having my CV publicly available, whilst not causing any conflicts with my day time employer. <S> If you have a linkedin account I see this as almost as interchangeable as an online CV.
| Whenever a recruiter contacts you, you simply tell them that if it is your company that you are not interested because you are looking at other options and they have no reason to tell your company because if they do, they loose a client. You want to get into the game as close to when the position became available.
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Is it ever a bad idea to let a potential employer know you're talking to other potential employers? It seems like every once in a while a potential employer will get a little irritated with me when I let them know I'm talking to other people, typically because they asked or because they ask me about availability at a time when I have another interview and I just flat out tell them I'm talking to somebody else at that time. Should I just regard the phenomenon as sort of a convenient accidental filter keeping me away from the crazy people work cultures or should I try to avoid giving more details than necessary (I've been known to do this occasionally) whenever it comes up for some reason? I certainly don't see how it works out as a bad thing for me for them to know they've got competition if I'm not trying too hard to let them know but I am after all, a nerd, and a bit socially thick at times. I'm primarily a client-side web and JavaScript developer in Chicago where the market is pretty strong so it shouldn't really be a surprise or suspicious that I'm actually dealing with multiple potential opportunities at any given time. <Q> Nobody wants nobody that nobody wants. <S> That means that if you are in an "in-demand" career field and you aren't being approached by others, the perception may be that there is something "wrong" with you or your work performance. <S> That's not a good perception for potential employers to have. <S> Be honest about it: If you are asked if you have been approached by other employers, then simply state that you have. <S> There's no need to go into detail, as a few unscrupulous recruiters might use the knowledge that you are being interviewed for a position to interject another of their candidates into the "mix." <S> Simply state that you have been approached by others seeking candidates. <S> Don't lie about things, because if you are in a small industry and you mention or hint that a certain employer is interested and the recruiter knows that company isn't hiring, you may damage a personal relationship which you may need later. <S> Recruiters are contacting you because their clients need employees. <A> it is not bad idea. <S> But it is suggested to avoid that situation <S> Every potential employer seeks - Your time and availability for discussions to go through interview process and make offer - <S> Your interest on the project or their organizations - Finally wish to you to join with them once they like you. <S> Below are the suggestions. <S> Prioritize your potential Opportunities: <S> Prioritization really helps. <S> Prioritize based on how best the opportunities meet your expectations. <S> Obviously you can focus on highly prioritized opportunities. <S> The catch here is those opportunities should be achievable. <S> If your skill set is barely matching and you have less capabilities to grab that opportunity better to give less priority Try to deal one opportunity at a time and plan to avoid conflicts: <S> It is always advisable to deal one opportunity at a time and avoid conflicts. <S> Discuss about the interview process, how many rounds involved and potentially how much time it takes at initial discussion it self. <S> Based on that you can schedule and give time to other potential employers. <S> And for a given week or period estimate your availability for given opportunity. <S> And honestly tell them Act based on the priority of opportunites: Generally when ever conflicts occurs you can give more preference to the high priority opportunities than other opportunities. <S> When ever conflict occurs in terms of time and date politely request employer why rated low priority to defer it later time. <S> If it is not workable check with the other employer(who has high priority) whether they can defer if possible and act accordingly. <S> When ever Employer asks about other opportunities: Don’t lie. <S> Tell them that you are trying with other opportunities also. <S> However also tell them your their priority in your list if they are top in your list. <S> If not tell them what makes you to incline and take decision over other employers. <S> For example “If the project has better growth, and better role for me, I will give priority to that organization”. <A> There's no reason to say that. <S> They're talking to other candidates, and you're talking to other companies. <S> Everyone knows all of this. <S> You may be their "4th choice," but they're never going to tell you that. <S> They may be your "4th choice," but you should never tell them that. <S> They know you could accept another offer, and you know they could accept another candidate. <S> Anyone who believes otherwise is deluded.
| If you are looking for a new position and you have several opportunities on your plate, be honest about that as it may cause the recruiter to "sweeten" the deal if their client is looking for someone with your experience and skill sets.
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How can full-time telecommuters overcome feelings of isolation? I've been working 18 months in a telecommute position. We moved to a new part of the US that is lacking any after work activities and I left all my friends 1,500 miles away. Any ideas out there for keeping what little of my mind is left? Feeling really isolated from everybody. It's hard to get out and meet friends because they are all at work. Anyone know of any online support or chat groups where telecommuters get together? There are no meetups in my area. I've googled and all I come up with are hundreds of listing for how to get a telecommute job. <Q> these are the things that I used to do when I first started. <S> Have routine for starting work - something like always starting at some defined time. <S> I used to walk to the local shop and buy a newspaper. <S> I made sure that I went out at lunchtimes and breaks and talked to people in the neighbourhood. <S> This sort of simulated "grabbing a few after work with the colleagues". <S> The point was that I would be lonely during work, but I'd mitigate it by interacting with people every day. <S> These days I use IM and make sure I have non work & work related conversations with colleagues too. <S> If you're clever you can use the isolation to help you focus on the work better. <S> This means that you may be more effective but at the same time you have to watch for mental fatigue and a good way to combat is to follow the steps above. <S> These days are lots of things that are accessible via the internet such as meetup.com where you can get together with people for professional or non professional networking. <S> One person I met like this a fellow programmer who lived locally and we used to code review for each other. <A> I take the hour (or two or three) a day that would be spent commuting and use it to connect to other people in my field. <S> Not other telecommuters, I don't care where and how they work, but other developers in the languages and technologies I use. <S> That's partly online (twitter, <S> SO, my blog, ...) and partly real life - user groups, conferences, etc. <S> If there is no local user group for whatever it is you do, maybe you could start one? <S> These things fill the need for friends to chat to (and it isn't all shop talk) and can provide amazing career growth too <S> - you'll get better at your job and meet a lot of people in your field. <A> Search for 'coworking places'. <S> These venues offer office space, a printer, a coffee machine etc for freelancers or other telecommuters. <S> It's like an office, except your coworkers do not work for the same company. <S> Example: http://citizenspace.us/ <A> When I worked from home <S> I used to go out to a working lunch most days. <S> I prefer to eat on the early side anyway, so I'd go to the local chain places (Applebee's and the like) that had wi-fi, and I'd sit at the bar for a few hours. <S> I'd get my meal, chat with the bartender, and get some work done in a different environment. <S> It kept things from going too crazy.
| I occasionally made a point of visiting local pubs/restaurants at the time other businesses kicked out so that I would meet people working locally. An important thing to remember is that you are working, so you need to focus.
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What types of medical conditions prevent employment on a cruise ship? I am applying for a job on a cruise ship and was asked to take a medical exam as a condition of employment. What sorts of information that comes up on a medical exam would prevent the cruise company from hiring me? <Q> Just a guess <S> but I'll throw it out <S> there - cruise ships are going to reject hiring anyone who has a likelihood of having or getting a medical condition that: Can't be fixed on board a ship - it's a bad risk if they have to ship you off board in an emergency or even a situation that is <S> semi-urgent (ie, can't wait until the cruise reaches a dock). <S> Also, finding you a replacement on short notice in a season can't be fun either, <S> so I can see them mitigating any issues of this type. <S> Any indicator at all that anything wrong with you could be catching - any contained environment is going to be more rigorous since everyone is more or less trapped together. <S> Is likely to create bad side effects when combined with an ocean environment. <S> For example (albeit ridiculous) an allergy to sea water. <S> Not being a doctor, I couldn't connect any of these cases to your specific medical results. <A> In general, physicals related to seeking a new job look for some main things: Are you healthy and capable enough to perform job duties, including those that occur only rarely or in emergencies? <S> For example, if you were being hired as a home health aid, it might be plausibly required that you be strong enough to lift or roll patients. <S> An example of that related to working on a cruise ship may be that in case of a power loss emergency where elevators are not working, you can reasonably be expected to help with an evacuation, which usually involves taking the many flights of stairs. <S> Are you a health risk to others? <S> For example, they may check that your vaccines are current and you are free of easily-communicable illness. <S> Would the job pose an undue risk to you (and thus perhaps also a potential liability to the company)? <S> If you were applying to a job that required heavy lifting but you had a history of previous surgery on your back, a doctor could reasonably conclude that the job was more risky for you than it would be to the average person. <S> Specialized concerns: For a cruise ship situation <S> , this might include things like severe seasickness. <S> For working in a seafood packing plant, something like a shellfish allergy might exclude you if there is no reasonable way to make accommodations for you to avoid the allergen. <A> Your problem is more what the results could potentially mean. <S> If the numbers warrant they could request that you get more tests, or retest you blood to see if the result is potentially anomalous. <S> And make their decision based off those test results. <S> Depending on the position you are applying for your potential liver issues could cause the company to either withdraw any offer they previously issued or decline to offer you a position. <S> With out knowing what the actual condition you have that is causing the problem it is hard to say how the company will react. <S> I suspect that you know why the numbers are elevated which is why you asked the question. <S> If you can not take the stress of worrying about the response to the results you could disclose your condition to the company and ask directly. <S> There is a good chance at this point that they will either discover the condition, or make assumptions and decide on the that anyway. <S> If you know that your condition will disqualify you from the position you should probably with draw from consideration anyway. <S> To be honest if I were an employer seeing an elevated liver enzyme result on a blood test <S> I have 2 real concerns. <S> Since I do not know you I have to assume the worst and that is that your problem is not under control. <S> The other reason that jumps to mind is hepatitis. <S> This is potentially a risk to my other employees and guests. <S> I may not be able to use either of these potential problems against you, but I am sure I can find many other reasons why I decided not to hire you. <S> So instead of getting the truth that the results of your blood test scared me off, I am going to use some other reason for not hiring you. <S> Unless I do not really care about either of those and think that you will make me more money that you cost me. <S> I am not that guy but then again I do not run a big business like this.
| If you have a serious condition that can't be treated on board the ship, such that time away at sea without quick access to a hospital poses a meaningful risk to your health, it's not ideal to expose you (and as a consequence, themselves) to that. One is that you could have an alcohol problem that has caused liver damage.
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Conflict of knowledge with a colleague An experienced (but in no way senior) developer has joined the same project as myself. He seems to know vastly more about the programming language we use, but on the other hand I feel I know more about our client, how to deal with clients in general, and importantly how the established applications as well as processes work. Repeatedly I've tried to convey some of my knowledge to my colleague, but it's getting frustrating. I've noticed a pattern. It feels like I'm having to take far longer to convince him of something (e.g. pointing out potential issues in his plans to upgrade an IDE) than I should do, and would do with others. He then seems to suddenly realise what I'm saying and accept it. Five minutes later he returns with his old approach seemingly ignorant of our previous conversation. Neither of us has a higher grade than the other, and I like this guy as an aquintance and a colleague, but as I've said sharing knowledge with him is becoming tedious. How can I go about improving my knowledge sharing with him? I wouldn't say I'm a great communicator to begin with, but I can tell how difficult it is to get something across to him. What can I do? <Q> You can stop creating problems (this IDE upgrade isn't going to work!) and start fixing problems (that new IDE won't support my stuff, and swapping IDEs is a pain. <S> How about X?). <S> Because at the face of it, it sounds as your colleague doesn't respect you. <S> Especially among developers, respect comes with your ability to solve problems. <S> As soon as you start creating impediments or not offering solutions you get lumped in with management, marketing, and customers; not a peer to work with. <S> I might be wrong, and this is a guess. <S> In the end, to share knowledge more effectively you'll need to get your colleague to value your knowledge. <S> Sometimes that means having better knowledge, sometimes it's showing how that knowledge is valuable, sometimes it means making the nuance of the knowledge more understandable... <S> But if they don't value what you're selling, they'll tune you out. <A> when i see this happening instead of proxying for the client (pointing out potential issues on the clients behalf) <S> i say to the person involved "oh, you might want to check in with X before you do that" where X is someone with more authority and will likely block the move. <S> That way you don't waste time talking to a brick wall, also over time your colleague might develop a mental checklist of potential client impacts from any desired changes (sounds like this checklist is simply not present at the moment). <S> if they don't listen to you and don't "check in with X" <S> (X being senior) then likely a spot of bother will ensue and you can watch them as they work to mop up the spill. <S> Enough spills and eventually they might just start to listen to you. <A> What I suggest might sound harsh, but it has worked for me. <S> I was in a similar situation with some slight differences. <S> And what I did was not to offer any advice or help or instructions unless my colleague asked himself. <S> I started to do so because a few times when I offered my help my colleague seemed upset about the fact that someone with less experience and knowledge might actually know better, and sometimes he even said thing like "it can't be so" or "are you sure?". <S> Nevertheless, I was always willing to help whenever he approached me first or our manager asked to help him. <S> And in a while his attitude began to change. <S> My advice is not to try convince him anything unless it directly affects you or the project. <S> If he wants to upgrade his IDE and break his environment, let him do it. <S> You said that he ignored your opinion anyway. <S> Don't spend your time _ <S> it's valuable both for you and your company. <A> Some people listen to other people, other people plow into something and learn it from the details of code. <S> It sounds <S> like there's a natural division here, you do client relations and he does the coding. <S> However, that's probably silly. <S> I'm surrounded by all kinds of people that know how to play with the latest development tools, robots, 3D printers, laser cutters, etc. <S> but act kind of bewildered when they get jerked around by their car mechanic. <S> In short, this person lives in a separate reality, and the things you're talking about 'don't exist' in his world. <S> You might find that if the two of you were in a conference with your client, and your client was explaining the purpose of some mods, your co-worker would zone out. <S> Is he ignoring you, or everyone else too? <S> 'Upgrading an IDE' sounds like something he could do on a separate machine or boot partition, therefore it might be helpful to have him set up the new one before taking down the old one. <S> Once he has the new one set up, have him import the projects, compile them, and see what kind of error codes pop up. <S> My personal experience with this kind of stuff came about with old versions of Entity Framework, if that suggests anything. <S> In short, does he have to do this to realize there will be material consequences, and that it isn't in the schedule or the budget to do that refactoring?
| When your colleague needs your advice and is hopefully ready to accept/consider it, he'll approach you himself.
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My job duties do not match the job title/description. How do I approach my boss about changing this? I graduated with a BS in CS in late 2013. I began working my first job as a 'programmer' almost three months ago. Since hire I have not seen or worked with code, and my impression is this won't change in the near future. I have come to the conclusion that my position is IT-support, mislabeled as programmer. My responsibilities can be summarized as updating / maintaining vendor applications through admin tools. My performance review is in one week. I plan to discuss my concern with my boss and request a transition to a developer position based on my expectations prior to joining. My interview process included discussing C# / .NET development as well as general quiz questions regarding C#. I was a naive graduate who assumed this meant I would be working with this language and framework; I didn't ask the right questions. My questions are: How can I convey my unhappiness with this situation to my boss without being fired? If there is no possible transition, should I seek new employment for a development position? I am afraid that if I continue to work in IT I will enter a limbo where future employers will not consider me for actual software development positions because I have no experience in the field. My only work will have been personal and academic projects. I have asked family members for advice, and they are pressuring me to stick with this job for at least 1.5 years to get experience. I feel that this is going to doom my career. I love coding and am a loss as to how to approach this situation. <Q> You are on the right track. <S> Getting "diverted" to support work can wreck your career. <S> Schedule <S> an appointment (don't wait for your performance review), and talk with your boss, and tell him all of this. <S> Ask him directly if there is a programmer's role for you in the company, or if what you're doing now is what he needs done. <S> If the former, work with him to develop a plan: <S> Projects that need built, how to minimize your support role, etc. <S> If the latter, then find a programmer's job and leave as soon as possible. <S> Your family (and perhaps even your boss) likely don't understand the difference. <S> For many, "Computers is computers." <S> They won't / can't / will never understand the gigantic difference between roles. <S> If you get grief from your family, explain it to them this way: "I studied to be an automotive engineer. <S> They had me changing oil." <A> Support roles such as what you're describing are hard to fill, precisely because people want 'programmers' to fill 'non-programming' positions. <S> If they can't see why, it's time to run for the exits. <S> This will keep you engaged in programming work, even if it isn't your primary responsibility. <S> The best objective in all of this is to get progressively more familiar with the internals of the application you're supporting. <S> If that is flat rule out, it's time to go. <S> If you are interviewing with other employers, you can simply say: "They recruited for a programming position, and placed me in a support role. <S> It isn't programming work.". <S> Most employers would understand that instantly - keeping that job for a year and a half would be bad news. <A> How can I convey my unhappiness with this situation to my boss without being fired? <S> Your performance review is in one week. <S> This is the best time to discuss it with your boss. <S> First, express your concern. <S> Don't just request a transition directly. <S> Listen to his explanation first. <S> If the explanation he provides does not satisfy you, then request a transition. <S> You need to be rational. <S> should I seek new employment for a development position? <S> Don't seek new employment just yet. <S> Other companies may do the same thing. <S> What are you going to do if the new employer does the same? <S> Get another new job? <S> Try to save the current job first. <S> If no hope to fix it, then move to another one. <S> You also should put other factors into consideration, such as salary, location, the boss and co-workers, etc., when you move to another job. <S> Good luck!
| The thing to ask for first is programming work of some sort, even if it has nothing to do with the product you're supporting. Your employer has evidently structured the role so that no programming is even remotely possible - this is a bad idea for various reasons.
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Training a direct supervisor I've been asked to train my newly hired department head, and it feels a bit like being stuck between a rock and hard place. Basically I'm expected to train my direct superior, which occasionally requires me to tell him what needs to be done and worse still correct him when he has done it poorly... He doesn't have any experience in this field and has little to no management experience, so I find myself in the unpleasant predicament of needing to correct him on a regular basis. I've tried to take my concerns up the chain of command and have the higher management give corrections when needed, but they didn't what to intervene and circumvent the new manager's authority. To state the obvious it feels like every time I correct him I'm forced to circumvent his authority and possibly even be, in the long run, causing him to resent me. What would be an appropriate way to get the new manager up to par without putting my own job at risk? <Q> What would be an appropriate way to get the new manager up to par without putting my own job at risk? <S> Presumably someone up the management chain had enough confidence in your abilities that they assigned the task to you. <S> For that reason, I would just train the supervisor as you would any other newbie. <S> But if you are still worried about that, talk with the manager who assigned the task to you. <S> Mention that you are concerned about repercussions and your relationship with this supervisor. <S> Then, move forward with whatever advice you are given. <S> You might also find a time to speak confidentially with the new supervisor and say something like "I know this must be as awkward for you as it is for me. <S> Let me know how this training is going as we proceed, and we'll make the best of it together. <S> I'll do everything I can to help you succeed." <S> I strongly suspect that you are worried about this unnecessarily. <A> Have you talked to him directly? <S> It is pretty unnatural for you to have to correct him on his supervision style or managerial skills, but it's not unusual for an experienced subordinate to have to teach their supervisor about the context of the work, the process and any checklists/requirements. <S> Have you and he talked about <S> he feels the ramp up is going? <S> And is he getting what he needs from you? <S> I've noticed there are two kinds of correction - there's correction about how and why the team does the things they do in the way they do them, and then there's correction about how to do the job of coordinating and leading the team. <S> As a new boss - I've generally been open to feedback on the former - and a great way to give that correction <S> your boss is not "hey boss, you did it wrong" but "hey boss, we normally do this differently... <S> we do it like this... <S> here's why we evolved that way...". <S> They <S> you're not telling him <S> he messed up, you're giving him the right way and why it's important. <S> If he doesn't catch the drift after a round or two of feedback about the same topic, then let it drop and let him do it his way. <S> For the latter (correction about how to run a team) - I'd stay out of it, and/or clarify with the person who originally gave you the assignment as to whether this was really intended. <S> You may be able to talk about how you, personally, would prefer to communicate and collaborate, but many of the choices in this area are unique to the leader <S> so the way the last boss did it and the way this boss does it may be very different and yet both may be right as long as the job gets done. <A> While you may have been tasked with training this person in his new capacity, as someone on a lower level than him, it seems unlikely that you would be responsible for defining the responsibilities of that position. <S> For example, they can't just say "Well, John is now in charge of the Applications team." <S> - that doesn't mean anything. <S> Is he responsible for ensuring all that teams projects get done on time? <S> Or is that left to the team members themselves. <S> Is he responsible for determining what projects the team members do? <S> Or is that left to the directors above him. <S> Each time you give instruction to him, it should pertain directly to one of the enumerated responsibilities. <S> Any corrections that need to be made would be logical conclusions by comparing his new responsibilities with the actions he recently took. <S> In this regard, the corrections are "nothing personal, strictly business". <S> If you don't have an explicit set of responsibilities, then you and him need to talk with his immediate supervisor and get those, and soon.
| By letting him give input into the teaching process, you let him be the boss and have a say in the flow of how he's learning things. If you don't have enumerated responsibilities that this person is supposed to be undertaking, it will be impossible to train him anyway.
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Should I tell my full-time boss that I'm considering additional part-time work? I graduated 8 months ago, got hired full-time a month later under a good boss. I enjoy the work and my co-workers (the company as a whole leaves something to be desired, but that's beside the point.) I was recently contacted by a recruiter looking for someone to do some part-time work. I met with the recruiter and started a positive dialog. If he offers me work I'd like to take it, and work non-business hours (~8hrs/wk, nights and weekends.) How should I handle this with my full-time boss? Should I tell him? Not tell him? What's the generally accepted behavior in this situation? P.S. I did a quick search and didn't find a pre-existing question about this, but if you know of one, by all means point me there. EDIT: To clarify, I don't plan on hiding this from my boss if he asks. I'm wondering if it's considered rude to not inform him that I'm taking on additional work. <Q> Working for two companies at the same time <S> This isn't the same but <S> a lot of the answers do apply: <S> Check anything you've signed <S> - know what agreements you've made - this varies wildly. <S> If there's nothing, it's somewhat at your discretion. <S> You may want to talk to your boss about conflicts of interest and how you'll resolve them. <S> No conflicts of interest, and no contractual reason why you can't. <A> If it's not written in your contract that you are not allowed to work another job ("moonlighting" is what it's called in the US), then you are not under any obligation to tell your employer. <S> As a manager myself, I would prefer that an employee not mention this to me because I don't want to pre-judge them when they are sick or come in late. <S> Things happen to us all (sick, bad traffic, etc), but if I know you're working at night, I might immediately assume you're coming in late because you're tired <S> and then my bigger concern is whether or not you can perform the duties of the job you're doing for me. <S> Telling your boss will just worry them. <S> If you're saying you can put in several hours each night and work weekend for several months and not burn out or not let it impact your day job, keep it to yourself and go for it. <S> It will be great experience and a teaching opportunity to test out how well you can juggle and handle stress. <A> If you have a fairly good rapport with your boss, and have shared other details of your life with him/her, then i would recommend you come clean and let the boss know about your interest in this other position. <S> You should also share your reasons for doing so, and provide assurance that it will not affect your work or create a conflict of interest. <S> This way, if this does come into question by any one else, you have the approval from your boss and that will carry more weight to ward off any negative attacks from others in your organization.
| Not telling your boss means that you are quite certain that there will be no issue at all.
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Migraines/How to handle coworkers wearing strong perfume? I suffer from chronic migraines and am currently taking a prescription medication with the hope that it will help relieve them. The medication doesn't seem to be working yet, but I will not be able to take the full dosage till next week so, till then, I will not be able to tell if it is helping or not. Anyway, a coworker of mine tends to wear an extremely strong perfume that I, right now, sitting some fifteen feet away, can still smell. Unfortunately, strong smells like this tend to trigger migraines for me. What should I do to address this issue? Should I talk to the coworker? Talk to HR? My boss? What should I tell them and how should I address it if this issue arises again in the future? <Q> Just tell very plainly what the situation is: you have chronic migraines, triggered (among other things) by smells. <S> You noticed that his/her perfume is such a trigger. <S> Would you do me a favour and see if you can try other or less perfume? <S> In all likelihood, your colleague has no idea that this is happening. <S> See if you can experiment both until you have a situation that works. <S> Like the medication, you'll have to find out what works and what not. <S> And if you are unsure about asking this, or how to ask this, that's fine. <S> It could be a bit awkward for both of you, because you don't want to insult the other person. <S> You can just acknowledge that you're feeling a bit awkward asking this (or whatever best describes your doubts). <A> I also had the same situation. <S> She was in another department but cubicle offices does not cut off odors especially when she has to pass my cubie to get to hers. <S> I smell her perfume every time she passes by. <S> Since I have no interaction with her, I felt uncomfortable speaking to her. <S> I went the anonymous route. <S> I wrote a little note and left it on her desk after work. <S> The next day I hear her discussing the note with her coworkers and they surprisingly agreed with the note about her perfume. <S> She still continues to wear perfume but has toned it down. <S> I cannot smell it unless I bump into her when heading to my cubie. <S> Problem solved. <A> We all prefer to assume that everyone behaves in a professional and appropriate manner in the workplace. <S> However, I have seen all too often that some individuals can take offense to some of the most unnecessary of requests and claims. <S> This fellow co-worker might be very approachable and friendly. <S> If you feel that is the case then, by all means, speak directly with them. <S> However, if there is any chance that the co-worker may have a slightly volatile response, then their is no harm in mentioning your needs to HR and requesting that all employees in the office be sent a memo stating that another, fellow employee in the office has a specific need due to excessive migraines. <S> This email should be explicit in the need <S> but should not mention you by name-- <S> it should simply state that management would appreciate if all employees in the office would be considerate of a fellow co-worker who has a few specific needs. <S> This may seem a bit passive-aggressive but the end goal is not to stand up for yourself but to create an environment where ALL employees feel welcomed and can be productive. <S> It benefits no one for such a simple issue to start any form of in-office grudge. <S> As such, it is best to just contact HR and have them help you address this need in a manner that is not alienating to either you or your fellow co-worker. <A> I not only had migraines from perfumes and scents, but I also had seizures. <S> I was a teacher and could not keep the students from wearing their scents to class, and had little help from my boss at first. <S> They would even spray it inside my classroom and in the corridor outside my door. <S> I had to be taken away in an ambulance twice. <S> It may seem silly to some people or that you are overstepping social boundaries to ask someone not to wear so much perfume, but it is a serious medical condition. <S> If your migraines are disabling your employer has the duty to comply with ADA modifications for scent induced migraines. <S> •Provide air purification systems http://askjan.org/media/Migraine.html <A> Solutions might be forthcoming. <S> The entire state government where I am is now a "scent-free workplace". <S> So that is that. <S> Similarly, in another state where I lived, smoking was banned from all workplaces - to include all restaurants and bars, and even the cab of trucks driven for hire. <S> When problems get big enough, the big guns take them out. <S> Nobody really needs to wear perfume. <S> Usually the people who wear it become so desensitized that they no longer notice it.
| You should make your boss or HR aware that you have to take medication to alleviate migraines when someone wears too much scent. Of course should talk to the coworker; you can't pass him/her. Smell/Fragrance Triggers: •Implement a fragrance-free policy •Request that employees voluntarily refrain from wearing fragrances •Allow telework •Move the employee to an area where the fragrances are not as strong •Allow a flexible schedule
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Mention spouse in international interviewing I've started interviewing abroad (United States so far, but applications exist for other countries as well), and I'm curious about the protocol for dealing with my common-law spouse. Should I mention her only once an offer occurs, earlier, or not at all? Cursory reading about the USA's visas seems to indicate that she'd qualify by default for an H-4 visa so long as I had a visa for immigration, so I don't think that the employer would have to do anything particularly special, but I don't want to surprise anyone or jeopardize a position. <Q> As for the United States, marital status is a protected category <S> and it's illegal to make a hiring decision based on it. <S> However, once you have accepted an offer, you'll have to mention it in order for the immigration process to get a dependent visa for your spouse. <S> The employer's immigration attorneys will have to take care of that <S> and they'll need to know about her. <S> However, as noted in your comment, you're not married according to U.S. immigration law, so your common-law spouse will not qualify for a dependent spouse visa under whatever visa the employer uses to sponsor you to work in the U.S. <S> I'd advise getting that before accepting any offers because U.S. immigration is very wary of sham marriages <S> and it's harder to prove your marriage is "real" <S> if the date of the wedding is too "convenient". <S> I am not a lawyer and this is not legal advice. <S> It's just personal advice. <A> Having been through this recently I can say that in my case it didn't need to be mentioned. <S> The employer might offer legal assistance as part of the relocation package but they do not have to be involved for your partner. <S> You might want to be careful regarding the visa as H4 is not eligible to work in the US . <S> You may want to consider or suggest a visa other than H1 <S> if your partner intends to work. <S> The point about Marriage is important as US immigration ask for a marriage certificate and I doubt very much that other type of civil partnership would grant the same eligibilities. <S> In my case the date of the marriage was scrutinize so I would recommend to get married before applying for the visa. <S> If in doubt, please get real professional advice as this is only personal opinion based on my specific circumstances rather than legal advice. <A> The answer depends highly on the country you are interviewing at. <S> In the US it's illegal for the interviewer to ask about marital status, age, family etc. <S> In Germany that's typically this is info is often right on top of your resume. <S> While it's illegal in the US to ask, it's in no way illegal or undesirable for you to bring it up. <S> Especially if you expect relocation and/or immigration assistance that will be impacted by the existence of your spouse/partner/girlfriend. <S> Your employer will budget for these things and it doesn't make a good impression if new info pops up after the fact that significantly impacts these costs. <S> Being upfront can ease the whole process and avoid sour after tastes. <S> Your prospective employer may also have there immigration guys look at your specific situation and give a quick assessment which could help both parties here. <S> What specifically are you worried about?
| You'd have to get a marriage license. Frankly, I don't see any reason why you would NOT bring it up.
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Addressing social anxiety disorder in the workplace? I am 19 and work in a large office with many coworkers. As it stands I suffer from severe social anxiety and am currently in therapy to address this. I've had to quit college twice now as I have panic attacks there and am unable to attend. My relationship with my coworkers and my boss is becoming increasingly tenuous as I find it harder to communicate. It is my fault, but, at the time of being hired, I did not address or even mention my anxiety to my boss or anyone interviewing me for fear of being judged. Since then I have not told my coworkers, but I would not be surprised if, when asked, they would tell you I'm nervous. Thankfully, up until this point, I've not had a panic attack in the office. That being said, it's a real possibility and it is one that worries me greatly. My question is not how can I mitigate my anxiety in the workplace, but, for now, what can I do to address the existence of my anxiety with my boss? I know this question may best be addressed with my therapist, but I would honestly like to know what others would have to say on the topic. So, how should I address this issue with my boss? How should I tackle the fact that I failed to address this during the hiring process. Is there anything I should know about rights or anything along those lines? Edit : For some background information, I wasn't officially diagnosed with social anxiety disorder till December, 2013. I've been at my current job since May, 2013. So I knew about the disorder during the hiring process, but had no official diagnosis. Please note this question is not a duplicate of How can frequent anxiety attacks affect me in business and the workplace? The question expresses fears and the answers attempt to assuage them. This doesn't help my current situation. <Q> I don't know the legal aspect of this. <S> But in terms of talking to your boss, I would urge you to have a one on one with him <S> /her and speak the truth. <S> This would help you to solve any problems that you might face in future. <S> If your boss does ask about why you didn't inform while you were getting hired, you can always say that you were already taking therapy and you believed that it would improve soon. <S> In case of your coworkers, most probably they have already noticed that you are a bit nervous type of person. <S> But whether you have to tell them about your panic attack medical situation is a personal choice. <S> In an ideal scenario, your coworkers are more of a friend to you (like in my case), and you should be able to talk to them as a friend would. <S> In case you have more of a formal relationship, you need not disclose your medical condition but be more open and let them know that you do get nervous easily (maybe talk casually about this while you have lunch together?). <S> Just know that hiding everything may not work in your favor. <S> Be as honest as you can be. <A> I'm a not a lawyer, but here would be my suggestions: Consider what specific changes do you want in your work environment. <S> The idea here is that you may tell your boss you have social anxiety and his response may be something like, "So what?" as it doesn't tell him what changes you want to accommodate you. <S> Do you want to be left alone most of the time? <S> Do you want to be able to leave if things get a bit tense? <S> The history of your condition isn't that important here to my mind. <S> What is important is to communicate going forward that this is what you have, here is what you may need, and what kind of arrangements can be made. <S> Think more of the future and less of the past. <S> Scheduling a meeting with your boss would be a good idea once you've finished the first suggestion. <S> If your employer is large enough, there may well be people in HR that may be useful to know in terms of handling the changes and handling possible blow back that may happen. <A> I think you should ask your therapist how to address this concern; they have probably dealt with very similar situations before. <S> That being said, go through a similar process you would for notifying the company of any other illness (Notifying HR and your supervisor I assume, and letting them know how you expect it to affect your performance and which accommodations you need). <S> For example: If you have the flu, you ask to stay home.
| If you need consideration for taking time to collect yourself in case of a panic attack, let them know what that entails. It's important that your boss understands your personality.
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Is it a good idea to tell my colleagues that I sometimes have depressive spells? I work in a team of about 10 people, in a large office in a large organisation. I sometimes get into bad spaces, where I stop exercising, eat badly, sleeping habits get shot etc, it's a self-destructive cycle. These spells are very much a vicious circle (wake up feeling bad, so continue eating unhealthily/don't go for exercise, feel worse, don't want to talk to people... etc) When this happens, the primary effect it has on work is that I lose focus (I work as an IT developer), I get to work late (we have flexible hours, so this isn't a huge problem, but still looks bad). Now this has been an ongoing thing as part of my life, and the good news is, I appear to be getting better at managing it, in terms of recognising triggers, and turning things around before it gets too bad. Now one thing is - I'm not sure that you can call this clinical depression . Certainly I haven't been diagnosed as such. I have talked to my GP about it before, and he said that I'd appear to be on the mild end of the spectrum. Rather, we could possibly think of it in terms of addiction and habits. Think - somebody in the workplace who is a recovering alcoholic, who occasionally falls off the wagon, and who's workplace performance suffers then. The point here is, 'suffering from depressive spells' shouldn't be used as an excuse for bad work performance. It's my responsibility to improve myself, just as it would be my responsibility to upskill and make myself more valuable to an organisation. My own assessment of my work ability and work ethic, is that I'm pretty good otherwise, in terms of being focused and work, producing high quality work, and contributing to the team. But that said, I pretty sure my colleagues also see me as a bit flakey, after I come in late etc. I think that they can probably see both sides, the guy who does work hard, and produces good work, and the guy who also comes in late and appears to be not focused. Now, one of the things in terms of managing these spells, is talking about it. The reason for this, is that the thing that makes it worse, is being embarrassed about it, and so withdrawing further and becoming more socially isolated. By talking to others about it ('I had a bad weekend, felt depressed, and ate badly'), you can get some perspective and realise 'This really isn't so bad', and move on from it. I've been in one of these spells for the last week. I took one sick day, and turned up late on a couple of the days. I'm considering talking to my colleagues about it. There are two reasons why I might do so. 1) To explain why my work performance is sometimes of kilter. 2) For my own managing of these spells. I don't mean that I would broadcast 'Oh hey, I have these depressive spells lolz'. But rather, if I'm talking to a colleague who I trust and they ask how my weekend was, perhaps mentioning then that I've been in a bad space for the past week. There's also whether I mention it to my team leader. The concern is, that this simply isn't appropriate for a workplace, and that managing my moods is simply my own personal responsibility, not something for my colleagues to have to worry about. I can always talk to other people (ie friends) about it. <Q> Your colleagues - NO. <S> Your team lead - maybe. <S> Only if your recovery efforts will present challenges to getting the job done, i.e. you need to attend AA or group meetings, you need to be positioned / not positioned in a certain place in the office, you need to visit the doctor, etc. <S> But nobody wants to hear your drama - it's yours and yours alone. <S> People have their own stuff to deal with <S> and they know that you're human just as they are. <S> The key here is making sure that anything someone else knows is about you getting better, and not about you getting worse. <A> What expectations do you have from your co-workers once you've told them this news? <S> Are you expecting them to keep track of your mood enough to know when you have one of these spells? <S> Are you expecting them to give you slack when you do have one of these spells? <S> This is the part missing from this question as while I do have anxiety and depression that has been diagnosed, I'm not sure I can say I know what changes in my work environment I'd want as a result. <S> My field of expertise is web development so in a way I may be a person of a similar position. <S> Now, for a point of contrast, I also have Sleep Apnea that is bad enough that I can have the occasional falling asleep during the day at work. <S> In this case, I tend to be upfront in most of my positions now and have had positive responses since this occurs infrequently, I do have therapies that are mostly effective but not 100%, and I can spell out what to do when it happens. <A> It's kinda like saying "Should I tell my boss I sometimes fall ill with diarrhoea? <S> If you feel you aren't fit for the required number of hours of work vs personal time, then you should tell them that you might need to take off a few months a year for medical reasons, you just won't be paid for those times of course, and if it they aren't happy with you being out of action for long periods then they don't have to keep you onboard.
| " My initial feeling is that the answer is no, there are sick leave days given for times when we aren't fit for work, talking about it is a bit obvious and would be weird to me personally.
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How and where to show inexperience on a resume? I am currently transitioning from one field to another. Network administration to web development to be precise. While my CV will show my record in IT, I don't want to be misleading about my lack of experience in web development specifically. I thought about being very implicit by placing "novice" or "inexperienced" somewhere in my resume, but on the other hand, I don't want to come off as a complete beginner (or maybe I should?). I want to be honest about my inexperience while not devastating my chances at getting an interview. What would be a good approach to this? EDIT Just to clarify, I didn't just start transitioning out of the blue. I've invested the past 12 months in acquiring the relevant skill set for a junior web developer (this includes studying various programming paradigms, MVC, RESTful design, OOP and functionality, working with different frameworks and libraries, working with databases, writing secure code and of course I worked on a portfolio). But obviously, I'm still starting out and I want that to translate the best way possible. <Q> A résumé isn't for showing inexperience. <S> It is for showing experience. <S> Be honest with what you have done. <S> Try to emphasize any professional training or certifications you've achieved towards being a web developer. <S> In my opinion, a 2-year stint as a network administrator should be REQUIRED for anyone who wants to be a developer. <S> A <S> 6-month run on a help desk wouldn't hurt either. <S> If you came to me with your experience, and I had someone else applying who'd studied web development but had no work experience, I'd have a hard time choosing between you. <A> You have to show both <S> No jargon (no technical keywords), just imply that you know them. <S> Your attempts at the new field. <S> The humble courses, the simple experiences based in youtube vids, whatever. <S> It's hard to word these things professionally, but not impossible. <S> Finally, and this is the key, put the jargon in, both of what you already experimented with, and with what you aim to learn next. <S> Be earnest, but be determined. <A> If the past twelve months' study hasn't been in a formal setting (degree or certificate program) or been done as part of your current job, I'd list what you've done in the "education" section of your resume and indicate it's been independent study, as well as list in an "objective" portion of your resume that you're interested in a career transition. <S> If prospective employers are looking for cover letters, that's certainly an opportunity to expand on the additional work you've done to build those new skill sets. <S> I don't know if you're working with technical recruiters or directly submitting your resume to companies, but if you are working with a recruiter they should be able to point you in the right direction; and considering they make money on candidates that get hired, will state your case to a prospective employer if they understand what you're going for and think you'd be a good fit. <A> What skills may transfer from one field to the other? <S> What kinds of tasks may exist in both fields that could be useful to note? <S> Configuring a "hosts" file is something I've done as a web developer that may be something some administrators do. <S> Investigating issues may be something you've done in a network administrator role that would also apply to web development. <S> While there is the side that you'll be starting in more junior positions, I'd be careful about undervaluing what parts transfer over here.
| Your experience in the field you're leaving, in the form of abstract things accomplished (teamwork, projects, generic improvements, etc.), leaving specifics of that field completely out.
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Would it be a good idea to bring a cheatsheet to an in-person technical interview? This question got me thinking. Preventing cheating in a phone interview In IT often a technical interview will require you to write a bit of code to solve a problem, or implement an algorithm, or a question like 'What would you use XYZ technology for', (or, have you used xyz technology?). Now it sounds cheeky, (but also very sensible!) but one could write a cheat sheet, perhaps outlining the pros and cons of various algorithms, and perhaps summaries of various technologies (so for example if they ask 'Have you used XYZ technology', you could consult your cheatsheet and say 'No, but I've done my research, and XYZ is used for...'). This would demonstrate that you're resourceful, you've got the initiative and smarts to know what's relevant etc. Now of course, repeating word for word what's on your cheatsheet wouldn't looking particularly good, but so long as you were demonstrating that it's just a resource and that you've that you've got genuine ability behind you, it might be ok. Now this could backfire if you got an interviewer who simply isn't impressed. Question is - generally, for a good forward thinking workplace, is a cheatsheet a good idea (and even, is it already common for technical interviews)? What reasons to not bring a cheatsheet are there? <Q> You should conduct the interview like you do your job. <S> If you are a web developer, you probably refer to a reference (MDNdocs, StackOverflow (LOL!), WC3 guidelines) frequently. <S> In fact, being able to use a reference effectively is a big part of being a good developer. <S> You should too. <S> If someone asks you a question you don't know about <S> "XYZ framework," and you don't know <S> , you should reply, " <S> Actually, I don't know anything about XYZ framework." <S> If XYZ framework is something you really need to know to do this job, does it make sense that you would get the job anyways? <S> Another example, an employer might ask a very specific question, like something you WOULD need to refer to. <S> "What is the CSS selector for targeting the language attribute for HTML?" <S> Rather than using a reference, you can answer, <S> "I've never worked with that particular selector before, but if I needed to work with it <S> I could find out what it does fairly quickly." <A> I've seen the advice numerous times to bring a notebook with you. <S> This is where you could put bullet points of what you want to cover, ideas to cram into your head, or other stuff to remember to mention in answering some questions as well as your own questions for the interviewer. <S> You could write out your background's main points, some story ideas, etc. <S> I'm not sure I'd tell the interviewer that, "Hey, I brought this cheat sheet with me and wanted to tell you about it," as that would be at a minimum questionable and at worst just silly since it isn't likely to be that impressive. <S> As you sit down in a chair, you open your notebook so you can take notes as well as review what you already have written. <S> Thus, it isn't suddenly coming out during the interview but rather be out the whole time. <S> Generally, the sheet should be organized in such a way that you need at most 10 seconds to find the information where I'd advise figuring out what kind of stalling do you want to do in the interview. <S> Some people may take a, "Give me a moment to compose an answer," or other line that expresses there will be an answer after a lengthy pause while others may consider having some initial fluff in answering that if you have a way with words can work though rarely do most people do this well. <A> If you can do the interview without the cheat sheet, that'd be best. <S> There's nothing wrong with not having all the answers. <S> It's okay to say, "I'm no expert at such-and-such, but I did a little research and have a general understanding of how blah-blah-blah". <S> That shows some initiative -- because you can explain what you remember. <S> Of course, that means that you'll have had to actually do the research. <S> The cheatsheet, on the other hand, could have been prepared by someone else. <S> Understand?
| That being said, I never bring a cheat sheet to an interview because I know what I am doing. The notebook should be out as part of the initial interview set-up.
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Contract ending - Should I wait or should I speak up My contract as an application developer is coming to an end in a week from now. The company has expressed that they really like me and need me and they would like to convert me to a permanent employee. At some point they also expressed they are looking for a second developer to join the team as I am the only one. When discussing future plans with management they asked me to think and let them know what my expected salary was going to be if I went perm. After a few days I told them the figures I had in mind, which is higher than average. However the workload an skillets required to perform the job is also higher than average and rare to find a good fit and I explained that I am good fit for for the job and I provide the value that the company needs and then some, and they agreed. However, management said the figure was too high and they'll let me know what they decide as it is above their budget. This all happened weeks ago. My contract is coming to an end in a week from now. Management said they'll 'let me know' their decision during our conversation weeks ago. I haven't heard a word since. I need to secure my position in another company if it doesn't work out with this one and a week isn't long. Moreover it seems that just recently they have been really trying hard to hire another developer. Could this all be a negotiation strategy? Should I ask for an update or be patient and wait for them to inform me of their decision? I appreciate the feedback, Thanks in advance! <Q> Ask for an update. <S> I've seen people send farewell emails and then have their manager rush them into a meeting room to hammer out some sort of a deal to stay. <S> If your management is busy, they may have just forgotten when your contract expires, and the whole conversion/negotiation thing may have just fallen through the cracks. <S> The way to push the issue is to say: "I like this company and I like what I'm doing, but my contract is expiring in one week. <S> Can we get together to discuss a contract extension or a conversion to full time?" <S> If the rate/salary that you are asking for is too high, they will either tell you or give you a counter-offer. <S> It sounds like they need people, and they like what you've been doing. <S> Don't be afraid of speaking up. <S> It's the right thing to do in this situation. <A> Personally, I would arrange a one-to-one with my direct manager and explain that time is creeping by and you would appreciate an update (even if the update is "there is no update") following on from your discussions about figures some weeks back <S> Alternatively, you could politely impose a deadline on them if you feel that your direct manager would not see this as too confrontational. <S> I have found in the past that line managers/people who need the resource are keen to get things sorted but are tied by beaurocratic red tape either above them/or HR dept workload/incompetencies <A> How's it going? <S> Just a heads up that week <S> X will be last week. <S> If there is anything you would like me to transition, please let me know. <S> Regards, ABC" If your manager reads this, and he is planning on renewing you, he will surely let you know right away. <S> If not, that's that. <S> Not all job positions are renewed. <S> Regarding your pay, that is something you will have to negotiate. <S> Most managers don't know how to negotiate, so you yourself may need to continue to make lower offers until you've reached your limit. <S> If they won't employ you for your minimum, you shouldn't work there. <A> Right now, you have no leverage. <S> Meaning - you don't have any other prospects on the table. <S> You should GET some, because other opportunities will become a bargaining chip. <S> The company has the advantage now because they know darn well that the contract is coming to an end, and you've made no efforts (as far as I can tell) to inform them that it's time to tighten their belts if they want to retain you. <S> I get the idea that you've approached this very casually. <S> A casual approach will get you casual results - which is not what I think you're looking for, at least monetarily.
| Make it clear that you are not looking to push for a decision just that the lack of response so close to your contract end date is making you anxious and that you need to start looking at alternative offers should their decision be a negative one. Simply send an e-mail to your project managers, with your manager CC'd, saying, "Hey guys.
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How to gracefully decline a job interview when a family member works for the company? My wife and I recently changed towns and had to switch jobs also. I'm currently searching for a job while my wife was hired at a company and is currently undergoing her probation period. We work in the same line of business as my wife and her company just invited me for an interview. But the thing is... I don't want to work with my wife because it will be awkward for us and for our colleagues. Don't want to go into the details but it suffices to say that I've been in this situation before and just don't want to repeat it again. But I don't know how to refuse the interview without posing my wife at risk during her probation period. There will be absolutely no reason to refuse the job (company is OK, pay is good, it's close to home, benefits etc) so my refusal won't make sense to them. How do you handle such a situation? How to gracefully decline an interview when a family member already works for the company and you don't want to affect his/her position? <Q> How do you handle such a situation? <S> How to gracefully decline a job offer when a family member already works for the company and you don't want to affect his/her position? <S> I haven't been in this particular situation with my wife, but I have been with my extended family. <S> Paraphrasing, here's how I handled it, and how you might frame your reply <S> : "Thank your for the offer, but I need to politely decline. <S> My wife tells me wonderful things about your company. <S> And while I love being around my wife, we have found that it is better for us as a family not to work at the same company." <S> Simple and to the point. <S> I'm sure most companies would understand this desire, and it wouldn't cast any aspersions on your wife's situation. <A> Most people are pretty understanding about the fact that some (if not most) married people would prefer not to work together. <S> Or that a married couple prefers not to have both salaries tied to a single employer where a downturn might imperil both jobs. <S> Plus, you've only been invited to interview <S> so there is no relationship to be concerned with. <S> No need to go into details. <S> If you're really concerned that the company would be so devastated by your lack of desire to interview that it would retaliate against your wife (something that seems highly unlikely as well as quite self-defeating of the company), you can politely decline giving a generic "doesn't appear to be a good fit for what I'm looking for" response. <S> You don't need to specify that the reason it's not a good fit is that the company already employs your wife if that is something that you view as personal. <A> Thank them for the offer, but let them know that you're resolute in keeping some boundaries between your home life and your work life, and that working in the same place as your wife will present a challenge to those boundaries (and, it will!) <S> And then stand your ground. <S> They can't force you. <S> If you get badgered, I don't see any repercussions as long as you just use the same old cool-headed, "No, thank you" each time until they get the message. <S> Don't let it get under your skin. <S> Best of luck. <A> Is it so hard to politely decline an offer? <S> Since you seem to have trouble doing it, I can tell you what I imagine myself saying or writing, that may help you... <S> Thank you for your offer. <S> Your offer is much appreciated, and I am glad that my wife is working for you at this time. <S> Unfortunately, I have to decline the offer for personal reasons. <S> Hoping this will not cause too much inconvenience, and thank you for your understanding, for welcoming me, for your time and for this great opportunity. <S> The rest would be like a normal letter, and you can write about any other (positive) topics you'd like to speak about.
| I'd thank whoever invited you to interview but politely explain that you'd rather not work at the same company that already employs your wife.
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Liability for company development equipment I'm two months into a job as a software developer, building mobile apps. I received a new desktop a few days ago, value around US$1K. Today the company asked me to sign an 'Asset Lending Agreement' (I haven't signed yet). The agreement states that I should compensate the company in case the desktop is lost, damaged or destroyed (not specifically by me). Is this industry standard for software development jobs, or is it unusual? <Q> I've been working for over thirty years. <S> I have never seen anything like this, and I have never heard about anything like this, from anyone, until now. <S> Willful damage and/or destruction of company property has always been recognized as grounds for termination. <S> Ditto theft of company property. <S> They don't need an "Asset Lending Agreement" for that. <S> Normal wear and tear is normal wear and tear. <S> Like light bulbs, computers fail occasionally. <S> An entry-level software engineer these days starts at $50,000/year. <S> With overhead, he costs the company twice that. <S> Experienced engineers can easily cost a company, all up, $300,000/year. <S> And up from there. <S> Said engineers must do work that brings in typically three times their total cost in revenues, just to make the company break even. <S> An asset that generates $500K/year to $1M/year in revenue is a bit more valuable than a $1000 computer, with a 3-year (or more) usable lifespan. <S> Moreover, if the company is healthy, replacing a $1000 computer every so often has no discernible effect on the company bottom line. <S> If this was a laptop, I MAYBE could see such an agreement as being reasonable. <S> Now, if there have been a LOT of losses, they have a security problem, and it needs to be addressed as such, before something a lot more valuable than a commodity PC walks out the door. <S> Start by asking around your coworkers, and see if anyone else has been asked to sign one of these things. <S> At the same time, run it by your attorney, and get his opinion. <S> Finally, you might want to consider everything else the company has been doing lately, and decide whether it is time for you to get the bleep outta Dodge. <A> If you cause damage to the company either intentionally or through gross negligence, then you're responsible. <S> No agreement has to be signed for this. <S> Your company seems to want you to pay for damage to that computer even if it isn't your fault whatsoever. <S> If you leave the office at 5pm, your boss leaves 5 minutes later and sees the computer is there, you arrive 8am next morning and your boss arrived 5 minutes earlier and the computer is gone, they want you to pay? <S> That's totally ridiculous. <A> As others have said, those terms are peculiar. <S> All the company asset agreements I've signed have required me to: Return the property immediately on request of the management, or my salary may be withheld (Don't know if that's legal, but it's never been an issue). <S> Immediately notify the company if the property is lost, stolen, or damaged. <S> Provide the company's insurance carrier with all police and incident <S> reports if #2 occurs. <S> FWIW: <S> I know most homeowner's and renter's insurance policies don't cover business property unless your agent adds an additional rider. <A> If you sign that, you should take the computer home every day, because essentially its yours. <S> If you leave it at work and it gets stolen when someone breaks in, you owe them. <S> Tell them you'll sign it if you can get a laptop that you can keep positive control over - i.e. take home every day. <S> It is ridiculous of them to expect you to take responsibility for something that you don't even have access to for 16 hours out of the day - assuming a normal 8 hour workday.
| Very unusual in my experience, and totally unacceptable. This is a normal cost of doing business, and everyone knows it. If you cause damage accidentally, then you're not responsible and shouldn't sign any paper that says otherwise.
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Looking for the first job and no experience at all. What to do? First of all, I would like to explain that I live in Brazil and English is not my main language. If you find something that doesn't make sense, or its wrong, please correct me. And our school system is different from US, UK or other places, so I will try to explain it to improve my question. I'm 17 years old and I'm looking for my first job, since I finished school and I want to make something useful with my time and start my professional life. In Brazil, to study in a University, everyone has to do a exam called " vestibular " for every university that you want to try to apply. Since I failed this year, I will study ( there are institutions who prepare students to these exams) but I also need to find a job. However, my CV isn't blank. In Brazil there are institutions which are comparable to vocational schools worldwide. I have a diploma in IT (in Portuguese: Técnico em Informática). But I didn't worked before, and I wasn't able to do any internship while I was studying (I don't know in other countries, but here is required that a intern must be studying). And I have a personal trouble: I can't study in my house. When I was studying I managed to learn C# and start to programming software, but in my house I'm kinda "blocked" by distractions. In a work environment I sense that I will be much more useful and learn more. This week, I have send some emails to some companies that my friends recommended but none replied to me at all. Many friends and relatives have told me stories of friends (or themselves) whom started to work with no experience and manage to learn everything they needed on the job. I do know how to write code, but I can't call myself an expert and I'm afraid that a lack of a previous job would compromise everything. What should I do in this situation? Should I try harder to find a job, give up this year and try to focus on studying or try to build a "reputation" through other means? <Q> If I see your problem correctly, you have one year to spend and you want to earn during this time to support yourself. <S> Possible solutions: <S> Freelance. <S> This is one of the best ways to learn new things. <S> You can start with a project for free for a relative/friend and if it turns out good, you can spread the word. <S> (you can make good money if your project is a good one) Enroll for technical courses which last for a shorter duration. <S> (Requires money). <S> This doesn't require any money but you can end up spending a lot of time in waiting for offers. <S> My suggestion: Keep applying for companies and freelance at the same time. <S> Remember, the general thinking is once you start applying you'll get a job immediately. <S> People spend months searching for jobs. <S> You are in your first week of searching. <S> Keep your spirits up and keep applying. <S> When companies hire newbies, they pretty much know that you might not be able to contribute immediately. <S> What they look for instead is the learning ability and your skill set ( <S> Which I assume you have gained from diploma). <S> Hence, be ready to accept initial rejections and when you get an offer, be humble and learn as much as you can at the job. <A> Everyone has to start one or the other time.. <S> There is a so called cycle <S> You get a job. <S> You get experience. <S> You become eligible for more jobs. <S> But the real cycle is <S> You have experience. <S> You get job. <S> You get more experience. <S> Job is not the only source to get experience. <S> Everyone has to start one or the other day. <S> If you know how to code and if you are willing to learn things, you will find a new job. <S> Just dont loose hope. <A> One addition to the other answers you have received, get involved in an open source project. <S> There are many available and being able to put on your resume that you have contributed to project X will go a long way. <S> This will also typically force your code to go through reviews, which will be a big chance to improve. <A> It's good that you are looking for a job in your 17's. <S> I had just started my graduation when I was 17. <S> At this age, working as an intern would have been a good option. <S> Along with this you can work as a freelancer if you have good knowledge of some programming techniques. <S> You have said that you hold a diploma in IT. <S> I don't know how much it is valued in your country. <S> If it has that much value, you can apply for a job on the basis of it. <S> You said that you have shared you profile with some companies. <S> Keep trying for more. <S> Get in touch with professionals. <S> LinkedIn could be a better option for it. <S> Finally, you are just 17. <S> You have a lot of time to learn new things. <S> So it would be better if you focus more on learning.
| Apply for jobs using your diploma certificate as a reference. But since Brazil has a constraint that an intern should also be studying, it would be better if you start learning some technology that is trending in your area or something that you really want to see yourself specialized in.
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Convincing my manager to let me work from home My manager wants to hire me for a full-time position in a big IT company. My job is mostly programming / fixing bugs / developing features.. software engineering to cut to the cheese. During the last months I noticed that this job can successfully accomplished at home by working remotely with a personal machine (not via WinVNC or something like that, by having data on your pc). Some people in the company already do that and I kind of envy them. I just asked him once to let me work from home and he changed the subject of the discussion. He didn't seem upset, more of "uninformed" about the possibility. The only point is: I'd like to work remotely from home... in my home country (right now I'm working abroad). Since working from home full time seems like working from home into another country (where my IT company has an office, though), it seemed logical to me to do it. I'd be way more productive with a machine I can tweak as I want (the IT department is slow/sloppy when it comes to upgrading/changing stuff) and I have my own time schedules where I'm most productive. Furthermore I'd be less stressed and I wouldn't have to deal with time issues (half of the team is in another part of the world). I'm unsure on how to convince him since he seems kind of reluctant to consider this hypothesis. Right now I can't really see a reason for which I should remain seated here since absolutely nothing would change for my work. <Q> If this subject never came up during your hiring process, you may have a difficult time. <S> Progress will be slow, if at all, but keep at it. <S> First, try talking to as many people as you can who already work from home. <S> Ask for tips and ideas. <S> Second, try talking to the IT department, as a high level person as you can. <S> You are looking for the company view on working remotely and finding ways to make it easier for them to approve. <S> Making things easier for you is not quantifiable and should not be on a list you present to the company. <S> Without knowing any details about how other employees are able to work from home, I suggest clarifying these points: Equipment, hardware. <S> You have a better chance if you use company equipment on a company network. <S> Security for the company network, data, and server connections are the key points here. <S> Intellectual Property. <S> Any code you write during work hours on a company machine is clearly company property. <S> The thought of someone working at midnight on their own personal machine will cause any good manager to pause. <S> Finally, find out as much as you can about the company line on this topic, devise a solid plan and then ask for a meeting with your manager. <S> Adjust your plan while working with your manager. <S> Let us know how it goes. <A> I think you are trying to present your argument with too many moving parts. <S> Make a proposal to do this gradually. <S> Request to work from home a day or two a week. <S> Present it as a trial period of maybe a month, so you boss doesn't feel like this is a permanent commitment of it doesn't work out. <S> If people already work from a home computer, why do you need permission to do the same? <S> I don't know the implications of this. <S> I don't know why you'd need to discuss this with your boss if it is common. <S> There's a difference between having a remote employee who can come to the office on short-notice and one who for all practical purposes, will never physically return to the office. <S> Maybe you could take an extended vacation to your home country, but make a few of the days work days. <S> This way you can prove you can do the job. <S> Working remotely is not as common as people may think even for programmers. <S> Just look at the job sites and compare. <S> It is a complicated trust issue that may take a lot of time. <S> I've worked remotely (far enough away to require air travel) at 3 different jobs, but this didn't happen until I worked there for 2-3 years. <S> Edit: I recommend the section on how to approach a boss to work remotely in the book, The Four Hour Workweek by Tim Ferriss. . <S> It is a pretty good strategy that I've paraphrased a bit here. <S> (Side Note: <S> I think he's back-pedaled off his claim by excluding things you like to do from his definition of work. <S> As a programmer, I guess if I only spend 4 hours a week answering user email, I've made it.) <A> I'm not a big fan of working remotely, particularly from home. <S> Also, preparing and going to work puts you in a "working frame of mind", as does being in a formal workplace environment with your co-workers. <S> If you goof off or fall asleep, at home nobody will notice - not so in the office.... <S> I can and sometimes do work from home, but I am never as productive as I am in the office, for stated reasons. <S> Having said that, your question may to a great extent be dependent on the record you have established in the office: How long have you been at that job? <S> At least a year or two? <S> Do you have a reputation for a solid work ethic? <S> Have you delivered a significant amount of good work to your employers? <S> Do they know you well and trust you? <S> I don't think a responsible manager would allow you to work remotely from home unless the answer to all those questions is "Yes". <S> At my current job, it took me two years to get a large project up and running and only then did I ask for some time to be able to work at home, simply because sometimes there is business I need to attend to locally, some distance from the office.
| Try to find out what kind of setup they have, and how it came about that they are able to work from home. I think it's important for you to maintain face to face personal contact with the people you work with/for. The company cannot protect their code, data or network if they allow your personal machine to connect directly or even indirectly (by placing your code on any server that connects) to the company network. You may have to wait to move out of the country.
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Ways to encourage employees to be proactive? Unfortunately, the developing country in which I reside seems to have a culture of "follow orders unquestioningly", and I rarely see people take proactive steps to solve problems. Instead, it's common for people to simply do nothing and wait for direction if something is not going exactly to plan instead of being proactive about solving the problem. This problem is fairly pervasive from small businesses right up to the government. I reason that it would be more ideal - better for both a company and its employees - if a company culture of proactive problem solving could be fostered, as the company would become more efficient and thus able to pay its employees more. Moreover, employees would be able to develop problem solving skills that would allow them to advance their careers more quickly. When dealing with a pre-existing culture of complacency and "pass the buck" mentality, what are some practical and pragmatic methods of beginning the process of changing company culture from reactive to proactive? I have a few ideas in mind but I wouldn't want to bias anyone's thoughts - please share :) <Q> Don't just say "be proactive", but give them examples of the sort of thing you have in mind. <S> This may sound like circular reasoning, telling people to be proactive, but I found it to be effective for me personally. <S> I was in an environment where I had assumed that the culture was "do what the supervisor says", and my supervisor told me explicitly that he thought I should be taking my own initiative, and gave me an example of the kind of thing he meant. <S> That was enough; being given permission to take the initiative made me re-evaluate how I was approaching the work <S> and I improved a lot, working suitably proactively. <S> In my current role, I appreciated that at the hiring stage, the level to which they were expecting someone to be proactive was stated explicitly, otherwise I wouldn't be sure to what extent taking initiative with projects/suggestions would be welcome/frowned upon. <A> None of that will change until the employees feel safe that they are more than replaceable cogs in a machine. <S> It's really no different than the military, where having too many people around with a conscience (or real thoughts) <S> can actually impair the mission. <S> Unfortunately a developing country, where having steady work that keeps one out of poverty is probably more a matter of luck than education or skill, is going to just have this problem. <A> As someone who spent 6 months in a similar positions in technical roles about 6 yrs back <S> these were my notes <S> (a) Review how your colleagues in the developed nation have responded to suggestions from the developers in the developing country. <S> Have their responses in the past set the developers you are working with on a path where they prefer to follow rather than question, let alone confront on an obviously wrong decision (b) Pair a developer in each country. <S> I paired the best developer in the developing country with the best outside. <S> This worked well as the best outside developer was respected and would advocate on behalf of the developer he was working with. <S> (c) <S> Cultural differences play a major role. <S> One example I recall is developers from developing countries making suggestion and raising objections to suggested implementation details which seeming fall on deaf ears in the developed nations developers. <S> It is the approach of raising an objections, developers in America were raised to accept and give direct critical feedback, developers in the developing country were not, these developers provided indirect feedback, which was construed as a minor concern rather than an objection. <S> The developer raising the objection invariably felt their feedback was not valued, providing a negative feedback cycle. <S> (d) <S> Last, but most important, tread lightly. <S> In your desire to help the developers in the developing nation it will be very easy to bruise a few egos of the developers in the developed nation. <S> Finding the right balance will be a skill that you will have to acquire on the go. <S> I am sure I can dig up more notes but these should serve as a good starting point. <A> Lead by example. <S> Foster <S> a culture of pro-activeness. <S> Hire and promote people who are pro-active. <S> Make it apparent that the company values taking the initiative, perhaps with an email outlining some kind of success that has come from it. <S> Eg. <S> Say you have four teams, give them each a problem to solve, and some tools to solve it. <S> But don't give each team all the tools they need. <S> Rather give some of the tools they need to the other teams. <S> See if you can encourage them to borrow the tools they need from the other team. <A> Make sure you understand the difference between Delegation and Abdication. <S> Leaders who delegate properly set the guidelines for what they want, but not the details. <S> Be careful, not all people have the same skill-sets. <S> If you ask a baker for a cherry pie, you probably don't need to mention you would like it from scratch and not a frozen one from the store. <S> How are you going to handle failure? <S> You're asking people to take a risk who are probably use to being scolded by their parents, teachers and former employers for making mistakes. <S> Do as you're told! <S> Once they try something on their own, everyone is going to watch for your reaction. <S> Be careful with the feedback you give; you could put them off for good. <S> You get what you reward. <S> It may have to start small. <S> Be on the lookout for the smallest action someone initiates. <S> Acknowledge the person who is the first to get up and help or is the first in the office. <S> Ask for volunteers. <S> Let them know you do not have all the answers <S> and if you did, you can't be in 10 places at once. <S> Someone else will have to do things without being told. <S> In some cultures, those in charge are very fearful of looking weak for not knowing how to do things or have all the answers. <S> You can't be a dictator and wonder why everyone is standing around waiting for orders. <A> Give them some financial stake in the outcome. <S> I say financial as this is developing country and financial incentives are likely to be very welcome. <S> This balances chicken/egg of not paying more till you get results and not getting results until you pay more. <S> Commit the company to paying non regular bonuses. <S> Of course this system can be gamed like any other - so you have to manage it.
| If you are at all in a managerial position, then one thing you could do is simply to tell people to be proactive. The simplest way I feel would be to simply give people bonuses where proactive actions benefits the company. Praise can go a long way. Do some kind of team building exercise, that requires participants to think out side the square, or use common sense.
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How to adjust to working 8 hours a day without watching the clock constantly I used to work quite hard for my master thesis and later, as a research assistant at a university. I would always finish my job on time and then go off to do something else. Now that I am working a full time job as a developer, I am having trouble adjusting to a fixed 8 hour schedule .. I sometimes slack off intentionally because I know that if I finish what I am doing fast, I wont have anything left to do and will need to just sit around for 2 hours until it is time to leave. This off course, does not lead to any sort of fulfillment, but sitting around for one or two hours when I feel like leaving is something I have never had to deal with before, and it also tires me mentally. Is there any way I can convince myself to bite the bullet and work 8 hours, without looking at the clock all the time ? <Q> You don't need to "sit around" for two hours until it's time to leave. <S> Here's a few things you can do instead:- <S> Let your manager know <S> It doesn't sound like your manager is used to your work-rate. <S> Take this as an opportunity to impress your new employers. <S> People with a reputation for finishing work ahead of time are valuable - and in software <S> , very rare. <S> Let your manager know that you're free and ready to be assigned your next task. <S> To start with you can make sure that your manager keeps your to-do list sufficiently long that you never run out, but eventually you might want to influence the working procedures of your workplace towards a more agile approach (where your team has a to-do list, and you grab the item at the top when you're free). <S> Find ways to generate value yourself <S> If you think your manager will just give you make-work to get you out of their hair, or if you don't like the sound of asking for more, then why don't you look for some ways you can generate value for the company yourself? <S> See if you can automate a build or a deployment. <S> Introduce a tool to automatically enforce a policy usually checked by hand. <S> There are usually thousands of things that could get done that we never get around to. <S> Use your judgement, though. <S> You're likely to want to clear this kind of thing with your manager anyway. <S> Improve your skills <S> Read a book, explore an API, dig into the source control logs of an open-source component your project uses. <S> Learn about the domain you're working in. <S> Are there any useful documents on your intranet? <S> Regulations that it would be useful for you to understand? <S> Good employers will appreciate your initiative, though you may wish to exercise caution before indulging yourself excessively. <A> It sounds like there is a systemic problem with how tasks are assigned and received at your company. <S> I don't know what area you work in, but at least in software there's always something to do to improve the product, the tooling, the documentation or your skills. <S> There are always tasks available. <S> There are several issue tracking/ticketing systems available on the market (many free) which can be filled with tasks and prioritised, allowing people to simply take the next task off the queue. <S> If the queue is empty, we expect people to talk to their supervisors for new work. <S> If you have no software and can't obtain tasking except at the start of the day, keep a notebook of tasks that will help your company advance. <S> It's always nice to go home having completed a task and having nothing pending: you get to make a fresh start on something next morning. <S> But with a complex job, it's not always (even rarely) possible; some tasks I've worked on have taken days or weeks of work before they're complete - sometimes before they even show visible progress. <S> To sum up: <S> That will make sure you have something to do for all 8 of your daily hours. <S> Develop the mental skill of compartmentalisation, allowing you to pause a task at 5pm and restart it 9am the next morning. <S> Going home with nothing pending is a treat. <S> It varies by workplace, but skills and reading are (should!) <S> be valuable and acceptable. <A> I would recommend you break up your day. <S> It may seem to drag on if you think of it as "another 3 hours to go" , instead plan your day in chunks. <S> There are so many things we can do as programmers: <S> Clean out Emails <S> Help others on SO Review pieces of current architecture Take a free online course (related to your current software stack) <S> Offer to assist someone else with a task Pair program for a few hours Go for a walk! <A> You basically have two threads of things you can do when you have nothing else to - germane and anti-germane. <S> Germane comes from the word "germinate," as in germinates from or is spawned from your day to day work. <S> Assuming you're a programmer... <S> Germane Activities <S> Answer questions on StackOverflow Check out <S> JavaScript weekly or other periodicals <S> Check out some JSConf talks on Youtube or talks related to your concentration Non-Germane Activities <S> Read a book Compose <S> simple musical pieces in your notebook Practice your handwriting <S> Watch <S> an educational documentary <S> Don't Volunteer to do extra work you weren't assigned. <S> This always ends badly. <S> Refactor code or generally make any improvements (Odds are these will be heartbreakingly crushed by the senior programmer) <S> Idly browse the code or wander the company's intellectual property (the principal of limiting knowledge) <S> Send an e-mail if necessary.
| Ensure there's a system in place (software or business process) for you to receive new tasks 'on demand', as you complete work. Alternately you may want to see if you can set up a system where you can "pull" work, rather than have your manager "push" it to you. See if any of your colleagues need help. When all else fails, simply pack up and leave early. Whatever you do, just don't watch the clock , the day will seem like 20 hours instead of 8!
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(How) can freelance work count towards "years of experience" on resume, online/Linkedin profiles, etc? Although it's not mentioned explicitly on the resume, we sometimes write something like "ABC professional with N years experience" on Linkedin or other online professional profiles or career development websites - sometimes also on a cover letter. I have worked independently since high school age, throughout and after university for a total of 12 years; only four years after graduating I joined a major corporation as a junior manager in the same field. While there was an obvious difference between the scale and workload of my part-time/independent work and my full-time work, the actual content and learning has been equally relevant.In such a situation, would it be correct to say "Web design professional with 14 years experience"? And could I still apply for a position requiring 5+ years of experience as a designer, even though I have only 2 years within a corporation? Would I need to be meticulous and count the exact days and hours I worked or is it sufficient to count from the year I started doing work, regardless of the actual hours I worked? Would your answer depend on the specific industry and profession? I am aware of a few very similar questions, though what distinguishes mine is that I look for a proactive way to demystify any prejudice about my years of working solo. <Q> In other words, producing work for a client, not for a university instructor, and it doesn't matter how that client is paying you (e.g. as an employee or a contractor). <S> For example: 2 years making widgets when employed by company A + 1 year of making widgets when working for yourself on behalf of someone who contracted you for the work = <S> 3 years of experience Additionally, what you will sometimes find is an additional qualifying statement in a job ad, such as "3+ years of experience in a professional environment," which means that if you spent the last 2 years performing tasks only during coursework, I'm not going to count it. <S> However, if you spent the last 2 years performing tasks in a work-study or part-time job while also learning those same tasks in classes, I'd give at least partial credit for those years. <S> A big note: "years of experience" typically means some reasonable approximation of "continuous" years performing the task in a professional environment. <S> If you performed a certain task continuously for 2 years, 10 years ago, and never again until today, that's not 10 years of experience -- it's just 2. <A> Depending on your skill level from your years of freelancing, it might be reasonable to apply for a job requesting 5+ years of experience. <S> However, whether or not they'd consider your application would probably depend on the reasoning the employer listed 5+ years as the level of experience desired. <S> They could be looking for someone who has spent multiple years working on teams doing large-scale websites, and is a master of meetings and scrum and agile or whatever technologies and methodologies they are in love with, who's been there long enough to have had to do bug fixes and upgrades on their own work. <S> Or they could just be looking for someone who can hit the ground running a little faster than a fresh out of college hire who's never implemented a website that wasn't a homework assignment or dealt with issues of scale ever. <S> Depending on what you were doing in those years of freelancing would affect how marketable those years of experience were. <S> The technologies available and skills required to make a website 14 years ago are hardly comparable to what is expected to be competitive today. <S> Certainly over time I'd hope to see progression in the difficulty of the work you took on and the scale of the sites you built and keeping up on the latest technologies. <S> Keep in mind that working with customers, meeting their expectations, marketing and selling your services, finding customers, and so on are not without merit as experience. <S> You may not have practice working with co-workers, but practice working with customers <S> That said, claiming 14 years of experience would be misleading and tough to justify . <S> Tcrosley gives a great example in his comment: 6 years of working 10 hours per week roughly is the equivalent to the number of hours you would work in 1.5 years full time work at 40 hours per week. <S> While I wouldn't say it's necessary to count the exact days and hours you worked to come up with a "full-time equivalency" estimate, it would be a good idea to ballpark it. <S> Don't just claim part time is full-time because it's not. <S> If you worked half-time for 1 year, count that as half a year of experience...regardless of whether you were freelancing or doing an internship. <A> I've never felt the need to discount periods between contracts from my "X years of experience". <S> The only time I might feel obliged to do so is if I spent a significant portion of time doing something other than keeping my skills sharp while I look for my next contract (e.g. if I took a career break to be a stay-at-home dad or something). <S> "X years of experience" is usually a shorthand for "Has successfully delivered a number of projects". <S> As the X grows larger, you also expect "and has been around to see the repercussions of decisions, has taken feedback, and has incorporated that feedback into future projects". <S> When I'm looking at a freelancer CV <S> I'm not usually worried about that kind of thing as freelancers tend to have those kinds of skills in abundance. <S> So long as you're giving some details about what you've done in your time freelancing, I don't think you have to worry. <S> Off-topic: You're more likely to have to convince a hiring manager why they should take the risk of hiring an ex-freelancer. <S> You'll need to be able to give a convincing reason why you've given up freelancing and are looking to settle down into a long and productive career! " <S> X years freelancing, short stint with company, looking for new job" is a red flag.
| Speaking as a hiring manager, "years of experience" means "years performing this task professionally (for pay or otherwise), outside of a learning environment."
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What to do if a mistake happened while I am on holiday? A serious mistake happened while I am on holiday, which could have led to missing out on a major potential client for the company as a whole. I am responsible for the task, but my direct manager (who initially designed the task) agreed to handle it while I was on holiday. I don't know the exact causes of the incident yet, but my conscience says it could have been avoided if I had created a second system to double check it. I am sure everyone in the company is looking for someone to blame - what is the best professional reaction to a situation like this? <Q> (Unless you are a manager, in which case, you have to make arrangements for your absence) <S> The best professional response in a situation where something went wrong during your absence would be something as follows: <S> Get in touch with your immediate manager and see if anything can be done to remedy the situation. <S> In case your manager blames you for the loss, you'll have to be ready with the communication you had with your senior regarding your leave. <S> In many situations, this can snowball and become a blame game <S> and you better have proper evidence for your own safety. <S> In case you are a manager who is responsible for handling things and the critical situation went out of hand due to you not creating a backup, the best thing to do is to accept the mistake and try not to repeat the same in the future. <A> Good managers are not looking to place blame. <S> Whatever happened is in the past and cannot be undone. <S> Placing blame will not help. <S> On the other hand, making sure this will never happen again is their absolute priority now. <S> Step forward and suggest a solution that will mitigate the impact of future problems of the same sort. <S> Either by making sure this can not happen again or by making sure the result of it happening will not be as problematic. <S> Or both. <S> For example more built in checks. <S> Ironically, once a mistake is made, everybody is afraid that the boss will blame them. <S> Yet, as a boss, the best thing that can happen to me after a mistake was made is that someone steps up and says "sorry, it was my fault, I will make sure this never happens again." <S> Because that solves my immediate problem and I'm free to handle the fallout of the actual problem. <A> Problem - there was a gap in knowledge while you were away. <S> It's not your fault for not explaining absolutely everything you know about the situation - that's impossible. <S> It's not your boss's fault for not knowing how to do your job perfectly while you're gone. <S> This was a simple gap, with potentially big consequences. <S> If fingers do get pointed, point out that it has to be reasonable for you to take a vacation, and clearly if you'd known about the potential for the problem, you'd have done something to prevent it - but no one can see all cases in the future. <S> Solution - spend only enough time on the problem for your boss and any other stakeholders (other people responsible for the solution) to see the risk imposed by the problem. <S> Move quickly onto the solution (secondary process), and directly connect to how it addresses the problem. <S> Be open to the input of others - the process may need tweaking, since ideally it is not what you do <S> but something anyone can do in your absence - so it has to work for everyone. <S> Keep everyone focused on the solution. <S> At the very end, verify with everyone that the solution is likely to be a fix for the problem. <S> Then let it drop.
| If your immediate superior (whom I presume is responsible for your day to day activities), was aware of your absence, it becomes his/her responsibility to plan for a backup in case of your absence. Address this as a problem with a solution. If you avoid pointing fingers, you stand a much better chance of keeping finger pointing out of the situation entirely.
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Is it ok to ask former colleagues for feedback after being terminated? I was recently fired from a job, and am struggling to understand why. The reasons given were unclear and contradictory, and management were defensive when I asked for detail - this was also my experience of management during the job. I'm concerned that my frustration at this is preventing me from clearly seeing how I contributed to the situation (or not). So I'd like to ask some of my former colleagues for feedback on how they thought I performed and behaved, to try to learn and something from this experience. Several of them reached out to me privately with kind words when I was fired, and I expect that they would give me useful feedback if I asked. Is this a reasonable thing to do? Am I risking my relationships by making them uncomfortable? How could I mitigate these risks? Also, I also don't want to risk references or relationships with my former managers, although I am not considering asking them for feedback. While my relationships with them were difficult, there was some warmth there, and in the termination they indicated they'd help me look for other jobs. So I'd like to ensure that if I do talk to former colleagues, it doesn't jeopardise these relationships. <Q> I expect that they would give me useful feedback if I asked. <S> Is this a reasonable thing to do? <S> I don't want to risk my relationships by making them uncomfortable. <S> It's very reasonable, if you approach the discussion cautiously. <S> Ask them if they would be willing to give you some honest feedback as a way for you to understand what really happened and to try to prevent similar things from happening in the future. <S> Ask in private and individually, rather than in a group setting. <S> Be sensitive to their responses, both verbal and non-verbal. <S> Remember that these people still work at your former company, so it's difficult for them to be completely objective while they are still in the middle of things. <S> And be sensitive to the fact that people often don't feel comfortable being brutally honest - even if that is what you are asking for. <S> Assure them that everything they tell you will be held in the strictest confidence, then follow through on that promise. <S> Don't talk about one former colleague with another. <S> Don't repeat what your colleague says about a former boss to another. <S> If they are willing to share, remember that they can only provide one viewpoint, and that it is never the whole story. <S> Never blame them for any part of your situation. <S> And refrain from blaming anyone else or trying to get them to blame anyone else. <S> Try to focus on you and only you. <S> Never get angry at what they tell you, even if it hurts you personally and professionally. <S> You have asked for feedback - accept it as helpful, constructive advice; even if it may include criticism of you. <S> Thank them for being candid and for their help. <S> Asking for this kind of feedback is a great way to learn, to understand, and to move on. <A> There is absolutely no problem in asking them for their feedback. <S> Just be sure about the way you ask it. <S> It shouldn't look like you are trying to find out WHY (some might find it as a rant for losing your job). <S> Instead, ask in a way that is aimed at knowing what you can take from the experience. <S> You can ask about your performance and the possible shortcomings you had during your stint at your job. <S> Although your previous managers have already indicated some warmth towards you, I suggest you not to look for jobs through them (since you have indicated that your relationship with them wasn't all that great). <S> Instead, take their feedback. <S> Always remember that even managers are human beings and they'll have a soft corner for you having lost your job. <S> Try to learn from the experience and take this setback in your stride. <A> In my country - Finland - employer can't fire someone without having a good reasons for that. <S> If they refuse to explain the reasoning (or if reasons are not what is specified in the law), that basically means they have to pay compensation (which is something like 1-4 months salary, nothing crazy). <S> I suggest you think what you have to lose. <S> Do you have a good relationship with those who reached you privately? <S> Is it good enough to withstand uncomfortable question like that? <S> If you ask properly - in a way they can avoid answering honestly, if they want to - there shouldn't be a problem. <S> I would go with non-face-to-face communication (email/chat or something like that) to avoid inflicting social pressure on them - it's remarkably easier to think what they want to answer if they have time to do that, instead of you standing there and waiting. <S> As already said in other answers, they are not going to hire you back. <S> However, in my opinion, you still should try to get those reasons to improve yourself and avoid similar problems in the future. <A> Is it ok to ask former colleagues for feedback after being terminated? <S> I don't want to risk my relationships by making them uncomfortable. <S> I also don't want to risk references or relationships with my former managers. <S> Although my relationships with them were difficult, there was some warmth there, and in the termination they indicated they'd help me look for other jobs. <S> Then don't do it . <S> First of all, people might not want to discuss this with you, and you don't want to put them in an uncomfortable situation. <S> On the other hand, if people do agree to discuss this with you, then: The conversation might cause some hard feelings. <S> People might not reveal the truth about why you were fired for either emotional or legal reasons, and that might confuse you even more. <S> More on #1: <S> If people do agree to talk to you, and they attempt to be very honest with you, then they may say things like: <S> Your performance was poor. <S> Your compensation was too high relative to your output. <S> And when you ask for reasons, those reasons may appear to be very subjective, unfair, or even flat wrong. <S> And if this is the case, then you may be tempted to argue with them about their reasons. <S> And here's what's even worse - Even if you do convince them that they fired you for the wrong reasons: <S> There's essentially zero chance that they'll hire you back.
| If any of them hesitate to share their understanding, you may not have made them feel safe about such a conversation, and you may need to back off. The hard feelings that result from this difficult conversation may reduce the chance that your ex-coworker will recommend you for future employment at another company. In short, don't do it . First off, it depends on your country - in different countries, there's different cultures and laws related to layoffs and giving feedback.
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Is it appropriate to cite percentages as opposed to numbers when asked about salary history? I'm eighteen years old and I'm working at my first job. I have been here for six months. Understandably, I was initially offered a "less than market value" salary due to my lack of experience/education. Well, we're now seven months into the job and I have been quite literally working as hard as I possibly can. It paid off. Last month I was offered a 20% raise in salary. The problem is, that 20% raise has only now put me at the bottom of the acceptable market value for my exact position/skills. I believe my skills speak for themselves and I belong in the average salary range for my skill set. I have an interview with another company today. When I am asked what my current salary is, my thinking is to avoid answering it directly (as is often recommended in my research) and instead bring up the raise I was given in January. Would this positively or negatively impact my chances of obtaining a salary more appropriate for my position, experience, and skill set? In other words, I'm imagining my response being: "I would rather not discuss exact numbers because I believe my abilities speak for themselves, but if it helps I did receive a salary increase of over 20% after six months on the job." <Q> Your interviewers are (likely) not idiots. <S> If you don't want to cite numbers but cite a 20% raise, they will likely be intelligent enough to understand that you were getting paid peanuts. <S> They will also probably figure out that you are interviewing because you know that you were getting paid peanuts even after the raise. <S> Be honest <S> You know your market value, you know what salary you want, and you know that your current company isn't providing it. <S> Be straightforward If money is a big issue for you, and you believe your skills are worth <S> at least $Y, there is absolutely nothing wrong with saying that in the interview if you are worried they aren't going to be willing to pay $Y: <S> Part of the reason I'm interviewing is because I'm being paid under market value. <S> My understanding is that my skills are worth at least $Y on the market. <S> If you think I'm a good fit for this job, could I expect a minimum salary above $Y? <S> Bear in mind that benefits and the like can have different impacts on the actual salary figure and <S> you will have to do some mental math to figure out what is best for you. <S> Leaving Money on the Table <S> Generally speaking, talking about minimums doesn't mean, <S> "If you offer me $Y I will accept" , it just means <S> "I won't even consider anything under $Y" . <S> Wording can be delicate, and if you don't want to leave money on the table during the negotiation, just try to be careful about not implying $Y <S> is what you're happy to settle for, and is just the absolute minimum for someone with your skills. <A> You don't have to answer that, and I wouldn't. <S> Your market value is determined by what employers will pay for your skills, not what you are currently paid. <S> I would dodge the question and answer that "Based on the compensation of colleagues with similar skills and experience, I believe that my market value is ..." <S> Personally, I would avoid taking employment from a company that insisted on knowing what you are currently making. <S> They certainly won't tell you what they are currently paying everyone else in a similar position. <S> They want to know your current pay so they can offer the minimum that would make their offer better than your current position. <S> That is a stupid move on their part. <S> It tempts you to take the offer and stay until someone else makes a more reasonable offer. <S> I find such tactics disrespectful. <S> The respectful question is "what compensation are you seeking?" <S> If you really need this job, tell them what they want to know, take the job, and keep looking. <S> If your estimate of your true value is correct, you will soon get an even better offer, and they will get what they deserve. <A> I have used what Raganwald has written when it comes to answering questions about salary in his article Three tips for getting a job through a recruiter : <S> Now I said you don't disclose details. <S> I think you want to mention a range. <S> Here's exactly what I say when people ask me: Over the past five years, my compensation has ranged from X to Y dollars. <S> And they will ask for more details. <S> How much is base? <S> How much bonus? <S> How much last year? <S> Does that include stock options? <S> I blow off all additional details. <S> If they can't submit my resume without additional details, that's their problem. <S> What the client needs is to know that you are neither too cheap (you must suck, or be ignorant, or both), nor too dear (motivated by money, or ignorant, or both). <S> The range answers the question while giving very little away for the negotiation. <S> Here's how to calculate X and Y. Over the last five years, take the smallest base salary you've earned in any one year or at any one job. <S> Include only the cash portion. <S> This is X. <S> Now take the most you've earned in any one of the five years. <S> Include the cash equivalent of perquisites (sic) like travel to trade shows or conferences, meals, drinks, everything (I drink two free cups of coffee a day. <S> If I'm calculating Y for this year, I'm adding $2.20 a working day to Y). <S> That's your range. <S> Notice how it works even if you've been at the same job for five years? <A> No matter what figure you tell them just one suggestion keep in mind: Don't let your potential new employeer that you are desperate to get a raise or leave your current company and join this one. <S> Because if you show them that you are dying to leave the current company they will also give you small raise.
| There is very little harm in saying: After being given a 20% raise recently, I am earning X which I believe is below market value.
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Is it considered a good idea to bring along a programming portfolio to an interview? Is it considered a good idea to bring along a programming portfolio of your previous work when attending a programming job interview? By portfolio I mean a collection of screenshots, brief description of the product and maybe a couple of code examples. Obviously the code examples would need to be of non-private works. <Q> Yes. <S> Interviewers will be interested in what kind of work you have done before (whether for a programming job or more generally). <S> If you are the sort of person who gets a bit nervous at an interview, and might forget to mention something in the heat of the moment, a portfolio provides you with a handy reminder of what work you have done, to talk about. <S> Images showing your past work (e.g. screenshots, for a programming interview) are a particularly good idea to include, if your work had a suitable visual depiction. <S> Also, if you end up explaining some technical point about the work, an image might be handy to point to, to illustrate. <S> If you are not sure whether to include a screenshot (or another document) or not, try imagining yourself in the shoes of the interviewer and ask yourself whether this would help the interviewer see what you have to offer better. <S> I find it hard to imagine whether examples of code would help, unless an interviewer has specifically requested them. <S> A portfolio also makes you look well-prepared and keen, an added bonus! <A> Yes, of course. <S> The interviewer's job is to evaluate you in order to determine if you can get things done. <S> A proof of that is if you show him past things that you got done. <S> Actually, since we're talking about programming, there are TONS of ways you can do this: have a website with your projects. <S> Domains and webhosting are so affordable these days and it's not that big of an effort to put together a few HTML pages presenting your applications: screenshots, user manual, changelog etc. <S> It looks very professional, I would be impressed by something like this. <S> Also, this shows that you know how to (or at least you try to learn how to) communicate your ideas. <S> If the website is targeted at actual users (which I recommend), then it means you have the ability to skip over the technical details when presenting your ideas and instead focus on user/customer requirements. <S> Since you'll be dealing with managers and customers a lot in this profession, the quality perception of your work will skyrocket if you get this right. <S> if such a website doesn't seem to be worth your time and/or money, consider hosting your projects on some online repository, like GitHub if you're applying for a Mobile developer job, install your apps on your phone and do a quick demo during the interview. <S> A picture is worth 1000 words <S> ;) <S> The things you present will spark good healthy conversations. <S> If you have more than 2 - 3 projects to show, you can be pretty sure that you won't run out of things to talk about. <S> In conclusion: software companies look for passionate employees. <S> For most of them, this means someone who works on his own personal projects outside of the regular job. <S> Maybe this is a fair assumption/expectation, maybe not; it's just there. <S> Show them you're passionate by showing them your portfolio, it always helps :) . <A> I would also recommend including items in the portfolio that demonstrate your expertise in all areas of the software development lifecycle. <S> Some items to include: <S> Architectural Diagrams <S> Requirements Documents (if possible) <S> Application Screenshots <S> Technical Blog Posts Technical Slide Presentations <S> Show that you don't just code <S> , you know how to communicate effectively as well. <S> That's important. <A> Yes, I did exactly that. <S> I sent in a portfolio with short descriptions and screenshots with my application. <S> I also print it out and brought my App to the interview. <S> Every interviewer I talked to responded positively to it. <S> I handed my tablet to the interviewers, got up and walked around the table to look at the screen with them and explain them what they see. <S> That seemed to make a good impression, too.
| From the interviewer's perspective, seeing an image depicting the work can really help to quickly get an overall picture of what the interviewee is talking about. Yes, I think it's a great idea.
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How to follow-up without being bothersome? Recently, I was hired to a retail position. I was told that I would be getting a call to come to the store in order to complete the rest of the paperwork. I did not receive that call. Then I was told again that I would be getting a call, I did not get any call. I then visited the store and met briefly with the manager who told me to expect February 10th as a training start-date, and that the assistant manager would be calling me today (this was Friday) "for-sure," and he apologised for the hold-up. I did not get a call (and still haven't). I am very interested in this job and I am looking forward to it, but the manager seems very stern and like he really doesn't enjoy being badgered. I don't want to be bothersome, so how should I respectfully go about following-up on all these calls I am supposed to have gotten? <Q> It sounds like things a possibly a bit hectic, and they haven't got around to you. <S> I would ring them, and ask them professionally and politely what they want to do. <S> 'Hi, I was hired by [Joe] and I was told to expect training on February 10 <S> - Is this time still correct, and can I confirm a time and place attend?'. <A> Unless you've signed (and they've signed) the requisite employment contracts, all you have from this store is a verbal agreement to hire you. <S> You didn't mention which of the forms you've already filled out, and I can't tell from your post whether this is a large chain or a small retailer. <S> You should protect yourself. <S> Be extremely polite and say, "hi, I'm __ and <S> I was told by __ <S> that you were the right person to speak to regarding finishing my paperwork before the February 10th start of training. <S> " <S> That person will either know about you and help you out, or put you off again. <S> If they put you off again, ask for a concrete date/time you should come back to fill out the paperwork. <S> If they're still giving you the brush off at that point, you should look for a different job. <S> Companies that are serious about hiring have a more proactive and timely approach to dealing with job candidates, and they've typically got someone (or many people) on top of those duties. <A> My favorite way of following up is to contact (in person, email or phone) and ask the person : "Have you had a moment to do XYZ yet?". <S> This achieves three things. <S> It reminds them of XYZ without implying that they have forgotten about it. <S> Secondly if they have not forgotten but it is languishing at the end of their TODO list this can be a prompt for them to do it immediately, preferably while you are still in contact with them. <S> Thirdly it implies that the only reason that they have not managed to do XYZ is that they are oh so busy with the important stuff that an important person like them needs to do. <S> In this case I'd go for something like <S> "Have you had a chance to schedule my training yet? <S> The last time we chatted we discussed a possible date of 10 Feb. That is in 3 days time <S> and I'm not sure if I should show up or not?"
| That they've already told you that you have a job, and to expect training suggests that communicating with them to clarify the organisation/details is a good idea. Find out when the assistant manager will next be at the store, and if possible, go there at the beginning of his/her shift to ask about the paperwork.
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Is it possible to make leaving a PhD look good on a CV / Resume? I am in the process of leaving my PhD programme in life sciences at a top university in the UK. A PhD is simply not for me and I find the work/life balance to be intolerable; in addition, my PhD so far has included an industrial placement at a fortune 500 company that was very eye opening and enjoyable. My question is whether it is better to leave the fact that I quit a PhD off my CV, or to have the failed PhD / MPhil on there, or to mask it as '18 months of lab experience' or something similar. Is it possible to make the fact I left a PhD sound good? <Q> I went through the process of leaving a PhD program just before the dissertation phase. <S> I have not experienced any negative impact from this in job searching or interviewing. <S> In fact, in some cases the interviewers have joked about how leaving early must imply that I actually have some common sense. <S> I wrote up some thoughts on the mathematics StackExchange site that might be relevant for this thread too. <S> In general, just be honest. <S> Connect with peers and professors as much as you can before leaving (via LinkedIn, or swapping emails, etc.). <S> Ask them point blank if you can count on a positive reference if you ever needed one. <S> If you leave on bad terms (e.g. your adviser is furious that you are leaving, or you leave without completing a certain milestone that causes everyone else to absorb more work) then it can be trickier but still not impossible. <S> Be honest when describing your motivations. <S> Experiencing industrial work settings and preferring that to an academic setting is a very mature and valid reason to switch. <S> If someone holds that against you, then you get free info that they would be a horrible boss. <S> I do list my lab experience on my resume. <S> I completed several useful and interesting projects in my time as a PhD candidate, so I like to talk about these during interviews if I can. <S> Having them on the resume does sometimes lead to confusion, so just be sure to practice a nicely worded and clear statement that explains why the resume items are there and what your thinking was in terms of leaving the PhD program. <A> I think you should address your situation in your cover letter. <S> You've been a student, now you're looking for a position doing "X" or working in field "X", etc. <S> adjust for each application as needed. <S> People leave school, change majors, careers and don't need to go into detail why they "quit" but need to address what it is you want. <S> Be positive. <S> On the CV, just make sure you indicate your degree(s) <S> and where you've been. <S> Don't leave any gaps. <S> Many full-time students are not employed at that time. <S> If there is any coursework, lab experiences, etc. <S> that are relevant, make sure you include them. <A> There is no need to make quitting PhD sound good. <S> The problem with providing partial information like "18 months of lab experience" is, if during the HR round, or during a background check, your employer comes to know about you having quit/failed PhD, it'll reflect worse on your personality. <S> Just let the employer know why you quit and highlight your skills and achievements. <S> That would at the least save you from any future embarrassments.
| Be honest and let them know why you quit. Try to leave your PhD group on the best terms possible. Academia is a little different, but in most industries, leaving a phd program would not be looked at too negatively.
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What kind of email address should I use in CV? I have read "What should a professional email address look like?" . My problem is somewhat similar to this but not all. At first when I was creating my gmail username (age of 15) I got frustrated with already taken usernames and made a terrible long username like <my last name>.<my first name><10 digit mobile number>@gmail.com . It didn't seem ugly then but after getting into college and knowing that bad email id make a bad impression in CV made me think. So I made a new id (age of 19) looks like <my last name>.<my first name>atwork@gmail.com . Now I have two problems. Should I put both email id in CV or just one? Does the later one sound too formal; it literally have atwork in middle? <Q> I can't imagine any situation where it would make sense to put multiple email addresses in a CV. <S> The last thing you want your CV to do is cause confusion or frustration in people who wish to contact you. <S> Do not put them in the position of wondering which email address they should use, or whether they should use both. <S> As for which one you should use - <S> I think you're over-thinking it if you're worrying about the difference between name.10 digit number and name.atwork . <S> Assuming you're distributing your CV electronically, anyone who needs to email you is going to click or cut & paste anyway, they're not going to have to type out that 10-digit number. <S> The one circumstance when I would suggest paying attention to your email address is if you had something that could come across and genuinely unprofessional: <S> sexxxxy , xXxSaTaNxXx , <S> weedlord420 , that sort of thing. <S> Don't put that in your CV. <S> Just don't. <A> have a more professional looking email address instead of sexyHot87@hotmail.com, <S> hotblazer@gmail.com etc etc. <S> instead put your name such as Steve.Jobs@gmail.com etc etc. <S> Seperate the mails you receive. <S> This is because i get alot of junk / personal mails and sometimes important mail such as job offers are being overlooked and discarded. <A> I recommend using a professional sounding email address for job applications for eg: J.Bloggs@hotmail.com rather than hex673bd@hotmail.com. <S> Try to avoid using your full name <S> so identity theft is made harder. <S> When job hunting your likely to get a lot of SPAM emails from job websites that aren't relative to your job search (Monster, Jobsite.co.uk). <S> I recommend that you setup a email <S> alias so that you can kill the email address once you complete your job search and not have to block emails for months on end. <S> You can also then use a email rule to filter the email <S> alias incoming messages into a specific folder called 'Jobs'. <S> A email alias is a alternative email address that directs mail to your normal inbox, for eg: test1@hotmail.com and test2@hotmail.com <S> may both go to the same inbox but use different alias addresses. <S> Hotmail (Outlook.com) includes both the rule and alias features you will need.
| Do not put more that 1 email address or more than 1 mobile number as it confuses the person handling it. For me, having a separate email for work / professional stuffs is important.
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What factors should I consider when deciding whether to create separate StackExchange IDs for work/non-work? With StackOverflow and Careers 2.0 it's becoming easier to use the SE network as a professional profile. Yet at the same time there are more and more sites on the SE network, some of which you might not want your employer to know about. Either because they are too personal (like Relationships and Dating) or because, like The Workplace itself, they are actually about your workplace. I am wondering if it is more professional to have a "work" set of SE accounts and a "personal" set, or is it not worth troubling to keep them separate? What other factors might you need to consider? In particular I am wondering about: how it might affect how you are viewed by potential employers if non-professional SEs are linked to your Careers 2.0 profile similarly, how it might affect how you are viewed by current employers what other disadvantages there might be to having all questions on the same account that I haven't considered, why they are a disadvantage and how they could be mitigated other than by using two accounts if there are any advantages (besides convenience) of having everything on the same account - in particular regarding (though not limited to) professionalism and the workplace Thanks everybody who has contributed so far. In light of the answers received so far I would like to make the problem clearer. I would like to: leave the option open to use Careers 2.0 at some point in the future if I decide it is a good idea, and participate fully on the SE network, including some of the less professional sites (as described in first paragraph) How do I reconcile these two desires? <Q> Interesting topic! <S> If you use a range of different Stack Exchange sites, and you use you Stack/Careers2.0 profile professionally for job-hunting, etc., then sure, it's worth considering. <S> You basically answered you own questions with the reason why you might wish to do this. <S> Effectively, if you participate on work-related (in my case, core Stack Overflow, Programmers and Workplace) and also <S> non work-related (in my case, Genealogy & Family History and the Arqade) sites <S> , that's the equivalent of, say, having a technical blog and also a personal blog. <S> Do you link the two together? <S> Up to you. <S> Personally, I don't think there's any reason to stress too much about mixing work-related and non work-related things on the one Stack profile. <S> Instead, I'd look at it from the angle of whether or not you want any given question or answer to be linked to your main profile. <S> For instance, we often see people creating new anonymous accounts to ask questions here on the Workplace because they don't want their questions about their workplace connected to their known profile. <S> It's probably easier to do it case-by-case and use a fresh profile to ask a question if and when you need to. <A> Definitely. <S> One consideration is that in many places anything you do during work time belongs to your company. <S> While few companies are going to consider SE reputation worth while, the ongoing Q&A about company issues may be. <S> I find that having a company-related SE account for technical questions (and possibly linking it to programmers. <S> SO for similar questions) <S> account is well worth while, so that everyone working on a problem can easily access any questions related to the problem. <S> We have the login details in the company wiki (small company, <20 people and usually only 2-3 programmers working in one area), but for a bigger company you'd probably want to limit it to the small team working on one issue. <S> This is probably more important if you expect to hand over your work to someone else in the future, because if it's just you most of the above won't apply. <S> But as someone who has come in to replace an unexpectedly absent former employee I found it really helpful that they'd left themselves logged in on their workstation. <S> It meant I could really easily get a list of all the questions they had asked which helped compensate for their lack of documentation. <S> The one annoyance is that as a new user it'll probably take a while to get enough reputation to even upvote, let alone comment. <S> Don't be tempted to use your other account to help the new one though, that's not allowed and may get both accounts banned if you're egregious enough. <S> edit: I would probably not use the shared account for people-related questions like TheWorkplace because those tend to be more specific to the person asking or answering the question. <S> I suppose if you had a common issue between your team and someone else it might work. <S> But I see a shared account as much more useful for technical questions that you've all looked at and are still stuck. <A> I think they chose wisely when they decided to call the points tallied in the StackExchange system "reputation". <S> Employers are unlikely to care about the numeric connection, but if/when they read your responses, those responses are going to reflect back on you. <S> Even if you maintain separate accounts, ultimately there is a good chance to slip up and accidentally link them somewhere. <S> Possibly an email address, a cross post, an accidental post, etc. <S> Once they become linked by any of the search engines the exercise of separating the accounts will have proved pointless. <S> However, from the same standpoint, I typically disregard 90% of what I see online regarding a candidate that does not specifically impact their work habits and behaviors. <S> I can understand the desire to keep some things from being related to you in this respect, but I don't think multiple accounts will do you any favors in the long run. <A> There is a difference and if there isn't a mechanism to separate the sites that are more personal in nature, you should use a separate account. <S> Using social sites for background checks on employees is becoming more prevalent, so everyone should be concerned with their online presence. <S> I would be more inclined to only link to professional contacts on LinkedIn and personal contacts on Facebook. <S> Neither of these are going on my resume. <S> If they do a background check/search, I'm comfortable with the information they would access. <S> The SO Career site is used more like a CV <S> and you would encourage a potential employer to view this information; otherwise, what's the point. <S> You have to be careful of everything you put on it. <S> Even spelling may count more.
| Having to always log out may be enough hassle to justify creating a work-specific account. Anything you connect with your name will affect your actual reputation. My advice, as someone who interviews software engineers (and I do check them out online), is to remain entirely anonymous for any activity that you don't want publicly associated with your name.
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How to answer questions about past bad performance at the same company in a job interview? I did an internship at department A of a company about four years ago. It lasted one month and it was horrible. I was given nothing to do and felt very out of place. As an intern, everybody was my superior, and they were very stressed and uninterested in teaching. I should have shown more initiative, but I was demotivated almost from the beginning. This was a very frustrating experience for me. I did not smile very much and I probably made a bad impression during this month. About half a year after this I've started a project-specific employment at department B of the same company. The people there were nice and respectful and gave me goals and a high degree of freedom in how to attain them. There I blossomed, and I think I surpassed my superior's expectations. Now the time has come to apply for a permanent job at this company. The thing is, the boss of this company is also the boss of department A, and I'm not sure whether he remembers me, but if he does, I'm afraid that maybe during the job interview I will get asked about what happened during this one terrible month four years ago. I'm not sure what the best way to handle such a question would be. Telling them that they should have *!&%$ given me something to do and treated me like a human being and not a ghost is out of question. Telling them that my good performance during 36 months should outweigh that during this 1 month could trigger the question "How can we be sure this won't happen again?" and also might be too defensive. Apologizing and effectively saying "I'm sorry, my behaviour was unprofessional" also seems suboptimal because I didn't do anything wrong except being displeased and consequently not smiling, which would of course have been clever. Also I feel that preemptively admitting failure when all that really occurred was personal antipathy is a weak move that makes me appear weak. The best option so far to me seems to talk about positive things that happened during this month, stating that I am thankful for the experiences I made back then, and show that I have profited from this time, which, after all, I did. tl;dr: I did badly for a short time, and well for a long time, at the same company. In an interview for a permanent position, what do I say when they ask me about the short time? <Q> This falls under the auspices of "Don't badmouth a previous employer". <S> Always good advice regardless of whether or not your previous employer is the same as the prospective new one. <S> I would: Talk about positive things. <S> If asked about the less positive things, then mention what you've learned in order to handle such situations better in the future. <S> You should always look upon any job as a learning experience, and you should always phrase what you've learnt from those jobs in that manner. <S> For example, don't say "job <S> x sucked" or "I suck at jobs like x " <S> but rather talk about how how facing a weakness in x helped you improve, or that you've learnt to play to your strengths in the future. <A> The trick is to neither lie nor tell excessive amounts of the truth - you should selectively tell the truth. <S> "I was in the position for about a month... <S> I didn't find it overly challenging. <S> " OR "It was a very interesting learning experience. <S> I feel like it's really prepared me for where I am now."OR <S> "It was really challenging. <S> I learned a lot about the importance of taking initiative!" <S> If they try to press, continue being glossy and positive. <S> "What was it about it <S> that was so challenging? <S> " <S> "Well, it was very early in my career. <S> I hadn't really learned to take initiative yet. <S> So there were times when I wasn't at my full potential." <A> What you did during Training period in the first months actually doesnt mean much since you are performing well. <S> The only reason that they will be looking for will be : <S> How you are performing your tasks now <S> Whether you jell very well with the team <S> Overall attitude Motivation factor and so on.. <S> As a trainee in the first months, how you behaved probably and how you are performing now clearly underlines the fact that there might be something fundamentally wrong with the first Dept(A). <S> And even if the senior person remember this, they might ask you why such difference perhaps or maybe give an opportunity to speak up as to why you have opted for this firm. <S> To which you can reply by saying even though the initial training period did not go well as planned, changing to another department actually brought the best in you and blah blah blah... <S> Hope this makes sense.! <S> And All the very best for the Interview. <A> I believe you overthink it. <S> People tend to concentrate on the worst possible question which they could be asked on an interview. <S> Most likely, you won't be asked or even if you will be asked about this month, it will be just a checkbox question. <S> In the very small probability that you will be asked, just spin it positively (as everybody suggested). <A> In a time with a company, everyone is going to have some bad months. <S> So, first, don't start the interview expecting negativity. <S> If you walk in freaked out and stressed, <S> you're more likely to trigger a negative reaction <S> - realize that in your time in the overall company, you've had far more good experiences than bad. <S> You clearly found a working situation that you like - how would you restructure your time in Department A <S> so you could be as successful as you were in Department B? <S> Sounds like #1 would be being more active in asking for assignments and help. <S> Now that you've had good goals and freedom, you could describe the kind of conditions that are best for you. <S> You may not always have a great leader, you may have to make the best of a bad situation, so having a plan in mind isn't such a waste of time. <S> If the question comes up, describe the poorness of the situation but not the people. <S> Then move (quickly!) <S> on what you'd do differently now that you have experience. <S> It'll let you pivot back to the most successful elements of Dept. B and sing their praises. <A> Repeat after me "I had a bad start and it took me a little while to get my feet under me <S> so I could perform at this company" <S> This puts your bad experience in the past, in a way that it doesn't come back into your present (or future). <S> It takes all of the blame for the bad experience and places it on you. <S> Thus you don't harm the reputation of others, letting them eventually harm their own reputations. <S> How will you prevent this scenario from happening again? <S> " <S> Well, now I know how to effectively work at this company." <S> as shown by your recent successes and lack of any recent indication of difficulties.
| In conclusion, don't lie, but don't say anything negative, especially about your coworkers at the time. Basically, keep it all very glossy and positive. Take some time to think about what you would have done differently now that you've had more experience.
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How can I decline business-lunch invitations due to strict dietary restrictions? I don't eat out at restaurants, I'm a strict vegetarian, and it's part of my faith. However, recently my manager invited me and other colleagues to a lunch. I don't want to be disrespectful and say no. These are the things I can do: Take my home-made lunch with me. But again, this can be seen as a little rude. Order like a drink at the restaurant and tell the manager that I can't eat out and hope he respects that. How can I decline the invitation politely? <Q> You could ask the person who's sending the invitation if the restaurant has vegetarian items on the menu. <S> If they don't know, ask for the name so you can look them up and call them. <S> If you can establish that there is at least one or two items on the menu that you can eat, go and have fun! <S> If they have nothing that fits your diet, politely decline and explain why, and maybe offer to meet them after lunch for coffee. <S> Or you could suggest another nearby restaurant that does have some vegetarian items. <A> Ask the Kitchen <S> My Girlfriend is a strict vegetarian as well, and of late she had an interesting experience, where she contacted the kitchen or the restaurant directly, where she was going to have a formal business dinner. <S> Even though the menu didn't offer anything vegetarian, the kitchen said they would prepare something especially for her. <S> She ended up getting something very good, so that even some of her colleagues wondered if next time at that restaurant they could get the same thing : )She was prepared just to eat a raw salad if there was nothing on the menu, but having asked the kitchen turned out to have been a really good idea. <S> Since then whenever we were invited to a restaurant that couldn't be confirmed to have a vegetarian dish we would call there - this has helped us out 2 more times. <S> The moral <S> I guess, is that good restaurants are aware of the rising trend in vegetarianism - and even if they don't generally cater to vegetarians, they won't risk on passing out on a business dinner party, just because out of 10 people 1 won't eat their standard menu. <S> They would rather make something special for that one person. <A> I see three easy ways to handle this: <S> Explain the situation Offer to pick the restaurant Find alternatives to eating out As long as your boss understands the reason for not accepting outright, and you make an effort to find a way to make it work out, you shouldn't have a problem. <S> Above presumes your boss is a reasonable person. <S> Explain <S> If you can give a good explanation ahead of time, it will go a long way to making other people be accommodating: <S> Hey boss, thanks for the invitation! <S> I would love to go out, but as a vegetarian it may restrict our options on where I can eat. <S> Offer to do the Legwork Since many non-vegetarians have little experience knowing what the heck your dietary restrictions really mean, offering to do the hard work yourself could help: <S> There are plenty of restaurants that serve vegetarian dishes and meat too. <S> Do you mind if I suggest a restaurant? <S> Do you like Indian* food? <S> * Indian is just an example because they usually have vegetarian dishes, but regardless of what you stick in here, try to pick something that your boss is likely to be happy with to increase chances of saying yes. <S> I just love Indian food. <S> While you may not eat out much because of your diet, you should definitely put effort in to finding restaurants that are enjoyable to both omni- and herbivores for work-related functions, as well as for business dinners and the like. <S> Offer an Alternative <S> Maybe there's no restaurant that suits everyone within a reasonable distance from your work. <S> That's fine. <S> Sometimes it won't work out and you can say, "Do you mind <S> if I reschedule and we can do lunch some other time?" <S> Then go and figure out how you can find a compromise. <S> Perhaps you can offer to get everyone sandwiches and eat outside somewhere. <S> If you're a good cook and think you can make them something vegetarian <S> they'll like, offer to bring in lunch for them sometime.
| Or if food is just going to be a difficult sticking point, you can try to swap out business lunches for after-lunch drinks or the like so that you can still have the semi-social atmosphere without the issue with food.
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What are the signs that an interview went well ( or badly )? I have been attending lot of interviews recently as a new graduate. What are the signs that one can get from HRs and interviewers that the interview well ( or badly )? <Q> It is easier to tell if it went badly than if it went well. <S> The best interviews you have may not result in moving further into the process because you are competing with others and someone else may have been much better than you were. <S> So even if you feel good about what you said, it is not a sign that you are getting the job. <S> Signs <S> it went especially badly <S> are if they cut off the interview rather abruptly, if people seem to be going through the motions and not paying attention to what you said or if you know that you very badly missed the answers on several questions. <A> I am a fellow job seeker too. <S> I feel if they say a time scale by which you will hear from us, I think it is a good sign that they are thinking about the next step. <S> Another thing is showing around the building. <S> If they are willing to put an effort to show you around the building, then that is a good sign. <A> A sign that the interview went well is when the interviewer(s) tell you what next steps are before you ask - they may already be envisioning you moving to the next step!
| The sign that it went well is when you get a call back for another interview or a job offer.
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Starting a new job for only a short time My situation: I am in a position with my current job where I would like to be looking for a new job (company has bought a pre-made system to replace our main IT system, so in March my job is going to change from being a Java developer, to configuring this new system by editing xml and scripts in a proprietary language based on Java). I have been a Java developer for about 1.5 years since graduating, so I am worried about spending such a large proportion of my work experience doing such simple work and working in a proprietary language. The problem with looking for a new job now, is that my partner is on a contract which will run out in January and his expertise is not needed much in the city we live in (though is needed in other places), so it is quite likely that we will want to move cities in less than a year (and I will be looking for a new job either way). Given that looking for a new job, getting it and fulfilling my one month notice period will likely take several months, I could only expect to be in a new job for an absolute maximum of 9 months. The more general question:What will look worse on a CV - a year of work that doesn't require much of the knowledge I have and want to continue to use in the future, or a better job that only lasts 9 months? Context - I currently work for a reasonably large financial company (hence the ability to buy a software suite so that the programmers barely need to program any more). I would like to work in something more technical in the future as my background is technical/scientific, and would certainly not rule out small companies / start ups. <Q> Considering your situation : <S> Current Notice Period : 1 month Time available for new job : 10 months max <S> In effect it will be a 6-8 month scenario and its good if you don't hop just for this small period of time. <S> However you should be taking into account the fact that, your primary skills should be constantly refreshed or updated. <S> Even you can take this 6-8 months gap for brushing up your skills for new interview as well as learning new technologies in the related domain which might be very useful for you in future. <S> Further your resume will look good as by the time you are ready to move, you will attain around 3 years experience using which you can push for a mid-senior level job rather than a fresher. <S> And if you are forced to change since you dont have enough relevant work at current firm or <S> your primary skills are weakening then you can jump, but at a risk of convincing your next HR personal as to why you are looking to jump after 10 months. <S> Even though your partner job issue is a valid reason, im not sure whether you can get to a situation where you could actually convey this. <S> All the very best in any case...Cheers.. <A> I would advise to get a job. <S> Two scenarios the way I see it, with the main factor in each: Money is money. <S> Scenario 1: <S> You get a job for ten months, <S> your partners job finishes <S> you move to another location and get another job each End of Scenario Scenario 2: <S> you get a job for ten months, you enjoy your job for ten months, your partner in turn gets a new job within that time (maybe their job keeps them on, or there is that dream job pops up)End of scenario <S> The point I am trying to get across is, in my personal situation, I couldn't go without a job for ten months. <S> I would rather have to take a job and leave it when I move, than be without one caught in the middle. <S> Failing that: <S> http://www.rent-acoder.com/ <A> Working as a contractor will let you make extra money, and you can easily inform your new employer of your plan to leave after 9 months. <S> If you know your job will no longer be the right fit for you, you should move on before your boss realizes this. <S> Be sure your current job will be a bad fit. <S> Switching jobs is generally one of the most stressful life changes in one's life. <S> If you know you will not be engaged after the changes in your job, then by all means find a temp job that will pay by the hour and bank the money to pay for the move. <S> Otherwise, consider staying put.
| You might want to consider becoming an independent contractor, or using a recruiter to find a short-term job that will end at the same time as your partners. In the end if you are really confident in your skills, then you ought to believe in that and stay with current firm for the next few months enhancing your knowledge and towards the end of this 10 month period, start applying for good firms and your chances will be very high..
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How to overcome 'cold war' in a team? I am a software developer with 3 years of experience. I recently joined a new company as a "Software Engineer". They put me on an offshore team with 4 other developers. We don't have a Lead dev/Team lead, and report individually to the client. My management hardly knows what we do. Now, we have client calls almost every day, and people on my team are trying to act over smart and willing to become a lead of my team. Two guys are indirectly competing for the post. One of them is a good and dedicated employee and other one has been with this company for 3 years. They argue often, and they don't listen to each other. I think it's spoiling the productivity. Management should assign someone as a lead so this war ends right now. I have a good reputation in this company, but since I handle training programs and other activities, I can't make suggestions to management about this issue. I am not part of this war to becoming a lead but irritated by all of this. How can I invite management to take action? <Q> Resolving this is the management's job. <S> You say "I can't suggest management about this issue". <S> Why not? <S> You should not take sides, but you can request management to take action. <S> That action is not necessarily appointing a lead - leave it to managment how to resolve this. <S> (You could even argue that only appointing a lead will not solve the conflict). <S> If you have an HR contact, use that. <S> Stress that you have a concern about productivity, loss of enthusiasm in the team, etc. <S> Make sure you support your request with facts. <S> How much time gets wasted, where does the client suffer (e.g. contradictory communication). <S> Make a list of these things happening. <S> Try to keep blame out of the list , just focus on the productivity loss. <S> Edited: After reading the other answer from Marriott81 <S> I agree you should try that first. <S> But here too, collect your data. <A> I would try and talk to your team first, explain that you feel its spoiling the productivity. <S> People tend to get annoyed if you just go above their heads and straight to management. <S> You do not want to risk your own position within the team and have them all gang up on you rather than squabble, trust me its not nice. <S> Sit them down and talk, be assertive, tell them. <S> If this does not resolve the situation, THEN consider going to management. <S> Email him and tell him you had a meeting/ <S> didn't have a meeting and raise your concerns. <S> Thats what I would do <A> You have two options: <S> Don't get involved - leave it to the competitors and management to resolve. <S> It may be a short term issue and, once decided, will ease the negative atmosphere in the office. <S> Keep it brief and to the point. <S> Hopefully the people at that level will be smart enough not to name you when dealing with the situation. <S> With either option don't take sides with either competitor, just focus on the tasks assigned to you and complete them to the best of your ability. <S> Aligning yourself with either competitor will have implications for you once the decision has been made: you need to focus on the scope of your role and ensure you're doing everything possible to meet the demands set out for you. <S> (edited with explanation of reasoning as suggested by a comment)
| To be honest, if the two people competing for the same role are creating that atmosphere neither are suitable for leadership at this stage and are unlikely to be able to settle things directly if you approach them about it. Go directly to the management team and tell someone in a position of responsibility what is happening.
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How to know whether reassignment to different team/project means criticism of my current performance? I work at my company since three years and have been promoted to manager of the team I started in. I have brought a lot of innovation and efficiency to the team and always received top performance reviews and was consistently told I was the top performer in the department. I truly enjoy my team... but recently a director and my manager brought me into a meeting and told me that I have to start grooming my successor in order for me to manage another, newer, team within weeks time.Although it is interesting, it is one of the most troubled teams in the company, poor in talent and motivation. I personally feel that despite having received only positive performance reviews, I still have many improvements and projects for my current team... so I am confused about this re-assignment. And wondering whether it might be a sign that they don't want me in my current team anymore because of some reason. How can I know for sure whether there are no hidden motivation behind their move? <Q> While you may still see improvements for your existing team, which would yield a much greater value: Taking the already pretty good team to its next level or taking the poor team up to the pretty good that you have with your current team? <S> Consider on a scale of 1 to 100 in terms of their potential where is each team. <S> Your current team may well be at the 80 or higher mark while the other team may be down in the single digits and thus your challenge is to see if you can work the same magic with the new team. <S> This could also be seen as the question of how well do you prepare successors for yourself so that you can continue to climb the corporate ladder for another possible motive here. <A> You can't guess someone's motive. <S> If you are a top performer, my belief is that you have been asked to groom a different team because you can improve the other team. <S> Take it in a positive way rather than looking at it negatively. <S> Also, if you are not comfortable with the change, speak to your superiors regarding the same. <A> Someone who is good at their job always has future plans in mind. <S> You will never be able to implement all of them. <S> Being asked to manage a troubled team is exactly the kind of problem that is given to a good manager. <S> You've proven that you can manage a good team; managing a troubled team is a much bigger challenge. <S> You're going to have to figure out what the issues are on the team and come up with a way to turn a team that isn't performing well into a team that does perform well. <S> A manager should always have someone identified as a potential future replacement for them. <S> A really good manager will also have potential future replacements mapped out for the key members of their team. <S> There are any number of reasons <S> why you, or someone who reports to you, will not be on your team in six months: health issues, sabbatical, moving to another location to support a partner's career, changes in priorities, and so much more. <S> Not only does this ensure the health of the team, it also helps people see a growth path for them. <S> These paths are not, of course, set in stone -- someone who thinks today that they might like to be a manager could change their mind. <S> Part of a manager's job is navigating all of this and still having a team that is happy and performs well.
| If you've done such a great job in improving your current team, there may be a perception of how great is the value you'd bring to the new team by doing the same thing over there.
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Is it okay to use a template for a portfolio? I'm getting ready to start my job search for a User Experience Design or Research position. Can I use a template for my online portfolio describing my relevant research and wireframing experience? Or will I be automatically rejected for using a template for any UX design positions? I've read a few articles that state that these portfolios should be demonstrating design decisions/process. But they do not discuss the actual design of the portfolio itself. <Q> Answering from the perspective of a hiring manager who hires both UX and UI designers and developers, I can tell you that I always notice when someone uses a cookie-cutter template for the overall online portfolio design. <S> However, this does not always bother me or automatically negate a candidate in my mind. <S> If you are marketing yourself as a UX architect and researcher, I will care less about the visual design of your own site, and will care more about whether or not the template you've chosen to showcase your work is actually architecturally sound. <S> In other words, I wouldn't care one bit if it was out of the box Bootstrap , but would care that you've used it well and have paid attention to the architectural and rhetorical choices that a generic template allows you to make. <S> If you are marking yourself as a visual designer of any sort, I would expect different choices to be made in your template selection -- less boilerplate, more artistry on top of a solid foundation; if you're marketing yourself as a developer <S> then I'm going to look closely at the customization you've performed on a template, and evaluate from a technical perspective as well as a visual design perspective, and of course fundamentally from an architectural perspective. <S> After considering all of the items above, when I look at the examples of actual work for employers/clients, I'm going to compare the examples with what I see in your own portfolio site. <S> If I see amazing things in the work for hire, and not so amazing things in your own portfolio, I'm going to wonder just how much you actually contributed to the sites you have in your portfolio. <S> Similarly, if your portfolio site is amazing and your work for hire is not, I'm going to ask you a lot of questions about why that's the case (and believe me, I understand customer demands vs what is "good and right", so we'll talk about that). <A> You'll probably have a different answer from different point of view <S> but I think your portfolio is more about who you are, what you do and what you did. <S> If you are searching for a UX Design job, then make sure the template has no experience issue and change it to make it as more personal as possible. <S> Recruiters are going to look at your work and see how you can bring value to a project. <S> However, be carefull with impressive templates. <S> You know, those with high parallax effects and whatever. <S> If you chose this kind of, the first impression will be : <S> Wow ! <S> This is awesome ! <S> This guy looks really creative and tech aware. <S> Because I think they'll be disappointed when they'll find out you used a template. <S> Doing <S> so there is less place for disappointment, it will be clear that you want to show your skills as a UX Designer. <S> You're not trying to lie or being dishonest. <A> TL;DR Your résumé is more important than portfolio. <S> Pretty pictures excite, but what was the outcome of your work? <S> If the role you're applying for expects you to develop as well as design, I'd discourage you using a template. <S> If you're applying for a role that is design only, don't sweat it. <S> Just ensure that the template allows whoever is viewing to learn what they want to learn about you as quickly and easily as possible. <S> A prominent designer at Google once referred me to this article to learn more about how hiring managers approach portfolios.
| Actually I'd suggest to use a simple template featuring you and your work.
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if a prospective employer asks for transcripts, do you give both your bachelor's and masters? I had poor grades for my bachelor's but turned my study habits around and got serious for the masters and graduated with high honors. Now, my prospective employer asked for my transcripts, and I cringe at the idea of my bachelor's transcripts stealing the thunder of my masters. If it makes any difference, my masters degree is directly correlated to the job position at hand although both degrees are relevant (the position and my masters are in marketing, while my bachelor's is in economics and business.) I'm in The Netherlands if that makes a difference. They didn't specify which transcripts they wanted. They just asked for transcripts. If a prospective employer asks for transcripts, do you give both your bachelor's and masters or just the masters transcripts? <Q> In your case it seems like it could be a good idea to send along only your master's transcripts, especially since they are highly relevant for the job at hand. <S> By doing so <S> you risk: 1) <S> Your employer dismissing you out of hand because you didn't submit "the right" transcripts. <S> I find this unlikely, and especially so if the employer was actually interested in hiring you in the first place. <S> I have little experience with non-academic employment, but in general I find it hard to believe that employers would be so dismissive without being specific. <S> 2) <S> They contact you again asking for your bachelor's transcripts. <S> If this happens, of course you should provide them if you are still interested in the job. <S> You could still make a better impression by showing the better ones first and the worse ones second -- people tend to form opinions quickly and then instinctively want to stick by them -- but who knows? <S> Anyway, the idea that -- unless asked otherwise -- "transcripts" means transcripts from your most recent academic institution sounds vaguely reasonable to me. <S> (P.S.: I didn't read the "Netherlands" part until the end. <S> Since this is a rather small employment scene which may well do things in its own way, it would be prudent for you to also ask for local advice.) <A> Since you posted this originally on academia, I don't think you can hide your grades. <S> Most companies would probably accept your masters only. <S> You're not the first person who started their academic career off poorly. <S> They're not hiring the 18 year old who wasn't focused and/or prepared for college work. <S> They are hiring an adult who obtained a masters degree. <S> You can explain all of this in a cover letter. <S> You may have had poor grades, but you didn't give up. <S> When given a chance in a masters program, you did very well. <S> Focus on where you're at right now. <S> The past is just that. <A> This can be a problem if they have specific criteria for new hires—and many of them do. <S> Companies generally do allow for managers to ask for exemptions to those criteria, but then you have to be so outstanding a candidate that it's worth it for them to stick their necks out to request the exemption. <S> Otherwise, it's probably not worth the administrative hassle for them to go through the trouble.
| In general, you need to give employers the transcripts they ask for.
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Correct way to ask for better computer? I have been with my current employer for about 2 months. I am a PHP developer, although the job invariably involves some front end work as well. I feel that the computer I have been provided is not up to scratch, to the extent that it is reducing my productivity (requires restarting several time per day etc, I can't search our codebase without freezing up the machine for ~5 minutes). I'd like to just ask for a better computer, but I don't want my manager to think I am the kind of person who resorts to blaming his tools when things don't go well. I don't think he knows me well enough yet to know that I'm not like that. I have noticed that some job adverts mention the quality of the computing equipment employees are provided with - mine did not, so is it reasonable to be expected to just put up with the computer I have got? How do I avoid being a tools-blamer? Finally, what is the best way to approach the manager? <Q> Figure out how much money it's costing the company (at your current hourly rate) by having you restart the machine after each freeze, and by not having a faster computer for compilation cycles, etc. <S> Then calculate the amount of time it would take for a new machine to pay for itself, and how a new computer will make you more personally productive, expressed in dollars and cents. <S> Managers are far more apt to make a decision on something if you can show them that it will ultimately save the company money by making the decision. <A> Number number numbers + analysis + numbers! <S> What I'm basically saying is that you need to present a business case to whoever makes the decision as why you need one. <S> The easiest case is usually to determine how much more your work costs the company using the existing hardware and how much they'd save if you got different hardware. <S> The costs are not just financial (though they will come down to this at the end), they could be things like impact to other people in terms of delays in getting things to them. <S> Log each time something has gone wrong or taken too long. <S> Did you have to log a support call. <S> How much time did you waste? <S> Did you have to get help from others. <S> Every 12 x 5 minutes adds up to a wasted person hour. <S> Every 5 of these adds up to a wasted day. <S> I've done this for clients where server performance was inadequate, and for where I've need better hardware for specific tasks. <S> Also it's not jsut about asking for "a new computer" <S> - it's about telling them exactly what computer they need to get for you and why it benefits them to do it. <A> You will need some concrete examples. <S> "It is so slow", will probably not work. <S> Also, see if others are experiencing similar issues with their computers. <S> It could help if you could include others in your petition to show that you're not the only one affected by the limited processing power of your device. <S> Go a step further and research possible alternative computers, perhaps 2/3, and bring them with you to the meeting with your boss. <S> He may be impressed with how thoroughly you researched the situation and the practical/economical solution that you have come up with. <A> If the codebase is on a different machine then the problem may be there rather than on your machine. <S> What is it about PHP programming that requires a fast computer? <S> It's just editing text files isn't? <S> In any case I think you should ask for a new machine by leading the manager to make the decision himself. <S> I think you should offer a couple of alternative solutions which are good for you but possibly less desirable than replacing your machine. <S> Examples: <S> Ask if there's another machine with a higher spec that you can remote into to do your work. <S> If you come up with a few suggestions/solutions like this, I think you'll probably find that your manager will be impressed by your "do whatever it takes to get the job done" approach and end up deciding to get you what you need without you having to ask for it directly.
| Explain that you'd like to be able to use your own machine (assuming it's up to the spec you expect) on the company network, because it provides more suitable performance for the work you have to do, and it has all your tools etc.... Keep track of how often your computer is causing you to be delayed in completing your tasks.
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How can I request to see company travel policies during an interview? I am interviewing for a position that requires weekly overnight travel. How can I ask to see a copy of the company's travel policies for employees? At my previous company we had per-diems that varied depending on the city we were in which I think makes a lot of sense. A meal in San Fran is not the same as a meal in Dayton, OH for example. Also, I would like to know in advance what caliber of hotel is allowed while traveling on company business. To me, the security of the hotel and area it is in are very important. <Q> These policies are the "intangibles" that can make more difference to your workplace happiness than almost anything else. <S> Your salary is set, you budget based on that, and you set your lifestyle. <S> That's great, but your expectations are set. <S> Policies about how quickly you are eligible for vacation time, personal days, etc., and "flex-time" arrangements will make more difference in how happy you are than salary, in the long run. <S> As @HLGEM pointed out, that opportunity should come after they have made the offer and before you accept it. <S> I (implicitly) believed that the policies were part of the offer. <S> HLGEM is correct in that it needs to be explicitly stated. <A> Whether or not you should ask during an interview will depend on what kind of a feel you get for whether or not they'd be receptive to that sort of thing. <S> That said, if the interview turns into an offer, you should ask about anything that you think will have a bearing on your work experience. <S> It's far better for all concerned for you to know the answers and reject an offer than to leave your old job, start the new one and discover that things aren't going to be as you wanted or expected. <S> By rejecting the offer when you have all the facts, you won't take the credibility hit for having a short hop on your resume and you'll still have your old job, which makes you a better candidate. <S> The candidate company won't have to invest in bringing you aboard and then do it all again to find and hire a replacement if you leave. <A> Once an offer is made, you need all the information you can get before you make a decision to accept the job. <S> Usually, you'll get everything at this time, but you may need to make a specific request. <S> Sometimes when you ask about things like travel, expenses, vacation, sick leave, etc., too early in the interview process it's almost like asking about salary. <S> It's better to wait. <S> The worse thing that can happen is you have another interview or two when you may decline knowing they make you travel in cattle cars and sleep in the park. <A> Of course, anything that would change your decision to accept or reject an potential offer should be obtained as soon as possible to reduce the chance of wasting your and the company's time with a hiring process that won't work out. <S> So the real question is: when and how can you ask about the companies travel policies. <S> Since it is kind of a benefits question, and gets a little into compensation/money, some interviewers may be put off if you bring it up "too early". <S> However, since travel is such a large component of this job's responsibilities, you can probably bring it up earlier in the process than someone who is applying for a job with less travel requirements. <S> You have a few optoins: <S> The best time to bring it up will be in response to an interviewer's question about travel. <S> Presumably, at some point an interviewer will ask to make sure you are okay with this level of travel. <S> At that point, you can say, "yes, but I do have a few questions about travel policies regarding...". <S> That would be a good place to verbally go over your most pressing concerns. <S> If you don't get that opportunity, you can always wait until an interviewer asks <S> , "Do you have any questions for me?". <S> You might want to be a little tactical in when you ask this; if there are multiple interviews, maybe try a later one or an interviewer that you seem to have built up a good rapport with. <S> Some companies also go over the benefits package during the interview process. <S> This would be a very good time to go over the travel policy because it's usually with an HR person. <S> Finally, as other answers have indicated, you should definitely have the opportunity to review the full travel policy if you get an offer.
| You should be given a copy of, or at least a chance to review all policies you will be expected to follow before accepting an offer.
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Is 401(k) vesting period an acceptable (or possible) negotiation point? In American business, can the length of time before eligibility in a 401(k) matching program be negotiated? If so, is this considered to be an acceptable line of negotiation for a senior management position, or is it considered a faux pas? <Q> I've also found that the bigger and more corporate a company is, the less likely they are to budge on policy even for a top candidate or decision that could benefit the business. <S> If you're a valuable candidate, I feel like it's easier, from a policy standpoint alone, to give you a larger base, bonus, stock grant, vacation, etc, etc; than to change company-wide 401k policies. <A> In American business, can the length of time before eligibility in a 401(k) matching program be negotiated? <S> Anything can be negotiated. <S> Vesting/ <S> Matching periods are usually handled at a corporate-wide level though, and this sort of thing might be rather hard to pull off for the average candidate. <S> Certainly senior management can get away with far more than the average drone. <S> And certainly smaller companies can be much more flexible. <A> 401k rules are not entirely to the discretion of the company. <S> Most of the fairness rules are there to make sure those on the top part of the salaries don't get preferential treatment. <S> http://www.cpas-401k.com/401k-compliance-testing-rules.html <S> You being an exception to the vesting period could draw some attention from the IRS and your company wouldn't want the hassle. <S> Go ahead and ask. <S> If they can't do it, they may just feel a higher starting salary is easier.
| If it is for a larger company, the vesting period may be a company-wide policy, spelled out in company documentation and handbooks, that they can't change per-employee. If the company is motivated enough, any exception can be granted.
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Submitted Rate On Contract Position My recruiter will submit my resume to a potential position with a rate to the hiring manager. If an offer is in place is it a good idea to renegotiate on the rate even though an initial rate was submitted? My hope is not to burn bridges. My goal is to find a current competitive rate based on location. My struggle is finding the appropriate rate based on location due to having to use past data. I am a strong believer that good recruiters deserve their share. <Q> My recruiter will submit my resume to a potential position with a rate to the hiring manager. <S> If an offer is in place is it a good idea to renegotiate on the rate even though an initial rate was submitted? <S> It could be different where you work, but in my part of the world, that would be too late to try and negotiate a new rate. <S> When I hire contractors, I learn their rate from the recruiter at the same time as I see their resume, and before I do a phone-screen. <S> The rate is often one of the attributes used when choosing a contractor. <S> Once I choose among the contractors, I offer her/him the position at the specified rate. <S> If the contractor then attempted to re-negotiate the rate, I'd just drop him/ <S> her quickly and move on to the next candidate. <A> Think about this: they have the right to negotiate the initial rate, right? <S> So, by definition of the term "negotiate", you should be able to do so as well. <S> But, as you might have guessed, it's more complicated than that. <S> It's perfectly acceptable, of course, to negotiate if the offer is below your initial demands. <S> But, if it matches the initial demand, well - it won't look so good as it triggers an alarm signal: "is he trying to pull of some sort of scam here?". <S> How bad would look will depend on your skills and the current market. <S> I guess it could work to play the honesty card: just tell them, sincerely, what changed your mind. <A> Circumstances change. <S> You may want to work for company A, but company B comes in and makes you another offer of $20K / year more. <S> You can, a) <S> Still work for company A at the original rate (Company A wins) <S> b) Go to work for company B <S> (Company B wins, you win) c) <S> Renegotiate your rate with company A based on the offer from company B <S> (You win, and the company that is willing to pay more wins) <S> As a side note, I have done exactly this, and more often than not company A finds the 20K to see the counteroffer. <S> Sometimes they don't, and are no longer interested in hiring you - <S> that's why it's important to have a REAL offer from Company B, and not just a bluff. <A> No the recruiter is doing that on your behalf if you dont trust the recruiter to negotiate your rate dont use them. <S> Trying to have a second go after the fact just looks dodgy and very very unprofessional.
| Sure, everything is negotiable, always.
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Is it best to tell your boss that you are quitting via email or in person? I have found a new position and need to let my current company know. What is the most professional way to tell your boss that you are quitting? Is it via email, in person, or something else? Is there anything I should consider when making the choice? <Q> Unless you're a telecommuter and telling your boss in-person involves getting on a plane, tell him/her in person. <S> It's awkward and uncomfortable <S> , sure. <S> But some things you just have to do. <S> Have your resignation letter with you, and hand it to your boss after you've said your piece. <S> It should mention the effective date of your resignation <S> and/or what your last day on the job should be. <S> Before you meet with your boss, you should at least think through how you will respond to, say, a counter-offer, or what you'll do if your boss gets angry or unreasonable (if he/she has that kind of personality). <A> Always in person, unless circumstances don't allow. <S> If you can't do it face to face, choose the most personal method possible - that will usually be by telephone, but don't do it by leaving a voicemail message. <S> For example, when I resigned my last position, the manager I reported to was located in another city a couple hundred miles away. <S> So I had to call him. <S> We played phone tag for the better part of a day before I could finally get him on the phone to tell him. <S> Once you've told your manager, follow up in writing and explicitly restate your final date. <S> Be sure to offer to help with the transition. <A> There could be questions about how your work will be re-assigned, what the timeline is and a few other things that could be discussed here. <A> Do you ever want to work with this place again in the future? <S> Think there's a chance you'll run into this person again? <S> Just do it face-to-face. <S> No reason to scorch the earth on your way out. <S> You never know who will run into who or how things will play out in the future. <S> I still chat and keep tabs with two previous bosses from over the years because of how I handled my exit strategy.
| There may be questions from your boss that are best discussed in private face to face. In person would be best as there may be changes in the terms of your departure.
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How should I dress at a university job fair? I recently attended my university's job fair. While I was there I could help but notice the wide range of clothing that people were wearing. Probably about 40% of people were wearing sports coats or suits, 59% in slacks/dress shirt and the rest...well I did see a few people in sweatpants and a hoodie (gasp!). While I myself wore a sports coat and dress pants, I was wondering how much of a difference dressing up in say a suit as opposed to just a dress shirt and slacks can make in the little time you get to talk to your next possible employer. (And yes I realize that wearing a hoodie/sweatpants will make a difference.) Sometimes I feel like wearing a suit to these kind of things can be a little overkill, especially considering that most of the company representatives are wearing some combination of casual dress. How should I dress at a university job fair? <Q> As a recruiter I would expect to see exactly what you observed. <S> Understanding that some students have limited funds or limited access to nice clothes, the expectations of how they will dress at the job fair doesn't equal how they will dress at the job. <S> My advice is if you own a suit, and can get to it, then wear it. <S> If you don't have a suit, but have a sport coat or can borrow one, then wear that. <S> Never go in less than a nice shirt and a tie, borrow them from a friend, roommate, parent. <S> The pants and shoes should be appropriate to the suit, sports coat, or just a tie. <S> You will never be overdressed by what you choose. <S> I understand you may be meeting with multiple companies, and have decided to dress for the one with the highest standards, based on what you have access too. <S> I will also not downgrade you if I feel that this is the best you can do. <S> If your approach to the job air was non-serious it will show through in other ways. <S> The only wrinkle you have is logistics because of the relationship between your home and the campus, and your other activities that day. <A> Dressing up is a good idea. <S> It is one of the signs that you are taking the career fair seriously. <S> For women, wearing a suit (either skirt or pants) is fine, as is a nice blouse or sweater and pants or skirt. <S> Clothing should be clean and pressed. <S> Make sure that you're giving other signs that you're taking the career fair seriously <S> : your resume is up-to-date and easy-to-read, you can articulate what kind of position you are looking for and why you are a great candidate for that kind of position, and you have done research about the companies that you approach and be able to discuss why you are interested in the company (and have interesting questions too). <S> These are more important than how you dress. <S> For me, as someone who goes to university career fairs to represent the technical team, I don't pay a lot of attention to how a candidate dresses unless it is far outside the norm -- overly formal gets my attention as much as overly informal. <S> So yes, you're going to be better dressed than I am at your career fair. <A> I've had a chance to represent the company at one of these (not as HR but as someone who works there). <S> I knocked it back (because I honestly couldn't be bothered) <S> but I can tell you had <S> I gone <S> I'd expect to see the students dressed as, well students. <S> You're a student exploring what is out there. <S> It isn't a job interview, just a chance to meet and greet. <S> If one day you have the chance for an interview for a job or an internship then get the $200 haircut and wear a nice sharp looking dark suit. <S> Also it would be a bit unfair to expect students to dress up to a careers fair when half of us are wearing jeans. <A> I would dress as much or as little as you feel comfortable, because chances are, you aren't getting the job anyway. <S> If you feel you need the practice, dress business-formal (suit and tie). <S> Job fairs serve two purposes: <S> It demonstrates to management that HR is doing something <S> It allows HR to fill their candidate database with all sorts of candidate data, thereby proving to management that HR is doing something <S> " <S> But, but, but," you say, "how else will I get a job?" <S> Answer: <S> find the hiring manager and convince her that you are the person she's looking for . <S> That is the person who actually does the hiring, NOT HR. <S> Every single job I've even gotten has been through personal contacts/former coworkers/industry networking. <S> Every single one. <S> Every single person I've recommended for a job has been someone I know (professionally). <S> As a person on the other side of the table, I've never interviewed anyone whose resume came from a job fair, because the 'fair didn't give me enough information to determine whether the person was a good fit (also, 'fairs result in a flood of resumes and <S> no one's got time to weed through that drek). <S> See, unless you're applying for HR, the person you meet at the job fair will have no clue whatsoever about the real needs of the position and whether your skills are what the position requires. <S> They will not be able to determine if your skills are the level you say they are.
| For men, a suit is fine, as is a sport coat and nice pants, or a dress shirt and nice pants. As a software engineer from Silicon Valley, I'm going to be wearing jeans at your career fair, since that's representative of my employer and our corporate culture.
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Re-applying to a company after declining a job offer A year ago I applied to a company, went through the entire interview process, and was given an offer. I tentatively accepted the offer, but then turned it down due to the possibility of my wife being relocated to another city. The same company is still expanding and hiring, and the relocation is not longer an issue and I would like to re-apply. While it's possible I may be blacklisted, what is the best way to approach the company to apply for one of these positions given my history with them? <Q> Reapply and if they ask you explain what happened, most companies will not chew you out over it. <S> My mother who runs her own business has had someone turn down an offer of a job, reapply a few months later as she thought she had a better job offer and has never been happier with her new employee. <S> As stated above, the way I always see it: If they want you, they will get you. <A> You should be OK if you gave a solid reason when you declined at the end. <S> In theory a hiring manager would rather hire someone that's there for the long haul instead of taking the job and then leaving 3 months later due to external factors like relocation. <S> You acknowledged there was an issue and did your best to resolve it. <S> If your skills are in line with what they are looking for, there shouldn't be an issue. <S> IF there is an issue, then perhaps it's not the best place for you to wind up. <A> I think this case is best approached by reaching out to the HR contact or company directly to communicate the situation. <S> It sounds like they liked you enough for an offer before, and you can explain to them the nature of why you last-minute.passed on it. <S> You can then express that you found it very interesting, but declined for the personal and unexpected family matter you had. <S> I find people can understand these situations. <S> Be friendly about it. <S> I would be hesitant to just blindly reapply for the position though. <S> They will likely remember you or have you in the system. <S> And in all likelihood if it is for the same position then you may not have to go through all the interview steps again if they are still hiring actively.
| When you applied in the first place, they saw something in you to offer you a job, If they want you and can still see that potential, they will still offer you a job. It is likely you would just need to discuss the situation that happened before and re-assess your interest now.
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Informing customers about the death of an employee If you have an employee who has an impersonal, but professional relationship with some of your customers (say, an account manager or a sales representative) and the employee passes away unexpectedly, should you inform your customers that they have passed? Or should you just treat the situation as if they have moved on from the company? My personal preference is not to burden the customer with the knowledge - just keep it to Sorry, $x is no longer with us. $y has taken over their role, so I will pass you on to them. (which is the standard script for when an employee quits/fired). Then if asked why, I will then mention that the person has passed away, but not give any more details unless again asked. Is there another way of handling the situation? <Q> While it may seem like a good approach to sweep the news of your employees passing under the rug, it's important to remember that despite this being business, people are still human. <S> According to a TechRepublic article, 10 tips for Handling the Death of an Employee , you should announce this news to all employees in an in-person meeting. <S> For clients, this may be tougher and may depend on how many clients your employee worked for. <S> The rationale behind a personal announcement to employees is based on the strong relationship bonds that form between coworkers. <S> Thus, if your employee was a major accounts representative and, let's say, was working directly with 3 to 5 clients, you'll more than likely want to contact them each individually to let them know the news. <S> But if your employee worked with a hundred clients, and those clients may not likely know the employee, then an official email BCC'ed to all clients would be appropriate. <S> Some clients may not care, some will. <S> But those that knew your employee will more than likely appreciate you taking the time to share the news. <A> The only reason not to tell the client is because you personally don't want to have a potentially awkward conversation. <S> But the client may want to know because he might want to attend the funeral or send a sympathy card. <S> (I got cards from clients when my beloved died). <S> He might want to know because he will assume there was a turnover of information and be mad when it becomes clear that there was not. <S> This is especially true if they had some phone discussion just prior to the death that the new person may know nothing about. <S> (It can also be a problem if you do not give the new person access to the emails of the person who died so they don't have any of the history that is stored in the emails, especially the most recent ones.) <S> A client is more likely to give your company the benefit of the doubt as initial issues arise due to the new person not knowing something, if they know that there is no way the old person can be asked. <S> So for business reasons, you will likely maintain better client relations if you tell them. <A> Depending on the depth of the relationship, I could imagine passing along the passing in some cases. <S> If the customer often called the employee or it is a customer that has worked with this person for a long time like a decade or more, then it isn't burdening but rather showing that you want this person to know something that they may not know. <S> On the other hand, if the customer is fairly new, then what you've outlined would be fine. <A> This should be expressed to the same degree it is expressed within a professional business. <S> For smaller businesses there will likely be an in-person group meeting-- <S> but if the business is large or corporate in nature, with more than one location, chances are it will come out in a company-wide email. <S> The same email should probably go out to all the major clients (bcc, or individually), in a professional manner. <S> "We regret to inform you...". <S> This is probably also a good opportunity for the business to express confidence in the required transfer of responsibility to another person, or to defer that discussion to a msg to follow. <S> The one exception I might note is if the business is small or one in which most of the business relationships are in-person or direct on phone. <S> In those cases, it might be wise to pass the message on via the same means; and also offer confidence in the transfer of responsibility.
| If the employee in question played a major role in solving problems for your clients and has built a relationship with those clients, you'll most likely want to let everyone know in a timely manner.
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When working with multiple programming languages at the same time, how do you measure experience with each technology? I am currently working with four different technologies as a programmer: Java C++ PHP Python I am not working on only one technology at a time, as I may be assigned to a PHP project while being assigned to support a Java project that is understaffed. I have four years of experience as a programmer, but if I count multiple languages simultaneously, I will end up with more than 4 total years of experience. When working with multiple technologies at the same time, how should I measure my years of experience when listed on my resume? As opposed to this question , I am not seeking an input on how to format the list of these technologies. I am looking for how to indicate my proficiency level in these. <Q> Summary: list your experience programming <S> not experience with each particular language. <S> More broadly, list your experience in the skill <S> not experience with each particular tool. <S> Programming is a skill set that is primarily focused on applying a specific way of thinging and applying algorithms and data structures in a practical way, using a variety of tools. <S> These tools can be langauges, different programming paradigms, libraries, existing software, databases and so on. <S> The skill of programming, is the ability to combine these tools in a meaningful way to achieve an end goal. <S> For example, picture if you saw someone whose resume: <S> Skills: Carpentry <S> Hammer & nails: <S> 4 years Saw: 2 years <S> Dovetail joints: 2 years Tongue and groove joints: 6 months <S> The above would make no sense, as being a good carpenter is knowning when particular tools are most applicable for a particular task. <S> Similarly, your listing of languages is similarly less useful than it would be focusing if you focused on the skill sets you have. <S> For example, one could break it down like so: <S> Skills: Web development <S> Designed web backends using PHP, Java, Python to do ABC Used MVC template languages <S> XYZ Server <S> Scripting <S> Designed automated tools using Python and C++ to do ABC Integrated into build suites HHH to achieve blah blah blah. <S> The point here is that the languages are tools to achieve a skill, not a skill in and of themselves. <S> As a counter example, you might known Python really well and have used Python to build 100 brilliant scalable websites. <S> However, if there was a position that required a programmer to do scientific data analysis where the business uses Python, you might be less qualified than the programmer who has done a lot of data analysis using R and has a little knowledge of Python syntax. <A> If I understand the question correctly, the goal is to think about the total time spent working, and to apportion that time to each of several different languages based on the extent to which you used them for a project. <S> For example, let's pretend you were assigned to do a Java project for 2 months. <S> After the 2 months ended, you were given a second project to be completed using C++, but your Java project kept going at the same pace. <S> So after another two months, you might say you have effectively done 3 "work-months" of Java programming and 1 "work-month" of C++. <S> But 'experience' with a programming language is not simply the stated amount of time that you actively performed a work function with that language. <S> In this example, just because you weren't directly doing Java for 1/2 the time in that last stretch does not mean you weren't learning about it, becoming better at it, even osmotically from the C++ experience. <S> Even if a few months go by when you don't use the language at all, you might still answer some Stack Exchange questions about it, read an article about it, review old code that you wrote, or teach someone else how to extend your old code to have new features. <S> All of these activities (and many more) count as "experience" with the language, even if at the time you were more focused on using a different language, or your stated projects at work listed different tools. <S> To summarize, I would treat each language in isolation from the others. <S> Ask when you first began performing serious programming tasks with that language and count your experience as starting at that time. <S> If you feel you are especially rusty or out of the loop in a particular language, just estimate how much experience time to knock off of your estimate so that recruiters and hiring managers have a clear picture of your self-appraisal of your abilities. <S> But do not try to intensely calculate the precise amount of dedicated work hours that technically went into one language versus another. <S> Few, if any, recruiters or managers will even care about that level of specificity anyway. <A> I used time only on my employment history. <S> Under accomplishments, I quantified whenever possible. <S> Example: <S> Designed and coded of about fifty thousand lines of Ada; designed and led coding of about thirty thousand KSLOC. <A> CV-s <S> I liked <S> the most (usually consultants) had it in tabular format with three fields: years used, last time used, 0-to-10 self-assessment with well defined meaning of "10" (usually "I wrote books about it and am teaching it to others"). <S> Years Used together with the Level <S> give you a sense of how good the candidate can be with the technology, and Last Used <S> gives an idea of how much catching up is to be required. <S> Result would be something like: | # | Years used | Last used <S> | Level (0..10) <S> || C++ <S> | 15 | <S> 2 years ago | 8 || Java <S> | 10 | using now | 7 || Linux | 15 | using now <S> | 6 |
| Most of the time, once you have begun to use a programming language for serious projects, then your cumulative life experience with that language starts counting from that point on. For skills, I merely listed the languages used.
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How can I professionally offer to accept a previous wage after they rejected my proposed counter-offer? I was offered a job in healthcare for $X + benefits. The pay is less when compared to my current job, but I wanted to move to be closer to family. I didn't want to leave money on the table so I made a counter offer to increase the pay stating that it was due to a high cost of living in the new city and my current salary. They then rescinded their offer saying they can't meet the counter offer. Is there a way I can accept their previous offer or is it now unlikely that I will be reconsidered? <Q> If the employer rescinded merely because you tried to negotiate then you have dodged a bullet. <S> Continue your job search and you will find a place to work that satisfies your location preferences as well as pay preferences. <S> Even if you were able to join this firm under the original offer, you are immediately walking into a situation of total fealty -- they know up-front that they do not have to provide a fair wage to you and that they can simply deny your attempts to negotiate in the future with high probability that you'll just accept whatever terms they dictate to you. <S> Remember, if you don't look out for yourself in compensation negotiations, no one is going to. <A> An employer that wants to fill a position normally wouldn't rescind an offer. <S> My guess is either: <S> They had already another candidate to fill it, and have extended an offer to someone else instead. <S> Your counteroffer was so unreasonable that they would rather continue interviewing more candidates rather than work with you. <S> Either way, it's probably time for you to move on. <A> If they rescinded the original offer, I think that negotiations are done, they have moved on. <S> Somehow your request has convinced them that they would rather not have you work for them at all . <S> I wouldn't have expected this response. <S> Depending on the relationships that you have built during the interview process, you might be able to ask why they have made such a drastic change of course, expressing that you thought that the counter-offer was a normal part of the negotiating process. <S> But whether that opportunity is there or not, you need to move on. <S> Begging for the original offer at this point will not likely succeed. <A> How you should respond, you say? <S> First, you should make your decision concrete . <S> If they rescinded your demand, I would assume that it is final. <S> Actually, you're one who can read between the lines because you personally talked to them. <S> Here are my thoughts: <S> You <S> can re-negotiate <S> , but you have to persuade them nicely by telling them how valuable you are (oh, is this really necessary?). <S> If you're out of options, I think you should accept their initial offer. <S> Being closer to family is more important to me. <S> I understand your sentiments. <S> Well, decide. <S> Money or family? <S> I think that's the only question. <S> Hope it helps! <A> Do what you want to do, which is to tell them that you would still like to accept the job at their original offer. <S> Worst case, they tell you no. <S> Best case, they tell you yes. <S> There is no need to worry about the appropriateness of continuing discussions. <S> If they don't want you after all, they'll tell you. <S> But if you don't tell them what you want, then they will not be able to give it to you. <S> Don't concern yourself with losing face by approaching them with their original offer. <S> If it's still what you want, then it can still be a strong business relationship where you both get what you want out of it. <S> There's no need to assume that their "no" to your offer was the conclusion of the negotiation, unless they actually said that they will not talk to you again, which is unlikely. <S> Go for it. <S> It isn't going to hurt you, and you might then get what you want.
| Out of respect, I would not re-negotiate, especially if I heard the final tone.
|
Is a prospective boss with a history of quick hirings and firings a "proceed with caution" or "do not proceed"? I have been contacted about a position in which the boss hired a recent college grad at a mid-range salary, fired him as unacceptable, increased the salary a bit and hired then fired someone else, and now wants to hire a better and more senior employee. The salary range for the latest opening is approximately 10% below the low end of a typical range for the position. This manager's history of quick hirings and firings, along with salary offers in the low end of typical ranges, raises some red flags for me -- namely that it appears the manager seems not to know how to appreciate and retain talent he has hired. As a potential candidate for this position, before I determine if I want to apply to this position, how can I tell if this situation warrants a "proceed with caution", or a situation in which I should ask or do X, or is just a nonstarter? <Q> As a hiring manager, if I hired and fired people very quickly and in succession, and changed the job ad each time, I'd sit myself down and have a talk with myself that went something like this: <S> "Do you have any idea what you're looking for?" <S> "Do you pride yourself in treating employees like throwaway parts?" <S> If I answer "No" to the first point, and I don't ask for help from colleagues or peers, then I wouldn't want to work for me. <S> If I answer "Why, of course!" <S> to the second point, I really don't want to work for me. <S> As a prospective candidate who knows only one side of a story (that a hiring manager appears not to know what he or she is looking for, and also doesn't appear to give people a chance), if the job is appealing to you on paper then you can figure out the mettle of the hiring manager when you make it to the interview portion and ask some questions: <S> "You seem to have posted this ad a few times with some slight changes each time. <S> How has your thinking about this position evolved over time?" <S> -- If the answer is "I had terrible people try to fill the position" then you might wonder if this person is someone who should try to fill positions and manage people. <S> If the answer is something like "the needs of the company shifted a bit, and the type of candidates I was seeing did as well, so I've been trying to match up" <S> then you know the manager is trying something, and might give him or her the benefit of the doubt. <S> "What are your expectations for someone in this position in the next 30/60/90 days?" <S> -- If they're completely insane, by your estimation, then that's one data point. <S> If they're reasonable, then that's another. <S> I think you see where I'm going -- on the surface , given what you have said in the question, this might appear as a situation to avoid entirely. <S> But with a few well-placed questions in the interview stage, you can begin to see if what you see on the surface is in fact a bit distorted. <S> And then you can make your own decision, as you progress through the process -- maybe even before the hiring manger makes one! <A> Proceed with caution would be my advice here. <S> But the big concern I have is, from a human resources prospective, the boss seems not to know how to appreciate and retain talent he has hired. <S> That is one rationale for why the previous people got fired. <S> However, it is also possible that this boss may have a different definition of what a Front-End Developer handles. <S> I'd be sure to go through what are the expectations and skills he is expecting. <S> For example, do you do Graphic Design, Information Architecture, Social Media and its integrations, Mobile and web analytics like Google Analytics or WebTrends? <S> Some people may think anything with a UI should be considered "Front-End." <A> There's two factors: <S> how crazy is the boss? <S> Let's assume this is a spectrum - all managers are at least a little crazy, so <S> this is "is this situation within acceptable ranges of crazy?" <S> how much do you need the job? <S> Being out of work for 6 months is different from having a job and such an awesome reputation that people are knocking on your door. <S> Assuming that you are actively looking because your current situation is unpleasant enough to necessitate some really serious job searching effort - I'd say that this a "proceed with caution". <S> When you know that the company is seriously underpaying for a role AND that they've fired two people already for the role - you know that something isn't right. <S> It could be 2 symptoms of the same thing - that they have no idea <S> what the job really is, how to define it, or who has the skills to get it done. <S> Conversely, it could be that the situation has been set up (intentionally or unintentionally) as one that is doomed to failure. <S> Knowing a bit about the industry, be careful in the difference between "better" and "senior" - know whether they are talking about a senior FED which fits with the salary expectation or a "better" still-junior FED, for which at this rate they may be paying a pretty high end. <S> They may have a very poor understanding of the difference between senior and not-senior.
| Be sure in the conversation that you and the job agree on whether or not this is a senior position with senior expectations and senior pay or not.
|
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