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When should non-work related items, such as being on a Television program be shown on a resumé? I have been on a show called All You Need Is Love(The Netherlands) and surprised my girlfriend on that show in a positive way. Showing the video at my current job made several people say that I should have put that on my resumé even though my function has nothing to do with it. How should these sorts of projects be listed on your resumé? Or should they be omitted entirely? <Q> So if you are applying for something in the media, perhaps it would be appropriate to show experience within the sector <S> If you are applying to be an IT developer, completely irrelevant either as a side note or project Surprising your girlfriend in a positive way on a TV show is not, IMHO only, something that a prospective employer would use a gauge for your enthusiasm/positivity <A> A resume is read with one question in mind: <S> Can he do the job? <S> If it seems the answer is likely yes, the ensuing process (phone interview, on-site interview, background checks) will try to further establish the primary question, and answer other questions of cultural fit, salary requirements, personal skills, motivation, etc. <S> I can't imagine a situation where such an item would take you from not interviewed to interviewed or the other way around, so it really doesn't matter. <S> However, if I'm reading a resume and having difficulty determining if you can do the job because your resume is cluttered with irrelevant details, I may be put off a bit. <S> And I may question your communication skills a tiny bit. <A> Your resume should be tailored to the field you are applying for. <S> For example, if you were applying for a sales rep at a shoe store, you would include all the sales experience you have, but omit say, your computer programming experience. <S> Since I can't imagine being on a reality show like that being applicable for any job, I think you should omit it. <A> I'd say never. <S> When I'm involved with interviews I'm only concerned with making sure they have the required skills for the job. <S> Ive never thought we should hire one person over another based on nonwork related items on a resume. <S> On the other hand you might find someone that disapproves of something you enjoy and pass you up. <A> I'd say you should have it on the resume. <S> It shows breadth of experience and a unique skill set. <S> It would depend a bit on the content of the acting obviously <S> but I disagree with pretty much everyone here saying that you shouldn't have it. <S> For any good job, the issue isn't "whether you can do the job" but "what makes you stand out from other candidates". <S> Whether you can do the job will be determined at the interview.
| It all depends on the role you are applying for - it is always good to have a resume/CV tailored to what you are applying for rather than the concept of a "general resume" that you send out regardless
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How to quit a job with very nice coworkers but no private environment to talk with my manager? I work as a temp in an office Mondays through Fridays. However, I was briefly considering going to cosmetology school, so I got an evenings/weekends job as a receptionist in a salon. I've worked there one weekend so far, and it was miserable . So, I'm not going to cosmetology school and would like to quit the job ASAP because I hate it. Normally, I'd just stop showing up, especially since the nature of the job is such that I'm really not letting anyone down by not showing up. The stylists don't depend on me, and I have the full time temp job for money. This salon job is actually a newly created position to see how the salon ran with a receptionist checking people in/out instead of the stylists doing it themselves; I'm totally non-essential. Here's the problem: the salon leader who hired me and is my boss, and all the stylists, are so nice . I can't stand it. They tell me all the time when I'm there how awesome I'm doing and how they're glad to have a friendly face at the door for clients. I was immediately accepted as part of the 'family,' no transition time needed. Also, the nature of the salon is such that my boss doesn't have an office, she's out on the floor with the other girls and clients, and she doesn't even have a private office, so I can't really ask her to speak privately and have a good place or time for that. Also, I'm super non-confrontational and am uncomfortable asking her to make time for me to talk to her. Plus I'd be saying this in front of the other stylists, which makes me uncomfortable. So basically, I really, really, really, don't want to go back there this weekend, but I also can't stand to quit. What can I do to quit a job where the coworkers are very friendly and I don't have a good place to talk with my manager in private? <Q> It is generally quite unprofessional to quit a job by just not showing up. <S> Yes, it can be done, but you're best to avoid this as no good can come from it. <S> It would be nice to give them some time to replace you there, even just another week. <S> You said it was miserable though and going back for even one more weekend is off the table. <S> The phone will give you some privacy that you can't get there. <S> Be nice about it. <S> You could express this with the tone that it's effective immediately, and you won't be able to come in for the weekend. <S> If they're as nice as you say, they'll probably say no big deal and manage for the weekend. <S> Be prepared that they'll ask you to work one last weekend though, and if you really must, come up a reason why you can't ahead of time. <S> Also, if this is a paying job, make sure you confirm or know how you'll be paid for the time you did work. <S> You may need to stop in to collect a check or have it mailed, etc. <A> First thing to say is that if you've only worked at this job for one weekend, then you haven't given it a chance. <S> Although you say you hate it, you've given no reason why you hate it, and everything else you've said makes it sound like a nice place to work. <S> I strongly recommend giving the job a few weeks. <S> Plenty of people hate their first few weeks at a job, and then go on to love it. <S> Sometimes it's nothing to do with the job itself. <S> It can be stress, or anxiety, or separation from people you spent time with before. <S> If you still hate it at the end of two weeks, sit down and really, seriously think about what it is <S> you hate about the job. <S> And have a word with your boss before you finally decide to quit. <S> Tell her what it is you don't like. <S> maybe there is something that can be done about it. <S> As for how you go about quitting in a case like this, the best thing to do is simply say to your boss <S> "Can I have a word with you in private, please?". <S> It's up to the boss to work out how to achieve this. <S> You may be able to wait until everyone has gone home, or there may be a back room you can go to, or maybe go out to a coffee shop nearby for a break. <S> It's really your boss's problem to make this happen. <S> Practice doing this by asking to talk to your boss about your situation before you decide to quit. <A> However, nice people are something to cherish, especially in a work environment ! <S> Not showing up anymore is not something people that have welcomed you should deserve. <S> That will disrupt their schedule and possibly that apparently positive atmosphere on the work floor. <S> Keep in mind that everyone you meet might be useful for your career in the future. <S> Think about the fact that they've let you know how happy they are with you, and how they've accepted you as part of their "family", and how things could turn out when you just stop showing up. <S> Doing this might restrain them from being so welcoming to new employees in the future. <S> Ask your boss to have a chat in private. <S> If there's no privacy on the work floor, maybe you can call/text/email your boss, or even leave a note . <S> Employees that are so happy throughout the day, generally have a nice boss who understands their problems.
| It is possible that the place you work at just isn't for you, no matter how nice everyone is. What I would do is call your manager there or person that hired you and have a very polite conversation that you can't work there anymore. Don't tell them it's miserable, maybe just that you've decided to change field of study, or some other commitment came up for your weekends, and you no longer wish to work there.
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How urgent a tone is appropriate when discussing a crisis? For purposes of this post, let's assume (so as to preempt trivial answers) we are in a workplace where both urgency (ie. time) and efficiency/quality of work (not wasting materials and producing quality results) is of importance. Naturally, these two concerns are at odds; there is a tradeoff that must be optimized by the apt team. Suppose I have discovered a critical issue in a project. This issue could translate into an increased cost (perhaps something must be rebuilt, and thus the materials used for it are now wasted) or falling behind schedule (even if the schedule allowed for unforeseen setbacks, a major issue could still mean this reserve is depleted and future setbacks could be dangerous). Obviously, I immediately communicate with my supervisor about this, so that we may come up with a plan to address the crisis. My question: When I communicate this crisis to my supervisor, should I speak in an urgent tone, or try to be calm? To my mind, this immediately evokes the idea of astronauts who are trained to remain perfectly calm even in the most precarious, hopeless catastrophe. The reason is obvious, creating panic does not promote clear thinking, and even if one is agitated, this should not be allowed to spread to others. But real life is (usually) not a space shuttle mission. If I seem excessively stoic about an accident that just cost my boss a lot of money, effort or client goodwill, they may feel that I'm being cavalier and careless with important matters. An urgent tone of voice can also have the psychological benefit of creating a state of alertness in everyone involved. Is there a rule of thumb for how urgent and troubled one should sound when discussing an urgent, troubling matter? <Q> Urgency and calmness don't have to be at odds. <S> Astronauts stay calm, but don't go about it, saying "Well, what have we here? <S> Now look at that, oxygen is dropping. <S> Who wouldda thought?" <S> It's more along the lines of "Sir, we have a code red emergency, oxygen is dropping. <S> " Obviously making this up, but the point is: Clear language will communicate urgency just as fine, even better, when produced in a calm, clear and brief message. <S> So do it like this: <S> Calm voice Focus on the issue at hand Use language you reserved for emergencies (like the lingo astronauts use) <S> Make sure you capture the attention of your opposite <S> Keep the description of the issue sort <S> Immediately transition to finding/suggesting solutions ( <S> focussing on the cause of the issue will make matters worse in a crisis) <S> NB: <S> You can't always immediately start suggesting solutions. <S> In that case stop. <S> Shut up. <S> Let the issue echo in your manager's head. <S> They will act on their own. <S> Don't say things like "The company's reputation is at stake" when it's just the outage of one instance in a redundant setup. <A> It is always best to remain calm no matter what the situation. <S> If you are excited when you describe the situation to the group they are less likely to accept your assessment of the situation. <S> Excited people have been known to exaggerate and embellish. <S> Even though you may not be doing either the immediate response becomes lets do a reassessment and find the "truth" and tone down the emergency. <S> This leads to wasted time spent doing the assessment you have already done. <S> If this is an emergency or a situation where a few minutes matter then this could could be critical. <S> The emotion does not add any benefit in the troubleshooting anyway. <S> Calm collected thinking is more likely to come up with a solution quicker. <S> Excitement and agitation are contagious in a group. <S> So if your excitement infects your coworkers then there are more people who are not thinking clearly. <S> You can be urgent and calm. <S> It works to your advantage to take that tact. <A> My question: When I communicate this crisis to my supervisor, should I speak in an urgent tone, or try to be calm? <S> All communications involve at least two pieces: the sender and the receiver. <S> To be effective your urgent communication needs to be sent in such a way that the receiver understands the urgency, without unnecessary delay. <S> So as often occurs - it depends . <S> Every domain has those words. <S> My rapport with my boss is such that she understands when what I am saying is urgent and important and when it is not. <S> On the other hand, there are others in my company with whom I do not have this rapport. <S> Saying exactly the same words to those people wouldn't generate the same sense of urgency. <S> You as the send of information need to ensure that the receiver understands what you are saying, why you are saying it, and what you expect them to do in response. <S> You need to gauge what sort of tone is necessary to effectively deliver that communication - using your knowledge of the recipient. <S> Most of this happens subconsciously when during our communications. <S> I use tones with my granddaughter that are different than those I use with my son. <S> Yet I don't ponder what tone I should use in either case - it just flows. <S> As we are less certain how our urgent and important messages will be received, we need to spend a bit more time considering the tone of our delivery.
| Where as if you lay out the facts calmly and with little emotion the people you are presenting to are more likely to take your assessment seriously. Adapt the language you use to the level of emergency. When I talk to my boss, there are words I can use that convey urgency and importance without changing my tone.
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Is it bad to allow my team to develop more knowledge and skills than I? Can there be any kind of negative implications if I am the manager (formerly the employee with most experience on the product, but also the most senior in the company within the team), but over time I allow my team to grow so fast and with so much knowledge and experience that all of them have their specialities in which they are much better than I? What I mean by negative implications includes: My reputation within the company My ability to advance in further ranks within the company The main reason I ask this is that I simply have no more time to train myself and work on improving my own skills and knowledge in the area. I am virtually full time focused on more higher level issues rather than learning technical updates. <Q> No, it is far from bad. <S> In fact, as a manager it is your job to encourage your team to develop both as individuals and as members of the team. <S> Your performance will be judged on your management skills now rather than your technical knowledge. <S> You should still find time to keep your knowledge as up to date as you can, but you should expect some members of your team to have a deeper, more specialised knowledge of their areas of responsibility than you have. <S> It is normal for new managers to worry about this kind of thing, but you have different responsibilities now and you will be measured against a different yard stick. <S> Your reputation in the company and your chances of further promotion will now depend on how you manage your team and on their performance under your guidance. <S> In my experience only inept, paranoid managers worry about members of their team developing more knowledge than them. <S> I have worked for a few people like that and never enjoyed the experience. <S> On the other hand, managers who acknowledged my strengths and asked my opinion/advice on matters I had knowledge in were a delight to work for. <S> As a result I worked harder, learned more and was happier in my work. <A> If anything, push them to learn! <S> The main reason I ask this is that I simply have no more time to train myself and work on improving my own skills and knowledge in the area. <S> I am virtually full time focused on more higher level issues rather than learning technical updates. <S> Why would you learn technical updates? <S> You have such an amazing wide field to learn on how to be a good manager, that can easily fill a life time. <S> Is it still part of your job to perform the technical tasks? <S> If yes, you are in a very uncomfortable in-between place, not really management – in a good organisation, you are only ever doing one of these jobs at a time. <S> If not, why would you worry about training yourself there? <S> You need enough expertise to judge the results of your people so you can appraise who needs help (not from you, but from more experienced peers) and who can mentor them – and then you can do management’s primary job, namely removing all the obstacles that stop your people from doing theirs. <A> Management is all about coordinating and motivating a group of people. <S> That is why you have technical experts whose job it is to <S> know the technology. <S> Trust them; if for some reason you can't then you need to find the people you can. <S> Your job is all about making sure that your people have the right overall direction and everything necessary so they can do their job. <S> In other words, you tell them where to go and make sure nothing is going to stand in their way. <S> This means listening to them, taking care of any issues that crop up and possibly even changing direction if it's necessary. <S> Your performance is now based on how well the team performs. <S> If the team is successful, it looks good on you. <S> If the team is struggling then this looks bad and you need to fix that. <S> As a manager the fixes are rarely technical ones and almost always due to personalities and/or environment: which you now have control over. <S> So, let go of trying to stay on top with the latest/greatest tech items; that's what your people are for.
| If any member of your team didn’t grow professionally, that would be a bad sign for your management style and skills. A managers job isn't to know all the ins and outs of the field they are in.
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Should I inform my manager about a potential job offer when the company is planning layoffs? My company has recently begun a restructuring process which will eliminate 1 of the individuals in the same/similar role as me. Even before this announcement I have started looking for another job. My manager who is making the decision about who gets laid off has indicated that it will not be me. On one hand, I haven't secured another job yet and don't want to be found unemployed, but on the other hand I don't want to leave my company short-handed, and one of my coworkers (who I respect) jobless. I think I have a good chance of landing another job, and telling my boss will prevent those problems and potentially get me a severance package on top of it. Given the situation, is it appropriate to have an off-record conversation with my manager, or would it be better to keep quiet despite the potential problems to my company until I get a firm job offer? <Q> Before breaking the news to your superior, I'd make very sure first that you have a new job. <S> This means I would only tell this if I already signed a contract with the other employer. <S> If you make your plans known prematurely you might end up being fired at your current position, and no new job to follow it up. <S> Once you have a new job, I'd discuss this asap with your manager. <S> You might feel like you are holding back information, but sharing this with your manager could backfire, and you have a lot to lose. <S> I would simply share your new job as soon as you are certain you are leaving. <S> In regard to the severance, if you tell your manager you are leaving for a new job you will probably not be fired, and you will not get the severance payment. <S> You could of course try and make a deal of some sort with your manager, but this gets into ethically murky territory. <A> I would not tell your manager that you are looking and feel that an offer is imminent. <S> This opens up a can of worms that you may not be able to clean up. <S> Your boss may decide to lay you off instead, and then what happens if the other job does not come through? <S> Telling may lead to you being the #1 target. <S> I would not be worried about leaving your boss and others in a pinch. <S> It is common to have an exodus of people voluntarily leaving a company after a round of layoffs. <S> It is your manager's problem(s) in either case because they caused an environment of fear, uncertainty and doubt by having layoffs in the first place. <S> They have to work though any issues that people leaving causes. <S> Getting a nice severance package shouldn't be a priority now and shouldn't change how you go about your business. <S> Once you have an offer in writing, and sign it and send it back in, that will be the time to tell you are quitting or discussing options with your boss. <S> They may or may not pay you a severance package <S> and it may be pointless to even try to get one. <S> I would also try to push the company you're interviewing with. <A> Even in this situation, I wouldn't bring up that you've already got something in the pipeline. <S> If your management knows that you might be willing to leave quietly for an enhanced payout, that might buy you more time to firm things up before actually having to sign on the dotted line. <S> On the other hand, if they've already told you that you're not in the firing line, they might not be willing to pay extra. <S> In any case, as a general thing, whether this sort of deal is likely depends (I understand) on where you are. <S> Here in the UK, it's much easier to get rid of someone who's happy to leave and taking voluntary redundancy <S> isn't seen as a bad thing, career-wise.
| There is one situation where I'd advise that you might want to talk to your manager sooner rather than later, and that's where there's the possibility of an extra payment for voluntary redundancy. In addition, people leaving the company is a normal part of any business, and you should not feel bad about that.
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How can I ask a coworker about their salary package? I may get a promotion in the upcoming month, and I want to know what sort of pay to expect or negotiate for. My senior colleague is in the same position I would be promoted to, and I would like to know what his pay package looks like for comparison. What is a tactful way to approach my senior colleague about what his pay package is? <Q> Ask him. <S> What would you consider it reasonable for me to be offered <S> if I was promoted to ....? <S> That way he can choose to tell you what he is getting if he wishes to, even if he does not tell you what he is getting now, he may tell you what he got when he first got promoted. <S> Also it may be better that you prove you can do the new job well before asking for lots of more money <S> , your “market value” will not take into account the new job until you have been in it long enough for anther employer to believe in your new skills. <A> This is in the realm of "use your empathy" - if you feel that being asked about your package would make you uncomfortable - don't do it. <S> Mileage will vary based on culture, friendship, and other norms. <S> I've asked friends of mine what their packages are, so I could get a baseline for myself, but it's not an OK thing to ask to every random coworker in the US. <S> If him asking him (or a similar relationship but in the reversed position - i.e. junior to you) would make you uncomfortable - live with the lack of knowledge. <S> In the end, there really is no perfectly comparable situation - two people of the same rank are NOT the same person, and will offer different things to the company, which may make their salaries slightly different - so the best you'll get from a single colleague is a single datapoint. <S> Another option is that if this person is someone you'd consider to be a mentor, you may ask a more abstract question - "what salary should I expect as a starting senior engineer?" <S> - means it's less personal and less specific, but also more reasonable to answer across many data points <S> - I can answer that for my role without disclosing my particular salary. <A> Here is how you diplomatically determine your salary band in relation to others without anyone knowing the exact figure (unless you watch their faces). <S> It requires at least 3 people (A, B, C). <S> Each of you add a random value to your current salary. <S> A writes down their total and hands the paper to B. B <S> adds their total and gives the new total to C. C <S> adds their total and gives the new total to A. A <S> removes the random amount they originally added and passes the new total to B. B <S> does the same and hands to C. C <S> removes their random amount, then divides the value by 3. <S> You now have the average salary between the three of you. <S> That said, there is more to a persons role then their salary. <S> So even if s/he is at the role you are moving into you also need to factor in their experience so far, other areas the work in you won't be doing, etc. <S> So it is rare that salaries will equate 1:1. <A> In the USA, it's actually illegal for an employer to prohibit salary discussions amongst employees, according to section 7 of the National Labor Relations act. <S> If that's your company's policy, and it is a US company, they are breaking the law. <S> Here's 29 U.S. Code § <S> 157 <S> - Right of employees as to organization, collective bargaining, etc. <S> : <S> Employees shall have the right to self-organization, to form, join, or assist labor organizations, to bargain collectively through representatives of their own choosing, and to engage in other concerted activities for the purpose of collective bargaining or other mutual aid or protection, and shall also have the right to refrain from any or all of such activities except to the extent that such right may be affected by an agreement requiring membership in a labor organization as a condition of employment as authorized in section 158 (a)(3) of this title. <S> http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/29/158 <S> Regardless, your fellow employee may feel uncomfortable discussing their compensation. <S> You can try to warm them up over a beer, but how do you know they even did a good job in negotiating their own compensation? <S> Your best barometer for your worth to the firm is to talk to other people who might want to hire you, and see what they believe you are worth. <S> If they think you're incredibly more valuable in another firm than where you're at, I would suggest, for the good of our economy, which benefits from a proper allocation of valuable resources, that you consider taking the other offer in spite of the discomfort of leaving a firm to which you have grown accustomed. <A> First of all, be aware that some companies have very stringent policies that explicitly prohibit compensation discussions between employees. <S> As in, it may be a fire-able offense <S> (it was in every company I worked for). <S> Sources: [1] , [2] , [3] (which actually makes legal argument that such policies are tricky in terms of enforceability), <S> [4] (again actually casting doubts on whetehr such policies are OK). <S> Second of all, if the company is reasonably large, check it out on GlassDoor . <S> It has anonymous salary ranges for many jobs. <S> If your company doesn't expressly prohibit salary discussions, you can then approach your coworker with GlassDoor data (for your company, or a close competitor) and ask him if he thinks the range is reasonable. <S> That way they don't have to divulge their own personal numbers but can still provide useful feedback to you.
| I wouldn't feel comfortable asking the majority of my colleagues or anyone I consider a purely work acquaintance and not a friend.
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How to deal with "cheaters" regarding billable time? I work for a company that uses outsourced contract developers paid hourly but physically located in our office. At the end of every month we get an excel sheet from their outsourcing companies with the appointed hours and the bill. Many of these contractors 'cheat' when logging their hours. They will come in at 10:15am but bill from 10:00am, or they will log hours that they spent on personal business. Altogether, they are billing around 10% more hours than they are actually working. If I bring up the problems with logging time there is a good chance I would have to look for replacements. While they may not be billing their time properly, they are getting the work done to an acceptable level. Finding replacements could be time-consuming and may be quite difficult. Is it unprofessional to turn a blind eye to the billing discrepancies as long as I am satisfied with the quality of work? <Q> It seems to me that the actual question here is: is Joe worth the money I’m paying him or not? <S> And that kind of question is better answered over time, say, in the last 3 months: on one hand, <S> having Joe on the team made me “X amount of money”,and on the other, hand I payed him “Y amount of money”. <S> For every context there is probably more to the equation, but this is a simple start. <S> UPDATE <S> If Joe gets the job done on time, it shouldn’t matter much wether he did while being in the office sitting silent in front of the computer, or from home in the early morning, or from his favourite coffee-shop. <S> Development is creation and people have different ways to create. <S> If they have a life outside the job, it’s very natural that they can give it some time during the day. <S> More than that: this is healthy and you should expect that. <S> If you have read “ Rework ”, you already understand what I mean, but if you haven’t <S> I’d recommend reading it. <S> The question is: is this acceptable? <S> Am I being "not ethic" somehow; am I morally obliged to do something about it, disregarding how I feel about the situation and how I feel about the company I work for? <S> Well, I generally think that if people are not by themselves interested to get the work done, no matter how much policy you impose on them, they will find workarounds. <S> Distrust is dehumanising, and this affects you too, in a bad way. <S> And instead of doing that, you indeed may be better off finding someone else. <A> If you allow them to fudge their recorded hours you are essentially paying them based on what they produce <S> not how long they spend in a chair acting productive. <S> If at the end of the month you are happy with the product they give you, for the price they demand then it is fine to pay that amount. <S> You are telling them that for that amount and quality of product I am willing to pay 160 times X$. <S> If they worked out of your view, they would be telling you this is what i produced each month. <S> You would have no idea if they did it in half the time or double the number of normal work hours. <S> Your logging of entrance and exit times tells them that butts in the seat is the important metric. <S> If you monitor the computer usage you are telling them they need to be more sophisticated in their use of time. <S> It also tells them that a significant part of your day will be watching their day. <S> What also needs to be considered is who is ultimately paying for the product and how is the contract structured. <S> Do they control their workload? <S> Testers with nothing to test still need to be around. <S> Developers waiting for management to decide on the real requirements still need to be paid. <S> If you require that the work be done at your location, using your equipment, and the only metric for pay is hours, then you are getting exactly what your company negotiated. <A> Consider, are you purchasing time, or are you purchasing results. <S> If you are purchasing time your contractors become time salesmen. <S> Their incentive is now to work as slowly as they can reasonably get away with to maximise the value of each hour. <S> Their other incentive is to produce unmaintainable products so further hours will be required in the future. <S> If you are purchasing results their incentive is to work as quickly as they can (and as well as they can to improve future productivity) <S> so they can get their work done and get paid. <S> As a contractor I prefer to work to a fixed price fixed spec. <S> Being a time salesman is no fun at all. <A> If you're expecting anything other than 40 hours per week to appear in their time sheets, then it's something to consider carefully. <S> Computer work does not usually require physically using the keyboard and mouse 8 hours a day / 40 hours week. <S> If someone clocks in at 10:15am, there is a good chance that they spent at least 15 minutes thinking about how to solve their current problem sometime between midnight and 10:15am. <S> Focusing on such minute details is likely to lead to lower productivity, lower motivation and lower quality. <A> Two things to do here: <S> Keep a log: If "facetime" is important, then keep a log (Excel etc) of when people come in/go to lunch/go home. <S> When the timesheet comes from the agency you are then armed to dispute it with them, they'll deal with their workers (I'm assuming you sign off on timesheets for your contractors) <S> Surfing etc: talk to your IT infrastructure dept, they will likely have web filtering software that can tell you where and when for staff. <S> If this is outwith acceptable usage, issue a memo to the contractors telling them of the rules, and continue monitoring. <S> Anyone abusing gets reported back to the agency. <S> This is what you can do, although in my experience none of this usually matters if the contractors are delivering value in their work, so you may have a more fundamental problem you need to resolve. <A> Excel spreadsheet seems like a pretty low-tech way to log times, I'm sure there are plenty of apps that allow users to sign on and sign off when they log onto their computer allowing you better time-tracking. <S> But I also think it's acceptable to have a little bit of slack in the system as you probably don't want your people complaining that they're working in a sweatshop.
| As long as the job get done on time and they behave reasonably in a general sense, I would not worry about anything else.
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When is it appropriate to sign letters, emails, website bios, etc. with MS (Master of Science)? Just like the title says, I completed my master's degree in computer science. I work part time in a large corporation, and also as a consultant. I always considered this to be reserved for the PhDs out there, but I've seen others do this. When is it appropriate to sign my e-mails, informal business letters, formal letters, introduction emails to potential clients, etc. as "John Doe, M.S."? <Q> I would not do this with a Masters of Science at all. <S> I am very close to finishing my own MS and had never considered doing so. <S> Here are some reasons: <S> A masters isn't really that big of deal, all things considered. <S> You can get one in a year in some places. <S> MS degrees mean many different things, some people get one without a thesis, some write a thesis, some are teaching assistant based, research based, etc. <S> Most other professional certifications have much more consistent meanings (by comparison, at least) <S> Seeing a masters doesn't really provide any context or communicate anything about your skills. <S> Masters degrees can give you broader or deeper understanding. <S> Other professional degrees generally translate to much more tangible things. <S> For example, a PhD is saying "I have spent a lot of time researching on one topic." <S> A MS has no such meaning other than "I took more school, mostly." <S> Because of the second point, MS can mean so many different things in terms of how much schooling people have too. <S> You might have 30 credits worth of classes. <S> I had considerably fewer classes (in fact only 14 credits for my MS program are coursework based). <S> Masters degrees are also more and more common too. <S> Last, it just comes across as fairly smug about something which doesn't really matter. <S> But the real reason is people care a heck of a lot more about "what can you do" than "what letters are after your name." <S> A masters doesn't really give any insight into this at all. <S> Many other qualifications and credentials DO. <S> Potential exceptions include more "academic" settings, such as publishing or more professional articles where credentials do have some value. <S> But this is considerably different than most day to day communication or email signatures. <S> This can also vary culturally somewhat. <S> Other cultures may have different expectations. <A> This simple fact is that your email will not be read differently based on this information. <S> Of course you should put this information on your Resume, and on LinkedIn, and it will help you in getting jobs, but putting this information in front of your colleagues and clients every time they communicate with you is borderline obnoxious. <S> Incidentally, I have a Ph.D., and my email signature contains only the information that my colleagues are likely to want -- my name, mobile phone number, and instant message handle. <A> According to the Oxford style guide , these are the appropriate titles and the order in which to use them: <S> Postnominals remember that you do not need to list only all awards, degrees, memberships etc held by an individual – only those items relevant to your writing <S> the order for postnominals is civil honours <S> military honours <S> QC degrees, in the order <S> bachelor’s <S> master’s <S> doctor’s <S> postdoctoral diplomas certificates <S> membership of academic or professional bodies do not include a BA for Oxford/Cambridge graduates <S> if they also have the MA give the name of the awarding university (using a shortened form if required and if easily recognisable (Oxf, Camb, UCL etc) if academic qualifications are relevant. <S> A space is used to separate degrees from the same institution, and a comma is used to separate sets of degrees from different institutions; if the same level degree has been awarded by more than one institution, list them in alphabetical order of institution Professor Xavier Postlethwaite, QC, BEng PhD UCL, MA PhD Camb, MA DPhil Oxf, PhD Manc, FRS Sir Charles Overlord, VC, BA S’ton <S> I would not use anything lower than a PhD when signing a letter. <S> It is inappropriate in most countries, definitely in the US. <S> Other titles including P.E. and and political titles are also acceptable.
| I would highly discourage it from my perspective as a programmer in the US. In the United States, you would be laughed at for doing so.
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How should I approach my boss after offending him? I made a small joke which offended my manager. It wasn't racist, sexist or anything of the sort. Here's what it was. My manager is the head of an extracurricular club at work. Since it's the start of the year, he asked his team (us) to sign up for the club and to help him out. We willingly supported him and signed up for it. After thanking us, he said he hoped to see us participate in the activities. I made a slight joke saying, "We didn't expect it to be a lifetime commitment!" And that's when he walked out of the room, saying that he felt we were forced into signing up. I've already apologized via email. My co-workers said that I had to adjust to his personality type: being a "feeler." I'm a thinker first, a feeler second and a controller third. But I would also like to talk to him because this isn't the first time he's reacted this way over a small thing. How do I approach him? <Q> But I would also like to talk to him because this isn't the first time he's reacted this way over a small thing. <S> How do I approach him? <S> How about walking into his office and saying "Boss, do you have a minute to chat?" <S> Then, you sincerely apologize for offending him, and discuss the situation so you reach an understanding about why he was offended, and how you can avoid such a situation in the future. <S> Many times, just talking with the party involved is the first step to understanding. <S> This is one of those times. <S> We convey a lot in our tone, attitude, body language, etc - all of that is lost when using emails. <S> You may have delivered a written text, but not actually conveyed a real apology. <A> I think this is a problem with your manager who's taking things a bit too personally. <S> I don't think you need to continue apologizing or trying to make amends - you apologized in an email and that is enough. <S> What I would do is note for future reference that he does not take this kind of humor as you do, and avoid these sorts of jokes in future. <A> Not having the full context, it's hard to provide the best answer for your case. <S> How many times has this happened before? <S> How good is your professional relationship with your manager? <S> But here's the way I'd approach this situation. <S> I'd personally send him an email mentioning that I'd like to have an opportunity to have a moment with him (lunch, coffee, etc.) <S> to talk about this issue whenever he has time to spare for me. <S> This way you let him know you'd like to clear the air, and he can spend the time he needs to cool down, then schedule some time to meet you when he is ready. <S> During the discussion, I'd make sure to let him know my comment was meant as a jest, not to be an insult to either himself or his help request to his team.
| I'd also be very honest about how I feel our different personalities might lead to similar uneasy situations, and try to talk about possible solution. Additionally, apologies should almost always be delivered personally, rather than via email, whenever it's practical to do so.
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What factors should I consider when a candidate asks to do a "phone screen" in person? I'm currently doing phone screens to try and hire a new employee (software developer). One of the people I was going to do a phone screen with asked if he could come in and do the interview in person. Is there any downside that you can think of to doing an interview in person if all the other candidates are done over the phone? <Q> Is there any downside that you can think of to doing an interview in person if all the other candidates are done over the phone? <S> It's not a huge deal, but I can think of a few potential downside issues: <S> You aren't conducting all the interviews in the same manner. <S> Thus, you may be inclined to evaluate this candidate's "non-phone-screen" differently than the other "phone-screen" candidates. <S> This could help or hurt the candidate. <S> That may or may not be so. <S> For me, it takes more time to prep a location for an in-person interview, than a phone screen. <S> I have to make sure the location is available and clean, get the candidate to sign in at the front desk, walk down to get him/her, escort the candidate to the proper location, then do the same in reverse on the way out. <S> You are limiting the interviews to times when you are in the office. <S> I sometimes do phone screens from home (and of course you would never invite a candidate into your home for interviews). <S> Candidates sent in via an agency are often debriefed after the interview. <S> What they learn is then used for the next candidate sent by the agency. <S> So you can expect other candidates to start requesting in-person interviews, rather than phone screens. <S> Consider if you want to set that as a precedent or not. <S> Whatever accommodations you make for one candidate, you should make for the others. <S> In some locales/contexts there my be legal issues with not treating all applicants identically. <S> Consult your HR department for guidance. <S> Again, not a big deal. <S> For me though, I try to keep all the first-round screens as similar as I can, so I'd tend to require a phone screen unless there was a very convincing, unusual reason to do otherwise. <A> I would want to know the reason why he wants the in-house interview instead of the phone screen. <S> If he is deaf and has difficulty understanding the questions when he can't lip read (or has some hearing loss that makes it particularly difficult to hear phone questions), that is entirely different from someone who wants to come in because he thinks it will give him a better shot at the position. <S> I would tend to grant this only in the case of a disability or personal situation that makes phone screening more difficult for the interviewee and thus putting him at a disadvantage over the other candidates. <A> A large goal of a phone screen is to avoid having an on-site interview with someone that may not be a good fit. <S> A great benefit of a 30-minute phone screen is that when the candidate is a disaster, you can go to <S> Do you have any questions for us? <S> at the twenty-minute mark, and be on to the other work you need to do after 25 minutes. <S> Having a candidate on-site is a greater investment of time and energy that I am willing to extend to those that you have good reason to believe are a good fit with the team. <A> I think it is a great deal more work to do an in-person interview. <S> That includes questions like "Where will the interview be held?" <S> and "Where is the bathroom?" <S> You will probably have to reserve a room which might not be difficult. <S> I do not think an in-person interview for a first-round gives a great deal of new info. <S> Of course second round in-person interviews are the norm. <A> I see a very real downside - they know exactly what you look like and can now badger you at work. <S> I had a situation where an interviewee was doing very poorly, and when I interrupted him he banged both fist on the table and yelled at me not to interrupt him while he was talking and to let him finish answering the question. <S> I stood up and ask "do you have any questions" as I walked to the door to get the HR person. <S> While nothing happened beyond a "can you believe that" story, I made sure I wasn't the last one out of the office that day. <S> There's a 99% the guy just thinks he'll make a better impression on you, but a phone interview would have weeded out this guy, and avoided a really awkward situation.
| Most likely, the candidate thinks she/he will be gaining an advantage by requesting an in-person interview. Whatever you decide to do, you have to do it for everyone. It might even open you up to potential discrimination lawsuits.
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How to tell your team you are quitting? What is the best way to tell your team that you are quitting? If I am on a current project and nobody knows that I am leaving, what is the best way to tell them this? My boss already knows. <Q> The best way to tell your team you're quitting is to work with your supervisor, HR or manager to iron out a transition plan. <S> Don't worry about telling your immediate team right away. <S> Focus on helping the management group get their ducks in a row so that clients and coworkers both continue to have confidence in you and the company. <S> You may feel like you're keeping a secret from your coworkers, but really, in the long run, you're helping them out. <S> Once everything is secured, ask your supervisor for her recommendation. <S> Ideally, you would make the announcement together. <S> Just today, someone in my office did it The Wrong Way. <S> He went from person to person spreading the news in hushed tones that he found a new job. <S> It made things terribly awkward. <S> If he had gone about it the suggested way, management would have set the wheels in motion so that he could continue to be productive while they found a replacement. <S> Eventually, when the time was right, they would have let the entire office know. <A> How you leave a company can leave an impression that is more important to how you are remembered by management, almost even more than you performed. <S> Nowadays, people tend to remember the last meetings more. <S> Following the steps below can be ideal: 1 - Inform management first, well in advance, giving them enough time to find a replacement and initiate a transition process. <S> 2 <S> – Be cooperative enough to help with any specific things they will like you help out with. <S> It could be some unique skills you possess that you could pass on or some tools you have been using that you could share. <S> This will really be highly appreciated. <S> 3 <S> – Discuss when it is ideal to inform your team and how to go about it. <S> Different managers have different approaches. <S> So it is important not to let the cat out of the bag in a way that doesn't suit them. <S> You do not want to serve your notice period, help the transition and end up messing it up with a simple awkward announcement. <S> While all this is going on ensure that you do not act in a way that de-motivates other team members. <S> You have to be professional. <S> Even if you have friends, remember the relationship is between you and the company and not you, the company and/or other colleagues / friends within it. <S> If you follow these simple steps, not only will you help the company prepare for a transition but also will you leave a good mark, even if you were an average employee. <S> Thanks, Spencer. <A> My preferred way would be to tell my boss first, then privately tell those people that I work most closely with, allowing a chance to explain some of the reasons for my choice. <S> After those that would be most effected by the decision already know (maybe 1/4 to 1/3 of the team) I would mention it in a daily stand-up meeting. <S> I would speak positively about how I will help in the transition, and make sure to express gratitude for the opportunity to work with the current team. <S> And be brief. <S> The reason I prefer to leak the information slowly is to take away the emotional impact of a "big reveal." <A> Break the news to your co-workers about your new job during non-work time, such as during a lunch hour or a coffee break. <S> Don't spend your current employer's time discussing your new job. <S> Refrain from long winded stories with co-workers about your job search, the interview process and any other details about your new job, except during a time when you're not obligated to be working. <S> you believe will be happy for you. <S> If you have relationships with co-workers that are strained acquaintances or below, refrain from bragging to them about your new job. <S> If they are unhappy where they currently are then it may make matters worse if you brag about leaving the company. <S> Personally I would rather tell co-workers about my new job in person. <S> Don't send an e-mail using company equipment, time and a work e-mail address to share your personal news. <S> You need to keep in mind that there may be some questions about how you found the job, why you want to leave the company, how much you're going to be earning and other details that you may not feel comfortable to discuss. <S> Refrain from sharing too many details about your new job. <S> It's best to simply let your co-workers know that you will be leaving and then on your resignation day, exchange information with people with whom you want to maintain friendships with after your departure.
| Don't go round telling everyone that you are leaving... only with co-workers 4 - Based on agreement with management, inform your team members...AND continue to be productive.
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How to deal with a colleague who wants to groom me for the job unsolicited? I am working in a somewhat old startup with a team size of 10. In my opinion, all members are technically sound and work great as a team. A few months before I joined, another programmer joined the company. It seems that he is the 'chest beater' in the group. There's nothing wrong in that. I am a few weeks into the job and now this guy cannot help but - at every available opportunity - take me under his wings and groom me on what a good technology team member should do. There are unstoppable instant messages from this guy telling how I should arrange sessions with the CEO and the client and brag about the big fix I did. In break rooms, he cannot help but say 'I am trying to groom this guy - break him into the team -' and he doesn't listen. I do not want to beat my chest about anything I do at work. I have told this person that I do not want to talk about my work in the fashion he encourages, but he doesn't seem to get it and is in wonder why someone wouldn't yell and shout 'I did it'. How can I let this person respectfully know that I do not want to be groomed by him? Update : Ignoring him hasn't helped. The situation has only gone worse with this guy. Now every hour in pretext of banter he pops by my machine and asks for a status update on what I am doing and if the manager really asked me to do it (whatever I am doing) in a friendly/teammate'ish way - where in it is not appropriate to ask him Why are you interested ? or Are you my boss ? For every code check in I do, next day is a flurry of IMs on what a great job I did and how I am improving and how he is happy with me. If I am in earlier than him then its either a why did you turn up earlier than me ? Or Good that you are an early morning person, I like it. Urrrgghhhh ! <Q> Keep Ignoring Him Keep ignoring him as you do and eventually he'll stop. <S> He has no incentive to keep doing this for ever, so he'll stop. <S> For the most part. <S> Do Your Job <S> And if you do good work eventually your output will speak for itself and show - if not to him, at least to others - that you don't need grooming anyways. <S> In essence: be Zen. <S> Be a rock. <S> The path of least resistance is also the one of least annoyance, at least in the long run. <S> Sounds a bit guru-ish, but that never fails, whether it's with this kind of co-workers, bullies, etc... <A> It's been said that IT professionals are a bit reluctant to increase their visibility, or taken to the extreme, chest beating as you say. <S> You say the team is small and everyone pretty much knows everyone so the following may not be necessary in your situation, yet it might prove essential in a different workplace. <S> A little chest-beating doesn't hurt. <S> At the very least your client's opinion of having hired the most competent people their money can afford them is reinforced. <S> When it's time for the next project, the Accounts guy will thank you for being able to charge accordingly. <S> As I said before many in our profession tend to be shyer than, say, salesmen. <S> I'm exactly the same way but from the outside you may be seen as being timid (and lazy). <S> So yes, do talk to the client about the awesome bug fix. <S> You don't have to brag about it to the entire team, or cold-call him in the middle of the night for every eureka moment, but do increase your visibility where it counts. <S> At the very least it might make your colleague think his work here is done. <A> Tell the colleague that you do not want to be groomed by them, since (imo) saying that is not disrespectful. <S> I think the person you are dealing with is a bully who views you as competition and is trying to outmaneuver you. <S> I do not believe you should just passively let this happen, I believe you should assert what you want, and if that is not heeded then you should escalate by taking your complaint to management. <S> I believe you should remain professional throughout.
| Even though bullies will only stop if they are hit with a tough response, do not take that action yourself, that is not your role, that is managements' role.
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How can I put a positive spin on an idea that may result in layoffs? My company is looking for ways to improve and has asked staff to come up with ideas. I have an idea to automate part of our business, but this will may some staff redundant. I will be presenting this in front of other employees and the CEO, and want to make this sound as positive as possible. Often eliminating a task means that people will be redeployed elsewhere, but I don't know if that would happen in this case (and it isn't my choice), so I am reluctant to make that claim. How can I effectively raise a potentially unpopular idea in a public setting? I am thinking of simply saying, "This change will save X full-time positions" . Is there a more effective way of getting the message across without having it sound more positive? <Q> We did this during a Lean audit at a big hospital. <S> People were drowning in paperwork, not being able to do the job they should be doing. <S> By implementing XXXXX, 4 FTE becomes available for quality assistance and other high-added-value activities. <S> Of course, if these people only qualify for data entry, they will be fired. <S> But the decision to fire them is made by upper management. <S> You recommended to let them do more interesting jobs, not to fire them. <A> Not sure if I understand your question right, you title asks for a "positive spin" but the last sentence is "without having it sound more positive"? <S> I just assume you don't want to be hated by those whose jobs you just eliminated, and instead get them kinda excited about the idea. <S> So here are some ways how I think you can present this as positive as possible: <S> Saving $ XX,XXX.XX doessound pretty positive to me, and if I were an employee I might gethopeful thinking that I get a piece of that. <S> So you can start your talkby outlining the current situation in a very negative light, focusingon what a boring and dull task it is. <S> Be careful not to make theemployees who do this task currently sound stupid, though... <S> Make itlike they are meant do to something that's more suitable for themmaybe, more adequate for their abilities, something that challengesthem more. <S> Or if they seem like a lazy bunch tell them how much easier their job will now be! :D <S> Also you can point out the positive improvements that such antransition to an automated system will bring along: Less errors,faster performance/task completion, saving time, ... Congrats on coming up with this solution by the way <S> , I hope it's a decent enough employer to value your contribution accordingly! <A> Request a closed door meeting. <S> A "closed door meeting" which only requires certain staff. <S> Don't specifically say you want persons X Y and Z out, but you want staff <S> A B and C in; otherwise the nature of the meeting and the people who might be cut will feel its specifically against them. <S> If that doesn't work; <S> It's not fun to imagine, but if the people who are affects will be in the meeting, assume they will figure it out when you make the proposal. <S> If the company will let those people go;Be honest. <S> Say that certain jobs might become redundant. <S> Those people won't like it, and may even argue - but worse than that would be letting them stew while you rattle off weasel-worded arguments. <S> At that level, at least you're respectable. <S> If the company won't necessarily let them go; If it's not about cutting costs and actually just about freeing up resources, then change the perspective; you aren't getting rid of anyone, but you are completely freeing them up. <S> If they have other marketable skills or their existing skills can be used to improve something else, <S> that's what you talk about. <S> Just because you make things efficient doesn't mean people are getting the axe. <S> I'm a programmer and I made an entire program that automated one persons job - they weren't let go - <S> but now they are doing far less tedious work <S> and they thank me daily for it. <A> It's cynical management-speak really, but here you go: <S> "The implementation of ... can achieve significant long-term cost savings." <S> "This technology can relieve employees of some of their more onerous tasks and thereby free up resources to focus on higher-value activities."
| Instead of saying "it saves X full time positions" you can try andmake a guess of what that would mean financially. If the task is currently done by humans, but can be fullyautomated, there is a chance that these people are actually sick andtired of doing it (myself I hate doing tasks that a computer might aswell do for me faster and more accurate). Assuming the company will need to let those people go and those people would be in the meeting, propose that the meeting only include certain staff.
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Putting your e-mail on your resume I was passing my resume to a friend so he could pass it along to his company. He was taking a look at it and gave me a list of things I should fix. This was one of them: Get a Gmail or a custom domain like firstname@lastname.com or .pro. Yes we will filter out email by domain name. However, I didn't think this was a problem. I use my e-mail which just contains my name (so nothing questionable), and it's a Hotmail account. Is it really necessary to change it? My email just follows this format: *firstname_lastname@hotmail.com* I have been contacted by many companies with this same resume and email (Amazon, Microsoft, Palantir, Booz Allen, etc.). I have also been given a handful of offers in the past 2+ years. I really just wanted to confirm that either I was wrong in thinking my email is fine as it is or he's wrong (or his company's wrong) in thinking/working that way. <Q> I don't believe putting your email address in your resume is a bad thing, unless it looks like i_am_a_junkie@hotmail.com . <S> I think your friend's main point was that a Hotmail address might look less serious/professional to some potential hirer than a Gmail account or a custom domain. <S> For future references, Hotmail (and probably many other mail service provider) allows you to define an alias to your email account. <S> So if you do use a less serious email address ( i_eat_bananas@hotmail.com ) and do not wish to create a separate and more serious account, you can create a more serious alias and use this one in your resume or other professional correspondance. <A> I disagree with Bill Leeper on that count. <S> It's a valid source of a free email address. <S> I do agree with him on the AOL address (not that it's your situation, but just to establish that there are common email service I wouldn't trust). <S> Of course, if your "Firstname. <S> Lastname" is available on GMail, I'd advise picking it up. <S> You can always set it up to forward your email to your Hotmail account, and it give you an option <S> should you learn that there are recruiters who simply don't like Hotmail. <A> For the most part the particular email choice doesn't make much of a difference. <S> However, I work in the technical field and if you are applying for a technical position it does make a difference. <S> Hotmail is <S> a has been and if you are looking at technology jobs, employers like people who are innovative and run with current technology, or in some cases the very edge of technology. <S> Everything you put on your resume will come into consideration when I look it over, not just where you worked or where you went to school, but things like your email address are indicative of your choice in technology. <S> A gmail address is a good choice and easy enough to setup. <S> Be careful with the vanity email address. <S> Make sure it isn't something even remotely offensive. <S> I do know someone that had an offer pulled over a vanity email address. <A> I have never personally heard of a company filter out Emails by domains although one way to prove initiative knowledge is to buy your own domain name. <S> From what I have heard when there is a job seekers in particularly non-technical job seekers that have taken the time and effort to obtain their own domain name and email address for their own use instead of using a free email provider. <S> Bear in mind that it is not always a necessity to actually develop the domain website, though it will look good if you actually add something on to your newly acquired site. <S> You might as well use the space to your advantage and promote yourself.
| If you have a professional alias at the front, having a Hotmail domain should not be an issue.
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How to interview candidates above your understanding? Our company is growing and so are our IT needs. Problem is, we're all programmers without any hardcore systems/networking experience and I don't feel we could identify the best candidate based on our minimal understanding of the required expertise. It would likely result in subjective thoughts like "well they seemed to know what they were talking about" or "hmph...no experience with X, must not be very good". Obviously there are different techniques used for testing specific technologies, but what are the general techniques that have shown to be successful? Example: Online Tests Certifications Third-party interviewers (does this exist?) Field test (on site) <Q> This is a great question. <S> Some suggestions: Hire a third-party recruiting service <S> - Recruiters can go a long way toward finding someone that would fit the position well. <S> Developing a relationship with an outside recruiting service can also lead to much better candidates down the road for other positions. <S> Identifying what other companies are looking for will help you identify what you should be looking for in a candidate. <S> This will help immediately cull candidates that might not have been worth interviewing due to lack of credentials. <S> Look up popular interview questions online that you have seen other companies ask. <S> Glassdoor can sometimes be helpful with this, but a Google search should uncover some popular interview questions for the particular position you're looking at recruiting. <S> The same goes for certifications. <S> Meeting people in-person always helps. <S> It is much easier to determine if they are legitimately skilled or if they're just lying to you, if they're sitting right in front of you. <S> Also, as time allows, try and become more familiar with the positions that you're hiring for. <S> Obviously an in-depth knowledge of every open position isn't practical, but just a cursory knowledge of what tasks and functions they perform would be beneficial. <S> Hope <S> this helped a bit. <A> I've had the best results so far with personal recommendations, both for being referred and looking for people with a completely different skill focus than mine (thing backend programming and field sales). <S> If you know great systems/networking engineers, ask them for a recommendation or five. <S> Most good people always know one or two other good guys who are open to a new job. <S> And if you tell your friend what issues you are facing they might also give you a hint as to what skills or certifications to look for. <S> I even offered to screen and interview candidates for a friend, so that is a thing. <A> You can try those things, but be careful, basing an interview by just how much a person scores on an Online Test, or how many Certificates they have or answering some Field questions <S> doesn't mean you atomically hiring the best person for the Job. <S> As you mentioned your team is not hardcore systems/networking experienced. <S> If the position you have available is to do with Networking and you saw CISCO certification on someones CV would that be the best person for the job?. <S> The Answer is NO. <S> CISCO certification lasts for 3 years i believe so that certifcation may be Obelete. <S> You may have the latest CISCO equipment there. <S> So, Someone else you interview that hasn't got CISCO Cert, but has worked on the latest CISCO equipment will be more valuable to you. <S> And its the same with most certifications <S> Thats the type of stuff you need to aware about. <S> You need someone to do the interviews with experience in Overall IT. <S> Not sure about Third Party interviews, most probably, if you can hire someone to fire people like in that film with George Clooney Up in the Air <S> im sure you can do the opposite too. <S> Check the Net.
| Look up other companies hiring for the same/similar positions and see what kind of credentials/skills/experience they're looking for.
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If I plan on staying at my job, should I approach my boss about being recruited by competitors? I am very happy at my current job and do not plan on leaving it. In the past month I have been approached by two in-house recruiters working for two of our competitors asking me to interview with them. Unlike third-party recruiters e-mailing me over linkedin about jobs they are trying to fill, having these competitors specifically approaching me may be valuable information to the management of my company (I may not be the only one being approached). Given that I don't plan to leave my job, attend these interviews, or even use the offers as leverage to negotiate with my current company, is there any benefit to letting my boss know about being approached by competitors? <Q> I would say no, don't tell him. <S> That a company is trying to recruit good staff should pretty much always be true so it won't add any more information. <S> And there's a likely chance it will come off as you trying to boast your own importance. <S> Or the boss might take it as subtle form of blackmail; "Just so you know, I have other options... <S> " I can think of some situations where you might want to tell your boss though. <S> If you somehow get more information regarding why your competitors want to recruit you. <S> Perhaps they are making a push into an area where you are expert. <S> They are planning to create a new product and want your expertise. <S> They are starting up a new office. <S> If you are dealing with good recruiters, then this information shouldn't be available, but they might slip up. <S> Things like that might be valuable information to your boss. <A> A good boss knows that his/her employees are constantly solicited. <S> He/she can probably give a very accurate guess on which offers you receive. <S> The core question is: Is this new or important information to your boss? <S> Are there any business actions he/she can take? <S> If your friend was approach in the same way, would the message still be the same? <S> Examples: <S> My friend (mobile app developer) was recently approached by company B, our competitor, who is still doing nothing in the Mobile App development sector. <S> I think they are trying to build up capacity on this domain. <S> My friend was approached by company C for a new project they are starting up. <S> Is there anything we could be doing on this new project? <S> Recently, a lot of people left Company B because of dissatisfaction. <S> My friend heard this while applying for a job there. <S> This probably gives them problems to meet deadlines. <S> Can we approach some of their clients and try to take some business to us? <S> The fact you were approached is not important. <S> It is important that this tells you something about the internal situation or strategy at that company. <A> First of all you need to feel proud of you as your company competitors are looking forward to hire you in their company. <S> Now coming back to your question about whether to tell this thing to your boss or not depends on your boss relationship with you. <S> If you tell him that you have been approached by the company competitors if he is having a positive mentality he feels proud that he is having an efficient employee which other competitors doesn’t have <S> and he even feels good when he comes to know that you are not interested in the offers offered by others he will trust you more and he may give you more responsibilities which will increase your reputation in the organisation which also helps you to grow professionally.
| They might want to recruit you because they are trying to steal a particular client. My suggestion is there is nothing wrong in letting him know about offers made by others to you.
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If you are applying for a software engineering internship, will an employer look at your Github account? Will employers look at the "Public Activity" section of your Github account? I was messing around with the command line and made a repo with the name of a bad word, and I realize that employers might view me as immature for calling a test repo this name. I didn't save the repo or anything, I just very quickly made it once, and it was at the bottom of my public activity feed. Will employers look at my Github activity this deeply? <Q> It depends entirely on the employer. <S> I've had some flat out ask me in the initial contact email if I had a github account and what was it <S> and I've had others who weren't even aware that I knew how to use GIT version control until I got the gig. <S> I've found that generally speaking newer companies and/or ones with younger company cultures are more likely to look at it than larger companies or ones with more formal cultures. <S> The ones that do typically tend to glance through them and see what technologies you use <S> but if you're really concerned it might be best to simply change the name of the repo. <A> Having a project named something offensive is a bad idea, but if it's just test code, I don't think it will turn away too many employers. <S> Now you deleted the project, so I don't think it will make any difference at all. <S> See this as a good learning experience to always use proper variable names and textmessages, even while playing around, testing and debugging. <S> I've personally seen a log with the exception message "This should never happen" in a production system. <S> And there are stories of worse mistakes . <A> It sounds to me like your real question is whether they will be offended by your repo name, not just whether or not they will look at github. <S> I may be old school, but I am a hiring manager, so I will share my thoughts on your question. <S> When I am interviewing candidates, I am looking at the entire candidate, not just the technical skills. <S> Over the years, I have worked with programmers who had better than average to excellent skills, that I would never have hired because of personality/behavior issues. <S> As a manager, I am building a team, and those traits can be critical to the success of the whole team, regardless of your skill level. <S> I'm not saying I wouldn't hire you because of the repo name, but you would likely have raised some negative questions in my mind, before I have even met you for the interview. <S> The fact that you chose to use a term that would not be acceptable in a business conversation, to name a publicly view-able repo, would make me wonder what else you might do along that line. <S> If I hire you, there will be times that you represent me as an extension of the team, and I need to know that you will represent the team appropriately.
| Having a github or similar with publicly available code is a good way to show employers your skill and something you should add to your resume.
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How do I brief a client I am leaving the company? In any client-facing role, you have direct contact with a number of different clients. When leaving the company, you need to direct them to your colleagues for further contact. What are the DO and DO NOT's in this situation? For example, do I tell them: What I will be doing now? I want to show I am leaving to do something completely different, so my leaving does not reflect poorly on the company. Where I am going? I enjoyed working with them? I enjoyed working with my current employer? my personal contact details? Do I Send a mail? Simply put an 'out-of-office'? Call them personally? In short: what are the essential parts of such a communication and what works best? <Q> What are the DO and DO NOT's in this situation? <S> This is a decision that really needs to be made in coordination with your company and your boss. <S> These are not your clients. <S> They are your (about to be former) company's clients. <S> DO <S> Read your contract. <S> It may well have specific language about your leaving Talk to your boss <S> Ask <S> if and how you should handle notifying your clients <S> Ask what reason you are permitted to give for your leaving <S> Ask what you should say about your replacement <S> DON'T Decide on your own what you should/ <S> shouldn't do Ignore your obligations under your contract <S> Contact your former clients outside of the agreed-up parameters discussed between you and your boss <A> What are the DO and DO NOT's in this situation? <S> What I will be doing now? <S> No. <S> I want to show I am leaving to do something completely different, so <S> my leaving does not reflect poorly on the company. <S> I'm not sure you need to (I wouldn't unless asked by the clients - and even then, I would confirm with the company, before giving any details). <S> Where I am going? <S> No. <S> I enjoyed working with them? <S> Yes :) <S> I enjoyed working with my current employer? <S> No, it is none of their business. <S> My personal contact details? <S> Only if it is acceptable for them to call you. <S> If you had a good relationship with them, they may be tempted to call one week (or month) after you left, and go "remember that module of the gizmo you were working on? <S> How do we fix it? <S> " <S> This may eat into your time on (or looking for) a new job and it may damage the relationship between the company you left and the clients. <S> You should only provide personal contact if you leave it to friends ( not for the client's official records) or if you are mandated in your contract to provide assistance after you leave (and that should always be limited in period). <S> Do I Send a mail? <S> You probably should (send an email), but send it to your manager first, and confirm the content with him. <S> Simply put an 'out-of-office'? <S> No <S> (you are not OOO). <S> Call them personally? <S> That is up to you (and what you decide with your manager). <S> Your message should be informative, pass on your contact to somebody else and make it clear that your contact information will no longer be valid. <S> Example. <S> Hello,I will be leaving ACME starting next month (January 2034).Starting from XX January 2034, maintenance of the quibbles willbe taken over by my manager, John Doe. <S> For any issues regarding wobbles in the quibbles, contact Jane at +0099-99-99-99-9.Best regards,@utnapistim. <S> The first phrase (about leaving the company) may be missing (ask your manager). <A>
| When you give notice, you ask your manager at the same time whether you should inform the client, and how you should inform your client, process it (for example, if your manager says "tell the client you were fired", then you don't; if your manager says "give the client your private phone number in case they need help", then you don't), and inform the client as your manager said or don't inform them if your manager doesn't want it. What you will be doing now is not important to the relationship between the company (you are leaving) and the clients of said company.
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How do side projects influence a hiring manager's decision when hiring new developers? I am going to graduate from college with a diploma in May & I will be completing my last internship in April. I plan to start applying to full time jobs in a few weeks and I really want to stand out. Moreover, I know I will not get a job right away but I do want to utilize that time to make myself stand out by working on some side projects. How do side projects influence a hiring manager or interviewers decision? And if so, are there any specific kinds of side projects that have a bigger impact than others? Are there ways to leverage side project work in my favor during an interview? <Q> In my personal experience, I've see resumes tossed because, while they said they had the skills, they didn't mention any projects or work experience that were related. <S> I think the real value, from what I've seen, is when the skills can be linked to a project (on the cover letter or resume). <S> I know SQL. <S> = uninterested manager and likely rejection. <S> I built a web based foobar. <S> = uninterested manager and likely rejection. <S> I learned SQL through implementing the database behind a web based foobar = interested manager who will take the time to call you. <S> This is a side effect of having dozens if not hundreds of resumes per position left even after removing the ones that don't have the requested skills. <S> Of course, work experience (internships, previous jobs) is often as treated as worth more than a personal side project. <S> Given that, side projects that strengthen skills you can't easily tie to work experience are probably more in your favor. <S> Beyond this, side projects you see through to the end are rare and more valued than incomplete/abandoned projects (especially if you can demo them somehow). <S> So, to simplify, the answer is that they do have an impact when they are tied to the skills you claim to have, at least when the supply of developers is quite high and is in need of being cut down before even first round calls are done. <A> Choose a project which you find interesting, and which you feel has a depth or complexity that you can explore. <S> Finding it interesting is important because your passion is what will drive you to get it done, and it also means that you won't mind discussing it in detail in interviews. <S> Depth and/or complexity is important because it gives you talking points on what decisions you made, why you made them, and what alternatives you considered. <S> I would advise not doing your project in a largely known field unless you feel you really have something to contribute. <S> You don't want the summary of your project to be "I dropped 3rd party libraries X, Y, and Z in and it worked well enough that I got bored". <S> Of course, if you know what field you plan to go into, target your project in that field. <S> If you plan to go into speech research, try implementing a program to analyze incoming speech samples and categorize them before feeding them into a predictive algorithm to determine what the most likely possibility is. <S> Probably goes without saying, but if you plan to head into the game development field, you really need a portfolio of work in game development. <S> That said, anything which shows your ability to take on a goal and explore it intelligently will work for your situation. <A> Side projects do influence the hiring process positively. <S> The reason is that they show the developer in question does what they do because they enjoy it rather than do it just to get paid. <S> If it doesn't show enthusiasm for work it at least shows drive and ability to contribute. <S> And in regards to how to choose a project and how each influences hiring managers; there are two routes to go down here. <S> If you have the time you can even do both. <S> Open Source Universities/colleges tend not prepare you for larger scale projects and things like version control so a great way to develop personally as a developer is to involve yourself in some open source project, either through SourceForge or GitHub for example. <S> This will do two things, it will teach you what most people learn on their first months in a job straight out of study <S> , that's the two are nothing alike. <S> As well as that it will show an employer that you can work in a team as a developer & collaborate deal with large scale projects (in terms of code base and contributors) <S> it will also go a bit further in showing that have capable development skills as they will be able to view your code independent of the interview <S> Personal Projects <S> Smaller personal projects are useful in showing you have drive and design skills. <S> More importantly they will help you develop better design skills. <S> If you plan to bring this code along to an interview bring design docs (UML for example). <S> Also for completeness of answer, for non web developers; if you want to improve your skills as a developer with personal projects attempt a simple compiler, there's mountains to be learned there about not only development but also your platform or if you are very adventurous <S> a very simple OS. <S> Both of these projects never need to be completed to learn a great deal from. <S> In addition Do smaller exercises all the time, so as not to make the mistake many graduates do , if you can't think of any ideas <S> Project Euler has plenty. <A> Yes I think side projects can influence a hiring manager, especially if you don't have any other related experience on your resume. <S> It also provides some talking points during the interview, where you can show that you really do know your stuff. <S> The actual type of side project probably doesn't matter. <S> The key points you'll want to focus on is that its done well, ideally using whatever technology that the company is using, and that it demonstrates best practices and good design.
| In most cases, side projects are a good way to demonstrate your skills and what you're capable of.
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How do I politely decline providing a reference/recommendation? I worked in a large team for several years and over time managed several people. Some have since written and requested recommendations for their LinkedIn profiles. I promptly wrote recommendations for those I thought deserved them and ignored the others. However not responding at all seems unprofessional. How does one politely decline personal requests for references/recommendation? <Q> If the person who is requesting for recommendation has not collaborated with you , but still requesting for a recommendation. <S> You could say that you do not know him/ <S> her <S> well and would not be the best person to recommend him/her. <A> How does one politely decline personal requests for references/recommendation? <S> Generally, you will get two types of requests. <S> Personalized requests with a specific message saying "hey Vivek! <S> Could you write a recommendation for me please?" or something more involved, or generic ones through LinkedIn that you can do.. <S> Generic requests . <S> You may get blind requests with no personalized question or request. <S> This is more common for LinkedIn than other recommendations. <S> This question contains good examples of how to not ask like this. <S> In these cases, I would simply ignore the request if you don't feel it would be appropriate. <S> Similar to how you may ignore a friend request from someone you don't know. <S> Personalized requests. <S> In some cases you may get a more specific request where you feel more obligation to respond (but don't want to write a request). <S> If the reasons are: I don't remember enough to write one, even though I would <S> if I did - Just ask "Hey I'd love to write one, could you refresh my memory with some of the stuff we worked on together?" <S> and you could get better context for this. <S> I'm not comfortable publicly recommending you for various reasons. <S> - You can simply say something along the lines of, "Hey, I noticed you requested a recommendation. <S> I don't think I'm the best person to write this. <S> I didn't want to just ignore your request without letting you know, best of luck!" <S> You don't have to give the reason, whether it's because "you sucked" or "I'm too busy. <S> " This will satisfy most people, if someone presses you for "why" you can still respond, "I really don't think I'm the best person, sorry!" <A> You are never obligated to provide a reference. <S> You are never obligated to provide a reason for not doing so. <S> "I'm just not comfortable in that role" is as valid as anything else if you feel compelled to do so. <S> If they only contacted you via LinkedIn, rather than asking you personally before volunteering you for the role, ignoring them is entirely legitimate. <S> They deserve no more effort than they invested. <A> The best response I've ever heard is, "I will write you an objective recommendation. <S> " If they agree to that, make the recommendation. <S> Those that think you will have to say something negative, will probably decline. <S> If you have any concerns about how to approach it, you should say something. <S> Maybe someone is applying for a management position, but you don't feel they ever asserted themselves or were ever in charge of any projects. <S> You may have a concern that you either can't form an opinion or your "gut feeling" just doesn't think they can do it.
| If someone doesn't bother to make the request personalized you shouldn't feel any obligation to even respond. On the other case, if the requester has worked with you and you feel that you cannot give him/her a positive recommendation, you could say that you would not be the best person to write the recommendation.
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Should I expect my boss to knock and wait for an answer before entering my office? We work in an environment where we have enclosed offices. Our office doors have small windows in them so it's possible to see when someone is in the office, and it's also possible to see who's knocking and to indicate they can enter. The question is, what expectation should there be when I have my door closed (perhaps because of noise in the hall or because I'm on the speakerphone) and my boss sees I'm available and in my office? There are basically three different "levels" of etiquette I can think of: Should I expect my boss to knock and wait for an answer before entering? Should they knock and then enter without waiting? Should he/she be able to open the door and walk in with no notification? I ask because I have worked in places where there is little respect given to the privacy of employees, but some employers feel that privacy should not be an expectation if you are on the premises of your employer. <Q> From my perspective, if your door is regularly closed, it's not perceived as a privacy tool, but more a work condition control (e.g. sound level) <S> Conversely, if it's closed infrequently, others should respect that, knock, then wait for your response before entering. <S> Generally, privacy relates to something personal, in which most companies expect you to handle on your own time. <S> (Unless you're a nursing mother, etc.) <A> To answer directly from information from my personal experience, with regards to programming shops: Programmers should be able to control interruptions, otherwise there is a chance that something important will be forgotten and a bug introduced in code. <S> No one in their right mind would barge in on guys in the middle of holding slabs of drywall up and securing them, but that's essentially what's happening when someone barges in and presumes they can talk to a programmer. <S> The programmer is probably "holding" many details about the system, and the act of barging in and talking is like tossing items at her/him to catch. <S> However, this is just my personal experience. <S> Here is how to quantitatively find the answer to the question with real data for programmers in a large company: Run experiments with programmer groups all across the company and use one policy or another, then examine bug reports and repository data to determine which one results in fewer bugs. <S> Google or Microsoft needs to do this, if they haven't already. <A> In the case of my boss, No. <S> He works on the theory of "its my place I am going where I like." <S> that being said my boss owns the company <S> so I think he thinks he is entitled to go where ever he likes. <S> Oh and he is a pain in the bum. <S> Think of it this way <S> : Your boss is in charge. <S> My office always has the door closed because of the noise. <S> I think most bosses go where they please. <S> That being said if he comes in and sees me on the phone he leaves again. <S> I guess most bosses work on "if you have nothing to hide"
| I think privacy isn't something to expect in most workplaces.
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Should I tell my boss that a customer posted harsh negative comment? A customer accidently posted a message on a project managing website that was quickly deleted from view because it was meant to be an internal reply to the customer's team. However, when a comment is posted on this site the messages are emailed out to everyone in the project, including me, regardless if the message on the website are deleted later. My boss gets 40 of these emails every day and does not go through them like I do which was when I found the deleted message. Should I tell my boss about the negative comment the customer posted? What's the ethical thing to do here? Bringing it up may harm the contract between us and customer, but it may also go a different direction. <Q> Do you remember when, in Adam Sandler's Click , he used the control to translate the conversation the Chinese businessmen were taking among them in Chinese, because they where doing criticism about the project presented, and, without them noticing Sandler's character used this in his favor, changing the project to fit the desired results? <S> The same applies here: you have valuable information in your hands . <S> If you work this correctly, you will be on the customer's and you boss's grace, and will save you and your entire team from a possible loss of the customer. <A> You should bring it up, in private . <S> The boss needs to know that there could be a semi-unspoken issue from your customer. <S> Most likely though, it was a post made in the heat of the moment. <S> That could be a reason why it was deleted quickly. <S> Your boss may already know about it. <S> If so, thank him/her for their time and go back to work. <S> They can handle it as they see fit. <S> As for whether or not it was accidentally posted, you can never know the full truth of that. <A> Yes, you should. <S> Though if it's not in person, chat over IM saying there's something you would like to share <S> and then tell him what has happened. <S> Bring it to him in a polite and indirect way if you are not sure of your boss's response and then say it. <S> Being in a higher position, he should have taken care of it. <S> In my opinion, whatever the situation might be, if it is related to work, there's no wrong in discussing it with your superior when you want to. <A> The problem statement here is the comment which could directly affect your contract and a potential loss for the company, even if ignored at this juncture, might later on prove costly in the case of a similar situation is replicated down the line before the termination of the contract. <S> I believe that each and every client's comment should be should be regarded as crucial feedback to the work done by an organisation offering services to them and hence coming to the conclusion that informing your boss about the reaction of your customer is vital to improving services and in turn satisfying this client and any future client obtained thru this particular customer.
| You should share this with your boss, but you will be way best listen to if you also present a solution for the problem - something that impresses your client (for you to being posting this question here, the customer is surely important for the company).
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In job interviews, how should I handle being on a team at my last job for a very short time? I recently got transferred to a different team in the same company. I have been here for 2 months now but do not find this position challenging. So I decided to look for other opportunities. Is it ok not to mention this to the current team and say that I have been working in the previous team in my resume? Would it cause problems for me later, like during a background check? How should I handle this in interviews? The following are the reasons I feel not to mention: I have not spent considerable amount of time in this team to mention in the resume. A quick shift again would make people raise eye brows. <Q> Most background checks don't go into that great of detail. <S> They want to know what company you worked for; when you worked for them; and if you were fired. <S> Mot companies will only provide dates of employment and possibly job title. <S> Some will provide salary information if the request is to verify income to determine if you qualify for a loan. <S> Which team you worked for will never come up during a background investigation. <S> If you worked on one team longer you might be expected to have more words associated with the skills and results for that team. <S> There i no telling which team will have the better buzz word, or technology that will interest a future employer. <S> Hiring managers realize that sometimes you end up in a position that doesn't seem as strong because of what is available when a previous project comes to an end. <S> Little detours within the same company are not something to worry about. <S> The one place you do need to mention all your teams is within the internal company resume. <S> When applying for internal positions you need to be accurate regarding who is your current manager/team. <A> Is it ok not to mention this to the current team and say that I have been working in the previous team in my resume? <S> While interviewers will care about your title, the company, and the kind of work you performed, resume readers seldom care which team you worked on, or the specific office in which you worked. <S> And as mhoran_psprep points out background checks seldom care, either. <A> As an addendum <S> - No, you do not have to mention it in your resume, or even at an interview if it is not asked. <S> However, there is no reason to lie about it either . <S> Your reason for leaving is not unreasonable, and if for some reason they ask if you were part of a team/teams, and you must mention being transferred to another team for a short time towards the end of your work, then be honest. <S> You don't have to explain why you left after being transferred to anther team, but you don't have to hide it if teamwork happens to come up as part of an interview. <S> Basically, it is the employer's job to ask questions to discover the depth of their prospective employee, and it is your job to explain to the prospective employer anything they ask, but nothing beyond that is required.
| If your title stayed the same when you changed teams, it's reasonable to avoid any team-specific mentions on your resume. If you don't keep it up to date you may miss out on opportunities, or confuse the issue when they are trying to evaluate your skill set.
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What is the proper way to ask for compensation for pitch work? 9 times out of 10 when interviewing with a company I'll be posed with the task of creating an app or site in order to win the work. A wordpress plugin, animation or node server that downloads flickr images via tags. What would be the proper way of telling the client that I need to be paid for my time in order to do the work? Usually when I pose this question to the company that is asking me for pitch work I don't hear back. <Q> but you will retain the copyright on the work and that if they want to use it, they'll have to pay you. <A> Usually the conversation goes something like this: Client: <S> "So we need you to build project X for us as part of the interview process." <S> Me: <S> "Ok. <S> That will take me a few days to get the initial prototype online for you to review. <S> I'll give you the URL for the demo, and a file or two showing the code style. <S> " <S> At this point the discussion goes in one of two directions. <S> The more likely direction happens when I'm dealing with a good business: <S> Client: "Great, let me know if you have any questions." <S> The less likely direction, though, happens when I'm interviewing with a bad or shady client: <S> Client: <S> "Um, we need to have the whole source code, not just a sample." <S> By this time I've already sunk a lot of time in interviewing, and am probably unhappy that I didn't weed out this bad client earlier. <S> Generally I don't give them any slack, because I don't want to work with people like this. <S> If they understand that we're trying to build a business relationship, then they won't try to get work from me for free, and they will understand that both sides will protect themselves with reasonable measures. <S> Me: <S> "I see. <S> Unfortunately I don't do speculative work, where I would have to deliver the entire solution without assurance of payment. <S> I've already provided you with my portfolio, and I'm even willing to build a site for you that demonstrates my ability to work to your specifications. <S> If that isn't enough to convince you that I'm the resource you need, it's probably best if we discontinue the interviews so we can both spend our time finding a better match for each of our respective needs." <S> They may then give all sorts of reasons why they have to have the full site, but it's never been worth my time pursuing such a contract. <S> There are too many better opportunities in this world to pursue the bad ones. <A> I can't tell for sure if you are a freelancer who is making pitches to companies to gain their work or someone trying to land a full time job. <S> If you are a freelancer, you need to consider that pitch work is part of your sunk costs for winning work <S> and I would treat it the same way I would treat other nonbillable things, that is I would adjust my hourly rate a bit for all work to account for nonbillable hours. <S> If you don't figure this in as a percentage of your rate, you also won't be able to take vacations, or do nonclient sepcific work that relates to runnning a business (like doing taxes). <S> What you would never do is ask for this directly. <S> This is an indirect cost and should be accounted for in your pricing model. <S> If you are simply interviewing, just count it as part of the cost of interviewing. <S> If a company wants more than an afternoon's worth of work from you, then that shoudl be an indicator that you don't really want to work for them. <S> It is not going to impress any interviewer if you ask to be paid for this work. <A> One approach I've taken successfully before is to agree to do it for a cost, but indicate that the amount they pay for this initial work will be applied to the larger project. <S> For example:"Sure thing. <S> It'll be $300 to put together the demo. <S> If you like what you see, the $300 will be applied to the larger project. <S> " <S> You get paid for your work, and know off the bat if they're a legitimate company, or just looking for freebies.
| Perhaps tell them you'll do the work
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My boss gave me everyone's pay by mistake and mine is lower, how can I increase it? I found out that a co worker is making 10,000 dollars more than me. My boss handed me a document that had increases for all our employees by mistake. He grabbed in back when he realized it had someone in my same position pay on it. I have been with the company longer and held more responsibilities than my co worker. I had an idea that he was making more but I no proof of it. Last year, my boss emailed me the same information. I was able to read it before he came to my desk to delete it. I knew for a year my co worker was making more. So I went to my boss to ask for more responsibilities to try to help myself for next review. He definitely gave me more. So for a year, I kept my mouth shut and busted by butt. This review I received the minimum. I also found out that he gave $1000 dollars of my bonus to my coworker. Every year we get $2000 dollar bonus. This year I received $1000 dollars and my co worker received $3000. That was also listed on the document. How do I approach my boss? <Q> First, let's gather the facts, according to the limits of this question. <S> You are paid about $10K less than your co-worker <S> , I assume that's a yearly salary difference. <S> Your co-worker was, dubiously, paid more in bonus pay than you, in roughly the exact amount that your bonus was reduced. <S> Your boss did not intend to alert you to this difference. <S> You have longer tenure than your co-worker. <S> You have previously held more job responsibilities than your co-worker. <S> You have generally suspected there was a pay difference for some period of time. <S> Second, let's address the lingering questions. <S> What is the difference between the work you and your co-worker do now ? <S> What is the difference in the results <S> you and your co-worker produce now ? <S> Why do you think that your co-worker is and should/could be paid differently? <S> Compensation should be a reflection of the value you bring to your firm. <S> So it boils down to this: is there a difference in the value you bring your firm when compared with your co-worker? <S> If so that would explain the difference in compensation. <S> However, you must also remember that labor is a market. <S> Thus, if you cannot translate the value you create for your firm easily to another firm, then that will negatively impact your value because it decreases competition for your services. <S> So my recommendation is that you start by really understanding your compensation situation and the market for your talents. <S> Once you have that understanding, then I would immediately seek to negotiate compensation to a fair market rate. <S> If that compensation is not forthcoming then I would seek fair market compensation in the open market. <S> My recommendation on the immediate re-negotiation is based on the fact that it shows urgency and forces your boss to assess your value seriously. <S> Waiting until the next review is a weak negotiating position. <A> What would I need to do to get get a raise to Fred's salary level? <S> " There may, in fact, be specific additional responsibilities or activities which merit the higher pay. <S> (For example, I much prefer doing development than customer support, but I've been told I need to do more customer support if I want to push my performance rating up...) <A> I would raise the question at your next one to one (Appraisal) in a tactful manner. <S> However you will have to realize that even though two roles can be identical two candidates skills and experience levels can differ. <S> It might be helpful to do some research into 'market rates' for your current position and experience level and take them to the meeting. <S> This is based on my own experience of being in this same situation two times in the past when i felt i was being underpaid. <S> I do not recommend approaching management at just any time as companies usually review wages at specific times of the year so as stated previously wait till your next one to one appraisal / review. <S> If after the review you do not get the answer you desire <S> then you can happily check the open market knowing you tried everything you could at your current firm. <A> What is missing is why you've never asked for more money? <S> If you feel salary/bonus is limited by what everyone else gets, you have enough information to form a reason for more money. <S> You indicated you have more responsibilities, <S> so that's another reason you should make more. <S> There is a risk to asking for a raise, so you have to decide how far you want to take this. <S> If you can't find another job making more money, your company has a reason not to pay you more because there is no threat you will leave. <S> A lot of pricing is based on what the market will pay; salaries are no different. <S> To a certain extent, if you don't ask for more money, how is anyone suppose to know they need to offer you more after you've accepted the lower amount?
| If you are a valuable asset to the company and you approach asking for a raise tactfully giving thought out accurate reasons why you are entitled to a raise they will consider it. It would not be unreasonable to go to your boss and say "Hey, I know you didn't intend to give me the info, but...
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Former Company is suing current client My Former company is suing their former client, which is my current client now with new company.Now my former company request to provide information about the previous project (3 years ago) and involve in the arbitration. The question : Should I involved or provide any information or not? because from my point of view there's no benefit at all, every single penny that i spend will go into my former company and not me. second i may jeopardizing my career.They called just now to be a witness and i may need to sign something. I have a very good rapport with the client that's why the former and the current company hired me to deal with that client. <Q> You don't work for the former company anymore, so it's none of your business anymore. <S> In your current situation it is more important for you to maintain the relationship to your current client than your previous employer. <S> That means you should try to stay out of this conflict as much as possible. <S> As long as there is no court which orders you to testify as a witness, there is no reason to get involved in this situation at all. <S> When there is such a court order, you will have to testify under oath, so it will be hard to blame you for anything you say. <A> You need to talk to your current company's lawyer. <S> Ignoring the issue can have serious consequences, and a lawyer can help you navigate them. <S> Since this is in the best interest of your employer, it's likely they'll want to be involved. <S> IANAL Be honest, take good notes, and remember that anonymous advice from strangers on the Internet (who don't even claim to be lawyers) should never substitute for professional legal assistance. <A> Do not get afraid. <S> It happens most of the time <S> but I do not think that you should provide information and try to be witness. <S> Let them do it. <S> If you had softer relations with former company then It's totally up to you. <S> If you think they can be helpful in your future career path, you should definitely help them or do not get stuck with that.
| When your former employer asks for your involvement, that can only mean that they assume that whatever you say will likely be in their favor and not in that of your current client.
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How to ask for compensation due to delay in start date? A bit over a month ago I accepted an offer from a major tech company in the US. From the start of the hiring process, it was known that I'd need some paperwork from the company to obtain the visa I need to work there. I frequently followed up with my recruiter asking how things were going and when I would get the paperwork I needed from them. I was always assured that everything was moving along and that I'd get everything I need in time (the visa I need has no processing time, I just need to have all the correct documents with me at time of travel). Shortly before I was set to leave, my recruiter contacted me to inform me that there was a mix-up and my name had never even entered the queue of people who need visa assistance. Because of this, my start date may get pushed back by two weeks while their legal team handles my file. I have already left my previous job and apartment in preparation for starting my new job on the original start date. I will be speaking to someone later today to discuss what needs to be done and determine when I'll be able to start with them. If my start date is pushed back, is it unreasonable for me to ask for some form of compensation? How should I go about doing so? I'm very frustrated by the idea of sitting around doing nothing for two weeks when I could have stayed on longer with my previous employer. <Q> If you are polite and you do not use a tone by which it sounds like you are entitled to extra assistance, then there is nothing unprofessional about asking. <S> However, the company doesn't owe you any assistance for this. <S> I've heard of even worse situations where someone left a job and apartment in London to accept an offer in San Francisco, and upon physically arriving in San Francisco, he was informed that the new company was unable to pay for the position they had offered to him. <S> He had a 90 day tourist visa, no job, no apartment, and had left his previous job already. <S> It's very unpleasant that companies are allowed to do this, but nothing really stops them. <S> Your best bet is to politely ask for them to put you in an extended stay hotel while it is sorted out (or else to begin paying you despite the visa) and possibly to offer a sign-on bonus to cover some of the short term expenses that you may need to cover with credit until it is sorted. <S> But beware -- they don't have to do anything and the process by which they can help you is probably mired in bureaucracy. <S> This is also a pretty strong signal that it's a bad company. <S> Once you do start the job, if the culture, projects, job satisfaction, etc., are not through the roof and exceeding your expectations, you should promptly begin another job search. <S> Sticking with a company after they do something like this is generally a bad idea (and this applies in spades if they choose not to offer you some form of short term pay / housing / etc. <S> to mitigate the short term costs that they have forced you to incur). <A> Maybe. <S> It depends on who dropped the ball; if it was the recruiter, the government, or the employer. <S> If it's the government there may be paperwork to fill out <S> otherwise you're up the same avenue as with the recruiter, but historically speaking you'll be in for a harder time since governments tend to be very slow moving and might just say "we never guarantee a response time". <S> You might spend more time than is worth fighting for compensation, and there's a chance you won't be. <S> If it's the employer, that's up to your personal judgement whether you seek to demand compensation before starting. <S> You can certainly politely request it, and a 'good' employer might give you a token holdover for the mix-up. <S> But if you choose to press it you may risk damaging your relationship with them early - so it's a personal decision up to your discretion. <A> It's been said that it never hurts to ask. <S> Of course, as with all absolute statements (including this one), there are exceptions. <S> One of the first things to do is to check your paperwork. <S> Did you sign a contract? <S> Did the contract include a date by which you would begin work? <S> If so, check for what stipulations there are for if such a date is not accomplished. <S> Some contract boilerplate includes verbiage on what happens if the start date is pushed out or moved forward and some do not. <S> If you feel it seems logical, ask the company. <S> Perhaps they can start you on your training materials, or have you work on a concept necessary to the project on your own. <S> If they balk, it may be worthy gently indicating that, if they are not willing to stand up to their side of the contract, there is nothing preventing you from pursuing other opportunities. <S> Either way, a contract is a contract, and it applies to both sides. <S> Unfortunately, this may result in having to bring in a lawyer if it's serious enough. <S> If you haven't signed a contract, well, you might be able to argue a verbal contract, but your chances are bad. <S> In that case, congratulations, you are a free agent. <S> You have no obligation to begin work with them, so you can start interviewing again, and I'd honestly recommend that you do so, just in case you can't come to an agreement with them.
| If it was the recruiter then demand compensation from them and depending on the laws of the area you may be able to seek legal compensation if they turn down your request.
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Why would an Employer like to know salary expectations upfront before Interview from prospective job candidate? At moment I am on job search and answerd to few job advertisements. Today in late afternoon I received a call from a company and the HR lady wants to know my salary expectations. As I was at my workplace, hence I told her that "right now I am at my workplace so I will call her tomorrow". As per this company's website they are one of good Company with offices at 4 locations. Evening I did found a nice email from her stating "Thanks for you interest in our company. It will take time to screen all job applications. Once shortlisted they will get back to me." As per my past experience, such HR comes back with standard -ve reply. So, why they would like to know candidates salary expectations upfront before an Interview? <Q> It's not uncommon for employers to want to know what your salary expectations are before investing too much time on the interviewing process. <S> It does no one any good if they have a budget of x for the position <S> but you wouldn't consider anything less than 2*x. <S> It's perfectly reasonable to express your expectations in a range if you don't want to give a single value and to include caveats about the expected range of benefits. <S> If you don't want to give a number, you could turn the question around and ask what the salary range for the position is. <S> That accomplishes the same goal of ensuring that you're not wasting each other's time <S> but it gives you a bit more leverage in negotiations. <S> Any calls you have about job opportunities should be handled away from your desk and away from your current coworkers. <S> There is no benefit to broadcasting to the world that you're looking for a new position. <A> If you received such a reply from the HR Department before you were interviewed or before you were able (or willing) to give them a hard number as to compensation, I would suggest moving this position to the back burner. <S> It's likely that they called a number of people about this job and used their lack of willingness to discuss compensation before an interview as a criterion to exclude candidates. <S> This is a very poor practice as it presumes that the level of compensation they are offering is attractive and that what they are offering will net them an ideal candidate. <S> This is a sign of a company whose sole focus is employee pay and not teambuilding or creating an atmosphere that engenders loyalty and long-term employment. <S> While I would certainly reply to the call or email (your choice as to which) I would take a form letter email like this one at face value and no expect that anything further interest in you will come from this company. <A> Talking from a UK perspective (which was in western Europe the last time I checked) it's quite normal for a role to either state a salary range (e.g. x-y or up to x), or for you to be asked when they are shortlisting. <S> This is a ball park number (at least x), and allows them to avoid interviewing someone who will expect an amount beyond budget. <S> It's not the final figure <S> and I have gone back at negotiation time and asked for (and got) more. <A> If you are from outside Europe there may be a minimum salary requirement for a visa to work in Europe <S> and they might have wanted to ensure your requirements are in compliance with immigration regulations.
| If salary discussions wait until everyone has invested multiple hours interviewing, that's potentially a significant waste of effort.
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Is it ok to leave out my country of residence? I would like to know if it's ok to not show my current country of residence in my resume? I know by experience, that most recruiter would prefer hiring people from the same state/country and I would like to avoid being excluded from the get go. I am not saying that I want to hide this information, it is visible on my blog, Linkedin page, about me page, on the education section and also on the work experience... I just want the reader to first see that I'm worthy before he gets to know that I require relocation. Thanks <Q> No, it's not OK. <S> Depending on the countries involved, hiring a non-native may be a SERIOUS burden on the employer. <S> It's fine for them to take that burden on if they want, but trying to get partway through the hiring process before springing that detail on them is rude, and will probably lose you the job anyway. <A> The reason is simple. <S> If you get a quick yes, you pretty much have to mention about your location to arrange when you are to start anyway. <S> Depending on the job you apply for, some might want you in-house ASAP, and then you're in a slight amount of trouble. <S> You are also expected to be honest on your resume, and while leaving details out isn't lying per se, it can still be seen as a negative thing. <S> Your papers can be filled with details about experience and recommendations, but your papers matter little until they've actually had you in for an interview, face to face. <S> And don't bother with adding linkedin, blog links or website links, they are not too likely to check it out, as judgement usually falls during interview. <S> The more shiny you seem to be, the more likely they will try and test to see if you actually are that good, or just a punk who has blown his papers way out of proportions. <S> In short, add it. <S> The worst that can happen is you'll get a 'No' from them. <S> They will rarely say exactly why , either. <S> Getting a few negative answers is just your everyday part of being someone who is looking for a job. <A> Your question asks if the resume needs to include this, and I think that it does not -- so yes, it's ok to omit it there . <S> However, as others have said, it's rude to start down the application path without disclosing information that a company might consider to be a deal-breaker. <S> So you have to tell them, but you don't necessarily need to do it on the resume if you don't want to for some reason. <S> This is where the cover letter comes in. <S> In the cover letter, after your pitch, you say something like "I currently live in $location and am open to relocation". <S> If you do not need relocation assistance for some reason, say so -- you've just gotten less expensive. <S> (Maybe you're going to be moving to the target location anyway, for instance. <S> Maybe your spouse already has a new job there with relocation.) <S> Further, for all but the smallest companies, there is likely to be a formal application that you have to fill out. <S> This will ask for your current address, among other things. <S> If you are are only concerned about being rejected by the initial HR screener, then this really doesn't make a difference -- do what I advised or just put it on the resume. <S> The resume will be passed around; the cover letter might not be and the application generally won't be (at least in my experience). <S> When I (technical person, not HR) am given a resume to review I don't care about where the candidate is coming from (not my problem), only what he can do, and I've reviewed resumes that only included an email address without blinking. <S> My own resume does not include a physical location and this doesn't appear to be hindering me (though I am not open to relocation, and say so if applying to a company with locations outside my own city). <A> Wouldn't you rather weed out the comapnies that are unwilling to go through the process to hire from another country before you wate much time on them?
| But if you fear that your location might influence other reviewers (e.g. because of prejudices), you can do what I've suggested and leave it off of the resume. I would go with 'No'.
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How to Limit expanded project? All my previous projects expanded to be 300% or 400% more than the original requirements. Somehow I fall in love with the project and try to make it better and better by adding new features and pretty design. Then suddenly I discover that I'm behind deadline and some requirements are still undone. By this the employer expects the same quality in the rest of the project with the same deadline which is impossible. I feel I become less productive holding 75% requirements done with over-expected quality and 25% totally undone. The result is overwork for long time, a lot of apologies, late delivery with the same salary. What to do if I find something good to be added to the program? Should I ignore it to keep my deadline or ask for deadline extension or it is fine to ask for extra money and time? <Q> Your project management process is suffering from feature creep and (probably) the planning fallacy . <S> Things you could be doing: use TDD; That means, define your feature, write a positive test for it, then write code until the test passes (and no more). <S> in your planning, keep two lists: "features" and "out-of-scope features". <S> When you get an idea ("it would be nice if the quux also worked with a blox" <S> ) place it in the "out-of-scope features". <S> If you have time (first priority), and client agrees that your idea would be a cool feature, you can move ideas, one by one from the out-of-scope to the features list (with extra time budget, agreed by client). <S> formalize your goals; When you create a task list, create a bullet-point list of criteria to match for the task to be done ("definition of DONE"). <S> Criteria Example: <S> task is done when: code is clean there is a positive unit test and it passes there are negative unit tests for invalid inputs and they pass API is documented code is checked in. <A> Somehow I fall in love with the project and try to make it better and better by adding new features and pretty design. <S> Then suddenly I discover that I'm behind deadline and some requirements are still undone. <S> So the obvious solution is - stop doing that! <S> Instead, focus on the requirements. <S> Keeping the deadline in mind, get the project done so that it meets all the requirements, to the level of quality expected. <S> Then, and only then, ask your employer if it is okay to add new features, pretty up the design, etc. <S> (Remember, you may not be the only person on the project. <S> If you decide to add non-required features, someone else may need to test them, documentation may need to be changed, marketing may need to redo screenshots, etc. <S> And each of those folks may have run out of project time.) <S> If your employer now says you can do more - then have fun. <S> But often the trick is getting a system to "good enough", and then moving on to the next revenue-producing project, rather than constantly tweaking an already-complete-enough system. <A> What you seem to be lacking is constant communication with your employer. <S> Adopt an agile-like approach to development, and iterate often. <S> For each iteration, only focus on what the employer needs. <S> Talk to your employer each time you finish an iteration. <S> This will ensure that whenever you take an important step forward, the employer is able to tell how the project is doing. <S> Don't attempt to sway him into sharing your perfectionist point of view. <S> If he thinks what you're showing him is good enough, then it's good enough, and no amount of perfectionism is going to be worth it there. <A> From a workplace perspective, what you are doing is entirely unacceptable. <S> You have been given tasks to do, you expend them without authorization to do more than was asked for, you expand the cost of the project by 3-4 times <S> and then you don't deliver all that was asked for on time. <S> This is a clear performance issue and I would not be surprised at getting fired or getting a poor review, both of which you deserve. <S> You have to understand that from a business perspective, they are expecting the product they asked for, not the one you decided on your own to change. <S> They are paying for the product, they have the right to decide what they need. <S> Those requirements you are blowing off to make things prettier or to do some cool things are probably important to the bussiness, far more important than what you are spending your time on. <S> It is a matter of priorities. <S> What you need to do from a workplace persopective is stop making changes without going through an approval process, stop blowing of the boring bits to do do fun stuff and start paying attentino to what the users actually need. <S> YOu need to learn to present your ideas to the business and not to work on them at all (except for the presentation) until you have approval <S> and then you need to elarn to discuss priorities with your supervisor on a daily basis. <S> THe people paying for the project deserve you to behave perofessionally and not waste their money going off in an unapproved direction. <A> If this is happening to you often (and it sounds like this isn't a one-off) the best thing for you to do is to create your own plan to track your progress through it. <S> If your plan says that X feature should be complete by week 1 and you're approaching the end of week 1, <S> you know you have to get a move on. <S> That should keep you making expected progress throughout rather than the nasty surprise near the end when you realise it's only half done.
| After you formalize your task, work on a single task until it is finished, then move on to the next. If you are not capable of telling yourself what is good enough, have your employer tell you what is. You should not be allowed to expand a project by 3-4 hundred percent (clearly your boss is not doing his job eaither or he would have reined you in.)
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How to respond to a rejection of recommendation letter I requested a reference from a prof whom I used to know . He politely declined my request and responded this way: Hmmm..it is tricky - since I have not taught you or worked with you - it would be very hard for me to say anything about your work in a fair and honest manner. I believe that you have done very good work - but you must understand that only someone who has worked with you or taught you can give a strong recommendation - one that will convince the reviewers. If I give you a recommendation - it will have very little value since I would have only an indirect knowledge of your work and would not be able to write convincingly. I hope you can understand. I hope you understand why I am reluctant to write a letter for you. I wish you all the best. I feel this is totally fair and what he said is right. I want to thank him for the long email he wrote to decline my request in a nice and kind manner. How should I go about it? <Q> It's good see that you have taken your rejection in a positive way <S> and you are not complaining about it. <S> You can respond to him if you wish as I mentioned below: <S> Thank you prof for your valuable reply. <S> You are right in saying "NO" to my request for recommendation as I felt that I made a mistake in asking recommendation after reading your reply, where you are right that you may find it difficult in recommending me for a job without knowing about my work. <S> I hope that I did not made you uncomfortable by asking for your recommendation. <S> Once again, thank you for your honest reply prof. <A> Since your prof has said more than once "I hope you understand" it would be nice if you provide that reassurance: <S> Thankyou, I do understand and I see your point (or agree with you) <S> The question remains why you asked for a reference from someone who doesn't know you well enough to write one. <S> Were you just collecting dozens of references in case <S> you need them? <S> Or are you unable to think of who to ask? <S> In that case, you might go on to say <S> I asked you because ... <S> and then ask <S> Can you suggest someone that would be a better choice? <S> (Don't take this opportunity to ask "can you change your mind?" <S> - that would not be polite at all.) <S> You should both open your letter with thanks (Dear Professor X, thank you for your kind email and detailed explanation) and close it that way (thanks again for considering my request and explaining your reasoning, which I now understand). <S> Notice the extra bonus statement of understanding - your prof really did mention this an extraordinary amount so be sure to say more than once that you do understand. <A> If you are a friend or a colleague of this person, then a polite "Thank you for responding to my email" and nothing more might be the best course of action. <S> Not every email or returned missive requires a response. <S> You may wish to reflect upon why you thought that this person would be willing to provide a recommendation for you and then to your surprise did not. <S> Perhaps you should reevaluate your relationship (if any) with this person or reassess your strengths or weaknesses in your field of endeavor. <S> Most people understand how difficult it can be to start off in the business world, so a rejection of a reference is almost always a sign that they don't have confidence in the rejectee's abilities or that the person asked for the reference isn't the supportive person who you considered them to be. <S> Either way, unless you feel strongly that there is a need to respond, not doing so may be the safest option for you.
| If the professor is not someone with whom you are socially or emotionally close, then simply not responding might be the better course of action.
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Need help on this Interview question How can I handle this sort of question: Give an example of when you had to change the way you did something in order to solve a problem? Note: I am posting the interview questions here because of answers here . <Q> Using someone else's answer to this question is completely useless. <S> All you will learn or demonstrate is that someone else is a good or bad fit for that job. <S> As Ross says, this happens dozens of times a day. <S> I go to the drawer for a knife to make a sandwich, and there are no clean knives. <S> I wash one, or I use a spoon to make a peanut butter sandwich, or I eat an apple instead. <S> I emailed someone and asked for something to be done, but got no answer. <S> I had to phone the person instead. <S> That time the server was down <S> but you needed to [something] <S> so you [something'ed] <S> instead. <S> That time your boss was rushed to the hospital and couldn't approve the deploy scheduled for that afternoon, so you [whatever'ed] <S> instead. <S> It's ok to make yourself the hero in this story - that's part of the point of it. <S> You can even practice telling the story a few times so that you get things in the right order. <S> When I'm interviewing you, and I hear this story, you want me to think "this is the kind of person we need! <S> Resourceful, imaginative, and yet respectful of the motivations behind the process. <S> " You don't want me to think "is that all you've got?" or "oh no, one of those cowboys who can't wait to abandon all the process because it's supposedly an emergency." <S> Or, if the story is about getting a person to help you, again you want me thinking " <S> yes, I can see what a benefit it would be to have this candidate on our team" not "oh lord I cannot let this one near Steve it would be a fistfight within a week". <S> So make sure your story tells the truth about who you are and how you work. <A> I see this as a question of how creative, adaptable and persistent someone is in handling the case of what does work versus what should work. <S> There can be steps taken to solve a problem that in some cases may need to be handled differently. <S> To give an example from Software Development in regards to fixing a bug. <S> If the bug is found in a testing environment, I may have a process of reproducing the bug, looking for various solutions, making a short list of options that I hand to a manager to determine which makes the most sense from a business perspective and then implement the fix, test it, get a code review and then commit to the version control for the next push. <S> However, if there is a bug found in production that has to be fixed immediately, I may change this approach as I may not have time to do things with so much bureaucracy to it. <S> I may jump into finding the bug, changing the code, get it reviewed and then pushed into production in an expedited way. <S> The question has a few pieces to consider as there is something to be said for how big of a change is there, what caused the change to be done and what was learned from this new approach. <A> I've had loads of these questions and I find them close to useless in determining anything <S> but the interviewees ability to speak. <S> Constantly throughout the day and throughout my working life I " change the way <S> [I do] something in order to solve a problem ", this is the nature of problem solving and adaptability. <S> However, as this is a normal and frequent occurrence, I take very little notice of it <S> Normally I would feel guilty about lying in an interview but what benefit can an interviewer get from an answer to this question? <S> Who is going to say "I haven't"? <S> no one. <S> So those who have never been in this situation (or can't think of one) are going to lie <S> and there's no way to validate the tale told. <S> Those who have are going to tell you a story very much like not only the person who lies, but like every other interviewee. <S> So in short, if nothing pops into mind give an example of a generic situation in which you should constantly find yourself.
| so when asked a question like this, I find it easier just to make up a nice sounding story (with some basis in truth and without embellishing your skills above your ability) if nothing pops immediately to mind, than sit and try think of a specific occurrence. What you need to do is learn how to find your own answer to this question. If you're in "interview mode" what you want to do is come up with examples of this type that are larger, and that are relevant to the job you're applying for.
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Is it alright to ask for a copy of your diploma or transcript of records from your HR Department? I am currently in the process of applying to another employer, and it looks like the hiring manager wants a copy of my transcript and diploma. I am currently employed, and I think I sent out the original copies to my current employer. Would it be bad to ask for scans of those? Wouldn't they know I am applying for another job? Wouldn't this mean bad things for me? The company I'm applying for asked me for these documents one day before the interview, and if I get these documents from my school it would take a lot of days. <Q> You can ask, but why you don't have the originals already is very curious. <S> Most companies don't want original documents, as they then become liable if the documents are misused or stolen. <S> They should have copied the documents that you gave them and then returned the originals. <S> In fact, that's how you should address the matter. <S> Side note: You should probably not send a copy of your degree and your transcripts ahead of receiving simply an interview. <S> An interview is not a guarantee of employment and the target company may not have the internal controls necessary to keep your personal information from being misused. <S> If you are seriously in the running as a candidate, the proper order of things would be for the company to first tender you an offer based upon the successful completion of a background check, including educational accomplishments. <S> In my experience (which I'll admit is limited to companies in North America) which "pre-check" employees before even interviewing them are far less likely to then hire many of those individuals. <A> the hiring manager wants a copy of my transcript and diploma. <S> At least in the US, you can request these from your school. <S> There is no need to approach your current employer. <S> Once you request them, and learn how long it will take for them to arrive, notify your hiring manager. <S> He/she will almost certainly understand, as this likely isn't the first time she/he has asked for them. <A> Is it alright? <S> Yes, probably. <S> From a paranoid standpoint, it tips your hand that you're doing something. <S> You could be applying for a grant, grad school, or a new job - so it's not necessarily that you are planning to quit soon. <S> But someone asking for a copy of the transcript is bound to be a bit of a puzzle in the HR department. <S> Is it efficient? <S> Probably not. <S> If you think you will get the copy from your work quickly, you are mistaken. <S> The HR department doesn't have a vested interest in getting this for you quickly, and it may well be hard to find. <S> Don't assume that this is the fastest path if you need these documents in a hurry - try multiple paths, including calling your school. <S> Is it weird? <S> Yes. <S> In some situations, the new position will be looking for a verified transcript that is send directly from your school to the employer. <S> It's generally <S> not assumed that your current employer is the best place to get paperwork that is relevant to your time at a different institution (your school). <S> In essence, it's not your employer's job to be the keeper of your paperwork. <S> It's your job. <S> When you give a document that you have 1 original copy of, give a copy, not the original. <S> If the next employer insists on an original, then insist that you have the time to request it from your school. <S> It's not at all unreasonable to say that 1 day of turnaround time is NOT reasonable for paperwork like this. <S> My approach would actually be to go to the interview with a printout or copy of my transcript & diploma - whatever I can find online, and to promise to have already requested a formal dispatch from the school that will arrive in whatever number of days the school can manage. <A> Just ask for a copy from hr. <S> You don't have to give them any explanation about why you want copies. <S> If they request to know why you want a copy, you want it for your personal records. <S> And don't volunteer any more than that. <A> Yes, by all means you can ask for the documents. <S> You can just tell them that you need to take copies of them, and keep it for multiple purposes, like applying for higher studies, other applications, etc...
| You should tell them that you mistakenly gave HR your only copies of your degree and your transcript and that you'd like to "rectify your mistake" and allow them to retain copies for their records while your originals are returned to you. You might require those documents for many reasons, and not only to apply for another employer, because of that, your current company should not see that as a problem, and it would not cause anything bad to happen to you.
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How to convince my coworker to follow my approach without damaging our relationship? I have spent the last 6 months at my first job after grad studies in a team of 8 people. I need to collaborate with my teammates for the project and although I am very comfortable with everyone else there is one person which I feel I have a problematic relationship with. He's generally nice, but when working on ideas I felt that he has strong opinions. He is one year senior than me and always tries to force the way he thinks and works onto me. I am politely conveying him that we may not needed to strictly follow what he thinks since I prefer simpler, practical ideas, over his approach to follow book knowledge which tends to be more complex. He is still forcing me to follow his approach instead of mine. When I asked him why that would be better, his answer was just that a particular book or paper talks about those ideas. Since he is senior to me, I give him due respect and try to discuss with him why my approach might be simpler and why I would like to use that instead of his. But I feel that he is uncomfortable with my rejection of his ideas. What should I do better to convince him to use my ideas without damaging the relationship between us? <Q> You will face this situation throughout your professional career. <S> If the only reasons YOU can come up with that supports your way of doing something is that "YOU think it is simpler/less complex" or <S> "YOU like it better" then get used to having the over-bearing people walk all over you. <S> I went through the process in my early career. <S> My solution to the problem was to develop my expertise and now I know why my solution is better (in the situations where it is) <S> and I can explain the reasons in concrete terms. <S> I can also show where the other solution is less desirable. <S> In the meantime, see what you can do about breaking your project into "relatively" stand-alone pieces so he can do his part the way he wants <S> and you can do yours the way you want. <S> You'll still have to negotiate the overlaps, but at least this will minimize the issue. <A> Your title says it all, "...to follow MY approach... <S> " It doesn't say "...to follow the BEST approach...". <S> You both think you are right, but neither of you are having a constructive debate about the pros and cons. <S> A constructive debate is one that gets into the details because you are both well versed in the details . <S> The answer is to become more like Margaret Thatcher, who was well known for knowing more about any topic before she discussed it. <S> She did her homework. <S> You can only expect to persuade people when you are well versed in the details. <S> That doesn't mean you will convince others every time, it just means that others will begin to increasingly pay attention and value what you have to say. <S> You will gain respect and that is a precursor to influence. <A> I think both you and your coworker are right in your own way. <S> He want to follow what he has read over the years <S> and you are looking the situation at a very practical point of view. <S> Why don't you sit up together and find a middle path in each and every situation, since every situation is different. <S> Your end result should be up to the mark. <A> It sounds as if you both are having trouble communicating with one another. <S> You state that your ideas are "simpler." <S> To whom are they "simpler? <S> " If they are only simple to YOU, then they may not be as effective as you may be imagining. <S> You also stated that his ideas are "complex." <S> Are they complex to YOU or others? <S> Are they effective? <S> If they are, then regardless of their perceived complexities, they may also be effective solutions to the problems at hand. <S> Looking from the outside, this seems to be a problem of your supervision. <S> If that person (or those people) assign you both tasks, they should be able to decide which approaches are used to complete the work in a timely manner. <S> If your supervision prefers his complexity over your simplicity, you may have to emulate portions of his performance to become successful. <S> The inverse may be true if your simplicity performs the same needed tasks in a more cost efficient and effective manner. <S> The bottom line is that he was their first. <S> If you are eventually promoted ahead of him, then you'll get to implement the changes which you believe to be necessary. <S> The key thing is to not assume that your methods are "better." <S> They may be better for you or you may perceive them to be easier than his. <S> Neither of which is helpful in most situations as it will cause you to butt heads with a co-worker instead of getting work done. <S> Talk with you manager, see how he/she prefers to have things done and then adar your performance to their needs.
| If he remains your senior and your management prefers his methods, then you may have to adopt some or all of them to perform well at your job. The key is that those reasons need to be demonstrable reasons and not just vague opinions like I think it is less complex.
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Who is appropriate to use for a reference? When applying for jobs that ask for references, who is appropriate to use for a reference? I know that common practice is to use people you have worked with, but are non-work references acceptable as well? For instance, suppose you frequently email a person about their work and ask them questions. Can you use them as a work reference even if you do not professionally work with them? <Q> Suppose you frequently email a person about their work and ask them questions. <S> Can you use him as a work reference even if you do not professionally work with him? <S> You can use anyone you choose as a reference. <S> But the real question is - would this be a wise choice? <S> You could use the President of the United States as a reference, but unless you actually worked with her/him, it would be foolish to do so. <S> Similarly, you could use your internet buddy, whom you have never really met and have never really work with, but it might not make sense to do so. <S> If a hiring manager called this person and asked about you, what insight could this person provide? <S> If your internet buddy said "I've never met him." <S> would that help or hurt your job candidacy? <S> In general, you want references who know you well enough, and have direct evidence of your work , and who will say really good things about your work ability when asked. <S> Using anyone else is a risk. <S> At best, your email friend might be able to say "He sends a lot of emails, and asks good questions. <S> " But it's unlikely he has any direct evidence of your work ability. <S> Is that the best you can do for a reference? <A> The person would need to be fairly well-known in my industry <S> (forinstance I have some people I have worked with online who are SQLServer MVPs) <S> I would have to be the one providing information or help to that person not getting information from him. <S> This might have been in the form of helping him out on some technicial issues or writing blog posts for him when he was unable to do so for some reason, contributing to a book that he edited or providing training at an event like SQL Saturdays or working with him on conferences. <S> It isn't a reference unless he, in some way, knows and respects your work. <S> I would have to have the requisite 3 references from my work experience before adding this one. <S> This type of reference is in addition to never instead of. <S> The person has agreed to provide the reference and didn't go, "Who are you again?" <S> In other words, the person remembers you. <S> This type of reference is useful if it would impress the hiring officials that you have influential contacts outside your own office who think highly of you. <S> It would not impress them if you have no co-workers who also think highly of you. <A> My experience has been that by the time a company decides to check your references, they've already made the decision to hire you & are just covering their bases. <S> The exception is recruiting or contracting firms, who will vet candidates before they represent them. <S> My dad actually had an experience where a recruiter called him back and said, can you get another reference, because one of your references panned you. <S> ;) <S> Really, if this person you interact with is willing, and that relationship is OK with the company doing the check, then sure. <S> But what I usually do is have a list of references, and if the company complains they want more managers, or more coworkers, or whatever, then I have those contacts on hand.
| If I was to use a person I didn't work with directly as a reference, the person and my relationship to the person would have to meet certain criteria:
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Do employers favor Premium LinkedIn Job Seekers over ordinary Job Seekers? An option on LinkedIn for ordinary (non-paying) account-holders is to upgrade to Premium (paying) status. There are various benefits including "Move your job applications to the top of the recruiter's list." and "Stand out in search results with a premium icon on your profile." preliminary question How do things appear to employers when they search for potential new employees? several job seekers apply via the Apply button? main question Assuming employers know the difference between "ordinary" and Premium job seekers, how does that affect their judgement? I'm not asking about any other possible benefits to the job seeker, such as InMail Messages or Who's Viewed Your Profile. <Q> I got a free month of premium when I got made redundant from a job a few years ago. <S> so I'll lo-ball you as you're desperate". <S> This may have changed in the time since, and the "move to top" also depends on the recruiter paying for their premium service as well. <A> I've worked in professional recruitment for over a decade and have been a LinkedIn member since 2003. <S> MY team <S> and I use LinkedIn on a daily basis to recruit talent. <S> I can say with near certainty the level of account you have is of little to no importance in getting our attention. <S> The more your LinkedIn profile accurately reflects your skills, experience, certifications and education the more likely you are to attract attention. <A> I see no reason why that would make a differnce. <S> When I hire, I am concerned about your qualifications not how you use social media. <A> Opting for the premium service can work in many ways. <S> As Mark Chapman said it could back fire with you appearing to be desperate but it could also mean that you are serious about your next job. <S> For many reasons, recruiters across linkedin get numerous connection requests each day. <S> Due to this it may become difficult for the recruiters to differentiate between a casual connection and a serious connection. <S> This does not necessarily mean that a premium member would somehow get more attention than a usual linkedin account.
| To be honest it made little difference, few recruiters actually noticed, the ones that did took the line "you are paying a lot each month to advertise you need a job Most corporations these days want to look at your linkedin profile before calling you about open positions.
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Can my employer (under Brazilian labour law) require me to work outside my established working hours? I work between 8am and 2pm from Monday to Friday. However, on 21 March my company will host an event that will happen at 8pm. However, I go to school from 7pm until 11pm and my employer knows that. My predecessors usually helped in the organization of the event. To go to this I will have to skip my class and I do not want to do that. This subject has been brought up before and I said that I can't go because I have an appointment. They didn't say "You have to go" but said "Your presence is really important." In the near future, can they make me go (or else I lose my job)? I am not looking for legal advice. And in order to keep it open and on-topic - What does Brazilian law say regarding employers requiring off-hours work? And how should I approach my employer about this situation? <Q> Don't say you can't go because you have an appointment. <S> Tell them honestly that you have class at that time and that you cannot skip it. <S> They may find having a class more imporatnat than just an appointment. <S> They may not remeber that you take classes. <S> When they say your presence is important, they generally mean that. <S> Even if they don't fire you over that (and whether they can will depend on the laws in your country), that will make an unfavorable impression of you and that will carry over into how they assign work, how they reward performance and how they perceive you in general. <S> You wil be perceived as someone who is not a team player and that can be a very hard perception to overcome. <S> You have to make the call as to whether you are planning to move up in this company or if your education is more important. <S> If this job is just tiding you over until you get a degree in a completely differnt field and look for a totally different job (like working as a waitress while you get your medical degree), then you may not care as much as if this were company where your new degree will allow you to move up to a better job in the same field or with the same company (such as getting a computer science degree in place where you are junior programmer). <S> How bad is it really to skip one class? <S> If you aren't having a test, can you make arrangements with another student to share notes? <S> Can you talk to the professor about the issue and see if he can give you some outside help to catch up if you have to do this for your job? <A> It's quite simple, you need to decide the priority, going to university or the job. <S> If the former, go to your class, if the latter, go to the event. <S> Take the long term view and act as required. <S> When I was a student I worked a weekend job in retail. <S> One year in November I found I had an exam on a Saturday morning and asked for it off in good time. <S> The answer came back no, too close to Christmas (our peak time of the year, but still 5 weeks after the requested date). <S> I spoke to the store manager, who basically told me I had to decide where my future lay, going to uni, or working for him. <S> The decision was easy (although surprisingly a shock to him, he later backed down and granted the time off when I offered to leave immediately, but that's by the way). <S> I often think of this though when I hit a similar choice, always think of what matters long term, even if the short term seems difficult. <A> I'm also working in Brazil, and I can tell the OP is covered by law in all aspects. <S> He is not forced to work out of the contracted hours, the company must pay those extra hours and if embarrassed or fired by refusing to work out of those hours, the OP can sue the company and is very likely to receive compensation for it. <S> That said, there's the "political" in the question. <S> The OP's manager is not likely to miss him, and I assume he clarified that. <S> The OP must decide what's more important: his career in the company or the studies. <S> I can advocate in favor of studies. <S> A well educated, good worker is invaluable and will find a job in another (possible better) company. <S> athosbr99 Let your manager know you will not miss your class and don't get afraid of "looking bad". <S> Your manager is probably not caring about your needs, only their own. <A> There seems to be mostly a communication problem here. <S> You told your manager "I have an appointment". <S> That does honestly not sound very important. <S> You could have said "I go to school from 7pm to 11pm; my father pays for it, and if he finds out that I'm not attending school he will throw me out and <S> I'll have to live on the street". <S> Now that sounds important. <S> Your manager said "it is really important that you are at work". <S> You should have asked: How important? <S> Maybe the answer is "well, we are asking you because Joe who has plenty of spare time is on his lunch break <S> so I can't ask him right now". <S> Or may be "well, Joe who does this normally because he has plenty of spare time complained and said that you are not working late because you are too lazy and I completely forgot about your school". <S> These are extremes, but you are talking about legal consequences, losing your job and so on, when it is quite possible that the whole problem could go away if you talked to each other properly. <A> The question is, can they make me go? <S> And the answer depends on the laws of your country, state, locality, etc. <S> My answer is based on the laws I know, from my US location. <S> Companies can't make you do anything. <S> However, they can fire you for not showing up. <S> You need to consult with your local human resources (or equivalent) person.
| In the US, laws vary from place to place.
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Declining offer and taking reimbursement for interview expenses? I interviewed for a company. They liked me, I liked the company. The HR was really friendly and helpful. When they got to know about me coming by a bus ( since I do not have a car) from a different city, the hiring manager/ HR offered to provide the compensation for my travel and food (This was a special case, as they had written explicitly in the advertisement, that they do not provide compensation for the interview expense). I guess the manager felt bad for me or he liked me very much and wanted me to join them, that is why he created an exception to provide the travel expense. Now, I feeling serious stress, as I feel bad to decline the job offer (as I got another). Adding to my stress, they sent me a check for interview expenses. How should I decide whether it is appropriate to cash the check? Because I am declining their offer it feels a little weird to me. <Q> How should I decide whether it is appropriate to cash the check? <S> Because I am declining their offer it feels a little weird to me. <S> Companies have people out for interviews all the time. <S> Very often this is many thousands of dollars. <S> It is simply expensive to hire new employees. <S> This figure from here shows some estimates for cost of replacement vs annual salary: <S> To you, this check is a lot of money. <S> To the company/person sending it, it's part of business and a fairly trivial amount of money. <S> If you look at the above chart, you'll realize the amount you got sent is a fraction what the company likely spent on the whole process. <S> Last, realize this happens frequently in the world. <S> People are offered interviews and reimbursed and turn companies down often. <A> How should I decide whether it is appropriate to cash the check? <S> Because I am declining their offer it feels a little weird to me. <S> Remember that the check is simply reimbursement for your interviewing expenses . <S> It's not a down payment on your first week of work. <S> It's not a sign-on bonus. <S> Cash the check. <S> Send your regrets about declining the position. <S> Stop feeling weird. <A> Simple: you had an agreement that they would pay for any interview expenses. <S> They don't have any right to renege on the agreement, and you don't have an obligation to take the job. <S> They went into the deal with their eyes open that you might not take the job. <S> The only situation where it would be unethical to cash the check is if you knew you weren't going to take the job before <S> you incurred the expenses, but you made it look like you were interested <S> so you could get a free trip. <S> (That would be fraud, which is both unethical and illegal.) <S> Companies understand that expenses are part of the cost of doing business. <A> I agree with other responders that there is nothing wrong with cashing the cheque, however it does warrant responding to them in a polite manner. <S> As an employer, I would appreciate the following from someone in your position. <S> A nicely worded and thought out Letter or Email from you thanking me and the company for having you to interview and providing reimbursement of my travel expenses. <S> Thank us for offering you the job but regret that you are unable to take up the offered position. <S> Wish me and my company all the best in the future. <S> This should not go like this Yo Dude, Thanks for having me round for an interview and stumping up for my bus ride that was really kosher of you. <S> However I've decided to take a better job I was offered - se yaaaaz. <S> More like Dear Mr Monroe, <S> Thank you for taking the time to see me on Thursday, I enjoyed meeting with you and found ABC Corp a very interesting place. <S> Also I would like to thank your HR department for offering to cover my travel expenses for the day. <S> This was unexpected, but very much appreciated. <S> Unfortunately while I found the job offer you provided very interesting, I have decided to take advantage of another opportunity I have been given. <S> Once again thank you for your time and generousity. <S> Your Sincerely Me. <A> While this may not be normal for this company, it is quite normal part of the hiring process.
| I have travelled many times for interviews and companies always reimburse all expenses, whether they give me an offer or whether I accept an offer. There's absolutely no reason that you should shoulder the costs, and absolutely no reason that you should feel bad about turning down a job offer unless you misled them.
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Is it positive that a reference was checked after an interview? A couple of weeks ago, I interviewed for a job and I was told I didn't get it. But this week I got an email from one of my references saying that he was requested to send his feedback about me. Is that a good sign? <Q> This could mean that the person they first chose was not the best person for the position and you may of been second choice, so they are doing more background checking prior to offering you the position. <S> Yes I would take this as a positive thing I would think. <A> But this week I got an email from one of my references <S> saying that he was requested to send his feedback about me. <S> Is that a good sign? <S> It depends on the timing. <S> If your reference was contacted before the company made its decision, then it's not a good sign. <S> If your reference was contacted after the company made its decision, then perhaps the first choice fell through and you are the next best choice. <A> It might be a good sign - there are a few possiblities here. <S> The job has not been taken yet, and you are still being considered for the part. <S> Either the person who you thought got the job didn't turn out to qualify as well as they'd liked, or you misinterpreted their response at the end of your interview, and came out more favorably than you realized. <S> They are sharing your information cross-departmentally to see if anyone else might want to hire you for a job, which means you may have a chance to work with another department of the same organization. <S> The reference is just now getting back to you about it, after the interview process is complete. <S> They've referenced you to a different company, which is currently undergoing a screening proccess. <S> At this stage, you cannot know which of these things might be true. <S> Keep an eye on your inbox and mailbox, and watch for phone calls in the near future - you may be in a better positiont han you think.
| That could be a good sign (assuming you want to be hired by this company).
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Interviewing someone with personal conflict The question is purely hypothetical, I am not in that situation just was wondering. So which of the following possibilities is the most professional way to handle the situation, where you have to interview someone you perivously had a personal conflict with? (Supposing that they meet the professional requirements.) Communicating to the company supervisors honestly, that you would not like to hire/work with this person due to a personal conflict. (Maybe not mentioning the details of the conflict.) Finding some professional excuse not to hire them, or something like, he would not be a good fit for our team. Put aside the personal conflict, and interview him as any other, concentrating only on the professional part. <Q> If you are faced with a situation where you would need to interview someone you know - either someone you like or someone you dislike, it doesn't really matter - you will have a bias towards that person, either positive or negative. <S> And that alone is unprofessional. <S> If a friend, relative, spouse, ..., of yours is to be considered for a position in your company - would you favor them in detriment of other professionals? <S> That wouldn't be professional... <S> it is okay to refer someone to your company, but you need to disclose that information. <S> And you shouldn't be the one doing an interview. <S> The same applies for someone you dislike for personal reasons. <S> You should disclose the fact that you know them, mention you do have a bias towards them for personal reasons. <S> Should management ask for additional information, please, share the aspects you feel comfortable sharing, but keeping in mind <S> you need to keep the hiring process fair to the candidate, to yourself and to your company - every story has two sides to it, and if you are the only one sharing your point of view - you may influence the hiring process in an unfair way. <S> For fairness and professionalism's sake you should mention to management you wouldn't feel comfortable doing the interview and excuse yourself from the process. <S> Let them assign someone else to the interview if they still want to consider that person. <S> It will be professional and a strong enough message on your ethics. <S> It will at the same time make them pay close attention to everyone in the hiring process to make sure they are a good fit to company culture and won't bring more trouble than benefit for your company, keeping it fair and a healthy workplace for everyone. <A> Depends on whether you yourself would be working with that person, company policy, and whether the individual in question committed a larger offense. <S> (1) <S> (2) <S> If the person has committed a larger ethical offense or was not competent in a relevant role, these are important components of a good background check and are important to mention during the interview process. <S> (3) If your concerns are simply personal, you could instead mention that you would find it difficult to work with that individual. <S> If this person is hired, a good boss will ensure that you and they interact as little as possible. <A> If I ever was in that situation, I would go for option 1. <S> Yes, no one gets along with everyone at their workplace, it's normal. <S> But if there are previous issues there, then your work relationship won't even have a starting chance. <S> It will be bad from the very beginning. <S> If you just go for option 3, then you will be reminded every day of your previous conflict just by seeing the other person. <S> Sooner or later, those feelings will burst out and it will not be pretty to watch. <S> This of course depends on how severe that conflict was. <S> Just ask for someone else to interview that person and inform the HR department of your previous issues. <S> They will know what measures to take, if any.
| If the hiring of this person would have little or no impact on your day-to-day work and there is no larger ethical concern, the simplest and least ethically dubious course of action is to explain to HR and/or management that you cannot be an impartial interviewer based on your previous interactions and you would like to remove yourself from interviewing.
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personal logo on cv or label? I have a professional logo that was developed using my name and can be found as the banner on my website. Is it appropriate to use it in the header of a cover letter for a blind mailing seeking a teaching position at a university? Should I limit it only the address label which is a smaller scale for my return address? <Q> It may be appropriate. <S> I certainly don't think it is inappropriate. <S> If it is important to you <S> and you have a compelling reason to do so, go ahead. <S> Personally, if I was the one receiving the letter, I would find that strange. <S> If you are seeking a position in any company (University or any other businesses) you are dropping your personal brand and assuming that company's brand. <S> You are making a proposal to put your skills to their service under their flag, under their brand. <S> I would use that logo if I were to look for a position as a free-lancer professional, or if I were seeking a position in design (in which case it would be a logo I would have designed for myself). <S> The most important thing is: ask yourself what you would think if you were in the position of the recipient of that letter. <S> Ask yourself what is the compelling reason to adding your logo - what is it that you are trying to achieve. <S> If you cannot find an actual (professional) reason for it (that would add more value to your worth for that position), there is your answer. <A> Would the company be hiring the person or the persona? <S> If you have a website that generates a nice amount of traffic and has some interesting things on it, you should definitely include the link, especially if you coded / designed it yourself. <S> No one wants to hire John "user16930" <S> Doe, unless he's "the" man for the job (and said job can't be done by anyone else, something quite rare these days). <S> So unless you're Rambo and the job is to infiltrate a Vietnamese compound, I'd say stay away from it. <A> I don't see it as any more of an issue than the logos that staffing companies sometimes add to the top of your resume when they reformat it into their style.
| That said I don't think it's a good idea to put the banner in the header, or in any other field of the CV.
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Why do companies ask for A-levels results? During my job hunt I noticed one or two companies asking for A-levels results. For those unfamiliar with the term, I understand it stands for Advanced Levels and it's the UK equivalent of two High-school senior years in America (but I might be wrong). In any case it has nothing to do with University transcripts, and the position which requires them is usually entry / graduate level. Why do A-levels matter? Isn't that too far in the past by now? I'm a foreign student nearing graduation but I've left nationality out of my CV as I thought it irrelevant. I don't intend to include it unless explicitly required, or perhaps "give it away" by listing my mother tongue in a language proficiency section. Does it make any difference that you don't provide the results without giving context (disclosing nationality)? To address the points raised in answers so far: My home country doesn't have the equivalent of A-levels. You do a national exam, submit a list of your preferred colleges, and they get to pick which students join them. Unless you want to continue at a private school, or study abroad (as I did). So there's nothing to include really. Even if I were to include high school maths grades, for example, these grades reflect the institution which awarded them and my attitude towards it at the time. Not very indicative of my numeracy. I'm an EU citizen and have no visa restrictions. Of course I'm not trying to conceal my ethnicity (my accent would give it away during the interview anyway) but I really don't see the point in including it in the CV. <Q> I help recruit people out of university - A-Levels are a useful indicator. <S> You may have got a degree in French, but you may have failed Maths A-Level - would we want to hire you for a financial position? <S> Essentially, we want to see a record of your education. <S> If you don't have A-Levels, but have some foreign equivalent, put those down instead. <S> Regarding your nationality, you will need to provide proof of your right to work in the UK - so you will need to indicate on your CV or application your class of visa. <A> It should be OK to not have these results or other things requested by the company, if there is a legitimate reason. <S> But since they are asking for the information, you need to give them some explanation. <S> The level of detail is up to you and may be based on the specifics of the desired information, but you do yourself no favors leaving something like this blank. <S> Be prepared for them to assume the worst. <S> If you say "I didn't take them" without further information, they could assume that you were not capable enough to pass instead of you being from another country. <A> I understand it stands for Advanced Levels <S> and it's the UK equivalent of two High-school senior years in America <S> (but I might be wrong). <S> In england (scotland have a different system) <S> A levels are qualifications traditionally taken after compulsary education but before university*. <S> Usually at the age of 18. <S> They may be taken either within a school that has a "6th form", in a "6th form college" or a "further education collage". <S> Most british students going to university will have taken A levels in 3-4 subjects. <S> If they directly ask the question (e.g. on an application form) and you fail to answer it without any context then I would expect them to assume you had poor A level results that you are trying to cover up. <S> Presumablly you will have had to show some sort of qualifications to gain entry to the University <S> you went to. <S> I would suggest you give details of those qualifications to the employer. <S> My home country doesn't have the equivalent of A-levels. <S> You do a national exam, That national exam seems like the closest thing your country has to A levels, does the exam have a name? <S> were you given any form of mark or grade for it? <S> * Compulsory education has recently been extended to age 18, however A levels are not the only option. <A> I agree with Terence that A-Levels matter for the reasons given, but support you in that Nationality should not matter unless specifically asked for. <S> You could be a permanent resident and not have VISA worries and even if you do have VISA restrictions, these can be sorted at the Interview stage as appropriate. <S> Putting down your equivalent A-Levels would only indicate that you did that part of your education overseas and not give the impression you are passing through on a working VISA.
| A-levels, or any other standard tests expected for a student in the job region, are just one more piece of information that helps recruiters and companies get an idea of the skill levels of entry level employees, since they don't have a work history to demonstrate. Mentioning them in your CV could sway your chances of getting your foot in the door for the interview.
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Should mailing address go on resume? I know it's similar to this question , but should a mail address (i.e. where you live) be included on a resume? In other words is there any down side to this? <Q> You don't want to give the recruiter or hiring manager any reasons to quick scan your resume and put it in the "No" pile. <S> Including your address probably won't trigger a "no", not including it might. <S> So you should include it. <S> If you're concerned about personal privacy, renting a post office box or signing up with a redelivery service might be an option. <A> The one downside here is that if you are targeting a city you don't currently reside in. <S> If you are willing to cover the cost of traveling for interviews and relocating, then leaving it off will be a benefit. <S> I had this problem when trying to relocate to northern Virginia from the midwest <S> and I got no traction with my resume until I took the address off. <S> Then I started getting all kinds of calls. <S> I was honest with recruiters that I was currently in the midwest, but was willing to pay my own relocation. <S> I did get a job there and did have to pay hotel/airfare for what amounted to a 30 minute interview as well as my own relocation. <S> In the United States anyway these expenses are tax deductible, both the job hunting expenses and the relocation (if over 50 miles). <A> Chances are you didn't mail them your resume either. <S> If you submitted it online, or via email, you can likely just use an email address for point of contact. <S> Phone number is optional, depending on how you expect to communicate with them. <S> If they want to set up a phone screen though, they will often just request the best number to reach you at via email. <S> You probably also want to include your region/city of residence though. <S> For instance, just "New York, NY", or "Mountain View, CA", as many places want a local candidate, <S> but they don't need to know which neighborhood you live in. <S> At some point later if the process proceeds, they may request your full mailing address as part of a formal job application form they might use. <S> Or they'll just request it along with other info for the legal/internal parts of the hiring process. <A> There is a potential downside to it, particularly if you put your resume out on a job site or farm it out into recruiters. <S> Much like listing your phone number or email address, it gives people (possibly people well removed from those you originally submitted this to) <S> the ability to contact you at will, and ties your name to that address, often in databases that will last a long time. <S> That said, there are upsides to it. <S> Although, as I commented to @jwenting above, I've never received anything via mail from a company until the offer the letter, and generally not even that these days, there probably are still companies out there that do such things. <S> And, as jwenting points out, it does establish where you live, which may influence hiring decisions. <S> Lastly, you may just run into anal-retentive HR people who insist that there must be an address and reject any resume that doesn't have one. <S> Overall, I'd say it's a wash. <S> The benefits are minor. <S> The downsides are minor.
| Recruiters and initial screening HR people don't really need to know your mailing address to review your qualifications, and aren't likely to need to send you any mail correspondence. Many companies don't have a budget for a relocation and will skip over a resume if it is not local.
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Solving the "out of sight, out of mind" problem with telepresence I have a product development department in Mexico, we collaborate mainly with Michigan and distance seems to be a problem as with all distributed teams. Whenever I travel to Michigan, I end up solving all kinds of pending matters with people just by bumping into them in hallways, so I thought "if I can't go to the hallway, I'll have the hallway come to me", then I thought: I need permanent telepresence. I envision having 1 TV at both places at a main hallway, and have it act like a window. The key thing here is: not having to set up conferences, just have a permanently open video stream. My questions are: has anyone seen anything like this?, and if so, have you seen it actually work?, why yes or why not?; do you know any commercial and/or open-source solutions that works like this (permanent open video stream)? Note: the question referred as duplicate is not. This is not a supervisory problem, this is a collaboration problem among distributed teams. <Q> If you chat casually, you will start to get some of those same types of things brought up informally. <S> We find it is easier to do this chatting if you have met people in person whcih <S> it appears you have done. <A> I've heard of people doing this; one guy mentioned having an always-on video conference for remote work, which seems to be the usual context for this kind of appliance. <S> His take on it - having a separate machine for the video conference - is what you're talking about. <S> [Edit: also Project Stargate ] <S> I would make a few suggestions: Use a high-quality camera <S> Consider using a 45-degree glass setup to allow the camera to look through the centre of the screen image, and correct some of the gaze alignment of video conferencing (everyone seems to be looking off to the side) <S> Put it near a communal area, perhaps the water cooler if it's not too stereotyped <S> Use decent speakers and microphones <S> , there's nothing more annoying than an expensive setup with rubbish audio <S> Add a telephone handset so you can take a conversation semi-private or deal with excessive noise at one end. <S> Yes, like a prison visit room. <S> Keep it away from quiet working areas - <S> the different lunch schedules will make it noisy at different times. <S> Use it as part of routine meetings; if you don't, it will stop working or be forgotten. <S> Add either a closable door at each end or duplicate the setup in a different room for more private meetings. <S> Put the screens at the same height at each end <S> (!) <S> Put clocks either side (or on the screen) <S> if there's a time difference. <S> Finally, give it a name; The Hatch, The Portal, The Wormhole, the Prison Visit Window, St Louis (meet me at), whatever, so people know how to talk about meeting there without awkwardness. ' <S> Wait, show me that fax at the Hatch' <S> I guess the common thread is to make the interaction and usage as seamless and effortless as possible. <S> There also appears to be a wep app called sqwiggle for that, worth looking at? <S> https://www.sqwiggle.com/features/always-on-video-conferencing <A> First of all you have an entire category of telepresence robots meant for bumping into people. <S> I have only met a single person who has ever used those seriously and - although he didn't say it explicitly <S> - I think he believed it to be mostly a gimmick after trying it out. <S> Using just a TV screen is even more passive than those robots and will - I assume thus - work <S> even less well. <S> Some day VR will probably develop to the point where robots like this might work great, but I fear we're not there yet. <S> What I would suggest is setting up a slightly more expensive teleconferencing room (not one of the ridiculously expensive ones, but better than just video calling on your desktop) and having pre-scheduled meetings once per fixed period with people who are likely to encounter relevant problems. <S> Additionally have an easy way for other people to schedule meetings into pre chosen slots. <S> Still, all of this depends on the company dynamics and structure and although this might work in one, it might not be right for yours. <A> We've tried that for a bit with a bunch of Ipads in common areas <S> but it did not work well. <S> It feels too unnatural and the audio is just not up to par. <S> Audio is actually one of the main problems. <S> Audio in embedded devices is terrible, speaker phones are pretty bad too and in many cases you need to resort to headsets to get decent audio, especially if there are non-native speakers with strong accents involved. <S> A good "out loud" audio solution requires excellent microphones (ideally ceiling mounted arrays) with intelligent management software (beam former, echo canceler, speaker detection, etc) and it also requires careful room acoustical treatment of the room with proper absorption and acoustic room mode control. <S> Your best shot at this would be to have one dedicated room on each site. <S> The rooms are always on. <S> Dual screen setup in each room: one screen for seeing the people, one screen for sharing content. <S> Fixed audio setup with good microphones and good speakers (do NOT use internal TV speakers or speakerphone speakers). <S> Well designed room acoustics in each room. <S> Then create incentives for people to show up in there: all meetings are in this room. <S> There is free lunch at the same time on both sites (time zones permitting), stand ups are in there, etc. <S> On the downside, this will cost you considerable money and effort to get it fully setup. <A> I have seen this done with Lifesize units, which are expensive as all get out but work very well. <S> For the "always on" situation, it tended to work better with people that were in smaller groups and divided out into more separate work spaces - like one dev team that was half in Austin and half in New York used one. <S> Attempts to use them in busy alternate areas didn't work - too much confusion, ambient noise, and distraction. <S> We eventually put a couple in conference rooms where people could ask others to 'step in' via IM or other channel; that worked OK. <S> If people needed to share slides or whatnot they'd do that out of band with Webex; the Lifesize was pure telepresence.
| I work remotely with a lot of people who are in another country and my substitute for the bump into them in the hall is to use IM just to say hello and chat occasionally. Finally found it: Virtual Camaraderie
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Required but not mandatory I work at a moderate-sized office building (400+) which is part of a larger corporation (150k+). This morning we were given instructions on what to do during today's tornado drill. At the end of the email it said, "Your participation is required but not mandatory." Does this mean something I don't understand? I don't know this person well and would not want to ask them, mainly because it would indicate that I don't really want to participate if I don't have to. UPDATEI ended up just following the lead of others on my floor, which was just to continue work (pretty typical for my office). My guess is the person meant to say "requested" not "required". <Q> I would suggest that you ask, given that mandatory is a synonym for required , so it appears they've misunderstood one of the words. <S> If you're worried about seeming like you're trying to get out of it, you could just be fairly light-hearted about it: <S> "I noticed the email said 'required but not mandatory'. <S> Can you tell me what you meant? <S> I always thought those words meant the same thing! <S> The intent to get across was "I got your email; I fully intend to go along with it; I just wondered about something that was written in it". <A> For example hand washing training for anyone that works in a hospital. <S> Other training like a fire drill, you must take park in if you are in work on the given day. <S> (It is as much about training other people {e.g the fire wardens}, and testing system that need you to take part <S> so it is effective.) <A> It means participate in the drill whether you want to or not. <S> It also means the person writing the email does not communicate well. <S> Perhaps he meant it was required if you are there but not if you are not in the office or that managers could decide to excuse some people. <S> In any event, you can't go wrong participating unless your own manager specifically tells you not to participate (due to urgent production problems for instance or unmoveable deadlines). <A> And 'not mandatory' means if any unavaidable reasons happen, you are not bound to be there. <S> Its better to clarify with your boss. <S> Since English is funny language, it is very difficult to figure out what exactly your boss want to say. <A> I'd go with either: a) <S> Someone was making a little joke. <S> ("Very little," as Spock would say.) <S> b) <S> Or they were trying to say that you should consider this something Management really wants everyone to attend (for obvious reasons, for both your sake and theirs), but that they aren't going to take attendance <S> and you aren't going to have to make excuses if you miss it. <S> The former is more likely, but I've seen the latter occur when a company has a semi-standardized hierarchy of priorities that has slipped into managerial jargon. <S> In any case, you should attend if at all possible -- as with fire drills and musical rehearsals and athletic practice, it's worth repeating safety instructions until just past the point where you are completely sick of them. <S> So in some sense the intended meaning doesn't matter. <A> Having had 24 hours on which to consider this, I think the most likely occurrence is bad word choice while attempting to use a common idiom <S> "requested but not required" <S> Is a common phrase, and on Google currently shows 7.5 million results specifically, I believe what happened is that the author, intending to use this idiom, transposed required for requested , and then seeing that required <S> could not then end the phrase, substituted the word mandatory , and any further proof-reads missed the error. <S> The other alternative shows up with less than 10% of the frequency, at 400,000 hits: "requested but not mandatory" <S> As to the issue of bringing it to the author's attention, at this point, it's quite unlikely to do you any good. <S> Better safe than sorry : don't.
| With some employers, mandatory training is training that must be done, so if you are away on the day, then you must book into another day to do it. I think here 'required' means you need to be present in drill.
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Adding non professional work to a professional resume A close friend of mine has been working late shifts as a delivery driver for a local takeaway to earn some extra money to make ends meet. He has been working here for about a year and a half. No skills or experience are required to do this job apart from have a clean drivers license. During the day however he is a junior developer who has been working at his current job for around 4 years. He is looking to progress and delve into something new so has been brushing up his resume and is currently unsure of whether or not to include the night time delivery driving on his resume, due to the professional jobs he is applying for. Is a unprofessional part time job such as this something that should be included on a professional resume and if so how should it be displayed? <Q> Is a unprofessional part time job such as this something that should be included on a professional resume and if so how should it be displayed? <S> I would leave it off. <S> Other than conveying "I need extra money to make ends meet, and I chose a non-professional way to get the cash", it doesn't add any value. <S> I'm assuming your friend is looking for a professional position, and not one involving manual labor, night work, or lots of driving. <S> I suppose you could stretch it to imagine that someone would be impressed by how hard working your friend might be. <S> But in general adding unskilled side jobs doesn't make your friend more appealing to someone looking to hire a professional developer. <S> Important Note: <S> As Juha Untinen points out - in some cases, your locale may imply different expectations, and may potentially result in a different recommendation. <A> That is going to depend on the job he wants to apply. <S> In case he wants to apply to a developer position, that experience is not relevant and might make the human resources agent not take the resume seriously. <S> Of course, in case he wants to apply to similar delivery jobs, he must leave it as previous experience in the field. <S> However I must add that, <S> as you say he's working as junior developer, if he had no other professional experiences - at all - then it might be interesting to put it, as it shows experience in other working environments. <A> Only include it as past work experience if you choose to include it at all, don't bother to elaborate on it if it's not relevant to the position being applied for. <S> The only reason I can see for including it on a resume would be to explain what your friend has been doing with his time - do of course include the day job on their resume, since that is very relevant to his position, but only include the delivery job if they want to explain how they've been using their time more throughly. <S> Honestly if he's been working a day job more relevant to his field, it's not necessary to include the job at all, as it could be considered a side-job. <S> In fact, not including it could be a good idea since it suggests he is the kind of person who takes side jobs and, therefore, might not be completely dedicated to his day job that he's applying for. <S> If he must include it as a job, there's no need for him to elaborate about it on his resume - but of course you should never lie about your past experience either. <S> If he wants to use his boss from that job as a reference he absolutely must include it, but he doesn't have to do that either. <S> And only if the employer finds out about this side-job should he elaborate on it at all (but again, be honest, because employers can find out if you're lying). <A> I, and probably some hiring managers would also, feel that working a part-time job at night might have hurt his career. <S> He is probably not dedicating himself enough having that extra job. <S> Of course I don't know the specifics, but working as a delivery guy will hinder his available time for self improvement. <S> For that reason I would not include in in my resume.
| Your resume should present your skills and accomplishments in the best light possible, in order to attract attention and ultimately get you an interview from potential employers.
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Should I be concerned about my bonus when putting in notice? To start off, I am moving at the end of the month several states away from AZ to OR. I do have another job offer in this other state pending one last interview when I end up getting there. My move schedule is set and stone and cannot be changed due to family reasons. My current employer has already announced a fairly decent bonus to be paid out in the last paycheck of this month (The 21st, to be precise). According to company policy, to receive this bonus I must be still with the company in good standing at the time of payout. If I give 2 week's notice on the 13th that I will be leaving the company on the 27th, then I'm not sure if it's expected that I will still get this bonus. My main problem is that I am rather relying on this bonus in order to meet the costs of the moving process. Now I have been told many times not to burn bridges, so how do I handle this appropriately? Would giving 1 week's notice be appropriate, or should I just chance it instead? <Q> I would NOT give notice until the bonus is in your bank account (and cleared). <S> Even if you've been given a letter that states your bonus and the paydate. <S> I had a coworker miss out on a fairly sizable bonus because he put in his notice between being notified of it and it being deposited with direct deposit. <S> While this may not be the most professional <S> if 2 weeks is required, if you want to guarantee the bonus I would suggest waiting until after it is in your bank account, then give a late notice stating your last day is the end of the month due to a pending move. <S> Make it a professional resignation notice otherwise, and it should be reasonable. <S> Since you already have another job lined up, there is not really much they can do overall besides send you on your way. <A> It sounds like you need to decide which is worth more to you: a decent recommendation from this company for future jobs, or the bonus. <S> If you give the 2 weeks notice that is standard, there is almost no chance that you will get the bonus. <S> And, like Miro says, it needs to be at least deposited in the bank (unless you think they'll try pulling the check, which would be pretty low). <S> However, since you already have another job, and presumably will be able to use it for subsequent recommendations, you might consider burning this bridge the price you have to pay. <S> It is possible that a one-week notice won't completey burn the bridge. <S> Everyone will know you did it just to get the bonus, but if you were a stellar employee otherwise, it might balance out. <A> Most contracts will state that you only get a bonus if you are employed at a certain date. <S> Many contracts will state that you only get a bonus if you are employed and haven't given notice. <S> Read your contract. <S> What "at a certain date" means: <S> A company may announce on March 20th that there is a bonus due on March 31st, and the bonus will be paid on April 30th, and March 31st would likely be the date when you must be employed, or employed without having given notice. <S> On the other hand, if you gave notice on April 2nd, an unscrupulous employer might try to avoid paying the bonus. <S> So <S> On the other hand, assume your company pays an end-of-year bonus, due on Dec. 31st. <S> But they actually pay that bonus on Dec. 23rd <S> so their employees can use it for Christmas shopping. <S> If you decide your last day is on the 27th then quite possibly you would have to pay it back.
| : Check on which day you can quit or give notice without losing your legal rights to a bonus, but it's safer if the bonus is in your bank account.
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Should I announce my future resignation before I know a precise date? I'm a contractor for a small company and I work for a big one, should I announce that I'm already applying for other position elsewhere, or should I close my mouth until I'm sure of the date of my resignation? I already had several interviews and I have plan for others in the day to come. <Q> Never, ever , announce that you are leaving a company before you have the new job, and the new start date, secured. <S> Announcing that you are interviewing elsewhere is a surefire way to be fired before you have your next job in hand. <S> Wait until you have signed your offer letter at your new company. <S> However, it is good practice to make sure that once you have secured the new job, that you make sure you can give a full two-weeks notice to your current employer. <S> Generally, your new company will work with you on this, and your current company will appreciate that you at least gave a two-week notice, even if they don't keep you for the full two weeks. <A> Say nothing until you have a letter of offer, confirming your new position and terms of employment. <S> You don't want to announce your departure, only to have the offer not materialise. <S> You will definitely cause bad feeling, and could end up looking foolish. <S> Short answer: until you're certain, say nothing. <A> Generally speaking when signing up for a new job you can pick a start date and generally speaking you only need to give 2 weeks notice when leaving a job. <S> When I left my last job I picked a date well in the future, and timed telling my company with that date and gave my self a few days off in between. <S> You should avoid saying anything until everything is set in stone as something could always happen.
| Never say anything about leaving until all the paperwork for your next job is signed and all dates have been established.
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Taking a leave of absence due to stress, health issues, and more I would like to take a LOA (leave of absence), how can I do this without risking financial ruin? I do pay for short-term disability. How do I get a Physician to grant me some time off? <Q> Sorry for you worries. <S> I think there are two question in here <S> How do I negotiate a leave of absence with my employer? <S> How do I bridge a financial gap? <S> I think this forum is a good place for the first but not the second, although they are potentially related. <S> Disclaimer: I'm not a legal expert and what I say could be false. <S> Verify it, it's important. <S> In the US there are typically two types of absences Medical Leave of Absence. <S> For this doctor need to declare you to be "unfit to work". <S> The doctor will also determine how long and you need to be declared healthy by the doctor before you can return to work. <S> During this absence you are typically on short term disability, i.e. you get paid but at a reduced rate Family Leave of Absence. <S> You can take this for whatever reason your employer finds acceptable. <S> This is typically unpaid but you keep your job and you may keep your health insurance <S> So here is what you could do <S> Your company has polices about both types of absences. <S> There are either on the website or in the Employee manual. <S> Find them and read them carefully. <S> Make sure that you understand them. <S> If you don't find someone to explain them to you. <S> See your family doctor. <S> Tell him about your issues and inquire about a potential medical leave. <S> He may refer you to someone else. <S> No harm in speaking to your psychiatrist as well, he can declare "unfit for work" as well Some company have a "Employee Help Line". <S> It is confidential and designed to specifically help in cases like yours. <S> If you have this, call them. <S> After you have done things 1-3, find someone in your company that you trust. <S> Could be a manager or someone in HR. <S> Talk to them about your situation and ask for advice. <S> Even if a doctor agrees to a Medical Leave of Absence, it's good practice to talk your management first before you pull the trigger. <S> They may have other ideas to help you and nobody likes to be confronted with a ready made decision <S> Once you figured out the master plan you can dive into the financial details <S> Good luck <A> Unfortunately this is a tough question to answer and often varies work place to work place. <S> Your disability coverage depends on what you employer offers to you and this changes place to place <S> so I will avoid making any assumptions as there are to may options for what they may offer. <S> I do pay for short-term disability. <S> How do I get a Physician to grant me some time off? <S> In other words if you are a construction worker and break your arm you may be eligible for disability as you physically can not complete the task you were hired for. <S> This disability generally lasts as long as you are physically unable to work. <S> Should I see my family physician or my psychiatrist <S> (I have depression I'm on med for)? <S> In this case I would advise a psychiatrist, a physician will most likely refer you to a psychiatrist for this issue. <S> I would like to take a LOA (leave of absence), how can I do this without risking financial ruin? <S> If you can go out on some type of disability then you will be ok in this realm, unfortunately most employers will not pay for people to take time off to get their affairs in order. <S> However if you are close with your boss/manager they may be able to help you out in a situation like this. <S> I am sorry for your situation and in this case I would advise talking to your psychiatrist about it. <A> The choice may not be entirely up to your employer. <S> I once had an employee face a tremendous amount of stress (he and his wife separated, and shortly after that their preschooler was diagnosed with cancer) and really he was not able to work. <S> We put him on stress leave and he applied to the short term disability folks for the coverage we had. <S> They put all sorts of conditions on him. <S> They wanted specific paperwork from his doctor, they would only approve him a few weeks at a time, they made him go to counselling <S> and I know at one point they wanted him on meds <S> (I know this is not a decision an insurance company can make, but they will push for things they think will lower their costs.) <S> We were told we couldn't let him come by the office to have lunch with his coworkers and friends, because if he could do that he could work (seriously? <S> Oh yes) <S> and I know that dealing with them to get his benefits increased his stress dramatically. <S> I yelled at them once or twice myself. <S> But, that said, they did pay a benefit to him during the worst of it. <S> I suggest you look into how to get this process started (HR should be able to help you) but brace yourself - it will get worse before it gets better.
| Physicians do not really "grant time off" disability is generally related to someones physical ability to not work.
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Is it possible to bypass a recruiter that once introduced you to a firm? So 2.5 years ago while I was still attending university I was once contacted by a recruiter, who later introduced me to a firm (firm A) where I had a interview but I didn't take the job at the time (I wanted to get another degree first). Now 2,5 years later I would like to apply for a job at the same firm, which is put on their website. Before, I had no idea (naive) how recruiters work, now I know the firm has to pay those recruiters whenever they hire someone they introduced (and pretty large sums in the financial sector). So when two people apply for the same job, ceteris paribus the one that doesn't require an extra recruitment fee will have an advantage, and probably get the job. So does this mean that those two meetings I had imply that for the rest of my life firm A will have to pay some extra bucks if they want to hire me? Seems ridiculous to me, to be honest. How can I bypass this legally? <Q> Maybe it depends on the country you're in, but where I'm from, a recruitment agent wouldn't have any expectation of receiving a fee in the situation you describe. <S> I think you're putting the cart before the horse in any case. <S> This is unlikely to be an issue for you even if you get an interview, and are eventually offered the job, and accept it, and the recruiter finds out, and has an extant contractual relationship with the employer, and <S> decides s/he wants to pursue it. <A> There really isn't anything you need to do here, unless you signed a contract with the recruiter promising that you would never apply for a job at Firm A without consulting them (the recruiter). <S> It is their problem and they have people adept at dealing with such issues, so let them figure it out. <S> Life is too short to worry about someone else's problem, especially if it is one that they themselves would likely never find out about. <A> Within the United States, I'm pretty sure that there's no legal aspect to it. <S> I have gotten bitten a few times by applying to a job which a recruiter had submitted me for (in one case, it was two different recruiters and in another, I knew the name of the company because I had the website up, but had no record of the recruiter contacting me, although I found an oblique email indicating that he had, alluding to a phone conversation). <S> Most of the time, it's a mild embarrassment, like claiming to be pivotal on a project when talking to the guy who really headed it, but in one case, I missed out on a job because the owner of the company felt that my actions were unethical. <S> Ultimately, it's largely a courtesy thing. <S> The companies don't want to turn off recruiters from recruiting for them, but it's pretty much a matter of a job-by-job thing. <S> Your safest route is to mention that Recruiter A from Company X had submitted you over two years ago for a different job, but that you found this one on your own. <S> That way, if the company wants to avoid trouble, they can contact that recruiter. <S> But honestly, over two years ago, and for a different job, especially if it's different divisions, there's really no conflict at all. <S> I actually received my latest job that way. <S> The former recruiter was bummed that they hadn't found the opportunity on their own, but accepted that it happened because they hadn't properly been on the ball.
| You need not (and should not) be worried about how Firm A and the recruiter deal with the situation, if you get a job. In short, I would cross that bridge when I came to it and not worry myself about an imaginary problem that is contingent on a chain of events that you have little control over. PS: 2.5 years is a long time in almost any industry, so unless you are someone as famous as Mark Zuckerberg, it is unlikely that the recruiter would even remember those 2 meetings with you.
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What is the difference between Hours Available and Hours Used? In reading the ASTD State of the Industry report, I find the metrics include "Hours Used" vs "Hours Available". It states that a typical ratio would be 50 hours available for every hour used. If I assume hours used to be the actual number of training hours received by an employee, what does that make hours available? What are these two figures and what is their significance? <Q> I can't see the report, and this one is going to be context dependent. <S> Given the nature of the report and the way training budgets often work, my guess would be that they are reporting on the tracking of time reported by employees as time used for training (hours used), vs. time budgeted for training in the annual fiscal budget (hours available). <S> To make any sense of a metric, here, you have to know about the industry, the field, the definition of "training", the budgeting process, the reporting process - and how that is normalized if they are collecting metrics. <S> This is going to be highly variable across businesses. <A> Because the report is not freely available, it's difficult to be sure. <S> These could be applicable courses, equivalent of reimbursable tuition, etc. <S> The report's finding is that employees are only using 2% of their opportunities for training. <A> An available hour is an hour where the person should have worked. <S> Paid time off(vacation/personal time), FMLA Leave, and disability Leave are not included in available hours, but sick time is. <S> Hours used is the number of working hours spent in training. <S> I had to produce a similar report for a company I was working for a few years ago <S> and these were the standards <S> then I doubt they have changed since 2009. <S> The signifigance is that if your technical staff is not getting enough training then your technical staff is probably falling behind the tech curve. <S> A single year is not a big deal but if your company is closer to 100/1 for several years then there is a very real likelihood that your staff has in general fallen behind as far as implementing new technologies and efficiencies. <S> After 10 years someone in your employ is probably going to have a problem meeting the expectations of a new employer. <S> Which also means that your company is better off hiring in top talent rather than promoting a veteran for Senior and Lead roles. <S> Another side effect is that after 7-10 years your systems are probably starting to become seriously behind with considerable tech debt. <S> It is harder to get top talent to come in to a place where most of their work is going to be in keeping the old obsolete systems running rather than working on modern systems and implementing new functionality for it.
| My assumption is that "hours available" are the possible hours of training provided by the employer.
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How to quit a firm with very close co-workers and a unique position in the firm? I am currently employed by a small market research firm (7 employees) and the firm is a really close-knit community. I like my co-workers, including my boss. Especially my boss is a very nice person - giving good advice and when my father died last year he was very tolerant about unscheduled days off etc. Unfortunately, I feel the need to move on because I cannot improve myself at this job - there are too few customers to warrant new / different projects. Also, my girlfriend is stuck at a really bad workplace - but the chance that she gets a job in this region is bad. But I am feeling intensely disloyal when considering quitting and I am really uncertain how to tell it to my boss. Also, I am doing a very special job which cannot be done by anyone else in the company - so my boss needs to find a replacement fast. To clarify this: I am a statistician and the only one in my firm. Worse, my work is a very important step and all people are need me to finish my work, before they can start. Other people know bits and pieces of my work - but they don't have the kind of training I have. Even when I am ill or on vacation I am remoting in and doing some work, because I don't want the whole firm to wait for me. I am living in Germany, so I have 3 months’ notice period. <Q> I guess you answered your one part of own question on how to explain to your co-workers/boss. <S> You have to keep moving in your life and do things which you enjoy . <S> " If you don’t love something, you’re not going to go the extra mile, work the extra weekend, challenge the status quo as much. " <S> - Steve Jobs <S> I am doing a very special job which cannot be done by anyone else in the company - so my boss needs to find a replacement fast. <S> You can't magically become a recruiter, but you can put out a good word. <S> Email your friends who need work and might have the experience necessary to do your work. <S> You may not always succeed in replacing yourself, but if you can tell your boss about your efforts, she or he will know you at least attempted to help. <S> The Office Will Still Exist Without You <S> The business will survive and the damage your departure may seem to cause will suddenly appear minor once you leave. <S> So don't consider it the end of the world. <S> Don't feel disloyal, Always remember ," love your job but don't love your company, because you may not know when your company stops loving you. " <S> - Abdul Kalam . <A> tl;dr: <S> You seem to take too much of the company's problems onto yourself. <S> You should be concentrating on your new opportunity. <S> Are you positive the outcome you mention is actually accurate? <S> You might be surprised to see people there won't feel that much of a hard hit after your departure. <S> Leaving that aside, work is work and leaving a job for better opportunities is part of your work indeed. <S> Feelings should be spent sparingly during work, otherwise the outcome will be sloppy. <S> I am sure your boss and coworkers understand this, and won't try to stop you from reaching out for a better opportunity. <S> If they don't, be sure to point them towards this site, and we'll answer their <S> How do I recover from having an important colleague leave the job? <S> question :-) <S> Regarding your important job in your company: if your boss does indeed need to find a replacement fast, he will. <S> This is not a matter for you to worry about, after all. <S> If you do have contacts that would be able to fill in the gap you leave, a recommendation won't be badly received. <S> Just don't let those feelings get in the way and somehow start a recruitment campaign on your own. <A> The other answers here are excellent, I just wanted to add another perspective that they don't seem to have covered. <S> In my experience, when you are working in a group that is close-knit, they are likely to care about you and be supportive when your life goals no longer line up with the opportunities the company can give you. <S> When I left a job I had been at for a year and a half (not that long I know, but a large portion of my relatively short career), when I told my manager that I was moving away and would have to resign at the end of the month he was disappointed, but was happy for me to pursue my life goals and move onto something that was a better fit for me. <S> The product managers were sad to lose me from the team that worked on their products, but both volunteered to give me a good recommendation for any future jobs. <S> As far as I am aware there were no hard feelings about me leaving and overall <S> they were very kind and supportive of my decision. <S> tl;dr <S> : I think you may be feeling more guilt than is necessary and your colleagues may be supportive of you and your decisions. <A> Quitting a job is really hard, especially if you care about the people you work with. <S> A few things that other commenters here haven't touched on: If you feel you are stagnating in the role, then by staying you are doing a disservice to the company. <S> They could and should find someone who loves the job and cares about it (the way you used to) and will look to grow in it <S> Although it may be hard to find a similar statistician in Germany, there are now excellent tools to outsource / allow people to work remotely increasing the pool of candidates for your employer. <S> With three months notice, you can help find them a suitable candidate and transition the role adequately The best way to quit is to be honest with them. <S> Positive, concise but honest about what you want in your career <S> and why its best you moved on. <S> That will help the company and allow you to leave on a good note. <S> I prepared a much more comprehensive quitting checklist here which you may find helpful: <S> http://tapwage.com/cheatsheets/2015/05/07/7-things-to-do-before-you-resign Hope that helps
| In my experience watching a lot peoples careers evolve, many people have felt indispensable and overly loyal but then regret leaving afterwards Prepare a detailed transition plan including a list of attributes they will need in a candidate to replace you.
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Will shaving my head decrease my chances of employment? What do employers usually think about bald employees? I'm thinking about shaving my head because I have recently been converted to Buddhism, but if it will significantly hurt my chances at getting a job, it may not be worth it. <Q> I think that most employers these days regard being well groomed in whatever style you choose to wear your hair as more important than the style itself, so for someone who was going bald anyway, a properly shaven head may actually be the better choice anyway. <S> If anyone does ask then explain its connected to your personal faith and beliefs. <S> I think that most employers would certainly stop objecting at this point <S> and I'm assuming that if they didn't accept this then you wouldn't want to work for them anyway. <A> A recent study, "Shorn Scalps and Perceptions of Male Dominance" , by Albert Mannes, PhD., has shown, that bald men are perceived as more dominant and assertive at first impression, but also as less attractive. <S> In Study 1, men with shaved heads were rated as more dominant than similar men with full heads of hair. <S> In Study 2, men whose hair was digitally removed were perceived as more dominant, taller, and stronger than their authentic selves. <S> Study 3 extends these results with nonphotographic stimuli and demonstrates how men experiencing natural hair loss may improve their interpersonal standing by shaving. <S> But remember that a good interviewer will not pay attention to your look but only to your competence and personality (unless it is a representative job). <S> In short, this shouldn't hurt your chances. <A> It rather depends on where you will be working. <S> If you're going for a job in a call centre, I doubt they'll care if you have tattoos all over your face and only wear hot-pants. <S> In most civilised countries, it is illegal to discriminate against a person due to their professed or apparent faith. <S> Nor should they discriminate due to perceived medical conditions (they may think your baldness a result of, say, cancer treatment). <S> Before interviewing for a role, try to visit the office and see how people dress and, just as importantly, see how their clients dress. <S> Most professional roles won't care about your hair-style, but may be reluctant to put you in front of customers.
| If you're otherwise well presented and behave in a professional manner then I seriously doubt that the majority of employers would even notice a shaven head as anything worth commenting on. Whether or not this will improve or reduce your chance of getting a job depends on what kind of person the company is looking for. If, however, you're going to be interacting with customers, it may make a difference.
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Family member was unprofessional with my boss - how do I fix the situation? I work at a startup and I have a bit of a transportation problem. On Saturday night my dad came to pick me up, but I had my phone on silent so he came in and made small talk with my boss and another one of his colleagues (they are close friends). While my boss and I were showing my dad a demo unit, the conversation steered its way towards factory managers and how dumb they were. Jokingly, my dad told my boss that I told him my boss and colleague were dumb (for the record, I never said anything remotely like that). I was shocked, and all I could do was repeatedly mutter a feeble "no". My boss asked if this was true and I said "no" but my dad said "yes". I'm not sure what my dad was thinking. My boss and his colleague joked it off, but I cannot help feeling I might have damaged my good terms with my boss/colleague. Also probably sacrificed a good job. How do I fix this? My goal is to repair my relationship with my boss and save my job. What I'm asking for is the best way to communicate to my boss that there was a misunderstanding. One plan I am considering is to go talk to my boss and his colleague on Monday and tell them there was an apparent misunderstanding. I would tell them I would never say such a thing and that I have the utmost respect for them. If so, how should I approach the conversation and what exactly should I say? <Q> How do I fix this? <S> Your boss and his colleague apparently joked it off, you probably should too. <S> You are most likely making too much of this. <S> But if you feel strongly enough that you must do something now, just tell your side of the story and leave it at that. <S> How about "Hey, boss. <S> I just wanted to tell you that I would never say such a thing. <S> Apparently, my Dad thought he would be funny at my expense. <S> I didn't know he was going to do that, otherwise I would have prevented it from happening, and I don't think it was very funny. <S> Sorry." <S> Then, either stop taking rides home from your Dad, or meet him outside. <A> It's possible that your boss took this in the joking way that your dad inferred. <S> Nevertheless, if it's bothering you then that's as good a reason to sit down and talk this out at work. <S> (my one admonishment would be to avoid throwing your dad under the bus; just maybe say that he has an "off the wall sense of humor" or something along those lines), including that you in fact think they are a very intelligent person and you are grateful for their tutelage. <S> My experience is that people like to be complimented, and even if there's no lingering bad feelings from that conversation, hashing this out has nothing, I don't think, but good consequences for you. <A> Take your boss aside for a moment. <S> "This has really been eating away at me the last couple of days. <S> My dad has always thought it was funny to create awkward situations for me and his comments about me thinking you all were "dumb" were just one of those times. <S> I am grateful to everyone here for what they have done for me <S> and I could have no reason to think badly of any of you."
| Explain to them the truth about the situation as truthfully as you can
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How should I handle a new position that isn't the same as what I was offered? I've recently taken a job with a new employer. My understanding when accepting this position was that I would be working as a Java developer, but my manager has assigned me to a .net developer role. I am interested in Java, and not .net development. I asked my manager to move me to a Java developer role, but he told me that I had to wait six months first. How can I handle this situation professionally? <Q> If you feel that this is a bait-and-switch operation, and you're uncomfortable with it, then pursue new employment immediately. <S> Furthermore, if you've only been with this job for a few days or weeks, then don't feel obligated to even mention it at interviews. <S> If you've had the job for a bit longer, then be upfront with interviewers and tell them that the job was not what you expected. <S> @HLGEM's answer is incorrect to the extent that you're never under any inherent obligation to stick with a job. <S> Bear in mind that the following pieces of advice are not mutually exclusive: <S> If a job isn't helping you advance, then seek new employment immediately. <S> If you don't care about your career development, then nobody else will. <S> On the other hand, try not to move around too much because employers will doubt your ability to deliver and finish. <S> If you're mindful of both, then you'll be just fine. <A> I was exactly in the same situation a couple of years back. <S> I waited for a couple of months in the new role and when I have realized that I will not be able to enjoy the work anymore <S> then I moved to one of my dream jobs at another firm. <S> Now I am very happy and enjoying both my work/personal life to the fullest. <S> If you don't enjoy the work then probably it is difficult to excel in that position. <S> It will also affect your personal life. <S> It is better for you to start looking for your interesting positions in the same firm or at a different one. <S> I totally agree with @Jim's answer. <A> You cannot expect that business needs will not change. <S> If he needs you to work in .net, that is where he needs you. <S> How you respond is to do what you are being paid to do. <S> You can tell him that you would prefer to work in Java and ask him if he can find a Java project for you, but until he does, then do the other work to the best of your ability and without complaint. <S> If you do a bad job on the .Net work or become known as a prima donna who complains about everything, they have no incentive to reward you by giving the work that you would prefer. <S> Through the years I have worked with a lot of projects that weren't my first choice (and sometimes with people I disliked). <S> That is just how business is. <S> The needs of the business take precedence and the needs are fluid, you need to adapt to what the need of the moment is. <S> And you know what, I learned a lot that came in useful on later more interesting projects from the ones I didn't want to be on at first or from the people I didn't want to work with. <S> An attitude that 'you only want to work on what you want to work on' is a career limiting move. <S> Get rid of it now.
| I think that it is unprofessional to assign work that is not what agreed during the hiring process (interview).
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Applying for a position that I previously held I previously held a position at company X. I left because my spouse got a job offer in another location, but also my boss didn't like me very much and didn't let me do my job properly and he hadn't planned to renew my contract. To be honest I didn't like my boss either -- he was a real pain. In any case, my old boss has left the company, and we are planning to return to our previous home for personal reasons and I'm looking for a new position. In my job search, I found that my old job at company X has just recently opened up, and I'm thinking of reapplying. My work experience in the meantime has made me a better applicant for the position than I was previously, and of course I have the prior experience from actually doing the job in the past. So I think I should be a great candidate for this position. The main issue I have is, how should I go about applying for this job? It clearly requires a more specialized cover letter than your average job posting. I want to show them that I really loved this position, and that I am excited to rejoin the team. But I also need to explain what I've been up to in the interim in a way that is coherent and doesn't make me seem like a flake. Any advice? <Q> I was in this situation once (though it wasn't due to relocation). <S> Something like: <S> I previously held this position at $company and was able to (do great things -- specify). <S> Sadly, for family reasons I had to relocate, leaving that position. <S> I am now able to return to $city and was excited to see that this position is open. <S> Since I left $company I have (done these relevant things that make me an even stronger employee). <S> I've seen a few coworkers leave and return. <S> Even in cases where they were dissatisfied and chose to leave, their applications were given fair consideration. <S> The big question in those cases was: what has changed either at the company or with the candidate to make this a better idea now than it was then? <S> You need to pre-emptively answer that question. <A> Relocating for your spouse is an entirely valid reason to switch jobs and an entirely valid reason to come back. <S> It's almost certainly worthwhile to submit an application. <S> In your situation, what you should do is find out who would support your application, of the people still at the company. <S> You should reach out to them, tell them you want the job, and explicitly ask them for support or a reference. <S> You probably know whom else they can speak to. <S> As your buddies, they might even proactively suggest ways to help. <S> People who recently left the company are also likely to be good references, although they are no longer connected to the hiring infrastructure. <S> You also have a chance to highlight, on your application, your strengths and accomplishments when you held the job before. <S> The company's decision may well be made by people you know, and may not depend on how you wrote your application. <S> There's always a chance that someone did not like your previous performance and will not hire you back. <S> However, the odds are smaller with a new boss, and you can stack the deck in your favor by contacting the people who would support your application. <A> I think the answer is to approach this plainly and simply. <S> Explain you already have some experience in the role due to your previous time there, explain how you've improved in areas x , <S> y and z since then due to new projects/roles and go from there. <S> Don't over-think it. <S> Unless you really made a bad name for yourself or they have <S> a general "never go back" type of hiring policy, there shouldn't be any issue here.
| The key points you need to bring out in your cover letter are that you left due to circumstances having nothing to do with the company and that you enjoyed working there and are eager to return now that you can. In your case, it seems the truth is fine.
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Is it Ethical to Recruit a Coworker? I'm a software-developer, and I've had a list of project ideas that I've had floating in my head for a couple of years now. I also have a co-worker whose work-ethic I respect, as well as their programming ability and ability to learn. Neither of us work full-time for the company. The projects I have in my head are in no way in competition to a product that our company produces, and I don't think would have any interest in developing in the future-- within any reasonable consideration, anyway. Not like it would be impossible for them too, just seems highly unlikely. My question is, is it ethical for me to ask for help, or to enlist him on any of these projects seeing as I met him through work, and potentially start a business/service/etc.. on the side? Thanks. <Q> Lots of businesses start out as sideline projects for the people that found them. <S> If you're still employed, make sure that your contract doesn't preclude your new business from getting off the ground. <S> In general, you'll want to branch out into territory that doesn't compete with your employer. <S> Remain a productive employee . <S> Also, make it a point to know your employer’s policies on moonlighting. <S> You don’t want to find yourself out of work prematurely, because your employer caught wind of your new venture and disapproved. <S> Keep things between you and your co-worker alone, i guess he is more of a friend than co-worker to you. <S> While it might be tempting to brag to your coworkers about how you're starting a new business, you might find that you aren't employed by the time the gossip makes it up the corporate ladder. <S> Employers don't take kindly to employees who start their own businesses while they're still employed, particularly if they suspect that you're using company time and resources to fund your own endeavors. <S> So, expect to work extremely hard but be realistic about how many hours you can put in. <S> you have less time, so you have to make it count. <A> Certain types of employment (ie: sales) tend to have clauses written into employees contracts to protect them from actions people do when leaving (poaching customers and colleagues) <S> so as @Vinothbabu mentioned, check that you have no similar items in your employment contract. <S> At the end of the day, your co-worker is an adult and can make up their own mind. <S> They can weigh up the pros and cons of joining your side venture for themselves, you are merely offering the opportunity. <S> Also, this feeds in to a common thread that has started to appear in a few answers on this site <S> recently - think long-term. <S> What is of more benefit to you - developing this side venture or protecting your emplyment/reputation with your current employer? <S> I appreciate it is not always a balck and white decision <S> but you need to think what is best for you and your future. <A> Yes it is ethical, as listed above check your contract very closely and if you are really worried <S> you can even ask HR. <S> If you ask them to keep the matter private they will not tell anyone. <S> I actually did this at my last job and made sure to cover all my basses before I did anything. <S> Generally speaking there are a few ways companies treat both taking people and outside work. <S> I have seen the following, Outside Work: 1. <S> As part of your contract you are forbidden to do any outside work2. <S> As Part of your contract you are forbidden to do any outside work in the same field/for a competitor of the company you work for3. <S> You can do what ever you want <S> but you have to disclose it to us 4. <S> You can do what ever you want <S> but you cannot use what you have done here 5. <S> You can do what ever you want, we dont care. <S> Poaching employees 1. <S> We dont care what you do with each other out of the office 2. <S> If you both want to leave that is your call <S> The general rule about things like this (at least in my mind) is to not talk about it at work, not work on it at work, and not use any company resources to do it. <S> you are good to go. <S> As for leaving the company if your startup were to take off, unless you are under contract you and the guy you bring in are free to quit as you would any job. <S> There are many companies that have been started by employees who got together at bigger companies and left to do something completely different.
| In reality your job cannot really control what you do in your free time so as long as it does not affect your work Personally, I do not think it is unethical at all.
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How do I go about resigning in a company that doesn't allow two weeks' notice? I'm in a situation where I must resign from a team that is in over their heads with a huge project. They're even currently looking to hire a couple of people to help distribute the work. What they don't know is that 2 of us are resigning soon. The problem comes in with the fact that we work on a client site, and the client's policy does not allow 2 weeks notice. Once someone decides to resign, you are escorted immediately off the property. I basically have 2 choices. Go to my manager's office, and let her know that I will be resigning and possibly putting a multimillion $ project in jeopardy and take the beating/the manager's tears and then be escorted off the property by security Write a resignation letter for the company and a more personal letter to the manager thanking everyone for the opportunity, and wait for everyone to go home, and put the letters on her desk, with the company laptop, ID and other things, and never come back I'm not sure which would be the best choice. Would the 2nd option be considered disrespectful, since I wouldn't do it face to face? I know for a fact that no matter what choice I make, I will be hated by the whole team and I will never be expecting a recommendation from the manager any time soon. (The last person to resign was liked by everyone, and once they resigned, they became the scapegoat for all our problems and the team all just spit and cursed his name daily for almost a year...no, it's not a friendly work environment at all, some of the most terrible people I've ever come into contact with in my life) My other co-worker who's resigning is leaving about 2 months after me and said he'll decide his method of resigning depending on how they react with the way I resign. So how should I handle this situation? Is there another option I am not considering? To clarify a few things. I want them to continue to like me for professional purposes (possible recommendations, in case our paths meet again, etc.) I work on the client site. The client does not allow people to stay after they've declared that they are resigning, that is not my company's policy, but the kicker is that the client is a government agency where I have access to very confidential info. They are very strict, which is why it applies to contractors especially . I'm in the US. It is considered professional and courteous to give your "2 weeks notice" which is letting your employer know you are resigning 2 weeks prior to your last day on the job. It gives them time to prepare for your departure, find a replacement, etc. The client would know I've told my employer that I am leaving because I'm not the only one on site, I work for a software company, and my team of a few people work on-site at the client, including my manager (not the client's manager). I've seen 2 people resign before me, and both times, my manager had them escorted out of the building immediately. Although it's the client's policy, my manager follows the rules, since she also works on-site. <Q> I would write the letters of resignation, but do not leave them on the desk. <S> It is unprofessional and cowardly. <S> This is a business relationship and should be treated as such by both sides. <S> However I would have my desk prepared for immediate departure. <S> I would present your letters to the manager while acknowledging that you are aware that the normal practice of the company is to terminate the business relationship immediately, offer to work out a 2 week notice if that is their desire. <S> If you present it this way then there should be no hard feelings on anyone's side. <S> This should leave the door open for your return in the future should that be your desire. <S> You will find that sometime in your career if you do much consulting that your path will cross with one or more of the people whom you have worked with there. <S> Keeping the relationship professional and leaving on good terms are important to keeping future relationships starting out on the right foot. <A> What I would do is option 3. <S> I would prepare for being escorted out that day and prepare a written transition document of where everything stands. <S> I would make sure all code was checked in to a branch at least. <S> (This doesn't apply to any non-programmers reading this.) <S> I would clean up anything I wanted on my computer (such as if I had personal pictures I mean, not stealing work related information which you should not do.) <S> I would pack up my personal stuff. <S> I would gather any current necessary emails or documents in a file and make sure that the the location of the file was accessible to my supervisor and include it in my transition document. <S> I would be prepared financially to not get that two weeks pay <S> (even if you have a good legal case to get paid (local laws vary), you might have to use legal means to get it and thus not get it immediately.) <S> I would take that resignation letter and my transition document to my boss and resign like a professional. <S> You do this no matter how badly you think they will treat you and no matter how eager you are to leave. <S> If they choose to put the project at risk by not letting you do a transition, then that is their problem, by checking in your code and preparing a transition document, you have done all you can in that case. <A> Speak to the actual people YOU work for, who placed you at the client site.find out what they wish you to do. <S> Prepare your documents, your computer files, etc. <S> Write that letter, with a 2 week notice included. <S> Prepare yourself for suddenly being walked off premises but let THE CLIENT be the one to march you out or let you stay 2 weeks. <S> Your assumptions may be invalid in this case, and you seem to be eager to jump the gun on this matter. <S> Under no circumstances should you just write a letter and leave. <S> That's cheap. <S> If the client are jerks, then they are jerks, and you can hold your head up high. <S> What YOU need to take care of is your relationship with the actual people YOU work for, and THAT'S NOT the client. <A> From your description, you are working for company A, who is selling you to the company B. <S> The company B has not 2-week notice for its employers, but your company (A) does. <S> You should contact your company (A) before saying company B about that case. <S> They are certainly in better position to handle that case. <S> Because you're external, it is possible, you could work there for a few days even if you have decided to leave company A. <S> It's even possible, that company A would say, they want to move you out of the project from company B in 2 weeks, without being oblidget to give an explanation if you leave or you are sent to other customer. <S> 2 companies have much more flexibility determining their terms of contract than you agaists a company. <S> In each case, you should consult with your mother company first. <S> You might learn, you are not the first person in such situation and they've already established a good procedure for handling such cases.
| Then I would write a formal letter resigning as of a date two weeks from now.
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Waiting for offer letter more than one week I had an interview 10 days ago. At that time the employer told me that "you are confirmed". However, I am still waiting for the offer letter. In the meantime, I contacted the employer over the phone and they replied that "our boss is not in the office, but he will be back sometime soon". So my question is, is the reason for the delay genuine or is it a trap? <Q> In my experience I would certainly not wait around for it. <S> Keep searching and keep going to interviews. <S> There are certainly legitimate reasons for them not getting back to you swiftly <S> and then there are definitely reasons why they would hold off. <S> This question is not easily answerable because the only way to know for sure is if you knew their track record with previous hires and how long things took. <S> If you know someone on the inside that would also help obviously but those situations are few and far between. <A> I had an interview before 10 days. <S> At that time the employer told me that " you are confirmed". <S> But still I am waiting for the offer letter. <S> In the mean while i contacted the employer through phone and they replied that, " our boss is not in office he will back in near days". <S> So my question is, Is this genuine reason by the employer or is it trap ? <S> I understand your position, When you are waiting on a job offer after a interview every time the phone rings you will looking at the caller id saying-"Is this the call? <S> And then it turns out to be XYZ. <S> I would suggest as others pointed keep your job search open. <S> "Even if you're certain an offer is coming, do not stop job hunting," The longer they make you wait, the lower the chances of appointment. <S> There's nothing you can do but wait. <S> Calling them (or emailing) repeatedly isn't going to speed things up. <S> If key personnel are out of the office or whatever, calling won't change that. <S> You don't have a start date until it is in writing, and if they continue to delay, they should also be pushing back the start date. <S> "Internal processes can take weeks – often much longer than the whole initial interview process." <S> All the best, do let us know here in this thread or chat-room once you get the offer letter. <A> By and large, most companies that give you a verbal offer on the phone do not renege on it. <S> So the question is what do they mean by "you are confirmed. <S> " Is that all they said, or was there other verbage involved? <S> Reasons they could fail to follow through are things like: unexpected budget cuts; resignation of hiring manager. <S> So it really boils down to the verbage involved in the conversation and whether it was more along the lines of "they are interested in you" or "we would like to hire you <S> but it needs to pass approval first" or "the hiring team made a decision to make you an offer." <S> In behooves you in these situations to clarify things to your satisfaction by asking questions: "is there anything to preclude an offer from being made?" ... "does an offer depend on anyone else in the company who has not provided their input yet? <S> " Most reasonable companies are happy to answer questions like this. <A> An actual letter of acceptance can take awhile to reach an employee. <S> There are many reasons for this, including bureaucratic obstruction, people losing paperwork, or just bosses being slow. <S> A week is not anything to worry about. <S> What you should be doing, regardless of how long it takes, is continuing to interview and look for jobs. <S> Just because you've been told by your interviewer that you 'have a job', doesn't mean things can't change between now and then. <S> Keep looking for work. <S> Keep in mind while looking that you have a promising opportunity to be accepted to this position, but keep looking anyway because things can always go wrong. <S> Proceed tactfully, of course. <S> There's no reason you have to mention any oddity to the employer. <S> Just keep going about your business as you normally would. <A> The hiring process can be full of red tape and delays. <S> A week is nothing to be overly concerned about. <S> Depending on the reputation, size, and general feeling you have about a place you can appropriately judge the amount of concern that you should have regarding this delay. <S> You must be a mixture of firm and non-confrontational which is difficult. <S> I would refrain from phoning too often. <S> Send them an email asking when they expect the boss to return and the date they would have the official offer letter in your hand. <S> Tell them you are thrilled to be working for them and look forward to working with them in the near future. <A> I received my offer letter SIX Weeks after the interviewer in the final round of interviews finally said to me, "Welcome to XXX". <S> Sometimes offers can even be withdrawn, especially to freshmen. <S> To be practical, keep searching. <S> I know it can be very very frustrating with this job interview business, to get all your hopes up, and then see them dashed on the ground. <S> Wish you the best.
| Some organizations have many policies and procedures to follow, and there may be other issues at work, such as the company situation, or the client or work you may be taken for, might be cancelled. If they told you on the phone that they want to hire you and are ready to make an offer, then it's unlikely (but not impossible) that they will renege.
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How can you demonstrate technical competence in an interview? I'm a mid career technical person. I currently work as a technical trainer. I'm exceptional at learning how systems work quickly, researching, I've got a wide range of technical knowledge, I'm great at presenting and explaining technical concepts in non-technical language. I am terrible at coding though. I love to code. I find it really useful but whenever I have gone for an interview involving white board code problem solving it is just beyond me. I'm just nowhere near that league. I bought a book about 'passing the coding interview'... and frankly I can memorise the answers but after many, many attempts to understand the problem solving aspect I realise it is beyond me. My brain just can't do it. I think there is some level of mathematical intuition that I'm just not wired for. While I'm never going to apply for a job as a developer, which is fine, the frustrating part is when I go to job interviews for non-developer positions that require some coding knowledge (for instance as a support engineer) I fail at simple white board problem solving. How can I demonstrate my practical, hacky coding skills and general technical aptitude in an interview and get around flunking whiteboard code quizzes? <Q> There are two options: Learn to code. <S> Don't apply to positions that require coding. <S> Even if it's not a developer role, support engineers will need to code for various reasons, and are expected to understand the code that they are supporting. <S> (there are tons of them), and solving them. <S> You mentioned mongoDB in the comments - here is a quote from them <S> In this role you will work on challenging performance-tuning cases and will support our users by learning the way their applications are using MongoDB in order to make indexing, data modeling, and/or platform sizing and configuration recommendations. <S> How can you tune performance if you don't know what the system does or how it works? <S> - it's like trying to tune an engine without knowing if it's a flat 6 or a V6 - you will be facing customers who ask these questions, and make the company seem incompetent when you can't answer - why would they hire such a person? <S> As you advance, you will have opportunities to automate and productize performance diagnostic techniques and best-practices. <S> Check out our open-source tool Dex, which can automatically recommend the correct indexes for slow queries. <S> how exactly do you plan to automate something without being able to code? <S> Wrong answer: I don't plan to advance. <S> Our ideal candidate: Has a degree in Computer Science or at least one year of experience as a support/systems engineer at a backend services company <S> Can demonstrate strong written and verbal communication skills. <S> You’ll be working with our developer community a lot over email and chat. <S> Has a good working knowledge of Linux <S> This position is something that needs coding (scripting in a modern OO language counts as coding) <S> Assuming this is the post you meant when you said "Support Engineer at MongoDB" - what were you expecting to do to overcome these challenges? <A> One way in which you could (potentially) get this to work is to get in with a contracting firm. <S> My experience with contractor interviews is that they tend to assume that you know what you're doing and don't ask the "fizzbuzz" questions so much. <S> Then, after actually doing nothing but coding for a while, perhaps that light will "turn on" and some of those questions will make more sense in and of themselves. <S> From the perspective of the interviewers, it appears to be really, really easy to tell people you know what you're doing in programming without actually knowing what you're doing. <S> At some point during the interview process, they have to figure out if you're really decent or if you're a good BS artist. <S> For all they know, the portfolio you bring in with you could have been put together by someone else, your answers could be rehearsed/memorized (which is still the case with the "fizzbuzz" stuff, of course), and so on. <S> I would go so far as to assume that any place which isn't asking you to demonstrate some level of programming proficiency up front is going to formally or informally have you on "probation", giving you smaller jobs to do while they figure out whether or not you know what you're doing. <A> So it seems like your question is mainly around why you are unable to whiteboard code in an interview. <S> This is simply; you haven't been coding enough. <S> Yes, you are a fast learner. <S> But there is more to coding than just syntax. <S> I felt the exact same way as you described in your question when I was an undergraduate. <S> I did very well in all of my coding assignments. <S> Got A's in every coding project because I loved it. <S> But get me in front of a whiteboard <S> and I'll freeze up like a freshmen who didn't study enough for a midterm. <S> I, as well, read up on multiple interview preparations test and learned a lot about it. <S> But I still couldn't handle the pressure of coding on the spot. <S> After doing software development as a career for awhile, I realized why I couldn't perform in front of a white board. <S> It was simply because I wasn't coding enough. <S> I didn't code 40 hours per week when I was in school. <S> But at my job? <S> Yes, for all of 40 hours a week, all I do is coding. <S> When my peers and managers come to me with a challenge, I quickly and confidently spit out some code or tell them why it would take too much time to develop. <S> That's because I have become proficient at it and understand code at a deeper level than just syntax. <S> That's because I have been coding enough to not be pressured with time. <S> So I believe you just simply have to do more of it. <A> How can I position myself in the job market to advertise and make best use of my practical, hacky coding skills without flunking whiteboard code quizzes? <S> Don't give up. <S> Keep enjoying your hobby. <S> Write code, build websites, API's, utilities, whatever drives your passion. <S> Try to use common technologies in the process. <S> Learn the common patterns. <S> All the while have fun solving problems algorithmically and pick up a deeper understanding of fundamentally important languages like C/Java variants and SQL variants. <S> Sooner or later, you'll be able to answer those whiteboard questions <S> OR you'll be in a position where you'll have so much broad experience and enthusiasm <S> it won't matter.
| If you truly want these types of positions, you will need to learn to code - I suggest looking for practice coding problems online Has some experience programming or scripting in a modern, object-oriented language. Focus on what particular technologies you are asked to deal with and have issues with.
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Adding skills to your resume that are not part of your job description? I work for an insurance broker that manages several billion in assets. I do a lot of analysis and I have taught myself Python to solve analytical problems. This is not a part of my official job function; it is just something I have done above and beyond because I am a curious fellow. Most of the in-house analysis is done using Excel and extracting data from a database (don't ask - the database dev doesn't really know how to build a database...) and I just wanted to up my game. It makes me more effective at work and I run statistical analysis using pandas and numpy. I have started to look into machine learning as well. I make sure that none of this affects my day to day duties. My question is, is listing these skills that I've developed on a résumé appropriate? <Q> Absolutely. <S> It's also incredibly helpful to mention during an interview that these activities weren't part of your official job functions, but that you wanted to go above and beyond, especially in that it made you more effective in your official job functions. <A> On their own, the skills are not related to your job, but you made them relate to it through adaptation. <S> This shows that: You are capable of experimenting with new (or original) ways to increase yourproductivity. <S> You are able to understand, even if at a basic level,some programming concepts. <S> This can easily make an employer realizehow <S> you could branch out if the need arises, and provide support inareas that are probably out of others' reach. <S> And most importantly: You love your job enough to actually devote extra effort to it. <S> That makes you a great choice by default. <S> So yes, it would be a bad idea not to get them on your resume. <A> My question is, is listing these skills that I've developed on a resume appropriate? <S> Since you say "It makes me more effective at work", then you clearly believe these skills are beneficial now - presumably they will continue to be beneficial for future employers, and you are ready and willing to discuss how that can benefit them. <S> Resumes are about showcasing your talent in order to get an interview and later, a job. <S> That talent is sometimes part of your current job description, and sometimes not. <S> Use whatever you have to your best advantage. <A> Yes they are, but Use them on your CV when you need to, i.e. Matching a Job Description. <S> You may get that extra responsibility otherwise. <S> If you have Python experience and one day your Boss comes around and say's "You know Python don't you? <S> We need you to write some programs" then you think " <S> oh No, I shouldn't have put that on my CV". <S> If you work in a Team, you will be taken out from the loop on Normal work because you are now working on a Project, Your friends in the team will have to cover your Normal Daily work thus creating more work for them and People will start wondering if you ever coming back to the team thus creating tension. <S> And you probably wont get payed any extra cash for doing that and feel angry. <S> I'm talking from experience <S> , it happened to me once. <S> i work in Computers. <S> Don't get me wrong, i love my work, but sometimes having that extra skill on a CV can backfire for you and your team mates. <S> People usually Add or Subtract Skills accordingly for each Job they Apply. <S> If you did a course in Bread Making but your background is Finance then put that down on your CV if you want to get a Job in a Bakery. <A> I would say that your skills should affect your day-to-day duties... <S> Assuming your duties consist of using Excel to analyze actuarial risk -- how does your scripting increase the quality of your analysis? <S> My guess is that some combination of validation, speed, accuracy, (metrics, ideally quantifiable in some way) have improved. <S> What kind of backend system does your company run? <S> Anything involving SQL queries should be listed. <S> If you import pymongo for anything, then Mongo/NoSQL should appear. <S> If it's just HTML forms automation ( <S> the requests and lxml.html modules come in handy here)... <S> whatever it is, list it. <S> In the end, keep in mind that your resume is read first by a bot, so make use of whatever keywords you work with - "game the system" without making it obvious, and expact interviewers to BS-test you. <S> Most importantly, drive a hard bargain. <S> If you do it right and know your stuff and are patient you might be worth another $30K+.
| If you think these skills will be beneficial in your next job, then yes - list them.
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Bosses refuse to follow branding guidelines My company recently acquired a new building. The architect proposed a design for the facade that goes against the branding guidelines on use of our company logo. As the Corpcomms manager, I did my part by letting my bosses know that this is not a good way to proceed. By approving this design, we set a precedence for other departments to do similarly. Unfortunately today I received an announcement via email from my bosses that they have decided to go ahead with it. I should probably let it go, but I still disagree. And I definitely don't know how to go on to brief other departments about the branding guidelines in future. What should I do? <Q> Your boss has made a decision, you have done your duty by pointing out the consequences and stating that you think it is a bad idea. <S> After that, you should let it go, it is not your responsibility. <A> You should remember that your bosses are in charge of the branding guidelines to begin with. <S> Just because the new design doesn't follow the guidelines that they themselves wrote, possibly years ago, doesn't mean that they can't go against those guidelines if they wanted to. <S> It might not look great or even good, but if it was approved by the right manager, you really shouldn't continue to object, at least not publicly. <A> You've met the "due diligence" requirements by advising site management of your concern. <S> You are not obligated to take it further. <S> In some companies, it may be considered appropriate to take such questions up the chain, either directly or via whatever indirect mechanism the company provides. <S> But it shouldn't be done lightly. <S> Remember that branding guidelines are just that, guidelines, and it's possible site management already has approval from Corporate for the deviation from standard practice... and that if you've been an outspoken critic, you're likely to be suspect as the source of the complaint even if there's an "anonymous suggestion" system in place. <S> And it shouldn't be done contentiously; phrase it as a question rather than an accusation. <S> ("I don't quite understand how this squares with policy, and I'd like to <S> so I can do my job better in the future. <S> Who should I talk to for additional education in this area?") <S> That raises the issue without coming across as a backstab. <S> If you really think the decision is going to actively damage the trademark protection or otherwise cost the company a huge amount, and are willing to risk betting your job on either being right or being respected for the effort, that's one thing. <S> (I might risk it in my company, for example, if this was an issue in my area of expertise <S> and I thought megabucks were at risk; IBM has a pretty decent history in that regard.) <S> If not, then pick your battles. <S> Remember that if it is a problem, someone from Corporate and/or the legal department will eventually notice it and decide whether something has to be done about it... and the blame, if any, isn't going to land on you. <S> (If this was a serious corporate ethics issue, I'd say take it up the chain and damn the torpedoes. <S> But even then I'd phrase no more strongly than "this worries me, but I may be misinterpreting what I'm seeing.") <A> It is their job to make decisions and your job to carry them out. <S> Keep records of any written communication where you reminded them of the conflict and their responses. <S> Store them as long as you can. <S> (Make sure this does not violate any company policy.) <S> This might help you if their superiors question the situation and it comes back to you. <S> After you've done this, let it go and don't let yourself be stressed out by it.
| No matter the topic, if it's not illegal or immoral, do whatever your bosses ask you to do.
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How to deal with a potential turf war between three recruiters for the same job? I was looking for a job in software development and I was pleased when in one day I had three potential phone interviews with the promise of emails containing job spec, company spec etc from the recruiters. The jobs and companies sounded similar but different enough that I was not suspicious. HOWEVER! When I started to receive these emails I discovered that all 3 were for the same job for the same company. I was not sure how to deal with this as each of the three recruiters had a form to sign that stated that only they would represent me to this company. I decided on the recruiter who had been most helpful and I liked most, and then proceeded to tell the other recruiters the situation and to request that they remove my CV from consideration. Both recruiters gave me a huge loss of commission inspired lecture about my unprofessionalism in attempting to play recruiters off each other and how they would now black list me from their books. Furthermore one also demanded to know who the company I had chosen to work with was which I refused to tell them as I did not feel it was their business. I then politely told both recruiters that I had made my decision, I would take their comments into consideration and to metaphorically and politely bite me. I was really REALLY annoyed at this point as no recruiter I have ever worked with has given the name of the company outright, and the descriptions given to me did not make it obvious that the jobs were the same. My question is, what should I have done? did I do correctly? what were the other options you might suggest? <Q> My question is, what should I have done? <S> did I do correctly? <S> what were the other options you might suggest? <S> You did exactly what I have done many times in the past, except that I've never signed an "exclusive" without first having a relationship with the recruiter. <S> (I have an agency that I've used for a long time. <S> When job hunting, I am willing to be exclusive to them for while, since I know them well, and they know me well. <S> That's not something I do with just any agency). <S> You could also tell the spurned recruiters - "Next time, tell me the name of the company when you first contact me. <S> I promise to immediately let you know if I'm already a candidate for that company through another recruiter. <S> That way, we can both avoid wasting our time. <S> " Recruiters don't like to have their time wasted - neither do I. <S> Another trick I've used in the past when I don't know the hiring company is to do a Google search using phrases from the job description I was given. <S> In every single case, significant portions of the job description I was given and/or company description matched exactly something on the company's site. <S> In every case, I could easily determine who was doing the actual hiring. <A> From the sound of it you have been professional and they have not, its always hard to say from hearing about things after the fact though. <S> You haven't done anything wrong here, but something to consider for the future is how you can phrase things to present the best image. <S> For example consider: "Thanks for the phone interview <S> but I'm going with a different recruiter for the job" vs " <S> Thanks for the phone interview <S> but I just discovered that what I thought were different jobs <S> are actually the same job through different recruiters. <S> To be fair <S> I'm going with the first recruiter to contact me about it <S> so cannot continue further with you. <S> " <S> The first phrasing is ambiguous. <S> Why are you going with that recruiter? <S> Who put you in touch with that recruiter? <S> Were you stringing along multiple recruiters to increase your chances of being put forwards? <S> etc. <S> With the second phrasing its a bit longer but its much clearer. <S> You just found out, you didn't do it deliberately, and also it gives a neutral "non blaming" reason for why you picked one recruiter over the others. <S> In this sort of sensitive situation perception can make a big difference. <A> The first thing the recruiter should have done is disclose the name of the client as soon as he determines that you are a legitimate potential applicant. <S> However, if the recruiter doesn't do this, then you should immediately ask him or her (don't you want to know where you would be working?). <S> Don't be surprised if he/she gives you a quick 1-2 minute basic screen (e.g. if you are a QA engineer - confirm which testing frameworks you have worked in) just to make sure that your resume is accurate. <S> Many firms post fake resumes just to gain insight (confidence trick) into who the client is and then try to "steal" the job from the original recruiter, which is why recruiters are reluctant to share the client name until they have verified that you are a legitimate candidate. <S> Taking calls just to find out the name of the client can eat up a lot of time and frustration. <S> I've found OnContracting to be a useful resource for finding out which clients use which staffing firms. <S> They are only in Seattle and SF Bay Area though :-( <A> One way you could have avoided this is to always get the name of the company before you agree to let yourself be put forward. <S> If you had done this, then you could tell the second recruiter who got you an interview that you were already talking to that company. <S> It's also a good idea, because there are companies you might not want to work at - or alternatively you might have already applied to that company on your own. <S> I was at a seminar on 'working with recruiters' last week, and it was one of the things they emphasized. <S> Given the situation you found yourself in, I don't actually see much of an alternative strategy. <S> Remind the recruiters that the whole situation would have been avoided if they had told you the company name. <A> Next time just tell the recruiters you don't wish to use that you don't think you'll be a good fit for the role. <S> You can pick any reason you like (except, of course, that you've chosen to use another recruiter). <S> Recruiters rarely have any idea of what the technical requirements are for a role, and they're not going to hate you if you tell them you don't want to go forward for some unspecified reason. <S> They will, of course, try to strong-arm you, because that is their job. <S> So don't give them any reason to.
| Obviously you have to play fair and not apply for the position yourself once the recruiter has found it for you.
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How to handle boss's invitation to become a Facebook Friend knowing that sometimes my Friends might post something that is not work-appropriate I've had a pretty good working relationship with my boss for the past 1 1/2 years. He trusts me to deal with the problems he gives me, I give him the best quality work that I can, occasionally there are some hangups but in general I do good work for him, he appreciates me, and we get along well in the office. A short time ago, while I was at home, I noticed my boss's name on Facebook, as an invitation to become a Facebook Friend with him. Now, I don't normally post racy or inappropriate things on my Facebook (I have my family to discourage me from doing that), and I don't usually post inflammatory work-related things on it either (because I know better than to do that), but I am a bit of a nerd and I don't know if my boss's political leaning is in-line with mine (I think it is, but it hasn't really come up). Do I have anything to worry about? Is it appropriate to accept this invitation? Note that I don't ever go on Facebook during work, even during hours when nothing is really going on, because I know sometimes my Facebook Friends might post something that is not work-appropriate (again, nothing really racy or inappropriate, just inappropriate for a work environment). <Q> Friending your boss can indeed be a very bad idea. <S> An approach to handling this is to thank him for the friend request, but tell him you'd prefer to keep your work life and home life separated online. <S> That will help assure him its not a personal problem you have with him. <S> If you use LinkedIn, that might be a better network to 'friend' him on. <A> The best thing to do would be to add him to a list that you restrict access/visibility to. <S> I have had business acquaintances and other people I do not really know add me on facebook. <S> I don't want people whom I don't know to see mine or my family's personal lives. <S> I am not worried about inappropriate posts or hiding anything, it's just getting too personal with people <S> I am not personal with. <S> So adding them to different lists with different visibility permissions and being mindful when you post stuff of who you intend to share with. <A> Be blunt. <S> Tell your boss that you have friends and family who occasionally post stuff that would make a US Navy sailor blush and you don't want to expose him to that, especially since you are unwilling to pay the price of not letting your friends and family do their thing :) <S> Don't make it more complicated than it actually is - just say "no" :) <A> The answer is related to what you are connecting, and how you know your boss. <S> If you know him socially, i.e. you spend time with him outside of work, you may consider connecting to him (but maybe worth pre-warning him about zany cousin Bob who should carry a parental warning sticker). <S> If your relationship is purely work related, I'd avoid Facebook, maybe offer to connect via Linkedin etc (although that can have its' own issues if you decide to look for a new job). <A> LinkedIn is for professional connections; Facebook is for friends and family. <S> Not only is adding your boss a bad idea for your job, it can be dangerous to your career <S> and it was inappropriate for your boss to put you in the awkward position of having to make this decision. <S> You deserve to be comfortable and goofy on your personal Facebook page just as you would in the comfort of your own home--having your boss watching isn't conducive to this. <S> My suggestion would be to ignore the invite altogether. <S> I have invitations from people that have been sitting in my inbox for years. <S> If your boss follows up on the request, you may tell him/her that you are actually trying to pare down your friends list to only your closest friends and family as it is just becoming a big distraction for you otherwise. <S> You can welcome him to connect with you on LinkedIn. <S> Good luck! <A> That's it, you just lost your Job. <S> (just joking) <S> isn't there any group option, that you can separate your boss from your normal friends and put some of your friends in that same group that you know they wont do anything stupid, <S> maybe warn them that your boss is in there and check some security settings to see if you can block some options that may cause problems like posting on your wall. <S> If you don't accept your boss as a friend, it wont go down well. <S> If it bothers you that much, get out of Facebook book altogether. <A> This has always been a tricky issue. <S> On one hand, many people are averse to adding co-workers on Facebook per the reasons given above. <S> But at the same time, things could become awkward if you reject someone's friend request. <S> Suppose your manager is considering whether to give you a raise. <S> If you declined his friend request, and he ultimately doesn't promote you, how do you know it's not because you "snubbed" him? <S> That said, I would recommend accepting his friend request, but only after making sure he can't see anything that would be inappropriate for work. <S> Your manager isn't going to be able to access all the details of your private life just because you're connected, especially when you have the appropriate privacy settings in place. <S> It's not so much who you connect with, but what you post and who you share it with. <S> I hope this helps.
| Unless you are already actual friends who do things together outside of work, its bad form for him to have sent you the friend request in the first place and put you on the spot. If he's already sent a request, I'd politely reply declining, but explaining that you're not snubbing him, but you do keep things separate (and maybe suggesting the alternate as above)
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Am I missing out on important business skills if I only ever work for smaller companies? Since starting to work, I've really only ever worked at startups. I like the close, friendly atmosphere and I enjoy the fact that my work immediately makes a difference in our products. I'm pretty sure that a big company isn't for me in the long run. However, I've had multiple people suggest that I should try working at a larger company at least once, if only just to see what it's like. I can't help but wonder if there is truth to this. Am I missing out on important business skills by only working for startups? For example, things regarding organizational structure or workplace dynamics? Would this hinder me in someday scaling my own startup to something larger? If there are skills that I am missing by not working in larger companies, how can I develop those skills (other than by going to work at bigger companies)? <Q> The answer, as ever, is "it depends. <S> " <S> Unless run by the same people, no two companies are the same. <S> Even within larger companies, the hierarchy and workplace dynamics are usually dependent on the corporate culture and leadership within that company. <S> Thus, it really depends on what you want to do long term. <S> If you're thinking about how to be able to potentially scale a start-up into a more established company, the best course of action is to bring in someone who knows how to scale companies and has done it before, especially, if possible, in your industry. <S> Working for a large company may not give you that experience or knowledge; you will only see the result of the scaled company, not how it got there. <S> Furthermore, you'll only see 1 example of a scaled company. <S> However, what working for a larger company will give you <S> is experience in how, at large, the industry you work in actually works. <S> This knowledge is certainly helpful when working with (and possibly scaling) start-ups, and can give you credibility in the industry (with both start-ups and established firms) long-term. <S> If this is what you want, then I'd certainly recommend working for a couple of years for a larger firm. <A> In general yes, it's good to have experience with different types of companies. <S> However, a lot depends upon your specific circumstances. <S> It sounds like you've already discovered that you're happy with a startup-style culture. <S> And that at least conceptually, the idea of working for a larger company doesn't appeal to you. <S> So if the proposition is that you leave a job with a startup company that you're happy with for one with a larger organization that you may be unhappy with, all for the sake of a learning experience, then no, I don't think that makes sense. <S> If you go that route, the best-case scenario would be that you discover that you were wrong and that you actually love working for a large company. <S> But the worst-case is that you find that you were right <S> , you don't like being at the big company, and now you've given up your job you liked at the smaller company and may be unable to get it back. <S> I'd suggest that in your case, you wait until your employment with your current startup company comes to its natural end, whenever that happens to be, and then go ahead and seek a position with a larger organization if you still want to see what it's like. <A> I've worked with small companies that were well run <S> and I've worked at companies that were Backstab Central. <S> Don't idealize small companies, the politicking there can be awful bad. <S> Large companies deal with issues that are not apparent to you in a startup environment and hopefully, you'll get to learn what it takes for a small company to successfully navigate the transition to a large company. <S> You'll most likely see that informal arrangements are no substitutes for standardized procedures - but then, you'll have to ask "which standardized procedures and how do I go about standardize them? <S> " <S> In a startup environment, you wear multiple hats and that's why I like being in a startup environment. <S> Large companies rely heavily on specialization - That's why you have full-time lawyers and such. <S> If you are naturally observant, it doesn't hurt to get both perspectives <S> and I hope that you get lucky and choose a well run large company :) <S> Be careful though, large, well run companies can have some horribly run departments and you might end up in one of them, as I did once upon a time :) <A> It's impossible to know what you are missing out on unless you decide to go get that experience. <S> I'm trying to think of reasons why past coworkers would tell you that you need to work for a large company. <S> Perhaps you have some expectations or demands that are simply not in line with what a small company can provide. <S> Without knowing you, I can't give that advice. <S> What I can say is that different experiences enhance our perception of life. <S> By working for a large company for a year or two you might gain a bit of insight that will be a big help to you.
| There's value in having experience with different types of organizations, but not so much that you should abandon a job you're happy with to get it. Maybe you aren't missing out on anything and maybe you are.
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I missed a meeting because I misread the email how should I approach this? So, I don't have many meetings but this was one of the first more important ones yet I happened to misread the email. So that's fine and all but on top of that I had soaked my phone in water so when I was contacted if I could make it I couldn't respond because I was drying it still. So now I feel like I have lost my credibility especially since I haven't had many other chances to prove my reliability. In regard to what I have done. Nothing yet because I just found out few minutes ago. I feel like I should talk to the parties involved in the meeting by replying to the email that started the meeting but the meeting was about email migration, of which now the email server is down temporarily. So that isn't even an option. I really don't want to make it look like I'm trying to save my ass, which I am but also to let them know that I'm not unreliable. I'm really at a loss and am feeling really stressed now about this. So what should I do? NOTE: I had emailed the parties that I was able to make the meeting at said time, I just read it wrong. <Q> Point out that this won't happen again. <S> Make sure it actually does NEVER HAPPEN AGAIN. <S> "Misreading" an e-mail seems like an odd thing and having a "wet phone" is even stranger. <S> If you have trouble staying organized, use some tools that help. <S> Calendar software, reminders, daily to do list, etc. are all good techniques. <S> Acknowledge to yourself that this is potentially a real problem and start working on it <A> Every single person on here has done things like miss meetings or occasionally misinterpret communications. <S> I don't see the need for the harsh judgement and assumptions in some of the comments. <S> I agree with the other answers about apologizing. <S> However, there's no need to make a big production about it. <S> Just say to the key folks that you're sorry you missed the meeting and don't go into unnecessary detail about why. <S> If someone then asks for further explanation, give it to the person that asked-- preferably in person. <S> One of the important things about apologies is that they need to scale to the situation in question. <S> If your apology is TOO profuse for the transgression, it merely draws attention to the gaffe. <S> If your apology is missing or not enough, of course, that reflects badly on you. <S> As far as avoiding this type of problem in the future, do your best, but realize that you like everyone else will sometimes drop the ball. <S> If it happens too much that's another more serious problem. <S> I disagree with trying to make any disingenuous assurances that "this will never happen again". <A> Apologize in person or email. <S> I am very sorry that I missed our scheduled meeting last (date). <S> Unfortunately my phone got soaked in water accidentally so i couldn't respont when you tried to contact me, first time that happened to me. <S> The meeting was very important to me. <S> I will make sure this doesn't happen again <S> and i apologize for any inconvenience that i may have caused. <S> I may now buy the Nokia Lumia 920 phone. <S> And if they say, "Yeah but you responded the meeting email, that you were attending" as an example you can say "Because of what happened whith the Phone <S> i couldnt read the mail to Confirm the Date and time and lost track" <S> Keep it simple anyway <S> , whats done is done and cant go back to fix it, so just be honest and keep the apology simple and say it wont happen again.
| Send a short apology to the meeting invitees. Acknowledge your error and don't make any excuses.
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New job assignment where my ex manager has become my subordinate I have been promoted by the company CEO to senior manager. This position places me above my first boss at the company, who was my boss for 9 years, but we didn't seem to click or harmonize much with our work. However, his capabilities and expertise is highly needed to manage our division deliverables smoothly. Can you please advise me on how to maintain the equilibrium between us and in the same time maintaining my professionalism? <Q> If you are now a senior manager, you have probaly learned now that you should be able to effectively work with anyone whether you like them or not. <S> However, your former boss is likely to be fairly unhappy at this development. <S> You may need to havea plan in your back pocket of where he could be moved to if he does not want to work with you. <S> You need to sit down with immediately and talk about what you expect of him, why you are retaining him on the team and how the new relationship will work. <S> Acknowledge any problems you had in the past and how you contributed to them and what you have learned since then. <S> It may be possible to salvage this relationship if he is willing to try, but if his attitude is negative at the end of this talk or if he after the talk starts making public problems for you, then get rid of him as soon as you can. <S> This does not necessarily mean fire him, if there is somewhere he can transfer to to save face <S> , that is fine. <S> His talents may be good but they are useless with a bad attitude. <S> He needs to be aware that you are willing to restart the relationship and that you respect his abilities, but he also needs to realize that his own attitude will dictate if he can keep his job. <S> Don't keep him if he is a snake in the grass. <S> The problems he will create will far exceed any technical abilites he can bring to the group. <S> The choice in the end is his, can he get along with you or not. <S> I've seen this play out several times at work <S> and it it all came down to the attitude of the employee. <S> If he was willing to work for someone who used to work for him and who he disliked at that time, it will work out fine, but if he isn't the best thing for you, for your team, for the project and ultimately for him is to move him elsewhere in the organization or fire him as soon as possible. <A> A large part of being a good leader involves getting your subordinates (and higher leaders) to trust you as a leader. <S> For this answer, I'm assuming 2 things. <S> First, the CEO trusts you more than they do your first boss, as you were promoted above him. <S> Second, because you and your first boss never seemed to get along, your first boss really doesn't trust you, and you don't trust him. <S> I would try these steps in order: You can try to regain his trust <S> This can occur by talking with him privately, acknowledging that you and him initially didn't get along, but that he is a vital part of the team. <S> You should be willing to put that distrust behind you, but that he also needs to be able to respect you and understand that, at this point, you are higher in the chain of command. <S> As such, he needs to be able to align his team's goals with your corporate goals. <S> However, if that doesn't work... <S> Speak with the team <S> This would involve speaking to his team as a whole, telling them your overall plans for that team and where things are going, all in order to get the team onboard with your corporate goals. <S> If you're still unable to gain trust of the team... <S> Think about a change in team management <S> After all, nothing productive will be accomplished if you cannot push your goals through to your subordinates. <S> The reason why I'm saying this <S> (and not something like you should consider changing companies) is because first, you're the boss. <S> Second, as stated earlier, corporate leadership seems to trust you more than your former line manager, and thus you have a lot more leverage to work with. <A> You are his boss now? <S> This means it's up to him to manage the relationship between you and him. <S> Because now, you have the option to terminate his employment. <S> I'd say let the past be the past and <S> all you should care about is how he acts with you as a subordinate. <S> If he is not comfortable with his role as a subordinate to you, that's his problem. <S> Don't let him make that into YOUR problem, you have plenty of other fish to fry. <S> Apparently, you are not comfortable with your role as his boss. <S> Don't let that lack of comfort become a problem to you. <S> Just do your job and discharge your responsibilities as your firm expects you to, and don't let anyone including yourself get in the way of that.
| This is and should be a last resort, but if you are unable to get your team onboard with your goals, or if there still is distrust between the team, your first boss, and you, you should consider replacing your first boss.
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Cleared Interview, Submitted Documents but yet no Job Offer from HR Recently 2 months back I gave an interview at a software company. Soon after that they told me I cleared the interview and asked me to fill certain forms. However, after hearing my expected salary, there was no reply from HR. When I called him to ask the status he told me X, which is slightly greater than my current salary, is their maximum offer. After several negotiation rounds we both settled on amount Y. He still didn't send me an offer letter, so I asked him what the issue was. He told me I had to give a couple more interviews for amount Y. I again gave the interviews he then again asked me to fill the same forms but this time he asked me for salary slips and an appraisal letter. Now it's been 2 months since I gave the first interview and one week has passed since the second interview. My question is why did HR repeatedly ask me for details and yet show no interest in giving me an offer? My second question is should I follow up with them again or should I wait for their response? <Q> Is it a HR job or a Software type Job? <S> If it's HR and you negotiated a salary they should have confirmed your position there and then. <S> You shouldn't be calling after X amount of time only to find out that you need to go for an interview again. <S> Sounds a bit odd. <S> If it's a Software job then its not really HR's job but the Managers Job for Negotiating and getting back to you ASAP. <S> Usually its only one or two interviews but some jobs require up to five. <S> I had a similar experience. <S> I applied for a job directly to a company and it took 2.5 months for a reply. <S> I went for the interview and shortly after I received an email from HR saying "Thank you...", and "We will let you know in a Week". <S> I received another email after 2.5 months to say "Sorry but ...". <S> Personally, If i apply for a job directly and not through an Agency i don't bother if they respond or not, nor i call back for updates as it's their responsibility <S> not mine. <S> I'm not saying that's what you should be doing, but what it stands to show is that in situations like these, it portrays how a company functions. <A> My question is why did HR repeatedly ask me for details and yet show no interest in giving me an offer? <S> Nobody here can really know why - it's just guessing. <S> Most likely they thought you were a good candidate and worth X, but may not yet have decided if you are actually worth Y. <S> My second question is should I follow up with them again or should I wait for their response? <S> It's only been one week since your last interview. <S> Wait at least one more week before following up. <S> If the Y salary is outside their typical salary range, then it takes time to justify the exception internally. <S> Try to be patient. <A> It sounds like the situation is as follows, please correct me if im wrong here, - First sets of interviews went well <S> and they gave you a number (salary) keep in mind if someone tells you a number that is not an official offer. <S> Did you get a letter with that number on it? <S> - You went back with a counter off, came up with a new number (still presumably not an official offer) but were told more interviews were necessary to make such a number a reality. <S> - You went back for said interviews and have not heard back as of yet. <S> I see a few things that could be the case. <S> Its only been a week, give them some time to discuss the issue at hand and assess what they want to do. <S> This is what I think the case is. <S> They dont want you at the price you are looking for. <S> If this is the case I would be surprised if they simply say nothing to you although I know many people who this has happened to. <S> The unfortunate fact is sometimes with big companies things get lost in the paperwork. <S> There was a miss communication internal to them. <S> This could also be a likely case in which case I would give it another week or two and call them to follow up. <S> It sounds to me like when you asked for more that put you in a different position in the company as apposed to simply a higher pay at the initial position. <S> In this case it is no surprise HR made you fill out more paperwork. <S> Yes it is extremely common for HR to require a lot of seemingly useless paperwork, this is mainly to cover a variety of laws and things that companies must comply with. <S> As for following up I would say 3 weeks is the max it should take them to get back to you <S> and if you hear nothing by then call them and see what is going on. <A> This is not a good practice, but it is standard. <S> If you haven't heard from them, they don't want to hire you. <S> There's a very small chance somebody has gone on vacation and forgotten to follow up with you. <S> You can ping the HR person and ask for status. <S> But if I were you I'd move on to other opportunities.
| Perhaps they are having a difficult time internally justifying Y. Sometimes that means they had budgeted only X, or that Y is outside their typical salary range. Sad to say, it is standard practice in the software industry in the USA for companies to ignore applicants when they decide not to give a formal offer of employment. To directly answer your question, that was most likely HR doing their due diligence.
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How do I deal with a manager who perceives a quality problem as not as critical as I do? I work in software development and have worked on two projects with the same piece of software being used in both, but each are slightly different. The second was built off the first's code with functionality changed a little. The software is an add-on running in the background for another software application. The first project's version didn't crash when the main application was closed. The second project's version crashes every time the main application is closed, and causes the whole system to hang for 30-60 seconds, a serious problem. I know the crash behavior is not correct: one, being a software developer I know this is obviously wrong; and two, the first project's version didn't have the problem. The first and second project versions of the software have been developed by two different developers. I have tried talking to the second project's developer several times about the issue, but they have come back basically saying it's not a problem and that we should find a way around it, like creating a special button to close the add-on running in the background before clicking another button to close the main application. I don't understand why they don't see the problem as I do. This developer is a manager level developer above me. How do I go about explaining it to them? I was hoping someone else would have noticed it by now as we have demoed the software once already to a prospective client. I thought about talking to my manager about it. I also considered talking to the project lead about it and seeing if he'll look at the problem and "notice" it and talk to us developers about fixing it. How do I handle this in the most professional way? I do not want to create an "atmosphere" in my office or change any of the relationships I have. I have worked with this developer for a year now and will probably be working with them for the foreseeable future, but that doesn't matter as I don't want any relationship to change whatever I do. <Q> This is the primary purpose for bug tracking systems. <S> Once a functionality is marked as complete any issue with that functionality not performing as defined is a bug. <S> Even if your team doesn't you should take the time to properly document the bug. <S> Now with that said the ROI for fixing a bug might make it low priority even if it's something as cringe worthy as crashing on close. <S> So if the bug isn't prioritized that's something you have to accept. <S> (Though it's perfectly fair to attempt to convince who ever handles assignments/sprint planning to make it a higher priority) <S> If a developer closes/removes the bug as "by design" or "Not a bug" when it so clearly is, even if that developer is your lead, you should first talk to them, if they continue to stone wall you escalate it appropriately. <S> (Demo the application and make sure to show the crash and lock up) ask if that's how they intend the program to work. <S> If not, it's a bug and needs to be left open. <S> If the manager has it closed/removed for the sake of manipulating bug counts or because crashing is deemed acceptable behavior for your application... <S> well... your manager is crap then... <S> And dealing with that is a completely different issue. <A> So to solve my problem, I simply fixed the code myself and let the developer know what I did. <S> They replied saying they had tried what I did <S> but it was causing the software to crash. <S> I never saw anymore crashing. <S> I did this early in April, I should have done this a long time ago. <A> It's obvious that you are going to have to escalate the issue to your manager since Developer #2 is not listening to to you, he is not going to fix the problem unless prompted from above and <S> the solution he is pushing on you sounds like an kludge. <S> He is trying to claim that he is done with the project when he has obviously not finished. <S> Again, somebody from above him needs to tell him that he has not finished and that kludges are not acceptable. <S> The status quo could blow up if the client comes back unhappy <S> and there could be finger pointing from Developer #2, <S> so you need to establish some kind of paper/email trail that you raised the issue and tried to resolve it in a manner acceptable to the client. <A> You could point out that both, a workaround and a definite solution need time to be implemented, hence a proper fix would be the first choice. <S> I assume the reason for the crash is unknown or you would already have repaired it. <S> You could argue that the cause could also interfere with other parts of the software and causing an additional amount of work at a later time. <S> Remember that you are working for the companies interests and not for the guy who wants to go for a workaround. <S> He is just entrusted with team lead, but doesn't necessarily always make the best choices.
| Talk to his boss and explain the situation. If you truly believe that this problem need to be fixed properly, escalate it.
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Is it normal to be marked "Fired" regardless of how you leave the company? I just recently resigned from a position on what I thought was good terms, but I was told that no matter when or how I quit, whether I give 2 weeks notice or not, I will be considered "Fired" or "Terminated". Is this something common? Will it affect my professional reputation? <Q> It depends. <S> Their internal employee database might make no distinction between former employees who left on their own accord and those which were terminated on the companies initiative. <S> Considering that the real circumstances are often much more complicated than can be expressed with such a binary distinction, this might not even be the worst approach (the "Terminated" flag in the database just means "no longer working here, see employment file for more information"). <S> When they do not want to make that distinction, it's their business. <S> It is, however, important when you get a reference letter. <S> These letters usually contain the circumstances under which the employment was terminated, and lying about such facts in a reference letter is often illegal in most parts of the world. <S> Especially because in some parts of the world, unemployment benefits might be affected. <S> Where I live <S> (Germany) <S> you are not entitled to full unemployment benefits when you resign without stating a good reason for doing so <S> (reference letters often say that the termination was "in mutual agreement", which doesn't look as bad as "we sacked him" but still makes the ex-employee entitled for unemployment benefits). <A> In the United States it is a bit dangerous from a legal point of view to disparage employees who have left the company. <S> That's why most companies will reveal only the dates of employment of a former employee and then only if they have written permission from the former employee to do so. <S> Reference <A> I am not a lawyer, but on basic principles, I would say: absolutely not. <S> If you end the employment contract within the terms of the contract, then that is just normal business . <S> The employer has NO right to sully your reputation in any way, any more than a shopkeeper has a right to claim that you have bad credit, for paying and leaving the store as normal. <S> To do so should, by all rights, be a slander / libel case. <S> If they claim that they only have the two categories of fired or terminated, then it would still be libel / slander, if "only" by willful negligence. <A> No, that is not normal. <S> It is totally dishonest. <S> In the U.S., anyway, "fired" is normally understood to mean that the company terminated the employment relationship because of misconduct on your part. <S> I guess that could range from the truly serious, like beat up the boss or stole thousands of dollars worth of company property, down to minor issues like being late for work. <S> If you make the decision to leave, that's called "resigning", not being "fired". <S> In the middle is "layed off", where the company lets you go, but not because of misconduct, usually because business has been bad and they have to reduce the number of employees. <S> As others have noted, these days fear of lawsuits often makes companies unwilling to say the circumstances of your leaving, but simply to say the dates that you worked there, period. <S> I haven't seen a letter of recommendation in many years. <S> The difference is also important for unemployment benefits: In most states, I think, you can receive unemployment benefits if you were laid off, but not if you resigned or were fired. <A> Depending on your employment situation (at-will employment or contract-based), you may want to consult a lawyer regarding wrongful terminations. <S> I've heard of companies doing things like this, and even in right-to-work states, it is unethical of them to do so. <S> However, given that the company doesn't pursue anything further (i.e. blackball you), it shouldn't affect your professional reputation long-term. <S> Your best bet is to explain to future companies why you were "fired" by saying that you tried to leave on good terms (and explain why you decided to leave to begin with), but the company didn't accept your resignation and instead decided to fire you. <S> A good hiring manager can understand your situation, given that you don't completely throw the company under the bus. <S> That said, if you find out that the company is trying to blackball you, consult a lawyer immediately, as it will affect your long-term reputation if you let it. <A> "Terminated" simply means are no longer employed. <S> I'm not a legal expert but have been told that most companies will not give a reason for termination of employment when contacted. <S> As it was explained to me, this opens them up to potential libel lawsuits. <S> I'm not sure who is telling you that you'll be labelled as "fired", but you might want to clarify this with them. <S> "Terminated" really doesn't have any negative meaning in the job world. <S> I would not worry about that. <S> "Fired" is something over which I'd put them on notice after researching the previous paragraph :-) <A> As long as you can provide references, you should be in good shape. <S> You experienced a normal termination. <S> Routine. <S> As an NYPD cop would say: "Keep moving, folks. <S> There's nothing to see" :) <S> Your termination was a termination without prejudice. <S> At the other extreme, terminations with extreme prejudice are a wholly different story :) <A> Note that "fired" != "termination". <S> "Fired" = http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Firing = termination of employment by an employer against the will of the employee. <S> "Termination" (with no modifier) = is not necessarily an employer-activated occurence - there can be "mutual termination", "termination w/out prejudice" and termination by the employee. <S> Before you worry about this, get a very clear wording on what the status will be when you left. <S> Don't assume that your former employer will tell everyone you've been "fired" when what they may tell them <S> is that your employment with them is now "terminated".
| In short, it's not common, but it's not unheard of either. "Fired" has negative connotations that, as I understand it, could put the employer in serious legal difficulties if they said so when contacted by another employer
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Should I give a reason for relocation in the application? I want to move to a different country (also different continent) because my girlfriend will go to university there. Because the distance is quite large, I am wondering how I can explain my interest in a position at that location in the application. Should I include this or any other reason in the application letter? How should I handle any questions about the reason in an potential interview? EDIT: I forgot to mention that this would be my first job after university (except the work I did as a student in my field). Also I intend to go to Canada from Europe. <Q> The phrase you're looking for is "for family reasons". <S> We live in a pretty mobile world; two-body problems like this are not uncommon. <S> You don't have to say anything up front, though: <S> the fact that you're applying for the job indicates your willingness to move to that location, and at that point in the process it doesn't matter whether that's "I'm willing to move there" or "I want to move there". <S> I've seen plenty of applications from out-of-town candidates where nothing was said, and that didn't raise any red flags. <S> To anybody other than the folks who handle visa sponsorships, 500 miles away is not really any different than 5000 miles away -- a move is a move. <A> From a purely employment perspective, I would recommend downplaying the "girlfriend" aspect of the move. <S> While moving for family reasons is a perfectly suitable reasons for relocating, the term 'girlfriend' implies a sense of immaturity in the relationship, that 'fiance' or 'wife' <S> wouldn't. <S> First of all, I'd recommend using the term 'partner' when speaking about your girlfriend as purely terminologically it hints more towards stability than 'girlfriend'. <S> Furthermore, look at this from an employers perspective, regardless of your commitment to your relationship, when you say: I am looking to move to Newtown to be with my girlfriend who is studying at Newtown University. <S> A few questions spring to mind: <S> How stable is this relationship? <S> If it goes sour will the applicant have a good enough support network to manage a break-up and working in a new environment? <S> Will the applicant stay in Newtown if something goes wrong? <S> While not all of these may be consciously thought or spoken about, these are the kinds of instability that might tip an employer in one direction or another. <S> What I'd recommend, is learning about the city/country you are moving to, and building a few other reasons for moving that you can speak about. <S> Are there renowned professional communities in the area? <S> No-one would question a technical person moving to Silicon Valley or an arts person moving to New York, even if they had the same motives as you. <S> This also helps demonstrate a wider support network that would help in transitioning to a new city. <S> Also, if the country has a large community of speaks in your non-native tongue, you could also use this. <S> For example, moving from the United States to Europe to practise or learn a new language. <S> This way if asked, you can honestly answer, like: <S> I am looking to move to Newtown to be with my partner who is studying at Newtown University. <S> However, I've always been interested in programmer community in Newtown, and am hoping to improve my Esperanto. <S> By giving other reasons that attract you to the town you can help might allay any concerns of stability and risk the prospective employer might have about taking on an employee who would be moving a great distance. <A> You don't have to include this information in a cover letter or in any part of your application if you don't feel comfortable doing so - but expect the question to come up in an interview at some point, and be ready to answer honestly and professionally. <S> As Monica said, "Family Reasons" is a good way to phrase it, and you do not need to explain your reasoning at all - if the employer never asks you, then you never have to tell them anything. <S> But if they do ask you, be honest, and be professional.
| You can explain that you are looking to move to that location for family reasons and are interested in that company because (blah blah blah).
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Out-of-town interview: will I raise eyebrows if I take a cab instead of driving my car to the airport? I'll be flying to an out-of-town interview at a large US company for a senior-level technical position. They've told me I'll be reimbursed for expenses (and they're arranging the air tickets and hotel). My question is about getting to my local airport. I own a car, so it would be reasonable (and least expensive) for me to drive to the airport and park there instead of taking cabs. However, I try to limit my night-time driving because of poor vision -- it's legal for me to drive at night, but I pretty much stick to local roads to reduce risk, and I can't get to the airport doing that. This travel would involve night-time driving. Is taking a cab to the originating airport common (and they won't even blink)? Or is this something that might make me appear either lazy or spendthrifty, and I should either make alternate arrangements, swallow that part of the cost, or say something? I understand that this probably varies based on the company, location, level of job, etc, which is why I've specified those details. And I know that cab fare is a small expense compared to the whole cost of the interview, but sometimes it's the appearance that matters, not the bottom line. <Q> Is taking a cab to the originating airport common (and they won't even blink)? <S> Or is this something that might make me appear either lazy or spendthrifty, and I should either make alternate arrangements, swallow <S> that part of the cost, or say something? <S> I don't know if it's "common" or not. <S> I do know that I've had folks get reimbursed for the costs of cabs to their local airport in the past after interviewing with me. <S> In my case it was for other logistical reasons rather than night time vision issues, but the underlying reason isn't relevant, in my opinion. <S> It never concerned me when they sent a bill involving cab fare on their local end. <S> It sounds as if "taking a cab to your local airport" is something you regularly do when your flight is at night. <S> If that's the case, then you shouldn't be concerned about it. <S> The worst that could happen is they ask "why". <S> If you explained it to them as you have here, I'd be surprised if there was any push back or other problem. <A> In any decent company this is going to be no problem. <S> For all the company knows you may not have a car, or your spouse may need it while you are away. <S> Your explanation is perfectly reasonable. <A> I think a 30-60 minute cab ride is completely reasonable regardless of the underlying reason. <S> Driving and parking is not only an extra hassle but it too has a cost (fuel, wear, and actual parking fees). <S> It is common (if not implied) for origin commute and parking to be fully reimbursed, especially in the tech sector. <S> I've flown in people for interviews and this type of expense was never something I cared about -- in fact, only absurd things would have even been brought to my attention. <S> Why are you concerned about this? <S> I'd suggest YOU are the one in demand and if a company has any problem covering this expense then it will end up being a good indicator that you shouldn't pick up and relocate there. <S> Lastly, assuming baseline credentials, 80% of interviewing for a senior role is confidence. <S> Don't go in there making apologies about taking a cab. <S> If for some odd reason you are questioned I'd simply remark that your nighttime eyesight isn't great and you wanted to take the time to relax and prepare for the interview. <S> Finally (yes finally), a "large US company" probably handles its expenses through some HR admin and <S> I'd bet your interviewer isn't aware of these details. <S> Cheers... and CONFIDENCE! <A> I'd think about how much it will be, and what's reasonable in your area. <S> Do people often take cabs to the airport, or just take shuttle services? <S> In NYC it could be $65 to get a car to the airport, and it'd be perfectly reasonable. <S> In South VA, that's be rather expensive.)
| Either way, not driving is for sure OK, just be conscious of what's a reasonable & cost effective way to get there.
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Is my boss trying to be my replacement? Recently my manager has had an interest in doing what I do, software development. He has started to do his own learning but now has asked me to teach him and even started a project that was meant for me. Is this a bad sign? <Q> This isn't necessarily a bad sign, but you may want to find out more regarding his motivation for learning about software development. <S> Does he want to have a better understanding so that he can more accurately assess the work required for certain projects? <S> Does he want to be able to help out when times are tough and you are spread thin? <S> Or maybe he's just curious about the field in general and wants to learn something new so he can relate to you a bit better? <S> There's also a growing sense that "everyone should learn to code", as evidenced by sites like code.org . <S> So he may be interested purely due to the fact that he thinks he should have a little bit of knowledge like everyone else. <S> I would love it if my boss wanted to learn about software development and would be totally flattered if he came to me to teach him. <S> My boss has way too many other things going on, however, to even consider doing so, and given that I wouldn't be worried about my job if he asked. <A> If hes learning because he wants to watch over you and micro <S> manage you, that is also good because you know it's time to leave. <S> If he is over being a boss and wants to be a geek, that is good, there is a job being his boss coming up soon. <S> If hes learning because he want to understand the problems you face and become a better boss <S> , can I have your job...... <S> So is it good <S> he has asked you to teach him- Up to you what you do with that information and how to respond to it. <S> Its not good, its not bad, it just is . <S> Its up to you - your response determines if its good or bad. <A> At least in NYC, for every 10 rank beginners who want to become a software engineer, only 1 or 2 succeeds. <S> It takes 6 months to learn Ruby <S> and I don't trust anyone who claims to be a Rails guy and has been at it for less than 2 years. <S> It take 12 to 15 months for someone to become a good-to-very good Javascript developer. <S> About 6 months for someone to be very good at Python, including a couple of libraries. <S> It's more important to be persistent than to be smart when learning software engineering - it's more about getting help when you need it, and not giving up than about being smart because there are plenty of smart people who just give up, at least temporarily. <S> If your boss wants to learn software engineering, then more power to him. <S> Hopefully, he gets to appreciate what it takes to be a good software engineer. <S> Looking at the bright side, he might learn how to manage a software engineering project and do a better job of managing you as a resource. <S> If he thinks he can replace you - and there is nothing from your post that indicates that he wants to do that - and do your job, then you are working for a fool. <S> Because he can't do YOUR full-time job as a software engineer and HIS full-time job as a manager at the same time. <S> If he tries that, then something has to give - his work/life balance, his physical health, his mental health, his ability to do either job satisfactorily, or something else. <S> He is probably not getting a bigger paycheck out of doing two jobs :) <A> I've had a boss that told me she wanted my job. <S> This was in the mid 1990s and I was doing Visual Basic 3. <S> While she was currently a manager, she was also a good DBA, and that's the role she eventually settled on. <S> I've also had at least three bosses that knew how to program and hated it. <S> They hired me, but they knew enough to know that I knew it, and also enough to know what was reasonable to ask for. <S> More than likely your boss is genuinely interested, and isn't 'after your job'. <S> A lot of management jobs are pretty thankless, and people would rather do something real. <S> I would recommend showing him anything he asks for, drop hints about what is really interesting or useful, and let him go to town. <S> More than likely, there's plenty of work for both of you if he wants to shift roles. <A> The job of any good boss (or indeed, any good worker) is to train their replacement. <S> Seeing some handwriting on the wall and thinking they'll need your kind of job at their new employment / startup (not replacing you per se, but you might want to check the company's health...) <S> Looking to get their hands dirty now and again, whether to be more valuable or to convince themselves they can still do the work. <S> Evaluating you as a possible trainer for other coders and programmers. <S> Any of these shouldn't be a problem if he's actively curious and wanting to learn <S> -- at worst, it won't hurt your role at this company to be cooperative with your boss.
| If your boss is looking to learn your skillset, there's a good chance they're one of the following: Curious about the work you do and thinking they could learn how to do it themselves. If hes trying to learn so he can sack you, its good - in that you know now its time to leave rather than being shown the door.
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Response's 'respectfulness'/etiquette for an email that does not ask for a reply When a superior emails me to 'let me know' of something (e.g., Dear Bob, I'll be absent of the Tuesday meeting because of x.) I don't know what response has a proper tone, or if it's just OK to not respond. My thoughts are that: "Got it, thank you.", "Message received, thank you.", and "Ok, thanks!", sound like things a superior would be responding me (rather than the other way around). Thus, my questions are: 1) Is it ever OK to just not respond? 2) What response would be proper for a superior to 'confirm' the receipt of an email that does not ask for a reply, but not so proper that it sounds obsequious - or that you're a sycophant? <Q> If the message specifically starts with "Dear Vietnhi", I reply with a single word: <S> I had a boss who deluged my Inbox with so much email requesting acknowledgement that I would occasionally miss an important announcement from him, simply because it was buried in all the junk that was already in my Inbox. <A> 1) Is it ever OK to just not respond? <S> Depends. <S> I would err on the side of caution and send a response if I have any reason at all to believe one is required. <S> If you receive it from the same person you could consult them and ask if it's useful for your to reply to there announcements of being out of contact. <S> If the message was sent to a large group of people (for example the entire department) don't bother replying, on the other hand if it's just to you then I would reply with a brief message. <S> 2) <S> What response would be proper for a superior to 'confirm' the receipt of an email that does not ask for a reply, but not so proper that it sounds obsequious - or that you're a sycophant? <S> Thank them for letting you know <S> but keep it brief. <S> For example reply with a line saying " <S> Ok thanks for letting me know". <A> It is always a good to answer if the sender expects you to take some kind of action, so that he knows you received the message and will do the action (or not, of course). <S> If the email is merely informing you of something that will not require you to act or change your working day, generally no response is required. <S> It should not make a difference to you whether you read it or not, so there's little point to informing the other person. <S> So if your boss let you know he wouldn't make it to the meeting because he expected you to inform others, a reply like "I have informed the team" would be a good idea. <S> If he's just letting you (or the whole team) know because he wanted to sit in but would take no important/active part in the meeting, there's no real reason to respond. <S> If he and you are the only two people in the meeting, a response like "Okay, we'll reschedule it when you get back" might be helpful, although I would expect him to have put that in the mail. <S> (This answer hinges on that employees read all their emails, of course.) <A> 1) <S> Yes, there are cases where no response can make sense. <S> " <S> Let me know if something comes up that blocks you...." being the classic one that a boss may send in some cases. <S> 2) Be careful of saying anything like "Ok, thanks!" <S> as this may be seen as answering in the affirmative to what was in the e-mail that may not be the intention. <S> " <S> Let me know if this can be done today to take over the world," that an "Ok, thanks!" may be seen as you didn't read the message in this case.
| "Acknowledged" If the message is addressed to the group, then I refrain from replying unless specifically requested to do so - the guy's Inbox would be getting cluttered up pretty fast if we all kept acknowledging his emails.
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On my resume, how should I refer to an ex-employer that no longer exists? I previously worked for two employers that no longer exist for different reasons, and I don't know how to refer them in my resume. Company A was running successfully and my ex-boss sold it. While the brand of company A still exists, none of my records exist. Company B was running poorly and no longer exists. Right now I have quoted them in my resume. For contact details I listed my ex-boss (who no longer has a relation with A) for company A and an official phone number of company B (which is now a dead phone line). Is there any better way to list employers in a resume, when they no longer exist? <Q> I have both types of companies in my history and just had to deal with a problem caused by a defunct company. <S> Where I live it is not normal to list contact information for companies on the resume, so I just list the company names. <S> (For the ones that were acquired, I add a parenthetical note about that -- <S> "Foo Inc was acquired by Big Co in $year".) <S> Separate from the resume is the employer-specific application , which asks for contact info. <S> For acquired, still-existing companies I supply current contact info; for the defunct company I say "N/A" and find some place to note that it no longer exists. <S> I just accepted a new position and, as is normal in my location and field, the hiring company had a third-party company do a background check on me. <S> That background check turned up a red flag because of the defunct company; they had no way to verify my employment because there was no office they could call. <S> I sent them copies of my offer letter and "you're all laid off" letter (both dated) and that satisfied them. <S> What I learned from this is: (a) <S> it's important to keep stuff like that forever, and (b) next time I'll anticipate the issue and ask the hiring company what I should give them before they hand the job over to their background-check people. <A> After that, a brief description that the company is no longer available to be contacted due to certain circumstances, and then a list of people that can be contacted to supply information that may be required. <S> When it comes to references, even those from a co-worker or someone that you dealt with regularly in a supervisor position at your previous companies are better than nothing. <S> Depending on your job type and how often you dealt with co-workers, supervisors from other parts of the business or clients and customers, there are other resources to get your reference from. <S> If for example you were in sales or had a lot of contact with clients outside the company, these people may be able to assist you given that this company you're applying for will accept references that are not from direct supervisors. <A> In the first case, I think it is quite common, as people come and go. <S> I don't think any of my previous managers still work at the same post. <S> In this case you should describe your position in the company, and below add your former manager's contact details. <S> For the second company, again thoses cases exist, but if you know the phone number is obsolete <S> you shouldn't put it. <S> Instead, you could add the personal contact for your former manager at this position too. <A> If at all possible, name the companies, and list contact information for people you know that you used to work with at those companies. <S> This would include your ex-manager if possible. <S> While companies may not be around, the people are most likely reachable - if so ask them if you can use them as a reference. <A> This happened to me when I was doing contract work while in school. <S> The company was run by 2 guys who, come to find out, hadn't filed anything with the IRS. <S> The company went bust, and I decided I didn't want future employers contacting the guys, but needed to be able to talk about my new found PHP skills. <S> Here is what I did <S> - I added it on my resume just like any other job. <S> I also put "References available upon request" at the bottom. <S> During subsequent interviews, I would talk about the experience. <S> None of the hiring managers asked about the status of the company, but when they'd turn it over to HR, I got a phone call about it. <S> The phone call went something like - <S> "We can't verify employment or tax records from company X - do <S> you have any contact info. <S> " <S> I explained the situation, and that contacting them would be futile, as they owed me about $1500 at the time. <S> They verified my other jobs, and I got internship I interviewed for. <S> The take-away: Any future company can verify basic dates from tax records, just be sure to have a few references handy. <A> Absolutely list both companies. <S> It's exponentially easier to explain your situation than to later be asked about a break in your job history and then have to explain that you didn't list the company because it no longer exists. <S> Part of the interview process is to be as transparent and truthful as possible, otherwise both you and your prospective employer aren't getting the information needed to make a good, educated decision.
| You should list the last contact information for the company that went out of business.
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In an job interview: "It is known that your university graduates are rubbish" I had a job interview for an IT developer position. It is not a manager role and probably a one man band position. I was graduated from a not very high ranking univerisity with 6 years working experience on IT field. When I sit down, the first question the lady asked is "It is known that your university graduates are rubbish. Do you agree?" I was shocked but I am not angry. When I was thinking how to respond she start on next topic and end up we have chatted for 30 minutes. She is well-aware of my education background before arrange an interview. The position is not going to handle any customer complaints so she don't need to challenge me for self-control. I would like to understand what she is trying to get out from the question. So that I can act better next time. Could you share your view as interviewer or interviewee? <Q> If the school really does have a bad reputation, my first response would be to say something like, "Well, you get out what you put in. <S> Sure, some people slid through learning nothing, just there to get the diploma. <S> But those who really wanted to learn found which teachers knew their stuff ..." etc. <S> An answer like this indicates that you are someone who makes the best of any situation, who wants to accomplish something useful, etc., while at the same time claiming that you did in fact get a good education. <S> Another possible response would be to politely disagree with the premise of the question. <S> You could say, "Huh, I don't know where you got that idea. <S> I thought it was a very good school. <S> I learned a lot." <S> Etc. <S> I'd be careful not to imply that the interviewer is an idiot who listens to baseless rumors. <S> But I don't think it's hard to say "I question the source of that information" without being insulting. <S> You could even offer the interviewer an out, like "I suppose there must be some number of students who bluffed or cheated their way through, maybe you met one of them, but I assure you they're not typical ..." @user3452897 brings up the interesting possibility that the interview is testing your loyalty. <S> If you will bad-mouth your school, maybe you'll bad-mouth your company. <S> That's an interesting thought. <S> I've always been careful about saying extremely negative things about previous employers for exactly that reason -- I don't want a potential future employer to say, Hey, when he leaves here, he's going to be telling everyone how stupid we were. <S> So I try to explain why I left previous jobs in terms of "my personality did not fit the culture of that company" or "there were no opportunities to do X" rather than "management there were all idiots". <A> She asked you this for three reasons: First of all, to check your loyalty towards any institution you come from. <S> The institution could be the college from which you graduated or as a matter of fact the firm you're trying to get in. <S> Had you confirmed what she said, it would have showed you won't hesitate to talk trash about firms you were in, including the one she comes from, which is bad for its reputation, or also to belittle the level of their employees and therefore of the company. <S> Second of all, to check your prudence towards random information. <S> She even said 'it is known' which is a very vague and invalid source of information. <S> Rumours are only confirmed by people who hear them. <S> Had you believed right away what she said without questioning it or its source would depict you as naive and easily fooled, which is a no-no for serious companies when it comes to recruiting employees. <S> Third of all, <S> and I think it's the most important part of the question. <S> To let yo make yourself stand out of the mass. <S> Most of graduates from your college being rubbish won't affect you if you're confident with your skills and know their value on the market and the benefits they could represent for this firm. <S> In brief, this question has nothing to do with what 'is known' but rather was asked to know what kind of peer, employee, or person you would be if they give you the opportunity to work for or with them. <A> The point is to see what you'd do in terms of a more than a few pitfalls here: <S> Run with the statement. <S> If you say "yes" without thinking about it, this could be seen as someone that won't question what someone else says or ask where the data came. <S> "It is known..." by whom exactly? <S> Shock factor. <S> Some people may take offensive and give rude remarks to hearing the statement. <S> The idea here is to see whether you'd take the bait in barking back with profanity or other strong reactions that may be seen as unprofessional. <S> Get to the next level of the question. <S> Some may give an answer along the lines of "I don't believe that personally" or something similar that may get another round of what you see as, " <S> This doesn't make sense," yet if you think about this from the perspective of the interviewer trying to upset you or see if you'd take the bait then this may make more sense. <A> I have heard about this happening a lot here in Brazil, mainly in the IT field (lots of small colleges with a policy of "no payment default means no bad grades"). <S> A famous consultant here in Brazil said something to the tune of "If you agree with him, there is one single answer: <S> Yes, but I do not represent them - I have my own devices to acquire knowledge and experience". <S> Then point out this knowledge and experience. <S> If you don't agree, I like the above answer of "Please, explain how you have come to this conclusion?".
| Showing any sign of anger is a no-no.
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Resign or be fired having recently joined a company as a graduate? I spent a summer working as an engineer for a cool company working on biotech. They liked me and wanted me to return after graduation, I even got a scholarship from them (which I would have to return if I were not to work with the company for 2 years). I finished my degree (top marks) and decided to join them; although by that time my interest has shifted more towards software, mathematical modelling. The company has changed quite a bit since my internship and I did not like the new changes. In my free time I was looking for alternative job options, but so far did not manage to find any amazing alternatives. And whilst I am searching, it is good to have the financial stability of regular income. However, recently the company announced that it is in big financial trouble and that it will be making salary cuts and likely firing some employees. I feel that I might be offered to leave. How should I behave? Is it better to resign gracefully or hold onto financially stability as long as I can and wait for a notice "you're fired" in a months time or so (that probably will not look very good on a CV)? Your advice and opinions would be very much appreciated. <Q> Right now, you've got a paycheck coming in, so you can afford to be more picky about which job offers you entertain. <S> Look for your next opportunity, and in the meantime, keep doing your best work. <S> There's a difference between getting fired because of cutbacks vs poor performance - will your employer write a letter for you to that effect? <S> If they're announcing or hinting at these pending terminations, perhaps you could ask? <S> If a great opportunity presents itself, go for it. <S> I got let go for the same reasons, and wound up in a pretty good job. <S> I explained the situation, and they didn't think twice about hiring me. <S> Also, might you get any kind of severance package? <S> Something else to consider.? <S> ...... <A> Also, I'll add: <S> be very discreet with your job hunt. <S> Do not let them know you are looking for a job. <S> That could make things difficult for you and limit your options. <S> There is also an unlikely, but not unheard of event: the company may change back into the one you enjoyed previously. <S> Another good reason to keep your job hunt unknown. <S> Your English is exceptionally good. <A> I will also point out that with a layoff you will likely get unemployment (At least in the US, laws vary from country to country). <S> And a layoff will not harm your career, it is not the same thing as getting fired for cause. <S> So keep working until the layoff and keep looking for another job in the meantime. <S> At this point your first concern is to keep money coming in while you look for something else. <A> There is a big difference between being made redundant and being fired. <S> Being made redundant means the company was in trouble and had to let people go. <S> Being made redundant doesn't impact your CV either way. <S> Just make sure you are clear about it being redundancy not being fired. <S> Also don't put negative feelings or mentions of friction on your CV. <S> Always build up your achievements and focus on things you learned, or training you received, new skills you aquired, etc. <S> i.e. Worked at X for 6 months. <S> I enjoyed my time at X and learned Y and Z <S> but unfortunately the company had a round of redundancies shortly after I joined and I was made redundant. <A> After being in the business world for 30 years, first rule. <S> Do Not Resign! <S> If the company is going under let them "let you go", you were probably hired under right to work so they need no reason to release you. <S> Even though you have been employed only 6 months you may be able to get some unemployment assistance. <S> Read the agreement on your scholarship carefully to make sure if they release you, that you are freed from the burden of pay back. <S> Make sure you keep & print every email they send you on the topic along with every letter they give you and document every meeting with you supervisor with dates, times and speaking points of the meeting. <S> If they try to fire you for incompetence or other issues, beside economic layoff, you would probably still owe them, so it is good to have your ducks in a row to demonstrate why you were let go. ...... <A> If at all possible, leave under circumstances you control. <S> In short, don't be turned out on the street at the same time dozens of people are also cleaning out their desks. <S> Under the circumstances, it doesn't appear you'll have too much problem finding work. <S> Having a combination of mechanical engineering and software seems like a charmed existence. <A> DO NOT resign. <S> Under no circumstances should you resign. <S> Unless the law has changed grossly in the last few weeks, if you are let go involuntarily you should be able to collect unemployment payments while still looking for work. <S> This is a nice safety net. <S> If things go south on you before you can find a new job, you'll at least have SOME money coming in. <S> If you leave voluntarily, you have no such protection. <S> In the meantime, get that resume polished up and be looking. <S> BUT DO NOT VOLUNTARILY LEAVE UNTIL <S> YOU HAVE A PLACE TO GO. <S> Unemployment insurance is there for a reason -- do not be ashamed to take advantage of it.
| Unless you're in the middle of nowhere, you should be able to find work before they let you go. I agree with others: stay onboard while you can. Being fired implies wrong-doing on your part that led to them firing you.
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How can I tell my employer that I started studying when I shouldn't have? I've been working as an engineer in a company for more than a year and this is my first job. During the interview I asked about taking time off for exams. They told me they did not want me to work and study at the same time because former employees misused the time allowed for attending exams, classes etc. I really wanted to study at that time but I needed a job, this was the best choice of the alternatives and I was inexperienced at negotiating - so I accepted it. I also thought I could improve myself here. I certainly learn things but not in the way I want. Last summer, I applied to a university to see if I got accepted. I didn't think I would but I did. I may not have the chance to get accepted again. I need to somehow ask for time off to go to classes. So far I've been going to classes just after work or on my days off. I've never violated working hours because of it. As a result, I can't attend any of the classes I actually want. A month ago, I heard that they are allowing another employee to work and study at the same time, including going to classes, exams, etc. I think company policies might have changed in favor of studying while working. I want to talk to my manager about my situation as soon as possible. I want to continue studying, but I also like my job. I don't want to quit; I just want some flexibility. I think they could agree to me attending some classes if I can explain the conditions well. Maybe I can convince them that I won't waste the time they allow me for going to classes. How should I tell them? Should I mention the other employee or will that make things worse? Should I tell them my reason for studying is because I couldn't find the opportunity to improve myself at work? <Q> There's just no point. <S> It sounds like the situation has already changed in the company so he should agree. <S> I wouldn't bring up the other employee UNLESS I was denied. <S> If I was denied then I'd simply ask why they've agreed to let employee X do this but not me. <S> BTW, this type of question is already confrontational and will put the manager on the defensive. <S> So try to make sure the manner in which you say it is as friendly or casual as possible while still looking for an answer. <S> It's hard to describe but often how a question or statement is delivered helps set the other person in a frame of mind to help or block. <S> If you are still not allowed to do both then look for another job that is more in line with your personal situation. <S> Regardless of how it plays out I simply wouldn't bring up what you've already been doing. <S> Ever. <A> My question to you is "Do you have to ask prior permission from the company before you can go back to school?" <S> Personally, I'd be aggravated with any employer who presume to tell me what I can and cannot do with my time off-premises and off-official business hours. <S> As a systems engineer, I expect to be on-call. <S> I also expect that I know exactly what I am supposed to do for the employer while I am on-call. <S> The rest of my life is mine. <S> If you go to class after business hours, then your going to class is your own business. <S> If you are going to class during business hours, then your employer is being faced with having to accommodate you during business hours and if you work full-time for that employer, then any refusal from him to accommodate you during official business hours is legitimate. <S> If you are talking to your manager about making accommodations for you during business hours, then be careful not to volunteer any information about your previous classes, even under pressure - What's done is done, nobody got hurt and let sleeping dogs lie. <A> I would do a little investigation first to see if the company policy HAS changed, before bringing it up with your bosses or anyone. <S> There should be a way to get your most recent contract, and to read it over to see if there's anything forbidding what you're doing right now. <S> If there isn't, then you can bring up the idea to your bosses, but I would be cautious about bringing up what you've been doing directly - you WERE going behind their backs and doing something that they didn't want you to do, so there is reason to be concerned. <S> Assess their reaction, and find out first if there would be any backlash if you were to try to do the same thing today. <S> From there, it's up to you whether or not you tell them what you've been doing <S> - it really depends on how you feel they'll react to it, and whether or not they'd be upset at you doing this during your own personal time.
| First off, don't bring up what you've done so far. Instead just approach your manager and ask permission to work and study.
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What's the proper/professional way to interview for a new job while currently employed? I'm in a situation now where I'm currently employed, but basically fed up with my current employer. One big issue of contention is the schedule I work, for lack of a better term. My current employer is extremely insistent on me (and the rest of my colleagues) being at the office between 08:00 and 17:00, and even what hours, specifically, we take our lunch hours. This is not so unusual, in my understanding, except for the fact that my colleagues and I are salaried IT professionals, and are routinely required to work off-hours and weekends to fix issues, perform maintenance and generally do our jobs when there's no user impact. Regardless of hours worked, however, my employer insists on us being in the office between 08:00 and 17:00, and will basically not give comp time off either. On a related note, we're also not allowed to take half-days off, which would be how I normally schedule interviews - take a half day off for my interviews. To me, that seems like the most professional way to handle it, but here, it's a whole day off, or nothing off. (And generally time off needs to be scheduled out well in advance, which is another problem for scheduling interviews.) Given this scheduling rigidity, is there any particularly good, professional way to go about interviewing for a new job, considering that the vast majority of interviews are conducted during those same hours I'm expected to be at the office? I'm hoping someone has a better idea than having a rash of "doctor's appointments" and "dentist appointments" or whatever other lie would excuse me from the office for a couple hours. <Q> Approach it exactly as you would a doctor's or dentist's appointment, but only say "appointment." <S> For example: I will be in late on Tuesday because I have a short-notice appointment in the morning. <S> I expect I'll arrive by 11. <S> And don't say any more than that. <S> Of course, you'll be asked "What kind of appointment?" <S> but you don't need to answer. <S> Practice saying "I know it's inconvenient. <S> I can't move it." <S> [Notice the absence of but in these sentences - say them with and without <S> but out loud and observe how much more powerful they are without it.] <S> Consider saying "it was inconvenient for me to come in last Saturday <S> but I did; I'd appreciate a little flexibility here." <S> I sincerely doubt that you will come in at 11 to find you have been fired. <S> Will people suspect it's a job interview? <S> Almost certainly, though it could as easily be a marriage-counselling appointment, a meeting with your parole or probation officer, or a trip to the divorce lawyer's office. <S> There are plenty of things for them to suspect. <S> If they think it's a job interview, will they take that into account when promoting or reviewing you? <S> Yup, though it might have a good or a bad effect in those cases, and besides you don't plan to be around long enough to get a promotion or even a review. <S> Will you be given a terrible reference for no reason other than you (without lying) <S> took personal time for a job interview? <S> No. <S> Not at any place whose references are of any value. <A> Well you could be economical with your interviews and do two or more per day. <S> Alternatively ask the interviewing party if they are willing to do so very early morning or late evening. <S> I don't see you have very many other choices. <A> How much holiday entitlement do you have left? <S> You will probably have to try and schedule interviews for the same day and take the complete day off as a holiday. <S> I am not sure what your problem with the "dentist appointment" idea is though. <S> It is a tried and trusted method. <S> Especially if your employer does not allow you to take half day holidays <A> I normally take these calls off-hours (when possible) or I just take a sick day and line them all up on that day. <S> This has worked great for me. <S> You might have more success doing this than trying to not get caught on an interview while at work which could potentially make things worse. <A> You can ask if it is possible for the interview to take place through skype or any other similar way because of your fully packed schedule. <S> It would be much easier than having to meet the person and taking the risk of being late. <S> Lots of people who can't fly to a certain country in a specific moment do that.
| Stand your ground and go to your appointment. Possibly mention that you'll make up the time by staying late, but don't volunteer what the appointment is for. Practice saying "it's personal, and I can't miss it." If you are actively looking to leave your current employer, taking a day off to interview (even for 1 interview) is a worthwhile investment
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What level of competency does the term "Working Knowledge" describe? I started looking for jobs today and I encountered the term "working knowledge". I do not really understand what the term means and I am wondering what kind of tasks I would be expected to do with "working knowledge" of given software/language. Specifically, the job post i saw asked for "working knowledge of Assembly language". I had an encounter with the Assembly language when I worked through the Raspberry Pi "Baking Pi" tutorial where the goal is to write very simple OS in assembly. However, I have never done any coding of my own in the language so I do not feel like I could do any useful work with my assembly knowledge. <Q> As a senior level engineer (28 years experience) I've sat in on many interviews; generally when we ask a candidate about "working knowledge" in, for example, a programming language, we want to know if he <S> /she can sit down and write functional program in that language. <S> Using the assembly language example you gave in your question, I probably would not rate you as having working knowledge. <S> You'd get points for being exposed to it vs. a candidate who had never seen it before, but I'd keep it at that level on my resume. <A> "Working Knowledge" reflects a low-level competency in an area - you will be expected to work with the tool, but not necessarily to be an expert in that tool. <S> If you don't feel like you would be able to build a full product with the tool, BUT you feel like you could, with a little trial-and-error, reconstruct it from an example, you probably have 'working knowledge' of that tool. <S> As long as you can use that tool on a daily basis, even if you don't know how to do everything with that tool or even the 'best practices' of using that tool, you can say you have working knowledge, and back it up with your experience (I would say having some experience with it while working on another app is close enough to put on a resume - but the job requires you have a stronger working knowledge of the code, you should probably learn it a bit better before beginning work there). <S> Working Knowledge: <S> 1.A knowledge of how to make something work without any deeper understanding of why it works, or of how to fix it if it breaks <A> If you told me you had working knowledge of X, I would expect that I could assign you tasks to do with X and you could carry them out. <S> You might be a bit slow at first due to having to ask questions, look things up, etc, but you know enough to have the framework for acquiring more knowledge organically. <S> Without working knowledge in X, I would expect to have to give you some sort of training before you could carry out tasks to do with X. <S> If you wouldn't be happy to be hired on the basis of your knowledge of assembly language and given assembly language tasks without much "extra support" getting up to speed with assembly, then you don't have working knowledge of it. <A> "I do not feel like I could do any useful work with my assembly knowledge. <S> " You do not have "working knowledge" of assembly. <S> "Working knowledge" of something, means that given a task in it, you could "take the ball and run with it," producing a "substantially complete" assignment. <S> You might need some supervision at the front end, or some correction/editing/feedback at the back end, but you could bear the main burden of the task. <S> That doesn't seem to describe you. <S> At best, you might be viewed as an "advanced beginner" or potential trainee.
| You don't need to be an expert, but you need to have done some real work with it, or used it extensively in school if you're a recent graduate.
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How can I determine when to list hobbies/side projects on a resume when the quality might be somewhat low? I am a ASP.net developer and in my free time I have created a basic JavaScript games because I'm bored/find it fun. It helps with my job as I get a better understanding and practice with JavaScript. However I'm not sure if I should include this as a hobby in my CV as I only do it to try stuff and get experience. This results in the quality being quite amateurish. As an example, here is a link to one of my creations on Jing. If I get asked about this in an interview, I think it will become obvious that the quality of my work is pretty low. I think this might cause more harm than good. But I can see this being beneficial regardless as it shows I continue to grow my skills outside work, etc. How can I determine when to include fun projects (which might not be high quality) on a resume? <Q> I would advise you simply advertise yourself as having a working knowledge of Javascript, showing how many years you've worked with it, and leave it at that. <S> At the interview level, if they ask for examples of what you've done in the past, you can mention those specifics - that you've used it to improve web application responsiveness on the job, and that you use it in your free time to develop simple games and improve your understanding of Javascript. <S> At the resume level, the details of your experience aren't as important as you having any at all - but when you get to the interview level, showing that you have an interest not just in using it for work, but for enjoyment and for self-improvement, they'll see in the interview someone who's really dedicated to code-writing. <A> Showing that you are an active and invested person is extremely important in a cv and therefore advantageous under any form. <S> You could put it under "Working Knowledge" as it means you have a low-level competency in an area, which means you could work in it without being an expert in the field. <S> Just don't exaggerate it or undermine your skills. <A> I would not expect an employer to use information you've listed under hobbies or 'outside of work' activities to determine whether you're the right candidate for the vacancy, especially if it isn't a direct line of work with the job being applied for. <S> There are huge benefits in detailing any interests you have or recreational activities <S> no matter how insignificant you feel they may be. <S> This gives insight into you as a character to a potential employer and a lot can be learned from this. <S> And as you state, another benefit can be that it shows you continue to develop or extend your skillset outside work. <S> As long as you clearly state your level of knowledge with this particular use of working with JavaScript and that your skills in developing basic JavaScript games are still in their infancy then I don't expect this to be held against you during an job application process.
| Any of your skills is welcome on a cv as it shows you have interests and invest yourself in activities instead of being passive.
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How to write a resume for a career change This is a topic I've been fretting about for a couple of years now. I served in the USAF as an Aerospace Ground Equipment mechanic for 13 years and can no longer do my job due to blowing out both of my knees. I'm now studying to become an IT professional, but I don't have a clue of how to translate (or import) my years of mechanical/military experience over to the IT side of the house. This transition of trade skills is like comparing apples to oranges for me. If anyone is interested I could do a copy/paste of my current resume that concentrates on my mechanical/supervisory skills. And no, I haven't gotten any IT certifications yet, I messed up in planning my education due to CompTIA creating a new lifecycle standard in order to keep certs current so I'm back to the beginning of studying A+. <Q> You are underestimating your time in the Air Force. <S> You probably learnt a lot of skills that are directly relevant to engineering: Solving technical problems caused by everything from bad hardware to bad configuration. <S> You learned how to work under extreme pressure and still deliver good results (I assume you did, or else the planes would have fallen!) <S> You learned how to deal with politics, and still do your job (this is based purely on reading books my ex-servicemen, but it seems the armed forces are not immune to politics). <S> Now you don't experience writing software, but that shouldn't matter. <S> The biggest problem with CVs is the "Meh" effect. <S> The recruiter looks at your CV and goes "Meh." <S> Most CVs look alike, and there is nothing to separate them. <S> Now if a recruiter sees your CV, with your 13 years experience, and next to it is some pimply kid who worked at McD, who do you think will be called in for an interview? <S> You still need to have good technical knowledge to get the job, so make sure you are strong there too. <S> As to what to write <S> : Write about technical challenges you solved. <S> Something that showed how, when faced with external pressures, like broken equipment, politics and time pressures, new technology, you still managed to complete a project on time. <S> If you want more specific advice, feel free to contact me privately. <A> I've seen ex-military resumes fairly often (for software-industry roles). <S> The successful candidates were able, through the resume and cover letter, to paint a picture of how skills transfer. <S> Were you ever in a team-leadership position? <S> Did you have to resolve ambiguous or inconsistent requirements? <S> Were there customer-service aspects to the job? <S> Did you solve challenging problems that you couldn't just look up in a manual (did you have to debug)? <S> Did you go above and beyond the call of duty to get the job done? <S> Review the qualifications for the job you want, and try to make connections to the experience you have. <S> And, of course, also list the training and projects you're now doing in the new field. <A> You can mention it briefly and concisely but it must not take a big part of your resume, that role should be taken up by what you'll be learning from IT school, and possibly your internship. <S> I highly suggest doing side projects too, like contributing to open source projects so you can fill up your resume nicely, but that's all in good time. <S> Prospective employers may bring it up if their doing an interview, you can talk about your previous job there to your heart's content, but for the resume make it short enough to pique their interest, but make sure it won't overshadow what relevant skillset/experiences you'll learn from your IT education. <S> Relevant question: <S> Should I put work not related to my profile on my resume? <A> In addition to what has already been mentioned, try to include some numerical quantification to support your experiences. <S> Seeing numbers in dollar or percentage terms helps to combat the "meh" effect referred to when an employer isn't particularly interested in your resume.
| Give examples, so the interviewer has something to talk about.
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Is it okay to share a customer appreciation email I received with my manager? I received an email wherein a customer congratulated my work. Is it okay if I forward and share this with my manager? <Q> These types of things can affect your performance appraisal, so sure send it on. <S> I always do. <S> He also might be pretty happy to be able to tell his boss that his staff is getting compliments from the clients. <S> After all bosses get performance appraisals too and they tend to be more aware of the politics behind them. <S> I'll point out that your boss is almost certainly copied on any negative feedback anyone has about you, so this makes sure they get a balanced picture. <S> It really is not just bragging. <A> Of course it's okay - <S> there's no reasonable expectation of confidentiality and you should be highlighting your success. <S> What does take care, however, is how you present it. <S> I'd suggest mentioning it in person, perhaps: "Oh, did I mention that Client A sent me a lovely email? <S> Oh, I'll forward it over. <S> They seem really impressed with what we've done <S> It's pretty transparent, but you're giving him the chance to share in the success while avoiding sounding cocky about it. <A> Absolutely. <S> Part of their job duty is to ensure that you are doing your job properly and you are helping them do their job by giving them the feedback they need. <S> A ton of emails from satisfied customers every week - that's probably a different story. <S> In which case, you have to be selective and just send the ones that strike your fancy in terms of originality, put you in the best light, etc. <S> :) <S> Nothing wrong with doing something that helps your manager do their job and makes you happy at the same time :) <A> Absolutely. <S> If a customer goes to the trouble of thanking you in writing, they intended to provide you with evidence that You Done Good and deserve praise (at least) from management. <S> If they're really clueful, they may have sent a copy direct to your management as well. <A> I will tell you my personal experience. <S> Its been 7 years in IT now. <S> I have received such emails from customers time to time where in few cases managers were not copied. <S> My personal take on this matter will is , if your manager seems nice guy/lady and supports you in general then share it. <S> However, if and your manager are of same age and if your manager's manager look at you as next manager then don't share it. <S> Believe it or not your manager may sound like he appreciate your work in this scenario <S> but he/ <S> she doesn't internally. <S> Take call of judgement and proceed. <A> Perfectly fine. <S> The end goal of any business is to keep the customer happy. <S> In case your customer is praising you for your work/efforts, your manager will be more than happy to know about it. <S> It will add on to the trust your manager has on you and your abilities. <S> It also reflects good on the manager as he is the one who is managing you. <S> Hence, go ahead and share it!
| Don't worry about being "transparent", there is nothing inherently wrong with wanting your boss to know that someone (especially a client!) likes your work. If you are planning to switch in near future then also share it.
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Do I have an obligation to inform management for critical emails from past employees? One of my colleagues received a very critical (and unsolicited) email for our company, from a past associate 1 , through a social network. My colleague informed me, his immediate superior, and my first reaction was to completely dismiss the matter. On second thought, however, I'm not sure if I'm under any obligation to inform the higher ups. The email paints quite a dark picture of the company in 2011, and for all I know everything in it may very well be true (albeit exaggerated). I wasn't with the company at the time, but I do know it was a very difficult time for all professionals in Greece (the debt crisis was in full swing). The email ends with encouraging my colleague to seek other employment. Is there any value in further pursuing this? 1 I don't think it matters, but I'm not 100% certain on what his status was at the time. Could have been a full time employee or an outside contractor. <Q> This depends on your corporate policies and what the email said. <S> For example, my most recent employer (a large, multinational company) has policies that require employees to pass on reports of workplace harassment, discrimination against legally-protected groups, or financial abnormalities. <S> It doesn't matter if the claims are spurious; the employees are not to make that decision. <S> The policy is to pass it up the chain to someone who is empowered to decide what to do. <S> The training I received said to make no distinction between public and private information; email is the same as a Facebook post or a verbal statement for these purposes. <S> In some fields in some locations this kind of policy is described as "mandatory reporting", so you might try searching for that in your corporate documents. <S> If the email was a generic "they stink" rant, then it's noise <S> and you can probably ignore it (but do check for any relevant policies). <S> If it makes claims of fact that, if true, would be harmful, then I would advise passing it up even if you don't have a policy saying to and even if you know those claims to be false. <S> For anything in between, you could informally ask someone in the company for input, perhaps a manager who's been tehre longer than you. <A> You might want to forward this email to the PR department (they need to know what others think about your company so they can initiate appropriate counter-measures to improve image) and to the legal department (they might want to consider to press charges for defamation). <A> Since this was a private correspondence sent unsolicited from a former colleague you have no obligation to acknowledge even receiving the letter or to pass it on to anyone at your company. <S> Since you said it was critical of your company, I would not reply to it or share it with anyone in your company with out going through management first. <S> Doing so could be perceived as as being disloyal to the company, and might be taken to imply that you agree with the criticisms. <S> If you feel the need to reply, I would make sure that any reply is approved by HR, your manager, and the PR Department. <S> Your reply could be taken and quotes from it could show up in a tabloid or newspaper citing you as the source of the comments. <S> If these comments are not approved by your company it can greatly complicate your career growth. <S> If there is nothing to be addressed, and you can live with just pretending the email did not exist, then that would be the course I would take. <S> If it did somehow come out that I had received the email, I would just blow it off as " <S> I figured it was just a disgruntled former employee with sour grapes, since there was nothing actionable I ignored it." <S> It would be hard for any decent manager to fault your for that. <A> Let's see the score: (1) <S> the email is dated, and if the content of the email was as you state, then the content is stale;(2) <S> you don't have the email, your collegue most likely purged that email from his mailbox so he may not have it either; <S> (3) the author of the email is gone. <S> You could try asking IT to use valuable time and staff resources to dig up that email but as of right now, you haven't mentioned a date or a date range for that email <S> so ITK has it work cut out for it. <S> If that email started a rumor that is still ongoing, you can deal with that rumor head on without referring to that email. <S> If nobody but your colleagues remembers that email, I don't see what's the point of taking it further - most likely, there is nothing anyone can do, even if they had that email in hand. <A> Print out the offending email you have <S> , if possible showing all the email headers, hand-write the date and time on it -- "received at 11:24 on March 26th from my subordinate Joe Blow" and put your signature on it. <S> Delete your email copy. <S> Does the email contain any sort of threat against persons, property, or reputation? <S> If so, you should immediately speak, in person, to the executive in charge of human resources at your company. <S> Do not delay. <S> Is it just a pile of scurrilous rubbish? <S> If so, hand-write a note to the executive in charge of human resources, attach your printout to that note, and give it to that executive. <S> Again, don't use email for this. <S> Keep a paper copy in your drawer. <S> Tell your employee "I am sorry you had the experience of having to read that foolishness. <S> Sometimes former employees behave in irrational ways. <S> Thank you for bringing this incident to the company's attention. <S> The appropriate people in the company will deal with this problem in appropriate ways, so you don't need to worry about it. <S> Again, thank you."
| I would probably preface it to my manager that I would not say that I agreed with the contents but that I felt it should be passed on to someone in a better position to address the concerns. Your key responsibilities are to the person who received this email, and to the company. If there is something in the letter that you feel needs to be addressed then absolutely it should be passed on.
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How can I fairly implement a timeliness policy when some workers are on hourly pay and some on fixed salaries? I work in a small development team and we have members who are paid hourly and workers who are paid a salary. Recently, it's come to our attention that both the hourly and salary employees are taking advantage of the fact that tardiness was never hugely enforced, and after several attempts to fix that, it's time to put a policy into place. That being said, we're having trouble coming up with a fair way to implement a policy for both kinds of workers. The hourly workers don't necessarily know which of their colleagues are on salary, and there's no reason to divulge that. One of the few perks of salary over hourly, though, is flexibility. I don't think it's fair to consider 9:01am late (or even after that), especially if the salary workers are staying later and/or working at home at times. I think that is a fair policy for the hourly workers, but I can see backlash happening when they are questioned for their tardiness, while their peers aren't. What would a good way to handle this? <Q> I think the underlying question is: can you implement two different policies without telling everyone which policy applies to each person? <S> I don't think you can, since the policy has visible effects. <S> After the policy you want to have two visibly different groups of people: <S> salaried staff with flexible hours hourly staff with fixed start and end times <S> It's going to be obvious. <S> In my experience this has not been an issue. <S> I've worked on both sides of that "divide", and I've not seen any problems. <S> Is there some deeper reason why you don't want people to know who is hourly rather than salaried? <A> Publicly addressing this type of issue is both disrespectful to the employee, and demoralizing to the staff, neither of which result in positive changes in the workplace. <S> A simple way handle the issue with salaried individuals showing up late <S> is to enforce planned flex time. <S> This means if a worker is going to be late and make up for it by working over they need to plan and advise management of this intent ahead of time. <S> You should also implement an excused tardiness policy. <S> Occasionally things happen in the morning that can not be planned for. <S> While this should be the exception rather than the rule there should be a policy in place that allows for a limited number of unplanned occurrences. <S> These rules should be enforced uniformly among all staff. <S> This will allow you to keep the fairness but allow for the flexibility you want to allow to your staff. <A> The only fair way to address this is with documentation stating that if employees are not assembled/working at the appointed time then they are late. <S> The flexibility issue can also be addressed by documenting and filing on record when an employee requests such leniency, it also must address what an employee must do to compensate for any granted leniency. <S> Lateness of employees must also be documented in order to have some weight on promotion or wage raise consideration. <S> The places I supervised at required that employees be on site 15 minutes prior to the start of their shift in order for them to log into a computer to check for any important messages or emails that were sent during their absence/off time. <S> For non-salary folk this was not considered work and unpaid. <S> For salary folk this was considered part of their salary contract. <S> No one needs to know or even care who is hourly or salary, but what is needed is a consistent document that covers all employees. <S> Those that abuse/excessively request the flexibility of hours allowed by the policy that you document must also be informed of how their ratings will be affected. <S> Your goal should be to have employees conform to a unified system. <S> That way there is no possibility of perceived bias nor favoritism. <S> If you want results, once policy documentation is made and approved, distribute the policy to all that it covers and also hold a mandatory meeting to make sure all employees are aware of the policy going into effect. <S> This way no one will be able to dispute that they were not aware of the change. <S> It would also be a good idea to have each employee sign a printed copy of the document that way it will be solid evidence should someone try to sue with an argument of not being informed.
| Any errant employee is to be presented with a cold hard text copy of policy documentation that addresses non-conformance of the policy and what result the employee can expect from supervision or the employer. First any and all discussions about tardiness with individual employees should happen behind closed doors.
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My new employer is asking to join before the end of notice period despite already agreeing on a start date I've been working in a firm for the last 3 years. Two weeks ago, I interviewed for a position in a new company and was selected. My current employers notice period policy is either 2 months notice or 1 month notice plus the loss of a months pay. I had clearly mentioned the 2 month notice period to my new employer. They were okay with the 2 month notice period and asked me to confirm the offer letter. Now I have resigned, and the new employer's HR is asking for me to join within a month. However, this is not possible for me at all due to my responsibilities at my current workplace. How can I communicate to my new employer that I am not able to join within a month for the agreed upon reasons? <Q> How can I communicate to my new employer that I am not able to join within a month for the agreed upon reasons? <S> This is easy. <S> You explain to them that you are very eager to join your new company, and start working on the new project as soon as possible. <S> You explain to them that, as they agreed to before their job offer was accepted, you are committed to a 2 month notice period with your former employer. <S> You know that your new company wouldn't want departing employees to renege on their commitments, so you know that they will understand your situation. <S> You further explain that you would be happy to join in 1 month, if they would agree to pay for the "loss of a month's pay" you would have to forfeit back to your old company. <S> Then you ask which way they would like to proceed. <A> It's not complicated: You should reply to your new employer and give your new employer the reasons you stated in your post. <S> If I were you, I would add that I am quite eager to join but that I need to live to my responsibility to ensure a smooth transition on behalf of my current employer and unfortunately, the process is still going on, however much I'd like to speed it up and despite the steps I have taken to speed it up. <S> I'd tell the new employer that I am playing it by ear on a day to day basis and if it turns out that yes, I can actually quit before my official date, I'll be glad to make immediate arrangements to do just that. <S> In the meantime, I would provide any other assistance that is within my power. <S> I would add as a final thought that I am stuck and stuck good, as I am in the midst of training others to take over my responsibilities even as we speak. <A> I think the hinging piece on this is the phrase "confirm the offer later". <S> Now, I'm not sure if contract law works the same in India as it does in the United States, but here (I'll just presume that it does) <S> an employer can get in hot water for trying to change the terms of an employment offer after the employee has accepted the offer , IF the employee then takes actions that would not have occurred if there was no offer. <S> "Actions" might include resigning from the old position, relocating, and so forth. <S> If the employee makes an offer, and it's accepted, and then the employer decides to withdraw the offer, the applicant-employee may be able to recover damages in court. <S> S.K., have you OFFICIALLY accepted (confirmed, as you put it) the offer? <S> Friend S.K, it's sounding like you are afraid that the new employer will withdraw the offer - which is reasonable, if you don't comply with the request to start a month earlier. <S> I don't know what recourse specifically is available in India - you'd have to contact an attorney for that. <S> You might consider finding another place to work that will treat you better.
| My own take on the situation is that if you agreed to one situation, but now the new employer is pressuring you to accept another situation, that's a bad precedent right from the outset.
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My boss has two possible roles in mind for me. How can I influence his decision on which to assign me to? My boss is undecided whether to assign me to: role A: office (managing spreadsheets, image editing, vectorial drawing, etc.) role B: warehouse stock assistant How can I convince him or influence his decision? I feel more inclined for the office role, rather than the stock one. I have worked office jobs in the past, and feel like my skills belong to role A, more than role B. How do you think I should act or talk to the boss, in order to make him take the right decision for him and for me? <Q> Assume that your boss is not a mind reader and state your preference plainly, and before your boss hands down the decision, if you haven't already done so. <S> Give him <S> say three reasons why you would be of better use to the boss as an office person than as a stock clerk <S> e.g. I am already familiar and comfortable with the operations at the office and there is nothing about what needs to be done in the office that's a surprise to me, I have already developed a degree of effectiveness and efficiency in terms of office skills and I expect to build on this acquired effectiveness and efficiency to be able to carry out necessary tasks that are more complex, the office personnel knows you and you all work well together, etc. <S> If the boss still assigns you as a stock clerk, make the best of it and squeeze as much lemonade as you can from that lemon. <S> You can claim in the future that you learned warehouse and operations and inventory management from the bottom up and this makes you more effective at office operations, etc. <A> Stock clerks tend to be easier to hire than office clerks. <S> While the boss might not agree, this is a valid way of stating your preference. <S> In many companies I'm aware of, people are pulled into the warehouse to pick during peak loads, but normally work at their desks. <S> One role would not necessarily exclude the other. <A> Since you identify the "right thing" as being best for both you and your boss, you better find out what her needs are. <S> One position may be easier to fill than the other, so having you take the tougher one to fill may be in his best interest. <S> Obviously, if you are not happy with the position given, you may be less inclined to stay with the company. <S> Some bosses prefer to keep turn-over to a minimum. <S> You need to have a conversation about this. <S> Ask what his current thinking is. <S> You have a 50/50 chance of getting the job you want without doing anything. <S> You may find one position is more suited to getting promoted (assuming you want to be promoted). <S> Your boss may have reasons to feel you are more suited for one than the other. <S> One position may be more important/critical than the other <S> and he prefers to have someone doing it that has been with the company and he trusts more. <S> Maybe you need to get out of your comfort zone and stretch your skills to better prepare you in the long run? <S> Much of this is going to depend on the relationship you have with your boss. <S> The less open it is, the more difficult it may be to find out what she is thinking. <S> You probably know more about this than any one of us.
| If you've done the office work and your boss is happy with your work, point out to him/her which role would be more difficult to fill with a new-hire.
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Is an idea born on a business trip owned by company that sent me? So, lets say I work on a project A and a company sends me on a business trip related to the project A to meet with a people working on project A. Along the way, during discussions with people related to the project A (or maybe must be unrelated - meet someone new) idea for some kind of project B is born which could be profitable. idea is unrelated to the business project one was sent on business trip for It's just hypothetical question, and I could not give more details. Is the company entitled to the idea by virtue of the fact that it provided me with the opportunity to go to a place where I was able to network/brainstorm with people interested in my idea? <Q> Most companies have you sign away your intellectual property rights for ideas you have while working for a company that are related to the business. <S> Any ideas for products or improvements to products are usually claimed by your employer. <S> It really does not matter if it happened as you went to bed at home, or if you had it on the Golf course, or had it during your regular work hours. <S> Mostly because it is impossible to prove when you had the idea. <S> If you had an idea for a product that is not in your company's line of business they could still lay claim to the idea, for this reason before I started working on a side project I would get something in writing from your employer that they are not going to lay claim to your Idea and are aware that you are developing it on your own time away from work without the use of company resources. <S> This would protect you from any claims your company might decide to make once you get to a finished product with out their help. <S> It is important that you avoid the use of company resources. <S> This includes your work laptop, pens and paper you "accidentally" brought home from work, and any scrap material that your company was going to discard that would work on your project. <S> If you get this type of material support from your company then they may have a claim against it, even if they originally declined to claim the idea. <S> Your company probably has deeper pockets and a legal battle of this type is not something <S> most part time inventors can afford. <S> Most importantly consult a lawyer, and get them to draw up the paperwork protecting you. <S> You should be able to get that done for $500-1000 and that expense can save you from tens of thousands in legal fees down the road. <S> That advice might save you from starting a project you are just going to lose as well. <A> Ideas aren't property. <S> Your company may, depending on your contract and relevant laws, claim copyright on copyrightable artifacts that you create. <S> However, having an idea is not an ownable object nor any kind of 'intellectual property'. <S> If you have an "idea for some kind of project", then it's up to you what you want to do with it. <S> A business plan can be copyrightable from the moment it's fixed on any durable medium - but not while it's an idea. <S> If you figure out 'hey, doing X would be a really good idea' <S> - there may be all kinds of factors that allow or prohibit you to do X; but the location/time where you figured that out doesn't matter. <S> If X is 'start a company that does Y', then it's not protected by copyright nor patent laws, and they can't claim ownership of that unless you've signed a contract that gives them such rights. <A> It's also worth noting company's ability to lay claim to your intellectual property during their hours varies state to state. <S> Some state favor heavily on the employer requiring them to explicitly state they will not lay claim. <S> Other states heavily lean to the employee's advantage to the point <S> you're safe so long as it's not too similar or competing with your employer. <S> Learn <S> if your state has any additional rules to IP it'll save you grief. <S> It's also worth noting as stated above some employers <S> DO make you sign off IP rights while employed. <S> In some states despite these being in your contract, they can be deemed unlawful or unreasonable and no longer legally binding. <S> (typically lawyers are already involved by this point so not ideal) <S> All in all, your best bet is to check your contract for IP rules that blanket, if they are in there make sure your employer explicitly relinquishes it's right to lay claim. <S> If not be cautious... make sure your work in no way is related to the idea. <S> No use of work time or materials, ect. <S> It's up to the employer to prove they have legitimate claim on your idea, still. <S> Getting them to sign something would be best... <S> Avoiding litigation is always a good idea. <A> Typically salaried employees are subject to having anything they create owned by the company. <S> (in the US anyway) <S> That being said, policies vary. <S> I work for a large technology company, and they have a specific policy for this scenario. <S> I have to run my idea past a committee to see if it is something that relates to our business. <S> If it is, then it will belong to them. <S> Not having actually done this <S> , I don't know all the details or what happens next. <S> If not however, I am free at that point to pursue the project on my own time and own resources.
| Your company may, depending on your contract and relevant laws, claim ownership on patents developed by you.
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Is it professional to voluntarily work on a side project for my company in my free time? I've been working at my company for almost a year now. A few months after I started, there has been talk of developing a lunch order application mainly for internal use (optionally as free bonus for another product we sell), with me being the only developer, as a training exercise. I started work on analysis, but after a few days, my boss had another assignment ready, which lasted until early this year. now, this internal application has been somewhat of a running gag in our company. the employee who was hired before me said there were also talks of him developing this app. The coworker who was hired after me also was mentioned in this app. I heard that this app has dated back to the foundation of the company, and likely would never be built, sometimes being mentioned but never actually started on because it is not profitable. It's basically vaporware, a mythical product that may never been released. However, at home I'm currently in a period of boredom, and I've been thinking about developing this project personally, sort of as a surprise for my boss. to clarify: I will not tell my boss about this until I have a working prototype, although I will ask one of my coworkers what he thinks about it. the issue is that we mainly develop for the Dynamics CRM platform, and this app would be developed on there as well, so I will need permission to use our development environment for this. I'm wondering what the advantages and disadvantages of doing this project in my private time is if I don't tell my boss (he's not on SE, so I doubt he'd find out this way). Are there mainly advantages, or is there some huge disadvantage that could get me into trouble? <Q> In some culture, you can be viewed as the person taking the initiative to do something. <S> But since this lunch ordering app is not your company's profit making item, you can be viewed as "working on trivial things" and possibly even "did that guy do this thing during his work hours?" <S> Another thing is, you may be seen by the manager and coworkers that you are a person who is willing to work for free, and in some culture, free means less respect -- just like oxygen that is so important for survival, when free, nobody will pay $1 for it, but when diamond is not important for survival at all, and not free and hard to get, people will pay $1000 or $5000 for it. <A> Have you fully considered any risks? <S> I wonder if there is a possibility that your side project would be discovered and you could be accused of developing a product using company facilities to take with you to another venture. <S> If your colleague is or is not seen to be at arms-length relationship with you it might make a difference to the overall perception. <S> As well, if your assigned work is late or deficient in any way, the semi-authorized work could be blamed. <A> @Spehro already makes a couple extremely good points. <S> Some more things to consider: <S> One advantage of doing this (apparently non-trivial) development in secret is that you can abandon it if this turns out to be more complex than you bargained for. <S> After all, there may be a reason why this development apparently started and stopped multiple times. <S> Or your "period of boredom" at home may suddenly end for an unforeseen reason and trigger a re-evaluation of your priorities. <S> You could be seen as brown-nosing by the other employees. <S> Maybe not that much of a deal as you mention you are the only developer. <S> If there were other developers, something like this could be seen as sucking up to the manager. <S> In such a case, it might be better to get all the developers in and make it a team present to the boss (if you do decide to go forward with this). <S> Be careful of future expectations you may be raising. <S> Depending on your manager, you may come across as "willing to work unpaid overtime". <S> Be on guard for future requests along these lines and politely and firmly decline. <S> So, also taking @Spehro's points into account, I would advise you to not use company resources, go to your manager rather earlier than later, and making it clear that you are not committing to anything, nor are you responsible for the quality of the end product. <S> Clarify what you will and what you won't do. <A> At the risk of being off topic, have you considered building something which is not work related? <S> For example, do you have an idea of a useful app of some kind or perhaps a website? <S> As an added bonus, you'll be free to choose the technology platform and solution design, so you can implement it in a way that will allow you to learn something new (if that's what you desire) while building something that a lot of people might find useful. <S> Another advantage is that you never even have to mention this to your boss, and certainly don't need their approval. <S> Three years ago I was in a similar situation where I had some free time between contracts and wanted to learn the PHP stack <S> so I built a website (www.thriftshelf.com) which finds you the best price for a given book from a pool of online retailers. <S> I whacked it up in a couple weeks, which included learning the platform (PHP and mySQL). <S> It's a ugly duckling <S> (I'm terrible at UX design) <S> but it's fully functional and people use it every day. <S> Just pick something which sounds interesting. <S> If you can't think of anything, try thinking of some problem or nuisance which can be solved through automation. <S> In my case, the "problem" was comparing the prices for books on different sites, taking shipping into account and converting it to my local currency. <S> My site does all that for you in seconds, <S> so I like that it actually does something useful. <S> Actually, your lunch ordering idea sounds interesting and could probably be redesigned as a more generic app for allowing groups to order from menus and store those orders until someone is ready to send the whole order. <S> It'd be ideal if you have an interest in mobile app development. <S> If you started linking up with actual takeaways and restaurants, and charging a small commission on orders, then you have a business model.
| It can depend on your company's culture and the industry or even the country's culture. If there are aspects you won't enjoy (QA, documentation, support, bugfixing), be clear upfront what you won't do but offer to do those things on company time if requested.
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Are self-employed positions disregarded on a resume? A lot of my experience in my field (programming) is volunteer or contractual work. For example, for a couple of years I volunteered at my university to mark assignments, on a couple of occasions I've done guest lectures. As for paid work, tutoring was the norm. Considering the difficulty in verifying a self-employed position, is this kind of experience disregarded when a potential employer is peering through resumes/CVs? A somewhat related addendum: I own a business unrelated to my field. Putting this on a resume shows some regard of leadership, accounting, etc and other clerical skills that would be useful in any occupation. However, it is considered self-employed and has the same aforementioned issues. Is it worth putting this on a CV? Of course it's wise to put it on a CV/resume, but I'm not sure if it would make as large an impact as I would like to believe. <Q> Considering the difficulty in verifying a self-employed position, is this kind of experience disregarded when a potential employer is peering through resumes/CVs? <S> When I review a resume/ <S> CV <S> I seldom disregard anything that is written. <S> So, from my point of view - No, it's not disregarded. <S> That said, volunteer work generally has less resume impact than work you are being paid for. <S> Being paid typically implies an obligation to complete the work, to complete it in a time period controlled by an employer, and to complete it to a quality level controlled by an employer. <S> While you may do your best, often volunteer work isn't required to meet those same standards, and thus is less impactful resume-wise. <S> Those of us who have contributed as volunteers and managed volunteers have seen how some folks are "all in" while others are not. <S> It's hard to distinguish between those based on a resume. <S> On the other hand, both volunteer and contract work can be a rich source of references. <S> It's a good thing to have a supervisor on a volunteer project say glowing things about your work ethic. <S> Working hard while not even drawing any pay is a desirable attribute for an employer. <A> The paid contractual work wouldn't be disregarded, in my opinion. <S> It's still employment. <S> The volunteer stuff wouldn't be verified as actual employment but would go towards your competency in the relevant field and as evidence of your passion for the subject. <S> The unrelated business might raise a concern or two though, mostly around the time it might take from your prospective employment, and whether it would cause you to lose focus. <S> I would have strong explanations for these concerns ready when you go to interview, as you'll have to convince the interviewer that your business will not be your primary concern. <A> Especially if the alternative is: "May 2011 - Feb 2012: <S> Relishing in the freedom of unemployment while occasionally job-hunting". <S> In other words, they want to know you're doing something to keep your skills sharp. <S> I would add that it could even be seen as a bonus as a sign of initiative - not many people have it in them to support themselves in that manner.
| I'd expect that almost unequivocally, no it's not disregarded at all.
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Seeking out a Mentor in field that does not work at the same company There are several people in my field that have inspired me. They, I am sure, are completely unaware of who I am but from reading their blogs and websites, I would like to learn as much as I possibly could from them and have them help me guide my career in a better path long term. Since I do not personally know these people and they likely have no clue I even exist, what would be a good approach to contact these people in an attempt to learn as much about my field as possible. <Q> This is called an informational interview . <S> You want to make the contact easy and pleasant for them (if local, you offer to buy them coffee; you don't nag them if they don't respond). <S> Have a clear set of questions for them, don't make it hard on them, and don't make it look in any way like you're trying to use them to get a job. <S> Thank them for any time they spend on you. <S> And, if their advice helps you get a job in the future, send them another thank you. <A> The best approach I know of, so far, is to offer them something. <S> Ideas probably are the best thing you can bring to their table. <S> Make a list of 10 ideas for everyone that you would consider to be a mentor <S> Mail them <S> the list, explaining that you find them a great person and a valued mentor so far and wanted to give something back <S> (And they really were mentoring you already, though passively. <S> Keep that in mind.) <S> These ideas don't have to be overly original or special or genius. <S> Just apply your perspective, take the time to really think it through and find some things you can really stand behind. <S> From full-blown synergies, to minor usability fixes, everything is the right thing. <S> Why does this work? <S> This approach works, because even the most succesful, genius person can't think of everything, so they value new stand points, new input. <S> And giving it freely, without strings attached, is a sign of appreciation they probably won't see often, so you stand out from the crowd of either silent admirers or people trying to work an angle. <S> How would you know? <S> I'm taking this advice from some, mostly passive, mentors I have, in particular Napoleon Hill , James Altucher and Jerry Colonna , who at some point or another all say this exact thing. <A> If you ever find you are in the same city as they are, just contact them, introduce yourself and how you know them ("I work in XXX, read your blog and am impressed."). <S> Then ask them out for lunch to pick their brains. <S> The worst they can do is decline, but even so, they will be flattered and may offer an alternative way of getting into contact. <S> No, this of course won't always work - the gurus will usually have enough to do and full calendars. <S> But again, what is the worst that could happen? <A> Another approach would be using online communities that are more social than basic the Q&A here. <S> There are plenty of them out there <S> but I'll just focus on www.linkedin.com. <S> LinkedIn tends to draw people of an affiliation together and allows them to communicate freely and personally. <S> You don't have to worry about a voting system that will curtail your ability to communicate seamlessly with your peers and can swap a bunch of detail between similar folks of your nature with out having to achieve any kind of vote record. <S> Also, don't count out FaceBook as long as you concentrate on a professional side of your life and leave very little trace of your personal life. <S> Don't forget that there are sub-communities on both that you can seek out and join.
| Look at what the people you consider mentors do, get to know the things they're invested in and brainstorm
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Can I tell my boss off on my last day and how should I handle this situation? I work as a part time hostess. This is my first job ever (I'm 17) and at first one of my two managers was very nice to me but when I started to work there he became a complete jerk to me. I wasn't the only newbie either. He seems to have it out for me but I have no clue why and he calls me into his office about the littlest things and gets on my case. Yet I am highly praised by my coworkers but my managers fail to see how hard I work. I am really sick at the moment and called in, but he said to find someone to do my shift or suck it up. I can barely walk without tottering everywhere because of my fever. I am moving in a few months and he is not aware of that. What should I do? <Q> Can I tell my boss off on my last day? <S> Sure you can. <S> You'll probably feel a whole bunch better after telling him off. <S> You could brag to all your friends. <S> You could even record the session, post the video on YouTube or Facebook, and watch all the views and likes roll in. <S> Hilarity will almost certainly follow. <S> You can joke about it with your friends in years to come and talk about "the time I told that jerk off". <S> Or, you could choose to act like an adult. <S> It's your choice. <S> It probably won't matter professionally, assuming you do move soon and never encounter any of your co-workers again. <S> But it might matter to you personally. <S> You might learn something about yourself that will help you long-term. <A> No you should not tell your boss off. <S> Even when someone else is being rude, unreasonable, and disrespectful, by sinking to their level the only person you are really disrespecting is yourself. <S> Should you choose to you will walk away feeling worse about yourself. <S> But if you take the high road you can walk away knowing you did what was right and stayed classy. <S> If he fires you for being sick there is not much you can do about it, since you are still in school and only 17 there are basically no protections for you to prevent this. <S> So if having the job is worth it to you, and you are able, then you should attempt to work the shift. <S> But, if you are sick and have a fever and are not in a condition to work, just tell him you will not be able to work or find someone to cover your shift. <S> Apologize, and leave it at that. <S> There is no reason to tolerate the abuse but do not get rude back. <S> Stay respectful, and keep to the high road. <A> Your reaction to this depends on what you plan to gain (and stand to lose). <S> You could tell him off for just the satisfaction of telling him off . <S> That's it. <S> It's not going to result in any real value other than you getting to (publicly) ridicule your manager. <S> The satisfaction is very real, but it's not going to get you anything. <S> Your coworkers might also derive some satisfaction from being able to vicariously ridicule the guy, your manager resents you even more but at the end of the day, it's not going to get anybody anything <S> You could manage to show up at work , hobble around for a little while and sit put somewhere, declaring that you simply cannot do it. <S> This has some advantage in that it shows effort, you'll garner some sympathy from any observers and make it obvious what an asshat your manager is. <S> Customers might even ask to speak to the manager about the hostess that's clearly in no shape to work. <S> Your manager still gets to look like an ass, you'll probably get sent home anyway and your manager resents you even more <S> Write a strongly worded email to your manager, cc his manager. <S> Roughly the same effect as (2), with a different audience. <S> Only this time, it's official and it will be on record. <S> It has the added bonus of opening the avenue for further complaints from your coworkers on the same jerkwad. <S> Hopefully management agrees with everyone else that the douchebaggery has to stop. <S> Your manager resents you even more <S> The course of action you elect depends on what your desired outcome is. <S> Pick wisely
| If he becomes rude on the phone apologize again and tell him you need to go. Since you say "I am moving in a few months", you could give a proper notice at that point and leave on a professional high note - showing that you are the bigger person, and are ready for an adult work life. You could even have an adult conversation with your boss and discuss your concerns without resorting to "telling him off".
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How different is the hiring process of startup company when compared to big companies? I'm a fresh graduate and I have an interview coming up with a startup company. I was wondering how different will the hiring process be when compared to big companies, given limited resources they have. Do startups have standard recruiting process? If not, what factors should I consider for an interview, salary consideration etc? P.S.: The startup has around 15 employees, and is ventured backed! <Q> Don't expect half a dozen different interviews with different managers, leads, etc. <S> There just aren't that many people there! <S> .. <S> but do expect the possibility that the owner/founder might want to have at least a brief conversation with you as part of the interviewing process. <S> Obviously that's never going to happen at a big firm! <S> This is because.. .. <S> in general, small startups care a lot more about "cultural fit" than bigger firms. <S> When the company is small, it's a lot more important that everyone gels and works well together and enjoys each others' company. <S> As a fresh graduate, any interview anywhere is going to be more about demonstrating that you are smart, keen and enthusiastic than a detailed examination of your experience, because you don't have any yet! <S> The main tip I can give you is that it really pays to display enthusiasm for the product or service that the startup is producing. <S> Familiarize yourself with their product, have a really good think about their business before your interview and have questions ready about it. <A> how different will the hiring process be when compared to big companies, given limited resources they have. <S> Yes, startups are different when compared to big companies. <S> And significantly, they are quite different from each other. <S> I've worked for a bunch of startups. <S> Some were very much like larger companies, and the interview processes were virtually identical to those of larger companies. <S> Paid recruiters, phone interview, several face-to-face interviews, offer letter plus benefit packet - all the same. <S> Others, were very different. <S> I've been hired by a startup company founder over lunch without ever meeting anyone else in the company. <S> There nothing "standard" about the recruiting process across the vast array of startups, as far as I can tell. <A> In my experience i have generally found the hiring process is a lot longer, more complex and drawn out in larger firms but there is no set rules each company varies. <S> I once interviewed for a large corporate financial firm and it got all the way to the job offer stage without the need for a technical test ( <S> Rare these days). <S> But on the flip side i have also interviewed at small companies that expect the same level of candidate screening even though their company isn't as desirable, it really is luck of the draw. <S> Some larger companies with well known names will obviously be far more picky what staff they take on then a small start-up firm and will eliminate candidates with technical tests or homework projects. <S> I can't speak for all industries but with programming it tends to be at least 2 interviews and a technical test as a minimum.
| Everything varies, of course, and nobody can tell you exactly what the interview process will be like at this startup except people who have interviewed there, but some general considerations for smaller startup companies are: The interview process won't be as drawn out as it can be at larger firms. But even if you weren't a fresh grad, I feel that small startups definitely tend to weigh smarts and enthusiasm, rather than specific experience, higher than big firms do. I've also been hired at a startup where I met everyone who was already part of the company face-to-face - all at the same time - including one of the key venture investors.
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How should I act with a colleague who is supposed to mentor me but doesn't want to? I have got a new job that needs a lot of training in the beginning. So our project manager always assigns someone to mentor the new employees. My colleague, who is supposed to mentor me, started teaching me the aspects in the first two weeks, but after that he started acting rudely knowing that in the real world he is still friendly. I am not a pushy person and I always ask politely and thank him every time he helps me. However, he acts like he didn't hear me when I call his name, he acts like his eyes hurt and he can't read anything on the screen, he acts like he is very busy doing something and he even once told me that he is not paid for doing this. The strange thing is that he helps other people doing their work after acting with me this way. I don't know why he does this with me and how to solve this issue? Should I tell the project manager about this or not? <Q> This sounds like you disrespected the time of the mentor and asked the same questions repeatedly or asked things that you should have been able to easily look up yourself. <S> You need to research as much as you can first and show him how you have tried to solve the problem. <S> When he tells you something, you need to take actual notes and before you go to him again, review those notes and see if it is something he told you before. <S> You might want to talk to him only once or twice a day and save up several questions. <S> Then follow whatever suggestions he makes. <A> The very best thing to do is ask him for a few minutes of his time, at his convenience, and ask him outright. <S> This need not, and should not be confrontational, but ask if he is still interested in mentoring you, and if he is resistant, what could be done about it. <S> If he's just having a hard time, and has a lot of pressure, he might be acting this way because he is struggling himself. <S> If this is the case, you can one or both approach your project manager and discuss a re-shuffle of his responsibilities with respect to mentoring you. <S> Please be careful to make sure this conversation doesn't sound like you are accusing him of anything, particularly of being incapable, as he will probably take exception to this and become more difficult to work with. <S> On the other hand, you may very well have done something to warrant his reaction, if so, the initial conversation can also shed some light on this. <S> In my experience, some folk have trouble admitting that they are annoyed with somebody else for a plethora of reasons - so break the ice yourself - ask if he is displeased with your response to his mentoring, and discuss any weaknesses you may have with him. <S> Try to schedule some time to really crack any difficult topics you may have asked him about a few times, but might have been too embarrassed to admit to not grasping. <S> Also try to come up with a more structured approach to any mentoring - maybe a brief 2 minute summary each day/week to air out any problems in smaller chunks. <S> If there is not a reasonable outcome, you may then want to discuss the issue with the project manager/senior person to control the situation with more structure. <S> Be open to the extremes of possibility: that you may have annoyed him, that you might not be the reason for his reactions, or that he just plain doesn't like working with you. <S> Good luck, <S> and I hope you resolve this. <A> Someone put an ad on CL looking for a tutor. <S> This guy's story ran something like this: he had been working as a landscaper, then as a grunt in an animal shelter - neither of which paid particularly well. <S> He volunteered to maintain the animal shelter's website. <S> This gave him enough experience with HTML and CSS to get a 'real' job with a startup. <S> He spent most of his time working on the HTML formatting for email messages, however at various points he was expected to work on 'back end' stuff, which was written in Visual Basic and SQL Server. <S> He had no idea what he was doing. <S> In this circumstance, there's no reason he should have - <S> he had never taken any computer courses beyond perhaps an Intro to Programming. <S> The employer's expectations were grossly unrealistic. <S> What I showed him with SQL Server and Visual Basic was enough for him to know he needed to take some classes, which he did. <S> He switched jobs, explaining his circumstances to his new employer, which had more realistic expectations. <S> Having an experienced person trying to mentor this person at Day 1 would have been a misuse of both people's time. <S> There were occasions where I was mentoring someone that turned out to be completely useless. <S> I ran into someone with a rather impressive college education that couldn't program at all. <S> Once I realized that, I pushed him out. <S> If I was 'stuck with him' I wouldn't waste my time. <S> I have quit in circumstances where I was expected to work with people that couldn't contribute. <S> In this situation you are going to have to 'go your own way'. <S> As long as you remain in the job that you're in, you'll have to 'hack the system' - figuring out what you can. <S> Generally, however, if you can't find something productive to do right away, they'll let you go. <S> If you are in a largish organization, and there are projects of varying complexity, see what you can do on simpler projects. <S> If you don't understand 'web services' or 'stored procedures' or 'jquery' just start reading up on them and practicing. <S> Rather than leaning on others, start nibbling away at what you don't understand, and start building up a library of sample code and demos to chart your progress.
| You might also want to talk to him directly about the issue saying that you noticed that you seem to be annoying him and how would he prefer to work with you to get you up-to-speed. Usually when people start out friendly and then act this way it is because talking to you has become a burden keeping them from doing their own job.
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What to do if I receive two job interviews at the same time? Stemming from this question , I actually managed to get another job interview for a different company. I hear back about my status from the first interview on Tuesday. I have my interview for the second job tomorrow. How do I go about this? I'm indifferent about which company I would rather work for, and I don't think I can balance two jobs, not at least until this semester ends in May. In case that is too broad; Should I tell each company about the other offer, in the event I get offered positions at both? Should I just pick one and decline the other offer? Again, these are both entry-level, retail jobs. Nothing extremely professional or formal. <Q> Do the exact same thing as you should do if two companies want you to interview on the same day at different times: go to both. <S> You have had an interview; you do not have a job or even an offer of another job. <S> Unless you have signed a contract saying that you will not look elsewhere (unlikely), there is no legal, moral or ethical reason for you to pass up this second opportunity. <S> Even if you do not get an offer out of the second interview, you get something valuable out of it: interviewing experience. <S> In short, go. <S> As for telling the companies about each other -- the only situation where it makes sense to volunteer that information is if you want it to strengthen your negotiating position. <S> Unless you are prepared to lose both jobs, or you feel that with that you can get a significant benefit, I would not recommend volunteering it to either company before making an agreement. <S> You could mention it to the company you plan on declining; they might feel tempted to up their offer. <S> If so, you could reconsider your decision. <A> You don't need to give a company details about your other interview. <S> Some places have boilerplate out there which says "please do not apply for any other jobs while you're applying to us" <S> but I think most everyone realizes that this is not a realistic thing to ask prospective employees to do. <S> Tell the first potential employer that you need to weigh your options. <S> There's no need to let them know that you're looking into another offer; in this case, it could be perceived as a negative in that it makes it look as though you are their second choice. <S> I realize that you don't really care either way between the two jobs, but I think you do need to ask yourself a question: if you get them both, which one will you turn down? <S> There may be small differences in pay between the two places but by and large retail places pay about the same amount (which is somewhere between "minimum wage" and "dirt") <S> so outside of a 'vibe' you might get from the interview itself <S> I'm honestly unsure why you wouldn't just choose one of them as your first choice. <S> This certainly makes it easier for you if the first interview turns out to be the job you preferred. <S> Otherwise, if they do want you to respond immediately I would go to the old saw that a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. <S> In other words, don't decline an open offer in favor of another offer which may or may not come down the line. <S> Even retail declines to hire folks sometimes <S> - my memory is that places can be particularly picky outside of Christmas - and if you turn down the first job before being extended the second one, you might be left out in the cold for a while. <A> I kind of fail to see the problem. <S> The company interviews multiple people, and you interview at multiple companies. <S> Where’s the problem? <S> This is a business transaction between two parties (you and a potential employer), and both of you should expect the other one to look for multiple options. <S> Besides, before you even show up there and learn something about the company, how could you know if you want to work there? <S> Do you have friends there <S> , have you done an internship, or do you currently only have an outsider’s view?
| If you happen to receive the job offer before the second interview, there's also no rule that states that you have to respond to said job offer immediately, at least not usually.
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Why do intern postings require that applicants be students? I've been applying to internships lately, and many require that applicants be "current students," or in some cases "current students returning to school" at some given point in time. My question is - why do positions require this? is it just to weed out applicants who don't have any schooling? most of the internships are limited 4-8 months, so it doesn't seem likely that this requirement is included due to students "extending their stay" so to speak. In Canada, where I go to school, the government pays for part of the intern's salary in some cases, so they require students if the company wants the subsidy. AFAIK though, this isn't the case in the US (where i'm applying for the most part), so it would seems odd that this requirement is included. These are mostly software development positions by the way. <Q> Why do companies want interns at all? <S> 1, Large companies will do it to attract future hires. <S> If you intern with them it is likely you will want to work for them after you graduate. <S> So by offerring you some paid work for a summer they get a graduate recruit. <S> Even if you don't eventually work for them - you will (hopefully) say nice things about them to your fellow students, the company will be known in the dept, and other students will apply. <S> 2, Small companies often want somebody cheap to do some small bit of extra work. <S> The intern is like a cheap contractor. <S> They don't have the time / resources to have their existing developers sift through 1000s of resumes from people who might be brilliant programmers but currently work in fast food. <S> By only interviewing people who are currently studying Computer Science at XYZ university they get a head start on finding suitable candidates. <A> There are a few reasons: Companies, depending on the state, can receive subsidies for employing an intern. <S> There are also generally heavy strings attached to these subsidies, sometimes including a requirement that the person in question is going to a college and receiving credit for your tutelage. <S> If they bring you in, they may still not be paying you <S> but they are often out a good deal of money; a good internship isn't going to just sit you down and tell you to do something they could hire someone for, it's going to take other people off of their own work to teach you stuff. <S> I realize that there are internships out there of the "go get everybody a coffee" variety <S> but those places generally pick up a bad reputation very quickly (at least outside of the entertainment industry). <S> Look at this from the perspective of the employer: they want to bring someone in and teach them how to do a job and/or have them do some low-level work for several months without pay. <S> If you are currently a student, presumably you have your financial affairs in order until you've graduated in the form of grants, loans, and so on. <S> If you're just unemployed, there is far less of a guarantee that you have the resources to stick it out for 3-6 months. <S> These folks don't want to begin to train you for 6 weeks only to lose you to a paying job. <A> Not true. <S> I've been an intern without attending a school. <S> In most cases, you should be prepared for the minimal wage and tasks which are far away from fun. <S> You do need to have some pre-requisites though. <S> Contributing to open source projects, successful freelance contract or two. <S> Be aggressively communicative. <S> Send code samples along with your cover letter. <S> Write that you don't think you need to be a student to be a valuable asset.
| Internships aren't really there for you to audition for a job (although they can be used that way) so much as they are used to teach you how to do a particular job in an actual work environment.
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Is it OK to ask a company how they got my email address? I got an email from the HR department of a company about a job opportunity. The email is addressed directly to me, so I was wondering if it is okay to ask them where they got my email address, or would it be considered rude? <Q> I was wondering if it is okay to ask them where they got my email address <S> Of course it's okay. <S> After all, if this turns into a great job opportunity, you might owe someone a "thanks". <S> Every time I've gotten a solicitation like this, I've asked where they got my email address (or phone number if they call). <S> Most often, they read my name somewhere online, and got my contact information via a search. <S> Occasionally, it has come through a friend or former co-worker. <S> Usually, it was nothing I was concerned about. <S> I also often encode my email address when I register at a website. <S> I include something in the email address I use which can give me a hint as to where my email address was found. <S> Gmail lets you use your normal email address with a plus sign followed by additional text, and sends it all to your normal email address. <S> For example, if your Gmail address is: john.doe@gmail.com <S> you could use john.doe+workplace@gmail.com and all the emails addressed to either would end up in your inbox. <S> Using this trick, I often don't have to ask how they got my email address <S> - I already know. <A> In some countries a company is even legally required to answer this question. <S> It can even be illegal to send this type of unsolicited email. <S> For example, in Germany where I live, companies are required to give you this information. <S> We have very strict regulations regarding when an email is unsolicited and thus not exactly legal to send. <A> Something along the lines of: <S> Oh, and if you wouldn't mind, could you let me know how you got my contact details please? <S> This way it doesn't seem demanding or rude at all, and most companies don't mind giving out this information, or at least that is the case in my experience. <A> Turnabout is fair play if I ask them how they got hold of my email address. <S> Prospective employers reach out to me through Linkedin. <S> Anyone who reaches out to me as a new prospect through email - That one is a rara avis or rare bird. <S> I have stale resumes floating in forums that are long closed <S> and it is possible that they got my email through them, but I won't know for sure unless I ask :) <S> I don't ask anything if I think that I am being scammed.
| It is perfectly fine to ask something like this. Many companies ask me how I learned about a specific job opening when I fill position application forms with them. I don't believe I've ever been considered rude when I asked. If you're interested in knowing I would just add the question at the end of one of your other e-mails (assuming you're e-mailing them about the job opportunity, even if to turn them down) as a throwaway question.
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How to address senior coworkers taking advantage of the owner? I started this job about 7 months ago and since being here I can't help but notice that the senior developers on the team spend a huge amount of their day browsing the internet or doing other things around the office that has nothing to do with development. The owner is very social and does encourage a relaxed atmosphere, allowing us to play a board game during the day, gets lunch for everyone a couple times a month, and those sorts of things. I enjoy this a lot but when people return to their desks, they certainly are not being productive at all. The development team reports directly to the owner and the owner doesn't know anything about software development. In our very infrequent meetings the senior developers will say they're working on something, but between meetings will make very little (if any) progress. The owner is completely oblivious to how long development tasks should take to complete and it seems to me that he is being taken advantage of. The company is quite small, less than 10 people, and close knit, i'm worried that bringing this up might create an environment of hostility towards myself. How can I / Should I inform the owner that I think he is being taken advantage of without creating a hostile environment? <Q> I'm not sure what you can do that will make all the parties "happy" <S> but here are some things to consider: <S> The owner may know more about the down-time than you think, but allows it to go on anyway. <S> It's a compromise. <S> Maybe these devs could make more money elsewhere, but take less because they don't put in as many productive hours. <S> Don't cover for any one. <S> If the owner asks you directly, it is in your best interest to tell the truth. <S> The answer may be in consideration #1. <S> Make sure this doesn't affect your productivity. <S> If you're constantly having to wait on others to get around to things, you need to let them know that "I didn't have time or was doing something else" is not going to be acceptable. <S> They need to know they can't slack off so much <S> it puts you in a bind. <S> You have things to get done as well. <S> Other than this <S> , I don't recommend saying anything until you know all the facts from all parties. <S> You were brought in for a reason, so get your work done. <S> If you get put into a position of authority/team leader, that would be the time to put everyone on notice. <S> Again, the owner may know more than you think. <A> It seems that the owner and other employees are content with the relaxed and slow-paced atmosphere. <S> I don't recommend calling anyone out for not working hard enough. <S> Rather, use the other employees' shortcomings to impress the owner with your own abilities. <S> If the owner is used to everyone making small amounts of progress between meetings, work to make a lot of progress between meetings, and show off what you've done. <S> In addition to getting credit for your own abilities, you'll likely inspire the others to work harder to avoid looking bad in comparison. <S> If you feel that a tight-knit, slow-pace environment doesn't appeal to you as much as much as a fast-paced environment, you should start looking elsewhere. <S> Be sure to ask questions about the work environment of any prospective employer to be certain that they encourage an environment with a pace and work ethic that are appropriate for you. <S> If you do decide to leave, you should be fine mentioning that you're looking for a faster-paced environment, but don't imply that the company needs to change, and definitely don't point fingers. <S> Your reason for leaving is a matter of your taste, and the others at the company have as much right to prefer their current environment as you have to prefer a more competitive one. <A> The situation seems to be: small company, laid back owner, has been in business for at least several years and is obviously capable of making payroll. <S> Dev team isn't doing much and owner is apparently unconcerned. <S> Some businesses simply aren't destined to grow. <S> The owner is happy with the way things currently are and has become complacent. <S> This sounds like that type of situation. <S> Now, the "issue" you are talking about is simply that dev isn't making progress. <S> Unfortunately, that's not your call. <S> Point is: if the other devs are pretty tight with the owner then it will be unlikely that whatever you do will improve things. <S> Which means you have a choice: enjoy the "vacation" so to speak or move on to a faster paced environment. <A> I would try to create an open environment, where people should share their weaknesses & strengths. <S> Once everyone feels comfortable and open with each other, bring your idea to the table, (not pointing anyone in particular). <S> As it stands, everyone has got their own way of working. <S> If you feel they don't work as team, you can open up those issues in the form of Story or examples. <S> I have seen this kind of issues with most of the small size companies. <S> If you are responsible, or you think you can make a difference to the company, try to do the following so that you don't burn any bridges: <S> Take them out for some group games once a week. <S> Have a family outings (depends how much you can afford)
| Even after doing all these doesn't make them open, than be straight communicator, tell them what they need to do. What you see as the employees taking advantage of the owner may simply be that their vision of the company is more comfortable, and less competitive, than you prefer. You could ask the others how they're able to get away with so much slacking off. Before you do anything I think you need to determine whether there is an actual "issue" here or not. Take them out for drink
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How to position yourself as a conference speaker when you are quite young? I really enjoy teaching other people about new technologies and I am good at explaining things. However, in a lot of conferences I go to, speakers have decades of experience in something, whereas I am fresh out of a master's degree. How do I get conference organizers to grant me a speaking slot? Are there ways to give an indication that what you have to say is worthwhile, when you do not have a lot of experience? Or are there maybe other ways I can position myself as a speaker? <Q> Start small with local events. <S> Build a reputation there <S> and then you will have something to show the larger confernces that you can sucessfully do a conference session. <S> Or: Pick some topic to do that is new enough that no one has decades of experience. <A> As someone who has served on conference committees for various conferences, our goal is to create an excellent conference. <S> We are looking for speakers who are going to be part of creating an excellent conference. <S> We have a call for participation that is open to everyone, and we also solicit proposals from people who we think have something of interest to share with our community. <S> If you're responding to a call for participation, then craft a proposal that will be awesome for that conference. <S> Consider filming yourself giving a talk (even if it's not in front of an audience) to prove that you are a good speaker in addition to having a great proposal. <S> If you're going to approach a conference organizer to discuss how you could be a speaker there, then ask them what they are looking for in their speakers. <S> You might get more insight into what that particular conference needs to do to be an awesome conference. <S> If you submit a proposal or approach a conference organizer and are rejected, then listen carefully to the reasons why you were rejected. <S> Use this information to help you determine where you need to focus your efforts to make your next proposal more likely to be accepted. <S> You might learn that your topics are more appropriate for another conference instead of the one that you had originally targeted. <S> While you're working on this, hone your speaking skills. <S> Also establish an appropriate presence in your field to show that you know your topic. <S> A blog might be appropriate to show your technical and critical thinking skills. <S> Answering questions on an appropriate Stack Exchange site might be good. <S> While you're working on your overall goal of being seen as an expert appropriate for speaking at conferences, set yourself smaller goals that move you in that direction. <A> My suggestions to you are: speak with confidence, research your topic, and rehearse throughly. <S> If you've been invited to speak at the conference, you're clearly considered capable of speaking on the topic you're addressing. <S> Research it, write your speech well in advance, and rehearse it to build your confidence in what you have to say. <S> Just because you're a young worker <S> doesn't mean you don't have anything important to say. <S> In fact, younger viewpoints might be considered more 'fresh' and 'interesting' than older ones. <S> But knowing your topic and being well-rehearsed will help you carry confidence in your speach, which will help deliver anything you need to say. <S> Don't worry about your age - worry just about giving your best speaking performance, regardless of your age. <S> EDIT: I notice you're trying to sell yourself AS a speaker - for that, I suggest selling yourself on the merits I've mentioned above. <S> You say your age is a detriment, so don't focus on it. <S> Focus on what you DO have that you can advertize.
| Go to conferences and take notes during the presentations to see what it is that makes a good presentation, as well as what makes a bad one, and use that information to help you determine how you can be a great speaker. Look for local opportunities to present, such as meetups or small conferences.
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Is it fine to switch after the company retained you? I am under a great confusion here. Recently I got an offer from a big MNC company and I was ready to switch but my present company retained me by offering double of what I was getting. During that period I gave an interview for a reputed MNC bank and got selected there as well. Now it's only been a month since my present company retained me from switching. The work load is increasing as they say that I now have a package that demands this load. Please suggest me that is it fine to make a switch both morally and career wise and if yes. What should be my answer to leave my present job? <Q> Your current company has proved that they cannot be trusted; otherwise they would have paid you what you were worth without you having to show then a job offer. <S> Likewise they will never totally trust you as you tried to get a new job. <S> But if the take the job with the bank and it goes wrong, then don’t expect a helpful reference from your current job. <S> Whatever happen expect to have to work a lot harder or smarter, as when a company pays more, they expect more. <A> They won't forget that you were the one wanting to go away and when they will have to cut some positions, you will be one of the first to be cut. <S> Also, you should be ethical when you are treated accordingly. <S> Behaving in a correct way with someone who is not doing the same is useless. <A> I think you have a valid reason to take the other job, if that's what you want. <S> My current employer recently offered me a raise to stay after I'd gotten an offer elsewhere, and I did, but accepting their offer to retain me didn't mean anything more than passing on the job offer I had at that moment. <S> If I'd received a better offer later, I'd have taken it, and if I receive a better offer now, I'll take it. <S> I didn't agree or say that I'd stay for any period or time, nor did they make the offer contingent on my staying for any period of time, so the deal was simply that I'd stay, at that point in time. <S> If they tried to switch up the terms of my retention after the fact, I definitely would have left, and it sounds like that's what's happened to you. <S> Can't be sure without knowing all the details, but it sounds like they retained you, and then dumped more work on you in exchange for the pay raise, without telling you upfront that they were going to do so. <S> Therefore, I would view this as the terms of the arrangement having changed - you stayed for more money, on the assumption the job and workload would be the same. <S> With them changing their part of the deal, you have the right to change your part, and accept the other job offer, if you wish. <A> If you have a boss that got you double your rate, then you leave shortly thereafter, you'll most likely make him look bad and in return receive a poor reference if you ever need one in the future. <S> I went this route with a previous employer. <S> I felt I was underpaid, but I like the job/people <S> , so I went out, interviewed, and got an offer that was at market rate. <S> I used that offer as leverage to get more money at the current job that I liked. <S> There were no hard feelings between me and the boss, even though he had to go up two levels to get the raise approved, because I stayed on and was a productive employee for another year or so before moving to a new city.
| I believe that once you have showed your wish to leave your current company, the best thing to do is leaving, because they won't trust you anymore. If someone gets you a raise, whether at great or little cost to that person, and you decide to take the raise instead of the new job, you should stay with that company for a little while unless there are other reasons you can cite, like workload or responsibility changes.
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