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When secretly looking for a new job, how not to accidentally apply to my own company? I am currently employed, and I am looking for a new job in the coming months. Many offers (on job search websites such as monster etc.) are actually posted not by the companies, but by recruitment agencies, and I get just a one-sentence description of the company. Many of them are variations of something that could apply to my current job ("multinational company whose products are used in many environments" etc.). How can I be sure I don't accidentally apply to my current company and blow my job hunt? Is there even a way? Currently I'm just avoiding the agency that landed me my current job, but I'm really paranoid. We are open for positions all the time, so checking current job offers doesn't help. <Q> How about asking the recruiter not to send your resume to your own company? <S> I see no reason why they would refuse such a reasonable request. <S> Now if you are so paranoid to think that they might still screw this up, then well, hate to break it to you, but there is always the risk of your employer finding out about your secret jobhunt, no matter what means you choose. <S> You will have to either get over your paranoia or stop looking for a job. <S> By the way, nearly everyone goes on a jobhunt secretly (unless they are unemployed, of course). <S> The world seems to go round just about fine for all of them. <S> Don't overthink this. <A> I'm afraid it's almost impossible. <S> Sure, you can avoid the agency that helped you get your current job, but that's not enough. <S> Some companies that use recruiters ask to disclose their name only during the interview, some prefer anonimicy until the last moment. <S> In my case I prefer to apply for positions where the name of the company is known from the beginning, or to ask my contacts for tips or referrals. <S> If I get and interview with a recruiter or a consulting company, I ask if they can disclose who the client is. <S> Most of the times they tell me. <S> If they don't, well, that could raise a red flag for me, or at least make me suspicious. <S> If that's the case I don't press further and let the process go on. <A> It's common to ask an employment agency not to send your resume to your current employer. <S> I suppose they might make a mistake and do it anyway, but hey, someone might overhear you talking on the phone, your boss may play golf with the person you interviewed with at another company, etc etc. <S> There's no way to guarantee 100% secrecy. <S> Once when I was involved in hiring someone we got a stack of resumes from an agency where they did not include the names, I presume to avoid exactly this problem. <S> Nevertheless, my boss passed one resume to me and asked, "Hey, what do you think of this one?" <S> The resume sounded an awful lot like one of our current employees, from the same school and year of graduation, general description of his experience, description of his current employer that sounded an awful lot like us, etc. <S> In that case he was a real problem employee so we were laughing and saying how much we hoped he found another job <S> so we wouldn't have to fire him.
| If a position I like is posted by a recruiting agency, I google them, as many like to say who are (some of) their past or present clients.
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How to effectively manage / coach myself at work in lieu of a supervisor? I just started a role as a programmer out of school and in the position I find myself in now, my manager is very 'hands off'. This hasn't posed much of a problem as I have a year of internship experience and a lot of the coaching I needed to integrate into the industry I have already. All of that said, I love development and am committed to becoming a more effective developer, analyst, employee.. etc, and with that I miss the coaching I was getting at my prior internships. Now that my manager isn't much of a part of what I do, though, any improvement I do is mostly self directed. So I wonder if anyone has advice or strategies on how to more effectively self-manage and self-coach in a role like this? edit: to clarify based on an answer, I'm in a position now where I don't have any developers senior to me on my team. One with slightly more experience in this specific environment, but none that are significantly more experienced than me in general <Q> You do not say how large your team is <S> but I assume that there are some senior employees around (besides your manager). <S> You can just ask them to assist you. <S> I was always lucky to find some experiences programmer or designer to show me around and support me. <S> You can ask them: to list frameworks and design patterns they find very useful. <S> You can then start getting familiar with them. <S> to show you projects / classes / packages that they think were done very well <S> and that show good design patterns. <S> to go over your code (this should happen with new developer anyway) and discuss the strong and weak points with you. <S> Try to get opinions from different people to distribute the workload and prevent a learning bias. <S> to go over their code <S> (what they are currently doing or what they think is interesting) and ask them why they they made certain decisions. <S> Do not start arguing and try to prevent silly questions. <S> That way may also learn a lot of shortcuts in your IDE. <S> What they can do depends on their work load and on how important 'teaching juniors' is to your companies culture. <S> Some of the points above do not take much time, others do. <S> One additional remark: I've seen many young developers investing a lot of time trying to find the perfect tool to make them more effective (e.g. a viewer for git repositories). <S> Looking for new tools is important but in my experience, it is more efficient to really learn one tool and than use it for a longer time. <A> Just because someone isn't more senior than you, doesn't mean there aren't certain things they know that you don't. <S> Start some sort of study group in your junior team where everyone learns about something and shares it with the rest. <S> Look into answering questions on Stackoverflow and joining a local developers meetup or association. <S> Working on an open source project is another way to have your code viewed along with seeing how development is done with a larger team. <S> Learning on your own is good, but up to a certain point. <S> What usually happens to loan developers is they end up with a solution that is only optimum relative to what they know. <S> Work with others and stretch your skills. <A> I haven't gone too far down this route, but one thing I started doing a few months ago was keeping a 'reflection' journal on my own time. <S> I think in my case the most important thing is to just give myself time to think about how to improve . <S> I also follow a bunch of business oriented pages on Twitter which offers a lot of great business, aka non development, advice.
| You need to interact with more experienced people and be able to bounce your ideas off of them as well as learn other/better strategies. In lieu of manager or senior dev feedback I take the time every now and then to reflect on how things are going lately, what I've learned, how to improve, what action points I want to take going forward, and so on.
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Unsure if employee I manage is abusing "unlimited sick leave" policy A colleague who reports to me has been taking sick days (back issues etc... and, we have unlimited sick day policy). However, it looks like it has not made significant dent on life outside of work - after hours/ weekends. This person is connected to another colleague on Facebook and that person keeps reporting "Looks like another night out ..." while the posts are by this individual none of the post show the person. I have had multiple conversations with this individual about their sub par performance even prior to the medical condition. Now, due to the medical condition their absence from work has increased and performance has decreased further. My question is a) How do I bring this disconnect between work and after work to this person's attention/ HRb) Should I even treat this as a medical condition and request doctor's note etc... or should I treat it as performance issues and remove the personc) Will treating this as performance issue open us to legal action due to medical condition etc... <Q> Exactly what you can do about it depends on company policy and the laws of the place where you work. <S> If an employee is taking a large number of sick days, you should be able to demand some proof that he is really sick. <S> Companies that I've worked for that <S> had unlimited sick days -- well, most just take your word for it for a day or two. <S> After that they may require a receipt or note from a doctor. <S> There's (at least) one case where it is your business even if you're not his boss: If the two of you are supposed to be working on something together, and his constant absences are forcing you to do his job or endangering the successful completion of a project. <S> Then it's appropriate to talk to the boss about it. <S> But again, I'd think you tell the boss there's a problem, and then let him deal with it. <S> That's what he's paid for, and he's supposed to have the authority to do something about it, which you don't. <S> I'd be cautious about drawing conclusions based on Facebook posts about his personal life. <S> He might be exaggerating how much he parties because he thinks that's a fun thing to do. <S> He might have a medical problem that interferes with work but not his partying for any number of reasons. <S> If it came to a wrongful termination lawsuit, "he posted on Facebook that he was going to a party" probably wouldn't be strong evidence of anything. <S> If you need evidence that he is faking an illness that will hold up in court, you'd probably have to hire a private detective. <S> Or at least have something more concrete than "he posted on Facebook that he was going to a party". <A> My question is a) <S> How do I bring this disconnect between work and after work to this person's attention/ HR <S> What this person does or doesn't do after work isn't any of your business. <S> What this person posts on Facebook is not your business, either. <S> What this person does on the job is. <S> Something like: " <S> You know, Bob, when you are out sick others have to pick up the slack. <S> While you can't control when you get sick, I hope you try harder to be in work when you can, and stay away only when it's really necessary." <S> b) <S> Should I even treat this as a medical condition and request doctor's note etc... or should I treat it as performance issues and remove the person <S> Most companies have a specific policy about this. <S> Consult HR and ask. <S> If the absences require a doctor's note per HR, then bring it up with this person right away, and require one. <S> If there is a performance issue to the extent that you feel this person must be removed, then clearly you haven't been handling your managerial role in a timely manner. <S> Again, consult HR for guidance and find out if a Performance Plan is in order, or if you should deal with the poor performance some other way. <S> c) Will treating this as performance issue open us to legal action due to medical condition etc... <S> Maybe. <S> It depends on many factors - your locale, the person's actual medical condition, if there actually is a performance issue, etc. <S> Again, you seem unclear. <S> Consult HR for advice and guidance. <S> You post says nothing about poor performance - only that you feel wronged by someone who has unlimited sick days, calling in sick but doing non-sick things after hours and weekends. <S> Try to get clear regarding what is the real problem here before acting on it. <S> [Edit] Sounds like the problem you should concentrate on is the poor performance, and not the other factors that may or may not contribute. <A> My answer is based on the presumption, which I gathered from the body of your post, that you are manging your colleague. <S> The unlimited sick leave policy is meant to apply to those who are sick. <S> If someone is sick, you can react in two ways. <S> Take the person at their word that they are sick - <S> This reaction is most appropriate when the person is sick for a short period of time. <S> If I am rolling on the floor because I ate something that I should have thrown out six months ago, don't make me drag myself to the doctor's office :) <S> Make the person substantiate their claim that they are sick - If the employee can make it to the nightclub after hours, surely he can make it to the doctor's office. <S> In fact, if he is taking that many sick days, he SHOULD be going to the doctor's office. <S> You should ask the employee if he can work from home - <S> No employee who operates in good faith would turn down working from home if working from home helps him get around his medical condition. <S> If you are not management and his performance is impacting yours, ten you'll have to escalate the non-performance aspect of his work to your management. <A> Note that disabilities can be episodic. <S> I knew someone who had asthma attacks bad enough that he literally wasn't able to walk across the parking lot and hence used the handicapped parking spaces -- <S> but if you saw him between these attacks it fas far from obvious that he had a health condition at all. <S> If you have a legitimate reason to know, talk with the employee about exactly what their limitations are and how the employee and the company can work together to work around them. <S> If you don't -- if you aren't in this employee's management chain -- this is none of your business. <S> Butt out and trust that management is trying to do something reasonable.
| Instead of focusing your attention on a "disconnect", focus on work, and how this person's sick days are affecting the assigned work (if they actually are). Taking so many sick days really puts a burden on the entire team.
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Asking employer for sponsorship to conference when I'm about to leave I'm currently with employer X and my abstract was accepted to a somewhat prestigious conference very relevant to X. I have an offer from company Y, which is in a completely different industry from X, which I plan to accept, and I'll start my new job before the conference date. Company Y is unlikely to cover my travel/accommodations. I would like to attend the conference and am ready to pick up the bill. My affiliation on the programme would be Y, which would be almost comical. I'm thinking there might be value for X to pay for my travel, and I represent X, but this might seem like bad manners if I were to hand in my resignation and at the same time ask for money. How should I go about this? <Q> I would like to attend the conference and am ready to pick up the bill. <S> My affiliation on the programme would be Y, which would be almost comical. <S> I'm thinking there might be value for X to pay for my travel, and I represent X, but this might seem like bad manners if I were to hand in my resignation and at the same time ask for money. <S> How should I go about this? <S> In my opinion, it would be in very bad taste to ask X to pay for this conference, when you already know you won't be employed by X during the conference, and will publicly be linked with company Y. <S> I see a few options here: <S> Skip the conference this year <S> Pay for the conference yourself <S> Ask Y to pay for the conference. <S> If they refuse, choose one of the 2 prior options Be honest with X. <S> Give them your notice, then ask if they would like to pay for the conference for you anyway. <S> It seems unlikely that they would, but you won't know if you don't ask. <S> Do you need to tell company Y about the conference anyway? <S> (Perhaps because you'll need to take time off from work?) <S> If so, you might also say "Hey, I know I haven't been working here long, but do you think the company will pick up the tab?" <S> Again, it won't hurt to ask. <A> If you're paying for the conference personally, I see no reason for your affiliation to make any mention of Company Y - either leave your affiliation blank, or put something like "private". <S> I've certainly seen both these done at IT industry conferences. <S> Of course, in these days of LinkedIn and the like, people are going to be able to work out pretty soon that you used to work for Company X and now work for Company Y, so it would probably be worth having a line prepared for when people ask as to why you're not working in a different industry. <A> It would also be good to confirm separately that X does not have rights to whatever you publish, which may prevent you from presenting "their" material after leaving the company. <S> If your goal is to support X and show the good things they are doing, then you might discuss collaborating with a colleague on the paper before leaving and having the colleague present it.
| If your goal in attending the conference is for your own gain, then I suggest asking if X is OK if you attend at your own cost.
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I'm 27 year old, I graduated in 2011 but never worked since, is it too late to start in the web industry? I started university without knowing anything about web development and I left with a great passion to learn more. Since then I have kept up to date with the moving industry. I have kept my front end skills up to date and I know that I have all the technical knowhow for a junior position. I have a disability called cerebral palsy. It affects my walking and my speech; whilst none of this is too severe, it has played a big role in me doubting myself. Every job that I used to see advertised said "communication skills are a must" and, since I have a speech problem, it used to make me hold back. Months turned into 4 years. Now I am at a point where I really want to get started. I have the passion and commitment. At the moment I am working on building my empty Git account with repositories of sample work using the JavaScript technologies that I like, and along the way I am writing blog posts which I'll start publishing soon. I am aware that when I start applying it's not going to be easy and I'm not going to get the first job that I apply for - but will the fact that I haven't worked for four years, that I have no commercial experience, be such a disadvantage that no one would accept me, with the idea of "where has he been for four years"? <Q> will the fact that I haven't worked for four years, that I have no commercial experience be such a disadvantage <S> that <S> no one would except me, with the idea of "where has he been for four years"? <S> If you are applying for entry-level positions, then the lack of commercial experience won't matter. <S> Still, you may have to answer the question "What have you been doing since graduation?" <S> Be prepared with an honest well-thought-out answer. <S> Explain how your disability held you back in the past, but how you have overcome it to the extent that it is no longer an impediment for you. <S> If you aren't yet able to deliver that answer confidently, find someone to practice with, or take a video of yourself. <S> Practice until you come across as confident, sincere, and ready to start working hard. <S> Remember that "communication skills are a must" doesn't mean "must have perfect speech. <S> " <S> Instead, it means that you must be able to communicate well with others. <S> They must be able to understand you, and you must be able to understand them. <S> Much of that will be written, some of that will be oral. <S> Don't worry about this. <A> First, don't be discouraged by "communication skills a must". <S> Those employers are less interested in the physical act of speaking than they are in you knowing what to say -- which your condition does not hinder. <S> I recently just started working as a developer again after several years away from work-related hands-on coding. <S> There are definitely jobs out there. <S> You're on the right track with building up a public code base and a programming related blog; these will help immensely. <S> In short, if you can demonstrate ability, willingness to learn, passion, and that you are easy to get along with, the four years does not need to be an insurmountable hurdle to getting a development position. <S> I salute you :). <S> Good luck! <A> I have a disability (called cerebral palsy) <S> it effects my walking andmy speech, whilst non of them are too severe, they have played a bigrole on me doubting myself. <S> Doubt is the killer of dreams. <S> Never ever ever doubt yourself <S> Now I am at a point where I really want to get started. <S> I have thepassion and commitment. <S> Well then At the moment I am working on building my empty git account withrepositories of sample work using the JavaScript technologies that Ilike, and a long the way, I am writing blog posts which I'll startpublishing soon. <S> Let us know our Git account handle and website, we'll check it out! <S> "where has he been for four years"? <S> Update <S> I googled this disability, and I didn't know <S> Miss USA 2008 also has it.
| If the job is a fit and you are truly motivated, the interviewer will look past your obstacles (actually, the fact that you are overcoming your obstacles is a bonus), and hire you.
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How to "play" the pressure coming from being the only expert I recently joined a new company. I am the only expert for a particular technology. They sell products based on this technology, but they have limited understanding of it. I have great potential on the "social" and "sales" side, and I already helped my colleagues handle requests from customers who inquired about this technology, and I am also helping sales & marketing promote our products which are based on this technology. So far, so good. however, I also have other things to do, including 1) hands-on work on the infrastructure for this new technology, 2) collaborations with specific teams on projects which use this technology and 3) self-training covering this technology (to stay up to date), the problems behind each team's project and also sales & management. My question is: how can I avoid losing this "superstar" status, while at the same time keeping enough oxygen to do my hands-on work and all the reading/learning I need? One solution is to hire somebody to help me, but I am afraid that the company will put us in competition and eventually fire one of us.Another thing to consider is that, despite being in the spotlight, I am not paid more than other people with the same seniority, everybody needs me but my salary is not special. I don't want to lose my spotlight, but I also need to get things done... Note: this is not a duplicate of a previous question about being the star player. This is not about SHOULD I? but about HOW CAN I? <Q> I see two problems here: 1 organizational, 1 personal (you). <S> First, organizationally: If you're spending your time supporting other departments' efforts, you need to be cross-charging your time to those departments. <S> You need to speak with your director or perhaps V.P. to understand how this process works in your company. <S> At the very least, you need to be documenting and reporting to them how much time you are spending supporting those other departments. <S> Second, personally: You should never maintain the "Holder of Knowledge" status. <S> That makes you a threat to the company's health. <S> You should be the "Source of Knowledge." <S> Push the knowledge out as aggressively as your company can handle it. <S> If you are seen as a resource, rather than the bottleneck, your position will be as solid as it can be. <S> It sounds like you do need to hire help. <S> Start documenting everything you're doing for everyone so that you can make the case for it. <S> Finally, if you feel your company would "play you off" against one another, then your company is not one where you have any realistic long-term outlook, and you should be courting other opportunities. <S> My opinion only - your mileage may vary. <A> how can I avoid losing this "superstar" status, while at the same time keeping enough oxygen to do my hands-on work and all the reading/learning <S> I need? <S> Work closely with your boss. <S> Make sure she/he wants you to fill the role of "superstar" you are imagining. <S> Then, follow through on the plan. <S> Report your time weekly/periodically, and revise your allocations going forward as needed. <S> Don't expect the "sole superstar" role to last forever - it never does. <S> Sooner or later all companies realize that critical roles need backups, and need to be spread around. <A> I agree with Wesley on not maintaining the "Holder of Knowledge" status. <S> While it might seem like a blessing while you are in the spotlight, the problem becomes that you end up too important to move anywhere else because there's no one else who could take over your current role. <S> Then you become stuck in a spot where you aren't learning anything new and it no longer gets attention from the higher ups. <S> Then that blessing becomes a curse. <S> Also, there's two variations on that "local expert" theme. <S> You can be the expert because you are the only one with experience in a particular area. <S> Which means, you have knowledge but not necessarily expertise. <S> That's a thin line to walk, because if the company hires someone else with experience with the skill then you can easily be exposed for not being so smart after all. <S> The other variation is you have about the same technical knowledge as most others <S> but you know how to wield that knowledge in much better ways than others. <S> That's where you want to be. <S> The holder of knowledge, will likely not ever achieve that because it usually requires utilizing a wide array of skills in order to achieve it. <S> If you are pigeon holed into your one area of expertise, then you lose out on opportunities to widen your skill set and learn even better ways to utilize your knowledge. <S> You can get your "knowledge" out there without losing your status. <S> The student seldom becomes as good as a true master. <S> Yet another bad analogy... <S> I know how to nail, hammer and saw <S> but I could never compete with a carpenter. <S> If you teach others to nail, hammer and saw then you can pass your old projects on to them and move on to bigger and better projects with new skill sets to learn. <A> the company should not be dependent on any one person for acritical skill. <S> Think about future skills your company is going to need, and plan toacquire some of those skills outside working hours. <S> Depending on any one technology for "superstar" status is a very short term strategy. <S> If it is seen as bringing you benefits such as increased pay, other people will learn it. <S> In any case, very few technologies remain non-trivial but important for more than a few years. <S> You can build a long term career on being seen as a flexible, generally knowledgeable person. <S> It is very good to just happen to know what the company needs you to know next, rather than only knowing what they needed you to know last year. <A> Helping with tasks that are not formally assigned to you is great unless you are not completing the tasks that are assigned to you. <S> People will over utilized resources they don't get charged for. <S> You should get the OK from your boss to spend X number of hours on external work. <S> If you are busy tell them you are on a deadline with another task and can it wait. <S> You want to be the go to go <S> but you also don't want to be the first person they go to.
| The way I look at it, the quicker I can get a project done and leave it in good enough shape for someone else to take over, the sooner I get to do something new, which usually means expanding my skill set. Determine how you together want to allocate your time, how your activities need to be reported to her/him (either before or after the fact), and how you will reassess going forward. I think you should do two things: Tell your manager that there should be at least two people familiarwith the technology in question, both to handle the workload andbecause You definitely need to prioritize the tasks assigned to you. Thus, don't be afraid to share knowledge. You need to decline external work if it if going to cause you to miss a deadline or even put a deadline at risk.
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How to confront about hourly cut after one month on the job or seek a new job without risk of being dropped I recently took up a job. I was working 9-6 and after a month of training, they decided to cut my hours by 20. This was due to the fact that I was going over to overtime so much from them keeping me around doing tasks and learning. This is also a small 5 man business. The problem is now I am making less than the job I just left and have even less benefits. Should I consider approaching the owner about this or should I consider finding a new job to meet my desired compensation? I worry that approaching the owner could effect me negatively and I am not sure how I could move on to a new job and expect good references in a job hunt or keep this job should they find out I am looking for a new job. I am currently in a 120 day process so I can be removed at any time without reason. <Q> Your best bet is to go to your boss with your concern in a non-confrontational way. <S> Let them know that you're willing to limit your hours to 40 hours a week to prevent overtime (unless requested), but you're concerned about not even working a full 40 hours lately. <S> Also, I'd start focusing on what value you can add in your time there, instead of just learning. <S> Paying you, especially overtime, to go through training and not add any real value gets old really fast when looking at budgets. <A> Should I consider approaching the owner about this or should I consider finding a new job to meet my desired compensation? <S> Yes. <S> This isn't uncommon. <S> Small business owners often must make rapid changes, as their business fluctuates. <S> And lots of overtime pay can be a significant strain on a 5-man business. <S> Talk with your boss/owner. <S> Explain how much you like the job, but that you were expecting more hours. <S> Explain how this 20-hour cut puts you in a difficult situation. <S> Then listen. <A> Does your contract not specify how many hours you should be working every week? <S> If so, unless they drafted a new contract and you signed it, I'd venture to guess that you're still 'entitled' to your previous amount of working hours. <S> You may want to seek legal council on this point as it may vary by country. <S> Explain that you understand their point of view, but that the current situation isn't feasible for you. <S> After that, focus only on finding a way of proceeding that will suit both you and your employer. <S> If you cannot come to an agreement here, then your and your employer are not suited to one another and you should start looking for a new job. <S> When discussing the future, keep an open mind and don't be afraid of self-reflection. <S> Perhaps there's something you could change, for instance in the way you learn things, that will improve the situation and allow them to give you your normal hours again? <S> Perhaps there is a different approach to teaching you that might yield better results? <S> Try to take your emotions out of the equation and handle the discussion as if you were talking about someone else. <S> This will help you identify issues and will make it easier for you to find something that your employer will agree to.
| Let them know areas where you're ready to contribute and how they'd like you to split your time between tackling those areas and additional learning. Regardless, the best way to resolve the situation is to talk to your boss and have a conversation about the future. Say something like " I'm concerned that I'm not getting many hours lately and wondering what your expectations are for the future. " If you sense that the job will be permanently reduced by 20 hours, and that it no longer fits your needs, then start looking for your next job.
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Who deals with ethical issues in the workplace? I guess everyone should have their own professional and personal standards when it comes to ethical conducts and standards, but in an age where corporate and social responsibilities are becoming more important values to employees and customers, who is responsible for defining and maintaining the company or business standards? Who should ethical issues within the company be raised with? <Q> who is responsible for defining and maintaining the company or business standards? <S> Ethics are... complicated. <S> You can't just decide for a product or process, "this is ethical" and expect everyone to believe/agree. <S> There are: Cultural factors. <S> What is appropriate in some cultures is not in others. <S> Social factors. <S> Current trends also have a significant effect on 'what is ethical?' <S> Individuals. <S> Everyone is different. <S> Some have very different perspectives on what is ethical. <S> Company culture. <S> Some companies have different policies that are reflective of their employees and products. <S> For example, renewable companies probably have different perspectives on ethical behavior than deforestation companies -- at least as relates to the environment... <S> Leadership direction. <S> If executives at your company expect and enforce certain behaviors, that will craft a more specific ethic for your company. <S> But at the end of the day, what a company considers ethical will be a combination of the above factors. <S> Each company will arrive at it differently. <S> There is no "magic formula" or one size fits all process to get to this. <S> Who should ethical issues within the company be raised with? <S> For suspected violations, many larger companies have compliance hotlines/etc. <S> So if someone sees unethical things, there are specific processes to follow. <A> The responsibility lies with the ownership of the company. <S> Effectively, that means the Board of Directors in larger corporations, or the owning partner(s). <S> These responsibilities may, of course, be delegated to executives. <S> As to who to raise the issues with? <S> It always is the best course to start with your immediate supervisor. <A> Take it up with HR. <S> They are the ones who are charges with ensuring company-wide compliance with the labor laws and management policies. <S> They won't debate ethics with you but they will give you an opninion as to whether a course of action meets the ethical standards as set by top management - an opinion that you should heed, barring exceptional circumstances as a top company's management gone rogue and whistle blowing is turning into an option worth going through.
| If the issue is with your supervisor, the escalation path from that point would depend on your company policies.
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As engineering mgr, how to encourage more efficient use of time in tech-suppt when customers raise out-of-scope requests I work at a small company with a very loose structure -- roles are not very clearly defined. It's an engineering company and I'm soon going to take over managing the handful of engineers. Though I'll be a new manager, I'm not too worried about it because for the most part these guys manage themselves pretty well. One problem we have, however, is inefficient use of time. I'm not talking about getting on Facebook or doing personal stuff. I'm talking more about taking on tasks that they think are helpful but actually are a distraction. For example, an engineer might be answering some technical questions for a customer when the customer asks for a quote or for some more information that requires a lot of time to collect. Some engineers feel the need to answer these requests personally, but quoting should be done by our customer service person and nobody should be spending hours collecting information for a tiny customer. So what's a good way to communicate this? The engineers think they're doing good by striving to help our customers. That's a great attitude, but the fact is sometimes tasks are more efficiently delegated and sometimes they aren't worth doing, especially when an engineer has so much else on his plate. What's been suggested so far is to set a "30-minute rule" where the engineer should handle anything less than 30m however he wants, but that for anything longer he should ask me what to do. I'm afraid of micro-managing and this policy rings my alarm bells. <Q> How to encourage more efficient use of time? <S> Your answer lies in here - "I work at a small company with a very loose structure -- <S> roles are not very clearly defined." <S> Set more clearly defined roles. <S> Perhaps Engineers don't participate in discussions about quotes. <S> Or perhaps you have a pre-meeting before any customer meeting, and hand out the assignments. <S> If the roles are so loose that everyone thinks they should do everything, then nobody can be efficient. <S> Tighten up the roles. <A> The question is about two missing things, not just one: lack of clarity about what is in each employees' job scope <S> Write job definitions <S> Don't just do this once-off like a fire-and-forget missile, you have to monitor it, step in to resolve ambiguities, debug problems etc. <S> Have some regular meeting where you do this. <S> Basically, you own the company's lack of process, <S> at least the eng dept. <S> If you need to review random or specific support calls/emails, then hire(/promote) <S> a supervisor, or do it yourself lack of a (formal) process for tech-suppt employees to refer out-of-scope requests to the relevant dept, e.g. sales, mktg, account manager, other <S> You don't have a ticket-tracking system, do you? <S> A crossdepartment one that let's you create multiple issues attached to one inquiry/ purchase order/ account. <S> SalesForce is a superb paid choice; Bugzilla and SugarCRM are good free/OSS choices (will require some configuration). <S> These are typical growing pains in a small company becoming a medium-sized company. <S> You might consider temporarily hiring a consultant for process-reengineering, workflow, recommending and configuring the necessary software. <A> Teach them to value their skill-set more by elaborating how valuable their time is versus the customer service rep's time. <S> The thirty minute rule sounds like a sincere attempt to resolve the issue; however, they, as engineers, should be smart enough to know how to refer the customer to the customer service rep rather than ask you what to do. <S> If they feel uncomfortable about referring the customer away from them as if they are weaseling out of something important, then help them out by being the authority that tells them in front of the customer that they are badly needed to finish a project that a paying customer expects to be finished. <S> Then you refer the customer to the customer service representative, enabling the CSR as the authority that can help the prospective customer move forward to being a full fledged customer. <S> It's like this: if you are in a grocery store, a prospective customer might ask the stock boy where an item is located, and that prospective customer might speak to a manager about ordering an item that they would like to purchase in the future, but they are not a customer until they get to the cashier and the cashier takes their money. <S> Thirty minutes seems like a reasonable window of time for an engineer to answer some questions then refer them to the CSR <S> but it would certainly be excessive for a stock boy to be talking with a prospective customer. <S> The use of pride is a tricky technique. <S> Always keep it positive. <S> It is a pitfall to try to shame them. <S> Phrase the goal as a question: How can we get these prospective customers to the CSR in thirty minutes or less?
| Use a sense of pride to motivate them to be above spending too much time on tasks which other people are paid a lot less to handle for them so that their time is free for the important stuff.
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Is there a difference between a software engineer title and a software developer title in Germany? I was just offered my very first job, it's a new small to medium size company. It has a startup culture and very flexible. Graduated from a German Uni with a masters in CS. My offer is from a German company and in the contract it's written that the title is a Softwareentwickler or a software developer. However, I would like to write in my CV that my title is a software engineer. My questions: 1- Is there any difference between those titles in Germany? Because I heard that it's the same thing. 2- What title would be nicer, fancier or recommended to have on a resume, a software engineer or a software developer? In Germany and the US in particular. Edit: my question is with respect to Germany and not the US. Edit 2: from https://www.vde.com/de/Karriere/Beruf-und-Arbeitsmarkt/Seiten/RegulationoftheEngineeringProfessioninGermany.aspx I quote: First of all, there is a protection to the professional title 'Ingenieur'='Engineer' by laws of German federal states which can only obtained by successful graduation in an engineering discipline or nat. science . Well I have a bachelor in CS and M.Sc. in CS. <Q> In Germany (and the rest of Europe) "Engineer" is a protected title , and unless your degree is that of a "Software Engineer" you could get in legal trouble. <S> Unless you have conclusive proof otherwise, stick to "Software Developer". <A> For USA, I've read hundreds of engineering resumes: <S> For a random company to a random company, your title doesn't mean much to the hiring manager. <S> A "software engineer" at one company doesn't translate much to another company. <S> There is so much information and variability betweeen roles that isn't conveyed in the title. <S> Anyone worth their salt is not going to care about the difference between developer vs engineer. <A> Job titles are often vague. <S> Here in the U.S., there's no hard and fast distinction between a "software developer" and a "software engineer". <S> Personally I think "engineer" sounds more impressive and that's what I call myself when I want to be pretentious. <S> Usually I just say I'm "a computer guy", though. <S> If the company has official titles, like if they give you business cards or a name plate or have some official form that says "Jack Twain ... software developer", then that's what I'd put on my resume in the future. <S> I'd hate to have a future employer say, "Hey, you told us you were a software engineer with Foobar Company, but we called them and they said you were a mere software DEVELOPER. <S> You lied on your resume! <S> " I doubt most people would see a difference, but I wouldn't push it, just in case. <S> But if it's a company where titles are more casual, you can call yourself pretty much whatever you want, as long as it's remotely plausible.
| Software engineers are not licensed professionals, so there is no legal standard to uphold. "Engineer" does sound better than "Developer" and that is the word that I've seen the most on resumes.
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When approaching potential employers, should I identify as an 'enthusiastic amateur'? I'm currently undertaking a Masters course in "Information Technology", with a curriculum focus on programming and software development. My previous education was not in the sciences at all - it was actually in sociolinguistics - so I am what some people might describe a "late starter" in the industry. I'm starting to put together a resume, so it's ready whenever I have an opportunity to give it to someone, but I'm having difficulty (read: obsessing) about how exactly to present my skills, and also how to develop them beyond where I am currently. The way I see it, I have two options: I can stress the competency I have achieved already, even though I won't be at the level that some other applicants would be at. With this approach, I would focus on my core competencies (currently Java) both in my learning (e.g. do all my personal projects in Java), and on my resume. While a focused approach would obviously allow me to develop faster as a Java programmer, I have two reservations: One, that I am not as yet a 'fervent believer' in Java, and two, that I wouldn't be developing/displaying flexibility. The alternative approach I feel would be continue down the path I'm currently on - which is learning a lot of different things that interest me. I do all the online courses I can find the time to complete, and read any book that catches my eye - so taking this approach, my resume would describe me as "competent" at Java, plus intermediate-beginner at HTML/CSS, Lua, Python and Javascript, plus an 'enthusiastic beginner' at Scala and Swift. The advantage to this approach, I hope, is that I'd be showing how much I love to code, and also displaying adaptability and ability to learn new skills (quickly and independently). The perceived downside is, I'd be scared of looking like an undisciplined dilettante in an industry that is growing more competitive every day. If it's relevant, the most popular languages in job advertisements in my city seem to be for Javascript flavours, followed by Java, followed by a few contenders I can't accurately rank (Ruby, Python, Scala). My learning so far has been guided partially by what I perceive to be in demand in the workforce (why I'm learning JS and its extended family), and partly by what I perceive to be popular in the community (why I feel compelled to wrap my head around the functional paradigm). At the end of the day, I really just love to code - my goal is to be able to support myself financially by doing so. If you were hiring a junior developer, would you prefer one who was 'all business', focused on just getting things done in one language that they've concentrated on? Or would you be more interested in someone who might be less 'ready to go', but who has displayed more independence and passion for what they do? I also understand that university is only the beginning of my education, and that I'm going to learn a lot more in the workforce once I've got my foot in the door - so yes, part of me is aware that I might be worrying about this issue prematurely. Huge thanks to anybody willing to take the time to help me out. <Q> Understand that an employer is looking at new hires to solve a specific problem they have. <S> Don't "identify" as anything other than a solution to their problems. <S> Emphasise the skills you have that help them solve their problems. <S> Someone who is looking for a deep expert in one language isn't going to be uninterested in your skills in other areas but they're going to want to see more detail about the area they're trying to recruit in. <A> Do not actually use the word "amateur" on your resume . <S> Nobody will even call you back. <S> We cannot afford to hire an amateur. <S> We want competency. <S> You'll be coming in as a new grad with limited experience, and you'll need to show that you were paying attention in class, really understood your projects, and if possible, have some real world experience through an internship, part time job, <S> and/or open source project. <S> You're in school, training to become a professional. <S> We all understand that. <S> Don't overthink your resume. <S> You'll start off at entry level like any new grad. <S> and you'll make quick progress. <S> Just keep learning your whole career. <S> It's good you're learning multiple languages and paradigms. <S> But don't identify yourself by them. <S> Ultimately, your choices of language, library, operating system, IDE/Editor, paradigm, etc. are just tools used to accomplish the actual job of creating solutions to meet a need that someone is willing to pay you for. <S> Newer needs may require different tools. <S> You don't want to "identify" yourself out of a job because it needs C++ and you're strictly a Java programmer (for example). <S> I would say that you'll want to be proficient in at least one of the big 5: C/C++, Java, C#/.NET, JavaScript, HTML (and everything that goes with it). <S> A scripting language like Python or Ruby is always a good tool to have in your utility belt, too. <S> Depending on whether you expect to get into mobile development, you might want to add Objective-C/Swift, and make it a Big 6 <S> (Java, ObjC/Swift, and C# are the Big 3 of mobile). <S> As your career develops, you might find that specializing in a particular domain, tool, etc. <S> is advantageous for your career. <S> When that time comes, you'll have enough experience to be able to make those decisions. <A> In most instances your resume should be tailored to the job. <S> Resumes are your advertisement, you want it to call the reader to action, we do this by showing how you fill the current need of the organization. <S> Also remember that you resume <S> is not designed to get you the job, it is designed to get you an interview. <S> Short, sweet, and focused on how you can fill their need. <A> Yes. <S> Enthusiasm and flexibility are highly regarded among employers. <S> You will need to develop multiple résumés.
| Skill, hustle and enthusiasm for the work you're given will help you stand out You should of course customize your résumé to emphasize the qualities you have that would fit a particular opening.
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Balancing mentoring interns with teaching them self reliance I've got an intern and few a juniors I supervise and I'm having a hard time balancing mentoring them and teaching them to stand on their own two feet. On one hand I want to provide avenues for them to be successful by ensuring they know the systems they are working in, proper workflows, and helping them along with problems when they request support. However I've noticed the more I provide assistance, the more they request help and furthermore in the case of the intern it seems the things I teach them go in one ear and out the other. I don't want this to become an issue with my management perceiving that I am wasting my time. What can I do to kindly nudge the people I supervise to become more self reliant? <Q> Short answer: <S> Teach your people how to solve problems, not tell them the answer. <S> I have been in this exact situation a number of times over the years. <S> If I allowed them to, the junior staff would have consumed all my time helping them solve their problems. <S> What I did was to show them the steps I went through to find the solution, rather than just tell them the answer. <S> Of course they will keep coming back to you as they do this the first few times, but this should lessen as they gain experience. <S> You can then slowly wean them off asking you for help because instead, you can direct them to say, "How have you tried to resolve this? <S> Is this a similar problem to what you have tried to solve before? <S> How did you solve that problem?" <S> They can then go off and try to work their way further through the problem, and hopefully start to understand how they are working through it. <S> It's very much like teaching a person to fish. <S> You will find you can slowly wean them off being dependent on you and learn to be self reliant by understanding the problem solving process. <S> And that will give you some very valuable resources in future! :) <A> If someone comes to me and asks for help over an issue they have seen before, then I tell them to sit back, relax <S> and I ask them how did we handle that issue the last time. <S> I expect the intern to remember the key details and go over with me about how they handled it. <S> I fill in whatever blanks are needed and once I am confident that they know what they have to do, I tell them to get out of my office :) <S> The first time, I may or may not hand in an answer, all tied up and gift-wrapped. <S> The second time we run into the same issue, I make them work at getting the answer. <A> You are in a mentoring/training relationship. <S> You might be successful with the advice given here, or you might find some other way to do it. <S> Whatever the case, this is NOT an easy endeavor. <S> It should be taken as a serious part of your daily work, not as some side-task where you can simply apply a few tips and tricks. <S> In other words, it WILL take time out of your day and you must factor this into your other responsibilities. <S> You basically have to carve out significant chunks of time and effort to do this right. <S> Pedagogy (teaching) requires the teacher (you) to evaluate the students and to take different actions depending on this evaluation. <S> If you haven't taught before now would be a good time to research into it and start practicing this stuff. <S> There's no magic ratio of "spoon-feeding" to "self-reliance". <S> If you think that your students aren't absorbing the information you're giving them, there could be any number of reasons for that: perhaps they need more practice? <S> perhaps the information was not presented correctly? <S> perhaps they don't have enough context? <S> Whatever the case, you have to find out what the real problem is and address it (and no, the problem is NOT usually that the students are dumb or lazy).
| The good news is that training people can be highly rewarding to you personally, to the organization and to the students. There is no one right way to handle this situation, and there are no simple answers for HOW to do it effectively.
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I have a great job, but I've been offered an even better one I have a wonderful job. I've been here just over a year and I love everything about it really. But ... I've been offered an even better one. Double the salary, more than double in benefits (cost to benefit ratio), greater career prestige (big name company), and still a wonderful work environment (maybe even better than what I do now). I'm conflicted because I love this company and my co-workers but I do want the benefits and excitement of the new opportunity. I'm a senior developer here and they do need me, but I'm obviously not irreplaceable. In short, I'm feeling torn between a sense of loyalty to this good company and my personal career goals. I guess my question is how can I avoid burning bridges and is this an acceptable reason to leave? <Q> The problem with loyalty to a company is that said loyalty is not typically reciprocal. <S> There are exceptions of course, but for the most part you are a resource that can be laid off if the numbers aren't looking right. <S> Also consider, if you have a family or expect one in the future, that your loyalty to them supersedes any concern for a company. <S> And would they not be more secure if you had twice the salary and better benefits? <S> So make decisions based on what is best for you and yours. <S> The other company will survive. <A> In short, I'm feeling torn between a sense of loyalty to this good company and my personal career goals. <S> Why? <S> You might work for the outlier, but the overwhelming majority of companies would literally throw you under a bus if was profitable. <S> Thankfully laws and PR blowback makes it unprofitable, but there are certainly more subtle ways of screwing you over for money. <S> Double the salary, more than double in benefits <S> (cost to benefit ratio), greater career prestige (big name company), and still a wonderful work environment (maybe even better than what I do now). <S> Like paying you significantly less than market wage with crappy benefits. <S> I guess my question is how can I avoid burning bridges and is this an acceptable reason to leave? <S> Yes, a better opportunity is always an acceptable reason to leave. <S> You can avoid bridge burning by giving your current company a reasonable amount of time for knowledge transfer. <S> You can be honest and open about why you're leaving. <S> But in the end, you wouldn't be leaving if they paid you remotely what you're worth. <A> I guess my question is how can I avoid burning bridges and is this an acceptable reason to leave? <S> You can avoid burning bridges as best you can by giving plenty of notice to your current company, and letting folks know that you have gotten an offer "that is too good to turn down". <S> People understand that. <S> In my experience, I've been able to leave on a good note in similar circumstances. <S> Some will understand. <S> A few won't. <S> Not much you can do about it. <A> Personally I think the key thing is to put yourself and your career first, and expect every organisation to put themselves first as well. <S> What you need to do is decide what drives you. <S> Is it more money and benefits? <S> Is it a chance for promotion? <S> Is is the opportunity to become an expert in your field? <S> Is the work environment? <S> Does it matter if work life impinges of your private life? <S> There is no right or wrong answer to these questions. <S> This isn't a bad thing, but you do need to be aware of the choices you make. <S> If you do leave I would got out of my way to leave on good terms. <S> In my experience I've frequently bumped into old colleagues in new companies. <S> I've also gone back to old companies to ask for future references. <S> I've even known people decide that the new job sucks are have returned to the old one! <S> One thing I would avoid doing is telling everybody how great your new company is going to be. <S> Your current management has just lost you - they won't want other people following you! <S> May be you could leave them with e-mail address so you can answer any questions odd questions they might come up with (I've always done this, but it's never been taken up).
| "Acceptable reason to leave" is in the eye of the beholder. It very much depends on who you are, your priorities and your current situation. You may find your self having to trade one set of rewards for others.
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Feeling extremely uncomfortable at new internship I recently got a job as a software engineer intern at a major software company. While I was extremely fortunate to have this opportunity, this first week of working here has been horrible. I've gotten very little direction, no one is making themselves available to help me, no information or guidance getting set up on the majority of the software and tools the group uses. I've spent the majority of my time just sitting and doing nothing. I've vocalized to my tech lead that I need goals and things to do, but have gotten only one assignment. Following up on the assignment, the person showing me what to do assigned me a task that was so convoluted and out of my skill-set, I was questionable as to why he would even show me. The requirement for the internship required 3 months of object oriented programming and I just finished my sophomore year of college. My question is, how can I vocalize to my boss that I'm basically so new to this field that I need clear direction and progress up to higher level skills in chunks? <Q> My question is, how can I vocalize to my boss that I'm basically so new to this field that I need clear direction and progress up to higher level skills in chunks? <S> You just talk. <S> Hopefully, you have a period of private time with your boss (perhaps a weekly meeting) where you can discuss how things are going. <S> If not, ask for one: "Hey, boss. <S> Can we have a few minutes to talk?" <S> Then tell her/him how your week went and what didn't go as well as you would like. <S> Explain why you think that is, and what you think may help it to go better. <S> In addition, try to be patient. <S> In my experience internships often take a bit of time to get flowing. <S> The first week is often awkward, boring, and/or confusing. <S> Sometimes, the timing is such that the appropriate amount of attention and help cannot be devoted to the new intern due to other priorities, vacations, etc. <S> It will most likely get better soon, you will feel more a part of the team, and you and the company will have adjusted their needs to your abilities. <S> Having a good discussion with your boss will help get that going even more quickly. <A> This is not unusual for software jobs, especially internships. <S> The ramp up is very non-linear. <S> Take your first week to get all your paperwork sorted out (payroll, benefits, HR training, etc). <S> Get all your equipment sorted out, get your dev environment set up. <S> Depending on how complex the system your team is working on, it could take you up to a week just to do that properly. <S> You've already gotten a task. <S> That is good. <S> Now dig into the task. <S> Read lots of code. <S> Go on SO/Google. <S> Ask lots of questions. <S> Part of a real job is that maybe no one knows the answers and you have to figure it out. <S> You can usually ask for help from multiple people on the team, not just your manager. <S> That may not always work though, and it's normal that in the beginning there's going to be down time because sometimes you'll just be plain stuck. <S> Read up on documentation. <S> Brush up on programming skills. <S> Click around the system. <S> Find bugs. <S> Join hallway conversations, etc. <S> Do not just sit around. <S> Find something productive or educational. <S> There is always something you can be doing. <S> You can schedule a daily checkin with your mentor so that it shows up as a meeting on their calendar. <S> That should help force some time between you so that you can get help regularly. <A> As the comments above have said, the key here is patience. <S> First, many companies are focused on running their own business and making money, not supporting interns. <S> While things may seem disorganized and chaotic (and they probably are), you are being given a front row seat into how a real team operates . <S> Therefore, take this opportunity to learn as much as you can . <S> For example, ask or find any product documentation or training and read/review/watch it. <S> Sit in on meetings. <S> Ask to help out on things that seem interesting, even if you are just taking minutes of a meeting or walking with one of the others out to get coffee. <S> Your productivity is your responsibility. <S> At the same time, make sure you communicate well. <S> Try to do as much as you can, articulate your limitations and control expectations. <S> This way, people will learn what you can and cannot do and give you tasks more appropriate for your skill level. <A> Eventually they will give you more work, until then ask team members if you can shadow them on their work. <S> Ask lots of questions and build some trust / get to know each other. <S> I bet you find you'll learn a lot just by sitting with them for awhile. <S> You might even get some pair programming out of it. <A> When people see you just "sitting and doing nothing", they are less motivated to invest their time and effort into training you. <S> However, you don't want to be obnoxious going around bothering people - it's a delicate balance. <S> To get started, some specfic things you can do that are practical: <S> Read <S> manuals of the products your team maintain/develop. <S> Try to figure out why the products are designed the way they were. <S> Ask well-prepared questions about them. <S> Participate in code review meetings <S> so you get a clue of what people are working on <S> , then just go study their work on your own. <S> Once you can show that, they will want to give you work.
| Take this time to walk around and meet your team. The key is to come up with intelligent, well-prepared questions to show your interest and skills. As you said in your question, if you cannot do something, make sure you say so.
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Marketing is libeling my department's work I've been at a small technical company (<20) since the beginning of this year where I'm involved in product development and research. We expect to grow a lot this year and add a bunch of new clients to our roster, so some of our new resources include a Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), marketing manager, and a marketing associate. We have 4 marketing people total now. After planning out a content schedule earlier this year, they launched their first blog posts. Unfortunately, the launch email is now serving as an issue log. Errors range from grammar mistakes to critical arithmetic errors that disprove their main points. Worse, the CMO has been defending "$1mil ROI" even though that clearly isn't a ROI. A few of us have tried verifying some of their numbers, but can't find a single correct one. The marketing manager has politely declined to share drafts, and the CMO has taken to calling people out for vocalizing these issues, so I'm unsure how to fix the damage. Given the content is about the work I'm contributing to, I want to have this content done well. I'm debating rewriting them myself and taking my drafts to the exec board. Failing that, I'm unsure if staying at this company will benefit my career. I'm not sure how I would explain my work to anyone in the industry right now. The work is top notch, but now there are a lot of misleading and faulty statements attributed to it, from our own company no less. How do I help a department I'm not in course correct when the C-level exec is beginning to get defensive? <Q> I have worked in a similar sized organisation as you outline here, that serviced a very small niche market. <S> You need to remember that marketing collateral has exactly one purpose in life - to grab the attention of the CEO so that they can then pass it to the appropriate people within their organisation to evaluate your product against their needs. <S> I was the product owner, and I stayed clear of marketing. <S> You really should do the same. <A> I think that it is difficult for those of us on the technical side of things to recognize good marketing. <S> We get too bogged down in the little details like, you know, truth and precision. <S> Correcting their grammar and numbers is not only quixotic, but likely to damage your reputation when your goal is to protect it. <S> The only solution I've found is to not read it and to let marketing perform their role until it overlaps with mine. <S> Excel at your role and let others do what they think they should to excel at theirs. <S> It is hard to swallow, but I haven't found any way to convince folks that don't have the same desire for things to be correct that it matters. <S> As the saying goes, don't try to teach a pig to sing. <S> It wastes your time and annoys the pig. <A> The marketing department's job is to show your products in a positive light, so that people are going to buy them. <S> They may be exaggerating the qualities of your product, but consider that your competitors' marketing departments do the same thing. <S> Trust me, no matter how clever you are and how hard you work, your product will never be as good as your competitors' marketing department's claims. <S> You should try to make a product that is better than the competitor's product, and your marketing department must present something that looks better than what your competitors' marketing department claims. <S> Now where should you contact the relevant people in your company: <S> 1. <S> If you feel that the marketing department makes claims that could get your company into legal problems. <S> 2. <S> If your marketing makes claims that fail to show your product in a good light. <S> 3. <S> If your marketing departments' materials are rubbish, containing spelling errors (I wouldn't trust a company that cannot get the spelling in their marketing materials right) or arithmetic / logical errors ('one customer saved 20% of his $1 million cost <S> , that's half a million dollars'). <S> Don't even try creating your own draft. <S> You are not competent doing it. <S> If your CMO is also not competent doing it, that is sad, and should be addressed. <S> If you write a letter, a start might be "I'm not a marketing person, and I wouldn't know how to create marketing materials, but I can read marketing materials just as well as everyone else, and I tell you that after reading these materials, I wouldn't buy our products. <S> Here is why: "
| Let marketing do their job - to get the right people within the potential customer's organisation to talk to you about what your product REALLY does and what value add it can do for them.
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Wearing company branded shirt to interview I was wondering what the thoughts are on wearing a prominently company X branded shirt to an interview with company X. Is this tacky? Does it look like you care more about the workplace? Is it appropriate? Assume that the interview is casual enough to wear a normal t-shirt with no issues. <Q> Even if it's a casual work environment you should still dress well. <S> Appearances do affect somebodies perception of you. <S> I usually do full business (suit, tie, etc.) <S> because I want to make a positive and lasting impression. <S> Dressing well and using a strong voice will give them the impression that you are confident and professional, which helps you sell yourself as somebody they want to work with. <S> That all being said, if they said to dress casually, feel free do so. <S> Like Jane and Kent said though, keep all company gear in your closet. <S> Wear something neutral or plain. <A> I think for nearly all cases, it's better to dress at least a little more formally than a company branded shirt. <S> The one possible exception I can think of is if you are applying to the kind of company that actually has "fans" of a sort, and is known to be super casual. <S> Certain very well known video game companies, for example. <S> Another example I can think of is wearing a Google Code Jam shirt to an interview at Google. <S> In those cases, it may even be a plus to express such enthusiasm for their company. <A> For an interview, you probably want to dress up a little more than what you'd wear on an average day - a long-sleeved dress shirt and pants, and maybe even a tie - to show that you are interested in making a good first impression. <S> It doesn't matter if that company or your department tend to dress down for the average workday - you're trying to impress them, so you should dress the part. <S> I've seen nice company shirts (short-sleeved Polo shirts with buttons) that would look fairly decent - if you like the shirt, and it fits the company dress code <S> , it's okay to wear it on an average workday. <A> I don't think wearing company branded shirts to an interview is a good idea. <S> Be safe and go with a suit and tie. <S> I once went to an interview where everyone else in the waiting area was wearing business casual or casual clothes. <S> I'm convinced that dressing up and taking the time to show the company how important the opportunity was to me helped me get the job.
| But for an interview, you want to dress better than you'd dress on average. Also, wearing the company branded shirt will be seen as a little weird most of the time since you don't already work for the company, and very few people would expect people to be that enthusiastic for their company.
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Should a resume skill matrix include experience from college? And should skill ratings be relative or absolute? My current resume has a skill matrix, where I try to give a relative indication of how skilled I feel in the .NET stack. In my current matrix, when indicating how much experience I have with a certain language or software, with some, I included experience from college as an indication of how long I've been working with that tech or software. For example, I say I have 3 years of experience with Visual Studio, with which I mean "1.5 years as actual work experience in a company, and 1.5 years of experience from my school assignments and tests". Should I include college experience in my skill matrix? On a related note, my current skill matrix gives an indication of my skill from 1 to 5, with 5 being the product that I judge myself to be best at and the other languages and technologies being relative to that point. Is this how skill matrixes usually are made? <Q> My current resume has a skill matrix, where I try to give a relative indication of how skilled I feel in the .NET stack. <S> Should I include college experience in my skill matrix? <S> If your skill matrix indicates "how skilled you feel" then it doesn't matter at all how you acquired the skills. <A> Using a language in school confers at least a modest benefit, so early on in your career it can definitely be useful to mention it in your resume. <S> You should call out that it is collegiate experience <S> so your skills are ranked appropriately (this is to your advantage as well) <S> As an example, for me I have 4 years Java experience in the work place, and I used Java for 5 years in college, so <S> I specify "4 years Java experience (plus 5 years collegiate)". <S> I am interested in taking C# positions, so my resume also includes a line about "1 year collegiate C# experience". <S> As with my Java experience, I back up my collegiate experience by mentioning specific classes and notable programs I contributed to with those languages. <S> For skill matrices - it is kind of a mixed bag. <S> Even just browsing through the first few hits on Google shows a wide variety of opinions on them (and what they should look like). <S> If you feel that is the best way to express what you know, that sounds right. <S> I have always used a section titled Functional Areas of Expertise along with listings of the languages, operating systems, and similar (usually tailored to the job) that I want to discuss and how long I used them (I only put ones I want to use, for instance I recently decided to stop using C/C++ for personal reasons <S> so I removed that from my resume). <S> In my experience, companies care about your years of experience, so explicitly calling this out can help. <A> From the employers perspective, it doesn't matter to me if candidate A ranks their languages. <S> I'm comparing does candidate A know language X as well as <S> candidate B knows language X. <S> If you are applying for an entry/university level position, it is helpful to see your exposure to the language in school. <S> If you are more than 2 years out of college, then it's not relevant. <S> People that put 10 years of Java experience because they have been programming since middle school is NOT equivalent to someone who has been working with that language in industry for 10 years. <S> Your goal should be to set the appropriate expectations given your skill level, not to try to inflate the number. <S> As an employer, I would rather take someone more junior who can accurately assess themselves than someone whose resume numbers don't match their level because either 1) they are lying or 2) their calibration is completely off for how good they are or 3) they have a lot of years but never progressed.
| Include all of your skills, those you acquired on the job, those you acquired in college, and those you acquired anywhere else.
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How long to wait for a written job offer to arrive? Two and a half weeks ago I was offered a position within a global organisation, verbally, over the phone by the head hunter and told the contract would arrive early the next week. Ten days later and with no contract I contacted the recruiters, no response but by chance the HR department called me and explained the offer, then they confirmed the role and details ( salary, pension, car, holiday etc ) by email and told me that the recruitment department had been instructed to send out a contract straight away -"should be with you within 48 hrs". One week later and despite a polite call to the HR partner enquiring about a start date no response and to be honest I am getting very frustrated. How long is it reasonable to wait and at what point do I need to just 'move on', the job is ideal for me and I am obviously going through huge ups and downs over this. <Q> It's also not considered overly rude to call back if you're concerned about the process being stalled. <S> Two weeks is usually a good time period to wait before contacting them, especially if you were expecting some type of contact within that timeframe. <S> Whatever you do though, do not be rude. <S> The hiring process can get complicated quickly, and you should be courteous to them throughout it. <A> I would recommend that you not stop interviewing and pursuing other jobs. <S> Until you actually started getting paid, you are still unemployed. <S> I once ended up waiting 3 months to start a job. <S> (That was a very long time ago <S> , I'd never wait that long now). <S> Sure, I eventually got the job, after everyone got back from vacation and got around to signing everything that needed to be signed, etc, etc. <S> But in the meantime I might have gotten another job so unless this is one that you absolutely must have, don't stop chasing other possibilities. <S> And just because they say they are going to hire you, <S> that doesn't translate to any kind of guarantee. <S> A couple of years ago I interviewed and was offered the job and they gave me a two week start date. <S> After two weeks they said that my future supervisor was called out of town and my start date was going to be delayed a week. <S> At that point I went back to interviewing. <S> Really glad I did. <S> They never did hire me, although even months after I started another job ( <S> just for kicks I never told them I was already working) <S> they were still telling me they still wanted me <S> but there was a hiring freeze... <S> there was a reorganization... <S> it was kind of comical, in a way. <A> Normally it's within a week. <S> Even with slow reference responses and background check factored in <S> I think 2-3 business days is common. <S> If it's more than a week I would think that they don't really want me and are still debating what to do or that they're unreliable. <A> Inform this company you have received a competing offer and would like theirs to see which position to take. <S> It doesn't matter if you have a competing offer or not, this at least forces their hand such that they put their money where their mouth is <S> (e.g. extend you an offer) or finally come clean that you are not their first choice or there is some manner of holdup in getting the offer (e.g. budget was not approved, etc.). <S> In my experience, if you want to move the process forward, this will achieve that without you coming off as desperate or upset.
| Different companies will take different amounts of time to respond - some are prompt, some won't get back to you for one or two months while they clear various HR hurdles, and they run the gamut between those two extremes. At this point, you should continue to look for work in other places until you have a solid confirmation that you have the job - until you do, there's still a chance that something might happen and you won't get hired officially.
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Is it appropriate to visit your workplace before you start work? I'm starting work at a small company in a month and will be moving to the city the office is in. I will be visiting that city before hand to meet up with a friend. Would it be considered proper to drop into the workplace on that day just to say hi? The workplace seems to have a very friendly atmosphere and they have taken me out to dinner before. i just do not want to bother them if they seem busy, but on the other hand its a small office with like 4-5 people and I would like to develop a friendly relationship with them. <Q> This is perfectly acceptable, in fact to be encouraged. <S> I would however pre-arrange it with them in case of deadlines etc. <S> It's also worth having a quick chat with your manager about what you'll be doing when you start, maybe you'll need to know about certain aspects that are new to you and can read up in the run up, also shows you are keen on the job. <S> You could also do something nice like bring donuts, will help the cordial mood. <A> There are 3 outcomes if you visit (arranged): <S> They love it, you're the first person to ever do this and you become their new favourite employee <S> They don't mind the visit, but it has no effect one way or the other <S> They find it a bit weird/strange/unusual <S> If you don't visit there are two outcomes: <S> They wanted you to visit, now they are worried <S> you don't like them <S> They didn't expect it <S> so everything carries on as normal <S> As 1 is the only one that benefits you and is very unlikely, the best outcome you can hope for from visiting them is the same as the best outcome from not going (because 4 is equally unlikely) and you'll still get chance to make good first impression on your actual first day. <A> DON'T drop in unannounced - that could be very disruptive to them. <S> Maybe you should reconsider your idea because your visit will inevitably disrupt their workflow, but you can (hopefully) minimize the impact by vising after hours. <S> If you made the arrangements and they expect you to show up and you find out that you cannot show up, you'll have to call in to cancel :) <S> That issue does not arise if you chose not to visit :)
| It's a small office so you should be comfortable with the environment within a few hours, regardless of whether you intend to visit. Yes, it is appropriate as long as they give prior consent to it.
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How to keep from being underpaid forever I am being underpaid for my industry, quality of work, and even experience. My question is not about how to get more money out of my current employer. Rather, I am concerned what potential future employers will think when they ask "What was your previous salary?" I won't lie, and I don't want to refuse to answer. But, specifically, there are two things I don't want them to think: This guy is cheap labor; let's offer him a mild increase over what he's making now and then continue to underpay him for as long as he's stupid enough to work for us. [this is kind of how I got in my present situation] or, worse, If this guy was really as qualified as he seems to be, there's no way he would be working for $x per year. You get what you pay for, so there must be something wrong with him, so let's not make him an offer at all. I'm looking for anything specific I can do (put in a resume/cover letter, say in an interview, etc) to help steer the potential employer away from thinking either of these things. In other words, I'd like to get them to make me an offer based on what I'm worth, not just "previous salary plus a mild increase". I'm a software developer, in case that matters; but I couldn't think of any other details about my specific situation that would matter. If there are any further details needed, I can provide. <Q> Short answer: <S> Stop telling prospective employers what you earn. <S> It's none of their business and will certainly be affecting your rate. <S> It's not dishonest to say, "I would rather not divulge my previous salary as it is not relevant. <S> " You are under no obligation to tell them that. <S> I have been asked this many times over the years <S> and I never divulge it. <S> I still got the job :) <S> Be judged on your experience and qualifications. <S> You have no reason to state your salary and plenty of reasons not to! <A> Do you know what you are worth? <S> Figure that out first. <S> Then stick to it. <S> Them <S> : "What was your previous salary?" <S> You: "I'm looking for $X." <S> That's all there is to it. <S> If they ask the same question again, just repeat your number/range until they get the picture. <A> I'm looking for anything specific <S> I can do (put in a resume/ <S> cover letter, say in an interview, etc) to help steer the potential employer away from thinking either of these things. <S> In other words, I'd like to get them to make me an offer based on what I'm worth, not just "previous salary plus a mild increase". <S> If you feel you are underpaid, you need to reject all jobs that will underpay you, and hold out for what you think you should be getting. <S> It's perfectly reasonable to admit during an interview "I feel I have been underpaid. <S> Thus, I will no longer accept less that I am worth." <S> Be clear in your own mind what you need, because you will likely be asked. <S> For example say "I am worth $X", rather than "I deserve a 53% increase. <S> " That will get the focus off of how much of an increase this will be, and back onto how much you should be getting paid. <A> I think your value should be set by your achievements and not your previous salary. <S> In order to succeed you need to explain your achievement very well in an interview. <S> Good examples would be to highlight certain great project you have done and what value that created to your company and customers. <S> For example, I was part of a CRM implementation team, that helped my client double direct campaign sales. <S> I was in charge of the predictive analytics logic, everything you need is right here in my head. <S> You need to tailor such messages to your own situation, of course. <S> It is also beneficial to highlight soft skills like team work and communications with real life examples from your career. <S> How you solved a difficult situation with a critical bug, or an unusual email for example. <S> If you do this right, your interviewer will want you because of your experience, knowledge and personality. <S> The point is, you set your price with the above value proposition before the salary talk. <S> If they ask about your current salary, you can be open and say: I am underpaid but <S> I know I am worth more, so my current salary expectations are higher. <S> This is a matter of personal preference how interviewers react. <S> I personally do not like if people hide their current salaries. <S> I like people who know what they're worth and are not afraid to tell. <S> My experience as an interviewer is that people usually tell their previous salaries, so I think you should too. <S> Don't provide less information than your competitors (i.e. the other candidates). <S> What you can do about the current salary is to communicate your total compensation, including the value of benefits on top of your salary. <S> This looks better and gives you a better negotiation position. <A> In the UK, my employers asked me for my P45 and as i did not have it, my P60. <S> The P60 had my salary, tax contributions etcetera in black and white, so although it was provided after i got the job, you're making a good decision not to lie. <S> Although you are not legally obliged to tell them your salary, you have to handle it delicately, especially if a smaller firm. <S> If the firm you are applying for is a large company then i wouldn't worry as much when not stating it. <S> Just state what you are looking for. <S> Think like politician!
| You need to stop divulging your current salary to prospective employers. Be ready to elaborate on what you feel would be acceptable. Answer with a specific amount, rather than as a percentage increase.
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How to explain that I don't understand anything at internship? I recently got a job as a software intern at a big company. The intern program is loosely organized and basically was vaguely described a technical issue and told to implement a series of tests for it after explaining to him I am new to this and am not very experienced with any of this. I don't want to continuously say I have no idea what I am doing, but I literally don't even know where to start after he had explained a series of things to me way above my skill set. How can I professionally convey that I have no idea what I am doing and should I tell my manager how I am feeling? I got this job a week ago. <Q> You are an intern. <S> So, don't be afraid to ask questions. <S> However, you don't want to say you don't understand anything at all. <S> Instead, you want to ask meaningful questions. <S> Your job is to implement a series of tests for a vaguely described technical issue. <S> The first thing to do is to understand that technical issue. <S> You start it by asking what it is. <S> You want to be able to describe it in your own words. <S> If there is some documentation, read it. <S> If no, ask for it. <S> Or ask someone to explain it for you. <S> That some one can be your mentor. <S> If you don't have one, ask them to assign one for you, formally or informally. <S> After you can describe the technical issue, you should have some understanding about it. <S> Then you start to think about how to test it. <S> Again, ask meaningful questions after you seriously think about how to test it. <S> You may come up with naive ideas, impractical methods. <S> They are okay as long as you have given them serious thoughts. <S> Talk to your colleagues or mentors to see if they are workable. <S> Receive suggestions and instructions from them and then correct your ideas. <S> Once you have some workable ideas, start to implement them. <S> By the time you finish the implementation of the test and actually test them, your internship is probably over and you'll bring valuable experience home with you. <S> Enjoy this wonderful journey. <A> Probably this is your first internship. <S> You should not worry about your situation as it happens to most of the people. <S> So be cool and you should have more patience. <S> Okay, let us think about how to approach your manager for this. <S> Before going to your manager, it would be good to do some homework on the tasks that were assigned to you. <S> First, list down all the tasks that were assigned to you. <S> Then the most important thing is you should understand the problems/tasks. <S> Do some homework before going to ask for help: go through the wiki/docs related to the above problems at the company's websites (if there are any). <S> If you understand the problems clearly then it is almost you have solutions for the problems. <S> Then start one problem at a time -- start thinking about solutions for the problem that you think easy (the problem that you understand better). <S> If you are still confused after going through the above two steps, then it is better to directly go to your manager and request him to explain the problems/tasks again. <S> As far as I know, managers can understand this and they are very happy to help you to be successful in your internship. <A> but I literally don't even know where to start <S> Then ask your mentor how to start. <S> You are not expected to understand everything at once, but you are expected to make progress. <S> Therefore, learn things one by one, and let your mentor point out the things to need to learn about, along with suitable sources for that knowledge (books, people, ...).
| If you have not been assigned a formal mentor, ask your manager about one, or (if the environment is informally structured) find one yourself. You are supposed to know nothing or very little about what you are doing.
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How to celebrate not fully achieved goals Our small software team is developing a web application. All devs are very dedicated and working hard to meet the deadline. Nonetheless, when the release is deployed, it is not really perfect. All core functionality is working (tests pass etc), but some fine-tuning is missing: eg. some buttons in the UI are not aligned, some text using templates is not working well in some languages etc. These details are not blockers and will be fixed in the next sprint & release (the functionality on time is key). So the application gets deployed, but it's not really looking great and that's the feedback you get from the non-tech people in the company. "Job half-done". How to still celebrate the hard work and dedication which went into the release, if the final product isn't really convincing the non-tech people (even the devs agree that more work is needed, but have concentrated on the functionality)? In general, when using iterative methodology (small changes, release often), there is no big-bang after which it really makes sense to celebrate. How to still celebrate releases? How to build up pride for the work done? <Q> How to still celebrate releases? <S> How to build up pride for the work done? <S> When you dribble out releases, you are correct that there is no definitive point ("big bang") where it makes sense to celebrate. <S> So look outside your release schedule for meaningful events connected to your work, and celebrate those occasions. <S> First Customer or First Download are significant events at some shops.1,000,000th Download might work at some companies. <S> Sales Goal Reached might work elsewhere. <S> Some shops celebrate each iteration in a smaller, non-big-bang, way. <S> A pizza lunch, bagels for breakfast, etc. <S> It's not always necessary to have a big celebration. <S> Iterative approaches certainly blur the line between "in progress" and "complete". <S> Sometimes you cannot achieve a "big effect" and must learn to enjoy many "little effects" instead. <S> A terrific writer I know used to refer to "inch-pebbles" versus "milestones". <A> To prevent full-focus on functionality, have someone assigned to focus on the UI when about 80% of the functionality is finished. <S> If that person can put all his effort into the UI, the non-technical people will be less likely to criticize your work as "job half-done" because you had someone take care of the UI. <S> As for the celebration, why not do that after each sprint? <S> I always used to be a bit relieved when we finished a sprint, and if everybody is happy with the work delivered in that sprint it's worth celebrating. <S> You could do this by kicking back with a couple of beers, or some cake. <S> Or whatever rows your boat :) <S> I would recommend to keep it simple though. <A> This will also start to impact team morale. <S> It's good that you recognize that the team is doing their best and external circumstances (e.g. unreaslistic deadlines) <S> are the root cause of poor initial feedback. <S> It's important to recognize that you have a strategic problem (how to deliver a truly successful release on time) and a tactical problem (how to keep the hard working team motivated in the face of external pressures). <S> Some short term rewards that might help are having a team dinner, giving public thanks for their efforts, getting the customers to recognize how quickly improvements are made based on their feedback, etc. <S> The strategic problem is where you should focus your efforts though. <S> Two possible ways you might approach this are getting more realistic timelines for the required scope or reducing scope for given timelines so it can be delivered successfully. <A> I read through some of the answers and they touch upon my thoughts but don't give the definition and clarity, so <S> I'm going to give my answer. <S> We did the area's first agile release and it lasted about two years. <S> It was well received and has caused a butterfly effect into other parts of the area. <S> That being said, we did something called: <S> Sprint Retrospectives <S> I posted an official MSDN link from Microsoft, but, as with any agile team, the rules are meant to be flexible. <S> We used the retrospectives as a simple way to determine what we should start doing, things that didn't go well, and things that we should celebrate. <S> Usually the Project Manager would buy some food and we would eat and discuss. <S> We never went to a restaurant <S> and I think that was key because it helped us stay focused on the Sprint and achieve something from the retrospective, while allowing us to celebrate what we all liked from the sprint.
| In general, when using iterative methodology (small changes, release often), there is no big-bang after which it really makes sense to celebrate. You want to get to a place where you do not need to be celebrating partially achieved goals. If you put enough releases out that are not immediately welcomed with open arms by the customers, they will start to dread updates and have a low opinion of the team's ability to deliver.
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Looking to leave my first and only job, what to do about references? I am in the field of Mechanical Engineering and I graduated a year and a half ago. While in college I interned at a company and when I graduated that company pulled me on full time. I am now looking to pursue other opportunities, but I am unsure of what to do about references. Everyone I have worked with is still at this company and I don't want them to know I am looking for a new job. If I quit my job I am sure that anyone there will give me wonderful references, but everyone says not to quit your job before you have a new one. <Q> Most potential employers would be understanding in this situation. <S> They will expect that you cannot provide references from your current position. <S> A couple of potential options come to mind: <S> Do you have any college references, e.g. a professor from one of your engineering classes? <S> You're early enough in your career that it may still be helpful to list an instructor as a reference. <S> Do you have any professional contacts in your area of expertise that work for other companies? <S> If so, they may be good alternatives. <S> If not, this is good time to think about beginning to grow your network. <A> Several times when people in my team have resigned, they told me of their resignation and asked me to be a referee in the same conversation - this is quite normal. <A> Typically, a new employer will not give a full and final offer without first checking that you really were in your last role that you list in your resume. <S> You can provide personal references at any point, or even a reference to the job before (if you have had more than one), and this will help you. <S> However, as a potential employer I would want to confirm that you were an X at Y company for Z years like you said you were - because your most recent experience is almost always the most relevant. <S> To get around this - ask for an offer "pending final references" stating that you will provide details for you last position's reference when you have that offer. <S> Don't forget - most hiring managers will have been in your shoes at some point, and will be understanding.
| Most of the time you only need to supply references once you've been offered a job, so you can put "References available on request" on your CV, and supply them when you've been offered & accepted the new position.
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Is "lightening up" a request I need to comply with at work? My direct supervisor has been distant and indifferent towards me since my recent, valid request for PTO. My request was denied, but I was lied to about the reason. So my attitude at work has been nothing but straight to the point and serious. I don't joke around anymore, and don't go the extra mile either. Since changing my attitude, I've been told that i need to "lighten up." As long as I complete my tasks at work without error, do I need to change my now-serious demeanor? <Q> You complete your tasks, but people are not comfortable with you. <S> Should completing the tasks be the only thing that matters? <S> Yes, but only if it is the tasks that cut your paychecks and not the people you work for and who approve your paychecks. <S> No professional is considered successful on the job if they don't perform their tasks <S> AND they don't work well with their colleagues and management. <S> You are making your supervisor uncomfortable, and your supervisor is signaling to you that they are having a harder time working with you. <S> It's up to you to determine whether you should comply with their request to lighten up. <S> Find yourself another way to express your displeasure. <A> Keep a positive attitude. <S> It's better for your health and mental state. <S> There could easily be something stressful in either your, or your supervisors life that is changing their point of view temporarily. <S> Being serious is not a problem, as long as it isn't code for being difficult, uncooperative, or unfriendly. <S> They aren't paying you too laugh and joke, but no one wants to work with someone that makes everyone around them miserable. <A> Its not nice, but denying PTO is usually done for valid reasons and <S> no one likes doing that. <S> Whether the reason given is a lie or not is beside the point as far as validity is concerned. <S> Unless you know your employer has gratuitously denied your PTO on purpose to make you miserable, you should assume that there are good reasons for the denial and understand that sometimes everything is not according to the employee handbook. <S> You are making things worse by reacting in a negative way to a decision that was probably hard to make in the first place. <S> That said, the damage is done. <S> You might redeem yourself by apologizing and coming to an agreement on an alternative PTO date.
| Re-examine your attitude before the supervisors change of attitude, perhaps you had been becoming complacent and unknowingly lowering your quality of work. "Lighten up" means "get over it".
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Should I tell my Team Leader that I've been diagnosed with ADHD? I received an ADHD diagnosis today from a psychiatrist. I'm not sure what I'm doing with this knowledge at the moment. Certainly, I'll be taking the medication I've been provided, and then will be checking back with they psychiatrist to see how it's going. I'll also been looking at ADHD support groups etc. The other relevant information is that I've been on performance management as a result of depressive issues/lack of engagement with work. So this team leader is aware of on going mental issues. <Q> Under normal circumstances I'd say no, do not tell him. <S> In your situation however, with your team leader aware of the performance issues you have, you should tell him. <S> Because this shows that you are also aware of the problems <S> and you are actively working on solving them . <S> Regardless of actual diagnosis, getting help for your problems is a huge step in the right direction. <S> Even if you fail whatever performance plan he set up, knowing you are indeed working on it might grant you another chance. <S> Maybe you can even get an improved plan more tailored to your specific situation. <S> For example medication for chronic issues is rarely spot on the first time. <S> So if you are trying different medication or dosage, you could adjust your work load accordingly. <S> Maybe not have customer meetings the day this changes so you can adjust to the changes before you are in situations where you must perform the first time and cannot make up for suboptimal performance through overtime. <A> I'm going to take a different approach to nvoigt's answer, even though it's a good answer and many points <S> I agree with :) <S> As nvoigt said, you are getting treatment and it's under control, but by letting them know about it, they have a better understanding if you have any bad days. <S> Again, since you are already affected in your job, then telling them is especially important, but even if it were a potential problem, I would still say you should inform them. <A> Yes, but tactfully . <S> It can be a pro, make use of that. <S> I'd like to start off with: <S> The fact that you've got this diagnosis doesn't suddenly change you! <S> You allready had this <S> , it's "just confirmed". <S> There's nothing bad in this. <S> At worst this doesn't change a thing. <S> But from this point on you can take advantage of it, AD(H)D is not a disease! <S> I have a form of ADD (for people less informed; ADD is mentally about the same, but physically less of the H yper), which I found out about beginning of this year (in restrospect, I have this much longer, just didn't actively know). <S> I read a book called (translated) " Hooray, I've got ADHD! ". <S> This title might strike as a bit odd, but it has a perfect mindset about the topic. <S> AD(H)D is not a disease <S> , it's a different/unique mindset. <S> You (can) think differently, which is, if properly controlled, a pro and not a con! <S> There are advantages of AD(H)D: <S> I can go into hyperfocus, an 'extreme' state of concentration, for a certain amount of time, which can be extremely usefull when a critical bug needs to be fixed 5 minutes ago. <S> Does tire me out though. <S> I tend to think a bit different, I can come up with solutions which others can't <S> My mind is very busy, I can switch between different subjects really fast <S> The main con of ADD the the concentration problem, I can't concentrate a full day. <S> You'll have to find small functional break (clean some stuff, etc etc) which doesn't require a lot of thinking <S> I started out with highlighting the pro's of it to my employer, hinting "I can recognise myself in that theory". <S> My employer now actually sees it as a pro. <S> *If other people have suggestions on how AD(H)D can be a pro, feel free to add those to this answer! <A> Should I tell my Team Leader that I've been diagnosed with ADHD? <S> Yes. <S> Your team lead already knows that you have some issues. <S> And you have indicated that you are on "performance management" <S> (I'll assume that is the same thing as a formal Performance Plan). <S> Now is your chance to tell your team lead about the possible reasons behind your performance issues, and talk about the plan going forward to correct them now that you have a formal diagnosis. <S> As you learn more about your medications and support group work, share them with your team lead as well <S> (particularly if there may be side-effects evident in the workplace, or if you need to alter your work schedule to accommodate appointments or support group sessions). <S> It must feel great to finally have this formal diagnosis completed! <S> Share that feelings with your team lead, and find ways to work together to improve your performance.
| Everybody has issues and it's not your team leaders job to manage or handle them, so there is nothing to gain from him knowing. I would recommend that if you feel that there was any way that your ADHD would impact on your ability to do your job, you need to make your boss aware as soon as possible.
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How long to stay put? I am a software engineer, still at my first job in the software development field. Talking to a friend got me wondering if there is a point where I'll be hurting my career by staying put (in terms of hireability by future potential employers). If I stay here until I have ten or fifteen years experience, then yes, that's ten or fifteen years of experience; but is the impact diluted by the fact that it's all at one place? I could imagine a hiring manager seeing such a resume and thinking "Sure, he's stable; but this only proves that he can do the SAME job for a long period. What'll happen when he's exposed to something different? New technologies? Different challenges? Even a different corporate culture might make him a completely different employee than he's been at XYZ Company." My question is not about whether those concerns are valid or how to address them if I find myself in that position. Rather, my question is about making sure I don't get there in the first place: how long can I stay at my first software job before the duration has probably started to become a liability in the eyes of prospective employers? (Or, does such a point in time even exist in the first place? Or am I worrying about nothing?) To put it a different way: what will make me a more hireable candidate when I'm 15 years into my career? Having all 15 at one place or having 5 at three different places? Perhaps the 15 would be more palatable if there was evidence of significant upward movement in that time, but my question is about whether the duration itself is detrimental, holding all other factors equal. <Q> what will make me a more hireable candidate when I'm 15 years into my career? <S> Having all 15 at one place or having 5 at three different places? <S> Perhaps the 15 would be more palatable if there was evidence of significant upward movement in that time, but my question is about whether the duration itself is detrimental, holding all other factors equal. <S> Everything else being equal, I've always preferred to hire software folks who tend to stay at one company for a reasonable period of time, rather than hopping around. <S> That said, everything else is never equal. <S> If you work mostly at startups, you can expect them to burn bright for a while, but flame out quickly. <S> It wouldn't be a surprise if a candidate like that had a few jobs in the past 15 years or so. <S> If you work mostly at large, established companies, it would be less common not to stick around for a while. <S> Still, duration of jobs over a 15 year period is nowhere near the most important attribute in a candidate. <S> Unless the candidate job-hopped repeatedly among very short duration jobs, it's not something that is very important. <A> There will be no general rule of thumb that applies to every company or every worker. <S> As a worker, the right time to start looking around is when you begin to lose interest in the work, or if there is another interest that captures your energy. <S> Leaving just for money often leads to the same frustrations at the next job. <S> Leaving out of frustration does the same, unless you have taken steps to address the frustrations, and they have not helped. <S> It is advantageous earlier in your career to work in multiple jobs to gain broader experience, and see where your energy and interests find their sweet spot. <S> In these cases, you'll want to work enough to master the concepts you use, and the domain in which you work. <S> This mastery leads to better opportunities as you look for the next thing to do. <S> It can tak a couple of years to rise to the top, maybe faster, maybe slower. <S> Later in your career, you might want to look for longer tenures with leadership opportunities that come from experience (not necessarily becoming a manager). <S> After 20+ years of working, you might want that sabbatical privilege, or that extra week of vacation. <A> Diversity of skills is important in being a developer. <S> When you find yourself doing a lot of the same application work without fresh ideas or new technologies and no growth, that's when you should consider changing companies. <S> You'll know when it's that time. <S> You will especially begin to feel stagnant in your position. <A> I've worked for my current employer for 17 years and counting, so clearly I don't favour leaving "just because". <S> I am however currently looking for my next career step <S> and I'm not finding my tenure at my current employer to be an issue because of how I take care to present it. <S> I think rather than worrying about how long you should work for an employer in terms of years, think in terms of personal development and career progression: If you can achieve a goal (salary, promotion, working with x new exciting tech) with a current employer which you're very happy with <S> then I would suggest staying there. <S> Just be sure when you do decide to brush up your resume that you clearly delineate that you've held w number of posts with x different responsibilities, rather than just "worked at <S> y for z years" <S> in order to make it clear that your career has progressed steadily in one place. <S> As to what will make you "more hireable", there's no magic number of years to have on your resume for each employer. <S> Different companies will look for different traits and if you prefer to work at one place for a while (progressing your career within one employer, not 'stagnating') <S> then you will obviously appeal (and will probably be more attracted to) to employers who are looking for long term hires to come in and take responsibility for a function. <S> Equally there's value (to even that same 'long term' employer, at times) in being able to parachute someone in quickly to solve a particular technical problem or short/mid-term skills shortage...
| If you are happy at your job, doing well, are constantly learning, and are advancing at a reasonable rate - there is no reason to leave just because it might "look better" for some future, unknown, potential hiring manager. One thing to consider is that working in the corporate world, you will likely start over at the bottom in terms of benefits and privileges each time you switch.
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Asking too much for the sake of the company's culture I work in a small/medium company (90 people and counting). The boss is a very "human" person and his wife is working in the same company. They bought mugs with the company's name on it and they gave them to us because the mugs were not what they expected. I already brought my own mug months ago, and use it every day. However this morning the boss's wife told me to use the mug they gave us and said, "I don't want to see those kind of mugs now." Mine is an ugly mug, but I love it. Is this OK? Should I keep my lovely mug or switch with the company mug? I live in France. (I'm also not that good in English. Please excuse me.) <Q> Unless it's super important to you, humor her and use the company mug. <S> The company mug will probably run into a horrible, fatal accident <S> later on - hint, hint, hint :) - you'll cry a couple of fake tears and you'll be joyfully reunited with your faithful, lovely mug :) <A> Pick your battles comes to mind in this situation. <S> Just use the mug in her presence and make her happy. <S> Office politics suck but are a reality. <S> You do not want to be on the bosses wife's bad side. <S> Best case she can make your working life bad, worst case she may be able to get you fired. <S> Once everything settles down (I assume this all happened recently after your were given the new mug), you should be able to use your favorite one again while this one is "dirty". <A> Keep the office mug in showcase at home or in your desk. <S> Tell her that you want to keep it pristine. <S> If it is kept in the showcase at home, invite them for lunch or dinner once to show proudly that it is on display. <S> Otherwise, use the office mug as a holder for pens and other stationery. <S> But please don't make it have a horrible accident as stated in the other answer. <S> It'll be an insult to your company. <S> Bon jour! <A> It depends. <S> Is your mug visible to the company's customers? <S> They might want some free advertising. <S> If not then, no, it shouldn't matter <S> and it's really not okay to order you to drink from a specific mug. <S> It's similar to dress codes, dress codes are in order in many companies for those who have to interact with certain customers and it's simply appropriate. <S> It's simply nit-picking to order you around like that, just for the sake of internal pride . <S> Unfortunately, there's not much you can do about it. <S> At best you can email your boss and ask something like <S> I heard that we are required to use the company's labeled mugs while on duty, can you confirm this? <S> At best you'll get a reply stating that it's not required and if his wife spots you again <S> you can simply say that your boss does not approve of it. <S> You'll be taking a certain risk there, though, but it's an option. <S> The other option is to simply take the beating and use the mug, I know for sure that I wouldn't but then again I'm not in your position.
| Tell the lady that you like the office mug so much that you don't want to use and dirty it. However, for employees who do not interact to anyone externally it simply does not make sense to have a specific dress code, other than not looking like trash.
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How to do effective daily reporting to Manager I am a software engineer of 7+ years of experience and working in a application in which I am the only resource. My reporting manager is busy with other work and on daily basis we have very little communication, only once or twice a day. He just tells me verbally what changes he needs or forwards some email to me provide by the clients to look into an issue. I want to know how to give a effective daily reporting to the manger which gives him a clear idea of how honestly and sincerely I have worked the entire day to fulfil his requirement. For example, he says "I am forwarding a email and you need to do custom pagination in the entire application as per the mail shared by client".When we meet in the evening how should I tell him what I have done for the entire day. Should it include minute details, such as I had done changes in this this stored procedure for this this reason and on this web page I had implemented this code? OR Should it be very broad such as I had completed paging implemntation in this pages and now I will start to work on that page? How should I structure the report of daily work in such a way that makes my reporting very clear without going too minute or too broad details? <Q> If there's no clear guidance you can follow the advice below (and in the other answers) and then ask your manager if it's enough/too much information. <S> Managers are all different and want/expect different level of information. <S> What follows is my opinion/experience as a manager and being managed. <S> Your manager needs (wants) to know what you've done , what you have left to do and how long it will take, and any problems you have. <S> So, for your example, if I was your manager I'd want something like: <S> Pagination task: requires X pages updated, Y pages done so far (up from Z yesterday). <S> Predicted complete by the end of the week. <S> No problems in sight. <S> I know everything I need to tell the customer, I can see immediately if you have a problem, plus I can use the information to build a picture overtime of how much work you can do in a day/week/month. <S> Also, unless your tasks are generally small and rapidly changing I would think weekly updates are fine, although I know daily is not unusual. <S> Your first option: <S> Whether it should include minute details such as I had done changes in this this stored procedure for this this reason and on this web page I had implemented this code <S> Is really more of a peer/code review thing. <S> A manager shouldn't really be checking that level of the code -- that's why they're employing you. <S> If the manager wants to know that detail then they can ask. <S> However, if the manager is more of a mentor or your a trainee, it might make sense to add a bit more detail. <S> But really I'd try and do that in a separate meeting saying "I've done the change on one page <S> , can we review what I've done before I replicate it on the other X pages". <A> IMO a good manager is not interested in time. <S> Arguably, this is not what you, as a developer, are paid for. <S> You are paid for completing tasks/features/stories and making a program useful for others. <S> I am also a big believer in cutting bureaucracy: less paperwork - more time for work. <S> I'd suggest reporting only on the task progress and any issues you had or any obstacles you foresee preventing you from implementing next task. <S> I wouldn't spend more than 5 minutes on this. <S> This is based on the Daily Standup , where you should answer these questions: <S> What have I done yesterday? <S> What am I going to do today? <S> Are there any issues? <S> You may also look to adopt Scrum or Kandban , even though your are the only one man in a field. <A> You can do something like below : First suggestion : <S> Daily before leave office you can mail something like time sheet to your manager. <S> That will be simple excel sheet which contains fields like : Task ID, Project Name, Module Name, Site page URL where you working, Hours for that task you have spent,Status [Working , Pending , Completed , Onhold] <S> So above excel sheet will give clear idea to your manager that what you are doing and what is current status of work he assigned to you. <S> And this will also good for your to keep track of things that what you have did and when. <S> Second suggestion <S> : you should send reply in mail of assigned task when it done so if your manager do not get time to check your time sheet <S> then at least he can get immediate idea that Yes you have done that which is assigned to you. <S> So above both are good way to product clear picture that you are working in perfect way , efficiently and professionally. <A> When we meet in the evening how should I tell him what I have done for the entire day? <S> If it's really necessary to provide a daily report, I would: <S> create a list of bullet points, or use a spreadsheet <S> each bullet would be a task that you were told to work on that day, either via email or verbally each bullet would include a 1-sentence summary of the task, and a simple statement of the current status (such as "Completed", "In Progress", "Needs more information", etc bullets drop off the day after they are completed <S> I would update and send this list daily, and use it for your evening discussions. <S> I would also save each day's Daily Report, <S> in case you need to go back and research something that was discussed in the past.
| First, you should ask your manager what he wants (one manager of mine gave me a template for status reporting which is easy to fill out).
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OK to not greet receptionist who doesn't look up? The receptionist at the entrance to our office never looks up when I walk past her, either on my way in or out. For awhile, I would still say "Hi, [Name]" the first time I saw her each day. She would then look up and say "Hello" back. Eventually, I got tired of this. I began to feel like she was clearly trying to avoid me, like I was forcing her to acknowledge me, and overall like I was being a cad. Lately, I have settled into the habit of walking right past without even looking at her, let alone saying hello. I haven't greeted her in weeks, despite walking by her several times every day. Is this rude of me? It feels unnatural to me, but at the same time, it feels "better" than when I would initiate what felt like an unwelcome greeting. <Q> I know this situation very well as it happens to me with many people I come across as I walk into the office in the morning. <S> I started off saying 'Morning' with a smile to the receptionist or other staff as I went to my desk; some would ignore me and some would quietly say 'Morning' back like they were forced to acknowledge me. <S> I was brought up to acknowledge a person's presence as I walk into a room but unfortunately in today's society of people trapped in their own little bubble this is a dying practice. <S> I don't think you should acknowledge everyone, just people who make eye contact with you or you work with closely as it makes you appear friendly and welcoming. <S> If they continue to ignore you, or you can see it makes them uncomfortable, then simply don't do it to those people <S> (That's what I do). <S> Also don't do this to everyone if you work in a large company <S> otherwise you'd be saying 'Morning' a lot. <A> I always say "Hello" to the receptionist when I come in and "Good bye" to her when I leave. <S> It does not matter to me that she acknowledge me. <S> There are actually two people who must always know: my boss and the receptionist. <S> I want to make sure that my colleagues or anyone else can ask either my boss or the receptionist. <S> However, my boss is not always available so he one person who has to know at all times is the receptionist. <S> I am not really trying to chit-chat with the receptionist <S> , I am letting her know that I am in or out of the office so that she can tell anyone who asks. <A> Does she look up and say "hi" to other people? <S> If not, she may just be introverted (although this is an unusual quality in a receptionist). <S> She may also be the type of person that gets lost in her own thoughts and may not be intentionally ignoring you. <S> My advice would be to strike a middle ground by saying "hello" once in the morning (assuming the receptionist is not on the phone or otherwise occupied). <S> It's not necessary to do so again that day. <A> Think of this from the receptionist's point of view -- if you had to say hello several hundred times a day, would you think that was fun? <S> In a smaller office it might seem rude, but I think you are correct in this case to let the person's response dictate your actions.
| It really depends on the person -- some people love personal interaction and initiate greetings, and others would just as soon go about their business. What matters to me is that she knows when I am in and when I am out, so that she relay this info to others if need be. If do happen to make eye contact afterwards, just smile and nod.
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How to best deal with additional tasks at internship? I am currently into my second month of an internship, reporting to a supervisor, who (together with another colleague) reports to the senior manager. My supervisor holds multiple portfolios, and thus is extremely busy. While I progressively update the necessary records and search for new external providers, I find myself dealing with the recurring logistics at work for various programmes. My dilemma falls into a situation where my colleague (who reports to the same senior manager as my supervisor) gets me involved in numerous projects, which I am more than happy to be part of and contribute my share of it. Furthermore, another senior manager in the department has also assigned me some tasks. I am alright and most willing to take up all these tasks, but I can't help but to be worried if I am taking the right approach, to me, as an intern it is right for me to help whoever who needs some assistance in the department. How should I be approaching such a situation? Should I be giving my supervisor updates time-to-time on what I'm working on? All of us sit in the same office (except for the senior manager whom my supervisor is reporting to), and I can't help but feel a sense of guilt whenever I work on tasks given by other people and my supervisor walks past me. Edit: Thank you everyone for your advice. I caught my supervisor in the hallway earlier this week and gave her a quick update on what I was working on, as well as checked with her if there was anything I could assist her with - she told me that I could just go ahead to work on the tasks that the rest of the team have assigned to me. In fact, this morning she even checked in on my progress and we had a casual chat on the existing task that I am working on. Thanks everyone! <Q> This is something that could be fairly easily resolved by just talking to your immediate supervisor about it. <S> If he says he doesn't want you working on other people's tasks, then you can tell them no without guilt. <S> If he says that's fine, then you can work on them without feeling awkward when your supervisor walks past and sees you working on them. <S> Find out what your supervisor wants you to spend your time on, and do that. <A> Your direct supervisor is the one who is responsible for you and should be tracking your success. <S> They should be your first line of defense. <S> I would try to schedule 30 minutes with them at least once a week (more frequently if necessary) to discuss your tasks. <S> Something like: " <S> I have tasks A, B, C, D. <S> Does that seem like an appropriate amount of work for me? <S> What should be the priority in which I work on these tasks. <S> " If the answer is 'no', then you need to drop some of these projects. <S> As long as your manager is ok with the other tasks, then you have no reason to feel guilty. <S> (If you can't get any time on their calendar try to catch them in the hallway. <S> Essentially you need to have this conversation and they don't, so you may need to be somewhat pushy to get it depending on how busy they are.) <S> And to be clear: No one except your manager can assign you tasks. <S> Your colleagues or other managers can request things of you, but literally they are not the boss of you. <S> A perfectly valid response is "I need to check with my manager before agreeing to this" or "I can get to that, but let me finish this thing I'm working on first" or "I can't do that because I already have high priority work that needs to be done" <S> etc. <S> On your other point: Should the intern be the task monkey? <S> The best internships I've seen are ones where a specific project is designed for the intern that is suited to their skill level and helps them learn. <S> Not all companies do this because interns are often seen as cheap labor to do some extra work. <S> If you think that might be the case for where you are at, then you should take responsibility for your own success. <S> Do the tasks you are assigned, but don't ONLY do that. <S> Look for opportunities to do interesting work. <S> Talk to your colleagues, go into meetings, <S> try to learn things outside of the assigned work. <S> If you see something interesting, ask if you can help out on that. <A> My dilemma falls into a situation where my colleague (who reports to the same senior manager as my supervisor) gets me involved in numerous projects, which I am more than happy to be part of and contribute my share of it. <S> Your colleague meaning another intern? <S> I know several bright Interns who wish to perform multiple tasks to expand their horizons. <S> Plus you have every right to reflect this on resume. <S> Furthermore, another senior manager in the department has also assigned me some tasks. <S> As long as your direct supervisor is aware of these tasks. <S> But even then, you can still do these tasks for learning and experience. <S> I am alright and most willing to take up all these tasks, but I can't help but to be worried if I am taking the right approach, to me, as an intern <S> it is right for me to help whoever who needs some assistance in the department. <S> People who are the "go-to" person move up the ladder rather quickly. <S> How should I be approaching such a situation? <S> Should I be giving my supervisor updates time-to-time on what I'm working on? <S> It's a great idea to meet with supervisor on periodic basis. <S> I can't help but feel a sense of guilt whenever I work on tasks given by other people and my supervisor walks past me. <S> Guilt for being the "go-to" person? <S> As long as you are doing your supervisor's tasks, and being a big help to others, and meeting with your supervisor regularly, it seems perfectly alright. <S> Don't worry about being too nice, or being a chump, in the end, the more tasks you are expert at, the more other people need you.
| Perhaps supervisor can provide you more tasks, guidance based on company's needs, your interests, and your talents.
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Remembering the names of meeting participants Imagine there is a workshop or meeting with about 10 participants. You see them for the first time. Everybody introduces himself during the first minutes. It's hard for me (and I guess some other technologically oriented people) to remember their names. I guess electronic gadgets won't help. Writing down what other people say when they introduce themselves feels... strange. How to remember the names of the participants quickly and reliably? Goal: Discussing is more effective if you can use the name of the people. Update Of course I have this problem only if I meet new people There is no written agenda with the list of names. <Q> I have this problem too (and yes I am technically oriented). <S> It is not common here in the UK to have Nameplates in meetings other than training groups (for some illogical reason), nor does everyone have a business card and those that do often don't share them for more informal meetings. <S> The solution that works for me is that as soon as I sit down I draw a "map" of the desk/table/group at the top of my blank page (it can be quite small and discreet, it doesn't have to be a big <S> drawing)- then as people's names become apparent, either through a round-the-table introduction or as people ask, speak and introduce others, I just write them onto the map. <S> Often I include their job title, role, area of expertise or responsibility on the project, so I know who to go back to with a specific question. <S> Tip: always include yourself on that map so later you can see who was sitting next to you, left and right, and opposite... <S> Then to identify a person I quickly count from my left to their place around the table and pick the nth item in the list (it works quicker than it sounds for <=5 people). <S> This has saved me countless times. <S> I have tried to "fix" their name in memory using the techniques outlined elsewhere, but I can never think fast enough or creatively enough! <S> Yes it could be perceived as a bit nerdy, or a bit weak because I cannot magically remember everyone's name, but that discomfort is soon over (if it really exists at all) <S> but the discomfort of having to address people during the meeting and not being able to use their name when they only just told it, lasts longer and is more focussed on you. <S> A benefit is that you then have the names of everyone in your notes, which can be very important for email follow-ups after the meeting. <A> This is the tip I find most useful: Find The Trigger. <S> Try to associate names with things people tell you about themselves (careers, hobbies) that will trigger the sound or association of the name in your mind. <S> Fred likes to fish, Margarita runs a bar–you get the idea. <S> “You have to search in the moment for something familiar,” says Spiegel. <S> “It’s a simple trick, but it just sticks.” <S> My memory for names is absolutely terrible <S> so I think you'll only ever mitigate the problem never solve it totally. <S> I would add to the quote if you're only give a name try to associate the name with a very strong memory or memorable event. <S> Peter = <S> Peter Parker = <S> Spiderman etc... you never forget the guy you're calling Spiderman in your head. <A> Most meetings have an agenda and an invited attendees list. <S> Look at the names beforehand and familiarise yourself with the names that are on the list. <S> Print and bring copy to the meeting. <S> Then, as each person introduces themself, you can look at the attendees list and mark then with a number on the agenda as an ordinal position starting clockwise from where you are sitting at the table. <S> If a person is not on the list for some reason, simply add them discretely on your paper and number them. <S> This also then can form the basis of the meeting minutes if you are the person tasked with this :)
| If it is a smaller group, and everyone has arrived, I merely write everyone's name across the top of the page, in order, starting on my left.
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Will it affect my CV badly if I quit too early? I have a really tough time to make decision on quitting my current job.I've been working in this Software Development Company for 4 months now.However, it is not like I expected, it's a France company in South East Asia. I have 5 years working experience in 3 different companies and this is the fourth. But never before that I feel this miserable working in this new company. I am a friendly person, and my formal co-workers like me a lot. I like to get along with co-workers and I like to share ideas. However, in this company, I feel everyone is so passive, perhaps because the colleagues are much older than me (their age from 35 above). No-one talks to each other during work or even lunch time. It's so quiet with only the sound of typing. But it's still OK for me, the main problem is my CTO/CEO. I never met and worked with such a dictator as this. I've never seen a boss scold the employees this badly, he scolds everyone, yells at everyone that does not do as he expected. He is extremely short tempered. My team leader got scolded until she shed tears in front of everyone. You might say he's the boss and he has the right. I'd accept that, but moreover he keeps coming to stare at my screen every 30 minutes - literally - during project starts. I feel really uncomfortable. Worst, he keeps saying that "the company is paying you guys money, so make sure don't waste our company money..." even though we work hard. Never before have I felt so useless. Now, he even banned Skype. Meaning, we can only communicate via email, and face-to-face. I can deal with stress from project deadlines or overtime, but working in a place like this making me nervous. I don't know what's going to happen to me if I might do something wrong every minute. I got very exhausted with the atmosphere, and have no reason to contribute, I feel like a dead person every day walking into this office, I want to quit, but my friends and family advised me to bear it at least a year, or else it doesn't look good on my CV. But every day feels like a year working like this. Please advise me that I should quit or not in this case. Thanks in advance. <Q> I want to quit, but my friends and family advise me to bear it at least a year, or else my CV does not look good. <S> In five years of work, you've held four different jobs. <S> Making that five different jobs won't matter very much. <S> And waiting another 8 months won't change much. <S> It doesn't look good now. <S> It still won't look good in 8 months. <S> But rather than just quitting, first find a job that you will stick with for longer than a year or so. <S> Try to find a position where you can settle in and enjoy the work for the long run. <S> (It's always best to find your next job while you are still employed. <S> That way, you don't become desperate and settle for less than the "right" job for you). <S> Think back over your past job hunts. <S> What about them could you have done differently so that you wouldn't have left so soon? <S> Perhaps you didn't research the company enough. <S> Perhaps you didn't network well, and thus didn't have someone who could give you "inside" information about the company. <S> Certainly, you didn't learn enough about the kind of boss you would be working for. <S> Consider this a learning opportunity and prepare to do it differently next time. <S> You don't want to come across as "flighty" or a "job hopper". <A> Life is too short to waste on being in a job where you are miserable. <S> In five years time you will look back and wonder why you put up with it as long as you did. <S> Get out as fast as you can and don't look back- <S> You can always come up with a positive and decent explanation for a short job on your resume, but you cannot get back wasted time being angry and miserable. <A> Nobody can tell you if you should quit. <S> That's a personal decision. <S> Some things you should consider <S> : You will need another job. <S> Already having another job when you quit would make sense. <S> Your life is not endless. <S> Wasting a year of it being miserable is not worth it. <S> So in the end, there is no harm in looking for another job immediately.
| There isn't much you can do to change that impression right now - other than landing a job that you will be happy with for the long haul. You have to take that decision, because only you will feel the consequences, either good or bad.
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How do I come out on top in a re-org? There have been several rumors going around that my department is about to have a re-org. I'm a strong performer and have been trying to find a way to get a promotion. With the re-org coming up, it seems that now is probably the time to make it happen. I've been having talks with my manager about what I want and why I think I deserve it. I have also talked with HR and a few other managers. I was hoping to come on this site and find some tips for the things that I should be doing in anticipation of the re-org. Edit:It's worth mentioning here that my company has never had a layoff in it's nearly 50 year history, so I'm not expecting one now. The rumored re-org is mostly to address our issues that stem from growth over time. Another department just had a re-org and they ended up with a new layer of management, which is what I'm anticipating with my department. Perhaps re-org is the wrong word? <Q> You mostly don't. <S> If your company has gotten to the point in the re-org that there's rumors of a re-org (and the rumors are true), and you're not in the re-org meetings, then that's a pretty solid sign that you aren't going to be in a position of power once the re-org actually happens. <S> That said, rumors of a re-org have a tendency to drive people to new jobs. <S> Actual re-orgs tend to drive people to new jobs. <S> Beyond that, you might get a new manager because of the re-org. <S> All of these things are opportunities that you can take advantage of. <S> Do your job well, do your job well visibly. <S> If your culture is political, then maybe widen your social/political nets. <S> And remember that even if you're not moved up via the re-org, you might have an opportunity shortly thereafter. <S> Be ready to seize it. <A> Re-Orgs are usually about reassigning responsibilities to departments. <S> They are usually done with one of three goals in mind: <S> Assigning more appropriate levels of employees to tasks. <S> You may have developers doing usability testing, or CPA's doing payroll entry, and the company is growing such that it's not feasible to have top-dollar talent doing the day-to-day tasks, so the responsibilities are redistributed to other teams with less expensive staff. <S> Collapsing the number of departments. <S> If business has tapered off, or if the company is being "leaned up" for a sale, some departments may have their responsibilities carved up and distributed among other departments, and the manager reassigned or laid off. <S> Expanding the number of departments. <S> An example: The receptionist may have been pulling double-duty as a shipping clerk, but the work load is such that a separate shipping clerk is needed, now. <S> That's kind of small-scale, but that's the thinking that's going on. <S> Even then, it's not likely a line-level employee will head a new department. <S> It will usually be a lead or assistant manager being given more responsibility. <S> What you hope for is that the re-org isn't about sidelining a useless mid-level manager, and that you're going to be stuck in his department, with fewer and fewer responsibilities. <A> Let's have a look at what could happen. <S> You keep your job, nothing changes. <S> Lucky you, you survive the lay-offs. <S> However, it can have other consequences, which takes me to <S> You keep your job, but you get demotivated. <S> Layoffs can lower team morale, especially when highly valued employees are fired. <S> Witnessing a colleague clearing the desk or saying goodbye to the team is a tough experience. <S> The ones that stay in the company may fear any of them may be the next, or start to get paranoid that someone can betray them. <S> You keep your job, but your work load increases. <S> Your team loses members and you and the rest are expected to do your job and theirs. <S> Depending on what you're doing a the time, how many people leave and how many stay, you could find yourself doing more than you can handle. <S> In some cases companies may force their employees to do unpaid overime or work till you burn out. <S> You get laid-off. <S> It's difficult to know what criteria they use to fire employees. <S> Sometimes is productivity, or seniority ("juniors first"), random or a mix of all them. <S> You may even survive the first batch, work a few more months, and be a victim of a next one. <S> Terms such as "re-org" are usually codewords and consist mostly in reducing costs by firing employees. <S> This may not be the time to talk about promotions.
| If I were you, I'd start polishing my resume ASAP. People and teams may be moved between departments as responsibilities of those departments are changed, but there is not really an advancement opportunity unless a new department is being created.
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how to answer the interview question "What if this coworker is not your friend?" I am going to an interview and one question is given to me I don't know how to answer it.What is a strong but positive answer to this question. "What if this coworker is not your friend?" <Q> A professional should be able to work with anyone, whether they consider the other individual a friend or not. <S> Note that they didn't ask about enemy. <S> That would imply either a dysfunctional workspace or a dysfunctional employee, more often the latter,and since I plan to never be the problem, and to try to follow the rule I gave above, anything I can't work past will probably involve management correcting the other party. <A> I am assumming this a a follow up question because you must have said something that made them think you only worked well with friends. <S> Or they may have had a bad hire who could only work with people he liked. <S> It is not a common question however. <S> But if I were looking to answer it based on what I said in the Previous questions, it would go aomething like: <S> I treat everyone the same in the workplace and thus in the situation <S> we just discussed, I would do exactly the same thing if the person were a friend or if they were not. <S> From there you might go on to discuss a particular time when you had to work with someone who was not a friend or who was even someone you personally disliked. <A> I don't need people to be my friends to work well with them. <S> In fact, I have worked well with people whose guts I hate. <S> Assuming that they don't lie to me about work-related matters and I have their cooperation when I need it, that is. <S> Given the choice of working with an incompetent friend and a competent colleague from hell, I'll pick the competent colleague from hell every single time. <S> If I work with an incompetent friend, our friendship may be a casualty of the project <S> and I don't want to take the risk of losing that friendship. <S> If I work with the competent colleague from hell, I have good confidence that the project will be successfully completed. <S> At which point, he just outlived - metaphorically speaking, of course - his usefulness and I will send him flying (without wings) back to where he came from. <S> I don't have to like them. <S> I don't have to love them. <S> What I have to do is work with them until it gets done <S> and it gets done successfully. <S> After which, all bets are off. <S> I'll note that on occasion, I have changed my mind about people I had negative feelings about after seeing them in action. <S> And vice versa. <A> "I prefer to keep my work and personal life separate. <S> I find that it allows us to be the most productive as possible as well as alleviate any issues that might arise from different political/personal beliefs." <S> To impress them further: "Having said that, knowing someone outside of work sometimes allows you to manage them a bit better. <S> Having emotional intelligence is an important part of work because people have to like you if you want to lead. <S> I intend on taking on a managerial role at this company and would rather lead on trust and respect rather than by fear and intimidation. <S> If someone wants to be my friend and open up to me, I wouldn't reject that as long as it was within appropriate boundaries." <A> "What if this coworker is not your friend?" <S> How about this: I've work with many people <S> some of them are not my friend, but I never have any problem that prevent me to work with them.
| I am well able to work with anyone whether they are personal friends or not.
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What to do when included in a chain of funny emails between bosses? At my office we have this culture where there's no such things like 'a wall between manager and staff' or 'strict, polite formalities between co-workers', but it doesn't mean there's no respect here. One of my bosses sent me an email regarding my finished task and cc'ed an other manager and director (all higher-ups in my office). After a while things started getting funny and seemed to get 'out of bounds', because the bosses started to joke around. I (as a staff member) don't have any idea how to interact with them. Should I join the email conversation or simply watch how things go and reply only when prompted to? <Q> The email conversation started with work-related topics and it is probably done using company email addresses. <S> To be safe, consider all usage of company resources to be business related, not private. <S> This includes usage of the company email system, which normally is not allowed to be used for private conversation. <S> If your boss and other people higher up mix work and private topics (like exchanging funny stuff) and use company resources for that, it is their decision. <S> Perhaps they will not get into any trouble doing this (being the boss helps here). <S> But as an employee it is better to be safe than sorry. <A> If you are not comfortable participating, don't participate. <S> You shouldn't be asking us because you are the one best placed to make the determination as to whether you are welcome to participate. <S> I take the view that my bosses are my bosses but they are also fellow professionals. <S> I defer to and respect their rank on work-related and business-related matters - I voice strong dissent with what they ask me to do when I disagree <S> but the deference and respect for rank remain solidly in place. <S> Having said that, I would participate in the joking around if I know enough of the company culture and of the management that my participation is more than welcome. <S> Otherwise, I abstain because my participation may have a chilling effect on their banter. <S> If you are so uncertain that you have to ask a bunch of strangers who have no knowledge of your company culture and who therefore have no way of giving you a definite answer, then the safest course for you is to abstain from participating. <A> Nobody really benefits from email conversations without content, especially when everybody is CC:ing everybody. <S> Before you know it you can't distinguish the serious mails from the clutter, and you spend your working hours cleaning up your mailbox. <S> Let it die down. <A> Another way to look at this is to ask yourself, "What benefit will I receive if my joke is well received?" <S> "What harm will I receive if my joke is poorly received?" <S> Now consider this, Written "humor" is subject to being misunderstood. <S> Written "humor" in email can easily be forwarded to HR and lawyers. <S> Remember the 'e' in email is e for evidence. <S> Save the jokes for your friends outside of the workplace.
| As an employee I would not join the fun.
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Finding job leads for senior technical positions; e.g. management/lead Bottom line: When looking for a “senior-level” job (lower management/senior tech staff), what techniques does one need to use that were not necessary for prior “normal” roles? I’m presently a software development manager and senior engineer/architect at a startup/small business. I’ve worked there for over a dozen years, and being concerned it was time to move on, I started earnestly looking for other job openings. This was a little over a year ago. Having been used to my prior job searches as an “intermediate” or “senior” software developer, I’ve found landing a more senior team-lead/management position a lot tougher. More wasted phone calls with recruiters; many fewer advertised job postings looking for team leads/managers. Networking has been little help, as my peers rarely know of job openings they themselves would pursue (though like me, they constantly seem to have open developer positions). A handful of times I got through the full interview process, only to be told the role was restructured away, or that as impressed as were with me, they were already “top-heavy” with senior people and could not fit me in. Lately I’ve taken a pause, and am considered retooling my approach. A lot of books and career coaches are recommending that higher-level professionals instead focus on building a “personal brand.” These involve entirely different activities – getting involved in organizations, starting a blog, contributing to open-source projects. Fun stuff, and much more professionally useful than answering job ads and hassling recruiters. The trouble is, these add up to heavy commitments on top of my regular 50-60 hour weeks, and might not result in job leads for years . So how do other people in this position actually get leads? Can anyone else who has successfully engineered a move at a more senior position recommend the proper direction to take? At this point, I’m very concerned about properly using what little free time I have, and making sure my plan will result in something within months, not years. <Q> When looking for a “senior-level” job (lower management/senior tech staff), what techniques does one need to use that were not necessary for prior “normal” roles? <S> None. <S> Honestly, I have done a job search for team lead roles the same as I did when I was a developer. <S> There are fewer job postings of course because companies only need 1 team lead per X developers. <S> The other thing you might be running into is that "Senior Software Engineer" is not really a leadership role these days (at least in my locale). <S> It's a bit of title bloat to emphasize that the company needs a skilled programmer, not someone who can copy/paste stuff until it works. <S> And another problem is that not all companies mix the tech and management paths. <S> Many have distinct managers (who do people leadership) and architects (who do technical leadership). <S> For me, that meant 3 searches/resumes to target each possible role/path for my career. <S> Sure, personal branding sort of ideas are good. <S> If you have a popular blog, that's great. <S> If your SE account has many good answers, that's great. <S> If I saw you give a compelling talk at a conference, cool. <S> But those are largely gravy, and still applicable to run of the mill programmers these days. <S> So while it's maybe not the answer you were looking for, I'd recommend continuing along the usual way: work <S> /expand your network, search job postings, send out feelers for good local companies, be pleasant, be patient, and be persistent. <A> Those activities are a way to get others to know you and be more apt to want to work with you. <S> You do this every day with people at your current job. <S> I'm sure people have left and gone to work for other places. <S> Dust off your contact list and reach out to some of them. <S> Networking is hard but every job I've gotten out of college has been because of my talent and because of the people I know there. <S> Most employers like it when you have worked with somebody they like at their company. <S> This makes the hiring process less scary / expensive for everybody. <S> If you want to do any of those other things, do it with more than just a new job in mind. <S> If you can take some time at night to learn a new skill, use that as your motivation. <S> This will help you from being discouraged if the new job doesn't come out of it. <S> Additionally it may open up a new position within your current company that wasn't available to you before. <S> Also keep in mind that job hunting sucks. <S> It can take days and it can take years. <S> Just stay positive. <A> The only potential issue I see is that you mention interviewers claiming they're top-heavy. <S> It's possible that you're applying for the wrong profile and the interviewers realise that you're looking for a team lead or management position instead of a senior technical position (as Telastyn mentions ). <S> It's also possible that you were just given a standard excuse when they decided not to extend an offer. <S> From how you describe your search, it seems like there isn't anything you should be changing. <S> You are getting interviews and seem to be in the final candidate pool quite a few times. <S> A good question would be a variation on "May I ask what convinced you about the top candidate's profile?" or "What would I have needed to be a better fit for this position?". <S> Not all interviewers are comfortable giving candid feedback <S> but if you make it clear that you're not looking to argue their decision you could get some useful input. <S> Finally, a note about "personal branding". <S> I could fill volumes on how this is just another gimmick advocated by people with little experience with actual hiring <S> but I'll let Alison Green do it for me <S> ( the full article is worth reading ): <S> As for personal branding more broadly, that’s a perversion of the concept of reputation. <S> Reputation matters a great deal, but it’s not created by a three-page website with little content; it’s created by doing great work and operating with integrity and generosity. <S> Of course, that’s not a concept that the personal-branding evangelists — who are looking for something to hawk in an already overcrowded marketplace — can make money off of, so they’ve turned to gimmicky concepts of “branding” instead. <S> TL;DR: <S> You get interviews by having a strong profile and cover letter. <S> Gimmicks get you hired by people who don't know how to hire well.
| The key here is who you know. The one point of advice I would give is to politely ask for feedback if you're rejected. You get hired by finding positions and companies that fit you profile and experience, demonstrating competency and having a good track record backed up by solid references.
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Whether to politely decline a sentimental gesture? I've taken on a wide enough variety of projects my manager has joked that "Jack-of-all-trades engineer" would be a good title for me. Yesterday our head of HR called me in to discuss moving from temporary to permanent. She said that they are looking to create a position that would encompass my roles in the organization. She said that they are not ready to offer me a position yet but would send me a letter stating that they intend to make me an offer once an appropriate permanent position becomes available. After the fact I realized that this letter does not seem to add any value for me. Their intentions are made clear from our conversation and so far as I know the letter would not be binding in any way. Should I go back to HR and let them know that the gesture is unnecessary or let them go to the effort of following through? Is there some possible value to this gesture that I'm not seeing? <Q> They apparently feel it's worth doing <S> and there is clearly no harm in it for you. <A> I don't know if I'd consider that a "sentimental gesture". <S> They're writing you a letter of intent, more or less. <S> Sure, it's not 100% binding, but it's more than a company would usually do. <S> There's a few practical issues as well: <S> It's in your record, both for future promotions <S> (you're an employee who is valued enough that they did this), and as protection if needed (you can't be too terrible an employee if they pre-offered you a job). <S> Depending on your office politics, they may be positioning this as a "see, we did something nice for you!" gesture. <S> But you seem to recognize it for what it is, so you're not going to take this nice letter in lieu of a raise. <S> :) <S> If you decline it, it's sending a signal that you're not interested in a full-time position with them - which may trigger other actions from them. <S> (Namely, you may be taking yourself out of consideration for future jobs at that company, since they'll assume that you're on your way out the door). <S> So, my advice is thank them nicely, take the letter (and file it), and then go about your day. <A> I think you are over thinking this -- most likely the letter is nothing more than a way to get it into their system. <S> Once the letter has been created, they can add followup tasks and due dates, approvals and whatever else is involved. <S> It's just part of their workflow. <S> In other words, the letter isn't about you and showing appreciation, it is part of the process to hire you.
| You should simply say "thanks" and accept the letter. Declining may potentially offend someone.
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As an intern, how do I deal with a supervisor who's not always there? I'm working as an intern in a software development role. My supervisor is working on systems or something similar, and is always busy. I never get to really see them. I mainly report my progress using demos/pictures of my work. How do I actually build up a relationship with my supervisor and get on his good side? It feels like we're getting off to a pretty bad start as everytime I try to go see them, they're not there. <Q> Basically, you make his life easier. <S> To extend on that, he has some very intensive work that is consuming his focus. <S> This will also very likely lift some of his time burden, which will give him enough time to actually engage you in normal sociable terms. <A> Ask your supervisor to have lunch with you. <S> Let him/ <S> her know <S> you understand they are really busy, but that you would like to get to know them a little better and hear about some of the other projects going on in the company. <S> What's the worst that can happen with a request like this? <S> Even if it takes a while to get on the calendar, it's hard to imagine anyone too busy for something like this. <A> The priority is to have ONE meeting with your supervisor to talk about this issue. <S> Make it happen. <S> Insist on the fact that this is really important and will make both of your jobs easier in the future. <S> During this meeting, you'll want to discuss two topics : How to interact with him : tell him <S> you know he's a very busy man, and you'd rather find an efficient way to communicate rather than bothering him at random times. <S> This can be a daily five minutes stand-up meeting, a weekly presentation associated with a progress recap email every evening... What to do when you can't interact with him : him being busy doesn't change the fact that you're an intern, and thus need to be closely managed and taught. <S> If he can't do that himself, have him introduce you to the people you can turn to about technical difficulties or whatever. <S> Anyway, don't forget that as your supervisor he's expected to make time for you. <S> You're not a developer yet <S> , there's a lot you have to learn, and him making efforts to help you improve is beneficial for both of you. <S> Don't feel guilty for requiring attention or see yourself as a burden. <S> Well let's face it, you most likely are a burden at the time. <S> But one he signed up for :)
| You can build rapport with your boss by alleviating the minor, time consuming tasks that you are capable of handling without being asked (in addition to your normal workload), which saves him time, and as long as it is apparent that this is due to your work (without bragging overtly), then he will like you. Offer to meet him at lunch time, to stay a bit later one evening...
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How to use time productively in lunch and breaks I was wondering if anyone had any advice or tips on how to use the time productively during lunch and breaks. I'm generally just browsing the web or working on some projects but never manage to get anywhere. Is there anything that you guys do that generates result both in terms of career development and getting work done. Also how do you keep doing it or stay motivated as I tried learning new things or following tutorials but started drifting off again. <Q> The brain needs rest. <S> The vast majority of people simply can't operate at a high level for 8-10 hours straight. <S> The best thing you can do during breaks is to actually rest up. <S> You'll be more productive and feel better. <S> A good thing to do for "career development" is to socialize. <S> Being liked and knowing your coworkers, bosses, etc. is important for career growth. <S> You might learn a new skill if you just stay at your desk all day and then get passed up for promotion because your co-worker has been actively engaged with the team and making a name for themselves. <S> Edit: Just saw your other questions about being an intern. <S> Definitely walk around and talk to people. <S> That kind of experience you can only get at work. <S> You can pick up skills on the internet any time. <A> A short break can increase your productivity afterwards. <S> If you're really in the middle of something, hot on the trail of a bug, in the groove and cranking the code, or whatever, skip the break. <S> The point of a break is to give you a chance to catch your breath and relax a bit. <S> If that would help, catch your breath and relax a bit. <S> If not, just keep going. <S> Trying to cram some other deliberate activity into a short break defeats the purpose, and probably doesn't give you enough focus time on the activity to do much meaningful. <A> You don't have to "sit still" to take a break. <S> It just requires that you do something that isn't programming. <S> When the weather is nice <S> I like to walk as I have lunch. <S> The physical exercise leaves me with a lot more mental energy when I return. <S> It especially helps if I have been banging my head against a problem for a while; often I come back with some very good ideas on how to tackle it. <S> If the weather is bad, listen to music. <S> Read a good book. <S> If you don't have a lunch room or don't want to go, eat at your desk. <S> If you are worried about how it "looks" for you to be at your desk "goofing off" you might bring a large and visible lunch timer so that people know when you are taking lunch (I had to do that at one job when I found out that people were reporting me). <S> If you feel you absolutely must keep grinding away even during your lunch break, try something unrelated to your normal work flow. <S> I like to browse through www.stackexchange.com for interesting technical issues. <S> I learn a lot from the answers and sometimes I can score a few points :) <S> Like you, I have a tendency to get bored by tutorials. <S> I need actual projects to keep me interested. <S> Work on some kind of pet application for your own use <S> (My latest project is an application to import my personal credit card and banking information into an Access database and output budgeting information). <S> Start a lunch club with coworkers where you share knowledge or work on a communal project over lunch. <A> Get out of the office. <S> If you have any errands to run like buying some shampoo, a new book that came out or anything like that <S> why not go do it? <S> You'll buy yourself more free time after work by getting something productive done. <S> The weather has been nice <S> so I've been eating my lunch in the park lately and then reading a book for the rest of the hour when I don't have any errands. <S> Studying work-related topics is a noble pursuit, but you may find that you can get a lot more done with a bit of a mental break and some fresh air mixed in and not be down any productivity overall. <S> For a shorter 15-minute break take a walk around the block to clear your head.
| During lunch and breaks, eat lunch and take a break. As an intern you can learn a lot about other projects, new technologies, and how companies/teams operate by being more engaged in your team.
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Should I invest into upgrading my work computer? At work I develop iOS applications on a late 2012 Mac Mini. With it's 4GB of RAM the computer has gotten progressively more laggy over time, particularly after I upgraded the operating system to OS X Yosemite. I have suggested a memory upgrade to my boss but it's being delayed for various bureaucratic reasons. One of them is the fact that the memory will have to be ordered from abroad. My boss is adamant that buying on eBay is risky, despite the fact that there is a money back guarantee. It's not worth purchasing from local Apple representatives because they are ripping us off. They are charging four times the eBay price, asking for a 50% downpayment and what's more telling us it will take 2-3 weeks. Right now I have a big project on my hands and I'm expected to deliver it in October. The fact that the iPhone simulator sometimes takes 5 minutes to startup up isn't helping me much. Is it worth buying the memory myself? And would any of you have chosen this alternative? Apart from the productivity gains, I am thinking that it could still serve me if I'm changing jobs. I could use it to upgrade a laptop computer for example (I don't own a laptop right now). <Q> Short answer: <S> You should not be required to upgrade work equipment at your own expense. <S> Make a better case to your boss as to why you need it, and if it's convincing they will do it. <S> If it's that important, the extra dollars from your local Apple representative will be more than covered by the extra productivity lost in time waiting for something to arrive from overseas. <S> Remember, <S> it's their deadlines, if they see enough of a business impact by poor hardware specifications, they will break through the red tape. <A> In many companies it is forbidden because it can void the warranty (and companies usually pay extra for warranty) and if anything breaks it is your responsibility <S> and you can loose your job. <S> Show your manager how you are working at this time and explain clearly that this is putting the project at risk so he needs to make a decision whether to: <S> Buy <S> expensive locally Buy on the web Delay <S> the finish date Reduce the content of the project <A> Never do your own upgrade on a work computer, hardware or software. <S> The following list only begins to show why it's a bad idea: <S> You may invalidate any support contract or warranty that your company has You may violate company security laws by simply opening the casing of the computer <S> You are leaving yourself responsible if this vital computer breaks down during this project <S> You are risking the company by installing unsanctioned hardware ( <S> what about third party spyware etc) <S> What do you do if the boss decides you do need a faster computer and trades it in without your knowledge? <S> What do you do if you get fired ("excuse me security man <S> , can you let me go whilst I open this work resource to get my memory back, it really is mine") <S> Etc. <S> What you do is get some metrics on how long this is holding you up for each day <S> , how much that will cost the company, and the long term effect on delivery of your project. <S> Prepare a report and make sure you have a record of sending it to your boss. <S> From this it should be a no-brainer for your boss to sanction more memory (or a better computer), even from the expensive local company. <S> If he reads that and still says no, then you have a bigger problem than just a slow computer, so keep delivering as best you can, but start looking for something new.
| If you are not certified to replace hardware you may stop an insurance pay out if the machine fails. You should never bring your own hardware upgrades to company owned hardware unless you get a written permission.
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Resignation same day as boss leaves So I accepted an offer and need to give my two weeks notice, the thing is my boss' last day is tomorrow. What are the pros and cons of telling him tomorrow or waiting until next Tuesday (we are closed Friday-Monday)? <Q> Short answer: <S> You should inform them as soon as you can, so that they can prepare looking for a replacement <S> and so you can perform a directed handover of anything you have been working on. <S> From your comments, you are worried about the effect on the team's morale. <S> Honestly, it won't make any difference whether you do it tomorrow or Tuesday from that perspective. <A> Your boss's departure should not matter for you. <S> You should hand in your resignation in a timely manner. <S> It is in your interest to make sure no periods are violated and in the employers interest so they can plan accordingly. <S> However, when you hand it in the day your boss leaves, it is possible that he doesn't find time to process it. <S> Your resignation could then get misplaced during the responsibility transfer to the new boss. <S> His replacement will need some time to get into their new job and might simply miss it. <S> So I would recommend you to CC it to the next higher person in the company hierarchy and to the new boss (when you know who they are) to make sure it gets processed. <A> Inform your employers straight away - it's nothing personal, it's just business. <S> The way I approach questions like this in my career is to think "how would the company act if the shoe was on the other foot". <S> For example, if they planned to lay you off to cut costs would they do it tomorrow or decide "lets wait until the new guy is in and then have him do it".
| You should inform your current employer as soon as is practicable. If you know you are leaving the organisation (with a set start date for your new role), then your boss's departure date is largely irrelevant.
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Should I report a violation of company workplace policy if the manager already knows about it but do nothing? A colleague in the same team spends most of his time (if not all) conducting private business activities through company’s electronic communication systems or his own cell phone during regular working hours dedicated to company. Usually he comes in office at 9am and leaves at 10am for hours then show up again in the afternoon around 2pm or 3pm. Not mention sometimes doesn't appear for the whole day at all (there is no need for us to work outside the office). Even when he is in the office at his desk, it doesn't seem he is doing company's job - surfing internet about his own business and making/receiving a lot of phone calls which are not work related. It has been like that for almost 3 months. This is definitely against company's policy and I think it's unfair to other team members because we are in the same team and have to share more workload on the projects. However, it seems that our direct team manager knows what he is doing as I overheard they were talking about his private business sometimes - I sit just next to him, but the manager doesn't do anything and even covers him by assigning him less jobs. They are in very good personal relationship though as what I know. Should I report to higher level management or HR in this case? If yes, what and how should I do? Should I only report my colleague's misbehavior or together with my manager's irresponsibility? Would people think I am a snitch if I do so? <Q> Hmm. <S> Tricky one. <S> You don't want in any way to imply that your manager does not know what is happening or cannot see that the coworker is doing what he is doing. <S> There may be circumstances in which your manager and/or HR know about this and due to reasons that are not disclosed to you cannot do anything about it <S> (medical reasons come to mind first). <S> If you feel this could be helpful express your concern to the manager in a 1:1 setting, in a non-threatening/non-confruntational way. <S> At the end of the day, do the job you are paid for and make sure that the amount of work that is assigned to you is fair/doable/manageable. <S> (with or without a slacker as a coworker you should definitely speak up if you think that the amount of work you are given is unreasonable - cannot be done in the given time). <A> Should I report to higher level management or HR in this case? <S> No. <S> The individual doesn't report to you. <S> And you indicate that your common manager knows of this individual's action. <S> So no, it's not your role to report on the misbehavior of others. <S> Just focus on your own work and let your manager be responsible for the actions of his department. <S> Managers need to get the work done, so if this individual's actions prevent the department from getting things done, the manager and the individual will have to deal with it. <S> These things have a way of catching up with the people involved. <S> Make sure you don't cover up for this individual or for the manager. <S> If someone asks where he is between 10 and 2, just say that you don't know. <S> Or if you saw the individual leave the office, just indicate what you actually saw happen. <S> Would people think I am a snitch if I do so? <S> Yes, of course. <S> What you are considering is pretty much the definition of a "snitch". <A> This is not really the type of violation you go to HR with. <S> The worker is not productive and the manager does not seem to care. <S> It is not like a breach of a security policy. <S> Going to HR would be calling out the worker and manager (who is also your manager). <S> There are a lot of ways that could go poorly for you. <S> You can't just report your colleague without reporting your manager as the first thing they will ask <S> is <S> did you take this up with your manager. <A> Maybe he has a smaller contract, like 6 hours a day or less, so he can work on other own projects the rest of the time. <S> Or him beeing away is at customers. <S> You don't know <S> and as long as the manager knows about it, all is fine. <S> Unless you want to report the manager for not doing his job properly. ;-)
| You can take it up with your manager but you already said the manager is aware. It's not your job to assess if this guy is doing his job and/or is violating any policies.
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How to deal with, or what to say, when team member always says "I Have already explained this to you" I am a software engineer of 8+ years of experience and joined a company 5 months back. Recently, one new project was assigned to me, and my reporting manager has asked one of my team members to give Knowledge Transfer (KT) to me as he has been in this project for more than 3 years. I am facing challenges with him while getting KT. He feels that when he gives KT to me about any functionality, 100% of that should have been grasped by me. If I ask any question to him later he tells me that I have already explained that to you. How should I deal with him? Should I escalate this issue to reporting manager, or just say "even if you have explained it to me, grasping it 100% is not practically feasible". <Q> Start by being patient. <S> Explain to him that there's a lot to take in, so you're probably not going to grasp all the details immediately, and you're going to need him to go over some of the knowledge from time to time. <S> Add that it's better that you learn this stuff well, and make sure that you've got it right, than have <S> him just deliver one presentation, expect you to immediately learn and understand everything, and then have you make mistakes. <S> On the other hand, also try to reduce how much you need to ask him by writing down as many of the details as you can when he's transferring knowledge. <S> Hopefully this will help you remember things, but more importantly, you have the details written down somewhere which means you can consult that source of knowledge, rather than your colleague. <S> His expectations of instant understanding are unrealistic, but there's little to be gained from direct confrontation, so if you explain what you need to know, and point out that it'll improve the quality of your work if he tells you this - plus you make an effort to write it down - then he can't have so many reasons to grumble. <A> He feels like when he gives KT to me about any functionality then 100% of that should have been grasped by me. <S> Well, that is the point of communication, <S> yeah? <S> The thing that I've seen happen quite a bit in knowledge transfers is that people think it is a one way dump of information. <S> And unsurprisingly, that goes really badly . <S> The point of a knowledge transfer, and communication in general is understanding . <S> Having the person explain it to you is only half of the job. <S> Your part of the job is to ask questions and otherwise communicate until you have sufficient understanding of what they're trying to tell you. <S> Writing down notes isn't going to make you understand what you've written any more. <S> Saying "oh, this will make more sense when I see other parts" is a dangerous guess, since you don't know about the other parts. <S> At the very least, you need to make the other person understand when you're not 100% clear on things (and why). <S> They can then try to elaborate, or move on to some topic that should help your understanding. <S> And they can be prepared for follow up questions later. <S> Should I escalate this issue to reporting manager, or just say "even if you have explained it to me, grasping it 100% is not practically feasible"? <S> During your 1:1 with your manager (which you have, since it's the #1 thing for managers to do, right?) <S> I would bring it up. <S> They might have solid advice about how to deal with the other engineer. <S> "Escalation" seems premature, since your first step should be to try to work through problems yourself. <S> Sure, perfect knowledge transfer is a pipe dream, but if you're asking enough repeat questions for this to be a problem, the problem probably lies outside of the inherent inefficiency in knowledge transfers. <A> Some people are just awful at explaining things, or may refuse to do it right because of other factors. <S> When that happens, it means you need to take control of the knowledge transfer process. <S> One way to do this is to take extensive notes and frequently stop the discussion as needed to get clarification and go through realistic examples. <S> The main idea is to NOT to proceed to the next topic until you fully understand what has just been explained. <S> You'll need to periodically test your understanding by actually performing some tasks with guidance of the instructor. <S> Many times when people explain things, students tend to nod their heads like they understand <S> but really they're tuning out thinking that they'll be able to reproduce the knowledge later. <S> A good teacher will notice this, stop, and use the "Socratic method", engaging the student with questions to challenge and strengthen their understanding. <S> People who can't teach, just expect that everything is being absorbed and then get surprised when they see the student failed to grasp some key concept. <S> If you have an unwilling or unskilled teacher, you just need to take responsibility for making sure everything is captured. <S> The trade-off here is time. <S> This means that the instructor can't just drone on and on without stopping. <S> You have to stop him before he moves on to each new topic. <A> Explaining the same thing multiple times is quite annoying, especially if the person you explain it to acts like its the first time they heard about it before. <S> It would probably help you a lot if you acknowledge in advance that he might have already told you but that you didn't fully grasp it fully the first time round. <S> Also try to make sure you don't ask too many things that you could find out yourself from looking through the code <S> (it will take you a bit longer, but your more likely to retain the information). <A> Well, your collegue seems to have a problem here. <S> His job isn't to explain it to you, but to transfer his knowledge to you, and until that knowledge is transferred, his job isn't done. <S> (And it doesn't matter whether you understand as quickly as you should do or not. <S> His job is to transfer that knowledge). <S> If he doesn't agree with this, he can of course refuse to give any further explanation. <S> Which is something that his boss should know about. <S> If the answer is "No", you ask "so you refuse to explain this? ". <S> At that point it becomes a refusal to do his job.
| So if he says "I explained this already", the reply is a polite "could you explain it again, because I didn't understand all of it".
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How to approach a company for full time application when they have rejected the internship application before? I believe it is a pretty common situation students face in the job market. Last semester, I applied to a dozen of companies for internships. I got a few offers, and currently spending this summer at one of those offers. But, I wish I could have got into one of the companies I missed. Now, I will be graduating in upcoming fall semester and need to start looking for full-time offers. Will my not-so-good performance in internship interviews lead to an outright rejection (not even interview is offered) for full time positions? If there is slightest possibility of this happening, how can I go about explaining my potentials and earn atleast interviews? How can I make sure that the companies judge me only by the full-time interview performance? EDIT (Additional Clarifications): My university's fall career fair begins a little more than 5 months later the latest of those rejections. Will it be too early to apply for full time? Will it be justified to contact the HR managers to figure out what went wrong? Shall I register with another email account on those job portals cause I am afraid they may still have my data. <Q> Did you find out why you didn't do well? <S> If so, address it at your cover letter. <S> "I had an interviewed here with ________ for an internship last semester, unfortunately, I feel I wasn't doing my best because ________ and it might not have met your satisfaction. <S> Since then, I have ___________ to improve my ________ ." <S> Most likely, they wouldn't even know you applied. <S> Most companies policy is that, they will keep the candidate on file for 6 months. <S> So if you really did that poorly, just don't mention it and forget you ever applied. <A> It would depend on each company, but most likely not. <S> Internships are a different role, and thus a completely different selection process. <S> In a well-run internship program, applicants' interests and backgrounds are considered, especially with regards to whether or not the internship program seems to "match up" to the applicants' interests. <S> Employment is a different mindset. <S> Employers are looking for applicants' skills and experience matching and being sufficient to their needs. <S> Not being selected for an internship should not have any effect on an employment application. <S> Again, though, each company is different. <A> I agree with Wesley Long's answer about internship and employment being likely two different recruitment processes, and thus not being accepted as an intern not killing your chances for a job. <S> It's at least worth trying. <S> However I'd like to answer the last paragraph of your question. <S> Registering with a different email adress hoping they won't connect the dots is a terrible idea. <S> If they find out - and they are very likely to - your chances are blown. <S> Do not ever lie to or try to hide something from a recruiter, that's the best and possibly only way to make absolutely sure you don't get a job. <S> Instead, bring it up yourself, and insist on how you improved in the past months. <A> Internship application having been rejected is almost irrelevant. <S> That was a different job. <S> Your not having been the best candidate for that says little or nothing about this time. <S> If you'd been an intern there, that might or might not count in your favor depending on how the internship went. <S> You weren't, so it's a non-datum. <S> No need to mention it unless you think "I really wanted to intern with you <S> but you didn't have a slot for me <S> " might show enthusiasm for the company. <A> The hiring managers for each position make choices based on their own criteria and needs. <S> What made you not get offered the internship may only be something that particular manager was not interested in, but it just might be the thing that makes a differnt manager interested. <S> I would doubt that anyone will even notice you applied for and got rejected for an internship unless you did something so massively stupid that people still remember it <S> (I am talking about things like showing up to the interview drunk out of your mind and naked type things, not misanswering a few questions). <S> You are not the same person who applied for the internship. <S> YOu now have work experience from your current internship, you have new skills hopefully or more depth in the skills you had then. <S> This is true even with experienced employees. <S> JUst <S> because you weren't right for job a 2 years ago <S> may not say anything about your qualificatiosn for job B today. <S> Again, the only times I know of perople automatically being excluded based on a past interview were when they behaved inappropraitely. <S> That doesn't mean you will get an interview, just that they are likely to judge you using the criteria they are using for everyone. <S> Don't bother to ask HR for feeback on your old interview. <S> They are more than likely not allowed to give it to you and asking will make them more likely to notice you negatively. <A> WesleyLong and ero are right. <S> In my company I usually interview internship candidates but nobody would ever dreamm of asking me to interview full-time candidates as they are two totally separate processes. <S> To ask HR for feedback would be a waste of time as:- <S> a) <S> it'll make you seem weird. <S> You interviewed for an internshio not CEO!b) <S> you'll likely be interviewed by a totally different set of people.c) and most importantly. <S> You've had the benefit of an internship at another company and should focus on explaining how this has benefited you and what skills you've acquired rather than dwelling on the past. <S> T
| You more than likely were turned down because they were "full" in their internship program already, or your apparent interests didn't line up with what they had to offer. Make them curious enough about how you changed and fight for your job in the following interview.
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How to refuse work task solicitation I have been a programmer for a long time now and have gainned experience and knowledge over years of studies. Working in the field of computer also made me a source of knowledge for basic tasks (simple problems resolution, OS configuration ...) My issue is that I'm often solicited by family, friends or acquaintances to do tasks that are trivial for me, but sometime hard or impossible for them. When it is family I normally just do it and it doesn't bother me much as it stay really simple and they are kind about it. But with others, I'm sometime being ask to do tasks that are part of their job but for which they are lacking technical skills. For example last time, a friend had a problem with his enterprise main website and solving the issue took us about half an hour where I had to dive into his code. I often give a hand because I like to help and to face challenge. But it's really annoy me as I feel like some of them are just using me. How can I draw a line and tell them that their task is kind of what I do for living and should not be something they can ask me to do simply for help ? It feel like the situation with graphic designers, where they are asking "hey could you do a logo for me, it won't get you too long". And I don't really know how to deal with it. Note: I don't want to ask them for a compensation or anything, I just don't want them to ask me for these kind of help. <Q> There are a couple of strategies to use for this. <S> When it is someone outside of my closest circle I will often ask "What's in it for me?" in a joking way. <S> Often people will offer me things other than cash that I appreciate, like help with moving, fresh baking, babysitting, etc. <S> If you would just rather the requests stop then <A> But with others, I'm sometime being ask to do tasks that are part of their job but for which they are lacking technical skills. <S> Ask what have they done to solve the problem so far. <S> Lot of times, people can troubleshoot their own problem and learn in the process. <S> If your friend attempted to find a solution and was unsuccessful, then offer your time to help <A> I may do discounted work for friends, or do simple things for free, or arrange a trade -- but that's a gift <S> I'm giving them, and the discount is off full cost at consulting rates. <S> Nobody is ever entitled to demand a gift or dictate its size. <S> If they aren't satisfied with what I offer, they are welcome to go elsewhere. <S> "I'm sorry, I really don't have the time." <S> End of discussion unless they offer to make it worth your time. <S> "No" is a perfectly legitimate word.
| People are less likely to ask again if you only commit to help them weeks in the future. either politely say no or if you are uncomfortable doing that make them your bottom priority.
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Does an internal move contribute towards the perception of "job hopping" I have been with my employer for almost 3 years now, but I have only been in my current team for 8 months. Although I love my colleagues and I enjoy the work, apart from a few business-related hiccups, I have two interviews lined up elsewhere; I'd be working with similar technologies but for a higher salary, and I feel that I'd find the projects more interesting. Both would also provide an opportunity to hone my skills in a new environment. If I were to leave my current company, how would this be interpreted from my CV? Would it appear that I've been at the same company for 3 years, or that I've only been in my last team for 8 months, rendering me a so-called "job hopper"? <Q> If I were to leave my current company, how would this be interpreted from my CV? <S> Would it appear that I've been at the same company for 3 years, or that I've only been in my last team for 8 months, rendering me a so-called "job hopper"? <S> It depends on how you frame it in your CV. <S> You can tailor your CV to give that impression too, which will help with the perception. <A> Best way to combat this is don't separate out the different internal roles explicitly. <S> Just have two sub sections inside the job. <S> This way nobody forgets that it was still the same company. <A> Internal job move is often called internal job transfer. <S> There are all kinds of internal job transfers. <S> Sometimes, it's not by your own will. <S> Sometimes, the salary increase is only minimum. <S> Sometimes, the salary increase is only due to location change. <S> Sometimes, it's caused by re-organization within the company, thus no salary change. <S> etc. <S> Of course, many job transfers are initiated by employees. <S> Internal job move (transfer) is hardly considered job hopping. <S> You are still working for the same company. <S> People external to your company cannot tell from your CV if you frame your CV properly. <S> However, people in your company would have some idea when reading your CV. <S> They may consider frequent transfers as job hopping. <S> You need to be aware of this.
| Generally, shifting within a company (especially for similar roles) isn't seen as job-hopping, since you're not being disloyal or anything by doing that.
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What is the rational answer of the interview last question? I always hear that "do you have any question" when the intervew are going to end. Actually, I want to know what should I do for best?What is the best answer actually? update I have seperate 2 stage. 1.During Phone screen Interview. 2.F2F interview. <Q> This is where YOU interview THEM . <S> You ask what you want to know about the company. <S> Things I usually want to know: What do you (the interviewer) like the most about working here? <S> Is the decision-making style in this group a ground-up or top-down approach? <S> Why is this position available? <S> If it's replacing someone, ask why they left (they got promoted is the best answer). <S> If it's a new position, ask how many new positions have been created in this department in the last 3 years. <S> It will let you know if this is an "experiment" in hiring you or if this is part of a long-term growth trend. <S> What are your performance metrics for this position? <S> Deliverables? <S> What would you hope I would accomplish in the first 90 days? <S> The first 180? <S> Again, this is where YOU get to find out what YOU want to know about THEM. <S> Don't waste it. <A> There is no best answer. <S> The vast majority of the time, people are really just interested to know if you have any questions. <S> Normally, if the interview is going well, you'll have the opportunity to ask your questions at the appropriate point in the interview. <S> If you get to the end of the interview and you still have questions that you haven't had a chance to ask, either because they didn't come up or you didn't think of them at the time or because you didn't have a chance before the interviewer moved on <S> , that's the time to ask them. <S> Otherwise, it's perfectly fine to say that you don't have any questions. <S> Now if you're going through the entire interview without asking any questions of your own, that would often be concerning since it often implies that you're not particularly engaged or that you don't care much about the position. <S> If you've had a good back-and-forth conversation throughout the rest of the interview, there is no need to force yourself to ask something at the end. <A> Short answer: Ask what you want to know! <S> Ask what you want to know about the company, hours, after hours activities, social club, anything <S> you want to know that would influence your decision to take the job. <S> Remember, an interview is for both of you to decide if it is a good fit. <S> You want to see if there are any factors that would make it a good or poor working environment. <S> Don't ask contrived questions, think beforehand and know what interests you about the place you will be spending many hours a day for the forseeable future :) <S> [Edit] Wesley's and my answers are somewhat complementary. <S> Wesley focuses on the work related issues where as mine on the social aspects of the work environment. <S> Both of these are very important aspects of taking on a job and being happy! <A> and that really matters to you? <S> " If the interviewer answers by mentioning a topic or a skills set or work experience that we did not cover in the interview, I make sure to cover that ground before the interview is officially over. <S> My question is designed to make sure that I did not miss discussing anything that is of critical importance to the interviewer. <A> We ask this question to give you a chance to show you have done more than just glance at our website. <S> Wesley Long's list of questions is great - ask about the things that matter to you (if you were completely satisfied with your current situation, you wouldn't be looking for something else to do, right?) <S> Please, please, have something to ask. <S> Having nothing at this point in the interview causes us to believe you really don't know anything about us, and that you don't care about knowing anything, either. <S> Honestly, don't ask about salary or benefits. <S> Many interviewers are not in a position to discuss those. <S> The recruiter/HR rep will be the best person for those topics, and you'll get to discuss them freely with them at the time an offer is made. <S> But do ask about culture, challenges, etc. <S> Do they really like working there? <S> Is there anything in their body language, or inflections of voice when they are talking about company culture? <S> EDIT: <S> One question to <S> not ask: Is there anything I could have done better in this interview to make you more apt to give me an offer? <S> (True story, the candidate assumed he had failed before he even stood up. <S> He hadn't, until then.)
| The one exception that is acceptable is to respond that all of the questions you brought with you have already been answered during the course of the interview, or beforehand by your primary contact. The question I prefer to ask is "What did those who were most successful in this position do that you really like We are hoping you will ask questions that show you want know about our business (or the type of work we do), or that show you have experience in our craft and are aware of some of the common challenges we face and how we address them. For example, if the interviewer asks about your availability for after hours support, that would probably be an opportune time to ask about how they manage that and how big a commitment that would be.
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How to handle mistakes during internship? I am into my second month of my internship, however, over the past few weeks, I have been making numerous mistakes (overlooking to print certain materials and as a result having to deliver it immediately to the training venue, misunderstanding instructions resulting in my co-worker having to clear up the mess, discarding documents that were actually not supposed to go into the bin!). All of these happen due to my carelessness and my failure to clarify, and while they reflect extremely badly on me, they have also definitely reduced my supervisor's, colleagues' confidence of my abilities, as well as resulted in unwanted consequences for others. While I try to prevent these mistakes by putting in informal checks (e.g. checklists, getting my co-worker to help to double-check), it seems that these incidents have been happening so frequently, that day after day I go to work with a heavy heart, fearing that something would happen again. I find it difficult to get over these incidents, and I spend days brooding over these mistakes. I try to be as meticulous as I can, but I am really frustrated as these incidents occur again and again. While I take responsibility for my mistakes and fess up to my boss first before she even finds out, at this point of time, I'm afraid all the apologies and 'I will definitely be more careful and make sure that I clarify first' might have appeared to be 'talk only' to my colleagues. As much as difficult as it is, how can I regain my colleagues' trust and do well in my internship? <Q> First of all, you are probably being too hard on yourself. <S> I think most reasonable people will allow somebody time to bed in and find their feet in a new role - particularly when that person is new to the workplace and the industry that company moves in. <S> (It's a different ball game if you have 10 years under your belt and are coming in to a senior role) <S> In terms of the mistakes you are making, the first thing you can do is hold your hand up and acknowledge when you've slipped up. <S> People will respect you for it much more than if they find out you've done something wrong and said nothing/tried to cover up/tried to pin it on a co-worker. <S> Next, do everything you can to help make things right. <S> Be tenacious about seeing it right through to the end. <S> Work a few extra hours if you have to. <S> This shows commitment a willingness to take responsibility for fixing the issue. <S> Both of these things will make people more accommodating and less quick to anger because you aren't leaving it to other people to resolve the problem. <S> Finally, you are doing the right thing in trying to put your own checks in place. <S> (Maybe for every job list each deliverable and check them all off). <S> Slow down - my grandfather used to say "measure twice, cut once". <S> Apply this to your day to day role. <A> Short answer: Take accountability and try to improve. <S> Long answer: <S> Good co-workers will appreciate that you are honest with yourself and your mistakes. <S> If you show you are willing to learn, people will be a lot more willing to keep you around. <S> I would also examine your processes. <S> Why do the same mistakes keep having over and over again? <S> I think it would be worthwhile if you could slow down and improve quality. <S> Lastly, don't be too hard on yourself. <S> Realize that you are an intern, and everyone makes mistakes. <S> Try to stay positive and work hard to improve yourself. <S> Every employee goes through rough times. <S> The true measure of strength is working through times of adversity. <A> I think the most important thing to do is to schedule a meeting with your manager. <S> Don't let unspoken words jeopardize your relationship with colleagues and management. <S> Don't just apologize as this comes off as purely an error on your behalf and may lead to termination. <S> Sometimes perception can be a killer. <S> Make the meeting a discussion about the position and why you are having these issues. <S> Being a manager myself and reading between the lines of what you wrote it seems that there are gaps in your training (did they train you at all?), as well as flaws in their process that allow for many errors to be made. <S> Be confident and be real about the things that have been occurring. <S> Your manager may end up having you shadow a more senior member of the team and help fill the knowledge gaps. <S> Another possibility is that this job is not a good fit for you. <S> You should not feel bad if this is the case even if this was the job you thought you would love. <S> Being afraid to go to work is only going to burn you out and leave you hating your career path. <S> Sometimes its best to make a move internally in a company (assuming all other things are good), or realize you can't be the best you can be in the current company and move on.
| Taking accountability is the first major step when you make a mistake. Perhaps you need to add an extra step in whatever you do, a "testing phase" or "quality assurance phase". Take the opportunity to show people (particularly people in a similar roles) how you are trying to manage things better and ask how they keep track of everything. I think you are probably too eager to do well in the internship and letting your enthusiasm cause you to be too hurried in doing things. Bring this up with your manager and have a discussion.
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Training for older employees It makes sense that a company will spend more money on training young employees. How can older employees be compensated if they do not need training? Assume all do a similar job. <Q> Train based on skills needed -- not age. <S> If you have a team with a 30 and 60 year old, it's possible the 60 year old may need training and the 30-year old will not. <S> If this is not valued by companies then older employees might just be out of luck. <S> Now companies will be less inclined to invest significant training into someone they expect to leave in the near future. <S> This might be because of retirement or new jobs. <A> AS a 60 year old, I have never viewed training as compensation. <S> I certainly never would consider it instead of pay! <S> Training is a spearate budget item generally and it goes to whoever needs it that particular year. <S> It isn't unfair if I didn't get any <S> and it certainly doesn't mean I should get compensated in some other way. <S> My skills and experience help dictate my salary level and that is where I am compensated for what I know already without further training. <S> It is true I might expect a significant salary bump if I aquired training in a new area that paid more (such as getting data science training since it is a field that is currently hot and pays very well), but I would expect the younger person to get the same kind of bump. <S> That said, in a tech field where things are always changing and new tools and languages are coming out, anyone at any age might need training. <S> So again I don't see what age has to do with it. <A> How can older employees be compensated if they do not need training? <S> An employer doesn't need to compensate people for things they don't need, when others do need them. <S> In a good company, people's needs are generally met. <S> Some people need insurance to cover their family. <S> Some people need pet insurance. <S> Some people need special chairs. <S> Some people need bigger monitors or more powerful computers. <S> Some people need tuition reimbursement. <S> Some people need eye care. <S> Some people need to leave early. <S> Some people need to come in late. <S> Others don't need any of those. <S> Company's aren't usually in the business of trying to balance every individual's needs to compensation to everyone else.
| Some people (new and old alike) need training. Older employees who don't need training hopefully are more compensated due to their experience/etc.
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Is it fine to inform an interviewer that I'm not married? I believe it is not permitted for American interviewers to ask the candidates martial status. I am interviewing from India for a position within my company in US, and my company does provide a generous relocation package - without a specific dollar value but has stuff like a whole shipment of items, 2 months of stay, visas for immediate family, some school admissions,etc included. Many teams hesitate to hire candidates at junior levels because of these expenses Is it OK for me to inform the interviewer that I wouldn't need most of these items, just a visa for myself and am willing to waive the rest? Or will it be one of those things that if you speak about get you disqualified? <Q> Saying what services you need and won't need for relocation does not directly reveal you marital status. <S> When you say you don't require visa for family members, you could still have a spouse and kids, but they don't want to leave the country and are OK with you being abroad. <S> Or maybe you don't need them because the rest of your family already has visa for the United States through some other channel. <S> Your employer doesn't know and doesn't need to know to make the hiring decision. <A> They can't ask about certain topics but you aren't disqualified if you bring them up. <S> If they ask you "tell me how many ping pong balls will fit inside Mt. Everest", and you put in your answer the phrase <S> "I told my wife at breakfast that I always feel that I do poorly at these types questions" you have not been eliminated because they now know you are married. <S> Your situation is a topic you can bring up at the end when they ask: "Is there any thing you want to add or discuss" <A> This is perfectly OK. <S> I think there is significant misunderstanding about the realities of the interview process. <S> Most of the restrictions are outright stupid anyway. <S> I'm not allowed to ask whether you are male or female, but, guess what, I typically can tell without asking. <S> Same about age and race. <S> So while some questions are illegal to ask, the information is in may cases readily available anyway. <S> No point in going out of your way to hide it.
| There are certain questions that are illegal for an US interviewer to ask, but it's perfectly ok for you to volunteer the information.
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How to address family members in a formal email? My mother (let's call her Anna Jones) and I work as volunteers for a non profit organization, and I'm never sure how I should address her in work emails. When I write emails to my mother I use "Dear Mom". When I write emails to Bob Smith I use "Dear Mr. Smith". But what I use when addressing both in a single email? The two options are: Dear Mom and Mr. Smith Dear Mrs. Jones and Mr. Smith But they both seem a bit awkward to me. What's the proper etiquette? Thanks in advance for your replies. <Q> Short answer: Refer to her as everyone else would. <S> In a professional environment, you should address her as you would any other person, or indeed, how anyone else in that same environment would address her. <S> Think about it this way <S> : in that context she is not your mom, she is a fellow volunteer. <S> So if you address other people by their first name, do the same. <S> If you address them as say "Mr Smith", then you should call your mom "Mrs Jones". <A> I've never been in this situation, but my first reaction if I was would be: If writing an email that was only going to my mother, i.e. no one else on the "to" or "cc" list, I'd call her "mom". <S> Likewise, in casual conversations at the office, I'd call her "mom". <S> It would just seem -- discordant -- to me to address something to, "Mr Harvey Smith, Director of Marketing; Mrs Jane Miller, Vice President of Human Resources; and Mom". <S> Also, especially if it's a big organization, others may not know your relationship, and they would have no idea who "mom" is. <A> You could try "Mrs. Jones (aka Mom...)", and then use Mrs Jones in the rest of the message. <S> You acknowledge the relationship, to her and to the people who know, and you introduce the relationship to people who don't. <S> On top of this you are establishing the professional nature of the communication to all parties addressed. <S> A smiley would also work in place of the ellipses if that's more your style, or even an exclamation point. <S> I admit that it's cute, but sometimes cute works.
| If writing an email that is going to multiple people, I would address her the same as I do other people in the organization: "Sally" or "Mrs Jones" or whatever.
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How do I professionally argue that I won't work for free? Context: I've studied Biochemistry and while working in a lab I've studied Computer Science parallel. As programmer I've done a (paid) freelancer project which involved exactly the technology the company is using for which I'm going to apply. I'm now in the process of preparing for interviews and my concern is that HR will come up with the suggestion that I should work x months as (unpaid) intern or something. I don't know whether this is going to happen or not but I would like to be prepared if it becomes a topic, so... Question: How do I argue in a professional manner that I am not going to work for free ? EDIT More Context: I will apply for a paid position, however I think they might ask me to do a certain period as unpaid intern before giving me the job. Therefore my question: I don't want to work for free at all but how should I react when they ask me to do so even though I will have applied for the paid position? The company might try this move simply to not heaving to pay me during that time. Something I can understand. <Q> When they offer you an unpaid internship, say that you appreciate the offer, but that you were under the impression that you would be interviewing for a paid position. <S> Then wait for their response. <S> When they do not make an offer, point out that you can prove that you already have experience which means that you will be a productive employee from day one and don't require much training, so you believe that you deserve to be paid from day one. <S> Should that not work, say that you depend on the income and can simply not afford to work for free for x months, so accepting an unpaid position is simply not possible for you. <S> But unless they really, really want <S> you for the job, playing this card will be the end of the interview. <S> Keep in mind that the company might already have made the decision to only hire an unpaid intern for the position, so <S> the person you talk to might simply not be allowed to offer you a paid one, no matter what you say. <S> In that case there is just no chance to change their mind. <A> First of all before applying for the position you have to understand if the position is unpaid intern, low paid intern, or full-time paid position. <S> Based on the fact that you feel that you are a perfect match for the technology, and you have a degree; you may even be able to defend that you deserve a little more than the minimum salary in the range they are offering. <S> If it is an internship you will not be able to do much to change that. <S> They have a need and they have a budget. <S> If the salary you need doesn't fit in that budget bucket, they are unlikely to pay you what you would like. <S> You would be asking them to overpay for the level of effort they are looking for. <S> The position you want may not be open for months, or it may never be open with the company. <S> If the job posting doesn't clearly mention that it is a full-time paid position, then ask before applying. <S> Or apply, and ask at the first opportunity such as the phone interview. <A> I suppose this depends on where you are going to look for job opportunities, but in my experience, the assumption on any "help wanted" ad is that it is for a full-time, paid position, unless specified otherwise in the ad. <S> I suppose that assumption may not be valid for certain types of job, like working in a fast food place, but I think that would be the normal assumption for any technical job. <S> If when you talk to them they tell you this is an unpaid internship, <S> as someone else on here said, there's no need to "argue" about anything. <S> Just tell them, "Oh, I'm sorry, I misunderstood. <S> I'm looking for a paid position. <S> " If they reply that they are not willing to pay someone for this job, then you politely say that you are sorry for the miscommunication <S> and you hope they will keep you in mind when a paid position opens up. <S> Then you shake hands and leave. <S> There is pretty much zero point in continuing the interview. <S> It is very unlikely that this is a negotiating ploy on the part of the company. <S> I've never heard of a company offering a salary of $0 and then negotiating a real full-time professional salary. <S> Sure, if they say, "Well, we do have a paid position open also ..." and want to talk further, fine. <S> Personally, I've been in the computer business since 1980, and I have never, ever, showed up for a job interview and had the company tell me that this was an unpaid internship. <S> Companies looking to get interns normally clearly state that a position is an internship.
| When that does not work out either, the last resort is to say that you believe that with your qualifications, you can easily get a paid offer from another company (or bluff that you already have one). All you can do in this case is walk out and look for another position.
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How to ask my manager to upgrade my hardware? I'm starting as a new employee as a software engineer in a German company. When I did the interview, I found the hardware pretty old (2011) and the computer seemed slow. It seemed to me that most of my team members have the same hardware. I would like to get new hardware simply because this is slow! My questions: How can I approach my manager to make him change my hardware/computer? Are there some standard policies regarding changing the hardware among software companies? I. e. when should they change them or so? Is it normal and okay to ask to change the hardware (since I'm a new hire and fresh from graduate school) or is it considered not a normal thing in the software industry? <Q> Short answer: <S> Really, unless there is a cost benefit (improved productivity) or risk (hardware failure), then there is no incentive for an organisation to upgrade its hardware. <S> If they are reticent to do so, then you need to make the case to your manager as to why you need good hardware. <S> Demonstrate a cost-benefit analysis and show how much more productive you will be! :) <A> 1- how can I approach my manager to make him change my hardware/computer? <S> Policies and procedures differ by company. <S> Generally asking a coworker how to do it is the best bet. <S> The internet doesn't know how your employer does business. <S> However, if all of your coworkers also have old computers, the answer is probably that you can't do so successfully because your boss is cheap. <S> 2- are there some standard policies regarding changing the hardware among software companies? <S> i.e <S> when should they change them or so? <S> Something like that would be nice... <S> 3- Is it normal and okay to ask to change the hardware (since I'm a new hire and fresh from graduate school) or is it considered not a normal thing in the software industry?! <S> Don't rock the boat is generally good advice when just starting a new job. <S> You can ask; but as I noted above it doesn't sound like your company is going to care. <A> It's normal in this industry to have out-of-date, crappy slow hardware. <S> But that doesn't mean you shouldn't ask for newer and better equipment. <S> From my experience, the larger the organization, the larger the desktop IT team, and the slower the upgrades happen over time. <S> At the end of the day, though, the company is likely spending more money having you work on slow equipment than if they'd just fork out the money to get you new stuff. <S> So, yes, definitely ask for new equipment. <S> If you don't get it, start documenting the amount of time you waste every day due to the slow hardware (reboot times, build times, etc.)
| You need to make a busines case for why you need upgraded hardware.
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Should I give more than two weeks notice if they are having me learn new technologies? I am a software engineer for a big company. I will be leaving the company in about 6 weeks. They asked me to learn new technologies which will take about 2 weeks to learn. They want me to then be the lead in that technology. If I only give 2 weeks notice, this means I will learn the new technology, work for 2 weeks, then give my 2 weeks notice. This seems like a loss for the company as well as my time, as I would never use this technology again. Should I just keep going as though I am going to stay at the company? Or should I let them know the plan? If I tell them in advance, do I run the risk of losing employment sooner than I am ready? It seems to me the ethical thing to do is inform them, but I am afraid it could backfire. <Q> Its tough to say... <S> It really depends on your relationship with management. <S> How long you have been there, whether other employees have given longer notice periods, etc will impact this. <S> Ideally you'd give more than 2 weeks <S> but if you have reason to believe management may let you go in the meantime you are under no obligation to do so. <S> Unfortunately, I can't really give a better answer without knowing the office politics of your company. <A> Your personal reputation is a very valuable asset. <S> Even if you think you won't have dealings with this manager/company in the future, you could be surprised. <S> People change jobs, you may want to go back to this company, or you may end up working with someone from there at a completely new place. <S> You never know. <S> They may still want you to complete the training and do the remaining four weeks of work, it just depends on what it is and how valuable it may be to the company. <S> Doing the 'right thing' <S> (and it sounds like you already know <S> what that is) is the way to go. <S> You will leave with a better reputation, connections you may be able to use to your advantage in the future, and you will just feel better about the whole thing. <A> Wow tuff call Don't know where you live but a longer notice is probably not the best route. <S> In many locations they can terminate you immediately once they have your resignation. <S> If you want to give them a heads up talk to the person that is scheduling the training and let them know that you are considering other employment. <S> Especially if you are on good terms with that person. <S> They would have to outright fire you and depending on local law that may not even be a valid cause for dismissal. <S> The bigger impact to the company is they are losing a person they want to be lead in a technology. <S> Having the replacement put in 2 weeks of training is just not that big of a deal.
| If your next position is a 'sure thing', you should let your current employer know ASAP. In the overall scheme of things two weeks of training is not that big of a deal.
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If I don't have enough work in my department, should I ask to help other departments? About 3 months ago, I left a secure work-from-home job for one with a greater challenge, more money, and a significant commute. Although I don't yet have access to the application I'm supporting, I've read all available documentation, and used every self-help method I could find, in order to get up to speed. I've helped with one small project, and was able to learn a lot about the system and the business. It went well, but I learned that the business controls projects and their deadlines. Since that project went live over a month ago, I have had not a single piece of new work. I've delicately broached the subject with my boss, who is complaining of the same thing. She says we'll have work soon, but I don't know how to fill my 8-hour days until then. I have to account for my time, and allocate it to line items for projects. I'm full-fledged lying, because I have nothing to work on. I'm frustrated, but I'm trying to be patient. I have thought about asking other areas if I can help with anything, but a) I'm afraid of making too much "noise" about my lack of work, b) I don't want to go over my manager's head, and c) I don't know what benefit I would provide, since I'm new to the company. <Q> I would ask your manager if you can farm yourself out onto other projects. <S> Since other PMs are paying for your time they may as well get some benefit from it. <S> Definitely clear it with her first just so you don't accidentally create a situation for her. <A> You can ask,but make sure that you clear with her before you accept anything. <S> Even better, ask her either to farm you out or to recommend you to someone who could use your assistance. <S> Definitely let her know about the trouble you have with filling your timesheets - she may have training codes or administration codes that she could give you. <S> I don't envy you your situation - Some of my most memorable misadventures occurred when I was looking for work internally and some manager or colleague from hell took me up on it :) <A> (a) I would certainly check with my manager before offering to work for other departments. <S> No manager wants people in their department running off doing things that involve other departments without them even knowing about it. <S> One of the worst things you can do to your boss is to have him find out about something you're doing from somebody else. <S> It makes the boss look like he has no idea what's going on -- which may be true but not the impression he wants to make. <S> And the boss may have good reasons for telling you not to do this that you don't know about. <S> (b) I'd ask your boss what to put on your timesheet for times when you had no assigned work. <S> Some companies have specific project codes or the like for this. <S> (Years ago I worked for a company where such time was labeled "Cleanup. <S> " People would sometimes have 8 hours a day on "Cleanup.") <S> (c) <S> Assuming that volunteering to work for other departments doesn't pan out, find something you can do <S> that's useful to the company long-term. <S> Like read documentation on other projects done by the department. <S> Study up on something relevant to your job. <S> I gather you're some sort of software developer? <S> Maybe read up on programming languages used by the company, especially if there are some you don't presently know. <S> Study databases. <S> Buy my database book and study it ... <S> Oh, sorry, lost my head there. <S> But really, learn useful stuff. <S> If you're very new to the company, you probably don't know where there are needs, but down the road, you may be able to do little personal projects, create toolkits and the like, that will be useful to you. <S> Like on my current job, when I hit a shallow patch at one point I built a little database to keep track of all the websites we manage. <S> I don't know what would be useful at your company, but something in that direction. <A> Don't ask. <S> You may feel like a slacker now, but what often happens is as soon as you ask for work outside of your department, your own department fills up with work, and you're stuck with having to keep all those promises. <S> You'll also open yourself up down the road as an "extra" resource for those departments, and again, you'll have trouble saying no. <S> Improve your communication. <S> Tell the people running the projects that you are entering time but have done no concrete tasks. <S> If they don't respond then that is their issue. <S> Work on things that will improve your skills, things that the company will benefit from in the long run.
| Document what you work on.
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I resigned because of my Team Lead. Should I let my manager know before I leave? My Question When I gave my two weeks' notice, I gave my manager secondary, much smaller reasons, for resigning. I didn't want to bring up the Lead in order to avoid an awkward final two weeks. However, I think it's unfair to both myself and my manager/company to leave letting them think it was for such trivial reasons. I quite liked my manager and team. I am considering sending an email on my final day/hour explaining the primary cause for my departure, with explicit examples of things he's done. Should I do this, or should I leave with things as they are and avoid the risk of damage to myself? I'm afraid my manager would think badly of me for not bringing this up earlier and sending it in a negative "farewell note." Background I joined the company less than a year ago, and have finally resigned after putting up with my Team Lead and his constant veiled hostility. I can stand politics, but not to the extremes of where it starts to affect things like my physical health or I'm shut out of work to do. He gave me virtually no feedback as to what I've done to deserve this treatment, and I honestly feel like he did all this to drive me out (into resigning). I'd have liked to stay at the company longer by switching teams, but "politics" like this is apparently rife throughout the local branch. <Q> I am considering sending an email on my final day/hour explaining the primary cause for my departure, with explicit examples of things <S> he's done. <S> Should I do this, or should I leave with things as they are and avoid the risk of damage to myself? <S> Leave things <S> as they are - don't send a parting shot at your Team Lead. <S> You have been there a year and have decided to leave. <S> You have already had your exit interview, and have already talked with your manager. <S> You chose not to discuss it then (which I think was wise on your part). <S> Sending a nasty-gram at this point almost certainly won't have the effect you desire. <S> Instead, it will be viewed as a parting shot that wasn't delivered face-to-face, from a disgruntled former employee. <S> The time for discussing your Team Lead with your Manager was before you resigned, not after. <S> I always recommend that folks take the high road on their way out. <S> That way, they will continue to have the respect they have earned from their former manager and co-workers. <S> This can be handy down the road when a job recommendation is helpful. <S> Sending this note might make you feel better for a few minutes, but since you indicate that "politics like this is apparently rife throughout the local branch" you almost certainly won't be telling them anything they don't already know (or could find out for themselves if they really wanted to do so). <S> And as @NeilSlater correctly points out, the Lead will still be there to defend himself and discredit your email, while you will be long gone. <S> Just put this behind you quickly, and move on to a better job. <S> You'll be better for it. <A> The time to discuss your concerns and attempt to get them addressed has passed. <S> Ideally, you would have had ongoing discussion about your frustrations when there was opportunity to address them. <S> This will vary based on the quality of the manager, though. <S> But it's nearly never good to try to take a last parting shot. <S> At best, you cause something to change in a company you don't work for. <S> At worst, you leave with everyone at that company having a bad impression of you since your last thing was a petty parting shot. <S> This is even more relevant if you feel forced out, as you say. <S> If that is the case then why would you expect anyone there to care? <A> Yes, actually, but not in writing, do it in person and off-site if you can. <S> I have done this; I transferred department to get away from the swine, and after a reorganisation he got assigned to us. <S> So I left, officially to get some more varied experience. <S> The boss said, what is the real reason? <S> And I said, because I never want to be in the same room as X ever again. <S> And he said, there's something wrong here, four of you are leaving to get away from this guy. <S> I told him some of the nasty stuff X had done to me and many others, trying to keep it light-hearted and zippy. <S> Last time I went past, I saw X had been downgraded and had to share an office (this is as low as it gets here). <S> So it helped. <S> It made me feel better too.
| Most managers would be frustrated if there are ongoing issues that they may have been able to resolve which cause employees to leave.
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Is it okay to ask current team lead for linkedin recommendation, while seeking new job? I'm looking for new job. I want to ask my team lead for a linkedin recommendation, so that I can refer to it in interviews( or indirect reference by putting linkedin profile link in CV). But I do not want my team lead to know that I'm looking for a new job(for obvious reasons). So, I wanted to ask, do professionals usually ask current team leads for linkedin recommendations? Is it perceived as normal thing by team leads or does it raise a flag? FYI, there is not much work to do anymore in my team and a while ago I talked to lead about moving to other team. I'm not sure under these circumstances how team lead will perceive recommendation request. Thanks, <Q> Sort of a good-bye gift from former coworkers, if you've left them with a good impression. <S> The one job that I voluntarily left I did not ask for recommendations, not because I left on bad terms but because I felt awkward doing so. <S> If a coworker asked to link with me, I'd think nothing of it. <S> Standard practice. <S> But if he asked me for a recommendation I'd definitely suspect that he was thinking about looking elsewhere. <S> Now, if you convince them you want a recommendation to make you look good to other managers on other teams, you might pull it off. <S> The value of having linkedin recommendations isn't all that high, IMO. <S> Of much higher value are the work references that you'll be asked for. <S> Hopefully you have some from your last job that you can re-use, because you aren't going to get any good ones from a company which you blind-sided with your leaving. <A> It is not unusual to ask for LinkedIn recommendations from people you are currently working with. <S> Whether or not that raises a flag depends on your specific situation. <S> If you have concerns you can partially address them by turning off your "activity broadcasts" in your LinkedIn profile. <S> This way, your network won't get emails as you update your profile but anyone who deliberately visits your profile will see the new stuff. <S> You said yourself that the project has less work to do, and so is presumably winding down to a finish. <S> Right now (while memories are still fresh) is the best time for getting recommendations from people and updating details about the project for your resume and for LinkedIn. <S> If anyone has concerns about this you can address them by indicating that you're just keeping your profile up-to-date. <S> Even so, if there's less and less work to do, anybody working there would have to be naive to think that people aren't at least starting to think about the future. <S> In general, regular updating of LinkedIn and your resume is good practice. <S> This way, you can reap the benefits of being up to date even if you're not looking actively. <S> Lots of very successful people "find" jobs when they're not looking because they have an active and well-maintained network (this is true for LinkedIn as well as more informal networks of people who know each other). <A> It's like the lessons they teach to lawyers, if you don't know what the witness is going to say, don't ask the question. <S> This is all contingent on your relationship with this team lead and his perception on how the company would react if they found out. <S> I was at a company where several people were close to each other and worked together before, but I didn't even tell one of my best friends that I was looking to avoid asking him to lie/keep quiet about it. <S> After I left, management did confront him and he was very convincing when he told them he knew nothing about it.
| But if you really are worried about consequences should they find out before you get another job, better not to risk it. In my personal experience, linkedin recommendations are something you get after you move on.
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How can I put together a portfolio for software inaccessible to the public? The company I work for writes a software product that is used by other businesses rather than the general public. In order to log into the web app, a paid account with multiple users is required. It's nothing secret, there's just nothing free that Joe Schmoe can sign up for and take a look at, nor is there a public demo account they could try out. I need to put together a portfolio of work I've done to use when applying to other jobs. What can I put in my portfolio which won't get me in trouble with my current employer and will showcase my programming and software design skills? Can I include sections of code I've written or improved? Should I include screenshots of web pages I've worked on? Can I included rendered html of web pages I've worked on? What sort of things should I try to include in a programming portfolio in general? I'm interested both in what I can safely include without asking permission, and what I ought to include if I'm able and allowed to. <Q> Unless you are a web designer and prospective employers want to see samples of your design ability, you aren't likely to be asked for code samples or a portfolio of web pages. <S> I've been to a lot of interviews and although often the better interviews ask you to write code for them on the spot, they don't ask about what you've already done except in general terms. <S> They're interested in whether you know <S> how to code, not in what use that knowledge was put to in the past. <S> You might want to bring samples of your code (if you think it will impress) but make it code that you wrote on your own time. <S> If you bring in samples of code that you've done for other companies that may red-flag you as someone who can't be trusted with proprietary information. <S> Don't take that chance. <A> Screen shots and page captures are certainly suitable for a portfolio, even for programmers who do not work on graphics or user interfaces. <S> As visual aids, they make for great conversation items during an interview. <S> Just be sure you have the right permission to use them. <S> Sometimes you can take the graphics from marketing material on the company's site. <S> I don't know if I'd bother with code samples in a portfolio . <S> An interviewer asking for code samples would probably want something more than a carefully selected page of code. <A> I'm coming from another post where the subject is about my work is private in github. <S> I'm ok with what @Francine DeGrood Taylor said, however they can see your activity. <S> Github offer you a way to show number of private commits you have made so far. <S> Go to Settings -> <S> Contributions and check Include private contributions in my profile . <S> In that way, people can see "X contributions in private repositories".
| Even in non-accessible software or sites, developers often have their own accounts for testing purposes, so screen shots of those would do fine.
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on-site interview: is it the earlier, the better? I did a phone interview and got the notice of an on-site interview at the same day today, they want me to be there early next week, which is pretty short notice. If I can't be there, it will have to wait until after July 4th, which is two weeks away. And they are OK with that. The position was just open for three weeks and they know I won't graduate until September. The company is one of my top choices and this is my first time to look for a job. So I don't want to mess up my chance of getting an offer but I really don't know if there is a general wisdom of how to handle this situation. Any advice? Edit: I can't make it to early next week right now. I have to cancel a prior commitment for a meeting in order to be available. I want to add that, another reason I'm inclined to go to this company later (after July 4th) is that I've already have another on-site interview scheduled for late next week. That company isn't so much my top choice so I want to get some on-site interview experience first though it and then be better prepared going into my top choice on-site interviews. <Q> they want me to be there early next week, which is pretty short notice. <S> The company is one of my top choices and this is my first time to look for a job. <S> So I don't want to mess up my chance of getting an offer <S> but I really don't know if there is a general wisdom of how to handle this situation. <S> Any advice? <S> They want you there early next week - so be there early next week. <S> There are no "tricks" to this. <S> It's the same as any other request from a potential employer. <S> If you really want this job, you want to accommodate their requests if at all possible. <A> You won't graduate until September, but you've already got yourself an interview <S> - that's nice. <S> If you can, go to the interview next week, else let them know you will be there July 4th. <S> If you can't make it on either given dates, let them know either way. <S> Now, if you would to be hired, they will ask you when you can start. <S> If you tell them you graduate in September, you could start 1-2 weeks (or whatever you prefer) after you've actually graduated. <S> This way they've filled the position and you've got yourself a job. <S> Ofcourse, things might not pan out that positively if they're looking for someone who can fill the position right now . <A> Is earlier better? <S> Yes. <S> Often times you are not the only one being interviewed. <S> Ideally they will wait for you to interview as well, but if they have a big enough candidate pool they may not. <A> Is there any reason that you can not be there in next week. <S> If possible then you should reach there to grab opportunity. <S> If you will ask them to setup interview according to your flexible time then it may be like they agree or disagree also its depends on your reason. <S> If for your it is not possible to reach there as per given time and they do now schedule interview as per your flexible time then also you do not need to be worry. <S> In top companies this type of interview season comes frequently so you will have chance in future. <A> Later is fine especially if they don't mind waiting longer to accommodate you. <S> They won't make a decision until seeing all candidates. <S> You appearing busy <S> (if you frame it as not any indication of your interest level) makes you look more busy and more valuable potentially. <S> Also a good trick to unleash for when you do schedule <S> it - go for a Friday or at least Thursday. <S> Although anecdotal I have had superior interfaces with clients/potential employees end of week when they are in a better mood. <S> When they are happy they will attribute and spread some of this positive sentiment to you. <S> Best of luck to you! <S> If you don't get your first choice this time then get em next time
| If you can't make it next week they could give that interview slot to another candidate who could get the position. So, even if it is inconvenient for you, try to show your eagerness to work at the company by making every effort to get to the interview in their time frame - early next week.
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Fighting Boredom As An Application Developer What are some excellent ways to combat boredom as a developer? I've reached this point where I am fighting serious boredom and burn-out with what I do. I'm confident its not boredom with the subject matter and what entails being a developer as much as it is what I find myself doing ( a lot of mundane tasks and reinventing the wheel for the sake of office politics ). I feel like I spend more time coming up with code fixes for a broken system so it can limp along another day than actually being able to build new applications or rebuild the existing application so it can help the company perform at its best. In contrast, I don't have the same view of my own applications I work on outside the office because I'm afforded creativity and being able to do things right the first time rather than do things just to get by as the model is in the office. When it comes to my own applications, I enjoy learning and trying new concepts and can easily sit for hours without concern for time. <Q> Creativity can thrive when there are constraints. <S> It's great to have a totally blank canvas and put on it anything you want, but there are challenges in your work programming. <S> You need to start understanding the business more and learn how things fit together. <S> Things like legal regulations, market trends and customer requests will never seem logical when taking an uninformed look from the outside. <S> You'll feel like you're digging a ditch only to fill it up later for no apparent reason. <S> Start talking to non-programmers at your company. <S> I hope you discover the benefit to others that your code bring. <S> The difference between being a rock breaker and a cathedral builder is perspective. <S> Take some time to really think creatively about the tasks you were given and find another solution. <S> It may not be better, but you need to get out of the habit of only taking the quickest path because of the time constraints. <S> You may find that you could have been doing something more creative than you thought. <A> Let's generalize this a bit. <S> You are bored with the repetitive daily tasks of your job, and while there are more entertaining projects, you aren't working on those. <S> There is a general plan to work on the more exciting parts of your job (at least for jobs that have them). <S> If you aren't good enough to work on the interesting stuff, get better. <S> There will be dull boring dirty work, and the ones most likely to be assigned are those whose skills wouldn't be better spent on the more complex (and often less dull tasks). <S> Being good enough isn't good enough, your manager needs to know you are good enough. <S> Let your manager know you have skills, take the opportunity to show them when you have the chance. <S> If your coworkers know a bit about your outside projects, word will spread that you can do more than the dull tedious bits (assuming those projects are SFW). <S> There will always be dull boring work, but in many fields (such as software development), if you have the skills you should be able to secure plenty of exciting work to go along with it. <S> Finally, the exciting projects you see may not make business sense to management. <S> Maybe they are wrong, but until you have shown your value time and time again, they aren't going to listen. <S> The goal is to show your skill to get on the exciting projects they decide are worthwhile, not to convince them to add new projects you think are exciting. <A> It's time for a show and tell. <S> Show the management how much money they would have been able to save if they had just stopped the fire and invested in improving the processes in some point in the past. <S> Tell them that this is not a futile situation and that your can improve the situation. <S> Show then that you can do the improvements that you proposed. <S> Show them the risks of not improving the situation. <S> Tell them the risks of the investment and the exit strategy if the project doesn't work out. <S> Talk in their own language, in a language they can understand, so they can evaluate the values, costs, and risks themselves. <S> Do your research. <S> Quantify these costs, risks, and returns. <S> Managements usually don't like taking about things in terms of "better", they need real numbers to work with. <S> If the management is still unwilling to buy in and assuming that you believe that you have made a reasonable and sensible proposal, then the biggest problem you have is that your priorities aren't aligned with the company's priorities. <S> You are a poor fit with the job that your company is offering you. <S> Find another job in which you can express your personality better.
| Now, if either you can't show your manager (some people can't be convinced) or if there is only boring dull work to be done and you have the skills to do more, then the next step is to look at moving someplace where you are working on better projects. Tell them what you intend to do, what you needed from the company, and how long it would take for their investments to recover its initial costs.
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Being called by a different firstname I have a firstname which I like, however I prefer to be called by a different firstname in my life (which isn't on my ID Card), is that possible ? is there a way to announce it nicely to other people without looking like a freak? I live in France. <Q> If there are people who know you by your official name, at some point tell them "I never did mention it, but I usually go by Axel, not Andrew. <S> " Don't sweat over it - it really isn't a big deal. <A> is there a way to announce it nicely to other people without looking like a freak? <S> In my part of the world, this isn't at all uncommon. <S> I have a common first name, and often find that several co-workers have the same name. <S> So to avoid confusion, I invite others to call me by my nickname. <S> I just say (in a friendly, casual manner) "My friends call me X". <S> And I sign all my emails with my nickname as well. <S> People catch on very quickly. <A> I also use a firstname that is different from my legal firstname. <S> I introduce myself with the name I prefer to be called and use it in my signature in all of my professional emails. <S> If people already know you by your less preferred name, you can mention it next time they use your name. <S> Hey <S> Robert, how was your weekend? <S> Hi Joe, I usually go by Bob. <S> My weekend went well, I... <A> It's very common here for people born here but with a Chinese background to have a un-official western first name which they use exclusively. <S> It was only when an airline couldn't find a colleagues reservation I discovered the actual name on their passport. <S> People with an Indian background tend to just shorten/simplify any complex first names.
| Whenever you introduce yourself, just tell them your preferred name. It is not uncommon for people to go by a different name from what is on their badge.
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Is my job in trouble? I had been working for one month almost and today my team leader called me in private and told me that they are going to hire another person with my position to help with other projects, as "they didn't anticipate the workload would be this much when hiring me. Therefore I can focus myself onto the project." He said that I didn't have to worry because I am permanent and the new hire will be on contract. Does it mean it's a sign for me that they are not happy with me or just a regular conversation on hiring someone along me? I just moved to this country and I can't speak English like a native Briton so I was wondering if I am in hot water? They had been happy with my work and my understanding of what is needed and be able to deliver. But I am not vocal in meetings like other people because they been there for 2-10 years. So many things confuse me. I did ask my boss if my job is in trouble and his reply was that I didn't need to worry. Yet I am worried. Am I on the verge of losing the job or is this just a hiring process of letting you know if someone else is joining? If so, why not announce it in meetings with department? Why alone? <Q> I do understand why you are worried about your job - you clearly explained your reasons -, but I too understand that it's a common misconception and that your job is very probably safe. <S> You are probably suffering a bit of impostor syndrome when you remark that you're not the most talkative person at meetings. <S> People don't expect you to excel in every possible aspect of your job - it's enough if you are just very good in a single aspect. <S> The fact that another person is better at talking than you doesn't make you bad nor worse - you're just different. <S> And if you think someone else is better than you in all aspects - that would be OK, too. <S> If you are not too experienced, they don't expect you to be highly experienced - they expect you to do your best (and not better than that) and to get more experienced. <S> It's not that weird in my culture <S> (here in Argentina) for people to lie to you so that you get a false sense of security <S> and then they can take advantage of you. <S> That's why I understand your doubt about all this <S> "you are not being fired" thing. <S> But I'm pretty much sure your job is safe <S> and you are doing a good job - you can't imagine how valuable it is that They had been happy with my work and my understanding of what is needed and be able to deliver . <S> The whole company depends on all their employees collaborating and helping the company to progress. <S> If someone works well and has good understanding, why bother firing him? <S> Congrats on your good work, and don't underestimate it :) <A> I don't understand what is causing you to worry. <S> It sounds like your team lead had a private meeting with you to explicitly address the concerns you might have about the new hire. <S> It sounds like your team lead has done everything possible to tell you that your job is safe (at least as safe as any job ever is). <S> It sounds like your team lead wanted to tell you in person before a job posting was created or a candidate was interviewed just to make sure that you didn't jump to conclusions. <S> Presumably, they'll let the department know when a new person is actually hired. <S> It would be odd to tell the entire department about every job posting that the department creates, it makes much more sense to wait until there is an actual person coming in to fill a role to announce the hire to the department. <S> And that often comes long after the actual hire-- <S> if the department has quarterly meetings, they may be announcing new hires that you've been working with for a few months. <S> Is it possible that your team lead is reassuring you just to get you to stick around long enough to transition to the new person? <S> Sure, it's possible. <S> It would be pretty poor behavior on his or her part. <S> But there are psychopaths in the world so it can't be completely discounted. <S> Everyone can be replaced and everyone should be prepared for the possibility of a job loss. <S> Being paranoid about the possibility, though, probably does you no favors. <A> Out of my 15 years in workforce, I have spent months worrying about my job throughout my career, but was never fired in my life. <S> 99% of things that we worry would happen, never happen, so, relax, enjoy your work, smile a lot, avoid arguing, build good relationships, focus on what you are doing 99% grantee that you will not be fired, but if you will be, it is not the end of the world. <A> Look at it: <S> Your manager says he is happy with you <S> There is lots of work, too much for one person to handle <S> Your manager told you this in advance, in private, especially so you know you don't need to be worried <S> The new hire has a temporary contract while yours is permanent. <S> All of those are positive signs. <S> I think he is telling you in private and not in public because it directly involves you, you can be happy to know your workload will go down a little bit so you can focus on one project. <S> People who are involved will know things a bit earlier than everybody else. <S> If he were unhappy with you and about to fire you, he would tell you that things needed to improve, not that he is happy with you. <A> To hit it from a slightly different angle: <S> Does your manager's description of the circumstances match your understanding? <S> For instance - the manager says that they have more work than expected? <S> Does this match what you've been noticing? <S> Have they made comments about a large backlog, or that some tasks and projects have been pushed off (or "we don't have time to do that right now"-style comments)? <S> If you agree with what the manager is saying, then you're probably worrying too much (especially since you asked the boss point-blank). <S> On the other hand, if you're wondering what this extra work is (or if you don't feel you're busy as-is), and generally what he's explaining doesn't match your experience, then that's cause for concern. <S> And on the third hand, if you have reason to distrust what your boss is telling you (as in, you think he's just flat-out lying to your face)? <S> Then you need to start looking for an exit ASAP - regardless of what's going on here, if you can't trust your boss things just aren't going to end well regardless.
| It sounds like your job is very safe .
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Is it rude to eat/drink in front of a colleague who is fasting during Ramadan? I often feel hungry and have snacks at my desk. Today, I realized that Ramadan has begun and my colleague who sits beside me is fasting. So I quietly kept my snacks back. I felt it might seem rude and uncaring. How should I deal with it? I don't want to offend anybody. I am working in Germany. We are a team of 6 and 3 of them are observing ramadan. <Q> He won't be offended. <S> If he is a reasonable person, he realizes that most people do not follow his religion and thus are not subject to his rules. <S> Now if you're going up to him holding your food in front of his face and making fun of him then yes, he will be offended. <S> Just act like nothing is wrong. <S> I agree it would be nicer for him. <S> However, if you're suggesting that people at the office should starve or go out of their way because of other people choosing to follow religion (it is a choice by the way) <S> then that's not nice <S> , that's just being stupid. <S> Other people's religious choices should not affect you. <S> I just don't think you should be altering your behavior in order to accomodate the rest of the world. <S> Some things you do will offend people even if it shouldn't. <S> I know in America we have a PC issue with this right now, but <S> my belief is that if you are offended by normal behavior as a result of your choices, then that is your responsibility to handle that emotion, not the responsibility of the "offending" party. <S> We are all responsible for how we feel about things as a result of our choices and beliefs. <A> As a Muslim currently in the workplace, I can say that I wouldn't be upset in the least; in fact, the only thing that might upset me is knowing that I'm making co-workers uncomfortable to eat in front of me <S> :) <S> I just went to lunch with a few co-workers. <S> Didn't eat anything, but just came for the company. <S> Luckily, nobody felt too guilty or anything—if they did, I would have regretting going. <A> I felt it might seem rude and uncaring. <S> How should I deal with it? <S> I don't want to offend anybody. <S> I agree with Lawrence's answer that a reasonable co-worker won't be offended. <S> That said, they probably will also appreciate the gesture. <S> While there are many things you're allowed to do and your freedoms at work are important - it's definitely within reason to try and be respectful to other peoples' belief systems (eventhough you don't have to). <S> So - while you certainly don't have to change your eating habits to cater other people at work, that doesn't mean you shouldn't try to be sensitive and save the steak to eat right in front of a vegan or eat a pork in front of a religious Jew or Muslim. <S> Some things you don't have to do but doing them will still help you gain the respect of others back. <A> Not per se, but... <S> It kind of depends on what you're eating and how easy it is to eat your food somewhere else, as well as how uncomfortable Ramadan is at that place and time. <S> And obviously, try to be discreet about it and not draw your coworker's attention or distract him with the smell or taste. <S> To elaborate: snacks are pretty much always fine to eat at your desk (that includes fruits, chips, etc... <S> heck, they probably wouldn't even find chips appetizing at that point -- they'd want water and a good meal), as are meals that were prepared earlier in the day (since they're probably cooler and won't have as strong of a smell). <S> For instance, if you have a lounge where people often eat lunch, your coworker would probably appreciate it if you had your hot pizza delivered there instead of within 3 feet of him. <S> Furthermore, the setting kind of matters too. <S> If it's a hot day, your coworker would not appreciate it if you kept reminding him of water. <S> But if your office is air-conditioned then it's unlikely they would be thirsty at all, so at that point your coworker is almost surely not even going to <S> think about the fact that you have a cup of water/tea or a bag of chips or cookies sitting next to you, unless you make super loud slurping/crunching sounds or something. <S> Summary: <S> People understand, but they're humans too. <S> The mere fact that you're eating/drinking nearby isn't offensive in any way whatsoever (unless you're in a culture where fasting is the norm, which you're not). <S> However, if you do it in a manner or setting that ends up making this distracting for him <S> and it's clear to everyone that you have a reasonable, alternative lunch setting available to you that could be less distracting with little inconvenience to you, <S> then it would probably bother your coworker. <A> Your co-workers choices are self imposed: <S> Why is it considered rude to not participate in others <S> self imposed choices. <S> In this case I am pretty sure they knew the ramifications of their choices. <S> Key takeaway is choice: <S> I have an involuntary heave reaction to the smell of melted cheese, I politely excuse myself when others are partaking of pizza or lasagna or whatever, amongst a couple of other things. <S> This is a well documented medical condition. <S> I present my condition and let them decide if I can sit remotely while they eat or they can order something that is not going to make me heave and puke all over the place. <S> Everyone in the three decades of my work career has understood and either let me leave or ordered an alternative.
| But it's a bit distasteful (no pun intended) to eat newly-prepared food that has a highly appetizing smell right beside your coworker's desk if you can reasonably avoid it without much trouble. People's religious affiliations do not and should not affect you, and this goes for your whole life, not just work. The only time I ever would expect someone should accommodate me is when they expect me to be in some kind of meeting where it will be mandatory for me to be present while the food is present.
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Manager is asking future employee to do work before start date A friend of mine is starting a new job in a few weeks. The contract is already signed. The manager just send her an email in the morning asking her to do some work until next day. She currently has a another job and the manager knows this. It looks like a lot of work - it will take at least several hours, maybe even a whole day. She doesn't want to start on bad terms by rejecting the request. On the other hand she won't get paid for this and would need to work the whole night (or at the weekend if she asks for more time). How should one react in such a situation? Update She talked to her manager and he tried to downplay the whole situation. He said that he wasn't really expecting any results and just wanted to ask her nicely if she maybe had some time to analyze a document. But in the email he forgot the part about asking nicely and wrote something like "I know you don't work for us yet, but please do this" and attached several hundred pages without mentioning which parts were relevant. The task was still way to big and simply not the kind of task that will get you any meaningful results when rushed or without carefully reading everything he had send. Another Update In conclusion everyone saying that this was a red flag was absolutely right. Management at that company was really bad and quite a mess, which reflected in their employees general bad mood and morale. I didn't help that she was direct subordinate of two chief officers, which both tended to frequently give her large task with unreasonable deadlines. She left the company after some month. <Q> It is troubling that a manager would ask a future employee to work before their start date. <S> While I understand that a good start with the new employer is desired, it seems that a polite, but firm "No" is in order. <S> An email reply something like the following is appropriate: <S> Dear [future boss]: <S> While it is flattering that you think enough of me to trust me with this work before my start date, I cannot work on this task at this time. <S> I understand that you need the task done tomorrow, but I am still working for [current employer]. <S> As such, I am sure you understand that my current obligation is with them. <S> I will be happy to provide the same level of effort and dedication when I come to work for you. <S> Sincerely, [your friend's name] <S> As I said above, it's troubling that the new boss would ask for such a thing. <S> Perhaps a cc to the future boss' boss would be good here, if that person's email address is known. <S> Unfortunately, your friend may want to resume her job search and/or inquire about staying on with her current employer. <A> In case your friend has already given his or her notice, but is leaving on good terms, it might be worth mentioning this to the previous / current boss. <S> In the worst case, if the new boss makes more unreasonable demands (and asking you to do work for them when they should fully know that you are still in full-time employment by another company), it might not be a bad idea having a fallback position. <S> And the demand is unreasonable unless they tell you to check with your current employee if you are allowed to do this, if they offer to pay you, and if they give a good reason why you and nobody else should do this work. <A> It depends…. <S> If the work is to review a spec for a system that the team she is joining will be creating, maybe it is worth doing so as to have input. <S> If it is normal day to day work, then just say no. <A> I suggest that she answer back and say she had other plans for the weekend and that she can't cancel them on such short notice and aside from that, she is tying up all sorts of loose ends at her current job. <S> I don't really care if her plans for that weekend were to simply sleep the whole weekend, they are still plans. <S> I assume that she has yet to give official notice. <S> If so, she can wait and see how the manager reacts. <S> If the manager reacts in an unpleasant manner, she can scrub her two-week notice. <S> If she has given her notice already and the manager reacts in an unpleasant manner, she can make a request to rescind her two-week notice. <S> I assume that the contract becomes effective only on her first day of the job, at the job site.
| If the work is to review the job specs of people that are about to be hired to will report to her once she start her job, then she should do it. Although unreasonable, I would fear reprecussions from something such as this, since the boss has already shown him/herself to be unreasonable.
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Rating skills on your resume While reading this topic about software skills in resume's I remembered a discussion I have been having with myself for quite some time. In many resumé's, including those I received from prospective new colleagues I often see that the specific skills are rated or been given a note. For instance PHP 9 out of 10. What method of listing skills is more professional and gives the proper understanding of what you can and cannot do? For instance I think that describing projects and tagging them with skills accordingly is a very good way to interpret experience. Alternatively I like the idea of going into depth about the exact specifics of one abstract skill (cloud hosting for instance) by mentioning more information per skill based on experience. Without making this question marked for closure due to being too subjective or too wide, the exact question: What added value does rating your skills have in comparison to not rating them? <Q> Ratings here are relative to the author of each CV; they don't mean anything, and leave themselves to confusion as they aren't clear (they have no definitive definition). <S> What added value does rating your skills have in comparison to not rating them? <S> Only confusion and ambiguity because there is no definitive definition for each number <S> (ie: <S> why 8/10 and not 7/10?) <A> It probably depends, if I was to hire you and you'd rate yourself a 9/10 in PHP I'd probably go and ask very serious questions about the language, and probably find out that you do in fact not know 90% of the php core. <S> Because knowing it all would require too much information. <S> Maybe the 9/10 was not what you meant at all but <S> just how well you can find yourself in finding solutions. <S> Do you catch my drift here? <S> It can be confusing and it can actually become something that the interviewer can make your life harder with. <S> What would be good, is probably to define what experience you've got, 3 years working professionally, hobby, developed a few apps. <S> Rating is really rubbish unless you define what they actually mean. <S> Edit:On a personal note, I find it cheesy and makes me think you're still in school labeling your score on your tests which mean nothing really. <S> I always have a douchebaggery feel when I see those kind of portfolio's or resumes. <S> Do note, this is what I feel about it. <S> Might be useful to prove that it can be negative. <A> I don't put any ranking of my skills on my CV because rankings are subjective. <S> If a company is truly worried about hiring an employee that's an expert, there will be a technical test at some point during the interviewing process. <S> It is on the employer's shoulders to make sure candidates meet their needs. <S> It is on your shoulders to make sure you can sell yourself well enough to land an interview (without overselling). <S> "Python - Expert" is radically different from "I used Python to automate company scripts that had previously been manually run; in doing so, my team achieved higher productivity because it freed additional time to be used for other projects." <S> (Or something along those lines.) <S> HR has a list of skills to look for in your resume, most of which the developers give them. <S> Typically, technical skills will be gibberish to them; so by elaborating on how you used it, you give them additional information that they otherwise would not have. <S> The longer option tells them that you not only know Python, but had a great idea that saved your company time and money--huge perks to HR. <S> Calling yourself an expert in Python? <S> You better meet their expectation of an expert, or they will doubt everything else on your resume. <A> "What added value does rating your skills have in comparison to not rating them?" <S> To me,nothing. <S> You could be a legend in your own mind, for all I know. <S> State what you did, and I'll judge for myself whether to phone screen you. <S> Keep it real, tell me that you supervised 600 desktops (*) <S> and I'll throw your resume in the garbage. <S> (*) <S> The individual created the impression that he had done it all by himself: troubleshooting, mass software upgrades, user support. <S> The CEO insisted that I interviewed him but my team deep sixed him the minute we found that he was full of it. <S> We had something about not wanting to work with liars. <S> Amazing the percentage of resume writers who are willing to include claims that won't survive any kind of digging. <A> I like ratings. <S> If done right, they tell me what I need to know. <S> There is only three levels that I'm interested in: <S> Beginner: <S> heard of it, tried it, probably not fit to stem a project using it on it's own Intermediate: <S> Can get things done. <S> Expert: <S> The person people go to when they have problems. <S> I think people can reliably put themselves into those categories. <S> It tells me more than "7 years PHP" because I know tons of people that will never reach expert, no matter how many years they invest <S> and I know people that are experts after a year or two. <S> As with anything on the CV, it's up to me to check if it's real or just "marketing". <S> But that goes for single line on a CV anyway.
| I'm not in HR, but if I were, I would be looking for experience that is written in the form of past projects (what the project was, what the applicant did, their responsibilities) rather than an ambiguous rating system.
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Refering ex colleagues after Performance improvement plan? I was put into a performance improvement plan by my employer, which was due to several internal politics in the company, and in the end they concluded that I am no more suitable as an employee because I do not talk much. After I was given formal notice of 30 days by the HR, he told that I can refer him as well as my manager to any of the future companies that I will be trying to get job in. During the PIP, no matter how much effort I took to complete the set targets and delivery workables, this manager would find an explanation to conclude during the review that the work I did was inadequate. And in the final review, he bluntly said I didn't have consistency at all without even checking my finished product. So my question is, is it safe to give the names of the people who were the reason I lost my job as reference ? Will these guys try to screw up my future even after I leave this company ? <Q> So my question is, is it safe to give the names of the people who were the reason I lost my job as reference ? <S> Will these guys try to screw up my future even after I leave this company ? <S> I have given good references for folks who I have fired in the past, when the reason for firing was just a poor fit for an otherwise hard worker. <S> In every case when I'm asked, I always indicate that I will be honest when serving as a reference. <S> I don't lie about the good parts, nor about the bad parts. <S> And if I don't think I'd be a good reference, I tell the individual so. <S> The only way you'll know if this makes sense for you is to ask the people involved face-to-face. <S> (You always ask people for their permission before you use them as references anyway, right?) <S> Talk with them. <S> Ask if they would be willing to be a good reference, then listen carefully to the way they respond. <S> If they are enthusiastic and understanding, then go ahead and use them as references. <S> If they are hesitant at all, don't use them. <S> If these people "who were the reason" are at all bitter or adversarial, then you run the real risk of them giving you a poor reference. <S> Cross them off your list. <A> Getting fired for not performing well is not going to look great on your resume. <S> Given what you've described about your manager's feedback, you were not a great employee for the role he needed you to fill. <S> You can't know what's going on in his head without talking to him. <S> You really could ask him - "It's always a good policy to be able to provide my former manager's reference, and I really appreciate your offer. <S> However, given the way our relationship ended, I'm a bit concerned about what you'd tell anyone doing a reference check... <S> what would you say about me in the reference check? <S> How would you address the fact that you fired me?" <S> Your concern is understandable, and if he's willing to be a positive reference, he may have already thought this out - the same way that Kate Gregory had in her comments. <S> If you're not comfortable having that type of a blunt talk with your former manager, I'd say: <S> Figure out what you think looks worse - not providing your former manager as a reference, or providing a potentially damaging reference Realize that there is a loophole - not every reference is always checked by every company - I'm not a gambler, but it's a viable point. <S> You WILL have to address the fact that you were fired. <S> It's better if you do it yourself rather than let the hiring company find out by doing a reference check. <S> Lastly - reading your summary of what went on, I think you want to get some mentoring or talk to a politically savvy friend about the situation and find a different way of describing the end of your last employment - it sounds from your description like you had some real shortfalls in your behavior and in the end <S> , your manager made a direct decision relevant to your performance, but you also cite politics and I don't see you owning your own part in the problem. <S> If I were interviewing you, this would send up red flags. <S> I'd hire someone who had been fired - but I wouldn't hire someone who doesn't seem to have learned from the situation why he was fired and how he could change his behavior in the future to avoid the problem. <A> he told that I can refer him as well as my manager to any of the future companies that I will be trying to get job in. <S> I don't see why they would told you this if they don't want to be a god reference, unless they are sadistic or you have done something really wrong to them. <S> However, if you'd like to know what they would told about you as a reference, I think you might simply ask them . <S> If you think you can't trust their answer, and that you really need to have their reference, then you have an hypothesis to verify, whether they would provide you a good reference or not. <S> As you probably did in your software job, when you want to verify an hypothesis and you miss some data, you do a measure . <S> In this case, it means that you ask a friend (preferably who has a role of manager or HR) to contact them, as if you had send a resume or done an interview. <S> Then you'll know what they tell about you, and most important than good or bad, if what they tell is relevant to what you say about yourself during your interviews . <S> If they say that you're a nice colleague, very smart but sometimes not so well organized, and you spent most of your time during your interviews to say that organization is a key point, it will not be good for you neither.
| This is likely to be a case of "there's no right answer".
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Can you leave a job without giving notice? I applied for a position a while back (in the United Kingdom) and was given it, my employer at the time told me that: 1) I will be a Junior and will be working within a team of people who would be able to help and assist me; 2) I would receive a pay review at the end of my probation (3 months) I was initially given a bad salary for the work I was required to do The job entailed me doing development work, and, then, a new opportunity in the business came up and I was asked to do that also. Me, being stupid I naive and now was given the role of two positions. I passed my probation period, but was given no pay rise. Just more responsibilities within the company (With my boss now giving my 3 job roles to do) and, once all of the tasks could not be carried out, I was shouted at and sometimes given talks with about my time management. I tried to explain that I am doing the work that requires three people, they agreed that they would find someone else. The person that they hired decided that they was not cut out to do the manual labour, and just expected me to do it. So, the employee hired to help me would set up around 5 or more meetings each day to assign extra work to do and also assist them in general technical problems that they was having. At this point, I started to realise a couple of things: I have not formally received a contract; Since starting on the company, I have not recieved any payslips or P60; When I am paid, the wages are not paid on time and over the last few months, I have incurred fines by my bank for missing payments. I have since applied for a new job, and, I have been given the start date at the end of June (2015) which is great! The only problem is, if I give my notice in with my current employer, I am worried that they will not pay my final salary as I know from previous experience that this could happen. Part of me wants to tell my employer that I have found another job, and, I'll be leaving at the end of this month, however, the other part of me tells me that if I do such a thing, there is a risk of not being paid the salary owed. I know by law, the employer has to pay you, but this could involve court proceedings which could be timely and costly. So my question is this: If I have not signed a formal contract, and, there is just-cause to leave my current position at short notice, do I have to give any notice at all? (NOTE: I have not signed ANY formal contracts or documents about my employment with this company)? <Q> Make sure that you get your money. <S> With an employer of this ilk, everything else like not burning bridges is secondary. <S> Try to get references from anyone you can trust to give a honest appraisal of your performance. <S> I once made the mistake of giving proper notice to a management whom I totally knew was unethical. <S> That little stunt of mine cost me the two weeks they owed me PLUS the three weeks of vacation that I hadn't taken the year before. <S> I would have been better off starting with the next employer, collect my five weeks and phone in on the Monday that I was required to work to say that I wasn't showing up, as others who quit the firm did. <S> If you choose to go that route, make sure to check your employment contract to make sure that you'll get away with no financial penalties. <S> If your employer acts like a jerk, cover yourself and do whatever it takes to cover yourself. <S> Neither your bank nor your landlord are going to take it kindly to you coming up short <S> and you'll be the one facing the music not your current employer. <S> You did fair work, you are entitled to the fair pay that comes with your fair work. <S> It's that simple. <A> I actually agree with the course of action suggested by by Vietnhi. <S> I just thought that as you mentioned a P60 you were probably in the UK. <S> I think you should read this . <S> It suggests a written signed contract doesn't have to exist for you to be contracted by this company. <S> Looking at various sources it seems that the statutory notice period in the UK is one week. <S> The reason I agree with the other answer is, that the chance of a company as sketchy as you describe pursing you for breach of contract is far less than the chance they'd just not pay you if you tried to give them any form of notice. <S> If they claim you're contractually obligated to work longer you should state your case firmly and leave at the end of the week. <S> Since the link says that the notice period must be contained in a written document and you haven't received this, I imagine you'd be on firm ground legally. <A> If it's common that you receive your pay late, then there's a chance you won't receive your last paycheck before you leave anyway, even if you don't give notice. <S> You may end up fighting to get that last paycheck in either case. <S> Aside from the legal issues, if you don't give notice, they may feel justified (in their own minds) in holding your last paycheck. <S> If you give notice, they can't use that as an excuse for not paying you. <S> Then if they don't give you your last paycheck, at least you'll know you did the right thing <S> and you won't <S> (shouldn't) be second guessing your decision later. <S> Perhaps the fact that you did give notice will help your case if you do have to fight for your last paycheck later.
| If you want to mitigate the risk and get paid with a week to spare before starting your new job, you could choose to write a letter of resignation offering statutory notice. My advice would be to give a 1 week notice (in writing) and let it all play out.
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Drawbacks in better paid jobs? Are there downsides in accepting a very generously paying job (compared to the other offers one may have), and which his known to be highly paying / a good position ? I am not thinking in terms of the immediate benefits (of course) but rather on a longer time scale. I know this may sound silly but may this restrict mobility afterwards ?Even if one explains he is ready for a pay-cut, may this draw red lights like "why would he quit such a good position ?" <Q> You already identified one potential drawback - if you later apply to another job that pays less, people will wonder just why you would leave a highly paid position, unless there is an obvious reason (like your spouse getting a job somewhere far away <S> and you needing to take what is offered there). <S> High paying jobs usually come with high requirements and expectations. <S> Next, when a manager needs to trim x% from his payroll, he might be more tempted to fire one expensive employee than two cheaper ones, so your high paying job may be less secure than a low paying one. <S> One other thing, of course, is that you can easily get used to the high salary, either in terms of lifestyle inflation (if you spend a lot) or in terms of peace of mind (if you save a lot). <S> Either one can restrict the possible jobs you could accept later on. <S> However, this really is a kind of first world problem. <S> " <S> Help, my current job pays so well that I can't find a competitive open position elsewhere!" <S> Lots of people would love to have this kind of problem. <A> There are plenty of drawbacks to higher-paying jobs. <S> They usually boil down to one thing - with greater pay comes greater responsibility. <S> (The company wants to "get their money's worth".) <S> You may be put in charge of specific systems or processes, and if something happens to those systems, you're the person who has to answer for any problems. <S> Higher-paid people are often in management. <S> Management is an entirely separate job skill - often people who are good at their specific job have to learn how to juggle their old duties, managing the workers under them, managing projects for their team, etc. <S> Even if you're not managing other workers, often senior employees (who typically earn more) are leaned on to mentor junior employees, in addition to their normal duties. <S> Finally, as you pointed out, when you decide to switch jobs, you will usually have to explain why you're leaving a "cushy" job (not to mention possibly having to modify your standard of living to handle a smaller paycheck). <A> Short answer: <S> Higher paid jobs <S> normally will have more responsibility and potentially a greater impact on your personal life. <S> When you are in junior roles, you often have a little more leeway in your level of commitment to the role. <S> Higher paid jobs will have an expectation from your employer to give a much higher commitment to the role. <S> You may be expected to keep your skills up to date more vigorously, and put in the extra hours. <S> If it's an internal move then your employer will already understand the need to move up and will likely not be a reduction in pay anyway. <S> You may be required to travel, depending on the type of role you are applying for. <S> You may be responsible for time frames and delivery schedules. <S> You may well have to front key stakeholders to explain any risks you face. <S> Really, the idea of a higher pay is to compensate you for the time you will lose from your non-working life, and the effort <S> you need to put in. <S> (Related: I posted this recently about taking a lower role when the responsibilities of a higher role impinges on your work/life balance)
| If expectations are higher than for a low-paying job, you can more easily disappoint the people that pay you really well. You may be asked / required to work longer hours. As far as having an impact on future roles, if they are perceived to be "moving upwards", you don't have to disclose your currently salary to future employers.
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How to turn down a drink from a coworker professionally? Coworker is pushing me to go drinking with her, but I generally abstain from alcohol. She's higher up than me in the "food chain", so to speak, and is great friends with my boss. I'm not sure how to go about this. I generally stay away from alcohol since alcohol has some bad memories of some relatives. In any case, what is the most polite way of turning down a drink? I've tried just saying "No" or "I'll think about it" but almost every day she is asking me to have a drink. What is the best way to approach this? I want to give a firm answer that won't have her leaving follow-ups a few days later. <Q> "Thanks, I'll have an orange juice. " <S> Or soda if you drink soda, or coffee, or... <S> Social drinking does not require that you consume alcohol. <S> I just don't like the taste of most alcoholic drinks, but "not in the mood for it" or "I prefer caffeine/sugar rush to alcohol" ..or indeed no explanation at all, are fully legitimate responses. <S> Very few over the age of 20 will care what you're drinking, except for noticing that your drink costs them a lot less than they had expected. <A> You can go with her without having an alcoholic drink. <S> If she offers you alcohol, simply say "sorry, I won't touch alcohol if I'm driving" (assuming you're driving) or you can go with a very simple " <S> I appreciate the offer, but I don't drink" and order something non-alcoholic. <S> If the issue is that you don't want to go out in a social situation with her, just keep saying no, or tell her you have plans immediately after work which can't change - have to give someone a ride, or do some shopping, take care of a friend/family member, tend to pets, etc. <S> almost every day she is asking me to have a drink <S> This borders on harassing behavior. <S> " <S> No, thank you" should be a sufficient response. <S> Do not tell her "I'll think about it" because that leaves the door open to a near-future "yes" answer. <S> Is it possible that she has a drinking problem herself, if she's going out for drinks nearly daily? <A> I have yet to hear anyone challenging me on my refusal on take a drink, and I have been on this Earth for a few more decades than I am willing to admit. <S> On the other hand, I drink tea, coffee and soda like a fish :)
| I state that I do a terrible job holding alcohol and that, given that I lose all inhibitions when I start drinking, it's best for me that I don't drink.
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Dealing with a really nice, hardworking but not good at work colleague There is this guy in my company who is very nice, always in a good mood, quite hardworking and has all the amiable qualities that you can think of but he is not really good at his job. I am inclined to think that he is rather poor at his job. Me and my team lead are currently working on a project, the code freeze for which is on monday. The project is very important which is one of the reasons why it got assigned to us. On thursday night, my team lead called me to try and come early on friday so we can finish all the pending tasks. We were rather swamped with work on friday. Well, we finished everything nicely. Now about this guy I mentioned above, on thursday, there was a bug found in some code he had written that needed to be fixed urgently. He sought my help on it and I did help him. We have a proper code review system in place and he asked me to review his code. While reviewing I found too many simple issues in his code which I pointed out to him and he said he would fix them. Well, thursday was over and I left for the day. On friday morning, I saw a mail from him sent at 1 AM in the night saying that he is on leave for one week starting friday. He had done all the changes I suggested and updated the code review. He also sent me a final patch requesting me to commit the changes for him. I think he was working till 1 AM to finish his task and I feel truly sorry for him. However, after applying his patch to the code, I found that the changes didn't compile, the unittests he had written were not running. All this probably because his own copy of code was really old. He didn't add anyone as moderator on his review, so no one could really edit his review. Even after the changes, his code had too many issues and I can't really commit such poor code. We have a policy of closing code reviews before the code is committed, and his review is going to hang around till he is back. However, given the urgency of his own bug, I fixed the code myself, created a new review and got it reviewed from someone else and committed it. This was a bit difficult as some of the files that he was changing were also being changed by me and like I said earlier, I was swamped with my own work on friday. I was rather frustrated on his passing the responsibility to me without even asking me once and that too on a really busy day for me, although he was not aware of this. And in all the frustration, I sent him a strongly worded reply highlighting all his mistakes and saying that I can't really commit his changes as such. On my team lead's suggestion, I even included his manager in the mail. I informed him that I had done the fix however. Late at night I saw a concise "Thank You" from him. And now I am feeling all guilty. So questions : Was I wrong in sending a rather harsh reply. Did I do something wrong by including his manager. That would make him look bad. I wouldn't have cared a bit if he was some lazy, insincere jerk who never made an effort to do anything properly. But he is a really nice, hardworking person and I certainly don't want him to be scared of asking me for help in the future. Is there something I can do to make him understand my own difficulties without sounding like the person who starts listing his own problems the moment you ask them for help. Should I apologize about something. <Q> There is a difference between what you do and how you do it. <S> I think you were correct in what you did. <S> Your co-worker prevented you from getting your work done so you found a way around that by fixing his code. <S> You went through the proper channels to get it reviewed. <S> You included your team lead, your co-worker, and his manager in communicating what happened. <S> All these are perfectly normal things to do, and shows that you can fix issues that come up. <S> You can improve how you did that by changing how you word your email. <S> In fact, it might make you look petty to put the blame on him (even if it was his fault). <S> I think the right thing to do would have been to sound neutral and just explain the facts (eg. <S> Code didn't compile, I fixed it, etc). <S> It sounds like your team lead is already sympathetic to your issue, so I wouldn't worry about it too much. <A> He left without finishing, and you had to clean up after him. <S> As in seriously clean up, on top of the other things that you had to get done. <S> Because he hadn't cleaned up after himself. <S> Yes, your email may have been harsh but then, the truth was pretty harsh. <S> He'll get over it and so will his manager, assuming that this sort of thing does not happen too often. <S> I expect that you are as good at receiving as you are good at dishing it out and that some day, you will wind up at the receiving end of well founded, forceful criticism from a colleague or manager and take that criticism without a whimper. <S> but you never expected to have to do so much cleanup after he passed his code on to you. <S> And at the same time that you had a tight deadline that you had to meet. <S> Let the story end there, at this point. <A> Firstly in my opinion your reply was about good. <S> The thing is you should react faster instead of waiting until bomb blows up. <S> You mentioned that there were some minor mistakes before. <S> You could just ask your colleague how is he felling about the job and if the typical working hours are sufficient for him to make his work done. <S> Maybe take a step more and mention to your manager what you observed about new employee. <S> Secondly if it's to late and your colleague put you into difficult spot and you are frustrated, try to calm your mind first. <S> Remember that sending mail to him and adding manager will not only present problems of your colleague but also will show how did you cope with it, <S> what is your emotional level - the response should be at neutral level. <S> In this situation you need to be as objective as you can be. <S> Maybe ask someone not involved about suggestion how to write constructive reply. <S> Lastly we are all professionals, so when you reply keep that in mind and don't let emotions take over. <A> Your colleague behavior wasn't ideal. <S> You said some harsh words. <S> Now you feel bad. <S> When he rejoins next week I suggest you apologise and explain how things happened for you. <S> That you were in a bad mood when writing that email <S> (yes, you can tell him your problems) and you are sorry for saying those words while altered. <S> That should take care of the problem with your colleague (assuming he is a reasonable guy). <S> About including his manager, it is a similar problem: you can't unsay it. <S> As you seem to be concerned about misinterpreting you, you can send him a follow-up email clarifying that you are concerned about him misinterpreting that email you wrote in a bad mood, when he is hardworking, nice, etc. <S> and that you apologised to him for your harsh words.
| It isn't your job to judge your co-worker. If you want, send him a note saying that you are sorry that you were harsh on him
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Is there an etiquette to bringing cake/cookies/etc. to the office? I've seen people bring in cake and other confectionery, is there an standard expectation when doing so, or do I just bring in the cake and send a mass email? How can I find out my company's stance? <Q> I would also add a note (maybe put a post-it by the food or include it in the email) about any nut allergies. <S> At my old workplace, people used to bring in doughnuts and walk up to everyone with the box and ask if they wanted some. <S> I said no (because of diet) and they always responded with "come onnn live a little". <S> That was a bit annoying, don't do that. <A> We do this on a regular basis: Montreal bagels, cookies (my specialty at Christmas), cake, cupcakes, frozen pops. <S> We have a number of different ethnicity in the office and we get different ethnic food stuff once in a while. <S> The only thing that I can think of, is that if someone in the office is very allergic to something, try not the bring something with that ingredient ( for example peanuts), better be safe than really sorry. <S> Make certain to clean after yourself (if you leave the box in the communal kitchen).Make certain that it is easy to eat (especially if your office does not have cutlery or plates) <S> Make certain that you have enough for everyone (or close to).Make certain that if it is a cake, that you cut it yourself to have a nice portion size for everyone. <S> If you office has a large number of employees, maybe you can limit yourself to your "team". <S> Most important:It should not be a financial burden on you. <S> It should not be expected that everyone should do it (100% on a voluntary basis)It should not interfere with normal office activities. <A> We do this at least once a month to celebrate that we as a team completed our tasks. <S> I usually bring home made cakes and coffee for the entire office and leave somewhere where I know everyone will see it (I work at a small office so we don’t have a break room). <S> Sometimes we get more organized and have breakfast and/or lunch together but cake and coffee are the most common thing. <S> Still there are some companies that disallow this sort of thing for reasons that I still don’t understand. <S> You should always consult HR about the company standard about this sort of thing. <A> If you're bringing in something like a box of donuts or store-brought muffins/pastries for your team, no email is necessary. <S> If you do know you'll be bringing something in, send out an email to your co-workers , not the entire company, to let them know what you plan to bring in and when (don't send a company-wide email, only your co-workers that you plan on sharing with need to know). <S> Letting them know you plan to bring in something like a breakfast pastry a day before <S> can help them plan their own morning routine around knowing you'll have something for them to eat when they get in <S> - it's not necessary, but it's nice for those who like to plan things out. <S> You don't have to let them know - spontaneous gifts of pastries are nice too - <S> but if you do let them know, don't cancel those plans without any warning, or you'll be disappointing your co-workers. <A> Do not send a mass email . <S> If you do, everyone will expect you to bring enough food for everyone, and in big companies this can be a burden (not only economically), while in smaller companies it's pretty pointless, since everyone will notice once you walk in anyway. <S> Do not warn people beforehand anyway , since the surprise factor will make this even more pleasant . <S> Sure, someone might miss it, someone might have to eat a second breakfast, but still I believe that the surprise factor for those who get it outweighs the chance of someone partly missing it. <S> Especially since it's not a one-of-a-kind event, hopefully. <A> Whether you send a "mass email" or not depends a lot on the size of the company you work for. <S> If there's only 10 of you, that might make sense. <S> If there are hundreds of people in the company, restrict it to your own department/project (and if you want to invite your friends from other departments/projects do that in a separate email.) <S> The alternative is to leave it in the kitchen with a note explaining what your are celebrating, or on a filing cabinet near your desk. <S> Really, this is entirely dependent on the culture in your company / department, not something we can answer here. <S> Is it the norm to bring cakes for birthdays? <S> or doughnuts every friday? <S> Bear in mind also that the boss's view may differ from your colleagues' views. <S> One company I worked for had a fantastic culture of socializing (and bringing food in for birthdays) <S> which often took up an hour or more a day. <S> When things got tighter (shortly before redundancies came around) <S> the management put a stop to all that.
| Usually just bring it in and place it in the break room, then send an email/tell your coworkers "hey guys I brought in some cake/cookies/snacks, feel free to have some." Either let it be anonymous (with a post-it note saying what it is) or if your company allow it, send an email. Just leave the box there and if people want it they'll take it, and it avoids the awkwardness of people saying no.
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How to go about getting a programming internship with no experience whatsoever? I am a 17 year old student, about to head off to university and it is being constantly hammered into me that I need to gain some experience and show some initiative over my peers in looking for an internship. I genuinely have no idea how to even formulate a letter, my programming knowledge is minimal and the whole concept of writing a letter to someone saying why I should be part of their internship is absolutely daunting. I am enthusiastic and just being in a programming environment will be highly beneficial but actually producing a letter seems very difficult. What should this letter entail if I have no experience or skills?Do I talk about my feeling and enthusiasm? If so how would I make that go on for a page? <Q> Unfortunately, without any skills or experience, you're of little value as an intern/employee. <S> Even student jobs on campus will require you to have some competence before they put you to work. <S> Many companies with internship programs require you to be at a certain point in your studies before they will consider you (for example, at the Junior or Senior level in a traditional 4-year Fr/Soph/Jr/Sr program). <S> Here's how to get some experience... <S> Pick a personal project to work on that interests you. <S> Learn as you go. <S> Take a few classes that will give you some programming experience. <S> Do well in them . <S> Actually learn what they teach you, especially how to apply it to other problems than just what's on the test or in the assignments. <S> Once you know enough to not break someone else's systems, you might try volunteering in your community (you want them to be happy you're helping). <S> You can help with some organization's website, for example. <S> Or you can get paired up with whomever the organization goes to for their computer work, and learn from them, like an informal apprenticeship. <S> As you get more experience, and you get better at programming, you might also try contributing to an open source project. <S> Doing so will give you more valuable experience in the forms of seeing how others design and write their software, working in a (remote) team, etc. <S> Taking these steps while you're getting your education will make you stand out when it comes time for the internships. <A> Start with your university. <S> Many have on campus jobs and they have a way for students to apply for these jobs. <S> These may not be internship jobs <S> but you can't beat working where you go to school. <S> Keep in mind that some employers won't consider you until you have completed your first year. <S> But also remember that they fill these positions months in advance. <S> Look for job fairs at the university during the school year. <S> Some universities also allow company to post job openings on the university site. <S> The university will also be able to provide assistance with writing a resume. <A> Internships are where you get experience. <S> You just need semi-decent grades (not even good tbh). <S> Within two years you're going to have way more programming knowledge comparable to your peers. <S> Even asking this question now (at 17) is a good thing.
| The university and specifically your department/major should be able to help you find positions.
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How should I answer to questions about the offer I got? Today I'm going to sign for a job that I really like.It's pretty different from the one I have now and I've negotiated for more or less the same salary, plus some benefits. When I'll notify my current employer about this job offer I'm pretty sure that he will ask me why I want to change and probably how much they offered me. I'm not sure that telling him I'm accepting basically the same salary is a good idea. I feel I'm worth more (I was even going to consider to ask for a raise before this offer) but it's an offer that will give me much more possibility to grow and a more enthusiastic work. What should I say? Just that it's a good offer, mention that I'm quitting for something different or maybe saying that they're giving me more? <Q> What should I say? <S> There's no need to say anything substantive nor is there a need to lie. <S> Simply saying that you are leaving for "better opportunities" is virtually always true. <S> Remember, you don't owe your current employer any explanations, and you certainly aren't required to talk about the details of your new company, job or salary. <S> Since you will have already accepted the new position, I'll assume you don't want to get into a negotiation about staying with your current employer. <S> Thus, there's no benefit to you to reveal any details about the new job. <A> Firstly don't tell any lies, these things have a way of finding you out. <S> When I quit my last job for one with a very similar salary I stuck very much to the truth. <S> I was leaving <S> because my new job was far closer to home, this would give me a better lifestyle and more family time. <S> I didn't volunteer any information about my new position but I wanted them to understand it wasn't a financial decision. <S> In your case I would just say you're leaving because the new role excites you and you feel really enthusiastic about it. <S> If they ask you about money just say that it meets your requirements but don't tell them your new salary. <S> If they want to then come back with an offer to convince you to stay that is their decision <S> but I would be very wary of accepting an offer in those circumstances. <A> And for any follow-up question, the best reply is also "I don't want to answer it". <S> If you are asked why you don't want to answer, the reply is "because I don't want to". <S> Consider the alternatives: <S> Saying the truth is exactly what you wanted to avoid. <S> Lying has the bad habit of being found out eventually, or having potentially bad consequences if the lie is believed. <S> and then you are worse off than to start with. <S> The only situation where you may say why you left is if the reason has nothing to do with what the company has been doing or could be doing in the future. <S> For example, if you need to move away for personal reasons, completely unrelated to the company, then you may say that.
| Completely independent to the workplace, if you are asked a question and you don't want to answer it, the best reply is "I don't want to answer it". Just be thankful for the opportunity you got in your present job, give an appropriate notice period, be professional during your transition out and end things on good terms. Giving excuses why you are not answering, other than the straightforward "I don't want to answer", makes the questioner peck at your excuses, until eventually they find out that you are just giving a lame excuse
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List an important award from college on resume years later? 8 years ago (time flies doesn't it?), I won a first-place award at a national collegiate conference for software development. At the same conference, I also received first place in a PC troubleshooting competition. My career path has been through software development and I now find myself in a position of leading/managing an engineering team. I expect to continue down the path of a technical manager, maintaining my capability to develop software on my own while delivering a competent team to meet business needs. I'm not necessarily looking for a job at the moment, but I like to keep my resume up-to-date. Without a specific job in mind, do I include this award from 8 years ago? It seems to me that it's dated and that my current experiences and work stand on their own. However, in every interview I've had, that point has come up as a positive. Admittedly, it's been 3 years since I was last looking for work so it may not be as relevant now. I think I should definitely remove the "PC Troubleshooting" award. I realize this is somewhat opinion-based, so let me boil it down into a simple question: At what point do past accomplishments become irrelevant when applying for jobs? Edit: To clarify, there are other accomplishments related to real work since then, and this award has always been last on the resume, in the "notable projects an achievements" section. I've found in interviews that saving Company X a bunch of money while doing something important is not as interesting to most interviewers as winning something. I think it's dated at this point though, and will be removing it. I appreciate all the feedback! <Q> Short answer: <S> If you have any sort of industry experience (8 years in your case, somewhat... <S> more for me ;) ) <S> , then what your grades were at school, what awards you won are not really going to sell your employability. <S> If you are a fresh graduate, then absolutely include it as it can differentiate you from other graduates. <S> There is nothing wrong with leaving it as something on the last page if you really want to. <S> But really, unless it's relevant to the job you are applying for, it's nothing more <S> than a bit of self-congratulation. <S> I have some qualifications I don't include on my CV because they just aren't worth discussing. <S> What most employers want is proof of experience and capability for the role they are hiring for. <S> That will trump grades and awards every single time. <A> "At what point do past accomplishments become irrelevant when applying for jobs?" <S> In the specific context of your question: <S> when it is obvious that the technology involved is outdated. <S> I don't expect you to be troubleshooting eight year old computers going forward. <S> If you find yourself troubleshooting eight-year old computers for your employer, take that as a hint that you need to jump ship at the first harbor it gets to. <S> Congrats for winning that software development award eight years ago, but your skills back then were not what they are today - <S> I hope, or you're toast. <S> It might be a better idea to nuke these lines that are getting long in the tooth and use the space that's freed up to list more contemporary achievements and/or capabilities that are likely to fire up a prospective employer's enthusiasm for having you on their staff, because these achievements and capabilities are more immediately relevant to their needs. <S> If you have absolutely no contemporary and relevant achievements to point to, then it sucks to be you :) <A> As a hiring manager for my past employers, I remember enjoying reading what applicants listed as their top awards in college. <S> Academic excellence? <S> Athletic excellence? <S> Which sport? <S> (provides common ground to "break the ice" during interviews). <S> If past behaviors are one of the best predictors of future behaviors, then, in general, awards earned in college demonstrate what the applicant cared about enough to participate and compete to excel among their peers. <S> If also gives us an insight as to how they chose to spend their time and priorities during one's "best years of our lives." <S> Accomplishments are accomplishments and they speak volumes about an individuals' resolve and/or collaborative and teaming abilities, competitive resilience, competitive nature, and other personal attributes - regardless of how long ago they achieved their awards. <S> Personal attributes, like one's IQ, are immutable and reliable behavior predictors.
| Unless it's completely relevant to the role you are applying for and you have no subsequent experience, it's not really worth adding.
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How to avoid questions about your/others' sexual orientation in the workplace? I have no problem with being a little rude about this subject outside work but I can't think of a PC answers if this subject came up for discussion in the office. <Q> If you don't want to be questioned, then some variation of "it's not an appropriate subject for the office" should suffice. <A> I agree with Julia Hayward that it's inappropriate to ask at work. <S> I'd suggest a different response, though - "it's not an appropriate subject <S> " may come across as a bit unfriendly. <S> I'd go with some variation of "Why do you ask?" <S> The response will probably be something along the lines of "Oh, I was just wondering." <S> At that point, you respond only to this last sentence, with e.g. <S> "Oh, OK then" - and then you change the subject. <S> Or you could prolong it a bit with "What made you wonder?" <S> - and whatever they say, you can still respond with "Oh, OK then" and a change of subject. <S> In other words - turn the question around so that they have to explain why they would even ask that question, and then change the subject. <S> If they persist after this, that's the time to respond with "No, I didn't answer, because I don't think it's an appropriate subject for the office". <S> At that point their insistence is already well past the point of rudeness. <A> I'd say something along the lines of "why? <S> Does it matter?" and leave the ball hanging in their court. <S> I doubt anyone sensible will consider the response to this question as something they can reasonably answer positively. <S> And once they admit it doesn't matter, you've already moved the conversation on, away from this non-constructive subject. <A> Asking someones sexual orientation is inappropriate in a work context, because it is irrelevant for the job. <S> There is only one industry where asking about someones sexual orientation is work-related, and that is the adult entertainment and sex industry. <S> And even in that context it should be appropriate to answer questions about your sexual orientation with <S> "I feel [comfortable|not comfortable] to work with [male|female|transexual] [performers|customers|content]" without revealing your actual sexual preference you have in a private context.
| In a professional setting, asking unprompted about someone's sexual orientation is pretty much always inappropriate. Don't make it about yourself and why you don't want to answer; the questioner would be equally wrong asking anyone.
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Is it ok to put a 'Currently learning' in the skills section of a CV? I have started learning programming a few months ago and while I am quite proficient in python, I am still a beginniner in many other languages like MATLAB and R. My skill level on those languages are close to nil but I an trying to learn as fast as possible. Is it ok to state that I am currently learning those languages? I am hesitant to just put 'Beginner' as that would not show that I am currently trying to get better at the skill. I realize that the CV should only state achievements and skills that I have already accomplished; not ones that I intend to. So would putting skills that I do not have yet simply be in bad taste? <Q> Is it ok to state that I am currently learning those languages? <S> I am hesitant to just put 'Beginner' as that would not show that I am currently trying to get better at the skill. <S> I realize that the CV should only state achievements and skills that I have already accomplished; not ones that I intend to. <S> So would putting skills that I do not have yet simply be in bad taste? <S> I wouldn't use the words "bad taste" here. <S> And anything is okay, but I don't think it's a very good idea. <S> Adding any skills that you don't really have might call into question the other skills you have listed. <S> We all dabble in lots of areas. <S> Some of those which are currently close to nil eventually turn into skills, others don't. <S> Keep the focus of your CV/resume on skills that you already own and which could be used in your next job. <S> Skills which are close to nil can't yet contribute much if anything at all. <S> Save the "I'm learning" discussion for a cover letter or for an interview - but only when it's directly relevant to the job at hand. <S> You want discussions with potential employers to focus primarily on what you can bring to the table now, rather than on what you currently cannot. <A> Keep in mind that many interviewers feel that if it's on the resume/CV, then it's fair game in the interview. <S> So don't include anything you're not ready to answer questions about. <A> When I used to be involved in hiring at my company, I often saw people clarify their level of expertise in various programming languages; for example: Skills Fluent: <S> Java, C, Python, Lua, ... Familiar: R, C#, ... or Languages: <S> Java (fluent), Python (fluent), R, C# or Languages: <S> Java (expert), Python (intermediate), Perl (intermediate), <S> C# (beginner) Along the lines of the examples above, you can list your new language as "in-training" or similar, or list it under your hobbies or interests. <S> Don't try to pass it off as a de-facto skill if you aren't very proficient yet. <S> It's true that many programming concepts are language-agnostic <S> but there is a learning curve associated with using a new language. <S> The employer wants to hire you for what you already know, and if you lead the employer to believe you could jump into the middle of working on a project using that language, you may find yourself in over your head. <S> At the very least, qualify your level of experience so the employer knows that you've dabbled but may not be very productive in that language. <S> Regardless, you should also list some of your past projects and what languages, frameworks, etc. <S> , you applied while working on those projects. <S> If you're working on a substantial enough side project as you learn a new language, it would be beneficial to list that project, as well. <A> It depends on how well you could apply those skills immediately, and/or defend them in an interview. <S> (Remember that anything you list on your resume is fair game in the interview process. <S> If you can't back up your claim when quizzed on it, that may call the rest of your resume into question!) <S> If you've been working with it on a side project but just haven't had the opportunity to use it professionally, then it's probably safe to claim it with that caveat. <S> I have a similar section on my resume - at the bottom under "Interests" <S> I refer to my self-directed learning (MOOCs and such) and enumerate skills that I've picked up there. <S> It's a pretty clear distinction between my professional experience and something that I've only used outside of work but would be comfortable applying in my next job. <S> I don't list everything I've ever taken a class on, just a few things that I feel I have good enough practice with to give me a leg up on someone who hasn't worked with them before. <A> You could divide you skill-levels in the CV, which is common in some countries. <S> The lowest skill level contains the technologies you are learning. <S> You should have understand the basic concept of the technologie and be able to interprete simple code-snippets. <S> If you are able to write simple programs, like those you write in first semester of IT education, you are at this level. <S> For me, this would look like: <S> Skills: <S> Competent: Lua, C++ Profound: Qt(5) for C++, JSON, JavaScript, HTML5, SQL Basic: Java, AJAX, ... <S> and so on
| If you're just starting to learn a new skill, it's probably not something you should cite on your resume.
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How can I stay calm and make my case when my boss gets angry at me? I work closely with my boss and we often need to talk about solutions or how we want to implement our products. Every now and then, we have a disagreement and he gets (a little) mad at me. I always avoid having an argument with him and do what he thinks is good. Anyway, I want to be calm and more assertive in that type of situation. I want to stand by my point and convince him to follow my idea. Is it a good idea to do that? If so, how can I do it? <Q> If all he has to do his show a little anger and you'll give up, there is no point in having a professional opinion. <S> Don't go out of your way to upset him, but do not shy away from giving your input. <S> A good salesperson will ask for a higher fee at the risk of upsetting a client. <S> It is difficult to negotiate from a position of fear. <S> I've been at places where the loudest voice in the room got the most attention, so I played along willingly. <S> That's just me. <S> Take some pride in keeping calm and not conceding your position. <S> Ultimately, you make suggestions and your boss makes the decisions. <S> Offer all the information, arguments, things to consider, etc. <S> and then ask him what does he want to do? <S> Calmly accept the decision and start doing what it takes to make it work. <A> They said people jump in because of the company, and they leave (or stay) because of the boss. :) <S> (e.g. I've met corporations where you're not supposed to talk to your manager unless she talks to you first). <S> That said, depending on the kind of job and on your seniority/experience (e.g. First Violin on an orchestra vs apprentice on a workshop): <S> Choose with care which battles you need to fight for. <S> Put your effort where it's more productive. <S> Don't think on doing YOUR case, but doing THE COMPANY'S case. <S> Maybe you are losing sight of the 90% of the iceberg under water level. <S> After the argument, evaluate if the outcome deserved the effort you pour into it. <S> Some more general advice you could take advantage of: <S> Scott Berkun's post on How to keep your mouth shut Chapter 4 Learning how to deal with people <A> One approach is to direct the conversation back to an investigation of the problem. <S> Firstly, you should acknowledge that there's a disagreement , and propose to change gears to break the stalemate. <S> You've both made your cases and you still don't agree on what should be done. <S> Defuse the situation by saying something like: <S> You're the boss. <S> Ultimately, what you say goes. <S> But I don't think you want to force every decision we make. <S> Let's see if we can get somewhere by changing perspectives. <S> (Ideally, he should be the one to lead the discussion this we, but we don't always get the boss we deserve). <S> The trick is to get away from solutions. <S> When you talk about aspects of the problem , you can both be looking out for different aspects of the problems and still have a productive discussion. <S> For instance, your boss will likely want a cheap and fast solution, whereas you may want one that is maintainable, and works well for the customer. <S> The solution is to map out what these requirements mean in detail and to find a smart way of satisfying all of them. <S> You might, for instance, design an ideal solution, but then add a plan of implementation that allows for the first implementation to be delivered quickly and cheaply, but with a continued development towards a more sustainable solution. <S> A second point to bear in mind is that once people are convinced of something, reason and logic work against you . <S> The more arguments you throw at them, the more they dig their heels in. <S> Ie. <S> don't try to convince someone that Apple is better than Microsoft, buy them an ipod nano. <S> Break the absolutes. <S> Don't try to turn a staunch Republican into a Democrat, just ask him which Democrat he'd support if he had to. <S> Find one small commitment towards your point of view and ask them to make it (and be prepared to do the same).
| Then revise your options (e.g. if he seems under a lot of pressure, present him how doing your way can relieve some pressure). Not getting upset yourself may take some practice. When you talk about which solution to choose, you end up arguing, because solutions are mutually exclusive. The trick is togive up on convincing them of the whole big truth at once, and to find somesmall commitment they can make. First, discussing with your boss is not necessarily bad, and depending on culture it could be more/less tolerated. Try walking on your boss's shoes, and figure out why is he getting mad.
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How can I ask for more tasks to do? I'm halfway into my 4-month internship at a software development company of 50+ employees. So far I've have done every task they have assigned to me, but they're fairly small tasks, so I'm constantly without any specific tasks to do. My supervisor is rather senior and very busy, so I don't like to keep asking him multiple times for new tasks (even though I report to him every single time I finish the ask given and also say "I am open to new tasks" or something similar). This week I asked him and his supervisor for a feedback, and they said that they are very satisfied with me/my work. When I asked if there was something that I could improve, they said that I am okay and that they don't have any complaints. The problem is that I am only have enough work to fill around 40% of my working hours. I thought about trying to engage some project here, but that doesn't seem like a good thing to do, because I think I would be bypassing my supervisor doing it. How can I ask for more tasks without being annoying/rude here? Is it okay to ask for more tasks? <Q> Next time you go back to your manager, ask for more than one task. <S> That will also allow you to switch to a new task if you hit a roadblock on the other. <S> Then, your status when you talk to him can be more like this: <S> I have finished task C and have the information here for you. <S> I've started working on task D and am at x% of finishing it. <S> I've looked at task E and expect it to take n days. <S> When you get a chance, please assign task F to me. <S> I will then be able to give you an estimate on it when I next speak to you. <S> A hard worker tries to stay busy. <S> There is another option, if he doesn't always have the tasks to give to you. <S> Ask him if there are others you can help, and how he would like you to go about asking to help them. <A> Look around you and see if there is there is some task or process that you could improve by writing some new software. <S> Research it and propose it to them. <S> This will demonstrate initiative on your part and (hopefully) impress them even more. <S> If they let you work on it, you can provide added value to the company and this will be a great thing to have on your resume. <S> When I am hiring/interviewing, I am more impressed by someone who identified a problem solved it, then someone who just did the tasks they were assigned. <A> My supervisor is someone really important here and also really busy, <S> so I don't like to keep asking him multiple times for new tasks <S> Next time you meet with your supervisor, instead of asking for a task, ask something like: <S> "I hate bothering you, since you are so busy. <S> When I complete my assigned tasks, what would you like me to do?" <S> You supervisor may give you a list of "fill-in" activities, may tell you to ask someone else for a task, or may just tell you to think of something on your own. <S> If it were me, and I had a great, fast intern, I'd give him or her a very long list of tasks that would last longer than a week. <S> This isn't unusual, in my experience. <S> A good intern can often power through assigned tasks far more quickly than an average intern. <S> But a supervisor has to be careful not to overload and overwhelm interns.
| Tell him you want to do more work, and if you have multiple tasks, you can work on the next one after you finish the first, which will give him a bit more time to respond after you finish a task.
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Writing Reason for Early Departure on Cover Letter I am currently in a job I started four months ago, and it has not been going well for me. The work environment is very toxic where my co-workers don't have any respect for the management or each other among a whole host of other unprofessional behavior. In addition to this, I was hired to be a Business Intelligence Programmer for this company, and all I do for the majority of my day is manually fix errors for insurance claims that get stuck in a database. There is nothing fancy or anything to do with my skill set with fixing the errors since it is web based. From my understanding, it is something that is not going to be changing anytime soon. So with these things in mind, I have decided that I need to find a new job before this stint hurts my career. I am still fairly early in my career, so I think I can get away with one job hop since my previous jobs were 5 years and 1 year and 8 months respectfully. The job I had for five years was before I finished college and the other position is in my new career after college just to give a little bit of my professional history. What I am wondering is what do I put on my cover letter about why I'm jumping ship from this job after a short while? I know I can't put something like," THESE PEOPLE ARE CRAZY! GET ME OUT OF HERE!!!" I did recently apply for a job, and I put on the cover letter that I was looking for a more challenging and dynamic position, but I am not sure if this is the right thing to put on there or even if I should mention why I'm leaving. Should I just leave that information for the interview? If anyone has any input, that would be greatly appreciated. Thanks so much!! Perdue *******Additional Question******* Should I put on my cover letter that I am currently employed and could they keep my job search confidential? Thanks everyone for all of your feedback!! <Q> Short answer: <S> I wouldn't raise the reason why you left unless asked. <S> What you said seems reasonable, however I'd probably not even mention it. <S> Instead focus on the skills you have that apply to the role you are applying for (selection criteria) <S> and if you are asked, you can simply say something like: <S> The role didn't really seem to fit where I want to be in my career at this point, so I felt it was better to look for other opportunities. <S> Otherwise, unless someone queries the shorter time frame, then you don't need to volunteer anything. <S> [Edit after your update] To address your additional question - most hiring managers know not to make your job search public, and they can see you are employed by looking at your CV. <S> If your current role is relevant to the role you are applying for, you could start your cover letter with something like: <S> My name is x <S> , I am applying for your advertised postion y . <S> I am currently employed as z with Company 123 . <S> That way you can indicate that you are employed and that your current job is worth nothing in relation to the role you are applying for. <A> What I am wondering is what do I put on my cover letter about why I'm jumping ship from this job after a short while? <S> I did recently apply for a job, and I put on the cover letter that I was looking for a more challenging and dynamic position, but I am not sure if this is the right thing to put on there or even if I should mention why I'm leaving. <S> Those are vehicles for presenting your credentials, and the positive reasons for why you would be perfect in this new job, not for discussing why your current job isn't working out. <S> Be ready to answer the question <S> "Why are you leaving your current job after such a short duration?", since it will almost certainly come up during an interview. <S> Try hard not to bash the company (hiring managers don't like to hear any company-bashing). <S> Instead, focus on the fact that the job ended up not being what you had hoped. <S> @WesleyLong has this great suggestion: "I was hired to do programming, but as time went on, it became clear the role they needed was in operations, not development, and I realized I was not going to be a good long-term fit for the position.". <S> As you can see - no bashing there, just an acknowledgement that the fit wasn't right. <S> And also be ready to convey why you are sure your next job will be a keeper for the long run. <S> Prepare for your job search and interviews by thinking hard about your current company. <S> Was there something you could have done to understand the real situation before you accepted the offer? <S> Were there questions you could have asked? <S> Was there someone else you could have talked with during the interview process that would have given you better insight? <S> (I always try to talk with my future boss, at least one future peer, and all the people who would work for me, whenever possible) <S> Try to apply what you learn to your next interviews. <S> You don't want to end up in another bad job. <S> Have several very short jobs in your career is something you'd probably like to avoid if possible. <A> No. <S> As a recruiter I'm really not interested in why someone left a job at the cover letter/resume stage of the process. <S> At that point I'm more focused on if they have the right background/skills for the role I'm recruiting for. <S> Once I engage the candidate in a conversation then <S> yes, I always ask why a person has decided to move from one role to another. <S> Saying a role simply wasn't a good fit for your skills <S> /career aspirations is an absolutely acceptable answer so long as you're diplomatic about it. <S> Most managers and recruiters are mature enough to recognize that sometimes despite the best of intentions a role simply isn't a fit for a person. <S> So long as you don't trash talk your former employer and keep the reason for your departure focused on your skills <S> /responsibilities it should be a non-issue. <S> If anything, I'm usually more impressed by a candidate in these situations. <S> It shows they have a strong vision of where they want to be in their career and also that they know how to diplomatically deal with differences of opinion.
| You should not put your reasons for leaving your current job on your CV/resume or cover letter.
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Providing references when only having work experience abroad I came back to Florida from Israel so I'm one year here. I am legal to work in the US because I'm a citizen, and I'm looking for jobs. Most applications asks for reference. Unfortunately my only work experience is a job I had in Israel. Listing my previous employer from Israel as a reference is difficult because they don't really speak understandable English and are in a very different timezone. How can I provide a reference when my only work experience is abroad? <Q> It might be hard for the human resources department to confirm the reference, but (depending on the job) many HR departments don't check references anyway or only very sporadically (like doing a search for the company name to verify it exists). <S> Asking for references might be part of the standard procedure, but (depending on the position) candidates being unable to provide any might not even be an absolute exclusion criteria, especially when they are still young and the job doesn't necessarily require experience (everyone has a first job in their lives). <A> I used to work with a CTO who lived in Israel. <S> He could talk to me until 3 PM New York time - after that, he was having his beauty sleep. <S> So calling Israel during (some) business hours can be done. <S> Aside from that, conversations with references can be set up using Skype. <S> As for their poor English, say to your prospective employer to use someone who speaks Hebrew or have your Israeli respond to written questions from HR in writing. <S> My attitude is that your issue is manageable. <S> So manage it. <A> Do you have any teachers who could act as references for you? <S> Other than that, the only thing I can think of is doing some volunteer work. <S> Volunteer work doesn't usually require you to have any references (or even a resume for that matter) and you can build strong working relationships with supervisors and other volunteer workers. <S> This can build a resume very quickly; 2 to 4 months of good volunteering at a couple of places and you should be able to get at least three good work references.
| I would recommend you to still list your previous job in Israel as a reference.
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Would it be appropriate, when asked for questions at the end of an interview, to ask what you could have done better in the interview? Would it be appropriate, when asked for questions at the end of an interview, to ask what you could have done better in the interview? I'm not sure if this comes off wrong, or how I'd think of it, of being interested in getting feedback and doing everything you can to improve. It's not anything too big, just a grocery store, and maybe some other normal retail places in the future if this one doesn't work out. I'm in the middle of college, and this will be my first job interview so I really would like feedback to help me improve. So what do you think? Good or bad? <Q> I would say that the interview is not the right place to ask for this kind of feedback. <S> What is more common is to ask for feedback if you are unsuccessful for the job, which is the kind of feedback you seem to be looking for. <S> If you are successful in getting the job, you can ask your new boss directly about it casually some time after you start :) <S> Remember the kind of feedback you receive will most likely differ depending on if you are or are not successful. <S> An interviewer normally needs a little time to put things together in their head, and they also need to have completed their other interviews to gauge how you interviewed against the other applicants. <S> TL;DR <S> Nope, not in the interview. <S> Ask for it later, depending on if you are successful or not! :) <A> The most important thing to consider here is whether or not the answer you get is usable or even true. <S> There's little point in asking if you're not going to get an answer that is actually helpful. <S> I'll argue that it is very unlikely for you to get a straight answer regardless of when you ask that question. <S> Also, there's some nuance to the question that needs to be fleshed-out. <S> Do you mean to ask what you could have done better in the formality of the interview itself? <S> Or, do you just want to know if you're still "in the game"? <S> In either case, you can't reasonably expect the hiring manager to explicitly tell you the truth. <S> Very few people are comfortable telling someone they're rejected to their face, its hard to do that in a way that isn't at least somewhat hurtful. <S> You might be able to "infer" your status if the hiring manager talks to you about "next steps" or subsequent interviews/activities, but that's not a given. <S> Sadly, the way most people find out they're "out" is by not getting any follow-up calls or emails. <S> If you intend to find out how you could have done better on the details of the interview, you're really not going to get a straight answer. <S> Hiring managers need to use a limited set of questions or observed behaviors to determine whether or not they're going to hire somebody. <S> Asking them how you did on these particular tests is kind of like asking them to give you "the key" to success in their interview process. <S> If you were a hiring manager would you want candidates to try "game" your interview by being able to "cram" the few topics that you choose to evaluate people on? <S> There is one scenario, however, where you MIGHT actually get useful feedback about your interview: if you got the interview through a 3rd-party recruiter. <S> Recruiters typically call up their client (the hiring manager) after having sent them a candidate for an interview. <S> They usually get a fairly accurate description about how the candidate performed in the interview. <S> If you happen to have good rapport with the recruiter, you may be able to chat him up later and get all kinds of details. <S> What you do with that info and whether or not you can act on it is another question. <A> The way I learned to phrase this type of question is as follows: <S> Is there anything that is preventing me from moving on to the next stage? <S> If you already asked what the next stage is use that in your wording. <S> So it may be: <S> Is there anything that is preventing me from coming back for the code test? <S> That allows them to ask further questions or get clarification on something. <S> They may say: We will meet and decide, but no, you have answered everything you could? <S> Then that is good. <S> But if they say: Well the position is a senior level position and you seem to lack some of the skills we look for in a Senior? <S> Then you know you answered their questions to the best of your ability, you just aren't the individual they are looking for exactly. <A> I wouldn't say it is necessarily wrong, but it would be a little strange. <S> It might make you seem a little informal to the interviewer. <S> If you don't get the job then it would seem more reasonable to ask, if the chance comes by. <S> It might also depend on the interviewer, so if they seem cool, go for it.
| It just seems wrong to be searching for that kind of feedback at that point, almost if this interview is a practice run or you expect to fail.
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Time sheets signed the day ahead Is it fraud for my supervisor to ask me to sign my time sheet a day ahead so she could send it in on the day they are supposed to be submitted to the pay office? <Q> Short answer: <S> It's very common for this to happen. <S> I've done it at least a dozen times in my career. <S> Sometimes you'll be working off site, or for some reason unable to get a timesheet signed on the day they're normally submitted. <S> If for some reason your actual hours vary from the timesheet hours you submitted, you can just notify them of a correction and if necessary any adjustments to pay. <A> It's common enough that even Scott Adams has covered it... <S> I've always felt a bit sketchy about doing it myself, but usually there are ways of correcting projected mistakes later (say undercharging the same day the following week, or an actual correction to the timesheet etc). <A> If the supervisor gets a bonus for collecting and delivering all time sheets quickly at the end of the day, and gets his bonus by delivering time sheets that were filled out before you actually did the work, lying about this to his boss, yes. <S> If you don't arrive at work because of an accident, and the supervisor still charges a customer for the eight hours on your time sheet, yes. <A> The company has to have in place procedures for how to address changes between the time you sign, and the end of the pay period. <S> If they are following the procedures it is not fraud. <S> If they are billing customers for your time the customers will insist that either time cards can only be submitted after the end of the pay period, or that there are documented procedures for addressing these changes. <S> They will want to be able to see not only the final time card, but the list of changes and the reason for those changes. <S> Besides being able to bill correctly, which does allow them to keep customers, the employee also wants to have these adjustment procedures to protect their vacation. <S> For example if you think you will be on leave the last day, but you are called in for an emergency and have to put in 12 hours of work: you want to be paid for that time not charged 8 hours of leave. <S> There should be time card procedures documented, and you should receive training on those procedures. <S> Many companies require annual retraining to reenforce those procedures.
| If you are forced to work an hour longer and the supervisor denies payment because that hour is not on your time sheet, yes. If they are the hours that you intend to work and do work , it is absolutely not fraud. As long as all the data on the time sheet is considered as preliminary and is adjusted to reality when necessary, it's fine.
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Fell ill - huge gap in time on resume - what do I do? I'm having some troubles finding work. I'm a good, hard-working and honest worker who has a ton of experience in several areas. I won't list them, but I suspect that my issues with finding work are related to a 10 year break I took. From the moment I left school up until 2005, I had been through a couple jobs. I fell ill in 2005 and it has taken quite a while to get back on track. But I am finally at a point where I am able to work and no matter where I go or what type of jobs I apply for, I rarely even get an automated response. I try to apply in person, but all I get is is attitude and "apply on our website". So, these days it seems that applying online is the preferred means and your main option. I'm not going to lie on my resume and fill that 10 year break with fake positions or just BS, but I haven't provided an explanation for that gap either (unless they ask - which they don't, because they never respond). So I'm sitting here, yet again, re-working my resume, thinking that maybe I should put something in there so as to address any questions they may have about the gap between 2005 and 2015. Should I do that? Would it even matter? I don't really think it's any of their business, however it would raise questions if I were reading over it as an employer and it would be difficult to not take it into account when hiring. <Q> Personally, if I saw a CV with an unexplained ten year gap, it would certainly be raising a flag for me. <S> I'd be more likely to move forwards with it if it said something like "Unemployed due to long term illness". <S> As Brandin has said in a comment, then mention it in a cover letter or similar - "I've been unemployed since 2005 due to a long term illness, but I'm now in a state where my illness no longer affects my ability to work." <A> I suggest you go through a recruiter. <S> People either love or hate recruiters, but I have good experience with recruiters, who I find are able to sell my skills better than I can and explain the areas where I need explaining better than I can. <S> Also, recruiters usually have direct relationship with the hiring managers, and it would help if you just let them explain for you before your resume is even shown. <A> I agree with the answer suggesting explaining the gap in the cover letter or similar. <S> In parallel with that, if possible, start some form of regular outside-the-home activity, such as volunteer work or education. <S> The main objective should be that it involve the same demand to get up each morning, go to a specific location, and work there for several hours as a regular job would. <S> The volunteer work does not need to be related to target jobs other than in demonstrating reliability. <S> It could be something very basic, such as doing data entry for a charity. <S> Aim to get someone associated with the activity to act as a reference, with the understanding that, if asked, they should emphasize your attendance record. <S> This should help with a possible concern that you are out of the habit of having going to work. <S> Unfortunately, this may not be feasible. <S> It depends on whether you can afford the travel cost to get to a suitable location, without having a job. <A> What about exploring options beyond working for someone else; for example starting your own business? <S> The Internet presents a whole host of opportunities, but make sure it is something that you enjoy, believe in and can stick at. <S> Starting your own business is not for everyone, but I'd recommend starting off by reading the book Personal MBA to figure out if this is something for you. <S> Skip the first chapter though, which simply outlines why you don't need to go to business school to start a successful business.
| Once you establish a track record of regular attendance, change the cover letter to not only explain the gap, but add "Since [date] I have volunteered for X hours each weekday at ....".
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How can I get recruiters who call me to mail me their contact info? Since I'm looking for a job and have posted my resume on several national sites for open positions, I regularly get called by recruiters from different consultancy bureaus, recruitment agencies, temp job agencies and similar companies, usually 1 to 3 times a week. When I explain what I'm looking for (a C# or Java developer job near my home town) and the reason why (no driver's license), roughly 90 % of them state that the position they're calling me for doesn't fit that profile. Once this happens, they usually say they will keep my resume on file and contact me when they got another position available (which usually means they won't contact me again). For my job coaching, I have to keep a list of the companies that contacted me and on what date. (Here, "job coaching" refers to the government or a non-profit that help an unemployed person in finding their job. This ranges from helping with the resume and interview practice to unpaid internships for experience and networking purposes.) The problem is that many of these companies I've never heard of before, and they only give the name once. And even then, I still don't know how to write it. So I usually ask the recruiter at the end of the conversation if they can mail me their contact info. This doesn't always quite work out, and I often end up having to just write down "recruitment agency" or "consultancy bureau". Should I give them the reason why I would like them to mail me their info? And if so, which reason should I give? "I didn't quite get what company you are calling for" (honest, but maybe a little bit like "I don't care what company you call for") "I have to keep a list of companies who contact me for their job coaching" (honest as well, but sounds like "I'd rather not have to do this") "Could I get your info so I can call you back if I found something on my own?" (even if I don't intend to do so) Or is there a better way to get their info? I could call back if they haven't given me their info yet (if they don't use a private number), but most recruiters probably won't even remember me. <Q> For my job coaching, I have to keep a list of the companies that contacted me and on what date. <S> It's always best to focus on the most important aspects of a conversation first. <S> So when a recruiter calls, before you start discussing your qualifications and limitations, ask the recruiter's name and company. <S> If it's really necessary, you can also ask for their email and phone number. <S> Write it down immediately, so you can report it for your job coaching purposes. <S> If necessary, just say "Hang on a second please, while I write down your contact information." <S> If you wait until your conversation has ended, you'll be less successful trying to elicit the contact information, particularly if they conclude that you don't fit the job profile. <A> When an agent calls you out of the blue, do not tell them anything that may rule you out of the job (such as the lack of a driving license) until you have seen a job spec. <S> Simply say the job sounds interesting and ask them to email you the details. <S> If they are serious, they will. <S> Some agents will cold call in an effort to fill a vacancy they have simply seen on a job board. <S> They have no relationship with the company at all, and no more details about the job than what you could find yourself by googling. <S> These guys are mostly time-wasters. <S> They are only interested in getting your details on their database and there is no effort to understand your wants. <S> These guys go on my blacklist. <A> Tell them you're busy and if they could just drop you an email with their contact details you will call them back. <S> If they don't email you at this point, they were up to no good anyway. <A> Also, be sure your profile is listed on the major job websites, such as Dice, Monster, Indeed, and CareerBuilder. <S> This has led to my getting job postings (with contact info) from recruiters every day, often before -- or instead of -- a call from the recruiter.
| Ask them to e-mail their contact information and a copy of the job description.
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Student employee - asking for a raise There is a similar question here that asks about how to proposition a raise. However, I don't believe my question is a duplicate specifically because I'm working as a student employee at a university , and I feel that the work climate as such is very different from industry. TL; DR (too long; didn't read) My typical job duties as a laboratory assistant are simple, but I do software development and soon teaching, as 'extras' in my typical work day. I feel that I deserve higher pay for doing these extra things, but I am lost as to how to ask for a (significant) raise in a student employee environment at a university. The whole story I've been working as a laboratory assistant for our language department for 2 years now, making $10/hour currently, which is more than most other students here who make minimum wage. My job description basically entails watching over the lab, making sure that students aren't abusing the computers/printer, helping them when they have technical questions, and handling faculty requests (digitizing films, doing such and such small project, etc.). Over these years, I have completely renovated what my job description actually is by going above and beyond to create utilities and various automations to the 'core' tasks that used to be part of the job by coding a fairly substantial amount of scripts that run primarily through Google Forms/Google Sheets. I won't list out everything that I've automated, but the majority of faculty requests are now automatically handled, which constituted about 33% of our workload 2 years ago. Currently I'm in the process of writing a full-fledged website to further automate things, make the resources we offer more accessible, and to simplify faculty and student interaction with them. Coding is not, and never was, part of the job description (I am the only person of 11 that does this). I don't mind doing it because it's giving me valuable experience and will be something fantastic to put on my CV. However, I am tasked with handling our regular responsibilities on top of the now expectation that I continue to code these utilities/website. I don't want to stop doing this work, because it really will change how students and faculty appreciate our lab, what we do, and what we offer. However, I feel that I am underpaid for the work I'm doing. The problem I work as a student employee, so there's almost an expectation that I will be paid low wages due to the university environment, federal work-study-related issues, etc. I am paid nowhere near what I would be paid if I were working in industry (even as a freelancer) because of this. Given that I'm a student employee, I feel that my boss, as much as he appreciates me and the work that I do, would have serious problems with increasing my pay to even $11/hour, for what I suspect are the following reasons: The jobs we do as student employees are generally not difficult at all (developing this software isn't that difficult, just time-consuming and mentally-fatiguing at times) Most students earn minimum wage (at least at my university...); employees of the lab I work in make about $1 more than minimum wage, so he's already spoiling us All student workers at my lab already receive a per-semester raise of $0.25/hour If I did get a raise and my co-workers found out, they would likely be upset about it as it would deviate from the normal per-semester raise detailed in #3 There are departmental budget contraints (I believe) that influence student hourly rates Solution? I could register my own LLC (I already do contract Android development as my second job, so it would probably benefit me there too). With an LLC, I could tally the hours that I spend developing software and/or teaching at a higher rate for the LLC, and any other hours I worked not doing extra tasks would be logged as 'normal' work hours. This would allow me to maintain a very obvious separation of my lab duties from non-lab duties, and make the pay difference clear. However, I'm not sure that my boss would go for this because I've kind of 'merged' coding into my normal work and trying to change that might not pan out well. Furthermore, hiring a contractor (especially a student contractor who already works for the department) might be difficult in terms of university politics and departmental rules. I'm not an administrator, so I don't know how that works, but I suspect it just wouldn't . So, how can I go about obtaining higher pay as a student employee ? <Q> I have some bad news for you: <S> You're really not going to make any headway if this is a work-study program. <S> The amount of regulations and budgeting that go into that is mind-boggling. <S> Plus, there's a limited budget, so a "raise" for you (likely) means someone else loses an opportunity entirely. <S> As for contracting to the university: <S> You're right - that budget is completely separate. <S> Capitalism and the University culture don't usually mix well. <S> You have two real options: Accept your fate, complete your degree, and leave with one heck of a resume with your experience and accomplishments, hopefully backed up by a letter of recommendation from this professor. <S> FWIW: <S> I had almost exactly your job when I was in college, except that there wasn't much software to be done, but I did a lot of equipment maintenance and repair that was outside of my work-study job responsibility. <S> It made me a much stronger candidate when I started looking for jobs. <S> I know that doesn't pay the dorm bill, but this is the world you're in when you're in college. <A> Your job position is likely designed by the university to meet the IRS's requirements for FICA student exemption - basically meaning that you do not have to pay Social Security or Medicare if your position at your educational institution meets a somewhat ambiguous but thorough set of rules, which basically boil down to: <S> You must be a student first, and an employee second. <S> Although no part of these rules specifically address pay, they do require that your job may not be construed to be professional or career in any way. <S> This may be interpreted to mean that you may not be paid in accordance with a professional employee; as such, some universities or university systems may formally place a (rather low) cap on pay for student positions. <S> As a result, your university's Human Resources may prevent any attempts for you to make substantially more money while serving in a student position. <S> You may also refer to: <S> The hideously obtuse relevant tax code <S> The California State University system's HR memo that summarizes the above tax code <A> You had the good sense to research whether getting better pay is even possible given your work/study setup - There are just too many on this site who ask "How do I negotiate ..." without bothering to do the due diligence you did. <S> Having said that, I see your only option as accumulating the skills set and the experience to the point where you can compete in a different job classification at the university, or you go for a job outside the university. <S> In which case, you are going to have to start poring over the 'help wanted' ads and make sure that you have piled up most of the qualifications they are looking for If an organization is very bureaucratic, the job descriptions are explicitly laid out and the salary bands are cast in stone. <S> If you want significantly more money within a bureaucratic organization, you don't really another option to going for a job with a different classification. <S> Universities are typically VERY bureaucratic. <S> In a startup situation, the setup is more informal and your salary is pretty much what you and your employer agree upon, although I do expect that such an employer will still strive to maintain a degree of consistency on how they compensate their employees. <S> You have a bit more negotiating room there.
| Drop your job and find higher-paying work as a contract or part-time software developer.
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I'm an intern with a lot of questions, how to politely ask for more guidance? I'm a front-end webdevelopment intern at a medium sized company for three weeks now. I'm working on a fictional project I've been working on since my student job there (2 days a week - 5 months). Now this project is coming to an end and there's starting to pile up some bugs I just can't get fixed. I notice my work / learning efficiency is starting to decline rapidly. I've repeatedly asked questions on the internal communication tool (Slack), asked personally and tried Stack Exchange in several occasions. I understand that the bugs of an internship on a fictional project are negligible compared to deadlines of big money projects, but I would really appreciate some more guidance. It's not so much about these bugs specifically, it's that nobody bothers about me while I'm highly motivated and willing to learn. How can I politely ask for more guidance? (I feel like suggesting to start following online tutorials after their approval or something like that.) <Q> The best way to politely ask for more guidance is less about coming off as completely not knowing, but crafting your need for guidance as an interest in the company and that particular function you need guidance for. <S> It will convey genuine interest in the company/project, while also helping you gain the information and understanding you're after. <A> At the risk of stating the obvious: you just ask. <S> Things to avoid: Saying "I don't know what I'm doing, help!" <S> ; This will waste a senior dev's time because they have to drag the relevant information out of you, and they may start making suggestions that you've already tried (thus wasting more time) Barging in and demanding help; ask them if they've got a moment to help you. <S> They have work to do, too, and if you interrupt them while they're in the middle of something, they're far less likely to help. <S> Putting additional work on their shoulders because they helped you; if they give you a suggestion of "go look up X and read about Y", don't ask them to link you to X or Y unless they already have it pulled up. <S> It's your responsibility to at least try to find it first; nothing is more frustrating than doing something nice by helping another person, just for them to dump most of the work onto you. <S> Don't take up too much of their time unexpectedly; if it's a quick question, ask. <S> If, during the conversation, it becomes clear that this is going to take a while, offer to make a meeting. <S> This will allow the team member to set aside time dedicated purely to you, so you should have their full attention. <S> Avoid going to the wrong person for the wrong thing; you're an intern and mistakes happen, but if Bob has told you multiple times that Jimbob deals with all Project X code, don't keep going to Bob to ask him questions about Project X, go to Jimbob. <S> Edited to add: So asking would be something along the lines of "Hi Bob. <S> Do you have a moment?" <S> "I do, Harbinger. <S> How can I help you?" <S> "I'm having a problem with A; I wrote the code <S> and I'm getting error code B. <S> I've tried X, Y, and Z, but none of them seem to work. <S> Do you have any experience with this, or know of someone else who might know?" <A> In addition to the good advice in this answer : Try to group your requests to minimize disruptions. <S> Instead of going to somebody once an hour with unrelated questions, batch them up and schedule a meeting to talk about them. <S> That way the person helping you can set aside time for that and will know it's coming. <S> You should have regular check-ins with your mentor anyway, <S> so questions that can be handled in that setting don't need to create any additional load. <S> Of course, if you're blocked on something and need help now , that's different. <S> But most of your questions will probably be non-blockers -- make any needed notes and then work on a different part of the project until the meeting. <S> Finally, while some questions/problems require an actual conversation, others can be handled via email. <S> So save the interactive requests for the problems that require that, and send email for the other stuff. <S> Email is less invasive; it doesn't have to be handled right now while the asker is standing at your desk.
| Be polite, ask them if they have a moment to help you, have a brief explanation of the problem in hand, explain what you've tried, and ask what you should try next. Instead of asking something like "Can you tell more about xyz, I don't completely understand it", ask questions that pertain to the company and its business or the particular project.
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What's an acceptable time period for "When can you start?" I'm new to the job hunt, and a potential employer recently responded to my e-mail asking what my expected salary is and when's the earliest I can begin. I'm calculating my expected salary with the average of salaries in this position—but I'm not sure when an acceptable start-date is. Ideally, I'd like it to be the end of August (2 months from now); that is when my lease ends. If need be, though, I'll start ASAP and pay rent on this place 'til the lease is up from afar. Is 2 months acceptable, or too long? Do I increase my chances by saying "immediately"? <Q> Is 2 months acceptable, or too long? <S> It depends solely on the employer, and on the potential employee. <S> In some situations I have hired really good folks and have been willing to wait a few months. <S> But in other cases, I need to fill a vacancy quickly, and 2 months would not be acceptable. <S> Do I increase my chances by saying "immediately"? <S> Probably, but it always depends on the specific circumstances. <S> In this case, since they asked "when's the earliest [you] can begin", time is probably important. <S> But I understand if that isn't acceptable in this case, and I'd be willing to start sooner if needed. <S> " <S> That way, you are giving them a chance to wait, but also indicating that you really want the job and are willing to go out of your way to get it. <S> This assumes that you do want this particular job, and are willing to change your desired schedule for it. <S> If that's not the case, then just decline any offer from a company that isn't willing to wait and move on to the next offer. <A> To add to @Joe <S> Strazzere's (very good) answer, I would say that normally two months seems long. <S> However there are a vast number of factors that come into play for me as a hiring manager: <S> What is my team's workload? <S> When are my deadlines? <S> How does a delayed start risk my project? <S> What could be pushed back to accommodate a later start? <S> Are there background/security check requirements for the role? <S> Will that allow a two month delay? <S> Do I have other candidates who are nearly as good who can start sooner? <S> It's never a cut and dried reason in every case, but the factors that most managers will keep in mind will have similarities. <S> If a manager feels your expected contribution to the team outweighs other factors, then he or she will say yes. <S> However if they don't , then yes it can be enough to overlook you for another candidate. <A> Even in long distance relocation scenarios for new hires, you should be able to start within a week or two. <S> Anything more than a couple of weeks out unless you need to give notice to a current employer or you're in the middle of selling a house or looking for housing to relocate to a new job <S> and it makes you come off as not so serious about the job opportunity. <A> There's a bit more to consider here, and it does depend on you current contract, on the new company, and the specific application process. <S> Applying now could get you an interview in about a week or two, and an offer about a week or two after that - so 3-4 weeks between now and the offer. <S> Then if you have to give a months notice in your current job, you're now at the end of August, which is about where you want to be. <S> I'd simply state that you would prefer to start on a specific date (August 30th or whenever), but that you are flexible. <S> But you need to make sure that they're aware that you have a notice period, and so you can't start any sooner than x <S> weeks after you agree to an offer. <S> As for whether it will hurt your chances - in this case, probably not - especially given the time it will take to proceed with the application and interview. <S> If you were to say you needed 2 months from the offer, then that would be a different matter.
| Most employers are not looking for a response a couple months out. Your best bet is to be honest and say something like "Ideally, I'd like to start at the end of August.
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How should a part-time independent contractor ask for a raise I work part time for an engineering consulting firm. I have been working there for about 9 months with the last 6 months being very consistent - the engagement built up slowly. My hours vary between 5-20 hours a week, and are not dependent on how often they need me, but whether I have the time (finishing up a secondary degree) and whether or not they gave the funds. The pay rate is considerable when compared to the stipend I receive from the university for doing non-research work for 20 hours a week, but since I am a contractor that rate is greatly reduced by the taxes I am paying out of that rate. I recently had to review some project documents, and learned that the rate the company charges clients for my time if 5-7 times the pre-tax rate they pay me. I am wondering if this is normal (I have no idea about typical pay versus charge rates), and if not whether this ratio means that there might be some wiggle room that might allow me to ask for a small hourly raise. Now, as a contractor I imagine many would say to me, "Just charge what you deem yourself worth!" But I believe myself and the company both really think of me as a part-time employee that will come on full-time when my degree is finished. At the same time I've gotten nothing but compliments on my work, quality and speed, and could still use a small bump (saving for a house). Additionally, I imagine my full-time rate would initially be based on my part-time rate, minus some amount due to bringing some of the taxes and costs (healthcare) inside the company. So what is the typical multiplier? And when is there versus is there not wiggle room? <Q> And when is there versus is there not wiggle room? <S> There is always wiggle room. <S> There is never a case where a company couldn't pay someone more if they so choose. <S> The only way you will know if you could get a raise is to ask. <S> Indicate that you feel you are worth more and that you deserve more. <S> Leave the multiplier and any other external factors out of it. <S> Tread a bit lightly here. <S> You are part time. <S> And the company lets you adjust your hours based on your individual needs. <S> You don't want to come across as overly demanding. <S> You want to ensure smooth sailing for your graduation, so that bringing you on full-time becomes a no-brainer. <S> Save the serious salary negotiations for that time frame. <A> I am wondering if this is normal <S> It is. <S> this ratio means that there might be some wiggle room that might allow me to ask for a small hourly raise. <S> It does. <S> So what is the typical multiplier? <S> It can vary radically. <S> For a Full Time Employee the minimum value an employee needs to provide to a company is around 1.75 times their annual rate. <S> Otherwise it's costing the company more than it's worth. <S> And when is there versus is there not wiggle room? <S> The amount of wiggle room really isn't your concern. <S> So this question doesn't matter. <S> Now, to the more important aspect here. <S> You have a very nice situation. <S> While getting your degree you are free to work or not as you wish. <S> As such you have very little risk at this time. <S> The company, on the other hand, takes all the risk with whether or not you can deliver. <S> Which means you are likely working on smaller jobs. <S> Smaller jobs generally have a much higher overhead, as a percentage of job cost, than larger ones. <S> Someone is billing the client, someone is managing the relationship, someone is getting paid for selling the deal, etc. <S> All of these come out of that hourly rate that they charge. <S> That said, you could likely work out a deal where you made more money. <S> It's just not going to be 2 or even 3 times what you are making now. <S> The main question you have to ask yourself is if this is even worth it. <S> If you ask for more then there is a possibility of them deciding that these small jobs aren't worth it to them. <S> Considering your situation my advice would be to not bother and instead keep focusing on completing your degree. <S> The reason for this advice is simply that there aren't many jobs like the one you described and the consequences of potentially losing this far outweighs sticking it out until you are ready to pursue full time opportunities. <A> Here is a fairly simple formula: ( <S> Your rate + estimated overhead costs) <S> * 1.75. <S> If you're billing your client more than that, you have room for a raise. <S> I'm going to qualify this by saying it sounds like you are more of a contract employee than a contractor, <S> so: <S> By estimated overhead costs - what gear do they provide you with? <S> What do you think your office space at the firm costs? <S> How much do they spend in processing your billings / timesheets / payments? <S> A good rule of thumb is that it costs a company about 25% - 30% more than they pay you in order to put you in the field. <S> This accounts for the support staff that the firm has <S> that aren't billable - HR, payroll, reception, bookkeeping, etc. <S> These are, of course, SWAG <S> (Scientific Wild-A**ed Guess) figures, and there are far too many local variables that I am not aware of to pin it down further. <A> Save the serious salary negotiations for that time frame. <S> NO! <S> You seem to suggest that you think the employer may be taking advantage of your relaxed approach to charging by paying you low and charging high for your services. <S> If you let this ride you will be in a very poor position when it comes time to discuss proper terms. <S> Why would an employer suddenly start paying you well when you've demonstrated your willingness to work for peanuts? <S> Decide <S> now how much you're willing to work for, and get your request in as soon as you can. <S> If the employer balks or quibbles you'll know up front <S> what's likely to happen when proper contract negotiations start. <S> Do you really want to work for them? <S> If they're open to discussion you'll get a feel for how far you can go, and how amenable they are to salary negotiations later on.
| Once you are in a position to take on full time employment THEN approach them with how much you actually want - while interviewing around.
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How should I handle an incompetent coworker? I've read through How to deal with an incompetent colleague? , but my situation is slightly different. I am an intern 1 (although close to graduation) working in Software Engineering. I work in a small team with only a few other people on a small project. The project is not that important to the main workload and thus we are not under any kind of time pressure. Despite this, I am still trying my best to make a good impression with both my colleagues (who are all full time employees) and the company as a whole which includes finishing features (fully tested and implemented) in a timely fashion. My problem arises in that one of my coworkers is not a good programmer at all. Although they are highly intelligent, programming doesn't seem to click for them and they struggle writing the most basic of code. As an example, when I pair program with this person to try and help them with a feature, I may prompt them and say something along the lines of "now we need to do something with every item in that array" and they can't understand we need to create a simple loop or form basic syntax or even generate pseudo-code from english like foreach element in array print element This person did not originally have a programming background, has been with the company for around a year, and does not seem to have made any progress towards mastering concepts a first semester computer science student would be expected to know, despite taking classes online. Although not in my job description, I feel obligated to help them and try to teach them when they need it (which is most of the time) both out of desire for our project to move forward and simply because they are really nice and I like helping out. At the end of each day that I have worked with them, I feel mentally drained from attempting to teach them as well as get my own work done. We move very slowly through their feature (which they have been working on for about 2 weeks now, although I could have done it myself in a few hours) because I am trying to make sure they understand everything in the code and how to actually program when we work together and they accomplish nothing when I am not helping. I have considered several options; however, my lack of experience means I really have no idea how to handle this. Should I talk with our team lead 2 ? I feel that they must understand my coworker is not doing well, and they are kind of dragging me down. Should I refuse to help them, in order to get my own work done? or is there some other course of action that would be best for me to take? 1) I have about 6-7 weeks left in the internship. My end date is flexible. I would consider working there in the future (maybe not right after graduating but would like to leave the door open). 2) As a clarification, our team lead is another Software Engineer and not management. We all share a single manager higher up the food chain. <Q> "Although not in my job description, I feel obligated to help them" . <S> That is in your job description. <S> It's just never written down, but it's one of those things that are always assumed when you are working in a team. <S> Another thing that is assumed is that you inform your manager if your work is taking longer than expected and let them make the decision regarding priorities. <S> You mention that there is no deadline, so I would suggest: Inform your manager that the feature will take longer than you anticipated since you are using your time to help and teach your co-workers; are they okay with that or do they suggest a different priority? <S> Continue to teach your colleague and see this as an opportunity to leave an amazing impression of you as an intern, and get a great reference for future work. <A> I would suggest to bear it for now. <S> Try to help your co-workers as much as possible. <S> However, as @Jane. <S> S mentioned, if you choose to work for the same team for full-time, then you may think of handling the issue at that time. <S> For now, continue the good work you have been doing. <S> It would be good to be professional and as well as nice/kind with everyone in the team (even in the future). <S> Good Luck. <A> I recommend that whatever you do to help that person, you make absolutely 100% sure that you are the more productive one and actually achieve things. <S> If you spent 2 weeks helping them and achieving very little, you need to have another 2 weeks where you achieved a lot yourself and have visible evidence of that.
| Doing your work must always have priority to helping them out.
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Should I accept a calendar invitation marking the inavailability of a colleague? My Manager and other team mates send a meeting request for the duration of time they are unavailable (attending workshop / vacation / Business trip). It automatically gets into my calendar. Should I accept the request? This might help the person to understand that I am now aware. The problem is that people will look at my calendar and think I am busy. How to gently tell them not to do so? <Q> Thats a weird way to mark that you are unavailable. <S> Users who try to book meetings with me will then see I'm not available during that time. <S> No need to send meeting request to anyone. <S> The way your collegues are doing it will scale really poorly. <S> How will you handle if the team grows to 10 people? <S> 20? <S> Should you keep meeting appointments and vacations for all of them in your calendar? <S> If your team decide to keep doing this, I would decline all those requests since you will be able to see their status when you need to know it. <A> This is a bad way to use the calendar feature. <S> I have known a team that did this, but it was the boss who insisted that every employee on the team send him the times they would not be in the office. <S> The boss was a required attendee. <S> He thought that if he rejected the invitation it would tell that person they couldn't go to that "meeting". <S> That didn't last very long because his calendar was filling up with the appointments of the 20 people that worked for him; and people were still going to the dentist even if he rejected the meeting. <S> There is a better way. <S> Have a team calendar and have the team put on the calendar when they will be out of the office for non-work events. <S> Everybody can see at one glance who will not be at work today. <S> Also make sure everybody knows where the team calendar is, and that everybody can access it. <S> Of course the employees also update their own calendars so that scheduling meeting still works. <S> Now if the team has specific staffing requirements; for example at least 3 people must be in the office at all times, then they need to come up with a system that meets their needs so that the schedule maker can do their job. <A> Should I accept the request? <S> This might help the person to understand that I am now aware. <S> Yes, you should accept the request. <S> The whole point of people sending you this "meeting request" is to put it on your calendar. <S> That way, whenever you look, you'll see that they are out. <S> This is becoming a reasonably common practice in many shops, including mine. <S> With small teams, it seems to work well. <S> The problem is that people will look at my calendar and think I am busy. <S> It won't mark you as busy if the sender sets it up correctly. <S> Depending on the mail/calendar system you use, the sender can set it up to indicate the time is "Free". <S> On some systems that could be used to mark their absence on your calendar without marking you as "Busy". <S> See: https://support.office.com/en-ca/article/Keep-everyone-informed-about-time-away-from-the-office-69fe38aa-7b5f-4225-8b69-47f47092e65e?ui=en-US&rs=en-CA&ad=CA <S> Try it - you might find it's a handy way to keep track of who is around and who is not. <S> If you find after a while that it is cumbersome, or doesn't meet the needs of everyone, you could suggest another method.
| What I've always done when using Outlook is to set a meeting in my own calendar and make sure this shows me as unavailable.
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What are zero-hour contracts? I just read a guardian article : Jeremy Deller's artworks draw links between Victorian factories and zero-hours contracts What are "zero-hours contracts"? <Q> Zero hour contracts are where you have an employment contract with a company, and thus are required to work when needed. <S> However, you have no guaranteed weekly hours at all, so you can end up working 48 hours one week and none the next. <S> They have been on the rise in the UK over the past few years for various professions, including ambulance personnel and shop workers. <S> There is basically no upside for the employee, but loads of upside for the employer. <S> If the employer doesn't need you one week, you don't get paid, but you have to be available if they do want you to work. <S> Otherwise you can be in breach of your contract, so you can't run two or three or these contracts side by side just in case. <A> A zero hours contract is one that doesn't gaurantee particular hours of work. <S> It just provides a framework for what the employee's responsibilities will be, how much they will be paid per hour etc. <S> Legally at least in the UK a zero hours contract goes both ways, the Employer doesn't gaurantee work and the Employee doesn't gaurantee availability or exclusivity. <S> https://www.gov.uk/contract-types-and-employer-responsibilities/zero-hour-contracts <S> The problem is that especially for low-level jobs (which tends to be where such contracts are mainly used) <S> the balance of power strongly favors the employer. <S> Sure in theory the employee can refuse shifts, either because of personal reasons or because they are working with more than one employer but in practice the employer is likely to replace them with someone more reliable. <S> You are left with people who are theoretically "in work" but find it impossible to pull together enough hours to make a living income. <A> There is no guarantee of any specific number of hours (and therefore no guarantee of pay).
| Essentially it's a casual arrangement - you contract to be available within certain parameters, but the employer only calls you in when there is actual work to be done.
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Which company to mention in LinkedIn or resume: Actual Employer or the Client I had been employed by company X but after couple of months I had been shifted to client location at company Y and I worked there for almost 2 years before resigning. Also, Company Y is more renowned than original employer. I am tempted to mention Company Y in my resume and also in LinkedIn profile as all my project work is also related to the client I worked with i.e, company Y.So is it okey to mention Client Y on the resume and LinkedIn or I should keep just Company X (Original Employer). P.S: Can I put both. In that case how can I mention that in LinkedIn as it allows only one company per work experience and that sounds obvious too. help needed. <Q> If you are a permanent employee: list your employer as your employer. <S> Anything else is lying. <S> But, in the description of that employment, it is normal to write what sort of work you were doing - this is the perfect place to mention the famous client. <S> If you are a temporary employee or contractor then often you will have an employer (such as a recruitment firm) who is different to the company who you are actually working for. <S> In this case nobody is really interested in your actual employer, but as they are still your actual employer they really should be listed as such. <S> One way around this is to list it as Staffing Company Name contracted to Big Impressive Employer . <S> Credit to @WindRaven for the second paragraph <A> My dad did a lot of these type of contracts, with NDA's attached, so he was actually prohibited from naming the Big Name Client. <S> What he always did on his résumé was to list his actual employer's name in the employer field, then in the first bullet point describing his responsibilities, he'd put something like: Provide on-site consulting services to a Bloomington, IL based insurance company <S> Any HR person in central Illinois knows what company that is, without him putting their name down. <A> I would not list Company Y as your employee, because you were never really employed there. <S> What you could do, though, is list projects done at Company Y while employed at Company X. <S> My direct colleagues work for the large global food and beverage companies, but they don't list them as their employer - they merely did projects for them (whether it be in our office, on-site, or from home). <A> There are several ways to handle this depending on the situation. <S> If you end up working for multiple major clients, you might give each a bullet point. <S> If you end up being hired by the same company later though, I would reverse it. <S> Mention the final company you worked for and then the contracting company in () after with the dates. <S> For instance I worked for Lockheed but the first 6 months I worked for Westaff - so <S> the entry is something like Lockheed Apr 2012-May 2014 (Weststaf contract to hire Apr2012-Nov 2012) <S> Generally you only want to do this if you worked less than a year on a contract to hire basis. <S> If it goes in reverse order, hired by one copmany then laid off and rehired by the contracting company with the first client as the client, I would put both companies in but make sure to mention the first company in the description for the second. <A> Answers here are OVERLOOKING this important detail- <S> LinkedIn asks for the "Company" name, not your employer name so if you are working as a long term contractor you can go either way. <S> You ARE working for your long term client b <S> /c <S> you are working within the bounds set by that organization, following their procedures, security protocols, working with their sensitive data, etc. <S> In this day and age there are a lot contractors working many years totally integrated to a client company. <S> Their employer only hands them the check. <A> Depends.. whatever that adds more weight to your profile mention it. <S> As an example I worked for ABC client through XYZ employer. <S> In resume, I mentioned it as -> As for ABC through XYZ from to <S> As given in 1st answer, please mention the project or work done at the client place.
| When working for one company at another company who is the client, generally you list your actual employer and then mention the client in the work description unless you have an NDA prohibiting the mention. For me, I always mention the client in the profile followed by consultancy in resume as they are big guys that it increased views.
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Cleaners Rearranging My Desk I work in a small company that has outside cleaners who come in every week and clean when the office is empty. I tend to be working on a number of projects at once, so I can have different code books and other resources on my desk in addition to print outs and various other bits of paper that tend to have information that I only need for a day or two. I have started to get complaints about this from the cleaners filtered through management, who may happen to be around when the cleaners are. Now I have worked to make my desk tidier, leaving books and paper and such in a pile, but some things like having my keyboard in front of me are just more convenient for me and don't look any more "messy". I am however still routinely getting my desk rearranged by the cleaners, I cant really say its tidier, it seems more of a passive aggressive thing now. In addition they have thrown out work and important notes that were left on my desk (we had to go dumpster diving to retrieve them). I asked my manager what to do and he said leave a note, I did but they just threw it away, now I am being told to leave a bigger note! TLDR: How to stop cleaners rearranging my desk, they ignored a note. Edit: they do speak English but may or may not have actually read the note I suppose. <Q> The best solution would be for your manager to talk to a manager in the cleaning organization about the issue, and get clear rules against the cleaners throwing away anything other than the contents of waste bins etc. <S> A second best solution might be to get one or more desk stacking trays, and leave all your books and papers in there, at least on cleaning days. <S> That would let you group together the materials for a given project, and pull them out as a unit when you are about to work on that project. <A> What you're describing seems unreasonable. <S> But most people - at least most people with practical jobs to do - are pretty reasonable if you actually talk to them. <S> It might be they've been told to bin loose papers. <S> Find out more. <S> If you can, have a conversation, and be prepared to listen, respect that they've got work to do just as much as you have. <S> Ask: which day(s) <S> your desk is cleaned what items the cleaners are objecting to you leaving on your desk <S> what this is causing them not to be able to do what places are appropriate for store these items (e.g. a spike for notes) <S> Show that you're willing to tidy you <S> clutter so they can do their job and chances are, they will do their job in a way that doesn't inconvenience you either. <S> If you can't talk directly, you could go via your respective managers. <S> In this case do it in writing <S> so you get clear answers. <A> It is beyond the pale for a cleaning crew to throw away anything on a desk, but I wouldn't mind if our cleaning crew dusted our desks every so often instead of just emptying the trash and vacuuming. <S> Right now I have to keep a swiffer around and do it myself. <S> At our company, we have a fridge clean out policy where if you leave anything in there on the last Friday of the month, it gets tossed (although they clean out your containers and leave them on the counter). <S> Maybe a policy where you have to clear off your desk at the end of the week <S> so the crew can dust would work? <S> It sounds to me like the cleaners are required to do certain things, and the state of your desk is making it difficult, so once a week might be a good compromise. <A> Where do you live? <S> Cleaning people may not speak your language or may not be able to read. <S> I am in the US and we had a box marked garbage that did not get taken away. <S> A guy wrote basura on it <S> and it was gone the next day. <S> Speak your language or not they should not be throwing anything on a desk away. <A> This is very strange since everyone sets their desk up the way they want it, it's more important to have people work effectively then it is to set a standard for how desks are cleaned and since your manager says 'leave a note' <S> I doubt there are any requirements to begin with. <S> There are a number of possibilities of issues <S> The cleaners may have been 'yelled' at or 'scolded' for inproper cleaning (which may have been BS to begin with from an employee that likes to complain and cause trouble for people) and they are trying to take this out on the company through you, or making ABSOLUTELY sure there is NOTHING that can come back to them. <S> If this is the case, find a way to keep your stuff organized and portable (messenger bag, brief case, etc...) <S> You're not telling us the whole story and you have actually left some messes that have caused the cleaners problems. <S> It's very unlikely <S> the cleaners would jeopardize their job just to get at a random employee they don't know, don't care about, or doesn't affect them in some way - so it sounds like there may actually be another problem. <S> Maybe you left that note saying something vulgar or cruel to the cleaners, big mistake - just the same way you don't insult the people who are serving you food. <S> Apologize to the cleaners, they deserve respect to - leave them a nice gift or something and make up for the mistake (not saying you did this, but if you did this is how you would fix it). <S> Write an apologetic letter that also explains what your situation with your desk is and needs to be, that you were just frustrated, whatever it may be... <S> Political nonsense and the manager doesn't want or can't deal with it and/or is lieing to you Again, keep something portable around.
| Different people work best with different amounts of stuff on the desk, and the cleaning arrangements should allow for that. It might be that what you're clearing away isn't what's causing problems for them. Also look into the company and the rules, talk to HR first and foremost they are the ones that make sure you are able to do your job without social issues complicating them, find out from HR if there are other problems like this etc...
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Is it misleading to include FICA "benefits" in an offer letter? I received an offer letter today and found it very odd that they included Medicare and Social Security contributions the company would make on my behalf. I thought such employer + employee contributions were necessary as part of the IRS law or something. Whatever they are they are certainly nothing worthy of consideration as a perk right? Seems like a cheap move to inflate total compensation numbers above what they should otherwise appear as with respect to figures people actually have control over. Here's one source I've found on the subject. An employer's federal payroll tax responsibilities include withholding from an employee's compensation and paying an employer's contribution for Social Security and Medicare taxes under the Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA). Here's an even more definitive source source Topic 751 - Social Security and Medicare Withholding Rates The current tax rate for Social Security is 6.2% for the employer and 6.2% for the employee, or 12.4% total. The current rate for Medicare is 1.45% for the employer and 1.45% for the employee, or 2.9% total. Refer to Publication 15, (Circular E), Employer's Tax Guide, for more information; <Q> I received an offer letter today and found it very odd that they included Medicare and Social Security contributions the company would make on my behalf. <S> If many of the candidates they are getting have previously been independent contractors, this can be a good "by the way! <S> as a FT employee we pay 1/2 the FICA taxes!" <S> Anyone who is currently salaried will expect this (as you are currently), but someone coming from a contracting or 1099 role will find this another "perk" of being salaried. <S> Seems like a cheap move to inflate total compensation numbers above what they should otherwise appear as with respect to figures <S> people actually have control over Again <S> , this might be more beneficial to someone who previously has a role where they paid both FICA taxes. <S> Someone coming from that role probably will be receiving lower pay as salaried <S> and so it might be helpful to have a listing of all company benefits (since that person was previously responsible for them). <A> I thought such employer + employee contributions were necessary as part of the IRS law or something. <S> That's correct. <S> These are legally mandated employer contributions. <S> Whatever they are they are certainly nothing worthy of consideration as a perk right? <S> Seems like a cheap move to inflate total compensation numbers above what they should otherwise appear as with respect to figures <S> people actually have control over. <S> I worked for a company that did the same. <S> They included such items in their "Total Compensation" website. <S> From the company's point of view, they are trying to convey the complete "here's what you cost the company" point of view. <S> And of course, it makes their complete package of benefits bigger that it would otherwise appear. <S> Still, there's nothing nefarious about this practice (which seems to be becoming more a standard big-company HR/Benefits practice these days). <S> As always, you need to understand what is included, and what is not, in order to evaluate it correctly. <A> I have not seen the company contribution to FICA listed in an offer letter, but I have worked for several companies that did include it in an annual compensation summary statement. <S> In that statement they listed not just your wages and how they were divided between your take home pay, taxes, and employee funded benefits; but they also listed their contributions to FICA, insurance, vacation, sick... <S> Based on my experience I would actually be reading that section very carefully. <S> I would be concerned that they were telling me that I wasn't being considered an employee, and they were reminding me that I was going to be expected to pay that portion of FICA also. <A> It's not misleading as long as the offer clearly spells out how they arrive at a total for the "indirect benefits" section. <S> Every company has a different benefits package to the point that it's usually impossible to directly compare the totals from two different offers. <S> Usually that number will only be passed around between the hiring manager and HR but while it's unnecessary, it's not that strange for it to show up on the actual job offer. <S> While this doesn't apply to you, it's standard practice in Europe for offers to be based on a pre-tax salary with the take-home being 40 to 50% lower. <S> It would be misleading if the offer included these taxes without telling you, meaning that the take-home would be lower than what was promised. <S> I'm not familiar enough with US employment law to say if that would cross into illegal territory <S> but it's sleazy enough that you'd be unlikely to have this happen with any reputable company. <S> As long as you didn't see any other red flags in the hiring process, assume that they simply want the offer to be completely transparant.
| As far as I know it's standard policy to include these taxes in a job offer mainly because the company also wants to know how much it will cost to employ you, as such taxes can add a significant overhead. In short, including the FICA benefits is not a problem in and of itself .
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Total potential earnings have been reduced, how to deal with? I've just had my annual salary review, which has caused my remuneration to change. My base salary has gone up. My potential bonus has shifted from 20%, to 8% minimum (Although it's not really a minimum, you can still get less). When both changes are taken into account, and if I achieve the 8% minimum, my earnings will be less than last year. My manager has stated my position is now better because 8% is the minimum, and my bonus is no longer capped at 20%, it is unlimited. In reality however, I know of high performers who have been awarded less than 8%. My questions are: Am I in a good position to ask them to match my current potential earnings, by raising the base salary to match (at an assumed 8% bonus). This happened today, should I pursue this matter ASAP, or is it okay to let it sit for a week or two? <Q> Am I in a good position to ask them to match my current potential earnings, by raising the base salary to match (at an assumed 8% bonus). <S> I'm not sure I would call this a "good position". <S> You have a better base, and now also have a chance for an unlimited bonus as well. <S> But you feel you may not be able to achieve a large bonus because of what you have seen happen to other "high-performers". <S> It's perfectly reasonable for you to ask for your base salary to be raised if you feel strongly about it. <S> But certainly the company revised the earnings structure for a reason, so don't be surprised if they decline your request. <S> (I'm assuming here that the changes were company-wide, or at least department-wide, and not simply directed at you individually.) <S> Every company where I have worked that had bonuses, did not let people opt-out or adjust their bonus structure. <S> But you can always ask. <S> This happened today, should I pursue this matter ASAP, or is it okay to let it sit for a week or two? <S> There's no value in waiting. <S> I'd start this process today. <S> Often, it's harder to undo something after it shows up in the next payroll. <A> Am I in a good position to ask them to match my current potential earnings, by raising the base salary to match (at an assumed 8% bonus). <S> No. <S> Bonuses are... bonuses, and not salary. <S> When I evaluated my total compensation for my current job's offer, I discounted the bonus to less than half of the target bonus. <S> It's not a guarantee or else it wouldn't be called a bonus . <S> If your company is remotely smart they will have some language like, "bonus subject to change by company at any time" blah blah language associated with their bonus program. <S> This happened today, should I pursue this matter ASAP, or is it okay to let it sit for a week or two? <S> Your manager has already told you that this has taken place. <S> You got a base salary raise. <S> Your manager has spoken highly of the improvement, rather than receiving your frustration/criticism. <S> I'm not sure what you hope to accomplish by pressing the issue since it seems you and your manager already discussed this and your manager approached the subject positively. <S> If anything, suggest concern your total compensation went down. <S> But you already got a raise timed to match the decreased bonus potential... <A> I would suggest you go back to him, tell him what you want as far as salary. <S> Don't even mention the bonus or ask for a larger bonus. <S> Then if you get it great, if not then consider moving on to somewhere else that will pay you what you want to be happy. <S> Businesses like to offer bonuses like this to cheat you out of salary by making you think you are getting more than you will actually get over time. <S> Insist on the salary compensation you want and enjoy a bonus if you get it, but consider it a one-time extra (like winning the lottery) not compensation. <A> Something to keep in mind, <S> and I know sales is different than other positions, bonus is just that a bonus. <S> It's not guaranteed in any way. <S> Having more base pay (around 10% more if I do the math right on your post) is a pretty good "guarantee". <S> So will you make less, maybe, make more, maybe. <S> In the end it will depend on that bonus plan. <S> I worked in a facility that was manufacturing based and gave a bonus based on annual overall company performance. <S> After a year or two where goals were not met, the line workers complained and got a raise offset by being dropped from the bonus plan. <S> They were all pretty happy, that is until the white collars, who were not dropped from the bonus plan, got a huge bonus when they did meet plan that year, mostly due to the work on the line workers killing it in December. <S> So in the end, some years you WILL make more than <S> had you been in the bonus plan, and other years not so much. <S> As for waiting, I wouldn't wait more than a few days to discuss this. <S> However, it seems like a fair plan to me given the lower risk in the guaranteed money vs. higher risk bonus money. <A> Unless you are willing to quit over it, you can pretty much assume they have considered all your arguments before making their decision. <S> (And before quitting check how likely it is that a future employer will make a significantly better offer. <S> This may still be the best option available.) <S> Bonuses -- and indeed salary -- are not guaranteed to monotonically increase or to continue to be based on the same formulas. <S> That depends on the needs of the business. <S> The company has decided that its needs have changed, and/or that the incentives have not delivered the hoped-for improvements in the employees. <S> Your only choices are to come up with numbers that demonstrate they're wrong (not likely; they have more data about company operations than you do), to accept the new offer and hope they change the plan again in the future and that those changes favor you, or to walk.
| In the future don't even consider bonus in considering what you want for compensation; bonuses are never guaranteed money and they are never guaranteeed to be offered every year.
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Am I obligated to tell my boss why I am taking a day off? Is there more obligation if I am taking a week off? I am doing job interviews during this time and I don't want my boss to know. <Q> Just don't disclose what that personal business is. <S> If the boss pries further, simply reiterate with a chagrined look that "it is business in my personal life that I need to take care of" Alternatively, take a sick day. <S> Food poisoning, diarrhea, a skin rash get the strongest of us. <S> "I thought I was sick <S> but it was just my body whining" :) <A> No, but the boss generally isn't obligated to give you that particular day off either... <A> If it's PTO (paid time off) <S> then no, PTO is earned, it's like salary compensation you get to use it <S> however you see fit and don't have to disclose any of that information to your employers - just make sure you use it in the way disclosed (ie. <S> if they require you to send an e-mail 24 hours before using to confirm you're using it or whatever) and everything will be fine. <S> If they decide not to give you that time that you've 'earned' <S> well that's like not giving you a pay check after you worked and there are some legal repercussions and no company wants to go through those just to pry. <S> If you are just 'taking time off' unpaid (say you work at McDonalds) <S> then they aren't by any means required to give you that time off so they may pry a little since they have to fill the position for the time you were scheduled to work <S> but again, you still don't have to disclose that information.
| You tell the boss that you want to take the day off because you have personal business to take care of.
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Pressured into doing a role I despise I used to be a developer, which I did for 8 years. I started to really resent developing and came to loathe it. Therefore, I gave up that role and decided to retrain and work as DevOps. My current employer is taking me into meetings almost weekly to pressure (almost harassing) me into working as a developer to help lighten the load of the other developers. I decline each time stating that I am no longer a developer, and I came here to work as a DevOps. I really do not enjoy development, and developing makes me angry. The employer preaches that I do not have the company's best interests at heart. So my real question is: How do I best handle this? Should I suck it up and just do what they want me to do, and feel like crap every day I am doing it. Or do I continue to fight my corner, and if so, what would be the most reasonable way to present my thoughts? <Q> See other recent questions about being assigned work outside your original scope. <S> Your job -- meaning what you will be evaluated on -- is whatever management tells you to do. <S> If you have a formal written set of goals for the year that they have said you will be evaluated on, you can protest that other work interferes with those, but that's likely to just result in your assignment being officially rewritten. <S> In the end, if the request is at all reasonable, you can either pitch in, be evaluated as "not a team player", or really be not a team player and threaten to quit. <S> Don't threaten unless you consider that an acceptable outcome. <S> Your best bet here might have been to have said "it isn't a job I like doing, but if I'm really needed I'll pitch in -- with the understanding that it's only for N weeks, and that this is a sacrifice for me <S> and i'd like the extra effort reflected at year-end review time. <S> " You'd be doing development, but your boss would see you as being willing to make an extra effort when needed rather than as a "not my problem" slacker. <A> In many companies, predominantly small and medium sized, the boundary between development and devops is blurry - particularly if you take "development" to mean "any coding activity at all". <S> An employer who sees someone in a devops role who is capable and not 100% utilised, but refuses to help out to the point where he has to go out and hire more developers instead, is going to see you as a liability. <S> So your current course is going to be career-limiting, if not career-ending. <S> You could quit and find a large company that maintains strict siloing of work. <S> Alternatively you could - and should anyway - take some time to actually understand yourself better and understand why development brings out anger, resentment and "feeling like crap" in you. <S> Especially as you profess to love a closely related field. <S> Is it development itself, or the individuals doing development at your company? <S> You may not like dev work, fine, many don't, but it sounds like an irrationally strong reaction. <S> I would certainly not recommend just "sucking it up" without a decent amount of introspection as it won't solve the underlying problem. <A> So my real question is. <S> How do I best handle this. <S> Should I suck it up and just do what they want me to do, and feel like crap every day I am doing it. <S> Or do I continue to fight my corner, and if so, what would be the most reasonable way to present my thoughts. <S> I hope when you "decline each time" you have explained to your boss that you really don't want to be a developer. <S> Your best bet is to sit down with your boss (perhaps during a weekly one-on-one meeting), and explain how you really dislike developing, and that you were specifically hired as DevOps for that reason. <S> Then you could ask "Is there some way we can lighten the load on the developers that doesn't require me to also do development?" <A> The right thing to do would be to say "I will pitch in until required <S> but you will have to hire someone else quickly because such and such job makes the work I was hired to do suffer. <S> " That way you won't seem like you don't care about the company. <S> You could always quit if the situation doesn't change or gets worse in 1 year. <S> But saying no to work...whatever it may be is not the right way to go. <S> You maybe hired for one reason but it is understood that you will do whatever it takes when your company is in need. <A> If you have a full-time job, and now they want you to do something else, something doesn't add up. <S> Will someone else be doing your devops work? <S> Is there not enough devops work for you to do on a full-time basis? <S> Will you have to do both, i.e. work additional hours? <S> If you're required to work more hours, you should ask for more money. <S> You may find yourself out of a job if there isn't enough for you to do or they have other people who can. <S> Can you work something out, so that there is an agreed upon limit to how long you'll need to do this. <S> Sometimes it's easier to fight through something you don't like when you know there is an end in sight.
| While liking what you do is important, there will always be a few things in your job that you dislike doing but still have to. If your boss still insists that you must develop, then you will need to decide if this is the right company/job for you, or not - then act accordingly.
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Is a picture of my e-ID on my resume a good idea? I recently redesigned my resume to make it easier to read and edit, by removing nested tables, moving certain areas, and combining others. Part of what I did was replace some of my personal information with a scan of my e-ID. They look like this: This replaced my gender, my name, my date and place of birth and my nationality, and also meant I had a picture of myself on my resume. I also partially put it on there because it is sort of an eye-catcher, while still being somewhat neutral. Since Belgian e-ID cards require you to have a card reader and a pin code to do anything remotely useful with them, I don't think it's a huge security risk. However, I'm wondering if putting it on there might bring other risks along. Other questions on here mention that putting a picture of yourself in your resume could lead to you being discarded right away to avoid any potential discrimination lawsuits, but also that some regions actually expect a photo, and that men are more likely to get a callback if they put one in. That's also specific to putting a picture of yourself, and the effect could be different (for better or for worse) if the image actually contains crucial information for my resume. <Q> Don't do it. <S> Apart from the obvious standard "don't include your photo unless it's a model/actor CV" rule, like listed in Will putting my picture on my resume help me get the job easier while I'm not clearly asked to include it? , consider the fact that you're replacing good indexable, copy-pasteable, searchable text content with non-computer-readable images. <S> You'd be doing yourself a disservice by making all that text notably less accessible, whether from a jobsite indexing point of view, a recruiter or HR department CTRL+F searching for content hidden in the image, or simply site SEO. <A> I personally would worry about identity theft (they have your name, your birthdate and nationality) using this approach aside from the fact that it is a bad choice to use a picture unless it is the cultural norm in your country. <S> Why would they care about your birthdate? <S> That could cause discrimination as well. <S> You are reaching the age whene age discrimination can be very real. <A> It just feels weird <S> and you have no reason to do so <S> , I don't think it stands out positively. <S> Scanned documents don't look good anyway. <S> Scanning documents is in general a bad thing. <S> You're exposing your signature, your document number, your birth location, the validity dates. <S> That's all unnecessary information, and exposing your signature when not necessary is not a good practice considering that it can still be used in certain cases to pay with a credit card. <S> The same goes for other information, it can be abused. <S> Text on a photo is not searchable and copy-pasteable, that's horrible and might make a pdf CV in the archive unsearchable or cause HR extra work since they have to copy the information by hand. <S> If it's a custom in your country too (probably considering that it's almost the same on most of continental Europe), you'd still have to write about your civil status, so you'd have one single information standing alone. <S> Just put the photo on the CV and write the data in normal text. <S> You can play around with formatting if you want. <A> Disclaimer: I am not a professional recruiter. <S> I think it's bad idea. <S> Information that is useful is not accessible - color patterns don't make legible backgrounds <S> There's lots of information that isn't useful ("Belgian ID card" in 4 languages, the microchip) <S> There's information that is not only unnecessary, but also should be kept private (ID card number, signature) <S> The picture is relatively small and obscured by watermarks Not rure about rest of the world, but EU requirements for passport photos make virtually impossible to look good on one. <S> Probably, when printed on standard office laser printer, it would appear as a black rectangle <S> Personally , if I see your resume printed, I'd assume that someone printed your CV on reused sheet of paper with ID photocopy or the other way round. <S> Personally , I think it is just unusual in a negative way. <A> No Think of it in their shoes, they are going through a pile of resumes and are trying to figure out if you can do the job in the shortest amount of time possible. <S> When they come across your resume with all of that color, patterns, shapes, information sprawled across it like that they aren't even going to glance at your skills, it's immediately going in the trash and they are going to the next one in which they can go to the information they need to see. <S> You don't want to 'catch their eye' <S> that's essential the same as 'trapping their eye' and you want them to see your skills and your experience, not a bunch of government printed gobly gook.
| Personally I would not recommend this approach. Plus if the information is actually needed in your country for the resume to get past HR, putting it into a photo means that it will get discarded by many automated systems because it is not in text. Even if I wanted to put my photo on my resume, I wouldn't choose my passport one.
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As an intern I'm seen as "quiet" but I really am not; how can I change this? I'm interning at a software company in which I'm viewed as "quiet." However, I just choose not to partake in the usual frivolous office gossip. Additionally, it's hard to follow the conversations when there are many inside jokes, etc. I'm doing great work and I know that they really like my results, but I do not want them to think of me as a quiet person, because in reality I am quite outgoing. What can I do? <Q> There is nothing wrong with being, or being considered, "quiet". <S> And it tends to correct itself as people get to know each other better. <S> Seriously, this is not worth worrying about. <S> Besides, it can be quite entertaining to break peoples' assumptions about you... <A> The simple solution: If you don't want to be seen as quiet, talk more. <S> However, I would like to point out that your work personality and your outside-work personality do not have to match, and, in fact, often will differ significantly. <S> For example, you may drink more socially than you would in a work setting, or tell off-color jokes among friends that you wouldn't say at work. <S> By choosing not to partake in what you view as "frivolous office gossip", you're cultivating a work image that is more serious and more quiet than your coworkers -- and they've noticed. <S> This seems to be a deliberate choice on your part, as you seem not to view the gossip as an activity you wish to partake in. <S> So are you sure you want to change it? <S> If you still do, you're going to have to engage with your coworkers more. <S> Where you're currently seeing pointless chatter, they're probably seeing valuable social experience: the chance to bond and get to know each other outside of the routine of work. <S> Furthermore, you'll start to pick up on the inside jokes more the more you chat with them. <A> Honestly, don't put so much weight in what they think. <S> You're just interning <S> so they will ALWAYS say something about you in order to make themselves feel like they deserve whatever the main positions or whatever else more than you - it just sounds like common demonization so that they can keep you lower on the totem pole. <S> My advice, do your internship, stay awesome in the way you are, then find somewhere that you fit in naturally and don't worry <S> what others 'say' about you, especially in an internship position. <S> If they are keeping you around it means they don't actually feel poorly about you <S> so it doesn't matter.
| It's unlikely to work against you; better to be seen as too serious than too frivolous, and better to be seen as too quiet than too loud. Try joining in some of these conversations -- it will give you a chance to get to know them and them to get a feel for what you're like.
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Security clearance and drug use Will recreational marijuana use preclude a person from obtaining Level III (Top Secret) security clearance in Canada? The Canadian CSE (Communications Security Establishment) website says: "The use of illegal or recreational drugs is a criminal offense. Drug use is a significant factor that is subject to evaluation when considering the reliability and suitability of the candidate during the security screening process." However, this does not make it clear whether use of marijuana alone is a deal-breaker. <Q> Given the reciprocity and working relationship between the U.S. and Canada for intelligence and military matters, the policies are very much mirrored. <S> The short answer is yes, recreational use of any drug ordinarily considered a controlled substance will preclude you from receiving a TS security clearance unless the use occurred many years ago and you can honestly say it was a mistake of immaturity at the time. <S> The logic is simple. <S> If you can't be clean, professional and mature, then why should you be trusted with sensitive information that may be a matter of national security? <S> If you're wanting a TS clearance, then you have to show you have your financial and lifestyle affairs in order because if you're granted a clearance, you're going to be expected to submit to routine drug testing and polygraphing as well as financial transparency <S> (submission of your annual tax returns, bank statements and credit card statements). <S> Those are regular items among employees and contractors working in a TS capacity for the government's interest. <A> From my experience with the U.S. DoD clearance process, using marijuana in the past is not a automatic failure for clearance purposes. <S> Similar to minor financial troubles or small legal infractions, not disclosing these things will have more of an impact on your chances of getting a clearance than the actual offense itself. <S> Think of it this way: a big part of having a security clearance is safeguarding non-public information AND properly reporting when such information may have been compromised by your (or another's) actions. <S> If you're going to cover up something like using weed, you're also fairly likely cover for Joe forgetting to properly secure the classified safe last night. <A> The thinking around this is currently in flux. <S> Funny reason: it's really hard to find great cyber talent if you are too stringent about pot use. <S> See http://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-fbi-cant-find-hackers-that-dont-smoke-pot <S> According to that article it's fine for the FBI if it's more than three years ago. <S> But this will vary by agency and country. <S> I don't think there is any harm in directly checking with the agency involved, especially if it involves an event that's already on the record. <A> The biggest deal breaker for Security Clearances is lieing - <S> if you used it and you lie about and they find out you won't get it (and they usually do, they do some crazy investigations for some of those clearances I don't know about yours specifically <S> but they go all the way back to childhood teachers, texts, e-mails, friends, people you met in college, etc...). <S> The people I know with clearances that had past drug uses were upfront about it. <S> It's a factor in the sense that it's a factor. <S> Is your usage an issue? <S> Has it caused issues? <S> What did you do to get it? <S> etc... <S> Another problem with drugs is it breaks you out of the function formed mindset society and the media and education has formed you to be in <S> so they want to know if you actually care about national security and how much.
| More so than even a questionable credit and financial history, recent or current use of a recreational drug will preclude you from obtaining a clearance.
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