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What are my rights if the job doesn't meet the job description? If I leave one position at one company for well defined and disclosed reasons and take up another offered position in another company, is there anything I can do if the position didn't meet the description given of it? Other than complain and loose my job, which I ended up doing. Is the employer bound to the job description in any way or can they say whatever they like to get bodies in? Bit More Detail I got tired of my company which had became very bogged down with big company procedures and politics. I stated this to another company. The new company provided me with a job description and said they were nothing like my old company in any of the areas I mentioned I was unhappy with.I took the position and not only was this company just as bogged down with big company politics and procedures (in many of the exact same ways that I had directly said I didn't like) but they job also didn't meet the job description given to me. Essentially, it was said I would be a standard Java developer with exposure to iOS and Android. What I got was DevOps work which meant XML configuration writing for 7 months. No Java, no mobile, just configuration work. <Q> I think you're a bit stuck with this sort of thing, companies will (if they have any sense) have a disclaimer that they can change your job description if they need to. <S> If you look at section 1.3 (in the link) employers are advised to put that they reserve the right to amend the job description <S> However in 1.4 it says. <S> Altering fundamental terms and conditions without the employee <S> ’s consent can be a breach of contract. <S> However from your description I think this would probably fall under 'reasonable other tasks' anyway. <S> I suppose you might also ask if they have to inform you of the change of job description in writing or (as seems to be the case in a lot of contractual stuff) there is implied consent from you continuing to do the job without complaint. <S> I don't know I've ever worked in a development position that has matched the description for more than about three weeks. <S> Company culture is very hard to judge from the outside <S> and you normally only find out what a place is really like once you've started work. <S> Link <A> The employer is not bound to the duties outlined in the job description. <S> This conclusion is drawn on the basis of crawling though the https://www.gov.uk/browse/working website, where there are no sections addressing the area. <S> As mentioned in the comments by @JuliaHayward, your contract, staff handbook or implicit working conditions allow your employer to be flexible with how you are deployed. <S> How flexible is 'flexible' in this context? <S> That is a subjective matter. <S> At the time I'm sure that you raised the issue with your employer informally. <S> Because the gov.uk site does not cover the area, then there is no way to have escalated the issue to the grievance process or beyond. <S> Ultimately, as long as you could do the job required by your employer, and it did not violate health and safety laws or require you to work non-contractual (unreasonable) overtime, then there was no way to escalate. <A> Not positive if this is a federal standard or a standard in my state... <S> but the way it's set up here is that in that circumstance, you can lodge a complaint with the Department of Economic Security that you did not quit, but that in fact, it was a "constructive discharge". <S> DES would interview you, and then them, and unless they somehow had concrete evidence that your job exactly matched the job you were offered, you'll qualify for unemployment. <S> If you 'lost' the job as in you were fired from that job, you get unemployment anyway. <S> As far as I know, that's about as far as protections go when it comes to job description discrepancies. <A> All employment contracts carry the phrase "and other duties as assigned", and they haven't asked you to do anything illegal, immoral, degrading, or otherwise forbidden, so "rights" don't enter the discussion ... except the right to discuss this with them (if they're willing to listen) and the right to quit if you aren't satisfied with their answers. <S> Do make sure things won't improve before taking irrevocable steps. <S> And do make sure you have the next job lined up before quitting. <S> Even if you feel underemployed, that pays better than being unemployed.
| You could in this situation consult a lawyer about if the role you actually did was so different to your job description it amounted to a breach of contract.
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I'm being forced to clean the men's bathroom regardless of my discomfort I am currently waitressing at a Chinese Restaurant. A few of the new employees and myself were being taught how to clean the bathrooms to their standards. We started with the females and moved onto the males bathroom. I attempted but could not push myself to get the job done. I felt extremely uncomfortable so I consulted my manager and added a reasonable solution- the female workers should do the female toilets only unless they are willing to do both and the males bathroom should be delegated to the male staff. Her response was this. "This issue has been previously brought up but the owners have a strong belief that only women are to do cleaning. We've had male waiters in the past and they haven't cleaned the bathrooms, under the delegation of the owners. If you have an issue with doing the male bathrooms you don't have a position here." I am wondering if this falls under any discrimination legislation in Australia and if I can successfully take this matter further. <Q> I'm Australian, and I would suggest your best place to start is to look at the Australian Anti-Discrimination Act . <S> There is some good information about what is and what is not classified as discrimination in Australia. <S> If you have a union representative, I suggest you talk to them, otherwise you can Make a formal written complaint to the governing body. <S> I am not a lawyer, nor have I read the legislation in detail <S> but the fact that women are being asked to clean the toilets and the men are not seems to indicate you are in fact being discriminated against because of your gender. <S> Looking at this definition in the Federal Sex Discrimination Act (1984), Section 5 seems to back up your suspicions: <S> For the purposes of this Act, a person discriminates against another person on the ground of the sex of the aggrieved person if, by reason of the sex of the aggrieved person the discriminator treats the aggrieved person less favourably than the discriminator treats or would treat a person of a different sex Be aware that while you may win this battle, depending on your employer your workplace will unlikely to be pleasant during and afterwards. <A> I leave the gender issue to the other good answers. <S> In regards to cleaning the men's room I don't know about Australia specifically. <S> What I do know is in the US <S> the vast majority of custodial staff is female. <S> They have to clean all parts of their clients locations. <S> You don't get a male janitor just for cleaning the men's room of a building. <S> The simple solution is a spring loaded rod with "cleaning" on a flag that hangs from it. <S> It is placed in the door at shoulder height and people know the bathroom is being cleaned. <S> So while you may well have a case against the male staff not doing any cleaning, I don't believe you have much to stand on in not being willing to clean a part of the work place. <S> Sorry. <A> I have no specific knowledge about Australian discrimination laws, but I don't think they work the way you want. <S> At best, you could refuse to clean bathrooms at all due to the fact that male waiters don't have to do this. <S> But there is no way to just exclude male bathrooms from your work.
| There appear to be two issues here, the gender discrimination (male staff doesn't have to clean) and the physical cleaning of rest rooms.
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How important is to add GPA on a resume, given years of internships? As an undergraduate college student, I have over three years of internship experience -- much of it in my field of study, Computer Science. I also have a year of internship experience in Economics and Marketing. Given this, how important is to include my GPA, and would it be a deal-breaker to potential internship recruiters/employers? Also, what would be a good computer science GPA to have coming out of college? I go to a top-tier university where classes are extremely difficult. Any and all help/input is appreciated. <Q> If it's your first real job out of university, then GPA is likely to be considered. <S> Internships will help, but it will depend on the organisation and the hiring manager. <S> Some place more stock in results, especially if you are still studying and the results are recent, while others will be more interested in your internship experience. <S> A top tier university may help, as far as what would be a "good computer science GPA", the obvious answer would have to be "as high as you can get it." <S> Beyond that, it's up to the discretion of the hiring manager. <A> If you have a nice CGPA, then including it on the resume would just be an icing on the cake, and wouldn't do much harm. <S> However, if your CGPA is less, then I would advise you not to include it on your resume.(But, if the recruiting manager asks to, then you have to.) <S> Rather, flaunt your projects which you did from your internship experience. <S> A similar answer of mine, for a very similar question might help you. <S> The internship in Economics and Marketing would be an addition, and wouldn't count as mainstream or an important one when you are interviewing for a CS heavy position. <A> Only put things on your resume that you'd like to talk about From the tone of your post, I'm guessing that your GPA is not stellar, and you don't really want to talk about it. <S> In that case, leave it off. <S> Even if it is good, when you get your first job, remove it. <S> Not having a GPA on the resume may raise a few eye-brows, but most companies will be happy to talk to you about your internships. <S> A few companies will likely push you to reveal your GPA - if they push tell them the truth, and keep moving. <S> If a company is stupid enough to dismiss an obviously qualified candidate over a GPA cut-off, then you don't want to work with them anyway. <A> For computer science, GPA is important, but a successful work experience will most likely get you a job. <S> When the majority of your resume focuses on your successful application of class work future employers see that you will adapt well to a full time workforce. <S> However, be prepared to give your overall GPA and your major GPA when asked. <S> Be sure to specify the both of these GPA if your overall GPA is low but your major GPA is high. <S> This shows that you know your studies even if you did poorly in your general education classes.
| When you do not put your GPA on a resume, you should focus the content on your multiple internships and work experiences.
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How do you answer "what is your ideal workplace environment?" without being demanding or unrealistic? I tend to have a "boilerplate" answer to this - " one that will challenge me enough to make me a better ___". They probably heard this answer too many times and might "knock off points" on me for not being original. But I'm also tempted to append "... under certain circumstances." If I describe exactly what I want, of course it's going to sound unreal, like everybody is motivated, I have the independence I want at the same time as I have a sense of company/administrative direction, and the company embraces new technology. My answer could reveal that I'm unfit for the company. What are they trying to determine by asking this question besides the literal answer a candidate may provide? <Q> How badly do you need the job? <S> Very Give a flattering answer. <S> "I'd love to work somewhere where the staff are appreciated, the projects are interesting, everyone is friendly and the recruiters are all very attractive" <S> Every manager wants their company to be these things, and will think/hope they are these things. <S> It's very clearly an actual answer <S> (so they won't think you've dodged the question) and it will be a very rare manager who thinks "Well we're boring, unfriendly, we don't care about our staff, and I'm ugly as sin... <S> so we don't want this guy!" <S> Not very Give a flattering answer as above, but slightly more specific to things you do actually want. <S> Perhaps include things like <S> "Somewhere the developers are given sufficient freedom to come up with solutions to a problem and develop it" <S> Try to include things you'd like, but without excluding anything: and be sure to mention that this is "ideal" not "must have" stuff. <S> This hints that you want a certain level of autonomy and not to be micromanaged, but shouldn't mean you're filtered out by companies unless they really hate autonomy and just want you to follow procedure. <S> You'll get a few rare potential rejections on this approach, but you aren't desperate for the job <S> so it's not the end of the world. <S> This is a good approach if you know you want to work for them but not at any cost. <S> Not at all <S> You only want to move if this new place is ideal... <S> so tell them what you want from an ideal workplace and find out if you're a good fit. <S> If not, you've not lost anything and probably saved yourself working somewhere <S> that isn't ideal <S> "Good pay, two monitors, a nice fast computer, tea and coffee when I snap my fingers, and tickets to the World Cup Final, please" <A> Depending on the skill of your interviewers, they're checking to see if you're self-aware enough to know what sort of workplace is ideal for you . <S> Are you sensitive to disruption? <S> Do you really value comradarie? <S> Is that foosball table going to be seen as awesome or childish? <S> Answering the question without being demanding or unrealistic is probably best done by emphasizing ideal . <S> You point out that ideally X, Y, Z, but that you are seasoned enough to know that things are rarely ideal, and you're a good flexible, accommodating worker. <A> The best way to answer this question is to do your research and actually figure out if the company's work environment is well-suited for you. <S> If you hear that the company has a big emphasis on transparency and this is a thing you value in your job, you might say something like "I am always trying to improve <S> and I like to be in an environment where positive feedback is freely given and received", for example (note: a lot of people don't particularly enjoy receiving feedback). <S> If you think you'll be a part of a smaller team and you enjoy working in smaller teams, put that out as a thing you like. <S> Sometimes it's not always possible to do this kind of research (although in many cases there's more info out there than you might expect - check GlassDoor, for instance, or look people up on LinkedIn) <S> but even there I agree with you that the canned answer is at best going to wind up with interviewers taking a complete pass on the question. <S> Don't linger on negatives - in fact, ideally I think you want to try to couch every desire as a positive (rather than say "I hate overbearing bosses" <S> , you'd want to say "I prefer an environment that allows me the freedom to come up with my own solutions to issues", for example). <S> I guess the main pitfall here is that you say you prefer something that is the exact opposite of what the company does. <S> Well, even there I think it's useful to look at the question this way: you are trying to determine if they are a fit as much as they are determining if you are one. <S> I understand very well the need to just find work sometimes, good or bad, but once you're stuck in a bad job with a contract that basically says the only way you're getting out of it is if you get fired, you'll wish you were more up-front about what you want and what you don't want out of a job. <S> Better to disqualify the employer from consideration before you get the job offer than 3 months after you've signed it.
| Just... know what you like in a work environment and describe that.
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Is it appropriate to insert inline hyperlinks to referenced documents in email? Often times I find I'll be writing an email with a question or comment pulled from several online references (Rally user stories, Governance docs, sharepoint files). As such, while I will summarize these references, I also turn them into hyperlinks directly to the document referenced. Nine times out of then, I have it open anyway, so grabbing the URL isn't hard. From my perspective, I would appreciate the links for clarification, but I find almost no one else uses them. Is the inclusion of these links considered poor office etiquette for some reason? For an example of how I would typically do this link inlining... Team, I've found that by using a C# extension method which targets AutomationElement objects, we can create generic UI interaction functions for our automated tests. This will allow us to blah blah blah.... <Q> Inserting relevant hyperlinks is actually a really great business practice. <S> Where I am currently working, there is an initiative to get a comprehensive sharepoint file system going on so that email attachments can be fully prohibited. <S> Doing this enhances document control, and reduces strain on the email system. <S> I anticipate that in the coming years, that philosophy will not be limited my organization, and much like the "going green" movement, the movement to start using hyperlinks instead of attachments is going to become commonplace in the workplace. <A> However, add them judiciously. <S> If you can explain something in a line or two, instead of a hyperlink, then please go ahead and do it. <S> Hyperlinks are appreciated, but it is also a fact that having a lot of them in a mail makes it look like sam and is also a pain navigating through it, as you need to move back and forth webpages and the mail. <S> So, considering your e-mail here: Team, I've found that by using a C# extension method which targets AutomationElement objects , we can create generic UI interaction functions for our automated tests. <S> This will allow us to blah blah blah.... <S> It is okay that there are only 2 hyperlinks in this mail(or atleast <S> I hope so). <S> But, if you want the receiver to know and go through about the entire documentation, then a hyperlink is justified(unless there aren't too many of them in the mail). <A> Given the amount of spam that comes through with hyperlinks attempting to get you to download malware, many of us are a bit gun-shy about links in e-mail. <S> I use them at work, in a controlled environment where rich-text mail is expected. <S> On my personal mail, I still tend to insist on plaintext only unless I know the recipient prefers richtext mail... <S> and I'm extremely careful about what I click on. <S> If you must do it, don't go wild linking to half the universe just because you can. <S> If folks can easily find something, or should already know it, don't link it. <S> Your examples are ones I would not recommend unless there's some subtle point there that you really need folks to be able to refer to.
| Adding relevant, helpful hyperlinks is actually a huge plus when it comes to having them in a formal mail. But, if you want the receiver to just know the meaning(or definition) of the terms, then it is advisable to include the definition as a short and crisp paragraph rather than a hyperlink.
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Supervisor shared my personal medical information with the office I was greatly disturbed to hear my supervisor sent an inter office memo out to other staff members saying I will be out again tomorrow due to oral surgery for infected teeth. She had no right to disclose why I'm out sick and let everyone know I had infected teeth. Now I feel so humiliated. Is she allowed to share this information with the office? Are there any privacy laws that she might be breaking? <Q> This is a legal question, so if you really want to pursue it, ask a lawyer. <S> However, I don't see any point in pursuing it, because the "damage" has already been done. <S> I wouldn't expect there to be any real reprocussions besides some embarrassment, which won't go away except with time. <S> I think the only reasonable course of action is to tell your boss that you're actually kind of embarrassed by the email, so could they not disclose medical details in the future. <A> No, she absolutely was not allowed to do that. <S> If you would like to pursue the issue, go to HR. <S> If you are deeply offended enough, your boss just opened the company to a lawsuit. <S> Employers are not allowed to disclose medical information. <S> Your boss just completely stepped in it. <S> Here is a link I just found in a quick google that can give you some context. <S> It pertains to actual medical records, but your situation and this link are in the same league. <A> You should address this issue first with your supervisor and then with HR. <S> It is too late to undo this instance, but if it upsets you enough, you should talk to HR about it as this type of thing is something that companies are generally very careful to avoid. <S> Only people who have an actual need to know the details of your medical issues (such as HR people who have to get medical accommodations approved and paid for or HR people who help you get short-term disability or supervisors who have to approve the time off (especially if the request is unusual like needing every Friday afternoon off to do dialysis) have a right to know exactly why you are out sick. <S> Even supervisors generally don't need the details (although providing some generally gets these things approved much quicker and with less push back) but may need a doctor's note. <S> Out sick is reason enough for people who have to take over your work while you are out. <S> You don't need to feel humiliated though, very few people really would find oral surgery to be odd or unusual.
| In the US at least, this would not be something the supervisor should be doing. You need to directly talk to your supervisor, tell him or her that you were upset at your medical privacy being violated and ask specifically that it not happen again.
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Do I have to stay in a college job I dont like for the full two weeks' notice period? I've been working at this on-campus job for over four years now. Last week I was extended an offer to return to my summer internship part time the rest of my school year, so this past Friday I gave a letter with two weeks' notice because I wanted to "end things the right way." Normally I'm very respectful and they know me as being a great worker. Honestly however, this job has just been a real pain and rather than ramping down (having me write instructions for next person, etc.) they're having me continue large projects (projects I'd been told before would be ongoing longterm anyway) or working on new, large time-consuming tasks. Working with the particular coworkers on those things is incredibly rough and stress-inducing, which can't be healthy while I'm dealing with a harder than usual semester.. Normally this time of year they are very flexible around my school schedule and understanding that I may need less work shift time so I can study more, etc. But at this point I can't even ask for that time since I'll be finished next week. Am I able to leave before the two weeks are up? Would that be unprofessional now? It's just an office campus job and at this point job history-wise I have great positive feedback from multiple levels of management from my internship, so I would like to think leaving this job somewhat earlier won't have much of a lasting effect. Any advice? Thanks! <Q> You can leave your job early if you so choose, and there's nothing legally preventing you, however it would definitely look unprofessional. <S> It's up to you to decide whether to accept that risk, but I would only consider leaving without two weeks notice in a small set of extreme circumstances, and this is not one of them. <S> Part of being professional is to accept and deal with it when there are some circumstances that are disagreeable but still within reason. <A> Am I able to leave before the two weeks are up? <S> Would that be unprofessional now? <S> That said, a notice (typically two weeks) is considered a professional courtesy, and anything less would be less than professional. <S> You would risk some of the "great positive feedback" capital you have built up over the past four years. <S> It's only two weeks and for you amounts to only 20 hours. <A> Everything is voluntary. <S> Of course, there are consequences and you'll have to determine if the consequences outweigh leaving. <S> If you have good rapport with your managers and would like to keep it that way, then I suggest leaving at the time you said you would. <S> If they are giving you more work, make sure they got the notice. <S> It wouldn't hurt to get a confirmation from a manager like saying, "Hey Joe, did you get my 2 weeks notice?" <S> Just to make sure they have it. <S> Don't just assume because you sent it by email <S> they would have gotten/acknowledged it. <S> Normally you give a email and a written notice of leaving. <S> Make sure you sign and date it.
| Assuming you are in the US, and you don't have a contract that requires a specific notice period, then yes - you can leave at any point in time. The most professional thing would be to grit your teeth, stick it out for the two weeks, do whatever work they prefer you do in your final weeks, and do the best you can.
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Being told "not hiring" when they clearly are I worked at a company for over a year and resigned a few months ago as I was moving to another city. I gave a two month notice and left in good terms with everyone in the company. The manager at the time told me that I would be able to get my job back if/when I returned. I am now returning and I saw that the company I was with is hiring for my position. I contacted a coworker but I was informed that the manager had left and that that coworker was now the manager. I asked about the available positions and was told that they were not hiring for my position because they didn't need anyone to take on any more hours. I keep seeing new job postings for my position, even days after the conversation, so it looks like they're keeping the job from me. There's not a valid reason for me not to get the job back, but that's not even the problem. The problem is that I am being told, flat out, that they are not hiring for my position. I have been trying to find out what my options are, and see if I can find any information from other people with a similar problem, but I have not seen anything, not even in Workplace.SE, so I figured I would ask. Is there anything I can do at all? Is it illegal? Do I have any legal recourse here, or any way to try and get the job (even if the one manager doesn't want me back, I'd still like to have the job as I have good rapport with the entire team)? <Q> Is there anything I can do at all? <S> Is it illegal? <S> Do I have any legal recourse here, or any way to try and get the job (even if the one manager doesn't want me back, I'd still like to have the job as I have good rapport with the entire team)? <S> Note <S> : I'm not a lawyer, nor do I play one on television. <S> Consult a local attorney if you want a real answer to the state of the legalities here, as there are far too many factors (locale, written promises, all the details of the circumstances, etc, etc) for anyone here to guess. <S> There's very likely little you could do <S> that would lead you to getting the job if the hiring manager doesn't want you (and that's the signal <S> your former co-worker appears to be sending, in a kind way). <S> If getting the job isn't your actual goal, then talk with your attorney. <S> You could formally apply for the position you see posted. <S> It's possible the posts are for similar positions, but not for "your position". <S> But if they don't want you, then they don't need to bring you in for an interview or respond to your application. <S> Even if somehow you could legally force them to interview you, it would be hard to imagine that you could force them to hire you, rather than hire someone else. <S> An exception to this would be if you are in a union. <S> If so, consult your union rep for advice on how to proceed formally. <A> Is there anything I can do at all? <S> Short of re-applying via normal channels, no. <S> You need to focus on finding a new job, probably at another company. <S> First, reach out to your boss and see what he's doing (and get a recommendation). <S> I'd also suggest reaching out to old co-workers for job leads. <S> Tell them the "we're not hiring right now" line and see what the reaction is, you may find out the real story. <A> You don't say how big the company is, but could it be hiring positions that are not related to your former colleague's responsibility and which he doesn't know about? <S> This would be far from the first time that had happened. <S> It's also far from unusual for a business still to be posting job adverts even when it is not hiring. <S> Reasons can include wanting to keep resumes on file for when they are hiring, being willing to make a position for an exceptional applicant, paid for the ads months in advance, or the old favourite of HR not knowing what everyone else is doing. <S> Another possibility is that they are looking for people willing to relocate. <S> Finally there is the possibility that your former colleague and new manager doesn't want to hire you and doesn't want to tell you that. <S> Only you know if that is a genuine possibility.
| The fact that the new hiring manager said they were not hiring was likely a non-confrontational way to convey you won't be getting your old job back. I strongly suspect that your best bet here is to simply find a different job and move on.
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Did I handle this sexual harassment in the correct way? My previous post is here: Is my future mentor "harassing" me? I should've trusted my instinct and rejected his mentoring. However, after talking to my friend who was his mentee, I was somehow convinced that he was the best mentor in the world. In our second meeting in his office, he was extremely inappropriate, with examples being touching and staring at my body, smelling my hair, commenting on my bra size, asking for kisses when I didn't offer, etc. I ignored him straight away as I was terrified by how he treated me. Then he kept messaging me. I didn't read his messages and blocked him instead. Then he got really mad and sent me a long email sating how rude I was. I decided to stand up for myself and told him how he was being creepy and unprofessional the other day. He claimed that he was just trying to help and said that I would not succeed with my attitude like that. I ended the conversation quickly. My question is if I could've handled it in a better way. I would never use my body or put up with any harassment just to progress in my career. However now I burned all bridgets with him I wonder if i could've just rejected him in a 'polite' way. Having said that, I tried the polite way before and he wouldn't stop annoying me and convinced me to work things out. If it helps, he is not someone who is, shall I say, important. I thought about the consequences of telling him how he was inappropriate but then I got really emotional and just wanted to stand up for myself. <Q> He acted unprofessionally - I mean, way beyond any line of decency. <S> I can't really see a better way to handle it, to be honest. <S> Without an explicit rejection, he can try to hide behind excuses of "misreading signals". <S> You might raise the matter with his superiors in due course <S> but that's better not done in the heat of the moment; you might also wish to consider the possible emotional drain of following such a path (privately some of us will be thinking "nail the bastard", but we don't have to actually do it). <S> From what you've said, he clearly believes he is entitled to act the way he did, sees no reason to apologise, and is now trying to manipulate you into feeling bad about rejecting him. <S> This could be because he hopes you will return, or because he wishes to pressurise you into not taking further action against him. <S> That escalates the inappropriateness of the office meeting, in my opinion. <S> Don't be tempted to contact him again to try to mend any bridges - no good can come of it. <A> My question is if I could've handled it in a better way. <S> I would never use my body or put up with any harassment just to progress in my career. <S> However now I burned all bridgets with him <S> I wonder if i could've just rejected him in a 'polite' way. <S> The better way would have been to trust your instincts initially and drop him as your mentor. <S> Beyond that the sooner you dropped him, the better, so your later avoidance was appropriate. <S> There is no sense trying to be polite here. <S> There are no bridges to him that should remain unburned. <S> Continue to block him. <S> Do not respond to any of his communications. <S> Put it behind you. <S> Learn to trust your instincts. <A> The one point I would like to add to Julia's excellent answer is that you should go to whatever organization brought you in contact with him as a mentor and advise them of your interaction. <S> This sounds like a person who has created a situation where they are in a position of power over young women and is abusing that power. <S> By advising whoever is conecting him with mentees you may prevent this from happening again to someone else. <A> Perhaps with hindsight, or by being an outside observer, you could have thought of a way to handle it better, but it's a one hundred percent normal human reaction to question yourself when actually confronted with a situation so extreme, or to be outright terrified, and as a result just not know what to do. <S> I wouldn't criticize someone for how they handled such a horrible situation. <S> You were a victim, of the most extreme form of sexual harassment. <S> But now that you are removed from the situation, please report him, and forward any of his emails or texts as evidence of his misconduct.
| You told him explicitly that his actions were unprofessional and, on not receiving an apology, broke off contact.
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When is it appropriate to withdraw from a job offer and how to word it to the agency involved? I am on unemployment, and in the UK, which means I cannot turn down an offer of employment without sufficient cause or my benefits will stop. I had a job offer made last week via a recruitment agency. I was told, with great enthusiasm, that their client wanted me to start asap. Although my enthusiasm for the role was more lukewarm, I accepted. I was due to start on Monday 5th. It did not happen and its a strong possibility their second start date, Monday 12th, is going to pass without me starting. They have now decided they want paperwork from me for background checks that does not and never existed. It requires the unemployment agency to send me a custom letter which will not arrive until end of next week. I have been unable to find an alternative they will accept. I have continued my job search while all this has been pending and now hearing about interviews next week. I've accepted but feel uncomfortable because if I then withdraw (due to starting), I'm burning my bridges with several companies over a lukewarm job offer. So, here's the first part of my question. When would be appropriate to withdraw from this offer? The second part relates to how I would withdraw. I have no proof but believe it is the company not the agency which is causing the issue. The agency also manages recruitment for other clients doing similar work to the job offer. If I am to withdraw then if at all possible, I'd want to be able to then be considered by them for other roles that they have to offer. Is there even a way to achieve that? Update - The lukewarm job offer has turned around and said I can start on Monday after all leaving me with a very tough decision to make and only a couple of hours to do so. I've never disliked the idea of a job so much before I started it but I wonder how much of this is down to new job anxiety. <Q> To answer your basic question: It is appropriate to withdraw at any stage prior to signing a contract, if you feel that the arrangement no longer makes sense. <S> You have the additional complication of potentially losing your state benefits, which I won't attempt to discuss here <S> (I'm certainly no legal expert, so I have no idea what constitutes sufficient cause... <S> although from what I hear of the Job Centre, anything short of decapitation probably won't count) <S> So I'll focus on the bridge burning: <S> Unfortunately, there are no hard and fast rules, or even soft and slow rules, on whether the company will be okay with you withdrawing: a lot depends on their attitude, policy, procedures, how they perceive the withdrawal. <S> It depends on whether the hiring is at the discretion of the MD, or whether there's a formal process, and it depends how urgently they need the position to be filled etc. <S> If that turns out to not be the case then great, but if you base your decision on the assumption that it will, you at least won't be disappointed. <S> Other factors you may wish to consider are whether you would be better off accepting this job, then withdrawing or quitting at a later stage if you get a better offer: this will be even more risky in terms of future employment with the company, but may suit your situation. <S> It's not ideal, but since you have to work, may lose your JSA if you withdraw, and have no idea if you will receive other offers, it may be the best option for you. <S> Once you've decided that you definitely wish to withdraw, it's much simpler: you withdraw as professionally and politely as possible, and hope that they don't get upset. <A> When would be appropriate to withdraw from this offer? <S> You already accepted the offer, so you essentially promised them that you would work for them. <S> Something has happened to put the job start on hold, and you have been interviewing elsewhere and have found other jobs that are more attractive and which you would prefer over this one. <S> Based on your earlier question, it appears that you have been looking for a reason to reject this job offer while retaining your unemployment benefits and finding a better offer. <S> It sounds like you have your reason now, so things seemed to have worked out for you. <S> Get a better offer from another company, then cancel your acceptance of this one. <A> You are unemployed. <S> In general unemployment benefits are not equal to what you can earn, plus they are limited in duration. <S> If you reject the current offer it could put your unemployment benefits at risk; plus in a few weeks time their offer, with no other prospects may not seem so bad. <S> I would keep working on turning the current job offer into a real job. <S> Complete all the paperwork as they require, and keep it moving forward. <S> The fact that they gave starting dates, but also required a background investigation to be completed <S> is cause for concern. <S> At the same time I would keep applying, and interviewing with other companies. <S> In some places the act of applying and interviewing keeps the unemployment benefits flowing. <S> Actively looking is the only way to find a better position. <S> If you are lucky you will get a better offer before the starting date for the other company. <S> If that doesn't happen you will still have that one offer in place. <S> If you end up with no other job offers, start work at the new place, but keep looking. <S> Be mindful of any contract clauses which will layout notice periods, and any probationary period. <S> Cancelling interviews because you have signed a great offer, or even dropping out after interviews is a common occurrence. <S> Employers expect that you are applying at different places, and that with each of them you are at different stages in the apply-interview-re-interview continuum. <S> It doesn't burn bridges with them. <S> Regarding eventually rejecting the offer you do have. <S> If they know you are unemployed they may feel that they can underpay you because you are getting desperate. <S> They have to also know that in those cases the new employee has no reason to view the position as long term, and will keep looking even after the start date.
| In this particular case, it's appropriate to withdraw from this offer when you have a better solid offer on the table. You have no real way to know whether withdrawing will burn your bridges, so start from the assumption that any withdrawal will burn your bridges and exclude you from working at that company in future.
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Feeling burned out at work To say Im burned out is an understatement, I just can't do my job anymore, its that bad. I even find myself doing side-projects at work since I just can't get to my job anymore. The way I got to this state is that I work at a company where the management team constantly demand more, and more, and more productivity and Im just unable to even meet the previous demands for more productivity. I don't see the current company going anywhere, nor do I see me putting in extra time/effort actually changing the fate of the company. Im wondering how exactly can I handle being burned out and move to a more normal state. <Q> I have had success in combating burnout by trying to take greater ownership over what I'm doing. <S> You say you are doing side projects. <S> Have you considered trying for a change in job description so that you can make those the focus of your employment? <S> For a while I was a refund processor. <S> The production and accuracy quotas were insane. <S> The job drove me insane trying to keep up with the pace. <S> After treading water and just barely getting buy for a few months, I dug deep, figured out a streamlined process, and then started teaching myself Selenium so that I could automate my streamlined process. <S> By doing that, I turned the tables, and instead of being on the business end of the whip, I turned it around and started challenging my management to streamline their processes to keep up with mine, since their process for generating files couldn't feed me file quick enough to keep my workday filled. <S> This got me promoted to an Analyst position in a higher tier department. <S> edit: though if: nor do I see me putting in extra time/effort actually changing the fate of the company. <S> Then what I just said, you've already ruled that approach out, and I dont see any other answer than "start sending your resume out". <A> Sometimes this happens in work, although you might love the role still, feeling tired or bored of a specific business isn't uncommon. <S> I just can't do my job anymore, its that bad. <S> I even find myself doing side-projects at work <S> This isn't a good thing. <S> If you can't do your job and are doing side projects that might not be related to the business you're a detriment to the business itself. <S> This is bad for the company because they're paying someone who isn't dedicating the hours to push the company forward and bad for you if you want a good reference from them. <S> The way I got to this state is that I work at a company where the management team constantly demand more <S> Have you tried talking to your management about this first? <S> If they don't know that you're feeling overworked and that you can't handle the pressure they're putting on you, what can the possibly be expected to do about it? <S> I don't see the current company going anywhere, nor do I see me putting in extra time/effort actually changing the fate of the company <S> Seems as though you're implying you've hit a brick wall with your current role. <S> Again, this isn't uncommon feeling <S> but once you're feeling this demotivated, typically it's worth considering looking for a new job . <S> In the meantime however, not doing your job and distracting yourself with unrelated projects, from a business perspective isn't acceptable which is why, whilst you're looking, you need to be motivated before you either get fired or get a poor reference. <A> Have you ever considered talking to someone about this?Try and bring up this topic to the HR. <S> Explain how you feel, that you the demands get bigger and bigger, which it leads you to a burnout and see how you this will turn out. <S> If your company is a serious company, the situation will change. <S> Regularly they ought to cut you some slack. <S> Maybe they could even present you a new approach to your current work which will help you get back on track. <S> If not, you can always look for something new. <S> However, avoid to reveal your personal thoughts about the direction that the company is taking or that you are doing side projects, which is definitely not optimal. <S> Finally, try and leave the job issues in the company building, where they belong. <S> Do not let them to get to you. <S> This is how jobs are running. <A> I even find myself doing side-projects at work since I just can't get to my job anymore. <S> Stop doing that ASAP. <S> It is not good or even ethical to do side-projects at work, when you have to be doing work for your company. <S> I don't see the current company going anywhere, nor do I see me putting in extra time/effort actually changing the fate of the company <S> Yes, that's a very dominating sign of a burnout. <S> So, you would want to meet your manager/senior and talk about the situation and listen to what he <S> /she says. <S> (One of my colleagus have combated burnout in this way. <S> She talked with the manager, and had a project change for herself and now she's happily working off with her current team.) <S> If your situation remains as is, even after talking to him, then you might want to re-consider your future at the company.
| You dont say what you actually do, so I dont know how feasible it is to start trying to get ahead of your management and create your own processes and practices that will enhance your productivity, but that's what worked for me.
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Sentimental in a resignation letter For a little background, I work for a company of roughly 250 employees, 15 people in IT, and the company is a subsidiary of a publicly traded company. I am self taught, have no formal training, and finally managed to get an interview at this company. Many places in the area do not interview without a degree. Now, I've accepted a job offer at another company, talked it over with my supervisor, and he offered his sincere congratulations in the new opportunity. My question is, Is it appropriate to put personal feeling/messages in a resignation letter? Something along the lines of, I really want to thank you for taking a chance on an entry level programmer without a degree when nobody else would. <Q> Its up to you, but I don't think this will hurt at you at all and is certainly not unprofessional. <S> Its good to leave on a good note as you are. <S> On the contrary, it would be a bad idea to be sentimental and offer very sharp criticism of the company when you are leaving. <A> I think it would be a nice gesture to write a letter thanking the manager/company for identifying your knowledge, rather than blindly rejecting due to an unsatisfied degree. <S> Something like this would be nice: <S> Dear XXX, I am really thankful for the wonderful opportunity you have given me by identifying my knowledge and passion over my education. <S> I hope I lived up to your expectations and proved your decision right. <S> < Some more line, maybe about work/manager, etc <S> > <S> regards, XYZ <A> The best advice I was ever given, was to make a resignation letter short and sweet. <S> Even if you left in bad spirits, leaving saying positive things keeps potential future options open for you. <S> Sounds like you're going for this approach. <S> To respond to your specific example: I really want to thank you for taking a chance on an entry level programmer without a degree when nobody else would. <S> That specific sentence loses some of its weight because it sounds overly emotional and hyperbolic. <S> Would "nobody else" really hire an entry level programmer? <S> Of course not, just nobody else that you applied to. <S> It would give more weight if you play up the potential risk to the company and make it more personal, or even leave the last bit out. <S> Such as: <S> I really want to thank you for taking a chance on an entry level programmer during an economically strained time. <S> Or I really want to thank you for taking a chance when you hired me, an entry level programmer without a degree. <S> Hope that helps.
| Start with the fact you're resigning, then take a sentence or two to say something positive, and finish off with any important details.
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Should out of office email auto responses be put in place before you're actually out of office? While I try my best to make sure that anyone who I may be working with knows I will be out of office anytime I'm out for 8+ hours, I realize that that is a very easily forgotten fact. I've been toying around with the idea of setting my OoO message the day before I leave, to let people know that I will be gone tomorrow and possibly following days. This allows people to ask me any questions they have that may turn into blocking issues while I'm gone. On the other hand, I realize that people see the out of office message and may assume I'm out of office now , which sends the wrong message. So, my question really is, is it common to start the out of office auto-reply a few hours before I actually leave so that people can get any last minute questions in? <Q> You shouldn't put it early. <S> Because you intent is give early warning but if your coworker/clients dont write an email they wont get it anyway. <S> If you want others be aware of your vacation send every one an email. <S> Ok, maybe that is to drastic. <S> But at least at the co-workers/clients depending on you. <S> I usually send an email like this one/two week before my vacations. <S> Hello <S> Coworker/Client <S> I will be out of office from Day 1 to Day N during that time please send your inquiries to otherguy@mycompany.com <A> Another option you can use is a calendar and simply share it with everyone so they'll have it. <S> and it'll automatically turn on/off based on the values you put in it. <S> In the message, also include the time you'll be out. <S> Put something like this: <S> Hello, I will be out of office starting 10/9/2015 and will return on 10/10/2015. <S> Please contact x@y.com for immediate help. <A> Yes, this would be fine. <S> People understand, and It's always better to be on the safe side. <S> You'd much rather "set the tone" before the vacation. <S> And it's not like you're not answering them. <S> You can even clarify in this OOO email that "I will still be reading emails frequently." <S> Or similar, to explain that point NOTE : I don't know how your work environment looks, but if you're in one of those very-social open settings; it would be advisable to give people a heads-up about how you'll set the email from now. <S> Otherwise, it may open you up to some unwanted teasing. <S> At least, I know that's how it may happen in some environments. <S> Perhaps, wait til the post-lunch hours of the previous day to your travel-departure. <S> It's not too fun to get " <S> Look who's on vacation already!" <A> Do you have an email footer? <S> Add the info there while you still work, then activate the OoO-message when you leave. <S> Also state the timeframe and if you will be reading mail or not during that time and who to contact otherwise. <A> No people expect out of office message to indicate you are out of office already and not an early warning <S> best way to go about it is: 1 - <S> In the team meeting if you have weekly/daily monthly team meeting highlight your out of office period <S> 2 - Assign (or let your manager assign) a person to be taking care of your work or any urgent tasks while you are not available 3 - If you are currently working within any Active project(s) make sure you inform (email) <S> the project managers of those project of your out of office period in advance and also share with them who will be the contact person in your place for that period <A> I've been toying around with the idea of setting my OoO message the day before I leave, to let people know that I will be gone tomorrow and possibly following days <S> Perhaps I'm misunderstanding, but you seem to be saying that you're worried that someone might have something they want to talk to about, but they refrain from emailing you before you leave because they think they'll be able to talk to you about it the next day. <S> But if they're not emailing you, then they won't see the OoO message. <S> If you want to warn people that you will be out of the office, in Outlook you can do so by creating an event called "Sidney is out of office and won't be answering emails", then inviting your colleagues to the event. <S> But your manager is a better source of information about what sort of norms there are for your team than people on the internet are.
| As far as the auto-reply, some applications allow you to set the date/time ranges of your message and you can set it on the day you'll be out If you set it an hour before you leave, I don't see how anyone would get it confused.
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Is it acceptable to mention a future surgery during a job interview? I have an interview coming up and I just found out that I'm going to need surgery in one of my hands. I work in IT, so my hand's health impacts how fast I write code. As far as I know, I'll need one day for surgery, but after that I'll just have to endure about 4 weeks of recovery until I'm cleared by the doctor. Since I obviously want to work and have one hand available to work with, should I mention to my interviewer that I'm going to need a day off for surgery and that I'll be conditioned during the recovery period? <Q> 4 weeks worth of reduced productivity is a very important thing to make sure your employer understands. <S> You want to make sure: You don't surprise your employer right off the bat. <S> You don't cause your employer to be disappointed with the quality of your work for reasons outside of your control, such as the medical procedure you mention. <S> As such, you should make sure your employer understands what's going on before you start, but it's not worth mentioning at interview time. <S> Interviews are there for understanding whether you have the skills and attributes necessary for the job, and are a relatively early stage in the hiring process. <S> Temporary conditions should have no bearing on the decisions at interview time. <S> Since there's no guarantee you will get the position, you don't need to disclose medical issues, just as you don't need to disclose time off you may need when you interview. <S> That being said, it would show good faith to bring it up if you get an offer, and before you accept. <S> That way, they know what's coming before they hire you. <A> I'd go one over on the others and say it's vital that you mention it. <S> It's something that will seriously impact your work performance, maybe even your ability to work at all. <S> Given that you can reasonably suspect the condition will last for a few weeks only, if you communicate that clearly the company may decide to let you start after that time, or to assign you different duties for those weeks (tbh, unless you're going to be using public transport for your commute I'd advise you to not even want to travel during those weeks, driving a car or bike with a hand that's seriously restricted is dangerous and if you get into an accident may lead to criminal charges against you). <A> I don't think it would in anyway affect your job prospects with the company. <S> Yes, companies look for people who can start ASAP, but they don't let go of people whom they believe would add value. <S> So, in my opinion, mention about the injury, but make sure you manage to impress the interviewer with your algorithmic and technical knowledge skills, rather than your fast coding skills. <S> Companies definitely prefer coders who can write good code , over coders who can code fast. <S> So, if you are good at what you do, then the company can definitely wait/tolerate your coding speed for 4 weeks, over hiring a mediocre fast coder.
| Not mentioning it may be seen as hiding a condition that makes you incapable of doing your job during the interview process, which at least here is reason for summary dismissal and possibly lawsuits for damages.
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Things to do when leaving a job early for another job I was fresh out of school and been applying to multiple places as a software engineer. In the end, I was being interviewed 2 companies. One (noted as A) quickly processed stuff and got back to me with an offer in a couple of days. The other company (noted as B), told me that they are still considering the candidates. Company A wasn't my 1st option and definitely was not my favorite company, but since I had to pay bills and stuff, I decided to take the offer from company A. Its been about 2 weeks since I started working at company A. However, I got an email from company B, and they offered me a job. I like company B over company A in multiple areas (salary, things I'll be working on, benefits etc), but I'm not sure on how to inform my company that I will be leaving and what steps I need to take. I have nothing against company A. The people I work with are nice and the company is also a nice place. I'm not leaving company A because my boss was rude to me, or I am getting underpaid then I should be. I just want to leave company A because I like what company B does more. This could be a duplicate of another post I found answered by bethlakshmi . But my situation is a bit different from the post, and I was more interested in what are some of the things that I should do and how I should inform my company and leave in good terms (of course, I won't be able to leave the company in 100% good terms, since I am leaving them only after a few weeks since I've started working. But I want to be able to minimize the amount of negative images of myself). And I don't feel comfortable informing them that I am leaving the company in order to work at another place. Any tips or experiences would be greatly appreciated! Edit: I guess a lot of answers were a bit off. I was asking what I should do at my current company and how I should approach it (ex telling your supervisor / HR person that you are quiting, but not sure how to disclose this information to them, saying good byes to your team member, finishing w/e I was working on etc) <Q> Submit your two weeks notice, if asked why in an exit interview, you received a more lucrative offer. <S> Period. <S> No need to get into the nitty gritty details. <A> If I were you, I would come out clean. <S> I would say the truth, politely stated of course. <S> Tell them that you like i.e. the working environment and colleagues. <S> However, there was a proposition made to you which you cannot deny nor you want to. <S> It would be also better if you avoided talking about company B to A. <S> Keep things professional and formal. <S> It's not so uncommon for someone who is new in a job to leave. <S> You haven't settled down yet. <S> It's how job hunting and business work. <A> Why should you do this? <S> Cause your company might make you a counter offer, which might interest you. <S> Else, you have nothing to lose. <S> You would leave gracefully. <S> And before you do all this(submitting resignation), make sure you have already negotiated the salary, position and work details with the other companies, and also inform them about the length of your notice period.
| First, submit your resignation and let your company know what the other company is offering both in terms of work, position and salary(and/or perks). Personally, I'd just keep the cards close to your chest.
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Making a less than stellar work history look professional Background to my question: I am 22 years old, and am enrolled part-time in school (still in my first year of classes as well). I was previously working full-time at a professional position, as an office assistant in a 2 lawyer law firm. Prior to this, I have absolutely no "professional" work experience, and had been working in customer service-slash-retail positions (gas stations, convenience stores, etc). Getting this position was due to family connections and that my employer was willing to train me literally from scratch because she was so desperate for help. I devoted myself to learning as much as I could absorb in this position as I'm studying for a paralegal degree and I was excited to be working in the law field so early in my schooling. When I was let go, I had been working there for less than a year (10 months total). I am on good terms with my previous employer, but am uncomfortable approaching her with a "do you know where/how I can look for work based on our work scenario?" kind of question. So, my question is: What are a few steps to take to continue working in this field with my current experience level? I want to go about applying to similar positions, perhaps not in a law firm, but looking for professional office positions. I know that with my age, my schooling, and my experience, I do not have a leg up on other more experienced candidates, and if a company tells me that, then I can accept it. However, I do feel that I learned a lot during my first foray into the professional world and workplace and would like to continue this trend. I know this means I should be looking for companies willing to train "entry-level" people in this field, who would be willing to "bear with me" so to speak as I continue to learn. Is there a set of standards when first breaking into a field that I should follow when drafting a resume/cover letter or being interviewed, that allow me to convey this professionally? I did take a look at this question and this question , but I don't feel they appropriately answer my scenario, as there are no "steps you can take" kind of standards for when breaking into a new field and knowing you are in need of continued training. I also checked out this one to get help in building a resume with both non-professional and professional experience. If there are any others that I missed, please feel free to direct me. Additionally, answers like "wait until you are further in school" or others that involve me staying unemployed or earning experience in any unpaid manner are not an option in this scenario due to financial reasons. Telling me to "just go get a customer service job" is also not helpful, as I can and will do so, but would like to know if there is a way to give me a better chance in the professional field as I continue job hunting. <Q> I was in the same situation a few years ago, and I suggest to you the same advice that was given to me. <S> Visit your school's career advising center. <S> I brought my concerns to the table with them <S> and they helped me find a path that I did not know existed with my low level of expertise at the time. <S> Not only did they help me find a job, but they also helped me build my resume and take classes that were not only important to gaining my degree, but to also help build up my resume where I was lacking in experience. <S> Also. <S> they helped make my resume look awesome and taught me how to write a cover letter. <S> I know this isn't the exact answer that you are looking for, <S> but it's the best that I can suggest. <S> -A <S> 22 year old Transportation Manager <A> Your best bet would be temp agencies. <S> Potentially, the agencies will have contract-to-hire positions available that offer a step between temp employment and perm positions that give an employer a chance to see how well you work before committing. <A> Sadly, I don't know what the best answer is. <S> The previous two I feel are are pretty solid answers, but as a third possible solution to consider. <S> Highlight your schooling and your chosen path on your resume, then list out everything you did and learned while employed at the Law firm. <S> Omit <S> things that you don't think stand out then go from there with it. <S> You don't want a super long list, but something that shows you can learn, and have already learned a great deal. <S> Your goal in my opinion is to get in front of a recruiter and show them you are a long term bet, that will pay off for them.
| Lastly, the career center might be able to match you up with a mentor in the fields that you want to work in. You can gain experience on temporary assignments and learn new stuff.
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My boss refused my notice, proposed me to work part time, then changed his mind, and now is blaming me of jeopardising the company I started working for an hardware startup last year as a contractor developer. The company was quite at an early stage and their product wasn't up to scratch yet but after being assured by the CEO the product will be ready in a couple of months I accepted to join them full time. Fast forward 3 months and the product development hasn't moved much partly due to lack of engineering force in our team (and an over abundance of marketing employees IMO). As a software developer I'm spending my time working on their site without any clear direction whatsoever and asked to work over time to do prototypes and impromptu projects to wow investors. I'm offered shares of the company which I refuse as I start to doubt some management choices. New projects are rarely planned ahead and mostly end with accusations from the CEO to his employers for not pulling their weight. Three people get fired and one person leaves the company. Needless to say, the projects were all abandoned. Finally, one year after being hired, I decide to give one month notice to my boss. This was met with a peaceful proposal of remaining in the team part-time to allow me doing other work as well, at least for an initial period. I accept but, unfortunately, this was never formalised into a contract. Three weeks later (just before starting my part time) the offer gets scrapped, for two days I'm almost lured in to going back full time, but in the end I prefer to leave the company. When I give my second notice the CEO is accusing me of jeopardising them, of being dishonest and personally betraying him. I have already taken commitments for this month outside this company. Still my boss says that we're not leaving in good terms and that I won't get any reference. It's the first time something like this happened to me in 8 years of work. What shall I do? edit: I thought I'd clarify my question. As he never accepted my notice I am afraid he won't let me work part time this month. What can I do in this case, where I don't have a formal agreement? I'm not worried about bad references as I got good ones from my previous employers. <Q> It is the company's responsibility to make sure the company can continue in case an important worker is lost. <S> If they cannot operate without you, that is unfortunate, but not your responsibility. <S> If you feel it is best to leave the company, then that is your choice and your right . <S> They cannot force you to stay. <S> From your post it sounds like your boss is not being reasonable. <S> At this point, it is probably not worth reasoning with him. <S> If he won't give you a good recommendation, let it be. <S> You already have other commitments and can move on. <S> Just dont use them as a reference. <S> If another potential employee wants to contact them, explain the situation honestly, things like this happen. <S> Hopefully, your other references are positive and that one can be overlooked. <A> Unless you work in a country that requires a "release letter" or something similar to that <S> then I can only say that what happens next is essentially up to you. <S> That's why it's called giving notice and not making a request . <S> You're telling them that you will be leaving, not asking if you can. <S> As for them refusing to give you a good reference, you can tell future employers that your boss "refused" to accept your notice and took this action. <S> You will presumably have other references and providing that the bad reference/no reference from this boss is an exception rather than a rule <S> then I would imagine most new employers will be prepared to accept that. <A> I stopped reading the "one month notice" part. <S> I assume this is in the United States. <S> You know if they fire you, you know how much "notice" you get? <S> 15 minutes to clear out your desk escorted by security guards. <S> You owe your company ZERO notice. <S> That's what "employment at will" means. <S> As for the part-time work, I think you are way beyond the point where you should be seeking to work more for this company.
| First off, you are not jeopardizing the company. You need to leave and focus on your next position. Your boss can't refuse your notice; that's the whole point of notice.
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How to convince superior/boss to use software tool, so we can avoid constant status updates? I have a boss in charge of Product and Marketing who seems reluctant to learn about a product management tool we use, called Pivotal Tracker. My boss started working with us long after we began using the tool. The main issue is our boss asks us for ETAs on when projects will be started, how long they will take, and a notification for when they are deployed. He also wants to keep track of what is being worked on at a given time. Pivotal Tracker is made to be able to do all those things automatically. Instead of using the tool, during one instance, he made a Word Doc with bug fixes listed out manually. That made us have to update our progress in two locations. All these extra steps, I believe, is a waste of time and gradually slows our workflow. I am part of a small team of developers, and we have casually told (but not really pushed) him to use this, but I find it difficult, considering I am lower ranked, and I cannot boss him around. What can I do to ensure he regularly uses this tool, so we don't need to resort to using manual notifications, such as via email? <Q> You said your boss is reluctant to use this tool, however you didnt say unwilling. <S> If you show him how to get all the information he needs, then he might stop interrupting you. <S> A good reporting tool should make reports easy to make and use. <S> If he still does not want to use the tool, then you are in a quandary. <S> You could go to his boss and explain this situation. <S> Obviously, there are drawbacks and advantages to this situation, but if it is the right thing to do, then you should do it. <S> In the end, he is the boss. <S> If no one above him forces him to use the tool, then that is that. <S> Adapt and survive. <A> It's your job to update him on your status. <S> That said, there is no need to do double tracking of tasks. <S> All your boss needs is status updates. <S> If your tool is any good, sending status updates at the time and in the format needed and should be trivial. <S> There is no need to fill out your bosses Word Document if he gets a daily report from your tool. <S> The important part here is "gets". <S> He should not need to learn the tool to <S> pull himself a report. <S> A report should be pushed to him by the tool without any extra work by him. <S> And it's your job to make that happen. <A> A lot of managers are reluctant to use software/practices which they have never been used, for obvious reasons. <S> What if adopting it is just a tiny value addition, and takes a significant time/resources for learning it? <S> But, if you think it would really provide significant value addition to the company and the project, then you have to build a nice POC(Proof of concept), and take it's snapshots, or better make your manager look at it and use it. <S> When I presented the idea of an automated data workflow pipeline(in place of separate cron jobs for each), my manager was obviously reluctant to adopt it, as he didn't want to make such a drastic change in the architecture and convention unless the proposed idea have a significant value addition. <S> So, I went ahead and made a basic POC, and made my manager execute the entire flow and he loved it. <S> Thus, I got a green signal to adopt and re-design the architecture. <S> So, PROVE the value addition. <S> Make him use it, or make him see when the team is using it for a quick POC session.
| Since you say this tool can do all the things he wants, perhaps you should take some time and teach him how it works. Your boss is reluctant, because using your tool is really not his job.
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I have no references for jobs I am a stay at home mom of 2. My husband is the only one that works but we would like to change that, but I don't have any references for jobs, none, period. should I not even bother looking for work? or what can I do for the applications since I don't have any references because all job applications ask for them now.. I've tried putting down family but it never gets me a job. My problem is I have no references but I need to get a job to help my husband support us and our 2 kids. <Q> As you've discovered, it's hard to get hired when you've never had a job before. <S> There are three routes that I can suggest. <S> Volunteer. <S> Find a local charity which is looking for help. <S> It won't necessarily earn you any money, but it will help you get used to what the modern workforce is like - and they will be able to provide you with references. <S> Your local government may have a "Labour Exchange" or "Job Centre". <S> They should be able to help you write your CV / Resume. <S> They will know which local employers are willing to take on new recruits with no references. <S> Telephone local job agencies. <S> Again, explain your situation. <S> They may know who in the area is hiring people with your skills. <S> Best of luck! <A> You probably have references but don't really know it. <S> Do you interact with anyone beside your husband/children? <S> Even if it is in passing such as church, school's children's parents, your husband's friends, etc? <S> The references don't have to be a prior co-worker, just someone who can vouch for your character. <S> Most reference calls simply ask if they know X and what they think about X. Heck they probably won't even call them. <S> Of course it entirely depends on your line of work. <S> It's unclear in your question if you were rejected a position solely on the fact you have no references. <S> I find that highly doubtful unless you are making a huge deal about it and someone may find that suspicious. <S> I personally think you not getting job interviews/offers <S> is solely based on the fact you have no prior work experience. <S> It's also unclear if you have any educational/training background or what field you're trying to go in. <S> I'm 99% positive that is your issue unless you walk into a interview and make a huge deal about the references which would most likely raise suspicions. <A> You have to put people who know you well, and can vouch for you. <S> They don't need to be proffessionals in the domain which you are applying in. <S> Any person who can vouch for you as being hireable <S> However, you might also want give them a headsup forehand, so that they know what they can/need to tell about you when the call comes. <S> Inform them about the company and the role, ao that they can add in some more nice words of their own about your skills(and/or soft skills).
| Go to them and explain that you want to work. As the nice answers here suggested, you can include anyone from your neighbourhood/volunteer group, etc.
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Should my resume list work experience from unrelated fields? I am about to apply for some internship programs and I was wondering what should I put in my resume in regards to work experience. I am a junior level student majoring in Computer Science but I don't have any experience in the field. I worked for 5 years as a security officer and also I worked for two businesses( non-cs related) fixing and maintaining their computers. Should I put these on my resume or this experience are irrelevant? <Q> First I would contend that your experience fixing and and maintaining computers is non - CS related. <S> The experience is valuable and shows you have the ability to apply your theoretical knowledge in a professional work place. <S> The 5 years in which you worked as a security officer is also valuable as this work likely requires strong integrity, responsibility, and attention to detail. <S> These traits are very attractive to a potential employer. <A> Your work experience is always relevant, even if you're changing fields. <S> Aside from field-related skills, holding down a job shows at the very least that you're employable. <S> Professionalism, accountability and work ethic are universal. <S> While this isn't relevant to you, you also want to avoid having gaps in your work history because you're leaving out "irrelevant" jobs. <S> Some people split their work experience into two sections such as relevant and other . <S> If you have a very long work history across different fields this can be a good option if done well and with care. <S> If you have less than 10 years' experience a simple chronological history would probably be preferable though. <S> Note that you'll always want your LinkedIn profile to have your full, chronological history. <S> Normally however, highlighting your relevant experience is done in the cover letter , which you tailor to the position you're applying for. <S> If you're a student or graduate and have work experience like this <S> it's especially important to list that as it will give you a significant edge over other applicants without a proven track record in navigating the workplace. <A> There are two sets of skills you will need to do a job well. <S> One set is the specific skills for that job. <S> The other set is general job-holding skills such as: Be where you are supposed to be, on time. <S> Dress appropriately. <S> Have any needed equipment. <S> Follow directions. <S> Get along with people. <S> 5 years as a security officer says nothing about your computer science technical skills. <S> It says a lot about your general job-holding skills. <S> The computer-fixing work says a bit about both. <S> Keep them on your resume until your computing job history also demonstrates your job-holding skills, and your resume is getting too long. <A> Should I put these on my resume or this experience are irrelevant? <S> Since you don't have directly relevant experience, you definitely should include these jobs on your resume. <S> They will serve to show that you are a hard-worker, that you understand how to work for someone, that you can show up on time, etc. <S> Some applicants for internships can't even show that much. <S> You should contact the folks you worked at on these jobs and ask if they would be references for you. <S> " <S> user1335175 is a great worker!" <S> can be a powerful message as a reference. <A> I would suggest you include the jobs where you fixed and maintained computers, with 2-3 bullet points for each. <S> Include your work details, your learnings, soft skills, etc in separate bullet points so that your resume does not look sparse. <S> However, I would advise you against including the experience as a security <S> officer(as <S> it is completely unrelated). <S> And as you gain experience, you might also want to drop the fixing computers experience too. <S> (as it is also somewhat irrelevant).
| Yes, you should most definitely put these experience on your resume.
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Not including a previous internship as a reference So I'm a sophomore looking to apply for computer science internships for Summer 2016. I've been fortunate enough to have a paid internship the past summer, however there were a few issues. It was my first job in this field and it was remote, all communication was done via slack, email, and skype. My communication skills needed work though, and so the internship ended at the end of the year with "tight budget" being cited as the reason (it was a small startup). My main issues were not "joining in the conversations" going on in slack, and not asking as many questions as I should have. I tend to be rather stubborn when it comes to problem solving and I try to solve it as independently as possible, however this can be to my detriment. My question is, should I put them as a reference? At the end they did say they would be open for letting me use them as a reference or for letters of recommendation, but I worry that if they mention my communication skills not being up to snuff, it'll kill any internships opportunities before I even get to the interview stage. I have worked on my skills since, working on a few open source and group projects, but I feel that excluding them as a reference would be suspicious, but including them would kill my chances. Thoughts? <Q> My question is, should I put them as a reference? <S> You don't put jobs (or internships) <S> as references - you put people as references. <S> And you should never put anyone as a reference who hasn't agreed to be one for you and who you don't feel will say good things about you. <S> Talk with the appropriate individual at your previous internship. <S> Ask if she/he will be a reference for you, and during your conversation, gauge if he <S> /she will say good things about you or not. <A> In the recommendations section, include a person from the company you have interned with. <S> Make sure the person has a nice knowledge about your work there, and can write around 4-5 nice lines about you. <S> In fact, give him/her a heads-up forehand about a possible mail from the company you have applied to. <S> This can help them jot a few points as a draft, and don't send off a surprised, blunt looking recommendation. <S> In most cases than none, references always tend to say good words about you, unless you have done a very terrible work (in which case, you would definitely don't include them in the resume). <A> I assume you're in the US? <S> Most prior employer will simply state that you worked at the company. <S> They will never share opinions about you and will only state facts. <S> For example, they might say, "Yes Jim worked here during the timeframe of 2000 to 2010 and he was terminated on March 2010. <S> " Or they might say, "Jim worked from 2000 to 2010. <S> " Most likely they will not state the reason someone left or whether they were a good worker or not. <S> Now if you list a specific person as a reference, then that person may or may not say good/bad things about you. <S> Now keep in mind they may something to the effect of, "Yes, I worked with Jim. <S> I felt that while he was a good worker, he did not communicated very well and kept mostly to himself which sometimes created tension with his co-workers. <S> " As always make sure you talk to the person before listing them so they know to expect a phone call.
| Include the internship in your resume, along with your work and accomplishments there, just like any other work experience on your resume.
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What to do when you've been thrown under the bus at the office? Recently, I was the technical architect for a well-intentioned project at work. Though the project was not well conceived, it was making slow progress toward its goal. I walked into a meeting with several executives the other day to discuss this project which started with the line, "Now, I don't want you to take this personally, but ..." they wanted me off the project. They explained that a different project needed my attention more, and that was is it. Usually, when someone tells you that they don't want you to take something personally, they are making a judgement on your personal fitness for that thing. I think a particular person "knifed me" or "threw me under the bus" and I am taking it personally, but what should I do professionally about this problem? How should I behave toward that person? Should I treat the incident as "whatever, water under the bridge", walk the other way down the hall when I see that person coming, focus on the other project and pretend I know nothing about the last one, etc.? <Q> Referring to it as that person and knifed is not going to help. <S> It was group of several executives. <S> More than one person was on board with it. <S> Talk to your boss and ask if it was due to performance issues. <S> If so tell him/her thanks for the feedback and work on those performance issues. <S> It is not common for a technical lead to be taken off a project. <S> But take them at their word and don't take it personally. <A> Just keep your cool, and ask them why you are not fit for the project, and why do they feel that the other projects need your presence more than this one. <S> They might have their reasons. <S> So, if they have genuine reasons, then they would definitely explain them to you, and you can have a healthy(and constructive) conversation before making a decision. <S> If they give a rude reply(which is also unprofessional), then you can complain/inform to the higher authorities about their behaviour and about your views about the decision on all that project swapping. <S> How should I behave toward that person? <S> If he has a convincing reason as in the first case, then the relationship goes as is. <S> Else, you might want to resolve the issue ASAP with the higher authorities, and try to continue relationship with him on normal terms, as grudges/disputes don't really help proffesional life. <A> I would take it as a project management strategy then performance issue, if it was performance issue - I don't see why they would hide it from you ? <S> In industries like retail (Tesco, Morrison), fast food restaurants (McDonald, Burger King) <S> it's more common to transfer store managers store to store after x number of years. <S> As you already described project was going slow, changing project lead may bring a positive change because of number of factors. <S> Advice <S> It's good to believe in yourself but don't underestimate others. <S> Maybe whoever is going to take charge of project from you has more knowledge and can make this project successful? <S> In situation you are in, I would personally love to keep an eye on project and see how new project lead would be handling this project. <S> If the project is doing well - you can learn from him and improve your skills. <S> Otherwise - your confidence will be boosted and you will have a strong point to mention in your appraisal. <S> At work time, if you lose your cool, you are out of the game. <A> It really depends. <S> Sometimes they might have too many people on a project or feel that maybe you're best suited elsewhere. <S> However there is really no sure fire way for us to tell you if you've been "knifed" because we're not actually there. <S> My advice is as follow: do this new project, then after the other project is done request a sit down with your manager. <S> Ask them if you under performed in the last project and what went wrong. <S> If they can't tell you or if they are very hush about it <S> but clearly they're only putting you on lesser/simple projects, then I would consider leaving since they don't want to help you fix whatever it is that's causing them to not consider you a valued member. <S> However assume best case here: the current project has too many people and you're valued elsewhere.
| Treat that person professionally and focus on your other projects.
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Is it rude to get up during handshake after being asked to not get up In my opinion one should always get up when shaking someones someone elses hand, no matter if it's your boss, your co-worker or your friend. A while ago however, a co-woker of mine told me "don't get up" when I got up to say goodbye. After that I got up again the next time, and he told me the same thing. I now wanted to ask if it is considered rude to get up while greeting/saying goodbye to someone if you were asked to stay seated? And if so, are there situation where one should get up regardless of being asked not to? edit : to give a bit of context: i'm working as a waiter, and the co-worker and we regulalry take the subway home and sit face to face to each other. So when he gets off at his stop we shake hands and he leaves. <Q> I now wanted to ask if it is considered rude to get up while greeting/saying goodbye to someone if you were asked to stay seated? <S> (The answer depends on locale. <S> I'm in the US) <S> I find shaking hands with someone while seated to be very awkward. <S> Thus I always stand when I plan to shake someone's hand - even if they have told me to stay seated. <S> So I never find it rude for someone to rise to shake my hand. <S> On the other hand, shaking someone's hand to say goodbye repeatedly might be considered odd. <S> I say goodnight to everyone on my team as I leave for the day. <S> Shaking their hand, or having them shake my hand, in that context would be odd. <A> This depends on local conventions. <S> Getting up in these cases is a sign of respect, but in modern usage (a) it isn't considered necessary and (b) some folks are a bit embarrassed when the respect seems more than they think they deserve. <S> Please don't get up <S> " can be taken as "please don't feel that you have to get up". <S> Doing so anyway really won't bother anyone very much. <S> At most it may make your co-worker uncomfortable because he didn't get up and now has second thoughts about that decision, but that's something he has to work out for himself. <S> Generally, for this sort of thing, the best answer is to try not to be first, so you can see what others are doing and follow their lead -- or decide you're going to follow your own customs and stop worrying about it. <A> Don't shake hands and don't get up. <S> Just wave and say goodbye. <A> He perhaps doesn't want you to lose your seat. <S> At any rate since he has asked you more than once not to get up, I think the polite thing to do is to stay seated.
| I think saying "don't get up" is just a social pleasantry, not an order.
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Am I being taken advantage of? How can I ask for a raise? I have a social media internship for $11/hr at a new startup company. This was fine when there was another intern to help me out with duties and projects. The other intern had to quit due to school issues, so it's just me now. Recently, the founder of the company asked for my input on how to further their brand outreach. I provided a ton of ideas, as I'm a recent graduate with a PR/AD degree and I wanted to be helpful. Now the founder wants me to implement all of the ideas I suggested to him. These are ideas that an actual PR consultant and social media manager would implement at a cost of $50k-60k a year. Being instructed to take on the job of a full-time professional at my low pay rate was my fear in the first place. They are limiting my work hours to 11 hours this week, because they want to estimate how long it will take for me to complete the work, as it is a virtual internship. Now I feel I'm being misled, because they said it would be 15 hours every week, and I was really counting on the paycheck. On top of that, adding all of the extra work handling actual public relations duties, plus creating content for their social media pages, it is going to take me way longer than their time limit. Besides smaller issues at this startup that I am experiencing... what do I do or say to the founder and product manager to not feel like I'm being taken advantage of? I am basically replacing an actual employee at this point, and the responsibilities they have given me are much more than a normal internship as I've had in the past. I'm more than willing to help take on more, but I'll need to be given more hours or compensated more. <Q> Taken advantage of? <S> Yes. <S> Their expectations sound absurd. <S> The company seems to be massively underfunded. <S> You are doing professional work for near-minimum wage. <S> You should look for a full-time position at another company. <S> If they say they will pay for 11 hours, do not work 12. <A> I assume you appreciate the content of the 'new' work and the responsibilities, but it is just a time and money issue (and maybe broken agreements). <S> You go to your boss and tell him that, although you appreciate the new tasks, you will be unable to finish everything during your intership. <S> Then you suggest two things: <S> "You originally said the work would be 15 hours a week, but now it's 10. <S> I am happy/available to increase to 15 hours, so that I can get more of this big list of things done on the time I'm working here". <S> Same hourly salary of course. <S> "We should sit together and make a list of priorities, because as you know, it is too much to finish in my internship. <S> " One priority should be instructing others to take over when you are gone. <S> You do not do promises about tasks you will finish in your internship. <S> You both are new to this and making an estimate is hard for both of you. <S> After that, you are only obliged to do you best and work the hours agreed on. <S> You are only an intern. <S> So suggest ways to make the best possible outcomes, and be firm in your promises (let that be a mirror to him). <S> Take it from there, depending on his response. <S> Note that I have not addressed your question <S> "How can I ask for a raise? <S> " I have the idea that more money will not solve the issues that you are having right now. <S> That does not mean you cannot ask, but he may then ask more of you 'in return'. <S> Prepare what your answer to such a question is going to be - again, the pitfall is too many promises. <A> IF it is a startup company leaning on an intern so hard, the first disclaimer is that pushing for a full time perm position or a raise may not work out. <S> They might just not be able to afford you. <S> That said, is there are term to your internship? <S> Generally, the timeframes of internships are established, and at the end of, say, the 6 months, they can say "we are extending your internship!" <S> and you can say "erm... <S> no thank you, <S> id be interested in joining your company, but am not interested in an internship extension." <S> Always best to get applications out and have some stuff lined up first. <A> I do not think they are taking advantage of you, as much as taking you for granted. <S> Maybe that's the same thing, I guess the former seems more malicious. <S> Internships are primarily for the intern, so if you aren't learning anymore you should move on. <S> If you consider that your internship is a learning experience, then approach this project more logically. <S> Choose one idea you came up with that you would like to work on, and come back with a proposal of how you would like to do it and how long you think it would take. <S> For instance, implementing the first part of X project will take 60 hours - the better you can break your project down, the better. <S> You can still work 11 hours at a time, if they cannot have you working your max of 15 hours, but it will take longer than if you were working 15 hours, or 20 hours, etc. <S> The key is reminding them that the internship is for you, not for them. <A> and you don't understand how this employment game works. <S> A favorable response would have been, "I'd like to assist you, but we need to talk about my pay here first." <S> The founder knows you're being paid peanuts, but the real question that is floating in the founder's head is when you are going to start acting like what you're worth . <S> None of this situation will change until you decide to put your foot down. <S> Whatever you do, remember that everybody needs to "save face" at the end so you don't burn any bridges.
| In the end, in this type of circumstance, you have to less ask for a raise, and more inform them that you either need to be brought on full time or move on with your career. Do not do any unpaid work. If the founder of the company is asking for input, it's because your input is CHEAP If you want to continue working for next to nothing, and want to continue to NOT set limits for your own good, nobody's going to balk.
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Why are you interested in software field? I am an Engineering student and domain is Electronics and communications Engineering.As i am in final year of my course there are interview in which software company recruiter's ask me the question like "Why are you coming to software field while you have done your course in ECE" For this what should be my answer and What recruiter expect from me? <Q> For this what should be my answer and What recruiter expect from me? <S> There likely is no correct answer. <S> The recruiter expects you to have a reason why you did it. <S> It may be trivial like "because it was more fun" or more complicated. <S> Any reason is a good reason, there is no right or wrong here. <S> Explain it. <S> The only wrong answer would be " <S> I don't know, it just happened. <S> " <S> Recruiters like people that know what they want. <A> Best answer is just honesty. <S> Why are you in software is a very valid question for several reasons. <S> One, it gives the recruiter a chance to get a feel for what sort of skill sets you have and what you would be suited to and two <S> it shows you are dedicated/interested in the work you do and not just doing it for the sake of having any old job. <S> there are many options you could say of course, I wont think of them all <S> but here are examples <S> - I like to work with electronic components- <S> I like to build something worthwhile- <S> I desire to learn as much as I can about technology to stay current in the world events- <S> I find it appealing/interesting to do this. <S> It is my passion.- <S> I like the options of a career working in the IT sector over other sectors- <S> I couldn't see myself finding anything else as interesting as this field and don't forget to back your questions up with something like "because of my interest in XYZ" <S> so for example - I like the options of a career working in the IT sector over other sectors <S> **(now back it up) <S> ** <S> because the many fields one can get experience in are always expanding and I like to stay current on technology. <S> But please remember, be honest. <S> You will talk more about anything if you are honest, you will be more relaxed and the whole process will be much easier this way for you. <S> Best of luck <A> I am an engineer and worked all my life in software development. <S> Basically in my experience having what I could arguably call a "real" engineering degree helped me tremendously in the software industry. <S> I have a good grasp of math, product development, and I did have enough software development courses to get me started. <S> Also, most of what you need to learn to do development is not taught on CS courses anyways <S> so you are not any less competent than a CS grad. <S> Getting a Masters in MIS or CS can help as well, actually that would be the greatest combinations of credentials IMO. <S> Good luck. <A> I had a similar experience during an interview of mine. <S> (I have managed to crack it, so I thought my experience might be useful to you.) <S> I am from a non-CS background and <S> I am interviewing for a Data Science Engineer position (which involves building the analytics architecture) <S> So, this was my response to the question: <S> My passion always was to become a data science engineer. <S> Although I come from a non-CS background, I have taken the help of online resources and courses to work my way through the concepts. <S> And as it is my dream to become one, I am positive that I would learn the concepts very fast, and get going with the team quickly. <S> This answer is only valid if you have put enough efforts for your desired career, and have a convincing reason behind the change. <S> Telling the interviewer that you want to make the switch just because there are nice opportunities in CS, wouldn't help(<-- <S> This also comes from an interview experience of a friend).
| Else, prove your CS skills through any projects you have done as part of your coursework(if any).
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Potential employer asks candidate to attend trade show without being offered employment After having my third interview with a company, this potential new employer asked me to attend a trade show on the company's behalf - without actually extending a job offer before the trade show. It may be used as a condition of employment. This seems to me to be an unethical request. In addition, if my present company gets word that I was seen at a trade show representing a different company, this would be career suicide. The potential exists that I could lose my current job and still not receive an offer from the other company. I am uncomfortable representing any company at a trade show without being employed by them. How do I effectively communicate this with the potential employer without risking a potential offer? <Q> Short answer: <S> Be very wary indeed! <S> In my 20+ years of working life, I have never, ever heard of an organisation wishing to send a potential candidate to a trade show on their behalf without them having a signed employment contract. <S> To me, this sounds like an organisation that's trying it on. <S> They want to get a free representative at this trade show with the premise of an employment contract if you "do well". <S> How is "doing well <S> " measured? <S> I strongly feel that once you've done this for them for free , they'll say that they weren't happy with you and have decided to not offer you a role afterwards. <S> As you have rightly pointed out, there is also significant risk to your current job. <S> There are so many ways in which this would quite possibly breach your employment contract and you wind up terminated for no reward. <S> I would strongly recommend rejecting their offer politely, and finding a role elsewhere while you remain employed where you are. <A> Questions to consider: Who's paying your way to the show? <S> Are transportation and a hotel required? <S> What capacity are you going to be in during your visit? <S> Are you expected to help the new company, or are you just there to see what they've got going on? <S> How much time are you expected to spend there? <S> Are you expected to dress a certain way? <S> Is this absolutely the last thing you have to do in order to get this job? <S> Ask ALL these questions! <S> Ethics does come into play. <S> If you're working for your potential employer at the tradeshow, (a) you should be paid and (b) it is a conflict of interest if they are direct competitors. <S> If you have to decline, you may lose the opportunity but you'll preserve your reputation. <A> Is it acceptable? <S> It's a grey area - they can ask, but it's certainly not usual and is suspicious to me, at least. <S> They may be seeing it as trying to get a freebie, but equally they may see it as akin to an interview task to see how you interact with others in a business setting. <S> Frankly, they should already have an idea of this from your interview and experience. <S> Your question doesn't really have a single answer, but personally I'd simply state that my contract states I must not undertake any work outside my current employment, and that I would consider their request to be in breach of that clause. <S> If they reject me on that basis, so be it. <S> Actually, personally I'd politely decline the request and withdraw immediately from the process, but I go with an <S> 'I have a mortgage to pay and <S> if there's even a slight question over proceedings, I'm not interested' approach. <A> How do I effectively communicate this with the potential employer without risking a potential offer? <S> If this potential employer is as odd as this one sounds, I'm not sure you can decline without risking the job offer. <S> I think you are correct to be wary of that. <S> What if you do a bad job - is the employer okay with having their company portrayed in a bad light at this show? <S> Very odd. <S> And I think you are correct that you cannot effectively be seen working for another company, while being employed at your current company. <S> I would suggest that you talk with the hiring manager. <S> Indicate that you are not comfortable representing a company you don't work for at a trade show. <S> Then be prepared to deal with the consequences. <S> It's possible that there is some confusion here, and that what you indicate isn't exactly what the hiring manager is asking for. <S> It's possible that the hiring manager didn't think this one through, and will drop that as a condition of employment once you bring it to his attention. <S> But it's also possible that this individual thinks it's okay to ask candidates to do this sort of unpaid work. <S> You'll need to decide if this is a dealbreaker for you or not. <S> (For me it would be, your mileage may vary.) <A> How do I effectively communicate this with the potential employer without risking a potential offer? <S> If the potential employer is really as ethically-challenged as this suggests, you may be better off losing the potential offer. <S> A job with them may be a constant stream of requests to do the wrong thing. <S> There is a chance they just didn't think it through. <S> In some cases, the Golden Rule can be an effective communication technique. <S> Ask the hiring manager how they would feel if one of their employees attended a trade show on behalf of another company.
| I've never heard of a company asking someone to represent them at a trade show as a condition of employment.
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How to handle exit after being placed by a third party recruiter I placed at a new organization by a third party recruiting agency. During the conversations leading up to the offer, the recruiter told me several times that the work schedule would be 9-5. However, after showing up for the job, I was told that I would be expected to work significantly longer hours, starting earlier in the morning. I discussed with my manager whether it would be possible to transfer to another team with more reasonable hours, and he told me without hesitation that there were no such roles in the organization. When you consider that the pay raise was not so big, I was actually making less per hour than at my previous role, and also being paid at the top of their budget so I could not ask for more. In retrospect, I realize that I should have clarified the hours in the interview and this is my error, but I didn't think much of it given that the recruiter had directly told me that it would be 9-5 so many times as one of the major selling points. I decided to resign from the position after trying to make myself like it for a month. I did not want to stay too long because they company may have been able to get a refund if I left soon enough, but I do not know the actual fee schedule. During the exit interview, I did not mention the inaccurate information to the company, because I did not think it would be wise to point fingers or throw somebody under the bus. Perhaps this was an honest mistake. I only said that the work-life balance deviated from my expectations. It occurs to me now though that the company's internal recruiter was giving me a very hostile glare during the exit interview, and that they may have suffered too as a consequence of this mistake. Should I send an email to the internal recruiter informing them of this issue? Also, how should I follow up with the third party recruiter, who almost certainly hates me now? <Q> It's not your fault that the recruiter either gave you bad information, or the company gave the recruiter bad information on work hours. <S> I think the first mistake was not telling the companies manager that you were told specific work hours by the recruiter. <S> This might feel like you're "pointing fingers" or "throwing him under the bus", but telling them this up front, could have saved a lot of headaches, and could prevent future miscommunication. <S> If the 3rd party recruiter is upset with you over this kind of issue, maybe they aren't worth working with again, as it's either their fault, which then you shouldn't feel bad, or it's the companies fault for giving the recruiter bad information, so he should be upset at them, not you. <A> I wonder if you're worrying too much, if you want to work with this recruiter just contact them and ask if they have anything for your skill set. <S> If they don't want to work with you <S> or you don't feel they're pushing you because of this <S> then just stop working with them. <S> You haven't done anything wrong in leaving a post that wasn't right for you <S> and I'd be very surprised if this is the recruiters first experience of a client not working out in a role. <A> Short answer: <S> It's just business. <S> The cost of recruitment is simply one that organisations understand they need to bear. <S> Sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn't. <S> It's actually none of your concern if the organisation has to pay the recruiter, or even if it's refunded. <S> The old adage holds true, "You must look after yourself first ". <S> If the role doesn't fit, then how you were recruited is completely irrelevant. <S> If the recruiter doesn't want to work with you again, then there are plenty of others out there. <S> But I will bet money that if another role comes up that fits, they'll come talk to you again :)
| You have no control over what they tell you, you just have to trust what they told you was true, and if it's not true, then you either get it changed(which you tried), or get out of there if it doesn't suit you.
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Full Time Salary Working On Contracts - Is this a common practice? I am speaking with a recruiter who has proposed the following to me: Get paid a yearly salary Work on contract jobs In between contracts you still get paid Full benefits Get a yearly bonus for each developer you bring on Get a bonus for any contract leads you bring in The pitch is that it's like working contract gigs, with a full time salary and the stability and dependency of full time work. I had never heard of before, but I am also still relatively new to the field. Is this a common practice? Is there something I should be asking the recruiter to find out if this is a real deal, or if there's something awry? <Q> The business model is entirely reasonable (the company I work for does it this way). <S> Particularly for higher end skill sets, it can easily be less expensive to pay someone their salary for a few weeks or even a few months between contracts than to replace people that get a different job if they sit on the bench unpaid for a while. <S> The company expects to get a certain amount of work in the door and they staff for that level of work. <S> They expect that people will spend some time on the bench and that those that spend a bit more time between contracts will end up subsidizing those that go directly from one contract to another. <S> One thing to be aware of is how the company handles overtime. <S> One thing that contractors generally like is that they get paid overtime if they work more than 40 hours. <S> If you are salaried, on the other hand, the company can bill the client for, say, 45 hours while you just get your regular salary. <S> It's possible that you end up working extra hours without extra compensation <S> (alternately, you can look at it as deferring your compensation to a point in the future where you're between contracts). <S> Particularly when you're working on projects for multiple clients, you may find that you're being encouraged to work extra hours to keep everyone happy. <S> Obviously, whether this particular company is reputable is not something we can answer. <S> You'd need to talk with former employees, look at glassdoor, etc. <S> just as you would with any other company. <S> It is possible that the company intends to lay people off rather than paying their salary while they are on the bench but that should be a rather self-destructuve thing to do since they'd quickly get a bad reputation. <A> Ive come across a few companies that offer these kinds of setups (the ones I've dealt with are mostly based out of Texas.) <S> It's not the common arrangement, but it does exist. <S> Just don't count on that "time between contracts". <S> Just make sure you don't pay in. <S> If you pay them, you're getting scammed (like, if suddenly there is this great contract that will start your employment, but you need to do this certification we offer first...) <A> (Sort of retention hack) <S> So, I would answer your questions one by one: <S> Is there something I should be asking the recruiter to find out if this is a real deal, or if there's something awry? <S> Yes , you should ask the recruiter about that. <S> I am pretty positive that it is for retention, but you might want to confirm that from the recruiter or your manager(if you have any). <S> I suppose my biggest concern is that if they can't find contract work for me, will they really continue to pay me or will I get laid off <S> NO <S> They wouldn't continue to pay you if they can't find a contract for you for a long time. <S> The full-time pay would only till they find contracts for you to work on with short intervals between them. <S> Cause it wouldn't cost the company much, and they are retaining a nice candidate. <S> So, a win-win for both. <S> But, for a long-time? <S> No. <S> Even though you are a spectacular employee, they can't and wouldn't afford to give you full-time salary for nothing. <S> Would it be appropriate to try to negotiate a severance contract if going that route? <S> Yes , you would definitely want to. <S> As I mentioned above, in case of a long gap, you might be laid off. <S> So, do negotiate a severance contract forehand.
| It is not really a common practise, but companies do tend to pay full-time salary to people who they feel are working well; so that they don't lose out on them. Even my company does it.
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When should I disclose an ongoing relationship with someone who is in a legal battle with my employer? My girlfriend and I worked together for 2 years under the same boss. Her and his professional relationship started to go "south". In the end, it became unbearable for both and together with HR they offered to let her go. She didn't agree and argued, so they fired her. She hired a lawyer, and now all these things are heating up. Our boss doesn't know about our relationship. I am not taking sides as I need to keep my job - I depend on it 100%. The problem is that I start to feel that I am somehow involved, which makes me believe I'm betraying my boss professional trust. I want to stay neutral on this as much as possible in the workplace. So when, if ever, should I disclose my relationship? Are there times where it is better for both the company and I, to disclose or not disclose the relationship? For context this is all happening in northern Europe. Pretty secure labour laws and I am working on a permanent contract. <Q> Is it a right idea to talk to the boss and tell him openly where I stand? <S> NO <S> Because it is just your assumption that your boss might think that you are involved in the plot and everything. <S> In fact, he might just assume that it is just your girl friend who have initiated the legal procedure, and nothing more. <S> or shall I just keep keeping the low profile and don't admit anything until it all ends? <S> Definitely YES . <S> You are no way involved in the conflict, and you don't want to get into it until it ends, and most importantly as you want that job so badly. <S> It is basically a conflict of interest, so you need to decide accordingly. <S> But, I would advise you against confessing about your relationship with her, as it is completely unnecessary at this moment. <A> But all these things are heating up and <S> I have no idea what to do. <S> You do absolutely nothing. <S> Nothing good can come of inserting yourself in this situation any more than you already have. <S> As long as you are not directly involved in the ongoing lawsuit, and it doesn't sound like you are, there is no real conflict of interest here. <S> Don't discuss the lawsuit or your former coworker (i.e. partner) at work. <S> Don't discuss work with your partner. <S> Should your relationship be discovered somehow, just confirm that you have been together for several years. <S> If they question your involvement in the lawsuit just explain that you chose not to get involved and that it's a matter between the company and their former coworker, not you. <S> Assuming you're in the US and don't have a contract your employer can fire you for just about anything, including being in a relationship with a colleague, regardless of any lawsuit. <S> Even if both parties were to blame, you've already seen evidence that your company doesn't handle HR issues <S> well <S> so disclosing the relationship now is unlikely to go over well. <S> Since you have a contract and are located in a country where you are protected from immediate dismissal without cause, you don't have to worry as much about your immediate job security. <S> That said, you still don't have anything to gain from disclosing the relationship. <S> If you wanted to be considerate to your employer you would have disclosed when the relationship became serious, not two years later in the midst of a legal battle. <S> And there are still plenty of ways in which management can retaliate against you even if they can't fire you outright. <S> Caveat: my answer only addresses your professional/ethical responsibilities in this situation. <S> If the lawsuit drags on or makes it to court the legal angle may well complicate matters but you would need to consult a legal professional for that. <A> Once our office got into a lawsuit and the managers asked us to save a backup of our emails in case the lawyers needed them. <S> They weren't clear about it <S> and it passed without us having to do anything or any knowledge about it. <S> I wouldn't bring it up unless the lawyers asked you to do something such as share your email to build up their case. <S> At that point, I would bring up that you have a relationship with her since there may be a conflict of interest. <S> Reality is by you saying you are in a relationship doesn't help them and only creates tension for you since you effectively "opened" old wounds without bringing anything for or against the situation. <A> Your personal relationships are not your employer's business. <S> The trust your employer places in you is restricted to your workplace - that you do not steal your employer's money or property and you do a fair amount of work for the salary and benefits you get. <S> If you voluntarily disclose to your employer you personal relationship with their former employee, they are not going to pat you on your back and give you a raise and promotion. <S> On the other hand, they may start to view you with suspicion and that may sour your own relationship with your employer. <S> No need to hide your personal relationship and no need to voluntarily disclose it either. <S> An unwarranted sense of loyalty to the employer is not a virtue and it will not bring any benefit. <A> Don't actively try to obtain and pass on information from what you see in the company to your girlfriend, and try to stay away from the whole thing. <S> Staying away also means that you for some time refrain from all things which could contribute to a bad reputation of your boss (e.g. encouraging other co-workers also to get into a fight with him/her). <S> However you should try to get legal advice on how to react if you are asked by HR or your boss to give a statement on the situation <S> (in Germany you may contact the workers council of the company, not sure if something similar exists in your country). <S> Then there could be a clear conflict of interest.
| If your employer comes to know about your relationship with your girlfriend by some other way and asks you about it no need to lie about it either. As long as you have no function in this legal battle it's probably ok to keep it secret.
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Working alongside a consultant; ethical to apply for a job with them? I am currently part of a project with a consulting firm. The project has a fairly firm end date, after which I will return to work as normal, with the additional responsibility of knowledge transfer, which may last an indefinite time. My team and I work onsite at the firm's offices and I have noticed that their processes, work style, workplace environment, and field suit me much better than my current workplace. Assuming for the moment that there are no contractual issues, would it be ethical to consider applying for a job with the consultant in a situation like this, and if so, how long after the project should one wait? <Q> Standard terms of engagement for a consulting firm would usually prevent them from 'poaching' staff from the client firm. <S> I'd suggest having an informal chat with a manager at the consulting firm (it sounds like you're on pretty comfortable terms with them) to see what the situation is. <S> There's no point applying if they're contractually barred from employing you. <S> But it might be that that only applies for a set period of time - maybe if you apply in 6 months they would be able to employ you - so it's worth finding out. <S> Of course you could always apply for other consulting firms with a similar culture / ethos - which firms are like that is something that the (more experienced) consultants you're working with are likely to know. <S> On the issue of your own freedom of choice, see article 23 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights: <S> Everyone has the right to work, to free choice of employment , to just and favourable conditions of work and to protection against unemployment. <S> http://www.ohchr.org/EN/UDHR/Pages/Language.aspx?LangID=eng <S> I believe this is reflected in law here in the EU; I'm unsure of the legal situation elsewhere in the world. <S> But the moral principle that an employee has the right to choose which employer they work for is pretty generally accepted. <S> (This has caused some interesting issues around football transfer fees: https://gclaw.wordpress.com/2014/05/13/player-contracts-football-transfers-v-european-union-law-analysis/ ) <A> Assuming for the moment that there are no contractual issues, would it be ethical to consider applying for a job with the consultant in a situation like this <S> Yes. <S> Absent anything in your contract (non-compete clauses, solicitation of clients clauses, etc) it's perfectly ethical to seek a job anywhere you like. <S> The consulting company may have issues with hiring you (they may not want to risk burning any bridges with your current company, and may even have an agreement in place not to hire anyone from your company). <S> If you are particularly friendly with any of the consultants, you might ask them privately about their company's policies in this regard. <S> Still, it's smart to have these folks in your professional network either way. <S> I once worked at a company where we brought in some automation software. <S> I was part of the Beta program with the software vendor, and got to know a bit about them. <S> When things started to go south in my company, I called this vendor, got an interview, and ended up landing the best job I ever held. <S> and if so, how long after the project should one wait? <S> It makes sense for you to complete the project first as you are suggesting. <S> But once the project is complete, there's no real need to wait at all. <A> Why wait at all? <S> If you think you can land a job there and you also think it's a good move. <S> Put out some feelers with your contacts there and express your interest to them straight away, if feedback is positive you could move forwards and ask if you could apply for work there. <S> I wouldn't apply <S> unless I was sure of landing a job though, your previous employers might not like it. <S> And if the feedback is non committal, back off for a while at least. <A> Assuming for the moment that there are no contractual issues, would it be ethical to consider applying for a job with the consultant in a situation like this? <S> Yes . <S> It would be definitely ethical to apply at the company. <S> if so, how long after the project should one wait? <S> I would advise you to wait till the evaluation of the work is done or at least reached the final phases. <S> So, if the evaluation is positive or is appearing to be positive(from the proceedings), then you would want to apply at the company ASAP. <S> Else, you would like to wait for some time and let the negative response of the evaluation pass, and then apply. <S> Cause, the negative response would definitely come back to bite you during your interview process if it's still lingering around.
| I don't see any ethical problem for you in applying - you can work where you like - but the consulting firm is likely to have a contractual problem in employing you. If the consulting company has agreements not to poach employees from your company, you might want to wait at least a few months after they are no longer working with your company.
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How to respond when a customer doesn't read your email? I was recently in a situation where I was responding to a customer inquiry about the availability of a certain action in our API that is present in our desktop application. Their question was not very clear so I had to speculate about what they were really looking for and I came up with two things I thought could be what they wanted. I emailed them back a fairly long walk through of what each action does and what is available for each in the API, expecting them to respond with which one they want to use. The customer instead emailed back more questions about the two APIs I just explained, the answers to which were in my previous email. My question is how can handle a customer who doesn't read the information you provide them and then asks questions that are answered by said information? I don't want to re-type everything or copy-paste it, but I also think it comes off as rude to refer your customer to the email they just replied to. I considered starting off my email something like Hi so and so, As I stated in the previous email, the API blah blah blah... but to me that still sounds rude/condescending and I still have to retype or copy everything from my previous email. I have looked at this question which is similar, but that deals with internal emails whereas this is about interactions with a customer which tend to be more formal. <Q> My question is how can handle a customer who doesn't read the information you provide them and then asks questions that are answered by said information? <S> Even if they didn't read your prior email, it's your responsibility to convey the information as clearly and cheerfully as you can, without condescension and without sarcasm. <S> So, just give them the information they need without regard to what you did or didn't send previously. <S> Copy and paste if you must, but try to rephrase it in a way that is even more clear <S> (it's possible they actually did read your previous email, but didn't understand it). <S> I don't want to re-type everything or copy-paste it, but I also think it comes off as rude to refer your customer to the email they just replied to. <S> Yes, it would be rude to start an email with "As I stated in the previous email", even if that's factual. <S> While that clearly isn't your intention, it could easily come across as "If you weren't so stupid, you would have seen that I already gave you the answer...". <S> It can be tough to handle customer support. <S> Some clients immediately understand you, but others take more hand-holding. <S> This is particularly true when you aren't dealing with folks face-to-face (or even on the telephone) where you could immediately confirm their understanding. <S> When using email, sometimes more back-and-forth as well as repetition is required. <S> And as @DavidK wisely points out, if email isn't working, perhaps a phone call is in order? <S> You could both refer to your email, as you walk them through their issues. <A> I believe you made the same mistake in your first email that I have made often; you provided way more detail than the recipient wanted. <S> The way I recover from that mistake is to throw away the previous email, and answer the second inquiry as if it were the first email on the topic, but this time I limit myself to a paragraph and add "I'm happy to provide more detail about X, Y, or Z if you would like." or something along those lines. <S> If the client doesn't reference the previous email, as a general rule, I don't either. <S> Figuring out exactly what someone is asking in an email is definitely an art, and I've found erring on the side of too little detail and encouraging clients to contact you if their question isn't completely answered works best. <S> Often a little information generates a different question than what they thought they needed to know initially. <S> Many folks don't read long emails because they read the first part and it either answers their question or changes their question, so they stop reading. <S> If they were inclined to read documentation, they probably wouldn't have contacted you; ) <A> If they don't read your email, call them. <S> This is often quicker and you can better see where the misunderstanding lies. <S> You still have the sent mails both of you can look at. <S> When answering a question, the important thing is that you understand the question as it was meant. <S> If the askers wording is unclear you may waste time answering the wrong question. <S> Or maybe your writing was not clear enough. <S> Again, best way to find out is to actually talk to them. <S> Email is great. <S> But the moment a back and forth starts it's often a sign that there's some misunderstanding <S> and then it's better to pick up the phone.
| All of their questions might be answered if they read the whole thing, or might not, so the most time effective thing for them to do us ask the question they have right now to someone who should be able to give them a bite-sized answer.
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Is every person supposed to speak in a meeting? Today we had two meetings; our initial IT meeting and then a secondary IT meeting which the company President was joined in on. During our initial meeting, we went over our projects and pipeline of items we are each working on or beginning over the next couple weeks. When the President came in for the second meeting, we mostly just rehashed major items and he provided some additional concerns on projects as they applied to specific people, of which I was not one of those people. At the end of the meeting, he says "This was a great meeting! :), just one thing. Zack didn't say anything. Who has a meeting and doesn't speak?". Mind you in the prior meeting the president did not attend I spoke quite a bit. I'm of the thought process that if I'm not addressed directly, the subject matter is not in my breadth or functional area and any input I give would be nothing more than a contribution of words and no real value, why should I add or say anything that isn't going to help? I typically don't engage in idle "shoot the breeze" chatter either. <Q> You've been given a gentle hint that you probably have insights, opinions, and reactions worth sharing, and that doing so can both contribute to the meeting and help people remember you as someone worth working with and listening to. <S> And that can be good for your career. <S> but if you, don't be timid about speaking up. <S> (This is something I need to work on too... which sometimes surprises folks who only know me via writing.) <A> It sounds to me that the president likes you but wants you to take more of a leadership role. <S> I would take this as a serious jab that you need to step up your game. <S> He obviously values your input because he is expecting it. <S> Is every person supposed to speak in a meeting? <S> NO! <S> Is a person whose input is valued supposed to speak when it is an important topic? <S> YES! <S> Even if it as simple as agreeing with someone after they said something. <S> If I were in your position though I would have started the meeting summarizing the meeting before (in 10-20 seconds) and then saying that you will let others drill down on their specific topics. <S> In summary - think you are fine but president has higher expectations of you (that is good) and you need to step it up. <A> Who should speak in meetings is something affected by corporate culture. <S> I have worked places when everyone except seniors were supposed to keep their mouths shut (and quietly tell their boss what they wanted said) and places where everyone was expected to contribute and pretty much everywhere in between. <S> That said, the CEO clearly gave you a signal that, in his eyes, he wants to hear from everyone. <S> So in this workplace, I would make more of an effort to speak when the CEO is present.
| If you really have nothing to say that will advance the meeting, don't say it...
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What would benefit a company by switching all employees to hourly pay? The company I worked for recently put all of it's employees (management, corporate, etc) on hourly pay. It used to be that all of the corporate headquarters people were salaried. What potential benefits could be gained by doing this? I would think that salaries are a cheaper, easier option (no overtime costs, simpler payroll, etc). I live in Ohio, US. <Q> I think there could be two distinct reasons and they both make a lot of sense to me: <S> Make salaried people more accountable for their time. <S> I know there are tons of overworked developers that use this site that would laugh at this. <S> But at my work I doubt that more than 1/3 of the people who are salary actually "work" 40 hours a week. <S> Make your company stick out as a family friendly company. <S> I would love to work for a company that only wanted me working 40 hours a week. <S> I would certainly get a lot of overtime at my current job. <S> It is really commendable that a company would be willing to value its employees enough to persuade people/management to keep the work week to 40 hours. <S> (There is another side of this that is probably a very small percentage <S> but I will mention it. <S> For some manufacturing based companies they may use this strategy to cut costs in that they can have their employees work far less than 40 hours and pay them less. <S> A lot of times companies move to this strategy if they are about to be bought out or go out of business.) <A> It used to be that when you turned "salaried" ("exempt") at a company then suddenly you were working 60+ hours per week and yet paid the same general amount as you were for 40 hours. <S> Going from salaried to hourly for some means that they'll be paid more of a fair wage--when you're expected to be there on the weekend you're paid not only for the hours but for the overtime or double-time rate. <S> Calculating hourly ("non-exempt") rate is a pain, to be honest. <S> The person might have worked exactly 40 hours for the week but they still earned overtime given that their individual shifts might have been longer than 8 hours each. <S> In some cases, you have to pay someone a different rate to work some holidays. <S> Some states like California adjust the rules a little. <S> They allow vacation/sick/personal leave time to be applied to absences. <S> You should make sure that nobody loses their accrued vacation/sick time in this conversion. <A> This sounds like a legal issue, so I'm betting that your state may have laws about who is or is not eligible for salary (exempt) rates. <S> I've been at one company that was "caught" classifying people as exempt when they didn't meet the criteria, but I was a line-level employee at the time, and don't know what the entire story was. <S> Some worthwhile reading: http://www.flsa.com/coverage.html http://employment.findlaw.com/wages-and-benefits/exempt-employees-vs-nonexempt-employees.html <S> http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/overtime-pay-rights-employee-30142.html <S> Again, I'll bet that this is more about legal compliance than budgeting. <S> You'd have to ask your senior management to find out the story, though, assuming they'll share it with you. <S> Most of the time this is in reaction to learning that they've been "doing it wrong," and want to make the change to be correct from this point on. <S> I am not a lawyer. <S> Not intended as legal advice. <S> Your mileage may vary. <A> Actually, this can be a good thing. <S> If they pay overtime at time and a half, it is a VERY good thing. <S> What it means is that they are aware that people cost money, and that asking people to work extra hours for no extra money is bad practice. <S> By making the decision to PAY people for the hours they work, they're telling everyone they care about their people enough to pay them actual money. <S> Paying overtime makes it clear to even the most casual observer at corporate HQ that such-and-such division is having serious trouble, because their pay costs have suddenly jumped. <S> If they're having planning problems, and routinely having to go into "crunch mode", this will make the problems obvious all the way up the food chain, because it will show up in the profit and loss statements.
| Possibly the biggest gain the company would have is if they feel that some of the exempt employees aren't putting in the full 40 each week, not putting in the hours results in less compensation.
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Why is the company refusing to pay me more than my manager? This happened some time ago as I was working for a small company that was later acquired by a giant multinational company. The small company used to be run by a single owner who had no rules for salaries. It majorly depended on your relationship with him, so the more he favored you the more you got paid. After the acquisition he left the company and the management changed. Most of the employees left the company since they were under paid, but I decided to stay for a promise of a salary review. During that time I got an offer from another small company that was almost 3 times my current salary. When I brought this offer to the new management they agreed to increase my salary, but refused to match the offer I had. The HR response was that they can't pay me more than my direct manager as this will break the company's salary hierarchy. For big companies is this a rule of some kind? I mean my direct manager is also underpaid, but he is happy with it. My direct manager will have access to my salary, but the main negotiations was with the HR and the upper management (CEO, IT manager). I brought them several surveys of the market salaries, but they ignored them. Was there a way to convince the upper management that they shouldn't compare me to my direct manager? <Q> In short, no, there was no way to convince them. <S> This is very 1970's thinking, especially in US companies. <S> The idea was that you had to have all the skills of the people you manage in order to manage them effectively. <S> Thus, the theory went, that everyone above you had more and more skill, thus more and more responsibility, and thus more pay was justified. <S> Obviously this is flawed thinking. <S> Tech and professional sports completely blow that model out of the water, but if someone has it "in their head" that the world is supposed to work that way, then you can't break them out of that thinking. <S> These are the companies (meaning those that don't keep pace with market rates and "justify" it with anachronistic practices) that can't keep talented employees. <S> Unless they have enormously deep pockets, they usually don't last long. <A> For big companies is this a rule of some kind? <S> It is more of a norm or a practice, which is generally followed in big, established(old) companies. <S> So, they have their own career ladder, and the salary ranges defined according to it. <S> So if you are in the company, then you would get paid according to that. <S> Was there a way to convince the upper management that they shouldn't compare me to my direct manager? <S> Yes, you can probably try to convince him during your performance review, or by meeting him regarding this. <S> But, I'm pretty positive that he would ask you to stick to the norms, which the company has been observing since years and don't disturb them. <S> So, it is very unlikely that he would be getting convinced. <S> I brought them several surveys of the market salaries, but they ignored them. <S> That is exactly the problem with established companies. <S> They have a system and regulations, and as the company is running smoothly, they are reluctant to tweak them, even though your argument seems reasonable and sensible to them. <A> For big companies is this a rule of some kind? <S> Different companies have different rules. <S> I expect bigger companies to have this rule, since bigger companies tend to be older, and this sort of mindset was largely destroyed by the information age. <S> Was there a way to convince the upper management that they shouldn't compare me to my direct manager? <S> You should not have to, this is asinine. <S> The entire concept of a "salary hierarchy" implies that management is as valuable as the stuff that they're managing, and then some rather than being two distinct skills. <S> Especially with the information age, that implication does not hold. <S> Can your manager do your job? <S> Can you do theirs? <S> More and more, skilled specialists are far more rare than the managers who can organize them. <S> As such, those skills become more valuable, even if you accept the tenuous argument that managers provide more value than individual contributors. <S> So you can make that argument. <S> You can argue that you provide more value to the company than your manager. <S> You can argue that by not paying competitive salaries, they're losing out on skilled talent. <S> You can argue that the cost of replacing you is more than the manager due to skill rarity or increased domain knowledge. <S> But if they haven't realized the idiocy of this stance by now, I doubt one more argument will tip the scales. <A> Get out there and be the exceptional employee they can't afford to lose, and get yourself promoted to a position with a higher salary band -- chief architect, director of research, whatever it takes. <S> Or interview elsewhere and see if you can get a better offer. <A> Something to add: there's a local large tech company in my area where the employees have an old saying, "it's the best first and third job you'll ever have" Meaning: there's rules in place on how large your salary can be and how much you can be promoted to that apply to existing employees, but not necessarily to people hired from the outside. <S> For example, you might make $50k and your manager wants to promote you to a position where you can make $100k. <S> However, the company has a rule: no more than a 50% pay increase. <S> Which means you can't be raised to more than $75k. <S> Crestfallen, you take a different job outside the company that offers you, say, $85k which is still less than the $100k you should have been promoted to but better than the $75k you were actually promoted to. <S> After a few years though your original manager approaches you and can now successfully offer you the $100k because now you're no longer a current employee and so he can give you what the position deserves. <S> It may sound stupid, and in the short run it probably costs the company some good employees, but in the long run it saves money (which is good for the accountants, stock holders, etc.) <S> It also has one added benefit: it helps curtail the notion that managers can give giant raises to people they like based on things other than skill. <S> I once worked a job at a company that didn't have this rule <S> and we got a new director of our division one day <S> and he brought in his crew of fellow coworkers from his old division and gave them all management positions with enormous raises and bonuses, despite their complete lack of qualifications. <S> You can probably guess what happened next. <S> So anyway the bottom line is that yes this is a thing, yes it may be antiquated or not properly account for highly demanded talent or what <S> not but thems the breaks. <S> You have to decide if you like the job or money more.
| To be paid more than your manager, you need to convince t least your manager's manager that you are worth more to the company than your manager.
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Is it appropriate to contact an employer who hadn't hired you and ask for advice? My guess is no because it comes across as pushy/desperate (and in my case, it is). I've never done this. I'm not asking for WHY they didn't hire me. The answer for that is most often they found a candidate who was a better fit for the position. I want to ask what would it take for a candidate to be hired, what experiences I should have, what specific skills and/or experience are required that I may not have come across during my research, etc. To a degree, I think this is proactive, but my hunch says don't do it. I have asked these questions on that dreaded phone call when they told me they hired someone else, and they are often speechless or reluctant to share information... but I need to know. Maybe I shouldn't have, let alone contact them myself. <Q> You can ask, but I doubt it's worth it. <S> Even in this lawsuit averse time the majority of the time the answer is: Recruiting is largely a gut instinct thing, they just liked someone for the job more than you, it may not be quantifyable. <S> I liken it to running an Olympic race, you beat the world record by 0.5, great! <S> But in the race also was Usain Bolt, who beat the record by 1 sec, who will remember what you did apart from your family? <S> Unless you really crashed and burned in your answers, which should be obvious, there may not be a real answer. <S> You may be better speaking to a body language coach to ensure you send out the right signals. <A> I don't find this inappropriate, and some employer proposed me themselves to give me some advices (especially when I was applying as an intern/junior, many managers like to do mentoring and sharing their vision). <S> However, this might depends of your country/culture... <S> Anyway, let's look at it pragmatically : <S> Worst case : <S> They find it inappropriate. <S> They don't answer. <S> I don't think it might harm your relation with them, since they will not remember that call 2 years later if you want to apply again. <S> So nothing. <S> Best case : <S> They answer to your questions. <S> So I encourage you to try, you have nothing to lose there , would it be considered inappropriate. <A> Is it appropriate? <S> Yes, it is completely appropriate to ask them about how you can improve yourself. <S> But, a very few of them generally respond. <S> So, sending a mail requesting mentorship is not appropriate, and would be a huge win if someone decides to mentor you. <S> And I had a pretty nice experience having interacted with them. <S> I have also written a Quora answer with that experience (I have interviewed for a data science positions, so the mentorship I've got for them is in a similar domain). <A> I agree that it sounds pushy and desperate <S> and I would avoid doing it. <S> Analyze why you didn't get the job using what info you have. <S> Usually more than one person is involved in the decision of who got hired, and they're not going to have a meeting just so that they can give you an answer. <S> And all else being equal, they might have just flipped a coin on who got the job.
| You may have done everything right, but someone was just a better fit in the hiring manager's opinion. They might even encourage you to another offer that might be appropriate.
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As a software developer, how do I ask an employer about internal support when handing production errors? I've worked as a software developer for 4 years and find that there is a specific scenario I dislike very much. The scenario is that I am "thrown" at a problem with no internal support. I will be tasked by my manager to fix something that went wrong and will have no useful access to how anything is done, how the software works, no documentation, all the test code I dig up are out-dated and do not work. The problem is that I am literally "stuck" with this type of cases until it is fixed or I leave the company, then whatever I don't fix goes to someone else. When I started I inherited some of these, and well, I still had them when I left. I don't think the manager breathed down my neck to fix these, but having these "unfixable" cases with me bothered me quite a bit, and felt it was pointless to give them to me. Just recalling from my last role, there was a case dealing with FTP connections. It took me 2 days of talking with people around the office (100 people office) to get a definitive answer on whether our internal FTP connections to the outside are passive or active. My manager obviously didn't know, so he pointed me to different people, then I had to track down false leads, bad leads, people who aren't sure, etc. I'm not sure how to ask an interviewer about this type of scenario. How can I ask a potential employer about internal facing resources to assist developers? I am thinking of either some sort of documentation practices, or mentoring role for new hires, or something... but I have no idea how to frame the question. <Q> I find that often in organizations like that, you can find comments in the code that have people's names in them. <A> Asking about documentation protocols would be the best way I would think. <S> A perfectly legit question to ask in an interview. <S> It's always a good idea to get an idea of what you will be tasked with before you start. <S> But sometimes no one admits there's documentation issues, or they just don't know, so even then you can be thrown in the deep end. <S> There's not a great deal else you can do unfortunately. <S> I've never come across anything unfixable though, I have had to re-write things from scratch, but always found a solution eventually. <S> It's what I was tasked to do. <S> Developing methodology to troubleshoot and deal with these situations is more productive in the long run. <A> Pay attention during the interview process especially if you get a chance to visit the office. <S> I've had interviews where attendees had to "put out fires" during my interview. <S> Others showed up late, rescheduled and basically showed how chaotic their world was. <S> Some will tell you this is normal. <S> Everyone is busy and working 80 hours a week, blah, blah, blah - nonsense. <S> Good managers run the interference and create an environment where things can get done. <S> If they don't show they're organized especially during the hiring process, other areas are probably a mess. <S> Amazed at how over-worked teams don't make time to hire people and wonder why they're over-worked. <S> Where do they track requests and projects? <S> Do they have any established methodology or are they "kind-of-sort-of-agile/waterfall."
| Go to your project manager and say, "I need to have some time with 'msmith' or whoever is doing his job now. Ask about how requirements are gathered and documented.
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How do you explain that your employer is the reason for leaving your current job? First, I apologize if this too subjective, but I don't know where else to ask. To sum up, I am legally considered to be "self-employed". Officially , I am a contractor, employed by "Company A" to provide on-site support for customers of "Company B" (the work location is owned by "Company B", the equipment on-site is owned by their customers). The contract is "indefinite", meaning it does not end on a specific date. What this means, is I have somewhat reliable long-term employment with no benefits, no vacation, and I handle my own taxes (they are not deducted from my paychecks due to being "self-employed"). I have been in this position for roughly 10 months. The position is in the US, if it matters. As of Friday afternoon, I received a phone call from a recruiter with an initial offer of a 6-month contract (with the possibility of permanent employment at the end of the contract) that I would like to take if they offer it (phone interview with the recruiters boss is scheduled for Monday). I don't know if I'm really qualified, but I was honest with my experience, so I figure it's their problem if I'm not. To that end, I don't know how to answer the inevitable "Why are you leaving your current employer?" with honesty, while also not bashing my employer. The short version of it is that basically everything that was described in the interview and job posting was a lie. The long version is that the position was advertised as semi-technical, with a transfer to a more technical position after 6 months. Neither of which is true as of yet. The hiring manager (the closest thing I have to a "boss" with Company A) is also the CTO, and does not have time in his "very busy schedule" (their words, not mine) to schedule my 30 day, 90 day, OR 6 month review, which are required before they can put in for the raises that were promised as a condition of my accepting the position. That said, I have no significant issues with my co-workers in our limited interaction (we are generally alone for our entire shift). I like my direct supervisor (who works for Company B, not Company A like me), and as far as I can tell, he likes me. I have no problem with the position itself (in fact, I'm already paid significantly more than my co-workers, as far as I can tell). The problem is the position was "significantly not as advertised", the employer is dishonest, and is not what I am looking for in a career. How can I answer the question with honesty, but also without sounding like I'm a terrible employee and/or bashing the company to make them look bad? "I am pursuing better career options" just comes off as being entirely too generic. What's to stop me from "pursuing better career options" in another 10 months if they hire me? <Q> Blaming your 'employer' is not a good idea, any detrimental personal comments however true they are should be avoided. <S> I would say that I was looking for a job with more opportunity for advancement, at present you're in a holding pattern with no way forward. <S> Hired for a specific set of tasks at a rate that which will not change. <S> You're happy enough, but if you kept it you'd still be in the same situation years later <S> , therefore you're looking for a job that has better prospects both in terms of advancing your skills and building a career. <S> That should make perfect sense to most interviewers. <S> And gives a nice positive aspect to your wanting to move and shows you are motivated. <S> Short and informative is always best. <S> Going in to details about why's and who's sounds like whining and doesn't create a good impression. <A> Why are you leaving your current employer? <S> I'm looking for full time regular employment instead of full time contract work. <S> Just keep it simple and don't bring up any of the drama. <S> Nobody cares. <A> Why are you leaving your current employer? <S> Why would you want to say that you are employed when you are not? <S> People who have shown that they can successfully run a business or work as freelancer are usually more valued than peons, who are viewed to only be able to follow orders. <S> One reasonable reason to give up self-employment is the time and effort to keep up with the legal and administrative overhead of self-employment, when all you want to do is tech stuff. <A> I would emphasise the good points of the new position and how it's a step in the direction you want to go. <S> That drives the specific answer to "why would you leave your current job". <S> Rather than "it's not what they said it would be <S> There is no harm in saying "I am looking for a role where I can expect to be promoted as I prove my worth", but a lot to lose by saying "my current employer promised to promote me but hasn't"... <S> the first question will be "why not?" <S> and you don't want that (you can't answer it, <S> only your current employer can). <S> I think it's risky to discuss this unless you have a really clear explanation for why the promised promotion hasn't happened. <S> In your case I think you'd be better talking about lack of focus from management and limited involvement, pushing it more as "everyone is really busy <S> so I'm stuck doing the same limited set of tasks all the time". <S> Some jobs are like that, and if that's what you're being offered it may be better to "fail" the interview than get the job and discover it's more of the same. <S> That would be more of a theoretical fail - you won't get offered a job you don't want.
| " you could say "I would like to develop my {whatever the new job is} as I feel that I have reached the limits of my current role".
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Is it ethical to implement site-wide facial recognition technology without informing all employees? Background I am a very junior researcher working at a government research institution that, alongside R&D, hosts lots of educational courses. Due to presence of potentially sensitive data, biometric and other security restrictions are present; most of which are handled by inhouse IT. Recently, there have reliability issues with our security solutions, and until new tenders and contracts were laid out, we were asked to brainstorm some intermediate (preferably cheap) measures. Also of note, the entire campus is under (usually multiple) camera surveillance at all times. Problem During discussion, me and a colleague had brought up small-scale facial recognition technology (FRT) as a long term prospect. We were asked if there were open source solution and I suggested OpenFace (by Carnegie Mellon University) . Management was very interested and asked IT to deploy it in campus as a separate project and to use it as a way for tracking everyone on campus at all times. I had registered my protest at this being a possible privacy violation at the time, but nobody else seemed concerned. Later, my colleague was separately informed that she and I were strictly not to inform anyone on campus. She was also told look over the implementation and give recs if necessary. The problem is, I think FRT can be irresponsible and can be a violation of privacy unless handled very carefully. Even OpenFace's readme makes this very point . None here shares my POV, and I'm kind of at a loss as to what to think. I can bring it up to higher authorities, but I'm very, very junior and don't want to make a mess about something trivial. My initial suggestion had been purely to implement FRT while entering highly sensitive rooms like server racks/satellite control centers/etc. So, is it ethical to implement such wide-spread face recognition, possibly violating privacy, without informing users? If not, what can I do about it? PS Also, I'm in India, if that helps. And I know that there are no strictly legal objections. <Q> If I understand you correctly, the new thing would be that you build a database of everyones movement across the campus. <S> This is different from having CCTV or guards in place, as previously the data of who is at which place and what time was not aggregated this way before. <S> Here's the ethical concerns I see: It does not seem to solve the problem: <S> Presumably, the sensitive information is 'present' in some rooms on some machines etc. <S> You need to stop people from getting where they are not supposed to be. <S> Why is knowing that X went from room 1 to room 2 along hallway 3 and taking a bathroom break along the way a solution to your problem <S> Data tends to get used. <S> Even if there are no concrete ideas what to do with all the data on who moves where now, there will be. <S> This needs careful consideration. <S> Maybe they'll skim this data for people who spend 'too much' time smoking or on the toilet. <S> You know more about your campus, give this some thought. <S> They want to keep it secret. <S> Did everyone on the campus consent to have all their movements logged? <S> In all likelhood not, so this is clearly unethical, even if legal. <A> I don't see why it would be unethical, people are already on camera, this is just manipulation of existing data. <S> It's benefits in terms of security are easy to identify. <S> I don't see any basic difference than having security personnel watching the camera views which is commonplace in many businesses. <A> As I don't know the culture in India, I can only tell you the culture in Germany. <S> For a data collection to be ethical, it must follow some core requirements: <S> Appropriation <S> It must be known what the data is used for and what the point of the data collection is. <S> As far as I can tell, this requirement is not fulfilled. <S> How this face tracking data is going to be used and what the purpose is, is unknown. <S> Reduction <S> and there is no data already available somewhere that you can re-use. <S> For example, if there is an incident and the existing camera footage shows the face of the person, why do you need to identify all other persons that have nothing to do with the incident? <S> It would be sufficient to let the face recognition software run on the few seconds of the incident and maybe a few minutes before to identify witnesses. <S> But that's it. <S> Necessity <S> The data you collect and the way you collect it, must be necessary. <S> It must be in proportion to the desired purpose. <S> For example, to measure how much time a student spends on the toilet, you do not need a camera in the stall, although it would work; but there are other less intrusive methods to measure time, so the camera footage is not necessary. <A> If the data from the face recognition detectors are sent outside the campus, then the issue needs to be discussed upon. <S> Both with the people inside the campus, the management and the ethics committee of your institute; as the privacy of people is at stake here. <S> But, if the data remains in-house, and used just for surveillance by the in-house guards, etc; then I don't see any difference between the existing technology and the present one, in terms of privacy intrusion. <S> So, if this is the case, you can go ahead and implement it. <A> Here's the quote from OpenFace: <S> We do not support the use of this project in applications that violate privacy and security. <S> We are using this to help cognitively impaired users to sense and understand the world around them. <S> The issue isn't that the project ITSELF violates people's privacy, but how it is used. <S> You can use camera for perfectly legal and respectable purposes, and obviously NOT legal and invasive purposes. <S> I believe one way to use it that violates privacy is to use it to scan data on the internet, grab the embarrassing photos of a particular person, and use this data to attack them. <S> HOWEVER! <S> Your superiors are thinking about something that causes them to tell you not to tell anyone. <S> If their purpose is simply security, why were they unable to provide the arguments presented on SE by complete strangers? <S> We do not have access to what your superiors are thinking, but it may be useful to tread with care and protect yourself from anything illegal. <S> Get written specifications as to what it is for, and get legal sign-off on them. <S> You don't want to position yourself as a scapegoat.
| The data you collect must be limited to the amount that is necessary to fulfill the purpose Whether something is ethical or not is always also based on the culture you are in.
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How to communicate appropriate time to be called in a resumé I'm moving to another country and have put my resumé online to get a preview on job possibilities before I actually travel.There's a 5h time zone difference to the place I'm applying to, so I'm getting calls at 3am from recruiters. Can I cause a bad impression if I add "(please call after 13:00)"next to my phone number in the resumé? Would you rather explain: "due to the time zone difference, please call after 13:00"? Or would you just turn off your phone while you're sleeping and hoperecruiters to try again later? <Q> Instead of specifying times to call, consider telling them your timezone. <S> It sounds like that's your problem -- not that you can only accept calls during a certain window, but rather that they assume you're local when you're not. <S> "(phone number) (UTC-4) <S> " or similar provides the information they need and isn't overly wordy. <S> If that doesn't work, the call will go to voicemail. <S> If they bothered to call you in the first place, the odds are very good that they'll leave a message, same as for somebody who couldn't take the call because he was sitting in the middle of a cube farm. <S> Recruiters are used to getting voicemail, in my experience. <A> If the recruiter is calling you, they obviously are interested in your skills or services for their company, so I'm sure they'd be more than willing to comply with any time zone difference you have and call you at an appropriate time. <S> Most recruiters are pretty easy to work with and are tasked with finding good employees, so they're going to work around your schedule to get to talk to you if they're interested. <S> It shouldn't be viewed as unprofessional or anything of the sort to let them know of a time zone difference, and they know people are in different places and certain things need to be set for each person individually. <A> A recruiter calling you means that they are interested in your profile. <S> So, they will definitely put efforts for calling you up whenever you are comfortable, or will try to come up with a time slot which is comfortable for both of you. <S> So, a message like this would be enough: please call after 13:00(Time-zone)
| I would put somewhere in the Resume or Cover Letter that due to the time zone difference if they'd be so kind as to call you after a certain time, otherwise you will return their calls when you have time(wake up).
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Am I expecting too much of myself? I am currently working a part-time temporary position as an Instructor, which has good hourly pay but limited hours, so it is meeting my very modest expenses, but that is it. I have to pay for my own healthcare insurance, which is a significant expense. I took this position after relocating a few years ago and starting an entirely new career, after being burned out in a previous career, and being let go from a highly paid position before that due to an acquisition. I tend to be fearful that I could lose this position and end up on the street, quite literally. Last year I had major surgery, and I currently take several strong medications which tend to lower peoples' energy and in some cases cloud their thinking. I am coping OK with that. I feel that I probably do not have enough energy to work a full-time job, as I often come home after 5 or 6 hours (set by my workplace) and sleep. The issue is that although I have recovered mostly from the surgery and I can think clearly and do a days' work, I am not always very sharp and certainly not achievement-oriented. I feel conflicted that I do not feel driven, but that is part of what burned me out before. I am afraid I will lose this fairly ideal job (high hourly pay, interesting work and limited hours) and then be in a worse position. But no one ever talks to me about my performance. I have basically no reviews, and it is a laid-back place to work. As long as I get things done, it is basically up to me. I spend some time researching areas that are peripherally related to what I teach, and learn the current state of the field so that I know what I am talking about. But I don't feel like I'm "working all the time" that I am there. Am I putting too much stress on myself, thinking that I must "perform", when I am getting my work done and nobody is concerned about it but me? <Q> You should always be aware of how well you're performing, but it's important that you don't get too stressed about it - because that will only hurt your performance. <S> A simple answer for you - I have quite a few employees that work for me. <S> If one of them was under-performing, I would certainly talk with them about it. <S> Any decent employer is going to bring it to your attention because it's important that their staff is doing their jobs right :) <A> My suggestion here would probably be to get out ahead of this; instead of letting this fester and potentially become a problem. <S> I'd start by soliciting some feedback from your peers and colleagues to get a sense of where you stand. <S> Ask questions like <S> "How do you think I'm doing?", "What am I doing well? <S> ", "What areas could I improve in?" <S> (etc.) <S> These types of conversations should probably help you figure out where you stand. <S> As for the stressing yourself out part; take a deep breath and relax. <S> Most likely there isn't an issue (as nobody's said anything to you yet); but taking the steps above should help. <S> I've worked with many developers who at 50% are churning out 3x the work of some of their colleagues, but their own high standards of themselves were causing them stress. <S> A little chat to "talk them off the ledge" usually worked wonders. <A> From what you've said it sounds like you're doing satisfactory work. <S> I suspect you are being too hard on yourself. <S> But I can certainly understand why you're worried, and feeling financially insecure. <S> I have a few suggestions that may help. <S> If you haven't done so recently, visit your doctor and check that your recovery from the surgery is going as expected. <S> The doctor may want to do some blood tests to verify that it's just the medication making you tired; that there isn't another problem like an iron deficiency contributing to your lack of energy. <S> After a long period of low energy and reduced activity, it's not easy to return to full activity. <S> Even if you were back to 100% energy tomorrow, it would still take time to regain muscle strength, etc. <S> You might ask the doctor if it's OK to do some mild exercise, like walking. <S> Even if you can't go far, just making a habit of some sort of exercise may help. <S> Getting a bit more financial security will lower your stress level. <S> However, it sounds like you don't have the energy yet to take on additional work. <S> But I think you're onto a good thing with the research you're already doing. <S> Keep learning. <S> Learn things that you're interested in, and also gain skills that will make it easier to get a job in case you need to.
| Having a plan and working slowly but steadily toward a goal will probably help you feel more secure about your finances.
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I rejected a job offer and now I want to accept it. Is it possible? I had an offer from company A and another offer from company B offering +5k. Since I was more interested in A I asked them to match B's offer. They didn't and I had to reject their offer. Since then I had plenty of time to dig a bit more into what B is doing and further consider the situation and I feel that I made a big mistake, since career-wise A is going to be much better. Is there any way to recall the offer rejection and accept the job (it has been two weeks since I rejected it)? I wouldn't mind if I had to interview again, but I am just worried that HR might consider it a red flag or something. Edit: I got the job! <Q> Is there any way to recall the offer rejection and accept the job (it has been two weeks since I rejected it)? <S> I wouldn't mind if I had to interview again, but I am just worried that the HR might consider it a red flag or something. <S> There's nothing automatic here <S> (you cannot "recall" an offer rejection and assume that you will be hired), but anything is possible . <S> Since it's only been 2 weeks, call whoever offered the job immediately . <S> Then see where it goes from there. <S> You have nothing at all to lose. <S> They could hire you right away, ask you to come in and talk more, or indicate that they have moved on. <S> It is a bit of a red flag. <S> Be prepared to discuss fully what led you to reject their offer initially, and why you now want to accept it. <S> Certainly they will be wary. <S> You will need to be able to calm their fears. <S> If you do this well, you could even be considered for a future position, if this one has already been filled. <A> If they saw you as the only person that they wanted to hire, and they still have the need, then it can't hurt to approach them. <S> But if they had other viable candidates, then they reached out to their second choice right after you rejected the offer. <S> In fact, it is possible that that other person has already started work. <S> They could have even decided to go in another direction and no longer need somebody like you to fill the position. <S> When you reject an offer, or let an offer expire, you should realize that they will move on to Plan B. Contacting them <S> won't hurt, just don't get your hopes up. <A> You have likely missed your chance. <S> When a candidate declines an offer, the next call placed by the hiring manager is to the second placed candidate, who is likely to have accepted (if not then to the third best etc.) <S> The only way the hiring company will consider making you the offer again is if they have exhausted their short list (unlikely) or they really want you to join alongside the other selected candidate (unlikely due to budget constraints).
| Tell them you have thought through their offer more fully and would like to change your mind and accept it. Reapplying to another job opening is also a possibility.
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Got a job offer in the adult industry. How do I know if the company behaves ethically? I have just got a job offer to join a software development team who are creating a webcams site. I am in need of a job right now, however, even though I have an open mind about such things, I do not want in any way to be involved and to help people to earn money from other people against their will. I think that sometimes that might the case on such websites, when people do not want to work there, but they are forced to. Or is it not? Is there any way that I can be sure that I am working for a legitimate business, where all the models are safe? <Q> [Heavily edited to remove answer to withdrawn section of question.] <S> In the U.S., the recordkeeping requirements for adult entertainment are pretty significant, and they do get audited, and the authorities are constantly on the lookout for underage exploitation and human trafficking. <S> That being said, no system is perfect or reacts immediately. <S> I'm sure it happens, still, but it's very rare. <S> If the company has been around 3 years or more, I'm sure they've been thoroughly scrutinized at least once. <S> I can't speak to other countries' regulation. <A> It's possible the company could be acting ethically, but performers could be suffering from outside influences like boyfriends/pimps. <S> Even in places where prostitution in the US is legal, this is still a problem and some brothels have been known to call the boyfriend if they felt one of the girls was out of line <S> /didn't want to work. <S> Unless you have some direct contact and over-site, all you can do is keep your ears and eyes open. <A> Understanding fully that you are in a financial predicament, this can often further lead a person to compromise ethics. <S> Personally, I wouldn't want to be put in this position. <S> As with any job, looks like you want to do more research on the company before accepting a position. <S> In this case, it would be wise to do research on the industry as a whole.
| If you feel there might be an ethical violation, I would avoid the position.
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Colleague from my previous company gets interview for my current company and wants to contact me Long story short: A good colleague of mine (henceforth OC) from my previous company applied for a job in my current company. Manager showed me OC's CV and I told the manager that OC is good news. So they decided to go for a telephone interview with OC. After OC got the news and learned that I work there also, OC sends me an email wanting to come in contact with me (possibly for small talk? but I am not sure). I am not sure if I should reply. I mean OC is a really good individual and I'd love to have him in the company, but I feel like I am in a difficult position. Should I tell my manager about OC's email? Should I talk to OC? Should I just do nothing? Did the manager tell OC that OC got my thumbs up? What if OC starts asking what are the interview questions? I just feel like not involving until the formal process is over. What do you think I should do? I just want to be professional. <Q> In my experience (US, high-tech) it's pretty normal to approach ex-colleagues at companies you're looking at. <S> This is part of networking. <S> OC isn't doing anything wrong or unusual. <S> And so long as you don't create a conflict of interest, you won't be doing anything wrong by talking with him. <S> Ignoring him, on the other hand, might make him think it's personal or that you don't want him to work there <S> -- not what you want. <S> So go have coffee or whatever, and when the topic of his application comes up, avoid crossing boundaries on either side -- don't tell him company-confidential stuff and don't reveal anything private he tells you to your manager/HR/etc. <S> You can't tell him about interview questions, but you can probably talk about what it's like to work there more generally, whether you're happy there, etc. <S> Similarly, you can tell your boss that you used to work with OC and think highly of him, but shouldn't pass on <S> that OC is nervous about some particular aspect of the interview process. <A> You should say you are Happy to Help to OC. <S> OC is a great individual at your previous company. <S> He would potentially be one in your current company. <S> You could mention to your manager that you know OC. <S> If he asks for a personal recommendation, please do give. <S> As you already know OC is good person to have. <S> You could be friendly and ethical. <A> I would ask your manager if there's anything that you shouldn't discuss with applicants, beyond the normal company confidentiality. <S> Based on what your manager tells you, you can decide whether you think it's okay to meet with this person. <S> If you do, and the person asks you something that you can't disclose, just tell him, "I'm sorry, but I'm not able to discuss that. <S> " If you decide you cannot meet with him, simply tell him that you're sorry, but you can't meet with him while he's in the interview process, because you're afraid of disclosing something to him.
| You can say no to requests of interview questions, but you can still provide non confidential information like company work culture, how you currently enjoy your work etc.
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How do I make sure my new manager is aware of my growth plan? I had some 1-on-1s with my former manager and my last 1-on-1 I tried to bring up my growth plan. I asked him specifically, "What are some things I can work on" and "Where do you see me growing in the company and in my career" He brought up some things I could do to improve (most of them communication-related). I thought they were all relevant and while I still have a long way to go, I feel my former boss has a good understanding of where I want to be and how I want to grow in the company Recently we hired a new manager who I will report to and the new manager now reports to my former manager (we hired someone who will serve as an in-between essentially) and I wanted to know what is the best way to make sure my new manager is aware of how I want to grow. Should I ask my former manager to fill him in or is it my job to do that? <Q> what is the best way to make sure my new manager is aware of how I want to grow. <S> Should I ask my former manager to fill him in or is it my job to do that? <S> It's your job. <S> While others may help, this is your career, your growth plan, and thus your job to communicate it effectively with your new manager, if you wish to enlist his help. <S> Hopefully, you'll have regular one-on-one meetings with your new manager. <S> That is the ideal time to talk about work, expectations, and about you. <S> You'll need to learn what your new manager expects from you, and you need to tell him what you expect of him. <S> If you have formalized your growth plan (some companies have written systems for that), bring it with you and ask for a good time to discuss it in depth. <S> If you don't have a formal growth plan, write things up for easier discussions. <S> Don't assume your new manager will have been fully briefed on your individual needs by your previous manager. <S> Often, the ramp-up period for new bosses means there is little overlap time with prior managers to handle all the details. <S> Take it upon yourself to get to know your new boss and help him to know you. <S> You'll both benefit from that. <A> In an ideal world, your former manager would give your new manager some kind of handover for every employee - and your former manager sounds like he was doing the right things, so this may well happen. <S> But there's no harm in gently bringing the subject up yourself during 1-to-1s with your new manager - <S> "I think I'm doing well at the growth plan I agreed with (old manager's name). <S> I've improved my (foo) skills and have made a start at (bar). <S> " If all's well, your new manager will have read your growth plan so this won't come as a surprise. <S> If not, he'll privacy be having a quick chat with your old manager just after the meeting :-) <A> Should I ask my former manager to fill him in or is it my job to do that? <S> Yes, you might request him to fill him in. <S> This is because, your manager might actually know how things should work out(which <S> you might not know due to your lack of experience/due to where you stand in the hierarchy table) so that your growth plan successful. <S> So, he can convey it to the one filling his position in his own words and how he actually sees your growth ladder. <A> I think it is your responsibility, but you can allow your new manager to decide whether or not to consult the former manager. <S> You may not be aware of the dynamic between them. <S> A current boss who worries about the former manager interfering, may want to avoid this, so ask for a 1on1 meeting and suggest that you discussed this with the previous manager and now want to discuss it again. <S> Be prepared for the new manager disagreeing with the previous advice. <S> The key for you is to grow professionally, but you also need to make sure you're in synch with your new manager's expectations. <S> If you don't want to change your current path, what are you going to do? <S> You may want to wait and get to know the current manager <S> so you know how to approach this.
| And yeah, even you should also meet your newly appointed manager, and talk to him about your plans, and how sees it and how do you successfully implement it.
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How can I adjust my work hours to start/end earlier without my colleagues thinking I'm suddenly slacking off because I'm leaving earlier? I currently work 8 to 5, more or less. Most of my co-workers do the same and leave at 5. However, I want to switch to a 7 to 4 work schedule or something earlier so that I can get home earlier. Our start/end times aren't really monitored, people set their own semi-flexible schedule, as long as you do your standard 8 hours. My concern, though, is that if I make a schedule change and suddenly leave an hour or more earlier, my co-workers might start to think "Gee he's leaving so early, he must be slacking off". My boss won't be an issue, since he also starts and leaves earlier; it'll mostly be the other co-workers gossiping if anything. I'm also fairly new to the company so I don't want to be seen as the guy who slacks off. <Q> Your concern is valid, but I'm not convinced any issues are as likely or inevitable as you think. <S> Especially in work places with some type of flexitime, people do understand that not everyone works the same hours. <S> Make sure your boss is happy and try and do demonstrable work in the the time before everyone else comes in. <S> For example, it'd be nice to walk up to John as he's pouring his first coffee and say 'Hey John, I was able to sort out that report for you this morning - when do you want to go over it' <A> The simplest way seems to be to write an e-mail to your team saying "Do not schedule any meetings after 4.00 pm since starting at (date) I will work from 7 to 4 and will not be available after 4". <S> That way they won't suspect you of slacking off and, hopefully, they will not schedule late afternoon meetings that you cannot attend. <A> It is a fact of working life that if you are in the office before a boss arrives, they do not know if you have been there 1 minute or 5 hours. <S> But if you are still working when they leave, the perception is that you are "putting in a shift". <S> All I would make <S> sure I do is send as many emails as possible between 8am and when your colleagues arrive so as to soften the assumptions and make it clear you have been in since 8am <S> If it escalates past gossip, then it is the responsibility of management to communicate to your colleagues the change in your working patterns, so it may be worth communicating your change to your manager proactively. <S> This will also ensure people do not try and book you for late meetings <A> It is okay. <S> Gossips generally happen when something new happens(even though it's obvious and logical), and soon die out as that becomes often and finally mundane. <S> So, go ahead and stick to your planned schedule. <S> The gossips would linger for some time, but will soon fade off.
| The idea that you can't leave before anyone else is a little bit of a myth reserved for more complex work scenarios (For example, as a contract worker / consultant, I always try and align with the permanent staff) but for most people its about getting your hours in and your work done. Unless you have a time management/clocking in system, there is no real way to combat this perception
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What do you call an interview where you are asked to complete a task during the interview? What is an interviewer trying to achieve during a skills test? To see if you can do the actual job, or to see how you problem solve? How are those types of interviews termed? <Q> They address a lot of things and the tasks can also be of various kinds. <S> For example, I would take a data scientists's interview as an example and explain you: A common puzzle : To assess how you approach a problem, and how innovative and fast is your thinking process. <S> Solve an end to end stats problem : This can either be on paper or you can be asked to code. <S> This tests your problem-solving approach in the domain and your skills in the same. <S> (Technical skills test) Show data and ask for patterns : To assess how you approach data, for finding patterns in it, so that you can build better models. <S> (Again, innovation and skill in the domain tested) <S> So, these are some common questions, whose specifics vary across domains and roles. <S> Basically, your skill in the domain, problem-solving ability, your thought process(remember the interviewer's asking you to speak aloud during these qns?) and your innovation abilities. <S> How are those types of interviews termed? <A> In my experience in software development, those types of interviews are called "Technical interviews" They can use these kinds of interviews to assess a number of different things, such as how you approach a problem, how good your problem solving skills are. <S> Is your solution to the problem bog standard or does it have something that makes you stand out. <S> The most recent technical interview I did, I was actually told at the start that it would be impossible to finish the task to the fullest extent in the two hours I was given, but I was to have at least a working product at the end. <S> So the idea there was to see how I prioritised my work, if someone had an excellent single section of the problem, but not a full working solution then that would be a red flag to an employer. <A> I would call them new hire interviews. <S> People lie about their abilities. <S> In the worst cases, they don't even know that they're lying. <S> It's called the Dunning–Kruger effect. <S> Paradoxically, extremely competent people oftentimes find themselves to be rather incompetent, but extremely incompetent people oftentimes find themselves to be quite competent. <S> Unfortunately, this latter set of people tend to submit lots of resumés (lots and lots and lots of resumés). <S> It's sometimes hard to tell from the resumé whether an applicant is subject to the Dunning–Kruger effect. <S> Because of this, many employers use some sort of skills test as a filter, particularly for new hires.
| They are termed as assessments, but in most cases, they are plainly called interviews (as the problems are part of an end-to-end interview process)
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How to encourage employees who waste time talking about not work related activities to be more productive instead How do you encourage employees who waste time talking about activities unrelated to work to be more productive instead ? Context Thought was not necessary but anyway. It's a software house company with like 20 - 30 employees, we own products that are used by 9 - 5 offices, so it's really relaxed environment here. But some workers keep talking for like hours and hours in absence of managers e.g. if they go to monthly meetings. Please note, I don't have any problem with it personally.... I just trying to think, how do you encourage.... as i said above. There is no anger involved in my question, keep it biased and learning based please. <Q> Like enderland mention, social interaction is important. <S> They're making up for lost time. <S> When rules are too strict, there is a tendency for a little rebellion. <S> Maybe in the long-run, everyone is more productive after taking a little break once in awhile. <A> First, not all idle chatting is bad. <S> Forming good team dynamics is important. <S> Second, the important question is whether your team is performing. <S> If the team isn't performing it's going to be difficult to really justify any changes. <S> And are those even needed? <S> But presumably you still want to influence this (as a non-manager). <S> This is going to be difficult. <S> A lot of it depends on whether or not everyone wants to chat or not. <S> If everyone wants to, you are probably out of luck. <S> Some possibilities: <S> Be the example you want to see. <S> Just work. <S> Get headphones, or whatever, and don't participate. <S> Involve your coworkers who are talking in work related activities. <S> " <S> Hey, can you help me with this?" <S> to your chatting coworkers might work (depends on the relationship you have with them) <S> Schedule meetings. <S> If you can't beat em, join em. <S> You will have to use discretion in understanding which of these will work for your team. <S> Every combination of people is unique and you can't just say, "do this" because everyone will react differently. <S> But hopefully something from there can help. <A> If workers keep talking for hours and hours in the absence of managers, then either their work is suffering, or they don't have enough work to do. <S> If management hasn't picked up on either one, then no amount of "encouragement" is going to help.
| Talk with your coworkers about their socializing. Setup meetings during this time that you'd otherwise have during "productive time" and hope for the best. I don't think you should do anything about it. Since you're finding that they do this when the boss is away, it could be a sign that the boss is discouraging this. Explain how it's distracting you.
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Should I list skills on my resume that I practiced at a job I was fired from? I was fired from my previous full-time job six months ago (have been freelancing since then), for reasons unrelated to my ability to perform the work. I was only at the company for a week, but I did gain valuable hands-on time with Java, Python, Ruby, plus Selenium and related QA skills. I have experience in these very valuable skills, and don't want to keep them a secret. My concern is that discussion of these skills in an interview could raise issues about how and where I learned them. What are some ways I can communicate my experience in the skills to potential employers? <Q> I would suggest leaving these off without further study. <S> It's great that you got some hands-on time with Java, Python, Ruby, and Selenium, but if I were interviewing you <S> and you said you gained valuable in-depth experience with all of these technologies in only a week (you mentioned you were fired from the last position after only a week) <S> , I'd be very VERY skeptical, to the point that it would almost hurt your chances. <S> Honestly, I feel like you should leave the position off your resume, and only post it in your work history. <S> If the interviewer asks about it say something like "I was let go due to XYZ, but XYZ has been fixed". <S> Assuming XYZ is innocuous, something like say, lack of reliable transportation, then it shouldn't hurt you too much. <S> It might help get more quality answers about how to approach the situation if you were to post why you were let go as well. <A> Even if you include that one week stint where you apparently learned a lot, it may be difficult to convince a prospective employer or customer that one week of work would have improved your skills in several areas by so much. <S> It will be much easier for them to accept your skills if you had gained these skills as part of a longer project and perhaps if you try to recall your work experience <S> more clearly you may realize that you had actually gained those skills as part of a longer project and not in that one week stint. <S> Also, there is no legal obligation to list every project you worked on in your resume just as <S> a prospective employer or customer has no legal obligation to list every detail of their company's history to you. <S> Employers generally prefer that the resumes they get not have short emploument stints in them just as they prefer that the candidates they interview not show up with ketchup stains on their suits. <S> I think this gives you enough guidance on how to present your skills. <A> I was only at the company for a week, but I did gain valuable hands-on time with Java, Python, Ruby, plus Selenium and related QA skills. <S> I have experience in these very valuable skills, and don't want to <S> keep them a secret. <S> My concern is that discussion of these skills in an interview could raise issues about how and where I learned them. <S> Be ready to discuss how much you know, how you can apply them, and in particular, how these skills are particularly useful in the job for which you are applying. <S> But if you only have 1 week of experience learned on the job at a 1-week job, then there is little value. <S> In that case, you cannot have learned enough to be meaningful.
| Leave these skills off of your resume. If you have real skill in these technologies, you should list them in the skills section of your resume.
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My manager refuses to accept or learn new technologies Here is a little background: my manager has been with this company for more than ten years. It seems like he's learned very little in the time he's been here and does things the way they've always been done. He is an engineer/programmer, so he works with C++, SQL Server, .NET, JavaScript, and similar technologies. He's been the one to do the front end development too, so he also does HTML and CSS. Fast forward to present day: I am a UX analyst, visual designer, and web developer. I would say my visual design and web development are stronger than my UX at this time. I've been doing web design and development for quite some time. I am always reading and trying new technologies, such as CSS preprocessors SASS/LESS, templating languages like Liquid, and compilers/environment tools like Jekyll and Vagrant. I use these to streamline my workflow, speed up development, and make my code clean, efficient, and easier to maintain. I brought these technologies and tools up to my manager and he doesn't understand them. He thinks new technologies are like Dreamweaver (I guess he had a bad experience with Dreamweaver, as we ALL have, and thinks tools outside of hand coding everything will somehow contaminate the code). He constantly makes arguments against them, like how they aren't cross-browser compatible and they'll inject things in that will bloat the code. When I make a point about one thing, he'll bring something else up. I think he just doesn't want to learn? I physically showed him a pretty robust UI kit I had developed over the last few days and he was unimpressed and severely undermined the work by saying he thought I used a drag and drop editor since I am a designer, not a developer (but I am a developer, just not the same kind of developer as him). When I tell him about these new technologies and how they will help our workflow, increase productivity, and cut out development time significantly, he will either shut me down or give some excuses(s) to not use them. He says I can use them, but he just wants the outputted HTML and CSS, he doesn't want the "other stuff". So, how can I ever move forward if my direct manager doesn't understand my skills or work? And if he can't understand my work, how will he ever see the value I provide? I tried to sit him down and explain these technologies to him, how they will benefit us, how they're easy to learn and use, and how they'll save us previous development time. He just half-listens and then gives reasons why he doesn't want to use them. I heard him out and genuinely tried to address each of his concerns, but he wasn't having it. He just tunes out and gives the same excuses. What can be done here? <Q> I was in a similar situation a few years back <S> and this is what I have learned from it, though I am more of a server side developer. <S> Productivity in software development should not be the sole criterion when deciding on software technology. <S> It is actually software maintenance that matters much more. <S> While some new software development technologies do actually improve productivity, a lot of new technologies are merely exciting fluff that actually decrease productivity in the long run though they may seem to make everything easier at the moment. <S> They are new, exciting, fashionable and the people who use them are considered smart and those who don't are regarded as backward and out of touch. <S> That pressure drives people to adopt the latest fashion in software. <S> No more thought has gone into adopting these than goes into deciding to wear those extra tight jeans or those extra low pants that display the underwear. <S> Experienced developers have gone through several cycles of software fashion crazes. <S> They have even seen ideas in the software industry go out of fashion, briefly come back into fashion and go out of fashion again, like bell bottom pants. <S> So they tend to look for methods and ideas that provide long term value, not just fluffy excitement. <S> That explains the approach of your manager. <S> I learned a lot from my manager who had similar ideas as your manager and the team I am in now reaps the rewards of his approach. <A> Is it in your job description to determine what technology stack your company uses? <S> If not, then you need to accept that it's not your job to change this aspect of the company. <S> There are reasons why a company might choose to stick to the old technologies that it's already using - aversion to risk being the first one that comes to mind. <S> That said you can still make an argument to your manager who does have the role to make changes to the technology stack. <S> It sounds like you've already done that. <S> You also need to accept, that this may be just how the company, for good or for bad, wants to work. <A> Like a lot of programmers, you operate with an engineer's mentality. <S> You logically attempt to solve problems and even when you know something should work, but it doesn't <S> , you keep at it and make the changes until it does. <S> However, you rarely do this when dealing with people who are less technical. <S> You base something on technical/logical merit and don't understand why people don't comply when they may even reach the same conclusion. <S> You have to keep at it. <S> That doesn't necessarily mean sticking to this same problem. <S> You boss will get irritated if you do. <S> Think about how you can approach these types of suggestions differently. <S> You're going to have to sell the idea. <S> Technical merit is not enough. <S> Since you're not going to be very good at this, it is going to take time until you find the right approach and learn how to be persuasive. <S> Gaining this skill will be better for your career and sanity. <S> Don't just expect everyone to think the way you do. <S> Adapt and learn. <A> I generally don't consider it to be the responsibility of a manager to know every single technology in the stack. <S> It's way more important that the manager knows how to <S> ... well... manage the team and get products out. <S> It's unfortunate that he's pushing back against all this new stuff. <S> Perhaps it's best to have an honest (non confrontational) discussion with him about it? <S> In my experience, most managers won't really care what you use provided that it adds value. <S> Sometimes a clear piece of documentation outlining the comparative benefits of what you want to use vs. what is already in use can help. <S> Maybe it's worth finding out if he's one of those kinds of managers. <S> Based on what you're saying, it sounds to me like he might not mind at all if there's an agreement in place <S> and he doesn't have to deal with it. <S> With regards to the formats of your deliverables, is it really that big a deal if he only wants the HTML and CSS? <S> Is it possible that you want him to adopt your stance so badly that you don't want to compromise on this (comparatively) small issue? <S> If he wants the HTML and CSS, just give it to him. <S> I'd personally avoid the deliverable format battle and save my political capital for something else. <A> I think you have some good answer but have a bit to had. <S> Hopefully it adds value. <S> One <S> it does not appear you boss is going to move <S> and you are not going to make him. <S> Be happy with you can use the tools <S> and he just wants the HTML and CSS. <S> It is not he does not understand your skills. <S> He just does not want to learn something new. <S> It looks like your manager just plain has not moved for a while. <S> A least it is not C but C# is just plain more productive. <S> I think we can be sure HTML5 is not a fad.
| Rather than seeking to change your current company to fit how you like to work, you might want to consider finding another company that already has the culture and technology stack that fits you.
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How to deal with a boss putting music on speaker I'm recently started an internship at a small web dev company (only 2 dev and the boss), we're all around a table in an office, and the boss seem to be working only with some music on speakers. It seems to be an old habit. And so there is constant music (mostly pop, although she also give the speaker to others for a bit of genre variety). Problem is, music mostly disrupt my focus, especially when I don't like it (pop), and I'm tackling some complicated tasks (asynchronous dev in php). At first I just thought I'd bring my earphones to counter it with some of my own, but she straight up refused it arguing it would be harder to communicate and offering me to put some of my music on the speaker instead. I agreed but at the end of the day I'd much rather listen to my music only or not at all, as I can literally not think sometimes. It doesn't seem to bother the other two, and as I'm just an intern I'm not sure I can just come in and change their habits. What should I do? Bear through it until the end of my internship (3.5 months left)? Try to push harder for allowing me to use my earphones? <Q> You've already raised the issue and they've chosen to do nothing: this is pretty rare, but it does happen - you've raised the issue, so it's up to the manager if they care more about increasing your productivity or leaving things as they are. <S> And you're right that as an intern you can't simply demand they change their practices. <S> It may be that the manager finds their own (and other members of the team's) productivity to be higher with music, and losing that productivity isn't worth improving yours, no matter how good you are as an intern. <S> In all honesty, they're probably more likely to see this as a negative than if you're simply not as productive. <S> That sounds counter-intuitive, but internships are as much about workplace interaction as actual work produced (which tends to be add-on stuff): if you're more interested in your reference and experience to talk about, focus on keeping people happy and getting as much work done as you can in the circumstance. <S> The simplest answer is to see out the internship and then simply not seek full time employment with that company: sometimes culture clashes just happen. <A> If your manager refuses; then there are actually doing you a huge favor by letting you know what kind of environment you'll be dealing with <S> should you wish to join this company permanently. <S> Although I find it very odd that your suggestion was outright refused. <A> Try to offer a compromise. <S> Your boss is envisioning, "Every time I want to ask this guy something, I'm going to have to yell or go over there and tap him on the shoulder..." <S> Pick and choose some time to try it out. <S> Suggest you're working on a specific task that you know your boss wants you to get done. <S> Suggest you wear head phones the last couple ours of the day or before lunch. <S> You don't rank very high as an intern and since an internship is a bit of a test, you're expected to show you can tolerate things and get stuff done even when the conditions are not idea. <S> Let this be a learning lesson <S> so you start asking the right questions about the work environment and especially how the boss perceives interruptions. <S> Many managers will respect your time and are aware of the loss of productivity that come with interruptions. <S> Start thinking about ways to identify these people before you take your next job.
| You should calmly explain to your manager that the music is something that is distracting you from your work; and it is affecting your productivity. You should also offer a solution - such as you bringing a pair of headphones to put on while you work; and then counter her argument (that it affects communication) by proposing an alternate solution - such as a message system (like slack.com - which is used by many teams) to have more effective communication.
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Still haven't got my travel expenses reimbursement three weeks after interviewing. Should I contact HR? I interviewed on-site for a company about 3 weeks ago. I got an email from the recruiter a day after the interview saying that the reimbursement has been approved. I still haven't received any money and I am worried that they may not reimburse because I didn't take the offer. Is that possible? Should I just send an email and ask them? <Q> I still haven't received any money and I am worried that they may not reimburse because I didn't take the offer. <S> Is that possible? <S> Companies that offer to reimburse travel costs for job candidates aren't likely to renege on that offer just because it didn't work out. <S> Should I just send an email and ask them? <S> Yes, though I would personally give them another week. <S> While in the US payroll is often done multiple times a month, expenses are typically paid out monthly. <S> The hiring manager's approval might have just missed their submission deadline which can add up to another month to their normal cycle. <S> In slow-moving companies where a lot of administrative effort is involved it can take several months for expense payments to clear the system. <S> This is obviously far from ideal and can be particularly unfair as employees (or in this case candidates) <S> end up fronting the company's business costs, but it's not uncommon . <S> and if he could check the status of the payment. <A> I still haven't received any money and I am worried that they may not reimburse because I didn't take the offer. <S> Is that possible? <S> Should I just send an email and ask them? <S> It's possible, although very unlikely. <S> Few companies mess around with reimbursing these sorts of expenses - the small amounts aren't worth the negative reputation they would get. <S> More likely, they just haven't cut accounts payable checks for the month yet. <S> While 3 weeks is understandably a long time for you, for most vendors expecting a check it's not. <S> In many companies the process of submitting a reimbursement request and having a check issued is tedious. <S> Send a polite email, asking when you can expect to receive your reimbursement. <S> Then try to be patient and not worry until it's warranted. <A> I still haven't received any money and I am worried that they may not reimburse because I didn't take the offer. <S> Is that possible? <S> Yes . <S> Companies do not tend to reimburse candidates who have not accepted the offer. <S> I don't know if it's common everywhere, but AFAIK it happens quite often in India. <S> So, your chances of getting a reimbursement look pretty bleak to me. <S> Should I just send an email and ask them? <S> Yes . <S> Please send a simple e-mail to her about the issue. <S> As simple as that.
| If you haven't been reimbursed a week from now (or if you feel like you've waited long enough), just send a simple email to your HR contact or the hiring manager that you noticed while checking your finances that you hadn't yet received the reimbursement Anything is possible but it's highly improbable .
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Is it appropriate to ask about the negative aspects of a company in an interview? If I am interviewing for a position at Company X, is it appropriate for me to ask the interviewer what they don't like about working at X? For example, say I were to ask the interviewer, "what is your least favorite thing about working at X"? Is that appropriate, or is considered a faux pas and will likely negatively affect my performance in the interview? Of course, the reason for asking such a question is to gauge if the negative aspects of a company (because we all know that no company is perfect) would be a deal breaker in accepting a position. For example, if the person answered, "Well, the company just did a giant reorganization and didn't ask any of the engineers what they thought about it. Given that it directly impacted my team and me, I would have liked to have been part of the decision." then that would give me insights into challenges I would face as an engineer with higher level management. Specifically, I would want to ask these questions now, before I got an offer because it's likely to be my only time to ask the actual day-to-day employees of the company rather than someone who is removed from their routine such as a recruiter. <Q> Yes , you can. <S> But, you might want to keep them polite and don't want to appear as if you are scrutinizing the company's culture or focusing a bit too much on the negatives. <S> A direct question like this: What do you like about working here? <S> And what do you dislike? <S> And some can be put/framed as indirect questions, which can be: Original Question: <S> What is the firing policy like? <S> How are mistakes handled? <S> Framed Question: <S> What is the process of onboarding of employees for my position, and how are beginner mistakes handled? <S> This does not completely do justice to the actual question, but itdoes touch the mistakes and firing parts. <S> How does < this > position affect the company's goals and mission? <S> What is the difference between an average employee, a good employee and a fantastic one? <S> This question focuses on your career ladder and what mistakes can you avoid, in order to excel at the company. <S> But, please avoid asking questions like: <S> Why is the company involved in this < issue >? <S> How are employee politics handled in the company? <S> etc. <A> For example, say I were to ask the interviewer, "what is your least favorite thing about working at X"? <S> Is that appropriate, or is considered a faux pas and will likely negatively affect my performance in the interview? <S> When being interviewed by a potential boss, I tend to stick with only positive questions and avoid anything negative. <S> However, when setting up the interview schedule, I try to ask for some time with at least one person who would be a peer, and if I'm a candidate for a management role, I try to get some time with one or more of the people I would be managing. <S> Asking about the negative side of the company, department or manager are very reasonable questions for this group. <S> Remember, while the company is interviewing you, you need to be interviewing them as well. <S> You need to see if they fit into your personal and career needs. <S> Asking for both the good and the bad can help you make a good decision, and help you find a company where you want to stay around for the long haul. <A> Job interviews are a lot like the first few dates with a new partner. <S> Each party tries to appear to be what the other party may be seeking. <S> Neither party gets to see what the other party is really like. <S> You can ask about the negative aspects of the company but you are likely to get a standard prepackaged response which has little to do with what working in the company is actually like. <A> Just as candidates learn not to answer "What is your greatest weakness" with a blurted out "often I don't care about doing a good job, I cut corners, go home early, and steal office supplies" so your interviewer is not going to say "Well, the company just did a giant reorganization and didn't ask any of the engineers what they thought about it. <S> Given that it directly impacted my team and me, I would have liked to have been part of the decision. <S> " They just are not , so the fact you might find that helpful is irrelevant. <S> If you ask specifically for things the person doesn't like, there's a good chance they will resist or give a non answer. <S> But it turns out that doesn't matter, because it's just as helpful to find out about things the interviewer likes (after all, they still work there) but that you don't. <S> So you can ask <S> are reorgs common here? <S> How do they usually happen? <S> can you outline the way the company is organized? <S> Maybe draw me a quick org chart <S> so I understand where this group sits? <S> How often does that change? <S> how would you describe the management style here when it comes to big strategic decisions, not just the day to day decisions that line managers make? <S> These are neutral questions. <S> The interviewer might tell you about something that you hate, or love. <S> You may, for example, learn that reorgs are common and generally disruptive and surprising. <S> You may learn that the organizational structure is one you dislike. <S> But you haven't "tipped your hand" to the interview, you're just gathering information, right? <S> Yes, this is harder than asking "What don't you like?" <S> but it will get you information that you need. <S> So work out in advance a bunch of these kinds of questions, and when you get to the end, if they haven't been covered already, ask them.
| However, it is still a good question to ask because a candidate in an interview is expected to be very excited about the company and this one of the questions to ask in order to show how serious you are about working there. It is okay, and interviewers face such questions, so it is all right to ask them. That's not something I would ask of the hiring manager.
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Should two weeks be given if I'm not sure how long I will be kept on? I accepted a job in another city, but after a few months, I have realized that it is not right for me. I also strongly do not believe that it can be fixed for a myriad of reasons. I then found another job that I very much wanted, and landed it. I need a steady (as much as possible) stream of income, so I am hesitant to give the full two weeks notice. Since I've only been there a few months, I'm thinking there's a high probability they will let me go either on the spot or less than the 2 weeks. I'm very sure I'll never want to work there again, and I get that I'm already burning a bridge by quitting so early (but it's just honestly what's bet for me). Should I give the full two weeks, 1 week, or something else? And are my assumptions more or less correct about being let go early? Note: I am in the US and not on a contract. It is an 'at-will' employer meaning I can be terminated (or conversely leave) without notice or cause. <Q> And are my assumptions more or less correct about being let go early? <S> No one can know this. <S> You will find out when you give notice (reread your contract, too). <S> However, planning for the worst is probably good so... <S> Should I give the full two weeks, 1 week, or something else? <S> Why don't you talk with your new company and tell them, "I would like to give 2 weeks notice at my current company out of respect, but am concerned they will just let me go immediately. <S> If this happens I would be available to start on X instead of Y - is this an option?" <A> Since your profile shows Florida, I am assuming this is in the US. <S> Your contract certainly should be checked first and trumps anything we may tell you. <S> Not withstanding state specifics, they can terminate you on the spot. <S> However, that changes the dynamic of the situation. <S> When you give two weeks notice, you are in control of your termination date and bear the burden for the same. <S> However, if they fire you on the spot, they have taken control of the termination date and now bear the burden. <S> In most situations, this would obligate them for unemployment, since technically you have now been fired and many companies don't want to deal with that. <S> If they don't want you around, they may just say don't come back in <S> and we'll pay you for the two weeks. <S> You should also check state law in Florida or whatever state you work in to see exactly how this scenario is interpreted. <A> Just give your two weeks. <S> If the company decides to walk you out AND not pay out the two weeks <S> then call the new employer and ask about starting immediately. <S> This type of situation is common enough that the new employer would understand. <A> Quitting with less notice tends to leave behind a mostly unfavorable perception. <S> Since you've only been there a few months, your (soon to be former) company <S> may well ask you to leave on the spot or after just a few days. <S> If that happens, you can always call up your new employer and explain (in a positive manner ) that you are available to start earlier than originally planned.
| Generally, you should give the full two-weeks notice.
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Disciplinary due to response to stress After many weeks of a stressful situation with extensive hours and demands, employee cracked and responded in a way they shouldn't (spoke harshly to boss in front of others in the office) in response to something relatively innocuous. Result, a disciplinary hearing for unprofessional behaviour - explained reasons /mitigation in the meeting but these were essentially dismissed ("should have spoken up before" etc) and the reprimand upheld and put on file for a period. Didn't speak up before because of already feeling stressed and intimidated due to various company politics etc. some of which had already been unofficially brought up but disregarded. Employee now constantly in fear of something else generating an additional/further warning and as a result willing to do any unreasonable hours etc to get things done and not speak up. Is the warning justified or what should have been done differently? <Q> Is the warning justified? <S> Yes. <S> The employee, presumably you, should sit down with the boss and calmly come up with a plan for how best to go forward. <S> Keeping everything in until you blow your lid isn't professional. <S> Ultimately, no one can help you until you let them know there's a problem. <A> Speaking harshly to the boss in front of others is a fair reprimand. <S> What should have been done differently is not speak harshly to the boss in front of others. <S> There are not mitigating reasons - you did it or you did not. <S> Not that big a deal if it is just a reprimand for a period. <S> I suspect you have learned your lesson on harsh words in public. <S> If you speak harshly to the coach on the field or in the media you are going to get benched. <S> They have to set boundaries. <S> What you can say behind closed doors is different but you still should state your grievances in a professional tone. <A> I would say that the employee committed a major blunder. <S> The major blunder was not his speaking harshly to his boss - <S> that was a minor blunder. <S> No job, no company, no manager is so great that an employee should take on such a lot of stress. <S> The employee was very naive. <S> He did not understand the fact that the workplace is merely a place of exchange - the employee provides skill and labor and <S> in return s <S> /he gets a paycheck and benefits from the employer. <S> The exchange must be fair to both the employee as well as the employer. <S> If an employee has to take on so much stress that he cracks <S> then he is letting his employer cheat him in the exchange. <S> This happens when an employee brings ambition, greed for money and other vanity based notions into his job. <S> If he gradually curbs such tendencies then he will no longer take on such pointless levels of stress. <S> There will be fewer occasions when he cracks <S> and he will have a much better quality of life.
| Just put your head down and do your job. They pretty much have to do something about it to send a message to others. The major blunder was that he worked so hard that he cracked.
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Should I include the fact that I am a member of a diversity society in my application? I am a member of the American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES), a diversity society that promotes the advancement of Native Americans and other indigenous groups in STEM fields, among other things. I also consider the membership to be a record of my leadership skills, as I was an officer for my university AISES chapter, thus I would like to think that this is a good thing to include on my applications and/or resume. Question: Will it negatively affect my application status if I include this information in my application (NOT in the optional EEO diversity information part)? I'm worried that if I include this information, my application may be disqualified by them possibly deducing my ethnic background. I'd appreciate any thoughts on the matter. EDIT: I should clarify that I'm not worried they will disqualify me solely based on my ethnic background, but rather for some bureaucratic reason, as though finding out about something that is normally reported confidentially (through voluntary EEO fields) will affect my status. <Q> I really don't see any way this can hurt you short of outright bigotry... which will be balanced by those who think a diverse employee base is a good thing. <S> And as you say, it gives you an opportunity to talk about leadership. <S> I strongly vote for including it. <S> (Note: Leadership is the key here. <S> Just being a member doesn't count for as much; the thing that will impress is what you lead the group in doing, officially or not.) <A> For example, if the job requires strong financial skills, talk about how you collected members' fees, complied with audits etc. <S> If you want to demonstrate leadership, give clear examples of how you tackled and solved a problem, what the upshot was, how many people benefited from your decision. <S> Don't necessarily talk about the beer-pong mixer you organised ;-) <S> One thing to note about diversity requirements - all the policies in the world won't protect you from an incompetent interviewer. <S> At some point you'll sit in front of someone and your gender/race/disability/etc will become pretty obvious. <S> Generally speaking, you don't want to work for the people who won't respect you. <S> There is a trend in some organisations to remove all protected characteristics from applications - your name becomes your initials, graduating dates are removed, that sort of thing. <S> I don't know how a recruiter / HR department would deal with a fundamental part of your CV which references a protected characteristic like race. <S> If you are worried, I would recommend that you contact the HR department before sending in an application and checking whether it falls foul of any of their policies. <S> Best of luck! <A> Sadly, the evidence shows you should hide your race. <S> Diversity statements often backfire, in large part because minority students "let their guard down" when applying to a company with a diverse statement. <S> But of course the people reviewing the application still suffer from unconscious bias (or I guess are just overtly racist). <S> https://hbr.org/2016/03/the-unintended-consequences-of-diversity-statements <S> We found that roughly one-third of our sample had engaged in whitening, and two-thirds knew someone else who had. <S> The main areas where this whitening occurred were with names (e.g., using a “white” first name such as Jenn instead of an Asian first name such as Jing) and descriptions of experience (e.g., dropping “Black” when listing membership in the “Black Engineering Students’ Association”). <S> Among the motivations that interviewees mentioned for whitening, the main reason was to tone down their race in order to avoid discrimination. <S> Importantly, interviewees indicated that they whitened less or not at all when applying to jobs for employers who explicitly state that they value diversity. <S> And In our second study, we tested whether minorities do indeed whiten less when applying for jobs that include pro-diversity statements. <S> And the conclusion <S> We found that the whitened versions of both the black and Asian resumes were more than twice as likely to result in a callback as unwhitened resumes, even though the listed qualifications were identical — in line with other studies showing lower callback rates for minority applicants. <S> Most importantly, the discrimination against unwhitened resumes was no smaller for purportedly pro-diversity employers than for employers that didn’t mention diversity in their job ad. <S> That being said, you may of course choose to include experiences that indicate your race. <S> I personally would respect and even encourage that decision. <S> But you wanted an evidence-based answer, and the evidence is not glamorous.
| Only include it if it will demonstrate skills which are relevant to the job for which you are applying.
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Should an experienced IT professional accept more responsibility without more pay? I've been working in the IT industry for the past 20 years and have done everything from coding to QA and system test. I have a BS in Computer Science and currently work as a tester in a Test/QA organization. I've been offered a position as the Team Lead (the current Lead is being promoted to another position) for the group (that supports 3 different projects) that I work in. I don't have specific management experience but for the test project that I work on, I've been the group leader for the past year. As Team Lead, I'd be responsible for the entire team (3 projects) and have 20 direct reports. The Team Lead position would mean a lot more responsibility. Should I ask for a raise and if so when? <Q> It really depends on whether you want to become a team lead and deal with 20 team members and several direct and indirect bosses more than your employer <S> wants you specifically to be the team lead. <S> The commodity that is more in demand always commands a higher price. <S> If your desire to become a team lead is more than your employer's desire to have you as the team lead, then the commodity you desire has a higher price <S> and so you have to prove yourself first as a team lead for about 6 months before you ask for a raise. <S> If you are not interested in the team lead position unless there is a raise, then it is better to ask about a raise before you take up the team <S> lead position or as soon as possible if you have already taken up that position, so you can decline it right away. <A> You should ask for a raise to at least put it on the radar that you know that the position is worth more than what you are currently making. <S> Your company would likely be happy to continue paying you what you are presently making so you are the only one to gain by bringing it up. <S> As to when, definitley before you take on the role. <S> The urgency of the situation is entirely based on when you will take on the extra responsibilities. <S> If you start tomorrow book a meeting with HR and your manager today. <A>
| You should ask for a rise before taking the new role you need to compare your current salary to what the other team leads are getting and ask for say 10% more
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How can I keep my boss's trust after a "bad spell"? Background: I work as the only bookkeeper/office manager in a local small business. As such, most of my work is self-managed with little to no direct supervision, and I am considered the "right-hand lady" (a term he has used) to the owner, my boss. So long as I can produce certain reports when my boss requests them, and so long as the power is still running (meaning the bills are paid), most of my work goes unnoticed (but not unappreciated). I also have some flexibility in my shifts so long as I accurately track my hours, as my boss spends most of his days out of the office. Over the course of the month of October, I have been struggling with work due to my father being in and out of the hospital after a serious heart attack. My boss is aware of the situation and I took off a day or two, or left early a day or two, with his knowledge in order to handle these issues. Even when I am at work I find myself on the phone to coordinate health care, or to communicate to people that need information. (Note: I'm located in the U.S. and am therefore also dealing with the financial repercussions of my father's illness, as well as essentially being his caretaker while he recovers, since he can't afford an in-home caretaker.) I have begun to realize that due to these personal problems (that I have unwillingly been bringing with me to the office everyday), the quality of my work has suffered over the course of the past month. I am very behind in terms of projects that need to be completed, and a couple of items will likely not be finished by their deadlines. The Question: I want to "come clean" with my boss, I guess you could say, and tell him honestly that I have not been meeting expectations of my job over the course of the last few weeks, but that I intend to make it right. In the course of this "confession" I would also like to ask for some leeway at work, to get caught up on projects and to express that I cannot take on any extra projects until I am more stable. My question might end up being too opinion-based , but I would really love some feedback from previous or current managers. I looked over a few questions, namely this one , this one , and this one . I feel that none of them had the answers I'm looking for, and most of them were closed for being opinion-based. I'm hoping that my question doesn't fall quite under this scope. I really just want the best and most professional method to deal with the issue , as this has never happened before in our working relationship. If the question does end up closed, I can definitely accept that. How do I make my boss aware of a personal situation without having him lose trust in me as his employee? In addition, I thought it would be easiest to write everything out in an email, and let him read it at his leisure, and then speak to him. Would this be considered unprofessional as opposed to approaching him face-to-face to speak to him? What method is best (especially in a boss that is hard to pin down for one-on-one meetings) to speak about something very personal and very likely negative? <Q> I have found in life that most people are very understanding if you are upfront with them. <S> Just have a chat with him. <S> People, including managers, are human. <S> He may have had a previous experience in his life as well. <S> Most, if not all, will at some point. <S> I never really understand this concept of being 'professional'. <S> I just be honest and polite to people. <S> That is my definition of "professional". <S> Just use this yard stick for conversations and you will not go far wrong. <S> I would imagine that you manager will listen to you and will understand that this is a temporary bump in the road and give you a little slack. <S> Why should he lose trust - just because you have got this other stuff going on? <S> Just means you might not be as productive as usual. <S> These things happen in life <A> How do I make my boss aware of a personal situation without having him lose trust in me as his employee? <S> In your question you indicate that your boss is already aware. <S> You said "My boss is aware of the situation <S> and I took off a day or two, or left early a day or two, with his knowledge in order to handle these issues. <S> " I don't think that awareness would cause him to lose trust in you. <S> On the other hand, just performing poorly, without planning to change and without informing your boss about your how you will handle your situation could indeed erode trust further. <S> So choose to be open and honest. <S> Your family comes first of course, but it's also really good that you consider work implications as well. <S> That shows a commitment to work that many managers really appreciate and will respond to in a positive way. <S> I've had folks come to me (as their boss) <S> when they have had personal or family situations. <S> The best cases by far were when the employees had a clear picture of what they needed to do for their family, how it might impact their work, and what they intended to do in order to minimize the impact on their work. <S> The worst cases were when the employee basically made it solely my problem. <S> I can often find a way to work with people on my team to help them and their families as best I can. <S> Sometimes they some need time off to dedicate to their family situation. <S> Sometimes they need a change to their work routine so they can deal with issues at home - perhaps they need to travel less, or change the hours they work. <S> Sometimes they need a reduction in hours. <S> Sometimes they need advice. <S> Sometimes they just need someone to hear their struggle. <S> I can do any/all of these if given a chance. <S> Give your manager a chance to help. <S> Ask for what you need. <S> And work with your manager so that it works for both of you. <A> The fact that your boss is rarely in the office complicates this. <S> and then a detailed email to followup <S> (write it before teh call, so you can send it out after talking to him). <S> If you want to make this a easy for everyone to handle as possible, before you talk to him or email him, make a list of exactly what is behind and how far behind it is and try to prioritize the order in which you should do things. <S> So when you contact him, you have a plan for how this backlog is going to be cleared. <S> He is already aware of your situation, so just tell him straight out that this was affecting you more than you realized and these are the things that are going to be late. <S> Then apologize for not bringing it up sooner. <S> Then show him your prioritized list and get his agreement as to the order in which you should do things and the new deadlines. <S> If you can commit some extra time to get the backlog cleared, then tell him that you will do that, but in your current situation, you may not have that luxury. <S> Also consider if now would be a good time to get set up to work from home some. <S> Yes you probably need to be there during the work hours, but if you could do a little in the evenings while you are still able to check in with your dad, it would be easier to get caught up again. <S> I hope your dad gets better soon. <S> It is hard to deal with a full-time job and a personal emergency. <S> So don't beat yourself up about this. <S> Life is not so good sometimes and it does affect us at work even if we wish it didn't. <S> Just be up front about the effect and have a plan for how to work through the problems.
| On the contrary, being honest and open, particularly when you have decided that you will work hard to regain any trust lost to date could easily help the situation. A good manager will understand your situation, and offer to help you do better in any way possible. Normally I would suggest in person discussion, but in this case, you might want to start with a call if he is reachable by phone
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Are the resumes my company receives procedurally generated? I'm a software engineer at a startup. When people apply to the company to work here, their resumes get passed around the engineering room, where we give them a simple yes/no to a phone interview. My company posts all over the standard job sites. I've noticed a pattern with the resumes. Every batch of resumes has a few from either Indian or Chinese students. They all have these characteristics: Name is so common that google doesn't say anything about it Bachelor's from a university presumably in the applicant's home country About to attain a Masters in (usually) electrical engineering from a local popular university No work experience or work experience where the company is not named Coursework projects usually contain some sort of multithreaded library, database project, software related to automated/solar/concept vehicle, etc Most of our engineers say yes to an interview but they don't end up interviewing with us Now, most of these could be coincidences explained by cultural patterns, prejudice against unexperienced foreign engineers, the way that these universities advise their students, etc. But they just feel like they're procedurally generated. Is there an explanation for these similarities beyond the cultural reasons listed? What reason would someone have to make fake resumes, and is there any documented case of this happening? EDIT: This company is based in the US <Q> It totally depends on the country's dynamics to be honest. <S> China and India are the two most populated countries in the world. <S> So its obvious a lot of people from these countries have migrated to another countries. <S> Countries like United States, Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand, etc are full of Chinese and Indians who have migrated at some point. <S> As a matter of fact, I am an immigrant from India currently working in Canada with a degree from my home country and have attained a masters degree in Canada. <S> My work experience was in a small company which has no web existence. <S> (You can look up my careers profile). <S> Also you can try googling my name and see if you can find the real me. <S> (Its easy but there are a lot of people with my name). <S> And I assure you I am not a bot. <S> :) <S> Panoptical suggested an important point in his answer that universities have the same format for their resumes which they give to their students. <S> With the lack of outside exposure, it is possible that those students just ended up using those formats. <S> Chances are that they already got something or are not interested <S> (Maybe they applied blindly and then realized the requirements are not what they want). <S> But chances are less about them being bots. <S> However to make sure, you have only few options like reach them out personally or email them according to your company procedures. <A> Disclaimer: While I personally don't have experience with this, I have heard of this occurring with other companies that I've worked with. <S> One possibility is just what you mentioned above: these are in fact real resumes that were created with poor guidance from their university. <S> You may want to try to reach out to that university's career center (if one exists) to see if you can provide better guidance to resume writing, given of course that you're interested in seeing more resumes from this university. <S> Another reason for this can be data mining. <S> Some companies actually try to see specifically if any keywords, specific types of job experience, or other buzzwords on a resume help to get a fake applicant past the initial screening to a phone interview. <S> They could then advise real applicants (who would pay them) to create a similar resume and send that off for your review, under the (hopefully) misguided recommendation that that kind of resume would get them a "guaranteed" interview. <S> This is a scam that usually doesn't end well, but can be an annoyance to your HR team when receiving poorly written resumes. <S> Edit: <A> Have you tried calling them? <S> I noticed this as well and typically what it is are recruiters. <S> They'll say, "Oh Bob Common got a job elsewhere <S> but I can help you!" <S> They typically have common email domains like yahoo or gmail accounts. <S> Try calling any number or putting them into a search engine to see if you get back anything. <S> If you call or email them and you get forward to a different domain or number, then you know you got spammed. <S> If you posted the job listing on popular sites like Dice, or CareerBuilders, then that is the source of it. <S> Chances are you posted the job somewhere where this recruiters are posting jobs to you. <S> Another possibility is that they are actual students. <S> At my university, they have a very high population of students from India coming over for a masters in computer science. <S> It could be that the person is trying to stay in the US and one of the requirements is that they have a job. <S> So in that respect it might make sense but it entirely depends on the school and whether that is true. <S> Edit: Also, try searching their name along with their university. <S> For example, Bob Common Harvard might return something. <S> Most big colleges/universities have recent alumni for their department page. <S> Or they may have published a paper, which would be especially true for Master level students who might have submitted a project or paper. <S> So searching for name plus university/college/school might be a better search string for common names. <A> Quick tip on screening applicants - you don't have to spend a lot of time on it. <S> I typically get 100 or so resumes each time I advertise for one opening. <S> If I did what you did - it would waste a lot of people's time. <S> I wouldn't even pass a resume like the one you described around. <S> Hopefully, in your advert you will have listed minimum requirements, along with bonus attributes. <S> Step one - if an applicant doesn't meet those minimums and doesn't gave anything else that it is stellar, bin them. <S> You don't need anyone else's input on this. <S> This will take a couple of hours. <S> Step two - you've probably removed about 75% of applicants. <S> This is where you get one or two others to help filter down to about a dozen candidates. <S> This will take up to an hour. <S> Step three - phone screen. <S> 5 minutes of basic questions can easily identify overstatement. <S> Another hour. <S> Step four - you probably now only have about 6 interviews to conduct, which can be conducted in one day. <S> Remember to keep the same bar set throughout - it's cheaper to readvertise than deal with a bad hire.
| To sum up (and because of the title change to the question), the best way to tell if the resume is real or fake is really to try to reach out to the person, given that their resume matches what you're looking for.
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How to deal with recruiters who are prompting candidates with our questions? In engineering fields it can be quite difficult to come up with good, consistent questions that enable an interviewer to consistently get a good overview of what a candidate is capable of. Unfortunately, in these fields, recruiters are very desperate to get placements because it can be quite lucrative, and so they do whatever they can to give their candidates an edge - including quizzing them on the questions that they were asked so that they can prime their candidates for success at answering the questions. The end result is that our questions become useless, as if a candidate already knows the answer (or has a chance to research it ahead of time) we can't get any data about their actual ability to solve problems themselves. Short of having to come up with new questions for every candidate (bad because it increases the interviewing workload and makes it difficult to make objective comparisons) or asking HR to bar candidates who come from these bad recruiters (they are unwilling to do that), how can we avoid having recruiters "poisoning the well" in this way? EDITED TO ADD: The questions we ask are not simple "memorization" or "trivia" questions. They are problem-solving and high-level systems design. However, this question still applies to fields where memorization/trivia questions are an important part of the screening process, and the nature of the problem itself is not the part of this situation that needs to be changed in any case. Also, the recruiting firms are hired by us to find candidates - we're the ones paying their hiring bonus, not the candidates. Thus, they really should not be sending us low-quality candidates that they have prepped to seem like high-quality candidates. <Q> What questions are you asking? <S> I'm assuming you aren't asking trivia questions but have more meaningful questions. <S> If you have design types of questions, you can switch small details and really trip someone who doesn't actually know what they are doing up. <S> Changing small details of your interview questions can really prove a few things: Non-qualified candidates who "studied for the test" will fail miserably Qualified candidates who know the material will easily be able to adapt and thus prove themselves If you don't want to do this, ask lots of "why" questions. <S> "Why are you doing X?" <S> "What about Y?" <S> as followups. <S> Good candidates will be able to answer, or at least discuss intelligently, regardless of preparation - bad candidates won't. <S> ... have you talked to the recruiter? <S> You may also want to ask your recruiter about this and see why they are doing it. <S> That may be not aware it is causing you problems. <S> You may quickly resolve this by a short conversation. <S> Otherwise, if they tell you they aren't/refuse/whatever, get better/different recruiters. <S> It sounds like you are working with bottom of the barrel recruiters. <S> Also consider the possibility your questions are posted online (and not from the recruiter). <S> I'd suggest first looking into this before blaming your recruiter. <S> If you work for an even remotely high profile company chances are questions are posted all over the Internet. <S> You can also consider including NDA type of agreements in your interview process. <S> If you have a dedicated HR/legal department approach them about this issue. <A> The best interviews I ever had involved an open ended project <S> "Show me how you would design a game of monopoly" "write a method to check to see if a string is a palindrome" " <S> I'm a client who wants you to design a system for them... <S> ask me questions and figure out what I want", etc. <S> You don't have to do a lot of footwork to simply swap between monopoly and solitaire (or whatever the engineering equivalent would be), and what kind of prep work are they going to do <S> when the test is basically "show me how you go about doing engineering work"? <S> An example might be to come up with a list of issues that you've run into in the job that you will be asking him to do. <S> Ask him how he would go about troubleshooting and solving the problem. <S> Listen to his answer and judge him on it, but don't tell him what the "real" answer was. <S> So what if the candidate might have a little extra time to research the problem... <S> that's more realistic than expecting him to know it on the spot. <S> Real engineers solving problems have the same time and resources that your candidates will have if they have advanced warning of the nature of the problems. <S> And if you really want to level the playing field, pass out a list of real world problems to the candidates a day or two beforehand. <S> After all, what you really should be testing is their ability to use the resources available to solve problems, not their ability to have facts memorized. <A> Start asking questions the recruiters can't answer. <S> Otherwise, the questions are just like Trivial Pursuit or Let's See <S> If You Know What I Know sort of games. <S> There's nothing wrong with someone preparing themselves anyway. <S> You have to decide the importance of memorization in your field. <S> Maybe you should have the candidates do a small task that is typical of your projects to demonstrate they can do what the job requires. <A> Make sure your contract with the recruiters states that the bonus is only paid if the person stays in your company for, say, 3 months. <S> If a candidate comes through your screening process by memorising questions he/she will probably not be with you for long... <A> The other answers give short shrift to the severity of the issue presented by the OP. <S> The OP is valid/on-target. <S> If you want to go create a pool of dozens of distinct questions that is admirable. <S> For an interviewer who does not have infinite time on their hands -and who justifiably places heavy emphasis on coding ability - this is real conundrum. <S> Given all this - if I were the interviewer I would put a significantly higher bar on those candidates coming from that particular agency. <S> The actual questions would likely be more off the cuff: in any case they are going to be "leaked" back to their agency so they do not deserve as much attention. <S> You can probably discern in any case if the candidates had heard the questions before. <A> Rather than asking them to come up with a design (which is the kind of thing you can learn for), let them look into someone else's existing design and perform a peer review of it. <S> That's a very different skill, a very important one and you can just pull up the last few commits made to Github on some public project and review that with the candidate. <S> There's literally no way to prepare for a code review of a piece of code that didn't exist yet when you started the interview. <S> (This of course requires that the interviewer be at least at capable as the interviewee, because he'll also have to be able to analyse an unknown codebase in fairly short time.)
| Questions based on experience or require the ability to apply knowledge are going to be difficult for recruiters to help with too much prep. Instead of coming up with different questions for every candidate, come up with questions that are going to be different for every candidate.
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Should I answer "Why do you want to work here?" honestly after being recruited A couple of weeks ago I attended a job fair at my university. I graduate in April and was looking for opportunities for after I graduate. A recruiter stopped me as I was walking by his booth. We talked for a minute. I gave him my resume. He asked me if I would interview with his company the next day. The interview would be my fourth that day but I was a little intrigued by the company so I said I would. The next day I interviewed with a different recruiter than I had previously talked to. One of the first questions that he asked me was, "Why do you want to work for 'X'?". I was a little taken aback because I didn't know if I wanted to work there. That was one of my main reasons for being in the interview was to feel out the company to see if I did want to work there. I gave some generic answer, "Good company, blah blah blah". I could tell he wasn't impressed. The truth was that I already had another offer and my other interviews that day had gone well (They have all since offered or I ended the interview process). I was just there to scope out his company. Should I have been honest and told him that? He seemed like he wanted a deep sincere answer but I didn't have one to give him. <Q> The question isn't just "Why do you want to work here? <S> " <S> - there's an unspoken second part to the question " rather than somewhere else? " <S> As per this excellent comic , the reason you want a job is that you are willing to exchange your labour in return for money. <S> So, why do you want to work at Burger King rather than McDonalds? <S> Consider these answers - what do they tell you about the candidate? <S> Who would you hire? <S> "This location is closest to where I live." <S> "I'm banned from McDonalds." <S> "I'm impressed with your recent commitment to only use organic potatoes in your chips." <S> "I want free burgers. <S> " <S> "You've had year-on-year growth above the market average, I'm keen to understand how you make superior returns. <S> " <S> "It's a condition of my parole that I interview for minimum wage jobs." <S> "I don't have experience of handling cash transactions - <S> I know it's a valuable skill in today's workplace. <S> " <S> "You pay better than the other place." <S> "As someone with a background in food technology, I want to see how I can improve the efficiency of your internal processes." <S> You're given a chance to impress the recruiter with what you know about them, why you want to work with them specifically , and what you can bring to the table. <S> In your situation - I think it's fair that you interview them . <S> Tell them that you want to understand what they do and what they have to offer you. <A> The answer to "should I answer honestly?" depends heavily on your answer to the question. <S> If your answer is "I want to make phat cash!" <S> or "The chicks here are hawt!" <S> , then no it's not in your best interest to answer honestly. <S> This is a very common question though. <S> Companies want more than passing interest when they hire. <S> With the ubiquitous nature of consultants and contractors, companies often want employees to be more than "mercenaries". <S> You don't have to be gung-ho about working there. <S> Your answer can be as simple as "I haven't really decided that I do want to work here, but I'm intrigued by {X}, {Y} and {Z}." <S> Working at a place will be a mutual relationship, and if you've shown that you've done your homework and really looked into it <S> (and you have the skills to do the job of course) then they'll be interested in doing what they can to get you on board. <S> If it turns out your goals aren't in line with theirs it can be discovered in the interview process and there's no harm/no foul. <S> But if it's just a passing interest or a lack of preparation, then the company is unlikely to want to continue because that doesn't show the kind of potential dedication and diligence they're looking for. <S> Honesty is good, but only if it's a tempered and informed honesty. <S> Note: <S> I'm not advocating dishonesty in any circumstance. <S> However, "blunt" honesty can hurt a candidacy if not delicately handled. <A> In a similar situation, I was kicked out of an interview after I could mention what the other companies I was interested did but could temporarily not recall what the interviewer's company did. <S> Companies in this situation expect you to do some minimal initial homework and have a partially formed idea about why you might want to work there. <S> Even if you are a stellar candidate and it is a candidate's job market, you run the risk of being passed over without this. <S> Without it, the interviewer will be wondering what will keep you interested in working there after you are hired.
| Going into any interview or application you should have at least researched a little and gotten an understanding of the company, it's products/services and come up with something that makes it interesting to work there.
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Customer (small non-profit social services organization) doesn't like the term "business logic" I've been hired to do contract programming work for a small non-profit social services organization. In the initial meeting, I used the phrase "business logic" and my contact at the non-profit became very upset, stating that it's "not a business" and "you don't use business logic on homeless people. The logic of business is exactly what has victimized the people we are trying to help." I tried to explain but it became clear that I was in a hole and I had to stop digging. The customer's always right, so I promised not to use "business logic" in the project, but she doesn't trust me any more. She wants to fire me and hire "somebody who understands the concept of empathy". I have to stress that the customer is a very nice person, but non-technical. How can I reassure her that the website I'm building won't have any "business logic"? <Q> How can I reassure her that the website I'm building won't have any "business logic"? <S> You can't. <S> Your client has no idea about anything technical, apparently, and you've already burned the trust bridge. <S> She already wants to fire you which means you almost certainly aren't going to "fix" that bridge. <S> What I would do is ask, "how would you like me to describe how the site works? <S> generally, this is described as 'business logic' but I want to use a term which you feel comfortable with. <S> " <S> If you want to increase your odds apologize for using a term that upset her (note you aren't apologizing for being wrong, but for how she felt as a result. <S> Regardless of how wrong/naive <S> she is you at least <S> did make her feel upset). <S> Apologizing can be a decent way to at least start to rebuild trust. <S> Asking what she wants you to call it is another. <S> However... I'd expect that you have close to a 0% chance of salvaging this relationship. <S> It doesn't matter how right you are if you piss off your client and make them feel bad. <S> The question you should ask yourself is: will this new contract be beneficial for you? <S> Starting out like this? <S> Odds are... no. <A> Simply tell her that you have eliminated all traces of 'business' logic and replaced it with 'domain' logic. <S> If that does not convince her, nothing will I'm afraid... <A> I would explain to her that "business logic" is an software industry term for the process that the software takes to determine what to do in a given situation. <S> For example, whether to offer the homeless person a Super Awesome Package of Doodads or the Deluxe Doodad Basket given the information you have. <S> If she lets a simple bit of English rile up her emotions and can't get over it, I would consider finding another client. <S> I would seriously question the objective decision making ability of someone who can't get over a simple English term. <A> Quit while you're ahead. <S> This would be like a plumber dealing with someone who doesn't want to use the word 'pipe'. <S> This client has personal sensitivities that are way beyond your ilk. <S> You are a developer, and not a shrink. <S> Doubtlessly there are going to be lots of other occasions where you run into some incredibly stupid stuff based on this person's need to be more empathetic than reasonable -- which is why there was an opening to do this work in the first darned place. <S> Smile real wide, and RUN. <A> How can I reassure her that the website I'm building won't have any "business logic"? <S> I tried to explain but it became clear that I was in a hole <S> and I hadto stop digging. <S> To get the client to trust you, you tell her that you are on her side. <S> Instead you signaled to her that you were more interested in defending your phrasing (which, by the way, was totally defensible -- it's just not going to win this client's loyalty). <S> Many non-profits use business terms to describe their activities. <S> By strongly reacting to your use of the otherwise innocuous term "business logic," she's signaling that she wants you, the person she's paying, to shift your mindset. <S> So to begin rebuilding trust , your next interaction could begin something like this: <S> When we first started working together, I approached this as justanother job. <S> But after reflecting a bit on our lastconversation, I'm starting to see the need to view our challengesdifferently--not just business as usual. <S> Two things: an acknowledgement that you guys weren't on the same page before a willingness to change <S> This even protects you during an inevitable "relapse" ( <S> you're working on changing your mindset but you're not perfect yet). <A> No one likes to be told they are flat-out wrong about something they are upset about, even if they are wrong. <S> In fact, especially if they are flat-out-wrong, because they lose face. <S> When dealing with human beings, you need to address the emotional side (what she associates with what she thought you said) before you can deal with the facts (what you actually said). <S> The thing to do would have been to, as soon as she started becoming upset: pause, and then say "I'm sorry, but I'm not sure what you think I'm suggesting." <S> Then hear her out. <S> Yes, she'll go on about a bunch of stuff that you know is factually irrelevant to what you just said, but she doesn't know that. <S> When she finishes, assure her that you most definitely do not want (all the horrible things she associates with the term "business logic"). <S> Once she feels heard, and is reassured that you don't want to impose her associations with 'business logic' on the homeless people, then you can propose that the two of you use a different term, explain what you meant, and ask what term she would prefer. <S> The trick is to correct her misunderstanding of what you said without her losing face or feeling like her concerns were trivialized. <S> Unfortunately, it may already be too late; you may be happier & saner finding someone else to do the project. <A> I would apologize and just say you were using an abstract technical term. <S> Ask her what she would like to call the group of rules the computer needs to follow. <S> As far as getting rid of you, try explaining that she's just going to have to educate the next person because the terminology is fairly universal. <S> If she wants to display empathy, ask her how the poor computer is suppose to know this isn't a business ;)
| Use 'domain logic' instead of 'business logic', it's probably a less laden term to use with said person.
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Effectiveness of "Killer interview questions" Lately I've personally noticed a trend in online magazines and blogs mentioning "Killer interview questions". These are questions which are quite off-field and sometimes strange. Lifehacker (aus) even has a specific topic dedicated to these types of questions. What I'd like to know is; How effective are these types of interview questions? Are they just a gimick that large companies use to stand-out from the rest? Are they scientifically-backed and effective? Unrelated but interesting examples of Killer Interview Questions: If The World Is A Stage What Role Would You Want To Play? What Is Your Spirit Animal? What would you do in the event of a zombie apocalypse? <Q> The best interview questions and activities are the ones where both you and the candidate can get a feel for what a person knows, how he/she works, and how well <S> he/she will fit into your company. <S> Questions should be relevant to the work they will be expected to do. <S> Random, oddball, "out-of-the-box" questions have very little correlation to the success a candidate will have on the job. <S> These are lame questions. <S> Consider my answers to the "killer" questions listed in the original question: <S> If The World Is A Stage <S> What Role Would You Want To Play? <S> Director. <S> Next question. <S> What Is Your Spirit Animal? <S> Human. <S> Next question. <S> What would you do in the event of a zombie apocalypse? <S> Move out of the way ( not my idea ). <S> What might you infer from my responses? <S> Virtually nothing, realistically. <S> But you might be justified in thinking I could be pragmatic. <S> What I'm actually saying (hidden by the starkness of printed words on a page), is that I'm not impressed by your questioning. <S> In my experience (I've been interviewing candidates off and on for 15 years), these types of questions most often come from inexperienced interviewers who were thrust into the role unexpectedly and scrambled on the Internet to find some questions to ask so they didn't feel/look stupid in front of a candidate. <S> Over time, good interviewers find relevant questions and techniques and get good at evaluating the candidates' responses to them. <A> Whilst I tend to agree with Kent's answer I would think there is perhaps some value in these questions in addition to standard competency questions and for specific companies . <S> As Kent says part of the interview is to "get a feel for ... <S> how well <S> he/she will fit into your company". <S> If the company was very relaxed, social and nerdy I could see the reaction to the 'zombie apocalypse' question giving a good indication of if a candidate would fit it. <S> It also strongly depends on the role being interviewed for, these may not be appropriate for technical interviews <S> but I could see questions being used for sales positions just to get a feel of how people respond. <S> Having said all that, I couldn't see myself asking anything like that as an interviewer. <S> There are other, better, ways to establish the same thing without trying to throw candidates off with weird questions. <S> And the 'spirit animal' one strays dangerously close to spirituality / religion which would be off limits in interviews in some countries (and should be everywhere short of interviews for specific religious positions). <S> To answer your specific question: Are they just a gimmick that large companies use to stand-out from the rest? <S> Are they scientifically-backed and effective? <S> As far as I can find there's no scientific evidence, to support that the best I have is from an Entrepreneur article on the subject : The good news is that companies are moving away from them. <S> Recent research shows these questions do little more than boost the interviewer’s confidence. <S> In the words of Laszlo Bock, Google’s HR chief: <S> “If you’ve heard that Google likes to pose brain-teaser questions to candidates—like why manhole covers are round—your information is out of date. <S> There’s no evidence that they suggest how people perform on the job.” <A> If The World Is A Stage <S> What Role Would You Want To Play? <S> Perfectly acceptable question for a political party to ask of their presidential candidates. <S> What Is Your Spirit Animal? <S> Perfectly acceptable question when being interviewed for a position as a homeopathy salesperson. <S> What would you do in the event of a zombie apocalypse? <S> Excellent question when interviewing writers for next season's Walking Dead series. <S> In any other context? <S> Just silly BS.
| They are most often used to satisfy the entertainment/curiosity of the interviewer, usually with the lame excuse that they are attempting to discern how the candidate thinks, views the world, handles "stress", etc. Even companies famous for oddball questions are abandoning them.
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Parting gift for departing employee An employee who has been with me for over 4 years is leaving. It's not unexpected as this employee has simply outgrown our company. What is an appropriate level of a parting gift for someone like this? I'm the owner, smallish company, no policy exists. Consider this as trying to lay the ground work for one. <Q> We typically organize a farewell lunch for the employee (whose meal management pays for) and whomever they want to invite (typically the department and a few other friends, payng their own tab). <S> Manglement will give a short <S> "you've done all this great stuff <S> and we hate to lose you but <S> good luck" speech, anyone else who wats to speak will do so, and typically someone will have organized a card and collected donations toward a suitable memento. <S> Formally informal. <A> Find a local store that produces plaques and trophies, and give your employee a reward in the vein of "Outstanding Achievement". <S> It's a great gesture and lasts longer than a lousy, hastily purchased gift-card. <A> Is a gift even necessary? <S> If you worked closely with this person then letting them know that you're happy for them <S> and you wish them the best, if said with sincerity, would go much further than nearly any gift. <S> If you're not close with this person then I think a gift of any sort would be weird. <A> Decide on a standard going away corporate award. <S> Perhaps as suggested, visit an award shop, and choose a simple wall plaque. <S> Make it as expensive as you can easily budget in, figuring that this is not an everyday, or every month, occurrence. <S> If your business is photo-genic, such as in a building or something, or if you have a sign or anything, you might consider making a photo the normal gift. <S> I work for a government agency, and our building, which houses the agency (and only the one) has an official photo and that is used. <S> That takes care of the "official" part. <S> Now comes the personal. <S> For this, you either need know the individual (or have a contact who does, supervisor, coworker, etc) or make it generic. <S> We would all like personal/personalized over generic any day. <S> If your worker was an avid gamer, buy him a gift card expressly for his system (XBox, etc). <S> Goes to the movies alot? <S> A movie pack. <S> Etc. <S> If she is in to hiking, perhaps a card to a local outdoor shop. <S> A previous answerer commented on how bad gift cards are. <S> I disagree. <S> Buying a thing, ties the person into that thing. <S> This personal gift doesn't have to be large, even a $20 card is useful. <S> In our organization, all monies left over after the lunch we all contribute to is turned in to a card. <S> Being that the worker was with you for so long (unusual, under normal turnover circumstances) and appears to have been close to you, doing this personal part shouldn't be an obstacle. <S> Doing the 'corporate' part as well, enables you to re-use this as a 'process' for the future. <A> Farewell team lunch. <S> In addition, consider a small framed photo of the town or a pretty landmark close to the office (or photo of the downtown or some other city landscape) as a tangible gift, inexpensive and neutrally memorable yet relatively unique <S> /custom 'little something' ((since framed photos by local photographers tend to be issued in limited batches).
| Buying a gift card, as long as it is personalized, enables the person to realize they were cared for, yet choose the thing themselves. I would suggest, since you indicate you are attempting to set a 'policy' or 'procedure' for future soon-to-be-ex-employees, make it both a corporate and a personal going away.
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Dealing with telephone phobia Over the past couple of months I have been cutting my teeth in the business world and have been learning a lot. I have become a good member of my team and am working on software products that do go to market. The problem that I have is I have a huge phone phobia. This phobia has been around for awhile and I don't know why I have it. It happens if I need to order pizza or call someone to wish them a happy birthday but now it is more serious as it is affecting my job. The most recent issue is we had to do a conference call with a customer to figure out what they needed from our product as it has a custom part to it that each customer can specify their needs. I have sat in on about 10 of these calls and was asked to lead this call instead of take the sideline. The moment my team lead mentioned I might be leading it I started to get that internal burning feeling and dizzy. I do have bi-polar and general anxiety disorder that I do take medication for but it doesn't seem to be helping with this one phobia. Does anyone have any advice on how I could get used to this and get better at talking on the phone? I asked my team lead to take over the call instead of me and he did seem genuinely disappointed/confused. I know that if I want a decent career this will need to be addressed. <Q> This needs professional help. <S> However, you also need to address this at work while you get the help. <S> He also needs to know that you are getting treatment for it and that he may need to make accommodations during that treatment. <S> This may also involve HR depending on the accommodations your counselor thinks need to be made. <S> You might want to set up practice calls for instance. <S> Or you might be able to take the lead in a video or in person conference. <S> Or, as you get better, maybe you could be take the lead but with the boss on the phone as backup to give you confidence things can be handled if you freeze. <A> This is not medical advice:In the beginning of my career, the phone call was a big burden too. <S> I'd wait for my colleague to be out of the office and always write down bullet points of the conversation. <S> With time, this and many other things which have made me nervous faded. <S> I still avoid answering machines, but don't give calls a second thought. <S> My advice is this, try to not focus on the symptoms of the fear but get on with it. <S> There will be a lot of things over which you may be anxious about. <S> Powering through is a valuable skill. <S> Sometimes these things are a self fulfilling prophecy, with nasty positive feedback. <S> The more you discuss having a phone phobia, the more you think about your fear, the more prominent it becomes. <S> Think pleasant thoughts and remember that the world is burning up around us while you are preoccupied with minutia. <A> I don't care much for the phone. <S> I used to be in sales making hundreds of cold-calls a day. <S> Three years ago I got rid of my cell phone because the only people calling me were people I didn't want to talk to, and my phone ringing with commercial calls is an unneeded stress in my life. <S> Nevertheless, I sometimes need to do calls. <S> If you're having serious psychological stress, you should get medical help immediately. <S> If this is merely a challenge you can overcome yourself, I'd recommend focusing on the preparation - study the material, create an agenda, get a list of attendees for a roll call if necessary - and not think about the call itself. <A> Practice, Practice, Practice! <S> Know the intent of each phone interaction you are to participate in try to focus on the task at hand - not on your personal communication <S> skills state in one sentence the intent of the phone call <S> you are making -with all the necessary details the receiver needs to understand the reason for your phone call. <S> write a script of what you want to say <S> if you are making the phone call practice your script before calling visualize a patient, warm person on the other end of the phone conversation smile while you speak, this helps your voice to sound friendly focus on the participants needs - repeat back your paraphrase(understanding of the problem being discussed) <S> suggest possible solutions to the problem at hand <S> ask questions for clarification <S> if you don't know something, let participants know you need to research answers from your resources <S> Don't apologize for anything - just stay focused on the reason you are on the on the phone <A> Try shutting your eyes while talking on the phone. <S> Can you do video calls to anyone? <S> If so try and see if they're better or worse than audio-only calls. <S> If you're a kinesthetic person, try a phone headset like a single or dual earpiece one with a boom mike on the front. <S> This frees up your hands for a fiddle toy like a tangle toy like http://www.tanglecreations.com/collections/tangle-therapy for about $6. <S> I used to play with a sata cable, folding and concertina-ing till it broke. <S> Finally - perhaps its not the phone call, perhaps its public speaking or leading a meeting that is getting to you?
| I think it's helpful to prepare the material I need to cover on the call, and not actually think about the call itself. First, your boss needs to know you have a phobia if it is affecting your performance. Your psychiatric counselor may have steps for you to take that you will need to help with at work. Can also help to imagine that you're talking to the person on the other end, but you're both standing in a dark place like outside on a moonless night.
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How to deal with travel expenses of candidates who (very probably) lied to us on their resume? We've recently interviewed some candidates who we are fairly sure lied about their skills and experiences on their CVs. It is company policy to reimburse all reasonable travel expenses for a job interview. Candidates travel to Ireland, proceeding from the EU: many are from nearby Ireland/UK, but there are also candidates from Germany, Spain and Eastern Europe. For some, the travel expenses might be a heavy burden, and would not have come to an interview if they had to pay for it themselves. Consider not only the distance home<-->Ireland, but the low salaries in certain countries. I am considering non-payment and discussing what we see as the candidate's lies as options. How is this handled elsewhere? EDIT: Other post by this user would indicate he is concerned about lies on the resume, not lies in the travel claims. <Q> Based on your update, the concern seems to be that you are paying to fly people for interviews who are less than qualified. <S> As others have pointed out, more effective pre-screening would help. <S> Are you in a position to amend your policy or are you just trying to find a way to live with it? <S> If you are in a policy-writing role, clearly defining limits on maximum expenses would help. <S> If you are not, Skype interviews with distant candidates would help. <S> You should definitely not give candidates the silent treatment. <S> Make payments in good faith. <S> Failing to do this is a good way to ruin your company's reputation and reduce the quality of your talent pool. <A> In your clarification-Answer you state that you are not worried about lies concerning costs, but about the canidates lying about their qualifications. <S> In that case, quite frankly, you can do nothing. <S> You cannot charge them expenses that you promised them to make only because they didn't fit as good as you thought they would be. <S> As you did not specify what lies especially you are assuming, I will try to give an overview. <S> Many of the below points may be totally exaggerated and not fitting at all, but you get what you specify ;). <S> First of all, it may be beneficial to improve the background check that you conduct on your canidates. <S> Call the universities/schools listed on the application to reveal counterfeit diplomas. <S> Call the companies they listed as experience, find former bosses and coworkers to talk about their performance <S> In different countries there are agencies where you can ask if you have concerns if the canidate is solvent (SCHUFA in Germany, for example) <S> get the criminal record <S> And some hints not directly related to background check, but to your hiring process and job description: be as specific as possible. <S> Do not write something like "skill xy desirable". <S> If he has the skill, he can apply. <S> If not, why bother with him and carry him all the way to ireland? <S> Give specific diplomas or certificates that you are looking for. <S> This reflects the desired level of knowledge better than if you just say "intermediate" "high level understanding"... <S> As you are hiring from different countries with different school systems and cultures, You have to accept that a skill that is mandantory in ireland is maybe exotic in another country. <S> Give a very clear description of the job itsself. <S> What will the new coworker do the whole day? <S> If an applicant can understand that it may be easier to evaluate for him if he is the right canidate for the job. <S> Do a lot of telephone interviewing. <S> Not only to ask questions, but also to answer them. <S> And the last one: <S> No day trip to Trinity College or Giants Causeway. <S> Get them to fly over, interview them, send them back. <S> If they want do delay their trip back home <S> they can do this, no problem. <S> But on their own budget. <A> If you think they're lying about their experience and qualifications, then look at your screening process, you need to be weeding out those sorts of candidates before you start flying them around the World. <S> Always best to be proactive in my opinion, dealing with possible fraud after the event is problematic and time consuming and has no positive angles. <A> As other said a receipt would be nice. <S> However, I would go as far as limited exactly what you reimburse and how much. <S> For example: Flight: <S> Only econ flights and must be ordered from approved site that your company either has a discount with or <S> you know of cheap airfare. <S> Hotel: <S> Only certain hotels nearby can be booked and must be single bed room and only pay the hotel room cost and nothing else like accommodations, or internet fees. <S> Food: <S> Particular to your area and country <S> but perhaps you should factor in the average price for 3 meals. <S> So if you are USD, perhaps $60 USD a day 15+15 for breakfast and lunch <S> , then 30 for dinner. <S> No alcohol or anything. <S> Taxi/Rental: Only approved taxi/rentals. <S> Some hotels have shuttle services for free or very low price. <S> Everything else is on their own dime. <S> Some companies I've been to require that you submit a "pre-approval" where you estimate each item to give them an idea of how much you want to spend vs what they're willing to spend. <A> You will reap what you sow, regardless of what's going on with your candidates. <S> If you decide to adopt a policy of short-changing people who spend large amounts of money travelling (when you've agreed to pay for said travel), you open yourself to lawsuits, and eventually you will attract a candidate who looks great, hire him/her, and get screwed over by that person. <S> You attract what you are . <A> The company I work for sort out air fares and accommodation and pay that themselves. <S> For food we get an allowance per day - no receipts required. <S> For transport to/from airports we are required to use public transport unless it is not possible - then taxis are allowed. <S> Either way a receipt is required. <S> Why not express this in the invitation? <S> As to lying about qualifications do some decent pre-screening? <S> Skye interview first.
| I think the best way, is to organise their trip over yourself, firstly because there's no surprises with the bills, secondly if you have multiple people moving around, you can often get a better deal from travel agents. Make it clear that the trip is only business. Basically ask for receipts of each item they want reimbursed, read over it, and only reimburse them for approved items.
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What can I do if work pace is too slow for me I started a new job four months ago when my previous startup got acquired. I joined this company thinking that the company will have similar startup culture. After four months of job I find the work pace is too slow for working style. I have much reduced responsibilities with little workload but better pay. On a typical workday, I hardly work for more than 2 hours. Rest of the time I wait for inputs from colleagues. I work much faster and efficiently than others in the company because I have wider and deeper experience to solve problems faster. A colleague once commented that because I finish tasks faster it puts pressure on him to take it live soon. I talked to my boss to give something else to do meanwhile. He redirected me to another colleague, but I again same issue. I'm waiting for the colleague to give me something to do. I find the job too boring and thought I will do something on my own, but I don't have permission to install any new softwares on my system. I can't read many technical blogs as most of them are blocked here and request to open them are rarely addressed. I don't want to look for a new job, since in 6 years of work experience this is my 5th company. What else can I do to utilize the free time? -----EDIT----- Some clarification based on the responses below. 1: As Aymor said, I might be overqualified for this position. My title here is 'Sr. Technical Lead'. The HR clarified during the interview that, there will be no lead role in the job and I'll be an individual contributor. I was fine with that as I wanted to quit old job ASAP because of uncertainties after acquisition. 2: Suggestions like bringing my own laptop will not work as company have strict IT policies because of compliance requirements. Company deals with preloaded gift cards and have to deal restrictions by the Central Bank. 3: 5 jobs in 6 years mostly because companies I have worked either shutdown because of lack of funding or got acquired by other companies, except the first one. I have worked mostly in startups only. Changing jobs don't have anything to do what I'm experiencing now. 4: I tried making myself useful as suggested by Sigal, by suggesting different things. My suggestions were not welcomed with so much enthusiasm. It is partially because I'm new to company and my boss may not trust my advises so much compared to other old timers in the company. That is fine for me. I will wait till I earn the trust. <Q> As a more experienced member of the team I think you should make an effort to help your team and raise the level of work, which is what is usually expected from a more experienced person. <S> You can review other people's work, suggest changes that will improve the work, join another person and work together, prepare lectures or training. <S> Taking some initiative will transform you from an experienced team member to a senior team member. <A> Ok, so you are overqualified. <S> If only I had this problem! <S> On the other hand maybe not - boredom would not be good. <S> Ways to occupy yourself at work without working: as @SigalShaharabani noted, offer others to take care of some of their tasks - review code or documentation, do testing; if allowed, consider bringing a small unobtrusive laptop, use your cell phone wifi hotspot to get online and browse your tech blogs there; if anyone asks, you are doing professional development; if your employer subsidizes any training/certification, enroll in a program in your area of expertise and use some 'spare' time to do your homework. <S> HR folks will frown upon the latter two suggestions. <S> So before doing these, first check with your direct supervisor and see if they would count such activities as professional development / computer-based training. <S> Lastly, the fact that you had 5 jobs in 6 years is a bit alarming. <S> If your frequent job change had to do with the same issue you are experiencing now, perhaps you are applying for jobs that you are overqualified for and need to revise your career trajectory. <S> Maybe think about what job titles you think would provide the workload that would challenge you. <S> Would it be more management responsibility or more technical depth/breadth? <S> Would having more direct reports put more on your plate? <S> Would tackling multiple concurrent projects require more time and attention? <S> What positions within your organization are characterized by such responsibilities? <S> If these opportunities are lacking (but you still want to stick with same company), discuss options for lateral transfers across departments to gain broader knowledge of the organization. <S> Good luck! <A> Some random thoughts, based on similar experiences: Some wrong reasons for hiring you in that company, that might result to the behaviour you describe: <S> "If we hire more start-up people the company will be more start-up-y": <S> Wrong because there is still the same company culture which will reject those people. <S> they might not trust new people or give them time to adjust. <S> Where you are coming from this might be too much where people are supposed to commit and deploy something in their first week or something. <S> Red flag if they brought a "move fast and break things" person to a slow moving organization. <S> Positive scenarios <S> : They might need you for a big project later on, so they hired you in advance <S> They might have liked you so much but not yet found ways to utilize you or integrate you. <S> So they pay you until it's fixed. <S> I would suggest you to wait a bit and see how it goes. <S> Judging from my self getting from a startup to a place where you need to ask for permission a lot, you cannot install software on your machine or it blocks access to sites is not the place that I could stay for long (has happened to me once). <S> So you'd either bite the bullet of having to many job hops <S> , so you stay there or unhappy <S> or you decide that one more hop is not an issue and <S> you go somewhere else (hopefully making more due diligence on the company). <A> Though this question is more of a personal advise and will be closed for sure, I would like to put some ideas ahead. <S> You say you work hardly for 2 hours, which is very less. <S> I mean seriously less. <S> The option given by your boss is quite vague and will get you nothing. <S> So, you might go ahead and force your colleague to give you some task or you might take there work and analyze it if it can be made better. <S> Though the access is blocked, there are ways to unblock it. <S> But that might be a break of policy <S> so don't go for it. <S> Play like an old-school lad here. <S> Once you go home, you can work on the things you have read. <S> On a personal note, I would recommend asking loyally to your boss to provide you the access to the tools you want to install. <S> May be its simple, but you haven't given a try. <S> If there is a strong reason to switch your job, it doesn't matter how many you skip. <S> Its a matter of your priorities. <S> And, if you can prove about your job switching, no-one will question it. <S> So, think about it. <S> Water kept at a same place for longer duration catches the dirt! <S> Either you should go for loyalty and ask for the access to the knowledge or you should have courage to move on and get another job which suits the lifestyle of your work.
| At the next performance review, discuss your career goals and opportunities in your current workplace with your manager. Carry hard-copies of books and read them in your spare time. To sum it up, I would say, you should prioritize the things.
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Should I make tea for everyone in my open plan office? I work in a reasonably small open plan office with around 20 people. For context, if it's relatively quiet, you can hear everyones' conversations. General etiquette says that when I want a tea (or coffee) then I should ask my colleagues and get a round in. However, what is the limit? Just ask the people in my immediate vicinity, or everyone within earshot? Is it bad form to not offer tea to everyone who can hear/see me about to make a brew? P.S. I am British. <Q> I have worked in a number of different offices in the UK <S> and I don't think there is a cast iron rule. <S> In some offices there is a rota and people take it in turns in others <S> everyone just makes their own cup or one for their close team members. <S> If there are people who offer you a drink it is probably nice to offer to make them one in return when you're going to the kettle but don't stretch it too far. <A> price (some offices charge for coffee and tea) presence of an admin or other support staff <S> As your main worry seems to be making a wrong impression in a new environment, the best strategy is to observe what your colleagues are doing and emulate them. <S> As long as you didn't end up in a toxic environment or among your company's social rejects you shouldn't ever run into any problems doing that. <S> Aside from that, you would generally draw the line based on how much of your own time you're wasting. <S> You presumably weren't hired as a tea brewer <S> so it's not your job to spend an hour a day making tea, even if it saves your coworkers 5 hours. <S> So it would be fine to make a pot of tea rather than individual bags <S> but you wouldn't start serving individual cups, unless that's how you see your colleagues behave and everyone pitches in equally. <A> My working place has quite the same configuration, when I asked people on my first week, boss told me everyone do his own thing. <S> If I want a coffee and my desk mate wants one too, I should just take one for me and let him do is own coffee. <S> That's actually how we work, and that's fine for everyone. <S> Of course, if someone is next to me when I serve myself, I ask him something like "Which one do I put in ?" <S> (talking about little coffe capsules)Or <S> asking him "Do you go out ? <S> " <S> (a smart way to ask him if he will take a pause) <S> We have an espresso machine, this point may be important. <S> If we had a huge "percolator", I would say something like "I made coffee" just to let them know they can serve themselves. <S> The problem is that if you begin to make coffee for everyone one time, then two, then three... <S> It will quickly become a habit and they may even criticize you the day you won't do it. <S> When my boss takes a pause, he invites us to follow him like he is speaking to himself <S> "Little cigarette pause..." <S> "Coffee then go..." and if we want to follow him then when do, if we don't we just continue to work. <S> You shouldn't feel responsible for everyone, even if it's the "etiquette" of your country. <S> But, of course, it depends on relations you have with all your mates and your boss. <S> Of course that may be a great conversation topic for your next tea-pause, there won't be anything better than your mates advices. <S> Just them and <S> you know really how that's work in your compagny. <S> EDIT: <S> Funny fact : The second after I posted this, boss came to ask me which type of coffee capsules I want to re-order... :D <A> If you try to offer drinks to everyone you'll end up being nothing more than tea boy rather than the career you wanted. <S> Where I am now when someone goes for a tea they will either ask the guys immediately next to them, or they will be part of a tea round. <S> There are a number of tea rounds going on in the office and it means people know where they are. <S> In a round - you get tea for others in that round, not in a round? <S> start one or just get your own.
| I would avoid getting into a habit of making tea for a large group, you will find some people rely on you to do it (not interrupting their own work) and rarely if ever return the favour. There's no standard practice for this as workplace habits depend on several factors: office culture size of the unit / team / department size of the office / room / floor level of collegiality available equipment for coffee (capsules, pot, industrial-size percolator, automated machine) or tea (individual bags, pot, automated machine)
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Should I feel bad about leaving company after getting long-waited raise? I work in a large investment bank as an associate with 2 years experience at this job. I asked for a pay rise after a year of work, when I felt I really needed it: First year resulted in a "A" grade performance management results; Line manager told me that they hired me on a "less than market salary" for this position; Currency value goes down, can't afford things; (Contract does not directly presume annual pay rises in case of inflation, etc.) Personal reasons. Management said "OK". Expecting to get a pay rise in a few months, I was disappointed. Top-management could not make any decisions for a long time and nothing happened, they only said to wait a "little more". These was no open dialog about salary rise. After 11 months, they finally offered me a pay rise - 10-15% less that I expected, saying something like that "Enjoy, you got the biggest promotion in your team, we chased management hard for it." At this moment i'm already in the mid stage of being recruited to another company. In short: better pay, better opportunities. I'm in. I feel controversial, as on one side they could not resolve a problem for a long time, and if i stay, that can happen again next year. On the other side, i'm not into conflicts and would like to save good relationships with my direct management. Should I feel uncomfortable when leaving the company in such a situation? <Q> Should I feel uncomfortable when leaving the company in such a situation? <S> No, you shouldn't. <S> You're doing what seems best to you to further your career, <S> getting a raise does not change that at all. <S> Quite frankly I would find 11 months to get me a raise very disappointing performance on their side. <A> From personal experiences take their explanation with a grain of salt. <S> They already said they hired you below market and <S> chances are they threw a number at you, which matches that of the rest of the team probably, and just told you to accept it just because. <A> Yes, this situation is definitely uncomfortable, but employers tend to be very understanding if you explain your honest situation. <S> You should never feel bad about doing what you feel is best for you, nor will they blame you for leaving. <S> Say that you're very grateful for everything they've done for you <S> but you feel that this is best for your own good. <A> But nothing has been resolved. <S> You waited longer than expected for a raise less than you expected. <S> I would feel better if it was the lowest raise of the group - at least then there is an up side.
| With that said, you shouldn't feel bad for leaving especially if it is a position you want. Do not put them in a bad light by saying that it's their fault. If you tell your employer your reasons for leaving, which are very valid, they will understand.
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Should I match my boss's mispronunciation of foreign words just to avoid an awkward feeling that I might be trying to correct him? Say you are working in an office where English is not a native language for people but some English terms are used very often (e.g. an IT department). And your boss always pronounces English terms incorrectly. The question. Is it appropriate to pronounce the terms correctly when speaking to the boss or one should use his wrong pronunciation for any reasons. It seems to me a bit uncomfortable to use the fixed pronunciation just after his incorrect wording (right in the next sentence). He may find this offensive I think. He may think that I'm either too dumb to remember how it's pronounced after one second after his saying or I'm trying to teach him. P.S. Trying to tell him how it's pronounced correctly is not an option. Please avoid this advice. Thank you. <Q> As long as you are not gratuitously using the words, you should always aim at correct pronunciation. <S> Knowingly imitating an incorrect pronunciation is dishonorable and groveling behavior. <S> Correct behavior is to pronounce words correctly and ignore other people who may be pronouncing the word incorrectly. <S> The only thing to avoid would be unnecessarily using a word you know to be pronounced incorrectly by someone else. <S> Repeatedly or unnecessarily speaking such a word could be construed as an attempt to humiliate the other person. <S> Therefore, you should only use the word when absolutely necessary and avoid using such a word needlessly. <A> First and foremost, you don't need to correct every mistake . <S> Focusing on his pronunciation is likely causing you to miss some of the message he is trying to communicate to you. <S> If your manager interacts with other English-speaking professionals, you would be doing him a favor by helping him learn to pronounce things correctly. <S> It will be subtle, but over time it might work. <S> Of course, you need to be absolutely sure your pronunciation is correct, too. <S> If your boss thinks he's right <S> and you're not, your response might be something along the lines of, " <S> Oh? <S> I've always pronounced it this way. <S> Let me go check it out and see if I've been doing it wrong." <S> Then you can double check and let him know what you found. <S> In that case, it's good to repeat back what you heard, so he knows you got his message. <A> It's less important how he pronounces it then it is that you understand him. <S> There is no reason I can think of for a person to mispronounce on purpose. <S> So I would just pronounce the word/s correctly as I know them. <S> I live in a country where my accent is very different, over time my accent has changed a bit, but it wasn't a conscious change, just the natural one that comes from your environment. <S> In any case it has never really impacted on my ability to communicate in English which is the norm for technical discussions. <S> If I tried to imitate their accents when talking to them, they would probably think I'm trying to be funny. <S> As far as which pronunciation is correct, mine is in most places. <S> But in their country theirs is, so it's relative to the situation. <S> The important thing is we're mutually intelligible. <S> The native language here does not have all the same sounds as English, so for them to pronounce my way <S> would be very difficult for some. <S> Much as I will always speak their language with an accent. <A> This answer becomes trivial if you stop thinking of him pronouncing it wrongly and instead that he is pronouncing it in his accent which doesn't have to be the same as yours. <S> I have Australian friends who say "dahta" and "dahtabayse" while I say "dayta" and "daytabase". <S> I don't adjust my pronunciation to match theirs. <S> They don't take my pronunciation as a correction to them. <S> And there are plenty of opinions about how to say GIF, SQL, etc -- tech terms don't always have single pronunciations. <S> You worry that if he says "do we have the dahta?" <S> and you say "yes, we have tons of dayta" that he'll feel rebuked. <S> Why should he? <S> Different doesn't mean wrong. <S> If you feel funny, take refuge in pronouns ( <S> eg it, them) or substitutes (the language, the framework, the platform, the library.) <S> If it's been that recent since your boss said the word, it's available as an easy referent using these sorts of words. <S> The only reason to change your own pronunciation is if everyone on your team and in your area says it differently than you (and the inventors, and possibly the majority of the internet) <S> and you are starting to feel bad, not as someone correcting others, but as someone who isn't acting according to the norms of your group. <S> You haven't provided any examples so it's hard to know if that needs to happen in your case. <A> I'm going to answer this question as the person who mispronounces words. <S> I'm a native English speaker but have started picking up French late in life. <S> I can follow a conversation and speak short sentences. <S> I slaughter the pronunciation of words; a native or fluent speaker can understand me though. <S> I personally prefer if native French speakers use proper pronunciation around me. <S> Foremost <S> because I couldn't understand them if they used my own mispronunciation. <S> A secondary reason is maybe, through some odd osmosis or asking outright, I'll pick up the correct pronunciation over time.
| Pronounce things correctly yourself, even if he just pronounced it incorrectly in the previous sentence. In the end, it's not the end of the world to mispronounce things, except when the mistake could lead to an entirely different understanding of the speaker's message. Lots of people have lots of different accents.
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Is it appropriate to give personal birthday gift to a coworker at a new job? I'm male and I'm only two months into a new job.There is one colleague in another department, a woman,who I don't currently work with (and, sometimes, don't even meet in the office during the day),but because I was placed in the room of that another department, I became acquainted with her.Her birthday is coming up, and there is a fund raising going right now for a birthday gift. I'm not in a good financial situation right now, so this is not an option for me.Which is not an issue at all, because fund raising is not obligatory in any sense or way, and even partly anonymous. However, I would like to make a personalized handmade gift, which comes from a hobby of mine.Personalization of the gift comes form one particular episode during my work here, when she helped me in a way. So the question is: is it appropriate to make such a gift to a coworker, who I am not very close to? P.S. I'm sorry for my bad English and weird wording. I'm using a throwaway account and I trying my best not to disclose any information because of the awkwardness of situation and myself about it. <Q> I was thinking about making a happy birthday card with paper collage. <S> The person taking up the collection is almost certainly planning on buying a card to go with the group gift. <S> Tell the person collecting money that you'd like to make the card to go with the gift. <S> That way, you're back to contributing to the group collection, just with time & materials instead of money. <S> The only thing you have to worry about <S> is it becoming an expectation that you'll always do this. <S> If that's the case anyway then you have nothing to worry about. <S> If not, you may want to tell the organizer up front that you only plan on doing this for folks in your department/floor/whatever. <S> Personalization of the gift comes form one particular episode during my work here, when she helped me in a way. <S> My advice to supply the card for the group gift would mean making a card that could be seen as coming from the group. <S> That may mean changing how you personalized it if it wouldn't make sense for the whole group to sign it. <A> Personal presents are usually appropriate as a thank-you for an extraordinary job-related favor someone did which goes beyond their normal work duty. <S> When you want to express gratitude for her help, then this would be an appropriate way to do so. <S> In most companies, the etiquette for birthday presents is to collect money from everyone in the company who works with them and then buy a common present from everyone. <S> But when you make a personal birthday gift to a co-worker, it implies that you have a personal relation with them which goes beyond a normal co-worker relationship, properly a romantic one. <S> By mixing a thank-you present with a birthday-present, you are creating unnecessary ambiguity which could be misunderstood. <S> It would be safer to give the present to her on another day and not on her birthday. <A> Just give her a card or wish her happy birthday. <S> A physical gift is way overboard. <A> If it's something small and inexpensive, and you're going to give things away generally on birthdays, no problem. <S> Once you begin picking recipients by anything but the most obviously fair of reasons, it becomes a possible point of contention. <S> That doesn't mean you can't give a co-worker a gift, but it means you may want to clearly separate the gift from work. <A> Every company is different, and you are best placed to determine the appropriate culture. <S> At my own office (UK), it is perfectly appropriate for me to give gifts to my close friends, and also fine for me not to give gifts to those I'm not close with. <S> Here, we have a general culture that blurs the lines between professional colleagues and genuine friends. <S> However, every workplace is different. <S> In some, you'll clearly see a divide between professional relationships and being friends outside work. <S> There are offices where people will rarely talk much about their personal life or interests. <S> There is no one-size-fits-all rule for these things. <S> Being the employee there, you are best placed to determine the kind of culture you are in - and whether a gift would be appropriate or not. <S> That said, if you have any incline that giving the gift may make your colleague uncomfortable, stirr up the office politics or in any other way "be a bad idea" - it's always best to err on the side of caution. <S> As the only benefit of a personal gift is a potentially better personal relationship with a colleague - any risk to your professional career is not a risk worth taking.
| Giving birthday gifts at work I would classify as weird, unless you are in some country where that is normal.
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Is it bad to interview even if you may not be interested in leaving your company? Recently I've been contacted by many recruiters about job openings. As of right now I am not actively looking for a new job (I'm happy with my current one) but I am interested in what other opportunities there are and I feel it's good to keep interviewing so I don't lose the practice (especially for technical interviews). I also feel it's in my personal best interest to interview at other companies every now and then to see not only what opportunities are out there but also reflect on where I am at and how I am growing in my own company (if I find myself not being able to answer questions for roles I may be interested in, I would find that somewhat alarming and a wake up call for myself). Overall, how is this viewed by peers and by recruiters? Is it best to be open and honest about that? Is it better to wait until I feel I am actively looking to leave my own company? I know some people may say, "If you want interview experience, you can talk to your manager and shadow people in interviews in your own company" but it really isn't the same as being the interviewee. It also does not give me insight as to what other companies may be asking or expecting in the line of work or career I hope to move towards. <Q> You are wasting other people's time. <S> If they knew you are 100% sure you are going to reject a potential offer, they wouldn't interview you (in other words, why would they be interested in interviewing someone who's not going to join the company?). <S> Reversing the roles, do you think it would be ethical if they interviewed you even though they don't have any open positions? <S> They would also do it, as you suggest, to see what candidates are looking for, to assess the general level, and to train the interviewers. <S> There are many other ways to keep yourself updated with the latest market trends. <S> This may vary depending on the industry (reading your question it looks like you are in IT person, maybe a Software Developer?), but these are generic things you can do: <S> reading and practicing online, reading books, researching, etc. <S> You can search for common interview questions as well, but learning those doesn't mean you have the knowledge or ability to use certain technologies correctly. <S> I think it's very important to make a clear difference between knowing some answers and having real knowledge. <S> Regarding practicing for interviews, it will never be the same as a real interview, of course. <S> However, I don't think going to an interview knowing you are not going to accept any offers is a real interview either, since you don't have the same pressure, whether it goes right or wrong, you don't lose anything, other than time. <S> You may learn about some specific questions, though. <A> Take the interviews. <S> You owe it to yourself to improve your job finding skills. <S> Most people don't advertise what they'll pay, so how else can you be certain where you stand in the job market until someone else offers you another job? <S> There are a few things in the workplace that you just don't talk about and some assumptions people make. <S> Recruiters: 1. <S> Will never tell you that you're not the top choice and will interview you anyway. <S> 2. <S> Are sales people and will at least want the opportunity to talk you into the job. <S> 3. <S> Some positions are practically already filled, but for some regulatory reasons, they have to interview at least 3 people. <S> Rarely will you find anyone who is completely open about where you stand before having an interview. <S> There is always a chance you may discover during the interview process that the position turns out to be better than the one you have. <S> If you're open-minded about the job market and are eager to advance, no job interview is a waste of time. <S> I turned down my last offer 4 times and on the 3rd one, I really thought I would take. <S> I think both parties learned a lesson on this one. <S> It's only a waste of time if everyone doesn't learn something from it. <S> If a company can't apply what they learned from failing to hire me, that's not my problem. <A> It is a really good idea to interview occasionally. <S> This is called "exploring opportunities". <S> In the same way that corporations look into new business and markets, even when they're profitable and doing fine, individuals who are in control of their careers ALSO must explore the possibility of new jobs and career changes. <S> One way that people end up in miserable jobs is that they wait until their current job is unbearable or until they see layoffs before starting a search, leading to a situation where there is very limited time to find a job. <S> Much better to always keep a passive search going and occasionally interview if the opportunity looks really good. <S> I don't think that you can truly say that you're 100% not intending to leave your current employer. <S> You are trying to understand what is out there <S> and most certainly would entertain making a jump for the right job-- anyone would. <S> Moreover, by interviewing and making contact with potential future employers, you are taking action on the future and not just dreaming about it, this is vital for maintaining a useable professional network. <S> High level executives do this all the time and so do people who are actively shaping their own careers. <S> As for peers finding out, just be discreet about it and say that you were curious about job <S> x and were exploring an opportunity. <S> There is some risk that your employer will find out <S> but if you're a productive employee in good standing that will amount to nothing more than an awkward discussion unless your employer is astonishingly petty and vindictive. <S> Just assure them and re-iterate why you like your job. <S> You are not "wasting time" for yourself or anyone else, do it!
| Unless you are honestly going to consider an interesting job offer after a successful interview, then I don't think is the right thing to do. The "are you wasting someone's time" factor goes both ways.
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Can I list donations as volunteer work on my resume? As you know, there is a new volunteering section on linked in now. I have never physically worked for a non-profit organization, but often I have made monetary donations for causes (e.g. the earthquake in Nepal) to certain non-profits for charity works. It is really not an experience so to say, but it does show that I care about certain causes, even though I could not physically help them. Will this count at all as a volunteering experience on linkedin? Can I mention this on linked in? Also, I am on couchsurfing and I volunteered to host people (tourists) at my place. Will this count as a volunteering experience too? Can I mention this as an experience on linkedin? I'm sorry, but I didn't mean to show off above :) But it seems showing off that private side of yours on your résumé helps! <Q> Can I mention donations as volunteering experience? <S> No, you can't because you didn't actually do anything . <S> Volunteering experience is often a separate section on resumes because the nature of the work differs. <S> While volunteer experience is valuable because it can show dedication and commitment through putting in actual effort, volunteers aren't held to the same standard as normal employees. <S> They aren't as accountable for their work, don't have the same responsibilities when it comes to showing up or managing their time. <S> In short, you don't have an experience working as a volunteer <S> so you can't mention anything on LinkedIn or your resume. <S> This section is not to show off your preferred charities or your generous spirit. <S> Most hiring managers won't look at volunteer work as a way to judge your character. <S> It's mostly a way to build work experience for people who don't yet have any (usually students) or a way to mitigate idle gaps in your history for those who can't find work. <S> As for that CouchSurfing thing, that's not in any way related to volunteer or charity work. <A> Your resume (and your LinkedIn profile) should be designed to give employers reasons to hire you. <S> Donating to earthquake relief and hosting tourists are fine things to do <S> but it's not going to cause anyone to want to hire you <S> so it's not something that you should list. <S> If you're trying to transition into a development role so you build a mobile app for the local soup kitchen, that's something that you'd want to list. <S> If you developed leadership skills by overseeing a team distributing hurricane relief, that's something that you'd want to list. <S> Sending in cash is admirable but it doesn't develop any skills. <A> I disagree with the people on this post. <S> I believe if the donation is relevant to the field you work in and are looking to get a job, it is relevant volunteer/other experience. <S> Example: I work in Higher Ed and donate monthly to a residence life organization. <S> Employers want to see what makes you the best candidate for the job, and if you are giving back to the field, that is something that can make you stand out. <S> Hopefully you have experience being published or presenting to go with your donations, but it does show you care about the field you work in.
| You list volunteer experience on your resume when it is substantial enough to let you develop skills that potential employers want.
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How to handle unreachable colleagues not performing / your work being blocked I'm responsible for the setup of a whole range of new servers, to replace older platforms. This is in a multi-national, with offices across the world. As such I've had to order servers through each local branch's specific group. However one branch is falling behind massively. The server was set up over a month ago, but the user accounts (again created in the branch's own specific AD) were: Only one out of several was created at the time that the server was created (which is usually one step) The ticket was closed I reopened the ticket (the next day) The ticket was deleted (a week later) I created a new ticket for the remaining accounts (again a week later) They were created without proper permissions (a few days later) I created a third ticket to add the permissions And now I'm 2 weeks after creating the third ticket and it is just sitting there untouched. I tried having the PM responsible contact them, he was practically ignored. I tried contacting them directly, and was told I needed a ticket, so at their request I forwarded them the ticket ID (which they had already edited themselves). I've tried talking to their manager, who did not respond and is now out of office. I've escalated to my own manager at the end of last week, and he will look into it. It feels like my work is being blocked by something I can't control, which most likely has nothing to do with me. I had never worked with this branch before this, and have no history with them. I feel like I need to do something more . Have I handled this poorly? Is there something I'm missing? How do I handle my work being blocked in this manner? UPDATE: After a few days the users were re-created (instead of altered), but again incorrectly. Not wanting to spend any more time on this particular issue. I simply forwarded the mail to my manager, with the wrong parts in bold and a request to once again handle it. My manager ended up making a few less-than-friendly calls, and a few hours later everything was put in place as required. I guess not doing anything more was the correct solution. <Q> I feel like I need to do something more. <S> You don't . <S> You've reported the issue to your manager and since it's interdepartmental and likely political in nature you should let him look into it before doing anything else. <S> Have I handled this poorly? <S> Is there something I'm missing? <S> No, you handled this correctly. <S> See below. <S> How do I handle my work being blocked in this manner? <S> By doing exactly what you did. <S> You tried to work with the processes the other team told you to use. <S> You contacted them several times to follow up, then escalated your issue to their manager. <S> Since that still didn't resolve anything you escalated the issue to your own manager who is now taking the correct action by looking into the problem and figuring out what's causing the lack of action on their part. <S> Bottom line, you did what you could. <S> If you're unclear whether you should still be actively trying to resolve the issue with the other team, ask your manager. <S> He may tell you to keep trying but it's more likely that he'll tell you to hold off for now while he contacts the other team to figure out how to proceed. <S> He may ask you to report more quickly on delays like this, he may tell you to let him escalate such issues to the other team's manager instead of doing it yourself (if that manager is notoriously uncooperative for instance) or, most likely, he'll tell you that you did fine. <A> You have already done what I would have recommended: "I've escalated to my own manager recently, and he will look into it.". <S> You have done what you can. <S> Now let your manager deal with it. <S> Keep it in your status reports, as being incomplete and escalated to your manager. <S> That will remind him, if necessary, that it needs his action. <S> Meanwhile, concentrate on the rest of your work and don't let the problem branch take too much of your attention. <A> The only thing that's possibly missing from your list of actions is that you need proof that you contacted your manager and have sufficiently informed your manager of the situation. <S> If you have informed your manager by email you already have proof and this is now your manager's problem. <S> Stuff like this is why managers exist. <S> Why not do more, and why do you need proof? <S> You should not do more because you already asked them to do what they should and are now pushing with no leverage. <S> This can create resentment and cause the other side to be even more uncooperative. <S> Unlike you, your manager has leverage, that's why they are the ones who need to solve this. <S> You need proof in case your manager is weak. <S> If the manager ignores the situation e.g. because it's too uncomfortable for them, the situation may remain unresolved until it blows up. <S> The manager can then cover their ass by blaming you for the situation, and claim they were never informed of the situation, or were not accurately informed about the situation, which will directly affect your salary and job security in the next performance review. <S> If it ever gets that far you may need to escalate to HR to defend your interests. <S> Before that, the way to defend yourself from being scapegoated is, the first time you get wind of being accused by someone with a higher position on your side of the fence just state to them " I did all I could and was blocked from the other side. <S> I escalated to my PM and later my manager, would you like me to forward you the respective emails? ". <S> Being scapegoated is not at all a likely situation. <S> Most managers are very reasonable people. <S> But because the consequences are so dire, it's prudent to be prepared. <A> Write a clear and factual summary of all the steps you've taken, chronologically organised, including specific dates. <S> Don't make value judgements, just stick to the facts of what's happened when. <S> At the end explain the consequence of inaction: i.e. the thing that needs to happen can't happen. <S> Pass this summary to your manager - <S> if they have a clear and factual self-contained statement of the problem that they can pass on to other people, that'll make it easier for them to escalate the matter further.
| If you're concerned about the broader picture, ask your manager if you handled it correctly or what you can do differently in the future.
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How does one politely stop other people from using one's mouse? What should one do if their workmate cleans their nose and ears with their hands and everyone in the team (10 people), from time to time, keep touching each other's mouse if someone needs assistance on their workstation? I am not a super hygienic person myself, but this really seems like a health and safety issue to me. <Q> Pretty simple solution: I am not trying to be flippant, but you really can't force people to not touch their faces nor forbid them from touching your mouse. <S> Strictly speaking, you are correct, it is not proper etiquette. <S> The problem is that calling that out will backfire on you in most workplaces. <A> At work I am using a keyboard that does not have letters on it - it's just black. <S> A lot of my co-workers routinely get angry at me when they want to enter a password, so I provide them with a regular office keyboard that they can use to enter passwords or write text. <S> The same works for a mouse too. <S> Just provide a guest-mouse . <S> This is especially easy if your desk is large and visitors are usually sitting/kneeling on the same side. <S> Just have a second office-issue mouse and leave it on that side. <S> If asked why, tell them it's easier because no-one needs to move chairs around, no cable pulling on the desk, and anyway your mouse cable is fixed to the table (because of office safety regulations). <S> As pointed out in the comments, it makes sense to store that mouse in a way that doesn't interrupt your work when someone bumps into your table. <S> Put it upside down, use a cordless mouse that's switched off/in the charger or similar if that is an issue. <A> I have been through that recently. <S> Here is one solution, an alternative to the accepted answer, which is also excellent. <S> Sit in your chair, in front of your monitor, mouse and keyboard. <S> When the person, that you are collaborating with, reaches to touch your mouse, do not move your hand away from it. <S> They will then ask you <S> --Could <S> I have your mouse to show you something? <S> --Just tell me how to do it myself - you should reply. <S> --But <S> it will be so much quicker if I do it! --I <S> need to learn and develop, please teach me - your response, or any other silly excuse. <S> I found this causing a little bit less confrontation than wiping the mouse in front of the offender and less anxiety than secretly doing so. <A> An even simpler solution. <S> [credit] <S> On a more serious note, if you're willing to start using your left hand for your mouse and left-handed trackball mouse , I can pretty much guarantee that your right-handed co-workers will learn to stop touching it. <S> Imagine the image below, but for a left-hand, not a right-hand. <A> The truth is that, no matter what you do, you will always be touching surfaces that can be potentially contaminated. <S> Avoiding to share the mouse will not make the situation much better. <S> In my opinion, you should see the problem in the opposite way. <S> Assume that your hands will be dirty most of the time. <S> The good news is that, in general, your skin will do its job preventing the germs from entering your body. <S> What you should keep in mind that you should avoid touching in your mouth, eyes or any other mucosa with your hands unless you just washed your them first. <A> I use a wireless trackball, and have a mouse plugged in. <S> I use the trackball, and everyone else prefers the mouse. <S> Alternately, use a wireless mouse yourself, and have a wired mouse connected nearby. <A> Get another mouse and put into a free USB port. <S> Both Windows and Linux support multiple mouses <S> no problem (any can move the mouse pointer). <S> This is often used in pair programming, and you will also save some time normally required to pass the mouse to the partner. <S> Hold the hand on your mouse and the partner will take and use another one, because it is free. <S> If you need to come to another workstation, you can bring your own mouse too (may take 10 - 30 seconds till Windows understands the situation but later works fine). <A> Use a wireless mouse+keyboard set with a usb dongle and always carry them with you to other workstations. <S> When you don't want others to touch yours, simply put it inside a locking drawer and take the key with you. <S> When you need to control another person's computer, consider using a remote control software so you don't have to leave your workstation and touch other people's input devices. <S> A guest mouse and keyboard can be left on the table for when you're not available, and your wireless set is locked away. <A> Well, depending on the vibe at your workstation, if you want to make a humorous approach at solving this dispute, why not print out a paper in all caps saying something cheesy, like "Get Your Hands Off My Mouse" and then have a picture of a mouse (The rodent) behind it. <S> It will hopefully make them laugh, and get the idea. <S> Or, you could just take out the mouse when you leave. <S> And if it's stuck into your computer, just buy your own mouse and bring that wherever you go. <S> Hope this helped! :) <A> There are several people in my office who can't help themselves to reach forward to take control of the mouse, type on the keyboard, or touch the computer screen. <S> I have found that moving my chair between the person and the mouse/keyboard/screen to block their access can work very well.
| When someone wants to use your computer or you step away, hold onto your mouse, and they'll use the guest mouse. Just wipe your hands and your stuff clean as needed.
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How to manage other people who want to jump on board of your successful project? I am currently working on a few high profile projects which are highly interesting for the company. I am observing lots of interest from my colleagues, and as projects start getting steam and first results come in there is more and more people who want to be in the loop, participate in meetings and contribute. I can see at least two types of self-invited contributors: peers: other developers or commercial staff, who have a minimum technical background and want to contribute a little to put their name on the project. In the most extreme case, these people expect me to develop software which will let them get some fancy tables to present as their own contribution; managers: in the best case they recognise the benefit and they want to be involved, in the worst case they add themselves to the project to create more "discussions" contributing nothing but delaying things. In both cases my work is delayed in exchange for almost no contribution, and my own boss is already aligning this project with the company's interests. My question is: how can I defend myself from all these self-invited contributors, in a professional way which will protect my best interests without damaging my career? <Q> these people expect me to develop software which will let them get some fancy tables to present as their own contribution; <S> Isn't this your job as a programmer? <S> Do you think every time someone runs a report or exports the results into a presentation they give the programmer credit? <S> That only happens in movies at the very end. <S> I suggest you start to establish the size and makeup of the team to manage this project. <S> It will change over time, but it continues to be used as the criteria for membership. <S> Also, are you the only person in charge of this project? <S> Find out who is and suggest to them, you will write this up. <S> If they're in management, they'll be happy you're doing the work and are less inclined to get involved with the details. <S> You may want to point out that a small team is easier to manage, so you only want top people who can contribute the most. <S> Just remember, you can try and make everyone happy and let them get involved in this project, but if it fails, it will be reflected on you. <S> The ones that get left-out can bad mouth you all they want, but the project will speak for itself and you. <A> My question is: how can I defend myself from all these self-invited contributors, in a professional way which will protect my best interests without damaging my career? <S> You use your boss as the filter for your work activities. <S> Peers and other managers who request your time should be directed to your boss. <S> " <S> Sorry, my boss has told me that he/she will have to decide if I should spend time on your request. <S> " is a simple way to use such a filter. <S> Discuss this ahead of time with your boss. <S> Since your boss is already aligning this project with the company's interests, it's likely that he/she will help you out. <S> This assumes that your "best interests" are the same as the company's "best interests". <S> If that isn't the case, you have a different problem. <A> I completely understand your frustration, as I've lived through some similar experiences. <S> I don't know exactly how your company works, but remember that you don't exist in a vacuum. <S> In a company setting however, whatever you develop typically belongs to the company. <S> Your boss, or your boss's bosses get to decide who does what, for how long, etc. <S> If they want to get involved, you get no say in the matter. <S> If they wished they could put some other dev in charge of your work and make you report to him. <S> The sad reality is that if someone sees political gain in hijacking your project, they might just be able to. <S> The only thing you can do is appeal to your boss to try and insulate you to the best of his ability - which he may or may not be able to do, or even desire to do, based on the political implications. <S> Good luck, and let us know how it all works out! <A> It seems what these people do is hassle and distract you. <S> It's the job of a manager to cut down the number of distractions and time wasters that bother their team. <S> Let your manager know that it bothers you. <S> The manager can reduce some of the overhead by reminding people that some task assignments need to go through him, and he can have some of the time wasting discussions with other managers behind closed doors without your participation. <S> As a competent manager they'll know what to do, but they don't know if the situation is currently bothering you unless you tell them and ask them to do something about it. <S> The manager won't be able to get rid of all interference, but they can reduce it quite a bit. <S> Also, the situation you're in is also a good thing. <S> If people go directly to you that increases your visibility in the company, which is correlated to job security and salary, sometimes more so than raw performance. <S> You also have the opportunity to build political capital and good will. <S> Try to make use of some of the opportunities.
| Express your concerns that these requests are slowing you down and ask if you can use your boss as such a filter or not. If this was your own private project outside of work, you would have the power to choose who to involve or not.
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Determining how supportive potential employers would be of my disability I suffer from a disability (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis or ME). Basically I am constantly tired, and am actually more productive if I do fewer hours. Sometimes I need to stop working and rest for a while, or decline certain tasks. I'm mainly a software developer but sometimes have to decline or use power tools to do simple things like taking a few screws out to access a debug port. When applying for a new job is there a way I can sound out any potential employer without ruining my chances of getting the job? Although discrimination on these grounds is illegal, practically if you go in to an interview and ask how they feel about you taking a couple of short naps during the work day you are unlikely to be made an offer, or may get a reduced one. To be clear, I am reasonably productive and IMHO worth a full salary, and the law seems to agree with me here (correct me if I'm wrong, but paying disabled employees less for equivalent work is not allowed). Should I perhaps bring it up after being made an offer? Would employers feel that is dishonest perhaps? The question is UK based. <Q> It's probably better to come clean up front. <S> I would have letter from a doctor which explains your condition and disclose to the company's HR once your application process is moving along. <S> For example, let's say you passed the phone interview and were brought in for a full set of interviews. <S> At that time you will probably interview with the HR rep. <S> Disclose it to them in written form and emphasize that your condition has not affected your performance in prior positions. <S> I would not recommend asking for fewer hours. <S> That will change the terms of employment, possibly in a negative way. <S> Just explain that you may have occasional "nap attacks" that require a short break to rest <S> and you have control over them, so they will not affect your ability to attend meetings and events at all. <A> Recruiters are engaged to by employers seeking for hard-to-find profiles. <S> Their added value is to look further and deeper into candidates. <S> It is a competitive advantage fort them to be unprejudiced and find candidates others would neglect. <S> Due to my autism, I have problems discussing IT related issues with non technical people and I am reluctant to take the lead of a team. <S> As a software engineer, after updating my linked-in profile, I was regularly contacted by the same recruiters. <S> I consistently asked questions to know what communication would be required. <S> Soon I selected two recruiters that used to give clear answers to these question and posed relevant questions in return. <S> I acknowledged them for identifying interesting opportunities for me and proposed having a face to face discussion about my profile, in which I told them about my condition, the problems it had caused in the past and the way I use to mitigate them. <S> They kept sending me interesting offers. <A> It may be very tempting to use a great Q&A site like stackexchange to get an answer to you problem, but I don't believe it is the best place to search for advice for your situation. <S> I would strongly recommend contacting an organisation that dedicated to your illness. <S> They should be able to answer your questions, share their expertise, provide support. <S> A quick search lead me to http://www.meassociation.org.uk . <S> (I'm not affiliated with this organisation.) <S> Good luck! <A> Always get as much "buy in" from the employer as possible before telling something that could scare him/her off. <S> Never mention it in a first contact. <S> Never tell it before the person at the other side of the table has really spent time on you. <S> Once the interviewer discovered your added value, such as relevant skills not mentioned in the job requirements, once she/he is considering how to use these strong points, dropping you because of a disadvantage means invalidating all the effort done so far. <S> That is the time to come forward with an issue like yours. <S> Unless you decide to wait even longer, until your contract is signed. <S> If you can hide the problem and be productive for some weeks, you might even wait until you proved your value once or twice, but then you must be quite sure you can mitigate the problem with not too much special measures.
| If there is something with your profile that needs to be taken into account before taking a position, that would scare off employers, I advice going through a trusted recruiter.
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How to handle when you are the target of gossip? One of my managers at my new job has been spreading gossip accusing me of misconduct against management at a previous job. This is causing a lot of hostility and made my work environment very difficult, especially because a lot of senior managers, including director level, are tacitly endorsing the gossip to make an example of me of what happens when one goes against management. My complaint to HR was dismissed because HR doesn't consider gossip to be a serious offence, and will only take action if someone does something as a result of the gossip. But nobody is dumb enough to do something blatant; the hostility and ostracization is hard to prove objectively. HR told me I would be fired if I persist in my complaint. Meanwhile the gossip mill has been given free rein to continue its activities. They have even managed to spin-doctor my complaint into a validation of the original gossip, exacerbating the situation. This is a serious matter for me because I have lost a number of jobs because of this gossip. When the general hostility reaches a certain level, management makes up an excuse to get rid of me, or to start giving me bogus negative reviews until I leave of my own accord to avoid getting fired. How can I break this chain of gossip? EDIT: I am specifically looking for suggestions how I can break the code of silence for someone to even acknowledge that there is a gossip, so I can present my side of the story.Also, for people saying "just get on with work", I have tried that in other jobs and it doesn't work. These managers want to make an example of me for allegedly going against management, and the ultimate example is to eventually get rid of me. There are 1001 ways to get rid of a contractor. <Q> This sounds like a classic case of workplace bullying . <S> When there is a concerted effort by people to cause you distress within the workplace, then this is something that needs to be taken seriously. <S> What can you do? <S> Well, the first thing to do is to approach HR again and use the specific term "workplace bullying". <S> It's not gossip, it is bullying. <S> You may find that using the correct terminology that has real, legal implications may get your HR department to sit up and take more notice. <S> What if that doesn't work? <S> I don't know where you are in the world, but many countries have strict legislation to protect employees against workplace bullying. <S> You can look to your local government organisation who may be able to help you to proceed with mediation within the workplace. <S> What else? <S> Another option is to talk to a lawyer who specialises in this area. <S> There's nothing like a legal opinion to give you your options, and if they speak to your employer, having a real, legal representation may well see them pull into line. <S> What if none of this works? <S> If none of these resolve your issue (which is possible but unlikely), you may be left with no option but to pursue other employment. <S> I don't like this approach because you state yourself: <S> I have lost a number of jobs because of this gossip. <S> This means that this problem is following you around. <A> It sounds to me like your company is using every resource it can to run you out. <A> Too late now, but for the future... <A> Clearly you managed to anger someone with a lot of power in your industry. <S> This type of thing only rarely goes on at more than one job. <S> This will not stop until you leave the industry or the geographic area where everyone knows everyone. <S> That's unfair, I know, but you can't keep these people from spreading their tales of whatever happened because they are seeing things from their buddy's perspective, not yours, and likely his view of whatever happened is very different from yours. <S> Are there people in your industry who actively dislike the person you originally angered (whether that anger is justified is irrelevant)? <S> If so, they are most likely the people who will believe your side of things. <S> Try to get a job with them. <S> Or change to another industry and above all the next time you change jobs, do not tell people where you are going. <S> You have to break the chain in this. <S> It may involve the need to go to a lower job and work your way back up. <S> It may involve the need to move to a different location. <S> Basically, you need to escape this particular old boy network. <S> You are on the way out at your current job if HR is telling you that if you complain again you are out. <S> At this point everyone believes the stories about you. <S> You also need to look back at the original incident that caused this. <S> I am not saying you are right or wrong, just that you need to see what happened and what you could have done differently to prevent it from happening. <S> You can;t change the past behavior of others, so you need to concentrate on if there was a better way to have handled whatever the issue was. <S> Likely one thing you need to learn about is how to handle office politics. <S> It is really difficult to tell you more specifically what you need to do differently without knowing what happened to originally get people so mad at you. <A> Many people are discriminated against for many reasons, there is one cure. <S> You won't be popular or make many friends <S> but it does work over time. <S> Ignore anything negative as if you have no idea, and just do your work professionally and cheerfully. <S> You ever meet that foreign chap who everyone takes no notice of anymore, who just does his own thing and is always smiling? <S> He's a bit of a joke around the place but he gets the work done. <S> Well, he's probably doing exactly the same thing. <S> You can only be hooked if you bite at the bait. <S> This is a strategy that will break the cycle long term and permanently, complaining to HR isn't, it will just antagonise people who didn't even care prior to it.
| It needs to be properly resolved and called exactly what it is: workplace bullying ! When you have absolutely no one supporting you, there's pretty much no recourse but to find a new job and quit before they manage to get enough inertia to fire you. Usually the best thing to do with gossip is to ignore it as the hobby of petty minds, and trust thst management is sane enough to do the same.
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In an interview I didn't have any questions and they said to message them later if I did In an interview I was asked if I had any questions for the interviewer. I didn't have any and she said that if I thought of any questions later to text her. Does this indicate that she is interested in hiring me? Should I ask questions directly? <Q> Does it mean anything? <S> Ultimately it doesn't mean much. <S> It sounds like a standard way of ending an interview. <S> However! <S> I do think you should always have some questions prepared to ask the interviewer. <S> Do your research! <S> This question is asked to gauge your potential interest in the company. <S> It's always a good idea before an interview to research what you can about them. <S> Typically I do this by looking at Glassdoor, Google and LinkedIn profiles of employees that I can find. <S> As you do this you will inevitably discover some questions that you wish to ask and this is the time to do so. ... <S> but if you can't Understandably that's not always realistic when the company is <S> small or not much information can be found online. <S> In these cases I defer to saying something along the lines of: Are there any concerns you have about my being able to do this role <S> soI can address them with you now? <S> This will allow you to get some insight into areas that you may be able to tackle with the interviewer before the interview ends. <S> Sometimes it will help to highlight when you genuinely aren't a good fit for the role and should consider other opportunities. <A> It just means that if you think of questions you should contact the hiring officer, as opposed to anyone else you may have been in contact with during the process. <S> It does not convey in any way their level of interest in you but rather gives you a point of contact to follow up, that will be best able to handle your questions and queries. <S> Give it a few days <S> then respond thanking her for taking time to interview you. <A> It indicates a deeper interest in the company. <S> If your technical or task-related questions have already been answered, get personal: Ask "What was it that motivated you to join the company? <S> What is it you like best about working here? <S> " People like talking about themselves, their experiences and history with a place. <S> It humanizes the conversation. <S> If the answer is enthusiastic, you'll have a better idea of why you would want to work there. <A> This tells them that you are interested. <S> If you can't think of any question that won't sound lame or contrived, just send a note saying that you found the job or the company interesting and look forward to hearing from them. <S> But an intelligent question is good, because it shows that you have really thought about the job, and are smart enough to understand what's going on. <S> For example, on my current job, while interviewing I said that I'd gotten the impression that the company got almost all its income from a couple of big clients, and had they considered what would happen if they lost one of those clients. <S> I think this question showed that I had been paying attention during the interviews and that I understood the business implications of some of their decisions. <S> And it wasn't an idle question: I wanted to know.
| If you're interested in a company, you should follow up with an email with some question. ALWAYS ask a question!
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How should I respond to an email if I can't go for any of the meetings? I just received an email which shows us a list of dates we can attend for a meeting. However, I am busy on all 3 days. How should I respond to my boss? I would expect that I can just send: Sorry [boss name], I can't attend all 3 meetings because I am busy with [something] on those days. Is it possible to reschedule it to some other day when I'm free? Thanks. But this doesn't seem enough. Is there anything else I need to include? <Q> But this doesn't seem enough. <S> Is there anything else I need to include? <S> I agree that it doesn't seem enough. <S> You might include what you are doing on each of the three proposed days, so that you boss doesn't think you are just avoiding him/her. <S> And you should include other days and times that would work better for you. <A> The answer as you have written it seems reasonable and "enough". <S> It has the necessary information, is straightforward and polite. <S> I wouldn't start it with "Sorry", but with "Hello" or something, but that might depend on your culture. <A> I think you should combine two strategies, both already mentioned. <S> List your conficts for each of the three proposed times. <S> Your boss may decide the new meeting is higher priority than one of them, and ask you to reschedule or cancel the conflicting meeting to attend the new one. <S> Also list some dates for which you have no conflicts. <S> That will be useful information for your boss in deciding whether to pick a different time for the new meeting. <S> The draft response in your question implies you are making the decision that your existing meetings should take priority over the meeting your boss is scheduling. <S> That may be the right decision, but it is up to your boss to decide that, not you. <A> What you have is good enough if you give the reasons for each of the days, but I think it won't be good for you to send it. <S> Your boss has given you three choices and you can't make any of them? <S> This is not going to look good <S> and it probably won't be taken very well. <S> You're basically telling your boss that his issues are low priority. <S> My advice is reschedule something else so that you can make it on one of the days.
| You might want to add a few dates that would work for you as alternatives if there are other days that also wouldn't work, so your boss doesn't reschedule for those days.
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Office chair is killing me, but my request to buy a new one was refused After working for some time in my company I started having some back/neck pain. Nothing too much at first, but after more time it got worse. After some googling I came to the conclusion that my office chair was not ideal for me, and I asked my manager if it's possible to get a new chair, to which he replied "No". I also tried speaking with managers from different departments, but they either gave me a faint smile indicating "no" or told me to speak with my manager. I tried to solve my problem on my own by bringing my gymnastic ball to work. Sadly it didn't work; I can't sit 8 hours a day on it for 5 days. I can feel my productivity slipping and my posture getting worse every day. Is there something I could do that would convince my manager to buy me a new chair? <Q> I have made several requests for special equipment over the years, some granted and some not. <S> Here's what I did to <S> (as far as I can tell) maximize the chances of success: <S> Ask . <S> I can't tell if you've asked outright or just hinted at it, but don't rely on hints. <S> Explain why . <S> Be prepared to explain how you know it's the chair and not some other aspect of your setup, but you probably won't need this detail. <S> Do the leg-work . <S> Don't just say you want a new chair <S> ; come with a few options of chairs that have the feature you need that your current chair lacks. <S> (For me, being able to lock the back of the chair in place, so if I lean back I meet resistance rather than my chair just falling back, is important. <S> Our chairs didn't have that.) <S> Be budget-minded, but use mainstream vendors . <S> If your company is going to buy it, then if they have any financial/accounting processes at all (they're not just a few guys in a garage) they're probably going to need to obtain it new from a known vendor. <S> That used chair you found on Craigslist for $10 might not actually line up with their processes (but see below). <S> If your boss can't help you, try HR . <S> HR probably has processes (and perhaps budgets) for this separate from what your own department has. <S> And if the problem is such that there's mandatory compliance in your locale, they'll be more familiar with those rules than your manager is. <S> Finally, if they say no, just buy it yourself. <S> Label it as your property and take it with you when you leave. <S> (Some employers have strong opinions about design/appearance, so it's a good idea to ask first.) <S> The $100 I spent on a chair at my last workplace was more than worth it, weighed against 8+ hours per day for years. <A> Problem One: you got your personal health information off the googles internet pipes. <S> Go to a doctor or chiro. <S> Bring a note from said doctor to your HR dept. <A> Interestingly I ran into this problem recently myself. <S> My neck / shoulder started to hurt badly and after going to the doctor they asked me questions <S> and it was found that when I sat down, I leaned a little to view the monitor at my new setup. <S> With that said, I rearranged my desk and take extra effort to make sure I am not leaning. <S> It has helped and I don't feel as sore. <A> I'm in the UK <S> but I found doing some basic physio exercises and a cheap foam lower back support <S> helped me a lot. <S> Although it was neck pain it came from having weak core muscles/bad posture and strengthening this helped massively. <S> Apparently my poor posture was causing tension in my neck area and my slumped sitting position caused compression in the back. <S> It's a lot cheaper than buying your own chair anyway. <S> EDIT <S> The link I used previously is dead as pointed out by Ciwan. <S> If you google 'Lumbar Cushion' you can find similar products.
| If you actually can solve your problem for $10 on Craigslist, just do it and save your management requests for things that are more expensive. Your chair is causing you pain; this isn't just a preference. If you can't afford a trip to a real physio a lot of the advice can be googled online.
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Should I tell my boss that he needs to hire somebody else or I am likely to leave? I work for a very small company, I'm currently the only employee besides my boss. In the past we have had more (but not many) staff, but due to other job offers or other circumstances, all of them have left. I have been giving my employer a few months to find someone and hire them, but it has already been three months and he hasn't done this. How do I strongly imply he should hire someone else before I leave without making it clear I'm going to leave? I feel letting him know could make the working environment very awkward. <Q> It is not your responsibility to tell your boss you are thinking of leaving/they need to hire another person. <S> I'm assuming you have a notice period in your contract and if so, this is there for their benefit as much as yours. <S> As you quite rightly say in your post, this could lead to an awkward relationship/atmosphere which is another reason to look after yourself first. <S> Plus, what if you do broach the subject and then do not find another position for a while? <S> The awkward atmosphere would have to be endured for far longer than you probably anticipated. <S> Keep quiet. <S> Let them do their job and look after yourself!! <A> I assume that you are unwilling to let your employer know that you are leaving until the notice period ( <S> e.g. two weeks or whatever it is) before you actually leave arrives. <S> If that is the case, I would line up another job first. <S> Once that is in place, give your boss your required notice and then leave. <S> This option offers you the maximum protection, but at the (potential?) cost of negatively impacting your relationship with your current employer.(Edit: see comment below.) <S> If that is not the case, and you are willing to let your boss know that you are leaving in the (not too distant) future, then have a face to face conversation with him/her and make it clear that you are planning to leave but that you won't do so until you are confident that your employer has found a suitable replacement for you, UP TO a specified maximum time. <S> So for example, you could say, "I need you to search for my replacement in earnest. <S> I will stay with the company for up to three months while you look. <S> If you can't find anyone in that time, then I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to leave. <S> If you find someone sooner than that, I will be happy to leave early once that person is trained. <S> " <S> This option puts you in better graces with your current employer (whom, I assume you will want as a reference) but makes your job search trickier because you won't have a definite end date. <S> This is a significant risk to take. <A> As others have noted its usually a good idea to have a backup plan (an offer letter from another company), before broaching a subject like this. <S> However I want to ask why, you want your boss to hire someone else <S> (I am guessing it's not that you are lonely and want someone to talk to).More likely you want someone else to take on some of your work load. <S> Therefore your real ask is that your boss reduce your workload rather than hire someone else, in fact if your boss did hire someone else and the new hire was incompetent, it may not help you. <S> Therefore my advice would be to ask for what you actually want (reduced workload) and let your boss figure out how (and if) to accommodate your request. <S> Note, (s)he may go in a different direction such as offering you a pay raise, would you accept that? <S> if so how much would you be looking for? <S> I would also recommend establishing a timeline for when things will change. <S> Finally, it may be the case that your boss is happy with the status quo and simply refuses to make any changes, so you should be prepared to make the jump... <A> This is just like any personal relationship you are in. <S> Imagine that you hint to your girlfriend that things are not working out. <S> She should get the picture that maybe you two aren't a long-term thing. <S> Maybe she starts looking for other guys, but at the very least she's not buying a house and car in both your names. <S> If you sit your employer down and make it 100% clear it would be like telling your girlfriend that she is too annoying, too ugly, or too stupid to date you. <S> Any self respecting girl would dump you on the spot. <S> At the very least she is going to be seriously hostile towards you until that fateful day comes (from you or her). <S> Expect your employer to act the exact same way.
| If you have already hinted at your employer that you might be leaving that is more than enough - really you went too far.
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What one term should I use to describe having "HTML + CSS + Javascript + etc." skills? Many job listings for web developers that I've seen describe ideal candidates who know a variety of technologies, with specifics which vary from shop to shop, but of course they all have one subset in common: HTMLCSSJavascriptjQuery (usually)XML (occasionally)etc. Is there a single term to describe this closely-related set of skills? I've considered "HTML5", but "HTML5" refers to the most recent versions of each of these technologies/skillsets, not the technologies in general. It doesn't really fit. <Q> Reference: <S> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Front_end_development <A> It depends on your purpose. <S> If you are looking for a generic way to describe someone who uses these skills, then I would agree with Charmander's answer . <S> A person who uses HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and their associated frameworks (like Bootstrap or jQuery) would be called a front-end developer . <S> A broader term may be web developer , as these are typically technologies and tools used to build web sites. <S> However, the term "web developer" may also be used to describe the skills used for back-end development or even include skills like graphic design, usability or user experience, and search engine optimization that you don't mention in your question. <S> The term you use would probably be best picked based on your audience - a recruiter or technical person may understand "front-end" and "back-end", but someone off the street may not. <S> If you are looking to capture skills on your resume, it may be better to be more explicit and enumerate them. <S> This would be more likely to get through less informed people or automated screening mechanisms that may be used to rank or filter a resume or application. <S> If you're writing a job description, it may be more useful to also list the specifics rather than a generic term to allow candidates to see what specific technologies you use. <S> For example, you could identify JavaScript, but also particular JavaScript frameworks like jQuery and AngularJS. <S> For similar reasons as resumes, this makes your job posting easier to find by people searching for jobs with a particular need. <A> I would say Front End Developer as well <S> but I think such term will result in a mixed understanding depending on who you're talking to. <S> A very large company will likely have distinct rolls for Front/Back End developers but a smaller shop may include both tasks which encompasses the much broader term "Web Developer. <S> " I would also say back end developers will have a play in making sure JavaScript code is correctly working. <S> If you are solely a front end developer, I would put that under your objective like, "Front End developer seeking role to develop interactive UI utilizing modern framework." <S> However if you done front end development but consider yourself beyond that, I would make that clear in your objective. <A> In my company, I'd pushed to extract the term "front end developer" to "front end developer" and "UI Developer". <S> My logic was this: When we put out posting for front-end developers, we get people with javscript (Angularjs), css/html skills -- which is great, and we can always use talented front-end developers -- but as a UI/UX designer, I have a hard time working with these developers who can't tell one grey from another grey, and can't see something is 2 pixels off (or even 20 pixels off) -- which, by the way, has been 99% of the front end developer in the company. <S> I advocate a UI developer title -- developer who cares about the UI aspect than functionality and has an eye for design. <S> Someone who can turn a UI picture to pixel perfect html/css and javascript appearance (animation and other interaction). <S> Of course, not every company has such distinction, and every company has different definition. <S> So you can go to indeed.com or linkedin, type in UI developer, front-end developer, javascript developer, html5 developer... and see how many results show up and the job description for each.
| The most common term to describe these skills is "Front end developer", although mentioning the particular set of technologies you use won't hurt.
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I was let go.On what ground should I appeal? I've posted some previous threads about my job being in trouble , jokes from a new colleague , helping my colleague who is double my age and less experienced and being involved in recruitment . All of these contributed to my being fired today. The reasons for my termination were stated as: Tenable working relationships Numerous unsubstantiated complaints about fellow colleagues. Failure to follow the correct channels for feeding back professional technical feedback to relevant colleagues I recently emailed my HoD about my workload, and how my new colleague is conducting interviews, as he asked me to make some questionnaire and attach answers to it because he doesn't know what to ask or say Another event was my colleague annoying me. I was talking to someone and he tried to get our attention in a disrespectful way, to which my other colleague replied telling him to 'shut up', that was something I mentioned to my manager as well. As well as my being concerned over the work put on top my shoulders without any comment or good coding practice, by a colleague who is double my age and without any help. I was handed the letter saying that I was terminated. The HR wouldn't let me go back to the office and collect my things, I was told to take a 1-week vacation as 1 week notice period, and my project manager collected all things from my table and bought them to me, and asked me to vacant premises. Am I being victimized? Was I zoned out? Should I make an appeal and on what ground? <Q> It sounds like you and your manager don't see eye to eye on a lot of things <S> so I do feel human resources has done the right thing here in asking you to finish your employment on the same day that they've provided you with your termination notice. <S> They've done the right thing - they're paying you appropriately and although I feel you will disagree, I think it all has been handled quite professionally. <S> Ultimately - you and this company are a bad fit for each other. <S> By the sounds of all of these threads despite your work ability you've made a bad impression quite early on with HR and management. <S> I think engaging a lawyer now is going to be a waste of time and resources. <S> I would instead focus on moving past this and finding a new job. <S> Additionally, I think in your next position you would be much better off taking the time to get the know the personalities and work environment around you before making any complaints - it's quite unsual for somebody on probation to air so many grievances (if any) <S> and it's sounding like a large contributor to why you've had the issues that you have in this last engagement. <A> You were being ostracized and made fun of by your colleagues. <S> You were living inside your own little private hell. <S> Be grateful that you're no longer working at this company. <S> One reason you were such an easy target was because you are introverted and lack English language skills. <S> Now focus on getting another job and work on being less vulnerable. <S> There must be ESL classes you can take. <S> And public speaking clubs you can join. <S> You need to get out of your shell, and at the same time practice mixing with people who don't speak your native language. <S> There are also lots of other social clubs/ special interests meetups you could join. <S> Force yourself to get out and work on those skills. <S> I know it will feel uncomfortable at first, but you have to trust me on this, clubs and social activities will feel more comfortable the more you go to them. <S> Myself, I am not an English native speaker, and it took me time to acclimate. <A> If you were in a probationary period, then you have few rights. <S> Unless you were discriminated against in a way that is not allowed (race, sex, religion, etc), then they can fire you for any reason they like. <S> There's nothing you can do about that. <S> They should have an internal appeals process, should you consider it worth the effort of appealing. <A> Should I make a appeal or was I right to be fired? <S> You were right to be fired. <S> If you're on probation and you're complaining a lot, then they got rid of a troublesome employee as hassle free and cheaply as possible, no offence. <S> Probation is about more than work ability, it's also about your ability to interact with their team. <S> Should you make an appeal? <S> No. <S> They have already taken this into account and are prepared to deal with it, it will not do you any good at all.
| It sounds like they don't consider you a team player, and you don't fit in with their organisation.
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Doing lots of business work in development, but developer title. Should I ask for it to be changed? I'm titled as a developer however since starting in my current position I've accumulated more and more work that I would consider business analysis oriented. I write specifications, create workflow diagrams, cost-benefit analysis and in many ways find myself doing more business analyst work than developer work. I'm completely ok with this and I don't want it to change at all but I'm concerned that if I were to move onto another position in the future that simply being titled as a "Developer" is going to have to be constantly explained to future employers. I'm worried most hiring officers would just look at the job title when skimming resumes, and not an explanation of the duties I performed. Should I ask for my job title to be amended to something like "Business Systems Analyst" or is this a completely normal situation that I'm over thinking? <Q> It sounds like you want to be more business orientated in the future. <S> If that is indeed the case then it's going to be important to have your job title updated to reflect your intended future position. <S> If you're intending on staying a developer in future this likely doesn't matter as much as that <S> is the job title they would be seeking (and <S> your skills in these areas are GREAT points under your job title). <A> Another option is to have your title updated to " Analyst Developer ". <S> This makes it obvious to other IT industry people that you are capable of performing the business analysis side of things as well as having a background (or deep skills even) in development. <A> Many employees have titles that do not reflect what they do. <S> It's very strange but seems to be the norm, especially in larger companies. <S> I have come to find the titles are really for HR and business matrix purposes . <S> Next, you assume a 1 to 1 correlation with your internal title to what you type on your resume. <S> I think you would actually confuse them if it showed developer <S> and then the description was business. <S> Why even go there...? <S> Now if you want, like others pointed out, you can try to use it to your advantage as well. <S> However, you have to explain why you are business capable and a developer. <S> It could be more valuable than just either/or. <S> Next, are you the only one with that title doing that work? <S> May want to ponder how that happened? <S> Did they think you were better suited for that or this...or just where the work was at the time? <S> At the end of the day, the one or two word title you put above the actual work description (in paragraphs or multiple bullets) on your resume, is probably close to irrelevant.
| On your resume, you can expand, shrink or morph the position title appropriately, to show case what it is you actually do.
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Should I ask for a clarification in reply mail? Recently I got this mail from my colleague, Should I ask for a clarification through reply mail? or should i say in personal? <Q> If you don't understand it then ask for clarification by return email. <S> But there is no need to correct them unless:- <S> a) <S> you have a company policy in place that emails must be in correct English b) <S> the email is ambiguous in meaning and you correct their grammar and ask them if your interpretation is correct. <S> c) there is an understanding between you that you will help them with their English <A> Being the grandson of an English teacher, the grammar mistakes of others scream at me from the page or screen. <S> However, there are only two circumstances I can think of where it would be appropriate to correct grammar in this situation: <S> The communication is going to be distributed to customers or industry publications, and the poor language usage would be embarrassing to the company or detract from the perceived authority/competence of the content. <S> The mistakes are so egregious that it leaves the meaning of the message vague or indiscernible. <S> There is some value in helping a junior employee improve their communications overall, but calling out specific failings will (usually) not be productive. <A> What is there to gain by correcting the grammatical mistake of your colleague? <S> Is this colleague an equal or senior or junior to you? <S> This depends on the type of mistake (spelling? <S> punctuation? <S> incorrect phrase used?) <S> and if this person also emails clients/external people <A> If it's correspondence between the two of you, leave it alone . <S> You're not being paid to be a language teacher, and you will cause a rift with your colleague and will start to be viewed as rather self-righteous. <S> If it's a document that you are creating in collaboration with another colleague, then that's an entirely different case. <S> You want such a document to be cohesive, but in the end you have to examine the tradeoff of try to make it perfect vs getting it done .
| I would not mention it and should the items you consider to be errors continue to happen, then I would say something in person.
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Asking previous company for code Is it OK to ask your company that you worked for to provide you with some code, that you did? Because how am I supposed to show my previous work to potential employers? <Q> You can certainly ask. <S> However, when you write code for an organization, they own any and all code that you write. <S> so they have a more in-depth view into their competitions processes and thus give them a business edge. <S> You could be taking the code for yourself to start your own company that will compete with your previous one. <S> General trade secrets that could affect market value . <S> If your company is publicly traded, let's just say Apple in this example, and you give them code that reveals a new feature in the next iPhone, that could affect stock prices for a company. <S> I trust you're not that dumb, but who knows. <S> Any intelligent company would say no to this request, but it doesn't hurt to ask. <S> This is generally why you should contribute to open source projects or have your own projects to showcase code. <A> Good luck with that <S> It doesn't hurt to ask, but I would be very surprised if they gave you any code. <S> However, your situation is common in the industry. <S> Just be prepared to talk about what you did, what you know, how long you've been doing this, and so on. <S> As an interviewer, looking at 50 lines of code isn't likely to tell me much. <S> ( Yes, there are exceptions to that statement for truly terrible code ) <A> I agree with other answers saying it is highly unlikely they will do so. <S> However, you may have a chance if: You have coded something with neither confidential information nor mechanisms which are considered strategical by the company <S> You manage to convince them to release this code under an open-source license <S> I give you an example: a company I worked with built a tool to replay packets, such as tcpreplay, but with additional features. <S> It was an internal solution, and they don't even sell software. <S> The manager of this project persuaded the company to release the tool under an open-source license. <S> As you are not in the company anymore, I would think it is going to be even more difficult though.
| They will most likely say no for the following reasons: You could be taking the code to a competitor
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My opinion is being dismissed because of my young age I've been working for my current company for more than 2 years. I am one of the youngest employees (27yo) and I have had 0 problems because of that. I have always been considered "the kid" but in a very respectful fashion, like "you are very very good for your age" both personally and professionally. A few months ago I moved to a different office with a different manager. Everything is great excluded said manager. I don't get along with her very well and sometimes I find it really hard to get my job done with her. In the very last period I have been getting to know her a little bit better and when discussing personal things (for instance during lunch) in a group she is frequently very dismissing of my opinion by saying things like "you are too young to know" or "please shut up, adults are talking" maybe with a smile. She has been already "scolded" by other colleagues for this arrogant attitude but this seems to have very little effect on her behavior. Now I don't want to become her best friend, so I try to spend with her as little of my free time as possible to avoid any kind of problem but this dynamic seems to be more and more present also during our professional time together. Things at the moment are not too bad so I'm not thinking about leaving my job or even complaining to HR but I am getting tired of the situation and I would like to prevent the situation from deteriorating further. The question: What suggestions can you give me to prevent the situation from deteriorating any further? <Q> There are some good answers here <S> but I feel they've missed something, so I'm adding my 2 cents. <S> It sounds to me like this person <S> may not have a problem with your age exactly, <S> rather your age in relation to your skill level in comparison to hers. <S> She could even feel her job is in danger. <S> If this person is older and more experienced and feels that you have come in, with less experience and are perhaps putting a higher quality/quantity of work than her, she may be feeling inadequate and as a result, getting defensive and using humor as a defense. <S> If that's the case, the solution to the other answers here (being passive aggressive, trying to overpower her and prove her comments stupid, speaking to management...) could actually aggravate the situation. <S> Solution? <S> I would suggest playing the long game. <S> Ask for her advice and opinions here and there, even when you don't really need it. <S> The openness, vulnerability and respect of her opinion might inspire her to drop her defensiveness a bit. <S> If that doesn't work over the period of a couple of weeks <S> then it's likely <S> it's either her way to make friends by using cutting humor, in which case, you should let her know it hurts in a friendly way, or she really does have no respect for you because of her age <S> and you need to speak to her or escalate it to management if she is not interested in resolution. <A> In my experience, if you can back up your point with facts and clear logic, then you quickly turn the tables. <S> Being in public (e.g. a meeting situation) will teach your manager not to challenge you, as they now look both rude and stupid. <S> Example that happened to me. <S> When I presented an idea, a colleague of mine used to try to dismiss it with the phrase " <S> I've never heard of idea X ", implying that if she hadn't heard of it, then it was not worthwhile knowing. <S> This is the outline of my response: <S> Idea X is well established. <S> It was introduced by Fred Bloggs in 1965 <S> Idea X is well suited to our problem. <S> We want to maximise profit. <S> It does just that Idea X was used by Big Company Y to make an extra large amount of profit last year <S> So, the general advice is to: Review in what ways your manager tries to challenge you Research a good response <S> Rehearse <S> the response so that you can deliver it confidently and professionally <A> Bring this up during your 1:1. <S> Don't have 1:1's? <S> That makes me concerned for your company/manager ( more reading ). <S> This should be something you can work out as professionals. <S> You raise these concerns about how she is being disrespectful and dismissive. <S> She addresses how you may be reading too much into them, or improves. <S> If she does not, then you go to her boss. <S> If they don't do anything, you go to HR. <S> Depending on your locale, such discrimination may be illegal, so going to HR might be a fairly huge step. <S> Please do not be scared of this. <S> Managers who are this inept aren't just harming you, they're a cancer for the entire company. <A> Nine-tenths of the effort to dealing with this situation has to do with how you respond to these jabs. <S> Your manager is intimidated by you, and these little knocks to your esteem are designed to keep you in your place. <S> If I were you, I'd practice with a trusted friend on some rehearsed responses toward your manager. <S> If you practice, then it will be less emotionally taxing for you when you're dealing with the real thing. <S> When you hear "please shut up, adults are talking," respond with "adults are courteous to one another, and know how to wait their turn to speak." ... <S> and again, keep right on talking . <S> In either case: maintain an even tone of voice, and give that manager a quick glance, dead in the eyes, when you say what you say. <S> The goal is to let it be known that you're not intimidated or thrown off emotionally by the ugly statements. <S> It'll be different for you at first, but you'll improve with practice. <S> You may have to, afterward, go outside and take a deep breath. <S> But you can do it ! <A> By no means a complete answer, but listen carefully to what is said. <S> If people are talking about all the things they were up to in the late 60's when they were teenagers, or discussing problems with their grandchildren, then comments saying you are too young may be quite Ok. <S> On the other hand, if people are discussing current politics, then "shut up, adults are talking" is unacceptable. <S> All that said, the majority of 27 year olds are adults.
| When you hear the "you're too young to know", respond with, "Hey, thanks for reminding me of that!" and keep on talking as if the manager never made the statement. There may be people who because of life experience can judge certain things better than you can; if they do and explain things then it's often a good idea to listen - but plain dismissing everything you have to say is bad.
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Sharing self-developed but untested tools or processes with colleagues As a QA tester for a software suite, I find that I have to install/uninstall builds daily, change system configurations in batches, etc. I find I regularly create .bat's, .vbs's, and .exe's to script actions that I have to repeat regularly with my job. I have a folder of these on my desktop, and use them fairly frequently. I didn't bother with any sort of error handling into them because I didn't have "approval" to write them and wanted to minimize the dev time (most were written in less than 20 minutes), and never expected them to leave my desktop. The problem is, coworkers have seen me using them, and they would like me to share. If I distribute these utilities, I know that I will suddenly have to support them and anything wrong will be blamed on me, possibly implicating me in damages, and damaging my reputation for something that is really outside of my job description anyway. I'm willing to take the risk of some edge case causing an error condition on my computer (I will probably be able to fix it with little effort), but I'm hesitant to allow that on coworkers computers that I have no control over. I want to share the tools I developed but I don't have the time or budget to ensure that they're safe for use by colleagues that aren't aware of how they work or what could go wrong. Should I mention the risks and keep these tools to myself? If I want to share them, how do I ensure that they're used with caution and that any problems caused by their use don't reflect on me? Should I make the case for further development of these tools and, if so, how? <Q> How can I safely share these utilities without putting myself in harms way? <S> Talk with your manager, and explain your dilemma. <S> Suggest that you be given permission and time to enhance your utilities so that they are more robust, have a sufficient level of error handling, are well documented, and are well-tested on machines other than yours. <S> Then, you could present the enhanced utilities to the team for their use. <S> As @cbojar wisely suggests, if your team has an internal tools person or group - you could turn the finished product over to them for continued support. <S> I was fortunate enough to have a terrific "toolsmith" on my last QA Team. <S> He was a wiz at creating these sorts of tools, tips, and utilities. <S> He shared your concerns, but I urged him share his work with the rest of the team. <S> He eventually did - and everyone benefited. <S> The team became more productive, and the toolsmith got a nicer bonus at the end of the year, and the appreciation of the team. <S> You might find that your boss would welcome this approach. <S> Or you might find that she/he would rather you not share. <A> You are using these tools to make your job easier and your coworkers have seen that. <S> That means they all have a need for it, or are even unhappy with the situation they face at work. <S> Be prepared, show them the benefits of the automated approach and how it frees up time for other things, like actual testing. <S> Then let them decide. <S> A good manager will see how this can increase the efficiency of the team. <S> If you repeat the same tedious setup process every day and it takes five minutes, then investing 20 minutes to automate it will amortize after less than a week. <S> In fact, it saves an hour of work for a team of five every week. <S> It's also less error-prone if it is automated because you cannot accidentally click the wrong stuff because it's boring time consuming clicking and waiting. <S> This XKCD comic explains in an easy way when automation of tasks makes sense. <S> You can suggest that you can maintain and improve the things for the whole team. <S> Move them from your desktop to a company git and let everyone benefit. <S> That's in the company's interest and your manager will likely be happy to give you time to further improve if properly convinced. <S> Hard facts can go a long way even for the most untechnical manager. <A> First, creating tools can make you very valuable to your team and employer. <S> You need to gauge the effectiveness of your tools and make your decision based on that. <S> For me, I once developed a reporting system that turned 2 hours of work into 5 seconds of work--and no more missed deadlines. <S> If you're worried about damaging something, I'd suggest to work that out before releasing anything to your coworkers. <S> You'll need to make this decision after weighing risks. <S> For me, usually there are little to no risks involved in my scripts and tools. <S> I usually provide them with an AS-IS disclaimer and provide no support. <S> However, it's gotten to the point that I'm formally asked to fix or maintain certain tools that improve workplace productivity. <S> Finally, if you do have an internal team, it's great to engage them with your work. <S> This can help prevent code rot. <S> In my case, I added a birthday reminder to one of my tools. <S> After getting laid-off and shortly after my next birthday, I was asked to cover for someone on extended leave. <S> I found out, the team maintaining my code had recommended me because they had worked with my code recently. <A> I think you are making a mountain out of a molehill. <S> Sharing off-the-cuff project specific tools and scripts happens frequently in the development world. <S> Quite frankly, any software developer who isn't often creating their own productivity enhancement "tools" is almost certainly not going to be a very good developer. <S> What is more likely to happen versus getting blamed is if it turns out that your tool really is useful <S> then the source code/scripts will be added to the software CM system and then the developers will all start adding their desired features. <S> One day your rather mundane tool may blossom into a quite slick application that is a core part of the project's (or even company) development process. <S> If people ask you to "support" the tools then you just be honest and tell them "I only created the tool for my personal use. <S> I can give you the source code and you can modify it to your liking if it doesn't do what you want". <S> Very simple, you don't end up owning the tools simply because you wrote them and others want to use them. <A> One way to address the support issue is to make these tools a company-internal open source, peer-supported project. <S> That lets others get involved in fixing the bugs rather than uour having to bear all that burden. <S> Downside is that you'd be giving up some degree of control over the code, and in accepting their fixes you also run the risk of those creating new bugs.... <S> but if you can't confince management to pay you for time spent polishing these tools, this is probably the best way to share both costs and benefits, and it lets you pick other programmers' brains for solutions to tough problems.
| When developers share these types of tools then everyone knows what they are getting. I think you should talk to your team lead or manager about this.
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In what ways can you adapt to a hot workplace? I currently work in a large building with an open floor plan. Recently, the thermostat in the building was turned up to only start cooling when it gets to 76 °F (24.4 °C). With a lot of people, and a lot of computers, the temperature in my area hovers around 77 °F (25 °C) all day. This is pretty hot for a building with little to no air movement. We cannot have fans at our desks either. I have went through the appropriate processes to try and get the thermostat put back where it was, but that failed. The individuals who control the thermostat are perpetually cold. What can I do to adapt to the hotter temperature inside of the building? I'm extremely sluggish, sweaty, unproductive, and crabby all day long. I need that to stop. <Q> You can buy personal battery operated fans - small enough to carry around in your pocket and even hang from your neck. <S> This keeps the scarf damp, so when it evaporates it cools you. <S> It only takes 5 minutes or so to resoak the scarf each day. <A> Wear lighter clothes? <S> My old office was regularly warmer than 90 <S> ° F in the summer, and I survived in shorts and T-shirts. <A> If other people feel the same I would go ask as a group. <S> There's many reasons why a cooler environment is better, which everyone already knows, so go into them if you want. <S> But I would go find whoever is in charge of the perpetually cold people who control the thermostat and plead my case there. <S> Mentioning that I had already tried the shortcut method, and that I was wondering if it was a cost cutting measure or something causing this issue. <S> There's nothing wrong with going over peoples heads if you have to on an issue that affects your work and health. <S> However if you're the only one in your area who sees it as a problem, then it's probably best just to suck it up and get a USB fan or even a hand fan and make frequent trips outside where there is some breeze. <S> Various Occupational Safety and Health manuals have sections on heat in workplaces, perhaps look at the ones which would apply to your workplace, heat definitely impacts on work performance. <S> However I think 77 degrees falls into an acceptable threshhold, although the lack of air circulation might not. <S> If your workplace is not compliant with OSH then you have a very strong lever. <A> I work in a cubicle floor, and it's well known that due to ventilation quirks there are areas that are hot and areas that are cold. <S> While most people in the cold areas just wear their jackets through the day, a few move from "winter cubicles" to "summer cubicles". <S> If you work in an environment where you can maybe move a few aisles down <S> I'd suggest it to your manager.
| You could also see if you can change seats with the people who feel cold - you might both end up happier. We also used fans, wore open shoes, and in very hot days some employees even immersed their feet in a basin filled with water under their desk :-) You can also buy scarves and bandanas filled with gel beads that soak up water. If asked just tell the truth, 'the heat is getting to you'.
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Will connections to an institution currently going through scandal harm my chances? Long story short: I volunteered at an (anonymous) institution for a few months a couple years ago. My time there was productive and enjoyable and I'm very proud of the work I was able to do there. I put it on my resume for obvious reasons (impress future employers, character building, new opportunities, etc). Fast forward to current times and this same institution is under investigation for crimes involving minors. None of the occurrences being investigated happened while I was there and I do not think I met any of the people involved, but if an employer were to see my resume and google this institution out of curiosity the most recent results do not paint a positive picture. Do current events reflect badly on my character to future employers even if I was not present and am no longer affiliated with this institution? I would like to have something to fill out the "Volunteer Work" part of my resume, but I feel like I should remove it so as to distance myself from the institution. <Q> Keep it on your resume, in anonymized form , e.g. "Volunteer coordinator, Education nonprofit" or "Intern, Environmental NGO" <S> This keeps the benefit and minimizes the risk. <S> So if they never ask for the name, you never have a problem. <S> And if/when they do ask for the name in interview or reference-checking, you say "The organization was X; I served between date Y and Z in function W. <S> You may be aware they recently had a scandal, and I had no involvement whatsoever in that, and have multiple references for you on my work at X", so you preemptively mitigate the risk. <S> Many people jump to lazy conclusions from a name-association or a brief Google or LinkedIn search, and few do more diligence. <S> But this solves things. <S> And as time goes on, people will be less likely to ask or care about the name of something you volunteered in n years before. <S> (And of course by then the investigation will have completed, so if asked, you can point out you clearly had no involvement in it, or knowledge thereof.) <A> Yes negative publicity can affect how you are viewed even if you were not involved. <S> Ask the many people who worked at Enron about how their resumes were perceived after the scandal. <S> Since this is volunteer work which typical counts very little in evaluating resumes, I would drop it. <A> Long story short - Probably. <S> Although I personally do not feel that a situation like this should effect your next employment there is a good chance that if the person doing the hiring looks at it, there could be some negative questions about it/you. <S> If it were me hiring, I would ask the question directly to you about it, and see if you would elaborate more on it and your thoughts (thus explaining everything). <S> But most likely people would not normally do this. <S> My advice would be to answer questions about it up front and explain the situation (that you were not involved, happened after you left, you did not know the people, etc). <S> I'd be specific to include dates on your resume as to when you worked there as well. <A> I would keep it on your resume if you are proud of the work you did there and wish to highlight this to future employers. <S> Be sure to make clear the dates you were at the organisation and be prepared with answers for any questions that prospective employers who have researched the organisation and have become aware of the investigations will no doubt ask. <A> There are few cognitive biases one called Illusionary correlation other Group attribution : Illusory correlation: <S> Illusory correlation is the phenomenon of perceiving a relationship between variables (typically people, events, or behaviors) even when no such relationship exists. <S> A common example of this phenomenon would be when people form false associations between membership in a statistical minority group and rare (typically negative) behaviors as variables that are novel or salient tend to capture the attention Group attribution <S> The group attribution error is an attribution bias analogous to the fundamental attribution error in that it refers to people's tendency to believe either (1) that the characteristics of an individual group member are reflective of the group as a whole, or (2) that a group's decision outcome must reflect the preferences of individual group members, even when information is available suggesting otherwise. <S> Which would imply that if association is being made you might be looked negative upon. <S> Removing it from you resume <S> completely would be overreaction <S> I think, one could simply obfuscate it in such a way to not make it obvious.
| Likely best to remove it until either the scandal blows over, just remove it for good.
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How do I address the sometimes explosive co-worker and blurred lines of responsibilities? I have been at my job 3 years, a co-worker has been here 19 years.Lately, a lot of her tasks have been shifted to me and the temper tantrums ensue from her – personal accusations from her, raised voices, slamming doors – a very uncomfortable situation. Some days are very, very hard and some days not bad if her mood is good. Simple fact is it is most always tense because the lines are grayed as to what is whose responsibility. I am not sure what then goal is and have a difficult time talking to my boss about it. Partly, because he knows it happens and it still happening and partly because I don’t want to come across as whining or needy. Outside of this, I really enjoy the work I do, but since I am writing this post it I guess it is obvious that the work environment gets to me most days. What would be the best course of action to address this? <Q> A few of the important aspects of a manager's job include: Ensuring that the employees know exactly what their responsibilities and duties are. <S> Ensuring the work environment is actually conducive to getting work down. <S> Sounds like your manager is failing badly. <S> I would NOT try and discuss this directly with the tantrum thrower. <S> You aren't going to get anywhere with them. <S> What you should do is go to your direct manager, close the door and sit down with them. <S> From there you need to present the situation and ask how this should be resolved. <S> Something like "Hey [boss], this situation is really not working for me. <S> Between [tantrum thrower]'s attitude and the blurred responsibilities <S> I'm not exactly sure what it is <S> you expect of me. <S> What is the game plan for fixing this?" <S> Don't leave that office until you have some clear and satisfactory answers. <S> Make sure they understand that the current environment isn't acceptable. <S> As you know, this is an unhealthy work environment and the manager needs to get it under control before he loses both of you. <A> Although this question may be closed as off-topic (asking for advice), this is a serious situation that you'll want to take active steps to resolve. <S> It seems to me that you are experiencing workplace harassment from your co-worker. <S> What you describe is far beyond the norms of acceptable workplace behavior, which says to me that your co-worker is not a reasonable person to negotiate with. <S> Likely the person will use your attempts at peacemaking against you, so I would not engage at all with your co-worker, except when necessary for business reasons, and in a calm, professional manner. <S> First, although you find it hard to speak with your boss about this, you need to have a direct conversation. <S> Review past scenarios and ask specifically what you should do if the same scenario happens again, whether it's finding out where responsibility lies, or dealing with your co-worker's harassment. <S> Make it clear to your boss that this is affecting your work. <S> It may be, based on your description, that your co-worker is on the way to termination, but you shouldn't have to sit there powerless until that day comes. <S> If your boss does not resolve the situation for you, you may need to have an informal conversation with someone in HR to see what the next steps should be. <A> I'd try talking to your colleague first, and see if things can be improved by simply explaining how you feel and seeing her response. <S> Maybe she's unhappy with something you did or do, or she might be going through a personal rough time, and she might even apologise to you. <S> Perhaps she feels it's wrong you are replacing her in some tasks. <S> If this doesn't work at all, I'd talk to your boss about it. <S> Because of the context you provide, you have been there for 3 years and you haven't mentioned situations in which you have previously complained. <S> It's your boss' job (as a manager, I assume), to help you and other employees deal with these kind of issues. <S> You should also suggest that defining the roles and responsibilities in a clearer way might help. <S> If you don't get any positive responses from these two actions, you should take it to HR. <A> Just ignore her outbursts and do your work cheerfully. <S> She's been there 19 years so she must be doing something right. <S> So long as I keep my back covered workwise and don't bite the bait it usually sorts itself out.
| Therefore, raising a problem or situation which makes you feel uncomfortable at work, shouldn't be seen as "needy", especially if you first tried to solve it yourself in a mature way. Letting other peoples tantrums upset you is unproductive and unhealthy and leads to all sorts of complications. I find ignoring unprofessionalism and being invariably cheerful disarms these sorts of attacks.
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Are university courses still relevant after two years of working experience? I'm currently looking for a new job and found a very interesting job posting that is in the exact field I want to work in (software development in medicine). I specialised in university in that field and took several courses where I got excellent grades. However in the past two years I worked in a completely different industry and haven't really been in touch with it. Would it be appropriate to list either these courses in my résumé and/or specifically mention them in the cover letter? At the very last the the hiring managers would see it on my Bachelor's certificate anyway. Or are past activities or courses in university not relevant after a couple years of working experience? <Q> Being neither a human relations specialist, nor a hiring manager, I'm not an expert. <S> That said, I do recommend including your university coursework on your resume or in a cover letter or both. <S> Partly I say this because two years isn't that long after school. <S> A good part of the knowledge you gained in those classes should still be in your memory. <S> Furthermore, you are showing the prospective employers that your have interest and knowledge in their specialty. <S> Also, this is based on my own, similar, experiences. <S> I have interests in a particular science and took all the college coursework I could in that subject, in addition to getting a computer science degree. <S> My senior project was a software application related to the science. <S> My first couple jobs after school were in information technology, but were unrelated to science. <S> About three years after I graduated, I learned of a job opening which would support scientists in my preferred field. <S> I mentioned those college courses on my resume and in my cover letter, got interviewed, and got the job. <S> I've now been working in that field for over twenty years. <A> It's obviously worth less than actual experience in the field and will become less and less relevant with time <S> but what's the downside? <S> Anything that shows some special connection with the field and shows that you are genuinely interested in this particular job and not simply a run-of-the-mill generic software developer sending resumes out by the dozen <S> is useful. <S> It also shows that you put some effort into understanding the requirements of the job and tailoring your resume, which is good in itself. <A> I would mention your interest in this field in a cover letter and support it with the coursework in your CV. <S> For non-related jobs, leave it out. <S> Let them know you've been looking for this type of opportunity. <S> It is also a great answer to the question, "Why do you want to leave your current job?" <A> It doesn't matter if it was 2 or 5 years ago, it's still relevant. <S> Let's say the technologies or tools have changed, the basics and the theory are probably the same, or at least similar. <A> I think resumes and cover letters should be catered to the jobs which you are applying to. <S> I also believe your previous experience can be relevant depending on the job which you are applying to. <S> In your case, I would be sure to talk about these courses either on your resume or your cover letter. <S> I would recommend including these courses on your resume or cover letter since the job posting aligns well with the courses you took in university. <S> If you do get selected for an interview, you can spend some time to refresh your knowledge on these topics so that you can talk about what the projects or tasks which you completed when you were enrolled in these courses. <S> All the best and good luck on your job search!
| I think you should definitely list these courses in your CV or mention this in your cover letter, especially if they are tightly related to the field you want to work on.
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HR says all employees required to talk to a salesman about a benefit -- how to respond? I work for a large government employer - a community college district in the US with thousands of employees. I received an email from HR saying that all employees were required to meet with a salesperson from an outside financial services company in order to "make informed decisions regarding the Section 125 Plan and other pre-taxed options." I resent their approach for several reasons: It's an inefficient use of my time, since I could figure out myoptions much more efficiently by reading something written downrather than sitting through a powerpoint presentation. I also don't like the idea of being shoved into a room with asalesperson against my will -- it doesn't seem likely to put me in aposition to deal intelligently with the sales pitch. I probably do want to participate in the plan, but I don't want to be marched through the process by a salesperson without prior access to any information. Is this a normal thing for an employer to do? Any suggestions for how to protect my time and avoid being forced into a hasty decision by a salesperson whom I have no reason to trust? <Q> This is obviously something they are mandated to do for some reason. <S> It's not really a salesman that you'll be talking to. <S> The sale is already done. <S> Your organization hired the company to administer the plan. <S> You are given some choices to make, and the meeting is to help you make those choices. <S> But you do not have the option to have someone else administer your plan. <S> This is a take it or leave it type of deal. <A> This is one of those times where you need to learn to pick your battles. <S> Whenever there is a mandatory meeting, I always go through the same thought process: <S> What do I lose if I go? <S> Normally this is just time and for something like a benefits presentation I may actually discover something useful. <S> If you know going in that you are not going to sign up for whatever it is, you can always sit in the back and not pay too close attention. <S> What can I schedule to get around this? <S> After I have figured out what I lose if I go <S> and I think it's too much <S> , I see if there is a way I can schedule some work that is a higher priority than the meeting at the same time. <S> This gets me out of the meeting in a way that no one can question since this HAS to get done at the same time. <S> This is usually a slightly hard sell, but it has worked for me in the past. <S> What do I get if I win? <S> This has to be very good. <S> If it's just getting out of one meeting every 6 months there is not much use to fighting. <S> If it is getting out of a meeting once a day for the next three years saving an hour of time then it is worth looking into. <S> What do I lose when I fight this? <S> This can range from looking like a problem employee to getting fired. <S> The situation will depend on the workplace and your specific managers. <S> Coming from a US perspective most of the time these mandatory meetings come up it is better to just go along with what the company wants. <S> At the end of the day, as long as you are paid for the meeting, the company has decided attending the meeting is more important than what ever your job is. <S> I have found that as long as the company is OK with the new delivery date taking into account the mandatory meeting, even if the meeting is a complete waste of time, I will attend the meeting like a good worker bee. <S> If they insist on the original delivery date, then and only then would there be push back on attending. <A> The best way to respond is to go to the meeting, ask good questions and try to learn something. <S> If you're concerned about the "dealing intelligently with the sales pitch", simply don't sign up for any programs at the meeting. <S> These meetings are typically conducted under the assumption that you will take paperwork home and fill it out later anyway.
| The best thing to do is go to the meeting, listen to the information, collect the literature, then get on with your day. It is normal for employers in the US to require attendance at meetings pertaining to employee benefits and financial plans.
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Will using an uncommon Linux distribution during a demonstration increase my chances to land an interview? Does using less common Linux distributions for demonstration leaves a more professional impression? Would this increase my chances of receiving an offer for a computer related job? <Q> If I am your interviewer, I would expect your skills in the distribution which my company/team uses, even though if you have stellar skills in some rare distribution. <S> So, it doesn't matter if the skill or the distribution is rare, if it doesn't serve the purpose. <A> Don't get hung up on distributions. <S> Anyone who truly knows his/her Linux is not limited by the differences between them. <S> A search on job vacancies for Debian, Ubuntu, CentOS, Red Hat, SUSE etc. <S> may suggest some are more desirable than others. <S> However, if you simply do a search on "Linux", you will see that the number of returned jobs is far greater. <S> This tells you that employers care less about distributions (for hiring) than you do. <S> Of course, if you just put Ubuntu and not Linux on your CV <S> it may be inferred you only have superficial Linux expertise, even though fine engineers can and do use Ubuntu. <S> You will also miss out on HR searches for Linux. <A> Focus on core skills <S> I'm not going to look at what distributions you've used, I'm going toreview and ask how you've used them. <S> The most important thing when I'm conducting a technical interview isn't the edge cases that people understand, nor necessarily the number of languages that they know. <S> What I care about is the fundamentals that they have and how deeply they understand them. <S> If somebody is a whiz in the terminal then I expect they will be able to find their way around most distributions I put in front of them with a bit of google-fu and team knowledge behind them. <S> Show your work! <S> Do you remember in school how you had to show how you go to an answer <S> not just the answer itself? <S> This is how we guage how well somebody understands a subject. <S> If somebody in an interview asks you how you would do something in the terminal make sure you tell them how you would do it, but also tell them why you would do it that particular way. <S> You may not come to the right answer in some cases but if you can demonstrate a structured reasoning process it's not going to score against you with most employers. <S> Learn the best practice methods for solving problems <S> If you're focusing on learning for a technical career then research what the recommended (or suggested) best practice is for a scenario. <S> If you're unsure then the StackExchange network is a great place to ask these questions. <S> Setting up or creating something that works is important but making it in a way that others can understand without training as well as expand upon easily as needed is even better. <S> This scenario comes from following known best practices that others are likely to recognize. <S> Present yourself as a Professional <S> The final thing I look for throughout the hiring process is professional conduct. <S> I greatly appreciate people who can communicate well, be reliable, and meet my expectations. <S> You can demonstrate these with a crisp, well written (and spellchecked!) <S> resume. <S> Also by meeting obligations an interviewer requests - be on time, dress well, provide references the same day that they're requested (where possible). <S> All of these things give you a good advantage in the market and help you to stand out as a likely reliable employee. <A> Interviewers are unlikely to recognize obscure operating systems or distributions and depending on the field most won't even realise that you're running Linux. <S> If you pointed it out I wouldn't think <S> Wow, this guy is running X, he must really know his stuff! <S> I would think: I need someone who can think big picture, not a special snowflake who'll complain about having to use standardised tools and processes. <S> Additionally, if you're giving a presentation or demonstration and I actually notice or remember what flavour of OS you're running, odds are that your demonstration wasn't very interesting. <S> To summarise: <S> No, a special OS won't make you a better candidate. <S> Disclaimer: there are plenty of zealots amongst interviewers as well. <S> This advice applies to sensible managers following sensible hiring practices. <S> Frankly, you don't want to be part of a company where your colleagues got hired because of their choice of operating system. <A> There are various flavors of the Unix distro and *nix os's out there to list. <S> I would say there are a few specific certifications within a few enterprise-level distro that I'm not sure if it applies anymore. <S> For example being a Solaris certified admin was a big deal and probably still is. <S> I would just put on your resume that you are familiar with Unix systems. <S> Technically saying you prefer "MacOS" is saying you like Linux-flavor systems <S> but that doesn't really say you actually know any of the good stuff about Linux. <S> I would imagine putting something like Ubuntu and all the GUI-friendly systems aren't a good idea without having some way to say you understand Linux. <S> For example saying you like a Ubtunu distro to set up your LAMP is much better looking because it shows you know technical setups <S> but then again with all the free VM distros out there already set up with all this <S> might not tell a whole lot.
| If it will have any effect at all, it's likely to be negative.
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What is the best way to format a resume? What is a general/sample template or structure for a software engineer resume? My resume has this structure. Also, should the Name/title be Left Justified or Centered? Name Email Phoneobjective skill set work experience professional summary projects qualifications personal details Should I change the order or structure of my resume to make it look more professional? <Q> One important matter is to make sure your resume does not contain nested tables, for two reasons. <S> The first is that nested tables make it harder for automated software to process the relevant data. <S> The other is that nested tables are hard to get right, and even harder to edit, especially on mobile devices and online platforms, to the point that they often do not display properly. <S> Another important caveat is, when you give someone your resume digitally, send it as PDF. <S> PDF looks exactly the same on all computers, whether they're using OSX, Windows, a *nix product, iOS, Android,... <S> It's basically a printed version of your resume, so you won't have any surprised like the user not having your special font or your tab stops being mangled. <A> Here's some good tips on getting a resume/ <S> Cv that gets past ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems - automated screening): <S> How to Get the Applicant Tracking System to Pick Your Resume <S> And in answer to your question, always left justify (anything else looks odd, and confuses the automated systems). <S> Another thing is to keep your layout as simple as you can. <S> I've had for several years a CV that was based on one an employer did for me for pitching work to clients. <S> Looked very nice, but used lots of invisible tables in Word to get the layout, and meant lists showing experience didn't actually match up to the ATS scrapping (as they were 2 different columns). <S> Try taking your resume/CV in Word and saving as a text file and <S> see what it looks like, this is what the automated system will actually see. <A> General Rules <S> Typically the only cardinal rule I see with resumes is to list work experience or qualifications as the first two items in the order that represents you best. <S> Be sure to list the periods worked as well as the year that you obtained your qualifications. <S> Often major projects will be listed in the work experience area (i.e. if you worked on a big project at x, list it with x). <S> Formatting and Templates <S> There are also a number of great templates to be found online. <S> Don't over think this too much - above all just be sure to keep it easy to read and professional looking. <S> Also be sure to keep in mind that if you're going through a recruitment agency that they're likely to reformat your resume into their standard or system anyway. <S> Make sure your key selling points for a position are quick and easy to find for this reason.
| Microsoft Word has some great templates in its gallery to get you started.
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How to manage up to boss with maturity issues? I work for a small agency where I report directly to the founder. I strongly suspect he has ADHD and anger issues. Today he had a temper tantrum with a support rep for one of our vendors. They immediately terminated our hosting account because my boss was being verbally abusive. Thanks to my boss's temper tantrum, I had to handle support calls from upset clients whose sites were down thanks to my boss's "maturity fail". What's the best way to handle this situation in terms of "managing up" to my boss. If he reported to me I would have given him a written warning and sent him home for a few days of unpaid leave. The power dynamic between us is weird. He should be giving me direction and setting the example for me to follow. How can I encourage my boss to handle things in a constructive way? <Q> It's not your responsibility to handle your boss, it's his business at stake here. <S> What you should do is chat to him directly about your concerns. <S> Give him a chance to make it right - he may just be missing the perspective of it all or you may not be seeing the full picture. <S> Alternatively if you're uncomfortable with this approach if there is somebody else in your company with some seniority that you both have a good rapport with it <S> may be worth mentioning this incident to him and your concerns about it. <A> A person should manage his/her reports and no one else. <S> Anyone managing upwards or horizontally is doing it wrong. <S> Project reports are an exception. <S> Your purpose in your job and indeed in any job is to solve problems for your manager. <S> While I sympathise with your concerns, his behaviour/performance is not your responsibility. <S> Having said that, you can certainly help him to work better. <S> This is clearly in both your economic interests. <S> However, I'd keep it objective and report on the customer downtime problems for example. <S> You could also offer to handle the interaction with the (new) hosting company. <S> He may have lost his temper with that vendor rep because as founder he has a thousand and one things to do <S> and it was simply the straw that broke the camel's back. <S> He may appreciate you freeing his hands. <S> Of course, if he declines your suggestion that's his business. <S> Literally. <S> Remember: You are paid to solve problems for him, not to manage or to judge him. <A> The power dynamic between you is indeed weird. <S> You think that you can and should manage and fix him. <S> This is almost certainly wrong. <S> Assuming this founder is the one who interviewed you, decided to hire you, and (literally or metaphorically) signs your paycheques, your role is to take the direction you are given and do your job. <S> It's not appropriate for you to diagnose (literally, you have provided a medical diagnosis) or cure what you think is wrong. <S> The vendor sounds terrible by the way. <S> What kind of support rep leads a grown adult into a temper tantrum? <S> I have snapped at a few in my time, especially the Bell Canada people, but I am having trouble imagining a conversation so bad that the hosting company just shuts off all your live web sites. <S> At least some of that has to be on the hosting company. <S> Yet you can't see that and think your boss is immature. <S> I wonder what other situations contain information you don't have access to that would explain what you're seeing. <S> You don't have to like and admire your boss, but if you don't you are unlikely to do well at your job. <S> If this job contains too much listening-to-bad-temper and too much cleaning-up-after-anger, then by all means start looking for a new one. <S> But I'll warn you now, if you think you can "manage up" and fix this person, you'll be looking for a new one on his schedule, not yours.
| If it turns out that the job involves too many things you don't like (such as dealing with clients who are upset as a result of something the founder did) it's highly appropriate to ask to have the amount of that work reduced. Tell him how this played out on your side, don't exaggerate, be objective and honest.
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Should the software architect report to the project manager? On a software team with a software architect and a project manager, should the architect report to the project manager? Or should the architect report to the project manager's superior? I have difficulty coming up with pros and cons for both options. The only things I could find were: the architect and project manager may hold conflicting opinions (but not which ones), and an example where the architect reports to the project manager (but not why). Since the architect guards quality, and the project manager guards time and budget, there are bound to be conflicts. But how is this best reflected in the reporting hierarchy, and why? Edit To clarify my question: the question is not company-specific. See @Marv's comment for explanation. It's hard to give a short definition of a software architect. To summarize Simon Brown : a software architect is responsible for the technical aspects of the software project, and coaches the team's developers. I do not mean a tech lead, which is a role combining architecture and project management. there doesn't seem to be disagreement on what a project manager does. the Project Management.SE site does not seem suitable, as it's about project management, not organization of business. <Q> I believe this is a false dichotomy for the following reasons: <S> The Project Manager should not try to enforce their opinions on software architecture, that is not their job. <S> Their job is to manage the process of delivering a "product" against requirements. <S> They do this by coordinating/utilising subject matter experts (e.g. Architects) within the project team to provide the necessary elements. <S> If the PM holds (and attempts to implement) opinions on software architecture then the roles and responsibilities are blurred and it is that blurring that creates the problem. <S> The roles and responsibilities of all project team members, including the PM, should be clearly defined in the Project Initiation Document and be unambiguously understood by all. <S> Software Architecture will (presumably) assist in the design stages of a software project and therefore is responsible for producing elements of the deliverable. <S> In that respect their outputs become part of the project deliverables and accordingly come under the supervision of the Project Manager. <S> So for the purposes of the project <S> they are part of the project team notionally managed by the project manager, but that does not mean the project manager can or should override them- <S> that should not be the way project management works (see above) <S> I am sure there are many flavours of this arrangement in the real world, with all possible shades along the continuum, but the issue here is purely down to Roles and Responsibilities not being defined clearly and observed by all. <A> While I agree with other answers on principle, I rarely experience such a pure and true form of Project Management discipline being practiced in the real corporate world. <S> It is important to look at where unspoken motivations exist to corrupt the intended motivations of the Project Manager. <S> Yes on principle the Project Manager is responsible for delivering the project on budget and on time. <S> It is important to remember that as the PM is the arbiter of Cost and Time, they are only representing 2 of the 3 core tenets of overall scope of work. <S> In most organizations, Project Managers are not inherently and naturally incentivized to give proper respect and attention to Quality, leading to the insatiably profound temptation for a PM on a struggling project to sacrifice Quality or influence development decisions to be made that favor Time and Cost at the expense of Quality. <S> This is the profound reason why Technical Architecture, operating at the high level design and focus on Quality Attributes , is so critically important that they not be bound by the reporting structure of the project in general. <S> If the organization values the Technical Architect and Quality Attributes in software then they will not be held to project constraints and instead operate as a balance check against this. <S> If you were to envision the role of a Technical Architect on an Agile organization they would be working closely with the Product Owner to define software needs and set expectations on high level design. <S> Would you also argue that the Project Manager should hold the Product Owner to task on defining software needs and scope? <S> Of course not, that would be ridiculous. <S> The concept is the same. <S> They exist as an important stakeholder in the project and not as a contributing member of the development team. <A> The Architect should report to the person responsible for managing the development team, typically this would be a development manager, but in smaller shops it could be a general IT manager. <S> The PM should report to the business manager, however often times the PM is assigned to the IT department in which case the PM should report to the person responsible for the IT Business, which in smaller shops could be the same person that manages development. <S> Those roles are for day to day general management responsibilities(Attendance, performance reviews, work assignments). <S> If the design proposed does not meet business needs for some reason, like it will take to long to implement, it is the PM's call. <S> Generally if the architect, and the PM cannot find an acceptable solution it would escalate to the higher management levels to make final decisions. <S> Many times these decisions will mean varying from best practices, or standards that have been put in place to meet business demands. <S> It is the job of the architect to then figure out how to meet the new requirements outside of the practices, and make a plan for how to correct these problems once the time crunch is over. <S> Do not keep fighting a battle that is already lost unless some new serious concern takes place. <S> tl;dr; <S> It is the job of the architect to attempt to provide the project manager with the design they request inside of the parameters they request.
| For project responsibilities the Architect is going to have to report progress, problems, and planning to the PM. So to summarise, in my opinion and in an ideal world, the architect "reports" to the PM (or more accurately contributes their expertise to the project the PM is managing), but the PM does not trump their input.
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Do Interviewers Respond Back to a Thank You Note? I've got a question and I would appreciate if you could share your thoughts. I recently had an interview that I believe went well. After interview, I sent a thank you email and expressed my interest in the role. While I was not expecting a reply from the interviewers, I got reply from both of the interviewers. I just wanted to know if it is a good sign and if I should be optimistic to get an offer. The replies are something like "Thank you very much for your interest and it was a pleasure talking with you too. wish you good luck! :)" "... our discussions are progressing internally and we hope to be able to give you further information shortly. Meanwhile hope you have a good day and please feel free to get in touch if you have any question" <Q> It's impossible to tell. <S> You did well by sending a thank-you note, but the only way you'll be able to tell if you got the job is if you get a verbal offer (Although it can be argued that even then, it is not set in stone). <S> I've gotten about 50/50 responses with thank you notes. <S> That is, half don't send anything back, half do. <S> For my most recent job, nobody responded back and I got the position, so that should tell you how much it means regarding a decision. <A> Some companies may have internal policies discouraging interviewers outside of HR from responding directly to candidates. <S> This is done to ensure consistent messaging back to the candidate and to (hopefully) avoid misunderstandings. <S> I wouldn't take a non-response as a bad sign, and I wouldn't take a response as a strong positive indicator, either. <S> It's always good to send a personalized, post-interview Thank You note. <S> If you really want to set yourself apart, send a handwritten one. <S> And yes, the interviewers are likely to share them with each other so try to personalize them as much as you can. <S> Good luck! <A> I think this is a response that indicates to you that the company culture is warm and welcoming, and that clearly they value interviewed candidates. <S> However, it really should be no indication as to whether you've got the job or not - many organisations use pre-set criteria at the shortlisting and interview process, and the response gives you no indication as to how you did at that. <S> It does indicate though that the process was mutually positive - and therefore if you were unsuccessful to consider further application in the future.
| If you're successful, taking the time to thank them before you know if you've got the job is generally considered polite / honourable - and therefore it sets you off on a good footing before you start.
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Is there a rule of thumb for calculation of 1099 rate from existing salary + benefits? In the US most salaried positions come with benefits, such as health and dental insurance, etc, etc. Is there a rule of thumb that converts salary + benefits to an hourly rate for a 1099? Obviously, there cant be an exact conversion, but there must be a generally accepted rule. To be more clear, I am looking for a formula along the lines of (annual_salary/2200_hours) + (annual_salary*.25) Or is this unrealistic? <Q> The rule of thumb for conversion from a full-time salaried position with benefits to an hourly rate as a contractor or freelancer is ( annual salary / 2000 ) <S> X (2, 3, or 4) Your target annual salary, divided by 2000, which is the number of working hours in the year, will give you an hourly rate. <S> Multiplying that by 2 is intended to reflect the cost of benefits. <S> That multiplier may be more or less depending on what your needs are and the number of dependents you have. <S> The figure of 2000 hours assumes that you will be working all but 2 weeks out of the year, which is a reasonable expectation for a full-time employee. <S> As a freelancer or contractor, however, you may be very well working much less than that, in which case you may want to figure in a number of hours lower than 2000. <S> This calculation is merely a shortcut -- you'll want to do a more detailed analysis of what benefits will actually cost you before entering into a contract. <S> See also https://www.quora.com/Compensation/How-should-a-contractor-or-consultant-arrive-at-an-hourly-rate <A> In the United States the rule of thumb is that salary pay rate that the employee sees only represents about half of the rate the employer has to charge a customer for their time. <S> For example the employee sees that their hourly rate is $20 per hour. <S> The see that they earn $20*40 <S> *52 or $41,600 per year. <S> But they get 10 days of holidays, and two weeks for vacation, and a few more days for sick leave. <S> Those hours their boss gets zero work, but they still get money in their paycheck. <S> Then there are: benefits: social security, unemployment, health insurance, retirement program, life insurance; <S> the costs of utilities, the computer, and rent; overhead for administrative support, HR, security; They also need to pay for businesses development and advertising. <S> Therefore the employer must sell their services at a high enough rate to pay for all of this. <S> I have worked with some who just use the rule: <S> Hourly rate equals annual salary divided by 1,000. <S> So to pay somebody $41,600 <S> you have to charge customers $41.60 per hour. <S> Some one man shops can make this work to their advantage if they are already retired. <S> They don't need to put a ton of money away for retirement. <S> They may also have another source for their health insurance coverage. <S> That means they can underbid some of their competitors. <A> I don't know if this is a "rule of thumb" but there's a pretty cool calculator that let's you play with the numbers so you can see for yourself how one will affect you versus the other. <S> From the site: The calculator below will help you compare the most relevant parts of W2 vs 1099 by looking at how the two options affect your income and tax situation, but it's important to note that this is not an exact calculation of your taxes because many other factors outside the scope of this comparison can affect your tax situation. <S> The numbers are relevant only in relation to each other as a comparison tool. <S> https://www.viewthenumbers.com/w2-vs-1099
| The rule of thumb is if the employee make $20 per hour their boss has to charge $40 per hour. The trick is to set a rate that's not too low -- sometimes a rate can sound very high, but depending on what you need to earn and what you need to pay for, it can be easy to fall into a money-losing situation.
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What to list and what to omit when invited to submit a resume I have been asked to submit a CV by a potential employer in the aviation industry in the US after speaking with her regarding courses for my son and one for myself with the potential of employment at the end of the course. It has been many years since I have written a CV, as I have always been very fortunate to have been in a position like now where I have been either offered a job whilst talking with a potential employer that I was calling in order to get someone else courses with the view of a future job when a vacancy becomes available. Secondly, if the answer is that I should supply references what details should I put with regards to them such as name and contact details only or who and what position they hold. The two people I am thinking of I know very well, one of whom is relevant to the industry and in very high standing but I have seen for many years however he did most of my training and the other would be a character reference that I am in constant communication with. <Q> As a first rule, don't omit anything from your resume. <S> List all your jobs in reverse chronological order. <S> If this produces a resume that is too long, you might consider combining certain jobs, such as those you held in the summers of your educational period long ago. <S> Never put references on your resume. <S> At most, say "references available on request. <S> " You can omit the line if you need the space. <S> And check with them before you provide their name - typically after a successful interview. <A> Your resume is a marketing document and you should only list things that make you a better candidate. <S> You omit anything that doesn't accomplish that objective. <S> That doesn't mean that you should omit a two-year job in an unrelated field, as unexplained gaps weaken your profile. <S> It does mean that you omit a month-long job that didn't work out for whatever reason. <S> Now, as for how far back your work history should go, I'm going to follow Alison Green who argues that the strongest resumes go back 10-15 years ( #3 at the link ): <S> In general, resumes are usually strongest if they go back 10-15 years. <S> It’s rare that anything from before that will strengthen your credentials at this point, particularly versus more recent experience [...]. <S> While an argument can be made for leaving your college education off your resume once you have a decade or two of work experience, it's still customary to list it. <S> As Alison says : " Get rid of the line and use the area it frees up for some soothing white space. <S> " You'd only fill in "available upon request" in an online application when it's blocking your submission. <S> Note that in general, character references have little to no value . <S> Hiring managers want to speak with people who benefited from your work and can accurately judge your performance, which means managers or clients. <A> My first point of reference would be a podcast from 2005: Your resume stinks . <S> Some bits: <S> Then as the author suggests prune it every 3 months for 20-30 minutes (that's for later in your case). <S> I liked how in the sample <S> resume <S> a 20 year career is summarized into one page.
| But please leave the trite "references available on request" sentence off your resume and cover letter as it serves no purpose . As for references, you don't provide those until you're asked for them . It is good to be up to two pages For every position: which company (and what it does), what you did (your job), and what you did outside of the strict job description (how you added value)
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