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How should I prepare myself for a more supervisory role? I'm currently facing the strong possibility that I will be in a more supervisory role in my office than I was previously before. While my skills as a developer have been strengthened very neatly by the job experience that I've had, I'm worried that I haven't quite developed as much as a supervisor - I can guide people in doing tasks and prioritizing what needs to be done, and I can find resources when I need them for tasks we aren't able to handle, but I don't really have the 'edge' of being able to make tough decisions as a supervisor. I've recently taken a course in how to gauge my own supervisory skills, but seeing how this might become pertinent even sooner than I expected - what are some steps I could take in helping myself transition into a supervising role? <Q> I think the foundation for all of it should be this: Be the kind of supervisor you would like Spend time thinking of all of the good supervisors and bad supervisors you've had. <S> List what you liked and why. <S> And do the same with the dislikes. <S> Lead, preferably by example. <S> Remember that your job isn't to be friends with them. <S> That'll be tough. <S> Friendship is friendship and business is business <S> Make sure that you go out of your way to neither show favoritism or <S> have people believe that you do or will. <S> Project management classes <S> People management books <S> Remember, management is a skill all its own, it's not natural for most people. <S> Be honest with yourself, be honest with your employees. <S> Have their backs even if it means you take a hit. <S> Never throw anyone under the bus and take responsibility when your people screw up. <S> Try to handle problems internally but address them up the chain when it becomes necessary. <S> This is just for starters. :) <A> The first, most critical, thing you can do is start reading about office politics. <S> A supervisor who is inept at politics harms the people working for him as well as himself. <S> You need to understand politics to get your people the raises they deserve, to keep the projects on track, etc. <S> You need to start building organizational allies. <S> Some reading on communication styles is helpful as well. <S> Deborah Tannen has some good books on this subject. <S> You need to balance their needs with the team's ability to fulfill them, so you really need to understand where they are coming from. <S> If your users are outside the company, you need to find a way to connect with those people as well to start to understand their perspective. <S> Some technical conferences also have soft skills training. <S> Wouldn't hurt to attend one of those and attend some of teh soft skills sessions. <S> Not sure how to prep you for making difficult decisions that affect the lives of people who work for you. <S> All I can say is that through the years, I have noticed that this is one of the big make or break things about a good supervisor and that putting off a negative decision tends to make it worse in the long run. <S> Telling the client that you won't meet the deadline is much worse after you have missed it than weeks ahead. <S> Telling someone they are being fired is much worse that telling them they have a performance issue and exactly what they need to overcome it and then helping them do so. <S> I have noticed that a team will react better to negative news from a supervisor they trust to look out for them with the people above their group. <S> It would also be helpful to get with your HR department and get training on the processes you need to know about as a supervisor including such things as time reporting, dealing with performance problems, how to do performance evaluations and set annual goals, etc. <S> Know the process for dealing with a performance problem for instance can help keep you from doing the wrong thing before you ask for HRs help. <A> In addition to Christopher's great answer, I'd suggest looking for a mentor in this respect ASAP. <S> Approach someone in your organization who you feel has excellent managerial skills. <S> Be open about your situation and ask them for their input both for preparation and execution. <S> They will be able to guide you in both how to be a supervisor at all and <S> how to be a supervisor within your organization.
| Getting to know the people on the business side that you are developing products for is very helpful. Examine those who were successful and unsuccessful and do the same.
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No response in the middle of salary negotiation I'm in a very awkward salary negotiation situation. I was sought and recruited for a position with a company by a friendly professional acquaintance. I interviewed for the job and was offered the position. They offered me $8k below my current salary. I said that it wasn't possible for me to accept their offer and thanked them after they informed me there wasn't any room for negotiation. They came back with a $10k increase from their original offer. I asked for $4k more and was told that they would work on it and respond to me the following day. That was nearly two weeks ago. I followed up with a friendly email stating my interest in their company and position nine days after they said they would respond to me. No response to my follow up email from them. How should I followup with them on this offer? They had great follow through up until my request for $4k more. Any insight would be helpful. <Q> Swing and a miss! <S> You negotiated for more, and they didn't accept. <S> Sounds like they're not going to. <S> Your best bet is to wait in silence. <S> If they're interested and can't find someone else at that price point, they may reach out again. <S> It's unlikely, but it has happened. <S> There's no real benefit in contacting them, they're likely to sense an upper hand and either back down on the price or just walk away. <A> Clearly this company isn't worth your time. <S> First they lie to you about there not being room for negotation, then they lie to you about coming back to you the following day, and now they even stopped responding to you. <S> I think it's time to accept that this isn't going to work out and move on. <A> It depends on what you want. <S> However, if you would accept the job at the salary they last offered to you, then it is worth chasing this up, and communicating this if they think your counter-proposal was too high. <S> Sure, this will make you look a bit bad. <S> And it's possible that the job is no longer available regardless. <S> But there is at least a chance that it is still available if you come down to their salary level, so if the job is important to you, it's worth pursuing. <S> Ideally, you would try to reach someone on the phone or in person, as this would allow you to first get a response about your proposal, and then state your willingness to go with the lower number if the answer was "no". <S> If email is the only contact option you have, you may have to give up on your counter-offer upfront to get a response (but at this point it's very likely <S> the answer is no anyway). <S> Overall, the message I would go for is something like this: I have been thinking a lot about this, and this position is really a good fit for me, and the place I want to be. <S> You will definitely have some egg on your face if you backtrack like this, but I do think there is a chance of success.
| If you are only interested in the job at the salary you proposed, then there's probably no benefit of chasing it, as stated by others. If my last salary proposal was not a possibility, I'm willing to talk about a lower number.
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How to deal with unmotivated and troublesome employees In my company I have to work with some "complicated" employees. From one side, they are the type it takes more time than expected to deliver a task or frequently complain about it. When we talk about it, they say "I am not motivated with this". Which I do not like it, since from my point of view, when you sign a contract, you say you agree to do the work, regardless of your motivation or other psychological reasons. Here, I can not say "You just must do it" or "It is in your contract", since I want to be polite and more important, have a good ambient at work. How do you suggest with this kind of workers? PS: I lead a group of workers and some of these workers are friends of mine <Q> If you are their superior then there is nothing you can do if you don't want to discipline them. <S> You have failed in your role. <S> Perhaps seek new employment is your best option, best for the company anyway. <S> Any leader who will not use discipline when it is necessary is a waste of money. <A> Here, I can not say "You just must do it" or "It is in your contract", since I want to be polite and more important, have a good ambient at work. <S> You are not there to be their friend. <S> If motivating the team to do the job willingly has failed, and it genuinely is a case of unwilling employees (i.e. there aren't any underlying problems which you can resolve), it is your job to politely but assertively instruct them about what their responsibilities are, and that there are consequences for refusing their responsibilities. <S> If you can't bring yourself to be assertive without being impolite or aggressive then management is not for you. <A> Okay, let's have a picture in here. <S> Motivation has bigger part at the employee, and smaller part at employer/manager. <S> Both sides are stakeholders. <S> At interview it is a plus if the applicant is highly motivated, but if he can do the job, he will be still a valued asset for the company. <S> Finishing a job, task, project late means difficulties. <S> It needs a good understanding of processes, observation, people skills to do a good snapshot analysis to find blockages, rough points, and must be aware that the team is always having a momentum. <S> Any low or high it is, their performance is a dynamicly changing output to better or worse direction. <S> Reasoning with lack of motivation is an excuse. <S> Without a doubt. <S> It still does not mean it is by bad intention. <S> If project issues are typically from a category, which never gets Action Point, none of the stakeholders do anything about it, or existing without resolution or workaround, but bothering the workers, it will generate frustration, and who does not quit, will be worn. <S> Suggestion: <S> Go with them, get a picture what they are doing (and how) , measure with good sense if it's ok by the standard that the company keeps, and if not, drive changes. <S> Change people, habits, environment, tools, energy of the place,...or even the standard. <S> If you are positive about that you provide them the minimum reasonable, optimally decent environment, and they show no performance change, it is time for discipline and regulations. <S> Then change of people.
| Telling a boss that they basically can't be bothered doing the work properly deserves disciplinary action. Motivation is not key source in doing a job , just as recreation does not involve restoration of work-related motivation.
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I shouldn't have the senior title I'm about three weeks into a new job as a Senior Software Engineer. I interviewed for the senior position and I got it; however, it doesn't feel right. I'm the only senior engineer on the team (other than the lead), but I have the least experience of everyone on the team. What's more, I can tell from pull requests and the overall codebase that my teammates are more knowledgeable and organized than I am. I'm not talking about just general unfamiliarity with the product that's normal when getting ramped up at a new job; they're significantly better programmers than I am. The senior position comes with some additional responsibilities like leading coding standard/style guide discussions and the like, but my non-senior teammates have stronger and more well-reasoned opinions than I do on many of the topics of discussion. And I was hired because supposedly the team is new to this particular tech stack that I have more experience with, and I'm supposed to pair with them and help them, but it seems like they're better with the technology than I am. I know it's not my fault, but I almost feel guilty for taking a senior role when I feel like one of my teammates should have been promoted instead. I think I'm a good fit at the company and on this team, but I feel like I should have the same title as my coworkers and not in a senior position. Is this something I should discuss with my manager to ease my conscience? Or will it instead reflect poorly on my confidence or make me look like I bs'd my way through the interviews? <Q> I have been in a situation similar to what you have described, and would like to offer some insights which would hopefully help. <S> Appearing to be "better" programmers, better organized naturally flows from familiarity with the project and the workplace. <S> It is certainly possible your "juniors" are better than you. <S> However, when you don't have to spend half a day figuring out the correct arguments to pass to an undocumented build script, you can do things which make you look cool. <S> I was once a "senior" colleague to someone 5 years my junior. <S> In the first few months, I too would feel overwhelmed by all the cool stuff he used to do which would take me a whole day to figure out. <S> As time passed and I got less uncertain about my understanding of the project, I see "cooler" way of doing things. <S> To ease your conscience: Time heals everything, give time enough time. <S> Even if you feel low on confidence (as is common at the start of a new job), things should begin to improve once you settle down, so hang in there for a while longer. <S> If your manager was one of the decision makers in hiring you (as is almost always the case), telling him you may not be good enough makes him feel like an idiot (besides having other problems mentioned in your question). <S> Hence, rather than talking about how you feel "inferior" compared to your juniors, focus your discussion on what you can do to perform the senior role expected of you 1 . <S> This won't look bad on your confidence not would it make your manager question your interview performance. <S> You would instead come across as a more positive person. <S> 1 <S> On a somewhat metaish note, this statement is quite similar to the explanation used with one of the close reasons on this site. <A> The Senior title and what it stands for varies from company to company. <S> It can mean one, some or all of the following: <S> Time in field Mastery/experience of your position Other, such as the ability to take initiative, be an example etc <S> I'm the lead sw developer at my company and I strive to push my senior developers <S> to be well rounded. <S> For example, being in the field a long time and good at programming, but terrible at troubleshooting may still warrant a Senior title, but they need to work on being a better troubleshooter. <S> Not every person excels at the same things that others do. <S> You may feel that you have large shoes to fill, and that's fine. <S> Your job as a Senior dev/engineer is to troubleshoot and solve the issue in a manner that would be a great example to others -- which seems what you're doing. <A> This is tough. <S> They hired you. <S> Unless you lied you did nothing wrong. <S> If you bring it up with your boss now it could go poorly. <S> If your coworkers later complain it could go poorly. <S> I think don't go to you boss and just work hard. <S> When you pair just ask if they have any questions. <S> If they (hopefully) say no then move on. <S> Hopefully you also have programming tasks. <S> If you have no programming tasks then you need to go to your boss now. <A> Do not bring this up with your boss or co-workers. <S> There is nothing to be gained from doing so. <S> If you fail to live up to their expectations they will let you know. <S> To me, being a "senior" developer has less to do with specific technical knowledge than it does with being able to adapt to unfamiliar challenges. <S> Three weeks isn't very long. <S> Throw yourself into the job and be helpful to your co-workers, but personal issues such as self-worth should always be kept outside of the office.
| Give yourself enough time to get familiar with the project (and then some more) and then decide if you are "senior" enough or not. You applied for a senior role and got it because deep down you know you are capable of it and plenty of people agreed to it. Talk to your manager about your career.
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Is it unprofessional to not sign an office birthday card for someone you don't know? I work in a moderately sized company of roughly 50-60 people. I have been presented with a birthday card to sign for a person. I'd normally sign it, but it is just that every other message is rather personal and sincere. I've never met this person, or even seen them. In fact, it seems no one from the management group knows this person. I am included in this management group. Would it be unprofessional for me to not sign the card? <Q> I think it's a bad idea. <S> Positives for not signing: <S> None Negatives for not signing <S> : You draw attention to yourself for a negative reason <S> Your coworkers may think you're a snob now. <S> They will definitely think you're nitpicky <S> There's really no good at all that can come from not signing a card. <S> It's really not worth the time it took to even write the question. <A> Sign it, if you don't want to leave a message don't leave one, just your name. <S> I've signed a lot of birthday cards for people <S> I don't know and don't care about, even people I dislike. <S> I just put my name and 'Happy New Year!' <S> Is it unprofessional <S> In theory probably not, since it's not directly related to your tasks, but I think it's mildly unprofessional not to engage in normal small office pleasantries that cost you nothing, perhaps more unsocial than unprofessional. <S> However since you don't know them, they probably couldn't care less if you signed or not. <S> The people more likely to think you strange are the ones who gave it to you to sign. <A> Depends on your nationality and working culture. <S> The majority of Germans, Russians and many other countries and cultures would ask what the hell is wrong with you to sign a birthday card for someone who you don't even know. <S> Find out where you work and act accordingly.
| The majority of Americans, Brits and many other countries and cultures would ask what the hell is wrong with you to not sign a birthday card if it is a social convention and does not hurt anyone. Just sign the darn card and get on with your job.
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Etiquette: When Potential Employeer ask about project on Resume I had someone e-mailed me that they saw my Resume and wanted to ask more about projects (more than one listed on my resumes). The question was "Please send me a more detailed resume with the work environment for the various projects you have mentioned in your resume". I was perfectly happy to talk about most of them except for one. For competition reasons I am unable to fully disclose all technical details on only one of the project. My project listed on my Resume looks like (not quite exact word used but close enough): Freelancer Author/Programmer (followed by 4 book titles) Contractor Programmer -development work on website server/front-end Remote Unity 3D video game project Website server/front-end is the one I can't really comment much about. How should I respond to a request for more information like this? <Q> List the technologies used, there is no need to go into detail on the actual project. <S> If asked directly just say that's it's still under a non disclosure. <S> If they insist then that is a red flag. <A> I think you're reading more into this than you need to. <S> Just a polite " <S> For this one I'm under NDA <S> so I can't discuss" will suffice, since you have other projects to discuss. <S> It's likely the request is to better understand your skills and experiences, hopefully for a job offer. <A> For competition reasons I am unable to fully disclose all technical details on only one of the project. <S> How should I respond to a request for more information like this? <S> Discuss the project as much as you can. <S> Don't disclose any details that you feel you cannot divulge. <S> If asked, just indicate that you can't go further for competitive reasons. <S> If they are a decent company, they will understand. <S> If they don't, you probably don't want to work there anyway. <A> To the hiring manager, it could sound like you are lying about your experience when you refuse to talk about a project. <S> So be ready to talk about anything on your resume. <S> You can say that the actual projects are under NDA (if they are). <S> At that point you can discuss very general details like what technologies were used and how long you worked on the project and what your role was. <S> For example, if you worked on a website for an upcoming show for Disney(like <S> I did), do not mention the project if you have an NDA, for the term listed. <S> Just say that you worked for a major entertainment network. <S> If you worked on a specific website for one of their products, just say you worked on a (for example) microsite to promote (product type) and among the technologies used you implemented (for example) <S> canvas animations or whatever. <S> If they keep asking, it might mean that you come off as inexperienced or dishonest. <S> So be prepared to tell the story about what type of problem you were solving, what issues you ran into and how you solved them, how you came in on time and on budget, or why you did not and have a good reason for it. <S> If they harass you to answer, that means they either don't respect your privacy, or do not respect your professional capabilities. <S> Either way, you have no job at that point, so respectfully end the interview and say that it might be better to save each other time.
| If the project is not under any formal agreement, you can just say that you were asked to not discuss certain specifics, or that you think it would be unethical to divulge those details.
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How do you reply to a recruiter? As a software engineer with a non-zero internet presence, I get emails like this all the time: Hi [CANDIDATE NAME HERE], I am [RECRUITER NAME HERE] and I work with [TECH COMPANY HERE]. I came across your [INTERNET SITE HERE] profile and wanted to reach out (always with the "reaching out") to blah blah. Our team is the [SUPERLATIVE HERE] and we work on fast paced problems, and I think you would be a great fit for [TEAM NAME HERE]. If you're interested, let's connect! Call me maybe? Thanks, [RECRUITER NAME HERE] [CORPORATE EMAIL SIGNATURE HERE] I've never replied to one of these - not once. After a week or two, they'll send me a reminder, then maybe a third, then they'll disappear for a few months. Eventually I just archive the emails. It's not that I'm completely opposed to the idea, I just really don't know what to say. The only time I've gone through with one of these was when the person actually found my phone number and I had to say something to them. I've gotten all of my other jobs through application or through people I know closely. Do I just reply with my resume? What else do I say? They want to talk on the phone usually, am I supposed to suggest the times, or will they do that? They're approaching me, so it's not like I'm particularly crazy about [TECH COMPANY HERE] (I save aggressively and don't really need a job, although I do have one that pays very well), but I could be open to it. In general I am most interested in replying to first-party recruiters, third-party recruiters really sketch me out. <Q> "Thank you, I would indeed be interested in seeing whether this position might be right for me <S> and I might be right for you. <S> When can we discuss this further?" <S> "Thank you for your interest. <S> I don't think I want to change jobs right now, but I could be wrong. <S> When can we..." <S> "Thanks for your interest, but I'm really not looking to change jobs right now." <S> "Thanks for your interest, but I really object to cold calls. <S> Please take me off your list." <S> Pick one. <A> I see two types of recruiter email. <S> 90 - 95% of them are clearly little more than a job spec <S> that's has been blasted out to a distribution list based on nothing more than some keyword match, and these get deleted, I don't reply. <S> They're usually very easy to identify as they'll have picked up on a specific skill in my resume despite the role itself being a poor match. <S> E.g. I have an "additional skills" section of my resume that says things like "Basic knowledge of Python, R, SQL" and some other things, and I get all sorts of "Senior Python developer", "Oracle PL/SQL developer" etc. <S> when it would be clear from 30 seconds looking at my resume that those roles don't align with what I do. <S> However, 5 - 10% are clearly written by someone who has read my resume, identified me as a good match for a role they're looking to fill, and has taken the time to write a personalized approach message. <S> I always reply to these, even if it is just a "thanks <S> but no thanks" reply as i'm not looking to move or the location is wrong. <S> If nothing else, I appreciate them not acting like the other 95% <A> Don't have to answer them, they are being sent automatically anyway. <S> If they insist by 2nd or 3rd email which is rare, just reply as you aren't interested. <S> It would be wise to store them for rainy days though. <S> I like to reply to the mails from few years back myself.
| Reply exactly as you would if you received a letter with this invitation, or if someone left you this message on your voicemail.
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Best opportunity to ask for a higher salary So this whole year I had 1 year limited contract in a huge IT company. I really like the job and almost everything about, and I know that by the end of the year I'll have a talk with my boss regarding if he will extend my contract or not. I was quite positive that he will extend my contract and was thinking to use this meeting to ask for a little bit bigger salary (note: I am aware that my current salary is on the lowest end for my position). However, to my surprise I got an automatic letter from HR that my boss asked to extend my contract without even talking to me about it. Obviously I am really happy with contract extension, but now I lost the opportunity to ask for a bigger salary. The HR letter even states "Salary changes: no". Do you think I should leave it as it is or should I request a meeting now and talk about salary increase? Are there any risks associated with asking now? P.s. This is a very big company so it's very possible he just didn't have much time and requested my contract extension without even thinking much about it. <Q> An extension has to be agreed to. <S> This is the time for negotiation if you are unhappy with your pay. <S> You run the risk of being rejected, but if you don't ask you won't get anything. <S> I would contact your boss with a clear amount in mind, not just ask for a raise in general. <S> This turns it into a yes/no scenario rather than a headache for him/her. <S> So do the research into what you're worth and why you're worth that much, and if you think it's worth the effort inform the boss and/or HR depending on the company protocols in these matters. <A> At my (big) IT company we don't automatically raise rates for contract staff, only permanent staff get an automatic salary review each year, but we do have a quarterly review meeting with the contract staff and that can include discussion on pay rates. <S> Usually we will come to an agreement. <S> I'd ask for a discussion with your manager, and use it for a positive discussion about how much you enjoy your role and talk how your skills and experience gained over the previous year would justify a higher salary. <S> Don't talk about what you could earn elsewhere, but it is useful to know as background. <S> E.g. if you're it is a flat market <S> and/or you're already well paid compared to market rates <S> then there's no sense in pushing hard . <A> The best time to ask for a raise is always when you have a higher offer in hand. <S> So in particular, if you want a raise, the number one thing you should be doing is interviewing elsewhere.
| I'd avoid explicitly talking about what you could earn elsewhere as it will tend to polarize the discussion and that should really be a last resort, but an understanding of market rates and other options available to you is always useful in this sort of discussion.
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Is it OK for Interviewer not to enable their webcam during a job video Interview I was interviewed a couple of times recently and both interviewers wouldn't enable their web cam after they tell me to enable mine. Isn't this rude? <Q> I don't know if rude is the word I would use. <S> Suspicious comes to mind. <S> They certainly would have issues with you refusing to enable yours so to expect you to be ok with not seeing them seems one-sided at the very minimum. <S> If it were me, I wouldn't continue in the process for 2 reasons: <S> Jobs and interviews are a two-way street. <S> You're interviewing them and they are not being as forthcoming as they expect you to do it. <S> They're hiding something . <S> Whatever it is, there's something there they think will affect your decision or your interview. <S> Don't work for someone you can't trust. <S> Does this sound like you can trust them? <S> Does it sound like they would trust you? <A> Whether it's rude depends on why they didn't enable them. <S> If you didn't ask why, some possibilities (other than rudeness): Limited bandwidth, preferring to see you than have a bad connection <S> This is particularly true if multiple interviewers are connecting at once. <S> I've been in this situation and as an interviewer, it's really annoying to deal with bandwidth issues resulting from streaming 3+ video feeds Lots of activity in the background (which might distract you) <S> Lack of a webcamera (or an inconsistently working one) <S> We have lots of conference rooms with webcams. <S> A lot of them don't work well and require setup time, as an interviewer <S> I'd much rather interview you than fuss with a webcam Security regulations <S> It's possible it was rude. <S> However, I would not automatically assume that, especially if you didn't ask them why they didn't enable them. <S> Rather amusingly, today only a few hours after writing this, I was involved in a virtual interview where we ended up not using my webcam because we were having system issues. <S> Hopefully the candidate doesn't think it was rude, though given they were the source of the issues... : <S> \ who knows. <A> Personally, yes, I consider this very rude. <S> The reason a video interview is used is to add extra sense of being personal by it being face to face (via video). <S> Face to brick wall is not the same. <S> I might not have the same opinion <S> if it was the person being interviewed as they are the one being invited to the situation, they may not have a camera. <S> With it being the interviewer who didn't want to switch their cam on (assuming they didn't make excuses that their camera has broken and they haven't been able to replace it) <S> it makes you feel like you are being watched rather than it being a failed video chat. <S> It should have been a phone interview if it wasn't a unknown technical problem. <A> There are 2 root causes for this: <S> The webcam didn't work . <S> If this is the case, then it isn't rude and shouldn't set alarm bells ringing <S> The webcam does work . <S> Who would hide their identity in a job interview? <S> If the interviewers contacted you initially, i.e. you didn't apply direct to a reputable company, then definitely sever ties with them
| This is rude, and may be indicative of scamming behaviour.
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How to handle a situation where my new employer is not assigning me work? I have a most odd situation: after a long career in a big company I made a switch to another big company but things have definitely not been as they were described when I was in an interview. The oddest thing is that I've been two months in a new job but I have nothing to do. I don't have any tasks, I'm not part of any team and I don't have anything assigned to me. I have a remote superior, who hasn't had time to meet me in person and who's not communicating much in e-mail even when I send mail to him. He has not given me any guidance nor tasks. So far, I have used my time for learning and done courses provided by the company but even that I've had to do by myself, there's really been no guidance at all. I talked about this with the site manager who promised some jobs in the future but that hasn't brought any change so far. I definitely wouldn't want to quit from the new job after two months, but I feel like I'm out of options? How can I get the guidance from my manager that I need? <Q> Clearly there's some kind of disconnect here, and you need to figure things out before you're accused of being a slacker. <S> I would write an e-mail to your supervisor and explain that you've been getting yourself acquainted with company systems, etc. <S> but would like to really dive into a project. <S> Even better - schedule a face-time meeting with him, and ask in person. <S> Be direct, don't dance around the issue. <S> Hi <S> boss, I'd like to talk about your plans for me. <S> I've been getting acquainted with the company systems, and would like to get involved with a team, or project. <S> What are your thoughts about this? <S> If he tries to placate you with promises of work to come, ask for a timeline. <S> Feel free to be a little aggressive about it: him: <S> Oh, I haven't forgotten about you. <S> I'll have some work for you soon! <S> you: <S> What sort of timeline are we looking at here? <S> him: <S> A couple of weeks. <S> you: <S> Can you commit to a date for me? <S> I don't like letting my skills fall out of practice. <S> If, however, he ignores you, feel free to write to him again, or even call. <S> If nothing is done within, say, a 2 week period, up the ante by sending the request again, and CC-ing the hiring manager. <S> Note: to clarify <S> , I'm not saying you should stalk the man, but aim to have a serious conversation within a week, and results in ~3 weeks. <S> If another couple of weeks pass and nothing seems to change (or changes for the worse), then it's time to start looking for a job again. <S> Don't worry too much about the short time you've spent with this company - sometimes a job is just not a good fit. <S> That's what the probation period is all about. <A> I was actually in a similar situation a few months ago. <S> Every day I'd get on the daily scrum calls with a manager who was in another state. <S> I never got projects or tasks assigned to me, never really had much to do and basically had to find ways to kill time. <S> Without proper guidance, learning things felt like a waste of time because I had no way of knowing if I was even investigating or researching the correct topics or technologies. <S> I was at that job for a little bit over 5 months before handing in my two week's notice. <S> Got a new job that's been great so far after 3 months. <S> Tons of work to do, a team and manager who are capable and willing to give assistance and guidance <S> and I couldn't be happier having made the switch. <S> I've been told that as long as you don't make it a habit (leaving companies after such a short time there), and can explain your reasoning as to why you left after such a short time to whomever you interview with, you will be fine. <S> Aside from that you can do what I did - and just ask daily what needs to be done or if there's any projects you can get started on or at least assist with. <S> In my case I kept getting told that "work was on the way" and that "there's work coming down the pipe" that never came. <S> Good luck! <A> I'd say that your first priority is to get on a project. <S> You should ask, given your skills set, what's the holdup in assigning you. <S> If you are on the bench, you should develop additional skills that would be useful in getting you on a team. <S> Any downtime should be a period of frenetic activity for you as you beef up your skills set. <A> Unless there's something very unusual about your contract, you are being paid to sit in an office for 8 hours a day, not to work on tasks. <S> You may ask your manager once if there is anything he'd like you to do, but if he still doesn't give you any tasks, you are basically absolved. <S> Enjoy your free time and having little to do, most people have the exact opposite problem - too many things to do, which causes stress and burning out after a couple of years from being overworked. <A> and then once you know the cause, you can make an informed decision on what to do about it. <S> If you don't get any satisfaction form your communications, leave. <S> Leaving after two months is not that good, but leaving after 2 years with no new experience and lazy habits is worse.
| I doubt that you can get guidance if you don't have a project assigned to you. Speak to your manager in person or over the phone and raise the issue that you are not getting any work and try and find out what the root cause of this is As much as it sucks, your best bet is probably moving on.
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How should I deal with a colleague who has stopped talking to me because of a disagreement? I work in a startup Software company in India. I head the development team.Recently, "Miss Sue" made some mistake. When "Miss Kate," the Lead of some other team, asked Sue about it, she replied rudely. When this was brought to my attention, I confronted Sue, she accepted her mistake, and she and I discussed ways in which we can avoid the mistake in future. For me, the matter was over. But Ms. Kate called up a meeting of some senior developers, her own team and Sue, and of course me. During the meeting, although the issue was resolved, Kate verbally attacked Sue with the purpose of further humiliating her. I defended Sue and asked everyone to focus on the solution for the problem, rather than on who made what mistake. When we were done discussing solutions, I asked everyone to leave. This angered Kate and now she has completely stopped talking to me. I would like to also note that Kate kind of has a reputation of talking with people in a higher pitch/humiliating them in front of others, and in her own words, she thinks, 'That is how people learn'. I have always opposed that way of handling mistakes, and have even tried to explain it to her. On all previous occasions, she accepted she was wrong, and said she won't repeat it, but then again she keeps doing this kind of thing. That is the reason why I have resisted explaining same things to her. I want her to realise her behavior would have propagated negativity within the team. But at the same time, this not talking thing is making me uncomfortable. For last few days I have been thinking of raising the issue to our superior, who happens to be the CEO of the company. But, I am unsure of doing this, because I am not sure if this situation is worthy of taking up to the CEO. Can you please help me with clearing out my confusion? <Q> You need to decide what you want the culture of your team to be. <S> Is it one where management is by humiliation and ignoring people, or is it one based on humility, respect and trust? <S> At the moment, you are letting Kate decide the culture - and it sounds like you're not happy with that culture. <S> Therefore you need to start being a leader and setting the culture yourself. <S> Realistically, you've got two options here: <S> Tell Kate that her behaviour is not acceptable within this company and needs to change immediately (i.e. a final warning). <S> Put the wheels in motion to have Kate dismissed immediately. <S> Personally, I'd be going for the latter. <S> You've had this discussion with Kate before and her behaviour hasn't changed; from your description, she is a cancer to your team. <S> Yes, this isn't an easy decision to make, but leaders are paid to make the hard decisions, not the easy ones. <A> So the problem is Mrs. K. <S> (Miss S. made a mistake some time ago, but that's all resolved). <S> The next time she attacks a person, if you feel that attack is done in a way that is not acceptable, you shouldn't defend that person, or say that you should focus on the right things, but you should straight away tell Mrs. K that what she is doing and the way she is doing it is not acceptable. <S> The serious problem is Mrs. K behaviour (for example, Miss S made some mistake, but someone like Mrs. K could completely demotivate Miss S, or even convince her to find a job elsewhere, so you spend lots of time finding a replacement, which costs your company ten times more than that mistake), so that problem is what you need to tackle. <S> And while normally telling someone off in public is not something you should do, I'd say it is fine to do that when she is attacking someone - as she says herself, "that's how people learn". <A> You have made it clear to Mrs K that her teaching style is not acceptable. <S> Then follow through if she can't restrain herself. <S> She will have another reason to hate your guts but as long as she stops, all is good with the world. <S> You are looking for peace and quiet and if the only way to achieve peace and quiet is through enforced compliance, so be it. <S> Forget about consensual compliance through popularity - you are already in the doghouse so far as she is concerned. <A> The problem is not what happened in the past, the problem is her unprofessional behavior of refusing to talk to you. <S> I presume you both have a manger, go to your manager and explain the context and the results of her no longer talking to you. <S> And have him or her deal with the behavior. <S> This is something that should not be acceptable behavior in any workplace. <S> At some point she needs to be told that how she manages her team is her business, but she does not get to try to manage your team and reprimanding your team members in public <S> is way out of bounds for her. <S> It is best if her manager has this discussion with her.
| Communicate to her either face to face or by email that given her tendency to humiliate your staff, her next outburst will result in escalation to management.
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How do I make my manager let me leave from the project? I have been working on a project from a few years. My Manager never appreciates us, but is very quick to find the faults. I have also been yelled upon for the mistakes of others. Last year I had expressed my desire to leave, stating some secondary reasons. I was not allowed to leave. I even wrote to my HR and higher authorities, but, no one went against my Manager's wish to keep me. My Manager told that he would leave me after 3 months. After 3 months, it became some more months, and then some months more further. And now he is trying to further extend me for another year. Here, there is absolutely no appreciation, or praise, for the hard work, I, or my colleagues, put in. But the mistakes (genuine or not) are yelled upon pretty quick followed by angry threats. As far as I am concerned, it has become a point that if there is a group meeting, I would definitely be pointed out, without a reason, and my other colleagues can anticipate that. Another senior, a friend of my Manager, has also started hating me ever since I answered the question he had publicly asked, on the same public platform, which he didn't like. Not a single opportunity is missed to pinpoint a mistake. I even indirectly offered a replacement, which was rejected. Also, even though we are made to work even on the weekends and festivals, there is absolutely no self-progress, with not enough work, due to which I am getting out of touch with my skills, and my knowledge rusting away. I am also not able to find interviews (trying my best though) with other companies at the moment. The only benefits I have are extra salary from working overtime (with less allowances) and working from the place of choice (which if I argue a lot may be taken away too), which are not enough without motivation or satisfaction. Due to this I have started to feel depressed. My manager is trying to extend me in the same project for another year, and I don't know how to say No to him, since writing to HR/Senior authorities does not work. I feel in a deadlock. My colleagues feel in a similar fashion. Any suggestions? I need help on how to tackle this situation, and leave the project. <Q> In general, you can't "make" your manager do anything. <S> You've already expressed your desire to leave this project, and people higher up than you have (at least implicitly) said that's not going to happen. <S> Hence the way you leave the project is by leaving the company. <S> This may not be what you want to do, but at this point your options are either leaving the company or staying on the project. <S> Weigh up the benefits of each option and make your decision - that's not something we can help you with though. <A> You have pretty much tried the usual avenues. <S> Your remaining options are risky. <S> You can outright refuse to extend for another year. <S> You cannot force your manager to agree to this, but he/she can't force you to extend if you're prepared to leave over it. <S> However you are not viewed as a valuable employee, so <S> this might just get your bluff called. <S> Cultivate someone higher up the food and try and get something done. <S> Lastly (and what I would do while job searching), change your attitude, you are allowing this to get to you. <S> Instead focus on getting out and allow anything else to wash over you. <S> You're not job hunting hard enough. <S> In a situation like this I would take any temporary job just to get breathing space, pay my bills, and review where my future is going. <A> If this is a larger company, check to see if you can apply directly to a position on a different project (preferably one that has a very different upper management chain). <S> You state <S> you still want to work at the same company, but if the above does not work, then I would recommend leaving the company, go work somewhere else for a year and then apply back to the original company. <S> Would you rather work a year at a random company or another year on the same project that is destroying you?
| If you can sell yourself to a different project such that they will fight to have you, then they might be able to get you out from your current manager.
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Former boss asking me to do presentations My former boss who is a manager in the company regularly asks me to do work for him. I have that under control as my current boss backs me up and I can take on the assignments I find interesting and valuable and turn down the ones that aren't. However; mixed in with these requests are assignments to speak or present at industry conferences or trade shows. My former boss over commits himself and is regularly passing these talks/presentations onto his staff, and he continues to do that to me. He always presents it as a 'development opportunity' or 'way to get more exposure'. In reality, he commits and then tries to get out of it himself. I know what I want to do; which is only take on the assignments that are interesting or of value. My question; how do I turn down these requests, politely, because I need to have a good relationship with this former boss, as he is characterising them as benefits to my career? <Q> Thank you for sending this opportunity my way! <S> However, after discussing it with new boss , I unfortunately cannot accept this engagement at this time, since projects Foo, Bar and Baz are in critical stages right now. <S> Thanks again, and sorry! <S> Feel free to add " <S> I feel honored you think so highly of me" as appropriate, without crossing the threshold into sycophancy - you know your old boss better than we do. <S> And do think about accepting some of these engagements once in a while, especially the ones that do make you more visible. <S> It seems like your ex-boss has a high opinion of you, and that can't hurt, so try to stay on his good side. <A> Simple solution, pass the requests on to your boss, you should be doing this anyway. <S> Your boss is overall responsible for your time management. <S> Your manager should be a buffer between you and the rest of the World. <S> He/she has the authority to outright veto anything without you upsetting anyone. <S> So inform your former manager that it needs to go through your manager, and cc your manager. <S> They can deal with it amongst themselves. <S> It's not your responsibility. <A> My question; how do I turn down these requests, politely, because I need to have a good relationship with this former boss, as he is characterising them as benefits to my career? <S> You already have the ability to turn down tasks that you'd rather not do. <S> You said that your current boss backs you up and you can take on the assignments you find interesting and valuable and turn down the ones that aren't. <S> There's nothing impolite about that. <S> Eventually, your former boss will get the hint and stop asking.
| Just continue to use your current boss as an excuse and say that you are too busy with your real work.
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Forgot to bring an updated copy of my resume to an interview I applied to work at a company about a month ago and started their interview process. Finally got the offer today and noticed that they plan to do a background check based on my resume.However, the resume they're checking with is out of date and I was asked to leave the last company I worked at. Should I proactively send an updated resume to the recruiter upon accepting the offer, explaining the situation, or should I simply accept the offer as it's made and not say anything? I feel like it's good to be honest, but I also don't want to attract the wrong kind of attention. Please note: I know there's a similar question out there that asks what to do if you come in for an interview after being let go. What makes my situation different is that this got all the way to an offer. I also see a similar question asked by someone ho changed jobs on their resume. My question s a bit different because I as asked to leave. Just to add, while I was asked to leave, it was on as good terms as possible (my former manager, who was also the company CEO, even wrote a positive letter of reference) though I'm not sure if it's wise to bring that up. Update: Sent in a new copy of my resume, turned out to not be a problem at all. <Q> Should I proactively send an updated resume to the recruiter upon accepting the offer, explaining the situation, or should I simply accept the offer as it's made and not say anything? <S> The last thing you want is to be rejected because your resume didn't reflect reality and it was detected during the background check. <S> You'll look like you have something to hide, or are a liar. <A> This would depend on if the resume was up to date when you sent it. <S> If it was and you got sacked afterwards I wouldn't mention it, there's no dishonesty there and mentioning you got sacked is not a great idea if you don't have to. <S> If the resume was totally wrong right from the start, then yes, you need to correct it. <A> I don't know what background checking company your new employer will use, but the last time that I had one done the dates on pretty much all of my jobs were "guess-timations" and they had to verify all of them and left notes on the background check like "said he worked for X from APR 2009 to JUN 2012 <S> and it was actually MAR 2009 to MAY 2012"... <S> I got the offer anyway. <S> I don't think that they're really looking for 100% accuracy... <S> and as long as you left your last job amicably I wouldn't worry too much about it. <S> If it comes up at some point just be honest and say that things had changed since you sent them your resume.
| If they are going to perform a background check based on the resume you already gave them and if that resume is out of date, it only makes sense to give them an updated, correct resume.
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Sending a stranger's CV to HR In general I am an outgoing person and tend to meet a lot of new people. I work at a software company and some of the people I meet in public are software engineers. I am a senior engineer and architect and currently run a team at my company. Our company, like most software companies, is most definitely short on good engineers and the other day on the train I met two young people in their last few months of university who were very interested in finding work. I know that we are specifically looking for this exact profile. They asked me for my card and sent in CVs the next day. I forwarded them to HR, saying something like "I was waiting for the train and met some engineers. Here are their resumes. Are these interesting for you?" I got this message back from HR and am debating with myself what to think about it: "What a nice place to recruit new people =)". I have a feeling this is a passive aggressive note implying I should feel bad about promoting the company. In general I am planning to ignore the comment (at least, not respond by email) but it makes me wonder how should I interpret this and if I should do something differently? The two people I met, in my mind, have excellent profiles. Looking at the one CV, it's very solid. Maybe I am too open-minded, but is it reasonable to consider them, or is it a black mark on me or the candidate just because I met them in a two minute conversation while switching trains instead of a two minute conversation on a recruitment day? Why would this be worse than applying via our public website? <Q> In general you should only refer people that you know are decent candidates, since their performance has an impact on your image. <S> In this case you have pointed out that you don't know these people, which is the right thing to do. <S> It's up to HR now to figure out if they are good candidates or not. <S> They should realize that you cannot vouch for their skills. <S> I would not think of the response you got as a passive-aggresive note at all. <S> I would just see it as a light-hearted comment. <A> You are not referring, you are sourcing Finding good candidates for a job position is at least as difficult as interviewing them. <S> If you met some people (no matter if it's a train, coffee shop or a conference) and got them interested in your company, that's a good thing! <S> HR often pays big buck for posting and promoting your job offers. <S> Providing more visibility is a Very Good Thing (tm) <S> and I can't see why you should feel awkward about it. <S> I would be very surprised if the message you received was in any way ironic. <S> Sourcing is not the same as referring: Referral <S> Meet <S> Mary, I worked with her 2 years ago, she's a really competent developer and her skills match what we need the most. <S> I'm confident that she would be great fit here <S> and I'd be happy to see her join my team. <S> Sourcing <S> Meet John, we just met on a train last week. <S> We talked about what we're doing around here <S> and he's interested in applying. <S> When introducing people to HR, it's important to clearly indicate which situation are we dealing with - are you providing a recomemndation or just introducing a person? <S> Referral candidates often undergo a different (usually shorter and more friendly) recruitment process because there's already an assumption that they're more likely to be good hires. <S> This implies that giving a referral comes with a degree of responsibility and you should be careful. <S> Sourcing doesn't come with any statement about qualifications - the candidates would probably go through the standard process, as if they learned about the job opening elsewhere. <S> It seems like you did that properly. <S> It sounds like you intended to source these engineers and there's no sign of miscommunication, so - again <S> - there's nothing to worry about! <S> You helped your HR find possibly good candidates and helped a few engineers possibly find a job. <S> Feel free to do the same next time you have the opportunity. <A> Well, the idea behind this is that HR received the CVs. <S> Their answer may have been bad perceived by you, but they CVs are in their hands. <S> In other words, you did what you had to do. <S> Don't overthink an answer that might sound undiplomatic to your ears. <A> Sort of reply you received.. <S> If it really has a smiley face in it then take it as a joke otherwise take it as a criticism. <S> Either way You shouldn't take it too serious. <S> For future... <S> For strangers ask them to send CVs to company's generic recruitment address. <S> By the way <S> Recommending a stranger and than they become a pain for yourself... ?
| Don't forward CVs unless you are recommending someone you know...
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I have a scheduled vacation before starting the job, how can I make it clear in the interview and actually have the vacation days? So I am in Michigan, USA and I have an interview tomorrow for a paid internship position as a .Net Web Developer. We had a phone interview and they made it clear that the internship is only three months, and we agreed that I will start immediately if they decided that I am a good fit. I was planning to go back to my home country this Christmas when I finish the Fall semester (Friday December 16th) and come back before the Spring semester (Monday January 14th). I did not schedule or/and buy the tickets yet, but I really want to do both the internship and the visit. I know that their holidays are from Friday December 23rd (included) and till Monday January 2nd (included). Would it be okay to ask for off days a week before and a week after? Taking 8 working days in total (4 before: Monday->Thursday and 4 after: Tuesday->Friday). <Q> Tell them how much you want the internship, but that you have a scheduled conflict you can't get around. <S> Be prepared to not get selected for the internship though. <A> You are looking at a 3 month internship, which would be roughly 60 days (20 working days/month), and you're wanting to take 8 of them off. <S> That's 13.3% time off. <S> That's more than double <S> what regular, full-time employees generally get ( <S> 15 days / 240 working days = 6.25%). <S> You are absolutely welcome to try and negotiate it, but they may not accept and/or they may just eliminate you from consideration. <S> Prepare for the most likely outcome: No. <S> Outside of company holidays, interns do not get ANY vacation time. <A> You may want both the internship and the vacation, but you need to decide which you would pick if you had to choose. <S> If the internship is more important, only raise the vacation as "I would like to take this vacation if possible, but understand that may be too much time out of a three month internship.". <S> Perhaps ask how much time off they can allow. <S> If the vacation is more important, bring it up early in the process so that you minimize the time and resources they spend on you if they do not agree. <S> Even if the vacation prevents you from taking this internship, you presumably want to remain on good terms with the company. <A> It is unfortunate that you have agreed to start immediately. <S> You have effectively already lied about your availability date. <S> Your availability date is one of the first questions you will always be asked, and you need to be very clear and honest about the answer. <S> Would they still have interviewed you had they known? <S> Were other candidates overlooked for availability conflicts? <S> What would you do if this was a notice period <S> issue?Talk to them as soon as possible to see if your start date can be deferred, take extreme care not to give them the impression that you have accepted another offer to see how it worked out. <S> If you are starting with a group, no matter how small, you will be out of phase with the starters, so it now impacts their internships.
| If the vacation is truly more important to you than the internship, then notify them immediately that there's a scheduling conflict. My advice is to be up front about it.
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Boss asks me to be more "mature". I'm not sure what he means by that I've been working in a small company for a bit over a year. It's my first job straight out of university, so my employer understands I'm inexperienced, yet still they were happy to hire me. I had a 1-on-1 conversation with my boss recently about how things are going; he said he wanted to either hire a more "mature" developer or make me to become more "mature" asap or help me find another job. From what I understand of what he says, he defines mature as "able to execute job to completion", i.e. done done, ready for production and for everyone to use, quick turnaround, minimal bugs, and have little features that are "nice to have". In addition he also said "I want someone who can fix/develop something with minimal requirements". In other words, "guess what I want and what I'm trying to do, and come up with something brilliant". So he said he understood that I'm still inexperienced (only a bit over 1 year out of university) but he said our product is developing so fast and we need more mature developer. So I thanked him for his feedback and said I'll try my best to be more mature, and... that's pretty much the end of conversation. He didn't say which decision he's going to take. My work attitude is that I like to make sure what I made/fixed is what is required. So I always go back to the person who requested the fix/feature and ask for his/her opinion. Moreover, if I have question, I always clarify with them no matter how insignificant they might think it is. I'm trying to save my job as I find it hard to find job as developer in the first place, and yes I do need the money. So my question is given my inexperience and my work attitude, how can I improve? I can try to guess what they want, but what if that leads to inaccuracies and total disaster? isn't that bad? <Q> Speaking as a mature (read as OLD) developer, your manager's complaints are ones I've had myself. <S> While it's not your fault, colleges and universities are doing a poor job in setting up developers for success in the REAL WORLD(tm). <S> Your first year in, you know how to do things by the book, but that's all you know, there is much to learn that isn't in the books. <S> There are only two ways to get that maturity. <S> One is getting your post-graduate education in the school of hard-knocks (not recommended). <S> The other is to seek out a mentor. <S> A mentor can teach you what uni did not, such as how to anticipate needs, reading people, et cetera. <S> Your understanding of what he wants is correct, and sadly part of the industry. <S> Specs are almost NEVER an accurate reflection of the final product. <S> Clients and end users will get mad at you for doing exactly what you were told instead of giving them what they wanted. <S> Because of this quick turnaround is a must. <S> The mature coder goes in knowing that he has to keep everything modular and easy to change, for example. <S> He has stated his needs and your deficiencies. <S> Find someone either in your company or outside of it who is willing to teach you the skills that uni didn't. <S> That's the only way you can save your job at this point. <A> Moreover, if I have [a] question, I always clarify with them <S> no matter how insignificant they might think it is. <S> This is a good practice with stakeholders. <S> Now you need to apply it to your manager. <S> You need to go back to your manager and understand, in detail, what goals you need to achieve. <S> One way to make the goals concrete is to make <S> them SMART , i.e. S pecific, <S> M easurable, <S> A ssignable, R ealistic, T ime-related. <S> As a side note, the SMART mnemonic can stand for a few different specific words, but the sentiment is the same. <A> In addition he also said "I want someone who can fix/develop something with minimal requirements". <S> In other words, "guess what I want and what I'm trying to do, and come up with something brilliant" . <S> A mature developer understands that no design survives first contact with reality. <S> The sooner you start, the sooner you can move down the road of understanding what the correct destination is. <S> Ask your detailed questions once you have something to show. <S> 1. <S> Identify the highest priority task 2. <S> Gather enough requirements to make an educated guess on how to complete that task2. <S> Complete enough work to display the result of your knowledge/guesses3. <S> Show the customer what you have often and confirm/reject your educated guesses4. <S> Go back to #1 <S> It's very rare that you will be asked to do the impossible, most likely you don't have the full context of what is being asked. <S> Do some research and then go to your teammates. <S> If they feel it is not achievable, you can then go to your manager. <S> Given the time sensitive nature of this problem, I would highly recommend confiding in a more senior teammate and ask to work closely with them. <S> Do anything you can (help with documentation or repetitive tasks) to free up their time. <S> Make yourself useful in any way until you feel more comfortable with what your manager was asking for. <S> Take the feedback very seriously and do not fall in to the trap of feeling that unreasonable things are expected of you.
| By mature, I believe that your manager is looking for those traits that one develops over time that are those things not in the books and outside the box. Your boss is actually not being unreasonable. Be direct with your concerns and come prepared with a solution.
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Practical offers of support when leaving a team I'm currently the manager of a small team (4 people) in a mid-sized organisation. Having recently handed in my notice, I want to make the transition as smooth as possible for my colleagues. What practical things / help / support can I offer them? <Q> First, get any outstanding admin or HR out of the way. <S> Next, document. <S> Document your processes, your internal contacts, your team members' contact info, everything. <S> Put it all in a passworded zip, or a secured folder on the domain storage and share it with your boss. <S> This way, people who might have forgotten you are leaving will be fully aware. <S> Make sure you buy at least a round. <A> It happened to me few times, when managers leave they don't communicate level of efforts made by different employees. <S> Ideally managers should be communicating progress made by staff under them to higher management or to manager who will be taking over, but unfortunately this didn't happened to me. <S> So if you have any staff who you see has the potential to move forward than do recommend them to your boss. <A> Thought I'd add an answer to collate some of the offline suggestions I've been given... <S> Offer to write LinkedIn recommendations
| Finally, arrange a farewell. If your team member has an upcoming appraisal, get it done.
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New bosses coming to meet with development group, how can we make a good impression? The new IT management executives are coming to meet with the small development group we have later today. What is the best way to make a good impression? I thought about writing something funny on the whiteboard we have in the office, but wasn't sure if that would come off the wrong way. Any ideas? <Q> You're selling yourselves - it's most important to be able to show your expertise and communication skills. <S> Be friendly, be knowledgeable. <A> Management usually wants you to be productive. <S> Make sure you seem to be always hard at work. <S> Have paperwork with handwritten notes and marker lines on your desk. <S> Some coffee mugs help. <S> Stickies ( but not with passwords !) <S> on the monitor or papers. <S> Do you know anything about their actual knowledge of development work? <S> If they believe in the caricatures of programmers, have some nerdy stuff around: action figures on top of the monitor. <S> Don't make it a mess; find a balance between a busy look and cleanliness. <S> They may also have questions. <S> If you have any idea about those, make sure you can answer them. <S> And since you don't know the actual moment they will come in: <S> Now get back to work! <A> Customer/User emails, timeliness of bug fixes, getting projects done on time, budgets, whatever you have. <S> Have a summary of current projects and past success stories. <S> If they don't believe you, you'll have other documentation of others indicating they're satisfied with their work. <S> Get your team together and be prepared to answer the question, "What do you need?" <S> You don't want everyone throwing up the first thing they think of. <S> You want a dog, ask for a pony.
| I would make sure you have documentation to support any claims that you are doing quality work. Just be yourselves, there's no need to dress up the office in any way (but by all means tidy things up if they're messy). Have a short, well-thought out answer and get some consensus from the team. Put some (worn-down) scribbles and schematics on the white board.
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Answering question, "what is your gender" on application form I am applying to a large software firm. There is a question relating to gender in their application form. It asks what gender are you, and the options are "male", "female", "other" and "prefer not to answer". Since I'm male I'm at a disadvantage (as preference is given to women to comply with equal opportunity hiring process) so would it be a good idea to answer "prefer not to answer"? The thing is my gender is easily identified through my name. Now how does it make sense a question about applying for a job is off topic? <Q> No point trying to be clever about it. <S> If they're set on getting a female for the job, you can't change that by ticking a box. <S> Usually just telling the truth is the best option. <A> Your premise is flawed. <S> Legally speaking (US), companies are not allowed to take gender into consideration when making hiring decisions. <S> The question is asked for tracking metrics and potentially for finding problems in their hiring process. <S> Realistically, as a male, you are likely at a distinct advantage for a variety of reasons. <A> While you are correct in assuming you are more likely to be hired as a woman ( http://lmgtfy.com/?q=women+more+likely+to+get+hired+stem ), I feel it is unlikely to help you in the long term, as your gender will become apparent before the interview process is over anyway. <S> Besides that, just because it is statistically more likely to be hired as a woman now (in STEM), does not necessarily mean that workplace subscribes to that ideology. <S> Perhaps they are really just looking for the most qualified candidate! <A> Not too long ago I was talking with a friend about the viability of joining software development as a woman, because women in tech these days have an easier 'in' due to gender quotas. <S> I argued that if you rely on affirmative action to get hired, you should probably consider other options. <S> I say the same to you. <S> Those minutes you spend worrying about gaming the system would be better spent reading a tech blog or honing your skills somehow. <S> If someone requires affirmative action to be considered for a position, they're already on the left side of the skill curve a fair way. <S> By competing with them you effectively place yourself at the same level, so you've already lost the job to everyone on your right side. <S> Lastly, it's much more likely for a quota policy to inform the hiring phase rather than the initial interview. <A> Would you prefer not to answer the question? <S> Because there's an option for that. <S> I wouldn't expect it to change your results, however. <A> Since I'm male <S> I'm at a disadvantage (as preference is given to women to comply with equal opportunity hiring process ) <S> so would it be a good idea to answer "prefer not to answer"? <S> A bit contradictory, but ok. <S> If the company were to truly comply to equal opportunity in the hiring process, that would mean if you're more qualified for the job, they should hire you. <S> Same goes that if anyone else is more qualified than you, they should hire that person; regardless of gender (and race etc.). <S> So would it be a good idea to answer with "prefer not to answer"? <S> No, simply state you are male.
| If you're a man, tick the box that says 'male'.
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Leaving PhD after 3 years (of 4) Would it be seen as "a failure", "someone who is not able to finish what he begins" in my CV? This is what worries me, after finishing both my undergraduate and master with very good grades I fear it will be ruined by "started a PhD and gave up after 3 years". Context: I'm doing natural sciences, in Europe, I would need one more year to graduate but I've realised academia is not for me (and I'm not really enjoying my time as PhD student). Will dropping out be seen as a "failure" by potential employers? Ps: I originally posted this in Academia but was advised to post it here instead <Q> In an interview you might/probably will get a question on why you've quit the PhD program. <S> Explaining it as you did: "I've realised academia is not the path I want to follow", should not reflect on you badly. <S> You have made up your mind. <S> Just make sure you don't give the impression you change your mind/life choices frequently. <S> Taking in account your grades and the fact that you were selected for a PhD should be an indicator that you could be a high performer. <S> I would say even though you did not finish the PhD program, the fact that you did it might be a plus. <S> At the very least it was a learning opportunity, and your research experience could prove valuable if you are solliciting in the same branche. <A> I have to disagree with the previous answers. <S> As someone working in an office (automotive development in Germany) where 90% of the people hold a PhD, I would not hire someone who gave up so close to the finish line. <S> Even if you hate your PhD now, you will profit significantly from having a PhD even when working outside of academia. <S> Going through with it would prove to me as a hiring person that you don't give up easily and that you can deal with a certain amount of pressure and pain. <S> I am sure you would find a job after giving up on your PhD, but my opinion is that it will definitely lower your chances to get certain positions in the industry. <A> I'm doing natural sciences, in Europe, I would need one more year to graduate <S> but I've realised academia is not for me (and I'm not really enjoying my time as PhD student). <S> You seem to know what you want and what you don't want. <S> If there is one thing that is important in life, it is to realise at some point that if you don't like what you are doing you should stop doing it. <S> That being said, you will have to explain exactly why you have stopped and how this has helped you in defining your professional project. <S> Always try to find the added value in for your carrier when you make decisions like this and explain it to your future employer. <A> Don't beat yourself up. <S> I gave up on my getting a PhD in Chem Eng from Columbia after just a year when I fell in love while moonlighting for a firm that I eventually helped become the largest environmental planning firm in the New York Metro area :) <S> Yes, both my academic advisers were yelling at me and my tiger mother cried <S> but I was mentally done, and ready for the next phase of my life. <S> The only casualty was my PhD candidacy. <S> My career is fine :) <S> I'd rather not finish for the right reasons rather finish for the wrong reasons. <S> And I count as finishing for the wrong reasons finishing for the sake of finishing. <S> Life is a one-way trip and time that you throw away doing something that you no longer want to do - <S> well, you'll never get it back. <S> Your life and career have just begun :) <A> As an employer it would make no difference to me, I'm interested in what you have achieved rather than what you didn't. <S> On a personal level I would think it's wasted time because I value education being a school dropout myself. <S> But others might think differently.
| In any case, it's purely a personal decision for you to make, I can't see it affecting your career because you won't be applying for jobs that need a PHD which are fairly rare outside academia anyway.
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Applying for 2 different jobs in same company through 2 headhunters I applied 'A'position at "K" company last week, The position is not perfectly matching my experience but I applied it with head hunter "A"(I haven't heard back from them about the next step yet.) Today, a head hunter 'B', contacted to me regarding the position 'B' at the same company "K" that I am more interested in. I really want to apply this position,so would it be a problem to apply 2 different positions at the same company through different headhunter? <Q> This happens more commonly than you think. <S> Or rather, they should. <S> Headhunters understand what this means. <S> If the roles are not similar, if it's a different position, then this (probably) doesn't present a problem to the company. <S> It's likely, if they are organised, they'll identify you're applying for multiple positions and handle it. <S> At the very least, they should do reference checking once, and you should be prescreened once. <S> They may give you an joint interview with stakeholders from both positions, and whatever position you are selected for dictates which headhunter gets the "cut". <S> Or they may decide you should sit through both interviews. <S> On the contrary, you've showed a commitment to getting a job. <A> I don't see a problem. <S> It's no different then applying at two different companies. <S> The only possible downside is that someone in HR sees both and realises it's the same person and decides you're desperate for work and tries to negotiate a lesser pay over it. <S> But I can't realistically see that happening. <A> If you are presented by two different recruiters, they may pass on you because they might end up having to pay both. <A> If you apply through a second recruiter, then the company has a dilemma: Which recruiter is entitled to get paid for "introducing" you? <S> This money is the recruiters' bread-and-butter, and a recruiter with bruised feelings about the situation may decide to sue the employer. <S> Knowing this, most companies will outright reject a candidate if there's anything looking like a double-submission within a given period of time (usually a year). <S> That even applies for a different position -- because a recruiter won't necessarily convey the official job title to the candidate. <S> With more than one recruiter in the mix, there's far too much going on in a situation as described that can result in litigation. <S> Human resources will pump the brakes. <S> If you're really interested in the second position, have the first recruiter press for it. <S> As for the second recruiter, it's really not your problem to fix -- it's a highly competitive field.
| if the roles are very similar (or the same), often companies will decline the referral from the second headhunter. Either way, you've done nothing wrong. It's totally normal for people to apply for multiple jobs simultaneously when job hunting.
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Would it be inappropriate to use my workplace's postage machine to mail my tax returns? I work in the United States; would be inappropriate or otherwise wrong for me to use my workplace's postage machine to send a first class letter for my tax returns? I know that sending personal mail (for instance, sending a letter or a package to a personal friend) on the company's bill would be inappropriate or unethical, but in this circumstance I'm not sure, given the contents are more of an official/legal nature related to my employment. <Q> Yes, it would be inappropriate. <S> It doesn't matter that they are official documents, they're still personal documents - <S> i.e. not part of the company's business. <S> There's no reason your employer should pay for your personal life. <S> And frankly, it's a first class stamp. <A> I know that sending personal mail (for instance, sending a letter or a package to a personal friend) on the company's bill would be inappropriate or unethical <S> If that's the case at your company, then certainly sending your personal tax return on the company's bill is equally inappropriate. <S> And if you aren't sure if it's appropriate - just ask your boss if it would be okay. <A> It's inappropriate. <S> It's your private mail. <S> But then, nobody really cares unless you have a first grade penny pincher. <S> But then, should there be an occasion where your company wants to get rid of you, someone may have noted what you've done and it might just be enough rope to hang you. <S> Especially in Europe, where layoffs can be quite costly, the money that you saved on a stamp might cost you thousands when everyone else is laid off with some generous compensation, except you get fired for misconduct. <S> Summary: Don't do it. <A> Simple solution, ask your boss. <S> I've sent many an item using the office post (and even via courier from time to time). <S> Each time, I've just asked the boss. <S> Just ask for a longer lunch break tomorrow so you can head to the post office. <A> Without explicit permission, it is theft, plain and simple. <S> Failing that, it is still unethical, rude, crude, socially unacceptable boarding on the immoral, and possibly fattening. <S> As a general rule, never mix the private life with the work life. <A> Your personal tax return is a personal matter - even if it directly impacts your employment, you have to handle it on your own time. <S> That includes mailing it out. <S> I'm not sure why you'd want to mail it through your employer <S> anyway - if you do, you'll have no record of the fact that you've mailed it, and could potentially call your tax return into question by involving your employer directly in something that is supposed to be between you and a trusted tax return expert. <S> Pay the postage at the post office. <S> Get a receipt for your postage. <S> All of these things prove that you mailed out your tax return on the appropriate date, and act as records in case <S> something were to happen during shipping - none of which you get from using the office mailing service. <S> This is your livelihood at stake, and you should take personal responsibility for it. <A> Wow, how much time have we all now spent discussing an expenditure of 47 cents? <S> First off, your personal taxes are your personal taxes. <S> There is nothing business-related about them. <S> The fact that they are "official" and "legal" does not make them business-related. <S> If you get a speeding ticket on your way to the grocery store, that's "official" and "legal", but it has nothing to do with the company. <S> I suppose your taxes are "business-related" in the sense that the income comes from the company, but by that reasoning, anything you spend money on is business-related. <S> If you take your girlfriend to a movie, you're probably spending money you got from the company. <S> That does not make it a business-related event. <S> As others have said, the simple answer is: Ask. <S> In many companies, such minimal use of company resources is considered a perk of the job. <S> Plenty of companies allow employees to use company phones to make personal phone calls, to use company-provided pens and paper to write a shopping list, etc, as long as the use is minimal and you don't take excessive time away from work. <S> Big companies tend to have formal policies about such things printed in an employee manual. <S> If company policy says no, I can't imagine that it's worth arguing over the cost of a stamp. <S> The only reason why this question is even worth spending five minutes discussing is that the issue could come up many times.
| At other companies, even the smallest use of company resources for personal use is an offense that can get you fired. If your boss says no, don't push. Get the return postmarked. Even with permission, it would be sketchy at best. At smaller companies you just have to ask the boss what's acceptable. And if you don't feel comfortable even asking, then I think you already know the answer.
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When to inform colleagues I'm likely to leave I feel like I've outgrown my current job and want to make a diagonal move into a different sector of my industry. I'm actively looking for jobs and interviewing. I'm currently a single-point failure on a major project (through no fault of my own) and I both like and respect the project manager. At what point should I disclose to them that I am actively interviewing and likely to leave the company in a short timeframe? This person has no ability to influence my stay/go decision by making a counter-offer, but I don't want to burn any bridges. <Q> To do otherwise is to risk losing your current job without having another one. <S> Giving your project manager a heads-up is what the (typically two week in the US) notice period is for. <A> Instead of saying that you are planning to leave, what if you talk to your manager indicating that you want to mentor somebody in the project you are referring to so that you are not a single point of failure? <S> Assuming you get a job in the next 'n' months, this person already has the necessary idea and in the last 2 weeks it could make your job and the next responsible person's job easier! <S> You can also suggest to mentor more than one person to be on the safer side. <S> Personally, I don't think this qualifies as misleading your Project Manager, since its not like you are saying that you will take care of this project forever! <A> At my previous job, I had an excellent relationship with my supervisor, and I let her know <S> I was looking even before I interviewed for my current job. <S> It gave the team a very comfortable time frame to transition my duties, one of the leads thanked me specifically for such advance notice, and I left the company on great terms. <S> I know that not all teams have that culture, but in general, give as much advance notice as you reasonably can, even if you don't necessarily have a signed offer in hand. <S> Note that you don't need to tell your teammates at the same time as management.
| You inform your coworkers and management only when you have a signed written offer from your new company (complete with start date) and not one minute sooner.
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How can I keep my private and work coding-life separate? So, as a Coder, I'll take my knowledge from my job and apply it to my hobby, and take experience from my hobby and apply it to my job. On occasion, this can lead to very similar code appearing in hobby projects and in work solutions. I'm not copying market-level logic (I work for a tax software distributor, and am coding a music sorting library), we're talking low level code, stuff like sorting algorithms and database connectors. I've occasionally come across issues where I use the same design pattern in my work environment that I've used in my hobby coding. I'd like to throw it up on github, but at the same time, it may have already made it into my companies repo. Knowing that, how can I keep my profession and my hobby seperate? How can I show off my hobby work while still providing solutions for my employer? <Q> I like yourself program both for work and as a hobby. <S> I find that it's a non-issue. <S> Especially since you are only really reusing code for the extremely low level stuff. <S> The likely hood that someone already has that near exact same code someplace is extremely high. <S> The only time I ever ran into an issue was when I created a Asset Tracking software for my hobby project and my boss saw it and wanted to implement it. <S> This actually turned into a plus because the license I used was for non-commercial. <S> Because they wanted to use it for commercial purposes I was able to get them to pay licensing fees. <S> I would highly recommend using your hobby to build things that you know for a fact that you can use at work too. <S> And open sourcing it. <S> This might lead to other people using the software as well and it might also give the company an incentive to pay you a little more if they believe that you are working on work related side projects at home. <S> If you are worried about possible copyright infringement I would recommend simply making sure that code your open sourcing is under a license where you can reuse it at work and pushing that code before the code at work if possible. <S> If you must push the code at work first I would recommend talking to your manager to see if this is at all an issue. <S> From my experience most managers don't see it as an issue at all if the hobby project has a completely different goal than the software being developed for the company. <S> Basically so long as your hobby project isn't competing with the companies software in anyway <S> you should be OK. <A> I had have this same question in my mind years back. <S> If I build a new thing either at home or at workplace that can help others without affecting my employer's commercial values, I definitely put it open on Github for reuse within my projects, my employer's projects and others. <S> Instead of including the code piece in the employer's project, I reference it from my open-project to avoid mis-understandings by my employer and make them realise it wasn't coded for them only, instead it helped me code for them. <S> Whatever could be open, should be open. <S> That's how software development works nowadays. <S> If php, ruby, python, linux and most of what we use today weren't open, they wouldn't have been this great. <A> So this happens rather often. <S> One of the easy solutions to avoiding this is to use your hobby projects as more of a learning experience, like using a language you don't use at work or a new tool, or new framework, etc. <S> This also helps with coder fatigue and help you grow as a coder. <S> TO BE CLEAR <S> Your hobby projects can be anything, I'm just saying use new things to learn in the process. <A> So what's the point about it ? <S> Are you afraid of plagiarism ? <S> Should we accuse everyone that has developped back in time a quick sort algorithm or implements a factory pattern through the companies they worked for ? <S> This doesn't work like this, your knowledge belongs only to you and you can reuse it. <S> Unless the company own some Patents about some highly specific algorithm/... <S> I'm no lawyer but from what I know, as long you can prove that each line of code of your home project was done out of the company's working hours and without company's stuff <S> and you didn't extract code from your company to use it directly into your project, you have nothing to be afraid of. <S> This is your work with your knowledge. <S> If you're still not sure about it, check your contract if there is no specific things about this and check with a lawyer.
| You most certainly don't have to work on hobby projects related to work all the time but by doing it maybe once or twice a year it shows the company that your dedicated to programming as well as your career with there company.
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Resume line length with regards to readability My resume (typeset with XeTeX) spans an entire US letter page, with small margins on either side. It's generally accepted that this is bad for readability, and I want people to be able to read my resume. Therefore, I was thinking that I could increase the margins and make the resume two pages instead, improving readability. However, I believe that these narrow margins and long lines are pretty standard, especially given the large number of people that typeset their resumes with a word processor, which have poor defaults for readability. I am a software engineer with a strong interest in design, and I work on UIs a lot, so readability is something that I care about and is relevant to my job. In addition to the subtle effects of improved readability, which may go unnoticed (good design choices often do), a prospective interviewer might think "oh, this person gets typography", or they might think something like "this person is trying to pad the length of their resume" or "why is this person's resume layed out so differently?". Which is more likely? <Q> As always with resumes, the answer is <S> It depends <S> Your design choice depends on what role you're targeting. <S> If the job is design focussed, then give them a well-designed resume. <S> If it's for a software engineer, make it readable. <S> Regardless, the person reading the resume has to "get you" within the first ten seconds or so, otherwise it might end up on the "no" pile. <S> Recruiters see a lot of resumes, make things easy for them to maximise your chances. <S> There's a case in point - if your resume is being seen by a recruiter, they won't "get" your design angle and any design/typography detail will be lost on them. <S> Here in the UK, recruitment agencies will strip out the main details before passing information onto the client - you'll just lose all of your hard work right there <S> (recruiters don't want to send your contact details to the client). <S> So, I'd put design elements in if you're pitching directly for a design based vacancy. <A> software engineer with a strong interest in design <S> Interesting, then if that's the story you tell in your resume, I as a hiring manager of developers would be binning it. <S> The industry has gradually got the idea that people will use different devices with different capabilities, this is what's led to what they call "responsive design", which adapts across the different devices to provide a consistent view (paper being one such device). <S> Now, from what you say you are back in the 90s, using XeTeX to define your doc in some hard set way. <S> A design-influenced engineer in my mind would be making something that looks good in a text file, surely the best responsive tool (flowing text, small file size, fairly cross platform/os). <S> I'll also hark back to my other answers that say as soon as you put your XeTeX powered resume on the majority of ATS (Application Tracking Systems) <S> the initial auto-screening for keywords will fail and you'll be filed in the wastebasket. <S> Also given you need to tune the resume for just about every role you apply to you are creating a rod for your own back. <S> There's also a good chance (from experience) that if you pass the ATS, the HR drone will do a copy/paste of your hard worked doc into an email (or worse <S> , have had pasted then faxed in fairly recent memory), and all your effort will never be seen by the hiring manager. <S> So simplify, and concentrate on what you say, less on what it looks like. <A> If you haven't done it already, put some key words in bold. <S> These lines are not very readable, but if a few bold words per job description can grab the readers attention, he will want to know the details. <A> You only two options are not Decrease Margins, Maintain 1 Page Increase Margins, Add a Page <S> There is also Increase Margins, Maintain 1 Page. <S> When I last worked on my resume, I spent a LOT of time on layout, wording, messaging, etc to maximize the relevant content while maintaining 1 page. <S> Resulting in stuff I would have liked to keep hitting the cutting room floor. <S> At the same time, that also forced me to focus my resume, reduce wordiness, etc.
| These long lines happen when you describe not only your job titles, but also concrete responsibilities and results on the resume.
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What should I do when the boss "pulls rank" to get their problems solved over our customers' problems? My boss and I were reviewing items in a bug fix list. One of the bugs was relatively low priority: the program is rarely used in the way that produces the bug, and there is a work around which avoids the bug in most use cases. However, the boss upped this bug to top priority, claiming that it stops proper program execution. While technically true, my boss is the only person (out of hundreds of users) that I'm aware of who uses the program in this way. This has the effect of pushing bugs that have been reported by our customers to lower priority. I did protest the change, but the boss overrode me anyway. While fixing the bug is something I plan to do, I'd like to ignore this increased priority until other bugs are fixed that were reported by our external user community and originally marked with a higher priority. How might I do such a thing without damaging my standing and relationship with the boss? <Q> Just prioritize the boss's pet bug . <S> I don't see this being a winning issue for you, so I would advise against fighting it unless the consequences are catastrophic. <S> If it will take a year to fix this, during which time other critical flaws remain in the field, <S> then yeah, <S> I see your point. <S> Keep fighting the issue a bit longer. <S> Otherwise, just go with your boss's preferred priority. <S> Look at the big picture: you have a boss who is actually prioritizing bug fixes. <S> Other people's bosses are telling them to add new features rather than fix bugs (just search questions here if you don't believe me), and they would love to have your problem. <S> Good workers do share their own opinion, but they also accept a final decision once it has been made. <S> I do think it was ok to push back on the boss's stance initially, within reason. <S> Within a healthy work environment, this sort of exchange is seen as a good thing. <S> However, once the boss has made a decision, the best thing you can do is to accept it and get fully on board with the plan. <S> This is true in all but the most exceptional circumstances. <S> I'd like to ignore this increased priority until other bugs are fixed... <S> You should definitely not secretly prioritize your work differently than your boss asked. <S> That's just an all-around bad idea. <S> While your concern for the application's success is admirable, this is the boss's call. <S> Successfully working as part of a team means doing things you don't agree with from time to time. <S> If you think this is a systematic problem, propose a general solution. <S> If bugs are being prioritized in an ad hoc way generally, with detrimental effect, you could try suggesting a systematic way of evaluating and prioritizing them (such as by number of users estimated to be affected, seriousness of the issue, and effort required to fix). <S> Focus on the positive benefits of such a system, rather than any alleged problems in the way things were done in the past, and you may have a winning argument <S> (If you already made a big deal about this request, though, you might want to wait a little while <S> so it isn't fresh in your boss's memory). <A> These are the facts: <S> You've raised your opinion on the priority for your work <S> Your boss has decided otherwise, which is in their remit to do so <S> You planned to fix the bug sooner or later <S> All this points to you having to fix this bug first. <A> Your boss has the authority to set priorities on your work. <S> If he is wrong, he is accountable for that. <S> Your boss upped the priority of his bug to top priority. <S> This means everything you do - or don't do - with his bug has his managerial attention. <S> So if you don't do anything, he'll find out very quickly and you'll be facing the muzak. <S> Whether you get away with what you want to do depends heavily on whether <S> the boss and you have a good and strong relationship - in particular, how well he will take your act of insubordination. <S> It's like committing a premeditated murder: do it at your own risk, and don't do anything unless you're damn sure you'll get away with it. <A> This can be rephrased as "Boss pushed his pet bug over your pet bug." <S> The problem here is that nobody really can see the whole picture. <S> It's his job to have a bigger picture than yours, and you can't challenge this decision without sending "you suck at your job" message. <S> Because prioritizing bugs is his job. <S> You claim that more users encounter your bug, but you don't know the value of the users. <S> Not all users are created equal: one paying user reporting bug A is much more important that 100 free users reporting bug B. Software is not written for people who actually use it, it's written for people who pay for the development. <S> So, if your boss knows that eg. <S> CEO of your company complained about this bug, it's very wise of him to satisfy the CEO first rather than satisfy 100 users and have the project shut down by disappointed CEO. <A> I agree with the other answers and would like to add one point <S> : Make sure you have a written trail of raising your concerns. <S> This is always possible. <S> Even if your boss doesn't want to give you the assignment in written form, you can write him an email. <S> "As we discussed, I am now prioritizing bug X over my other assignments. <S> I am however still of the opinion that this should not become a habit and would like to discuss with you possible approaches to lower the need for such emergency interventions in the future." <A> Explain the consequences <S> Other answers already established that: your boss decides the priority of this bug, <S> it's good when the team contributes to the decision making with their point of view; here it means that it's good to warn the boss that there might be not so much benefit in doing this task. <S> However, the problem with priorities is that it's difficult to say in absolute terms how important something is . <S> But here's the good news: you don't have to! <S> Compare the item to something else. <S> The tone I'd use while talking to your boss would be something like: <S> Hey, I noticed that you assigned a lot of priority to task X. <S> I'm worried that the impact of this change might be very small and if we start working on it now, then tasks Y and Z will be delivered about 3 days later. <S> Could you please confirm that it's more important than Y and Z <S> and we should do it first?
| Given these two factors, I'd say: defer to your boss, go with the flow and fix the boss's bug. If you are concerned that your priorities will be questioned later, ask for the re-prioritisation in writing.
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Should I be able to negotiate a better salary if I don't want a company car? Lets say I've got through the first interview, am called back in and they offer me the job (Yay!) But as part of the "package" they offer a company car. I don't want to be hit with a tax on something that is of little-to-no benefit to myself. I don't want to have to find space to park yet another vehicle at home either. So, should I generally be able to turn down a company car and ask for a slightly better salary? <Q> First of all, "getting a company car" usually means the company purchases a car and assigns it to you. <S> The company still owns the car, takes care of insurance and maintenance, etc. <S> Naturally, they'd pay the taxes on it. <S> (This is NOT the same as winning a car in a lottery, where you're stuck paying taxes on it). <S> Since they expect you to drive a lot and possibly drive customers, it's likely you'd get a nicer car than you might buy for yourself. <S> Also, if your job involves a lot of driving, wouldn't it be better to put all that wear and tear on their car? <S> To answer your question, when you're negotiating salary you can certainly suggest passing on the car for higher wages. <S> Just consider that the money for salaries and the money for cars may come out of separate budgets which would make this tradeoff difficult. <S> Also, if you do succeed at this, don't expect to be able to change your mind 3 months later. <A> UK based... <S> The tax will be at the highest rate you pay, based on the proposed benefit of the car, where you have access to the car for personal use. <S> Yes, you can decline a car and opt for salary (pretty standard) or other benefits. <S> EDIT Be aware that driving to and from the office is personal use. <S> HMRC will consider the car a benefit whether you like it or not <A> In the UK, companies very rarely offer you a company car unless they expect you to be doing a lot of travelling for the company. <S> This is because in the UK company cars are taxed quite heavily, unless you are actually going to be using the company car for lots of travelling on company business. <S> If your job is going to involve significant travelling for business, then it may be hard to turn down the car. <S> Companies usually offer them because it is cheaper for them to give you a car to use, and pay the costs of your using it, than it is for them to reimburse you for using your own car. <S> If you are representing the company they may also not want you to use your own car while on company business, if it is older or quirky. <S> They may not allow you the choice. <S> But then you also don't want to turn the car down. <S> It will be a low-tax perk, and any extra money you get is unlikely to be enough to pay for running your own car (remembering that you will have to pay tax also on any salary you get instead of the car). <S> It should be easy to turn down the car, and get some money in return. <S> It may not be as much as you would like, because companies can get cars very cheap if they are managing a fleet of them. <S> By the way, when you say things like "I don't want to have to find space to park yet another vehicle at home either", what most people do when they get a company car is to sell one of their other vehicles. <S> You can almost always use your company car for personal reasons - you don't need to have more cars than you would otherwise want, just because one is company owned. <S> So the obvious answer is to ask when it comes to salary negotiation time. <S> Then, if the company is OK with you not having the company car, decide if the extra money is worth it.
| If you are not going to be travelling for company business, then the company doesn't care about the car, they just think of it as a perk.
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Are interviewers turned off when we use helper functions? Let's say the problem is to convert a string into an integer in Javascript. There are two solutions: use parseInt() and check for overflowing integers, or do the actual implementation of parseInt() and spend maybe an additional 20 minutes on the latter solution. I've read some discussions/forums online saying that you should implement it the long way because that shows the interviewer how you solve problems. But when would you EVER need to implement parseInt() in the workplace? You'd just use helper functions instead and be done with it, right? My question is, what should you do when a simple question like that comes up in an interview? <Q> This may be different at places like Google who like going through these things, but my experience is this: My company is there to deliver a solution in the most efficient way possible. <S> Someone defaulting to hand rolling a solution when it exists in the framework points of either over-engineering, or a lack of understanding of the framework, both red flags. <S> So, if you can do it in a couple of lines using the framework in 5 mins, better that than trying to dazzle me by spending 30 mins writing from scratch as I'll assume that's how you do it for real. <S> Lets spend the time talking about WHY you did it that way, and what the alternatives are, and why your solution is best. <A> They're often looking to see if you know how to use features of the language, or address corner cases with robust code. <S> You'll sometimes get explicit instructions not to use certainly functions in the language because it defeats those goals. <S> It'll show mastery and confidence if you say "I could just use x, <S> but if you want to see how that works under the hood, you would do this..." and go on with the longer answer. <S> That way you cover both methods. <A> Short answer: <S> no , interviews are usually not turned off when one is using helper function. <S> A bit longer answer: it depends on context, but this context is usually clear. <S> First, at any interview try to just solve the question, then try to improve specific part (for example, use firs just parseInt, then substitute it with your implementation if needed). <S> Second, never try to re-implement any standard function call unless it is clearly stated in interview that you actually should do that. <S> For instance, when you are asked to implement, say, Fisher-Yates shuffle , most probably nobody expect you to implement random function. <S> At some job interviews, especially when it comes to security/cryptography positions you indeed can be requested to implement random number generator and explain why it is actually pseudo random but yet practical and so on and so on. <S> So, back to your question the assumption that you are supposed to implement parseInt on your own is wrong. <S> If you don't asked, don't do it. <S> In case of any doubts it's always better to ask interviewer. <S> Nobody will bite you. <A> When I've been asked questions like that - where a built-in language construct could do the task, <S> I've written the code using the construct, then explained that I could write the construct myself, but that my version would be untested, and probably lack a feature or two. <S> For a parseInt question, I'd say something like. <S> I can write out some code that does this, but you should really use parseInt as is tested code, and because it supports more features than mine would, such as the radix parameter. <S> You spent MAYBE 30 seconds writing the answer with parseInt, if asked, you'll have plenty of time to write the method.
| I doubt any interviewer would "knock you" for using parseInt first then offering to do it the hard way.
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Transitioning to the Dev Team I just got moved to the Dev Team. I come from a non-programming background and have a mental block about coding. Anybody who transitions to that team goes through a probation period. I feel very nervous and scared. How do I overcome my mental block and succeed in my probation period? <Q> It's completely OK to be nervous when you choose to make crucial changes in your career. <S> But for us, developers, here's what can work. <S> If it is an option, start with bugs . <S> Just ask to give you to assign bugs and work on them, one by one. <S> This make you to communicate with a lot of people involved into the project. <S> This also makes you know better your product (and the environment to which this product is deployed). <S> Also when it comes to fixing bugs it is usually more about lines of code rather than hundreds and thousands of lines of code. <S> And then frustration will be gone. <S> Step by step. <S> And good luck. <A> It's normal to be nervous when starting a new job -- especially one with a different set of responsibilities -- but it's also exciting! <S> Think of it as an opportunity to learn and grow. <S> I'm assuming you have some background in coding and have written code before. <S> Just remember that even the most complex, daunting programs and processes all start from the same building blocks as a 'Hello World' program. <S> Most are also broken down into smaller logical pieces. <S> I think one of the best ways to get started is to look at the code that already exists. <S> Does your company use a source control tool like GitHub? <S> If so, a good first step would be to get access to the main repo and start reading the existing codebase. <S> Try thinking of something the program or service does and tracing it through the code. <S> Make sure you understand what commonly used shared functions/utils do. <S> Starting with bugs, like shabunc recommended, is a good idea. <S> Another way to start is to ask if there are any small, discrete features on the roadmap, and see if you can figure out how to implement them. <S> Some advice <S> Then think about how to make these functions work logically -- basically, psuedocode a high-level solution. <S> Finally, sit down and try to write it, testing individual functions as you go. <S> Breaking it down into pieces can make the process less daunting. <S> There are lots of online resources for coding, depending on what you're developing and what language you're using. <S> And remember: pretty much every programmer spends a lot of their time googling syntax, error codes, and problem solutions; no one knows everything going in. <S> Coming from someone who recently shifted from a largely non-technical role to a largely technical role, it's definitely possible -- and fun. <S> Best of luck! <A> I think the only way to reduce your fear is to dive in to the coding you will be using. <S> Perhaps ask for suggestions of a study path on material that will be useful during you probation. <S> The more familiar you are, the less fearful. <A> Putting yourself in a new environment can be daunting, but with commitment and hard work, it can be really rewarding! <S> What kind of developing are you doing? <S> If the tools are available to you, try to build your own standalone environment. <S> This will not only give you a sandbox to play and learn with, but it should help you understand some of the basics in your IDE (integrated development environment). <S> Using free learning resources are also very helpful! <S> Again, based on what you're developing, there are sites you can register to.
| if you're truly brand new to coding: start by looking at the problem and writing down what features or functions have to be part of a minimal viable solution to the problem. Asking for suggestions will also create a good impression with the company.
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Recording Phone Calls with No Company HR Policy I was recently a part of an unforeseen call between two departments over a failing project. During the call, my manager had blatantly lied to our HR director regarding this failing project and where some of the failures had fallen. He had blamed a particular team member who didn't have any involvement on the project for not being able to complete assigned tasks. These tasks were assigned to another employee who babysits the manager's kids. In general, this employee never completes tasks or if he does, they are of poor quality and require a lot of rework. However, since he's favored by the manager and some of upper management, nothing negative can be said about him. The employee who was blamed for the failures during the call is now longer in the department (just two weeks after this call). I wanted to speak up, but in fear of losing my own job, I didn't. Now, our team is significantly weaker and my workload has skyrocketed. I'd like to start recording ALL of my calls in the event that something like this happens again. There are currently no policies regarding call recording at my company. Would I have to announce on the calls that I'm recording in order for it to be considered a viable piece of documentation in situations such as this? <Q> Not just no, <S> but hell no. <S> I can think of no way that this could end well for you. <S> Not only are you going to risk the ire of the entire company, depending on where you are and the circumstances surrounding your recording of the calls, you could be liable for civil or even criminal charges. <A> This is a bad idea. <S> In some places, it is illegal to record a conversation without letting all parties know about it. <S> You are essentially announcing to all that you expect management to lie. <S> If you hear a lie, what do you expect to do about it? <S> How is having evidence going to make a difference? <S> Would THAT help you keep your job? <S> Is your word not good enough? <S> You're essentially being very adversarial, but don't have the position or power to take that stance. <S> A better option, if you want to stay, is to speak up when you hear something that you know isn't true, but in a non-adversarial way. <S> If someone is wrongly blamed, say something like " <S> hey, I'm pretty sure that Pat wasn't even assigned that work" or "wasn't Sam working on that?" <A> Whether you can or cannot prove the favoured person is in the wrong <S> makes no difference. <S> All you will do is mark yourself as a target. <S> This is quite aside from any legal issues. <S> Quite often managers are not as stupid as you might think, nor are HR sometimes. <S> They may know full well who is really at fault, but they can't or won't discipline them, they'll find a scapegoat instead. <S> You shouldn't put your hand up and volunteer for the scapegoat position. <S> You should just quietly job hunt until you find a way out of this toxic environment. <S> The last scapegoat lost his job.
| If you announce that you are recording conversations, there is really no way this would go well.
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How to approach supervisor about religious accommodations? I am a Muslim and a medical student in Australia and am assigned various clinical placements for roughly four weeks at a time. Those placements are in medical facilities (public hospitals, private [Catholic] hospitals, medical clinics, private practices, surgeries.) The university assigns most of these placements and student preferences are not taken into account. A few placements I am expected to source myself, though even then it is difficult to ensure I will be at a place that I know will be Muslim-friendly. I pray five times a day (approximately 7 minutes per prayer), two to three of which fall during typical work hours and have a roughly two-hour window during which they can be made. What is a professional approach to communicating with supervisors to ask permission/let them know that I intend to pray? Similarly, I attend the mosque for prayer services on Fridays, an hour long + transport time and would like to know how to ask for time off for this. I would prefer to address this before I start each rotation instead of causing problems or "trouble" on the first day. Medical students (in these rotations) are not usually given lunch-breaks or other such opportunities where I could make my own prayer, (even bathroom/toilet breaks are often very restricted in these hospital or clinic settings and a colleague must cover and do your work). The considerations I would like are: to be professional and courteous to all those around me in each of these visiting rotations, be proactive and reduce any possible issues with the prayer+mosque, of course, to be able to pray and go to the mosque. <Q> First off, try to meet your employer half-way. <S> As Patricia Shanahan commented below, also try to arrange covering for colleagues in exchange for them covering for you. <S> Anything you can do to work around your employer's schedule will make your employer more likely to work around yours. <S> If you can go to your employer and say, "I have already made arrangements for Bob to cover me on this date and Alice to cover for that one, but I need some help with this one. <S> " it will initiative and dedication to your work as opposed to looking like you are using your religion as an excuse for time off. <S> If you went in with this attitude as an employee of mine, I would certainly not think any less of you. <S> In fact, I would be impressed by the effort you put in. <A> There's no need to be overly cautious about these things. <S> Here in the UK, most larger hospitals have a spiritual-focussed area set aside for quiet reflection. <S> Other kinds of sites might have the same also. <S> Just ask, you might well be surprised at the openness. <A> Email outlining your requirements. <S> "Dear XXX, I'm looking forwards to being part of the team at YYY starting on 01/01/2017, Please be advised that as Muslim I have religious obligations that must be serviced at various set times. <S> Do you already have protocols in place for this or should I meet to discuss my needs. <S> Regards WWW' Something similar to that, polite, factual and to the point. <S> They may already have a solution for you, if not, then you can discuss your needs, this will open the dialogue. <S> I'm not Muslim, but I have travelled a bit on work and always given my religious needs this way. <S> There's never been a problem.
| Just be up front about it and ask. So long as you keep it reasonable there shouldn't be a problem.
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Interview Says My Code is all Wrong, Even When It's Right and I Proved It Was Right Afterwards? Basically, I was given a whiteboard test to do a certain task during the interview, and I did everything right, covering edge cases, talking about worst and best case run times, etc and the interviewer said everything was completely wrong and wouldn't give me a reason why it was wrong. I asked him for feedback and he said that I completely missed the boat and that I probably wasn't a good technical fit for the job. I don't understand this. When I arrived home, I retyped the code I had written for the whiteboard test on my computer and compiled it and everything worked exactly how he wanted it to in the whiteboard test. What's the deal here? <Q> Sometimes the hiring manager doesn't understand the answer or solution given to them, even if it is technically correct. <S> You've asked for feedback (good) and reflected on your performance from the technical side (good), but have you reflected on how you presented? <S> For example: <S> Did you notice the hiring manager looking confused? <S> Did you change your approach based on these cues (if there were any)? <S> Did you build rapport whilst you were presenting? <S> Did you ask if there were any questions as you went along? <A> Either you were wrong, or they were wrong. <S> In both cases, the non-recruitment is a good thing. <S> He didn't get your answer : they are too self-confident. <S> Better avoid that kind of firms. <S> He did get your answer, but decided to play with you to see your reaction : this company is not a pleasant place to work in, you will be treated bad. <S> He did get the answer, but didn't like your style. <S> In which case he could have asked you to use his own guidelines, to see if you can conform. <S> Unless you were wrong(I cannot check), they are too arrogant to be nice to work with, whatever the reason(unless someone sees another possible reason). <S> Too arrogant to accept a solution that is not theirs. <S> EDIT : <S> his change of mind at the end is really suspicious. <S> And he's not going to tell you. <A> Heads up: <S> I am talking about the EU, the situation might be different in the US. <S> He probably wanted to test your interpersonal skills. <S> He needs to see how you react if challenged rudely. <S> Asking for more specific feedback is the right response in this situation. <S> Asking him "What specifically makes you think this code is inadequate? <S> Maybe we can look together how to fix it" would be best. <S> It's all about being a good team-player, open to criticism etc. <S> So you need to stay calm and constructive. <S> I know multiple interviewers in IT who do this to every candidate. <S> (If they had a few beers, they will tell you this is one of the best ways to detect aspergers.) <S> IT is a field where the common impression is that interpersonal skills are lacking, but more and more necessary. <S> So recruiters do a quick test. <S> The career services from my University even warned us that this test is waiting for us and told us how to react. <S> Once you know what the test is about, the challenge changes. <S> You are no longer at a risk of reacting defensively, but it becomes a challenge to keep a straight face through this piece of theater. <S> (I'm not a fan of this test personally, but if you are warned, it is easy to pass.) <S> PS Another field where this happens a lot is international business. <S> People in this field typically have good interpersonal skills, but they are also very much needed in cross-cultural settings. <S> Every graduate trainee-ship position in a multi-national company that I know of (from doing interviews myself or through the other students in my batch) had a very similar test. <S> PPS <S> You can not exclude that the interviewer just needed any excuse to refuse you or still that he was acting totally irrationally. <S> Yet, even in those situations it would be best to answer in the same way as if it was the aforementioned test.
| He probably saw something in you he didn't like.
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How to avoid bad practices of work by employees Hello I am working in web development. I have the responsibility for execution of a project. I have some juniors that I delegate tasks to them and they do it. This flow seems fine to me. But when I look in the code I find some things that should not be there. Some practices need not be there. I am not any kind of ninja coder but I can recognise bad habits. By bad practice I don't mean wrong , the code will work as expected but I am kind of OCD and it irritates me sometimes because it may limit the performance of the app. I have two options to tackle this: Leave the work as it is tell them not to repeat again as the current version is working fine. Correct all by myself or instruct them to correct it , but this approach will take some time and cause project delay. What approach should I take here or is there any other solution for this? <Q> Setup a coding standards document for your team, setting out what is acceptable and what is not. <S> Then only allow code to be merged into the master branch of your source code repository after that code has undergone a code review. <S> You can use tools such as StyleCop to enforce particular rules automatically, but sitting down and doing code reviews means you come across as more personable within your team. <A> Since you're team lead.... <S> First...did you have any type of coding best practices in place? <S> If not, the bad code is your fault. <S> Second...do you do code review, either formal or informal? <S> If not, then the bad code is again your fault. <S> Third...is the code actually bad practices, or just not your preferred method of doing things? <S> Since you said, "..because it MAY limit the performance of the app" seems to imply that it isn't broke, just not how you want it. <S> Regardless, to answer your question, NO...you do not make the changes yourself. <S> Talk with P.M. <S> and if there is time and a real NEED, then let the dev who wrote the code make the change and explain why it's needed. <S> You sound like the 'perfectionist' programmer, so honestly look at the code and yourself, and ask if this isn't just you wanting things done your way, or is it really bad code. <S> Be aware that nit-picking someone's work just b/c <S> it's not done how you would do <S> it is a sure way to lose their respect and desire to listen to you. <S> Good code and a quality product is not your only deliverable responsibility to the company; you should be teaching and moving your team along also. <A> Most programmers are keen to write good code, and have ideas about what the best way is to do it. <S> They don't always agree with each other on this. <S> The goal should not be to get them to do it exactly as you say - apart from anything else, you can undoubtedly learn from your team too. <S> Of course, you want to keep to good standards, and that includes having the team write code in a consistent way, rather than each doing their own thing. <S> As you have mentioned, some practices are technically better than others, and you'll want to include the good ones in your guidelines. <S> This can be achieved through various routes. <S> I'd suggest the following: Put it to your team that some coding standards are needed. <S> You can probably find some guidelines online to use as a starting point. <S> Ask your team to give feedback on this, and allow them to add practices that they know to be good from their own experience. <S> Set up a meeting to go through your draft guidelines and finalise it. <S> There will certainly be some things that are controversial, and you'll need to allow sufficient discussion, but then close down on a decision. <S> Even if a decision goes against something that one of the devs holds dear, they'll have the consolation that they were consulted and that a rational discussion took place. <S> Ideally this is not a hierarchical thing, but one team member helping the other to stick to the standards, and maybe making suggestions for design improvements. <S> You can also consider pair programming, but many teams do fine without it. <S> Try as much as possible to act as an enabler for your team to produce high quality code. <S> They will appreciate the respect this entails <A> If you have the authority then you can set out guidelines for coding and ask the juniors to adhere to them. <S> But if you do the latter you should have guidelines written up, it's no use saying it's wrong unless you can show them the 'right' way to do it. <A> As said the others there are set of good pratices that exists pretty much for every langugages/framework and are documented on the net and they're tool to assist you in code review. <S> If you have the authority but not the proper skills to enforce a proper document of best practices, delegate it to someone. <S> I prefer no best practices enforced than having them from someone who do not understand really of what he's talking about, specially if it's about performance . <S> By bad practice I don't mean wrong , the code will work as expected but I am kind of OCD and it irritates me sometimes because it may limit the performance of the app. <S> Is that only about performance ? <S> If so I suggest you to add to your validation process a proper data tests if you haven't them yet. <S> By proper data tests I mean data generated which volume match to the expected reality. <S> If you're doing for instance a web application, you could set that every that is a basic actions should take less than a second, a comlpicated night job less than an hours? <S> If the test fail then there is something to dig. <S> Finally, if there are some special piece of code that really look wrong for you in terms of performances and the high level performance test isn't enough for you, isolate it in a unit test, run them against some huge generated dataset and see yourself the result.
| Get the team to do code reviews. If you don't have the authority then you can't do much, you can fix it yourself or ask the manager to speak to them.
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Resistance while trying to automate a company My father owns a company. This company is a manufacturing company. After having completed my studies (Unrelated to the subject of the company), I joined in an effort to help the company do better. I have been constantly trying to automate the company and the processes. The people however reject and refuse the change. They refuse to work around protocols and rules because of efficiency reasons, and also because that is the way they are used to. In the long term the use of different programs(order systems/ticket print system vs writing in paper and passing it around) will help improve efficiency and take the load of one person and distribute it to multiple. How do I make my case heard? To them it seems that everything is fine and how it is supposed to run, but I know it is not <Q> Add up all the years experience these workers have, and compare it to yours. <S> Because they've already done that. <S> If you really want to change things, go to the bottom. <S> Do the equivalent of listening and understanding before talking--show them you understand the job before you decide you know a better way. <S> Make sure they see that you understand the pain points before you claim to fix them. <S> Disarm them by doing hard work. <S> Then listen to their gripes. <S> Then show them how you've found a solution, emphasizing those pain points. <S> Viola-- <S> you've gone from spoiled brat son of the owner to empathetic manager who is trying to help. <S> Being son of the owner is a big black X against you. <S> You need to show people that you don't deserve or get special treatment. <A> You go about it a different way, or just use your fathers authority. <S> Best practice is to introduce small automations which have an immediate and palpable affect on efficiency. <S> This gains you respect and people will be more willing to listen to you. <S> Also include changes which improve the workers environment in some way so the benefits are more personal to them (it's not their business, they have no 'real' stake in changing anything that doesn't affect their comfort). <S> You're pushing against inertia and job security fears, take it slow and make it meaningful to start with. <S> You can step up gears later when you have proven yourself. <A> I've been in a similar situation before (studied overseas, joined parent's company, tried to overhaul outdated practices). <S> It's generally difficult to make changes to the incumbent company culture. <S> After all, why change what already works? <S> Expect uphill struggle. <S> A few strategies you could try: 1. <S> It's easier to change processes via a mandate from the top. <S> Have you discussed with the leadership what their thoughts and concerns are with regards to this new system? <S> Can you cite competitors or industry leaders taking advantage of this system? <S> 2. <S> Solve complaints about this new automated system <S> What were their complaints specifically about? <S> Can you compromise or accommodate? <S> Every workplace is different and you'll need to tailor the process to fit the existing company structure. <S> It's possible that the system you are proposing in its current form has drawbacks that aren't being addressed. <S> 3. <S> Demonstrate real benefits <S> Try implementing this system on a smaller scale. <S> If people can see tangible benefits, they'd naturally be more open to the idea. <A> You'll have to convince your father, who happens to be the owner of the company, and work through him. <S> You are only the company owner's son, and it is unclear to me how much authority you have. <S> I don't know how long you have worked at your father's company and how much credibility you have accumulated with the staff. <S> Does your staff know you from Adam? <S> You are unilaterally changing in a fundamental way long established rules, protocols and procedures without any buy-in from the staff and based nothing more than your as yet to be substantiated belief that the result will be a productivity boost. <S> That's a recipe for resistance to change and turmoil. <S> If you want to be successful at implementing change, you'll need support from your dad in his capacity as top management and you'll need buy-in from the staff. <S> At this point, you appear to have neither. <S> Worse, you appear to have neither because you appear not to have sought either. <S> What's in it for the management - more profits, better quality control, adaptability to changing market conditions, labor savings? <S> What's in it for the staff - more productivity resulting in higher salaries and more vacation time? <S> Most likely, the consequence of no incentives is no change. <S> You cannot achieve anything by yourself. <S> You have to work with others and through others to achieve what you want. <S> This means that you have to get in touch and stay in touch with your inner politician.
| Work with the leadership to start a change from the top You'll get less resistance from the stake holders, if you lay out what's in it for them if you make the change. If you do it right, you'll find that usually, the most important driver and biggest challenge in successfully implementing change is not technology but human factors. Work side-by-side with the people who know the job.
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How common are IQ tests during job interviews? During my interview I was asked by one of the three people interviewing me that I would be required to take an IQ test after the interview. I was a bit shocked as I was never asked this during any other interviews I've been in. How common is this? <Q> I've heard of it once . <S> Actually, I've heard it from a friend who applied for a job and had to do an IQ test, and then he applied for another job and was given an identical IQ test <S> and he got the job - the second company was impressed by his test results. <A> It is more common at workplaces, where required education level is below college. <S> The knowledge area is very wide to cover, and an employer may wish to employ someone who shows certain skills, but without interviewing every candidate beforehand. <S> Recently I heard this to occour at financial positions for a local country bank. <S> By the way, the positions I have applied so far (required minimum college level), more or less included some logic test but during the interview. <S> So it is still coming up, but not in a mass-tested way. <A> I've never heard of it, but it must happen judging by comments. <S> So it must be very rare in most places. <S> I used to do something a bit similar in that I made candidates write something small just to make sure they can actually read and write if they have a degree from the local university here. <A> Do you mean a formal IQ test, or just a couple of questions that are sort of like an IQ test? <S> I know saying they had. <S> I've had a few job interviews where they gave me some sort of quiz. <S> I don't recall ever being asked IQ-test-like questions, but the idea that someone would include a few in a quiz seems less unlikely to me. <S> So: I don't have any statistics, but my own anecdotal experience is: never. <S> As others here seem to be saying the same, yeah, I'd say it's pretty rare.
| I've never been asked to take a "real" IQ test for a job, nor do I recall anyone
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How do I encourage root cause analysis rather than focusing on short - term solutions? As an IT auditor at my workplace, focusing on short-term solutions seems to be the preferred way rather than doing a root cause analysis (RCA) and letting the results guide further action. For example, change management has been consistently weak from past audit results. When a change request has insufficient evidence of following the company Software development life cycle (SDLC), I most often get retroactive approvals on the spot. The SDLC process is not burdensome and seems reasonable. Standard phases of progress such as Requirements definition > Development > QA > User Testing > Production release is defined and documented with upper management support. There are separate, but interactive, teams on each phase of the SDLC such as development, QA...etc. Tools for tasks such as source code version control / release control and code reviews are in place and being actively used. Such carefree response in the example casts doubt on the effectiveness of the SDLC process. Focusing on short term, band-aid fixes is convenient but does not solve historical trend of control weakness. It is also an missed opportunity for process maturity. Responding to some of the answers here that this impractical or misguided, I like to see our role as more of an advisor rather than enforcer. Basically, what can we do better than where we are now? Rather than asking, who is to blame, let's find out where the process is deficient so we improve the next time. How can our team influence changing to a more long - term view focused on improvement and root cause guided action? <Q> How can our team influence changing to a more long - term view focused on improvement and root cause guided action? <S> In my personal experience, audit goals have nothing to do with root causes. <S> They just look for violations of policy and standards, then report to management. <S> "Passing the audit" any way possible is the sole goal of the teams being audited. <S> This isn't a surprise. <S> If you put a lot of emphasis on "adhering to standards" then the teams that want to get real work done often find it more efficient to put minimal effort into adherence, due to pressures to get things into production more quickly. <S> The standards are considered a burden, overhead to be avoided as much as possible. <S> And to some extent Agile is encouraging teams to move away from such strict SDLCs and more toward lighter, more streamlined methodological processes that meet the more immediate needs. <S> Consider that you may be in the wrong department if you want to make real change happen. <S> For change to happen it must be a commitment from the top. <S> And most likely that commitment won't target the Audit team as the change agent. <A> You're pushing against inertia and apathy. <S> The best way to accomplish this is at the top, not in general. <S> Changes like this need enforcement, not encouragement to be really effective. <S> Unfortunately (or fortunately) auditors usually don't get this sort of authority on their own. <A> I think the problem is that the processes as defined in the company standards, like the SDLC, were never actually implemented on the work floor, not for a single day. <S> They are fiction. <S> I think that too often it goes something like this: <S> The company does software development, using some ad-hoc process that evolved over time, invented by people trying to get work done. <S> The company decides it needs to get certified to some ISO standard, for instance because some potential customers require that External ISO standard experts are brought in <S> SOPs are drafted that follow the process as the standard requires it, but that do not reflect the current way of doing things (as the company didn't get where it was with the standard in mind) <S> Everybody knows the actual process followed is not what's in the SOPs, what's in there is just there to adhere with the standard, so everybody is cynical from the get <S> go <S> The company gets ISO certified based on the SOPs Internal quality officers are distraught that the SOPs aren't followed! <S> Note that at no point was improving actual quality <S> was a concern. <S> It would make more sense to start with a software development procedure that is drafted by the software developers and just describes the process that is actually followed. <S> This will be far removed from what the ISO standard requires, may be completely different per project, but the people will feel that it is connected with reality. <S> Then improve quality slowly, step by step, based on root <S> cause analysis of actual problems, input from the developers (who usually have a pretty good idea of how quality of their process can be improved), and cost/benefit analysis -- the company needs to make a profit after all. <S> Maybe the best way is not to prevent errors but improving the company's capability of fixing them very quickly when they happen. <S> There will also be a push towards the ISO process because of marketing reasons, and there may be some good quality ideas in there too, but it should be part of the improvement process to work in that direction. <S> Unfortunately, some businesses decide that getting certified is just too important for them, and they end up with fiction and cynicism, and people not doing what the procedures say in order to get work done. <A> There are two separate things here that seem confused. <S> One is "root cause analysis" - figuring out what was the root cause of a problem, and try to fix the root cause. <S> The other is following a process to handle changes in the product. <S> In my experience, "root cause analysis" is very rarely used. " <S> Root cause" could be "inexperienced developer who didn't get the necessary guidance", "overconfident experienced developer who became careless", "not enough testing" <S> - all these don't produce changes in the product, but in your development process. <S> And since you should have taken action, this shouldn't happen again and again. <S> If the process wasn't followed and a change moves into production with insufficient planning, testing etc. <S> , well, there isn't that much you can do about it. <S> After a car crash, no point telling the drivers to drive more carefully. <S> It is quite possible with the right software to enforce that for any change <S> some form must be filled out (hopefully with well thought out requirements), that the work done by a developer is marked as "reviewed by someone else (hopefully after reviewing it), and that it needs to be marked as "tested" by yet another person (hopefully after testing it), before it can move into production.
| What you would have to do is influence at the time when it is happening.
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A company wants me to wait for the other company's offer to then make a decision So I am in Michigan USA and I had an interview last week with a big company and another interview today with a small company. I liked the small company: Educated team, experienced team and a nicer area. The offer from the big company, if I got the job, would be limited to a 3 months internship and literally said that there won't be a chance for a renewal (Maybe they need to evaluate me first?). The interview went fine and they told me to wait for their decision this week. The offer from the small company, if I got the job, would be a full time direct hire. The interview went more than fine and they were like " Give us couple weeks or maybe this week to discuss the matter and we will get back to you " but then asked me if I have done or doing interviews with any other companies and I said yes and that I am waiting for their response (I think I should have said no). Small company knows the name of the big company, and then they were like " Get back to us once you hear from CompanyX and we will see what we can do ". I want the small company but I don't want them to know about the other offer, as I think it might interfere with the new offer negatively. I am planning to just wait, and if I got an offer from the big company what do I tell them? And what do I tell the small company? What if I did not hear back from the big company, and was asked about it by the small company? <Q> I am planning to just wait, and if I got an offer from the big company <S> what do I tell them? <S> And what do I tell the small company? <S> What if I did not hear back from the big company, and was asked about it by the small company? <S> The small company is signalling that they don't want to play negotiation games with you, the big company, and themselves. <S> They want you to get the offer from the big company and tell them what you were offered. <S> Then they will tailor their offer so that you will accept it without a series of back and forth negotiations, with the bigger company having the upper hand. <S> Many companies prefer not to have their offer just used as a bargaining chip with another company. <S> Most likely the smaller company doesn't know the bigger company is not offering long-term employment. <S> That works in your favor. <S> At that point, you'll get an offer from the small company that you can consider. <S> As others have said, don't stop interviewing elsewhere. <S> You have interest from two companies, but you don't actually have any offers quite yet. <A> I would just tell them that I would prefer to work for them. <S> And I'd keep job hunting. <S> So far you don't have an offer from anyone. <A> I would get back to them and clarify that you want to work for them. <S> The most likely explanation of their response, in my opinion, is that they assumed you will not make a decision until you hear from the other company. <S> You did, after all, say you were waiting for the response. <S> So they figured you want to find out about the other offer before making a decision. <S> If you call back and say you prefer to work for them, they may make you an offer immediately. <S> Your handling of this wasn't so bad. <S> ... <S> then asked me if I have done or doing interviews with any other companies <S> and I said yes and that I am waiting for their response (I think I should have said no). <S> It would have been better not to disclose the details of your other interview, but there is nothing wrong with admitting you are interviewing with other companies. <S> In fact it is better, because: It's the truth, and lying is bad. <S> To me this is a moral issue. <S> But even if you don't care about that, saying "no" you are not interviewing elsewhere, when you actually are, puts you in a bad position. <S> Because later on in the process you may want to tell a company you have a competing offer. <S> You are in a better position if they know you have multiple options , and they may have to compete for your services. <S> In the future, I would just say yes, you are considering other options, but then decline to give any details if they ask. <S> But telling them the details in this case, probably won't harm you any in the long run. <A> It seems like the smaller company wants to see what the bigger company is going to throw on the table. <S> But here's your advantage <S> - they aren't actually communicating with each other . <S> Instead of being at the tail of the whip, why don't you use this situation, and bluff a bit? <S> It's like poker! <S> Play the game a little. <S> You really want to work for the smaller company. <S> Let's say you've already established you're looking for $X on your application with the smaller one - and you tell them the bigger company is paying just a little over that, but you really prefer their situation. <S> You'll probably get what you asked for initially, because the smaller firm has already indicated that they're willing to make their offer in response to the larger company's offer. <S> They'll feel great that they wooed you away from the other place. <S> Don't get greedy. <S> But it's leverage to get what you're worth.
| When and if you get an offer from the big company, tell the small company that you got the offer and for how much.
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I feel like my romantic feelings for my boss are getting in the way of my work. What other options do I have apart from quitting? I am a female engineer who has been in the workforce for 3 years and working at the same company since I graduated. My boss is 10 years older than me and is well respected in the industry we're in. He's taught me a lot. Initially I pushed my crush on him aside because I thought it was probably just due to him being in a position of authority and just generally being brilliant at what he does. However, over the past year we have worked pretty closely on projects and we get along really well on a personal and professional level. I have always prided myself on being professional at all times and being an objective, impartial engineer. However, I am concerned that my feelings are clouding my judgement here. I am biased towards his opinion and worry that these feelings are getting in the way of doing my job. I am at the point now where I am second guessing all of my actions because I worry they show an unprofessionally high regard for him. I am probably more guarded now than I would be otherwise. I really like working at this company (him aside) but am starting to feel like I need to leave because I am worried my feelings will be noticed. We are both in relationships with other people and all these feelings are unwanted. I really don't want to leave but don't really know what other options I have. Is leaving my only option? Before I take such drastic action, what other options do I have? <Q> I'm not going to tell you anything that you don't already know, and I sincerely doubt that anyone else is going to offer much other advice either. <S> Try making a lateral move in the company (change teams or departments). <S> If all things fail, you can simply quit. <A> On a personal level: You are in a relationship, he is in a relationship, he is a lot older <S> , he hasn't shown any interest. <S> Best case, nothing happens. <S> Worst case, you do something entirely stupid, he drops you like a hot potato <S> , you lose your job, your husband or boyfriend kicks you out. <S> What happens on your personal level is what you have to sort out first. <S> If you want to break up your existing relationship, do it. <S> If you don't want to break it up, what the hell are you doing? <S> Take a photo of your boyfriend and carry it with you all the time. <S> Call him during your lunch break. <S> Take a cold shower before you go to work. <S> Do what you can to improve your existing relationship. <S> The work problem will go away on its own once your personal problem is sorted out. <A> Friendzone him . <S> I've been in the same situation before. <S> Nowadays I simply "friendzone" the person. <S> I.e. make it clear (primarily) to myself that they are not available and put them firmly in the (perhaps even flirty) "friend" category. <S> You just need to "know" that nothing is ever going to happen beyond that <S> and then can enjoy most of the company on a friendly level. <S> Nothing wrong with a few friendly vibes among professionals, as long as you stay exactly that - professional. <S> It should not affect your work, aside from making your work more fun - which is likely harder for him than you as he seems above yourself in hierarchy. <S> Obviously this is mainly a mental thing and may not be suitable for everyone.
| If you can't keep yourself under control to such a degree that you fear it is degrading the quality of your work then perhaps removing yourself from this person's presence is the wisest choice. Just in case you were hoping for some advice along these lines, since this person is in a relationship, as well as in a position of authority over you I sincerely doubt that confessing your feelings would be appreciated.
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Why are salaries typically not public knowledge? I might be the first person in history to ask this, but... Why are salaries typically forbidden to talk about, forbidden to disclose? In most companies there is a staggering lack of transparency concerning employment benefits. Who does this benefit, except large companies? What would happen if employees decided to make their salaries public knowledge within the company, and possibly outside? If salaries were public knowledge, discrimination would be impossible, since it would be immediately visible and possible to report. Most importantly, why does this situation continue, despite being disadvantageous for all employees? <Q> It breeds jealousy. <S> "Why is he getting <S> x if I only get y?" <S> Even if the person is correct to wonder about why someone gets x and someone else y, that's not the whole picture. <S> The market may have just been different when one person was hired, or one person may have other benefits (company car, more vacation). <A> Companies (or, if you prefer, the very rich people) actively discourage sharing the salary information; the monopoly of this information is a huge financial benefit to them. <S> Employees are either indifferent to "politics", that is to shaping the system by which the civilization runs today, or they support the current one. <S> I wrote a rather long diatribe expanding these points, but it grew so bitter <S> I decided not to share it. <S> The observation which could escape many readers: publicly known salaries give a great power to employees to get more money from the employer. <S> Are they? <S> Well, the power of these employees is quite soft: knowledge, skill, experience, relations, performance. <S> Publicly known salaries could lead to the public salary negotiations, which could then lead to collective negotiations (think trade unions). <S> What is the negotiating power of a whole team ? <S> Humongous. <S> Just for starters it trivially includes the soft power of the team's top employee (the same knowledge, skill, experience, relations, performance that a top employee could use in secret negotiations). <S> Now combine it with the soft powers of all other team members. <S> Now add the hard power: "we are yet to see if our entire team could continue to work inside this organization". <S> This illustrates how even the top performer can expect some gain , while it's true that the mediocre performer gets relatively more. <A> Your conjecture is too general, in fact many companies have set salaries for various roles which are known. <S> In much the same way as govt departments often advertise their salaries transparently. <S> I've also worked in places where some staff are not only open about how much they make, but quite loud about it. <S> In places where they don't there are a few reasons why, on the companies side morale is a big factor, it's not a great idea if a staff member knows that the guy next to him doing the same job is making more money. <S> Also keeping the salaries secret makes it much easier to negotiate. <S> Finally it means that you can negotiate with people separately which can make a huge difference. <S> From the staff members side it means you can also negotiate harder because if you manage to get a hefty raise and others don't know, then the company isn't going to have issues with everyone expecting a similar increase. <S> Therefore you have a better chance of getting it.
| Some say that secret salary negotiations are advantageous to the most powerful employees.
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Boss sends a birthday message. How to reply? I just received an SMS from my boss which says "Happy Birthday, enjoy your day! John." If it was a close friend, I would have most likely replied with "thanks John, I will :)", but since this is my boss, I am not sure in what way to reply. Would the example above be too 'informal'? Maybe some better ideas/suggestions? Maybe something I should mention. I don't really celebrate birthdays and never really told someone when my Birthday is. This is the first time in years someone said Happy Birthday to me and I am just not sure how to react... <Q> 'Thanks, you have a great day as well!' <A> Sending a text to wish yo a happy birthday is an informal friendly gesture. <S> At the risk of being cynical <S> this may be an automated system... <S> I would say that if someone signs a message with their first name only it is fine to reply using their first name. <S> Indeed it is rare in the English speaking world that calling a superior by their first name would be a gross faux-pas in an out of work context. <S> Although a text message is inherently an informal and casual means of communication and you don't want to get into the realms of ' <S> Dear Sir I am deeply humbled by you most generous felicitations of which I consider myself most unworthy....' . <S> ;) <A> I'd thank the boss in person, and stay away from SMS. <S> If you reply by SMS, you're implicitly encouraging the use of it (later) for non-emergencies. <S> It can become intrusive. <A> "Thank you sir, i really appreciate it!" , by the way Happy Birthday friend. <A> Thanks Sir and have a nice day. <S> Keep it formal and real. <S> You can Replace Sir by the name or as per you are used to interacting with your boss. <S> It's just a formality which the boss is completing by wishing you a birthday <S> so according to me this message is good enough to do the job. <A> Putting a smiley in the text is clearly informal. <S> Without smiley, it works as formal; mind the punctuation at the end, if you wish. <S> Many scenarios are possible to make up if an overthinking begins. <S> Anyway, an uncalled, unexpected birthday greetings is odd, if there is no tradition for it at your workplace/workgroup. <S> If you wish to keep things professional and formal, there is nothing bad to let him know if you consider the act unwelcome. <S> It is up to you (as you know more details of the situation).
| As you wrote, not being friends with the boss, I suggest to keep it formal, and I do not encourage informal response with the currently available question details. If you want to be completely safe a reply like 'Thankyou, very much appreciated' is warm without being too informal.
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Only list three job experiences that are relevant and impactful but distant in time I have a long list of companies I worked in. I would like to only mention and describe the ones that are relevant for a specific job.Mentioning all of them, even just the latest, without describing them, would be too messy and not useful. I would like to know how I could state and describe only an experience I had in 2011 (6 months), in 2014(6 months) and in 2016 ( 6 months) - as they are the most impactful and relevant. The problem is that there would be huge gaps between them, and I am not sure how to explain that I just provide 3 examples - in a clear and succinct manner. This is for a job as a business trainer. <Q> You may shorten the irrelevant jobs to only show up their time and name of position . <S> The reader will get the picture that it is not relevant, but still can ask if interested in details. <S> Maybe s <S> /he will find useful things that you would not think of. <S> Still, 3x6 months may seem to be considerable time, but carries doubtful value in a CV. <S> You need to present very well, if they were experience heavy! <A> Just listing a few short-term jobs (6 months is comparatively short) leaves large gaps that might cause your application to be rejected outright. <S> If you ever held any job for a significant length of time (more than a year, ideally) you should absolutely include it, even if it doesn't match the job you're applying for. <S> At the same time, listing a large amount of short-time jobs might make you look unreliable. <S> See How will a history of job-hopping affect my career or job search? and related questions. <S> This means that you'll probably want to leave out any irrelevant jobs that, if taken out, leave small enough gaps to be negligible. <S> Sometimes, listing start and termination time in months (or even years) can cover brief stints of unemployment or irrelevant short-time jobs. <S> If you've been working in a lot of similar jobs, maybe you can combine the less important ones, e.g. July 2011 - Aug 2013 Customer Service at [list of companies] <A> I'm speculating based on your assertion that you've had so many jobs over the last few years that just listing them all by name of employer and time worked would be too messy, but were you working as a contractor/consultant/freelancer over that period instead of traditional jobs? <S> If so, the solution is that you don't list every customer you did work for, you just list either the company who was handling your contracts for you or yourself as an independent and then only describe a handful of the most relevant projects you worked on underneath. <S> 2010-Present <S> Cederic Freelancing Services <S> Interesting project #1, description... <S> 2013-2015 Rent a Geek <S> Interesting project <S> #3, long description... 2014 <S> Boring Stuff Contracting Provided services to clients. <S> (No further description needed) 2011-2012 Linux Administrators on Demand Interesting project <S> #2, long description.... <S> If the agencies you worked for had names that are sufficiently generic a single opening sentence phase like: <S> "Worked on numerous projects including [transition into the one that's interesting enough to be worth writing up]. <S> " <S> May be helpful for clarification, especially if you interleaved work from multiple entities. <S> PS <S> If I'm completely off base, and you've instead repeatedly started new jobs but quit after a few months because you decided you didn't like your job <S> , that's a completely different question. <S> (Search on this site about job hopping.)
| Even if you decide to list only some of your jobs, make sure to also include those that involved skills (e.g. business analysis, teaching, customer relations) that might be be relevant for your new job, even if you worked in a different industry at the time.
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Is it unprofessional to include previous client accounts in a cover letter? I have a background in IT sales and consulting. I have a number of recognizable companies that I have worked with internationally for which I did not sign an NDA personally nor have knowledge of an NDA. Is it unprofessional to state something like the following in a cover letter? I’ve conducted business with Company A, Company B, and Company C — all of which resulted in major sales. If this is not appropriate, how can I demonstrate the same level of past success? I've tried other wording such as: I've conducted business with several Fortune 500 firms resulting in major sales. That doesn't seem to convey the same track record to me. <Q> There could be a confidentiality clause in your contract that you should look at which should tell you how much information you're allowed to reveal. <S> If nothing seems to forbid you to bring specific names up and if this information is available already to the public then it should be okay to mention that you were the one to establish these deals. <S> However, if these deals or partnerships, are nowhere to be found publicly, i.e. online or mentioned by the companies on their websites, news, interviews, etc, then it's a risky business to say the least. <S> If in doubt go to the latter approach you mention. <S> Describe which kind of companies you've made business deals with and which positive impacts the deals had. <A> I'd go with " <S> I’ve conducted business with Company A, Company B, and Company C — all of which resulted in major sales. <S> " <S> You have to be specific. <S> Otherwise, your claim to be effective at sales is as vacuous as mine - <S> and you would not want your claim to be as vacuous as mine because I am not a sales person. <S> In general, if you make a claim in your cover letter, put some substance behind it. <S> Enough substance to pique their interest and hopefully get them to be curious enough about you and your capabilities to call you in for an interview. <A> We have pretty similar question as a company. <S> We're a subcontractor to many big companies, and did quite a few unique things, we cannot talk about. <S> Rule number 1 - <S> no matter how much you want to tell those stories now <S> , remember, that you entered a contract and promised not to share names. <S> So, with this in our mind <S> we do the following: 1. <S> We describe the challenges for each project really carefully (if the challenge is way too unique, it may identify the project and the client, so you need to be really careful about that). <S> We also say how we overcame those challenges and if the client was happy, how we compare to others and so on. <S> 2. <S> Then some clients would still ask for specific client names (from my experience - companies in the financial sector to this a lot). <S> I tell them, that if I reveal the name - I am violating a contract with another client. <S> And if I violate a contract with someone else, how can they trust me I will not violate their contract as well. <S> Usually this works, and it also shows your future client what they want to see: <S> 1. <S> Explaining the challenges and how you solved them should tell your employer / client, that you have the skills they need. <S> Be specific here. <S> Use domain language, so they see that you really actually are a rock star. <S> 2. <S> Explaining you are not about to violate a contract shows you're a person they can trust, and this isn't something common these days. <S> The above tactic usually works for us as a company <S> and I believe if someone I am interviewing shows the same level of honor and skills at the same time he or she will be hired in our company right away.
| You can always try to ask your former manager about how much information you're allowed to give to explain what you've accomplished for the company.
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Someone peeled an American flag sticker off of my truck. What do I do? I started a new job recently and I noticed one day that my American flag sticker had been removed from my truck's window. I am heavily suspicious that it may have occurred while I was at work, and would further indulge in saying I believe it was someone from my building. How would I go about handling this situation? My first guess would be going to the security desk and ask if the cameras caught anything. Since I am a contractor, I don't know if I should report it to my company's HR department, or the company I'm currently working for's HR department. Additionally, would it be wise to purchase another sticker, and should I inform my site's manager? It would be worth noting that the incident occurred at least a week before the election. <Q> Well ... that truly sucks. <S> Frankly, there's not much to be gained by complaining. <S> You have no evidence that this happened at work, and won't be making any friends by reporting it. <S> If I were you, I would document that it happened, and just buy a new sticker. <S> If it does, go to HR, explain the situation, and show them the photos of when it happened the first time around. <S> This way you actually have a case to present to them. <A> If I were the security manager, and you showed up to report a missing $2 sticker, I'd hand you $2 and send you on your way. <S> For all you know, it could have been dumb kids in your neighborhood, or anywhere <S> you parked your vehicle. <S> You can replace the sticker, or not. <S> But don't expect anyone to go on a witchhunt over it. <S> Slashed tires, broken windshields, or similar are on a whole different level. <S> "Don't Sweat the Small Stuff" -- Richard Carlson <A> I am heavily suspicious that it may have occurred while I was at work <S> Suspicious is one thing, proof is an altogether different thing. <S> I am not condoning vandalism, but unless you have proof that it was done at work then involving HR is the wrong thing to do as it establishes a baseline of Something bad happened to me, I don't know who perpetrated it <S> but I am blaming my coworkers even though I have no proof. <S> At most I would document it in a physical notebook somewhere, replace the sticker and keep an eye out for it being removed again while you are at work . <S> At that point you have actual evidence you can present to HR. <A> How would I go about handling this situation? <S> Report it to Security, Building Management and HR of the location where you have been working. <S> Don't expect much - there's very little they can do. <S> They might have security video that could be reviewed, and if it shows the identity of the person who peeled off your sticker, you could choose to go to the police. <S> Unfortunately, the fact that you don't really know when or where it occurred makes it very unlikely for you to get any justice. <S> Additionally, would it be wise to purchase another sticker, and should I inform my sites manager? <S> Yes. <S> Wait a bit then get your sticker, but inform your site manager now. <S> This sort of vandalism tends to be a drive-by or walk-by thing. <S> Hopefully, it won't happen again. <A> If you happen to catch the sticker stealer on camera like this, you may have a very strong case to present to HR, but that's up to you. <S> Or perhaps you can install a fake dashcam which will spook the potential offenders and prevent them from taking down your sticker. <A> In times of high political tension, it's best to let it go. <S> There are some people feeling very hurt and scared, and the sources of their pain are rather attached to the flag. <S> You, I'm sure have your own reasons for displaying the flag, and it doesn't matter at this stage whether those reasons match some other people's. <S> Some of the people feeling hurt are your colleagues, even your friends. <S> You still need to get on with them. <S> I suggest that you replace it soon (as it obviously means a lot to you) but not immediately as that could be seen as provocative. <S> I have also seen a situation where a car was thought to have been damaged (expensive paint damage) in the work car park. <S> The driver turned out to have been wrong and to have missed the fact that the damage had happened earlier and elsewhere. <S> Despite making only quiet enquiries they ended up fairly embarassed. <S> If they had made a fuss and then turned out to be wrong, smoothing things over would have been hard.
| If you have a strong feeling that if you get a new sticker and somebody will remove it again, it might be worth installing a video registrator (aka dashcam) and perhaps not too obviously, so that if it happens again, the offender wouldn't see it and get scared off. Keep a close eye on it and see if it happens again, and more importantly, if it happens at work.
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How to avoid committing silly mistakes in work Hi i'm an Intern working in a highly reputed tax firm. My problem in my work is that I keep making mistakes in my work. Even in the simplest thing i will make silly mistakes. I find that when working with specific people, I am try harder not to make any mistakes, but still some creep into my work. My manager is so angry that I can't even handle simple tasks, no matter how hard I try I keep making these mistakes. I used to be really good in school, but now I feel as if I am not capable of working anywhere. Sometimes I feel like I have chosen the wrong field. Most of the time I'm frustrated with my mistakes and with the way I behave in my workplace. Is there any specific reason for making mistakes like this? Is there anybody who also face similar situation like this? <Q> Simple, you don't. <S> Everybody makes lots of mistakes. <S> How to deal with making mistakes: <S> Accept that everybody makes mistakes. <S> The difficulty lies in finding a good balance in how much time to spend to find and fix your mistakes. <S> There is no universal answer to that, since it depends both on the person and on the task. <S> Keep in mind that finding and fixing a mistake early is always easier than finding and fixing it later. <S> This is an unhealthy situation, because this will make you more nervous and thus you will make more mistakes. <S> I recommend you talk with your boss about it, because it is rather common for situations like these to be misunderstandings and cases of unintentional body language. <A> How did I get over my fear of making mistakes? <S> I stopped giving a damn. <S> What's the worst thing they could do to me, fire me? <S> If they want to fire me, that's out of my hands. <S> I don't worry about stuff that's out of my hands. <S> Since you are doing tax work, how do you check your work? <S> You need to check for both accuracy and consistency i.e. the numbers you generate have to make sense to you. <S> If a result does not make sense, then something is wrong either with the inputs or your calculation itself. <S> Don't let anyone distract you say with a question while you are in the middle of a calculation. <S> The next time your manager reviews your work, ask him how does he go about checking your work so that "I can do a better job of checking myself". <S> Because he seems to be pretty good at catching stuff that you miss. <S> You might as well learn from him. <S> And by Loki, stop it with the anxiety attacks if you have them! :) <S> The more anxious you are, the more likely you are going to trip over yourself over something stupid or silly that's as plainly visible as a wart on the nose. <S> Learning how to check yourself may be the single most important thing you're going to learn as an intern. <S> It will affect both your professional life and your career. <S> Once you've reduced this immediate, important and high priority issue to a manageable level, you might want to look at the bigger picture and ask yourself what you need to do, learn to do and practice doing to turn your internship into a successful experience for both you and the firm. <S> You should consult your manager on this, and you should ask your manager what it is that the most successful interns have done that the manager really likes. <A> This is assuming that your mistakes are not something that you cannot do, but mistakes that seem stupid and avoidable. <S> There's a method that helped people that I know <S> : Focus your thoughts on doing things right. <S> Give your subconscious mind positive thoughts. <S> Think "I will do a perfect job". <S> No way for your subconscious mind to misunderstand this. <S> If you think "I won't make mistakes" your subconscious mind turns it into "Mistakes! <S> Mistakes! <S> Mistakes!". <S> , not what you want to not do wrong .
| Think about what you want to do right Find and fix your mistakes. You seem to be scared about making mistakes because you feel your boss is angry whenever you make mistakes. Paradoxically, I have found that I made a lot fewer mistakes once I got over my fear of making mistakes. Always make sure that you document your calculational work so that you can easily retrace your calculations if someone questions your results.
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Where to take phone interview while at work I was lucky enough to get a phone interview for a position I am interested in. I able to schedule it during my lunch break but where do I take the call? In my car? Should I move to another part of the parking lot? People will be coming and going from their lunch break, won't it look weird since I will be sitting in my car on the phone? I live 20 minutes away so I would have to leave before my lunch break and return late if I take the call from home, which will seem odd since I usually eat my lunch at my desk. Where should I take this call, so I will be comfortable and only focused on the interview? <Q> Take it in the car, in a quiet place like a park in the shade so you're comfortable. <S> Don't worry if the interviewer learns you're in the car. <S> If they know you're employed, they'll understand. <S> The important thing is to get somewhere quiet. <S> Your parking lot should be a last resort because you don't want to either start rumors or worse, have someone come up to you to talk. <S> I've found small parks are the best. <S> You could also choose another parking lot. <S> Anything but your own parking lot would be best. <A> I went through this last year while job hunting. <S> I was also uncomfortable doing it in the parking lot, because we get a lot of foot traffic from other employees, and its not unlikely someone would come up to the car to say Hi. <S> I chose to drive off the property and go to a nearby park/strip mall and find a quiet place to do the interviews when they were during my workday. <S> I kept any relevant information I needed in the car (notebook, resume, laptop, etc.) <S> while at work so it was super easy to run out and back. <S> If your current employer is cool with occasionally working from home, that may be an option on the days you have phone interviews. <S> I would intentionally schedule 3-4 phone screens in a single day, then just work from home that day. <S> Edit: As @anotherdave pointed out, this depends a lot on the type of work you do, and you should still absolutely put in a full workday for you current job, presumably by working a bit earlier or later than usual to compensate for the hours you spent doing interviews. <S> It also may be tricky if you need to be able to respond to work requests quickly, so use your better judgement to decide if this is an option for you. <S> Generally recruiters understand that the best potential employees tend to already be employed, so they are willing to work with you to set times that work for you. <S> I have done phone screens at both 7:30am and 8pm (my normal office hours were 9-6). <S> Good Luck! <A> Take it in your car. <S> If people say hello or good bye to you - unlikely during the lunch hour - smile and wave back at them. <S> Taking it in the car is probably the only sure way to ensure your privacy on the fly - You could choose an empty conference room but the walls may have ears. <S> Your conversations with your banker, your doctor, your lawyer, your yoga teacher, your FBI handler, your spouse and in this case, your recruiter, should be off-limits to everyone in the office. <S> So far as others are concerned, you're having lunch at your desk unless you need to discuss private matters. <S> They can see you go into your car, they may not pry into your privacy and ask you what's it's all about. <S> The more normal you act, the more normal it is. <S> Try to do it early in the morning, shortly after work or during the lunch hour, though.
| Nobody is likely to raise their eyebrows about you doing your (very) personal business in your car. If leaving the office during the day, or working from home is not generally an option, you may need to work with the recruiter to fit your schedule. Eventually, you'll get used to doing it.
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What documentation should I receive from a new employer before giving my two weeks at my old job? I have recently found myself on the receiving end of a job offer from a small business. I have never worked for an organization with fewer than a thousand active employees, so the relative informality of this process has me a little bit off-balance. I want to give my two week notice as soon as possible at my current employer, but only if everything is 100% squared away with my new employer. Is there anything specific I should have in-hand before I do this? Currently all I have is a "Job Offer" document, naming the employer and position, which states the pay and benefits. I have signed and returned this document, but do not know if there is some sort of formal response to this I should receive and keep on record. Could anyone shed light on this process? Is a "Job Offer" like this legally binding? Or should I be asking the employer for additional materials confirming my employment? Thank you, in advance, for your insight! <Q> Irrespective of your actual question, be careful. <S> If they contacted you, and you are working remotely, have you ever met anybody? <S> Do you know the company actually exists? <S> There are plenty of scams involving hiring someone via the internet, then they do some work, receive a check that is for some reason filled out incorrectly so they are overpaid, and then they are asked to send the extra money back, and then that money is gone, the check bounces, and the company disappears. <A> You need in writing: a start date - you can't show up at somebody's office just like that - uninvited, right? <S> a time you are expected to show up the address you are supposed to show up at who is supposed to receive you - it's the author of the email addressed to you by default. <S> ask them if there are any legal documents such as passport that they want to see from you. <S> Non-US locales may have additional requirements but the requirements that I have listed above are the absolute minimum requirements. <S> Note that the requirements for your first day at the work site are very much the same as those of an office appointment. <S> Except that in the case of an office appointment, you don't have to show proof of legal eligibility for employment - <S> You most likely will have to show ID. <A> The offer letter is just a start. <S> I hope you kept a copy. <S> Since this is remote, I'd want some documents establishing legitimacy of the business. <S> A business license. <S> Articles of incorporation. <S> Dun and Bradstreet number, for a business credit report. <S> Something <S> you can verify independently with a government body or official. <S> And better yet, the opportunity to meet someone face to face at their offices before <S> you accept the offer. <S> Not Skype. <S> This is your livelihood at stake, and scams come a dime-a-dozen. <S> So as uncomfortable as it may be to ask, <S> consider the potential outcomes if you don't. <A> Legally binding is a legal question and off-topic. <S> And probably not what you really want anyway. <S> You probably don't want to resign to take a legally binding offer that is then withdrawn or terminated, and then sue for damages. <S> What you probably want to know is there more to do before you can reasonably consider it a done deal. <S> Employment consists of two things, services to be performed and remuneration, once these have been agreed to by both parties, you can reasonably consider yourself hired. <S> The exact manner in which that agreement is established will vary by jurisdiction and possibly position. <S> For a small US company (under 50 employees) <S> a verbal "I can/you start next Monday" is enough. <S> You'll still have to fill out any goverment mandated paperwork (I9, W4), but you've been hired. <S> Filling out the government mandated paperwork can happen on or before your start date.
| So in your situation, you need a signed contract, and the certain knowledge that the company is genuine, before you give notice. Certified (by a CPA) financial statement.
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What other motives might there be to force an employee to quit or to fire them? I am employed in Washington state. I have an odd situation with an employer I have been with for over 4 years. I was in one department at the company the entire time. Recently the manager of the department left the company. I'm not certain of the nature of their departure. There had been a fair amount of other attrition, both voluntary and involuntary, so we are a shell of our former size. We were in a kind of limbo for a few weeks. Then we were told that our department was being dissolved and we were being promoted to new job titles in a different department. I didn't understand this, as we were all expecting layoff notices after the department manager left the company. In addition I'm not trained in this new job title.Fast forward 8 weeks when I was put on report for not being able to contribute adequately in my new role. I never sought this role and never claimed to be adequately trained for it.My reviews have always been great with the managers I've had there.I'm assuming they want to drive me to quit or to fire me with cause.I can only guess as to their motives: avoid paying severance avoid paying unemployment cause me to lose the options I was granted when I joined the company Are there any other motives they might have? And what should I do about it? <Q> I think you're overthinking this. <S> They wanted to dissolve the department. <S> That means they're getting rid of it. <S> Instead of laying you all off, they gave you another chance to try and see if you could contribute in a different position. <S> That may not be working out, and they may have to get rid of you then. <S> It doesn't strike me as particularly retaliatory. <S> Now, it may very well be. <S> It may even be a combination of both. <S> Maybe they though <S> : "Let's give these people who no longer have a place in our company in their former roles a shot at another position, see if they're good at it. <S> If not, we even get to avoid severance/unemployment." <S> In any case, whether or not what they're doing is legal can only be determined by a lawyer. <S> So if you want to explore that avenue, you'll have to get one. <S> Otherwise, the writing is on the wall for you. <S> You know what's likely happening, so prepare for it and find another job. <A> I think you have two choices <S> Adapt - Start learning about the new role/technologies. <S> Put in some extra time to overcome the hurdle <S> Get a new job <S> - Put in some extra time to beef up the CV and do job searching <S> It is your choice <A> Severance is not an entitlement, so that's out. <S> If they terminate you, you can draw unemployment, so that's out. <S> Options aren't usually worth the paper they're printed on, and that assumes you have anything in writing about them in the first place. <S> That said - they really didn't need your department. <S> This sounds like a startup situation. <S> They've tried to be nice and fit you elsewhere to save on recruitment costs, but it's not an optimal fit. <S> So here you are. <S> Start looking. <S> Maybe you'll get a severance, and maybe not.
| But I also think that they are trying to get out of paying redundancy pay.
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Colleague is starting to become awkward to work with I am in charge of delivery and operations, any issues the team have when helping me deliver work have to go through me, I then bring it to the attention to my boss. My colleague, a developer lately has started to become harder to work with. So to summarise: Since the company cannot meet his salary expectations, he has requested to work from home one week in a month. We have agreed to this, but now has requested that he would like to work 2 weeks from home. Both my boss and I feel that he is pushing his luck on this matter and have in private agreed to not do this. I have told him that if my colleague wants more time away from the office, he should book a holiday and take time out. As time has gone on, he is increasingly becoming harder to manage, if we would ask him to do something, he would end up questioning why it has to be done a certain way. I do not want to get confrontational, but sometimes it is affecting the work flow since developments are now taking longer to complete because they have to be redone to how my boss originally wanted it. Other times the changes make sense, but the problem is things are becoming less streamlined. When I bring this up, he is now starting at times to ignore my advice, and does things his way because he thinks its the best way to do it. I am starting to feel that as he is gaining more influence, he knows for example that right now we need him quite a lot, he is using it to his advantage. Short of becoming confrontational, I do not know how to diffuse the situation from getting out of hand. My boss yesterday told me that he may need to start having words with the developer, letting him know that there is a limit to what we can give him. Should I let my boss handle it, or should I step in? <Q> My boss yesterday told me that he may need to start having words with the developer, letting him know that there is a limit to what we can give him. <S> Should I let my boss handle it, or should I step in? <S> You should let your boss handle it, since he is this worker's boss too. <S> You aren't in a position to do anything positive here. <S> The boss has already signaled that, since "it is harder to replace good developers" that they can push the boundaries and get what they want. <S> That's going to be a challenge to undo, but the CEO is the only one who can really try. <S> In addition, I think you need to start planning for this developer's leaving. <S> He is signalling that if he doesn't get everything he wants, he will leave. <S> I suspect he is already looking elsewhere. <S> And I think you should be looking for your next job. <S> Since joining this company, you have written questions indicating that it is dysfunctional and that you don't want to be there. <A> [...] any issues the team have when helping me deliver work have to go through me, I then bring it to the attention to my boss <S> You pretty much answer your own question, in my opinion. <S> Talk to your boss <S> , if you're not this employee's manager it is definitely the right thing to do. <S> He'll tell you if he thinks this is something you have to handle, or he'll tell you that he'll take it from there, which he should, if you believe this behavior is causing problems. <A> My boss yesterday told me that he may need to start having words with the developer, letting him know that there is a limit to what we can give him. <S> If your boss is ready to step in then <S> yes let him step in. <S> If anything be more firm with expectations and document what you have told him to do. <S> If he ignores your instructions then go to your boss with documentation. <A> You guys for all your overall success, are struggling to pay competitive wages, and this employee, who knows he has an ace up his sleeve, is trying to run the show. <S> Quite frankly, you're out of luck here. <S> He is dissatisfied, and probably only wants to stick around because he gets to push you guys around and make his own schedule. <S> However, even with his expertise thrown into the balance, his attitude and compliance issues are making things more difficult for you. <S> The only way I can imagine this working is if you lay down the law and tell him you'll let him go if he doesn't start complying with instructions. <S> I mean .. <S> if you have to redo his work then why pay him in the first place? <S> However, beware! <S> Start planning on hiring a replacement - maybe some young guy with little experience who won't mind working for beans in exchange for experience (aka any recent graduate). <A> Your boss is the ultimate decision maker. <S> Let him step in and as far as you are concerned, get out of the way, make sure you look great and play nice. <S> This is a high stakes situation and it's good that your boss is willing to take charge. <S> Your services may be needed post-confrontation to help defuse the situation. <S> It is unclear to me if you and your boss have thought through the consequences of being confrontational. <S> Your employee and you have professional differences regarding salary and working conditions <S> and you probably don't want the expression of these differences to escalate into a clash of wills and egos, especially since you need him, at least for the time being. <S> Joe Strazzere is pointing out that your developer has one foot out the door and Joe is probably right. <S> Which means that you are going to have to do some serious contingency planning to make do without your developer. <S> Hopefully, you have more than one developer on the staff.
| He sounds like he's half-way out the door as it is, so once you crack down, he's likely to quit, or start sulking/disobeying even more.
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I'm witnessing racial discrimination/favoritism- how do I report it? I'm an off-shift chemist in a manufacturing plant. I work closely with a group of process workers, 90% of which are minorities. It seems like the African American and Hispanic workers are always getting write-ups and suspensions for honest mistakes. There's a Caucasian worker on my shift who is constantly cutting corners. He's recently caused an issue out of laziness and when confronted about it, he blatantly lied. He even implicated me. When I was questioned by management, there was no doubt they believed me; however, he hasn't been reprimanded in any way. The minority workers on my shift say this type of favoritism happens all the time. Clearly, leniency based on race is discrimination. We do have an anonymous hotline. Should I seek out an explanation from HR first? Can I do this without looking "problematic"? <Q> Clearly, leniency based on race is discrimination <S> All you have is hearsay from others. <S> You have nothing. <S> You have guys saying that in unspecified events, unspecified person were treated differently than in this case, <S> where you don't even know what happened exactly to the guy in question. <S> All you know is he wasn't fired. <S> In your case, you have no proof at all that it was discrimination. <S> They might have decided exactly the same if it had been someone else. <S> You cannot possibly know. <S> A hotline cannot somehow work magic. <S> You can call them but that will end up nowhere. <S> If you want to make a difference, collect some data they can work with. <S> Who was discriminated against? <S> When How do you know it was discrimination <S> (i.e. who was treated differently when )?. <S> Until you have at least collected basic facts, yes, you will look problematic. <S> Not because of discrimination issues, but because you are gossiping. <A> What happened to other workers is hearsay. <S> You need them to step forward and lay out their side of the story - time, date, location, circumstances, parties to the incident, witnesses of the incident. <S> Since it happened to you, you'll need to step forward and report and document your own incident, too. <S> Tell them that while you appreciate being cleared, the fact that this white worker got away with lying is creating a perception of racial favoritism by management, a perception that you urge them that they address. <S> If you have reason to fear retaliation, use the hotline. <S> Otherwise, make a written complaint to HR. <A> If the distribution of "issues" is statistically normal, and 90% of the staff are minorities, then it stands to reason that you'll hear more about them getting write-ups than the others. <S> But you don't have the actual numbers to prove what you perceive to be a pattern. <S> If you cry wolf and you're wrong, you're DONE. <S> You'd better have some facts. <A> I understand that you are upset that a co-worker buggered up and lied to implicate you (apparently getting away with it), but if there is no proof <S> I would not expect for the company to necessarily do anything visible to you . <S> The fact you felt they believed you <S> and you did not receive a reprimand yourself <S> is an indication. <S> In the other cases you mention involving minorities (and the majority of the work force) there may have been no doubt about where responsibility was, or the worker was honest and owned up to it, so reprimands were easy to dispense. <S> You might want to ask your manager privately and verbally about the situation, if you are on good terms. <S> They may be building a case to dismiss the person for all you know. <S> Going to a hotline or HR and crying discrimination is really a nuclear option. <S> You can be pretty sure they have written documentation to cover each of the reprimands - you could easily be on thin ice in trying to prove a negative. <A> If you haven’t already, I recommend documenting the “mistakes” with times/dates, what happened, what the repercussions were, etc. <S> Be detailed. <S> Document when your Caucasian co-worker did X and got away with it; document when your African-American co-worker does X and doesn’t get away with it. <S> You need this evidence to make your case. <S> Other wise, as you can see, people think it’s just hearsay and speculation.
| If the minority workers on your shift are discriminated against, they should call the hotline and present their facts .
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How to handle a kind of conflict with my employers that I don't figure out? I'm currently in a trouble I never encountered before. I'm technical expert (freelance) for 5 months for a well-known French company. My goal is/was to: Create a mechanism interfering with their backends to allow push notifications (iOS, Android) on several of their mobile apps (more than 10 apps). Create a completely new version of one of their most famous mobile app. The first goal was completed very successfully. They were very satisfied. I started the second in a great way too, starting by architecting the whole project, up to a really well-achieved MVP. Here's the thing: I was expected to build a completely new app using modern technologies with this rule: "The look and feel and features of this second version of the application should look EXACTLY the same than the actual version on the stores." As a very experienced programmer, I chose to start implementing use cases (based on some user stories), following the Test-Driven Development methodology that I well master. I was working alone on the project since I was the unique person there being able to do it in a very clean way (according to them). They were very happy to see a nice and bug-free app on a demo meeting. Two weeks ago, in a meeting (10 persons), my chief told me: "The app development isn't so fast, I don't see the exact look and feel of EVERY screen; it lacks some PNG icons!". As an expert and professional, I explained him that it's far better to focus on invisible but real significant improvement (like algorithms of use cases), than a very simple CSS to put some icons. 10 minutes after the meeting, I integrated those icons in the app to show him and he was very amazed/happy. At this moment, I decided to put far more graphical elements as the app evolves day after day to satisfy him. To give you an idea of the app's size, it took me about 10 000 lines of code to achieve the whole first use cases in a very very cleanly way. So my implication was substantial and I was very proud of my product. People around (even the director) were very amazed by the quality of the product and experienced developers about the quality and readability of the source code. I was very happy to work there and totally motivated to continue building this challenging app. Two days ago, a specific meeting occurred about the application. They announced me that thing has changed, and that all my GUI part (layout) and navigations mechanisms should be thrown away; and even some of my modules about algorithms! Reason: They will be subcontracted to an external agency for a reason I ignore. I immediately asked: "Why ???? The app is perfect as it is, and you told me that you were impressed!". Given answer: "We didn't decide, instructions come from "above"". They accepted to show me some of their screens that I've never seen before (and first delivered source code about some algorithms), and note that they agreed they sounded far less professional than mine (weird decision so). In other words, I would not be the technical leader of the project. Some tears, remembering all the tricky things I've done to have a perfect app, including GUI. I wrote a mail to my both chiefs to point out that I was very disappointed given that new information and that I want to understand why they didn't explain me that 2 months ago (they revealed they knew it 2 months ago!).Frustrating to have made a great product for ... the trash. In short, in a mail: I was recruited as being the technical leader of the project. It sounds that I will not master a lot of decisions about the technical aspects of the app and it's not pleasant to know it, please explain why you were hiding this to me. After reading this mail, they don't talk to me any more; like if I was a ghost in the open space. Not even a minimal "apology" for the thrown code, nothing. I was very upset this morning but a colleague told me to take it easy; to not think about leaving; that I was a very good and scarce developer and that the team clearly needs me for future development of the same app. I don't know what they have in mind. Why would a chief sidestep one of his best employee?Why don't they dare to answer my e-mail? <Q> You are creating a problem out of pique where none exists. <S> You're a freelancer you did <S> two months work and got paid for it. <S> What they do with THEIR product is totally up to them. <S> As a freelancer I don't care if they have me washing dishes, so long as I got paid my ridiculous hourly rate. <S> The reason they are not answering is probably because you have acted unprofessionally by complaining and not taking their original answer (true or false) at face value and moving forwards. <A> This is a pretty broad issue to give advice on, but as to your last question - "Why don't they dare to answer my e-mail." <S> Any number of reasons: <S> They're embarrassed. <S> The decision was made from higher up, theywere told to keep you in the dark, and they feel yanked around asmuch as you do. <S> Legal reasons. <S> They don't want to give you anythingyou could use against them. <S> Respect. <S> They're in charge, they tellyou what to do on the job, and they don't want to hear yourcriticism. <S> Your email is accusatory, and they may expect you toapologize before they respond. <A> Considering what you can do after the fact: Not much. <S> This project is a loss. <S> All you can do is: Make your concerns known (You've already done so, hopefully politely). <S> For your next project, make sure to get an agreement in writing as to who will be the project manager and all stakeholders who get final say on planning. <S> If this issue occurs repeatedly and you feel that it is hurting your reputation or happiness, consider ending the contract. <S> (Don't plead your case or attempt to extend this conversation). <S> Importantly, you should hold yourself to that promise unless you are prepared to alter or end the contract.
| As for the current "chilly" social situation, you might consider talking one on one or sending a message only to tell them you are sorry that the situation became tense and that it won't happen again
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Should I tell interviewer about my sports activity in interview as my strength? Currently I am applying for job of an IT professional as a fresher .So I wanted to know if I can take my sports activities(I have played basketball at state level) as my strengths as I don't know how that'll be helpful for job I'm applying for.Moreover I wanted to know what are the counter questions I should be prepared for. <Q> you're applying for, the company culture and the interviewer(s)' biases . <S> If you're applying for a position where you'd be functioning as part of a team, having played basketball (especially at a state level) would indicate that you're able to work, co-ordinate and function as part of a team . <S> Playing a competitive sport also indicates that you've got a go-getter attitude, would give the impression that you're not lazy and also that you lead an active and healthy lifestyle (people tend to associate sportsmen / women with physically healthy traits). <S> In terms of counter questions, you can expect something along the lines of: <S> How did you handle any losses? <S> Which position did you play? <S> Did you ever get into a physical altercation whilst playing? <S> Why did you stop playing? <S> The list could go on, but in all likeliness the interviewer(s) may not pay too much attention further than noting down that you'd played a sport. <A> I wanted to know what are the counter questions I should be prepared for. <S> If they ask you your strengths and you say something like "I have played basketball at state level", there are some obvious questions that could come up: What about basketball qualifies you to be an IT professional? <S> How do you see your strength in basketball being an asset as an IT fresher? <S> Do you have any strengths directly related to IT? <S> Basketball is very physical, where this IT position is not. <S> How will you deal with that? <S> Be prepared to show a direct connection between whatever you learned playing basketball and whatever you imagine you'll need to do in IT. <S> Frankly, I think there is at best a very weak connection. <S> But if you choose to go this route, make sure you can clearly articulate the connection and why it makes you more qualified for this IT position over those who didn't play basketball. <S> And hopefully basketball isn't the only strength you mention, nor the most important. <A> Most definitely, yes. <S> I mention my sport(I do martial arts and compete at highest amateur level) in interviews for two reasons: first, competing in any sport at elite, senior level shows you are committed to goals, you are efficient with your time and you are, well, a winner. <S> Plus, soft skills - as mentioned in a comment here - would be a positive point at least in team sports. <S> If you plan on competing during your potentially new job, it's also important to mention depending on the sport. <S> I straight up asked if they had a problem with me turning up Monday morning with a black eye. <S> Not that it'll happen every Monday morning, but as I compete on weekends, it is a possibility(albeit surprisingly small, compared to what people think about martial arts). <S> This is to eliminate any surprises from either side. <S> With basketball, the probability of getting hurt - i am guessing - is quite smaller, but still a higher risk than if they hired a couch potato whose physical activity is non-existent <S> , right? <S> IT/Software is in my mind 80% mentality: If you aren't persistent and keep going, you are not going to do well in the IT/Software industry. <S> Having a competitive mindset from sports would be a plus if I were to hire someone. <S> So TL;DR: It's good for two reasons. <S> 1.) <S> Showcasing your commitment and soft skills. <S> And 2.) <S> Managing expectations if you choose to do the sport while working. <A> "Being good at basketball" is highly unlikely to be perceived as a strength that they are interested in. <S> Instead, it shows that you are a well-rounded individual, and it can provide evidence of more relevant strengths. <S> I work in IT, and have found that interviews often start with a question such as "Tell us about yourself". <S> This is an ideal opportunity to mention the basketball, provided that it is not the only thing you talk about - you need to make sure that your interest in IT takes centre stage. <S> The relevant strengths might include team work, dealing with pressure, and determination. <S> If you get a direct question on any of these topics, you can refer to your basketball experience as evidence. <S> If you get asked what your strengths are, then you can pick one of these, again based on your basketball experience. <S> Try to use a range of examples over the course of the interview though - if you only talk about basketball then you start to look a bit one-dimensional.
| I do believe that mentioning your participation in basketball may be beneficial to your application, this would be dependent on the position
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Giving change in smaller denominations so customers can tip? I started working in a liquor store. There is a tip jar beside the cash register that some customers donate to. After a purchase, I normally give change back from highest bills to lowest (e.g. I would give one $20 bill instead of four $5) but today a customer asked me to break his change even further so he could tip. I have been thinking of splitting the change smaller so customers can tip and I tried it with one, but he got upset and asked for bigger change (though I don't see this as a problem, I'm not technically obligated to give change in a specific way and if someone wants it done differently, all they have to do is ask). I'm thinking of small denominations e.g. giving two $1 instead of a $2 (though it upset the one customer I tried). I think they would be more likely to give tips, also because people dislike carrying small change. Any thoughts on if this is moral or a good idea? There is also a secondary benefit as we need to count all the money at night and it's easier to do it with larger change. EDIT: in response to Pete, the idea is someone's probably not going to tip something large, like a $5, but if it were broken down into $2 and $1, they are more likely to tip a $1. I wouldn't do $5 bill to five $1 but may breaking $2 into two $1, and only if I had plenty of coins (which we always do). <Q> In addition to the answers about people usually not wanting a lot of small notes (let alone coins) to carry around, there is also another issue here: <S> You're going to run out of change pretty quickly. <S> If you return someone's 5$ change as 5x1$, then an hour later you'll not have any more $1-bills to give out to people who really need one. <S> That's also one of the main reasons why change is given from highest to lowest; it's the most efficient way to handle change. <S> So not only are you creating a hassle for the customer (imagine if everyone changed like this; your wallet would overflow with low-denomination money), you're also creating a hassle for your manager, who will need to go the bank more often to get money for change (which you often have to pay extra for, so it's costing them money) <A> This is kind of absurd, at least to me. <S> If you were a bartender at a strip club, this would make perfect sense, as the customers are actually there sometimes for the thrill of throwing dollars. <S> But you work in a liquor store. <S> You get a bottle off the shelf, place it in a bag with customers' other goodies, ring up the sale, and send them on. <S> Maybe you give advice on where to find something, or what tastes good. <S> This isn't tipworthy. <S> It's customer service, and you're being paid for that already. <S> You're new on the job, and trying to force your hand into customers' pockets for a little change. <S> But you'll end up costing your boss, or the owner. <S> There will be a need to carry more small bills from the bank, or go more frequently - that will likely incur a fee, and I'm pretty sure you're not the person who has to deal with or use your time to go to the bank and stand in line. <S> Repeat customers WILL notice, and your approach will annoy them. <S> Let a few of these people mention your behavior to your boss, and you'll quickly be on the hook to justify it. <A> Just give change normally (largest denominations you have in the till). <S> Generally speaking, people want less stuff to carry around, so a $20 bill is preferable to carrying around four $5 bills. <S> I'm not sure how you assume that people will give you tips either <S> , they might not appreciate being told "I'm giving you smaller bills so you can tip me". <A> Practically: Every customer I've ever seen is clever enough to ask for small bills if they need them to make the tip come out to what they want to give. <S> Just give change normally unless they say otherwise. <A> The problem here is you are inconveniencing the customer in the hope that they will give you a tip. <S> If anything, that would cause me not to give a tip. <S> It would be better to be nice to the customer and provide good customer service to get a tip then suggesting by giving them pocket change. <S> Morally, there is no issue, as long as they get the right money. <S> The customer is in charge of if they give you a tip, you need to work to make their time a positive experience and giving out small denominations is not a good way of giving a positive experience. <A> In businesses where tips are customary, like bar and food service, it’s normal for servers to return change appropriate for common tips. <S> For example, in bars where the customers usually tip $1 or $2 per drink, the bartender will normally make sure to give you enough singles to tip a round of drinks. <S> However, in places were tipping is less common, like retail stores and cafés, customers normally expect to receive the change that is most convenient for fitting into their wallets. <S> This is common even for some restaurant food servers, especially if they get tips more from credit cards instead of small bills. <S> In short, be sure to serve the customer’s convenience. <S> Unless $1 tips are very common, that means returning larger bills in change when possible. <A> It's not immoral at all. <S> When a cashier hands me lots of small denominations <S> I assume they're running out of larger ones and trying to manage their cash reserves. <S> It has never occurred to me that someone's trying to encourage my tip-jar contribution, but there have been times when I didn't donate to charity tip-jars because I didn't have any loose change. <A> There's no single way of doing that will make everyone happy, so you'll have to test. <S> If you have more upset customers than tipping customers, you'll know this is not working out. <S> Otherwise, I don't see a problem. <S> Perhaps splitting a $20 or larger bills is counter-productive: assuming a tip of $1 or $2, you'll have to give away $5+$5+$5+$2+$2+$1 for them to be able to tip, which will run you out of change and annoy your clients. <S> But splitting a $2 or a $5 doesn't seem to be a problem to me. <A> I recently was at an event where a bottle of beer costed $5. <S> When paying with a ten or a twenty the bar tender ALWAYS made change with at least 5 $1 bills. <S> That was a) annoying and b) came across as blatantly greedy. <S> That's why I didn't tip him at all.
| If a customer would like more small bills for tipping, they will ask.
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Should I write a second reminder to the HR? I'm attending a Dual Course of Study University, where a regular semester is compressed to 3 months and the other 3 months are occupied by working 40hr/month with a selected partner. From time to time it happens that the students have to attend an exam during their working term. This is true in my case. Therefore, I already sent a formal request to get a day off for the exam (4hr + 1 hr commute each way), as this is specified in our examination regulations. Unfortunately, the responsible manager has not yet replied. After 5 days I sent in a reminder, to which I also didn't receive a response. Should I send a 3rd request (2nd reminder) or should I wait longer? <Q> As @Draken mentioned in the comments, the email could have been lost, forgotten or ignored (for example it could have accidentally made it's way into the person's spam / junk directory). <S> Something also worthwhile considering is having a physical print-out which requires signing if you need permission to have the day off. <A> Responses from moose and draken highlight the appropriate route. <S> As a manager receiving hundreds of emails weekly it is very possible for items to get lost in the shuffle. <S> A telephone call should be the next appropriate step. <S> (Assuming that you are following your organizations proper process for requesting time off)I do think that this post highlights a major issue developing in the shifting norms from one generation of employees to the next. <S> While email has its advantages, as pointed out by Vietnhi, it comes at the cost of direct interaction. <S> Phone calls, and face to face meetings not only help to resolve issues quickly, but also provide an opportunity for you as an employee to develop a working relationship with your supervisors. <S> Had you directly spoken with this supervisor at an earlier available opportunity, you could have saved yourself some of the hardship to date. <A> Send a third email ASAP - you have to protect yourself and if the manager complains, you can point to a stream of emails that you sent them. <S> At some point, you should send him an email to your manager once a day with the email marked "high priority". <S> cc: <S> HR and whoever else you think is relevant. <S> Like your team leaders and your co-workers. <S> Depending on how many days you've got left before Exam Day, you are going to have get in your manager's face and ask him point blank for a personal day off. <S> "I have emailed you repeatedly but this can't wait any longer. <S> I really need your okay to take this day off". <S> Don't wait until the last minute before you ask <S> - Ideally, you should ask the week before. <S> If it is already the last minute, it's just too bad - ask away and ask immediately. <S> If worst comes to worst and you have zero success getting any response from your manager no matter what you try, call Reception on the morning of Exam Day and tell them that you are taking a day off to attend to personal business and that you have notified you manager repeatedly to that effect. <S> Then do what you have to do. <S> On the morning after, send your manager an email stating that you took care of your personal business yesterday and that you are back at work this morning. <S> My personal touch: don't apologize for having taken the personal day off.
| You could consider speaking to them in person, contacting them telephonically, or sending another email but CC-ing somebody else at the company who could also be responsive on the matter.
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How to handle recruitment email that could place colleagues in a bad light I thought I would canvas opinion about an email I received today that I feel puts me in an awkward position. Basically a recruiter contacted me via linked in with the following message: Hi, I'm recruiting for a nationally recognised company in your town and you look like a great fit for. How are things at Company X? No disrespect, but I've heard quite a lot of bad stuff about them. I know quite a few people looking at moving on. Let me know if we can have a chat about it? Thanks,Bob Now firstly, I don't believe my company is a bad place to work but even aside from that I can see that this guy has a number of current and former employees listed as connections. My question is should I discuss this with my current and former colleagues? Although no one can prove who has been spreading rumours about my company, since he is cold contacting our staff I won't be the only one who can put two and two together. Additionally should I contact our HR, since he is a recruiter in our field/area should they know that he is essentially defaming the company. I have no idea if we use his company but if I dealt with recruitment it would certainly influence my feelings if he came to us with candidates. Personally i'm leaning towards giving the guys I still work with a quiet warning and just leaving it at that, but I am interested what people think. Oh, I have edited his email to remove many identifying details. I don't think this is just a generic copy and paste job. <Q> This email can tell you a lot about this recruiter. <S> I would try to check if more of your colleagues got the same mail, maybe talking to those that you trust more. <S> If the person in question is actually spamming your companing to lure employes out, and using such spiteful tactics while doing so, I would tell it to HR and let them handle that. <S> This may also be illegal, or at least worth a formal mail from the company. <S> As a side note, maybe what this recruiter is telling you is the truth, but using rumors to make you leave is still bad behavior. <S> You don't want to be associated to a recruiter that acts like this. <A> It's an email from a recruiter. <S> And it seems a particularly bad example of a low life recruiter. <S> He doesn't know you. <S> So his claim that you would be a great fit is nonsense. <S> He doesn't know if you would be a great fit or not. <S> First lie discovered. <S> What he says about your company is nonsense. <S> He doesn't know anything about your company. <S> He wants to put doubts in your mind so that you ask him for help to get a job elsewhere so that he can get his commission. <S> You can bet that hundreds of people in your town at dozens of companies will get identical emails. <S> I don't know where you are, but in some places your legal department would be interested and might have a bit of fun with this recruiter. <A> Let it go. <S> No harm has been done. <S> You don't know if he is telling the truth. <S> Even if it is the truth you don't know if it is any of the Linked <S> In connections. <A> From a recruiter, "I've heard" means "My boss told me to try saying", and "You were recommended by a friend" means "One of my friends at work told me this pitch works". <S> Assume they are lying. <S> Their interest in you starts and ends with you being a product to be sold to companies who have hired them.
| Spreading rumors about the company you're working for is a very bad thing, more so if a lot of your coworkers got the same mail.
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My coworker questions every decision I make and it annoys me I have a coworker that questions my reasons behind every single decision I make and always tells me that he thinks I should do it differently. Now don't get me wrong, he is a very smart guy, and we actually get along very well for the most part and I welcome questions/suggestions, because sometimes there is something I may have not thought of. But the constant nature of this is starting to get a little annoying. It's literally every single thing I do, even if he isn't involved on the project at all, he questions my reasons or my logic. How do I politely go about asking him to just trust me on my decisions and reasons? About us: We joined office the same day We have small office We are in sameposition <Q> For some people, this is a way of being helpful or constructive, so you should ask him up front why he does this. <S> After that, you may then be able to let them know you prefer other types of feedback or that you'll ask for constructive criticism when you feel it would benefit you. <A> It's not so much a matter of trusting you, it's a matter of leaving you alone and not interfering with what you are doing. <S> ("don't plug these wires directly into a 220 Volt outlet" would be acceptable interference with your job). <S> He either doesn't realise that he is getting on your nerves, or he thinks he has the right to do so. <S> That's what you have to change. <S> He also doesn't seem to be very socially aware, so polite hints may not work (or he does it intentional, then polite hints will definitely not work). <S> If he says to you "You should do it this way", an answer is "Would you like to do it?" <S> When he says "No, it's your job", you can then say "Exactly. <S> So it's done the way that I want". <S> Don't enter a discussion which way is better. <S> It's done your way, because you are doing the work, you are deciding how it is done, and that's it. <S> There's a nice joke that might explain to him what he's doing wrong. <S> A car mechanic was asked how much he charges. <S> The answer: "$25 an hour. <S> It's $35 if you watch. <S> It's $45 if you give advice. <S> And $55 an hour if you try to help". <A> You could address it directly the next time he does it: <S> I appreciate questions and suggestions but having this conversation this frequently is starting to impact my productivity. <S> I'd appreciate it if you could step this back/not sweat the small stuff <S> /stick to projects <S> we're both on. <S> End <S> that last sentence however you want. <S> Those were suggestions but you should state whatever works for you. <S> If he keeps questioning too often and/or in circumstances where you've asked him to back off, don't engage. <S> We talked about doing this less often, remember? <S> I really need to get back to my work. <S> In cases where decisions were documented, you can just refer him to that resource. <S> If he insists on making suggestions about what you should do instead: I'll think about it. <S> And any variation thereof. <S> I'm paraphrasing Captain Awkward because I can't find the exact quote: <S> It's not a lie because you will think about it. <S> For five seconds before you do what you were going to do anyway. <S> or it won't be a productive conversation. <A> I would phrase it as he could help you by stepping back a little. <S> I need to be able to make some mistakes to learn on my own- <S> you aren't always going to be available. <S> I think you often have great input and perspective. <S> I would appreciate it if I could still come to you when I need help. <A> Some people are like that, I exactly understand how you feel! <S> These type of people see work place as an Arena. <S> An Arena that the can only be the winner if they have the last say. <S> They feel good when people are following their commands, and they feel defeated when they are unable to convince.. <S> However, these type of people are often has been having difficulties in their childhood. <S> For example they had few siblings older than them that were constantly ordering him <S> or her <S> thus as the grow up they are seeking for opportunity to command. <S> Or some of them are coming from a marginalized group of people in that society which is being treated like a second class citizens. <S> (example they have different sexual orientation) and because of that they feel subordinated outside workplace, thus they are seeking for an opportunity to command and have the last say! <S> If I were you, I would invite him for a drink (outside workplace) and tell him that as much as you like they idea of being questioned everything you throw an idea, but this may be counter productive in the long run as it made you to be come to dependent on him. <S> Tell him, it is sometime better to commit a mistake, and learn from it. <S> Instead of being corrected beforehand.
| Go ahead and have the conversation when he has some useful feedback but don't be afraid to disengage when you don't have the time The principle is: If you are doing a job, and he is not your supervisor, then you decide how it is done, you take the blame if it goes wrong and the fame if it goes well, and it's not his job to interfere with it unless you are going to do something terribly bad
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Newly promoted software architect wants to do code reviews of code in progress I work as a software engineer with a team of 12 others. We recently had a Sr dev get promoted to architect. He recently got a talking to by the software director for being unprofessional, aggressive, and belittling to several team members. Afterwards the software director met with us individually to try to get us to work together and try to make it work. Just days later the architect took a special interest in an in-progress feature (about a 3 day task) that another engineer and I are pair programming on. In our daily status update meeting he convinced my project manager to allow him to do a code review for each daily commit of the in-progress code. We're using our source control system to do the code review without having to all be at an in-person meeting. So my pair partner and I received the first review back with over 20 comments on stuff that would have been taken care of had he waited to do the review after the task was done. I personally never heard of doing code reviews on in-progress code. It seems wasteful to me. My concern is he might try to use these reviews as fodder to undermine my skill and cause trouble. How do I professionally respond to the comments saying that my partner and I already planned the additional things he's pointing out but we're deferring them until later in the process? EDIT : To clarify and add a bit more details, the code reviewer's comments were not regarding adding tests or code comments. These were things like adding authorization checks to api endpoints and adding staging and production configurations. We intentionally left those off to have easier access to them during development. Plus config settings change during dev and constantly visiting stage and prod for every config setting change is a waste of time <Q> Your so-called "architect" is ridiculous. <S> My answer if someone wanted to review my work in progress (and there is nobody around me doing something stupid like that) would be to tell them "review all you want, I don't care because it's work in progress, meanwhile I'll have a conversation with your manager about wasting my and your time". <S> Code reviews are expected and appreciated after a pull request. <S> When the code is complete. <S> Not at any time before between. <A> When people make worthless, editorial comments about my code <S> I ignore them or perhaps respond with a perfunctory: <S> "Thanks for the great ideas!", then delete their email. <S> I suggest you do the same. <S> Life is too short to worry about stuff that is non-productive like that. <A> Really, he is just making a mistake, and I would let him make this mistake so you can focus on having a good relationship with him in a week or two. <S> "Okay, I was planning on doing most of these <S> anyway <S> so I'll take another look in a day or two. <S> In the future you might want to just do review at the end, but if you want to take a look early I guess there's no harm. <S> " <S> I'm not sure how he would respond to that <S> but I'm pretty sure it's a good stakeout for now. <A> You have two issues as I see it: <S> Your supervisor doesn't understand pair programming; as code reviews are a part of the way pair programming works. <S> He <S> /she is not aware of the backlog, or the sprint, or however you are managing the feature set that you are developing. <S> A possible third issue could be, he/she is doing this peer review to counter the earlier criticism from their superiors. <S> In any case, this isn't good for you or your pair programming mate. <S> I would suggest sitting with your pair programming mate and this person, explain to them how you plan on developing the feature, welcome their code reviews, but explain when they are most beneficial to you . <S> This could be as simple as: <S> "It would be great for us if you could provide the code reviews for yesterday's pulls the next morning <S> so we can make sure we can address any concerns immediately that day." <S> If you are careful, you will avoid coming off as someone that doesn't take criticism well (a common complaint, especially in software development); and at the same time make your supervisor aware of how best they can help you. <A> Your newly promoted person is suffering from a common error, "trying to add too much value." <S> He doesn't really have his feet under him. <S> He's looking for ways to be helpful but his helping is hurting. <S> See if you can manage to confront him with love. <S> "Dude, I love it that you care about code quality. <S> But when you review code that's in the middle of being pair-programmed, you flag things we were going to fix anyway. <S> That wastes your time and talent. <S> If you did it with someone who didn't know you as well as I do, it might harm your relationship with them. <S> Can I offer you some advice?" <S> (Wait for him to say yes.) <S> "You were promoted for a reason. <S> It's not code reviews like this. <S> It's something. <S> What? <S> "Most newly promoted people struggle to let go of their old activities. <S> Don't feel bad. <S> Just let it go and focus on this new role. <S> "I know an experienced architect, named __. <S> I'd be happy to introduce you. <S> He told me he got a ton of value when he was new, by talking with more experienced folks. <S> I know he'd love to give back." <S> (Okay, don't say this if you don't know __. <S> ;-) <S> You may need to do a bit of homework.) <S> In sum, he sounds like he's struggling to find the best way to fill his new role. <A> Can you just reply with an email. <S> Hi [Architect] Thanks for your feedback. <S> FYI this work is still in progress and so it's not fit for review just yet. <S> We will let you know when it's complete <S> Thanks, programmer and leave it at that?
| Reviewing work in progress, unless requested by the person doing that work, is a waste of everyones time. Sounds like the architect has way too much time on his hands. Give him compassion and help him (appropriately). Get clear on what you can uniquely do for us in your new role.
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My boss is a Muslim American. Should I say anything in light of the US Election? I work at a software company and my boss is a Muslim American. I have never spoken to him about his religion or politics during our one-on-one conversations, but would like to express some form of support for him and his family in light of what the current US president-elect has said regarding his religion and Muslim Americans. Is it appropriate to say anything at all, given that I know very little about his personal life outside of work? Is there a right way to approach a situation like this, and if so, what would be a professional thing to say? <Q> It's bad practice to mix politics or religion with work, unless you're in one of those industries. <S> So your best option is not to do anything. <S> You're not responsible for what a politician says. <S> They're barely held responsible for it themselves most of the time. <A> The election result, especially as it pertains to being Muslim, is beyond exceptional. <S> But you might also observe that in exceptional circumstances, people often express support and gratitude for each other widely and openly. <S> "Hey, I just want to let you know I've appreciated how good of a boss you've been to me." <S> This will say quite a lot. <S> Look, business culture sometimes permits the exercise of personal judgment and sometimes political events are devastating to entire cities or communities. <S> But, if you really want to engage in some straight talk, here it is. <S> I know some people are still treating themselves to the fantasy that there was nothing extremely racist or Islamophobic in Trump's election, but the OP's boss probably got the point that he is not welcome here to the president-elect or the president-elect's constituency. <S> The racial slurs being hurled at Muslims across the country might make the point. <S> This isn't a matter of personal responsibility crossing politics: <S> This is a matter of sending a message to the Muslim who happens to work in your office building that he is safe here. <S> I don't know why a boss-worker relationship would ever take precedent over that. <S> Because apparently that's a question they have to worry about now. <A> Since you mention that you know very little about his personal life, that means you do not have an interpersonal relationship with your boss, where you discuss highly sensitive issues. <S> Personally, I would try to establish a relationship with him (without seeming like you're pandering to him) and not bring it up while remembering, a boss-employee relationship is different from personal friends relationship. <S> And don't assume <S> , he's terribly distraught over the election results. <A> Don't say anything unless this guy begins to suffer some form of discrimination. <S> The election doesn't change anything - maintain your pre-existing professional duty to contribute to a fair, non discriminating work environment. <S> If this guy does begin to suffer mistreatment you will need to deal with it in the usual professional manner. <A> It's good to talk about any topic regardless of its sensitive nature, it's all about having an understanding what is pretty much nonexistent in this day and age. <S> If your boss regardless of his background is a decent respectable person he would most likely appreciate your concerns and a sensible discussion would take place, regardless of the topic. <A> Short answer: <S> No, don't say anything. <S> Long answer: <S> You say you'd like to "express some form of support for him and his family in light of what the current US president-elect has said regarding his religion and Muslim Americans," which is all well and good in theory, but has a number of drawbacks in real life. <S> The biggest is that it could easily sound like you think he's afraid, which would be condescending and insulting, unless he's said something to this effect himself. <S> In general, your boss does not look to you for political and emotional support. <S> It's a nice idea, but it just doesn't work in the context of a boss-employee relationship, especially one where you "know very little about his personal life. <S> " It's also possible (though less likely) that he would get miffed because he in fact supports Trump himself. <S> It's good that you want to support your boss, though, and there are ways to do that. <S> Socially/personally, you should intervene if you witness anti-Muslim harassment against him or anyone else. <S> Remember, you can Distract or Delegate as well as intervening Directly! <S> Politically, support the myriad institutions and organizations that would fiercely oppose any attempt to round up or register Muslims, like the Becket Fund.
| The usual culture would be to stay as mum as possible about anything politics related at work and especially with your boss. Under no circumstances should one feel like they can't ask questions as long as they are not offending anyone.
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Asked about desired salary range again after I significantly underbid I applied to a job, and when asked about a desired salary range I said 35-43 per hour without really doing my research. I looked again and realized that the job is listed at 75-85 hourly and to be honest, 40 per hour would be great. They emailed me back and asked again about my salary range. Should I change it to 75, move it to 60, or just keep it at 35-43 per hour? <Q> Possibly, if you asked for 40 for a job listed 80, you may be a wrong fit for the job or underestimating the challenge it represents. <S> If that's the case, there's still a possibility that another offer will fit your more in the same company. <S> Be more cautious with such offers in the future, but in this case I believe your best move is to keep your offered range. <S> Maybe they'll give you more, maybe you can even ask for a raise after a little while. <S> Don't change your offer. <A> If you significantly change your offer, this will raise a lot of questions. <S> You should discuss it during the interview process in face-to-face. <S> It is very likely that the interviewer will ask you this question again, since you have asked for only half of the "normal" salary. <S> Start asking yourself the following question: <S> Am <S> I prepared to take this job for 40 hourly ? <S> Your answer seems to be yes. <S> Then, anything above that is pure bonus compared to your needs and expectations. <S> Even if the average internet answer is 80, you would be happy with 45. <S> Additionally, this job might be an excellent start for your career, and you might get it because of your low salary pretentions. <S> Go for it with your current range, stay coherent, and aim for the high part of your range (43) rather than the low part (35) if you have the option of discussing this with the recruiter. <S> On a side note, a very important question you should ask yourself is : why is this so highly paid ? <S> Are you sure you have the qualifications for the job ? <S> Is there no hidden negative, for instance night-hours or heavy stress ? <A> You've asked for roughly 47%-50% of what you say the job is listed at, making the assumption that it's a correct range, let's assume it is until you prove it to be otherwise. <S> This would raise a red flag to me if I were a recruiter. <S> Someone who asks for way less than what's considered normal sounds like someone who thinks very little of himself or is either completely out of sync with current market values. <S> If you're certain you got the skills for the jobs <S> then there's no reason to settle for less than the other ranges you've found. <S> If you don't have the skills you should consider going lower, but definitely not take a 50% cut. <S> Take the lower part of the range if you're not confident enough to ask for the upper part but stay close to it if you think you fulfill the job requirements. <S> [...] I've come to realize that the range I asked for before is not in sync with today's market salary <S> thus I'd like to ask for a salary in the range of X-Y. <S> I believe my skills for the job match this requirement. <S> If they want you, they'll always make a counter offer anyway. <S> I know people who have asked for a way higher number than what's considered "normal" for their level of experience <S> and if that's the case they are simply told that it's abnormally high, and they'll tell you what is considered normal and will make you an offer in that range, if they truly want you. <S> It's hard to give you a number, since I don't know how fit you think you are for the job. <S> If you know you fulfill all the requirements I'd ask for the range you found. <S> If you think you're slightly lacking I'd not go lower than 65 as the lowest part of your range. <S> Maybe they counter at 55 or 45, or even 40, which you say you'd love. <S> This way you'll in one way or another, through this company or another, receive a higher salary if you stick to market values, and the company that hires you will feel like they've made a better recruit by not picking up someone who does not truly believe that they are fit for the job. <S> Good luck.
| I would not change my offer before meeting with the recruiter. Although I understand your wanting a higher hourly rate, changing your salary range from 40 to 75 would raise red flags, so I'd advise you not to change it as it might be seen as scam from your part. Asking for a higher number is a hint of confidence and ambition.
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Job interview of which I have almost no knowledge The company searched me through an online job board. On looking up the posting I realized that I just have knowledge about 1 skill (C++) while all the other stuff is something I don't have much knowledge or experience about.How would someone tackle an interview in this scenario? The other skills are some high level machine learning skills and I do have basic knowledge about it. Just that it's not as deep as they mentioned on the job posting. <Q> If they found you, and you didn't lie on your resume, then they might not actually be interested in ALL of those skills listed, just the ones that you have. <S> It can be very challenging to create a job listing, and sometimes the hiring managers and recruiters get carried away with their 'wishlist'. <S> Then when they are looking at their candidate pool, they start to focus on the things that really matter. <S> For the right person, they can rewrite the job posting, or even make a new position available. <S> It's almost always a good idea to take an offered interview, even if you don't think you will be a good fit. <A> Answer questions as best you can, and above all else: be honest about what you do and do not know, and with how well you know what you do know. <S> Maybe the other stuff isn't as big as they're making it out to be, maybe it is. <S> Could your lack of skill/ability in some of those areas cost you the job? <S> Absolutely, but in the end is that really a bad thing? <S> If you're not a good fit, you're not a good fit, so don't take it super personally if you're told now. <S> Now, if these are skills you probably should have, then you should work on those skills in your own time to level up and do better next time, whether it's with this company or another. <S> Besides, maybe you're not a fit for that position, but they like you for something else and offer you that instead, or contact you about another position later. <S> If they're the ones who contacted you and are pulling you in, they clearly felt there was something on your resume that warranted taking time out of their schedule to interview you. <A> Machine learning is in demand right now <S> so it is harder for them to find all the qualifications.
| If you're nervous about it, you can reach out to the recruiter who organized the interview and ask which of your skills is most interesting and/or a priority to the hiring manager. Just answer the questions honestly.
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How do you handle a task that is not really meant for your position? Okay, so I work as a Tech Support for my company doing usual support stuff for end users. My boss and I were actually close since I worked as an intern here before and later got absorbed. He knows that I know how to code and develop web sites (asp). He started giving me programming task ranging from small scale ones like reporting, etc. For the past couple months later, he's now giving me full scale projects like an hris and ware house system, and I get to do it all ALONE. We have a db admin here but he is not proficient in web dev. Thing is, my boss tends to give unreasonable deadlines. He wants me to develop a warehouse system in just one month while doing my support jobs. I've developed reporting sites for him but now I think I'm burning out. He rarely talks to me and sets meetings regarding the system without inviting me. If there is one where I'm involved, it's usually time to present the system. No ifs and buts. I'm really anxious and frustrated right now, can he pin me down if I don't deliver the programming task he has given me? Am I required to finish the task even if it is not actually what my work entails? I want to get out but I need to complete the 2016 calendar and of course, money since this is my first job. Is there a way to get myself out of this programming side? I get no raise and see my co tech supports playing video games all day while I spend sleepless nights for a task that I am not supposed to do. I mean, I know these tasks add up to my career experience, but when can you say that enough is enough? EDIT: Thanks for the helpful replies! So I actually pulled an all nighter alone in the office yesterday and I've finally decided to leave the company on January. I'll just wait for 2016 to end so I can receive my 13th month / bonus then I'll blast out of here. Thanks WorkPlace community! <Q> Someone I once knew had a great way of dealing with this. <S> Whenever asked to perform additional duties, he'd say "Great, what should I put on hold?" and that usually led to either the matter being dropped, or actually redoing his schedule. <S> When he sees how buried you are, he will likely help you. <A> The bad news is that you are working under unreasonable conditions right now. <S> Not necessarily with malicious intent from your boss, but as long as you don't establish reasonable boundaries, he asks for more. <S> The negotiation style of your boss might be OK when he deals with employees who perform grunt work but is inadequate with regard to the degree of autonomy and responsibility that comes with your new projects. <S> The good news is that you are in a very good position to negotiate better conditions. <S> You just need to get more assertive. <S> In a first job, it can be acceptable and even very good to take on responsibilities above the official job description. <S> He may officially promote you. <S> Even if not, it still allows you to explain to new employers what you actually did and be officially considered for better jobs. <S> (Especially with startups this happens a lot.) <S> I think that faster experience most of the time trumps <S> the fact of being underpaid for the more important work. <S> You should try and concentrate on the new projects instead of the support work. <S> At the very least, you need to force your boss to respect your boundaries. <S> If a deadline is not reasonable, say so. <S> Or tell him that this is possible only if he gets someone else to do your support assignments and let him decide what is more important. <S> Here you could subtly hint that this might even be possible without hiring new people. <S> Whenever he overrules your objections, make sure there is a written trace of this. <A> Before you concern yourself about getting out of the work, take a step back for a second. <S> Obviously, you're qualified to do more complex work than tech support. <S> That's good. <S> But you aren't assertive enough, or it wouldn't have gone this far. <S> The real problem is that when you got asked to do something beyond your job description, you accepted it without demanding more pay. <S> In short -- with all due respect -- you have marked yourself as a "sucker". <S> If you were running a business, you could simply charge more, or have the power to decline the work if a client refused to pay a higher rate. <S> But in this job situation, the boss has the power to fire you for something not even in your job description. <S> And unfortunately, you have created this situation for yourself by being passive and demonstrating that you are okay with being abused. <S> It may prove to to be very, very difficult at this point. <S> I don't get the idea that negotiating with your boss is going to work. <S> You may be able to go to HR or your boss's boss in order to explain your case. <S> If they ignore you, or tell you it's going to take a long time to figure out, or that there's no more money (but expect the same work) <S> you'll probably have no choice but to find a new job. <S> If you're ready for more money and challenging work, take a programming job! <S> (yay!) <S> The NEXT time around, don't volunteer so much if you aren't sure the company is willing to pay for it. <S> If you are asked, "do you know how to do XYZ?" <S> and it's not on your job description, play as if you are dumb unless it's clear that you will be paid what you're worth. <A> I mean, I know these tasks add up to my career experience, but when can you say that enough is enough? <S> This is totally within your control. <S> You can sit down with your boss, and say something like "Boss, I really appreciate your confidence in me, but this isn't what I want to do for work. <S> I'd like to go back to just being a Tech Support guy." <S> If you start to feel that justification is needed, you could talk about feeling burned out, but I wouldn't go there unless it's necessary. <S> And of course if our boss insists that you must do this work, you can always quit. <S> I'm really anxious and frustrated right now <S> , can he pin me down if I don't deliver the programming task he has given me? <S> Am I required to finish the task even if it is not actually what my work entails? <S> In most cases, the answer is Yes. <S> Consult your lawyer if you are asking about the legality of such an arrangement in your specific case.
| You can turn this into a wonderful opportunity to advance instead of being overwhelmed. Communicate with your boss and ask him to prioritize. Unless you are in a union, or in a locale with laws that prohibit this sort of thing, you are required to do the work that is assigned, even if you feel that it doesn't match your specific title.
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Replying to apology email If a customer sent an apology email for his delay response to an email I sent earlier, what is the best way to reply to such email? <Q> I don't waste effort replying to that comment. <S> It's an empty platitude as would be my reply. <S> I focus on the rest of the email that concerns work and reply to that. <S> It's a given that you accept their apology unless you state that you don't. <A> It depends. <S> Some examples depending on the situation: <S> "That's fine, no problem at all". <S> "No problem at all; the item you were waiting for will probably arrive in five days time" if their delivery is delayed. <S> " <S> Thanks for informing us, but we had to make a decision how to proceed without your input and decided to do X. <S> If you don't agree then call IMMEDIATELY. " <S> "It's very unfortunate that you didn't send this email earlier, because without the information that we needed urgently the court case has completed and you lost, and you need to leave your home within the next seven working days or you will be thrown out by bailiffs". <A> This is a broad question because we have no idea of the circumstances involved. <S> So the answer is "It depends". <S> If the late response doesn't affect anything in a negative way, then just replying with "That's ok, no problem. <S> ", is fine. <S> Without knowing the circumstances, it's impossible to give you a clearer answer.
| If there are consequences, then you can lead with "That's ok, I understand", and then go ahead with whatever the next steps are.
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Should I expect Gratitude from my Boss? I do SEO/Website/Email Marketing work at a small company. I do also happen to have limited knowledge of Windows Administration/Tech Support, and fairly good Hardware knowledge. I had half a day on Holiday and when I got back in the company was in a crisis as our whole CRM, Accounts Software, and Order Entering Software was down. Being as the boss had spent half the day trying to fix these problems and had to go out, he asked me to help. I went through each error, co-ordinated with various tech support companies etc and by the end of the had fixed all of the issues, despite this not actually being my role. TL;DR: The Company was unable to function, and management time had been wasted, sales time lost etc, and I got it back up and running. I haven't heard any kind of Gratitude or simple "Thanks for that" from my boss at all, rather just annoyances at the issue and sarcasm, even though he would have been at a far higher expense and time pressure if I hadn't mitigated the problems. Am I wrong to expect some kind of Thanks? <Q> Package it. <S> Write an email with issues and corrective actions you took to get everything back on line. <S> He may think it almost fixed itself. <A> Expecting gratitude is setting oneself up for a lifetime of disappointment, as it may come in ways you never see. <S> The boss may not express gratitude now, but when it comes time for layoffs, and you're still there, or somewhere down the line, he invests more in you or even promotes you, you'll find the gratitude in ways more meaningful than a simple "Thanks" <A> It's always nice to feel appreciated in the form of gratitude such as simple words or rewards. <S> However, you can't get disappointed if you expect nothing. <S> Focus on that, and in the occasional case of it actually happening ("It is natural for people to forget"), you'll really appreciate it. <S> I'm more or less quoting Dale Carnegie's advice on the matter, which I find very relevant: <S> Let's not expect gratitude. <S> Then, if we get some occasionally, it will come as a delightful surprise. <S> If we don't get it, we won't be disturbed. <S> It is natural for people to forget to be grateful; so, if we go around expecting gratitude, we are headed straight for a lot of heartaches. <S> -Dale Carnegie, How to Stop Worrying and Start Living . <A> A good manager will know what sort of positive feedback their employees need. <S> Obviously you and your manager aren't on the same page on your needs in this respect. <S> Your have three options for this: <S> Do nothing and hope that your manager changes without a reason to do so. <S> Adjust your expectations to align with your manager's management style. <S> Request and adjustment to your manager's management style. <S> All of these are difficult. <S> It isn't easy working in an environment you feel is thankless, it isn't easy consciously adjusting your expectations, and the conversation with your boss saying "I would perform better with more active positive re-enforcement" and following up on it is really uncomfortable. <S> If you do go with the third option, do it as a private one-on-one conversation and cite specific examples where you felt you did an exceptional job and didn't get any recognition. <A> I'm not going to label you with the word wrong , as you put it. <S> First, I assume that you know that you can't force your boss or anyone else to do or feel anything. <S> If you modify (downgrade) <S> your value from "he should be grateful" to "it'd be nice if he were grateful, but I understand that he doesn't have to be", then this is more in tune with reality, and it won't sting so much. <S> Try taking those "should" statements out of your vocabulary, because every "should" that you emit implicitly toward someone else says it's okay for others to do the same to you . <S> Best of luck.
| Now - if you hang it out there that your boss SHOULD be grateful (your own internal value), and your boss does not express said gratitude, then you have set yourself up for disappointment - depression, frustration, or anger.
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Does 'Provides equity' mean they are going to pay you? I recently applied for a job that in the Posting said 60,000 - 90,000 (Provides equity). I have Gotten past the first two interviews and am heading for my third this Friday. During the interview process they said multiple times that they were a start up. I'm worried that they aren't going to pay me a salary, just a percentage of what they make, is this true? <Q> "Equity" would mean that you will become owner of a (likely very small) share of the company. <S> So if the company goes bankrupt, that equity is worth nothing. <S> If the company gets sold for a ton of money, it will be a lot. <S> Your salary may be (likely will be) a bit less than you could get elsewhere, but you will be paid a fixed monthly salary. <S> You will not get a percentage of the earnings. <S> Many startup companies are sold before they manage to make money (if someone believes there is the potential to make money). <A> You already kicked two interviews and you're scheduled for a third. <S> Go for the job. <S> If you don't get the job, then the subject of compensation for the job is irrelevant. <S> If you do get the job, your prospective employer will have to put their offer including the compensation aspect in writing. <S> At this point, everything about compensation should be clear to you. <S> They repeatedly said to you that they are a startup. <S> It's probably translation for "we can't afford to give you the salary progression that you might expect". <S> Keep your resume handy and up to date while you're working for them. <S> If you choose to work for them, that is. <S> Reading your post, it's pretty clear to me that they'll pay you 60000-90000 and stock equity which has a 90% chance of turning into scrip given that 90% of startups fail. <S> Whether you can afford to live on 60000-90000 is for you to determine. <A> Equity is typically in the form of stock options. <S> When they go public you can exercise your options at a set price that is hopefully lower than the public price. <S> Outright equity is not always a good thing <S> and then you would have part of the debt if they are in debt. <S> Check with the company. <S> A salary and stock options is pretty common with a startup. <S> And you need to be careful as they could award you 20,000 stock options at $x and end up awarding too many that they do a reverse split and your 20,000 options become 2,000. <S> Stock options are also a tax advantage to the company. <A> Did they ever say that statement about being a startup in relation to salary. <S> Because there might be plenty of reasons for people there to mention it. <S> Most commonly it's mentioned to prepare you for the hectic state the company is in while trying to find a form of survival. <S> Eventually you will receive an actual contract proposal that will explain your and also their responsibilities. <S> This should make your salary obvious and you are always free to decline it when it does not feel right. <A> Usually, postings like this - if they're mentioning equity that soon - mean they're paying less than market rates, and want to entice you with the idea of the option of being a part-owner. <S> The stock options game has been done to death with startups - it's high risk, and because it's only options, you have no say <S> so if the company leadership torpedoes any chance of those options ever paying out.
| You will get a salary, and the equity will be on top of that.
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Is it a good thing to work in different fields throughout my career? I'm a computer engineer (as academic background) and I've almost never done the same things twice (I've got some experiences, but I'm not an "old" engineer). I've been looking for new opportunities, and I was wondering how much should I stick with my current experience. The general thing that actually characterize my profile I think is that I always worked in R & D, but never for the same thing. I've worked on cryptography, machine learning... but also graphics, physics and most recently hardware optimization (which is my longest experience, and also my first industrial experience). I have many many interests in engineering (for example I'd like to work in computational fluid dynamics and related algorithms). I don't have a PhD, but I enjoy research. But let's say you're an employer and I introduce myself in the way I just did (with such passion for many different things because I like the idea of gathering different experiences since it makes you develop a very flexible mind) how would you evaluate me? Would you think I can be a very good resource? If not should I instead try to get more and more specialized on one specific thing? I mean I have some specific skills (technical skills) in which I'm particularly good at, but in terms of ... let's say theoretical background is it a problem for an employer to hire me? Because I'm trying to understand what usually an employer look for (we are talking about R & D positions). More info: My relevent working experience covers 5 1/2 years.I have never quit a job, and have held numerous positions. I worked for my university for the first year where I worked on two different projects. The second job I worked in a start-up focusing on medical imaging, then I moved to an industry for an R&D position in a computer graphics company. I mostly work on numerical algorithms and how these affect hardware designs at a high level. <Q> That's fundamentally what R&D is. <S> What you have to avoid is giving the impression that nothing is ever good enough for you, or that you get bored easily, or that you're picky about your work environment. <S> If you only spend a few months on one subject before you get (from the perspective of the employer) burned out, bored, or stumped, then you're not an appealing candidate. <S> (following your edit) <S> Three jobs in six years is not unusual, and should not be an obstacle. <A> Broad experience at lower levels is fine, even desirable. <S> For specialist positions though, experience in the speciality is more important. <S> So the higher up the ladder you want to be, the more you should stick to one field. <S> All else being equal an employer will take the guy/lady with the most 'relevant' experience. <A> It also depends on the employer. <S> If we are talking about multi nationals, you want to specialise more for the future. <S> Even if they operate in different fields, they can hire so many employees that they will want to have specialised experts in each one. <S> If you combine two fields of expertise that are used together in companies but rarely mastered by the same person, it can still be great for you though. <S> You can be the interface that makes the two teams of experts understand each other. <S> Even if you take that role on only informally at the beginning, this can land you into leadership- rather than expert roles. <S> You wouldn't need to worry that the experts still know their own field better than you. <S> Up to you to decide if you find this desirable. <S> Smaller companies or startups that operate in dynamic environments cannot hire a separate expert for everything. <S> They will hire a few experts for what they perceive to be the core business but they also love allrounders. <S> These types of opportunities come of course with other risks and benefits than the corporate jobs.
| The thing that you have that an R&D employer would value most is that you're willing and eager to learn new things.
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How to respond to third party requests for company information I mean this in general terms but as an example today I got a request from a clients ISP asking them to fill in a survey detailing their server backup processes and software and their server antivirus information. To which I replied: "Sorry, it's a secured network, any information concerning the servers, company protocols, procedures and security measures are not for random distribution. Please don't ask again.Have a good day." There was a couple of other emails, but nothing with a better reason than "survey, so we can focus on our staff training to provide better services" and currently I'm just ignoring them. I am authorised to liaise with third parties on any IT related matters, although I am not an employee. Is there a better way to handle these sorts of requests? <Q> You handled it fine. <S> If you choose not to fill out the survey, somebody else will and your client's ISP is still going to be happy. <S> Your language is direct, but so is mine. <S> You drove across the point that you are not cooperating - when the answer is "no", it's best that the "no" comes as unambiguous as possible. <S> Our subordinates may have a different communications style - that's fine as long as the style works for them <S> and they get our point across. <A> In the general case, if it's from someone sketchy and/or don't recognize at all, report it as spam to the FTC and/or make use of whatever mechanisms exist in your country and block them. <S> If it's from someone you don't care about: It's OK to just ignore the email. <S> If it's from someone you recognize, someone you have or would like to work with and/or someone you want to have a good opinion of you, then a polite email explaining that you can't give out that information is sufficient. <S> In any case, block them if you keep getting messages from them. <S> Someone who responds to, "Please don't ask again. <S> " by making the same request over and over again is either a bot or working for a business that thinks harassing someone via email will get them to change their mind. <S> In this specific case, since they're doing a survey, there's a good chance no one even saw your response. <S> They can just tell that the survey hasn't been filled out <S> and it's automatically sending an email to everyone who didn't do the survey until the survey period ends. <S> I don't think there's a better way of handling this since attempting to get off of whatever list you're on is almost certainly more trouble than it's worth. <A> "Apologies, but I am not in a position to share this information." <S> Or "I am not authorized to share this information, please contact our media/customer support/HR team." <S> Or "I am bound by a non-disclosure agreement with respect to all company data; please contact..." <S> as above. <S> Generally it is good to provide contact to someone who is authorized to speak "officially" in your employer's name so <S> whoever is contacting you is assured that they won't get their hands on certain data.
| A reasonable person working at a reasonable business will respect the fact that you don't want to tell them.
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Audit team members are too trusting I work in IT audit and am mentoring newer members of the team. I have more experience than them by about 1.5 years. My team members are too trusting when evaluating the information we receive and don't exercise enough professional judgement in my opinion. For instance they'll: accept screenshots without dates accepts information from third parties without considering source of information obtains evidence from suboptimal sources - provided via email rather than relying on system generated information. When I previously asked them to be more proactie they did improve in that regard, but what strategies can I use to better improve their skepticism? <Q> Run an Audit on the Audit team. <S> Give them the results, and recommendations. <S> This should be an annual event at minimum. <A> When I previously asked them to be more proactie they did improve in that regard, but what strategies can I use to better improve their skepticism? <S> Just asking someone to "be more proactive" is unlikely to be helpful, unless you follow up with a more detailed explanation and reinforce the message. <S> You could conduct regular training sessions for these new members. <S> We do that regularly for new folks on our teams. <S> Perhaps one of your sessions should be entitled "Improving your skepticism" or "Trust, but Verify" or something like that. <S> Give them specifics about how to be proactive, what to do and not do, etc. <A> A logical first step is to address these issues to your team members directly using practical examples (while avoiding personal attacks). <S> If this has no success, you may have to get creative. <A> When I worked for an audit agency (a gazillion years ago!), we had a QA process that closely examined at the support for audit findings before we published the report. <S> They examined every fact stated in the audit report, checked it back to the source (the auditor had to provide a cross-referenced version of the report that provided the number of the audit work paper that supported the statement) and made sure the source both said what the auditor claimed it said and that it was an acceptable source. <S> Things like this should have been caught by your own processes and sent back to the auditor to fix or remove the finding. <S> Right now, it appears this is being presented as a "nice to have", it needs to be presented as a "must fix" instead. <S> You should have a list of acceptable/not acceptable sources of information that you can provide to them. <S> You should check their work (even if you don't have formal QA process) and send it back when it doesn't meet the professional standards.
| You should make sure they have read any published professional standards and company audit policies and that they (and everyone else) read them at least annually.
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Email to boss asking his availability My English-speaking office does not have fixed office hours or mandatory office days but I want to set up a meeting with my boss so I want to ask when he'll be available in the office over an email. Is the following wording okay? Sir Are you expected in office today? Can I ask it like this or would that be too harsh of a statement? Is the use of 'expected' okay when addressing a senior colleague? <Q> That is one way of phrasing it, depending on your relation with your boss I would adjust it to suit the formality level. <S> But as with many things, this depends on the person and your relation. <S> I would recommend against it unless you know eachother well,. <S> If you are informal with one another, write accordingly. <S> I would in any case phrase it with why you need to know if and when the boss would be in the office. <S> Sir, I need to discuss A, B and C with you today. <S> When is a good time? <S> This focuses on the tasks you need help with or your boss's input, not whether or not the boss will be in the office. <S> If needed you could also add that a direct input onsite is necessary, but only if this is the case of course. <A> I want to meet my boss and want to ask his availability in office over email. <S> Can I ask it as follows <S> "Sir Are you expected in office today?" <S> Can I ask like this or would that be a harsh statement? <S> Is use of 'expected' to a senior person is okey? <S> It might be okay, but phrasing it that way is rather odd. <S> Something more like: "Boss, <S> I'd like to discuss [fill this in with some of what you need to know] with you when you get a chance. <S> Can we set up a time to talk about this when you are in the office next?" <A> I like to tell people "give before you take" as general advice. <S> You want information from your boss (are you coming in) <S> so that is a take. <S> My advice is to start the email by giving information - that you want to meet. <S> Sir <S> I would like to meet with you today about [topic.] <S> [Sentence about why it is or isn't urgent and why it should be today or can wait.] <S> Are you planning to come in? <S> When can we talk? <S> Now your boss can decide to come in specifically to meet you about this, or can offer to discuss it over the phone, or can set up a time tomorrow if the boss wasn't planning to come in today, and so on. <S> Whereas with your bare question, the only options the boss had were "yes" and "no", and you had more information than the boss, which generally makes people uncomfortable.
| Expected could be interpreted as sllightly accusatory depending on how thick-skinned the boss is, some may see it as if you were indicating tardiness. You would be better off with something that details more about why you need to talk with your boss, and why you need to talk about it face-to-face, rather then over the phone or by email.
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2 remote teams working on a software project, architecture disagreement, how to end the 'crusade'? I am seeking for advice on how to deal with the following situation: I am a senior engineer working for a collaborative software project between 2 institutes (not companies, we do not have the same constraints in term of money funding and economical results - maybe it matters). I am the technical lead of my local team, although our roles are not clearly stated in a document or something, it stays informal. We are working with a remote team, in another country. A few months ago we started to disagree on the software architecture, we talked face to face and had a kind of agreement but when our pull requests came in, some were accepted, some not because of the architecture disagreement. Indeed, in order to foster code review we accept their pull requests and they accept ours. So we started to argue and to 'fight', actually I am defending my point of view and a developer from the remote team defends his point of view. I find he is not playing fair because he uses FUD and always mentions my approach to be 'risky', which is exactly what our project owners do not want to hear. We had various Skype meetings, but he's stubborn and doesn't want toreconsider his point of view. I ask myself a lot and I am also convinced I amright... So we started a kind of 'crusade'. Finally we had a tough email exchange - and he talked to his boss, who calledmy boss, and now they are taking the theatrical approach of threatening us into ending our collaboration. My boss here doesn't want to see the project getting forked, he wants to preserve our collaboration. So I don't know what to do ? I will meet the remote team in a few days. I would like to try to overcome our architectural disagreement on the project,speaking with all the developers. I would like to give another chance to my ideas to get into the project because I am sure it offers the best trade-offs. What would be the best way to deal with this situation ? <Q> There is one clear path that you can take to instantly end the crusade: defect. <S> Abandon your vision of the archtecture and start working to make the competing architecture the best it can be. <S> This is where having someone formally in charge comes in really handy. <S> "Perfect is the enemy of good", "A good plan, violently executed now, is better than a perfect plan next week." and all that. <S> That assumes that both "architectures" really work about equally well; if your problems cannot be solved by the other teams proposition (and vice versa), then you probably shoudn't collaborate that closely. <S> Consider making two different projects that solve your different issues and collaborate only on the parts where it is worthwhile. <A> It is now where it belongs, it's your bosses responsibility. <S> You have done your part. <S> It's now up to the boss if he is going to back his people or not, he has a lot of factors to consider, but it's out of your hands. <S> You just need to abide by the decision professionally. <S> Personally if I was your boss <S> But it's not an easy decision for many people. <S> And I'd be unhappy that it escalated to this point before I was brought in to it. <S> As unofficial team lead you have no business getting into prolonged disputes <S> you don't have the authority to manage. <S> So keep that in mind for the future. <A> A 'crusade' is about doing something out of belief. <S> Having different opinions is best built on facts and cause-effect relations. <S> If yours is having a clear process, well rounded picture, it is expected from the other one also, and so it will be comparable on same terms. <S> If the other denies to show proof of concept, it is a good mark that he is just making it up. <S> If the topic is really architecture related, it must have a real reason and be measurable, so you can call for this any time he states something being 'risky', and you consider it to be false assumption. <S> Considering Kilisi's answer about turning to next level in management for decision is formally correct, on the other hand I would first make sure the expected decision maker is not in special favor for the other team, which would pose as a clear call if they want to do something incorrect. <S> It is better to look for someone, who is confirmed to be technically competent in the area of your software product, and either has authority to make decision above both groups, and/or have the credibility to count his response as good as a consultant.
| There is value in having debates and trying to find the optimal solution, but sometimes it is better to just make any decision and run with it. I'd back my team and call their bluff, and if that meant losing a contract then so be it.
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Is it ethical to ask your employer for airline ticket fare if you're not travelling in your vacation? I have an ethical question that's been bugging me recently. I've graduated and been working since last year; so, I'd appreciate some insight on it. I posted this question originally in philosophy SE, but it was suggested I move it here which seems more reasonable. I'm wondering if it's ethical to ask the company for the flight fare even if I'm not going to travel during the vacation. The ticket fare is provided as part of the employment package and I asked for it before traveling for my first annual leave. However, this year, I don't think I'll travel and as I was planning for that recently, it crossed my mind if I'm ethically allowed to do that. One problematic aspect of asking for the fare is that the company will be asking me when I will be traveling so they check the ticket costs and issue me the check. At that point, I'll have to lie if I'm not traveling. The other part is whether or not I should ask for it since the company has dedicated that budget to me, but for a special circumstance that I won't be dealing with. In that sense, am I entitled to ask for the fare or is there something that I'm missing in this equation? <Q> The ticket fare is provided as part of the employment package <S> and I asked for it before traveling for my first annual leave. <S> However, this year, I don't think I'll travel and as I was planning for that <S> recently, it crossed my mind if I'm ethically allowed to do that. <S> Most companies have clear policies on benefits and travel reimbursement. <S> In that regard this isn't an ethical issue, but is rather a policy issue. <S> Some companies provide benefits as an offering that must be used to gain the benefit. <S> For example, some companies offer sick pay for up to 5 days, but don't compensate those who don't get sick. <S> Other companies offer dollar amounts that can be spent on a cafeteria plan of benefits in whatever distribution suits the need of the individual employee. <S> If you are permitted an airfare allowance <S> then you may get the cash even if you don't travel. <S> But it you are permitted an airfare reimbursement , you probably won't. <S> In your case, just ask your boss (or HR) if you are permitted to take this benefit as cash, rather than actually travel reimbursement. <S> My guess is that the answer will be "No", but it's not unethical to ask. <S> At that point, I'll have to lie if I'm not traveling. <S> I'm guessing that you already know that it would be unethical to lie about it. <S> If you decide to ask for the cash, at least be honest. <S> In that sense, am I entitled to ask for the fare or is there something <S> that I'm missing in this equation? <S> You are entitled to ask for anything. <S> You may not be entitled to get it. <S> The part you are missing is that you think you "have to lie". <S> No, you don't. <A> In terms of ethics, no. <S> You want something that you won't use for it's intended purpose. <S> You can rationalise all around this as much as you want, but that's what it boils down to. <S> Whether or not you are entitled to it is another matter that you should take up with the company. <S> Quite possibly there is a floating amount in the budget for fares that you may be able to get some of even though you're not flying. <A> What you need to do is talk to HR and find out what they think about the situation. <S> The positive possibility: When you signed your contract, the company agreed to pay you the price of the cheapest return ticket to your home country once a year. <S> They are not paying more if your flight is more expensive, and they pay if you don't go. <S> In that case its ethical, legal and fine in every way to take the money. <S> The negative possibility: When you signed your contract, the company agreed to refund the cost of your (actual) return flight to your home country once a year. <S> If you don't fly, they don't pay. <S> If you ask for the money without flying, that would be fraudulent, with possibly very expensive consequences. <S> That's why you have to talk to HR, to find out which one it is. <S> And they should know that you are not flying, or you put yourself at an extreme risk. <A> False statement could lead to termination of your job or at best you will lose your trust. <S> The question is why is your company giving you refund for flights. <S> My company will refund glasses and I have also heard about refunding bicycles. <S> It serves some legitimate purpose. <S> Moreover, employees can propose their own rules. <S> If you think that current policy of refunding flight fare doesn't make sense ask about it but do not cheat. <A> Only if you are above board and get it "in lieu of" the ticket and the company knows about it. <S> Otherwise it's fraud and/or theft by deception. <S> Very illegal and very unethical. <S> Discuss this with your manager, explain that you are not traveling, and ask if you can receive some other compensation, if you must. <S> I would advise against trying to get any additional money from the company, however, as they may see it in a very dim light. <S> Be very careful and certainly do not take money for something you will not buy.
| I think it is both unethical and certainly illegal. One problematic aspect of asking for the fare is that the company will be asking me when I will be traveling so they check the ticket costs and issue me the check.
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Should referrers be included on cover letters? I have been referred to a job by several former associates at a company I applying for. Their online application has a spot for a referrer, but I wonder if including their names on the cover letter would add to my application. The upside is whoever is skimming my cover letter will see I have a solid reputation and may consider digging deeper into my application, but the downside is it might be seen as "name dropping" and trying to get in based on people I know. Is it appropriate to mention that I am being referred by current employees on a cover letter? <Q> Absolutely! <S> This is no different than listing relevant skills that are related to the position. <S> If employees already on the "inside" can increase your chances of getting the job, why not? <S> Do this ONLY with referrers who can vouch for your business experience. <A> I would recommend against it. <S> Based on your post, it sounds like these associates are no longer at the company you are applying to. <S> An HR person who is reviewing your cover letter may not even recognize the names or be able to find them in the current email directory. <S> I would use the fact you are being referred as the cherry on top and instead focus on making the case of why you are a good fit through your actual skills, abilities, accomplishments, and job history. <S> Those are the things that will ensure you are taken seriously during consideration for the role. <S> Your application will already get a check in the box that indicates its a (internal?) referral. <S> The referral can be used as a good talking point during the interview. <S> " <S> Joe, Mike, and Dave actually recommended I apply for this position. <S> I have heard them mention several times how great the company is, how much fun everyone is, etc. <S> etc". <A> No - a cover letter is not the right place for referee details. <S> The cover letter should be two or three paragraphs where you introduce yourself and state what you are applying for; write a bit about your current position and previous experience which is relevant to the role (don't just list a bunch of technology/acronyms); and say what it is you are looking for in a job (again, relevant to the job posting). <S> Referees go at the end of a CV (or wherever the online application is asking you to provide them), or are sent after initial screening if you don't want to provide them up front.
| Don't do this if you've been referred by Grandma or Uncle Skip.
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At age 25, is it still okay to wear dental braces to work? I had braces as a young teen but I bent my retainers when we went on vacation one year. I had the old fashioned retainers that were pink and plastic with a metal bar connected to it. I am now 25, and I would like to get some of these 'invisible' plastic (see-through) braces to fix my crooked bottom teeth. Is this a good idea for the workplace? <Q> It's something you need to use to fix a problem. <S> Just as there is nothing wrong with wearing a cast if you have a broken leg. <S> Lots of people wear eyeglasses, hearing aids etc. <S> Best not to wear psychedelic pink and green ones, so just use common sense. <A> If you are, for example, an important businessman or an air control tower operator, I'd first check if the kind of braces you want to wear don't modify how you speak, and that you're still able to be understood clearly by everyone. <S> Also, some jobs are less forgiving than others. <S> In the case of a very prestigious position, even a small imperfection on how you look might be important. <S> In the end, it all boils down on what your job is, but for the great majority of cases there shouldn't be any problem at all. <A> Short answer : <S> Don't sweat it. <S> I've worn braces (not the transparent ones, the metallic ones) on both upper and lower teeth from 11 to 15 (in school) and then again from 21 to 24 (at work), during which time I had to undergo serious jawbone surgery which kept me away from work for a month. <S> I've been teased a lot by classmates when I was young (you know how cruel kids can be), even bullied sometimes, but the second time around, my coworkers were more than understanding and sympathetic. <S> As people get older, they understand you don't wear braces to make yourself interesting or just for the sake of it, but that you have a genuine teeth issue. <S> You might be seen as "the dude with braces" for a few weeks, especially if you're new at this job, but that will fade away pretty quickly. <S> The only thing you're gonna have to worry about is how braces may affect you physically. <S> It's a long and painful road of teeth-hurting, inner-lip-scratching and gum-bleeding, and it will without doubt leave you with a severe hatred for dentists. <S> But in the end, when you finally take them off, my God, what a relief it is ! <S> And I've never been happier now that my crooked teeth are fixed, I learned to smile and if I had to do it all over again, I would. <A> I am 46 <S> and I wear braces to work. <S> No one seems to care. <S> I tried retainer couple of years ago, but I didn't wore it enough during the day to make a difference. <A> First of all, it is absolutely fine to wear braces to work. <S> You might want to get a set that aren't overtly garish, but that's more a matter of personal fashion and should not have any impact on your work experience. <S> How you go about handling this is similar to any type of harassment you might receive at the workplace for unfair treatment - ask them to stop first, and if they still persist, take it up with your supervisor. <S> If your supervisor won't act upon it, take it up with your HR department. <S> Hopefully this won't happen, and I don't anticipate it happening because most people in a workforce have some sense of decorum. <S> But if it does, you have an avenue for dealing with it in a reasonable manner. <A> I am now 25, and I would like to get some of these 'invisible' plastic (see-through) braces to fix my crooked bottom teeth. <S> Is this a good idea for the workplace? <S> If you need 'em, wear 'em - that's my philosophy. <S> Seriously, if you want to straighten your teeth, these sorts of plastic braces are a terrific way for adults to do so. <S> They take a bit of getting used to, and you may sound a bit funny when you first start talking with them. <S> That improves over time. <S> And if after trying you decide that they are, you can easily avoid wearing them during work (at the expense of a significantly longer period of time to correct your bite). <S> My wife is a Dental Professional. <S> She sees adults who wear these appliances all the time. <S> She tells me that her patients are pretty much unanimous in liking them. <A> Got a coworker with in her 50's using braces. <S> There's no literal age to take care of yourself. <S> Workwise, it won't make a single difference. <A> I would like to get some of these 'invisible' plastic (see-through) braces <S> I suppose you mean "Invisalign" or similar. <S> My wife has been wearing those for the last 3 years -- and she's 40. <S> So yes , also at 25 it's definitely acceptable. <S> Besides, I agree with Kilisi.
| There is nothing wrong with wearing braces or anything else of that kind. Now, that being said, there is a possibility that people might tease or mock you for your braces anyway - while they shouldn't be doing this in a professional environment, there is still the possibility you'll be working with someone less than professional. But I seriously doubt that they would be problematic at work. Wearing something for health related purposes is perfectly normal and, as @Kilisi already said, people do it all the time. You should only be concerned if you are in a position that involves speaking as a key point.
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Can I list one day of volunteer work as "Month - Year" on my resume? I am looking for volunteering experience that I can highlight on my resume or LinkedIn for an IT help-desk job, but mostly I find ones for a specific day, such as "Volunteers required for Garden Cleaning on this day". Is it a good idea to mention the date of that one day volunteering for a whole month like "Nov-2016", although it was actually only one day? <Q> If your date of volunteering was given as Nov-2016 then I would assume that you volunteered for the whole month. <S> If I found out that you actually volunteered for one day only, I would assume that you were intentionally misleading me, that you were totally dishonest, and that you couldn't be trusted. <S> That would greatly reduce your chances of being hired. <S> If you were hired, and part of the reason for taking you and not someone else was the volunteering, then your job would be in extreme danger if this was found out. <S> You'd be better off not mentioning the volunteering at all. <S> And seriously, if I read "volunteering for one day <S> " I would have questions about your state of mind. <A> Specifying that you volunteered for one event on one day that has no real connection to your job does not really add much to your resume. <S> Even worse, as mentioned in the other answers, lying about the duration or making it unclear would be a very bad move. <S> However, if there were multiple one day events similar to this that you participated, you can mention something like "volunteered in multiple events of my community, such as ...", which makes it clear that there were short events, but also suggests your implication in the community. <A> Can I list one day of volunteer work as “Month-Year”? <S> Well no. <S> Not at all. <S> What you're suggesting isn't just simplifying your resume or cherry-picking what experience to list. <S> You're talking about substantially inflating your experience, i.e. lying on your resume . <S> If you were volunteering somewhere for a week you'd either list it as "January - Year // <S> Taught week-long training course for children" or, less commonly, "W3 - Year // <S> Taught children's training course". <S> There is some wiggle room when it comes to rounding off months <S> but that's only when the interval involved is long ehough. <S> So if you officially started on the 31st of July in 2012 it's fine to list "July 2012 - March 2015" on your resume. <S> But doing that if you left after less than a year or two would come across as misrepresenting your experience. <S> Lying on your resume is such an immense breach of trust that if it was discovered in the interview process you'd be immediately dropped from consideration. <S> If it was found out after you started the job you'd risk being fired for cause in many companies but even in companies that don't immediately go that far it would be a giant black mark on your record and reputation. <S> The only time where this wouldn't have such a dramatic impact was if it was just an honest mistake or a typo, but that would typically be discovered in an interview. <S> If you actually lied about it during an interview, you'll suddenly have plenty of time to write a new resume. <A> Why indicate the date? <S> You could simply indicate the action you took voluntier avoiding that issue. <A> Is it a good idea to mention the date of that one day volunteering for a whole month like "Nov-2016", although it was actually only one day? <S> Normally, you'd list your volunteer work under a heading of "Volunteer Work" or such. <S> Just list the activities with no dates attached. <S> The duration of some will be self-evident <S> Participated in Town Green-up <S> Day Marched in the Annual March for Autism <S> Others will just be non-specific Chaired the Scholarship Committee President of the Youth Services Society <S> You seem to be intending to deceive the reader into thinking your single-day volunteer work was actually more than that. <S> You would be embarrassed if you are asked about it and only then have to admit it was only a day. <S> Better not to put yourself in that position.
| There's absolutely no need to mention any dates in volunteer activities. Unless specified, listing anything on your resume as "Month - Year" will imply that you spent the majority of that month doing something.
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Making changes without stepping on manager's toes Situation I work in an SME with approximately fifty employees over three sites. When I joined, my presence increased the size of my department to three. We have always worked well together, but the team has grown to nine over the last year and we expect to grow to twelve by January. Everyone has distinct roles with a small amount of overlap, however the growth has resulted in an unclear management structure and communication is often a problem. I am not a manager in my current role but I do have some management experience from previous jobs. The senior staff have a lot of respect for me and I am known for quality of work, clear thinking and confidence. Question I'm keen to encourage clarity of roles both above and below me and improve communication and efficiency, without ruining a very easy going and light hearted environment. A number of the team have gone into roles they have no experience in purely because the needs of the business have evolved. There is definitely a skills gap which is being addressed but, in my opinion, too slowly. My manager has asked the team to have a weekly meeting to discuss our goals for the following week, and we have to take turns chairing the meeting. However most of the team struggle for the confidence to do that. We have had three of these meetings now and they have been almost identical to each other, with just one person talking and not holding their audience. Most of the team see me as a senior member of the department, respect me and will listen to my instructions. But I need to remember I'm not a manager and I don't want to overstep my bounds. What can I do to help the department move forward with our communication and training problem without stepping on my manager's toes? I'd rather not hear "it's not your problem, just do your job". I'm far too proactive to sit back and let a company I love working for waste a fantastic opportunity to grow. Getting the best from everyone is something I'm passionate about, while of course maintaining the quality of my own work. <Q> You have multiple problems. <S> To review your situation: Growth has caused people to take on roles they're not good at. <S> Growth has increased the need for better coordination and communication. <S> Manager is trying to use a weekly meeting to achieve "communication saturation" (everyone knows what everyone knows) but it's failing, because Staff have been given yet another new role, to chair meetings, at which they apparently suck, since they have zero training in this new chair-a-meeting role. <S> Even the staff who aren't chairing, suck at participating, therefore Information Saturation is not being achieved, and <S> You're frustrated, the team is frustrated, and you're all STILL experiencing the symptoms of poor coordination and communication. <S> In your shoes, I would: Verify that the purpose of these meetings is to achieve communication saturation Assess whether my teammates are competent to engage in group problem solving -- if so, tackle it as a group; if not, meet 1:1 with the manager Move as much of the coordination and communication work OUT of the meeting and into other mechanisms like a shared kanban board (nobody has to ask about task status because status is visible to all) <S> Persuade your manager to only give people tasks (like chairing meetings) that they have some competence and training to do well, and prioritize that training. <S> For more on Communication Saturation, see the class slide here . <S> For more on learning to chair meetings, well, join Toastmasters . <S> Shared kanban board example: <A> Float the idea of becoming a tech/team lead to your manager. <S> This means that you're "first among equals" among your peers and have the (limited) authority that comes with this, but continue to report to your manager and he keeps handling the people management side of things (salaries etc). <S> A good manager will welcome this, as it will lift some burden off his shoulders and elevate his own position as well (he now leads a team, not just a bunch of people!). <S> But it's also the first step on the road to becoming a manager yourself, and a bad manager will take this as a threat. <S> It sounds like you're growing fast, so it should not be a zero-sum game <S> , you're better positioned than we are to judge how he'll take it. <A> Coordinate every thing you do with your manager. <S> Altrnatively, coordinate closely with your manager. <S> There should be nothing that you do at the meetings including taking authority, authoring initiatives and driving discussions that should be a surprise to your manager. <S> Use your manager as a sounding board. <S> Solicit your manager's input and feedback and pick their brains whenever you get a chance. <S> Be careful to stay within any authority that your manager delegates to you. <S> Be careful to speak positively of your manager in front of staff and other management. <S> Respect your manager's prerogatives and show respect to your manager's prerogatives, especially when you are in disagreement with your manager, and you are expressing that disagreement. <S> Don't put your manager on the spot if you can avoid it. <S> Be straightforward with your manager about any disagreements with them. <S> He may know that you don't agree with them 100%, but they have to trust you 100%. <S> Of course, your manager must be on board with your goals for the firm. <S> And if you manager gets the (correct) impression that good things happen when you are around, that's even better :)
| Give your manager the (correct) impression that you seek to work with them to achieve your goals for the firm.
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Is it appropriate to ask the interviewer for feedback on my interview performance? I have been giving a lot of interviews and have not been able to perform well. Could I ask the next interviewer for feedback on my performance, such as things I need to improve on? If yes, what would be the right way to do that? <Q> Ask the following question at the end of the interview: <S> What skills should I focus on to succeed in this role? <S> This doesn't make you sound desperate or lacking confidence, and you might even get a somewhat useful answer. <S> Don't lose heart at being rejected in an interview. <S> It just means the interviewer considers you not fit for that job, not necessarily that you are lacking anything. <A> Yes, you can ask, as a final question. <S> It is pretty common that a recruiter asks at the end : "Do you have any question for me ?". <S> Kindly ask him whether he would agree to give you a feedback, at the end of this round of the interview processes. <S> Explain to him that, as an individual motivated by self-improvement, any kind of feedback is precious to you. <S> Do not press him to get the feedback right now, just say you would be happy to have it at some point. <A> I have to say that I lucked out when I interviewed with a fellow who turned out to be one of the top five Devops experts in NYC. <S> The technical interview was a complete bust for me <S> but he was touched and impressed that I had the guts to ask him what I needed to know in order to be successful as a Devops. <S> He actually spent more time going over that than in actually interviewing me :) <S> I carry the lessons he taught me that day with me every single day. <S> No, it doesn't hurt to ask. <S> But if you know you busted it, you are best off asking right away rather than ask a few days later, when your interviewer's mind is focused on other viable candidates or on the next stage interviews. <S> Look at this way, the prospective candidates could be part of the firm's future. <S> As far as the interviewer is concerned, your failed candidacy is part of a past that's dead and gone. <S> And your asking a few days later the interviewer what went wrong is like you being a revenant in a bad zombie movie - You wait two weeks before you ask <S> and it's a miracle if the interviewer remembers that you at one time existed :) <S> Frankly, you are better off asking at the interview what it takes to be successful at the position offered in the firm than what you did wrong. <S> Knowing what it takes to be successful in that position will enable you to figure out on you own where you went short anyway. <S> And asking where you went wrong rightly or wrongly creates the impression that lack confidence in your abilities. <S> No matter how badly you screw up, never doubt yourself :) <S> Fix what you need to fix, learn what you need to learn, do what you need to do but never doubt yourself. <S> And when you ask for feedback, be genuine, earnest and sincere about it. <S> Ideally, you'll connect with the interviewer on a personal level and you'll get the feedback you need. <S> In my case, my earnestness and sincerity connected with the Devops expert's passion for what he was doing - The feedback that I got from the Devops expert was priceless.
| Asking the interviewer to take time out of their lives to give you feedback is a proposition with iffy chances of success.
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'Friend' wants my job. I don't want to work with her. Is there a professional way to avoid it? Some 'friend' of mine wants my job. She has high technical expertise and a dreadful personality: others' success is a personal offense, and I suspect she resents me because I got a job she wanted.She became a customer, and I had awful, aggressive communications from her side so far. She has been skipping me to get other colleagues support, trying to build relationships with my colleagues as a customer (a demanding customer). I already told my manager I am uncomfortable with this customer (while working with the team to make sure the customer's company is happy). This person is going so far as giving my contact to others for random jobs. The company is growing, and technically this person might help. My bosses might think 'we need a developer soon, this person already knows our company's technology, good'. However, I think I would be undermined on a daily basis by her, and I don't feel comfortable having her in my same team. The company has a very friendly culture, but my boss might just want to hire somebody quickly. Is there any way I can avoid getting this person hired? <Q> Consider asking your boss if you can be part of the hiring panel when they get another developer. <S> Then you have a say in the final decision. <S> Any hiring panel I have ever been on has taken into consideration how well the person would fit with existing personnel (it is the most important criteria after determining if the person can do the job at all) and if they know the person and don't give a high recommendation to hire, generally we pass. <A> You say she has an awful personality, and is playing political games to get what she wants, and you might suffer from that. <S> I propose you do a bit of that yourself. <S> If you have any "normal" conversations with your boss, mention what an awful customer you have. <S> Obviously you are completely unaware that your boss might be looking for a different employee. <S> Give some examples not of demanding, but of unreasonable behaviour, like complaining about perfectly fine deliveries, creating cost by changing her mind, and so on. <S> Just give an impression that this is a person that nobody in their right mind would want near them, and have a good moan about her. <S> Especially if your company has a very friendly culture, that is something worth a lot, and your boss would think twice to risk that being destroyed, if he or she is aware of the danger. <S> But if you think being objective and stating facts is better, have a look at politics. <A> If you're asked what you think, be objective and state facts. <S> Demonstrate them with evidence where possible. <S> Beyond that, there is nothing you can do to influence the decision which isn't risking backlash from this "friend" or your employer or the law or some combination of them all. <A> You've already communicated to your boss that you aren't comfortable with this person. <S> She's already going around you and has established a relationship with others she is working with for being difficult. <S> Seems to me that you've already done what you need to in planting the seed that she might not be the best person make part of the team. <S> Your company has to deal with her now because she works for a customer, but if she's difficult, probably no one is going to say "wow, she needs to be difficult, here, for us all the time and make that impression upon others as part of our team." <S> The company would consider such a move if, in her dealing with your company, people are highly impressed and like working with her. <S> If someone were floating the idea, generally, and didn't know much about her, they'd ask the people she does deal with regularly how she is. <S> Seems to me, that (A) <S> you're really not in a position to personally stop this, (B) <S> you've already done what you can while still staying professional, and (C) <S> there's no way others are going to be clamoring to bring her on board, in fact, if she has a reputation for being difficult, the opposite recommendation will probably be offered. <S> Hopefully your company doesn't have a penchant for shooting itself in the foot. <S> I'd guess you should be fine, other than getting passive-aggressively harassed by proxy by having every recruiter in the world bothering you.
| I would also have a talk with my boss about how this person seems to be looking to get a developer job at your place of work and why that idea makes you uncomfortable.
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What to do if your boss won't let you go home when you don't feel too well? I work for a popular grocery store in the deli department to be specific. Today I came to work feeling okay until 2 hours into my shift. I started feeling sick. So I waited for my Deli Manager to come in. When she arrived I asked to go home. She told me she doesn't have anyone to come in and cover my shift. I went above her to ask the store director. She said the same thing and had me wait until the next person to come in. I literally suffered in pain and cried. They had me work in the back so that customers wouldn't see me in tears. Once a person came in after 5 hours into my shift, I clocked out and went to a clinic and got diagnosed with an illness. I left work feeling like it didn't matter to anyone how I was feeling. Nobody would listen to reason. What can I do if my boss won't let me go home when I don't feel too well so that I don't create conflict between my employer and myself? <Q> I am assuming you are in a country where being sick is a protected status and you cannot be fired for it. <S> If this is not the case, you need to fight for better labor laws and until then find a better manager. <S> The first mistake you made was asking . <S> You don't ask people, when you don't want them to pick the answer that suits them. <S> Asking is creating the impression that your level of sickness is somehow negotiable. <S> When you are sick, you inform your direct coworkers that you are sick and unfit for work and leaving. <S> Then you pack your stuff. <S> and you are leaving for a doctor right now. <S> Then you go out the door and head straight for a doctor. <S> As soon as you got the sick note from your doctor, communicate this to your manager or HR department the usual way. <A> To answer the headline of the question: In that case, you leave, see a doctor, and if the boss complains you complain as high up as possible about them. <S> While strep throat is deeply unpleasant, and you should have stayed away from others, there are other illnesses like meningitis that could kill you if not treated. <S> I doubt that either your Deli Manager or your store manager is qualified to diagnose what illness you have. <S> And as others noted first, having my food prepared by a sick employee is not what I want as a customer, and keeping you to work in that kind of workplace is very likely to be a serious health and safety violation. <A> On one level, I can understand them because they had no one to cover your shift. <S> On the other hand, they could have asked someone from the employee pool including your co-worker who came in 5 hours into your shift to come and cover for you. <S> It doesn't look like they lifted a finger <S> since you were to "wait until the next person comes in" Unfortunately for you, you work in retail/service and there is a lot of low level and middle level "management" that act like scum to their staff. <S> While expecting their staff to go above and beyond in delivering customer satisfaction. <S> I can't believe that your managers didn't bother to even ask you if you wanted any kind of medicine to ease your suffering and pain. <S> They may be able to do something for you, or they may not. <S> You say this is a grocery store? <S> There may be a food handling violation right there. <A> I've worked at a grocery store deli before, so I'm aware of the types of attitudes you've encountered regarding maintaining enough staff to cover the schedule. <S> I also know that being short-staffed is inconvenient, but inevitable. <S> In situations where your supervisor is refusing to let you go, you have at least one recourse, and possibly a second. <S> If you are in a union, contact the union representative. <S> Explain the situation, point out that handling food is a major part of your job, and ask them to intervene on your behalf. <S> Failing that, you simply tell your manager that you are sick, you handle food, and that the deli being short-staffed is far less of an inconvenience <S> should there be a food safety inspection (note: don't threaten to report your workplace for forcing you to work while ill ). <S> Then tell your supervisor that you're going to have to clock out to go see a doctor, and then tell them that you will bring in a doctor's note when you are cleared to return to your job. <S> If they still refuse, and threaten to fire you, leave, go to your doctor, and get that doctor's note anyway. <S> If they do fire you, then you have documentation that you've been fired for refusing to handle food while ill. <S> Now is the time to threaten to report your workplace to the health department... and then immediately start looking for a new job (even if they agree not to fire you). <A> Sadly, this is not uncommon. <S> If you're specifically handling food, the state health department probably doesn't allow them to keep you at work. <S> Check local laws. <S> However, in the worst case you may still be terminated. <S> What to do is document the denial to go home, what time, and by whom. <S> Keep the clinic records too. <S> In addition to going to higher management if your manager punishes you for leaving work, being at a grocery store deli, you might also be union-if so contact the union rep as well.
| Then you go to your manager and inform him that you are sick and unfit for work I suggest that, if you live in the United States, that you contact your state's Department of Labor.
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How do I list "fast learner" as a skill on my resume? One of my strengths at work lately has been quickly getting up-to-speed on technologies, techniques, tools, or skills that I've never encountered before. I've been able to adapt because I know how to use search engines and sites like StackOverflow effectively. I can break down my problems into small, digestible chunks that make it easy to search for answers (even if that answer is not directly related to my actual issues), and I can filter out signal from noise pretty well when furiously Googling my problems. I research my problems and think about the small pieces before asking questions, and I can find the proper venue to ask questions (whether it's SO, vendor forums, etc). In short, I think I'm effective at asking the right questions, the right way , and I'm a fast learner because of it. I think this is a valuable yet basic skill, but I see quite a few people at work that can't do this. Is this a marketable skill, and if so how should it be listed on the resume/cover letter? <Q> When it comes to listing secondary skills on a resume, the key point to keep in mind is that hiring managers aren't looking for people who have a particular trait , <S> they're looking for employees who can apply those in their work. <S> If you're a natural leader or facilitator, don't tell me that. <S> Instead tell me about the time where that helped you to get three independent teams to work together on a project and deliver an exceptional result. <S> If you're great at Word or Excel, don't name-drop those programs but instead talk about how the forms and spreadsheets that you created allowed you or your team to process invoices X% faster. <S> You may consider yourself driven and goal-oriented, but listing that on a resume is meaningless self-aggrandizement. <S> Instead describe how you consistently delivered projects ahead of time and never missed a core requirement. <S> "Attention to detail" is another big offender. <S> Instead give me hard numbers: X% more time sheets processed which were 98%+ correct, reduced number of shipments with missing items by Y%, ... <S> So now about your specific skill, which Erik correctly summed up as being a "fast learner". <S> You've correctly identified that this, and some of the previous stuff I mentioned, has no value on a resume by itself. <S> So the point is to focus on how that makes you a better employee . <S> How you word this will depend on the kind of work you've done and the type of job that you're applying for, but in general you'd say things like: Reduced issue backlog by X% within Y weeks of starting the job indicating that you're good at understanding a new system/environment and at picking up new tasks <S> Z self-development is by itself already an attractive quality as it shows interest in your work/field and that's especially true when you can use what you've learned to improve your work <S> If you're a fan of buzzwords, this is where you'd drop the phrase "hit the ground running". <A> In a recommendation letter by a third party. <S> Putting self evaluated traits (fast learner, honest, pretty, smells good) directly on the CV is of little value and merely shows inexperience with writing CVs. <A> Never write "fast learner" on a resume - you'll be ignored if you're lucky and laughed at if you're not. <S> You won't be paid for learning fast but for doing things for your employer. <S> Employers want to know what you can do for them. <S> They couldn't care less about any mention of yours that you are a fast learner. <S> At the end of the day, as far as your prospective employer is concerned, It's all about what you know and what you can do for them that matters to them <S> and you have to make THAT clear in both your resume and your cover letter.
| Go-to person for keeping track of new developments in X, Y and Z and determining the possible value for the business having a mentor / domain expert role, even in just a minor capacity, is a good quality even if it's unrelated to the job Self-taught technology X to create Y in project
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How to tell my boss that I am demotivated in my job? I would like to write a message to my boss to convey to him that I feel demotivated because I am not being appreciated for my work. At the same time I don't want to be rude to him. The points that I would to discuss with him are that: Last year I worked on a big project and rest of the team has been rewarded from their respective managers. I am the only one who did not get any reward from my manager. I have recently earned my professional certificate. I was waiting for salary adjustment, or at least to be rewarded like my other colleagues but I got nothing at all. I have participated in solving a big issue in the bank. I worked on it for almost two years and I did not receive any reward or even thank you message. Finally, my senior manger always underestimates our job and says that we only do checking and that's making me uncomfortable and demotivated. I'd appreciate any help with writing a professional message about those points to him. <Q> A face to face meeting is required instead of mail. <S> But in that meeting, go prepared with your achievements, what you did, what was appreciated by customers. <S> Do NOT take this meeting on the lines <S> "My colleagues got rewarded but I didn't". <S> Instead of comparing with your colleagues, highlight your own points. <S> If you start comparing, narrative switches to " <S> Everyone got it hence <S> I want it". <S> Instead, make it "I acheived this much hence I deserve it". <A> Plan a face to face meeting with your boss, and prepare accordingly. <S> An email will not allow for extended discussion and resolution. <S> You have to prepare well ahead on several points : <S> What do you like in this company ? <S> Starting the meeting with "I like this company <S> and I want to stay there because [ Reasons ], <S> but I begin to feel uncomfortable because [ Reasons you wrote above ]..." will be a better introduction than "Boss <S> , I have a problem". <S> What are the right words to explain your problem ? <S> You cannot just come at the interview with your heavy heart and let your emotions talk. <S> You have to prepare a rational argumentation, starting with facts. <S> I would advise you take some time in the weekend before the meeting to be sure that your argumentation will be convincing. <S> Example for rewording your point 3 <S> ( I have participated in solving a big issue in the bank and worked on it for almost two years <S> and I did not receive any thank you message or reward on that ) <S> = <S> > <S> I have participated in solving a big issue in the bank. <S> This was a two-year project, and I invested myself a lot for this project to succeed. <S> However, I never received feedback from the project leader, which is problematic for me as I strive towards self-improvement and quality-delivery. <S> Can you see a short term solution ? <S> Can you envision a long term solution ? <S> Your boss, if he understands the problem, might ask you what solution you are expecting, as a negotiation basis. <S> Prepare some potential solutions. <S> You do not need to go too far in detail, you just have to show that a lot of reasonable measures can be implemented in the next week/month/semester. <A> A mail for something this important doesn't fit. <S> You must set a private face to face with your manager to handle this. <S> Of course you have to prepare arguments, this answer (and the others too) <S> should give you enough information about how to prepare for it. <A> Although I generally agree that a face-to-face meeting's going to be required, framing it in advance with a polite and professional written statement of what you wish to discuss is usually helpful in my experience. <S> It allows your manager time to consider your challenges and respond from a prepared position instead of potentially reacting defensively when "blindsided". <S> As the previous responders said, your proper preparation is essential. <S> To go through your points individually: <S> Last year I have worked in a big project and all my other team they have been rewarded from their respective managers except me <S> I did not get any reward from my manager.-- <S> > <S> Ask your colleagues what (specific) achievements they were rewarded for? <S> Can you demonstrate any similar accomplishments? <S> I have recently earned my professional certificate. <S> I was waiting for salary adjustment or at least to be rewarded like my other colleges <S> but all I did not get <S> anything.-- <S> > <S> It seems reasonable to ask to be rewarded in the same way as your other colleagues I have participated in solving a big issue in the bank and worked on it for almost two years <S> and I did not receive any thank you message or reward on that.-- <S> > <S> That rings alarm bells for me. <S> Big issues get sorted out FAST - if it drags on for two years <S> then it doesn't sound like a big issue (assuming that you're not talking about a strategic item). <S> When my team have a major problem I'm expecting to see a resolution measured in days. <S> This may just mean that I've misunderstood your situation though! <S> Finally; my senior manger always do underestimate our job and say that you do only checking and that's make me uncomfortable and demotivated.-- <S> > Nasty culture, sorry to hear that. <S> Can you offer your manager examples of this (ideally with supporting evidence)?
| You should ask your boss for a face-to-face meeting to discuss about your expectations and your feelings about your work.
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New manager asking me to stay (with matching counteroffer) after accepting another job I am an expat living in Germany. I work for one of the most reputed e-commerce companies here. I have been working here since 2 years now. The job is not bad, but management and the CEO have made some really bad decisions in the past that have led to many people leaving the company, resulting in a big chaos now. I recently got another job offer with significant higher pay and a better scope to learn and improvise my career. I accepted the new offer and handed in over my resignation 3 months back. Meanwhile my manager left and we got a new one. The new manager wants me to stay very badly, he even matched the salary, he keeps asking me everyday. My new company, although not as big as the one I am currently working in, somehow seems to be very promising. Now I am confused on what to do. What should I tell my manager, I don't want to sound arrogant. I want to maintain a decent relationship with him. Any advice? <Q> It's fairly simple, just stick to your decision and tell your manager that you've already made up your mind. <S> Use some variation on: As I mentioned when I [handed in my resignation / gave notice], I've already accepted a new offer and I won't be entertaining a counter offer. <S> My last day will be the X th . <S> Now about [project Delta / <S> that email from Karen / <S> your question the other day] ... <S> Key points are to make it clear that you won't be changing your decisions and to redirect the conversation to a work topic. <S> You messed up slightly in letting your manager bug you over this every day and not addressing that before, but it's not too late to do so now. <S> Firmly shutting the conversation down a few times should get him to stop asking. <S> If he keeps doing it then it's time to address that directly: <S> You keep asking me to reconsider staying and every time I've told you how I've already accepted an offer <S> and I won't be considering a counter offer. <S> You're not going to get a different answer out of me, so why do you keep asking? <S> This risks starting another meaningless conversation <S> but it's not as direct or rude as a flat <S> "I need you top asking me about this", though you should keep in mind that your manager is the one being rude. <A> It sounds to me like you've made a choice <S> and you're simply trying to not come out of this as the bad guy <S> but the thing is, you don't owe them anything. <S> They wouldn't give a damn if they'd fire you <S> and you'd ask them to re-consider. <S> You think they would? <S> Nah. <S> I recently got another job offer with [...] <S> a better scope to learn and improvise my career <S> You're certain that this new job offer will give you a better ability to learn and progress. <S> and you've made a decision. <S> You appreciate everything the company has done for you <S> but right now you feel that it's simply time to move on <S> and it's a feeling that cannot be reasoned with. <S> They say that they really want you, but do they really appreciate you anyway? <S> They matched the salary, but didn't bother to go beyond that. <S> Even with a different manager it seems like they try to get away with giving you the minimum they need to keep you, instead of going the extra mile. <S> Maybe not up to the manger but instead upper management or HR, but still an indication that your skills are probably more appreciated elsewhere. <S> Thank them for everything <S> and you can even say that you hope that your paths will cross again in the future if fate allows. <A> Other than the better salary, it doesn't sound like anything has changed at your company. <S> And you didn't mention "salary" as a reason for leaving anyway. <S> You should just continue on with your plans <S> - serve out your resignation period and move on to your new company. <S> Tel your new manager "thank you, but I have decided to move on".
| Simply tell your current manager that it's time for you to move on
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Politely asking for a different laptop My employer has given me a new laptop (Windows) with good specs, but it has been too slow. At home I use a Mac and I think I would be more productive with one at work. The office uses Windows because of knowledge of other senior colleagues who do the setup and managing database. The boss told me on my first day that restriction of software and unavailability of tools are also a factor, but I know that all the software we use is available on the Mac as well. How can I ask for a Mac laptop while not sounding bad or making him or myself look bad? <Q> It sounds like you already discussed it with your boss. <S> The boss told me on my first day that restriction of software and unavailability of tools are also a factor, but I know that all the software we use is available on the Mac as well <S> If you boss says it, then it is true. <S> End of story. <S> Let it go. <S> Continuing to push it is not going to be a good career move. <S> Also, your Mac might also be slow once they layer all the corporate security on it. <S> I suspect your laptop at home doesn't have to have things like drive encryption and so forth. <A> This request would be likely to be denied and make you look bad. <S> It would be preferable to ask for an upgrade to the Windows laptop. <S> Your request may need to go to several people rather than be a simple matter of purchasing a machine. <S> Techs to see if it's viable and set the machine up, purchasing people to find one and buy it, management to discuss everything etc,. <A> You would need to make a business case. <S> What are the problems you're experiencing? <S> How does that impact the company? <S> What are the available solutions? <S> Pros, Cons, Cost Analysis for each. <S> And which option you recommend. <S> In your case, you should probably suck it up and deal with a slightly slow Windows computer.
| Using a Windows machine is not always an arbitrary decision, many workplaces will have a Windows domain server, Microsoft Certified Professionals administering them and the domain, bulk discounts on machines, homogeneous hardware for easy repair/replacement, and a host of other valid reasons not to have a Mac (or even a different brand of Windows laptop) attached unless it is doing a specific job that makes sense in a business context. If you complain about not being able to use the core tools provided to do your job, they may start evaluating how much you're worth to them instead of replacing the core tools.
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Should I say anything of substance in a 1-on-1? I know not to say anything in an exit interview . However, I'm not at that point, although I'm not happy at my job and am attempting (though not as hard as I could be) to leave. Instead, I am having weekly 1-on-1 meetings with my manager, in which I basically say nothing about my dissatisfaction - just provide some updates about what I'm working on. My complaints are primarily cultural: needlessly loud workplace, distractions and interruptions abound, so they're not specifically things that my boss would address. There's nothing wrong with the work that I'm doing, I'm just not able to do it as effectively as I believe I would be able to do in a better environment. In fact, my boss is one of the main noisemakers, particularly of what I'll refer to off-topic noise (pop culture outbursts, playing music, etc. as opposed to loud but work-related discussions that are slightly more tolerable), so raising this concern could be offensive. In this situation, is it advisable say anything? What if the situation was different - is it advisable to say anything negative in these meetings ever ? Or do I just maintain a good relationship, say that everything is fine, and eventually give notice? <Q> You are having a serious crisis if you lack the resources to get your job done and you are not able to communicate this to your boss. <S> Your lost productivity, which in the extreme would get you fired or lead you to quit, is a much more imminent risk than your boss not liking how you ask. <S> And apparently you are weak in the "soft skill" of "communicating something slightly distressing with your boss." <S> So in general <S> - Yes! <S> You need to be able to communicate this effectively with you boss. <S> But more specifically <S> My complaints are primarily cultural: needlessly loud workplace, distractions and interruptions abound, so they're not specifically things that my boss would address. <S> There's nothing wrong with the work that I'm doing, I'm just not able to do it as effectively as I believe I would be able to do in a better environment. <S> You will need to get specific. <S> Do you need fewer people walking over to your desk? <S> Usually you want to wear headphones ( with nothing playing even, this is just the cultural way of saying buzz off) and some strategies to deal with stupid questions. <S> Book "do not schedule" blocks on your calendar <S> Can you work in a different location, if you have a laptop? <S> Then you think about more serious requests. <S> Like a laptop or work-from-home relationship, as you get to them. <S> You do still want to bring up some of the stickier grievances since your boss may surprise you. <A> This depends incredibly on the company culture and your relationship with your manager. <S> If you have an authoritarian manager who is doing 1-to-1s only because someone in HR told them to, then you're probably best just keeping quiet. <S> On the other hand, if you have a good manager who honestly wants to improve their team, then absolutely speak up - your manager can only fix a problem if they know it exists. <S> For example, I'm feeling my productivity is being affected by the noise levels in the office makes it clear to your manager that what you're trying to do is to improve the value you give to the company, but in return you need something back: maybe that would just be moving you to a different seat in a quieter corner of the office, or maybe your manager will raise that they're the one setting the culture and change it. <S> Or maybe nothing will change, but at least you tried. <A> My complaints are primarily cultural: needlessly loud workplace, distractions and interruptions abound, so they're not specifically things that my boss would address. <S> There's nothing wrong with the work that I'm doing, I'm just not able to do it as effectively as I believe I would be able to do in a better environment. <S> Your boss' job is to make sure that the people he manages can be as effective as possible. <S> Also, if there's anybody with the power to change the nature and culture of your workplace, it's him. <S> He can change the workplace, put you in different rooms, set up rules to prevent interruptions during certain times, whatever -- it may seem hard in practice, but he's got a better chance than you do. <S> So tell him, and give him a chance to do his job. <S> You can always look elsewhere if he ignores your concerns.
| As with everything, the key is about communication: explain what the problem is, and why it's causing an issue for the company. The less sure you are that a grievance can be addressed, the more softly you bring it up.
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Why would a recruiter ask if I anticipate a counteroffer? I've been wondering about an experience I had when interviewing for a new job. Before the final technical interview (a.k.a. no certainty of an offer yet) the recruiter brought up salary expectations and asked if I anticipated getting a counteroffer from my current company. It seemed odd considering that earlier, the recruiter had mentioned any offer would be significantly higher than my current salary. But I assumed it was just a standard question for all of their applicants. Based on the answers to basically any question here about counteroffers, even if my company did counter, I shouldn't accept -- I assume a recruiter would know this too, so why would they be interested in this? Would my answer have affected their offer, or how seriously they might take my interest? (This was an in-house recruiter for the company that I was interviewing with, not a third-party headhunter.) <Q> They are trying to gauge the likelihood of losing you to a counteroffer. <S> Some even go fishing for an offer to get a counteroffer from their company. <S> Does the question get accurate information? <S> No idea. <S> Some will tell the truth, some will lie, some will have no idea what they will do. <S> How they react to your answer is unclear. <S> Of course if you told them you wouldn't accept a counteroffer, but you do accept one - expect a guilt trip to get you to join them. <A> Not everyone reads this site. <S> Likely, the recruiter was ready to go into a dissertation on why you should not accept one if you answered "yes". <A> I think time is important to him <S> / <S> her therefore <S> he/ <S> she asked the question to cut to the chase. <S> However this is at your expense. <S> I would recommend responding with: <S> "I have not informed my current employer of my intention to leave, however at this moment I am focusing on my priorities and a good matching company where I belong" <S> I believe accepting a counter offer is fine and usually your work experience and responsibility could alter from that same conversation but don't bring that up to the recruiter. <S> He/she can expect that you're looking at multiple places and you can simply state that you had accepted another offer. <A> I can't say why this recruiter asked, but I can say why I might ask. <S> I would be asking as a proxy for: Is your company happy with your current results and do they value you highly? <S> If I ask that question, you're going to answer yes regardless of whether it's true. <S> Instead, I can ask questions that help me answer that question about you. <S> Do you anticipate a counteroffer? <S> is one such question.
| While the general advice is to reject a counteroffer, some people do accept them.
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Asking to work remote. One question I'm not ready for I am planning to ask my employer if I could switch to a full time telecommute setup. I have been reading about how to do this and most people focus on how your productivity will improve and things along those lines. One thing that I am sure will come up, that I'm not really prepared to rebut is: "Some of the value I add to the company is being in the office to assist users and be hands-on if need be" The amount of value I add in this way is subjective. I would say it is very rare that being in the office is useful. However I feel like from my employers point of view, its important even if it is relevant only 1% of the time. How should I handle this aspect of my job when discussing the opportunity of working 100% remote? I am a web developer in a company that is distributed around the world. Providing support to users is a responsibility of mine. I work on a team of 10 people, and we are a little scattered. 5 (and my boss) in Japan, 1 in Germany, 4 here in Texas. So the idea of remote collaboration is already in place. But everyone is still in an office somewhere. I want this arrangement because I will be moving out of state soon. i.e. Unable to come in to the office unless its a planned trip. If they refused my request I would have to resign my position. My company doesn't do much telecommuting that I know of. We have offices all around the world so they have a lot of the stuff in place to connect the offices. Global LAN, VC, etc. <Q> This feels like it might be out of scope, but I'll share my thoughts: <S> Compile a report of all the tasks you've assisted users with in the past month, for example, and outline how you could have done so from home on each occasion. <S> Point out the urgency levels of the various incidents (hopefully quite low / not urgent), and propose an agreement that if anything serious occurs you could be in the office within an hour or two, or, if that's not possible, propose a protocol as to how you might walk a fellow employee through troubleshooting the issue. <S> At the end of the day, however, your boss will either be open minded about it, or not. <S> In my experience either he'll be OK with it, and willing to try it, or you will be categorically rejected, no matter how solid your arguments. <A> I would talk about the technological ways that support can still be handled remotely. <S> Our IT support is handled by people in another state. <S> We communicate by phone and email and a formal ticketing system. <S> If they need access to my computer, there are software packages that allow you to get control of someone else's computer in a network. <S> All of our web programmers are located remotely from our users, some even in other countries. <S> They use similar techniques. <S> The main thing is to be aware that when you are remote, the burden of the extra steps to make sure communication is happening is on you. <S> If you want to get permission, you need to show your boss how you intend to make sure communication is happening and how you intend to ensure that users can still get good customer service. <S> The more strongly you show that you have a good plan in place <S> , the more likely they are to be accommodating of your request. <S> Further it might be to your advantage to work on this one bit at a time. <S> You might have better luck asking for two days a week remote (until you move) <S> so you can prove that users won't be negatively impacted. <S> Since you are talking about moving to another state, your biggest argument is that you have valuable system knowledge that the company doesn't want to lose. <S> I know we gained some of our first full-time remote workers this way. <S> Their spouses moved and we found them too valuable to want to lose. <S> We would not have given this opportunity to poor or even acceptable performers. <S> So you will want to emphasize what you bring to the table that would be difficult to replace. <S> So they can let you work remote on a trial basis and if is doesn't work out, they are no worse off than if you had quit. <A> I think AndreiROM is on the right track, but there are some additional things you can do. <S> I recommend a trial period. <S> Start by tracking support situations. <S> Hopefully, you have some history, so you can create a baseline of support while you're in the office. <S> Then make an attempt to work on them from your desk and track those. <S> This will give your employer some idea of how much you being in the office makes a difference. <S> Another thing I would do, and always recommend, is to follow-up a support call with an email. <S> You want them find out of your solution is working and whether or not they had a problem with fixing this from your desk instead of in person. <S> In other words, are you doing a good job. <S> If you're successful, it also gives some anecdotal support on how others perceive your remote support. <S> When negotiation this with your boss, make it part of a trial period. <S> They want to make sure they're not painted in a corner if this doesn't work. <S> They may assume you'll become disgruntled if they give you what they see as a privilege that they may have to take away. <S> Be careful what you ask for. <S> This could be an invitation for people to think you're on call 24/7. <S> You're going to have to set hours. <S> Part of my ability to have flexible hours is to manage the support time. <S> During some periods, I may not be working, but will quickly address a support call. <S> If I don't get too many of them, I'll block off time during off hours when I know I can work on a project when I won't get interrupted. <S> I may even turn email off. <S> You have to work all this out with your boss, so he trusts you're not making it more difficult for him to do his job. <S> Having to address a lot of complaints about your remote situation is probably something he doesn't want to have to deal with. <S> I've switched to a full-time remote working situation in 3 of my last 5 jobs. <S> I'm in year 4 of working remotely in my current job. <A> "Some of the value I add to the company is being in the office to assist users and be hands-on if need be" Have you thought about asking your boss about his potential concerns? <S> Reasons that they might prefer you in the office: <S> Collaboration is better and more effective. <S> Communication channels in person are richer than email, chat and videophone. <S> They can keep a better eye on you. <S> But those are just speculations. <S> Why not just ask?
| Point out that you are moving in any event and that the risk to making you remote is low because they will lose you if they cannot accommodate.
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How to develop work friendships? I started at a new workplace (about 3 weeks in) where most of the people have worked with each other for more than 10 years. In short, it's been a little hard being the new guy when everyone has these relationships. They are all polite, but not super interested in making new friends. Often I feel left out between their friendly inside jokes and conversations. I don't feel like this is super intentional (to make me feel left out), but I feel like they could reach out more. Regardless of what they choose to do, I want to do my part to develop a good relationship with my co-workers. The answer may seem obvious to some, but what are some strategies for developing friendships at work? <Q> First things first: try to break the ice or start a conversation. <S> Start out by trying to find people you have things in common with and people you enjoy talking to. <S> When you are walking around the office, take a look at what people have on their desks. <S> Pictures, awards, trinkets, etc. <S> If someone has a football team flag and you know remotely anything about football, make a casual comment along the lines of "Hey, [your team name] had a great game last week! <S> Have you been a lifelong fan? <S> Are you originally from there?". <S> If they have a picture of the family and kids, ask about how old they are or if you have kids, maybe they go to the same school or there is a school rivalry. <S> You are looking for anything you have in common to open the door for a conversation. <S> Especially people with children and active lives outside of work. <S> If you are a younger dev or a person with no kids, chances are you have way more time than people who have to worry about getting a bunch of kids to various school events, after school stuff, etc. <S> Those people may not have time to go catch a movie or go to happy hours. <S> Just be friendly, find some people with similar interests, and take baby steps. <S> Start with a casual chat at the watercooler, move it up to going to grab lunch together, and then work it up to a after work happy hour. <S> Don't expect to become best buds or inseparable after only a couple weeks. <A> Do not miss any social invitation. <S> Whenever a company event is planned, go for it: <S> afterworks, company parties ... <S> A lot happens during these company events, and they are going to be one of the hot topics for the days following them. <S> You want to be there so you can discuss this with your colleagues. <S> Same goes whenever someone calls for a coffee break, or for a team lunch, go for it. <S> Be patient. <S> Actual friendship takes time to build. <S> Start with acquaintances you are comfortable having lunch with, and who can have a short discussion when you feel like talking. <S> Friendships are a two-way relation. <S> You have to let them feel you are worth this time - and this is where the first part of the answer is important. <A> Don't try to befriend the entire group en masse. <S> Strike up one-on-one conversations. <S> If you have trouble breaking the ice with somebody with personal topics, do it with business needs. <S> Identify an expert in one area and ask if you can meet over sandwiches so he/she can explain the subject to you in more detail. <A> It is work and you have been there 3 weeks. <S> Focus on work. <S> Limit socialization to breaks and lunch even if others socialize during work time. <S> Get established as a worker. <S> 3 months in or 1 year in you can start joking around during work time.
| Having a common ground for discussion is already a big step forward when trying to befriend someone. If there is a lunch room that is a good place to socialize. You want to invest time to make friends, but these prospective friends also have to invest their own time to become friends with you. Another thing to keep in mind is that people are busy.
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Left job suddenly for personal reasons--what to tell interviewers at next position? I recently left my place of work because of personal reason. I informed my boss of everything and he was completely understanding--he wished me well. It revolved around not wanting to be around a specific person. If it matters, I am in the Software/Database field. Going forward, to me it seems that, "I left for personal reasons", and being reluctant to say the reason could be a red flag when interviewing at another company. Is this the case? Perhaps I am being too paranoid? Should I find a way to gracefully put why I left? <Q> It's up to you to let the interviewer know that these "personal reasons" were a one-off and reassure them that the situation is not going to recur. <S> If you fail to do so or your assurances are not deemed credible, then chances are that your prospective employer will pass you up in favor of candidates who don't have the issue you had. <S> and you say you would have happily stayed if that one-off situation had not occurred. <S> @DavidK comments in addition <S> "It will also help to say that your boss was completely understanding of your situation and there were no hard feelings, particularly if you can use him as a reference." <A> "I left for personal reasons" makes it sound as if you're a difficult person to work on a team with and you can't work through personal differences with colleagues. <S> If I were in your position, I would leave out the fact that I left for personal reasons altogether. <S> You do not want to say anything to a potential employer that could raise a red flag. <S> Instead, tell interviewers/recruiters that you left to look for new opportunities, as you didn't have the work/life balance to do so at said company. <S> Let them know that you considered your options and you had the resources to leave your job and look for new opportunities. <S> Even if you DON'T have lots of money saved up, you don't need to specify what type of 'resources' you were referring to. <S> They will assume you mean money, but it doesn't matter. <S> This will also give the recruiter the impression that you're not desperate. <S> I would avoid talking about any personal disputes/issues you had with other coworkers/employers as this will immediately send up red flags. <S> Even if you mention difficult coworkers/employers anecdotally as evidence that you had good cause to leave you may still raise red flags. <S> Gloss over why you left and instead take charge of the conversation and tell them what type of company you WANT to work for. <S> Describe to them your ideal work environment. <S> Heres a sample answer, that you can work with/edit until you have a strong answer. <S> Question: <S> Why did you leave your previous company? <S> Answer: <S> I was ready to look for new opportunities but did not have a great work life balance. <S> When I was working I did not have the time to look for new opportunities, but I had the resources to resign and begin looking full time. <S> I'm very interested in working for a company in the [XYZ] industry, and I'm also intent on finding a company that is inline with my values. <S> I think customer appreciation is extremely important and I'm specifically looking for companies that actively seek ways to provide value to their clients. <A> "I left for personal reasons" sounds like a 'personal' thing that you had 'against your last employer'. <S> In fact, 'personal reasons' could also mean that you had some really nasty stuff going on in your life that you needed to deal with, and couldn't do so with the added burden of a job. <S> What about saying "I had some things going on in my life at the time, and unfortunately I had to leave very suddenly"? <A> While the exact sentence you used could surely raise a red flag for the interviewer (I don't know if this guy is gonna stay with us for long or if he's gonna leave the next time other "personal reasons" arise), a single word can really change the meaning. <S> "I left for exceptional and personal reasons" or "I left for unforeseeable personal reasons". <S> This shifts <S> the matter on the fact that those reasons were in fact one time only, and while this may raise curiosity in the interviewer, it should not alarm him. <S> You could also add that it was a coincidence of various personal factors, just to reassure him that this isn't goig to repeat again (or at least that you don't think it's possible). <S> If the interviewer presses you into revealing those reasons, just be honest and direct: "I'm sorry but this is a very personal matter, and I'd prefer not to speak about that." <S> (at this point is usually a good move to introduce a new topic yourself and try to move the interview forward, as waiting for a response may stall the interview)
| "I left for personal reasons" Leave it at that, and the interviewer will be wondering if you are going to leave the job you are applying for "personal reasons", too. It will help your situation if you have nothing but nice things to say about your ex-employer
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Overlooked/not included for new project I work as a junior developer at a fairly small company. I'm pretty close with most of my coworkers (hang out after work sometimes, get lunch together, etc.) and in general, I'd say that I'm pretty easy-going. Recently, our company was awarded a couple contracts A and B. I was really excited about project A, because it's something I've always wanted to work on. When our manager assigned roles, though, I was assigned to work only on B. I'm also the only developer (aside from the project leads) assigned to work on just one project; everyone else will be working on both A and B. I don't know why for sure, but I suspect that one of the senior developers on project A doesn't like me very much (I'm always friendly to them and try my best to be useful, but they always seem to be upset with me). I'm rather disappointed, of course, because I was really hoping to get to work on project A. Can I ask to work on both projects? Is it worth the trouble? Since the company is quite small, I really don't want to give anyone a reason to dislike me or create a bad environment because I said something I shouldn't have. Is it better just to wait it out and hope I'll get assigned to a similar project in the future? <Q> As Vietnhi Phuvan said: it doesn't hurt to ask. <S> In addition I'd recommend to phrase the request to work on A (as well as B) in a positive manner. <S> Focus on the <S> "I was really excited about project A, because it's something I've always wanted to work on. <S> "Tell them <S> how cool you find A and what excites you about it. <S> Offer to help on project A with small tasks if they have no larger role for you in that project, to get your foot in the door. <S> (But only if you think you can handle working on both projects at the same time.)If that works out, don't let your responsibilities on B slide - otherwise you'll likely be assigned back to "B only" in no time. <S> Don't at this point talk about why you think you've been left out of A or what you suspect that senior dev thinks about you. <S> I can't imagine that this would influence the discussion in a positive way. <A> Don't take it personally. <S> You really want to work on project A. <S> But what about everyone else? <S> Do they all want to work on project A too? <S> Are they better equipped to handle project A? <S> The company doesn't exist to give you fun and exciting things to do - the company exists to make a profit for the owners. <S> Now, if your personal development plan included working on projects that used the same technology as project A, and you had 3 certifications in those technologies that nobody else had, and this was the 5th time you'd been passed over, then you'd be justified in complaining. <A> It doesn't hurt to ask - <S> the worst that happens is that whoever is the project lead for A shoos you away. <S> I have no idea how healthy your relationship is with those who are running A or for that matter B <S> - they may have decided in view of the fact that you are a junior that you don't have the chops to do both A and B as deliverables and <S> consequently, they're giving you B. <S> Or they may have decided that handling B will take up all of your time. <S> I am not a mind reader, I don't work for your company <S> , I don't know you, so I have no way to know the back story behind their decision - it's up to you ask and find out what happened. <S> Asking about participating in A won't hurt you, unless you've been singularly gauche in the way you ask. <S> If they are pissed at you as you ask, you can presume that they were already pissed at you before you asked. <S> Over something you did or did not do. <S> Or did poorly. <S> Again, it's up to you to trace what happened and straighten out any misunderstanding or miscommunication.
| While ultimately it's the manager's decision to assign people to projects (and you have to respect that) they might take your preferences into account if they know about them.
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Remaining motivated when being declined multiple times? I am a dedicated individual looking at gaining work in the aviation sector. I’m fresh out of High School, and my college degree requires at least one year of work experience. I love working with customers, and am looking at an entry level role, then moving up the ranks after I gain my degree (which is a requirement to have a degree for managerial positions. Normal customer service roles not so much). I have been working tremendously hard over the past six months. Emailing HR representatives of companies, and literally studying the systems in detail myself. I have been offered work experience placement with an airline for one evening which I gladly took up. The airline does not hire those under 21, but I received a reference letter which included sentences such as ‘convinced that he will make a brilliant addition to any organization’ and ‘will be a valuable asset to your organization.’. Also, ‘will not hesitate to recommend Debbie to any position’. I have continued to ask around HR managers if they can offer any positions even voluntarily so I can gain that valuable work experience.I received many replies. Some of them including ‘Yes, it would be fantastic to have an extra hand, email me in the next month when we have daily flights, and we can get everything sorted then’. I was so excited to finally have someone who I can work for voluntarily, and was looking forward to it for weeks. I emailed her the next month and received a reply stating that they couldn’t offer this position anymore due to them hiring staff at capacity. As well as this, I received other replies from people who have mentioned things similar to ‘I’m sure we can work something out, let me ask around and I’ll get back to you next week’ - only to receive no response. Every time this happens, I am so devastated. I get excited about something happening and prepare everything, learn the systems, and it doesn’t. My question is, how can I keep myself motivated when searching for a position? I have been declined or not responded to (after they said they would) many times now, and now it just feels like the norm. I have the references, the skills, the passion… but I just feel devastated every time I get declined.I really appreciate your help. Sorry about the long post. <Q> “Let me tell you something you already know. <S> The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows. <S> It's a very mean and nasty place, and I don't care how tough you are, it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. <S> You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. <S> But it ain't about how hard you hit. <S> It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward; how much you can take and keep moving forward. <S> That's how winning is done! <S> Now, if you know what you're worth, then go out and get what you're worth. <S> But you gotta be willing to take the hits, and not pointing fingers saying you ain't <S> where you wanna be because of him, or her, or anybody. <S> Cowards do that and that ain't you. <S> You're better than that! ” <S> ― <S> Sylvester Stallone, Rocky Balboa. <A> Here's what I was told back in 2001 when the IT market collapsed. <S> To give you some background, I put out over 1000 resumes in the year that followed. <S> The group I joined beat one thing into my head: <S> Everything is sales. <S> When you are job hunting, the product is you. <S> Buy some books on closing a sale, and take it to heart. <S> As to maintain motivation, I'll give you a tip from sales: <S> Every <S> "no" gets you closer to a "yes", and you need only one yes. <S> Sales knows that it is a numbers game. <S> They know that for every X times they hear a "no", they will hear a "yes". <S> You will get a job, and every time you hear a "no", you are closer to getting that job. <S> THAT is the mindset that will keep you motivated. <A> One of the hardest emotional aspects of job hunting is changing emotional state . <S> From your post, I can see you're doing that. <S> But as soon as you submit the application , you need to become completely neutral about the company again. <S> There are no guarantees to get the job, or even a reply. <A> Apparently, you are approaching your prospective employers the right way because you are getting a very good initial response rate in your prospective field - in fact, better than mine in my field even though I am far more experienced and skilled in my field than you. <S> The fact that nothing came up could mean that you are running into a wall, the wall being either company policy or the law. <S> If this is the case, I don't expect any number of positive references and recommendations and enthusiasm to change anything - I don't see your prospective employers going through the trouble of getting you a waiver over an entry-level position. <S> Aviation is pretty heavily regulated, by the way, and this may affect their ability to hire people off the street. <A> As I am not in your shoes, I can't really tell how you feel, so these advices might not be what you are looking for, but you can take them into consideration when having similar thoughts. <S> First of all, I am not sure what you mean when you are saying "learn the systems", but by learning something related to a company or process is a very big advantage which will help you in the future, even if you can't tell now how it will. <S> Consider this: you already have knowledge about certain processes which will lead into you taking better decisions in the future by having comparison models. <S> Secondly, you are very young, just finishing High School and are already searching for a job, applying, "learning the system", getting rejected, trying again. <S> This is the purpose of life. <S> Trying, failing, trying again, failing again and so on... but eventually succeeding. <S> Try to overlook the rejection or failure and see the bright side of learning a lot of information, growing your network by emailing, discussing, etc. <S> You might not realize it yet, but this is a great thing which you are doing. <S> Last, but not least, try to focus on progress. <S> Progress on learning, progress on growing your network, progress on everything. <S> Progress will eventually lead to results (even if those results will have to be improved again by getting a bigger paycheck, etc.) <A> When applied for my first job, I filled out over 40 online applications. <S> 10 companies interviewed me, at least 30+ interviews, 12 with one company alone, and then I got 1 offer. <S> You've got to cast your net a lot to catch a fish. <S> Try not to get emotionally attached to every specific application. <S> Think of it as a work, and judge yourself on how many great applications you can do in a week or month. <S> Don't forget to reapply after a suitable time. <S> As a hiring manager I can say that sometimes I see a candidate that is really great, but I don't have a position right now. <S> In 6 months, that can change. <S> So, work hard and keep it at <S> , you'll get something I am sure. <S> Oh and remember to include other things in your life, so you are not defined by this struggle. <S> Go out, see friends, exercise etc. <S> Good luck!
| You might consider applying for positions at other companies not in aviation where the skills and experience you acquire in these positions are easily transferable in whole or in part to aviation. When you are making your application , you need to want the job and put your best into the application.
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How to imitate my boss's writing style? I've been asked to start writing letters for my boss. My boss will then send out these letters with her signature underneath them. My boss has a particular writing style, and she wants me to write using her writing style. I've never imitated someone's writing style before. Does anyone here have any advice on how to do this? <Q> Check her correspondence, and cut-and-paste from it. <S> At least until you are confident that you get her writing style. <S> Create yourself a library of templates from her correspondence. <S> Create yourself a listing of her favorite expressions. <S> If she asks you to write a specific letter to a party and you can't think of a template or an original letter that you can use, ask her if she can think of an original letter she wrote that you can use as a template. <S> If you are doing cut-and-paste, do it but don't admit to it <S> :) <S> How you make the sausage and from what ingredients is between you and the wall. <A> Make a draft letter and ask for her opinion. <S> You are not in her mind, so you have no idea how to proceed yet. <S> Review it by yourself, and ask yourself what words she would not have used and what you could improve. <S> Then you can show her your draft and ask for her opinion. <S> Take careful notes of her remarks, and re-write the letter accordingly. <S> The second version should be much closer to what she wants. <A> To imitate her writing style read as much of her writing as you can. <S> Someone copying my style for emails would see a common pattern of statement of problem - steps taken - request for action. <S> Common phrase would be "as your schedule allows", "Let me know if there is anything I can do", and "Please advise". <S> My emails will contain a lot of passive voice. <A> Break things down As with any challenging task, breaking things down into manageable pieces makes sense. <S> It sounds as though your boss puts some effort into maintaining good relationships with her readers. <S> Look at the following aspects of her letters: <S> How they start and finish - The opening and closing of letters set the mood, reinforcing the relationship between writer and reader. <S> Tone <S> - How is the language used? <S> Is it business/professional, or is it open/informal in nature? <S> Is it buzzword heavy or in plain language? <S> Structure - How long are the paragraphs and sentences inside them? <S> How do sentences typically start (and are parentheses used a lot)? <S> Use of contractions - e.g. or "for example"? <S> Aim - Letters are written for a reason. <S> How does your boss get down to the point and either ask for what she wants, and how does she inform the user of key facts? <S> How does she get what she wants out of the communication? <S> Analysing these aspects should help in building a decent facsimile of how she constructs letters herself. <A> Read lots and lots of stuff she has written. <S> Then try writing something up and ask her to critique it. <S> After a few rounds of doing this, you should get better.
| Start by reading some of her writings to get inspiration, then write a first draft. Look for common turns of phrase or idioms that she uses, look for a pattern in first and last sentences of correspondence (problem statement, well wishing, summing up, etc), look at the number and length of paragraphs used, does she commonly use passive voice (starting the sentence with the object rather than the subject).
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I created a product on my spare time from a customer's request that was ignored by my superior. Can I sell this? A customer come with a request a month back that we develop a solution for a specific part of his workflow. My manager denied, I asked him whether I could develop this on work hours so that we can sell it as it seemed a rather profitable asset. He denied again. On my spare time and in order to learn my job better (software development) I developed and tested the product. It looks good. Now I want to sell this, not to the customer that made the request, but to general public. Is this wrong? I do not want to notify my manager about my creation of this product. <Q> Check your contract <S> It may differ where you're from, but I've seen many employment contracts for developers either claiming ownership of anything they develop, even outside of work hours, or forbidding them from competing with the company even after they leave that company's employment. <S> If it is a product which could be seen to be competing with your company then it is worth seeking local legal advice. <A> A lot of contracts include non-compete clauses, and intellectual property clauses. <S> You need to read your employment contract very carefully, and determine what your own situation may be. <S> At the same time, you are essentially planning to compete against your employers. <S> This is not going to go over well if they ever find out what you're doing. <S> If I were you, I would ask myself what it is you're trying to accomplish with this move. <S> If you simply wrote a one-off application, but have no plans to leave your job, then trying to make a few extra bucks at the cost of potentially being fired is probably not worth it. <S> In fact, I would probably take the application to my boss, explain that I wrote it on my own time, and try to prove myself worthy of promotion, etc. <S> (of course this all depends on the company's culture, your boss's attitude, etc.) <S> If, however, you think you could go into business selling this application, and making other systems like it, then perhaps you should save up some money over the next few months, quit, set up your own company, and start marketing your product. <S> It seems like a bad idea to try and compete with your employers behind their backs, however. <A> Have your lawyer review not only your employment contract but any other document you signed including NDAs - you probably developed your software from conversations with the customer that your employer might deem confidential - during the course of your employment. <S> The whole of these documents assembled together as a set are more hazardous to your legal health than the sum of the documents i.e. the whole is more than dangerous to you than the sum of the parts, especially when the parts are interlocking. <S> You'll need a lawyer to sort this out because different locales have different laws regarding employment contracts, NDAs and the like and there might be a dispute as to the laws of which locale apply if you live in one locale, your office is in a second locale and your employer is headquartered in a third locale. <S> And if you occasionally work remotely, it won't simplify matters, at least in my mind. <S> Besides, your lawyer is your advocate in a court of law while we at Stack Overflow don't take sides.
| There's questions on Workplace SE in which developers ask for help with company contracts stating that anything they develop while employed is company property.
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Salary discrimination based on location The R&D startup my friend is working for is acquired by a big US tech giant after a long joint venture. She is coming from the 2nd world country, where the company is based too. She and her colleagues are working on the integration of the products with the American counterparts. They are basically doing the same work, for the same company (now), only at different locations. Yet they are still paid the same 2nd world salaries, which is like 5-10x smaller. I don't think it is fair, but she was told she won't get a raise, let alone to the same levels. What is the best course of action to take to actually get some reward for the years of hard work? Said company is proudly an equal opportunity employer, but I doubt federal laws have effect overseas. <Q> What is the best course of action to take to actually get some reward for the years of hard work? <S> She should move to the US where the company is paying 5x to 10x and see if she can get hired there. <S> Realistically, companies that want to hire locally, pay wages consistent with the locale. <S> The act of being acquired doesn't change that. <S> And often acquisitions are made with cheaper overseas labor in mind. <S> I don't think it is fair, but she was told she won't get a raise, let alone to the same levels. <S> Said company is proudly an equal opportunity employer, but I doubt federal laws have effect overseas. <S> Let's lay out the facts here. <S> Your friend was making x. <S> Your friend's company was acquired by a US company <S> Your friend's work hasn't changed. <S> Yet you think the mere fact of being acquired means that she should make 5x to 10x more than she did before the company was acquired? <S> Fair or not, it simply doesn't work that way. <S> And no, federal laws don't work that way overseas. <S> Imagine for a moment that an overseas company acquires a US company. <S> Should the US employees expect to have their salary reduced to 10-20% of what they were making <S> pre-acquisition? <S> How do you think that would go over? <A> The price of labor is determined by supply and demand. <S> The employer does not have to offer wages that are nominally the same as in the US because he can find local employees with the relevant skills that are willing to work for less. <S> As others said, equal pay legislation does also not apply across borders. <S> Why is that? <S> Why can't the employees negotiate for the same nominal wage when their work can be done remotely and their location does not really matter much? <S> A wage of i.e. 35 lakh rupees per year in India may represent the same cost as 50k$ for the employer (tax considerations etc. <S> aside), but not the same standard of living for the employee. <S> While Indian engineers would surely appreciate the luxurious lifestyle that comes with 35 lakhs, there will be enough of them who are willing to settle for the reasonably good standard of living at 15 lakhs. <S> This will become the market rate. <S> The employer does not need to pay more. <S> Does that mean that Indian and Chinese engineers have no negotiation power even though they provide comparable work as their western counterparts? <S> No, this is not true either. <S> The wage gap between developed and developing countries is much larger for unskilled jobs than for skilled jobs. <S> This can be seen as a result of this negotiation power. <S> The nominal salary is still lower than in Europe/the US, but the perceived standard of living needn't be. <S> As an anecdote: Multiple Indian engineers have told me that, in spite of their hugely increased nominal salaries, they feel poorer now in Europe than they felt before in India. <S> They can afford smaller apartments and fewer aides for their household work. <S> reference material from McKinsey <A> Bottom line: she can't. <S> If the US company wanted to pay US wages, they would have expanded their US operations. <S> Part of the value of this deal for the US company is the cheap wages they can pay, and they're not going to erode that value unless the local employees can show that she can get more pay with another local employer.
| The costs of living differ from country to country.
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How to make an unethical company more honest from the inside? I work for a financial company (listed on the stock exchange) and some of the stuff they do are not ethical/legal. For instance: tax evasion not paying for software licenses using data from some providers in ways which are not in agreement with their terms scrapping websites for data without paying firing people without a good reason ("we give you money to leave, or we could hurt your reputation") making people work at night without any written agreement/compensation paying people with complicated schemes to avoid paying taxes or social contributions The speech the management is giving is very hypocrite, they did not do "tax evasion" but changed things to "catch better opportunities". Or they say that "The company would not earn money if we did not do that". People are not really fired, they "met a mutual agreement to end their collaboration". I considered leaving the company because I do not adhere to those standards. However, it pays really good and I earn almost 70% more than I would in any other company for the job I am doing. It lead me in a complicated position where in the short term, for my financial success it is a very good opportunity to stay there. Moreover, I still want to stay because there are a lot of positive things about this company (not just the money). I believe most people in the company are good people but orders are coming from the management, and nobody wants to get in trouble with the bosses. Moreover, there is this mentality that "everybody in the industry is doing this", or people are just playing dumb saying "I am not a layer", or refuse to see the truth "I don't know what they do but it must be legal I guess". I considered several options: not saying anything and keep doing my job, as if nothing is happening raising my concern to my boss (outcome some coleague received: if you are unhappy, the door is open and you can leave the company) denouncing the company to the authorities as it does not respect the law in several aspect sending detailled informations to a newspaper leaving the company, despite the loss in salary get evidences to build a case against them What really bother me is that I know that the company would still make a profit without all these bad behaviors, and that most people are probably not adhering to them. But the greediness of the management make a lot of good individual people do unethical things. I wonder if there are some ways I can change things from the inside (given the fact that I am not in a managerial position). Here are some of my thoughts: starting a union (would not be welcome at all) writting an open letter (anonymous or not?) talking to my boss of a small matter at first (like software licensing) to engage the discussion Is this even possible or am I just a dreamer in believing that? What would you advise me to do in such a situation? <Q> "am I just a dreamer in believing that?" <S> I wouldn't call you a dreamer. <S> Instead, I would choose the words dangerously naïve . <S> The chances of you changing their practices are effectively zero. <S> By making waves you're likely to become one of those folks who "met a mutual agreement to end their collaboration" . <S> If the company's practices are truly so odious as to trigger moral qualms, then you should quit. <S> It's that simple. <S> It's a long, and tricky road, however, and I wouldn't go down it unless you had some very serious moral convictions on the matter. <S> If the money is a big motivator for you however, then keep your head down, do the job, and maintain plausible deniability of any and all criminal practices (don't leave a paper trail of complaining about missing license keys, tax evasion, etc. <S> as this could potentially render you an accomplice to their criminal acts). <S> Later, if you get truly uncomfortable with their practices simply leave and never look back. <A> Forget about trying to save the company - you should really be thinking about saving your own neck. <S> If your company is ever investigated, it may be hard to deny that you know anything about what they do. <S> Should that be the case, friend: you'll be on the hook. <S> Get out while you can. <A> This management operates on raw power and frankly, the power dynamics doesn't favor you if you were to engage in any kind of direct confrontation with them. <S> You know they are going to pull out all the stops and they have lawyers, right? <S> Every one of the actions you are thinking of taking - starting a union, writing an open letter, talking to your boss of a small matter at first (like software licensing) to engage the discussion - shows your hand and exposes you to investigation and retaliation. <S> You are the nail that sticks out and will be hammered own. <S> I am going to be blunt. <S> In view of your child-like naivete, I estimate that you are your own worst enemy. <S> You don't have the experience <S> and I don't think you have the brains to take them on by yourself. <S> You're in over your head. <S> Try to get a powerful, experienced entity to back you up. <S> Like a law enforcement agency. <S> And work with it to build a legal case against them. <S> Acknowledge your limitations and work well within them - <S> this means, don't even think of doing anything by yourself. <S> Get your own lawyer if you can, because your lawyer may be the only one whose agenda is to look out for you in this saga: the company and the law enforcement agency are sharks, and you are just a sardine at a sharks' banquet. <A> Most of what you present would probably have negative outcomes. <S> Raising your concerns to your boss (especially if management is involved), building a case yourself, writing open letters with your name on it probably won't end well for you in a company that has a history of unethical or illegal practices - likely quickly unemployed without references. <S> Next, consider your ethical responsibilities. <S> You need to make a decision yourself, but consider any codes of ethics that apply to you. <S> I'm a software engineer, so I can look to the Software Engineering Code of Ethics and Professional Practice . <S> You can use these to frame your decision making process. <S> But at the end of the day, you need to be able to live with yourself. <S> Personally, I'd immediately begin to look for a new job. <S> I don't see myself able to work for a company that has such significant ethical lapses. <S> Even if nothing illegal is happening, it's not the kind of company culture that brings out the best in people, and likely isn't worth the stress even for the higher salary. <S> But I'd also begin doing other things. <S> For each of the specific legal violations, there are specific things that you can do. <S> For tax fraud, you can report it to your country's taxation or revenue service ( in the US, the IRS has resources for reporting suspected tax fraud and since you mention working in the financial sector, it's usually regulated by some government body ). <S> For unlicensed software, you can report it to the BSA | <S> The Software Alliance or (for software produced by larger companies, directly, such as to Microsoft , Oracle , or Apple - simply search "report piracy to {company}" on your favorite search engine). <S> For using data or accessing services in violation of the terms of service, you can go right to the service provider. <S> Some of the other things you mention may or may not be legal. <S> In the United States, most states are employment-at-will, meaning that you don't need a good reason to fire people. <S> Requiring shift work may also be totally fine in order to meet business needs.
| If they are engaged in criminal, or morally corrupt tasks which you cannot, ethically, be a part of then you should start looking for a new job and tender your resignation as soon as you have a new offer. You could, of course, go further, gather evidence against your bosses, and contact the authorities with that information. If you KNOW that you are benefiting from illegal activity, that makes you an accessory or accomplice (a passive role, but still a role). The first thing to do is to rethink what your options are. Also, look to any professional organizations that you are a member of - many (if not all) have specific ethical codes that apply to members.
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Negotiating details before official offer is made Recently, after doing some interviews, I received a very nice offer from one company (let's call them A). One of the other places I interviewed at (B) had made very positive remarks following the interview, so I sent them an email to ask them if they had made a decision. In the email, I also notified them that I had an offer from a different company. I am fairly confident that I will accept company A's offer, but I want to have as much information as I can before making a decision. Company B said they were writing up an offer for me. They promised to send me the official offer in a few days, but in the meantime, they're asking me about my preferences around a few details such as the start date. I don't want to reject their offer before seeing it, but it feels dishonest to discuss these details when I feel confident that I will accept company A's offer. Particularly, it feels to me as though I am in a negotiating stage with company B before they give me an official offer. I am also still gathering a few last pieces of information from company A which might cause me to reconsider, so I want to emphasize that I am not merely trying to get information from company B for my ego's sake. How should I proceed? <Q> I think you are overlooking something. <S> You think they are asking you this because they will make a better offer, etc. <S> I don't think so. <S> Asking questions like this is a way to put you in the shoes of <S> the guy accepting the offer (before even seeing it, it's brilliant!). <S> So, when do you want to start? <S> Which parking spot would you prefere? <S> Do you like a green chair or a blue one? <S> Do you want to sit next to Jane or Bob? <S> They don't really mind the answer, they want you to imagine working there. <S> As you answer those questions, the more you will identify working in this environement. <S> So, yes, answer you avaibility, there is nothing dishonnest about it, but don't be fooled about the intent. <A> I would look at A's offer, consider what B would have to offer to out-bid A, and give that info to B. B will probably assume you're giving them what A actually offered. <S> Just make sure you don't provide any info/benefit that is unique to A <S> (one wouldn't want B to know who A is). <A> If you're confident that you're going with A then get off the fence and focus on A. <S> If you're not confident, then carry on gathering information. <S> But don't waste people's time, no one appreciates that. <S> Trying to run an auction might lead to offers being withdrawn. <S> But if you're not worried about that then that's the only reason I can see for continuing. <A> There is no problem with continuing the discussion if your chance of taking B's offer is low--as long as it is greater then zero. <S> Continuing this discussion implies that you are going to legitimately consider their offer. <S> If you are not, then stop now. <S> But as long as you would really consider working for them, you can keep going, even if they are a long shot. <S> You are not misleading them. <S> If that is true, I would continue (as long as it doesn't jeopardize the offer you already have). <S> I agree with James Olson on this point. <S> If you would only work there for salary X, a more senior position, <S> etc., then tactfully communicate what you are looking for now. <S> If it's unrealistic, then the negotiations can conclude early, you won't be using any more of their time, and you won't be delaying your response to A while waiting for their offer. <A> Either you are open to considering B's offer <S> or you aren't. <S> If you are, you should discuss anything that might sway your decision and there's nothing dishonest about it. <S> If you aren't, stop wasting everyone's time, accept A's offer and send your regrets to B. That, too, is "honest". <S> If you're jerking them around just out of curiosity to see what they will offer, despite having made your mind up, that is dishonest but the person you are hurting mst is yourself. <S> Remember, the longer you delay in accepting A's offer, the higher the odds they will have hired someone else in the meantime. <A> Why would you deny them the chance to make the best offer they can? <S> If they can't make it interesting, that's on them. <S> But how is it helpful to deny them the chance to know the market better? <S> If they have asked reasonable questions, give them truthful answers. <S> The only thing I would be careful of, is that you should give them details that would at least make you consider their offer. <S> To give an example, suppose A has a workout room with a pool, and you love swimming laps during lunch. <S> Tell them what you'd want in order to consider their offer, not just what A is offering. <S> They obviously aren't going to add a building and pool just for you, so they can't literally match the offer from A, what would you want to forego your laps?
| If B would have to overwhelm you with a great offer, then make your expectations clear upfront. The phrase "I am fairly confident" suggests your mind is not completely made up.
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Should I speak out in a review with my boss? I have a review with my supervisor tomorrow. The last time I had one was a few months ago. Since then, she has accused me of lying, accused me of doing something I did not do, implied that I am unintelligent, and she ignores me when I ask her if she is happy with my progress/work on a project. Should I bring up these points during the review? <Q> You don't know ahead of time what your supervisor is going to say or do at the review. <S> Since she is your supervisor and it's her review of your performance, you'd best listen to what she has to say before you even think of speaking up <S> - it's her review and it would behoove you to let her drive it. <S> You are not going to counter any of her arguments unless you know what they are, and you won't know what they are unless she states them without you interrupting and disrupting her monologue. <S> You know that any serious disagreement you have with her evaluation won't be resolved at the review, right? <S> If you have any serious disagreement with her review, make sure that you get that disagreement straight before you file any objection in writing with HR. <S> Make sure that you verbally express your disagreement to her in a non-adversarial way <S> e.g. "This is how I see it". <S> Because you are not expressing your disagreement as part of a shouting contest or a screaming match, you are expressing your disagreement as part of the review's official record. <S> And count on it that HR is going to read that record line by line if you have them review it. <A> Not a great idea to go on the attack in a review although at some point you may need to. <S> So long as you have prepared you can't do much else. <S> Going on the attack will immediately make you look disgruntled and troublesome. <S> Defending yourself calmly and professionally makes your opponent look like the problem. <A> Prepare your performance review in a positive light. <S> Take everything she told you and even if you would disagree with her, try to bring back a positive experience since then . <S> She said you lied: <S> highlight how good the communication had been on [insert here project with a happy customer] . <S> She said you did something you didn't do <S> (that was bad <S> I supposed): remember her how well you did this same task on another project. <S> She implied you are unintelligent: higlight a problem you solved. <S> She ignores when you ask for feedback: ask her what KPI she would think would be best to monitor your performance so you can improve Obviously, don't mention what she said and that you disagree with her. <S> Don't try to prove her wrong, show her the positives and the will to progress. <S> It's sometimes too easy to see the problems and not the good things. <S> Good luck!
| If you unilaterally bring up your grievances, your review is most likely going to turn nasty - that would be a pity for you if she had decided to turn the page on what had happened. Best to prepare yourself and make sure you have all the answers sorted for anything that might come up, then play it by ear.
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New job hasn't confirmed starting date and I want to give current employer as much notice as possible I have applied for a new job that has a lengthy hiring process. They keep telling me I will be working for them soon and that the paper work is just a formality, but I still haven't got a final offer letter with a start date (I do have an offer letter describing my position and pay). I haven't told my current employer that I will be leaving and I want to leave on as good terms as possible and give them as much notice as possible. The other day I went in to show the new job my SIN card (same as SSN). The actual hiring manager wasn't available so the person I spoke with made a copy of it to give to the manager. I asked her if she new anything about where in the hiring process I am and she did not. Also it sounds like they will be having me in for training before I start working full time. So I'm thinking of sending an email to the hiring manager and need help wording it. Here is what I'm thinking Hello: I am wondering when I can expect to start working? I haven't given my current employer notice that I'm quitting and would like to give as much as possible. Thanks. I would like to avoid a bureaucratic response such as "as soon as all your paper work clears". This is only for seasonal employment and there's been a lot of back and forth so it seems to be getting silly. Legally I'm supposed to give at least two weeks notice. UPDATE: the company dragged their feet so long I was offered another job by a different company and accepted it. Less than a month latter the first company came back with the official offer and I apologized saying I had already accepted another job offer. Snooze you loose. <Q> You don't have a start date, so you don't have anything. <S> Until you receive a written communication from your prospective employer that states your start date, where you are supposed to show up and at what time and who is there to receive you, you have NOTHING. <S> And you have half an hour to clear your desk and get yourself escorted out of the building. <S> Until you actually start, there is always the chance that your prospective employer is going to rescind the offer on you before your start date. <S> The more time you want to give your current employer, the bigger the time window for a possible rescission to occur. <S> You say you want to give your current employer as much time as possible? <S> I say don't be an idiot. <S> Stick to the two-week notice or <S> whatever notice is customary in your locale. <S> Don't try to do more than that, you are in self-preservation mode and you need to look out for yourself and your dependents if you have any. <S> Of course, you don't give your two-week notice UNTIL <S> you have the written communication from your prospective employer in hand - the written communication I mentioned at the very beginning of my answer. <S> Stick with the custom <S> , that's enough courtesy to your employer. <A> You mentioned a 2-week delay for the notice. <S> Just tell them you have this hard constraint, which is independent of your will, and if they want to have you "asap", they need to clear your start date issue. <A> "as soon as all your paper work clears". <S> This was my first answer. <S> Since you clearly don’t wish for this I'll elaborate on the more risky approaches. <S> Here's a list of "moments" in which you could announce your 2 weeks’ notice. <S> This goes from safe moments to less safe moments. <S> As soon as all your paper work clears. <S> (no risk) <S> Right now. <S> (Taking all risk on to yourself) <S> I don't know how badly the other company wants you and how easy it is for you to find a different job in general. <S> The main thing you need to worry about is having your new job go back on their offer. <S> If you think this chance is negligible, then you don’t need to wait for the papers to clear. <S> If you're financially stable enough to take the brunt of being un-employed for a few days up to a month. <S> Then you could announce that you're leaving right now. <S> The main reason why people wait for papers is because no-one likes to take the risk of not getting that other job and then be unemployed. <S> Just think of how much this would impact your life. <S> If it impacts you very little, then obviously you would be capable of taking this risk casually. <S> And feel free to send that letter to ask when you could be expected to work. <S> Or at-least ask for an indication. <S> If you know in which week you'll start working but not the day, will still help you a long way.
| As soon as your starting date is clear As soon as you have an "indication" to around which date you will work. You can tell your current employer that you are leaving but many if not most current employers will react by choosing the time and date you are leaving for you - Like right now.
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I am a contractor. An employee in the company is asking me to do something personal for him without pay. Is this appropriate? I work as a translator for the company. This employee I deal with within the company is asking for a personal favor to translate something for him. He is capable doing this himself, as he is proficient the both the languages as well. I don't know why he is asking me. Is this appropriate? He is a decent person, should I do this favor one time for him? <Q> If it's a personal matter for him that does not involve the company (not even as a potential competitor), then there is no ethical problem. <S> That was the part where the workplace comes in. <S> Do you want to do him this favor? <S> we cannot know. <S> You decide. <A> He is a decent person <S> This is not a decent person. <S> A decent person values other peoples' training and time, and works with integrity. <S> It doesn't matter that you both speak the language. <S> This guy is trying to get something for nothing; and as a contractor, you have no expectation of being around to have the "favor" returned. <S> If he wants you to do it, and it's valuable, then he'll offer to pay you for your time, off-the-clock! <S> If he asks you to do it on company time, then he's asking you to commit fraud. <S> If he implies that you should do it because of any common culture shared between the two of you <S> (i.e. "we are brothers!!!"), then he's trying to manipulate you. <S> You don't owe him anything. <S> Kindly decline and go about your business. <A> In some companies, this is expressly forbidden - it's not permitted for an employee ask a contractor or fellow employee do "personal" work for them, paid or otherwise. <S> The problem with "one-time favors" like this is that they're rarely one time - once this employee knows that you're willing to do this work for him, at no charge, he'll come back for more. <S> And more. <S> If, as you say, this individual is proficient in the language(s) involved here, there's really no reason for him to ask you to do this <S> and it would seem he's trying to take advantage of you. <S> He may see your time as less valuable than his own. <S> If this individual were a stranger who walked up to you on the street asking for this translation, would you do this it for them, for free? <A> if it's not interfering with your other responsibilities (work and personal) <S> I encourage you to do this favor for a decent co-worker. <S> if you consider this person decent, then there must be some reason for him to ask you to do this favor. <S> humans needs to help each other. <S> this is how society works better. <S> but remember that it is a favor, if it is done only 1 time. <S> more than once it may become duty or expectation.
| when it is personal, and doesn't involve any conflict of interest (this favor may be personal but the job is not personal in nature like related to company, competitors or other aspects of work relating material), it is your decision to do this favor.
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Negotiation with hiring agency I am working on a college project where I set up a small company and need to hire 50 employees. Quotes I received from recruiting and hiring agencies are a bit too much for our budget. How can we negotiate?Thanks. <Q> As you mentioned, this is a college project and not a real-life example. <S> This means every single element should be challenged. <S> You do not have the budget. <S> This part is straightforward. <S> You can ask the agency if they can lower their price, the answer will most likely be no. <S> The agency is asking too much. <S> As this is a college simulation in my understanding, there is a good chance that asking "can we change agencies?" <S> will be met with "you can find the same service 5-10% lower with Agency XYZ". <S> We need to recruit 50 employees. <S> Does it have to be 50 ? <S> Wouldn't 45 or even 40 do the trick ? <S> You only specified in the question that you need 50, but this should be challenged. <S> In addition to that, 50 induces a threshold effect in several countries, so going from 49 to 50 employees can be extremely costly. <S> We need to recruit 50 employees . <S> Do you need employees, or can you add some interns in the mix ? <S> Their cost will be cheaper, but they can still realise most tasks. <S> Your entire project probably has more things which should be challenged, this answer only answered the elements you identified. <A> I think you are vastly underestimating the value that hiring through an agency can give to your organization. <S> They charge high fees because a lot of prospective placements actually fall through the cracks. <S> The recruiters' time isn't free, nor the account managers', nor the fancy office you expect to go visit them in, or the time of the custodian who cleans them. <S> Agencies have expenditures for phone, internet, advertising, and everything else you'd find in a service business. <S> Again, given that many like yourself will have an agency running like a chicken with its head cut off to fill a position, and THEN decide later that you don't really need the position filled <S> -- how do you expect the agencies to stay afloat if you're trying to be cheap? <S> There's a point where they can't negotiate AND stay in business. <S> But you'll get what you pay for. <A> How can we negotiate? <S> Thanks. <S> First, you google for the word "negotiation" and you educate yourself as to what "negotiation" is and how the negotiation process works. <S> Seriously. <S> Second, you say that you want to negotiate. <S> WHAT do you have to offer? <S> A negotiation is a trade. <S> If you have nothing to offer, then you have nothing to trade. <S> And if you have nothing to trade, then you have nothing to negotiate with. <S> If you have nothing to negotiate with, then you are wasting everyone's time. <S> Recruiters usually ask for two months of an employee's salary. <S> It's clear that you can't afford to pay two months of an employee's salary let alone 12 months of an employee's salary. <S> Let's assume that you somehow managed to get the recruiters to work for free, how do you intend to pay your 50 employees? <S> It doesn't look like you have thought things through.
| If cheap is your motivation, try Craigslist.
|
Employer took a contract that conflicts with my morals: potential consequences of opposing this? Yesterday I found out that my office is doing a job for a project that I think is against my personal morals. It is nothing illegal or shady, but related to animal freedoms/factory farming. I was surprised that the boss took the job because in the past they said no to a project for 'humanitarian reasons' and generally feel our idea of moral/immoral are fairly even. I directly asked my boss why we are taking the job, and the boss responded with, it's not as bad as 'xyz'. So I said that just because something is better, doesn't make it ok. Boss proceeded to roll eyes at me. I discussed it with another employee and they said that as long as it is legal and in theory/commonly acceptable then it is perfectly ok to take the job. I disagree. Just because it is legally 'ok' to do something, doesn't mean you should do it. Obviously they aren't going to turn down the job because one employee takes aversion to it. I am finding it quite distressing as it is fresh in my mind and I am surprised at the difference in our morals. At this point I think the best I can do is refuse to participate and/or decline to work on this project if it falls on my desk. Last night I did some research with a view to presenting some information to try to persuade my boss to turn down the job. I decided against this as it is obvious that we have already agreed to the job and may be breaching a contract if we turn it down now. Am I risking my job by taking a stance like this? If I refuse to work on it and state moral conflict as the reason, am I damaging my reputation? I have never faced a situation like this with an authority figure/employer so I do not know how to deal with it. Location-Australia Industry-Construction/Architecture <Q> Am <S> I risking my job by taking a stance like this? <S> You need to ask your boss about this. <S> Anything else is just a guess, and your boss is the one that gets to decide if your decision to not work on some projects is acceptable or grounds for dismissal. <S> In some companies with many projects it might be fine. <S> If you don't work on one there's plenty of other work to do. <S> In other companies everyone needs to be on board with important projects. <S> If I refuse to work on it and state moral conflict as the reason, am I damaging my reputation? <S> You are basically showing others that you might refuse to work on some projects that go against your beliefs. <S> Certainly you can't be expected to review and approve every project, so from a company point of view, they can't be sure what stance you will take next. <S> Depending on what you want your reputation to be, this could help or hurt. <S> Some would consider this "being true to your morals". <S> Others might consider this "being odd". <S> You need to ask yourself why do you want to work for a company that would take on work like this? <S> How far do your morals extend? <S> (We all draw the lines differently). <A> Some good answers here already, but an important aspect you need to keep in mind. <S> When all the discussing is over, this is your problem, not the company's. <S> There is nothing wrong with asking for some accommodation and hopefully your company has enough work and management is willing to be flexible. <S> But the company can not be expected to follow every employee's moral compass. <S> Just because it is legally 'ok' to do something, doesn't mean you should do it. <S> That's true <S> and you can feel free to take that stance for yourself. <S> But as an employee, you generally don't get to decide what work the company takes on. <A> First you probably need to fully work out what your position is, short term & long term. <S> Also consider what is in and out of your control. <S> Would you quit if you are made to work on this project having politely and professionally asked not to be assigned? <S> If yes, then potentially you’re done. <S> Just quit. <S> If, as you state, you “refuse to participate” rather than try & negotiate, you might not even have the option. <S> If you accept the situation this time, can you continue to work for this company knowing they may take on a similar project? <S> If not, maybe you quit anyway <S> , maybe you use the time you’re currently employed to find a new job while still getting paid. <S> If yes, ask whether your boss would give you the option to not participate if the situation arises again? <S> Can you live with his answer? <S> If the business continues to pursue ever worse projects (morally) what will you do? <A> Whether you should refuse to work on this contract is a question that only you can answer - <S> it depends how strongly you feel about the issue and how directly your work would contradict your beliefs. <S> For instance, constructing housing for farm workers might be acceptable, whereas designing an abattoir would not. <S> Whether your employer would accept your request depends on a number of factors: <S> How valuable are you to the company? <S> Will they make allowances for you in order to avoid losing you? <S> How much will the request affect the company? <S> Is there other work you can switch to, or are you asking to sit doing nothing for the duration of this contract? <S> How common is your moral objection in your culture? <S> Is it based on a recognised religion, or a common ethical position? <S> Does your objection seem logical? <S> This is a grey area - in many countries there have been legal rulings that it is not acceptable for Christians (for example) to withhold their services because they do not want to endorse same-sex marriage. <S> Arguably, a vegan refusing to build a livestock farm, or a pacifist refusing to design a website for an arms manufacturer could be comparable, and hence not acceptable. <S> On the other hand, a vegan journalist refusing to write a review of a steakhouse might be accepted more easily, especially if restaurant reviews were not normally part of their job description.
| The employer is not required to continue employment for employees who refuse to do the assigned work because they don't like the task or the client (within contractual limitations, obviously).
|
Emailing placement manager my cv directly after having done placement with them I did a year long software engineering placement with a company, and I recently noticed that they are advertising a graduate job role. When I had left the company, they said to drop them an email when it was coming up to my graduating in the summer. I'm not sure whether I should email my previous manager now, attaching my cv etc or whether i should apply online like others would be doing, though my cv might get lost under the rest of the applications? Or should i wait until later in the year, like they said when I left? I only just found the job posting, but the deadline is tomorrow at 4pm so not sure what the best approach that would help me get noticed without being rude. <Q> I think it definitely makes sense to reach out to your old manager, since he did ask you to reach out. <S> However, I would still follow the normal application process they use for everyone else, then use the email to your manager to point out that you have applied. <S> This means even if the manager isn't involved in the hiring, or isn't interested in helping you out, or is just too slow to make the deadline you are still in the system. <S> However, if he is interested in helping you out, he can talk to the hiring manager or relevant person to maybe bump you up on the stack of applications a bit. <S> I think if you just email the manager without doing the normal application steps, there are more opportunities to miss out on the chance. <A> You can email the manager directly. <S> You already have a professional relationship with the manager. <S> It's appropriate to contact them personally. <S> As you state in your question they've already invited you to do exactly that: <S> When I had left the company, they said to drop them an email when it was coming up to my graduating in the summer <S> I would not interpret the above as "apply online" / "email HR", although you can and probably should do that in addition. <S> Yes, you should also attach your CV. <A> Let your manager know in your cover letter that you'll be glad to provide any clarification or any additional information needed. <S> File an official application. <S> There's been water flowing under the bridge since you last worked for them, and I expect your application will include the latest and greatest in your work experience. <S> They'll use your official application as point of reference to perform any additional background checks on you that they deem necessary. <S> Don't leave any base uncovered - such as failing to file an official application - as a matter of due diligence. <S> They said you should wait until later in the year - they probably didn't back <S> then that you'd be available now. <S> The positions are open now, so you should react now. <S> Explain to your manager in your cover letter why you are choosing to apply now. <S> If you performed well back then, they should be delighted to see you again, as you're a known quantity to them. <A> Get your CV and resume polished right now and have them prepared to send over. <S> If you are on good terms with your previous manager, I would call him/her immediately. <S> Do the usual pleasantries, and then mention you saw the posting on the site and ask for any information about it, specifically ask if the company is looking at summer graduates or if they are looking to fill the position right away. <S> If they are looking at summer grads, say you are immensely interested, you loved your time there previously, and ask the manager how he/she would recommend you applying. <S> He/she should be able to guide you from there <S> (might say you can apply as a previous employee or some other method that will potentially give you preference). <S> If you are unable to get a hold of your manager, send an email right now to him/her with everything mentioned above and also say you are planning on submitting your resume tomorrow. <S> At least in this case, your previous manager is aware that your resume will be coming and can assist if possible.
| You should email your manager with CV and cover letter, and let your manager know that you are interested and filing an official application.
|
Should I continue to interview during the background check? I signed and accepted an offer recently with company X. I completed my drug test and currently in the process of background check. But the start day of this offer is one month away from now, and I have an interview with company Y coming up next week. I know I want to work for company X no matter if I receive an offer from company Y or not. I think I can pass the background check since I don't have any criminal records. But people mentioned companies sometime rescind the offer due to budget cut, change in policy, etc. Anything can happen in one month, I don't want to be in a situation if company X rescinds the offer and I lose other opportunities. 1) I am not sure if continue to interview after accepting an offer is the right thing to do, should I continue to interview? What if the company X rescind the offer? 2) When is the exact time I can stop looking for jobs and interview? After a background check? First day of work? <Q> Examples of contingencies are: contract award, background check, drug test, customer approval.... <S> As long as there are contingencies they can easily delay your start date, or cancel the offer. <S> So today you evaluate company X as a better situation, but in a few weeks that might not be true. <S> Don't think to much about this. <S> Employers know that people who are looking for jobs are juggling multiple situations, each of which is at a different stage of the process. <A> Check your offer letter/email, it will likely say something like: <S> This offer is subject to drug test and background check <S> At the point you pass both, it becomes unconditional and you are safe to stop looking/ <S> resign etc (well as safe as you can be, check local labour laws). <S> Until then continue on any other interviews. <A> What if the company X rescind the offer? <S> Don't worry about the impact on company X, it's the impact on YOU that you should be concerned about - starting with "can you afford it? <S> " If you decide you can't, then keep looking as a matter of due diligence. <S> I know I want to work for company X <S> no matter if I receive an offer from company Y or not. <S> Okay, if Company X rescinds its offer, do you think that working for company <S> Y is preferable to being at your current position? <S> I assume that the answer must be "yes", because it wouldn't make sense for you to interview with Y if you have no reason to believe that being at Y is better than where you currently are, right? <S> Always have a plan B, if possible. <S> When is the exact time I can stop looking for jobs and interview? <S> After a background check? <S> First day of work? <S> I personally am hyper cautious. <S> I usually stop looking by the end of my first month on the job <S> - well after I've got and cashed my first paycheck. <S> I remember once telling my new company that I needed to take time off for that interview because it had been scheduled in advance <S> and I couldn't get out of it. <S> Okay, I admit it - I am a jerk :)
| Until you have returned a signed offer letter that has zero contingencies, you are smart to keep applying and interviewing.
|
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