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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 qu...	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.
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...	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.
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 ...	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.
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,...	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.
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 m...	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.
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 ...	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.
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 "reachin...	Reply exactly as you would if you received a letter with this invitation, or if someone left you this message on your voicemail.
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 e...	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.
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> T...	This is rude, and may be indicative of scamming behaviour.
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...	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.
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 ...	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.
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 n...	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.
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 req...	Just continue to use your current boss as an excuse and say that you are too busy with your real work.
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 t...	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.
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 ...	Don't forward CVs unless you are recommending someone you know...
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 on...	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.
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 ...	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.
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 outs...	Finally, arrange a farewell. If your team member has an upcoming appraisal, get it done.
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, ...	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) scrib...
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 preferen...	If you're a man, tick the box that says 'male'.
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 natura...	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.
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...	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.
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 ...	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 fee...
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 respec...	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.
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 ...	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.
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 mak...	These long lines happen when you describe not only your job titles, but also concrete responsibilities and results on the resume.
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 u...	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.
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....	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.
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 solut...	I doubt any interviewer would "knock you" for using parseInt first then offering to do it the hard way.
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> ...	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.
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...	If you announce that you are recording conversations, there is really no way this would go well.
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, surger...	Just be up front about it and ask. So long as you keep it reasonable there shouldn't be a problem.
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 co...	He probably saw something in you he didn't like.
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 pract...	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.
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...	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 ...
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 onc...	I've never been asked to take a "real" IQ test for a job, nor do I recall anyone
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 con...	What you would have to do is influence at the time when it is happening.
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 ...	When and if you get an offer from the big company, tell the small company that you got the offer and for how much.
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 w...	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 positi...
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 compan...	Some say that secret salary negotiations are advantageous to the most powerful employees.
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 'in...	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.
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 usefu...	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.
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 ...	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.
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 som...	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, an...
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 sti...	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 c...
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 ...	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.
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 m...	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.
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 ...	But I also think that they are trying to get out of paying redundancy pay.
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 t...	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.
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....	If the minority workers on your shift are discriminated against, they should call the hotline and present their facts .
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 notificati...	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
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...	I do believe that mentioning your participation in basketball may be beneficial to your application, this would be dependent on the position
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...	If a customer would like more small bills for tipping, they will ask.
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 ...	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.
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 ...	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.
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...	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 jo...
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. A...	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.
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...	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.
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 b...	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 am...
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 ...	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.
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). ...	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 you...
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 r...	If there are consequences, then you can lead with "That's ok, I understand", and then go ahead with whatever the next steps are.
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, Accou...	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.
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 worrie...	You will get a salary, and the equity will be on top of that.
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 ...	The thing that you have that an R&D employer would value most is that you're willing and eager to learn new things.
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 ...	A reasonable person working at a reasonable business will respect the fact that you don't want to tell them.
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: ac...	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.
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...	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 ...
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 o...	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.
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 suggest...	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.
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 l...	Don't do this if you've been referred by Grandma or Uncle Skip.
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-t...	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 pr...
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...	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.
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 twel...	Give your manager the (correct) impression that you seek to work with them to achieve your goals for the firm.
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 ...	Asking the interviewer to take time out of their lives to give you feedback is a proposition with iffy chances of success.
'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 ...	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.
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. S...	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.
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 c...	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
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 pr...	You should ask your boss for a face-to-face meeting to discuss about your expectations and your feelings about your work.
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...	Simply tell your current manager that it's time for you to move on
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. ...	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 ...
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...	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.
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 curre...	While the general advice is to reject a counteroffer, some people do accept them.
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 ...	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.
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...	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 ...
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 i...	"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
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 re...	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.
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 th...	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.
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...	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 com...
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...	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.
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. ...	The costs of living differ from country to country.
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 ter...	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 inform...
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 decisi...	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.
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...	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.
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 star...	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.
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 pr...	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.
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...	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 too...	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 th...	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...	Until you have returned a signed offer letter that has zero contingencies, you are smart to keep applying and interviewing.

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