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Should I reply all if a colleague has sent a potential issue to me with several senior managers in cc? Situation: A colleague thinks he has found a (minor) mistake in a report I have written. He sends an email to me together with colleagues, managers and senior managers of our respective departments. Question: Is the...	Arrange an in person meeting with your manager, explain the situation and ask them how they think you should handle this. Update the report and send it to anybody (if you like to play an especially ugly game: anybody but the colleague who pointed out the mistake). Then, Reply All to the original email with the details,...
Does a salary raise need to be put on paper? Sitrep: So a week or two ago, my business unit manager came to my desk and whispered that I'll get a salary raise of [enter amount]. What is questioning me? This is done verbally, but I feel like it's anything but official. My business unit manager could just be saying this...	Your salary is really changed either if you have the increase in writing, or if the company actually pays you more money (of course increasing your pay without telling you would be rare and would indicate that the company is badly organised).
Should I tell my boss that I'm stopping a medication that affects my mood? I've been taking sertraline for about 3 years, and this year I, with the supervision of my psychiatrist, decided to stop taking it by reducing the dosage slowly. Some of the common symptoms of sertraline withdrawal are ( taken from here ): ang...	If stopping the medication does adversely affect your work performance, you will need to talk to your doctor to figure out how to address the problem, but that would be a medical issue more than a workplace one. Don't go into specifics about what is being changed; there's no particular reason your boss or coworkers sho...
Is it appropriate to ask for later flight return date for on-site interviews? I'll be flying out soon for some on-site interviews to a city I'd rather like to see. Would it be inappropriate to ask the company, who is already paying for my flight regardless, to schedule a later return date, say through the weekend? I ha...	Most companies won't have a problem with this, so long as the new flight doesn't cost too much more. Yes, it's perfectly acceptable to ask both when you are interviewing with a company or if you are taking a business trip with a company you already work for. In a Danish context, this would probably not be a problem.
Is it acceptable to discuss a medical condition when asking a colleague to reconsider leaving? A colleague of mine approached me last year and told me he had just been diagnosed with MS. Since then there has been a noticeable change in his behavior. Fatigue and stress are the two main factors now affecting his perfor...	If you were trying to use your knowledge of his illness to make him leave, that would be a legal problem.
How should I properly ask my supervisor for a new task? At my warehouse job, I often run out of tasks and have to go back to my supervisor and ask, "Hey, anything else you need done?" This happens often so I am constantly asking her this. Is this normal? I am still pretty new and not that familiar with the ropes yet, ...	Ask her to make you a short list of ongoing tasks that she'd like you to get done after you have finished with the tasks that she specifically assigned you.
Salary negotiation: How to explain the US tax system to the company in other country I used to work and live in NYC. I got a verbal job offer in Shanghai, China and doing salary negotiation. They asked my latest monthly net salary (after tax), and said they will set my salary based on that.But I think that's unfair...	I would suggest to provide them your net salary, and ask for a N% increase to your net salary in Shanghai. All you have to say is, "I'm not going to leave my job and take a pay cut."
Is being patriotic in office cafeteria okay? This question is related to this post here So yesterday, during lunch time, there were several people seated in the cafeteria and having their lunch. The cricket match was being played on the TV and the national anthem starts playing. One by one, everyone started standin...	People can do as they wish, as a general norm.
What should I do if I have no task to do I have recently joined a 15 people startup as a Junior Software Developer. It's my first permanent position. I works under CTO who is also co-founder of the company. He usually create one task for me (generally takes me few days to finish), explain it to me, and then I start wo...	Create test plans and test your own work, test the heck out of it.
What should I do if my employee refuses to do any work? I am an owner of a small startup in UK and have a small team. I offered an oversea student (his student Tier 4 visa is end on this year Jan) an internship role from last year Sept to Dec. However, his first 3 months performance is very bad: come to work late and ...	You certainly don't have to pay him - he's already broken the employment contract by refusing to work.
Have a blog...is it evaluated by HR recruiters? Based upon your experience is it evaluated if a candidate for a job position have a blog? I mean...if I am looking for a "SQL programmer" (for example) should I give more point to the one who has a blog about SQL and database management or should I only consider the expe...	If you are the recruiter, you get to decide how much weight to put on a candidate's work experience, skills set, github and blog
Applying for similar jobs through same recruiter I have recently completed my masters and also worked on one SharePoint project. I have applied to 7-8 jobs with similar roles through the online job portals advertised by the same recruiter agency. It seems to be a big recruitment agency. One of the recruiters contacted...	So it'll be wasting your time and money if you apply through single recruiter for one company and wasting recruiters reputation too as they won't have much probability of getting you the job. If they are from the same recruiting agency, no, they should know. Generally, the more upfront, honest and transparent you seem,...
Should cover letter etc. be addressed to recruiter? I am new in the tech industry and am applying for my first real position. I've noticed there are a lot of recruiters and this is something I'm not very familiar with. It's my understanding that there two types of recruiters: those who work for a recruiting agency and ...	Ordinarily, "cover letters" and such do not include postal address information, but I strongly recommend that they should be customized, however slightly, for the particular job and company that you are seeking.
IT job interview and requirements I have a job interview next week and the job description does not indicate things that I must know. The only listed requirement is a college diploma. Since applying, I have heard through the grapevine that the job entails knowledge of A, B, C and D. I have working knowledge of A and B...	Demonstrate your ability to learn and maybe discuss loosely C and D if you have any knowledge of them (even if not working knowledge).
How much information to provide to my boss when taking a self-reported sick day? My workplace allows employees to take sick leave of up to one week without a doctor's note. Essentially if you think that you shouldn't be around other people or know you won't be able to work you can call in letting your project lead and ...	So if you have a simple and good reason for being away, and you don't mind sharing it, then share it: "I got food poisoning" or "I've got a really bad cold It's also polite to offer an expectation of how long you'll remain out of action. You don't need to volunteer any more information than you are comfortable with. Sp...
Is it acceptable to make a recurring daily calendar appointment to block lunch appointments? I work in the US in a office/research environment, and typically eat lunch at 11:30. My schedule is usually pretty open, but I've noticed that lately people are scheduling many, if not most, of their meetings with me during tha...	I would say there's nothing wrong with putting a block of time in your calendar as lunch.
How to handle being allowed to shop with the company dime Example:Company orders lunch. They allow you take pickup anything else you may want to stock the office with or that you may want as well for lunch, for yourself. Is it a good idea to shop on the companies dime, within reason, of course, as to not insult the ...	Get things that are cheaper than what most of the people order.
How to deal with an overly flirtatious friend? I have a friend who I consider lucky to have. Her kindness, intelligence and understanding helped me on many occasions since childhood. There is just one problem; she does not understand professional boundaries and her jovial and joking manner that could be considered "cut...	You can try to get others to talk to her; you suggested parents. Have another friend than you talk to her about how dangerously close to sexual harassment her conduct is, regardless of her intentions. You may have to get in her face and irritate the hell out of her. Your friend is an adult, so all you can do is careful...
How to highlight a language certificate in a resume/CV? When I learned Russian, I did an official examination and got a certificate assessing my language level. As this certificate is quite hard to get (it is the equivalent of a C1 CEFR level), I would like to highlight it. How can I do that on my resume? Should I make...	And if you really want to highlight it and have a profile section and a cover letter, I'd mention the cert in both the profile and cover letter.
Does returning to a previous employer look bad on a resume? A year ago, I left my job for a new one. That didn't work out for several reasons, and my year contract ends soon. It so happens that my old employer is offering me my old job back (their initiative). I loved the people there and the organization has improved,...	It shows that you quit the first time without burning bridges and that your previous employer thinks highly of you, otherwise they wouldn't want you back.
Having an Staff Older than I am Just want to share a bit of a background before I ask my question: Background I am a 25 year-old IT Practioner with around 4 years of Experience. I have had a solid 1-year experience in managing personnel during my tenure with a previous High Performance company, in which my positio...	Simply assume that once he has met you in an interview that he will know you are younger and if it is a personal problem for him, then likely he would not accept the job. I have worked for people both older and younger than me and age is never an issue. Do not let his age or experience intimidate you.
How do you replace key employees when you don't have the budget? I am a project manager in a tech start up and a key colleague is leaving over pay, where I have not been given the budget to properly replace him. Boss wants me to replace an experienced hire with an unpaid intern. I have told my boss that this is a real...	As above, look for a new job.
Facing difficulties in learning new programming language in company I'm an 3rd IT student in development doing a "hybrid" course. To be more specific I spend 50% of my time in school and the rest in a company. They do pay me (around 80% of the minimum wage in my country) and they do pay my training (school). Since I s...	If your having problems with some of the concepts rather than specific programming problems, do some simple sample projects to help you understand what's going on. First raise the issue with your manager and colleagues. Find resources that work for you and keep looking!
How to respond when contribution to open-source projects is a pre-requisite for a job? Job advertisements for software development roles are increasingly listing contributing to open-source software as a prerequisite for applying. Typically, they ask for a applicant's github profile or equivalent open-source project pr...	If they directly ask why you don't contribute to open source, you should tell a nice story about how much more productive you are at work when you do something different during your off hours and how much you've learned from doing [some interesting hobby of yours]
Dealing with an unhelpful senior developer, how to? I work as a junior backend developer at a company. It's been two months now. Ever since I joined, they wanted me to pair program with another senior developer. However, since the deadlines were near, this Mr. Senior decided to delay explaining the codebase until after...	If there is any way to ask your manager for advice about how to better get your job done you accomplish both informing the manager, and also may get advice you can follow. I was told to use a person who had been on the project several years as a resource to explain the project, the code, and my tasks to me. Get some lo...
Employer changed duties - possible bait and switch? I have some experience in software QA. I recently accepted a junior software QA role to develop test automation code for a big international company. I have to maintain and just run test automation code for one app which might not have any new features in the future. ...	Find another job would be the quickest answer but you would have to ask yourself why you’re so keen to leave so quickly.
Can it be seen as negative having applied for a job posting late at night? Given my current schedule (including work) I am often up very late at night. I am looking for a new job and was wondering, does it look bad if a employer receives an application form at 3am or sometime where most people are sleeping? I am lookin...	Given that so many hiring managers are inundated with applications nowadays, I doubt they'd have the energy to consider the time you applied.
How do I keep this from becoming my specialty? Background I got my bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering. While I was in school, I got an internship doing Instrument and Controls Systems engineering. I never planned to stay there, but when graduation came around, the engineering market wasn't doing so hot, and m...	So specialisation isn't a bad thing per se , as long as that specialisation suits you. The key is to figure out what you want to do, how the skills and experience you do have transfer to the job you want and how exactly to communicate that to the people who interview you.
Asked for work but no Job Letter yet Currently on job hunting and I've had my interview already last week from Company A. The General Manager told me that the job spot is mine and he asked me I'd be interested for that. Question: Would love to say "yes" however there hasn't been an offer yet (in terms of salary, pos...	Let your prospective employer show their hand and show you what they've got in their hand. If you are actually interested, simple say something like "Yes, I'm definitely interested!
Is it unprofessional to ask to use a vacation day for the final day of my notice period? My current job is ending soon on a Monday and very soon I am also joining a different position at another company. Problem is I want to make some travel plans on weekend (being a weekend is crucial for me). I also get two paid vaca...	Use your 1-day of accrued vacation pay on Monday, or any other day that suits your needs. Attempting to use vacation time as part of your notice is considered unprofessional.
Should I include in my CV that I started coding at 8 years old? I am interested in programming since I was a kid, and when I was 8 my cousin taught me the basics (i.e. how to write a for in JavaScript). From that I would spend hours playing around with my own code and improving my own skills. Today I am 20, and altho...	I would not include the fact that you started programming at age 8 on your resume.
Resources for finding first real job after completing degree I recently completed school with my degree in Computer Science. Are there any resources for finding specifically entry level jobs? I’ve been to a few job websites and there are so many that instantly don’t apply to me, for example have the word “senior” in th...	Also, many job/recruitment websites allow you to filter based on the experience required.
Overqualified manager looking for a lower position I am a late-forties mother of several children and I believe my position as a manager for automation development is ruining my health. I have to take care of my family as well as manage my team in an environment with many deadlines and responsibilities. I am also suffe...	Talk to your management about stepping back from the role you're in, and becoming a developer in the same department.
Was I right to inform the CEO about my coworker's plot to sabotage him? This situation has already come and gone for me, but I'm looking for advice on how to handle it if it were to ever arise again. I worked at a small company of around 25 people in which the CEO and CTO did not see eye-to-eye. This created a toxic w...	It was absolutely the right call and states volumes about your character, all of it good.
My productivity is dropping due to an unresponsive manager I recently (four months ago) started working at a small company of ~15 employees as a software developer for their IT system. I am essentially a one-man team; the only other person in the company who has even a slight technical knowledge of IT is my manager, wh...	They really love people who can proactively find work that needs doing rather than waiting for it to be assigned to them.
Offered t-shirt during interview, didn't really want it I had an interview at a startup-ish company where they offered me a t-shirt while touring the office. I'm a regular Cayce Pollard and only wear plain black t-shirts and have enough of them (yes... I've read that Marie Kondo book), but I took it anyways. It has sin...	But if this is a startup, chances are that they are proud of their company, and proud of their company T-shirts, and rejecting it will be seen as an insult.
Travelling on vacation between jobs I am currently employed in one company with 2 weeks notice period (been working here for 2 years), I also signed a deal with another company, telling them I have 4 weeks long notice (I actually thought I had at the beginning). So right now I have 2 weeks left to tell about my job c...	If they pay you for unused vacation then you may decide that giving notice, then working the two weeks, and then using the payout to fund your time off before starting the new job makes more sense to you. That's the normal, professional, thing to do and doesn't mislead anyone.
Is my lack of web ability holding me back in my programming career? I graduated from an applied computing top-up degree with a 2:1 (following on from an HND in Computing & Systems Development) in 2015, and went into a graduate software development role pretty much straight after there, at a small company in Oxfordshire...	If most companies you've approached require knowledge of web development, you should at the very least spend some time learning these things.
Does my employer care about my GitHub username? If the username does not provide NSFW or offensive vibe, but is not a standard one like firstname.lastname or firstinitial.lastname, etc. does it annoy you as an employer? Examples of such usernames maybe: coolguy sharktank insidejob chillbro cockroach teeshirt r...	Maybe your employer doesn't care but to me , every item you mention sounds unprofessional. But as long as you aren't gratuitously stupid about it, everyone recognizes this as just a nickname and nobody much cares. If you aleady recognized that everybody else is using firstname.lastname, just stick to that.
Avoiding the terror of a Performance Improvement Plan Over my career, I have needed to take several team members through a PIP (performance improvement plan). I was also given a PIP during one job. From both sides of the coin, there are many things that are disliked about it — but the most difficult one is the anxie...	Always work with your employees as much as you can to discuss performance issues before formalizing it with a PIP. At the very least, you must convince your team member that you will not advocate against him. However, you can take on the additional duty of aiding and encouraging your team member in his efforts to meet ...
Am I killing my future in software developing with my current job? I'm a new, almost B.E graduate (Working on my thesis-work) and I'm working full time at the IT-department at my work. When I first started they say in the interview that I would be developing program and handle customers. Now I'm not developing anythin...	So what I would suggest (personally speaking) is you find an open source project that interests you and contribute to that.
Is two-weeks notice not standard at software startups? Next month I'm quitting my job (my new job doesn't start until March 13). This is the first time I've really done this, the only other time the entire team was fleeing a sinking ship and I quit to a boss who was already on his notice (so he was like, "yeah"). Any...	You should plan for how you will choose to react if your current employer asks for more time to find and train a replacement. Unless you are a high-level executive or unless your contract states otherwise, two weeks is indeed the standard notice period at US software startups. If you want to give more than the standard...
Why job applications require lots of personal info and is there anything to do about it? I've been applying for jobs and am surprised so many require so much personal information. For example on the initial job application they ask you for obvious ones such as your full name, email and telephone number. But I'm a bit u...	If you are wanting to be employed by the company you have applied for there is absolutely no reason to withhold this information - they will need it at some point. Anything you provide can be used in terms of a scam such as getting signed up for junk mail / email, etc.
The recruiter is asking me to wait for the interview because they are having a delay even though they had already advertised the vacancy A recruiter is asking me to wait for an interview because they are having a delay and they are waiting for a confirmation by their client about the start date and the number of candid...	There's nothing you or the recruiter can do but wait things out. If the delay really affects your interest, tell them -- but do not be surprised if they stop calling you.
Inviting a friend for a part time job interview As of today, I have concluded an internship of 4 months. The company I had my internship at, asked me to continue working there part time. This obviously is a great opportunity, and I accepted the job. During the conversation, they mentioned that they can use any help, ...	If you genuinely think they would be a good fit, go ahead and connect them.
Have I acted unprofessionally by sharing photos from a work's night out? To give you some context, the business I work for an I enjoyed a post-New Year night out, paid for and sponsored by the business as a thank you for the previous year and to get people motivated for 2017. During this, HR themselves took some photog...	It depends on the culture and locale, but this approach is perfectly normal for the company I work for.
Are there jobs for software developers at embassies? I have a Bachelor's of Computer Science and about a year and a half of experience in programming. I'd like to be able to work in different countries and explore the world while I work. Are there embassy jobs that someone with my background could get into? If not, wou...	If you're only looking for the travel aspect, I'd recommend being a programmer with a company with large international outreach.
Can a company fire me for discussing my pay with co-workers? If it's in my contract that I cannot discuss pay-rates with co-workers, can I be fired for doing so? I thought I was protected by workman's-rights under this situation. Note: I'm not in danger of being fired, just curious how that situation would go down. E...	They may find some other reason to fire you, but they cannot legally keep you from discussing your pay, even if they put it in a contract, even if you signed the contract.
Layoff vs resignation, does it matter on employee record? I have been suspecting my employer (Ontario, Canada) will be laying off some employees. I did not consider myself safe due to some non-performance related factors. Therefore; I have been interviewing else where. I have received an offer today which I have accept...	If they have your resignation and then have a layoff I suspect they would not include you in the layoff as no benefit to the company that I can think of. You shouldn't be too concerned about it - you're going forward into a new opportunity.
How to deal with a boss who won't give me work? He'll assign projects to me. Small stuff, simple stuff. I'll get it done and it may not have been the best way to do it but I figured it out and did it the best way I knew how at the time and it doesn't break anything. So again, not perfect but what code is? Yet despite...	Why don't you try looking over his code and seeing how he did it differently than you did.
Should I wear a tie to this interview? I know the immediate answer would be a overwhelming yes. But hear me out I need some reassurance, I am a recent high school graduate and I've been working at a restaurant for 2 years now. I recently applied to a job where the pay is much higher than what I am currently being paid....	Clothes that fit well and are clean, neat and look new are better than clothes that are fancy but worn and ill-fitting. If you hate ties, as I do, you can get away with skipping that. At least in the subcultures I deal with, if you wear a blazer/jacket, a good button-down shirt, dress slacks (or even chinos) and a resp...
Interview appointment during work time I'm finishing my 6 months internship at a software company. I'm pretty sure soon I'll receive an offer here.Meanwhile I sent my CV to a company I'd really like to work with. They showed interest and suggested to meet in one of the next mornings. During the day I'm busy with my int...	I will repeat the answer of many here and suggest that you should inform them that you aren't available until (date your internship ends).
Coworker has a borderline-NSFW ringtone that is disturbing. How can I get him to change it? A coworker has a song as their phone's ringtone, and the song lyrics could be flagged NSFW. It does not contain actual cursing, but has tons of obvious sexual innuendo. I think it is disturbing. I talked to them, but it was to ...	Personally, if I were in your shoes, I'd probably talk to my manager about trying to set up a policy to require cell phones to be set to vibrate or silent mode while at work.
How to get back to workforce with a recurring depression I left my 1st job of 6years due to depression at 27yrs old. I was not stable and was no longer happy with the management hence my therapist told me that it was okay to resign to take a rest and to continue treatment. 5 months has passed, I sent out a lot of job ...	The only way to break the vicious cycle is to stop making negative associations with being unemployed, so you can get back enough self-esteem to pass one of the blasted interviews. Change the way you do it Don't be fazed by change.
When to announce that I'm transgender once the recruiting process has begun? Background I'm a French transgender female who started her transition a few months ago. For now, only my friends and family know about my status. I'm not legally a female and I still look and sound like a man. However, I want to change jobs ...	Then you should clarify as quickly and early as possible, best directly at the interview (remember, try to be nice, they have no way of knowing they misgender you). If you don't feel male and don't want to be treated male, please do not treat yourself as male in the first place.
Should I visit the company's open day before my interview? I will interview with a place in a couple of weeks. Before that, there is an open day at the place for the public to learn about what the company does etc. Before I knew I was going to be interviewed, I planned to attend the open day - it's a place I am interes...	Researching a company before interviewing there is always worthwhile. You may even learn something about the company that makes you think it's not where you want to work that wouldn't have been mentioned in the interview. Company's are more impressed by the fact that you did your homework about the place you are going ...
I have noticed that a potential employer's website has been compromised - should I mention it during an interview? I am about to have a telephone interview for a junior software developer position. When learning more about the company I have noticed that their website has been compromised or, simply put, hacked (the ha...	Personally, I would tell them the next time I talk to them - preferably before the interview. If you have a contact at the company, you could notify them that you have evidence that their website has bee hacked.
How do I hand in my notice and not be swayed by guilt tripping management? I am about to hand in my notice after being at my current job for just over 3 years. Through colleagues who have left prior, I am told that all levels of upper management, when discussing your decision, try their hardest to guilt trip you into s...	The only other thing i'd consider is if they are willing to counter offer you by fixing your real reasons for leaving, this just means that they appreciate you and are willing to fight to keep you. Just think of your career goals and how your current role/company is stopping you from achieving these goals. So be strong...
Minor mistake on resume and back ground check I just cleared a Software Developer interviews and they want to do a BGC on me. After reviewing my resume, I realize I made a minor mistake on my previous employment start date(June instead of July), and My job title was Programmer Analyst instead of Software Developer. I j...	I would let it slide. As long as they are hiring you for something you can actually do I would just correct it on your resume for your next role. Such a discrepancy is unlikely to come up in their search, especially since the months are so close the documentation may appear in either month and will seem legit.
What do I say in the interview about the time I spent at home brooding I’m a 33 year old programmer who has had Dysthymia (Chronic depression) for quite some time. Due to that I have spent 4 years of my life brooding and staying at home. Now that I feel fit again I’m planning to start interviewing for programming r...	I'd simply write "was unable to work due to a medical condition".
Including current job if completely unrelated to position applying for I graduated from University in September. I've been working a retail job since October. This is just to have a source of income. I'm actively looking for a full time position related to my degree (Computer Science). Should I mention that I am curren...	I would definitely mention it, and explain why I took the job in an interview if that question arises. Given your degree and the field you are looking at, I would not mention it in the resume.
Is it normal for companies to provide a relocation allowance? I have just accepted my first job abroad and I will have to move around various AirBnB and hostel forms of accommodation for the first few months as I do not have enough money saved up to pay for the deposit on rented accommodation. This is obviously going...	Whenever there is enough talent (whatever the employer thinks that is) available, there is no incentive for the employer to offer relocation benefits.
Can you take a job to quit after 2 months? I'm unemployed. The job I really want doesn't start interviews for 2 months. It has a high hourly pay, subsidized lunch, nurse on campus, concierge services, benefits, and a gym. But I don't know if I can go without work that long. I have a low offer of part time work, 25 h...	Work towards the dream job while also being good at the job you take.
How can I let my manager / colleagues know that my performance might suffer temporarily while grieving or dealing with a personal loss? Very closely related to: How to behave with a colleague who suffered the loss of a close family member? and What is an appropriate response to the death of a coworker's loved one? T...	If you like your co-workers and your job, my advice would be to stay there until you feel better. This is a question that is most up to you and how you feel.
What is the correct response to being asked to sing a song during an interview? I just read this question: If you were asked to sing or do other weird things at a job interview, does this mean that the employer is not taking you seriously? The common consensus seems to be that a request like that is for testing the...	If you are a bad singer and would be embarrassed then decline. The correct response to odd questions is to answer truthfully.
I saw my boss having sexual relations with the secretary While working overtime I heard some banging and went to investigate. I opened the comfort room at our meeting room, I was shocked at what I saw. Our boss and his secretary were half naked having sexual relations. I said to my boss "Oh, sorry sir" and closed the d...	As long as it does not impact you professionally, I do not see any need to report it neither to HR or to anyone else.
How should I respond to a (positive) email about my career path that I don't think was supposed to come to me? Late yesterday I recieved an email, it basically went like this From : My Boss's boss's Boss To: HR Director CC: Jim, Joe, Bob, Sidney HR Directory, The following is my list of names for promotion Jim...	Manually move the email to your spam folder and permanently put it out of your mind. E-mail them and ask them if you should be added on the e-mail. Just politely let them know they may have made a mistake.
Boss smokes in the office, how to address this issue I work in an open office in a public building. My boss has a personal office, where he often smokes. Where I work in Mexico, you can be fined for smoking in a public space. This bothers me because I have sinusitis. How should I address this before taking legal acti...	Say something like "I understand you like to smoke in your office, but even small amounts of smoke bother me due to a medical condition." If you go to him with a cooperative attitude rather than a confrontational one, he is very likely to want to help you.
Help me understand why I did not get an offer? I applied for a job, passed all 5 interviews and the 10-hour technical written test. I was asked for references and background check. The team lead even told me I will be hired in the last interview! Then two days after that I got: I want to take the time to thank you f...	You might be a good fit, but they found someone who they feel is a better fit.
"Pharmacy box" for employees My boss had an idea, most of the employees when they have migraine, or start to get a cold for example, normally they don't have some drugs near or they just don't bring it from home and they need to ask to others employees for them. The idea is to have a box with common drugs on it, like ...	And don't put that box anywhere near the first aid box - you really don't want to give the impression that your first aider is giving out medication. Only contribute medications that are over-the-counter and in-date. Also, clear this with HR or your health & safety representative - you want to make sure this is legal a...
I think my email is annoying one of the higher ups I just got this response from someone on an email thread. Hi Guys, As a request – can you optimize email communications with the business? Do reach out when you are in need of key details or information, but try not to copy them on internal comms that do not requ...	I would suggest that you not send any emails that are not critical to this person ( and that your are 100% sure the director needs ). Let your supervisor escalate issues to director-level as he or she deems appropriate.
How to bring up that the company is underpaying its workers in violation of labor law So, while my current job is going pretty well in general, I have recently noticed by tracking my pay stubs that I am being paid appx. 3 hours short per workweek. While I was going through the process of comparing my records to the c...	Firstly (you should be doing this anyway if you're in a dead end job) look for another job while surviving on what you make from your current one. If you have a labor union you can report to them.
Shareholder bullies and doesn't like me. How to deal with this? I have been working for over three years for a really small tech company (about 12 people in the team). This is also my first job ever. I have two bosses, the company owner who works almost always remotely (let's call him John) and a shareholder (let's cal...	If you can resolve the issues between yourselves, there's no fear of later retaliation, no difficulties involving others, no need to move on, and no headaches. 3) Give John an ultimatum - say that Jack has to either change his behavior, leave, or you will have to leave. As a shareholder, not only will you have the auth...
Job offered but company can't agree on start time I was recently offered a job role at a company I did placement with. When i heard they were taking in applications for a graduate version of my placement job, I applied. When they were contacting me, they were very posititve and it was basically a when can you start sit...	What you should do is agree to the new start date, but get it written into the contract that you will get 8 weeks of unpaid leave.
I am the only foreigner in a company. How to show project manager I am not actually stupid? I am the only foreigner in small IT company. The main language of communication is Finnish which I kinda know but it still is a bit of trouble to speak and understand it fluently. I'm working on it, but meanwhile I feel that o...	You can change this easily be speaking in perfect English and switching to Finnish if someone doesn't understand. Whatever assignment you are given, be sure to do it to the best of your ability and do it better than anyone else.
Building Rapport with a Team of Junior Engineers At a past job, I started working on a team of all senior engineers and did some great work. Management recognized this and asked me to join a team of, mostly, more junior developers to help guide them (without being made a manager). Unlike my old team, they hadn't yet e...	Praise them more when they re-review code and it meets the standard. You aren't their manager, you are their equal (with some valuable experience).
Are exclamation marks bad in professional environments? So when people send me professional correspondence in which I'm expected to reply, I sometimes interject exclamation marks in the message, as an emphasizing point. For instance, if the question "Hey, I noticed you on LinkedIn, and would like to see if you wanted...	Any exclamatory sentence can be properly followed by an exclamation mark, to add additional emphasis. While it's not outright unprofessional, it's not a habit I would encourage anyone to develop This is one of those areas where there is no real standard, even geographically or culturally. A few industries known for bei...
Perception of professionalism on idiom usage at work I work in the United States at a company that can be described as fairly informal. I work in the IT Security profession, leading / mentoring leading a team. Often I use idioms when talking to team members. Examples are listed below: with a grain of salt - doubtful ...	The idioms you've used here are commonly known, so won't be an issue. In an informal US-based team, probably not.
Can a receptionist open mail addressed to me? Our receptionist has an annoying habit of opening letters addressed to me, and then handing the letter to me. I have asked several other members of staff and it seems like she doesn't do this with anyone else. She's generally quite polite to me otherwise. If a letter is a...	So yes, the receptionist is allowed to open mail that has the company address on as the mail is being sent to the company for your attention.
Medically related memory issues causing difficulty at work I have bipolar disorder and am on a certain medication that's helping my mood quite a bit but is causing me to have black out periods where I can't recall what happened. This is affecting my work heavily and I've tried telling my boss but all I get is "I'm not ...	When you have the illness it is up to you, in conjunction with your doctor, to determine what you need at work to accommodate the issue and then make specific requests not excuses about how you couldn't do your work properly. Otherwise you just need to soldier on making the best that you can of your situation and hope ...
What conventions are there for business cards to note additional languages spoken? I speak a second language and would like to convey this on my business cards. What conventions are there for noting additional languages spoken on business cards? <Q> If you're bilingual, it's typical to have your business card with eac...	If the reverse side of your business card already contains information, then have your business card printed in the primary language of the country/region you'll be distributing them, and indicate on your card that you are also fluent in another language.
How to get people to turn up for daily meeting? Although we have our stand up meeting at the same time every morning, people still don't arrive for the meeting on their own. I need to call them for the meeting every morning. Would it help to say that they must be there 2 min before the allotted time? They are not in ot...	Find out why people do not show up for the meeting, and fix that. They have learned that they will be called. Set the meeting for 30 minutes after people arrive
I have nothing to do at my job, and it has been a month. Should I quit? I have recently started admin job at this startup and I feel like it is sucking my life away, and boring the brains out of me.. Firstly, there is little to no tasks for me. And my colleagues know it. So everyday I am forced to surf the web just to...	So you should definitely look for a new position, without telling anyone. Meanwhile I think you should check with your colleagues and your manager where there are things where you can help out, even if it is unrelated to your real job.
Farewell dinner: only drinks covered I'm leaving my company and I was wondering if it's okay to plan a final dinner with my colleagues and friends and their families, specifying that I will be paying for the drinks (with the implication being that food will be covered by them), or does this come off as tacky? <Q> Where...	Don't invite people to dinner if you're not prepared to pay for their food.
Should I put the fraternity I'm in on my resume? I'm graduating college this semester with a degree in computer science along with a concentration in information assurance. My question is, should I put the fraternity I'm in on the resume? I hear conflicting reports if I should or not. I would like to know what employer...	I'm sure being in a fraternity didn't up your coding skills, but if you held a leadership role, that would be a good thing to see on a resume from a soon to be or recent grad.
How to express travel capability and its distance in CV? I know the thread Refusing to travel , but I need to express the travel capability in my resume/CV because often asked. I have no limits if costs are compensated and/or me informed enough early about the travel. Other part is how far. I am not against any countr...	If there seem to be specific travel requirements associated with the job for which you are applying you can indicate your ability to meet those requirements in your cover letter.
How can I tell my boss I have not been successful in completing an assignment? I received an assignment almost 2 weeks ago that I have not been able to complete, due to lack of support, both from inside and outside my company, despite reaching out for assistance both in and outside the company (no response came from ou...	It's not the end of the world, just say what you've done so far, what the problems are and what help you need to move forward. Email your boss (better, talk to them in person or by phone), and tell them exactly what you've put in this email.
What is a nice way to end an interview that is clearly going badly? As an interviewer, I occasionally conduct interviews that become painful as time goes on because the candidate is doing so poorly. I have the impression that, in these cases, the candidate internally knows they are not getting the job, and would just l...	Plus, if the interview went very badly you can show empathy and give them some advices, wishing them good luck for future interviews. What I have experienced and have tried to apply since it happened to me as an applicant is offering advice.
Should I push higher than a salary offer I already consider great? I have recently completed a series of interviews with a company, and now they have scheduled a call to discuss an offer. Because this company is huge and rich, and the team I will join is working on things crucial to the company's future success, I beli...	Work from your preferred salary as the baseline as to whether you want to accept an offer.
Lost two successive jobs. How do I present myself now? I was laid off from a job, but my performance was good and I have a good reference. I then took a similar job, where my boss did not like me and did not support me in learning new things needed for the job. I worked really hard and met the deadlines, but my boss le...	I cannot tell prospective employers that I was let go from two successive jobs because then I may never get another job. For a variety of reasons, there isn't actually that big a gap between people who quit and people who are fired.
Would it look bad if I take 4.5 years to complete a 3 year degree? My degree is supposed to be completed in 3 years. For a few semesters, I took one subject less than normal which extended my degree by one semester. Last semester, I failed a subject, which extended my degree by another semester. I have now been offere...	A hiring manager is unlikely to discount you based on time spent in study, but it will almost certainly prompt a question.
Company wants me to sign work contract my first day, but I don´t want to leave my current job until signed contract I am currently working in company A. I have recieved an offer to start in company B, and I accepted. When the first interviewer asked me "when can you start?" I said two weeks from the day the docs are si...	You should tell the company that you'll sign the contract and any other items on your first day of work, but you need a copy now in order for your attorney to review them.
Is it advisable to wait after my annual review to ask for long-term leave? I have been at my company for just over a year and my yearly review is coming up. I am doing well, and my boss has dropped hints of a raise (even if they hadn't I would be asking for one anyway as I feel it is deserved). I also happen to be in ...	Other than that, asking sooner is better for the company as it will give them a bit more time to prepare for your absence should your sabbatical be granted.
Is "this offer is lower than what your company usually pays" a reasonable argument in salary negotiation? I was hired at company X on a project for year on contractual basis. At the end of the 12th month, I had a performance review which was great and helpful. After that they wanted me for another year but we could no...	If you think what they are offering isn't enough, you would be better served to say "I want $Z" and work from there.
Giving phone number to students' parents I am a new high school teacher in a major city teaching urban children. A colleague of mine uses her personal cell phone when she needs to call parents, but most of my current coworkers deliberately use the school phone to call parents. I realize safety may be an issue using my ...	It's best to keep work and home life separate, particular as a teacher since you're dealing with children and families. I don't know if this works in your country, but in France we can temporarily mask our phone number when dialing someone, by pressing #31# before the phone number you want to dial. There should be no n...
Starting a company in spare time whilst employed full time? I would like to set up a business in my spare time where I would make simple database software for small businesses - I'm currently employed full time where part of my role involves this already, though for a manufacturing business so I don't think it would be...	It depends on any sort of employment agreement you may have signed, or any clauses in the employee handbook ( Which you probably signed that you read and understood ).
How do I convince my boss to let me grow into a job that doesnt exist in the company yet Currently I'm a software engineer at my company. We've been using ASP classic for a while and in our search for improvement we as a department have been striving to make a switch to C# ASP.NET. I overheard my manager talking about...	Ask for permission to start implementing your changes, and then do so. Convince him that it seems that its in his interest (not just the company's) to spend the department's scarce resources, at this time, on meeting that need.
How to work with a coworker whose initial reaction is to ask me? I'm a developer. One of my coworkers asks me a question the moment anything goes wrong, or he doesn't understand something, in either our code or even third party code we use. He's a nice enough guy, and I'm always friendly and courteous and make time ...	If he has done research, and has a reasonable solution/method then give him the "OK" or a better solution. You need to be calm, straight-forward, not acting frustrated.
How can I stop my ex-boss from still 'bossing' around? This is a continuation of my earlier post here . Summary: I flagged potentially reputation-damaging mistake to my supervisor. They refused to acknowledge that it was an error, and based their decision on the advice of a co-worker who had out-dated knowledge and ...	If he asks about things he has no right to know about, shut him down.
Colleague keeps on begging on my snacks When I eat snacks on my desk, I sometimes end up sharing my snack with my colleagues. I know it's good to share sometimes but every time they see a snack on my desk, they'll beg me to share it with them. It's very frustrating that because of this I cannot have my snack. In my com...	If someone asks, politely say that you need the snack and don't have enough to share. Since it has become "normal" for them that you share, it would most likely be hard for them to understand why you would start saying no all of a sudden.

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