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What to do when most work can be automated, and no-one can give me more work? Around 2 years ago I started a role that had previously been done by the same employee for 10 years. The company was sad to see the employee retire, but happy he could pass his knowledge to me, as the role is vital to our ability to make a profit. Since taking over, I have slowly automated large parts of my role while increasing my productivity by all measures. It's a service role, with a defined set of tasks I do "on demand" for around 150 other staff out of a larger subset of our company. There are similar employees that look after these task for the people I don't look after, and similar tasks that are done by other colleagues. The problem I face is that while the automation has allowed me to be around 3x as productive as the person I replaced (measured by tasks per month and profit per month), it means that I am only busy (at most) 10 minutes out of every hour. In some ways, this is great for the company: No one waits for things to be done My time-target for completing each task is 4 hours, I'm doing it in under 10 minutes. I have time to advise when needed to improve people's requests I am free to informally advise on areas outside of my role where I can be helpful In other ways, it's terrible for them and me: I never look busy, which is bad for people's impression of me. I have very little motivation after 2 years of doing nothing My boss struggles to help or understand me I have literally 7+ hours a day when I could be far more useful I know I could, at any minute, be forced to explain how to use my automation tool, and be replaced by someone cheaper. Along a similar vein to the poster here I initially struggled with whether to stay or leave, and took a number of steps: The managers are struggling to find more work to me . I've taken on extra responsibilities, but none keep me busy. The colleagues who also use automaton tools don't want to use mine, or to let me take work off their plates when I offer them. Most have confessed they don't want to end up like me. Work from colleagues I can help died down after a while . I've tried moving both elsewhere in the business and externally. The first couple of internal interviews I didn't realise I had a reputation. The second couple I discussed openly with the interviewer the milestones I'd passed and the achievements I'd made to become less busy. In the most recent interview I also prepared a number of ways in which I could automate the administrative burden of the role to be able to use my knowledge and training to deliver more of what would be core to the role. All of the interviewers were very pleasant, the most recent even more so than usual, but all pointed out that my current workload wouldn't look good in my new team. It seems that I have accidentally black-listed myself . Expanding my role tramples on the toes of other staff , although only slightly. While the company is currently stretched in those areas, the toes that were to be trampled complained very loudly, and training/expansion was quashed . Around a year ago, I started reading kindle books between tasks. It was better than staring into space. Around six months ago, I could no longer afford to buy 2-3 books a week, and so went on youtube. After 3 months of more or less back-to back TED Talks I moved away from anything that could be considered professional or educational. I've tried since then to keep to things that at least "look" like work. I guess I'm struggling with next steps. I also am struggling to come in every day; I have a lot to do at home, and a new kid that I'd love to be spending time with. In an ideal world, I'd be able to work from home, keep my performance high, but spend the time I'm not working playing with him. My normal work doesn't technically need me to be here, but most of my "extra" work seems to come from me being here. I doubt my boss would consider it, but how would I even ask? If we assume that I'm not going to get approval to work formally on demand, does anyone have any suggestions, either for my next interview, or for how to get more work in the first place? <Q> IS it feasible to work from home? <S> If they are happy to pay you to answer people's issues as they come up, then this sounds like it could be great remote work. <S> When you're not there, people can't see you "not working", they just see the tickets getting solved and the happy emails about how everything is taken care of. <S> You could maybe be home every other day, or 3 days a week or something, so you still have a presence and are probably much busier on the days you are in. <A> Moving on seems like a good option here. <S> You have maxed out your current growth here. <S> There is nowhere left for you to go internally, time to go. <S> The company does not seem to be growing. <S> They have turned down the opportunity for an innovative approach to productivity. <S> While the desire to retain employees is admirable, the fact that there is nothing to move people onto once their jobs become more automated screams of stagnation. <S> You seem to be able to land something external, with potentially better conditions/benefits. <S> What's stopping you? <A> This is just my opinion, but I've been in somewhat similar circumstances where my workload was very low. <S> What I did was use that free time to educate myself in another field that was more interesting (for me i was working in desktop support, but wanted to transition into network engineering). <S> I was able to get certifications that helped me land a job in the networking field which was more interesting to me and also payed much better. <S> One caveat is that I am single and don't have a family to take care of. <S> Getting fired for me wasn't really big deal, so I didn't care if people saw me reading books all day. <S> I just decided to take advantage of the situation as long as possible and for me it paid off. <A> This may be a frowned upon answer, but the capitalist in me feels it should be suggested. <S> Spend some of your free in-work time writing a report dealing <S> which parts of which processes you have been able to automate. <S> Clearly identify how much time each automation can save and translate that into man hours/day (or week or month). <S> For example; Task A can be automated to take 40% less time. <S> Equivalent to a time saving of 15 minutes per call. <S> This task is typically the most common task and as such is usually performed 10 times a day, this is equivalent to 12.5 man hours per week per employee. <S> With 4 employees in this role that a time saving of 50 hours per week. <S> The rate of pay for an employee at my level is equivalent to £15/hour as such a total of £37,500 per year could be saved. <S> I propose replacing the current team of 4 employees with myself running the automated system. <S> The automated system will require upkeep, and if you make the system there is no one better to maintain it than you. <S> It sucks for your colleagues, but your employer would benefit from it, and you could convieveably take a reasonable pay rise. <A> Have another talk with your manager and talk things through.
| If you've competenced yourself out of your current role and there aren't any internal openings for you to grow (without making someone else redundant), then it seems as though it's appropriate for you to leave and seek fresh challenges elsewhere.
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How do I convince my employer to take my mention of resignation seriously? I've had huge work life balance issues with my boss over the past year or so, as noted in previous posts. For background, it's a small company and I'm the only employee. Finally, after giving a few points and ultimatums about 6 months ago, nothing has changed, and I don't feel it will meaningfully. I'm intending to interview at other jobs and have started this process. Due to being a small company, I told my boss to give them plenty of time to replace me - I said I'd probably be aiming to leave in a month or two. I said that about a week and a half ago. While I'm likely to be hired quickly based on the economy and my profession, I've got more than enough savings to live for a year and an extremely high probability of getting new employment eventually, so I'll leave regardless of whether I have an offer in hand within the next couple months. I know this is usually unwise but at this point, I find the situation at my job basically unacceptable. I checked with them to see how the search for a new candidate was going and they admitted to me that it was slow, and they hadn't really started. Considering the timetable, it makes me feel like my boss thinks I'm not leaving. I am just at a loss how something like this wouldn't be taken seriously - especially when I'd honestly prefer to quit as soon as a replacement can be found and trained. I could give them an exact date but was trying to be flexible as I understand it can take time to hire someone and then train them. How do I convince them to take this seriously? EDIT: Apparently the consensus is that my telling my boss I am going to leave wasn't concrete enough so I'm going to have a conversation and give a concrete date. EDIT 2: While I've had a hell of a lot of turmoil over this on Stackexchange, I haven't ever mentioned to my boss before a week and a half ago that I wanted to leave. EDIT 3: I gave another notice with an actual date on it. Transition happening. <Q> Have you ever read " The Boy Who Cried Wolf "? <S> Quit crying wolf. <S> Stop worrying about what happens after your exit <S> -- that's not your problem. <S> Get focused on the exit. <A> Find another job and give them two weeks notice. <S> NOTHING ELSE will get their attention. <S> A similar situation happened with an employer of mine. <S> This fellow warned them two years prior to giving notice that he was not happy and wanted a change. <S> THEN when he did give his notice, they took him seriously. <S> This is a common situation and literally nothing will get them to move until you give your notice. <S> Even then, they may not take it seriously. <S> You cannot change how they react, only what you do. <S> You've given them more than fair warning <S> and it is not your fault at this point. <S> I would say that you should do everything possible to get a job BEFORE you leave. <S> You may be a hot number now, but every day you are unemployed, you cool down. <A> I am just at a loss how something like this wouldn't be taken seriously - especially when I'd honestly prefer to quit as soon as a replacement can be found and trained. <S> I don't know how you have decided that your boss isn't taking this seriously. <S> But you appear to think that your boss should come back to you and beg you to stay in spite of your ultimatums. <S> Perhaps you think this "one-employee company" will change drastically to meet your work/life balance issues. <S> I think you are kidding yourself. <S> You launched your "ultimatums" six months ago, and nothing has changed. <S> More likely your boss already has decided that either your role isn't needed at all, or that they already know how to replace you. <S> Forget about worrying about your ultimatums "being taken seriously". <S> Find a new job first, give your notice, then leave (in that order). <S> You are only hurting yourself if you do otherwise. <A> I'd probably be aiming to leave in a month or two <S> If you are going to be non-deterministic about it so will they. <S> You need to put formal notice in with a date which will be your last day. <S> Anything else is just a threat, which they may happily ignore if they don't (want to) believe you. <A> Write up how to do your job. <S> Seriously. <S> Write it up. <S> In detail. <S> In separate documents covering the different aspects of your job. <S> Note that this is about your job , not necessarily about the baseline technical skills that someone must have to be remotely suitable for the role. <S> For example, to write up the job of "graphic designer" for a big marketing company, you do <S> not need to include a full training course in InDesign or PhotoShop. <S> But you do need to include such details as, how communication with the client is conducted (email? <S> phone? <S> Google Docs?) <S> , Whether or not there is any time to train your replacement, if you write up your job, you have done your part. <A> At this point you have three choices (in order of preference): <S> (Ideal situation.) <S> If you don't need the cash, just turn in your two weeks notice. <S> (A compromise.) <S> (Most drastic, could damage your career.) <S> I bet at that point <S> ( when you give them notice or just quit ) if they value your services you'll be taken seriously. <A> They may tell you they're looking to hire another full-time employee, but what they may not be telling you, is as a contingency, they have a consulting firm waiting to put someone in your seat the day after you leave. <S> They may go out of business after you leave. <S> Whatever is going on, is not your problem. <S> You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink.
| Start your job search, get an offer, then turn in your two weeks notice. And finally, you could just quit and walk out.
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agism in software hiring Lately I've been wondering whether I'm aging out as what managers and others think are "software engineers" that can do the job. FYI I'll be 57 this summer. Obviously once face to face, age is hard to hide, but on the resume I could leave off the years I went to school and graduated cut off jobs/experience older than say 12 years I've had headhunters say it's a bad idea, but I'm starting to think I need to, but maybe I'm just paranoid. Is leaving out experience or dates in order to hide one's age acceptable in the software industry? <Q> Is leaving out experience or dates in order to hide one's age acceptable in the software industry? <S> Been there, done that (on both sides of the hiring process). <S> It's a perfectly normal tactic to scrub your resume and remove all traces of age. <S> Include only the past 10 years or so of experience Remove dates from education items and anything else that doesn't require dates <S> In your cover letter, say "experienced" rather than something like "35 years experience" That might help you get more interviews. <S> Make sure you keep yourself up to date on newer technologies and processes. <S> Take courses and/or participate in open source projects if needed. <S> Make sure you know, and can use, current buzzwords while avoiding older terms. <S> Consider companies and roles where age may not be a hindrance. <S> For example, often management is expected to be on the older side. <S> Some development-related roles tend to skew older that roles for pure coders. <S> More tips: <S> https://www.google.com/#q=avoiding+ageism+on+your+resume <S> I've had headhunters say it's a bad idea <S> Ignore them. <A> You can switch to a competency based CV format some times called a pitch <S> CV instead of a chronological one. <S> The idea is you highlight your skills and competencies by using examples from your work history - tailored to each job. <S> This works better for older candidates but does mean more work producing a per job tailored CV <A> Is your goal to get invited to interviews, or to get hired? <S> If you hide your age, potential employers will figure it out as soon as you walk in the door, and the ones who have already decided to discriminate based on age will talk to you politely for a little while, then send you home. <S> You will have had your interview but wasted your time. <S> Your (and my!) <S> biggest problem is you don't know who those employers are (the discriminators), so you have to attempt to kiss a lot of frogs (so to speak). <S> If you have relevant/buzzword equivalent experience on your resume, flaunt it. <S> If they don't call you for an interview, mentally thank them for not wasting your time and drive on to the next prospective employer. <S> The important thing is to keep wading in the frog pond until you find an employer who needs your experience. <S> Good luck.
| Remove any outdated/obsolete technologies or anything else that would say "old" Try to include and highlight any new technologies and processes in which you are experienced Network with friends near your age who can give you an idea which companies might be hiring folks with your "depth of experience".
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How can I fill out a proper resume if I can not remember the dates of previous jobs?. I have been out of the workforce for far too long. I really need to find a job but now I am having trouble remembering the dates of previous jobs ( start-stop dates ). Can I get that information like employers would? I would be able to know what I am telling them matches what they will see.Thank you in advance for any help with this matter. <Q> A couple ideas. <S> 1) <S> Any old resume's. <S> Do you have any old resume's around from last time <S> you were job hunting? <S> Even old hard copies would have the dates you used then. <S> 2) <S> Any job boards you might have used in the past? <S> Even if you can't remember your account info and can't reset your password you may still be able to view the info. <S> 3) Old tax info or pay stubs? <S> You got paid back then <S> so do you have any payroll information still around? <S> 4) Does it really matter? <S> For some of my oldest jobs on my resume <S> I just list the years without even a month for start and end date. <S> If it was 5 years ago even the month and year is probably enough and even if the month is off <S> it's likely not going to be that big an issue if it even gets noticed. <A> Let me give you a dose of reality. <S> At some point you're going to get a job offer (with whatever <S> you put on your resume) because statistically, it's bound to happen. <S> And and some point, one of those jobs is going to do a (drumroll please) ... <S> BACKGROUND <S> CHECK <S> When that day comes, you need to have that information, period. <S> They will pay a company to look into your job history to make sure you're not completely full of crap. <S> And if they don't match up (i.e. you're full of crap), you can kiss that job goodbye. <S> The bottom line is that you need to find that information somehow. <S> If you're nice and friendly, you probably won't get too much resistance. <S> At the minimum, you can get a copy of your personnel file which they can likely charge you for but at least you'll have the information. <S> It might be a hassle, but it's worth the time you spend to do that. <S> It's just going to take a lot of leg work on your part. <S> Because I'm not kidding, if you get a job that requires a background check and the history doesn't match up, you're out of that job. <A> You might also look at old bank statements, and even better at old tax returns. <S> And you can always ask HR in an old company. <A> There are jobs where I don't remember the month <S> but I do remember the year. <S> I also keep old copies of resumes to remind myself where I was and update my resume continuously to include what new things I've learned, etc. <S> Surely you must have an old resume hiding somewhere, and sometimes if you got some milestone award from a job, that might register some memories for you to pin down a year. <S> Some jobs insist on knowing a month even a day you started, but I keep it generalized to the year started and year ended. <S> If they want more details, and I have a 20 plus year resume, I state that it's been a while <S> so I don't exactly recall the month. <S> Most people, if they bothered to read your resume and are interested in you, don't bring this up. <A> 1) Exact dates are usually not important. <S> It doesn't usually matter if you started on June 1st or June 21st. <S> Personally, I only list month and year on my resume. <S> If you can at least remember the season you worked (Summer, Fall, Winter, Spring), then you can pick a month from there and it'll probably be correct, or at least close enough. <S> If you have trouble remembering this, my suggestion would be to try to remember what the weather was like or what you wore during the first week, and that should give you at least some indication. <S> 2) <S> If you absolutely cannot remember even the season you started/ended work, then just listing the year should be fine. <S> Just mention to the employer that you could not remember the exact dates so when they do the background check they know that the information mishap is on you. <S> 3) Always remember: Honesty is the best policy. <S> If you are missing information, then just say you are missing information, because you forgot it or whatever. <S> They won't (or shouldn't) hold that against you, especially if you're new to the workforce and don't know better. <S> The worst thing you can do is make up a date, put it on the resume, and have that date be shown false in the background check. <S> That would be even worse. <S> Just mention " <S> I think it was around this time" or whatever, so they have a heads up.
| If it is long enough ago that you don't remember you can be more vague on your resume. Call the HR department of every company you worked for and enlist their help.
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Should I give recruiter my DOB and last four digits of SSN? This site has had similar questions about giving private information to recruiters but I haven't seen this particular case. When I'm cold-called by an recruitment agency about a job, and I agree to be submitted, they often ask for birth month/date and the last four digits of my SSN. I'm never really comfortable giving it, but I usually do. The agent who called today asked for the last four plus the FULL date of birth. (Most likely illegal.) I'd probably decline to give the info except for one thing: I gave it to this company two years ago, for better or worse. The agency submitted me to a prestigious company that year and the next year, and I even got an interview out of it. So not only does this agency seem somewhat legitimate, but we may actually have a "relationship". The new recruiter says my information is no longer in their database. Is there any reason I should not give this new guy the same information I gave his agency before? <Q> I can think of one very good reason why you shouldn't give him the information: you don't want to, and he almost certainly doesn't need it right now. <S> Challenge them on this. <S> Ask why they require the information, what it's being used for, and how it's being secured after you provide it (if you're emailing it, there is no security!). <S> They're asking for it and expecting it because not enough people stand up for themselves and say "no." <S> If they won't move you further in their process over this, move on to the next recruiter. <S> Forget what happened two years ago with this information. <S> The past is the past. <S> I have <S> never been asked for this information on a cold-call. <S> Or any other stage of the interview/application process prior to the actual employment paperwork & background check. <A> I was asked this recently by a recruiter (minus the birth year) and I refused. <S> I was told that the information was needed to create a unique key. <S> After establishing that that was the only reason they needed it <S> I told them to enter my birthday as 11th November and the last four digits of my SIN as 1111. <S> That seemed to work. <S> Of course you can't all do exactly that... <A> Asking a candidate their age or date of birth is actually an illegal interview question, just as asking what is your religion or if you are handicapped. <S> Cannot ask and completely inappropriate and unprofessional. <S> If a recruiter is asking questions like these, walk away. <S> Per the EEOC, there are "prohibited practices" for hiring- employers cannot base hiring decisions on race, age, religion, sex, etc. <S> , thus we cannot ask certain questions during the hiring process. <S> Once the hiring process is completed and a successful candidate has been selected, the employer can then have them complete a background check to ensure that the candidate is who they say they are- <S> they have the work experience and degree(s) and also verify if they have a criminal record, etc. <S> There are federal laws in place to help ensure that these checks are not used to discriminate. <S> I have had situations in the past where a candidate was selected for a position and a background check showed that the candidate had not earned multiple degrees they said they had earned. <S> Candidate was not hired. <S> There are definitely some unscrupulous recruiters out there who lack ethics and integrity, and they make things harder for the majority of us who honestly try to do things the right way. <S> If you get a call from someone who is being cagey and will not share important details, like the name of their client, and who cannot share basic information like a job description or company benefits, you should probably cut bait. <A> Or they might mistakenly be asking for the full birthdate. <S> Just point out that you only usually give your birth year and ask for clarification on why they want the full date. <S> And yes, things do get lost/deleted (and some people don't know how to search databases, but won't admit to it). <A> I posted the original question three years ago. <S> Since then, for better or worse, I have been giving recruiters my birthday/date (not year) and last four digits of my SSN. <S> A few months back, I got an e-mail from a recruiter I had been corresponding with; it accidentally included some information that was supposed to go the hiring company. <S> In a cell on a form, in included the numbers that I've been giving out for this purpose. <S> As far as I'm concerned, this confirms what @user7780168 said: these numbers are one's ID for the hiring systems out there. <A> Just for general advice, it is a bad idea to give away the last four digits of your social security number. <S> Just like it is bad advice to play Russian Roulette. <S> It may be fine sometimes, but other times the outcomes are very bad. <S> Unfortunately you have no way of knowing. <S> When I'm cold-called by an recruitment agency about a job, and I agree to be submitted, they often ask for birth month/date and the last four digits of my SSN. <S> So, the OP receives a call from someone claiming to be a recruitment agency. <S> That is what we know. <S> We also know that due to the way SSN was historically generated, someone's state, date of birth and last four digits of SSN are enough in order to determines someone's SSN with a high degree of accuracy. <S> The fact is the person you are speaking with knows you once used the recruitment agency before means nothing. <S> There have been numerous reported data leaks. <S> I would also not be surprised if the recruitment agency has sold the information on-wards to other firms. <S> I recommend generating and storing fake versions of this information. <S> If the consideration is for uniqueness, this is a legitimate solution.
| If you don't like the prospect of giving them this information, then don't . It's possible that two candidates might have the same last 4 digits and birth year so giving that extra information might uniquely identify you.
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How appropriate is company-sanctioned prayer? For reference, I'm in the US, in a particularly religious part of the country. I've noticed that at my company, nearly any time we have a meal during work (such as a conference or office party), whoever's speaking will lead the entire room in a (very much Christian) prayer or blessing before we eat. As far as I know, many employees here are Christian, but I feel like it's presumptuous to just assume that everyone is. Personally, I am not religious at all. I don't have a problem with people practicing their religion on a personal level. I wouldn't describe this as offensive to me, however it feels incredibly awkward, and I feel like I don't fit in. I typically just stand/sit there silently until everyone finishes. My company is not a religious organization, so this strikes me as particularly odd, especially when this happens during important conferences where the CEO is speaking. I know it's fairly harmless and it's really not that big of a deal, I'm just curious as to how appropriate this kind of thing is. It seems rather unusual to me, but I imagine it seems quite normal to many people and may just be a product of the company culture. What things should be considered with respect to this sort of activity? <Q> This gets tricky. <S> It's "appropriate" <S> if: Employees can opt out, without penalty. <S> Check out this document from the EEOC if you want the nitty gritty details. <S> This is a really, really complicated area to get right - if in doubt, it's probably best to not try to include your religion in company sponsored events. <S> But it's absolutely a clear line and problem in some areas such as a mandatory thing. <S> It fits company culture. <S> In some companies, this is totally going to be "normal" and fit the culture. <S> In others, it won't. <S> If it doesn't fit either of those this gets really tricky. <S> Mandating something almost assuredly crosses a line. <S> In some ways it becomes a complicated legal question if someone is offended and disagrees. <S> prayer or blessing before we eat. <S> One thing to consider is that a "blessing" is a fairly common practice across many religions or cultures. <S> Without knowing the explicit details, I would say there are considerable differences between the appropriateness of: A very specific Christian prayer at a meal A generic blessing, with Christian undertones <S> Mandatory 9am company prayer <S> The reality is there is a continuum. <S> Each individual person will have varying levels of "offendedness" at each of the above types of items. <S> As Monica points out, certain things that are "normal" in one religious background could be entirely offensive or even heretical in other religious. <S> So you need great care in what you do in incorporating religious activities in a wider group setting. <A> Appropriate? <S> That's a tough question because what's appropriate to one is not to another. <S> My personal feeling though is that it's unwise. <S> The next step is that person not feeling comfortable with not participating or saying something about it. <S> After that, there become questions of "hostile work environment" because the person alleges he was made to feel uncomfortable because he refused to participate, and so on. <S> Bringing any religious practice into a business that has no religious component in itself is a very risky idea. <A> It is presumptuous to assume that everyone is okay with a prayer at a company meal. <S> I also would say that is probably not appropriate either. <S> The bottom line though is if you wish for this to be fruitful job for you, I would suggest that you silently bow your head at these events and just listen. <S> No real harm comes from it. <S> I think it would be a horrible idea to raise this as an issue to HR as its already (obviously) an accepted practice. <S> If you're that guy that complained about the prayer at the company meal, you're likely to make some enemies at all levels. <S> I found this article to be insightful. <S> Religion in the workplace <S> At the end of the day however, if it bothers you too much, you may want to move on. <A> OP said it's really not that big of a deal ... <S> but there are people for whom yes, it is a big deal. <S> There is a big difference between a co-worker saying a quick personal Grace at lunchtime and corporate officers offering explicitly Christian prayers at official functions. <S> As others have said, though, there will likely be repercussions if you raise a fuss. <S> An anonymous "helpful" note to HR with examples of companies getting sued for similar practices might help, though.
| When you introduce any organized prayer (even just a blessing on the food), you risk someone getting offended because they may have a different (or no) religion.
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Is it ethical to upload my solutions to interview tasks online to showcase my skills to other employers? I am looking for a job. One of the companies that I interviewed with gave me a coding challenge. The company did not reply after I sent my solution. Can I upload my solution to the coding challenge on Github, to showcase my skills to other employers? It was a good question, and I wish to showcase my code and approach (for which I invested a lot of time). Is it ethical or a good practice to do it? <Q> Unless you signed something specifically stating you cannot , then go for it. <S> Upload <S> your solution to GitHub and show off your work. <S> Anything you can do to make yourself standout to an employer, especially demonstrating code you actually wrote, the better. <S> Most employers will consider it a plus. <S> Note: <S> There may be location specific laws that apply. <A> You can upload your solution, but uploading the task itself is something else. <S> You expect the employee to handle the information they received from you in private <S> so I think they should be allowed to expect the same from your side. <S> But as you didn't mention the country, so I can only say that I would not publish the task. <A> As an employer, I would not want you to do this. <S> If I wanted the questions posted on a website, I'd do it myself and refer everyone to it. <S> I also wouldn't post answers from each candidate online, nor would I want candidates to post their own answers online. <S> Being able to read answers from other candidates before providing your own answer would create an unfair advantage. <S> It wouldn't demonstrate whether or not you knew the answer to begin with, and it would limit your ability to show unique insight into the problem or solution. <S> If the work in your portfolio was inspired by my interview questions, that's great, but please generalize so we can both achieve what we are trying to accomplish. <S> Also, since your solution didn't get you the job, you might want to collect feedback from others and update it before posting it; otherwise you could just as easily be demonstrating why not to hire you. <A> No different than you solving a coding puzzle on Code Golf or similar sites. <S> As long as it doesn't reference a particular company's methods or data, then it shouldn't be at all a problem. <S> Be sure to make the variables and information as general as possible and then upload away.
| I am all for you creating a portfolio that demonstrates your skills and abilities. Creating a good task is hard and publishing the task will decrease its future value.
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Confronted over time spent at work My manager recently said to me that he gets annoyed when I spend time texting my friends at work. I think this is fair as I do this in work time, but I also feel there should be lenience if you take into account the below. We are entitled to 1 hour of break time per day. I do not take this and prefer to take micro-breaks (1-2 minutes) and message my friends or partner - I would never rack up an hour of texting in any given day. There is nothing outlined in my contract that I must take breaks away from my desk or at all - just that I am entitled to them. I'm not the only one who does this. Other colleagues go well over their designated hour of break and nothing gets mentioned. Other colleagues are extended courtesies that I am not. Eg: Allowed to leave an hour early to pick up their sick child (after already using their hour of break time). When in the exact same situation I have had to schedule a day to work late to make up for this time or take leave. They have also been allowed the same for misc., non-urgent, non-medical personal issues. I have worked for this particular manager for 8 years, including changing roles alongside him twice. I have always worked this way and it has never been an issue. I have never missed a deadline nor is my work below the expected quality. I get complemented on the quality of my work. I am expected (not contractually obligated) to take on the full workload of one particular colleague (similar work tasks) when he goes on leave - this is actually quite difficult to manage. I am expected (not contractually obligated) to fulfill urgent work tasks outside of business hours. - I have cut a few social gatherings short to do so in a few cases. Ideally I just want to feel like a person doing a job, not a robot - this feels to be the culture for everybody else. So, I have a few questions around this: Is this something I should mention? If so, how? As I feel like this is all 'give' and no 'take', can you suggest I way I can withdraw from things that I'm not required to do such as taking on my colleagues entire workload and pull back on the urgent, out-of-office-hours work I'm occasionally asked to do? <Q> There's something you should know: When a manager is nitpicking over little stuff like this, especially after so long of a period of reasonable behavior, then there's a bigger problem somewhere. <S> The problem may not even be with you. <S> Not knowing the dynamic between you and your manager, it's hard to tell you exactly how to approach this. <S> I'd consider something like this: <S> Bob, I know you well enough to know that the fact that I text people isn't the real issue. <S> You know just as well as I do that I'm not taking nearly the amount of "break time" that others are, and that I work off-hours when something urgent comes up, even though I'm not required to. <S> It's pretty obvious that the issue isn't the texting. <S> Is there a problem with something I'm doing, or have done recently? <S> Is there a new issue you're dealing with that's stressing you out? <S> If so, how can I help? <S> If you come to him trying to offer solutions instead of focussing on this petty issue, you'll likely get a positive reaction. <S> Again, it depends on your relationship and its dynamic with this person as to how to phrase it. <A> Is this something I should mention? <S> If so, how? <S> Personally, I think it's silly for managers to try and clamp down on employee's use of work time for personal calls or texts unless it's excessive. <S> On the other hand, spreading an hour's worth of micro-break-based-texting over a work day could mean a lot of texts <S> and I could see that this would appear annoying to a manager. <S> If you truly feel that you cannot hold back on your personal texting until after work, then sit down and mention your "micro-break" concept to your manager. <S> See what kind of response you get, then act accordingly. <S> I don't think I'd go over your laundry list of bullet points as some of them seem rather irrelevant and petty. <S> I would emphasize the part about the quality of your work not being impacted by your texting, and the fact that you never miss deadlines. <S> As I feel like this is all 'give' and no 'take', <S> can you suggest <S> I way <S> I can withdraw from things that I'm not required to do such as taking on my colleagues entire workload and pull back on the urgent, out-of-office-hours work I'm occasionally asked to do? <S> You could choose to hold your breath and start putting in only minimal effort if you like, but I suspect you already know that won't really get you anywhere. <S> If this give-versus-take balance is really that problematic for you, you might be better off finding a new job that lets you text freely, rather than shutting down in this one. <A> The other answers may have a point that if this is a recent shift in behaviour from your boss, who previously you've worked well with, there may be a deeper or unrelated issue at the root of these comments about your phone use. <S> However, tackling the general question of performing some personal tasks on work time, you make the point that you (and most employees) are entitled to break time during the working day. <S> At my company our computer use policy recommends a 5 minute screen break per hour, for example. <S> It may be that by using your phone away from your bosses view, he will stop noticing it and it won't annoy him any more. <S> If he questions your trips away from the desk you can always say you were taking a rest break/stretching your legs/using the bathroom/getting a drink etc. <S> Providing your total rest time is not excessive he shouldn't have a problem with it. <S> As aside, even though I don't currently manage other staff, I do sometimes find it annoying seeing people tapping away at their phones near me, especially if it's in my line of sight when I'm using the computer. <S> There is something distracting about it, and it's possible that because of this, your boss might feel like you're doing it way more than you actually are. <S> There's a similar question about someone being disturbed while eating lunch at their desk, and I think in general that being seen not working at your desk is much more obvious than being away from your desk, for which there are many plausible reasons.
| I would suggest one possible solution then is to not reply to text messages immediately (unless urgent), but take your regular breaks to step away from your desk and send the messages then.
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Colleague keeps on comparing our company to his past company For the past few weeks. We have a new colleague who has been very talkative. He keeps on comparing his past company that it was more of an advantage for him before and comparing it to our current company. For example : Him : "Our Computers on my past company was very fast. It has 16GB ram. Comparing to what you have now in your current company." Him : "The people here doesn't care about sharing about their knowledge while on my past company, They share a lot." There are a lot more with his comparison. On top of that. We actually shared and trained him for this last couple weeks to be at his best. The problem is this is his second company and he keeps on comparing his experience on his past company. I advised him that "This is the real world. There are a lot of different companies with different cultures. You have to deal with it" He just ignores my advice and keeps on being proud on what experience he had. As a colleague. What can I do to make him stop with his comparisons with his past company? What can I do to make him realise that his very boastful? <Q> If you are not his manager, then just put up with it. <S> In the workplace you have to work with people of all different personalities, some of which will rub you the wrong way. <S> It will only have an impact on you to the extent that you let it bother you. <S> If this escalates and he is significantly disrupting work or denigrating you or your colleagues, then I might consider discussing it directly with him, or ultimately taking it up with your manager. <S> But it doesn't sound that serious yet. <S> I would try to ignore it and have an amicable relationship with him. <S> The more you can focus on the positive in your interactions with him, the better. <S> I admire the sentiment in mutt's answer, but I think that most of the time, attempting to change behavior like this is not realistic. <S> Also, this is a lot to take on. <S> If you are his manager, consider discussing it with him. <S> The behavior may have an impact on morale, it at least his own success in the position. <S> And it's reasonable to expect your employees to have a positive attitude about their workplace (within reason). <S> So I would probably address this if I had managerial oversight of him. <S> It sounds from the question that you don't, though, in which case this discussion is not your place. <A> This sounds very much like an insecure person who doesn't have much experience, but wants to appear like they do. <S> They may be a talker or just talk out of nervousness. <S> Either way, trying to see where they are coming from and meet them there, while pulling them out of that place into maturity in reality is the best thing you could do for them. <S> This isn't an easy thing, but if you truly want to help the person grow and adapt then that is the best path to take. <S> Listen carefully to the things that the person praises/scorns from the last company. <S> Ask questions to why those particular things were so important to them. <S> Repeat steps 1 & 2 until you get to something meaningful like <S> (Fast computers are cool to me as they make me feel like I have the power in my hands to accomplish great things or work faster or something - makes them feel empowered...). <S> Getting to #3 is where the insecurity and issues truly are. <S> If you can get that understanding then you can likely help to re-assure and teach in the area the person is insecure so that there isn't any need to boast (overcompensate) about the past company. <S> This can be tedious and is dependent on the other persons personality, experiences, biases, etc... <S> so you will have to be patient here, but it will teach you through experience how to find out where other people really are even if they are hiding from that themselves. <S> That will help you out in dealing with all people especially if you have a wish to lead others. <S> Emotional maturity has to be grown and developed, age doesn't matter there, but only who chooses to grow in understanding, accepting, and processing emotions in reality... <S> their own as well as others. <A> It can be a pain when when a co worker keeps going on about his last company .The <S> last company would have been doing some things right so you can learn some techniques <S> .The last company would have done some things wrong so you can also learn how not to do things <S> .There <S> is no way that the last company did everything right or everything wrong .If <S> your co workers comments become too much <S> then why not in private politely inform him that if his pet company was so wonderful <S> then why is he not still working there and also state that he could always go back there. <S> I used this technique on someone who kept going on about Txxx Electronics .The <S> outcome was good .Sxxxxx <S> still works for new company .People have stopped grizzling about Sxxxxx .To <S> put the boot on the other foot in 1992 <S> I used to deliberately go on about my last company Exxxxxxxx because I hated it at Exxxx <S> .Maybe <S> your co worker is unhappy and will move on sooner or later .
| What you describe sounds like a personality issue that is a minor annoyance.
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Proper utilization of my time at work I am an experienced developer. As such tasks that are assigned to me get done usually ahead of schedule, which I always thought was a good thing. It so happens that sometimes there is some slack time between me finishing a sprint and the next sprint, and I use that time as I see fit - reading about new things, experimenting or simply browsing the news, and I didn't make any effort to hide it because I thought it would be unnecessary. So I was called out explicitly about it and told that I should tell the manager that I was done and needed more things to do. I felt somewhat insulted, after all I did what was planned, it was approved and promoted to production without any problems. It gives me the impression that from their point of view I should pick up the slack of other developers, which doesn't feel fair. What is the best approach in this type of situation? Should I just fill out the whole time allocated? Why not offer me the chance of learning something new and probably eventually beneficial for the company? <Q> From your use of the word "sprint" I will assume you are using Scrum or something similar. <S> One of the key principles of Scrum is that responsibility for the tasks lies with the team as a whole, not with individual team members. <S> Any team member who finishes a task is expected to pick up another task or help another team member with theirs. <S> Even if you are not running Scrum, refusing to help others on your team says to them (justifiably or not) that you care more about your own development than you do about the team or the completion of the project. <S> In any case, since you are being paid by the company it is up to them what you do at work. <S> You absolutely should check with your manager what she wants you to do when you have finished your tasks. <S> In that sense your team is completely right. <A> So I was called out explicitly about it and told that I should tell the manager that I was done and needed more things to do. <S> I felt somewhat insulted. <S> I'm not sure why you feel this is insulting. <S> You have finished your assigned work. <S> Apparently your manager assigns the work in your shop. <S> You should have told your manager that you had completed your assignment. <S> You could tell your manager that you hoped to spend some time "reading about new things, experimenting or simply browsing the news" and see if that was okay. <S> But just because you finished more quickly than expected doesn't mean your time is your own to do as you choose. <S> Consider it this way - if what you did were acceptable, shouldn't everyone pad their estimates as much as possible, rush to get their work completed, then spend the remainder of every day doing whatever they choose? <S> Ask for time to conduct research if you like. <S> But you didn't ask, you just decided to take it upon yourself to do what you chose, rather than leave it up to the manager. <S> At least be honest about it and not decide to feel insulted. <S> In Strategies as a highly productive employee without any work? <S> you asked a related question. <S> You might wish to review the responses you got. <A> The fact that you finish your tasks within the sprint earlier than the deadline indicates your team has a lack of common understanding about the effort requires for finishing a particular story. <S> Example: If you finish a story in 2 days time which was estimated to take 5 days , proves your team doesn't have a common understanding about the complexity of that story, and obviously as a manager it makes no sense for you to take your own sweet time for the remaining days, instead they should pull more tasks into that sprint. <S> Overall, From my point of view, delivering tasks ahead of expected time consecutively is not necessarily a good sign. <S> Your team mates may also not like this as it might denote that you work hard <S> and they don't. <S> (It ruins the market within the team) <A> Don't see it as "picking up slack" from your colleagues. <S> It could be that the estimate was inaccurate, or some unforseen reason has rendered the estimate incorrect. <S> After all, you can't just assume an estimate is going to be correct, they can always be underestimates or overestimates. <S> It's then for your manager to decide what else you do in that time. <S> If you have downtime and wish to spend time learning soemthing that could be beneficial to the company, say to your manager: <S> Hey, i've finished my tasks for this sprint. <S> Do you mind <S> if I look at X , I feel it could really help us in the future? <S> Or are there items in the sprint that need picking up? <S> That way, it's your manager deciding whether you look at more work items, or you can then do research. <S> It's your managers' decision how your time is used, not yours. <A> Use a balanced approach. <S> Give up SOME of that time to further your technical abilities, and the rest to the team to help out here and there. <S> Your team actually, in the long run run, needs both of these things. <S> your team actually, in the long run, needs both of these things. <S> This also makes the team too dependent on one person, which is bad for the organization overall. <S> So try to stay somewhere in the middle of these two extremes.
| You don't want a reputation as a non contributor , but you REALLY don't want the reputation as the team work horse who is always singled out to handle everyone else's unfinished tasks. If you have downtime, you need to say to your manager that you have finished your tasks.
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Calling off work for pain *after* dentists' appointment I visited the dentist today, just after I got off of work. My mouth is now in so much pain, that if it remains, I don't know that I will be going to the office tomorrow. I can work from home, and me and my teammates frequently do when we're feeling sick / under the weather. Our manager has other full time responsibilities, so no one can reach him immediately, only via email; When we feel too sick to come in, we just decide for ourselves and shoot an email out to the group. My question is: Is it generally appropriate to take a day off of work, or work from home, due to pain, such as extreme soreness after visiting the dentist? To clarify, I don't mean "Is it appropriate at this job or in this industry...", I'm wondering if this is considered an acceptable practice at any workplace. In my scenario, I'll still be able to complete my work, it's just so painful that it's a distraction, and I won't be able to really speak to anyone directly, and would rather not be there in person. <Q> If you have a job that is possible to do from home, and if you know that the job has a precedent for allowing people to work from home, then by all means shoot your team a short email: <S> Hey all, I'm feeling more pain than expected after the dentist trip yesterday. <S> I'm going to work from home today while I recover. <S> If you need anything, hit me up on slack/email/<whatever <S> your company uses>. <S> Thanks, anon <A> Is it generally appropriate to take a day off of work, or work from home, due to pain, such as extreme soreness after visiting the dentist? <S> Yes I have done so multiple times and it never was a problem. <S> Even with dentist visits that should be painless and over before work, I have called in to report that it took way longer and was more painful <S> then expected and I need the rest of the day off. <S> Be careful with the "work from home" part. <S> In my eyes, work from home is fine, if your problem can be solved or is less severe at home. <S> Need to use the restrooms spontaneously and often? <S> Have a broken bone or back pain <S> so you don't want to move? <S> Don't want to spread something contagious? <S> OK, work from home. <S> I don't see how a dental problem could be less severe at home, so you should make up your mind: <S> can you work with the pain, or can you not ? <S> And if you cannot, which is perfectly acceptable, then call in sick. <A> It seems you have two options: Telling it as it is Lying by stating a reason you know is 'socially acceptable' <S> You will never know whether 'dental pain' is a valid reason if you don't try. <S> In addition, you could perhaps even give a 'heads up' already now. <S> Personally, I would assume many/most adults would respect 'dental pain' as a valid reason to stay at home. <S> The only situation I could imagine where an employer would insist on you showing up would be an important client meeting where your presence is required. <A> I would consider it an acceptable practice. <S> I injured my back one time in a morning workout, and was in enough pain that I wasn't going to be able to effectively focus on my work. <S> I was able to work from home too, and did so that day. <S> No one gave me a bad time about it. <S> This is my opinion - <S> but I think it's an acceptable use of a sick day or a work-from-home day any time you're in enough discomfort or pain that you aren't able to effectively focus on your work, even if it's not something contagious. <S> May as well take a day to rest and heal (and come back closer to 100%) rather than distractedly trying to work and not really accomplishing all that much.
| It is absolutely appropriate to take a day off of work due to pain!
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How to not appear uninterested in an interview I am a software developer and I have a job with which I am quite happy. However its not perfect, and there are things which I wish were different, such as a shorter commute. Recently I have had a company want to interview me, which is local to where I live, everything else about the job appears similar on paper. I have already mentioned to the recruiter than I am not really actively seeking to leave my current job but I would be willing to attend the interview. So my question is, how do I attend the interview and not appear uninterested? How do I convincingly reply to the question of why I want to leave my current role? I do not expect to get away with, "erm.. I do not really but I just wanted to speak with you to see if your company could be a better fit" or "I want to have a shorter commute". I feel this could put the new company off. Other reasons include slightly newer tech, greenfield projects, and mobile development in addition to web, which I like. But again, none of these are critical to me. Edit: I am getting some comments along the lines of "don't go if you are not interested". So to clarify, I am interested, thats why I am going, but there are levels of interest. My interest is to find out if the company is similar to where I currently work, can offer me the same benefits and also is a shorter commute. But I am not interested in the way someone who does not have a job is. <Q> Both of those reasons are valid, but your phrasing needs to be a lot more positive in tone. <S> Try something like: <S> I really enjoy my current role, but I think that there are more opportunities for me here, and the shorter commute is a huge plus. <S> This, I think, is technically correct, doesn't trash your current job, appears keen and still gives you an out if it's not the right fit. <A> Be positive, but realistic. <S> There's nothing wrong with saying location <S> is your primary reason for being interested. <S> Commute times make a big difference in your life. <S> Providing a real reason based on personal circumstances actually helps if they otherwise might wonder "Hmmm... <S> I wonder why they are changing jobs at the same level? <S> Is something going wrong?" <S> Fake enthusiasm rarely seems genuine, and that's especially true if they see from your resume that your current position is quite similar. <S> Make the similarity of your current work a strength, not a weakness. <S> This means you are a great fit for the position. <A> I would say, Say what you were going to say! <S> (Though perhaps not the same way!) <S> Honest and above board is almost always the best way to go. <S> Honestly say that you would prefer to live closer to your job and that you believe their company may be a better fit for you personally. <S> Something along the lines of, Employer: <S> So why do you want to leave your current job? <S> You: I'm actually relatively happy with the work at my current company, but I would prefer to have a shorter commute to work. <S> I also think that your company might be a better fit for my [personality, skill-set, interests, etc.] <S> Bear in mind that employers are not always looking for the most dissatisfied workers on the job force. <S> Being content in your current job is not necessarily a "con" to getting the job. <A> Not being unhappy with your job doesn't mean you are uninterested in theirs. <S> Most companies prefer someone who is already a stable, employed employee for some other company, because then they don't have to be as worried about the candidate being on the market due to deficiencies. <S> Recruiters consider the "passive, employed applicant" to be their favorite brand of candidate, for the most part. <S> So, "Why do you want to leave your current position?" <S> The answer could very well be "I don't, necessarily. <S> I'm pretty happy with my current position, and have nothing bad to say about my current employer. <S> However, I am open to the idea of a better opportunity or situation, and <S> your company/position seems to fit that description." <S> So, instead of a message that communicates - <S> "I'm interested in you because I'm dying where I'm at and want to leave," you're telling them "I have a great job with a great company, and, since I'm interested in talking to you about your position, it seems like you could be even better." <A> Sounds like you would only take this other job if it has all (most) of the pros of your current one, and none (few) of the cons. <S> Fair enough. <S> You could put it exactly like that, then explain why you mostly really like your job, and then give the few things that you don't like. <S> I think this won't go over very well, the interviewer might get confused and assume you basically like your job and don't want to leave. <S> Instead don't talk too much about your current job and focus on expectations. <S> There are nice things about your current job that you like and don't want to give up. <S> Okay, make a list of these. <S> Say, 5 that are most important to you, or whatever number you think. <S> There are things that are not so nice, like the commute, that you want to escape. <S> Okay, make a list of these also. <S> Combine both lists. <S> That's your list of things to ask the interviewer about. <S> When asking, disregard whether your current job satisfies each point - simply ask it as a desired feature of your potential new job offer. <S> Then your situation is like any normal job-seeker with a list of things they want from their job, and a list of skills and abilities they can contribute in return. <S> Sounding sufficiently interested shouldn't be a big problem. <S> After the interview is over you can decide based on what they say. <S> If you like their answer to all of them, the job is clearly better than your old one. <S> If the answer to all are bad, it's clearly worse. <S> If only some are good, then fill out your checklist for the current job also, compare, see which one sounds better to you.
| You ought to mention any positive aspects of the job you can and show that you are interested in the work, but there is no need to feign over the top excitement.
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Leaving in two months, but have no work to do. What should I do? I'm leaving my current position as a Software Developer in two months, to get started with my bachelors degree, but my Team Leader is not giving me any work to do. I also had a talk with him, about a week ago, where he gave me some tasks, but I already finished those (and told him that). He also said he would figure some more things out, but since then, there was no reply. I want to do something for the company for as long as I'm here. And it's not like I'm doing nothing, but mostly it's just learning stuff, with little context to my actual work (as in learning another programming language, which is not used at my company). And it is making feel a little bad and as if I had to hide something from everyone else. The other thing is I basically have nothing to lose, because I already got a reference letter for the work I have done. The only thing is I would loose is the salary for the next two months, which I need. How should I deal with this Situation? Should I ask for more work? Even if my team leader can't give me anything, without making an effort to teach me something, which obviously wouldn't pay off. Should I just keep on going like this? <Q> Be proactive! <S> I would suggest to talk to your team leader on a regular basis, but instead of begging for work, tell him you finished the last task he gave you <S> and you will, with his authorization, start a new task (defined by you): <S> Hand-over .Try to list all the things you are the only one to know/to do and try to pass it on to other team member. <S> Work-flow optimization . <S> You know the environement, and you know the pains: try to solve some of them. <S> It could be a handy script, or a new angular dashboard for developers, etc. <S> Maintenance . <S> You can update some librairies or solve bugs/issues using tools as FindBug or Sonar. <S> Documentation . <S> You can created/edit documentation. <S> Documenting things are often the last step programmers do (and often de-prioritized by management to get to the next thing.) <S> It is a good experience for you to be able to provide an added value to the company even if nothing is required of you. <S> Your team leader will appreciate it, you will learn something just thinking about enhancements at the work place and you will be able to demonstrate your professionalism in the next interview! <A> I have been in your team lead's position, and sometimes your doing nothing may be the most productive thing for the team. <S> Starting to work in an area you are not familiar with is likely to need some input from other team members in terms of teaching or mentoring, or runs the risk of you checking in code with mistakes. <S> This is likely true even if you are a good self-learner. <S> With two months to go it may not be worth other people taking the time getting you up to speed. <S> If she doesn't give you any, ask if she is OK with you doing some general learning until a task becomes available. <S> Then treat the time like a free gift of learning time. <S> Learning about something that is somewhat related to your job would be good, but since you are about to go to school, reading up on subject <S> you know you will be studying there would also be good. <S> If your company has access to a new technology you would like to learn about, do that. <S> Check in fairly frequently with your team lead to make sure there are no tasks <S> he wants you to work on, but other than that, enjoy the free learning time. <S> Remember when you come to apply for jobs after graduation, that this was a company that valued learning and didn't waste your time, and consider applying to them again. <A> I did ask for work, <S> but like I said, there is nothing to do for me, which wouldn't need schooling. <S> This point is realy bothering me , have you thought about the fact your lead knows his job , and asked you to "school" some stuff because you don't yet have the required level to help on the next tasks ? <S> I know it can be hard to acknowledge <S> but maybe you don't have what it takes yet to work alongside the team on bigger tasks. <S> But if it's not the case <S> then you should totaly do what François Gautier told you. <S> Come up with tasks you can do , or see with the team members if they'd be ok to share some work with you.
| First (which I think you have already done) make sure your team lead is aware that you are available to do more work and would like more work. Your team lead may be making the sensible call in giving you nothing to do.
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How can I avoid the negatives of "never eat alone", when I do not have lunch at all? This answer advises to "never eat alone" at the workplace if you want to go ahead in your career. That sounds like good advice, but a major problem I have with following that is I do not have lunch at work at all . I do not have lunch alone, I do not have lunch at my desk , I do not go home to have lunch , I do not go to a restaurant for lunch, I do not have lunch at all. It doesn't feel right to just sit and watch the others eating for the sake of "socializing", especially since the ensuing discussion would invariably center around the benefits of having lunch. What other options do I have to avoid this adversely affecting my career? <Q> First of all, I'm not convinced of the "never eat alone" philosophy in general. <S> If you just stay at your desk and work, I don't think it will really impact your career. <S> Maybe this depends on the corporate culture in your office, though. <S> Join in the conversation as appropriate, and avoid awkward silences with your phone. <S> In today's millennial society, I honestly don't think this will even turn heads. <S> If someone DOES ask you why you're not eating, simply reply "I already ate." <S> Conversation over. <S> If they press the issue because they didn't see you eating, say you ate at your desk. <S> Yes, it's a lie; a white lie. <S> It saves you from having to rehash the same tired arguments and it ultimately doesn't impact your working life, so I don't think there's any harm in it. <S> Obviously, this tactic won't work as well if people are going out to a restaurant, but you can bow out of those invites by saying you don't want to spend the money, or you don't want to take a long lunch break (going out can sometime run long, especially with a big group.) <A> "Lunch" is not the only way to socialize. <S> If you are working at an office, the others are maybe less obvious and less "default", but there should be plenty. <S> Thinking of my office, I know there's guys meeting for an early coffee at the machine that come in early. <S> Most latecomers queue up there at around 10. <S> Then there is the "lunch". <S> After that, on sunny days there will be an ice-cream truck outside at a specific time where people meet. <S> And last but not least, the smokers corner. <S> Even used by non-smokers to get some fresh air compared to their meeting rooms full of people (oh the irony...). <S> I have been on lunches where I was the odd one out that was basically holding a glass of water for the whole time. <S> However, that may not be comparable, as it was obvious that was temporary (for example jaw surgery). <S> Although your reason should not be offensive to them (so you should refrain from saying things like "I'd never eat this garbage" or "eating meat is murder", keep it centered on you, like "I don't eat meat" or "I have problems with the food they serve here"). <S> You did not give a reason, but make sure they understand it. <S> Then it won't be awkward, neither for you nor for them. <A> If you don't eat, you can treat people by simply bringing in some snacks. <S> For example: One more suggestion: If large-ish groups of acquaintances in an unfamiliar lunch setting puts you off but you still want to be social and grow work relationships, what I've done in the past is bring in a box of donuts / cookies / fruit. <S> Set it on my desk, free for the taking, spread the news by word of mouth, relish in the short one-off conversations as co-workers swing by your desk. <S> Season decorations are a great way to add some flare to your office space. <S> But if you decorate for the seasons be sure to take them down at the end of the season as not to look out of date. <S> Try challenging your co-workers to a best holiday decorations contest. <S> References Ladies who do not lunch <S> Decorating your Cubicle
| So if you don't want to use lunch, use the other options. As long as people understand why you don't eat with them, it should not be a problem. If you DO want to socialize, try going into the lunch room at lunch time and sit there doing stuff on your cell phone. Outside of food, decorations can also be a good idea: Edit: Assuming you still drink water on occasion, you can take a glass of water with you to help complete the illusion.
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How to handle personal stress caused by utterly incompetent and lazy co-workers? I've worked in Software Development teams my entire career and I've come to realize the spectrum of skill-sets is utterly staggering. Over the years I've learn to manage situations caused by incompetent and lazy coworkers. The way I handle it is to do my best and simply keep my frustrations to myself, but I find myself going home and venting my anger in the form of complaining to my family and friends, but this is not healthy to me nor my family/friends. How have other folks found ways to handle personal stress caused by incompetent and lazy co-workers? Optional info below: In my younger years, I naively believed incompetent/lazy people didn't cut it in the software industry for long. I disappointingly found that preferential treatment, nepotism, and just plain self-interest on the part of managers seem to undermine this natural filtering of inept people from the software engineering industry. Thus, it seems I must learn to deal with them. I have endless patience for people who are junior and ask numerous questions, but I don't seem to know how to handle stress caused by the incompetent and lazy people that don't apply themselves. Personal definition of terms: Incompetent: The inability to learn no matter how many times or how clear you make the topic discussed. Lazy: The willful decision to not apply one's-self to the task at hand. <Q> There is one universal solution to 90% of the problems you encounter in the work place. <S> MIND <S> YOUR OWN BUSINESS <S> I'm serious. <S> People are not going to change. <S> IT is like any other industry <S> , you get the good, the bad, the ugly and the strange. <S> You can control none of this. <S> You don't know why these people were hired, you won't control whether they grow and expand or remain where they are or drift off or get fired. <S> This is beyond your control. <S> Don't waste your time with it. <S> Do your work. <S> That is the only way to deal with the stress. <S> You don't get caught up in the things you do not control. <S> That, and affirming your own existence and being satisfied with your own work. <S> "If we affirm one moment, we thus affirm not only ourselves but all existence. <S> For nothing is self-sufficient, neither in us ourselves nor in things; and if our soul has trembled with happiness and sounded like a harp string just once, all eternity was needed to produce this one event—and in this single moment of affirmation all eternity was called good, redeemed, justified, and affirmed." <S> — Friedrich Nietzsche <A> The way I'm managing this at my current job is by turning my anger into satisfaction. <S> Every time I place my hands on bad code, I try to leave it into a better shape, or at least leave a few TODOs and comments with tips and tricks for those that will come after me. <S> Will they keep writing bad code and ask dumb things? <S> Probably. <S> Will I keep fixing things as much as I can? <S> Sure. <S> After a couple of years you will look at your codebase and feel great at how much it improved with your efforts. <S> Don't wait for change, be the change. <A> Gotta get some perspective on what matters. <S> If incompetent, lazy and/or stupid people stress you out that much, you're going to be dead at a very early age, because people who fit that description comprise the vast majority of all societies. <S> Also, realize that "not doing things exactly as I would or want them to be done, catering to my own timeframes and desire" is not necessarily being lazy or stupid. <S> Do you cater to their wants the same way you want them to cater to yours? <S> It could very well be that you are simply surrounded by complete losers and idiots. <S> Make sure <S> , if you're going to stress yourself to an early grave, that it's really over them being lazy and/or incompetent, and not a case of you having a very self-centered life view. <A> While I agree with some of the other answers that, yes this is beyond your control, and yes you are best off just focusing on your own work, that doesn't take your stress away. <S> My advice is this - limit yourself to specific time when you vent that stress to your friends and family. <S> My husband and I complain to each other about work for one hour only. <S> Rather than bottling up my anger and taking it out on him, I explain my problems. <S> He does the same and we sympathize with each other. <S> It's bad to bring your work problems home, but if you can't help it because it's that bad, put boundaries on it. <S> You may even get a fresh perspective on things. <A> The only "handling" that you're going to be able to do is with yourself. <S> I've been in the same situation as you for a while with a peer. <S> Let's call him Ted. <S> Ted and I have the same title. <S> In the time I've been around, I've had few shortages of work, but Ted has had a major shortage of work. <S> Management is aware (and there's nothing I can do). <S> When Ted gets an assignment, Ted trips up on basic, basic tasks, and his solution is to annoy everyone else until someone helps him solve his issue. <S> At times, when others ask about the status of his work, he's thrown my name in the middle of things. <S> That's a BIG issue for me, because I don't report to him!! <S> Then when the work's done, Ted goes back to his pattern of web surfing most of the day. <S> He really hasn't taken advantage of all that free time to actually learn how to do the job when duty calls. <S> So when the time comes to put his nose to the grindstone, he panics. <S> I say, "not my circus, not my monkeys!" <S> My approach is that if Ted's asking me info that only is available in our environment, I'm glad to help. <S> But MOST of the time Ted is asking me for anything, my response is "GOOGLE!" <S> I've even had to spell this out in writing via e-mail, and even CC'd this to the boss. <S> You have to be firm with your boundaries, or people like Ted will wear you out with their neediness. <A> Perhaps you are incorrect about the people's habits and personalities around you. <S> I find most people aren't lazy, and many have not been trained correctly. <S> If youcan take that person and perhaps mentor to them, would it help your situation and relationship? <S> You can never really draw conclusions about people until you know their background and find out why they are the way they are. <S> Also, many times when people complain, it's true they have the same faults they complain about.....look deeply within yourself and review your own flaws. <S> Maybe there is work to be done there also. <S> That's the only way to live without stress from the world around you.
| If you don't waste your time, it won't stress you. The only thing you can control is your reactions to what is going on around you. Do what it takes to document things so that you are not blamed for another's incompetence, and then move on. At any rate, do the best you can with what you have and cancel out the negative.
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How to deal with an interviewer who needs a sample output of my work but I can't show them due to some circumstances I've applied as a Software Engineer at a company and been interviewed. The initial interview with the employer was good. The next step for the application process was to be interviewed by a technical lead developer. The technical lead asked me to show some sample outputs of my work but I can't show my sample output because the outputs I've done is ONLY for use inside of my past company and its very confidential. Note that in my past company. Flash Drives are prohibited and uploading is monitored. That's is why I cant really copy my work outside the company. I've spoken with the technical lead and I said that I can't give the sample output because of its confidentiality. In return the technical lead just thanked me for my time and they said they'll contact me soon. Which I haven't got a callback for two months. Given the situation. What could I have done to make them to prove that I have done this and that project? <Q> As an employer, I would never employ someone who said this (the emphasis in bold is mine): <S> The technical lead asked me to show some sample outputs of my work <S> but I can't show my sample output because the outputs I've done is ONLY for use inside of my past company and its very confidential. <S> Note that in my past company. <S> Flash Drives are prohibited and uploading is monitored. <S> That's is why I cant really copy my work outside the company. <S> The real reason you can't show your work outside your company is because you're not allowed to. <S> That's it. <S> It's as simple as that. <S> It doesn't matter what the security protocols are, or even if the security protocols are non-existent. <S> If you're not allowed to, you're not allowed to. <S> And even hinting that you might be desperate enough to breach the confidentiality of your previous employer would only indicate to me that you might be willing to breach the confidentiality of my own company if I hired you. <S> As to the other answers, they're absolutely correct. <A> As an interviewer, I don't think I would ask to look at your code. <S> I can tell a lot more by having a discussion with you about aspects of the language. <S> I have no real way to know if the code you show me is actually yours. <S> Coding tests as part of an interview annoy me for the same reason, its not really a good indicator of your abilities. <S> In fact, I could see some interviewers using that as a test to see if you would provide your previous company's proprietary code to them and use that as a strike against you because that shows a lack of professionalism. <S> As an answer to your question, I think I would just say "I can't provide you with the code because it is proprietary <S> and I'm sure you would want me to respect your code the same way, but I'll be happy to discuss the projects and technologies I have used as much as you <S> want"...possibly phrased better. <S> Most people don't have their own projects or open source submissions to provide. <S> They should be able to understand that. <A> To the tech lead it means that you cannot prove your competence in they way they asked, while doubtless other applicants could. <S> One thing you can do is contribute to open source projects or do personal projects. <S> Then use that work as samples. <S> I'm not a developer <S> but I would have no trouble finding several thousand lines of code I own from personal projects if I was asked for a sample. <A> Don't worry about it. <S> I have never been asked to prove my coding skills with a sample. <S> Nor have I ever asked for a sample of code. <S> In too many situations there is no opportunity to show your previous work because the customer or the employer owns the code, and has no reason to let others see it. <S> The company you ran into feels that they can reject anybody who can't provide examples. <S> If they still get enough quality candidates then that is fine. <S> If they don't get enough good candidates they will adjust. <S> I would just move on to other potential employers. <A> At least out in the Bay Area, software engineers are expected to have a decent portfolio of work visible on a public source control platform (such as GitHub) containing code authored by you from either your small side projects or open source projects you contribute to. <S> I can understand why the technical lead didn't go through with your application. <S> Your lack of visible work makes her decision harder and riskier, which already puts you at a disadvantage when compared with other candidates with this information at hand.
| Most every job I've had the code would be either company proprietary or classified in some way, so providing it to someone else is not an option. You need to work on your own side projects or open source projects.
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Adding a Humorous "Skills" line to Resume: Yes or No? So if you don't 'see' it, then please look at the last 'skill' in the image. I think it's a nice way to end the resume as my 'education' portion resulted in no degree but is there to show that I am educated - just not formally. So, yes or no? <Q> Bad idea. <S> Unless you're applying for a job as a comedian (in which case think of a better joke). <S> For any serious job, you stick with conventional style and let your accomplishments do the rest. <S> For a very low level job it might be ok. <A> Humor is contextual. <S> You can't build a context in a resume, nor do you know your audience. <S> It may work once or twice, but that will be the exception, not the rule. <A> Your resume is a formal document, just the fact of trying to use humor in it will be seen as unprofessional by some. <S> You don't know who will see your resume, and you'd better try to avoid being rejected immediately for such a small addition. <S> If your resume is "terrible" as you wrote in a comment, humor is not the way you should solve the problem. <S> Be sure to keep your resume short and focused on yourself and your work experience. <S> You can find a lot of tips on writing a successful resume on many sites. <S> Last of all, it's normal not to receive a reply if they're not interested in your position, and that's why you should be applying to a lot of places at once, expecially if you're in an oversaturated job market or if you have no previous experience. <A> I would have to say <S> NO do not do it. <S> You may find it funny <S> but how can you guarantee your viewer will? <S> If they don't find it funny, they'll bin it without a second thought. <S> They may not even realise it's a joke <S> and if you get through to the interview stages they may ask why you put it on which could lead to awkwardness when you tell them it was meant to be humorous <S> and they don't laugh. <S> Additionally I don't think the use of progress bars is useful. <S> Anything you put on your CV, make sure you're good at it. <S> Sell yourself. <S> Right now you're giving off the vibe that you're not as good at multitasking as I would like you to be. <A> Imagine your employer humorously says <S> "Our job offer is ranging from $0.5555555 - $50.5555555 per day depending on your experience" If you want to be looked as a professional. <S> You have to act professionally. <S> First impression is very important.
| Don't measure your skills like that.
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I saw my colleague playing games I am a newcomer at my company and there is a colleague (with 7 years of experience) that I regularly caught playing on-line games on working hours.I have talked about it to some other colleagues but they are ignoring the issue because the guy has done a lot to the company and is a close friend of the boss.What can I do to escalate this issue in a professional way to my boss, without putting my career into jeopardy ? <Q> There is a story that Henry Ford was told that one of his managers was making a habit of sitting back in his chair with his feet up on his desk. <S> Ford pointed out that the manager had come up with an idea that saved Ford a lot of money, while sitting that way. <S> When working on really difficult computer design and debug problems I would sometimes play computer games for a while to let ideas settle and free my mind up, especially if my thinking was going round in circles. <S> I have even got the initial idea for a patentable invention while playing games. <S> I am sure that if a newbie had reported my game playing to my colleagues or my manager they would have ignored it, other than as an indication that the newbie was paying attention to things unrelated to their job. <S> If thinking is part of someone's job the only way to tell whether they are working or not is by whether they are achieving useful results. <S> Your game-playing colleague has done a lot with the company, and therefore is probably working. <S> Concentrate on doing your own job, and doing it well. <A> You're new in the company, so playing games if you have nothing to do may be the accepted norm, or some sort of unwritten rule. <S> Do your colleague deliver everything on time, is professional when needed, replies to mail in a way that lets you do your job smoothly? <S> If yes, then you have no real problem, and you should avoid taking this moral crusade against the guy. <S> If you seriously want to do something about it, try to have an informal chat with him (without being aggressive). <S> Maybe just making him know that he has been discovered will be enough to reduce his gaming hours. <S> Be extremely careful with this approach, as it's easy to anger a person by making him notice his mistakes. <S> EDIT: <S> If this actually becomes a productivity problem, you should report the exact problem (missed delivery, not replying to questions..) to management, and let them do the rest. <A> What can I do to escalate this issue in a professional way to my boss, without putting my career into jeopardy ? <S> Unless your job is Productivity Clerk and your main task is to spy on others and report their behavior to your boss, then you don't escalate this issue. <S> You are a newcomer and perhaps this is your first job ever. <S> Eventually you will learn that you need to focus on your job, your work, and not the work of others. <S> This colleague has a boss. <S> That boss is the only one who needs to be concerned with the work of this colleague - not you. <S> Just do your own job and don't worry about your colleagues.
| You should NOT escalate it, unless there is a productivity problem. Do not mention gaming unless specifically asked.
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How can I convince my boss to pay for a productivity tool? I'm a front end developer eager to enhance the relationship between designers and developers. I’ve been using an online collaboration app for a personal project. I’m completely satisfied with this tool however I would like to promote it in my corporation. This tool helps me doing things faster however I couldn’t estimate the time saved. How would you convince your boss to pay for a productivity tool if you can’t show him numbers and money saved? <Q> This is a major issue in IT; we face it all the time. <S> I would personally recommend several things. <S> 1. <S> Don't take your boss by surprise. <S> Either write him a detailed e-mail (concise, mind you!), request a short meeting, or even write or print it up on paper. <S> Your boss will take something more seriously if (s)he can see that you take it seriously. <S> 2. <S> Make comparison <S> This is a key point that I have found quite effective. <S> It works best in a real interview, which I try to steer something along these lines. <S> Boss: <S> I really don't see the need for this equipment. <S> It doesn't appear to produce much if any ROI (Return on Investment). <S> Employee: <S> Mr. XXX, how often do you replace your cell-phone? <S> Boss: (usually a bit surprised) <S> Well, usually I replace it every 2 years, but what does that have to do with anything? <S> That's a personal expense, not designed to produce an ROI. <S> Employee: <S> Mr. XXX, my point exactly. <S> I do the same thing. <S> Why? <S> Because it's more convenient to be up to date. <S> Because the newer equipment usually works better. <S> Because the newer equipment should save time. <S> Not because there is a definite or precise ROI, just because it is a useful tool. <S> It's the same way with our servers. <S> We don't need new servers; the old ones are still working. <S> However, it would improve our company, in that it is more convenient to be up to date <S> , it usually saves time, works better, and overall simply improves company morale and spirit. <S> Furthermore, in your programmers' eyes, new equipment tends to make the company appear a more desirable place to work, which will give you more satisfied employees and a greater hiring capacity. <S> 3. <S> As I did in the last paragraph of that interview, that link doesn't need to be financial. <S> But whatever it is, you should be able to demonstrate to your employer how (s)he and the company will benefit from this newer equipment. <A> I would suggest a rather simple demonstration along the lines of: Tell your manager: <S> It took me <S> X number of hours to hand code this <S> ( your MGR should be able to do the math based on your hourly rate how much that cost ) <S> included in the suite of tools you would like to purchase. <S> Send your MGR the link to the customer testimonials section of the companies/products website. <S> If the company is any good, they will have a section where other managers praise the product and cost savings . <S> Don't forget to mention how the product includes support and ongoing security upgrades. <S> ( Additional items you don't have to worry about ) <S> One of the issue is there are a ton of free libraries out there for most modern technologies, especially if we are talking web or mobile applications , so you will have to make a strong case. <S> It all comes down to cost, and the time to market potential savings . <A> That may or may not include your boss. <S> Others may be able to add to your argument and find benefits you didn't think of. <S> Without any data, suggest a trial period, so you can get some. <S> In the mean time, you should establish some baseline data on how long things take for you to do them now. <S> It could be a matter of tracking how much time you spend on similar tasks. <S> Although some may not see this as objective, have a list of situations where having such a tool would have improved the process. <S> Of course there are time restrictions to everything, but I would think causing a client a problem because people didn't collaborate well (sent the wrong version of a file), would add to the argument. <S> The key to trial periods from a manager's perspective is he won't feel like if he lets you use it <S> and it doesn't work, he won't feel like he's stuck with it. <S> Risk management is very important.
| Show your manager the suite of tools and explain that the piece you build is In other words, don't just mention out of the blue, "Say, we need to upgrade our servers," or pop it on him while he happens to be walking through your section. Link to something tangible. If this is a collaboration app, you may want to discuss this with those you'll be using it with.
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Questions to ask during an interview? I've got an interview for a Customer Service Specialist position at BestBuy , and I'm preparing a list of questions to ask. So far I've got: Do I need to clarify anything I put on my resume or said today? Based on what you’ve gathered about me, what should I improve on to better fit this role? If I got the position, would I receive any form of training, or would I just jump in? Is there anything else you think I should know about this position? Should I take out any questions? Any suggestions on other questions to ask? Should I rephrase any of these? I'm really nervous, I have the interview later today. <Q> Do you not care what the job pays? <S> What the hours are? <S> What you should wear to work? <S> If people typically work in only one department or move around as needs arise? <S> How you know the answers to customer's questions and what backup you have if you don't know? <S> Three of your four questions are "am I likely to get this job?" or other non-questions. <S> Stop and think about being a Customer Service Specialist at BestBuy. <S> Do you know how these people spend their workday? <S> Do you know why (other than the paycheque) <S> you want to join them? <S> Is there really nothing <S> you have wondered about the position that isn't clarified in the job posting? <S> Nothing? <S> Then how can you possibly want this job, as opposed to "any old job that will take me"? <S> Stop fussing about whether you're doing well in the interview and start thinking about using the interview to learn about the actual job you are offering to take. <A> I'd drop the first two questions. <S> Training is always good to ask about. <S> Also ask about the management structure (who you report to), and what a typical day looks like. <S> Remember that you're interviewing them, as well as they interviewing you. <A> Do I need to clarify anything I put on my resume or said today? <S> This will come up during the interview itself. <S> Based on what you’ve gathered about me, what should I improve on to better fit this role? <S> I would not ask this question myself in this way. <S> You could rephrase it to something like <S> "How do you think I could make a better fit?" <S> If I got the position, would I receive any form of training, or would I just jump in? <S> I would rephrase this to: "If I got the position, what kind of training would I get?" <S> Aside from that, I've always asked the person interviewing me why they chose the company, and how they like working there now. <S> They'll most likely be intrigued by those questions and are happy to answer them (honestly as well). <A> As I look at your list of question, the questions are mostly good and valid, but all seem to be focused on you. <S> Try to come up with some questions about the environment, the culture, the interviewers that don't just relate to you or you doing better. <S> I'd avoid anything that is definitive immediate feedback/advice, because that's kind of like asking them for a decision, right away. <S> " <S> Based on what you’ve gathered about me, what should I improve on to better fit this role?" <S> - would be excluded, if it was, well, me. <S> You're asking them to focus on where you fall short. <S> They'll look that over, and evaluate it, but you don't need to make that more prominent in their minds. <S> Asking about training is good and appropriate. <S> Clarification is polite and helpful, yes. <S> Anything else <S> they feel you should know? <S> Also good. <S> Perhaps "what do you like the most about working here?" <S> Or "how long have you been with the company, and did you have other positions here before your current one?" <S> or maybe a question about what the future potential would be for someone hired for this position who excelled at their job. <S> Those are generally positive questions, and they communicate an interest in the company, the people there, and the work environment, beyond just getting a job and getting paid. <A> I would keep the 1st question, and rephrase the 3rd (just remove the jump in part). <S> I would also ask about how your performance will be assessed, and if there is any possibility for advancements in the future. <S> Do not feel nervous about the interview; if you have ever had any previous interview for a customer service position, this one will probably look very similar. <S> In my experience of more than 25-30 interviews in this field, they always make the same questions.
| You could also mention that you like to receive feedback on your performance in order to improve it, and therefore if any will be provided by your manager, and in case how often.
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Should I go to a daily stand-up if I did not work that day? I am a QA analyst and currently working on two projects on my company, lets call them project A and project B. Yesterday and today I did not work in project A because my leader (not a member of any of those projects) told me to focus in project B. Now I dont know if I should go to the daily stand-up of project A, I have nothing to say so I think they would take that as me being lazy. On the other hand I think I should go and remain updated on the progress <Q> Unless directed otherwise, or you are unable to attend do to a conflict, you should always attend stand-ups even if you currently have no tasks. <S> The daily stand-ups are not a status report to see what you have done, they are there to make sure that the project is moving along, and that any interruptions in the schedule are dealt with as quickly as possible. <S> Your leader may want you to prioritize project B, but Project A may be a higher priority to the business. <S> The team may need to reassign your tasks while you work on project B or have the project champions discuss the priority and give direction to your leader about the business priorities. <S> Or they may just look at your tasks and be fine with the delay in the completion of them. <A> Provided you are only temporarily focusing on Project B, yes. <S> You may not have updates for the team members but they will have updates for you. <S> There may be an issue which you are able to help with which will have a negligible impact on your performance on the other project but save others a lot of time. <S> If you're in any doubt, ask your manager which meetings you are expected to attend. <S> If your company were following Scrum to the letter - and few seem to - individual employees would rarely be bounced between teams and projects. <S> You would be moved as a team. <A> A daily standup has three purposes. <S> Communicate what you did yesterday <S> Communicate what you did today Share knowledge you may have that helps with progress. <S> The fact that you did not work on the project yesterday, and will not work on it tomorrow, is helpful information to the team, and they need to know it to track the progress of the sprint. <S> Therefore it is important that you turn up to report those facts. <S> Also what knowledge you have may help the team to overcome obstacles, and sharing it might be useful. <S> If you know that you are not going to working on the project for a number of days, and you have told the team this, then there is minimal usefulness in being at the standup. <S> If you are unsure day to day whether you will be working on their project, or if your knowledge might help the team, you should show up.
| Yes, and you should disclose that you have been directed to focus on your other project so that the team can be aware that you are not currently making any progress on your assigned tasks.
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What is the right amount of facial hair for an interview? I'm applying to a multitude of jobs, and a recruiter contacted me regarding a possible interview. If they schedule the interview, I'd like to be ready for it, and give myself ample time to prepare. I'm a bit self conscious of my looks, and have a really bad sense of fashion and how to dress. Usually it's not a big deal. Some jeans and a t-shirt work for where I currently work, and I interviewed in a suit before I started growing any facial hair. Now disclaimer; I cannot grow a full beard. My beard looks full-ish, but never really fills out and looks patchy. Here's my dilemma, I look like I'm 11 years old if I go clean shaven, and for the positions I'm applying for, that would be a bad thing. I agree that interviewers shouldn't care about how young I look if I'm qualified, but the reality of the situation is that they will form their own opinions about my age that might affect the outcome of the hiring process. I'm an analyst (mainly business) and my industry varies but I live and work in California, although I'm not averse to relocation should the position require it. I was thinking I could do a sort of "5 o'clock shadow" look, which I can pull off relatively well, or even keep a close shaven look while still with hair, but that seems to be a bad idea, which leads me to my question. What is the right amount of facial hair to sport during an interview when one can't grow a full beard/moustache and doing otherwise may prove harmful? <Q> The simple answer is you want to match your interviewer expectations. <S> The problem is those are going to vary wildly. <S> At my current company, it won't matter at all unless you look totally unkempt. <S> Most of my team has facial hair from slight beards to... ridiculous beards. <S> However, that is because our company culture is very laid back. <S> Other companies (like my previous one) care more about those things as they are more conservative. <S> Showing up with a massive beard may have reflected worse on the interviewers. <S> I was thinking I could do a sort of "5 o'clock shadow" look, which I can pull off relatively well <S> First verify that the "I can pull it off relatively well <S> " feeling isn't just your opinion. <S> If so, it's probably ok. <S> I agree that interviewers shouldn't care about how young I look if I'm qualified, but the reality of the situation is that they will form their own opinions about my age that might affect the outcome of the hiring process. <S> You will realistically have to weigh which "problem" is worse -- appearing younger or having facial hair. <S> I suspect that in most cases it will be better to look older with well-kept facial hair than to look too young. <A> I had a good friend who had this very same problem: he looked SO young without any facial hair, and yet his was very patchy when he tried to go for a full beard. <S> He also couldn't grow a moustache to save his life, so he compromised and went with a goatee alone. <S> He kept it on the short side but it really transformed his face - it looked very sharp and he finally looked closer to his actual age. <S> So if you really do look that young without a beard, I would suggest finding a way to style the beard you do have in an attractive way. <S> For example, is it thick enough in the right places such that a goatee and moustache would work? <S> Goatee alone? <S> Mutton chops? <S> (mostly kidding but...) <S> Anyway, the idea is to leverage the areas that grow in thicker, and shave the areas that come in patchier. <A> In general, if you're worried about adding something unnecessary to some interaction in order to make a better impression, especially one in which your job is on the line, it's best to leave it out until you can be sure that it will cause the desired effect (or at least not a bad one). <S> Just go <S> clean shaven. <S> You can start using a beard after you're hired and learn more about the office culture. <S> If your resumé states your graduation year, then your interviewer already has a decent idea of how old you are, anyway. <A> I don't think the amount of facial hair necessarily matters, rather how well kept it is. <S> As long as it looks clean and well maintained I can't imagine it being a reason to not hire you. <S> The fashion trend for many men nowadays are full grown "lumberjack" beards so your five o'clock shadow should be fine, even if a little patchy. <S> If in a customer or client facing position, however, this may not be the case as appearance is very important in these roles and an interviewer will judge you more on your appearance than in an analyst job interview where they just want you to be be on the profession looking side unless the company culture dictates otherwise. <A> Why not go to a barber? <S> Go there, tell him that you have an interview coming up. <S> Tell him you want to look professional, but not clean shaven - he'll fix you up. <S> Ask him how to get that look with your home equipment and you are set. <A> I look like I'm 11 years old if I go clean <S> shaven <S> There isn't a single correct answer to this question, but one of the "right amounts" is "none". <S> It doesn't really matter whether you look like an 11-year-old, any more than it matters whether you look like a woman or a man. <S> It used to matter socially, or perhaps at school. <S> But at work I presume they're interviewing you for your experience, personality, knowledge, insight, ethics, cooperation, and so on. <S> they will form their own opinions about my age <S> If you're in a State or COuntry where you don't put your age on your resume (e.g. because job discrimination based on age is illegal i.e. "ageism"), then they ought to be assessing your experience and so on instead. <S> Isn't your age obvious anyway, if your resume includes the year when graduated from school, and started your career and so on?
| A beard could be perceived favorably, but a clean shave will definitely not be perceived unfavorably. Talk to someone else to evaluate whether it looks ok if you are wearing a suit or interview attire.
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Should I inform Business I Took my Business Elsewhere? I am not sure is this an appropriate question for this forum. I am a consumer and often email a number of businesses looking for quotes and more information about products/services that I am hoping to purchase. Often this could involve more than one email. Usually if I pick one supplier over another I will email them out of courtesy to say that I have gone to another supplier --- if anything just so they don't waste time following up. Is this good behaviour or closer to rude and obnoxious? <Q> As someone in a very competitive industry, getting feedback without having to chase it is very helpful. <S> It's especially so if the person who took the business elsewhere tells me why they did IE price, delivery time, prefer a different manufacturer to the one I offered. <S> This is very useful information to me for future quotations with this customer since it means I can check their feedback and perhaps offer something different to give myself a better chance of securing their next order. <S> You can of course say that you went elsewhere with no additional information, but if the suppliers you are using don't know why they didn't get your business, they don't know how to make an offer that might benefit you next time. <A> I wouldn't consider it rude, more as helpful - as you said, they won't need to waste their time selling if you already bought somewhere else. <A> As long as it's kept clear and polite I think that only easily offended people would find it rude. <S> You can be sure the supplier won't like it , it's never pleasent to loose (or don't get) <S> a client , <S> but there's a low chance they find it rude. <S> I don't know if it's good behaviour or <S> just something you do to feel better about it <S> but to me it's neither rude or obnoxious. <A> So best option is just to go with the one you chose and leave the rest hanging. <S> You never know they might chase you with a better deal. <S> What you are doing is helpful to the business, but unnecessary and free.
| Information is valuable, generally you don't give it away without seeing some advantage to yourself in doing so.
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Just laid off, 54 year old web designer & SEO/SEM Analyst, What to do now? I wast just laid off from a job of 6 years. New manger came in, new company direction, no more need for my skill set. He’s moving away from Drupal/WordPress to the .NET framework and does not really care about search engine marketing. My question is that I’m 54 years old and have over 15 years of experience in web design (Drupal, WordPress) and search engine optimization/search engine marketing (AdWords) but really, what company is going to hire a 54 year old? I have a small consulting business but it’s not gonna pay the bills with two teenagers, one going to college and I’m a single parent. Totally lost? Any suggestions? <Q> First don't panic. <S> It may take some time to get a job but you can get one. <S> Concentrate first on filing for unemployment and look at all the costs at home you can cut out temporarily <S> and I mean everything - kids cell phones, cable tv, any monthly subscriptions like Netflix, dining out, ways to lower the water and electric bills etc. <S> Your college age child should be filing new paperwork for financial aid since you are now unemployed and may now qualify for aid he didn't get. <S> Then sit down and craft a great resume <S> - it's a marketing document so that should be right up your alley. <S> You do not need to indicate anything more than ten years experience, so it will not be apparent immediately that you are older than your 30s. <S> Grab a book like What Color is Your Parachute from the library (you aren't spending money) and work with it to determine what you want to do. <S> Put together a sample portfolio of public facing sites you have created so people can see some of your work. <S> Make them want to hire you long before they ever meet you. <A> I think you have three options: either you find another SEO/design/web dev role; you gain new skills - like JavaScript development or .NET <S> server programming; or you double down on an existing skill that you think you can specialise in. <S> I've been working in the 'web industry' for about seven years. <S> It's not your fifteen, but it has been enough for me to spot a few trends. <S> And I have to break you some bad news - from where I'm sitting, the age of the web generalist - the mobile worker who knew a bit about UX, a bit about SEO, a bit about branding, and just enough technical knowledge to make the whole thing fly - that era is ending, at least for the near future. <S> People are hiring dedicated designers, dedicated front end devs, dedicated back end devs. <S> Even from the technical side, I see more and more specialization as the tech becomes too big and too deep for anyone to call themselves 'full stack' any more. <S> What can you do? <S> Well, UX and design is a healthy field. <S> Qualitative research, product thinking and graphic design are a great marriage. <S> But if you're more practically minded, working as a business/systems analyst or product manager could work well. <S> Let us address your age. <S> You worry that employers will overlook older workers. <S> I would like to think that's not the case, but I expect ageism is persistent. <S> But consider - your age is really an asset. <S> You have seen many organizations. <S> You know exactly what is deliverable. <S> You have delivered successfully for fifteen years. <S> And age will give you gravity, particularly in a more management-facing job like business analysis. <S> I would much rather stare down a hostile sales director as a fifty-four year old than as <S> the twenty-nine year old I am. <S> Remember that there can be advantages to certain stereotypes - enjoy them. <S> Good luck. <A> I see your concerns, and in a different field you'd have valid concerns, but the tech and web development is still a hot space. <S> Your website is very slick. <S> If you're good at what you do, I can't expect you'll have any problems impressing employers. <S> The best way to find a job, in my opinion, is hands down LinkedIn. <S> But if that's not working or you aren't in a city with a lot of activity, you'll need to be active on job boards. <S> Most people have and continue to find jobs through personal contacts. <S> Leverage those as much as possible. <S> Best of luck!
| You could become a front end developer if you love the technology, though right now the JS world is experiencing serious churn in tools and approaches. Network with people, look for jobs, or just present yourself positively to employers or recruiters.
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Faked accent in interview About a year ago, I got invited for an interview for, what I saw at the time as my dream position. I don't know what possessed me to do it -- maybe it was nerves or I just didn't think I'd get the job (it was way out of my league) -- but for some reason, I conducted the interview in an Australian accent. I'm not Australian. And I got the job. I didn't know what to do when I started. I thought it would be weird to greet my new bosses and colleagues with a different accent, so I decided to maintain it. It's been almost a year now and I'm not sure I can keep it up much longer. For a start, it's not a very convincing Australian accent and, while I've been there on holiday, the cracks in my very limited knowledge are starting to show. However, I'm often referred to as "the Australian guy" by my coworkers. I don't want to give this job up, but I don't really know how to get out of this hole I've dug for myself. I've tried to gradually change my accent to my normal one, but it hasn't really worked. Should I just talk normally from Monday and see what happens? It seems too shocking and open for humiliation, plus I'm worried my superiors might not appreciate the year-long charade. <Q> Your course is clear, you have only one path open to you. <S> You must resign your current position and emigrate to Australia. <S> I recommend Tallangatta, VIC. <S> No one will track you down there. <S> Also it is the setting for a major classic movie . <A> Whilst this is a bit of a tricky situation to get yourself out of, there are a couple of things you can do. <S> You do need to come clean though because it could give you a very bad reputation as someone who isn't trust worthy and can't be taken seriously. <S> Here are some things you can do though: <S> A lways be honest P repare for the questioning R eason with your co-workers <S> I nstall confidence in people again <S> L <S> Laugh it off with your co-workers F orget that it happened <S> O wn up to it <S> O ffer to make amends <S> L earn from your mistake <S> S <S> et sail to Australia <S> , there's no getting out of this one <S> Oh and next time; do an Irish accent. <S> It's so much easier. <A> Then talk naturally. <A> Dude simple solution - just speak your own language and tell them that you're learning something new and you will practice that now onwards. <S> Chill
| Tell your coworkers one day that you've been practicing a [nation] accent because you feel like it would be professionally useful in [nation], that you've been a bit shy to mention it because you were embarrassed, and that now you'd like to see what they think of it.
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Listing a BA and a BS on my resume I'm in my 20s and putting together a resume because I'm thinking about applying to master's programs that are focused on professional skill development. I went to school in the US and studied mathematics and philosophy (separately, not the joint program that exists at some universities) as an undergraduate. When a coworker was looking over my resume for me, she was surprised to see that it read: Education:Bachelor's of Science in Mathematics with honors, [university], [year]Bachelor's of Arts in Philosophy, [university], [year] She claimed that having two majors isn't the same thing as having two bachelor's degrees, and that listing them separately is disingenuous. This surprised me, as I consider myself as holding a BA and a BS from my university rather than (to use her words) "a BS in Mathematics and a second major in Philosophy." My university seems to trea The top of my college transcript reads as follows: Degrees AwardedDegree: Bachelor's of ScienceConfer Date: [date] Mathematics (B.S.), with honors Philosophy (B.A.) Academic Program HistoryProgram: The College Start Term: [Autumn, year] Current Status: Completed Program Mathematics (B.S.) Philosophy (B.A.) I attended a university that didn't have undergraduate "schools" which is why it says "the College" - that's the term the university uses to refer to the program that all undergraduates are in. I was given the choice of what order I wanted Mathematics and Philosophy to be listed in (both here and on my diploma), and was told that the Degree line would agree with whatever I had listed first. I wrote a BA essay which was accepted by the philosophy department. As someone working as an applied mathematician, I'm aware that the degree in philosophy isn't particularly important to my employers. However, it is very important to me and I would like to include it in my resume. My questions are: Is it considered correct for me to say that I have a BA in philosophy and a BS in mathematics? Is it considered weird or misleading to list mathematics and philosophy separately on my resume as I have done? If the answer is no to #2, do you have recommendations about how to clarify that I studied mathematics and I studied philosophy, rather than that I did a program in mathematics and philosophy, which is not particularly uncommon at liberal arts schools (though my university doesn't offer it) Is anyone going to care? I've been told that professionally oriented master's programs tend to care less about your degrees compared to your work. My university is a more prestigious than my employer, but not by a wide margin. <Q> Why not follow the formatting on the transcript? <S> Something like: Bachelor's of Science [University] [date] Mathematics (B.S.), with honors Philosophy (B.A.) <A> Your co-worker is right. <S> Having a degree in which you study both Mathematics and Philosophy is not the same as having both a degree in Philosophy and a degree in Mathematics. <S> Listing your qualification as two degrees runs the risk of confusing your case with someone who genuinely has two degrees, and this may reflect badly on you when they find you do not have two degrees. <S> To that extent someone is going to care. <S> If you had two degrees, your transcript would list both degrees. <S> You would also have two degree certificates, and would probably have had two degree ceremonies. <S> My understanding of your transcript is that you studied in both the BS (Mathematics and BA (Philosophy) <S> programs , which is not the same as completing degrees in both. <S> In any case, calling your university should give you a definitive answer. <A> At the university that my kids go to there are two differences between a double major and getting two degrees. <S> In the case of two degrees they are two diffetent types such as BS and BA. <S> They also must take 30 credits beyond what would be neefed for either degree. <S> For examlpe physics and chemistry is a double major, but public relations and nuclear engineering is two degrees. <S> If that same definition applied at your school you would have two degrees. <S> The key is the lack of overlap between the degrees. <S> In many places a BA requires foreign language, but a BS doesn't. <S> A BA has only a few science and math classes, but a BS requires many science and math classes.
| Your transcript clearly says that your degree is Bachelor of Science. That indicates both degrees, and cannot be considered misleading because it is directly supported by the transcript.
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Got an offer but it does not look secure nor reflect what was said verbally I was interviewed by a company which is a startup by a team and consists of a developer, a marketing person, an accountant and a coordinator. The team is working on the first application ever. Basically, one of them had an idea and shared it with friends and now they got some funds and want to build it. Verbally, they stated an x salary (almost half the market salary), no benefits and that I would get 5% of whatever the company will make. And that they are promised to get more money soon by their sponsors. I said let's move forward, but then I received an offer letter for only three months, at-will (any party can terminate at anytime), the x salary, no benefits and no 5%. They said it is three months only because they are "restructuring" the company from a LLC to a Corporate, and after that they will modify the contract and negotiate a new salary, new benefits, new everything (the 5%) and continue. I am afraid that I will build the application for them and then, boom, get laid off. I want the job since it is 5 minutes away from where I live + I am jobless + liked the team. They said that they will modify anything in the contract that does not make me feel comfortable. How can I secure this job, the way that makes me comfortable but without risking losing it? <Q> When you join a startup instead of an established company, the offer is usually a lower salary in exchange for some portion of the profits. <S> Often the profits don't materialise. <S> Sometimes the profits materialise, and the company will try anything it can do to avoid paying out. <S> This company made a good start of it. <S> If you consider the benefits (5 minutes from home <S> + you'll have a job <S> + you like the team), you should assume that you will not get any profit share with your first contract, so you need to decide what percentage of the market rate you find acceptable. <S> Someone with more US experience should add how much "no benefits" is worth. <S> Since there is no profit share, they should not pay anything below market rate. <S> Your decision <S> how much having a job close by is worth to you. <S> (That is not a detail that I would share with them. ) <S> The salary should be high enough so if your worst case scenario happens (you write the software + get fired) you wouldn't have any regrets. <S> BTW. <S> If they don't have much money, that is NOT YOUR PROBLEM. <A> If I was you I would turn down the offer on those terms and express interest in doing it as a consultant. <S> With consultant recompense. <S> This would make it worth the effort. <S> As it stands you have no guarantee of anything. <S> This is what consultants deal with all the time, and that's why they charge more. <S> Startups working on third party funding and already top heavy usually chew through techs and eat the funding. <A> They said that they will modify anything in the contract that does not make me feel comfortable. <S> How can I secure this job, the way that makes me comfortable but without risking losing it? <S> They said that they will modify anything in the contract that does not make me feel comfortable. <S> How can I secure this job, the way that makes me comfortable but without risking losing it? <S> Go with what you know in your heart <S> is right. <S> But you must be ready to risk losing it if things aren't right. <S> If you sense that they are liars and are attempting to take advantage, then just walk away. <S> If you sense that they are just negotiating hard, then refuse this offer and offer back with whatever makes you comfortable (perhaps to the original offer that excited you). <S> Startups by nature are risky. <S> This one sounds riskier than most. <S> Only you can decide if it's worth the risk or not. <S> Remember - if you could get this job you could get another.
| Be prepared to walk away if you don't get a reasonable offer, and if you accept below market rate then look for a better offer as soon as you start. Be prepared to walk away if you don't get what you want in writing.
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Applying for higher position, although I never did the work before I want to apply for fiber optic planner position, although ever just being a technician. I believe I would be able to do the work. I have no formal education to confirm this. I would I communicate this in a resume and application letter to really get consider for the position. What would be the best way to put this in a resume and letter? <Q> This is a specialised field, your best bet is to get formally qualified. <S> It's normally a requirement for these positions and the work is complex and covers many areas from fieldwork to design. <S> If you are a technician who has been involved in fibre projects then getting qualified is the next logical step. <S> But it's a big leap from basic technician to fibre planner, there's a whole bunch more skills you need. <S> Formal qualification proves you have them. <S> Still, there is nothing to stop you applying for any job, and if you have relevant experience you may get lucky. <S> List any experience you have that you feel is helpful, particularly network design and build. <S> And anything to do with fibre that you have been involved with. <A> While lack of formal education in the field might not be a deal breaker (e.g. I studied education and I implement Web Analytics Systems for a living <S> ) lack of relevant experience probably is. <S> "I believe" is not going to convince anybody. <S> You must be able to make a case that your previous work has prepared you for the challenges of the higher position. <S> I frankly have no idea what being a "fiber optic planner" entails in its job description, but <S> typically higher paying jobs involve skills beyond the technology (being able to talk to and negotiate with clients, managerial skills etc.) <S> , so you need to be sure you are in some way prepared for that. <S> Else you'd have to take the long way and somehow aquire the necessary skill set (night school, online studies etc.) <S> and then try again to apply. <A> It sounds like you are already working at the company. <S> If so, instead of going through HR for the job and an application, find a sponsor in that department that will let you apprentice with him. <S> Make yourself smart and likable, let your current boss know you think you can create more value for the company this way. <S> Set goals that you want to meet for the company and make it clear <S> you intend to exceed those goals . <S> Accept that it may take a few months of moonlighting, <S> but maybe it's less months and cost than if you went to school and learn it formally. <S> You may also not get paid much more because you will probably be paid what you are making now and might only get recognized far later. <S> You could also ask your manager about creating a reimbursement agreement. <S> You pay for the costs of a formal certificate program up front, but the company agrees to reimburse you when you pass the courses with some agreed upon grades. <S> In this manner, their risk of spending a lot of money on something you aren't serious about is mitigated. <S> Companies love to hire from within because internal people already know the culture and there are no recruiter fees. <S> If you can prove you are the best bet for the next open role and they have some investment in you, of course you will get hired for the job! <A> Sometimes an opportunity to work at a position is the real education. <S> You may try to get additional skills through other means but it should not stop you from applying now. <S> I do not know the details of your current job <S> but I am sure there would have been some opportunities where you had to do some activities from your desired role. <S> (like planning layout or team leading, etc.). <S> Think hard and bring out such events on your resume. <S> In your cover letter you can express your passion more emphatically as why you want to do this job and why you think you can handle it even without formal education on this. <S> Like you can take the points in the job description one by one and express in your letter how either you have already done it <S> or you think you can do it based on certain demonstrable evidences from other aspects of your life. <S> (Soft skills like leadership or planning).
| You should represent yourself as accurately as possible but as close to the desired skill set as you can on your resume.
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First time meeting with the new CTO, should I mention my existing team-wise problems? My employer is hiring a CTO, mostly to manage my development team of four developers. Soon we have an one-to-one introduction with him. I was wondering if that's a good time to mention the problems I have had inside the team or it's better to wait for another chance? If it's okay to mention those problems so early, how and to what extend should I explain them without sounding like I'm back-stabbing my team mates? I have previously raised these problems with the lead developer, the company's director and the CEO/founder of the company as well, but they still persist. Presumably one of the reasons for the company to hire a CTO is to address those persisting problems. <Q> I was wondering if that's a good time to mention the problems I have had inside the team <S> or it's better to wait for another chance? <S> If it's okay to mention those problems so early, how and to what extend should I explain them without sounding like I'm back-stabbing <S> my team mates? <S> Your first meeting with a new boss is a terrible time for dumping your problems. <S> You only get one chance to make a first impression. <S> You don't want to come across as a whiner. <S> (It would be like meeting new neighbors. <S> They come to your front door and say "Hi. <S> We are new to the neighborhood!" <S> and you say "Let me tell you how bad the trash pickup is here!". <S> Not a good first impression.) <S> Better would be to extol the virtues of the company and department. <S> You should also talk a little about your role, and perhaps talk about what you will be looking for from the new CTO if asked. <S> The CTO will almost certainly be given overall background on the company and the issues as seen from the CEO's level. <S> And part of the CTO's charge may include a deeper dive into the individual developer's issues, particularly since there are only four of you. <S> Take the high road now. <S> There's plenty of time for the low road later. <S> Hopefully a wide audience (including you) will be asked for your insight about the company's issues. <S> That's when you can talk about these problems. <A> He's most probably got a set idea of how he wants to learn how the organization works and a plan of how to collate the information needed to improve how things work. <S> Give him space to at least start that process. <S> If you have any current grievances, they're not likely to become earth-shatteringly awful before the next few weeks are finished. <A> Jumping the gun on airing what you think is going wrong might create the impression of a negative attitude, even if your critique is 100% on point, justified and in the spirit of improvement. <S> Get a feel, a little bit, for that person's communications and management style. <S> Don't put it off too long, but not in the initial sit down, is my gut feeling on it. <A> I have previously raised these problems with the lead developer, the company's director and the CEO/founder of the company as well, but they still persist. <S> Presumably one of the reasons for the company to hire a CTO is to address those persisting problems. <S> Then it's probably a good idea to assume this is part of his job description. <S> Showing a willingness to help him from your side is not a bad thing. <S> Use the first one on one to get acquainted, explain your role in the team/company and mention you've contacted management before about problems you identified, and that you'd be more than willing to discuss these with him <S> should he wish so. <S> You will come off as cooperative, problem-solving person.
| Probably the initial meeting is more to familiarize the new CTO with your scope of work and duties within the team, and to size up your personality and attitude. As stated in the comments, if a CTO comes into the organization to be faced with a blizzard of negativity and complaints, it doesn't really paint a good picture of the organization or the morale, or his impression of you. Wait to be asked, or for a more formal request for information.
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Should I take a copy of my reference(s) to an interview? I got a reference on my first job. Now I was asked to go to an interview. Should I take a copy of the reference of the first place to the interview even though the interviewer did not ask for it? <Q> It can't hurt to bring it a copy of your references or their contact information. <S> Somebody might ask for it, and instead of saying I will get back to you, you will be able to give it to them right away. <S> I have also run into the situation where they want me to fill out a "application" before I leave, even though they have my resume, and I have completed forms online. <S> Having the copy of the reference makes it easy to fill in that section of the application. <S> I always bring extra copies of my resume. <S> You never know when somebody might not have one, or when the system they use for interviews produces a unusable one. <S> I also bring questions I want to ask, and notebook and pen to make notes. <A> While mhoran_psprep is correct in saying that it can't hurt to bring this information and it may show that you've come prepared, I'd be very hesitant to provide information on my references at what seems to be the very first step of the hiring process . <S> You typically do your references the courtesy of informing them that someone from Company X may be calling them because you're applying for position <S> Y. You're talking about people's communication details after all <S> and you don't want to give those out too readily, even if there's usually no reason to think someone might abuse the information. <S> A lot of employers ask for reference detail up front to streamline their process and because it doesn't cost them any extra effort. <S> Because of that it's equally common to dodge that question or fill in "available on request" if there's an online submission form you need to get through. <S> Don't ever add this to an application otherwise though, it's understood that you'll provide references if asked for them. <S> It makes sense to keep a digital file of your references though and you can always bring that just in case you're asked for them and you feel like it might be useful to make an exception. <S> I'd never volunteer this info myself: <S> a prospective employer will ask you for your references when they're ready for them and it makes sense to let them control the timing of that part of the hiring process . <A> Think about these four questions to come to a logical conclusion. <S> This doesn't work in all situations, but in this particular situation, I believe it will. <S> What is the worst case scenario if I do bring it? <S> What, the potential employer complains about you cluttering his desk? <S> Seriously, there is absolutely no harm in bringing it. <S> What is the worst case scenario if I don't bring it? <S> Obviously, the employer could ask for it, and you will look unprepared if you don't have it with you. <S> What is the best case scenario if I do bring it? <S> Best case is if the potential employer wanted it, and you have it. <S> It gives the impression of being well prepared, as well as giving you a head start on the possibility of a job. <S> What is the best case scenario if I don't bring it? <S> Well... nothing, really. <S> There's absolutely no advantage to not bringing your references with you. <S> Just those four questions I believe answer your question.
| Yes, bring your references: it doesn't harm, and it could help. The worst that can happen is that the potential employer say, "Oh, I already saw that, you can keep it." So since you shouldn't be providing references at such an early stage of the process, I probably wouldn't bring this info on paper.
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Will lowering my salary expectations help me find a job faster? I have been on 5 interviews last month. I have gotten 4 rejections and the fifth is uncertain. I know at least one of the rejections was not salary based. Furthermore I have checked my salary expectation against several websites for location, experience, and skills and I am about average. I work in Business Intelligence. Will lowering the number help me find a job faster? Counterexample: I was just in contact with a recruiter, I told him my lower salary. He told me the company had alotted $x, which was $10k more than I usually ask. <Q> I work in recruitment. <S> It is possible their is a disconnect between the experience, or perceived experience found on your resume, and what comes across in the interviews. <S> Is your CV descriptive enough and well matched to the roles you are being interviewed for? <S> Another alternative is that you are simply unlucky, and really strong candidates are beating you to the punch. <S> What level are we talking about here - analyst, senior salesperson, etc.? <S> To answer directly - it doesn't sound like money <S> is the issue based on what you have described. <S> It would be good to understand the situation in greater detail. <A> Not really helpful. <S> Say the company is looking for someone worth $50,000 and offering $50,000. <S> If you apply for $40,000 you will appear not to be able to fill that position. <S> Even if you improved your chances of getting the job, it means you make a lot less money! <A> I have noticed that undervaluing yourself is likely to work the opposite way. <S> People will think you aren't good enough to command the salary they had in mind. <S> Bear in mind 4-5 rejections is not many. <S> Depending on the economy and the hiring at the time I have looked I have gotten offers from the first interview or not even gotten an interview until I sent out over 100 resumes (I graduated in a very bad year for entry level hiring). <S> And hiring is a competition, if you continually get rejected for the same level jobs, you may be applying for jobs at the wrong level. <S> If you want to be a senior whatchamacallit with 3 years experience, you had better have a lot of accomplishments to show to compete with the people who have been senior whatchamacallits for ten years. <S> Now what you can do is try to figure out if you can improve your interviewing skills. <S> can you see a pattern to the questions that you didn't feel you did well on? <S> Are they the hard skills questions or the soft ones? <S> Did you just not know the answer or did you get to nervous to remember it? <S> Are you failing to sell your strong points? <S> Like anything else interviewing gets better with practice. <S> So practice by writing out all the questions you can think of that people have asked (and any others that you woudl ask someone if you were interviewing them for the position you want) and then video yourself answering them and do it over and over again until you improve how you present yourself and until you can answer the questions relatively easily. <S> It's painful to practice by videotaping <S> but it is hands down the best way to improve if you are serious about getting better at interviewing or public presentations of any kind. <A> Lowering your Salary ask will open more positions to you. <S> As you have more options to choose from as you can apply to lower level jobs as well as more <S> Sr ones. <S> But once you get the interview and they know your salary ask <S> , I don't think it matters. <S> So by all mean apply to lower level Jobs as well as the more Sr ones. <S> -But when asked about salary only mention the lower rate for the lower level jobs.
| Lower salary demands will indicate that you are not worth more, and will likely indicate that you are not capable of handling the job.
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Should I cover for a chronically late employee? The chronically late employee has worked here 3 years I just started. Short of changing my job (I've only been here a little while) I don't know what else to do. No one else is affected by this lateness except me because I have to cover both our phones until they are settled in. There's no way around that. They have been late every single day. I did try to bring up about them coming in late and their answer was mind my business. But it affects me. I'm not here to do two jobs every day 30 days in a row so far. The job description did not include covering for a late employee every day. I have yet to have my 30 day assessment. There are cameras everywhere, management seems to be aware of the situation. Yet it continues. It's been past the 30 day assessment and management hasn't gotten around to doing it. Another red flag. And this is more than 2 or 3 minutes late, every day for 30 days. I'm essentially doing two jobs here. Should I quit? <Q> No one else is affected by this lateness except me because I have to cover both our phones until they are settled in. <S> There's no way around that. <S> Don't blame the guy, ask your manager how you deal with the situation. <S> Hi <S> Alice, I often have to answer both phones in the (first half an hour of the shift) before Bob arrives, and this inevitably means that I'm missing some calls if both phones ring at once. <S> How would you like me to prioritise in this situation? <S> Of course, I'm assuming it's a reasonable length of time here - <S> if it's consistently between 3-4 minutes, then you're going to sound petty <S> however you phrase it. <S> Wait for the reply, and act accordingly. <S> Perhaps your manager isn't aware, in which case that will make her aware of the situation without you sounding aggressive. <S> Perhaps she is, and there's a good (but private) reason for it, in which case you'll likely get a <S> "just do what you can and don't worry if you miss the odd call" response. <S> In either case, if it just means you're a bit busier for the first half an hour of the day, this shouldn't be a massive issue. <A> You say there are cameras everywhere and management must know, but that's not necessarily true. <S> They may not look at the camera feeds unless they have reason to suspect shenanigans. <S> If the work that needs to get done is all getting done (by you) then they don't know anything is amiss. <S> Of course the late employee is going to tell you to mind your business. <S> They clearly don't care about the trouble they're causing. <S> My advice would be to do exactly as they suggest. <S> Mind <S> YOUR business, ignore THEIRS. <S> If someone comes over to our desks with paperwork for the other employee, leave it on their desk with a sticky note or something. <S> (Basically do whatever the delivery person would have done if neither of you were there.) <S> Etc. <S> If management comes to inquire why the other employee's work is not getting done, or their phone is ringing constantly, I would simply explain they they aren't here yet. <S> If necessary, explain that you don't want to answer their phone because they've asked you not to pry into their business. <S> Hopefully this will lead to inquiries about when they normally arrive, which I would answer honestly. <S> Then, if management sees the problem, maybe they'll take action to fix it. <S> If they don't, then you need to re-evaluate if you're comfortable with how things are, and if not, leave. <A> Should I cover for a chronically late employee? <S> If the answer is that you should just cover both phones, then that is the job. <S> You can decide if that's a job you want to continue with or you can find a new job, give an appropriate notice, then leave. <S> "Should I quit? <S> " is a question only you can answer and it depends on your financial circumstances and your alternatives. <S> The job description did not include covering for a late employee every day. <S> You cannot reasonably expect a job description to mention this situation. <A> Disclaimer : I'll answer "Should I cover ...?" ; not "Should I quit ?". <S> Stop answering their phone. <S> You can just stop answering their phone calls, all the more if you are already handling another call. <S> If the activity is somehow being monitored, their non-answered call metric (which is generally a Key Performance Indicator in phone-based activities) is going to rise significantly above the "normal" level, and this will raise an alert. <S> Then management will have to investigate, since this is a direct performance issue from the other employee. <S> Now, there is a tricky part to your situation : you have a 30-day assessment period. <S> I would hold on taking action before this period is over, just to ensure that this cannot be held against you. <S> Then, I would stop answering as described above.
| Since you already brought it up with your co-worker and were rebuffed, you should now ask your boss what you should do. If the other person's phone starts ringing, ignore it.
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How to delay hiring a candidate for 1-2 months? We just hired a new team member, A. Just as her hiring process was wrapping up, we found another ideal candidate, B. He would be a great fit at our company. I don't want to lose him. But, we don't have the budget to take B on now. Since May has 3 pay periods, the payroll really jumps up. So, we would like to bring B on after May. With 2 months to go, I was wondering if you guys have any tips to manage this situation? I have thought about cutting other team member hours, replace a poor performing team member or just lengthening the hiring process and doing extra checks and references. Your positive input is highly appreciated. <Q> How about just talking to him? <S> Many candidates will actually appreciate a later start date. <S> That makes winding down things at your current gig easier. <S> So unless he is currently out of work or particularly miserable at his current job, I don't see any reason why this would be a problem. <S> Just give him an offer letter right now with a June 1 start date. <S> If there a problems, you need to address those on a case by case basis. <S> There are various levers that can help: a sign on bonus, temporary contractor status, part time for a few weeks, etc. <A> First of all, I'd be honest with this person. <S> We'd like to bring you on, but can't afford to do so until after May. <S> Perhaps he already has a job that he can hang on to for another couple of months. <S> Then again, perhaps his situation is more urgent, and he can't afford to do that. <S> At least get a dialog going, because lying to this candidate, and making him jump through hoop after hoop is not likely to endear you to him. <S> If worse comes to worse, you can have an internal conversation about methods of affording him (such as firing a poorly performing team member, although I'd seriously consider the impact on team morale if you do so). <S> If you do reach an understanding with him, however, extend a written offer letter. <S> That's code for "we're not serious about this". <A> Of course be upfront with them. <S> And put it in writing. <S> If you can't put it in writing your shouldn't expect them to wait around. <S> Whether they accept your story will depend on if they need the job now, or it they can wait. <S> Keep in mind that they will keep looking, they will keep applying, and they will keep interviewing. <S> Even if you tell them the truth, and they say they are willing to wait, there is not guarantee they will actually be around in two months. <A> If I'm understanding right, <S> you <S> really like this candidate, <S> but you don't have the budget to take him on right now, because May has 3 periods, so presumably You are exactly one period short of being able to hire him! <S> This is ridiculous. <S> What would you do if he demanded a signing bonus of roughly 1/26th of his annual salary - admit that you can't afford him? <S> If he gets a bout of pneumonia are the extra sick days going to put your company underwater? <S> So, which is it: is he too good to pass up, or do you not need to hire someone right now? <S> If you do want to hire him for your very rigid budget, here are some straightforward first steps: <S> You could pro-rate his salary, because this is what accounting is for, as the triple pay period is designed to even out salaries of employees who work all year <S> But hopefully you will have some plan when he negotiates and requests more money than your initial offer (besides saying "we're too broke"). <A> The answer on talking to the candidate is sound advice. <S> Does he want a delay or is <S> does he want to start now? <S> What would work out the best for him. <S> Be sure to leave out the part about hiring the even better candidate immediately. <S> replace a poor performing team member <S> This is bothering me to the point of writing an answer. <S> You seem to care about your employees. <S> Regardless of your actions with the candidate in question why would you keep this person around? <S> Everyone knows he is under performing. <S> You can serve your company, you, your other employers, and even the team member in question by letting him go.
| And if you are not strapped for cash, you can take some really relaxed time-off, since there is no work yet to interfere with vacation. Don't leave things hanging as a verbal agreement. You could offer him something you can afford instead of something you wish you could afford You could offer him June 1st because that's when the position is open
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Low ball salary that is non negotiable X has one or more internships available that lasts between 4-6 months in the capital of another country. This means that I have to move there. They offered me a low salary that is 1/5 of my current salary and was told that it was not negotiable. The pay is so low that it is barely enough for rent. I told the person that it will be difficult to live so that I do have a part-time job sideways to cope pay rent and have money left over for food. When I told them I need to have another part-time job. They said no, because the risk of being burned out is going to increase. First, they did not bother, but subsequent interview we talked again about the salary that increased the salary by 1/5 of the salary that I was offered. Despite this, it is low in order to live there. I looked at the Glass Door and saw that their trainees are paid $22/h in the US. If we compare this full-time job with the salary I was offered, I get 1/5 of the US wage. The company is in the stock market and traded at> $ 50. In 2016 the company >$1 billion in revenue. The job description states that they offer competitive salaries. So why would I still be there? They offer me such a job so that it goes hand in hand with where I want to be the next 5 years. What do you think I should do? They said non-negotiable, but increased slightly. They said they would get in touch before they would talk to their managers about the salary. <Q> Some internships either don't pay at all or pay far too little. <S> There will always be candidates who can afford this. <S> For example, their parents may be funding them, so that they don't need to pay their own rent and food, nor save for the next year's schooling. <S> Further, there will always be candidates who can't afford it, because they need to meet their expenses from their income. <S> Famous companies that look good on your resume, or that might hire you after you perform well on an internship, can get away with this: enough good candidates will want to be there that the jobs will be filled with good interns. <S> You see this in yourself: you really want to be there despite the atrocious salary. <S> I don't happen to feel these things are fair. <S> A big multinational company should be able to pay everyone a living wage and not demand subsidies from those just starting out. <S> Yet I supported one of my children who got a work term job 10,000 miles from home that would pay only enough to eat, and provided him a university residence room to live in. <S> He was unable to save for the next school term, and needed cash top-ups from us to fund explorations and excursions in the far-away country. <S> We did it because we felt it was terrific experience for him. <S> The company wasn't exploitive, because the salary was in fact more than locals would have been paid for the work. <S> I am sure you can imagine there are some parents who would support a child of theirs to enable them to take an internship with a prestigious company like the one you're considering. <S> I expect there is nothing you can do to raise the salary for this internship to a level that would support you without a family subsidy. <S> If you have no way to make up the shortfall for 4-6 months, you probably just can't take this internship. <A> If an employer is not concerned that you are able to eat and afford decent housing, then go to a different employer. <S> Here in the US fast food employers are much maligned for their low pay. <S> However, they pay their employees hourly, at or more than the minimum wage, and accept that many of their employees will work multiple jobs. <S> This situation sounds much worse. <S> You cannot hold a second job, you will be making less than minimum wage, and you will probably be working a lot of overtime. <S> In this case "No" is a complete sentence. <A> Red flag. <S> The employer is telling you already you are not worth the money <S> and you should be happy to work for them as it would look good on your resume, right? <S> It would "open doors"? <S> If it can't cover basic food and rent, and they say taking a second job would cause "burnout" -- run away from these freeloaders as far and as fast as you can. <S> Your health and sanity, along with having a decent roof and food to eat, is absolutely necessary for you to keep and maintain.
| Companies know that they are drawing from a smaller pool of candidates when they offer little or no pay.
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Does 4 Weeks Notice hurt your chances of finding a new job? I currently received a job offer for a previous employer I used to work for. I am currently unemployed and since my old position is open I agreed to go back to work and help them as they desperately need someone. My offer letter states I need to give 4 weeks notice when I leave. It used to be 2 weeks, but turn over has been so high they revised this. Can this hurt me when interviewing for new positions? Will I not get a job because they can't wait 4 weeks for me to start? <Q> This is somewhat reliant on the industry you are in, and your level of experience. <S> I would humbly suggest that not being willing to wait for a 4-week notice period would generally be a sign this is a poorly run business you don't want to be a part of anyway; but if you are desperate to get a job, you tend to end up being of interest to similarly desperate people. <S> This almost always turns out poorly for everyone involved, so do what you can to not be in such a situation. <S> I would warn you that demanding an increased notice period because of such high turnover is a warning sign that people hate working there, they don't pay well, etc - or the business could even be going under. <S> But if it's an improvement on being unemployed, then just go in with eyes wide open about the environment. <S> Sometimes you just really need a pay check, and that's OK - do what you have to do to provide for yourself. <S> Having a 4 week notice period shouldn't prevent you from getting the majority of jobs. <S> For your piece of mind, though, I'd want to look closely at that employment agreement and see just what else they are asking, and what 'penalties' they threaten for not giving appropriate notice. <S> Most employers in the US just say that if you quit with less than the requested notice you will not be re-eligible for rehire at the company, and that's it - but you'll want to read that very closely before you sign. <A> In addition to BrianDHall's answer - which covers most of the issues, ask yourself this: what do you get in return for agreeing to giving the company a 4-week notice period? <S> Is this a 2-way street where they'll give you 4 weeks of fully paid notice if they let you go? <S> No I didn't think so... <S> What they're doing is sketchy at best. <S> Something like a mandatory notice period is a contractual obligation and belongs in an employment contract, not tagged on to the offer letter. <S> But putting it in an employment contract would cause the company more trouble than they're willing to put up with - firstly because they probably want to employ you 'at-will', and secondly because there would need to be something in it for you too in order to be enforceable (the 2-way-street thing). <S> In the end, it probably wouldn't hurt significantly one way or the other. <S> Even if you take the job with the 4-week notice period in the offer letter you're not really going to be obligated to stick to it. <S> And unless you're planning on applying to a new job where you absolutely have to start right away, most companies should be able to work with a 4-week period if you do choose to follow it. <S> The only real significance you should attach to this is how you think you would be able to deal with this company's unhappiness if you decide to leave 'early'. <A> This former company is coming through with something when you are unemployed and desperate for something. <S> Read the contract thoroughly, ask questions. <S> Is four weeks standard in your state? <S> Will they give four weeks pay if you honor the four weeks? <S> What are the exceptions to the rule (there are always exceptions). <S> Can the four week be renegotiated? <S> Can you offer to train someone or bring someone in that can do the job that you can be confident <S> will be able to do it in exchange for them having those four weeks breathing space to find somebody if you leave beforehand? <S> If they refuse to budge or put it in writing, then you got a decision to make. <S> Can you afford to stay unemployed.
| Most professional-level businesses would not object to a 4 week notice period, while if you want to be a waiter or cashier they might just refuse because they "need someone to start right away". Talk to your prospective/former employer and get it in writing.
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My probation period was extended by a month, should I be concerned? I was initially put under performance improvement plan due a number of reasons outlined by my manager. I am nearing the end of my probation period in next few weeks & my manager told me that he wants to extend the probation period by 30 days. His reason was that I am still not there where he expects me to be so he wants to give me more time. Also, the change in contract would just be that it will say that it's a final warning. Let me say one thing here, I have been trying my best to work by book. Now, onto the main question, is this a red flag? Moreover I have couple of interviews lined up & I am planning to resign in a next couple of weeks since I can't really do job hunt while working full time & have substantial savings to last me at least 6 months. <Q> is this a red flag? <S> it's unclear why they are extending, perhaps looking for a replacement or trying to get something completed, but you're better off finding another job. <A> Sounds like you should be thankful you haven't been fired already, and your boss is giving you a chance to meet his expectations, but then again you are planning to quit even without a new job so it sounds like you don't even want this job. <S> Anyway it sounds like he would have fired you if he had thought you weren't going to be able to meet his standard. <S> I personally would find it hard to put in the effort to improve my performance if I was just planning to quit soon. <S> Furthermore it doesn't seem like you want to use this boss as a reference seeing as you didn't please him with your performance and are planning to quit even though he chose to see if you would improve instead of straight up firing you. <S> But to answer your question I'd say yes this is a very big red flag. <A> Now, onto the main question, is this a red flag? <S> That fact that your manager is telling you that you haven't come up to speed enough to end your PIP and go back to normal employee status is probably a bad thing. <S> You have tried your best but still haven't succeeded. <S> That's not uncommon with a PIP. <S> The fact that you haven't simply been let go is a good thing. <S> Few folks placed on a PIP end up sticking around (at least in my locale). <S> It might mean that they recognize your efforts, and that you could get there with a bit more time (assuming you actually wanted to do so). <S> Either way, it seems like this is a good thing for you, since you are planning to leave anyway. <S> You now have the ability to remain on the payroll right up until you resign. <S> How that fits into a "red flag" depends on what you mean by the term. <S> I'm not sure why you would care either way. <A> Not getting your logic on cannot interview. <S> You can take a vacation day on PIP. <S> Worse case is they let you go for taking a vacation day <S> but you still get paid up till then and get to interview while you are (technically) employed.
| Yes it is, your PIP is never going to end well. It depends on the context of what you mean by "red flag".
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What are the benefits of switching from bi-weekly to semi-monthly payroll? To align our accounting efforts, I would like to move our payroll frequency to semi-monthly, whereby payments will be made on the 5th and 20th (or 15th and 30th) of each month. I have read mixed reviews about people preferring payments every 2 weeks (bi-weekly) to having 2 set paydays (semi-monthly). Some say bi-weekly is best because it's more frequent. Other say semi-monthly is best because you know when you get paid always and it's easier to budget for bills. I have seen that these are the two most common pay frequencies used by companies. What are the advantages of switching from bi-weekly to semi-monthly? <Q> Ask your team what they want. <S> (As mentioned by Pete in the comments). <S> Really, the only thing that matters for this is employee opinion. <S> Ask them. <S> If the response isn't overwhelmingly in one direction, and you have no reason at all to prefer one or another, put it to a vote. <S> The fact that you ask your employees, rather than some other source (such as strangers on the internet) is important in making them feel valued and listened to. <A> If you are in a lower paid position, bi-monthly is harder to manage. <S> People in well paid positions tend to forget that the extra 2 or 3 days makes it hard to get through the pay period if you make less than 50K a year. <S> Look at the professions of your company and how many people would be negatively affected. <S> To further my point, in most bi-monthly paycheck systems, they pay early if the payday is on a weekend. <S> So it is possible to sometimes have the pay period be 15 days <S> and sometimes it can be 18. <S> That can make it three weekends in which you have to buy groceries for instance which is no big deal when you make a lot of money but is huge when you don't. <S> On the other hand when many people pay most of their bills online and have exact due dates, it is handy to know the exact day. <S> What you should do is an analysis of your workforce to see how many likely be more negatively impacted. <A> The primary difference between the two approaches (and other approaches, like weekly or monthly) is in how they align with both your workers' and your company's cashflow. <S> Months, of course, vary in length. <S> If your company is a restaurant, you make money per day. <S> If you're an apartment complex, you make money per month. <S> So from a business perspective, it's often optimal to align your payroll with how it evens out your cash flow. <S> The same applies to your workers. <S> If they tend to have more monthly bills they'll prefer semimonthly, and if they tend to live more hand to mouth and have fixed-time expenses they'll prefer weekly. <S> This is somewhat tied to general wealth level in the first place. <S> Someone who has a monthly car payment, and house payment, and private school payment - they have to pay those whether it's a 28 day month or a 31 day month. <S> So they want the same amount of money per month to align with that. <S> So they prefer something tied to the calendar month (semimonthly, monthly, etc.). <S> Even if the "monthly" pay flexes to represent the right number of days in a month, the cadence is still optimal. <S> Even when payday falls on a weekend, usually the payday is moved up or back in the same way that payment due dates are. <S> Someone who doesn't, who is just buying food and gas and whatnot, they need the same amount of those things per day. <S> So a biweekly pay schedule, or a schedule otherwise tied to the day (weekly, etc.) are optimal for these folks. <S> Also, these folks tend to be lower compensated, so the differences between the two schemes is more keenly felt. <A> I prefer to get paid monthly on the same date. <S> All of my bills come out on the same date so it's nice to get them out of the way <S> and I can see how much money I've got for the rest of the month. <S> Where I currently work, they pay us on the second to last Thursday of every month but all my bills come out on the 1st. <S> This can mean up to 13 days of having the money in my account before my bills are removed. <S> Not a problem since the bills are more or less a fixed value, more an annoyance since my bills don't come out on the second Tuesday of every month but on a fixed date. <S> This method can also mean there is up to 5 weeks between pay days. <S> I always budget carefully <S> but I know some of the people I work with aren't so careful and have run out of money long before the fifth week.
| Many places will pay hourly workers biweekly and salaried workers semimonthly on the pretty good assumption that the higher level/better compensated employees fall more in the former category. You might also consider asking employees what their preferences are.
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In a family business, do I refer to people by their name or by how they're related to the person I'm speaking to? When speaking with a boss/manager's son, should I say: Your father requested so and so. or rather: Mr. Doe requested so and so I only have a professional relationship with the son. We don't chit-chat. <Q> Interact professionally based on professional roles. <S> Say "Mr. Doe" or any standard professional way of referring to him that is appropriate. <S> Personal ties outside of work can be a challenge in the workplace for those involved. <S> A parent-child relationship can be particularly difficult. <S> In some cases, the child may struggle to step out of their parent's shadow and be known for their own work, rather than as "the boss's kid". <S> In such cases, usually the individuals involved are trying to keep the personal and the professional separate. <S> The most helpful thing for you to do is respect the same divide: base your interactions with them on their roles in the company, not on personal factors outside of work. <S> If you say "your father requested this", you might be subtly contributing to a difficult situation. <S> Note: <S> this may change if you develop more of a relationship with the people involved and interact more casually. <S> But it would be the starting point for professional interaction. <A> The boss is speaking in his function as the boss and not as the father, so you should rather ignore the relationship. <A> I run a family business that has employed my children. <S> We are all on a first name basis, so both staff and children would occasionally say "Kate" to each other when referring to me. <S> The kids might say "mum" to someone, no worries. <S> Some of my staff had been with me a long time, their kids were friends with my kids etc, these are the ones more likely to say "your mum" to one of my children. <S> It never once mattered to me a speck. <S> Note: <S> the largest this company ever got was 11 people. <S> I might have a different answer for a team of hundreds, or when the parent didn't own the company. <S> But for a small cohesive group, where everyone knows the relationships, and many staff have known us for decades (I had a young programmer for a summer job who I first met when he was 4, and have twice employed people who lived close enough to my house to walk to work when the office was attached to the house) <S> it doesn't matter what you call me, everyone knows who I am. <A> How do others refer to the boss to his son or daughter? <S> Have you asked the parent and/or child how they would prefer you to handle the situation. <S> I know there have been people I worked with who did not want to be known as a relative <S> and they preferred the people who knew not to mention it. <S> I have worked other places where the relationship was always mentioned. <A> When I worked at my dad's restaurant in Germany as a teenager and young adult, the staff would always refer to him as "the boss" when talking to me, unless they were on first name basis with him, in which case they would sometimes use his first name. <S> I was fine with that, and I don't think he cared, as long as the job got done and communication worked. <A> In my view it doesn't matter, both are equally appropriate. <S> The arguments presented by dan1111 and FooBar are perfectly valid, but in most cases you can use either. <S> I used to say to a subordinate, " Your son is doing a good job and <S> it is really good <S> we've got him as a tester ". <S> My subordinate never had a problem with this, and others in the office made reference to the relationship too. <S> While saying "Your son" is coming from the opposite perspective, it is referring to the relationship. <A> It probably depends on country and company (or family) culture, but in my sector (construction) at my place (Catalonia) there are a lot of family business and it's perfectly fine to refer to people by their relation. <S> In fact, sometimes using the most formal designation is ambiguous: if somebody called to some business and asked to talk to some people using the surname, it would be uncommon to be asked back <S> "Which one do you want to talk to? <S> The father or the son(s)?". <S> Of course that might be different in family business - proud to be family business, and sometimes proud of their several generations long history - than in a big company, where working close to relatives could be seen just as a sign of nepotism.
| This is a matter of business culture and the personal preference of the people being addressed. Most places I have been on a first name basis with both people and referring to people by their first name to a relative seems much more natural than by saying Mr. Jones.
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Boss accidentally shared confidental company documents, what to do? It is an automatic synchronization app. On its server side, it has multiple repositories, between them at least one for which I shouldn't have any access. After I've understood what is going on, I killed the synchronization process on the spot and deleted my whole local directory structure. Now the problem is that it is not enough, because I can't prove it, that I didn't make a secret copy from that. I think also have to minimize any suspection that maybe I misused it. Now the problem is that I don't have any way to prove that. I think the best would be to minimize any possible suspiction in the future, if I simply don't do anything, and live without the document share until some days long. After that, the problem will be surely, and silently self-solved. The boss already knows the mistake (my co-workers also contacted him on the spot), and knowing that he knows it, I didn't contact him. Ext: Now I contacted him, I wrote him a single sentence: "Hello, I killed the syncing app and deleted my whole local repo." Ext2: Now another boss surprisingly visited my PC and I showed him that I really deleted/killed everything. He seemed satisfied. <Q> exactly what happened and what action you took. <S> Not just a one line email but <S> a self contained description of the whole incident: <S> Dear Boss, Just to recap, when I was working on the repository last night, I noticed that XYZ folder had been inadvertantly shared with me. <S> I immediately stopped the process, and deleted all local files from my PC. <S> [Your boss] has also visited and confirmed that everything is deleted. <S> Is there anything else I need to do to verify that everything is ok? <S> Thanks,me. <S> That way there is a clear written record of what happened. <S> Your transparency about the event will help calm any fears, and will serve as evidence should any concerns arise in the future. <S> I think you probably don't need to worry too much, though. <S> At most workplaces, anyway, this wouldn't be such a big deal (at least not in terms of raising suspicion about you). <S> Update: <S> If you have someone in charge of information security, or any policy that requires reporting on incidents, I think it's important that you inform others of what happened. <S> However, if these other parties get surprised with the notice that your boss caused a security breach, that may put your boss in an awkward place. <S> So, if you aren't sure anyone else knows about it, it's a good idea to give your boss a heads up before sending that email (as recommended by nvoigt in the comments). <S> In this case, I don't think it applies, since your boss's boss already knows. <A> Assuming your boss has the security clearance <S> and you don't, ask you boss what to do. <S> He should know the proper procedures, that should be part of his clearance. <S> There is not much you could do and doing something wrong <S> might make it worse. <S> So ask for advice and wait for orders. <A> "Hello, I killed the syncing app and deleted my whole local repo." <S> You didn't say anything more. <S> He has no idea whether what you did was an accident or not. <S> You make it sound like it was on purpose. <S> Clarify that the incident was an accident and ask him how to proceed. <S> He's your boss <S> so you should tell him what happens when something happens that's not suppose to happen, regardless of whether you think he knows it <S> or he doesn't. <S> You then ask him how to proceed. <S> You don't make assumptions, you don't make decisions, if it's not in your job description. <S> Don't try to hide anything, simply ask your boss what to do. <S> You're going to make your live a living hell and one day make a massive cover up mistake that will blow in your face if you never ask your boss what to do when something wrong happens. <S> If you suspect your boss of doing wrongdoings related to this, you can try to contact HR or talk to a lawyer. <S> EDIT <S> As long as you tell them everything you know they can't accuse you of any intentional wrongdoings without proof. <S> The moment you decide to not tell them something that's when you can be held accountable for your actions.
| Communicate clearly in writing to your boss and any other relevant personnel (e.g. anyone else involved and if you have someone in charge of information security)
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Is it ethical to share what questions I was asked in a technical interview to someone applying for the same position 10 months later? I have worked in my current position with my company as a developer for about 10 months. There is a QA analyst on the team who is trying to become a developer. It is fairly well known on the team that he wants to be a developer. He has ambition, which I find admirable. A little backstory: A couple weeks ago he sent me a calendar invite to do an hour of pair programming -- he gave the impression our manager had approved it and I accepted. I later came to find out that he had set it all up on his own. Consequently, the developers on the team were instructed to deny any such requests he sends and to refer him to our manager. Today, he approached me and asked if I had a few minutes. Remembering the previous pair programming incident I immediately become wary. He informed me that he is interviewing for an open developer position on our team. Understandably, he wants to know what to expect in the interview. In particular, he wanted to know what technical questions/tests I was given. He pressed me for details and asked about several particular technologies. I didn't feel comfortable giving him any information as it very well may put him at an unfair advantage, so I must admit I lied and told him I couldn't remember when, in fact, I remember exactly all of the technical questions they asked. Did I do right? In retrospect, I think I should have just told him I didn't feel comfortable giving him specific information (instead of lying) and that if he meets the qualifications on the job listing he should do just fine. Would it have been unethical to tell him exactly what my technical interview questions were, as he wanted? Was it ethical of him to even ask me to do so? Or is it all no big deal? <Q> I have never interviewed with a company that allowed me to share what questions I had been given; in fact, if I do so, I run the risk of being disciplined or terminated. <S> If you share the interview questions that are asked, then those questions effectively become useless to the company, as part of the purpose of a technical interview is to see how well you can think on your feet. <S> It would certainly be unethical, and there's a good chance that it will violate your terms of employment. <S> I suspect that you would be better off telling him about broad concepts that he might be asked about, and telling him to study them. <S> Employers often give you this sort of information before the interview anyway, at least in my experience. <S> Simply saying "I can't tell you what the questions were" might have been the better option, and maybe stress that there would be repercussions for you if you did so. <S> But I wouldn't worry too much about your actions here, as they were more ethical than telling him the questions you were asked. <A> Interfering in any way positively or negatively with another persons interviewing is not ethical unless it's part of your role. <S> But this is a personal ethics issue, it does actually happen a lot. <A> It's probably not legal to share technical questions, since you likely signed a non-disclosure agreement saying you would not do that. <S> (Intra-team could be a little murkier but this is very likely the case for external applicants). <S> It is probably not ethical for that reason. <S> The most ethical option would be to consult the manager or company. <S> It would be an unethical decision making process for you to "be sneaky" when you're not sure and hope it works out. <S> In retrospect, I think I should have just told him I didn't feel comfortable giving him specific information <S> I agree. <S> Being straightforward was a good option here. <S> It does not sound like he unduly pressured you or was threatening to act out if you told the truth he did not want to hear. <S> I lied and told him I couldn't remember when, in fact, I remember exactly all of the technical questions they asked. <S> Perhaps he was unethical by acting sneaky and malevolent and you lied to protect yourself. <S> Lying is a useful thing to do a lot of the time. <S> Lying in a situation like this is certainly preferable to violating the integrity of your interview. <S> Best would be to both do the right thing and tell the truth, if he seems to be able to handle the truth.
| However, if you already have good reason to believe sharing questions is not okay, it would definitely not be okay to share them. As for whether or not you did right: I don't think lying about this particular situation is going to be a problem.
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How to navigate non tech savy management dictating software development platforms, languages and technology Our dept is in a predicament, where we're being dictated the use of an obscure third party port of a game engine for all future development efforts by a self proclaimed "technologically illiterate political sciences major". No-one in any of our circles has any experience with this engine, and we lack staff who know the language used by the engine (albeit it can be learnt), To make matters more difficult we've got a non existent training budget for gaining the required experience. I usually speak rather plainly and as such am in need of advice for how to steer this situation in a direction that doesn't feel like we're being setup to fail. We as a dept have made our recommendations on engine's and languages several times over the years based on our capabilities and experience, yet those recommendations fall on deaf ears. What would be the best and preferred way to handle this problem? It's important to note that we have no contractual requirements other than someone internal to the company spent more $100K on this software at a trade show last year. Additionally we're getting requests to convert existing subcontractor products to this obscure engine despite the subcontractor content operating flawlessly.(so-far) <Q> You need to basically need to figure out two things, which you might have already: <S> Try to understand what they are hoping to gain from this Try to figure out how they intend to transition from the old to the new <S> Then, based on that understanding, you need to decide how to go forward with your job. <S> If you think the goals they are setting are impossible, you can tell them that, with whatever reasoning you can find. <S> (But if they won't listen to advice, it won't help) <S> If you think a training budget is required to make the transition, tell them that, with a list of the trainings needed, how much time/money it would require and who would take them. <S> (But if they won't listen to advice, it won't help) <S> If you think converting the subcontractor products to the engine will reduce quality, or be much more expensive then they think, or otherwise won't work, try to get some numbers attached to that feeling and present them. <S> (But if they won't listen to advice, it won't help) <S> Having worked for someone who was a technologically illiterate boss who didn't listen to advice, I have found that there's only one thing that helped to get stuff working: quitting that job and promising myself never to work for someone who is technically illiterate and refuses to listen to advice from his experts again. <A> someone internal to the company spent more $100K on this software at a trade show last year <S> Sounds to me like a kickback deal. <S> The the question is: How influential is this person and what alternative <S> can you offer? <S> If can transform that into a sum that significantly exceeds the amount this person has paid for the software then you might be able to sway some higher ups. <S> If that fails you might at least be able to put a moratorium on porting existing products to this engine. <S> You can argue that there's no value gained in that. <S> This could give you time to work on the new technology and maybe see it fold before more projects are compromised. <S> OR you could go the other route and suggest first porting an existing product to this engine for practice giving you either the opportunity to learn the technology or demonstrate it's unsuitability to your situation. <A> OK, they have spent 100K so this may be a lost cause in any event, but here is what you do to try to influence business decisions in your favor. <S> First never present your arguments in tech terms, use business terms, managers don't want to hear that the devs don't like it and want to use X instead. <S> They need to hear: It will cost this much time/money to train the team <S> It will delay the project by X months due to unfamiliarity with theproduct <S> It will be difficult to recruit new employees because so few peoplehave the skill set already. <S> With no one available who knows the product well, we cannot even besure that the project requirements can be accomplished using this. <S> Do a formal written risk analysis and cost analysis comparing this tool to the one you would prefer to use. <S> Create a project plan and show all the extra time for getting up to speed and development due to unfamiliarity. <S> It is probably still worth it to do these things in this case as a practice for how to do them so that you have a better chance in the next job when you need to do this. <S> This is a skill that you need to be successful in all professional careers if you want to be able to influence policy. <S> (And BTW, it is a skill I got introduced to in my political science degree. <S> Political science, history, theater, English and all the other liberal arts are a far better prep for the work world than you think.) <S> The time to influence decisions is before they are made though. <S> You need to become more politically aware and get involved earlier in the process if you want to influence decisions. <S> Office politics are how decisions are made, you do yourself a disservice if you don't learn how to effectively use them. <A> You acknowledge your team can learn the new software <S> but you point out: we've got a non existent training budget for gaining the required experience. <S> Apparently, your company has more time than money, although I doubt anyone has really done the math to compare learning on your own and paying for training. <S> You have to factor the additional time to learn, your initial inefficiency with the new software along dealing with additional bugs due to this lack of experience into your time estimates. <S> If anyone disagrees with/won't allow additional time, then all of you better hope you get lucky. <S> If there isn't anything nefarious going on behind the scenes like a kick-back, what your company is doing is using a gambling strategy called doubling-down or progressive betting. <S> If you lose a $100 bet, just bet $200 the next time to make up for it. <S> Eventually, it fails because you run out of money or hit the house limit (that's why they have limits). <S> Why throw away 100K spent on something when you can spend even more money, take more time and end up with lower customer satisfaction by keeping it? <S> It's flawed logic also known as throwing good money after bad. <S> Just point out the risks and potential consequences of the decisions being made. <S> What else can you do if that doesn't change their mind?
| When someone asks you to do the impossible, don't do it. IMO the best course of action is to explain that switching to this new engine will incur X man months of lost productivity due to the retraining necessary to use it.
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Documenting self-taught skills that are *not* conducive to portfolio building or certification exams A common (perhaps the most common) way that self-taught persons are able to substantiate their self-learning to employers is through a portfolio (e.g. see this question). For example, a self-taught software developer can develop a software portfolio, or a self-taught journalist can build a portfolio of articles. How can someone who is self-taught in a field that is not conducive to building a portfolio make a convincing case of their self-taught skills? For example, if someone has self-studied the skills of a Power Plant Safety Inspector (e.g. by reading books, reading case studies, etc.), it would be difficult (if not impossible) for them to build a portfolio of safety inspection reports without risking getting arrested for trespassing inside power plants or at least getting escorted off the property and threatened. Similarly, someone who has taught themselves the skillset of a Warehouse Shift Supervisor through some combination of innate talent, perseverance, and literacy might not actually have the resources to set up a sufficiently realistic warehouse shift simulator to build up a convincing portfolio of simulated supervisory shift interventions. One possible way could be to pass some sort of certification exam, but many certifications now require substantial documentable formal experience and/or education that a self-taught person may not have. For the purposes of this question, we are talking about a person who truly does have the skills (albeit self-taught), not an incompetent person who thinks he can do it but actually can't. The question Effectively adding “Self-taught” skills on your Resume isn't actually what I am looking for because it is about the software industry specifically (one that is conducive to portfolio building) and the answer provided is more or less "get experience" or "build a portfolio", and I am asking about situations where neither of those are realistic. The question How to approach a company looking for a job self-taught, without formal qualifications? is also about software jobs specifically. <Q> Be sure to check into certification first , as your best bet is to exhaust all "proof" options you can. <S> With that complete, look for an internship in the industry you want to work for. <S> Everyone seems to assume these are just for new graduates or other "established" people, but most times if you're willing to work and prove to an intern coordinator that you're capable, you might be able to force a foot in the door. <S> Intern Coordinator is going to ask you how you know what you do, what you know, etc. <S> Be honest and open, answer the questions they have, or that the person offering the internship has. <S> There is a lot to be said for competence. <A> From the hiring perspective there is very little difference between having the skill set without being able to prove it and thinking you have the skills but don't, hiring you would be fairly large gamble. <S> Many fields which aren't conducive to portfolio building require evidence of proficiency, typically certification, especially if risk is involved either in safety or cost. <S> Basically you aren't doing your due diligence if you accept that a self taught person <S> has all of the required skills to be competent when lack of competence costs big money or lives. <S> Some examples here would be "Power Plant Safety Inspector", crane operator, or actuary. <S> The entire purpose of these certifications is to differentiate between those who can and those who think they can. <A> I would suggest including a thorough description of what you know about the skills on your CV. <S> e.g. For Java software development skills, you might talk about OOP concepts or best practices as well as your knowledge of if/else, while/for loops, etc. <S> If you can make yourself sound confident of your abilities and competent in that skill, that would likely be enough to get you an interview where you will likely be asked to expand on how you self taught, and maybe take some basic tests to make sure you really know what you're talking about.
| I got my first programming job with no degree (they wanted a BS) by simply applying, going to their testing and interview and making my impression that way.
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Is it beneficial to include address in resume? I have been including my mailing address (which is where I live) in my resume. I got a response from a job I applied for saying that they won't consider me. This was because in their experience people who live in the part of town I do, grow to hate the commute after several months and they're looking for someone long term. They didn't say which location I would be going to, but I could be willing to relocate. Basically the job was in suburb part of the city I live in now. Another possible concern is privacy. I'm uploading my resume to several public sites so lots of people could know where I live. I don't really see this as an issue. I live in a shared house. Is the only benefit of including your address in the resume is in case they need to send you something by mail they won't have to ask you for your address? Should the address be included in resumes? <Q> It depends where you live. <S> French example. <S> If you live in Saint-Maurice, it's an asset. <S> If you live in Bobigny, it's a liability. <S> The demographics of both towns is vastly different, and, unfortunately, prejudice is strong in our country(like <S> probably everywhere else). <S> Prejudiced in favor of Saint-Maurice's demographics, against Bobigny's one. <S> From what I understand, you live in your local equivalent of Bobigny. <S> That's why J J's answer applies fully. <A> You shouldnt be mentioning your address in your resume, its not required, its old fasioned, and any type of communication can be done via a phone call or email, if they ever require your house address they can ask for it via phone or e mail. <S> Address only takes space on your resume and makes you look stupid, people also generalize if you come from a certain locality, having a bad record. <S> Dont mention your address. <A> I do not agree with most of the answers here. <S> There are two important reasons, why you should add your address information to your resume. <S> The company would like to see whether you have a valid working permit in the country, in where the company located (or where you will work) <S> If they know your address, they may arrange your interview based on this information. <S> For example, if you are living in the same city, in where the company is located, they can say to you, if you are available tomorrow, we can make the interview. <S> In your special case, you should not add your full address but the important part of it (country + city) <A> I've always had a public resume and private resume. <S> My public resume includes city and state (in the US) and private resume includes my full address. <S> The public resume I use on generic job sites, LinkedIn, etc. <S> My private resume is what I submit to actual companies when applying. <S> I've never gone through a recruiter <S> so I'm not sure which one I'd use for that one. <S> The address itself provides context for the company and it can either be a benefit or work against you, as you've seen. <S> In your situation where they rejected you automatically does not seem fair, it seems a discussion would have been better suited to give you the chance to at least think about the commute and other options (such as relocation). <S> The benefit of adding it can be that you show you live locally so relocation is not necessary or you show you live either out of state, country, region, etc. <S> so the company understands that you may need to travel for an interview and plan accordingly. <S> If you're concerned providing your FULL address works against you, I believe city and state/country is sufficient enough to provide enough information and context of where you are in respect to the company. <A> The city or town is enough, in todays world email, phone and text is enough to reach out, if they ever need your address <S> they can text, call and email you for it. <S> Yes for sure you can mention your detailed address in case you are applying for the post of an emergency doctor, or firefighter which requires you to stay in close distance from the place of work.
| You can also mention address if you have applied for work from home mode of employment, that would surely require your address.
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Is it unprofessional to have alternative editors / programming tools installed on a work machine? I work as an Intermediate software developer for a company that primarily uses the Microsoft Stack. When a new employee starts they are given a virtual machine which has there standard tooling installed: Visual Studio + Resharper Sql Developer Slack SVN Etc Now, while i have no problems with these tools and revert to them for pair programming i prefer to use other tools most of the time and as such I've installed: Emacs Vim (Yes i know i installed both, lets move on) Python Ruby Racket Recently an IT guy (manager?) scanned my machine and was concerned that i installed these applications, he seems to think it indicates I'm a security threat. He asked me to explain why i used this and also informed my boss (The Software Development Director). There is no problem with us installing our own applications like Spotify, Jing, Vlc, etc. So he seems to think these programs / languages are somehow related to hackers/ing. Luckily my Boss knew that i like to use these tools and he had no problem with them however i still needed to explain why i use them to the IT guy and he seems to want me to uninstall them, although he hasn't said this. Finally, My question is: Is it unprofessional of me to install these tools given that no one else uses them here and that i was given different tools to work with? Also: should i uninstall them, or perhaps document why/how i use them? <Q> Unless you have a strictly controlling IT dept whose objection is based on not going through their hoops to install them it shouldn't be a general professional issue. <S> However you should confirm with someone (generally either in IT or your supervisor) that IT isn't going to make a big deal of it before you start installing stuff left and right. <S> Making an issue of it while pair programming would be problematic, <S> but you said you're not doing that. <S> Unless you're asked to do <S> so I don't see any general reason to writeup how the tools work. <S> IF you end up building some sort of significant labor saving infrastructure/automation with them, that should be documented. <S> But that would be equally the case if you built extra tooling using the standard software stack. <A> It's not inherently unprofessional to use whatever tools help you in your job. <S> There's nothing wrong with using a tool that no one else uses, per se. <S> However, being able to work easily with others is a big factor to consider here. <S> It's possible that tools increase you personal productivity, but lower the team productivity if they put up barriers to working together. <S> You are obviously aware of this issue (since you revert to the standard tools for pair programming), but make sure you have fully counted the cost of your way of working. <S> Using a different text editor is probably no big deal, but is it really ok to use other languages like Python and Ruby? <S> If you are writing code that no one else understands (even for quick utility scripts and the like), that may be more of a problem. <S> Company expectations and policies vary. <S> There are two different issues here: installing software on your machine yourself, and using software that is different from the team's standard. <S> On both issues you will find company policies that vary from complete freedom to complete lockdown. <S> And even if there is no formal policy, there might be informal expectations. <S> Obviously you need to work within the boundaries set by your employer. <S> Have a chat with your boss to clarify expectations and the way forward. <S> Your boss already knows about this, which is good. <S> But it would be good to check with him that really knows everything you are doing, he is truly happy with your way of working, and that you are not pushing the boundary here. <S> If your boss has no objection to what you do and is willing to back you up, then I would not worry about the IT guy. <A> Yes, it's unprofessional to install programs without first consulting the IT dept. <S> Quite possibly they have excellent reasons that you are unaware of.
| If something helps you be more productive in your work, then it is professional to use it (if allowed). I'm not saying it's harmful, but anything on machines that is unknown to the IT people is a potential security concern.
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During the interview process, would it be inappropriate to request to spend a bit of time with your potential teammates? During the process of getting hired in all my previous jobs, there has been little or no chance to meet my future coworkers before accepting an offer. For my next job, I think it would be nice to join a team lunch, or even just spend 15 minutes chatting with the people I would be working with before accepting. I know that some companies do this as a standard part of bringing someone new on, but if they do not offer it, what if I did? Would a request for this sort of thing be thought of as too forward, or inappropriate for other reasons? For context, this would be a tech/software role I would be applying to. <Q> I wouldn't want to work in a team where we get new people thrusted upon us that we've never spoken to before, and I wouldn't want to join a team that I didn't know either. <S> You might get paid by the company, but you spend your entire day working with your team so I'd think it's weird that you only meet the former and get the latter on a gamble. <S> The companies I've worked for so far always involve the team in the interview process. <S> So in my case, I'd ask and if that meant losing the offer then I'd consider it a bullet dodged. <S> But it really depends on the company whether they go along with it. <S> If you really want the job either way, it might be better not to ask just in case they look poorly on it. <S> If you think meeting your future team is important enough that you'd be okay <S> losing the offer over it, definitely ask. <A> Would a request for this sort of thing be thought of as too forward, or inappropriate for other reasons? <S> For me at least, teammates are a very important attribute of the job. <S> If I like and respect my teammates, I tend to like the job. <S> I always ask my potential teammates what it is like to work for the potential boss, what it's like working at the company, what they like, and what they don't like. <S> I find that I get very honest answers from folks <S> would would be my peers. <S> And when I'm the hiring manager, I always bring in one of the candidate's potential teammates to participate in the interview process. <S> I don't consider this as too forward or inappropriate at all. <S> I think it's smart. <A> I certainly think it's acceptable to meet the team - but more in a 'walk about' session through the office rather than a team lunch. <S> Also, it should only be done once you're at the end of the interview process - you're distracting your future colleagues from the work they should be doing, so this should only happen if you're one of the the last one or two applicants. <A> It is certainly a valid question, but may be a little off-putting. <S> I have always asked, "Can I see where I would be working?" <S> (I have even once turned down a job offer because the workstation was in a basement room with the drop-ceiling torn out and a 10-ton air handler directly above the desk.) <S> The benefit of this is that you almost always get to "meet the neighbors" when you are shown where you'll be sitting. <A> It would be unusual, it's best to go with company protocols in such things. <S> Unusual requests can be used as a filter on whether to offer a person a job or not. <S> In this case you want to inconvenience a whole team with no perceived value to the team. <S> I wouldn't have appreciated the interruption in my team days. <S> In saying that, you can request anything you like, I've seen worse (didn't hire them though). <A> Would a request for this sort of thing be thought of as too forward, or inappropriate for other reasons? <S> I think you are right in thinking <S> so <S> but it will depends on the situation too. <S> Consider a interviewee being stern or harsh in nature. <S> Asking so is bound to bring quiet bad impression. <S> But a genuine interviewee will get it as a sign of you being highly eager to work in the company and will add on in your favour. <S> So wait then analyse and then ask for whatever you want because one wrong step can lead you to loose the job.
| You're basically asking for special treatment before they even decide you're worth hiring. I always request some time to talk with my potential coworkers. I personally don't think it's inappropriate.
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How to deal with sitting next to an alcoholic colleague I have a work colleague I sit next to whom I suspect to be an alcoholic. Certainly other colleagues have expressed this opinion. It used to be that occasionally he would come in smelling of stale beer from the night before, but recently it has been every day. The smell is unpleasant and sometimes makes me feel ill. Should I approach someone at work about this? I have nothing personal against the guy and find he is a useful to talk to and I wouldn't want to get him into trouble, but the smell is becoming difficult to put up with. <Q> If you aren't willing to take action that might get him in trouble, I see three options: <S> Talk to him about it. <S> Mention to him privately that the odor is bothering you and makes it hard to concentrate on your work. <S> This can be quite a difficult conversation to have, but many people would be appreciative to know the problem. <S> Put up with it. <S> You could ask to sit somewhere else. <S> This might not be possible, and it might cause suspicion about your co-worker (or someone else you sit near) unless you can think of a plausible excuse for wanting to move. <S> If you aren't willing to talk to him, then just ignore or avoid the problem. <A> Sorry to hear that, that is a tough situation. <S> If he is truly an alcoholic, nothing you can say will make a difference. <S> It is a severe addiction and there will be no change without significant therapy and/or intervention. <S> Chances are its going to get worse. <S> I've seen it happen <S> and it's not pretty. <S> You need to decide how much you want to get involved. <S> Doing nothing, is probably not the right thing. <S> As I said, it's likely to get worse and if, for example, he starts driving drunk <S> he is danger to himself and to other people. <S> Work will suffer as well. <S> You can try to remove yourself from the situation as much as possible <S> but it's better if something happens. <S> You don't do him any favors by protecting him. <S> I'd recommend bringing HR into the loop, if you have someone decent in there. <S> They are better trained for this type of situation. <A> Tell him he stinks in whatever fashion you deem best. <S> He'd much prefer a heads up from a colleague than a reprimand from management. <S> Only if that doesn't work should you escalate. <S> I'd say something like ' <S> Mate, you stink of booze, you need to brush your teeth or something.' <S> But judgement call on the wording, not everyone is as straightforward.
| It would be better to simply mention the odor, rather than the suspected alcoholism. Try to get moved to another location. But I think you should talk to him first, before escalating the issue. The next level of action beyond this would be talking to either your manager or HR. He won't get out of this without external help and without some drastic intervention.
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Proper response or reaction when you get something wrong in an interview? Related question: In an interview when answering a question, should you say if you're not sure? So recently in an interview, I got a question wrong. The interviewer called it out -- it was just flatly wrong. Naturally I asked him what the actual answer was and he explained. I thanked him for the explanation but since it seems that was a core question in the interview, things just went downhill from there. I'm wondering what is the proper or professional reaction or response when you get something wrong? Should you try to just get past it? Should you talk it through with the interviewer or is that just a waste of time? <Q> If you get an answer wrong <S> and you know it's wrong, accept that it's wrong and move on. <S> Don't start an argument if you think you're right - a good response here <S> is " <S> Oh really? <S> I'll need to double-check that because I was sure it was < your answer <S> >. <S> " and then move on. <S> Guessing can be interpreted as an inability to ask for help meaning you could cost the company money if you're ever in a critical position and run into an issue you can't solve on your own. <A> You just soldier on, if you messed up you messed up. <S> You did pretty much the right thing. <A> Something to add to all the good answers so far. <S> Never forget that going to an interview is also an opportunity to get to know the company and people that you will be working with. <S> When a wrong answer is given, what is the reaction of the interviewer? <S> Is he understandable and offers to explain in a nice manner, Does he laughs out loud at the stupidy of the answer... <S> Whatever the response is, it will teach you something about the people you might soon be working with. <S> I would almost argue that whenever you are going to an interview, make sure to give at least 1 wrong answer to get to know all sides of your potential future work environment. <A> I think it really depends on what the question was. <S> Using phrases like "I'm sorry, can you repeat the question?" <S> signal that you weren't listening to the question, instead you can repeat the question back to them with some of your interpretation to ensure you are going to answer the correct thing. <S> If it was a technical question like "Where would you use VBA?" and instead of saying Excel you say Access and they call you out on it, then you can just brush it off with something along the lines of "Oh I'm sorry, that isn't my forte <S> but I thought that was the correct answer. <S> I look forward to learning more regarding that then." <S> It will be very hard to turn around an interview after something like this, but at least you gained some experience you wouldn't have otherwise! <S> Don't try to guess your answers <S> but if it is something you think you may now, you can always address it with "To be honest <S> , I'm not sure, I would imagine it relates to... <S> (insert <S> explanation here, keep it brief)... <S> however, can you explain it to me please?"
| Don't guess answers, rather you say you don't know. The wrong thing is to get upset and argue a losing battle when you know you're wrong.
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Should I put basic graphic design skills on my resume? I have started using programs like PiktoChart and Canva (a little bit of photoshop) to design infographics for my current internship site. I'm not in the graphic design field, but I think these skills could be useful in the future. Is it worth it to put them in my resume, even if I don't have tons of experience with them. (also keep in mind that PiktoChart and Canva are meant to be easy to navigate). Also, how should I phrase it? I was going to say something like, "Graphic design: PiktoChart, Canva, beginner photoshop) <Q> Your BASE resume that no one ever sees but you should include everything you have ever done or accomplished in life. <S> It should include your education, previous jobs, clubs, activities, special skills, anything that might be relevant to a potential employer, including graphic design skills. <S> When you are looking for a job, you take the BASE resume and you customize it for the potential employer. <S> You leave off graphic design skills for employers were <S> it will not be relevant. <S> Do not create a single resume and use it as a cookie cutter template, sending the exact same resume to every prospective employer. <A> If you used it in a professional capacity, then put it on there. <S> Might be a boon in the future, and if pressed at an interview you can give your level of expertise. <S> It shouldn't hurt you unless you specifically apply as a Graphic Artist. <S> Other things, like GUI designer or the like, can use those skills at times. <S> I can't count the number of times I've had to put together a graphic for a site because we needed an icon or whatnot. <A> Your resume should make it obvious what kind of position you are a fit for by having related skills and experience. <S> If you list skills and experience that are really not related to the position you are applying for, I've found recruiters tend to be really confused by it, and get the wrong impression of what you're looking for. <S> Your resume should send a very clear and concise message, like a long form business card. <S> If you're applying to positions where they might be tangentially related, you might put something on there, but make it not prominently featured. <S> You might also, however, put samples that include your graphic design work on a website that you provide links to on your resume. <S> Once you have the recruiter interested enough by the information they get out of your resume to pay you more attention, then they might take a look at your website, and there is the opportunity to convey more about yourself as an individual, and show off any additional skills you might have.
| Therefore, if the positions you're looking to apply to are very much outside graphic design, don't put those skills on.
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Boss will resigning from job position in a few days and I'll be alone at the office I'm a junior software developer and I've been at this job around 1 month. I've had developing experience previously, but I'm new to the programming language and the methodology used in this company's development process. The engineering/development department has most of its members in a different city. Me and my boss, are the only ones in outside of the main development department. I've known my boss for a few years now: he was my professor at university and my tutor/advisor for my undergraduate project. I got this job (despite not being qualified) because there's a lack of developers in my city that works with the programming language I'm working with, and he would prefer to hire someone he knew and teach him/her, than someone unknown. When I asked him for a recommendation letter in order to apply to graduate studies, he offered me the job even though I openly mentioned not knowing anything about the programming language, and that I'll most likely resign from the job after a few months due to me attending graduate school. He had no problem at all with that, and he offered to teach and help me as much as he could. Fortunately for me, he has kept his word and this has helped me feel at ease in this position. This week, he announced that he will be leaving the job position next week in order to start his own bussiness and I am scared as hell. I'm severely underqualified for the job position and I'll have no help and no one to ask for advice at all with the functional requirements I'm working on. I'm not too worried about the programming itself (I can Google stuff and reuse code) but I am worried about is not being familiar with all of the bussiness logic and procedures used in the development of the software which I am developing the functional requirements for. I consider myself a hard-working person, and not being able to hand in what I'm asked for on time and complying with the quality standards of the company because of my lack of knowledge would drive me crazy. On the other hand, I would hate to quit without giving it a shot, but I think not delivering what I'm asked for on/before the deadlines would feel much worse than quitting since it would mean that I'll be failing and disappointing a lot more people (including myself) than if I simply resigned from the job. I have spoken to my boss about my situation and he is also worried about me not being able to handle everything in an appropriate matter. He said he can help me over Skype or over the phone, and that he would try and get in contact with the devs in the other development center to get someone to take care of me, but he's worried (as I also am) that I most likely will not get the - almost immediate - help I need in order to succeed. Is there anything I'm failing to consider due to being in an uncomfortable situation? I'm sorry if the question is too long or unrelated, but I basically have no one that I feel comfortable asking for their opinion on this matter. <Q> Your professor / boss sounds awesome. <S> You may wish to follow him. <S> But if you wish to remain at your company... <S> None of this sounds like your problem. <S> Your supervisor has resigned. <S> Your company should have someone else in place to help you work within your company's policies. <S> There should be a replacement program manager / software lead you can speak to regarding your confusion over requirements. <S> If there isn't, then the project as a whole is in jeopardy <S> and there should be somebody up the ladder you can speak to about that. <S> This company is also no longer your old boss's problem. <S> Having him help you with professional work is technically labor for the company. <S> You should avoid asking him to assist after he's left, as you will not be able to rely on him for long <S> and he has no obligation to assist you outside of personal favor. <A> They could easily be your best source of information about procedures, etc. <S> Also before your boss leaves, pick his brain about business rules, etc and see if there is any documentation about the project you've been working on. <S> The reality is, none of us were comfortable in our first jobs, but if you're willing to do the research, ask the questions you'll be fine. <S> And I agree with DeepDeadPool, once your current boss leaves, be very careful what you speak about with him. <S> Depending on what kind of business he's starting you could find yourself in a world of hurt with your current company. <S> Good luck <A> If you're the junior and the senior is leaving, the company should be replacing your boss, in which case you can soldier on. <S> If you're in over your head, don't set yourself up for failure. <S> Let those in charge know when you hit stumbling blocks before looming deadlines hit you. <S> It's up to the company to make sure the appropriate people and tools are available for the work. <S> It could be a good opportunity to see how you handle pressure and build your self confidence. <S> Business logic and suchlike are not that hard to learn. <S> And realistically you just need a clear view of what you need to accomplish to dive in and produce. <S> Don't rely on your old boss too much, <S> if he's starting his own business he will either be very busy and stressed out, or he will soon be back looking for his job with his tail between his legs. <S> Either way it's not his responsibility and you shouldn't presume on and strain your relationship.
| One thing you might consider doing is opening up lines of communication with those employees who are in different cities.
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How to tell soon to be employer that you are also working on a start-up I am joining a company full-time next week and I am also working on my own start-up idea in parallel with few people. There is some related and closed discussion here on this but all the answers are about company specific contract and region specific laws. Starting a company in spare time whilst employed full time? However, my question is assuming it is clear from legal and contract perspective (which most likely will be the case but I will make sure), when is the right time and how to tell my soon-to-be employer (or just employer for that matter), that I am planning/working on my own start-up as well. Irrespective of what is in contract, I want to do what is professionally correct thing to do. Also, nothing I build in my start-up will compete with this company and I can make sure I do not use their time/facility/softwares to do anything for my company. To give more context to this, this company I am joining is itself a small 5-year old company with very informal and friendly attitude. I am already well connected to the team and the founding members and have regular discussions with them. So I just feel that I should probably tell them now or as soon as I join. Since the culture is mostly friendly, it would be very weird if I suddenly tell after few years that I have been working on my own company for this long. But I also think that may be I should see if the start-up idea is working out at all or not. <Q> Legal issues aside, I don't know that there is really a "right way" to tell them. <S> Be honest with your intentions and discuss so that there is no confusion. <S> If it's completely unrelated I would think the main concern is that you disappear on them or are not reliable as your interests are divided. <S> If you are able to re-assure them that you are serious about making their company successful in any way you can and that you will disclose any and all COI that arise from working both at the same time I don't see an issue. <S> You say I am already well connected to the team and the founding members and have regular discussions with them. <S> so I don't see any reason you can't just call a specific meeting to discuss it with them. <S> I would come up with answers to questions <S> you think they will ask first <S> so you are ready to address them as well as <S> address any fears they might have. <A> It's not strictly the most ethical way to do it perhaps. <S> But owning a business is about making money not ethics at <S> it's most basic. <S> Telling them may be fine or not, but there is no chance of it being positive for your future business and some chance of it being negative to your plans. <S> I left my last full time employment and registered a business, moved into a workshop and started working the same day. <A> when is the right time and how to tell my soon-to-be employer (or just employer for that matter), that I am planning/working on my own start-up as well. <S> I <S> When you are ready to leave in order to work at your own startup. <S> Assuming there are no legal or contractual issues (as you stated in your question), you simply give your notice as you would for any other job, serve out the notice period, then leave. <S> I am also assuming that there is no conflict with the culture and norms of your new employer. <S> For example, if your new role requires working every other weekend but you would prefer to work on your startup, that is a conflict. <S> In that case, you'll either need to defer your startup work or ask if your role can be changed. <S> But in general, there's no need to make this any more complicated - again assuming that there are no legal or contractual issues. <S> If it were me, I'd run the contract and plans by my lawyer first and have them check my assumptions.
| If you're going in to business for yourself there's no need to be informing them at all until such time as you can move forwards with your own business and you're ready to leave.
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Ensuring fair distribution of clients in a commission work environment I own a beauty salon. Right now I have 6 workers (2 stylists and 4 therapists). The stylists are specialized in cutting and all hair treatment, while the therapists generally do creambath, hair mask, and body spa. My problems: First, when I don't have enough customers, someone will not work. No problem for me but they will be fighting over it (they get paid by commision although they still get basic salary). I try to make a turn based system, the one who comes to work earlier will take on the first customer. They all agree on this. This seemed to be my best solution until I realized that's not the only problem. They all now look for certain work, the type which takes less time and is expensive (so they get more income). This makes them picky especially during the peak hours (or days). My other problem is I have one pro stylist that has asked to be prioritized (stated in the contract). I find this difficult to manage as now my therapist are also able (and trained) to do all kinds of treatment (including smoothing and coloring), it's a benefit for the salon but not for my stylist. All these problems reappear every week and I am now confused with my own system, the customers come by with or without reservation. Some of them only want to be handled by a specific person. This ruins my turn-based system. I always motivate my worker to give their best service to their customer so they would come back and pick them. But now I think that could collide with my own system. The friendship among workers is not strong anymore, they hold grudges for each other, the workplace is not a home for them anymore. <Q> Solution is simple, have a receptionist/cashier do the work and assign the customers to stylists. <S> This is how it's always done here for exactly the same reasons. <S> So the customer comes in, asks for a haircut etc,. <S> at reception, and the stylists have no say in who gets the customer. <S> That makes it transparently fair to all. <S> Appointments with particular stylists go through the same process, the receptionist has a list of them and makes sure everything goes smoothly. <S> Lastly the receptionist handles all the cash. <A> Here are a couple of suggestions: <S> Prioritize who gets more desirable work based on how much of the less desirable work each stylist has done during the past week. <S> People who are stepping up and doing what needs doing go up the priority list. <A> I'll suggest the following modification - Reduce the amount of commission and increase the basic salary of each employee such that their total would be the same as previous month. <S> This will reduce incentive for rivalry without eliminating competition. <S> Have an open discussion with them if you feel they need to understand the reasons for this. <S> If a customer asks for a particular stylist, that request should be honoured, but 2 such requests should be counted as 1 turn through the queue for the stylist. <S> That will enable everyone to get a fair chance at serving customers, while keeping some upside for the better performers. <A> A Summary of Your Turn-based System (with a Couple of Suggestions) Follow your batting order as-is now (the early bird gets the worm). <S> New clients cannot choose their stylists their first time, but they can reject the stylist if they do not like them. <S> You do this so that new stylists get a chance to expand their client base... ... <S> but you still give the clients a chance to "choose" their favorite stylist by elimination... ... <S> and this naturally motivates new stylists with a (natural) opportunity to (have to) put their best foot forward. <S> Even if the client has been introduced by a particular stylist, <S> do not let the client choose <S> (this is your salon, not the client's salon and definitely not your stylists' salon)... ...but the introducing stylist may ask the scheduled stylist to cut in, in which case, both stylists lose their turn. <S> This means that the introducing stylist goes to the end of the rotation as does the scheduled stylist. <S> Both people must lose their turn or people will try to cheat the system (e.g., choosing the clients they want to work with or only the expensive treatments, etc.). <S> Returning clients can designate their stylist... ...in which case, this is just like when stylists cut in, <S> so... ... <S> the scheduled stylist loses their turn... ... <S> as does the designated stylist . <S> Again, this is to prevent cheating of the system and to discourage stylists from picking and choosing their clients and picking and choosing to only perform the treatments with high profit margins. <S> And this is the most important, key point: Clients must be loyal to the salon , not to the stylist. <S> No matter how good a rapport the clients have their stylists, your rappot with the clients must be even better. <S> If you ever plan on selling the salon one day, what you are selling is essentially your client base, so you will need to be able to pass on a client base that maintains the clients' trust and loyalty as much as possible. <S> How do you know a client is loyal to the salon and not to the stylist? <S> When you are 100% sure that a client will stay even though their favorite stylist has left, then you know that your client is loyal to your salon.
| Stylists must accept their clients, no matter what kind of treatment the client asks for. Change the commissions so that the less desirable work carries a higher commission rate than the more desirable work.
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Is it a red flag if a software company gives an offer without a coding test? I interviewed with a middle-sized company (~500 employees) in Europe for a software developer position. The company's main business is software development. I had two interviews with the company. One with my potential boss and another one with the CEO. In both interviews I was asked standard HR and soft skill questions and some very general questions about my research (I did a PhD and this is my first job in industry), but I didn't had to write a single line of code or answer any technical question. Nevertheless I got an offer that sounds quite good. However, I'm not sure what I should think of a company that does not conduct any coding tests. For all other companies I interviewed so far, I had at least a small coding task. Is this a red flag? I think it could be one, since if they hire like that, how do they make sure that they hire decent developers? I realize that there is a very similar question: Is it an alarming sign, if a company's hiring process for senior/lead developer doesn't include a coding task? However, in my case, I wouldn't definitively be the best or most experienced developer and in theory I'm sure they know how to do a code interview since the company's core business is software development. <Q> In Germany it is not uncommon to not include a coding test, as I replied in your linked answer. <S> But as @joe-strazzere says, it is very odd that they didn't ask technical questions. <S> Essentially they didn't check if you are up to their standards, and that most likely signal they have none. <S> Take it with a pinch of salt but in my personal experience, the harder it was to get a job, the better it turned out to be. <S> If you feel you got in with no effort at all, it would be a warning as to what to expect. <S> Since you are asking this question, clearly you are concerned, so you may as well take your time to do some deeper research into the company before joining in. <A> No, it is not. <S> Coding tests are problematic - in IT it is trivial to execute a test (either by asking questions, or giving a task or whatever). <S> As such, in IT you tend to find a lot of this measuring technical skill. <S> But IT isn't about whether you can do widget <S> X (unless you're being hired for a very specific task), but is more about your ability to tackle and solve problems. <S> Sadly, this is not exposed in any technical test I know of. <S> As a result , there is an explosion of technical tests that measure if a person can do task X, but not how quickly they can learn to do task Y, or how capable they are of gathering the requirements for problem <S> P. <S> And it is task Y & problem P that decide the fate of a project, not the trivial execution of task X. <S> Which is a long way of my saying that "technical tests measure a quality that is inherently useless in determining a capable candidate, but are easy to do". <S> That this company has not bothered with a technical test, to me, speaks volumes of the philosophy they might have, and that your interview was probably more about fit and culture than anything else. <S> Regardless, you would be a fool to judge if you wanted a job based on the interview process used (note the word process there). <S> That process is something decided by a team generally very orthogonal to an IT team, and so should not impact your decision. <S> Things that should are: company funding (crunchbase.com), company product (the company website), personal growth and training offered by the company, salary, time off, location, team and culture fit. <A> If I saw it as a red flag that a potential employer didn't give a coding test, then I would never have a job. <S> I have never been given a coding test. <S> I know some companies do give tests, and I know that some positions always seem to give tests. <S> But I have not been applying for those jobs. <S> Over the years the priority of the coding tasks within the job duties have varied from low to high but they are always more worried about the other aspects of being a good worker. <S> A coding test only tests for one small aspect of development. <S> The conditions they put on the test determine what aspect they are emphasizing in the test, but that doesn't do a good job of estimating the other situations. <S> For example: making somebody code on a whiteboard, doesn't tell you how good they are at solving hard problems. <S> It could be that your technical knowledge (PHD) is much greater than the position requires. <A> Short answer <S> It fully depends on the position. <S> Long answer <S> The reasoning for that is simple: You're a junior, and they expect you to be unfamiliar with the technologies they use. <S> Interviews for low-level positions are most commonly used to evaluate the general fit of a candidate, i.e. by asking the interviewee questions about his free time activities, his culture, preferences, expectations <S> etc., which result in an evaluation much more valuable than a simple coding test. <S> Last but not least you should be aware of the probation. <S> If the company should come to the conclusion that you're unable to do anything even remotely related to coding, expect to be let go, i.e. if you cannot program a simple FizzBuzz-test... <S> but you really shouldn't be interviewing for a programmer job in that case. <S> TL;DR <S> This is common - in germany - when interviewing for low-level positions, as the general fit of the candidate is deemed to be more valuable, and the candidate can still be let go during the probation if the coding skills are truly awful. <S> So, no, <S> generally not a red flag. <A> Do you want the job or not? <S> How they interview is purely up to the company, now you got a job offer and you're looking for red flags? <S> Unless you have something better to do and are independently wealthy <S> you can go get an income and have a probation period to have a closer look at whatever you want. <S> No one experienced expects too much of someone straight out of academia, I've had to teach professors the most basic things many times. <S> I actually wouldn't expect much from them in the way of coding. <S> What I would expect is they can learn fast and document well.
| The lack of technical questions is more worrisome, but it does depend on what the definition of technical is and what your job duties will be. When interviewing for entry-/junior-level positions it - at least in germany - it's rather uncommon to be asked a lot of technical questions, or being asked to partake in a coding test. Of course, generally speaking an interview consisting out of both, a coding test and a check for the fit should be best, but from my personal experience I'd say that companies nowadays put more focus on the fit, then they do on the coding capabilities. What they also (should) expect is that you'll adapt quickly, and learn fast.
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How to deal with an unqualified coworker who is also married to a higher-up? I work for a large company in one of their many offices. In our office of ~100 people, we have two separate teams whose tasks somewhat overlap. Team A has more entry-level type jobs and does more of the grunt work, while Team B are more of the big idea-types. Each team is made up of a number of different smaller teams, but both ultimately have one person over them. These two then report to the CEO (who works in a different office). I am on Team A (as is ~75% of the office) along with a woman we'll call "Liz." Liz is married to the leader of Team B. Liz does almost no work; it's rare to find her at her desk. More commonly she is chatting with other staff, hanging out in the break room, or coming in late/leaving early pretty much as she pleases (not the norm for most of our office and no one else on Team A). She is loud and disruptive, and gets away with doing whatever she wants (or doesn't want) to do. Previously, before they were married, she was actually Team B Leader's PA (Personal Assistant). Apparently other offices who communicate with us did not like this and HR intervened to split them up. So she's now in the same office, but on Team A, and doing a non-PA job. However, as far as I'm aware she's not qualified to do most of the work she's doing and it seems like no mid-level managers say anything about her behaviour because she's married to the boss. Instead, they've lightened her workload because it takes her so long to get anything done (it literally takes her a week to do what should take 1-2 hours). So it's a perfect storm: Liz is lazy and unqualified, but is also given very little work to do because the mid-level managers know she's not up to anything important. Aside from the situation generally seeming unprofessional and annoying, it also directly affects me: Liz and I are on the same immediate team. Of the few tasks she does, my work waits on a couple of them being completed. So, as a result, I'm slowed down by her laziness on a few of my tasks. I can actually do what she does and do it faster, but I'm not sure if it's sensible to bring that idea up with my immediate manager (who is friends with Liz). She also tends to ignore emails sent to her, though speaking to her directly generally is more constructive. I would love to go to HR, but I think it's probably job suicide. Are there any other steps I can take? <Q> I would love to go to HR, but I think it's probably job suicide. <S> Are there any other steps I can take? <S> Not many. <S> Don't antagonise this lady <S> Keep a solid track of your work and make sure you can't get blamed for her laziness Mind your own business <A> It sounds like you are not Liz's direct supervisor, so you shouldn't do anything directly and should not go to HR. <S> Instead, speak to your line manager. <S> Mention that your work is being held up. <S> Report the effect on team morale. <S> If nothing is done about it, and it really bothers you, then maybe it's time to start looking for a new job. <A> If I was you, I'd just do her job as needed. <S> As you said, every week or so she gets assigned one or two hours of actual work. <S> Some of that work holds you up in your own tasks. <S> Instead of waiting, just do the work that allows you to move forward. <S> There are people with more clout <S> then you that have been convinced into silence. <S> You can impress them with your ability to work around the problem that they are powerless to stop. <S> In some ways this is no different then working with a very difficult client. <S> Keep in mind that she may not be lazy, just incompetent. <S> Often times if a person does not know how to do a job they can appear lazy. <S> Imagine trying to explain javascript to your grandmother. <S> There is no reference and it would be impossible to do so in most cases. <S> Can a personal assistant reasonably transition to your daily duties? <A> As you are not her supervisor, you really have no control over her work. <S> Specifically, what items you have which cannot be completed as you are waiting on things. <S> Hopefully you have regular meetings with your manager about your project(s). <S> That's a great time to say, "Item 1 is complete. <S> Item 2 is waiting on the TPS report." <S> You don't need to go into detail who is causing the hold ups - unless directly asked. <S> Even then you should maintain a high level of professionalism and not lay blame. <S> Just state whatever it is you are waiting on. <S> Also, make sure that whatever it is you are waiting on isn't contrived to make the other person look bad. <S> That will absolutely backfire on you. <S> In other words, do your best with what you are given. <S> At some point your manager might be asked by his/her manager why certain project(s) take longer than expected. <S> Although, my guess is that this is already known. <S> By keeping your manager informed about what is holding you up, you show that you are trying to do the job. <S> By not trying to lay blame, you are allowing the manager to draw their own conclusions without engaging in infighting - which would go badly for you. <S> By staying professional you are actually helping your own manager, which they will appreciate and hopefully that'll translate into higher pay. <S> Further you aren't antagonizing someone that would be detrimental to your career.
| Given your description of Team A and your role within, there is nothing you can do to right this injustice. Your only option here is to keep your immediate supervisor informed about your progress.
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How should I give notice of my resignation to a boss who has been a fantastic mentor? So recently I was offered a job with a VERY substantial raise. The problem is I need to resign (give 4 weeks notice) to my current employer. Usually this wouldn't be a problem but my boss has been a great mentor, he's stuck with me when I was very sick, and has taught me a lot.He's always nice to me and considered me a friend instead of an employee. I need to give my 4 weeks notice in next week, how should I go about doing this. I'm very nervous of what he will do / say. Edit : just wanted point out I have been at the job for 3 years. Final Edit: I resigned today (earlier then expected), he took it very well. I was worried about nothing. Thanks for all your responses i really do appreciate everyone of them. <Q> One thing to consider. <S> If your boss has been a "great mentor" <S> he <S> probably will be excited for you as you transition. <S> My last department head basically asked me, "is it a good opportunity you are leaving for or something resulting from here?" <S> and once the answer was that it was a good opportunity, asked questions about that and was incredibly positive and encouraging to me. <S> Even though I was leaving the company. <S> This isn't guaranteed to be every mentor's response, but a true mentor wants to see you succeed - regardless of where or how. <S> It's part of what makes some managers great, they want their employees to succeed even if it means not for them (though they probably prefer for a different internal team vs leaving the company). <S> how should i go about doing this <S> Just say things factually and focus on the other opportunity. <S> Don't be negative about your current position, but focus when asked on the other opportunity. <S> You aren't leaving something - you are going to something else. <S> Writeup a short letter that states your last date. <S> My last resignation letter was all of 5 sentences, one of which was "my last day will be X." <S> I'm very nervous of what he will do / say. <S> You probably are more worried about this than you need to be. <A> It sounds like this is a great man to have in your life both professionally and personally. <S> Make sure you do whatever you can to keep this person a friend. <S> Regarding your new position, people grow and people move on. <S> Make sure you communicate to your boss how great this new opportunity is and how you would have never been able to get a shot at it without his excellent tutelage. <S> After that, do a fantastic job documenting anything you can regarding a knowledge transfer, get your projects wrapped up or to a good stopping point, part ways as friends, and invite him out for a beer or coffee 30 days into your new job. <A> When you hand your boss the letter, you explain honestly what's going on. <S> I feel that rather than words on a letter, speaking honestly to someone will mean more than words on a letter. <S> The letter is the formal notice for your contract. <S> It's only when you hand the letter that you will discuss the fact you are leaving and give reasons. <A> Sounds like a good boss. <S> A good boss will say "congratulations!", shake your hand, and wish you the best in your new endeavors. <S> He'll know to treat you right, because no one knows what the future may bring - you might wind up working together in another company 10 years from now. <S> As for how to go about it, write a letter saying Boss,I am resigning effective (some date)Best wishes,DavidSmith hand it to him, and wait for him to read it. <S> That will start the conversation that you're leaving, and serve as official notice. <A> This is very similar to my situation last year in the last company and I can tell you it will be a very emotional 1 month. <S> Here are few things which I did and might help. <S> Send him an email first that you have decided to move out. <S> Email will give him sometime to digest and process rather than the shock in 1-to-1 meeting. <S> Also, being assertive that you have already made that decision ( <S> if you really have), will help in not giving any hope that you will change your mind. <S> Always mention that it is because of current opportunity and his mentoring <S> you were able to find another great opportunity. <S> It is not that something was missing in the current role, but you just wanted a change for personal reasons and also you think change in company/work environment would add more insights to your experience. <S> Emphasize that you will stay committed till your last day here to finish whatever is required for smooth transition and follow up on that commitment. <S> That gesture goes long way! <A> The best thing you can be is honest. <S> You can still be friends, but careers often move differently for people. <S> If this is where you want to take your career then you need to kindly let him know while expressing the appreciation for everything he has done and also stating your intent in continued friendship. <A> You said he was a friend to you, so you have to behave accordingly. <S> First, it's an opportunity, not a treason. <S> Being loyal to a friend doesn't means you have to lose good opportunities. <S> A true friend will approve that kind of decisions, because that's how life works. <S> Also, from his point of view, it's better for him to keep a good relationship with you. <S> If a was you, i'd tell him before giving his the resignation. <S> Don't forget to tell him how grateful you are for all he gave you, and that you'll always be there if he ever needs you.
| Thank him for his immense generosity with his knowledge and time, and tell him that you are going to pay it forward to any junior members you come across so that you can try to be as great of a mentor to someone as he was to you. You write a brief formal letter tendering your notice as you would for another job. In other situations, people may approach it as "Say Nothing", but if you genuinely respect the person, then I would be honest about the new opportunity.
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For Interviewers/ HR- Unfinished project, part of interview, how do you evaluate this? I recently went through a series of interviews, for an internship, and was then given a small project to complete. Now the project was rather simple but I was unable to finish because the allotted time was not enough for me because in addition to creating the logic and planning on how to finish the project I also had to : learn the API of a couple dependencies learn more about JSON, processing them, creating them, etc. (First time working with it although I have read about it in the past) Now I rather not give excuses and take responsibility for not finishing in time but (imagine you're my recruiter) would you still see me unfit for the position? Or would you appreciate the fact that I was able to learn two new things and post an incomplete project that showcased the new things I learned? I was unable to finish the logic because I focused a lot on parsing JSON, and learning my way around the two dependencies I needed. <Q> You failed to complete the assigned task in the allotted time. <S> Only the interviewing company can come up with a proper evaluation, since only they know their expectations. <S> Either they don't expect candidates to finish, but just want to see how far they get, or they do expect candidates to finish. <S> In the latter case, it's possible that candidates who fail to finish are rejected. <S> I was unable to finish the logic because I focused a lot on parsing JSON, and learning my way around the two dependencies I needed. <S> It possible that what you did is exactly what they hoped a good candidate would do. <S> It's also possible that they expected candidates to be fluent enough in JSON that this wouldn't take up all of your time. <S> The only way to know is to wait to hear from the interviewing company/recruiter. <A> In most cases, these candidate assignements aren't about getting a finished product, or a complete understanding; they are about assessing the candidate's approach to the problem. <S> In these cases, you are not always told that completion is not expected. <A> Depend on the Job requirements. <S> But in any case take this experience to learn what are the kind of things you need to know to be successful in an interview. <S> JSON for example is very common structure to move data around so you should try to practice a litle more before your next interview. <S> I have some problem during my first interview, then I use that experience to know what where my weakness and study those themes for one month. <S> The next interview was much more easier.
| I would check with the recruiter, see how you fared compared to the competition.
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How important is the interview confirmation email? I received a phone call from a company and I was convoked for an interview. I was used to getting a confirmation email in similar cases, but I received nothing in this one instance. Knowing that there was no mention for the email confirmation during the phone (I know the time and location), should I call them and ask them about it? <Q> Confirmation emails are good practice, but not necessarily a standard for all companies. <S> Apparently, this place doesn't do them. <S> I would call them one or two days in advance of the interview just to confirm the time and place (or send them an email requesting confirmation. ) <S> Otherwise, just make sure you show up on time. <A> An email confirming the information is ideal. <A> You can try sending an email seeking some clarifications on the role/company, where you can mention the interview about to happen. <S> In case they do reply, you will have a written commitment. <S> Do call them up a day or 2 before the agreed date, as suggested by others
| If you don't get an email, or the confirmation email doesn't contain the details , I would feel much safer with a phone conversation confirming the location and times.
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Overcoming language barrier with co-worker without making a fuss about it? I have a co-worker who has trouble with English so more often than not what he says is not what exactly he means. This happens in business talks as well leading to work going the wrong direction and stuff, I ask him to clarify and realise he meant something else altogether. Apart from wastage of time, asking him to clarify frequently to make sure I'm not working in the wrong direction leads to me being seen as the weaker link who doesn't understand anything in the first attempt. Also, he's a more senior member than I, so I can't really complain about the communication barrier. It'd make a bad impression on the higher-ups that a newbie is complaining about their veteran. What would be an appropriate approach here? <Q> Apart from wastage of time, asking him to clarify frequently to make sure I'm not working in the wrong direction <S> leads to <S> me being seen as the weaker link who doesn't understand anything in the first attempt. <S> No, if you don't understand, ask for clarification, it's not being a weak link, it's being professional. <S> As time passes you'll probably understand quicker after you learn your colleagues way of talking, but just keep clarifying whenever necessary. <A> What would be an appropriate approach here? <S> Ask for clarification only when necessary. <S> Save it for those times when clarity is really essential. <S> Over time, you'll get used to his phrasing and you'll understand what he means more often. <A> I believe there is nothing wrong in asking "what do you mean by..." if the topic is really unclear. <S> Also concluding their ideas by "if I understood you correctly, you mean... <S> " or "just for my understanding, ..." . <S> To avoid fuss refrain from making statements like " <S> I don't understand what you mean" , rather ask open questions instead giving the other party the possibility to share their thoughts. <S> In the beginning it may seem as it is you, who has problems with understanding your colleague, but as the times go, they will develop the ways of communication leading to the situation that you don't need to ask additional questions. <S> Anyway, it is not something that will happen immediately, it will be a process. <S> Have patience, act proactively. <S> Good luck! <A> It sounds like you are saying that you have trouble understanding directions from this senior person, and you are concerned that this lack of understanding could make you look bad. <S> You're likely correct. <S> It isn't your job to correct his English, continuing to do that may be bad for your career . <S> Doing the wrong work (or the work wrong) is also bad for your career . <S> Your goal is understanding the instructions. <S> This is not the same as asking him to clarify (though they are similar). <S> If you think that he misspoke when he said, "Do X but be careful of Y. <S> " <S> You can repeat it back in the corrected form as "You want me to do Z and be careful of Y. <S> Did I understand you?" <S> Bob Jarvis has a good example; it is in a comment to your question. <S> How you do this is important. <S> In other words, where is your 'heart' in the exchange? <S> Did you noticed that I didn't mention his flaws in my opening paragraph? <S> Your sole purpose (only desired outcome) in this exchange is to make sure you understand his instructions. <S> You don't do this to point out his weak English, and you don't do it to point out his mistake. <S> Let me be clear: this not an opportunity to make yourself look good in any way. <S> As you work together, you will grow to understand how he communicates and this will make things easier for you. <S> Many ESL people are better with written than spoken English. <S> Whatever part of this is his problem, if any, can be addressed by people more senior than him. <S> This advice is for you - because you asked. <A> Some excellent advice has already been given as how to deal with the situation professionally, but you are also still two individual human beings who would like to enjoy their jobs as much as they can. <S> While your day-to-day job is in English, it probably doesn't revolve around that language. <S> It's merely a tool/skill to get the work done. <S> What other tools and skills do you use at work? <S> For me, this includes things like technical knowledge, writing skills (reports, documentation), caring for co-workers, being on time, etc. <S> We can't all be good at every single tool or skill we need at work. <S> My company switched from a non-English language I do not know to English when they hired me. <S> My English skills are close to native, and theirs aren't. <S> They are, however, technically skilled, caring, and happy to take some time to make sure things go well. <S> This means that we take the language barrier for what it is: one of many tools some co-workers haven't mastered (yet), and we are patient with those co-workers just as we are patient with co-workers who lack some of the more job-specific (technical) skills. <S> None of this works if you can't actually communicate with your co-worker, but I believe the previous comments will aid in achieving that. <S> Good luck, and enjoy your work with someone from a different culture :)
| Don't try to clean up his English when you can otherwise understand him or when it isn't really important. Depending on how this goes, it may be good for you to email him your understanding. You should repeat back what you hear from him to make sure the directions are clear in both of your minds.
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Is it common practice for Senior Developers to have their pay raises cancelled I'm a full time Senior Engineer at a venture backed software services company (~150 people). I've been here about 2.5 years (total 6 years exp). Some backstory In Christmas 2016, there were a round of redundancies and the company shrunk by about 20%. This was explained to use as a measure to make sure the company could survive until the next funding round and make the argument from investors for a larger sum. Salary increase But life goes on and we were told that things would continue as normal. I had my review in February and was granted a 3% salary increase (as opposed to 10% the previous 2 years) This was understandable given the hard finances on the company and redundancies being such a close memory. Redaction 2 Months passed and I didn't see the increase in my payslips, I was told I would be given "back-pay" on these amounts for any I missed. April just rolled around and I was told that the CEO has made an 'executive decision' to without these raises until the next round of funding. The logic being that he can argue for a larger sum if he strangles the flow of cash in certain areas. With the promise of revisiting the issue after funding. This is what my colleagues have called an ' indian giver ' Reaction Obviously I'm very disturbed by this event obviously as there's nothing to stop him from changing his mind and doing another round of redundancies. After some follow up questions he explained that it was the norm and other employees have received the same. Perks in the company seem to be untouched, but are still on the chopping block. He seems to believe that this is perfectly normal behavior. Question TL;DR Is it common practice for CEO's to revert decisions on raises promised to employees? I'm halfway between:A) Leaving and abandoning what appears to be a sinking shipor B) Stick it out and hope for some sort of progression later in the companies life and that my loyalty will be rewarded. <Q> None of us can know what the future will bring. <S> That being said, the message from higher is loud and clear: <S> We will be taking care of our own concerns and interests foremost. <S> So now you have to ask yourself: Do you want to continue working for a company in which such decisions are taken without you even being informed? <S> Clearly they don't believe that your opinion on the matter of your raise being withheld is worth listening to, so what makes you think that they'll be rewarding your loyalty further down the line? <S> Take a page from their book and do what's best for you . <A> Is it normal/acceptable for CEO's to revert decisions on raises promised to employees? <S> Well I wouldn't call it normal . <S> If they are having trouble with the next round of funding, then it might be reasonable . <S> Whether is it <S> acceptable is your decision. <S> For me it would come down to whether it was actually reverted, or if the raise was just deferred until after funding. <S> And you won't know that unless you (1) get funding (2) at an acceptable level. <S> No funding means no company and reduced funding means no raises. <S> I started a new job and when accepting the offer, I asked about the finances. <S> My boss said he didn't know, but he'd find out. <S> When the CFO got back from vacation she had a meeting with me and said, "With our current burn rate we'll run out of money in <S> May." It was March. <S> She noticed my startled expression and said, "If we don't get money by next month we will adjust some things and can probably last until September. <S> I thought you were asking about our current burn rate." <S> "That's okay," I replied, "I was just startled by your honesty." <S> If your company is that honest, I expect they can be trusted. <S> Most CFOs aren't so honest... and it may be because most people can't handle that kind of answer. <S> They got the money and I worked there four more years, receiving the 10% raise that was in my employment contract at the 90-day mark as promised. <S> On a different note: I realize it is what your co-workers are saying, but you should probably avoid using the term "Indian giver" <A> You have a startup where you are working. <S> Now, taking an objective look, if you have a startup that, in sequence - Cuts 20% of the workforce. <S> Slashes raises to a fraction of what they were, historically Does not pay even the reduced amount of the raises <S> Does this not indicate a company that is failing? <S> To use your sinking ship analogy, these are all indications of trying to bail out incoming water, but being unable to deal with the holes that are letting the water in. <S> At the very least, you should look to line up other opportunities to get into a more secure situation, or to at least already be well into the process when the next round of cost-cutting measures begins, and you're suddenly out of work. <S> "I can't pay you now, but I will later. <S> Oh, right, I'm not going to pay you later, either" is never a good sign. <S> It's much worse than saying "no raises" from the start, I think. <A> One thing you have not addressed is the outlook for the company. <S> Currently the company is on hard financial times and struggling to maintain a future. <S> If things do not change they will eventually go broke and you will be out of work. <S> So the big question is: Will things change? <S> Some of the startups I worked at had, as part of the monthly briefing to employees, the sales funnel for the company's products. <S> From there you can make your own assessment despite the words of the salesmen. <S> Is the burn rate far outpacing sales? <S> Are sales increasing? <S> Are they close to landing the "big thing"? <S> If such a thing is not common knowledge you will have to work a bit to find out how things are going. <S> In the end, 3% or 10% pay raise, at a startup should not be what you are shooting for. <S> You are hoping that those stock options are worth a lot of money. <S> So if the outlook for the company is good lobby the CEO for additional stock option grants. <S> They cost him nothing, and this should improve morale. <S> He should make a big deal out of it, as going public and being able to cash out half a million or more in stock is worth far more than a small pay raise. <S> If the outlook for the company is bad, then leave.
| Often higher compensation or equity is paid vs. more established companies because of the higher risk involved with being part of a start-up.
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How to deal with a non-responsive supplier The small technical company I work at has multiple suppliers that deliver materials, parts or whole sub-systems of our product.As we are a new company the product is still developing, resulting in small changes to the specification and new findings fairly often. One critical supplier of a sub-system (an electronic device) is becoming harder to deal with every day and has currently stopped delivering, does not respond or read e-mails and is barely available by phone. When he speaks on the phone, he just rants. Without this sub-system we cannot deliver our product and no alternative supplier is available as the device is custom built for us.I am one of the team members that is tasked with dealing with this supplier. What steps can I take to make sure the supplier delivers on a short term (< 1 month)? Background information The supplier was closely involved in the early development of our product and used to deliver normally. After using his product in a test environment, flaws surfaced. Not all specifications were respected.This started an iterative process, mainly concerned with the tweaking of the software of the device. Unfortunately the supplier seems incapable of tweaking the software. He does not use version control, resulting in a "random" version every time we get a test device. The contract with the supplier states that our company will order an X amount of electronic devices. It also states that our company has the right to receive the source code.If the source code would be provided now, we could help the supplier and together deliver a product. However, the supplier will only provide the code after we order the agreed amount.Therefore we have started ordering subsets of the agreed amount. Unfortunately the supplier is unable to deliver the subsets due to the flaw in his software. He never mentions a target delivery date, and even if he does, he simply does not care and misses the "deadline". <Q> Unfortunately, this problem sometimes occurs in procurement regardless of what is written in the contract. <S> Second sourcing can be a good thing, but it takes significant resources and time to set that up from the buyer's side especially if we're talking about an engineered item. <S> Moreover, if your volumes aren't "large enough" you may not be able to convince two vendors to split the volume. <S> Three things come to mind here: <S> You say the vendor is "ranting". <S> Perhaps don't see it as a mere rant but as a way to get leverage. <S> If you can substantively address the things he is ranting about you may be able to trade that for more cooperation in shipping the item. <S> It sounds like the vendor is trying to hit a moving target (eg "...changes to the specification and new findings fairly often..."). <S> To a large extent that's a problem on your side. <S> Once you go to manufacturing things like that are serious matters and should require change orders (ECO's). <S> These, of course, precipitate charges. <S> If the vendor is expected to accommodate without a formal process and revenue, that could lead to lack of cooperation. <S> In some situations, the buyer should furnish hardware and software for "functional test" so that vendors have a concrete way to determine whether something is passing or failing. <S> I don't know if that applies in the situation here, but it is common. <S> As @Kilisi said, management might need to get involved here if this becomes a contract renegotiation. <S> Even so, the two items are above are almost certainly the first things that need to be addressed. <A> There isn't much you can do apart from conventional means like email and phone. <S> But unless you're project manager or overall in charge of supplies you should escalate the issue to your superiors to deal with the supplier. <S> It appears you are a team member rather than top management, this sort of problem should be fixed at a higher level by the people who can actually make decisions, authorise payments, negotiate from a stronger position with suppliers etc,. <S> There's a big difference between ranting at a team member and fronting top management who can cut your revenue source or send a lawyer to see you. <S> There should have been, and may be a contract to supply or something similar. <S> If you guys are building a product with no assurance of getting the requisite parts then someone needs to do it properly. <A> You seem to be in a situation where, unfortunately, you are simply at their mercy. <S> If there are no contractual clauses you could enforce (which from your description, there don't seem to be) and they are truly the only supplier with the means to deliver what you need, there is very little you can do. <S> And it seems they know it. <S> This supplier seems, at best, unreliable. <S> Therefore, rather then trying to get him (it seems to be a single person?) <S> to do what you want - try to find or create an alternate supplier. <S> Do not make the same mistakes you have this time, and put down terms regarding access, deliverables and schedule. <S> I wish you the best of luck. <A> What steps can I take to make sure the supplier delivers on a short term (< 1 month)? <S> Offer money. <S> You have little to no leverage here. <S> Sometimes dangling a bonus can get a non-responsive supplier's attention. <S> Sometimes not. <S> And use this as a learning opportunity. <S> Betting your company/project/product on a single supplier is bad business. <S> Fix that ASAP.
| But you can offer money if they meet short term milestones and threaten to remove them as a supplier if they don't.
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My boss wants to use an older development tool I don't like I work for a school district and we currently use the old Google sites for all of our schools. I've been pushing really hard to move away from that and host/write our own sites from scratch. Things are moving forward in that regard, but my boss wants to do it in Dreamweaver because he has experience with that, albeit only as a hobbyist. Other than him it's me who has web dev experience, but I've gone to school for it and I've built a few web apps with react. I've tried to tell him that I've have strong opinions against using Dreamweaver, especially in such a production environment. What would be the best way of persuading him to keep it modern? Should I just tell him the performance benefits, and how the benefits of modern tools like webpack, sass, babel etc would greatly enhance the entire developer and user experience? I do have great rapport with him, maybe it would be better if I just ask him to take a chance and trust me? With regards to using a CMS such as joomla or WordPress, there are a few reasons. They are limited in what they can provide, and come with a but of overhead. While they may be built with performance, once someone goes in and starts editing performance is lost. I also have greater ideas, such as implementing a service worker, which isn't supported in a CMS as far as I'm aware. I'd also like to use this as a learning opportunity for students to get involved with. We currently have a game development class at the high school level, and this may hold benefits for students in that regard. Whereas using a CMS, they wouldn't gain as much education as they would with a modern PWA. Future plans also include replacing our current iOS and Android app that we've contracted blackboard to create for us, either with react native or just a PWA. No I haven't mentioned those plans to my boss because those are a ways away and it's baby steps right now. The position of web developer isn't a real position at the district as of yet, but things are moving in that direction and we're preparing for that day, which is fast approaching. So if I do leave, it's just a matter of filling the position, not just hoping someone in the department can figure things out. No it's not ideal, but even if we're to use Dreamweaver my knowledge is greater than his and there is no guarantee he would be able to pick up the slack after I'm gone, and they'd be in the same position to find a Dev who could, and no developer is going to want to spend time working with an outdated tool.This may not be the best place to post this, if it would do better somewhere else let me know! <Q> I am 99.9% sure that, however simple the school website needs to be, either one of you will spend more time writing a website from scratch than if you use a CMS like WordPress, Drupal, or Joomla with a nice theme. <S> Unless you have very specific needs that cannot be met by lightly reconfiguring the theme or installing a few extensions, and I doubt you do, there is no good reason for either of you to do any coding or design work yourselves. <S> This isn't a question of which one of you can do it better. <S> It's a question of why you should do it yourselves when most of the work has already been done for you. <S> And even if you don't spend any actual money on creating the website yourselves, what is the opportunity cost? <S> Is there really nothing else more valuable that you or your boss could be spending time on instead of wrestling with CSS and browser quirks? <A> I think you need to speak to your boss about your plans. <S> The school want a site to replace their current one. <S> A static HTML site will do the job in improving their current site. <S> To write a static HTML site in Dreamweaver is perfectly adequate. <S> I wouldn't, but Dreamweaver is an IDE, it's not a technology stack. <S> Your plans (which I comment btw) are much more than just a website rewrite. <S> If you say I want to use the website refresh as an opportunity to teach my class X and Y. <S> I really feel this would be beneficial to the school as a whole, as it will have a better website and the lessons we can provide the students will set us apart from other schools (or whatever reasons you have that <S> you think this is a good idea). <S> You could also suggest a phased approach. <S> A quick website redesign. <S> Using Dreaweaver (or any IDE, if your boss uses dreamweaver, you could use notepad, it all works the same) . <S> Plan additional features with your boss <S> A second rewrite, with you being able to use it in lessons etc. <S> There is a need to a redesign. <S> Can they wait X weeks/months for you to teach it? <S> Maybe they want it quicker. <S> If you suggest a short term approach that resolves the need, but make them aware there is a bigger picture, that's how you can sell it to them. <S> This is a good lesson by the way. <S> Businesses may have a need for a quick solution. <S> They will not always go for the ideal approach and may make what you think are dumb decisions. <S> What you as a developer need to do is fit the need, but convince them that longer term you are right. <S> That way, the business gets the short term need resolved, but eventually, it will be the right solution <A> What would be the best way of persuading him to keep it modern? <S> Tell him the advantages your approach has, over his. <S> Tell him about the performance and productivity benefits which your approach brings to the table. <S> He's leaning towards his approach, cause he thinks that as he has some experience with it, the team can be done with the project with a fairly less number of hiccups. <S> So, you need to showcase/demonstrate your experience with the tech you are proposing, to convince him about you, and your expertise with the tech. <A> DreamWeaver is a perfectly fine and professional product to use for web development. <S> The only difference with DreamWeaver as opposed to something like Sublime Text is that DreamWeaver is an IDE ( integrated development environment ) which can help and benefit advanced and beginner users alike. <S> It's not a toy that 'noobs' use to get started. <S> It definitely has it's uses. <S> I don't use DreamWeaver because of my needs . <S> I need a simple stripped back editor without any bells or whistles. <S> However, I can still develop websites with the same calibre using DreamWeaver. <S> It depends on the developer using the software, no the software itself alone. <S> I would suggest using a CMS such as WordPress or Joomla as you've mentioned as that just makes things easier. <S> A bad tradesman always blames his tools. <S> Well something to that effect <S> ( it's a real saying in the UK, I promise ). <A> When I first started at my current position they pretty much forced me to use Dreamweaver. <S> I kept insisting on using Visual Studio and at one point I was allowed to use VS while my boss kept using DW. <S> Sooner rather than later, while pair-programming he began noticing the benefits of VS and has since switched to VS when not working on any legacy code even though he used to swear by DW and would mock VS.
| Both software you can use within DreamWeaver perfectly fine. Whoever builds the websites, make sure they use the tools they are happy to use and then leave it at that really.
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Should I contact someone about IT asking for passwords? I recently switched to a new laptop at work, so IT had to set it up for me and move my files over. The problem is they asked for my password to do it. I balked, and after some hemming and hawing on their part, they agreed to attempt it without the password. It seems like this is their standard practice, and I got the feeling I'm the only person that has ever not provided their password. I work for a very large company, and they are concerned about security. This isn't some rinky dink operation, so I struggle to believe that it is corporate policy for IT to ask for passwords. I suspect it's a practice specific to the local IT at my office, and that corporate wouldn't be too happy about it. So my question is, should I report this practice to someone higher in the food chain? I'm sure IT is just trying to do their job effectively, and I don't want to get anyone in trouble for that. It'd also be obvious who made the report, and I do not want to get on IT's bad side. It seems like a terrible practice to me, but they presumably do it for a reason, and I may do more harm than good (especially to myself). Should I say something about them requesting passwords or keep my mouth shut? If I do report it, is there a way to minimize the concerns outlined above? I don't want to get anyone fired, and I don't want to make any enemies. I just want my local IT to use good security practices, whatever that is to my company. Note: I'm not asking if this is a reasonable practice, or if I should give them my password. I know I shouldn't, and I didn't. <Q> I work for a very large company, and they are concerned about security. <S> This isn't some rinky dink operation, so I struggle to <S> believe that it is corporate policy for IT to ask for passwords. <S> I suspect it's a practice specific to the local IT at my office, and that corporate wouldn't be too happy about it. <S> Then you most likely have a data protection officer or someone who is in charge of IT security in general. <S> It's correct to never give out your password. <S> Anyone from IT who has the permission to access your files can reset your password or have it reset anyways. <S> I suspect the people who dealt with you will get a railing or disciplinary measures over this. <S> Especially since it's a big company. <A> As someone on the receiving side of such information (information security team), we do appreciate when it reaches us. <S> It can be a symptom of a phishing attempt <S> bad practices <S> In any case it is handled anonymously, we do not want the messenger to be shot. <A> This definitely needs to be brought to someone's attention, but formally reporting it might not be the best approach. <S> It is entirely possible that somebody wrote the process down to include "gather passwords" and now it is policy. <S> If your company has an IT security team, or similar, get in touch informally and just clarify the position with them. <S> If they want to raise it in a more formal manner, they will very likely tell you (and then get on it very quickly if they are competent).
| It's important that you never disclose personal passwords. Report this (anonymously or not, your choice) to the relevant IT security officer in your company.
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How to deal with coworkers bad mood? I'm working at a research institute at university, the atmosphere is quite relaxed and it is quite common to make jokes. Today, a colleague and I went to the the kitchen to grab a coffee and wanted to pick up another colleague on the way. As usual the door to the colleagues office was open and we knocked on the frame of the door. The colleague in the office replied with "Oh no it's you" which also was ment as a joke, at least I interpreted it this way. In then closed the door of his office as a reply to his cheeky behaviour. Later that day the colleague approached me and told me that he was quite angry about me closing his door because he interpreted as I wanted to say "shut up". I was quite puzzled and couldn't find an appropriate answer to him since I thought we both just made jokes. How should I handle such a situation? I want to avoid having missunderstandings but at the same time it's just part of the culture to make fun of somebody.Additional info: he is a postdoc and I'm a PhD student. He also mentioned that he had slept too short and was not in a good mood this morning. <Q> Just explain that you meant it as a joke and apologize if it didn't come across properly. <S> Then try your best to ignore the ensuing awkward silence and move on. <S> Given the environment you describe, I would expect all will be forgotten by the next day. <A> How to deal with coworkers bad mood? <S> Just accept it and try to be considerate. <S> Bad moods happen to everyone, possibly even to you sometimes. <S> It sounds like you and your colleague had some miscommunication, and he later approached you to either apologize or to at least talk it over. <S> The right thing to do there is to take some or all of the blame, shake hands, agree that it feels good to have sorted out that mess, and move on to happier topics. <S> These things happen. <S> Whether they resolve quickly or continue to fester depends on you dealing with them honestly and openly, and not holding on to grudges. <A> "oops, sorry", then let it be. <S> That's the best way to deal with any faux pas, be it a coworker's bad mood or a joke that falls flat, or in this case both. <S> The less a deal is made of it, the less a deal it will be.
| When you detect that someone is in a funk, be kind enough to put joking and teasing on hold and either leave them alone or give them a bit of encouragement, as the situation demands.
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I have an interview at the parent company of another company that I am already interviewing for. Am I obliged to notify any of the parties involved? I'm actually not sure how to handle the situation. I had an interview with Company A yesterday, and I have a follow-up interview on Friday where I anticipate they will offer me the job. I scheduled an interview for Company B for Thursday, only to later realize that Company B is Company A's parent company. Should I say something to my contact at either company? My guess is that they wouldn't want to be in competition for the same candidate, but I don't know exactly how the company is structured. To complicate things further, I was placed for the position at Company A by a recruiter, but I have been in direct communication with Company B. I know that recruiting agencies often make companies agree to not cut them out of the deal when they find them a candidate, and I don't want to be the cause of either company unwittingly violating an agreement with the recruiter. My first instinct is to cancel the interview at Company B (the parent company), but I would like to avoid doing that if possible. <Q> I wouldn't bother informing anyone of this. <S> You are under no obligation to understand their legal structure. <S> You're simply trying to find the best job you can. <A> I feel like if you weren't allowed to apply for both company A and company B, they would integrate their two hiring systems into one. <S> Plus, if you did end up potentially getting offers from both companies, it would probably be easy for them to realize what has occurred and come to their own resolution about what offers they should give you. <S> Under normal circumstances, a company that you are interviewing with will generally ask you if you are looking at any other places. <S> You don't have any additional responsibilities beyond that. <A> There's nothing wrong with applying and interviewing for multiple jobs even at the same company --never mind jobs at two distinct companies that are part of the same organization. <S> The only one who might possibly raise an objection is the recruiter. <S> I could imagine a recruiter complaining if they found out you went with company B <S> and therefore they get no cut. <S> However, I would also say that this objection is entirely without justification, so if it occurs you can safely ignore it. <S> Simply tell the recruiter that you independently found this job and applied for it, and be done with it. <S> Recruiters can get aggressive, but you have done nothing wrong here, so don't worry about it if they do.
| That would be the appropriate time to tell them that you're also applying to this other position at the other company, and let them sort it out. There is no reason at all to be concerned about this, from the company's perspective.
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Company won't buy licence for software tools I am junior frontend developer in Poland. I work in small company (30 people, most of them are developers). My boss asked me recently to check new UI tools offered by another company (let's say it's ABC company). ABC offers useful controls, that can be easily used in range of products. Controls' code is open source, but it is not free. They allow their potential clients to use their products for 1 month for free - than you have to buy licence. I asked for 1 month trial (via my company mail, with my full name and surname), and received what we needed. We are using it in few places right now. However, yesterday the licence ended. My boss did not replied to my first mail (few days ago), where I wrote to him, that licence is going to end soon. He is probably not willing to buy it, as we are already doing so, with our other product, where we are using another set of controls made by ABC. Should I keep on reminding my boss, that he should buy ABC's licence? Can I have some problems, because there is my name and surname in email, to which trial belonged to? <Q> I clearly understand your problem. <S> You can start with kindly but firmly reminding your boss that officially you are not allowed to use the product any longer and surely you won't be legally allowed to release your product without obtaining the licence from ABC. <S> Happy flow is that your boss buys the licence or appoints you to purchase one. <S> Sad flow - your boss will say "dobra, dobra" [all right, all right] <S> meaning that you should carry on without a licence. <S> It would be, (as far as I know the software agreements), breach of trial agreement. <S> Whether you might have problems depends on your employment form (employee or contractor). <S> To be 100% sure you should ask a lawyer. <S> And yes, you should remind your boss to purchase the licence. <A> Note: I am not a lawyer, and I live in the U.S.A. <S> I draw the following from my experience as a proprietary and free software developer. <S> There is no legal alternative. <S> Continuing to use the software without permission is a violation of copyright law. <S> If ABC finds out that you're still using the tool set after the trial period, they will probably first insist on just collecting the license fee. <S> But if you boss won't pay, they ABC may bring some kind of equity (civil) suit. <S> ABC may also file criminal charges to make their civil case stronger. <S> This all depends on case law precedent where you live, but you can be sure that ABC can make a lot of trouble for your company. <S> If ABC files legal actions, you can bet that your name will be on the paperwork. <S> If you can't prove that your boss made you do it, then you will be stuck paying off any damages. <S> If the prosecutor can show that you knew that copyright law was being violated and you did nothing to report it, then you will be charged as an accessory. <S> So, you must do more than keep on reminding your boss that he should buy ABC's license <S> -- you must insist on it. <S> And make sure it happens. <A> Are you sure that the license is compulsory given that the software company has failed to lock you out? <S> If you are & you are already using a certain companies product without a license I agree that your boss will probably not care about adding more unlicensed software into the mix. <S> I would suggest emailing him to say that the software needs licensing & printing out your emails on the subject for later reference. <S> If you get no response then cancel the license under your name & don't agree to license software under your name again. <S> This gives you three options: Do your job without using the software <S> Get your boss to register for the software & giving you his explicit permission to use the software <S> Get another job <S> The middle option is unethical but you may already be in that position. <S> Liability is tricky as many countries will have contradictory case law precedents in the area, so it is best if you act ethically & uninstall immediately.
| Your company must either buy the proper license or stop using the software.
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Is it rude to ask the position of the person interviewing you? I had a phone interview yesterday. From the beginning of the call I sensed the interviewer was unhappy or in a bad mood or something. The only real question she asked me was "tell me about how you got to where you are now?". At the end of the interview she mentioned she will pass my application on to the hiring manager. I asked her what her position was and she deflected the question. Why would someone not want to answer? I take it as a sign of a bad work environment if people automatically deflect questions. I asked her again and she said she was the "district corporate recruiter". Part of why I asked was I was wondering if she was non-technical and that's why she didn't ask many questions. The other part is I was wondering if I'd be working with her (I did ask this more directly but she deflected it too). Is it rude to ask the position of the person interviewing you? I didn't ask her what her position was immediately after she said she would pass the application on to her manager. I asked her when I did as it was the end of the interview and she asked if I had any questions. <Q> Well, if immediately beforehand she said that she would pass your info to the hiring manager, your question of her position within the workplace hierarchy sort of implies that you view her as someone without power within the hierarchy itself and therefore they're sort of under qualified to conduct the interview or make hiring decisions. <S> So, in general, no it's not. <S> But in this instance it might've come across negatively. <S> As DavidK says, it's not about the question itself, it's about your motivation for asking the question, or really, what it appears your motivation is. <S> If it sounded like you were asking me my position because you think you need to talk to someone more important, then yes, I will be offended <A> The fact that there were no technical questions asked, that would pertain to how you would do this job, were you to be given it, means this was most likely just an introductory interview. <S> An interview to ask those generalized questions like "where do you see yourself in 5 years", or "name a time where you were in charge and had to make a difficult decision". <S> In this instance, the position of the interviewer is irrelevant. <S> Since she was just conducting the introductory interview, there was simply no reason to question her position with the company. <S> It may not have been meant as an insult or meant to offend, but that's probably how it came off, especially after she said "I will send your application to the hiring manager", it's clear <S> she wasn't the one making the hiring decision, she was just getting those common questions out of the way. <S> In my experience, the phone interview is generally just an "introductory" interview, kind of see how you may fit into the workplace, a few generalized questions that they ask to get them out of the way so the next interview can focus solely on the technical side. <S> Next time, just worry about answering the questions(and <S> no it doesn't mean you can't ASK questions), and let them decide who is going to interview you. <S> If they're interviewing you with unqualified people, maybe that's not a company you want to work for anyway. <A> No its not rude, although some people may take offence and you cannot stop that - you are entitled to know with whom you are discussing the position with, as you can tailor your demeanor and depth of response to the level that the other person is at. <S> While I would be doing the same job either way, the way I sell myself to a senior manager would be entirely different to how I would sell myself to an immediate team lead - the senior manager may be less interested in intimate technical knowledge and be more focused on deliverables, while the team lead may be more focused on technical knowledge and whether I would fit into the team. <S> Remember also that an interview goes both ways - <S> while they are interviewing you, you are also interviewing the company, and you should ask the questions you want to ask in order to decide whether you want to work there. <S> For example in your case, the demeanor of that person may have a bearing on whether you ultimately decide to pursue the position - asking what their position within the company is allows you to determine whether they are someone you would be working with day to day, which may tip the decision one way or another. <A> Going to turn my comment into an answer. <S> Depending on how you asked the question, yes, it can be considered rude. <S> Firstly, there isn't really a need for you to know this information as it will not be relevant to your job. <S> This is especially the case if you asked it at the end of the interview. <S> It's even more so <S> the case if the person you're asking is a woman, who tend to have their credibility constantly questioned in ways that simply don't happen to men; she was probably bracing herself for a condescending follow-up question. <S> Often times when I'm doing a technical interview, the person conducting the interview will volunteer their position on their own. <S> I would say that you should probably let them volunteer the information if they want you to know it, or think that you should know it, and leave it at that. <S> Otherwise, they are just "the person currently interviewing you". <S> That's all you need to know.
| Second, because it's not relevant to your job and probably won't help you interview better, it's easy for them to assume that you're asking because you intend to question their competence or capability.
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Is raising many questions and concerns after an interview a bad sign for an employer? Recently I had a job interview, it worked out well and the company is just waiting for me to sign the contract. It's a startup and they want to hire me as a kind of trailblazer. They have no other employees in my "department" yet, but want to build it up step by step. During the interview I was very excited about the job, there are many things I really like about it. But after some time thinking about it I got more and more questions and concerns appearing in my mind, about their long term plans, their technology stack, their management plans and so on; things which will affect my work more or less. (I asked some questions about this already, but I didn't cover everything and in depth.) Is it a bad sign for an employer if I'll raise so many questions and concerns afterwards? Will this let me look irresolute? Update: I took Lazors advice to heart and arranged a call. It was definitely the right decision. I asked my open questions and in the end it turned out, that my concerns weren't far-fetched and my expectations and vision differed slightly too much from theirs. So I decided to decline the offer and to accept one from another company. Thanks for your answers! <Q> Your questions are perfectly fine and this is the time to ask them. <S> You might even want to consider meeting with them again to discuss everything in more detail. <S> You can apologize for taking more time to ensure that this is right fit, but you are considering a large role in their organization and they will appreciate that you are taking it seriously. <A> An employer might sense that you have some doubts about the role and that make them think that you're hesitant about the role, or they might just think you're super keen and want to do a lot of research. <S> It's down to the employers opinions and personality. <S> They might think it's a bad thing <S> and you're reserved ( which you are, hence the question ) or they might not think about it. <S> I would say this though, if you're that worried or concerned about the company, it wouldn't be a bad thing to decline the offer. <S> It's business, you're there to work and earn a living. <S> You won't be hurting their feelings turning down the job offer by any means. <A> Is raising many questions and concerns after an interview a bad sign for an employer? <S> Yes, you're being hired to create a department, obviously since it's just starting their will be multiple things to sort out, many of which they're probably relying on you to solve. <S> Asking so much before you even have the job seems like you don't have a clue what to do unless your hand is held. <S> In which case you're probably the wrong person for the job. <S> They need someone confident, who can create procedures utilising what they have, make recommendations for essential tools and processes and basically take ownership of building them a robust department. <A> An important question here is: do any of the question you want to ask have a non-negligible probability of changing your decision to accept? <S> It sounds like they might, but if not then the decision that is facing you is whether to accept, renegotiate, or reject the offer. <S> If you feel you have enough information to decide to accept, then you should do so; the remaining question can wait for the "orientation". <S> Obviously, if the answers to the questions have a good chance of swaying your decision in this regard, then you should ask before accepting. <S> You should omit questions that don't contribute to an accept/reject decision. <S> As you've tagged the question with "professionalism", professionalism isn't about projecting false confidence. <S> A professional will ask for more information/clarification when needed without apology. <S> Even if you "should have" thought to ask the questions in the interview, being a professional isn't about not making mistakes, but it is about rectifying them as they become apparent. <S> Now asking these questions "later" may make you look less experienced and that might negatively impact their decision to hire you, but it won't make you look less professional unless you do it poorly (e.g. by asking questions that they have answered or asking questions in a manner that requires more of their time than necessary). <S> You probably care about getting a job more than some abstract notion of "professionalism", but I'd argue that an experienced professional can find themselves in the situation you're in, and that they'd act as above. <S> Based on your comments, it also sounds like they have some reasonable understanding about your level of experience, so that also suggests that this wouldn't factor negatively for you.
| I would want to make sure all of your questions are answered before making such an important decision. I wouldn't say it's a bad sign per se, but if you've got a lot of concerns about a workplace than you need to ask yourself whether it's the right role for you or not.
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Being made to come in early for work I work at a spa in England and we are supposed to come in for a morning meeting at 9:45am or 11am depending on shifts. Which is fine because it means you have more time in the morning to get up and what not. However, our paying work hours start at 10am and 11:15am. These are the times we greet our first clients. Not only have we come in and sat through a meeting but we also have set up our rooms and technically already started work. The excuse management give for this is that if we want to do our jobs well we will come in early and start the day off right and that these meetings are important. We also get told off if we are late which seems unfair since we aren't getting paid for that time anyway. This is £45 a month that I am not getting. Anyone got any thoughts on how to solve this? Im working on contracted hours as an employee and would be happy to go through Citizens Advice Bureau if I have all the right info on how to proceed. <Q> Anyone got any thoughts on how to solve this? <S> That depends on your goals, your sense of how your boss might react to some pushback, how averse you are to 15 minutes of free work, and how badly you need this particular job. <S> You could decide that this just goes with the job and leave it be. <S> You could choose to complain to management about the unfairness of this and ask if they would consider paying you. <S> (In my part of the world you usually need to be paid for all the time you are required to work. <S> Check your local laws. <S> Consult a lawyer or other counsel such as ACAS or Citizens Advice.) <S> You could choose to skip the meetings and just come in ready to start at 10:00 or 11:15. <S> Management may not like that. <S> This is £45 a month that I am not getting. <S> It's only £45 a month if you end up getting paid for the extra 15 minutes. <S> If the end result is that are told you don't need to come in early, then it's £0 a month. <A> It seems that the UK, where you are, has quite a messed up system for this. <S> Fact is, they don't have to pay you for overtime as long as your pay per hour is at least the minimum wage. <S> For example, if you are supposed to work 4 hours at £10 an hour and get paid £40, and you do 5 hours for £40, then your hourly wage is £40 divided by 5 hours = <S> £8 per hour. <S> As long as this is above the minimum wage, it is legal. <S> However, that's not the end of it. <S> I'll assume that your management is right - these meetings and setting up everything are important - but because they are important, and because they are for the benefit of the business, they are work . <S> They are not overtime, they are part of your ordinary work and must be paid. <S> It's not overtime just because your management says so and is too tight to pay. <S> You only have overtime if you need to work longer than your contract says because of a business need. <S> And the business being unwilling to pay you is not a "business need". <S> Otherwise, every business would change everyone's working hours from 40 hours a week to 20 hours work and 20 hours overtime for half the money. <A> Unless you are being paid in 15 minute increments, then I would think that your meeting times are part and parcel of your working hours for which you are being paid. <S> Or can be viewed this way by your employer. <S> I would think pushing this point might be detrimental to your employment status in pragmatic terms. <S> I won't go in to legalities because I'm not a lawyer, nor familiar with the UK. <S> So this is general. <S> Regardless of the laws if an employee of mine started complaining about morning meetings, I'd start looking for a way to replace them before they hurt morale. <S> It's only 45 pounds to the individual, but if I have 10 employees that's 450 pounds <S> I'd have to pay out, that I didn't previously. <S> Simplest solution would be to get rid of the troublesome employee.
| You could choose to seek legal recourse to try and force the company to pay you for the extra 15 minutes.
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Negotiating tech consulting compensation as a student I am now a full-time student, but I took some time off of my degree and worked full-time as a software engineer at a U.S. tech company for a low-100k salary. I was contacted by an executive at the company about consulting for him in a technical role, and I am not sure how much I should charge for this service. He hinted that this number could be as high as I wanted because of the value I could bring. What's the best way of determining how much to ask for? Should I ask to be paid per hour, project, or, say, the entire summer? Are there any good data sources for figuring out the national or state distribution for equivalent work? <Q> Putting a price on a service can be very difficult to do sometimes because you need to find the right price to show the service is of quality for what you pay but also not too cheap. <S> People will pay more if something seems to good to be true and potentially a waste of money. <S> Look for similar services online and try and get some free quotes to. <S> You need to price yourself based on time as opposed to general knowledge other contractors can also provide. <S> They're paying to have you spend your time helping them after all. <A> If "low 100k" means for example $105,000 before any deductions then the daily rate would be $105,000 / 150 = $700 per day according to my rule of thumb. <S> But that's for a typical contract that would run for 3 months at least, so if they only need your services for a few days, the daily rate would be considerably higher. <S> Also, if you have unique knowledge that nobody else has, that would justify a hire rate. <S> For example if you were one of two developers of a product, and the other developer just left and nobody other than you has any knowledge of the product. <A> So, what you need to do is work out <S> what your competitors are pricing, and use that as a rough guide. <S> All this "price based on what you were earning before" is rubbish. <S> True story - after one year of work in Australia, I moved to London, looked at consulting prices there, and ended up with a salary that was about 8 times what I'd been earning in Sydney. <S> I don't know what this guy wants you to do, but your best bet is to look at - and I haven't worked in the states for a while, so YMMV, but look at dice.com, along with hired.com, toptal.com and just phone up recruiters in the area this guy is working and ask them what a solid salary for a very smart contractor is. <S> Don't mention your number of years, or if you do say 5-10 <S> (I mean, phone a few and you can use different numbers, or ask them what the range is on experience). <S> And then pick the median of all those numbers <S> , that's probably a good bet. <S> If in doubt, think about 500/day in a small town or 1,200/day in a big city (SF, NYC). <S> Daily rate is always clearer and limits the hours you work (8), but if you want hours just take whatever number you come up with and divide by 8.
| Shop around and see what others are offering and then decide how much your time is worth. For contracting positions, my rule of thumb is that 150 times the daily rate should be the same as the annual pre-tax salary for a full time employee.
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Can I ask for more money after a second offer? I'm a software engineer with 1 year of experience, in addition to about 5 years working in public affairs. I've been offered a job as an engineer with a company who had listed their salary range as 25-35K. After an interview and a trial shift, they phoned to offer me the job with a salary of 31K. When asked how I felt about that number, I said "It's a little lower than I was anticipating - can I take the weekend to think about it?". They came back with a formal offer letter about 2 hours later laying out pension details, holiday (both of which are reasonable), salary review every 6 months, and a package of 33K. My question is this: given they've already revised their offer once, would there be a chance they would rescind their offer if I asked for 35K? Being so junior I appreciate that they really don't need to be paying me the top end of their bracket, and I don't want to be seen to be greedy or high maintenance - it's just that this really doesn't represent a significant uptick in salary for me, and I've been frustrated about leaving money on the table in past salary negotiations. <Q> My question is this: given they've already revised their offer once, would there be a chance they would rescind their offer if I asked for 35K? <S> Yes, there's a chance. <S> At some point the company will decide they don't want to play any longer. <S> Then the company will either decide to say "No. <S> This is our final offer. <S> Take it or leave it." or will decide that you are no longer worth playing with and move on to the next candidate. <S> The problem is that you may not be able to tell if you've reached the endpoint, nor what their next move will be. <S> You've talked with them and worked with them - perhaps you have some sense of how badly they want you. <S> So you have to decide if this particular job is worth risking in order to get 2k more. <S> I like to go into negotiations knowing in my own mind what I would like, and what I'd be willing to settle for. <S> Since you already told them that their original offer was "a little lower" than what you wanted, and since they sweetened their offer "a little", I suspect they are at or close to their limit. <S> So certainly there is a chance they would up their offer, and there is a chance they would not. <S> You get to decide your personal risk tolerance. <A> You could but tread carefully. <S> They've already increased the offer once so they may think you're just trying to milk the job offer for as much as you can. <S> It really depends on the person giving the offer as to whether they feel you've appropriately justified the salary or not. <S> You may find that asking for even more might make them think twice. <S> Additionally they may want to check in with you and make sure you're really worth as much as you've asked for if you get hired with the higher salary range. <S> Pay ranges with a gap like that tend to be there to account for juniors ( 25k ) and for seniors ( 35k ) depending on who they get and who they want. <S> It's up to you <S> anyway, I'd stick with what you have and <S> then when you have a review and you've proven your worth, then ask . <A> If at any point in your discussions with them you have mentioned that your expected salary is 35 K, then I think it is okay to gently remind them if they can consider your original request. <S> If you have never mentioned that number before <S> then I think however you put it, you may sound greedy about it. <S> In general I think countering the salary once during negotiations, which you have already done, is right but should not do it second time. <S> (If you really care about the job). <S> Also, in my experience, in long term companies even out salaries as per their standards anyway. <S> That is even if you are able to successfully negotiate now, if they eventually think that they got the bad end of the deal or other employees at your role and level are being paid lower than you, then your next increment can get effected. <S> They will just average it out with time. <S> So you may also want to decide based on how long you are planning to stay there.
| My personal opinion is that with 1 years experience, they might feel as if the higher range of the salary might be a bit too much and they may want to see you work first and prove yourself before reviewing pay. You can play the "I'd like a little more" game as many times as you like. In the past when I felt that the offer was close, that I still wanted the job, and that I was willing to take the risk of losing this offer, I would say something like "If you could make if 35k, I'd accept the offer right now."
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Impact of mentioning in an interview that the cause of leaving the previous job is a significant change in management? It is well known that during a job interview, one should not rant against the previous employer when asked the question why the candidate left the previous job. There are plenty of questions and answers on this very site about it. However, if one was very happy in a job for several years, but a sudden change in management (boss leaving and being replaced with someone else, company being bought, or some reforms in the company which shifted its culture and goals, etc.) made one unhappy, is it wise to mention it, or should one stick to the bland "looking for new opportunities" answer? Can a generic "I was happy there for a long time, but there were big changes in management recently which made me concerned" style answer be given without sounding like a rant or a stab at the previous company? <Q> Can a generic <S> "I was happy there for a long time, but there were big changes in management recently which made me concerned" style answer be given without sounding like a rant or a stab at the previous company? <S> That's not the right approach. <S> The change in management wasn't the problem. <S> Instead, it's what the new management did that made the workplace one that no longer met your preferences. <S> So it would be okay to talk about the change in management as a lead-in, but the real story is how the nature/culture of the workplace changed, what you didn't like about it, and what you are now looking for. <S> If you just left it at "the management changed" then a prospective employer would rightly conclude that if management changed in their shop that you would leave. <S> Instead focus on the changes brought about by the new management. <S> And make sure that you aren't conveying that "all change is bad" but emphasize the specifics that didn't fit your needs. <S> Finally, tie the potential employer in to your thoughts. <S> Explain how what you are seeing/ <S> hearing about them meshes well with your idea of a terrific work environment. <A> As someone who was in this exact situation 3 years ago, it's important to talk about why you're leaving your previous company. <S> Otherwise, you'll end up at a place just like what you're leaving. <S> That being said, you must obviously do this in a very careful way. <S> Otherwise, you will be seen as ranting and negative. <S> So what you say should be specific and, to the extent possible, positive . <S> Here's what I mean. <S> You know what you did like about the job before the change in management, so focus on that. <S> "We had a mission-driven culture. <S> I liked being organized in cross-disciplinary scrum teams. <S> I appreciated having flexible hours. <S> Then a new management team took over and I no longer like the work environment." <S> You will receive fewer offers with this strategy. <S> This is a good thing. <S> The kind of company who doesn't want <S> you <S> because you like flexible hours is the kind of company <S> you don't want to work for . <S> (Obviously, insert your own likes.) <S> Remember: interviews are just as much about you screening out companies you don't want to work for as companies finding candidates they want working for them. <A> Some people are very good at sniffing out deception, even if you think you're good at equivocating. <S> In a case such as this, generalize. <S> I'd personally say say something like " <S> Since a major management restructuring, the company has taken on a new, vastly different culture and in many ways I don't recognize it as the company I joined. <S> It's not that they're a bad company as such <S> , it's just that <S> I like I've been traded to a company that is so different in almost every area that I feel the time is right to seek new opportunities, something that is, once again, a better fit." <S> That straddles the line between saying why you left without saying anything bad about the company. <S> It's important to remember that any employment relationship is two-way. <S> They have to be a good fit for you, not just you a good fit for them. <S> When there are significant changes, sometimes there is no longer that good fit <S> and that's ok . <S> The bottom line is say nothing bad about the company and in fact talk it up a bit. <S> It's a great company but "after some soul searching, i've decided that it's not for me any more <S> and I'd like to move on. <S> I'd have no problem recommending someone who wasn't looking for the same culture I am to apply there. <S> " And stuff like that. <A> I think you should definitely convey the primary reason behind you leaving without ranting. <S> Instead of saying you were 'concerned' may be you can say you 'did not agree' with new culture or direction. <S> You do not have to point out or emphasise that they were wrong instead simply that it did not match your career goals. <S> There are two reasons for this according to me. <S> You sound more convincing and confident if you are telling the truth instead of making up a reason you yourself do not believe in. <S> This is also fair in the company that they exactly know what makes you happy and can make an informed decision. <S> Otherwise you yourself are in the risk of having the situation repeated. <S> I just got out of a pretty similar situation where the role and direction company promised me <S> changed significantly because people who interviewed and offered me the role moved away. <S> For all my interviews after that I made it clear why it did not work out in last company. <S> I did not bad mouth them <S> but I was very vocal that there are somethings (like the technology I work on) which I am very particular about and want to make sure it does not happen again. <S> I do not think any company took it negatively <S> and I got my next role fairly quickly. <A> My advice is for you to be "comparative," rather than "negative," about the management changes at your old company. <S> The reason this strategy works is because you have something positive to say, about your old management. <S> So what I would do is to discuss the things I liked about A, the old management, and why I don't like B, the new management, as much. <S> To tie it all together, I would point how and why C, the company you're interviewing with, is more like A than like B, and is now your company of choice.
| Don't say anything specifically negative about management but rather the effect of new management and how you see the company now. I think t's very important to answer why you left and to be as honest as possible.
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Can I pursue a degree and career in I.T security as a felon? I am 23 years old and a recent convicted felon and my charge is misuse of a two-way device. I was a paramedic before I got into some trouble, and I cant go back into the medical field. I.T security caught my eye and I was wondering if I can pursue that career in my situation, or what careers I can pursue. I want to know that I'll be able to get a job before I start pursuing a degree because I don't want to waste my time and money in a field I won't be able to get a job in. <Q> Almost certainly not. <S> You're basically uninsurable for liability purposes. <A> You may want to try and cultivate contacts in the security field who could better advise you. <S> Both groups will tell you if they think you would be wasting your (and their) time. <S> For that of course I would consult a lawyer. <A> If you can get your record expunged, I would suggest that. <S> Otherwise, network with people. <S> A good connection can open doors normally closed. <S> I've gotten several jobs that have required degrees, of which I have none, but I'm damn good at what I do. <S> If the felony has nothing to do with a breach of security or theft, you MAY be able to overcome it, but at best it is a longshot. <S> Sometimes people who go into "ethical hacking" can sneak in with a conviction if they have high enough skills. <S> IF this is a passion for you, you may want to try freelancing for smaller companies. <S> They are less likely to do a background check and care more about results than a big company with set procedures. <S> According to stack exchange law, you may be able to answer "no" as to a conviction if it has been expunged, but I'd consult a lawyer to make sure. https://law.stackexchange.com/questions/3572/if-someones-record-has-been-expunged-can-they-legally-say-that-they-have-not-b
| You can't pass a background check and that would disqualify you immediately for any job with the word "security" in it. See if there is a job fair in your area that is highlighting security jobs, or the professors in a security program and ask them. I assume you have already looked into this, but if this was your first offence I have heard of programs that can get your record expunged after a certain amount of time.
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Just started a new job and I screwed up big time - How to best come back from this? I just started at a high-intensity company doing graphic and web work. My boss had worked with me before at a third party company and loved my work, and offered for me to come on board full time with him. Right now I'm working part time while my 2 weeks notice from my current job. I had to do some changes to the website, but I both misunderstood what he exactly wanted and some links I had created were messed up, and my boss is saying that's why we didn't have any sales yesterday (even though it was easter). How can I best come back from a big screw up right off the bat? <Q> Own up to it. <S> State exactly what the mistake was, how you fixed it <S> (or how you plan on fixing it if the fix is non-trivial), and how you will prevent something like this from happening again. <S> I can't guarantee that it won't affect your hiring process but taking accountability is the way to handle this like an adult. <A> I came across a similar situation, due to a technical issue of mine with a third party, so that a large number of customers got affected and the number of customer complaints was really large. <S> Here is what happened <S> : I found the issue and fixed it, I knew it is was mistake. <S> Everyone was pointing at third party team and blaming them for the issue since they have bad service history and they were having a maintenance operation at their end at that time. <S> Nobody knew that the issue came from my side <S> and I knew after fixing the issue nobody would insist on knowing the root cause. <S> There was an argument going on in my head whether I should speak up and tell them that the issue was mine and I fixed it <S> or I should keep quiet and let it go since the issue was already resolved <S> and I could simply get out of it. <S> Here is what I did, I sent a mail to the third party company informing them that the issue was from my side and that it is fixed. <S> I send another mail to my team including the managers showing my apologies about the case. <S> Guess what, I received a thank-you email with the following from the general manager: <S> “I am proud of working with colleagues like you!! <S> My sincerest appreciation for getting to the root cause and finding out where we went wrong. <S> It is only with this attitude we can succeed. <S> Once again thank you very much for the excellent service provided” <S> I was very happy to receive such a mail but as Myles said, there is no guarantee, that it will work for you. <S> Just to give the complete picture I have a good history with this manager doing quite a good job for years. <S> But anyway honesty is the best option in all cases even if you think it is not. <A> I agree with Myles. <S> If you try to hide it, or get defensive, it'll just make it worse. <S> If you get defensive, you're baiting him to try harder to explain why it's your fault. <S> If you get ahead of it, and explain what you did wrong, you'll essentially make it unnecessary for him to have to tell you why it's your fault <S> (ie, he'll have no reason to yell at you if you're already telling him what he's going to say. <S> And you'll look like an adult for doing so.) <S> Everyone makes mistakes.
| Own up to it, and get ahead of it.
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How should I deal with a subordinate who keeps complaining that others in the company give him no credit for his work? I'm the boss of a team and one member of the team does notably outstanding work. However no matter how much I recognise his hard work, others in the company ignore the quality of his work and the speed in which he delivers it. My subordinate is losing morale and looking to work elsewhere because of this. Recently, other bosses started to send out e-mails relating to work my subordinate and team delivered, but thanking others for the success of the project. I acknowledge others were involved in the project but as my subordinate keeps reminding me, the other teams would have nothing if it weren't for us. My subordinate keeps forwarding these e-mails to me with a complaint that we didn't receive any credit and I would like to resolve this issue quickly. I've mentioned this issue to my boss who seems to acknowledge it is an issue but isn't interested in doing anything about it. <Q> Bear in mind that what the employee is lacking is appreciation. <S> It's a basic need for almost everyone, and some people feel the lack of it more intensely than others. <S> In view of that, here are a few ideas that could help, depending on your work situation: 1. <S> Send around a group e-mail. <S> Send an email to the bosses saying something along the lines of <S> , I want to take a moment to recognize and express appreciation for the hard work and tireless effort of our fellow worker Mr. X. Without his aid, project ABC would have been totally impossible. <S> Detail <S> how his work was not just important, but critical, for the project in discussion. <S> Obviously, make sure your subordinate gets a carbon copy. <S> :) <S> You could even finish the email with something along the lines of: <S> Once again, I want to express my deep gratitude for his labours. <S> If you have a moment to express your appreciation to him, please take the time to do so - as I have already detailed, the project would have been utterly impossible without his efforts. <S> 2. <S> Talk to other bosses in person. <S> Personal interaction is a major key. <S> If you cannot interact personally with the other bosses, you will be severely crutched. <S> Don't be afraid to say something along the lines of, " <S> If you have a moment to express your appreciation to him / her, I know it would mean volumes to him / her. <S> 3. <S> Talk to your employee <S> Be sure you don't just brush over the other bosses' actions; that will only put you in the same boat as the rest. <S> But also, don't focus on their actions: this will only make his / her frame of mind more focused on it. <S> Rather, focus on the good work (s)he has done. <S> If (s)he brings up the emails, look concerned; tell him / her it does concern you, but give the other bosses the benefit of the doubt. <S> Just my two cents (which rounds down in Canada) , <S> but I hope it helps. :) <A> Recently, other bosses started to send out e-mails relating to work my subordinate and team delivered. <S> If there is such a thing as a "weekly boss meeting", bring the issue to them. <S> Explain that one of your highest performers suffers from a strong need to be recognized, and that whenever they get the occasion, they should add him to congratulation e-mails. <S> If you are close to one of the bosses who have worked with him, you might ask him whether he would accept to have lunch with the guy - not just to give him congratulations, but to get to know him personally. <S> He will probably feel honored by the invitation. <S> I understand your boss does not care, but maybe he could do that to improve the self-confidence of the employee. <S> You could try to understand why the employee needs such kind of congratulations, but chances are that he, as an individual, simply needs acknowledgement, and this is unlikely to change in the short term. <A> Typically this is how it would have been handled in my company. <S> Make sure you genuinely feel your team member deserves recognitionand reward (irrespective of his medical conditions). <S> Do not feelpressurized by his complains or personal situation. <S> You have to beneutral and objective here. <S> If you want to recognize him, call a meeting with the entire group (including other bosses and their respective teams). <S> If possible try for an occasion where this bigger group is meeting anyways such as all-employee meeting. <S> Then stand up and recognize your team member for all his work genuinely (Assuming you can fit this in the agenda). <S> If you have authority to give a monetary award you can do that too. <S> After you handed out your award, send an email to this group recognizing his efforts again and copy to senior management (yourmanager and their team). <S> Talk to your subordinate after all this and make him realize that you have gone out of the way to recognize him. <S> He should now realize that this is the best you can do and what other bosses do is out of your control. <S> He should be happy that as his manager you are standing up for him.
| Take the time to mention the work that your subordinate has done, being sure to give him / her all the praise, not taking any for yourself. Put them in as good light as you can by suggesting possible valid motives, while not in the least discrediting the actions. Personal interaction is critical here.
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Is it ok to contact a company recruiter with questions about a position? One of the recruiters of a particular software company recently posted a note on a job listings Linkedin group that they are recruiting for a particular position, but there were no additional details. The recruiter stated that if someone is interested he can contact him. The position does not seem to be advertised at the company's careers page nor at some job board, so the details are not available anywhere. I'm interested in hearing some more information, but I'm not sure I will apply so I'm a bit dubious about whether I should contact him. Will it make a bad impression if I contact him and don't apply (i.e. my application will be frowned upon if I decide to apply sometime later). Is it ok to have a conversation with him about the position and say that I am not interested right now if that is the case? P.S. To make it clear - the recruiter is working for the software company, not for some recruiting agency, etc. <Q> Ask for more information. <S> If you're curious about the job details then get in touch and politely ask for more information because it piqued your interest. <S> That's the reason they posted the job information on a group in the first place so they're expecting people to ask about it. <S> Go over the job details and decide if it's something you'd be interested in and if it isn't, get in touch with them again and just say that it's not right for you. <S> You're looking for something else. <S> They're looking for a new employee, they're not looking for a new friend so don't worry about hurting their feelings. <S> Be professional and polite and tell the truth; say it's not what you're after and move on. <S> It happens all the time and sometimes people know beforehand that the job is not right <S> and they just want to double check. <A> The recruiter stated that if someone is interested he can contact him. <S> What more do you need to know? <S> Being interested doesn't obligate you to apply for the job -- you're interested enough to have questions, and presumably you might apply if you like the answers, and there's nothing wrong with that. <S> (If you wouldn't apply under any circumstances, then you wouldn't have questions in the first place, right?) <S> Is it ok to have a conversation with him about the position and say that I am not interested right now if that is the case? <S> It's perfectly fine. <S> The recruiter's job is to fill company jobs with great people. <S> An essential function, then, is to tell anyone you about the job(s) <S> that interest you. <S> If you decide it's not for you <S> everybody wins: you don't risk ending up in a job that's not right for you, and they don't end up interviewing (or hiring!) <S> someone who'd rather be elsewhere. <S> And there's always a possibility that it'll be exactly the right job for you and vice versa. <S> Will it make a bad impression if I contact him and don't apply <S> (i.e. my application will be frowned upon if I decide to apply sometime later). <S> No. <S> Chances are, they won't even remember you unless you remind them that you've talked before (and perhaps not even then). <S> Even if it turns out that the job in question isn't for you, there may be other spots that would be better suited to you, or the recruiter might know of positions that will be opening up in the near future. <S> If you think you'd like to work for the company, it only makes sense to reach out to them and explore the available options, and a company recruiter is exactly the right person to contact. <A> Literally a recruiter's only job is to make contacts with the people he recruits from. <S> Even if you decide not to apply for this job, he's building a rapport and relationship with you, and may find something else that's a better fit in the future. <S> A good recruiter is happy to do so.
| Any recruiter would be happy to talk to you if there's a chance that you might apply for an open position. Just ask and you'll be alright.
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What is the concept of a "personal brand" and why do companies put so much emphasis on it? I'm currently nearing the end of my degree and I'm going through the process of applying for various graduate programs in my field (technology). A common question amongst all the companies that I've applied for is "What is your personal brand?" or some variant of this question. I generally fumble through these kind of questions and answer with a couple of my personality traits and say that I'm passionate about my chosen field and progressing it even further. But I'm never 100% sure if this is what the interviewers expect when they ask for my "personal brand". Most recently I've been invited to an assessment centre where I literally need to present to everyone in the room on the topic of "what is your personal brand?". So, what is this concept of "personal brand" that companies are talking about and why is it so important to them? <Q> As a graduate recruit, the companies won't focus too much on your tech skills because, to be blunt, you barely know anything and are thus a blank canvas to be molded into shape as quickly as possible to add value to their business. <S> So for values you could say things like: <S> I aim to produce efficient, well-designed code for desktop-based businessenvironments. <S> I want to be known as "Mr Web App" because of my expertise in web application design. <S> I want to focus on data analytics and become an expert at flexible multi-dimensional schema design. <S> I want to become an expert in Agile methodologies and how they are practically applied to business problems. <S> For ambitions you could say things like: <S> Within 5 years I want to be the person people turn to when they needsocial media network analytics done. <S> Within 5 years I want to be ableto design and implement a scaleable cloud-based micro-services gridfrom front to back on my own, knowing that I am doing things theright way for the business. <S> Of course, as the commenters on your question pointed out - if you're wanting to do purely tech stuff, a place that is asking about your "personal brand" may not be the best fit for you. <S> In my own experience, companies are needing fewer purely technical people and more technical people who have soft skills. <S> The days of being a loner, coding away in a basement are gone - the world is quickly becoming made up of coders who can actually talk to and work with people. <A> So, what is this concept of "personal brand" that companies are talking about and why is it so important to them? <S> Personal branding is the ongoing process of establishing a image or impression in the mind of others about an individual. <S> The idea is to gain recognition of your name or brand associated to your work ( or what your all about ). <S> Personal branding is the application of one's name to various products. <S> For a thorough review of the subject, check out this article: Personal Branding <S> This article also had an interesting take on the subject: Neil Patel <A> This is your opportunity to learn about the first-level recruiters in the company. <S> If, after this, you still want to work for the company, find an engineer who will recruit you directly and bypass the non-technical aspects. <S> If none exist, the company is not a good fit for you (based on your asking the question). <S> You can see my personal brand is fairly evident in this answer...
| "Personal brand" boils down to a set of values and ambitions that express your career goals at that point in time and give insight into who you are and who you want to be.
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Unproductive in my new job, and feeling inadequate There has been no progress in my professional growth since I started my current job. After begging and struggling, I finally got a project into the mainframes healthcare domain. I find this project not only complicated, but there's nothing new or current to learn in that. In spite of that, I started to learn it, but I didn't find my team very supportive. Below are the highlights: My lead never assigns any tasks for me. I make effort, but there has been no progress in the way people opine about me. They think I am a failure capable of doing nothing. It so happened that I was reviewing the requirements documents for the application enhancement, and I forwarded them to my office e-mail address from the client's machine, since my machine usually gets stuck or doesn't work. My colleague literally shouted at me about this, and went desk-to-desk to humiliate me. My manager and my leads scolded me, saying that I have come from a small company where they may not be following any ethics, but ours is a big company. I was warned that one more mistake would cause them to get rid of me. Thereafter, my lead hasn't assigned me much work. But when she does, I try to complete it but somehow with the application I am usually stuck, and I need help. My peers straight away refuse to help (but this happens occasionally not every-time. I do get help, but not for everything.) My manager now has told me to keep him posted about my task status every two hours. I have told him several times I don't get tasks that frequently. What should I do then? I have lost my confidence, efficiency, and my biggest hope which used to be my performance at my job. Is there a way I can salvage this career choice? <Q> This environment does not seem to be a good fit for you at all. <S> You should not have to beg, as you put it, for work to do. <S> ( The other key to what you should is that your job has already been threatened . ) <S> Remember its always easier to find a new job when you have one currently, so do not do anything rash to get yourself fired before you can move on by your own hand. <S> As mentioned in the comments, once you find a new job, work out your notice period and move on to what will hopefully be a better place for you. <A> No one sidelines a productive developer who's new to a team without cause. <S> From my gut feeling, there's some critical piece missing here in this story. <S> I can't tell from the text if the OP was employed and put into a project right away, or if the OP was employed and then put on the bench for a while. <S> I've been in situations where a person's actual skill level was discovered -- after hiring -- to be severely less than was actually needed for the position. <S> The OP's comments seem to allude that this is the situation. <S> Qualified people don't need to check in with the manager every two hours to report status, but highly underqualified people (i.e. trainees) do. <S> The co-workers might be refusing to help the OP because of either: a perceived, or actual, lack of initiative on the OP's part. <S> a perception that the OP feels entitled to interrupt others for help all day long. <S> both of the above. <S> So if this is the case, then apparently no one is interested in "saving" an underperforming team member, and <S> the OP is going to have to either dig herself out, find a new job, or wait around to get fired. <A> The most probable cause of this situation that you were employed for a task, for which meanwhile became clear that it is not needed (customer has step back, some yet bigger boss regrouped some human resources, anything). <S> They won't admit it to you, instead they are trying now to utilize you for some another task. <S> If they are unsatisfied with you, it should have also other symptoms such as negative feedback, not nice talks with coworkers/leaders, etc. <S> If there aren't, they aren't unsatisfied. <S> Another possible way is that somebody (typically, some lower level leader who decided your employment) doesn't like you, you were employed without his acknowledgement, and now he is working on your firing behind the walls. <S> In this case, the company is badly organized, which is a red flag. <S> If you get some negative feedbacks, and you know that they aren't true, but you can't prove it, probably this is the case. <S> It doesn't really matter, what is in the background. <S> And don't worry, probably you won't ever know it. <S> But it is not even important from the viewpoint, that in any case you should do the same: <S> still try to do some useful look for your next job in the background. <S> Don't do anything which would make the forces behind your firing easier. <S> Be nice, polite, positive, try to do what seems the best. <S> Don't think that it is the apocalypse if you would be fired, instead make it so hard as you can. <S> The company tries to defend his face for your false employment, if you show cooperativity now, it can be only useful in the future (and it makes a black point on the reputation of the .... <S> who is firing you). <A> The purpose of @codenoir answer not to personally criticize you. <S> He was just trying to tell you to look down to yourself. <S> by your story, i think there are only 2 possibilities. <S> either your team has already more than enough member, or you are useless for the team <S> (your presence has no effect on team). <S> You can't always hope for others to treat you with kindness in this cruelty world. <S> there are sayings " <S> If you're easy to yourself, then the world's gonna hard to you. <S> If you're hard to yourself, then the world's gonna easy to you" <S> if you really want to survive in your job, you need to quickly learn how to use the application you usually stucked on. <S> search for it on internet, you can learn from there. <S> other way i can think of is by asking for private mentoring from one of your colleague, for it to work, you need to build friendship, sometimes money can 'buy' friendship. <S> go treat them for lunch, karaoke, anything. <S> if they like you, you will get more chance to success.
| I would suggest you do the best you can on your current job, and begin a new job search as soon as possible.
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Should I be allowed to credit myself as author in code I wrote Some background info Prior to my employment, two people worked in my position previously. One of them wasn't liked very much and the other wasn't very good at his job (as stated by my supervisor and other employees). They were tasked with developing a new website for the office. They never quite finished the project before leaving to go to college. A couple months later, enter me. I'm tasked with "cleaning" up the code. It took approximately 2 minutes to realize this wasn't going to be an easy task. The code was horribly written. We're talking random tabs and spaces in places they don't belong, hundreds of lines of CSS code embedded in the HTML files instead of being put in separate stylesheets. Poor and confusing naming conventions and confusing folder structure. I decided to back up all the contents in to a single folder and start rebuilding it from scratch. I did this for about a week so I had a presentable project (trying to keep everything as close to the original as possible) before asking my supervisor which version they liked more. They very much approved of my version after inspecting both for some time and I was now tasked with developing the new website based on my version. The Dilemma We're now nearing the release of the website to the public. I've written thousands of lines of code from the ground up keeping only what was necessary from the original. I was told I could comment crediting myself as author in the files I wrote. Today I was told that one of the previous employees would be coming back for the summer and I need to remove all the comments crediting myself as author in my code not to upset this returning employee. I don't agree with this but obviously complied anyways as I'm in no position to challenge the decision. Should I be allowed to leave the comments crediting myself for my work? <Q> You do what your boss says. <S> Author comments are only used for "Blame" anyway. <S> You should be using a version control system, and the logs of the VCS will show everything everyone did, anyway. <S> There are more tools to parse VCS logs out there than you can shake a stick at. <S> And if this kid is coming back for the summer - Who cares? <S> They'll see what you did, and your comments should explain why. <S> The fact you were assigned to clean it up indicates that your management already respects your judgment over theirs. <S> The fact that your manager cares means this is more political than practical, so you probably want to just go along with this. <S> When the kid comes back, just go over the changes, and explain why it is the way it is, now. <S> Don't deride what they did. <S> Just explain why you did it your way, and ask if they need any help "working within the system. <S> " <S> Keep any emotion out of it. <S> Remember - we <S> ALL wrote terrible code when we started out. <S> You're just further down the road. <A> "Author" comments in source code are truly a real waste of time in a team setting where lots of hands are going to be modifying the code. <S> In a professional setting, the source control system tags who's done what. <S> For a web site, the end-user doesn't care who wrote the code, but only that it works to satisfaction. <S> In the long run, it's probably best to put ego and getting credit (smile) aside and focus on what actually makes money for the business. <A> I guess to find a final answer, you would need to have a lawyer look into your contract. <S> But assuming it's not different from 99% of the other contracts, then "credit" is just a nice thing to say. <S> The code your wrote on company time belongs to your employer. <S> Nobody else. <S> Your name on it is purely cosmetically and probably only allowed inside your company anyway. <S> From a company perspective, having your or your colleagues name on it is both equally superfluous. <S> So "should you be allowed" is something that your manager can have an opinion on. <S> Like "should he get a cookie" or "should I smile". <S> In the end, it's meaningless. <S> Your manager will probably weight your unhappiness against the other guys unhappiness and make a decision that's in the company's best interest. <A> You have been clearly told to remove the comments, so whether we think it should be "allowed" is immaterial. <S> If you have concerns about your name being removed from the comments, you should raise them with your manager. <S> If you comply with what they ask of you without saying a word, they wouldn't know (or at least they can pretend to not know) of your concerns. <S> If you decide to take this up with your manager, focus on how this affects <S> you (for example, how your efforts may not be easily visible), or even better, how it affects the project (for example, people having questions will contact the other person who has to bear the additional overhead of redirecting to you). <S> You should not ever badmouth the other person to have your way. <A> Should I be allowed to leave the comments crediting myself for my work? <S> You don't own the code - your company does. <S> If you had written the code on your own, and then sold it to your company, you could have sprinkled the comments with your name as many times as you might like. <S> But this code was written for your company, and they get to decide what to do with the comments, and any other part of it.
| If you're writing great code, nobody is going to question who's doing what, because the work will speak for itself. You could ask, but that's not your decision to make.
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Does a company director's personal views represent the company? A company director makes some controversial comments, say on a social media platform such as Facebook or Twitter. These comments are made from their personal account in their personal time, and have nothing to do with their work or the company. However, their profile lists their job title as, "Director at ...". Do these personal views represent the company in any shape or form? <Q> Do the personal views of a company director represent the company? <S> If the company director is using a company account, or has used the company name or branding as part of their social media identity, then it is quite possible that the comments will be construed as representing the company. <S> By your description, these comments are on a personal non-branded account (although they do include the company name in their profile's employment status, this is not necessarily using the company brand), so situation one applies. <S> However: They can still cause problems for the company While the company director's comments are not a representation of the company, they are a reflection of that company. <S> Depending on exactly what that director said, the company's brand could become severely damaged merely by association. <A> From a legal standpoint, putting a suitable disclaimer stating that the views do not represent the company may be sufficient to keep the company away from consequences. <S> However, that depends on local laws and often also on what exactly was said, and can best be answered by a local lawyer. <S> The general public, though, may not care about such disclaimers. <S> People rarely compartmentalize things like those based on logical rules. <S> In fact, it is nowadays more common for controversial statements to be dragged out of context to suit one's personal agenda or to score political points. <S> If the CEO of Acme Corporation says, "I absolutely hate X group. <S> All X group people should just die in hell. <S> Of course, this is my personal opinion, Acme Corporation is always delighted to serve X group people." <S> , I cannot imagine group X people thinking, " <S> Oh right, that's just his personal opinion, so <S> no problem, let's buy a lot more stuff from Acme to delight him." <A> The phrase "these views are my own and not those of employer" are there to protect the company, they are not there to protect the employee. <S> They allow the company to distance themselves from the mild opinions of the employee. <S> But if the linkage between the employee and the company is strong, or the comments/actions of the employee are especially toxic then the company will have to discipline the employee. <S> That discipline could go as far as termination, but would be based on the contract or employment agreement between the employee and the company. <S> The level of discipline, and how public the discipline is, is related to the level of protection the company needs.
| That depends: If the company director has made it clear that they are using a personal social media account and that "their views are personal and any comments are not as a representative of the company", then they are almost certainly not representing the company.
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How can I prevent my employees from gaming a reward points system? I am making an app for my beauty salon, which will eventually replace the conventional loyalty card. I plan to implement a reward points system. Every service or treatment will carry points. When a customer collects enough points, they can redeem the points for free services. Besides writing receipt note or invoice, my cashier will also update the transaction to the customer's account via the app. The app would then send a notification to the customer's mobile phone, and they would collect the points when they accept it. I would face a problem with this approach because I still have random guests come in and get the treatments or services. The cashier could game the system by creating false names and giving the points to their friends or family. How can I prevent such gaming? <Q> Firstly, update their contracts to ensure that tampering with points is not allowed and against company policy. <S> That should add a handy preventative measure to the whole thing first and foremost <S> so they know it's wrong to do such a thing. <S> That way you know that 10 points were given to Mrs Smith for xyz service. <S> You could also implement a review aspect to the system where random people validate each other's actions and spot check certain points. <S> Ensure there is a paper trail for every transaction and points awarded. <S> This will help make the system safer and also is just generally a good business technique. <S> Lastly; hire honest and hard working staff . <S> There may well be times when staff award family points legitimately <S> and you should not penalise them for that. <S> You can help prevent this kind of thing <S> but sometimes there will always be someone who finds a way to cheat and manipulate the system. <A> Hire honest people. <S> I mean really, your question boils down to "How do I stop my employees from stealing from me?". <S> If the worker is honest, they won't. <S> If they aren't, they'll steal in one way or another. <S> Trying to solve social problems with technological solutions generally leads to failure. <A> I'd assume that checking the app vs the date of booking in the registry would be a simple way. <S> If the customer was not booked into the system for that date and time, no points would be sent.
| Next, you should look into making sure that each transaction is validated with a receipt so there is a paper trail of why points were added. You just need to ensure that everything is checked and that staff are honest and doing the work professionally.
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Is it okay for an intern student to add co-workers on LinkedIn? I'm currently a student on an co-op term. I work in a fairly small team and my term is about to finish up. Since this is my first intern experience, I was wondering if it would be appropriate for me to ask my co-workers if I could maintain a professional network with them (such as adding them on LinkedIn). If so, any advice on how to go about asking would be appreciated! <Q> Just build a network, you will never know when it will come in handy! <A> I was wondering if it would be appropriate for me to ask my co-workers if I could maintain a professional network with them <S> It's perfectly appropriate to invite anyone who you think would add value to your network. <S> Depending on how you worked with them during your internship, and how they feel about you, they may not all accept your invitation. <S> Don't take that personally. <A> You could attempt to add them immediately after you left. <S> That way, who ever wants to connect can do so - and whoever doesn't aren't socially pressured into doing so. <A> Absolutely! <S> Not only do I think it's OK <S> , I think it's an excellent way to start building your network. <S> Internships don't always get counted as real work experience by interviewers, but if your new network contacts from your internship endorse your skills, that might help you when you go out for your first real paid gig. <S> Showing that you have not only passed classes in which you learned something, but can actually apply it in a real work environment is going to help put you ahead of someone with similar credentials. <S> Also, I would love for interns I've worked with to add me to their network. <S> When I'm working with an intern, it's part of my job to act as a mentor in both technical skills and professionalism/career-building. <S> If I've done a good job of that, having interns that I mentored in my network can help me as much as it does them. <A> For the coworkers you just want to stay casually connected with, just send them the invite. <S> One other thing you may (should) be thinking about when building a network is references. <S> In your job search, you will be asked to provide references, and it's proper etiquette to have had some conversation with the person whom you put down before they get the call. <S> Leaving an internship is the perfect time to have those conversations. <S> You may start the conversation with "Hey, do you mind if I add you on linkedIn" but end with "Do you mind if I put you down as a reference in my further job searches?" <A> I disagree with most answers about the fact you don't ask, specially in the case of using my personal mail . <S> If I gave you my personal mail, it's not to give it to some sites/ <S> anyone without my consent (like a phone number). <S> Those sites may start to spam me or sell it eventually to some advertising spammers. <S> So I would prefer that you ask me first. <S> Note that probably not most people would care about that, but in doubt, ask. <A> Yes, it's perfectly normal to add coworkers on LinkedIn, especially if they're already members. <S> The fact that you're an intern doesn't really matter - you still worked with them. <S> You don't really need to ask in advance of sending them an invite IMHO. <S> Honestly, I'm not sure what their incentive is to refuse or object (I certainly wouldn't). <S> Being connected with someone on LinkedIn is very different from being a Facebook friend, for example - being a Facebook friend tends to imply a certain kind of social connection with someone, but there's less of an implication of a particular social relationship (beyond some kind of professional relationship) for LinkedIn. <S> (I'm connected with a fair number of headhunters that I maybe worked with once, for example; that's actually fairly common in my industry). <A> As your term nears its end, you can send out an email which thanks your co-workers for the internship, details how much you loved it, and say that you'd like to keep in touch. <S> Include your personal or student email address (whichever is more professional for you) and a link to your linkedin account. <S> If you are closer to some of your colleagues than others, let them know you want to connect on linkedin before the internship ends. <S> Then, send out those invites. <S> If any of your colleagues seem particularly active on LI, just send it out.
| I think you can just add them on LinkedIn without asking permission or talking about it face to face.
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Is a company within its rights to not pay employees for mandatory training? My girlfriend went to a three hour meeting required by her company and was told by her supervisor that she'd be paid. After the fact, she found out she wouldn't be paid. A fellow employee reached out to the main office to ask why they weren't being paid and was told since it was a "mandatory training" they didn't have to pay them. Are there any legal guidelines to protect employees from this sort of thing? This is in the US, Louisiana to be specific. Edit: she's paid by the hour and is treated as a contractor. I didn't think about that originally, sorry not to have included it sooner. Also this is a smallish (spanning maybe 10 cities) company, there isn't an HR dept that she's aware of. They get state funding if that matters at all, just wanted to make sure I included everything. <Q> This probably doesn't apply to exempt employees: <S> Does my employer have to pay me for time spent on required training? <S> Yes. <S> If you are required to attend a training program for work, you must be paid for that time. <S> For example, if your employer requires all new employees to attend an orientation training or requires current employees to attend sexual harassment training, that time must be paid. <S> If you have to travel to take a training program offsite, your travel time must be paid as well. <S> For more information on your rights to be paid for time you don't actually spend working, see Nolo's article When Work-Related Activities Count as "Hours Worked." <A> There is some ambiguity with the term contractor, so I'm going to assume that she invoices the company for the time she spends working for them rather than <S> that she is a term employee that is on contract. <S> She should invoice for time that an employee of "Your girlfriend Inc" spent on a task requested by the company. <S> That's how business works. <S> If they fail to pay her invoice, she should escalate the issue, through management and to court if required. <S> This sort of nonsense with contractors gets a lot of companies in trouble, especially when there is no HR department. <S> Either they are contractors and are treated as contractors OR <S> they are employees and they are treated as employees. <S> Mixing of these expectations will eventually lead to deviations from labor or contractual law. <A> http://www.employmentlawhandbook.com/flsa/fair-labor-standards-act-when-meeting-and-training-time-is-considered-hours-worked/ <S> Louisiana follows the federal laws and doesn't have laws specific to their own state. <S> If the meeting is voluntary, then the employer is not required to pay.
| If the employee is in fact an employee and not contracted or otherwise exempt under FEDERAL laws, then they have to pay for any mandatory meetings or trainings.
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Accepted a job offer, but another position within the same company has came up which suits my skills more I received a job offer from a company 3 weeks ago, I accepted the offer and am due to start in August. In the meantime, a new position within the company was advertised, and is more suitable to my goals and current skills. Could this look bad if I contact HR and ask if they could consider me for the other position even though I accepted an offer for another? <Q> Does it look bad to ring HR and ask could they consider me for that position even though I accepted an offer for another? <S> Updated based on additional input from the OP <S> It depends greatly on the company and the differences in the positions. <S> But yes, it could look bad. <S> In your case though, I would say the risk in asking is pretty low, so why not ask ? <S> The risk of a negative reaction in my experience goes up with the level of the position which you are applying for. <S> For your consideration, the potential risks and reactions of asking Don't be surprised if you decide to ask if the company wants you to stay in the position you already accepted . <S> The hiring manager may think "Ok, the candidate ( you ) are already prepared to move on from the position they originally offered and you accepted. <S> Does this person really know what they want ?" <S> And finally, the company may just move on from you all together , which I have seen happen in the past. <S> These are points for your consideration, to assist you with weighing the risk of the inquiry, regardless of how small the risk may be. <A> Could this look bad <S> Yes, for two simple reasons. <S> Firstly because they have been to considerable trouble and expense to offer you a job already which they would still need to fill. <S> Secondly, you're basically saying you're not really all that suitable for the job they went to all that trouble vetting you for, yet you happily applied for and accepted it. <A> Reading through the answers, I'm beginning to think this is would be a bad idea, too many people seem to have a skewed perception about this, so read the following with caution. <S> Since this seems to be a entry level position, your skills aren't that big of a deal. <S> However your goals are. <S> I would first check if the position appeared after you got the offer ( maybe you missed the posting) and if it really appeared after, ask to be considered! <S> The following points must be part of your request: <S> you just noticed the new position your skillset covers both jobs in a reasonable way <S> you have a preference for the new offer based on future career paths <S> you acknowledge the time and effort they put in the recruitment process for the first job <S> you will have no issue continuing on the first offer if they don't consider you for the new one. <A> You can always ask them and see what they say. <S> However, you'd also need to check local laws and what you and the company can do relating to job offers being accepted and processed. <S> Although this might not be as much of a problem as you'd just be switching roles as oppose to leaving etc. <S> If you really feel strongly then you can ask. <S> The worst thing they can say is no. <S> But if you provide solid ground for why it'd suit you more and that you'd have more of a beneficial impact for them, I can't see why not. <S> But you'd have to ask. <S> If you can live without the other role then just keep to as you are. <S> Don't wait too long though. <S> Give them plenty of warning you wish to change and outline why. <S> Don't wait until the eleventh hour. <A> If you ask, here's what I would recommend: <S> First, wait until you get settled at the company. <S> At least a few weeks or months. <S> Before you ask, check to make sure that the job hasn't been filled yet. <S> Frame your question in terms of "What does the company need? <S> " <S> Propose that you might be more valuable as an employee if you were transferred to doing work that closely matches your skill set, but make it clear that you are happy to continue with your current work if that would be more helpful for the company.
| It depends on the company as to whether they feel the same way about you being more suited to a role or not. From another perspective, the company could react more negatively than you may anticipate.
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Privacy in bathroom at work I have an issue with the privacy in our bathroom at work. The bathrooms at my company have really big windows and go down to the waist when you sit on the toilet. The problem is that these windows are milk glass windows and you can see the silhouette of the person in the bathroom and everything he/she does in there. I know that because vis-à-vis is another companys office and I once saw a woman there using the bathroom and I was shocked about how much you could see through these windows. My problem is, I don't know how to address this because I think nobody knows it or is bothered by it. I would like to address it anonymously. My suggestion would be to paste some type of foil on the windows to make it not so transparent anymore. We just got a survey about the noise level at work and there is also the question if we have any other problems at work and I would like to post it there. Do you think this would be the right place to name my issue? <Q> We just got a survey about the noise level at work and there is also the question if we have any other problems at work <S> and I would like to <S> post it there. <S> Do you think this would be the right place to name my issue? <S> Yes, this is the perfect place to do this . <S> I would also suggest that you not do anything that could be seen by others as defacing the property in order to gain a bit more privacy. <S> The owner of the building needs to make the change. <S> But at the end of the day, the issue you have with privacy in the bathroom may not get addressed. <A> In some places a choice is deliberately made to trade off bathroom privacy against the ability to commit crimes in bathrooms. <S> In particular, if your building ever housed a school or child care facility bathrooms may have been deliberately modified to remove the privacy to have sex or use drugs undetected. <S> (If the bathrooms in your building are shared with another company the requirement may still exist.) <A> I would strongly suggest against doing something as putting foil over a door, most people probably wouldn't know the reason it was done <S> and it may cause some complaints if the foil damages the door. <S> What would you do if someone caught you in the act of doing it? <S> This needs to be raised with either your HR department or facilities department (The ones who deal with looking after the building), but doing this anonymously could prove tricky. <S> Do you have a reason as to why you don't to this in a private meeting with another department? <S> Other suggestions on how to submit the complaint are: <S> Use the survey you've received to note the complaint <S> If your company has a suggestion box, drop in an anonymous note <S> A warning about doing it anonymously, if nothing gets done, you have little way to follow it up later. <S> Sometimes these companies need badgering to get it done and if they receive one note, it will be forgotten. <S> This is why I would strongly suggest you don't do it anonymously. <A> You can start by adding it in this "other problems" section. <S> If you notice nothing is done about the problem, you can always send a mail to the facility manager to address the issue. <S> Personally I think you can do this in your name, just mentioning you feel uncomfortable.
| If they happen to own the building, they definitely can make a minor adjustment to add a bit more privacy. I am not sure what your company can do about it except make a request to the building owners.
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It is unethical to "game" resume-scanning algorithms? I am currently at university and interact with Career Services on a regular basis. One of their recommendations was to place "buzzwords" on your resume in non-obvious locations so that you have the benefit of dropping these words without contorting the overall textual flow. One example of this would be to place words like "object-oriented programming", "user interface", etc. in small white text around the margin. These words, while not visible to a human reading the printed document, would be detected by an algorithm scanning the resumes for applicable terms. According to Career Services, this is a widespread practice that allows you to just get past whatever robotic filters big companies use and get your resume to a real person. I have done this to some degree and have sent out resumes to several large companies. An interaction with one particular company, however, has scared me somewhat and led me to question this practice. A few weeks after submitting a resume to a large tech company I got a very angry email from a recruiter. This recruiter accused me of "hacking" to get past the filter because my resume (apparently) did "not match the template for an acceptable document." He mentioned specifically that the resume did not contain information about "web design," which was included among the invisible words. Just to be absolutely clear I have not done any hacking other than the inclusion of these invisible words and, additionally, I only included words which actually related to my previous experience . That is, I do mention web design in the document, I just don't otherwise have the words "web design" written in that specific order. That is, I wrote "I have designed a website which..." This was something of a scary interaction and it's caused me to question the wisdom of using the "hidden buzzword" practice. My questions are: Is it ethical to include such text in a resume? How should one react if an employer discovers the use of such tactics? <Q> .. <S> specifically that the resume did not contain information about skill X, which was included among the invisible words. <S> Yes this is another place where Career Services give poor advice (usually it's on resume format, attaching photos, handing over resumes by hand with some gimmic, all really bad advice). <S> ATS (Application Tracking Systems) are a constantly evolving thing, and they got wise to the invisible keyword idea long ago <S> (I'm a hiring manager, you wouldn't believe what I've seen over the years). <S> Likely all the text had the format changed to be visible (rather than the white text on white you likely had), maybe even your resume was just attached to an email as a text file, and up came a list of keywords you added to match. <S> This would be seen as underhand, it's worse when you've put matches in which you then don't back up in your resume, some people get away with doing this by putting in synonyms for real experience just to ensure they pass the keyword match process (but I bet you guessed that, as if you had the skills you wouldn't need to hide additional keywords to pass). <S> Better to find a (truthful) way to show the required skills (even if it's maybe a bit of a stretch), rather than an outright falsehood. <S> You need to be sure that, if asked at interview, that you can show actual experience, keyword bombing will have you out the door quickly when it's obvious <S> you're a time waster. <S> You will likely now be on the company's <S> Do Not Interview list for acting in a dishonest manner, don't be in this position again. <A> One test is whether you would still do it if everyone involved were going to know what you are doing. <S> For the resume case, even if you do consider it ethical, it can annoy readers. <S> Annoying people involved in processing resumes for a potential employer is not a good job search strategy. <S> In your case there seems to have been little or nothing to gain. <S> You say I said something along the lines of "I have designed a website that..." and then included the phrase "web design" in the invisible words. <S> Suppose you put this in your resume, with no hidden keywords: <S> Web Design : I have designed a web site that ... <S> You would have got the initial hit on "web design". <S> When, as a result of the machine hit, a human searched your resume for the words "web design" they would have immediately seen the right paragraph, and got on with deciding whether your web design experience justifies considering you for job opening N. <S> As it was, the search missed because the keyword was hidden, unnecessarily annoying the human. <S> You also ask: <S> How should one react if an employer discovers the use of such tactics? <S> About all you can do is not waste time looking for openings at that employer. <A> Is it ethical to include such text in a resume? <S> No it isn't ethical, <S> any sort of subterfuge or 'gaming' can be rationalised but isn't strictly ethical. <S> In this case it's a blatant attempt to gain advantage through knowingly adding invisible information. <S> If you could make a card that would allow you to take money from an ATM that isn't yours, you 'gamed' the machine <S> but you wouldn't think it ethical unless you had a very strange set of moral values. <S> This is regardless of whether you get caught or not.
| It is very difficult to prove something is unethical.
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At which point can you list something as a "skill" on your resume? How much experience with a particular product/technology should you have to be able to list it as a "skill" on your resume? For example, for my side projects I experiment a lot with various tools and server software. I wouldn't consider myself an expert with those, but if given a task and and adequate time I would most likely be able to make it work. Is that enough to be able to list those as a "skill"? Is there some standard level of experience at which it is accepted to list a particular technology on your resume? <Q> How much experience with a particular product/technology <S> should you have to be able to list it as a "skill" on your resume? <S> There is no rule regarding what you can list as a "skill" nor how much experience you must have for inclusion. <S> List any skills that you honestly believe you possess and which will help attain the job you are seeking. <S> But be prepared to answer questions about that skill. <S> If a skill is important to a job, interviewers will dig in and ask questions to probe the depth of your skill. <S> As an interviewer, it's pretty easy to detect when someone is faking it, or doesn't possess the level of skill that would be warranted for the job at hand. <S> And when I'm interviewing candidates, I tend to mark down anyone who is either clearly faking it or who thinks their level of skill is far above what my questions actually reveal. <S> Sadly, that seems to happen a lot. <A> If you can make a technical (as opposed to sales or marketing) presentation on that skill for an hour and keep people without any skills in that area interested, then I think it is okay to write that as a skill on your resume. <S> Just look at YouTube videos on variety of skills. <S> I do that for learning lot of technologies. <S> (lately it has been IoT on Raspberry pi). <S> The videos which have kept me engaged for an hour (or even more than 20 minutes) are people who I really think are skilled in that area. <S> Day I can make a presentation similar to that, I would put it on my resume. <S> It is still possible that skill is not sufficient for your job <S> but that is something the interviewer would have to decide. <S> You can be just be confident from your side that you are not faking it. <A> You can list a skill on your resume when you wouldn't "mind" being called upon to perform that task. <S> "I experiment a lot with various tools and server software. <S> I wouldn't consider myself an expert with those, but if given a task and and adequate time I would most likely be able to make it work." <S> That's good enough, IMHO.
| If you would fumble to answer even basic questions about a skill, you are probably better served leaving it off of your resume.
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Can they deny me a Leave of absence for surgery? I work in Texas, USA, as a salaried manager. I recently had back surgery and had no issues at work. 5 months later, I need neck surgery (non work related.) My employer is stating they will not grant me a leave of absence. I'm losing the use of my right hand so the surgery is an absolute must. What options do I have? <Q> I'm losing the use of my right hand so <S> the surgery is an absolute must. <S> I think you have already answered your question. <S> If surgery is an absolute must, then you only option is to tell your employer just that. <S> Go to your manager and tell them: I need surgery to avoid losing the use of my right hand. <S> I will be unable to work for about x weeks. <S> How can we best handle that? <S> The key point is: You do not ask for leave. <S> You just state the fact that you will not be able to work - <S> no matter what your employer decides. <S> What happens now will depend on your employer. <S> There is the Family And Medical Leave Act (FMLA), but I don't know if it would help you (you could ask on http://law.stackexchange.com/ ). <S> However, a reasonable employer will probably not fire you right away. <S> You are presumably valuable to them (otherwise why pay you), so they will try to find out if there is a way to keep you. <S> Then you can start discussing options. <S> Maybe it will help if you schedule surgery for a quiet time. <S> Maybe you can train someone else to take over your duties during your absence. <S> Maybe you can transfer to a different project that starts later. <S> Or something else entirely... <S> Of course, it may turn out that they cannot possibly grant you the leave you need - then you will have to quit. <S> Even in that case knowing this well in advance will help you to make the transition easier. <S> But you won't know unless you ask. <A> If you have vacation/sick time you can take that without telling them what it's for or you can tell them either way the company owes you that, so I'm guessing you are out of time in the bank. <S> They also may allow leave without pay, but based on your comment that isn't an option either. <S> Short term disability, FMLA(Family Medical Leave Act) are your next two options. <S> The company may or may not pay while out, but they cannot penalize you for taking it in either case. <S> You need to go through the process of getting medical orders from the doctors indicating the condition and the need for the leave of absence. <S> You can then fill out the paperwork necessary at your company to go through it. <S> Legally in the US they cannot reject this, but must adhere to federal and state laws regarding this. <S> Short term disability specifics are related to company policy based on the insurance plan setup. <S> You'll need to review your insurance policy through the company to find the specifics regarding that. <S> FMLA <S> You can read about here: <S> FMLA <S> and you will also want to find any references to this in your company policy. <S> It is alot rarer now for even large companies to pay FMLA leave, but they can't discriminate against you taking it and can't give your job away (permanently) while you are out. <S> There are loop holes in it though, mostly involving individual response and finding "legal" methods to lash back at you. <S> Be sure to be 100% sure on all your records and the time out and the time at work and also your job performance when on the job. <S> If you have great job performance and the only thing against you is your FMLA time <S> it's illegal to do anything regarding your employment based on that. <S> That really sucks to be unable to use an arm... <A> Is it your employer <S> that is denying the leave, or just your manager? <S> Whatever the legal situation, it's hard to imagine any employer seriously asking an employee to choose between his job and the use of his hand . <S> If they wanted you gone, it seems like it would be safer to simply fire you rather than wade into the muddy waters surrounding FMLA, ADA, and <S> whatever state regulations there may be. <S> So I am thinking it is one neurotic or ill-trained manager in your chain of command. <S> Consider discussing it with higher-ups, if such exist. <S> Ideally, you want to inform the manager before going over his head, but you are about to lose this job anyway, so do it with or without his permission.
| Talk to your employer, and offer to make concessions where you can. They may decide to fire you right away - in some jurisdictions you have protections against that, though I don't know about Texas.
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What to put in "reason" when asking for days off for job interview at another place? I need to take a couple of days off for a job interview I need to fly to get there. What should I say at the "reason" part that won't make it too suspicious? <Q> This is precisely the reason you should never give any more details than absolutely necessary when asking for time off. <S> Just say "personal time" for every request you make, and then you don't need to lie in this scenario, because you just put "personal time" again. <A> Don't give away facts you don't want to give away. <S> Use "I" liberally, but never "you". <S> This leaves you with the reason "taking care of personal/private matters". <S> Looking for a new job is a personal matter, and "personal matter" is open enough to include almost everything else you could possibly do. <S> "Family matters" would be a lie. <S> If someone keeps nagging, stick with it but not so that it gets aggressive or defensive. " <S> Which personal matters?" - "Well, personal ones!". <S> If they do not get the point after that flippant answer, your next escalation would be "I really do wish to keep this private." <S> Be friendly while delivering that line. <S> Do not say something like "I do not want to tell you" (whenever you use the "you" word you open yourself up for attack, or sound <S> overly defensive - invoking the impression that you have something to hide). <S> For me, it would be inconceivable that someone keeps nagging after that. <S> You can repeat the last line ad nauseam if they do (well, obviously not..., but you get the gist). <S> If they keep asking then there is something else going on and you are beyond the scope of a cookie cutter answer like this; you'll have to find out how to weasel out of it yourself. <S> But what you said before does not put you in any attackable position. <A> It may depend on the laws in your country. <S> In germany the boss can simply deny you days off for a specific time period for a good reason. <S> On the other hand he must give you days off if you need them for a job interview (even if you have used all vacation days for this year).In <S> this case things get tricky and the only way seems to be telling him the real reason.
| The same advice as for every situation in life: Don't lie. Do not say "family matters".
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Is it normal for a manager to laugh at new employees? It's my first time posting on this forum. I was wondering what people's experiences have been when they asked their manager or superior about the dress code (usually right at the beginning when they start working at their new work place). When I began working at this particular company, I had to sit down with the general manager on my first day to learn about the ins and outs of the company. I was asked at the end if I have any questions and I asked if there was a dress code and she kind of laughed and said "no." After our meeting, she came out of her office and literally at the top of her lungs told the entire office staff about how I had just asked her about the dress code while laughing at the same time. I felt so embarrassed that she did this and had no choice but to sit quietly in front of my desk and let the laughter subside. I no longer work at the company but to this day, I don't know why it was funny to ask about the dress code or why she had to announce at the top of her lungs to the entire staff about my question. The company organized music festivals and where I worked was in an office space. The kinds of clothes people wore weren't exactly casual but not too formal either except when there were receptions to mark the start of a festival and also working at the box office at the venue where the festival took place (I found this out much later on the job). Has anyone experienced something similar? Is what the manager did a "normal" thing, in other words, is asking about the dress code really a laughable question to ask managers on the first day at work? What did I do "wrong" here to invite ridicule because that's how it came across to me when she yelled in front of the whole staff about my question. Thanks in advance for any feedback. **Hello, this is the original poster here. I just took a look at my post since I last visited this page and so much has been changed. As I wrote at the start of the post that I'm very new here so I don't know how it is that my original post has been changed by others. Certain sentences were deleted as well as my original title has been changed. When I put my title in, I didn't get a message saying that it's not an appropriate title to put in. Also, this post is now on hold. I don't know what that means but I simply wanted to know if anyone out there has experienced something similar to mine. Reason being, the experience was so painful that I pushed it deep inside and just recently, something triggered it back to my memory. It's been eating at me and I've decided to confront the pain that was so deeply buried. I see now how much of that experience has shaped the way I have behaved at work as well as in my personal life. I've never shared the experience with anyone because of the pain attached to it. I always thought that this experience was something that was uniquely mine, in other words, there was something wrong with me and that others probably didn't go through something similar. But when I decided to confront the pain, a question popped in my head to re-think whether this experience was just unique to me. So that's why I decided to ask if others out there have experienced something similar, and also to see if anyone can shed some light as to what I'd done wrong (if any) or any other perspective that I haven't thought about. I've been living with this pain for a long time and it was just me with my own thoughts about this experience. I thought that by asking people out there, I might be able to verify if my own thoughts or assessment about this experience is "correct" or not. As to the comment someone had put in about whether I asked the manager or other co-workers about the experience, the answer is no. I think if I had brought it up, I would have exposed myself to further ridicule because obviously the manager didn't see any "validity" in asking the question in the first place. There was someone else who said that I should have observed how people are dressed prior to asking. The thing is, when I sat down with the manager to hear the ins and outs of the company, there were only a couple of people including the manager in the office. I had just arrived at the company and went straight into the manager's office as that's what I was told by the "middleman" (I wrote about this in one of my comments below) to do. So I didn't get a chance to "observe" other colleagues and their attire. Also, since it was a company that organized a festival (mostly classic music) I wasn't sure if staff needed to "dress" when they needed to briefly pop into the venue to drop off supplies (like box office stuff) and what not. I just wasn't sure what the "culture" or code was in terms of attire. In any case, as I said, I don't know what it means by a post being on "hold" so I don't know if this post gets shown in public again, but I just wanted to take the time to thank those who have taken the time to read and respond to my post. Thank you.** <Q> No, it's not unusual to ask about dress code on the first day, and yes it is unacceptable for a manager to ridicule any employee, <S> even more so if it's their first day. <S> However, you said this was a company organising festivals <S> and it sounds like it's a small company. <S> I can easily see the culture at such a company being so far from "corporate" standards that a question of dress code seems laughable. <S> This may have been her (rather poor) attempt to emphasise a more relaxed culture. <S> Or she could just be a bully who enjoys embarrassing people and you were an easy target. <A> However, it might happen that you get a bad boss who just likes to do this kind of thing. <S> Sometimes you don't have to do anything wrong for people to be act like jerks. <S> There wasn't anything else you could have done, either - although you should be asking about the dress code at the interview or before your first day. <A> I feel there are two things that need to be addressed here. <S> The first is whether or not asking about the dress-code is acceptable. <S> At least it shows you realize there might be one <S> and you're not sure if you're meeting it. <S> Better to fix it late than never. <S> The second is whether it's acceptable for a manager to publicly ridicule you for asking a question. <S> The answer to this is a simple <S> "No, this is never, ever acceptable and a huge red flag". <S> Being publicly ridiculed for mistakes generates a toxic work environment where people would rather sweep problems under the rug and keep their head down over working together to repair mistakes and improve the general running of the company. <S> Even if it was a stupid question, the manager should have just privately told you that, and left it there. <S> That's the professional way to handle it. <S> Because if you had known you'd be publicly ridiculed for asking, you probably wouldn't have asked at all, and then the (potential) problem would have persisted much more than it should have. <A> It is a completely normal question to ask. <S> I usually observe and just try to dress about the same degree of formal/casualness, and then ask a colleague when I am about a week in. <S> Your past manager's response is totally uncalled for. <S> Do not be bothered by it. <S> I am glad that you have left that place. <A> It's a perfectly normal question to ask, and embarrassing someone for asking it is certainly not a normal response. <S> That being said, from your question I doubt there was malicious intent. <S> Unless the manager truly did turn out to be a nasty piece of work during your time there, I strongly suspect it was just a misguided attempt at humour.
| While it's usually something you do during (or even before) interviews, or you can read about in your contract once you have one, it's not a weird question to ask on your first day. No, this is not usual behavior for a boss to do this.
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Omission of "second job" I just started a part-time "second job." I had omitted my previous "second job" from my resume, but I inserted my primary "first job." Would the above omission be grounds for firing? <Q> No. <S> Your CV is accurate. <S> There is no reason to fire you for not adding all the jobs that you have had. <A> Would the above omission be grounds for firing? <S> No. <S> The only issue might be holding a second job when doing so is against company policy. <A> No. <S> A resume is not a sworn statement or a formal job application. <S> Everyone trims their resume down and tweaks it to show your experience which is relevant to the job you are applying for. <S> If I am looking at your resume, I do not care about your second job delivering pizza when I'm looking for a systems administrator. <S> If I saw such a thing, I would wonder why you included it. <S> Your resume or CV serves one purpose: to show a potential employer that you have the required skills and talents to do the job. <S> Now, this changes if you are asked to fill out an application, which is an official document and you are instructed to list all employment. <S> These days, many applications will say on them "Please list all relevant employment, so even formal documents may not care. <S> I would not worry about this at all. <A> You won't be fired, the worst that can happen is that your employer loose some trust in you for hiding the information, depending on the reasons of your omission (drug use, violence, etc). <S> If you have been fired for this, omission might get you into trouble.
| But if you haven't been fired for these kind of reasons it shouldn't be a problem, just be ready to have a good explanation if your new employer finds out. You can decide which job(s) to include on your resume and which job(s) to omit.
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Boss about to scold and demand more of me I am in quite a difficult situation at my workplace and I’d like some objective opinions. I am an engineer at a startup company. I work between 10.5 to 11 hours a day, not including 3 hours commuting. It’s very difficult, but so far I manage, somehow. Until not too long ago I’ve worked with team A and my boss was Alice. But now another team in the company—team B under Bob—has a lot of work and stress coming. Since I have a very particular set of skills, they asked Alice to “lend me” to them for the near future, and she agreed and so did I as I find the work on Bob’s team to be more interesting. Sadly, Bob and I don’t see eye-to-eye on working hours. I feel that I am at the limit of what I can do, it is a huge burden on me and I don’t want to sacrifice more than I already have been. Bob doesn’t agree, and it has been brought to my attention by a co-worker that after I left today (at 17:30, after 10.5 hours of intense work) that Bob asked where I was, and then said he will scold me tomorrow about leaving early and not working enough. How do I tell Bob I am not willing to work longer than I am, without antagonizing him? I don’t want him to fire me—and I don’t want to sound like a I’m a cry baby or spoiled—but I really am at the edge of my abilities working the schedule I already am working. It should also be noted that I am unwilling to start working later, as the traffic delays connected to that would be a huge waste of time for both me and the company. I start early to avoid the traffic, and I leave earlier than most because I start early. But I still work as many hours as everyone else, if not more. <Q> First, wait to see what Bob does. <S> If he gives you a hard time, take this directly to Alice and let her know what is going on. <S> If Bob scolds you about what's going on, explain your situation and mention that you already work more than 50 hours a week, and that you can always drop back to 40 if he wants you at specified hours, as the rest of the time will be spent on commuting during peak hours. <S> Don't be intimidated and don't let them bleed the life out of you. <S> If he insists, then get yourself "unloaned" to him because it will be HIS backside that gets burned for haranguing a employee with a rare skillset. <S> He has FAR more to lose than you. <A> This company is lucky to have you. <S> Don't be afraid to sound like a crybaby. <S> You need to push back. <S> If you need help with that, use this book: <S> When I say No, I Feel Guilty by Manuel J. Smith. <S> Don't assume you know what's written in there from the title alone, <S> read some of its Amazon customer reviews. <S> I won't repeat the advice of Richard U, which is perfect already. <S> Definitely, speak to Alice. <S> Push back with Bob. <S> You may even want to preemptively send a quick email to Bob telling him at what time you arrived the previous day (in case he doesn't know that already). <S> But in case you're willing to be creative without increasing your number of hours, stop commuting for a while. <S> Have the company pay for a nearby hotel, a good one. <S> Or have the company pay for a chauffeur, maid service, or a bunch of other things that would allow you to claw back some of your personal time so you can get more sleep and more resting time. <S> With the outrageous number of hours you're already working and commuting, at the level of concentration that is required of you, I assume you already don't have a family or a domestic partner to go back to each night. <S> My apologies if that's not the case. <S> Remember that you have all the leverage. <S> You have the work record and you have the skillset. <S> The other employees of that same company don't. <S> And hiring a competent replacement is probably far more difficult for them than you can imagine. <S> And even if they could, I would imagine they'd probably burn that person out too. <A> So this is, unfortunately, not uncommon among startups. <S> The entrepreneur(s) who start the company are passionate about it, they are devoted to it and can't fathom a world in which they aren't working in it and for it every waking hour of the day. <S> They try to find people who share the dream, typically in exchange for equity, and often hire people like yourself. <S> They can get tunnel vision focusing on the company and fail to realize the effort or dedication their employees are putting into the business. <S> Not everybody is an entrepreneur excited about working 80 hour work weeks, and <S> a good employer shouldn't expect that of their employees. <S> In situations like this, where the employer is upset with a hard working and skilled employee, it is important to calmly remind the employer of your skillset and your devotion to the company. <S> While you may leave "early" you're working longer hours than anybody in a normal work environment. <S> ~55 <S> hours a week (70 hours away from home including commute). <S> This is on par with someone who is running their own company, not working for someone else. <S> Bring with you some information about how long your days are and emphasize the sacrifices you're already making (in time and possibly salary?) <S> to work at this position. <S> If he still doesn't see eye to eye with you on this, then this is a red flag indicator that he is lacking in proper management skills required to run a smooth business and the company may struggle later on as a result.
| Nobody can force you to work yourself to death. The expectation that you should put in more hours is unreasonable, and furthermore your expertise and ability to provide quality work is diminished by the hours you work.
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Should I ask for more PTO as an entry level employee? I am considering two job offers for entry level positions straight out of college. They are essentially the same salary, but one of them has a more convenient location (company A), while the other (company B) would require a car and longer commute. I am therefore leaning toward company A. However, company B offered 15 days PTO (Paid time off), while company A offered only 10. Company A is a medium sized company (~2000 employees), and company B is large. Vacation time is very important to me since where I am living and will be working is across the country from any of my family. Is it safe to negotiate with company A so that I could have 15 days PTO even though I am entry level? <Q> It's perhaps worth asking the questions, they can only say no. <S> But personally I would opt for A as the time you spend commuting will more than add up to 5 work days over the course of a year. <A> Vacation time is very important to me since where I am living and will be working is across the country from any of my family. <S> Is it safe to negotiate with company A so that I could have 15 days PTO even though I am entry level? <S> You could ask for more time off, but be aware of how that may look to your potential employer. <S> You are an entry level worker. <S> While time off may be important to you, your employer likely wants to hear how important work is to you, how you want to launch your career, how you want to learn and grow rapidly and the value you can add to their company. <S> Indicating that time away from work is of primary importance to <S> you might be a red flag for some employers (it would be for me). <S> It might make for a poor first impression. <S> You might have enough leverage to pull it off. <S> The employer might want you to work for them so much that they are willing to change their PTO for an entry level employee. <S> But I'm guessing that won't happen. <S> When my company hired folks from a country half-way around the world, they typically took no time off the first year, carried it over to the second year, and then occasionally augmented that with unpaid time off. <S> This made their trip home worthwhile <S> and we considered that concession part of the price of hiring folks from that country. <S> But they never came in asking for that right away as a entry-level employee, in my experience. <A> Companies commonly trade off salary and PTO in negotiating with senior level candidates. <S> Most employers have automatic increases in annual leave with time on the job, and senior employees will have much more than the minimum, and want to keep it. <S> The hiring companies are used to it. <S> Your case is different. <S> You could explain that you have obligations or commitments that make you need more time and say that you would, of course, expect them to reduce their salary offer. <A> In your situation it might be wise to mention to Company A that you would rather work for them, but since your family lives cross country, and Company B is offering more PTO <S> you are unsure of what to do. <S> You can ask if there is any way that they could match that time. <A> If one job requires things that the other job doesn't (longer commute, a car), then they may offer "essentially the same salary" but they really shouldn't be considered "essentially the same". <S> Even if you're only talking $40 a week extra for gas, you're still talking $2000 a year. <S> And that doesn't even take into account the extra commute time - what is your time worth? <S> That being said, there is no harm in asking for what you want or need. <S> Negotiating is a part of the hiring process. <S> You may find that a company has strict rules that say that all new hires get 10 days and that is it, but you may find they have some flexibility - <S> but you'll never know if you don't ask. <S> I have found that PTO is one of those things that is more than likely set in stone. <S> It is often used to reward employees who stay with a company for a long time (i.e. 5 years = 15 days, 10 years = 20 days, etc.). <S> From a company's standpoint, it wouldn't seem fair to older employees who have been there for a while to have possibly less PTO than the new guy who just started. <S> And unlike salary, which no one will know unless you tell them, PTO is something that everyone sees you take. <S> If you're on vaca for 3 weeks then everyone is going to know that you have 15 days PTO. <S> It could turn into a morale issue at the company if they just hand out PTO in different amounts to different people they hire. <S> And if they were to give someone 15 days now, then they would probably have to give all those people who haven't reached that level (say 5 years for 15 days) that same amount as well. <S> So you're chances <S> don't really look good to me. <S> You'd probably have a better chance asking for more money; but then you're entry level, so I'm not sure that would be successful either. <S> You just have to decide if the extra PTO is worth the extra commute and live with that decision.
| If there is nothing distinguishing the jobs other than the PTO, then take the one nearer and use the time you would spend travelling, and the extra money that you are saving, to put back into your life, and career. You might also consider asking for unpaid time off, if the time is really what is most important to you.
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How to deal with co-worker that asks what i'm doing and talks idly? I have a co-worker that comes to me everyday and asks what I an doing and what have I completed. He comes in about once every hour and distracts me for 5 minutes. He isn't in my department and also not my boss. By the time I am concentrated again it's about 10 minutes lost every hour. It is quite embarrassing sometimes when he asks me what I have completed in front of my boss and then he reply's that'S all you've done, then states that I haven't gotten very far. I have tried to tell him to leave me alone in a non rude way. (Since my boss is there) The problem is i do not want to make it seem like i am not sociable, and don't want my boss to get mad since he comes in and talks. Things I have tried I told him I am in the zone please don't bother me. Also just ignoring him. I sit there with my headphone in he comes in, says something and i keep on working and he stands behind me for 2 or three minutes before moving on. EDIT We do not have the same boss. And he does bother me because he is bored, relatively small company. <Q> How to deal with co-worker that asks what i'm doing and talks idly? <S> By feeling compelled to reply to him you are enabling his activities. <S> The next time he comes by (presumably in an hour or less) <S> Keep your headphones on Keep paying attention to your work <S> Hold up one hand in his direction in a stopping motion and shake your head "no" Continue to do that until he goes away <S> Repeat this action hourly <S> (or whenever he comes in for his next chat). <S> When you are no longer in the zone and have free time where you actually want to chat, wander over to his space and chat. <S> If you don't want to chat during work hours, then don't. <S> In short, make him chat on your terms, not his . <S> And stop enabling. <S> Eventually, he'll turn his attentions elsewhere or else <S> it won't be a problem for you. <A> According to what you said, the guy is doing it just in front of your boss . <S> So, the next time it happens, talk directly to your boss (or take him in a meeting room for a concise 1:1 meeting): <S> The guy who just went to asking me what I am doing is bothering me every hour <S> and I just can't deal with it anymore. <S> Plus, this affects my concentration and thus my productivity. <S> Can you do something? <S> Or, there is always the headphones solution . <S> I admit it may be very hard to ignore someone standing just behind you, but what I do in such situations is: remove headphones from one ear <S> I do <S> not encourage to behave like this with normal coworkers because you will be seen as a really rude guy, but in this situation this may works. <S> Maybe this guy is just bored, but being firmly postponed several times will make him go away (or find another coworker to bother). <S> Ultimately, and at your risk, you can play his game: <S> Since you look like having a strong interest in my activities, maybe we can set up a meeting with you, my boss and I and talk about my workload, schedule, etc? <S> Talking to your boss Boss, what do you think about that? <S> This is almost agressive, but maybe he will realise he has nothing to do with your activities. <S> Including your boss may reinforce your position. <A> This still needs some more clarification. <S> So you are saying that you've implicitly asked this person not to bother you <S> but he <S> /she just keep ignoring it. <S> How exactly this looks like? <S> You are saying: "Please, leave me alone" and this is just ignored or you receive something like "Hm, no!" <S> as response? <S> Also you claim that even just ignoring this person does not help. <S> Once again - how exactly this looks like? <S> Like, this person approaching you, you don't answer and he don't give a flying F and keeps asking you till he finally gets an answer? <S> Understanding this is crucial for providing you any kind of advise. <S> Because from what you are telling it looks like that this person is inadequate to <S> the extent that there's nothing can be done other than firing him. <S> From your description he looks almost cartoonishly inadequate, just like, by the way, does your boss.
| say "I am busy right now, please come back later" before any answer, put again the headphones one both ears. With information provided the only advise would be to cease any attempts to interact with this person and to inform your supervisor, loud and clearly, that there's a situation you cannot handle by yourself, that this situation affects your work and needs immediate intervention. I think you have to talk about your boss about that.
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Colleague has the flu, sniffles and coughs, annoying me My colleague sitting next to me is sick, he is coughing, sneezing, doing the sniffles and it is starting to drive me a bit mad hearing him cough and sneeze every 2 seconds when I am trying to concentrate. I am aware that he is sick, and I am not sure how to approach him without offending him. Any thoughts? <Q> Hmm... <S> This one's not too hard. <S> I'm not sure about in the U.K. but in the United States its socially acceptable to walk up to them and just ask "are you feeling okay?" <S> or... "I noticed you're coughing and sneezing a bit, is everything alright? <S> " I've seen this plenty of times... <S> From your comments it sounds like this person is already going to be taking time off. <S> You could have approached the person and after asking how they're feeling, say "do you need to take a couple of days off?" <S> At the end of the day, you're the manager and you're looking out for this person's well-being. <S> You're also concerned about the well-being of other people in the department. <A> After a couple of days, you could approach your manager in confidence and explain the disruption. <S> Do you have phone meetings, or take calls from customers? <S> In past experience, my manager has been able to discreetly ask the colleague to take sick leave as the noise was interfering with these. <S> I've even known a manager to send someone home on the grounds that we work in a small office environment and the last time someone caught a bug, everyone else over time got it too! <S> Given the circumstances, your manager will know it's not a complaint about your colleague's overall capabilities and can hopefully explain it in such a way to him/her. <S> It depends on your work environment, but I've known colleagues to refuse to call in sick as they feel they are letting the team down. <S> Are there options to work from home <S> you could respectfully suggest if the noise persists? <A> Are there options to work from home you could respectfully suggest if the noise persists? <S> This one should be addressed by an HR / Health policy . <S> Where I work, if you are noticeably ill, you are required to either take a PTO day or work remote. <S> The company is not going to risk infecting the whole office so one person can come into the office and work. <A> I am aware that he is sick, and I am not sure how to approach him without offending him. <S> Advise them that they seem a little under the weather and it would be better for them to get home and have some rest. <S> If they can work remotely then let them work remotely and ensure they are paid for it. <S> They may not even be ill, they could have a seasonal allergy. <S> That being said, in all places I've worked, I've had one that allowed to work remotely <S> and they did it begrudgingly. <S> At my current place we are allowed one day to work from home remotely, the others are unpaid. <S> It's not something that I often see being pushed. <S> Often the employer would say if you're ill then take the time off to recover which is all well and good when you can afford too. <S> Here is the problem. <S> I myself don't get paid to sit at home so if I'm capable of getting my two sons ready for school/nursery <S> and I'm not bedridden, I'm going to work. <S> I myself don't like to do this <S> but I'm not in a position to lose a days wage when I have my mortgage/bills to pay and 2 young ones to feed. <S> I understand that people don't want ill people to come into work and spread germs but <S> chances are you're going to catch the cold anyway even if that person is at home. <S> People can be carriers of an illness and not show any signs of having it so if one of those people is in the office you're still open to catching it. <S> Obviously if you are really ill or have a really contagious disease then yes the right thing to do is take the day off. <S> I wouldn't come into work with smallpox for example. <S> I don't like sniffing. <S> It bugs me never mind the person who has to listen to this. <S> Personally I have head phones. <S> Being a developer I often wear these to drown out noise anyway. <S> Get a pair and listen to the radio from your PC. <S> Alternatively move to another location with a bit less noise.
| I think everyone in the office understands that it's not good to come to work sick.
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How to handle a Software Architect who doesn't seem competent I've been transferred to another department at our company lately. The team was going well but I notice they have some issues regarding with our Software Architect. On our team we are separated into two divisions which currently we are doing most of the front end development and on the other division which are concentrated on doing the back end API's (Back End Development). The two divisions meet only once or twice a week via meeting calls. Both divisions are separated geographically on two different countries. That's why we collaborate through calls and emails. We keep on getting the feedback results with the back end team on what have they completed on the past 2 months. The Software Architect on the back end team said to us that the back end was going well and they keep on repeating the same answer as we want their outputs that they haven't given it yet for the past month. Lately on our Division (Front End Development). We had a meeting with the back end team as well as for the project manager and business managers. My Team (Front End) raised our concern regarding what are the deadlines and project deliverables of our web project and as well as for the outputs of the back end team. We were really shocked that they have developed only two API for the past 2 months that is unrelated to what is agreed on the first place. Without any databases at all. Its very unimaginable. One of the project manager (from a different department) asked several questions with the software architect. Project Manager : What programming language did your team use on the back end API's? (Java, PHP, etc). Software Architect : Is that even important? Let me get to the team Software Architect : I have a quick question, what is Agile Scrum and why are we using it? Software Architect : Also we need the API source code from the (project manager's) department so that we can reuse the code from our end We were really in such surprise that he even didn't know what Agile Scrum is. As a member of the team, what can I do to make things go well with both teams? (Updated: We have talked it already with the business management and they seem to take the Software Architects side over our concerns) <Q> This is a bigger problem than just the Architect. <S> You also have an ineffective PM. <S> We keep on getting the feedback results with the back end team on what have they completed on the past 2 months. <S> The Software Architect on <S> the back end team said to us that the back end was going well [but] they haven't given it yet for the past month. <S> The PM should managing the interactions between the teams, but he is seriously asleep at the wheel if he's accepting that work has been done from the remote team without any evidence of it . <S> Likewise, if he doesn't believe that the work is done but is not taking action. <S> Whether the architect understands Scrum or not is not the most relevant point - he and his team are making promises, failing on them, and they're not being held to account. <S> Presumably the failure will all come out at some long distant future point when nothing works as planned, but by that time it will be far too late to rectify the situation. <A> You need management to take action. <S> If the architect doesn't even have a clue how to do his own job there will be a huge impact, unless there is someone else to do his job plus their own, which will have a long term impact. <S> Management needs to find out about that guy and how he got hired to start with, maybe he is skilled elsewhere and misplaced, but that is really, really bad responses for an architect. <S> An architect should have solid dev experience as well as program designing through the full life cycle and usually with multiple languages unless specialized in certain technologies. <S> The agile part doesn't concern me as much, even though he should be at least familiar even if he hasn't worked it before, but the responses on code languages and demanding code to copy is shocking, along with the output of the other team seeming poor from what you are saying. <S> Some API's are very complex and take time, but if it's a simple API and there are supposed to be numerous <S> and they aren't making good time <S> then management needs to motivate them to perform or do some personnel adjustments to make things happen. <S> Escalate your concerns to management immediately and get them to either take action or expect delays due to the other team. <A> Management issue is covered by other answers. <S> I'd like to add some of the technical suggestions that you can voice when discussing the issue with your management: <S> Have one Scrum backlog that both teams use for development Align Sprints for both teams, combine Sprint review meeting (demo) for both teams Agree on the API prototypes. <S> Write small quick integration tests that return mocked data. <S> UI team can work with the prototype and API team knows the format of the real data that they need to return Run integration tests on your CI server <S> When backend API is implemented, write more integration tests using real data <S> Consider using chat applications to speed up and improve communication between teams (e.g. slack or similar) <S> Create an API plan. <S> Segregate similar functionality into partitions. <S> Track number of the implemented API and what's left. <S> Implement most important API first and aim to release fully working UI and API each sprint <A> As a member of the team, what can I do to make things go well with both teams? <S> Simple answer : <S> This person should already know the answer to the questions you mentioned in the post. <S> The not so simple how: Dealing with a bad software architect is very difficult. <S> If you company has decided that it needs one ( first ) and then actually hires one, he has a certain elevated status. <S> I used to work with one who I called an expert google'er, he could not code or implement simple concept examples. <S> In the end, after consistently doing this, management started to see that although the person had a fancy title, they could not actually do much to add value to the team <S> and they were let go. <S> It took awhile, and was painful. <S> I don't envy your position.
| Clearly, there is a management and potentially miscommunication issues. The architect needs to go. The way our team dealt with them was to consistently challenge him technically, and ask for him to provide mock-ups of concepts ( more that what you can just google ) he wanted the team to implement.
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How to answer "Are you interviewing anywhere else?" during an interview Let's suppose we are in an advanced stage of the recruiting process of a company and this question pops up. Also, this is a startup, so the interviewer is not an HR agent but the whole startup team (four members). The truth is "yes", but I'm in an earlier stage with other companies; furthermore, I am genuinely less interested in the other companies' offers. However, I am not sure how to deliver that answer. On one hand, I think it might give the impression of someone who is not focused on their particular company and is only trying to get a job. Also, in that case I don't know if it's fair to the other companies to name them. On the other hand, I think it may help give the sense of urgency needed to make the startup decide faster and to let them know that I am someone "marketable" who is not there only because it is the only chance he had. Are there any general DOs and DON'Ts for this kind of question? <Q> Just say yes You can point out that you expect them to be interviewing other candidates as well. <S> You can also say that you find it unwise to stop looking elsewhere until you reach an agreement with them or at least until they give you an offer. <S> In general believing in the startup project is good, but it's not like you are a founder or a partner <S> and they better not expect that level of dedication from you (you should remember that as well). <A> Are there any general DOs and DONTs for this kind of question? <S> DO say "yes", because it's the truth, because it conveys the impression that you in demand, and because it creates a sense of urgency lest you be snapped up elsewhere. <S> DO say "yes" consistently to everyone who asks, even if they aren't in HR. <S> It's not their business and you never know who knows who. <S> If they ask where, just reply "I'd rather not say". <S> DON'T indicate how far along you are in your other interviews. <S> Again, that's your business and only you need know how you will be juggling the interviews. <S> DON'T indicate details about the other jobs (like specific roles, salaries being offered, or perks). <S> When the time comes to negotiate with this company you can always say "I have been offered a higher salary elsewhere" if it's appropriate. <A> You should definitely say yes . <S> But it would be a mistake to mention which companies you are talking to. <S> If asked, you may answer with (true but) generic terms, like <S> I am currently in hiring process with one big IT company, and two startups. <S> Each of these processes are in early stages. <S> Doing so, and if you really are interested by their project, it may be the opportunity to reinforce your motivation about the job. <S> Bonus : if they take longer than expected to make a decision, it may be easier for you to contact them arguing other hiring processes are going on <S> and you need to know about their decision before making your choice. <S> Bonus 2 : (as suggested by @Kerkyra): Saying you are interviewing with only one company would convey the message that either you don't take your job search seriously, or your profile wasn't interesting for other companies (or that you are picky, or overconfident, all negative points). <A> Unless you've focused yourself on this particular startup company in particular because you just have to work there , you should be interviewing at other companies and you should answer honestly. <S> When going into a startup environment as an employee you need to be very clear on what the expectations are regarding your 'dedication' to the company and what your rewards will be. <S> A startup founder who expects you to be as dedicated to his company as he is should be offering you something more than just a job. <S> If the fact that you're also looking elsewhere is a problem for these startup founders (because they think you're not sufficiently dedicated to their 'cause') <S> - then you probably don't really want to work there anyway. <A> You say whatever is the truth. <S> There are basically three situations: One, you are employed, and you spotted a vacancy that you are really interested in. <S> You are not interviewing anywhere else, because you will either stay where you are or join this company, you are not interested in others. <S> The new company has strong competition: They must be better than your current one. <S> Two, you are looking for a new position. <S> At one point you get your very first interview. <S> Say that you applied elsewhere but this is your first interview. <S> That tells them they may get you if they make an offer quickly that is good enough to make you stop looking elsewhere. <S> Three, you are looking for a new position and have more than one interview. <S> It shows them they have competition. <S> Companies don't do that usually. <S> If you went to the interview and ran away if they tell you they interview others, you would be a loser that they wouldn't want to hire anyway. <S> People don't do that usually. <S> You want to join a company run by adults.
| If a company holds it against you that you interview elsewhere, then they are a bunch of losers that you don't want to join. DO say "yes" even in the case where you haven't yet interviewed elsewhere, but since you are looking for a job you certainly will (and probably soon). DON'T say where else you are interviewing. When appropriate and true, you can inject some urgency by indicating that you expect to make a decision soon.
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How do I politely decline a job offer unless they increase the salary As I was looking for a job change, I started sending resumes around and got several interviews that went well, for jobs in IT but not really in my exact field. Now I have a solid job offer, but with a lower salary than my current one (30-40% less), also in a harder environment (like a 24/7 rotation schedule). This position is starting at a lower level than mine, with training and trial periods, but I feel with my experience I shouldn't have to start with such a step backwards. I was prepared to politely decline, as I'm 90% sure that they wouldn't offer me more, but I thought I should ask: how can I decline while saying with subtlety "If the pay or advantages were comparable to those at my current job, I'd be prepared to consider it" ? <Q> I see three issues here. <S> Salary Simply say it. <S> When I was a recruiter, one thing bothering me was candidates beating around the bush about money. <S> You can politely decline the offer, arguing that the salary they propose is not compatible with what you expected, and accepting it would lead to a massive drop of your income. <S> If the recruiter do not understand that, I see it as big red flag. <S> And if he says he cannot offer better, at least you know. <S> The job itself <S> Even if they align the remuneration with what you have now, are you sure you really want to take that job? <S> As you said, it looks like a step backward in your career, in a harder environment, making social life harder to keep with a 24/7 schedule. <S> The group issue <S> As you said in a comment, they do a grouped-hiring. <S> They only way I see for you to get a salary above the rest of the group is to ask for the lead. <S> You can put your experience forward, and this might become a step forward in your career. <A> First of all, you probably should have mentioned your expected salary earlier, before they offered you a position, considering the salary was probably mentioned in the job offer. <S> The best moment for that is either during the interview or when the company is about to make a job offer. <S> A polite way now would be "I would like to thank you for the job offer <S> , I'm really interested in the position you offered, but currently I'm paid X currency, are you willing to negotiate ?" <S> EDIT : <S> You are in a bit harder situation than I thought, if they do a grouped hiring with a fixed salary for everyone, it will be hard to say "I want to be paid more" while having the same work and responsibilities than the rest of the group. <S> If you are more experienced than the job needs, it might be a better solution to look for another job. <S> As for this offer, the best strategy is probably to prove you are the one pulling up the team and negotiate a salary raise at a convenient time. <S> EDIT 2: <S> If you try to have a job not directly in your skill set with a team potentially more trained to those skills and try to be paid more, that's a dead end. <S> Then again you can always try to negotiate with the argument that you were better paid in your previous job, but the risk is that as you will be working with new skills to develop it might get you into trouble if they start thinking you asked for a better salary without the skills that go with it. <A> how can I decline while saying with subtlety "If the pay or advantages were comparable to those at my current job, I'd be prepared to consider it" ? <S> Be direct. <S> Don't say "I'd be prepared to consider it" because that sounds like you still might not accept an offer at the salary level you're asking. <S> If you're interested in the job, say: "I'm interested in the position, but I'd need to make at least $X." <S> If they offer $X, take the job. <S> If they offer something less than $X, decide whether that's enough or not. <A> how can I decline while saying with subtlety "If the pay or advantages were comparable to those at my current job, I'd be prepared to consider it" ? <S> There's no need to be subtle here. <S> Something like "Oh, I'm sorry. <S> You offer is less than my current job <S> and I simply can't accept less" is appropriate. <S> You may be correct that they won't offer more, but it's always possible. <S> This position is starting at a lower level than mine, with training and trial periods, but I feel with my experience <S> I shouldn't have to start with such a step backwards. <S> When changing careers, you may have to rethink this assumption. <S> Unless your experience is directly relevant for the new role, you may indeed have to take a step backwards before you can go forward in a new field. <S> That's one of the things that makes it difficult to change careers.
| You should either accept that you'll have a lower pay for now or start looking for a job that better fits your skills.
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Politely decline government position while remaining contractor in same position I am currently a contractor and I have been offered a position as a federal employee doing essentially the same thing working with the same people with the essentially the same tasks/responsibilities. I would be taking the number 2 spot after the lead retires and the current number 2 becomes the lead. For personal reasons I wish to remain a contractor. Our contract has several years of work remaining so there is no immediate need for me to change positions. The person who is looking to retire soon is advocating that I take the offer which puts additional pressure on the situation, but I currently would feel more comfortable remaining where I am; the reasons being flexibility (I may want to move locations and employment in less than a year) slightly better salary and annual raises. I am aware that I am giving up job security and benefits but feel at the time the pros outweigh the cons. How can I politely decline while keeping a good working relationship? <Q> Thank you for encouraging me to take on a permanent role. <S> It means a lot to me that you think so highly of me. <S> I truly enjoy the people and the work, however, after a lot of thought, it makes more sense for me to remain a contractor. <S> Let them know that you enjoy the work and the team. <S> You've decided that your current contracting role makes more sense. <S> When pressed for more details, don't go into specifics. <S> They will try and tear apart your rationale and make the process of turning down the offer longer and more contentious. <A> Try something like, "I really like how we have things <S> setup right now, <S> and I wouldn't want to lose the flexibility I currently have or take a pay cut. <S> Are there reasons why this move would be beneficial for you?". <S> It's honest, upfront. <S> You learn more about the situation and have a chance to change your mind if need be (what <S> if they have to reduce the number of contractors they work with?). <S> It also allows you to negotiate - pursue more money, same flexibility. <A> You answered your question yourself: <S> For personal reasons, I wish to remain a contractor <S> This is a choice I personnaly made, to stay a contractor for several years. <S> The flexibility you mention, the opportunity to discover new fields and so on are arguments that can perfectly be heard by a federal employee.
| Show your appreciation you were considered and encouraged to take the role.
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How do I go from "less than zero" to "hero" with a potential hiring manager? WARNING: This is definitely a long message - everything I included is relevant so please don't flame/attack me if you think it's too detailed. EDIT (4/29) None of the answers to this point are remotely helpful and the comments about the message being too wordy -- I warned you that it was complicated -- maybe you can get away with not needing to pay attention to details in your day jobs, but this was a serious request for help. I strongly suspect many of you will experience what I did except for the part that you deserved it and you shouldn't be given a chance to redeem yourself. Sheesh! A couple of months ago I connected with a person on LinkedIn that worked at a company that I was fired from a few years before he joined. We sent a few messages back and forth via e-Mail and learned that he was planning to hire someone to work for him once his company got its next round of funding which would be "real soon". I convinced him to meet with me so that I could be on his "short list" when the opportunity became available. Long story short (or should I say short story long), the meeting went well. In fact, we discussed numbers and amazingly enough he didn't flinch when I offered my rate. At the end of the meeting, he told me he was going to go on vacation, but would get back to me the following week with a proposal. We parted ways and I waited to hear from him. He didn't reach out, so I sent him a couple of other messages to follow up. At first, he offered to introduce me to a number of others at his previous company (which was fine with me as well - my goal more than anything was to re-enter this field since I haven't worked in it for quite some time) which he gladly did. At that point, I had to wait again because the guy had to go on a few business trips once he got back (which he didn't tell me about previously). Clearly I wasn't happy about that, but I said that was fine. Along the way he contacted me to tell him that one of the companies he was meeting with was looking to hire someone, but from a title perspective it was a non-starter. I politely declined and asked him if he could introduce me to others in his network which he agreed to. Fast forward a couple of weeks later, I sent him an e-Mail with the names of some people that he had in his LI network that I knew were actively hiring. At that point, he wrote back and said that he had to "be honest with me" -- he already had another person in mind and that he wanted to wait and see if he would take it. If he didn't, then he would conduct a full search and consider me as one of the candidates at that point. This was clearly a disappointing development -- I went from his short list to being potentially considered if his "favored option" decided to pass. Once again, I swallowed my pride and said that was fine but would appreciate intros to his network which he agreed to. At that point, his tone changed. In a follow-up e-Mail, he said that he "really needed to be honest with me". Long story short, he talked to a few people that we both knew (wouldn't say who) and asked each of them about me as well as a recruiter. Long story short, every single person he asked told him that they wouldn't recommend hiring me for a full time role. At that point, he said he might be able to offer some project based work, but that's the best he could do. At this point, I lost it. I always knew that my reputation was far from flawless, but I didn't realize that some people were so vindictive that they would still try to prevent me from getting a job, in one case nearly 20 years later (?!) I wrote back to him coming clean as well and wanted to explain how I got to where I am today. Long story short, I have always done a good job, but due to office politics, I often got ensnared into no-win situations and would like to tell him what happened at each of these companies and let him decide if I deserved to be treated this way. Amazingly enough, he said he was willing to listen so we scheduled a date to meet at his office. I went to the office and sat with him for an hour recalling how I started in this field based on a broken promise by an incompetent manager that had reputation problems of his own and tried to recover three times -- each time failing to do so in gory detail. He then reminded me about the recruiter at which point I flatly told him that recruiters have notoriously thin skins and poor people skills of their own so I wouldn't pay attention to what she said. At that point, he admitted that he didn't know what was going on and that nothing I did warranted the disdain from the people who he spoke with and reverted to his previous story -- he already had someone in mind for the role that I was hoping for, but also said that he'd give me a chance. I eagerly accepted because at least it could give me a chance to re-enter a field where my reputation was damaged unfairly. Fast forward to last week. I started to work with him at which point he gave me a few small-ish projects to work on and started to make progress on them. We "met" a few times, once in person where I met his colleagues which was a good thing. He definitely seems comfortable with me helping him out, but I really don't want to disappoint him and ideally be either hired by him full time or at the very least, leverage him for intros to others and explain that I deserved a chance. Sorry for the insanely long note - my question is what do I do to ensure that I am successful with this guy? He seems like he has already chalked up what happened to me as being a victim of some very nasty politics from people who abused their authority, but you never know for sure. <Q> You've got your foot in the door, that's the hard part. <S> From here I would make sure the work you are given is impeccable. <S> You've got to build a stable of good references to offset the bad ones. <S> As an aside, a lot of this reads as my problems are everyone else's fault . <S> Most of the time, when it comes to conflicts like the ones you describe, the truth is going to fall in between both parties opinions. <S> EDIT to answer the OP's question. <S> You've already been given your shot. <S> It is in your employer's best interest for you to succeed; onboarding/training <S> new people is expensive. <S> And if your employer was setting you up for failure, I can't imagine it's a place you'd want to fight to be at. <S> If I were you, to ensure I am successful with this person, I would do everything I can to make sure I'm of value to my employer. <S> Otherwise what reason would they have to keep you? <S> That may mean menial tasks/grunt work for a while, but the easier you make their lives, the more they'll come to value you. <A> You have a chance to redeem your reputation, make use of it. <S> Politics are politics, it is guaranteed that every office will have some sort of intrigue. <S> Don't worry about that. <S> Just focus on what you're doing, avoid taking side, and be professional . <S> You've been given your (maybe last) chance, don't disappoint him. <A> I skimmed a lot of it but as I understand it your situation is that you have a good opportunity but people from your past are making it difficult to secure a position. <S> You say that the person has offered you some project work, take it. <S> Prove the quality of your work and when you are done ask for more. <S> If you do work for him, do it well, and he keeps wanting to give you more, he'll listen less and less to those other people and more to your experience. <S> Rebuilding a reputation can be difficult, especially when you have multiple people working against you. <S> It seems you have somebody willing to give you a chance, so take it and run with it. <S> It allows the hiring manager to test you out without making a full commitment. <S> Yes, this takes time, but in the end puts you in a much better bargaining position. <S> Right now if you were to beg for a job, and even if he could convince others in the organization to hire you on, you would be under a very uncomfortable microscope for quite some time. <S> Taking some project based work removes that microscope for you, and the overall risk for them. <S> I would take the work, but I would take it based on the going rate of an independent contractor with the same skills. <S> You want to make yourself look like a bargain if hired, and if not, get paid well for your work.
| Just do your job the best you can. I would take a minute to do some self reflection and make sure that your mindset is where it needs to be to continue to grow as a valuable resource.
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I have been put on a project that's too hard for me and I feel like I ruin everything I am currently working for the French company as a junior consultant. I started over a year ago here and successfully completed 2 programming projects. These projects went fairly good. It had it's ups and downs, but I was able to work it out. Currently I have been put on a 3rd project in the same company. This is a project that was already going for a while and they needed more workpower so they (the manager) asked me if I could help. Before accepting it, I checked what had to be done and I saw that there were quite a few things I had no experience with. When I addressed this to the manager, he made sure I would get the necessary help from colleagues. And with that, I accepted the project. Now, almost 3 months later, things have gone down hill very fast. The seniors on this project are working very hard to fix all problems while trying to implement new things that were on the schedule. I often get smaller tasks from them to speed things up, but (mostly because of my lack of experience for this project) I am unable to finish it in time and do a lot of things wrong what has to be fixed by the seniors who are already loaded with work. Last week something similar happened and because of that, 2 seniors had to work a whole Friday night to fix my mistakes. (Which they clearly weren't happy about...). I am not glad with this neither. I feel useless or even more like a problem. I get stressed from workload I know I won't be able to do. I have even been sick for weeks because of all this stress I get. Compared to my previous projects (in the same company), I have no hope that I will finish this well. I know a broad question is not really a thing here, but what can I do in this situation? I honestly already thought about asking the consultancy company to send me to another company with a project that I might handle better. I know this will put my in very bad daylight, but I seriously don't feel home at all in this project and know that even the others working on this project don't want me there anymore. So maybe I can ask it this way: what can I do if I am put on a project that is totally not a job for me? EDIT: thanks for the comments and replies everyone. To answer a few questions: I had a performance review a while ago and everything seemed to be positive. They were clearly glad with my work, but this was before the 3rd project started so I don't think the manager knows about the current situation unless some seniors told it. I can't upvote anyone (Stack claims I am not logged in?) But I will keep all your replies in mind. I will start studying documentation (if there is) and tell the manager about the situation of things continue like this. <Q> Although working on stuff that was not in your perks list might be a good way to progress, you have many options: Talk to your manager Explain this to your manager, making sure he understands the project doesn't fit you and you might cause more delays than progress. <S> Ask for help <S> These seniors might have documentation, emails, specification documents, meeting notes, etc. <S> It may be worth the shot spending 1 whole week learning about the project than working on it. <S> Work with Test (or better, <S> Behavior) Driven Development <S> If the company has a large enough code pool, or is serious about bugfixing, they may already implement a whatever Driven Development. <S> Make sure you try to do the tests before you start working on the code. <S> It might help you understand what you need to do and can direct you to the proper classes/methods faster. <S> If there's already testing code inside, check that first, so that you can understand what's under the hood. <A> Talk to your manager and clearly explain the situation. <S> He told you that the seniors would compensate for your lack of experience in the field, what you are living proves that it doesn't. <S> You could say something like <S> I have trouble finishing the work on time <S> and I think my lack of experience in the field is the reason. <S> Can I have some training in order to catch up a little bit with the rest of the team ? <S> If not, would it be possible to switch me to a project more suitable for my skills ? <S> Don't incriminate him for putting you on this team, just try to look for a solution with him so both your sanity and the project goes fine. <S> Bon courage l'ami. <A> OK, you need to talk to your manager as soon as you can prepared. <S> You should have talked to him weeks ago when it first became clear that you were not going to get the support he had promised you would get. <S> Putting off talking to a manager about a problem that has come up at work is generally one the worst mistakes you can make. <S> What was a minor problem at first becomes a major problem when it is put off. <S> If at all possible you need to bring documentation of how you have tried to ask for help and been pushed off. <S> Detail what you have done to try to get the skills you lack. <S> If you don't have this sort of thing, it is going to look as if you never asked <S> and then it becomes much more your fault. <S> You need to go with a plan for what training you need to be productive on this project or ask to be moved to one more suited to your skills. <S> Sometimes you are not doing as badly as you think. <S> Someone trying to get better is given more slack than someone who just waits for others to act. <A> Yo! <S> This is not your fault . <S> Take a breather. <S> I've read in a few different studies that it's foolishness to have a project with a tight deadline and add more developers in the middle. <S> Why? <S> Because everyone new is going to need someone to monitor their personal learning curve -- exactly like the situation you're in. <S> This logic is like failed cooking logic. <S> You have a recipe that calls for you to bake a chicken for an hour at 250 degrees, but try to get it faster ( <S> assuming it'll take a half hour) at 500 degrees. <S> It doesn't work! <S> Soak up what you can, but don't take things personally. <S> It's something you have to grow into and experience as a developer. <S> There may be fallout - and you might cite what I'm sharing with you here as your defense. <S> Next time, you can be more cautious about projects (assuming you have a choice), but right now, you can just do "damage control" based on what I'm sharing with you. <S> 90% of software projects fail.
| It might be useful to talk to the others on the project and find out what they think you need to get more productive. Don't take it personally.
|
Invited to a high school graduation by a colleague I don't know When I arrived at work this morning, a colleague of mine had placed an invite to his child's graduation party on my desk. To be 100% clear, we are work colleagues only, I have not so much as had a personal conversation over a cup of coffee with this person. I do not know him or his family personally in any way. My first reaction is that this feels like a money grab. I don't feel comfortable doing this myself ( inviting co-workers to personal events ), let alone going. In the grand scheme of things, I just won't go --- but I was hoping that if a reality check on my part is in order that this group might give it to me. I totally get it if you are co-workers and friends outside of work for such an invitation to be extended. This is not the case in my situation. So, my question is, should I be ( or feel as though ) I am obligated to go to this colleagues son's graduation party? Is it appropriate or professional for my colleague to invite co-workers from the office to such an event? <Q> You don't know him. <S> You have professional obligations towards him, which is already enough, no need for personal obligations if you don't know him from outside work. <S> Just decline the invitation like a professional. <S> I'm sorry I can't attend your son/daughter's graduation party <S> but thanks for the invitation. <S> If he tries to know why, try to politely explain that you feel this is a personal event which should be attended by the person of his personal life in your opinion. <A> So, my question is, should I be ( or feel as though ) <S> I am obligated to go to this colleagues son's graduation party? <S> No. <S> You're not obligated at all. <S> Is it appropriate or professional for my colleague to invite co-workers from the office to such an event? <S> It's not inappropriate — people who work together often become close enough that they invite each other to dinners, parties, etc. <S> I totally understand why it seems odd to you that you were invited. <S> But consider the situation from your colleague's point of view. <S> Perhaps he/she is friendly with a number of other people in the department, but felt awkward about inviting many people and leaving some out. <S> He/she may have invited you so that you wouldn't come to work one morning and find out that practically everybody was invited except for you. <S> You might understand completely, but some people would feel very hurt by that. <S> So, you may have been invited so that you felt included. <S> If so, that was a kind gesture on your colleague's part. <S> While you're at it, take a few minutes to get to know them a little bit. <S> Maybe share a cup of coffee. <A> Just decline by saying that you have some personal business to attend to. <S> And don't you dare buy greeting cards, gift cards, or gifts for some kid <S> you've probably never met. <S> The "personal business" approach also works for bosses who ask you why you sometimes need to take off, with sick time or vacation time that you've earned . <S> As for your co-worker, he may wish to get to know you more personally - but you can be the judge of that. <S> If this is the case, the graduation is most certainly not a good way -- poor judgment. <S> I'm not sure how relevant this last part is, but it's something to keep in mind.
| I don't think that there's any reason for you to attend the party, but you should probably make a point of thanking the colleague for the invitation.
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