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How can I politely ask my colleague to mute their PC? I work in an open-plan office environment with approximately 100 other people. It's sort of an unspoken rule (and common courtesy), to wear headphones if you need to listen to anything on your PC, as to not disturb others around you. If you aren't listening to anyth... | The problem with unspoken rules is that nobody knows they exist unless told about them. PS: earplugs with good noise reduction like 40 snr (standard noise reduction in decibels). The other option would be to talk to your manager/floor manager and have them approach the person.
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Coworker has nothing to do but doesn't want to upset her boss by telling her boss's boss I have a co-worker in my team (let's call him John) who is supposed to be working with a woman from another company. She's on a fixed duration contract. It's bit like outsourcing because her employment contract is with another firm... | Short answer : You should mind your own business. She should talk to her real boss at the contracting company and ask to be reassigned due to no work.
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Coworkers lying to supervisor When in a staff meeting the other day two of my coworkers lied to my supervisor, and said it was another departments fault that their work is not getting done. I feel like I have a responsibility to tell my supervisor that she is being lied to. Especially since other people are being unfa... | It also depends if you like the company and/or your supervisor enough to want to tell them, but yes, generally you should mention it, at least somewhere, but only if you're absolutely sure they were lying and you can point to some facts to support that.
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How to thank internship supervisor and their boss for not firing me? I had an internship this summer and for the first half of the summer I kind of blew it. I was constantly late and overall just a bad employee. I would have fired me and plenty of other people in HR would have fired me too. My supervisor and their boss... | While expressing your appreciation is fine, it isn't necessary to thank them. It may be old-fashioned, but a hand-written thank you card means a lot more to some people than an email.
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In what order should I list coworkers in emails? A few weeks ago, a (somewhat) seasoned coworker mentioned that some people -- especially higher-ups -- pay notice to the order in which coworkers are listed on email recipient lists. The idea is that, the more important you are, the closer you should be to the front of t... | Look at various emails you receive and see if people are generally put in order of their seniority. This I believe strongly depends on the specific way of your current company. There should not be any relevance in the email order.
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Mentioning/discussing possibly prejudicious details of work experience After completing my bachelors, I took a job as a mainframes (COBOL) developer in a company, as I was in need of a job. I have been in the company for about two years now, and am looking for better options as I don't think mainframes would have the b... | Be clear on the business domain you have been working in and how your work impacts that. Discuss that you want to transition to web programming as the reason why you are changing jobs in your interview or cover letter.
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Is it bad to acknowledge being jealous in an interview? Simply, I was jealous of my colleagues at work who are working on projects that I want to work on. Well, I am trying to overcome this bad trait for at least 1 year and I feel I have made progress! Should I admit and say it clearly in a job interview that I was je... | There is no reason to be jealous about anything. Every time, during an interview, that you admit something "bad" about yourself, it makes you appear genuine and human.
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How to avoid bad mouthing previous employer while discussing mistakes that previous employers made? I had a recent interview with a CTO of a company, and while I feel that my interview went well, I also feel that I may have come across as bad mouthing my previous employer. In the interview, I discussed the technology ... | Put a positive spin on things instead. Don't discuss (business) mistakes your previous employer made. Try to be less accusatory and more cooperative in the words you choose to use.
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I procrastinated on a project for too long, what should I do? This procrastination issue has a long buildup, but I will try to explain it briefly. I was working on a large project with a senior programmer in a language/methodology I was new to. About half-way through the project, the senior programmer left the job and ... | Tell him that you will have to rush things a bit and work with your manager to create a plan that will work out.
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Can I ask customers for new opportunities? I would like to see what opportunities are out there, but most of the companies I could work with are part of my customers or partners portfolio. Can I ask my contacts for opportunities? Is it the norm? Or is it likely that I will be exposed and get in trouble with my current... | In many companies this would be prohibited behavior and could get you either fired or involved in a very expensive lawsuit. I recommend you check out the contractual situation for both yourself and the customer.
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Should I slate my potential future employer's website at an interview for a dev position? I have an interview coming up at a marketing agency. They have multiple developers so I feel they should be somewhat competent. I'd rate my own skills as middleweight. They want a full-stacker. I've looked at their own website pr... | Instead of talking about the problems with the website that they have, I would instead prepare a document that lists the steps you would take if it was in your responsibilities to improve the site, along with how long you think each step would take and how important you think the changes are to make. Any comments you m... |
How to navigate a drug test as a non-drug user with shy bladder syndrome? I'm a 4th year male PhD student coming to grips with the fact that I may not get an academic job. Alternatively, I'm looking to industry/government, but I have a significant hurdle in landing a job here: the drug test. I have never done drugs, no... | Unless there are significant legal (DUI, criminal investigation, insurance fraud) or regulatory issues surrounding the test, no one will be watching you ;)
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Problems with bathrooms left disgusting and messy by coworkers I work at a large Fortune 500 Company in a very tall building. Each floor has about 200 or so people. Recently the men's restroom has been a disaster, it is frequently trashed with garbage everywhere and excrement all over the seats and I do mean all over. ... | Do what you're told and use a bathroom on a different floor if it bothers you that much.
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Best ergonomic setup posture for people who can't touch type? The standard for office ergonomics (screen position, keyboard position, chair height etc.) seem to be based on people who touch type. I cannot touch type - how should I organize my workplace? <Q> I can't touch type to any degree of skill, But that doesn't ... | The posture should be the same regardless of typing method Not slouching in your chair and ensuring your wrists are not bent have nothing to do with typing method.
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How can I ask my senior to keep his phone on silent? We are a team of 4 people sitting in a shared room. I joined the team seven months ago and worked the first four as an intern. Everybody's phone remains silent but one person, my senior, never turns his phone on silent. It keeps ringing all day as he has to deal with... | Also, if the ringtone should be a necessity, but it is too fancy (for example, a catchy melody), perhaps senior could at least change it to typical phone sound, which is less obtrusive. Part of seniority is supporting the team in productivity , so true senior should address this concern and seek solution acceptable for... |
Unresponsive hiring manager and HR following no show interview I am really irritated right now, my application was accepted and I had a scheduled phone interview with a large corporate brand. First the hiring manager rescheduled the interview time, then on the day did not bother to show up. I proceeded to contact HR a... | Perhaps they got wind of the fact that you already committed to a different job and don't want to pursue someone who changes their mind so quickly.
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How much above my education, skills and experience should I attempt to push while applying? So I am a graduate student (MS in Comp Sci with ML as my area of focus) who will graduate in May 2018. (Non-Ivy below average University ) My main query is that not all jobs are specifically mentioned that they are allowed for... | You may try apply for jobs that require lots of experience, but be aware that it is more likely you will not be selected. Nothing will stop you from applying to a job you find interesting even when you don't meet the stated requirements. Definitely no , as you say it is academic experience.
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How do I resign on short notice from a low-skill job where I was on good terms? For the past half a year or so, I've had an entry-level part-time position outside my field of choice. Despite the nature of the position, the lack of benefits, and the menial work, I've more or less enjoyed my time there, and I've always b... | I was in this situation recently, the way I approached it was by setting up a 1-1 meeting with boss and just telling him about the offer and reasons for why I am leaving where the notice period is shorter.
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How should I address my work on projects the company I am applying to has strong policies against? I am applying for a planning firm that I just found out has a staunch policy against something, as referenced oddly from their website. I have years of work with that policy. It has been suggested over a casual conve... | I chose to address the issue head-on, explaining the mistake that I had made that led to my dismissal, and how I planned to keep from making the same mistake again.
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Should I write annual performance appraisal reports in front of the employee being reviewed? I have to write annual performance appraisal report for my subordinates. This appraisal report further goes to my senior for approval and then after a few months will reach to the reviewed person. As a step toward transparency... | In some shops, it is required to discuss the appraisal with your manager, in order to include their feedback before completion and/or before discussing it with the employee. yes I think you could try it.
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Should I extend my time in office to learn new things? My boss does not encourage learning new technologies and cares only about deliverables and deadlines. They do not provide any extra learning time, but they do reward when we go and do something better. They say, "if you want to contribute to new things, do your reg... | Learn as much as you can on the job and consider learning new skills that are relevant to your industry.
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Is it appropriate for your wealthy boss to host a customer at their mansion? I work for a small startup (< 10 people). We're all "white-collar" folks that live in apartments or "normal" sized homes in a city with a population of about 70K. My co-workers and I have typical salaries for our area (we're not paid 6 figures... | Depending on the nature of the business, it may be commonplace that the CEO invites clients to his house. There is nothing at all unethical or even unusual about this.
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Haven't received my last check from my job I recently left, how to go about getting it? I left my last development job about a month ago. I sent the company my last invoice around that same time. Since then I haven't received the check, the place of business is very close to my house so I know it wouldn't take long t... | Just call your boss and ask. Call and speak to accounts payable. Legally, there's not a whole lot you can do, because it's not like they're refusing to pay you.
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How to deal with manager at internship not giving me or discussing tasks So last week I started a new internship at a pretty larger company. I was assigned to a department of maybe 15ish people for which there is one manager. I was also assigned a mentor, who apparently didn't know I was coming until my my first day. ... | Try to go out to lunch with other employees and see if they would share anything about what they do. Listen to your managers' advice and dive deeper into the topic and you task.
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Should I state that I do not do unpaid coding challenges in the cover letter? I used to firmly believe in coding challenges because I thought, if I demonstrate to them that I know how to do it, that speaks for itself that I am the correct candidate. Unfortunately, I have begun seeing a pattern that I need to break. I ... | I suggest not to write this in your cover letter. Instead, just decide on a case by case basis if you wish to accept an unpaid coding challenge or if you'd rather just drop out of the running at that point.
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Am I responding to emails too quickly? I am a freelance software developer and have three clients that I communicate with via email. I have mobile and desktop notifications set up for my several email accounts (work, personal, university). If I see an email notification, I will generally stop what I am doing in order ... | Sometimes it's fine to have a policy of responding within 24 to 48 hours which might help you treat all the clients the same, but be sure to wait before responding unless you are having an in the moment discussion via email.
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How to handle ex-client asking for free advice in social situations? I am a freelance computer programmer. I have a former client with whom I did a very successful project with a few years ago. We have mutual friends, I enjoy his company and his company does really interesting stuff, so I occasionally see him for a bee... | If the friend persists in trying to get your professional opinion, and you think there is some work to be done there, you can respond in a very friendly way...
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Is it acceptable to ask for additional compensation when being asked to postpone leaving? I already have a contract signed for a permanent position with another firm, have announced my resignation and gave my standard two-weeks notice to my current employer. The day after my resignation, my current employer asked for m... | It also depends if it is worth asking for more money, given the amount of extra time you will work, so you don't come across as too greedy.
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Should I reply on mails ending with 'reply/call me if you're....'? Last week I received a mail from a recruiter on LinkedIn with "an opportunity". In the end of her mail, she asked me to give me a call if I'm free and interested. Since I wasn't searching for a job (and the job description didn't really fit my CV), I ... | For the side question I would generally treat it the same, if I had a reasonable rapport with the person sending the mail I might drop a quick reply back in the negative
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Asking for the budget is considered rude? I'm a web developer and I'm about to start my web design agency with a couple of friends, I've asked for advice on how to get started and also looked online on how to start a business. I've seen this question a couple of times in different tutorials or guides in which you ask ... | Asking for your budget is just like asking how much money you want to make in an interview.
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How can I deal with a team member who I personally cannot stand I'm currently a project manager. I've been promoted this year, however I've been working as one for the last year. Usually I try to keep a close relation with the team members. We go for lunch together and spend time doing stuff. I think this keeps the t... | Talking with him about this is rude and unprofessional as it is a personal issue. Expect professional work and hold everyone on the team accountable. During your next 1:1 with the team member, invite him to tone down his sexist remarks, explaining that it makes other team members and yourself uncomfortable.
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How to apply for multiple job positions in a company, in a professional manner? I am currently working as a postdoctoral researcher in a biotechnology research centre. I'm starting my last year, so I have started to take a look around in the job market. I'll have few options for my job applications. My top choice is a... | If you apply to two different jobs with the attitude I don't care which I get I just want a job; they are liable to choose someone else that actually wants THE job they are offering rather than just A job.
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Too scared to give resignation I recently joined an organisation, and after a month I decided to quit gracefully, as I feel it's not a good fit for me. I have been a very genuine person and have never done this before, hence I have some fear discussing these things with my manager. Since my immediate manager is on lea... | If you don't like the place and have an offer, unless you have signed that you need to resign specifically to your immediate manager then just submit your resignation.
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How to decline giving a job referral in my company to someone I don't want to work with? I know someone who performed poorly as an e-board member in our university club. I keep receiving his emails and messages (on LinkedIn, Whatsapp and Facebook) requesting for referral to a job in my company. Given a choice, I don'... | I usually respond to unwanted job referral requests with some variant of the "no, sorry" suggested in Lilienthal's answer and that is usually the end of it.
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Should I tell friend about bad manager for potential position within company I recently referred a friend and school mate to a job within my department at work. At the time I thought she would be a great fit, and I still do. Our office has this matrix management style where the manager of your team may not be your man... | Personally I'd likely let her in on how the context changed, because I believe friends don't let friends get lured into bad jobs.
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Agreement with person now fired, can I still call on it? For the past two years I have been allowed to bring my dog to work for 2 weeks a year. This agreement was made with my manager and the HR manager. Unfortunately, one has switched jobs and the other was fired today. I will need to bring the dog with me tomorrow a... | So, absent any special indications, you can probably assume that the permission your manager gave you is still valid. I assume you have some kind of email/note from your manager/HR indicating that your dog is acceptable to be in the office. Carry on as you did before and then deal with any issues as and when they arise... |
Should I keep a job on my LinkedIn profile if I left on good terms after three months? 3 months ago, I quit my job as a BA in my previous company, because the salary was not so good and there was some lack of leadership and opportunity for personal growth. I started working as a PO in the current company, but the tim... | Don't list stuff that doesn't help build your profile. If there is nothing about the job that you don't want the world to find out, then you should put it on your profile.
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How should a junior dev handle critical decisions as a sole developer on a large project? I am a 2 year experienced web developer, I mainly worked on backend stuff (API,java logic , etc etc), and I work as a consultant. Since 2 months I was sent to a company to work on their front-end using some framework that I'm not... | Do some research about the framework and best practices for using it. If the framework is used much at all, there should be plenty of research you can do on the internet, either from the vendor, a working group or some site like StackOverflow.
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Send application email again to avoid being overlooked I am a second-year master's student. All of my courses are in the evenings, and I am looking for a part-time internship or job for me to do before I attend classes in the evening. There is an internship opportunity at a think tank that I think that I am well-qual... | Most employers have a process they follow for hiring, and for things like internships this might well include having a deadline to submit applications by and not doing anything with applications until the deadline is reached, so that all the applicants can be fairly evaluated side-by-side
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Should I tell my internship employer I am going to a university career fair? I am currently working at a paid internship prior to my final year in college. My university is holding a career fair soon, but it's in the middle of the work day and work week. Even if I am interested in working for this company after graduat... | I don't see any reason NOT to tell them why you need time off.
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Potential employer bidding against themselves - should I be worried? I went in for an interview a short while ago and was made a provisional offer which I said I'd accept. A couple of days later I got a phone call saying they are increasing their offer - with no prompting from my end. This seems odd to me. Why would ... | Maybe you did exceptionally well in the interview, and somebody decided that they should increase the offer to make it fair considering your qualities, or somebody decided you were so good that they really want you, and increased to offer to make sure you don't go elsewhere.
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How can I reapply to a company that I rejected once? A few months ago I had received several job offers, and decided to go with a 2 month contract role, while rejecting the other full-time/W2 roles. Now that the contract is ending, I noticed that one of the companies I had received an offer from is hiring again for t... | If you really feel it necessary, you can write an email to you contact after applying online, telling him that you applied again and are looking forward to the opportunity and any follow-up needed.
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Acceptable for new hire to bring up bad security practices, or "go with the flow"? I'm a new hire low-level engineer at a large company in the US. When signing up for my benefits/insurance package, I noticed that the password requirements included a 9 character maximum . Needless to say, I don't feel very comfortable ... | Realistically, a large company isn't going to rush to make changes over something like you're describing.
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I helped a person at a company I'm interviewing with. He asked for the name of the recruiter I'm working with; is it prudent to avoid answering? I'm currently in interviews with a company and was looking around at their employees Linked-In profiles (very large firm). I noticed one of their senior internal recruiters (i... | If you think that it will hurt your chances by not replying, I would recommend saying something somewhat vague In any case, the most logical reason for asking is because they probably have their own positions they might think you are a fit for.
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About to start a long course that's not for my current position. Should I tell my employer? From quite a long time, I've been advocating to do a technical change on one of our products. I've given pro's and con's of doing this, along with estimated times and costs. This would reward us with a better image for the custo... | Most employers won't ask about the specifics - particularly if you have taken courses in the past or if taking courses is a typical thing in your office. Keep your current job and change your working times if your employer is cool with that. Lying outright - depending on your values, you could maybe justify that becaus... |
Is inappropriate to be informal in an office chat application? Our office, like many I suppose, use a office messaging application called Lync ( Skype for the office ). It is very useful for quick conversations with the team and most folks that use it too find it less disruptive than a phone call. Yesterday I reached ... | Yes, chat tends to be must less formal then even email. Just as you would write a letter differently to you aunt and to your customer, look at the context. You should be as formal as you need to be based on your expectation of the interaction. So consider if what you are saying is harassment, racist, suggesting illegal... |
Submitting a resume easily parsed by applicant tracking systems (ATSs) or submiting a nicer one with which an ATS might have a bit of trouble parsing? Is it better to submit a simply structured, well-organized, very blocky, dull resume that a parser can easily extract information from when submitting a job application ... | If possible, use a hybrid resume that looks good and will work with the ATS, but always rework your resume to highlight those skills/positions that you think are most likely to resonate with the particular employer.
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Coworker continously forgets to lock the bathroom stall door When visiting the restroom, I've walked in on the same coworker sitting on the toilet three times now, from where he simply neglects to adequately lock the stall door. I definitely don't want to keep walking in on him, and, if I'm doing so, then perhaps oth... | Just say "Oh, I thought this stall was unoccupied.", step outside, shut the door and forget about it. No, definitely do not confront them.
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How do you stay motivated during the job search process? I've been starting up the job search again, and forgot how tiring it can be. If you consider the time it takes to think about what you are looking for, to research companies, prepare your resume/cover letter, and then actually reaching out to company representa... | Literally treat it like a job. Job hunting is never a fun process--but for me, using it as an opportunity to increase my knowledge and understanding of my chosen industry gives me an extra boost of energy that helps me move past those feelings of disappointment that occur when what I think is the perfect company for me... |
Does leaving a new job because I'm moving look bad? I work a retail job in a general store. I'm a teenager. I'm going into my first year of college in a few weeks. When I started work, I thought I'd be able to stay and have my hours reduced for when I started classes. However, I realized that I'll have issues with bo... | Young people, especially students have a bit more leeway on how long they have worked at jobs.
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Is it worth mentioning your advisors' qualifications in your CV? I'm presently an undergraduate at college, started my junior year, and have done some internships at various places (one remote as a software dev, two at college as an undergrad researcher, and one abroad as a research assistant). In my CV, I'm putting ... | Generally speaking, you shouldn't put the names of your boss or advisor in your resume to begin with.
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Is it okay to Include my school achievements in Resume? Generally in India, typical style is followed in Education Section of most Resumes: Mention of HSC schooling School Name, High Secondary Certificate (HSC), Year of passing ...key points or achievements... Mention of SSC schooling School Name, Seconda... | Don't make your high school achievements take up an entire section.
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Should I let someone know I broke the electric kettle? I needed hot milk, so I boiled it in the nearest electric kettle to me, but I think I broke it, as water won't boil any more. I know this, because I tried it myself. Should I tell someone in the office that it might be me who broke it and offer a replacement or sh... | It should be the person responsible for replacing the broken kettle if it would break without anyone's fault. Yes absolutely let them know, if you have someone who is in charge of office or kitchen supplies then they are the best person to speak to. If you have learned your lesson about only use shared appliances in th... |
Internship is almost over, need to start hinting at being hired on permanently My current internship will be over in just a few months (December). At that time, it's quite possible that I'll be offered a permanent position. If offered the job, I will most likely take it. Because I do want to become a permanent emplo... | Besides asking the best you can do to ensure that you will indeed be offered the job is to maintain an excellent performance and attitude .
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Should I ask for a lower salary during probation period after an unsuccessful interview? I recently went to a tech interview. Because I was nervous, I forgot everything.The interviewer said they need a week to take their decision. I know that I am a good programmer, and this is a company I would like to work for. Is it... | If your interview went badly, then lowering your asked salary is extremely unlikely to make them want to hire you anyway.
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Is it okay to ask a client about job security? I'm a freelance web developer and I've been working exclusively for one client for about 8 months now. They have a massive website that they wanted rebuilt from scratch and I've been hacking away at it. The main requirements are almost completed and I'm curious about my fu... | It is also possible that you could change your relationship with the client and join as a permanent employee, while this would likely see a drop in your income it could provide more security and give you a more reliable stream of income. You can always ask, but you need to interpret the response correctly. If it looks ... |
Extending holidays after bad news I need an advice. I've received the bad news that my father has lost his job while I was in Italy for holidays. He hasn't told me yet, I know as my step-mother told me so, knowing that he wouldn't tell me otherwise. I need to go back to the UK so that I can go back to work tomorrow, an... | Do not add to his stress by extending your holiday to your fathers already crap situation.
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Asked to recruit/spam my LinkedIn contacts A recruiter at my company, one of the big SV software companies, has asked me to collect a list of contacts from LinkedIn to send recruitment emails to. I consider this really spammy, and an abuse of my out-of-work relationships, and I want to refuse to do this. I believe tha... | Of course its wrong to spam people generic requests, but a timely discreet targeted and personalized message is fair play and will not only NOT be considered a nuisance but will actually be courteous of you. If you feel pressured, a simpler way would be to ask the recruiter to post the position on linked-in where you c... |
Is missing an initial interview request phone call considered bad form If you get a phone call from an interviewer about a position you have applied for, and you miss the initial call which regards them telling you that you have been shortlisted and are eligible for an interview, and then subsequently leave you a voice... | Even if the recruiter/interviewer emails you following the initial phone call, I would still call them back as a courtesy (there's a good chance the email was just a blast from their job portal - and you calling back will stick in their head), as well as respond to the email. No, If you just get called without a previo... |
How confident should one be when negotiating salary in the UK? I've read a few answers here advocating asking for more during the initial salary negotiation. The amounts I see leave me dumbfounded, and I suspect it's because these answers come from a US-centric point of view. For example in Just got an initial job off... | When negotiating salary, be confident in knowing that you have done the research and know what your skill set is worth in your local market .
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How to deal with co-workers that hate each other I am the sole R&D person in a pretty outdated company. I do a very broad set of engineering tasks in order to improve QC, from failure analysis to automatic systems development. In order to complete my work I have to talk with a diversified set of people: production dire... | Remember stick to the measurable facts that impact your productivity and remove yourself from the personal stuff.
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How should I handle a job fair when my own company will have a booth? My university is hosting a career fair I'd like to attend. I want to take a couple of hours to go to this and learn about other companies, projects, and talk to representatives of some of the larger tech companies. Google will be there, for example.... | While you are there talking with other companies take the opportunities to learn how those companies handle issues you are dealing with. If you don't wish to be seen, don't go.
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Coworker keeps taunting me to cut off my hair. How should I make him stop? I work in a metropolitan city. Most employees are permanent, protected by a strong union and hard to fire. I am a temporary employee, and I have been working in the same team for several years. A few months ago, an employee from another team t... | then maybe the best thing you can do is to refuse to speak to the guy who's harassing you.
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Is it considered rude to get a drink of mocha at a meeting before your client arrives? Here is the situation: I have a meeting scheduled with a client/stakeholder/co-worker at 12pm, and I arrive at 11:50am and order myself a drink before they arrive. They end up arriving at a reasonably prompt time (12pm - 12:05pm) a... | That is dependent on the individual, but in general it's not rude. If this is a situation where it would be embarrassing for you to have arrived significantly before the other person, don't do it (also, in such circumstances, don't arrive early). It is never considered rude to drink coffee before, during, or after a me... |
Can a foreign citizen working remotely be a CTO for a US company? I am 17 years old and working at a startup where I am co-founder and CTO. Soon I will reach my 18th birthday and then I want to register my work experience formally. Our company is based in the USA, but I am not a US resident. Despite this, can I be re... | You need to make sure you have your visa issues sorted out and are allowed to work in the US, then you can worry about being CTO. Yes you can be named "CTO" of a US company without physically being in the US.
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I returned from vacation to find my desk in a mess. How should I deal with this? I work in USA as a Software Developer. I took a week off as a vacation, and came back today to see my desk in a mess: my 3 screens were unplugged and stacked, and there were cigarette ashes everywhere. It turns out, last week all remote i... | The first thing I would do is politely tell your manager that you're upset and that this is interfering with your ability to do your job (whatever you do, don't blow up on them - that's bound to make things worse) and ask if they can spare a few minutes to get your desk back in shape. The least they could do is apologi... |
Share a B2C quote with a competitor I'm founding a startup in Switzerland and we need insurance in case we break things. I asked for various quotations from various insurance companies in order to buy the best suited for me. I talked for ~ 5 minutes with each representative (what type of work do we do, what will our es... | Furthermore I suppose it can only make the market more "fluid" Unless something confidential was contained in the quote, and unless there was some language between you and the other party agreeing not to share the information, there is nothing unethical in doing so.
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In technology, what options does a jack of all trades have? Subject:A jack of all trades (and master of none), in a technology company (for this question) would be somebody who is familiar with most relevant technologies and keeps up to date with them without being the best expert around. Question: in a technology com... | There are lots of career paths where someone can climb the corporate ladder by being a "generalist".
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How to Explain Picky Eating for Lunch Catered for Me? I recently got a new job and as part of the new hire process, they cater a lunch for me. In their introduction email, they asked about allergies or dietary restrictions. I don't have any allergies, but I am a very picky eater. My wife(accurately) describes my diet a... | I don't think people would think it too weird that you've brought your own if everyone's eating in the same room.
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Is it appropriate to ask for an early-morning interview to be postponed or rescheduled? I applied to an international company and they asked for an interview at 5 pm in their timezone, which is 5 am here. In their e-mail they asked me if I would be available anyway during that time so I assume that's the only time they... | Not to say that you will always be this accommodating but for a one-off interview I think you should accept. If it was me and it was a job I wanted, I would take the 5am call. You'll need to decide the implications of the 12-hour time difference and see if it meets your needs.
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How to approach boss making me work a position completely different to the one I applied for? I applied for a job somewhere as a 'software engineering' apprentice. Having had previous experience in doing front-end development and knowing the fundamentals of programming from college, I was very optimistic to start since... | If they aren't able to identify anywhere for you to use those skills yet, emphasise that you'd really like to take on something more challenging or sketch an outline for some of the promised training. Before you allow yourself to feel 'conned', hear out what they have to say.
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How to hide the fact you very publicly messed up in your last job from potential employers? This is totally hypothetical based on the recent Ryanair debacle . In no way have I screwed up at work (today, at least), and I don't work for Ryanair. So I'm the HR manager who decided to switch our company's annual leave yea... | You don't need to be the one to bring it up in an interview, but if it does come up don't hide from it. Admit that you made a mistake and that you learned an important lesson as a result, and that moving forward you will be more careful about this sort of thing. You find an organization that will be sympathetic, or for... |
Workplace offered to pay more than what we agreed I'm in a bit of a dilemma.Today I had a job interview and me and the employer agreed verbally on a salary. Later today he sent me an email with the actual contract, and the salary written there was higher than what we verbally agreed upon. Tomorrow I am calling him to... | This is a negotiation, anything beneficial to you is not your problem to fix.
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Timing resignation when the job offer is "contingent upon work permit" The golden rule is that you should never resign your current job without a signed job offer from the new employer. However, I believe my case is tougher than that: I've got a job offer that's "contingent upon obtaining the work permit" and a 3 month... | Stay pat until all the conditions of your hopefully soon to be new employer are met.
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Contract complete and client now asking for lots of personal info I friend of mine connected me with a job to create a computer program, given a set of specifications. My only point of contact was an anonymous email address (e.g. joeblow@example.com ). They never mentioned their name/the company's name. The pay was dis... | Since you don't know the other party and apparently don't have a written contract, your legal standing to collect any funds for the work you've done is questionable. You are in the process of being scammed. Ask them for their company details and who to send the invoice to before giving any more information about yourse... |
Notifying a co worker about an internal job opening you're both qualified for I have a co worker I work pretty closely with, we have some overlapping job functions but it has some of the same base qualifications that we cover for the business. About two years ago, a job opened up, we both applied and he got it. I was ... | Ultimately, it comes down to how much you value this potential job, how much you value your relationship with this coworker, and your prediction as to how this coworker would feel if you got a job that he didn't learn about. This is one of those "do the right thing" situations.
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How do I turn down a proposal from my Boss about a school project? I'm set to graduate in Computer Engineering this year. As part of the requirements to graduate: I have to develop, submit, and present a capstone project to the faculty. I'm allowed to choose whatever project I want as long as the faculty approves it. W... | Boiled down to its essence, there is no reason why you can't simply say 'no'. If you are seriously turned down by everything associated with it, your words will more than work: it is too large for a capstone project.
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Is it normal to have heavy work load during notice period? I am in a management role, where I have accepted a new role at a new company and serving my notice period. The work-load is very heavy which can be stressful and high-pressured. I am quite unsettled right now, changing roles etc and subsequently losing motivati... | Not working/ expecting a light workload just because you are in notice period is, in my personal opinion, unprofessional. It's not uncommon, but the reasons vary.
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Adding company bonus when employer asked for current pay? I went for an interview and the employer asked for my current salary to which I replied X amount. However, I included in the amount the yearly bonus that we receive which essentially bumps up my monthly salary by a little bit (whether this is ethical or not is a... | If you still want to volunteer your payslip to them, just do it with the comment that there is additional compensation or look for one where that compensation is included.
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Everyone is talking about politics in the common lunches. Any better option than leaving? I live in a place where there's quite a lot of convulsion in terms of independency of the country. My ideas don't really care, but in the office there are both sides, and the verbal fights are close to punches. The thing is that ... | There are a few delicate topics that are better left out of the office altogether, like politics, religion, gender issues, and more in general all things someone may ave a strong idea about. If you fail to divert the discussion to another topic, the best option is almost always leaving.
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Can I safely advertise an open position in my company through my LinkedIn account Recently, an analyst on our Information Security team working in the SOC quit for greener pasture at another company. I work in a different, but very related role as an IT Auditor. I interface with the members of the IT Security almost da... | Also, if you know a contact who might be a good fit, you can always send them a message mentioning the position, and offer to pass their resume directly to the hiring manager, with your recommendation, a potential win for both of you.
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Does sitting cross-legged come across as unprofessional? Today I realised it's become my habit to sit cross-legged (ankle of one leg resting on knee of other leg) quite a lot of the time, including at work. I work at a desk-job (in the UK), so my legs are almost permanently out of sight, and I stop myself doing it in... | I agree with the other poster, don't do it for formal meetings but in general it will just be marked as a quirk. And yes, it looks pretty unprofessional (at least to this reporter's perspective). There's also the fact that you're at risk of wiping dirt from your shoes onto your chair, and from there onto your rump (or ... |
Should I put that I am a Day Trader on my resume? I have been day trading for a few years now and have been quite profitable. I believe I have the skill set and knowledge to continue this indefinitely as a career however I recently found another calling in which I want to pursue instead despite the pay decrease :). Sh... | If it's not relevant, don't put it on your resume Don't lie about anything, but don't unnecessarily label something with a label you (and possibly others) don't like.
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Colleague passing off my work as his own on LinkedIn A little background: I joined this company (large company, 10,000+ employees, USA based) less than 6 months ago, and it is a small team of 7 people. My reporting manager (the person above me in the hierarchy) is someone with less than half my experience and he was p... | In this situation I would remove any project details (or possibly your whole profile) from LinkedIn and simply refer to your CV which is available on request.
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Informing colleagues about lavatory etiquette? This is a small company in India which has engineers, finance professionals, janitors and even interns from abroad, working there. The founders noticed that many employees aren't very familiar with lavatory etiquette and ensuring hygiene, and they wished to conduct a sm... | The manager could also bring it up in a staff meeting. It's not so much training or educating as reminding them to respect others and their workplace, most people already know that they're not supposed to pee/poo on the floor/seat/walls and don't do it at home.
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Applying for a job with my overall GPA or within my major? I started out at my school as an mechanical engineering major, but I didn't do well and quickly realized it wasn't for me. I switched majors to computer science/mathematics and have done quite well. My overall GPA is about 3.3 but if you discount all the bad gr... | If you had a much lower GPA, it might be worth including the major GPA just to off set any negative impression that might have caused. Assuming you will be applying for technical jobs in CS, your major GPA would be most relevant to what you will be doing on the job, and better allow your prospective employer to evaluat... |
Asked to work on a crucial project in a different technical domain I am being asked to start working on a project that has a bad reputation, is already delayed, is for a client who is angry with the management and uses a technology stack which I am unfamiliar with. With the deadline already passed and my inexperience ... | If you are a technical resource, it is not your job to "rescue the project". Tell them you would like them to bring in an expert for one day to give you some 1-on-1.
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Lunch meetings and time sheets So I work in an organization where we record our time spent at work in a program called "time management system", for the most part its pretty relaxed (it gets approved by your manager and what not). This is my first ever corporate job, I'm an entry level "software engineer". So I recen... | In most workplace cultures it is perfectly acceptable to say something like, "I prefer not to discuss work during my meal break." Some timekeeping-practices seem a little bit unfair, but usually they are not worth making a big fuss about, as the impact on your life is probably minimal. Every company has different polic... |
Email Etiquette: Carbon Copies and Blind Carbon Copies I am familiar with the concept of Carbon Copies (CC) and Blind Carbon Copies (BCC). CC's are used as a means to inform individuals and keep them in the loop on a given topic. Replying to team member regarding the status of a development server?CC your team lead... | Using BCC instead of CC prevents reply-all email storms.
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Political talk radio through speakers I work in a shared office space with a small group of coworkers. One of the more senior coworkers has made it a habit to play political talk radio through speakers for the entire room. It seems to create a very toxic environment of constant argument and raised tempers. Even though ... | Another option could be to make him realize that not all of the teammates enjoy listening to that sort of talks during work (surely you are not the only one that finds it disturbing).
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Methods for keeping your workdesk clean due to skin condition I have a skin condition which causes the skin on my face to dry out and flake off. Sometimes I have good days and I have little issues, others I have bad ones and it can look like a blizzard has hit my desk and keyboard. I've been to the doctor about it and ... | There are some static cleaning wipes, which should make it easier to dust off especially the keyboard. I would recommend seeking an arrangement with your employer that you can work from home when your condition surfaces in a particularly bad way.
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As a new staff member, would it be appropriate to correct a senior member of staff's capitalization and spacing of a commercial product's name? Background I am an employee of a large (50,000+ employees) consultancy firm. I work in a smaller team with approximately 10 other people. I started working for this company, a... | If the typo is significant enough to mention, let your manager decide how to address it. No, it'll probably cause more problems that in solves and will probably end with you gaining a bad reputation for yourself. I wouldn't bother changing capitalization, no one really cares. No since it's already been through proof-re... |
How to cope by accepting being disciplined by your big boss that threatens to fire you over baseless misconduct I am in a company who sells 10 minutes race for 6 people on formula 1 simulator.Each 15 minutes I have to take 6 new customers who will enjoy their race. So during these 15 minutes I have 5 minutes where I g... | Try to move forwards by learning up front who the preferred customers are (like a special symbol on the ticket for example) and be prepared to hold up the session a little longer to get these people in, even if they're late.
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Nationwide laws increased work load, should my field get a raise? I work in the medical field, focusing in the pharmaceutical department, getting scheduled drugs authorized. Due to the "opioid Epidemic" there is a major increase in the work load for Narcotic authorizations. The new laws have turned something that us... | Assuming you are not in a union contract, you can always ask for more pay or an adjustment in schedule.
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Accidentally used a slur in a email to management - How to best recover I work in the IT Security profession as an IT auditor. In communicating to senior management via a late - day email about open findings soon to be due for a response, I accidentally wrote "N-----" instead of "Bigger". It was purely accidental due ... | Apologize if you believe people's feelings were hurt, but at the end of the day, the intent of hate was not there, it was an honest mistake. That said, just send a simple email apologizing; noting that it was typo should be enough for reasonable people. For English language software that uses hunspell, I deleted all th... |
How to ask a male boss for a sanitary bin in the women's bathroom? I've recently started working in a small business (10-15 employees), and noticed that the women's bathroom lacks a sanitary bin. Since the team is mostly male, and the only two other female employees are both over 50, it was probably not a problem befor... | If you still feel too uncomfortable to ask directly, or you aren't familiar enough with the laws regarding sanitary bins in your region, consider enlisting the help of the older women in the office.
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Should I list my 3-years PhD in 'Education' or 'Experience' on LinkedIn? I've been PhD candidate for the past 3 years, and recently (successfully) defended my thesis. I now want to apply to companies outside academia (and maybe not directly related to my field of study) in the US and/or western Europe. I am wondering ... | List it in both.
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I was hired for one job profile, then assigned to another job profile which I don't want to continue with I was hired for a job profile the company needed and one that I love. But on joining, the passed me on to another type of job, which I had not learned before and had no plans of learning in the near future. Nonet... | This could be a case that they needed someone like you for that position until you can move to something you are interested in.
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Boss who is doing an executive MBA handing over all assignments to a graduate trainee My friend's company offers an MBA degree to executives, the program is from one of the top business schools. Her boss is enrolled in the program. He gives her all his assignments and projects, including the group ones to carry out, ... | Your friend could get fired for refusing to do the assignments (or for getting the manager into trouble)
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What does the "Startup spirit" mention truly imply? The application is not for a startup, the company claims to have over 200 employees. A decent job offer in France I'm reading mentions "Startup spirit guaranteed" among the list of attractive reasons to apply for that job. It is not the first time I have seen this "p... | "Startup spirit guaranteed" reads like a euphemism for "challenging work conditions", which itself often really means "There's a lot to do, almost too much."
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