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Would declining a coding test disqualify me from the interview process? Almost every developer interview involves a coding test. I don't really see the need for this, as I have uploaded some code on my GitHub account, all my code is publicly accessible, so if someone wants to access my account, he/she can review all the code I have written. Why are these tests necessary? Is there a way to decline doing them without being disqualified? <Q> Well these tests are part of their hiring process <S> so <S> yes I'd say if you want to get hired by them you have to do them. <S> Certainly that's been the case whenever I've been giving tests as part of a hiring process. <S> I usually give some sort of coding test to prospective candidates (although I tend to keep them small 30 mins to an hour) and if a candidate refused and pointed me to their github or similar <S> instead I'd bin their application immediately because: 1) <S> It makes it much harder to compare code between multiple candidates 2) <S> The code they offer may not provide examples of the sort of thing <S> I'm looking for 3) <S> It positively reeks of disinterest on behalf of the candidate. <S> If you aren't serious about being hired by me, I'm not serious about hiring you. <S> 4) <S> To me it also says "I can't follow instructions <S> and I'm going to do things my own way regardless", not generally traits <S> I'm looking for in an employee. <A> I have uploaded some code on my GitHub account, all my code is publicly accessible, so if someone wants to access my account, he/she can review all the code I have written. <S> I can get someone else code and push into my repo, having your code public doesn't help to hire a manager to hire you. <S> Why are these tests necessary? <S> It helps them filter good from bad, and I don't think anyone gives a really big test that is time-consuming unless you don't know it, <S> if someone is good at something, they should welcome it and it is a plus that you can add it to your repo, and your knowledge even if you get hired or not. <S> Is there a way to decline doing them without being disqualified? <S> Declining means, either you have an attitude or not a team player or too committed to give new company times, all which IMO are red flags. <A> Coding tests that last an hour or so are pretty much the norm when applying for coding jobs these days. <S> You can't really avoid them if you want a developer role without severely restricting your options. <S> You could refuse and point them to your Github profile, but this would almost always mean an outright rejection. <S> There have been times that my inbox was full of these tests How many roles are you applying for? <S> If you constantly have an inbox full of these tasks, and it's only one task per company, that implies you have <S> loads of applications on the go at once, <S> and you're getting rejected from the vast majority of them (or turning them down yourself.) <S> If this is the case, then the real issue here isn't with the coding tests, it's with the number of jobs you're applying for and being rejected for. <S> If this is indeed the case, then you'd be better off screening the roles you apply for more carefully, and putting more effort into just a few applications, rather than mass-applying and trying to spend every evening of the week churning your way through coding tasks. <A> is it really necessary to do and the coding tests too? <S> If a company requests you to do such tests, then it would be expected for you to do them. <S> It is true that a test may not give all the aspects of a candidate, and that other things are also important when considering a recruit. <S> You can surely try ask if you can do something else. <S> A nice way would be by politely asking " Is it possible to something instead of the coding test? <S> I can provide several Git projects to exemplify." , but it is not likely they will agree with you and do it. <S> If they insist on doing so <S> and you do not want, then I think you have no choice but to end the recruitment process. <S> If coding tests are really not something you like, try searching for jobs in companies that do not require such tests. <A> From an engineer's perspective who may be interviewing you...how am I meant to evaluate your skill or see how you solve problems if you refuse to do so in my presence? <S> Let's not mince words here. <S> I suck at interviews. <S> I was unemployed for about five months because my interviewing was so terrible (from my perspective <S> ; I know I'm a brilliant developer but interpersonal communication has always been a weakness of mine). <S> But that didn't mean I didn't do any coding exercises; quite the opposite. <S> I made sure that I met their coding exercise requests, and showcased what I had learned from past experience (including clear documentation of code, READMEs, unit tests, etc). <S> I wanted them to know what they were getting from hiring me; a diligent worker who regarded themselves as a professional and expert, and one who understands what it means to architect the solution, test it, and deliver it in a way that makes sense to everyone. <S> By you refusing or failing to do that, you miss the opportunity to really put yourself out there as a stand-out candidate. <S> I've not heard of many professional institutions hiring someone without asking them some kind of coding exercise. <S> Let's face it - as a developer, you're going to be paid a lot of money to solve problems, and if you don't showcase how you solve (or at least approach) <S> problems, you're not showing me that you're worth what I'm willing to pay, or more.
| However, code test are in some cases the standard procedure of some companies, where the can't easily make an exception for your case and ignore such recruitment protocol.
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How can I properly responds to requests to perform outside work for a company that has not offered me a fulltime job? I worked as an intern for a large multinational company for about 9 months. It was not a difficult job. I exceeded what was required of me, worked weekends and even built a prototype reports website for them. At the end of my service, I was not retained and have moved on. Recently, I got a request from one of my colleagues to help out the department, I did help him against my better judgment. Then he came with another request to help out the department. I made it clear to him that I will not work for a multinational company whilst I am not a staff. He begged me for 3 days saying it was important to the department and they needed my skills. I thought it was all over but I was contacted by another person in another department to help out with some work and told him no. How should I handle a company that I no longer work for when they request more work, but don't offer to pay me? <Q> If you work for free, you are telling people that you are worth nothing. <S> This is a dirty trick that companies use, and many even will try to get free consulting from job applicants. <S> As rath stated in the comments, "Sure, my rate is 'X', when do you want me to come over" is perfectly acceptable and entirely professional. <S> If they didn't think that you were good enough to hire full-time, they can pay your consulting rate, WHICH, BTW, should be at least 1.5x the rate they pay a full-time employee to do the same work, if not double. <S> Don't be angry, don't be nasty, but DO <S> get paid for any work you do. <S> This is not a favor you are doing for someone, this is work and you should be paid. <A> and if they don't get the message you can ignore them. <A> I only hear from them when they need something, so why be bothered with a company that I no longer work for? <S> Although you should not phrase it this way, you are right. <S> It is your choice to decide if you want to do those contractor works for your past company, and you are in full rights to decline their offers; by no mean you are forced to help them. <S> This really depends on your goals in life and what you want to do in short-mid term. <S> Seems to me like a Masters is always a good idea to pursue, and also seems that you are willing and able to do so. <S> If you are having second thoughts, or this is gnawing at you, I suggest you think about this goals and priorities you have, so you are really sure that you wish to dedicate time and resources to your degree or you would prefer working instead. <S> Who knows? <S> Maybe you can even manage to do both, giving you more experience and also some extra money for you to use when studying abroad.
| One or two small requests for information ( not work) after you've left a company isn't entirely unreasonable, beyond that though it's taking things a bit far and it's perfectly reasonable for you to respond with a polite "no" If you're still on good terms then offering to perform the task on a freelance basis isn't a bad idea but this is entirely at your discretion.
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I've discovered my employer is hiring for the (senior) position I want. How do I proceed? Let's say my position in my company is Position X. I have been declaring my intention to be promoted to Sr. Position X and actively working towards it for about a year now. The feedback I have gotten thus far leads me to expect it to happen at my next annual review in March. It turns out that my company recently started hiring for Sr. Position X about a week ago. My question is, would it be appropriate to go ahead and apply for this internal position ahead of my annual review if I can demonstrate that I already meet the posted requirements, or would this been seen as a circumvention of the usual process? How would you approach this with your manager? <Q> How would you approach this with your manager? <S> Talk with your manager directly about the best way to apply for the opening immediately . <S> There is no reason you should have to wait , but you may as well double check with your manager to make sure there isn't something else you need to know as part of the internal application process. <A> There's no need to wait for the annual review to discuss this with your manager - try sending them an e-mail or have a face-to-face chat and say that you feel that you could perform well in this role and would like to apply. <S> Then you aren't circumventing anything and throwing your hat in the ring at the same time. <A> Is the person responsible for hiring aware of your desire to be promoted to this position? <S> There are significant costs associated with the hiring process, and a company would not normally do it if there was someone internal who was suitable. <S> Based on this, I would assume that either the person responsible for hiring was not aware of your desire to take on this role, or they decided you were not suitable. <S> Applying through the normal channels, as though you're not a current employee, may not be appropriate. <A> This is a little too long for a comment, so here's my "answer" in support of the existing answers. <S> Most companies, if it's not mandated by a government that they do, post available jobs outside the company. <S> Often enough, this is just to "prove" that they aren't practicing nepotism. <S> If/when they place the internal applicant into the position, they (eventually) take the job posting down, tell any outside applicants that the position has been filled, and (often enough) post a new job to fill the newly vacated position. <S> Internal applicants are usually provided preference to the unknown outside applicant. <S> I've been bumped from a scheduled interview because the company had an internal applicant the "needed" to interview first. <S> I never got the interview rescheduled, since "that position has already been filled." <S> So, what I'm trying to say (and so is everyone else) is: go for it! <A> I would not necessarily assume that hiring for a senior position is the same thing as promoting you to such. <S> It depends substantially on your company, of course, but my company hired a senior developer on my team shortly before promoting me to senior developer; here, senior is mostly a way to pay us more money, and doesn't have a substantial change in responsibilities beyond expecting a bit more on the mentorship front. <S> They may simply need another body, and want a more senior body. <S> It's not like you're suddenly going to be a different person after all when you're promoted; <S> the need for someone able to take on more responsibilities than a junior [x] may exist regardless of your promotion. <S> A consideration though even if this is the case, is how you will fit in with the new person in terms of seniority. <S> Hiring a senior person while you're not a senior, particularly if they then have some degree of responsibility over you, may be uncomfortable, particularly if you indeed do get promoted a few months later; it may be actually the ideal time from your manager's point of view to process the promotion so as to ensure that isn't an issue. <S> The way to find out, of course, is to talk to your manager. <S> Hi [name], <S> I know we've been working for the past year to get me to the point that I would be able to be promoted to Senior <S> [x]. <S> I noticed yesterday that we posted for a Senior [x] position. <S> Is this the right time to discuss my promotion as well? <S> If we're bringing a new person onto the team, it would be good to have a solid idea of how we're going to fit together in terms of responsibilities and team structure ahead of time. <S> That reminds them of the work you've put in to get to a good position for the promotion, without being too whiny. <S> It also gets to the root of the matter: that you want to find out where you are in terms of getting that promotion, and that way if the answer is that you're not ready yet, you can then push for some details as to what you would need to do in order to get there.
| I would approach the hiring manager directly and ask if you could apply.
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Have I damaged my relationship with my boss's brother? I have a really helpful, great boss,let's call him Peter and I have always had a great relationship with him and his brother, let's call him Paul whom I also work with. Recently, my boss's brother, Paul asked me if I could help him with conducting interviews for him. As he did not cc his brother, Peter, and Paul works at a different office, I told Peter, and asked him if he wanted me to do it. My boss, Peter got mad at his brother, Paul as he didn't want me to do it, and was not happy that his brother had asked me to do his interviews, without checking with him. When I let Paul know that I couldn't do it as I had my own interviews to do, he was very understanding. But...my boss clearly had a talk with him as after that whenever I emailed Paul, he didn't respond to any of my emails. Just a couple of days ago, we were supposed to work on something together but after a week, Paul finally responded letting me know that he wouldn't be able to, and cc'd his brother on it. Did I do something wrong? How can I fix things with my boss's brother, Paul who seems to be mad at me? Paul used to be my go to whenever I had any questions, he would help me, and I would do the same whenever he had any questions. Would appreciate your advice. Thank you! <Q> Did I do something wrong? <S> Your boss is Peter (not his brother), and you report to him . <S> You did the right thing in asking for clearance to take such interviews, as you surely have other tasks to do that were actually assigned to you officially. <S> Also doing things without approval from your boss can get you in serious trouble, so it is always better to CYA <S> (besides you did not know this was going to cause him any trouble). <S> Seems to me that Paul either (1) decided to ask you without consulting your boss, with the hopes of getting some free help or (2) asked your boss, got denied, but still tried to go forward with his plan and ask you individually. <S> Anyways, seems like Paul didn't get what he was seeking, and that is why he is probably "mad" with you <S> (actually, it is more likely he is mad with himself for not being able to pull this out). <S> I feel that no relationship has been broken here <S> , probably he is still a bit sore, and will take him some time to forget about this <S> (how much depends on his personality, or if he is not resentful), but I am sure that eventually this will be over and things among you will go back to normal. <A> You did nothing wrong <S> but in my opinion it would have been better to ask Paul to get permision from your boss. <S> For example Paul can you please get Peter permision for this interviews. <S> Peter got mad mostly because he thought his brother worked behind his back, not because of the interviews. <S> And Paul regarded your action as a kind of complaint or snithcing. <S> All this would have been avoided if Paul talked to Peter first. <S> Patience and time is probably the best remedy. <S> At some point Paul will ask you something, and gradually the whole thing will be forgotten. <A> Peter is your boss, Paul is not. <S> Your relationship with Paul shouldn't really be your primary concern. <S> This is something for Peter and Paul to work out amongst themselves. <S> It's not your problem. <S> You did the right thing by clearing things with Peter, so I think you should be fine. <S> Keep the boss happy first and foremost.
| I think you did nothing wrong here, so there is probably nothing to "fix". It sounds as though Paul overstepped the mark, by asking you to do work for him without checking first with Peter.
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I can freely choose the operating system on company workstation. Any workplace concerns to be aware of? I'm taking a new job soon. The new company will let me install any operating system of my choice on the company workstation. At my current job, I was given a choice between Ubuntu and MacOS, so I am unfamiliar with having completely free rein. I use Gentoo exclusively as my daily driver at home, so I'm very familiar with it and prefer it as an OS at work as well. I'm concerned if this would cause any audit/compliance issues. I know Ubuntu has some certifications that Gentoo does not. (Jurisdiction: Germany (EU), Operating Area: Media Sales Platform) I will clear up the compliance/policy issues with my manager, but I was wondering if there are any concerns that I hadn't thought of, such as: Is it generally a bad idea for any other reason, besides compliance/security concerns? <Q> If you intend to choose an OS that no one else at your company uses you should ask your manager if he has any objections to your choice, or if there is a standard configuration used by members of his team filling your role. <S> Is it generally a bad idea for any other reason, besides compliance/security concerns? <S> Seeking the input of your new peers is always a good idea in this scenario. <S> This way any advantages to their configuration can be accounted for. <S> Also make sure that you consider any compatibility, ongoing maintenance, or security issues during your decision making process. <S> And finally, remember to take into account this new to you environment. <S> Most likely they are doing most things for a reason. <A> Is it generally a bad idea for any other reason, besides compliance/security concerns? <S> Also make sure that there will be no trouble accessing printers and similar devices with the OS of your choice. <S> they have had with the choice of OS they made. <S> This also depends on the gadgets, devices, libraries, etc., that you will need to use in the work you will perform. <S> Generally speaking (and without promoting any tech feuds), there is a higher rate of compatibility amongst MacOS and Ubuntu than, say between any of those and Windows. <S> This means that regardless of your choice, the differences if any, will probably be few. <A> They're multiple problematic that have to be handled if you use your own OS : <S> Compatibility with the Information System of the company . <S> To access internet you may have trouble if you're using Linux based distribution and the proxy server of the company is Windows-Kerberos based. <S> However if the company allow any kind of OS, they should have think about this kind of trouble before hand. <S> Compatibility with co-worker of the same project . <S> If every developer set up their own development you might have trouble finding why it isn't working on your own station. <S> Company support . <S> If you have trouble to access some resources in the company, of if some intranet website doesn't work (because they're IE based) <S> the IT support might refuse to support you. <S> Depending of the information system of you company <S> you may be able : To run under Linux without trouble Need a Windows VM to access some specific resources Need Windows as main OS and use Linux VM hoping your computer is powerfull enough to run a full IDE within a VM (for me, it is not even that much the case without the VM layer). <S> My advice is that unless you're really sure of what you're doing, stick to something commonly used in the company.
| One important thing to consider is the compatibility of the system of your choice with the others available in the company . You could also try ask your coworkers about the experience or considerations I have not worked with Gentoo specifically, but seems that it is a Linux distribution as well as Ubuntu (Debian), so probably the smoothest transition for you is to chose Ubuntu if given the option. Make sure that they can supply you with all the things you could need for your system regardless of the OS you chose.
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How to effectively communicate with a peer who is not detailed in his answers? I have recently started a new job. My peer, who is supposed to be training and helping me, basically shuts down as soon as I start asking questions. His answers are very high level where he skips important granular details. I am left with more confusion every time I ask him something. So I started emailing him to get a better understanding. Now with with emails, it seems his answers are either bare minimum or insufficient. It has been a big challenge to effectively communicate with him. I now hesitate to ask him anything. I'd like to excel at my new job but I think I will have a hard time getting up to speed if things remain this way. What strategies/techniques could I adopt to effectively communicate with him? <Q> It is also possible that your questions are way too broad and not focused on a specific problem, which would make it difficult to give a detailed answer. <S> For example, "Why do we use C++ in this project? <S> " cannot be meaningfully answered without a long-winded speech. <S> "Why do we use private inheritance in this class?" can be answered somewhat more specifically. <A> Take the "Rubber duck" approach. <S> Ask him to talk to you as if you were a layman. <S> There's an old saying that "If you cannot explain the subject simply, you do not understand it yourself." <S> Putting him into this position will get his brain into a different mode and will probably help both of you. <S> For more information on "Rubber duck debugging", which I reference above: Rubber Duck Debugging <A> Now with emails, it seems his answers are either bare minimum or insufficient <S> You are on the right track with sending this individual emails with your questions. <S> If they respond with answers that are not good enough, continue pressing for the details. <S> If after some effort you cannot get the details you require, send a final email and CC your manager . <S> Be specific on the points where you feel the answers are lacking. <S> This clearly gives your colleague multiple chances to answer prior to bringing in the manager, and when you do CC the manager, it will be clear you have made multiple attempts to get the answers you need . <S> Short answer : <S> Keep pressing while building a paper trail demonstrating the lame answers, and finally if your forced to, copy your manager on the message. <A> I think you're dealing with someone who doesn't really want to help you. <S> If you're going to stop asking questions, you've probably help him reach his goal. <S> You have to persevere. <S> Be explicit in your need for more details. <S> You may find that he has other time demands that limits his ability to help you. <S> This could be a case where the two of you need to speak to a supervisor about how to handle the lack of time. <S> Maybe something can be taken off of his plate. <S> Onboarding is not easy for technical positions and can take more time and energy than some people realize. <S> Some projects or tasks need to be moved back. <S> Hopefully, everyone realizes you're just trying to do your job the best you can. <S> No one wants to be a drain on everyone else. <S> Based on the fact that this person was instructed to help you, no one should think you don't have the horsepower to figure things out on your own. <S> Asking for the name of the test server isn't something you can find on the web.
| Try to ask your questions in a manner that elicit the answers with the required level of granular details. It could be that he's a bit confused or overwhelmed himself.
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How to train your brain for work that requires heavier attention to detail For the last 5-10 years or so I've worked as a Software Developer in places where design was a bit "ad-hoc" that is requirements were farily vague, open and somewhat flexible as long as basic requirements were delivered. I did pretty well in these conditions as I usually had enough to go by to get the job done in these requirements. Right now though I'm in a position with very strict requirements on just about all the software being developed there. One place I'm having trouble is meeting the exacting requirements down to the slightest column widths, font sizes, etc. Other than this one problem I think I'm doing well, but it's driving some of my peers including the QA teams crazy. Have other developers faced these issues? What kinds of things did you do to "train your brain" to better look at these things? <Q> Project requirements can be very different between various projects. <S> Sometimes like this you have designers who are very precise, and that doesn't necessarily mean its a problem. <S> Where it becomes a problem is with the current framework and how the requested adjustments affect the overall project scope and timeline. <S> Make sure that you inform the Project Manager that the framework you are using doesn't make it easy to make these adjustments and that they will need to budget more time for these tasks. <S> All you need to do is pass on the information that the Task XX3 is going to take longer than the estimated 2 hours; and explain why. <S> Its not your place to debate the purpose or use of these features... <S> that is what the Project Manager is there for. <S> Let the PM take it to the designers and owners of the project. <S> But it may also be just as out of his control as it is yours, and at the end of the day you are going to have to do the tasks regardless of how difficult or how much time it takes. <S> I realize that so far I haven't done a good job in answering your question of how to train your brain. <S> Before you start, make a checklist of all items Check for loosely defined or inconsistent requirements and ask for clarification Communicate any design issues... often designers do not think about "State X" or "Case B" until you bring it up... and sometimes that requires rethinking the design Before you commit/submit for review, you should review the requirements and checklist <S> Make sure you have the right tools <S> (Photoshop required to check pixel perfect alignment?) <S> It seems like you are in early in the project and that it is the first time that you worked with this designer. <S> It will not take long to start to learn what they are looking for and where they are explicit or general. <A> One thing that has helped me greatly with this is using test driven development .Writing the tests to the exact specifications required is basically a translation job - you do this before you do actual development. <S> This provides not only motivation and has helped me to ensure my design ideas fit the requirements - because I can quickly tell if what I've come up with runs into issues when considering the final use case - it also ensures you will meet the exact requirements once all tests are passing. <A> When it comes to formatting code, most IDEs offer a magic key sequence or menu option that will auto-format your code according to whatever standard you set up. <S> If you're not using an IDE, then use a standalone program to do it. <S> For documents, use the standard company templates and don't fiddle with the settings.
| Putting in tests for more basic requirements allows you to get the satisfaction of getting a win in the early stages every once in a while.
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Can I refuse to perform tasks requiring skill that I was not hired for I was hired about two years ago to perform tasks requiring skill A. In the mean time I've spent a lot of my free time outside of work to learn skill B, as a hobby. From what I know skill B is much more valuable in the market, and people hired to do it earn a lot more than me. But I'm happy with my current job and with skill B being only a hobby. Somehow my boss found out that I know skill B and now wants me to start doing projects that require it, without raising my salary. Can I refuse without quitting my job? What are my options? EDIT: Thanks for all the answers. I probably wasn't clear enough that I don't want to make skill B my career, and that's why I'm looking for way out of this situation. <Q> The long and short of it is: No. <S> You can initiate a conversation around you getting a raise, however he will probably refuse you, or give you a token raise which does not match market value for that skill. <S> However, look at the bright side: you can gain some experience doing B at this company, then put that on your resume, and get a new job in that field. <A> Short answer: <S> No, you cannot refuse without quitting your job. <S> Longer answer <S> The smart move would be to do "B", get experience doing it for a year or so, then ask for your title and pay to be updated. <S> The reason I say wait a year is because you will have actual, on the job experience with "B". <S> If your employer refuses to bump up your title and salary, you start going on interviews. <S> Then, when on an interview, you will be able to say that you started doing "B" as a hobby and your previous employer was so impressed that you had taught yourself "B", that they had you doing it not as a hobby, but as your job at your current employer. <S> Get the real, ON THE JOB experience and then leverage that experience for more money, either from your current employer or your new one. <S> DON'T QUIT: <S> GET THE EXPERIENCE FIRST <A> Just refusing isn't the right approach. <S> You need to talk to your boss and explain to him that people using your new learned skills are paid more in the market, so you will be quite willing to do the job - for the right pay. <S> (That's assuming that you don't mind doing B for more money, which would be the most reasonable approach for you). <A> Can I refuse to perform tasks requiring skill that I was not hired for? <S> Of course you can! <S> And your employer can in turn be displeased with you to the point where you are marginalized or ultimately dismissed. <S> That's one option. <S> Another option is to find a new job where you can perform skill A all day long. <S> However, because skills are always changing, and it's important to keep up to date, why not try some skill B? <S> As you yourself say, it's more valuable. <S> Before asking for a raise, you will likely need to demonstrate proficiency in skill B first, by successfully delivering a project or two using it. <S> This will give you more leverage in negotiation. <S> After all, once you are proficient in skill B, moving to a new job becomes that much easier, in the event that your employer doesn't want to pay market value for your skills. <A> I'll take the opposition position for the purpose of exploring what-ifs. <S> If you refuse, imagine how the conversation with your manger will play out. <S> I am sorry, but my skillset and expertise is in A <S> and this was the basis of my decision to be employed by this company and in my belief, <S> the total compensation package in return for my expertise. <S> Now it is apparent that skill B is being utilized more in the industry and my role at Company. <S> My understanding of the cost of such an endeavor for industry professionals is X dollars and <S> Y time before I believe my work would meet the standard. <S> You never say you are not willing to do it <S> (unless you are 100% confident you will never do it) but rather, skill B was not part of your original plan and expectation for the job. <S> Now that skill B is, you are asking the company to compensate your time and tradeoff of transforming a hobby to a professional skill. <A> I think it is too early to make a move. <S> I will wait further to see how the project roll out because management is usually not incline to give a raise before seeing the benefits. <S> A lot can happen in short term: <S> The project may be cancelled The project may be small Technology B may not fit to the business <S> Technology B may be killed by political reasons <S> May be you will never have the time to implement technology B because of task <S> XYZ <S> ... <S> If the review with your manager is not too soon, it will be a good time to mention it <S> and you will be able to list business value that you bring to the company like <S> technology B is able to save time to other employees, saving X$ to the company <S> skill B make development faster, gaining Y$ to the company <S> Now management will be more incline to give you a raise because they will see the benefits and the money saved/gained. <A> What are my options? <S> You only have one choice now. <S> Your only real option at this point is to get another job . <S> Keep your head down and your manager appeased until you do. <S> Sadly, you will have to do tasks that involve skill B until you can move on, but on the other side you will gain additional experience with skill B. <S> If a counter offer is made after you get your next role, refuse it , as they obviously did not value skill B until after you went through the hassle of finding other work. <S> Remember counter offers rarely are a good idea to accept.
| I am not willing to not do the job however, what I am asking for is the time and support that I would need to invest my interest in skill B from just a hobby to professional grade that can be used as part of my skill set. No, you cannot refuse, nor should you.
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Should I put Fundraising Run on Resume? I am updating my resume, and am debating putting the fundraising run I did back in the spring on as Volunteer Experience. I had raised some money for a cause and did the run, would this be something worth adding to a resume? <Q> No. <S> Many people run/walk/crawl in charity events and putting this onto your resume might come across as either bragging or padding. <S> If you regularly help to organise these events, that’s another matter. <S> But not for occasional participation. <A> would this be something worth adding to a resume? <S> Your cover letter is where your selling yourself first, and employers in general like to see a volunteer (community) spirit. <S> If your unsure whether or not to include this, check the company website , and if you see a community or volunteer section there, you can bet it won't hurt you to put it on your cover letter. <S> Sometimes this type information is buried in the About Us section too. <S> Short answer : Good on you for doing volunteer work. <S> Leave it off your resume and put it on your cover letter . <A> I wouldn't put this on personally.. <S> it's not really volunteer experience in the traditional sense, and while certainly a laudable use of your free time it comes off as a bit <S> "I raise money for charidee <S> don't you know" or that you are really scraping the bottom of the barrel for things to put on your resume. <S> The exceptions to this would be if either the charity you raised money for was relevant to the job (generally this would be if the job was for the charity itself or it was for a cause closely aligned to the organisation's goals - such as if it were for a church <S> and you were applying to an faith-based organisation of the same religion) or if you were going for something related to running maybe.
| This is valuable information to some organizations that if you include it belongs on your cover letter , not your resume.
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Dealing with combative dev atmosphere and weak management as a consultant I have somewhat recently started as a software development consultant at a new company through a 3rd party staffing company. I am working at a very large company, and work with other offices distributed across the US. It has been stated to me that I will be made an offer from the place where I develop after a 6 month period. I work with 3 to 5 other developers on the same product, with similar sized teams residing in other states. The "managing developer" for this product sits in one of the other offices. The managing developer alone has final say on what pull requests are merged. I will call him "Ted". Myself, and a few other newer engineers in this office, have noticed problems with the code coming from the other offices. There are frequently issues with the code - pull requests often contain code that will have no effect, or it is plain to see they will have no effect based on the description of the ticket. To further compound issues, many of these pull requests are made by a veteran dev, with a lot of tenure. I'll call him Dave. The developers from my office frequently call out issues on Dave's code, and they are almost all ignored. Further, we have weekly calls to discuss these pull requests, and they often become heated, with Dave interrupting anyone he disagrees with, and frequently talking over others in defense of his stance. Sweeping architectural decisions are made by this person, and (I suppose you'll have to take my word for it) they frequently have large issues. A lot of this involves "re-inventing the wheel", diverging from known paradigms/structures/mature 3rd party libraries that solve simple problems more robustly than we could. Compounding the issue, Ted will not intervene to stop Dave's unprofessional behavior. He is not that strong technically, and I think just defaults to following whatever Dave instructs due to familiarity (the pair are located in the same office across the country). Ted frequently merges pull requests that have a lot of valid, unresolved comments on them. Recently, we had a debate between two approaches, and we didn't end up going with Dave's approach. That night after we'd left the office (different timezones), Dave got Ted to merge his PR instead of the team's agreed solution. I have researched this question , but it was closed for not having a goal. My goal is to have more productive conversations with these individuals, while at the same time not conceding that code quality is an issue that should be taken seriously, and that others have valuable input. Additionally, I am not sure if my position is different being technically an outsider (consultant). <Q> As a consultant you are not a decision maker <S> so it's not your responsibility <S> if good practices are not being followed, nonetheless keep record of all this interactions. <S> Maybe writing a minute stating what was the decision taken by all parts <S> so you have evidence when they do something different afterwards. <S> You probably want to inform this problems to your hiring company <S> so maybe they can guide you or try to solve this at a higher level. <S> Also may help if you offer to coach Ted about some of the technical knowledge or good practices so he understands better your point in these discussions. <A> The managing developer alone has final say on what pull requests are merged. <S> I will call him "Ted". <S> This is the issue. <S> Ted is responsible for all pull requests. <S> Why is a single person responsible for all merged code? <S> It's a team effort, surely, so the team should have say on what code gets merged. <S> The solution is to use a process where two or more team members must approve code before it is merged. <S> It's pretty common practice that multiple team members must approve a merge/pull request in order for it to be accepted. <S> In fact, it seems that your team is already using this policy <S> but it's being bypassed by Dave and Ted. <S> Common VCS tools, like Gitlab for example, can enforce a multi-user approval process through the software itself. <S> I'm sure most other VCS tools nowadays can enforce this as well. <S> Ted might be willing to adopt this since it reduces his workload. <S> If it's not adopted... <S> well, there's not really anything you can do. <S> You're an external employee and they're going to do what they want, even if it's not what's best. <A> This is a tough one... <S> I've seen it a million times (I work in software development). <S> Software development is though, and it takes managers with a combination of logic/mathematics and managerial skills, very rare birds. <S> Since many companies cannot afford to pay for this combination of skills, they go for next best, which is just logic/mathematics skills (i.e. take a developer and make him a manager) or just managerial skills (i.e. take any manager). <S> That puts unreasonable pressure on the person, because most developers simply do not have in them the assertiveness and people skills needed, and most managers do not have high enough IQ. <S> So in the first case development grinds to a halt, because managers try to reach consensus by endless talking and reasoning, and in the second case (your case I think) managers understand that the task is beyond them, and do exactly what you are describing. <S> I have never seen this end well or be fixed, so I would advise to either take it easy and ignore bad pull requests, or, if you care about good code etc., get a newer, better skill and move on to a better environment.
| If the manager doesn't value code quality and trust his developer judgement better than yours there is not much you can do.
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HR representative asks for 10k range, but what's the point? When negotiating with a company's HR representative, I was asked for a 10k range which I would consider reasonable. I answered $X to $X+10K . They replied with an offer which of $X-5K . I posed a question on here on how to counter. I got comments suggesting that I shouldn't ask above my minimum of the 10k range (i.e., $X ) because it was not in good faith and shouldn't ask for more money. This doesn't make sense to me. If I am going to give a 10k range then the entire range should be considered for the offer, and it should be reasonable to counter with more than the minimum. My question is what is the point of the HR rep asking me for my acceptable salary range, if they then proceed to low ball me? Additionally, why have some on workplace.stackexchange said that I should be happy with $X and not somewhere between $X and X+10k? Is there something wrong with countering with an amount that lies within my initial range? <Q> They like you, but they offered too little. <S> Sorry I cannot consider anything less than $XXX and in fact the lower end of that range would only be acceptable if there were other compensations to go with it.' <S> Along those lines anyway. <S> Having said that, negotiating is risky, and you may miss out on the job altogether. <S> If you think job satisfaction would be good you could consider the loss of income, but 5K is a lot of money. <A> What is the point of these questions from the HR rep if they are not going to consider the entire range when offering you a job? <S> There are three possibilities: <S> They had set a range of up to $100k for the role prior to opening the position for interview. <S> When you responded with your desired, and therefore offered you the maximum to see if you would accept it. <S> They had set a range which capped somewhere below $100k prior to advertising the position. <S> They decided they really like you, so bumped it to $100k despite their original limit being lower. <S> They were always going to offer $5k below your minimum. <S> In all cases, the point of getting you to go first is that it lets them set a frame to work in. <S> If you had perhaps asked for $95-105k, the first scenario might have won you the $100k, the second one would likely see you being offered $95k, and in the third one you would only be offered $90k. <S> The problem is that we can't speak for this specific recruiter, and are not privy to their process in determining salary - so we can't tell you which strategy they're following. <S> And then when I consider countering with a salary that is within the 10k range, what is so wrong? <S> There's nothing wrong with countering with $110k - but you will likely lose the job. <S> You've previously indicated you were happy with less than that <S> otherwise you should have specified $110-120k. <S> At least, that's how they'll see it, and they will likely move to make the next candidate an offer instead. <A> They are negotiating. <S> So are you. <S> Shooting high to land low is a common first-volley tactic. <S> That's why they let you go first. <S> If I want to sell my car for $5000, I would price it at $6000 and let someone "talk me down" to $5000 so they feel good about the exchange. <S> A common tactic with salary negotiations is to say "I want $X, so I will ask for $X + 5K in hopes they try to talk me down to $X." <S> So they likely know this is a common tactic and suspect you are using it to "talk you down" to a price you're perfectly happy with. <S> Of course you've made the "mistake" of answering in earnest and now they have no room for a negotiating victory and may feel they are overpaying for you if they can't save some money in the hiring process. <S> Naturally this answer is heavy with assumptions. <S> If your answer is a hard line, you should tell them. <S> Something like this might get your message across (perhaps tune it to your preferred tone): <S> I'm sorry, but I really was being truthful when I said that is the least amount I would consider reasonable. <S> I would be happier with something closer to $X+7, but would still consider slightly less if there are budgetary constraints for the position. <A> The $10K range is mostly immaterial. <S> The thing they care about is the lower end of the scale. <S> That is the number that you stated in your opening offer that you could live with. <S> If you said $110K to $120K and they offer you $105K they are hoping they can negotiate you down. <S> If you counter with $115K they see that your 2nd request went up, it didn't go down. <S> That means they expect your second number can only be in the range $105K to $110K. <S> If they had asked for a $20K range you should have stated $minimum to $minimum+20K where $minimum would have been the same as the bottom of the $10K range. <S> The only thing they will use the top of the range for is to know the number that will make you instantly accept. <S> If you said $110 to $120 and they offer you $119K they expect you will say yes. <S> You may even forget to study the benefits, so you might not ask for an extra vacation or a company car; or try to find out how high they were willing to go.
| Regardless of the reasons why they offered that amount, it's always best to negotiate strongly in the long run. I really wouldn't be able to accept less than my minimum. I would stick to my 10K range and up the ante: '
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New manager directly emailing team from personal email, yet they do not start for 3 months New manager is starting in 3 months, and yet she is emailing the team from her personal email with a big long list of 60 or so questions about our current work practices. Talk about a poor introduction...this has set everyone on edge. To complicate matters, our old boss is working as a contractor currently and he is still our direct supervisor, and they are not on this email. We have a deadline coming up regarding our product too, adding to the stress (software development). Unsure how the new boss has our email addresses. What is the right process here? On one hand, inform our current boss as they should be completing handover... or ask HR what the current status is and if we should reply to someone that has not started yet . Any of these place us in an awkward position. <Q> You do not share information with anyone outside your company without your manager’s explicit authorization. <S> You should forward this email to your existing manager immediately, and you should not respond to it. <S> You do not know if the pending manager has been vetted and/or signed all appropriate NDA's with your new company. <S> This new manager is not yet an employee, and has no authority for you to assign your time to this task. <S> It is entirely possible that this is an attempt at corporate espionage. <S> Even a "missing" item on your list could haunt you. <S> ("You shouldn't hire Innotech. <S> They don't even do Widget-based testing on their Kerfuffler development.") <S> You have not been instructed to do any of this by your existing reporting chain. <S> If your manager instructs you to respond, then do so. <S> Until then, report it to your manager and await instructions. <S> When your new manager comes on board if they ask why it was handled that way, explain that you were acting as instructed <S> and they should talk to whomever <S> gave you direction about the reasons. <A> New manager is starting in 3 months, and yet she is emailing the team from her personal email with a big long list of 60 or so questions about our current work practices. <S> What is the right process here? <S> The right process is to answer the questions that are being asked. <S> First, get permission from your current manager, so that he is kept in the loop and so that the task doesn't take time away from your current deadlines. <S> That will be good for her, and for you. <S> Try not to be so suspicious here. <S> View this as a good thing, and a good way to show your new boss that you are a team player and willing to help the new person when asked. <S> Try to make a good first impression. <A> While I definitely agree with @Wesley's answer of "Not providing company information outside company" <S> I suggest you keep HR also in loop. <S> To safeguard your name I suggest the team should be united here <S> and it should look like team's decision. <S> Also if you are sure that she will be joining the team in next few weeks. <S> A polite mail explaining the reason won't do any harm. <S> Dear XXX, Thanks for your email. <S> We are pretty excited that you will be joining the team in upcoming weeks. <S> As you might be already aware of that we are currently busy working on release of version NNNN of our product YYYY. <S> So can we reply to your email after NNth of this month ? <S> Thank you once and looking forward to work with you, Jacksporrow, In this mail keep your current manager also in CC. <S> If you have a team email address adding that will be best.
| Your new manager is trying to get up to speed so that she will be ready to hit the ground running in 3 months when she starts.
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Giving reasons for quitting to a new company without disparaging old one I started a new job and found myself in a nightmarish situation. I will start interviewing soon and I will need to provide a reason for quitting so early. I already know not to disparage coworkers, but since they are exactly the reason for leaving, what do I say? This is the situation: people have mass-quit the company two months ago and management had to hire anybody who was available at the time, in a hurry, which includes: cubicle neighbor #1: Speaks VERY LOUDLY most of the day, unless he needs to work. Starts ego battles with whomever is around. When losing arguments (often) goes down to sexist/racist/stereotypical arguments. When warned about it, says "it was just a joke" and "in any case I have a PHD so deep inside you know I am right". cubicle neighbor #2: just arrived from another country. Likes to engage in VERY LOUD battles of words with neighbor #1. Will not renounce his home customs, which are working bare footed, massaging his feet and then shaking hands, cleaning his tooth braces at his desk using his smartphone as a mirror and LOUDLY tapping his desk while listening to music. they are both outside their "trial period" (it's Europe) and difficult to replace (our job requires a skill that is not so common) Team lead is also exasperated, but has mortgage and cannot quit, so he does a lot of remoting and meetings, and has bought himself a bottle of hand sanitizer. What to say then? <Q> Stay high level and mention that there was no matching between your needs/expectations and what the company could offer. <S> In any case be sure to mention what you were looking for, and not only what they lacked in: you will convey the message that you have clear targets/ambitions. <A> You can mention "High turnover" , which conveys all you need to without having to go into detail. <S> If I hear that, I don't need any details. <S> I know what's going on <S> and so will any interviewer. <S> It is perhaps the best way to convey workplace issues without saying the workplace has issues. <S> A healthy company simply does not have high turnover. <S> If they press you a bit, say that you are uncomfortable with the direction that the company has taken which is another signal to the interviewer. <S> You don't want to give specifics, but those are both general terms that are professional ways to avoid criticism of a previous employer. <S> Avoid the term <S> BAD FIT as that is over used and also seen as evasive. <S> If they still push you simply say. <S> I'm sorry, but I won't say anything critical about an employer, past or present. <S> This shows you have integrity. <A> Remember one of the golden rules when dealing with ex-employers and managers: " Never bad mouth your previous employer/managers ". <S> This does not look good on you and could make you seem bitter. <S> When asked why you wish to leave a company say things like: "limited opportunity for advancement", or "the companies financials aren't so great", or "there have been layoffs", etc. <S> Any of these type of responses are good reasons for you to leave and do not required further explanation by you . <S> Short answer :
| You don't need to go deep in details about how obnoxious your office population is. If they ask further, you could mention what was missing for you (i.e. team spirit). When asked why you want to leave or have left a company, do not go into any details about colleagues, the company, or ex managers.
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How can I solve our insufficient breaks without negatively impacting availability? I work as lead instructor for a high ropes course. Obviously, it's a safety-critical position - I'm responsible for the safety of both our customers and my team. The problem I'm having is that we don't get allocated sufficient break time - but I can't see an easy way to extend it without making people's jobs unnecessarily more difficult. Over the summer, most people working on a given day will commonly work 9-10 hour shifts, with the lead and managers more likely to work 11-12 hours. Over the whole shift, the only break we are allocated by management is a 20-minute lunch break. I am able to let people go on extra breaks once lunches are finished, if I need to, but this isn't expected to be a regular thing - mostly reserved for the really long days, like summer Saturdays. Some thoughts: This is the UK. Technically, a break this short over a shift of this length is illegal - I'm not 100% sure, but I believe the minimum is 30 minutes every 8 hours. Because we have to maintain as many staff available to monitor the course as possible, only one person can take their break at any one time (of 7 or 8 instructors on duty). That means that with 20 minute breaks, it takes almost 3 hours to get everyone through lunch - increasing this to 30 minutes would mean taking 4 hours. Since we start sending people for lunch at 12, this would mean the lead (who goes last) doesn't get lunch until 3.30 or 4.00, which isn't much fun. I am not a manager, and I don't have the authority to change this myself. I need to work out a solution with the manager and deputy. They know we only get 20 minutes but I don't know if they're aware that's illegal. I'm sort-of, low-level management - only in that I'm a lead, rather than an instructor. I don't make the decisions. I'm also not legally liable, beyond gross negligence on my part. Winter shifts are obviously shorter, as we close before dark. That means it's not as much of a problem over winter - at the very least that length of break is legal - but not getting lunch until 4 is still not fun. As outdoor instructors, we're all relatively young and physically this isn't a problem. It does, however, make me a touch concerned that our staff aren't getting enough of a break to continue to be effective when they return, which has safety implications that I'd rather not find myself dealing with. Are there obvious ways to solve this that I'm missing? <Q> People who don't get adequate breaks tend to not pay attention to their job as well. <S> People who are really hungry also don't pay attention well. <S> This is an accident waiting to happen. <S> As Patricia Shanahan pointed out in a comment, you can fix the lunch issue by closing the course for a short time while everyone eats lunch. <S> As for the other breaks, to cover 8 30 minute breaks means you need another 4 hours of coverage. <S> Hire at least one more instructor (what do you do if someone calls in sick?). <S> Both of these cost money, but tell your management to think of it as insurance against someone getting hurt or them being held accountable for violating labor laws (I'm not sure about that last bit - I'm not in the UK) <S> They might have to increase the prices on the course a little bit to cover the extra costs, but it's money well spent. <A> First, lets get this out of the way: It's not illegal, just the absolute minimum they can legally get away with. <S> UK Law mandates one 20-minute rest if working more than a 6 hour day, even if the shift is 12 hours long: https://www.gov.uk/rest-breaks-work <S> So what should you do? <S> The only thing you can: Politely make management aware of your concerns (as they may well already be fully aware of the problem). <S> Do it in writing. <S> As others have pointed out there are alternatives, but ones that cost. <S> I have never seen a caring employer offer the bare minimum, not even any rest breaks (having two is 'normal' in the UK) for such a long and safety critical role, so if they are open to change you can offer alternatives, but if they refuse you may eventually want the paper trail. <S> Aside from the alternatives offered by others, if appropriate you could suggest a rolling shift start time so that while the breaks are more widely spread, it feels better. <A> The typical way this is handled is either: Stagger shifts <S> so not everyone comes in a the same time, and therefore breaks aren't concurrent. <S> If you have two instructors starting at 8am, 2 at 9am, 2 at 10am, and 2 at 11am, then you can have a half hour break for each person from 12pm-4pm and everyone has their break about halfway through their shift. <S> Hire break coverage. <S> If you must have all 8 people start at 8am, and you need 8 people for every time period, it's fairly straightforward: have 2 more people do a 11am-2pm shift. <S> Or have 2 people work 8am-2pm and 2 people work 11am-6pm and then the other 6 people work 8am-6pm (or whatever). <S> That gives you 10 people from 11am-2pm, where you can take those 6 people working full shifts and give them breaks. <S> Breaks would be something like <S> 8am-2pm folks have breaks at 11-11:30 8am-6pm folks have breaks from 11:30 to 1:00 (3 half hour break periods, 2 in each) <S> 11am-6pm folks have breaks from 1:30-2:00 (or one each in the 1:00-2:00 period) <S> That gives you the most flexibility while still having full coverage (8 people at all times ). <S> You could then even add a bit of extra breaks <S> if you wanted to (as if you really only need 7 people out there at once, you now can have a single person on break at any time, to allow smoke breaks or similar). <A> This is a bit obvious, but you mention one of your objections to longer breaks is how late some people will eat. <S> The simplest solution to this problem is to start sending people for their breaks <S> sooner - say if you start sending people at 11, the last break would be about the same time as it is now despite the extra hour it would take for rotation. <S> You could have longer breaks, or extra breaks, by extending the window you're willing to have seven people working. <S> Another problem is that your management doesn't want to spend money - as hiring more people is, as others have commented, a rather obvious solution. <S> I'm not sure how your workplace does it, but where I am <S> the mandated breaks are often unpaid - that is, that time is off the clock and doesn't count towards hours one is being paid for. <S> If this is so in your workplace, this may help when making the pitch for longer breaks. <S> Hiring a single person to have someone extra to put on the relevent four hour shift (paid hourly) would cost the same as if the eight of you worked straight through, as in never took a break at all. <S> If you take Rob Baily's advice, and use the extra person to allow two lunches to happen at once, you would need only two hours coverage for those half hour breaks... and with eight people each taking ten minutes less per day, that would itself cover most of the difference, leaving the equivalent of one person working 40 minutes extra per day a cost that is set against improving everyone's work and safety. <S> Of course, this works best if (at least) the person covering the break time is paid hourly, and/or if the breaks are unpaid, but even if neither is true explaining your requests with this sort of mindset may help explain to management how even a small difference to them could make a big impact for your workers. <S> That may help even if it's not all at once.
| As a side note, since you can (evidently) work with seven people covering for a little while, you may be able to ask for shorter, like 10 minute breaks either before or after lunchbreaks - possibly depending on whether lunch is earlier side or later in their shift.
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How to maintain a good relationship with boss after declining work on a project that conflicts with my views/ideology? Background: I recently graduated from college with a Software/Computer Engineering degree. Right after my degree I started working at a consultant firm (about three months ago). Our firm usually gets projects in the Automotive, MedTech or Defense industries. The last mentioned includes working with weapons. I told my then-to-be boss during my job interview that I am reluctant to work in the defense industry and working with weapons directly is a big 'no-no'. At the time my boss mentioned that a lot of his employees share the same view and that it wouldn't be a problem since "the demand for computer engineers outweighs the supply". Fast forward to today and it turns out that most of our clients don't want to hire a green 'straight-from-school' consultant. The only projects that don't have this prerequisite are those involving weapons! I am noticing that my boss is getting more frustrated by the day (not with me personally, we get along just great) since he's under pressure from his bosses to make a profit. My boss has told me, when I expressed reluctance to working with a weapons project: "If you don't take on this project, we might have to fire you. You can only pick and choose depending on what's on the table. Right now this is it. If enough time passes and a newly hired consultant isn't put on a project, then his/her employment is terminated since keeping him/her on without a project can't be justified." I know that if I start with the project it will be a step ladder for future projects, but I won't give up my morals. However, I really like my company and get along great with the people here (other than the weapons aspect I can see myself doing a long-term career here). When I tell him "No, I won't take on this project" how can I make sure that my relations stay good (either as a continued employee or when I need him for future reference for my next job application)? Edit: What I need help with is mitigating the bad blood that can come between me and my boss due to my decision. I want to make sure that my utmost respect for my boss is mutual (and in the long run beneficial for future work - no matter if it's at the present company or another). <Q> Your boss has already answered this for you: <S> "If you don't take on this project, we might have to fire you. <S> You can only pick and choose depending on what's on the table." <S> You either take what's on the table, or look for employment at other companies that meet your moral expectations. <S> You can pretty much assume that since there's a weapons project on the table now, there's going to be more in the future <S> and you'll be faced with this situation all over again. <S> If you really can't work on these projects, it's implicit that you can't work for a company that involves itself with these projects. <S> It sounds as though he has respect for your ethics (and did from the start), but the business has to follow the trend in projects and there's nothing he can do about that. <A> What I need help with is mitigating the bad blood that can come between me and my boss due to my decision. <S> I don't think there is anything to mitigate. <S> I see no evidence he has a problem with your position; I suspect he admires your principles. <S> There is going to come a point when he has to fire you. <S> You will make life much easier for him if you can find a new job before that happens (and I am pretty sure he will give you a decent reference). <S> You will make life a bit easier for him if you tell him that you understand if you haven't found a job, but he does fire you. <S> In most cases, I would advise against telling anyone you were looking for a new position; in this case, I suspect he will be relieved (and is quite likely to push back a bit harder against pressure to fire you before you've found a new position). <S> It's doubtful that your ethical stand will negatively affect forward references. <S> You seem to have a good boss, so it's likely that your work ethic will be positively reported rather than your personal ethic. <A> You can only pick and choose depending on what's on the table. <S> Right now this is it. <S> Third option: Put more stuff on the table. <S> When there is a risk that you get fired because they don't have any projects for you, then try to come up with a project yourself. <S> You might also prove your worth by proposing an internal project which improves the company processes. <S> Internal projects are a great way to "earn your wings" because failure won't have many external consequences. <S> They also improve your visibility in the company because your name will be associated with a software which will stay in use in your company (projects usually get forgotten after they are completed). <A> Happily, there is no problem here: <S> There is a huge amount of work around for competent software engineers at the moment <S> These days it is normal that software engineers move often. <S> It is unremarkable. <S> When you say bye to a boss, or conversely you let someone go - it's like having a cup of coffee. <S> Nobody is annoyed or surprised. <S> Of course, you never want to work on weapons. <S> As someone has said in the comments, once you do one project on weapons, you're a "weapons person", <S> you'll fall in to that field . <S> Don't start. <S> Military work has only moderate pay at best, just move on. <S> So, "I need help with is mitigating the bad blood that can come between me and my boss..." <S> Fortunately it is a non-issue. <S> You'll say "oh - best if I leave this company. <S> it's been awesome thanks!" <S> And that's it. <S> Note that conversely if Boss wanted to get rid of you (for any reason), Boss would just politely say "Oh sorry, this role is over as of Friday - thanks for your time!" <S> He wouldn't worry that "you'd be mad at him". <S> You have no concerns at all here. <S> To try to answer your literal question: "How to maintain a good relationship with boss .. when I leave? <S> " <S> You're language <S> could be like this ... <S> You know with the weapons project, I realized <S> what you've said all along was right <S> , I'm just not suitable for the company. <S> You were right! <S> As you said , I can't really pick and choose, it doesn't help anyone. <S> Really, you were correct <S> I've learned a valuable lesson. <S> Nevertheless, it's been really incredible working for you - and aren't Stevie and Jane great! <S> - I'm so thankful for all the technical and career advice I've gotten from you . <S> Thank you! <S> It always pays to be polite to folks who are/were senior to you. <S> Notice you can rather turn it around and "thank" boss for suggesting it.
| As for mitigating the bad blood between you and your manager, I'm not sure there's much you can do. See what business your company is doing in the other areas and check if you have any idea how those could be improved.
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Why Would A Recruiter Ask To Remove Contact Details From My CV/Resume? So I'm looking for potential jobs, I got in contact with an agency and they came back with 5 ideal positions and another 5 a few days later (my job role is in-demand right now) so I sent them my CV and they said it looks great however the one thing they want me to change is the fact that I have my contact details written on it... Which is, in my opinion totally normal for a CV, in fact I believe it's one of the most important things, I mean, what kind of idiot applies for a job but doesn't leave a clue how to get back to them? I don't want the employers thinking I'm a moron but at the same time I think I should just do what the recruiters ask because they're very successful in this industry. Also I feel like my name is better than any phone number or email address because it is so unique, If an employer were to search my name in Google they would instantly find me and no one else. Is there a chance that the recruiters will remove/change my name from the application? Because without that I'm just a ghost so I feel that would hinder my application in comparison to an application where there is a name, so the employer can read it and (slightly) connect with the applicant on a personal level. <Q> A variety of reasons are possible. <S> First, you are not the point of contact if you are applying through a recruiter. <S> They remove your contact information to avoid any confusion on this part. <S> It's unlikely this will reflect on you in any way. <S> Because without that I'm just a ghost <S> so I feel that would hinder my application in comparison to an application where there is a name, so the employer can read it and (slightly) connect with the applicant on a personal level. <S> Some companies want to minimize any bias based on name purely. <S> There have been a lot of research studies into this over the years. <S> It's possible either the companies/agency involved do this as a precaution. <S> I don't want the employers thinking I'm a moron but at the same time I think I should just do what the recruiters ask because they're very successful in this industry. <S> That's how a lot of recruiters work. <S> You aren't applying to the company individually, but through an agency. <S> That's how they work (for better or worse). <A> Why Would A Recruiter Ask To Remove Contact Details From My CV/Resume? <S> The thing is that you are doing this through a Contract Agency . <S> Is there a chance that the recruiters will remove/change my name from the application? <S> You name <S> I doubt it, but that would be guessing. <S> Any contact info could be removed though, for the reasons above explained. <S> You came to them so they could expose you (basically provide you a service) to potential companies, so they did the finding and networking job for you in your job hunt. <S> If you then try to make an agreement with those possible companies on your own would be harmful for the Contracting Agency, as <S> that is what they do for a living . <A> Recruiters get paid by companies for finding them applicants that eventually get hired. <S> This recruiter likely wants your contact information removed so that it is harder for the companies to go around the recruiter and contact you directly. <S> This request is a bit odd. <S> I've never encountered it. <S> However, I have often been asked for a Word copy of my Resume rather than PDF, and maybe this is so the recruiter can remove my contact details (pure speculation). <S> This request doesn't seem that unreasonable to me. <S> I would suggest supplying this recruiter with two copies of your resume; one with contact detail, and one without. <S> They can choose which one to use. <S> Remember their goals are pretty well aligned with yours, so if otherwise this recruiter seems legit, this isn't a red flag.
| Including your personal contact details could end up in them calling you directly if they find you a good candidate, when in this situation this should be done through the agency (as they are your point of contact and probably with the ones you have some agreement or contract).
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Resume - Displaying Multiple Positions held at the same time in same company? I have an issue with my resume that is confusing lots of people. I worked for a small company for a long time. I was responsible for many different things at the same time. Online I see lots of mention on how to format if you held multiple position concurrently, however I can't seem to find any thoughts on displaying positions you've had at the same time. For example, in a small company I was responsible for both Programming and Database Development. Right now I have my formatting is as such: Company Name Start Month/Year - End Month/Year Job Title one - nth Desc. Job Title two - nth Desc. This seems to be missed by most resume parsers. I was thinking I could do something like Company Name 01/2000 - 07/2007 Job Title one - nth Desc.Company Name 01/2000 - 07/2007 Job Title two - nth Desc. Where the dates overlap each other, is that a good idea? Duplicate doesn't solve this problem as the duplicate answer displays dates that go with transition to job title, but this is not the case here. I had different responsibilities that fall under different titles simultaneously. <Q> I'd recommend you to consolidate and narrow down your bullet points for the job at hand. <S> When applying to a developer position, list the responsibilities related to development. <S> A software engineer hiring manager wouldn't be interested in your sales skills. <S> At the interview, you are more than welcome to elaborate on your additional experience when you discuss your resume. <A> When you work for a company, you only hold a single position at a time. <S> Unless you had a formal promotion, or reassignment, or job title change, then your employment span only consists of one job title . <S> That job title might be "Jack-of-all-trades wizard", but it is still a single position. <S> That is what you list as your job title on your resume. <S> (For help on what that title should be, see this question and this question and this question .) <S> It sounds like you covered a lot of roles while you were at that company, but you list those in your description of your job responsibilities. <S> In the end that will be more important than what you actually list as your job title. <S> Company Name 01/2000 - 07/2007 <S> Job Title - Role 1 description - Role 2 description <A> Just do this: <S> Company Name 01/2000 - 07/2007 <S> Job Title one, <S> Job Title two - nth Desc.
| In other words, customize your resume to the job at hand.
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How to prevent colleagues from knocking on my table when walking by I have had this issue for years, in several companies and with many people. So my table is at the end of a row and all people who walk behind me and then turn (following the table corner) almost always give one annoying knock on the table. They literally give it a small knock with one or two fingers as they are passing by, as if using the table as a pivot point. There is no intent to it. It's unconscious but quite a few people do it. I know it is not directed at me and I have nothing against these people but it is so annoying and I am not sure how to prevent the behavior. I have asked the guy next to me not to do that but even then he sometimes forget about it. It's as if there is this invisible force that pushes people to do it. Has anybody experienced the same thing ? Am I being over sensitive ? How do you prevent people from doing that ? Maybe by putting something on the table, because I know that telling people after the fact does not work and make me look like some sort of a pyscho... <Q> Put something on that part of your desk that prevents people from easily knocking. <S> Something soft, like your jacket/sweater. <S> You might consider moving desks and let someone else take the "knocking desk" instead. <A> and it's distracting. <S> This is a very sensible use of partitions - to create a distraction free environment (in relation to your field of view). <A> Precariously balance a very expensive looking (but in reality cheap) vase or some other ornament on the corner of your desk. <S> It is important that it looks: Expensive Fragile <A> They literally give it a small knock with one or two fingers as they are passing by, as if using the table as a pivot point. <S> Am I being over sensitive ? <S> How do you prevent people from doing that ? <S> Yes, you are probably being overly sensitive. <S> But if you want to try to prevent it, put a floor plant, lamp, or additional chair at the end of the table so folks have to swing wider and won't be able to knock. <A> My desk is close to kitchen and people coming from there were often (unintentionally) leaving their cups/glasses at my desk because they had met somebody going to the kitchen, stopped for a short chat and then forgot about their drinks. <S> I had to put a sign on my desk: "Please do not leave your (empty) cups/glasses on my desk, take them to the kitchen." <S> Surprisingly it worked, nobody has left anything on my desk since then. <A> I would'nt try to prevent the knocking but to minimize its effects. <S> So instead of jackets or easily breakable stuff put something dampening there, like glue a square of foamed plastic or comparable soft material to the corner. <S> I would guess without acustic and haptic feedback <S> the knocking looses its "attraction" and they'll stop. <S> But even if not, the effects on you are, depending on the material, lessened or stopped.
| Some people will notice it (consciously or otherwise) and steer clear, others will be clumsy and knock it when they do there will be a moment of fear as they see it nearly smash (or even smash) after which they will be more careful around it. Ask management for a simple partition be be placed at the side of your desk because people going around the corner crowd your desk Easily knocked The trick is to give it the affordance of 'easily breakable'.
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How to approach employer to bring assist dog As a diabetic I am thinking about getting a diabetes assist dog. I am an engineering student and will probably work 40h weeks. If I had an officially recognised assist dog, how should I approach (future) employers about that? Should I talk to my current employer about the possibility before getting one?I have the feeling that it is hard to make an office dog happen if they are not already accepted. What would be a reasonable line of actions? <Q> Get the necessary documentation from healthcare professionals and talk to them about your need to have an assistance dog at work. <S> Have this conversation before you speak with your employers. <S> Bear in mind that if you're demonstrably capable of managing your diabetes successfully, then you may not earn the right to be allocated an assistance dog. <A> Check with your healthcare provider and find out what the laws are in your area. <S> My understanding is, in the US, there is no legal certification and just about anyone can get one. <S> Medical information is confidential by law. <S> However, that doesn't mean if your dog is not well-behaved or interferes with someone else's <S> health(allergy? <S> ), safety, or business function you could be asked to remove the animal. <S> Service animals don't get a pass for biting people. <S> Most are well-trained, so that's rarely an issue. <S> I don't recommend showing up one day with the dog. <S> They could have concerns from their insurance company or their lawyers may have some requirements. <S> If they rent office space, the building itself may have rules. <S> Be upfront about how you will control the animal. <S> Is it practical for the animal to be with you at all times? <S> Would you be required to take extra breaks or considerably longer breaks if there isn't a grassy area near by? <S> Of course someone is going to pose the question, what if everyone wants to bring their dog to work? <S> They'll just have to deal with it. <S> Life is messy. <A> First up, you will need to check on the status of a diabetes assist dog. <S> It might have an official position, it might not. <S> If it has, go with Snow's Answer . <S> Just make sure you know your and the dogs rights, if any apply. <S> If dogs like a diabetes assist dog don't have official status. <S> This might be reasonable approach to getting a (your) dog on the work floor. <S> Any dog for that matter. <S> Option A: <S> Talk about it with your colleagues. <S> That will give you an idea if people are for or against it. <S> Mind that it takes only one person with an allergy to keep dogs out of the office. <S> If it is not a working dog. <S> If everyone on the work floor is at least neutral on the subject, go talk about it with your boss. <S> This order does not matter much, you need both on your side. <S> I'd say you have about 1 in 5 chance for a dog in the office. <S> Probably less. <S> Offices that have dogs, or allow them, do make the news. <S> Option B: <S> Work less hours and close to work. <S> So you can own and properly care for a dog. <S> Without the need to have him at work. <S> Option C: <S> Find an employer that allows dogs in the office. <S> Option D: <S> Work from home or create your own business. <S> * <S> I am not up to date on the German laws on this, go <S> it's a generic "get people on your side" thing. <A> After the situation asked about in the question finally occurred, this is how I actually approached the topic: <S> First I did a lot of research regarding training of assist dogs and which kinds of dogs would be able to perform such tasks. <S> I decided to only get a dog if the employer is ok with it, so the dog would not need to be alone during my workday. <S> When interviewing with my employers I jokingly said I would appreciate the possibility of bringing a diabetes service dog to the office. <S> This led to interested questions from my employers about assist dogs, who were open to discuss this with the rest of the employees. <S> During a team meeting I then had the opportunity to make a little presentation about diabetes assist dogs and their value to diabetics. <S> The team was amazed by the abilities these dogs have and were happy for me that such opportunities exist. <S> All team members accepted the proposal to bring a dog in training for being a diabetes assist dog under the premise that we would only allow working animals and not "fun animals" in the office. <S> The proposal included that I would get an older dog, not a puppy, of a reasonable size and cuteness (not to scare some collegues), that the dog is not allowed in the kitchen and other public spaces and that it is kept in my desk area and not allowed to roam the office freely. <S> To accomodate to an allergic collegue it was requested that the dog should not hair (much), which narrows the number of possible breeds down to a few. <S> This solution is not based on any legal rights I might or might not have. <S> I am just extremely lucky and this will probably not work for everyone. <S> The decision simply stems from having a tolerant employer and nice collegues who are willing to allow me this opportunity. <S> That being said, the employer has the right to change their mind anytime if something goes wrong <S> e.g. a collegue reacts allergic or has a fear of dogs.
| Talk to your employer about it. If someone brings a service dog into a public place, no one there is allowed to confront you about what medical illness or service the dog provides.
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Employed as consultant in the UK by a US based company. Is this kosher? I live in the UK and am looking for a new job. I have been approached by a US based company who have no UK subsidiary or presence. They want to offer me a job, but in order to get paid I will likely have to either open a Ltd Company or work as self-employed, most likely the former as the company made it clear that they wish to employ me - in a regular employer-employee relationship, though the contract will be drafted in terms of me offering consultancy services to them (I am still waiting on the actual contract to come in). I am uncertain whether this makes sense, given that they will, in fact, be my employer. I don't see how this will work in both the legal and tax sense - it feels like a tax dodge by them (and I am worried it will fall back on me). They have a few hundred employees across the world, including here in the UK, apparently under similar contracts, so all "employees" are classed as self employed in the country they reside and are responsible for paying their own taxes and have no employment rights but have to abide by company protocol as though they are employed. This feels rather unusual to me - is there cause for concern? <Q> however you would need to get a lawyer to check this and to draft an IR35 friendly contract. <S> http://www.contractoruk.com/contracts/wary_consultancy_contract.html Supervision, Substitution, Mutuality of obligation and Control are some of the key areas HMRC look at to determine if you are a true self employed. <S> Oh and remember the rule of thumb is charge 3x the rate that a full time employee would get as an employee. <A> Operating a company takes resources, and a company may have insuffiecient resources to expend everywhere they want to operate, particularly in countries that place a high burden on companies in respect to their employees. <S> So, I wouldn't say it was cause for concern, but it is something that you should keep in mind when determining what your compensation should be. <S> BTW -- LTD or self employed should make no difference to them. <S> They want you, and they want you to be available when they need you. <S> How you structure that isn't really their concern. <S> I'm not sure what you mean by company protocol... <A> am uncertain whether this makes sense, given that they will, in fact, be my employer Erm, no they won't. <S> You will be a contractor, they will be your customer. <S> They will have the ability to terminate their relationship with you as per the terms of the termination clause of the contract you agree, this could be immediate when it suits them. <S> You look also like you would fall foul of IR35 (as a disguised employee) <S> so will pay tax as an employee (rather than the benefits of being an ltd) also without the protections a real employee would have. <S> So I would consider a ltd, and look at IR35 rules to ensure you stay as an external consultant to reap the benefits.
| It does look like you would be classed as an employee under IR35
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What are appropriate questions to to ask a hiring manager on budget, staffing and resources that support the job? Some context: I wasn't able to properly assess my last job on these terms prior to accepting the position. I accepted at face value when my interviewers assured me they had secured proper funding for the project they hired me to implement. My second week on the job was the first time they showed the budget and documentation on the project. I immediately recognized after reviewing these that what they had allocated for my project out of the total budget was completely inadequate--in terms of financials and staffing--to meet the desired scope. I'd like to avoid a similar situation in my current job-hunt. I'd like to have a direct and honest conversation with my interviewers to determine if they have properly allocated the resources needed for the job they are hiring me to do. But I recognize some may be reluctant to talk in specific dollar amounts, or to show detailed spreadsheets and scoping documents to a job candidate. Some might even refuse to answer questions along these lines. EDIT: My question is specifically asking how to initiate an effective conversation about budget and resources to an interviewer rather than a question about "work culture." <Q> Ask them how they go about budgeting/resourcing projects. <S> Ask them whether they have problems with projects going off-track or under-delivering. <S> Obviously, the context is pretty key here. <S> If you're being employed as a Project Manager, these questions are pretty appropriate. <S> If you're being employed as a lower level worker (i.e. you're the one being managed), then these questions will most probably be taken as inappropriate. <S> Either way, asking for the spreadsheets and expecting your interviewers to go through the figures with you won't be seen well. <A> I'd like to avoid a similar situation in my current job-hunt. <S> I'd like to have a direct and honest conversation with my interviewers to determine if they have properly allocated the resources needed for the job they are hiring me to do. <S> But I recognize some may be reluctant to talk in specific dollar amounts, or to show detailed spreadsheets and scoping documents to a job candidate. <S> Some might even refuse to answer questions along these lines. <S> In general, it's not reasonable to ask to see project details at that level. <S> The project may not even be underway yet, and future projects may not be conceived. <S> Instead, ask to talk to peers. <S> Ask them about the company, the management, your potential boss, past projects, challenges, company culture, etc. <S> Listen intently for the clues that the company is in the habit of underfunding and/or understaffing projects. <S> Then make your decision accordingly. <S> During the interview process I always ask to speak with at least one potential peer if it isn't already part of their interviewer list. <S> That, plus the usual interviews with manager(s), and team members give me a more well-rounded impression of the company and the job. <A> This position was listed as full-time, is this correct? <S> How big is the team? <S> How many openings are currently open? <S> What are the normal business hours that people come in and go home? <S> I accepted a job which was advertised as a full-time position on a team which turned out to be part-time position working only with the manager. <S> In my first week, the hiring manager stopped me in the hall one afternoon and asked why I was still there. <S> I stated what I thought to be the obvious, that I was working eight hours. <S> That's when I was told I was only expected to work four hours in the morning each day.
| Ask them about previous projects and how well they fit the budget/resources. Ask specific questions related to the job description:
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How to handle phone calls when I've lost my voice? A friend of mine lost his voice and due to his work he gets a lot of calls, this is causing him to make an effort to try to speak as loud as he can because people doesn't seem to care that he can't talk properly. How can he deal with this issue without looking unprofessional? Edit: Is he someone who needs to frequently take phone calls from customers, or are these just coworkers wanting to talk to him about day-to-day work? Just coworkers, but from other departments with requirements for him to do. Is his voice loss a temporary condition? Yes, I guess it will last a couple of days To further understanding his job doesn't consist in taking calls (like working in a call center). But he usually gets a lot of calls during the day Update My friend talked to his boss and he recommended him to see a doctor, as for the phone calls he is still receiving them but is trying to keep them as short as possible, leaving the details for written channels. He will go to the doctor if the problem doesn't go away <Q> How can he deal with this issue without looking unprofessional? <S> If your friend's job requires him to take many calls during the shift (as you seem to indicate) then this situation is something that is impeding him from fulfilling his responsibilities. <S> Seems to be also a valid medical condition. <S> Speaking softly is hardly unprofessional, but a job that requires to take calls being able to speak normally is a must, plus straining his voice now could be more harmful to his state, possibly aggravating his condition. <S> I suggest that your friend talks to his boss immediately, so they can come up with a proper course of action while his voice recovers . <S> Like I said, seems to be a valid medical condition, so I am sure your friend can get a medical letter explaining his situation and the expected recovery time (to back up his claim). <S> Probably assigning him tasks that do not require much talking, or that prefer typing or writing instead. <S> Edit per updates: <S> Given that his condition is temporary (even better, a few days) it is more likely that you can come with some course of action with the boss. <S> I still recommend to obtain the Medical Letter to back this up. <S> Redirecting calls to email or chat assistance could be a way for him to still carry out most of his tasks, or well have someone cover for him these few days (as some have suggested). <A> You don't mention what country you are in. <S> But assuming it's a country with decent sick leave laws: <S> you call in sick, getting a medical note if necessary . <S> If you job requires you to talk on the phone, and you are unable to do so due to a health issue <S> then the sensible thing to do is to stay home and rest until you are well. <A> Whenever you have a temporary condition that affects your ability do do your work, your highest priority should be to treat that condition. <S> That may entail you rest your vocal chords and stop taking phone calls altogether. <S> Consult with your physician <S> what would be the best course of action. <S> It´s <S> almost always better to call in sick for a few days, than to drag yourself to work while not 100% fit. <S> First, you´ll probably take longer to recover. <S> Second, the quality of your work can suffer, and that will reflect worse on you than staying at home for a few days. <S> And last, you can infect your colleagues, causing even greater damage to the company. <S> In cases where you made sure that the above considerations do not apply (like a injured foot, <S> In your case, that could be a voice-mail that states your condition and the offer to discuss via e-mail or chat. <S> Remember, don´t risk your recovery - if you get dragged into vocal discussions regularly and it is hurting your condition, reconsider taking a sick leave. <A> Focus on alternate means of communication <S> For example: When someone calls, don't pick up but either use a voicemail message or directly send a text message like <S> so: <S> Untill 5 Dec <S> I cannot use my voice due to medical reasons, for urgent mattersplease contact person X or leave a message via mail/voice mail. <S> I am also available for direct messsaging on chat tool Y Note that a voicemail is not equivalent to picking up the phone without speaking because people consciously/unconsciously will expect you to talk back. <A> A co-worker should take the call and mention the medical condition. <S> A co-worker had this issue once and sickness leave was not an option for her, so she would be present and I had to do the talking. <S> As an interesting twist, I had also lost my voice the same day, so we would take turns "talking".
| when you are a programmer - or your loss of voice, when you made sure it is not contagious) you should let your manager know of your limitations and see what provisions could be made to accommodate this and keep you working. If he really cannot talk properly, he can steer towards alternatives.
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Who and when do I ask for the offered salary regarding a position? I had a phone interview with a recruiter and he asked me for my desired salary range. After the phone screen he submitted my resume to Company X, and the manager at Company X contacted me later for another phone screen, then asked me for an in house interview. I am meeting Manager X today. I do not know what is Manager X offering for this job. What is recommended and best to do if I want to know? Do I email the question to the recruiter before I go to the interview or do I wait till I walk in and meet/ask the manager? <Q> When the company extends an offer to you that will include the salary. <S> You can safely assume that since you have been scheduled for an interview that your expectations are within their acceptable range. <S> If you find a recruiter who is submitting you for jobs that are underpaying you should find a recruiter that can get you more appropriate positions. <S> When the offer is extended you should be able to negotiate through whomever <S> it is that extends the offer to you, or they will provide you with a contact to communicate your acceptance through. <S> Most positions are offered with a range in mind for the salary. <S> Until they meet the candidates and decide who they want to hire, the actual salary is not set. <S> And even after the offer is extended you can usually negotiate at least a small increase. <A> What is recommended and best to do, do I email the recruiter about the offered salary for this position or do I wait till I walk in to the company? <S> First, the recruited knows the salary range for the position. <S> They have to because most candidates will want to know that information before they even speak to someone at the company. <S> At this point, since you have a face to face with the company, just ask the hiring manager what the salary range is . <S> There is nothing wrong with getting the information straight from the source , especially since the recruiter dropped the ball and did not provide this basic information to you. <A> Generally, he know this, and should be able to release this information to you. <S> In this case, issue of salary is closed until the offer is extended and salary can be negotiated <A> My policy is to be upfront about my needs. <S> Salary would be the main reason I take a job, so salary is what I mention first. <S> If I get an email from a recruiter (or phone call), I consider the job description and reply with something like Hi [recruiter], Thank you for your email (or call). <S> I am currently making $X, and I would expect a pay increase to $Y if I were to change jobs. <S> Is this in line with your client's expectations? <S> If the answer is no, I move on. <S> I like PTO and break rooms, but I work for money, so that's what comes first. <S> If I am unemployed (I have not been, so this is conjecture), I would likely just ask something like: <S> Thank you for your email. <S> What is the salary being offered for this position?
| When working with recruiter you should be able to get the acceptable salary bracket for the position.
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How could I get questions answered prior to an interview? Premise that I don't particularly want to discuss:I have some simple Yes/No questions, or possibly questions with a 1-short-sentence answer, for which the wrong answer will irrevocably rule out an employer - nothing can conceivably make me want to work here. e.g. (As a programmer) Will I have admin rights on my work machine. Note this is NOT a question like "would you agree to this minimum salary", since there are an enormous laundry list of things that could conceptually be negotiated to replace salary. These are questions that the admin team aren't capable of answering, but which any remotely senior manager would be able to answer immediately, in less than 10 seconds. I have a list of maybe ( EDIT: 2-4) of these, in addition to a bunch of more subtle questions that WOULD need a discussion. I could apply and sit through an interview, and then in the last 5 minutes when I'm asked "do you have any questions" I could ask my list of checkbox questions. But if I do, and one of the questions gets a "No" then I've completely wasted all of the application time and effort, and the travel time, and the interview time. I've also wasted the company's time for the duration of the interview. So it seems to me that it's in both party's interests for me to get answers to those first few simple questions before the interview. My instinct is that a naive approach of emailing my questions to the recruitment email address is unlikely to achieve anything. How can I go about getting answers to these questions, without giving the potential employer a bad impression about me? <Q> How can I go about getting answers to these questions, and thus saving everyone involved some time? <S> Give the questions to the recruiter or agency you are dealing with. <S> A good agent can get these sorts of answers for you quickly. <S> Although I would never have a 10-question checklist, I often leaned on agencies to give me inside information about a company that helped me decide if they would be worth pursuing or not. <S> Lots of recruiters would be able to tell you if you should continue or not - provided <S> you make it clear that theses are all deal-breakers. <S> Of course you will severely narrow the list of prospective employers that way. <S> Some will provide answers that you don't like. <S> Others will refuse to participate in your "10 questions" survey. <S> Some will simply write you off as "high maintenance" - unwilling to bend a little to business needs when no business is ever perfect. <S> But of course you don't want lots of prospective employers. <S> You want a small list of qualified employers. <S> And you have decided that asking during an interview would waste your time. <S> Emailing the list is unlikely to be productive. <S> You'll "waste" a little time, but still get your answers relatively quickly. <S> Be prepared that some potential employers will classify you as "high maintenance" and quickly cross you off their list. <S> I'm pretty sure <S> that's the conclusion I would reach, if I were the hiring manager (but it might depend on how demanding the contents of the list are). <A> Many interviews are preceded by a phone-screen. <S> If not, request a phone conversation with the hiring manager before accepting an in-person interview, and ask your questions there. <S> Don't tell them it's a list of 10, and do your best to ask the questions in a way that is gathering information. <S> If your question is "Is your company involved in any evil capitalistic schemes", instead ask "What sort of work does your company do?", following up with "oh, so no involvement in ?" <S> Instead of asking "will I get admin rights on my machine", ask " <S> So how is the day-to-day work environment for a developer?", following up as necessary. <S> Not only are you more likely to get your questions answered, but you may learn other useful things at the same time. <S> And for questions whose answer is a shade of gray, a free-form response will help you read between the lines: "Sure, developers have admin access. <S> You just have to attend a 2-week training course, submit to daily audits, write a monthly justification of your business need, and open a remote desktop session to our cybersecurity and compliance team. <S> Don't worry, waiting times are usually same-day." <A> Ask the questions at the end of the interview (even if it's just a phone interview). <S> Hopefully by that point the employer has decided they want to hire you, so you may have more leverage regarding updating/changing their working practises. <S> If you immediately open with "If you don't do X <S> I am not interested in working for you <S> " it is likely to sour their impression of you from the start, regardless of how sensible X is.
| If you are approaching a company directly, you should run through your list during your first phone screen or interview.
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Should I tell my colleagues/employer the details of my new employer? I work in Germany. I am leaving my current company for another better paid position along with other benefits. I never thought telling your colleagues and/or employer about the new company is a problem. But here I have noticed that nobody leaving this company wants to share this information. My colleagues (who are friendly with me) are obviously interested in knowing where I am off to. Are there any possible downsides of sharing this information? UPDATE: What could be the reason that most people here (my current company) have not shared this information. Could it be a cultural thing? I remember I asked someone (relatively close) and he said I am going to a company with many people and would not name the company despite my direct inquiry. Why my question is different: The other question is talking about official communication to the old company through filling a form. My question is that should I tell me colleagues who ask me personally, this has nothing to do with an official request. My current company officially has not asked any details about my new company. <Q> This is going to be largely opinion based, but there's no reason not to let your employer/colleagues know where you're going. <S> They're going to find out from your LinkedIn profile (or whatever social media you update). <S> Moving on is a fairly natural thing to do, and people are curious about where you're headed to. <S> Not telling them seems to be a bit impolite, or gives them the impression that they're part of the reason you're leaving... <A> Are there any possible downsides of sharing this information? <S> Either share the information over beers after your last day of work, or during a friendly lunch meeting after your departure. <S> Short answer : Share info after you leave outside of either work place. <A> I ran into a similar situation. <S> Over my two week notice I had a lot of people ask me where I was going, and in the beginning I simply stated "a place closer to home". <S> But I discussed the new position in detail with my team mates, and they were very happy for me. <S> By the time the two weeks were up <S> people were pretty much aware of where I was going, and no one felt any sort of animosity toward me. <S> However, realize that once you tell even one person the cat's out of the bag. <S> There's also a question as to how you tell them. <S> Anything along the lines of "I'm going to X Company, which is why better than this place " should be kept to yourself.
| Nope, feel free to share the information after your leave, outside of either working environment. Unless someone is really our to ruin your chances there's not much danger in letting people know.
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How to best handle friend's request in helping with interview preparation? A close friend contacted me for interview tips at my current company. I joined the company very recently and interview questions are still fresh memories. I suspect my friend is going to want to know the questions. I don't really want to talk to him because disclosing anything useful to him would potentially be doing my team a disservice and also would substantially discredit his competency if people find out about our communication. He is actually quite good and I believe he will do well in the interview, although he might not be as confident in himself as I am. I honestly think the downside for him if we talk and prep him is probably greater than the upside (should people on my team find out). Any advice for handling this properly? Should I also disclose our relationship with the company upfront before the interview process starts? <Q> You should bear in mind that most interviewers (and interviewees) consider interviews to be discussions-in-confidence - and you passing on questions to your friend may entail a breach of confidence, which won't put you in a good light with your employer if discovered. <S> The problem is that even if you help 'guide' your friend through similar questions, you might be breaching that confidence, still. <S> The best thing you can do is offer to recommend your friend to your employer - and be sure to have some good examples of their abilities/skills/temperament to back up your recommendation. <A> Just give him generic advice that you would be comfortable giving anyone else. <S> This way your conscience will be clear, and you will have also helped your friend. <A> As already stated in a comment to your question, job interviews aren't exams which means there's also no script or optimal solution which decides between "pass" and "fail". <S> So even if you took the risk of potentially breaking confidentiality (see HorusKol's answer) it isn't said that it will help your friend. <S> There's even a good chance that your friend goes into the interview confident and "prepared" with your answers <S> and the interview goes totally different compared to yours. <S> In this scenario, it might even harm your friends chances who otherwise might have done quite well but was guided into some wrong direction due to your preparation. <S> So what can you realistically do now? <S> You can give them hints about which directions to think in, i.e. how the company/team culture is (e.g. conservative, always state of the art...), which types of methodologies are in use and the like. <S> This way your friend can prepare to emphasize their "right" sides – the ones that fit best to the job. <S> But leave it to your friend to do this matching, since they finally have to present themselves in the interview.
| Listen to his answer to various generic questions, and guide him in how you might tweak those answers based on your own experience interviewing in general, not with that company in particular.
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Workplace condones bullying - resignation letters and future interviews Note: With respect to the possible duplicate of the question relating to "badmouthing a previous employer" - there is no intent on doing such a thing, I am asking for the diplomatic way out re both providing a resignation from the organization below, and the approach with explaining why I left the organization without mentioning the organization's apparent stance on bullying that has led to my departure. I have been working for a particular organization for the past fifteen months and have been the target of bullying for the past nine months. The impact that this bullying has had has ranged from lost focus and concentration, a drop in my performance, anxiety and panic episodes, feelings of fear, belittlement, uselessness and intimidation, diagnoses of anxiety and depression (for which I'm now taking medication to combat), as well as the occasional ideation of suicide (of which I'm thankful I have not entertained). During these past nine months, I have also had several restrictions placed on me that other colleagues do not have, which has had me working about three times as hard to achieve the same result, amidst the bullying I experienced day to day. I have approached my manager with regards to the bullying over the months by the person responsible, and investigations have led to the person having conveniently been unable to recall events on specific days (one example which involved him following me around the office on four separate instances within ten minutes admonishing me for asking someone else instead of him over a technical matter, and adding a veiled threat to speak with my manager if I didn't comply with his request). This has all come to a point where yesterday my manager and an HR representative called me in to inform that there has been a decision to recommend the termination of my position due to poor work performance (caused by the bullying). When I again detailed the various instances of the bullying and restrictions that I have been subjected to, these points were glossed over and the instances of bullying were deemed not significant enough to warrant further investigation. I have considered an alternative exit strategy to termination with tending a resignation (a strategy mentioned by the HR rep at the meeting), but this leads to two questions: With respect to tending a resignation to an organization that seems to condone bullying, what does one say in such a resignation letter? With any interviews I have in the future with any prospective employer, what do I say with regards to the reasons behind my leaving an organization that condones bullying? Appreciate your thoughts. <Q> Simply say, you are resigning effective immediately or Dec 1 or whenever you want as your last date. <S> A resignation letter should never be more than that one sentence. <S> No other information is required or appropriate. <A> With respect to tending a resignation to an organization that seems to condone bullying, what does one say in such a resignation letter? <S> The same as you would say in any other resignation letter. <S> This question is quite personal, as it is up to you what to write on that letter. <S> What I can suggest is that you try to keep it professional, so try to refrain from venting out your discomfort or anger on that letter . <S> Maybe you were victim of bullying and pranks, but that does not mean you should lower your professional standards when communicating. <S> At most you could try saying that it was because of personal reasons related to the work environment of that company, and that you didn't feel comfortable there. <S> You could try mention the bullying or offending coworker(s), but given what you describe I doubt they will do anything about it. <S> Still, you could try expressing such thing in the letter in a polite way, with the hopes that maybe they will think twice and do something about it after you are gone. <S> You will be doing a favor to the company by providing them positive feedback they can work on. <S> With any interviews I have in the future with any prospective employer, what do I say with regards to the reasons behind my leaving an organization that condones bullying? <S> Definitely I do not recommend badmouthing previous companies or coworkers . <S> It's just not my style, and you never know when the things you say may come bite your tail (work karma they call it). <S> If they insist on details (which I doubt) you can politely reply <S> "I'd rather not disclose more about that, I don't feel comfortable doing so. <S> But what I can tell you is that the work culture here seems to be more of my liking so far." <S> This way you are also putting back on track the interview, while politely answering that question. <A> If they ask (exit interview, casually, or otherwise), you do not need to hide the truth. <S> It does you little good to hide the truth. <S> Even if it makes you uncomfortable, it is still good to just say it anyway. " <S> So why are you leaving anyway?" <S> "Because of the hostile work environment here that is being tolerated. <S> " <S> Politely . <S> There is no need to be hostile about it. <S> I actually did this when switching to my current job. <S> My manager at my last employer knew full well why I left; I did not hide the truth. <S> And even at my current job, when they asked why I am seeking a change of employer, I just matter-of-factly told them "A hostile work environment, including bullying and religious persecution." <S> No details at that time, just a sentence-fragment explanation. <S> They were satisfied, and I was hired. <S> It is possible this could lengthen your job search. <S> You have to decide if that is acceptable to you. <S> I know with near-complete certainty that one job prospect I had was lost in the end because of just such a comment <S> - I talked later to someone I knew on the inside, without telling him first what happened, and he confirmed it. <S> Whether the truth helps, hurts, or is neutral depends on the person who hears it; you will never know how it will be taken. <S> It has turned some hiring managers off, but some are happy to find people who are not "yes-men." <S> If you miss out on certain jobs because they don't like the truth, that sounds like a dodged bullet to me.
| For this, a simple "I did not feel comfortable with the work culture there" should suffice. The resignation letter does not need to cite details about why you are leaving.
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How to deal with manager's request of "just staying longer" for work hours record? My manager wanted me to stay longer in office because upper management was not satisfied with my working hours. He and other managers said that I was productive as a software engineer, but he failed to convince upper management that working hour should not be emphasized so much. My company tracks all non-managerial employees' working hours by time clocks. They require 44 hours a week, and my record is usually around 40 ~ 42. But upper management doesn't want employees to have just 44 hours, they usually consider employee with 48 ~ 50 hours a week is hard working, and will give pressure to those who are just 44.0x hours. My contract requires 44 hours, otherwise salary will be detected proportionally. By the way, my former manager said that I didn't violate company's policy by working less and accepting less pay. I am in Hong Kong, and there is no legislation regarding maximum and normal working hours currently. I think other co-workers agreed that working hours target set my management is too long, so often I found a lot of co-workers doing things not totally related to work to "fulfill" the target. My manager said that he didn't care what I did in office hour, he will turn a blind eye to that. He just wanted me to stay long enough. But I don't want to stay that long, how to deal with this situation? <Q> It's pretty obvious that upper management are only really concerned about seat time (the time that you're in your office, at your computer). <S> There's only really two options here. <S> 1) Find another job that requires less working hours per week (and probably pays less for that <S> It might be an idea to do some other things at work, the same as your colleagues do - you're kind of stuck in the culture of longer working hours that appear to be the standard in Hong Kong. <S> It looks as though you're habitually under-performing in terms of your booked hours (you're regularly working less than your contracted hours). <S> If you do decide to move on, think about how this under-working will be reflected in the references sent out by this company. <A> But I don't want to stay that long, how to deal with this situation? <S> Upper management wants everyone to work more than 44 hours per week. <S> Your contract requires 44 hours. <S> You usually work 40-42 hours <S> You don't want to stay longer Clearly, this is a mismatch between what you want in your work situation and what upper management demands. <A> If you want to make a point in educating higher management, either approach is risky, as they probably believe in what they teach and opposing it - in their eyes - means willfully hurting the company's productivity. <S> Still, if you want to do something, rather make sure to have the backing of as many colleagues as possible. <S> Then do something together, e.g. write an open letter that everyone signs. <S> Form a union or whatever representative structures exist in your country and push for a change in policy. <S> Or start doing Yoga / napping classes right in front of higher management's offices - during work hours, of course ;) <S> You also seem to have the alternative to just keep doing what you are doing. <S> Depending on your future plans, this may, for now, be the most beneficial way. <S> Your contract accounts for the possibility to work less, so you should be able to deflect all comments on your work hours towards that regulation. <S> You don't need management to be totally happy to keep working where you are, yet it may affect your future career in this company with respect to payment increases and promotions at some point. <S> They might also try to change the rules or look more closely at your performance than those of others at some point.
| Thus, you should find a new job with hours that meet your needs, get and accept an offer, hand in your notice, work out your notice period, and leave this job in your past. ) 2) Join your co-workers and work longer hours
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Is it acceptable to eat snacks in an open-planned office? I would like to clarify my doubts. Is it okay if I eat snacks at my office where there are about 20 people working? An obvious solution would be to just ask : "would you guys mind me eating my stuff?". However the answer from my colleagues is obvious, I expect them to be polite enough to say nothing and let me eat, so I won't get a real answer. Some additional information: I don't want to share with everyone in this particular situation, because there would be less left for me, but I won't mind a few of my colleagues ask "let me taste it"; I'm asking this question, because I'm new at work (17 y.o. programmer) and I've spent most of my life at the computer eating, so I'm used to chewing something while working. Another reason I'm asking it here is that I don't want to seem strange in my colleagues eyes and feel awkward. <Q> If you're new, take some time to observe and do what other people do, it's generally a good indicator of what's acceptable and what isn't. <S> Of course, long-timers get away with more... <S> It's not likely that your colleagues will feel awkward if you snack at your desk, and it's not all that likely that they'll ask for some of your snacks every time. <A> Is it acceptable to eat snacks in an open-planned office? <S> If you are not able to determine the right course of action using the other suggestions made by Snow's answer, ask your manager to be certain. <S> If eating at your desk ends up being acceptable in your work place, be sure to avoid eating obnoxious smelling food, and use good table manners. <A> Snow's excellent answer covers the main aspects of this but one detail that I spotted in the question is <S> I've spent most of my life at the computer eating, so I'm used to chewing something while working. <S> If your chosen snack is something that creates noise when being eaten then people might not bat an eyelid at it for 30 mins or so during the day but constantly can get into "making your co-workers homicidal" territory. <S> I once worked with a junior developer who munched on raw carrot sticks all day, every day and it drove me mad! <S> Had it been just for a short period of time <S> I could have ignored it but 7 hours a day of "crunch... <S> crunch... <S> crunch <S> ...crunch" and I could have cheerfully strangled him. <S> While on the subject of what you're eating it's a good idea to generally avoid anything that has an impact on others - noise, smell etc.
| You don't really need to ask, but there may be a company policy or unwritten agreement that people don't snack where they work. Depending upon what you're planning on eating/chewing there can be a big difference in "constantly" vs "occasionally".
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How to fix a gap in resume going back to work for a previous company How can I fix my resume in this specific case?I worked for company A from Feb 2015 to Feb 2017 (with a fixed term contract). In March, because of that, I joined company B that after a while outsourced all the IT department and I was laid off (I stayed from March to October --> 8 months). Luckily company A offered me another position, therefore I am back there from November. Now I am thinking, what do I do with the B experience and how can I fix my resume? It was a very bad experience and I would not like to mention it. An option would be to say that I never left company A (so I do not list B) but in it is lying...another that I took a break to learn something...what do you think would be the best way? Thank you. <Q> You're overthinking it. <S> Believe it or not, many people have gaps in their employment to a greater or lesser degree. <S> Having said that, what you have is not really a gap. <S> On my resume I put Month/Year for my employment start and end dates so if you did that there would be no gap whatsoever, if i'm reading you correctly. <S> But should you ever have a gap, don't really worry about it. <S> Explain what happened and you'll usually be fine. <S> We all have times where it's tough to find new work. <S> It's just really long or really frequent gaps that cause issue. <S> As far as not talking bad about your former employers, that's always a great idea. <S> What you can do is talk about situations as opposed to the company. <S> "It was a difficult situation there because departments were always being shifted around". <S> That gives a more positive spin on what happened without having to say "management didn't know what they were doing". <S> I realize that you'd rather not mention it, but you're going to have to. <S> Ignore all the bad things. <S> Focus on the positive things. <S> They'll ask "why did you leave" and you really only need to say "IT was outsourced <S> so I was laid off." <S> Unless there's some misconduct on your part, you really shouldn't fear mentioning the job. <S> Companies rarely dig into details of previous jobs with anyone but you. <A> It was a very bad experience and <S> I would not like to mention it. <S> Then leave it out. <S> But if it's part of an upward progression in your career (title / responsibility wise) or you have certain achievements there despite your short tenure it can make sense to list it. <S> You'll be asked about it in an interview but you can simply explain that the company outsourced / downscaled and you were laid off as part of it. <S> Whether you have a good reference from your time at B should also factor into your decision. <S> There are two ways to list your time at A if you decide to leave B off your resume. <S> Assuming you're now getting a bit more responsibility or especially if you have a new title you'd split up the jobs and have unique bullet points for each. <S> Under no circumstances should you lie about being employed at A since 2015. <S> Regardless of whether you choose to list the short stay at B or leave a gap, any good interviewer will pick up on that and ask you about it. <S> At that point you simply explain that shortly after moving to B the company downsized/outsourced and you or most/all of your department were laid off, but that Company A was eager to have you back. <S> Companies have lay <S> -offs and new joiners are usually the first to go so that doesn't reflect badly on you while the fact that A wanted to hire you back instantly speaks well of you. <S> If asked why you didn't list B, you can simply explain that you felt you weren't there long enough to realise the kind of achievements that you felt justified the space on your resume. <A> Not putting that info on there is indeed lying, and they may very well find out if they call Company A. <S> I think it's quite normal to ask for confirmation that you've worked there from Date X to Date Y, and employers are expected to confirm that.
| If you had no redeeming skills or achievements at company B, it makes sense to leave it off your resume considering the short stay. If there was no change in title or responsibilities and you essentially picked up where you left off, you can do: Job Title - Company A (Feb 2015 - Feb 2017, Nov 2017 - Present)
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How can I help a struggling but dedicated employee? Background: I work for a software startup, I am an intermediate developer in a leadership position. I have not been lead for this whole project, and I would say I am much more comfortable with writing projects than leading them. This has been going on for about a year and is one of many things I have been working on improving after the project was handed off to me, and maybe has not had the proper attention it needs. This employee likes to get involved. He volunteers for tasks, stays on top of new technologies, learns independently, and is always excited when he talks about software. However, his code does not reflect what I would expect from someone like this. He often copy-pastes code and misappropriates it. When he designs systems, they are messy and not well thought out, always resulting in spaghetti code and confusing interfaces. He has trouble adhering to agreed upon standards and structure where more junior employees have no problem, showing a lack of understanding for why decisions were made even when they are documented. He often defaults to using hacks. All this despite being around this project since the beginnning. So far, I have tried: Offering him chances to improve upon old code when he has recognized it was not up to par and new tickets for the same features have come up Letting him know that I percieve a lack of structure and attention. After this, I let him know that I find writing second drafts help with this, and that he should try it out as a starting point to find what works for him I did not see improvement in either of these cases. Currently, I am working on standards documents for the company that I hope will help him and more junior developers with gaps in their knowledge. I don't know if that will work or not. Could someone with more leadership experience give me advice on how to help this employee grow? <Q> Could someone with more leadership experience give me advice on how to help this employee grow? <S> First you need to understand the "why" behind the struggles. <S> If you don't know that, you can't know how to help. <S> Talk with him. <S> Review code with him. <S> Find out what he understands and what he doesn't. <S> Then you can try some improvement experiments. <S> For example, if this person is undertrained, you can provide training. <S> If this person needs to focus, you can reduce the number of tasks on his plate. <S> If this person needs to prioritize, you can help work on a sequential todo list. <S> And so on. <S> Sometimes that is within your company, sometimes not. <A> Code review is the first step. <S> If he has production rights, remove them immediately (Devs should never have rights to production, but it happens in some places.) <S> Part of failing code review is when standards are not adhered to and part of it is when the code is not maintainable or difficult to understand or just buggy. <S> Be sure to let the deadline pass even if it is just for standards adherence. <S> You get what you expect and if you don't expect people to adhere to a standard, they will not. <S> Give him verbal guidance when he is trying to fix, but do not write a single line of code. <S> It has to be painful to do things incorrectly. <S> It is the only way he will learn. <S> If he doesn't appear to be able to take what he learned in one situation to the next, have him keep a spreadsheet of how he solved various problems and when he asks for help to fix something, have him refer to that spreadsheet as a first step. <S> I did this with one person a couple of years ago and performance improved dramatically once there was a record of how things were solved <S> and she was forced to keep it up and use it. <S> If this still doesn't help, then you need to take formal steps to l;let <S> him know he has to improve or he is going to be let go. <S> If you get to this point, talk to HR about what the process is in your company for performance improvement plans and/or firing for poor performance. <A> IMO,Looks like this person may have trouble concentrating. <S> Eclectic people have this tendency. <S> Adding mandatory structure at least will give you what to talk about. <S> TDD can help, add specifically structured block of test methods that need to follow every module he changes.
| If you have time, you can create a code structure template for him to follow. Once you have pointed out the problems, and this is critical, require him to fix them and the code cannot be pushed to production until you accept it as fixed. Lastly, if you conclude that person is simply not capable of accomplishing the tasks necessary, you can help this person find a more suitable role. Accept that you will miss a few deadlines at first (plan the delay quietly into your schedule in fact, so that he thinks he is missing the deadline, and the customer is not aware of it.).
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Should I email my Manager explaining the delay in my task or talk face to face? A few weeks ago a task was assigned to me by my Manager (in the field Software Engineering). I was given 2 days to discuss the scope of the changes and suggest a timeline for how long it would take for me to complete the task. I grossly miscalculated the time it would take me to finish what was asked. Once the deadline approached I panicked and promised to finish it the very next. I pushed the deadlines twice this way and I am still far from finishing it. My Manager is visibly disappointed and asked someone else to help me. This guy (who has more experience that I do) analysed what was remaining and has told me that it will be another 2 weeks minimum. I have dug myself a hole here and am trying hard to get myself out of it. This Manager has joined my team a few months ago and I feel this incident is setting the absolute wrong idea about me in his mind. How do I convey the message to my Manager that the task has been delayed because of the wrong estimate I gave and not for lack of trying? Anyone else doing that task would have taken as much time as it is taking at the moment. I am planning to write an email to him explaining my fault in underestimating the scope of the task and overestimating my capabilities as a developer. But can this email be used as ammunition for proving that I am not capable enough? Should I just skip the written and talk to him face to face? I would prefer an email because that would give me the time and space to express what I have to say clearly and will leave little scope to be misconstrued as anything else. <Q> That`s a slippery slope. <S> You should have reported that you underestimated as soon as you became aware of it. <S> All i can suggest is emailing the manager as soon as possible with the request for a 1 on 1 and put task in agenda. <S> With deadline discussion as addendum. <S> IMHO, longer you delay, more unprofessional it will look. <A> Short answer : Face to face. <S> At this point, you need to come clean as soon as possible . <S> This communication should be done face to face . <S> Once you meet, you can follow up on the results of your meeting via email if you feel the need. <S> Prior to the meeting, I would also have accurate information to present to your manager, and be fully prepared to be held to your new estimate. <A> Estimating development time is hard, that's why there are books on the subject. <S> However, it appears to me that your big problem isn't estimation, it's lack of confidence and poor communication. <S> Now, it's tempting to think you can carefully craft an email that has exactly the right tone, and admits the minimum of fault. <S> Then you can avoid a difficult conversation with your manager; the thing is, avoiding a difficult conversation with your manager is why you're in a mess now. <S> "Sorry, boss, I realize now I should have informed you as soon as I knew my initial estimate for X was well off" would be a good start. <S> Be prepared to listen. <S> It may seem tough tackling this head on <S> but it's all in the anticipation. <S> Do it once, and the next time it'll be easier.
| So, go face-to-face and don't overthink what you need to say. Have some better estimates available but don't ready a lot of excuses.
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How can I approach my boss about switching to part time? I’m in the process of becoming self employed and have saved enough money for almost a year of joblessness. To ease the transition I would however like to continue to work two days a week in my current position. I’ve got a unique position and it would be difficult to replace me (not impossible of course). I have developed a lot of systems for the workplace and my understanding of them is unique. I’m a permanent employee with fixed hours, they can’t be changed I’ve checked this with HR. My manager is in early stages of hiring someone as a contractor to work for me to extend capability of my role. I would like to quit and offer to take that contract position at two days a week until they have fully replaced me. I both like and respect my boss, and feel like this might be a dick move, on the other hand I’ve worked very hard and delivered a lot of wins for his department. Essentially I feel like it’s my life and I should go for the best situation for myself following several years of diligent and hard work. What would be the best way of approaching my boss with this proposed plan for converting to part time? Edit: My position consists of two main aspects; 1) Creation of new tools 2) Maintenance and customer support for tools I've already created. Moving to 2 days per week would stop 1 but allow enough time for 2. Training a successor might be tricky but not impossible in that time, easier if they have a strong relevant technical standing <Q> Some employers will go for this sort of arrangement <S> but if I'm honest more often then not they don't so be prepared to hear a "No" - I don't see any harm in asking though and as long as you make it clear that you are trying to meet the needs of both parties <S> I don't think there are any negatives to doing so. <A> I would like to quit and offer to take that contract position at two days a week until they have fully replaced me. <S> What would be the best way of approaching my boss with this proposed plan for converting to part time? <S> If you are comfortable enough to be honest with your boss, that would be your best move. <S> It sounds as if your plans are firm, so I expect you have nothing to lose anyway. <S> Something like "Boss <S> , I'm planning to leave. <S> I could just give my notice and leave now, but I have a thought that might be better for both of us. <S> How about if I work part-time while you find a replacement? <S> I would be happy to offer to work two days per week... " should start off the conversation. <S> You can then expand on why this is good for the company. <S> Emphasize their benefit, not yours. <S> It might work. <S> It might not. <S> Best case, you get to work twice per week for a while. <S> Worst case, you find a new part-time job. <S> When I retired, I offered to help the folks in the local office of my employer in any way I could. <S> After a few months I was asked if I could help. <S> I ended up consulting with them two days per week. <S> It worked out fine for all of us. <A> Simple. <S> Just talk to your manager about your plans. <S> It's natural that people's life-plans change and that people leave jobs to go on to other challenges and directions. <S> It's great that you're willing to work part time and knowledge-share for a while as a contractor. <S> Sorry, but I can't see the down-side here for either you, your boss, or the company.
| Arrange a 1-1 chat with your boss and lay out your plan, you'll need to stress that you're pressing ahead with your plan to move self-employed regardless but that you respect your boss and your current employer's business needs and feel that the move to part time would be mutually beneficial as they would continue to have access to your skills and knowledge (crucially for transfer of these to a new full time hire - you'll want to stress these aspects) and you'll continue to have some reliable income in the short term.
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Being Blamed for my seniors mistakes what can I do? Hi for a bit of background I a developer in the UK and we work in an agile environment. A senior developer (let's call him X) and myself are working on a project, now I like the guy, he's a nice guy and I don't want to throw him under the bus but I have done roughly 70%-80% of the code. So we have a breakdown of tasks to get on with, we both have other projects we need to work on but the head of development (Our boss) has told us both this is our main priority. Most the tasks that X has undertaken have had to be re-written by myself or because of tight deadlines I've had to do his work. Now because of this some small bugs or tasks have fallen through the cracks either because I didn't know about them or X told me they were done when they weren't. Now the issue here is that when anything goes wrong I'm being blamed by the head of development for all bugs or tasks not being finished even though they weren't mine to do in the first place. I don't wan't to throw X under the bus but what can I do about this? I've tried talking to X about the bugs or work not being done and he just brushes it off or says it's working on his machine, when I ask to see it working he makes excuses to not show me. Note I've read the below question but this is different because he's my senior so I'm not sure the advice would differ. How do I deal with getting blamed for my coworker's sloppy code? <Q> No code should be put into production without a code review. <S> All tasks should be clearly assigned. <S> Have him review your code, and you review his. <S> If there's more people involved, even better. <S> This will make it clear who is doing what. <S> Do not approve code in review that you find lacking. <S> As part of this policy, it should also be made clear who does testing, to what extent, and where to log that this has been done. <S> You do not have to place blame. <S> In fact, this approach would be useful if you were the person responsible for errors or dropped tasks. <S> Follow this process rigidly and without exceptions, and do not get personal about it. <S> Do not pick up tasks if you cannot finish your own! <S> Make it out to be a team effort ( "We have been making errors!", "We have been missing tasks" ) as reasons why the process is needed. <S> This avoids placing blame, which you (wisely) would like to avoid. <S> This is a reasonable and effective approach, and addresses the problem in a generally accepted manner. <S> Ask your manager to back you up on why the processes are needed, if the Senior is refusing to adhere to them. <A> Bugs are only classed as bugs when the users see and report them. <S> Until that point, they're unit/QA test failures. <S> The point here is that there's a failure in the test process here, either by you unit testing the changes, or the QA team not picking them up. <S> Strengthen your testing process. <A> If you've already attempted to talk to X about these bugs <S> and you're getting the brush off <S> then I hate to say it <S> but you might just have to throw him under the bus to a certain extent. <S> What you've described sounds like a pattern where X seems to offload his work on to you or let you pick up the slack for any bugs in his code. <S> You've done the reasonable thing and attempted to resolve it between the two of you (which was absolutely the correct thing to do) and his response was to hang you out to dry and let you take all the flak so at this point you've got to look out for yourself and prevent further damage to your reputation. <A> I don't wan't to throw X under the bus <S> but what can I do about this? <S> Nothing . <S> The system that tracks development work <S> ( Trello ) should show how the developer in questions work went through the process multiple times. <S> Dev <S> Test <S> Back To Dev <S> Test <S> etc. <S> If it doesn't, you need a new system to track your work. <S> If the system does indeed track the work correctly, I don't see how you could be blamed for the buggy code of someone else.
| Just point out there was a reason to introduce this process ( bad code making it into production, missed tasks ). You should make a case for establishing clear processes. You should not need to do anything.
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Is it ok to call 3 days after an interview for updates? I did an interview last wednesday in which they told me they'd probably get in touch within a couple days, and they haven't. So I was thinking I could call to get an update and even if they chose another candidate I can at least know. Do you think that'd look good or is it too soon? Also, would you take the opportunity to offer to give contact info of previous managers and mentors for references? <Q> Bureaucracy can move oh, so very slowly. <S> Something as simple as the hiring manager calling in sick for a day can end up delaying an offer by a few business days. <A> Do you think that'd look good or is it too soon? <S> It won't look bad. <S> But I recommend you <S> wait at least a week before contacting them. <S> Also, would you take the opportunity to offer to give contact info of previous managers and mentors for references? <S> No. <S> Provide those when they ask you so. <S> What you can do is ask if there is anything you can provide to them, so <S> then you can send them such material. <A> Do you think that'd look good or is it too soon? <S> Yes it is too soon for a call, but you could send a follow up email proactively offering up your references. <S> After a week or so, I would then call for an update and after that I would then stand by . <S> If they want to hire you, they won't lose your contact information and they will reach back out to you.
| My advice to you is to wait for at least a week until you bug them about it.
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What to make of a very small performance bonus Quick note: I will try to make this as concise and non-ranty as possible. Background: I've been working at a large company in the US for about 18 months, it's my first "real job", and so far, things have gone very well. Recently, I've been heading up a relatively small but important project for my team. I've put in some longer hours than normal, but nothing insane, and done a lot of cross training and learning as this project reaches into some new territory for my team. What happened: My team lead has at least twice told me that he was going to talk to my manager about getting me a bonus for the work I've been doing. I didn't feel it was owed to me, but I thought it was a nice gesture. Last week, my manager gave me my bonus, $100. This is a little bit over 0.1% of my annual income. I thought it weird to get such a small bonus, but just sort of let go. Why I'm bothered: I found out this week that a colleague and close friend of mine had also gotten a bonus for his work on a different project, totaling ~10x what I received. He's been at the company longer and I'm sure makes more than I do, but absolutely not 10 times what I make. My prior assumption was that the program was short on money, and my manager was trying to make sure I felt noticed, this seems to fly in the face of that. My last several reviews have gone very well, and the fact that my team lead told me he was actively campaigning for me to get a bonus would suggest I have performed well recently. Follow up: I have applied for an internal training program at my company that my current manager used to run, and said he would put in a good word for me. If I got into this program, it would take me away from my current team in 6 months for about two years. It has occurred to me that my manager may already know if I got in to this program, and if that's the case he may feel less invested in keeping me happy and on the team than my coworkers. Question(s): Am I correct that my bonus is pretty small in the world of corporate America? I wasn't planning on bringing this up to anyone, but should I? If my assumption that my manager is "holding out on me" because he may know if I got into this training program, is there anything I should do? <Q> Am <S> I correct that my bonus is pretty small in the world of corporate America? <S> You got a bonus. <S> Take it as a win. <S> For many, such things are a pipe dream. <S> I wasn't planning on bringing this up to anyone, but should I? <S> Don't. <S> Other than to say thanks and a brief story of what you will spend it on. <S> i.e. a round for your friends, a new jacket, save it, etc. <S> If my assumption that my manager is "holding out on me" because he may know if I got into this training program, is there anything I should do? <S> Bonus are optional. <S> You could've received nothing. <S> Unless agreed upon contractually, i.e. "bonus if sales target of x is reached" then you might have cause, but that is a legal question and out of scope for the workplace. <A> Am <S> I correct that my bonus is pretty small in the world of corporate America? <S> Well, that really depends on the company, on the project you are working, and several other things. <S> The question (that only you can answer) is if this is a small bonus on your company . <S> Still, you got a bonus for some small project, which is better than nothing. <S> I wasn't planning on bringing this up to anyone, but should I? <S> That is really up to you. <S> I wouldn't. <S> You even said that "I didn't feel it was owed to me, but I thought it was a nice gesture" , so I would just take that money and be happy with it. <S> If my assumption that my manager is "holding out on me" because he may know if I got into this training program, is there anything I should do? <S> I wouldn't assume that. <S> And even if it were true, the only way you could try to do something is if you can prove it, which can be difficult. <S> I would suggest you refrain from making a problem out of this; you are going to the training program soon, so bringing this up at this moment may leave a bad taste to your leaving (or worse, maybe burn some bridges). <A> There is no way anyone who doesn't know your company's bonus policies can tell you whether you are being short changed or not. <S> Some companies make bonuses a routine part of the compensation package, some don't give bonuses at all, or only for heroic achievements. <S> Maybe your manager is undercutting you, or maybe they went to bat for your, called in favors, and upper management simply didn't think a significant bonus was merited or within their bonus policy. <S> We (and perhaps you) simply don't have enough information to decide. <A> In many places, more senior employees are on a "bonus scheme", which means their base salary is lower, but an annual or quarterly bonus is expected, which will increase their salary to a "normal" level if they do a "normal" job, or much higher or much lower depending on the size of their bonus. <S> Entering such a bonus scheme usually involves not getting a raise that you would otherwise expect, or even a lowering of the base salary. <S> More junior employees will have a fixed salary, with no expectation of a bonus. <S> So in one case a bonus is required to get the "normal" salary, in the other case no bonus is required to get the "normal" salary. <A> To answer the question directly: I don't think you should discuss the bonus amount with management, since you do not have enough information to argument on whether it is enough or not. <S> In your case, I would analyse the whole package you are getting from your company. <S> If you are being underpaid, the annual bonus is scarce and you are working hard, I would consider this $100 as a bad sign on company policy. <S> About the comparison with your colleague: while it may be good to compare salary against market prices, annual bonuses against what other companies are offering, a single-project bonus is quite particular to the project and employee. <S> The good comparisons will assess company policy on salaries and bonuses, but it should not be used to compare your situation with one's. <S> You simply do not know how effective the other employee is, his impact on the project and the contribution to the company as his manager. <S> If you have reached the conclusion you are underpaid, I would choose the right moment and talk to your manager about a raise/promotion. <S> Do not talk about it know, because you do not know how difficult was to him to get you this bonus. <S> You can read other questions in the Workplace about asking for a raise/promotion. <S> If that does not work, maybe it is the time to move on and find another job. <S> Bottom line: Not enough information to argument on the bonus amount. <S> Do not compare your bonus to your colleague's, assess the whole salary/bonus policy in your company. <S> If you are being underpaid, ask for a raise at the right time. <S> In case it does not work, maybe it is time to move on. <A> Bonus are usally paid by the department you belong to rather than the company. <S> Some departments may have a larger amount to spend than other department. <S> Bonus usually depend on the position and are used as incentive : big bonus for sales people, small bonus for engineer. <S> You should ask your manager/HR how is calculated the bonus, it can be (team performance) <S> * (individual performance) (available money) (annual salary) <S> (number of years worked in the company) <S> (job position).
| It's entirely a personal decision whether you think you are being appropriately compensated for the work you are doing.
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Is it unprofessional to move because someone near you is making a distracting noise? Many things I can ignore: people clicking pens, frequent coughing and loud sneezing etc. However I found it unbearable when the person in front of me cleared his throat every 60 seconds. It was very loud, disgusting and distracting. I never met him before, and had no idea who he was. We don't have assigned desks at work, and just go to whichever is available. My work place keeps a very close eye on it's employees, and we have to send an email out to a couple people if we need to log off early/unexpectedly. I sent the email, and said I had to move desks because a person near me is making a distracting noise and I couldn't focus, and got the ok. Was this the right thing to do? I noticed I was distracted enough that I was making mistakes, but I may have been able to tune out the sound after 20 minutes. Would it have been better to address the issue with the person himself? I'm in no way trying to get him in trouble, I realize he may have allergies or something. <Q> Was this the right thing to do? <S> Yes, it was exactly the right thing to do - you solved the problem with minimum fuss, and got on with it. <S> If there was really no alternative then you may have had to speak to him, but you were absolutely correct in looking to move desks as a first port of call. <A> You did the right thing for four reasons : <S> You did not enter into conflict with the individual <S> You addressed a workplace problem to management rather than colleagues <S> You put the company first, avoiding personal issues <S> You acted in response to a problem in efficiency <A> My work place keeps a very close eye on it's employees, and we have to send an email out to a couple people if we need to log off early/unexpectedly. <S> I sent the email, and said I had to move desks because a person near me is making a distracting noise <S> and I couldn't focus, and got the ok. <S> Was this the right thing to do? <S> Since you specifically got the okay from your company, then it was the right thing to do.
| At the end of the day, companies need the job done and avoidance of conflict is always best. If you'd have spoken to him directly, then that could have easily resulted in an awkward conversation at best, or an unnecessary confrontation at worst.
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Is it okay to share cringeworthy e-mails with coworkers? It is Christmas time, and people are acting weird. My boss and a few colleagues are sending e-mails with jokes and Christmas quizzes and such. They send these to a lot of people, but only people they are in connection with. Is it okay for me to forward this to colleagues/friends that don't work closely with any of these people, as in: Look at this, cringeworthy amirite? and then we'll have a bit of a laugh behind their backs. What they are doing isn't private or anything, but I wouldn't make fun of it to their face, so I am quite undecided. <Q> Email is never done behind anyone's back. <S> It's stored for long periods of time, available to your company at least somewhere in the hierarchy, and quite possibly assigned to someone when you exit the company, including all past, present and future emails to that account. <S> Your company likely has (and certainly should have) <S> an email retention policy, and quite possibly someone who reviews your communications should an HR issue arise. <S> It's possibly subject to subpoena, so if you should ever have legitimate means to take legal action against your company, that email may be handed to you during a deposition or within a trial, and you can then be compelled to read that email out loud in front of the person you're referencing. <S> Unless you're willing to do that, don't send the email. <S> Because someday it might be, and you can't guess why. <A> No. <S> It's usually best not to allow this kind of stuff to spread any further than is strictly necessary. <S> People with any degree of sense will start questioning your sanity if you start sending these emails again, even if you're doing it "ironically". <A> You should not share others cringe-worthy moments, it is highly unprofessional, even if you anonymize it. <S> As others have pointed out email is traceable and normally archived at a corporate level. <S> However, if you wish to engage in such festivities you could share some of your own cringe-worthy moments. <S> It shows humility and self-reflection as well as giving others a laugh. <S> It is fun and a bonding experience as we all mess up sometimes and owning up to your less proud moments can be good for team cohesion. <A> What they are doing ins't private or anything, but I wouldn't make fun of it to their face, so I am quite undecided. <S> Chances are high that doing so would get back to them <S> and you would be embarrassed. <S> Take the high road. <S> Have your laughs at their expense, but keep them to yourself.
| If you feel you must do this behind their back, then you should avoid it altogether. Always email like it will be printed in a newspaper. I know of a workplace which has a 'wall of shame' board, with the rule that you should only post your own submissions.
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Team writing a letter of concern to management I am a part of a team of 10. We had a contractual agreement with an agency in another country. Since I started working with my company, the quality of work delivered from the agency was less than satisfactory. We have started to reduce the amount of work they contribute as a result. In the last month the agency's self proclaimed project manager transitioned from their team to a full time position within the core company. The 'project manager' created the afore-mentioned and his only hands on experience was from said company. His official title is Executive Director of Product but he is acting as a project manager, a point of contact for support issues and micro-managing the dev team. To say the least, he is not fulfilling his specific role. Since he has been in this role, he has caused an abundant amount of disturbance to the dev team, our morale and the overall direction of our platform. The technology manager supports our decision in expressing our concerns to management about the director of products qualifications. We plan on providing the solution(s) of better defining what his role actually is, and recommending he takes the proper courses to become certified and knowledgable in the role he now has. Are there any other recommendations or solutions that can be provided to better express our concerns? At this rate, the dev team which is the core of the platform, are on the verge of leaving if this guy stays in his current path. Edit: Thanks for the concerns concerning the letter 'ending well' for the team. To clear the confusion, we are a small team/company (10 people, majority development). Management is open to feedback and things to improve upon as is my boss, the director of technology. He absolutely agrees with my/the team's opinion of the qualifications missing. He has already expressed his concerns to management and thinks that we should too, in strength and in numbers. There is a lot of communication issues with the teams being on opposite sides of the country and upper management doesn't know or see much of how this guy is affecting productivity. We had a project manager that did an amazing job, was certified/qualified, and was replaced by someone of lesser capabilities. We do not plan on attacking him, we plan on providing specific examples with solutions as well as better understanding what he should actually be doing as he doesn't even seem to understand it himself. Edit 2: Initially we were told that if it doesn't work out with this guy, it doesn't work out. The issue is that higher management is unaware of the severity of the inability of this person. In addition to my boss telling him, it will bring it home if there are additional concerns brought to his attention. <Q> There are much better ways. <S> Document <S> EVERYTHING: <S> anything he does that puts development in jeopardy should be documented with it's effects tracked. <S> Forward to your manager, who you said is sympathetic. <S> LET HIM FAIL: <S> Sometimes you need to let the ball drop. <S> If the effects are not seen, no changes shall be made. <S> Ask for the CEO's input, but use the Socratic method. <S> "What do you think of...." and then ask him about something <S> that's damaging productivity <S> Don't accuse, <S> demonstrate make his shortcomings clearly visible to the CEO. <S> Step back. <S> Let things happen naturally. <S> If you push too hard, you will only make yourself look bad. <S> Be prepared to leave if things don't improve. <S> Obviously, this is a last resort, but one you may be pushed into. <S> Update your resume and be prepared to move on if the CEO doesn't step in. <A> It sounds like a pretty rubbish situation.. <S> however I can't see how this "letter" is going to end well for you or the dev team. <S> He was hired by the CEO without a proper interview from the dev team or vetting process of qualifications. <S> Last time I checked "ordinary" employees were rarely consulted, let alone invited to interview candidates for director-level positions. <S> While it clearly hasn't worked out too well in this case I'd steer clear of making any suggestions that this is where it all went wrong. <S> Our manager, the director of technology, supports our decision in expressing our concerns to the CEO about the director of products qualifications. <S> This is more encouraging (for you) <S> but if your Director of Technology (who presumably is a peer of the Product Director) agrees with you and shares your concerns <S> then why isn't he raising these with the CEO? <S> That would be entirely appropriate. <S> I can think of a few reasons why he hasn't <S> He doesn't agree with you and is telling you what you want to hear, not really caring if it results in you getting thrown under the bus in the process. <S> He does agree with you but knows that since the CEO hired this guy it's not going to go down well with the CEO to hear bad things about him. <S> So he's perfectly willing to let <S> you take these unpopular concerns to the CEO, if it works then it's great for him as he gets rid of the Product Director without expending any of his own capital. <S> If it doesn't he can distance himself from it and let you take all the flak. <S> So what should you do? <S> Ideally keep it as impersonal regarding the Product Director has possible but it sounds like that ship has sailed, so you just need to focus as much as you can on the work problems and how it impedes the business <S> (because that's what senior management will care about) <S> and if they aren't things he can solve directly within in his remit <S> then press him to escalate them to the CEO - because that's his job not yours. <A> If you are writing a letter to the CEO, I can only recommend you to stay on the issues you want to solve, instead of attacking a specific Person. <S> State <S> what kind of problems you face, without blaming someone. <S> Try to be objective and try to offer solutions. <S> A well written, neutral and technical analysis of existing problems and possible solutions can be be a strong weapon for change in an organisation as well as a personal career booster. <S> Getting caught in a Blame-Game certainly is not! <S> Let the management figure out for themselves to whom they want to delegate responsibility. <S> Expect different Solutions than the ones suggested, but be ready to be part of the solution anyways. <A> I applaud your decision to speak up against the negative changes you're witnessing in your workplace. <S> It's the sort of thing that more of us should be willing to do, although the reason many don't is because this sort of courage can come with a rather heavy price tag attached. <S> More on that in a minute. <S> When writing the letter, be sure to phrase it professionally, and to only focus on the facts. <S> I would steer clear of commenting on that manager's qualifications, as I assume you probably didn't get a chance to read his resume, or check his references. <S> When possible, provide concrete documentation as to how he has negatively impacted the team, and some metrics as to how the South African team has been performing worse than normal. <S> For example, if you use any sort of bug tracking tool, generate some reports. <S> Numbers will always sway business men. <S> Speak to them in terms of hours wasted, and money lost. <S> It simply makes the most sense to them. <S> This advice, however, comes with a strong warning. <S> You don't know the exact decision making process that led to that individual being hired. <S> It may have simply been a poor decision based on flawed information, or it may be that the new manager is the CEO's BFF, and your comments may well not be appreciated. <S> Keep in mind that some executives will defend a poor hire simply because admitting to having hired an inept employee would look bad on them. <S> Petty mindedness should never surprise you in these situations. <S> Good luck, and be prepared to jump ship in the wake of this letter.
| The best bet is to keep impressing upon your boss (Director of Technology) about the specific workflow/productivity problems you are encountering.
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How to handle disagreement with boss about what was agreed? This is a fairly simple question, but I'll give some context: Thursday 1 week ago I was in a meeting with my boss, my manager and 1 other colleague (We try to have a somewhat flat structure, though). We discussed a topic and agreed to discuss X next Thursday which would get us ready to discuss Y the meeting following X . The next week, I hear that the presenting of both X and Y was agreed to be done on Wednesday (not Thursday) and that "that's what was agreed" because it's in their agenda for that day (which was apparently added a day after the meeting). Now, because of an earlier occurrence where we disagreed on what we had previously agreed I was explicitly writing these agreements down in my notebook, plus my colleague remembers this the same way. My question is about how I should deal with this. Part of me wants to just say "OK, that's not what we agreed and I have written this down for exactly this reason which I suspected might happen." But that's probably way too passive-aggressive. I feel like I have to defend myself, but that it will be counter-productive when I do that. I know by now that the best thing I probably could have done is send them an e-mail after a meeting listing my notes and asking for confirmation. But now that I'm in this situation, should I just say nothing and make sure I have X + Y on that day? Or should I stick to what I wrote down for this purpose? <Q> But now that I'm in this situation, should I just say nothing and make sure I have X + Y on that day? <S> Or should I stick to what I wrote down for this purpose? <S> Depends what is feasible. <S> If you feel you can have X and Y ready for that day then go ahead, do it, and refrain from saying something. <S> However, I do not recommend to "just stick" to what you wrote down, <S> that could have some drawbacks for you. <S> The best thing to do would be to try to get those things ready by Wednesday, but still send an email to the meeting attendees asking for clarification , saying something like: "Hello everyone. <S> I see that we are saying this should be done for Wednesday. <S> However, I have in my notes of that day's meeting that we agreed to do this for Thursday. <S> Would you mind confirming the due date to me please?" <A> A great way to help eliminate this type of mis-communication is to prepare an agenda for each meeting and distribute it well in advance. <S> With this approach, everyone should be on the same page as to the meeting topics. <S> Going forward after each meeting, send the team your notes via email, including action items and who is on the hook for each one. <S> I found this article to be of use help with this topic: <S> Effective Meetings <A> Tell your boss that you understood X, but make room for the possibility you got it wrong <S> so you just want to clear up if it´ll be really X+Y <S> or if it stays at X. <S> (X now, and why in 2 days instead of next week? <S> etc.) <S> Apologize for any misunderstanding and inconveniences. <S> Next time you have a meeting, write a short summary of what was agreed upon and mail it to all participants directly after. <S> This way the can immediately tell you if the understood differently and if not, you have a paper-trail.
| For future reference remember to do as you said, and send an email after the meeting with the notes and things agreed that day , so you have some evidence to back you up and for all to not lose track of what is agreed on the meetings. If there are reasons why X+Y would be impractical or impossible to deliver, state them and offer you support for any possible solution's Just take the emotion out of it, it is probably just a misunderstanding that needs to be cleared up.
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I am from Northern Ireland, but live in Scotland, and need to complete an advanced disclosure. Should I do this for both Countries? Basically, I am from Northern Ireland, but recently (within the past month) moved to Scotland. I went to University in Scotland close to ten years ago, I lived here for about three years. I work for a startup handling sensitive financial data, so we have agreed that I should complete an advanced disclosure. I have no issue with this. However, having not been in Scotland in nearly a decade, should I do this with the Scottish authorities as well, or is Northern Ireland enough? Edit: Just to clarify, we are doing this to help with compliance, but haven't been given any specific instruction. It is my job to figure out what is necessary. Northern Ireland AccessNI Scotland <Q> However, having not been in Scotland in nearly a decade, should I do this with the Scottish authorities as well, or is Northern Ireland enough? <S> The best way to be sure is to ask the ones that are asking you for such disclosure. <S> They can probably then tell you which one(s) they want. <S> IANAL, <S> but I think that it would make sense to obtain such disclosure for the country/region <S> you are working for <S> (Scotland in this case). <S> If you are not completely sure, and is up to you to determine which one(s) you have to chose (or if the ones that asked you such are unable to clarify what they want), then consulting a lawyer could give you a better (and safer) idea. <S> You could also well obtain the disclosure of <S> both countries <S> just in case, so you are prepared for any situation, and if it is not impossible to do. <A> If only applying for Basic Disclosure (NI information here ) <S> A basic disclosure certificate shows any 'unspent' criminal convictions you may have in the UK <S> From 3 January 2018, if you live in England or Wales, you should apply for your criminal record check from the Disclosure and Barring Service. <S> If you live in Scotland, you should apply for your disclosure from Disclosure Scotland. <S> Source Also reading through the information, both checks will check your criminal record in the UK as a whole. <S> NI: <S> When an employer requires criminal record information, they must keep to rules about requesting criminal records and making recruitment decisions based on records disclosed. <S> As AccessNI cannot search criminal records outside the UK , except for some EU countries, employers should take other steps to check job applicants from abroad. <S> Source <S> Scotland: <S> A basic disclosure certificate shows any 'unspent' criminal convictions you may have in the UK. <S> Source <S> So get the Scotland check, as it covers all of the UK and will show all criminal convictions. <S> Getting both is just doing the same checks twice by a different entity. <S> If applying for Standard or enhanced disclosure <S> (NI information here ) <S> If you have a higher level disclosure, your certificate will show: all unspent convictions certain spent convictions that must always be disclosed other spent convictions as set out by law <S> If you need a higher level disclosure than basic, your company must be registered with the controlling agency: NI: <S> Registered bodies are AccessNI approved organisations. <S> Only these organisations are authorised to make applications for standard and enhanced checks. <S> Source <S> Scotland: <S> Standard and enhanced disclosures involve higher level checks. <S> They are for people doing certain types of work or looking to adopt and are applied for by your employer or a registered body representing you. <S> Source <S> So going on the above information, it shouldn't be you getting the form, but your employee providing the form (Unless they only want the basic). <S> They need to register with the Scottish body at this link , if the company resides in Scotland, or with the NI body at this link . <A> This looks like the Scottish version of CRB checks (basic checks against the legal records). <S> In your case I would hire a lawyer/ specialist (on the companies dime) to produce a proper procedure and information for those going through the checks.
| As per the Scotland website, it's solely dependant on where you live:
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Job switch: resume and interview I graduated last year and I am currently working as a software developer, but in the past year I have hardly done any development work in this job and worked more towards documentation and unit testing the software. Owing to this I have decided to switch, and now as I work on my resume I realize that I don't have much development work to write on my resume. My questions are: Is it ok for a not-so-recent grad to focus his resume on academic work,(and online courses like edX etc.) than on the current job role? When answering the interview question 'Why do you want to switch?', is it alright to mention the real reason or does that reflect badly as someone speaking negatively of my their current job? I appreciate all your opinions. <Q> Is it ok for a not-so-recent grad to focus his resume on academic work,(and online courses like edX etc.) <S> than on the current job role? <S> 1 year is not too long to ignore academics and online courses (if completed honestly) only show your desire to learn more. <S> When answering the interview question 'Why do you want to switch?' <S> , is it alright to mention the real reason or does that reflect badly as someone speaking negatively of my their current job? <S> If you do not enjoy the nature of the work, you should absolutely state the true reason. <S> I don't think you are badmouthing your current employer if you say you do not like the profile. <S> It is just that you did not know or realize how it will turn out when you took up the job <S> and now you do. <S> It happens all the time. <A> You are young, you need to try different task/company that suits you. <S> It is normal. <S> From a recruiter point of view, it is better to have someone that change to a different position after 2/3 years rather than someone that keep the same kind of position of change every 6 month of company. <S> 1) <S> It is difficult to reply without reading your resume. <S> But if you have already work experience, it is what you should mention first. <S> Academics matters less, and online course (usually) doesn't matter at all for an HR. <S> So in your resume you should mention both with equal importance i would say. <S> ( if you already know what position you apply for,it can be a good thing to put in bold the keywords of your resume that appears in the job offer). <S> 2) <S> Yes, be honest; because most of people don't like to do documentation anyway. <S> But you don't need to speak of it negatively. <S> You can say : "At the begining i was hired for a developper job <S> but there was heavy worload on documentation and the teamleader assigned me to it. <S> It is something i don't see myself working on for 10 years <S> so i prefer to look for a more challenging position in devolloping XYZ." <A> Is it ok for a not-so-recent grad to focus his resume on academic work,(and online courses like edX etc.) <S> than on the current job role? <S> I'd say at this point you're okay to give your academic elements a decent amount of focus on the resume - you're on the cusp though, much beyond 18 months <S> and it would start to ring warning bells for me. <S> I wouldn't hide what you are currently doing though. <S> It's real world work experience and even if not in the exact area that you are looking for it's still immensely valuable for it's "real" nature. <S> When answering the interview question 'Why do you want to switch?' <S> , is it alright to mention the real reason or does that reflect badly as someone speaking negatively of my their current job? <S> You keep the tone of it positive rather than negative: <S> I'm keen to really focus on my building my development skills, my current position is heavily weighted towards documentation and testing work which I understand are important elements of the development process and it has been good experience <S> but I feel the time is right to move into something more focused on development.
| Sure it is okay to focus on academic work and online courses. If you are under 5 years of working experience i would say it is acceptable to change position even if it has nothing in common with your current job.
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How can I improve my communication with my less skilled coworker? I am currently in an internship as an engineer working on a project. With me there is another intern, who has a creative job, let's call them J. We are expected to work together, each of us in our field to generate the best output. My problem is, that I just can't figure out what is the right way to talk to J about technical issues. Sometimes it seems they know a lot about tech and stuff and I am impressed. Other times J asks questions that appear as if they have no knowledge whatsoever in that same field. When I try to explain everything I often feel this seems like I think J is stupid because they already know. But when I don't explain I am not sure if J understands. My question is how can I develop a form of communication that makes sure everything is understood, but does not seem like teaching as this might seem arrogant? How can I find out what knowledge J has to make communication easier? <Q> Before going into details say, "Feel free to let me know if you already have a handle on this." <S> Then explain as if you were talking to someone with no technical experience. <S> This puts the onus on your coworker to tell you if you are going on too much. <S> You might also casually feel out their knowledge with questions like "Have you ever encountered x technology?" <S> And then continue the conversation to see what level of knowledge they have with that. <A> My question is how can I develop a form of communication that makes sure everything is understood, but does not seem like teaching as this might seem arrogant? <S> How can I find out what knowledge J has to make communication easier? <S> Checking in with the listener periodically will ensure you stay on track. <S> If I'm not sure, I ask something like "Does that make sense?" to see if I am getting through. <S> If not, I adjust my conversation accordingly. <S> And watch for body language. <S> You can usually tell if someone is not comprehending what you are saying if they look confused, or furrow their brow. <S> And if you are doing too much unnecessary lecturing, the listener's attention may waver, they may become distracted, or get annoyed. <A> This is very common even in non-workplace contexts, for example, explaining my mom some elementary functions on her smartphone with her reacting like " <S> hey, I sure know this <S> , you deem me that stupid? <S> (chuckle)". <S> So, I think that you might give the impression of "teaching" and "arrogance" only if you "take for granted" that he does not know what you're talking about and automatically start explaining. <S> When you encounter a subject which you are unsure whether J is knowledgeable about, you might want to try what I call "a little groping question": compare <S> So I visited my brother and his cat - which is a four-pawed furry little mammal - attacked me. <S> [This is the possibly "teaching"/"arrogant" version] with <S> So I visited my brother and his cat... <S> [Hesitate] Know a cat? <S> [He'll answer "yes"] <S> There, it attacked me. <S> Only if he answered no, you'd catch the opportunity to explain. <A> I work in a technical field and have spent a lot of time explaining things to less technical people (mostly designers who were my customers) and to people of the same or higher technical level (sometimes you simply have a piece of information a highly technical person needs).I sometimes begin by saying "I'm not sure of your level of knowledge on this <S> so I'll start at the beginning. <S> Feel free to stop me if I'm covering anything you already know" Another trick I've learned is to continuously monitor the conversation by use of use feedback cues. <S> Are you familiar with XYZ? <S> Does that make sense? <S> Got it? <S> Shall <S> I take it back a step? <S> While the person might not be technical they could be smart in other ways. <S> I sometimes describe this as "lacking the intellectual scaffolding upon which to hang technical concepts" <S> It is sometimes beneficial to frame a new technical concept in more everyday terms by using analogy and metaphor. <S> "Your filesystem is like a filing cabinet. <S> Having the data is one thing, but you also need to be able to find it. <S> That's why there's a catalog. <S> If that gets messed up your data is still there, you just can't find it till you repair or rebuild it" Above all try to avoid an air of condescension and never show signs of frustration. <S> Keep in mind that your success is tied in part to your ability to explain things clearly to others.
| Since J is not working in a technical job, lean towards over-explaining. Normal conversations should uncover the level of depth you need for effective communication.
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How to deal with sabotaging, possibly passive-aggressive, boss? I work at an institution of higher education. One of our employee benefits is a generous tuition reimbursement if we take classes here. I decided to take advantage of this and go back to school here. The educational experience is really excellent so far, and I'm hoping to finish my degree by taking classes part time around the FT job that grants me this tuition benefit. I have a departmental VP who tells me they are supportive of me and my career, including my decision to pursue my degree. However, the actions of said VP do not line up with these words. On several occasions, VP has rearranged scheduling, stress-dumped (communicated urgency where there wasn't any), and done other things that have an observable pattern of undermining and belying those verbal affirmations. When I talk one-on-one with VP, they seem congenial and genuine. I do not dislike VP completely as a person (outside of this problem), but all this runaround, this drastic contradiction between words and actions, leaves me feeling gaslit like my head got put in a blender. VP's actions don't match their words and I feel trapped. I don't know where to go with this, or who would even be accessible let alone appropriate to tap for intervention. I can't help being convinced it is deliberate -- it's too consistent to NOT be deliberate -- but if I try to tell anyone else that, or if I try to confront VP with that, I know it will go nowhere and probably even make things worse for me. I don't know how to address this effectively, or at all. I need these games to stop and I want to be treated with the consideration and respect as an individual and professional that I deserve. I also need to get to "yes" on actual, practical, reasonable accommodations for scheduling class. None of the courses I need for the degree are offered at night, neither here nor what very few are paralleled at the local community college. I'm concerned VP will keep circumstantially squeezing me this way until I'm forced to give up on school or resign (which will mean giving up on school as well, as I cannot afford tuition on my own without the benefit from my job). Resigning is not an option at this time. Thanks. <Q> You need to be up-front with your VP regarding the times that you need to attend classes/tuition. <S> Say pretty clearly what the time periods are and try to get a verbal agreement that it's ok. <S> This makes it difficult for your VP to back down from. <S> Also, put these classes into your calendar as "Out of Office" or something that indicates that you're not available for work in these time periods. <A> I would stop reading so much into the VP's actions. <S> Your assumption seems to be that the VP is trying to deliberately harm you with these actions, but you have no way of knowing his/her motives. <S> Assuming the worst does no one any good. <S> If the VP won't give you the flex time, ask him/her to explain the reason for the denial. <S> Come up with a plan that addresses the specific concerns. <S> If the VP won't budge, see if you can work something out with the professor. <A> Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity ignorance. <S> -- <S> Hanlon's razor Problem: <S> So, you experience a disconnect between the verbal support of your further education and your work times with work load. <S> Your departmental VP probably has no clue that his communication style and choices wreak havoc on your work and studies. <S> You know what is needed to finish this education. <S> He doesn't. <S> Bridge that gap. <S> Prepare, Time & Work: <S> For example, be sure on the adjustments on your work times. <S> Got a good overview? <S> Prepare, Communication style: Think about what you want changed, why it bothers you. <S> How should your departmental VP communicate with you? <S> Come up with examples. <S> Possible Solution: <S> Good, now go and sit down with your departmental VP and talk this over. <S> Thank him for his support of your further education. <S> Tell him you want to talk about two things: Communication . <S> Then explain why his current communication style does not work with you. <S> Then give examples of how you would like it to be. <S> Your Education . <S> Tell him what kind of effort you need to put in. <S> Show him when and why you need to take certain courses at certain times. <S> Give him an option to support you, so he does not lose hours of your work. <S> Make sure he understands that your education does not interfere with your work load! <S> 1) <S> You might not get all you want, but you at least have made your points clear(er). <S> 2) <S> It's not a <S> you verses your departmental VP. <S> You are both on the same team. <S> Find a solution together!
| If it's standard for people in your situation to take flex time or to take time off in order to take classes, schedule a meeting with the VP to figure out how to make the classes work with your schedule. Get it clear for yourself what you need to do to succeed, both in your work and study. First, I would make sure my expectations for flex time were in line with my role and department.
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How much does it make sense to argue on opinionated code review? I have opened pull request to the academic project, developed as a joined effort of few universities, and received numerous comments. They are all from the single reviewer that seems to be one of the lead developers. Some of these comments are clearly "opinion based" and I could generally find arguments to say against. But doing as they want would also result a working code. Opinions only diverge on which version is more understandable and maintainable. I am also experienced, same as they are. The possible approaches seem to be Comment on items I disagree with and do not apply changes to them. Of course, if they just refuse to merge without further talk, I am also with the loss. Apply all changes they like but explain why it was initially done differently. Do not comment, simply apply all changes as they see fit. This is my first contribution after all, I may better discuss on something later. My goal is to earn the respect within that community and ultimately contribute more code to them. To achieve this goal, I am willing to comply with they point of view even if I myself think differently or my own experience just talks against. Would a small amount of opposition help or hinder the attempts to build the respect? I do not want to provoke the conflict, but silent agreement might incorrectly indicate I am not competent enough to join the community (for the simplicity, let's assume I am). <Q> Would a small amount of opposition help or hinder the attempts to build the respect? <S> It seems as though you're in a situation where on occasion there are multiple ways to accomplish the goal with no clear cut <S> " This is the only answer ". <S> When coding, especially if you're not the owner but more of a contributor , you are going to have to be more flexible with your approach, and conform to the style/standards in place with a particular code base. <S> It certainly is okay to say " Did you consider this aspect? ", <S> but in the end if you want your contribution accepted, you may have to alter your style. <S> Short answer : <S> The other side cannot always be right, and you should get some wins too. <S> If you do not get some of your "wins", then you may wish to consider contributing elsewhere. <A> I've always been a lone, full-stack developer for small organizations, so my opinion probably counts for less since there is no collaborative code review process when it's just me. <S> However, wouldn't another approach be - Apply all non-contested changes, and explain why original methods were used, and see if that changes any opinions as to whether the contested suggestions are needed. <S> Ask parties involved other than OP and that one particular developer suggesting all the changes to make the final determination on whether to maintain status quo or change. <S> NOTE: <S> I was also a continuous improvement team facilitator in a past professional life, so there is a little bit of group/consensus decision-making experience that goes into that suggestion. <A> In these types of matters, you should pick your battles. <S> Itemize major items you're concerned with and offer alternatives. <S> Provide strong arguments and your reasoning. <S> Let them know when you would be available to discuss and how to connect with you (Skype/Phone) if lines of communication haven't been established. <S> Go along with the rest and let them know you'll bring up any concerns if these turn into trouble. <S> Offer to provide your reasoning if they wish. <S> This way, you don't look defensive.
| If you have a legitimate point of view, make it known.
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Why does HR request I bring a birth certificate or passport to interview? I've completed my phone screen with the company about a week ago, and they are now scheduling me for an onsite interview. However, they are asking me to bring either my birth certificate or passport with me. This is the first time I've been asked this as part of the job interviewing process. They had asked me in the phone screen whether or not I was a US citizen, I am, but I've been asked that numerous times before and have never been required to show my birth certificate. What's the purpose behind showing a birth certificate or passport before even finishing the interview process? <Q> What's the purpose behind showing a birth certificate or passport before even finishing the interview process? <S> In the United States, it is Form I-9 . <S> This is probably a time saving mechanism for them before extending an offer. <A> Mister Positive's answer provides one possibility, I've seen another. <S> Depending on the industry and the work of the organization, they may require compliance with laws and regulations regarding export of the things they work on. <S> Everything beyond the lobby may require controls in place. <A> As pointed out by others, it might be an attempt to speed up the process of I-9 - electronic verification that you are eligible to work in the US. <S> However, if this is the case, they have done a few things wrong . <S> First of all, any of the I-9 documents from list A or any combination from list B and C are valid and the employer may not require any particular combination. <S> Second, the employer may not ask for any such document before you accept their offer. <S> There might be different requirements for jobs requiring security clearance or something. <S> I'm not familiar with them, but you would probably know about it from the job offer advertisement. <S> I don't see what might go wrong for the employee if they present their birth certificate unless the employer decides to discriminate against you because of it <S> (I'd foresee more liability being placed on the employer as they get irrelevant protected information they can potentially discriminate against) <S> but then I am not a lawyer . <A> See here: https://www.uscis.gov/us-citizenship/proof-us-citizenship-and-identification-when-applying-job <S> It answers your question. <S> It says very clearly that it applies to just hired employees, not potential: <S> Every employer in the United States must verify that each newly hired employee can be legally employed in the United States. <S> A U.S. citizen may show a variety of evidence to meet this requirement: <S> So it begs the question why you are being asked to provide this before being hired. <S> It's unclear who "they" are in your question and I assume <S> you are in contact with a HR rep and you possibly interviewed with a manager at the department you applied for. <S> It could be HR got the wrong message from the manager and assumes you are a new hire. <S> It could also mean you got the job <S> but they never told you. <S> Honestly I would question this because it could mean a sloppy workplace if they don't know what is going on. <A> Here is the most charitable explanation: <S> If the interview goes well, they may be hoping that you'll be signed on as a new employee by the end of the visit. <S> I would not find this especially surprising for a job in retail, for example. <S> If it's for a role where quick sign-on would not be a reasonably expected outcome of even a very positive interview, the most charitable explanation is that they are trying to verify legal permission to work early on, to avoid later delays and/or avoid going through the work of making an offer to someone who can't actually start work and do the job. <S> As other answers indicate, this is probably illegal, but starting out with an adversarial tone citing legal specifics is unfortunately unlikely to enhance (and more likely to hurt) <S> your odds of actually getting the job. <S> You might be able to ask the recruiter directly, what the documents are needed for and if they're really needed at the interview specifically. <S> Would they really deny an interview if you showed up without those documents (especially if you'd asked in advance, instead of just appearing forgetful or unprepared)? <S> Probably not, but it can be useful to ask for the reason. <S> They might also understand if you don't have those paper documents handy and would have to get them out of storage etc., assuming you indicate you'd be able and happy to do so before starting work there. <S> Is the interview at a controlled facility, for example a part of the US government? <S> I've been to controlled facilities where visitors must prove citizenship just to get into the building and into an office/conference room (for an interview or any other purpose), and visitors or groups which included non-citizens meant having to change the meeting venue and convincing the hosts to leave their own space for that alternate venue. <A> ... <S> they are asking me to bring either my birth certificate or passport with me. <S> That's not saying that they want you to provide it to them before the second interview and before they actually do hire you (unless they actually did say that), only that you bring it with you. <S> My guess is that they may want you to have it with you in case they want to make an offer to hire you at the end of the second interview. <S> Also, they may have already decided to hire you but as a formality they are required by policy to have a second interview. <S> In any case (for future reference), you could have let them know that you have the document available but wonder why they need it at that (second interview) time.
| They most likely want this so that you can fill out the form proving you are eligible to work. Knowing your citizenship status is necessary to ensure you can be in the facility and what kind of controls are necessary.
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Verbal job offer, waiting for written I got a verbal job offer today. They asked that I start on Monday/Tuesday. It's Friday now. They said the written job offer will be coming over. If they want me to start that soon, should I tell my current boss now or wait until I get the written offer? I know the person who offered the job and interviewed with. We both used to work together at the same company I'm at now (i'm paid out by invoice instead of a full time employee). <Q> If they want me to start that soon, should I tell my current boss now or wait until I get the written offer? <S> I would never act formally on an offer until I got it in writing. <S> Then you should tell your prospective employer how long of a notice you intend to give. <A> Did you state in the interview <S> your availability is immediate?You should wait for written offer and also check your contract with current work place. <S> It may be construed as dualism , but you first need to think of #1 - you <A> It's best to think of a verbal offer not as an actual offer, but a promise that an offer is going to come. <S> Should you quit your job for a promise? <S> That depends entirely on your financial situation and your level of trust in the promise - to be explicit: only do it of you can afford to lose your job, and you completely trust the promise. <S> You're cutting things too close tough - you will want some extra days once the written offer is received to be able to read it through and discuss any points that need to be adjusted. <S> In most - but not all - situations, people who hire you for your skills can wait an extra week.
| If they want you to start soon, you should tell them that you will need the offer in writing before you can give your notice.
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Team member seems to be focusing on everything except core responsibilities There's a QA in our team who's proving a bit of a headache. 'Q' is a likable young software tester who joined our team a few months ago. I think he graduated last year. He's energetic, has bags of enthusiasm, and cares deeply about both the products we build and the general philosophy of software testing. The problem, however, is that the way he works is very unfocused and often quite disruptive . For example, Q loves to write documentation. Writing posts in our company wiki is probably Q's favorite activity of all. Not a day will go by without Q leaping into a conversation and proposing he writes some. He'll push and push and push, until someone vaguely assents, and then will resist all calls to do any testing, as writing the docs has become his new 'project'. This is Q's general modus operandi. He seems to get very excited by work outside his core responsibility, will trample others to get an excuse to do it, and then prioritize that work above what the team needs . Q does not communicate when he's doing this, and there have been several times now he's committed to do certain work in the standup, only for me to discover late in the day that he's actually decided to do something totally different. Q is also being shared among multiple teams. He seems to have great trouble planning his work and carving out time for each project's work. More than once has he agreed that today he'll work for our team, only to get pulled into doing something for another. Again, this would be acceptable if Q communicated more. He never, ever does, unless it's something of personal interest. Q also has problems with attention more generally. He spends a lot of time on workplace Slack. He is by far the most vocal user in the company. He involves himself in conversations that he doesn't really need to engage in, and starts new ones that are frankly irrelevant. Q says he is giving himself important business context, which I do appreciate, but he is really struggling to complete the work we tell him we need. Honestly, to me, most of these conversations seem a bit irrelevant to his work. I've been working with Q for several weeks now and this seems a consistent pattern. I'll be approaching his line manager tomorrow. I want to communicate that I like Q and want him to succeed, but that he needs to focus better and understand the difference between his own interests and the team's needs. My questions: What can we do to help him focus? How do we help him differentiate between urgent and nonurgent, important and unimportant? How do we get him to understand that work isn't necessarily about what's fun and interesting, but about getting a product shipped? Could I have the wrong end of the stick completely? How can I find out? How can I diplomatically get his line manager to take a more hands-on approach? <Q> The short answer is: show him how to work effectively instead of hoping that he will figure it out. <S> Young folks entering the workforce are used to the extremely structured environment of school. <S> Stepping out of that environment is a difficult transition. <S> He sounds like he is enthusiastic and trying to do a good job, but no-one has shown him how to work effectively in an environment where there are no syllabi, homework assignments, office hours, assigned lab partners, etc. <S> New-to-the-workforce teammates need an experienced coworker to mentor them when they first join the company. <S> What I have done in the past is get a project that isn't time critical, and then do that project pretty much elbow-to-elbow with the new team member. <S> That gives me the opportunity to demonstrate what sort of communication is expected, show them our process, and since we're working side by side, keep them focused on what's important. <S> It requires some sacrifice on the mentor's end, because that project will take a lot of your time and, at times, challenge your patience. <S> It's a "pay me now or pay me double later" situation though. <S> I've found that spending the time up front will help the new team member become independent and productive much faster then just expecting them to figure it out. <S> The "just come ask if you have any questions <S> " tactic doesn't work well in my experience, because often they have no idea what they should be asking about. <S> There are certain tasks, like documentation, that are really attractive to inexperienced workers because they are tasks that are easily understood, can be worked on independently, and have a nice visible result. <S> If he's jumping at the chance to do that kind of work, then my guess is he is not getting the support he needs to feel comfortable taking on the "real" work. <S> How do you keep Slack from becoming a distraction? <S> Could you explain the best way to communicate changes across the teams? <S> There are probably a hundred little tricks you know for being effective at work that you picked up over the years that could benefit a new team member. <A> For solving issue of distractions, we find "making ordered lists" as a very good activity. <S> Basically, team should come up with all the important activities for current cycle of the project, and then decide on what should go first (order it). <S> Same thing should be applied by Q's manager to his workload. <S> Of course, it can be internally generated by Q but subject to peer-review. <S> We all get sometimes entrenched in fun workload that is not crucial to the project. <S> For example, writing docs is extremely important, but it can't get in front of extinguishing real fires. <S> I think I take this approach from Joel Spolsky's "Picking a ship date" . <S> On relation side, it seems like you are trying to be hands-on, and to some extent solve XY problem. <S> Maybe it is better to discuss this in terms of your real problems, for example, saying that you can't rely on Q because other team will pull him aside. <S> Finally, there are few questions for you. <S> What is the exact relationship between you and this Q fella? <S> Are you in parallel teams, what is relation of Q to your own manager? <S> It is more appropriate to talk to your manager, not to the Q's. <S> As far as I understand communications, jumping diagonally is not good, talk to Q when he is on your team, or your immediate supervisor. <A> 5. <S> How can I diplomatically get his line manager to take a more hands-on approach? <S> This is really the only question that matters. <S> You approach his line manager, and complain that you don't have enough QA resource. <S> If he asks you about "Q", then you have your opportunity to explain the situation. <S> If he just sends you someone to work alongside "Q", then your problem is solved in a different way. <S> Your question reads to me that you want him to work mostly on important-to-you topics. <S> That is obviously fine, if you are his manager. <S> As you are not his manager, you really need to leave it to them to make clear that the needs of other teams, or the department generally (Slack / wiki) are not as important as yours.
| You may not be able to resolve this situation if you can't find him a mentor from the QA team, but you may be able to make it better by helping him with the aspects of his work you do know about.
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Invited to staff photoshoot, but I'm resigning soon I work part time two days a week. I've been invited to a staff photoshoot taking place tomorrow, on a day I don't normally work. In most cases I'd go, but I've got another job lined up for January, so I'll probably be leaving soon. While the interview went great, I'll only be getting salary details and potentially signing the contract later this week, so it's not a done deal yet. I don't think it would be right to go to the photoshoot and then put in my notice almost immediately after - those photos will be used on the website for the next year. And I don't want to reveal that I'm getting a new job before I've even signed a contract. Should I just make up an excuse not to go even though I'll risk my boss being upset with me? <Q> Should I just make up an excuse not to go even though I'll risk my boss being upset with me? <S> No. <S> You are making far too big a deal of this. <A> so it's not a done deal <S> yet <S> You answered your own question, it is not a done deal yet <S> , therefore you continue to work this job as though the other will fall through. <S> Which of course means <S> you need to participate in the staff photo . <A> Since the request if for time outside your normal schedule you should have no qualms about letting them know you cannot make it if it will have an impact on your new job. <S> However the others are correct in that you must work this job as well as possible until the next is signed and delivered, done and dusted. <S> In either case you should also consider that both jobs will require that you put the same time and care into the last two weeks as you did in the first two weeks.
| Just go, be part of the photo shoot, then give your notice once the details of your new job are formally worked out.
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How can I ask for help without seeming like I don't know the tasks? I had my first progress review with one of the managers. It's only been a month and still learning. I was surprised when the first thing that he said was: "You're asking too many questions" I was puzzled by his answer. I like to learn as much as I can which involves lots of questions being asked. This has really made he hesitant in asking for help when I need it as I feel I would be prosecuted for it. How should I go about this? <Q> Assuming a normal working culture and your manager knows what he is talking about, your feedback really means you are asking too many questions without doing enough ground work on your own. <S> Basically, the questions are something which you could probably have found answers to yourself. <S> For example, lot of questions on stack exchange sites like stack-overflow are downvoted simply because it is question without any evidence of work they did on their own to find a solution. <S> It simply wastes everyone's time. <S> So they way to deal with it <S> is every time you ask a question: <S> Make sure you put enough effort in researching the answer either through books, internet or other internal documentation. <S> In spite of above efforts, if you still have to ask, make sure you present to them the efforts you have taken to find this answer with your own research. <A> One way is to turn it to a discussion rather than shooting questions every now and then. <S> Why? <S> For a couple of reasons: Discussion signals you also have something to share, and hence perceived as useful by the other party <S> Discussion mitigates the pressure on you, and the attention will be distributed among both of you. <S> Less pressure, allows you to focus on deep understanding. <S> Allows you to understand the topic/domain, instead of asking narrow questions, which inherntly make you less independent, and always want to come back again. <S> How: I usually start by stating what I know in a form of getting approvals <S> (e.g.: I know that <S> so <S> and so, right? <S> The other person will say 'yes/correct'. <S> Getting few approvals at the beginning helps getting the conversation to flow <S> I do not ask narrow questions to solve only problem at hand. <S> I take the opportunity of disturbing the other person to make it worthwhile. <S> I discuss the area/domain/topic. <S> Often, I start by saying something along the line: <S> I need your help, do you have some tiem for me? <S> If s/ <S> he says <S> yes, then I say Can you show me/explain to me the steps of so <S> and so? <S> Do not wait. <S> Even if it makes the other person waits a bit. <S> Say it outright <S> Sorry, I need to write that down <S> so I do not disturb you again about it . <S> Never ever ask the same question again. <S> It hurts your learning image. <S> That's why write down what you learn <S> It all boils down to maintaining a good relationship with your mentor. <S> Try to understand him/her. <S> Show the mentor you can take on responsibilities that can help him/her as well. <S> If s/ <S> he likes you, <S> s <S> /he will go a long way to help you learn and grow. <A> In my field (InfoSec and IT GRC), I too often have lots of questions. <S> What I have found helped me in a lot of situations: <S> Consulting a senior coworker Searching in the IT KB (if your company has one) <S> Referring to past work completed Intuitively obtaining an understanding first, and then restating the problem in your own words as you understand it.
| However, only try to ask a question of your manager when other methods of obtaining the information has not been fruitful. It is good you are asking questions when you don't know the answer rather than trying to figure it out all on your own and doing something dumb (such as running rm -rf). Write down everything you learn on spot.
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How to address decline in productivity due to possible burn-out, until my scheduled vacation starts? Usually I save all my PTO for a few events in the spring that are of great personal importance. This means I tend to go 9+ months without a real vacation. However, last week I realized I was burning out, and fast, so I scheduled a week long vacation. Unfortunately the soonest I could make this happen was the first week of the new year... 3 weeks away. I don't want to just checkout for the next few weeks, but I'm also finding it very hard to be productive in any sense of the word. What is the best way to handle this? Is it something I should talk to my boss about? Should I just muscle through it? Relevent information: I'm a programmer working in the US. I have burned out in the past, though with a different company. <Q> How to address decline in productivity right before vacation? <S> Short Answer : <S> Suck it up, buttercup. <S> My advise to you going forward would be to take more frequent breaks , even if they are shorter ones like a 4 day weekend. <S> Taking regular breaks off from work is very important to your mental health, so find a way to do it more frequently . <A> Step 1 should be to try and identify the source of the burn-out. <S> Step 2 should be to come up with a short-term remediation. <S> Step 3 should be to come up with a long-term remediation. <S> You mentioned that recent long holiday weekends hasn't been enough. <S> It's possible that it's not time-off <S> that's the issue but something different. <S> (It's also possible that holiday long weekends are MORE stressful than work.) <S> There are a variety of different stressors that could cause burn-out: <S> Insufficient days off Long hours <S> Insufficient breaks throughout the day <S> Increased or overwhelming responsibility Work that is too challenging <S> Work that is not challenging enough Interpersonal issues with co-workers Issues outside of work <S> (problems in our non-work lives often manifest at work - relationship problems, money problems, housing concerns, car trouble, etc.) <S> Time off from work doesn't provide the opportunity to actually decompress A medical issue (depression often manifests this way) Step 1: <S> or a professional about what's been going on. <S> A therapist is a great resource for helping discuss these kinds of issues. <S> (I burnt out about 7 years ago and a few months of regularly seeing a therapist did wonders for me) <S> Step 2 <S> : You now have some understanding of the underlying problem. <S> Work with your boss/manager/family to come up with a short-term accommodation. <S> Maybe that's just powering through until your scheduled time off, maybe it's an adjustment to hours or responsibility in the near-term. <S> Maybe it's the next couple Wednesday's off (I find that two-day weeks are easier when you're burnt out than 4 day weeks. <S> The extra day of recuperation isn't adding as much.) <S> Maybe it's a Saturday to yourself doing something you enjoy. <S> Step 3: <S> Find a long-term, sustainable solution. <S> It could mean a job change (internal or external), a permanent change in hours, a regularly scheduled long weekend, a quarterly Wednesday spa day, a new hobby, ending a toxic relationship, meditation, medication, etc. <A> You could try just doing something different for a few weeks instead. <S> Doing something else, being somewhere <S> that isn't your desk, talking to some people you don't normally talk to. <S> You can ask your manager/team for a change of pace. <S> Practical examples: There are normally a lot of planning meetings where a developer is normally invited to help explain what is technically feasible and explain what solutions would take longer. <S> Ask to be that person, freeing up other, more productive (at the moment) <S> devs, basically reassign tasks for a bit. <S> Volunteer to be the scrum-master or do dev-ops. <S> Ask to do some training in preparation for some upcoming work and spend a few days/hours per day watching training videos. <S> Train to be the office first aider. <S> Pair program with a junior dev. <A> Ask if they are flexible enough to move 2 or three days to give you 3- and 4-day weekends over the next couple of weeks. <S> In my experience, "long weekend" requests like this are more likely to succeed.
| Your manager might be able to move a few days from your next scheduled vacation to sometime sooner. To have a decline in productivity between long stretches with no break is normal. Talk to someone in your personal support system (a spouse, parent, friend, mentor, etc.) If your company has something like an Employee Assistance Program, they may be able to help give advice (many large companies offer these benefits free of charge, but few employees take advantage).
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Should I mention that I'm applying to a company because of my respect for the founders? There is this startup founded by well known people in the industry. They are making a very good product and I'll be proud to work on it, but my first motivation to apply is to be with (and to learn from) these great masters. Should I tell them or keep it for me and focus on the product and the global company feeling? <Q> "To be with these great masters" seems excessively sycophantic and toadying. <A> I am sure you can say that, but don't make it too dramatic. <S> Include the performance of the company and mention you are excited to join such a successful company founded and run by the leaders. <S> At the end of the day, we want to work with the best people and learn from them. <A> There is nothing wrong in telling them that during the interview. <S> It will do you only good. <S> It will show that you have a reason why you have a proper reason why you have applied to the company, and not like applying to any other company. <S> It will show that you really have done your background research about the company. <S> This will definitely give you an upper-hand over your competitors in the interview.
| "I've been very impressed with the work the founders have done in the past, and I'm excited to see what they're going to do next" is a good reason to work for a company.
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How to decline to provide references for a job offer? I've been contacted by a recruiter with a job offer. Besides my CV they asked me for 2 references.I'm fairly junior in my field (web development), I started work 1 and a half years ago at the very company and team I still work for, so only they could provide this. The reason I'm job hunting is, that over time the team has grown toxic. Due to bad working conditions, there is high fluctuation and those who leave are regarded as traitors, letting down those that stay.The offer I've been approached with is really good and would like to take a shot at it, but I need a way to decline providing references. <Q> You can state that your current employers are unaware that you are job searching <S> and therefore you are unable to use them as a reference and <S> as your current job is actually your first job you don't have any previous employers to draw upon. <S> If your time in education is still relatively recent then you could offer details from teachers/professors who can act as references for you (obviously having checked with them first that they are happy to do so!). <A> Your first try should be simply to ignore the request. <S> If they insist, point out to them that you are still working for company XYZ and you do not want to alert them that you might be leaving, so you can't ask them for references. <A> Get other references. <S> You should know at least 2 people who aren't related to you who can say good things about you. <S> If not colleagues, former professors or teachers. <S> Classmates or friends at least. <S> People you've volunteered with. <S> People from hackathons or meetups. <S> If you have absolutely no professional network outside of your current coworkers, you're doing something wrong after 1.5 years in the field.
| Normally companies do not ask for references from recruits that are actively employed somewhere else for that exact reason.
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Allocating official cars to staff members without favoritism I run a small company that has been successful and expanding for over 4 years. I have 3 permanent employees. One of them is the real deal you want in an employee - takes the initiative, works hard, dedicated; you name it, he's got it. It's no surprise he became the de facto manager and my favorite. As part of this years incentives and rewards for my workers, I've ordered official cars. However, although unintentional (dealer discount), one of the cars is much better than the others and I want him to have it, but I don't want the others to be offended (1 actually started work earlier than him) as they also work hard, he's just better. Is there any smart way around this or should I just man up and damn the consequences? <Q> Honestly, favoritism in a professional environment can go two ways. <S> One, the employees might take it positively and may get motivated to work harder and with better efficiency, with an expectation of similar perks for the firm. <S> On the other hand, they might consider this as partiality and loose the interest to work. <S> The worst that can happen in this case is that they might resign (if you're okay with that). <S> It would look like he got the better car because of the promotion and not because of favoritism. <S> Offer the other low-end cars to the other employees. <S> I think this is the only way in which you can give the better car to your 'favorite' employee without causing any awkwardness in the office. <S> Source: <S> Personal experience. <A> Is there any smart way around this or should I just man up and damn the consequences? <S> I know <S> you said you want to give this one to him, but you can try rotating the use of the vehicles , so everyone has chance to use the better model. <S> This way there is no favoritism at all. <S> I personally would go for something like that, as I think that giving that car just to him may indeed be seen as favoritism even if you disguise it well. <S> If you really want to give the car to him, you can make some sort of "contest" or similar, where your Ace employee would surely outstand. <S> This way it is a fair competition (motivating the other employees to improve) and definitely not something that can be seen as favoritism. <S> You could also just sort at random the cars <S> , that would surely be completely unbiased, if you don't mind doing it. <A> Have you asked if your employee (the one in question) actually prefers one car over the other? <S> If the counterparties in this case, don't really have a preference and this is a situation where the employer wants to reward its employees, the gesture would be lost if the counterparties well... for a lack of a better word... don't care. <S> Another thing, your title states "Sharing official cars without favoritism" yet you say "one of the cars is much better than the others <S> and I want him to have it, <S> but I don't want the others to be offended". <S> Your intentions don't match your well... intentions. <S> If you want to make it totally unbiased, draw straws or something... <S> Roll a die... <S> flip a coin... use an random number generator... pick a key from a hat. <A> You say it was unintentional but <S> clearly the implication of giving a good car to better performing employee would be seen as intentional. <S> There are two ways to go about it <S> I think; Make the gifts equal as per your original intention. <S> You can do this by either returning one of the car or adding some additional accessories to the second car. <S> Whether your budget allows that or not is something you need to decide but this will make it simple for everyone. <S> Edit: Below point would be applicable more if it is larger company (as pointed out in comments) and not in your case where you have any 4 employees including you. <S> However, you can consider this when your company grows <S> Now if you have changed your mind and if you do intend to differentiate in the gifts based on performance, then I do not think then just giving away the better car to better employee is the right way to go about it. <S> Then they just know that it is the official and transparent company policy and nothing to do with favouritism. <S> You can make an announcement something like: <S> "This year's Golden award goes to employee X for his amazing and excellent contribution on ... <S> and this years's Silver award goes to employee Y for their great work on ....."
| A solution to this problem can be offering the better employee a promotion and as a perk, offer him the better car. You need to make it an official policy and may be even name the gifts/awards which reflects both the performance and the value.
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Shall I set my current position as "writing master thesis"? I have started my master thesis and because it is the last leg of my study career and is something quite specific compared to just "following courses", I am thinking to set my current position in Linkedin accordingly. The message that I want to bring across to those that are reading my profile is "ehi, I am almost done, if you are interested in me, get in touch". Do you think that would make sense? Moreover, Linkedin would show it as "working here", but I wouldn't consider it working as I am not paid at all, but I am still part of a research group which I am helping (as much as I can..). So if you answered yes to the previous question, do you think I should list it under "position" or is there something else more appropriate? <Q> Do you think that would make sense? <S> To me no . <S> It is an educational project, related to the master courses you are taking. <S> It is not an actual job or position in a company , so it would be confusing to see that as your current position on Linkedin. <S> If you want to express that in your profile consider putting it under other section, perhaps on your description or similar, but not as the "job position" you currently have. <A> The alternative is to leave it blank. <S> The alternative is wrong. <A> I would just change your LinkedIn headline to "Masters Candidate in <topic> at <university> ". <S> Being a full-time student isn't the same as full-time employment. <S> Putting the time you were a student as a job on LinkedIn looks very desperate.
| You should not write "writing master's thesis," but you absolutely should have your current position as "M.A. Candidate in _________" (filling in what your degree area of study is in the blank space).
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Self employed contractor - profiles in Linkedin etc I am now a self employed developer working as a contractor for multiple companies, and they don't necessarily know about the others (as they shouldn't). I have my name as the sole proprietor and get hired under such. What would be the best way for me to list what I work with and what services I provide? Should I mention these companies by name - I thought no because I still want to keep them separate but at the same time I want to put out there my skills and experience so the next potential client can reach me. <Q> IMHO. <S> you can list the technologies and project types you worked with. <S> Also, portfolio of examples and interesting solutions would be nice addition to an interview, especially, if your work is done for Web / Cloud. <A> I would only mention them by name with specific authorisation from them, and I would only request that authorisation in circumstances where I felt it was very beneficial to me (EG, if I helped launch a specific product that became very well known). <S> In addition to not having them find out about each other, you could be accidentally divulging details about their internal operations that they prefer be kept private. <S> Instead, refer to the companies in broader terms of their industry, role and size. <S> EG: " <S> A mid-sized financial services company focused on boutique investments...", "A large book publisher with several hundred employees across four north american offices...", "An international distributor of speciality food products.." <S> This frees you up to tell a "story" that outlines what you bring to each company, but without needing to name them and risk any liability that might bring. <A> From a UK stand-point, one thing to note is that whilst you really ought to get permission off the companies if you plan to use them as portfolio items on a company website (eg. <S> under "Clients", or "Businesses We've Worked With". <S> This is purely a presentational difference, but it matters. <S> Therefore it's worth considering what you're actually constructing here: are you just fleshing out your CV, or are you drafting your business website?
| I have been asked before to remove logos and company names from portfolio and case-study pages on my various business websites), but you don't need to get permission to include the companies on your CV itself.
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Is it inappropriate to ask an Indian co-worker if they eat meat? The company I work for hires a lot of contractors, some of which are Indian. I want to stay as inclusive with my team as possible, so making small-talk about food, or going out for a team lunch is usually my go to for socializing. I often want to suggest a diner nearby, or a steakhouse, but I don't want to run the risk of offending or excluding anyone on the team. From what I understand, there is a large vegetarian culture in India, on top of a culture against eating beef. Would it be insensitive or inappropriate to stereotype my co-workers by asking them if they eat beef, or other types of meat? <Q> The better way to be inclusive (in this and other cases) is to either ask if they have any food preferences, or ask if they have some preferred restaurants. <S> That allows them to volunteer what they want. <S> They may suggest some restaurants and you should choose one of those. <S> That way you already know there is food that they can order. <S> Or they might offer a list of foods they avoid, which will help you in choosing an inclusive restaurant. <A> Yes a significant portion of Indian workers are vegetarians. <S> Very few of the ones who eat meat, in my experience will eat beef because cows are sacred in India among Hindus. <S> It is great to suggest places to eat <S> but I would never suggest a steak house. <S> And I would always be sure to pick a place that has vegetarian (but not necessarily vegan <S> , they can eat cheese) choices. <S> That way you don't run the risk of being offensive without having to ask. <S> Now if the restaurant has plenty of other choices, you can order a meal with beef if you want. <S> If you go to an an American style restaurant, you may have to help them find the vegetarian choices as what they call things and what we call things may not be the same. <S> I remember some Indian colleagues at a picnic who did not know that coleslaw was safe to eat because they had no idea what coleslaw had in it. <S> Especially let them know that something has beef or pork if that is what they are looking at. <S> Especially if it is in something like green beans that appears to be a vegetable dish to them. <A> As a Hindu vegetarian having grown up my whole life in New Zealand, I would not be offended by someone at work suggesting a lunch/dinner place that served a lot of meat <S> (I suppose this includes Beef as well). <S> Sometimes I feel a little awkward <S> and like I'm a bit of a nuisance because of my dietary requirements which sometimes restrict the variety of restaurants/cuisines we can go to. <S> Most restaurants and cuisines apart from a few South-East Asian cuisines will have ample vegetarian options. <S> On the note of offending, I don't think you should be worried about offending them, as it is not rude to enquire about another culture. <S> But do make it clear from what perspective you're asking <S> e.g. <S> "We want to go for dinner tomorrow night, does anyone have any suggestions.. <S> oh and are there any vegetarians or dietary requirements? <S> " <S> The alternative when you're in a more curious mood, is to ask one-on-one "So are you vegetarian? <S> Are many Indians vegetarian? <S> What's the story with beef... " <S> so on and so on. <S> Hope <S> this makes some progress towards answering your question. <A> You can just ask if anyone has any dietary restrictions. <A> While the above answers are largely correct, I think this is way too over-thought and over-discussed. <S> The fact that you would ask someone if they eat something before offering it, is polite enough. <S> You are not and should not be expected to study and understand everyone's culture. <S> When someone travels out of their own home country, it is also important for them to learn and realize the culture of the place they are visiting and not be uptight about their owns. <S> If someone is offended by that question, then they have bigger problems. <S> I am from India and I am a vegetarian. <S> (Just like any normal person would do irrespective of culture!)
| From my perspective, the best thing would be for you to suggest a couple of places that do have sufficient vegetarian options and as mentioned above BBQ restaurants are not necessarily ideal. While travelling abroad, if I cannot eat something due to my diet restrictions (culturally or otherwise), I simply refuse politely. Just don't go anywhere that serves mostly beef as that would be insensitive to their culture. This doesn't imply anything about religion or culture, and could be as simple as you looking out for people with allergies to certain types of food (eg. seafood or peanut allergy).
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How to drop the quitter mentality I've been working for 5 years, and a couple of months ago I started in my fifth company. In the first two jobs I stayed over a year and then quit. When I look back, I don't regret it at all, the places were really bad for different reasons. Then I worked for a few months in a company that went bankrupt. In the next one, I was downsized with another bunch of people because of financial problems. My current position didn't turn out to be what I expected. Some of the things that I was told during the interviews are half-trues, some others almost plain lies and the atmosphere is not good, so all in all I'm not happy. I keep thinking of just looking for something else, the market is good for my profile and it wouldn't be a problem. Then I could just not list this position in my CV. What troubles me is that these chain of jobs changes and easy market seem to have induced a quitter mindset in me. I'm afraid that as soon as I find something I don't like in the new job, I'll think of quitting again, and so on. I'd like to stay a few years in a company. How can I get rid of this mindset? PS: I'm worried about my CV , but even more about my mental health and ability to be happy at a job. <Q> How can I get rid of this mindset? <S> There is always a deficiency at work. <S> A lot of folks pour their life into work and in my opinion, it returns so little. <S> A good work-life balance. <S> Don't focus on work all hours of the day and try to get off the computer when you're at home. <S> Maybe join a sport, club, or try to find a hobby outside of work. <S> Life is short and it's shorter if you focus in on the wrong things. <S> Something that is important to you and meaningful so that if work goes to crap, you're at least focusing on what is truly important in life. <S> Think of it this way <S> : you have your whole life to work. <S> Why waste it worrying about it? <S> You quit your two earlier jobs and think about the stuff you worried about then, are they important now? <S> So why did you waste time thinking about it then when it meant nothing today? <S> That can be applied to today as well. <A> You can get better results for your CV and your happiness if you focus on the positive aspects of your work, seek to improve aspects that are sub-optimal, and learn how to filter out a bad culture fit during your job search. <S> Manage your own expectations <S> : Realize up front that no employer you ever have will ever be "perfect". <S> No job you ever have will be "perfect". <S> Every time you start a new job, understand that there will be a "honeymoon" period where you mostly notice the good things about the job/company. <S> As you gain experience, you will notice the things that are less than perfect. <S> This doesn't necessarily mean you have a "bad" job. <S> It just means it isn't perfect. <S> Enjoy the parts that are good. <S> They will be different for every job you ever have. <S> Recognize that every job will have some aspects that are not good, and cannot always be fixed. <S> Advocate for improvements (carefully): Before you change jobs, try to change your company. <S> Sometimes these improvements may be on your end. <S> Maybe you can automate something. <S> Perhaps you may need to suggest changes to company policies, procedures, or workflow. <S> If you go the latter route, be sure to read the room. <S> You want to make suggestions to the right people and in the right way. <S> Your influence in making suggestions like this is improved if you do good work and if people like you. <S> It can also improve with tenure. <S> Also, be prepared to accept that some of these conversations might not go your way. <S> Choose your battles carefully. <S> Learn to spot red flags during the interview process <S> : Think about the problems you've seen in your past jobs. <S> Try to remember what some of the early "warning signs" of those problems were. <S> For example, if a prospective employer says "we work hard, but we play hard", you might expect to work more than 40 hours a week in that job. <S> If you can spot a bad fit before you take the job, you will likely take better jobs, and it will typically be easier to stay at those jobs longer. <A> Thankfully it seems like what you do and <S> where you do it allows you to have the flexibility to move between jobs but <S> if this wasn't the case, would you have stayed with any of those previous jobs? <S> What I am getting at is this mindset you are referring to is along the lines that when it isn't fun/new/interesting or it gets difficult, you want to move on. <S> And honestly that's okay in my opinion <S> but since you posted here you aren't sure it is. <S> I would encourage you to consider what is most important to you in a job. <S> For me, I look for places to advance my career, so I'll wade through more muck than most if it means I'll grow as a professional. <S> You need to find what that factor is to you with work. <S> If work is only a paycheck, then fine, focus on the life work balance like Dan mentioned in his answer. <S> But if there is something with work that can drive you to return every day with renewed vigor, figure that out, find it in your current job or the next and that will break the mentality of quitting.
| When you find problems at work, look at ways to improve on those problems. My philosophy is to create things outside of work and use work as a way to fuel that. When you interview at new companies, ask good questions and listen for some of those early warning signs. Maybe you need to learn some new skills.
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During an interview, should I mention if I noticed an issue with their product Interviewing about a software developer for the company website.I've noticed that navigating trough the pages of items on sale and clicking on an item takes longer than it should. I believe this is an issue as my current employer wouldn't tolerate such a long loading time and I personally believe the loading time can be decreased. Should I mention this during the interview <Q> Don't if you want the job. <S> Best case, they know about this and want to fix it <S> and it's not fixed for whatever reason, and you're just touching a sore point. <S> Not a good way to make friends. <S> Worst case, they are absolutely happy with their site and you are seeing as rocking the boat. <S> If you are a web developer or in a related area they might ask if you looked at their website and how you would improve it. <S> At that point you can say that you did indeed look at it, and among other things you would make it faster. <S> So you are not saying that there is something wrong with what the company does, but what good things you can do for them. <A> The interview isn't the right place to bring up small issues. <S> Either you'll end up working for them and can pursue it then , or you won't <S> and you can decide whether to send feedback as a user (if the website provides a way to do that). <S> For example, you could ask "what are you using on the back end for the shopping cart? <S> a third-party solution, or did you roll your own?". <S> Or you could ask "how do you decide where to focus on in performance testing?" <S> (note the implicit assumption that they do performance testing). <S> Prepare an answer to <S> "why do you want to know that?", which might or might not reference what you saw explicitly. <S> On the shopping-cart question, your reason might be that you were surprised that this part of the site was slow or your reason might be that there are trade-offs between the two approaches and <S> you're wondering how they decided. <S> (This could lead into a discussion of development effort, "not invented here" syndrome, vulnerabilities in third-party libraries or services, and so on.) <S> Don't go into an interview with bug reports, but you can use things you've seen in their product to have a technical discussion. <S> I've gone to several (successful!) <S> interviews with questions of the form <S> "how do you approach $problem?" <S> , some of which were because $problem is common in the field and some of which were because I knew <S> they had $problem <S> (but didn't need to say so; in one case the interviewer admitted it on his own). <A> Don't do it. <S> It's like going to a party and meeting new people, and there is this key couple who have the power to invite you back again. <S> All they will remember is how you insulted the guy's wife by pointing out her flaws and how to fix them. <S> He can't invite you back. <S> It's become a matter of principle.
| If there is a larger issue about either the company or its product, something where knowing the answer might affect your decision, then frame a question about it instead of bringing it up directly.
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How can I avoid heated arguments on controversial topics with colleagues at workplace? At lunch time, tea break or whenever we take a small break from work at my office, my colleagues talk about everything under the sun. They usually start discussing about sensitive topics like one's faith, political preference and other controversial subjects. They harshly disagree with each other and ask my opinions. Out of my ignorance I usually say something that they all start criticizing, and then more heated discussions follow. Being sensitive, I view it as a personal attack/insult and snub them for this in anger. This leads to negativity, while I have to sit/socialise with them as I don't want to be isolated. But I am tired of their gibberish talk and want to handle this situation gracefully. How? <Q> It's always risky to discuss things like race, religion and politics, but also something that most people can talk about or has an opinion on. <S> Personally, I don't think it's ever worth engaging in these conversations because it rarely ends well... <A> These kinds of discussions are rarely about facts and logic. <S> A blog post by a Scientific American writer recently addressed how to approach discussions that are highly emotionally charged: How to Talk to a Science Denier without Arguing <S> The particular example in the blog post may not apply to your co-workers, but the general principle is still true: <S> First seek shared goals, Second establish understanding and sympathy with the underlying emotional issues, and - only after success with 1 and 2 - carefully introduce any factual or logical points. <S> That you have multiple co-workers already arguing with each other <S> makes it more difficult, and as theonlydanever's answer indicated you might judge the best course is to try to stay out of it altogether. <A> I consider discussing faith issues with colleagues to be unprofessional at best, and unacceptable in the workplace (including lunch break) <S> If you colleagues are nonprofessional, you don't have to participate in such behavior To a lesser extent this is also true for politics, but this may depend on the context. <S> I mostly did not have problem with politics when discussing it with other scientists and engineers, unless there was some cultural background difference. <S> I only express dissatisfaction with my colleagues opinions on such matters when their opinion clearly puts them outside the constitution. <S> If they stop being objective on a too short timescale, i rather just make a mental note to give them a task requiring balancing between interests
| so a response along the lines of "I haven't really thought about it" or "It doesn't really bother me" is your best and safest option to opt out of the conversation gracefully. But sometimes even in groups you can 'score' a rapport-building point; I would recommend at least reading about EGRIP or similar methods and try to keep an eye out for an opportunity to make a rapport-building statement.
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Is it polite to ask my interviewer to forward an email to another interviewer? I've just finished a technical phone interview. I would like to send a thank you note to both of my interviewers, as well as discuss some of the mistakes I made during the technical questions. The situation is; I only had the junior interviewer's email. I sent the email and addressed all my thoughts regarding the interview. Within the email, I mentioned that: I didn't get a chance to get the other interviewer's email address. I was wondering if you would be willing to pass it along so I can send a thank you note to him as well. I thought "pass it along" means "forward my email to the other interviewer". I got my interviewer's response right away says: Thanks for your email. I am not sure I am allowed to pass his email address to you. My question is: I didn't get the chance to have the senior interviewer's name and email, but I want to say thank you to him. Is it polite to send email to senior interviewer without name? Is it polite to ask junior interviewer to forward my email? Would that be overdo at this point? Disclaimer: I searched suggestions when people face the same situation before this post. Unfortunately, the "it" confusion was starting from there... <Q> The problem isn't in your use of the phrase "pass it along", it's with the following bit that says "so I can send a thank you note to him as well". <S> That last bit sounds like you are asking for the senior's email address. <S> This put the junior into a difficult position of not knowing whether it would be appropriate to share that email address with you. <S> You would have been better off saying: I do not have the other interviewer's email address. <S> Please share this message with him. <A> Say something like <S> Please pass on my thanks to xx <S> That should be enough. <S> There's no need to overcomplicate this. <A> The way you’ve written the sentence “it” refers to the other interviewer’s email address when you are trying to make “it” refer to your message that you’ve sent. <S> The way to resolve this is to directly ask them to forward your message OR restructure the sentence. <S> “Pass it along” sounds more casual and friendly. <S> If you choose to stick with that you would need to make it obvious that you are asking him to pass along your message. <S> “I don’t have an email address for the other interviewer. <S> Would you please pass my message along to him as well?” <S> Whenever you use a pronoun, make sure it is clear which noun it is substituting. <A> It is perfectly polite to ask for him to do that. <S> Unfortunately, as others have already said, your request wasn't worded as well as it could have been <S> and it did come across as if you were asking for their email. <S> That's not necessarily a faux pas, but it's reasonable for him to have declined your (perceived) request. <S> But what's done is done. <S> There's no use now in agonising over the wording or the level of ambiguity in what you said (as some other users seem to be doing). <S> What I would do now is send a very short email just to clarify. <S> Something like: Apologies for the misunderstanding. <S> What I meant to ask was whether you would pass along my thanks on my behalf. <S> If you encounter yourself in a similar situation in the future, you can say: Blah blah blah. <S> Thank you for your time on Tuesday. <S> I do not have his email address so please also pass along my thanks to Mr Foo.
| You don't need to request the other interviewers email address.
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Is it acceptable to leave laptop in locked car? I was issued a high-end Mac laptop to perform my work. I was told that I should take the laptop to and from the office with me. Often on my way home form the office I stop by the grocery store or somewhere to pick something up. When I do this I put my backpack (containing said laptop) out of sight and lock my vehicle. My problem is that I feel a little uneasy about this. I have no exceptional reason to be worried about theft, except it would be awful for that laptop to be stolen. I have looked through our security docs and they mostly deal with online behaviour and there is some ambiguous language about "taking steps to unsure security". But nothing specific like "never leave computer unattended". So I'm unsure that if, for some reason, the laptop were stolen from my car, would the response be "You idiot, you should never leave your computer in the car" or more like "Damn. You took the steps you could but this stuff happens" Is this practice of leaving my work laptop in my vehicle acceptable? What if I want to go to the gym, where my car would be unattended for an hour? I know no one can tell how people at my company would react, but I bet the shared experience of workplace.se can come up with a close approximation. <Q> My last job was at a consulting company where they issued laptops and people traveled quite a bit. <S> Obviously loss and theft of said laptops was a problem. <S> The policy there was that the laptop had to be in the trunk and stored out of sight. <S> Couldn't be in the back of an SUV/Wagon. <S> I have kept following that practice when moving on to my current job where they don't have an official policy AFAIK <S> but it seems reasonable. <S> I don't leave it in the trunk for extended periods of time <S> but when I do stop for groceries or something on the way home that's what I do. <S> I also try to put it in the trunk when I leave work instead of after getting to where ever I'm making a stop. <S> Could someone break into my trunk while in the store? <S> Sure <S> but since they should have no reason to break into it the odds of someone actually doing that are pretty slim. <A> So <S> yes if you leave your laptop unattended and it is stolen then your company may decide to hold you responsible for the loss of that equipment. <S> Most companies I have worked for understand that things happen. <S> If you file a report when you notice it stolen, then your company will probably give you the benefit of the doubt. <S> Especially if you suffer property damage like a broken window or something similar due to the thief breaking in. <S> On the other hand if you just leave your car unlocked and the laptop in plain view, then your company is less likely to be so forgiving. <S> Besides theft it is possible that your laptop could be damaged due to high heat, or cold if you leave the laptop in the car unattended during extreme weather. <S> There is also the real possiblity that you or a passeneger in your vehicle may cause damage to the laptop by spilling food or drink on your laptop. <S> These type of accidents are usually accepted as a cost of doing business if it happens very infrequently. <S> Rule of thumb here seems to be the first time, is free, after that expect some consequences. <A> Since it's an expensive laptop, I would suggest locking it either in the trunk or in the glove compartment. <S> Also, take note of the serial number and store it in a safe place so that if it does get stolen, the authorities will be able to track it more easily. <S> Unless you have exceptionally sensitive or valuable data that would make your laptop a high-value target for theft, I think any rational person would consider this to be sufficient. <A> You are worrying about the future. <S> It all will come down to whether the person judging you determined that you took reasonable steps to secure the laptop. <S> With the other extreme, a broken window meant you secured the laptop. <S> I would take reasonable steps to secure the laptop if the damage is likely only to be the cost of the hardware. <S> That means "out of sight" in a non-descript bag, preferably in something you can shove under a seat. <S> Either that or something that can be placed under a jacket or other non-valueable item. <S> If you live in a high-crime area, you might improve upon this. <S> If you are aware that the loss of your laptop could have a harmful impact on the core business operations, where such a loss of data could easily exceed the cost of the hardware, I'd take a more careful approach. <S> Locking the laptop in the trunk, coordinating with IT to ensure the hard drive is encrypted, and attempting to use the laptop primarily as a vehicle for accessing sensitive data in virtual machines secured in company server rooms (as opposed to keeping the data on the laptop). <S> As long as you take sensible steps that seem measured against the possible value of the loss, you likely will not be seen as negligent. <S> Oh, I just saw the update you had, mentioning you have a truck. <S> Trucks typically have VERY LOUSY security, as far as vehicles go (I owned one, and it was the only vehicle I had that was broken into 3 times). <S> Since you don't have a decent trunk, you might have a lock box. <S> Assuming it is clamped to the vehicle from the inside the lock box, it passes as an "effective trunk". <S> If you don't, the only option you have is to hide it "out of sight".
| If you have the wrong person, a laptop in a locked trunk, in a safe welded to the car body, will not be sufficient. There is no correct answer, because one cannot determine how the theft will be handled or judged by the person reviewing it. Typically, when a piece of equipment that you can(and are expected too) take with you when you leave the office, you are expected to see to the security, and safety of the equipment when you take it home.
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How can I stop my colleagues from making fun of me? My colleagues make dirty jokes about me, gossip about my personal life, laugh at me and try to make a fool of me. For example, they make fun of and make dirty jokes about my family. They laugh at me for no reason even when they are busy at their work. They try to humiliate me and try their best to embarrass me. They have spread fake rumours about my character, morals, intentions at the office. It seems they have told others colleagues to stay away from me. People have started hating me for a false impression they have of me. How can I stop this? <Q> Start also writing down the date and incidence for any new forms of harassment you are currently going through. <S> Include specific words and gestures used, and the names of the people involved. <S> After some time, take your general concerns to HR or your supervisor. <S> There is no need to flood them with all of your logs, just a little portion of your list will do. <S> Hopefully that will help. <S> If there is no change in the environment, then you can start pulling out your longer list. <S> If there is still no change, then you can make call a lawyer and make full use of your records. <A> How can I stop this. <S> As you describe this it sounds like a serious situation. <S> Normally I would recommend you to speak to those coworkers first, so you can ask them to stop these pranks and jokes. <S> If you never did this on the beginning then that is probably why they kept bothering you and escalated the jokes. <S> Now, if they don't stop (or if it is as serious as you describe) <S> Be sure to have some evidence to back up your claims and the way they are treating you, as it will help make your point more evident. <S> Again, if this is as serious as you describe it <S> I am sure people are also aware of this, but having evidence is better. <A> I'm not there and <S> I didn't see any of this, so it's hard to draw conclusions. <S> My first question would be if you're sure that there is really hostility specifically directed at you, or if the people in the office all act this way with each other, and it's considered "all in good fun". <S> Assuming it's just you, what is there about you that makes them single you out? <S> Do you dress differently from everyone else? <S> Do you act unusual in some way? <S> Do you come from a different country or culture or ethnic background? <S> Do you have unpopular beliefs, whether political or religious or social or whatever? <S> If you're different in some way, do you go out of your way to advertise your differences? <S> Just for example, if you are constantly lecturing everyone about why they should become vegetarians or take up weight-lifting or whatever, it's not really fair to be offended when people express disinterest or disagreement with your beliefs. <S> But if you have unusual beliefs and you keep them to yourself, then you have a right to be left alone. <S> So ... what is it about you that people are making fun of? <S> You don't say. <S> You say it's a "false impression", but what is that impression?
| Sit down, get a pen, and a calendar, and start writing down every single incidence you can remember, and the approximate date it occurred. you should definitely take this to HR or you manager . For future reference, I suggest you put a halt to this as soon as it starts to bothering you , so you have a chance to stop this by speaking clearly to them and not having to take other measures.
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Is a company telling me they don't have any suitable openings a rejection? I'm a recent graduate looking for work. I rang up a small private firm to make a speculative enquiry about openings. I was put through to the head of department, who asked me to email my resume which I did along with my work samples. I even offered to work unpaid for a short duration to gain experience. A week later I heard nothing, and I sent email asking if had a chance to review and made a decision and received this response from him: Hi Sally. Unfortunately we do not have any suitable openings at the current time. I will definitely keep your cv under reference for suitable junior roles in the near future. Best, Mr Head of dept Is this a very polite rejection? <Q> Yes , they did not dislike what you sent them, but they are not ready to hire you at the moment. <S> Move on, and contact them again in maybe 3-6 months if you are still looking for work, to inquire about any newly opened positions. <A> You're thinking about this too hard. <S> Take the response for exactly what was said: They don't currently have any jobs available that fit your resume. <S> The next sentence about keeping your CV on file may or may not be entirely accurate. <S> Definitely check the company's careers page every couple months for openings and reach back out if you see a new junior position. <S> And don't stress about this - finding a job is hard, especially finding your first job. <S> You will get lots of rejections and deferrals, so just keep searching and applying. <S> Good luck! <A> Yes, this is a polite rejection. <S> This is very routine wording for rejection letters. <S> Don't make too much of the <S> "we'll keep your CV under reference". <S> Don't get your hopes up. <S> Odds are they've already thrown it away, or if they did keep it, they'll never look at it again. <S> I've gotten many rejection letters in my life with similar wording <S> and I don't recall any of them ever calling me back. <S> Forget it and move on. <S> Apply to other companies. <S> If these folks actually do call you back some time in the future, great. <S> But I wouldn't sit by the phone waiting for their call. <A> This is a context where, normally, one would attempt a large number of applications to get more chances of positive replies. <S> So imho don't focus on this one and do not overthink it, keep it up and try with many more. <S> That being said, as per your question <S> , there's not really more to their reply than what they strictly said: there's no opening for you at the moment . <S> Should something happen on their side for which you might come in handy, they will be the first to let you know. <S> All the best and good luck! :)
| There's a good chance they do like what you have and will let you know in the future, or they might be saying that to be polite even if they won't consider you, or most likely, they'd be happy to hire you but will forget about you when they actually do have an opening. The point is that one can't know in advance how long the "at the moment" will last: so my recommendation is to take it as a simple no and keep looking.
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Should I, and if so, what should I bring, for my last day at work I'm starting a new job in the new year, and therefore quitting my current job. This is my first job change since I finished my education, and I'm leaving on really good standing. My current employer told me that if my new employer doesn't behave, I can always come back. My first thought was to bring something like donuts, but due to Christmas the office is overflowing with candy and snacks of all sorts, and we already have a meeting with breakfast in the morning, and another in the afternoon with burgers. So I don't really think more food is necessary. To summarize:Should I bring something for my co-workers on my last day at work?What should I bring? Edit: Alcoholic beverages would definitely be a possibility.The company is small (fewer than 15 people, including management) there's a great atmosphere where we can spend an evening playing games together (cs:go, mtg, mariocart etc.) it is mostly young unsettled employees, with me being one of the few that's settled down with wife and kids.All of them are great people, and if it wasn't for the commute I would probably not have switched. <Q> A handwritten note, a box of doughnuts, might cost less and offer the same sentiments. <A> As a low calorie alternative, the first working day after you leave have some flowers delivered addressed to the whole office with a suitable note. <A> An office plant Office plants can be a nice touch to show that you actually care about that office and want to leave something lasting <S> You'd have to check with people to see if they're willing to look after it, so long as you provide the plant food and watering can. <S> Wine <S> Wine is something a lot of people resort to, yet is appreciated by the recipients. <S> Make sure that you consider those who don't want to partake as well as serving size enough to get around. <S> of token you feel worthy will go a long way to making your [soon to be] ex-coworkers feel appreciated. <S> you can preface these with either a small note or by telling them that it's "something to remember me by".
| Anything small A box of chocolates, some dessert, flowers or any sort Light décor Something small such as a wall clock is also nice, it shows your willingness to contribute to the office space, whether you're there or not.
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How to avoid discomfort to a coworker when declining a holiday gift I work as the team lead for my team. Today I received a gift of boxed wine from a fellow team lead of another team that I worked closely with for the past year, as a symbol of goodwill for the upcoming holidays. Last year, I lost my girlfriend to a DWI driver and as a result personally feel very uncomfortable accepting this gift. I do not drink, and the gift brings back painful memories. I simply said I do not drink and that personal for reasons, I cannot accept the gift. I also stressed I appreciated the show of goodwill and thanked him for his intentions. However, my coworker appeared embarrassed which I did not intend. This is an issue I am not willing to compromise on and want to remain firm. Could there be better ways of declining a gift from a coworker due to a personal reason? How could I have mitigated any discomfort for the coworker? <Q> When I used to go to church, the priest was an ex abusive alcoholic. <S> Some people didn't realise <S> so he often had bottles of whiskey and re-donate them to other people. <S> I wouldn't have rejected the gift, I would have just donated it to my team, and thanked the team leader. <S> My feelings on alcohol shouldn't affect other peoples (most people don't commit DWI). <S> If my colleague had remarked on why i'd donated it, depending on the situation, I would have explained a combination of (A) How my whole team deserved recognition for their good-work and (B) how i don't touch alcohol due to personal reasons (expanding on that as appropriate, either by explaining the DWI issue, or not, depending on my relation to that person, how public knowledge that was anyway and how I felt on sharing personal info - I might leave B out if i didn't want to bring it up). <A> You handled this well. <S> A colleague's understandable embarrassment at unintentionally committing a faux pas is not something you can control. <S> If you have to decline a gift, whatever it is, you only have to do so professionally and respectfully <S> and it sounds like you did that. <S> It's not unsurprising that your colleague had an unpolished reaction to a rejected gift or he may have simply realised in the moment that alcohol in particular makes for a bad gift to people <S> you don't know well. <S> About the only thing you could or should do in that situation is to move on by changing the topic to something work-related or ending the conversation. <S> After thanking your coworker for the gift of course. <S> It sounds like you didn't have any trouble with how to phrase your reply when you declined this gift, but the below is a general script you could follow, adapted from Alison Green : <S> This was very kind / thoughtful of you. <S> You couldn't have known <S> but I can't accept this [/ I don't drink] for personal reasons <S> so I’m going to give this back to you and hope you’ll give it to a loved one or even use it yourself. <S> You’ve already given me the best gift just by [your excellent input on Project X / being awesome to work with / being such an asset to the team]. <S> Thank you and I hope [we can continue to work well together <S> / I can count on you for Project Y / ...]. <S> The nature of the gift is ultimately not relevant. <S> Plenty of cultures, religions or people have issues with accepting gifts. <S> For other people in a similar situation: if you're willing to discuss the details on why you can't accept a gift you can do so <S> but you never have to. <S> " <S> Personal reasons" is really enough. <S> Anyone who keeps asking after that is simply being nosy to the point of rudeness. <A> Since you clearly mentioned you do not drink, I am sure he did not expect you to start drinking wine just because he gifted you. <S> I think he was more embarrassed by the fact that his gift was returned. <S> How could I have mitigated any discomfort for the coworker? <S> One thing you could have probably asked him (if you were okay with it), that if you could re-gift it to someone else <S> (maybe someone who cannot afford it otherwise and someone you know WOULD drink). <S> That way you would not have declined the gift and at the same time you would have made it clear that you cannot keep the gift. <S> He would also be happy at the that the gift was not returned back to him. ' <S> Donating' it could give a sense of joy to both of you (and to the receiver!). <A> I'm very sorry for your loss. <S> However, I think you should've accepted. <S> That's how you wouldn't have hurt your colleague's feelings. <S> It is the gesture you accept, not the alcohol. <S> You can get rid of the box afterwards, you don't have to keep it or give it away. <S> That said, if you are determined to reject it anyway, I think you have handled it in the best way possible. <S> You explained your reasons, and expressed the due gratitude. <A> Sorry about your loss. <S> I am very particular about accepting <S> food/drink gifts from individuals unless it is in a factory wrapped condition. <S> I had bad experience as a child that carried over to my adult life. <S> As such whenever individuals give me gift of food that they made and wrapped, I always accept it and be very happy about it. <S> I don't eat it and toss it out, and feel a little guilty about it. <S> However, the individual never knows that, and I never explain it to them. <S> If it is a group gift giving, then I can understand rejecting certain gifts since none of them were intended for you and you can easily explain it without hurt feelings. <S> However, if a individual picked you out a gift, then I would accept the gift. <S> If you must reject it, I think you handled it as best as you can. <S> There's no way to explain it without going into your personal life. <S> Maybe even write them up a nice card later on to say happy holidays and you wish them well. <S> Maybe that will set things right that while you didn't accept their gift, you did so because you really can't drink alcohol for whatever reason.
| The key points are to express the appropriate amount of thankfulness, make it clear you can't and won't accept the gift, don't go into any detail about the reason that you're rejecting it, if possible thank them for a specific case where they helped you, and if relevant express that you'd like to continue your cooperation in the future.
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Coworker lying to manager about me Recently a new manager has joined our team, and I learned from him that a coworker told him I was not doing part of my job that I was in fact doing. I do not know which coworker said this, but one has a much higher probability of being the source. I also learned he had told my previous manager this, but my previous manager never talked to me about it. When my new manager brought it up he was upset with me. Later when I presented the evidence that I was in fact doing the part of my job my coworker, my manager's attitude changed to it happened in the past so it doesn't matter anymore. My concern is two-fold, if my coworker is lying about me and apparently my old manager simply took the lies at face value, I do not know who else in the office he has lied to about me. Second, it seems as though my manager thought that part of my job mattered greatly when he thought the feedback was true, but then it no longer matters once the feedback is false. Personally I would think a manager would be upset at the idea of receiving false feedback. My question is how do I deal with this situation? Should I attempt to gently confront the coworker in question? If it seems like my manager has made up his mind about me (regardless of whether the evidence was true or not) should I just switch teams? I'm concerned that just switching teams will cause my manager to cement his view on me, is this a valid concern? <Q> It makes perfect sense to me that the manager appeared not to be interested after you proved the lie was a lie. <S> Once you have proven you are doing your job, your manager no longer has something to fix about you . <S> Your manager may now want to deal with the liar, or may not. <S> Telling you "oh, I'm going to go fire that person for lying" or "if that person lies one more time I will fire them" is highly inappropriate, so it's not surprising the manager appears to drop the subject. <S> Your part in it is over. <S> Did the manager really take the lies at face value? <S> The manager came to you and <S> when you explained you were doing that task, said "ok fine then. <S> " That doesn't sound like the liar was unilaterally believed. <S> Once you take yourself into " <S> I do not know who else in the office he has lied to about me" territory you're torturing yourself for no reason. <S> Do your job. <S> Do it well, do all of it. <S> Don't be a gossiper, a liar, or a meta talker. <S> Nobody is going to be surprised to learn you didn't like being lied about. <S> There's no need to tell your coworker that. <S> They tried lying about you and it didn't work. <S> The best revenge, as they say, is living well. <A> The reason why you manager downplayed the incident after you came up with proof that in fact you are doing your job, is that he looked like a fool accusing you with something he was obviously clueless. <S> So you should not really be concerned about that. <S> You have the right to ask how did he come up with that idea. <S> He might tell you the source. <S> He might not. <S> Depends on many things. <S> Either way it is obvious that there is nothing of concern since you did not feel any negative repercussions so far and when someone took the lies face value they confronted you <S> and you were organized enough to prove them wrong. <S> Just keep your records and ignore the liar. <A> In this kind of situation I would see how your manager deals with the lying employee. <S> If there is indication of the lying stopping or the liar being counciled, then you have a really good manager. <S> If this behavior continues then you probably need to move on either to a different group in the company or to a different company all together. <S> In short, this happened to me. <S> No amount of evidence to the contrary helped my case. <S> So the reality was management was encouraging others to cut each other down even if it meant fabricating stories. <S> I moved on, and am much happier. <S> You want a situation where management encourages cooperation instead. <A> Managers make mistakes too and this was one. <S> A manager should know better than to form opinions of an employee based on the word by another employee that is in a position of competition. <S> Also, the manager should have enough experience with team dynamics to better deal with this. <S> If switching teams is an option I would consider it. <S> I would not confront the co-worker that supposedly lied. <S> I would consider having a sit down with the manager though, and explain that you are concerned that a perception was formed about your performance based on incorrect feedback from a competing employee and that you want to gain comfort that that first impression is completely corrected. <S> If out of that meeting you don't have comfort that things are right and your work will be judged fairly from that point and not impacted by that first incorrect perception, then I'd consider leaving. <S> But all managers make mistakes, and it is possible that your manager learned from this one and it won't ever happen again and you are in good standing. <S> It is possible that whatever team you transfer to, that manager will make mistakes too and the mistakes may have worse impact on you. <S> I'd lean towards staying because switching teams will make you appear to be a management problem. <S> But if the sit down with your manager doesn't give you comfort that you are in good standing, then I'd switch. <S> It isn't a situation where you need to see justice was done. <S> You should be able to gain comfort with your standing with this manager without having to see proof of disciplinary actions towards the co-worker. <S> Managers are as good as the people that work for them, and when they put trust in the wrong ones the manager suffers. <S> It is entirely possible that manager now considers you more trustworthy than your co-worker. <S> But you may not be able to see evidence of that.
| You shouldn't be too concerned with what the manager is doing to the employee that lied.
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How to approach HR about mold problem? I'm very non-confrontational and am looking for advice on the best way to approach HR about a possible health/safety problem. Background: I'm very healthy and get a cold-related cough once, maybe twice a year, and am not allergic to pollen. The last time I missed work for health-related reasons was almost five years ago. I've been working at my current workplace for almost two years, and almost since day one, I've had allergy-type symptoms that I suspect are due to mold being present in the building. My co-workers complain sometimes of a "funny smell" (I can't smell anything but often my nose is stuffed up), when it rains sometimes water leaks in through the door, and we're located in the south east United States in a very humid climate. I've looked for physical signs of mold and have found nothing. None of my coworkers have the problems that I have. These problems (running nose, excessive sneezing) clear up when I go home. I don't think my performance is being impacted, nor that of my co-workers, despite their repeated 'Bless you's, more so, I'm slowly going crazy, and I'm worried that the mold might be black mold. Measures taken so far have had no effect: The carpets are cleaned every six months or so, which does not seem to help; we have several DampRid containers (they absorb moisture) in our room. Having spoken with coworkers, they're not aware of any prior mold testing having been performed. Problem: In your experience, what is the best way to approach HR about these problems? I would like to have my health problems recognized by HR, though they seem to affect only myself and don't impact my work. I would like my workplace to carry out mold testing and (most likely) treatment in the building, which is not inexpensive in our area (professional testing alone is hundreds of dollars). I've thought about buying air testing kits on my own dime, setting them up, and seeing if I can prove there is a problem before discussing it with HR, but I can see this either being interpreted as 'Thanks for taking the initiative on this problem' or 'Why didn't you talk to us first?' Perhaps I'm being overly anxious and creating a problem where there is none, I'm just so tired of sneezing. <Q> First of all, see an allergist. <S> You need to make sure what's going on. <S> Remember, your health is most important. <S> Why would you approach HR at all? <S> They have limited authority to handle anything beyond reporting it to someone else in the office. <S> You talk repeatedly about your coworkers but never about management. <S> I'd start running it up the chain of command. <S> Document everything! <S> Whether you choose to go to HR or up the management ladder, there's a strong potential that there could be blowback on you. <S> Get a journal and start keeping a log. <S> Go back, to the best of your recollection, and record when you started noticing things. <S> Then document everything go forward. <S> If you meet with your boss, write down the day and time and with whom and what was said. <S> Keep doing that. <S> The reason why that is important is because one way or another, it's going to cost your company money to fix it. <S> Someone very well could decide to just show you the exit and think the problem goes away and then claim that your call to OSHA is just retribution. <S> In other words, you need to have a record before <S> they have the chance to start "making a book" on you. <S> They very well could be grateful for your diligence and nothing happens to you. <S> I may be paranoid, but it's only paranoia until you find out someone really is against you. <S> TL;DR <S> Talk to your immediate supervisor Document <S> every conversation Move up the chain of command, documenting. <S> Call <S> OSHA <S> if all else fails. <A> First step should be to identify if there is a problem best you can. <S> Keep a journal of your systems as it rains and as it is dry outside. <S> I worked in Atlanta for a while, and we all noticed that Allergies always picked up during the week long rains. <S> Then talk to HR about your concerns. <S> They should be able to do some sort of initial testing that won't cost them much (besides, the productivity of employees affected by mold born allergies is going to affect their bottom line much more, they should want you healthy). <S> If you feel that you are getting no where with HR, you could always file a complaint with OSHA. <S> File a complaint <S> Details on Mold <A> You are pretty clearly allergic to something, but it may well not be mold. <S> If your workplace had bad black mold issues, you would not be the only one feeling it. <S> There's a good chance that it's something unpleasant (for you) but not generally harmful. <S> That having been said, this is all pertinent information, and if it is mold, any good HR will be glad to have had the heads-up. <S> I'd suggest approaching them like that, at least to start with. <S> You're not confronting anyone. <S> You're aware of information (that you're uncharacteristically ill) <S> that might suggest something (existence of mold) that they would, legitimately, care about. <S> You're sharing this information because it seems like the sort of thing they might want to look into, if true, and thus might want to be informed of. <S> Now, as you've said, testing and repair is expensive in your area. <S> They might try to blow you off... <S> but you can actually use that. <S> If they sound like they're not taking it seriously, ask if they mind if you bring in some air testing kits of your own, just for your own peace of mind. <S> This is legitimately true, as well. <S> In addition to the frustration of the sniffling, it sounds like the worry about medical implications is what's getting to you, and you probably would find a negative mold test legitimately reassuring. <S> It seems unlikely that they would object to you doing that for that specified reason (ie, managing your own fretting about the matter) and that way if it does come up mold, you have a ready-made opening, and you can bring it back to them with minimal confrontation again . <S> Now, if HR starts getting super-defensive and hostile about it, this technique stops working, but as long as they're at least moderately reasonable, you can get as far as being able to wave credible evidence at them without having to go confrontational yourself at any point, or do anything behind their back. <S> If you're more interested in avoiding the appearance of being overly anxious than you are in avoiding confrontation, then this isn't the strategy to use, but if you're willing to present as "anxious, but polite and considerate about it", this should get you a fair distance of the way to accomplishing your stated objectives.
| Talk to your immediate supervisor and keep going up until you get satisfaction. You should go to HR about your concerns but after you do some due diligence if you're worried about being labeled as overly anxious. See an allergist Document everything to this point Forget HR, they're useless in situations like this.
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How do I get past a stupid mistake I made at company event? I've made a stupid mistake at a company event (nothing to do with work, but the whole crew was there). Here's what I did: I've decided to stream an event using a live stream from the Internet and a projector. Sound was choppy, picture was grainy and laggy, and the stream cut off in the most important second. Turnout was greater than expected, so some folks (in particular small ones) couldn't see from the back. Here's what I should have done, retrospectively: Use the good old SAT TV. It's a bit smaller, but it's high up right under the ceiling, so everyone could see. Sound and picture were superb. Some people did turn on the TV, but I told them to turn it off again. Basically, my mistake was that I thought I (non-technical) knew better than some (technical) people (those who used the TV), and that I even scolded them for turning on the TV. Obviously, that didn't go well, and about a dozen people seem to have cut me out. They stopped greeting, don't recognise my presence and generally start talking in a rather sarcastic manner to me when they need something from me. This makes my job (office receptionist) rather difficult. How do I gracefully get past this? Do I apologise to them in person? Or do I just simply craft a catch-all company-wide email, and let it be? <Q> Question: How to back out here gracefully? <S> Do I apologise to them in person? <S> You ask if you can have 5 minutes of their time where you'd like to apologize for your actions, how wrong they were, and what you will do to ensure you don't do it again. <S> Or do I just simply craft a catch-all company-wide email, and let it be? <S> No, no need to make a bigger issue out of a small one, nor would it be wise to make it a spectacle of your mistake as well as the apology that follows. <A> Looks like they spread a rumor about you calling people out because it seems like there are some people outside of the people you called out that are hostile towards you. <S> I would just send out an email list to the people at the event apologizing for the technical difficulties and your lack of technical knowledge. <A> "Basically, my mistake was that I thought I (non-technical) knew better than some (technical) people (those who used the TV), and that I even scolded them for turning on the TV." <S> You're going to have a VERY <S> hard time coming back from that one. <S> Your real issue wasn't that your presentation failed. <S> Your REAL issue is that you held yourself up to know more than people who make it their profession to know more. <S> You have insulted them personally and professionally, and you did so publicly. <S> Here's something that you don't yet know: People like that <S> (and I am one) will <S> NEVER forget that. <S> You will always be tainted. <S> Yes, you should apologize to each and every one of them individually, and they will appreciate it. <S> Just know that you will likely never have their respect, and you will always be "that guy" in their mind. <S> It depends on your business as to whether you can operate without their full support. <S> If you're in an insurance company, you may be just fine. <S> If you're in a high-tech or telecom company - you may want to start looking for a transfer.
| You figure out who you called out in public and apologize in private. Your real issue wasn't that you chose the wrong technology.
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Abandoning my position without throwing my co-workers under the bus I work at a hospital, under a union. About a year ago, management approached me and asked me I I'd like take on an inventory position, since I have a fair amount of seniority, and the previous inventory person had left the hospital. Because I have difficulty saying "no", we eventually agreed that I'd trial the position for a while (though no time-span was set, and it was all verbal). The inventory position pays the same as my other current position, and there's currently 2 other people in rotation for inventory. It's a year later now, and it's clear to me that I can't continue doing this job if I want to retain my sanity. I won't go into details, but not long after I joined the position, the work-load doubled due to new regulations, and the job became completely impractical for one person to be able to handle on a daily basis. Our team (the 3 of us) have been accumulating months of backlogged work, and it's only getting worse by the day. We've approached management and told them that we cant see how we're expected to get everything done everyday (but didn't mention that extent of the mess), and were told to get someone to help us when we need help; which is impractical on a daily basis since they're spreading everyone thin, and few of my co-workers even have the knowledge required to help with most aspects of the job. Because of the constant stress that the daily mess provides, along with the accumulating backlogged work (and the fact that as a 6'2'' guy, my back is constantly sore from being forced to sit at a cramped desk), I want out. The problems are though: We now have a new manager, and I'm not sure what was communicated to them. Even if they were told it's temporary, it's been almost a year, so they may have assumed that that's sufficient for trialing. Most importantly : to properly justify my wanting to leaving, I'll likely need to mention the months of backlogged work, which management doesn't know about . I'd rather not open that can of worms, then turn to my co-workers (who I still have to work with), and say "good luck dealing with management, I'm out". My questions: How can I approach this scenario without "jumping ship", and screwing over my coworkers in the process? I figured that after I adjusted to the job, it may begin to become easier. After a year though, it's become clear that this job is only going downhill. Without a set time-span, is a year implicitly too long to consider a position for? Have a burned my escape by taking so long to decide? To be clear though, I'm not intending to leave the company. I'm currently in 2 rotations: the inventory rotation, and the rest of my job. I'm intending to only leave the inventory aspect. I'll still be working in the same department, with the same people, just doing different tasks. This isn't me giving my 2-weeks, so I can't just shrug when management asks why I want to abandon that rotation. <Q> It is highly unlikely that you will be able to simply drop the extra duties and go back to the way things were a year ago. <S> Because of the experience and training you now have, you will always be pulled back into that work as long as you work there. <S> If you’d like to find a way to improve the situation, then you need to quit “hiding in the corner” and be honest with management about the situation. <S> Get together with your team and come up with a solution you would like to propose to management. <S> (A proposed solution is so much better than just complaining about how bad things are.) <S> Put past agreements and understandings aside and candidly explain how things really are, and let them know the things that need to change. <S> Present your proposal as a starting point for discussing how to make it better. <S> Don’t make it about you, but instead make it about the negative impact on the business and operations of the hospital, and to the team, and then explain how your proposal will help make things better. <A> It's a year later now, and it's clear to me that I can't continue doing this job if I want to retain my sanity. <S> At this point, it may be time to polish up your resume and move on. <S> Since the job is such a big mental drain on you, also realize it is also draining you physically as well . <S> Remember, your health is the single biggest asset you have. <S> Even though it is human nature to care about your co-workers, as you spend a lot of time with them and typically build relationships, remember why you ultimately do almost any job: <S> To Make Money <S> I would urge you to find a way to ditch the part of the job that is driving you crazy or find a new one. <A> If a team in consistently overworked ands still has months of work to do beyond what the manager expects, it is a serious situation - if i calculate right, we talk about 0.5-1 man years of work (cost) hidden from management, which is a budget-relevant quantity. <S> Management needs to know, management needs to deal with it. <S> If they do, it may be very good for you (and possibly your colleagues). <S> If they don't, then nothing which do you do or don't do will keep your coworkers from being thrown under the bus, since they will see a high fluctuation, a growing backlog, quality problems etc. <S> The only chance that something changes if that management is being made aware. <S> When presenting the facts, make sure that you reach a common conclusion in the team. <S> Make an estimation of how much the team believes that it is beyond schedule, then present it as a common estimation to your manager.
| Before attempting to leave the position inform your manager immediately about the real situation.
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Is it common practice for a school to force its staff to use school canteen? Our school (private secondary) just opened a canteen , and it is of type where we have to order food and wait while it is prepared. Before this there was an arrangement with nearby restaurant for students and we schools staff used to go out and continued going out. Now our school is forcing us to use canteen but their are few problems with that like, Lack of choices No proper seating arrangement Pricey as compared to other places Time management issue as students and staffs have to use canteen at the same time Quality of food prepared We have discussed with school committee on solving these issues and few of these may get resolved. I was wondering if it is a common practice for schools (or institutions) to force their staff to use canteen? Note : We are allowed to bring lunch so that we don't have to go out but me and my colleagues rarely do that, so we always went out. Update : We discussed about these issues with principal and canteen team and came to a conclusion that the teachers who would like to go out can do so provided they are back in time, school will solve seat arrangement problem, canteen team will provide choices while maintaining the quality. Time management issue is solved as teachers are allowed to visit canteen whenever they don't have class and price will not be higher than outside but might be similar or cheaper depending on item. <Q> I was wondering if it is a common practice for schools (or institutions) to force their staff to use canteen? <S> No, it’s not common, and it’s probably not legal for them to do so, but I am not familiar with Nepal's laws and customs. <S> The only way I have seen where a school can tell you where to eat (in other locales) is if you have a scholarship which includes a meal plan. <S> Then, because they pay , they choose. <A> I have never heard of this arrangement, and I am wonder if it might not be financially driven? <S> The school just went through the expense of opening a canteen, and nobody is eating there. <S> Given that this is a private institution, I am sure there was some cost/return analysis leading up to the decision to open the canteen, and they are not seeing the level of return that they used to justify the cost. <S> So the easiest way for the administration to avoid the embarrassment of having made a poor financial decision, is to try to force everyone to use it so that they hit their projected revenue numbers... <A> I was wondering if it is a common practice for schools (or institutions) to force their staff to use canteen? <S> No it is not. <S> Besides the fact that you are paying for that food (and no one can force you to pay for something you may not want) <S> another inconvenience of this is that some people require a special diet or meal . <S> Some people are lactose intolerant, some can't eat gluten, etc., so it would not be ok to make someone pay and eat something they can't. <S> Maybe they are saying that to encourage the use of the Canteen on its first weeks (somehow unethical though). <S> I suggest you give the canteen a try, but remember you are not forced to eat there. <S> Edit: <S> Another thing that came to mind is that maybe this behavior could mean that the school doesn't want students to go out anymore before classes end . <S> This could well be due to security reasons of some sort. <S> In my case, you either brought your lunch with you or had something at the local cafeteria. <S> However, in order to be really sure on the reasons and motives why this is being implemented I suggest you ask your principal about the reasons for having to eat at the Canteen from now on . <S> I am sure he/ <S> she will be able to say why this is being made to clear your doubts on that, and perhaps see the logic on doing it. <A> I'd say they're out of order here. <S> You probably don't get paid during lunch times, so there is no obligation to go to the canteen. <S> If you indeed do get paid for lunchtimes, you wouldn't be allowed out of the premises. <S> Maybe management want some sort of supervising there, and hope that staff will provide it. <S> Maybe management feel that if the students see staff eating there, it will encourage them to, too. <S> maybe management would like to encourage social interaction between students and staff. <S> The least that could happen is <S> management says staff eat there free in those circumstances. <S> I used to work in schools, and would usually go to the canteen for lunch. <S> However, I would have to pay for my meals, and vat @20% was charged too. <S> So, I had the same meal as the students, but paid extra for the privilege! <S> Check with your contract, and your union, but I doubt there will be an obligation, even if it's a private school. <S> Sound like moral blackmail - a form of bullying - which I'm certain <S> your school has a lot of rules about. <S> maybe they should be aired with those in authority. <A> Is it common practice for a school to force its staff to use school canteen? <S> It depends on the country and school. <S> For a example, It is a common practice in some schools in Sri Lanka. <S> Teachers of some schools in Sri Lanka need to follow some rules like "You can't bring mobile phones to class", "You can't go outside in the school hours (Yes, interval consider as a school time)", etc,. <S> So they can't go outside of the school in interval. <S> So they have to buy the food from canteen if they didn't bring the meals. <A> They can't insist that you use the canteen, but depending on your contract, they may be able to insist that you remain on site for your entire shift - meaning your options are to use the canteen, take your own lunch, or have food delivered. <S> I've been in a similar situation, where a company I worked for moved buildings to one with a new canteen, and they tried a similar approach. <S> It backfired spectacularly, because given a team of 10 people, 6 would originally use the canteen and 4 would go out to a local sandwich place. <S> When the ban on leaving the office was implemented, the original 4 would still place a delivery order with the sandwich place, and a few of the ones who previously used the canteen switched to the sandwich place because it no longer meant leaving the office.
| Short answer: If you are paying for your own food, you probably can choose where to eat. It is usually an option but not something you have to do. This behavior would not be rare, as I know that several schools throughout the world (including the high school I went) are reluctant to letting their students go out before classes end.
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Can emails count as being cover letters, or should a cover letter be a proper document? I posted a job description which asks for a cover letter and a resume. I've received some emails with cover letter-like content, but no attached cover letter. I'm torn between accepting the email content and trashing them, for lack of attention to detail. If cover letter-like contents are in the email to which the resume is attached, is it fair to say this fulfills the cover letter requirement? <Q> I've received some emails with cover letter-like content, but no attached cover letter. <S> When you ask for a "cover letter" then what you're asking for is an introduction for the candidate, which gives you some hint to their personality, motivation, and general suitability for the position. <S> Why care how it was sent, as long as it is easily readable? <S> I have personally never sent a cover letter as an email attachment, but always used the inline email description. <S> I would consider the email content to be the cover letter . <S> Perhaps this custom varies per locality, but as far as I know this is very common at least in The Netherlands. <S> A quick internet search reveals that for English-speaking localities some people recommend "send as attachment", some as "send as inline", and others as "no one really cares". <S> From example from here : <S> I mean, people who hire may have individual preferences, but no one is going to penalize you over doing it in their less-preferred way. <S> It’s like asking “should my hair have bangs when I go to an interview?” <S> No one cares. <S> And about half of the candidates I see do it one way and half do it the other way. <S> Dismissing a candidate just because they didn't choose to use an attachment means you've just guessed that the candidate understood that you wanted an email attachment. <S> What you really care about is the content, and not how it was sent. <S> Even if you very clearly stated that you wanted an attachment in the job posting <S> you need to think if you really want to outright dismiss a candidate over such a minor oversight. <S> Perhaps they sent out 20 applications that day? <S> It's easy to forget such a small thing, even if they did their research well. <S> Personally, I think it would be unwise to dismiss someone over such a minor oversight if the rest of their cover letter/resume is looking good. <A> Can emails count as being cover letters? <S> Absolutely. <S> I'm afraid you're off-base here. <S> A cover letter can either be attached or it can simply be the body of the e-mail. <S> Since you're actually thinking less of candidates who are doing something that has absolutely zero impact, you're one of the few exceptions to what <S> Alison Green said on the subject : <S> People who hire may have individual preferences, but no one is going to penalize you over doing it in their less-preferred way. <S> If for some reason you really care about receiving a separate attachment, you should be mentioning that in the job posting. <S> Only then can you say that someone is lacking an attention to detail. <S> But you really shouldn't be marking people down for not following your unstated preferences. <A> Quoting wikipedia <S> "A letter is one person's written message to another pertaining to some matter of common concern." <S> - and email would certainly qualify for this. <S> So the "lack of attention to detail" could as well be seen in the person posting the description because of unclear requirements. <A> Expanding on the comment . <S> You are assuming that the hiring manager is who actually going to read your application email, and then read your email body as the cover letter that they requested. <S> But it is not always the case. <S> What if Adam is reading the email and Eve is the hiring manager? <S> Adam will then download/print the attachment(s) and pass them to Eve. <S> Now Eve asked for a cover letter and a resume, but she only has a resume -> <S> She will say it is the applicant's mistake. <S> Provide what they ask for <S> so you don't decrease your chances in getting the interview. <S> And always show that you do exactly what is requested from you. <S> EDIT: <S> After the OP edit, now the above is to a completely different question. <S> In the new case, I would suggest that you use your best judgement, based on the position you are trying to fill: Does it require attention to details? <S> Is it professional? <S> Is it Junior level? <S> Is it clear that whoever is going to read the email, is actually the hiring manager? <S> 1-minute web search says either is fine and that no one cares <S> (but we do actually!)
| When in nitpicking mode I would say a letter is a piece of paper, so an email-attachment does not qualify as the requested cover-letter.
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Can I call myself a "process engineer" if I don't have an engineering degree? Will keep this short and simple. Someone recently referred to me as a "process engineer". I am a Lean-Six Sigma Black Belt and, to be honest, basically am a process engineer. I am fully qualified in LSS and very knowledgeable about process analysis/engineering. However, I was quite taken aback to be described as an "engineer" (of any type), since I don't have an engineering degree. My degree is in Economics. However, I would say that the quantitative aspects of econometrics were very good preparation for the quantitative aspects of process engineering. I am also fluent in three programming languages (VBA, SQL and R), and someone also asked me (on hearing this), whether I was a software engineer. Again, my immediate response was, "Ha ha - no!" But, again, why not? After all, I know someone whose job title is "software engineer", who is an entirely self-taught programming prodigy with no CS or engineering degree - in fact, no degree at all, only a handful of GCSEs. Yet he is unquestionably a software engineer (and a brilliant one, who I would trust more than an Oxbridge CS grad). I suppose the question is, was this person right to call me a process engineer? Can I refer to myself as such, despite having no engineering degree? Does having an LSS BB make me a process engineer? And at the end of the day, does it matter? EDIT - since several people have asked; yes, I am currently employed in a role which would fit most people's definitions of a "process engineering" role - although, I would more typically refer to myself as a "continuous improvement professional". <Q> In some countries, calling yourself an Engineer without being a card-carrying member of the Society of Professional Engineers or similar is flat-out illegal. <S> In other countries you can call yourself whatever you want. <A> You've already answered this in your question: to be honest, I'm basically am a process engineer. <S> What you call yourself should really depend on who you're talking to and what context they're likely to understand. <S> You can bet that most people outside the industry have no idea what "Lean-Six Sigma" means ( <S> I sure don't!). <S> So, bringing this down to "process engineer" describes you in words that people can relate to. <S> You are basically engineering processes to make them more efficient, so it seems a fair fit. <S> It's also ambiguous enough to encourage people to ask more. <S> Here in the UK, you don't need any qualification to call yourself an "engineer" in the computing industry, it's just a description of your role. <A> I suppose the question is, was this person right to call me a process engineer? <S> Can I refer to myself as such, despite having no engineering degree? <S> Does having an LSS BB make me a process engineer? <S> And at the end of the day, does it matter? <S> I think that we must distinguish job titles from educational degrees . <S> Despite having or not an educational degree, when you are working you are in fact filling a job position, one that has or could have a job title . <S> Then, it will not matter if you have a degree on it, as you are still fulfilling and carrying out the tasks and responsibilities of such position. <S> You may not have an academic background on that matter, but you have qualified yourself through other means, as well as are able (an possibly working?) <S> on Process Engineering of some sort. <S> If that is true then it would not be rare for people to address you as a Process Engineer. <S> Also remember that there is not much formal science for making out job titles (unless it's really specific and unambiguous like Angular Front-end Developer ). <S> In some cases you can't even fall into a single category, which makes creating titles harder. <S> Personally <S> I have been called all sorts of Titles and variants throughout my job experience, as people sometimes simplify or generalize too much when saying titles ; it is not rare to hear people address you as "the IT guy", regardless of what branches or interest you specialize on Computer Science. <S> You could well be expert on other process improvement methodologies and still be called "Process Engineer". <S> Now, if you are not ok with the way people address you, you may try to present yourself as the Title of your choice, as well as politely remind it to your coworkers when they confuse it. <S> However, have in mind that this is not flawless and people may still simplify or boast its usage with other variants. <A> If you have the school title, or business title you can call yourself a Process Engineer. <S> It is not a protected title, (in most places of the world. <S> YMMV, do your due diligence) <S> so in fact you can call yourself it if you like. <S> But if you don't have a grade or a business title <S> you just shouldn't . <S> If you don't have an engineering degree, or work experience as an engineer, people will assume you know <S> stuff you probably don't. <S> A LSS BB is not it. <S> (for reference, I am a LSS black belt AND a process engineer... <S> ;-) <S> You should care of others expectations of you when throwing titles around, they don't have any other purpose (except self image, for some). <A> I suppose the question is [sic], was this person right to call me a process engineer? ... <S> So long as by doing so they were not deliberately misleading you or someone else. <S> Can I refer to myself as such, ... <S> There's no UK law that would prevent this. <S> despite having no engineering degree? ... <S> Not relevant. <S> In the UK, the term engineer isn't reserved for people with specific academic qualifications. <S> Does having <S> an LSS BB make me a process engineer? ... <S> No. <S> Having the job title "process engineer" may not make you one either. <S> And at the end of the day, does it matter? ... <S> No, in some situations an engineer is just someone who shovels coal into locomotives for a living, not someone who designs new types of locomotive. <S> In the UK, it is commonplace for job titles to be fairly meaningless, especially in IT. <S> Job titles sometimes seem to be a sort of aspirational nonsense used in place of money as a motivational pat on the back. <S> Job titles don't cost shareholders anything. <S> Footnote: <S> Personally I'd like it if the term engineer was reserved in the way it appears to be in Germany, for example. <S> However the reality is that the origins of the word and (one or more of) its current meaning(s) in the UK are much less exalted.
| It depends on where you live.
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Is it wrong to ask what the pay is for a job before applying? Or is there a proper way to do it? I'm in the process of looking for a better job, and before setting up a bunch of interviews and going through all the processes before being offered the job and seeing what I make, is there a way to ask before hand? <Q> If you are dealing with a recruiter, it should be fine to ask directly about pay and state clearly your acceptable range. <S> I have had success with that as they only get paid if you take the job <S> and they don't want to waste their time on getting you interviews for jobs you won't accept. <S> If you are applying directly to a posting by a company, they may want you to express more desire for the work than the money (play the game a little). <S> Keep in mind that your current salary is not relevant to the job you are applying to <S> and you can decline to answer that question. <S> If you feel you can manage it tactfully, it might be helpful when communicating before the interview to say something like: <S> It wasn't in the job posting, but I wanted to inquire about the salary range for the position to make sure we have similar expectations. <S> I'm very interested in the description of the work, but I wouldn't want to take a pay-cut for it. <A> is there a way to ask before hand? <S> Before an actual interview or other way of knowing what that job is about I would not recommend it. <S> Surely you can ask right away what is the salary they are offering, but I doubt that would be seen as something professional (or tasteful perhaps). <S> I would suggest you carry the job seeking process a bit further , to a point where they inevitable give you an offer or you are in a point where you know more about the job and can ask for such without seeming too greedy. <A> No. <S> That is not how the game is generally played. <S> At best the company will ask your desired salary during the submission process of your application. <S> This is less than ideal for you as you might not get a good feedback on how realistic your expectations are but will filter out incompatible offers without much effort on your part. <S> If this does not happen then pretty much every company will ask you about your salary expectations during your first interview real interview. <S> On the off chance this doesn't happen either, your first interview is a good place to address this topic yourself, as - in general - neither party is keen on continuing negotiations if it's clear you'll never agree on a salary. <S> As others have said. <S> Jumping the gun on the money issue gives a bad impression. <S> But your question is about how you can reduce the effort on your part to find out. <S> There are a few things you can do: <S> Consult online salary calculators/lists to get an impression of what range you can expect Keep track of how the salary discussions go during the interviews you DO have and use that information to extrapolate what you can expect for similar positions. <S> Ask your network if they've got information on the salaries in the jobs you're looking at <S> But the only way to get the exact figure is playing the game for each position. <A> There's a bit of a silly game here. <S> Employers routinely indicate that they are put off by candidates who bring up the subject of salary too soon, that they want someone who will be dedicated to the job and not just looking for money. <S> Frankly, I think this is just silly. <S> Yes, I want a job where the work is satisfying and I feel like I am accomplishing something of value and contributing to the company. <S> But I also have a mortgage to pay, and I like to eat now and then. <S> I'm not going to work for free. <S> If I am presently employed, I am unlikely to take a pay cut to go to your company. <S> I sincerely doubt that the person doing the interviewing is working for free, or that he doesn't care about what pay raises he gets. <S> But nevertheless, that's how it is. <S> It's considered uncouth to ask about money too soon. <S> So best don't. <S> If the interviewer doesn't bring the subject up by the end of the first interview, then ask. <S> (Well, if it looks like there's a realistic chance they'll offer you the job. <S> If it's obvious that they've already written you off and they're just trying to get you out of the building as quickly as possible without being rude, than don't waste both of your times.)
| Some may even think that you are only interested in the money and not in the job , which may discourage them from hiring you or going further with the hiring process.
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New employer has not sent contract, job starting very soon (UK) I'm meant to start a job very soon. I was interviewed a few weeks ago, offered the job and accepted. The problem is I have not yet received a contract, despite my insistence of it. I have had some response from the company with a potentially understandable reason (personal circumstances) however some time has still passed and there has been no follow through. I'm currently feeling very resentful towards this company as I am essentially being ignored. I have attempted to follow up on this as above alas no luck. To make matters complicated, I will also need to relocate for this job on top. I have two options here. Walk into the job blind, knowing nothing about my terms, conditions, hours etc beforehand as I expect they want. No paperwork at all. Or I could simply say to hell with it and let the verbally agreed start date lapse and see if they follow up with me. A tempting option at the moment as I feel I am being treated with total disregard in this situation. <Q> so I doubt there is any nefarious intent behind them not providing you with it <S> yet <S> but I can understand why you're feeling some trepidation about this situation - <S> the relocation in particular means you'll want things firmed up. <S> However simply not turning up on the agreed date is a very bad idea - by verbally accepting the job offer (assuming it was unconditional or that all the conditions have been met) you've entered into a binding employment contract with the company and in the worst case simply not turning up could leave you open to being sued for breach of contract! <S> I'd suggest that you need to keep pressing them for it in a polite but firm manner. <S> Stress that you are going to have to relocate for the role and that you aren't comfortable to commit to doing this without getting the full contract in place. <S> Emphasize that you are still keen on the job (assuming you are!) and that you are eager to get started on the agreed date but that the paperwork is holding you up. <S> As Patricia Shanahan suggested in her comment earlier you'll want to build some time in for the relocation after receiving the contract so let them know what your first available start date will be after receiving it. <A> In the UK you don’t get the formal written contract up front in 99% of cases - there is no statutory right to a written contract in the UK. <S> You have a contract when you accepted the job offer – the offer letter does have the major features of your terms of employment grade, hours of work and salary, did your offer have these or not. <S> Employers must provide a written statement of employment particulars within 2 months for employment lasting more than on month. <S> Attempting to insist on written contract will be seen as odd and just not turning up puts you in breach of contract don’t do that. <S> Additionally, if you are claiming benefits you run the risk of being sanctioned by the DWP and losing your benefits. <S> The government has a guide here https://www.gov.uk/employment-contracts-and-conditions/written-statement-of-employment-particulars <A> I have two options here. <S> Walk into the job blind, knowing nothing about my terms, conditions, hours etc beforehand as I expect they want. <S> No paperwork at all. <S> Or I could simply say to hell with it and let the verbally agreed start date lapse and see if they follow up with me. <S> You could just show up and hope for the best. <S> You could also remain quiet and let the deal fall apart. <S> Neither of those options seem best to me. <S> The third option is to contact the company now. <S> Make sure they understand in no uncertain terms that you have absolutely no intention of showing up and working without a written, signed contract. <S> Then continue your job search in case they can't manage to come up with a contract in the time allotted.
| In my experience UK employers are a bit lax about getting the paperwork of the contract squared away (I've never received one in advance of a start date for any of my permanent roles)
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Do interviewers judge you based on the language you choose for a code challenge? I just received a code challenge from a company I applied to. The code challenge gives you an option to choose from a wide selection of languages. I know that Python would be easiest, but I'm wondering if I should choose C++ or another language so that it's not obvious that I choose the "easiest" language on the list? Because I can think of a lot of questions that would be a LOT easier in Python. Do interviewers really take that kind of thing into consideration? Or am I overthinking this? What should I factor in when deciding on a tool to use for an interview exercise like this? <Q> Yes they do take it into consideration but there is no way for you to know how they consider it. <S> I know <S> it's not the answer you wanted, <S> but it's the truth. <S> The only peace of mind I can offer is that people don't like seeing other people fail. <S> So I strongly doubt this is a game of Russian roulette. <S> Either language should be equally received. <S> You said Python is "easier" but you could have also said one of these many subjective comparisons. <S> a dynamic language versus a typed language a slow language versus a fast language an easy to debug language versus to a difficult one an open source language versus an ANSI standard? <S> You're comparing apples and oranges here. <S> Knowing which language they consider the right pick is as subjective as asking if Python is better than C++. <S> The answer depends on who you're asking. <S> It's your personal choice, and they want you to pick one. <S> The key here is that it's an opportunity to tell them which you'd prefer to work with when you first start at your new job. <S> So it's about picking one you can successfully complete the challenge with, but also picking one that you'll be happy using. <S> So pick the language that will bring you the most fulfillment and also complete the challenge. <S> You might pick the wrong one, or maybe there is no wrong one. <S> The point here is to be true to yourself about which you'd prefer. <S> That's all you have control over. <A> Of course, solution has to be correct and demonstrate your ability to solve the problem. <S> Selecting the "easiest" language could signal your ability to pick right tools for the job - make sure to explain your decision. <A> Deliver a flawless solution. <S> Show your ability to produce well-structured, easily readable, well-documented, maintainable, robust, efficient etc. <S> solutions to programming problems. <S> If I were the interviewer, I'd give the solution to a random in-house developer and ask him if he understands the code, and to an expert in your chosen language to judge your coding style. <S> So, choose a language that allows you to do that (and makes sense with the given challenge, so don't e.g. choose Javascript for high-performance algorithms). <S> Don't choose a language you're unfamiliar with <S> - you'll make lots of newbie mistakes. <S> And don't worry whether you meet the company's preferred language: if they wanted to hire an expert in exactly one language, they would have told you.
| As an interviewer, I would like to see that the language of your choice is suitable for the task you're given; the language of your choice is properly used; you can explain your choice stating pros and cons of the selected language vs other options.
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Which resume to bring when asked to interview for another position I applied for a position using a resume that is tailored for software development, but was asked to interview for a data analyst position (which I would be happy with). I have a second version of my resume that is more tailored towards data analyst positions so which should I bring to the interview ? The original resume, or one more suited to the data analyst position for which I am interviewing? <Q> Bring both. <S> The one you submitted with and the one you think would be most appropriate. <S> Give the hiring committee a heads up what you are planning though. <S> Also bring enough copies for everyone. <A> As Frank FYC answered, bring both. <S> Usually, an interviewer is provided a copy of the resume you submitted (this is not always the case, which is one reason it's generally recommended to bring plenty of copies of your resume). <S> In this case, you have a resume tailored to the position which is different from the one you submitted. <S> After introductions, I would say something along the lines of, "I have an updated resume that is more tailored to the data analyst position, if you'd like to see it". <S> As I'm saying it, I would present the resume. <A> You should bring two copies of your resume for the data analyst position because they are hiring for the data analyst position. <S> That way it will be easier for them to ask questions or to interact with you.
| I believe you should bring your data analyst resume.
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Etiquette question about being asked to contribute to a going away present for coworker A low-level employee who has worked in my office for several years is leaving soon. This person has explicitly communicated that a very generous gift is expected because a manager who left the company recently received (from that manager's boss) a very generous gift. Recently, a work friend of the departing employee circulated an email soliciting donations for this person's going-away gift. I am a hard no on contributing to this gift, and I know for a fact that other office members are as well (in terms of "confirmed no", it's a large minority of the office). Reasons for this refusal vary, but the two primary ones are: 1) There is no precedent for this in the office. In the past, gifts are given by the boss of the departing employee (if anyone), not coworkers. 2) This person is a polarizing figure in the office and has been directly involved office conflicts that have left lasting hurt feelings for some. Many of these conflicts have arisen due to serious job performance issues on the part of the person who is departing. Reason (2) is by far the more relevant issue here for those resisting contribution. Other possibly relevant context: This person is leaving voluntarily to take another job This person occupies a lower level position in the office and has worked in support of various other office members at times (e.g. providing administrative support), but only one person is this person's "boss" and has acted as his/her manager. Most people in the office do make more money than the person who is departing, but in some cases the amount difference is small. Those that received administrative support from the person departing generally make a fair amount more in salary. In order to meet the demand/request for a "very generous gift" (matching the one referenced), the average contribution would need to be around $20 per person. My question is whether it is acceptable to ignore this request for contribution, and whether there are any etiquette issues I may be overlooking. Would it be easier to succumb to this peer pressure even if one opposes the idea of giving this person a gift in general? Would a reasonable compromise be to give a very small contribution (e.g. $5)? Edit: I am a "hard no", but I was asking in greater generality about how one may approach a situation like this where they do not want to contribute but feel some external pressure to do so. Another thing I was asking was whether it was "unwise" to refuse contribution in a situation like this or if it would otherwise be a poor navigation of the workplace to just refuse and be open and public about your refusal. <Q> My understanding of office etiquette is that "explicitly communicating" you want a "very generous" gift when leaving your job is already a breach of etiquette. <S> It's like a person who's having a birthday party telling everyone they need to provide gifts that are at least the cost of everyone else's gifts on their birthdays. <S> My general approach to such severe breaches of etiquette is that there is no need to uphold standard etiquette in this case (if you consider it is standard to donate to a going-away gift). <S> Etiquette is essentially a set of societal rules telling each of us how to behave appropriately. <S> Once a person has shown they do not believe in abiding by those rules, I don't find it necessary to give them the advantages that fall to those that do abide by the rules. <A> I don't see the "peer pressure" to contribute here -- most of your peers are hard against contributing to the gift. <S> A compromise amount is a bad idea because it sends the signal that you're okay with a random co-worker demanding your money for his purpose. <S> You could simply ignore this arrant nonsense and get on with your life. <S> If that path leaves you dissatisfied or yearning for closure, then you should respond to the soliciting email with an explanation of why you will not be contributing and why you think no one else should contribute either. <S> Use the reasons you give in your question, and any others you can think of. <S> Don't hold back. <S> Your tone should probably be at least slightly indignant. <S> Use the "reply-all" button. <A> Who is responsible for organizing the gifts? <S> If you reply to the email of the friend, then explain that obviously the gift may also depend on the time in the group and how valued the colleague leaving was. <A> A leaving present is a present. <S> You contribute exactly as much as you want. <S> It seems that you want to contribute nothing, so that's what you should contribute. <S> If you are glad that this person leaves, and if that opinion doesn't make you stand out negatively, then that is a good reason to not contribute. <S> If it's not an opinion that you want to announce openly, then you can say something like "I personally never got on with X, <S> and I don't want to be a hypocrite, so <S> I won't contribute". <S> PS $20 per person (about £15) seems like an awful lot of money for a leaving present.
| If you don't like the coworker, then don't make an expensive gift. Go to him/her and talk to him/her about the situation.
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How to pass candidates my contact information if I'm not issued a business card Recently I had to conduct a technical job interview for an opening at our company. At the end of the interview, I thanked the candidate for their time and told them they were welcome to send me an email, should any questions arise at a later time. My company does not issue its employees business cards, so I suggested to the candidate they could ask the recruiter for my contact info. However, this approach seems unorthodox and possibly inefficient - they would need two steps to contact me, and might decide to save themselves the trouble and not contact me at all, especially if their question is minor. I will be working with the hire directly and I would like to give a friendly first impression. Also, I'd be happy to see interest and answer any arising technical questions. I thought I could just spell out my email (it is firstname.lastname@company), but a name is easy to forget. I would myself have the candidate's email address from their resume, but it's the etiquette that the candidate sends a thank-you email, and not the other way around. I could also ask management to issue business cards to me, but I am likely to have to interview more people over the following one or two weeks, so I at least need a solution for the meanwhile. Some additional clarifications: I am the only technical person who will be interviewing the candidates from my location (other people may call in at a later stage), and the person, if hired, will be working alongside me. What would be the best way to encourage the interviewee to contact me with any questions, and pass my contact info in a natural way? Note: my question is not a duplicate of this one . I don't intend to use my own cards instead of employer-issued ones, and my question is related to passing my information in a business setting, not in society. <Q> I would myself have the candidate's email address from their resume, but it's the etiquette that the candidate sends a thank-you email, and not the other way around. <S> Another solution would be to still send them an email, even though you may not want to thank them. <S> It's not too much work for you and the interviewee also doesn't have to read much. <S> They are encouraged to contact you again, and it also comes across naturally, since they else don't have your contact information. <S> Also, unlike with business cards, they can simply answer your email to ask questions, so it's even a bit more convenient. <A> First, find out your company's policy. <S> I've worked in organizations where the goal was to have outside people (candidates for positions, clients, vendors, whoever) contact very specific people. <S> People who were expected to interface outside the organization were given business cards. <S> Others were expected to pass along (often via the business card) <S> the contact information of the people who interface with external entities. <S> If your company's policy is to have certain people, for example the recruiter or the hiring manager, be the only people that interface directly with candidates outside of an interview, you should not be giving out your contact information. <S> They should have the contact information for someone at your organization through the process of setting up an interview, but you can ask about getting business cards for these people and passing them along in the interview. <S> If you can't get business cards, raise these concerns with your recruiter or manager. <S> I disagree with the people suggesting that you purchase your own business cards and putting your company information on them. <S> You should not be taking on this type of expense (even if in this particular case it is rather minimal). <S> Whatever you do, you should not be providing your work contact information to people without knowing your company's policy on outside entities contacting you. <A> Write the information in a Word document and print it 'n' times. <S> It doesn't have to look like a card. <S> Print it on pink paper or whatever if you want it to stand out. <S> I would not go about designing my own business card without documented permission, companies can get snippy about that sort of thing- <S> technically you'd be violating copyright on their logo, for example. <A> 1980 called, they want their business cards back. <S> Enter your own contact information into your phone. <S> Modern phones support NFC, so transferring contact info is as easy as touching two phones together. <S> Practice using blue tooth as backup transfer a few times, and you're good to go. <A> Make them yourself to bridge the gap between now and when the official ones arrive. <S> This was something that was typically done in the past. <S> The process of getting cards could take weeks, but this was encouraged to make sure you had some cards if you knew you needed them. <S> Business supply stores sell paper that goes in the printer and is used to make a sheet of cards. <S> You can also find templates either in your word processing software or the company that makes the paper has a site you can download it. <S> They help make sure your design fits exactly on the cards. <S> Yes these aren't the best looking. <S> You can tell they were from perforated card stock. <S> You have to find a company logo. <S> If you have another employees card you can make yours look similar. <S> Many places can get business cards done overnight. <S> The last time I joined a company my manager sent me an email to confirm the spelling of my name, email address, and the phone numbers. <S> The cards arrived 2 business day later. <S> Your management should be able to do this. <S> A thousand custom printed cards in my area is less than $20. <S> Overnight.
| If your company is OK with you passing along your company contact information, ask about getting company provided business cards. Also order official ones through the company, they aren't very expensive. If your email signature contains all necessary information, even a short email could suffice - just reiterate that they are welcome to ask you any questions and now they got your contact information.
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Should I mention my plan to move somewhere else when asked "where do you see yourself in X years"? First of all: I've seen this question , read the answers but it doesn't provide a solution for the specific problem I have. How I should answer "where do you see yourself in X years" in an interview when my plan is to move to another country? Should I mention that I'm planning to move in a interview. For the company it would mean that I leave the job. Or is it normal for companies that their employees don't work that long in their company? If it is important: I am living now in Austria and am 17 years old, going to school. So I don't need to answer this question now, if ever. My plan is to move to Ireland after university (plan is at the age of around 26). How should I handle this question in an interview after graduation, where I don't plan to stay very long? (I would take the job to save money then) I'm no qutite sure how I should handle that question. I know that the interviewer wants to know some of my goals (professional, maybe personal too, just to get to know the employee) but IMY moving to another country is both a personal and a professional goal. Should I be honest, when X = 5 years? Should I be honest, if X = 10 years? EDIT: I've also seen this question which answers how one should answer the interview question: "How long will you stay with us?" Unfortunately the answers aren't fit for my questions, because I'm rather looking for an answer that helps me if I should talk about my moving plans at all or if I should say something completely different. EDIT: Although I already said it in the introduction: This question doesn't provide an answer for the specific question: Should I say, that I want to live and work in Ireland. The question only gives answers what good answers to the interview questions would be, out of all possible answers. <Q> This question is about your career aspirations and whether the company would be able to provide that. <S> They want to know what type of work gets you excited <S> , what type of employee they can expect you to be and whether your long-term goal is in line with the career path available at the company. <S> The ideal for them is for every hire to last as long as possible. <S> They certainly do not want to hear "Oh, I'm planning on leaving the company in like a year or two", regardless of why you want to leave. <S> Also: Where you want to live is more of a personal goal than a professional one. <S> It does not say anything about your career aspirations (unless you want to move somewhere because there are better career opportunities there, but that still doesn't help create a positive impression with the company). <S> It's about as relevant to what they want to know as saying you want to get married or buy a house. <S> Even if the company had offices in the place you want to move to, you still shouldn't mention your plans to move there (at least not primarily - you may be able to use mentioning this as a way to lead into enquiring about their policy on moving between offices in different countries, but I would suggest a gentle approach, e.g. <S> "While I don't necessarily want to be there in exactly X years, I might want to spend some time working in {country} at some point in the future, ..."). <A> The question is almost certainly asking for answers to these questions: Can we offer a career path that makes the candidate stay here long term? <S> Does the candidate have aspirations for a management track? <S> Does the candidate have interest in things we are planning to explore in future projects? <S> So there is likely more to it than just the literal and unlikely to be truthfully answered question whether the candidate will stay for a short time or long term. <A> From your comment: the question "How long will you stay with us" can only be answered one way. <S> With a number of years. <S> That's not true: you can tell the truth and nothing but the truth, but not necessarily the whole truth. <S> For example, I'm not an oracle - I can't predict the future. <S> That said, so long as my goals and the company's goals are aligned, I don't have any plans to leave. <S> Frankly, it's a silly interview question, because nobody is ever going to say "oh yeah, I'm only planning to stay for 18 months <S> and then I'm out of here".
| No, do not mention where you want to be living at that point.
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Is it OK to reconnect with an ex colleague who left on bad terms? A previous colleague of mine whom I was friends with left the company in bad terms with our boss. He is now working at one of our competitors. He recently asked to meet up with me for a catch up. Is there anything I should be aware of before meeting him? e.g. should I try to keep it as secretive as possible? <Q> Unless you work for some government intelligence agency, your employer has no control rights on your private life. <S> This means you can meet whoever you want outside office hours and talk about any topic you want, as long as you don't disclose sensitive information to any other person. <S> If the person should ask you about job, stay high level and don't tell more info than what you know has been made public on mass media. <S> Avoid sharing office gossip or other organizational info, like managers who changed position or department reorganizations. <A> As he is working for a competitor, just be careful to not disclose confidential information. <S> I would advise to not advertise the meeting you are having with him. <A> Your friend might want to sound you out for whether you could be tempted by switching to his current employer. <S> While this generally is not illegal or even immoral, your current company would probably not approve. <S> Meet up, but don't tell your current employer. <S> Should they somehow find out and demand an explanation, stating that the meeting was entirely private should close the matter. <S> Depending on whether they believe that answer, this could potentially sour the relationship in the short term or possibly even permanently. <S> You are the only person who can evaluate whether this meet-up is worth the potential risk/reward. <A> If it was me, I would meet. <S> You two guys were friends and connecting with people is mostly a good thing. <S> This might very well be an attempt to recruit you to his company, or an attempt and gathering information. <S> However I would not assume a nefarious context. <S> I would assume that he misses a respected colleague. <S> He might also be seeking info on coming back to your company. <S> Who knows! <S> I might rehearse some lines to say if information or questions hit a bit close to home. <S> He might want to innocently want to bash your boss, but I would ask him not to as you still have to work there. <S> Bosses are human and can easily become jealous or threatened.
| I would also not advertise this to anyone in your company. There is nothing wrong being friends with someone who works for the competitor, and it should not be your company's business.
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Does my boss have to meet with me after I have resigned? I recently gave my 3 weeks notice to my boss over the phone as he was working from home to let him know that I have accepted another job. My boss initially was blindsided by the news, and asked if the company could offer me anything to stay, but once I told him about the position and how it's a growth opportunity for me, he accepted it. The next day he was back to his usual self and was supportive of my decision and wished me the best in my new job. My boss works in a separate office and visits his employees when he needs to. What's really bothering me though is that he is yet to come and meet me in person after I handed in my resignation. We have always had a great relationship, and I consider him a mentor. So far, we have only been emailing and talking to each other on the phone about the next steps before I leave. I understand that he is currently busy working on finding my replacement to take over from me as manager, but it does bother me that he has not come by to talk to me in person. Is it necessary for a boss to visit his/her employee, following their resignation announcement? <Q> It's not really neccesary; I'm sure they can handle whatever official business still needs to be conducted by email or through people who are at your office location. <S> That said, I'd say it'd be expected to come say goodbye to a leaving close colleague, when they resign. <S> But he might decide to do so on your last day, or going away party, or whatever the normal way is for your company. <S> And, of course, you don't have to wait for him to offer. <S> You might have to head out to his location, but if he was a good mentor to you, that might be worth the effort. <A> It's a personal decision for your boss, there is no need to meet with you in this circumstance. <A> Apart from this I do understand that there was good relationship and rapport between you and your boss and the emotional attachment <S> made you feel a direct meeting with your boss <S> (maybe your inner self is not really prepared to move out of the current job and organisation. <S> it happens sometimes) <S> My recommendation is ask for a meeting with your boss at the earliest and talk, face to face. <A> It is the professional thing to do, but it is not necessary. <S> It also depends largely on company policy. <S> How you feel about him or visa versa do not come into play. <A> since he already knew that you will be leaving ,hence he already understand your situation. <S> NOT all companies have a farewell party ,maybe give him a note or something on the last day <S> you are still with the company
| If your company doesn't normally organise anything for those who leave, and your boss still hasn't mentioned anything about a personal goodbye in your last week, you can always invite him to your own going-away lunch, or just a goodbye coffee, or whatever. You require a formal acceptance from your boss (or organisation).
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How to deal with productive procrastinators? I have a worker in my company that works like twice as good as any of my other workers! twice as fast with twice as quality! But he is madly procrastinating and can't be relied on! Sometimes he comes to work like 4 hours late! still he achieves more than normal workers that come early! I love him and am sick of him at the same time. I was talking to a friend about him and she told me that she had also had a similar experience a few years ago but that person left the company himself. So I thought I'd come here and ask for ideas on how to deal with these intelligent procrastinators. The main issues are that first, if we let him behave just as he likes, other workers will feel that they've been treated unfairly(and they are right to in their own shoes since they don't really see how productive each worker is.) and it won't be really so easy to explain to each and every one of them why this wouldn't be unfair. Also it wouldn't be so reasonable to bring everyone together and explain to them about this matter. In the other hand also, he does once in a while make issues for us like causing a few hours delay and much stress because of that delay. With him it's both that we have n-1 , and n+1 workers. So everything will be a lot easier if we can manage to make him more reliable and of course we would be more that happy to give him some extra because of his productivity(noting other workers won't realy need to know about it in contrast to letting him come late etc.) <Q> The employee in question sounds extremely productive. <S> If he can finish his work faster and more efficient than anyone else, then he is way above the skill set required to succeed in that job. <S> I can see why he was hired again 3x. <S> If I was in your position, I would try and plan the following with my own boss: <S> Talked to him one on one and figure out something that can work for you both. <S> You need him on time and be reliable, what can your company do in order to help him achieve that? <S> Talk to him about having flexible schedule? <S> Only work part time. <S> Since he completes his work faster than anyone else, is there a need for him to be full time? <S> Talk to your boss about making him remote. <S> Let him work on his own at his own schedule. <S> Ask the employee any personal reason as to why this continues to happen. <S> Promote him to a leadership status with more time management responsibility. <S> If I would take a personal guess, your employee seems bored at his job. <S> He probably is staying there just for comfort and not doing anything challenging. <S> Management there need him for this efficiency and can't live without having him around. <S> He knows that and therefore he is free to manage his own time. <S> This is a Management issue. <S> Not an employee issue. <S> Management needs to set a standard for their employees in regards to time. <S> If there aren't any, then there isn't really a problem. <S> Perhaps your other employees should learn from this guy. <S> if they can complete their work and be productive as he is, they can manage their time at work just like he does. <S> EDIT: <S> From the sound of it, your employee is not a procrastinator, but someone who is performing way beyond his capability. <S> Meaning, he needs something more challenging. <A> How to deal with amazing procrastinators? <S> Work with your HR department and put this person on an performance improvement plan, commonly known as a PIP . <S> By doing this, you will have given the employee documented items to improve upon and the means by which their success or failure will be measured . <S> If they fail to meet the goals of the plan, you will have no issues getting rid of them with from either HR or legally down the road. <S> This may come to as a surprise to some, but as a former manager this tool <S> can actually work in terms of turning a border line employee around. <A> Is the job done? <S> I mean, wether the person looks like working or not should not be relevant. <S> Performance should be relevant. <S> If that worker makes more stuff than others, where is the problem? <S> This person works another way than the average. <S> Is probably not able to stay focused as much as its colleagues. <S> Is able to make the job anyways. <S> Well, then it's time to use that person the way it works. <S> Not all workers are similar. <S> Some need a lot of sweat to get things done. <S> Others need a lot of pause time to get things done. <S> That being said, there i one situation in which those people can be a problem : it's when jealousy arises, and the whole team spirit falls down. <S> It does not happen often, to my experience, but it may happen. <S> In this case, strict measures shall be taken. <S> But in other cases, why do you want to get rid of someone more productive than his colleagues? <S> EDIT : <S> from your Edit, I understand that you've got 2 objectives : <S> Prevent him from surprising behaviours that may provoke dangerous delays in your operations. <S> Point 2 is especially important, and changes somewhat my point of view on the topic. <S> It means he cannot work as others do. <S> You don't discipline an artist, basically. <S> You leave him place to express himself - if you have this place. <S> You need to feed him with more difficult tasks, but also tasks that can afford to be late if he's not in the mood that day. <S> Overall, at the end of the week, he'll have done far more things(and far more complex) than others. <S> Others, though, will have done things that are time-critical. <S> Of course, the thing is : do you have such tasks? <S> If not, maybe such a high potential worker is not suited to this team. <S> And it's also easier for others to accept a worker with a different schedules if he's doing other tasks. <S> It's only a partial answer to point 1, but still. <A> Fire him. <S> If he accepts then assign him the same tasks as before. <S> It should go without saying that you must create a genuine contractor position for him; you cannot simply call reclassify him as "contractor" and leave all else unchanged. <S> If any of his former co-workers complain, offer them the same deal.
| Formulate a plan where this employee can start mentoring your other employees how to be as efficient as him. Keep the other workers working and not looking at him Treat him as an external employee, rather than an in house employee. If you"ve got challenging tasks, OTOH, dump them on him : he'll love them. Now that he is unemployed, offer to engage him as a contractor and pay him by work accomplished, at approximately three times the rate calculated from his previous performance.
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How to reply to repeated emails that I am the wrong recipient for? I've been getting emails addressed to me that have nothing to do with me, nor are they even remotely related to my area (e.g. I'm in IT, and the emails are to do with legal). I have responded similar to this response in the past, as I worked out that there's someone with a similar name to me who sounds like they work in the relevant department. However, that person doesn't work here anymore (and judging by LinkedIn, hasn't for a few years now). These emails are asking for approval, and often have requests for an urgent response to meet some kind of deadline. I am not the only person on these emails, they are coming from an internal email address, and the emails are asking various people to approve various things in the attachments (I'm not sure what is in the attachments, I haven't opened them). I have looked up the sender and the other recipients, and they are all related to the thing that's being talked about. I don't know where to start looking for the correct person to approve these things, and nobody in my area has any idea either. The email looks like it contains sensitive information in the attachments, so I also don't want to start CCing random people if they're not the right person. How should I respond in a professional way to get them to stop emailing me? To clarify, there are a lot of recipients because the email is asking for approval for things from various satellite offices around the world (one of which was run by my name-doppleganger before they left - the directory doesn't make it easy to find out who the replacement is). Nothing about the email screams "phishing scam" to me. I've received "reply-alls" from some of the other recipients for similar emails in the past, so I'm fairly confident it's a legit email. I haven't called the sender in the past as they're in a different timezone, but it sounds like the best course of action is to leave them a voicemail. Thanks for all the replies and the warnings to be alert for phishing emails. It never hurts to be cautious. <Q> Look up the sender in your company directory and call them. <S> You say this email came from an internal source. <S> You also say that you've already tried responding with a polite email in the past. <S> This is a problem that can be solved very simply by picking up the phone and calling them. <S> This allows you to do a few things: Verify that the sender is actually a real person at the company Verify that the sender actually did send the emails and isn't being impersonated Guarantee that the sender receives the message that they are contacting the wrong person. <S> It is not your job to determine who the emails should be going to, but it is your responsibility to notify someone. <S> Once you have spoken to someone (and not just voicemail), you can safely and guilt-freely ignore any further emails. <S> If you learn that the emails are actually a phishing attempt, be sure to notify your IT security so that they are aware of the issue. <A> I don't know where to start looking for the correct person to approve these things, and nobody in my area has any idea either. <S> The email looks like it contains sensitive information in the attachments, so I also don't want to start CCing random people if they're not the right person. <S> It's not your problem to find who these emails are meant for. <S> My take on this would be to contact HR and ask them where these emails should be forwarded to so that they can be dealt with. <S> I say HR over your boss because it may also be that your boss should not see the content either. <S> One caveat. <S> Taking account of Dan's comment to the question, my answer is based on the emails being legitimate. <S> So don't look at any attachments or click on any links. <S> (Anecdote Ahead) <S> In one place I worked the admin was asked to follow up on all the people who had not been up to date with filing their expense report paperwork. <S> Somehow this admin emailed the spreadsheet containing the as list of all the people in the company and their current expenses account information to everyone in the company. <S> 10 minutes later came the email requesting that we all deleted the spreadsheet that we received. <S> (Second anecdote) <S> At least you don't have someone faxing documents to the phone on your desk instead of the correct fax number - I've had to deal with that too. <A> How should I respond in a professional way to get them to stop emailing me? <S> First I suggest you inform your boss about this situation . <S> Hopefully he can come up with a proper course of action for you to handle this situation that fits to your company's politics. <S> Now to reply to that person it would be again wise to check with your boss on whom to redirect the sender when this happens. <S> If this starts getting annoying (as it seems to be), you can try: Greetings JohnDoe. <S> I am afraid you have an incorrect email address, as I am not familiar to what you are asking. <S> I suggest you contact <S> my company's Client Service Dept. <S> for them to be able to communicate you with the right person. <S> Cheers. <S> Or well redirect them to the recipient your boss indicated. <S> Another alternative that you may consider is to just ignore those emails, or filter them out . <S> I would only recommend this after checking with your boss about the proper way of handling these situations and if the sender continues to mistake the emails after being provided with the correct recipient. <A> Don't respond. <S> If they are sending an email to someone that has not worked there for years it is their problem. <S> It is likely a fishing expedition.
| But I would say that it is your duty to bring notice to the correct people that you are receiving company sensitive emails by error. It may be that you are subject to a phishing attack.
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How can I help team members be more discreet and judicious? I am an IT Auditor and the lead for the team. Our team has access to very sensitive data such as: Audit findings Pen testing results / vulnerability scans Audit committee correspondence If some of these items are not kept confidential prior to being remediated, (e.g: pen test report), then security vulnerabilities of the company may be exploited by insiders. Other items such as audit committee correspondence contain sensitive corporate governance information meant only for a few select teams / individuals to know . Today, a team member started to discuss information classified as sensitive at lunch where colleagues from multiple outside teams were present. I cut the person off and reminded him not to discuss sensitive issues outside of the select individuals who needs to be privy to this information. This has been the second instance in about 3 months when this team member made the judgment lapse. All employees take security awareness training annually in which data protection / disclosure is covered. I can be very prescriptive by setting and enforcing rules but want to take a more personable approach to solve this issue. In my profession, (InfoSec and IT GRC), discretion and restraint are necessary traits for an employee to have. In my previous question here, I encouraged team members to rely more on their professional judgement. By taking a prescriptive approach through strict enforcement of rules, I feel I would send a mixed message to the team. Listing exactly what information should / should not be shared with whom is not feasible because the decision depends on circumstances of the situation. How can I encourage team members to be more discreet and show better restraint when discussing issues without relying solely on enforcement of rules?** <Q> You have two directions of action: toward your team and toward your managers/organization. <S> Toward your team : sanction violations when you are aware of them (like you did in your example) remember the team the vital importance of keeping confidential information as such, i.e. during team meetings reserve some time to get back on the topic <S> lead by example <S> Toward your organization : make visible that a training once a year is not enough propose to set up a reward program for good behaviors (i.e. reporting problems, suggesting improvements, security tip of the month award, etc.) <S> so that the employees perceive the importance of keeping confidential information reserved for the entire company, and not just because you are the one who nags about it <A> How can I encourage team members to be more discreet and show better restraint when discussing issues without relying solely on enforcement of rules? <S> While clear rules are good (and IMO essential) to ensuring secure behavior in situations like this as you've discovered humans aren't always great at following them when the rule is all they have, it's too easy to fall into the trap of seeing the rules as arbitrary or even as unnecessary. <S> You're always going to get better compliance with them if you can get the staff to buy in to the goal of the rules. <S> To do that you might find it beneficial to explain in plain language to them <S> why the rules exist and what the potential damage could be if someone doesn't keep to them. <S> If you can explain how a breach would hurt them (not just in the context of being disciplined for not following the rules) all the better. <S> Something like: <S> These rules are there to protect the company - and if the company gets hurt badly by a security breach <S> then it may not be able to continue to afford to pay us <S> so these aren't arbitrary rules or a stick to beat you guys with. <S> They are there for your protections and that of the company <S> so I need you all to adhere to them and to err on the side of caution when it comes to discussing/revealing any potentially sensitive information <S> you are privy to. <A> Simply remind all team members of their responsibilities in this respect. <S> Can I remind the team that no one should be discussing confidential/sensitive information with people outside the team, or in places where those discussions can be overheard by others. <S> Please let me know if there's any questions. <S> Email should be fine for this.
| The team should be aware (through their training) of the need and reasons for discretion, but just need reminding to keep their mouths shut.
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Should I ask my boss for evaluation talk? I'm not sure what's the right English term for it, but I know that people have some kind of a conversation, about their accomplishments and such after some time on a new job, with their boss. Things to improve, to reevaluate and such. I now work as a software developer (junior), my first serious job ever. It's been 4 months since I've started. My personal relationships with my boss/supervisor are quite good, mostly only professional, we almost never talk about anything not related to job (there have been 2 times in the last month that we talked about personal things (not that personal, just not technical), a 1 minute talk each time). When I have a question I feel free to ask him, and he looks quite happy to help me, so I'm pretty sure we're on the same wavelength. However I do have some doubts about my integration in the team/office. Not something specific, I just feel that I'm expendable and can be fired the moment somebody somewhere decides so. I don't worry about it 24/7, it's not that bad, but I do wish to have a greater connection to my boss at the least. I sometimes get a feeling that the best situation my boss could wish for, is if I were sitting there for a whole day, fixing bugs, and never interfere with anything else. I guess it might be just my inner anxiety? Anyway, I'm looking for advice about making my position in the company stronger. And first things first, I want to know what you guys have to tell about me asking my boss for a personal evaluation talk (or however it's called). My worries are as such: Is it unprofessional to -explicitly- ask a supervisor what he thinks about me Would I be seen as too uncertain (which isn't such a positive trait) Will my boss think that I think poor of our relationships Sounds too anxious, but what if my boss never thought about my evaluation and my question will make him finally figure out that I'm not that good I do hope to get some constructive feedback and improve myself from that talk, but again, I feel that things could go wrong from just asking about it. P.S. I'm in my 20s, my boss is in his 30s (both men). The stage is Israel. As far as I know, ethics and such here are close to Europe's, maybe less harsh. <Q> It sounds like you're referring to what we'd call a "performance review" or "appraisal" in the UK.. <S> here these are generally conducted periodically on a calendar schedule. <S> Typically you'll have one at least annually <S> but it's not uncommon for them to happen quarterly or bi-annually in some companies. <S> From what you've written in your question it doesn't really sound like you have anything to worry about in terms of your performance (good managers don't wait for a scheduled appraisal before delivering any negative feedback). <S> As regards your concerns about having a "greater connection" with your boss, again I don't think there's too much to worry about there <S> - you've only known him 4 months and it can take time for a rapport like that to develop. <S> And some people just aren't that in to having personal conversations with colleagues, work is after all the reason why you are both there! <S> If more time goes by and you haven't had an appraisal-type meeting with your boss <S> I suppose.. <S> but that's kind of implied). <A> Is it unprofessional to -explicitly- ask a supervisor what he thinks about me <S> Why would it be? <S> You could get him during say a coffee break and ask his opinions about you on the ground that "there's always room for improvement". <S> This statement will make your question appear fitting and suitable both in cases he has a positive or negative opinion. <S> Would I be seen as too uncertain (which isn't such a positive trait) <S> I think you'd rather look like a proactive guy striving for improvement and not settling for mediocrity. <S> And anyway, you've been there for 4 months, a certain amount of uncertainty is acceptable. <S> Will my boss think that I think poor of our relationships <S> Why would he? <S> What does your relationship with him have to do with you asking him opinions about performance? <S> That would be off-topic. <S> Sounds too anxious, but what if my boss never thought about my evaluation Now, come on: you have a boss <S> and you think he hasn't already judged/evaluated/assessed you? :D <S> ;) <S> A manager's job is, well, managing... and evaluating employees is part of his job. <S> Moreover, I wouldn't overthink making a stronger connection with your boss. <S> Again, you've been there for 4 month: as per my experience, it took my boss 1 year to open up to non-job subjects during chit-chats. <A> I felt the same way as you when I started on my first job, about not doing meaningful tasks or not being integrated to the rest of the team. <S> Let me tell you that over time that feeling should go away. <S> As everyone else said, performance reviews usually need a longer period of time to be somehow meaningful. <S> Probably if you ask for one now you'll get a "we will do one in 2-8 months" or a very short <S> "don't worry you are doing fine". <S> So my recommendation is that you ask if this activity is going to be done sometime and when, and only ask for a meeting if you have particular concerns/topics in mind.
| it's perfectly reasonable to ask him if you can have a quick one-to-one chat about how you are getting on, and this shouldn't be perceived negatively - especially if you approach it from a point of view of asking them if they are happy with your performance and if there is anything more they want to be doing (or not doing
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Recruiter wants to call me as a reference for a former colleague but didn't tell me who I have been mailed by a recruiter who told me that a former colleague of mine gave him my contact details to serve as a reference. He asked to set up a phone call but never actually told me who the colleague was! It's the first time that I've been asked to serve as reference for someone and I did not talk with anyone recently about being a reference. So I have no idea who we will be talking about. When replying to suggest a time frame for the phone call, is it appropriate to ask the recruiter the name of the person who listed me as a reference? Side note: I took into account the possibility that I misinterpret the mail and the recruiter wants to contact me with a job offer since I have been recommended by that unknown former colleague. However, since the mail subject says "Request for reference" I tend to think that they really are asking for a reference. On the other hand I also consider the possibility that they just use this as a door opener to get in touch about a job offer. <Q> is it appropriate to ask the recruiter the name of the person I should be a reference for? <S> It's perfectly appropriate. <S> I would never agree to give a reference for someone without knowing who it was ahead of time. <S> I might want to call and get the story straight. <S> I often ask the individual if there is something they would like me to emphasize or something they would like me to avoid. <A> It's absolutely appropriate. <S> How can you give a reference for someone without knowing who it is you're giving the reference for? <S> However before you reply to this email at all, you may want to take a minute to consider that perhaps the reason they didn't identify the person is because it's a phishing scam, trying to get information about you (such as, for example, the information that your email address is valid and being actively monitored and therefore may be a good target for future scams.) <S> I would double-check the recruitment company this person works for. <S> Make sure it's real, make sure any contact information in the email lines up with contact details you can find online for this company, etc. <S> Assuming the sender seems legit, <S> Use that time to contact that person independently and confirm that (a) they are applying for a job and (b) <S> they want you to act as a reference for them. <S> I'm sure you wouldn't want others giving out goodness only knows what information about you to a random "recruiter" without their knowledge, so you should give whoever this is the same courtesy. <S> Maybe I'm just being paranoid, but this out-of-the-blue request is setting off a lot of alarm bells for me. <A> I agree that it is OK to ask, and that you should check for possible e-mail scams, but I would take it a stage further than suggested in the question. <S> I would not even commit to the phone call, let alone schedule it, until after finding out who the reference is for, and checking with that person. <S> It may be someone for whom you do not want to give a reference. <A> It is appropriate to ask the recruiter, the name of the person who has given your name as a reference. <S> However if you are able to recall any such incident where you have given permission (may be during a casual talk) to any of your colleagues, then there is no wrong in attending the call. <S> Some guys forward a questionnaire as well (or request to fill it online). <S> As there is no questionnaire mailed to you, probably 30 minutes would be fair enough. <A> This sounds like spam. <S> I wouldn't reply at all. <S> The recruiter forgets to mention the name of the person he's asking about. <S> The person who asked you for a reference forgot to remind you about it. <S> If one of those things happened, I can understand. <S> But if both things happened at the same time, I'd say this was spam. <S> As you say, there is also the other possibility that the email is purposefully being deceitful to try to recruit you. <S> That too, I would avoid replying to. <S> If the recruiter is spamming me with a deceitful message, that means that if I work with him, he'll use my resume to spam other people with deceitful messages. <S> And I don't need that. <S> I need to be able to trust the recruiters I work with.
| definitely ask who you're expected to give a reference for and schedule a delay of a few days before talking to the recruiter. It may be an attempt to get information about the subject of the phone call without their knowledge and consent.
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Recruiter gave me answers to an upcoming interview I have an on-site interview tomorrow. The recruiter who put me in contact with them called me today and "prepped" me by giving me the questions I was going to be asked tomorrow and what the solutions are (roughly). I was completely taken aback by this blatant violation of fairness. Should I inform the company that this recruiter is "cheating"? <Q> Should I inform the company that this recruiter is "cheating"? <S> This is really up to you, if this is against your ethical standards then by all means inform them about this situation. <S> In that case I would suggest you wait until you see the real questions you are given, to confirm if they are indeed the same ones as that recruiter gave you . <S> Perhaps the recruiter was just giving you some clues on how the interview might go, and not necessarily the real questions to be used. <S> Again, you should think and decide if this is something you want to do (and given this new evidence, if this company is a place you want to work). <S> As far as we can tell, this could also be some sort of "test" to "measure" your ethical guidelines, so this seems to be a situation where you really have to be yourself and follow your ethical guidelines and your gut. <S> Edit: <S> Seems that indeed the recruiter may have some ulterior motives for wanting to eagerly give you those questions and answers. <S> Given this new light, you will still have to think this thoroughly (pondering your personal and ethical guidelines) to make up your mind to what you want now from this. <S> If you no longer wish to work there, but feel reluctant to tell about this situation, you can still go to the interview (and find out the truth so you can decide properly) and then politely decline any offer you may receive (for "personal reasons", "company culture", or the reason you prefer). <S> Anyways, it would be wise to start looking for other jobs elsewhere , just in case this doesn't work out well. <A> Yes it's unethical. <S> Yes it looks bad for the hiring company. <S> Yes it IS bad for the recruiter. <S> However, stuff like this happens every day, all over the world. <S> This is NOT an ethics test as has been suggested, the recruiter simply wants you to get the position. <S> Clearly they want their commission, but you would not be in this situation <S> were it otherwise. <S> It may also be the case that you are the best person locally that they have found for the job. <S> From the hiring companies perspective though, for 95% of candidates, you and your recruiter are one. <S> If they should lose trust in your recruiter for whatever reason then any potential candidates they have recommended will also be thrown out with them, that's you. <S> You have been given a leg up to win this position, if you want it, even though you did not ask for this help, yet here we are. <S> Do you accept their help, but bend your moral compass and get the job or do you keep to your honor code and confess your part and shoot your career with this company squarely in the face? <S> Your answer will tell you how much you want the job. <S> Either way will challenge your conscience, good luck <A> How do you come out ahead here by disclosing to the company? <S> If they don't discipline the recruiter then you admit not youranswers. <S> If they do discipline the recruiter then you are likely thrown out withthe bath water. <S> In the future just don't use this recruiter if you think they are unethical. <A> First of all, how did the recruiter got to know the possible questions even before the interview. <S> That could be because of two reasons: <S> The recruiter is sharing the experience of their previously recommended candidates(on which he/she got rejected or selected) and wants you to be fully prepared by gaining from the previous question and these might not be the exact questions just their previous experience. <S> The client representative themselves might have shared them with your recruiter(for their commission from the recruiter), which surely seems unethical to me. <S> Then its all up to you how you want to proceed further. <S> So, in both cases I would prefer to talk to somebody senior in the recruiter firm and see if they are aware of the situation(especially for the second case). <S> Now from the recruiter's benefits perspective, you getting through the client interview is beneficial for them and they might have been doing this for very long time, which hints that there is not much that you can expect even if you report the situation. <S> So to me it boils down to a personal level to decide how do I proceed for is its unethical.
| The recruiter doing this probably means he is greatly interested in your profile, and wanted to make sure you got the job (not the best way to do it, though).
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How can I pad out my appraisal objectives? I am a software developer and we are having an appraisal for the past calendar year.One of the sections in the appraisal form indicates that I have to list five objectives and score them accordingly. My problem is, if I have only worked on 2 projects the past calendar year, how am I supposed to fill up the others?Would someone from the software development industry and also others give some advise please. <Q> If an objective does not need to be tied to a concrete project, objectives could be: Learning new skills <S> Helping team mates Recieving help from team mates Automating processes Improving estimates Dealing with non-programmers <A> Do you only do one thing on each project? <S> If you do two things, then that's two objectives. <S> So if on project A, you're doing the preliminary design, and then you will specify the tests, then your objectives are: Deliver the completed design. <S> Deliver the test specifications. <S> And as morsor notes, objectives don't have to relate to a specific project. <S> Other things you do can become objectives. <A> For each project, you can make up many objectives: Doing the design Communicating with the business side <S> The actual implementation can have milestones Documentation Spreading the knowledge among other developers <S> Training of users <S> Rolling out the work <S> Setting up the monitoring <S> Writing tests Steady progress reporting during standups Coaching other developers working on the project <S> How you deal with setback Etc.
| Meeting deadlines Being proactive Dealing with change of requirements/feature requests Liaison with sysadmins/dbas/network admins/security/...
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Leaving internship early for full-time opportunity I am in the middle of my 1-year internship at the moment and I am quite satisfied. Although things are nice here, I have no interest in continuing here as full-time. Considering that, I have been thinking where I will be working next, which means I have already started looking for work opportunities. I also marked my online profile as "open". I have been offered with some really good positions at great companies. Since my internship won't be ending any time sooner, I told the first recruiter, that I won't be available before the end date of my internship (5 months from now) and he was totally fine with it. So, we started scheduling our interviews. A second recruiter has just approached me and he is not still aware that I am not currently available. This recruiter offers an outstanding position for which I am very interested in. I am worried about whether my current unavailability will push away the second recruiter's opportunity. The first opportunity is actually a program which is the reason it is time-flexible. The second one is a typical job opening which is certainly not going to be waiting 5 months for me. If the second opportunity is indeed an asap position and I get selected, should I abandon/end my internship and go work for them? The benefits of the second position comparing to my internship ones, are by far greater, so this makes me think: Why continue working for an internship salary when I can get a big full-time salary right now? I know leaving my internship is not nice, but is it unprofessional or totally unacceptable? Is there a way to professionally quit my internship early? Additional information: Location is UK. Contract is for one year but through a recruitment organization which also provides the accommodation. So, if quitting the internship, I will have to resign both from the work company and the recruitment company as well. <Q> Why continue working for an internship salary when I can get a big full-time salary right now? <S> Only you can answer this question. <S> If you have nothing left to gain, consider accepting full time work and getting your career in gear. <S> I know leaving my internship is not nice, but is it unprofessional or totally unacceptable? <S> No it is not unprofessional, and it is not "mean" either. <S> What would make it unprofessional is if you left without giving some sort of notice to allow them to find someone to do your part. <S> Is there a way to professionally quit my internship early? <S> Yes, give your manager a resignation letter which includes when your last day will be . <S> (Sending an email with this content is fine too) <S> The amount of notice will vary by location, in the US it is typically two or three weeks. <S> If you provide notice , and do you best to make the transition from you to the next person as <S> seamless as possible, you will have done your part and can leave with your conscience clear. <A> Other answers have covered this much better but quickly I'd like to reiterate that it's completely fine to move to a new position given you provide notice. <S> What sticks out to me from your question is that no, you haven't been offered a position, <S> to me it sounds like you've been offered an interview. <S> Forgive me if I'm wrong about that <S> but you should take the words of a recruiter with a pinch of salt - in my experience <S> most recruiters aren't even worth that (a pinch of salt that is). <S> I've known many budding developers that did all the right things coming out of education and had all the right qualifications (including industry experience like yourself), it still can take many interviews until an offer will stick. <S> I would have rather written this more concisely as a comment <S> but I have no rep as I mostly lurk on SE. <A> You should only remain at any given job if it makes sense for you to do so. <S> Even if your internship were a full time position, you're being offered more money, benefits, etc. <S> Why would you walk away from that? <S> If your employer deemed it advantageous to fire you, I can assure you that they would do so with no second thoughts. <S> Why would you hesitate to act in your own self interest under these circumstances? <S> Unless this internship is somehow a graduation requirement, do yourself a favor and go for the better, full-time position instead of sticking around to a worse paid, temporary one. <A> An internship is not a real job. <S> Let that sink in for a second. <S> An internship is not a real job. <S> The reason you do an internship is to be more successful in obtaining a real job. <S> Leaving your internship for a real job then should be entirely ok. <S> Because you're not doing a real job, the company shouldn't have any problems with it. <S> You shouldn't even consider nice or not nice. <S> Apparently the internship worked out so well that you got a real, better job before it was over. <S> Now I of-course know that many interns do real work. <S> And that's companies being not-so-nice and hiring interns for real jobs and instead of paying them real salaries they pay intern salaries. <S> When you started your internship you signed a contract. <S> There should be a notice period in your contract. <S> Play by rules and stick to that notice period. <A> A paid internship always comes with a contract, which should specify the notice period you have to respect. <S> If the notice period is not specified, statutory minimum notice periods apply, which AFAIK is one week if you're employed for less than 2 years in UK. <S> Make sure you respect this obligation, and nobody will call you unprofessional for leaving for a better opportunity. <S> Of course, the situation is a little different if this internship is a requirement to get a degree (typical for final-year students): you still can leave your internship on the same terms as above, but if you do, you don't get your degree.
| If you have multiple job offers, weigh the pros and cons of each and make an informed decision. Many people, particularly in the Software industry will take interviews while in employment and might hop between companies (especially start-ups).
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Mentioning the gap period in my latest resume I have taken a break from my software development career four years ago. I plan to return to the industry and I am updating my resume and the cover letter accordingly. I am planning to mention in my covering letter that I have taken a break owing to personal obligations. I have two questions to ask. Can I mention that the break was owing to personal obligations? Do I have to mention that it was a four year break? <Q> First, I hope the obligations that motivated your break turned out as well as possible. <S> I once took a break to help my family as my grandparents' health took a turn for the worse and, while the end was sad, to this day I value that time immensely. <S> You'll need to have a solid, confident answer to, "Why did you take a break?" <S> Are you comfortable talking about the reason for stepping away? <S> If not, that's just fine. <S> What's most important here is that you have confidence that you made the right choice for you, and that you project that confidence. <S> For mine, it was, "I took some time to help my family as my grandparents were passing," but it could just as easily have been, " <S> Some matters in my personal (or family) life needed my full attention for a while. <S> I've settled them now, and I'm ready to focus on my career again. <S> " If they follow up wondering why (which they really shouldn't), I might say something like, "It's nothing related to my work life, and really no cause for concern, but I'm not comfortable discussing it." <S> Practice <S> this answer, out loud, with a friend . <S> Get yourself into a groove where you've said it enough times that you feel good about the sound and rhythm of it. <S> Sounds corny, but helps you avoid feeling awkward and tossing in more details than you want to if they're quiet or seem curious, and it will guaranteed up your confidence in delivering it. <S> Meanwhile, did you do anything during this time that was related to your professional life? <S> If so, you should consider putting it onto your resume. <S> And again, if not, that's just fine <S> — don't feel like you have to stretch yourself or the truth to make sure there's something on your resume during this time. <S> Volunteering, working on community projects, etc. <S> all might have relevant skills and experience that are worth including. <S> Keep in mind, you're not looking to make the gap disappear via this, just sharing things you've done to continue to hone your skills and stay somewhat current. <S> Welcome back, and good luck! <A> If the reason of the break is because of personal obligations, I would mention it. <S> When questions are asked related to this, you can choose to answer or not. <S> I think adding it is a better idea than just leaving a gap. <A> Can I mention that the break was owing to personal obligations? <S> You definitely can mention this. <S> As an employer I appreciate when a CV or cover letter explains something that I would just ask about otherwise. <S> In this case, mentioning why you took a break could avoid misinterpretation (you lost motivation, struggled to keep up with the tech, etc). <S> Do I have to mention that it was a four year break? <S> You don't have to mention it, but it will be evident from your CV anyway. <A> In fact, saying that will display your honesty. <S> On the other hand, mentioning that you were on a break for 4 years might not work-out in the right way. <S> Mention it if asked. <S> Otherwise, not needed at all. <S> Source: <S> Personal experience <A> 4 years of gap is bit more challenging to explain <S> so you should be ready with the proper answer, don't mention just personal obligations over in CV.Here <S> is an example of my friend who took 2 years of gap for travelling the world "' <S> After an enjoyable and very successful 5 years with XYZ I took a carefully planned two year career break travelling throughout ABC."so <S> this is how yo should explain your career break. <S> I hope you will like this answer. <S> Thank You.
| Mentioning it explicitly helps convey that it's not something that you are trying to hide. Mentioning that you were on a break due to personal obligations is not wrong.
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Is it appropriate to ask about company's reputation during interviews? Let's assume you are going to have the final interview with a company. And through your professional networks, you know someone who worked there before, but at a different department from which you are interviewing for. And they tell you from their experience that it is not a great place to work, always stress and burnout workplace, more like a churn. Besides, you also read employees' reviews about the company on their site, and it is a mixed reputation. Some say it's good, some say it's bad (comparing to IMDB, the company's rate is 6/10) Now, is it wise or appropriate to ask the interviewers about these during the final interview, to make sure that everything is alright. Or what is the best approach to bring it up to interviewers? <Q> Do not ask them about their reputation. <S> There is nothing good that will come of it. <S> If you actually want the job, this will just give the interviewers the impression that you may not want to work there. <S> Also, it is their job to sell the company and show how working there is in your best interest (if they want to hire you). <S> So asking them about it will either lower your position as a potentially candidate, or you will just get told its untrue and this place is a great place to work. <S> Take the information you have before you and decide if you still want to work there (knowing what you do now). <S> If you do want to work there, forget what you heard and go into it like every other interview. <S> If you don't want to work there anymore, then just pull out and keep looking. <A> Any answer you get from them will be about as far from objective as you can get - if they tell you the company is great <S> you won't have any way of knowing if they are telling you the truth, <S> even if they hate the company and spend every waking moment fantasizing about burning the place to the ground the fact remains that they are still working there and therefore have nothing to gain by bad mouthing the company to a virtual stranger and quite a lot to lose. <S> If they tell you the company is bad to work for then that tells you more about them <S> then it does about the company - someone unprofessional enough to say that sort of thing as an interviewer probably doesn't have good professional judgement and their opinion should be taken with a whole sackful of salt anyway. <S> So either way you still don't have any information you can really act upon <S> and you risk coming across as a negative person to them by asking in the first place <S> so I would highly recommend against doing this. <A> Is it wise or appropriate to ask the interviewers about these during the final interview, to make sure that everything is alright. <S> Or what is the best approach to bring it up to interviewers? <S> It may not be wise to confront an interviewer, but I think it is wise to use the interview to get as much certainty as you can about whether this is the right place for you. <S> 1. <S> Ask the interviewer to describe their working environment (open question rather than accusation). <S> If there are major issues then they may use the opportunity to set expectations accordingly. <S> Either way, you will get additional info that you can try to interpret, and if they are the hiring manager also be setting expectations with them in case you do take the job. <S> 2. <S> Approach your network contact and see if you can get a more nuanced picture. <S> Their experiences may be more about peers, direct managers, particular offices etc. <S> This input has to be interpreted as well <S> (disgruntled ex-employees aren't necessarily providing a neutral view either). <S> Ultimately you will need to make up your own mind and are not likely to have conclusive "evidence" so it will be a judgement call. <S> The interview should be one of these sources. <A> Now, is it wise or appropriate to ask the interviewers about these during the final interview, to make sure that everything is alright. <S> Or what is the best approach to bring it up to interviewers? <S> Definitely <S> Yes, you absolutely want to inquire about their reputation. <S> Your potentially going to go to work for them which is a huge commitment. <S> How you ask for the information you need to make an informed decision is the key. <S> You need to ask in such a manner that you get the information you need, without being too direct or perceived as rude . <S> For example, you could ask something along the lines of this: <S> I noticed your reviews on glass door are all negative. <S> How would you respond to that? <S> ( Not I have heard this place is a sweat shop, is that true? <S> ) <S> Remember, during an interview, its just as much about you getting information you need to make a decision as it is about the company. <S> Just don't be rude about it. <A> No, don't go straight to the point asking about their reputation. <S> Then try to read among the lines of their answers.
| There's nothing to be gained by raising this in an interview with them. If you want to have some information on the work environment, you can for example ask what is the turnover rate for the office you are joining, or ask the interviewers what they like and what they would improve in their job. The best you can do is to get as much information as possible, and understand the context so that you can interpret in the best way.
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How do I tell a coworker not to keep asking me to pass on illness/absence messages to our manager? Maybe I'm being petty, but my friend and co-worker has, on a few occasions now, asked me to tell our manager that e.g. he's not working today or that he'll be working from home because he's sick or something else came up. This seems a bit abnormal to me. I did it once as a favour but I'm not comfortable with it. He has appropriate contacts for our manager (I made sure of this after the first time) and it seems like he just doesn't want to have to contact them. As far as I'm concerned it's entirely his responsibility and it feels unprofessional for me to relay the message. Thinking that his priority should be to let them know rather than me anyway, I've told him that he should probably email our boss "just so that they aren't asking why they're hearing it from someone else". Could I have phrased that better? How do I politely bring him round to my way of thinking (i.e. that it's him they should hear it from)? Update: @Lilienthal mentioned in a question that his behaviour would make more sense if the manager wasn't available and my friend wouldn't be able to contact him as soon as he was. In my scenario, the manager (probably) hadn't started work at the time when I was asked to notify them. However, the manager would have been contactable by email (which my friend knows) and there wasn't really anything stopping him from calling the manager in ~20-30 min. <Q> Could I have phrased that better? <S> How do I politely bring him round to my way of thinking <S> (i.e. that it's him they should hear it from)? <S> I would <S> rather they hear this straight from the horses mouth ". <S> To elaborate further, this is actually not a good idea. <S> What if they say " Hey let the manager know I am sick ", and you get busy and forget? <S> Your friend could be fired for not showing up to work.... <S> I would suggest that you let them know that you think its best to follow company policy and that your friend/co-worker should deliver their own updates to the manager. <S> This way you are not responsible for the content of the message or how its interpreted. <S> This is a case where you should really protect yourself a bit. <A> Point blank refuse. <S> No <S> I can't, you're the one who's calling in sick - why can't you tell him yourself? <S> You're right, he should be making that contact. <S> If he's well enough to contact you, he's well enough to contact the manager. <S> So, just refuse and tell him to self-report, the same as any sane person would do. <A> This seems a bit abnormal to me. <S> You're not off-base there. <S> It's atypical for someone to call out sick to a coworker by default. <S> For instance it would be different if your coworker notified you because he knew your manager wouldn't be in the office yet: " I'm taking a migraine tablet and that'll knock me out for 10 hours <S> , could you let <S> X know I won't be in today when you see him? " <S> But that's not the case here. <S> In situations where people are doing something strange and you don't know why, it's usually helpful to <S> ask them about it . <S> Say something like: <S> Hey, I've noticed you always contact me when you have to call in sick or won't be in and ask me to notify Mr. Weyland. <S> What's up with that? <S> Frankly, I doubt you'll get a convincing answer to this and suspect he'll just dance around his reluctance to communicate "bad" news to his manager. <S> But perhaps your manager told him to do this so you're also in the loop, who knows. <S> Assuming there are no compelling reasons why he's doing this, next you'd just tell him to cut it out. <S> Since you enabled him in the past, you're going to have to tell him that you can't call in sick for him any longer : <S> It feels kind of strange/weird/uncomfortable that you ask me to call out on your behalf so going forward <S> I'm going to ask that you contact Mr. Weyland yourself. <S> Odds are that he'll still call you after that. <S> If that happens just politely refuse : As I mentioned you should contact Mr. Weyland yourself. <S> Do you need his number? <S> You should tell him yourself but thanks for letting me know. <S> Get well soon <S> and I'll see you tomorrow! <S> [hang up] <S> Mr. Weyland will want to hear that from you <S> and I have to jump on another call. <S> Get well soon! <S> [hang up] <S> He should get the message after a few times. <S> If he doesn't roll your eyes, continue to refuse and accept that your coworker has weird quirk. <S> Or mention it to your manager if it's really bothering you, but it's a fairly trivial matter to escalate. <A> You are not being petty and don't let anyone tell you differently. <S> Going forward, your response to your co-worker should be: <S> No thank you. <S> That information is between you and the manager. <A> If you feel that your co-worker won't listen to your polite request, you could try 'stuck-record technique' from 'Assertiveness Training'. <S> It's really very effective - after stating your first request such as 'I'm sorry, but you need to tell him that yourself', you go into 'stuck record mode'. <S> This means you simply continue to repeat your request, like a 'stuck or broken record' (a CD that keeps replaying) - until he gets it. <S> Eg: <S> 'I'm sorry, you need to do that yourself'Him 'but Oh cant you just... <S> 'You ' <S> I'm sorry, you need to do that yourself'Him ' <S> oh <S> but I don't have time... <S> 'You 'I'm sorry, but you need to do that <S> yourself'Him ' <S> oh <S> but I'm sick... <S> 'You ' <S> I'm sorry, you need to do that yourself' Etc. <S> Until he gets it. <S> The key is - don't go into arguing with his details. <S> At. <S> All. <S> Do not get emotionally excited. <S> Simply coolly re-assert. <S> Like a stuck or broken record. <S> If he hangs up, send an sms of the assertion. <S> This technique works extremely well. <S> He will get it. <S> Stuck Record Technique is described on this page: <S> https://www.skillsyouneed.com/ps/assertiveness-techniques.html Hope this helps.
| What is key for you though is from this point on, don't do it. You could convey this information to your friend by saying something like: " Listen, I am not comfortable speaking on your behalf regarding your affairs to management. Just stay with the assertion.
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Should I open the door if I cannot verify that someone has an access card? I work at a popular hospital, and we use keycards/badges to enter buildings. If someone asks me to open the door for them should I oblige? <Q> The problem here is that you don't understand the reason the door has been secured. <S> You are part of this security apparatus, so it only works as well as you do. <S> If you don't understand the reason the door has been secured you are going to cause problems. <S> Some doors are secured to ensure only employees can access them. <S> Some doors are secured to keep a log of who has accessed them. <S> Some doors are secured to control the time of day they can be accessed. <S> Some doors are secured because the insurance company insisted. <S> Some doors are secured to control crowds. <S> The way you use your access has implications for any of these reasons. <S> Don't compromise the ones your company cares about. <S> Assuming your company cares about them all when it doesn't can actually hurt security. <S> It leads some who assume people don't care when they see them using the door in ways they don't expect. <S> That misunderstanding creates a group think impression that no one cares so anything goes. <S> No, if the company has no reason to care that you hold the door open for someone then it's OK to hold the door open. <S> But you have to be responsible for understanding why that's OK. <S> It might be OK because you know who they are. <S> It may mean you need to escort them to security where they can report a lost badge. <S> When you see this stuff happening and you don't understand, ask, verify, and teach others. <S> Security is a lot more than just a lock on a door. <S> It's also you. <A> If your workplace takes security seriously, then they will have two rules: <S> One, you never, ever, let anyone follow you through a door that you opened with a keycard. <S> Two, you never, ever follow anyone through a door that they opened with a keycard. <S> With these two rules, it is obvious that you don't let anyone through. <S> One, because you would be breaking the rules if you did, two because either they have a keycard, then they would be breaking the rules by following you, or they don't have a keycard, so they stay outside where they belong. <S> That would also apply to the person who was your boss when you left work yesterday, because you never know 100% that they are still your boss today or are fired. <S> And if you let your ex-boss in who was just fired, that could mean maximum trouble for everyone. <A> If someone asks me to open the door for them should I oblige? <S> You should ask to the management or HR of that hospital to see if it is permitted to do so. <S> You shouldn't do this altogether if the entrance has some sort of log record that matters somehow to the internal politics or operations (like keeping track of time inside, access instances, etc.). <S> This will surely mess with the record tracking and perhaps have consequences in total work hours or similar. <S> Besides, you never truly know when you are actually under a direct security threat, so protocols should be followed to the letter to prevent this. <S> Meaning that there is a security protocol doesn't mean you have to leave courtesy behind. <S> Just, make sure in what doors and situations <S> you can't do this.
| You can, however, open the door or hold it open to anyone in case that specific door doesn't have a key access or other is wise restricted .
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Approaching corporate for IP ownership to sell a software product built on company time Looking for advice on how to approach our corporate team with the best possible outcome for me. I work for a large software enterprise that targets very strict and specific markets and does not deviate at all. We make products, and are not a consulting software firm. So anything any developer works on aligns with one of our 8 products. No little side jobs for customers. I work as a lone researcher in which I am the only member of my team. Now I designed a piece of software in my research that will make my job a lot easier and will help our software product teams manage a housekeeping task. Now part of this product was written on company time using company computing resources and was something I came up with and had no management input other than good feedback for creating it. I now though see the market potential of this product and feel like it could make money on its own. The product does not belong in any of the markets we cater for as it is a software development aide, and none of our customers have anything to do with software development. With my contract stating anything I have worked on obviously belongs to the company, how can I approach our corporate team for ownership of the IP and permission to sell outside of the company. Should I be trying to offer them a percentage to have a chance at owning it? Should I potentially ask for funding to get it off the ground? Should I be feeling confident to be given ownership of the Intellectual Property? Thanks in advance for your time. <Q> In general on how to approach. <S> First talk to your manager about you as a separate business marketing directly outside the company. <S> If he/she is OK with it then you would talk to the lawyers about the financial arrangement but it is not likely to get that far. <S> Regarding the second. <S> Should I potentially ask for funding to get it off the ground? <S> If your company has focused software they are not likely to want to get into the venture capital business. <S> Should I be feeling confident to be given ownership of the Intellectual Property? <S> They are not likely to just give up ownership. <S> At best maybe a licensing or royalty type deal. <A> Should I be trying to offer them a percentage to have a chance at owning it? <S> This, or some sort of flat fee arrangement to compensate them for the time and resources they contributed is your best (and probably only ) viable option. <S> They're a business not a charity <S> so I think there needs to be something in it for them. <S> Should I potentially ask for funding to get it off the ground? <S> Unless they are very enthusiastic about an ongoing percentage based deal <S> I think this is a complete non-starter IMO <S> Should I be feeling confident to be given ownership of the Intellectual Property? <S> Even if it's not an area where they would look to commercially exploit themselves if they allow/encourage you to pursue it <S> and then it takes off they'll be risking losing an employee that they presumably value during their own business operations. <S> A financial incentive for it to succeed may possibly offset this but only if it's going to be worth more to them than the value you bring to their existing business. <A> You are likely in the same position as the creator of the famous McDonald's Egg McMuffin. <S> You used their time and resources, it is theirs. <S> You have ZERO rights to it. <S> That said, you COULD possibly work out an arrangement where you could build a department under you to market and sell this software by negotiating a spinoff department. <S> A third approach is that you could negotiate forming a subsidiary so that their name is not on the product, and if it takes off, they could always re-absorb the subsidiary. <S> Understand that any leverage you have in this comes from the fact that they don't currently handle this kind of software. <S> Your contribution and value will be only in getting it to market. <S> THAT is where you negotiate.
| You could also try to work out an arrangement where you could market it yourself and get commissions based on sales. I wish I could say otherwise but from what you've said here and from my own experience I'd have to say no.
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How to tell colleague to stop talking about xy? I'm on really good terms with my colleague, we go for lunch every day, we run our department and we communicate efficiently. However, he keeps telling me about xy all the time and I kind of am starting to get a bit tired of it. It's a really pleasant subject to him and matters a lot to him. Also I know I'm not good at being sensitive so I don't want to risk coming across as rude when I would ask that perhaps we could talk about something else. How can I say this politely? <Q> How can i say this politely? <S> " We have been talking a lot about INSERT TOPIC HERE, can we talk about something else please? " <S> After that is said, bring up a topic that will be mutually interesting to you both , and start a new conversation. <S> If they refuse to stop talking about INSERT TOPIC HERE , find someone else to eat lunch with. <A> Just tell him straight (and mess with his head a little at the same time). <S> Yeah, I know you're really into XY, but I'm concerned that you're getting fixated by this more than the problem it's trying to solve. <A> First of all let him talk a little about his favor subject, as long it is not offensive to you. <S> He would appreciate it and this will strengthen the friendship. <S> Then, after a few minutes change into a subject that is mutually interesting by saying something like "Meanwhile, what to you thing about ZZ ..."
| While he's trying to untangle this train of thought, surprise him by changing the subject.
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Job offer changed by company after acceptance? (1.5 year update) I just got a job offer in January for an IT position in a good company. Am out of work, so I need the job. It's a good company and a pretty good offer (though a little less on base pay than my previous gig). They had sweetened the deal a little with extra vacation and, I thought, bonus eligibility/payout in a few months (since it was the first of the year). However, a few days after the offer, the company called and said they messed up the date for the bonus in the letter. It should have read the next year rather than the current year (i.e., next year vs. a few months after starting). I pushed back a little, but, they said there is nothing they can do. My issue is that it was an offer in writing, it was accepted in writing, and now they are changing it after the fact and asking for my 'understanding'. I do understand, but, it leaves a bad taste in my mouth if you know what I mean. I'm not trying to be overly dramatic here, but, I also don't want to be a pushover. The overriding factor is that I really need the job and I think it should be a good company/job even with the slight pay cut. Comments? UPDATE:Thank you all. Just in line with what I was thinking... It was a clerical error and I understand, but, was weighing that against the 'it was an offer and what if the roles were reversed' and 'didn't want to be a pushover' kind of thing. Thanks much again. And, yes, it should be a good job and am hoping that will outweigh this little glitch. It is in an "employment at will" state, so, they can rescind the offer at any time with no repercussions and as one answer pointed out, I wouldn't want to come in with a rep of being difficult. It was just a little annoying to have something in the offer yanked out afterward with nothing other than 'sorry, our mistake'. It's a large company, so, a little good faith compensation wouldn't even be noticed on their bottom line. BTW, I think it was more the principle of the thing that bothered me. It was a done deal and I would never back out of something like that even if it was an honest mistake and it cost me. At least not without discussing with the other party and coming to an agreement on some sort of restitution to maintain good faith and the relationship. Thanks again for everyone's responses. They were all very helpful. (UPDATE): Took the job. It has been a good company. Received a promotion at 1 year and an 11% pay increase (along with a large bonus). Followed later by another (small) pay increase... So, they have made good and things are going well and my manager is frequently asking if I am satisfied and if I need anything from him. <Q> Take the job, wait it out and see what happens. <S> I had a similar "oops" <S> happen to me at my present position. <S> It turns out that the other benefits to working here far outweigh the "oops". <S> Do NOT push back anymore. <S> Take this as the opportunity it is. <S> At worst, this is a springboard to your next position, at best, the job could turn out to be far more satisfying than you thought. <S> Also, even though the offer was in writing, clerical errors occur. <S> If they had misplaced a decimal and had the offer for 10x what the salary should have been, you wouldn't expect them to honor that would you? <S> Don't try to rules-lawyer over an honest mistake or you will regret it, and <S> it's a bad thing to do regardless. <S> You don't want to have the offer rescinded or go in and have the reputation of being "difficult" from day one. <A> First, never take a job based on a benefit that may or may not ever be paid like a bonus. <S> Next, mistakes happen, that doesn't mean that the company is evil. <S> It is better in the long run for you to assume an honest mistake that immediately go to the idea that this is some sort of nefarious plot to bring down the workers. <S> This sort of thing is likely not within the control of the person who will be your boss, so don't let it make you think he will be bad or the job will be bad. <S> An HR person made a typo, that is all that happened. <S> And it's not like you are tied to this job forever. <A> While I agree in general with the other comments, I am curious -- were those conditions that they used to recruit you? <S> Would you have not signed off on the offer if that condition hadn't been there? <S> I find that important because if part of what attracted you to the job is gone, then that may lead to resentment of the job down the road, especially if more "oops" happen down the road. <S> In general, agreed with the others, don't push back too hard and ruin your opportunity if you really need the job, but if you would've passed otherwise, or if they lured you with benefits that don't match what you're going to receive, I'd say keep looking. <S> At the end of the day, do what's best for your situation. <S> Good Luck! <A> IMO don't take the job. <S> Best case scenario you are dealing with a sloppy employer that doesn't even bother correcting their mistakes to potential employees. <S> What most people today don't understand is that with IT, you are in a buyer's market, where the workforce not the employers drive the market. <S> Furthermore, tech companies do extensive research before they call you for an interview. <S> If you have social networks accounts with recent activity, they will know who you are, what you do, how you dress, talk, look like, what your hobbies are, who your friends are etc. <S> They will have most likely profiled you and contacted previous employers. <S> Although illegal, they might have also acquired financial information from previous employers about your pay, hence their "slightly less" than expected offer. <S> Bluntly speaking, your employer is most likely trying to use all available means at their disposal for getting as much work for as little pay as they can. <S> Changing a written offer after it was accepted is one of those means. <S> If you accept it, no one can fault you. <S> Just know you are being played. <S> Assuming your employer is not doing all that and what you see is just an honest mistake <S> , why didn't they try to make amends for it somehow? <S> Why are they not giving you more payed vacation to make up for the money they won't pay you this year? <S> They have many ways to woo a possible candidate, they just decided to not use any in your case. <S> The question you should be asking them is why.
| If you need the job, take it and be happy to have a job.
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Bored at work despite recognition from management - What to do? Context I am a Software Engineer and I work in a large software firm. It is my first job, but I had multiple open source projects before and I have a solid experience in software engineering. My firm knows it and has invested on me, with promotions I should not be able to have due to my work experience (promoted Senior Engineer after 2 years of employment for instance) and great projects with different roles : team leader, architect, developer, etc. Problem Despite all these great projects, I am currently bored, the company is still giving me great projects (my work is way more interesting than the average on this company) and more work than the others, but I have the feeling that I am not doing the best I can : I spend half of my day on SO, Google News etc. and I always finish my assignments before the deadlines. How can I address this problem with my manager ? (I'm not using my main SO account and I don't want to give too many details because I don't want my company to know I posted this) UPDATE FOR CLARIFICATION I have already asked, a year ago for more work, that's why I have multiple projects. I have already cleaned my desk, and when I say I don't know what to do for half a day it is quite everyday. I can't ask for more projects because most projects require full time employee and I can't improve the code because every code modification must be sold to the client before. My current attribution are : Software architect Technical expert (i.e. code reviews, training etc) Trainer (the firm has an inside training program) Past attributions : Team leader Trainee tutor <Q> In similar situations I have asked my manager for more work or studied for certifications. <S> If I absolutely had nothing to do (which can happen) <S> I'd clean up my workspace. <S> As far as approaching your manager goes, just go talk to them. <S> If you already have a workload similar to others, then volunteering for more work can be two-edged, you may end up with more than you wanted and come under quite a bit of pressure for no extra money. <S> This has happened to me early in my IT career, in later years I used the time to study, and at all times and in all industries cleaning my workspace was a good idea. <A> How can I address this problem with my manager ? <S> Before addressing this with your manager as a "problem", I suggest you considered finding something else to do in that time ; learn a new skill, get up to date on the latest trends on the techs you use, answer mails, put in order your desk or pending paperwork, etc. <S> The thing is that you could be using this time to strengthen your skills and knowledge, so you can become a better professional and in the way contribute more positive things to the company. <S> Few things your manager can to do stop you from "being bored"; that will depend on how you are taking the current tasks and projects you have. <S> he <S> / <S> she considers it and hopefully give you more interesting projects. <S> Now, if after trying all of this you continue to feel bored or that your job is no longer satisfying, you would be better looking for job somewhere else where you can have the load of projects that you wish to have. <A> Work on improving the company's tool set. <S> Is there an internal process that needs updating or improving? <S> Bring it up to your manager that Process X is time consuming and/or cumbersome and could be streamlined by implementing Y. <S> You will then have another project of your choosing that will benefit the company and doesn't need to be sold to the client. <S> It might also give you the opportunity to learn another language or methodology.
| If you still fell that you could be doing more (after using your spare time as suggested), I suggest you approach your boss and share all these new project ideas you have, so there is a chance
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Employer updated contract with an increased notice period I have been working at the company for 2 years now. I am an office supervisor and on a 1 month notice. Now the company is changing the employees contracts and increasing the notice period from 1 month to 2 months. All of us need to sign a new contract with this change and everyone finds it absolutely ridiculous. Are employers allowed to issue a new contract to increase the notice period to 2 months? If I object to this, what are my options? <Q> Whether you are a manager or not is irrelevent - a notice period above the statuatory minimum may be put in place for any job if both parties agree. <S> Notice though the key word there "agree". <S> From your mention of "Brexit" I'm assuming you are in the UK, that being the case they can't change your contract without your consent . <S> However you do need to make sure that they are aware that you aren't consenting to the change (remaining silent is generally seen as tacit agreement), if you want to fight the change then you have a few options: <S> You can refuse to work under the new terms You can continue to work under the new terms under protest, and are treating the change as a breach of contract Resign and claim constructive dismissal (and take your case to an employment tribunal) <S> As Dukeling points out in his comment below none of these three is likely to result in you still working there unless your employer is smarter than they sound and knows to back down <S> but the upside is that basically as long as you don't just keep quiet and do nothing you do have the law on your side <S> and they can't completely screw you over. <A> You are entirely free to refuse, and you are entirely free to negotiate about it. <S> And, in the U.K., there are reasonable protections against unfair dismissal, etc. <S> I was in a similar situation, I was given a contract with a longer notice period, I said I would sign it in exchange for a salary increase of £X - the company went away to think about it <S> and I heard no more. <S> Of course, there are those who actively want a longer notice period, as this cuts both ways (if there are redundancies, etc.) <S> But don’t feel stressed about just saying no. <A> I assume that the notice period works for both sides. <S> So you lose the ability to leave within one month, but you are also protected by two months notice period if you accept it. <S> So this change doesn't make things worse, it makes them different. <S> Of course it's up to you what you prefer. <S> Some people will be happy with that change. <S> You don't have to accept any contract change. <S> You have a valid contract. <S> You can't be fired for refusing to sign this contract. <S> You can be fired if you either behave in a way that is totally unacceptable, or if the company can prove that they don't need you anymore, that the work you are doing isn't anymore required, and they have no other work for you. <S> Which would be pretty hard to prove since they just offered you a longer notice period. <S> If a company thought they didn't need you, they would want a shorter notice period, not a longer one.
| The company has to honour the contract you originally signed, you are under no obligation to sign a new contract if you do not wish to.
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How can I find out the Local Requirements for Restroom facilities in an office? Given there is so many people that can be in a work space is there a minimum amount of bathroom the same space has to have? Who would oversee such rules and make sure that the rule is enforced? How can I find out what the requirements are for my location, and what to do if the facilities I work at are not up to code? Asking specifically for the United States. <Q> According to OSHA: Provide an adequate number of restrooms for the size of the workforce to prevent long lines <S> I know there are other factors involved, but this is what most companies will go by as a starting point. <S> The regulations are not hard and fast allowing the employer flexibility, notice the wording from the website . <S> OSHA link included for all the details you could want. <S> OSSA Bathroom Regs <A> The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) <S> section 213 <S> (pdf) specifies that the location of restrooms must be accessible to all: 213 Toilet Facilities and Bathing Facilities 213.1 General. <S> Where toilet facilities and bathing facilities are provided, they shall comply with 213. <S> Where toilet facilities and bathing facilities are provided in facilities permitted by 206.2.3 Exceptions 1 and 2 not to connect stories by an accessible route, toilet facilities and bathing facilities shall be provided on a story connected by an accessible route to an accessible entrance. <S> Section 213 also specifies the number of toilet rooms required: <S> no fewer than one toilet room for each sex complying with 603 or one unisex toilet room complying with 213.2.1 shall be provided. <S> Section <S> 603 <S> specifies the design of toilet rooms and plumbing in detail. <S> These requirements are neatly summarized in a third-party article called The ADA Compliant Restroom : 30-inch by 48-inch access to the sink (the door can’t swing into this rectangle). <S> The measurement starts from the point where a person has 9-inch vertical clearance for their feet and 27-inch vertical clearance for their knees. <S> The center line of the toilet must be between 16 and 18 inches from the side wall. <S> A clear circle of at least 60 inches around the side wall and 56 inches from the rear wall to allow a wheelchair to turn (the door cannot swing into the minimum required area for wheelchair-accessible toilet compartments). <S> A toilet seat height of 17-19 inches. <S> There is more information about the ADA also at access-board.gov . <A> Both @IamSoNotListening and @shoover have provided great answers from a Federal perspective but it is important to remember that in the United States laws are also designated at the state and local level as well. <S> OSHA and ADA lay out general outlines for requirements of businesses (and are a good start) <S> but I think you may be looking for something more specific that will only be found in your local building codes for commercial zoning . <S> These will largely be state and municipality dependent <S> Typically codes will be divided by specialty (such as electric code, plumbing code, fire codes, etc..). <S> Also typically there will be separate codes depending on the type of zoning you are working with (single family home residential, multiple family home residential, commercial, industrial, etc..) <S> So for example, if your business is in the city of Denver, Colorado you would refer to this Denver Build Codes, Policies and Guidelines link. <S> Other cities, states, and municipalities will have their own version of this information. <S> Worst case scenario - if you live in a very small town - you may need to go down to your local courthouse in order to get a hold of these laws. <S> In that case, I might recommend talking to a lawyer or professional builder who is familiar with the codes. <S> Lastly, you asked about enforcement... <S> OSHA has it's own enforcement policies <S> but there are also state employed building inspectors who are usually required to sign-off on any new building or major renovations. <S> These same departments will also field complaints about building compliance. <S> Just keep in mind that many older buildings are grandfathered into less stringent rules until they make a major renovation so at the end of the day you might be better served chatting with one of these building inspectors before you file any official complaints.
| so you'll have to search online (or talk to a general contractor) to get the rules for your area (key search words being: city , building code, zoning laws). Do not impose unreasonable restrictions on restroom use Ensure restrictions, such as locking doors or requiring workers to sign out a key, do not cause extended delays Allow workers to leave their work locations to use a restroom when needed
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