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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 t...	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.
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 fo...	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 ...
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 ...	I would approach the hiring manager directly and ask if you could apply.
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 hi...	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.
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 h...	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 p...
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 ...	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.
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 the...	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.
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...	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.
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 event...	This is valuable information to some organizations that if you include it belongs on your cover letter , not your resume.
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 tha...	If the manager doesn't value code quality and trust his developer judgement better than yours there is not much you can do.
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 sugges...	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: '
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...	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.
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 leavin...	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.
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...	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.
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 ...	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.
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 ...	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).
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 p...	In other words, customize your resume to the job at hand.
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 liter...	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 b...
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 ...	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.
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 sel...	It does look like you would be classed as an employee under IR35
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 pr...	Ask them about previous projects and how well they fit the budget/resources. Ask specific questions related to the job description:
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 unprofes...	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.
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 int...	When working with recruiter you should be able to get the acceptable salary bracket for the position.
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....	If you are approaching a company directly, you should run through your list during your first phone screen or interview.
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 thi...	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.
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...	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.
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 belo...	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.
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 work...	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
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...	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".
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...	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)
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...	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 tas...
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 mi...	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.
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 difficul...	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 h...
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 ...	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.
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 goo...	My advice to you is to wait for at least a week until you bug them about it.
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 b...	It's entirely a personal decision whether you think you are being appropriately compensated for the work you are doing.
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 ...	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.
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 ...	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.
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...	The best bet is to keep impressing upon your boss (Director of Technology) about the specific workflow/productivity problems you are encountering.
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 Thursda...	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 the...
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....	As per the Scotland website, it's solely dependant on where you live:
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 ...	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.
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...	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.
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, a...	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 e...
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 "o...	If you have a legitimate point of view, make it known.
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...	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.
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 offe...	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.
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 pr...	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.
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...	Just go, be part of the photo shoot, then give your notice once the details of your new job are formally worked out.
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...	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 l...
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 ...	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 As...
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'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.
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. T...	Normally companies do not ask for references from recruits that are actively employed somewhere else for that exact reason.
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 be...	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.
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...	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).
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 w...	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.
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 ...	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 polite...
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 t...	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.
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 t...	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.
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 o...	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...
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 interv...	You don't need to request the other interviewers email address.
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 (containin...	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 wi...
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 humi...	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 th...
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 off...	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 lo...
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 ...	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.
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 DW...	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 cooperat...
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 previou...	You shouldn't be too concerned with what the manager is doing to the employee that lied.
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-...	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.
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, an...	You figure out who you called out in public and apologize in private. Your real issue wasn't that you chose the wrong technology.
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 diff...	Before attempting to leave the position inform your manager immediately about the real situation.
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 a...	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...
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...	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.
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 proce...	It depends on where you live.
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 ...	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.
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 understandab...	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)
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 la...	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.
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 po...	I believe you should bring your data analyst resume.
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 ma...	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.
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 late...	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 t...
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 m...	No, do not mention where you want to be living at that point.
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 h...	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.
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 a...	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...
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 ...	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 i...
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...	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.
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 rem...	The team should be aware (through their training) of the need and reasons for discretion, but just need reminding to keep their mouths shut.
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...	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 do...
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 ti...	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.
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 violati...	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).
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,...	Meeting deadlines Being proactive Dealing with change of requirements/feature requests Liaison with sysadmins/dbas/network admins/security/...
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 start...	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).
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. ...	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.
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 ...	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 ...
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....	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.
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 par...	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 .
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 ...	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.
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 ...	While he's trying to untangle this train of thought, surprise him by changing the subject.
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 ex...	If you need the job, take it and be happy to have a job.
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 sho...	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
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...	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.
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 ar...	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 d...

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