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Non-disclosure agreement in a small business If a company hires me and tells me to work on my own laptop, and then makes me sign a non-disclosure agreement:who owns my code?do I get to re-use it?what exactly falls under the scope of the non-disclosure agreement? <Q> If a company hires me and tells me to work on my own laptop, and then makes me sign a non-disclosure agreement: who owns my code? <S> do I get to re-use it? <S> what exactly falls under the scope of the non-disclosure agreement? <S> You're confusing a non disclosure agreement (an agreement not to disclose business information to outside parties) with intellectual property (IP) ownership and IP assignment. <S> That you're working on your own laptop is not really what is important here, and the fine details of who owns code and intellectual property generated under employment are location and fact specific, and would require a lawyer and a thorough read of the agreement and contract you signed, but generally work done for hire for an employer belongs to that employer, <S> e.g. the code you write for them in exchange for payment is theirs. <A> If a company hires me and tells me to work on my own laptop, and then makes me sign a non-disclosure agreement: who owns my code? <S> do I get to re-use it? <S> what exactly falls under the scope of the non-disclosure agreement? <S> Working on your own laptop has absolutely no impact on your NDA whatsoever. <S> Unless the NDA says otherwise, which would be very rare, the code still remains the company's property. <S> You don't get to re-use it. <S> Separately but related - you should also clarify what the company's expectations are around hardware security. <S> I'd be asking if they now require that you encrypt that laptop with a boot password for instance, and whose responsibility is it if your laptop is stolen and the code falls into the wrong hands. <A> Your company will own your code (unless, in the unlikely event they break their contract in some way). <S> You don't get to reuse it except in other projects for that company, and you need to be really careful about this. <S> Copyright / ownership of code and other work product is not related to a Non Disclosure Agreement (NDA), which is designed to stop you from telling customers / competitors / etc about company specific information. <S> It would certainly cover specific algorithms, and might also cover telling people "Hey I'm working with technology X" on your blog. <A> Usually code you write for an employer belongs to the employer. <S> If you're an intern this is very likely. <S> May I offer some advice about this? <S> So think carefully about whether you want to do it. <S> One place I worked, a fellow employee tried to claim ownership of some fairly trivial code. <S> Our boss became angry, and said "I'm going to fire that guy." <S> I had to talk the employee down from his position about ownership. <S> I did so by showing him some very similar code online and saying, "look, your code is not worth the trouble of claiming ownership. <S> It's not unique. <S> " We managed to save his job. <S> But it wasn't much fun. <S> If the code you write has real innovative value: <S> Look at the agreement you signed with the employer to set your expectations. <S> It probably spells out ownership of work products. <S> Ask a senior colleague, not the boss, about what you should do. <S> Ask your employer whether you can make it open source and put it on Github. <A> I don't have a source to quote <S> but I'm pretty sure that, in the case of an internship in France, the company doesn't own the code you produce except if you sign a contract stating the contrary. <S> Edit : <S> Found a source (in french) : https://www.app.asso.fr/centre-information/base-de-connaissances/les-grands-themes/le-droit-dauteur/faq-qui-est-titulaire-des-droits-lorsque-loeuvre-est-creee-par-un-stagiaire
| Trying to claim you own code personally that you wrote for your employer can cause big trouble for you.
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How can I encourage a colleague to use a more productive communication style? I'm working with a remote colleague who is an expert in a technology we use in our current project. Often there are minor communication issues, some things get lost in translation etc. Nothing too serious or out of the ordinary, given that neither of us has English as a first language. The problem is: The colleague is eager to jump to conclusions, sometimes ending up arguing against something that was never proposed, wasting everyone's time and energy. Since most of our communication is done on a chat client, this quickly depletes everyone's attention span and I feel like I "lost an argument" I never made. The feeling that "I lost an argument". I don't often start arguments, I make technical points, and expect technical answers. The answers I get sometimes are more appropriate for more confrontational discussions, which I'm happy to put down to a difference of character. For example I'll get an answer This is bad, now I have to work the weekend to fix it , and I have to ask again to clarify exactly why "this" is bad. I'll eventually get the technical answer, but not after a while, since everyone's attention has drifted (see above). Minor emotional manipulation. I'm sure he doesn't do it on purpose, but it happens. For example I have to work on weekend to fix this - well, I don't care. It's his decision entirely what to do with his spare time. When I do get the answer I want I thank him profusely (but not too much) hoping to "train" him to the kind of communication style I prefer. My questions: Am I silly in doing what I'm doing? Is there a way to "help" people not to jump to conclusions, and ask questions instead? <Q> Am <S> I silly in doing what I'm doing? <S> I would not thank him profusely for being an ineffective communicator. <S> Take a look at my tips below to help your cause. <S> Is there a way to "help" people not to jump to conclusions, and ask questions instead? <S> I think one of the things you could do is say something like " <S> I see, now can you explain how you got to that conclusion? ". <S> Force them to elaborate.... <S> eventually perhaps they will learn to do more listening versus talking. <S> At this point most likely there will be gaps in the analysis so you can then say " Ok, but what about this, this, and that? <S> Perhaps we need to analyze this a bit more. " <S> In terms of the argument part, " Can you provide a technical reason for your position? " <S> In other words make them explain themselves thoroughly and do not allow none technical factors to enter into any decision. <S> As far as the emotional part, simply say " Working the weekends huh, who is forcing you to do that? " <S> When he says " Well it needs to be done <S> " you respond with " Well your making that decision to work, so that is on you. " <A> First, give this person the benefit of the doubt . <S> Text communication doesn't carry much emotional context, and it's unwise to infer that kind of thing from the text. <S> And, complaining about the workload is something he should do with his supervisor. <S> You can simply ignore that stuff. <S> Second, say what you might say in a face-to-face meeting: such things as "I hear you. <S> Let's cover that issue later, now we have some stuff to do." <S> If you were doing this in a formal public meeting, you might say "Point of order. <S> Let us confine our discussion to the business at hand." <S> Third, have a private face-to-face or telephone conversation (no text!) <S> with this person. <S> Talk about a specific recent incident and its effect on you . <S> Something like this. <S> "I have something to say. <S> Please hear me out. <S> I was frustrated yesterday while we were planning the farkle project. <S> You jumped to the conclusion that the framis was a problem, and we spent too much time on it. <S> That frustrated me, because finishing farkle is high priority for our team. <S> In future, will you please think twice about whether your points are relevant? <S> " This is a classic "I-statement." <S> Fourth, work with all your colleagues to develop a group convention for keeping things on track . <S> It might be as simple as a message saying "Off topic?" <S> on your chat channel. <S> That way you don't have to carry the entire burden of reining in this one chatterbox. <S> Most importantly: it's not only supervisors who can help groups develop good meeting habits. <S> You can make a significant contribution to that. <A> First of all, I would ignore the "training" part . <S> If this person indulges in passive-aggressive behaviour or has communications problems, it means he is not aware of some interpersonal dynamics and lacks the instruments to understand them completely . <S> This means, in turn, that he will likely not be able at all to "distill" a good example from other people's behaviour. <S> To take the example to an extreme, it's like being nice to an abusive person hoping they will "understand" and "change", which usually never happens. <S> It's only an example and <S> I'm not stating that the guy is abusive, but still you must find a way to assert your needs/problems in a clear and straightforward way . <S> How? <S> This depends on the degree of the annoyance. <S> and I really admire your expertise, but I notice that often X happens which sometimes makes me feel like I'm walking on eggshells to avoid an argument
| The point is to acknowledge the person and the issue, then firmly change the subject . But I think it could not hurt to have a frank but very friendly conversation, to be modulated on personal needs and feelings; for example: I enjoy working with you
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Should I express my concerns of a colleagues technical skills to my Manager? I work with a group of geologists. We have one manager, but the rest of us (seven total) perform our job duties as equals. One geologist, who mentored me when I began this job, has made great contributions to the team. This geologist got the team up and running in more advanced geologic software, which has been a great boon to our group. Additionally, this geologist has lots of good knowledge and skills. However, this same geologist has on several occasions looked over my shoulder as I worked, and offered geologic opinions that were wrong (you'll have to take my word on it, I had been working on the issues for hours, days, and in some cases months). In one instance they spent over an hour trying to inadvertently mislead me, which I did not appreciate at all as we are very busy at all times. This geologist has never admitted they were wrong, and often brings up one of the cases as if I had been mistaken. I have determined this geologists main professional flaw is they are too confident, without the geologic background to even support overconfidence. Unfortunately, in our job there is not much time for peer review, so much of our work goes on without any. After several of these cases of being challenged by this geologist, knowing they are 100% incorrect in what they are asserting, it got to the point that I no longer wished to work with them regarding geologic work. Of course, on using software and data management issues, they are very capable and important to work with. But when it comes to geology, I had lost confidence that I could get a good opinion from them. This overconfidence shows up in other areas - it seems that when this geologist gets an idea in their head, it becomes the most important topic and must be addressed. They had expressed concern about another state likely causing sinkholes in our own when there was absolutely no evidence for such - the only connection is that sinkholes occur in the same geologic areas that extend between the two states. This geologist I am concerned about has entered somewhat of a team-lead position in our group. There is certainly justification for this, considering their aptitude for using our main geologic software. But knowing that they are leading projects of a geologic nature, and making key decisions in some areas related to the geology, with hardly any peer review of their work, makes me uncomfortable. I don't know what good expressing this to my manager would be. The performance of this colleague does not affect me much as I will leaving this group to start a new position soon. But recently my manager expressed that they were going to start a more official team-lead position in the group, and from the context of things, I know that it would be this particular geologist of concern whom would be promoted to it. I would honestly be irritated to know they were in a position I needed to report to, and I if I was to continue to work here, I would be more likely to express this to my manager. Should I express it anyway in concern for my other colleagues? Would it do any good to express my concern to my manager? Or to be professional, should I simply not say anything and let it be? Should I discuss this with another colleague first? I don't want to make this particular colleague look bad, but as a professional geologist, I feel some responsibility to raise awareness about some particulars of their performance, especially when my manager is viewing them as fitting for a team lead position. <Q> As an individual contributor, there are really only two scenarios where it makes sense to share your thoughts about performance issues with other employees: <S> You have a regulatory or other official obligation to do so: <S> It should go without saying, but if your coworker is doing something illegal, or something which you have a mandate to report, you should report it. <S> It is directly impacting your own work: <S> If your coworker is doing things that directly impact <S> your own deliverables, then you should raise the issue with your boss, under the context of improving your own performance - in other words, talk about the impact to you, don't talk about the coworker. <S> It sounds like neither of these are true in your case, so your best bet is to not say anything. <S> To be clear, if you're wondering about things you can do (formally or informally) to help improve a coworker's skills, and the coworker is receptive to the help, that's great - you should always help team mates get better. <S> This can take the form of gentle suggestions, pointing them towards references you use, or even a formal cross-training or peer education program as exists in some employers. <S> However, that sort of help is a very different approach than what you seem to be asking about - telling someone's boss that you think they're bad at their job or don't have good performance, which is risky because you're essentially implying a sense of responsibility that you don't officially have. <S> Essentially, your employer hired you to do a job, and (from the sounds of it), that doesn't include evaluating your coworker - which is a task their boss is responsible for. <A> You're in a scientific discipline. <S> The foundation of the scientific method, as you know, is formulating hypotheses and figuring out how to prove or disprove them. <S> Karl Popper, etc. <S> So when this guy says, "that's sandstone," you can say, "huh! <S> it doesn't crumble easily. <S> Could it be granite? <S> Could I be missing something?" <S> Or whatever is appropriate <S> (IANAG -- <S> I Am Not A Geologist). <S> Handle challenges to your work professionally rather than personally. <S> It's easy to say and hard to do. <S> But it's probably worth your trouble. <A> I have a friend in archeology (in Germany) who told me of similar tales. <S> He said that it is an unfortunate reality in his area of expertise that there are some prominent members that basically preach gospel and there is almost no remedy for newcomers to challenge dogma. <S> He said he just sticks to his position anyway and tries to see it as a competition. <S> He is not a rich or famous man but loves his craft. <S> Don't know if it helps you to know that you are probably not the only one in situations like this or if that just confirms your worst fears. <S> All kudos to you to stand up to what you think is correct. <S> Still, I would not recommend to point the finger at colleagues, that could probably reflect badly on you. <S> Even if your reasoning is perfect. <S> Maybe at some point people will know that you were correct. <S> Unfortunately, competence does not always garner sympathy. <S> Maybe try to show your team that you are the expert on this particular topic. <S> You could maybe approach your manager about the topic at hand were you see obvious mistakes without mentioning any specific names.
| Ultimately, it's your coworker's boss's job to worry about their performance, not yours - your focus should be on your own tasks.
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Are whiteboard exercises useful in evaluating a company during an interview? I've always felt that interviews were as much for the interviewer as for the interviewee. For interviews with whiteboarding activities, it seems like the goal of this exercise to evaluate the interviewee's approach to solving a problem. The disconnect for me is that when I use whiteboards when I'm on the job, it goes nothing like it does in an interview. There's a lot more collaboration and switching off between myself and someone else, as we are trying to solve a problem together not myself alone. As the interviewee, how should I view the whiteboard exercise as a way to evaluate whether this is the right company for me? <Q> You said, I've always felt that interviews were as much for the interviewer as for the interviewee. <S> I agree 100%. <S> An interview is a two-way street - you need to evaluate the organization, just like they need to evaluate you. <S> However, that does not imply that every portion of the interview will be equally useful to both parties. <S> So, to frame challenge your question of: <S> As the interviewee, how should I view the whiteboard exercise as a way to evaluate whether this is the right company for me? <S> You shouldn't. <S> The whiteboarding scenarios they test you with are designed to test you and not to display typical practices at that employer. <S> Instead, work on developing your own questions, that are focused on the things that are important to you. <S> Since you mentioned your typical whiteboarding experience, you may want to ask about that: <S> Do your employees collaborate regularly on problems, or work independently? <S> If they collaborate, can you describe how that usually plays out? <S> This way, you'll be getting direct, relevant answers that address your concerns, rather than trying to imply something based on the tests or questions they direct at you. <A> To the same point, when the company HR person goes over their benefits packages and employee perks, that doesn't help them learn anything about you - it's all for your sake. <S> The only thing I could possibly learn from a whiteboard exercise is what sorts of information they expect you to know, and how demanding they are that you have it right. <S> Otherwise, I wouldn't try to over-analyze every aspect of your interview. <A> As the interviewee, how should I view the whiteboard exercise as a way to evaluate whether this is the right company for me? <S> The use of a whiteboard in an interview isn't for collaborative problem solving. <S> It's meant for you to display whatever qualities and/or skills the whiteboard exercise is meant to assess. <S> As such, I don't see how it has any value to you in evaluating the company.
| Sometimes a whiteboard exercise is just meant to evaluate your skills and it won't help you learn much about the company. Interviews are meant to be useful for both parties, but that doesn't mean that every aspect of the process will be useful for you.
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Should I ask for an extra raise? I am currently working with a contract that is one and a half years long (as a software engineer). When I interviewed for my position I was offered a 7-7-8 contract system with, if everything goes well, a contract of indefinite duration after that. I am pretty content with the starting salary I was given but I was promised a raise with each new contract. So a raise after 7 months then after another 7 months and so on. After the first contract of 7 months was over I had a conversation with my boss for the new contract. My boss told me everyone was very happy with my performance and wanted to give me a 1,5 year contract and give me that contract of indefinite duration after that to show me his gratitude. And I got a regular raise with that. Now that my 1,5 year contract is almost over I am thinking that the boss actually didn't give me a raise in between because it wasn't a 7 months contract. Could this have been deliberate move? Now with the next performance evaluation (and hopefully getting that permanent contract), is it normal that I ask for a "double" raise? Because essentially, I didn't get the one that was promised to me 7 months ago since I got a longer contract. <Q> Should I ask for an extra raise? <S> Yes, definitely ask. <S> However, if I were you I would not worry about past raises. <S> I would focus on what you are currently worth , and in particular what are you currently worth to the company? <S> There are many sites you can use to get the average going rate for your skill set and experience. <S> Come to the discussions about your salary armed with data to back up your request to get paid what your worth. <S> They key here is to have facts to back up your request for a pay increase. <A> I disagree with the other answer encouraging to ask for extra raise . <S> is it normal that I ask for a "double" raise? <S> No, it is not. <S> Initially, you were supposed to have your employment and salary reviewed and revised after 7th, 14th and 22nd month, and if things work out, indefinite contract thereafter. <S> So, there was a risk (however small that is) of you losing the job after any of the reviews. <S> After the 7th month, you were offered a job security for 18 months (skipping the 14th month review and adding 3 more months overall, totaling 25 months) before getting the indefinite contract. <S> You accepted the revised contract. <S> Thus, by law , you gave up the previous arrangement for a later revised arrangement, and a mid-term salary revision was not part of the new agreement. <S> So, technically, you did not lose / miss anything, you just negotiated new terms for the contract. <S> Given that things finally worked out well and positive, you can go ahead and ask for raise in the next performance evaluation, but do not bring the angle of missed hike <S> , you never missed any, you were not entitled to one. <S> In terms of the paycheck amount, you can negotiate for an amount which you can estimate based on the first contract terms (if that satisfies you), but you should never mention anything about a missed increment. <A> As Mister Positive mentioned you cannot call it a double raise. <S> It should be a regular negotiation regarding your compensation going forward with a contract. <S> Given its going to be a permanent contract, it should have periodic performance / compensation review in it. <A> Remember contract Jobs are created for negotiations and cost cuts. <S> If you believe you performed well <S> and they need you - they have a bunch of work on the plate for you <S> , you should definitely give it a try. <S> Most of the companies create Contract jobs to save money of extra perks and do successful cost cuts, and I believe you wouldn't like to be a victim of this game. <S> They liked you and gave you 1.5 years of the contract to save money on your raise, cost involved in the search for a new candidate, work suffered, time involved, etc. <S> It takes time to train a new person in the team and you can raise this in your conversation. <S> Every boss, when it comes to pay, want to show themselves generous enough to prove they are paying you beyond your capabilities which is not true.
| So, go ahead and ask for what you think you deserve. Make sure you know your worth to the company and overall in the market.
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Who to go to about a code review? I am an apprentice at a large-ish company (500-600 employees). It is an engineering firm. I have written a web app which was not requested by anyone to start with but when I demonstrated the potential it was then requested by management (this is great.). The department I work in a software department but not web-apps, so not HTML, Javascript and so on. It is a software department for the product we manufacture. In my department is another apprentice and 2 contractors. The 2 contractors act as my "mentor" but this has to be used loosely for other reasons. They are not my manager. My actual manager basically works in a different department and has absolutely 0 time for me and the other apprentice. (This isn't my issue). My issue that when I write code, specifically my web app I don't have anyone who can review or go through it. I know more about javascript and HTML than the other 2 contractors in the department. I will ask the other apprentice to go through it, I thought they know as well as I do, they are no expert. They will pick up some faults which is great but they can't give me advice on the structure. I want to be able to go through my code with someone else so that I am able to improve but I don't have anyone to do this with. Currently, my actual manager wouldn't be interested and his manager doesn't care about the code only the end product, so if the web-app works then he would be happy. But I want to be able to improve. Also, everything I have learnt about coding has been self-taught. No has really aided me in my learning towards this so I can't go back to anyone that helped me learn because there is no one. Have anyone had anything like this before where they have no one to review code? What can I do about this because I want to improve but I feel like I am struggling because I have no one to go through it all with me? <Q> If there is no one in your department, you can check for other departments inside your organization, who has similar experience and are willing to help you out. <S> However, unless there are other departments dealing with software development related to web apps, you are really out of chances here. <S> Maybe next time you get a meeting scheduled with your manager (or manager's manager - whoever has shown interest in your project), ask them for a formal training / bootcamp session to help you learn better. <S> You should also mention that you managed to get the app up and running, however, to keep improving it, you need Further training Expert guidance and reviews <S> Also, to mention, not <S> the entire app, but bits and pieces and mock-ups can be posted over Code Review Stack Exchange for expert opinion, too. <A> How proprietary your application? <S> Could that be helpful for you? <S> https://www.quora.com/Would-you-participate-in-a-code-review-community <A> Assuming you need to keep everything inside your company, there are two approaches you can take, in tandem. <S> Firstly, start writing tests for your app as it stands (if it's a large app, you can break down the tests into areas). <S> Before you deploy, you'll run all your regression tests to ensure that nothing has broken. <S> Secondly, do code reviews with the other apprentice, but do them as walk-throughs. <S> Don't just give them a block of code and expect them to understand it immediately; talk them through the issue you're trying to fix/enhance, and then step through each line of code with them. <S> They may not notice any issues, but YOU will when you're explaining it. <A> I would quite frankly challenge your question. <S> Without knowing details, this doesn't sounds like a start of a real project: ...was not requested by anyone to start with but <S> when I demonstrated the potential it was then requested by management <S> I have been on the receiving end there, when bosses say something like "yeah, <S> that's a great idea, would be nice to have". <S> And then I would rush to implement something, being happy that my brilliance and wit have been finally noticed by the higher-ups <S> But that is not how projects are done. <S> What you are asking is: how do I implement step 100 in a project design, when steps 1-99 are missing. <S> What is missing (as far as your question reads): <S> Business case (how does X relate to business needs) <S> Specification (what X will actually do) <S> Timeline (when do we need X) <S> Budget <S> (how much we are willing to spend on X) <S> Staff (who will do X and how they organized, including your role) Oversight (who in higher-ups are responsible) [skipped another 80 items] Testing, code review and general QA <S> What I am worried about is that: you will start doing something, without business need, without specs, without much supervision. <S> This might end up being waste of your time, and at worst waste of company's resources. <S> You need to talk to your management asking about all those items on the list. <S> This shows that you are a responsible professional developer, who recognizes how project management is properly done in order to stay focused, and make company some money.
| You can reach out to your manager and ask around for anyone willing to contribute to the development process. There are developer communities that do code / structure reviews member to member.
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What attitude is most constructive while working with a very sensitive manager? I've been at my current company for several months. I have a boss with whom I really need to walk on eggshells. He reads a lot into the tone with which I say things. Of course, most people attach some importance to the tone... But in his case that's stronger than in the case of my previous bosses. He frequently reads something into the tone of my voice which absolutely wasn't my intention. Then he tells it to me and I find it difficult not to act defensively. The fact I'm not a native speaker doesn't make things easier. I do speak the language I use with him very well, but I can't know whether I don't commit tiny mistakes. Realistically speaking, I probably do and I will always do. (We can't speak a different language). I've got really self-conscious since starting to work with him since I've already said something several times, which he interpreted as impolite or pushy, which absolutely wasn't my intention. One example: he asks me how I am. I say "I'm fine, thank you". He tells me he sensed hesitation in my voice and asks what problem I have. This wouldn't be a big deal if it didn't happen so often. Or: When I ask for something I need to phrase it extremely carefully: "Could you please send me X when you have a second if you don't mind?" (etc. etc.) to minimise the risk he will understand it as pushy. If I just write "Could you please send me X? Thanks a lot", he sees it as impolite. I live in a Western society and don't think it's about the culture. What is the best way to deal with that? My goal is to have a normal job, which is demanding but doesn't make me stressed all the time. <Q> He frequently reads something into the tone of my voice which absolutely wasn't my intention. <S> Then he tells it to me and <S> I find it difficult not to act defensively . <S> First, I suggest you try your best to <S> not act defensively. <S> Excuse yourself briefly ( "sorry, didn't mean that..." ) and then proceed with the topic you were talking ( "...what I was saying is that..." ). <S> Try not to escalate the argument. <S> Try to not focus on the apology, or arguing if you said it with those intentions/tone or not. <S> Now, if this person has difficulties reading people's tone (or is prone to get distracted by those things), you could try writing to him instead . <S> This could be in an email, company's IM, Slack, etc.. <S> This way you are taking out the "tone" from the equation and allowing this person to read and understand the text by its content. <S> Update per examples: Based on those examples you portrayed, seems that your manager is acting unreasonably. <S> If a simple "How are you?" <S> - "I'm fine, thank you" triggers such attitude from him then I would say that this person is being unreasonably harsh and annoying (perhaps even picking on you or trying to make you feel bad). <S> Not saying that this person definitely has hidden intentions towards you, but even assuming the best intentions this attitude seems quite annoying, unprofessional, and not positive for the work-environment. <S> I suggest you keep behaving professionally and phrasing your requests in a polite way, but don't break your head trying to make it sound perfect for this person only... <S> chances are he is a bit of a douche. <S> Now, it is up to you to decide if this is something you are willing to tolerate, or if it's time to take other actions ( <S> escalate, HR maybe, or worst case find a new job and then quit). <A> There aren't many situation where I recommend involving HR <S> but I think this is one of them. <S> I would approach them on the angle of: I received negative feedback on the attached communications as coming off as {demanding, negative, impolite, etc}. <S> I've read and re-read them and am struggling to figure out where I am going wrong. <S> I really don't want this to become a performance issue. <S> Can you please review and offer input? <S> I'd do it this way as a means to document the issue and engage HR in trying to improve the situation before a PIP comes up. <S> If they do offer feedback on improvement, follow it exactly. <A> The best attitude is one that acknowledges that there will be some miscommunication, in both directions. <S> One of the most important aspects of your situation is one that you've already identified and described: <S> you can't always know exactly how your use of the language matches up with others' use. <S> This is not related to the language not being your native one (though that might exacerbate matters). <S> Many people use language in subtly different ways, and those differences can range from totally irrelevant to very significant. <S> As an example, when speaking with my parents, I adjust my language to account for how I know <S> they will interpret things that I say, even if that's not how I would typically communicate. <S> That won't work as well for you in this situation until you know this manager better, and perhaps not even then. <S> So it will be a constant feature of your communications with this manager that things you express may not be understood as you intended. <S> Unless and until you get a good sense of intuition about how to express things in a way your manager will interpret correctly, there is little point to getting stressed out about miscommunications. <S> There isn't a whole lot you can do about that directly, because anything you want to express will be subject to that same uncertainty. <S> The best you can do is to correct any misconceptions directly, gently, and patiently: <S> Manager <S> : You paused before saying that. <S> What's wrong? <S> You: I wasn't aware that I paused, and if I hesitated I didn't mean anything by it. <S> But thank you for asking! <S> Importantly, it doesn't matter if the "fault" is on your end, your manager's or both. <S> Miscommunications are likely to arise in any combination of those, and since you can't reliably prevent all such problems correction is all that remains. <S> Additionally, it may be worth bearing in mind that expectations on etiquette and tone can vary a lot, even by person within a region. <S> The listed examples seem a bit different from one another: the second ("Could you please send me X? <S> Thanks a lot") is one that I would interpret as modestly impolite, particularly if I were your boss. <S> This seems like a case you've already learned how to work around, so now you can avoid that particular miscommunication in the future and don't need to stress about how to phrase such an idea.
| Steer the conversation as politely as possible towards the topic, so you both don't get caught in a blame loop. I would stick to examples of where you received negative feedback on the tone of your written communications.
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Best practice for storing emails to protect yourself from potentially bad employers Many answers to questions here involve creating a paper trail when things go south. The most convenient method is definitely emails. In order to protect yourself, you may need evidence of someone's wrongdoings, however this may not help when all that correspondence is stored on work servers if you are locked out of the system. Therefore I'm wondering what the best practice is to handle and store work emails of which some could become relevant if the work relationship deteriorates somewhere in the future. There is a similar question that asks about copying all work email: Archiving work email on personal devices and the conclusion seems to be that it could be an illegal practice depending on local laws. Therefore I would like to hear about other actions one can take to establish records and keep them available for when you might need them. Also, is all correspondence potentially important? Could you safely delete some emails that seem insignificant, like asking about lunch or a room reservation, or should everything be kept at all times? <Q> As indicated in the linked question corporate email belongs to the company. <S> Retaining a personal copy of any emails can be interpreted as theft. <S> Your question here implies that you're wanting to proactively retain emails in case there's any future problems. <S> Of course, you don't know there's going to be a problem until it happens, so you're probably going to want to keep everything for an indefinite period. <S> Obviously, the legality of doing this is questionable, and you breaching your employment contract by stealing information is also questionable and can lead to a more damaging outcome for you than dealing with the issue at hand. <S> If you don't trust your employer to work professionally (or at least work out issues internally), then you need to question whether you want to continue working there. <A> You started your question by stating, Many answers to questions here involve creating a paper trail when things go south. <S> The most convenient method is definitely emails. <S> I think there's some nuance here that's being glossed over - the context of things "going south" will clearly have a big impact on how or where or why you want to store a paper trail. <S> Many questions on this site deal with employment issues where the asker is acting in the company's best interest - for instance, creating a paper trail when documenting that a subordinate is causing issues or has poor performance. <S> Clearly, using company email for this is fine - the company is not likely to try to subvert your documentation by deleting or altering your emails, or restricting your access to them. <S> Some other questions deal with issues where the asker is afraid of their employer or their boss, <S> and they're potentially creating a paper trail as a way to defend themselves against their employer. <S> While it's a good idea to create a paper trail in this situation as well, and email may be a good way to do this, it's probably not appropriate to use the company email as a resource - it may be more appropriate to use your personal email, or another tool you legally have control over, when documenting such situations. <S> Those situations all apply more or less to the case where you've decided there's an issue and you're going to actively start documenting the issue. <S> On the other hand, your question seems to be coming from the case where you'd like to proactively store all (or some) emails, just in case there is an issue in the future. <S> Consider that many companies have <S> policies that prohibit storing or using company resources or information on personal devices - even those who allow you to access company email from your mobile phone usually have policies around use and management of those emails. <S> So, be sure you understand these considerations before attempting to offload company emails onto your own personal storage without authorization. <A> You should consult a lawyer if you're concerned about substantive wrongdoing (fraud, negligence, harassment, etc.). <S> They can help you decide what steps are best -- perhaps including collecting documentation of what you're observing, or simply documenting your observations yourself. <S> A lawyer can also advise you about any potential liability you may have if you don't intervene or alert an authority. <S> Knowingly failing to report certain crimes can also be a crime. <S> I'm sorry that you're in an environment that is so concerning. <S> I hope the issue is resolved soon or you're able to find a new organization to work with. <S> As an alternative, many companies have a designated ombudsman that can hear your concerns, keep them in confidence, and investigate anything that may be an issue.
| Further, storing company emails on personal storage may be considered grossly negligent and/or downright illegal in some scenarios (i.e. if emails contain sensitive or personal information, or information that's covered by regulations).
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Should I put programming books I wrote a few years ago on my resume? 3-5 years ago I wrote a few books on Python. I haven't updated them since, and I haven't worked much on Python either. Is it still worth mentioning that I wrote those books? Keeping in mind: The books may be out of date (technically), I haven't used Python a lot in the current job, so I can't claim to be an "expert" in it. Edit: Can people please stop insulting me, calling me a hack writer, or accuse me of " putting garbage on the market to take advantage of suckers ". So much for "StackOverflow is now a 'kinder' place". Please stick to answering the question without commenting on my authorial or technical skills. <Q> The books are interesting not just because they demonstrate your knowledge of Python, but more so: <S> Your ability to clearly articulate ideas in a way others can understand Your willingness to document your knowledge for others to use Your ability to "get the job done" <S> -- you've gotten a book published, that is a scarce achievement <A> Many resumes have a section for Publications, which usually includes academic papers, and definitely any published books. <S> It doesn't matter if they are out of date - <S> the fact that you wrote them is a huge indication of your expertise on the subject. <S> Even if you haven't worked in Python for a couple years, the fact that you knew enough to write a few books means that it would not take long for you to come back up to speed. <A> Unless you now hate Python, include it! <S> Writing a book shows off skills in organizing information, gathering knowledge and answering questions in a structured manner. <S> Those skills are relevant almost regardless of the subject being Python or something totally different. <S> If highly relevant, put it in an introductory section about yourself. <S> Else, list it under Publications or similar. <S> "The books may be out of date (technically)" Not an issue at all, since all technical books have this "problem". <A> Searching for a job is selling oneself...by telling a story. <S> The question to ask yourself is "what story am I going to tell the recruiter?". <S> And for your specific question, the answer is another question : "how do those Python books fit the story I'm telling?" <S> If you want to prove you're able to master a domain, then it might be worth to say "When I was working on Python, I was good enough to writr books on the topic". <S> But it has to fit your overall story. <A> Being a published author (I am one myself) is something of a feather in your cap. <S> Whether or not the material is as relevant today as it was <S> when you wrote the books, I think it's something worth mentioning in your resume. <S> So yes, put that on your resume. <S> It may not directly help you, but it certainly isn't going to hurt. <S> It's an achievement worth mentioning. <A> We all forget things, and fall behind when we're not consistently working/honing a skill. <S> It's a fact of life. <S> I think it's a great to mention if you're proud of the work. <S> Be honest, be humble and set expectations by letting the interviewer know the books are out of date and you wouldn't currently consider yourself an expert due to not keeping current. <S> You have the opportunity to share and highlight your journey and skillset with your potential co-worker. <S> Good luck! <A> I fully agree with all the other answers - because of what a great accomplishment writing a book is, you should definitely put it in your CV. <S> The only thing I'd add is, are you looking for a Python job, or would you be willing to do a Python job? <S> Judging from your question, it feels as though you don't, which is why I bring this up. <S> If I'm correct, and you don't want to work with Python again, I'd try to find a low key way to make that clear from the get-go. <S> Perhaps in your cover letter, or "About Me" section of your resume include a list of technologies that you'd really like to work with, and another list of technologies that you're not specifically looking to work with, but you're willing to under the right conditions. <S> That way you're not explicitly saying that you're unwilling to work in Python - doing that would probably be more of a negative than a positive. <S> The important part with doing this is it shouldn't be explicit, which is why you want to casually slip it in in your cover letter or About Me section. <S> If you don't have either of those in your resume, and you're working through a recruiter, you should be able to tell the recruiter to not send you any Python opportunities, which should make this part even easier. <S> And you don't want to have one paragraph of your resume saying that you wrote books about Python, and another paragraph saying you're completely unwilling to work with said technology ever again.
| You should judge how relevant this book is for the position you apply for. Yes , if they are achievements you are eager to share and demonstrate your capabilities. Yes, absolutely include them! The fact that you don't work with Python today doesn't invalidate your books or the material in them.
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What should I write in an apology letter, since I have decided not to join a company after accepting an offer letter I had accepted an offer letter from an employer 45 days ago, but now I got another (better) offer letter from a different company. Now I am wondering, what should I write in a letter to HR at the first company in order to inform them that I will not be joining them after all? I was supposed to start in 15 days. <Q> There is nothing you can say that will change what you have done. <S> Let them know now, so they can get started on either contacting another finalist, or starting the search over. <S> Now keep in mind depending on what you signed, and what country you are in you could be in violation of a contract with penalties. <A> Moreover, in your case, you took 3/4th of the time to revise your decision - which makes it even worse. <S> Read the offer letter acceptance criterion carefully and if you're ready for the facing the consequences (if any) of backing out, send an email mentioning: <S> It was a pleasure having the chance to be part of the organization. <S> Thanks." <S> Keep it short and simple. <A> You have no obligation to write an apology letter, and in my personal opinion, it would be pretty tacky to do so. <S> If you haven't signed anything with the first company, you didn't commit to them yet and it isn't too late to change your mind. <S> They will (or, at least, should) understand this. <S> Simply tell them that you've changed your mind about the offer and move on.
| Make it very short and simple. Declining an offer after already accepting it is very unprofessional (at least) and maybe illegal (breaking some terms of contract), it can also severely burn bridges for you. "Hello, I regretfully inform you that due to the circumstances, I will not be able to join your organization.
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Am I obliged to report rude/awkward language even if it doesn't offend me? There is a colleague at my (American) workplace who is young and smart, but fairly inept at using his filter function while he's talking. At a group meeting (his manager was present), he went on about a scene in a porn movie. I was the least senior and newest person in the room and didn't feel comfortable telling him that he was walking a dangerous road. Personally, I wasn't offended and there are no women on our team (and I suppose nobody else was offended either), but I can see how this behavior is harassment if someone felt uncomfortable. Another time, he told me my shirt "popped". I said thanks and then he proceeded to do a stereotyped impression of an effeminate man talking about colors "popping". I am a gay man, out at work (he knows), but I again wasn't personally offended because I know he's an awkward guy who probably didn't even put the fact that I'm gay and that his impression makes fun of gay people together. He likes to make people laugh, his jokes just aren't that funny. I felt I had a duty to tell him that his behavior is cringe-inducing at best, and hostile at worst. But alas, the moment passed and I didn't say anything. He sees me as a friend and I don't really want to go behind his back to his manager since it would be obvious from the exchange about effeminate stereotypes that it was me. Is it my obligation to inform him or his manager of this kind of behavior? Confrontation is difficult (for everyone, I assume) and I don't feel I owe him the time to explain what's wrong so the pros/cons of getting involved seem lopsided toward "ignore his behavior". I am a temporary contractor and he's a permanent employee so I don't feel like the culture is necessarily mine to improve. Small addition: I'm not interested exclusively in my legal obligation, but also the moral obligation. "Should I, as a good person, do something?" rather than "Must I, as an employee of this company, do something?" <Q> Is it my obligation to inform him or his manager of this kind of behavior? <S> No. <S> You stated in your question that the manager has already witnessed this behavior. <S> Leave it to the manager to deal with. <S> If his language or comments really offends you at some point, I would suggest telling your colleague yourself first . <S> If that doesn't work then discuss with your manager. <S> Most likely this person is just clowning around trying to fit in with the team. <S> At the end of the day, you do not want to be labelled as the team nark. <S> And as a final note, this situation does not warrant HR involvement. <S> UPDATE based on update to the question <S> "Should I, as a good person, do something?" <S> Based on what I can gather from your post, this employee will shoot themselves in the foot at some point. <S> Whether their silliness is witnessed by their own manager one more time, or another manager for perhaps the first time, etc. <S> So in this case, I still say no need for you to act. <A> You don't feel harassed by him, so there's no need to go to management about it. <S> There's no need to stay silent if "the moment passes", you can simply mention it to him in a friendly manner: <S> Hey, do you remember when you say X the other day? <S> I don't have a problem with it, but you ought to be more careful about saying things like that these days because in a lot of places they're cracking down on that sort of stuff pretty hard, and sooner or later somebody might come along who will make a complaint about it. <S> There can be social repercussions to lodging complaints about colleagues - not necessarily because they disagree about it, but as a defense mechanism to prevent them from slipping up around you due to a perception that you're the type who takes offense at things. <A> You say you are not offended <S> but it has bothered you enough to post this question here. <S> So I think you should take some action on it. <S> It is in fact good that you are not offended by it because now you can think calmly and clearly and take the right action so that he does not offend anyone else. <S> You can just pretend for a minute that you ARE offended by it and do what you should do in that situation. <S> Either you can say something what @user1666620 <S> suggested in his answer or something more direct like <S> Hey, Sorry to discuss this with you <S> but I feel your jokes are bit offensive. <S> Also, I am not comfortable discussing or listening to porn movie stories in conference room. <S> I hope you understand. <S> Irrespective of Whether it will make him change his behaviour or not or whether the culture around changes or not, you have at least done something about it. <A> You made an edit that clarified that your true question is about the potential for there to be an obligation to report harassment: <S> Small addition: I'm not interested exclusively in my legal obligation, but also the moral obligation. <S> " <S> Should I, as a good person, do something?" <S> rather than "Must I, as an employee of this company, do something?" <S> Moral obligation is hard to answer, since morals are essentially based on an individual's personal frame of reference. <S> If you haven't been offended, there's no obligation to say anything. <S> Legal obligation is a little more clear, since it's defined within a specific legal context. <S> You mentioned that you're in America. <S> To broadly summarize US law on harassment, sexual harassment in the workplace is defined as verbal or physical abuse that is frequent or severe enough that it makes the target consider their workplace a hostile environment, or unfair employment decisions (i.e. missing a promotion) <S> that result from or are related to such abuse. <S> You haven't mentioned any employment decisions being made as a result of this person's actions. <S> You also haven't mentioned any coworkers indicating that they feel the work environment is hostile. <S> In some environments, there may also be a regulatory or policy obligation to report harassment. <S> For instance, in some employment environments dealing with children or others who are inherently in a weak position, employees may be obligated by government regulation or by company policy to report any harassment they witness, regardless of whether or not they were personally the victim. <S> It doesn't sound like this is the case for you because you haven't mentioned these factors, but it's worth mentioning in order to form a complete answer in terms of potential obligations. <S> All that said, it does sound like your friend is walking a fine line and if your relationship is strong enough to support this, it may make sense to mention directly to him that he's risking getting in trouble based on his comments. <A> You don't have to report his behaviour towards you, whether you personally see it as harassment or not. <S> Nobody can force you. <S> If you witness possibly harassing behaviour towards others, and HR asked you about it, you would have to say exactly what you witnessed. <S> It would also be a good idea to tell the possible victim that you are a witness, which makes it easier for them to report what happened if they want to.
| It would also be a good idea to tell someone that their behaviour can be taken as harassment even if you personally don't see it that way, or you ignore it. So, at face value, from a legal perspective, there is nothing to report and there cannot be an obligation.
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Got an offer for a job with a fixed salary but "not fixed" hours. How to protect myself from potential exploitation? I'm UK based. Just got an offer for a job where my hours would be flexible and "not fixed", but with a guaranteed annual pay. The job is in a startup - when applying I was well aware that it wouldn't be a clock-in/clock-out kinda affair, where sometimes I would need to put in more work and sometimes where could be quieter times. I've met my employeers and I trust they have good intentions but still I feel slightly uneasy at the possibility of essentially signing a waiver allowing them to request I work fantastically long hours. How can I protect myself from potential exploitation? Would it be ok to ask to have it changed to set a cap for hours worked over a longer period of time, e.g. a month? I'm not a fan of settting a rigid weekly limit as I know there are likely to be crunchtimes and I'm ok with that. It's more about ensuring that long-hour work doesn't become the norm. <Q> In the UK (and I think most anywhere in the EU), you cannot be forced to work regularly over 48 hours a week on average, unless you agree. <S> And it is illegal to discriminate against you in any way for not agreeing to this (EU working time directive). <S> But then 48 hours a week is a lot. <S> In the end, you have to decide yourself how many hours work a week <S> you find acceptable, and what pay you would expect for these hours. <S> There must be a business requirement for working overtime. <S> The fact that the business doesn't hire enough people to do the work doesn't make working overtime a "business requirement". <S> They should employ enough people to do the work without overtime. <S> Nobody can force you. <S> In that case, the company can decide whether they want to continue without you (but who is doing your work then? ), agree to continue without overtime, or pay you enough extra money to convince you. <S> So they can't exploit you unless you let them, but stopping exploitation may involve getting a different job. <A> They've probably asked you to sign a waiver to the UK Working Time Directive. <S> That's not your problem. <S> Your problem is, you're considering joining a startup company. <S> These often require a lot of work (and overtime). <S> If you're not prepared to put that in, then consider if it's the right role for you. <S> If it is the right role, then the discussion is less one of 'how many hours', and more of 'what's in it for me' - what, in your contract, rewards you for these excessive hours. <S> When and how can you cash out all this effort (that is a whole set of questions in itself). <S> Don't be attracted by the appeal of a startup company unless you're prepared to handle the bad aspects as well. <A> You can't. <S> In fact, on a regular workplace, the actually worked hours differ from the time in the contract, but there are deviations in both directions. <S> Sometimes you need to do some very important until tomorrow <S> and so you will work until night. <S> In other cases it is not so hard and your bosses won't take it very seriously if you work a little bit lesser. <S> But, both sides are focusing to keep the work time in the contract on the long-term. <S> The most likely outcome is this: you will get your tasks, there will be more than you can solve, so you will become a "pizza-programmer". <S> 1 <S> Finally, either you will resign, or your company will fire you. <S> Don't focus on the long-term job, focus to that the unavoidable separation (they fire you or you resign) happen the most peacefully as it is possible! <S> It is crucial for your future employments. <S> At the time, when your employment will be over, the most crucial interest of both of you will be to hide this un-professionality: the company will want to hide that he exploited its workers, and you will want to hide that you worked on such an un-professional place. <S> Be cooperative with them to do that, and they will say from you that you worked well for them. <S> 1 Horror-story about a programmer who was closed by force into a garage, and lived on daily 1 pizza, until he was ready. <A> Long hours comes with the startup territory, in my (computer programming) experience. <S> And the nearer deadlines get, the more long days you'll need to put in. <S> This is not in itself "bad", it's just the particular game you're in. <S> Hiring more people to do the work is not always an option: money is limited, and a faster burn rate just means that the company needs to succeed sooner. <S> What's your part of the reward if the company becomes successful, however "successful" is defined? <S> If you're going to work for a startup, then you need the possible outcome to be commensurate with the effort required from you. <S> If you want to put it this way: your salary pays you for 40 hours, the potential upside is the carrot for the rest. <S> In my own experience of the death-march phase of a startup, I've decided that I'm going to be 100% committed unless and until I'm so dissatisfied that I quit. <S> No half-heartedness. <S> This way I convince myself I'm in control, though perhaps others will regard it as conniving in my own exploitation. <A> How can I protect myself from potential exploitation? <S> This is simple - reject the job offer. <S> In general, never accept an offer of a job from a company that you suspect might exploit you. <S> That way, you'll never be exploited. <S> Lots of startups expect long hours. <S> If that's not what you want, you might wish to look at more established companies with a track record of more reasonable work hours. <A> This prospect of long hours is inevitable in startups. <S> You have good intuition about a rhythm alternating between ordinary and crunch workload. <S> That will certainly happen. <S> You say you trust the intentions of the founders. <S> That's good! <S> If you didn't you would reject their job offer and never look back. <S> You trust them. <S> I suggest you also trust yourself to negotiate if the workload becomes oppressive. <S> You'll be doing them a favor by drawing their attention to the problem. <S> Doing things at a breakneck pace can cause broken necks and threaten the business. <S> It's easy for founders to lose perspective on this. <S> I speak from experience as a founder. <S> An early employee pushed back on me when I was pushing the crew too hard. <S> Giving people a break improved our quality. <S> These founders aren't the prison guards in the film Cool Hand Luke. <S> They're your future colleagues.
| The useful thing to do: tolerate the situation until you can, and silently look for your next job. So if you are asked to do overtime, you can say "No".
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Determining why an employee who is very quiet seems to be unhappy I manage a team of software developers. I have an employee who is unusually antisocial. It's not just that he's quiet, he won't even nod to you if you pass him in the hall. On the other hand, he is extremely productive. He's been with us for a few years and it's not an exaggeration to say that he does the work of three average developers. We DO NOT WANT to lose him. For the past few weeks he's been unusually snippy with people and seems unhappy. I need to determine if he's distressed about something at work or if there's something outside that has nothing to do with the company. Changing his quiet behavior is not an option. He is what he is. He would not be pleased if I asked him if he's upset about something wrong outside of work. In fact, he won't be pleased with me talking with him at all, but it has to be done. Most people are money driven, but I have no reason to believe he's unhappy with his salary. He's well (but not spectacularly) compensated, and due for another review in a few months. I'm looking for a script I can use to determine if he's ok with his work, and if not, if there's something we can do to change that. A script that doesn't seem too prying. He will not be forthcoming, but I need to push it and determine if there's something we can do to change the situation. <Q> Non-expert opinion: Be direct about wanting to keep him and your willingness to be supportive. <S> Don't address the worrying behaviour directly. <S> This allows you to communicate the information quickly, clearly, and with minimum fuss. <S> Something like... <S> "Hi, I've brought you in for a quick one on one because we haven't had chance to catch up recently. <S> I am (or: we are) really pleased with your work at the moment. <S> Your work on [project x] is particularly good. <S> Things are going well from my perspective <S> but I'm keen to hear your perspective to make sure we are looking after you at work. <S> Is there anything that I can do to help support you?" <S> [employee most likely gives no useful response, says that everything is fine] "Ok, that's good to hear. <S> Have a think about it and if you do think of anything please let me know <S> and we'll try to get it sorted out for you." <S> You might be able to achieve more by tackling the problem head on but it would be a much trickier conversation to handle. <A> But that doesn't mean you can't still broach the topic. <S> Just be careful not to pry, and be as supportive as you can be. <S> Thank him for his stellar work. <S> Tell him that you noticed a recent change in his behaviour. <S> (He probably realizes people will notice.) <S> Ask him if everything's okay. <S> (He'll probably say yes, even if it isn't true.) <S> Don't press him for details, and do tell him that it's up to him to talk about it whenever he wants to. <S> Then offer him time off to deal with whatever it is, working from home, or shorter work hours. <S> Whatever he needs. <S> Don't just thank him verbally for his efforts, but show your appreciation by being supportive. <S> (If it's at all in your power, try to convince your boss to allow your most valuable employee a temporary reduction in work time without any pay cut or increased workload at a later point. <S> If you can manage to keep him, it'll pay off in the long run.) <S> Disclaimer: I recently experienced the situation from the other perspective, where I was the valuable employee and needed a temporary reduction in work time. <S> It's not at all the same as I was entirely open about the reasons, but having my manager sign that off without the topic of a pay cut even entering the conversation sure did make me feel appreciated. <A> Is there actually a problem for your company? <S> He is "snippy" and "seems unhappy", but is that actually a problem? <S> People are unhappy sometimes. <S> He might be snippy and unhappy because his cat died. <S> If he has a problem that is in no way work related, and you try to find out what is going on, you might actually be creating a work related problem. <S> At least give it some time.
| The idea is to make it clear that they are a valued employee and that you are approachable if and when they have a problem. You're probably correct that he doesn't want to talk about whatever it is. I would recommend that your best plan for action would be to do nothing. There is no indication that he is unhappy with his work.
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How to handle job title ladder changes on resume The company I work for has changed titles and added an additional step in the ladder and I'm not sure how to appropriately reflect it on my resume. Previous Associate Engineer Intermediate Engineer Senior Engineer Now Engineer 1 Engineer 2 Engineer 3 Engineer 4 Associate maps to 1 and senior maps to 4. Intermediate can map to 2 or 3 depending on experience level. EDIT: I bolded the part below because some of the answers are responding as if it’s a straight title change. I was hired in at associate and promoted to intermediate. While working as an intermediate the new titles were announced and I was mapped to a 3 (thus receiving an implicit promotion). How do I convey this on my resume? -- Things I'd considered (can be ingored) -- Engineer 1 - date I was hired as associate Engineer 2 - date I was promoted to intermediate Engineer 3 - date I found out my title had changed Downside of this approach is that the span of time between 2 and 3 is much shorter than 1 and 2 and may seem odd. Engineer 1 - date I was hired as associate Engineer 2 - come up with a date for the implicit promotion to 2 that is before promotion to intermediate Engineer 3 - date I found out my title had changed Downside of this approach is that one of the dates is made up. Associate - date I was hired as associate Intermediate - date I was promoted to intermediate Engineer 3 - date I found out my title had changed Downside of this approach is similar to the first example with the time between intermediate and 3 being much shorter than the time between associate and intermediate, which may seem odd. It also may be confusing to have the title progression change. <Q> When reviewing your CV, titles are less important than experience. <S> On the resumes I've seen and wrote myself, title always followed by brief description of responsibilities. <S> Ultimately, it doesn't matter, how your position is called. <S> You shouldn't fake promotions, so perhaps something like: Associate (MMYY-MMYY): did <S> X, Y, was responsible for Z Intermediate (MMYY-MMYY, Engineer 3 after MMYY): did A, B, launched initiative to do C Engineer 4 (MMYY-MMYY): <S> designed R, created architecture for Q (if you ever get promoted to E4 ) <A> In my opinion your resume ought to be one page. <S> If you've only ever been at one company and are wanting to remove some white space, add the job titles and go into gratuitous detail for each different role you've had. <S> But if you've been at ten different jobs and you're having a difficult time squeezing all of them onto the page... <S> just mention the most recent job title, for brevity's sake, and move on. <S> I suppose LinkedIn would be different as the concept of "pages" doesn't really apply but even people reading your LinkedIn profile are going to have a limited attention span. <S> That said... a lot of small companies may not really have formal job titles. <S> Distinguishing between Engineer 1 - 4 only makes sense if you have a lot of engineers. <S> If your company has just 1-2 software engineers (or developers or whatever)... there's not really a lot of need to have more job titles <S> then there are jobs lol. <S> I suppose, in the case of small companies, you could use the title that's on your offer letter, but some small companies may not even offer offer letters... <A> As you have only held two roles at the place, you should only list two steps on the ladder. <S> You should not represent that you had an implicit promotion, as you didn't have one - you were essentially promoted from E1 to E3. <S> The fact that you actually skipped a rung (in the new system) can only be seen as a good thing. <S> I'd list as follows: <S> Associate Engineer/Engineer 1 (begin date-promotion date) Intermediate Engineer/Engineer 3 (promotion date-present) <S> I think you should refer to the first role with both titles (even though you only had the original title), because it allows the reader to make sense of the promotion, and shows off that you skipped a level. <S> If you get promoted again to Engineer 4, I wouldn't list the old title (Sr. <S> Eng.) <S> for that job, as it is no longer relevant, and at that time I might just list the first role under the original title - maybe now I'd add a note on how the company changed the ladders, but it probably still isn't necessary. <S> Associate Engineer (begin date-promotion date 1) <S> Intermediate Engineer/Engineer 3 (promotion date 1-promotion date 2) Engineer 4 (promotion date 2-present) <A> I wouldn't put too much worry into what title to use on your resume. <S> You should use a title which is descriptive of the work you performed. <S> The details you include about that position should give a much more meaningful description of the roles and responsibilities you held. <S> Titles change across companies and there are no rules about what a title must mean. <S> Your own company's recent changes are a perfect example of how little they mean. <S> They are changing them to meet their own organizational needs, but has your worked actually changed in a meaningful way? <S> Even the concept of "Senior" should be evident based on your work history.
| If you make sure the title indicates the type of work you did and you provide the right information when describing what you did, you will be just fine. I don't think it is necessary to explain (in the resume) that the company changed the ladders - but be prepared to answer that during an interview.
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What's the best way to quit a job mostly because of money? Background I changed jobs a little over one and a half years ago because I wanted a more technical role (I'm a junior SW developer now, before I was a developer using a low-code platform). I even took a few percent cut out of my total compensation to make the switch and I enjoy my current job more. Our company gives raises every half year - December and May. I didn't get a raise during first wave of raises (May 2018) because of my performance, which I managed to fix and my managers have been satisfied with me for over a year now. Unfortunately, the company got into financial issues and didn't give any raises last December and only gave raises to a few exceptions this May. I was one of the exceptions, but I believe I'm still earning below market rate. My boss wanted to give me double the raise I received, but our big boss denied his initial suggestion. I told my boss that I expected a bigger raise and he said I still can talk to our big boss, which I'm not comfortable with. It's also not clear when will company's financial situations improve, so I might see a limited or no raise again in December. I'm also afraid I'm less likely to be promoted in this environment. Actual problem/question So I've been seriously thinking about switching jobs with money being the primary motivator. My problem is that I'm not sure how to approach this correctly. Should I talk to my boss and make it very clear that I'm not satisfied? Is it a good idea to mention this when interviewing or should I completely focus on other reasons why I'd like to make the change? <Q> Then accept that offer, and resign from your current position. <S> Stay professional as you leave - you never know when you'll work with someone again or need a reference. <S> Your boss has already tried to get you a raise that you'd be happy with, and the company has said it will not give you one. <S> So if it's important to you then find another company that will. <S> Do not mention money as a motivator in interviews - talk about new challenges and professional growth instead. <S> When they ask you for your salary range then give one where you'd be happy with the lower bound and ecstatic with the upper one. <A> Should I take to my boss and make it very clear that I'm not satisfied? <S> Yes, why would you not. <S> Especially if you're planning on leaving regardless. <S> Is it a good idea to mention this when interviewing <S> It doesn't look good to employers, although not always bad <S> it's best to stay safe and not risk it. <S> What I would do is let your boss know the situation. <S> Then start applying for jobs, and whilst the process of potentially getting a raise you can be getting ready for the worst. <S> If your boss gives you a non-satisfactory raise or worse (not at all) then you can quit. <S> With the financial situation, it's likely best that you start looking now regardless so you can have a bit more security when it comes to your job <S> , you don't know if the finances will ever become better or continue to take a turn for the worst. <A> It sounds like you're not satisfied with this company's ability to stay in business and pay people fairly. <S> It sounds like you've given them good value. <S> And it sounds like you have made your manager aware of your need for a better salary, and that negotiation to get one has not succeeded. <S> That means you have already done your duty to this company. <S> Is there some special reason to believe that negotiating more will succeed (something you didn't mention in your question)? <S> If so, give it a try. <S> If not, take the high road. <S> Say no more about this to anyone in your company. <S> Get another job that meets your salary requirement better. <S> Then resign from this job. <S> (Many junior people have not yet gained those skills.) <S> You're willing to stay with the present company for a few years if you win the negotiation. <S> People do change jobs at this stage of your career. <S> In my view the best way to do it is gracefully, without considering counteroffers. <S> Keep this in mind: the counteroffer thing is a GAME for your employer, but it is LIVELIHOOD for you. <S> You have more to lose than they do. <S> So be very careful. <A> I would be very, very careful mentioning anything like this to your boss. <S> If they notice that you've asked about a raise, then suddenly taking time off (to interview, though they don't have to know that), they may put two and two together, deduce you're taking the time off to interview and start acting hostile towards you (same happened to me, company deduced I was interviewing and threatened to fire me on the spot).
| If you believe you're earning below market rate (or even if you don't, but you're not satisfied with your pay anyway) then apply for jobs and get an offer for what you think you're worth. Don't use the better offer as a negotiating point with your current job unless two things: You're a skilled negotiator. I would refrain from making it the primary reason when asked.
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How to list multiple related jobs on CV Say I have a position of project manager at my company A. Now at the same time, I also have a sales related position on a company B, which is related to company A, say it is child company of A. On my CV I have these positions listed chronologically and separately (both having date 2015-current ). e.g. Project Manager at A, 2015-current - item1 - item2 Sales Manager at B, 2015-current - item1 - item2 When putting on Resume is it better to indicate somehow that B is related to A? Otherwise someone might be surprised how person can have two positions on two different companies , whereas if I indicate, it will give them a hint that these companies are related, and hence less confusion. <Q> Yes, you should showcase the relation between the jobs, to avoid confusion just as you mentioned. <S> Something like Project Manager at A, 2015-current - item1 - item2 <S> Sales Manager at B (Wholly owned subsidiary of A), 2015-current - item1 <S> - item2 <S> That said, I think you meant to write "2015", not "20015". <S> You MUST NOT make these types of mistakes in the actual resume / CV. <A> You should showcase your experience but brevity and clarity are key. <S> I tend toward "non-material truth altering" in this case. <S> What I mean is not to lie, but standardize the presentation to the industry. <S> You can explain any detail that might matter in an interview <S> but you don't want to raise confusion for someone scanning your resume. <S> Unless Company B has some clout/name recognition that's important to include, I'd omit it. <S> Project Manager / Sales Manager (2015 - Present) <S> Company A - item 1 - item 2 <S> If it should be named, you could add it in one of the bullets: <S> Managed sales activity for 50 accounts for subsidiary Company B <S> Edit <S> A third consideration would be that you should tailor your resume to the job to which you're applying. <S> Listing them as you laid out would lead me to first wonder if the matching dates were in error. <S> If I hadn't already tossed the resume, my next question would be are these two start-ups and neither role is really a "serious" (for lack of a better term) <S> and you're just attempting to make it sound more professional? <S> The upshot is you only have seconds to tell your story. <S> Anything that is not immediately clear is dangerous. <S> Your resume/CV is to demonstrate the valuable experience you could apply to an employer. <S> It is not to train them in the intricacies of how your current employer is structured. <S> So long as you are depicting your experience in good faith, the odd nuances of your specific situation should be held for when you actually have time to explain. <A> I agree with pretty much everything in John Spiegel's answer. <S> I'd prefer, however, to showcase that you handled multiple, simultaneous roles in the resume. <S> Simultaneous Positions - Company A (2015 - Present) <S> Project Manager at Company A PM item 1 PM item 2 Sales Manager at Company B (Wholly owned subsidiary of A) <S> SM item 1 SM item 2
| If you're applying for a PM job, drop "Sales Manager" from the job title but call it out as an accomplishment in the bullets if of value.
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Should I list a completely different profession in my technical resume? I was a cook for 5 years but I switched jobs and now I'm a web developer. Should I put this information in my resume along with my experience in tech companies while searching for a job as a web developer? <Q> I suggest that you wrote down your cook experience and emphasize what you learn that you can use in your next position. <S> We hired some candidates as a Junior Developer in past companies where I work that they were Cook for multiples years. <S> They emphasize in their resume that they learn soft skills like team communication, planning, etc. <S> because they are crucial in kitchen rush moments. <S> I can feel every day in the development world a backslash when the communication is not adequate on a decision or when a developer decides to go solo on an underestimated task. <S> So I feel those skills are essential for a developer position. <S> I propose you drop the cook position in your resume when you will acquire more experience in the development field. <A> then I suggest you talk about it just to show that you have had a professional career and not a 5 year break. <S> Otherwise just keep your resume relevant to the jobs you are applying for. <A> That really depends. <S> Did you just recently change fields? <S> Are you fresh out of college? <S> A potential employer may want to see the past 10 years of employment experience. <S> If you're 22 and you've been in IT for a few years, it's not a big deal. <S> If you're 32 and you've been a web developer for 2 years, they're going to want to know what you were doing before then. <S> It doesn't have to have a prominent place on the resume, but it's not a bad idea to have a single line saying "Fry Cook, 2012-2017" with the name of the restaurant. <S> I'd also suggest that even as a guy fresh out of college, five years in a job is an accomplishment. <S> Heck, as an adult, five years in a job demonstrates longevity. <S> It shows a potential employer that you won't jump ship after 6 months for a petty reason.
| Briefly mention that you were a cook but other than that do not go into detail unless you have your resume is looking bare
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Work environment of favoritism, limited professional growth, and possible subtle subconscious age-discrimination at play? I've been with a small tech company just over 4 years now, and was one of the first employees with the company, creating the prototype for what ultimately became the first product. I was one of about 5 initial employees along with the founder. Since then we've growth to 20+, and almost all hires have worked with the key group before. The concept of favoritism started emerging about 1-2 years in when we hired a new employee that others had worked with at a past company. This type of hiring is normal within our company. In this case the person was already known, well liked, and privy to various inside jokes. Professionally it also meant the person was buddy-buddy with the key players at the company immediately, invited to various small meetings that others were not, included in core decision making, etc. More subtly, this worker was praised for small tasks that wouldn't have been praised by a variety of other longer term employees, and shown excessive professional affection generally, to the point of what seemed like coworker-crushing. While this is all good hearted, 2 years later it is starting to be seen in professional aspects. While the favorites get more attention, as more of an outsider to that circle I feel like similar ideas are either ignored, or given less attention when I present them. Various leadership initiatives I've tried have fallen flat, not being on the inner group. Two years in a row I've spoken about leadership initiatives and goals in my professional reviews, and both times the boss was moderately interested at best, despite having decent past experience in these. At times I feel like I'm professionally ignored, and need to speak up to be included in various meetings. In reviewing this with my boss, he suggested just that, to get involved by speaking up and requesting to audit various meetings not related to my immediate task. That worked to some degree, but by far not as much as the company favorites I speak of. We are both experienced professionals as well, but there is a definite bias that his opinions are always exceptional, while mine not-relevant. My initiatives toward leadership are generally ignored, which can be frustrating. I'm also starting to get older. I'm one of the oldest developers at the company, probably 6-10 yrs older than the avg age. The inner circle seems to sit around this average age at the company. And while age discrimination is never as obvious as someone saying, "You're too old to work on this", it can play out in common culture, and social acceptances. I'm at a different place in life (married/kid) vs these unmarried co-workers, though that doesn't affect our actual work. Our impressions of anything from pop-culture to social media vary as well, as do most across the age spectrum. All these play out in how we relate, social inclusion, and ultimately the favoritism that plays out. The younger guys socialize outside work, visit each others houses, etc-- as most friendly people of the same age do. Unless its a work gathering, I'm less likely to be in those situations. And overall the company is a young one, with young leadership. Certain challenges that are routine in the industry, are new to them, but I've experienced in my deeper past roles. Yet instead of leaning towards my experienced advice, or even seeking it at times, they are more likely to let a young worker make best guesses and learn his way through these challenges for the first time. How should I react when it starts being evident in these favorites moving forward and my feeling excluded to an outer circle? Is feeling excluded based on perceived age and culture difference something to worry about? <Q> Age based discrimination may be (and probably is) illegal where you are, but that's a question for an attorney, and my guess is that the burden of proof would be on you. <S> To be honest though , much of this sounds like sour grapes. <S> There's probably nothing inherently illegal about the company favoring other people over you, regardless of age. <S> It may seem unfair and undeserved for others to get preferential treatment, but there really is no concept of fairness in the workplace, let alone a mechanism to combat or prevent it. <S> You've already tried, with limited or no results. <A> Is feeling excluded based on perceived age and culture difference something to worry about? <S> Being an aging software engineer I have seen it many times. <S> It is something to keep in mind, but not worry about as you simply cannot change this. <S> Do you know how you combat that phenomenon? <S> Be better technically. <S> Remember <S> our minds are our greatest weapon against that threat, along with some hopefully useful industry experience. <S> How should I react when it starts being evident in these favorites moving forward and my feeling excluded to an outer circle? <S> Outshine them technically. <S> Build a better widget. <S> Productivity prevails here. <S> If that is not enough to allow your career to progress, then its time for you to move on sadly as proving ageism in court is nearly impossible - and expensive. <A> How should I react when it starts being evident in these favorites moving forward and my feeling excluded to an outer circle? <S> It's normal to be sad in your circumstance. <S> You were one of the 5 first employees. <S> By definition, you felt special. <S> Now that there are more employees, you are no longer "one of 5". <S> As tiny companies grow, they hire people who have affiliations with others all the time. <S> New circles develop. <S> Sometimes you are in the "inner circle". <S> Sometimes not. <S> In general, try to focus on you, rather than the company favorite. <S> Is feeling excluded based on perceived age and culture difference something to worry about? <S> If you have a great relationship with your boss, you may want to discuss this feeling. <S> If not, you may just want to vent with a friend. <S> That may help ease your worry. <S> And if your feelings are strong enough, you may wish to find a newer startup where you can be part of the inner circle again - at least for a while. <S> And often managers skew a bit older. <S> Those companies may value your leadership more than this one.
| If you are management material, it's fairly common for startups to start hiring managers at some point. I hate to be the party pooper, but short of finding another job, there probably isn't much you can do about it. Ageism is indeed alive and well in the tech industry, and probably others too.
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Best approach to remind boss about raise they mentioned? I am an intern for a small software company, due to me not having a car, i often rely on coworkers or ride sharing services to get to work. My boss found out and approached me, saying that he would put an extra amount on my paycheck to cover for the ride-sharing expenses as well as increasing my hourly rate by a few. This was around a week ago, my boss is often very busy and so I think he forgot. What's the best approach to remind him? I want to be as professional as possible as I have a great deal of respect for him and I wouldn't want to overstep my position as an intern. Thanks <Q> Doing it shortly after you see it wasn't on your check is perfect. <S> When you ask him - also ask him an estimated time you should see it and/or check in with him again. <S> I'd expect a knowledgeable boss to be able to say: "I've put the request it... <S> it has to go through --this-- set of steps before it gets finalized. <S> Given how long that takes, you can expect to see it by the paychek after X date... <S> if that didn't happen, please let me know ASAP". <S> He may also be able to inform you if there's a way to back date <S> the increase - meaning it'll be effective at some prior date and you get a lump sum to catch you up... not every company can do that, but it's lovely if it works. <A> Email is good. <S> Just shoot him an email "Hey boss <S> , was wondering if you'd had a chance to put in that raise you mentioned on such and such date? <S> I noticed it wasn't on my last check". <S> It's always good to have a response in writing. <S> If he responds with ANYTHING to indicate he agreed to it, it's hard to back out at that point <S> and you can hold him to it. <A> Hey Boss, I was just wondering if you happened to put in that raise like we discussed. <S> Then see what he says.
| Trying to pre-emptively remind him is overly assertive, but as soon as you see it's not on the next check - ask him. Just step into your boss' office and say something like:
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How to deal with co-worker who promises a lot, but does not deliver? I work for a very large, multinational company. In our company, we are often tasked to work with employees from different countries, from different teams, etc. Recently, I had to work on a big project, involving lots of menial tasks. I believed that I would not be able to finish the tasks in the given time, so I requested for someone to help me. A co-worker (let's call him Bob), with whom I had never worked with before, was assigned to help me. I explained all the details to him, asked him several times if he understood, to which he agreed. I asked Bob how long he believed it would take him, and he said he would be done in two days. I tried to contact him, and did not get a reply. I tried several more times, on various channels (e-Mail, phone, etc.) and never got a reply. Several days later, way past Bob's self-set deadline, I got an e-Mail containing "partial work", with no explanation as to why the work was delayed, or in such a bad condition. I sent him an e-Mail, asking about the remaining documents and the reason for the delay, as well as the "mediocre" quality of the work. He replied, apologizing for being late (but not giving a reason for it), promised everything (including the already sent documents) would be ready on Monday and done in a much better quality. On Monday, I did not get any documents. I tried reaching Bob, but to no avail. On Tuesday lunch he sent me a message, saying everything is done, and I will get everything in two hours. The time passed, the documents were missing an Bob was not reachable. On the end of Tuesday, Bob sent me an e-Mail with just the documents attached, nothing else. Somehow, the work was even worse than before. At this point I just gave up getting help from him and instead I did the rest myself, including what he had attempted to do. I explained the situation to my manager, but I didn't get direct instructions from him either. As such, I would like to ask the following: Should I have acted differently when dealing with Bob? How should I act if I am assigned to working with Bob in the future? How can I politely refuse? <Q> Should I have acted differently when dealing with Bob? <S> As we only have one side of the story we don’t know what other priority that Bob had <S> , we don’t know if he had other deadlines that took priority before or during the work he was assigned to help you. <S> It’s entirely possible something came up, or a priority changed, meaning that was the cause of the delay. <S> Or it could be illness, or family issues, we just don’t know. <S> However, Bob should certainly have let you know in these scenarios. <S> What you should have done after attempting to contact Bob, to no avail, you should have sent another message copying in his manager and your own, explaining that you have not heard back. <S> You should definitely have let your own leader, or stakeholder, know of any delays caused by Bob not delivering on time. <S> How should I act if I am assigned to working with Bob in the future? <S> How can I politely refuse? <S> You don’t politely refuse, or refuse in any other way, other than raise some (polite) concerns that you'd raise to your superiors, there is no other way you should act other than professionally towards Bob. <S> If a manager assigns Bob as a resource you need to work with him, in a professional manner, and report any issues to those who need to know (see my answer to the first question). <A> You already did what you had to do by contacting Bob for answers <S> and when you did not get a satisfaction going to your manager. <S> If you're assigned to work with Bob in the future don't flatly refuse but remind your manager of the previous issue. <S> And continue what you did: <S> Do your part of the work properly and in time. <S> Stay available. <S> Reach out to Bob sooner to keep up to date with its part of the work. <S> Leave a paper (email) trail. <S> If your performance is impacted by Bob's lateness, reach out to your manager and clarify the issue. <A> It is a tough situation when the other party doesn't communicate well as to what the problem is, but you have to remember that everyone has their own struggles and Bob might be struggling too. <S> Maybe indeed he has understood your explanation, or maybe your explanation was insufficient for his skill level, or you seemed unapproachable to him. <S> It is hard to tell what went on here from your explanation, but there is a chance that you didn't share enough information or expected things from Bob which he couldn't do. <S> Of course, it could be something completely different. <S> Bob could be new to the company, ill, or have family issues. <S> His wife could have died that Monday <S> and you'd never know. <S> My recommendation would be Even when your teammates are far, try to get to know them and have a casual conversation, Don't expect work to be done when you don't provide enough information, When working with others, try to ask about their ideas so far of how they may think it could be done. <S> This could help you determine if there will be an issue with delivery. <S> Don't take your teammate's failure to deliver as personal failure, unless you were suppose to act as a manager. <S> Chances are they are already stressed enough by their own failure. <S> This isn't to say that Bob isn't at fault here, but a proactive approach to situations which you may encounter is much better than nothing.
| What you could have maybe done is asking for updates on Bob work before deadline not to manage him but to be ready for any delay or issue.
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Appropriate to mention wikipedia articles on CV and in interviews? Say that I had written and/or edited a few good Wikipedia articles. Would it be appropriate to put this on my CV or mention it on job interviews? <Q> Say that I had written and/or edited a few good Wikipedia articles. <S> As Wikipedia describe themselves as: the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit. <S> The mere fact of writing or editing a Wikipedia article itself is completely unremarkable. <S> It's kind of on a level of putting "I can tie my own shoelaces" on your CV. <S> Would it be appropriate to put this on my CV or mention it on job interviews? <S> If the job you're (hypothetically) applying for is one <S> that: a) Involves writing non-fictional content or, b) Involves the subject matter of these articles <S> Then it may well be worth including as examples of said content or demonstration of your grasp of the subject matter. <S> But you'd have to be clear about what content in the article was yours <S> - wiki articles aren't the same as published articles (e.g. blog posts) in that the content is ever-evolving and collaborative by nature and the last thing you want is to give the impression that you are claiming the credit for someone else's work. <S> If you can't satisfy one or both of the above criteria than it's a hard no IMO. <A> written and/or edited a few good Wikipedia articles Unless this is particularly relevant to where you're applying (say, you're applying for a position at Wikimedia itself) or you have a particularly compelling reason for doing so <S> (say you won some kind of prestigious award for your work) <S> then no. <S> This is nothing remarkable. <S> If I saw this on a CV, I'd assume that you were struggling for content and just padding it out - it'd work more against you than it would for you. <A> Resumes are sales tools. <S> You're selling yourself (your skills, experience, and capability to do work) to an employer. <S> Decisions about what information is included should always be made with this in mind. <S> You want to be able to show off your skills, but you also want to do so in a way that's predictable - which is where Wikipedia may be an issue. <S> Wikipedia articles can be updated, deleted, replaced, or otherwise edited after they're submitted. <S> Yes, you can look at an edit log and see the version you had submitted, but would you want to risk sending an employer a link to Wikipedia as an example of your work, only to find that someone else had edited the article before the employer got a chance to look at it? <S> Besides the concept of ensuring the content is stable, there's the question about whether writing about a subject online is really relevant to doing a specific job. <S> On the one hand, many jobs require skills and knowledge, and if you've got that knowledge, you may assume that writing about it is a good way to show off. <S> On the other hand, consider that the employer is probably not hiring you to write Wikipedia content - instead, they're probably hiring you to get work done - using your resume to talk about actual work you've done, problems you've solved, and projects you've completed is probably much more relevant than showing that you wrote an article about something. <S> The one caveat to that may be if you're actually applying for a writing job, writing reference material about a specific subject. <S> If that's the case, and you're convinced that your online writing is worth including in a resume, there may be better alternatives than Wikipedia. <S> For instance, if you're an expert in a specific field, you may have papers published in an industry journal that's accessible online, and you can use those instead of Wikipedia. <S> Or, a blog or website that you maintain personally. <A> Just like I wouldn't cite answers I've posted to forums on Stack Exchange. <S> But more important, you can't control Wikipedia. <S> so it's a double edged sword. <S> You could write a fantastic article on a pertinent subject, but anyone can later add, remove, or change it and mess it up. <S> Now when interviewers read the article, it's got misspellings, inaccuracies, etc. <S> I guess someone could even make your work better, instead of worse, but that is no longer your work, so it's a false representation. <S> If the sources you provide on your resume are not predictable, then leave them out. <A> Only if it helps you to demonstrate a particular skill that is appreciated for the position. <S> In my case. <S> English is my second language. <S> Many people in Spain have low level of English, so having high level is an advantage. <S> I never got around to obtaining official certificates, such as Cambridge's CAE. <S> So, I have to prove my long-term domain of English via other ways. <S> Making 30.000 edits to English Wikipedia is a quick way to show that I have a very high level. <S> However, I didn't put this on the resume and only mentioned on the interview . <S> If the interviewer had a different attitude, maybe I wouldn't have mentioned at all, or I would have mentioned instead my reading of books in English. <S> Think deeply of what skills you obtained by editing Wikipedia, how those skills are selling points for your employer, and how to showcase them in a short and impressive way. <S> Editing articles means nothing by itself, you need to be more specific.
| I would not cite Wikipedia articles for no other reason than that it's not a professional forum.
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Can I reject a change to my employment contract with an on call clause? - UK I've worked for few years for an IT company as software developer, the new management wants to amend all our contracts to introduce an on call clause. In other words it means that all developers are supposed to be part of a rota and hopefully, not more often than once a month, each developer is going to spend a weekend on call where in 48 hours he/she is expected to acknowledge alerts within 15 minutes. (And work to fix them.) I understand the idea behind it, if you do bad software and something goes wrong at weekends, you have to fix it. I get anxious very easily, I have a family to look after, and my hobbies as well, my weekends aren't on sale. Even if I was interested, with this contract change they are offering a salary increase of £2000 per annum. I'm not a lazy person, I always try to understand, to help and be known as an individual with an high degree of professionalism. But this time I really can't do it. Once you have signed the new contract you really don't know where you may end up in few months/years time, you can stay in a team with no alerts, or may end up in a team that is flooded by alerts. Also, the more pressure the business will do in the future for releasing new features quickly, the more chances of buggy software will be. (Pressure and support all on developers shoulders) Can I reject this coming change in my employment contract? (I'm based in UK) EDIT Now it turns out that people are on call 24/7 for a whole week every 4/5 weeks. Teams where people talk each other managed to push it back, other teams where people don't talk, panicked and accepted. No negotiation and nor representation has happened. <Q> Contracts cannot change unilaterally, or they are not contracts. <S> This is why they ask for your signature, because they need it. <S> You are perfectly within your bounds to reject the change, or negotiate it in a way that would make it worth to you. <S> Every contract change is a negotiation, and every negotiation can fail. <S> That takes care of can , now for the should . <S> We don't know if there's gonna be an aftermath or not. <S> You don't seem very worried about it, at least you didn't mention anything in the post. <S> Although unlikely, it's still possible that the company might do something petulant, so I would keep my ear to the ground if I were in your shoes, just in case. <A> They have valued your spare time at £2000, what do you value it as? <S> If money is not the issue, maybe ask them for some extra annual leave instead or to leave early on fridays. <S> They have opened up negotiations with this new contract offer, you don't have to accept the first offer. <S> If you really feel you cannot do it then talk to your boss and explain your reasons, some of the other staff might be willing to give up more of their time for more money <S> so you don't have to be on call <A> And many of your colleagues did. <S> Or you could give in, accept the change, get actually much worse conditions than were announced, and kick yourself for not speaking up. <S> Which the rest of your colleagues did. <S> Lesson to be learned <S> : Stand up for yourself, or you lose. <S> Standing together united with your colleagues works even better than just standing up for yourself. <S> And if you lose, you only have yourself to blame.
| After your edit the answer is clear: In your particular case, you could reject the change to your contract.
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Manager wants to hire me; HR does not. How to proceed? I had a talk with the manager of a technical department at a big sized company I've been doing some work with as a consultant. She told me they are looking for technical people and asked if I'd like to work with them at a specific technical position. I said yes and she was very enthusiastic. This company is particularly structured and full of red tape. Before applying for the position and having an interview with the manager (I basically already had this interview as mentioned above), I had to take a 3 hours role/group play non-technical evaluation session with other 8 candidates who wanted to apply for different non-technical positions. The result of this evaluation session was negative. Basically, HR says I don't know how to work in a group, make an argument, take a decision and so on. There were no comments; I can only infer this because those were the skills being evaluated, apparently. At this point, I do not know what to do next. The manager wants me to get on board and I have a strong track record of references that can prove I can do what HR in a 3 hours evaluation deemed me unable to. What would be the correct course of action? Do I apply? I tried to ask HR for more information on their decision but they have been dead silent. <Q> Continue to work for this company as a consultant. <S> Conspire with that friendly manager to enlarge your contribution until it is essentially full time or even more. <S> Charge <S> three times what you would have made as a permanent employee. <S> Every time you pass the door to HR shake your head sadly and chuckle to yourself. <A> At this point I do not know what to do next. <S> The manager wants me to get on board <S> and I have a strong track record of references that can prove I can do what HR in a 3 hours evaluation <S> deemed me unable to. <S> What would be the correct course of action? <S> Talk to the manager. <S> Explain what you think happened with HR and that you'd still like to work for the company. <S> See what the manager can do about it. <S> The reality is that the manager may or may not be able to override HR. <S> And she may or may not be willing to do so. <S> Leave it in the manager's hands and see what happens. <A> The answer depends on how the company actually performs hiring -- is HR the gatekeeper with the final say, or does HR give advice, and managers do the actual hiring. <S> The first thing is that hectoring HR, or walking past and making noises and faces, is just horrible advice. <S> If I were the hiring manager and I saw you doing that, I'd consider it childish and unprofessional, and then I'd figure out how to avoid keeping you around as a consultant. <S> Right now you have a strong ally with the manager who holds your contract relationship. <S> Work on that relationship. <S> Then take the feedback from HR to heart and see what you can do to either prove you have the skills or fix your weaknesses. <S> What you absolutely don't want to do is embarrass the hiring manager by treating HR poorly, or cranking up your billing rate as a way to force someones hand. <S> Act like a mature professional, overcome what sounds like a bad impression, and you're more likely to be successful in the long run. <A> HR people often don't know what qualifies candidates for technical jobs. <S> It is no surprise that HR speculated on loosely related grounds and produced unfavourable judgement -- it does not mean that you can not thrive in the role that you think you are good for. <S> Ask the manager for help. <S> If manager is on the good terms with HR then (s)he can simply convince HR that you are the right person for the job and that (s)he prefers you to other candidates. <S> Once I had to convince HR to trust me with my choice of candidate after I've found the right one who was good for the job but failed to impress HR. <S> I've interviewed enough people to be confident in my choice <S> and I've managed to convince HR to hire the person I wanted for the job. <S> In retrospect I can say that it was the right decision. <A> What do you mean "Do I apply?" <S> Isn't that how you got to the 3 hour ordeal? <S> I have been in your shoes. <S> Several of my jobs I've gotten because I have known someone who gave the hiring manager my resume. <S> The manager put my name through, and I was good. <S> On another occasion being manager's choice was irrelevant. <S> I did not get the job because it was a well-known market research/survey company. <S> They prided themselves on their research abilities, and they made me take a personality test. <S> The results of the personality test told me I wasn't the "type of candidate" they were looking for. <S> No matter how much I protested, I got nowhere. <S> I took my argument to the head of HR. <S> She wouldn't budge. <S> HR is the gatekeeper for many companies. <S> If you don't get past their bureaucracy, you won't get in. <S> You can apply, and perhaps it'll work out, but there's a good chance they simply won't let you through, and that's that. <A> IF you still want the job, then yes you still apply. <S> Tell your manager you failed their "test" and ask her to request that you be considered regardless. <S> Your manager either has enough pull to override HR's decision or not. <S> There's only one way to find out for sure. <S> If she doesn't have the pull, then you do what @A.I.Breveleri says and continue working as a consultant. <A> It's not your problem to worry, it's your manager problem. <S> If I was you, I would tell the manager honestly what happened and what HR said, without asking him to intervene. <S> After this point, just keep working as contractor, and don't hope for anything. <S> If you are to get this full-time job, you will hear from manager, otherwise not. <S> Manager can discuss with HR internally about you, but that's his concern, not yours.
| It may help to ask your manager to arrange an interview with yourself, the manager and HR person. Be prepared to explain/prove/demonstrate what makes you good for the job.
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How to deal with incompetent coworker/passive manager? My current coworker has very little, if any, responsibilities. My manager is aware of the issue and has let the issue linger for months on end, resulting in me being the one to pick up the slack for all of her work, per my managers direction. My manager has scheduled time this week to talk about responsibilities, and expects the rest of the team to “call it like we see it,” calling her out for her lack of responsibilities. I see this approach as passing the buck and I'm not sure how to respond to the request, since I feel it’s not my responsibility to have this kind of manager/employee conversation? How can I best position/prepare myself for this conversation, or share my lack of comfort with my manager? <Q> Just side-step the uncomfortable aspect of having to call out your colleague. <S> Mention that this extra work is causing you to stay late or that your own work is being delayed/affected because of the extra work. <S> You don't have to outwardly name names here - just point out the effect this extra work has on your own workload. <A> "call it how you see it" - Describe what your main A responsibilities are. <S> Then describe what additional B ones are added over. <S> Say how that overload is affecting your time, effectiveness and quality. <S> Outline those extra tasks you are given and leave for your manager to gather all those extras <S> (I suppose your other colleagues would also have some to share) and leave for your manager to gather them all and pinpoint where is the problem. <S> For him. <S> Your problem is the manager. <S> As you said he knew about the problem but is making you call it out and lift guilt from him. <S> By this play he can act pointing it was you (and <S> your other co-workers) who made him fire/PIP the incompetent one. <S> This might be a sign of manager who is afraid on making decisions and pulling the trigger on important issues. <A> It's not up to you to determine your responsibilities, or anyone else's. <S> That is your manager's job. <S> That's what should happen. <S> Your manager sounds awful, and scheduling time this week so you and your co-workers can gang up on the other co-worker is a terrible idea. <S> Your manager is asking you and your your co-workers to conspire against another. <S> That's not only unethical, it's possibly illegal. <S> And why? <S> To what end? <S> Is that person suddenly supposed to realize they need to shape up? <S> It's far more likely that the person will quit. <S> It's even possible that the person may do something even more drastic if they are convinced they are hated by all. <S> This kind of thing makes sense in the military, where a unit tries to elevate a weak member to come up to a higher standard through peer pressure. <S> But that works largely because the military is highly invested in bringing underperforming members up to standard, and because you can't just leave the military. <S> Do not conspire with your co-workers against another. <S> Performance monitoring and performance improvement is your manager's job. <S> At the meeting, simply state your responsibilities and nothing more. <S> If you want to call out anything, then call out any responsibilities or tasks that are not covered when everyone else has spoken. <S> But that's it. <S> It's up to your manager to assign the uncovered tasks or balance coverage.
| State your roles and responsibilities that form your own role, and then state the additional work you have to perform above that. Or call out that you feel overloaded with your responsibilities and are having a hard time meeting your commitments. If your manager really wants you to “call it like we see it,” then you should call out your manager for his or her lack of responsibility. It's not up to you to call out anyone else's lack of responsibilities.
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I can't understand my foreign born colleague This colleague I'm sure is very technically proficient, however their very thick accent makes it hard to follow them when they're giving presentations or when they're trying to speak with authority for any length of time. Is there anything I can do to better facilitate communicate between this member and myself? <Q> I have worked with colleagues from other countries that sometimes have had thick accents. <S> I found that it was helpful at times to apologize for MY inability to understand. <S> Or put it in writing. <S> Having said that, I found that one particular coworker from Hong Kong was easier to understand after working with her over time. <S> I grew accustomed to her accent. <S> After leaving the company I got back together with her and some others for lunch 6 months later to catch up. <S> It was interesting that I once again had difficulty understanding her, because I just wasn't used to hearing her speech patterns. <S> Bottom line? <S> And try not to do anything that would offend them. <S> In time you'll learn to understand each other better. <A> Try your best to understand, use emails as much as you can. <S> Whatever you do, do not bring it up. <S> They can't help their accent or their skills in the specific language, they will improve over time. <S> You cannot really do anything else to make them change the way they talk or you change the way you hear it. <A> As a foreigner born worker with a thick accent, I will kindly say, we're more than aware of our accent, generally arn't proud of it, and are usually legit trying to speak better. <S> In the country where I'm currently living, the locals like to say: 'I didn't understand you acoustically' <S> As a way to politely say they didn't understand what you said. <S> It annoys me to no end as I know that isn't true. <S> I and most people would simply prefer people not do the 'its not you, its me' and just simply say, <S> I'm sorry <S> , I didn't quite understand your sentence, could you please repeat or rephrase? <S> This gives me the option to say it in another way that you may understand better, and it's honest. <S> Apparently that specific word(s) <S> I need to work on some more. <S> I generally, when having presentations, have points in the slides which say the subject I'm currently talking about. <S> This may be something helpful to suggest to your college to add, to allow context to help you understand the current spoken subject. <S> The other thing I would suggest is, suggest getting a drink some time with the person, and just talk to them. <S> You'll get used to their speaking style soon enough. <S> ;)
| Be friendly, kind, and make an effort to understand. Emphasize that it's YOUR fault, not necessarily their fault, but sometimes you just need to speak up and ask them to repeat it.
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How to respond to single letter replies in IM? I am working in IT and this question is about my Indian colleagues. This is about chatting over Instant Messaging(IM) like Lync, Skype etc. Sometimes, I used to get single letter replies like below. k ( means Ok) s ( means Yes) y ( means Why) tx ( means Thanks) These people used to type small paragraphs when they needed but sometimes using this shortest response. Sometimes I assume they are busy but mostly I feel irritated by type of responses.Because I take these messages as rude or insult . I think along the lines, How much time it would take to type an additional letter? How to respond to these type of messages? Or Are these normal responses and I am over-reacting? <Q> It sounds like your colleagues are using these instant messaging tools very informally. <S> In a workplace setting, instant messages typically augment in-person conversation, which is inherently informal to begin with - so it's typical for IMs to take on an informal feeling, too. <S> You asked two questions, How to respond to these type of messages? <S> That's not really easy to answer, since - in the conversational sense - we don't have any context to know if you need to respond. <S> If you were wondering how to respond more from the perspective of, "how can I get my coworkers to change this behavior? <S> " then you might want to consider that changing this sort of behavior is likely an uphill battle culturally, there doesn't seem to be any strict business justification for doing so, and since you're presenting this as being an issue with your colleagues (versus people who report to you), it's not clear that you're really in a position to make any formal changes, anyway. <S> Are these normal responses and I am over-reacting? <S> In the context of what you've presented here, it does seem like these are "normal" in your workplace, so - based on that <S> - it does seem that you're over-reacting. <A> The way these replies are presented it makes me think the conversation is over. <S> you: <S> Did you get my Report them: <S> S <S> you: <S> im off to lunch <S> them: <S> k <S> you: <S> I put the bucket of money on your desk them: <S> tx <S> So I would assume there would be no need for a response.however with a reply of y <S> i would think you would then explain yourself as needed. <S> you: <S> I just got done microwaving Fish in the break room. <S> them: <S> y <S> you: <S> bc <S> i wanted to sit in the break room alone while I ate. <S> So unless there is a specific reason to keep communicating I would move on with my day and only ping them again if something new comes up. <A> Two important questions: Are you a manager/team lead, or are these your colleagues? <S> Are these remote workers or people who you share an office with? <S> If they're your collegues, I would speak to your manager or team lead, and ask them to deal with it since you feel that they are being rude to you. <S> If you are a manager, and they're remote workers, I would recommend sending an email to everyone on the team reminding them that all company communication is recorded, and that it should be kept professional at all times, including the use of proper spelling and grammar.
| If you're a manager, and they're workers at your office, I'd mention it during the next team meeting, rather than sending an email. If you ask someone to do something, and they say "k" as a way of acknowledging your request, there may not be an inherent need to respond.
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Very dark open space office, how to protect my eyes We recently moved to a new office and it was almost unanimously, decided to keep the lights off unless it's literally night. Unfortunately, If i turn on my lights, it will turn on the lights for another 12 people so It's tough to reason with everyone. With the lights off and the blinds almost entirely closed, it's like working in a dungeon/dark basement and it is affecting my eye strain. My eyes experience discomfort almost every day now and I have not had such issues for the past 7 years working in different offices (all with a reasonable light level). Things I've tried: Night mode is constantly on, set to a nice yellow. My monitor brightness is down. I try to use dark themes for everything I can. Things I'm considering: Getting a desk light. Getting a better monitor. Asking to move to another floor or spot with more lighting options (last resort). The layout: The layout is with big long desks with multiple people sitting on them, so I have people on each side, so light pollution is to be avoided. All advice is welcome, as It's becoming increasingly difficult to deal with this and I'm not sure what's a good option. Update #1 I just want to clarify some things as this question has risen in popularity. Yes, everybody working in their optimal conditions is great, but lets be real - there will be always someone unhappy, and there's no need to be self-centered about it :) I am asking for solutions that do not involve the obvious - better office, better lighting, better location and etc. because I have deemed those options not feasible at this time. I have little experience with this issue so lamp suggestions and other general suggestions are great, because they are things I can buy / start doing immediately and regardless of where I am at positioned. Due to English not being my mother-tongue, I might have sounded like it's unbearable, but It's still at the medium inconvenience stage and I'm trying to keep take measures to keep it from escalating. Thanks for all the answers! :) <Q> Get a desk lamp. <S> Get one with a swing arm/adjustable that can direct the light toward your desk surface, rather than spread the light over others' work surfaces. <S> Something like this might work: https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B0744984HF/ <S> (Personally, unless you are a mushroom, I don't understand the attraction of dark office spaces. <S> I like lots of light - preferably natural light. <S> I always brought my own lamp to use on my desk/work surface.) <A> You need to ask that the lights be turned on. <S> People will grumble, but this is a work environment, and people work with the lights on. <S> Not saying people won't grumble. <S> You should bring it up with your management and ask that 'reasonable accommodations' be made. <A> I have a medical condition - your situation would cause me headaches. <S> We have a bright office <S> but it's enough if it starts to rain outside for it to be an issue for me. <S> Lighting up <S> just the desk surface does not help much. <S> What's important is that whatever is behind your screen is bright since the difference in brightness between the screen and the background is what is actually causing the issue. <S> My go to solution is to either: <S> light up the whole office <S> (does not work for you) <S> have a desk such that I'm facing a wall and have a desktop lamp pointing at it (this causes a fair amount of light pollution for others but nothing can be done here) <A> it is severely affecting my eye strain <S> At this point, it's a medical issue, so HR are required to make any reasonable adjustments to sort it out - escalate it to them and let them deal with it. <S> If it's the latter that they decide needs to happen, it's on their head and not yours.
| They may give you a desk lamp, move you somewhere else with more light, or just decide to turn the lights on. It's affecting your health.
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Is it a good sign that I will get a job offer because I received a generic summary benefit package a day after the final interview? After two weeks of interviewing for a position, I made it to the final interview with another candidate. A day after, the recruiting company sent me an attachment containing a general summary of the company's benefits. The recruiting agency said that the company I interviewed with requested that they send it to me. Is that a good sign that I will get a job offer? I can't see the point of getting that information if they selected the other candidate. <Q> It is definitely a sign that they wanted you to have that information. <S> Why they wanted this is probably open to debate, I would say they are considering you as a candidate or it could be part of the onboarding. <S> Or it could be something standard they were supposed to send out at the beginning but forgot. <S> Without a crystal ball it is hard to say. <A> Is that a good sign that I will get a job offer? <S> Don't make that assumption. <S> The other candidate probably got the same information, and it's far more likely that HR is sending that information to any candidate making it to the final rounds. <S> The cost of doing so is small, it'll take an HR agents a few minutes to send this out, but it makes the company look sympathetic, and giving you this information early may speed up the process. <S> The only question I would have is, why give this information so late in the process? <S> Unless the company benefits are really lousy, you'd like to use them to lure candidates. <A> It means that you're still at the table, or that they were suppose to send you this before your final interview <S> but they failed to follow up... <S> Either way, it is really not going to be that long <S> till you know whether you got the job or not. <S> For now, relax but continue to apply to other positions you are interested in. <S> There is nothing certain until you get a written offer for the position. <A> Is that a good sign that I will get a job offer? <S> No.
| When you get an email/verbal from the recruiter telling you to expect one is a good sign that you'll get an offer, or ideally even the letter itself.
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How to convince boss that learning new technology or brushing up during downtime pays off? I have posted about many challenges at my workplace, and the issue of how to manage downtime is one that we've been struggling with, and I speak on behalf of my colleagues as well. What exactly do we mean by downtime? First of all, our boss is one who does not write expectations for any projects. They briefly tell us the new idea and then to implement it, and leaves it up to us to divide up the work. They are also busy working on other things, so they visit our work area every so often. Since there are no written expectations, we often do not know what to do next if we complete our tasks earlier than expected. When we approach our boss and ask what to do next, they tell us to be more proactive in making decisions on adding features to the project or enhancing it for better visuals and/or user experience. And more often than not, taking this "proactive" course lead to wasted effort because it ended up not matching what our boss really wanted, which wasn't even verbally communicated to us, let alone, written. So we decided to instead learn newer technologies or explore unfamiliar concepts of the technologies we already use. During those downtimes we devoted in keeping up in our field, our boss suddenly walked into our work area and reprimanded us for "wasting time learning technologies and concepts we don't need." Again, there are no written expectations, and "taking the pilot's seat" in a project often ended up being wrong. We just got better at sneaking in some learning time so we wouldn't get caught. What was the result through all those years? We learned Git, newer frameworks for both front-end and back-end, better programming practices, user experience, and more, and yes, 100% of our efforts became official practices and implementations for our subsequent projects, and yes, we became more effective and efficient overall. Now, we do have evidences that our learning time spent actually paid off, but telling our boss things along the lines of "had we not spent some time at work to learn, we wouldn't be able to pull off the project this well and this quickly" may sound quite confrontational. We know that in our industry, we must learn to keep up, and the projects just get more demanding. Still to this day, our boss emphasizes that we should spend no time at work learning because it "takes away time from development and improving our current products." But we must, and we continue so, unfortunately covertly. And let us remind our readers again - this is downtime, and we would complete all known tasks first before we take some time to learn something. So, how do we convince our boss that learning new things during downtime is the way to go, if they don't buy all the empirical evidences that our learned knowledge became official practices and information? What other suggestions may you have for managing this situation? <Q> You have a manager that does not understand knowledge-based industries, and apparently no trust for your knowledge of your craft. <S> This cannot change unless they themselves starts honing their own skills as a manager. <S> My first question when I started reading your post was: "Have you shown them that your proactive learning was useful?". <S> Then you went on to describe how you have indeed been able to show this <S> and it did not change their opinion, neither did it make them trust your judgement. <S> This means you have proof <S> that you cannot convince them <S> im their current state of mind. <S> Ideally your closest manager should be on your side. <S> You should be able to have a conversation about this and they should be able to trust you. <S> Reading between the lines it does not seem like your manager is that kind of person. <S> So there is no arena where you can raise this subject <S> , your manager is only focused on the short term money and does not want you to develop your skills. <S> This is a sweatshop. <S> If you are not fine with that, you should go above their head and talk to the person above them. <S> If it turns out this will always be a sweatshop you have to polish your resume and start applying for other jobs, or perhaps suggest that you work as a consultant so you can control your own time. <S> For me, this is such a red flag that I would have my first interviews booked by tomorrow, and a meeting with my manager's boss on schedule. <S> If the situation does not change you risk stress and eventually burn-out after banging your head against a wall for months or years. <A> Rephrase it a little. <S> Your boss doesn't like research for it's own sake. <S> Fine. <S> Don't describe it as such. <S> Instead, for every new technology you're learning, figure out some practical, useful thing to do with it to support the product. <S> Then, when you're teaching yourself how to use the new thing, it's not purely for the purpose of knowing how to use the new thing, it's a necessary requirement to implementing this new piece of functionality for the product. <S> Your boss is already telling you to be more proactive in making decisions about features. <S> Make this into a "making decisions about features" thing, and you should be fine. <A> If I were you, I would not waste my time trying to convince this boss of anything. <S> It's a game you can't win. <S> The style of project "management" you describe is wasteful and completely unpredictable. <S> If you really feel a need to improve things, suggest that everyone, including the boss, take a course in Agile Software Development . <S> That is the right thing to do, but I doubt anything will come of that. <S> There seems to be no self-reflection or interest in career development. <S> You had to sneak in learning git??? <S> That is completely nuts! <S> That's almost a basic requirement for a developer today. <S> Were you even using source control before that? <S> In spite of all the negatives, it does sound like you have somehow progressed as a developer, and have covertly learned new things. <S> That's great, but you probably don't get enough time for this to stay current in the industry. <S> Ultimately, that will be harmful to your career. <S> But it also sounds like you have been there a while and aren't interested in leaving. <S> In my opinion, this is foolish. <A> You seem really focused on learning technical concepts, improving your technical skills, and staying up to date on new innovations in your knowledge space. <S> That's good. <S> You've got initiative to continually improve your technical skills. <S> It is too bad that your boss isn't able to support that growth, but it seems like the focus you have on technical skills is causing you and your team to ignore the opportunity to improve in areas that may be more meaningful. <S> While it's always great to learn a new framework, the choice of framework won't matter if your requirements aren't clear. <S> You mention that your covert learning has made you more efficient, but if you don't clearly understand your goals, efficiency doesn't matter. <S> Do you see the pattern? <S> There's a difference between learning or improving in general, versus learning or improving things that matter - that is, identifying the root cause of problems, and focusing improvement activities around fixing them. <S> I don't mean to come off as suggesting that the things you're learning aren't important, <S> because they are - but based on the way you've described the situation, it sounds like you're missing bigger opportunities to improve in areas that are actually important in terms of delivering quality work and actually meeting your boss's expectations. <S> Simply put, if you're able to improve the areas you're complaining about (work management, scoping, estimating, requirements gathering, goal setting) <S> you may find that your situation improves to the point that your boss becomes more receptive to the things you're trying to do covertly.
| While it's productive to spend your downtime improving your skills, it could be even more productive to spend "downtime" improving your relationship with your boss.
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Moving to a different country soon, when/how do I tell my team/manager? Due to personal reasons beyond my control, I will be quitting my job and moving overseas this summer for an indefinite amount of time. I have been at my current job for about 6 months now, and I absolutely love it. The team, the work, and even the location have been amazing, and I'm truly devastated to have to leave it all behind. I developed personal relationships with many of my team members and got involved in many interesting projects that allowed me to really grow and evolve as a developer. I am also the lead for a couple of large, high visibility, ongoing projects, so my departure will definitely be a slight hurdle for those. A few more facts: My team is currently 20+ people, we are all very close-knit. Most people choose not to leave the company for another job, rather they retire out of it 2 other people have left suddenly in the last few months (also personal reasons beyond their control) so the team is already smaller than the manager planned for it to be at this point The team is still growing, 5 new hires will be joining in the fall due to an anticipated increase in work The company is a giant, no one person matters in the grand scheme of anything I have not come across an explicit notice period, I'm assuming 2-weeks since that's what most companies do here If I ever move back here, I'd love to be hired back by this team I'd like to get a positive reference from my manager for my next job My question is, how and when do I convey this to my team? I don't want to give the information too early and possibly be terminated before necessary. But I also don't want to betray them by telling them late and leaving them in the lurch. I'd really like to walk away from all this on good terms, but I'm not sure the best way to do so. Should I hand in a written notice directly or should I talk it out first with my manager/team? Should I wait until 2 weeks before I have to leave to bring it up, or should I bring it up sooner? <Q> I don't want to give the information too early and be terminated before necessary. <S> If your company has culture of doing that, or even if you suspect this may happen, don't tell them a minute earlier that you are required to. <S> But I also don't want to betray them by telling them late and leaving them in the lurch. <S> You have to take care of yourself first. <S> Only do the professional thing if you have reasonable expectations they return the favour. <S> Leaving on good terms is a good thing, but leaving on good terms can only happen if both parties work towards that; there won't be any good terms if you get terminated. <A> My question is, how and when do I convey this to my team? <S> I don't want to give the information too early and be terminated before necessary. <S> But I also don't want to betray them by telling them late and leaving them in the lurch. <S> I'd really like to walk away from all this on good terms, but <S> I'm not sure the best way to do so. <S> Should I hand in a written notice directly away or should I talk it out first with my manager/team? <S> Should I wait until 2 weeks before I have to leave to bring it up, or should I bring it up sooner? <S> You'll need to make a judgement call based on your understanding of company practices, your relationship with your manager, and your desire to be helpful and gracious. <S> You only owe the company two weeks of notice, unless your contract specifies otherwise. <S> And you need to be gone in a month anyway. <S> If you have a good relationship with your manager, you don't feel they will be vindictive when you give your notice, and you would like to help them by giving your notice sooner than later, then talk with your manager now. <S> Explain your situation. <S> I'd probably tell them now. <S> But you know your boss <S> and you know your risk tolerance. <A> Is the job one that can be performed via telecommuting? <S> If so, how opposed is the company or department to overseas telecommute? <S> Note that if they are open to it, it's also possible that they may only be open to it with certain overseas locations. <S> If you want to explore this option, it's probably better to tell them about the possibility of the move sooner rather than later. <S> If you're worried about being fired early, you don't have to tell them <S> it's definite/unavoidable. <S> Introducing that topic could help clarify their position on whether they would terminate early or not. <S> I recall having met someone who told her employer about an upcoming move she might have to make, and while her department was not up for an overseas telecommute, they were able to help her transfer to another department which was interested in giving her an overseas assignment to her destination. <S> It was about two decades ago, so I don't remember the details, but I think she ended up back in her department of choice afterwards. <S> I do remember the job being out of her comfort zone, but not quite as far out of her comfort zone as the having to travel to another country for a couple of years without having a job lined up. <A> I wouldn't tell them more than a month or two ahead of time, because it can only backfire on you. <S> However, if you feel compelled to you can certainly start to document/cross-pollinate your knowledge across the team and just generally be as helpful as you can. <S> When the time comes, people will understand your contributions and I think that will help you keep and build your network of colleagues going forward.
| It's a professional thing to inform them early but only if they won't "betray" you .
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Is it unethical to quit my job during company crisis? Without going into great detail, the situation is: My contract doesn't contain explicit terms on the specifics of handling a crisis, but some crisis is to be expected and our team is responsible to address them. The crisis may last about a month. This is in addition to our day-to-day responsibilities. Recently the company is faced with a crisis, which will probably last for a month or so, but I find that morally I am opposed to the direction the company is taking. Their position is made pretty clear to be non-negotiable. I'm pondering the prospect of quitting, but I feel like it may be unethical to leave at such a time of need, and I'm somehow "cheating" my contract. <Q> What should I do? <S> Find your next job Get and accept a formal offer <S> Give the required notice <S> Work out the notice period <S> Put this job in the past <S> You aren't ethically bound to work for a company doing things that are against your morals. <A> Is it unethical to quit my job during company emergency? <S> No, it is not. <S> What should I do? <S> Take care of yourself first <S> In general you should do what is best for you , because the company most certainly will look out for itself first. <S> If you want to quit, turn in your notice , and then leave ( you may want to have a job lined up first, but again that is up to you ). <S> If your contract doesn't have specifics in terms of a notice period, I would still offer a two week notice , which is pretty standard. <A> You (almost certainly) couldn't save the company anyway <S> It's common to feel like you're irreplaceable, but that's almost never true. <S> And a company that's poorly managed will always be in a state of crisis. <S> That does not oblige you to stay forever. <S> When is it wrong to leave during a crisis? <S> If your leaving will truly jeopardize peoples' health, safety, or lives, then it is wrong for you to leave. <S> If your leaving will devastate others financially and your staying does not cause more harm than your leaving would, then it is wrong for you toleave. <S> You'll know if you're in either category. <S> #1 would be critical care healthcare professionals, security professionals, first responders, police officers, and military personnel--people who often cannot go on strike or stop working without warning precisely for this reason: peoples' lives depend on them. <S> #2 would be if you are a C-suite executive in a corporation; you probably shouldn't just up and leave, or you could (potentially) tank the company and mess up a lot of peoples' lives. <S> Though even here its far less likely that you'll actually truly harm others than if case #1 applies to you. <S> If neither of these applies to you, then generally speaking <S> you're not harming anyone by leaving, even during a crisis. <S> NOTE: <S> in #1 and #2, "wrong for you to leave" means wrong for you to leave as long as doing so will cause the indicated harm; it does not oblige you to remain forever--it just requires you to be more deliberate about your timing. <S> At the end of the day however, you have the best information about your situation and must make the final assessment. <A> In fact, there are no hard answers no moral/ethical questions in general. <S> There are situations where leaving would be unethical. <S> But there are some where it would not only be ethical, but the only dignified way. <S> If the situation is indeed such that the company does something objectionable from your point of view, and it's not negotiable, then leaving seems to be the ethical response. <S> (It may not be practical , but that's another matter; if this option is on the table for you, we should not discuss it here). <S> The only thing I'd stress is that your position should be open and clear . <S> Before <S> you hand the notice (but mentally prepared to), speak to your boss and say openly: I'm really sorry, but I don't like <this> and <that>. <S> If the company insist on it, I'm going to quit, even though I'd hate to do it. <S> Shake hands and don't burn bridges. <S> On both sides these are (presumably) responsible adult decisions. <S> It happens.
| Unless you have concrete evidence that your leaving would cause likely and significant harm to others (as opposed to a vague feeling that the company can't function without you), then not only is it not wrong to leave during a "crisis", but you couldn't save the company by staying. All you are obligated to do is honor your contract . "Without going into great detail", there is no hard answer, unlike what some other answers imply.
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How should I react to a hiring manager offering undocumented benefits during the interview process? I recently made the mistake of not asking upfront what the compensation and benefits package were for a company I was interviewing with and we only discussed benefits after receiving the tentative offer (lesson learned.) At that point, the hiring manager admitted that the benefits were poor but arrangements could be made to make things work. Later that night I received an email from the manager's personal email address and was offered a number of things "under the table" or better put "undocumented" outside of the signed offer. Is this act normal? Was I right to decline the position and further negotiations on this ground? I would have loved to work in that position and on the projects he had lined up, but I'm confident this is some type of ethics violation that could be considered grounds for termination if discovered. [The following is copied from a comment by the OP] The amount of PTO I had initially asked for was offered off the books and that we'd make arrangements to use them outside of the current system. The current policy is that PTO is earned and I wouldn't accrue it until X amount of days. What bothered me was that I could not get this in writing and it was offered without HR being present or through an internal email address <Q> Is this act normal? <S> Generally speaking, no its not normal practice. <S> Also, holding the company accountable for what was promised in a personal email would be hard to do. <S> You would even be in worse shape in regards to under the table benefits <S> should the hiring manager leave . <S> Was I right to decline the position and further negotiations on this ground? <S> Your best bet was to act as you did, decline it , and maybe go back to them and insist that all benefit offerings are made official through the companies standard flow. <S> There is probably a good reason <S> the extra perks weren't offered officially . <A> Is this act normal? <S> I've never seen that happen. <S> Was I right to decline the position and further negotiations on this ground? <S> I was in love with the position and would have loved working on the projects he had lined up, but I'm almost surely confident that this is some type of ethics violation that could be considered grounds for termination if discovered. <S> You are right to be suspicious. <S> You are right to avoid accepting "under the table/undocumented" benefits. <S> But you didn't have to decline the position entirely. <S> You could have continued job negotiations with the understanding that you would accept the normal PTO just like any other employee. <S> It's up to you to decide if the normal package of salary plus above the table benefits were sufficient for a position you are in love with, or not. <A> This is super unusual. <S> Later that night I received an email from the manager's personal email address and was offered a number of things "under the table" or better put "undocumented" outside of the signed offer. <S> But frankly, I'm not at all surprised. <S> Potential employers try to make verbal offers, that they'll refuse to document/acknowledge immediately after the fact, all the time. <S> It's a way to make their offers non-binding. <S> It's just super peculiar and super weird that in this case, that this person used email to try to have the same effect. <S> If the supervisor would have been amenable to that idea, then I would have emailed his official email address with my counteroffer (carbon copying HR on it). <S> But otherwise, I think you did well to reject the job offer. <S> Non-binding terms are never a good idea. <S> That supervisor could be lying to you, he could be replaced tomorrow, and the form of the offer itself was a red flag.
| You could have indicated that you didn't want under the table benefits that might disappear if the manager leaves. If I were you, I would have offered to make an official counteroffer listing all the additional terms he included in his email (but offering to make it seem like those additional terms were coming from me, not from the supervisor).
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Member of staff leaving and wants photos We have 2 very popular members of staff that are leaving, and one has mentioned it would be nice to have some photo memories. Which is fine. However, the logistics of this is proving difficult. There would be up to 100 people involved across 4-5 teams. We thought of a group photo, but trying to get people together at one point in time will be difficult Then we thought maybe a photo of each team, but this could be time consuming Another idea was to get people to take photos on the leaving do and e-mail them to us, but I doubt they would. Alternatively, it was just a hint and we could completely ignore it, but it would be nice to achieve. At the same time if we do it for one person, we would have to repeat for the other. Has anyone else done this, or can see the most efficient way of doing this. <Q> We thought of a group photo <S> Not everyone has to be in it, you could just get the day where most people will be in and take the photo. <S> If people are that bothered about being in the photo then I'm sure they'll find a way to be in it. <S> maybe a photo of each team <S> How is this time consuming? <S> A photo takes a minute or so, you have 5 teams, therefore using only 5 minutes? <S> I personally don't see a huge problem with either approach, slight inconvenience maybe. <S> However, both are very achievable and effective to achieve your goal. <A> This is an idea for a different approach, trying to get round the "logistic issues" the OP mentions. <S> Create a shared directory and ask all of them to do their own "selfie" and post it there. <S> That way it is optional for those that don't want to and, at the same time, "creative" for those who do. <A> We've done this with projects I've been on in the past by arranging a group get together - either a shared lunch (paid for by the project) or drinks after work, and taking the photo then. <S> The subsidised lunch version gets much higher attendance, since it doesn't interfere with people's out of work commitments.
| Another alternative could be to hire a professional for the leaving do and just get the company/individual to send you the photos.
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How to resolve situation with less specialised senior dictating how to do my job when he doesn't like the solution? I'm a software developer with about 10 years experience, working as a consultant since end of last year, through an agency that put me with my first client where I've now been for half a year. The team consists of a senior developer (20 years experience), me as a medior, and a junior (2 years experience). We have a team lead and a manager. My speciality is front-end development even though I am full stack. This means I used to do all front-end tasks, and now split them with our junior as I've been mentoring them. Senior has done no front-end work since I started there. The problem in the team is that senior developer in the worst cases dictates how to solve a front-end problem, and is not stopped by team lead from doing this. Senior has only basic knowledge of the front-end framework used, and no knowledge of the component library we purchased. He is the type that will answer a question before thinking about it (or do the thinking process out loud on the fly), and because he is the oldest, most experienced and has developed some of the core solutions of the business his words carry a lot of weight. He will look through the component documentation for two minutes, pick the first thing he finds, and tell me to do this. This leads to situations where I'm told how to fix a problem, knowing already it won't work, but because I'm not good at explaining (and I also could be wrong) I investigate it and explain what I tried and why it won't work, and always try to come up with an alternative solution. This leads to the problem being solved, but he will keep finding ways to attack the solution, and if the solution comes up later, he will tell me that his way was better. I've started documenting furiously in the last few months, but for past things I lack this, which leads to being told I remember things wrong. I'm not sure if that is gaslighting, so I'm building a trail. However working like this is not healthy and I notice it taking a toll on me. I want to solve software problems, not people problems, and I don't want to have to document my every move to be believed. I've run into a problem now I was asked to solve by the team lead, but the solution he proposed (which is actually what senior proposed, after which he told team lead to make a call) is very much how you'd solve this in a desktop application, and also not technically possible with the components we use, which I've investigated and documented. I've asked team lead for a meeting next week to discuss this, without senior present, and I'd actually like to bring up how I'm feeling in this team. But I'm not sure how to proceed, and quite sure team lead will ask why I didn't want senior present. I've made brief mention of how senior acts to my manager, and while he agreed it was not ok, we decided to see how things would further go. He was understanding but I'd rather not bother him unless team lead doesn't help improve the situation. I don't want to breed ill will by escalating things, but I also don't want to be pushed around because nobody wants to address an issue. What I'd like to achieve is a healthy team balance, where everyone can have input, but you don't tell someone how to do their job unless you have real proof that you are right. I possibly take things too personally, at least that is feedback I have received from the team. They could be right, but at the same time, it feels the power dynamic is off. I don't yet want to resort to telling the agency it isn't working out with the client, even though they'd have a new one for me in no time, it's an otherwise great workplace and I think everyone would benefit from a solution. So my question is, how to I proceed on getting to a solution for a situation where a senior with less experience in a speciality dictates a medior (and a junior) how to do their job if what we do isn't to his liking? <Q> The correct way is... pretty much the same that you already started; as in, talk to the team lead and to your manager, and have the issues documented. <S> If they really do their job, they'll do something about it. <S> Having said that, it's also possible that they don't want to do their job, in which case there's little you can do, except find another job. <S> In other words, it's up to you to talk about it with them and explain the situation. <S> If they don't do anything, and you have tried to talk to them 2-3 times, it means that they aren't going to do anything, so in that case don't even try to talk about it again, or to go above their heads to the next level up; it rarely ever works, and can backfire on you. <S> If they haven't solved the situation in a couple months, even after you asked them for help repeatedly, it will be the time to start sending your resume around... <A> A few observations: <S> Can you be more patient? <S> This senior person needs to be right. <S> Let them be right. <S> In conversation. <S> Let them send you on a few wild-goose chases. <S> Remember that people have time constants. <S> It takes time for people -- including you -- to absorb new ideas. <S> You need to challenge the senior person about a technical point, so do it. <S> But DON'T expect them to facepalm and say "of course, you're right <S> , I'm wrong, what was I thinking? <S> " Give them time for your ideas to sink in. <S> You say you want to solve technical problems not people problems. <S> Put that into action. <S> Make sure the manager is aware of the people problems and let them do their job. <S> "Achieve healthy team balance" is not, repeat not, your job. <S> It's the manager's. <S> And, it's harder than your job. <S> Ask the manager for advice about this. <S> Say something specific like: "Mr. TwentyYear asked me to investigate using blahblah to do the zuminatron task. <S> I explained that blahblah isn't part of the frobisher framework, but he still insisted, and so I took longer to do that job than I thought I should have. <S> Can you suggest a way to deal with this situation?" <S> And, if you repeatedly find yourself wanting to write an article about all this for https://thedailywtf.com/ remember that life is short. <S> Maybe it's time to try something new. <S> Hang in there! <S> You'll do good work. <A> Other answers seem to be overlooking the part where you say you have trouble explaining yourself. <S> There’s a pattern in your story, <S> and you can preempt it: <S> You propose a solution to some problem in your domain Senior says something like “this StackOverflow question sounds similar, why not go the route in the answer?” <S> You struggle to reply If you come prepared with arguments supporting your proposal, you may be able to head off the senior: <S> For this problem we could foo , but I prefer to bar <S> because .... <S> As the senior team member, they may consider it their responsibility or purview to challenge the other team members. <S> And as the specialist, you should be comfortable explaining why the obvious suggestion is wrong. <S> As an aside, you also mention you’re building a documentation trail. <S> This can very easily enhance the project — decision records will help your team in the future when you’re confused about why some choice was made. <A> If you are working as a contractor, you should be making significantly more money than an employee (if that isn't the case, then you're doing it wrong). <S> In that situation, it is your responsibility to do your money's worth of work for them. <S> Their responsibility is to use your talents in the most beneficial way for the company. <S> Find out who in the company can tell you how to do your job - if your job is to produce results, or if your job is to do as that senior developer tells you. <S> That's something you should know anyway. <S> If the manager tells you to do what in your opinion (with 10 years experience, and experience in the subject matter) is the best, then you do that; you are happy, make a lot of money, and everything is fine until they don't need you anymore. <S> If the manager tells you to follow the senior developer's suggestions, then you follow the senior developer's suggestion, waste not your time <S> but the company's time, are a little less happy, still make a lot of money, and everything is fine until they don't need you anymore. <S> Which may be a bit earlier because they are not happy with your progress, or a bit later <S> because wasting the company's time means they need to pay you for longer. <S> In that case, you've told them, the waste of time is their problem, not yours, and you have the money in the pocket.
| In any case, if you feel that doing what the senior developer wants you to do is a waste of your effort, then tell the manager, and then handle the situation the way he tells you to.
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Is it smart for a student to list athletic roles under Experience, instead of Hobbies, category? Should a High School or College student list their athletic experiences, paid or not, for the school or not, under the category of Experience? This could be a resumé or a school application. Aren't learning experiences from sports just as meaningful as from non-sports experiences? <Q> If you are submitting the resume to Sports related fields, then yes. <S> If not, then no. <S> Save your experiences as team capt. <S> or team work in general for the interview. <A> No I'm of the opinion that the "Experience" section of a resume should be reserved for employment history. <S> I might be OK with something else being included here <S> but I would need a very compelling reason for doing so <S> and I've yet to come across one. <S> Most of the time, extra-curricular activities will go in their own section. <S> Even if the activity is directly related to the type of job I'm applying for, I would still put it here to keep it separate from my employment history. <S> If you don't have much (or any) employment history, I'd say don't worry about it. <S> High school/college graduates aren't really expected to have any relevant job experience anyway, which is pretty much the same as having no experience at all. <S> Employers know this and accept it. <S> If you've never had any jobs before, you can still include the Experience section and just have a short sentence or two explaining why you've never pursued employment (chose to focus on studies, etc) so that it's there <S> (prospective employers will look for it) and not just empty white space. <S> Then feel free to pad up the other sections with all the cool stuff you've done. <A> I'll take the dissenting opinion. <S> For instance, if I was looking to hire a Junior Dev, and got an application from a recent grad that said: Athletic Experiences: Captain of HS Floobyball Team, Assistant Captain of College Floobyball Team ... <S> it would tell me: this person is someone that: Likely gets along with others reasonably well Likely can function in a leadership role <S> I mean, yeah, it's not as impressive as if you were the leader of your college's [RelevantAcademicClub], but to say that it wouldn't matter at all is a bit much. <S> Again, this isn't to simply say, "List any athletic experience you have". <S> It has to demonstrate a quality that would be important to the hiring manager. <S> But if your experience does that (regardless of what that experience is) you should list it. <S> It's why I would always recommend to list military service - because being able to work well with others, follow directives, etc is always a useful skill set. <A> Content-wise, they should be listed if they support some of the statements in the resume. <S> I.e. it tingles my nose when I read in a resume that someone presents themselves as "strong team player" and then list, among the hobbies, "tennis player" or "chess player", since in those sports there is few to null team aspect. <S> If they instead list sports such as "basketball", "volleyball", "cricket" or whatever team sport it can be, it is a confirmation of their statement. <S> Even more if they had a more specific role, like captain or manager. <S> Whether to list them under hobbies/other or experiences, I am more inclined to prefer seeing them under hobbies/other, unless they are really professional experience.
| Yes, athletic roles are fine to list on a resume for someone in HS/College - As long as that job in some way demonstrates a quality that a hiring manager would think important .
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Employer not paying salary and bonus promised I was recruited last November in a young company. The CEO promised to give me a raise as soon as I could demonstrate that I can add value. He also promised to give me the difference between the base salary and the new salary, as if I started with the new salary. Example: If I worked for $100 and after 2 months I got a raise to $120, I would be given $40 as a bonus. After 4 months of work, I became a reference in my team. I asked the CEO about what he promised, and he told me that usually they do that after 6 months of employment. He was also surprised about the bonus. I waited until the 7th month without getting anything. I asked why he didn't respect his promise, and he said that he has financial issues. I don't trust this argument much, especially when I see that the company is hiring senior consultants and offering costly training to the employees. What should I do if he doesn't do what he said that after the 8th month?How should I tell him that I am fed up with his hide & seek game, especially in a culture where direct confrontation is not advised? <Q> It may be a long time before you see that money, if you even see it at all. <S> Because you are already an employee and doing work, the CEO has little incentive to pay you what was promised, and you are seeing that fact play out right now. <S> Your best opportunity to negotiate was before you joined the company. <S> Promises of bonuses are only as good as the character and reliability of the person making those promises. <S> How should I tell him that I am fed up with his hide & seek game specially in a culture where direct confrontation is not advised? <S> The CEO has already given you an answer -- it is unlikely that you will get the money even if you ratchet up the rhetoric. <S> There are no magic words you can say that will make the CEO change his mind. <S> If he already made you a promise and broken it, there's no reasonable expectation that he will all of a sudden start to act ethically. <S> You really have two choices: <S> Continue to work in your current position, and periodically remind the CEO of the money you are owed. <S> It's possible that the CEO will give you the money just to stop the constant reminders. <A> What should I do if he doesn't do what he said that after the 8th month? <S> You should find a new job and move on. <S> At that point it will be clear that he doesn't intend to live up to his promises. <S> That's not someone worth continuing to work for. <S> How should I tell him that I am fed up with his hide & seek game, especially in a culture where direct confrontation is not advised? <S> You shouldn't bother. <S> It would be a waste of time. <A> As soon as he doesn't pay because of "financial issues", your number one priority should be to find a different employer with no "financial issues". <S> There is no need for "direct confrontation". <S> You find a new job, sign the contract, then you give the legally required notice. <S> No need to tell them anything at all before you give notice. <S> If you're on the phone a lot and your employer complains, you can say "I have motivational issues at the moment because of the financial issues". <A> You should probably start looking for a new job with equal/greater pay than what you were promised. <S> To be honest and frank, his argument seems to be BS <S> and he probably just doesn't want to give you the promised raise. <S> There's really no way to tell why, but it seems like you are a motivated individual who can overcome this. <A> I think the only way you are going to see the money, in a case like this, is if you find a new job (with the level of pay you are looking for) and get an offer. <S> Then, threaten to leave your current company unless they respect the verbal agreement that your boss made when you were hired and back-pay you the money immediately. <S> Often finding a new job and threatening to leave is the only way that an employee can exert any real pressure on their company. <S> If the new position is good and willing to pay well, then it's really win-win for you - there's nothing to lose. <S> Doing this will also show your boss that you're not a wet blanket and you are able and willing to stand up for yourself.
| Look for a new job and negotiate up front exactly the salary and bonus you expect, and get those numbers in writing.
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What to say in one on one with a manager that's not my boss There are several questions here and other articles on the web about how to handle one on one meetings with your manager. I have a weird situation and need advice about a strategy in this case. The company (IT industry) is in flux, lots of people quit and others are moving in. My manager is leaving and there is no replacement as of yet. Instead, for my team, a senior architect is acting as manager and I'm acting product owner. A third person (let's call this person M) is acting overall company product owner together with another person. M worked at an office in a different country and appeared at our office about a month ago. Among other things, M will handle "personnel issues" and started setting up team retrospectives and one on one meetings. If you are thinking, this is a confusing and unclear management structure, you are correct. I have an upcoming one on one with M. Normally I would prepare an honest discussion with positive and negative feedback, suggestions for improvement, ideas for my future professional development etc. But in the light of the situation, I'm not sure if this is a good strategy. I'm not confident that M has leverage in the company as it stands, so any suggestions may just be a waste of time. M is not my manager per se and it's not clear what can be accomplished between us. And I'm concerned that negative feedback will be turned against me. Should I act in good faith and do an honest one on one? Or is it better to clam up? What's a good strategy here? Edit: just to be clear, any feedback, positive or negative, is not about M but just general stuff one would bring up in such a meeting. <Q> If M is going to take on a "line manager" (as opposed to a project manager) role, then having an honest chat with them about where you see your career going can only be a good thing. <S> So there's no reason to clam up and say nothing. <S> Just drop the negative feedback bit. <S> Convert it into suggestions for improvement. <A> I would then present those ideas as a possible practical solution to his vision, and once I've got a little rapport going, suggest my own things. <S> I wouldn't focus of any negative feedback about M, if you have any. <S> It seems management is betting a lot on this guy and you want him on your side, if you plan to stay there for long and suggest ideas to implement. <S> In general, definitely focus your time on him . <S> What he did in the past, what he sees, what he thinks can be improved, and how. <S> Once you get a good view on the landscape, you can pick your battles accordingly. <A> With respect, you’re overthinking this. <S> The new person probably wants to get to know his new co-workers, and to get the lowdown on how things work. <S> It’s probably a straightforward conversation. <S> You could ask ahead of time if there’s anything you should prepare for the meeting. <S> Then you’ll be sure about expectations on you.
| Honestly, I would first ask him to find out what his opinion is, and how much it seems to align with your own ideas for improvement. If M has no leverage, then having an honest discussion will do no harm, because it will make no difference.
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How should I "sell" losing my job due to chemistry issues? I'm in software development in South America. At my current position I've been told many times that my performance is great. And my objective results are great. Basically, I can do the job and I can do it really well. That's an important point, since this was my first position in the field, which is quite specialised and demanding. I've now lost my job because my boss couldn't stand me, which he told me repeatedly. I know that during job interviews you are supposed to be diplomatic and focus on "the exciting opportunity" at the company you've applied at and similar. However, I'm afraid that my interviewers will think I just didn't manage, which is simply not true. What answers to the question about why I left after several months minimize the possibility that this will happen? The person from the other threat wasn't able to perform well. My situation was completely different. My performance was great. <Q> Answers to similar questions address cases when you are reasonably let go from a position - your case is different: you were fired because of an inability to work effectively with a specific individual. <S> You should be prepared to explain the reason you were laid off honestly and specifically at any point during a job search. <S> Some potential answers to a question like “Why were you fired from your last job?” <S> might be: <S> I found it difficult to work according to the requirements of my manager, specifically ______, and I failed to find another role within the company. <S> My manager asked me to do things in an objectionably way, specifically _____, and raising concerns about the practice were not resolved before I was let go. <S> I failed to recognize how some of my behavior, specifically ______, was objectionable to my manager, and was let go. <S> Always include the efforts you took to resolve the issue in your explanation — things like: Finding a new role within the organization Offering feedback and requesting feedback from your manager Seeking guidance and coaching from peers and other leaders at the organization <S> Recognize that you very well could have been in the wrong, even if peers or other members of the organization didn’t feel you were at fault or should change your behavior. <S> Working with others always requires us to adapt our own behavior. <S> Not being able to try out new ways of working is not a desirable quality in a candidate. <S> Be sure you highlight how you were creative and flexible in resolving the issue — or take time to reflect on why you chose not to be flexible. <S> Best of luck in your search. <A> The boss won't fire you saying that he could not stand you. <S> "I fired X because I couldn't stand him" , it would be a very unprofessional fire reason. <S> He will say something, which is not easily provable false, but might be enough reason to fire you. <S> If you think a firing is going to happen, even if you think it is possible in the near future , start to search for your next job on the spot. <S> Time is crucial, until you find your next job/project, you will earn 0. <S> The typical "reasons" for such firings are these: You can't work well with your team (yes, because he wants to fire you, and not to integrate you) <S> You work slowly (he decides, what is "slow") <S> Although you work well, unfortunately the company can't see a project for you, or can't inject you into its ongoing projects (yes, because he wants to fire you) ... <S> any other <S> These are valid and well-reasonable reasons to fire you. <S> However, both you and also the company will know, that it is not the real reason. <S> Make clear for the Boss, that you want to leave peacefully without grudge. <S> Or, at least that you want to look so. <S> Don't expect him to admit, that not this is the real reason, but expect him to follow what I say in the next paragraph. <S> If the Boss can't stand you, then your leave will probably fulfill his thirst for blood. <S> That makes his second top interest to make your leave peaceful and good-looking. <S> The best possible outcome is that you agree in some similar: <S> "Although they were satisfied with your work, unfortunately they had no task for you at the time, thus they had to agree in your leave" , or similar. <S> Having a single short employment in your CV is not so bad. <S> The bad is if you have a lot. <S> Never say on your job interviews in the future: <S> "I was fired <S> because my boss/co-workers disliked me" , they will think that 1) you were bad 2) and you will likely say the same also from them! <A> Sometimes 'chemistry is just chemistry' and you can own that. <S> I worked for a company that the leadership went clubbing with the teams, got to work late in the morning, and played beer pong often. <S> I left, and later they raised $10MM USD, and then 3yr later another $30MM. <S> Very successful by VC calculations, but horrible working environment for me. <S> Know what kind of person you are, and are not. <S> Understand the way(s) that you are strong. <S> Lean into that when describing your ideal work environment, and why that other one didn't work. <S> If your future boss knows how to manage you, and knows that the company can + will benefit, then you won't face an issue being hired. <S> You are only at risk if you don't know who you are, or are not willing to convey it. <S> If you think you'll make some mistakes saying all this, practice with a friend. <S> If you don't have a friend that will be good at this, apply to some small companies that you are not worried much about 'failing' at the interview. <S> It will teach you a ton.
| Raising concerns to an internal ombudsman or external authority Avoiding troubling situations by changing your own working habits Be humble in explaining why you believe your manager was mistaken in letting you go. The key there is knowing yourself.
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Can I ask to be paid in equity? Say I have a job offer from a company. They say they'll pay me X dollars a month. Can I negotiate to be paid fewer dollars but instead some equity? Is it appropriate to even ask? Does the answer to this question depend on whether the company is private or public, or on whether it's a new company or an established one? Related: Negotiate for some equity , however in this question I actively want the equity instead of the dollars. <Q> The equity has to come from somewhere. <S> If you really want equity, you could allocate part of your salary to purchase shares yourself. <S> If it is private, it also really depends on the company. <S> More established ones without a culture of employees having stock options would be rather difficult to arrange this, I think. <S> If there are investors owning a large percent, it is likely that the president of the company is trying to maintain > 50% stake, so there is a really limited amount of the company that would be fluid -- and other cofounders/ the first employees would likely already own those, and they would likely not wish to give up their own shares. <S> A newer company may be more receptive to the idea. <S> They may not have the funds to pay a large salary so would be willing to be able to give up a few of their own shares in order to obtain a highly skilled employee for a minimum of 3 years (the term depends on the contract) at a smaller price in order to jumpstart the company. <S> If equity is something you are interested in, you really need to ask. <S> I would not expect a large percent of anything unless you are a cofounder, though. <A> Yes, of course, ask. <S> Keep in mind that you are asking to invest in the company. <S> Don't say "can I trade some of my salary for equity?" though. <S> Say, "is there some way I can get shares of your company? <S> " Let them suggest the lower salary. <S> They may have a way to grant you stock options or restricted stock units. <S> If so, good. <S> If they don't have a program like that, they'll tell you. <S> At any rate you will not cause yourself any trouble by asking this question. <A> Before the conversation, you should inform yourself with the various ways ownership rights and cashflow claims are distributed in organizations like your own. <S> In almost all cases, employees are given vesting options instead of shares. <S> These are private contracts with specific terms and are likely not tradable (there isn’t a secondary market for the option, or trading may be prohibited) before an IPO. <S> Google can help you learn more - here was a good result that I found: https://medium.com/jme-venture-capital/how-to-assign-stock-options-in-early-stage-startups-c5dea4a8d2c7
| If the company is public, and there is not an employee equity program already set up, it is unlikely that there is an easy way to give you equity through the company itself. Yes, you can, and should, ask. Company owners generally consider it a compliment when somebody asks to invest (unless the would-be investor is some sort of Wall Street pirate, which you are not).
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How and where to get honest/negative feedback about resume/overall profile for job hunting? I need to know where can I go to talk to someone and give them my details, so they can give me the brutally honest truth as to why employers are put-off by me. The places I have applied never give feedback and the only thing I have found online is to get resume format advice. I am a graduate student in Mechanical Engineering, I have job experience for an actual engineering firm (that I got because my brother had worked here in the past, not by my own merit), a decent undergrad and graduate GPA. I am graduating in December and in the past year have applied to 200+ jobs with ZERO call-backs, even for an interview. Obviously, something is horribly wrong and employers don't like what they see. <Q> You're a student, so ask your mentor, or whoever is undertaking that role. <S> You have a support network there, you should use it in order to assess the suitability and attractiveness of your resume and online profiles and help you to become more successful. <A> Talk with a recruiter. <S> Either to get help on finding a placement, or to help with your CV. <S> I'm a bit biased against college academic advisors - in my experience, they drift away from a business-world mentality and into an academic one (understandable, since they spend each day surrounded by academia.) <S> A recruiter doesn't have that issue. <S> They're used to working with businesses and generally know exactly what the companies are looking for. <S> (There are downsides to recruiters, but in this particular case, it seems like all-upside.) <S> Generally, they should be able to take a look at what's going on, figure out any problems, and start getting you interviews - or at least explain why you're currently not getting any. <A> Have you discussed your cv with friends and family? <S> Usually, you will know some people with work experience. <S> They will tell you if your cv is terrible. <S> From your description it was not clear to me whether you are available immediately, or only several months in the future? <S> I know that many companies are not interested in finding an employee for next year, but within the next weeks/months. <S> Salary might also be an issue, if at all it was discussed in your cv. <A> I do agree with others that the best source would be friends or family members who are in the industry. <S> I do not agree that a mentor at the university is a good idea. <S> Here's the issue I found: most of my professors never worked a job outside of the academia or research. <S> The career counselors at my university were students themselves who never held a job outside of the school. <S> So overall you should take into account of who you're dealing with. <S> Also linkedin, and github are great sources to see other people's resume and even post your own. <S> Try to look for people who are at the companies you want, and try to see how their resume is set up. <S> A lot of folks I work with have their personal site posted on github along with their resume. <S> Finally you can do your own checking. <S> Look at the job posting and match the skills they want to your resume. <S> Are they the same? <S> Did you added stuff? <S> Are things like Microsoft Word listed on your resume? <S> Good with computers? <S> Are you writing things you worked on at school? <A> Job applications to online job sites, or web sites of individual companies, have an extremely low acceptance rate. <S> Some applications are filtered away before any person even sees them. <S> Often these types of job applications are posted for legal or compliance reasons, and there is no intention of ever filling the job from these applications. <S> So if most or all of your applications have been of this kind, then 200+ rejections is not really that unusual. <S> Are there meetups or forums where people come together? <S> Landing an opportunity through a personal contact has a much greater chance at success.
| You would be better off finding people to contact, either through recruiters or other people in your industry.
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Developer being asked to work in a warehouse I'm coming to the end of my employment at an online bike retailer, the relationship has completely broken down. My job title is lead developer. For my last two weeks, they've asked me to work in the warehouse, picking stock. This is just the latest in a list of petty malicious things. My contract says that they can only ask me to do work that is commensurate to my job title. Also, I have a neurological pain condition that means I'm in constant pain, it's usually manageable but excessive physical exertion is something that can trigger it into flaring up to be much worse. 7 developers have left since December, none of them were asked to do anything similar. Am I within my rights to refuse? UPDATE I took my contract to HR pointed out that warehouse picking wasn't commensurate with my job title. They had to contact HR at the parent company and they agreed with me so management have backed down. Now they just have me sitting at a desk doing nothing ♂️ <Q> Let's answer the implicit question of "what you do about this?". <S> As others have said, they can't make you do this, but they can do other stuff that makes your work life unpleasant. <S> You are near the end of your contract. <S> The logical conclusion is that they have run out of useful stuff for you to do and want you gone. <S> Here is how to deal with it. <S> You go to your boss and say "Judging from the work you are giving me you have run out of work for me and want me gone. <S> Is that the case? <S> " If they don't deny it you say "Then let's do a deal. <S> I've got a month left. <S> You pay me for half that <S> and I'll be gone tomorrow. <S> You don't waste money paying the most expensive shelf stacker ever, and I get to start looking for a new job." <S> Obviously the numbers are up for negotiation. <S> But seems like a win win. <S> The company gets to save money. <S> The OP gets to NOT do boring manual work, and gets two weeks of effectively paid time off, which they can use to look for another job, play with their kids, or whatever. <A> My job title is lead developer. <S> For my last two weeks, they've asked me to work in the warehouse, picking stock <S> You HAVE to refuse. <S> To work in a warehouse you need to go through different Health and Safety training. <S> Not to mention training in using warehouse machinery. <S> Here is an excerpt from the HSE Warehouse and Storage guide: <S> Employees also have health and safety responsibilities for themselves and colleagues. <S> They must: <S> work in accordance with the training and instruction given by their employer; report situations they believe to be unsafe; <S> and not do anything that could endanger themselves or other people. <S> (bolding mine). <S> Not to mention the same guide advises NOT to use manual labour but to use machinery (on which special training is needed). <A> If it is in your contract that you can only be asked to perform duties commensurate to your title <S> then you could ask, in writing, how picking stock relates to "lead developer". <S> But be prepared, it will not end good. <S> If they have decided to wrap the project up then they can find something mind numbing that is development related and ask you to do that hoping you'll get the hint. <S> Instead of stock picking, for example, they could literally ask you something like count the number of times the letter ' <S> a' appears before the letter 'b' in the codebase for some "secret managerial project" and you won't be able to refuse. <S> This sort of thing happened to me a long time ago, one of my first jobs, the boss asked me not to park in the staff carpark anymore without giving a reason. <S> I knew the project was being wrapped up <S> so I took the hint. <S> It isn't a nice thing to have to go through but some bosses are just jerks. <S> Probably a good idea that you're looking for greener pastures elsewhere. <A> Start documenting everything, take copies of emails and written instructions and make notes of any verbal instructions given. <S> Note that I'm taking your comments about "I'm coming to the end of my employment" as meaning that you are about to quit because of this - <S> if you are an independent contractor you may have other avenues such as breach of contract, but under normal employment in the UK this is constructive dismissal and you should take legal action.
| You have an excellent case for constructive dismissal here - so long as you get your documentation correct, you should take this to tribunal.
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Pass on medical information about a job new applicant? I'm working in a small team at a (growing) startup,and have been asked about a developer applying who worked at my previous company. He started after I left, so I didn't get to know him personally. However, I get on well with my former colleagues and had met them occasionally, so I'd heard some rumors. So I got in touch, and now found out that person has narcolepsy. I am not sure this will work out well at my company, but I've noticed he does not seem to have informed them of this condition. Which is probably fair enough, given there hasn't even been an interview yet. Now I wonder whether I should mention this to the hiring manager.Could this be considered foul play? Would it be considered unethical?Would knowing this compromise the hiring process? My thinking is the likelihood of this working out well is higher if my company and manager know the actual condition beforehand. Then again, this may only be true if the applicant decides to mention it. Any advice is appreciated. The country is UK, for what it's worth <Q> Please don't be a lousy human being by mentioning rumors like that. <S> If the guy has a medical condition it is up to him to manage it <S> , it shouldn't affect his ability to do the job if he can manage it or otherwise come to some arrangement with management. <S> It is simply NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS . <A> There are enough cases when you heard something that is made up. <S> It is also professional to ignore when people tell you rumors or share information about somebody's physical conditions. <S> I usually say that it is not important, ask not to be involved, and try to remove myself from the conversation. <S> I don't like to spend time with people who might speculate about my health one day. <S> You should ask a lawyer about what is legal . <S> I suspect that UK has similar disability protections as the US, and as long as applicant passes doctor's exam required for the job, it is not an issue. <S> For example, truck drivers have to be cleared by physician. <A> Now I wonder whether I should mention this to the hiring manager. <S> No. <S> You wouldn't be doing anyone a favor, not the candidate, not your employer and not yourself. <S> Could this be considered foul play? <S> Certainly Would it be considered unethical? <S> Most definitely You are disclosing someones personal medical/disability information to a potential employer without their knowledge and more importantly without their consent. <S> And because you think it "wouldn't work out well <S> " you are doing it with the intent to influence the hiring process - if they do treat the person's candidacy unfavorably as a result of that it that goes beyond unethical into straight up illegal under the Equality Act. <S> Would knowing this compromise the hiring process? <S> Maybe, maybe not. <S> Your employers might be good people and not let it affect them. <S> Or they could choose to discriminate against this candidate on this basis. <S> Possibly they may even feel pressured to hire this candidate even if they wouldn't otherwise have done so because of fear that their illegitimate knowledge of the disability would come to light later and they could get hauled over the coals at tribunal. <S> It's very hard to prove that the knowledge of the disability didn't factor in to any decision not to hire them. <S> My thinking is the likelihood of this working out well is higher if my company and manager know the actual condition beforehand. <S> That's not your call to make. <A> It is not your place to pass along information about a candidate's personal situation. <S> Please do not do it! <S> Why not? <S> You don't know the guy. <S> Your knowledge of the situation is not certain. <S> What if you have it wrong? <S> It's his business to disclose, or not. <S> Not yours. <S> You (probably) don't have training in the way companies must accommodate workers with disabilities. <S> You could put your own company into a tight spot by talking about this without knowing the rules of fairness. <S> Seriously. <S> Let it be.
| The professional behavior is to not share privileged information, as well as rumors. Using medical conditions to make hiring decisions might be illegal. If you are a friend of someone with condition X, and you think that it should be disclosed to prospective employer, you are free to advise your friend.
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How long does it typically take to make travel arrangements for a job candidate? The question is prompted by a situation in which I am waiting for a firm to schedule my on-site interview (which involves them making travel arrangements for me). The question itself, however, is more general: how long does it typically take for HR to determine an interview time and schedule travel arrangements for candidates that require air travel (assume the firm/candidate are in the US)? What are the major obstacles that HR has to face in this process? <Q> You asked, What are the major obstacles that HR has to face in this process? <S> But you've answered that question in the one right before it: <S> how long does it typically take for HR to determine an interview time and schedule travel arrangements for candidates that require air travel Determining an interview time can be an obstacle because it likely means coordinating lots of resources (rooms, important people). <S> Scheduling the arrangements can be an obstacle because it likely means getting a quote from a travel agent and having that quote approved. <S> Of course, the actual act of making the arrangements may only take a few minutes - but the obstacles to be overcome prior to spending those few minutes may take hours or days or even weeks. <A> The process requires that HR ensure all of the interviewers have time in their schedule and haven't scheduled vacation. <S> The missing piece in the other answers is ensuring you've communicated your "advance notice" requirements to the recruiter. <S> I've never experienced a recruiter telling me the day prior to the trip that I would need to fly. <S> I imagine it could happen, but with people leading complex lives, and often needing to schedule a "vacation day", last minute notice is a losing strategy. <S> In-town interviews less than 2 hours tend to have less advance notice, and phone screens are usually "pick one of the following times" a few days in advance. <S> Perhaps the most important piece of the interview process is to keep in mind that your interviewers will have to not only make the time to interview you, but also make up any time on their regular tasks. <S> This is why pressuring a recruiter is a bad idea, and thanking your interviewers for taking the time to interview you is a good idea. <A> Firm travel plans may be made as late as the day prior to an interview. <S> It’s typical to book business travel very last minute. <S> The same norm extends to travel for candidates. <S> If you’re inside a 2-day window, it might be worth calling your recruiter to ensure there hasn’t been an error. <S> It could take several weeks to schedule an interview (if you’re still waiting on a firm interview date). <S> The recruiter should be able to at least give you some likely dates if you want to plan your days off. <S> Good luck in the interview!
| The other answers are partially correct - it can take time not only to schedule your on-site interview, but any other candidates. Typically advance notice times in my experience are in the range of 1-2 weeks.
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Can one negotiate already planned PTO days before accepting an offer? I already have a few days in September I had planned before interviewing with this company. Can I negotiate or ask if they would be OK with me taking a few days off after I join since I have family coming in from out of town for a family event?If yes, how do I ask the same and whom to ask if I am talking to the recruiter right now? <Q> You asked a few questions. <S> Can I negotiate or ask if they would be OK with me taking a few days off after I join since I have family coming in from out of town for a family event? <S> Yes, you can always try to negotiate anything. <S> Pre-planned PTO is fairly common, although different employers will have different responses. <S> Some employers may be happy to allow you to take the PTO, while other employers who rely on systems where employees "earn" PTO little by little every paycheck may inform you that you wouldn't have enough PTO available, and they may offer unpaid time off instead. <S> If yes, how do I ask the same and whom to ask if I am talking to the recruiter right now? <S> If you're talking to a recruiter, that is the person you should ask. <S> It would be typical to wait until after the interview to ask - perhaps when you're contacted so they can extend you an offer, or discuss offer terms. <S> It may be seen as presumptuous to ask "too early," i.e. before you've even been interviewed. <S> Although, if this is a total deal-breaker for you, and you really want to know now, you can always ask. <S> In terms of how to ask, it can be a simple email, or call the recruiter and ask: Hi <S> Ms. Recruiter, Thanks again for considering me for this position and extending an offer. <S> While I'm considering it, I wanted to let you know that I have already planned a family event on September 4th <S> and I will need to take September 3rd and 4th off from work - I wanted to let you know that so we could discuss how to handle those days in terms of PTO. <S> Thanks, user163824 <A> IMHO, it would be a very short-sighted employer who would reject an otherwise good candidate over 2 days of PTO. <S> If this is a deal-breaker for them because they absolutely need you to work those two specific days, or a deal-breaker for you because your family event is important enough to reject the job offer, it would be best to get this out in the open now. <S> If you will be able to accrue the needed PTO hours before the event this might be a non-issue. <S> If this would require them to provide you two days' worth of leave before you have earned it or in some other way bending the rules to their normal process, you would be smart to make sure those two days are detailed in the offer letter or contract before signing, as verbal promises have a funny way of sometimes disappearing... <A> If/when they ask you when you can start, at that point bring up that you have plans already for that week. <S> After that, when they present an offer, and they tell you that it comes with 10 days or whatever of PTO a year, you can ask them to give you 3 additional days. <S> They may deny it, or accept it. <S> Depends on the situation. <A> Can I negotiate or ask if they would be OK with me taking a few days off after I join since I have family coming in from out of town for a family event? <S> Yes you can certainly negotiate to make sure you get to take PTO for a planned vacation. <S> If yes, how do I ask the same and whom to ask if I am talking to the recruiter right now? <S> This is a tricky one. <S> Some people recommend that you bring up your needs as early as possible to avoid wasting everyone's time, but my stance is that a recruiter phone screen is too early to be making demands like vacation time. <S> I recommend asking after you receive an offer letter.
| You can always ask; everything is up for negotiation, and this might be a good indicator of how flexible and accommodating your new employer will be. You MAY need to take unpaid time off depending on their PTO policy, but typically it's not an issue, when you explain that the plans were already in the works.
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Scheduled for an interview and given option to send my resume Through networking I am scheduled for an interview. The person told me I can send my resume if I want. Since the point of a resume is to get an interview, is it worth sending? In a certain sense it could only hurt my chances since I already have the interview. The job will hire base off experience, not awards or school etc. so I think sending my resume wouldn't add much. OTOH it just seems more normal to send my resume. <Q> Yes. <S> Send it. <S> It will give them a chance to look at it, be prepared, and have questions. <S> I've been in interviews where the interviewer had no idea what to ask, and it was uncomfortable. <S> Besides questions, it will help them to be prepared to give information on the type of job you'd be good for. <A> As a hiring manager, I used resumes to determine who to offer interviews to. <S> You are correct about that. <S> However, I also used them to come up with questions that were particular to individuals. <S> A resume can highlight import aspects about you that you want the manager to know about. <S> The kind of things that you excel at. <S> The kind of things that if they ask you questions about them then you will get excited and authoritative in your responses to them. <S> Your fear that they may in fact withdraw the interview is also rather unlikely. <S> Even if they see something that is a red flag, at this point it would have to be serious to cancel. <S> They will instead probe you on it in the interview. <S> So send the resume. <A> Since the point of a resume is to get an interview, is it worth sending? <S> Actually, the point of a resume is to get to know the candidate a little bit (which could then result in interest and an interview). <S> It seems that you have your resume already prepared <S> so I say you go for it and send it. <A> If you're worried that submitting your resume might hurt your chances then you may not be right for the job, and that will come out in short order if you start working there. <S> It's probably best to find out beforehand than after the fact. <S> If for nothing else other than completeness sake, I'd suggest submitting it.
| I say it is worth sending, as it will show interest from your part, and also enable them to get a better idea of the experience you list on your resume (giving you higher chances of getting their attention).
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Team member is constantly distracted - how to approach? There is a one of my team members who is constantly distracted by personal communication (phone calls, messages). That started a couple of weeks ago and obviously affects his productivity. I tried asking some general questions (whether everything is OK, if he needs any help or time off, etc.) as I did not want to be intrusive and the answer was always negative, i.e. he preferred not to share any details. I am a tech person and since we're a small company we don't have HR to consult with or ask them to take care of that. How can I approach this issue? Should I keep trying to talk to him to get more details? Try something else? UPDATE 1: we do not have "no personal phone" policy and I personally do not have any problem with somebody making a personal call during work hours as long as it does not affect others or productivity. <Q> Be polite but straight about this. <S> Don't ask about his personal life (because that's his issue to deal with (if he has an issue)). <S> Ask about his productivity and point out that it doesn't look as though he's producing work to the same amount or quality as the rest of the team. <S> If he doesn't wish to work to the same standards as the rest of the team, this it's his decision about where to go from there. <A> That started a couple of weeks ago and obviously affects his productivity. <S> In your comments you indicate that you are this person's manager. <S> A such, you owe it to him to understand what is going on and point out the affect on his productivity. <S> Talk to him privately. <S> Mention that you have seen his productivity decline and that it appears to coincide with a significant change in the volume of personal calls. <S> Make sure that you convey that you don't want to intrude, but that you are concerned about the decrease in productivity. <S> Ask if there is anything you can do. <S> If he still doesn't want to talk about it, say that it's okay, but you'd like to get together again in a couple of weeks to discuss if his productivity has improved or not, and schedule the meeting. <S> Sometimes that's all you'll need to do. <A> Meet up with the employee in private, and be more direct about what you've noticed: <S> I see you on your phone a lot these days, but we have enough work to get on with <S> and you aren't meeting your deadlines. <S> I feel like your phone is a distraction to you, is there any reason why you need to use it so often? <S> It is normal not to use personal phones at work. <S> If he doesn't let you know about the situation, you should mention this to your boss, as it is unfair to other employees.
| Try to see help him see that the change occurred a couple of weeks ago, that you noticed, and that his decreased productivity was noticed. In short, focus on the productivity not the phone calls (since you don't have any policy against personal phone calls). Don't feel bad about being straightforward. Offer to help in his project work.
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How do I work with someone that shows no effort of working with me? I have worked at a startup for 3 years alongside the CEO and another developer which I will refer to as Tom from this point forward. Tom is 35 years older than me and is seen as the more experienced developer, which is a fair assessment to make since I was hired right after graduating college. However, Tom has no education in computer science (is mostly self-taught) and does not comply to many best practices when coding, designing databases, documenting etc. Who cares, right? Well, this combined with his personality makes working with him a real pain in the back. He is always defensive, offers little to no constructive criticism, does not communicate much and "always knows best". Tom is very defensive of the code and refers to the current project as "his" even though we have worked on it for the same amount of time (only difference is a few of his libraries being imported at the start of the project). He does not seem to notice my contributions to the project and instead tend to be annoyed by them. Whenever there is a discussion where we are on opposite sides (which happens a lot) I have to work tooth and nail to convince him that we should do things differently. He is often dismissive about these suggestions, even when I provide multiple examples of why it is the better approach. Whenever he runs out of arguments for his side he gives up and passively aggressively says something in the lines of "Do whatever you want! I don't care!", and that is the end of the discussion... Tom gets upset whenever I make changes to the code because he "can't keep up". Mind you that these are changes that we have either discussed and agreed on beforehand or is a bug from a support case that needed fixing ASAP. Tom makes changes to the code all the time and I keep up with all of his changes just fine. He does very little to understand my changes and just "rolls with it" even though I urge him to read the pull requests before merging. The problem here is that I try to collaborate with Tom as much as I possibly can, yet he shows no interest in collaborating with me. I rarely get any feedback (positive or negative) on my work. Because of all this I get very little work done. Any suggestion or change I make to the code is constantly frowned upon. I get frustrated over Tom's behavior and my CEO's inability to handle the situation. The CEO is supportive of my work and tends to side with me in discussions, but never calls Tom out on his erratic behavior. I have lashed out a couple of times and discussed changes we would both benefit from multiple times, but have yet to see any improvement. I get the feeling from Tom that he is terrified of being replaced. This has come up at a few occasions. I understand this question is complex and not very concise, but I would like to find a balance where we could work together. It basically boils down to the questions below. Questions : How do you work with someone that "always knows best"? How do you work with a man that is afraid of being replaced? How do you get someone to be less critical of someone else's suggestions? <Q> It sounds like you may not have a very clearly defined development process - there's a team of two, and you're both fighting over how to implement every change. <S> This is no ones fault - as you've described it he's not used to working in a professional development team ("always defensive", "refers to the current project as 'his'", "afraid of being replaced [by a junior]"), and as you entered this team as a graduate, neither are you. <S> This will be a difficult situation to change as a junior, but I'd suggest that you make a goal of having a process where each team member owns a specific piece of work from start ( the business has asked for this vague thing ) to end ( our users can now do it ). <S> Work out milestones towards that goal (eg "our work is divided into small tasks", "it's possible for me to talk to the business users", "I can write robust automated tests", "I can own my own task and let him own his "), and work towards achieving these. <S> These will be hard milestones to achieve, but when working towards them you might both learn some lessons about team work. <A> How do you work with someone that "always knows best"? <S> Demonstrate that the new approach is better and more easily maintained. <S> I would say the use of interfaces would be a good example of this. <S> If that is to complex, show him something <S> small but effective . <S> How do you work with a man that is afraid of being replaced? <S> This is a bit outside of your control. <S> It is up to the manager to let Tom know he is or isn't doing a good job. <S> If he comments about be replaced in your presence, laugh it off along with saying something like " <S> No way can I see that happening... " <S> How do you get someone to be less critical of someone else's suggestions? <S> In a word, patience . <S> Smaller more incremental changes are easier for anyone to digest. <S> And on a final note, I would advise you to be open to what Tom says as well. <S> Experience is a powerful teacher and in some cases, he may know the best path forward. <A> The focus of this site is "the workplace". <S> Workplace issues seem to be divided into two broad classes, those related to a particular job, and those related to one's career. <S> Most of the time, doing something which helps improve your job helps improve you career (and vice versa), but not always. <S> This is a time where I think you need to worry about improving your career, and not care about the job. <S> For your career's sake, I think you need to start looking for a new job, as your current job has some fundamental, unfixable, flaws, and staying there much longer will hurt your career. <S> Tom seem to be an "Expert Beginner" ( https://daedtech.com/how-developers-stop-learning-rise-of-the-expert-beginner/ ), who has limited exposure to the modern profession of software development, seems to have no desire to learn, and who gets defensive and obnoxious when exposed to new things. <S> The CEO, on the other hand, seems unable, or perhaps afraid to manage Tom. <S> Maybe he knows nothing of software development, maybe he's afraid that if Tom quits his project will fail. <S> Continuing to work with those two will hurt your career. <S> You, especially with just a few years experience, should be in the era of your career where you are learning from multiple, experienced, experts. <S> You should be part of a team following standard and modern software development practices. <S> You should be part of team working on multiple things, so you can be exposed to various types of projects and development. <S> Most importantly, your manager should be someone who can provide you opportunities to learn, and make mistakes; your manager should be someone who is helping grow and nurture your career. <S> I suggest polishing up your resume, and start the process of finding a new place to work, one where succeeding at your job will also mean succeeding at your career.
| You should be part of a team with multiple developers more experienced than yourself, so you can ask questions and learn from them. Keep at it with small incremental changes.
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How to handle issue with other consultants as new team member? Apologies in advance for the long post! I'm new in a project/communications consulting position, and as part of my role I'm unofficially taking over management of an ongoing web development project. The problem is that there are another team of consultants who have been working on this project for some time already, but I'm really unimpressed with the work they've done - both now and in their past projects. Their designs and technologies are very outdated. It seems every project they've done in the past 20 years looks and functions the exact same, and nowhere near meet my expectations. When I have asked them why they handle things certain ways, they bring up their (many) years of experience and brush me off. These conversations have mostly been by email, and my new boss is always on copy but doesn't reply. I'm really not sure the best way to proceed: On one hand, I think the boss already had doubts about their workbefore I came in, and may be happy to see me challenging them. On the other hand, I'm worried that if he sees me as being difficultor not working well with the other consultants it will put my job atrisk before proving myself (I'm on month to month contracts for now). It's also very difficult to tell an older life-long tech / design consultant that their work is not good enough - and I don't have a clue how to approach this without making them dislike working with me, and potentially try to push me out. Thanks in advance for any ideas or advice on how to best approach this and protect both my job and the project! <Q> You stated, It's also very difficult to tell an older life-long tech / design consultant that their work is not good enough <S> That is going to lead to me frame-challenging your question by asking, who gets to decide what counts as good enough? <S> Ultimately, there is some customer or consumer of your product. <S> We need to keep that in mind. <S> As a tech workers, it's easy to get lost in pursuit of best - to the extent that we lose sight of good enough or even understanding who is responsible for the ultimate evaluation of our work products. <S> To make this relevant to your examples, you mentioned that this team's output has remained static for a long time - their new projects look just like their old projects. <S> That alone isn't really a condemning fact. <S> Ask yourself: <S> What does the customer think about their work products? <S> Are their work products maintainable within the scope of their resources and skills? <S> Are they able to produce their work products within reasonable timeframes and budgets? <S> If you'll notice, none of those things are strictly tied to the complaints you're making. <S> It's totally possible to deliver a functional, successful product that looks similar to one you built 20 years ago, using the same tech stack you used then. <S> So - don't get lost in improvement for it's own sake, or pursuit of the newest tech concept for it's own sake. <S> Understand the goals and requirements for the work and before raising issue with a team's approach, make sure you can tie your complaint to those goals and requirements. <A> I think the most important thing to do is reach out to your boss and ask him what he thinks about the work of the other consultants, what he wants you to accomplish, and how he wants you to proceed. <S> It might be that he also isn't impressed with their work, and is happy that you are pushing them. <S> Or it might be that the work they do is good enough for the purpose, and that they deliver on time and on cost, and he's satisfied with them. <S> It seems to me that at least 85% of success at a job comes from having clear and regular conversations with one's manager - this is where you learn what is important to them and, by extension, the firm. <S> It is how you learn what to focus on, how to deliver it, etc. <S> Of course, the conversation needs to flow both ways - this is where you ask for help, advice, clarity, etc., so that he can provide you with the opportunities to succeed. <A> Before making judgements about the decisions of the previous team, you should seek to understand their reasoning and thinking. <S> Take some time to learn about the project from the previous team without pre-judging the state of the project . <S> Ask questions like: <S> “What’s the history of the current tech stack?” <S> Avoid asking “Why are you using such old tech?” <S> since that casts judgement before you understand the situation. <S> ”Does the client have specific preferences about development?” <S> Perhaps the client has made undocumented requests. <S> ”Does the project have the right resourcing?” <S> Maybe the client has been pushing to lower costs and the team is under-resourced and scrambling to complete the work as quickly as possible. <S> If the recommendation is to “tear-up” much of what the previous team has done, realize that this adds cost for the client, and so will need to have a very good reason beyond dislike of the current tech stack. <S> Good luck on the new project. <S> Taking ownership of another’s work is a bit challenging and frustrating, but finishing the project strong and according to expectations will be a great feeling.
| Discuss what you learn with other team members and make an informed recommendation to your management and the client.
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After suffering personal loss manager has become inappropriate This is a follow up of a post I made a few weeks ago because unfortunately things have escalated. So the summary of what has occured; I was in a job for a week when my manager suffered a close personal loss which resulted in him being off work for four weeks. During this time I assumed his responsibilities and found that many things had not been completed to industry standard. He returned to work three weeks ago for half-days. During this time he has been very emotional, a typical day would include greeting him in the morning where he would describe how he had night horrors the night before, when doing tasks for him he would bring up the death and if you said the wrong thing he would latch on and make you feel awful, then when he would leave for the day he would say he was going home to cry. Pretty sad stuff. Due to our close working (but not personal) relationship I dealt with most of this emotional baggage day to day whilst also trying to do my job. To make matters worse it was becoming more obvious that he couldn't do his role either and was heavily relying on me teaching him. I suspect he has been a career manager and now that the team is so small he told the business he could do the skilled work but he can't. After two weeks of this I requested to be moved away from him, I thought this would be best as he could sit with people he knew better and who could emotionally support him. It would also mean I could focus on my work and not have to teach him (something I was never hired to do). Yesterday comes around and I've been in my new spot for 2 days. Manager waits for my team to leave and approaches me saying "when I heard you wanted to move seats I went home and cried my eyes out, after everything I've done for you it's really hard and you abandon me after everything I've been through.... Anyway you know I'm kidding right? Well I'm off to kill myself some more" and leaves for a cigarette. I was left shaking. I immediately emailed his boss and other managers and they're talking to him. My question is, is this harassment? Is there a way I can protect myself? He is clearly having a mental breakdown and during his time off was arrested for harassing police following up on the death of his loved one, he is also on strong medication. I worry that this will just escalate further. A few things to note: we don't have HR and I would like to keep this job if possible. <Q> Does your work have any kind of Employee Assistance Program? <S> Any kind of help to get him? <S> Can you refer him to a counselor? <S> A pastor/clergy? <S> He's already used the phrase of killing himself. <S> Maybe it was a joke, maybe there is a slight bit of truth. <S> You need to help him. <S> If you don't know what to do go talk to your boss. <S> You can't just leave him the way he is. <S> I know you may feel like he's harassing you <S> but this is a cry for help. <S> Please talk to someone about it. <A> You need to bring this up with whoever is in charge of him. <S> He is clearly not ready to return to work and seems like he has a bit of stuff to work through. <S> He doesn't have to be completely better to return to work, obviously, but has to be at the point where he can separate his private and personal life and put his grief aside 8 hours a day. <S> Empathy for him doesn't change the fact that you were harassed because of his personal reasons. <S> You still have a right to a harassment free workplace. <S> Unless you're good friends (which it sounds like you aren't) <S> it isn't your job to tell this guy to sort himself out. <S> Its up to HR or higher up management. <S> If/how you report all this is up to you. <S> If he owns the business you can either stick it out see where it goes or move on. <A> My question is, is this harassment? <S> Is there a way I can protect myself? <S> If it is, it's doubtful that it's intentional. <S> I'm guessing that prior to this loss your manager didn't exhibit this behavior. <S> Grief is deep, powerful, and profound. <S> None of us really know how we would act and behave under the stress and duress that grief imparts unless and until we experience a similar loss. <S> There isn't much you can do but to bring attention to your management of his behavior when you think it's warranted, and remove yourself from the situation when you think his behavior is inappropriate. <S> If you want to be supportive, empathy is something you can offer in the sense of trying to understand where he's at emotionally and mentally and treating him accordingly, where and when it's appropriate and needed.
| It sounds like he needs some grief counseling.
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What to do about (new) manager simply ignoring me? I work part time for an agency. My manager recently got replaced. Understandably she does things a differently, and may even be learning the position herself. Sometimes when I ask questions she simply ignores me. She assigns shifts without the official system. It's a bit hard to explain to someone not familiar, but I think the payroll system automatically checks the shifts from the official system to determine who gets paid how much. So I'm worried I'm not going to get paid when my shift doesn't appear in the official system (though there are different types of shifts so maybe that has an affect). As one example I asked my manager about this and she ignores all my messages. She does this on other select topics too. How should I respond? Her manager isn't available so I have contacted the manager on top of them. I asked him some questions and the first one I said the new manager simply ignores the questions. Should I do this each question I ask him? I believe he's hoping that my manager's direct manager will be free soon to correctly resolve the issue but what should I do in the mean time? Should I be blunt with my new manager and say Why don't you reply to my messages? I'm not sure how to take it. She replies to some of my messages and gives me instructions through the same communication channels, so I'm sure she's getting them. Once I was speaking with her on the phone and tried to bring up a subject and she said schedule a time to speak about it. When I tried to schedule a time she didn't reply. <Q> Based on your numerous attempts to contact your manager, and the fact that you went over your manager's head in an attempt to resolve the communication gap and nothing changed <S> What you can do is keep doing your job well, show up on time, and don't give your new boss any ammunition to take action against you. <S> Also, as pointed on in the comments on the question document, document, document . <S> Frankly in your situation, I would start looking for work elsewhere immediately . <A> As frustrating as it may be for you, you should try to help her out. <S> Give her the benefit of the doubt. <S> Keep a log of open questions you have for her. <S> Keep it in a text file or some such thing. <S> Keep it pared down to the minimum; remove questions that get stale, and don't duplicate questions. <S> Avoid accusations. <S> Instead of saying, "On May 18, you reassigned me to second shift <S> but you failed to update the payroll system," say this: "May 18, I worked second shift but payroll says I worked first shift." <S> Then, once a week, or whenever you have another question, append the list to your email. <S> Put something polite at the top of it like "Reminder: <S> issues I need answers for." <S> This gives her a chance to get it together, as far as you're concerned. <S> Will she get it together? <S> Maybe, maybe not, but that's out of your hands. <S> You don't have to rescue the company from her. <S> Her managers almost certainly know about the situation (hey, you told them!) <S> They aren't going to tell you what they're trying to do about it, so don't expect that. <S> If she or her managers don't straighten this out in a few weeks, it's definitely time to find other work if you can. <A> She replies to some of my messages and gives me instructions through the same communication channels, so <S> I'm sure she's getting them. <S> So your communications are being received... good. <S> I have contacted the manager on top of them. <S> I asked him some questions... <S> That's unfortunate, but there isn't anything you can do about it now. <S> You should not ask <S> your manager's... boss's... boss any more questions. <S> She assigns shifts without the official system Keep track of how much and when you work. <S> If you are being paid for the correct number of hours, let it go. <S> If they don't pay you correctly, and either your manager doesn't respond to say she'll fix it or it isn't fixed in a reasonable amount of time, <S> then you can notify her boss's boss of that situation. <S> Otherwise leave them all alone.
| I don't think there is much else you can do. You have it right: this manager is learning her job herself.
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Organising workshops for technical skills I’m working to organise technical workshops at my workplace - nothing big, just an hour long during lunch. I plan on doing system design exercises, code challenges and solving brain teasers. The aim is to improve the skill of everyone involved, including myself, in the areas covered? And to improve morale by making things fun and interesting. The problem is, I’m not sure of what to do apart from printing out a few different brain teaser puzzles and examples of services to design (eg url shortener). I have read about ways of delivering a workshop, and have an idea (give attendees a system to design, ask how it went, and methods to improve, then ask them to design another system) but would like to sound out people here for advice. What is the best way of setting up and running such workshops? <Q> I’m working to organize technical workshops at my workplace <S> - nothing <S> big, just an hour long during lunch. <S> Maybe don't schedule it for lunch time. <S> If this is important to the company then the company ought to schedule it accordingly and appropriately on company time, not on the personal time of the employees. <S> Employees are at work 8, 9, 10 or more hours a day. <S> Don't monopolize their lunch break with work related work shops. <S> Let them take their break. <S> Certainly there are people who will give up their lunch hour, but you won't get full participation and some people will resent your attempts to intrude on their lunch break with work related training. <S> Get a head count of the people who want to attend and order lunch for everyone. <A> We have mini tech talks. <S> A person gives a short presentation on a subject followed by a Q&A. Talks are at most 1/2 hr. <S> In addition we have reading circles. <S> A book is choose and every other week, we have a discussion about the chapter or two that has been read. <S> Sometimes with a demo. <A> I have seen the concept of lunch and learn . <S> Basically everyone brings their lunch, a demo of a simple app with a new technology or approach is done, and then the discussion begins. <S> In some companies, I have seen the organization provide lunch as an additional incentive for people to go. <S> Then at the end of the time, which is typically an hour, a new topic is picked for the next one. <S> Usually these are done once a month or so, but you can alter the schedule to fit your needs. <A> I have led a bunch of this kind of training, and I can offer some suggestions. <S> Make the topics relevant to your company's work. <S> Just an example: If you are offering something on database management, use your own company's data if possible. <S> If you have an hour, schedule no more than half an hour of material. <S> Organize this <S> so many people have the chance to lead sessions. <S> Have long-time experts and also junior people lead sessions. <S> Just one voice gets boring. <S> If you will have people work in groups, try to mix it up. <S> Guide this process. <S> For example, if you will have four groups, tell people to count off 1,2,3,4 and join that group. <S> If you can bring in food, do so. <S> But make sure the food is available five minutes before your starting time. <S> If you have to take a break to get food in the middle, your hour vanishes without a trace. <S> If you're doing something involving laptop computers, prepare any required text ahead of time <S> so people don't have to spend the time frantically typing.
| An alternative option would be to provide lunch for those who do attend. Get your groups to be different from the usual workday groups. Leave plenty of time for questions and conversation: much of the learning comes from those interactions.
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Can you omit a Bachelors degree if its hurting your chances? My brother did private BA in mass communication. Doing a private degree in my country means doing the degree without going to any college. After that he did a two year Masters of Science in mass communication from a university. I have a strong feeling that this private BA has been hurting his chances for a job. He has a lot of difficulties finding work. I proposed he does an MBA or MPhil in mass communication from a good university and only show the Masters of Science and MBA degrees/MPhil on his resume. Omit the Private BA, but be honest if someone asks. <Q> Well, he CAN, but I'm not sure why he would <S> , it's still an achievement and <S> if he omits it someone will ask "Why do you have X years where you did nothing?" and that's not a pretty look either. <S> I suspect however that it does not hurt his chances (Not more than not being there at least) <S> and I think he/you need to go over his resume and brush it up. <S> Without any knowledge of the resume however it is difficult giving solid advice. <A> Even if you're right about it giving a bad impression, I wouldn't leave it off. " <S> So, I notice you have an MS listed, but without any previous college education -- how did that happen?" <S> every interviewer will ask, at which point your brother will have to choose between actively lying, or telling the truth and making it clear that he'd been trying to mislead by omission in the resume. <S> Neither one's a good look. <S> It's possible to organize a resume to highlight certain aspects or achievements. <S> Have a number of bullet points about the MS, and no bullet points about the BA; just mention the dates and move on. <S> You're not trying to bury it in the fine print, just to deemphasize it. <S> This way, the resume isn't dishonest in any way. <S> Just the opposite: it's focusing on the aspects of your brother's history that your brother thinks are more important to understanding his experience and skill levels. <A> Keep in mind that the job market is very tough in some parts of the world, and even more so in certain fields. <S> provided it is an accredited degree. <S> It could be that he is applying for jobs that have way lower minimum requirements than his degree. <S> Thus the companies ignore his applications because he is over qualified. <S> He might simply be applying for positions where his specific qualifications might not carry that much weight. <S> We simply don't know for sure. <S> Your best bet would be to take your resume to a professional such as an employment agent (or recruiter) and ask them to give some honest feedback on your resume and employment history. <S> They have much better insight into what causes problems and what does not.
| There are also other possibilities, it could be a bad reference, an unexplained gap in his resume, job hopping or simply a badly formatted resume or any combination of them. I doubt that any degree would be seen as a negative, regardless of how it was obtained,
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Legal view of holiday taken then owned back to the company I have been working for a company for the last 6 years, my yearly vacation started as only 20 days, and has since moved to 25 days in the last year. I have now handed my resignation notice in, and my boss said that I owe £3700 in excess leave taken. This has been added up over the 6 years. Apparently I am in the minus. I believe its -17 days. It has been worked out by tallying up all of my leave over that time. Is it legal for the employer to do this? I am based in UK. <Q> Welcome James, but you should probably address this to the StackExchange legal group. <S> The answer depends on too many unknowns. <S> Your best bet is to book an appointment with a local Citizens Advice Bureau and take all company paperwork with you, especially your contract of employment and any company policy documents (employee handbook etc). <S> Your immediate claimed liability (how much they say you owe), depends upon whether your company has a 'carry over policy' (can you carry unused holiday from one year to the next) <S> , how much leave you have taken this year, and when the holiday year starts (this will usually, but not always, be from January). <S> Accruing this past even 1 period (year) end does seem somewhat negligent, never mind 6 years. <S> They should have raised this as an issue at the time. <S> Finally, they can't just deduct the money from your salary; you have to agree to it (which will mean explicitly signing something to that effect. <S> "If you do nothing for n days, you're deemed to have accepted" will land them in serious trouble). <S> If you do owe them some / all, your CAB advisor can negotiate a payment plan with them. <A> Were any pay-cuts being done against your unpaid leaves when you were paid your salary after your leaves? <S> Generally followed industry practise is to deduct against any unpaid leaves from the due salary in the next pay cycle. <S> Legally speaking, you are bound by the original terms of job offer from the employer as stated in the offer letter and agreed by you, and, thereafter any applicable local laws. <S> First and foremost, go through your original job offer letter from the company and carefully read through the leave policy. <S> It's likely a power play by your employer to discourage you from leaving your job. <A> DISCLAIMER: <S> I am not a lawyer. <S> If any unpaid leave was taken in each year before now, it should have been deducted from your salary in that year because it would have affected how much tax you have to pay in that year. <S> The company should also have either not authorised the extra holiday in that year OR reduced your allowance for the following year <S> so you were straight. <S> If no reductions were made then it is possible you do owe them the money <S> but it is now down to them to prove you took the extra days <S> (presumably you put in written requests for annual leave) and at the correct rate for that year before any pay raises you may have been given since then.
| Unless there's a clause in the offer letter specifically stating your company is entitled to seek settlements against unpaid leaves when you resign from the job, your employer can't legally ask you to pay them at the end of the employment.
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My new job is a bad fit. I want to leave after 4 months After having been employed with a huge banking group for 10 years, I decided that I wanted to try something different within the financial industry. Four months ago I accepted the offer from this small company, thinking that it was a great opportunity. Ohh boy I was wrong! These people have no policies, no procedures, zero risk awareness, old fashioned, top-down management, a nightmare. I was supposed to join a team of 3 experienced individuals, while in reality, it is just me and another guy. We are extremely overworked and the manager is a useless lunatic who knows nothing but is great at delegating. The other guy in my team, the nicest person I have ever met, has been with them for 2 years but now wants to leave. I decided that I want to keep my sanity and I am now actively looking for a new job. I don’t know if I should be honest with a potential recruiter about my motives for leaving my job only after 4 months. If I don’t explain the situation, I am afraid they will think I am not flexible enough to adapt myself to different working conditions, but I also know I should not say anything negative about my current employer which I think is a big mess. Any suggestions? <Q> I don’t know if I should be honest with a potential recruiter about my motives for leaving my job only after 4 months. <S> You can be honest with the recruiter(s) without bad mouthing about your current employer (which is never a good idea IMO). <S> It's not uncommon or wrong if there's a bad fit between a company and employer. <S> Wise of you to have identified a potential issue and taken up a call without wasting much time. <S> It may become difficult to provide a justification the longer <S> you spend time with your current job. <S> It's good that you have clarity regarding what kind of organisation best suit your working style. <S> Not everyone is cut out for working in a startup, and not everyone want to work for a big organisation/employer. <S> You can focus your job search to only the kind of oraganisation you wish to work for. <S> You have had a pretty stable (about a decade long) stint with your previous employer. <S> It certainly plays in your favour by proving that you are stable in a job and have performed well enough to have progressed through it. <S> That is the kind of work culture you should be looking for. <S> You could be honest about this with your recruiter about it. <S> It makes things clear and simple both for you and the recruiter(s). <A> The noncommiting "we were not a good fit" might work in this situation as well. <S> I wouldn't be totally honest with recruiters since your opinion of your current employer might still be colored a little bit by your current annoyance. <S> You can be a 100% honest with recruiters if you trust them a 100% to be a 100% in your corner. <S> (Hint: <S> that's not very likely. <S> Just think about who pays him/her) <S> I think you can say something in the manner of: <S> You think that your professional skills are better suited for a different position. <S> The position you are working in is different from your expectation of it. <S> Just tone the criticism down depending on how much you trust the recruiter. <A> Not the answer you are looking for: <S> This could be an opportunity. <S> If you can stand it, spend the next month documenting what you expected and what is happening. <S> Come up with a plan for what should be happening. <S> Go directly to whatever person is in charge of personnel and lay out your proposal. <S> With skill, and the blessing of the Gods of the Office, you will get your present managers job, and can rebuild your department the way it should be. <A> It easy if you want to go back/apply to a big company, then I would say something along the lines of: "The change in work culture and organization level, and the impact on my effectiveness, was larger than I expected. <S> Having worked a long in a well organized, big company, I fully appreciate the advantages which such an organization brings, especially on my focus and ability to perform well".
| It's good that you have identified that a particular kind of work culture is not up to your working style or taste, which is totally fine.
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I lied on my resume. How should I reach out to my manager? I got an offer for a tech job at a big company in Seattle. I am excited about the job, but I have a problem and that is that I lied on my resume. I put my undergrad, even though I didn't graduate. Normally it wouldn't be a big deal, since my resume does not say I finished school, but I filled out a form before my onsite interview and I checked a box that says I did in fact graduate. I accepted the role and they're going to start a background check on Monday. They're almost certainly going to call the school and find out about my educational background. For starters, this was a grievously stupid decision and one I'll continue to look back on as a really, really dumb thing to do. I want to get out ahead of this and see if I can salvage the situation. I have lunch with my manager next week and I think I might say something like this: I made a stupid mistake. Please allow me to explain - I started at undergrad and then started a job over the summer, received an offer and never looked back. I indicated that I completed undergrad in my application. I'd very much like to work with you, but I understand if that is disqualifying. I'm not sure how to handle this, and whether it's better to do it in person or over email where I can provide more information and be a lot more intentional about my words. What would you do? <Q> Do not wait until your meeting next week. <S> Be prepared that confessing about the lie will most likely lead to disqualification. <S> Good that you are planning on confessing, better to do it before the company starts the background check and approach your school. <S> I'm not sure how to handle this, and whether it's better to do it in person or over email where I can provide more information and be a lot more intentional about my words. <S> Definitely don't do it over email. <S> Best to do it in person. <S> Since you already understand that this may lead to disqualification, which there's a high probability that it will. <S> As you have decided, the least good you can do is confess in person to your manager, instead of email and be honest about the misdeed. <S> Not sure if your candidature will be considered, but you certainly win brownie points for displaying honesty and owning up to your mistake. <S> You never know this honest act <S> may end up covering up for your misdeed. <S> Doesn't hurt to give it a go. <A> Inform your hiring manager ASAP , but do it in person or over a phone, so as to both impart more urgency and leave less of a paper trail. <S> Don't say you lied and don't make excuses, just state as a matter of fact that your application was incorrect. <S> People know what it means, but it's best not to admit to more than you need to. <S> Lies about education are the most common kind, and the one most commonly verified. <S> You can get away with lying about being a self-starter, a top performer, goal driven, as everyone assumes it's a lie anyway. <S> Degrees are legal documents that don't leave wiggle room. <S> You'll probably lose this one opportunity, but you'll at least have a good chance of avoiding legal problems or severe damage to your reputation that may go beyond the company. <S> The worst thing that can happen at this point is just getting hired. <S> That will constitute fraud, and sometime down the line you can get fired for cause or even prosecuted for this lie. <S> If you stop the hiring process in time, you can avoid much worse consequences later. <S> It's the fact that you lied that will be a problem. <A> You need to alert the manager. <S> Phone or email are fine, especially considering the outcome will likely be disqualification for the role regardless. <S> The sooner you alert someone yourself, the better the chances are that you might be able to salvage the role. <S> Include your incomplete undergraduate degree - even an incomplete degree is a positive experience. <S> Favorable errors on resumes are unfortunately common, and almost always discovered by an employer. <S> Best you let them know before your manager learns about it from somewhere else. <A> Don't ever lie about your education on your resume <S> It can not only get you disqualified from the hiring process (or fired years after you've already been at the job), but in a lot of places apparently including Washington state <S> it's actually illegal. <S> This could be far more serious than "a really, really dumb thing to do". <S> You should find a local lawyer (there may be a local service you can use for a free consultation) and consult with them, especially before you admit to your manager that you committed fraud. <S> They will be able to tell you the likely consequences, and the best way forward that also protects yourself.
| As very well noted in other answer and comment, talk to your potential manager ASAP . Many tech companies hold college degrees in some contempt and don't care for them, so it's not the lack of a degree that will disqualify you. Learn from the error: Amend your resume to correctly reflect your education.
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How do I deal with a Manager who appears to be victimising me for working from home? I have recently been granted 1 day a week working from home as a reasonable adjustment under the Equality act, as I suffer from Mental Health Issues in addition to ad hoc days which are already grantable like they are to everyone else. Since I've been taking these remote days, I have had repeated phone calls, emails and instant messages asking for progress updates and the like - this only ever happens when I work from home and said manager doesn't say anything when I work in the office (currently 2-3 days a week depending on the state of my mental health, which was agreed with HR) and everyone else I work with who is involved in the implementation and testing of the work, is happy with it. I feel that he is victimising me because of my mental health issues - moreover, because of the fact I need to work from home as a result of that. How can I deal with this effectively - considering I have already raised a grievance about this person and spoken at length with HR about it? <Q> Have an in-person conversation with your manager about the extra status updates. <S> Let him/her know that they feel different and intrusive compared to how you work together in the office and suggest an alternative (perhaps a 2x/day check-in call). <S> If the behavior of your manager doesn’t change with some feedback and discussion, you should engage your HR team to help mediate the discussion. <S> This is probably new ground for your manager, so some outside help might be a good way to quickly make everyone happy. <A> Working from home means working - just from your home. <S> It is harder to monitor what you’re doing remotely, which is why the company doesn’t just have everyone working from home all the time. <S> So you need to expect additional requests for status and communications basically to try and ensure you are really working and getting things done as you would in the office. <S> Your boss is clearly concerned that you are not, or at least feels like he has less information about it than when you’re in the office. <S> This is normal and to be expected. <S> Feel free and propose a less disruptive method of providing status to your manager, but it’s also on you to build trust that WFH home days aren’t really just sick days; per this agreement they are due a full day’s <S> work <S> and I think <S> if you put yourself in the manager’s <S> shoes you can see how they wouldn’t be sure they were going to get that and would look for ways to verify it. <S> When I work from home, I’m a little more proactive about communication to close that gap. <S> When I start in the morning I say hi to everyone in Slack. <S> I send FYI/question emails to my boss about what I’m working on. <S> I cc: <S> him a little more on other communications. <S> This way he knows what progress is being made without having to ask all the time. <S> I still probably get quizzed once a day on “how things are going” in addition to the daily standup, but again, that’s what they’re paying me for. <S> It’s not my favorite part of my daily work, but an organization lives on the people in charge understanding what their team is getting done <S> and so it needs to be done. <S> Try to understand the company’s and your manager’s needs and not just your own, and you can probably come up with ways to make both of you happy given that understanding. <S> Focusing on just your needs seems to be resulting in a dynamic that is making both of you unhappy (he’s not asking you for updates all the time for kicks). <A> If it was me personally I would speak a mental health advocate organisation FIRST. <S> To be honest with you the possible micro management could be also viewed as 'harassment' due to your mental condition. <S> I'm not saying that is the case, just that this is causing you discomfort <S> and you want a resolution so you can focus on your job. <S> I don't know where are based, <S> however In the UK, we have organisations such as MIND who advocate the rights for those who suffer from mental illness. <S> I'm certain your country's has its own equivalent, if you do have such an organisation, I'm sure they would help and advise you on the best way to handle this situation. <S> If you needed to speak to HR it's good to have advocate who can speak to HR in the same language. <S> Also, keep a note of EVERY TIME <S> you receive a communication from your manager (also what the message was about), while working from home. <S> Firstly, it's quantifiable evidence that if something is wrong there it shows a consistent and persistent pattern. <S> Secondly, if you decide to go to HR (which I wouldn't do without proof. <S> There is no such thing as the truth only what you can PROVE) <S> you can show evidence that something is 'off' so to speak. <S> Third and final, think about the object of any possible meeting with HR and what you want to get out of it. <S> You also want to find out 'why' your manager is constantly contacting when you are working from home. <S> If he has concerns then he/she, you + your advocate (if you can get one) and HR can sit down and hear these concerns and reach an agreement which works for all parties. <S> The key role of HR is to protect the business, not to protect the employee so DON'T go into any possible HR situation without a strategy All the best
| You should discuss your concern with your manager, and possibly engage HR to ensure the accommodation is implemented in a mutually agreeable way.
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Should I bring design diagrams to a software developer interview? If my current workplace allowed me to bring masked versions of design diagrams of a (solo) software project that I worked on, would it be a good idea to bring them to interviews? Would interviewers appreciate this? <Q> This sounds like a bad idea. <S> The interviewer will certainly ask if you have permission, and in the back of his or her head is going to be the thought "is this guy going to take our design docs and flash them around?". <S> As an alternative just brush up on your work (if you need to) and be ready to discuss (in general) <S> the work you have done, technologies used, how you made design decisions, etc. <A> Should I bring design diagrams to a software developer interview? <S> Unless you are asked specifically to bring them, or bring samples of your work, I would leave diagrams at home, because: Bringing diagrams is not standard interview protocol (most people talk through their design). <S> Your design might be faulty or wrong, or misinterpreted by your interviewers. <S> Your design might be inappropriate (too simplistic or too complicated). <S> The diagrams may be of poor quality. <S> Your diagrams might be irrelevant to the conversation, but you might be tempted to show them anyway. <S> It is much better and easier to decide during the interview if your design is relevant and appropriate. <S> If it is, you can always draw it on a white board. <S> Your ability to walk through a solution or design on a whiteboard is a desirable skill, and much less risky than trying to prepare a single design that may or may not be relevant or appropriate. <S> If my current workplace allowed me to bring masked versions of design diagrams of a (solo) software project that I worked on... <S> I would not do this -- using a masked diagram may be worse than no diagram at all, if detail, context, or integrations are missing. <A> As somebody who does technical interviews: Bring the things you were asked for. <S> It never hurts to have a few slides summarizing your previous work, but show these if asked, or if you are asked freely to introduce pu them there. <S> Do never contact an interviewer by sending him documents to "support you story" if he did not ask for it. <S> Do not forcibly try steer the direction of the interview to the topics you imagine <S> Do not pull out some documentation of your previous work without being asked during the interview - this is for me an extreme version of trying to get in control of the situation From the perspective of an interviewer: <S> I have a catalog of questions, we need to go trough some of these - taking to much control from your side will take time. <S> (and while I am lenient toward questions which are answered in a wrong way, if I have questions with a good answer in the interview time, it's not good) <S> When trying to steer the direction of the interview into previous experiences, be careful. <S> I had candidates lecturing me on how good their method/algorithm would fit to our problems. <S> I accept that <S> but then I go full force into having them explain the meaning of this in detail. <S> And it's much harder for me to discard a wrong answer if you put all your technical weight behind it and still don't see the forest full of trees. <S> In that case you don't demonstrate that you are competent, but that you stubborn and a hammer-nail person <S> Typically i don't really care what you did before, whats important to me <S> You can technically communicate in various settings <S> You can explain the details I asked for - everybody can pick details and explain them, but i basically had physics PhD explain which type of screw was on their setup <S> You are willing to go away from an approach if there are complex reasons why it should not be done all unsolicited contact to an technical interviewer is annoying. <S> The company allocated the time for this, the interview will be/was executed, and HR communicates with you. <S> Deviating from this protocol shows a certain lack of professionalism.
| Even if your current employer for some reason knows you are interviewing and is ok with you bringing design documents on an interview, having those documents is going to raise eyebrows at the interview.
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Woman speaks rudely with a male colleague in the elevator We work in a building with 5-6 different companies sharing 3 elevators. One day, one of my male colleague and I entered into a lift which was 3/4th filled. By mistake, my male colleague's forearm touched one of the women and he adjusted immediately. But, she responded rudely to him and said something nasty. My colleague and I were not happy with what happened. Yes, he was hurt and he said the same after coming out of the elevator. She is not a colleague and we have no idea which company she works for. I was wondering, what could I have possibly said to him to pacify him or infact, to that woman? <Q> In the moment, apologize and let it go. <S> It was likely a misunderstanding. <S> Weird interactions happen from time to time, it's just the nature of working in social organizations. <S> Your colleague will appreciate the validation that they behaved appropriately, but nothing more needs to be done. <S> If this individual repeatedly treats others rudely or disproportionately, consider offering them some feedback. <S> The gender or employer of an individual doesn't change the behavioral norms or standards of your workplace - undesirable behavior is unwelcome regardless of who the actor is. <S> You don't need to work with someone to offer feedback - if this is someone you occasionally run in to in the elevator, and have similar interactions, speak up. <S> However, you should be thoughtful and careful in delivering feedback. <S> Be careful to not draw distinctions along gender. <S> Focus on the specific behavior you observed and <S> the impact it had on you - never presume what the recipient of your feedback may have been thinking or trying to communicate. <A> Just say "I think that was uncalled for - <S> some people are idiots - sorry you have to put up with such crap." to your colleague. <S> Depending on your mood and aggressiveness you can say that with the other person in reach or not. <A> Simply tell him that, statistically, there is always going to be a certain percentage of fools, and there's no point in worrying about how they react; all he should be worrying is if he did everything from his side correctly. <S> If he did, and the other person still reacts in a rude manner, it's that person's problem, not his. <S> Of course, in places and times with inane laws and courts, this answer might need some modifications...
| Let your colleague know you observed what happened, that they didn't do anything wrong, and that it's probably best to let it go. If you feel very aggressive, the next time you see the woman in the elevator and are with a male colleague, point ironically out to him to keep a safety distance.
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Can I ask to speak to my future colleagues before accepting an offer? I recently completed the interview process at a local company and I have received a reasonable offer. I have an appointment tomorrow to inform them of my decision in person. In South Africa there are no laws regarding annual increases; almost all employers tell you that your salary will be reviewed on an annual basis, but hardly any are willing to guarantee it. Further, experience has taught me that all is not what it seems when you look at a prospective employer from outside. There are no real indicators of how management handle requests such a a day off for personal matters, etc. Would it be frowned upon if I request to speak privately to some current employees to get a feel of the company culture, etc., before accepting/declining their offer? I would aim to speak to people who would be my peers and ask questions that management would typically not like to hear you ask. One example would be: "How does management react when unreasonable requests are questioned?" In South Africa, it is not customary to introduce you to other staff before your employment has been confirmed. <Q> Go for it! <S> Talking to potential peers and managers is a very prudent step in your job search. <S> Ask the recruiter or hiring manager to help you organize some phone calls with potential peers. <S> Or, if you’re not relocating for the new opportunity, see if the manager will let you stop by for an hour to meet some folks. <A> During the interview process, nothing is private and everything is on the record . <S> That's perhaps a slight exaggeration, especially when it comes to personal information, which may even be illegal to share beyond a certain point. <S> And a "chat" you specifically asked for may be less on the record than an official interview (but still not private). <S> Although it's still a good rule to live by. <S> Assume any question you ask will get back to management and will affect your chances of getting an offer. <S> Assume any answer you get will be filtered through the lens of this being an interview process and the person you're speaking to being an official representative of the company (so don't expect any answer which paints the company in an objectively bad light). <S> If you have a question you feel you may be judged for, you could always just embrace it and ask it during an interview. <S> Another option, which could also work well when the answer to your original question might be "bad", would be to try to think of a less direct way to ask and read between the lines to get your answer. <S> Related: Is it appropriate to ask about the negative aspects of a company in an interview? <S> and Should I ask a potential employer about their negative Glassdoor reviews? <S> Although you can also ask to have a informal chat with someone <S> (I wouldn't call it "private") <S> if you want to ask your questions in a bit less official setting, you have more questions (you don't want to ask over email) or you want to speak to someone you haven't spoken to before (e.g. perhaps you've only spoken to management and not peers). <S> This is a bit of an unusual request, but many companies would be more than willing to grant this without having it affect your offer, assuming you ask after getting an offer (I wouldn't really ask much earlier than that point). <S> Other options include checking reviews of working at the company (e.g. on Glassdoor) or whether there's a former employee in your professional network whom you can arrange a chat with. <A> In some places, part of the "interview process" is to meet the team you will be working with. <S> This gives them chance to see you and you them. <S> They can ask better technical questions and, when I had one like that, it had less "pressure" but they felt it was more effective than the structured interview with the managers... <A> The time to do that was really kind of before you're faced with accepting or declining an offer. <S> I'm not sure how one would go about making that request. <S> I'd worry that they'd let you speak to their handpicked people, for one. <S> It's really hard to know you'd get an honest answer. <S> I'd suggest that if you have some questions regarding policy, just come out and ask when you go to accept the offer. <S> I'll be honest, I've worked in some places that were great, and I've worked some places that were bad. <S> It's hard to tell which is which before you are working there.
| It’s not unusual to request a number of phone calls with potential colleagues or to visit a new workplace before accepting an offer.
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Manager giving me cold shoulder since handing notice in One of my managers is giving me the cold shoulder since I've handed my notice in. Also, keeps on making snarky remarks. This feels extremely uncomfortable and awkward. I would like, at least, that the new (snarky) comments stop - they are making me feel uncomfortable. What is the best way to handle this? <Q> What is the best way to handle? <S> You continue to act in a professional manner during your notice period and don't worry about how your soon to be former manager behaves. <A> What is the best way to handle? <S> Also document as much about your tasks\responsibilities as you can so that the next guy has a starting point to pick up and go. <S> Provide this documentation to your boss on your final day. <S> Obviously you cannot control how your ex-manager behaves, so <S> don't sweat things you cannot control . <A> Sometimes a manager may take someone quitting personally. <S> Or perhaps he would prefer to just focus his attention on those that will be with him long-term. <S> Were you friends with him? <S> Did you hang out together after work? <S> If not, what do you expect? <S> If you're not particularly close to him he may have just moved on and is more concerned with those he views as not being "short-timers".
| Your best bet is to do the best job you can while your still there.
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Would it be considered good to communicate with interviewer before interview? I have got an interview offer from a multi-national company. Somehow I got to learn that I know the person who is going to interview me there. I mean he is not my close friend as such, but I have interacted with him couple of or quite a few times in the past. And I am very sure he is also aware that he knows me. Question: Is it good to communicate with interviewer (on Linked-In or on Facebook etc) before interview just to build good repo? Would they take it positively? <Q> I don’t think it would make much difference one way or the other. <S> If you decide to do it, I’d keep it short. <S> Something like: <S> I heard I’ll be interviewing with you next week. <S> Look forward to seeing you again and learning more about the company! <A> Would they take it positively? <S> This all depends on the individual, but based on my experience I would not recommend this. <S> It makes you appear over eager, and perhaps even a bit desperate. <A> No, don’t send uninvited communications to your interviewer before the interview. <S> You may also want to let your recruiter know that you’re aquatinted with your expected interviewer - your existing relationship may be a reason to find a new interviewer. <S> Many organizations have developed healthy and strong recruiting processes designed to limit bias and favoritism - frequent among these is a policy of zero-introduction interviewing . <S> That is, the interview is the first time an interviewer and interviewee meet. <S> This ensures that past encounters outside of the context and control of interviewing don’t bias the interviewer’s decisions and ratings. <S> Best of luck with the interview and potential new opporutnity!
| The standard procedure is to wait for the interview first, and if it goes well then perhaps you reach out via linkedIn or the like. Furthermore, I would urge you to not to reach out via FaceBook as that is reservered typically for more personal ( actual friends ) networking where linkedIn is for professional networking.
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Compensation question on exit survey I've accepted an offer at a new company, and will be making about 40% more than I currently do. The exit survey from my current employer asks, "if you don't mind sharing," what company I'm going to and what my total compensation will be. I don't see a downside to disclosing this information to my current employer. It seems like the worst outcome is they do nothing with it. The best case would be they use it to make better-informed compensation decisions in the future. They recently gave most employees a significant "market rate adjustment" based on feedback from an engagement survey. I suppose some people wouldn't want to disclose this for reasons of personal privacy. That's fair enough, but it's not a concern for me. Are there any other reasons not to answer the question? <Q> Are there any other reasons not to answer the question? <S> I'd say no, there aren't any other reasons. <S> Disclosing that information is completely your choice. <S> The only reason I can think this would be a bad idea is if your new company somehow forbids or restricts you from disclosing such information. <S> In that case, I suggest you check your contract to see if there is something that prevents you from sharing it. <A> I don't see a downside to disclosing this information to my current employer. <S> It may help future employees. <S> Are there any other reasons not to answer the question? <S> As personal privacy isn't a concern for you in this case, there isn't a pressing reason for you to not share it. <A> Are there any other reasons not to answer the question? <S> Not really. <S> The following are all I could think of, and none of them are very strong: Possible (but unlikely) that your new contract forbids sharing that information publicly - this is much more likely to be the case in defence / security roles; <S> They could hit back with a counter-offer to try to stop you leaving, and then get argumentative if you refuse (unlikely, but it certainly happens); <S> If they ever have a data breach, that's one more piece of information that's available about you (though this really boils down to data privacy, which you said you don't care about.) <A> I'm going to roll in with a "dissenting opinion". <S> In general, unnecessarily disclosing information to your (ex) employer is a Bad Idea . <S> What you disclose might incidentally help someone out, but it may also harm others. <S> Maybe they'll freeze wages because what they're seeing is close enough for them to deal with whatever turnover would come, instead of going through with planned adjustments. <S> Giving information to employers is generally like talking to the cops. <S> Oh, on top of which, as others have said, you might not be allowed to share salary information with another company (but you can probably share with individuals IIRC). <A> Look at the two statements from your question: They recently gave most employees a significant "market rate adjustment" based on feedback from an engagement survey. <S> and <S> [I] will be making about 40% more than I currently do. <S> You got the 40% bump by leaving. <S> The increase due to the engagement survey didn't really help you get to market rate. <S> You ask for reasons besides privacy and state the best case would be they use it to make better-informed compensation decisions in the future <S> I don't find the best case very compelling. <S> Now I understand why they might want to know. <S> If they are trying to improve their company then knowing why people are leaving is important. <S> I just don't think I have an obligation to tell them how much I will be making. <S> I assume that some people will be able to rationalize that the company will be doing good things with the data, but the skeptic in me says it isn't worth the time to provide the information they want. <S> On that last day I am generally more focused on getting out the door. <S> They also may want to know where you are going in case it is a competitor <S> and they want to make sure that you are not in violation of a non-compete clause. <S> But if that was the case they wouldn't rely on an optional question on an exit survey. <A> I left a job many years ago because among other things, the holiday leave was pretty poor. <S> In reality, there was quite a bit I didn't like about the job but rather than give a long list of things, I just mentioned this at length in the exit interview. <S> The HR rep conceded that this was something that had been mentioned quite a bit by recent leavers and resolved to do something about it. <S> I just nodded and thought no more about it. <S> Come the time of the annual reviews, nobody got a pay rise but everybody got an extra day's holiday pay. <S> Most people were quite pleased about this while others complained because they wanted a bit more salary. <S> If I'm being honest <S> I didn't think anything would happen at all <S> but it did. <S> However, what I didn't expect was that people would complain about the perk. <S> This is the bit you can't predict. <S> You may say there is no harm in divulging the information (and it could end up with people getting paid a bit more in your case) but ultimately it is zero sum game and that cost has to be made up somewhere. <A> If you have a non-compete clause with your old employer it might make it easier for them to research weather you violate it. <S> Also if you know a lot of proprietary, patented, or even not yet patented information, your old company might look closer at your new company. <S> This might impact your new employer negatively
| The company is not your friend, and that information will be used to their advantage only. If it doesn't hurt to share the information, do it. Don't do it.
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Finding a new job after current responsibilities shifted I am in a bad place with my current job and I am struggling to find a solution. I ostensibly have one year experience with software development at a reputable company, but that belies the truth, which is that my experience is almost worthless. Although my job title is software developer, in reality, I have mostly been assigned support activities for the better part of a year. Instead of building my skills, they largely have been atrophying for some time. I have been gaining other skills, but they do not seem relevant for the software development interview process. I have spoken to my manager and my manager's manager repeatedly about my concerns, and I was totally blown off. Essentially, my duties will not change, and if they do, it would likely take a year or two to reorganize teams; but as I said, my skills are getting worse, not better. Furthermore, I find the work deeply unfulfilling, as well as not particularly useful for my career goals. To remedy my lack of skills, I have been doing practice interview problems on my own time, and I intend to increase my own practice and ensure I consistently do it for 1-2 hours a day. However, I have been doing quite poorly on technical interviews because I have very little solid professional experience (despite my resume suggesting I should have some very good experience). For example, I may get asked a question about a particular aspect of a programming language, but as I have not been using any of them very much, I am often forgetful of the details. I also do not really have the experience to answer the more in depth questions thrown my way. It also strikes me that working through interview questions alone may not be enough, as it will not prepare me for broader system design questions, or general project experience. For example, an interview question may help me with my algorithms, but it does not help me with my object-oriented design. I feel I might need to quit so I can practice, learn, and interview full time, but this is obviously tricky because I still need an income. In short, how can I get myself a different job when I lack the skills to do so? <Q> Often times, in place of professional experience, personal projects can be quite helpful. <S> Start working on personal pet projects work to expand your knowledge while at home. <S> Then when in interviews you can say, that you have been working on a few passion projects to further your skills. <S> Employers want passionate self motivated people. <S> Many will over look lack of professional experience for a passionate person excited to learn. <A> To remedy my lack of skills, I have been doing practice interview problems on my own time, and I intend to increase my own practice and ensure I consistently do it for 1-2 hours a day. <S> Stick to it. <S> Don't ever stop doing this. <S> Additionally, graduate from just practising interview problems and fundamentals algorithms to actually building a project. <S> Start with small projects and graduate to building complex stuff. <S> Building a real world software application will help you with gaining practical skills and confidence. <S> Also, publish your work via code sharing platforms such as GitHub. <S> In the world of software development, demonstrable skills can trump resume any day. <S> A lot of companies nowadays are hiring candidates based on a good GitHub/Stack Overflow profile. <S> Also, try to not turn down any interview opportunity. <S> At worst, you'll be rejected, but you'll still remain in touch with what can be expected in an interview and it would be a good practise for you. <S> You may even end up cracking some. <A> It may help you to apply for a junior position, the pay will be less but you will have the opportunity to build your skills. <S> Not only that but the year of work experience you have in a commercial environment will go in your favour even if it was only support. <A> In your support duties, is the code to what you are supporting available to you? <S> If it is, do you use the support documents they gave you, the code, or a combination of the two in your support duties? <S> I'm not asking if they've told you whether the source code is available. <S> You can take the initiative to ask about it. <S> Alternatively, if the programs are written in a scripting language, like Python, Ruby, Perl, Bash, or TCL, then the source code is almost certainly available, as that's generally how these programs are distributed. <S> In those cases, you can just look at the file, and there it is. <S> I've know people who were put into situations like the one you describe, who did as you seem to be doing, just doing your best to support the programs with the tools you're handed. <S> It can be frustrating to work with them, but most of the time I encounter someone who is content to just use the documentation they're given, directing them at the source code is an exercise in frustration. <S> I've gotten to the point that I don't do it professionally any longer, just because I don't have time to deal with the questions that come out of it. <S> But if you want to be a software developer... <S> you're supporting software. <S> You can get to really know the software. <S> When I was supporting a sendmail server, my coworkers would say, "we simply can't fix this thing, because it's hard coded into sendmail. <S> " <S> I'd say, "this thing is hard to fix, because it's hard coded into sendmail. <S> The bug is on line x of file foo.c. <S> I estimate writing and testing a patch will take a couple of days. <S> But then, we're either needing to compile our own version every update, or we need to release the patch to Sendmail. <S> How do you want me to proceed?" <S> Going to this level is hard. <S> But if you can do it, your current predicament isn't an obstruction to a better job, it's just a step along the way.
| Personal projects would also be good to demonstrate your skills in an entry level job, keep up with the practice on interview questions, prepare well and research the companies you are interviewing for and stay positive, after all the company you are with now employed you so you are employable - someone else will snap you up.
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I just started; should I accept a farewell lunch for a coworker I don't know? I just started a new job and I was sent an invite to a farewell lunch for a coworker on my team. I don't know the person and haven't talked to/seen him yet. The invite was sent through an email with everyone in the team on it and NOT specifically to me. I don't know the correct etiquette to follow for whether I should accept or decline the invite, since I don't know the person at all. <Q> You were invited for a team event and you should go unless you are not available for official or personal reasons during that time. <S> None of the reason can be <S> "I do not know the person". <S> If you do not know him, this a chance for you to get to know him along with several other things about the company, culture and people. <A> Absolutely. <S> While there's one person going to this lunch who isn't going to be around very long, there are going to be a lot of other people who are going to be important to know and work with in your job, and it's a good way to meet people. <S> You're likely to not be able to make the best of the networking opportunity, but even just having people know that you're the kind of person who goes to these sorts of gatherings will probably help your career, even though many of these people won't actually get to know you. <A> Free food. <S> End of story. <S> Also, a chance to meet the rest of the team in an informal setting. <A> This just sounds like a great opportunity to get to know your whole team; not just to wish someone farewell. <S> Farewells are usually much more laid back than a typical lunch and you will be surprised at the stories that you get to hear. <S> Hiding behind the guise of "I don't know them" will paint a picture of you that you do not want to be painted. <A> Don't feel obligated to go (you're not). <S> Don't feel like you're not wanted either (you are!). <S> Some folks go to meet people or network or get a free drink or bite, other's don't go because they can't or don't want to <S> (it can potentially be and feel quite awkward if you're not very social). <S> It's all perfectly fine for a casual farewell lunch. <S> There will likely be more of them and sooner or later you'll likely find yourself going to hang out with some of the folks you know one way or another. <S> So don't sweat it. <S> Unless for some odd reason your manager tells you that you should be there, then make an effort. <S> But that'd be unusual in my experience.. <S> Not that it matters <S> but for what it's worth I've been working at all levels for 30 years. <S> Currently in senior management. <A> I don't know the correct etiquette to follow for whether I should accept or decline the invite, since I don't know the person at all. <S> You don't need to know the person, and in fact, this is your opportunity to meet them. <A> It's understandable. <S> But this is a team lunch, not just a few guys hitting the bar after work informally. <S> I would accept it, and then perhaps express any concerns to my manager. <S> If you're concerned, ask if it's appropriate. <S> More than likely <S> he <S> /she will say just as many already have that this is a teambuilding thing, and it's good for everyone to be there. <A> Probably the correct thing to do is to go, but what the other answers are missing is that it depends on the culture of your country/industry/workplace. <S> If it's a team lunch, being paid for by the company, then almost certainly you should go. <S> As other people have said, it's a good networking event with your colleagues who are staying. <S> One of the other alternatives is that the person who's leaving is buying everyone a round of drinks. <S> (This is common in a couple of companies I've worked for.) <S> Although they probably wouldn't mind buying you a drink, I guarantee it will make you feel awkward! <S> (Whether you get included on the round, or refuse and say you'll get your own, it's going to be socially awkward for you. <S> Some people wouldn't find it awkward, but by the very fact you've asked this question you're clearly not one of them.) <S> So, how to find out? <S> Ask someone you trust at the company. <S> This might be someone who was assigned to settle you in (show you where the kitchen is, tell you how to work the IT system), it might be your colleague who sits next to you, or it might be your manager. <S> If you ask them "Should I go to this event? <S> I don't know the person leaving and I don't want to put them out at their celebration", you'll find out very quickly what the culture is like at your company. <S> And they won't be surprised by the question <S> either, it's a very natural question to ask. <A> By doing so, you will end up making a connection. <S> The bigger your network connection, the better. <S> Besides, you never know, you might just run into him one day. <S> He might even help you get a job one day. <A> In this company, when someone leaves the secretary collects money for a leaving present. <S> Then you sign a card as well. <S> So go to the secretary (or whoever is responsible for this), cough up your share and sign. <S> Then you will be entitled to turn up. <S> Actually, since you are new no-one would bat an eyelid if you just came anyway. <S> Just don't eat the whole buffet. <A> If it’s free lunch yes!otherwise just send a polite farewell by email.
| The invitation was sent to the team, you are a member of the team, unless you have a pressing personal or professional matter that would prevent you from going you should go. Personally I think at the end of the day it's entirely up to you. Go, so that you can get to know the person.
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How to tell boss that we need a test plan and to ensure developers use the QA process? I just got a Warning letter for poor performance I joined a new company as an Associate QA engineer and almost 70% of the developers are juniors and there are no project managers and business analysts. Every time the client decides on the release date and clients directly contact developers (for more than 5 years this how they have managed projects). And developers release on time with lots of bug without basic tests. I send lots of emails regarding this but no one replies after 4 months I got a warning letter its mention not build any QA progress client complains not tested any function Actually all records are in gitlab and with out checking gitlab they issued a warning letter. How to tell my boss it's not my fault team leads don't care anything warn team leads <Q> You need to have it documented that your bugs were found, and ignored. <S> Don't be afraid to speak up. <S> If the boss doesn't accept it, you may need to go above his head. <S> Or, I don't mean to blame you in any way, but you need to more assertively put it back on him that QA is worthless if bugs are ignored. <A> Develop a specific solution proposal and bring it to your manager. <S> Make it clear <S> you believe the root cause of the issues being noticed by the client is a lack of a test plan and controls around QA. <S> Offer a suggestion of what the test plan and QA controls should look like and who is responsible for being sure they are followed. <S> Focusing on resolving the issues perceived by your client is probably the best way to convince your organization that the problem isn’t amongst the developers and to address the warning letter. <S> Avoid getting defensive, blaming others, or complaining about the current situation. <S> Best of luck with the situation. <S> It sounds like it could take a long time to rescue the project and even longer to help your organization see what is really going on. <S> Being persistent and cooperative in developing a solution will be highly valued and appreciated. <A> I can tell you how this works at my reasonably organised place. <S> As a developer, I start with a set of tasks that should be achieved for the next release. <S> My boss has decided when the release is, and when QA needs to start testing. <S> I do the tasks in reasonable quality. <S> Shortly before the date WA should start, if there are tasks not done my boss and <S> I decide what can be left out of the release, or if the release needs to be delayed. <S> When I have no tasks to do (because I’ve done everything or things were moved to the next release), QA starts. <S> WA reports bugs which become tasks for me. <S> While QA reports bugs, I fix bugs. <S> QA closes or reopens the bugs I fixed. <S> If we come too close to the release date, my boss and I decide which bugs can be fixed for the next release. <S> The important thing: Every bug QA finds turns into a task for the devs, and the product is released when all those tasks are performed or postponed.
| When you raise the issue to your supervisor or other management, you can maximize your chances of having a productive discussion by being focused on potential solutions and avoiding blaming or complaining. If you got a warning letter, I'd refuse to sign it, take it to HR, or take it to his boss.
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Should I make an event at work to celebrate my soon-to-be-wedding? So it's my first time getting married (hope the only one) but I started a new job in a foreign country where I don't know the habits in term of mini events in workplace. I work in Germany and since I started, I've seen coworkers bring in food for birthday or child birth. I'm not sure if a wedding enter in the category of events. I'm the kind to bring stuff to share at work, but for this kind of reason it should be a little more fancy I guess. EDIT : I'm close to my coworkers to different levels : with some I made stuff outside the working place, some are juste really good coworkers, and some I can't remember their name :/The company is pretty big but for what I've seen, previous events were made with only our services, circa 20 person.I'm afraid to ask my coworkers if I should do it, this way they could start thinking that I selfish or something and don't want to celebrate. Should I have an event at work or something outside the workplace ? or nothing at all ? <Q> This is a great place to apply the Golden Rule. <S> Seriously, if you walked into the office, saw there was cupcakes because "Cheryl finally managed to get her MBA," would you honestly think anything other than: <S> Ooh! <S> Cupcakes! <S> Congrats, Cheryl! <S> Thanks, Cheryl! <S> As for the fanciness, or elaborateness, or anything like that: Don't Overthink It. <S> You're happy! <S> You're getting married! <S> You're bringing in treats because you want to share that joy! <S> Don't get bogged down into minutia of which specific treats out of some worry of how it'll be perceived. <S> Keep it simple, and keep it a reflection of your happiness. <A> Yes I've seen coworkers bringing food for birthday or child birth <S> This means that your coworker are used to celebration, there would be nothing strange for you to mimic them to celebrate your wedding. <S> I'm the kind to bring stuff to share at work, but for this kind of reason it should be a little more fancy <S> I guess. <S> Try to adhere to what's usually done by your coworkers. <S> But don't be afraid to be a little bit fancier if it please you, just not over the top (like bringing a pièce montée when it's usual to bring croissants) <S> Should I make something at work or something outside the working place ? <S> or nothing at all ? <S> Depending on the importance of the event for you you can do both, one or neither. <S> Neither could be (badly) taken by your coworker and taken as a sign of you not wanting to integrate and open up to the team. <S> Doing both may be a way to assemble different people at different time if you want to celebrate with all of them <S> but they would not all be available at the same time. <A> The answer is: Whatever you feel comfortable with. <S> You don't know about birthdays or child being born from people who don't want/like to share this info. <S> If you like to tell your colleagues and give them something it's on you. <S> Depending on part of Germany you might bring cake called Baumkuchen. <S> That itself make it fancy. <A> Best is to just ask a coworker what is appropriate. <S> You say that people have brought in treats for other occasions in the past, so there is precedence. <S> However, since you are new to the company and the country, you never know what little nuances there are to social etiquette, <S> so it can't hurt to ask a coworker what would be appropriate. <S> They may tell you that you need to reserve the kitchen area, or that you should make sure to have vegan options, or that as long as you bring enough to share people will be happy. <S> When in doubt, just ask!
| In some parts you might bring parts of wedding cakes specially for your co-workers. The bottom line - everything you're cool with is ok.
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Why team meetings are scheduled at lunch time, mostly? I am just trying to understand other side if any good reasons behind this scheduling. Background: I faced this with 2-3 managers who schedules weekly/monthly team meetings at lunch time( 1-2 pm) on when 90% of the people have lunch at designated area. I feel irritated and sent them email asking reschedule couple of times and they did. But they keep scheduling during lunch time again and I gave up. They are working on the same floor. I noticed they mostly prefer this time slot, but don't know why. How to manage this situation? <Q> If they're like some companies I've worked for, that's when they can find an available time for everyone. <S> They probably don't prefer the time... <S> it's just when they can get a free hour for everyone. <S> Don't like it? <S> Speak up directly and tell them this isn't a good time, or block your time on the calendar <A> If this is occurring in the US, a lot of people go to lunch right at noon. <S> Because it's usual to take an hour lunch, scheduling a meeting at 1 pm probably makes sense to someone who eats at noon. <S> It also has the benefit of keeping the rest of the group on the roughly the same schedule. <S> I prefer to eat later, myself, so the day is broken up more evenly and you get to miss the lunch rush. <A> You didn't mention what type of environment you're in (consulting, startup, corporate, etc), but I often see this in the consulting world, where time is tracked as billable. <S> Team meetings aren't billable to clients, which means that people try to limit them and/or schedule them during times when people aren't doing billable work. <S> This results in team meetings scheduling during lunches (eat & meet simultaneously) or late/early in the day when team members are less likely to have client meetings scheduled. <S> Even outside of consulting work, meetings can often be viewed as slight annoyances or time fillers (even though they are definitely important).
| Scheduling over lunch is a way to recognize the fact that meetings need to happen, but while trying to avoid using up valuable work time.
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Is sending LinkedIn invitation to top management team a good idea? Recently I completed my internship at a firm and I was wondering whether it's a good idea to send invitation to connect on linkedIn to the top management including CEO? Or should I send request to only people who I worked directly with? The only interaction I had with top management was I made a 1 minute presentation about the internship that's it. <Q> Use the Add Note feature when sending a request. <S> Keep it short and simple. <S> If you simply send connection requests, some may accept, some may ignore and some may mark your request as "I don't know this person". <S> If a lot of people choose the last option, you risk getting marked as spammer and getting your account suspended. <A> Why not? <S> Worst that can happen is they ignore or decline your invitation. <S> I'm connected to lots of people on Linked <S> In that I haven't talked to in years,some I've spoken to, but only know through another connection. <A> I wouldn't do that. <S> It makes you look really presumptuous. <S> Unless you worked closely with them or are on 1st name terms (i.e. they know you beyond just "this year's intern"). <S> should I send request to only people who I worked directly with? <S> I've always stuck to this policy and only added C-level (CTO etc) people that I personally know who have made the request of me. <A> Is sending LinkedIn invitation to top management team a good idea? <S> If your presentation to management was relatively recent, you could still send invitations with a note thanking them for attending your presentation, so they have some context. <S> A good strategy in general, for timing a LinkedIn invite, is to send one right after you've had an interaction. <S> Your LinkedIn network is more powerful and relevant when you add people you personally know or have worked with. <S> In general though, adding top management for its own sake is counterproductive, and adds more noise to your network. <S> It can also be awkward if shared contacts assume you know them personally.
| The message can vary for person to person, but you should state your intent about wishing to connect.
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Employer asked me to work overtime to finish the project before I leave the company I work in a small company and I am the only developer. 8h a day and 5 days a week. I am paid per hour (~4€) My contract expires in one month. When the employer asked me wheter I wanted to renew or not, I politely refused saying that I will leave the company after the contract end date. I guess he got a bit mad since he started raising his voice and telling me something like "Karma will get me for not having told him before". However I think one month notice period is enough. I am currently working on a big project and he wants me to finish it before I leave. So he stated I may have to work on saturdays and do overtime in order to finish the project. How do I professionaly refuse? <Q> I'm sorry, but I have other obligations outside of work that prohibit me from working on the project outside of the 8hours per day <S> I'm already doing. <S> I don't think the project can be done in the time I have left, so I would like to start documentation or a transition plan so that the next developer can pick up where I left off with as little confusion as possible. <S> Is that ok with you? <S> Don't let some jerk strong arm you. <S> What is the worst they can do, fire you? <S> Unless you desperately need this person for a reference or you are breaching your contract, say that overtime is not a possibility, finishing the project is not possible, but you will do your best to get it into a place where it can be handed off. <A> If they had contracted you through the end of the project instead of on a time basis they would have protected themselves. <S> Just say no, "I am going to choose not to work overtime, but I am happy to discuss alternative approaches to ensuring the project is completed successfully" <A> I am guessing you were employed as outsource to help the project right? <S> if so you are under no obligation to work overtime or care about the project future 1 month is more than enough notice <S> your boss is just being a jerk <S> just go to your normal schedule and politely decline to stay he can do absolutely nothing to force you <S> finish the project <A> I'd probably would have done it when I was starting out, because I wanted a good reference and wanted to finish the project. <S> I'm not saying you should. <S> ~$5 <S> USD / hour is lower than training wage here, so I don't know why he'd expect to get a completed project from you. <S> With my current life experience, I would not advise you to finish the project on your weekends... <S> because I'm not sure you'll get a good reference even if you do (based on the reaction you describe).
| If you were employed to finish the project and the contract says so then you have to finish and work whatever time necessary
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Project changed; should I reject it? Following up with New job with short project ; it's been some time. My current project is getting over. I am being moved to a new project. The problem is that my profile is being changed. I am a 'Qt' GUI designer going by my resume. I was assigned to bug fixing in my previous project whereas I prefer development. I've now been asked to support a team with uses pure 'C' (it's not object oriented) for making GUI. While I am all for learning new technology and all, C just doesn't exactly suit my fancy (no classes, and the code flow isn't something that I find easy to understand). I also don't see myself coding in this language in the future. I heard someone else rejected a similar position and was re-assigned. What I am afraid of is if I fail to be transferred, my manager will make my life hard. Is it advised given that I don't want to switch jobs so soon (it's been 6 months since i joined)? <Q> Express a desire to do something else. <S> If they can, they will likely give it to you. <S> But someone has to do it, and that someone may be you. <S> If you do have to do it, do it to the best of your ability. <S> In 10 years when you look back, this is one of those things that will build your resume, and will help make you into a developer with well-rounded experience. <S> You don't think you'll be using C? <S> So what? <S> You do this for 6 months... <S> then what? <S> Don't be so impatient to get your dream job now... <S> a career takes time to develop. <A> What I am afraid of is if I fail to be transferred, my manager will make my life hard. <S> What if, you choose to stick to the project, as an unhappy member, thereby having a poor performance? <S> Do you think your manager will spare you? <S> At that point of time if you voice your concerns (of your choice), you'll surely be asked "Why didn't you say that earlier?" <S> You'll have no answer. <S> State your choice upfront, and check if they can arrange an alternative role / position in a separate project for you. <S> You should also have a clear mindset of what you want, if they are unable to find a suitable position for you in choice of your domain - if you want to stick to your domain , you need to look for opportunities elsewhere. <A> If it's not something you want to do nor is it something you particularly signed up for, then why not reject it. <S> Speak with your manager and state your concerns with it and see what they say. <S> They'll have the answers that you need, whether it is necessary for you to do this project or not and how it will affect you. <S> Your manager can't have a problem with you if they are aware of the issue before you reject it.
| Look at it from the perspective of where the entire job might take you.
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Best way to screen calls My boss doesn't like to take calls that he's not expecting but I'm not always sure who he's expecting. If a client calls and asks to speak to him, I ask who is calling and find it easiest to say "let me see if he's available". When he says he can't/won't take the call I ask to take a message and let them know he will call back. He doesn't like when I politely say "let me check" because he thinks it's obvious to the caller that he's here but just doesn't want me to take the call. What is the best way to politely check if he's available without letting the caller know my boss is screening? I sometimes will say he's on a call or in a meeting but I can see if he'll be done soon but I feel like that sends the same message. Suggestions? Sometimes he will let me know he is expecting a call. Other times a client will call randomly or perhaps he'll be emailing with someone who decides to call, I'm not always aware. I don't think it's a big deal that I don't always know who to pass thru, I just am looking for ideas on how to check if he would like to speak with them without letting the caller know he's sitting right near me :) <Q> You mentioned that he sits near you, so if he can listen to your conversation I would proceed the following way. <S> Ask the caller to identify themselves and you repeat their name out loud so that your boss can hear it. <S> If your boss indicates he will take it you transfer the call to him, otherwise let the caller know that your boss is not available and ask for their callback information. <S> Anyone who your boss has previously indicated he is expecting a call from you should transfer as well. <A> As you get used to the job, you'll learn to spot the genuine ones (reps, regular suppliers and customers etc.) <S> but for now, unless your boss is willing to go through every single person he'll take a call from, you'll have to talk to him each time. <S> Where I work, we get a lot of cold calling. <S> Some of it is easy to spot (his name is Chris which is all he goes by but a lot of people ask for Christopher because that's the name on the company records), or there's a lot of background noise, suggesting it's a call centre. <S> The really annoying ones are the ones who go " <S> yeah, it's John. <S> He's expecting my call" when he really isn't. <S> Most of the time, I just say that I haven't seen him today <S> but I will try his line. <S> This gives me time to talk to him and find out if he wants the call without alerting the caller to the fact he's in the building. <S> If not, I just lie and say that it's gone through to voicemail and if they'd like me to take a message. <S> You could also say that he's about to go into a meeting or he's just too busy for some reason or another. <S> Whatever you're comfortable doing until you get to know the ins and outs of taking cold calls. <A> As an assistant working with a phone, your job is to screen calls. <S> People expect you to be the " 1st line of defense ". <S> Most probably, though, they will try and go over your head. <S> That's why you need to have a script ready, and stick to it. <S> You can: answer the person if the question is within your knowledge/duty (and entitled to do so). <S> redirect the call to the right person/service. <S> schedule appointments. <S> Either you boss gave you a list of people he will answer calls from, or he didn't. <S> When he didn't, make sure you have <S> : the name of the caller the reason for the call ask for the message <S> All this has to be done in a very professional and diplomatic way: show them that you're willing to help them, but it has to be your way , as you have a job to do, and a way to do it, as expected by your boss (and also a script to follow, but keep this part hidden from them, as it's none of the curstomer's business). <S> Don't put them on hold, or ask to wait for you to check wether or not <S> boss is available. <S> Lead the call. <S> Be nice, but you ask questions, and they have to understand it's done in order to help, not to dismiss. <S> Make sure they feel like you're the best person that can help them at the moment, and that the way to help them is to gather this information, and make sure the boss/right person will read it, so they can call back. <S> All this can be achieved once you've coordinated with your boss, got the right script, and trained an bit. <S> A quick internet search with the title of your question ( best way to screen calls ) will lead to plenty of useful ressources. <A> You should ask your boss to clearly communicate his expectations. <S> It sounds like he's doing a "guess what I'm thinking" type thing here. <S> As to which calls he's expecting, maybe you could maintain a shared list or meet in the morning to go over his schedule or something like that. <S> Either way, it's unreasonable for him to expect you to be able to read his mind as to which clients he wants to talk to (you can't). <A> It's entirely reasonable that you should ask who's calling before telling them your boss is or isn't available. <S> For anyone on the list, put them through if your boss is available. <S> For anyone not on the list, take a message.
| Ask your boss to provide you with a list of people and companies that he's willing to take calls from.
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Is a teacher's recommendation in LinkedIn actually useful? After graduating, I have some friends that have teacher's recommendations in their LinkedIn profile. I have had a good relationship with most of my teachers (quite good, actually) and I have been a good student, so it won't be a problem for me to get one. After all the applications and job interviews that I have done, all the companies that have my LinkedIn (or even if I applied through LinkedIn itself), ask for the CV and look at the CV in the interview (either in person or by phone, or when selecting if you pass the first filter to even ACCESS the interview). So before asking a teacher for a recommendation (which I think I should as it is always something possitive to have in my profile), I want to know if companies really care about that, or they would ask for a recommendation calling by phone or e-mailing the teacher itself. <Q> You asked, I want to know if companies really care about that <S> The answer is really, "it depends. <S> " Some employers may not even look at your linkedin profile. <S> If they do, it certainly won't hurt for you to have a glowing recommendation, but it's not likely to significantly change someone's opinion about you. <S> That said, if you're a fresh grad without much practical job experience, you may need all the help you can get when landing your first significant professional job. <S> From a hiring manager's perspective, the best recommendations are specific recommendations. <S> No one really cares to read a bunch of ultra-generic <S> "oh this student was so great! <S> " recommendations. <S> For instance, M.K was a pleasure to work with in my Advanced Basketweaving class - they were able to lead a team project that exceeded expectations and displayed how M.K was able to apply the material I taught to real world problems. <S> They were also able to pick up new material and lean it independently well enough that they became a resource for other students to depend on during group study sessions. <S> That's the kind of recommendation you ultimately want to have on a LinkedIn profile. <S> You also asked, <S> Or they would ask for a recommendation calling by phone or e-mailing the teacher itself <S> The practice of calling or emailing for recommendations or reference checks is really more of a formality for HR, versus a meaningful input for the hiring manager - although that may vary for some positions. <S> So, the person who decides whether or not to call a reference, and what to ask them, may not ultimately be the hiring manager - and it's really the hiring manager you want to <S> impress - versus the HR person, who you want to satisfy from a perspective of being employable in a much more general sense. <A> Can't hurt. <S> My daughter just graduated high school and has teacher's recommendations. <S> It's definitely not going to hurt. <A> As others said it wouldn't hurt but it mostly depends on if the employer even looks at it. <S> You shouldn't be shy about it either. <S> Definitely advertise it as best as you can through your paper resume or during the interview. <S> Make them want to look at it. <S> I think it's career/age dependent though on "teacher's recommendation. <S> " You wouldn't show macaroni pictures you made when you were in pre-school just as much as you wouldn't show these things 10 years into your career. <A> It will also depend on where you are applying, who the teacher is, what school, and how long ago it was when you went to school. <S> If you're applying for a research position at a university, a recommendation of your Nobel prize winning professor who was your advisor for the thesis you wrote a few months ago is going to have more of an impact than a recommendation of your high school's music teacher you had 25 years ago, when applying for a job as insurance agent.
| But if you have a teacher who can write a recommendation that actually shows some specific value you're bringing to the table, that can more easily make a difference. It won't hurt, but I would not expect much from it.
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How can I show enthusiasm during the job interview? I got a feedback after the job interview I attended recently, and one of the reasons to reject my application was apparently I didn't show enough enthusiasm. I was pretty enthusiastic about the role (software engineer in finance industry) and I tried to show it by: mentioning my academic background (BSc) in economics talking about joy with working in finance industry for the last couple of years asking a lot of business-related questions and showing my knowledge in this domain (the company doesn't expect you know anything, so I assumed it will be a huge benefit) saying that interview was fun and really enjoyed the tasks I try to reexamine things I said during the process that could led them to say I'm not enthusiastic: switching with position for what I was recruiting after the call with HR I mentioned I am looking for a new job mainly because my partner and I want to relocate to the city where the company is located (as opposed to "I'm exited with what they do") I told I also interview with other companies (as opposed to "only with them") I told during one of the interviews that I liked one part of the question better, and that the other one was new for me and ok I asked them how they think they're differ from other companies Was any of that unprofessional? How can I show my enthusiasm better next time? <Q> Was any of that unprofessional? <S> No , its not. <S> Sometimes you don't connect with the hiring manager or person interviewing and there isn't anything you can do. <S> This is ok . <S> Getting a gig, especially your first , is a numbers game. <S> Don't become discouraged, keep plugging along and don't stop until you have an offer in hand. <S> How can I show my enthusiasm better next time? <S> Make sure you make eye contact when giving your responses. <S> In additions, be sure to mention that you are appreciative of the person who is taking the time to interviewing you . <S> Also, this article has a lot of tips related to your question: How to Show Enthusiasm in an Interview – <S> 6 Ways Highlights from the article are: Boost your energy level <S> Ask a lot of questions <S> When something sounds interesting, say so Compliment them <S> Perfect your posture <S> Note : <S> Additional details on each point above are included in the article. <A> I have been through quite some interviews and in the last one, in which I was picked, the interviewer (which is now my manager) told me during the interview: "You really know how to do interviews. <S> And that is good, and hard to find". <S> In the other interviews I was told they were really interested, gave me good feedback but as a fresh grad, my experience was poor (which did not let me down, of course). <S> Ask them about their projects. <S> Also point something negative about yourself, just before you point something possitive: [NEGATIVE] <S> I sometimes get stucked in difficult matters... <S> [POSSITIVE]but I won't leave the issue unitl <S> I've solved it. <S> That is what my teachers always liked about me anyways. <S> Doing this you are being honest and telling the interviewer indirectly: <S> Hey, I am opening myself to you, being honest, because I am really interested in this offer. <S> And of course, do not lie. <S> If you do not know something, you don't. <S> But that doesnot mean you cannot learn it quickly, because you like the job! <S> - Do you know C# language? <S> - No... <S> But I know several languages similar to C# and when something takes my interest, I learn it quickly! <S> Those things make you connect more with the interviewer, making him see all your enthusiasm . <A> asking a lot of business-related questions and showing my knowledge in this domain (the company doesn't expect you know anything, so I assumed it will be a huge benefit) <S> This is good, but it would be even better to ask questions that start a discussion about the tools, processes and team you'll be working with. <S> Don't feel that you have to wait until the end either. <S> If they ask a question (for example) about how a particular process (say the release process) has worked in a previous role, then answer their question and follow up your answer by asking how similar or different that is to the process the team you're interviewing with. <S> You'll make yourself seem interested in the people and team you're potentially working with (which is good, people like people who are interested in them and things that affect them, and for a software team the processes and tools they work with are far more relevant to them day-to-day than general business knowledge), and by turning it into more of a back-and-forward conversation rather than just a barrage of questions you'll appear more confident and relaxed, which is also a huge bonus in your favour. <S> And as an interview works both ways, you'll get a lot of information from their answers and the way they react in conversations that will help you decide whether you actually want the role or not. <A> This is really kind of a broad question. <S> It's hard to say what exactly they mean. <S> I've also been told that. <S> I have been on hundreds of interviews over the course of my career, some good, some bad. <S> One thing that I personally have found that helps is that when asked a question...don't answer with a simple "yes" or "no". <S> Elaborate. <S> And SMILE! <S> You will be received better if you say it with a smile.
| Asking questions or talking about your projects is a good start, but also being quite "happy" about your posible future in that company is a good thing. Basically, you need to connect with the interviewer. Give your answer, then go on to explain it in more detail -- maybe even giving examples of when you've used the technology, or how you solved the problem.
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My colleague thinks I'm showing off, how do deal with it? We both are pipeline developers working in an animation company. As we are developers, we deal with text-editors/IDE. I use certain tools that suit my needs. A coworker who is unfamiliar with that tool says these can be done with Y tool as well, then why do you use X tool. I have told him this is because of familiarity, but this doesn't stop him from including show off in the conversation we have afterwards. <Q> This sounds like a developer that either is insecure of their own abilities or doesn't recognise there is no One True Way to work. <S> There are a few things you can do to deal with it depending on what your objective is. <S> If you do care about dealing with this person, you might want to ask him why the way you work bothers him so. <A> This is simply not worth getting worked up over. <S> In my office <S> the other sys admins enjoy using VIM, where as I prefer Nano. <S> There is often playful banter back and fourth in regards to our choices but <S> at the end of the day we all get the job done. <S> Simply inform him, this is simply your preference due to the ease of use and versatility. <S> Perhaps offer to show him the ins and outs if he would be interested in perhaps expanding his repertoire. <S> This is could a situation where kindness and patience wins the day. <S> If he is uninterested, let him know that the offer will always be open to him if he changes his mind. <A> Just roll with it. <S> "Yes, I like to show off. <S> Or <S> " <S> No, I don't need to show off. <S> I am obviously better than you are." <A> If the answer is familiarity, another way to phrase that answer that might get the point across better is, <S> I don't know enough about tool Y to even say why I might not want to use it. <S> But I know tool X. <S> It does the job I need it to, and I don't want to take the time to learn tool Y. Learning tool X already took too much of my time. <S> At this point, you're clearly not showing off. <S> Anyone who thinks you're showing off when you're saying you don't want to take the time to learn something is probably going to think you're showing off no matter <S> what. <S> This is basically the reason I give people for preferring vim to nano. <S> I've met a few people who can't understand how I can possibly know vim the way I do, and not have time to learn nano. <S> But knowing how to use nano isn't universal knowledge, and I got my introduction to unix nine years before nano even existed. <S> While it's true pico existed already, that was part of pine, and my introductory mail tool was mailx. <S> I didn't learn pine until after college, at which point it was natural for me to spend more time learning how to get it to use nvi for my editor than to learn how to use its default. <S> All I really know about nano and pico are that they're basically always in insert mode, and there's control keys to get them to do special things. <S> Hit enough control keys, and I can get out of them. <S> But I've no idea how to do macros, or shift blocks, or <S> run scripts on portions of the text, or anything. <S> (Disclaimer: I've since been told that nano and pico don't have macros, can't shift blocks, and can't run scripts on portions of the text. <S> I still wouldn't claim to know this, because it's just something I've been told. <S> For all I know, it's just FUD. <S> Even if it was true at one point in time, that was years ago; I've no reason to believe it's still true. <S> But what is still true is I don't know how to do those things in those editors... or save a file or load a new file or so on. <S> I know how to in the editor I use, that's enough for me.) <A> The question I would like to ask you is ' what is it about the word showing off' that bothers you so much?, <S> If you are being helpful team member, having good relationships with your peers, and honestly getting the job done in all honestly why does his comment bother you so much? <S> It's only his opinion. <S> Opinions are not facts. <S> If you feel his comments are belittling or undermining you then in all honesty draw a boundary with it. <S> You can say something along the lines <S> X, <S> you said I was a showing off. <S> Can you give ME a specific incident when I did this? <S> I need to be made aware of it ' <S> (trust me this will make him stop and pause shifting the power dynamic, which is what this is, back X to justify the comment. <S> Watch <S> your tonality make it conversational). <S> He may give you an incident. <S> Then ask, 'can you give me another? ' <S> If they can give you another go back to step 1 for a third or more incidents. <S> On the whole most people cannot give you another incident they base on their decision on JUST one or two incident. <S> One or two things are NOT consistent pattern of behaviour (a pattern is all day everyday). <S> I expect you as a professional you to reciprocate with the way I do my JOB. <S> It's not done the same way as you <S> , it's different and equally as effective. <S> That is NOT showing off. <S> I hope this put's the matter to rest. " <S> Summary: <S> You have told him to give you proof <S> You have dominated this conversation <S> You have kept the conversation <S> professional and non confrontational <S> You have told him to focus on his job and keep his mouth shut <S> Trust me, he will never speak to you like that again!!!!
| If you just want to be left alone and don't care about dealing with this person, you can say something like "what works for me, works for me" or "you're the only one treating it like a competition". Don't cover anything that goes beyond inoffensive facts or you may wind up in trouble. while keeping the conversation friendly you can say: "I respect the way you do things and the tools you use. You have told him the behaviour is not acceptable
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What exactly is the meaning of "growing pains"? When researching companies on Glassdoor, I often see reviews talking about "growing pains", without specifying what they mean. Is there a consensus on what exactly this means? Or does it just mean whatever you want it to mean? Is it coded language? For what? <Q> The "growing pains" refers to the instability that comes with rapid growth. <S> This is common in startups in their growth phases or monetization phases or really any phase. <S> Examples being: <S> The company hires a lot of people and has troubling onboarding and absorbing them into the teams. <S> You may also start to see overlaps in responsibilities of team and skills. <S> Senior leadership may be jockeying for power or executing hostile land grabs. <S> You'll likely see a lot of experimentation and pivoting of the company's position or products. <S> The exact direction of the company might very unclear. <S> You may see reshuffling of senior leadership. <S> The bottom line is if you're someone who values stability and predicability, that company doesn't seem like a great fit for you. <S> On the other hand, if you like dealing with the unknown and enjoy experimentation in your work, you'll like the company. <A> <A> That term can also mean issues coming due to planned expansion, for example. <S> This can be budget constraints, or equipment replacement being put on hold while the planned expansion is completed (perhaps the labor needed is transferred from x to y...) or labor replacement is on hold or new staff go automatically to the new project and existing ones have to wait... <A> As others said growing pain usually refers to the sudden expansion of either employees, products, services, or company size. <S> There are risks vs rewards. <S> Risk is you go into a unstable position but on top of that if the product fails, your job position might be at risk. <S> Would you be shifted or just laid off? <S> Hard to say without seeing the Glassdoor review.
| A company may be experiencing "growing pains" if they're expanding - the exact pains may vary, but usually it's because they've rapidly grown their team and/or customer base, and are trying to adapt to this growth.
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How do you track your professional achievements? I find it extremely important to track my professional achievements because ultimately they explain the value I’ve created for my organization. What tools are you using to track and manage your achievements and the value you’ve created for your employer? Specifically related to updating your resume and leveraging them for your upcoming performance review. For those that by chance are unaware as to what an achievement is: Did you introduce a new customer service initiative that drove satisfaction by 10%? Did you grow sales by $20M? <Q> Maintain an up-to-date CV. <S> Every time you have something to add, update the CV. <S> new job new project new customer new tool <S> KPI's quality factors awards effects you produced (made cheaper, made faster, made better quality...) <S> and so on... <A> I'm going to provide another answer since the existing one is more focused around keeping your CV updated, but your tag and title suggest a performance review within your company. <S> What I personally do is to keep a personal log of events in which I track the things that went well, the things that didn't go as planned or could have been improved, and any other piece of information that could be used in the performance review (e.g. receiving feedback from another person). <S> I update this log periodically, every time a relevant event takes place. <S> If I have metrics to back my event, even better. <S> If you have set objectives with your manager or if your company has certain values or goals you should try to adhere or aim for, make sure you note how your item in your log relates to that. <S> Personally, following this approach makes the preparation of my performance review easier since I don't have to start remembering everything that happened in the last X months. <S> All I have to do is copy-paste my log and amend it for the review. <S> I think it's important, as I've already mentioned, to keep track of the things that could have gone better. <S> On the one hand, it's great for you to have them in your log <S> so you don't forget about them and you don't make the same mistake twice. <S> On the other hand, it's key to show that you're aware of your areas that need improvement and that no matter how your performance review goes, you can do better. <S> Regarding the tools to do this, there are a few options, but it's all down to a matter of preference. <S> If your company has a good software in place for reviews, maybe you can use that. <S> I do think it's good to be able to access it from anywhere <S> so you don't miss the chance to track an important event. <S> Last but not least and to relate to the other answer, the best achievements of your log can be used to keep your CV up-to-date. <S> I hope this helps, but feel free to ask for clarifications or further advice. <A> Mainly Google Docs + Excel <S> Here is my method 1) <S> Any time I attend a networking event I add the date + a list of speakers and a few sentences about what I though to a Google Doc spreadsheet called "Networking - Attending". <S> I also note down if I though the event was good 2) <S> 3) <S> Anytime I "wrap" a project, whether it is a release of my current project, change of role, internal transfer, etc, I write the entry into my resume that is stored on Google Docs. <S> This way all the achievements are fresh in my mind. <S> Any usage info, such as "reached million user mark" get added when I hear about it. <S> It's better to put too much on your resume, then cut it when you actually job search. <S> 4) <S> Anyone who I've mentored or managed goes in an Excel spreadsheet kept on company hardware along with from/to dates, projects and notes about this person. <S> Make sure you have enough to give references later on if the person has earned it. <S> 5) Keep a Google Doc Spreadsheet with frequent contacts that you see repeatedly at networking events. <S> List the last time you saw them and where. <S> While this doesn't sound like "accomplishments" people like it when you remember their name and the last time you saw them, so it can be really helpful. <S> You can use all these spreadsheets to list yearly accomplishments very easily. <S> A quick look at the resume shows "Up'd customer satisfaction 23% 3 years in a row". <S> Looking at the networking spreadsheet, it's easy to list out all the organizations you've participated in. <S> With the frequent contacts list, it's easy to see who is an expert at what if your company is hiring. <A> What tools are you using to track and manage your achievements and the value <S> you’ve created for your employer? <S> I originally used a piece of paper, then I switched to a Word doc. <S> I can't imagine a need for anything more complex than that.
| Any time I give a talk or show up someplace because of my company, I add an entry in "Networking - Presenting" spreadsheet with specifics of what I did, who organized it, and who approved it. Otherwise, any notes or text software that is available in the Cloud and accessible from multiple devices would be perfect.
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Is it professional to ask for reasons of a rejected application? I was wondering how professional it'd to ask for some feedback when you receive a template-based rejection email? Or it'd be just a waste of time and would look amateur? <Q> It's probably not going to do any great harm, but I suspect you'll just get back another essentially template response along the lines of: <S> There were many good candidates for this role and we decided to go with a candidate whose skills and experience more closely matched the requirements at this time. <S> Thank you for your application <S> and we encourage you to apply for further roles at the company in the future. <S> which doesn't really say anything either. <S> If the company didn't have time/want to give individual feedback, it probably still doesn't. <A> how professional it'd to ask for some feedback when you receive a template-based rejection email? <S> Very professional <S> (Also depends on how you ask it) <S> Or it'd be just a waste of time ? <S> It is not waster of time since you may actually get feedback. <S> (Though they are not into any obligation to do so as others have pointed out). <S> One of my interviewer in past actually gave a very detailed feedback on why they are not moving forward with my application. <S> and would look amateur <A> You might not get it <S> but there is nothing wrong with asking. <S> If I put working into the application, maybe there were code samples for example <S> I would think it only fair that they put in a little work too. <S> Depending on the company or the type of position you may get a no <S> but I do not see a downside. <S> In fact if someone was rejected for a position, willing to take a little criticism and then reapplied some time later after addressing those concerns I would be somewhat impressed. <S> That said how you go about it is important. <S> Don't nag them, just ask for a little feedback on where your application or skills were weak. <A> It depends what stage you were at in the hiring process Application <S> Only: <S> Don't ask, they will most likely not want to give you feedback and the feedback would only be based off your resume/cover letter. <S> Phone Screen: <S> If you had a behavioral phone screen with a Recruiter, don't ask, you just need to practice your interview skills. <S> If it was a technical phone screen, feel free to reach out for feedback. <S> Interview: <S> Totally acceptable to ask. <S> Reaching out to hiring managers directly may not always be perceived positively. <A> I haven't had any luck getting responses from asking after a rejection, mostly because the majority of jobs either never let me know my status <S> or it's a "no-reply" email address. <S> What I have had success with is at the end of the interview, <S> while you're still in the Q&A phase, ask them something on the order of "Is there anything that makes you hesitate to hire me?" <S> I didn't come up with it, but it seems to work, as it was suggested on one of those "how to land a job" sites that actually had good suggestions. <S> Asking this not only gives you feedback, but you can also then rebuttal with experience or skills <S> you may have accidentally missed mentioning previously. <S> I've had <S> interviewers say that they can't specifically say there's anything, but "in my professional opinion, here's a list of skills to learn to help your career. <S> " <S> Take notes, learn the things (or not depending on your interests), and try to make yourself better for the next interview. <S> Maybe you'll actually impress the interviewer you asked with your willing to change/learn, so they decide to hire you even with your "missing" skills.
| The most effective approach would be to reach out to your Recruiter directly who can solicit feedback from those you interviewed with. No you wouldn't look amateur if you politely ask for it.
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Changing career to CS from mechanical engineering I am a final year undergraduate student from India from a highly reputed university, studying mechanical engineering. I don't have a lot of interest for it anymore and have a less than stellar (6.9/10) gpa. That being said, I am highly interested in computer science and even though it is not possible for me to change my major I am doing courses in that field as open electives. My summer internship is also related to CS and I have done multiple projects related to it. Is it possible for me to get a job at a software company after graduation? If so, would it be possible to do a masters in computer science after working for 2-3 years? <Q> Totally possible. <S> I suggest starting your job search by targeting a junior software developer position at an engineering firm who creates and maintains their own software, of which there are many. <S> You're mechanical engineering background will be very attractive to them, and could set you apart from other applicants. <S> I myself studied mechanical engineering and work as a software engineer. <S> There is only a single line on my resume mentioning mechanical engineering, but in interviews it's something that people always seem interested in. <S> Although I wouldn't say its necessary to have a masters degree in the software field, a CS masters with an ME bachelor degree is a VERY strong combination and a totally reasonable path to explore in my opinion. <S> PS: Making the switch was the best thing I ever did for my happiness, and it turned out to be an awesome career move as well. <S> Good luck! <A> I know people with Bachelor's Degrees in Geography working in Accounting offices. <S> Oftentimes, the simple fact that one has a degree makes him/her attractive. <S> Put that together with an internship in the field, it's definitely possible. <S> That said, you may have to take a borderline job doing "not quite" what you're after to get your foot in the door of a company and prove yourself, then get promoted or move around a bit internally. <A> My son graduated with a degree in Insustrial Engineering and couldn't find a decent job in that field, so he took a job in IT working with data - kind of a data analyst with some programming. <S> He also took some CS courses as electives. <S> So this is not impossible. <S> A Master's in CS would depend on the school you want to go to, some have requirements that you have a CS degree, some don't.
| With a few years under your belt, there will be nothing preventing you from leaving the engineering field all together for another industry if you wish.
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Is it advisable to inform the CEO about his brother accessing his office? Facts: Mid-sized company with multiple branches. I wrote the access-control (among other things) powering the smart readers and I'm entitled to a master-token. Brother of CEO is employed as well in a minor position due to family ties. That brother asked me to lend him my master-token to the CEO's office because he doesn't have access and needed a key for one of the company cars (which he's entitled to). I gave him the token trusting him and thinking blood is thicker than water. Was surprised/baffled that it takes ten minutes until he returned the token. Now I'm thinking what he's been doing in the office that took him so long. My question is if I should inform the CEO that his brother was in his office and what caveats I could expect? For clarification: I wasn't in the office with him - I stayed in my office I designed the system - so all access-attempts are logged (granted & denied) including the token-code and the respective owner (in that case me) and can be distilled into a report for admin-users CEO has admin rights to the access-control-system The CEO was not available to me or him since he's on a business trip and I didn't expect any malicious intent under brothers. Maybe a little naive but I try to see the good in people until they prove me wrong. I also was a bit afraid of the consequences that could have happened if I deny access (maybe a rant against me from the CEO why I didn't let his own blood&flesh into his office to get a key) Follow up: I just talked to our CEO along the lines David K. mentioned in his very helpful answer and 'reported' the incident.He seemed vaguely interested and only advised me to give his brother full access - and that's what I did.. Conclusion: We also internally agreed on evaluating our current access policies to cover all possible incidents and creating a set of rules/methods to be applied in specific edge-cases. <Q> You need to make sure this comes off as an FYI, and not any sort of accusation. <S> Next time you see the CEO, just casually mention it. <S> Hey boss, just so you know I let your brother into your office last week so he could get the keys to the car. <S> Didn't want you worrying in case <S> you noticed things had moved. <S> Next time, don't give him your token. <S> Instead you should have gone with him or offered to get the keys for him. <S> The whole point of having unique tokens is so that you know who has accessed what. <S> It would be similar to letting him use your logged-in admin account and then walking away from the screen for 10 minutes. <S> Now any place he accessed has your name tied to it. <S> Yes, you trust the brother, and it doesn't appear he accessed anything he shouldn't, but it's really bad security practice to be sharing your personal access token. <S> You should have refused on those grounds alone. <A> First, you should not have given him your token. <S> If he needed to get in the office, he should've asked his brother for permission, which then would've probably contacted you to give him a token with access to his office. <S> But now that you've done it, informing him would probably be the smartest decision. <S> A simple, "Hey boss, should I generate a token for your brother? <S> Yesterday he needed to access your office, so I had to lend him my own. <S> " explains the situation well enough. <A> Absolutely yes. <S> You can't control the information here. <S> As mentioned elsewhere here, if anything untoward happened in the CEO's office, it will seem like you did it. <S> If you don't have a contemporaneous record that you gave your token to the brother, you will have essentially no defense against an accusation that you did it. <S> Even if nothing odd happened at all, the brother could easily mention something about you giving him your token (" <S> Oh, don't worry if you forgot your token today. <S> iLuvLogix will just help you get around the security system if you need it, like he did for me."). <S> If anyone in the company cares about the security protocols, that's not a great look for you. <S> That will shift the focus from <S> I did something that might have been a mistake to <S> We have an edge case in our security setup, revealed through this incident, and we should decide on a policy to deal with it when that case comes up again <S> The latter expresses what happened, so the CEO will be aware, points out the problem in a general way and presents it in a constructive light, and gets the CEO involved in solving the problem going forward (rather than having to just accept a mistake). <S> More tangentially, this comment leapt out at me: <S> I didn't expect any malicious intent under brothers - maybe a little naive <S> but I try to see the good in people untiol they proove me wrong <S> This does not strike me as an attitude or approach suitable to someone in charge of restricted access protocols or security more broadly. <S> The situations where such an attitude is harmless are ones where security doesn't matter. <S> Situations where it's not benign are exactly the situations security protocols exist to address . <S> This attitude is not something I would mention to the CEO, nor one that I would use to guide my decision-making in similar cases in the future. <A> If the Boss later asks why his blood and flesh was not granted access (probably he will understand your reasons since he asked you to design the system) <S> you can offer to create a token for the brother. <A> You've done a security violation. <S> You report it. <S> On the long term: you've demonstrated that you can't trust yourself with a master token. <S> Arrange to pass it to someone else, eg your boss. <S> If it's even necessary to exist, as in properly designed system there is no place for magic bullets. <S> This way nobody can ask you for such favor in the future. <S> Giving the master token was the effect, the cause was having it in the first place. <S> It might feel cool to wield the power of keys to the kingdom. <S> But feelings are not worth it. <S> Remember the mantra: the lesser <S> the responsibility, the lesser the worries.
| A simple "I am afraid I cannot lend you the master token but sure get the keys for you" would save a lot of trouble. It's not a bad idea to mention it off-hand, but I wouldn't make a big deal out of it at all. What I would do to bring it up would be to describe the incident to the CEO , explain why you made the decisions you did in this one, isolated case where it seemed like there weren't any other options, and then ask the CEO to collaborate with you to create policies that will address similar situations in the future.
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How to answer questions like "What does zero mean to you?" Recently in this same interview How to answer "write something on the board"? but at the very end I was also asked question "What does zero mean to you?" And I took a few seconds to think and respond with "Zero means nothing and everything. We live on very big zero. And no matter what we do in life it will always end up in a bigger zero than what we started." which is confusing to me why I said it. I know answer to this depends on person to person and there is no one correct answer. But in future interviews if I get similar questions how should I answer them without sounding weird? <Q> Paraphrasing the answer on your other question, "Don't be a smart alec in interviews". <S> If it is not clear enough, ask. <S> In this case, ask something like "That depends on the situation. <S> What context are we talking about? <S> " If you still get something mysterious, go for a simple answer, like "Well, it could be the start of something". <A> You mention in your other post the interview was for a Business Analyst position. <S> With that in mind, I would reframe the question as: <S> As a Business Analyst, what does zero mean to you? <S> A few answers come to mind: 1. <S> "Zero" is very often a special case, needing special handling <S> For example, suppose you are displaying search results. <S> If you get one result or ten, there is no problem, you display them. <S> If you get zero results, by default you would see a blank page, and this is bad . <S> Instead, you would at least want a message (which must be written specially) to report "No Results". <S> You might even want search again to look for "similar" matches instead of exact matches. <S> 2. <S> Divide by Zero can often cause problems <S> Suppose you are running an e-commerce store, and you need to show the price per kg for each product in the store. <S> If you are selling a digital product, this could legitimately have a weight of zero. <S> It is possible, that the division would cause a poorly built application to crash completely. <S> As a BA, you should think ahead for this problem, and specify that N/A should be shown, or the field be hidden entirely, if the product has no weight. <S> 3. <S> Zero can often be an indication of bad or missing data Again, thinking of an e-commerce store. <S> This is almost certainly a mistake, it is not intended to give the product away for free, and could have been done because the product is still in the process of being created, and a price has not been set yet for the product. <S> There should be filtering in place to hide such products from the customer. <S> Of course, each of these could be expanded, and you maybe have ideas of your own. <S> But, all in all, I don't see this as such a bad question. <A> This all really needs to be filtered by context. <S> The interviewer who asked you that probably doesn't actually care about what you think zero means <S> , it's likely a question designed to see how you react. <S> Some jobs are best performed by people who take things literally, at face value. <S> If that's the case, you might say, Zero is the integer immediately preceding 1. <S> Other jobs are best performed by people who are naturally inquisitive, and who seek to clarify situations that aren't clear. <S> In that case, you might ask some questions yourself, before answering: Zero can mean many things - what's the context you're asking about? <S> If you were interviewing for a data job, you might talk about the difference between zero and null. <S> If you were interviewing for a creative job, ...well - you'd say something creative! <S> In the end though, as with all interview questions, you want to be honest versus trying too hard to give the right answer, and you want to try to tailor your answer to the job you're interviewing for. <A> It's quite frankly unanswerable. <S> So you could clarify by saying something akin to: What context are we talking about here? <S> ... <S> or similar, then see what they say. <S> Honestly though, it's an utterly pointless question, it's not got a clearly defined answer, and it's not clear what the interviewers want you to do in that setting. <S> If your attempts to clarify it don't lead anywhere, I'd honestly just say: <S> I'm afraid I can't answer that question. <S> I'm still really unclear on the details of what we're after here. <S> If I had multiple questions of this nature in an interview, and a simple request for clarification didn't get anywhere, I'd be close to walking out the door <S> (I almost certainly wouldn't take the job even if I was offered it.) <S> At best it's incompetence, and the interviewers are vainly trying to see how you'll cope with ambiguity in the job (which is of course not something that can be meaningfully tested by asking that question in an interview.) <S> At worst it's a power trip and a question designed for you to fail it, whatever answer you give or whatever clarity you seek.
| It is possible that an item could have its price set to zero.
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What happens when you wait a year to report an overpayment? I was over paid by $10,000 over a 4 month period last year. I did notice the difference and did not report it for a year. I am reporting it now. What kind of consequences do I face aside from paying back a large sum?My employer has not caught on to the mistake. I am voluntarily reporting it. <Q> I am not a lawyer, but I can't imagine you would be held responsible for anything other than repayment of the amount not owed to you. <S> What happens is entirely dependent on your company. <S> I suppose they could tell you to keep it, but that seems unlikely. <S> More likely, since you are the one bringing it to their attention, they will arrange repayment on a schedule that works in your favor. <S> In any event, I would not worry about any additional liability on your part. <A> What you describe is considered unjust enrichment in the law. <S> You benefited from an error and it should be corrected and repaid. <S> However, most states have fairly strict laws about unjust enrichment when it relates to employee wages, including time limits in which an employer can legally obtain the funds back from you. <S> These time limits can vary wildly, from 90 days to 5 years, so you'd have to check what it is where you live. <S> In some states, you have already passed the time limit that the employer has to catch the mistake <S> and you are no longer obligated to repay it. <S> If you are still obligated to repay it, they will most likely just deduct the amounts from future payments, either in a lump sum or in divided amounts over time. <S> If you no longer work there, you will need to set up a payment plan with them to repay the full amount back. <S> There are no other consequences an employer could possibly enforce upon you for this situation, unless you actively refused to pay the amount back (at which point, they could terminate you for cause, which prevents you from collecting unemployment benefits). <S> It is entirely the employer's responsibility to catch and correct their overpayment mistakes, not yours. <S> Technically speaking, you are not required to ever report this. <S> If you really, really wanted to, you could just ignore it until any statute of limitations expire on the payments. <S> That isn't an ethical thing to do, but there isn't anything the employer can legally do if you choose that path. <A> They will probably just thank you and request you repay the money. <S> I highly doubt they would ask too many questions since there really is no point to it. <S> If they ask why you didn't report it sooner <S> you could say your accountant noticed it, something very simple like that. <S> In any case for whatever reason you are reporting it now, there really is no reason to cause any kind of issue since it will not be helpful to anybody. <S> Their main worry right now will be to see how many people got overpaid and just exactly how incompetent is their payroll officers. <A> I advise you to seek a lawyer on this subject. <S> Yes, it's ethical to report this, but you may get yourself into legal trouble that you cannot get out of as easily. <S> After all you admitted receiving money you did not earn. <S> Nobody wants to seem "incompetent" especially if their job is on the line. <S> So by bringing this up to payroll, the person may cover their tracks and go the route of making sure it looks good for them. <S> 10k is a lot of money to be overlooked, so consider that aspect of it. <S> My thought is a lawyer will help you in making sure you "do the right thing" and at the same time be protected of any sort of lawsuit or paycheck deduction that may be illegal in your area/country. <S> Also your company may get lawyers involve and in turn ask you turn over various bank statements and so forth. <S> So it's important that you know your rights and what sort of legal protections you have.
| Worst-case scenario is they will deduct the entire amount from your paycheck until repaid.
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Complain for not getting paid at fortune 100 company? I'm a passthrough company that receives payment from a Fortune100 reseller. I have a contractor that works at fortune100 company. This is how it works: Fortune100 pays re-seller. Re-seller pays me (passthrough). I pay contractor working at Fortune100. Fortune100 company has already paid everything for last year, which means re-seller already received all the payments to contractor. The problem is that re-seller hasn't paid me (pass-through), and I can't pay contractor working at Fortune100. I've called re-seller and they ignore my calls and emails. So what can I do? Who at Fortune100 company can I (as passthrough) call to complain anonymously? I've told the contractor to involve his manager who created the Fortune100 POs, but contractor says he's an employee like anyone else. And contractor says he will not involve his manager at Fortune100 What can I do? The reason I posted the question is because the passthrough does not know who to contact at Fortune100. I'm trying to see what passthrough's alternatives are. I've constantly talked to passthrough and they sound they want to help. Some background on the job situation here, for those who suggest that I just go to a lawyer. I would like to resolve the calmest way possible. If I hire a lawyer, I will end up losing my job. Sure, I can find a new job but it won't pay nearly as well as my current job. For me, it's more important to keep my job and just bite the bullet with the months that I wasn't paid rather than go through all the legal fuss of getting paid those 4 months and then having to find a new job that will pay much less than my current one. <Q> It's between you and passthrough company and not you and the reseller. <S> You shouldn't call the reseller. <S> Who at Fortune100 company can I call to complain anonymously? <S> Nobody. <S> This is not between you and the Forturn100 company. <S> What can I do? <S> Your only option is to settle it with the passthrough company using applicable recourse. <S> The passthrough company can't deny to pay you based on the mere fact that they weren't paid. <S> The applicable recourse would depend on the local law and may involve taking legal recourse. <A> Firstly, when you are not getting paid for your work you should always complain. <S> The primary reason for working is to make money, and if you are not getting paid then you are basically wasting your time. <S> I would also let your manager know that you will not continue working until you have been paid for the four months that are missing. <S> Four months is an insane amount of time to not be paid. <S> If you are not paid within one week I would seek a lawyer. <S> I would also start to look for a new company to work for. <S> Any company that cannot reliably pay its employees is not worth working for. <A> This is really frustrating and has a real impact on your finances. <S> Things you can do <S> right now: 1. <S> Contact the company that received the work. <S> Although they've already paid, there's a chance they'll be willing to help. <S> If the work you did was good, there is a greater chance that they will put in some extra effort to help you out. <S> 2. <S> Understand the terms of your contract. <S> You should know the terms of your payment under your work contract. <S> The reseller and staffing firm may be well within the terms of your agreement, even though it seems like a lot of time has passed (i.e., they may not be required to pay you yet). <S> 3. <S> Document and communicate your lack of payment to the organization you've contracted with. <S> Make sure it is known <S> (and that you have it on record that it is known) that you have not been paid. <S> 4. <S> File a complaint with a local labor or industry commission. <S> Most municipalities will have a labor commission and may have an industry (tech?) commission. <S> You can find online forms for filing a complaint which the commission will investigate. <S> 5. <S> Engage a lawyer for help enforcing your contract. <S> If repeated attempts to get paid have not been successful, and the organization you've contracted with is in violation of your agreement, you should discuss your options with a lawyer. <S> A lawyer can also help you decide what documentation is important to retain (e.g., print some old emails verifying work was complete). <S> Good luck with tracking down you <S> paycheck - this is a very unfortunate situation.
| You should reach out to the passthrough company and demand that they pay you for the time you have worked.
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My new employer requested a copy of my passport. Why do they need it? I started working at a new company, where they asked me to bring a copy of my passport for them to keep.I have worked for many other big companies but they never ask for such document. I should mention that I was born and raised in the country where the company that I applied to is located, so why do they ask me that document? <Q> The best thing to do is provide your passport and ask why it is needed. <S> You'll get the most accurate answer from the company itself. <S> Your passport is likely being used as proof of citizenship (regardless of whether you are a citizen or not) <S> but there are many reasons a company may need it - all related to security: 1. <S> 2. <S> If a company is concerned with security, it may ask for additional forms of ID from employees to keep on record. <S> This requirement may be strictly internal, or may be because of government or client requirements. <S> 3. <S> In preparation for a background check. <S> Your passport is an exceptionally reliable form of identification. <S> 4. <S> To comply with government immigration reporting requirements. <S> If you are not a citizen of the country you are working in, your company likely needs to report your work activities to comply with immigration rules. <S> This reporting may include your passport information. <A> Do not let them take your original passport out of your sight. <S> Good answers about the reasoning, but there is one very important thing to remember. <S> They should never be allowed to remove your passport from you. <S> Should they attempt to do this, regardless of the reason (there are no legitimate reasons here) <S> you should immediately demand it back. <S> If they refuse, you should refuse to leave until you have your passport back, and you should call the police. <A> In the UK, every company is legally required to check that you are allowed to work in the U.K. <S> For most people (currently all 500 million EU citizens, the easiest way to do this is for the company to make a copy of your passport (they have to not just check, but be able to prove they checked). <S> Obviously your passport must be returned immediately. <S> And of course that applies to UK citizens as well, because the company can’t just take your word for it. <S> (How else would you prove it? <S> A British birth certificate with two British citizen parents makes it highly likely but not proven yo are now U.K. citizen with the right to work). <S> (To clarify: “Make a copy” means just putting the relevant pages, the ones that identify you, in the photocopier)
| In order to give you or renew a security badge. Commonly your citizenship status is recorded as part of the badging process for companies working on sensitive or government-related projects. To comply with internal/client/government record-keeping requirements. Some background-checking agencies prefer a passport number to other forms of ID to use as a reference when looking at less reliable records.
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How soon is too soon to re-apply to a company? There are a few companies I've interviewed with that I'd have loved to work for, but they've passed over me for "not enough experience". I really want to re-apply to the same positions but I'm wondering if it'd be unprofessional to do so after just 6 months or so. How long should I wait before re-applying? <Q> There's no real set "rule" for this - if you've been passed over by a company for a given reason <S> then there's no point in re-applying until the reason no longer applies. <S> If they have passed you over for "not enough experience" then that can be a little nebulous. <S> If it's "not enough general experience" then you are unlikely to be able to significantly change that in 6 months. <S> 6 months isn't a long time really. <S> On the other hand if it's "not enough experience in specific technology x " and you've spent the last 6 months living and breathing technology x for 40 hours a week <S> then it <S> might . <S> It's always better to err on the side of caution here - reapplying too soon/ <S> too frequently is one way to irritate the heck out of a hiring manager. <S> Ideally try and get the objective advice of a third party you trust to see if they think you are really showing a substantial change in experience but failing that I'd say if you're questioning yourself whether it's a big change in experience <S> then it probably isn't . <A> In general, no one can tell, as this is based on the company recruiting guidelines. <S> And sometimes people change and the guidelines with them. <S> Most companies will happily tell you their current guidelines. <S> If you are very lucky they might also give you personal feedback as to how much sense it makes to re-apply based on how well you did in the interview. <S> That being said, some rough guidelines : For the same positions : wait at least 6 months, better a year. <S> If they specify a minimum experience level, wait till you reached it (or at least are very close). <S> For positions at a lower level : Apply anytime. <S> Unless their dismissal was in general for any position at their company. <S> For positions at a higher level : Wait at least a year. <S> For positions at a different domain : Apply anytime. <S> Unless their dismissal was in general for any position at their company. <S> If they specify a required number of years of experience, wait until you at least got half of them, if you haven't yet. <A> Reach out to a recruiter and ask when they suggest you apply. <S> A recruiter for the position <S> you're interested in <S> will be able to best advise you considering your total experience. <S> Companies will frequently relax experience requirements if you demonstrate capabilities another way - a recruiter can help you find ways to do just that. <S> Keeping in touch with recruiters are companies you're interested in has a number of additional benefits: 1. <S> You're the first person a recruiter will reach out to if they have a new posting. <S> If a recruiter can fill a role from existing contacts, they will. <S> Posting on job sites adds work they would rather avoid. <S> 2. <S> Your profile will be familiar when you do apply again. <S> Occasionally calling and chatting means a recruiter will recognize your name - a good thing for getting past early resume screening. <S> 3. <S> Your profile may be forwarded to other recruiters. <S> If another company is trying to fill a role that better matches your profile, a recruiter may put you in touch with the other company -- good will between companies goes a long way. <S> Good luck with the job hunt! <A> The amount of time you should wait would depend on what reason you were given for not getting the job. <S> For your case specifically, where you were told it was because of "not enough experience", then I would wait at least a year, probably more. <S> The main question you need to consider is whether the amount of experience you have gained during your time working is enough to change their opinion of you. <S> If they said you were specifically lacking experience in X <S> and you've been working on a project where you've used X every day for the past 6 months, then you might be okay. <S> If they just generally said you need more experience, then they want you to have more time working in your field in general and you may need more time. <S> Now if they gave a different reason for rejecting you, or if you were applying to a different position, then that would change the answer entirely. <S> If they liked you but someone else was better, then feel free to re-apply to any new open positions without waiting at all. <S> If they said they didn't feel you were a "good fit" for the company, then I would give up on that company, or at least that group within the company.
| If they specify a minimum experience level, wait till you reached it (or at least nearly). Best is to ask whether it makes sense to reapply and when!
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Using sick days and/or vacation time once you’re allowed? I started a job in early February of this year- I was granted 3 sick days and 10 vacation days that I could begin using after my 90 day probation period. Not long after I passed this time mark, I had to take 2 days off of work because I was sick and contagious. I felt really bad because I get anxious when I have to miss work. Today I’m going home early (so taking off a half day) because I hit my head and have a minor concussion which is making it difficult to concentrate and stare at a computer screen- my office supervisor was sympathetic with this and told me to go rest, but I still feel guilty for leaving! I work for an attorney who won’t be at all pleased that I had to take the rest of the day off. But I came in to finish a small project that he needed to be done by this afternoon today before I left. I am taking four vacation days next week. They have been aware of this for months, and it’s not really a vacation, it’s a legal situation regarding a personal injury case I have ongoing back in my hometown. (Moved to California in the middle of this personal Injury case and have to attend court-ordered mediation) How do I shake the feeling of guilt and anxiety from missing work? Have I missed too much? It’s July, and I’ve only missed those two other days when I was sick, but the guy training me kind of gave me a look when I told him I needed to go home for the rest of the day. I’m just worried! My work environment is casual and understanding so I think it’s okay, but comments/feedback are appreciated. My anxious mind is running! <Q> If you're sick, going to work probably isn't the best idea because: you need to rest to help recover you will likely be less productive <S> you risk infecting your coworkers <S> There is no shame in taking the sick days that the company has given you when you are actually sick, that is what they are for. <S> If someone gives you strange looks, don't worry about it. <A> You shouldn't feel guilty for using the sick time <S> and/or vacation time that your company has permitted you to use. <S> It's there for a reason and you are not abusing the policy- <S> you're simply using it as intended. <S> Stop worrying so much. <A> Not going to office when you are actually sick is not something to be ashamed about. <S> Seeing the number of sick leaves you are taking you need to take care of yourself because the more sick leaves you take the more your work piles up and remains pending. <A> Just mention around that you are on a bad luck strike. <S> Explain the situation to your boss in better detail, as he should be sympathetic to your case as long as you don't leave for no apparent reason. <S> People sometimes claim "personal reasons" for taking a day off they're entitled to, a reasonable boss/person knows this means they should make no inquiries about it. <S> My advice for you right now is not to do this. <S> Tell people some details about the sickness you hand and about the court-ordered mediation you'e attended. <S> People might not ask you about it because if those were lies, you'd avoid mentioning them altogether, and people in general have no business in framing you as a liar. <S> In some countries, you can skip work for health reasons but you need to provide a doctor's letter stating you are/have been sick and need rest. <S> You maybe should have gotten yourself one of these and asked your boss if you needed to show it. <S> The suggestion, actually, is finding an excuse to show your boss the proof that you've been sick. <S> Note that if you work on a law firm, you might be expected to know the legislation. <S> Maybe mention around that you are happy with your current employment, <S> if someone leaves randomly a bit too often, I could suspect he/ <S> she is doing job interviews. <S> In general, I guess you are worrying about being earmarked as the guy who is always skipping work or finding an excuse to leave early or randomly not show up at the office. <S> As long as you give some unrequested proof that you are not making up excuses, you should be fine. <S> I would also strongly suggest that you delay any upcoming vacation periods as much as you can. <S> You might need them for more court-ordered mediation sessions or for any other random reasons. <S> It would look really bad if your vacation days were over before your reasons to be out of office.
| As long as you are genuinely sick and cannot continue to work because of it you are doing nothing wrong.
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Is experience with foreign clients valuable for resume? I am working in an industry that communicate regularly with foreign clients.Do you think it's worthy to be mentioned in my resume? <Q> Anything you believe is relevant to the job you're applying for should be in your resume. <S> If you think you'll be dealing with foreign clients in your new job, then you should state it. <S> If it's a job where you won't be dealing with foreign clients just briefly mention it and leave it at a mention. <S> Your resume should show everything you can do whilst showing how what you can do is relevant to what you will be doing. <A> Obviously this depends how important it is to your job, but it's also important to notice which culture you're used to dealing with. <S> If you have a lot experience in dealing with Asian clients that would be a huge plus in any job it is relevant to. <S> This is because Asian cultures are particularly strong and as such having experience in navigating them can be quite valuable. <S> So think about two things: <S> Is it important for the job. <S> Is it a culture that is hard to navigate. <S> If you can answer yes to one of the questions I'd mention it. <S> If you can answer yes to both I'd make it a bigger point. <A> Experience with foreign clients, even if you didn't work abroad, is great. <S> It demonstrates a number of capabilities that a domestic experience does not: 1. <S> You're capable of managing remote work. <S> Either you managed a project remotely or the implementation was remote - in both cases, <S> managing work over a long distance is a great skill. <S> 2. <S> You're able to make use of electronic communication effectively. <S> Whether it was over the phone or over email, your long-distance contacts were not in person. <S> Being able to effectively make use of these more challenging ways of communicating is another great skill. <S> 3. <S> You can adapt to the norms of another culture. <S> Working with individuals from another culture according to that culture's norms is a great experience. <S> It means you possess both empathy and great observation skills to be able to modulate your behavior in the presence of people unlike you. <S> 4. <S> You're willing to work outside of your comfort zone. <S> Foreign assignments are tough because they force us to work according to new routines, norms and communication methods. <S> Having completed these assignments is a great demonstration of your willingness to take on more challenging work. <S> I'm sure a recruiter will be delighted by this experience on your resume! <S> Best of luck in your job hunt.
| Yes, list the experience on your resume if you are excited to share it and believe it represents your capabilities well.
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Should I wait until my performance review to quit? My annual review is next week, but I intended to quit my job this week. Should I wait until the review to tell my boss or just go through with it this week? I've decided to quit mainly because of family commitments. My mother recently passed away and I'm split between my father's and my apartment dealing with probate matters. I've decided to go back to school and I don't have time to handle the estate stuff, never mind make time to finish an application. I've recently found a remote gig that will give me more flexibility and time to focus on myself. To be honest, I've been planning to quit for weeks and I'm ready to leave tomorrow. I'm expecting to hear that I'm getting a raise in my review and that I've done a fairly good job. My manager is more big picture and generally isn't that harsh, because our team does mostly self-guided projects. I'm nervous about quitting mostly because I do genuinely love my job and the people I work with. My manager was very supportive when I lost my mom and gave me more extra time off to deal with the funeral. Basically, I know it's time to go but I'm sad about it and don't want to make things more awkward before I go. <Q> Are you certain you are going to quit, irrespective of the outcome of the performance review, or any potential raise/promotions offered? <S> If yes, you can do it as per your convenience (as soon as possible could be one of the options). <S> In fact, doing it before the review meeting would be less awkward in my opinion, as the management won't assume that a (possibly) bad review is the reason for you to quit. <S> Quitting before the review would be the way to go, as there won't be any review meeting to worry about! <S> If no, wait till the review meeting and think again based on the outcome of the meeting. <S> You have nothing to lose either way. <S> The former however would be less awkward. <A> Making a decision to quit is usually (hopefully) <S> the result of having exhausted all other approaches to dealing with issues in your job, whatever they may be. <S> The important implication for your situation is: would the performance review influence your decision? <S> If no, then it should not play a role in choosing when you notify your employer of your decision. <S> Given that, if you feel you're at the point where you've decided to quit, and you have a date in mind that you'd like for your last day, the standard practice is to inform your employer of your decision based on any required notification period. <S> In other words, if you have a two week notice period, you should alert your boss two weeks prior to your desired last date. <S> If you know you want to quit, and your notification period is 2 weeks, but you want to keep working for several months, you should wait until 2 weeks before your desired last day (versus telling your boss now, for instance). <S> Telling your boss too far ahead of your desired last day can result in issues - your boss may treat you poorly, or look for a reason to lay you off immediately. <S> You generally don't want to quit without another job lined up, if your intention is to keep working. <S> Notice <S> that none of these if - then statements are based on the date of your performance review. <S> You should inform your boss based on the timeline <S> that's best for you - if you've made up your mind to quit, waiting until the performance review won't likely make anything less stressful or change the outcome. <A> If you're due for an annual raise after the performance review, waiting until after will let you report a higher salary in job interviews.
| If you know you want to quit, but don't have a particular last day in mind, you should base your decision on whatever factors you know about your future plans - if you're interviewing for other positions and hope to move immediately into another job, the standard advice is to wait until you have accepted another written offer before quitting.
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Leaving company during company event I'm interviewing with a few companies right now. (I'm a junior software developer at a tech startup.) If things work out well, I'll have one or two offers within the next 2 weeks. (I wasn't actively looking but these two roles came my way - so I didn't get to choose the timing here. I am interested in switching companies, though). The problem is that I'm scheduled to attend a major, week-long company event happening in 2 weeks. Based on how the process is trending with these other interviews, I'm pretty concerned that I'll have to give my 2-weeks notice either during the event (my boss will be there) or in the week right before or after the event. In any of those situations, it would likely be extremely uncomfortable since this event is viewed as a way of building up the team, solidifying coworker relationships, and overall investing in the culture for the sake of improving moral & ultimately keeping people at the company. The event costs the company a lot of money. I don't have any reasonable way to avoid attending this event, especially not so last minute. (That would also be counter-productive if I end up staying). I also want to a break before starting a new job - which means if I negotiate a later start date, I'd have to ask for nearly a month and a half befor starting (waiting 1-2 weeks before handing in notice, 2 weeks notice, and then 2 weeks break). From an outside perspective, how bad is it to give notice before, during, or right after an event like this? How is it considered acceptable ask for a start date that's in 1.5 - 2 months? Are there other potential options to avoid or pre-empt this situation? <Q> There will never be a right moment to resign. <S> No company is ever happy to see someone leave. <S> (Well, unless you're very bad at your job) <S> Once/if you have a signed offer, it's definitely better to resign before the team building event. <S> But don't preemptively quit. <S> Quitting right after the event might be awkward, but do it politely and professionally and you shouldn't burn bridges too much. <S> Asking for a start date 1 month away is typical in North America. <S> 2 months, depending on the field, might be stretching it, but there's really no problem asking. <S> Worse case they say no. <S> Personally, I'd ask during the interview about the starting date timeframe. <S> It makes you look serious, organised and actually interested. <S> Quite often, offers come with start date, so it's harder to change it afterwards, but possible. <A> Not only is your boss likely busy with other things, but in many cases there will be some formalities involved, if only writing a letter to HR. <S> Do notice that a "2 weeks notice" is a minimum notice period. <S> If you plan to leave 2 weeks after the company event, you can tell HR/your boss a week before the event that you intent to leave 3 weeks later. <S> Not many bosses will say "couldn't you have waited another week to tell me?". <A> Resigning after the event will just buy you time for the inevitable. <S> Negotiating a later start date depends how early the company wants to fill the position, the workload on the team and other factors.
| Resigning during the event is not a good option. Resign before the team building event (this way it would show that you are firm on your decision) and attend the event gracefully.
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Are professional publications and journal articles worthwhile to include in resume for specialty role in IT? I am currently updating my resume to reflect new responsibilities assumed in my current position. I am thinking of creating a new section on resume to include publications, professional journal articles, and Linked articles I have written in my profession of cybersecurity. Several have been well received by my professional network , and I am working with editorial board of a professional organization to see if they are able to accept a publication for inclusion in their official magazine for members. For someone in an senior role, how worthwhile would these publications be considered? Would future hiring managers see these as evidence of passion commitment, and well - honed communication ability? <Q> Yes, your publications are great to include on your resume if you're eager to share them and believe they demonstrate your capabilities. <S> Beyond your technical knowledge, your publications demonstrate: <S> Your ability to effectively document what you know <S> - you're able to write down your own knowledge in a way that is easy for others to understand and make use of Your willingness to share knowledge - you've made efforts to share what you know <S> and you'll likely take time to share your knowledge with future colleagues <S> Your personal interest in your professional work <S> - you're not the kind of person who's in it just for a paycheck, you actually enjoy what you're doing <S> You're open to criticism and broad review of your work - You posted your compositions for large audiences, including topical experts, to review and criticize <S> You can "get the job done" - you took the articles to completion, having a real publication is a rare accomplishment <A> It definitely won't hurt you (almost always) to put them in provided the opinion of the community/industry hasn't turned against you. <S> If you have a large array of publications, consider selecting your top three and presenting them under "Selected Publications". <S> Just like any kind of public available information, be aware that there is a wide gamut of opinions on a lot of topics, so anything more controversial will have a lower chance to aid you. <A> Placement is the key <S> It generally never hurts including the information in your resume. <S> However, where , what , <S> and how much you choose to place in your resume <S> is something you can put some thought into. <S> Is including a select few of them going to influence the chances of you getting hired? <S> If yes, sure display the section prominently, maybe even on the first page. <S> Is it just an additional item showcasing one of your skill/achievement? <S> You can put it in a later page. <S> To conclude, the inclusion may play a crucial role in one job and not make much of a difference in another. <S> You'd be better off maintaining different versions of your resume and/or customize it based on the job you are applying for. <S> If you maintain a personal website, it would be a good idea to link to the articles from your website. <S> You can always mention your website address in the resume, as it lets hiring personnel easily browse through any/all information about you.
| You should even consider handpicking which publications to list in your resume, based on the role, when applying for a particular job.
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Is a lowball salary then a part-time offer standard Japanese employment negotiations? I have recently been interviewing for a remote position with a company based out of Tokyo, Japan. They are a fairly young start up, with one semi successful product currently out. They seem to be incredibly interested in hiring me. However, there seems to either be some cultural miscommunications or maybe just misunderstandings that I need help with. They first offered a full time (remote) position to me, but it was substantially below what I could accept. I made this clear (politely) and had to decline. They said that was fine, and if their monetary situation changed they would let me know. They came back several days later with the right amount of money (nearly double the original amount) but the offer specified it was only for a two month contract. I asked for clarification, and also said this was not long enough for me to consider leaving my stable job for. This evening, I got another message asking if I would be interested in a part-time position, in conjunction with my full-time engineering job I already have. I have now told them that this won’t work, I need to have both good pay and a stable position to help their company reach its goals and for me to have a sane life. I recommended we have a meeting to better discuss what it is we are both looking for and need. Is any of this normal? Do Japanese negotiations just look very different than other Western methods? TL;DR: I’ve been very clear with this company about what I need in a job, but they seem to not be understanding or are dodging things. Am I missing something? Details: I am an Electrical and Software Engineer located in the United States with a stable job and decent pay. I like this new company, and would be excited to work for them. Update: I was straightforward with the company and asked them what was the primary motivator behind their negotiations. They replied that their long term funds are unpredictable/limited, and they are trying to push out this big product in the next couple of months (hence the two month contract). After that they will be reassessing their full-time needs and may contact me. Thanks for all the feedback! <Q> No, it is not a standard practice in Japan. <S> I think they are just a startup that can't afford to hire you on full-time at the price you are asking, so they are looking for alternatives. <S> As for the short-term contract, they may have specific tasks in mind <S> they would like you to handle, that they can't handle with their current resources. <S> The part time offer was also probably geared to you taking over those specific tasks, with you keeping your day job so that your pay is at an acceptable level. <A> That is all about being a startup , possibly not related to Japan at all. <S> From the offers, it's pretty clear that they are short on cash for what they are planing to do. <S> Probably an initial funding is running out. <S> So it's not that they do not want to give you a normal full time contract <S> , it's that it increases their risk significantly. <S> The risk is to run out of money . <S> That may result in a bankruptcy, or in being bought (for little money) by some similar company. <S> Both cases are not a good forecast for a stable job. <S> In the second case chances are that the other company already has someone in your role. <S> An additional red flag is that the current product is "semi successful", as that is probably an euphemism for not successful at all . <S> That would explain being short on money. <S> (My intuition is that they are dying, but still have hope.) <S> The conclusion is that you can not assume a stable long term job when working for them, completely independent from the contract you get. <S> Even if they offer perfectly what you want, that does not change. <A> (The following is based on my limited personal experience (I am non-Japanese working in Japan for several years) and on what I gathered from talking to some Japanese friends, reading the Internet, etc. <S> What I say below is true, but not universally true, and <S> quite likely is not applicable to your situation. <S> Still, it may help you to better understand their mentality... then again, their mentality may not be like that.) <S> In Japan, you get hired fresh out of school/college/university and for the rest of your career. <S> Your initial pay is low , but you get a regular unconditional raise (e. g. regardless of your performance), so after a decade it becomes reasonable, after two decades it may start getting high and keep growing. <S> If you quit (which you wouldn't, because why would you?!) and get a new job, your initial pay is low , but... (see above). <S> That is the tradition, which is now somewhat dead, but it is lingering in many companies (in the depths of their corporate schizophrenia): a new hire = fresh out of school/college/university, and should be paid accordingly. <S> Yes, they are fully aware that you have this many years of relevant experience and whatnot, and at the same time, they kinda aren't. <S> Regardless of the company's size, financial situation, etc. <S> - I suspect, it is rather related to the attitude of the management (how modernized/westernized vs. <S> traditional/japanized they are). <S> The limited time contracts is a somewhat new thing, getting more popular as the government pushes for more job security for the hired workers, and the companies push for those contracts which make it easier to get rid of you if need be. <S> That's why they are paid better. <S> Most people still prefer permanent contracts for their permanency. <S> So the limited contracts are better paid, to encourage people to choose them. <S> While the government is pushing towards making them essentially equal to permanent contracts (they made a law recently that your contract must be renewed unless the company can provide compelling reasons for being unable to extend it; they made another law that after ~5 years of working for the same company on such contracts you have a right to demand a permanent contract, etc.) <A> There are several kind of employment contracts in Japan. <S> It sounds like the tried to switch you from Seishain (permanent employee) to fixed term contract. <S> This is actually quite common and doesn't mean the company don't want to keep you in the long run. <S> This kind of contract usually comes with a higher pay due to the lower benefits. <S> However, others concern raised are very valid, and it doesn't mean that you should accept it: Only accept what you are confortable with. <A> I partially agree to above answers, but I also think it is possibly some sort of probation period contract, so I wrote down my experience FYI in case you really like this job and need careful considerations. <S> I've worked for a Japanese MNC company before. <S> What they did was providing me a 3-month contract initially, but also clearly stated inside contract that if my performance met their expectation, the contract would be updated into permanent within the probation period. <S> And they actually updated it before the end of my second month. <S> Even if a candidate is strong, it is still possible that he cannot collaborate with team well. <S> Most Japanese companies are very careful about this, and want to protect the existing loyal employees. <S> Thus maybe they like you, but they are still not willing to take the risk by paying you much more than current ones. <S> What I suggest is that you carefully check the strength of this company, to make sure whether it is they "are not sure to hire you as permanent" or "cannot hire you as permanent". <S> For a startup, if they cannot guarantee their own survival, how to promise yours?
| If you don't think you can work without a long-term full-time contract above a certain salary, then say that to them one more time, and if they can't make that offer, it may just be best to part ways.
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How to handle time-off /days-out from the office in Ireland? I recently changed to a new job in Ireland. I have found something different in how to manage to do external/personal stuff, as most of the things are open only during working hours. For example, where I lived before, you can find banks open until 7 or 8 P.M., and even on Saturdays. The same for medical appointments, car mechanics/services, property rental viewings, stores, and other things you need to do in your personal life. In that case, you don't need to ask for a day or half day out, just arriving an hour late or leaving a bit earlier if there is no option to do these things during the weekend. But here in Ireland, most of the stores, banks, medical centres, etc. have the same working hours as my workplace, and they are not open during weekends. My concrete questions are: How is this commonly handled? Should I take a day or half day off for every matter I need to attend and deduct it from my holidays? Is it just here or is it common across Europe? <Q> Commonly handled in a way: <S> You don't need car fixed very often, usually you can find mechanics that open at 7 when you start at 9. <S> You don't have to set second appointment. <S> Usually people are informed about what need to be done and pricing right away and they leave the car for fixing. <S> Then they pickup car earlier in the morning or arrange mechanic to stay late Medical appointments - I never had an issue with making appointment after 18 or on sunday/Saturday. <S> If you are sick you just go to the doctor and get sick leave Banking. <S> Well that can be problematic apart from one thing, you will notice that you have lunch time. <S> During that time you might visit the bank Rentals/ home viewing - no problem with making appointments on weekends or later in the day. <S> Usually those things are not done very often so I haven't meet a manager that would frown upon asking to come to work hour late or leave hour early to do those things. <S> Especially if you are an expat and you need to be present physically to show your documents/ legal papers to set an account or sign rental deal. <A> Talk to your colleagues/HR manager <S> How do they handle such chores? <S> (As it appears) you have relocated for the job. <S> That way you may have additional tasks such as looking for a rental place and procuring necessary household stuff. <S> I don't think it would be fair (even required) to deduct such time off from your holidays. <A> I've never had an issue with taking an hour or two during the day to do a doctor's appointment or go to the bank. <S> When asked, most employers and managers will be flexible enough as they have the same difficulties themselves. <S> Usually you might be asked to make up the time at the end of the day or throughout the week even if there is no official flexitime, which is fair.
| You can talk to your colleagues/HR to understand how things work in the local context (as you are an outsider).
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Boss furious on bad appraisal After completing an anonymous 360 evaluation in our company, our boss received a score 2.5/5 as an average of 8 evaluations. He gathered all 8 of us in his office, demanding to speak up and support the negative review of each of the factors, not knowing which ones have ranked him with 1/5 and which on with 5/5. Not getting what he asked for, since what was the point of an anonymous evaluation after all, he threatened us that our time is up and he will now be a different person to all of us and anyone that does not follow his orders, will be out.I am mainly wondering if his initiative to have us all present in a room and demanding to know who were the "bad ones" is legal, or we have a right to report this behavior to HR at least. Thanks! Just to answer to few of your questions: my country is Greece and his horizontal and top-down evaluation was also low (he has the lowest overall score among all management positions). The 360 evaluation was initiated by HR and no, I do not believe that the specific HR manager will act on it in our favor. <Q> A country tag may be helpful here. <S> A person could argue he is creating a hostile work environment which could lead to trouble for the company. <S> Typically going to HR is not wise, since they are not your friend and only look out for the company's best interest. <S> This may be a case where HR should be involved to correct a manager that is clearly out of line. <S> If you do go to HR, get written and signed accounts from the others in your team, so it doesn't look like just one person is upset. <S> A whole team of upset people has more power than a single person. <S> Regardless as to what action you take, I would highly suggest you brush up the CV/resume and start looking for an exit. <A> Please review the documentation the company gave you regarding the 360 review. <S> Pay attention to anything related to protecting your anonymity. <S> Pulling everybody into his office, either as a group or individually, would seem to be a violation of the process. <S> The company needs to know this happened, because if this behavior is allowed that means nobody will complete the 360 review next time. <S> Even if they try to force people to complete the review, the ratings will be worthless because nobody will be honest. <S> Legal opinions require us to know your location. <S> Knowing what the company will do will require knowing what information they have given you. <S> I would try to see if it can be reported to HR or the office in charge of the 360 review anonymously. <S> That complaint should be specific regarding manager, date, content of meeting, and number of people involved. <A> If you go to HR, remember to present it as a company problem, not yours. <S> What your boss has basically done is to give anyone fired in the future grounds to sue the company for unlawful termination. <S> Anyone in that room has 7 witnesses that he has threatened to fire anyone as repercussion for their bad review - not based on performance of each employee. <S> IMHO, this is how it should be taken to HR. <S> Not to mention that he defied the logic behind anonymous evaluation. <S> If he holds his position after this, evaluations make no sense because everyone will be afraid of being fired if they don't give 5/5. <A> Your boss's reaction is inappropriate and hostile - you should alert a trusted leader in the company or HR if you feel comfortable doing so. <S> Anticipate that your report will not be anonymous. <S> If you're concerned about backlash, make that clear to HR and keep track of any adverse treatment you believe is a result of you raising a concern about your boss. <S> If you feel as though you can no longer work with this person, make your feelings clear to HR and ask for help finding a new role within the organization. <S> However, if you're intending to stay in your position and continuing to work with your manager, there are some things you might consider doing: 1. <S> Offer feedback to your manager outside of formalized reviews. <S> It sounds like your manager may have been surprised by some of the feedback in the 360. <S> This should not have been the case. <S> If you have concerns that you felt compelled to write about in your manager's review, you should have also communicated them to your manager directly. <S> 2. <S> Back up your manager to help him/her feel secure. <S> Part of your manager's reaction may stem from insecurity about his/her continued employment. <S> A bad review will put anyone on edge. <S> Make it clear to your manager <S> you're there to do great work and make sure the department performs well, even if there are some interpersonal issues to work through. <S> 3. <S> Get back to business as usual. <S> If this was a one-time outburst, let it go for the time-being. <S> You don't need to act like it never happened, but you should also make efforts to return to a calm and normal work environment. <S> 4. <S> Confront your manager. <S> Let your manager know how the interaction made you feel. <S> Keep in mind that you manager likely also feels bad about the encounter and is ready to move on. <S> Make it clear that you felt threatened by the meeting, don't want it to happen again, but are ready to move past it. <A> The first thing you need to do is brush up your resume and start looking for a new place to work. <S> This is more of an insurance plan than anything as your boss has already threatened to make you and your colleague's work environment miserable. <S> He has also threatened to fire all of you. <S> Next, you and your other colleagues that were present for this meeting need to collectively go to HR and explain exactly what your boss said. <S> Keep in mind, this will likely make the boss even more furious if he finds out and there is no guarantee that HR will take the appropriate action to either fire the boss or remove you and your colleague's from your boss' supervision. <S> This is why the first step of preparing your resume is most important, there are more bad things that will come out of this situation than good. <A> If you're in a workplace that has a union, go to your union . <S> This sort of stuff is literally what they're there for, and unlike HR, whose job is to protect the company from liability, the union's job is to promote the best interests of the workers.
| Don't dwell on it in discussions with colleagues.
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Prioritizing support for colleagues and your own work I started at my current company a few months ago and am currently growing into a more Senior role as a DevOps Engineer. This is my first time going into a more senior role and I am wondering what kind of methods can be done to prioritize my time spent with helping my colleagues out being a resource and still have time to do my work. I sure appreciate the added responsibilities but I need to make sure I have enough time to get my work done. So far I have considered doing an appointment based scheduling for my team members. My question is: What kind of methods should I try that can help me continue being a resource and being able to complete my tasks? <Q> You're clearly a great resource for your colleagues. <S> Here are some ideas of how to protect time for yourself while being respectful of the needs of your colleagues: <S> Talk to colleagues that demand an exceptional amount of your time. <S> Be honest that you're worried about getting your own work done. <S> Use a semaphore. <S> If you have an office, close the door for a few hours a day when you need to get work done. <S> If you don't have a door, use headphones - <S> the over-the ear kind are the most comfortable. <S> If you use a chat application, mark yourself as busy. <S> Physically remove yourself. <S> Work from an empty meeting room, the building cafe, etc. <S> when you need to focus and get work done. <S> If you are urgently needed by your team, they can always call/message you and you can return, but this extra step to getting your attention may encourage some team members to wait. <S> Designate topical experts on the team. <S> Of course, confirm with these individuals that they feel comfortable fielding questions. <S> Engage your peers for help. <S> You're not the first at your organization to experience this. <S> Ask your peers or more senior managers what they would suggest. <S> You may get some good ideas there. <S> Teach your team to fish. <S> Some questions can be answered without you, but asking you is easiest for the team. <S> For questions like this, instead of providing an answer, walk your teammate through the process of finding the answer in a manual, documentation, or on the internet. <S> I would encourage you to use a system that makes it okay for your team to “break in” when they run in to an especially hard or urgent problem. <S> Making your team feel empowered and productive is an important part of your leadership role. <A> It depends on what kind of help is required on your part. <S> Is it teaching new hires how the system works or is it just that you're more experienced and knowledgeable than your colleagues? <S> In the first case you should have your manager know that some of your time will be dedicated to teaching and thus reduce your load or extend your deadlines. <S> In the second case it maybe more a case of correct time management. <S> Just be sure that you don't do the work for others and that solutions have been tried before coming to you for help. <A> Appointment based scheduling is a tool of managing the chaos. <S> I caution against making it the basis of doing so. <S> Requiring someone to fill out a ticket or schedule time may make perfect sense, but ultimately is somewhat off-putting nonetheless. <S> You’re moving into more of a soft skill role. <S> Try to keep in mind how any action, no matter how reasonable, will be perceived. <S> When you can reasonably attend to the question when asked, do so. <S> Adding phrases like, “I’ve got a little time,” can gently allude that you can’t always be expected to address whatever is on their mind at the drop of a hat or that they didn’t just get a free ticket to own your next four hours. <S> On the other side if you don’t have time, don’t be afraid to say, “If this isn’t urgent, can I check in with you later or can you ping me if I haven’t done so by EOD? <S> I’m involved in the middle of something right now.” <S> Something like this starts with acknowledging that priorities matter but also establishes some realization that you still have your “day job”. <S> Also, setting a timeline and inviting them to follow up diffuses the issue if you get caught up and don’t reach out.
| Let your team know they can interrupt you if needed, but the door closed signals that you're working to meet a deadline. Let them know you are glad you can be helpful, are always available for challenging problems, but encourage them to engage other members of the team for help as well. If you have team members that are sufficiently knowledgable on a topic, make them an expert by title (e.g., "GraphQL Guru") and indicate that questions on that topic should be directed to the expert. The key is to strike a balance between open door and respecting your other responsibilities.
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Afraid of confidentiality agreement; will I be breaking it? I signed a confidentiality agreement with a company that was for an unpaid "job". I quit with them and now had some innovative ideas I had to share with them on past projects I couldn't do before. Since I don't have the company e-mail, I can only e-mail the person who works there using insecure communication. I want to share my ideas but am reluctant to use any viable method of communication like e-mail, phone because I'm afraid I'll somehow violate the CDA even post termination of employment because I'm leaking "good" ideas on the web. I'm also highly suspicious of their honor and finances and doubt they'll pay me for my efforts to bring new ideas to them-which doesn't mean that I'm doing this for money but I seriously like some money. What should I do? <Q> I'm also highly suspicious of their honor and finances and doubt they'll pay me for my efforts to bring new ideas to them-which doesn't mean that I'm doing this for money <S> but I [really want] some money. <S> To recap into bullet points: They have low honor <S> You don't expect payment <S> You aren't doing it for the money ... <S> but you "[really want] <S> some money" <S> What should I do? <S> Your NDA is irrelevant. <S> Keep your ideas to yourself. <S> Move on with your life. <A> What should I do? <S> You should check the agreement you signed and look for what it states on the duration or length of its validity. <S> Then you will know if you are still under its effect or not, and know how to proceed <S> (I doubt it was forever, though, but you better check what is written on it). <S> I want to share my ideas but am reluctant to use any viable method of communication like e-mail, phone because I'm afraid I'll somehow violate the CDA even post termination of employment because I'm leaking "good" ideas on the web. <A> Typically, a non disclosure agreement prevents you from telling others what your employer (or whatever their relationship is to you) does, did, or told you. <S> It doesn't prevent you telling them things in a way that others can overhear. <S> Read yours to be sure. <S> That said, just because you have only an insecure way to talk <S> doesn't mean you have to blurt out all your secrets on the insecure channel. <S> You can email or call someone and say I'd like to talk about some ideas I have for [vague terminology like "your mobile applications"]. <S> Should we meet in person or set up a secure channel? <S> And if you'd like to be paid for the ideas, or for implementing them, or for joining a team that is implementing them, you can say so before presenting the ideas. <S> You should know it is very very rare to be paid for ideas. <S> Usually the closest you get to payment is that you get hired (or contracted) to implement them. <S> I suppose it's possible your ideas are so amazing someone would want to license them -- but people tend to license products, solutions, and technology, not ideas for how someone else might create a product, a solution, or a technology.
| Regarding this, if one is under a NDA or confidentiality agreement, sharing it by any means (not only the "viable" ones) would be a violation to the contract, so you seeking alternate ways to communicate won't prevent you from breaking the contract, if any or still valid .
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Internship and a full-time job at the same company on my resume I have worked at a company for 6 years. Some months during the beginning of my career, I was on a paid internship with the same company. During my internship I had the same duties (same projects and kind of job) I also had after my internship. The only difference is that I wasn't responsible for my actions cause I was "in training" and the chief engineer was my supervisor. I have a section on my resume "work experience" that lists all the points of my experience, sorted by company name. As long as I didn't have different duties during my internship, I'm not sure how to write that because I can't distinguish some different kind of skills I developed during that period. So, is it okay to just put a line like "internship" with a "Junior" title or "in training" or something like that in that case? <Q> Distinguish based on title not job description Specify the internship separately from the job on your resume. <S> It doesn't matter whether the job responsibilities changed much or not between designations. <S> Your resume also speaks about how you progressed within the same company. <S> It also reflects that you successfully completed your "internship" and were able to secure a full-time job. <A> I would just put it in as 6 years experience at the company without special mention of the internship. <S> When a new colleague started at our job my teamlead specifically told him it could take at least 6 to 9 months just to get to know how we work and get started on actually writing code on his own. <S> Up until then he is to figure out what to do on some small "starter" project (low priority, low impact project), where he was to ask us information and could only commit code after someone had revied it first. <S> This doesn't sound much different from an internship right? <S> Yet he was hired as a full employee and those were the actual initial expectations. <S> The only reason to write it explicitly as internship is if you are again aplying for an internship at a new company and want to show that this has worked favorably for both you and the company you worked at. <S> Usually with over 5 years of experience, people no longer search for internships, but rather immediately for a full time job. <A> Simply put a subtitle in the same branch of information. <S> Internship (x time) <S> Job (x time) Description of duties and experience. <A> Here's an example of how I've written this type of career progression on a resume: <S> Vice President/Senior Director/Manager/Staff, Norton Product Management 1996 to 2009 <S> Look at the actual resum e to better see the formatting.
| Being on internship followed by a full-time job conveys more information to someone reading your resume.
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Redundancies, but told you will be ok by the CEO (UK) My friend's company is making redundancies but she has been told by the CEO when he was on a visit to their office, that she (and her entire satellite office) will be OK however 50% of them are on notice as they're in the departments that are affected by the said redundancies. Should she be optimistic or ignore it? Also if someone was to be made redundant is there any legal issues that could arise from this? <Q> Talk is cheap. <S> I think she should be worried. <S> The CEO probably wants your friend and others like her to work until he decides who goes and who stays. <S> If the CEO can make his life easier by being optimistic, why shouldn't he do that. <S> If he had said "you should be worried" your friend might leave because of that. <S> Then the CEO might have enticed him to leave and the CEO might be liable for that. <S> I don't know if something like that exists in the UK, but it probably isn't a good move regardless. <A> No harm in having a CV ready to go out and be keeping an eye on the vacancies, or even send them out. <S> However, it's possible she could receive a redundancy payment if she is laid off - <S> if that's the case, she should not leave because she's afraid of being made redundant! <A> she has been told by the CEO when he was on a visit to their office, that she (and her entire satellite office) will be ok Likely to be a nice tactic by the CEO to try to stop people leaving early, IMHO. <S> Perhaps I'm particularly sceptical, but <S> if anything I'd actually read <S> the opposite into that. <S> I'd think the CEO knows I'm likely to be made redundant, but wants to avoid an early mass exit from worried staff as that could create problems, so is trying to ensure that doesn't happen. <A> Making people redundant is actually a lot of work. <S> Nobody does that "just because". <S> A company that lays off people is in financial trouble or had a merger recently that actually created an obvious redundancy. <S> Laying off people will not solve the financial problems of a company. <S> You might be next. <S> Or maybe not. <S> But that's not your decision. <S> Somebody will decide your fate at a point of time that is not of your choosing and without your input or consideration. <S> The only exception to this is if your company was part of a merger and actually has redundancies because of this. <S> Then it might be a one-time occurrence (or at least one time per merger). <S> So if this happened without a merger taking place, the company is still in financial trouble and you might be next. <S> The question is when not if you are shown the door. <S> Do not let other people decide your fate. <S> Make the decision to switch jobs when you want to do it, not when an accountant at a different branch pulls your file number from a random bucket to save the bottom line.
| If people start to leave because they are likely to be laid off it might create problems for the company. Your friend should update her CV and start job hunting ASAP.
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Does attending an appointment at a hospital count as sick leave for the purposes of a contract that pays for sick days? I had a referral to the hospital for a specialist appointment, after being on a waiting list for some considerable time. The appointment was during the day, and so I took a day off work for it. My contract states the company will give a reduced rate of pay for taking sick days. However they said that a visit to an appointment is not a sick day. It wasn't possible to schedule this visit out of working hours, or even at all due to the very long waiting list. Are they correct, does attending this appointment not class as a sick day? I have a doctor's note proving that I attended the hospital. <Q> So it would be covered under normal policies (and applicable laws) for annual leave rather than sickness - obviously your employment contract can offer more than the legal requirement here but not less. <S> Pregnancy-related appointments are excluded from this (in most cases, it doesn't apply to serving military and police personnel for example). <S> But only where the appointment has been advised by a midwife, health visitor or doctor. <S> This wouldn't be covered under "sick" though <S> but rather what maternity arrangements are in play. <S> They must allow you to go but pay is covered by statutory maternity pay laws (SMP) rather than sickness (SSP) <S> If the appointment relates to a disability (as covered by the Equality Act) then while not explicitly stated this would generally fall under the umbrella of making "reasonable accommodations" for the disability, but still this wouldn't be considered "sick". <S> An employer can choose to treat such days as sick if they wanted to - where doing so would provide the employee with more than complying with statutory sickness rules but this is entirely at their discretion and would normally be detailed in either employment contracts or policies. <A> Since this is an agreement in excess of the Statutory Sick Pay (which kicks in after 3 waiting days), there is no further legal requirement on what's covered. <S> If the company voluntarily chooses to pay for the statutory waiting days except on Mondays, that would be legal too. <A> Are they correct, does attending this appointment not class as a sick day? <S> Yes, I'm afraid they're correct. <S> The only possible exceptions I'm aware of are if it's pregnancy related, or if its disability related. <S> In those cases it's often far from black and white though, so even then there's not a great deal you can do unless you get a lawyer involved who can clarify 100%.
| Yep they are well within their rights to not class that as a "sick" day - you aren't off work through being unfit that day but instead taking scheduled time off for a hospital appointment.
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Should I avoid revealing my age at a new role? I've recently been offered a role at a large company (I've usually worked in companies with less than 100 employees). I'm a unusually high seniority for my age (22) but started my career at 17 so I have the experience to back it up. (I look old for my age so it's not immediately obvious) I don't want to sour the relationship with my colleagues as most people who are this seniority level will be at least 6-10 years older than me. Should I avoid disclosing my age and what should I do in the case of someone bringing it up, my birthday is soon and I know the question will be raised at some point. <Q> There's no need to hide it, or to be upfront about it when not asked. <A> Sharing that you're 22 could seem a bit cavalier early in your tenure. <S> Things you can do while you settle in to the role: 1. <S> Focus on demonstrating your capabilities. <S> If you're smart and do good work, your colleagues will notice and quickly respect your opinion and leadership. <S> 2. <S> Get creative in avoiding the topic. <S> If someone says "Gees, you look young!" reply with "Thank you!" <S> If someone asks "How old are you?" reply with "Somewhere between 5 and 50 - hard to keep track." <S> 3. <S> If someone consistently brings up your youth in a way that makes you uncomfortable, confront them. <S> Let him/her know how his/her jokes or questions make you feel and make it clear <S> you'd like them to stop. <S> Some individuals unknowingly cross the line with what was intended as a harmless jab. <S> You might also consider removing graduation years from any public profiles (e.g., LinkedIn) as these are a proxy for age <S> and I'm certain someone will eventually look you up. <S> No-one but the HR department needs to know your exact age. <S> If you're ever pressured to provide your age when you'd rather not, alert your manager or another trusted leader in the company. <A> Should I avoid revealing my age at a new role? <S> At your age, it isn't a big deal to reveal your age if you so choose. <S> However, as you get older, you will find out about this thing called age discrimination . <S> There is no magic number for this, but in my experience it started happening when I was in my early 40's. <S> I would recommend keeping personal information such as how much you make, how old you are, etc. <S> private . <S> If someone asks how old you are, simply say " Young enough " with a slight laugh. <S> As pointed out by the other answer, people can find out, but they shouldn't be able to easily . <S> Developing the habit of keeping private information private is a good thing for you to do. <S> Here is some additional information on age discrimination if your interested. <S> Its USA slanted, but most countries have discrimination laws on the books.
| If asked, you should be honest, however (since people can find out anyway). It's better to avoid the topic in a fun or funny way than to give the impression you're offended by a question about your age. Sharing your exact age is up to you, but I would keep it private. Confront individuals who inappropriately comment on your age. If questioned, just state that you started early and worked hard to get where you are now. Employers typically want young workers like yourself - so today disclosing this information may be fine.
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Is it unprofessional to wear shorts to work? The general attire for my workplace is a shirt and trousers (no tie, although some people do). On Fridays, it is a bit of a "dress down" day where some people choose to wear a T-shirt and jeans. Would it unprofessional to wear shorts to work? I'm not talking about sports WWE kind of shorts, suitable smart shorts? No one else at work has worn shorts so I cannot base it off that. My workplace doesn't seem to have a dress code (I've never seen one anyway) so if I or someone else was to wear shorts they couldn't argue that it was against the dress code. <Q> There is a separate risk to be aware of in the context of work on software or hardware, independent of following a dress code. <S> I describe it here as an anecdote because I have actually seen it happening. <S> We had to install our software on the customers system. <S> It was a conservative customer, like a bank. <S> And a hot day. <S> My coworker showed up in shorts. <S> Totally inappropriate, but the reception took it with humor , and the server administrator turned out to be a bearded "real admin" - no problem there. <S> So it was the worst case - shorts not at the company, but at it's conservative customer. <S> Showing up the first time. <S> And it worked out perfectly well! <S> But then, it stopped working out well . <S> The computer we needed to work on was in the main server room. <S> Which was stuffed with computers. <S> And had a really, really strong air condition, for the one room separate. <S> We did not care that the noise of the air condition was certainly above occupational limits for office work. <S> But it was cold, really cold. <S> Much too cold for shorts. <S> So he spent some hours freezing next to me. <S> (I felt it was uncomfortably cold with long trousers.) <S> When working with computers at an unknown place, it is absolutely realistic to end up in a server room unexpectedly. <S> They are normally chilly, but ok in office wear - and somewhat uncomfortable in shorts. <S> (I already mentioned it was a administrator with the appropriate beard: Cooling the server room how much? <S> As cold as I can get it, with no budget limit to worry about) <S> Even if it's not playing out that bad: <S> The possibility to end up in a cold place should be taken intoaccount. <S> Also, if you suddenly find yourself at a place where clearly shorts are inappropriate, don't panic . <S> If you are with a colleague wearing a suit with tie, you can possibly play the role of "the tech guy" - which comes with an allowance of some weirdness. <A> People in my office wear shorts. <S> Why not ask? <S> Or just wear them and take some trousers just in case. <A> Not saying I agree with that policy, but that's the way it goes in many offices. <A> How would you react if you see someone showing up wearing shorts unexpectedly? <S> Keep that in mind and make your decision regarding how to dress up for casual Fridays. <S> Could range from doesn’t matter to frowned upon . <A> Would it unprofessional to wear shorts to work? <S> An accurate answer to this question is entirely context dependent and is specific to YOUR company. <S> What is the policy at YOUR company? <S> We don't know. <S> Ask your manager or HR person if it's appropriate.
| If everyone is always in a shirt and trousers (some even with tie), I would guess it would be inappropriate to wear shorts to work and you would be frowned upon. But as to your particular office nobody can tell for definitely. The reaction could vary depending on local culture and region.
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How do I explain how I handle unrealistic expectations from superiors in an interview? As I was preparing for my job interview for a clinical research data coordinator position, I came across the following question a previous candidate has shared: How do you handle unrealistic expectations from superiors? The question seems so tricky that I don't know what a right answer might sound like. What would an employer be looking for in a good fit? Am I supposed to say that I handle all expectations regardless of their realism? Or that I ignore unrealistic expectations? Any help or sample answers would help. <Q> Interviewers really do want direct answers to questions - they're not trying to be tricky. <S> I'd have a positive reaction to responses like: <S> Developing the objectives and expectations for your role should be a collaborative process between you and your manager. <S> "If expectations don't seem realistic, I ask for clarification to make sure I'm understanding correctly." <S> You realize that miscommunication could be at work and actively work to ensure ideas are correctly understood. <S> "I propose alternatives, and work to execute the plan that we ultimately decide on." <S> Your manager is not the only person who gets to weigh in on how a project or task is defined. <S> You are willing to contribute your own ideas, but don't object if someone else's plan gets selected. <S> "I ask for help when I'm worried about meeting expectations. <S> " <S> You're capable of noticing when you're in trouble and willing to ask for help from others. <S> You don't let pride get in the way of good work. <A> Questions like these are often asked to try and gauge the candidate's persona. <S> There is no right or wrong way to answer them and the same answer will be received totally different by different people depending what they are looking for. <S> Each answer could have a potential upside and a potential down side depending on what the interviewer is looking for. <S> An answer such as : <S> I would cautiously remind my supervisor that the expectation of task X is unrealistic. <S> Could possibly be construed in 2 ways: The candidate tries to wriggle himself out of pressure situations or high work loads. <S> Or The candidate will avoid unnecessary pressure by highlighting potential unrealistic expectations. <S> It's with questions like these that the interviewer(s) will often consider what isn't being said just as much as what is being said. <A> Personally, when I have been asked that I have done two things: Taken it as a red flag - in an organization is intentionally asking about how you would cope with unrealistic expectation, this would not be a new thing for them and could be a common theme internally. <S> This would lead to added stress - which for me at least greatly decreases the joy I take from my work. <S> Answer the question - This question almost sets yourself up for failure, but I believe a good answer would be something along these lines, "I would handle it one of two ways depending on context, if it was about something beyond my (and by extension the team's) control, I would tactfully remind the supervisor about the limiting factors. <S> Now, if it was about something I could control, I would quietly take the appropriate steps to either make the task meet the deadline, or changes in how I do things to meet their expectations to the best of my ability" <S> I hope this helps. <S> Again, a question like this doesn't really have a "right" answer, just varying degrees of mediocre or bad ones as it sets up the candidate for failure. <A> If the expectation is unrealistic, then it’s not going to happen. <S> What is going to happen is that I either convince the manager <S> it is unrealistic (and he or she may ask for a second opinion, that’s fine), and instead we agree that I do something else that is realistic and profitable. <S> Or I can’t convince him, I or someone else starts work, and after more or less time wasted the manager finally agrees. <S> The first outcome is preferable.
| The best thing to do is answer honestly (some potential answers below). "I respectfully dissent when I don't agree with the expectations of my manager."
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