prospective employer called current employer by Alison Green on July 19, 2008 A reader writes: I recently interviewed for a position in a company that is opening a new branch in my area in the early fall. I went through the entire interview process, a phone interview and then meetings with 2 HR reps, a branch manager and a VP. Everything went great. I was very clear […] Read the full article →
excelling in end stages of hiring process by Alison Green on July 16, 2008 A reader writes: I’ve got a second round (final) interview for a state agency department district director position next Monday. I had been told the top 2 candidates would be moving on to this second round, so I assume that I am a good position here and want to make the best possible impression. I’ve […] Read the full article →
rude boss wants his personal errands run by Alison Green on July 15, 2008 A reader writes: I’m a 40-year-old woman working for a 28-year-old man, who likes to micromanage and who I believe is bipolar but of course am not 100% sure. I’ve been working for him for 2-1/2 years and since day one have been miserable. When I interviewed for him, he was a completely different person, […] Read the full article →
what to do if you’re “overqualified” by Alison Green on July 14, 2008 To job applicants, being told you’re overqualified can feel like being told by a prospective date that you’re too attractive. In other words, why is that a bad thing? To understand what hiring managers mean when they say this, and how you can get around it, put yourself in the manager’s head. When a manager […] Read the full article →
references and the importance of giving notice by Alison Green on July 11, 2008 It makes me very happy when other people do my work for me, as a reader named Ayan just did, with the comment she left on an earlier post I did on references. She writes: We recently interviewed a woman who wanted to leave the university system and work in the private sector (for us). […] Read the full article →
co-existing with a control freak secretary by Alison Green on July 11, 2008 A reader writes: The secretary in our office has been there for 35 years and likes to control “her” environment. A few of us have occupied a portable building for the past 5 years and recently we have all been temporarily moved back into the main building. It is very crowded and every single one […] Read the full article →
should I tell my boss I’m leaving after my vacation? by Alison Green on July 9, 2008 A reader writes: I have been with my employer for 1.5+ years, and at the start of this year I told them I was going to go to Europe in September. I booked my leave time, even though half of it is unpaid as I haven’t accrued enough paid leave. This is all fine, and […] Read the full article →
old employer torpedoing new job offer by Alison Green on July 9, 2008 A reader writes: My brother in-law, Ryan, has worked for his now-former company for a couple of years now. He began looking at changing careers and was recently offered a new job. This new job would be as a product representative for a company that is utilized by the same company he had been working […] Read the full article →
can a manager be both effective and well liked? by Alison Green on July 7, 2008 Can a manager be both effective and well liked? Well, maybe. But being well liked can’t be your goal. If you’re a good manager, you’re going to make decisions that anger and upset some people. You are going to tell some people their work isn’t good enough. You are going to hold accountable people who […] Read the full article →
laid off in order to lower pay? by Alison Green on July 4, 2008 A reader writes: Last Friday, I was laid off from my job. Apparently the official reason is “lack of work,” although my manager kept hammering on the fact that I was getting paid so much more than other people in the same positions. In our area, we had 4 people working the same positions: 3 […] Read the full article →