3 tips for managing interns by Alison Green on April 4, 2008 Summer intern season is approaching. Here are three tips for surviving it. 1. Don’t cut the intern too much slack just because he/she is unpaid or low paid. You might not hold them to exactly the same standards you’d hold your regular staff to, but you should at least hold them to something close to […] Read the full article →
Carnival of HR by Alison Green on April 4, 2008 The Carnival of HR is up over at Fortify Your Oasis, with a record 28 entries. Check it out. Read the full article →
the scoop on references by Alison Green on April 2, 2008 I’ve been getting a lot of questions about references lately and I’m getting tired of typing the same answers to them, so I am hereby presenting answers to all of them at once. Is it legal for a former employer to give me a bad reference? It’s legal for an employer to give a negative […] Read the full article →
if you can’t remember the phone interview, I doubt you can do the job by Alison Green on March 31, 2008 Guess what? When a prospective employer schedules a phone interview with you, you are supposed to answer the phone at the scheduled time. You are not supposed to call back half an hour later sounding like you just woke up and ask if you can do it now, as we had two recent candidates do. […] Read the full article →
boss secretly meeting about me by Alison Green on March 31, 2008 A reader writes: The other day I was looking through coworkers’ schedules on our office’s Outlook calendar to set up a meeting. Looking at my boss’ calendar, I noticed that earlier in the week he had an appointment with a coworker “Karen” entitled “Karen on Chris” (I would be Chris). Looking at the time of […] Read the full article →
required attendance at weekend event by Alison Green on March 31, 2008 A reader writes: My organization is planning a large anniversary party that will be held on a Saturday (non work day). Employees are expressing concern if it is mandatory they attend, as there is another event in town occurring that night many have already purchased tickets for. Can our president make it mandatory employees attend? […] Read the full article →
instant credibility by Alison Green on March 27, 2008 Here is a way to gain instant credibility with your boss: Tell her about a mistake that reflects poorly on you. People’s instinct is so often to hide or soften this kind of thing, but in fact the more blunt you are, the better you will come across. Just say it: “I really screwed something […] Read the full article →
confession: I used to suck at firing people by Alison Green on March 21, 2008 I’ve written in the past about how firings should be done — and believe me when I tell you that that’s learned from hard experience. Hard, awful experience. In fact, one of the first times I had to fire someone, I really messed it up — largely because I was oblivious to the advice that I now chant […] Read the full article →
fired and then asked back by higher-ups by Alison Green on March 19, 2008 A reader writes: A new, young manager recently lost his temper with me over a disagreement that we were bickering about. In the heat of the moment he fired me, sent me home in the middle of my shift, and called the other girl who does my job to “tell” her (not ask, by the […] Read the full article →
telling an employee she has body odor by Alison Green on March 16, 2008 A reader writes: Two new secretaries in my office have body odor. The other staff have asked me to talk to them about it as the acting manager. How should I tackle this? I do not envy you. I’m interested to hear advice from others too, but I think the best approach is to think […] Read the full article →