stop sending me recommendation letters by Alison Green on November 17, 2008 Please stop with the letters of recommendation! Don’t attach them to your resume and don’t offer them up at the interview. I know you feel good about them but, unfortunately, they aren’t useful. Here’s why: When hiring managers get to the point that we want to talk to your references, we want to talk to […] Read the full article →
interviewing at a company with lay-offs by Alison Green on November 15, 2008 A reader writes: Well first off, you have a great blog, which is extremely informative and finally gives job applicants a sense of what is going on in the hiring manager’s mind. Plus almost every post ends in “he/she is a jerk/ass,” which always makes the reading that much more enjoyable. I had an interview […] Read the full article →
avoiding the company holiday party by Alison Green on November 14, 2008 A reader writes: My employer has a holiday party every year. This year, I don’t really want to go. I feel like if I go, I’m accepting the “free dinner” when the company spends $ on company cars and other gifts instead of giving us health insurance. I don’t know a good excuse without hurting […] Read the full article →
Carnival of HR by Alison Green on November 13, 2008 Welcome to the latest edition of the Carnival of HR, featuring 26 posts from the HR and management blogging community. Those who have gone before me have managed to find unifying themes. I am not that good or that creative, so I have no theme. I do, however, have some awesome posts. Read on. Wall […] Read the full article →
the sound of silence: companies that don’t send rejections by Alison Green on November 10, 2008 One of the biggest complaints I hear from job seekers who write to me at Ask a Manager is about companies that don’t respond to job applicants: no rejection, nothing. There’s a real divide on the issue. Job seekers think it’s incredibly rude, while many companies feel perfectly justified in not putting resources into dealing […] Read the full article →
burping employees by Alison Green on November 9, 2008 A reader writes: I am a manager of a two small departments. I have asked on numerous occasions for the employees to not belch. I find it to be unprofessional and rude. This one particular employee does it constantly throughout the day. They aren’t loud belches, but ones that are heard loud enough to get […] Read the full article →
not helping yourself by Alison Green on November 7, 2008 Seriously, it is just not a good idea to respond to a letter of rejection with comments like this: “I cannot imagine what would have caused you not to interview me. Did you even bother to speak with my past employers about my qualifications? I find it hard to accept that you have no place […] Read the full article →
how to apply for multiple jobs at one company by Alison Green on November 4, 2008 A reader writes: There is a community development organization I really want to work for because it seems to fit my personality very well; they share an appreciation for community outreach, planning policy, and youth. However, I am interested in two job openings. The first position is within the field of my professional degree, but […] Read the full article →
bringing babies to work by Alison Green on November 1, 2008 New York Times blogger Lisa Belkin had an interesting (and, to me, alarming) article a couple of days ago about parents bringing babies to work with them. I like babies. Especially babies in any outfit with footies. But I flinch when I hear loud conversations in the hallway when I’m trying to focus, so I […] Read the full article →
overdressed / underdressed by Alison Green on November 1, 2008 A reader writes: So I just started a new job last week. All my co-workers come to work in jeans and sweaters for the most part. Every now and then someone will wear a nice dress or a suit. I wear nice dresses and skirts nearly every day and get compliments from my co-workers. Yesterday […] Read the full article →