questions from a recent grad by Alison Green on September 28, 2008 A reader writes: I am a recent grad, working as a full-time intern in the field of my undergrad major. I couldn’t have asked for a more nurturing and empathetic department; they give me semi-challenging jobs, find time to answer my questions, give me many opportunities to take initiative, and really prioritize me to have […] Read the full article →
answering “have you ever been fired?” in an interview by Alison Green on September 26, 2008 A reader writes: I was in a job interview the other day and everything was going well, until I was asked if I had ever been fired, and if so what were the reasons. Having never been asked that question before, my initial reaction was to feel that my privacy was being invaded and that […] Read the full article →
company cuts pay after one week by Alison Green on September 24, 2008 A reader writes: I was just hired for a job last week, a job which I really enjoy thus far and it looks like a job that I will continue to enjoy. Though it is not my “dream job,” it is pretty good so far. I was hired in at what the company calls 3/4 […] Read the full article →
dealing with a bad reference by Alison Green on September 23, 2008 One of the most common questions I receive here is what to do about a previous boss who is likely to give you a bad reference. First, yes, it’s legal for an employer to give a negative reference as long as it’s factually accurate. It’s true that some companies have policies that they will only […] Read the full article →
interviews obtained by force by Alison Green on September 22, 2008 A reader writes: I work for a large corporation. I have been a unionized employee for over 12 years and have had 4 different jobs with in the city, throughout my career there. There was a job posting for cemetery clerk in May, and I applied for it. I learned shortly after that the position […] Read the full article →
following up when you have a friend on the inside by Alison Green on September 21, 2008 A reader writes: I have been out of the corporate world for two years. I have been a stay-at-home-mom and have only done some (very) PT work, here and there. But recently I have found myself in a position to where I need to return to work full-time. One of my best friends works for […] Read the full article →
cold calling versus sending a resume by Alison Green on September 21, 2008 A reader writes: I am a recent graduate who is still in the process of looking for a job. My interest is in event planning and I realize this is a hard field to get into without any experience. I have done a couple of internships and have a few companies that I would like […] Read the full article →
interviewers who don’t interview by Alison Green on September 19, 2008 A reader writes: I recently interviewed for a position that I think I’m under-qualified for. The position is to be a dean of department at a university which requires 7+ years experience in a similar post and a great deal of knowledge about financial markets. I graduated from the top ivy league school in the […] Read the full article →
should I tell on a coworker who might have lied about her qualifications? by Alison Green on September 16, 2008 A reader writes: I am meant to sign my contract for a new job on this coming Wednesday. When the manager sent the email to me today, it was also sent to a number of people, as we will all be signing our contracts for positions of coordinators for an educational institution. I know someone […] Read the full article →
how to play the post-interview waiting game by Alison Green on September 15, 2008 So you had the job interview, things seemed to go well, and you left expecting that you would hear back soon. But now … silence. And you’re left waiting around with no idea of when or if you’ll hear from them. It’s not at all unusual for the hiring process to take longer than a […] Read the full article →