coded HR language? by Alison Green on August 29, 2008 A reader writes: I have been in the search for a job for the past 9 months. I have had interviews and I have successfully been able to get my resume in front of hiring managers. As with any job search I have also received my share of rejections. I have noticed in a number […] Read the full article →
chutzpah of the entitled by Alison Green on August 26, 2008 Liz Handlin has a great post up about the chutzpah of people who take advantage of the time and expertise of people in their network (or even people not in their network) and don’t bother to express any sort of appreciation. This resonated with me because of some irritating experiences I’ve had lately. Here’s the […] Read the full article →
why “Sexy Mama” won’t get hired by Alison Green on August 25, 2008 When I review resumes, a surprising percentage of them go straight into the reject pile for reasons that could have been avoided. Here are the top reasons why. 1. Your cover letter is clearly a form letter that you’re mass-mailing and which doesn’t even relate to the job. The most extreme version of this is […] Read the full article →
do employers look at every applicant? by Alison Green on August 25, 2008 A reader writes: After realizing that some employers receive hundreds of online applicants, I get the feeling that many of the employers are not even opening my e-mails. Do employers look at every e-mail applicant? How can I grab their attention in a subject line? It depends on the employer. I look at every resume […] Read the full article →
abusive interviewer extends job offer by Alison Green on August 23, 2008 This letter from a reader is long but worth it: My career experience has mostly been in the military, but I have recently completed a college degree in physics with a minor in education after stopping work to stay at home with my daughter. Currently, I am working as a high school science teacher, but […] Read the full article →
lying in an interview – should you be concerned? by Alison Green on August 21, 2008 A reader writes: I recently left my job. Management was unethical and abusive, so I decided to concentrate on my job search full time. Despite the negative environment, I left courteously, giving 2 weeks notice and helping to tie up loose ends. I am now under consideration for a great job, but I have a […] Read the full article →
telling your boss about a slacker coworker by Alison Green on August 19, 2008 A reader writes: How do you express concerns about a slacking co-worker to your boss without coming out sounding like a jerk? There is a co-worker in our office who can work hard when they want to, but also likes to spend quite a bit of time visiting with other employees. This same person expects […] Read the full article →
what to do if you think you’re about to get fired by Alison Green on August 18, 2008 Often when someone is having serious performance issues and in danger of losing their job, they simply do … nothing. Sometimes it’s denial about the severity of the situation, but other times people just feel helpless to change anything. But if you’re getting signals that your job may be in jeopardy, doing nothing is about […] Read the full article →
can I keep my internal interview from my manager? by Alison Green on August 18, 2008 A reader writes: I have been selected for an interview with a different department in the same building. Is there any way to keep my current supervisor from finding out about it? I’m fairly certain she’ll make my current job even more of a hell if she finds out, and especially if I don’t get […] Read the full article →
how much does industry knowledge matter? (not at all) by Alison Green on August 17, 2008 When hiring, how much does knowledge of your industry matter? It’s a nice bonus, but in most cases it shouldn’t be a driving force behind your hiring decisions. But too often I see hiring managers over-valuing this sort of knowledge, and hiring the wrong candidates. If you hire someone smart and motivated, they will learn […] Read the full article →