too young/immature for a promotion? by Alison Green on April 28, 2009 A reader writes: I’m young (19) and work for a video store chain. My store manager has told me she thinks I’m too young and too “emotionally immature” to become a manager. I’m not sure what to think of that. She’s said some seriously inappropriate things to me in the past, such as berating me […] Read the full article →
why you didn’t get hired by Alison Green on April 27, 2009 You were perfect for the job and your interviewer seemed to love you – or so you thought. But you just found out that you didn’t get the job, and now you’re wondering why. Here are eight of the most common reasons you didn’t get hired. 1. You were qualified, but someone else was more […] Read the full article →
4 questions with Ask a Manager by Alison Green on April 24, 2009 Check it out. It’s four questions with me, over at William Tincup’s JPIE blog. Read the full article →
can volunteering lead to a job offer? by Alison Green on April 24, 2009 A reader writes: I’ve just starting reading your blog (obsessively) and completely love it. I’m about to graduate, completely terrified, and the advice you provide has made me feel infinitely more confident that I might not end up living in a cardboard box clutching my Bachelor’s Degrees and sobbing into my UMass sweatshirt. My question […] Read the full article →
rejecting candidates because of their neighborhood by Alison Green on April 22, 2009 A reader writes: During a workshop I attended, an employment counselor mentioned that some candidates can be rejected simply because of their zip code. Apparently, some hiring managers will screen out applications when residences are in zip codes implicating problems, such as being chronically late for work. Is this something you’ve been aware of? Not […] Read the full article →
phone interviews: the sanity check by Alison Green on April 21, 2009 I don’t know how I didn’t know about Rands in Repose until just now, but somehow I didn’t. Go read the Sanity Check, his brilliant essay on phone interviews! Read the full article →
what makes a hiring manager fall in love? by Alison Green on April 20, 2009 In most economies but especially this one, hiring managers get flooded with well-qualified candidates for any job they post. When you’re up against dozens of strong candidates, it’s smaller things that will help you break through the pack and emerge as a clear top contender. These are the things that change you from one of […] Read the full article →
turnover and morale during a recession by Alison Green on April 19, 2009 A reader writes: Like most companies today, we have recently gone through a series of layoffs, budget freezes, cost-containment measures, low morale, and just plain difficult times. We have traditionally been a company that has overflowed with abundance, and our employees are finding it extremely difficult to cope with the complete turnaround to a company […] Read the full article →
don’t mention your Mensa membership by Alison Green on April 16, 2009 Don’t mention in your cover letter or resume that you’re a Mensa member. Just … don’t. A candidate just told me that although she’s unable to use the program that is a critical component of the job, she’s sure she could do the job well anyway, and she added in parentheses: “(I am a member of […] Read the full article →
applying for a promotion vs. going to graduate school by Alison Green on April 16, 2009 A reader writes: I work for a large non-profit, and absolutely love my job. My boss is leaving soon, and her position will be available. I have been at my job for a year, and could apply. As much as I love what I do now, I’m ready to learn new skills and am eager […] Read the full article →