June 2011

crazy hiring managers who act like Caligula

A reader writes: As a current graduate student, I am searching for a part-time job or internship. Normally when I submit a job application, I attach both my cover letter and resume (and anything else asked for) in pdf format and write a brief note in the email about all of my materials being attached, […]

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I’m allergic to my new office!

A reader writes: I recently started a new job, which is going great so far. I love the work that I’m doing, my boss, and my coworkers. What I don’t love so much, however, is that I seem to be very, very allergic to something in the office. I’ve never really had allergies before, but […]

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taking time off to get married after starting a new job

A reader writes: I will begin a new job on June 20 and I am getting married August 6. The position is working with college freshmen who, conveniently, arrive on campus the exact day that I am to be married. When I received the call that I was being referred for hire (sometime in mid-May), […]

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how the hell do you use LinkedIn in a job search, anyway?

If you’re going to use just one social networking site in your job search, it should be LinkedIn. With far less effort than it would take to go to networking events and build contacts the old-fashioned way, LinkedIn lets you expand and utilize your professional network in a pretty dramatic way. It works like this: You […]

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short answer Sunday: 10 short answers to 10 short questions

Yes, 10. But the answers are extra short. Here we go… Embarrassed by my high school A few times I’ve been asked by an interviewer what high school I went to. It’s been 11 years since I graduated high school, and I think they are just making conversation, because I have lived in the same […]

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did I offend my interviewer?

A reader writes: Is asking an interviewer, “Is there anything you would change about the organization” inappropriate? A previous employer was not a pleasant fella to work for, and the organization was chaotic. After putting up with that for ten years I wanted to assess whether or not I was setting myself up for the […]

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hiring your teenage sister is often a really bad idea

A reader writes: I am a manager of a seasonal outdoor pool, and I would love your advice on how to approach a slightly tricky situation. My younger sister, who is 18, is one of the employees that I manage. Is there a different way to approach performance issues? Our relationship is strained, and in […]

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confirmed: I am not a man!

Back when I wrote this blog anonymously, you all apparently assumed I was a man. Then I dropped the anonymity and it was revealed that I am in fact a woman. But then, later on when I released my interviewing guide, people were surprised that my voice didn’t sound sterner. Because if I wasn’t a […]

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