terse answer Tuesday: 7 terse answers to 7 short questions

by Alison Green on July 5, 2011

It’s another round of terse answer Tuesday! I really like today’s mix — everything from to odd interview requests to tailoring your resume for a job at Hooters, and we even get to revisit the coughing coworker debate.

Interviewer asked to see my accrued leave balance

I work at a large public university (as staff, not faculty) and am applying for positions at the same university but in different departments than the one I work in now.  Today I received an invitation to an interview – yea!  The interviewer asked me to pick from a list of possible meeting times and to send her three things: 1) A list of references (fine);  2) Copies of my last two performance evaluations (well, okay); 3) My current leave balance report (i.e., how much sick time and vacation time I have).

It’s that last one that strikes me as very odd.  Maybe I’m paranoid, but I can only think of two reasons why they would want this:  1) They want to see if I have a lot of sick time accrued to make sure they don’t hire someone who gets sick a lot; or  2) They want to see if I have a lot of vacation time accrued to make sure they don’t hire someone who actually takes all their vacation time.  (I like numbering my lists.  I hope this isn’t annoying.)  Am I worrying too much about this?  Is there a less sinister reason they might ask for this report?  Or should this be a red flag for me regarding this employer/department?

I love numbered lists.

I can’t see any reason for asking for your accrued leave time other than the reasons you named, unless there’s some weird rule about how much accrued leave they can have on their books and yours would transfer. Anyone in academia want to weigh in and speculate on what this is about?

Read an update to this letter here.

Tailoring a resume for Hooters

I’m a college student studying Hotel and Restaurant Management. I currently work on campus, but it’s not enough to pay all my bills. I want to apply to work at Hooters, just because I love it and I’ve always wanted to work there, and they have flexible hours. However, I have no experience in the restaurant industry. I worked at some retail jobs in high school, but everything since then has been office jobs and internships. And I don’t want to seem overqualified. When I fill out my application, do I just leave my resume as is or do I tailor it to Hooters? If so, how do I tailor it?

Leave your resume as is. If anything’s going to be an issue, it would be your lack of restaurant experience, not the presence of other types of work, and there’s not really anything you can do about that. And all the advice I can think of for how you might tailor it for Hooters is wildly inappropriate. Good luck.

Is this HR person condescending to me?

About a month ago I applied for a position at a small college for a position I was interested in. I did the interview, it went well, sent my thank-yous and did follow-up thing (as instructed by you and your priceless advice). A couple days ago put in a call to the HR department to check on the status of my application and see if they had an updated timeline. Unfortunately, I was told by the HR manager that I was not selected in the first round (due to lack of higher education management experience), and they had already started second round interviews. That’s fine, I understand.

What got me was what the HR manager said after that: “Don’t worry though, in the course of my career as an HR professional I have rejected candidates and then gone back to hire them.” Then she talked about this for a little while, about how this might not be the end, and wished me luck in my future search. I guess she was trying to make me feel better, but I thought the whole thing was highly unprofessional, and it also made the conversation slightly awkward. If I didn’t make it to the second round, why on earth would I be considered as a new hire later on? Or, more importantly, why even say that to someone? I felt like she was giving me false hope. I didn’t really say anything, just thanked her for returning my call and that I enjoyed interviewing with their organization. I just wanted to get your take on the matter. Is this kind of behavior appropriate?

I’m surprised that you had a problem with her response, which seems really nice to me and the sort of response that a rejected candidate might be glad to get. I’ve said that sort of thing to candidates before, and it’s always been true. (I’d never say it if weren’t true, because what would be the point? Plus, we reject way too many candidates to call each of them and have that sort of conversation; you’d only do it if you really wanted to drive home the point.)

And I’ve hired plenty of people who I’d earlier rejected for a different role. I’d take her words at face value.

Mentioning that I’m gay in an interview

Like millions of other people, I’m a recent graduate who is looking for jobs.  The difference is that I’m gay, and its sort of important to me to work in a environment that is at least tolerant. I also want to know if the area that the job is near has any sort of gay culture at all. Should I mention in any form that I’m gay during a interview?

If it’s important to you, raise it — but wait until you have an offer. (But don’t ask if the local area has much gay culture; you should research that on your own, just like you’d research anything else about the local area that was important to you.)

New job searching techniques

I have broken my bank trying to keep up with the new job searching techniques. I have read endless advice about job seekers needing to engage more into the social media and buy networking business cards and such. How often do these techniques land you a job interview? What percentage of all of this career advise should be listened to?

20%.  And 0% of any advice that tells you to buy anything for your job search other than a suit and a briefcase.

Coughing coworker, redux

Can a company just say “grow up and deal with it” when it comes to the disruption caused by a chronic smoking cough? I tried headphones and still can’t concentrate. They won’t move her desk either.

They can. I’m sorry; it sucks to be on both sides of this.

Putting leadership positions on your resume

Do you add unpaid leadership positions, such as Board of Director positions held, from professional societies you are apart of?  If so, where in the resume? I have held a board position since 2009 and am currently President for the local chapter of the American Society for Training & Development.  My career is training and instructional design, and to me it seems a no brainer to add it, but I would love to have your input.

Hell yes. Put it on there in a “community involvement” or “leadership” or “volunteer roles” section, toward the end.

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{ 63 comments }

{ 63 comments… read them below }

  1. Steve*

    I work at a large public university and can possibly help with the question regarding vacation/sick balances. There is a third reason – when you hire someone who is internal you inherit the vacation balance of that person, which in financial terms can amount to as much as two months of salary at my University. This means that if you hire someone and they resign, no matter how long they worked in your department, you are on the hook to pay that to them,

    I would not necessarily regard this as a deal breaker on your part, but it certainly enters into your assessment of the work environment and your possibly soon to be supervisor.

    1. Rachelle*

      Same at my university. The hiring department inherits the leave time accrued. In one case, we were able to cut a deal with the candidate’s original department to split the costs of the accrued leave.

  2. Beth*

    I have seen leave balance reports requested because as part of the overall compensation package the company wants to make they may wish to allow you to roll over the leave that you already have. I’ve worked for two companies that rolled your accrued leave from one place to another over.

  3. kelly*

    RE: Mentioning you’re gay in an interview — one way to pull it off is if there is ANY thread between your sexuality and your chosen profession. I work in non-profit social services, and when I’m interviewing for a position and answering the “what led you to/makes you passionate about this work” question, I usually mention something about how I got involved in social services via LGBT community organizing. Obviously this isn’t going to work if you’re an accountant, but it’s worth a shot.

    1. Ask a Manager* Post author

      Yes! And also, if you have any LGBT campus or community activities, you can mention them on your resume — good way to screen out anyone who isn’t going to be welcoming of that.

  4. E*

    Thanks for taking my question re: condescending HR person. I didn’t think she was being condescending, just not exhibiting the most professional behavior. I have never had an HR person be so friendly and reassuring, maybe other HR managers could take a lesson in niceness for her! And, on a side note, although the university did not take me for the position I applied for, I found out recently that they are considering me for an adjunct teaching position. So, I guess, in a way, she was right.

      1. T.V.*

        “So, I guess, in a way, she was right.”

        She was correct. I think you should characterize things in a more positive light. Your original question and response betray a pessimistic/distrustful nature that may appear in your work relationship.

        Good luck.

  5. a.b.*

    Accrued leave balance: I agree with Beth, but the only other thing I can think of is seeing if you keep a good padding of sick + vacation time. My university HR will send out curt notices if your sick + vacation time goes below 60 hours. But– that sounds an awful lot like what you’re imagining.

    I wouldn’t think this would be about rolling over vacation time– you’re only at the interview stage. Red flag!

    1. Mike C.*

      I can understand some workplace asking this, but when they see a number, what does that actually say when they may not understand the PTO policies at every workplace? I mean heck, what if your employer offered to buy back a huge block just to remove it from the books?

    2. Annon*

      I saw it the same way. It’s a red flag.

      Best case, getting days off approved by this hiring manager is going to be like pulling teeth.

      I would run away screaming…

  6. Anonymous*

    RE: Coughing, or any noise for that matter. Dude, get some better headphones or earbuds! A $20 pair isn’t going to cut it. Look at premium brands like Bose or Shure for noise-canceling ones that will probably run you $100+. Pricey? Yes. But only you can decide if your sanity is worth the cost. You won’t hear the noisy co-worker and no one else will have to put up with your whining. Win-win.

    1. Courtney*

      I agree 100% about the pricier headphones. My whole department had to get them because of the noise from another department situated in a circle around our cubes, and they were fantastic. Maybe you can see if your department will partially pay for it since you need the noise gone to concentrate on working.

  7. samiam3*

    Actually this $30 pair will work well enough for average user.
    http://www.amazon.com/Sony-MDRNC7-BLK-Canceling-headphones/dp/B001EYU3L2/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1309955714&sr=8-2
    Also recommending Bose in itself is a joke as their only “research” is marketing.

    Did you know they do not publish specs on any of their product? That’s like a car maker saying “Our cars are better through research. Period” without giving you horsepower, torque, engine size, etc.

    Shure is good but very pricey.

  8. Anonymous*

    I second the recommendation about Shure earbuds – pricey but well worth it. I have the E2C earbuds and they REALLY block out a lot of sounds. Noise canceling earbuds that use the “opposing sound wave” approach do nothing for random sudden noises like coughs. Music with words sometimes distracts me, so I listen to movie soundtracks (“The Rock” is one of the best for getting things done), techno/trance/electronica (sans lyrics), white noise (Google it), or sometimes even just Classical.

  9. Anonymous*

    To the Q/A regarding vacation time – perhaps the hiring manager wanted to see how much vacation time you have accrued and not used to forecast moments in the future (if you are hired) when they would potentially be understaffed? Maybe some of the hiring manager’s existing staff has alot of upcoming scheduled vacations and wanted to see if there would be a conflict with your vacation? Sometimes it seems like some questions are asked as part of protocol, rather than info that is actually used to hire you or not.

    1. Natalie*

      It seems to me that making those assumptions by looking at vacation balances would be an incredibly inaccurate way to determine staffing levels.

  10. Crystal*

    I work at a university and if this were happening here the hiring department would have to pay the former department for the vacation/sick time. It’s a twisted policy, but some parts of the university are self-supporting “independent business units” and some are not so it does make a difference when you move from one side to the other. And you’d be surprised which departments are “independent business units”.

  11. Naama*

    To the college student looking for work as a server — think about your transferrable skills: ability to multitask, handle fast-paced situations, learn quickly, work with customers, etc. The particular restaurant doesn’t matter; these are skills you’ll need in any front of the house position.
    You are not overqualified. The Evil HR Lady (she’s at BNet) had an article recently about how just because you have held higher-paid jobs or had more education doesn’t mean you’re overqualified for entry-level work — it means you’re qualified for other jobs. In this case, I’d say you’re a pretty typical candidate for a serving position at this place. If you have trouble finding a server job, try applying for host and busser positions, which often lead to promotions to server. Don’t just apply there. Apply at Applebees, Granite City, Cheesecake Factory, those sorts of places. Go between 2 and 4pm for best results.

  12. Anonymous*

    Am I the only one who thinks it’s weird and highly irrelevant to mention that you’re gay before accepting a job. Who cares? It’s kind of like mentioning your faith or political affiliation. Besides what kind of a response do you expect besides a blank stare and an “um…..okay”?

    1. Ask a Manager* Post author

      I think it’s widely enough known that some places are still openly hostile to gay employees that it’s reasonable to ask. Certainly better to ask ahead of time than to accept the job and discover once you’re there that you’re going to have to deal with hostility. I’ve had candidates ask about this, and it comes off as pretty normal for that reason.

    2. Anonymous*

      You’re not the only one. It’s irrelavant. Really, I don’t want to know. And as a hiring manager it would make me think you’re more concerned about gay issues than work issues.

      1. Mike C.*

        As a hiring manager, you should understand that “gay issues” are really nothing more than “family issues”. Family issues always trump work issues and shame on you for thinking otherwise.

        Guess what? It’s easy being straight. I don’t have to worry that I’ll miss out on a promotion or be fired for talking about what I did with my fiancee during the last weekend nor do I have to lie about the people in the pictures at my desk. It’s easy because I’m part of the majority and no one questions it. I never have to ask a potential employer, “hey, are you cool with the fact that I’m a man and planning on marrying a woman?” because no one is going to treat me badly because of it.

        So when someone asks about your company being gay friendly, take that question with the understanding that maybe they just want to work for someone who won’t treat them terribly or force them to lie about who they are. It’s much easier to be productive in the workplace that way.

        1. Ask a Manager* Post author

          Bravo. And I’m going to go a step further and say that making blanket statements that “you shouldn’t care about that” to a group that you’re not a part of, when that group has a history of being discriminated against and even killed, is inherently problematic.

    3. Heather*

      People talk about what they are doing with their significant other that night or on the weekend, and you either have to lie or tell them the truth, at which point they might start discriminating against you. If you are good at your career you can often afford to weed out the places that will discriminate against you before you get there. Anyone who just doesn’t want to know that we’re LGBT should do us the favor of NEVER mentioning your straight significant other and children and anything personal as well. It’s only fair if that’s what you’re asking of us.

    4. Anonymous*

      “Who cares? It’s kind of like mentioning your faith…”

      Your faith puts you in a legally protected class, but in most places sexual orientation (and gender identity) is not afforded the same protection. Knowing that a workplace will be welcoming to you vs. putting you in a terrible position without any legal protection is certainly worth knowing before you take a job.

      “Besides what kind of a response do you expect besides a blank stare and an “um…..okay”?”

      If a company is welcoming, I expect to hear about the office culture, any diversity initiatives they support, benefits available to LGBT staff, etc. I expect open body language on the interviewers part. A “blank stare and an “um…..okay”?” is not welcoming and could be an indicator of the office culture.

      1. Anonymous*

        I think the response also depends highly on the area. Our area of the country is known for being very homosexual friendly, particularly in this neighborhood. I might very well give the same response of “um… okay?” simply because it would be odd to be asked that in our field, in our area. (Even the most cursory of web searches would answer this for you.) So it would be a little bit strange for me!

      2. Jamie*

        I agree 100% with finding out in the interview process if it would be a hostile environment – but absence of “welcoming” isn’t always indicative of intolerant.

        I might give a blank stare and “um…okay?” only because no one has ever mentioned their orientation to me in an interview and it might take me aback. Also, because I couldn’t care less about anyone’s sexual preferences, since if they become a work issue I’m equally pissed if it’s gay or straight paperwork on the write ups.

        I would have zero problem with someone because they were gay – I’ll like you or not based on a myriad of other factors…but basically if you’re competent, relatively pleasant, and don’t chew with your mouth we’ll get along just fine.

        However, I wouldn’t even know where to begin in discussing local gay culture and Alison is right – there are definitely better resources for that than a prospective employer.

        My point is there is a wide spectrum – and I would hate for people to reject a workplace out of hand because there aren’t any current diversity initiatives or active LGBT culture in the office and writing them off as intolerant.

        2. Anonymous*

          Whoa, was it just me or did you make a giant leap here? An “office culture” doesn’t mean necessarily “active LGBT culture in the office” and most certainly doesn’t mean “local gay culture.”

          Instead of a blank stare, say something like, “No one has ever come out to me in an interview, so please excuse my surprise. Do you have any particular questions or concerns about our office culture that you would like me to address?”

          Oh, and please don’t use orientation and preference interchangeably, they’re not the same thing: My ORIENTATION is toward other women, my PREFERENCE is with the lights on…

          1. Jamie*

            My reference to local gay culture was because it was in the original post. The rest was in reference to the comment to which I was responding, “If a company is welcoming, I expect to hear about the office culture, any diversity initiatives they support, benefits available to LGBT staff, etc. I expect open body language on the interviewers part.”

            My point was that there are plenty of potential work places which have no bias against gay people, but wouldn’t meet the above criteria; yet might still be a good fit and a welcoming environment. I would just hate for the commenter (or anyone) to miss out on what could be a great job because of assuming that lack of diversity initiatives or some read on body language (which could be merely surprise) means a place would be unwelcoming.

            Point taken on the verbiage…I was unaware of the distinction.

  13. Joe*

    RE: Coughing coworker, redux

    Try sitting ten feet away from the fax/scanner/printer and paper shredder in an office full of obnoxious women.

    1. Heather B*

      Sorry, I seem to be missing something. Do obnoxious women make the fax/scanner/printer and paper shredder even louder? Or is the point that your coworkers are obnoxious, on top of your proximity to the office equipment? And would it not bother you to be in an office full of obnoxious men?

      I’m trying to figure out what gender has to do with creating an annoying working environment.

  14. Wilton Businessman*

    re: Hooters

    One of the few places it may be an advantage of putting your picture on your resume.

    1. Ask a Manager* Post author

      Interesting! I am admittedly grossed out by Hooters (waaaayyy more than by a strip club, which is up-front about what it’s selling), but I am fascinated by any kind of behind-the-scenes blog like this. For years, I was addicted to a blog run by a Starbucks barista; I don’t know why they’re so fascinating but they are.

      2. ThomasT*

        You find that a place called “Hooters” is not “up-front” (ahem) about what it’s selling? Shocking for someone who makes her living being so perceptive! :-)

        To make this slightly on-topic, agree that chain food service jobs are not necessarily concerned about a lot of experience, and may in fact prefer to train their folks rather than have them with lots of preconceived notions about food service.

        1. Ask a Manager* Post author

          My issue with Hooters is that they market themselves as NOT being adult entertainment. People take kids there. This is horrifying to me — not because I think kids will be scarred by the site of skimpy shorts, but because I don’t think kids should be in an environment that very casually treats women as sex objects.

          If someone wants to pay to be served food by women in skimpy outfits who are required to laugh at their jokes (this is a true detail), that’s their prerogative. But I think there’s something really messed up about cloaking it in the facade of a family restaurant.

          That’s why I have no issue with strip clubs — there’s no mixed message about what the deal is there.

          1. Jamie*

            You put the problem with Hooters so succinctly.

            I just don’t like the cloaking as if it’s an acceptable venue for kids. I don’t think wings with a side order of my ethical objections would be very appetizing to my family, anyway.

          2. Kimberlee*

            I disagree, because I have no moral objection to Hooters at all. I mean, some individual stores run things badly, but overall I don’t see how it’s much different than any other customer service job. You laugh at customer jokes, you treat them like they’re kings while they treat you like shit. It’s life in the service industry. And if a girl can make twice as much as me, doing the same degrading work only being hot while doing it, then that’s a pretty good deal.

            I think the work of waitressing or working in a call center or working pretty much any job like that is far more objectifying and degrading to a person than wearing a skimpy outfit (which most of these hot chicks do voluntarily on a daily basis anyway).

              1. class factotum*

                Years ago, some women at work were complaining because their manager had held a team meeting at Hooters. I mentioned it to my VP, who didn’t seem to think it was a problem at all. He liked Hooters!

                I asked if he would want his seven year old daughter to work there when she got old enough.

                All the blood drained from his face.

                I took that as a “no.”

              2. Jamie*

                When my eldest son was a freshman in high school he was invited out by a friend’s family for a birthday dinner. Since it was parent’s, the two boys, and a younger sibling it didn’t never occurred to me that I needed to pre-approve the restaurant.

                They went to Hooters – I was furious. Adults can do what they want, but not with my 14 year old son. He and I had a long talk about women and dignity…poor kid had to pay a hefty price with a talk from his mom over a choice he didn’t even make.

                I feel the same as Alison, I don’t have the same problem with strip clubs – because it’s an adult environment and they aren’t marketing to kids.

              3. Kimberlee*

                I would take a kid there! Some cleavage and leg is not “adult entertainment,” it’s stuff they see every day, they’re just convinced they SHOULDN’T because somehow it’s shameful to show some cleavage and leg. I mean, is there other, more illicit stuff that goes on there? I don’t really see how it’s different than any other idiotic thing that people have to wear at work, be it a fast food uniform, suit and tie, pantyhose… and to not take kids there just perpetuates the idea that the female body IS shameful, and SHOULD be looked at only in private, sexual situations.

              4. Ask a Manager* Post author

                Wow, I cannot agree with that. For starters, they only have women work there, not men. With very specific body types. And it sends the message to kids who are taken there that it’s appropriate for women to be in subservient, objectified roles. I’d have zero problem with them if they copped to what they’re doing — but presenting it as “family entertainment” strikes me as really insidious, bad for women, bad for men, and bad for kids. There’s no way a kid comes out of that thinking “wow, I’m more comfortable with the human body.” They come out thinking, “wow, women can be treated like subservient objects who are there for men to gaze at.”

                People who want to be served by scantily clad women should go to an adult club where everyone’s open about what’s going on. And without their kids.

              5. ThomasT*

                From http://www.hooters.com/About.aspx :

                “Hooters characterizes itself as a neighborhood place, not a typical family restaurant. Sixty-eight percent of customers are male, most between the ages of 25-54. Hooters does not market itself to families, but they do patronize the restaurants. Ten percent of the parties we serve have children in them. Hooters is in the hospitality business and provides the best possible service to anyone coming through the door. For this reason, the chain offers a children’s menu.”

                Also:
                “The element of female sex appeal is prevalent in the restaurants, and the company believes the Hooters Girl is as socially acceptable as a Dallas Cowboy cheerleader, Sports Illustrated swimsuit model, or a Radio City Rockette.”

                Lots of parents do clueless crap to/with their kids that many would regard as age- or societally inappropriate. I’ve taken my 9- and then 10-year old to concerts where the performers use “adult” language (though I’m pretty sure he still doesn’t get the double entendre in one group’s traditional finale: http://paulandstorm.com/lyrics/the-captains-wifes-lament/ ). That doesn’t mean that what’s going on there is hidden, just that some people are clueless or make choices others wouldn’t.

  16. OP leave balance*

    I asked the question about the interviewer wanting the leave balance summary. Thank you to AAM and to all who commented! Now I’ve gotten what I consider maybe a second red flag: she won’t tell me who all will be interviewing me. She’ll tell me that there will be a panel of four interviewers, but despite my asking, she isn’t willing to say who the other three will be. I’m thinking I might just cancel the interview and consider this a bullet dodged. Do others feel the same way?
    Thanks!

    1. Ask a Manager* Post author

      That’s weird. Maybe they’re fugitives.

      I think you should still attend, because it’s always worth it to learn more, make connections, etc. You’ll probably have a much better feel for all of this after the interview too, and you’re never obligated to accept an offer.

      1. Anonymous*

        Not disclosing interviewer information apparently isn’t that uncommon.

        Google, for example, does not disclose any information on their interviewers. (Well, they probably make exceptions at the executive level.) They only tell you the interviewer’s first name on the day of; no last time, business cards, or any contact information. They don’t want candidates to contact the interviewers.

        Given how many people would want to work there and how many interviews they conduct on a daily basis, I think their desire to protect the interviewer’s privacy is understandable (though frustrating for the candidates).

        Not sure if it applies in the OPs case but just want to point out it’s not necessarily a big red flag in all industries.

    2. Jamie*

      I wouldn’t cancel, they could be keeping the other three names confidential because they don’t want people lobbying privately before the interview. That doesn’t strike me as unreasonable.

      And the vacation time, maybe I’m naive but I immediately assumed there was either some kind of buy out policy or that all leave time (and the accrued dollars) would hit their books and they were just trying to get a feel of a true cost/benefit analysis for all the applicants. I could be wrong, but I wouldn’t assume malice at this point.

      I would go to the interview – you have nothing to lose. An interview will either assuage your fears or confirm them – either way at least you’ll know before you accept or reject an offer (should they make one.)

      1. OP leave balance*

        Thanks, AAM, Anonymous, and Jamie. I guess I’ll still go to the interview and see what happens. It’s interesting to know about Google’s interviewing policy; honestly, I think it would really knock me off balance in an interview to not know even then who the interviewers really were.

        1. violet*

          My experience wasn’t as secretive as all that. I got the names of all my interviewers (when they introduced themselves), and in all but one instance, we had a chance to talk about their work and hobbies and such.

          I’ve taken the interview training now, and it’s not like they tell us not to share information about ourselves or our work (except for the usual, “don’t start talking about what church you attend and don’t talk about confidential things” bit.)

  17. Anonymous*

    Why not ask directly about the leave thing? Like include this in your reply “I’ve never been asked for my leave report before. Out of curiosity, what does the department use that information for?”

    Alternatively, you could try asking other people at the university about this request or ask HR.

    1. OP leave balance*

      I’m kind of thinking about asking at the interview. I haven’t decided yet.

  18. Kimberlee*

    To the person applying at Hooters: I think you should definitely tailor your resume to the job. It’s true that much of the work you’ve done recently won’t be directly relevant, and that’s important. I recommend splitting your experience into two sections: “Relevant Experience” and “Other Experience.” That way it’s clear you’re not hiding anything, but you’re also making it clear that you understand the gap between Hooters and the positions you’ve had in your past, have thought about it, and are still showing the desire to get the job.
    Granted, a lot of that should be explained in a cover letter, but tailoring your resume is good in case it’s one of those places where they look at your resume only and throw out the cover letter without reading it.

    1. Naama*

      Totally agree with Kimberlee. If you do write a cover letter, make it short and to-the-point. But applying in person is your best bet for server positions in casual restaurants, and they’ll probably just look at the resume.

      1. class factotum*

        But applying in person is your best bet for server positions in casual restaurants, and they’ll probably just look at the resume.

        For Hooters, I don’t think the resume is the first or only thing they look at.

  19. Vicki*

    re: coughing co-worker, I’ve been adding my thoughts at the May posting of the same subject

    In summary, I suggest turning this problem around. Change the focus from you to the company.

    This is not your personal overly sensitive reaction to “just a cough”. This is an issue that affects productivity; a disruption to productivity affects the bottom line.

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