is it fair for a company to restrict perks to spouses? by Alison Green on January 12, 2012 A reader writes: I’m a recent college graduate. Unfortunately, despite many interviews, I have been unable to find full-time employment in my field, or anything remotely close to my field. In the meantime, I have been working at a local themed hotel, because I figure a job is better than no job at all. My question […] Read the full article →
wee answer Wednesday: 7 more short answers to 7 short questions by Alison Green on January 11, 2012 It’s wee answer Wednesday! Here we go… 1. How can I relay our manager’s request to a peer? I work in a retail setting and with the company I work for there are several positions of “manager.” You have the store manager, first assistant and second assistant. I am a second assistant and at my […] Read the full article →
how honest are employers about reasons for rescinding a job offer? by Alison Green on January 11, 2012 A reader writes: How honest are companies about their reasons for rescinding a job offer? I applied at a large multi-national company, ran through 3 interviews, and ended with the HR recruiter sending me an email that they were waiting on my background check to complete and that she was going to call me the […] Read the full article →
tips for new grads entering the workforce by Alison Green on January 11, 2012 Soon to start your first post-college job? Here are some tips to quickly build a strong reputation and ensure your first job is a success. 1. Listen more than you talk. Soak up information about how the organization works, and the reasons why, before you offer “helpful” alternatives. 2. Don’t segregate yourself with other people your […] Read the full article →
tiny answer Tuesday: 7 short answers to 7 short questions by Alison Green on January 10, 2012 It’s tiny answer Tuesday — seven short answers to seven short questions. Here we go… 1. Can you be more frank with temp agencies than with regular interviewers? Can you be any more frank when interviewing with temp agencies than you can with a regular employer? I understand that you still can’t say “OMG. My […] Read the full article →
why Mitt Romney likes firing people by Alison Green on January 10, 2012 The Evil HR Lady, Suzanne Lucas, took the words right out of my mouth with this column: Why Mitt Romney likes firing people Update: Since this came up in the comments, I thought I’d address it here. This is not a political attack or endorsement. This is not intended to be political at all. Suzanne […] Read the full article →
cover letter swindles by Alison Green on January 10, 2012 If you’re a job seeker one year out of college and you write this in your cover letter, I’m going to be very, very skeptical: My work experience has honed my natural ability to lead, teach, and manage personnel to produce positive results and I have become an expert in streamlining organizations. I can learn and […] Read the full article →
foot update (good news, finally!) by Alison Green on January 9, 2012 I can walk again! Well, I’m allowed to walk again. I can’t actually do it yet. Nearly 10 weeks after breaking my foot and being banned from walking, they took the cast off today and told me I can start walking on it. I’m in one of those cast-boots for a month, but I can […] Read the full article →
10 secrets of hiring managers by Alison Green on January 9, 2012 Ever wonder what the hiring managers who are screening your resume, interviewing you, and – maybe – making you an offer are really thinking throughout the hiring process? Here are 10 secrets that most hiring managers share. 1. Most interviewers aren’t very good at interviewing. You might be going into interviews assuming that your interviewers know […] Read the full article →
is my employer hiding my workplace injury? by Alison Green on January 8, 2012 A reader writes: I work as a technician in a manufacturing plant. Early last year, I was the victim of a workplace injury for which I had to take a week off in order to recover. However, once I reported it, someone from the HR department drove me to a clinic immediately, and a workers […] Read the full article →