Here are a bunch of miscellaneous articles that I thought you’d find interesting — 1. This will either horribly depress you or not surprise you at all: One in every two new graduates are either jobless or under-employed, says this Associated Press article. If you’re in this boat, here’s some advice from me for new […]
Read the full article →When you get a rejection email, if you’re tempted to shoot back a reply, I strongly recommend that you wait a day to do it. Or at least a few hours. Otherwise, you risk sounding angry, defensive, or hot-headed. Good replies: thanking them for letting you know or asking for feedback. Bad replies: “You’re making a […]
Read the full article →“Tell me about yourself” is one of the most common openers to a job interview, yet job-seekers are often unsure what employers really want to hear in response. Should your answer include personal information? Should it focus on selling yourself, or just give the facts? What is the employer really asking? Let’s translate it: “Tell […]
Read the full article →It’s short answer Sunday — seven short answers to seven short questions. Here we go… 1. Am I still entitled to severance pay if I find a new job quickly? Am I still entitled to the severance pay promised to me if I find another job immediately after I was let go? A couple weeks […]
Read the full article →A reader writes: During my lengthy job search, I have run into the following situation: I will get an interview, make a great impression with the hiring manager, and it seems to everyone that I’m a good fit for the job. Now, I understand that often they will find someone even better, but in these […]
Read the full article →A reader writes: Several months ago, a friend asked me to interview at his company for a position that was being vacated. I went to the interview with hesitation — it’s 50% less in pay and not in my field — but since I had been out of work for so long, I went anyway. […]
Read the full article →A reader writes: I am an 18-year-old college student looking for an entry-level part-time job. I have been trying to prepare my answers ahead of time to some of the common questions, and I have examples my previous work experience with things like “dealing with an angry customer” and all that. I am trying to […]
Read the full article →In a disagreement with your boss, is it ever acceptable to go over your boss’ head to his or her own supervisor? While in most cases, your employer will instruct you to work things out directly with your manager, there are times when it makes sense to bring the issue to someone higher up. Figuring […]
Read the full article →It’s wee answer Wednesday! We’ve got interviewers who don’t ask any questions, a coworker with a secret sex life (oh no!), and more. Here we go… 1. Can I require exempt employee to keep certain hours? I have 3 exempt-level employees and 1 non-exempt employee. The exempt employees are arriving and leaving work, basically whenever […]
Read the full article →A reader writes: Ahead of my last performance review, I asked if my manager would support me if I asked for a promotion. I respect his evaluation of my work, and it was a genuine question; I made it clear that I would be happy if the answer was “no, you still need to work […]
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