are really fast interview invitations off-putting? by Alison Green on August 29, 2012 A reader writes: I’m job hunting, and a few times now I have received a request to come in for an interview within a day or, in today’s case, within hours of applying. Is this a red flag? The last company that I interviewed with who did this turned out to pay hourly minimum wage in an industry that […] Read the full article →
impostor syndrome: when you might be a fraud by Alison Green on August 29, 2012 A reader writes: I’m about to start a full-time, permanent position with a small non-profit in a marketing role that’s a tangent from my background but which I think I’ll enjoy. I’m excited, but I also have a case of new-job nerves and impostor syndrome. This is my first full-time role after completing a PhD […] Read the full article →
how not to bomb your Skype interview by Alison Green on August 29, 2012 More and more employers are conducting initial job interviews over Skype or other online video services, hoping to get a better feel for candidates than a phone conversation might allow. But interviewing well via video requires a whole different type of preparation than a more traditional phone screen does. Here are 10 tips to ensure […] Read the full article →
wee answer Wednesday — 7 short answers to 7 short questions by Alison Green on August 29, 2012 It’s wee answer Wednesday — seven short answers to seven short questions. Here we go… 1. Is this creepy? I recently applied for a position at a nonprofit under a person whose work I greatly admire. Is it creepy to expose how much I know about this person and their work during an interview? If […] Read the full article →
things I like by Alison Green on August 28, 2012 Three years ago, I did a “things I like” post. It is time to update it! (Note that one item remains from the old list; some things change, and some do not.) 1. Tea, hot or iced 2. These sheets! Like sleeping in a bed of spun gold. 3. This blanket! Like sleeping in the embrace […] Read the full article →
am I in a dead-end job? by Alison Green on August 28, 2012 A reader writes: I’ve been a receptionist at a large reputable company for a few days shy of eight months. During my interview, I asked the recruiter why the position was available. She said that the previous receptionist wanted to be promoted within the company, but there wasn’t anything available, so she decided to resign. […] Read the full article →
I don’t want to run office errands on my way home from work by Alison Green on August 28, 2012 A reader writes: What do you think of a boss who asks you to do, admittedly minor, errands outside of work hours? I am mostly an administrative assistant but am asked to do numerous other duties as well, which I don’t mind doing within work hours. I am on a temporary contract, so am paid for […] Read the full article →
tiny answer Tuesday: 7 short answers to 7 short questions by Alison Green on August 28, 2012 It’s tiny answer Tuesday — seven short answers to seven short questions. Here we go… 1. Asking your employer to pay for your degree What is a good way to approach asking your employer to pay for your MBA? Show how it will benefit them, not just you. (And be willing to sign an agreement […] Read the full article →
what your interviewer says / what you hear / what they mean by Alison Green on August 27, 2012 We’ve had a few letters recently where people have felt misled by a job interviewer’s apparent enthusiasm for them, and then were angry and/or confused when things ended up not working out. So I hereby present a guide to what your interviewer says, what you’re hearing, and what it really means. What the interviewer says: […] Read the full article →
my coworker slacks off whenever my boss is gone by Alison Green on August 27, 2012 A reader writes: I work in a small office at a job I love, reporting to a boss who is fantastic. My one coworker, who has been friends with my boss for many years (they are neighbors), was hired a little over a year ago and I began here as a temp a few months […] Read the full article →