April 2013

short answer Saturday — 6 short answers to 6 short questions

It’s short answer Saturday — six short answers to six short questions. Here we go… 1. Supplying past performance reviews when applying for a job I’m in the process of applying for a new job — my current position may be eliminated soon due to budget cuts, but even if it wasn’t, I’ve concluded that […]

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should I say “I turned down a job to take this interview”?

A reader writes: I was wondering whether you could offer advice on how much to disclose to an interviewer. I graduated last summer, and after 10 months of interning/temping and applying for jobs, I’ve finally started receiving invitations to interview and in one case a job offer. Now, most people will think I’m insane to […]

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should I display my degree in my office?

A reader writes: I have a question about displaying degrees in an office. A few months ago, I got a major promotion which came with an office. I’ve been so busy that I haven’t decorated just yet. To get a feel for the standard, I walked around to the other offices to see how they […]

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fast answer Friday — 7 short answers to 7 short questions

It’s fast answer Friday — seven short answers to seven short questions. Here we go… 1. Interviewed by potential future employees I have a second-round interview next week for a position I am really excited about. Part of the position requires supervising the day-to-day work of undergraduate students employed in this academic department. Supervisory experience […]

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how to deal with an overly eager junior colleague

A reader writes: I’m the senior non-manager on a team of ten, and I work closely with a new hire (three months). She comes to me with a lot of questions, which is great, and (quickly after the questions) suggestions about how we could improve the process she’s asking about. However, the suggestions tend to […]

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recruiters are sneering at my work on a political campaign

A reader writes: I recently worked on the presidential campaign and, needless to say, it was for the loser. My position was a higher-level executive administrator where I traveled full time with the candidate. Post-election, I have been looking for work as an executive assistant and I come across a lot of resentment for my […]

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why you shouldn’t follow your passion

If you’ve ever asked anyone for career advice, you’ve probably heard some version of “follow your passion.” Young people, in particular, are often told that they should figure out what career to pursue by building their work around whatever they’re passionate about. The problem is, it’s terrible advice. Here’s why: * Most passions don’t line […]

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