employer offered me a job but refuses to tell me the salary by Alison Green on July 11, 2013 A reader writes: I applied for a job with a salary range of $20,000. I made more than the higher number in my last job — although they have not asked about my salary history — but am interested in the skills I would gain in this new position, and wouldn’t mind taking a drop […] Read the full article →
can I improve our office culture with games and cook-outs? by Alison Green on July 11, 2013 A reader writes: I manage a small department in a small organization, 20-30 people. As our office has grown and departments have been physically divided, the culture has eroded. The team culture we used to have is for the most part gone. It is often difficult for new employees to even interact with other departments. […] Read the full article →
employee won’t repay a loan from a coworker, employer wants references post-hire, and more by Alison Green on July 11, 2013 It’s terse answer Thursday — seven short answers to seven short questions. Here we go… 1. Employee won’t repay a loan from a coworker I’m a manager in a fairly large corporation and have been having significant issues with a new hire. Without going into much detail, he won’t make it to the end of […] Read the full article →
should interviewers report ethical violations revealed in an interview? by Alison Green on July 10, 2013 A reader writes: I work in higher ed development/fundraising, and I was hoping to get your thoughts on a situation I encountered last month. We are currently interviewing for a position that involves handling sensitive and confidential information on our alumni and donors, and have been conducting group interviews (4-5 employees in each group) with […] Read the full article →
are job seekers who call to ask for “more information” annoying? by Alison Green on July 10, 2013 A reader writes: How do you feel about job seekers who call a company regarding a specific opening, asking for “more information”? This happens to us fairly frequently. We try to be as specific as possible in our postings, but we’ll still get this type of voicemail: “Hi, I saw your opening for a [position […] Read the full article →
how to adjust to a new job by Alison Green on July 10, 2013 Starting a new job can be incredibly stressful: You’re in an unfamiliar environment, and finding your place in it can be the difference between excelling at your job or crashing and burning, so the stakes rightly feel high. Here are nine ways to help ease the transition and set yourself up for a successful stay […] Read the full article →
when a reference changes their mind, advice for new managers, and more by Alison Green on July 10, 2013 It’s wee answer Wednesday — seven short answers to seven short questions. Here we go… 1. When a reference changes their mind about what they’ll say about you How do you tell a prospective employer that your manager has decided they can’t give you a glowing reference? My husband left his job a few months […] Read the full article →
the problem with perfectionism by Alison Green on July 9, 2013 In last week’s open thread, a commenter asked about perfectionism, writing in part: “I see so many job ads that stress the importance of attention to detail or say that they want someone who is detail oriented. I would think that a perfectionist would have an edge in that regard. But, a lot of those […] Read the full article →
is it rude to respond to emails with just “ok”? by Alison Green on July 9, 2013 A reader writes: This question has two parts: 1. In a professional setting, is it ever really okay to reply to an email or work related text with “ok”. I’m very new to the workforce so I don’t know if this single word, no punctuation beast is normal business or super obvious passive aggressive self […] Read the full article →
top 10 weirdest things said and done in job interviews by Alison Green on July 9, 2013 I recently asked readers to tell us about the oddest job candidates they’ve ever interviewed. Here are 10 of my favorites. 1. False claims of fame Once I had a guy show up for an interview in flip-flops and shorts, high as a kite. I asked him about a gap on his resume, and he said […] Read the full article →