I worked all weekend and then got charged a vacation day by Alison Green on September 30, 2013 A reader writes: I started a new job about a month ago as an exempt employee in a professional services firm. A major project in my department was due this past Monday. As of Friday afternoon, the project was nearly complete but needed a few finishing touches. Unfortunately, the person who had been working on […] Read the full article →
why employers won’t name a salary range first by Alison Green on September 30, 2013 So why the hell do so many employers refuse to name a salary range but insist that job candidates do so? Why not just list a salary range up-front in the job ad? Employers who advertise a job but refuse to say what it pays are one of the biggest frustrations of job-seekers Adding to the […] Read the full article →
do companies keep do-not-hire lists, I don’t have any work to do, and more by Alison Green on September 30, 2013 It’s seven short answers to seven short questions. Here we go… 1. Do companies keep “do not hire” lists? Do companies maintain a no hire list and is it legal to do? I asked because I applied to two positions with this company that are an exact fit for me. In addition, I know the […] Read the full article →
my coworkers joke about my predecessors being fired, the impersonality of email rejections, and more by Alison Green on September 28, 2013 It’s seven short answers to seven short questions. Here we go… 1. Are email rejections impersonal? Should I use postal mail instead? I like to respond to applicants who do not get the position they have applied for. I think it is just the right thing to do, as that way it is a point […] Read the full article →
do I have to give my ex-girlfriend a job reference? by Alison Green on September 27, 2013 A reader writes: I have been asked for a reference, in my capacity as a manager, by an ex-girlfriend. The relationship ended very badly for me (depression and on-going anti-depressant medication), so I’m quite gobsmacked/angry about this. I was her line manager’s manager at the time of her employment, but unfortunately she was made redundant […] Read the full article →
should I become a subversive wellness committee member? by Alison Green on September 27, 2013 A reader writes: I believe that you’ve expressed your opposition before to cheesy workplace wellness initiatives, and I agree with you that it’s not really my employer’s business what I eat/drink/do outside of work. However, my company recently started a BIG push with one of these, which to be fair seems to be motivated by […] Read the full article →
open thread by Alison Green on September 27, 2013 It’s our biweekly open thread! The comment section on this post is open for discussion with other readers on anything you want to talk about. If you want an answer from me, emailing me is still your best bet, but this is a chance to talk to other readers. Pictured: For those of you who […] Read the full article →
boss won’t let me be friends with a client, employees leaving work early, and more by Alison Green on September 27, 2013 It’s seven short answers to seven short questions. Here we go… 1. Employees are telling me they’re leaving early, rather than asking I have two employees who I supervise who leave work at least half an hour early almost once a week or two. This is because they have doctor appointments or need to get […] Read the full article →
how to tell a job candidate to stop contacting us so much by Alison Green on September 26, 2013 A reader writes: I do a lot of hiring, and I try to respond fairly quickly to calls/emails from candidates. Recently, I’ve noticed that if I don’t reply to a candidate’s email quickly enough, they get panicky. Example: I had an applicant email me on Monday morning about an opening, and I responded to him […] Read the full article →
my boss treats my chair like an in-box by Alison Green on September 26, 2013 A reader writes: I’ve been working at my current job for a total of about 3 years now, and my boss recently announced that he is retiring. It’s a small shop and the new boss has been slowly taking over, while the old boss has stayed on to train him. We’ll trying to adjust and […] Read the full article →