should I hire a qualified candidate who comes with a ton of baggage? by Alison Green on June 5, 2023 A reader asks: My team recently created a new position. A colleague from another department got wind of this and asked when I planned to advertise the vacancy. I’m in no hurry to fill the position, so I said “hopefully by the end of the year.” He let me know that his wife is very […] Read the full article →
my former employee is badmouthing me to my staff by Alison Green on May 24, 2023 A reader writes: I recently hired an employee in a pinch because we thought he could fill a gap quickly and efficiently, but it turns out he was terrible and either dishonest or in denial about his own skills. He did not listen or follow instructions, and his customer service skills were awful. Many times, […] Read the full article →
want a job? cool, there are 17 interviews… by Alison Green on May 23, 2023 Most people who are looking for a job welcome an invitation to interview and are pleased if they’re invited back for a second round. But what happens when the process extends to third, fourth, fifth, and even more interviews? Increasingly, that’s what job seekers are encountering, and it’s leaving them frustrated and exhausted. In the […] Read the full article →
is a performance improvement plan always going to end with the person being fired? by Alison Green on May 22, 2023 A reader writes: Can you talk about the right way to use performance improvement plans (PIPs)? I’ve heard other managers talk about them as if they’re just paperwork because by the time you’re using one, firing the person is mostly a foregone conclusion. I’m uncomfortable with that and it seems unfair to the employee. Shouldn’t […] Read the full article →
how do I tell my friend I don’t want to hire her? by Alison Green on May 17, 2023 A reader writes: I manage a small tourist shop. It gets rather busy during the summer, and I’m planning on hiring two people to help cover shifts. One of my friends wants me to hire her. She said that she needs more money to help pay bills. I’m reluctant to, because she rage-quit almost every […] Read the full article →
my team won’t accept any replacement for an employee who died by Alison Green on May 15, 2023 A reader asks: A year ago, one of our employees, Jane, was killed by a drunk driver. Jane worked here for almost a decade and was well-liked. We have an EAP and offered paid therapy services to anyone who needs it as well as fully paid bereavement and time off to attend the trial, no […] Read the full article →
where are you now? (a call for updates) by Alison Green on May 11, 2023 It’s mid-year updates season! If you’ve had your question answered here in the past, please email me an update and let us know how your situation turned out. Did you take the advice? Did you not take the advice? What happened? How’s your situation now? (Don’t post your updates here though; email them to me.) […] Read the full article →
my coworker is pushing me to hire her daughter by Alison Green on May 9, 2023 A reader writes: I am hiring for an entry-level position. The daughter of our front desk manager applied for the position. Her resume was great, but her cover letter had two words misspelled, including in the company name. The position requires proofreading and careful data entry. I emailed her to let her know that she […] Read the full article →
how do I politely end conversations at networking events? by Alison Green on May 8, 2023 A reader writes: Once you’ve got talking to someone at a networking event, and both people have got what they needed out of the conversation, how do you politely move on? I’m on the board of an association that pays for me to attend various networking events. I want to get the most out of […] Read the full article →
my employee cries when she’s frustrated by Alison Green on May 3, 2023 A reader writes: I have an employee whose response when frustrated by a problem is to cry. It started to happen last summer when we were working through her visa renewal process. It was extremely stressful for her so I tried to support her as much as I could. It was uncomfortable for me, because […] Read the full article →