Ask a Manager

It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go…

1. My phone number used to belong to a sex worker

I recently got a new phone number when I switched cell phone companies. My resume has been updated with the new phone number and sent out to a few different openings.

I googled my phone number tonight, and found that it used to belong to a prostitute. I found the original ad listed on a website commonly used for that purpose, as well as several reviews and ratings of her, uh, services on different sites. Apparently phone number is a common way for these ratings sites to identify different providers.

What do I do about this? Will it even be an issue? I know people search names when doing informal background checks, but do they google cell phone numbers?

I can’t promise that no one will ever think to google a phone number, but it would never occur to me to do that. If you want to be extra safe, you could set up a Google voice number and use that one on resumes from now on (and perhaps have the phone company switch your number to something else once enough time has gone by that you don’t need to retain the use of the current number in connection with the resumes it appeared on). But there’s a 99% chance that no one will search for your number and notice this — it would really be an odd thing to google.

Read an update to this letter here. 

2. How can I convince my employer to give me access to work email outside my regular hours?

You know how sometimes you get an email from someone complaining because his or her boss expects employees to be available 24/7 via phone, Skype or email? I have the opposite problem brewing… I am nonexempt, but I need access to my work email and my employer has issued a blanket statement to all staff (with an ambiguous threat of disciplinary action) forbidding nonexempt employees from receiving or responding to email or texts while off the clock.

My employer has clearly established that nonexempt employees are not expected or encouraged to work while off the clock. I understand and appreciate the sentiment and I don’t want to be protected from something that is hugely beneficial to me professionally and personally. (Personally because if I don’t deal with things efficiently I worry ceaselessly. Professionally because taking care of business is always beneficial.)

Is there anything I can do to convince my employer that I understand my access to work email while off the clock does not constitute working time and that they will never be liable to repay me for how I elect to spend my time off the clock? Should I draft a letter requesting permission to access my work email from home? Taking that a step further- what are the potential drawbacks for making such a request?

Nope, because that’s against the law. Non-exempt employee cannot waive their right to be paid for all time spent working, no matter how sincerely you want to. Your employer could face significant penalties (as well as have to pay you back pay) if this were found out. They’re absolutely right to forbid it; it’s too much of a legal liability for them. And “but I’d never report it” doesn’t really work here — another employee could report it, or you could have a huge falling-out with your company and end up reporting it. Plus, it’s reasonable that they don’t want to break the law, even if they somehow knew they’d never get caught. This is a good thing. You want to work for an employer who wants to follow the law, even when they don’t have to.

That said, if there’s a strong business case for you having access to your work email outside of normal work hours — a case strong enough to pay you for that time — you can certainly approach your manager with that. Just keep in mind that they do have to pay you for it.

3. Making time for job interviews when I’m temping

I have a question I am hoping you’d consider. I was recently laid off and was job searching pretty hard until I found my current temp gig, which I was told will last for at least the next couple of months. It’s only been a few days at the temp gig. Now that I’ve started working, I’m getting some responses to applications I submitted while unemployed. Since I’m just a temp at my current company, I hate to flat out reject these other companies that are calling me about possible full-time employment. On the other hand, I want to make a good impression at the company I’m temping at in case there is a chance of getting hired full-time. I don’t think ducking out for interviews would be a good idea. So should I tell these other companies I’m off the market?

No! Getting full-time employment should be a priority. Explain your situation and see if they’ll schedule an interview for early or late in the day or during lunch. And talk to your temp agency about the best way to handle this; they’re used to dealing with it.

4. Company is only considering applicants from a particular office

My company has offices in different states. The HR department recently posted and notified all company employees of an internal position that opened up at one of the locations. After submitting my application, the hiring manager reached out to me and told me that they were only considering employees from the office this position was based out of. Is that illegal? Are they allowed to turn me down just because I’m not located in the office they would like to hire from?

Yes, that’s legal. Sometimes there’s good reason for it too — such as when they want to hire someone who’s already familiar with the people and processes of that particular office.

5. How to respond to a hiring-related email from six months ago

I’m trying to change careers and I’ve been applying for jobs in my desired career for about a year now. Six months ago, I applied for a job that seemed like a great fit for my skills and experience (it was a bit of a unicorn actually – exactly the niche I want in the industry I want to work in and everything about the job posting/application process made me think that this person is one I’d like to work for – everything adhered to the AAM principles of How to Hire Well). My application made it through the first round of screening and I was sent a test to complete.

The notice was short and I was busy with my current job and other things in my life, but I also freaked out – I was immediately seized by panic about whether or not I would do well enough on the test (especially given the short time frame). I reluctantly decided to let the job go. I marked the email as unread (which is what I do for emails I want to go back later) with the intention of completing the test in my own time, just to refresh my skills in this particular area. Later, I kicked myself for not just completing the test.

Well, that unread email has been languishing unread in my inbox for 6 months and today I opened it up to see that the hiring manager had actually sent a pleasant follow up email a week later – apparently my application had really caught their attention, they had really hoped I’d answer the questions and they wanted to see if I was still interested! I hadn’t noticed that my unread email now had more responses to it.

I know that this job is gone, but everything about the process seemed to indicate the type of hiring manager that I’d like to work for (he either reads Ask A Manager, or he’s just really good at carrying out a hiring process with clear guidelines and respect for candidates). I’d like to reach out and say something, but I’m not sure what, especially because a response after 6 months will make me look like a flake. What should I say? “I’m sorry I missed your email, I was really interested in the job but I know it’s too late now, I hope the person you picked is great, but I’d love to be considered again if they’re not?” That’s how I feel, but it doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue… Should I even bother getting back in contact?

“I’m so sorry! Somehow I missed this email the first time around and just discovered it filtered into a different spot in my inbox. I really regret missing out on this role and would love to be considered for open positions with you in the future. (And frankly, seeing the application process you use just makes me more interested — I’m really impressed by what I can see of your process.)”

It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go…

1. Does salary reflect the type of candidate an employer is looking for?

I’ve seen a job for which I seem to tick all the boxes, but the salary is high — a lot higher than what I am currently making. I am now doubting whether I am right for the job. Does the salary reflect the type of candidate that should apply?

Sometimes. But sometimes it turns out that you’re currently underpaid, or that the new place is particularly generous, or that you just don’t have a good sense of what the market rate is for that type of work. So if you really think you’re a strong match with what they’re advertising for, I’d go ahead and apply. The worst that can happen is that you don’t get the job; the best that can happen is that you end up getting a huge pay increase.

2. My former coworkers aren’t allowed to talk to me

I was a transportation manager over a team of about 30 individuals. I hired and trained the my team during the implementation of a new regional office. I was let go a few months ago due to disagreements about the ethics of withholding payments to contracted vendors. I believed it was unethical to withhold payment when services had been rendered my director and direct manager felt it was standard procedure. Shortly after this disagreement I was let go with no reason given.

I wondered after I was let go why so few employees and supervisors from my old team reached out. We had grown quite close during my time there and I considered some to be friends as well as coworkers. I later learned that the team had been ordered not to speak to me or about me. Have you ever heard of this before?

I now work for a large state vendor that continues to do business with my prior employer. When I called my prior employer’s office, I spoke to a very uncomfortable customer service agent who told me she was not allowed to speak to me or to transfer my call to a supervisor or any member of management. Is this standard in anyway?

I wouldn’t say it’s standard, but it’s not unheard of. Particularly petty employers are sometimes fond of silly maneuvers like this. It’s not reasonable or wise, but your old employer isn’t the only one to try it.

But they’re refusing to talk to you when you call in an official capacity from your current employer, trying to do business with them? That’s especially bizarre (and short-sighted).

3. Recruiter asked me to tell him where else I apply for jobs

I just met with a recruiter at a staffing agency, and he said that I have to let them know which jobs I’ve applied to directly so that the agency does not send in a resume as well. He claims that companies throw out resumes that come both from an agency and directly.

Is this true? My thought is that he probably doesn’t want me to work with them directly because the company can claim they got my resume from me directly rather than through any agency and therefore, would not have to pay any finder’s fee to his agency.

Am I being overly suspicious? My initial reaction was horror; I don’t know if the other agency I was working with was putting in my resume anywhere (which probably means they haven’t been), but if they did and I applied to the same places also, did I shoot myself in the foot? Is there some sort of industry standard where the HR person would dump both my resumes?

Yeah, recruiters generally have contracts with employers that state that a candidate is “owned” by whoever finds the person first — either the the recruiter who submitted them or the company if the person applied directly with them first. That means that recruiters usually don’t want to work with you on jobs you already applied for directly (because contractually they wouldn’t get paid if you were hired), and employers usually don’t want you submitted twice. Some employers do refuse to consider candidates who come in from multiple sources because they don’t want battles over commission, but the bigger issue here is probably that the recruiter doesn’t want to do work on your behalf that he won’t get paid for (which isn’t unreasonable).

4. Can I be forced to wear painful shoes to work?

Is it legal to be forced to wear shoes that are hurting you at work? I work retail and am assigned shoes to wear. We are forced to wear these. From closed shoes that make you bleed to high heels for 8 hours. I am now diagnosed with inflammation in my bone marrow and hip bursitis for life. Is it legal to be forced to wear shoes that are painful and visibly painful? Do I have a case here?

It sounds like that you’d be covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), although I can’t say for sure without knowing specifics. Regardless, though, the first step is to talk to your manager or HR department about the situation: Explain that you have a medical condition that doesn’t allow you to wear the assigned shoes without serious pain, and ask for a medical exception to the policy. If they refuse, that’s when I’d take a look at the ADA and how it might apply to you.

5. Thank-you notes after a panel interview

I just interviewed with a panel of five. Do I send a thank-you to all five or to the head of the committee?

Sending individual notes to all five is the more gracious move.