Ask a Manager

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

1. I don’t want my boss to hire another person to do the same work as me

I am a PhD who works in an analytical role that requires a lot of special training and expertise. I’ve been at my current job for 1.5 years, and my boss seems really happy with me. She often jokes with others about how she wants to “clone” me, and I keep getting more and more projects thrown my way.

The problem is that I’m now having trouble keeping up with the amount of work. My boss is now pushing her boss to approve funding to hire another person like me. It almost seems like she thinks that if one of me is great, then two of me will be even better. The problem is that I’m at a point in my career (7 years in) where I’d really like to start moving up into a higher role than just an analyst. I’m concerned that if she hires another person like me, at my same level, we’re going to be competing against each other. I’ve been in this position in my previous job, and things got awkward fast. It was a major reason why I wanted to leave my previous role – I was hoping to find more opportunities for greater responsibility elsewhere. I thought that working hard would be the right way to move up, but instead it seems to be keeping me stuck.

Do you think I should talk to my boss and tell her my concerns? I don’t want to come across as selfish and self-serving, but it is affecting my level of motivation.

Well, you can’t really say “don’t hire an additional person” if there’s work that she needs an additional person to do. But you could certainly tell her that you’re interested in advancing, and ask whether there’s a way to structure the second position to be junior to yours, freeing you up to focus on the higher level work of the two roles. (That only works if the work can be divided that way, of course. If it can’t, then it might make more sense to just talk to her about what your career path there could look like in general.) But if you’re great at what you do (and it sounds like she thinks you are, if she wants to clone you), you shouldn’t let yourself feel threatened by the prospect of an additional person on your team.

2. My boss loaned me money and now insists I repay it all immediately

While I was still working for my boss, he loaned me half the cost of a car — a car that I needed to be more efficient at my traveling sales job. I didn’t want to get into a loan, but he assured me that there was no time frame for repayment and that he wasn’t concerned about the amount, as he is very wealthy and the loan is for a small amount. However, he loaned the money directly to me, personal loan, that was unfortunately a verbal contract only. The car is entirely in my name including title, registration, insurance, and even the emissions testing. In terms of repayment of that loan, the agreement was that I was going to take money from my paychecks and repay him as we went along.

Long story short, the job didn’t work out for me financially and I couldn’t support myself with what I was making in commission sales. I did everything I could to keep paying him and worked for him running the office, and making payments, while I tried to get another job. Then I got an offer of an unpaid 3-month internship that would lead into a paid job in my career path. We agreed that I would do the internship and then resume payments after the 3 months.

At the end of the third month of the internship, that’s when things got crazy. Now, my boss wants me to repay the loan in full, or give him the car back. One or the other. He wants to hold onto the car until I repay him in full. We never had a final pay-by date agreed upon, so can he just set a date and make me adhere to that? Also, he took my last paycheck and put it toward my loan principle. I’ve been reading and I don’t think he can take a personal loan payment out of my work paycheck. Now, he is telling me he is suing me and that his lawyer says it is an open and shut case. I’m a little nervous because I don’t know the law very well, but I comforted that he doesn’t really have that much against me. What should I do!?! Does he have a case against me?

I don’t know if he has a case because I’m not a lawyer and the situation is really outside the realm of the usual types of law we talk about here (i.e., workplace law). But no, he shouldn’t be able to take your last paycheck and apply it to a personal situation without your permission — that’s a clear violation of labor law. And I wouldn’t trust anyone who tells you that the legal case they have against you is “open and shut” when they have a vested interest in you believing that; it’s in his best interests to have you believe that, and it’s in your best interest to talk to a lawyer of your own (and to contact your state labor department about that final paycheck).

Lessons for everyone else: Don’t take loans from managers (or coworkers, for that matter). And put any loan agreement with anyone in writing, including repayment terms.

3. When an interviewer opens the conversation by asking for questions

I recently had a job interview that felt slightly awkward from the first moment– I panicked for half a second when the person who greeted me had no idea who I was or what I was there for, so I was already a little off balance when the interviewer and I sat down to talk…and then her first question was, “So, do you have any questions for me?” I was taken by surprise, and scrambled for something to say. I wanted to hear more about the position, because I didn’t want to base everything I said on my own interpretation of the job posting and possibly seem like I didn’t even know what job I was interviewing for, but I didn’t want to actually ask, in case it seemed like I didn’t even know what job I was interviewing for, so my answer to that question was pretty well bungled and things didn’t improve from there. (We moved on to, “What do you know about our organization?” which looked like an easy one because I knew exactly what they do, but unfortunately for me it was followed by, “It sounds like you know what chocolate teapots are– do you have experience with them or did you just get that off our website?” I know there’s a good, friendly, enthusiastic, non-stupid way to explain that you know what they are because you have a double master’s degree in teapots and chocolate, which is why you are interested in working for a chocolate teapot organization, and also you read their website last night, but I didn’t think of it in time, alas, and although I wouldn’t call the interview a total disaster by any means, it didn’t get a whole lot better).

Anyway, my questions are these: Is it just my lack of interview experience (I’ve had somewhere between 10 and 20 interviews, which doesn’t seem like a lot to me…) or is it uncommon to begin by asking if the interviewee has any questions? And if I’m likely to encounter this scenario again, what sorts of things would be reasonable to ask an interviewer before they’ve asked or told you anything? Can you open straight up with, “What makes an excellent teapot steward?”…?

It’s not uncommon for an interviewer to open that way. But it does feel a little odd to jump into all of the questions that you might have planned out when you figured you’d be asked for questions at the end of the conversation, not the beginning. Some good questions when this happens are ones that ask about the role itself, so things like: “I’d love to hear you talk about the things that are most important in the role” … “What are the most key things for this person to accomplish this year?” … “What are the biggest challenges you expect the person in this role to face?” and so forth.

4. How should I explain that I was out of work for a year because of cancer?

I’m about to start interviewing for an executive sales manager position and had to stop working at my previous employer due to a unique form of cancer. Due to chemo, radiation and then ultimately a major operation to remove the cancerous tumor, I was out of work for approximately a full year. I’m on the road to recovery and it’s time to get back into the rat race so I can pay off my medical bills..

I know the question will arise during the interview, “Why have you been unemployed for the last year?” My question to you is should I be honest and explain that I was fighting cancer for the last year? I don’t want the future company to worry about my health and when someone mentions cancer, it may be looked down upon for a potential employee.

The other issue is that when you google my name and city that I live in, my name comes up in a lot of articles due to the work and help that I gave to the American Cancer Society. I raised a lot of awareness and money for ACS and should be looked at a positive, but I also don’t want to lie in my interview especially if they did research on my previous accomplishments.

For any health situation, including this one, all you have to say is, “I was dealing with a health issue that has since been resolved.” That’s it! They shouldn’t ask for details (because that would put them on very shaky ground legally), and the “since been resolved” part of that sentence says “it’s in the past and I’m ready to return to work.” No need to go into any details beyond that. Good luck!

5. Should I put union membership on my resume?

I am a graduate student in the social sciences searching for a job after my degree is complete. I am a union member, but I am not sure whether to include this information on my resume or CV. Do you have any recommendations?

I don’t see how it helps you, it has a small chance of hurting you with some employers, and it has nothing to do with your ability to excel in a job — so no, I wouldn’t include it.

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

1. I was laid off, and my former colleagues want sympathy from me

I was laid off when my position was eliminated for business reasons, along with other employees. I was told repeatedly by the people doing the conference room session and my supervisor that this wasn’t a reflection on my work, I was a valued employee, and they really didn’t want to let me go, but it was an economic reality.

Other than crying the day I was let go, I’ve tried to take a mostly upbeat approach with former colleagues. As well as taking the high road. When I do talk/email with former colleagues, I ask how they are and talk about the steps I’m taking in my job search. What I’m finding is that they’re expecting me to sympathize with them. I realize it’s tough to have to let someone go and it’s tough to pick up the extra work. But they’re talking about how difficult it is for them, etc. to someone who has just been laid off.

Now, I’ve developed a good enough relationship with these people to know their intent is good, but I’m so tempted to say, “Well, how do you think it feels to be unemployed for the first time when you’re middle aged and the job market is bad?” But of course, I wouldn’t say that because it would burn bridges. Plus I think it’s more cluelessness on their part than any intention to hurt me or make me feel uncomfortable. Do you have any suggestions for a polite and professional way of stopping these comments or letting them know I don’t want to hear them?

Wow. That’s incredibly thoughtless of your former colleagues, although I’m sure you’re right that it’s obliviousness, not any deliberate attempt to harm you. If you’re close enough to any of the people making these comments, I think you’d be doing them a service if you nicely said, “You know, I’m sure you didn’t mean it this way, but I’d sure rather be in your shoes than mine.” But if you’re not close to them, then your only real option is to internally roll your eyes, change the subject, and remind yourself that it’s just cluelessness — and resolve to be more sensitive than they are if you’re ever on their side of the conversation in the future.

2. Would I be a horrible person if I kept looking after accepting this job?

I’ll be graduating with a master’s in May (which I regret ever starting, but that’s another story!) and I’ve been job searching since December. I didn’t realize it would be this hard to find ANY kind of job… my plan was originally to quickly find a part-time job that I could have while I searched for “real” full-time jobs which I knew would take longer to get. The problem is, it’s been impossible for me to land ANY kind of job. I’ve applied to almost 80 jobs and have only had a handful of interviews. I know most retail-type jobs don’t want to hire someone with an almost-master’s and (despite my education) I’m still pretty inexperienced for more serious jobs.

This past week I had an interview for a job that seems like a good fit. I’d be getting actual experience in my field. I have a second interview next week and I think there’s a good chance I might get an offer. The problem is it’s only 30 hr/wk at $12/hr, which is fine for now but I definitely can’t live on that long-term, and they specifically said they’re looking for someone “long-term.” I’m not sure how they expect people to commit “long-term” to a job like this… I guess it could work if you took a second night/weekend job (assuming you could find one) to make ends meet, but they still offer no benefits.

I don’t think there is much room for negotiating the pay or hours because the center is only open 30 hours/week and they seem pretty firm on $12/hr being the most they will pay (it was initially “$10-12” and I said I’d definitely require at least $12 considering that’s less than I’ve made at past part-time jobs and internships). I’m desperate for a job right now so my first instinct is to definitely take the job if it’s offered, knowing that I’ll leave as soon as I find something better (which could still be several months or even a year, I guess). Would this make me a horrible person?

In general, if an employer explicitly tells you that you’d want to stay long-term, I don’t think you should take that offer if you know that you’re going to continue to look; it’s acting in bad faith. That said, I also think that employers who offer low-wage jobs with no benefits are kidding themselves if they think they’re going to get loads of high-quality candidates who will really stick around if something better turns out. To be intellectually consistent, I feel obligated to say “don’t take it if you don’t like their terms” … but I don’t think anyone would blame you too much if you did.

3. Explaining why I’m looking for short-term work during a temporary layoff

I’m in an odd situation. I have a great job in the title research and certification field that pays well, with a great boss and coworkers I like. However, our biggest client changed the direction of their company and doesn’t need us anymore, we lost out on a potential major contract last year, and our smaller clients don’t seem to have any work for us at the moment. It’s a very small business, so we didn’t have many clients to begin with.

While my boss is looking for new clients, I’ve agreed to take a temporary unpaid layoff. My boss could call me back in a couple of months, or it could be another 6 months to a year. She’s encouraging me to find other work, and doesn’t expect me to just walk out on another job when she calls me back. She’ll give me glowing references. My boss will even allow me to use my office and equipment for any telecommuting type work I find, which means I can work “from home” in an actual office. I’m also eligible for unemployment for the next 6 months, which will pay the bills with some careful budgeting, but I’d much rather find some temporary work.

I’ve registered with a staffing agency and explained that I’m looking for temporary work. I’m hoping you have some suggestions for how I explain the situation to potential employers – or should I not mention that I may be called back to my former job at all? If I’m engaged for a specific period of time, I’d finish it, and my former boss would expect me to fulfill my obligations. Otherwise, I’d give two weeks notice.

I’m also looking for freelance work in proofreading/editing, but while I have the skills and the experience (although not actually in the editing/publishing field), my education doesn’t reflect that.

You can just explain that you’re on a long-term hiatus while your company regroups. But I think there’s a much bigger question here: Are you sure you should be looking for temporary work as opposed to regular jobs? You could certainly consider temporary work along with more long-term work if you wanted, but looking JUST at temporary work is going to be fairly limiting and it doesn’t sound like there’s any guarantee that your company will be able to hire you back or that the work will be stable when they do. (To the contrary, it sounds like they’re really struggling and might continue to.)

It’s great that they’re being so supportive of you, but I wouldn’t let that prevent you from conducting a full-fledged job search and taking something long-term if you find it.

4. Should I organize a baby gift for my new manager?

I just started a job in high tech and my new manager’s wife will give birth in a few months. I know that gifts are supposed to flow down, not up, in an office, but it seems sort of strange to do nothing to mark the occasion. Should everyone on his team sign a card or are there other appropriate ways to celebrate? It’s a relaxed environment and my manager has a pretty jokey demeanor. I don’t mind organizing something (most of my new teammates are a little more introverted), but I don’t want to, for example, bake a cake and get labeled “the mom.” Thoughts?

You could do a group card, or if the whole group wants to do more than that, you could do a joint baby gift. However, since you’re new, I’d stick with just suggesting a card, rather than getting into all the potential sticky dynamics around office gift-giving, women being the ones to organize it, etc.

5. Should I trim down the internship experience on my resume?

Basically I had a really impressive resume for a recent college graduate, but all of my experience/internships were in one field. My financial situation has made it impossible to live in a market where jobs in that field are plentiful, at least for now (read: I’m broke, have debt and need to live with my parents). I’ve been applying for local jobs in a field that uses a similar skill set since July with little luck. I think I’m doing a good job at tailoring cover letters, and after an interview today where the interviewer made a comment about my resume, I’m wondering if it’s actually my resume that’s the problem. Think about it: if you have four internships in a field that is not the field you’re applying to, no matter how good your cover letter is, it kind of seems like you’d rather work in that other field.

I’m thinking that despite the incredible number of internships I’ve done, maybe one in this new field (as opposed to the full-time jobs I’ve been applying to) is the answer to getting some experience (and changing the direction of my resume). But that’s awkward to do with so many internships already, even if they’re unrelated. I’m wondering if maybe part of “tailoring my resume” is not including all of those internships. Three of them were done while I was in school still so it’s not like there will be resume gaps. I imagine possible advice would be just to tailor each bullet more toward the new field, but still so many internships in another field is kind of something hard to explain away, isn’t it?

What do you think about actually “trimming down” my experience for an internship?

If an internship isn’t strengthening your resume, there’s no reason you have to include it. Do you have impressive, distinct achievements at each of them, or is there some overlap? If there’s overlap between what you did at some or all of them, then yeah, it might help to remove one or two of them … or even if there isn’t any overlap, if you think removing some will help. There’s no rule that you have to include everything you’ve ever done; the only relevant test is whether including something helps you or hurts you, and if you think it’s more the latter, take them off and see if you see a difference in employer response.

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

1. The noise of my office-mate’s breast pump is driving me crazy

My office-mate and I are both women in our late 20s. She came back from maternity leave about three weeks ago. My workplace switched offices around about 7 months ago and we chose to bunk together. She pumps breast milk at her desk, as it’s apparently the most convenient place for her to do it. The pump makes a mechanical sound (like a little “hee-haw”). I am 100% fine with her pumping at her desk, despite the noise of the pump, in theory. The problem is that I guess she’s having supply problems (?), and so she ends up pumping for many hours of the day. I thought pumping was more like, twice a day, 30-45 minutes a pop or similar. This is 3-4 times a day, 60-90 mins each. The sound is becoming seriously irritating to me (and there is no end in reasonable sight), but our office doesn’t have anything alternative set up for her, and she would have to go to some trouble to do it while she’s trying to get back into the swing of things (in a job that’s not really conducive to being a new mom in a lot of ways–she’s had some trouble already with sick days, etc.). Also, it seems that it would be very difficult for her to pump elsewhere, given that she is pumping so many hours of the day at this point.

We’re a pretty informal office (see, e.g., my office-mate pumping in the same room as me), but we’ve had drama in recent months about people moving offices and switching office-mates, so I don’t want management to think I’m being high-maintenance or bitchy about the woman with a new infant. Suck it up? (So to speak.)

Yeah, I think that if you sucking it up is an option, that’s the easiest solution here. If you can’t, can you try headphones or something else to minimize or block the noise? But if those aren’t options and it’s getting in the way of your ability to focus, then it’s not unreasonable to ask if you can temporarily work in a different space.

Since you’re worried about being perceived as cranky about a nursing mom, just make it clear that that’s not the case, by being explicit about that — as in, “I love sharing an office with Jane and I think it’s great that offices are able to accommodate nursing moms now, but I’m having trouble focusing on work because of the noise pumping makes. I didn’t expect that to happen and I wish it weren’t the case, but it is. Is it possible for me to move to a quieter space? I’d be glad to move back once we’re out of this period or do whatever’s easiest for the situation as a whole.”

2. Asking for a four-day week when negotiating for a junior-level position

My boyfriend is currently in the process of interviewing for a position he’s fairly interested in. It’s a junior position and would be a pay cut for him, but would be a lot more reliable and steady for him compared to his current situation. They’ve asked him a few times if he’s okay that it’s a junior position, since his experience indicates that he might be happier with something at a higher level. (He probably would, but he’s been searching for about a year, and this is the first promising opportunity to come along, and he’d still get to expand his skill set).

If he is offered the position, the starting salary is $30,000 a year. He would like to try to negotiate a higher salary, and plans to do so. If, however, it turns out that they aren’t willing to budge on the salary, do you think it would be completely out of line to try to negotiate in terms of work hours? For example, if he were able to do a 4 day work week at $30,000, this would this would bring him closer to a rate of pay with which he is comfortable. The position doesn’t seem to require him to work with clients, and would involve mostly independent work. I think this could be a great solution, but I’m not sure if it’s completely unheard of to negotiate in this way.

It’s easier to do for a senior position than for one more junior, because junior positions tend to be easier to fill and senior candidates are usually in a better position to make demands (their skills are more sought after, etc.). With a junior position, I’d only ask for a four-day work week if it’s truly the only way he’d accept the position; in that case, he has nothing to lose if they say no. But if he’d want the job regardless, he risks them thinking he’s less committed and will be dissatisfied with the salary (and thus likely to keep looking at other jobs).

And while the chances of them saying yes aren’t zero, they’re fairly low — they’d have to (a) really want him, enough to be okay with him working 80% of the time their other good candidates would work, and (b) be convinced that the workload of the position allows it (what’s going to happen to the other 20% of the work?).

3. What can I do now to make my next job search (in a few years) easier?

After seven months of searching, and with a lot of help from your blog, I’ve found a job that looks like a great fit! However, in the process of this search, I discovered that my skills and my network were woefully inadequate, and I wonder whether it might have taken less time if I’d done some things differently in the years before I decided to change positions.

Do you have suggestions for things a person can do while she has a job to make the next job hunt easier?

Yes! Start thinking now about what move you’re likely to want to make next (in a few years, say), and then take a look at ads for those positions now. What skills and experience are they asking for? Once you know that, you can start thinking about a plan to get that experience and develop those skills over the next couple of years, so that by the time you’re looking again, you’re better positioned.

4. Should let terrible applicants know what’s wrong with their applications?

I’m a hiring manager at a small business, and we add part-time employees every 6-12 months. In my job listing, I ask for a concise, specific cover letter that includes some specific information regarding availability, etc. My listing even pokes fun at ourselves, in hopes that it will encourage those applying to be a little more relaxed with us. Without fail, I receive applications that do not mention the company name, don’t have a cover letter, claim to want to work in my restaurant (which is nowhere near accurate), or are barely in English. Today, I received a link to a cover letter hosted on DropBox (with no file extension, so it couldn’t be opened), which told me that it was last updated 3 months ago. When I see things like this, I’m not surprised that these applicants are still looking for work. I find that I want to reply and explain to them why they’re not going to be considered, hoping that it may help their job hunt in the future. Is this inappropriate? Rude? Or should I just ignore them and go to the next applicant?

Well, some people will genuinely welcome the feedback, others think they would welcome it but will bristle when they get it, and others will respond with outright hostility. So one question for you is whether you’ll mind it when that happens, because it will happen.

Overall, it’s a kind impulse, but ultimately it’s not your job, and probably not the best use of your time either (and it’s worth noting that there’s no shortage of advice online about this stuff if these candidates cared to go looking for it). So sure, maybe if you have a particular rapport with a candidate, you might offer advice to them, but I wouldn’t spend the time to do it across the board. (Says the person who was so annoyed by this stuff that she started a blog about it seven years ago…)

5. Including a language on your resume that you’re in the process of learning

Is it appropriate to say you’re currently learning X language on your resume, or should you only mention a language if you are fluent in it? Does the answer change if you’re having formal classes or being self-taught?

Sure, you can include that, and it can be helpful to do so. If nothing else, it’s a point in favor of you being someone who goes out of her way to learn things. Make sure that you’re clear that you’re currently learning it so that people don’t misinterpret, but as long as you’re clear, it’s fine.

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

1. My medical condition flared up just before an interview

I suffer from a condition known as vasovagal syndrome. It only flares up occasionally but when it does, it causes frequent blood pressure shifts and fainting spells.

I became symptomatic on my way in for an interview the other day. I was maybe 15 minutes from the interview time when it began, and felt it would seem flaky to cancel so close to the start time. Instead, when the interview began I warned them that I had a minor condition that had chosen this moment to act up and proceeded as planned. I never fainted but, with all the blood pressure changes, I’m sure I came off as a dimwit.

So, I guess the question is this: If this comes up again, how should I address it? Cancel the interview?

I’d say it depends on how off you think you’ll be. If you think you’ll be more than slightly off, I’d reschedule and explain why. (You could say something like, “I have a minor medical condition that on very rare occasions causes blood pressure shifts. It just acted up without warning, and it will interfere with our interview. I’m terribly sorry, but could we reschedule?”)

It’s true that postponing at the last minute isn’t ideal, but you’d be offering a reasonable explanation for why you need to, and I think that’s better than interviewing when you’re likely to be significantly off your game. (That said it’s also true that some interviews that get postponed don’t always get rescheduled … but I think people are likely to be highly motivated to reschedule for an explanation like this. But you’d want to factor that into your calculations on this.)

2. Applying for a job with a partner of my current company

I procured my current job (I work in theatre administration) at Company A in late January, and it is great. It’s a lot more responsibility than I have ever had – essentially an assistant manager role – and I’ve really been excelling at it. Currently, we are partnering with another company (let’s call them Company B) to present a show. Since my first day, my manager has not ceased complaining about how annoying Company B is – how they request far too much, how they check up on everything, that they want sales reported a certain way, etc. My opinions differ, though I have not voiced them as it is not my place to say. I, however, completely understand where Company B is coming from. Tensions continued to heighten when it was found that some things were not set up as they should have been (by my manager) before performances began, some paperwork was not processed, etc, leading to BIG problems close to curtain time. Both of these times, I was the manager-on-duty and made quick decisions that ultimately saved the day(s) and prevented much bigger problems.

Company B has told me again and again how impressed they are with me, and a few days ago, the head of my corresponding department in Company B, whom I’ve become close with, took me aside to say that he was leaving in just a few short weeks. He and another department head were chatting about how impressed they are with me, and they desperately want to consider me for his position, which would begin mid-March. I forwarded my resume to the General Manager, and I have a formal interview tomorrow. The potential job is amazing – I would have my own small staff, year-round employment (exceptionally rare in my industry), be a part of a theatre company I have admired for years, and work with a fantastic group of people.

My qualms are how it would effect my reputation and relationship with my current company. The partnership lasts until mid-April – if I took the other job, I would still be working with my (then-former) coworkers until then. I am never one to burn a bridge, but I also make it a point to form no allegiances or feel as if I “owe” Company A anything. I presented the situation to my mentor, who knows what direction I want my career to head in, and he described it as a “no-brainer”: to take the job. What are your thoughts?

Well, unless your current employer is extraordinarily dysfunctional and toxic, they’ll be disappointed that you left but won’t torpedo their relations with Company B just because you went to work for them. Even if they’re secretly seething and thinking terrible things about you (which probably won’t happen), it would be really unusual for them to burn the bridge with Company B by letting it show. (And frankly, if they are that dysfunctional, that’s just all the more reason to leave without looking back.)

3. Being asked to resign before moving part-time

My mom has recently spoken with her employer about moving from full-time to part-time. They approved of her request and the conditions of her part-time duties. This is supposed to go into effect on May 1. Today, she was asked to complete a letter of resignation from her full-time position and was asked to NOT mention anything in the letter about moving to part-time. I’ve worked for corporate companies for 20+ years and have never heard of anyone requesting this type of letter by HR. In most circumstances after the arrangements have been made, an offer letter is usually given to the employee. Since the offer has not been made in writing, I’m very skeptical of her completing this request. Can you please advise if this is normal or if she should proceed with caution?

Doesn’t sound normal to me. She should ask them why they’re instructing her not to mention the move to part-time in the letter, and she should ask to get the part-time position confirmed in writing before she resigns her current position. And frankly, even after that, I’d still be wary of writing a resignation letter (since she’s not resigning, just changing her hours, right?) and — if she decides to write the letter anyway — of leaving the move to part-time out of it. My worry would be that if they revoke the part-time offer (which they can do at any time), they’d then have a letter from her resigning her job that could be used — hypothetically — to deny her unemployment benefits.

That said, it’s entirely possible that nothing nefarious is going on and this is just some sort of bureaucratic silliness. But she should find out what it’s all about before resigning in writing.

4. How long should I wait for this job offer?

I managed to land a job interview at my dream company for a position that I initially thought was a bit of a stretch for me. The interviews went really well and I was invited to participate in a “faux project” with the potential new boss to see how well we work together. The project couldn’t have gone better and the company informed me they would be extending an offer to me. They took the job posting down at this time, so it seemed like all signs were good.

That was 5 weeks ago! I followed up three weeks ago and was told they “still wanted to hire me” and they were “just going through formalities.” I’ve put my job search on hold (I needed a break anyway), but not sure how much longer I can hold out.

The last email I received sounded like they would reach out to me when they had news and I needed to wait to hear from them. However, I’m antsy and want to reach out again but I don’t want to seem like I’ve been waiting around for them to make an offer. Do you think it’s appropriate to reach out again? I just don’t know when I should move on from this.

Move on now. Assume you don’t have an offer (because you currently don’t), and proceed the way you’d be proceeding if you knew this wasn’t going to work out. This might come through or it might not, but right now it’s not, and that means that you need to assume it never will.

As for reaching out, if they want to hire you, they’ll contact you. If you really want to follow up again, mark your calendar to check in with them one more time in a few weeks, but put it out of your mind until then and proceed from the assumption that it’s not going to come to fruition. Let it be a pleasant surprise if it does work out rather than an unpleasant surprise if/when it doesn’t.

5. A website I worked on won an award after I left — can I include it on my resume?

Recently, a marketing agency I worked at last year won an award for a website project I was part of during my time there. The award was for design, but I did the copywriting for the website, as well as a lot of back-end account management work. Can I still put the award on my LinkedIn profile? And if so, what do I say about it? The same site won an award last fall and I included that on my profile, but that was a short time after I quit the agency, not months later.

Sure, as long as you’re sure that the award was given for the version of the site that you were involved with (and that significant changes weren’t made to it after you left). Assuming that it was, you could say something like, “Did X and Y for website that went on to win the prestigious ABC Award.” (Don’t say it’s prestigious if it’s really not though, since that can backfire on you among people in the know.)