Ask a Manager

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

1. My new job was delayed two days before my start date — and I was scolded when I asked about it

I recently just went through a lengthy interview process consisting of 6 interviews over a period of over a month with a nonprofit for a program that consists of almost a dozen grant positions. We all got the acceptance email over a week ago, did our paperwork including a background check, and were supposed to start Monday.

On the Saturday before we were supposed to start, we got emails saying the state has not authorized the funding yet. We were offered no new start date. I sent a polite but assertive email asking if the funding was secure and how long the delay could be. I also asked about the written offers, which she had said specifically in an email were supposed to go out after our background checks and references cleared.

She then replied in an email which had a huge tonal shift in the second half, saying I was “less than professional” and “unnecessarily forceful.” I actually met another member in the program saying she had a similar experience whenever she asked questions about the interview process. I should also note the positions are at different sites, and in the reply she also sent the email to my would-be supervisor who had no prior involvement in the conversation.

At this point she wants to know if want to still participate in the program, which I do. But I am just not sure how to respond and was I wrong for asking questions? I understand its not her fault, but she has to understand I was starting a job Monday and now I am not.

Without seeing the email you sent, I can’t say whether it was “unnecessarily forceful,” but anyone in her shoes should understand that people are going to be stressed out and concerned upon hearing two days before they were supposed to start a new job that it’s now on hold. Expressing concern and asking for more information is an appropriate response to that — in fact, NOT doing those things would be odd. Since another person got the same reaction from her, my money is on your email being perfectly appropriate and your hiring contact being the one with the problem.

As for what to do now, I’d politely explain to her that you’re obviously very concerned since you had thought the start date was certain and had planned accordingly (and if you resigned another job to take this one, mention that), and try to get any information you can about what’s going on. If you’re not able to get answers that make you comfortable, I’d continue to job search in case this doesn’t ultimately come through.

2. How should I treat a conversation with a manager about a potential new role?

A couple of weeks ago, a manager from a different department asked if I was interested in having a conversation about a role that’s open on his team. I’m very interested and responded with enthusiasm. We’re talking later this week.

I’m not sure how I should approach and prepare for this conversation. I genuinely am not sure whether it’s an interview, a casual conversation to share information about the role as a precursor to a standard application process, or a near-final job offer… which leaves me confused about what my next steps are. What do you think?

Ask him! I’d say something like, “Should I prepare for this like an interview or consider it more of a preliminary conversation?” But if you’re not comfortable doing that for any reason, then I’d still prepare for it like you would an interview so that you’re covered in case it turns out to be (and it’s hard to go wrong with being really prepared, regardless) but follow his lead on where he takes the conversation.

3. Dealing with the departure of a beloved manager

I don’t have a specific question per se, but I’m looking for general advice, words of wisdom, and/or consolation regarding the recent departure of a beloved manager. This manager hired me to my current role (an entry-level role at a consulting firm) almost exactly a year ago – he actually reached out to me himself through Linkedin (we had a connection in common) and met me for coffee to discuss what we both do before referring me into the hiring process. We worked fairly closely together across the past year and he made a great effort to develop me and give me opportunities to grow in my position while providing me helpful feedback when appropriate.

This manager just left the firm in early February and I have to say, I’m whatever the professional equivalent of heartbroken is. He was a great mentor to me and I learned so much working with him. We’ve been in touch since – he’s demonstrated an interest in staying in touch with me and has been very conversant via email so far. I am not interested in leaving my firm or trying to follow him to his new employer (which is in a different city). I guess I am just looking for some advice on how to “rebound” from this situation, or tales of similar experiences that can make me feel less disappointed about losing this great mentor in my workplace, and help me turn it into a positive thing.

Well, people like this are going to come and go throughout your career, and all you can really do is to take advantage of their immediate presence while you have it, let them know how much you appreciate them (don’t skip this step!) and make a real effort to stay in touch when they move on.

Keep in mind that he’s leaving you with a barometer for what great management looks like — which can be hugely important when you’re trying to assess others or find a model for your own management practices later on. Plus, since he was fantastic, you presumably learned a lot from him — and now’s your chance to apply it on your own, which is the ultimate test of whether his lessons will stick or not.

4. How do I know if I’m exempt or non-exempt?

I am employed as a manager in a small company. I am salary but have no way on knowing if I am exempt or nonexempt. There is no policy manual (!) And no notation on my pay stub. Short of asking the boss, how can I determine the answer? And, is it a law that we have a policy manual?

Nope, no law requires a policy manual.

Whether you’re exempt or non-exempt isn’t up to your employer; it’s determined by the government, based on the type of work you do. You can read more here:
http://www.flsa.com/coverage.html

You’ll know whether your employer is treating you as exempt or not by whether you get paid overtime when you work more than 40 hours in a week. If you do — and/or if your pay is docked when you work fewer hours — you’re being treated as non-exempt.

Of course, plenty of employers mis-categorize people, whether intentionally, or through ignorance of law, or because they just got it wrong .. so it’s worth looking at the law yourself and making sure it’s being done correctly in your workplace.

5. What kind of contact should I have with my references and when?

I’m in high school. I am very new to applying to jobs, and your blog has made the process seem less frightening. I am a bit confused about references. I recently applied for a summer job, and when I applied I asked three people to be my references. I’m happy to say that I have gotten a request for an interview. Should I let my references know? Do I need to give them a copy of my resume? The three of them know me well; one is my piano teacher, one is my boss, and the other is a volunteer coordinator. But they don’t know me out of these capacities. Would it be a good idea to let them know about the job description?

Also, if I apply for another job and use them for references do I have to ask them again if I could use them as a reference?

Usually the best thing to do is to let your references know once you’re at a stage of the process where they’re likely to be contacted (usually toward the end). However, with summer jobs, they’re often checking references after a single interview, so I think it would be fine to let them know now — or, alternately, right after the interview if the interview goes well. (Or, if it was very recent that you asked them for permission initially, you may not even need the second notification, since it’ll still be reasonably in the front of their minds. The same goes for asking them a second time if you apply for another job — as long as the initial request was within the last couple of months, you should be fine.)

You don’t need to give them a copy of your resume, since reference-checkers will want to ask them about their own work with you and their knowledge of you; they’re not going to get into other work you’ve done for other people.

Letting them know the job description is sort of a bonus but not necessary, especially for summer jobs. (That can be more useful later on, when you’re applying for higher level jobs, which have more nuanced demands.) Good luck!

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

1. Interviewing for the job of someone who doesn’t know they’re about to be fired

I have been on a interview that was kept confidential because the current employee in the position has not been fired yet. I’ve been told (by my recruiter) that this is the first time this company has done confidential interviews. He also noted that efforts were made to help improve this employee’s performance, but to no avail. During my interview with the department manager, he did acknowledge that this was not the preferred scenario, but that he would do whatever he could to make the transition as smooth as possible.

Regardless, I’m leery about accepting the position. Yet, when I compare it with other job opportunities, there are some pros that make it worth considering. This would be my first management level position (more money, more responsibility, etc.), and it’s close to home. My other job prospects are lateral moves and would require me to relocate. Do you know of anyone who has been in a similar position? If so, did they accept the position and how did they handle the transition? Any thoughts or suggestions you can share would be greatly appreciated.

I can see why you feel a little leery about it, but if they’ve been candid with the employee about the performance problems and explicitly told her that her job is in jeopardy if she doesn’t make specific improvements, then I wouldn’t be too worried. The question, really, is whether they have — and how explicitly. If they’ve tried to help her improve but haven’t actually told her that she’s on the path to being fired — while they themselves are miles ahead down that path because they’re interviewing for her replacement — that’s shady and doesn’t say anything good about how they operate. But if they’ve been clear with her, such as putting her on a performance improvement plan with a specific timeline and clear consequences attached, then it’s not crazy that they’re starting to talk with other candidates. I’d try to get more information about which of these it is, and how they handle stuff like this in general.

2. I got stuck at work during a snowstorm — do I have to be paid for the time I spent stranded there?

I got snowed in at work. Does my employer have to pay me for time that I wasn’t actually working, like at 2 a.m. when I was asleep, if I’m an hourly associate?

No. If you performed work while you were stranded, you must be paid for the time you spent doing that work. But your employer isn’t required to pay you for time that you weren’t working — such as when you were sleeping — even though you were stranded there. In other words, the law treats this the same way as if you were stranded anywhere else during the storm; in your case, it just happened to be at work.

3. Should I discourage my team from including personal details about why they’ll be away from work?

I’m the manager of half of a 15-person technical development team within a Fortune 100 company. I’ve had this role 3 years and love it.

The team is made up of experienced salaried people, and our time management policy is very liberal – if your work is on track and you are reachable and responsive you can set your own hours and work remotely. I’ve noticed many people on the team communicate their scheduling plans with a lot of personal detail, e.g. “My little Johnny has to go to the orthodontist so I’m leaving at 3 today” or “My lunch did not agree with me, my stomach is really upset so I’m heading home.” I am generally a more private person than most and never detail out my life this way; I just say I have a personal appointment and note when and how I will be reachable.

Should I advise my reports that they can but don’t need to offer justification/explanation in this way? We are a pretty close-knit team and have good rapport, which is great. However, in a different or future work environment, I think this might be disadvantageous to them in the hands of a controlling boss or nasty coworker. Am I being overly cynical, or correct in trying to raise their awareness of less warm work environments?

I would tell them that they can cool it on the details, but not out of worry that they’ll be in less accepting environments in the future — I’d do it because all those details imply that justifications for managing their own time are required, and might make future team members assume that they’re obligated to provide a similar level of detail.

I’d say something like, “I trust you all to manage your own work and hours, and I don’t want anyone to ever feel they have to disclose personal information to justify why they’re out. So, as interesting as some of these emails are, please don’t feel obligated to include details.”

4. My husband and I work for the same hotel and can’t take vacation at the same time

My husband and I work at a small hotel, in a big city. We got married last year, and since then we have not been on holiday together or even on a honeymoon. The company keep refusing our holiday request together, saying “you are both full-time workers, we cannot replace you” and “this is the price you have to pay if you work together.”

We understand that in a small working environment it is hard to replace someone. But there are another 3 members of staff who are on the same duties as us. And I find it unbelievable that for the rest of our life (or long as we stay in the same place), we are not going to be able to go on a holiday together. In the hotel industry, we have just 2 days a month to spend together, and I find it really difficult to maintain a good relationship when I can not even see my husband. Can you give some advice regards to the law for couples working in the same environment?

There aren’t any laws addressing how couples must be treated when working for the same employer, or that would require your company to let you vacation at the same time. I would believe them when they tell you that this is indeed the cost of being married to a coworker, and it sounds like one of you will need to look for a job somewhere else if you want to be able to take vacation at the same time.

(It’s worth noting that there are many other reasons not to work for the same employer as your spouse. Others include the risk of both losing your jobs at the same time if the company has layoffs, the cost of feeling you have to fight each other’s battles if one of you has conflict with a manager or coworker, and the risk of a manager feeling tension with both of you when conflict arises with one of you.)

5. Capitalizing job titles in a cover letter

In a cover letter, should the title of the job you are applying for, like, say, Senior Teapot Manager, be capitalized? Aka, “I was interested in the position as a Senior Teapot Manager” or “I was interested in the position as a senior teapot manager”? And what if it’s a really common job title like administrative assistant? I don’t like random capitalization, but I’m not sure if this counts.

Jobs are only capitalized if they are part of a person’s title — e.g., President Obama, Dr. Warbucks, etc. You wouldn’t call someone Senior Teapot Manager Smith (unless you worked in a very weird place), and thus you can tell that the role is not capitalized. While some companies do it anyway, they’re doing it out of self-importance rather than correctness.

I have Strong Feelings on this, as does the Chicago Manual of Style, which is the arbiter of all that is holy and good in this world.

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

1. Is it okay to volunteer at a nonprofit that I’m also applying to work at?

I applied for a job at a nonprofit I really want to work for 2 weeks ago. I am perfectly qualified for this position. I received an email right away saying they have just started the search process and will be in contact when they start interviewing. I have applied to multiple other positions at this organization, and had a few interviews over the past few years, but no job offers. I also know some people on the inside – and therefore I know that they tend to be slow in their hiring process. I have no idea what the timeline for this position is, but it could be awhile before they start interviewing.

Would it be acceptable to volunteer at this nonprofit while I wait to hear about the job? They have advertised on their website that they are looking for volunteers – to do essentially the same thing as the paid position (but as aides, not the leader). I am wondering if offering to volunteer could help my application, since they would see me doing the work, or if it might hurt it because if they already have me doing the work for free, why would they bother hiring me? Also would it look suspicious to volunteer while i’m trying to get the job – do you think that is too eager? If you think I should volunteer there, do I mention I’ve applied for the job when I sign up to volunteer?

Volunteering can help you quite a bit when you’re hoping to get a job at a nonprofit — because it makes you more of a known quantity and allows you to demonstrate that you’re responsible, reliable, professional, and sane … qualities that count for a fair amount in hiring. Moreover, if you can build relationships with people there, that can get you an in as well. That said, don’t volunteer with the expectation that you’ll get the job; it can help, but it’s far from a guarantee. If you know you’ll feel resentful if you don’t get hired, don’t go the volunteer route. But it’s a good way to build your network and presumably do good in the world, even if it doesn’t lead to this particular job.

Update: Some commenters pointed out that I got this one wrong. I’m going to quote commenters Majigail and Artemesia here, because they got it right. From Majigail: “To me, it almost feels like the applicants that just show up and ask for a tour to ‘get to know the organization,’ when what they really want is an unscheduled interview and a foot in the door. I honestly feel like it could do you more harm than good.” From Artemesia: “This is how I would feel — a bit bullied by the applicant. It might influence me to reject the candidate. Of course, if they were already a long term volunteer then that would be different. But to volunteer during the search process just shouts ‘suck up’ and ‘trying to game the hiring process.’ Not everyone is going to find that comfortable.”

2. Employer seemed enthusiastic, but are they now losing interest?

I had an interview earlier in the week which went very well! It was a great relaxed tone, we laughed, shares some jokes and I got a tour of the facility and was even introduced to 5 or 6 people. When we were finishing up the tour, I was asked if the job was something I’d be interested in, I said yes, but tried to contain my excitement. On the way out the director the woman (who is also the director) shook my hand, have me a pat on the shoulder and said HR will be contacting me.

That evening, I emailed the three people I met with, thanking them — the administrative director, the medical director, and the HR recruiter. The director and medical director both responded to my email within 30 minutes, saying that it was a pleasure meeting me and they really enjoyed our time together. HR responded the next day, saying that if they choose to move forward with me, she will be in touch by the end of this week, but if I had any questions I can email her. I had a question today and her response was very vague, which is leading me to believe that after all of the positive vibes I’ve received from the decision makers that now I might be passed by for the position.

None of this means anything. The tour and the interviewer asking you if you’d be interested in the job didn’t mean you were likely to get the job, and the HR person’s vague response to your email didn’t mean that you’re not likely to get the job. None of this means anything at all. You are reading into all sorts of signs that don’t actually mean anything. You will know if you are likely to be offered the job if they tell you that they’re offering you the job.

3. My hostile manager won’t invite me to the staff party at her house

About 2 years ago, my boss fired me. I brought a grievance and won. She has been hostile ever since, and is becoming more and more hostile. Her latest antic was to “disinvite” me from the staff Christmas party, which is help at her house during off hours. She invited everyone on the staff but me. And, when I asked, she told me it was a “private event.”

I also have not had a performance evaluation since my 3 month review, right after I was hired. Other members of our staff have. The grievance 4 months after that, and I’ve been at this position for a total of 2.5 years. Any thoughts on this?

Your boss is behaving like an ass, but … well, when you file a grievance against your manager who fired you and end up forcing your reinstatement, it’s not surprising that she’s not embracing you. You could take this stuff up with someone above her, but even if you’re successful in doing that, it’s not going to magically turn her into a manager who’s fair to you and on your side. And a manager who wants you gone can make your life unpleasant and do a lot of damage to your career, even while the toeing the line to people above her.

I would think seriously about looking for a position working for someone who doesn’t have it in for you.

4. My grandfather, who I work with, wants me to wake up at 6:30 every morning

I work with my grandfather in his pest control company. I also live with him. We work by appointments, so sometimes we have early appointments, sometimes we don’t. He wants me to be up at 6:30 every morning (unless we need to be up earlier (which I am perfectly fine with). My problem is that when we don’t have an appointment till later, he still wants me to wake up at 6:30, which is fine if I need to leave at 7:15 (it takes me 45 minutes from alarm to walking out the door), which not all the time I have to. I like to sleep all the time I possibly can sleep, and I don’t want to have to sit around the house doing nothing in the morning when I could be sleeping. His only reasoning for anything I have an issue with is “because I said so.”

Are there any rules or regulations that allow him to or prohibit him from requiring me to wake up at a certain time? And where can I find the official rules so I can prove to him that he can’t (if that’s the case)?

The only rules that apply here are the rules of Working For Your Grandfather While Also Living With Him.

In general, if your employer wants to engage in particular activities outside of your normal work hours, they need to pay you for your time (assuming you’re non-exempt, which it sounds like you are). But this isn’t about labor law; this is about you and your grandfather needing to work out what’s reasonable for him to expect of you and whether you want to comply with those expectations (and what the trade-off will be if you decide not to).

5. Does my resume need to list my jobs chronologically?

Does my current job have to be listed first on my resume? Or can you list jobs based on relevance to the job you are applying to?

You should list your jobs in reverse chronological order (most recent first) because that’s how employers expect your work history to be presented. However, you can certainly have one section for Relevant Experience and another for Other Experience.