Ask a Manager

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

1. Would it be inappropriate to direct my company’s charity match toward domestic violence?

My new company proves a 1:1 match up to $200/year for donations made to a qualified 501(c) organization (schools, nonprofits, etc.), provided that the organization is located in our general region of the country. I donate every year to my K-12 school and college, but they are not considered “local” and the company will not match donations to either organization

I would like to donate to another organization in order to take advantage of the benefit and would like to donate to a qualified domestic violence organization that has provided assistance to me in the past. I am sure it will qualify under the 501(c) rule, but was wondering if it’s “appropriate” to donate to. Most of the other employees donate to the local hospitals, homeless shelters, and youth foundations. The charities are not tied back to employees – there’s a list provided at the end of the year that says what charities were donated to, but it wouldn’t match the employee with their charity of choice. I know domestic violence generally doesn’t get brought up in the workplace and don’t want to rock the boat as a new employee!

Go ahead and donate without any qualms! Many people donate to domestic violence organizations without having been survivors of abuse themselves, so it definitely doesn’t reveal anything personal about you, other than that you’re a kind person who opposes domestic violence. I can understand how you started worrying, but I can promise you that no one is going to draw any personal conclusions or find it in any way inappropriate.

2. Can I ask for a second chance at the job I quit after one month?

I started a new job last year with an amazing company whose values align with mine. It was a great company that gave back to the community. I truly felt that I landed my dream job. The job required a great deal of travel, which I typically enjoy, and meeting a lot of new people and developing relationships.

When I returned from training, I felt paralyzed by my anxiety and I ended up quitting. I was so overwhelmed and started feeling clouded by my spiked nerves. It may be because everything was so new and I put myself under my own pressure. When I told my boss how I felt, she told me that my situation wasn’t unique and that everyone has felt that way at one point or another but that things get better, and even offered to help me get over my nerves. I was so grateful for her offer but still decided that it was best to resign. After I quit, I wasn’t even sure I made the right decision and after about a month later, I realized I made a foolish decision. It’s been a year and I haven’t been able to get over it.

I know my original job position is filled, but I truly want to be part of this company once again, even if it is another position. How should I approach this situation, and is it a lost cause since I left only after a month from my start date?

Unfortunately, yeah, I think it’s probably a lost cause. At this point, one of the main things they know about you is that you crumbled under pressure, to the point of quitting after only a month on the job. That doesn’t mean they think you’re a terrible person or anything, but it does mean that they’re not especially likely to take a chance on hiring and training you again. I would stop looking back and second-guessing your decision (which was clearly right for you at the time) and instead focus on moving forward with a different job.

3. How often do I need to check in with my references?

I’ve been in and out of the job search over the past year or so, and when I’m on the upswing of searching for new jobs I always make a point to ask my potential references if it’s okay that I use them. They’ve always happily obliged me.

Because my job search has been rather sporadic (periods of a lot of searching, periods of hardly any searching at all), I don’t feel right going in a cycle of asking my references if they’re okay to be my reference, but at the same time I’m not sure if they’ll see their earlier agreement to be a reference as a green light to put them as a reference without asking them again. What’s the best solution? Is an agreement of being a reference from a few months ago grounds to have them be an outstanding reference every time a job search starts again in earnest, or should a reference be asked each and every time even if they’ve agreed to be a reference before?

If you’ve asked in the 8-12 months, you don’t need to ask again — although if you get to the reference checking stage with an employer, it’s smart and considerate to give your references a heads-up that they might be getting a call.

4. Is my name discrediting me?

My name is Star and I feel like that may discredit me in a way while people are reviewing my resume. When I switched to a sales role at the last company I worked at, my manager suggested I use my middle name instead. What are your thoughts on this?

I don’t think Star is particularly disreputable — I mean, it certainly doesn’t scream traditional or mainstream, but I don’t think it’s going to be a huge issue that requires changing. But names do affect the way people see you, particularly you’re just a disembodied resume, so I’ll throw this out to others to weigh in on in the comments.

5. My availability changed and now my hours have been cut

I’m a part-timer at Sam’s Club and full-time student with a 2-year-old. My job has hired about 20 new employees .. all part-timer as well and of course they’re getting the good hours. About a month and half ago, I had to change my work schedule due to my school schedule. I gave them the days and hours that I’m willing to work with and they said, “Okay, that’s fine.” But they cut my hours from 25-29 to about 9-13 hours per week. I’ve spoken to them and nothing was fixed. Unfortunately, they basically told me those are the hours that are being offered to me, even though I’ve been working with them for almost 4 years. Should I go to the Department of Labor or what can I do?

Well, there’s nothing illegal about cutting your hours, as long as they weren’t doing it because of your race, religion, sex, or other protected category, which doesn’t sound like the case here. It sounds like they cut your hours because they didn’t like your new availability, which is their prerogative. But why not go talk to your manager and say something like, “Since my availability changed, the hours I’m being scheduled for have dropped dramatically. I really need to work more hours. Is there anything I can do to get more hours back?” You might hear that they just don’t need you for the hours you’re now available, in which case you’d have to decide if you’re willing to switch your schedule back, or accept what they’re giving you, or look for a new job.

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

1. Is my masters degree hurting my job search?

I graduated with a masters degree in Communications Management and have spent about a year doing various part-time jobs and internships to gain more work experience and am looking for a full-time job. I also applied to a temp agency after I felt like I need some help in the “getting a job” department. I got a call from the agency about a position and they called back saying the company felt I was overqualified. I laughed as I’ve never heard that before and didn’t agree that I had enough experience to be considered overqualified. The temp agency person retorted that I do have a masters degree.

Is my masters degree hurting my job search? Should I leave it off in some instances? I have been trying to apply to more entry level pr and marketing positions since most of my work has been part time or internships for a few nonprofits. I don’t know if I am undervaluing my skills going for positions that only require a bachelors or even a just a high school degree.

Maybe. One problem with getting a masters when you’re seeking work in a field that doesn’t require it is that some employers will think you don’t really want the job you’re applying for, since it’s not in “your field.” That alone can end up being a reason not to hire you—for the exact same job you might have been a stronger contender for before you got your graduate degree.

On the other hand, that’s not what’s necessarily happening here, and it’s dangerous to let one company’s opinion dictate how you present yourself. But yeah, it’s useful to be aware that advanced degrees aren’t always exclusively helpful.

2. My manager is over-scheduling and under-paying me

As a recently transitioning officer out of the Marine Corps, I found myself with several months of “free time” prior to my next career starting up. So, as a means to keep myself physically active and busy, I took a Job for part-time hours working in a warehouse. I specifically asked for no more than 30 hours a week. It is now going into the third month of employment and I have been consistently working 50 hour weeks. Because of these tremendous hours, I have not been able to focus my spare time on my GI-Bill.

As a part-time employee, I am making $10 dollars an hour with no benefits. The full-time employee I work with in the warehouse makes $25 an hour with full benefits. But we are now working the same hours day on stay on.

As a former officer, I knew it was on me to bring this issue up with my manager immediately, and his response was as follows: “Oh, you are such a good employee and we need you here! You working 30 hours a week was just a white lie, I actually expect you to work 50 hours or so a week.”

So basically, because of my work ethic, I have been forced into doing a full-time job (that I am extremely overqualified for) for part-time pay with no benefits. How should I address this with HR, as I know this will come down unfavorably on my manager? And ultimately my next career starts in January, and I fear for the event that they ask for a review from the part-time transition job.

Well, first, try talking directly to your manager. Say something like this: “I’m glad that you appreciate my work. However, we agreed when I started work that I’d be scheduled for no more than 30 hours per week. I cannot work more than that because of other commitments. Will that be a problem?” If your manager says that it will in fact be a problem, then you have to decide if you’re willing to work the additional hours (at which point you should insist on receiving the corresponding benefits and consider negotiating a higher salary) or if you’d rather decline all the hours. It’s not unreasonable to do either of those, and it shouldn’t harm your reference as long as you do it in a pleasant, professional way.

3. Working at a large organization where the rules change constantly

I am new to a position as a state employee. How do I handle being at a large organization that no one seems to have answers to the simplest questions or you get conflicting answers. You don’t need receipts to be reimbursed for travel but when you hand in the travel voucher you are asked, “Where are your receipts?” I am accused of having attitude when I remind the person I was told I did not need them. It is very frustrating and the rules change constantly. They is no leadership and HR is absolutely no help. How do I deal with this frustration on a daily basis? I am reconsidering this position.

You basically have to decide if you’re willing to put up with it because you like other parts about working there well enough or not (whether that’s the work, the pay, or whatever). But one thing I can tell you is that if you’re being accused of being snippy, you’ll get better results if you don’t let your frustration show — particularly at someone who might not be responsible for it. There’s a big difference between “Jane told me I didn’t need receipts” said in a defensive or annoyed tone and “Oh! I’m sorry — Jane didn’t think I’d need receipts — do I?”

4. Applying for a job where my manager’s husband works

I recently saw a position that is a great fit for me — the type of job I am looking for at a great company. The problem is that my current supervisor’s husband (I’ll call him Bob) works at this company. The job is at a very small division of a large company. Bob is in a related department, not the one I am applying to work in. The thing is, he used to work at my current company for several years and just moved to the new company a few months ago. Since it is such a small division and Bob previously worked at my company, I am fairly certain that the hiring manager or the recruiter would ask him about me. I would even expect that he would be part of the panel that interviews for the position.

How should I address this? Bob is very professional and not one to gossip, but not to tell his wife one of her employees is applying for a job at his company seems like a stretch. I am afraid to discuss it with my boss because I am afraid that would limit my future growth opportunities at my current company if I don’t get the other job.

It doesn’t seem like you can apply for this job without your current manager hearing of it — which might mean that you can’t apply for it at all, if you don’t want your manager to know you’re job-searching. That sucks, but it sounds like the reality of the situation.

5. Sending thank-yous to interviewers who said that future communication should go through HR

Quick question regarding follow-up notes – what if you interview with a few people, but they tell you to funnel all future communication through the HR person who scheduled the interview? Is figuring out how to contact them each directly something that goes above and beyond, or does it disregard their instructions? If I do communicate through the HR person, do I ask them to pass along my note?

If your interviewers specifically tell you to funnel all future communication through the HR person, you should follow that instruction when it comes to communications that require a response — such as checking in about the hiring timeline, asking for an update, or asking a question about the position. But a thank-you note doesn’t fall in that category, and you should be fine sending thank-you’s directly to your interviewers. (It won’t count as above and beyond though; it’s not sufficiently above and beyond for it to be perceived that way. But it’s still a good thing to do.)

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

1. My biggest client is a jerk

I own a small advertising firm with one big client. The new exec we work with at that company is a bully, micromanaging our work and using abusive language dealing with us. We had a wonderful relationship with previous managers – this is the first time this has happened. I know they are short staffed and she is the only one they have to work with us, so more than likely, complaining to higher-ups will result in us being dropped for another company in this highly competitive industry. I can’t let that happen – too many people’s jobs depend on it. But my attempts to find common ground and communicate with her have only led to more belittling language. I’m at the end of my rope – and scared. Any suggestions?

You can try meeting with the new exec, saying that you’ve had the sense that she’s been frustrated with your staff, and asking how you can work more effectively with her. And if you were willing to risk her taking it poorly, you could try talking to her about how she can work with you more effectively. And you could ask her to come directly to you with concerns in the future rather than using abusive language with your staff.

However, since she’s your primary client and you’re not willing to risk losing the relationship, this might be a case of needing to suck it up and deal with it, if you know you’d prefer to deal with a jerk than to lose the client entirely. That said, I’d be working actively on ways to diversify your client list, so that you’re not held hostage to any single company. (Which would be a good idea even if this woman were lovely — because being dependent on a sole client is a precarious position to be in.)

2. Must I change my resume immediately after a layoff to indicate I’m no longer employed?

I just got laid off and was wondering how long I can wait to change the entry on my resume from [companyname] [title], [startdate] – current to [companyname] [title], [startdate] – [enddate]. Or maybe I shouldn’t wait?

It would be disingenuous to continue sending out a resume that says you’re currently employed somewhere where you no longer work. You can get away with not changing it for a week or so, but beyond that you risk looking deceptive. After all, if an employer calls you for a phone interview a few days after receiving your resume and it comes up that you were laid off, you’re likely to be asked when the layoff occurred — and if the answer is “one month ago,” it’s not going to look great that your resume you just sent them a few days ago said that you were still working there.

3. Are you obligated to respond to your former employee when you no longer work there?

One of our coworkers came in on the weekend and left his badge and resignation letter on his manager’s desk. He did not give two week notice, so he quit effective immediately.

Upon realizing he quit the next working day, our manager tried to contact him via phone/personal email to make sure everything was okay, but this person did not respond. The debate by the watercooler was “does the former employee have any legal obligation to respond to inquiries from a former employer?” I think that they do not have to answer calls or provide any futher explanation if they choose not to. Is that correct?

That is indeed correct; there’s no legal obligation whatsoever to communicate with your former employer once you resign. Hell, for that matter, there’s no legal obligation to communicate with your employer while you’re still employed (although obviously that would end your employment pretty quickly).

This is an issue not of law, but of convention, courtesy, and reputation — all of which do dictate that your former coworker should have responded to your manager to explain what happened. Not doing so is unprofessional and will presumably impact his reputation accordingly.

4. I don’t want to cover the help desk!

I have been working in a major department store for the last four years for the engineers who cover repairs and maintenance, as a contract support administrator. My role within that time has mainly been raising purchase orders, keeping spreadsheets updated, some accounts work, and dealing with internal and external queries.

The company that I used to work for lost the contract a year ago, and I transferred over to the new company. A year later, they have told me that I need to be trained to cover the help desk. I have no wish to work on the help desk and in fact turned down a job offer to do that job here four years ago, just before I secured my current position. I have told them that I don’t want to cover the help desk and gave my reasons, but was told, “Well, it’s part of your job.” It never has been and has never been mentioned until now. Basically, they are not replacing staff when they leave and are expecting everybody else to cover these positions. What is strange is there is already a guy who enjoys covering the help desk and often comes in on weekends for overtime, but instead of him covering, I now have to train him to cover my job while I cover the help desk!

My job spec makes no mention of working on the help desk but of course does mention “any other reasonable tasks.” Would you advise me where I stand on this? Would a help desk position come under administration?

It doesn’t really matter if it’s in your job description or falls under administration — they can change your job description at any time, and it sounds like they’ve decided to. You can argue with them all you want that you’ve never been expected to do this before, but they’re not under any obligation to go by what’s been done previously. If they want to change the job, they can change the job — at which point you’d need to decide if you’re still interested in remaining in that job.

However, it sounds like it would be worth saying to them, “You know, Bob loves covering the help desk and often works extra hours to do it, whereas I prefer to focus on XYZ. Would it be possible to assign this work to him instead, rather than him doing my work while I’m doing that?” They might not agree, but it’s certainly reasonable to ask.

5. Will my second part-time job interfere with promises I made to my first part-time job?

About a month ago, I interviewed and got a part-time job with an organization that I am very happy to work for. One of the questions they asked me during the interview was about potential changes to my availability, since they really wanted someone who was available to sub a lot, and who would continue to be available. I basically said my mostly-open availability wouldn’t change, and I assume that helped me get the job. I answered that way because I assumed that, after taking a year of looking for the first steady job, a second steady job wasn’t going to immediately appear.

Well… this week I have a second interview for another part-time job. They’ve called my references, and I’m feeling pretty good about my chances. The second job would greatly increase my financial independence, and I plan on taking it if offered (I can’t really afford not to). The hours it’s scheduled for fit nicely around my scheduled hours at my current job, which is part of the reason I applied for it. But I will no longer be available for sub hours two days a week (as well as potential sub hours at the second job, too). When and how do I go about telling my manager about the second job if I get it? Do I address the sort-of dishonesty of stating that my availability wouldn’t change and then continuing to apply for other part-time positions? I don’t think this will be a complete deal-breaker for my current job, since they hired someone else at the same time as me whose availability is open (and it’s only two days a week). Am I worrying about this too much?

I don’t think there was any dishonesty you. You answered what was true at the time, and you didn’t have reason to think that was going to change soon. And I assume you didn’t commit to never looking for another job, given that your work is part-time.

If you get the second job, you can simply go back to your first manager and say, “I’m taking on a second part-time job, which means my availability will now be ___. Does that cause any problems?” If it turns out that it does cause problems, then you can deal with that then — but I’d go into assuming that you weren’t hired solely for your ability to sub.