Ask a Manager

It’s short answer Saturday — six short answers to six short questions. Here we go…

1. Should I submit my application a second time now that I’ve found a new email contact?

I recently applied for a position that I found on a reputable job listings website. I submitted my materials via email to an anonymous email address, which I think is standard for this website. However, I just reviewed the posting on the website’s mobile site and this version of the posting lists a specific name and email address. Should I resubmit my materials to this specific email address with a note explaining why I’m resubmitting? Or is that overkill and will it make me look crazy and desperate? Should I just trust that the anonymous email address was correct? If you do suggest that I resubmit, would it be okay to also include a little summary of my cover letter stressing why I’m interested in the position, or should I just keep it simple and explain the issue?

Don’t resubmit. You already applied, and you’ll look either disorganized or neurotic if you submit a second time. It’s very possible that the anonymous email address that you originally emailed is the same person as the the second address you saw, but either way, yes, you should trust that it was correct. Employers usually get that part right!

2. Updating your LinkedIn profile with your new title, before you’ve started your job

I am thrilled to be starting a new job in a couple of weeks that I think is totally right for me at this stage in my career (I will be a mid-level manager at a well regarded nonprofit organization). This new position is the result of an intensive four-month job search following a layoff at the end of June. The job offer is official, and I have already filled out all my paperwork with HR and had a new employee orientation. The only reason I have not already started is that I had previous travel obligations. Can I update my LinkedIn profile to reflect the new job title/company information, or is it better to wait until I have actually started? My official start date on my paperwork is not until two weeks from now.

I’d wait until you start, since you aren’t actually in that job yet. While the potential for complications from updating is now is very small, it does exist — so wait until you’re really in the job.

3. Connecting on LinkedIn to people you met during a job search

During my recent job search, I went on a lot of interviews, and generally felt that I was a strong contender for most of the jobs I interviewed for. While I’ve now accepted a job, I met a lot of great people at other organizations throughout the interview process and I’d really like to keep in touch with them, because t I liked them on a personal level, admired their work and feel like I could potentially learn from them, and would consider working with/for them in the future if the right opportunity came up. I have said as much to some of them in follow-up emails when I either did not get a job or was offered a job but turned it down. And many of them have said the same to me (in a few cases it felt more like a courtesy, but in most cases it felt genuine).

Is it appropriate to use LinkedIn’s equivalent of “friend request” to stay connected with these folks? My thought is that I would send the request with a brief note to the effect of, “Hi Jane, as you can see, I recently started working as __ at __. I’m really thrilled to have landed here and think I will learn a lot. I really enjoyed meeting you and learning about your organization, and hope we can stay in touch professionally.”

What do you think about this strategy? On one hand, networking is highly valued in my field. On the other hand, I worry that it could be misconstrued as me “wanting” something from them, or otherwise make them feel awkward. Also, I worry that I am on the young side to be initiating contact with high level people — especially when I don’t necessarily have anything to “offer” them in the quid pro quo sense.

No, this is normal to do, regardless of being more junior. Do it and don’t think twice about it.

4. Boss is a jerk

I’m having trouble getting along with my manager. I work for a mid-size nonprofit and everyone knows each other well. She will be very nice to my face, and then badmouth me and undermine me behind my back. This is the most concerning part, as I am new and trying to develop my reputation. I’ve heard this from several coworkers. She will ocassionally talk to me in a very condescending tone, and says things like, “You’re new, you don’t know anything about how things work here.” She also tells people I am her personal assistant, which I am not. She has asked me to get her a drink before. She will come over and stand very close to me and loudly tell me when I made a minor mistake so that everyone can hear. There have been three people in my position within the last two years. The last person left work one day and never came back. I have repeatedly asked her if anything is wrong, which she denies. What do I do?

Stop asking “if anything is wrong,” and instead ask for feedback on your work. Ask where you could be doing better, and where she’d like to see you improve. Regarding the comments made to other people, bring them to the surface by saying something like, “I’m concerned because Jane mentioned that you were sharing doubts about the XYZ work I did. Can we talk about how I could approach that differently?” In other words, surface it all, and do it in a calm, pleasant, matter-of-fact way, like you would if you were discussing any other business problem.

Meanwhile, though, think about whether you want to work for her. You’re not required to.

5. Managing a tyrant manager

I’ve seen several posts on your site about how to deal with a boss who is a bully or tyrant. My question for you is how can I, as an HR Director, address an issue like this with the supervisor who is being the tyrant? I’ve spoken with the supervisor about the proper and appropriate behavior that we expect, and I honestly think the supervisor wants to do better but can’t see the behavior and the effect it’s having on employees. Are there coaches out their who do this kind of work? It feels like a fundamental change in a person that is beyond being “teachable” at this stage in life.

By the way, the person’s manager is wholeheartedly on board and pushing for the change, and we are both communicating that there are severe consequences (including possibly termination of employment). We are just trying to figure out how we can support and train this person who seems not self-aware.

You’re already on the right track by addressing it forthrightly and laying out consequences if the behavior doesn’t change. You should also set a fairly quick timeline for when you’ll be re-evaluating things, so that it’s clear that the situation is high priority and serious.

There are indeed executive coaches who will work with people like this. You want to find one who’s particularly blunt — avoid touchy-feely coaches and go for someone who will be direct and not pull any punches, and one who’s willing to take this on with a pretty short timeline, because you don’t want this dragging out for months. Can a coach help someone like this? Potentially. If the person isn’t inherently mean and is just oblivious to the effect of her actions, there’s hope. But if the issues are tied up in fundamental character problems, ego, etc., it’s a lot harder.

When you evaluate the supervisor’s progress, make sure you talk with the people she manages, and make it clear to them that they can give you feedback safely, without any repercussions from the manager herself or from others in the organization. That’s the best way to get the information you need.

6. Bereavement gifts for managers

I know you disagree with giving gifts to managers, but what about from a team (above and below the employee) for an occasion? My manager’s grandmother just passed away and my senior manager wants the group to send her something at home. I’m totally fine with this (my team is really close, there are 16 of us, and I think she would really appreciate the gesture) but I was wondering if this was an exception to your “no gifts to managers” rule.

Yes, I think bereavement is the big exception.

Any theories on why we’ve had so many gift-related questions lately?

It’s the Friday night question queue. Here we go…

1. Frustrated that half a department left early

I recently started a new position in a new state. I am in a director role, so I have people who report to me, and my direct supervisor is in charge of me and another department. In that other department, everyone seems to be best of friends, even my manager. Which I thought I could handle, until one day we got an email that several people ( not the whole department) were leaving early to attend a sporting event with the manager. I really don’t care that I wasn’t invited, I’m not a fan of that sport, but it really through my work day for a loop. They said they’d be reachable on their phone, but we had 4 new employees who they are training.

They talked about going over a month ago, and honestly, I thought they were kidding. Am I being ridiculous? I know people need to get out of work sometimes, but taking half the department away with little/no notice is not cool. The one person who was left in the department was supposed to only work a half day that day and was stuck working all day, and I was working on testing that required their feedback throughout the day until web-launch. How should I respond? Do I tell my boss that it frustrated me?

Just to make sure I’m clear, the people who went were in a different department from yours and don’t report to you, right? Assuming that’s correct, I think you can say, “Hey, it caused some problems for us when so many people from department X were out at once. We didn’t have anyone to help with testing, and my four new people didn’t have anyone to train them.” However, if all signs are that this was a one-time event, you’re probably better off letting it go — it if happens again, that’s when I’d address it.

2. Disclosing a recent medical condition when job searching

I am in my late 20s and was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer two years ago. I was in and out of the hospital for around a year receiving treatment and, despite my initial grim prognosis, my doctors now believe that I have made a full recovery and will likely remain in remission. In an odd twist of fate, my illness was discovered when I was transitioning from one graduate program to another, so fortunately there is no visible gap on my resume. I am also currently very healthy and robust and look completely normal; no one would guess that two years ago I was given less than a 50% chance of survival.

I just finished my graduate program and have been interviewing for full-time jobs. While I haven’t received any offers yet, I am struggling with how to proceed with disclosing my health history when I do find a position. While I have completed my treatment, I do go to a doctor for tests every few months or so that require me to be out of the office for a half a day or less (mild anesthesia is required). Since this is relatively recent history and I am on a doctor’s leash, am I obligated to tell a new employer about my disease, even though it is most likely cured? If I do need to tell them, when should I bring this up? It might be premature to worry about this before I have an offer in hand, but I feel like I need a game plan that I feel comfortable with before the situation arises.

You have no obligation to disclose a previous health issue. However, once you get an offer (and not before), it would make sense to explain that you’re finishing up medical treatment for something, and you need to take a half day every few months for tests. You don’t need to specify what the condition is if you don’t want to, and you definitely don’t need to raise it before you have an offer.

Congratulations on beating the odds — that’s awesome.

Read an update to this letter here.

3. Should I badmouth a friend who’s applying for the same job as me?

If both me and a friend are going for the same job, and the manager happens to ask what I think of him, what should I say? This is all hypothetical, but I wasn’t sure if I should badmouth the guy or kind of praise him?

Saying something nice will make you look classy and confident. Badmouthing him will make you look unprofessional and like kind of a jerk. Plus, um, he’s your friend, so that would be crappy to do.

4. Would this raise request be unreasonable?

My fiancé and I were talking about his upcoming performance evaluation and if he was going to ask for a raise and how much he was going to ask for.

A little background: He works for a “B Corporation,” which essentially means they’re ethical and pay a living wage. This upcoming review will mark 1 year with this company. At the 6-month evaluation, they offered him a 10% raise without prompting, and on top of an already generous starting salary (25% increase from his previous job).

He will follow all of your regular advice about asking. But just in case, do you think it’s unreasonable to ask for another 10%? Is it possible to price himself too high in this situation? All of this may be unnecessary, since they will probably offer him another one, but in case they don’t–he wants to be prepared. And of course, the crux of this issue is that he’s terrified of asking for too much, but I say to not undervalue himself and take the cue from the company.

Yes, it’s unreasonable to ask for another 10%, when they earlier gave him an unprompted 10% after only six months. The average salary increase last year was 2.8% — 3.1% for top performers. Asking for 20% in a year would be operating in bad faith with a company that has operated in very good faith with him, unless he has truly unusual circumstances that would justify it.

5. When you need time off for religious reasons

Being an orthodox Jew in a community that has no idea what that means can be quite hard when in the midst of a job search. There are several holidays throughout the year when I am unable to be at work. Twice a year, I am away from work for about 8+ days (depending on when the holiday falls). Also, I must be home before sunset on Fridays and am unable to work at all on Saturdays. I make up for it by working Sundays. I am a good employee; I never call in sick and pick up every shift offered. I will come in to work spur of the moment when called. The only time I take off is for my religion. When applying for a new job, I feel guilty if I do not inform them up front of my requirements, but it’s working against me to be honest because no one wants to hire me. When is it appropriate to let a potential employer about my obligations? What is the best way to do this?

Wait until you have a job offer. Once you have the offer, negotiate these terms as part of your acceptance, and explain that it’s for religious reasons. Unless the employer has a significant amount of work on Friday nights or Saturdays, you should be able to negotiate this as religious accommodation (reasonable accommodations for religion are required by law if the employer has 15 or more employees, as long as it doesn’t cause “undue hardship”). It’s going to be easier to do once they’ve already decided they want to hire you and once you have a firm offer than if you bring it up earlier.

6. Pursuing a job without notifying a recruiter

A recruiter reached out to me on LinkedIn about one month ago with a Project Manager role. I interviewed for the position and absolutely loved the company, but the role wasn’t a good fit for me (I’m looking for a more hybrid marketing management role), so after a few days of serious reflection, I decided to pass on the offer. I conveyed my decision to the recruiter and he was very accepting of it, so the whole situation ended on a positive note for everyone involved.

However, the company reached out to me directly a few days ago to see if I was interested in a new role that they were creating for a marketing manager (the description that they have in mind is exactly what I’ve been looking for!). I’d like to pursue this opportunity, but don’t want the recruiter to feel like I went behind his back and burn bridges. Is it ok for me to pursue this without notifying the recruiter?

You should let the recruiter know, because he may have a contract with the employer that requires that he be paid a commission if they hire you for anything in the six months or year following his introduction.

7. Switching staffing firms while keeping my contract job

I am a contractor currently working for a great company (hiring company) but I am unsatisfied with my staffing firm. My current contract ends in 2 months and I would like to switch to another staffing firm while keeping my current position. I’ve discussed this with my supervisor and she is very supportive.

Is this possible? If so, how do I terminate employment in a professional manner without a breach of contract or harming the hiring company?

Hmmm. The new staffing firm would need to be one that has a contract with your company, or your company would need to enter into a new contract with them. Your supervisor may be supportive, but it sounds like she doesn’t understand how this would work logically. I’d talk to your HR department and find out if it’s even possible, and if so, what steps you should take.

It’s wee answer Wednesday — seven short answers to seven short questions. Here we go…

1. Rewarding an introverted employee

What techniques do you recommend for acknowledging, recognizing, thanking, rewarding and celebrating good work (major and minor accomplishments) of an introverted employee? Even though she might not like to be in the spotlight and so I don’t want to put her there, I would like to recognize her among co-workers and compliment and reward her individually/privately. This seems like a topic you’d be especially suited to address! You might have covered it already, but I didn’t find it while searching your blog.

Raises and bonuses — the currency of all personality types! But if it’s not quite to that point, and it’s more about lower-impact positive feedback, why not ask her? It’s fine to say, “Jane, you did such a great job on X and I’d love to recognize you for it in front of the group — any objections?” Also, keep in mind that not every introvert dislikes public praise … some of us (me) love it! (This is probably a good time for my periodic reminder that introversion isn’t about being shy; it’s about whether you recharge your energy through solitude or social interaction.)

2. Asking to be hired for my manager’s position when he leaves

My boss, president of the company, just announced he’s leaving in 8 months. Obviously his position will be available very soon and will require some tutelage during this 8-month transition. Should I ask to be considered for his position or wait to be approached, since I’m the most likely candidate within the company? I don’t want to seem pushy immediately upon hearing the news. He has started sharing and relinquishing some of his duties to me. In a casual conversation, one of our board members just acknowledge my length of employment with the company. These seem like small signs that my name has been mentioned in consideration for the position. What do you think would be proper protocol in this situation?

Bring it up. Don’t wait to be asked. All too often, when people wait to be asked — even when they think they’re the obvious choice — that never happens. Ask your boss what the likely process will be for hiring a replacement, and say that you’d love to be considered.

3. Should I give my notice now or after my background check is finalized?

I have accepted an offer at a new employer pending completion of a background check. I was informed today that my initial pre-employment screening is complete and the final step is to contact my current employer. Would it be more appropriate to give my two-week notice before my current employer is contacted or after the background check is finalized (2-3 days after current employer is contacted)?

Well, if your employer gets contacted for a reference check out of the blue, without hearing from you about what’s going on, that’s going to be pretty jarring. They’re telling you that they’re about to contact your employer because they assume you’ll want to give them a heads-up. So now’s the time to talk to your manager — you don’t need to give your formal notice date yet (since you may want to wait until you have a formalized start date at the new job, which could potentially be a ways away), but it’s time to give your boss at least an informal heads-up.

4. Gifts for retiring managers/mothers

You’ve discussed before many reasons why it is not a good idea to give your boss a gift. What about when that boss is retiring? A group of coworkers would like to give their boss a gift to celebrate her retirement. They like her and the workplace is congenial — a staff of 6 in a local office of a state agency. The boss happens to be my mother, and one of the workers contacted me for ideas about a gift the office could give to her. In general for retirement, I’d typically try to think of something the recipient would enjoy, be able to use and also that is reflective of his/her field, interests and accomplishments. A thing. The group’s idea so far is an e-reader, but I don’t think my mom would use it too much. She usually likes an experience or food or wine (something consumable) or a live plant. In thinking through posing this question to you, I have come up with the idea of a gift certificate with a local travel agency or a dining gift certificate. None of those are things that she’ll keep to remember her working days and workmates though.

I don’t mean for your response to be specific to my mother, but it is the example that raises these general questions: What are your thoughts about employees giving a boss a gift in this situation (retirement of the boss) and do you and/or other readers have suggestions on appropriate types of gifts (object vs. something consumable)?

Different office cultures handle this differently. In general, gifts should flow downward, not upward, but many offices do give retirement gifts and if they want to give her something, that’s certainly their prerogative. I don’t think it matters if it’s an object versus something consumable; it makes sense to go with what the person’s preferences dictate (although personally I’m a huge fan of the consumable). However, make sure your suggestions aren’t expensive — a restaurant gift certificate is probably affordable, whereas a gift certificate with a local travel agency probably is not (assuming they’re giving her enough for an actual trip). Since you’re her daughter, be careful not to look as if you’re suggesting anything particularly expensive — unless they tell you they want to spend $X, and $X is significant.

5. Explaining I’m taking on a second job

My hours have been cut at my current job from 40+ to under 15 a week. I’ve had meetings with management to try and figure out what is going on, and they explain it’s due to a slow streak we’ve been having lately. As a matter of fact, they just fired a veterinarian and laid off a technician, financial reasons is what they told us. I’ve been at this company for over two years and really love the job, but ever since the owner made his PA the manager, things have not run smoothly. I’ve decided to take a part-time job at a nonprofit organization two days a week. I’m not sure how to approach the subject with the management at my current job (I’m afraid they will outright fire me for looking elsewhere and I really need 40 hours).

It’s completely reasonable to explain that if they can’t give you 40 hours, you’ll need to take on a second job. They may require that you prioritize your hours with them though.

6. Pre-employment drug testing

After a lengthy interview process, I’ve received a job offer. The offer is contingent on a drug screening. A 30-day urinalysis would pose no issue. I’ve read, however, that there are other sorts of tests, such as a hair follicle test, that would go back 90 days. In all honesty, I could not pass that. Would I be a fool to ask what kind of drug screening will be administrated? I feel like bringing attention to it might be too big of a red flag. It’s a small bank, and no prior mention of a drug screen was given.

Well, first, chances are pretty good that you’re only going to be given a urine test. Hair tests are less common, although not unheard of.

If you have an extremely professional vibe, you could get away with saying, “What type of testing will this be?” in a tone of professional curiosity. Or a tone of concern about your privacy, frankly. Just not a tone of “uh oh.”

But if they say it’s a hair test, what are you going to do at that point? It probably makes sense to just move forward with it and hope for the best (assuming you want a job that drug tests, which maybe you don’t — plenty of us object to that sort of thing on privacy and civil liberties grounds). Also, you should work to change the laws that allow employers to dig into what you did in (probably) the privacy of your home a few months ago.

7. Comp time in place of overtime pay

I’m a non-exempt employee and I rarely work less than 40 hours a week (I usually work more). I have an agreement with my employer that I receive compensatory time off instead of overtime pay. I have quite a bit of comp time built up, in addition to a lot of vacation days. I am only able to take days off during certain periods of the year due to the cyclical nature of my job, and without doing the math, I’d say I probably have more days off over the next 12 months than I’m allowed to take. I’m curious about the rules surrounding comp time. In general: Does it expire after a certain amount of time? Do I have the right to use it after a certain amount of time? Do I have to continue accruing comp time instead of getting paid out for overtime? Your insight is appreciated, thank you for taking the time to address my questions.

Rules for comp time are set by your employer, not the law. However, rules for overtime pay are set by the law … and it’s not legal for your employer to pay you with comp time rather than overtime, unless that comp time is used in the same week that it was earned. You may not care; you might be perfectly happy with the arrangement you have and you might not wish to challenge it. But be aware of what your rights are under the law, and at a minimum, you should tell your employer that you don’t want to accrue comp time that you won’t be able to use within the year. (Additionally, make sure that it’s accruing at the same rate overtime would — meaning 1.5 hours of comp time or pay for every hour over 40 worked in a week.)