new assistant already missed work her third day on the job by Alison Green on March 27, 2013 A reader writes: I have just hired a part-time administrative assistant that started on Monday. She works for us in the morning and cares for her mother in the afternoon. This morning, I recevied an email from her stating she was unable to come in today because of something she needed to help her mother […] Read the full article →
why is it bad to sound naive when applying for jobs? by Alison Green on March 27, 2013 A reader writes: I’ve seen you throw around the word “naïve” several times in your How-Not-Tos for cover letters and resumes. I actually find it a really helpful insult when I recognize things that I’ve been doing wrong. But still, being 22, I am kind of professionally naïve. Surely there’s got to be something beneficial […] Read the full article →
red flags on your resume are turning employers off by Alison Green on March 27, 2013 As you’re probably well aware, most employers spend only seconds skimming your resume before making a quick decision about whether to reject you or consider you further, so it’s essential that your resume doesn’t contain the red flags that will turn them off during that short initial scan. Here are eight red flags that will often put […] Read the full article →
wee answer Wednesday — 7 short answers to 7 short questions by Alison Green on March 27, 2013 It’s wee answer Wednesday — seven short answers to seven short questions. Here we go… 1. Do I have to provide my employer with a copy of the reference I gave a former coworker? My ex-coworker is in the process of looking for a new job, and she put my name as a reference without […] Read the full article →
my employer might drop our health insurance — what can I do? by Alison Green on March 26, 2013 A reader writes: Yesterday, I overheard a conversation between the owner of the company and our accountant where they discussed dropping the company’s health insurance plan. (Note — we were in an open area, they were being loud and speaking openly, and I said hi when I came into the area to alert them that […] Read the full article →
is it okay to apply makeup in the bathroom at work? by Alison Green on March 26, 2013 A reader writes: I work at a large university in a building of about 300 people. There are two floors and I know almost everyone on my floor by face, if not by name. After a long winter, I’ve recently started biking to work. I bring my makeup with me and put it on in […] Read the full article →
tiny answer Tuesday — 7 short answers to 7 short questions by Alison Green on March 26, 2013 It’s tiny answer Tuesday — seven short answers to seven short questions. Here we go… 1. Company offered me a job, then called me back to meet with the owner I’ve been searching for a job and think I’ve finally found the one that I want and luckily it seems as though they want me […] Read the full article →
what to do when you lose out on a promotion by Alison Green on March 26, 2013 A reader writes: I recently applied for an internal promotion to be manager of the small team I serve. I was unsuccessful. Two questions. First, I was “let down easy”–the hiring manager said things like “it was close” and “we want to keep you.” But isn’t being turned down for the role essentially a repudiation […] Read the full article →
how flexible should you be when scheduling an interview? by Alison Green on March 25, 2013 A reader writes: This has been nagging me for a while now and I just wanted an expert opinion on the situation or how I could have handled it better. So, I applied for a summer internship at a very small up-and-coming magazine and got called back for an interview. At the interview, I was […] Read the full article →
mini answer Monday — 7 short answers to 7 short questions by Alison Green on March 25, 2013 It’s mini answer Monday — seven short answers to seven short questions. Here we go… 1. Coworker’s loud calls are distracting I work for a F100 company and I was recently promoted from a union to a management position on a new team. Since the promotion, I was moved to a new office floor that […] Read the full article →