my interviewer contacted a reference I didn’t approve by Alison Green on August 28, 2019 A reader writes: I recently started a job search, and I reached out to various people on LinkedIn to see if they knew of any open positions. One of those people was an old coworker, and he had me get in touch with the CEO of the small company he currently works for. I emailed […] Read the full article →
I bombed in an interview I asked for, employee wants to skip lunch and leave early every day, and more by Alison Green on April 19, 2019 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. I bombed in an interview I asked for I’m in a customer-facing role at a large company, and I’m interested in advancing into a management role. I’ve held management positions in the past, but happily took a “step back” in this job because it’s a […] Read the full article →
what to do when a potential reference turns you down by Alison Green on March 28, 2019 A reader writes: How do I respond to a rejection email from a potential reference? I am a graduate student and requested a reference from a professor I know well. I was shocked when she responded, “You can use me as a reference, but I would have to be honest… if they ask me about […] Read the full article →
my boss will give me a bad reference by Alison Green on August 23, 2018 A reader writes: What do you do when your current manager has shown he or she will purposefully give unflattering references to leaving employees? He won’t directly speak negatively or lie, but will purposefully sound unenthusiastic. Our department has had significant turnover in the past year, and our department head is not happy about it. […] Read the full article →
am I sabotaging my former intern’s job prospects? by Alison Green on March 22, 2018 A reader writes: About two and a half years ago, I was hired by a cultural organization as their only staff person. While the job was not without its challenges, it was a great learning experience and I excelled in my role, which has greatly boosted my professional reputation in my area (it’s a small […] Read the full article →
someone I’ve known for years lied to get me to hire someone terrible she wanted to get rid of by Alison Green on March 21, 2018 A reader writes: “Arya” and I were classmates in college. We were in the same year and did the same major. We’ve known each other for 16 years and have worked together twice; one time she was my manager and the other time I was hers. We often attend the same work-related conferences and exchange […] Read the full article →
I recommended my sister for a job — and it was a disaster by Alison Green on March 5, 2018 A reader writes: I am writing in to you to ask how I can recover my reputation and the trust of the people I work with, vendors and clients after I recommended someone for a job who turned out to be a disaster. My job was hiring several entry-level and basic positions, no experience or […] Read the full article →
my coworker wants me to give him a fake reference by Alison Green on February 21, 2018 A reader writes: I have a coworker who I hit it off with from day one, and we trust and help each other. Last week, this coworker took me out to lunch and told me he was planning to start interviewing, because he found that he is being severely underpaid. I am in a similar […] Read the full article →
my mentor doesn’t want to be a reference for me by Alison Green on November 15, 2017 A reader writes: I am planning to apply for a couple of positions and recently contacted a former supervisor to ask if I could list her as a reference. She was my direct supervisor for a year and instrumental in getting me promoted to my current position. After my promotion, she served as my mentor […] Read the full article →
can you ask a reference what they said about you? by Alison Green on September 21, 2017 A reader writes: I am currently in the middle of the hiring process for a job I very much want. There are an extremely limited number of positions available in this area and I am fortunate enough to have moved past the first round of interviews with the top company in this niche. I received an […] Read the full article →