What To Do When Your Boss Hates You

Dear Evil HR Lady,

I don’t think I’ve seen this topic covered since I started subscribing to you. I’m curious what should I do when I realize that my manager is trying to use old information, and solicit my co-workers’ opinions about me to use it against me? Luckily, I’ve done my job well, and have earned awards for my office. On top of that, my coworkers are fair and all expressed that while we all run into disagreement, they all know that I am a good worker and do my job right.

On top of that, he loves his assistant even though she’s useless, helpless, and just a total waste of oxygen. She will stroke his ego and go along with his crude jokes at work. He will take her out shopping for alcohol and made sure everyone knows. He is a name dropper, and talk about himself a lot; she caters to his ego more than his wife would.

So, am I doomed here? Is there anything I can do to protect myself?

To read the answer click here: What To Do When Your Boss Hates You

Why Failure is the Secret of Your Success

Want to be successful? First, you need to learn to fail.

To read more click here: Why Failure is the Secret of Your Success

Why It Doesn't Matter That Your Coworker Makes More Money Than You Do

Dear Evil HR Lady,

I have worked for my employer for 6 years, have a relevant industry degree, 18 years industry experience and work remotely only seeing my boss three times a year. We have just had salary reviews. My colleague told me that she is earning more money than me $1000 a year, I didn’t ask for this she just told me and I really wish she hadn’t as it is now eating me up! My colleague has worked for the organization for 3 years, no relevant qualification, no industry experience and we do exactly the same job just in difference locations. I need to email my boss about this as he is too hard to talk to on the phone and I need to give feedback in the next couple of days. Can you help me find the right words to use to get across how hurt and angry I am about this without dropping my colleague in it.

To read the answer click here: Why It Doesn't Matter That Your Coworker Makes More Money Than You Do

Should You Rehire Someone?

Dear Evil HR Lady,

What are the pros and cons of rehiring an employee? Is it worth it, or should I avoid it?

To read the answer click here: Should You Rehire Someone?

Notice Anything Different?

If you're reading this on an RSS feed, you won't notice anything, but if you are actually at the webpage, look up! Finally, after 5 years, I finally bit the bullet and paid money for my very own URL. www.EvilHRLady.org

The .com is taken and they want way too much money for it, so I say, have fun with that!

I'm also in the process of transferring over to wordpress, with the help of Laura at Smallest Decisions. She's the same person who did Ask a Manager so I have full confidence.

In the meantime, I am trying to come up with a new logo or picture or something that reflects this blog. Flames, witch hats, a little devil in high heels and a briefcase? This is not where my talent lies.

So, stand by for even more changes!

Are Personality Tests Required For the Job You Want?

It’s hard enough to get someone to look twice at your resume and now, more and more, you need not only the right resume, but the right personality.

To read more click here: Are Personality Tests Required for the Job You Want?

Can Your Boss Force You To Donate To Charity?

Dear Evil HR Lady,

Our company is sponsoring a charity event. It is a formal event. Tickets are $125 each. In conversation the boss told me that I was expected to sell 6 tickets. He then changed it and said well actually 4 since you and your husband will be there. I told him immediately that I didn’t mind donating my time but that I could not afford to pay for myself much less myself and my husband to come to the event. He tried to make excuses saying it was a dinner out for us. I told him again that I couldn’t afford it and wouldn’t consider it a dinner out because I don’t spend that kind of money on a dinner. He then said that he thought he had told me it was mandatory for staff.

Mind you that he was smiling when he said this. He makes regular attempts to invoke emotional responses from people by saying outrageous things. So at this time I really don’t know if he was trolling me for a reaction or serious in his expectations. Usually I do not respond to his attempts to troll me but this one offended me.

Between the tickets, renting a tux and buying a formal dress it would cost approximately $400 to go. That is almost my full pay for week of work after taxes. That is a car payment. That is a months worth of groceries for my family. I have been actively seeking other employment since last October but as you know it’s a really hard job market and finding a job that meets my minimum needs are hard to come by.

I have gone from a loyal employee that watched out for the owner of the company to someone with extremely low morale due to the poor management of the owner. I do my job exceptionally, I just do not put any more effort than what I expect for myself.

To read the answer click here: Can Your Boss Force You To Donate To Charity

Guns at Work: Should You Be Able To Defend Yourself?

If a gunman appeared where you work, would your company policy allow you to fight back? Should it?

To read more click here: Guns at Work: Should You Be Able To Defend Yourself?

Hate Your Annual Performance Appraisal? What About Weekly Reviews?

Guess what? Your employees want regular feedback. You don't need a formal performance appraisal to give it, either. Here's why you should speak up.

To read more click here: Hate Your Annual Performance Appraisal? What About Weekly Reviews?

California: Killing Jobs One at a Time. Happy Labor Day!

Want to make a job go away? Then make it so complicated and regulated that no one can afford to hire someone to do that job and just like magic, that job will go away.

The California Legislature is poised to pass a law giving all sorts of new rights to domestic workers. Guaranteed breaks, detailed pay stubs, workers comp. All of it sounds great, until you get to the part where it is utterly ridiculous and results in either the jobs going away entirely or going completely underground.

To read more click here: California: Killing Jobs One at a Time. Happy Labor Day!

Why I Got Someone In Trouble for Plagiarizing

I know I go by the name Evil HR Lady, but that’s more tongue-in-check and a reflection on the negative attitude people have towards HR people in general. Plus, who would read a column written by the Warm and Fuzzy HR Lady? Not you, I’m sure.

But, honestly, I’m a nice person and I help people out. I answer far more questions than I publish and genuinely hope that my readers get jobs, keep jobs, get promoted, and get along with their strange coworkers. But, niceness has it’s limits, and that’s why when I found a company blog that consisted largely of poorly plagiarized Evil HR Lady columns, I had to act.

To read more click here: Why I got Someone in Trouble for Plagiarizing

Are Crude Jokes Acceptable in the Office?

Evil HR Lady,

I started my current job about 6 months ago, and I have a slight problem: I can’t really respect my colleagues. I’m not talking about “treating them with respect”, as I try to treat everyone with respect. I’m talking about an honest and genuine feeling of respect.I did work for quite a number of companies over the years, and I could always respect my mates for being professional, compassionate, nice, or whatever.

While my last company was in banking, my current job is at a university, so it’s possible that I’m being too uptight, since this is a pretty laid back place.

I’m not too fond of the daily farting contests, or routine rude jokes that people play here, but I could still respect these guys if they were hardcore professionals, which they are not. They are likeable, but that’s it.

With all that said, I can work with them without problems, so is it important at all to honestly respect each other at the workplace?

For full disclosure, I’m being paid well over the national average here, so I don’t really want to change jobs at the moment. And yes, I work in the IT department.

To read the answer click here: Are Crude Jokes Acceptable in the Office?

You Can't Make Someone Salaried to Avoid Overtime Payments

Dear Evil HR Lady,

I am wondering if you can help me with a question. I am an office manager and am considering moving several hourly employees to salary, me included. We are a small law firm and are trying to avoid the cycle of having to send people home early on Friday to avoid overtime and yet having work that still needs to be done.

My concern is that hourly employees accrue PTO and get Holiday pay. Is there a way you can be a salaried employee and still receive those benefits? If so, how do you figure out how to apply them etc?

To read the answer the question that should have been asked, but wasn't, click here: You Can't Make Someone Salaried to Avoid Overtime Payments

Why Your HR Manager May Hate You

So, hate is a strong word, and of course your HR manager doesn’t hate you. You are a model employee. But, your coworkers–that’s a different story. Your HR manager most likely hates them. The reasons are quite plain–HR is tasked with both helping the business through recruiting, retaining and developing the best employees and with making sure the company is in compliance with hundreds, if not thousands, of laws and regulations around those employees. Sometimes those two tasks can be in conflict and it seems like the very people we are tasked with helping to succeed are trying desperately to destroy the company as fast as they can.

To read more click here: Why Your HR Manager May Hate You

Plus, here is an interview I did on this very topic on the Cranky Middle Manager show.

Resume T-Shirt? Good Idea or Sign of Desperation?

Dear Evil HR Lady,

I’m a recent college graduate and have been actively job hunting for about 6 months. As the number of resumes I’ve sent out approaches 300, I’m trying to figure out what I’m doing wrong and how I can stand out among the hundreds of other applicants I’m competing with. After Googling “creative ways to get hired”, I came across the idea of wearing a t-shirt with my resume on it. My dream job is to do PR in the racing industry. I’m attending two races in the coming months and I am contemplating doing this in order to get the attention of some race teams and potential hiring managers. Would you recommend wearing a resume t-shirt or does it come across as too desperate?

To read my answer click here: Resume T-Shirt? Good Idea or Sign of Desperation?

And this questioner also asked this to Ask A Manager as well, so click here if you want to read Alison's answer: Should I Wear My Resume on a T-Shirt?

Want to Increase Jobs? Eliminate These Laws

Politicians are always proposing new laws to fix problems. But what if we eliminated laws instead? What laws would you get rid of to decrease the unemployment rate?

To keep reading click here: Want to Increase Jobs? Eliminate These Laws

Scientific Proof That Micro-Management is Bad For Your Company (And How to Fix It)

When you are being micro-managed it's annoying, but when you are the manager, you see why it's necessary. Except that the newest science says it's actually lowering your employees' performance.

Scientific Proof That Micro-Management is Bad For Your Company (And How to Fix It)

Why You Should Accept a Lower Level Job

You're unemployed but finally have a job offer--a lousy one. Do you take it?

To keep reading click here: Why You Should Accept a Lower Level Job

Should I Fill a Vacant Position?

Dear Evil HR Lady,

I recently fired an employee that was not showing up to work and when they did show up, they mostly avoided work. Now my decision is whether or not to fill the position. Our department is fairly small, 9 people with 5 assigned information technology service calls and projects. Of the four team members still here, all work well together and like to be challenged to do new things. When the other person was here, they helped a little bit but didn’t really make a difference in workload.

Our workload is steady and mostly busy. Revenues have been down, but the workload hasn’t changed too much, in fact we have more business changes and improvements to deal with now than when revenues where higher.

I have noticed more collaboration since the 5th started to slack off from their duties. However, I am a little worried that we may become a little burned out if we increase the workload on a constant basis. Should I hire someone or not? Any suggestions?

To read the answer click here: Should I Fill a Vacant Position?

10 Tips For Salary Negotiation

Salary negotiation is the last step before accepting your new job. If you are someone who dreads the negotiation, here are 10 suggestions to help you be successful.

To read, please click here: 10 Tips For Salary Negotiation

Why You Should Stop Being a Wimp

Success does not get handed to those who sit around and keep their heads down, waiting for good things to come. Those are wimp behaviors and they are not successful. Here's why.

To keep reading click here: Why You Should Stop Being a Wimp

Am I Too Young to be Hired?

Dear Evil HR Lady,

You’ve written a lot about being too old to get hired, but I have the opposite problem–I look too young. I have about 15 years experience in industry, with a strong record of progressive promotions due to a lot of hard work and some shrewd career choices. I ace the phone interviews because I can rely on my experience and relevant examples to outline my credentials. However, in the past, once we get to the face-to-face interview, you can see the bhttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifody language of the interviewer shift, and I end up losing out to someone with more (never expressed as better) experience. I’ve got an interview for an executive position that I’d be perfect for, but am afraid I’ll lose out on because I look too young.

Aside from the standard advice to rely on examples, re-frame weaknesses as strengths, and hit all the relevant pain points of the interviewer(s), what can I do to push aside the age issue? I need to solve this, or I will have to conclude I wasted a lot of my 20’s working on my career when I should have been partying…

I’m not above brushing in some “just-for-old-men” to grey up…

To read the answer, click here: Am I too Young to be Hired?

Are You Too Old To Get Hired?

Age discrimination is an unfortunately reality of today's job market. Here are some suggestions to beat it and walk away with the job.

Are You Too Old To Get Hired?

Why Companies Won't Hire the Unemployed

It's easier to find a job when you have a job. Some companies are taking this principle to the extreme and excluding the unemployed. Here's why.

Click here to read Why Companies Won't Hire the Unemployed

Unemployed For a Long Time? Try This

If you've been out of work a long time, you're not alone. Here are 10 suggestions to help you get a job, even in the face of long term unemployment.

Click here to read: Unemployed For a Long Time? Try This

Employers Hunt Down Your Bachelor Party Pics on Facebook

More companies are conducting internet background checks to scrape up everything you've ever said and done. Should they? And should you care?

Keep reading: Employers Hunt Down Your Bachelor Party Pics on Facebook

Want a Job Where You’re More Likely to Die Than be Fired? Try the Government

Are you the type of person who doesn't like to try very hard? Who, once you get a job, like to kick back and relax, assured that it's very unlikely you'll ever be terminated? Then check this out.

click here to read on: Want a Job Where You’re More Likely to Die Than be Fired? Try the Government

Is Your Sense of Entitlement Ruining Your Career?

Everything should be fair. Scratch that, everything should be set up to benefit you and your needs. If you believe that, you may be damaging your own career. Here's why.

To read more click here: Is Your Sense of Entitlement Ruining Your Career

Whiny, Entitled Employees? Blame Their Professors

Is your office plagued by whiny, entitled employees? Turns out they've had years of grade and ego inflation. Here's how to restore peace and tranquility to your staff.

To read more click: Whiny, Entitled Employees? Blame Their Professors

How to Land Your Employees In Therapy

You want to be loved by your staff, so you're nice. But being too nice may end up being just as harmful as being too mean. Here's why.

To read more click: How to Land Your employees in Therapy

Stop Being a Lazy Job Seeker

People who are laid off, often complain that it’s that evil outsourcing that caused their job to go away. So, then, what do they turn to while searching for a job? Outsource the process, of course. Apparently, it’s the American way.

To read more click here: Stop Being a Lazy Job Seeker

Why America Needs More Bad Jobs

Everyone agrees--America needs more good jobs. But what if good jobs aren't enough? What if we really need more bad jobs?

Read Why American Needs More Bad Jobs

Does My Employee Have a Medical Problem or a Performance Problem?

Dear Evil HR Lady,

I have an employee who drinks a LOT of water - probably well over a gallon a day while she’s at work. This means that every 30 minutes she’s either in the bathroom, or filling her water glass. I’ve

recommended combining these into her break or bringing a jug to keep at her desk, but then she’ll ask if that means I’m not going to allow her to go to the bathroom when she needs to.

Notes:

We’re a health oriented company, so telling an employee they can’t drink as much water as they want kind of goes against our wellness ideals.
This person is struggling to get her work done and has a hard time focusing on her tasks, and I believe that the constant water/bathroom breaks have become an excuse to get away from her desk.
This person is also pregnant, but the water issue has been going on for months before she found out about the baby. It’s just gotten worse, because she’s now three months along and using that as another excuse for her constant bathroom breaks since the day after she took the test. It could be legitimate as I’ve never been pregnant, but the other moms in my department have clearly stated that they didn’t experience the bladder pressure until much later in their pregnancies. Yes, the rest of my team is noticing and commenting. But I’m not a doctor so I can’t diagnose this as a pregnancy-related symptom.
We’re a phone based department, so coverage is an issue.

I’ve been addressing the performance issues with her, but am afraid that if it gets to the point where we let her go, she’ll come back with some type of wild discrimination issue over not being able to go to the bathroom/drink water. I wouldn’t be surprised if she tried a pregnancy discriminahttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.giftion suit, though I have had other pregnant women in the department in the past where we were able to work out very successful plans to accommodate them reasonably - but they were still performing at a high level. I don’t want to go to our HR department without a good idea of what to do as they tend to be ineffective.

I have asked if there is a medical reason why she needs so much water. She says no, that she just likes water.

What would you advise? Am I missing something here? I’m stumped!


To read the answer click here: Does My Employee Have a Medical Problem or a Performance Problem?

Why Your Annual Review is Unfair

Dear Evil HR Lady

It’s employee evaluation time again, and I am feeling very frustrated. For the past two years my boss has given me the highest possible evaluation. He has said I am the best employee he’s had for 15 years and he can’t think of any suggestions for improvement. But then he has given me 2s and 3s as ratings (1 is the highest and 5 is the lowest). When I asked him about it, he said that he was told to do so (he actually had to lower the initial ratings he gave me) because if he gave me all 1s then he’d have to give me a raise, and he has been told he can’t give raises. This is company policy that I don’t think he can do anything about, but it’s extremely disheartening. Do I just shrug my shoulders and go along with this unfair system? How common is this?

To read my answer click here: Why Your Annual Review is Unfair

When Your Company is Breaking the Law

Dear Evil HR Lady,

Currently I’m quite frustrated with how my boss is handling payroll. Understand, this is a small business consisting of only eight other employees and the issue may be victim to this fact. The pay schedule is set on the first and fifteenth, however, the total hours paid are determined by the previous time period. To explain further:

For the paycheck on July 1, 2011 I will be paid the hours worked from June 1,2011 through June 15, 2011.

Hours worked June 1 - June 15, paid July 1
Hours worked June 15 - June 30, paid July 15

California labor law clearly states that first and fifteenth pay schedules are to be paid no later than the 26th of the month for hours worked through the 1st and 15th and hours to be paid no later than the 11th of the following month for hours worked from the 16th to the following period.

This had not been discussed at any time during the hiring process and nowhere in my training. I’m typically an understanding person when it comes to issues of these sorts but having just gotten back to work after being laid off in January, I am in need of these hours to be paid in order for me to start paying off my past due bills. I’m looking for advice on how to approach this issue with my boss.

To read my answer, click here: When Your Company is Breaking the Law

What Should I Wear to a Job Interview

You've through all the hoops and now it's time for the face to face interview. What on earth do you wear?

What Should I Wear to a Job Interview

What Perk Would Keep You At Your Job?

Employee perks are coming back. Is that enough to keep you at a job? What perks would make you stay, even if you could get more money somewhere else?

What Perk Would Keep You At Your Job?

And The Winners Are

The winners of the stupidest title are:

Michelle with her "Decision Support Professional."

TheAssistant with "Outreach and Communications Guru." Any title with "Guru" in it, is a bad one.

And Anonymous with the "Large and Complex Team Leader."

It was really, really, hard to choose and I thank you all. I wanted to include the Dam Supervisor from Tales of a Young Recruiter, but it actually is a very good title. Now I want to go work for a HydroElectric plant so I can be Dam HR Manager.

Michelle, The Assistant and Anonymous (the large and complex one), send your addresses to EvilHRLady@gmail.com and I will send you your official Swiss Chocolate!

Thanks to everyone who participated. I love you all.

Is My Boss Racist, or Just Being a Good Manager?

Dear Evil HR Lady,

I work for a state supported college. I have worked there for 23 years. I have been passed up for promotion to the top IT job at the school 3 times in the last 9 years. Each time the top job comes available, the President elects NOT to advertise the position internally or externally and just appoints who he wants to have the job.

Each time, the position is filled with one of his cronies or someone with little to no experience or formal education or training in the IT field. I am an African America male with 30 years of experience in IT. My position is 3rd from the top IT position. I often feel that I am not afforded an equal opportunity to compete for the top job because of this hiring practice.

Also, I calculated that I have missed out on approximately $150,000 of income had I gotten the job 10 years ago. Is this discrimination? Also, is this a charge that the EEOC will consider?

Is My Boss Racist, or Just Being a Good Manager?

Why You Are Not Overqualified

In the past few weeks I’ve gotten a lot of emails from people who claim to be “overqualified.” To quote that philosophical genius, Inigo Montoya, “You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.”

Why You Are Not Overqualified

The Party Fund Problem–Collecting Money in the Workplace

Dear Evil HR Lady,

I often find myself in scenarios where my co-workers ask the team to contribute money for a common cause. It might be the birthday cake fund (”The team has hired 5 new people and we need to buy a bigger cake, so we need an extra five dollars.”) When a co-worker gets married, the team wants to purchase them a gift card. And the like.

Now, I often don’t mind contributing to these kinds of things - five bucks here, ten dollars here, and it’s all good. But I hate the emails I get asking for money. I don’t like that someone keeps a mental spreadsheet of who contributes and who doesn’t. And harder still is when I am tasked with passing around the hat - is there even a tactful non-obligatory anonymous way to collect money without making people feel pressure?

I suggested that, in one instance, I would just purchase the gift card on behalf of the team. But no, they clamored, the gift is from *all of us*, not from *you*, which means I might not collect enough for a meaningful gift and forces me to beg for money from everyone else.

How might I suggest that our team proceed for the next money-collection? Should I just purchase the gift (which I am willing to do on my own means) and pretend like everybody contributed equally?

These initiatives are not coming from management, so there is no foul play there. How should workplace community pots of money be handled?

The Party Fund Problem–Collecting Money in the Workplace

Why the Walmart Ruling is Good For Everyone

The Supreme Court gave the victory to Walmart today. The reason Walmart prevailed had a lot to do with their policies--or lack thereof. This is good news for all of us.

Why the Walmart Ruling is Good For Everyone

What If You Knew Everyone's Salary?

In our culture, it's not polite to discuss salaries. But what would happen if salary information was publicly available?

What If You Knew Everyone's Salary?

Does Your Title Matter? Plus Free Chocolate!

What is your most ridiculous title? Or, what title have you had that absolutely did not reflect your actual work?

I've written a whole article on Does Your Title Matter, but I really, really, really want to know what lousy titles you've had.

In fact, I'll bribe you with chocolate. I have 3, 100 Gram Swiss Chocolate bars. I will send them to the three best submissions. I will send them anywhere the Swiss postal service allows me to send them, although I make no guarantees that they won't be melted. Melted Swiss chocolate still tastes good.

Contest ends on Friday, June 24. And, by making your comment, you are also agreeing that I can use your comment in a future article.

Can Your Boss Micro-Manage You To Death?

Dear Evil HR Lady,

I am a sales manager and my area happens to be booming lately, requiring extensive travel; planes, trains, and automobiles. I am exempt of course. I make my own schedules and go when needed and stay as long as is necessary to get the job done. I am away from home often and normally at least 2 to 3 nights at a time. I all of a sudden have not much of a life at home.

My boss will not let me take any time off unless I use vacation. He won’t let me leave an hour early if I need to go somewhere. If I get in at 9:00 p.m. from a 3 day trip, I am expected to be in the office the next day. I think we are treated like hourly employees, but expected to put in as many hours to do our jobs as necessary. Shouldn’t it go both ways? I have been a salaried employee for 25 years and have never had such rigid requirements and have to ask everything little thing. In addition our boss make judgement calls. It’s totally up to his mood and if he thinks it is “important”. I puts us in a position of never knowing what end is up and being treated like children when we have high levels of responsibility.

What are the rules on all this? Are you really at the whim of a jerk boss?

Can Your Boss Micro-Manage You To Death?

9 Signs Your HR Manager is Terrible

HR departments are often maligned as glorified paper pushers, but a good human resource manager is an invaluable resource, advising you on your people, management techniques, hiring and developing programs that will help you succeed.

What--you say your HR manager isn't doing that? Then it may be the time to show him, or her, the door.

Here are 9 red flags that your HR manager is doing a terrible job. Ignore them at your own risk.

First up: He Never Says, "We Need to Ask the Lawyers."

Bayer Sexual Discrimination: Stop the Mommy Wars

Why can women not call a truce on the mommy wars? We all make choices, and we need to learn to accept the consequences of those choices.

Bayer Sexual Discrimination: Stop the Mommy Wars

Should You Apply Online or In Person?

Dear Evil HR Lady,

Would it be beneficial to go personally and hand in my resume to nearby companies rather than submit it online?

Should You Apply Online or In Person?

Get Hired (Not Fired) With Your Blog

Want a way to reach out to potential hiring managers that demonstrates how awesome you are? How about blogging?

Get Hired (Not Fired) With Your Blog

Should You Get Naked With Your Boss

Dear Evil HR Lady,

I’m an American and male and am currently filling a 2 year expat assignment in Europe. It turns out that the high level male employees frequent the sauna in the company gym. Naked. I’ve been told that if I really want my ideas to be heard, the best way to do this is to join the executive team in the sauna. I’ve also been told that it would be very offensive if I was not naked.

My American sensibilities make me cringe, but should I join them?

Should You Get Naked With Your Boss

How to Write a Resume that Gets the Interview

Remember way back when, when I solicited resumes for review? Well, I finally have it reviewed and up! (The reason for the delay was BNET had never done something like this before and it took some new technical skills. The programmer did a great job!)

The best comments on the resume come from Alison Green at Ask a Manager, so hope over to BNET and take a look.

How to Write a Resume that Gets the Interview

Should You Dispute a Performance Appraisal

Dear Evil HR Lady,

I recently received my first performance review at my retail job, and while I was excited to see what feedback my supervisor had for me, I quickly realized the review was completely phoned in. The supervisor marked me average in every category, and at one point referred to me as Henry. My name is Jason. When I pointed this out, my supervisor admitted to being rushed and copying/pasting a lot of identical information from other evaluations. This justified the store manager in giving me a minimal raise.

I know I don’t deserve straight average marks. I’m better than average in a lot of categories and worse in a few (pushing credit cards and warranties is my weak spot). How should I go about disputing this evaluation without coming across as completely full of myself?

Should You Dispute a Performance Appraisal

6 Ways to Manage Sideways

What is the most important relationship at the office? It just might be with your peers. Here are 6 ways to manage these sideways relationships and get ahead doing it.

6 Ways to Manage Sideways

What If You Had Unlimited Vacation?

What if you had unlimited paid vacation days? Would this be a good thing, or it would it just bring additional frustration, because who has time to take a day off work?

What If You Had Unlimited Vacation?

Can You Apply To The Same Job Twice?

Dear Evil HR Lady,

There is a great job with a great company that I am interested in and well qualified for. I took a lot of time to customize my resume and cover letter and applied for the job three weeks back but haven’t heard anything. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to network my way in so I had to use the company website to apply and it made you choose a desired salary (not even a range). I picked the midpoint of the range I thought was right for the job and my qualifications and hoped for the best.

Now, given some new information from someone I met who works for the company in a different location, I think I might have given too high of a figure and excluded myself from consideration. If it really is as great of a job as it sounds like I would work for less. What are your thoughts on applying again with a lower salary since the job is still posted? Will that look even worse if they see two exact resumes with different salaries or will the hiring manager never even realize that I submitted twice?

Part of what I am looking for is some insight into how in the world company HR sites work anyway. Are they big black holes that make decisions and spit out the best candidates based on a magical formula? Or do they just help organize the information and forward all resumes onto the hiring managers?

Can You Apply To The Same Job Twice?

Sex in the Workplace

Nothing sells like sex. But, in the office, sex may lead to bigger problems than you bargained for.

Sex in the Workplace

Your “Rewards” Aren’t Appreciated By Your Employees

Are your employees not as engaged as you'd like them to be? Perhaps the rewards you're offering leave much to be desired. Here's what you're doing wrong and how to fix it.

Your “Rewards” Aren’t Appreciated By Your Employees

Is the Resume Dead?

The internet is full of advice for making your resume better. People hire “experts” (who may or may not really be experts) to write and revise resumes. We fill them with key words so that we’ll get plucked out of obscurity by a computer. And what if all of this is a big waste of time?

Is the Resume Dead?

I Got Laid Off. What Does the Company Owe Me?

Dear Evil HR Lady,

I just got laid off. I had a signed agreement that the company reimburses tuition for grades of C or higher, but I’m in the middle of a class. Are they still required to pay it? What about relocation costs? My agreement was that I would have to repay if I quit in less than 2 years, and it’s only been 18 months. Are they going to come after me for that? How much severance should I expect?

I Got Laid Off. What Does the Company Owe Me?

Where I Ask You All for Advice

In the past few days I've had one person quote me without providing links back to the original article, and another take huge chunks of text (more than 50%) and print it on his blog.

Both of these practices bug me. Now, I write with the hope that more people will be exposed to my evil ideas so that in the future it will be easy for me to take over the world. (I'm opposed to anything messy, like coups, so mind control seems the better solution.)

Anyway, I sent an email to the guy who quoted (and vehemently disagreed with me) asking him to add a link and got a reply about since when I'd quoted him I linked in the 3rd paragraph (which was where I actually, you know, quoted him) he didn't think what he'd done was any different. He did add the link, though.

So, this morning I started to write an email to the guy who used over 50% of my post in his post, and then wondered if I've just gone off the deep end.

I know how critical it is to blog success to have people link to you and to link to other people. I always credit my sources with links, and if your blog directs me to another source and I quote that source, I'll put in a hat tip [blog where I learned about this] at the bottom of the article.

So, what think ye, brilliant readers? Should I say something or should I just be pleased that other bloggers are reading what I've written?

Why Lying is a Career Killer

My BNET Colleague, Penelope Trunk recently wrote a column titled Why Women Should Lie Even More Than They Do, in which she advised women to lie about everything from their height to their salary. She argues that lying just makes everything “fair.”

It may have been a little too long since Ms. Trunk worked in a normal office job, where you need coworkers to trust you, where HR departments run background checks and where people actually interview you in person.

To read more: Why Lying is a Career Killer

How To Fire a Toxic Employee

Dear Evil HR Lady,

Quick and dirty version, we have a long term employee that is soooo cranky! She talks down to people, demeans them, and everyone, even the executive director is afraid of her. Her superior attitude shuts down all discussion and we are actually supposed to be a really creative and collaborative organization.

I was just brought into the true seriousness of the issue and feel she should be let go. We have already lost 2 employees as a direct result of her, and the way she is tip-toed around makes our management look weak. We are meeting with her next week and putting on 30 day notice. It will be a surprise to her, because she feels she is the star employee of the organization.http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

I’m wondering if you know of any resources to provide her with, rather than just telling her no one wants to work with her and she is severely impacting our ability run a successful organization. It’s pretty sucky to have to tell someone that they are just not liked. Are there any change your attitude type books or improvement programs you would recommend? I’m not patient enough to actually want to work on it, but the Exec director wants to be sure she is given every chance (which she already has been given, plus!).

How To Fire a Toxic Employee

Can You Say No to Your Boss?

You're an accountant, so why is your boss asking you to unclog the kitchen sink? Or take over new hire orientation? Or.... Welcome to Extreme Multi-Tasking.

Can You Say No to Your Boss?

What Should I Expect When I’m Promoted?

Dear Evil HR Lady,

I’m in the process of finding a new job which will include a new title. I’m currently a Senior at my company, and will be looking to find a Manager position. How much of an increase should I expect to get for this bump up the ladder? Also how does cost of living factor in this? For example, if I’m currently in Austin, but moving to San Fransisco and the cost of living is 10% more, should I expect my new salary to reflect that increase? What should I look for in a relocation package? Should the new employer help me with the sale of my house? If they want you to start working before you’ve relocated, should they help pay for a temporary place?

What Should I Expect When I’m Promoted?

When You Should Suck Up To Your Boss

Really Suzanne, some of the dribble I’ve wasted my time on here doesn’t surprise me why & how you & most of the dolts I’ve made wealthy step on & get over . It’s know wonder this country is where its at, smelly lunch? Please…Why don’t you devote some time to why most everyone that gets ahead now days is a self serving a** kiss / con artist. Oh, I know, how to make a honest days work & keep your dignity / virginity. What ever happened to merit? Bla Bla Bla


When You Should Suck Up To Your Boss

Workplace "Rights" That You Don't Have

You know your rights as an employee, right? In many cases, wrong. Here are some "rights" that actually don't exist. Find out what they are before you pitch your fit.

Workplace "Rights" That You Don't Have

I’m Tired of People Wanting to Network With Me

Dear Evil HR Lady,

Will you please stop telling people to network in order to find jobs? I appreciate the need to keep in contact with former colleagues and to speak with people I meet at professional conferences. I know that I will some day want a new job and I hope my contacts will help me.

But, I’m happily employed. In fact, the problem is I have a good job with a good company. I swear everyone I’ve ever passed on the street has tried to get me to get them a job. If I worked with you in the past, it might make sense. But, just because your cousin is my next door neighbor, doesn’t mean you now have an “in” at my company.

I get LinkedIn requests from people I’ve never met, but they’ve seen my name along with my company, so they send a request. I’m tired of it. Tell people to stop. I feel guilty not helping these people, but I also refuse to recommend someone if I don’t know what kind of worker they are.

I'm Tired Of People Wanting to Network With Me

5 Signs That You're the Problem

You have bad luck. You keep getting fired, you never get the good projects, or you have really warped coworkers. Or maybe–just maybe–it’s not them, it’s you. Here are 5 ways to tell if you’re the problem.

5 Signs That You're the Problem

It’s Not How Smart You Are, It’s How Motivated You Are

So, there’s good news for the common person: It’s not about your innate intelligence, it’s about how motivated you are. Or, more likely a combination of the two.

It’s Not How Smart You Are, It’s How Motivated You Are

Are Some Women Too Delicate for the Workplace?

Ladies, your employer is not responsible for making sure your commute is free from evil construction workers who whistle at you. Here are some other things they aren't responsible for:

Are Some Women Too Delicate for the Workplace?

How Can I Make My Employees Take Vacation?

Your company has a culture of "only the weak take time off." What can you do to encourage your employees to take a vacation day now and then?

How Can I Make My Employees Take Vacation?

What If I'm a Slow Learner

Everyone claims to be a fast learner. But, what if you're not? What if you're keenly aware that you are below average in your ability to learn new things? Here are some helps.

What If I'm a Slow Learner

Huffington Post Law Suit: Should You Work For Free?

Should you work for free? Here are 7 things to consider before making that decision

Should You Work For Free?

9 Sure-Fire Ways to Get Fired

Want to get yourself fired? Not laid off--as that would probably mean you were doing a fine job but the company couldn't afford your salary. We're talking about getting fired--with good reason. As in, you've made some very unwise choices. And now your employer wants you off the premises. As soon as possible.

Here are nine people who can show you how to get the boot--and possibly end up in jail. I recommend that you do not follow their examples.

First up: Texting Instead of Filling Potholes

Why You Should Have Food at Your Meetings (or Maybe Not)

Your decisions are different depending on whether you're well fed or hungry. But, which decisions are better?

Why You Should Have Food at Your Meetings (or Maybe Not)

My Boss Would Be Happier If I Lived at the Office

Dear Evil HR Lady,

I just started a new job that includes a housing allowance. Just when I thought how nice they are, my boss e-mailed me with this sentence “Now you have more reason to stay late in the office, since the apartment is just within walking distance.” No one else has a housing allowance or lives as close.

How should I reply? I’m not at all happy with this line.

My Boss Would Be Happier If I Lived at the Office

Will My Atheism Hurt My Career?

Dear Evil HR Lady,

I’m a graduate student at a top international relations program, currently searching for internships and soon to be searching for jobs. My problem is this: when an employer searches my full name, the first result they get is my old profile at a social networking site for atheists. I’ve taken the profile down, but have not been fully successful in removing it from Google’s search results. I’ve tried to make my LinkedIn more prominent in the searches, but it’s not showing up so far.

I’ve talked to friends and some have said that if they were an HR and saw that I’d had a presence on such a site, they’d never hire me on the assumption that I was some sort of radical. Do you think that’s true? I could go on and on about how I’m not, how I got valuable leadership experience running a campus atheist group as an undergraduate, how I carefully avoid discussion of religion in professional and personal settings, but that’s not the first thing the HR will see . . . all they’ll see is my name attached to an unpopular and misrepresented social group.

My question, then, is this: is my worry that employers will get a negative impression of me realistic? Is there a risk that this could cost me a job? More generally, how can I discuss the leadership experience I gained when there’s about a 50-50 chance the employer strongly disagrees with the work I gained it doing?

Will My Atheism Hurt My Career?

Don’t Ban Pre-Employment Credit Checks

Many states are considering limiting employers' abilities to use credit checks as part of a pre-employment screening. Is this practice invasive or practical?

Don’t Ban Pre-Employment Credit Checks

Vegetarian Discrimination

Whether you're a vegetarian or a meat eater, if there's nothing for you to eat a company party, you can feel unappreciated. Here's what to do about that.

Vegetarian Discrimination

Are Today's Workers Too Immature?

Are nit-picky workplace rules and government legislation necessary to force us into acting like grown ups, or is this just unnecessary intrusion into workers' lives?

Are Today's Workers Too Immature?

Why Is It So Hard to Get a Low Paying Job?

Dear Evil HR Lady,

I would like an insider like yourself to answer this instead of getting my info from crazy internet conspiracy theorists. You give wonderful advice to working professionals, but I'm wondering if you won't take a moment to give a hand up to us "regular Joes."

Why is it SO hard to find a JOB? Just a regular job? Do you know of anyone who could entertain that kind of opportunity AND pass the UNICRU test honestly? "Leave It To Beaver" intelligent, honest, friendly, and yet unambitious? Why are these employers so full of themselves and out-of-touch? This isn't Lockheed-Martin, it's a GROCERY STORE. I know... "In the ultra-competitive modern market we have to make even the mundane exceptional." Yet every time I go into one of these places I can't help thinking "THESE people are what they're screening so hard to find?" And YES - I don't WANT to work there, but I must work SOMEWHERE. Even before the economic crisis hit, this was unnecessarily difficult.

Why Is It So Hard to Get a Low Paying Job?

Why Is the Recruiter an Idiot?

Dear Evil HR Lady,

I am curious as to why companies have people who have no idea what a position does conduct 1st round telephone interviews? Makes the job hunting process even more frustrating.

There are two answers to this question: One nice and one not so nice. Let’s start with the answer that gives recruiters and companies the benefit of the doubt.

Why Is the Recruiter an Idiot?

My Boss Harasses Me, What Do I Do?

Your boss treats you differently than your coworker of a different race. Your coworker seem to always be watching porn when you walk by his cube. Your team leader makes fun of your accent. You want the harassment to stop, but what do you do?

My Boss Harasses Me, What Do I Do?

How to Ask Why You Didn't Get the Job

Dear Evil HR Lady,

Is it considered poor taste to call an interviewer to ask why you weren’t selected for a job?

How to Ask Why You Didn't Get the Job

A One Week Resume Review Service

Holy cow, it's the offer of a life time. Alison at Ask a Manager is, for one week only, doing personalized resume reviews for only $75.

She's only doing it for a week, though, so if you want yours done, you better ask fast.

And for the record, she didn't ask me to post this, but I saw her post and thought, on the off chance that some of my readers don't read her (and you really should), they need to know about this.

She has all the details at Ask a Manager.

Why You Should Be a Slacker

If you want to get ahead, you need a Type A personality. Go, go, go. Right? The more stress you’re under, the better you perform. You can handle everything.

Turns out, that's not quite right.

Why You Should Be a Slacker

Bait and Switch Jobs

Dear Evil HR Lady,

After two years of unemployment, desperate job hunting and massive amount of resumes sent, I was finally HIRED! And now I am miserable. The job is in my career field but it’s a linear move which can be seen as over-experienced issue (not an over-qualified issue). My daily work consists of administrative assisting for an Associate Director which was not included in the job description, as well as working as the Scholarship Coordinator.

After a week on this job, I am bogged down by the immense disorganization in tracking scholarships and donations. The student/recipient money tracking borders on fraudulence. After a recent staff meeting, I realized why my initial suggestions/ideas on improving the system and promoting the program were not encouraged. In the staff organization chart, my position is next to the interns and secretaries. After ten years in the Non-Profit profit, I honestly feel like I was hired on a lie. I was under the impression I would have far more autonomy and not be a paper pusher. My frustration is starting to reflect in my attitude and my performance which is uncharacteristic to my personality.

After finally recovering from a terrible job market, I want to be grateful for this position. But the non-creative, clerical workload, topped with the outright dishonesty in the job description has left me in tears on a daily basis and already planning an exit strategy.

Any suggestions or words of advice on how to proceed with this delicate issue?

Bait and Switch Jobs

7 Steps to Becoming an Adult at Work

Dear Evil HR Lady,

I am 18 years old and just started a full time job. I work 10:30-6:30 at a daycare center and I already hate it. I started working as a sub there and wasn’t getting many hours, so when they offered me this job I was really excited about the hours I would be getting. But, I now have no life. Summer is coming and I’m not going to be able to do anything. I feel depressed and sad all the time. I never smile. I would like this position if I didn’t have to stay so late and maybe had a day off now and then, but that is just not possible here. What should I do?

7 Steps to Becoming an Adult at Work

Why Workplace Bullying Should Be Legal

Workplace bullying is a real problem, but the solution isn't new legislation. In fact, laws can protect the bully as well. Here's why.

Why Workplace Bullying Should Be Legal

My Job is Awesome, But My Boss is a Jerk

Dear Evil HR Lady,

The company I work for is very small (6 of us in total including part-timers). The founder and my boss are also father and son respectively. My boss is a bully and true to your advice I have been trying to offset his negativity by rising above it, concentrating on the task at hand, and confronting him where necessary. However, nothing seems to help for very long. I have even started creating a log of all ‘misdemeanors’ in case I ever need to substantiate any claims. It would make for rather hilarious reading if it wasn’t happening to me.

I love my job - the work is great and I feel all the things I should feel when satisfied with the content of my day. It’s just I can’t seem to keep my boss happy. I do a universally accepted great job (customers all over the world send very positive feedback) and when it comes to appraisal time, he will nix all my efforts by something like (and this is genuine) forgetting the sellotape. He doesn’t communicate much, he engages in politicking, he tells half truths which I discover later when talking to other colleagues, he’s never on time for meetings and often just blows them off at the last minute, complains about everything under the sun when everyone else gives a glowing report, shifts the goalposts, undermines my authority (gives me responsibility, takes it away and dumps it back last minute if it’s not going well for me to pick up the pieces and clear his name), all my ideas are rubbish in his view… need I go on?

Please don’t ask me to update my CV and prepare to look for a new job - it really is a great job, I get a fab work-life balance as it’s a mile from my house, all my other colleagues are lovely and genuine, I have a fantastic rapport with all my customers and I am doing a great job earning money for the company. I just need to know how to handle my boss. It is a tricky situation, and I guess there’s no simple answer to the problem but I’m hoping you are able to enlighten me with some golden nuggets of wisdom.

My Job is Awesome, But My Boss is a Jerk

Key to Success? Stop Being So Cheerful

So, it turns out that people who were really happy as children tend to not pay attention while crossing the street and die young, or something else just as miserable. (I made up that part about cars because I'm cranky and I'm feeding into my bad attitude in the hope of living longer. If you die young, you never get to be one of those crabby old ladies that do whatever they want because they are old and I so want to do that.)

Key to Success? Stop Being So Cheerful

Am I a Bad Employee or Do All My Past Bosses Stink?

Fired one time for not being a team player? Maybe it's an anomaly. Fired 3 times for the same reason? Either you have really bad luck, or you really stink.

Am I a Bad Employee or Do All My Past Bosses Stink?

March Madness in the Office

Dear Evil HR Lady,

My coworker is running a March Madness pool. People are paying $5 to place bets. Gambling is illegal in our state and I'm afraid he'll get busted. Should I tell the boss or HR?

March Madness in the Office

Can You Be Fired For Asking For a Raise?

You want--no deserve--a raise. Is it possible that if you get up the courage to ask for one, your boss will fire you? Can they even do that?

Can You Be Fired For Asking For a Raise?

Is Anybody Even Reading Cover Letters?

Dear Evil HR Lady,

Now that employers aren’t reading resumes - instead just putting them through scanners to find keyword matches - do they still read cover letters? I’ve got no problem crafting specific cover letters for the various jobs I’m applying to. That said, my job search is time-consuming enough without spending time and energy on a cover letter no one is going to read.

Is Anybody Even Reading Cover Letters?

And if you don't have time (or desire) to read my article, linked above, make sure you read Alison Green's (Ask a Manager) article on cover letters. I quote from it in my article, but you need to read the whole thing.

Why is the Hiring Process So Slow?

You would think that with unemployment being so high that hiring would be super easy. After all, you simply tell your employees that you’re hiring and post the job on your company’s websites. Within minutes LinkedIn is buzzing with all that networking and your company’s servers are being overwhelmed with hundreds of applicants.

So, Why is the Hiring Process So Slow?

8 Ways to Stop a Coworker From Sabotaging Your Reputation

Dear Evil HR Lady,

There are two of us in equal positions at my office. The excuse our Manager used for not promoting either of us was that there could only be one promotion and therefore it would not be forthcoming this year because if one was promoted the other would make too much fuss. Since that time this other employee has been determined to undermine me with our boss by finding fault with everything I do, even to point of saying I am not qualified for my job, lied about my number of overtime hours and quoted me as saying I thought he was an idiot. I find my boss is buying everything she says. What can I do at this point to help save my job and bring attention to fact she is deliberately trying to get herself promoted by sabotaging me.

8 Ways to Stop a Coworker From Sabotaging You

How to Get Your Boss Fired

Dear Evil HR Lady,

My coworkers and I are all miserable because our manger is, in a word, terrible. While I’d love to list her shortcomings (they are many), I’ll just say that in the seven months she has been here, she single-handedly ruined what used to be a fantastic, high-functioning group.

Finally, one of our coworkers (we’ll call her Tanya) approached HR about the problems we’ve been having. This launched a little investigation into our team. Over the past eight weeks or so, HR has been meeting with each of us individually, Tanya and our manager together, and the manager’s boss (who visibly bristles every time this woman talks) separately. We were sure this investigation would culminate in our manager’s termination. Yet, she persists.

As far as we can tell, our manager is railroading us at every turn, and HR is blaming Tanya for being insubordinate. They also seem to think the rest of us are all on edge because Tanya and our manager don’t get along. Dumb. It seems completely infeasible that they don’t see what’s really going on, but they’ve shown no indication that they’re going to do anything but develop more “process” for us and mediate the conflict between Tanya and the manager. We’re feeling pretty helpless right now.

We’re all actively looking for other jobs (and helping each other look), but we’d really love to salvage the situation here if at all possible. Is there anything you recommend we can do as a group to tactfully communicate, “You’re about to lose an entire team of people if you don’t get rid of her”? We’re vaguely considering approaching HR as a group, but we’re not even sure how that conversation would go. Any insight you can give would be greatly appreciated

How to Get Your Boss Fired

Have You Received Rude Rejection Letters?

In a tough job market, rude rejections unfortunately are common. What's the best (or worst) kind of job hunting rejection?

Have You Received Rude Rejection Letters?

Sexting and Other Bad Career Moves

Want to get yourself fired? Combining your sex life with your office life is a good way to get yourself and your career in trouble.

Sexting and Other Bad Career Moves