SavvySugar

Ask Savvy: My Interview With a Plastic Surgeon Ended Abruptly

SavvySugar — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 06:00:32 -0800

Dear Savvy,

I applied for a receptionist job at a plastic surgeon's office (I have experience in this field). Yesterday, I was called back and interviewed on the phone for about 15 or 20 minutes with the office manager. She asked if I'd come in to be interviewed by the doctor. I went in this morning for my interview. I met and spoke with the doctor for a while before he called the office manager and other receptionist to come and speak to me.

It seemed to be going well until the doctor came in and asked to speak to the office manager. I could hear them in the hallway saying something about "she's here early." They came back in and said, "I'm sorry, but I have to cut this interview short. We'll get back to you (or we'll be in touch, I can't remember verbatim)." So, I went and got my coat from the closet. As I was walking out, the doctor and office manager were greeting what seemed to be an important patient - judging from her Chanel jacket. The receptionist was even rushing coffee over to her.

Now, I'm confused. The interview seemed to be going well and I'd understand if something came up, but it seemed very odd and that I was being abruptly shuttled out. I'm not sure if it was just the circumstances or if I was being brushed off. If it was a brush off, it was a very unprofessional way to go about it. I'm disappointed because I felt a good vibe coming in and they were initially very nice. I just wrote and sent out a thank you note, I guess it's all I can do. Any insight into the situation?

To see my answer, read more.

Savvy says: Now I'm dying to know the identity of the woman in the Chanel jacket! Kidding, kidding. But important client or not, the interviewers handled the situation unprofessionally. How could you not leave asking yourself, "What just happened?" Your seemingly positive interview was cut off without explanation except for the small pieces you could put together, and it's just enough to leave you both frustrated and confused.

From your description of the way events played out, it doesn't seem like you were simply brushed off, but I can't say for sure. I think you did the right thing by sending them a note right away, and hopefully you included something along the lines of, "I really enjoyed speaking with you and our interview was unfortunately cut short; if there's anything else you'd like to know about me please feel free to ask." You've left the door open, and now it's in the employer's hands to knock again.

Have a question for me? Ask away by posting your questions in my Ask Savvy group.

Should Hooters Waitresses Have to Pay For Their Own Uniforms?

SavvySugar — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:00:00 -0800

Hooters is one of the rare establishments where the workers' uniforms are more famous than the food. In some states, employees are required to cover the bill for their orange outfits, but New York isn't one of those places. That's why two New York women are suing Hooters for forcing them to buy their own work wardrobes.

Gina Rosati and Amy Frederick say Hooters required them to buy the getup, and their lawyer says it's against state law to make employees purchase anything other than street clothes. The total for each uniform is $19.45, broken down below. What do you think; should the ladies be responsible for the job-related expenses?

$5.45 for orange hot pants
$6 for the Hooters embellished tank top
$3.25 for a pouch
$2.50 for "suntan" pantyhose
$2.25 for thick white socks

8 Successful Companies That Are Still Hiring

SavvySugar — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 14:45:36 -0700

Personal experience and news reports might tell us that nobody is hiring right now, but Fortune says to think again. The magazine recently released its 40 Under 40 - a list of the hottest rising stars in business - and many of them are looking to expand their teams. To see who these entrepreneurs are and what they’re looking for, read more.

Performance Review Time: 5 Tips For Evaluating Yourself

SavvySugar — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 12:00:35 -0700

For many companies, holiday season is synonymous with performance-review season. And chances are, that process will include a self-evaluation. Filling out self-evaluations can be tricky (are you talking up your accomplishments enough? Will your boss agree with your assessment of your performance?), but they don’t have to be painful. Read on for five tips to help you shine on your self-evaluation.

Be realistic: Try to evaluate yourself as objectively as possible, and think about your performance in the context of your job description. Remember that simply fulfilling the requirements of your position doesn’t necessarily mean you’re blowing your boss’s expectations out of the water. At the same time, be sure to give yourself credit where credit is due; performance reviews aren’t the time for false modesty.

Be specific: Sweeping statements about your job performance won’t get you very far in a self-evaluation. For every accomplishment or strength you mention, have a specific example to back it up.

For three more tips on acing your review, keep reading.

Are You Challenged Enough at Work?

SavvySugar — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 14:45:47 -0700

Although some of us may dream of getting paid to do nothing all day, being challenged at work is actually crucial to job satisfaction. If we’re not challenged enough, we feel bored, restless, and unproductive. If our tasks are too challenging, we feel overwhelmed and stressed. Where does your current job fall on that spectrum?

Source: Flickr User josh.liba

10 Resources For a Complete Job Search

SavvySugar — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 04:30:24 -0700

When job hunting is your full-time job, you've got to do everything in your power to get an interview. That means using your open-ended days to exhaust all of your resources. Get out of your job-hunting rut and find more opportunities by tapping into these 10 places.

View Slideshow ›

Want to Work Less? Try Sharing Your Job

SavvySugar — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 12:00:27 -0700

We all know that it’s important to maintain a happy work-life balance, but sometimes that’s easier said than done. Over the past decade, more and more employees, most of them women, have turned to job sharing to strike that balance. Job sharing allows you to essentially split a job (and its title, responsibilities, and salary) with another person, meaning you both work part-time.

Aside from the obvious benefits for the job-sharing employee, a job share can actually work out pretty well for employers, too. It often results in happier, more productive employees who are extremely thorough in their work. It also means better job coverage, since one job-sharing partner simply fills in while the other is sick or on vacation.

Even if your company doesn’t currently offer any shared positions, it might be open to doing so. One friend worked herself into a job share by writing up a detailed proposal for her boss and getting a partner on board with her plan ahead of time; another friend did the same with her teaching job in order to spend more time with her young kids. Is job sharing something you’d ever consider?

Back to Basics: Interview Dos and Don'ts, Part 3

SavvySugar — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 12:00:59 -0700

Recently, I taught a workshop on interviewing to 400 high-schoolers. I had to find a way to keep the information short, sweet, and simple for the 17-and-under crowd, and in doing so, I realized I was getting a pretty nice interview refresher myself.

For the workshop, I broke down the interview process into dos and don’ts for before, during, and after the interview. I've already given you my basic tips for before and during an interview; to see my dos and don'ts for after your next interview, keep reading

Salaries For the Best Jobs in the US: Guess How Much

SavvySugar — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 06:00:05 -0700

Many unemployed Americans would be happy to have just about any job right now, but that hasn't stopped Money magazine and PayScale.com from ranking the best jobs in the country. Fifty jobs were ranked based on a survey of 35,000 people who ranked their jobs on qualities like intellectual challenge, flexibility, and job security.

The most well-paid positions on the list were not necessarily ranked in the top spots. Can you guess how much some of the best jobs pay the workers who fill them?

Take the quiz

Ask Savvy: I Don't Want to Share My Office With a Co-Worker

SavvySugar — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 12:00:21 -0700

Dear Savvy,

A few months ago I was asked by one of the company's directors if I would be willing to share my office with my direct co-worker/teammate and I declined and said I did not feel comfortable with it. My company complied with my request, and I shared with another person.

The situation has come up again, but this time my boss will be asking. Our team is small: boss, me, teammate. My reasons for not wanting to share an office with my teammate are personal - she is horribly messy, she smells funny, and overall she is not overly friendly. I am not the only person in our company who has noticed all of these things. I tolerate her as a teammate, but that's about it, and I don't feel comfortable at all sharing my personal space with her.

How do I tell my boss that I am not comfortable with this without making it seem like I am not a team player? I don't feel I should have to work in conditions that I'm not comfortable with. Any advice?

Savvy says: Work is one of those places where personal space is inevitably compromised - like a college dorm, except you get to leave at the end of each day. See my tips for handling your dilemma when you read more.

Be aware of the way you criticize your co-worker when talking to your boss. Pointing out that she isn't "overly friendly" won't convince your boss that you and this person are a bad match - you don't have to be best friends. Instead of saying that she "smells funny," you can suggest that she has questionable personal hygiene, but this is a really sensitive issue, so you better be confident in your accusation.

You'll have the most success by asking your boss if you can work together to find another solution. Go into the meeting with your own ideas to show your boss you've thought this through; that's evidence of how important it is that you don't end up sharing an office with this person. Along with your alternate solutions, go into the meeting with handful of reasons why this work arrangement would negatively affect not only your work environment but your performance as well.

If there's simply no other way to pair you up with someone else or find you a desk somewhere else in the office, you might just have to deal with it for now. Try to make the best of this potential situation by making your own area as pleasant as possible - and by giving this co-worker a chance. Give her the benefit of the doubt, and if she fails to live up to good co-worker standards, revisit the issue with your boss after a reasonable chunk of time.

Have a question for me? Ask away by posting your questions in my Ask Savvy group.