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short answer Sunday — 6 short answers to 6 short questions -- ASK A MANAGER
short answer Sunday — 6 short answers to 6 short questions

by ASK A MANAGER on APRIL 21, 2013



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



1. Starting a new job and changing my name in a few months



I’m starting a new job in May, but I’m also getting married in August. It seems like an inconvenience to my new employer to put my current name on the paperwork when I’ll be changing it in a few months. Especially when you consider user credentials, email addresses, business cards, introducing me to the staff, etc. It just makes sense to me to put my new name, but legally it isn’t my name yet.



I’ve already started using my new name in some cases but nothing major and official. What are your thoughts?



I don’t think you should start using the married name until you’re actually married and it’s truly yours, but why not explain the situation to them and ask how they’d like to handle it? That way, you’re not deciding something is an inconvenience for them that they might not care about. Plus, it’s really not a big deal as far as introducing you to the staff and ordering business cards; a name change there is really not going to onerous. It could potentially be a bigger pain with user credentials, so talk to them about that and find out what they think.



2. Is this salary negotiation a red flag?



I applied for a job in which I was spectacularly low-balled. The industry standard is 70k+ minimum, and they offered me 60k. I was floored as I had done some trial contract work for them as part of the process and, when you add it up, the contract work per-hour was higher than 60k a year — and here they were offering to pay me less.



I pointed this out (and asked for 75k+) and they were disinterested in budging to even the level per-hour of the trial; so we parted ways. 2 weeks has gone past and they’ve come back offering me 70k with bonuses up to 74k because they reviewed it and think that I’m now worth it. I want the job but I also know that the whole process was a red flag; do you think that I should say no because of how I was treated — is this a sign for how I will be treated in the job if I take it? They seem so nice when they talk to me and their employees rave about working there.



When you’re doing contract work, you usually have a higher hourly rate than what a salary would break down to — because you’re responsible for paying your own taxes, don’t have benefits, etc.



If employees rave about working there and they’re willing to pay you what you want, I don’t see a major red flag. And I don’t see signs that you were treated badly — this is pretty normal negotiation.



3. Looking for a job soon after starting a new one



I know that you should leave a job off a resume if you left after a few months, but what if you’ve currently been at a job for a few months and you’re already looking for a different job? Is there a way to put that on a resume without looking bad?



Well, you’ve got to be prepared to explain why you’re looking to leave so soon. You’ll definitely be asked.



4. Employers asked about my annual reviews from my current employer



Can a hiring manager ask what rating you received on your annual review? Or if you have ever received a verbal or written warning at your current employer?



Yes.



5. Following up with a hiring manager who rejected me when a new position opens up



I applied for a job that received 150 applications. I received a phone interview and it went really well. The hiring manager advised me of the process for the next round of interviews and when I could expect a call. I never received the call and sent a follow-up email. She explained HR was historically slow and said that she appreciated my patience and continued interested. Two days later, I received a very gracious rejection letter from the hiring manager. She made a point of telling me how impressed she was with my background, clear comprehension of what the department was looking for, and my professionalism during the interview process.



I was surprised, but honestly the rejection letter was almost apologetic — the nicest rejection letter I had ever received. I sent her a follow-up email thanking her for the opportunity in light of the large number of candidates and expressed my desire to work for such a well respected organization. I wished her and her staff much success and hoped our paths would cross again one day.



I would like to apply for a newly posted position at this organization and want to reach out to her for a referral and maybe insight to better my chances for this position. Would this be appropriate and will you provide some guidance on how to ask for help?



Apply, and then send her a note letting her know that you did. Don’t ask for insight to better your chances though; if she wants to give you that, she will, but if you ask for it, it’s a little too close to saying “give me a special advantage here,” which is too much to ask of someone who doesn’t know you well.



6. Business cards for recent graduates



I am a recent graduate exploring careers in different industries. I recently decided to get a business card to be a bit more professional, and to keep with me in case I find myself in a networking opportunity. I graduated with a psych degree but it is not something that I am pursuing as a career, but rather something I do in my spare time, volunteering. The majority of my professional experience, though in different industries, is administrative.



There’s so much out there as far as what a “young professional” should have on a business card, like graphics (I’m not so sure about that) or listing your skills on the back. I just wanted to get your thoughts on the best format for a business card for a recent grad/young professional that is not industry specific, but is still professional and gives people an idea of what I am about.



Name, contact info, and a brief line explaining what type of work you’re looking for. That’s it. Listing skills on the back — I’m not a fan, although I’m having trouble explaining why. I guess because that turns it into almost a mini-resume, which isn’t really what a business card is. And if you asked if you should carry mini-resumes, I would say no. I’m really having trouble articulating why I don’t like this though, so maybe someone else can supplement this rather feeble answer.



And all this is if you even need a business card — I’m skeptical that they’re particularly useful in this type of context, although they won’t hurt to have.