tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.comments2023-09-29T06:09:21.089-04:00Ask a ManagerAsk a Managerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05281942480230532899noreply@blogger.comBlogger9835125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-69855032001097971772010-12-27T12:37:56.130-05:002010-12-27T12:37:56.130-05:00They asked me not to return for work the following...<i>They asked me not to return for work the following week. My boss had been the manager of that branch for 9+ years, so I can understand how they would want to keep her rather than I who had only been there for 3 years.</i><br /><br />I defintely don't understand why they would want to keep her. They have it writing that she was behaving that way. Maybe they thought she'd try to sue if they took away her "free speech." Sounds like they don't have a written social media policy.Dawnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-11298779271628963062010-12-27T10:39:32.595-05:002010-12-27T10:39:32.595-05:00I'm the asker of the 'sense of humor' ...I'm the asker of the 'sense of humor' question. Thanks, Alison, for taking my question!<br /><br />I admit I still can't quite shake my suspiciousness especially since the requirement was listed in the title of the ad and because the company is notorious for a strait-laced, almost grim culture. It's too bad I'm not interested in the job; I'd be very curious to find out whether Alison is right that I am reading too much into it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-61054142380927097712010-12-27T10:30:46.277-05:002010-12-27T10:30:46.277-05:00Unless there's a federal protection here that ...Unless there's a federal protection here that hasn't been mentioned, it's unlikely, despite what the manager's higher-ups said in the meeting, that this would be construed as illegal workplace harassment. I don't think the OP is likely to have a case that a decent lawyer would be willing to take (you can always find a lawyer willing to be paid hourly to work on anything, of course). Not that she can't call one and ask, of course; just saying that from what she's saying, there really isn't much of anything there to actually file on.<br /><br />Kudos to you, OP, for behaving with class in a difficult and unpleasant situation, and I'm glad that 1) it's over and 2) you're happy with your new arrangement.fpostehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04585253003390376993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-34853544919225051452010-12-27T09:12:17.967-05:002010-12-27T09:12:17.967-05:00Perhaps they should be treated the same as being o...Perhaps they should be treated the same as being on a water cooler.<br /><br />Facebook is highly googlable (it comes up first for many people) -- and things on websites never fully go away, even if you robot-txt your site (site crawlers don't HAVE to listen to your cache instructions). Saying it at the water cooler is not like that unless your workplace records every single verbal conversation you have.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-59120783659331892542010-12-27T04:40:48.728-05:002010-12-27T04:40:48.728-05:00I've experienced similar behavior from a cowor...I've experienced similar behavior from a coworker. My coworker also repeatedly asked me if I'd like to be punched in the face. He always said that after I would get work he wasn't trusted to do or didn't have the expertise to do. When I reported his threats of violence and his standing about 2 inches from me whenever he entered uninvited into my cube, my manager stated that my coworker was probably just kidding. I work in a shipyard as an engineer, and I'm finding that this type of behavior toward women there is worse among the engineers than the trades employees. He actually has to hit me for something to be done about it. Unfortunately, there is no state law against idiot managers.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-89648160121614568762010-12-27T04:28:23.911-05:002010-12-27T04:28:23.911-05:00I believe that social networks are just as open sp...I believe that social networks are just as open space as your boss's office or the spot at the water cooler: whatever is said on Facebook should be governed (and judged) by the same criteria that would apply to any other business or social fora, hence your company values (plus any applicable ER/IR regulations) should be the governing factors in the decision.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01455949472705629468noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-53975365283700380672010-12-26T15:22:18.915-05:002010-12-26T15:22:18.915-05:00Isn't it lovely how bad behavior is rewarded? ...Isn't it lovely how bad behavior is rewarded? The manager will only target someone later without worry since she realizes the supervisors are all talk.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-26547536064336223852010-12-26T15:15:14.385-05:002010-12-26T15:15:14.385-05:00I am coming late to this discussion so I might be ...I am coming late to this discussion so I might be off-base with this, but it sounds you are not alone with the problem you are describing. Here is some very interesting investigative reporting by my local newspaper, The Dallas Morning News.<br />http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/healthscience/stories/121910dnpronationalharm.33a9e0b.htmlSophiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10083174219529313215noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-79387240392380409312010-12-26T14:33:11.608-05:002010-12-26T14:33:11.608-05:00How wonderful!!!!How wonderful!!!!Kimberlee Stienshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16894679824873709457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-14503542669844562392010-12-26T14:02:56.509-05:002010-12-26T14:02:56.509-05:00^ Me too! ^
The OP probably still could.^ Me too! ^ <br /><br />The OP probably still could.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-61226010526623777072010-12-26T12:47:20.856-05:002010-12-26T12:47:20.856-05:00I would have been on the phone to a lawyer special...I would have been on the phone to a lawyer specializing in employment law about 30 seconds after that meeting.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-49315356712928640872010-12-26T08:05:13.284-05:002010-12-26T08:05:13.284-05:00she was not completely clear in her first rejectio...she was not completely clear in her first rejection, she said she <i>preferred</i> to keep social and work life separate! Isn't it possible that he was a glass-half-full kind of guy that thought even a small chance was worth going for? Once he did get a definite no, he backed off and avoided her for a while.<br /><br />except for his assumption that the man was greatly in love with the woman, I agree with everything Henning Makholm said<br /><br />and for the record, I am not man trying to "minimize another man's behavior in order to blame the woman", I am a young woman who was followed around high school for three years by a love-struck teenaged boy who called me at home every night for six months (ending call by telling me he loved me), found out my home address in order to bring me a gift, and once told me he wanted to kill himself because of how much my constant rejection was hurting him. He even dated two of my friends (at different times); one to make me jealous, and the other to get over me and then broke up with them when it didn't work (he told me all this after). Every time I rejected him, he'd sulk for a week or two, and then he'd be back in to it.<br /><br />My point is, at no time during this did I consider it to be sexual harassment, it was just annoying.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04011935223044080497noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-32471468416042964632010-12-26T07:16:44.140-05:002010-12-26T07:16:44.140-05:00He asked her out twice, and stopped after he got a...He asked her out twice, and stopped after he got a clear 'no'. Now he is sad and embarrassed about the rejection and doesn't want to talk to her anymore.<br /><br />Immature? Definitely. Sexual harassment? Not even a little bit.<br /><br /><br />Why is it that whenever a female tells AaM about problems with a male colleague, there's always at least two or three people who start jumping up and down yelling sexual harassment?Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04011935223044080497noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-8702491029052874012010-12-26T00:51:35.568-05:002010-12-26T00:51:35.568-05:00Don't feel at all guilty about telling the new...Don't feel at all guilty about telling the new job that you were seeking new opportunities - it was true!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-64863434084175197052010-12-25T13:53:54.264-05:002010-12-25T13:53:54.264-05:00Hey hey, don't hate on contact centers! As Ki...Hey hey, don't hate on contact centers! As Kimberlee indicates they aren't a bad job, considering they are fairly easy to get, can pay decent, they give some valuable experience and often offer good opportunities for personal growth. <br /><br />I think they get a bad rap because some people really aren't prepared to have their work tracked so closely and be held to a high level of productivity. If you worked in, say Retail, it can be much easier to slack off when the boss isn't looking. <br /><br />I started in a contact center with no education or experience and 14 years later I have a great career as a WFM Manager (My team does the reports that make so many employees angry... and long range planning). I've learned a ton and got paid to do it!<br /><br />Some contact centers do have trouble hiring good managers. They almost always promote from within so team managers have no management experience and obviously they get some bad ones. The company you work for, and their willingness to invest in employees makes all the difference.WFM Kylenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-43616335959869745072010-12-25T12:54:45.799-05:002010-12-25T12:54:45.799-05:00And I thought I had it bad with the VP of Infrastr...And I thought I had it bad with the VP of Infrastructure Services chewing and spit tobacco during business hours...wow this post was very disturbing.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-56582337465969949432010-12-24T16:22:38.743-05:002010-12-24T16:22:38.743-05:00The thing about call centers is that they usually ...The thing about call centers is that they usually pay much better than pretty much any other job that is a) as easy to get (except in this economy, of course!) and b) requires little experience or education. It might not be as good as, say, a receptionist job, but its easier to get and probably pays about the same. Plus, because turnover is so high at these places, if you can deal with the environment you can be promoted over and over again. <br /><br />Its sorta like sales: If you can't cut it, you can't cut it. But if you are good at it, and willing to do it, you can make a lot of money and build a respectable career.Kimberlee Stienshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16894679824873709457noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-12839852693301239412010-12-24T15:34:27.257-05:002010-12-24T15:34:27.257-05:00Also when I left, she told all my co-workers that ...<b>Also when I left, she told all my co-workers that they can't hang out with me even on the weekends, which everyone in my old team saw it as very unprofessional.</b><br /><br />So that's totally crazy. I can't imagine saying that to someone at work, it would make you look awful to your subordinates.<br /><br />I'm glad the new job is working out though!esranoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-10060778210348650992010-12-24T15:08:56.447-05:002010-12-24T15:08:56.447-05:00Re: References when you're only had your curre...Re: References when you're only had your current job<br /><br />Even though college was 5 years ago, if you did any volunteer work or internships in college that are relevant to your career now, those would be completely appropriate places to seek out references. Current relevant volunteer work would also be fair game. Don't limit yourself to paid or full-time work only.<br /><br />I imagine that your current position is not the only thing on your resume, so would those other positions be sources of reference? As a hiring manager, I'd be really skeptical of someone with a solid resume that couldn't provide me with references to back it up.random hiring managernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-61709910311696948272010-12-24T15:02:41.564-05:002010-12-24T15:02:41.564-05:00Anonymous 11:01, I'd have to disagree that a g...Anonymous 11:01, I'd have to disagree that a good thank-you note is "written and mailed". In this day and age of instant communication, I think a hand-written letter which won't be received for a couple of days is not the way to go. I think a thank you email has become the expectation.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-86162799643903877982010-12-24T14:52:19.688-05:002010-12-24T14:52:19.688-05:00I'm the OP about the 3rd round interview quest...I'm the OP about the 3rd round interview questions. After digging deep and some additional research/prep, here's a few of the questions came up with and genuinely want to know the answers to: <br /><br />Can you name a few ways in which the company’s values are practiced or acted out? <br /><br />Six months from now, how will you know you’ve hired the right person for the job?<br /><br />Is there anything else I can elaborate on so that you would have a better understanding of my qualifications and suitability for this position?<br /><br />And my favorite: Is there a question that you think I should have asked but didn’t?<br /><br />What do you think?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-91979184354485934062010-12-24T13:14:11.502-05:002010-12-24T13:14:11.502-05:00Exactly, I don't think there are a lot of peop...Exactly, I don't think there are a lot of people who thrive in a call center environment, but maybe I am wrong!Ask a Managerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05281942480230532899noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-25703158968615687892010-12-24T12:22:20.550-05:002010-12-24T12:22:20.550-05:00No offense, but aren't ALL call center jobs ba...No offense, but aren't ALL call center jobs bad? In my area of the country, "call center" is code for "sweatshop" and nobody but the most desperate will take jobs there. My goodness, this woman seems very smart and nice and I really hope she can find a better job situation soon!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-71572093554389310172010-12-24T11:52:09.657-05:002010-12-24T11:52:09.657-05:00I might be reading it wrong, but it sounded to me ...I might be reading it wrong, but it sounded to me from the first paragraph like her performance was quite good, aside from one week where she was sick...? I don't get the sense that there's an issue here with her, but rather that she wasn't a huge fan of working at a call center!Ask a Managerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05281942480230532899noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5558939360732260529.post-89852374696916727452010-12-24T11:46:49.049-05:002010-12-24T11:46:49.049-05:00I was hoping more for an individual update not the...I was hoping more for an individual update not the company. What has the individual done to help their performance other than get past the probationary period, criticize the work environment and leave? <br /><br />Sorry to be pessimistic but if the original issue isn't resolved, it's sure to repeat.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com