I was recently recruited for a job in Connecticut. After commuting to New Haven at my expense, plus two hours to meet with the president, his No. 2 and HR, the HR person said, “There are no wrong or right answers, but if you could erase one thing on your resume, what would it be and why?” You and I both know this is a BS question, and also “leading.” Is it legal?
Those pesky HR people are always trying to trip you up with their Machiavellian interviewing strategies. Not to mention that’s the thanks you get for driving up to New Haven with gas prices pushing $4.50 a gallon on that awful I-95 interstate. And two hours?! A written job offer should have been waiting for you at reception when you arrived. And then you have to endure some BS leading question like that? For all of your troubles I wish I could tell you the question was illegal so you could sue them . . . but you can’t. In general, employers may not ask about your race, gender, religion, marital status, age, disabilities, ethnic background, country of origin, sexual preferences or age. Good luck to you.
I’ve recently started a new job, and I’m experiencing culture shock. People keep telling me, “That’s the way we do things around here.” How does the new guy change the old way of doing things if they need changing, without being disruptive and potentially hurting relationships with colleagues?
You can’t change a culture without being disruptive, but you can do it and bring people with you instead of being seen as a threat. Few things cause more workplace anxiety than change. Some people get comfortable with the way things are done and may not know how to do things differently, or the change may be threatening to their jobs. Being sensitive to those factors is important to driving change successfully. Don’t give up, but don’t criticize the way things are done. Show people how the changes will improve the business. Demonstrate how change is a development opportunity for people, making them even more valuable to the organization. Soon you will begin to meet less resistance and find more champions for your cause.