Hello, i recently left a job as an Accountant for a company that didn't have the best management. I had expressed concerns to my direct manager about some disrespectful comments that were being made by seniors on our team that were at that point considered harassment. Nothing was done about it, i mentioned it to HR but again nothing was done about it. After this i decided to leave the company, on my current job search all my recruiters are letting me know that they for sure need a reference from this employer, considering that my direct manager was furious i took my concerns to HR he was upset when i left the company, hence i would not want to use him as a reference.

I've worked in the accounting field for about 8 years and all my previous employers have great things to say about me, I'd hate to think that this last experience is going to hinder my future job search, does anyone know how i can get around this "reference" dilemma .

Thank you all !!!

There is no room for rudeness in business – not from employees, not from management and especially not from Human Resources, the people charged with managing the “human” aspect of the business and helping set the tone of the corporate culture. Everybody has a bad day now and then, but if surly behavior on the part of someone from HR is the rule rather than the exception, it’s time for you to take action, regardless of your position in the organization. All employees should expect to be treated with dignity and respect, and it is management’s role to reinforce that expectation.

• Create a corporate culture that respects and values every individual, including employees, customers, vendors and anyone else who interacts with the company. Establish and communicate policies regarding customer service, ethics and workplace harassment to reinforce the value of respect for the individual and set parameters for acceptable behavior.

• Appoint an ombudsman, an employee or other third party trained in dealing with confidential or sensitive issues, to help employees report behavior contrary to company policy. An ombudsman is also an option for employees who may be uncomfortable discussing an issue with their managers, such as this example of a complaint against HR or in other situations which the manager might be the problem.

• Treat seriously any complaint that conflicts with company policy. If someone complains to you about rudeness on the part of HR, bring it to the attention of the head of the HR department, provided she or he is not the alleged offender or implicated in the complaint. If the HR director is unable to handle the situation objectively, have the ombudsman or a third party, such as the company attorney or professional mediator, discuss the problem with both the alleged offender and the person lodging the complaint to get both sides of the story and arrive at the facts.

• Meet with the HR person to discuss the situation and offer feedback. She or he may not be aware that his or her behavior was perceived as rude, or there may be something going on in his or her personal life that is affecting his or her behavior. Reinforce the company policy that all people must be treated with dignity and respect. Point out that, as an HR representative, she or he is expected to uphold and model that behavior. The model that behavior as well by being patient and compassionate. If the HR employee is going through some personal problems, suggest counseling or a support network help his or her work through those issues.

• Work with the HR person to establish performance goals for improving interactions with employees. Make the goals specific, measurable, achievable, results-oriented and time-bound, also called SMART goals. Identify training in customer service and conflict resolution to strengthen those skills.

• Monitor his or her performance every three months to measure improvement. If all your efforts have failed and you determine the employee is unable or unwilling to change his or her behavior, terminate his or her employment with the company.

Having a Constructive Conversation

1. Talk to the HR manager directly. Tell them what you need and how you feel that they are not helping with your situation. ...
2. Listen to the HR manager. ...
3. Ask them to provide facts. ...
4. Ask your HR manager why they are not prepared to assist. ...
5. Remain calm and professional.

For information see: How to Deal With a Weak Human Resources Manager: 13 Steps

How To Ace Your Phone Interview

You have a phone interview coming up and you're nervous about it. With proper preparation ahead of the interview, you can be confident that you can ace your phone interview and that you're one step closer to landing that job.

Without the added pressure of "dressing for success," it might feel like this stage of the interview process is just a formality; It's not.

The phone interview is how companies divide the candidate pool into the haves and the have-nots. It's an opportunity for HR representatives to weed out unlikely applicants and for hiring managers to get a feel for whether your skills and personality fit the company.

Here's how to stand out from the other candidates before, during, and after your phone interview.

Before The Interview

1.) Clarify The Logistics. Did your prospective employer ghost you, or did you forget that, somewhere in that long email thread, you said you'd call them and not the other way around? There's an easy way to keep confusion over logistics from souring your interview prospects: Send an email the day before clarifying who is doing what.

Hello (Name of your contact or hiring manager),

I just wanted to make sure everything is all set for our interview tomorrow. My calendar says to expect your call at Time (Time Zone). You can reach me at (Your Phone Number, Include Area Code).

I'm excited to learn more about your company and how we could best work together. Please let me know if you need anything ahead of our call.

Thanks so much,

(Your Full Name)

Remember, your future hiring manager is a busy person, and probably has a lot going on. It's not pushy or rude to politely make sure everyone is on the same page.

2.) Take The Interview Seriously. Just because you're doing a phone interview and not an in-person interview doesn't mean you can answer the call from the comfort of your California King. Treat the interview like you would any other: Eat breakfast, work out, and calm your nerves. Then get dressed and find a quiet place (with good cell signal if not using your lan line) to do the interview where you won't be interrupted.

3.) Prepare Your Interview Materials. Obviously, you don't need a binder or portfolio of your work during a phone interview, but you should have a few things on hand to help you answer (and definitely ask!) interview questions:

• A list of key points about the company - Take some time to research the company you're applying to, and write down some important details about what they do and what they believe in. This will help you pinpoint what you don't know about the company. Do they work with a product you've never heard of and want more clarity on? Are you uncertain how their company values translate to employee benefits? Background research can help you ask thoughtful questions that inform your own decision and also show you're already taking the job seriously.

• An annotated job description - It's always a good idea to save a job description when you're applying, but if you forgot to for whatever reason, ask the HR representative or hiring manager to send it before your phone interview. (You can use the interview confirmation email outlined above to ask for it.) Then print it out and highlight parts you want to talk about. Undoubtedly, you'll have some questions about the listed responsibilities, and it should be your goal to end the phone interview understanding what your role would be.

• A list of questions to ask - Although you shouldn't be afraid to ask questions when they naturally come up in conversation, you also want to prepared to fill the dead space that follows the dreaded, do you have any questions? Prepare a few questions before the phone interview begins. To keep from running out of questions before the end of the call, create two categories: one for questions that are more likely to come up in conversation, and another for questions that aren't as likely to come up. Those "unlikely" questions, while important, are your backups.

• Your resume - Sure, you remember that you worked at that horrible telemarketing job right out of college, but during an interview, you might blank on specifics that actually matter, like the specific metrics that earned you a major bonus for completing a huge revenue project. Play it safe and keep your resume handy.

4.) Practice interviewing with a friend. You might feel silly at first, but it's just as important to practice phone interviews as it is to practice ones that are face-to-face. Have a friend call and ask you questions. Practice both answering and listening. Here are a few sample questions to try:

Why do you want to work here?

What are you looking for in your next job?

If hired, how soon could you start?

What type of company culture are you looking for?

Why are you looking to leave your current company?

What are your salary requirements?

During The Phone Interview

• Don't chew gum - Or anything else, as your interviewer will be able to hear it on the phone. You can, however, sip water throughout the call to keep your voice from cracking.

• Answer with your name - Instead of saying "hello" when you pick up, answer the call with Hello, this is (Your Name!) or something along those lines. This keeps the interview somewhat formal without being cold.

• Be friendly - You don't want to be too casual with your caller, but you also don't want to be too formal either. Start the conversation with a bit of small talk (How is your day going? The weather is beautiful.) and let the interviewer lead the conversation into questions. It's also helpful to smile as you respond to questions, as that will help you sound more positive.

• Focus and listen - You've practiced phone interviewing already, but during the real thing, you'll have a lot of new information thrown at you. To focus on what the interviewer is saying, jot down notes or follow-up questions. Don't interrupt. Remember, it's not your job to drive; it's your job to get the job.

• Take your time - When responding to questions, it's always OK to take a moment to think through your answer. In fact, it's encouraged. If a question is multifaceted, answer it thoroughly, then ask the interviewer to note what you missed if you feel you haven't addressed all parts of the question.

• Be honest - This is a good rule of thumb for all interviews, but it doesn't hurt to repeat it here. Nothing is gained from stretching the truth or saying only what the interviewer wants to hear. The more transparent you are, the more likely you are to get a job that makes you happy. If the interviewer asks whether you're willing to work 60-plus hours per week and you say yes? That's what they're expecting.

• Ask about next steps - You can't be too presumptive, but you do want to know what the interview process will be like moving forward. Should you expect to hear back in a week? When do they expect to bring people in for in-person interviews?

After The Phone Interview

You made it through the phone interview. Now you'll want to leave a good and lasting impression. Wait a day or so and send a short thank you email after the phone interview referencing your call and saying you're interested in learning more about the company. In that email, be sure to include a link to your personal website or portfolio if you have one (a LinkedIn profile will also do). This is a great opportunity to remind a prospective employer why you're a great fit for the job.

Follow Me For Weekly Informative Articles Patrick Coppedge

I am a cultural anthropologist focusing on women's studies and medical studies. How do I find a job using this platform? I can analyze focus group data, I can write well, maybe I should look for HR jobs? I don't know.

After a whole year and a few months, countless interviews, phone screens, rejection, discrimination, passed over, over qualifid , under qualified. I prayed, believed and kept my Faith. I was offered and accepted an position as an Human Resources Representative for University of Texas. I'm grateful and thankful for this opportunity.

I have submitted my resume to so many companies, hard to count, but to give you an idea, I have submitted a minimum of 10 per day for over 6 months. My "Original Resume" was 5 pages long, cut down to the last 10 yrs. 3pages. I get from Zip Recruiter that I'm heating up but NEVER a call.

My gripe is, why can't the hiring manager at least send an email if they don't feel you're a good fit? Why can't they follow-up? They expect us to follow-up, but it takes time to gather all the information, and then also trying to find the HR person involved with hiring, when there not to busy for you.

I have my MBA and I have been out of work since August 2018. I broke my leg in January 2018. I was a contractor at a great Pharmaceutical company. A week after I broke my leg, I was informed that they were ending my contract. I have had some HR contract positions since my leg has healed but I am overlooked even after I explain my contracts ending. I am currently waitressing but my unemployment is running out. I am not an extremely hard worker. I hear people who have just graduated and can not find a job. I hear that people do not have Bachelor's degrees and they can not find a great job. I thought the job market was good but I am still struggling to find decent work. I just want to hear from other who are seeking employment. Are you having the same issues that I am having?

Hitting the 400 resumes sent mark,, and still nothing. revised my resume multiple times based upon feedback from HR professionals, spend hours and hours and hours on job sites, contacting recruiters, reaching out to contacts, etc. I used to get calls from recruiters at least once a month and have turned down more jobs than I can remember. Now that I am looking for a job, I cant get one of them to return my e-mails, phone calls, etc. even coworkers from my past, I am treated as if I have a plague or something, always …oh you will have a job before you know it. These people that used to contact me all the time with job offers, now that I reach out to them,,, they don't even reply and so far , 4 months and close to 400 resumes and still NOTHING !!!! I have over 15 years experience building green field mulit-million dollar organizations from the ground up, running multiple plants at the same time. I have been given signing bonuses just to join some companies, aggressively recruited in the past. Haven't looked for a job in the past 10 years. But for some reason, I cant even get an acknowledgement of my consideration for a position, not sure what has changed, going from pursued and recruited to ignored and passed over. If this sounds like frustration, I believe this is what it sounds like mixed with confusion. Never give up, Never quit,,, but still Dazed and Confused !!!

I am so lost in the sauce right now. I retired from the military end of 2016. I had a contracting job with the military until Aug 2018. Since then i have applied to several jobs. I mean tons!!!! With only the sell insurance jobs giving me a call back. I have tons of HR experience, plus my work ethic and yet nothing. Im starting to feel as if i should be greatful for a minimun wage job at a fast food place, and stop trying for something better. With 5 girls to raise om my own i just dont know what to do.

Advice please

I have 14 years of successful executive experience, bachelots degree, post-graduate teaching certification, Master Life Coach continuing education, have hired hundreds of people over the last decade and have been sought out by 6 fortune 500 companies for beta test product launches... JUST FOR STARTERS. I have read all the advice, tailored my resume', applied for 79 jobs so far and gotten nothing but scams and pyramid schemes talking to me... I've never been fired, committed a felony, or have a bad mark on my DMV report. I just saw that my WORST hire I ever made, she was a nightmare from Hell, got a high paying consultant job... Why is this process entirely upside-down for me? It actually seems insane, I see complete blithering idiots get good jobs but all I get is scammed. Maybe someone in an HR department can let me in on the secret, but I have to warn you, I think every HR person should be fired immediately, you make ZERO semse to me. I feel like I'm living in a bizzaro world. In fact, I HAVE fired HR people, if I found out you missed me as a hire for my firm, I'd fire you immediately. So, give a legitimate answer, I know bullsh*t when I hear it.

I've been told ageism is a thing, is it literally that I'm 53? I look better in a bathing suit than 99% of men half my age, I'm healthy, reasonably tech savvvy, and look like I'm in my 30's. Do people in 2019 actually think a person over 40 doesn't know how to work!? My crew leaders, mostly Millennials pretty much cheered when I hired anyone over 50 because they know the work ethic is exponentially better. I have 3 kids and a mortgage and am scared out of my mind. The complete insanity of this process has me snakebit and utterly panicked. How the hell can there be the lowest unemployment rate in my lifetime but can't find work with a track record of success spanning the last 16 years when I see a friend of mine, 35 years old and female, who has been fired from her last 4 jobs, never had a success anywhere, never worked anywhere for more than 1 year, get a great job!? I mean, this is so insane it has me thinking in conspiratrial ways like it's ageism, sexism, racism, not because I like conspiracy theories but because NOTHING explains what I'm experiencing. Will someone who actually knows just level with me, trust me, I've poured over hundreds of advice articles from "experts" and have implemented the advice, I interviewed great, am charming, articulate, and can sell my butt off... but I'm pretty much losing my mind here. What gives?

Oh, add conscientious, I just poured over this post 4 times to correct any spelling errors ; )