Dear Ella,My boss recently hired a new person for our five-person section. She hired him over the phone, with no in-person interview. He is horrendous.He is obnoxious, rude, has poor hygiene and wears ill-fitting clothing (can't button his shirt cuffs because his arms are too fat). My coworkers and I don't invite him to lunch with us because we dislike him. He has started following us and then appearing at our table.He even complained to the boss, in front of us, that we didn't ask him to come. He has also started telling the boss that we won't help him in his job, which is untrue. Even though I can't stand him personally, I do what I am required to do in my job.This man has made our small work section very unpleasant to work in, and I want to leave. Should I tell my boss it's either this man or me, or should I just leave?
Dear What Smell?,You have more options to solving this situation than just threatening to leave or quitting altogether.
Short of nepotisium, your colleague must have come highly recommended and brought something of immediate value to the table, such as a long, strong client list or expert knowledge in a particular subject. Whatever the reasons behind his hire, speak to your boss about this new hire and his lack of hygiene and overeagerness to ingratiate himself onto the team before you jump ship.
As for his weight, that's none of your business and doesn't belong in the dialogue at all.
Wait a full week to see if things change. You may find that, with time, you'll come to like and appreciate this man in spite of his slovenly appearance. Short of liking him more, if his stinky appearance doesn't shape up, talk to him directly. As nicely as you can, and out of the ear shot of others, take him aside and tell him that he needs to pay more attention to his hygiene if he wants to become a welcomed member of your small team. I only recommend you do this as a last resort and if you are set on leaving if things don't change.
If your colleague can't or won't see that his body odor and disregard for his appearance in general are deal breakers in the workplace then maybe, in actuality, they're not. It's the job of management to enforce criteria around hygiene and dress; by not doing so, management appears to be sanctioning his behavior and making you look like the misfit.
If you can't get any traction on this issue, either move into another department or leave before people start to think you stink too.
Dear Ella,I am a recent graduate from a university, and I seem to be having a problem finding employment. I have been out of school and actively looking for employment for six months. I am getting frustrated and am not sure what I should do. I have worked with several employment agencies, but once they interview me and send me out on an interview I never hear from them again. What is your recommendation?
Dear What's In A Word,Agencies don't call you back because you're blowing it during the interview process and making them look bad to their clients.
You're blowing it because you've either oversold yourself and are being found out during the face-to-face or you're an ineffective communicator.
If it's because you've oversold and can't produce, re-evaluate your core skills on paper. Rate each skill on a scale of one to five (five being expert). The skills in which you score four or better are ones with the most commercial value and the ones you should highlight when presenting to employers and agents.
You'll also increase your marketability by selling yourself to industry sectors in which you have the most experience and knowledge. Skills, experience and knowledge are much more valuable when grouped together than when taken individually.
For example, you can't move from pharmaceutical sales into auto part sales and expect to be valued as much as you would if you had sold those same sales skills and abilities to a pharmaceutical competitor. Set realistic goals based on a realistic assessment.
If the problem is that you're an ineffective communicator, practice talking about yourself and your credentials to anyone who will listen. Talk about your school work, companies you have worked for and your industry experience. Talk about what turns you on about the jobs you want, industry trends, what you see yourself doing five years from now and what you need from a company in order to get to where you want to go.
The more practiced you become in talking about your work, the sharper your message will become and the clearer your fit will be to an employer.
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