Previously, on Corporette…
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Travel back in the Corporette time capsule… Here's what was on our minds oh so many moons ago.
One year ago…
- The Best Online Glasses Stores for Women
- Closet Organization Hacks for Sweaters, Jewelry, Shoes, Bags, and More
- Executive Presence for Women Leaders
- How to Focus on Work (When Other Things are Going On)
- Holiday Recipes Open Thread
- His Girl Friday: Movie Discussion
Two years ago…
- What to Wear to Work When It’s Unseasonably Warm
- Dressing Professionally But Comfortably for a Long Flight
- Cute Office Supplies: When To Use Them
- Do You Send Holiday Cards to Friends and Colleagues?
- Tips on Fine Jewelry Care
Three years ago…
- How to Upgrade Your Shoe Collection
- Wearing Thigh-High Stockings at Work
- What to Do When Your Boss Tells You to Smile
- Should You Buy a Holiday Gift for Your Boss?
Four years ago…
- The Best Workwear for Plus Sizes
- Shoe Care for Women [guest post by The Fine Young Gentleman]
- How to Hire an Assistant
- Great Gifts for Business Associates
- Hyphenated Names and Email Addresses
Five years ago…
- How to Wear a Brooch
- Luxury Totes for Work
- Tips on Asking for a Raise
- Party-Appropriate Conversation Topics
- The Best Personal Style Blogs for Workwear
Six years ago…
- How to Discourage Chatty Coworkers
- My Trick for Holiday Shopping From Afar
- Know Your Metals: How to Buy Jewelry Without Getting Fleeced
- How Messy Can Your Office Be?
- Looking Professional While Biking to Work
Seven years ago…
- Looking Young — Or Acting Young?
- Personal Phone Calls and the Office
- How Often Do You Shower?
- Personal Shopper vs. Personal Stylist: What's the Difference?
Eight years ago…*
- How Much Do You Save?
- Use a Business Card to Organize Your Necklaces
- How to Hem Your Pants for Commuting in Flats
- The Best Business Card Cases
Nine years ago…*
- The Tricky Waters of Holiday Cards
- Are Patterned Tights Professional? The Poll and the Results
- Can You Rock a Vintage Look at a Conservative Office?
* N.B. Before March 2010, Kat was still anonymous — please excuse the royal “we” in the older posts! :)
How to handle an unresponsive HR person?
I used to work as a professor for a small college. The college has had massive turnover, including key positions like CFO, president, HR. Rumor is that the college is on the verge of bankruptcy.
I have been offered a new job at a much bigger and prestigious university, but the HR department at new job has been unable to verify my employment at old job. The single person who appears to be handling HR for old job has been completely unresponsive to new job’s emails, calls, as well as my emails and calls.
I contacted my previous department chair, who did vouch to new HR re: my employment, but the form new job needs filled out he cannot certify.
I have never run into such a problem… and it’s really messing things up for me. Now my start date has been pushed back. Ideas for how to resolve this? The HR persons boss at old job is the new interim college president, so going to that level seems extreme (?)
Can you go to the office in person, with a copy of the form, and just stay there until you get a response?
Unfortunately, no– I no longer live in the same state (or time zone, for that matter) :(
I am not in academia, so take this with a grain of salt . . . (and also post again on the afternoon thread for the folks who are in academia).
I would absolutely go over her/his head at this point to the new interim college president. This is affecting your life! Screw the chain of command.
also, yes, this. Go over this person’s head.
I wonder if you can offer to submit tax forms in the interim, to prove your employment. Not perfect. But it verifies your employment to a degree that may be acceptable to the new university. I’ve worked both in HR, and at small (and large) universities (though never in HR at either), and I feel you. It sucks.
Ah! Great idea. Thank you. I can easily do this as well as provide a copy of my original offer letter from them so at least it keeps a paper trail going. Thanks again for this suggestion.
I just don’t get what’s going on with the HR person… it makes me think she must be in a full body cast or something, I’d be surprised at this level of unprofessionalism for someone who’s supposedly a VP of HR. :/ Maybe I should allow myself to be surprised.
I have yet to meet someone in HR that impresses me, sadly.
My dad summed it up perfectly. He also thinks people in HR are a-holes! Sorry for anyone in the HIVE who’s in HR, but dad has interfaced with a lot of a-holes in his day! YAY DAD! Dad is buying me a new 3BR coop! And he’s promised NOT to stay over more then 4 nites a week! FOOEY!