This week Jamison and Dave answer these questions:

1. A previous job involved a coworker who, over time, became very difficult to get along with.

   I did my best to talk it through with him, but he would only ever say I needed to “fix my attitude”. I tried to deflect and avoid conflict, but he’d continually impose himself on the situation. (Assign himself to review my code, come into my cube and demand my help, etc.)

   I had good relationships with the rest of the team, and they all agreed that he was out of line. Yet management viewed the situation as simply friction between two devs, with no clear instigator.

   Being a source of team friction is career death, and I’m personally embarrassed that anyone got that impression of me.

   How can I (or other listeners) handle this situation so that I don’t get painted as “part of the problem?”

2. I’ve started a new job. I’m enjoying the work and the culture slightly less, and I discovered my salary could have been much higher had I negotiated harder. Is it too late to negotiate for a higher salary after I’ve already joined?

   Dave mentions this article on salary negotiation. It’s good!

This week Jamison and Dave answer these questions:

1. How often do candidates get hired who don’t match the requirements listed in a job posting? Is it a waste for me to apply to all jobs I come across even though I only have about 1/3 of what they want?
2. I’ve been moved to a newly formed team. I suspect the team consists of people nobody really wants to work with. What are my options in a situation like this?

This week Jamison and Dave answer these questions:

1. Upper management has a negative impression of me because of an early manager. How do I manage and improve my reputation with mid and upper level management, who I interact with very rarely?
2. I have a job offer I feel unqualified for. Should I decline this offer I honestly don’t deserve, or face a massive amount of impostor syndrome and risk not delivering?