CAREER COACH
I am a graduating senior. I had a job lined up beginning in June, but the company has notified me that they’re no longer able to honor that commitment. I declined other offers to accept this job. I’m angry and feel that I should be entitled to something under these circumstances — and I was counting on the income. How should I handle this?
In addition to the tragic life-anddeath consequences of this pandemic, millions of graduating seniors have lost out on that time-honored rite of passage, the cap and gown ceremony — and now their job offers are vanishing, too. It is difficult to get angry with the employer given everything, and you certainly don’t want to burn a bridge. They hired you once and they may again when circumstances change. Ask them if there is still a chance of employment at a later date. Express understanding and tell them that you’d like to stay in touch. It doesn’t hurt to ask if there are any resources or assistance being offered. As for income, there are companies hiring, and the job doesn’t have to be in your chosen field. If you find one, down-the-line prospective employers will respect the fact that you found work, any work. Whether or not you will get approved for some of the unemployment benefits is difficult to say, but it is worth trying. Visit the New York State Department of Labor Web site (DOL.NY.gov) for guidance.
Why do so many people say “nice to e-meet you” or “nice to meet you virtually”? It seems so awkward, as if one party thinks the other party doesn’t realize that you aren’t actually meeting in person. Am I being too nitpicky? What’s the correct protocol?
Drop the “e-meet” and “virtually”. We live in a digital age. You can simply say “nice to meet you” or you can bypass the cliche altogether and just get right into the conversation by saying that you look forward to connecting, working together and so on. Now, if you can only remember to move the person making the introduction to BCC so they aren’t on every back-and-forth exchange. Gregory Giangrande has over 25 years of experience as a chief human resources executive. E-mail your questions to GoToGreg@NYPost.com. Follow Greg on Twitter: @greggiangrande and at GoToGreg.com, dedicated to helping New Yorkers get back to work.