I wrote a rec letter for one of my legal assistants for law school right before COVID got bad and we all started working remote. Ever since then, this assistant has seemingly been slacking. There’s only so much I can actually see/review without seriously micromanaging her. I’ve spoken to her about her slacking at least twice and both times she just brushed it off. I want to withdraw my rec letter, but I feel like it’s too late. She is leaving at the end of the summer. Should I just let it be?

like
Posting as :
works at
You are currently posting as works at

I understand your frustration but that letter of rec has already been written and I’m sure your assistant is close to sending it in with her apps. Not sure what withdrawing it would do considering she’s leaving in a few months. If you still feel this way in about 2 weeks, then fee free to do what’s best.

Another thing I want to mention, do you think she could be slacking off due to the pressures of lockdown and maybe she struggles with the uncertainties around covid? This is not an easy time for a lot of us, so maybe her mental space is thrown off a little.

likehelpful

I’d be really up-front with her about how you feel and mention what you’re considering. She may be slacking and not understand how much this is impacting others’ opinion of her or she may have a real issue impacting her work that she is hesitating to communicate. Either way she should hear from you directly if you are considering withdrawing your letter.

like

A recommendation is a reflection of your character and reputation as well. If you feel your assistant no longer is a model of who you would hire, I would retract the letter.

likesmart

You could simply tone down the letter. Make it more generic. People usually understand that generic letter = ok performance.
But first, try to think of times when she was 100% into the job. Were you satisfied at that point? I wouldn't change the letter if she changes a few weeks before departure...that is "normal" I've been told... So I just try to live with it.

like

Hey OP did u end-up withdrawing? What did you decide? And how did it go? I hope you're confortable in the decision you took... It's a tough position...

like

So this person isn’t business as usual during a global pandemic and worldwide civil unrest over the centuries long mistreatment of Black people in America??? I’d maybe let it go.

like

Related Posts

Even though we're busier than ever during COVID, I feel less burnt out than I usually do. There's something pure about our work and contribution in this crisis

like

Have a blessed day all. Last night my pet passed away, I put him up in a hotel/boarding at the adoption center. Since California is a hotspot for COVID-19, I flew back to my parents house (lower

like

Kläder på jobbet.
Jag blev anställd under covid och har inte behövt köpa en enda kostym ännu. Skulle uppskatta lite råd kring detta ämne, märken, färg och sånt?
Typ marinblå eller grå Oscar Jacobsson / Tiger / Boss?
För Män alltså.

like

Looking for a paid search manager to join our media team! Headquarters located out of Baltimore, MD but the position has the flexibility to be completely remote. Looking for 3-5 years experience.

What are some feel good or fun things your company does to build on its social culture in a remote environment?

like

What’s the best purchase for your home office you’ve made so far (including pre-COVID)?

likehelpful

WFH lawyer looking to move anywhere between Denver- Boulder in late October. Would like to stay as close to the mountains as possible. Looking to spend about $2k a month though that can vary depending on what utils are included. Not sure if I'm better off in a house or an apartment situation. I see a lot of nice apartment communities but a lot of them have terrible reviews. Any thoughts? Recommendations? I'll be in Colorado in early Sept for 2 wks so planning to go see units then.

like

Hey Everyone!
I’m coming up on one year of working in consulting post under grad in a financial services vertical. I know I want to transition to corporate strategy down the road, but don’t have much interest in financial service strategy. Should I try and switch into a more applicable practice such as M&A or operations? Will I be able to break into corporate strategy without any past experience in that industry? I want to avoid getting pigeonholed into FS, but with COVID, don’t want to leave.

like

Have you temporarily relocated because of covid? If you have, where?

like

Anyone meet clients at home?

I'm an RIA, and my home office is much nicer than my office. Unfortunately it doesn't have a separate entrance and you have to walk through the living room/kitchen.

like

About what percentage of community managers/editors actually commute to work, and what percentage work from home?

like

Hello everyone. Any recommendations for a remote/wfh professional jobs out there for one to use as a side income or side gig? These bills never go away no matter what! TIA :)

like

Has anyone ever had any luck applying for a hybrid job and convincing them to let you work fully remote? I'm seeing a lot of hybrid postings for my role but not a lot of fully remote ones.

like

How’s your remote onboarding experience? Any tips/suggestions? Appreciate any inputs :)

Bilingual (Spanish) Marketing pro skilled in Digital, Customer Service, Integrated Marketing, B2B, 10+ years experience! Searching for Client Services role in Overland Park, KS or Remote. Many thanks!

Anyone else thinking about taking a big pay cut for better wlb? Or taking time off before your next career move? At first I loved WFH but the staying inside all day and being glued to your computer/available is taking a toll. 😩

like

Does anybody find it helps to “get ready” in the mornings with wfh? I still want to be comfortable with athleisure, but I’m wondering if fixing my hair and maybe a little makeup will make a difference mentally. Feeling so burnt out and unmotivated lately.

like

Hi everyone!
I’m looking for a role in Media Planning, preferably WFH but also open to moving for the right opportunity!! I have degrees in psychology and sociology, and experience working in marketing and project mgmt.
Have spent the last few years working in insurance and not enjoying it, so hoping to pivot into a job that utilizes my skills and experience.
If you know your company is hiring, I’d appreciate the chance to have a chat and learn more about the company and your experience there!

like

More Posts

Does the stub bonus after A2A promote have any variability? I know BAML hasn’t announced yet so looking at past examples

like
like

Looking for body scrub recommendations. I have bumpy skin with ingrown hairs on my thighs and back , and need something that is effective. Thank you all!

like

Hi! Are there any members in their mid-40s or higher who have trouble changing careers because of layoffs, downsizing, age discrimination, etc.? What is some feedback you are receiving from job interviews, informational interviews, etc.? 

like

Do you ever marvel how some people take themselves so seriously? "Look at me doing my critical work for my major client, we are solving their serious problems very seriously"

likefunny

Any thoughts on Blue State Digital?

Happy technology Tuesday! Any ideas on how how you plan on incorporating technology within your classroom?

Any IPS advisory folks here ?

I am an accountant - not a cpa- and a certified notary. I also have a PTIN. Are there side gigs that I could even do?

like

My home office is Gilbert but I am currently in the Midwest. Start date is September 7th. When should I start planning my move? HR really doesn’t know the game plan yet. I am thinking I should keep planning to move out there but everything seems to be up in the air at the moment. Also, anyone renting in the area?

like

Anyone have suggestions on how to protect minors assets? They have a couple of years left before they turn 18 and would like to help them put their inherited money to good use example: low risk investments, steady cash flow investment/rental property, etc. Anything that may also be used for their education in the future. And possibly tax strategies to decrease tax liability from when they start getting income?

like

Best podcasts for account management?

J Lo just took women back a decade. Thanks for letting that guy slap@your ass on the halftime show and bringing strip club culture forward as cool. Hey @3%Conference where are you on this?

like

We just moved to 'unlimited' vaca. TBD how that will play out but hoping it'll make this easier.

like

Anyone have any HR Assistant experience at Amazon?

like

Any tips for not getting overwhelmed with the sheer amount of work on multiple engagements and dealing with multiple people (specialists, staff, execs, mgmt)? I feel so overwhelmed currently. I don’t know how to do all of this, and I’m really close to a breakdown. I don’t remember being this stressed out BEFORE busy season.

likehelpful

🐾 Happy Hump Day 🐾

Do your doggies chew things in your house and then give you the “I’m not guilty” look?

Post Photo
likefunny

Thoughts on a high yield savings account (~2.25% interest) vs a money market account (~2.5% interest)?

like

I am still waiting on a 2k federal tax refund from the 2019 tax year. I’ve called 20+ times over the past year, and haven’t gotten more than “we are working through an unprecedented backlog and will get to it soon.” Anyone in a similar boat and/or have any advice other than wait?

like

Additional Posts in Female Bosses

What’s the best career advice you’re ever given?

struggling with imposter syndrome and networking

like

Hi ladies, I just landed a job that promoted me to Senior Manager at a b4 (from manager at a competitor). I feel overwhelmed and the impostor syndrome is kicking in. Job starts in Jan, and I want be prepared for this leadership position, want to work on my executive presence & soft skills. Any advice on how to get better and hit the ground running? Feedback I got is that I’m too nice and sound soft, that I need a thick skin. How can I prepare for this role? Thanks in advance!

like

Any tips for negotiating salary? Details in comments

like

Hi ladies!

After years of hard work, I just got my first position in a leadership role! Yay! I’ll be leading a team of 12.
I wanted to know if you had any tips for me, things you wish you knew before, or things previous leaders did for/to you that you found admirable or stayed with you. I want to make sure I’m there for them and want to be a leader they will remember positively.

Thank you so much!!

like

Does anyone have strategy book recommendations that help with coming up with frameworks and just general strategic thinking for corporations? Looking for helpful material to help me level up at my new job.

like

I currently work as a Director of Operations for a government agency, which is coming to a close. I’m starting to look for a new position but since I worked my way up the ladder I’ve never actually interviewed for this level of a position. Any suggestions on interview questions I should prep for if I’m I’m applying for a Director of Operations role?

like

I'm seeking information about salary or pay rates for office manager and or office lead in Duluth Georgia.
Job tasks and duties such as parts ordering, service coordinating, inventory, pick ups, routing service vehicles, onboarding and training new employees,
Reconciling cash drawers and deposits, AR report,tax exempt report, billing disputes, de-escalation.
All things customer related and I'm fluent in all rolls of leadership.

like

I’m about to start a new job and I’m NERVOUS. I love my current GM, location and staff. But the owner is a nightmare. Nothing I do is right for her. She has a complaint about everything I do. She speaks to me like I’m stupid in front of many people. But I’m still nervous. I strongly believe that sometimes the devil you know is better than the devil you don’t know. What if I’m going into a worse situation? Do I stay in this bad one or risk a possible worse one? I guess I wont know unless I try.

like

I start a new position at a new company on Monday! Very excited. 🥳 I have many meetings set up to meet internal stakeholders, leaders, etc to get to know them as humans and their roles. It’s 100% remote/remote first and in my first 30 days I’ll be meeting ~70 people. Any suggestions about what to ask, any questions you found useful to ask that helped you understand new team mates quickly? Thank you! 😊

like

Anyone watched ‘I Love Dick’ on Netflix? Binged last night. LOVE IT! Thinking of posting in main bowl to freak the guys out!

like

I’m going back to school full time and I will continue to work full time. I’m going to school for Nursing and I’m in Digital Marketing now. So it’s a huge switch!! Do you think I should keep it to myself or do you think I can tell my employer about my career change without them getting all weird about it? I also don’t want them to be worried that “I’ll be too busy to do my job effectively”. What would you do?

like

Does anyone here work for Upwork?

like

If you knew you wanted to switch career paths, but didn’t even know where to begin to look, how would you start to figure out what you want to do?

like

Hi all. How does one approach about a role change. I found out I got promoted to a senior support manager but the duties are the same as I do now and don’t consist of leadership responsibilities ( I work for a startup and was expecting this). How does one go about asking for role change in a different function of the company?

like

Hi, ladies! Question regarding merit increases, I just had my conversation with my manager and my increase for the year is just under 3%. That’s not a lot, huh?

like

Anyone quit their corporate job and just went off and did their own thing? I know what most will say - have a plan and Have a budget! But this is for those who didn't. Did you just trust you but and your abilities and just went for it?

If so how did you do it? How did you feel? Any advice?

like

Hi ladies, just curious - what are some of the most amazing initiatives you’ve been part of/heard of to enable gender equality in the office?

like

Anyone with luck in London at the Economist, Amnesty International, IRC, or Human Rights Watch? Curious if the hiring process typically happens through referrals

like

Just started a role as an adjuster and i an wrapping up training. Thankful for the opportunity. I haven't even processed my first claim, is it crazy that I wanna quit and lave b the written force all together?. Mentally over answering to someone v else, and v working b for others

like

New to Fishbowl?

Download the Fishbowl app to
unlock all discussions on Fishbowl.
That was just a preview…
Sign Up to see all discussions
  • Discover what it’s like to work at companies from real professionals
  • Get candid advice from people in your field in a safe space
  • Chat and network with other professionals in your field
Sign up in seconds to unlock all discussions on Fishbowl.

Already a user?
Login here

Share

Embed this post

Copy and paste embed code on your site

Preview

Download the
Fishbowl app

See what’s happening in your industry
from the palm of your hand.

A phone with Fishbowl app

Send download link to your phone

OR

Scan your QR code to download
Fishbowl app on your mobile

By continuing you agree to Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Messaging rates may apply

Download app

Sign up for free to view this conversation on Fishbowl

By continuing you agree to Terms of Use and Privacy Policy

Already have an account? Log in

Sign up for free to continue using Fishbowl

By continuing you agree to Terms of Use(New) and Privacy Policy(New)
Messaging rates may apply

Already have an account? Log in

For account settings, visit Fishbowl on Desktop Browser or

General

Legal