The Chickens Have Come Home to Roost

Hey Alyse!

I'm am the managing Legal Assistant for a pretty large law firm that is in the process of a major expansion. One of my responsibilities is to hire Legal Assistants for the various departments and of course manage those assistants. Well the other day, a resume came across my desk and once I looked at the name, I realized that I knew the girl. Years ago, when I was just starting out (fresh out of school) I started working at a law firm where she was already working. The relationship did not start off well and she would do petty things to undermine the Associate Lawyer's relationship with me. One day, I asked her to help me out with a procedure I didn't know about and she told me "Honey, right now you're climbing the ladder, and I'm above you, when I see someone below me, I'm not going to put my hand out to help - I'm going to kick my foot out - figure it out yourself". I was shocked, no one has ever said that to me before or since. Now she wants a job, at my firm, working under me - the thing is she is very experienced with great credentials - what do I do?


Climbing the ladder in New York, NY


Hey Climbing,

Leave that resume right where you found it. Do you want someone on your team who obviously does not understand what it means to be a team player? Maybe she has changed but the fact is that past behavior is the best indicator of future behavior. The fact that she will not be employed by your firm is not your fault - the chickens have come home to roost.


A. Fox
If one speaks or acts with a cruel mind, misery follows, as the cart follows the horse... If one speaks or acts with a pure mind, happiness follows, as a shadow follows its source.
the Dhammapada