Tia Juana will cheerfully provide advice for anyone that asks. Just mail your questions to “Ask Tia Juana” at PO Box 8, Van Horn, Texas 79855. All questions will remain anonymous unless there is a chance for extortion. Disclaimer: Tia Juana is not a licensed counselor or therapist and none of the advice should be considered professional.
Dear Tia,
I am blessed to have a really good job and love my bosses. Recently, an opening came up for an entry level job and I happened to mention it to one of my cousins who is currently unemployed. Actually, she is ALWAYS unemployed! She begged me to put in a good word for her with my employer and promised that she would not disappoint me or make me look bad. Against my better judgement, I put a good word in for her and my bosses called her in for an interview. Imagine my shock when my dear cousin shows up in her most revealing outfit, which would be better suited for an interview as a pole dancer instead of a receptionist! I was mortified and wanted to crawl in a hole, as my mother would say, “tragame tierra!” All I could think of was what would my bosses would think of me now that they had met my floozy cousin. I couldn’t have been more wrong…my male bosses were “delighted” to meet my cousin and were impressed with her “skills.” Now my coworkers are upset because they know that my cousin was not hired for her typing skills. Please help, my credibility is shot!
Cussin’ my cousin
Dear Cussin’
You have broken one of the cardinal rules of the workplace. Do NOT recommend relatives, friends, acquaintances, friends of relatives or acquaintances, or basically anyone for a job at your workplace. You should not take on that responsibility in case they do not live up to your recommendations, and you end up under your employer’s microscope for even knowing the person you recommended. In this case, the only thing you can do to salvage the situation is to take a DNA test and when it comes back, show it to your employer showing that either you or your cousin are adopted and not related in any way. I hope you have learned your lesson!
