Question: We received a r sum from an applicant whose background looks good for an entry-level marketing position. My concern is that she uses a very babyish nickname on her résumé and cover letter. I think this is a sign of immaturity. Do you agree?

Answer: It could be argued that eliminating a seemingly satisfactory candidate on the basis of a nickname is a sign of immaturity. Making a judgment about a person strictly on this basis is a sign of stereotyping and snap judgments. It is even possible that this nickname has an ethnic origin, and you may be inadvertently wandering into an EEO issue.

It is also interesting to look at what happens if your assumption is correct and this individual is actually immature. Some companies have found that a little immaturity can lead to a healthy measure of creativity and innovative thinking.

The best way to determine if an individual is qualified for a position is to look carefully at his or her work history. You said this applicant's background looks good for your entry-level position, and that alone should be enough for you to take the next step with her, such as by conducting a preliminary telephone interview.

In such an

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interview, as in all other pre-employee communications, your questions should be job-related. And there is one line of questioning for you to specifically avoid, namely any questions about her nickname.

Q I gave one of my better employees a very substantial raise last year, and her pay is now above average for the industry and at the top of the grade for her job in our company. I gave her a modest raise this year, but she is dissatisfied and wants more. Our company policy will not allow such an increase, and her position does not warrant it. How should I deal with her?

A Your question actually contains your answer: Company policy will not allow the increase, and her position does not warrant it. You can phrase it more delicately, but these are the points your employee needs to understand.

If you ask employees at any job level if they want more money, you will be bombarded with affirmative responses. However, that is not the criterion to be used in determining pay increases.

Rather, you should look at several factors, including performance, equity within the department and company, market rates, and supply and demand for the labor in question. Notice that "employee wants" are not in this listing.

Part of the problem is last year's raise, especially if it was based on this employee's desires rather than merit. Perhaps she is merely repeating behaviors that were rewarded in the past, and she is wondering why they are not working now.

When you bestow any kind of large reward on an employee, it is important to consider what you - and the employee - will do for an encore.

Q We have a small customer-service department that handles calls from around the country. One of the representatives has been getting more than her share of customer complaints. We have counseled her, but she always has an excuse. It takes a few months to train a new rep, so we don't want to terminate her, at least not yet. What other steps do you suggest?

A It is a real problem when a customer service rep does a disservice. However, it is an even bigger problem when management does not take effective corrective action.

One initial step is to look at her training. You may have spent months bringing her up to speed technically, but that is only half the training that is needed. If she has not received real customer-service training, that is definitely worth considering.

There are plenty of courses available, or you could bring a trainer into the company and give the whole department a tune-up.

You can also give her some specific guidance. For example, she may need to better understand the importance of listening when customers are upset.

It might also help if she tries to smile when talking with customers. Interestingly, customers on the phone can tell whether a rep is smiling or not. Another step is for you to demonstrate specific behaviors that work best.

Many companies use the term "customer care" rather than "customer service." If this rep can understand that she is actually a caregiver, perhaps she will act like one, too.

Ken Lloyd is an Encino-based management consultant, coach and author who specializes in organizational behavior. He is the author of "Jerks at Work: How to Deal With People Problems and Problem People." Write to him at lloydonjob@gmail.com.