I recently had a job interview that I felt went great. I thanked the human resources person and also said I thought it was a good fit. But I haven’t heard back and wonder if it’s OK to call her. I did get a call back regarding a position at a different company, but it’s not the one I’m really excited about. What should I do?

It’s OK to call, but don’t take it personally if you can’t get through or don’t get an answer. And don’t count on getting the job, no matter how well you think you fit. You might want to pursue the second job until you get a response about the first.

Our division office is being closed, and the employees have been offered outplacement services. We were told this service was completely confidential, so imagine my surprise when I, as the bill payer, was given not only the outplacement invoices to pay but also found attached a detailed description of conversations with employees and their opinion of them. Confidential, indeed! It freaked me out. Am I overreacting?

No, you are not. It’s outrageous; I would talk to an employment lawyer about this matter to find out if there is anything you can do about it without being punished for blowing the whistle.

My wife and I are expecting our first child. I decided to leave my position where I usually work 50 hours a week. I want a job with a more regular 9-to-5 schedule so that I can have more time with my child. This is very important to me and I would like to know if there is a tactful way to ask during a job interview about overtime.

Ordinarily, I would say go ahead. But in today’s job market I’m opting for caution. I’m sure there is a tactful way, but it’s much wiser to talk to people who already work there about overtime. While it’s a legitimate question, with today’s employment picture you don’t want to turn off the person interviewing you for any reason whatsoever. So get the job first, and then ask.

Carol Kleiman is the author of “Winning the Job Game: The New Rules for Finding and Keeping the Job You Want.” (Wiley, $16.95).