I share an employee with a difficult boss by Alison Green on November 30, 2012 A reader writes: I’m a program manager in a nonprofit and supervise one employee, our program associate. She’s great. Very productive, efficient, intelligent, and in general a pleasure to work with. She’s been with the organizaiton about 2 years and is eager to advance in her career. (This is her first full-time paid position after […] Read the full article →
how can I handle interruptions when I’m concentrating? by Alison Green on November 30, 2012 A reader asks: What is the best approach for handling interruptions (from colleagues or bosses) at work when you are either busy, in the middle of something else, or just plain unprepared because your mind is on a different project? I sometimes find myself flustered when colleagues or managers stop by without a warning to […] Read the full article →
what’s your worst office holiday story? by Alison Green on November 30, 2012 In the spirit of the holiday season, it’s time to share your worst office holiday stories! Did your office mandate your attendance at an 80s-prom-themed party on a Saturday night? (That’s a real story from the comments on a recent post about holiday aggravations at work.) Did your CEO make everyone at the company holiday party watch two carousels […] Read the full article →
terse answer Thursday — 6 short answers to 6 short questions by Alison Green on November 29, 2012 It’s terse answer Thursday — six short answers to six short questions. Here we go… 1. How soon can I leave this job? So I started a full-time internship for a charity as a Grants Officer. This charity has a large network and there is a possibility of a permanent role with them or their […] Read the full article →
your email does not require a special font by Alison Green on November 29, 2012 If you have set up your email to use a special font when you send people emails, rather than just the normal plain text default, it is time to stop. The fake cursive font, the weird typewriter font, the colors — none of these are good, and they make you look out of touch with […] Read the full article →
my coworker keeps asking me to handle his mail by Alison Green on November 29, 2012 A reader writes: I was hired as a Marketing & Executive Assistant at a start-up company, and I also sit at the front desk. During my initial interview, my then-to-be boss explained that although I sit at the front desk, the receptionist duties are small and, primarily, he would like me to be working on […] Read the full article →
I’m not getting responses to my networking emails by Alison Green on November 28, 2012 A reader writes: I have a question about the proper methods of networking at conventions. In short, I graduated in June (engineering) and have attended a few conventions in the summer and fall (some for volunteering, some for presenting on a specialized topic, and some for observing what new technologies people in industry and academia […] Read the full article →
what are the chances of getting relocation help from an employer? by Alison Green on November 28, 2012 A reader writes: I live in Southern California, but my family and I yearn to move to small town New England, in particular a certain area of fairly close-knit small towns. My question concerns the likelihood of relocation assistance. I’m very skeptical that any will be offered to me, much less enough to move us. […] Read the full article →
10 rules for holiday gift-giving at the office by Alison Green on November 28, 2012 Finding the right gifts for friends and family is hard enough. Being expected to get something for your co-workers and your boss on top of that and navigating how much money to spend is a good way to lose your holiday cheer entirely. Here are 10 rules for holiday gift-giving at the office. Follow them and […] Read the full article →
tiny answer Tuesday — 7 short answers to 7 short questions by Alison Green on November 27, 2012 It’s tiny answer Tuesday — seven short answers to seven short questions. Here we go… 1. Applying for a job that you applied to a year and a half ago I finished grad school last spring and applied for many jobs, got one job (first choice) about a year and a half ago. Now, due […] Read the full article →