January 2013

what to think about before you quit your job

If you’re like most people, you have days where you fantasize about quitting your job — getting away from your boss and your coworkers, and maybe even the work itself. But while there absolutely are times when quitting is a good idea — when your boss asks you to do something illegal or unsafe, for […]

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wee answer Wednesday — 7 short answers to 7 short questions

It’s wee answer Wednesday — seven short answers to seven short questions. Here we go… 1. Did I schedule this interview for too far out? I just had a second-round interview with a place I’d love to work. I interviewed with one of the hiring managers (first round was a phone interview). She said she […]

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can I ask for a raise when I haven’t been doing a great job?

A reader writes: I’ve been at my current job for almost a year now with a gross salary of (redacted at letter-writer’s request, but close to national average). I also started grad school 2 months after employment, so I haven’t been the strongest performer at work and my relationship with my boss is tense. At […]

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night owl with new early bird work schedule

A reader writes: I am most decidedly NOT a morning person. I’ve been a night owl since I was a kid. I actually chose my field as an undergraduate (a branch of the biological sciences) based on the fact that labs quite often run non-standard hours. In fact, for the overwhelming majority of my career […]

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gender politics and cleaning up after meetings

A reader writes: I am a woman on a largely male management team at a small nonprofit. Some of the management team members attend Board meetings, including me. The executive director’s assistant, who is female, sets up snacks and coffee, and occasionally more substantial buffet-type food for those meetings, which run into the early evening. […]

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tiny answer Tuesday — 7 short answers to 7 short questions

It’s tiny answer Tuesday — seven short answers to seven short questions. Here we go… 1. Can I be fired for refusing to sanitize my hands? I work for a global nonprofit. Due to the flu epidemic happening nationwide, my job has now mandated that we sanitize everything in our offices, including its workers.The top […]

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