April 2013

mini answer Monday — 7 short answers to 7 short questions

It’s mini answer Monday — seven short answers to seven short questions. Here we go… 1. Explaining why other companies didn’t hire me I’ve been unemployed for over a year now, but I keep sending out applications and sometimes manage to get a interview. And a question I’ve been asked several times is, “Do you […]

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short answer Sunday — 6 short answers to 6 short questions

It’s short answer Sunday — six short answers to six short questions. Here we go… 1. Should I intervene when one assistant is rude to another? I have a question about tolerating rudeness. I am on a team of about 14 people, three of whom are assistants. I am a supervisor and have one associate […]

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is it rude to resign over the phone?

A reader writes: I work for a large California-based software company but live in on the East Coast. I came to this company through an acquisition, and while they retained the small office we previously operated out of, my specific job is based in Los Angeles. Specifically, I travel to the West Coast for two […]

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why don’t managers appreciate transferable skills?

A reader writes: I got a PhD in medieval studies. Not exactly the most practical field, but I learned a lot about abstract thinking, analytical skills, and data mining. Transcribing and translating medieval Latin isn’t exactly easy, after all. However, it took me over a year and a half to find a job in the […]

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can staying at the same job too long hurt you?

A reader writes: I’ve been at the same company for nearly 12 years, and during that time, the company has nearly tripled in sales and number of employees. I started as basically a clerk and as the company grew, I eventually worked my way into a manager’s position with 6 employees in my department. My […]

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terse answer Thursday — 7 short answers to 7 short questions

It’s terse answer Thursday — seven short answers to seven short questions. Here we go… 1. Can you submit mileage reimbursements for only a few dollars? I’m filling out last month’s out of pocket expenses and find myself wanting to make several mileage reimbursement requests for a few dollars each. Normally I might have one […]

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