is it okay to leave my parents’ dysfunctional business and never look back? by Alison Green on August 19, 2013 A reader writes: Is it okay to run away from my mother’s web design business and never look back? It’s a cesspool of debt, mismanagement, and abuse. I have an art degree and no experience or training in running a small business, yet somehow managed to double their gross profits in a year and a […] Read the full article →
how to talk so your boss will listen by Alison Green on August 19, 2013 Have you ever left a meeting with your boss feeling like she didn’t listen well enough or didn’t understand what you needed? Or maybe you don’t even bother to approach your boss because you don’t think she’ll see things your way. While there certainly are plenty of bad or unresponsive managers out there, often you […] Read the full article →
new coworker is horrible, my boss does 6 performance evaluations a year, and more by Alison Green on August 19, 2013 It’s seven short answers to seven short questions. Here we go… 1. Our new PR guy is horrible, but my boss loves him I am in middle management at a public library. We recently hired a new PR person. Pretty much everyone hates him, except the director (I’ll get to that in a minute). He […] Read the full article →
should I tell a small lie to move a job offer along? by Alison Green on August 18, 2013 A reader writes: I’ve been offered a job verbally and since then, almost a month now, I’ve been in communication with the HR recruiter. She’s stressed apologies for it taking so long and even articulated the company, a large one, has implemented a new job portal so all data is being processed through the new […] Read the full article →
references when you have nothing good to say, failing a hiring assessment, and more by Alison Green on August 17, 2013 It’s seven short answers to seven short questions. Here we go… 1. My neighbor listed me as a personal reference and I have nothing good to say A neighbor (somewhat a friend) has listed me for a personal reference in her job search. I honestly don’t know what to say. I have a very successful […] Read the full article →
update from the reader whose boss stole her company iPad by Alison Green on August 16, 2013 Remember the letter-writer in May who thought her boss had stolen her company iPad? She used a tracking app that showed it was at her boss’s house, but her boss denied knowing anything about it. Other things had been going missing, as well. She posted her first update later that day in the comments: Last […] Read the full article →
I talked to my colleague’s husband and now she’s making false complaints about me by Alison Green on August 16, 2013 A reader writes: In December, I started working at a law office as a receptionist. I went to the Christmas party a couple days after I started. I smoke so several times throughout the night I was outside with the rest of the smokers. One guy and I ended up outside at the same time […] Read the full article →
open thread by Alison Green on August 16, 2013 It’s our monthly open thread! The comment section on this post is open for discussion with other readers on anything you want to talk about. (If you want an answer from me, emailing me is still your best bet, but this is a chance to talk to other readers.) On the left: our six-week-old foster kitten. […] Read the full article →
I don’t want to pay for business travel, hiring for skills vs. attitude, and more by Alison Green on August 16, 2013 It’s seven short answers to seven short questions. Here we go… 1. My employer is sticking me with part of the bill for out-of-town travel My employer wishes me to work out of town occasionally. I have to stay in a hotel and obviously feed myself regularly. The company gives me a per diem rate […] Read the full article →
I got two job offers out of the blue from companies I’ve never been in contact with by Alison Green on August 15, 2013 A reader writes: A few days ago, I got a job offer via email out of nowhere for a personal assistant job from someone claiming to be a realtor. He told me it was a home-based job and that I could be in any location to be able to work for him. He seemed enthusiastic. […] Read the full article →