what every manager should know by Alison Green on November 26, 2013 Doing the work I do, I’ve witnessed a lot of managers who struggle to transition from being part of a team to effectively managing one. In fact, one of the issues that comes up most frequently in my consulting work is coaching new managers who want to get it right but are walking dangerously close […] Read the full article →
low-drama coworkers, telecommuting, and other things to be thankful for this Thanksgiving by Alison Green on November 26, 2013 It’s easy to complain about work – from annoying coworkers to difficult bosses to the Accounting department’s inability to issue your expense reimbursement on time, there’s plenty to be frustrated by. So why not take a moment to appreciate some things about the workplace as well? Here are seven work-related things to be thankful for […] Read the full article →
can employers blackball you from your field, logos on your resume, and more by Alison Green on November 26, 2013 It’s five short answers to five short questions. Here we go… 1. Can employers blackball you from working in your field? Can you be blackballed by HR if you left a position under unfavorable conditions? I know that when I was working with organizations in my field, we would go to conferences or have networking […] Read the full article →
can an employer change your rate of pay retroactively and make you pay back the difference? by Alison Green on November 25, 2013 A reader writes: My boyfriend and I are really concerned at this moment. Three months ago, his company told him they were giving him a raise of $1.50/hour. This also came with the burden of working two locations a week. However, just today, they “realized they made a mistake” and that at his position, he’s […] Read the full article →
my boss refuses to close the office between Christmas and New Year’s by Alison Green on November 25, 2013 A reader writes: I work for a small marketing company. There are four of us: John the boss, Sarah, Mark, and me. For the last two years, the office has been open during the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day. The boss and Sarah traveled those years, so it fell to Mark and me […] Read the full article →
6 workplace rights to be thankful for by Alison Green on November 25, 2013 This Thanksgiving, if you’re thinking about what you’re thankful for, don’t forget to think about your workplace. Even if you’re not thrilled with your job and don’t get along with your boss, there are some key elements of the workplace that we can all be thankful for. We usually take our workplace rights for granted, […] Read the full article →
asking a reference to withhold information, how long can you skip work without getting fired, and more by Alison Green on November 25, 2013 It’s five short answers to five short questions. Here we go… 1. Can I ask my reference not to mention my likely timeline for a new job? I was an assistant for almost two years, working hand in hand with my boss in her home. Having spent so much time together over the course of […] Read the full article →
is it better to quit or get fired, being associated with a difficult client, and more by Alison Green on November 24, 2013 It’s five short answers to five short questions. Here we go… 1. I don’t want to be associated with a difficult client I am currently the lead person working on an account that is causing some issues at my company. Some back story – I got this account in January of 2012 and was told […] Read the full article →
asking for a better title as a volunteer, declining an offer to interview, and more by Alison Green on November 23, 2013 It’s five short answers to five short questions. Here we go… 1. Can I ask for a title that better describes the work I’m doing as a volunteer? I am a licensed attorney, and have been for about seven months now. Because the job market still sucks hard, I have been clerking (for free) in […] Read the full article →
teaching high school students about labor issues by Alison Green on November 22, 2013 This is from a reader who’s an attorney who participates in a mentoring program at a local high school with a law magnet. She was giving a presentation to students there on employment law, and used some posts from Ask a Manager for warm-up and closing activities. Here’s her letter on how it went: Thank […] Read the full article →