red flags when interviewing, asking to work remotely, and more by Alison Green on December 7, 2013 It’s five short answers to five short questions. Here we go… 1. Am I right to be concerned about this job prospect? I am getting ready to graduate with my bachelor’s degree in two weeks. A networking contact of mine recently arranged for me to interview at a Fortune 500 company where he works. He […] Read the full article →
update from the reader who found out she was pregnant right after starting a new job by Alison Green on December 6, 2013 It’s our first in what will be a month-long series of our reader updates. Remember the reader who found out she was pregnant right after starting a new job (#5 at the link)? She was unsure when and how to tell her new manager. Here’s her update. Your advice was right on target, and I really […] Read the full article →
my manager insists on assigning seats at a holiday lunch that we pay for ourselves by Alison Green on December 6, 2013 First, thanks to everyone who sent me the news that the rule on gifts in an office flowing downward, not upward (i.e., you’re not expected to give gifts to your boss) goes at least as far back as Letitia Baldrige, who wrote many books on etiquette and was Jackie Kennedy’s social secretary in the White […] Read the full article →
open thread by Alison Green on December 6, 2013 It’s our biweekly 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. Read the full article →
how can I convince my boss I don’t speak Spanish, bad connections on phone interviews, and more by Alison Green on December 6, 2013 It’s five short answers to five short questions. Here we go… 1. What’s the etiquette of asking to extend interview travel? I recently had a phone interview for a job across the country, and at the end, the interviewer mentioned he’d be asking HR to get in touch with me to arrange for an in-person […] Read the full article →
how can I stop a greedy coworker from taking all the candy from my candy jar? by Alison Green on December 5, 2013 A reader writes: How can I keep a rude coworker from taking copious amounts of candy from a candy jar? He almost singlehandedly empties my candy dish in a few days if I bring in delicious candy. He comes in and makes small talk multiple times a day as an excuse to grab candy. We […] Read the full article →
what’s the coolest Excel trick you know? by Alison Green on December 5, 2013 A reader writes: From reading the comments on AAM, it seems many of your readers are Excel gurus. I use Excel a lot at work but feel like I’m only scratching the surface of what the software can do. I’m familiar with basic formulas (think =SUM and =AVERAGE) and recently learned how to subtotal and […] Read the full article →
is it okay to work on personal projects during slow days at work? by Alison Green on December 5, 2013 A reader writes: Is it okay to work on personal projects during slow days at work? The past few days, my supervisors have been on vacation and the only people in the office besides me (the research assistant) are the receptionist and the staff accountant. I’ve finished all of my work, including old back burner […] Read the full article →
a couples dinner with a prospective boss, sending job search emails from a smart phone, and more by Alison Green on December 5, 2013 It’s five short answers to five short questions. Here we go… 1. Is it okay to send job correspondence from a smart phone? Is it okay to send a post-interview thank-you note via your smart phone? I don’t mean sending one right after the interview but later when you have time but no laptop/desktop available. […] Read the full article →
is there a nice way for an interviewer to short-circuit an interview if the candidate obviously isn’t right? by Alison Green on December 4, 2013 A reader writes: I’m very interested in your point of view (and your readers). As a manager, we all have had to interview a person where you know 5 minutes in that there is zero chance you are going to proceed with them. Sometimes it’s a lack of interest on their end, inability to answer […] Read the full article →