what should I say to parents who are job-searching on behalf of their kids? by Alison Green on May 15, 2014 A reader writes: As part of my daily duties, I manage interns and volunteers for the nonprofit I work for. Recently, I’ve had a few interns “apply” by having their parents contact us first and say that their son or daughter “is seeking an internship.” I am not clear whether the parents are doing this […] Read the full article →
video conferencing at work? here’s how to be more likable on video by Alison Green on May 15, 2014 With workplaces increasingly using video conferencing to connect people working in geographically distributed locations, you might be finding yourself appearing on camera at work a lot more than you used to. For those of us who dislike this increasing use of video at work, a recent article in the Wall St. Journal will further stoke […] Read the full article →
should I tell my staff I’m personally paying for the treats I bring them, my contract wasn’t renewed and they won’t tell me why, and more by Alison Green on May 15, 2014 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. Should I tell my staff I’m personally paying for the treats I bring them? I like my employees so sometimes I will bring in food or treats out of my own pocket because I want them to feel they are valued. They think the company […] Read the full article →
my boss is mentally ill by Alison Green on May 14, 2014 A reader writes: I work for a collection agency that is a sole proprietorship. Over the past several months, the owner’s behavior has become increasingly odd and paranoid. He fired the accounting staff just before Christmas, saying that they were plotting against him. The owner’s target is now the IT director, who he says has […] Read the full article →
which matters more: skills or personality? by Alison Green on May 14, 2014 A reader writes: I was hoping you could sort of a disagreement I’ve been having with a friend about workplace culture. Both of us are entry level professionals in our first “real” jobs out of university. He thinks that personality and feelings are completely irrelevant to work, and he would be happy to hire someone […] Read the full article →
how to create a resume from scratch by Alison Green on May 14, 2014 Wondering how to write a great resume that will show off your skills and experience and get you interviews? Here’s a beginner’s guide to how to craft a resume that will catch a hiring manager’s eyes. Your resume should be composed of the following sections: Contact info. This is pretty straightforward – this is the […] Read the full article →
my coworker has an inappropriate LinkedIn photo, responding to a candidate’s rejection of our offer, and more by Alison Green on May 14, 2014 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. How can I tactfully tell my coworker to get to the point? I have a peer who will often call me or drop by my office to ask me a question about something. Rather than getting right to the point, the coworker will ramble on, […] Read the full article →
LinkedIn is not a dating site by Alison Green on May 13, 2014 If you’re checking out profiles on LinkedIn looking for your next date, you have a pretty fundamental misunderstanding of what the site is for (and why the people you’re checking out have profiles there). This might seem like something that should go without saying, but I recently did an interview with the New York Post […] Read the full article →
how to avoid telling employees “because I said so” by Alison Green on May 13, 2014 A reader writes: I manage about 20 people in a small business that is rapidly growing and expanding. We are fortunate to have many long-term employees. Our previous two managers left about a year and a half ago, and I was promoted and joined a new management team of three. We are very productive and […] Read the full article →
my manager threatened to fire me or lower my pay if I don’t help clean the lunchroom by Alison Green on May 13, 2014 A reader writes: I work in the IT department at a small company. There was a company policy enacted that all employees are required to clean the lunchroom when it’s their turn. Our lunchroom is shared by everyone, including our warehouse staff (they regularly make a mess and leave it behind.) A cleanup schedule was […] Read the full article →