an update from our most notorious letter ever: I had to prepare a meal and entertain 20 people for a job interview by Alison Green on July 14, 2014 Remember the letter-writer back in January who had to prepare a meal and entertain 20 people, along with 19 other people competing for a job? Of course you do — it might be our craziest, most notorious letter ever. Here’s her update. I’ve just landed a great job with a leading public health organization doing […] Read the full article →
what to do if you can’t find a job by Alison Green on July 14, 2014 You’ve been sending out applications, building your network, cultivating an impressive online presence, and everything else you’ve heard you should do in a job search, but what if you still can’t find a job? That can be a terrifying spot to be in – but don’t panic. Here are five steps you can take if your […] Read the full article →
my boss demands to know how I’m spending my time off before he’ll approve it by Alison Green on July 14, 2014 A reader writes: My boss has requested that I write to ask permission and give a reason why when I want to take annual leave. I don’t have a problem with this, so I wrote with the reason being “personal matters.” He wrote back saying, “I would appreciate a slightly more detailed reason for your […] Read the full article →
my office is moving to my boss’s house, difficult interns, and more by Alison Green on July 14, 2014 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. My office is moving inside my boss’s house I work for a small company with 2 full-time employees, 2 part-time, and a weekly bookkeeper. My boss is wealthy, mercurial, and often out of the office or traveling. Recently, he announced that he has decided to […] Read the full article →
Sunday free-for-all – July 13, 2014 by Alison Green on July 13, 2014 It’s the Sunday free-for-all. Since we limited Friday’s open thread to work-related discussions, this comment section is open for any non-work-related discussion you’d like to have with other readers, by popular demand. Have at it. Read the full article →
is my employer suggesting I apply to other jobs, vacation time after giving notice, and more by Alison Green on July 12, 2014 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. Is my HR rep suggesting I apply to jobs at other companies? I recently received a text message from the HR manager at my organization informing me of a job posting at a completely different organization. The bizarre thing about receiving this message is (a) […] Read the full article →
do you have to tell your boss why you’re quitting? by Alison Green on July 11, 2014 This was originally published on June 2, 2011. A reader writes: I will be giving my (two week) notice at my job this Friday. I’m not leaving to take another job. I’m leaving because the Army is moving us ….. again. Unfortunately, in order to get the job, I had to fib and tell the […] Read the full article →
open thread – July 11, 2014 by Alison Green on July 11, 2014 It’s the Friday open thread. This post is for work-related discussions only. Please hold anything off topic for the free-for-all open thread that’s coming this Sunday. The comment section on this post is open for discussion with other readers on anything work-related that you want to talk about. If you want an answer from me, […] Read the full article →
unsolicited resumes from strangers, telling someone grad school isn’t for them, and more by Alison Green on July 11, 2014 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. What am I supposed to do with an unsolicited resume from a stranger? I just received an email from someone I don’t know, and it was likely sent to a lot of people (he sent it to himself and I’m a “bcc”). This feels like […] Read the full article →
how big of a deal are mistakes when you’re new to a job? by Alison Green on July 10, 2014 A reader writes: I’m a student who’s still pretty fresh from high school and only a year or so into college. While searching for a summer job, I applied to a variety of places and ended up getting a job at a corporate office-type setting. My previous work experience has been in retail and fast […] Read the full article →