my manager keeps complaining to me about her own boss by Alison Green on September 24, 2014 A reader writes: I just got a new job – a job I am SUPER excited about. My boss, who I share an office with, is great on all accounts so far except she has one major problem that makes me feel very uncomfortable: She complains and talks horribly about her boss as soon as […] Read the full article →
I found an ad for my own job, my manager tells us to bill for hours we didn’t work, and more by Alison Green on September 24, 2014 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. I found an ad for my own job I’m supposed to have a team of four, but one of my employees transferred to another team/office three months ago. I put in a job requisition request for his replacement right away but have had no movement […] Read the full article →
is it rude to call out an employee’s name when I want them to come into my office and they’re nearby? by Alison Green on September 23, 2014 A reader writes: My assistant and three other staff members’ desks are just outside my office door. From my desk, if I look up, I can even make eye contact with one person. If I call someone into my office to discuss something, sometimes I will call on the phone, but since they sit five […] Read the full article →
how can my resume demonstrate initiative, problem-solving, work ethic, and other qualities? by Alison Green on September 23, 2014 A reader writes: I’m currently a college student studying engineering. I keep on reading lists with titles like “Top 10 Skills and Qualities Employers Seek in College Grads.” All of the skills listed there are fairly subjective. For instance, a list might include words like teamwork, leadership, written communication, problem-solving, work ethic, initiative, and other […] Read the full article →
how to team-build — without trust falls, rope courses, or lengthy off-sites by Alison Green on September 23, 2014 When we hear about team-building, it’s often in the form of cringe-inducing exercises like trust falls, athletic events like rope-climbing that many people dread, or other practices that can easily cross over into violating people’s comfort and even dignity. So what are you to do if you’re a manager looking for a way to build a […] Read the full article →
can I suggest a candidate to replace my low-performing boss, job hunting with a fragrance allergy, and more by Alison Green on September 23, 2014 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. Can I suggest a candidate to replace my low-performing boss? Over the past few months, I’ve noticed that I rarely see my boss performing or producing much of anything. As his employee, I was assuming (and hoping) there was a lot going on at a […] Read the full article →
my employer makes you wait 3 years for a raise and is staffed by lunatics by Alison Green on September 22, 2014 A reader writes: I’m just over two years into my first “real” job after grad school. My company (a large nonprofit) has a very strict policy that someone in my position has to be in that position for at least three years before they are eligible for a raise. Then, in order to actually get […] Read the full article →
employers, stop labeling millennials by Alison Green on September 22, 2014 If you’ve picked up a newspaper or read a business magazine in the last decade, chances are high that you’ve been bombarded with articles about how the millennial generation requires different treatment at work from everyone who has come before them. In fact, entire consulting businesses have been built on the idea that employers need […] Read the full article →
wearing school colors when interviewing at a university, recommending a fired employee, and more by Alison Green on September 22, 2014 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. Wearing school colors when interviewing at a university When applying for a classified or administrative position at a university, whether or not you attended that particular university, is it inappropriate to wear a blouse or accessorize with one of the colors of that university? My […] Read the full article →
Sunday free-for-all – September 21, 2014 by Alison Green on September 21, 2014 It’s the weekend free-for-all. This comment section is open for any non-work-related discussion you’d like to have with other readers, by popular demand. (This one is truly non-work only; if you have a work question, you can email it to me or post it in the work-related open thread on Fridays.) Have at it. Read the full article →