October 2014

open thread – October 17, 2014

It’s the Friday open thread! 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, emailing me is still your best bet, but this is a chance to talk to other readers.

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is my law degree keeping me from getting interviews?

A reader writes: I have taken so much of your advice during my job search — personalizing my cover letters, delineating my accomplishments rather than job descriptions on resumes, etc. In particular, I have explained in my cover letters, best as I am able, why I am pursuing administrative positions in human resources and higher […]

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7 ways you’re annoying your manager without realizing it

Everyone gets annoyed by coworkers at times, whether it’s rolling your eyes at the guy who chronically monopolizes meetings or being driven to distraction by your cubicle mate’s loud chewing. To some extent, that’s just the reality of working with other people. But when it’s your boss that you’re annoying, it’s worth paying attention. If […]

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how can I ask whether I’m doing well enough at my new job?

A reader writes: Is there an appropriate, non-annoying way to ask whether you are making sufficient progress during training? At a previous job, I was given strictly positive feedback until about a week before my 90-day training/probation period was scheduled to end, at which point I was told that there were major concerns with my […]

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is there a polite way to walk out of an interview?

A reader writes: I am hoping you can offer advice about a bizarre interview situation I faced. The job was not entry level – it was a directorship position for which I met all qualifications listed in the job description. When I showed up at the interview, it turned out that they had the other […]

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how your mate impacts your career, pre-cations, and more

Over at Intuit QuickBase’s Fast Track blog today, I take a look at several big work-related stories in the news right now: a new start-up trend of “pre-cations” — paid time off before you start a new job; whether your choice of mate can make or break your career; and more. You can read it […]

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