I was asked to set aside four hours for a 10-15-minute phone call by Alison Green on October 9, 2014 A reader writes: I received an email from a hiring manager for a customer service position requesting that I do a phone interview. However, they are expecting me to set aside an entire 4-hour window of time to be available for the phone call. I already work at a call center that is closing down, […] Read the full article →
how to help staff members step out of their comfort zones by Alison Green on October 9, 2014 Helping your team members develop their skills can pay off in all sorts of ways: They’ll get better results in their work, be able to shift more and more work from your plate to theirs, and will generally stick around longer and feel more fulfilled when they can see themselves growing professionally. But what do […] Read the full article →
how can I get more comfortable talking on the phone? by Alison Green on October 9, 2014 A reader writes: My question, or gripe, is about the phone. I’m frustrated with myself, mainly. My new position involves talking to people constantly – making appointments, forming relationships with donors, solving problems with coworkers, negotiating bids, etc. It’s a highly interactive role. You’ve talked before about preferring email over phone for most communications (with […] Read the full article →
one of my employees hit another, using a work printer for personal use, and more by Alison Green on October 9, 2014 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. I’m on vacation and getting reports that one employee hit another While I am on vacation, I received a call from one employee claiming that another employee had an argument with her that led to a physical assault. (Police were called.) The alleged assailant denies […] Read the full article →
my phone voice sounds like the other gender by Alison Green on October 8, 2014 A reader writes: I work for a grant-making organization that funds academic institutions around the country. I frequently speak with people on the phone to explain our programs and often eventually meet them in person at conferences. The issue is that I’m a man with a gender-neutral first name, and my voice on the phone […] Read the full article →
is it unprofessional to put your feet up on your desk? by Alison Green on October 8, 2014 A reader writes: I received feedback from my manager (from an anonymous source, according to her) that I should not be putting my feet up on my desk. I do this typically during long phone calls, because it is comfortable and relieves pressure from my back. I was told that it showed a lack of […] Read the full article →
my boss is trying to fix me up with his friend, offering to pay for job leads, and more by Alison Green on October 8, 2014 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. My boss is trying to fix me up with his friend My CEO approached me today and asked if I wanted to go on a date with one of his good friends. The friend is recently divorced with three small children and is a good […] Read the full article →
what question do you wish you had asked before taking your current job? by Alison Green on October 7, 2014 What’s the one question you wish you had asked before accepting your current job? Bonus points if you can phrase it in a way that would actually be reasonable to ask in an interview. (For example, you probably can’t ask, “Is the CEO an abusive tyrant who can’t keep an assistant longer than three months?” but […] Read the full article →
how to be your own boss — even when you have a manager by Alison Green on October 7, 2014 If you’re like most people, you’ve thought at times that it might be awfully nice not to have a boss. Unless you’re planning to start your own business, that probably isn’t an option – but you can minimize the amount of managing your boss has to do (and thereby get some additional autonomy and independence) […] Read the full article →
my boss is ordering me to illegally trespass at a store where I’ve been banned by Alison Green on October 7, 2014 A reader writes: I work for a retail store, and one of my newer duties is to go to a competitor’s store and compare prices. We’ve apparently been doing it for years and never had any problems; I personally have only been assigned to this recently. About a month ago, towards the end of my […] Read the full article →