my boss called me repeatedly while I was out sick and even phoned my dad by Alison Green on March 25, 2015 A reader writes: A while back, I called into work sick for the first time in my 6 months there because I had a stomach bug and was throwing up. I followed standard procedure and left a voicemail for my manager at 6:30 a.m. saying that I had a stomach bug, wouldn’t be in, and […] Read the full article →
resigning when your boss is abusive, former coworker insists on lunch, and more by Alison Green on March 25, 2015 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. Resigning when my boss is abusive I work for a small consulting firm. The CEO is verbally abusive not only to employees, but also to customers. I am in sales and a very high performer, consistently meeting and exceeding my goals. My biggest concern I […] Read the full article →
when a job candidate asks, “so, what did you think of me?” by Alison Green on March 24, 2015 A reader writes: I had a weird situation today when interviewing a candidate and I was hoping to get your read on the situation. At the end of the interview, he asked us for an on-the-spot evaluation. I forget exactly how he worded it, but something like “What do you think of me so far?” […] Read the full article →
how to get buy-in from your staff on tough decisions by Alison Green on March 24, 2015 It would be nice if your staff wholeheartedly supported every decision that you made. In reality, there may be times when you need to make an unpopular decision – for budget reasons or strategic ones. Here are some steps you can take that will increase the chances of getting buy-in from your team. 1. Ask […] Read the full article →
my coworker insists that I’m mad at her and is radiating drama by Alison Green on March 24, 2015 A reader writes: Three months ago, I had a conflict with a coworker. We used to walk together during breaks. One day, she abruptly changed directions to walk with someone else. No big deal. Except that, apparently, it was. Later that afternoon, she apologized for the abrupt change in walking partners. I was working and […] Read the full article →
giving feedback to a rude intern, my CEO is saying I was fired but I quit, and more by Alison Green on March 24, 2015 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. Giving feedback to a rude intern I am a relatively new manager who is having an odd issue with my current intern. He has been with us for about 2 months, and in that time I have noticed that his basic professional manners are incredibly […] Read the full article →
when your boss asks you to plunge the toilet (and the return of the nieces) by Alison Green on March 23, 2015 Two years ago, my nieces (then 9 and 12) helped me answer a letter here. Since then, there’s been a clamor for their return. They’re back today. A reader writes: This happened to a friend once and I always find it amusing to ask my colleagues in tech. He recently got hired at a small […] Read the full article →
how to turn down requests to meet, network, or pick your brain by Alison Green on March 23, 2015 Gain even a little bit of success in your field, and you’re likely to start getting requests from strangers or near-strangers to meet, network or “pick your brain.” In the beginning, you might enjoy this – it’s flattering, after all, and it can be a way to pay forward help that you yourself received from […] Read the full article →
asking a cash-strapped employer to pay to send me to a conference by Alison Green on March 23, 2015 A reader writes: I work for a mid-size nonprofit that has been struggling financially for a few years. I’m not privy to the specifics of our finances as that’s not my role here, but from what I understand we have a significant amount of debt but we’re not on the verge of closing down or […] Read the full article →
new hire keeps coming in late, I’m a non-designer being asked to design, and more by Alison Green on March 23, 2015 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. New hire keeps coming in late Our work day starts at 8:30 a.m., though due to city traffic and some gradual bad habits, we have 2-3 people who sometimes come in between 8:45 and 9. We recently hired a new person who has made it […] Read the full article →