how to tell an employee to dress more professionally by Alison Green on April 8, 2015 A reader writes: I’m having a problem with one of my staff members, let’s call her Jane. Jane is a staff assistant and a hard worker who wants to stay in the office and move up the ladder. Jane does good work, but some people in the office don’t take her seriously. Part of this is that […] Read the full article →
employee asked to be reimbursed for babysitting costs after he worked late one night by Alison Green on April 8, 2015 A reader writes: I have a salaried, exempt employee who worked until 8 p.m. one evening. He is our media manager; there was some breaking news happening and they were excited to get a story out. This situation is extremely rare. He came in the next day requesting reimbursement for the extra babysitting costs he […] Read the full article →
I don’t want my manager to email my team when I’m out, my coworker has a drug charge, and more by Alison Green on April 8, 2015 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. I don’t want my manager to email my team when I’m out I work in the accounting department, and I called out sick because my kids were sick. I came into work the next day and saw an email that was sent out by my boss […] Read the full article →
do I need to wear a suit to a job interview? by Alison Green on April 7, 2015 Do you need to wear a suit to a job interview? Probably. But maybe not. But if you’re unsure, then yes. Here’s the deal with suits and job interviews: You need to know the norms for interview dress for your own field. And not just your field in general, but your field in your particular geographic […] Read the full article →
you, being unprofessional by Alison Green on April 7, 2015 Ever look back at your career and realize that you weren’t always the consummate professional that you (of course) are today? That you didn’t always have a strong grasp of office etiquette and what is and isn’t professional? Last week, I asked readers to confess their unprofessional deeds from the past. Your answers … well, I am […] Read the full article →
my employee asked me not to give him any feedback by Alison Green on April 7, 2015 A reader writes: I’m a relatively new manager and trying to do my best to tailor my style for each of my team members. This week I asked my team members what they’d like to me to do more/less/differently in our one-on-ones. I got some great feedback from most of my folks, but one has […] Read the full article →
new employee asked me our policy on dating supervisors, lazy friend wants me to be a reference, and more by Alison Green on April 7, 2015 It’s five answers to five questions… 1. New employee asked me our policy on dating supervisors I’m the manager at a branch location of a family owned retail garden center. I wanted to ask if you had any advice a situation that I came across recently involving a candidate who I had decided to hire. […] Read the full article →
how should I format a cover letter? by Alison Green on April 6, 2015 A reader writes: Could you elaborate more about how formatting should be done on a cover letter? For example, should paragraphs be justified or should they use a ragged right edge? I use a cover letter format that appears sort of as a form of my own custom stationary – the top of my letter […] Read the full article →
how to prepare for an internal interview by Alison Green on April 6, 2015 Interviewing for a job at your current company might sound easier than interviewing at a strange company where you don’t know anyone. But internal interviews can be just as hard as external ones, and they come with some additional pitfalls of their own. Here’s what to expect if you’re interviewing for an internal position and […] Read the full article →
new team leader wants to change everything we do by Alison Green on April 6, 2015 A reader writes: My organization is a large one. At the top is the Grand Czar of Teapots, and below that, four Presidents – let’s call them, Steeping & Tea Science, National Tea Promotion, Ceramics & Decoration and Teapot Production & Marketing – with four very different personalities. I am one of four (female) PAs […] Read the full article →