I emailed my girlfriend’s boss to complain that he encroached on our relationship by Alison Green on August 3, 2016 A reader writes: My girlfriend recently went on a business trip with her boss. After meeting with their clients for dinner, the two of them headed back to the hotel and had some drinks in the lobby. I’m completely fine with my girlfriend having one or two drinks with her boss for an hour in […] Read the full article →
boss told me not to check messages on vacation but tried to reach me anyway, company claims they don’t have a pay range, and more by Alison Green on August 3, 2016 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. Manager told me not to check messages on vacation, then tried to reach me anyway I am wondering if I am wrong to be annoyed by something my boss did. Background: I work in a tough field, one that is very psychologically draining, due to […] Read the full article →
loose cannons, interviews from the toilet, and other stories of ridiculous job candidates by Alison Green on August 2, 2016 A couple of weeks ago, I asked readers to share the weirdest or worst behavior they’ve ever seen from job candidates. The entire thing ended up being hilarious, but here are 12 of my favorites: 1. The winner of them all Listed in the “interests” section of a managerial candidate’s resume: “shitting.” Candidate called us shortly after […] Read the full article →
my intern is a rude jackass by Alison Green on August 2, 2016 A reader writes: I’m not a manager, but I could use some outside advice. I’m an entry-level engineer who’s been with this company for just over a year. I’ve found this to be a great place to work with very friendly coworkers and exceptionally accommodating management. I feel I’ve gone out of my way to […] Read the full article →
my manager stole a family heirloom from me and gave it as a gift to someone else by Alison Green on August 2, 2016 A reader writes: I work in a small regional branch of a national company. Since I’ve have been there, our manager has run a very … I don’t know, everything just worked and everyone got along. But last year, that manager retired and recommended the daughter of a friend of his to replace him. She […] Read the full article →
saying you have to talk over a job offer with your spouse, ordered to appear “enthusiastic and upbeat,” and more by Alison Green on August 2, 2016 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. Saying that you have to talk over a job offer with your spouse What are your thoughts on telling a potential employer, “I will need to talk this over with my husband/wife” when considering a job offer? Does it sound too dependent or is it just […] Read the full article →
employer told me to write 15-20 short essays before they’ll even interview me by Alison Green on August 1, 2016 A reader writes: I applied for a job on a company’s website a few weeks ago. I received an email from HR at 3:30PM on Friday afternoon acknowledging my application and asking me to respond to a set of pre-screening questions. The email asked that I provide my responses within 48 hours. Does this mean […] Read the full article →
5 things that will send your resume straight to the rejection pile by Alison Green on August 1, 2016 Your resume is the very first impression that an employer will have of you, and it’s usually the determining factor in whether you move forward to an interview or get rejected on the spot. That means that it’s crucial to put real energy into getting it right – and yet many job seekers put more […] Read the full article →
should I tell a low-performing employee that she needs to arrive at work earlier? by Alison Green on August 1, 2016 A reader writes: I have a direct report who has been with my nonprofit organization for a little over six months. She is earnest and committed to our mission, but seriously lacking in areas related to technical skills, attention to detail, and any sort of analytical thinking. She is junior, but this isn’t her first […] Read the full article →
my coworker got a raise to motivate him to show up to work, when religion limits an employee’s availability, and more by Alison Green on August 1, 2016 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. My coworker got a raise and promotion “to motivate him to show up to work” An coworker in my department was given a promotion and pay raise. It was puzzling because many of my colleagues — including me — were aware that he had been […] Read the full article →