three updates from letter-writers by Alison Green on April 14, 2017 Here are updates from three people who had their letters answered here. 1. Answering a painful question from new coworkers (#2 at the link) I’m the person who wrote in asking how to handle it when co-workers at my new job ask about children after losing one of my children. First I’d like to say thank […] Read the full article →
open thread – April 14-15, 2017 by Alison Green on April 14, 2017 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. * If you submitted […] Read the full article →
giving a negative reference for a nightmare employee, I don’t want to come back after maternity leave, and more by Alison Green on April 14, 2017 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. Should I give a negative reference for a nightmare employee? I once served on the board of a small nonprofit, which I left a year ago. During my time on the board, our long-term executive director left the organization and we hired a search firm […] Read the full article →
what’s the etiquette when you get a text from an unknown number? by Alison Green on April 13, 2017 A reader writes: Here’s a question regarding the nuances of professional texting. I was at the gym at night and received a text from an unknown number, asking for a “quick question” — the email address of the CEO of a firm at which I used to work. I quickly searched emails on my phone […] Read the full article →
update: my coworker won’t stop talking about how stressed she is, and it makes me stressed out too by Alison Green on April 13, 2017 Remember the letter-writer whose coworker was constantly talking about how stressed out she was? Here’s the update. Thanks so much for the advice and sympathies. It’s allowed me to give myself permission to deflect this a bit more than I was and to do the things Alison mentioned in the last line like setting boundaries […] Read the full article →
how much do deadlines really matter in your field? by Alison Green on April 13, 2017 A reader writes: I’m an English professor, and I would love some advice from you and your readers about how to prepare students for deadlines in the work world. My colleagues and I have a disagreement about this. My back story is that when I was a procrastinating college student, I got into the habit […] Read the full article →
my coworker loves meetings and jargon, temp is hawking health products at work, and more by Alison Green on April 13, 2017 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. My coworker is weirdly formal and loves meetings and jargon I’ve been working with Jane for the past four months. We are peers, although she has direct reports and I’m a team of one. She’s in her mid 50s and has been in our industry […] Read the full article →
a volunteer group I founded years ago is devouring my life by Alison Green on April 12, 2017 A reader writes: Almost five years ago, while I was in college, I founded and incorporated an all-volunteer nonprofit (“AVO”) in my hometown. A group of friends wanted to do it because we liked the field but couldn’t find another organization that provided appropriate opportunities, and I was cajoled into leadership. Now, it’s a drain […] Read the full article →
what to do when a candidate’s salary expectations are too high by Alison Green on April 12, 2017 A reader writes: Our online application system asks candidates to provide salary requirements, and of course we have in mind a target salary for our new hire. How can I best respond to candidates who have salary requirements well outside our range? If the candidate’s target salary is literally double our budget, I don’t want […] Read the full article →
employee got her colleagues arrested for smoking pot at a conference and now wants a transfer by Alison Green on April 12, 2017 A reader writes: Three of my reports (two staff and their team manager) were sent to a two-day conference on the other side of the state. According to one of the staff, Sally, when they were back at the hotel after the first day the team manager invited the two of them into his room […] Read the full article →