open thread – May 19-20, 2017 by Alison Green on May 19, 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 →
I love frequent meetings, my employee won’t stick to a schedule, and more by Alison Green on May 19, 2017 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. I get apathetic about my job unless I have frequent meetings I work at a job where I mainly sit at my desk in a windowless environment and get the job done. I’ve been doing the same thing for quite some time and lately with […] Read the full article →
company decided they couldn’t afford to hire me after a lengthy interview process by Alison Green on May 18, 2017 A reader writes: At the end of last year, I applied for a decently paid job at an interesting, profitable, and seemingly sensible start-up. I went through all the stages of their recruiting process, which was difficult and time-consuming. To give you an idea: in addition to a resume and a cover letter, I had […] Read the full article →
update: I had a fling with my new boss’s then-husband by Alison Green on May 18, 2017 Remember the letter-writer who’d had a one-night fling with her new boss’s then-husband? Here’s the update. I ended up quitting rather than working for her. I appreciated your response and all of the kind responses in the comments, but there was no way I could work for her when the company had clearly sided with right […] Read the full article →
your coworkers are very dramatic by Alison Green on May 18, 2017 First, I’m happy to announce that you now have the ability to collapse replies to any comment thread, not just top-level comments. Hopefully that will help make long comment threads easier to navigate. Now, onward… Last week, I asked for stories about weirdly dramatic reactions that you’ve seen people have to changes at work. The […] Read the full article →
friends keep asking me to write their resumes, can I ask to resign instead of being fired, and more by Alison Green on May 18, 2017 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. Friends keep asking me to write their resumes How do I handle friends who keep asking me to write their resumes? I’ve worked as a writer and designer for 10 years so friends, relatives, even friends of friends often ask for help. I have a […] Read the full article →
my manager told us we were going to be laid off — but she was wrong by Alison Green on May 17, 2017 A reader writes: The division I work in has four people, plus my manager. Three months ago, my manager called us into a meeting. She told us the company would be going through some changes and restructuring due to financial issues and that layoffs were coming in the spring. She said she had found out […] Read the full article →
the dark side of “unlimited” vacation time by Alison Green on May 17, 2017 A reader writes: We’re thinking about implementing an unlimited paid time off program in my company, where if you need a day, or a week, you take the time and aren’t bound by a certain number of weeks you can take in a year. Certainly there are a ton of considerations in doing this. I’m […] Read the full article →
I reported my sexist team to HR — and now they’re doing a much bigger investigation than I wanted by Alison Green on May 17, 2017 A reader writes: I work with about 10 men and I am the only woman on my team. Over the course of about 2.5 months, I’ve accumulated some experiences of sexism. A lot of it has been jokes or comments that are generally inappropriate or sexual in nature, and other times it’s a difference in […] Read the full article →
offering a finder’s fee for help finding a job, banning significant others from work events, and more by Alison Green on May 17, 2017 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. I’ve found my jobs by offering finder’s fees to acquaintances I’ve found my best jobs through offering “finder’s fees” of $1,000-$2,000 to acquaintances who put my resume in the hands of a hiring manager and get me a job. It has also made the job […] Read the full article →