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 →It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. Can I do my own thing in the evenings on a business trip with colleagues? In a few weeks, I will be taking a business trip with my manager and a senior employee. This is my first office job so I’m completely unfamiliar with business […]
Read the full article →A reader writes: I’ve worked for a large nonprofit for the 13 years as an assistant to a CEO. It is a great job and with more than generous PTO, but the pay isn’t great. I actually get some social services because of how little I make. I could possibly make more elsewhere, but there […]
Read the full article →As you might imagine, I hear about a lot of bad office behavior… which is great for me, because I love stories of people doing awkward, ridiculous, or outright insane things. But sometimes it can be hard to judge whether what’s going on around you is reasonable or normal. Sometimes a toxic office environment can […]
Read the full article →We talk a lot here about “red flags” that warn you that a job may not be one you’ll be happy in. But red flags can be tough to spot when you really, really want (or need) a job; it’s often pretty easy to overlook danger signs. And sometimes you don’t realize something was a red […]
Read the full article →It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. My boss does my coworker’s laundry I recently learned that my boss has been doing one of our coworker’s laundry. I was a bit taken aback by this because my coworker had moved to new housing closer to our workplace about six months ago. I […]
Read the full article →I regularly get asked for examples of good cover letters, and I’m always nervous about sharing them because PEOPLE STEAL THEM. But a reader sent me a great one and gave me permission to share it, and I thought it was a good example of how to write a letter that talks about what differentiates you, […]
Read the full article →A reader writes: Last week, I gave my two weeks’ notice to my company. At the same time as I gave my resignation, they were preparing to bring a new hire into our department. I realize that my resignation might be badly timed for them, but I’ve held firm even when presented with a counter-offer. […]
Read the full article →A reader writes: I am a first-time manager to a small team consisting of a few departments in a service-based industry. A woman I manage, “Lucinda,” appears to thrive on manufactured stress. I like Lucinda and she garners positive feedback from clients, but it is common for her to come off as exasperated or overwhelmed […]
Read the full article →It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. What does it mean when a company says they have a “young vibe”? I went through a 15-minute phone screening today. I think the conversation went fairly well for how short it was (wow, she really spoke FAST!) but there’s one phrase the HR person used […]
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