how can I explain why I went to a for-profit school? by Alison Green on February 14, 2018 A reader writes: I graduated from DeVry in the late 80’s. I earned a four-year B.S. there. I was heavily recruited (high test scores) by many colleges and ultimately it came down to a UC and DeVry. DeVry was on a trimester system, so I would graduate in three years vs. four years, and I […] Read the full article →
women-only Valentine’s Day gestures, employee is having affair with client’s spouse, and more by Alison Green on February 14, 2018 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. My coworker wants to send flowers to all the women for Valentine’s Day I have a question about Valentine’s Day at work. I have a coworker, “Martin,” who works overseas in London, and he recently visited one of our U.S. locations and met several people […] Read the full article →
how long should it take to hear back after you apply for a job? by Alison Green on February 13, 2018 A reader writes: What’s an average time you should expect to wait to hear if you will get an interview after you submit an online job application? I’ve read your prior posts that prospective employers usually know right away if they want to interview you. But how long before your resume typically makes it to […] Read the full article →
how can I explain why I’m leaving my new job after only three months? by Alison Green on February 13, 2018 A reader writes: I started a new job about three months ago and have quickly realized that it is a very bad fit. During the interview, I asked several questions about things that are important to me, such as the reason the last person left the position, the amount of paid time off, what the […] Read the full article →
my employee sent a memo to management about ghosts in the building by Alison Green on February 13, 2018 A reader writes: I’m a relatively new manager and some of my inherited employees have, well, pretty questionable judgment that I’ve been trying to address since I started. They’ve made some odd decisions in the past, and as their boss, I’ve had to deal with the fall-out, but I’m slowly training them towards a better […] Read the full article →
returning to an old company where I was a jerk, coworker wants to take over my job, and more by Alison Green on February 13, 2018 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. Returning to an old company where I was a jerk to people After a bit of a job search, I have just accepted a role to return to a company I last worked at a few years ago. It’s a new role working directly with […] Read the full article →
a job application asked me to rank if torturing a person was worse than prostitution by Alison Green on February 12, 2018 A reader writes: I’m trying to change fields from copywriting freelancer to something in the admin assistance sphere. It could be that my greenness is showing, but is it typical for applications to ask you to rate atrocities? After submitting a resume and cover letter, I was directed to fill in an online form. The […] Read the full article →
when your coworker is driving you nuts by Alison Green on February 12, 2018 I was on public radio’s Marketplace this weekend, talking about quitting your job, including: how to deal with noise in an open office space how to deal with a coworker whose chronic cough is driving you crazy is there a magic solution where you can get your coworker to stop doing an annoying thing without […] Read the full article →
what if I can’t succeed in the world of work? by Alison Green on February 12, 2018 A reader writes: I’m a professional in my late twenties. I spent my twenties getting some degrees and doing fellowships, internships, and various contract jobs. Through all of that, I landed a great full-time job – not my dream job, but maybe 60% my dream job. Coming in, I knew it would be a bit […] Read the full article →
I want to break up with my boyfriend but I work for his parents, office flatulence, and more by Alison Green on February 12, 2018 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. I want to break up with my boyfriend — but I work for his parents I just graduated from college last spring with a degree in a field that’s rather difficult to find work in. Lucky for me, my boyfriend’s parents happened to own a […] Read the full article →