is it unprofessional to show accidental cleavage at work? by Alison Green on May 7, 2019 A reader writes: What do you think about unintentional workplace cleavage? Unprofessional or innocuous? For context, I work at a tech company with a fairly casual culture, in a large, non-conservative city. I happen to be the only woman who works from this office (though we share space with our sister company, which has a […] Read the full article →
coworkers keep asking when I’ll have kids, CEO advertises jobs we’re not hiring for, and more by Alison Green on May 7, 2019 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. Colleagues keep asking when I’ll have kids I work at a nonprofit that serves the needs of children. I am in different classrooms all the time and work with kids who have significant trauma. I love my job and the kids I work with tremendously. […] Read the full article →
I got a job offer — then found out they’re negotiating with another candidate too by Alison Green on May 6, 2019 A reader writes: I applied for a job through a recruiter and after a couple of interviews, he emailed me asking me to call him because the company “wanted to make [me] an offer.” We spoke; he relayed the salary offer, vacation and sick days, and benefits. I asked for/negotiated a couple of other things, […] Read the full article →
since I gave notice, my boss has tripled my workload by Alison Green on May 6, 2019 A reader writes: A few months ago, I gave notice at my current position. The decision was necessary due to severe burnout issues (to the point where I have been having anxiety attacks) and a terrible boss who, despite repeated conversations about my burnout levels, only continued to increase my workload and micromanage my every […] Read the full article →
my coworker brought a spouse on our business trip and it was weird by Alison Green on May 6, 2019 A reader writes: I have a job that has an on-boarding program with a heavy emphasis on shadowing. This is normal in my industry and most seasoned professionals started their careers in this field by shadowing others. The work that we do is confidential, requires travel via long car trips, overnight stays at hotels, and […] Read the full article →
why won’t anyone eat the last cookie, former employee still logging into database, and more by Alison Green on May 6, 2019 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. There’s a rumor I had a physical fight with a staff member, but I didn’t I just found out from one of my staff, Fergus, that two of his coworkers, Betty and Veronica, told him when he was hired a year ago that I had […] Read the full article →
weekend free-for-all – May 4-5, 2019 by Alison Green on May 4, 2019 This comment section is open for any non-work-related discussion you’d like to have with other readers, by popular demand. (This one is truly no work and no school.) Book recommendation of the week: Lights All Night Long, by Lydia Fitzpatrick. An exchange student from Russia spends a year in America after a tragedy befalls his family at home. […] Read the full article →
open thread – May 3-4, 2019 by Alison Green on May 3, 2019 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 →
telling my friend I don’t want to hire her, employer loves me but is still interviewing other people, and more by Alison Green on May 3, 2019 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. How to tell my friend I don’t want to hire her I was recently made manager of a small tourist shop. The shop is open six months out of the year and my job is to hire/fire, order supplies, and keep the place up and […] Read the full article →
is it ethical not to ask for more work when you have room to do more? by Alison Green on May 2, 2019 A reader writes: Is it ethical to not ask for more work, even when you could do it, if it’s more than others at your level are doing? I’m a high-achieving secretary at an education organization. This is just a job for me to pay the bills while I go to school, which it does, […] Read the full article →