weekend free-for-all – April 25-26, 2020 by Alison Green on April 25, 2020 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: The Inn at Lake Devine, by Elinor Lipman. A Jewish teenager in the ’60s begins a decades-long fixation on a Vermont inn and the […] Read the full article →
Ask a Manager in the media by Alison Green on April 24, 2020 Here’s some coverage of Ask a Manager in the media recently: I talked to the Los Angeles Times about how to socially distance politely. I talked to the BBC about how advice-giving has changed because of coronavirus. I talked to USA Today about why employers need to change their expectations of employees right now. I […] Read the full article →
more success stories by Alison Green on April 24, 2020 More good news people have written in to share recently: 1. You asked for good news, so I thought I’d share: after years of trying and even a career change to become a better applicant, I finally got a job with my “dream organization.” It’s common to take many tries to get a position there, […] Read the full article →
open thread – April 24-25, 2020 by Alison Green on April 24, 2020 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 gave relationship advice to my employee, company won’t hire me because of where I live, and more by Alison Green on April 24, 2020 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. I lost it and gave relationship advice to my employee About a year ago, one of my direct reports, “Anna,” had a baby. The company we work for is notoriously not family-friendly (which I have experienced firsthand after my children were born), but she is […] Read the full article →
where are you now? (a call for updates) by Alison Green on April 23, 2020 We clearly need a special mid-year updates extravaganza to distract us from Things. So: If you’ve had your question answered here in the past, please email me an update and let us know how your situation turned out. Did you take the advice? Did you not take the advice? What happened? How’s your situation now? (Don’t post your […] Read the full article →
is it a bad idea to work for a first-time manager? by Alison Green on April 23, 2020 A reader writes: I need help in assessing the pros and cons of going to work for someone with no experience managing direct reports. I’m currently employed with an organization where layoffs are looming in the near future, and I have started looking for a position with a hopefully more stable company. I have over […] Read the full article →
updates: I’m worried my company is becoming too conservative, the equipment return, and more by Alison Green on April 23, 2020 Here are updates from three people who had their letters answered here in the past. 1. I’m queer and worried our company is becoming too conservatively Christian to keep me (#2 at the link) Thank you so much for answering the letter! I didn’t read or respond to any of the comments at the time […] Read the full article →
how can suddenly remote teams keep functioning well? by Alison Green on April 23, 2020 It’s the Thursday “ask the readers” question. A reader writes: Like many others, I am now managing a team that is fully work-from-home. I have a team of seven and we are typically dispersed across three cities anyway, but I’m stuck as to how to keep them feeling engaged / connected when they aren’t going […] Read the full article →
company is trying to find out whose spouse has cancer, answering the phone when job-searching, and more by Alison Green on April 23, 2020 It’s six answers to six questions. Here we go… 1. My husband’s company is trying to find out whose spouse has cancer My husband’s company is in the processing of signing with a new health insurance carrier. The owner of his company called him to discuss my health conditions (I am on his insurance). My […] Read the full article →