weekend open thread – July 18-19, 2020 by Alison Green on July 18, 2020 This comment section is open for any non-work-related discussion you’d like to have with other readers, by popular demand. Here are the rules for the weekend posts. Book recommendation of the week: I Capture the Castle, by Dodie Smith. A very amusing but penniless family lives in a crumbling castle in 1930s England, but everything changes when two rich […] Read the full article →
it’s your Friday good news by Alison Green on July 17, 2020 It’s your Friday good news, with more accounts of success even in this weird time. 1. I just received a glowing performance review, and I credit much of it to the things I’ve learned from reading your site! One thing I’ve taken to heart and tried to implement this past year was approaching my job as […] Read the full article →
open thread – July 17-18, 2020 by Alison Green on July 17, 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 →
grad student sends rude emails, photos with job applications, and more by Alison Green on July 17, 2020 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. Grad student sends me rude emails A grad student I manage writes rude emails. He will send three emails in 15 minutes, and then respond rudely when I answer the first one, as I haven’t gotten around to the other two or hadn’t seen them […] Read the full article →
can I tell interviewers my weakness is that I burn myself out? by Alison Green on July 16, 2020 A reader writes: I have a question about talking about your weakness, in interviews in particular, but also in performance evaluations and just generally when evaluating your strengths and weaknesses for your own sake. I know you have often said employers can see right through positives framed as negatives, such as “working too hard” or […] Read the full article →
should pet peeves influence hiring decisions? by Alison Green on July 16, 2020 A reader writes: I am hiring for a position that I will manage. Our office is small and this individual and I will work together very closely. I know selecting interviewees and employees is not truly “fair,” but how much should my pet peeves impact the decision to interview someone? For instance, someone sent me […] Read the full article →
my friend is a terrible employee — should I tell her what I really think or just give her sympathy? by Alison Green on July 16, 2020 It’s the Thursday “ask the readers” question. A reader writes: I have a friend who I have never worked with. I want to start by saying she’s an amazing friend: supportive, smart, funny, kind, all the qualities you want in a friend … but I suspect she is a terrible employee. We are professionals in […] Read the full article →
boss gives us pop quizzes, random drug tests during quarantine, and more by Alison Green on July 16, 2020 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. My boss gives us pop quizzes on our cross-training My boss, Cersei, is a brand-new manager, and my coworker (Jon) and I are her guinea pigs for learning how to manage. Jon and I handle different aspects of the same type of work. Cersei wants […] Read the full article →
my coworkers’ constant talk about stress is stressing me out by Alison Green on July 15, 2020 A reader writes: My team, like everyone else, is experiencing a high amount of stress right now. Recently I’ve noticed that when team members are announcing they’re taking a break, they will add something along the theme of “I’m incredibly stressed out and need a mental break.” Multiple people have reported having panic attacks. While […] Read the full article →
my coworker says our company is toxic — but is she the problem? by Alison Green on July 15, 2020 A reader writes: I’m three months into this great new job that I’ve spent a lot of time in education and unpaid internships to prepare for. I’m so excited to finally have it! It’s a high-pressure job that requires a lot of attention to detail. I was assigned to a trainer, “Jane,” who’s been here […] Read the full article →