July 2020

weekend open thread – July 4-5, 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: Carrie Pilby, by Caren Lissner. A former child prodigy hits adulthood and struggles to connect with people. It’s quirky and charming. * I make a commission […]

Read the full article →

it’s your Friday good news

It’s your Friday good news, with more accounts of success even in this weird time. 1. I just wanted to say a huge thank you! I left a job in November due to ill health, and got a new job in March. I got amazing feedback from the recruiters thanks to your advice, but two […]

Read the full article →

open thread – July 3-4, 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’m not a recent grad — can I still intern?

A reader writes: I completed college about seven years ago and, after a few months of fruitless applying, I said “screw it” and moved to a major city to pursue a niche talent unrelated to my degree. I think it was worth the adventure and while the interest wasn’t well-paying, it did take me around […]

Read the full article →

updates: the follower-upper, the different title, and more

Here are three updates from people who had their letters answered here in the past. 1. Should I tell my employer I may have brought COVID-19 to work in January? (first update here) I missed the chance to respond in the comments when you published my original update, as I’d just started my new job that […]

Read the full article →

networking as a woman, when men keep angling for dates

It’s the Thursday “ask the readers” question. A reader writes: I am a young(ish) Black woman in a white male-dominated field. I have found it virtually impossible to network with male colleagues. Each time I try, the guy is just angling for a date. I source folks from in-person networking events, LinkedIn, and apps like […]

Read the full article →

how to handle a pushy job candidate

A reader writes: I am in the process of scheduling interviews for a new opening on our team. I called a batch of candidates this morning and left messages for a few of them. I was then in a meeting, and when I returned I had four phone calls from one candidate, who apparently was […]

Read the full article →