August 2021

it’s your Friday good news

It’s your Friday good news! 1. I’ve been unemployed since last July, after 15 years in the performing arts. For obvious reasons, the field has been 90% shut down since last March. Due to the pandemic, my husband and I had to postpone, then cancel our wedding/reception, our landlord decided to sell the house pushing us […]

Read the full article →

should I reach out to an employer who ghosted me?

A reader writes: I’m writing in hopes that you can help me make sense of an experience I had during my recent job search. Several months ago, I applied for a position at a prestigious organization in my field. That same day, I received an email from Jim to set up a 30-minute phone screening […]

Read the full article →

this is why you need a good cover letter

A reader writes: I wanted to offer some testimony on why cover letters are so important. I am currently reviewing applications for several positions with a government agency. Our online application system doesn’t require a cover letter, but applicants can add them if they want. I have a relatively small pool of applicants and quite […]

Read the full article →

how do I adjust to working 8 hours a day?

It’s the Thursday “ask the readers” question. A reader writes: I’m currently a college student interning with a firm for the summer and doing office work for the first time in my life. I am a good student, entering my third year this fall, but I’m really struggling with work. I am working a normal Mon-Friday […]

Read the full article →

should I give a bad reference for a nightmare employee?

A reader writes: I used to serve on the board of a small nonprofit, which I left a year ago. During my time on the board, we had to hire a new executive director. The new hire’s references were stellar and he had a great resume, but there were problems even before he had fully […]

Read the full article →

a friend of my ex-boyfriend verbally attacked me at work

A reader writes: I have been working for a large corporation for a few years now. Recently, Joe started a new job here; he is a friend of an ex-boyfriend I recently broke up with (and who is still bitter about the breakup, although I’ve moved on). I got a new office space today and […]

Read the full article →