October 2021

weekend open thread – October 16-17, 2021

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: The Husbands, by Chandler Baker. In a neighborhood of high-powered, accomplished women and their extremely supportive, housework-loving husbands, all is not what it seems.  I make […]

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it’s your Friday good news

It’s your Friday good news! 1.  “I emailed you a few weeks ago asking for advice after I was told that I would never be promoted again even though I had just received a great 1-year review and a promotion. (Note from Alison: this exchange was unpublished.) Well, I took your advice and went back […]

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open thread – October 15-16, 2021

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 (that includes school). If you want an answer from me, emailing me is still your best bet*, but this is a chance to talk to other readers. * […]

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my friend’s work problems are stressing me out, I got accused of trash-talking a former job, and more

It’s four answers to four questions. Here we go… 1. My friend’s work problems are making me anxious I have a friend who can’t seem to hold down a job for very long before becoming very frustrated with it. Every workplace has an issue: coworkers who are catty, management that isn’t supportive, information that isn’t […]

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when the red flags are even more ominous than you know…

In 2014, I received this letter. I get more mail than I can answer, and this one didn’t end up getting published. But read on, because there’s a twist coming. After following your cover letter and resume advice, I landed an interview for a position I would love to have. It is similar to my […]

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our head of security took upskirt photos of an intern

A reader writes: Curious to hear your take on a situation that came up a long time ago at a previous workplace. Shortly out of college, I got a job working for a nonprofit cultural institution that had a fair share of unpaid interns working across the organization. Our head of security had a reputation […]

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my employees keep contacting me when I’m off work

A reader writes: I manage a staff of 18 who work varying shift times. When I’m out of the office, whether that’s due to vacation, illness, or just regular days off, my staff constantly contacts me. It’s mostly questions about things that could easily be handled by someone else in the building, management or not. […]

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