update: my new job is a nightmare built on a hellmouth by Alison Green on June 21, 2021 It’s a special “where are you now?” season at Ask a Manager, where all month I’m running updates from people who had their letters here answered in the past. Remember the letter-writer whose new job in property management appeared to be built on a hellmouth? (First update here.) Here’s the resolution. The last time I […] Read the full article →
asking to use the boss’s limo and other unprofessional mishaps by Alison Green on June 21, 2021 Ever look back at your career and realize that you weren’t always the consummate professional that you (of course) are today? A while back, I asked readers to confess their unprofessional deeds from the past. Over at Inc. today, I’ve got 10 of my favorites — including a temp who asked to borrow their boss’s […] Read the full article →
I sent an angry response to a work email — was I in the wrong? by Alison Green on June 21, 2021 A reader writes: My question is: *If* I was actually the toxic party, how can I recover from this? (If I was in the right, I will have to start job hunting due to the toxic workplace culture at my company!) I will admit to having a very direct communication style, and that is especially […] Read the full article →
I don’t want to chip in for a birthday gift for our boss, apologizing to a former coworker, and more by Alison Green on June 21, 2021 It’s six answers to six questions. Here we go… 1. I don’t want to chip in for a birthday gift for our boss My boss’s admin assistant preselects gifts for our collective boss on his birthday. My boss has at least 15 direct reports, and we are being asked to pitch in $20-$30 each for […] Read the full article →
weekend open thread — June 19-20, 2021 by Alison Green on June 19, 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: Home Made: A Story of Grief, Groceries, Showing Up — and What We Make When We Make Dinner, by Liz Hauck. A woman’s account of what happened […] Read the full article →
updates: my boss wants me to help him jump the line for the Covid vaccine, and more by Alison Green on June 18, 2021 It’s a special “where are you now?” season at Ask a Manager, where all month I’m running updates from people who had their letters here answered in the past. Here are four updates from past letter-writers. 1. My boss wants me to help him jump the line for the Covid vaccine The day after my […] Read the full article →
it’s your Friday good news by Alison Green on June 18, 2021 It’s your Friday good news, with more accounts of success even in this weird time. 1. Four years ago, my colleague Cindy and I were both hired at Company because of our experience in Project X, a community outreach project that Company wanted to introduce. Cindy had been hired as program director, but because we worked […] Read the full article →
open thread — June 18-19, 2021 by Alison Green on June 18, 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. * […] Read the full article →
my boss hates when I mute myself on group calls, telling a job I’d only take it if I could work remotely, and more by Alison Green on June 18, 2021 It’s four answers to four questions. Here we go… 1. Shouldn’t we mute ourselves during group calls? Our org is working remotely right now. A few times a week, I’m on calls with my boss and two coworkers. During these calls, I keep myself muted when I’m not one of the people in the conversation. […] Read the full article →
update: can I leave my job after one year if I committed to more? by Alison Green on June 17, 2021 It’s a special “where are you now?” season at Ask a Manager, where all month I’m running updates from people who had their letters here answered in the past. Remember the letter-writer wondering about leaving a toxic job after a year even though she’d committed to staying for two years? Here’s the update. I wrote […] Read the full article →