my longtime job doesn’t know I have 9 kids, long walks to the bathroom, and more by Alison Green on January 13, 2022 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. How do I tell my longtime job I have more kids than they know of? I want to start off by saying that my current situation has nothing to do with shame, just learning from past work situations. So, long story short, 15 years ago […] Read the full article →
how long should you wait if someone is late to a virtual meeting? by Alison Green on January 12, 2022 A reader writes: How long do you need to wait if someone is late to a virtual meeting? I’m not really talking about big group meetings because it’s not too likely that *everyone* will be late, but if you’re booked with one or two others, and in a situation with no or minimal power differential […] Read the full article →
my employee is too cavalier about mistakes by Alison Green on January 12, 2022 A reader writes: I manage a junior employee who sometimes does sloppy work or makes mistakes on work that I have given her. Lately when I point out these mistakes to her, her response to me is “Yeah, yeah, I know, sorry,” or “Is it really that big of a deal?” Generally pretty flippant reactions. […] Read the full article →
my new coworker keeps staring at my breasts by Alison Green on January 12, 2022 A reader writes: I am an attractive, large, 50+ woman working in academia. I have large-ish breasts and wear a bra that makes them look appropriate — no hanging, jostling, or nipples. Even though I do hate these restrictive, thick bras. But I found that I had to sacrifice my comfort for peace of mind […] Read the full article →
my boss wants me to deep-clean the office, company is going to ruin my credit, and more by Alison Green on January 12, 2022 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. My boss wants me to deep-clean the office I recently started working as an administrative assistant. The job description and interview process made it clear that some cleaning duties would be necessary, and I was okay with that. However, a month into the job, my […] Read the full article →
is it OK to look very different from your online photos? by Alison Green on January 11, 2022 A reader writes: I’ve started a new job (thanks to lots of great advice on negotiating job offers from your site!) which involves a lot of networking with partners within and outside of my organization, and because I’m new I’m meeting people for the first time. In preparation for a scheduled meeting, I try to […] Read the full article →
my boss is unreachable when I need him by Alison Green on January 11, 2022 A reader writes: I’m on a team that is still working remotely due to Covid. I mention the remote aspect because this problem didn’t come up in person. Often, probably 1-3 times in a typical week, I’ll find myself in the following situation: I finish a stage in a project and need my boss’s feedback […] Read the full article →
how do I balance my labor shortage sympathy with annoyance at the inconvenience it causes? by Alison Green on January 11, 2022 A reader writes: I want to start off this letter by saying I support workers 100% in organizing for better conditions and wages, whether by leaving their jobs or organizing for better treatment either via a formal union or collective bargaining. I applaud the people doing this right now and making the job market more […] Read the full article →
is it weird for my employees to see me naked at a spa, traveling for a job at my expense, and more by Alison Green on January 11, 2022 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. Is it weird for employees to see a manager naked at a spa? I am in negotiations for a role as a member of the upper-level management team for a spa. This is in a smaller town and there are between 20-30 employees. I have […] Read the full article →
is our intern just clueless and inexperienced — or a con artist? by Alison Green on January 10, 2022 A reader writes: I am a mid-level engineer at a small (70-80 employees) tech company. We frequently host undergrad interns from a local university. Some were during the summer, and some were during the school year. These were all paid, full-time internships that lasted for 12 weeks. The past interns all had a great attitude […] Read the full article →