open thread – October 13-14, 2023 by Alison Green on October 13, 2023 It’s the Friday open thread! The comment section on this post is open for discussion with other readers on any work-related questions 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 take your questions to […] Read the full article →
new coworker invited everyone to her wedding but me, ouija board earrings, and more by Alison Green on October 13, 2023 It’s four answers to four questions. Here we go… 1. My new coworker invited everyone to her wedding but me I’ve been reading through your archives and came across this question, which reminded me of something that happened to me many years ago. Another coworker, Heather, and I had started at a new job about […] Read the full article →
my boss told me not to quit until they replace me, but that could take months by Alison Green on October 12, 2023 A reader writes: I’m working in low-level tech retail (phones, phone accesories, other related stuff) and I frankly hate that job. The worst parts are the strict sales quotas that are unrealistic on most months and people who think we sellers are the end-all of decisions (common retail problem). Aside from that, there are more […] Read the full article →
updates: the new job insurance problem, the awful second-in-commands, and more by Alison Green on October 12, 2023 Here are three updates from past letter-writers. 1. My new job’s insurance doesn’t cover my medication I am the person who wrote in about the company not covering Wegovy when it was on the formulary list they gave me during the interview process and I would not have taken the job if I had known […] Read the full article →
how do people manage jobs with cyclical periods of really long hours? by Alison Green on October 12, 2023 It’s the Thursday “ask the readers” question. A reader writes: About six months ago, I quit my role in a demanding, high-stress field that regularly demanded 60-100-hour work weeks. I made a somewhat lateral career change that resulted in significantly less hours and also significantly less pay. I don’t mind the pay cut since I’ve […] Read the full article →
my boss unfollowed me on Instagram, I was offered an interview even though they’d already filled the job, and more by Alison Green on October 12, 2023 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. My boss unfollowed me on Instagram … but still follows everyone else My senior head of department follows all her team on Instagram. She followed me and then out of the blue unfollowed me. I’m not an over-poster; it’s usually just my dog or a […] Read the full article →
work doesn’t interest me anymore by Alison Green on October 11, 2023 A reader writes: Later this week, I’ll be going on a second round of interviews for a position I’m interested in. From what I can tell, it’s a great team and the work directly aligns with how I see my career going. I’m also lucky to know a couple of people who work there now, […] Read the full article →
we ask job candidates, “what salary would it take to turn up happy every day?” by Alison Green on October 11, 2023 A reader writes: I work for a law firm and have significant input in hiring (including interviewing candidates). I have a question about how we talk about salary with candidates. None of the job ads we publish specify a salary range. They say something like, “We have no fixed salary for the position, but intend […] Read the full article →
my boss made us all attend a session with his therapist by Alison Green on October 11, 2023 A reader writes: I need a reality check on whether I should weather the current company storm or jump ship. My manager, Bob, is the owner of the company, and while theoretically has people high up who could push back on him, the reality is that he makes the final decisions on most everything. Bob […] Read the full article →
boss says we can’t celebrate birthdays, I don’t want to swap work with my coworker, and more by Alison Green on October 11, 2023 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. My boss says we can’t celebrate birthdays because of one employee’s religious beliefs I’ve recently started a new role and so far, I’m loving it. My manager seems to be reasonable and I feel supported. But a situation on our team feels odd and I’m […] Read the full article →