should I ask my boss why I was their second choice for my job? by Alison Green on April 18, 2024 A reader writes: For the last nine months, I’ve been doing a (paid) internship at a foundation that is aimed at recent graduates looking to enter the nonprofit world. It’s been a great experience, both in the kind of work I am doing and the people I am working with. I’ve also consistently gotten great […] Read the full article →
updates: the unavailable lactation room, the “unapproachable” manager, and more by Alison Green on April 18, 2024 Here are three updates from past letter-writers. 1. Random people use our lactation room for breaks and lunch (#3 at the link) I really appreciated seeing your response and those of the commenters. It helped me feel validated and affirmed for me that I was not being overly entitled or too demanding in my attempts […] Read the full article →
let’s discuss business trip mishaps by Alison Green on April 18, 2024 Let’s talk about business trip mishaps. Maybe you were booked for a 26-hour series of flights for a trip that should have only taken 11 hours, or maybe your boss told you to camp in a tent while traveling for work, or maybe you had to share a hotel room with a coworker who screams […] Read the full article →
hiring manager assaulted a police officer, coworker and I have the same name, and more by Alison Green on April 18, 2024 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. Hiring manager assaulted a police officer I’m interviewing for a role that I’m excited about, but caught something odd when googling the hiring manager’s name to find their LinkedIn profile. 15 years ago, when the hiring manager was in college, they were arrested for assault […] Read the full article →
my employee shuts down when I give her feedback by Alison Green on April 17, 2024 A reader writes: I manage “Mandy” and have needed to give her feedback a few times on the same topic. Think something like, “When you present a proposal, you need to avoid vague explanations of the client problem your proposal addresses and include detailed, quantified specifics of its impacts on the client.” I usually then […] Read the full article →
update: our employee retired … but now she won’t leave by Alison Green on April 17, 2024 Remember the letter-writer whose employee retired, but then wouldn’t leave, even after she had been replaced? Here’s the update. To summarize what happened after my letter was published: 1. Boss reminded Fiona to work part-time only. 2. Fiona complied reluctantly, blaming Sally (her replacement) for this arrangement. 3. Fiona gradually increased her own working hours […] Read the full article →
how much paid time off do you get? by Alison Green on April 17, 2024 Last week was the annual Ask a Manager salary survey, which as of this writing received more than 12,000 responses. This week, let’s compare paid time off. Fill out the form below to anonymously share how much paid time off you get, in the context of your field and other relevant factors. (Do not leave […] Read the full article →
intern was working two full-time jobs, employee makes patients feel unwelcome, and more by Alison Green on April 17, 2024 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. Our intern was working two full-time jobs I work at a nonprofit and manage our internship program. I handle the administrative side of things, while our program teams handle the day-to-day/substantive work assignments and management. I received a message from one of those teams this […] Read the full article →
why don’t bosses realize people will leave if they’re not treated well? by Alison Green on April 16, 2024 A reader writes: A buddy of mine just quit her job, and her boss, a truly evil person, countered with a raise and a promotion. My friend refused, of course, because, truly evil person. But it got me thinking, this isn’t the first time I’ve seen bosses offer too little too late to save a […] Read the full article →
how to write a thank-you email after a job interview by Alison Green on April 16, 2024 Thank-you notes are a surprisingly controversial part of job-searching. Some hiring managers are staunch advocates of thank-you notes, to the point of insisting they won’t hire candidates who don’t send them. Others couldn’t care less, and will barely glance at thank-you notes that arrive. On the job seeker end of things, some people write them […] Read the full article →