May 2024

weekend open thread – May 4-5, 2024

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: A Love Song for Ricki Wilde, by Tia Williams. A florist trying to break free from her socialite family finds a strange connection with […]

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open thread – May 3-4, 2024

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 […]

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a real-life conversation about salary with a hiring manager

A reader writes: A short, sweet note about how I used your advice to tackle salary talk during an initial phone chat with the hiring manager: Hiring manager: While we’re talking about cost of living, can I ask your salary expectation for the role? Me: (casual laugh) Actually, I was just about to ask you […]

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let’s discuss egregious safety violations at work

You’d think safety would be top of mind for employers, but some are willing to tolerate egregious safety issues in order to keep people working. Some examples that have been shared by readers in the past: •  “At a call center job, there was a tornado that touched down just a few miles away and […]

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when I work from home, do I have to be AT home?

A reader writes: I recently (about six months ago) started a new job, which is hybrid. I work in-office Wed/Thursday/Friday, and work from home Monday/Tuesday. This hybrid schedule is a change for me, as I previously had more hands-on jobs in the same industry which could not be done remotely. The whole company shares this […]

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