my new job has so much drama it made the news, out-of-order bathroom, and more by Alison Green on February 21, 2025 It’s four answers to four questions. Here we go… 1. My new job has so much drama it made the local news I started a job as an accounting manager less than a month ago. I had been out of work for a while. I was let go at my previous job, I think because […] Read the full article →
how to answer “is there anything that would prevent you from accepting an offer?” by Alison Green on February 20, 2025 A reader writes: I recently had a recruiter reach out to me about a job. I’m not really looking right now, but I figured I’d see what they had to say. I had my first interview virtually, and progressed a few days later to an in-person interview. It went well, but towards the end, the […] Read the full article →
updates: the gossipy ex-coworker, I don’t want to hire a friend, and more by Alison Green on February 20, 2025 Here are four updates from past letter-writers. 1. Retired coworker keeps coming back to gossip (#3 at the link) Unfortunately, the retired coworker is someone who will take offense at any direct request to be left alone to do work. He would go up and down the hallway talking loudly to other people about how […] Read the full article →
ask the readers: moving from nonprofit to for-profit work by Alison Green on February 20, 2025 It’s the Thursday “ask the readers” question. A reader writes: I would love to hear stories from people who made the transition from nonprofit work to for-profit work, as I am considering that transition myself. I’ve only ever worked in this sector and have a master’s in Nonprofit Management (not even an MBA) so the […] Read the full article →
can I go back to my old job, employees share an office and don’t get along, and more by Alison Green on February 20, 2025 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. I hate my new job — can I go back to my old one? I worked at a company for over three years. Internally they have their issues and I had my share of frustrations, but it is basically a well oiled machine. As far […] Read the full article →
my new job is making me work far more weekends than I was told when I was hired by Alison Green on February 19, 2025 A reader writes: In August of 2024, I left behind TV news reporting to become a social media manager for museums in my city. My career in TV news was full of manipulation, toxicity, long hours, and missed holidays. My new job was a standard 9-5, with occasional weekend events for a few hours. It […] Read the full article →
employee’s girlfriend visits him at work every day by Alison Green on February 19, 2025 A reader writes: I manage a small independent business. We recently brought on a young new hire, “Jim.” There are usually only three of us working. Jim’s girlfriend works from home and has been coming in every day to bring him lunch. At first it was fine, but they started to be very affectionate towards […] Read the full article →
my new employee feels excluded on a well-meaning but cliquey team by Alison Green on February 19, 2025 A reader writes: I am a manager on a team where there are two managers and five individual contributors: Buffy, Cordelia, Xander, Willow, and Anya. Buffy and Willow are very good friends. They joined the team at around the same time, about two years ago. Cordelia joined the team just under a year ago and […] Read the full article →
coworker gives me praise I don’t deserve, employer asks if applicants are registered to vote, and more by Alison Green on February 19, 2025 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. Coworker keeps giving me praise I don’t deserve When I got my current job a year ago, I filled a specific niche that they really needed. For the first few months, I was making a ton of new content for the organization, and making edits […] Read the full article →
how do I handle endless rounds of nitpicky questions from coworkers? by Alison Green on February 18, 2025 A reader writes: Lately I’ve been subject to a technique by coworkers that I call “death by a thousand questions.” It goes something like this: Q: Hey, are we getting in the combination llama/alpaca wool? A: I don’t have a date yet, I’m hoping for the 20th. Q: So the 20th. A: It’s not confirmed. […] Read the full article →