how do I apply for a job internally without my boss knowing? by Alison Green on February 18, 2025 A reader writes: I have many questions about applying to internal jobs, something I have never done. At my current company, a new role came up that is a dream job for me. But it is also a reach, as it would be a bit of a career change. Knowing this job might open up, […] Read the full article →
did I scare off a new member of our professional organization? by Alison Green on February 18, 2025 A reader writes: This isn’t for my job, but it’s for a nonprofit organization related to my career that involves some level of professionalism. I’m afraid that I scared off a new member by coming on too strong to her. I volunteer at a STEM-related organization that mentors children. My position is at the state […] Read the full article →
new coworker told me to “slow down,” suing the government, and more by Alison Green on February 18, 2025 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. What if hiring a spouse is truly the best choice? I know that having a manager supervising their partner is fraught with peril — I have read enough AAM to have some great examples! But if the partner is truly the best candidate, are there […] Read the full article →
update: anti-vax employee is pressuring a coworker not to vaccinate her baby by Alison Green on February 17, 2025 Remember the letter-writer whose anti-vax employee was pressuring a coworker not to vaccinate her baby? Here’s the update. I really appreciated your advice and several of the thoughts from the commenters as well. I have weekly one-on-ones with each member of my team, so after reading your response, I used that next meeting with Cordelia […] Read the full article →
update: my doctor’s office constantly leaves me on hold — how do I deal with this at work? by Alison Green on February 17, 2025 Remember the letter-writer whose doctor’s office constantly left them on hold while they needed to be working? Here’s the update. I wrote in a few months ago about struggling to schedule doctor’s appointments when I worked at a busy reception desk. Thanks very much to both you and the kind commenters who offered sympathy and […] Read the full article →
can I use dark humor at work? by Alison Green on February 17, 2025 I’m off for the holiday, so here’s an older post from the archives. This was originally published in 2019. A reader writes: I have a dark sense of humor. I now realize that my boss does not. During a standard “how was your day off” conversation between my supervisor, manager, and a few peers, my […] Read the full article →
canceling a women’s group because of DEI concerns, can I accept a job offer on the spot, and more by Alison Green on February 17, 2025 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. Canceling a women’s group because of DEI concerns I’m a PhD student and it seems like my university is trying to cancel the Women in Computer Science networking group that I run. They’re going about it in a really weird way: rather than directly saying […] Read the full article →
weekend open thread – February 15-16, 2025 by Alison Green on February 14, 2025 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: Piglet, by Lottie Hazell. After her fiance confesses a betrayal two weeks before their wedding, a woman becomes inexplicably ravenous. (Amazon, Bookshop) * […] Read the full article →
open thread – February 14, 2025 by Alison Green on February 14, 2025 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 →
boss said “someone’s parents didn’t love them” about me, how to work with a former manager I can’t stand, and more by Alison Green on February 14, 2025 It’s four answers to four questions. Here we go… 1. Boss said, “Well, someone’s parents didn’t love them” about me In preparation for a team-building retreat, all employees in my department were asked to submit a baby photo for a “match the baby photo to the employee” icebreaker activity. The request for baby photos was […] Read the full article →