ask the readers

Looking for crowdsourced wisdom? Here are reader discussions about life at work.

let’s talk about workers taking power back for themselves

Whether it’s the Great Resignation or “quiet quitting” or job candidates ghosting companies after years of companies ghosting them, it’s clear that something has shifted in the balance of power between employers and employees. After decades of employers holding most of the power and workers often feeling they had no choice but to accept whatever […]

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what fields have hiring booms right now?

It’s the Thursday “ask the readers” question. A reader writes: I loved hearing from a reader recently who shared some info on their “exploding field” as a privacy specialist. It was great to learn about the topic and think about where there are future opportunities. Would you consider putting out a call to readers to […]

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should employees be paid differently based on where they live?

It’s the Thursday “ask the readers” question. A reader writes: I’m curious about your thoughts on a question some of the smartest people I know fundamentally cannot agree on: should a salary be based on the value of the labor, or the subsistence of the laborer? For context, I recently left my last job after […]

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how can you set up a home office space in tight quarters?

It’s the Thursday “ask the readers” question. A reader writes: I am starting a remote job, and I live in a pretty small space (less than 900 square feet). I’m looking for suggestions and ideas about what has worked for others for a remote office set-up in close quarters — what kind of furniture, creative […]

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what can I do in my current job to help the environment?

It’s the Thursday “ask the readers” question. A reader writes: I’m wondering if anyone out there has experience with successfully uniting their mundane job with fighting for the environment? I work full-time in tech, want to stay here, and really love my job —but at the same time, I feel a constant, deep pull toward […]

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ask the readers: let’s talk about unions

It’s the Thursday “ask the readers” question. A reader writes: It looks like we’ll be setting up a union collective at our institute to help the overall union push for better conditions this bargaining cycle. On one level, I’m keen and I think it’s long overdue — for example, I’ve been in this industry (academia/research) […]

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let’s talk about your mortifying moments at work

It’s almost time for Mortification Week 2022, and in preparation we need to hear your stories of mortifying experiences at work — yours or other people’s. Maybe you mistakenly emailed your lengthy romantic story to a colleague instead of your husband … or gave a person two noses in an interview Photoshop test … or […]

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coworkers and clients won’t stop commenting on my arms

It’s the Thursday “ask the readers” question. A reader writes: I am a program director for a very public-facing, often-busy, and somewhat-high-profile mobile health services program. Half of my day is spent mostly outdoors at rotating pop-up sites for which I have long-term relationships with the host, and half of my day is spent in-office. […]

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I love running my own business but it’s killing me

It’s the Thursday “ask the readers” question. A reader writes: I have been running my own brick-and-mortar business for the past seven years. This business was a dream of mine, and I am lucky enough to say that it has been successful. We currently have two part-time employees to help with the growing number of […]

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