ask the readers

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

how can I stop coming across as quiet and timid?

It’s the Thursday “ask the readers” question. A reader writes: I’m a few years into my career and am an introvert in an industry full of extroverts (advertising). Every time I have a performance review or am up for promotion, I get the same feedback — I’m too quiet, I need to contribute more in […]

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veterinarian is breaking under the weight of free-advice seekers

It’s the Thursday “ask the readers.” This is part question / part public service announcement. A reader writes: I am a veterinarian, and my profession has been hit hard by COVID. Documented burn-out and compassion fatigue are rampant in this field. The profession draws people with high levels of empathy and perfectionism, and a sustainable […]

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people who have been at work all along are exhausted

We’ve talked a lot lately about how anxious many people feel over returning to their offices later this year — and how much of that stems from a break in trust in the people and institutions that have shown they can’t be counted on to protect us. But plenty of people won’t be returning to […]

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how have other people helped you in your career?

Let’s talk about how people have helped you in your career, especially if you grew up in a family that couldn’t provide much guidance. What specific things did others do that helped you? Hopefully this will be good fodder for all of us to think about what things we can do to help other people, […]

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how should I deal with a pompous, sexist coworker?

It’s the Thursday “ask the readers” question. A reader writes: I’ve recently started a new job, I love my team, the work is engaging, my manager is amazing, the company culture really suits me, and they’re super flexible around Covid. But (there’s always a but) I’ve run into an issue with a coworker that’s impacting […]

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the plastic-wrapped office, the fake brownies, and other pranks at work

Let’s talk about pranks at work, given the date. I’ve learned from writing this column that pranks at work are far more controversial than I realized! Some people really hate them or think they’re inherently mean-spirited. But there are plenty of offices that enjoy a well-intentioned prank. For example, here are some that readers have […]

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what’s the best networking experience you’ve had?

So many people hate networking — they worry it feels slimy, they don’t quite know how to do it, or it just makes them uncomfortable. It doesn’t help that most of us have had run-in’s with bad networkers. So let’s talk about good networking. What’s the most satisfying or useful networking experience you ever had? How […]

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I’m always late to everything!

It’s the Thursday “ask the readers” question. A reader writes: I’m a recent-ish college grad and am working my first position related to my college major (although I’ve been working since I was 17). My entire life I’ve been late to everything. I have no idea why. I’ve tried clocks and timers and tricks, talk […]

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my career hit a dead end when we moved to a small town

It’s the Thursday “ask the readers” question. A reader writes: I feel that I have reached a dead-end professionally and could really use some advice. I used to be the breadwinner for my family. I had a compliance role in the legal department of a Fortune 500 investment company. I loved my job and was […]

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