family, friends & significant others

When your family, spouse, or partner intersects with your job or work, things can go badly. Here’s advice to navigate it well.

an employee’s husband emailed me to complain

A reader writes: Our corporate office manages several apartment complexes in other cities. One manager transferred from one complex to another when the manager position came open. Shortly thereafter, her husband emailed our boss, complaining about how his wife is treated by the company. He also said that he had not told his wife about […]

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I hired a friend and it’s not going well

A reader writes: Late last year, when my company had some turnover and we needed a high performer in stat, I weighed the pros and cons and hired a friend, “Mike,” who I had previously managed. He and I had brunch and discussed the friendship and work aspect, but ultimately the benefits to the business […]

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should I take a job working for my dad?

A reader writes: After almost a decade of working in one industry, I am totally burnt out and desperately longing for a career change. This industry is fairly difficult to get out of (very specific skillset not easily transferable to other jobs) without going back to school, which I don’t have the money for at […]

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my boyfriend thinks only bad candidates prepare for interviews

A reader writes: I (24F) graduated from college two years ago and was lucky enough to fairly quickly find a job in my field. I’m currently still working there, while also attending graduate school part-time. My boyfriend (26M) is currently in his last year of college and has started looking for his first post-college job […]

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must I hire a qualified candidate with a ton of baggage?

A reader writes: My department recently created a new position. A colleague from another department got wind of this and asked when I planned to advertise the vacancy. I’m in no actual hurry to fill the position, so I said “hopefully by the end of the year.” He let me know that his wife is […]

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