November 2011

coworker keeps bossing me around

A reader writes: I recently joined a new team and one of my colleagues seems to think she can boss me around/ tell me what to do. We have a lateral position and she has only been on the team for three months. How should I approach this? I am still new and would like […]

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what do I say when I quit my job?

A reader writes: I love my job. I have been there for over 2 years and going into my 3rd year they were forced to cut my hours by nearly 40%, thus cutting my pay by nearly 40%. I would like to quit my job to stay home and babysit my adorable niece and nephew. […]

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how to manage work that you can’t do yourself

Help! You know little about computers, and you’re suddenly in charge of overseeing the I.T. department. Or you can barely balance your checkbook and now your firm’s finance team is under you. If you’re charged with managing an area of work outside your main expertise, you could feel in over your head – or you […]

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stop telling me you’re the best candidate for the job

Please stop opening your cover letters with this sentence and all variations of it: “I’m applying for this position because I’m the best candidate for the job.” No, you’re not. The best candidate has the sense to know that she has no idea what the rest of the candidate pool looks like. Somewhere along the […]

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the hardest parts of being the boss

Before you throw your hat in the ring for a management job, make sure you’ve thought through what it really means to be a manager. Here are 10 of the toughest parts about being the boss… and if you’re not ready to take on each of these downsides, management jobs aren’t for you. 1. You’ll […]

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an interview with me

Reader Kristin Van Dorn recently interviewed me for a class she’s taking, and she posted the interview here. We talked about how Ask a Manager started, writing style, and more.

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fast answer Friday: 6 short answers to 6 short questions

It’s fast answer Friday. Here we go… 1. Recent grad wants management job I am a recent grad and my resume (in my opinion) is colorful and damn near great. I want to apply to management type jobs but don’t have the experience. What can I do? Should I get a management certificate from a […]

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how do you deal with having to fire someone?

A reader writes: Recently I had to fire one of my employees. There was a history of tardiness, no-call/no-show behavior, and lack of performance at work. All of this behavior was documented, and the employee was put on at least two action plans. I tried sharing tips from my own life (because I am a […]

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