May 2010

I recently got to know Alicia Ostarello of StudentStuff after she took issue with some advice I’d given. I had offered some advice for recent grads, and Alicia felt frustrated that new professionals are often assumed to need that basic kind of advice. Since then, Alicia and I have talked a bit more, and today […]

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boss bans coworkers from eating lunch together

A reader writes: My sister works in a local government office. Most of the time, she eats lunch alone at her own desk, but sometimes she will eat with some of her coworkers in one of their cubicles. Recently, one of the coworker’s supervisor came to them during lunch and told them that her supervisor […]

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can I get my new managers to listen to feedback?

A reader writes: I work at a fast food place. I took the job because it was literally the only one I could get: I have a college degree and some professional experience, but not much, and I really needed a job. I’ve been promoted here, and that’s good, and up until now the place […]

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can I ask my employer to lay me off?

A reader writes: I work for a major financial services company. I no longer wish to work for that company but don’t want to just resign. The company has been laying workers off and is planning more layoffs. I don’t want to feel like a sitting duck. I also want to leave and focus on a non-competing business that […]

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coworker keeps staring at my chest

Employees hitting each other, a coworker wetting his pants, and now this — is it just me or have the letters really taken a more bawdy turn around here lately? In any case… A reader writes: I just started a fantastic job working as a legal assistant to General Counsel for a small (60 employee) […]

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coworker is wetting his pants regularly — what do I do?

A reader writes: I found your blog while searching for help with a very uncomfortable and embarrassing problem. My co-worker has started wetting himself during work. I’m not kidding, this is not something to joke about as it could be a sign of serious health problems. He wears beige colored pants and around the middle of […]

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employee hit me, manager won’t do anything

A reader writes: I work as a supervisor in a call center-like environment. Technically I am a low level manager, but I am essentially powerless. My job is to keep work flowing to our operators consistantly from our various sites and be the communication hub between our sites, keyers, my superiors and our outsourcing company. […]

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more advice on how not to be nervous in job interviews

I love this comment from Rebecca, on the topic of how to not be nervous in interviews: Remember that all employers/bosses basically want to know the same three things: 1. Can you do what we want you to do? 2. Will you actually show up when you say you will, and do what you say […]

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