January 2011

my boss asks us to pick up his lunch for him

A reader writes: I am a 27-year-old woman working for a well-known national company. My store manager tends to only hire women, and part of the reason I think is this: He frequently (several times a week) asks one of us to go get lunch for him. He never offers to buy us lunch. All […]

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better answers to “what are your weaknesses”

If you’ve ever answered “What are your weaknesses?” with anything remotely like “I work too hard,” “I’m a perfectionist,” or “I take my work home with me,” I am here to tell you that these answers are not doing you any favors … because they’re transparent BS that make you look disingenuous. Since every career […]

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short answer Saturday: another job search edition

We did a job search edition of short answer Saturday last week, but the questions keep piling up so here’s another one. Should I offer to work for free so a company can try me out? I am currently job hunting and a few days ago stumbled upon a position that was the perfect fit […]

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what should a resignation letter say?

A reader writes: What is the proper form for a good resignation letter? I’ve written them before and it’s easy when it’s a simple reason for leaving – but it’s a little complicated this time.  I used to love my job (and still love parts of it) but it’s morphed into something that’s not nearly […]

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should I warn my employer about a slacker kiss-ass?

A reader writes: Our organization is currently in financial crisis, and therefore, we have laid off about two-thirds of our staff, keeping on those positions that are vital to keeping the company afloat for however long that may be. As a result, my position as HR rep has also been cut. It works out for […]

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how to manage a hard worker who’s dropping balls

A reader writes: I manage a girl who is a very hard worker. She goes the extra mile, never complains, stays late and always volunteers to help…but lately I have noticed she is getting lax on things like returning important emails in a timely manner or getting things done that I asked her to do. […]

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the roots of Ask a Manager…

Just came across this and thought you guys might find it interesting. In January 2007 — before Ask a Manager existed — I was feeling antsy about the many ways in which I was seeing job candidates torpedoing their own chances. Itching for an outlet to rant about it, I wrote this article for The […]

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the 10 interview questions you’re most likely to be asked

The absolute best thing you can do to prepare for a job interview is to practice and practice your answers to the questions you’re most likely to be asked. Saying your answers out loud over and over – or even writing them down, which for a lot of people will ingrain them more deeply in […]

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