mother bought me plane tickets without asking me if I could get time off work by Alison Green on February 28, 2011 A reader writes: My mom recently surprised me with a two week trip around Europe, paid by her. Our tickets have been purchased and I am scheduled to leave in two months. My worry lies in my alloted vacation days. I have 10 days for each year, but have only been working here for less […] Read the full article →
at an interview in a coffee shop, who pays for the coffee? by Alison Green on February 26, 2011 A reader writes: At a job interview, I showed up at the company’s office and the person interviewing me announced we were not going to do the interview in his office, but at a local coffee shop. Tall gorgeous shoes ruined by a walk in the snow notwithstanding…… we ordered our coffees and each paid for […] Read the full article →
do I have to be perfect to get a job? by Alison Green on February 24, 2011 A reader writes: I have not worked full time in over a year and a half and have been unemployed for two months, when my seasonal job came to an end. I have not been able to find a job and am starting to think there is something wrong with me. In fact, my perceived […] Read the full article →
Get an Ask a Manager mug … or mousepad! by Alison Green on February 24, 2011 Ask a Manager mugs are here! Mousepads and stickers too. There would have been shirts, but I’m incapable of manipulating the graphic properly to make it look right on a shirt. But mugs are where it’s at anyway. Get yours today! Read the full article →
my boss’s boss never talks to me but makes decisions that impact me by Alison Green on February 22, 2011 A reader writes: I’m the junior half of a two-man IT department, and my boss’s boss (the company COO) does not talk to me except when I’m fixing her computer (which is often). I had a 30 minute “hi, who are you?” meeting when she joined the company, but in a year of work that […] Read the full article →
answering questions from your old employer after you’ve moved on by Alison Green on February 21, 2011 A reader writes: I have submitted my two weeks notice and am wondering what I should do if after I have left, if they contact me for phone support? What if my peers call me? I’m thinking soon after I could be polite and offer some level of help but where do I draw the […] Read the full article →
when a social contact invites you to send a resume by Alison Green on February 21, 2011 What do you do when someone specifically asks you to send in their resume because they might have a job that would be a good fit? Maybe it’s someone you met at a party, or a friend of a friend, or the guy who just moved in down the street. You’re talking, you mention what […] Read the full article →
short answer Sunday: 7 short answers to 7 short questions by Alison Green on February 20, 2011 It’s short answer Sunday: seven short answers to seven short questions. Company asking me to fly myself out for informational interview I recently applied for a position at a big time company that’s out of state. I emailed them my resume and stated in the cover letter what position I was interested in at the […] Read the full article →
am I not getting hired because I’m gay? by Alison Green on February 17, 2011 A reader writes: I’m a 22-year-old gay male and I recently relocated to a bigger city from a small town in hopes of finding gainful employment but so far it has not worked out. I’ve turned in over 80 applications to businesses all over the city and have had maybe 6 interviews with no luck. […] Read the full article →
coworker has appointed herself the food police by Alison Green on February 16, 2011 A reader writes: Lately, several members of the office staff have been whispering about the disturbing exchange between two of my co-workers. Co-worker A is 20-something, tall and very thin. Co-worker B is 50-something, short and…well…not so thin. Recently, co-worker B received some disturbing news concerning her health from her physician. She was understandably upset […] Read the full article →