asking for more info about a job before applying by Alison Green on September 17, 2011 A reader writes: I recently had an idea to email employers with a short message prior to sending in my resume. I’ve pasted it below: “My name is ____ and I am very interested in the job offer you’ve recently posted on Craigslist. I was hoping to find out a little more about your company. […] Read the full article →
coworker stockpiling smelly clothes in office that isn’t his, and other boundary issues by Alison Green on September 16, 2011 A reader writes: We recently switched buildings to be closer to important people in our job we need to interact with on a regular basis. In our group, we work a guy, “Ted,” who has a multitude of problems which never get addressed, but that’s another story. In our old building, he initially had to […] Read the full article →
terse answer Thursday: 8 short answers to 8 short questions by Alison Green on September 15, 2011 It’s terse answer Thursday — eight short answers to eight short questions. We’ve got a sulking employee, concerns about a boss monitoring personal email, and more. My employee sulks when his work is questioned I am a manager of several remote workers in states other than my own. I have one worker that acts what […] Read the full article →
here’s an example of a great cover letter by Alison Green on September 14, 2011 A reader recently sent me one of the best cover letters I’ve ever seen, and she nicely agreed to allow me to reprint it here in case it inspires anyone else. Note: Don’t steal this letter or even parts of it. The reason this letter works is because it’s so customized to the writer’s situation […] Read the full article →
my disgusting boss is fixated on my weight by Alison Green on September 13, 2011 We’ve had questions about coworkers commenting on weight and food choices before, but this one is from a different angle. A reader writes: My boss and owner of the company is completely fixated on my weight lately. I’m an average 23-year-old girl weighing in at 115 lbs with no weight concern at all. These comments […] Read the full article →
8 common complaints about bosses and what to do about them by Alison Green on September 13, 2011 One of the biggest determinants of your quality of life at work is the relationship you have with your boss. And yet too often when faced with a frustrating boss, people throw up their hands and feel helpless to do anything about it. But instead, you can usually take actions to manage the situation and […] Read the full article →
why meetings suck and how to make them useful for your team by Alison Green on September 12, 2011 A reader writes: I have been a manager for a year at my organization, and in total I’ve been at my organization for seven years in part-time, front-line jobs. I am now moving into a new position with a bigger team to lead (all full-time people). In the past, my boss has led weekly team […] Read the full article →
hot-tempered ladies who hate their jobs by Alison Green on September 12, 2011 I don’t usually post this kind of thing, but for some reason I find this fascinating… The CBS daytime talk show “The Doctors” contacted me to say that they’re looking for a hot-tempered woman who hates her job with a passion and who would be willing to appear on the show. (The show wouldn’t identify […] Read the full article →
what to do if you’re not doing well at your job by Alison Green on September 12, 2011 I’ve watched a lot of people struggling in their jobs. And the difference between those who fix the problems and manage to go on to be successful in the role versus those who continue to struggle and often eventually lose that job is very clear: It’s all about what they do with the fact that […] Read the full article →
short answer Sunday: 7 short answers to 7 short questions by Alison Green on September 11, 2011 It’s short answer Sunday — seven short answers to seven short questions. Today we’ve got a writer whose interviewer told him that he was supposed to hire a woman, someone who got in trouble for talking to HR, and more… An appeal on cold calls Regarding cold calls, you say that you hate them because […] Read the full article →