February 2012

when older coworkers become forgetful and moody

Here’s an exciting new thing!  Each day this week, in addition to my regular posts, I’m also going to post an “ask the readers” question, throwing it out for you all to answer in the comments section. (And yes, this is a sneaky way for me to get you to help me with my mail […]

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10 ways email can derail your job chances

Job seekers often spend hours perfecting their resumes and agonizing over their cover letters, and then blow it all by sending an email that comes across unprofessional. Here are 10 ways that a single email can ruin your chances of getting an interview or a job. 1. Sharing an email account with a spouse. Employers don’t […]

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our office manager isn’t processing payroll on time

A reader writes: I work as a legal assistant at a small law firm. Today is payday, but this morning the office manager emailed all of the hourly employees to tell them that the bank had processed payroll late, so our money would not be direct deposited on time. This means that for most of […]

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short answer Saturday: 7 short answers to 7 short questions

It’s short answer Saturday — seven short answers to seven short questions. We’ve got interviewing with a cold, being forced to join an emergency response team, and more. Here we go… 1. Bcc’d on a rejection email The day after my phone interview, I received a rejection letter. It was definitely canned, but what bothered […]

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That last post got contentious, so to relax and enjoy your Friday evening, why not sit back with the latest on Oh F—! My Foot? (F-word alert.)

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thorny answer Thursday: 7 short answers to 7 short questions

It’s thorny answer Thursday!  Well, not all of them are that thorny, but it has alliteration. (A reader recently suggested thumbnail Thursday, but I think that’ll hit a nerve in light of the recent discussion of fingernail clipping at work.) 1. My boss wants my overtime hours to be “volunteer” work I was asked by […]

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bedbugs in the office

A reader writes: I am up late because I can’t stop scratching. It might be a psychological itch, but it might not be! So today I went to work at my dreadful job at a call center where about 200 people work. Now, I had heard other people speculate that they had throw out our […]

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