is it bad that I use a chat program to talk to my friends throughout the workday? by Alison Green on May 31, 2016 A reader writes: I work in an administrative position at a university, and I almost always have Google Chat open throughout the day, both to talk to coworkers and friends outside of work. Is this generally considered more “okay” than other forms of personal messaging? I’m a pretty productive worker – I very rarely make […] Read the full article →
is napping at work coming to your office? by Alison Green on May 31, 2016 Sleeping at work is usually something you’re supposed to avoid. But what if your company officially sanctioned naps during the day? If this sounds utterly impossible to you, you may be surprised to learn that naps at work are being encouraged by major players like Nike, Google, and even the accounting giant PricewaterhouseCoopers. There’s even something called a […] Read the full article →
I am the nepotism hire who no one likes by Alison Green on May 31, 2016 A reader writes: The company I work for divided into engineering/documentation and manufacturing/maintenance. The jargon on both sides is very dense–not just industry-specific but company-specific. My job is to write training courses about different departments and processes. It’s a good job, and I want to do well at it. The CEO is something of a […] Read the full article →
the friend I recommended for a job pushed a coworker, how to handle goodbyes for a hostile employee who’s leaving, and more by Alison Green on May 31, 2016 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. Should I have a goodbye party for a hostile employee who’s leaving? An employee of mine resigned today by walking into my office and saying “I am leaving. My last day is Friday.” When I asked her to come into my office and explain, she […] Read the full article →
if you’re a new grad, here are some things for you by Alison Green on May 30, 2016 If you’re a new grad, or you’re about to be a new grad, here’s a round-up of a bunch of posts targeting you. (This round-up is also an essential part of my Being Lazy on Memorial Day plan.) do hiring managers really care about your GPA? It depends on what it is and what field you’re […] Read the full article →
I guessed at a salary range for a job, overshot, and got rejected by Alison Green on May 30, 2016 A reader writes: After applying for a position, the hiring manager (who would also be my supervisor) emailed me saying that she wanted to interview me and asked me about my salary expectations. I researched average salaries for the position ($53k) and got back to her expressing my interest in the position, suggesting a few […] Read the full article →
are you obligated to support your friends’ businesses, how much PTO should I save for emergencies, and more by Alison Green on May 30, 2016 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. Are you obligated to support your friends’ businesses? My friend, who is an Arbonne consultant, recently posted this on her Facebook page and I was wondering your thoughts (and the readers’ thoughts) on it: If your friend sells Avon, try it! If your friend sells […] Read the full article →
weekend free-for-all – May 28-29, 2016 by Alison Green on May 28, 2016 Happy Memorial Day weekend — and happy birthday to Ask a Manager, which came into life nine years ago today and was supposed to only be a six-month project! This comment section is open for any non-work-related discussion you’d like to have with other readers, by popular demand. (This one is truly no work and […] Read the full article →
my boss moved down the street from me, putting keywords on your resume in white font, and more by Alison Green on May 28, 2016 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. My boss moved down the street from me and is being a jerk My boss just moved in down the street from my house. She has a new husband, who has been my neighbor for a while. We live in a rural area so not […] Read the full article →
can I make getting to the final round of interviews – and not getting the job – count for something? by Alison Green on May 27, 2016 A reader writes: How can I make getting to the final round of interviews – and not getting the job – count for something? Yesterday I received the news that I did not get the job at a great charity. It was a role that I have not come across before, and it would have […] Read the full article →