June 2017

open thread – June 23-24, 2017

It’s the Friday open thread! The comment section on this post is open for discussion with other readers on anything work-related that you want to talk about. If you want an answer from me, emailing me is still your best bet*, but this is a chance to talk to other readers. * If you submitted […]

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did I lead my interviewer on?

A reader: I have been working for a company (Company A) for six months now, on a temporary contract. The pay is good and the hours are flexible, and as I would like to start studying part time soon this arrangement suits me. I don’t see a lot of potential for growth in this company, […]

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update: my coworker acts like the food police

Remember the letter-writer last December whose coworker was constantly policing and commenting on people’s food choices? Here’s the update. I don’t have MUCH of an update on this issue, but did want to mention something that happened recently. I was in the break room with two coworkers — one being the Food Police — and […]

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the Ask a Manager book is coming

Y’all, I wrote a book. ASK A MANAGER: Ask a Manager: How to Navigate Clueless Colleagues, Lunch-Stealing Bosses, and the Rest of Your Life at Work will be published by Random House/Ballantine next spring. The book — which is nearly all new content that you haven’t read here — takes on more than 200 difficult conversations […]

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what to say to a chronically late employee

A reader writes: I have a new salaried staff member who is a manager-in-training for a new location we are opening up. She has worked for us for a week now, and is having child-care issues causing her to be tardy or have to leave earlier than expected. I would like your advice on the […]

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should I sabotage my terrible employer on my way out?

A reader writes: I have a question regarding ownership and I will preface it by saying that I realize it’s kind of a petty one. I am the only graphic designer at a small IT company that does a lot of government work. Most of the work I’ve produced are infographics and some marketing things […]

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