will my taste in office supplies seem weird or unprofessional? by Alison Green on July 24, 2018 A reader writes: I’m not in the business world yet, but I figure this will be relevant for when I am: in shopping for supplies to take with me to school, my dad made a comment about “lack of maturity” in my taste and how he was concerned it would hurt my reputation. (As he […] Read the full article →
how to explain to your interviewer why you left a previous job by Alison Green on July 24, 2018 When you’re interviewing for a job, it’s very likely that interviewers will ask why you’re leaving your current job or why you left previous jobs. In theory, this should be straightforward – we’re usually pretty clear in our own heads about why we leave jobs – but in reality, sometimes answering can be fraught with landmines. […] Read the full article →
my employer requires us all to do tai chi in the office by Alison Green on July 24, 2018 A reader writes: I am struggling with management’s requirement that all employees of our small nonprofit participate in twice weekly tai chi sessions. These are paid for by the organization and held in-house, during the work day. When first presented to staff, tai chi was billed as a team-building activity that would last for 12 […] Read the full article →
my employee trash-talks herself, I hurt my employee’s feelings, and more by Alison Green on July 24, 2018 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. My employee constantly apologizes and calls herself stupid A few months back, you answered a letter from someone concerned about a coworker’s imposter syndrome and constant, defeatist self-talk. I’m in a similar situation — I’d type out the details but it’s almost word-for-word what that […] Read the full article →
can I ask my boss to calm down? by Alison Green on July 23, 2018 A reader writes: Is it ever okay to ask your boss to calm down? Recently I made a medium-sized, careless error at work. When my boss’s boss confronted me about it, I owned up to my mistake and apologized, but she proceeded to pull me into her office and — no exaggeration — literally scream […] Read the full article →
stop obsessively re-reading that email from your job interviewer … it doesn’t mean anything by Alison Green on July 23, 2018 The job search process can feel shrouded in mystery. Figuring out whether or not an employer is interested in you, or how good your chances are, or when you might reasonably expect to hear back after your interview, can feel like a maddening guessing game. And when the stakes are so high and the process so […] Read the full article →
my coworker says her husband died — but he didn’t by Alison Green on July 23, 2018 A reader writes: I have a coworker who mentions her deceased husband fairly frequently in conversation. It’s been several years since he passed away after a protracted illness. (He had lupus, and she says that they knew it was coming for seven years, so he was able to put away money to provide for her.) […] Read the full article →
my boss takes all the work, a rogue parker, and more by Alison Green on July 23, 2018 It’s five answers to five questions. Here we go… 1. My boss takes all the work I work on a small team, led by a supervisor, “Ned,” who has normally been great. Our team members, including Ned, have equivalent qualifications in our field, though Ned is by far the most experienced. He participates in every […] Read the full article →
weekend free-for-all – July 21-22, 2018 by Alison Green on July 21, 2018 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 no school.) Book recommendation of the week: I’m reading My Year of Rest and Relaxation, by Ottessa Moshfegh, about a woman who decides she’s going to quit her life […] Read the full article →
open thread – July 20-21, 2018 by Alison Green on July 20, 2018 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 […] Read the full article →