February 2022

new hire keeps kneeling in front of me

A reader writes: Perhaps you can help me figure out how to best approach this strange situation at my office. I’m a senior (male) engineer in my late 30s. Recently my company hired a new college grad as a junior engineer. So far this young man seems reasonably competent on a technical level, but he […]

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what to say in response to “I’m sorry” from employees

A reader writes: I manage employees in a job where arriving on time for shift coverage really matters. When my employees are late to work without notice, most of the time they apologize with a simple, “Sorry I’m late.” I struggle with how to succinctly respond when it doesn’t warrant a formal sit-down. If someone […]

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how do I ask for monthly time off to deal with my period?

Two letters, similar topic. Here’s the first: I’m currently searching for a new job, partly because my company has been fully remote for the past two years due to Covid and this doesn’t align with my career goals (there is a hands-on component to my work that I want to focus on developing). However, one […]

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weekend open thread – February 26-27, 2022

This comment section is open for any non-work-related discussion you’d like to have with other readers, by popular demand. Here are the rules for the weekend posts. Book recommendation of the week: Fall or Fly: The Strangely Hopeful Story of Foster Care and Adoption in Appalachia, by Wendy Welch. Fascinating and heart-breaking and frustrating and important.  I make a […]

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it’s your Friday good news

It’s your Friday good news! 1.  “I am an avid reader (and recommender) and wanted to share a little Friday Good News! After finally making the decision to launch my job search in earnest, I am thrilled to be starting my new job next month. I was truly torn about leaving my current role, but […]

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open thread – February 25-26, 2022

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

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when recruiters ask, “how did the interview go?”

A reader writes: I’m currently interviewing for a position with a large tech company. I’ve had a phone screener, an interview with team members, and an interview with the head of the team. This all happened over the course of two weeks. A few days ago, the recruiter emailed me asking to set up a […]

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update: the mom quitting her job because of Covid

Earlier this month in an article for Slate, I quoted a working mom who had said this: “I like my job. I like being a working mom. But I have decided to quit my job in a month. I don’t think it’s fair for my 2.5 year old to be plopped in front of the […]

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