September 2022

it’s your Friday good news

It’s your Friday good news! 1.  “I am an ‘older’ worker, and had gotten to a comfortable position in a government agency (let’s say llama inspector) that, while not the best, I thought I could ride to retirement. It had its frustrations, but the autonomy that I was given made me think that was worth […]

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open thread – September 23-24, 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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coworker says fetuses are judging mothers-to-be, sending a cake with your resume on it, and more

It’s four answers to four questions. Here we go… 1. Coworker says fetuses are judging “mothers-to-be” for what they eat This morning, an older male coworker posted an article link on our department intranet. It was about fetuses showing reactions to taste on ultrasound exams, so it’s maybe very tangentially related to what we do […]

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what does self-care look like at work?

A reader writes: I’ve been working through some significant program transitions and expansion as a manager at a basic needs nonprofit. The need, as you certainly know, continues to grow, and we’re feeling it exponentially. My boss asked me what my strategies for caring for myself at work were, and I realized that I don’t […]

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Ask a Manager in the media

Here’s some coverage of Ask a Manager in the media recently: I talked with The Guardian about the new rules of the office, including dealing with office chairs; burping, farting, yawning, or sneezing during meetings; and asking to work flexible hours. I talked with Cosmopolitan about how to deal with job rejection. Marketplace referenced an […]

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a coworker’s child keeps saying insulting and bigoted things to me

It’s the Thursday “ask the readers” question. A reader writes: I work in a nonprofit child care setting and the environment can be toxic at times. These people have all known each other for decades and have habits of lying for one another in professional settings to make the organization sound better than it actually […]

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my new boss needs constant reassurance

A reader writes: I’m in a situation that’s new to me in almost 15 years in my field. I’ve been at my employer for four years, and a new manager was hired four months ago to lead my team. I used to report to the person who’s now my grandboss. My new manager, Jim, handles […]

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should we hire a candidate who talked non-stop?

A reader writes: We’re hiring for a candidate to fill in for me while I’m on maternity leave. The strongest candidate we’ve had so far has a great resume and industry experience, which is rare for us. But she was so talkative in the interview it was staggering. An interview that typically takes 30 minutes […]

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how should I deal with an anxious and needy coworker?

A reader writes: I have a coworker in her late 20’s, Patricia, who has been a part of my team for about five months now. I have been employed at this company for two years, but have been called back into the office after work from home was revoked. Patricia is supposed to be a […]

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