Ask a Manager

Here are three updates from past letter-writers. 1. My new boss scolded us about our private chat messages First off, thank you so much for answering my letter. I sincerely appreciated your nuanced take on the situation, and it was so interesting to read through the debate in the comments over expectations of monitoring chat […]

Here are three updates from past letter-writers. 1. Should I ask for a raise at a company that doesn’t do raises? (#2 at the link) I have a GREAT update! I took your advice and decided to ask for a raise anyway, after some calculated thought and planning, and it worked! Just today I got […]

Remember the letter-writer whose boss and coworkers were constantly at her house — storing equipment there, holding meetings there, and even stopping by to use her bathroom? Here’s the update. First off, I want to thank you and the commenters for the advice. I hadn’t realized how ridiculous my situation had become, probably because small-town […]

Here are four updates from past letter-writers — including one from a letter from 10 years ago! 1. I fell asleep on the job — on my first day Can’t believe it’s been 10 years already?! Time flies! As far as an update goes, professionally things have been going pretty well, albeit on a different […]

Remember the letter-writer whose needy boss tried to invite herself on the letter-writer’s vacations and nights out with her husband. (First update here.) After I reprinted it last week, the writer saw it and sent in a current update: What a surprise to see this pop up again! It’s been a long three years. Our […]

Remember the letter-writer who supervised a manager who falsified an employee write-up but didn’t think she should be fired? Here’s the update. Thanks for answering my letter. I saw some questions that came up in the comments so wanted to give more information about what happened. First, Jason choosing to work on-site did not mean […]

Remember the letter-writer who learned through a DNA test that the company CEO was their half brother … and the CEO was freaking out? Here’s the update. My short update is that he 100% tried to fire me. The long update is complicated but this month has been unbelievable. Just after my question was posted, […]

Remember the letter-writer last week who saw her future manager’s bigoted Twitter account and wanted to ask not to report to him? Here’s the update. Thanks for publishing and answering my letter. I actually already have an update! I ended up talking to Willow (my interim manager) about it the day after I emailed you. I […]

Remember the letter-writer who asked how to turn down training requests from clients who wanted her to basically train them in how to do her job (#4 at the link)? Here’s the update. I want to thank you for your advice. You redirected my aimless thrashing around and laser-focused me on what I needed to […]

Here are four updates from past letter-writers. 1. Job posting asks for candidate with “low ego” (#5 at the link) I did take the job that said the ideal candidate would have a “low ego.” Turns out that means “willing to turn a blind eye to manager’s backhanded/ passive aggressive comments” and “unconcerned with career […]