I’m afraid I’m going to get fired — and I’ve had this same bad feedback before by Alison Green on October 1, 2019 A reader writes: I’m an office manager and I have a problem that’s hard to define: I was told by both my current boss (I’ve been in this job for about two months) and a previous boss that I don’t “think one step ahead” and don’t look at possible solutions before asking questions. I had […] Read the full article →
my boss has 10,000 unread emails by Alison Green on September 11, 2019 A reader writes: Is it ever normal to have 10,000+ unread emails in your professional inbox? Yesterday I inadvertently saw that my boss had 10,965 unread emails. She is a general counsel of a medium-sized company and does not seem to be overloaded with work. The majority of her team (around six people) are very […] Read the full article →
how can I recover from being the office grump? by Alison Green on August 26, 2019 A reader writes: I’m in my first year in my job. I’m an open book, so people know when I’m happy and when I’m not. Naturally when I’m upset or angry at work, people can tell. I have been really stressed and haven’t been nice at my office lately recently. Basically I’ve been grumpy. Is […] Read the full article →
why the littlest things at work can be so maddening by Alison Green on August 19, 2019 Judging by the mail I get at here, a lot of us feel quite strongly about relatively minor things at work. Some pet peeves make perfect sense, like being annoyed with people who leave food splattered inside the microwave or thinking dark thoughts about that guy who takes all his calls on speaker phone. But […] Read the full article →
how should I navigate social media connections during a job search? by Alison Green on August 15, 2019 A reader writes: I recently interviewed for a job at a local media organization. I’m still waiting to hear back from them, but in the past week or so, three people who were in on the interview have followed me on Twitter. I’m not concerned about that — I tweet both personal and professional stuff, […] Read the full article →
how to criticize someone’s work without making it awkward by Alison Green on August 6, 2019 So, you’re working with someone whose work isn’t exactly what you need it to be, and you need to ask them to do it differently. Maybe you’re their manager, or maybe you’re a peer who’s overseeing the project they’re working on. Maybe the correction is relatively minor, or maybe it’s a big deal. Either way, […] Read the full article →
I’m addicted to snooping in my boss’s email by Alison Green on July 31, 2019 A reader writes: I have access to my boss’s email account so that I can send email on his behalf/search for things in his folders. It’s not a privilege that’s supposed to be used often. Unfortunately, I’m a compulsive snooper, and I find myself opening his account a few times a week to read emails. […] Read the full article →
do I really have to use formal openings and closings in every email? by Alison Green on July 29, 2019 A reader writes: I just attended a training where I was told a professional email MUST begin with one of the following: • Hello [Name], • Good morning/afternoon/evening [Name], • Greetings [Name], • Dear [Name], • Welcome back [Name], • Thank you [Name], The trainer also said a professional email MUST end with one of […] Read the full article →
I have no motivation to do my job by Alison Green on July 16, 2019 A reader writes: I am absolutely done with my current job. I’ve been here for just over six years now and, honestly, I probably stayed here longer than I should have (I was starting to get bored around two years ago). However, my coworkers are lovely, my boss is super supportive, the benefits are amazing […] Read the full article →
can I ask my boss to check on me more regularly so I’ll get more done? by Alison Green on July 9, 2019 A reader writes: I have a lot of qualities that should serve me well in the workforce: excellent pattern recognition, creativity, a desire to help others. But I struggle massively with organization, discipline, and focus. (I do have ADHD and am medicating for it.) Right now, given monthly check-ins with my supervisor, I feel like […] Read the full article →