should I write a list of rules so a colleague treats me decently? — Ask a Manager
if Paul was receptive to correction, i think the correction might be along the lines of “before you say something, think about if what you say is going to actually be useful. consider who you are correcting. are they an expert in something where you only have a little bit of experience? then they probably […]
corporate executives are more out-of-touch than ever — Ask a Manager
Years ago, Mr. Jam and I were invited to a holiday party for the construction company he worked for at the time. The reins of the company had recently been handed over to the founder’s grandchildren. There were 5 or 6 grandchildren, who had all enjoyed very privileged upbringings and then as adults, been gently […]
my boss’s constant self-deprecation and oversharing make me uncomfortable — Ask a Manager
A reader writes: I want your help in understanding what, if anything, I can/should do about the way my boss talks about herself. I like my boss, but it’s exhausting! My organization recently went through huge layoffs, so everyone feels overworked and off-balance. As part of that I got a new boss. I get the […]
things your company did that you thought were normal … but were actually very weird — Ask a Manager
First job out of school we were not given any physical documentation like an employee handbook or health insurance information. We had to ask the sole HR person about what benefits we had or how to access our health care. HR was always very available to do this. The whole set-up seemed harmless enough. I […]
open thread – April 4, 2025
This post was written by Alison Green and published on Ask a Manager. 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 […]
weekend open thread – April 5-6, 2025 — Ask a Manager
weekend open thread – April 5-6, 2025 by Alison Green on April 4, 2025 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: Every Tom, Dick & Harry, by Elinor Lipman. Yay […]
3 Easy Ways To Spring-Clean Your Resume
In cold weather climates, the beginning of spring is a time to clean the house and get organized—a practice known as spring cleaning. Through the years, spring cleaning has taken on a larger meaning, with people using the time to organize and declutter things in their lives. For professionals on the job hunt, a little […]
my boss is pressuring me to work more hours … I just came back from stress leave — Ask a Manager
Good news all around, thank you for the advice — I desperately needed to hear it. It ended up working out — eventually. Brian’s outbursts, yelling, and general unreasonableness got worse after I wrote in, to the point where he would shout at me and everyone else in front of the team. I’m proud of […]
can I suggest that my employee rethink her career, pimple patches at work, and more — Ask a Manager
It’s four answers to four questions. Here we go… 1. Can I suggest that my employee rethink her career path? One of my direct reports, “Mindy,” has worked for my organization since college; she’s now 31. I joined the staff three years ago and enjoy her a lot as a person: she’s smart, has a […]
can I resign but still ask for severance? — Ask a Manager
A reader writes: Last summer, an old mentor from my past company — who led a couple projects I was on but was not my direct manager — took a new VP role and sent for me. I had applied for a role on her team at our former org and didn’t get it, but […]