I was recently passed over for an interview for a great job because of (I strongly believe) my lack of references (which the ad requested, but I submitted without anyway because my other qualifications were strong). I don’t have any references. Not professional. Not personal. I’m dependable (to a fault!), hardworking, and stable (years-long resume gap notwithstanding), but I have no way of proving this. I suffered from crippling depression and anxiety for years... [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Sep 15, 2008 - 25 answers

What might be some people for a grown man to go to for advice when his parents, spouse, and friends are... 'unavailable' for various reasons? [more inside]
posted by TheManChild2000 on Aug 30, 2008 - 13 answers

What are some polite ways to remind people of pending workplace tasks? [more inside]
posted by rhyax on Jun 27, 2008 - 18 answers

What do you wish you knew when you started working? [more inside]
posted by nuclear_soup on Jun 26, 2008 - 46 answers

How can I reconcile two different and conflicting plans for my future? (long-ish explanation) [more inside]
posted by brynna on Apr 28, 2008 - 11 answers

First day of work at new job, tips please... [more inside]
posted by trashcan on Aug 24, 2007 - 17 answers

I've the office web geek, a real one-man band, with 8 years of experience. It's time to change jobs, but the web employment world is more specialized than ever. What jobs should I be applying for? [more inside]
posted by dw on Aug 19, 2007 - 13 answers

Started a second job today - 8 hours Sat. & Sun. Not sure if I like it or if I should even go back tomorrow. It's a sales position, I hate sales people. Help! [more inside]
posted by Jaie on Apr 28, 2007 - 18 answers

I'm in an unusual situation and it's proving extremely difficult to change things. Short version: I've been out of work for five years mostly due to severe depression, anxiety, and an abusive relationship, and have been trying to establish myself since recovering with no luck. I'm a bookworm with a degree who seeks an entry-level publishing position, but will take other (hopefully related, but not an absolute requirement right now) positions in the interest of establishing a recent job history for myself. (Extra long version inside...) [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Apr 19, 2007 - 36 answers

Career Advice Filter: Is it worth it to get a CPA 15 years out of college? [more inside} [more inside]
posted by psmealey on Oct 13, 2004 - 2 answers

Workplace racism and etiquette advice. MI. [more inside]
posted by i_am_joe's_spleen on Sep 6, 2004 - 15 answers

When I'm doing something really mentally taxing, like working on a difficult programming task or doing a really really tough crossword puzzle, I sometimes reach mental overload. I'm sure most of you have this. It makes me sleepy and sometimes a bit dizzy, and if I try to work more, I comprehend less and less. At this point, I generally need to do something else for a while. If I come back to the taxing work the next day, everything is fine. Probably, I can come back to it on the same day, an hour or so later. I CAN'T come back to it five minutes later. I'm interested in tactics that let me return to the mental workout as-soon-as possible. When I quit working, what sort of activity should I do to recharge? How long should I do it? Is there anything I should ingest? Is it better to quit before absolute mental burnout occurs? Are there any studies about this?
posted by grumblebee on Jul 17, 2004 - 11 answers

I'm moving to Germany from the U.S. in six weeks, and I'm looking for advice from anyone who has done something similar. This thread has been somewhat helpful, but a little too focused on immigration issues (I don't expect a problem with this). [more inside] [more inside]
posted by moonbiter on Jun 10, 2004 - 19 answers

What's the best way to approach a temp service? Walk in? Call? How to dress? etc.
posted by drezdn on Jan 19, 2004 - 8 answers