I find this
comparison really confusing. I'm starting the job in August.
I'm an early 30s married woman who would like to become pregnant in the next year. The contract only lasts through the end of 2014. I do want to continue on working there, but I have no idea if additional grant money will become available at that time. Which plan would you choose? Or, failing that, which are the important factors to consider?
posted by anonymous
on May 8, 2013 -
4 answers
I went on a long, long break form my creative career cause I was feeling burnt out due to some failures and now I can't seem to get back into it, possibly because I no longer have a financial incentive to do so. How can I fix this? Warning: Long, super privileged person problems.
[more inside]
posted by anonymous
on May 7, 2013 -
18 answers
I am married and recently realized I had developed romantic feelings for a friend/coworker (also married). I have stopped speaking to him for the sake of my marriage. He really wants to know why I am avoiding him. What's the best way to handle this without making him feel bad?
[more inside]
posted by anonymous
on May 6, 2013 -
30 answers
Is there any good reason why top-level management would ask me why I chose to work in their company after I started working there?
[more inside]
posted by anonymous
on Apr 25, 2013 -
16 answers
I was an office manager between 2002-2008, but went back to school to become a nurse. I'm currently an RN in a large metropolitan area, but would really rather go back to a career in administration / office management. What's the best way to do this?
[more inside]
posted by anonymous
on Apr 21, 2013 -
11 answers
I'm going through a bout of depression and while it isn't affecting my work, it is affecting how I behave at work. I realised today that some of my colleagues have picked up on this change in behaviour. How can I maintain my dignity and privacy?
[more inside]
posted by anonymous
on Apr 19, 2013 -
7 answers
Does the stigma against fandom also count against whatever marketable experience you gain from it?
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posted by anonymous
on Apr 13, 2013 -
20 answers
My partner and I are currently at rather different points in our careers. I have struggled for years to make a living out of freelancing in one area. I'm told I'm good at it but have never made it into a company that can offer me long term work, career development or support. My partner has a stable job in a multinational company and has just been offered and started training in my area, with a probable supported move into my area in the next couple of years. I am not dealing with this very well. Have you dealt with something similar, can you offer advice?
[more inside]
posted by anonymous
on Apr 12, 2013 -
23 answers
I'm pretty much useless at everything but have been gainfully employed as a coder for 15 years. Quite frankly I'd just like to do nothing. What do you suggest?
[more inside]
posted by anonymous
on Apr 10, 2013 -
20 answers
I am a US citizen living and working overseas until mid-2015. I want to figure out how to make it permanent. Difficulty: I am a federal employee in a sensitive position, and so I can't just pull chocks and do the same work for somebody else. How do I solve this in the next two years?
[more inside]
posted by anonymous
on Apr 9, 2013 -
12 answers
I injured myself last fall... by falling. On my head. I now can't do one aspect of my high-stress job (and it's questionable if I can even do my job fully), even after my employer has been more than reasonable with allowing me time to recover. We're usually pretty well-insulated from the attention of our sharp-clawed HR people and very frightening lawyers, but they're involved now. I can read the EEOC website as well as the next person with a skull fracture, but what does this stuff actually mean?
[more inside]
posted by anonymous
on Apr 8, 2013 -
16 answers
I have a problem with intense physical anxiety. As anyone knows who has gone through this, it takes a long time before you can see a psych and get medication that works for you. I've finally done so, but in the period before getting help I relied on opiates to cope. Now I'm addicted and want to stop being dependent, but I have a new job and can't screw it up.
[more inside]
posted by anonymous
on Apr 4, 2013 -
6 answers
I'm at the final round of interviews for two very different jobs, and if I'm offered both, I'm not sure what I should do.
One's at a nonprofit, the other's at an advertising agency.
[more inside]
posted by anonymous
on Mar 26, 2013 -
7 answers
I am planning on leaving my job, and indeed my current career path, in the next 3-ish months, but for various practical reasons I want to stay for those next 3-ish months. There's a conference coming up that I would absolutely be going to if I were staying in this career. Do I sign up for the conference? If I do, the conference fee will be wasted when one of my coworkers could use the money for their own professional development (and money is tight in our department) and I'm afraid this would cause bad feelings and people would take it personally.
[more inside]
posted by anonymous
on Mar 22, 2013 -
18 answers
My job uses write ups for everything—for typos, for bad customer service, for being late, for heavy stuff, for silly stuff that doesn’t matter. Literally everything. How do I either learn to deal with this or figure out how to professionally approach it with the higher-ups in my company?
[more inside]
posted by anonymous
on Mar 20, 2013 -
11 answers
I've decided to leave my job, and I want to be responsible and wait 1-2 months to give notice so that I don't leave the company stranded. I've always had friction with my manager, which is one of the main reasons I'm leaving. During my last couple of months, I want to get along well with her so that she'll remember me positively, but I find myself blurting out negative things that I'm thinking. How do I stop?
[more inside]
posted by anonymous
on Mar 15, 2013 -
9 answers
What are your strategies and best practices for being a cog in an inefficient bureaucracy? How do you compartmentalize the frustration and leave it in the office?
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posted by anonymous
on Mar 11, 2013 -
14 answers
I have on-going problems with work anxiety and impostor syndrome. The worst part? I’m starting a new, high-demand job in two weeks and need help now.
[more inside]
posted by anonymous
on Mar 8, 2013 -
4 answers
My former employer mailed me my last paycheck almost a month after firing me, and after enduring an awkward hearing that included being scolded by her in front of a hearing officer, I ended up winning. How do I collect my money? I live in California.
[more inside]
posted by anonymous
on Mar 6, 2013 -
1 answer
I recently gave my two week's notice at work. It seemed to go well, but now my boss seems to be turning it into a negative thing by freaking out and being dramatic. Please help me navigate my last few days here.
[more inside]
posted by anonymous
on Mar 5, 2013 -
18 answers
The question: Should I provide a lukewarm reference for my recently fired ex-manager to avoid awkwardness? Or should I tell him no, and if so, what is the code language to use? I can't say "Sorry, that won't be possible" for reasons outlined herein.
[more inside]
posted by anonymous
on Mar 5, 2013 -
40 answers
Lawyer getting great experience in a shrinking subspecialty. Work environment has flaws. Have the opportunity to move. Worried about grass being greener, frying pan/fire, etc. Special details inside.
[more inside]
posted by anonymous
on Feb 24, 2013 -
4 answers
I'm not a professional photographer, but I did some photography work (unpaid) for my company... is that work for hire or is it something else?
[more inside]
posted by anonymous
on Feb 21, 2013 -
6 answers
Need some career advice:
Internet Brands has had me for a few interview for a Project Manager, but
Glassdoor has some really bad things to say (and good, but those can be phony placements). Has anyone ever worked or know someone that worked there? What's it like?
[more inside]
posted by anonymous
on Feb 20, 2013 -
5 answers
I work closely with another team and their manager in my job. The manager has started some weird, what feel like, personal attacks on me.
In case you want to skip the long explanation inside, basically the question is how to deal with a manager who is not my manager (but I am expected to work with anyway) and has a very abrasive style which is kind of offensive.
[more inside]
posted by anonymous
on Feb 13, 2013 -
14 answers
I interviewed for a remote programming gig recently, and they requested a trial contract before making a final offer. I'd be hired as a long-term remote contractor (year+, 100% telecommuting), not an employee. I have some questions:
[more inside]
posted by anonymous
on Feb 12, 2013 -
8 answers
A new person started at work recently and has been trying to get the company to change course and use the tools they're used to. I've been taking the brunt of it and have ended up being really defensive. How can I be more assertive with this person, but also not end up coming off like a jerk? And how do I learn to work with this person? Snowflake stuff inside.
[more inside]
posted by anonymous
on Feb 10, 2013 -
16 answers
I recently began my first job six months ago at a creative agency. Now, I'm unsure if I should continue.
[more inside]
posted by anonymous
on Feb 6, 2013 -
11 answers
I just started a new job as a researcher. They hired a few people around the same time as me and we all have start dates around now-ish. I've been there a week. There is a new guy starting in my department in a more senior position than me, but not supervising me, on Monday. I just got his name today and looked him up, and... there are some things about him that a little bit of digging uncovered that are sketchy. (It's definitely him, please give me the benefit of the doubt here.) His job is not likely to be impacted by these revelations about his recent past, but if it were to get out that his history includes these things, it could endanger my company's reputation if a competitor or journalist found out. Nothing he did is illegal.
[more inside]
posted by anonymous
on Feb 1, 2013 -
18 answers
I have a job interview next Friday. Yay! But I have questions about what is a setting-appropriate choice.
[more inside]
posted by anonymous
on Jan 31, 2013 -
11 answers
I'm not her assistant but she's treating me like I am. Frankly I'm ready to just quit but I can't afford it without another job lined up. To rub salt in that wound, she's micromanaging and professionally lazy and generally gets under my skin... Help me stick it out while I look for another job!
[more inside]
posted by anonymous
on Jan 30, 2013 -
14 answers
I am going to be present at a meeting in which a group of us will be asked to make a decision based on a document with misleading information in it. I would like some advice on how to present the correct version of events without being insubordinate or seeming to call my higher-ups liars.
[more inside]
posted by anonymous
on Jan 25, 2013 -
19 answers
I'm a web designer/developer. I've been self taught my whole life, but now that I'm getting higher up in my career and more people interested in me as upper level management experience. I dropped out of college and taught myself everything I know. Now, though, I'm wondering if I need to go back to school for a degree to progress any higher.
[more inside]
posted by anonymous
on Jan 24, 2013 -
13 answers
I've worked professionally for over 15 years, and in all the that time, I've never been on time to work consistently. How do I show up to work around 9 o'clock like a normal person?
[more inside]
posted by anonymous
on Jan 24, 2013 -
62 answers
How can I better "manage my managers" who can only think in the long-term? They have lots of really great ideas which never go anywhere because they don't schedule people to work on them.
[more inside]
posted by anonymous
on Jan 22, 2013 -
3 answers
I'll try to make this brief. I recently turned 23, and due to a combination of drugs and depression since getting out of high school I have essentially no work experience. This makes responding to job postings very frustrating and humiliating as my resume feels like a complete joke.
[more inside]
posted by anonymous
on Jan 18, 2013 -
16 answers
Help! I’m having trouble adjusting to college and accepting myself, and it’s stressing me out. What can I do to fix this? Lots of details inside.
[more inside]
posted by anonymous
on Jan 16, 2013 -
14 answers
I feel that my current job threatens my personal safety. How can I leave this job as professionally as possible while protecting that safety?
[more inside]
posted by anonymous
on Jan 16, 2013 -
17 answers
I'm 23, and I've had an objectively great programming job for six months. Part of me wants to quit and become a barista or something. Am I crazy?
[more inside]
posted by anonymous
on Jan 11, 2013 -
57 answers
I'm being forced to answer phones at work. I have NO clue and NO ability how to do this and I have to start NOW. How do I make this situation less horrible?
[more inside]
posted by anonymous
on Jan 7, 2013 -
26 answers
Corporate dysfunction and general structure is causing my job to be difficult, and sometimes impossible. How can I cope best?
[more inside]
posted by anonymous
on Jan 4, 2013 -
5 answers
I'm a mid-20s secretary and I want to quit and become a waitress or bartender, a field in which I have no experience. Am I crazy? How can I make this happen?
[more inside]
posted by anonymous
on Dec 28, 2012 -
21 answers
I think I am failing at my career. It feels like being in a slow-motion car wreck. What do I do at this point?
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posted by anonymous
on Dec 22, 2012 -
24 answers
My boss treats me like garbage. My coworkers encouraged me to set up a meeting with her to discuss how we can have a better relationship. Our meeting is tomorrow and I'm regretting scheduling this talk. How can I go through with it and get the best results without humiliating myself?
[more inside]
posted by anonymous
on Dec 19, 2012 -
23 answers
At work, my slightly-more-experienced colleague makes a habit of saying subtle and/or ambigious cricitisms, disguised as innocent remarks. I spoke to management about it recently but they couldn't see the problem. How should I deal with a work colleague who tries to undermine me and make me look bad, but who is subtle enough not to get caught?
[more inside]
posted by anonymous
on Dec 19, 2012 -
27 answers
Is it more important to be near family or to follow career developments? Snowflakey existential question that needs review.
[more inside]
posted by anonymous
on Dec 18, 2012 -
15 answers
