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I'm thinking of making a career change in the near-ish future, but I need help figuring out what that change might be. I think I need to talk to a career counselor, however I've never worked with one before, so I don't know how to choose one. What should I be looking for? What should I be wary of? Difficulty level: Melbourne, Australia.
posted by threecheesetrees at 6:43 AM - 1 answers

I'm interested in learning about the history and cultural traits of product companies with multi-generational staying power and continuous innovation over time. Some change to core lines of business is fine, indeed inevitable, but you should be able to trace some kind of continuous product lineage back to the beginning. What are some good books or long-form articles that provide insight into these organizations? [more inside]
posted by 4rtemis at 11:19 AM - 15 answers

At the population level, how much do people in the UK spend on their cars? Do they normally pay outright, with loans from banks or dealers, lease-to-buy, etc? What are typical prices for new cars, what's the median price paid for cars in various categories, etc? I'm interested in population-level stats/summaries/analyses of car purchases and lifetimes, not individual anecdotes.
posted by metaBugs at 6:50 AM - 1 answers

I am a PhD student with a couple of years before I finish. I don't anticipate wanting to apply for postdocs/professorships, etc. after I graduate. I talk with some people who have gone into tech after finishing PhDs in my field, and the work they do sounds like it would really depress me. My research involves doing stuff with a bunch of buzzwords: 'scientific computing', 'machine learning' with 'deep neural network architectures', 'data visualization', statistical modeling, very much 'big data' kind of stuff. Is there a niche for me to work that will be gratifying? [more inside]
posted by vocativecase at 11:54 AM - 20 answers

I want to start a business one day. Perhaps, I'm just letting other people's fears and misconceptions influence me. I've always been of a mind that you don't necessarily need to have a ton of capital to start a business, especially in my field - - software engineering. [more inside]
posted by Tarsonis10 at 6:25 PM - 23 answers

I'm looking to hire an engineer at work, and I want us to do a better job hiring women and minorities. The engineering skill set I need is esoteric, and I don't know anything about hiring. [more inside]
posted by garlic at 2:07 PM - 15 answers

I'm nearing middle age and have had a career in advertising achieving lower level executive success. I always enjoyed marijuana. I've grown my own in a closet for close to 15 years and have had great reviews. If this were coffee or a food truck, I'd start selling out of my home. I've become pretty passionate about my product. If this were a completely legal business like starting a brewery or roasting coffee, we'd just do it. Despite our large network, we don't have any connections to help us out. How do we (or I) break into this market and sell weed? [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 12:11 PM - 10 answers

Hi All, PEr a suggestion in my previous thread, I'm asking for non-government stimulus options for my mom's business. It's somewhat unusual, details below the fold. [more inside]
posted by Alensin at 9:28 AM - 3 answers

If you wanted to help someone learn how to interview better, what tools/classes/coachings/etc. would you recommend? Bonus points for stuff that's really structured and well thought through.
posted by sirion at 6:55 AM - 4 answers

On a tip from a relative I applied for a short-term $20/hour canvassing position at an organization called VoteBlue. I'd love the work, but have questions about working for a company I can find no information about at all. Does anyone know about VoteBlue? Are they legit? Who are they? etc [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 6:54 AM - 3 answers

I need to figure out an online job type that will work with my criteria and pay about $1000/month. [more inside]
posted by aniola at 6:18 PM - 12 answers

My work holds an employee appreciation lunch every January. I have been on the committee to help plan it for a long time (10+ years) but this year it will be virtual. Halp! [more inside]
posted by tacodave at 5:57 PM - 15 answers

I have an easy job that pays my bills and lets me have a lot of free time. It is also pretty clearly in the category of Bullshit Jobs. Over time, I have started doing the least possible, sometimes doing a bad job, and I pretty much get away with it. I'm not super motivated to become wonderful at my job, but don't want to be an asshole. I know it sounds straightforward but I don't know what to do. [more inside]
posted by anonymous at 12:30 PM - 15 answers

How do you navigate office politics with moody, unpredictable people without making yourself a target? How do you stay calm and deal with backstabbing, manipulative coworkers that gossip and cause drama? Snowflakes inside… [more inside]
posted by lawgirl at 6:09 PM - 10 answers

We're in the runup to the holiday season and this has been a particularly trying year. I'd like to reward my team with a virtual holiday party, conducted over videochat. We have a ton of fun budget left unspent, but there's a significant catch: I can't spend it on food or drinks directly. Can you help me figure out a way to make this work? [more inside]
posted by kdar at 9:55 AM - 11 answers

As part of a yearly process, my company has offered all employees a "bonus" in terms of RSUs (restricted stock units). I'm leaning towards accepting this grant, but I'm a bit uncertain given potential tax consequences. (I'm relatively new to the company, so this seems to be my first time.) [more inside]
posted by thoughtful_analyst at 11:49 AM - 13 answers

There's been talk of unionizing at my hospital. Most everyone here in the ER seems for it. Someone reached out to a union rep and if there's enough interest he will hold a zoom call with us to answer questions. What should I expect? [more inside]
posted by pintapicasso at 4:17 PM - 6 answers

I love my job but my job may go away next summer. What can I study cheaply to help me be more employable? I would be amenable to online volunteering to build my resume. Details within. [more inside]
posted by Frowner at 8:08 AM - 4 answers

I have just started a new job. I need to use up my leave by the end of the year and I want to do so... mindfully. What can I do to make leave different to not-leave. [more inside]
posted by Just this guy, y'know at 4:20 AM - 9 answers

How can I find someone to hold my hand through learning how to buy a business? I am interested in buying a business. It is an existing, profitable business that's existed for a quarter of a century. I have a friendly rapport with the business owner, who is looking to retire. I am familiar with the costs of running similar businesses, but not as an owner. I know nothing of dealing with banks, lawyers, etc. The business is in Vermont. [more inside]
posted by Grandysaur at 11:28 PM - 12 answers