At Work from Creators Syndicate

Many Interests Can Lead to Many Careers for 05/24/2012

Thu, 24 May 2012 00:00:00 -0700

Q: Many fields have interested me, so much so that I could never pick just one. I would be considered a job hopper according to my passions, but my resume has suffered because of it. I know many people work in the same or similar fields throughout their work life, but that's not me. How do I show these different areas on my resume and explain my reasons for the changes?

A: You are not a ...

Updated: Thu May 24, 2012

How to Know When College Is Worth it for 05/17/2012

Thu, 17 May 2012 00:00:00 -0700

Q: I was never a great student, but I don't want a minimum-wage job for the rest of my life, either. I don't have one thing I really want to do, and I don't know about everything I can do. I graduate high school this summer, and right now, I'm looking at being a cashier or waitress. How do I figure this out and know if college is worth it. No one in my family has ever gone, so they can't help m ...

Updated: Thu May 17, 2012

She Blurted Out Complaints -- Now She Must Make Amends for 05/10/2012

Thu, 10 May 2012 00:00:00 -0700

Q: I knew I shouldn't have done it when I did it, but I couldn't help myself. Now what do I do? I work for a company that is poorly managed. If the company changed its thinking and the way it operates, it could make so much more money and also make better use of employee time.

I'm a natural observer, and I've been watching how each manager behaves in his job (yes, all of management is ma ...

Updated: Thu May 10, 2012

Boss Can Address Employee's New Facial Piercing, Policy or No Policy for 05/03/2012

Thu, 03 May 2012 00:00:00 -0700

Q: Recently, a co-worker showed up with her upper lip/lower cheek pierced. It makes me sick to look at it, as it is a very noticeable hole with an earring in it. What's worse is that she continually pulls on it and twirls it, maybe unconsciously, and pushes on it from the inside with her tongue. I need to work with her in person, so I can't avoid her or do the work by phone. When I first saw it ...

Updated: Thu May 03, 2012

Office Is Extension of the Worst Part of High School for 04/26/2012

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0700

Q: My office is like high school, including its bullies and cliques. I just want to do my job, but it seems impossible because I have to contend with the distractions of these immature people. The worst part is they are in with the big bosses, so complaining would be counterproductive. Is there anything I can do? I'd rather not quit if I could somehow deal with it.

A: You have to face th ...

Updated: Thu Apr 26, 2012

Leveraging Expertise Against an Employee's True Value for 04/19/2012

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0700

Q: My situation is complicated. I own and run a small business with three sales reps. I admit I am not the best interviewer, nor do I conduct formal background checks. I go with my gut-feel about a person. I heard about a person with a solid background in my field, so I interviewed her. She was very presentable, knowledgeable and had just closed her own business. I hired her with a base against ...

Updated: Thu Apr 19, 2012

Defensive Co-Worker May be Worth Less for 04/12/2012

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0700

Q: My co-worker and I are equals. When I started, she made a big deal about us working as a team, but as time went on, she has done the opposite. She hoards and guards her work assignments, is defensive, and at times, confrontational for no apparent reason. She has accused me of stealing work from her, which I haven't done, at least not intentionally. She told me the previous co-worker in my po ...

Updated: Thu Apr 12, 2012

Promised Recommendation Never Delivered for 04/05/2012

Thu, 05 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0700

Q: I left my job when my contract expired, as I was very unhappy with it. Originally, my supervisor and I expected that I would sign on for another year, but as tensions mounted, we agreed it was best for me to move on somewhere else. She agreed (in writing) to write me a strong recommendation letter. She has not done so, nor do I think she will. I already have strong recommendations from past ...

Updated: Thu Apr 05, 2012

Change Focus of Employee Who Thrives on Gossip for 03/29/2012

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0700

Q: I work with a woman who finds out all kinds of personal information about co-workers, then repeats it to everyone, adding her critical opinion on it. We all know what she is, and very few workers like her, but that seems to make it worse; it's as if she uses gossip to connect with us.

She knows no boundaries. She has gossiped about people cheating on their timesheets, lying about thei ...

Updated: Thu Mar 29, 2012

Game-Playing Traps Take Toll on Subordinate for 03/22/2012

Thu, 22 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0700

Q: I am close to blowing up at one of the supervisor's at work, so I need advice on how to deal with her. I work for someone who continually (I mean almost daily) asks me my opinion on things. When I give it, she then argues with me about why I am not right. I don't care what she decides to do. It means nothing to me, and once she starts in on me, I try to agree with her, but it doesn't work. H ...

Updated: Thu Mar 22, 2012

HR Head Afraid to Reprimand ‘Connected' Employee for 03/15/2012

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0700

Q: I am the human resource director for a large vineyard. We have a new viticulturist who doesn't know how to work with the vineyard employees. I have always had an open-door policy, and the employees feel free to come to talk to me about problems in any of the departments. After receiving many complaints, I've noticed about 80 percent of the employees are upset about the way she treats them. I ...

Updated: Thu Mar 15, 2012

Little Sister's Bad Decisions Will Get Her Fired Fast for 03/08/2012

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0800

Q: I am a freshman in college. My younger sister is in her senior year of high school, lives at home and has a part-time job. The problem is she can't get her priorities straight. She is still dating her boyfriend who dropped out of high school, sells drugs and mistreats her. Since she has made him her priority and spends all her time with him, she is going downhill — drinking and taking ...

Updated: Thu Mar 08, 2012

Safety in Numbers Helps Collegiate Escape a Fatal Attraction for 03/01/2012

Thu, 01 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0800

Q: Being a flight attendant still has advantages; one of them is the ability to fly for next to nothing. It is said the world is six degrees of separation. My experience tells me it is infinitely smaller.

Some years ago, as a flight attendant, I could fly nearly anywhere for next to nothing, so I had decided to visit a friend in San Francisco. I had settled into my seat with a book that ...

Updated: Thu Mar 01, 2012

Working With People Doesn't Equal Knowing Them for 02/23/2012

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0800

Q: I am a sales representative who meets and gets asked out by clients. Since I'm not married, I would like to go, but friends say I should not date clients. I think this is the best way to date because I already know them through work and don't have to worry about anything. Do you agree?

A: People meet, date and marry people they have met through work. Don't, however, let working with a ...

Updated: Thu Feb 23, 2012

Admirable Effort to Support Neighborhood Business for 02/16/2012

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0800

Q: I am a small business owner who depends on and am grateful for every customer I have. A small cupcake shop opened down the street, and I like to support local businesses, so on my way to get coffee, I thought I would stop in and buy a couple of cupcakes (that is the only product). The lights were on, the door was open and three clerks were behind the counter, so I walked in and looked at the ...

Updated: Thu Feb 16, 2012

Defending Oneself Is Always Worth the Effort for 02/09/2012

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0800

Q: A former supervisor falsely accused me of things in order to fire me, so I resigned before she had the chance. She had no proof of any of the accusations, and she did not report anything to the authorities. That was five years ago, and I have had other jobs since then. In a current job search, I received a notice from a prospective employer that I would not be hired because I did not disclos ...

Updated: Thu Feb 09, 2012

Dressing Appropriately Shows More Than Style for 02/02/2012

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0800

Q: I started a new job after being unemployed for some time. While I was unemployed, I gained weight and can no longer fit in my work clothes. I can't afford to buy new things right now. I need to catch up on my bills. I did buy new jeans and a pair of dress pants, but nothing else. I was able to stuff myself into a nice suit for the interview, but I can't wear it again and again. I know my co- ...

Updated: Thu Feb 02, 2012

Partner Moves Funds Into Own Account, Leaving Other Partner With Bills for 01/26/2012

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0800

Q: I am going through the biggest fight in my life right now. My husband moved our personal and business money into offshore accounts in his own name before I realized he was having an affair and I filed for divorce. He is colluding with a banker who owns the mortgages on our commercial and personal properties. We were both financially successful, and the commercial property is making money, so ...

Updated: Thu Jan 26, 2012

Mortgage Industry Downfall Affects All Workplaces for 01/19/2012

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0800

Q: I have been a successful, full-time real estate agent in Chicago for 20 years with a prestigious, nationally known company. Our residential market held on longer than other areas in the country, but what I see happening now to homeowners who are laid off is shocking. The banking and mortgage industry claimed the surge of foreclosures was due to masses of people purchasing homes their income ...

Updated: Thu Jan 19, 2012

Employee Uses Company's Email As If It Were His Own for 01/12/2012

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0800

Q: I work for a privately owned company whose business slowly has been going down. I can see the writing on the wall, so I have started a job search in the industry and in other areas in which I could transfer my skills. I showed my resume to someone who commented negatively on my listing my work email address and work phone number on it. I am not an officer, but I am also not a lower-level emp ...

Updated: Thu Jan 12, 2012