French Laundry lawsuit – Why you always should put agreements in writing
Dear Readers, Many of you have read the recent lawsuit against the upscale restaurant in Napa, The French Laundry. Thomas Keller, the owner of the restaurant is being sued by an employee who worked for him at his NY restaurant who had a verbal offer to move to California and work for him here. But […]
Do I need a written job offer?
Dear Coach Joan, The good news is that I just got a job offer after a long, six month job search. I am in professional sales with a strong track record, but have a 10 year gap due to taking time to raise my children, while doing part time work in a family business. Many prospective employers gave […]
Should I Finish My College Degree?
Dear Coach Joan, I guess you could say I blew it the first couple of tries – college that is. I admit that I was immature and a party guy, but I ended up getting a great job in professional sales. I’ve been with it for 3 years so far. My salary is actually much higher […]
Freelance While On Other Full-Time Job?
Dear Joan, I was just presented with an an opportunity I’ve never had before. A vendor that works with my company has asked me to do a freelance project. I’d like to do it but don’t know if I should. This vendor is not a competitor of my full time employer and I would be doing the work at […]
Say YES to Face-to-Face with Your Colleagues!
Dear Coach Joan, My new manager asked if I’d like to accompany her to a professional conference in our field of architecture. I’m wondering if there’s really any value to meeting up with others in my field. I wonder if my time would be better spent at work? Thank you, Elaine Dear Elaine, You sound like […]
Does work feel like being in jail? Here’s how to get out of it.
Dear Coach Joan, I have a good job, but honestly, I am bored and ready to quit. I work for a large, well run company and have full benefits. My work is in the financial area and although I’m competent in it, I feel like I’m just counting my weeks, months and years to retirement. […]
How To Ask Family And Friends For Job Search Help
Dear Coach Joan, I’m in an active job search mode and having a hard time finding leads. The people in my employment support group suggest I contact my former co-workers, friends and family to help in making connections to job opportunities. I tend to be a little shy but I know it’s important to ask for help. I’m hoping you can […]
Confused and Angry Over Bad Performance Review
Dear Joan, I am confused and angry over my recent performance review. For the first time in my 10 year career I was judged as not meeting expectations. This came as a total surprise, a disappointment, and a deviation from the past two annual reviews that were done by two separate managers. I had always […]
How do I transition from temporary to permanent employment?
Dear Coach Joan, After a year of temping I have finally found a position I really like in an excellent company that is both close to home and in a growing industry. I have been there for three months so far, and I see that there are permanent employees at the company doing similar jobs to […]
How to Explain a Messy Departure and Plan Your References
Dear Coach Joan, I left my last position voluntarily, but not happily, as I really did not respect or get along with the organization’s new executive director. I had enjoyed my position at the non profit for eight years and built up many supportive relationships both in the agency and with vendors, partners and supporters. I am now actively […]