An employee who lied to get a reference, avoiding hugs, and lots more.

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Contrary to popular belief, you CAN say no to your boss -- as long as you do it the right way. Alison walks you through how to do it, what to say, and what not to say.

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Alison talks with awkwardness expert Melissa Dahl about the things that make us cringe.

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When you're getting stuck with all the menial work, a rambling boss, and more.

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Starting a new job can be nerve-wracking and awkward. Here's everything you need to know about being the new person.

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Questions about office holiday parties and gift-giving, and stories of times that office holiday celebrations went terribly wrong.

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Questions about office holiday parties and gift-giving, and stories of times that office holiday celebrations went terribly wrong.

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Will you ever find a job you like, what to do when you're asked to report on your boss, and more.

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The principles that you use when you’re hiring adults don’t always work when you’re talking to teenagers. Alison talks with a summer camp owner who hires lots of teens about how interviewing teens is a whole different world.

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Recovering from a mistake as the boss, letting an employee change their mind about quitting, and more.

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When you're stuck in a difficult situation at work and you don't have the power to change it, how do you hold on to your sanity? 

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Do you have to be a self-interested jerk to succeed at work, what you're supposed to talk about in one-on-ones, and more

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Is there a way to get a micromanaging boss to back off? Maybe.

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Jolie Kerr, of Ask a Clean Person, joins us to talk about cleaning at work: How much clutter in your office is too much? Why is the office microwave so gross? And much more.

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Dealing with a coworker who can do whatever she wants, leaving a career you love, and more.

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You're a manager and your team is working way too much -- how can you get their overwork under control?

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A boss who uses an offensive slur, juggling job offers, and more.

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A special Halloween episode, where we talk about Halloween in the office – and hear from callers who have had spooky experiences at work.

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How to stop a boss from burning out, an employee who goes over your head, and more.

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If your new job turns out to be different from what you thought you’d be doing, is there any saving the situation?

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Dealing with the office non-flusher, personality tests in hiring, and more.

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If your boss is horrible to you -- but only you -- is there any way to fix it?

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What to do if you're overworked, weird comments on weight loss, and more.

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The hazards of having access to your boss's email, touchy-feely coworkers, and more.

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Getting your tone right makes a huge difference in how you come across to people. Today’s guest is worried that her tone at work sounds too confrontational and is making people feel defensive.

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What's this? We're moving to two episodes a week. In this one, Alison tackles a bonanza of questions, including dealing with a coworker who can't do her job, an excessive apologizer, and more.

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We've all had annoying coworkers before -- and today's guest worries she might be the culprit! We investigate.

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Not having enough work to do can be incredibly boring and can make the work day really drag. Today’s guest finds herself chronically underworked.

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What can you do if you have a boss who yells?

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Do you handle negative feedback poorly – get defensive, upset, or shut down? It can be hard to change your reaction, even if you want to.

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A lot of us struggle with worries that we’re not good enough at our jobs – and when things go wrong, it can feel like proof of that. Plus, if you struggle with confidence, sometimes that can bleed into the way you deal with coworkers too. Here's how to handle it.

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Part of being professional is keeping your emotions in check – but that doesn’t mean that you magically stop having them. Our guest is worried she has a habit of emotional outbursts at work and wants to try to stop them.

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Bedbugs at work, invasive interview questions, and bosses who can't stop emailing from vacations. Suzanne Lucas of Evil HR Lady joins us to help advise.

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In the market for a mom? This week's guest has an assistant who can't stop mothering her colleagues

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The power dynamics in job interviews can make job seekers overly deferential. Don't do it! Today we talk about nailing your tone in an interview.

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If you're exhausted and overwhelmed at work, how can you tell if it's fixable or not?

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If your boss only praises you and never gives you any constructive criticism, that's not as nice as it might sound at first. Here's how to get useful feedback.

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What if you’re getting direction from two different people, and they’re not always telling you the same thing? And what if one of those people just happens to be your dad?

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If your intern rambles on and on, is there a kind way to rein her in?

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If you're friends with the office slacker, are you obligated to intervene?

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If you're the boss, people will pay a ton of attention to your tone. Here's how to get it right.

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What should you do when your coworker is angry, disruptive, and a little scary, and your employer isn't acting?

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It can be awkward when a coworker you’ve become friends with wants a more intense friendship than you do. Our guest this week has a coworker who’s a little too clingy for her.

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This week's guest wants to show off at work, and is trying to figure out why and how to keep it under control. 

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Tone really matters when you're raising something awkward or tricky. This episode has a bunch of examples of how to get your tone right.

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Coworkers who tell you way more than you want to hear, references you didn't offer, and more.

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What do you say when negotiating salary, and what should your tone be?

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After I asked for volunteers, a man who worries that he might be a mansplainer was brave enough to come on the show and talk about it.

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In episode 7 of the show, I talked with Jennifer Peepas of the Captain Awkward advice column. Here's some of our conversation that didn't make it into the show.

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You thought you were helping an unfairly maligned coworker ... but the situation wasn't what it seemed. Featuring Jennifer Peepas of the Captain Awkward blog!

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