Penelope Trunk

Archives

Sometimes work is a welcome distraction

November 25th, 2003
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I am four months pregnant. But the baby is dead, inside me, and must be removed. I am devastated. I always knew this could happen, in the back of my mind. But you are never prepared for something like this to happen.
When I first heard the news, I did nothing. Cancelled every plan I had. …

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Dealing with the guilt of not giving enough

Posted to: Fulfillment | Money
November 17th, 2003
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Thanksgiving. The start of the season of good cheer: Parties, shortened workweeks, year-end bonuses. For me, though, this season is also one of guilt — over what I actually give to the world. I know that if I flew to Somalia, I could keep a little girl from starving by personally feeding her each day. …

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How to fire a relative

Posted to: Management
November 12th, 2003
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Learning to be a good manager requires that you perform a wide range of tasks from delegating, to coaching, to planning. When none of these go well, you need to perform the final task: Firing. Letting someone go is very difficult for most people – our instinct is to want to help people, or at …

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Beware of big opportunities that derail you

November 12th, 2003
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As the labor market slowly recovers from it's paycheck-killing slump, it's natural to hope for your next big break. But remember that when opportunity knocks you should open up cautiously. Beware of career opportunities that look like quick fixes because often they are really career derailments.
Figure out now what you want for your career so …

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Networking tips for introverts

Posted to: Job Hunt | Knowing yourself | Networking
November 5th, 2003
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In college I was such an introvert that when I went to parties (I had to be dragged) I brought a book. It was a lonely existence, but the pain of having to talk to people in an unstructured environment was too much.
So I was shocked a few years ago when someone told me, “Job …

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