Blog Posts by The Daily Muse

She seemed nice enough in the interview. It all started out great-but now it's week 2 on the job, and you're quickly realizing you might have a boss-from-you-know-where situation on your hands.

Unfortunately, you're not the only one who could write a tell-all work memoir that would make The Devil Wears Prada seem like a bedtime story. Bad bosses are out there-in every industry, at every level, at every organization.

The good news? They usually come in one of a few identifi­able varieties. And by recognizing what kind of monster (er, manager) you have on your hands, you can come up with the right tactics for dealing (until you move on to the next job, that is). Check out our guide to the four common types of bad bosses, plus tips for managing the crazy.

1. The Slacker

The slacker spends Monday through Thursday online shopping, taking long lunches, and "networking" on her smartphone (a.k.a. brushing up on Words with Friends). Then comes Friday, and she's panicking about deadlines Read More »from 4 Types of Toxic Bosses -- and How to Handle Them

Why Beer Drinkers Don't Get FatThere are few things that I love more than beer. My favorite color is Sierra Nevada label green, my favorite holiday is St. Patrick's Day, and my favorite flower is whatever grows in a beer garden. While anyone who knows me knows that beer and I come as a package deal (my last name is Miller, isn't it?), people who've just met me don't believe it. Why? Because I'm a health columnist. And because frankly, I'm not fat.

But being a healthy beer drinker doesn't have to be an oxymoron. And I'm not the only beer enthusiast whose passion for pilsners, pale ales, and porters (oh my!) isn't announced by her gut. In fact, most of my beer-loving buddies are among the fittest people I know. So what sets us apart from our big-bellied stereotype? (Hint: we're not just lucky.) Read on for the secrets to saying yes to the beer-and other guilty pleasures-and saying no to the gut.

1. We Go for the Good Stuff

When I talk about beer, I mean a tall German hefeweizen, a deep Belgian double-IPA, or a Read More »from Why Beer Drinkers Don’t Get Fat

Acing the interview isn't just about having the perfect canned speeches. Yes, you need to show off your experience, talents, and personality-but before answering each question, you also have to figure out what the interviewer is actually asking you.

Those seemingly innocuous questions, like "tell me about yourself" and "where do you see yourself in a few years?" aren't just get-to-know-you conversation starters. They're one of the key ways an interviewer will seek to uncover whether you're the right fit for the job.

So, before you start to share your life story-or recite the same answer you gave at the last interview-it's important to figure out what the interviewer really wants to know. Check out our guide to translating interviewer-speak, and learn how to plot your answers accordingly.

1. Question: Tell me about yourself.

Translation: Tell me why you're the right fit for this job.

The interviewer already has your resume and cover letter, so she's not looking for a rundown ofRead More »from Interview Translation: What 4 Common Questions Really Mean

Easy Ways to De-Stress When You Don't Have TimeYou've been in back-to-back meetings for what seems like two weeks, the unread messages in your inbox have hit triple digits, and you can't recall the last time you got more than five hours of sleep. Between work, workouts, your extracurricular activities, and attempting to maintain your relationships-you're running on empty. And if one more item gets added to your to-do list, your head might explode.

In our day-to-day lives, stress is inevitable. But when it's left unmanaged, it can wreak havoc on our mental and physical health. So, when things get extra-crazy, that's exactly when you need to stop, slow down, and de-stress. We know, we know-you don't have time. But even though spending a day at the spa or jetting off to a luxurious beach vacation aren't options (at least for us non-celebrities), there are plenty of other ways to take a breather. Whether you have five minutes between meetings or can spare a few hours, here are some quick and simple methods to bring some calm into your

Read More »from Easy Ways to De-Stress when You Don't Have Time

I'd like to tell you that bullying is an exclusively adolescent problem, to assure you that you'll never again find yourself rushing to the ladies' room, hoping you can hold back the tears (or the profanity) until you're safely behind a stall door. And while you probably won't wind up trapped in a locker, listening to your own breathing as you silently compare your current enclosure to a coffin, it's entirely possible that you'll face another bully in your lifetime: the Workplace Bully.

Like the high school bullies of days past, adult bullies use intimidation, public humiliation, and underhanded insults to manipulate those around them. But unlike high school, you don't have to put up with them for the sake of looking cool. Now that you're an adult, identifying malicious behavior and responding to it professionally will not only deter the perpetrator, but will show your colleagues (and higher-ups) that you're the mature woman you wished you could be as a teen.

To thrive in your

Read More »from 3 Workplace Bullies (and How to Stand Up to Them)

Unless you were blessed with super-human powers, you've likely experienced an occasional workplace misstep. I've made my fair share of these types of mistakes, and have learned that while messing up is hard, learning how to apologize for what's happened can be even harder.

Chances are, your co-workers will forget what happened faster than you will, but your recovery will be much smoother if you quickly and sincerely own up to your error and find a way to resolve it. Here's some advice on how to say "I'm sorry" and power through a workplace faux pas.

1. React Quickly

Seriously. This sounds simple enough, but after a big "oops" moment (hitting "reply" instead of "forward," anyone?), our natural inclination is often to freeze, and wish-really hard-that it never happened. But instead of becoming paralyzed with guilt or fear, channel that heart-pounding energy into a quick response. When you've made a blunder, it should be you (not someone else) delivering the news to the people Read More »from Made a Mistake? 5 Steps to Saying "I'm Sorry"

Spring's in full swing, patio bars abound, and your managers are calling for cocktails after work for some out-of-office bonding. Sounds like the perfect way to blow off some steam-especially when your boss is picking up the tab. But before you start throwing back those margaritas, beware. Here are five situations you want to avoid at office happy hour so you can come in the next morning feeling refreshed-and not awkward.

1. The Gossiping Gabbys

It's always a good feeling to be a part of a group, especially when that group is the office in-crowd. But, if the price you have to pay to hang out with them at happy hour is dishing dirt about your other colleagues, run the other way. The last thing you want is to get caught playing telephone about someone in the office. Plus, chances are, the Gabbys have worked together for years, and while they probably keep each other's secrets, that doesn't mean they'll be so loyal to you, the newbie.

If you find you've wound up with this crowd, it Read More »from 5 Situations to Avoid at Office Happy Hour

Managers love to extol the virtues of a team mentality. I can't count how many schlocky motivational posters I've seen emblazoned on middle management walls (or fabric-covered cubicle dividers, as the case may be) over the years, all claiming that teamwork is pretty much the solution to everything.

And sure, I'm all about striving for the greater good of the group-but at the end of the day, team performance is rarely a factor during those year-end reviews with your boss. Which is exactly why we all work so hard to distinguish ourselves from the rest of the pack. Let's be honest-it's those special projects, great presentations, well-written articles, and everything in between that make us valuable members of the team (not to mention help us get to the next level).

Of course, this assumes you're actually getting the credit for your efforts-which, sadly, you can never assume. Whether intentional or an honest mistake, colleagues and bosses routinely take credit where it is most certainly

Read More »from What to Do when Someone Takes Credit for Your Work