The Pragmatist·4 MIN
How to ask for a raise when your manager already thinks you are paid fairly
The three-part case—market comp, scope creep, forward risk—and the exact words to open the meeting
WORK
At work
Raises, meetings, exits, and the parts of a job nobody puts in the offer letter.
Coverage from The Pragmatist and Ask the Contrarian.
In this hub
The Pragmatist·4 MIN
When to quit — the signs that mean it, and the ones that only feel like they do
The difference between quitting on a bad day and quitting for a reason that survives a calendar and a pay stub
Ask the Contrarian·4 MIN
"Follow your passion" is bad advice — here is what to do instead
Steve Jobs's 2005 line about passion sounds like a compass, but the research on skill capital points somewhere else
Ask the Contrarian·5 MIN
Why the eighty-hour workweek is a status signal, not a strategy
Long hours produce real output in narrow windows. Outside those windows, they mostly perform something — and there's a tell
Modern Etiquette·5 MIN
How to write a two-week notice email that does not burn a bridge
The four-sentence template, the things people over-explain, and the follow-up email nobody tells you to send a month later
Modern Etiquette·4 MIN
What to actually say in a one-on-one with your manager
The three questions worth bringing, the update to leave out, and what to do when your manager shows up ten minutes late
Showing Up·4 MIN
How to bring up something you noticed at work without sounding like a snitch
The sentence structure that keeps your observation about the process, not the person you're afraid to name
Showing Up·4 MIN
What to say when a coworker asks how much you make
The two honest answers to the salary question, why saying it out loud is winning, and how to say no without flinching
The Pragmatist·4 MIN
The 401(k) match math: why leaving it on the table costs you real money
A 3% match on a $60,000 salary is $1,800 a year — here's what happens when you don't take it
The Pragmatist·5 MIN
How to read a job offer document beyond the base salary
Five clauses buried in a standard offer letter that quietly change what your compensation is actually worth
Ask the Contrarian·5 MIN
"Networking" is a bad word for a good thing — here is how to actually do it
Networking isn't collecting contacts — it's giving first, and the research on why is older than LinkedIn
Modern Etiquette·4 MIN
How to introduce yourself at a work event without wanting to die
A three-part sentence, one good follow-up question, and an exit line you memorize before you need it
Showing Up·4 MIN
How to give feedback to a peer without setting the room on fire
The one sentence that turns feedback into observation, and the timing that keeps it from becoming a fight
The Pragmatist·5 MIN
The three questions to ask before saying yes to a promotion
A promotion is a repricing of your labor — here is how to figure out whether the new price is actually higher than the old one
Modern Etiquette·5 MIN
How to handle an email you sent by mistake
The one-sentence retract, when a follow-up email actually helps, and the surprisingly common cases where silence is the correct move
Ask the Contrarian·5 MIN
Why "always be looking for the next role" is worse advice than it sounds
The compounding math of staying put, the case for a second act, and the narrow window when job-hopping actually pays
The Pragmatist·4 MIN
What to say in the salary-negotiation call for your first real job offer
The exact counter-number to use, the four sentences that carry it, and what actually happens if they say no