Ask Maxy

Dear Maxy,
Afriend of the family stopped me in the street and asked if I could help her 26-year-old son  get a job . I asked if her son had any prior job experience , and the mother's response  was that her son  had never worked a day in his life .
I was a bit surprised that her son  did not have any job experience  . Nevertheless , I suggested  that her son apply at McDonald's , UPS or FedEx to gain some job experience .
The mother  wasn't particularly happy  with my suggestion of employment  options . Why am I feeling like the bad guy  here ?
Job Adviser

Dear Job Advisor ,
This mom is the one  who's feeling  like the bad guy .
While many young people  at least try to start working as early as age 15 , her son is a full grown adult  with the handicap of  ZERO-employment . I wonder  if he has been a full-time student who has recieved  higher-education degrees ?
Please understand  that this as her family's problem . You gave good advice  that you thought was sound . You were not the bad guy  , and unless you are an employment specialist , you likely don't have enough knowledge  to guide this man to a job .
I will add two notes that might be helpful  to this mother  and son ... and to anyone  who is unemployed  . Many times people volunteer their way into employment .
If he  has interest  in an organization that can use an extra hand  , he should offer it . He will gain experience  that he may be able  to leverage  into a paycheck .
He should aslo investigate  online classes  in areas of interest  that make him more attractive to employers .

Dear Maxy ,
I'm a workaholic . I met a woman whom I really like  , and she is a workaholic  as well . We met last December  and have gone on a few dates  since then . During the spring and summer I think we saw each other  about five times .
We kept the lines of communication open via text, phone calls and emails  . We enjoy  each other's phone  conversations, and I want to see her on a regular basis , but our schedule  will not allow it  at this time .
How can two workaholics  put down their work  for a couple of hours  to spend time  with each other ?
Working Day and Night

Dear Working Day and Night ,
Approach your dating life  as  you do your work . Schedule  it . Make your connections  with her as important  as a client meeting , and you both will discover  that it's possible  to find time for each other .
Maxy

Dear Maxy ,
I bring my lunch to work everyday . It helps me to save money  and it makes it easier  for me  to eat healthfully . The downside  is that my co-workers  are always looking at my lunch, asking questions  about my diet and sometimes  even asking to taste  my food . I don't like that . I spend a lot of time  making sure  I have healthy meals  each day  ... not to share with others . How can I let them know  they need to stop , checking  out my lunch ?
Private Diner

Dear Private Diner ,
I have a very different suggestion . Why not inspire  the rest  of the staff  to eat in a healthier way ? Suggest  that one day you will talk to them more formally  about  the components  of a healthy  lunch  and make recommendations  for what they can bring  from home . Some may like it  . Others will probably back off .
The moochers  will likely  go away  because you suddenly took to the next level . Those who stay make a healthy choice in the future . That's called WIN-WIN.
Maxy