Dear Kate & Dale: My boss keeps a file on each employee and uses the information when doing reviews. Should an employee be notified when something derogatory is put into the file? We are told that the file is confidential and for his use only, but at review time he sometimes discusses things that happened up to a year before. – Jane

Kate: First, Jane, keep your own JANE file. Put into it every accomplishment, and take it along to your review.

Dale: Marvelous suggestion. Odds are, your boss is placing in his file only derogatory remarks. One motivation for doing so is that if he ever needs to fire you, he has documentation. We can thank the lawsuit mentality for such time-wasting maneuvers. On the other hand, your own JANE file will not only help you remind your boss of your contributions, but could help you in a job search and keep your self-esteem up. You’ll need it. If you have a boss who only gives you feedback annually, then he’s missed the entire One-Minute Manager movement, which is perhaps the most widely accepted motivational tool since the paycheck.

Kate: But let’s not give up on the boss quite yet. Perhaps he simply has poor interpersonal skills. You could do him a favor by bringing it to his attention, Jane. Not in an adversarial way – that won’t work – but perhaps with a bit of humor. You might remember how Ed Koch, the former mayor of New York City, developed a signature line, “How’m I doing?” He wanted regular feedback, and so do you. That way, if your boss notices something negative, you have the chance to remedy the situation. And you can also entice positive comments out of him using lighthearted remarks, such as, “Did you notice that I finished that 100-page report in record time?”

Dale: And thus our conversation has descended, alas, to one of the sad arts of corporate life – fishing for compliments. Unless you’re doing engrossing work that you can’t find anywhere else, I’d urge you to adapt to the workplace the old maternal advice, “It’s just as easy to marry a rich man.” No, it isn’t just as easy to get a job with a great boss – less turnover, more competition – but once you’re there, it’s a daily joy to be around people who appreciate your work.

¢ Speaking of feedback, we love hearing from readers, especially when our suggestions actually work. We particularly like to pass along stories that are both uplifting and informative.

Here’s a letter from Kathleen, who at age 47 is still exploring life. And why not? She probably will work for another 20 years. Why not do something new and exciting? And notice how she used the double-switch technique to make the big leap to both a new job and a new field. Brava! – Kate & Dale

Dear Kate & Dale: I was in a job for 14 years in the disability field. The part I loved most was doing training, but it was just a small piece. I wanted a full-time training position outside of the disability field, but people would look at my resume and just see “disability.”

So I did the two-step process you recommend.

I got a job as a training director at a nonprofit disability organization and learned as much as I could about training. Then I looked for opportunities to do consulting with agencies that might be able to hire me in the future.

I just got hired by one of those agencies.

At 47, some people would just stay put, but I want to continue to learn and am so excited about this new opportunity. I read your column every week and even used one of your suggested questions during the interview: “What would you like most from the new hire?” It helped me to focus my answers. I even made homemade “thank you” cards to show my creativity, rather than just talk about how creative I was.

Your words of wisdom are appreciated, and they work! – Kathleen