My new boss criticized me for being ‘old school’ — is this ageist?

My new boss wants to change everything that we do and how we do it. I disagree with most of it, plus she hasn’t been here long enough to know what she is talking about. Every time I try to push back, she accuses me of not wanting to change with the times and that I have “old school” ways that won’t work. That sounds to me like an ageist comment. How should I address this?

Hmmm, I don’t love the comment that’s for sure, and I don’t blame you for wondering if it’s a reference to your age, way of thinking or both.

However, that doesn’t mean that the spirit of the statement isn’t true. It’s not uncommon for employees to get stuck in familiar ways, making them resistant to change.

New bosses also want to put their stamp on things, and the situation and state of the business dictates how quickly and aggressively they act.

Resisting everything is not the way to demonstrate that you want to be part of the team. Try showing your boss that you are open-minded and willing to change — otherwise, you may be forced to make a bigger change.

Our son has received several college offers. Should his decision be based on which colleges would be more impressive to future employers? The college my son is interested in is less of a big name than some of the others that have accepted him. What do you recommend from a career standpoint?

Oh, I feel you dad! I’m in the same stressful college application process for my child.

So, we are going to keep it real, OK? When you say “impressive” — impressive to who? You and your friends and family? Not that there is anything wrong with that — we all want the best for our kids — but what is best for them is that they go to a place where they will be happy and thrive.

Now, if that is one of the top tier “name” schools, that’s great, but I wouldn’t choose a school just because of the brand. Some employers prefer to hire from certain schools, but most don’t.

And after your first job, the rest of your career path is about how you perform, not where you graduated from. Your son is stressed enough. Let him go where he feels he would be his best self and the rest will follow.

Gregory Giangrande has over 25 years of experience as a chief human resources executive. Hear Greg Wed. at 9:35 a.m. on. Email: GoToGreg@btc365-futebol.com. Follow: and on Twitter: @GregGiangrande