A colleague of mine, who also is a friend, is going through terrible financial problems. He hasn’t told anyone but me, but I think our company could help him out. Shall I tell our manager about this?

Though your aim is to help, do not tell anyone about his problem, which he discussed with you in confidence. Instead, suggest to him that management might be able to help. It’s his decision if he wants to do that.

I am a first-year MBA student looking for a job. What is the best way to tell an interviewer that I need to get off earlier two days a week to attend classes?

Offer to come in earlier on those two days or to stay later on the other three days.

On behalf of my daughter, I hope you can offer some advice. She lost her first job after only a few months and now is serving an internship on a temporary basis. She works hard and does no personal business at work, but her current employer has told her she can use the company’s computers for her job search. She doesn’t feel comfortable doing this. I think she’s wrong. What do you think?

If the person in charge of her internship has given her the go-ahead, she should spend every free moment using the computer to further her job search.

And here’s some unsolicited advice: It’s important to be supportive, but you can’t do a job search for your daughter. She has to do it herself. You can’t buffer it for her, no matter how loving your intentions.

I’m thinking of applying for a job at the same company where my ex-husband’s new wife works. We have a cordial relationship. Should I?

No. Don’t ask for trouble.

I’ve recently held a lot of odd jobs because I couldn’t find work in my profession. Now I’m job hunting in my field and wonder how I should address the gap in my work history.

Explain that jobs were scarce and you wanted to keep busy and have an income while looking for a good position.

I cannot get a reference from my previous supervisor because of “company policy.” Instead, prospective employers have to contact a Web site that charges them for the information. Most won’t do that. What can I do to get a reference?

Use colleagues or previous employers. I can understand why prospective employers wouldn’t want to pay to get a reference.

Not only have I been passed over for my promotion, but my manager wants me to train the person who got the job I want. Isn’t that asking a bit too much?

It is ironic that you can train someone to do the job but can’t get the position for yourself.

However, you should be the consummate professional and train the new person as well as you can. But I’d bring up the lack of logic in your next performance review.

Carol Kleiman is the workplace columnist for the Chicago Tribune.