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Nasty co-workers and boss
Posted by: newmexican7
Date: 3/27/2006 8:48:12 PM
I am a professional with a college degree and I was recently fired from a job that I loved doing but was only there for 5 months. According to the Unemployment Office, "I did not meet her expectations". My former boss was not a 'hands-on' boss so she literally had my co-workers report my progress and 'wrong doings' directly to her (unbeknownst to me), instead of them telling me that I was doing something incorrectly as part of my training. When I was called into her office, I knew immediately how she obtained the information she was presenting to me. I became quietly angry, very hurt, and felt sabotaged. How do you deal with people like this--both co-workers and bosses? AND, how can a person detect this type of behavior when they go on interviews?
| Reply from: |
pmoskowitz |
| Date: |
3/29/2006 10:57:00 AM |
| Reply: |
I know exactly what you are going through. The same thing happened to me. Before I had accepted the job I knew that there would be problems, but I ignored my instincts and took the job anyway. For two years I was treated in an abusive manner by my boss and the two co-workers I had the instincts about. I started keeping a log of every interaction I had with these people and then went to HR which produced no help at all. In fact, I was treated even worse. I hired an attorney and eventually my employer settled with me. For the next job, my advise would be to ask questions along the line of how performance is measured. Does the manager make time for 1 on 1 conversations? I would also ask the hiring manager how he/she wants you communicate with her/him. If don't get satisfactory answers, then follow your instincts. Best of luck.
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| Reply from: |
marfar573 |
| Date: |
4/5/2006 1:48:00 PM |
| Reply: |
There isn't much you can do beforehand except get as much background material you can on the company and the people working there. Network if you can and see what other people think about the business or the boss. Next, ask about job performance measurements and work into your interview your expectations of the boss, such as when they ask you "Do you like to work in groups or alone?" say, "I enjoy working in a group so that we can have an open dialogue about what's going right and what's going wrong. It helps keep the project moving." Or, "Do you feel you adapt well to new situations?" say "Yes, I do feel I adapt well as long as I have feedback about my performance so that I can progress at a steady pace and not have to go back and fix unnecessary mistakes." As for the job you lost, try not to let it bother you, there doesn't seem to be much you can do now. You will have good experiences and bad experiences in your career - just try to learn from each one. |
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| Reply from: |
fightforrights |
| Date: |
4/6/2006 5:18:00 PM |
| Reply: |
Some tips: Ask to meet some of your potential co-workers or the person who is leaving the position. Ask about turnover (companies often brag if they don't have any)--Both too little (this means they haven't trained many new employess and may lack patient or procedures) and too much turnover is worrisome. Ask how training and feedback are handled during "probation." (Places that don't have written or scheduled procedures are worrisome.) Get an offer letter in writing before taking the position. Often these list requirements of both parties during probation. Ask for a copy of the policy manual. This manual is not legally binding, but can give you insight into the place. It may even bring up their comments on harassment policies. Lastly, if HR is not involved in the interview at all, that may be a red flag on control issues. |
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| Reply from: |
matrona |
| Date: |
4/18/2006 11:39:00 PM |
| Reply: |
inquire as to training procedures. Inquire as to rolls and responsibilities. Ask for a consice, written job description. Ask every question you can possibly think of if they have not openly covered it on their own. Having hired many people, I can tell you that I will brag about the company I work for AND I will tell in interviwee exactly what MY expectations are. That way, they can make a clear choice if they want to be in my presence or not. If the person conducting your interview, is distant, responds with vague answers or is unprepared to pleasently 'sell' the position to you. Trust your gut and thank them for their time. (I've outright stopped an interview before and told the guy "I'm sorry. I'm pretty sure I've just wasted your time" Two days later, he called me and asked me "Why?". It led to a very honest 2 hour phone conversation. Worth every minute as I was offered the position and worked very happily as a solid team with that gentleman until his retirement. |
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