New boss doesn't seem to like me

[Trying321]

I work as a contractor in a technical industry. A typical contract can be anything from 2 weeks to 6 months. Last wee I started a 3 month contract. It was in slightly odd circumstances. Not meaning to blow my own trumpet at all but I am relatively senior in my profession- not top or anything but manage a small team usually and have done some quite high profile jobs. I'm not really senior but I suppose it would be comparable to middle management? I have been working in this field for 12 years and worked my way up from the bottom, as everyone has to do.

Anyway- jobs in this industry are often word of mouth and networking. A friend of mine who is younger and more junior at work than me told me his boss was looking for someone with my skill set. I interviewed and found the boss odd- sarcastic and a bit rude but the friend says she's hilarious. She's given my friend a huge promotion- think jumping two or three rungs of the ladder. This rarely happens but she seems obsessed with my friend. In the interview all she asked was "Are you like John?" (Not real name.) "I want another John!" Etc. I felt it was so strange as I want to be valued for my skills and with all due respect to John I am vastly more experienced although he is a good worker. Anyway she offered me the job on the spot, 2 months, and I took it.

Now she is quite cold with me. I have only been there a week and she keeps asking me if I have done things that would usually be achievable in a month. Today I was giving her an update on my work and at the end she put her hand up waved me away and said "thank you".

My contract is weekdays only but it's reasonable to expect to work weekends. I have two busy weekends- the next two with family commitments which cannot be changed. She is pressuring me to work them and I can't. I have said I can work every other weekend in the run up to Christmas to make up for it.

I feel the atmosphere at work is cold and I don't know why. I'm certainly not valued in anyway and always feel I'm playing second fiddle to John who can do no wrong. Also now John is my boss which is a strange dynamic but I'm just going with it. John loves her for the record. Is there anyway I can change the dynamic here? I'd be grateful for any advice.

[Hotbot]

I would worry less and rack in , you ar e contractor which like it or not seems to me your boss doesn't want to treat you as a permanent member of the team?
Ignore me if I have got the wiring end of the stick . Perhaps you should be reporting your progress to John, .?

[TheEmojiFormerlyKnownAsPrince]

If you are contracting, can't you just leave?

[ChicRock]

You're a contractor, I would suck it up for 3 months.

[stella23]

I wonder if you come come across as a bit of a know it all?

[Trying321]

Why do you say that Stella?

[Trying321]

I hope not- the way the boss talks to me it's as if she think me I'm a "know nothing" rather than a "know it all"!

[peekyboo]

Perhaps 'John' has been singing your praises and your new boss is the jealous type?
I had a boss like this when I was only starting out and she singled me out for bad treatment as much as she singled out other people for good. She was very insecure and spiteful, there was no getting on with her and I couldn't do anything right.
If I were you I'd look for a new position now, rather than suffer all the way up to Christmas.

[stella23]

Just how some of the words you use in the op, could be off radar though. Example are:

valued in anyway and always feel I'm playing second fiddle to John who can do no wrong. Also now John is my boss which is a strange dynamic but I'm just going with it.

This bit. Is John not your supervisor? Should you not be playing second fiddle to him?

How do you want to be valued? Is it appropriate to your level? Not your experience

[Excited101]

I had a boss like this once who had had my DSis working for him the year prior me to working there. He seemed perpetually a bit disappointed that I wasn't like her and after the initial 'excitement' of me, would barely look in my direction. He was like s child though, a very strange man.

[Corialanusburt]

Get in with it then move on.

[FleurThomas]

'Senior team only' drinks. Invite her, invite john, then ingratiate yourself to her. If drinks don't work bring home made cake etc. Most managers are wary of contractors around their age, not sure why, but the ones in the banking industry who are really successful tend to be the ones who find something in common with their managers and exploit it to death. I mean that in a good way. :)