Would welcome views on this.
Started new part time job a month ago. Charity shop retail (paid - assistant manager, job share. (there is also a third paid member of staff, who works one day a week) Have a background in this line of work as paid managerial staff and also volunteering.. not for this charity - but for a few others)
Background is that the last manager was very dodgy (their words! amongst others!) and they sacked him. All round very bad experience. I have no link to him whatsoever except taking his (part) job (as it's job share with another woman) some months later
The problem is that they are extremely wary because of this man (and have admitted this). They have no reason to think badly of me but it's definitely a case of 'guilty until proven innocent'. I came with good references and can do the job well. I beat a lot of candidates for this job and it means so much as I had had a breakdown after leaving domestic violence which led to a period of upheaval, change of location and unemployment. I enjoy the role and have been told that figures have improved even though they've had to close one day a week since I started. (i.e. lost a day's trading). (said they were impressed with this) They said that my past experience was second to none and that they've not had this level of experience before there. Despite this, I have had a great deal of negativity and paranoia thrown at me. It's almost like they are waiting for me to trip and fall , or to manifest it going wrong . Like I am the scape goat for this man. I'm definitely treading in very tainted footsteps, work wise. Because of this I am now over anxious /over conscientious, and their paranoia is making me paranoid!
i am going the extra mile in every way to try and over compensate because of how the last manager was. They admitted today 'you will get the brunt of this'. I understand why they are wary. But I wish they would understand how hard it is for me to find my feet with this level of negativity.
I do understand that being a manager does mean a level of 'taking the brunt' or people passing the buck in your direction. But I know the other two paid staff do not get this as they are 'established' from before this man started, and one of them is also a trustee for the charity. I don't work with the other paid staff, they work on my days off. We each work with volunteers, not each other. I am told not to talk to the volunteers about anything personal or related to this (which I wouldn't do anyway) but feel very alone.
The fact that they are now admitting why they are like this doesn't make it feel much better. In fact it came to a head today.
I just want to do my job and earn some money after having had a period of out work. Apart from that, it's my favourite charity. I feel I can't speak up or rock the boat because a/ I'm new and don't want to make a fuss b/ it should be about fundraising for this charity and not about me.
In my last (full-time , paid) charity retail job there was a bullying culture. About 80% of the managers were on sick leave with stress . This is not the same charity and could never be that bad ( I hope! ) but it does seem common in this line of work with paid staff. That you really have to prove yourself , because most people volunteer unpaid.
I only get minimum wage as manager (as did in the other job) but that's not the point. I just want to do my job without any politics.
I feel I am the whipping boy and scape goat because they know they messed up employing the last person. I've had some quite hysterical emails sent to me full of warnings and accusations , very doom and gloom 'e.g. IF you do this, ' type of scenario. I feel they are waiting for me to make a wrong move.
Has anyone ever been in a similar situation and instead of having big shoes to fill, had to do the opposite and bust their guts to prove they are nothing like their predecessor ?
Please or to access all these features
Please
or
to access all these features
Chat with other users about all things related to working life on our Work forum.
Work
Upset by unfair situation in new job... is it unfair or am I oversensitive?
21 replies
alltoomuchrightnow · 25/06/2015 22:12
OP posts:
Please create an account
To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.