Made a bad first impression at work

[Nearlythere09]

Can you come back from a bad first impression at a new job? This is a place I wanted to stay in for a few years and progress in.

However, I started about 2 months ago and feel like it's been a bit of a disaster.

My new line manager seems to give me tasks that are difficult or actually impossible (as confirmed by another long standing staff member) and then cc 'ing our boss into the emails replying to my requests for help or for information to try and do the job. There are deadlines that are impossible to meet unless I am commit to working weekends too and everyone I need to contact is doing the same (I.e. issued on a Friday evening for Monday morning).

Nothing is ever explained so I keep having to ask which I think looks terrible as I am actually managing some of the colleagues I frequently have to ask for help from. Some of the colleagues I'm managing wanted my job and are either a little hostile or patronising. I have tried to be affable but I can see my friendliness is being interpreted as weakness.

Although I understand there needs to be some period of adjustment (I was in my old job for many years) I can't say I am enjoying this and the impression I am creating doesn't make me feel I will progress here. Should I stick it out?

What kind of role/salary is the job?

Are you in the kind of position (with the salary!) and industry that commonly does expect staff to pull in overtime/weekend log in?

I wish the salary was worth it! It's actually not great at all, but my issue with the Fri to Mon morning deadlins is I need information from other people who are actually not always available on the weekend so I end up not always meeting the Monday deadline which makes me look rubbish at my job. I need at least 2 working days in between each deadline to contact the relevant people.

Then you need to flag this up in writing. To your bosses boss via CCing him/her in as you politely tell your manager that work issued on a Friday afternoon with a following Monday deadline is not something you’re able to turn around. Ask him for suggestions on how to make it happen when you require other colleagues input and err they’re not working.

create that digital trail because who knows? Maybe there is some sort of magical way you can do work issued basically over a eeekend?

Is it a small or big company?

The scenario of a Friday evening request for Monday morning seems pretty clear cut to navigate. As the request lands in your inbox (if it’s in working time, if not then first thing Monday morning) reply saying thanks for notifying you of this task at this point, you will need to coordinate with colleague x and y, and anticipate the task will require a 48 hour turnaround so will not meet the deadline. CC in your managers boss to the response.

Honestly OP, based on what you have written, if you were my direct report, I would be wondering if you were up to the role. Sorry.

But you have time to turn this round. Build a timetable of critical dates and tasks. Try and start getting things proactively. Don't ask junior colleagues for 'help', tell them directly you need x, y, z from them. Mention any wins. Proactive is the name of the game.

Also have a meeting with your line manager and hr / people team and go through a list of what is going well and where you are missing key information and where existing sytems are failing and what you think might help.

I’d push straight back and say something like ‘ I feel I need to manage expectations with this request as the timescale would mean working significant hours over the weekend , difficulties in trying to get the information etc and propose a revised timeline straight away

You are absolutely right. I think I have been a rabbit in headlights, especially as I felt so competent and familiar in my old job, coupled with me wondering if my new colleagues want to 'catch me out' rather than me proving I can do the job. I actually feel a bit cringe now thinking about how I have presented myself at work and can see it clashes with the work culture at my new job.

I do need to be more proactive as you have said in order to pull this one back if I can. The truth is, my new job probably does need more work out of hours compared to my old one and I need to face the fact that this is the role I chose. I'll give it everything and if I can't keep up, will try to look for something else more suited to where I am right now.

They’re setting you up to fail. Get a job elsewhere, know your worth.

Honestly OP I’d leave. They sound like a bunch of c*nts and life is far too short.

Good luck. I'm sure you are competent and any extra hours needed now will reduce as you get more settled.