WIBU to quit my job?

[Snowey101]

I have been in my new job for 3 weeks....and frankly, I'm wondering if I've made a terrible mistake.

In a nutshell and not going into too much detail- major unhappy work force, low morale & a rigid, tense working environment.

The person that I am taking over from (who is meant to be training me in their role) has seemed to have taken an instant dislike to me as from day 1 she's been snapping and snarling at me, doesn't give clear instructions therefore sometimes I don't 100% understand what I'm expected to do but am too afraid to ask her to clarify or ask her a Q as she just bites me head off.

Today she ignored me all day, pointedly, whilst cackling with some of my other colleagues. I felt so desperately unhappy today that I felt like crying.

The trouble is, I'm worried even if I did quit that I'd struggle to get another job as leaving a job after a few weeks or couple of months really doesn't look good does it and I'm not sure what on earth id say to a potential employer?

Feeling really down tonight. Just really not sure what to do.

Just say it says a temp role - it's not as if anyone knows otherwise! Especially if you leave straight away, then you can get some other temp roles so this won't be your most recent job and you can easily skim over it on a cv or at interview. Life's too short to work somewhere that makes you miserable. Your manager sounds useless so I can't imagine things will ever improve if you stay.

Oh OP, I really feel for you. My last job I stuck out for 6 months, but I knew on day one that it was awful. Like you, the money was good and the job could have been good, but my line manager was horrible and the working environment was impossible.

I was fortunate that I got the first job I applied for and didn't have a gap in my CV, but my colleagues who started at around the same time as me just walked out without jobs to go to, and have all found new roles. I took a pay cut but the job is a million times better, it's the complete opposite.

Six months later, I'm still recovering from the scars from my last job. I work round the corner from the old office and feel sick when I walk past it.

Life's too short, OP. Just leave and find something else, if you have the option of temping then do that.

Seriously snowey, leave the job, and don't mention it on your CV.

Or, become a bitch and stick with the job.

Cc the director in on emails, develop a thick skin. Treat her in the same way she treats you.

And with regards to your CV, you won't have a gap if you start temping in February and left your previous job in January.

Sounds like the boss just gave you permission to be a total bitch back at her.
I'd have a dig back next time she was nasty to me. Then do all the talking through email, ccing the boss in on it. Can the CC be hidden so she doesn't see it?

Okay so I left my last job for this job because there was a good chance my last job was due to end in the summer due to funding cuts, there was no job security & this was a step up into a managerial role and seemed like a fantastic opportunity.

So my CV could either state

A) The above, which is the truth and just means I left one permanant job for another, however the latter didn't work out so I'm looking to leave

Or...

B) That I left a job that would probably have ended in the summer, in January to temp until I found another permanant job??

B to me just sounds odd, why would someone leave a job they had been in for 2 years, that they probably would've had until late spring/ early summer to go temping until they found a perm job? You'd just stay in your perm job that might end until you found another perm job.

So, I think I really need to go with A but can't think of a diplomatic way to say that after a month my new perm job isn't working out!

When did you actually leave your previous job?

Mid January!

So could you say you left your job in mid-January as it was to end shortly due to funding cuts. You wanted to get on with job-hunting for secure permanent position, meanwhile you temped.

I'm sure someone else will think of something much better.

Say that your contract with the old company was due to be reviewed 'in 2016' (be vague about when) so you left in January to enable yourself to pursue other lines of work. Would that work?

I think I'd say the new position wasn't as described and you didn't have enough to do all day, twiddling your thumbs, which is not how you like to work... all true. If you hand in your notice now though, you've got a month to be looking before there's any gap...

What a shit company.

Email all the temp agencies, speak to their consultants in your lunch hour and try to arrange interviews for late in the day or early

. Say you can start immediately and as soon as they find you something go and see your boss, tell them you're not prepared to put up with this shit and walk out. Tolerating bullies is cowardly, spineless management and frankly I'd be telling them that but I'm probably much older than you

I've been there, many many years ago. I walked out.

I would stay until you find another job. It's easier to get another job if you're already employed. Just decide you don't give a shit, ignore the bitches. Do any work you're given and don't stress if you don't have enough work. Oh and personally I would tell bitch that she's being a total bitch.

If you can line something else up and then go, do so. The main thing is to look after Number 1... YOU, not Bitch Number 1 :)

If you are talking to recruiters, you can tell them it was a mistake, and that you need to get out asap, the cv can say contract work or something.

I would also ask Bitch 1 what her problem was, in the middle of the office too.

Reminding her that her "training" will be more of a reflection on her abilities than it will be on yours. Also the sooner you pick the job up and run with it, the sooner her new role can start.

So suggest that either she crack on and do the decent job that's expected of her, or piss off completely and leave you to it, because you're bound to work it out sooner rather than later.

And parting shot... Oh and do feel free to whisper and cackle amongst yourselves, in finding the playground behaviour soooo entertaining...

I do think that most bullies back down if confronted politely and firmly. Point out she's been unprofessional and childish and that you're all here to do a job.

In no way would she back down. No way!

I sat there all morning with no work to do.

She gave me 2 small tasks that each took about 10 minutes, I then had to ask her for more work and she said she didn't have anything for me. She said she doesn't know what to give me as X, Y & Z I won't be able to do...well why don't you hurry up and ficking train me (properly though, not just a couple of instructions barked at me) and I can do it!

She's just had a go at me because something I did last week was wrong, but she didn't make it clear to me what I needed to to.

I'm just honestly so worn down. I know you all say just up and walk out but I honestly have no money at the moment so until I definitely have something lined up for the next day I can't just leave. I have a feeling I'll be sacked soon though as she's muttering how incompetent I am (basically, in a nutshell) every chance she gets.

I've made a bit of an ally here and yesterday they were saying how she isn't giving me clear instructions at all. She's deliberately being vague. They feel sorry for me, she's really not giving me any work to do etc etc.

God, it's all such a fucking mess and I honestly just want to cry. I'm near to tears now sitting here.

God knows what I'm going to do this afternoon, she's said she's got nothing for me so quite frankly I think I'm going to say I'll go home!

What's the fucking point.

What an utter cow bag.

Is there an a manager above her whom you can drag to a meeting room and say you will have to leave unless this is sorted out. I bet this person has form for this.

If not get out and get to a temp agency and get something (and let your old place know you are available) in a happy positive place.

Ok. Make a time sheet. List time spent working, being trained, and sitting about waiting for work. If you need this job it's time to play dirty.

List out your time spent today and email it with the comments about how she's been muttering how incompetent you are.

Basically tell the boss he has a week to stop this workplace bullying or you will have no choice but to seek alternative employment.

Right, you have one ally, the boss is aware.

How long is she training you? When is she leaving?

At the moment all of this is making you look bad so you need to turn it back on her.

Why don't you write an email to your boss with all these specific examples in and say if you aren't given the opportunity to succeed at the job then it's likely you'll have to leave. If she isn't giving you work because she isn't training you that's HER fault not yours. If she's being vague with instructions so you aren't able to complete the work correctly that's HER fault not yours. She can't move to her new role till she's trained you properly.

Boss said to email, cc'ing the director, asking for work. Do this - a lot. It's important that you are seen as trying to get the work. It also means that he/she is in the email trail. If bitchface replies to you only saying "no work" or whatever, then email back cc'ing them in again.

I suspect boss knows that this needs flagged up the tree and is giving you a hint on how to cover your own ass as well as drawing attention to her behaviour.

Don't ask for work verbally, don't ask for instructions verbally. Do it in writing - and if you have a verbal discussion where she says "do x" then confirm it in writing afterwards. She will either start giving you more work and clearer instructions in writing, or you will have clear written evidence that you're not being given what you need.

She's being a daft cow, because if it's her responsibility to train her staff and she's not doing it, she'll look bad in her next review - maybe remind her of that.
She clearly sees you as a target and the others below her are too weak to go against her. So, when you leave one night when the tension is high, exit the office, go to the loo, compose yourself and stride back in there for something you'd "forgotten" - catch them at it if they're bitching about you. Don't let it upset you, just look at them with a glare, if they say anything tell them that you're disappointed how unprofessional they're being and that it's no wonder other people are saying things about her, which you had hoped were untrue...

If someone says something bitchy or inappropriate to me, I just let it fall silent. For a good few seconds (like when someone tells a really inappropriate joke). Look sideways like they've said something to embarrass themselves, then follow on with "right.... So anyway, back to the original topic xyz blah blah". They'll feel like a prize idiot, and so they should. It might work for you hope it works for me when my total bitch boss comes back from maternity soon

I just honestly don't even want to go back in tomorrow- I know I have to...but for what?

There's no work for me, she's doing it all. I'm sat there, bored and anxious the whole day and then when she does finally give me something to do, panic and dread finishing it because I know inevitably it will be 'wrong' and I'll get all the eye rolling & exasperated sighing etc.

I can't believe I've got myself into this situation. I really need to speak to my boss Ahain and just say look, I'm running out of work all the time, she's not got anything to give me, you say you've got work coming out of your ears that I can do (that's what they said last time I went to them) but, actually, you're not hear 80% of the time to even assign it to me; never mind the fact I wouldn't even know how to do it and you're not around to train me and bitch no 1 is no good at all.

I just don't know what the fuck I'm meant to be doing, I do know they're paying me quite a lot of money to sit there and do not a lot?! But unfortunately I can't just sit there and take the money, you can't fill a whole day doing nothing in a new job, everyone is aware that you're not doing anything.