To feel really self-conscious about this?

[youcantspellawesomewithoutme]

I have had a very hard time at work lately.

I was bullied out of my last job which was very difficult as I am in the process of finishing my degree and had to find a new job that would be flexible enough to accommodate it.

Was offered an admin job, which seemed fine. But on my first day my boss basically took me into her office and explained that there was a culture that I would have to 'fit in' with.

There are only 8 people in the office and all quite close knit. They seem nice enough. But I was told in a staff meeting in front of all of them on my first day that I would have to model some clothing for their online shop.

I don't want to do this - I don't want photographs of me taken brand new in a job used to sell their clothing. I am not particularly confident in myself right now, particularly after what happened in my last job but I feel I have no option to decline this.

My boss announced in front of everyone that I would be doing it and they all kind of laughed at/with me and I felt I couldn't say no.

Am I being unreasonable to not want to 'model' clothes on my first day in my new job (or, in fact, on any day?)

They have the photos but they are not yet online. I am wondering if I can just say - having looked at them - that I don't feel comfortable about them being published?

You absolutely can say that- and should.

I would just be really honest and explain you don't feel confident at the moment to have any photos taken but maybe in the future you may feel differently. If it's not in your job description they can't make you.

Was it part of the job description/ person spec??? Can you object on those grounds?
Though I suppose you don't want to be seen as bolshy if you object..., so another option might be to appeal to their humanity by explaining how you feel and why.
Alternatively, is it some sort of crappy initiation ceremony to see if you're "game for a laugh" and they won't actually use the photos? Have you seen that photos of other staff have been used?
Whatever the outcome, it sounds dreadful and I feel for you.

I would leave.

Thank you.

Other staff are on the website modelling clothes - but not all. A handful of them.

I cannot tell them either how I am feeling or why because I signed a non-disclosure agreement in my last job banning from telling anybody what happened there (I received a small payout because I was taking them to employment tribunal as I had such extensive evidence of their bullying).

I am not, therefore, in a position to explain how I am feeling about this, or why.

It is most definitely NOT in my job description - I applied for an admin role and that's what I was expecting and that's what my JD says.

And yes, it does feel like an ill-thought out initiation ritual, but they mean it and WILL put me on the website (going by what's on there already).

ErickBroch I'm now wondering if I should just leave. There are billions of other jobs out there...

I'm at work early and I'm going to ask for a quiet word with the boss away from everyone else to explain I don't want to do it.

It sounds like they have a very start-up type culture where everyone is expected to 'muck in' and do random crap that's not part of their job description (and also that they can't afford models). If that's the kind of culture they have, they should have explained this at the interview and not on your first day when you'd already got the job - it's not right for everyone and it's different from working in a big organisation where people have very defined roles. Some employers also use it as an excuse to treat their staff badly, IMO.

I do think you should talk to your boss if it really bothers you that much, but it might have been better to do that before they spent time (and money, if they hired a photographer?) taking the photos that they now can't use. I would also be looking for another job if I were you as this place really doesn't sound look a good fit for you and I'm sure you could find a similar role in a place where you'd be happier. I wouldn't want to work somewhere where you had to do stuff like that, either!

I work in a role where we often ask staff to appear in videos, articles, photography etc but we would never just assume it would be OK and we would never force anyone - we ask if they'd be happy to do it and if they really aren't keen then that's fine and we just ask someone else. We'd never want someone to appear if they didn't want to and we'd never want someone to feel uncomfortable.

Thank you Dolly.

They haven't spent any money on the photos - they just took them next to a wall with a smarthpone.

I told my boss I didn't feel comfortable doing it so early in the role, she said ok but didn't seem that happy.

It's more the way I was put on the spot in front of everyone I didn't feel I could decline. I'm not sure it will work out for me.