Boss making me anxious = poor performance

[badgerread]

I have been in a role for 10 months now as an Office Manager/PA in a very small consultancy firm working for the owner. There is a lot more accounts type work involved than was originally explained at the interview and maths was never my strong point and I do struggle. I have made mistakes which I hold my hands up to but all my training has been on the job, a quick half an hour here and there. It is not the typical PA role that I am used to.

I feel my boss gets frustrated at my questions and those questions are usually answers with an eye roll. I don't think I am living up to his expectations and really want to improve but he makes me so nervous and anxious that I don't know how to approach him with my concerns. I worked for a large global corporation for 8 years before this and got glowing reviews year in year out so I know I can perform. He just makes me feel stupid for some of the questions I ask. I didn't go to university and he is constantly going on about his and my two colleagues universities and how they were in the top 2% of the country in their field. Blah blah. I was involved in a conversation with him and another colleague the other day about sport and he just laughed me down. I don't generally speak now in the office. Just keep my head down. He is knocking my confidence and self esteem.

We haven't had a 1 to 1 yet to discuss anything and I'm also nervous to request one in case he wants me out. He is a real micro manager and checks absolutely everything, emails, letters, everything. When he is on leave everyone in the office relaxes and everything runs like clockwork however when he is in, I am running on nerves and I have never been like this before.

It's a great package, minimal commute and great benefits so not one I really want to give up lightly.

If you stick it out, I think you will find that this will get worse not better.

I did a tonne of PA jobs before what I'm doing now and the job/boss either 'fits' you or it doesn't. I'd say this one doesn't.

I've successfully done lots of high level jobs in big organisations but have also been laughed down/intimidated/bullied by some really nasty bosses. You wouldn't believe it if you met me!

Thanks User. It pays really well, which I know isn't a reason to stay, but I feel he thinks he can treat people this way BECAUSE the package is so good that no one wants to leave.

There are none of the, 'typical', PA tasks that I used to really enjoy doing, i.e. travel, diary management, event organising, meeting arrangements, social media etc. I can't even think what the role should be called!

Unless you have worked in a big corporate there can be a lot of confusion about what a PA role is. People just tend to assume you are a dogsbody (and I've been called that a few times!). Fact of the matter is, if you're a good PA, you wear many hats and are a multi-tasking project management machine.

The accounts stuff you are doing is part and parcel of a small company office management job (which is million miles away from a corporate PA job).

I've worked for lots of bosses over the years and have had to contend with some awful behaviour. I wouldn't put up with eye rolling and being put down for not attending university or the 'right' university. He sounds like a bullying twat.

He sounds like a bully. I used to be a PA for somebody similar to that many years ago. He would make me feel inadequate and would even stand in the office and say to everybody "Here's an initiative test for (insert real name)." I was early 20s at the time. I went to HR to make a formal complaint about his behaviour, but he was also the Chairman of the organisation, so my complaint was never found to have any "substance." I stuck it out for 3 years and I would never do that again. I'd start looking for something else if I were you before your self-confidence has been completely shattered by him.

I find my self feeling sick and sweating whenever he approaches or hearing, 'Badgerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr', (i.e. my name) from his office, knowing that he has a problem with something.

I daren't make a phone call to a client or anyone work related as I know he'll come through to the open plan office where I am and pick holes in it....

I've only been there 10 months though. What about my CV if applying for other roles? (PS I'm mid 40's so lots of experience)

I wouldn't worry.

You just say the job description bears no resemblance to the job. You've given it 10 months but it's not working for you.

My husband stuck a role out for 3 months, which he absolutely hated. He was appointed Head of Operations, alongside some other new starters: Head of Sales, Head of Marketing, Head of Finance and a new PA. Within 3 months, they'd all left. The boss was a nightmare and a bully. It hasn't harmed his CV in the slightest and he just says that the role wasn't as advertised.

Leave before he crushes your confidence. Once you loose confidence it's hard to restore yourself.