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Work is horrific, don't know what to do.

33 replies

ParkingFeud · 03/04/2021 10:53

I started a job a few months ago that as per offer letter was meant to be marketing. It's turned out to be customer service...sitting at front desk, answering phone, dealing with tiny stock and delivery problems. Work I specifically said in the interview I did not want to do. I was also recently asked to spend two hours every morning counting and sorting bricks. I struggle so much with keeping a happy face on with customers and dealing with a million small things at once. I just can't do it. It's been a massive step down in terms of responsibility and opportunity but I felt I had to say yes and then stay past months trial due to covid situation. I've previously worked in marketing for a global organisation, exceeding all objectives, won scholarships to study abroad etc. And now I spend my days counting bricks....

It's an environment where they have cctv pointing at computer screens, sack people for asking to work from home, have twice sent people they know have covid into our office, always moan when anyone takes holiday, change hours at the last minute (more hours, no extra pay) and regularly accuse staff of stealing (they don't of course). Massively understaffed too with staff turnover like nothing I've ever seen. (20 new staff over 4 years in 4 person business!) Owners are convinced everyone must multi task all the time.

I'm struggling to find anything else right now, especially as my cv is starting to look so bitty due to a family move then covid. I feel sick with worry about it all and don't know what to do. Any miracle ideas? Can't really go off sick as no sick pay. Would probably be sacked for asking to go part time but wondering if it's worth trying.

OP posts:
LadyWithLapdog · 03/04/2021 10:59

That sounds awful but you just have to keep going until you find another one. If it’s making you ill, can you afford to resign?

I think lots of peoples Cvs will be patchy this past year and I wouldn’t be too concerned about that. Good luck.

Arbadacarba · 03/04/2021 10:59

I think a lot of people will have bitty CVs following the pandemic, so I wouldn't let that deter you from looking for something else.

If you are full time you'd be entitled to SSP if you went off sick - obviously it's a very low amount but better than nothing.

Do you think going part-time would change anything, as the environment sounds completely toxic, and if the request was granted it might put even more pressure on you because they'd probably expect the same amount of work to be done in less time.

LadyWithLapdog · 03/04/2021 11:05

Cheeky fuckers accusing staff of stealing their bricks.

ParkingFeud · 03/04/2021 11:07

I can afford to resign and fortunately have quite a bit of freelance work I could pick up. I just don't know how I would explain it in interviews.
My part time thinking was it would mean I have more time to apply for jobs/do courses. I'm doing my CIM course and also doing things like the Google digital qualifications to try and stay up to date. I'm really struggling with long work hours, applying for jobs and doing courses.
Thank you both for replying.

OP posts:
Doorhandleghost · 03/04/2021 12:27

I think the answer is to leave and get another job, and don’t worry about having a short job on your CV. Say you left to pursue your freelance work or something. I honestly don’t know why people worry about having short jobs on their CVs, it’s not an insurmountable obstacle to getting a new one.

No job is worth your health and well-being - if it’s that bad and you can afford to resign with nothing to go to then do it. Staying a long time in a job that’s deskilling you is a waste of time apart from anything else!

Good luck, it sounds awful.

partyatthepalace · 03/04/2021 12:47

It sounds like not at all what you are used to / a comedown etc - and I really feel for you. It also sounds like a rubbish company...

But it does not sound really terrible. I think you need to step back and get some perspective, you are not your job - just disengage and do it well enough not to get fired while applying for other jobs. And in the meantime do anything you can in training or freelance extras to enhance your Cv

But don’t cut of your nose to spite your face - you need a job.

partyatthepalace · 03/04/2021 12:49

Sorry OP - I didn’t read the bit where you said you afford to resign and freelance - as long as you really have long term savings then yes, go ahead and leave - you can use the freelance work to cover the gap on your CV no?

Recruit2020 · 03/04/2021 12:54

Short roles / gaps on CV's dont cause me huge concern unless it is a frequent pattern. I also like people who are honest. Maybe speak to them see how it goes and if no luck, resign if you can afford to. You will be entitled SSP given previous working but that can be more detrimental going forward rather than saying frankly it was shit so I left x

welshladywhois40 · 03/04/2021 13:00

Leaving or looking for work soon after hire is explainable if you do it quickly. You explain that the role was mis-sold. Reception work be marketing if hugely different.

I did it - I started looking for a new role at the end of week one and explained it that way

WellIWasInTheNeighbourhoo · 03/04/2021 13:02

Sounds like a total misrepresentation of the role and in that sense could be constructive dismissal (although that is a nightmare to pursue so I don't recommend it). If you can afford to, walk out the door and don't look back. I wouldn't even put it on your CV if you leave, just cover the time as a period of freelancing and focus on that until you find something else.

LadyWithLapdog · 03/04/2021 13:47

I have a job interview next week. I had a look at the interviewer’s CV on LinkedIn. They have several short (4-9 months) jobs listed; it didn’t hold back their own career.

FusionChefGeoff · 03/04/2021 13:55

Leave!!

Just be honest in interviews / on CV - job was mis sold and I stayed for benefit of the donut but it got worse not better so decided to leave so I could focus on job hunt for role better suited / freelance work

FusionChefGeoff · 03/04/2021 13:56

As much as I love 'benefit of the donut' I obviously meant 'benefit of the doubt'

GlutenFreeGingerCake · 03/04/2021 14:00

Leave and say you decided to concentrate on your freelance work for a while. If you go for another job you can say you enjoyed Freelancing but couldn't resist the opportunity to work for their amazing company.

GlutenFreeGingerCake · 03/04/2021 14:01

Benefit of the donut 😂😂😂🍩🍩

Fleetheart · 03/04/2021 14:04

Just leave. I work in marketing; there are lots of people who have bitty CVs at the moment and to be honest it takes strength to leave so you will get respect for that. Don’t stay with these hideous people

ParkingFeud · 03/04/2021 14:09

Thanks all, that makes me feel more positive about not looking for bad for job hopping. So it would be ok to just be honest and say it was misrepresented, I love marketing and that's what I want to do? I have made a massive difference to their business and at least have v good results to put on cv from it. I just can't keep on top of marketing and answering the phone and serving customers all day. Switching from one task/skill to the other every few minutes is destroying me. Im having more and more piled on everytime the directors appear despite the fact we already can't keep up.

I'm so pissed off that I actually said at interview I was wary I didn't want to end up in the sort of role it has ended up being and they were all positive and lied to me blah blah blah. Arrggghhh.

Hehe @FusionChefGeoff I think a need a doughnut! Grin

OP posts:
ParkingFeud · 03/04/2021 14:09

Thanks all, that makes me feel more positive about not looking for bad for job hopping. So it would be ok to just be honest and say it was misrepresented, I love marketing and that's what I want to do? I have made a massive difference to their business and at least have v good results to put on cv from it. I just can't keep on top of marketing and answering the phone and serving customers all day. Switching from one task/skill to the other every few minutes is destroying me. Im having more and more piled on everytime the directors appear despite the fact we already can't keep up.

I'm so pissed off that I actually said at interview I was wary I didn't want to end up in the sort of role it has ended up being and they were all positive and lied to me blah blah blah. Arrggghhh.

Hehe @FusionChefGeoff I think a need a doughnut! Grin

OP posts:
Steptoeshorse1965 · 03/04/2021 14:15

My partner has had the same problem, good at the job, committed to the work and doing a good job. Manager dies from long term illness, jokers imported who THINK they know how to run the place, and it's quite painfully obvious they don't have a clue, and just ramping problems for later on by their ineptitude. Won't learn from older and far more experienced members of staff, but proceed to gaslight and alienate them. After three or four months, told my other half to clear her locker, and frankly tell them to stick it. What's mine is hers, and we can share quite well until such a time as she wants to get back into the saddle once more. So glad the hand of middle age is upon us both, and we are not starting out again, workplaces now, toxic, appalling, talent and skill not utilised or recognised, poor quality people who seem to be allowed to run them down, both people and organisation. I don't envy the young now for this position.

itsgettingwierd · 03/04/2021 14:57

Benefit of the donut 🤣

"I stayed to feed my Krispy creme addiction until something better came along!"

If you can afford not to do the job until a new one is found because you can pick U.K. freelance I'd leave. Especially because if freelance working you won't really have a gap in your CV.

MirandaWestsNewBFF · 05/04/2021 17:16

@ParkingFeud

I can afford to resign and fortunately have quite a bit of freelance work I could pick up. I just don't know how I would explain it in interviews. My part time thinking was it would mean I have more time to apply for jobs/do courses. I'm doing my CIM course and also doing things like the Google digital qualifications to try and stay up to date. I'm really struggling with long work hours, applying for jobs and doing courses. Thank you both for replying.
I think it’s fair to say to subsequent interviewers “the job was not as described”
79andnotout · 06/04/2021 11:23

I recently hired a marketing person who had a cv like yours. I was interested to know why she'd moved around so much and why she was leaving her latest company so quickly after starting, but like you, her last company sounded awful, and she'd been furloughed before that, and had moved before that. She's absolutely brilliant and I'm so glad we hired her.

JoinJadeTeachESL · 06/04/2021 14:24

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ilovebrie8 · 06/04/2021 18:03

@Steptoeshorse1965 totally agree with your post. Experience doesn’t seemed to be valued at all its sad, I’m totally disillusioned at the moment and had a similar experience to your partner ...toxic workplace ...run by amateurs who thought they knew it all.

Steptoeshorse1965 · 06/04/2021 18:25

[quote ilovebrie8]@Steptoeshorse1965 totally agree with your post. Experience doesn’t seemed to be valued at all its sad, I’m totally disillusioned at the moment and had a similar experience to your partner ...toxic workplace ...run by amateurs who thought they knew it all.[/quote]
Sadly they don't realise nor care what they lost. A committed person with the intelligence to actually show the way to others who could have possibly have brought the place back from the disaster which is looming one day soon, and due to the nature of the business and it's sensitivity, the ignominy of having done something terribly wrong.

They took away with glee, safeguards which ensured things followed practice and procedure, and replaced them with confusion, just at a whim, and such a lot more. Complete fuckwits who could not run a tap to be honest. I told my OH to just clear out and let them get on with it. And yes as you say, no value for experience and know how, jealous to fuck of it in fact, and intent on doing their own shitty thing. There will be many similar stories out there I know.