Looking for some advice, will try to keep it short. For background, I started a new job a couple of months ago & having a few issues with my manager. Overall I like the company & would like to do what I can to make it a bit more manageable. Would like to know if this all seems quite normal I suppose as in previous jobs I've been given a lot more autonomy. It's an entry level role, there are three levels of qualification relating to the field & I've done the first now studying the next one up.
- Manager asks me to run all work I do through her. She will then pick it apart about font, date layout etc (I will check previous drafts to check all is standardised etc). I just find it condescending when she speaks across the office about sending everything I do to her to check first. I do make the changes, and continue how she would like things done but she will find something else. Fwiw, it's very basic administrative work & something I have a couple of years experience in doing. This means I'm then being chased for things whilst I wait for her to give me the okay as she's very busy. This also includes the drafting of my emails, will asked to be copied in on everything that I do.
- There's a large part of my job role she will not let me manage. I've had no issues with the output of the task but will ask that I only do it with her present so she can "check". She is extremely busy and just doesn't have the time which means I fall behind on it. Again, a very basic task which is mostly comprehension.
- If I speak to other staff, she will often come and physically get inbetween us or speak over me. This also goes for if anyone asks any questions on my work, she will answer for me and speak over me.
- Since joining, I was given the go ahead to make a few changes to the way we work as a department. It was chaotic when I started and I put a few processes in place to minimise this. My manager has taken credit for all of these. For example, I showed her a spreadsheet I was using to log the work (had been using it for a couple of weeks), she then emailed me asking that I set up a spreadsheet set up exactly like the one I'd done. Some of my changes have been commented on my highest ups including her manager and the director and she will take credit for coming up with my solutions.
- She's not got a great relationship with her own manager and if she sees me speaking to them will quiz me on what was said & tell me to be careful of them. I wasn't at my desk for around 10 minutes last week as got caught speaking to her manager in the hall, she had come to find me and told me off about me disappearing. She also on my first day looked me in the eye, pointing, telling me not to gossip as she will find out.
- My manager is trying to put me off doing the next qualification saying it is "too difficult" for my level and I'll be "setting myself up to fail". Her manager, however, has asked out of the blue whether I'd like to do it as she'd be willing to pay and wants to "invest" in me. For what it's worth, this is the highest one my manager has.
- will often say refer to me as "her PA" or "just an admin". Nothing wrong with PAs or administrators but it's not my job title and it'd like to progress.
- I'm often asked to do things that are incorrect, morally and legally. The ramifications of this could be large fines. I never challenge her publicly on this. I often go down the route of posing it as a question and learning opportunity for myself and show her the law or guidance on it or say in the past this is how I have dealt with this problem. She will stand her ground so I'll do the work and ask for it to be signed off. None of this requires any particular expertise, it's common sense and taught very early in your career.
- The role is a lot more junior than advertised, my manager is doing things way below her pay grade.
Her own manager has warned me to be careful of jealousy as I progress and commented on the fact my manager "isn't sure in what she's doing" which affects what I learn from her.
I'm aware of my manager being undermined which must be an unfair situation for her and may be why she's keeping me on such a short leash.
Writing all this down makes me think I need to get out asap but it's convenient and the work/life balance is good.
Does anyone have any advice on how best to manage this? I want to stay on my manager's good side and not rock the boat but finding it difficult to compromise on my own values.