A Case Of The Mondays: Vent Your Work Spleen Here

[ratgirlagogo]

4 hours ago, bilgistic said:

a bunch of dudebros

My impression is that dudebro/coolgirl is the default setting in startup culture.

[bilgistic]

Dudebro is also the default setting in commercial real estate.

[Petunia13]

3 hours ago, ratgirlagogo said:

My impression is that dudebro/coolgirl is the default setting in startup culture.

Yup. The women are just as bad very superficial sorority party type behavior and conversation. They literally picked on me for being too quiet and serious. Then when I do say hi or good job or answer their chit chat questions I'm ridiculed. I don't care all that much but before I got my own office they'd constantly play music or song loudly off key by my desk to disrupt me. I think it was intentional since they knew I needed to concentrate to read and would laugh mockingly saying "oh is this making it harder for you?" 

I hope I get the other job it would be a good fit ? 

@bilgistic the situation did remind me a tad of your old one where no matter what you did it was interpreted as weird. Too quiet and hardworking they criticized - then if you do engage they say some rude as hell shit. 

[AuntieL]

Sorry you guys go through that. People really are jackasses. 

[bilgistic]

Seriously. I'm sorry you have to put up with coworkers who act like a bunch of inbred maniacal ostriches hopped up on free energy drinks and pie, @Petunia13. You deserve better.

[EighteenTwelve]

Yesterday was the official celebration for the University Heroes, of which I was one. Whoever wrote the citation read out by the president of the university managed to include four puns about teeth in five sentences, because I was the only Hero from the dental school. Nobody else of the 60 of us had that many puns in their citations. I wouldn’t have minded three, but four was one too many.

 

However, at the thousand-person reception afterward, the president came to find me specifically, to say she wanted me to know all those puns weren’t her idea. I thought that was nice of her.

[GHScorpiosRule]

“It is to laugh, eh Mistah J.?” (Harley Quinn to the Joker in B:TAS’ “Joker’s Favor”)

When I got the alert that the position I applied for and was told that they wanted someone who actually had experience in the Energy sector, despite my experience-appeared again. Sorry for the most likely incorrect sentence structure. But apparently they didn’t hire anyone and reposted the ad on Friday with the posting date of June 15, instead of the original date, which was back in February. So I just ???. Yeah, the same interview where I got THE LOOK.

I had a good first week. If I have any quibbles, it’s that where I sit is VERY CRAMPED as the HUGE copier is jammed up thisclose to my back and I hardly have moving room.  Apparently the firm that used to rent from this floor is subletting it to a whole bunch of other lawyers. There are empty desks/work spaces that have that...abandoned look. The kitchen is EMPTY. Meaning no paper towels or plastic cutlery or the minimum of supplies. Just Keurig machine (OF COURSE!?) and microwave oven. But no sugar, creamer, etc. No water cooler, either. Generally I wouldn’t care, since for the past month, I’ve had to drastically change my diet. But it’s like the tenants found this empty space and decided to squat in it. It’s just weird.

I’m going to have to bring in my own supplies from home it seems.

Edited June 16, 2018 by GHScorpiosRule

[magicdog]

I found out one of the producers is quitting and just my luck she has a serious case of "senior-itis".  She's been spending her last week just slacking off and making me insane waiting for scripts.  

She doesn't bother answering my questions anymore about when stuff will get done.  OK, so you're quitting - that doesn't mean you do nothing you last week.  If I did that the show would fall to pieces!

On 6/14/2018 at 5:47 PM, Petunia13 said:

The women are just as bad very superficial sorority party type behavior and conversation. They literally picked on me for being too quiet and serious. Then when I do say hi or good job or answer their chit chat questions I'm ridiculed. I don't care all that much but before I got my own office they'd constantly play music or song loudly off key by my desk to disrupt me. I think it was intentional since they knew I needed to concentrate to read and would laugh mockingly saying "oh is this making it harder for you?" 

So sorry Petunia13!  You know what you could do to those bitches right?

Send the poop!!!

It might be fun to see them get grossed out while you look innocent of anything!  

[ParadoxLost]

I get too much email.

I want Outlook to create a feature for creating a weekly pareto analysis of the biggest culprits behind the email I receive.

Then I want to leverage that report to shame them, publicly, and clog their inbox with a crap ton of email that comes fast enough that they could spend eight hours a day reading it all and never get through it so they know how I feel.

[magicdog]

Well Bitcheroo used her position to get her kid on our show this morning - again!

This time it was about how smart he is because he said the word “yacht”.  She and the baby daddy sent cell phone vid of this grand achievement.  I’m sorry but the only future that kid has is to have his nose firmly planted up someone’s ass - just like mommy.

[auntlada]

How old is this kid?

[magicdog]

I think he’s about 3 or 4.  More than likely he repeated what he heard from mommy and daddy as opposed to actually knowing the word.

[bilgistic]

I dislike that whole family on your behalf, @magicdog.

[ABay]

It would've been funny if he was 34.

[auntlada]

3 hours ago, magicdog said:

I think he’s about 3 or 4.  More than likely he repeated what he heard from mommy and daddy as opposed to actually knowing the word.

Huh. I don't think it's all that unusual for 3- or 4-year-olds to know that word and know what it is if someone has explained it to them. I mean, ask any 4-year-old what an archaeopteryx is and he (or she) can probably tell you and can pronounce the word correctly (barring any speech impediments).

[Bastet]

55 minutes ago, auntlada said:

I mean, ask any 4-year-old what an archaeopteryx is and he (or she) can probably tell you and can pronounce the word correctly (barring any speech impediments).

Uh-oh.  I'm 40 years older than that, and I can't tell you what it is (but I can make a good guess at pronouncing it).  The pteryx part makes me think pterodactyl, so I'm going to guess dinosaur before I go look it up. 

Yep, a dinosaur.  And I pronounced it correctly.  Alas, I am apparently still not smarter than a 4-year-old.  (I think I've forgotten almost everything I learned about dinosaurs in elementary school; perhaps a trip to the natural history museum is in order!)

[bilgistic]

6 hours ago, ABay said:

It would've been funny if he was 34.

I was really hoping for that plot twist.

[auntlada]

1 hour ago, Bastet said:

Uh-oh.  I'm 40 years older than that, and I can't tell you what it is (but I can make a good guess at pronouncing it).  The pteryx part makes me think pterodactyl, so I'm going to guess dinosaur before I go look it up. 

Yep, a dinosaur.  And I pronounced it correctly.  Alas, I am apparently still not smarter than a 4-year-old.  (I think I've forgotten almost everything I learned about dinosaurs in elementary school; perhaps a trip to the natural history museum is in order!)

Times you know the most about dinosaurs.

[riley702]

LOL

[theredhead77]

12 hours ago, auntlada said:

Times you know the most about dinosaurs.

It's missing a few bumps to account for all the Jurassic Park movies.

[Zola]

Golly gosh, it's almost 2pm here on a very hot sunny Monday afternoon; and all morning I have totally lacked any motivation to do any work - which is not good when you're self employed!

The problem with being your own boss is that you have to motivate yourself to get things done; as opposed to working for someone else, in which case you're kinda contractually obligated. 

Perhaps its because of the heat, or the sunshine, and the fact I am working from home that I don't have the necessary "OOMPH!!" to get my arse in gear. It's my own fault really because if I don't do the work I won't get paid. But when you're sitting at home looking out of your window and seeing nothing but blue skies, and lots of colourful flowers and trees, you just want to drift into your back garden and relax.

 

ho hum....

 

must..... try..... harder! :)

[GHScorpiosRule]

So this happened. The other firm (good firm; good reviews via glassdoor, etc.) that I'd had a telephone call with three weeks emailed me this morning. The irony is, I figured they bypassed me and wanted to interview others. That's not to say they aren't. But the Practice group leads as well as the Paralegal Manager want to meet with me this week.  I quickly shot off a response letting them know I was available on Friday. Because this week is slammed. Have a depo on Thursday and since the attorney here can't afford the electronic review, we've got to do it all in hard copy. And he wants it ready by Wednesday. No rush, right?

So, fingers crossed. And also with the practice group? I won't be getting any "looks" with them, either. I just hope I don't have to three or four interviews like I had to with the other firm. And this one is a full-time position/direct hire, that I applied on my own. Recruiter did ask what I was looking to make (I saw what they pay and it's in the ballpark of what I want/deserve), and I gave him the range (negotiable) and my requirements were based on my years of experience but also based on the salary guide of what someone of my experience and the size of the firm should be making. I think he liked that I did my research on that. But honestly, the work is an area I'm good at and though not outright litigation, there is a litigation component to it.

[Mindthinkr]

6 minutes ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

But honestly, the work is an area I'm good at and though not outright litigation, there is a litigation component to it.

You are smart to play up your strengths. Nobody is going to be a better cheerleader for yourself than you. Good luck. 

[GHScorpiosRule]

Interview on Friday. I'm going during my lunch hour. I'm not sure if I can be honest and tell the people where I'm currently working at the truth, even if it is a contract job, so I lied and told them I have a doctor's appointment. 

Will be doing my due diligence on who I'll be meeting and speaking with tonight.

Really could use virtual good wishes for this. Thanks!

[riley702]

Good luck!

[hoosier80]

OMG so beyond pissed right now.  One group set up shit, without dotting all the i's and crossing the t's.  Tickets pouring in, why won't this work?  I go look and say nah, we've turned on all your shit.  Keep coming to me (went to a newbie, who is pals with the management types), who has zero clue.  I'm like you all are trying to use a code that does not exist.  Newbie takes to one of her management type pals, and says she thinks it's the ABC Shittyprocessor.    Every damned item we have that is an issue she says it's the ABC Shittyprocessor.  Every damned item.  I'm like well, if you're going to handle, I'm out of it.  Peace out.  Beyond pissed.  I am thinking maybe they forced a code in the past which is some BS.  These sidebar things are just bad.  So I said nah it does exist (it does not).   Basically a code saying where the transmission came from, and they want it to say from nowhere (it's internal type shit).  But how do you do that?  Have a code that says INTERNAL.  

Between the fuckups on accounts (financial accounts) and this kind of crap, I'm really amazed we've not been shut down.  Audits are around the corner, and they've been able to BS their way through previously, but new sets are coming in, so who knows.  

Oh, they're going to use existing codes.  Wah wah wahhhhh.  Yeah if it was the ABC thing, it's not a quick fix.  Got a nice thank you from a big wig.  Ha ha ha.

I need more time off or a winning lottery ticket.  So tired of this shit.  

[GHScorpiosRule]

WAHOO! Just got an email for Interview No. 2 to meet with Paralegal Director and another group manager for this week!

[GHScorpiosRule]

And it's tomorrow! I can manage it during my lunch hour!

[theredhead77]

I've been on vacation since Tuesday and I go back to work tomorrow. Since I was at home preparing for my trip I was also looking in on things... that weren't being done correctly by the person covering me. I'm not looking forward to tomorrow.

[Moose135]

I got an e-mail from an HR rep at a large retailer for a position I applied to about three weeks ago.  It's an Analytics Manager position, and she wanted to know if we could talk today or tomorrow.  I had time this afternoon, so we set up the call.  It's a new position, supporting the HR division, helping to track inquires they get from employees.  I would be working with directors/managers to determine their reporting needs, setting up reports and dashboards, adding insights and recommendations, the usual analytics type stuff.  It would cover the local region only, but if successful, could expand to other areas.

So far, it sounds really good.  Then she asked me about money...I'm looking for at least 10% more than my last job, depending on the total package.  They have a fairly hard budget for the position which would be about 10% less than my last job.  Also, they are looking for July 16 - two weeks from today - as a start date!  That seems awfully tight to me.  Makes me wonder if they had someone else they were working with who dropped out on them.  I can deal with the July 16 date - provided they can accommodate a couple of previously planned days off - but the salary/bonus are an issue.  I told the HR rep I would talk with the hiring manager if he was interested - she's getting back to me tomorrow either way.  The girlfriend thinks that if everything else works out, maybe I deal with the salary for now, with the expectation that if the program expands, I'm part of that roll out and compensated accordingly.  I guess I'll have a few serious questions should I end up talking with the hiring manager.

[theredhead77]

Never take a job based on what the salary could be unless you are happy with the initial package. It seems companies always have reasons to not do adjustments when the role grows. 

[Bastet]

When you accept being underpaid coming in, it is really hard to ever get caught up to where you should be.

[riley702]

If they verbally promise to raise your pay, tell them you need it in writing.

[Moose135]

40 minutes ago, theredhead77 said:

It seems companies always have reasons to not do adjustments when the role grows. 

You're right - I lived that at the newspaper back home over the years.  It was always "We'll get to that..." and they never did.  My initial reaction is to not accept something that low, but I'll have the conversation if they are interested - it never hurts to talk.

[GHScorpiosRule]

I’ve been coming up with several reasons to tell my attorney the reason I’ll be out of the office for lunch today. I’m working extra hours because I’m off tomorrow but won’t get paid-temp employee. 

Sigh. I guess I’m worried if I’m honest, they’ll try and get someone else. And even if I stay, they can’t afford to hire me full time.

[Quof]

"Personal matter" is always my explanation. Whether it's a facial, or a fertility treatment, it's not their business. 

[bilgistic]

Yes; "I have an appointment" is all they need to know. They don't even need to know that since you'll only be gone for lunch, but in case it will be longer, you can tell them, "I have an appointment during my lunch hour that might run long. If there is a conflict with our work schedule, please let me know immediately so I can make alternate plans. Thank you, GHSR"

[GHScorpiosRule]

It was all good. I just said “lunch appointment.”

And it went very well. Next year s meeting with the group attorneys. I think they want to fill the position ASAP. I hope they call me back. One of the managers did say that-“The next step is for you to meet...”

And they like that I have over five years experience in the type of work they’re looking for, so a plus.

Now I’m going to set it aside and not think about it.

[Moose135]

Glad to hear it went well!

38 minutes ago, GHScorpiosRule said:

Now I’m going to set it aside and not think about it.

Good luck with that!

[MargeGunderson]

One of my coworkers has had it with my (our) least favorite coworker and is going to take it up with our joint manager! I said I would be happy to back her up and she could use my name/offer for me to share my perspective. I’ve raised some of the issues with my manager in a specific context but nothing came of it (that I’m aware of), so I’m not confident that anything will come of it this time. However, this coworker is senior to me and because she doesn’t work directly with exasperating  coworker (same manager, different program), I’m hoping that her perspective will carry additional weight. I’ve been content to let this coworker basically hang herself (the only part of her job she’s doing consistently well at) but have no problem hastening it along. She’s a nightmare. 

To top that off, lots of rumors swirling about my company, like moving operations to another, lower cost state, layoffs, and being bought by another company. It’s getting kind of rocky, but all I can do keep doing my job. And start saving more money in my emergency fund. Good thing I decided not to install air conditioning this summer!

Edited July 3, 2018 by MargeGunderson

[GHScorpiosRule]

4 hours ago, Moose135 said:

Glad to hear it went well!

Good luck with that!

Okay, I lied. I drafted, edited and finalized my thank you emails. ??Sent them.  NOW I’ll set it aside.??

[Petunia13]

Speaking of the shithole I work at I bought my own yummy vegan lunch and someone of course steals it the second my back is turned. 

My phone charger went missing a couple weeks ago too. I hate thieves and shitty liars. By the way my coworkers make over $150/HR and bosses make over a million dollars a year and they are all Carnivores. Soooo I'm not exactly sure why they have to take my stuff  ???

[Moose135]

15 minutes ago, Petunia13 said:

Soooo I'm not exactly sure why they have to take my stuff  

Because they can...

[Petunia13]

People think it's funny to be assholes 

[Moose135]

To follow up on my post the other day - after talking with the HR rep on Monday, she said she would talk with the hiring manager and get back to me Tuesday.  Tuesday afternoon, I sent her an e-mail to let her know I was going to be away for the holiday, and wouldn't get back until Thursday evening, but I was available all day Friday for a call.  She replied that she would be talking to the hiring manager this week, and would update me - so much for the rush to fill the position.  Wednesday afternoon (on the holiday) I received a canned message from the corporate system saying "We’re truly grateful that you applied for ### position. At this time, we’ve determined that other candidates have qualifications that better align to this particular role, but we’d love to stay in touch."

So either they really had other candidates they liked better, or the manager figured there wasn't any point in proceeding given the differences in salary.  It did seem strange that the e-mail came on the holiday, and that the HR rep didn't contact me herself, but such is life.

 

[riley702]

Speaking of assholes...

[theredhead77]

@Moose135 that is weird.

My company is transitioning from Microsoft to Google. It is what it is, only because there is no option of not transitioning. I came back from vacation and the corporate Gmail is now how I manage email and while I love it in my personal life, it sucks ass for corporate use. I send a lot of template emails and rigged up auto-correct to change nonsense phrases into the templates I need. The "replacement" with Google is "canned responses" which is not the same!!!

My work is taking infinitely longer now and it's not just a "get used to it". The web based gmail takes longer to respond than Outlook. It takes longer to do my day-to-day. I hate managing my email in it. It just sucks. And the icing on the fucking cake is most of the extensions and tools that would make my life easier are blocked at the administrative level and will have to be reviewed by the IT department (this is a company that requires more security to access webmail than the TSA Trusted Traveler program requires to log in to your account) so that's not going to happen. And then IT suggested I make a "suggestion" directly to Google, if enough people request the feature they'll make it happen. No fuckers, how about you give me the tools I need to do my fucking job?!

On that note, this is what I am trying to do. I already have Googled and can't find a decent reply that doesn't involve an extension.

• Permanently enable CC and BCC. I don't want to have to click on the buttons every time.
• A replacement for Auto-Correct in Outlook / Word

[Petunia13]

@Moose135 I feel like a lot of HR people have no sense of professionalism or how to value humans. Which is funny because that's literally their job title?

[BookWoman56]

7 hours ago, Moose135 said:

So either they really had other candidates they liked better, or the manager figured there wasn't any point in proceeding given the differences in salary.  It did seem strange that the e-mail came on the holiday, and that the HR rep didn't contact me herself, but such is life.

My guess is that the salary was the sticking point. I've been tangentially involved in some hiring decisions where the hiring manager really liked candidate A and sort of liked candidate B, but candidate A's most recent/requested salary was significantly above what was budgeted for the position. In those cases, candidate A would get the boilerplate "thanks for playing" letter and candidate B would get the job. A few managers I've talked to have said they avoid hiring anyone whose most recent salary is well above what their salary would be in the new position. The reasoning is that while someone might be unhappy enough at a current job or desperate enough for a job that he/she will initially accept the lower salary, that person is going to become unhappy with the lower salary, and quickly start looking for something that pays better. I don't disagree with the reasoning there, but I've been on the other side of that equation, where I really needed a job and resented getting passed over for less qualified applicants simply because my previous job paid better than the job the company is currently trying to fill. A few years ago I had a great interview with the hiring manager; it was one of those interviews where you know at a gut level that you're going to be selected. She flatly said that she'd not interviewed any other candidates that she liked as well as she liked me. But at the end, there was a big disconnect between what she could offer and what I was currently making, and so there was no formal offer, just the standard "thanks, but we're going with somebody else" letter. 

[theredhead77]

7 hours ago, BookWoman56 said:

few managers I've talked to have said they avoid hiring anyone whose most recent salary is well above what their salary would be in the new position. The reasoning is that while someone might be unhappy enough at a current job or desperate enough for a job that he/she will initially accept the lower salary, that person is going to become unhappy with the lower salary, and quickly start looking for something that pays better

When I was hired on at my current company I almost lost out because I was asking a lot more than they had budgeted for the role and it was more than I was making at the job I was let go from. I was asking for what I was worth and I knew it but I made it crystal clear to the recruiter I knew this was a career shift and I was totally open to the lower salary. I got really lucky that they took the chance I wouldn't jump ship and I ultimately received what I originally asked for after a year. 

If I ever decide to seek a new company I don't think I'd take much less than I'm making now unless the benefits and perks made up for it.

Edited July 7, 2018 by theredhead77