A Case Of The Mondays: Vent Your Work Spleen Here

[emma675]

hoosier80, don't wait till you find something that looks interesting to update your resume, do it now. Set aside time this weekend and do it. It's easier to have it ready to go than wait until you find something you want to apply to. 

[BookWoman56]

44 minutes ago, emma675 said:

hoosier80, don't wait till you find something that looks interesting to update your resume, do it now. Set aside time this weekend and do it. It's easier to have it ready to go than wait until you find something you want to apply to. 

This is excellent advice. I recommend to anyone that it’s best to update your resume at least once a year, and adjust items as your major responsibilities shift and you acquire new skills. Also, don’t fall into the trap of thinking you must have a one-size-fits-all resume. Try to figure out a couple of different positions you might be interested in, and create one version of your resume that aligns with one position, and a second version that aligns with the other position. For example, I have a resume that focuses on my tech writing skills/experience, one that focuses on my instructional design skills/experience, and a third one for teaching college writing courses. The tech writing resume is my primary one, but the others are useful if I decide to apply for other jobs. I will say that as someone in the middle of hiring a new employee, I rejected probably a third of the applicants because their resumes focused on other responsibilities they had, with only occasional mention of the responsibilities and skills related to the job they were applying for. 

[bilgistic]

I fourth what everyone else is saying. I should've listened to my gut the first time I was crying in the bathroom at my last job, which was about six months in. @hoosier80, I can imagine you feel like you don't have the energy to update your resume or even think about applying for or interviewing for other jobs, because that's how I felt. It was all I could do to get through each day. All I can tell you is you will feel immense relief when you are free from that place, so focus on that. Channel that into your quest to find something better. I wish you the very best, because you deserve it.

[hoosier80]

Well I did get the email saying oh I gave you verbal warning, blah, blah, blah, blah, even though boss said it was patently unfair.  I will respond with what the facts are.

Then he started asking for a bullet point of what happened.  Of course, the dynamic duo were gone, so I wrote it up.  Plus, I didn't trust them to tell exactly what happened.  Then, we played 64,000 questions, with my being asked for our procedures.  We have none, not for this process.  None, zip, zilch.  This is while the twosome have been saying they need more to do!  Uh, write up basic procedures!  

So upcoming mandatory meeting (after boss had his ass handed to him for this whole fiasco).  Can hardly wait.  Dip was all anxious to tell him of a shortcut she thought up.  1.  She didn't think it up, 2.  Still have to go normal process,  3.  Boss told her no, has to go through the 2 reviews per normal.  Dip was upset and shared with us.  See what I get for trying?  You didn't do squat, you moron.  And I had to be on the call you HAD to have to discuss.  You didn't do a thing.  It's what had to be done to accommodate the request.  

Then boss said oh ordering equipment, do you need something?  We've always been told to basically make do (don't want to increase dept expenses), so no, it's working ok.  Oh I'll order you new pc and monitors.  Uh, wait.  Everyone on team gets laptops.  He goes on with you said you didn't like or want a laptop.  No, I didn't say that (it was Dip).  Still plowed ahead and ordered pc.  So I get to fucking use my own equipment when at home, or on call to fix shit.  Thanks.  So everyone else, and new employees get laptops.  Thanks.  That tells me where I stand.  Friend who is in charge of ordering shit said I can ask him, are you sure?  Everyone else gets laptop.  I said no, don't do it.  He's shown his ass.  (I had a laptop years ago and we had to use the old heavy case - now you don't get a case - just use what  you have and I do already use a backpack - ergonomically structured so it's easy on my back - I'd just put it in there).  

Today, set up for same type of system, different client.  Nothing noted on how to structure IDs, etc.  I sent back questions.  Not signing off on fucking anything unless they respond in writing, which I'll save.    

I was out of town this past weekend, so no time to update resume.  It's actually pretty much accurate, as we had to resubmit (one corp bought another bought another).  I'd updated then - roughly 2 or 3 years ago, not a lot to add.  I've looked through Indeed and other sites; nothing excited me one iota, but I'll keep looking.

Addition - well had our freaking call about how we're all idiots.  Boss started in on how this is a full investigation, big deal as it was basically a data breach.  No shit.  I figured that out when I answered the email.  I should've logged out or not seen it. QB wouldn't have escalated it and swept it under the rug.  That she knew how to fix or what might be the cause so quickly has me really thinking.  I'm going back through old emails.   Then boss went on a rant re: something Dip was doing, an "innovation" as she put it in some email.  I was like what are you talking about?  Dip said oh it's that ABC stuff.  I said that's not a new process (boss said before doing something new - TEST it first in a TEST region - thanks Sherlock).  I was like if it's that big of a deal do it the regular way, as those set ups do not take but a day or so.  Dip was radio silent as it took her two fucking weeks to get the original ones done.  I found the documentation on the process.  What was automated was done a-ok.  Dip's manual updates were a cluster fuck, naturally.  Then the kicker - email comes in from the same damned group as the original fiasco.  Can you see what this rep has access to?

Fine.  This rep had multiple IDs set up.  No one checked to see if there was an existing ID.  And I found the tickets.  QB did it all, with no reviews at all.  None.  Debating how I play this out.  I let boss know that we probably need to audit all of this shit now.  He did not respond.  Fucker.  I doubt he does anything to QB as they're friends or were friends.  I think they'd both throw each other under the bus if push came to shove, though.  

I told him about the shitty reviews, other people in the dept have told him, and one person who left due to the shit has told him.  I wanted so to tell him- look in the mirror bud for all of the failings, because you didn't do a damned thing.  Then I heard from a friend how the head of programming (who got into it with my boss) said wow he's clueless and went on a long assed rant about him.  Then the site head came by my desk today and was all chatty/friendly.  Out of the blue.  Da fuq?  And all morning my pc wouldn't respond to a damned thing.  FML.

Edited June 20, 2019 by hoosier80
Update

[bilgistic]

I don't know where to put this, but is happened at work, so here it is. I'm enraged.

One night late last week (Friday?), a very casually dressed Russian(?) man in his 40s(?) walked up to my register and said, "Give me the broom." (The broom is kept behind register 1, where I was, which is also the cigarette area and the area shared by the customer service desk.)

I said, "Excuse me?" He said, "I work here. Give me the broom, honey." He also motioned for the dustpan but was frustrated with me and walked away after I gave him the broom. I asked my coworker what the deal was. My coworker said he was part of the contracted floor cleaning/buffing crew. By that time, I saw the guy sweeping one of the big mats. I brought him over the dust pan.

He came back over to return the broom and dustpan and said, "I'm sorry; you didn't know who I was, honey." I replied, "Don't call me honey." He said, "I'm sorry, ma'am."

He was in the store again last night. He had one of the managers exchange a $100 bill at the customer service desk, which I was again next to on register 1. As he walked away, he mockingly and loudly said, "Don't call me honey!"

Blood boiling. This is a textbook example of why women can't speak up against any kind of aggression. I asked the manager the name of the company for which the guy works, and his name. He doesn't know his name. No one knows the name of the regular guy who cleans the floors. How safe is that?

I talked to the Customer Service Manager (my direct manager) later and told him the situation. His response to the guy saying, "Don't call me honey," was, "Ooh, there's a flame there!" as if the guy likes me. WTF!!!!! I said, "NO! This was inappropriate and disrespectful. I have to take that garbage from customers all day, but it's not going to happen from someone who works here." He said, "You're right. I'll talk to them." I replied that I hoped he would and that's why I talked to him first before going to the cleaning company with my complaint. When in reality, I know that I probably can't even talk to the company without risking my job.

Edited June 24, 2019 by bilgistic

[ABay]

Document everything. Record if you can, including calls to higher-ups. Because if anything does happen, you could potentially sue their asses.

[Annber03]

3 hours ago, bilgistic said:

I talked to the Customer Service Manager (my direct manager) later and told him the situation. His response to the guy saying, "Don't call me honey," was, "Ooh, there's a flame there!" as if the guy likes me. WTF!!!!! 

Holy hell, talk about the most wrong response imaginable. Here's a tip for that guy for future reference: If this was a simple "flame" situation, as he thinks, and you were interested to boot...you wouldn't have gone to the management to complain. 

Christ, this should not be that hard to understand. When a woman expresses concern about something like this, freaking listen to her. I hope you can get this all sorted out and that guy will back the hell off (or be let go if he doesn't stop, one of the two).

Edited June 24, 2019 by Annber03

[bilgistic]

8 minutes ago, Annber03 said:

Holy hell, talk about the most wrong response imaginable. Here's a tip for that guy for future reference: If this was a simple "flame" situation, as he thinks, and you were interested to boot...you wouldn't have gone to the management to complain. 

Christ, this should not be that hard to understand. When a woman expresses concern about something like this, freaking listen to her. I hope you can get this all sorted out and that guy will back the hell off (or be let go if he doesn't stop, one of the two).

Exactly, and thank you. I'm almost as pissed off at my manager's reaction (he's a black man in his 60s) as I am the original offender's. I know that reporting the situation to corporate HR isn't going to do a damn thing besides probably creating an uncomfortable or hostile environment for me to work in, so again I say...this is why women don't/can't report inappropriate behavior.

[BookWoman56]

It’s been a while since I hired anyone, and I had forgotten just how painful the interview process can be for both sides. I know there’s always going to be at least one candidate who sounds fine on paper but then comes across as mediocre during the interview. But FFS, if you’ve been asked to provide an example of when you were able to come up with an improvement to your team’s processes, don’t spend 5 minutes bitching and moaning about how you had this great idea but TPTB were simply too stupid to recognize its value. Okay, you just demonstrated that you are both unable to argue convincingly for an improvement and to avoid sounding like a sore loser. 

[KittyMom4]

My annoyance today, and for the rest of summer, is with that one coworker who thinks that because its beautiful outside and they own a boat they should get to leave early because "gotta get out there while it's nice out!" Hey, it's your vacation time, do what you want, but don't then expect me to cover your work when you get behind. 

[MargeGunderson]

I am on 5th day in a row of 12-14 hour days (one of them was Sunday) and will be working all through the weekend. My sole coworker left (which was good, because she was not a team player) so now I’m doing my job and her job. It’s 10:15 and I’m going to be at it for at least a couple more hours, and then I have calls starting at 5:30am. I’m so tired and cranky. 

[Kiki777]

Any frequent job-hunters out there?  I've been looking within my current company for a couple weeks and have already had preliminary (or regular) interviews for at least 4 jobs.  But this week I got an invite to interview for my DREAM job.  I've been wanting to get into this department for years.  I want it so badly but wonder what to do if I get offers from the so-so jobs while waiting to hear from the one I really want.  I've lost out on great jobs in the past because I'd jumped on the first offer.  Gah it's such a gamble...

[theredhead77]

10 hours ago, Kiki777 said:

Any frequent job-hunters out there?  I've been looking within my current company for a couple weeks and have already had preliminary (or regular) interviews for at least 4 jobs.  But this week I got an invite to interview for my DREAM job.  I've been wanting to get into this department for years.  I want it so badly but wonder what to do if I get offers from the so-so jobs while waiting to hear from the one I really want.  I've lost out on great jobs in the past because I'd jumped on the first offer.  Gah it's such a gamble...

If it's truly your dream job I'd pursue it.

Do you have offers from the other positions? At my company, all internal applicants have to be interviewed, regardless of qualification.

Are all the postings within your company or is the dream job an external position and the other ones internal?

[MargeGunderson]

And it’s just getting worse. The proverbial pig excrement just hit the wind spinner. Calls, email and IMs are flying, fingers are being pointed (at me, primarily), and now big important meeting on Monday to determine who f’ed up (not me)and who’s going to fix it (OH HELL NO). My manager is out of the office today and Monday so everything is raining down on me but I have little backup at this point (she’s trying but is in transit).

I’m now drinking a can of sparkling rose in my home office because it’s after noon, and I’m clearly not getting to have a summer Friday (work 1 hour more M-Th and get half day on Friday).  So, yeah, I’m going to drink my canned wine, go on do not Disturb and Get Shit Done.

[Mindthinkr]

Cheers @MargeGunderson 🍷

You enjoy your sparkling rosé. Best rest now because the crap show is sure to happen on Monday. 

[Guest]

I had a regular check up with my Doctor today and we ended up talking about how much stress I've been under at work. Which is a lot. And for a long time.

I think she may have been given me about the best advise any one ever has.

She said if I can identify what is causing stress (I can) then do something different.  Do something different in reaction to it.  Not do something different in reaction to the stress (although I go the usual exercise/physical release advice) but handle the stressors differently.  Handle it differently even if I think that the result will be worse because longer term maybe it might be better.

So WTF, I have about zero fucks left to give and what I have been doing so far hasn't been working for me.  Been working fine for everyone else, but not for me.

So I handled a bunch of things subtly differently today.  I feel better, more energized at the end of a long work week than I have in as long as I can remember.

If I keep this up and it keeps working, my stressors may rue this day; but they are assholes so screw 'em.  

[Kiki777]

8 hours ago, theredhead77 said:

If it's truly your dream job I'd pursue it.

Do you have offers from the other positions? At my company, all internal applicants have to be interviewed, regardless of qualification.

Are all the postings within your company or is the dream job an external position and the other ones internal?

No offers yet- just interviews, and all the jobs I'm applying to are internal (I get 6 weeks' vacation which is tough to beat)  

I think I'm feeling pressured because I have about a 50% chance of losing my current job by the end of the year (yay downsizing?) and some departments take soooo long to get their shit together when it comes to hiring.  And others have sent an offer just days after the interview.  It's like playing chicken.  While juggling.  

[bilgistic]

The grocery store in which I work closes at 10:00pm. Tonight, as every night, several people came in during the last few minutes we were open. The last customers, at well past 10, were a middle-aged couple with a $200+ order (so they had entered the store before 10, filled their cart to the brim, then checked out well after 10 because we employees have nothing better to do but wait all night on entitled customers). The wife said, "I'm sorry we're so late; I just got out of the E.R."

Ma'am???

[BookWoman56]

12 hours ago, bilgistic said:

The wife said, "I'm sorry we're so late; I just got out of the E.R."

I'd assume she and her husband just spent an insane amount of time in the waiting room of the ER, before getting whatever treatment was needed or maybe just being there to see how a family member was doing, and then realized they needed groceries. The last few times I've gone to an ER either as a patient or to accompany my mother, it's taken at least 4-5 hours to make it through the process, and a couple of times even longer. Maybe she was simply trying to make it clear that they didn't show up that late just because they couldn't be bothered to go at a regular time, but instead had been dealing with a situation that prevented them from shopping for groceries. That said, though, in their position I'd have been more inclined to run in just for a few necessities for the night, and then do the major shopping the next day during normal business hours. However, I'm glad the grocery stores near me don't close until 1am and in some cases are open 24/7. I much prefer to do my shopping late at night so the stores are less crowded. 

Edited June 30, 2019 by BookWoman56
Corrected typo

[bilgistic]

4 minutes ago, BookWoman56 said:

That said, though, in their position I'd have been more inclined to run it just for a few necessities for the night, and then do the major shopping the next day during normal business hours. However, I'm glad the grocery stores near me don't close until 1am and in some cases are open 24/7. I much prefer to do my shopping late at night so the stores are less crowded. 

Bolded is what I thought. Like, why did they need to buy a month's worth of groceries at 10pm right after she got out of the hospital?! It made zero sense!

And there are at least two other grocery stores within two miles that are open later, so...yeah.

[RealHousewife]

I love my job for the most part. 

My only real annoyances lately are men who try to force friendships and whatnot at work. I don’t trust their motives. They’re constantly asking me to go out to do everything from lunch, drinks after work, church, movies, you name it. 

If I always say no to going out to lunch unless it’s a group where other females are going, take a hint. Either learn to be independent and go grab lunch alone like a big boy or try getting a lunch buddy that’s more appropriate for you than a female half your age. I do not have daddy issues to that extreme!

If I tell you I’m not religious, please respect that and stop pushing your agenda. Go try to save someone else. 

If you’re a married man, are you sure your wife would appreciate you wanting us to go to a movie together? I can’t imagine most would. 

[ratgirlagogo]

On 6/30/2019 at 12:48 AM, bilgistic said:

Bolded is what I thought. Like, why did they need to buy a month's worth of groceries at 10pm right after she got out of the hospital?! It made zero sense!

And there are at least two other grocery stores within two miles that are open later, so...yeah.

Who knows? My guess is they were terrified by what had happened in the hospital, perhaps had been there for 12 plus hours, weren't thinking clearly and kind of clinging onto an everyday activity like grocery shopping so they could feel normal.

Really there's no way of knowing.  While it TOTALLY sucks to be kept late WO overtime, were they at least polite aside from staying past closing?

[Guest]

I swear my job sometimes makes me wonder why there are so many shitty people in the world and whether shitty people know that they are shitty.

[magicdog]

On 7/2/2019 at 3:44 PM, ParadoxLost said:

I swear my job sometimes makes me wonder why there are so many shitty people in the world and whether shitty people know that they are shitty.

They usually don’t.  Those who do , don’t care because the Universe owes them...or something.

[hoosier80]

And another shit show of a week at work.  Dip was out several days - so YAY!

Multiple directions given on how to set up upcoming stuff, do it this way, no don't, yes do.  Then asking about shit I don't do.  Uh, no I'm not in charge of that, plus YOU had a private conversation with a tech rep, so YOU own that item.  

Then was asked about what had been set up for people - what systems.  Well, I saw a ton of people for X and Y.  You'd thought I had ran over a basket of puppies with my car when I said Y had a ton of people set up.  We can only have 4.  I said well puppies are ok, let me check and I'll let you know.  Yeah QB had me and Dip review around 150 set ups, and sent to tech to do their half of the process.  Only 4 could be set up due to system constraints (shitty process).  Anyhow QB deleted all but 4, then closed out the item without saying a word to anyone.  Should've had another two reviews to make sure she didn't remove something needed, because she's sloppy and lazy.  Nope, just closed out item.  I emailed QB basically being very curt, saying it needed two reviews and I didn't appreciate it.  No response.  

Then the cherry on this cluster sundae.  We're to do more administrative stuff for yet another system.  Yay me.   QB sets up call, except nothing prepared so a waste of 30 minutes.  QB says she'll contact this system person separately.  I do  not like this already.  QB is hoarding info from the start.  So I get into this new system, I needed a token (a small electronic device - kind of a pager on a key fob that gives out new passcodes - every time you log in).  Fabulous.  I hate tokens.  QB had them all.  Fabulous.

So she sets up users I guess.  Dip tells me before leaving she's not coming into the office on Friday, not driving in for 'one day'.  Uh, the rest of the office has to do that, so you're that special?  Whatever.  I don't have to deal with her and she won't do a damned thing being remote.  She had a boatload of stupid questions all week when we were in person, so holiday for me.  

QB leaves, out for a week.  Yeah, get email from the systems person (new system).  Hi, did you get this crap set up because these folks need it to do their jobs (there will be a financial impact if not done).  I'm asked - do you know what she did?  Nope.  Boss asks me, too.  Nope.  I said I think I have her info to text or call her - he'd already done so, no answer.  She doesn't give a fuck.  She's on vacation.  So I get more emails, can you resend what was sent?  I DO NOT KNOW WHAT WAS DONE, so I do NOT know what was or wasn't sent.  I had found the list of users in the system and had sent that out.  The kicker, this was all done with no documentation in our ticketing system.  NONE.  This is after the big issue we just had last month.  I'm so going to email boss and say oh hey, I was looking for info, but I don't see anything.  Plus doesn't or shouldn't this have two reviews????  Bet he lets it slide.  As a co-worker said, he and QB are friends - but if it's his ass on the line, I think all bets are off.  It's just a question of time before one or both of these losers fuck stuff up big time once again.

[BookWoman56]

5 hours ago, hoosier80 said:

I'm so going to email boss and say oh hey, I was looking for info, but I don't see anything.  Plus doesn't or shouldn't this have two reviews????  Bet he lets it slide.  As a co-worker said, he and QB are friends - but if it's his ass on the line, I think all bets are off.  It's just a question of time before one or both of these losers fuck stuff up big time once again.

This is more or less what happened in my old position a few years ago, before I transferred to the area I'm in now. My manager thought our lead tech writer could do no wrong; this was someone he had hired with minimal qualifications to be a tech writer, and then proceeded to promote him to the highest tech writer level available (a TW4) a few months before I left. The manager put this guy in charge of the SharePoint site not just for our team, but for the entire area overseen by the person our manager reported to. This was done despite this tech writer having had only the slightest bit of training into how to be an admin for a SP site. Not surprisingly, the tech writer fucked things up royally; accidentally deleted the entire SP site that everybody who reported to my manager's boss used, and it was a week before the site could be restored. During that time, a fuckton of work came to a screeching halt. The result was that this tech writer made my manager look really bad for having recommended him for this position. In the meantime, I was offered a TW4  job in another area of the company. As soon as I accepted, this manager got on the phone to his former protege, and told him, "BookWoman56 has accepted a TW4 position in another area, so that means her current TW3 slot will be open, and I strongly encourage you to apply for it." So yeah, as soon as this person made the manager look bad, all bets were off and the manager essentially told him to accept a demotion or get fired. 

@hoosier80, I know your work environment is completely insane, but maybe your boss will get tired of the fuck-ups, especially if they are high profile enough to make him look bad, and cut his losses. 

[GHScorpiosRule]

So. I was leery of posting here about my anxiety as my first annual evaluation was coming up, lest I jinx myself. It didn’t help that with the summer, work does slow down and of course the summer associates, who are given a good chunk of work I consider MINE!🤪 Radio Silence from my group didn’t help, as that brought memories of that happening before I was ambushed with a firing. Like I said-it’s like being in an abusive relationship for so long, that finally being in a healthy relationship with this job, old habits are hard to break.

And of course it didn’t help that one matter I’m working on has to do with job termination. Reviewing all those documents was giving me heart palpitations.

TWO weeks I’ve been stressing.

So I had my evaluation yesterday. Not with my supervisor, but the firm’s Paralegal Director.

I got a...MOST POSITIVE EVALUATION!!! My group, which this firm was built on, is one that has exacting standards. They all are happy with my work. As are the other groups I’ve helped on. I’ve “exceeded” their expectations.

To say I was relieved is putting it mildly.

There are a few areas where I need to work on-and I knew that those areas would be pointed out, so it wasn’t a ‘what?’ reaction for me.

The one...concern that was mentioned to one partner (who provided comments) was associates mentioning me not being available after work/unwilling to stay late. Partner said that was never an issue for him, because I am always willing to stay late-if I can. And I told my Director that the only time I told an associate I couldn’t work late was because I had a Board of Directors meeting at my Paralegal Association, and as a newly elected member I needed to be there. I gave this notice a WEEK before the filing. I ended up staying a half hour PAST my end of shift. It turned out there were two briefs due. And the one I worked on wasn’t even ready for me until the day of the filing instead of the day before. But whatever. It wasn’t concerning to either the partner or director, but personally, I wanted to provide my comments, as I was informed I could provide a response.

And while I didn’t make my hours (DAMN YOU GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN!!), I was 20 hours short, I didn’t get my bonus. But I got a raise, which was effective as of the first of July.

So now I can relax about being able to buy my car! Next weekend!!

[MargeGunderson]

I have now had two half days off, and it has been glorious. I worked yesterday morning and this morning, but logged out at noon. The giant kerfuffle last Friday turned out to be not such a big deal, largely because I did a bunch of extra work for another team who dropped the ball entirely. So crisis averted, and I now know that that team has an exceptionally narrow view of what their job is. My intern starts on Tuesday which will be more work for at least a month but eventually she should be able to take over some non-critical neglected work. I really hope my manager hires someone for my coworker’s position soon. 

[hoosier80]

Well one big project - part 1, is to start up in production next month.  Testing like crazy (which tbh should have been done eons ago).  People testing are generally good, but know nothing about the one system which feeds data into the one they're testing (they're experts on that system).  So of course, I need abcd.  Ok, tell me which ones, because I do not want to have to do (literally) thousands of updates when you're going to use maybe 30.  Then with the 4th (I kid you not) refresh/redo of the test environment, oh I had to add shit again.  Of course shit was missing (copied data and it left much uncopied).  

Now the PM who is into full FREAK OUT mode, asking about part 2 shit, which doesn't go into effect until early summer 2020.  I've not done a full review and left a lot of it undone because I need answers and data for a lot of fields.  Oh, this isn't set up, we can't get this into the system.  Da fuq?  You're testing this shit now?  Why?  Why would you start testing shit when we do not have all of the data required to set up, and you didn't let me know.  Part 1 is just being reviewed by Dip & Co (with sad assed questions about stuff she should know but does not - after 4 years of doing this stuff).  

Then the templates that I used - which the PM said to use these templates, didn't copy over some basic data.  Of course, that's my fault.  I'm so done with all of this crap.

And, they've hired in two newbies.  One for a position that would be thought of as more project related.  I almost asked during team call, why weren't any people here considered for that position?  The person hired - oh everyone knows her - worked as a rep in one of the call center departments years ago, so not exactly a project whiz.  And, that team always comes to ask me how to do, what to do, how does it work...…….but I'm not good enough for that job, I guess.  smh

Boss will be in the office in a week or so.  I may do my dress up - vaguely saying oh I had an appointment deal when he's there.  He barely acknowledges me when he's in the office, so he may not even notice.  I need to rattle his cage a bit though.

[Kiki777]

OMG it's all happening at once.  Had my final interview for my dream job last week, they said they'll let people know by the end of this week.  I also had an interview for another job that would be a great 2nd choice if I don't get my 1st choice.  But today I just got a voicemail from the recruiter for my 2nd choice.  I'm afraid to call back bc it might be an offer.  Would it be rude to say I need till Friday to 'think it over' while I wait to hear about the job that I really want?

[BookWoman56]

2 hours ago, Kiki777 said:

OMG it's all happening at once.  Had my final interview for my dream job last week, they said they'll let people know by the end of this week.  I also had an interview for another job that would be a great 2nd choice if I don't get my 1st choice.  But today I just got a voicemail from the recruiter for my 2nd choice.  I'm afraid to call back bc it might be an offer.  Would it be rude to say I need till Friday to 'think it over' while I wait to hear about the job that I really want?

No, it’s not rude. Recruiters are used to people wanting a couple of days to think over an offer, which any applicant might do regardless of other possible offers. In any event, I hope you get the offer for your dream job. 

[Kiki777]

2 hours ago, BookWoman56 said:

No, it’s not rude. Recruiters are used to people wanting a couple of days to think over an offer, which any applicant might do regardless of other possible offers. In any event, I hope you get the offer for your dream job. 

Thanks!  I did call her back and it was not quite an offer right away.  she wanted to know if I was still interested because they really liked me but were unsure of my salary requirements.  I told her I'm within the market range and she was like 'great! they'll make a final decision on Friday.'

So it's possible I may get 2 offers on Friday.  Or a backup if I don't get my dream job.  Still not too bad (of course I may still get neither but I'll cross that bridge when I get to it- I'm still applying to other jobs just in case)

its just a stressful situation because of all the layoffs in my company.  They outsource like it's going out of style, but my 1st choice job is in one of the departments that stay onshore.

[Mindthinkr]

1 minute ago, Kiki777 said:

So it's possible I may get 2 offers on Friday.  

It’s going to be a long week. Tick tock, but I hope that you get offers on both. 

[Kiki777]

2 hours ago, Mindthinkr said:

It’s going to be a long week. Tick tock, but I hope that you get offers on both. 

Thank you! and yes it is a long week but I am making the most of it by stress-eating my way through it.  For dinner I had nachos and guacamole with half a pint of Chery Garcia.  I regret nothing :-)

[Kiki777]

So the day is over, and no word from Job 1 or Job 2.  Just when I was about to bang my head on the desk, I got an interview invite for (let's call it) Job 3.  Hmm, the recruiters for Jobs 1 and 2 are based in Corporate, and recruiter for Job 3 is not.  So I'm telling myself that maybe Corporate can't get their crap together today, and I'll hear something - anything? - on Monday, sometime in December, 2021?

Ugh.  I hate this.

[magicdog]

57 minutes ago, Kiki777 said:

I'm telling myself that maybe Corporate can't get their crap together today, and I'll hear something - anything? - on Monday, sometime in December, 2021?

Ugh.  I hate this.

I know how you feel.  I used to get dicked around by corporate of a job I had years ago that used to promise promotion from within (or to move into different departments).  I'd get as far as two interviews for a job, get glowing comments from the interviewer then hear nothing.  When I go to follow up, I find out either the position was eliminated (!) or changed altogether and a different set of qualifications was required!!  WHY??

[BookWoman56]

50 minutes ago, Kiki777 said:

So the day is over, and no word from Job 1 or Job 2.  Just when I was about to bang my head on the desk, I got an interview invite for (let's call it) Job 3.  Hmm, the recruiters for Jobs 1 and 2 are based in Corporate, and recruiter for Job 3 is not.  So I'm telling myself that maybe Corporate can't get their crap together today, and I'll hear something - anything? - on Monday, sometime in December, 2021?

Ugh.  I hate this.

Having just gone through the process of hiring someone, who starts on Monday, I will tell you it’s probably a case of corporate not having finished various things yet. Or, as I told a colleague who’s about to start the hiring process, “However long you think it could possibly take for HR to get this done, add about 3-4 weeks to your estimate. “  For example, we are required to use HR-produced interview guides, which must be completed by each person conducting the interview, for each candidate who is interviewed. So in my case, I had a panel interview of me and two colleagues, and we interviewed 3 candidates. So that was 9 interview guides that had to be completed, and HR will not make an offer until they have that paperwork submitted.  And then there’s the thing of the recruiter going on PTO for a week mid-process, etc. So, you may hear something on Monday, or it may be a few more days. 

[Kiki777]

33 minutes ago, BookWoman56 said:

Having just gone through the process of hiring someone, who starts on Monday, I will tell you it’s probably a case of corporate not having finished various things yet. Or, as I told a colleague who’s about to start the hiring process, “However long you think it could possibly take for HR to get this done, add about 3-4 weeks to your estimate. “  For example, we are required to use HR-produced interview guides, which must be completed by each person conducting the interview, for each candidate who is interviewed. So in my case, I had a panel interview of me and two colleagues, and we interviewed 3 candidates. So that was 9 interview guides that had to be completed, and HR will not make an offer until they have that paperwork submitted.  And then there’s the thing of the recruiter going on PTO for a week mid-process, etc. So, you may hear something on Monday, or it may be a few more days. 

Very good points - Job1 is hiring 3 people, which probably draws thing out, because I guess the department heads all have to agree.

Also, summers are really bad for every department (mine included) in terms of getting stuff done.  Tons of people on PTO and everyone left behind is scrambling to pick up the slack.  The hiring managers have their own jobs to do, and stuff to catch up on.  Ok I'm gonna chill and enjoy my weekend, which includes a barbecue tomorrow.  

Thank you both :-)

[hoosier80]

So last week, I was double checking on one item that has to match up with another system for part 1 of big project coming up - this weekend.  I'm like I don't see items 949, etc.  The other system stopped at like 650.  We have stuff 700, 800, 900 etc., so I was like WTH.  Started asking, and the people in charge of that system weren't online, so asking people who were testing.  The test environment had everything established.  The regular environment, nope.  I then sent out emails marked urgent.  The princess who sets up this system said well I just did what THEY told me to do.  The attachment had a note - for 2020 as in the year 2020!!! She's part time - truly this is last on her priority list - she is a home school mom who totes kids around and then expects us to work around HER schedule - I've told her no many times.  Sorry not working around your schedule honey.  The gruesome twosome had reviewed her original stuff, both not even batting an eye when they saw (if they saw it - year 2020).  She set up the crap for part 2.  And I tried to tell Dip, hey you guys didn't really check that.  Oh we just checked what she entered.  I very nicely said, if I hadn't somehow caught it, it would have been a disaster, and everyone associated with this project would have been in a room being yelled at, possibly written up.  She didn't get it.  I told the project manager, and he was like I spelled it out.  I said yes, you did. The princess who worked on it, had told him - oh it's all completed (and it was not).  She'd jacked up another project, but she had Dip & QB review.  When it was wrong, she ripped them a new butthole.  She had them review this one, too.  Stupid.   I'm sure if it's wrong, somehow our boss will try to say it's all of our fault.  

So I'll be working this weekend.  Dip & QB ditched the meeting where the whole project implementation was being discussed, so the PM said I guess you're covering this for your team?  Yep.  Now, Dip asking if I need help, because I'll be the one noted as being a contributor (she will not be noted).  Just wants the glory, not the work.

I'm continuing to look, but honestly the stuff I've seen doesn't look any better.  

[Kiki777]

5 hours ago, hoosier80 said:

I'm continuing to look, but honestly the stuff I've seen doesn't look any better

Sometimes the devil you don't know is better, if things are bad enough where you are.

I'm taking such a move.  I got an offer from Job2, and talked to recruiter from Job1 to find that they hired someone else.  I am devastated, not gonna lie.  But a friend of mine suggested I take Job2 and continue to look for a job similar to Job1 at a different company.  It means possibly giving up the great perks I have, but it's a thought...

[BookWoman56]

4 hours ago, Kiki777 said:

I got an offer from Job2, and talked to recruiter from Job1 to find that they hired someone else.  I am devastated, not gonna lie.  But a friend of mine suggested I take Job2 and continue to look for a job similar to Job1 at a different company.

It always stings a bit when you don't get an offer for a job you really want, especially when the interview went well. It's been almost 10 years ago now, but I had a fantastic interview for a job I really wanted at a university, to get a particular department started doing online courses. I'd been doing instructional design for both completely online and blended courses for a while prior to that, and so I felt fairly confident. During the interview, I asked them questions about aspects of their plans that they'd never even thought about up to that point, discussed the pros and cons of some software packages to do what they wanted, etc. They made it clear I was bringing up ideas and questions no previous applicant had. It was a group interview with about 6-8 people, and several of them made a point at the end of the interview to thank me because they felt they had learned critical information from my responses and my own questions of them. Based on their enthusiastic comments, I fully expected to get an offer but didn't. Turned out the university was downsizing a department that included instructional design/curriculum development, and so the job I'd interviewed for went to a staff member whose job was being eliminated. That's just the way it goes sometimes.

In your case, you mentioned your company (or your part of the company?) is doing layoffs. My advice, based on my own experiences, is to do what you can to control your own destiny rather than just wait until getting laid off. If you have an offer you feel comfortable about, there's nothing wrong with taking it and seeing how things go. It may be something you like, or you may end up using it as resume fodder to gain leverage for your dream job.

My own situation is a bit hectic right now; my new tech writer started on Monday, which as it turned out, I had to be out of office for that day. But I provided her with a lot of reading material to get started, and we touched base today. This happens to be the part of the year when I normally have two 300-400 page documents to do by the end of August, only this year there's an additional 100-150 page document to handle as well, so I'll be juggling those while training her. Fortunately, she's someone who should be able to dive right in. On the down side, my friend who took a job in our area based on my recommendation has decided very firmly that the second she hits the required one year in current position, she's going to start posting out for another position. The colleague who ended up being her manager is lazy as fuck; she has two open positions that she "can't fill" because she can't find anyone who's qualified but is completely willing to be a doormat. So my friend is stuck with extra work that should be done by one of these other two roles that have been empty for several months now. 

[Kiki777]

1 hour ago, BookWoman56 said:

In your case, you mentioned your company (or your part of the company?) is doing layoffs. My advice, based on my own experiences, is to do what you can to control your own destiny rather than just wait until getting laid off. If you have an offer you feel comfortable about, there's nothing wrong with taking it and seeing how things go. It may be something you like, or you may end up using it as resume fodder to gain leverage for your dream job.

Yeah my company does layoff a lot, one time I waited till the layoff so I could get a nice severance and chill for a while, but the other 2 times I faced layoffs (including now) I landed another position before the cuts happened.  You're right that I shouldn't wait for layoff time to look for the job I want though- more freedom and time to pick and choose.

Luckily, I would gain useful skills at the job I did get- it oversees a bunch of different departments so I will learn a lot, the work sounds great, and my boss-to-be is really nice.  Something great could come of this, like you said, and I could put in a decent amount of time before seeing what else is out there at my own leisure.

I'm sorry about the situation your friend is in - I've been there, in a not-so-good place, but you're stuck putting in time before you can move on.  Hopefully the year will go quickly for her- time sometime flies when we pack two days' work into one...

[Moose135]

My old company is still going through a fair bit of turmoil, especially in the division I worked in.  I saw a job posting that looked to be a good fit, in a different area of the company, and on the same campus where I worked - about a 4 minute commute for me.  I applied, and a couple of weeks ago I got an e-mail from a recruiter in HR, looking to set up a call. 

I'm in Atlanta this week for training with the Census Bureau, and I sent him an e-mail with a few options for a call.  I didn't hear back from him, so I e-mailed him Monday, only to get it bounced as "no such address". I called, but got a busy signal, no voice mail or anything.  I contacted a good friend who still works there - she checked and said he no longer works for the company, apparently in the week since he contacted me to set up an interview, he was laid off.  I sent an e-mail to the general "Talent Acquisition" e-mail address yesterday, but haven't heard anything yet.

[BookWoman56]

@Moose135, if there’s that much turmoil going on, you might be better off staying where you are rather than returning to your old company. Obviously you know way more about the situation there, but I’d be nervous about going to work for a place where the recruiter got laid off just after contacting me about an open position. Maybe there are a lot of layoffs just in that part of the company, or is the entire company going through some massive reorganization? Good luck with whatever you decide is best for you. 

[Guest]

I've been contemplating learning to draw.  I'm now thinking about my company in Dilbert like comic strips.

[bilgistic]

Here's a tangentially related work peeve. It's pouring rain today on my day off. I usually hate working Sundays because they are insanely busy and my anxiety is off the charts, but the store is slow when it's raining. So I wish I was working today and had two days off during the week instead!

And I need to run errands today on my day off—the next one is Thursday, but I need to pick up a prescription today—but it's pouring!

[hoosier80]

Well part 1 of the BIG PROJECT launched on Saturday.  I was on call in case they needed stuff added.  Nope, all was ok.  

This morning I get a panicked call from the Dip.  Needed new shit added, and she couldn't figure out how to run the program.  I logged in and it was done (roughly 200 codes) within 30 minutes (probably less).  I am pissed because I asked the group that had this urgent item, do you need this extra code?  Nope.  Then the Dip doesn't know how to do a simple run after roughly 4 years.  

Now boss needs some sort of testing over two weekends.  Dip took one, as it's "her" system, but has out of town guests on the other weekend.  Yeah, I'd sort of planned to take vacation that next weekend, so I may say sorry, I'll be out of town or on my way out o town (not really true, but on vacation - so out of town mentally).  I'm going to act like I didn't see it due to the onslaught of emails this morning.  

Waiting at home to see if something else urgent shows up before I start getting ready for work. 

This week will be a gigantic shitshow.  

[Mindthinkr]

12 minutes ago, hoosier80 said:

Yeah, I'd sort of planned to take vacation that next weekend, so I may say sorry, I'll be out of town or on my way out o town (not really true, but on vacation - so out of town mentally).  I'm going to act like I didn't see it due to the onslaught of emails this morning.  

If that is the time for your planned vacation then take it. Yes, you might come back to a mess, but you will be refreshed from your time off. Let Dip fail all on her own if she can’t handle the work. It is her responsibility after all. Also, if you do take that time away, Turn. Your. Phone. Off. Email....what email? 

I hate coming here to see so many of you taken advantage of by your bosses or coworkers. If it is your time off, then be off. 

[bilgistic]

Y'all...if a new job doesn't come through soon...

I got in "trouble" today because at the beginning of my shift, I went to get a "communicator" (an intra-store walkie-talkie) from the station/bank/panel/place they charge. I literally walked from my register to the communicator station for 30 seconds, picked out a working communicator, and while I was standing there, still in the eyeline of the whole store, the absolutely awful assistant manager (we'll call him S) standing at the front end yells out, "Who's on register 1?!?" I step back, shutting the little panel door and say, "I am," as I wave the communicator and start walking to my register. He yells, "Get on your register!" This is in front of customers and employees. I mutter something to myself under my breath. A customer between me and my register (at the customer service desk) looked at me with the most perplexed expression, probably because a manager is yelling across the front of the store at an employee.

There were two other lanes open, each with just one person in them. One person had come to my lane as I was getting the communicator. No one was there when I walked away. If the situation were so dire, S could have gotten on any register and helped out, but does he ever do that? Of course not.

So I ring up a few people, and then the Assistant Customer Service Manager comes over and tells me S wants to talk to me in the office. Eyeroll.

A little history about S: He's been with the store for several years, and I have heard, but don't know for sure, that he was demoted for how he treats people. I have personally had one run in with him before this; I was trying to explain an issue that I was having with a coupon not working and while showing him, he got huffy about it ("Are you going to let me do it?!?") instead of letting me show him what happened so that he wouldn't have to repeat the steps that lead to it not working, but instead find a solution. I have also seen/heard him in a verbal altercation with a customer. It's my understanding and feeling that he's sexist and it may have something to do with his culture, but that's speculation.

The office discussion was that I "walked away from my register" and I shouldn't do that. I explained again that I was getting a communicator (which we are required to wear/use) and was away from my register for just a moment while there were two other lanes open, etc. He said that the communicator is "not important". I told him to ask my (Customer Service) manager about that, because he is very insistent we wear them. He said he'd talk to him about that. Sure, Jan. He also said I'm not supposed to say anything TO MYSELF after he tells me something, as in when I muttered to myself when walking back to my register. *That* is disturbing.

I then asked him if he was talking to everyone else about being away from their registers, since we have two guys who work as "Customer Leads"—which entails helping bag, retrieving carts, helping people who need assistance to their car, stocking bags, cigarettes, running lottery, etc.—that disappear for large swaths of time and no one does anything. Another cashier (who is dating another employee) "goes to the bathroom" three or four times during a six-hour shift for 15 minutes at a time. Nothing is said to her. She also stays on her phone, leaning against her register the entire shift. He said I didn't know who he was talking about what with. OK, so that's a no, then.

The next item on the disciplinary agenda was telling me that a customer said I used the word "fuck", and that was not okay. I get that, and yeah, I have a foul mouth that I need to rein in. I'm a little concerned for the person whose temperament is so delicate that they're upset enough by hearing "fuck" that they have to complain to a manager, but whatever. I have no idea what the context was, but I'm absolutely positive I've never told a customer to fuck off, despite really wanting to most days. (I'm almost certain I would've said it to myself when something wouldn't scan or I dropped something, etc.) S says, "Here at our store, we are happy, put on smiley face." I wanted to say, "Oh do WE, now? Do WE, S?" Because everyone knows you're an antagonistic, aggressive asshole.

I told S that I heard him, but if he needed to correct me in the future, he would need to do so in private and not in front of customers and other employees, especially by yelling across the front end at me. He said he didn't yell. OK, big man.

So I usually restock the drink coolers at night when we get a little slow, as he has asked us to do so. I didn't do it tonight because I was told to stay at my register. If he says anything to me tomorrow, that's what I'm telling him.

If other people can do the bare minimum, than so should I.

It's all so stupid. I hate middle managers with their little power trips. Literally yesterday, the interim store manager asked me if I wanted to move up in the company (no) and what I would need (money-wise) to do it (not for any amount). Today this little worm is eating away at my morale.

Edited August 11, 2019 by bilgistic

[magicdog]

9 hours ago, bilgistic said:

If other people can do the bare minimum, than so should I.

While "S" sounds like a dick (what culture is he from that his behavior is acceptable?) that's the wrong attitude.  By doing better than minimum you show initiative and that you care.  Sure, you're not in your dream job (I know I'm not if you've read my "Bitcheroo" stories) but you should do your best until you get out.  My father used to tell me, if you're just a street sweeper, be the best street sweeper there is.

9 hours ago, bilgistic said:

I hate middle managers with their little power trips. Literally yesterday, the interim store manager asked me if I wanted to move up in the company (no) and what I would need (money-wise) to do it (not for any amount). Today this little worm is eating away at my morale.

If you move up you might be able to get above "S" and he won't be able to harass you anymore - plus, it'll really tick him off!  Maybe moving up could open new opportunities for you at corporate.