Job update (LONG again- sorry)

klmno

Active Member
I was out of town a week ago for work (not this past week), and I had forgotten about Boss's tirade the week before by the time I got back because, well, they happen so often and I have other problems so I just forget and move on. Boss seemed ok the first few days of this past work week but since I had to talk to a security officer about clearance stuff last week, I talked to one where I was out of town. He made it sound like there was a good chance my clearance would go thru this time. So even though boss seemed ok for a few days, I went ahead and updated my resume and posted it for more permanent positions in this field, then I saw the same ad on CL that I'd seen a few weeks ago, figured WTH and sent them a resume, too. They responded that evening and sent me a work behavior "test" to complete and send back. I responded that I would complete it but it would take me until the next day to get it back to them because it couldn't be completed without printing out, then scanning back in to email it back. I don't have the equipment at home. Also, I mentioned I'd be out of town for work next week. The guy emails me back and asked then could I come in for an interview Friday afternoon and just bring the completed test when I come- this was Wed. evening I think. I really needed to have a few hours Fri. afternoon to use comp time catching up with some personal business phone calls, seeing if PO was coming by house, etc, and I wasn't even sure if boss would let me take off early Fri., so I waited until Thursday to answer.

On Thursday, bboss said he would finally have time to respond to some things I needed answers about- things like what he wanted me to do about a few different projects that I don't have authority to make that sort of decision on. I had emailed him while I was out of town about this stuff but of course, even though that's what he'd told me to do, he'd never responded. So Thurs. afternoon I'm thinking everything was fine (stupid me, right?) and we start going over these projects. He was completely reasonable and rational UNTIL the other people who work around us- one being the client's rep- left for the day. Then boss decided that "I" had been hammering a dead horse and should never had brought these thingsd up again. I was calm but baffled and asked what he meant, since he'd been the one to tell me to look into it while out of town and email him about what I'd found out so he could make a decision. Then he went off about me emailing- saying he didn't have time to deal with emails. OK, I understand he's busy, that's why I hadn't puished him for an answer and had waited until he told me he had time to discuss each project. Then he says well, that's what he'd just done. I said I know, so I don't understand why you are getting mad. Then he said he wasn't. I said ok, then I'll move on to other things I need to be doing- thinking again the subject was dropped- no real answer- but never mind that. I start responding to some emails I'd gotten in and boss brings it up again. He starts going on and on about the project- why did I keep bringing it up, blah blah blah. I sat and listened and glanced at the clock periodically. Finally, he said he just didn't understand why "I" couldn't let it go and why "I" was so frustrated over tthat project. Then I raised my eyebrows a little and he said "OK, he was the one frustrated". Here I was sitting there thinking that alone was a major break through for him to even own up to his own feelings when it was more than obvious to me at that point that it was him that couldn't let the issue go. So, I calmly said "boss, I started doing something else, you brought the subject up again and have been talking about it for 45 mins now- I don't understand why you are so frustrated about me bringing it to someone's attention that there is a discrepancy in how a project was documented in two different softwares when you had nothing to do with either one and are not responsible for it". Then, he seemesd to calm down- stupid me again thinking he'd had a light bulb moment and realized he'd gotten frustrated and defensive for NOTHING. So I asked to use comp time on Friday and leave mid-morning. (This was late Thurs. afternoon.) He said that would be fine.

Don't you know, Friday morning, about an hour after everyone gets to work, he told me to tell client's rep (in front of everyone) why "I" was still so frustrated over that one project- mind you, I had moved on and never brought it up at all. I looked at boss and noticed he had a big smirk on his face. I just chuckled and said "no, I'm not worried about that project anymore and have moved on." Cleint's rep asked me to tell him what I'd been concerned about. (It was client' rep who'd told me a few weeks ago specifiaclly to bring it to his attention if I found a discrepancy.) Boss was still smirking, I said "in my perception, there is a discrepancy in what was enterred in A software and B software, however, Boss sees it differently so I'd just as soon let it go. Boss says "no, you kept bringing it up yesterday so you tell him". I was starting to get unraveled then and dropped my jaw saying "excuse me- you went off about it for 45 min after everyone else left yesterday". He denied it, of course. Client's rep said he saw no reason for anything pertaining to that project to be cause for argument. I said I agree, but remember, I'm not the one who brought it up this morning. Boss said it was clear, there was no discrepancy in the software to begin with. Client's rep started to play mediator, I was saying nothing, boss kept saying it was just me- there is no discrepancy, I looked over at boss and he's looking at me smirking again. I looked at client's rep and said "would you look at him smirking". Boss said "you're just mad because you won't let this issue rest", or something like that. I just shook my head and went back to work. Boss got up and walked off. I finished what I was doing, packed up stuff for next week out of town, went to client's rep and apologized for ever bringing subject up saying I wouldn't make that mistake again and hoped they didn't have to spend the majority of next week hearing boss talk about it (Oh- I'd already heard that boss had brought it up and had been telling client's rep that I had been making an issue over nothing but wouldn't let it go while I'd been out of town the previous week.) Anyway, then I told client's rep that boss had told me I could take comp time that day so I was leaving and couldn't tell boss because I don't know where he went. Boss comes back about that time (apparently he'd been around corner, staying within earshot.) He says "I am your immediate supervisor, if you don't like the way I do things, maybe you should just..." then he stopped. I came so close to saying "I AM" but I bit my tongue. I calmly reminded him that he'd told me I could take comp time so I was leaving and taking stuff I'd need for trip next week. He said "I perceived what you'd asked for to mean you only wanted to take the afternoon off, as in after lunch time." I looked at him and he was smirking again so I just said "well, I'm leaving now." And I left.

I think he's intentionally trying to drive me out and after adding up a few other details that I haven't gone into here, it appears that since he knew client's rep liked me, he was going to work on trying to get that rep not to like me so much before it happened. And it's working. Clearly, boss wouldn't let that issue go while I was out of town before, Thurs. afternoon, nor Fri.morning but some how, he has everyone convinced that it's me that won't let it go- even though he kept bringing it up.

I figured I'd get a phone call or mail saying I was fired before I leave to go out of town Mon. am. I haven't gotten one yet, but it could happen Mon., I guess.

My interview went pretty good I think but I don't know if I'll get the job. It's in my "real" career, which I haven't worked in, in about 2 years.The pay is what I'd been used to before my world started crashing with difficult child issues. The only thing is that I really wanted to get a permanent position with this client's agency. I was hoping to make things hang on until clearance question was answered. Boss seems adamant in making sure that doesn't happen- by his actions at least.

These people I interviewed with are supposed to get back to me early next week. Please send board strength and juju. I'd love to email boss a resignation letter Mon or Tues. Ofg course he probably won't bother opening the email but the people I'll have to copy- like owner of company- will read it.
 

klmno

Active Member
Oh- and this employer I interviewed with sent back the results of that test. It describes work habits, behavioral/personality tendencies, qualities, etc, and it fits me to a T. It's amazing they can do that with me only answering 24 groups of statements. LOL! I found it interesting that it includes a section of things like "klmno becomes frustrated with haphazrd decisions, stays unemotional when dealing with work, wants proper procedure followed...." so I'm thinking maybe boss and I are just polar opposites in our work approach. But still, when he's sitting over there smirking like a bratty little difficult child, knowing that he's instigating trouble, I can't have any respect for him as a boss. But I guess that doesn't matter if the intent is to discredit a person and/or drive a person out.
 
H

HaoZi

Guest
Pretzeled and salted for you! I sure hope the client gets wind of what he's doing soon before he really fouls up some big project.
 

Marguerite

Active Member
A client that can't work out what is going on is a client that is not worth bothering to impress.

Good luck with the interview. You need to get away from this boss.

Marg
 

DDD

Well-Known Member
Fingers crossed that the new position is offered. I bet you're glad to head out of town this week! DDD
 

klmno

Active Member
I bet you're glad to head out of town this week!

Oh, gosh- YES!! LOL!

And Marg, you are right. I figured out a month or so ago that boss can't stand the thought of me staying on the next contract and being assigned to work mostly with the client's rep. Boss is the type who wants every thing going thru him and he'd never be able to handle that. He's very unstable, at least in my humble opinion, on the best of days. Whether it's illegal drugs or that he needs to be on legal drugs (as in rx'd by a psychiatrist) I don't know- and don't care at this point.

But- the client is an aagency that goes way beyond this client's rep and that would be a different story, if I could get a permanent job with the agency outside of this particular department. This client's rep will probably figure more out about boss eventually, but that isn't my fight to fight or point to prove.
 

klmno

Active Member
I am not good at all at knowing how to handle someone who has authority over me when they are intentionally trying to un-nerve me or make me lose composure or whatever and they are smirking at me as if to say "I know you know what I'm intentionally doing but you can't do anything about it- if I lie, people will believe me, not you". How does one sit there and remain composed and work?
 

DammitJanet

Well-Known Member
That sounds like my last job situation. Im sorry..it just bites. I hate office politics in the worst way. I just want to do my job, do it well and leave me alone.
 

Suz

(the future) MRS. GERE
I'm doing the good luck nekkid chicken liver dance :cutie_pie: - you have got to unload that boss!

Fingers crossed!

Suz
 

klmno

Active Member
Thanks, Ladies! I didn't get a "your fired" letter today- or even a reprimand. I did get an email from a lady I had traveled with a month or so ago, needing help with one thing and another that I told her boss needed to answer. She responded that she had spoken to him briefly Fri. afternoon (she's in a different state) and he couldn't give her an answer right away so she suggested to him that he consult with me before deciding for sure- boy I bet that went over well with him. NOT! Of course, I never got into anything at all with her about boss and my big blow-out. But I know she has made comoments to a lot of people that boss never really responds at all or at least with any answer he sticks to. Many have said that.

And, I haven't heard anything back yet from the business I interviewed with on Friday. They know I'm out of toen this week but accessible by cell phone or personal email.

I saw difficult child over the weekend. He'd gotten in trouble there so had been put in isolation and we only got 1/2 hour of visitation- with him in handcuffs. What a joy for me- I HATE seeing him in handcuffs ...again...I can't even count the times I've seen that but you know, it started on his 11th b-day. No offense to anyone here, but I really don't understand how some kids can do so much and make it to adult-hood without ever being arrested or incarcerated. I'm glad my son hasn't gotten off scott-free for everything but sometimes life for him seems really unfair and hopeless.

I'm too old to live with my llife up in the air like this.
 
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