Share the Worst Job You've Ever Had
My worst job ever was with a non-profit organization with a Gemini perfectionist named Caren, not her real name but close. Mind you I have great attendance; I am very organized and structured when it comes to completing tasks and had always been a manager at my other positions, so my leadership skills were prevalent. I was pretty quiet as my focus was getting all of my work done. I was never on the office phone during work time nor on my cell phone. I was a model employee.
What Made This Job Your Worst Job - Ever
I would be given assignments and would be under the radar in getting them completed. Caren would listen to my phone calls and then call me into the proverbial principal's office at the end of each day to say what did you get accomplished for the day? Does anyone know a term for that beyond micr-management? If I wrote a letter, C. would say you didn't say it exactly like this or like that. If I spoke in front of her, she'd call me into the principal's office to ask me how I could have said it differently. i.e. just like she would have. Maybe I can find a scientist to implant a chip in my brain connected to hers that would shock me everytime I wanted to say something and it would come out of my mouth sounding exactly like she said it.
She would make comaraderie with the causcasion girls in the office and disrespect me, one of two women of color in the office, well, one of three - she was of color, but I guess a wannabe.
How amazing that we share the same job title now that I am in my new position that I've held for six years and have never had a problem.
I decided one day with C. that it must be personal and not my work ethic. i.e. jealousy. urrrrrhg.
C. had her husband stop by at the end of the day to pick her up. As I left the office, I made a genuine joke with her. The next morning she called me into the offic and said what was that joke about? How dare you joke with me in front of my husband. Were you trying to show off or something? Yes master, maybe I was, I'sa sorry.
One day what came down on me was a headache so bad that I thought I was having an aneurism. I couldn't get out the car and had to have a family member assist me. The next day I requested that she just lay me off and say that it wasn't a good job match. In that way she would be happy and I'd be happily unemployed and was able to get a few bills paid until I located the wonderful job that I have now. C. and her executive Director would sit at the front door waiting for everyone to come in as you had to pass their desk coming into the building. If you were one minute late they'd be over at your desk and giving you the eye everyday. The Executive Director would use profanity in the lunch room using the F word, etc. If she was stressed out, everyone had to know about it because she made you feel as if you were on pins and needles. Talk about a toxic environment.
Tips and Tricks
- I would pay attention to my intuition and not invest in an organization with someone who is a control freak. I worked for her part-time before she summoned me to the office to offer me a full time job because she loved my work ethic. I detected some things before I accepted the position full time and should have followed that intuition. Part-time was fine as it was in the field but the full time positon required me to supervise part-timers as I once was.
