grrrrrr

heavyheart

Have posted in work but no response and really need opinions please ? Mods move or delete if you wish but this is personal for me ..

Ok so i took a job last November that seemed like it had brilliant job prospects so although i had to take a 6K salary drop i didnt really mind. . I got a job spec and a contract and i was happy with but since ive started ive been treated like a personal gofor ... the job was for part PA work and the other commercial property related. It was more the commercial side i wanted to learn about and now all i get left is messages left in my tray to put the milk back in the fridge , wash cups out and open windows in fine weather.
On a day to day basis there isnt much todo as the office is quiet and im beginning to think that he just wants someone pretty to get tea and coffee , while there is nothing wrong with doing that it is not the job i was offered.
Should i say something ????? Im the brink after finding a list of petty things to do NON work related like dropping his wifes shoes off to get re-healed ?????????????????????????????? WTF like ?
Should i be happy that im in a job that to everyone else seems great ( as in because i have a good title, thou its not worth a Sh*t ) , in a job where i have sweet f a to do and still get paid or what ????
The (seldom) commercial work is good, i like it but i cant stand these gofor jobs that im left with ...........

biko

Do you have a planned work evaluation meeting coming up? If so wait for that. Otherwise you may want to set up a meeting after where you want to define your workload.

RedXIV

You could tell your employer? explain how you want to learn more about the industry and ask if all the spare time you seem to have could be spent in a more instructive way? also, if you want to learn, just go up and talk to people in various positions, i'm also in a brand new job and everyone answers every question i've asked and i'm probably nowhere near as pretty as ya

SuperSean11

Question him or else leave. He shouldnt be using you like this. Is he self employed?

daisy123

Don't quit it unless you have another job lined up, start looking around for the a position in the commercial property side of things. That way you can still use the job now as an excuse for wanting to get more experience in that field instead of being asked "Why did you quit your last job with nothing lined up?" type questions.

token56

The things like getting coffee or putting away the milk is just about bearable, but if when he asks you to do stuff like leaving his wife shoes in to a shop you have a problem. I think you should say something, maybe like you would like to get more experience in the commercial side of things, I wouldn't go on a mad rant or anything as he is still your boss and you have to be careful if you still want the job.

I would be inclined to say something about the personal chores, however again he is your boss and you dont know what he will say?

Alternatively just leave

heavyheart

thanks for the replies ... its a tough situation , jobs in the property industry just arent going at the moment and with my qualifications its selective where i can go .
He just really wound me up this morning with that list of jobs...

I came from a really busy job and now im in an office on my own every day , there are 2 other people ( non managerial ) who work upstairs and i wouldn't even see from one end of the day to the other...

Its lonely but i am due a 6K in crease in september and am getting married later in year ... thats if i havent exploded by then ...

My boss can be sexist and doesnt respect my opinions on anything , i do want better but should i risk losing the job by saying something ???

Aurora Borealis

Heavy heart you need to discuss the job spec with your boss. Request a meeting as per Bikos advice.
Be aware too that if you're posting this at work s/he has access rights so be careful in what you say here...

heavyheart

Aurora Borealis wrote: »

Heavy heart you need to discuss the job spec with your boss. Request a meeting as per Bikos advice.
Be aware too that if you're posting this at work s/he has access rights so be careful in what you say here...

Thanks but he isnt exactly computer literate so im not too worried and its a small office ....

Is the general synopsis that i request a meeting so ?? All in favor ??

RedXIV

have the meeting by all means, but if he's not working with you, start looking for another position on the sly.

heavyheart

RedXIV wrote: »

have the meeting by all means, but if he's not working with you, start looking for another position on the sly.

Ok thanks ... by the way red , ive posted before unreg and your advice has always been very helpful so jus wanted to say thanks.

RedXIV

heavyheart wrote: »

Ok thanks ... by the way red , ive posted before unreg and your advice has always been very helpful so jus wanted to say thanks.

Now that is a post worth getting out of bed for. it's a usual instinct that whenever i see my name in a post i'm about to get a bashing but that genuinely has left me chuffed (people in work wondering what i'm grinning at now i'd say ) Hope ya get this sorted lass, If i can help in any way, let me know

heavyheart

Thanks will do

Bendihorse

Heavy Heart, if your job was part PA then i would expect to be asked to do all manner of tasks for your boss, his family and wife. I understand that you thought more emphases would be placed on the other part of your job title but a Personal Assistant is just that, an assistant. ESPECIALLY so in an Owner/Director situation as this seems to be. Also, be aware the office may be more quiet than usual at the moment due to the slow down in the property market.

Maybe its not the job for you, but it might not be strictly true that the jobs your getting weren't within your remit at the outset. Have a think about it, and if you really cant bare it then think of going for something else that doesn't involve being a personal assistant to someone, as it may well include jobs that you dont desire.

heavyheart

Bendihorse wrote: »

Heavy Heart, if your job was part PA then i would expect to be asked to do all manner of tasks for your boss, his family and wife. I understand that you thought more emphases would be placed on the other part of your job title but a Personal Assistant is just that, an assistant. ESPECIALLY so in an Owner/Director situation as this seems to be. Also, be aware the office may be more quiet than usual at the moment due to the slow down in the property market.

Maybe its not the job for you, but it might not be strictly true that the jobs your getting weren't within your remit at the outset. Have a think about it, and if you really cant bare it then think of going for something else that doesn't involve being a personal assistant to someone, as it may well include jobs that you dont desire.

Bendi i do take your point but where do you draw the line being as assistant ??? Going out getting gaviscon for his heartburn ?? Opening his window for him ?? Getting his prescription ?? Surely its a house keeper not a qualified auctioneer he is looking for ?

Jigsaw

Bendihorse wrote: »

Heavy Heart, if your job was part PA then i would expect to be asked to do all manner of tasks for your boss, his family and wife. I understand that you thought more emphases would be placed on the other part of your job title but a Personal Assistant is just that, an assistant. ESPECIALLY so in an Owner/Director situation as this seems to be. Also, be aware the office may be more quiet than usual at the moment due to the slow down in the property market.

Maybe its not the job for you, but it might not be strictly true that the jobs your getting weren't within your remit at the outset. Have a think about it, and if you really cant bare it then think of going for something else that doesn't involve being a personal assistant to someone, as it may well include jobs that you dont desire.

Yes but she should only expect to assist the mamager in a professional capacity. Having the boss ask you to go to the shoe mender for his wife is completely ridiculous and professionally undermining.

You should start looking for other jobs on the sly and in the meantime ask for some more responsibility etc. It could be that your boss simply doesn't realise that you are dissatisfied and so continues on if you have said nothing, but I'd say that it's more likely that he is just a d1ck. [/I]

heavyheart

Jigsaw wrote: »

but I'd say that it's more likely that he is just a d1ck. [/i]

lol

heavyheart

Ok so i have decoded to say something but he is one of these people who changes the subject , talks over you and loves the sound of his own voice, so what do i say ??? Im a real chicken when it comes to confrontations, i hate them .....i tried to have this conversation with him ages ago when he undermined me in front of other work colleagues i managed to call the meeting but then when it came i cancelled it i get so worked up then tomorrow he could be ok or be away - which he is a lot - and then i either calm down and forget about it or convince myself im making a big deal over nothing and that i should be lucky to have the job at all....

Bendihorse

Jigsaw wrote: »

Yes but she should only expect to assist the mamager in a professional capacity. Having the boss ask you to go to the shoe mender for his wife is completely ridiculous and professionally undermining.

You should start looking for other jobs on the sly and in the meantime ask for some more responsibility etc. It could be that your boss simply doesn't realise that you are dissatisfied and so continues on if you have said nothing, but I'd say that it's more likely that he is just a d1ck. [/I]

Thats also true, if he is talking down to you then thats not on, but i believe that a good personal assistant to a managing director could asked to do almost anything for their boss (within reason), this does not mean that the boss can have no respect for his assistant and treat him/her like a skivvy, there should be a muitual understanding and respect between the two parties. Perhaps thats whats missing here.

I dont get the leaving messages to 'close the window' in your tray bit though, thats a bit rich. Why not ask you verbally, or just do it himself?

Sounds to me a bit like hes trying to find things for you to do seen as the property thing has gone so quiet. He may even be trying subconsciously to get you to leave if theres no requirement for you anymore. Dont mean to sound harsh, but from what i hear, auctioneers offices all over the country are ghost towns. One girl told me that their phone used to ring 100 times a day, now they are lucky to be getting 20 calls a day, and walk ins to the office have virtually stopped.

You should ask for more responsibility and get proactive. Even if you have little to do, try to look like your busy, i know that bosses get frustrated by people sitting at desks looking from them, even if its not their fault that they have nothing to do. Invent jobs for yourself, he will see you as proactive. Or at least make sure you look busy when hes in the office.

Take the time to get fellow staff members to show you how their side of the job works, sales and valuations etc. Remember, the jobs world in this country is slowly changing back to an employers market, it will be up to you to hold your place in a team, no matter where you are working and the more experience you have the better.

RedXIV

Send an email giving a VERY general outline of what you will be broaching and send it to him with a proposition to meet at a time of his choosing (since he's away alot). Write down what you want to say and have it read a few times before the meeting begins. One of my friends in college used to write it down and then fold it up and put it in his pocket and every time his resolve left him, his hand would dip in his pocket and he'd "remember" his list of things to say.

heavyheart

I work in a different type of property environment - not an auctioneering firm so its a little different , The role didnt exist before i came and i understand its a growing role and things are quiet but he said he wrote that list of things to do last night , id much prefer if he spent as much time writing a list of files for me to research ... i find him incredibly demeaning but because this is a new role to me too i didnt no where to draw the line ...

JuliusCaesar

heavyheart wrote: »

I work in a different type of property environment - not an auctioneering firm so its a little different , The role didnt exist before i came and i understand its a growing role and things are quiet but he said he wrote that list of things to do last night , id much prefer if he spent as much time writing a list of files for me to research ... i find him incredibly demeaning but because this is a new role to me too i didnt no where to draw the line ...

Looks like there's two of you making it up as you go along.
Try to write out your own job spec as much as poss and bring it to him BEFORE meeting to discuss it. He may have thought last Oct/Nov there would be more work and is now tryiing to make up stuff for you to do. Be proactive.

stepbar

RedXIV wrote: »

have the meeting by all means, but if he's not working with you, start looking for another position on the sly.

+1 But see it out until you have another job lines up to go to. Kinda in the same suitation except I'm not a PA or anything like that. You just have to be cute about it.

heavyheart

JuliusCaesar wrote: »

Looks like there's two of you making it up as you go along.

Im not making up any job spec. I took this job on the basis of the job spec he provided which he isnt living up his end of ?