Should I go for it?

Pat McGhee

Hi all,

Just looking for people's views here - I'm lucky enough to be working full time but my boss is a tyrant (putting it mildly), and my stress levels can't take much more working for him, Most days I leave work crying in anger or upset.

I've been on the hunt for a new job for months but pickings are slim given the current situation, however I've been asked if I want to apply for a job with a property developer. This is the first decent lead I've had to date but by the recruitment agency's own admission, the office is quiet, and we all know what the property market is like right now. So my question is, if I go for it and get the job, would I be mad to leave a secure job that threatens my sanity for one that could go belly up in a few months?

Thanks!
Pat

EL_Loco

start by logging incidents in your current workplace. No one has to put up with abuse of that magnitude, or any magnitude, at work. There's clear guidelines on the basis of how and what you can be repremanded for, and the manner it's done in.

If you're feeling you haven't the stomach for all that just leave, it's not worth the stress. Approach HR and ask to be made redundant. Outline all the reasons why. May aswell alert them to what's going on. You could save your replacement similar pain.

EDIT: info: http://www.vhi.ie/pdf/employers/dep/BullyingWorkplace.pdf

handlebears

Do not go and work for a property developer. The stress levels would be far worse. The majority are going broke, paying nobody and leaving people destitute. You would pretty soon find yourself out on the street with no job and probably owed wages to boot.

Pat McGhee

Hi El Loco (great name! :-) )

Thanks for the advice, I have now started to take notes on each incident as it happens but I could write a book on how bad the guy is.

We're only a small office so we don't have a HR dept, unless you count me. As well as being office manager, credit control and PA to that muppet, I'm also unofficially HR, IT, staff supervisor/manager & and pretty much any other whim the muppet wants. Usually I have to psychically guess.

I've tried to speak to him so many times about his behaviour but he's in utter denial and in his world he's up on a pedestal. The reality is he is hated by almost everyone who knows him, or has the misfortune to encounter him.

We're now on our 6th employee in little over a year for another positon, and each of the previous empoyees left citing him; 1 left on medical advice from his GP due to stress, and another literally ran out after 2 days bawling her eyes out. I've had to be the one to tell him why they walked but he chooses not to listen. He's so f*cking frustrating!!!!

Sorry, didn't mean to rant on, just can't help it sometimes!

Handlebears,
I think you've hit the nail there, I'm thinking along the same lines but I'm so desperate to get out of where I am.

The search for my sanity continues.....

KetchupKid

Hi Pat,

You've received some sound advice but you have another option.

You can still "go for" the other job for the experience and as a back up. If you are offered the job it does give you some leverage with your current boss and you could approach him and tell him you have another offer, although you'd rather stay, but he has to lighten up. The risk is, he sounds like the kind of muppet who doesn't listen and this could make things worse. Also considering the unemployment rate, he knows there's probably 1,000 people waiting for your job, but in a small office filling the shoes of a jack of all trades who has been there for years would be tough with a steep learning curve. If you can phrase it diplomatically, this could work, if it back fires you have the other job to fall back on, although you could be going from the pot to the fire.

Good luck in whatever you do.

Pat McGhee

KetchupKid wrote: »

Hi Pat,

You've received some sound advice but you have another option.

You can still "go for" the other job for the experience and as a back up. If you are offered the job it does give you some leverage with your current boss and you could approach him and tell him you have another offer, although you'd rather stay, but he has to lighten up. The risk is, he sounds like the kind of muppet who doesn't listen and this could make things worse. Also considering the unemployment rate, he knows there's probably 1,000 people waiting for your job, but in a small office filling the shoes of a jack of all trades who has been there for years would be tough with a steep learning curve. If you can phrase it diplomatically, this could work, if it back fires you have the other job to fall back on, although you could be going from the pot to the fire.

Good luck in whatever you do.

Great advise KetchupKid but you hit the nail on the head re my boss, and he's dangerous. He will never allow himself to be coerced, or forced into a corner where he has to conceed and if he feels agrieved, he'll take steps to retaliate.

He'll contradict himself in an arguement just so he can prove he's right, and he'll roar and shout at me when I point out his contradiction. There is no debating, compromising, or blackmailing... It's his way or no way, diplomacy and basic logic doesn't exist. I even have to fight him for holiday entitlements for a certain staff member because he doesn't believe he's entitled to it. He claims it's because he's part time but the reality is he doesn't like the boy. Can't fire him for no reason though. And it didn't matter that I have highlighted the respective passages about holiday entitlements in the employment rights book on a number of occasions, in his head the poor boy doesn't deserve holidays.

To sum things up, the man is just a horrible human being. I hope he dies roaring...

Kiniska

Hi Pat,

Does this boss of yours own the company? If not, is there someone over him?

If you have no recourse, it sounds like a good place to get out of, but this may not be the time and property development might not be the right career change right now. You may just have to decide which is the least of two evils.

Pat McGhee

Kiniska wrote: »

Hi Pat,

Does this boss of yours own the company? If not, is there someone over him?

If you have no recourse, it sounds like a good place to get out of, but this may not be the time and property development might not be the right career change right now. You may just have to decide which is the least of two evils.

Hi Kiniska,
He's the owner so no one above him unfortunately. In terms of ranking, I would be first in the pecking order.

I'm going to start logging all incidents and if I don't find a job elsewhere, I may persue constructive dismissal. I'll get some proper legal advice first though, of course.

Thanks to everyone for all your help! It's very much appreciated. :-)

miec

Hi Op

It sounds like a horrible situation to be in. Have you tried any other recruitment agencies, I saw a temp PA job going today in Irishjobs.ie, it may be worth a try. I would take the other job though even if there is a risk attached to it, you could end up with a lovely new boss, a good working environment and if it is with an agency, you can develop a networking relationship with them for future jobs. The new job could go down the pan, but equally, it may not, but in the meantime your mental health is suffering big time and your boss is an old dinosaur who believes that just because he is the boss he is god. He probably won't get anyone like you again if you are doing all of that work as well. I would go for it and take the risk, it could be the best thing you've ever done.