Work Problems - what to do?

LegacyUser

I'm a regular poster, going un-reg for this. Apologies in advance for the very long post, but I don't know where to start.

I've been in a job for nearly 2 years. It's a very small office and there tends to be a lot of work going on. I was originally hired as a receptionist. My first year here was a nightmare but I was determined to stick it out to put on my CV as I had only had one other full-time office role. In my first while here I was given no proper training, no list of things I needed to know or key people I needed to know, just an A4 Page with passwords and phone extensions. I learned everything as I went. It became clear very early on that I don't fit in socially here. Everyone else is sports mad and I have been left out of a lot of conversations and plans because I am not (even though it's not my choice of conversation, I initially always tried to be involved and show a polite interest).

My boss seemed to take an instant dislike to me. A few months in, he basically put someone else in charge of me (like I'm just hassle for him), and so everyone else has staff reviews with him but I have them with someone else (someone else incidentally who does not have power over my salary review etc).

After my year was up (and it felt like a jail term at times) I started jobhunting. Everyone knows how tough it is out there and I didn't really get anywhere. Over time I have taken on more responsibility in here to the point where I now book flights and hotels for all international events that people attend on our behalf (sometime senior staff, sometimes council members etc), I look after all the events we run ourselves (hotels, attendees, invoicing, payment records), I maintain both our databases and assist with some accounts work, using software I have no training in, even mediating with members of the public who are having issues I am not qualified to advise on.

This is on top of all my reception duties. It's very hard to be pushing myself to do things I'm not qualified in when I'm then being treated like I'm just a skivvy to put out bins and make the tea and coffee... I guess I just find it degrading that nobody else has to do any of this, they're all earning at least €10,000 more than me. My boss frequently invites the others out to lunch and I've only been asked once in the last 6 months and it was by another colleague. My attempts to make changes or improve the way things are done in the office are all met with disinterest and uncooperation.

There's so much more I can't even begin to go into but the situation has really escalated in the last couple of weeks. Things have been chaotic and when I mentioned it to my supervisor he said "ah sure stop, weeks like this are few and far between" - they aren't, he just doesn't have to do the running around when it's like that. I was so stressed out last week, a few days having to be in work an hour early, working through lunch, being the last to leave the building and nobody even says thanks or acknowledges it.

Then on Monday, we had a staff meeting (during lunch) and my boss went mental because I haven't logged EVERY public query that comes in. His attitude to me was horrific, and I could feel my eyes welling up. It's not the first time it's happened, surely I shoudln't be fighting tears in work? I log each different type of query, but we get the same general ones about 10 times a day and so I haven't been inputting each one seperately as I didn't realise it was needed.

1 - This could have been avoided had my boss explained this to me (he doesn't really talk to me directly unless it's in a group setting)
2 - We aren't running a call centre, and if he wants me to focus on that I don't know how I will handle all the other responsibilities that have been added.

This morning, he was complaining about this again, not to me directly but loudly and within earshot of my desk.

Nobody takes me seriously and working here is lonely and depressing. I make a low wage and am starting to stress more and more about my job. I've asked for training or a more defined role but I was told "sure you're well able for it, you've brains to burn". I just don't know what to do. It's depressing me and beginning to leak into every aspect of my life. I just have no confidence left and I wish they had never hired me.

The general consensus these days is that you're lucky to have any sort of job and that makes me feel ungrateful. I've been jobhunting again for 6 weeks solid and I don't know how to keep my sanity until I find something else so I can leave.

cantdecide

Stuck_Here wrote: »

The general consensus these days is that you're lucky to have any sort of job and that makes me feel ungrateful. I've been jobhunting again for 6 weeks solid and I don't know how to keep my sanity until I find something else so I can leave.

I don't buy this business of being 'lucky' to have a job. You don't need all the jobs- you just need one job that works for you. If I were you, I'd keep job hunting and don't assume you can't land on your feet here. Even if you ended up with similar terms and conditions, you should definitely be able to find a better company to work for. You could think about seeking advice and this and that but IME, some companies are just rotten and you'll never change them. It's like a bad relationship- the best thing is to extricate yourself and move on.

I was in much the same situation as you. I educated myself about my primary job and took a lot of variety on board to help 'the cause'. I always thought my boss would put on different hats and judge me on each role separately without knowing what it's like for you as a junior employee to be pulled in several directions at once. All of my colleagues were more specialised and had the luxury of being able to concentrate which insulated them. Being pulled in different directions at once is where the stress is, IME.

In the end I left and went travelling! Best thing I ever did. You shouldn't be treated this way. It's horrible. Maybe this isn't an option for you but keep going as you are. If you keep applying yourself, you will get a result.

LegacyUser

cantdecide wrote: »

I don't buy this business of being 'lucky' to have a job. You don't need all the jobs- you just need one job that works for you. If I were you, I'd keep job hunting and don't assume you can't land on your feet here. Even if you ended up with similar terms and conditions, you should definitely be able to find a better company to work for. You could think about seeking advice and this and that but IME, some companies are just rotten and you'll never change them. It's like a bad relationship- the best thing is to extricate yourself and move on.

I was in much the same situation as you. I educated myself about my primary job and took a lot of variety on board to help 'the cause'. I always thought my boss would put on different hats and judge me on each role separately without knowing what it's like for you as a junior employee to be pulled in several directions at once. All of my colleagues were more specialised and had the luxury of being able to concentrate which insulated them. Being pulled in different directions at once is where the stress is, IME.

In the end I left and went travelling! Best thing I ever did. You shouldn't be treated this way. It's horrible. Maybe this isn't an option for you but keep going as you are. If you keep applying yourself, you will get a result.

Thanks for the response. It's good to know I'm not the only one who has been in a situation like this.

I kept thinking that if I proved myself, things would get better but they haven't, I've just ended up bearing a heavy workload and getting zero respect for it. Sometimes I think nobody even realises the amount I do as it is all coming from different people.

I've always gotten on well in jobs, I'm sociable and friendly and outside work, I'm very happy with my life but some days now I have energy for nothing else.

edellc

Op you need to rise above this primary school mentality that seems to exist in a lot of work places in Ireland, and yes you are lucky to have a job but not this one

So your boss is a d*ck and the girls you work with are b*tches you are going to get that every where, maybe not everyone you work with but you always get one.

So your boss is your boss in name but just chooses not to converse with you in relation to your role within the company or your yearly review or even salary negotiations, so who do you talk to about these things or who is in charge of you when it comes to these things if it isnt him??

I always believe we have at least two options in every situation, and the two I see for you are these
the first - stay as you are and keep letting yourself be pulled in every direction. It may or may not eventually pay off or if your applying for jobs you may or may not get another one

the second - is to compile a list of what it is you actually do in work, do it in great detail, then send an email to your boss requesting a meeting one on one, and bring your list. Ask your boss to clarify you exact duties as you just need clarification as to your function. If some of the responsibilities on your list are not within your role then you need to off load as you feel that your primary role of reception is being squeezed as is obvious from the miscommunication that happened regarding you logging every single query rather than bunching like ones together. Point out that have no problem working on your own initiative as is obvious from the responsibilities you have amounted but need direction from your boss as to what he expects from you...always do it in a way as to stroke his ego and to make it look like that you value his view point and look to him for guidance

I have worked with many men like this and the only way I have found to get around them is to massage their ego, smile nicely but know in your own head that they are just a pathetic waste of oxygen and if he wasnt your boss he would be lower than something you trod in, being nice is a means to an end and this is something that will look good on your cv

You have some tough decisions ahead OP so I wish you the best of luck with it all, but always remember you are worth ten of him and you mother didnt bring you into this world to be treated like **** by these nobodies, so hold your head high.

mikemac1

Stuck_Here wrote: »

The general consensus these days is that you're lucky to have any sort of job and that makes me feel ungrateful. I've been jobhunting again for 6 weeks solid and I don't know how to keep my sanity until I find something else so I can leave.

You are not lucky to have a job, they are lucky to have you!

Don't be a serf, you owe nothing to nobody, a good worker deserves a good job.

And your boss is an ass, doesn't do the reviews with you, I'm betting they are either ridiculously strong or ridiculously weak. Reason being they were bullied at school and now puts a lot of effort in how they act.

There are jobs out there.
If you want to pursue accounts there is a forum on boards for that and there are accounting technician courses talked about.

No matter if the economy is good or bad, there is always a need for accounts staff!

I've never ever looked down on reception staff as I've done that work in hotels along with porter work, people think you sit down and do nothing all day but realy there is always work to be done.

Brush up your CV and stay looking. Your current job is a dead end. Ireland is small and companies have cliques,
and I think you'll never get anywhere in your current job but your next job could be great

Good luck, thumps up

littlelulu

I was 'lucky to have a job' too until i got so stressed and miserable that one day i said enough was enough! It was getting to the stage where I cried when I had to go to work. OP life is tooooooo short to be hanging around in a job like that. It was a HUGE decision for me to make but in hindsight it was the BEST decision i made. I am a completely different person now Luckily enough, things have worked out for me. There are jobs out there. There isn't much on recruitment sites, you need to check local papers and just send your cv off to various places (thats how i got a job) It's a big big big decision but I really don't see the point in being miserable for the sake of a job. Your case sounds particularly bad because you are being isolated. Obviously it all depends on what expenses you have e.g mortgage but if you don't have anything like that then I would personally just say goodbye to them!! Your health is your wealth afterall Best of luck

LegacyUser

I'm sitting here raging at that horrible horrible boss you have. What sort of person admonishes a member of his staff in front of everyone??? I feel for you, I really do. I had a job for a while which used to have me feeling sick when I got up and I often found myself crying in the car on the way to work. It wasn't as bad as what you're going through but I think I know how you feel.

The first thing I want to say to you is that there is nothing wrong with you. If you're being treated the way you are and you're being upset, of course you're going to make mistakes. Who wouldn't? You had the bad luck of landing a job in this nest of vipers. I'm amazed you've stuck it for 2 years and I'm delighted to see you're jobhunting. It is the only way you will solve this. I really really hope you get something soon.

Just about the only positive thing you can say about this job is that you've gained loads of valuable experience. You were originally a receptionist but now you have loads of other skills too. If you've not done so already, ask a friend who's good at writing to polish up your CV for you so that you can put in all these things and make yourself look as great as you are. If you don't have a friend to ask, get professional help with the CV.

You WILL find another job. The one you have is merely a step along the way. You're not married to this job so you CAN walk away when the time comes. Look on it at the moment as a means to an end. It's paying your bills, you're gaining valuable work experience and it will help you get another job. Hope things get better for you soon xx