Moved to the wrong company.

klm1

I work in Recruitment, have done for a number of years now. About 2 years ago a company approached me to come and work for them, I met with them and liked what I heard and got an offer which was excellent, but at the time I decided to stay in the company i was with. I don't believe in jumping around too often. I continued with my company for another year and a half before this company approached me again, with a better offer and more talk of what was to come in this new company. I eventually accepted and joined my current company.

In the meantime, a new manager was hired for the new company, they moved offices and a few people moved on. Within days of starting I realised the new manager is hopeless, he has no management skills, appears to have no recruitment skills, is moody, spineless and generally useless. As well as this, he has hired 2 new consultants, 1 of which is missing the basic skills of being a recruiter and regularly asks questions that could land a recruitment company in court very quickly, the other is an out and out liar, lying to candidates about their expectations and more.

I chose this company for a few reasons,1. Its close to home, 2. They are pretty new so plenty of opportunity to grow and get promoted in the future, 3. They spoke of doing the right things right, this last one is being destroyed every day by this manager and his 2 new consultants.

Any advice on how to handle an inept manager? I really don't want to just leave and find a new company. This is not an office environment where I can just ignore him and continue doing my own work, the office is too small for that.

skallywag

Seems that the goal posts have moved quite a bit compared to what you were sold.

Did you leave on good terms with your previous company? Would returning be an option for you?

seamus

Is there someone above him that you can go to with your concerns?

If nothing else, your concerns about the consultants are exactly the kind of thing that senior management will want to hear.

Of course, you should go to this manager first, but if he is that inept then the consultants may be friends of his and/or he may take it as a personal attack that you would criticise the people he hired.

It is difficult to make critical observations when you're the "new guy", but you're presumably an experienced professional, so you've earned the right to be confident about pointing out bad practices. There's a big difference between, "I wouldn't do things that way", and "you're actually breaking the law here". You shouldn't be hesitant about the latter, even on your first day.

klm1

skallywag wrote: »

Seems that the goal posts have moved quite a bit compared to what you were sold.

Did you leave on good terms with your previous company? Would returning be an option for you?

I did leave on good terms with my old company but would see moving back as a backward step and akin to an admission of failure on my part.

seamus wrote: »

Is there someone above him that you can go to with your concerns?

If nothing else, your concerns about the consultants are exactly the kind of thing that senior management will want to hear.

Of course, you should go to this manager first, but if he is that inept then the consultants may be friends of his and/or he may take it as a personal attack that you would criticise the people he hired.

It is difficult to make critical observations when you're the "new guy", but you're presumably an experienced professional, so you've earned the right to be confident about pointing out bad practices. There's a big difference between, "I wouldn't do things that way", and "you're actually breaking the law here". You shouldn't be hesitant about the latter, even on your first day.

I've taken this advice with regards to my colleagues and approached my manager about it, he's agreed with me and has vowed to step up in the future and deal with the issue so that I don't have to. I'm hesitant to go over his head to discuss him as his own ineptitude is to such a degree that I fear his boss will take it badly.

Sadly, despite all this, my excitement and drive for this company has taken a big hit. The company I was sold on wouldn't have hired these people. So I'm left bashing my head off the proverbial wall.

zapper55

If all that's stopping you going back to your old company is pride then I think you'd be mad not to do it. And especially before your position is filled.

klm1

I wouldn't say it's all that's stopping me, there are other reasons; Lack of work/life balance due to ridiculously long hours; My old boss made a huge effort to keep me, he would definitely try to use my going back against me; He's a micro managing narcissist that infuriated me regularly.

zapper55

The most common reason people leave a job is the people around them. If the situation doesn't allow you to complain over your managers head then staying in the company isn't really an option.

I'd suggest you look at other companies. Life is too short to be this unhappy when you can change things.

spaceHopper

Give it one more month then look for new job. Also if they came to you twice,in a month arrange to meet that person and basically lay it out to them they must have wanted you for reason.

klm1

Thanks Zapper and SpaceHopper, I think I knew that leaving was my best option, but needed to hear it. I'm going to give it a month but actively look elsewhere in that time. Appreciate the input.

zoobizoo

klm1 wrote: »

I did leave on good terms with my old company but would see moving back as a backward step and akin to an admission of failure on my part.

Friend of mine left our company and returned within a couple of months. Was great to have him back - no one saw it was anything other than him returning to a place he liked better.

skallywag

zoobizoo wrote: »

Friend of mine left our company and returned within a couple of months. Was great to have him back - no one saw it was anything other than him returning to a place he liked better.

+1

klm1

So, I stuck it out, painfully. Then today a great opportunity came across my desk which I've taken. So after 7 months and 4 days in hell, there is a light. Appreciate all responses!