Bad Management.....

Keeping on theme with being a late bloomer, (driving, dating, etc.) I was also "late" to getting a job. This was unfortunately and fortunately due to caregiving and anxiety. Here's one of my experiences with horrible bosses and managers. Buckle up because this is a long one.

So, this was my second job by this point. I was very excited because it sounded perfect for me at the time (I should've been suspicious) it was part-time, allowed me to gain experience in a new field, was a good distance from home, good pay, and the people seemed nice. I applied, got a request for an interview, and scheduled it. My interview day came around and I was nervous. My soon to be boss was friendly but seemed a little lack luster. I was beaming and grateful, so it might have just been me. I was told this was a part-time position, (check) I would be off every other weekend, (check) most of the shifts they needed covered were from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm but the 6:00 am to 2:00 pm may become available, (not great but ok) and of course, we did all the cleaning, dishes, and such. I was interviewing to be a waitress at an assisted living place. They were fairly new and having trouble keeping staff. (Which I learned later on.) I left the interview feeling confident I would take this position but wanted to think it over.

Fast forward, I got the job! Now came the process before my first day. Paperwork, Relias Training, drug tests, etc. After this, I went in a few days later to get my badge, shirts, and finish setting up. Red flag number ONE was communication on my boss's part. The person who I was meant to do all these things with; wasn't even told I would be coming that day. My boss didn't even tell them. I thought that was odd but my first day was around the corner.

My first day was standard, awkward meeting new people, (coworkers and residents) learning the job, and all the duties. But I made it through. A few days after I was hired though, I had been put in a difficult position. As I mentioned earlier, they had a hard time keeping staff. Red flag number TWO. I was approached with an opportunity to do a different job part-time as well. So, my time would be split between the two. I came to realize, that my time was being monopolized by the second position. I didn't think that was fair to the person who hired me, also, I felt slightly taken advantage of as they didn't hire someone full-time. Looking at our scheduling, all of us were part-time. I had the weird conversation and was out of that. Even though I would receive texts periodically when they needed someone to cover the shift. This I said no to. Little did I know, my troubles were just beginning.

Before I knew it, I'd been working here for a few weeks. I was enjoying my job and getting the hang of it. The person training me (who later became our supervisor) was nice, and the people we were waiting on were great. Everything was going well until seniority, shifts, new employees, manipulation, lying, duties, and bad management came into play.

First problem came seniority. So, for these few weeks, I had never gotten one solid weekend off. We only had one Saturday a month off, (until that fell off) and then two weekdays in a row off normally. Our days off were changing now and our boss brought to my attention seniority. The girl who was hired before me, (an 18-year-old, hot head) had priority. So, she could decide which out of the options we were given of weekdays, she wanted off. She chose, I got the other two, and we proceeded. Keep in mind seniority and shifts.

Second problem, came shifts, seniority, and (hmmm, a common theme I see) new people. Alright, a new girl was hired a week after me. This girl apparently needed a job for a while, even had an in with someone who already worked there but was never hired. Until now. (Yay me!) She is a story herself as she was just as big a hot head as the other girl. This made work so much fun for everyone in the kitchen who had to tip toe around her. I am not one for tip toing, so we butted heads. Moving on, we got along well in the beginning. That quickly changed. Now the 6:00am to 2:00 pm shift was something I told my boss I was interested in my interview. For some reason, only two, soon to be three people, were trained on the morning shift. No, I was not one of those people. The newest hire was. (Seniority? Who's she, apparently doesn't actually exist.) I brought to my boss's attention, as well as my hours feeling a lot closer to full-time. What irked me most about this, is no meeting was had, I was not asked if I would be able to work that shift. Nada. I was simply told, "It's because she was trained on those duties."

Shortly after, I was trained on the morning shift. In his words, "He was putting a band-aid over the situation (me)." Finally, after numerous times of telling him I wanted to work the morning shifts, I was working it! I was also damn good at it like I knew I would be. But by this time, the manipulation of my boss and supervisor, started slipping through the cracks. Like, telling me one thing, then switching the wording they had used the minute I brought problems to their attention, allowing the new girl to feel she had some sort of power. There was one instance where she asked me on my break to run out to a store and get something, (we had 30-minute breaks, and she had no authority over me.) Also, newest hire got Sundays off. Only one other person had a weekend day off and that was our supervisor. Manipulating me into working crappy hours by saying "Well you do have a new apartment to pay for."

New hires are what really sent me over the edge and made me quit after 3 months of working there. My boss literally hired a guy who only wanted to work morning shifts. So, the 6:00 am to 2:00 pm? He knew he only needed people for the night shift. Not mention the new guy had 4 people ahead of him for seniority. He was hired and trained on those shifts alone. Wild to me. I put in my resignation and had my exit interview.

My exit interview was held in a public space where residents, visitors, and staff could hear. Incredibly unprofessional. He called me a liar; told me all my experiences were "stories" and said I was petty. Granted, I wasn't the nicest to him in this exit interview, but I was honest. I no longer trusted him, and it was funny to me, the person sitting in front of me was someone I once respected. I told him the inappropriate things he had said in the kitchen, he simply told me, "No one would corroborate my stories." If they're just my imagination, why would they need to be corroborated? I was upset but felt this was the right move for me. Turns out, I know myself well.

I do have more stories from this volatile work environment that I'd like to share. Some reasons why I would not have wanted to put my nana in a nursing home. I can only appreciate my ex-boss for a few things, hiring me with no experience, and giving me some wild stories to tell you. Hope you enjoyed and hope I get to read some of your bad management experiences. Until next time. Bye!

Lesson Learned: Listen to your gut and if it seems too good, it probably is.