[Have Hope]

I love how my boss caters to and bends to whatever wishes his favorite in our dept has, our manager. Favoritism at its best. Now I have to write medically researched and supported content when it's NOT my specialty, It's our manager's area of expertise, and it's not even a part of my job to write content. I want to complain, but I cannot say one single word. I will not take any risks. But it freaking sucks and I'm ticked off. My client will NOT be happy with the results, most importantly, because what I will write will suck and they will not be pleased. So be it. Make our company look bad, i don't care.

[seesaw]

I'm having some hiring issues lately. I had great experiences with the two graphic designers I hired. My friend sold me on his web design services and he has been incredible to work with. So detailed, up front, on the ball. I've had researchers in the past who were great too. I've had to fire two people recently and it's really upsetting me.

Last week, I gave a research assistant a task for some internet research/data entry. It was pretty simple, and she has done similar tasks for me before. I sent her a list of 200 entries that needed to be done. I didn't expect her to get through all of them in 3 hours, but I expect probably half. She got through 20 in 6 hours. This is not a skilled thing. I did 50 in 1 hour. I had to confront her and tell her I'm not paying her for 6 hours of work when all I got back was 20 entries (she's a freelancer). I offered to pay her for 3 hours, which was pretty generous considering there is no way she even did that much work. She said she'd adjust her billing. Well, she didn't, so I had to dispute her charge today. After I disputed it she refunded the agreed upon amount, but freaking A, I had to spend time chasing down this money. So I fired her. And that sucked, because she had the opportunity to fix it and make it right. I've been working with her for 6 months, and been a pretty easy going client for her. She's missed numerous deadlines, and I've been lenient about extensions. The last few assignments I felt like she had been milking the clock, but this last one was just ridiculous. It's the equivalent of someone typing 5 words a minute.

Then late last week I hired a writer to help get a short article for a series I write completed. I have her a detailed outline that just needed to be cleaned up. She blew it up into over 4 times the length and then tried to charge me more than 4 times the original quote. This was an article that I'm the subject matter expert on and her "additions" were not requested and were also inaccurate and poorly worded. I confronted her with overcharging me and not letting me know she was going to change the length, and she really had nothing to say for herself. She withdrew it and we agreed to part ways but not before I ensured she understood that this article is my IP. It sucks because she was referred by my business mentor, and my business mentor has spoken very highly of her, and I just found the quality, ethics, and integrity lacking.

Then I had a prospective client call today that was another waste of time - because it was some start-up entrepreneur, again with a total lack of ethics. I wasted about 30 minutes on a call with him, and I wish I hadn't even done that.

You know, it's fine, I haven't had a bad day like this in a while. But the thing that bothers me with all 3 of these situations and people was that I didn't follow my gut. The research assistant I had been unhappy with for a while and knew she was milking it. I should have just let her go and not even bothered. The writer? I saw her samples and wasn't highly impressed, and in our interview she said some questionable things, but since she was referred, I decided to try it out. The client? He sent me an message through the freelance platform and expected me to call him right that second, on an evening, on a Sunday. All huge red flags that I just freaking ignored. Granted, I dealt with all 3 problems really quickly, but I've lost so much energy and time that should have been spent working for my good clients, dealing with this mediocrity and BS.

I need to start listening to my instincts better.

[puzzclar]

I want more hours!!!! I'm bored. And the money is a help.

[TerryL]

i made a mistake when ordering a sneeze guard for work. i ordered the panels fixed instead of hinged. that made the guard heavier, more expensive, and harder to transport. i stressed royally on ordering it because it was so expensive and i was afraid i would make a mistake, and i have, and everyone will know it. i just want to crawl into a little hole..

[bpforever1]

I have to change jobs eventually because my job is a dead-end job. I could get promoted within the company but don't believe this will happen. Thus, I am thinking about becoming a real estate agent here. I have to pass the test though in another language. I am hoping to take a year or two to study for this exam and pass it. I heard most people don't pass because they don't study for it. I will try to study as much as possible. I also need to improve my speaking skills. So, a year or two is necessary for me to polish my skills and prepare for the exam. I am happy nevertheless because I like teaching for now. It pays the bills and helps me to survive on my own. I have to work a lot though outside the class time to prepare for the lessons. So, although I am happy with my job, I know I can't do it for another thirty years. I will do my best no matter what!

[puzzclar]

I don't know what I want and I feel like I need a new job. But with so many unemployed it will be tough.

[Turtle_Rider]

Ugh. We are all now having a review again. I sense there might be another lay-off and they are assessing who is gonna be out. I know, in this situation this is not the company's fault for downsizing, as they are in tough position. But I don't want that anybody get lay-off again.
Moreover, the next one is probably me, as I am the newest one.
I hope my thoughts are all wrong. Well, I hope so...
On the good side, if I gotten lay-off, I would be able to shift my abroad application from next year to now, although it is also though in this Corona situation.

[browneyedgirl20]

I lost my job in January/February and was lucky to accept a new job elsewhere in March. March, I was working well, learning all the procedures and then lockdown in the UK happened and I was furloughed for a few months.

I've returned to work this month, I have forgotten some of the procedures and I'm struggling with my bosses expectations. I am really doubting my skills and abilities and getting frustrated. My hours are less than before so I'm not getting the same amount of time to really work on the procedures and make sure I'm picking up on things and remembering them. I am writing down what I have covered but there is also a lot that I won't know until I need to do them.

As a side note, the work environment is also toxic. The boss shouts at people, plays games with people and I feel I don't belong there. I've been told I'm not allowed to set the record straight if I haven't done something and the work was completed by a colleague because I am blaming others.

[Have Hope]

I have no gripe! Because I have no work! lol! So I am here to say I am jobless and gripeless.

Really peeved at my boss but I don't know what to do about it.

My "workplace" is basically made up of a team of 4. There is me, my boss, and two other people.

My boss runs everything. I am the procedural person.

The other two are the "deep dive" people. They have to research and write so they get plenty of time to do these things.

My boss and I just got off a really difficult busy period that only really effects us.

At the end of it, my boss told me he is rehiring one of these deep dive people. They normally are just term.

This is the first time he has ever done this and I hate the person he chose to hire.

What really irks me is she is one of these people who doesn't know anything, has attitude and when she doesn't know what she is doing, always always ends up in work for me. Oh you can't figure something out... Emily set up a meeting. Oh the meeting didn't clarify it.. Emily set up another meeting.

What bothers me the most is that I feel like I am doing their work at his point. They constantly come to me with things that are in poor shape and before they go out I fix them, either with the knowledge and consent of my boss OR without.

And my boss doesn't seem to care.

My boss seems bound and determined to protect them because of "who they are" and, who they are, imho isn't even as good as me.

He is always going on about "team work" but what team? They don't do jack for me?

Not to mention that this two had 4 interns to help them over the summer... the number of interns for me? Zero.

But I feel like my boss just doesn't like me. Or more properly he takes me for granted. This winter he was 2 months late in giving me my xmas present. And now after a very busy period his "thank you" is obviously quite missing.

But what to do about it? I don't know.

I just hate the way my boss constantly can't Shite or get off the pot.

We are at a point with these parties where there is nothing left to do. We should just end the situation. He said as much last night. Before doing so he must decide one last thing, that means work for him and the other party. Instead, he wants to set up a telephone conference, WORK FOR ME. SO sick of it. Just do your job and stop setting up needless hearings.

Ugh I might have made a mistake though I am not sure I did.

We have a public system that we can make things private. I was asked to make something public in part. And put up a redacted thing. So I thought I did that.

But last night at 7 I got an e-mail stating that the press had reported something that was supposed to be secret.

The good news... within 10 minutes the information was pulled down period.

The bad news... it got out there and could be serious.

More frustratingly, it appeared that what I did was correct. I actually called a friend and she confirmed that what I did looked correct. I am not sure if somehow the got meta data from the redacted documents.

I can't really tell if I should report it... I feel like it will turn out to be an error on my part that I didn't see.

Honestly though I feel bad about this information getting out, I really don't care.

I am just tired and unsupported and I have 10 more years of this job.. and I am so tired of it. I sometimes wonder if I it would be better if I could get fired, though I know that will never happen.

[bpforever1]

I am getting more demands from my students and have to address them. I am running around trying to figure out what to do. I will be ok though. I just have to be patient and address their demands.

[Turtle_Rider]

Not a big gripes. I just talked to a former coworker then I took a peek my previous workplace's instagram accounts, which I and my former team used to maintain. Quite disappointed. The feeds are too disorganized, one of them seems like to lose their brand identity. I can still see my past work though. It just feel sad, to see something you used to grow gets destroyed by the hand of an idiotic 'boss'.

Well, it is not my concern anymore. I am still free!

[seesaw]

Not a big gripe just exhausted. Trying to take on new clients and work more to.cover both mine and my employee's payroll while I train her so she will eventually be revenue generating means more hours billing and more hours for training her. It's just exhausting. But her learning cover is flattening out after the first 30 days so that is good. We made a checklist on all the tasks she needed training on and have been steadily marking things off. Each one goes faster as knowledge is built on. She's also gotten past some initial performance fears and is just "throwing things against a wall" to see if they stick so we can keep the work machine rolling. It's going really well, but I am just dead tired.

[bpforever1]

I'm getting more demands from students and it is driving me nuts to address all of them. I will do my best. I tried to help one student by correcting her mistakes but she was not interested in hearing about them or reading about them. So, I have to bear and grin it and listen to her mistakes while pretending all is ok. I sometimes wonder why these students pay so much money for lessons, then don't want any corrections? Whatever!! I'll be ok. I think I will just accommodate her wishes and make her happy. Customer satisfaction is the most important issue in my work. I have realized that sometimes trying to be a good teacher does not matter in a for profit company. I really don't know why these students pay so much and demand that they have their way with the teachers despite the fact that they are not progressing as well as they could. Well, it is a job so I'll suck it up and just pretend. Some of these students are prima donnas. I have learned to just smile and say whatever to myself.

[bpforever1]

I am having some of my classes cancelled without notice. They just cancel them and don't give me any warning. But, that is how this company works. I am doing ok otherwise. But, I have stress from the cancellations and demands from students. I want to increase my hours but know it may be best to just take things moderately and not stress out too much about it. I like my job nevertheless.

[TerryL]

I always try to be nice to my coworkers but the gal i work with the most can be so mean. she criticizes me all the time needlessly. I wish I could find another job but the thought of going through more interviews makes me cringe. it took me 18 interviews to get this current job. ack.. anyways, I am glad that I can at least vent over here. what kills me is I am hurting myself by feeling bad. she could not care less.

[TerryL]

man I messed up at work today I really am so dense. people don't believe me but I am..ack..

[bpforever1]

The company cut my hours but I am still working about 20 hours a week. It is okay. It could be worse but it is not bad for now. I am getting rid of one student who is demanding and am hoping she finds peace with another teacher. Of course, I wanted to keep my hours teaching but my sanity is more important than change in my pocket. So, I let her go and am happy about it. I will probably get more students next month. My schedule keeps fluctuating with more students then less students. So, I am just going with the flow. What else can I do?

[Have Hope]

My work gripe: I have no work.

lol.

[puzzclar]

I wanted to work today... Then I delta headache starting and a lump in my throat. I called and I have to stay home until I am symptom free for 24 hours without medication. My head hurts and what I took didn't help!!!

[TerryL]

i am so frustrated with work. my coworker warned me about the people i am working for and everything she said is true. they are disorganized and some are not good workers. i can never reach the supervisor because she hardly checks her email and her voicemail is not even set up. i often get things last minute. they all get to telework and i have to go to the office, risk getting covid, to do their work cuz i am low on the totem pole. and i have underlying health conditions. the big boss says our health is her top priority but when i asked if i could move a little further away from my coworkers she said no because she wanted me to watch the front. i can't even see the front from where i am at. ack. i want so bad to quit but i need my health insurance and just the thought of looking for another job is so depressing. somebody help me get outta there!

[Prycejosh1987]

I love working, i wish i kept my job as a porter, i loved it. Working is fantastic and when i am not working i feel depressed.

[96reppirtyad]

episode 35 (9mos at this job) of “am i stupid for doing the menial work that no one else will or am i stupid for putting effort into this crap?”