Q–I worked part-time while finishing my degree. During this time, I had heard that my boss was difficult to work for, but I actually respected her and enjoyed having her as my boss. On graduating, I joined the company as a full-time service manager. Within one month, it was apparent that what I had heard was correct.
There was no consistency in her expectations, she left disparaging notes about a person’s performance taped to the desk for all to see, her reaction to any situation depended on her mood that day, and she would publicly confront anyone.
I got to the point where I was nauseated coming to work, so I requested a transfer, which I got. I’m looking for another job now, but I’m worried about how naive I was as to what she was really like. How do I make sure I don’t work for someone like her ever again?
A–Don’t beat yourself up about being naive. Some bosses have become masters at hiding their real selves, especially in the interviewing process and in dealing with their own bosses. The best you can do is to find out as much as you can about the company–its culture, turnover statistics–and the duties and procedures of the job itself. If the procedures don’t seem to make sense, that may be the tip of the iceberg of poor management. If people seem guarded, cold or just plain uneasy talking to you about the company, take heed. They may be issuing you a silent warning. And most important, listen to your gut feelings about the potential boss and co-workers you meet.
Q–I work for a bank where the internal auditing department routinely examines the personal accounts of every employee to determine if there are any unusual transactions that may indicate theft or fraud. These exams include our spouse’s accounts. I feel this is an invasion of privacy, especially since my wife does not work for the bank. What can be done to stop it?
A–There are different levels of background checks people have to go through to hold positions involving the handling of other people’s money. A bank has a responsibility to maintain the highest level of security because in its business safeguarding against theft and fraud is crucial. You can always move your accounts to a different bank.
Q–I interviewed for a position with a large company. On the application, I checked the box that said they should not contact my current employer. Unfortunately, one of their employees did contact my employer and asked what my salary was. If this wasn’t bad enough, I didn’t even get the job. Now I’m in a precarious position with my current employer. What kind of action can I take against that employee and the company?
A–The first thing you need to do is smooth over an awkward situation in your current job. Now that your boss knows you are interviewing, ask to meet with him or her. Explain why you were looking–the job is no longer challenging (perhaps you’ll now be given more responsibility), you’ve worked hard and think you deserve more money (but back it up with facts), or whatever reason you have for looking. Say that you’d like to stay, but you would like to see certain things change. If your boss is not amenable to your proposal, and thinks it would be best if you left, you could talk to an employment attorney about possible action against the interviewing company that made the mistake of contacting your boss.
———-
Problems on the job? Write to Lindsey Novak, Jobs, Room 400, 435 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago 60611, or via e-mail: AtWorkbyLN@aol.com. No phone calls, please.
