Frances Horibe's

My Boss is Impossible to Work for If the world were fair, you’d never have an impossible boss. They would all be evenhanded, encourage their staff to their full potential, and not be working out personal issues on the job. Right. Every once in a while, you get a great one. If you do, they are gold. Hang in there as long as you can and don’t take your luck for granted. Not all are impossible bosses But for the rest of us, perfect bosses, like perfect people, are few and far between. Which doesn’t mean the rest are jackasses, of course. After all, you’re not perfect either (I hope this is not news to you) and would probably not do a better job. Even if you’re sure that you would. So, generally, I’d give him the benefit of the doubt, if you can. Flawed, yes. Sometimes a little petty. Or inconsiderate. Or bad-tempered. If these are not characteristics but occasional outbreaks, I’d try to treat them as one-offs and focus on whether your supervisor is primarily a good guy with positive intent. But sometimes you can’t because his behavior makes it difficult to do your best work. These are…

Walking Away from a Bad Job In previous posts, I have been talking about challenging a bad job’s ability to sap your confidence by taking a look at the assumptions you’ve made about why you stay. In this post, I want to talk about how to start the process of walking away and getting into job search for a better job. The job search tactics which usually apply, apply in this case also. Dawn Rosenberg Kay has an excellent article on how to look for a job while still employed. However, I think there are special factors in a bad situation you need to pay attention to. Job hunting while walking away from a bad job I’m sure I won’t cover all of them, but here are some things you need to be particularly aware of when trying to leave a bad job. Lack of confidence. As I’ve mentioned, the worst thing a bad job does to you is attack your self-confidence. This may come out in various ways. You may undervalue what you can do and apply for jobs for which you are overqualified. Conversely, because you have lost a reliable way to assess your skills, you may overestimate…

Are You in a Bad Job for the Convenience? In the first post of this series, Why Do People Stay in Bad Jobs?, I asked you to identify why you are staying in a bad job. In the last post, I explored some reasons often given to continue working where you are. This post will cover more, including convenience. I’m already in the best company in the industry. This can happen. When Steve Jobs was alive, Apple was considered one of the best tech companies and so worth putting up with Jobs’ mercurial temper and insane demands. But why do you think you’re in the best company in your industry? Best paid? Most prestigious? Well-known brand? Whatever it is, give a hard look whether it’s worth the price you’re paying. You might feel any other company would be a move down. So what? First, your resume will always say that you worked at the best company. It might even help you move to a lesser known company with a better environment. Best should also include best for you. I like my colleagues. Yes, that’s wonderful. But in a toxic work setting, great colleagues often mean people who have your back,…

Are You in a Bad Job for the Money? In the previous post, I noted that a bad job can sap your confidence. You feel trapped without slowing down enough to consider whether you actually are. In this post, I want to discuss whether believing you don’t have the skills to change jobs, or good money, sticking with the devil you know or even a shaky economy are enough to stay in a bad job. I don’t have the work skills I need to change jobs You may think that no other company wants your skill set (another example of how a bad work environment saps your confidence). But look at this objectively. More than likely, the skills you use right now to do the job are adequate. Don’t let a bad work environment make you forget that. You might be able to make a lateral move to another company—same type of job, same level of pay, better environment. If you are aspiring to a more senior position when you move companies, that’s a different story. You may not have, or have not been able to demonstrate, the qualities which make you promotable. Identify these skills and either get training…

Why Do People Stay in Unpleasant Jobs? We’ve all been there. Jobs where you hate to get up in the morning, where Monday is a life sentence and Friday only a temporary reprieve. It can be bad for any number of reasons: a ruthless boss; a toxic work environment; boring assignments; or stupid company rules. The list can be endless and varied. But all unpleasant. Sapping hope One universal affects not only your work life but also your will to take action to get out of it: a bad job saps hope. Your boss, in word and deed, communicates that you are a miserable incompetent. Much as you might refute it, the contempt has crept into your psyche and makes you half-believe that nobody else would hire you. The toxic work environment has caught you in a web of constant back watching and heading off attacks so you forget other work places can be healthier. The boring or unsatisfying work dulls you so that your best is as little as you can get away with and you have no energy to find better work. Over time, your confidence and ability to take action to get out are drained. It is…