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So, I'm two months into my new job and today I had my "mid-year" review (even though it was just two months). My manager rated me a 2 out of 5, which means "needs improvement." She said that if I do not improve my performance, we may have to "part ways" in 30 days from now. This is a white collar professional corporate accounting job.
Needless to say, I am extremely demoralized and discouraged now.
It's ridiculous though, because I JUST started and I'm still learning how to navigate folders and files, figure out who to communicate with on certain matters and learn the business, etc. But I have hit way too many roadblocks. And I try to figure things out on my own before asking my manager, because I don't want it to seem like I need my hand held the whole time. She criticized me for not asking enough questions. BUT THEN, after a few weeks of asking her more questions....she then told me that I ask too much questions.
She also said that my analytical skills are lacking and need improvement. But my previous manager at my last job said my analytical skills were GOOD.
They are also extreme time micromanagers...
Also, this old, miserable, fat lady who sits about 10 feet behind me, apparently, has been monitoring every little thing I do. She went and told my manager that I was taking one-hour lunches sometimes and not making up the time for it (even though I was). I thought it was absolutely absurd and that she should mind her own business. And my manager told me that I've been texting on my phone excessively. Granted, she is sort of right, but I still thought that was the talking point of a MICRO manager.
One time, on a Friday, I left at 4:30 because I had to get home for a cable guy appointment at my condo for 5:00. I didn't think it was a big deal, being a salaried professional, on a FRIDAY, to leave at that time, instead of 5:00, when I would have normally left. When I told her that I had to leave, her eyes opened very wide in an outrage and said, "well, then you owe the company time and need to bring your computer home and work that half hour over the weekend." I don't know....I thought it was just....over the top.
Then today, she got upset that I arrived into the office at 9:30 instead of 9:00, because I had a doctor's appointment and didn't tell her about it. WTF?! At my last job, that would not have been an issue at all. In my profession, we were taught to manage our own schedules, within reason. I've had managers in the past who didn't even WANT to be told that I have a doctor's appointment (unless obviously, it would interfere with a meeting or something important or a busy day, etc.).
Now I feel like I have a gun pointed to my head and that I'm being watched, for the next 30 days. I simply cannot work well like that. I'm sorry. Now I understand why this other lady quit after just two months. It's a terrible department and company to work for.
My career has amounted to an EPIC disaster, at the age of 31 now. I used to be a straight-A accounting student in college, and here I am already on my 5th job, haven't been promoted in all 8 years of my career, have no desire to move up the ladder in my career, and 4 out of the 5 jobs truly sucked. The only good job I had was in Stamford, CT, but I would never go back there, because it was a horrific place to live.
I hope I get fired so that I can go back to school and get a degree in something else and start a NEW career in something that I will actually ENJOY and be GOOD at. I won't be able to collect unemployment though, because it's less than 6 months on the job, and well, you can't collect if you get fired.
My manager is also an extreme right wing Republican who was in the military.
Use the month productively. Stop texting, cut lunch down, and work over as needed to be as productive as they expected you to be. When you ask a question, write down the answer so you need not ask ever again.
Location: Sodo Sopa at The Villas above Kenny' s House.
2,492 posts, read 3,013,998 times
Reputation: 3910
Being fired does not necessarily mean your exempt from unemployment benefits. I won't get into that aspect but no one should ever not file just from being fired. I've personally experienced 2 people in my life that received benefits, one that really shouldn't have but the onus was on the company and some of them are slack about covering their butt.
If you've been through that many jobs something's amiss. I doubt it was all just bad jobs. You seem to think that just because it's white collar work you should have all the freedoms of a CEO. The fact that you are new and exhibit that entitlement is a big part of the problem. Someone that has worked there years and towed the line probably has more scheduling freedoms. Your still basically a new guy acting like he has run of the place however you see fit. Some companies just have a stricter culture and its important that you evaluate if it's going to be a problem to adhere to it. I'd wager it's pretty much thin ice for you there and I'd start looking elsewhere asap. They more then likely gave you the warning to get their ducks in a row,not to give you a second chance.
You are brand new to this job and making a lot of assumptions about leaving early. You should be extra vilagant about your time when first starting. The way you are working is not acceptable for a new hire.
If you like your job, start coming in early, short lunches, leave later. It sucks for sure, but you need to show you are serious about your job.
So, your new company may be miserable micro-managers and all, but ... it was probably a bad idea to just tell your boss you were leaving early, not tell her you were coming in late, etc. during your probationary period. Texting excessively probably does stand out and if you are very obviously taking an hour for lunch when those around you take half the time, it will also make you stand out in a negative way. It may not be immediately apparent to others that you are making up the time somewhere else.
Also, I don't know what difference it makes that your co-worker is "old" and "fat", or that your boss is an "extreme right wing Republican who was in the military". Might I suggest that you might have a bit of an attitude that those around you are picking up on?
For the next 30 days, arrive and depart on-time every day. Don't call in sick.
Leave your personal cell phone off except at lunch time. No texting, no checking messages, no personal calls. Don't leave the phone on your desk, else they will assume you have been texting.
Pretend like the next 30 days is a college final...sort of like a dress rehearsal. Work extra hard.
In reality, they probably already decided they are going to fire you. However, if you really change your ways they might decide to keep you. So there is no harm in giving it your very best.
Oh - no surfing the web at work. Not even at break time. Not even to check the weather.
They should fire you. Texting on the job? Arriving half an hour late and leaving half an hour early without advanced notice to your manager? Taking long lunches? You're flaking out on a regular basis. Grow up.
Well, I need to see doctors for several health problems that I am experiencing that simply can NOT be delayed. So yes, there will be many days where I have to come in a half hour late or have an extra long lunch or whatever. I'm sorry, but if I was a manager and my employee needed to see doctors, I would understand.
It's a culture shock to me, because at my last job, long lunches were fine, and people frequently left early and came in late, for things like doctor's appointments, etc. And who are we kidding? Everyone touches their phone throughout the day, or surfs the web. Don't pretend like it never happens, at all levels of the organization.
Even at the staff level, as a new employee, I would think that I can manage my own time, without having to be micromanaged. It's truly ridiculous and all of my professional friends AGREE.
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