Share your terrible job stories

[WIP]

My boss at my new job is doing that to me. I was utterly honest with him during the interview. What I can do, can't do, can do but don't want to (installing) but am willing to help out with during crunch time or when something comes up and their in a pinch about, and what I can do but will refuse to do. I layed all my cards on the table like I should do.

How would it benefit me to lie to him? It would only embarass me later when they sent me out to work on what I said I can do. Plus it would prove that I am a liar.
No, I don't have to lie to get a job. Nobody knows everything. So why would I misrepresent myself?

(Besides, Jesus was standing right beside me while I interviewed. I had actually invited Him)

He said it sounds good, but the reality is that He don't know me nor does anyone intown. He said he's been raked across the coals by liars which he prematurely paid too well, so he is willing to hire me but only for what amounts to helper wages (less money than I was earning in the trade in 1992 , 26 years ago) until I was able to "prove" my competency and trustworthiness to him...

It was a legitimate concern from his side of the desk and so I comprehended it. He could be blowing sunshine up my skirt to manipulate me into signing on for a ridiculous pay rate...but to be big about it, I had to give him the benefit of the doubt.
Proving competency is easy. I can do it. I did not lie.
Proving trustworthyness should be easy. The truth comes out whether good or bad.

It's been 5 weeks now. I've been in prove it mode. I work early, late, long hard hours doing what I told him I do not want to do...
I've been patient. I've bit my tongue and not complained and hung in there. For all I know, he's been being hard on me as part of my proving to him.

He interferes with my ability to prove myself. I have been unable to prove anything other than I'm reliable no problems with showing up everyday.

He's slowly proving to me that he lied to me a lot in the interview. He's proven he doesn't care about his crew. He's pushing me out the door.
I told one of the office staff this morning while picking up my check ..does anyone here know and realize that I am about a quarter inch away from quitting?
He bout fell off his chair. WHAT? WHAT HAPPENED?

I am not being given a fair shake. Everybody in the office has told me they like me, I'm the best helper this company ever had...except the boss.
I'll prolly be unemployed Monday.
I can not let the boss take advantage of me and lie to me...I was looking for a job when I found this one...

I'm not sure what kind of reception I'll have on Monday. It's going to be interesting.. .I had to give them a warning, a clue to how I feel. They're either too dumb to pick up on the subtle polite hints that I have been dropping, or its manipulation of me and they dont care....we'll see.

I think a better option, rather than blurting out the sudden news to co-workers, might have been to sit down with the employer and have a heart-to-heart conversation. You could start out by expressing how you've held up your end of the bargain and then and ask him point blank if you're not working out and if not, what would you need to do to change things. It's disrespectful and discourteous to share information from a private interview with co-workers rather than speaking to the one that really matters. Personally, I think five years was too long for you to wait but it still may not be too late. Just my opinion.

 

[stovebolts]

My boss at my new job is doing that to me. I was utterly honest with him during the interview. What I can do, can't do, can do but don't want to (installing) but am willing to help out with during crunch time or when something comes up and their in a pinch about, and what I can do but will refuse to do. I layed all my cards on the table like I should do.

How would it benefit me to lie to him? It would only embarass me later when they sent me out to work on what I said I can do. Plus it would prove that I am a liar.
No, I don't have to lie to get a job. Nobody knows everything. So why would I misrepresent myself?

(Besides, Jesus was standing right beside me while I interviewed. I had actually invited Him)

He said it sounds good, but the reality is that He don't know me nor does anyone intown. He said he's been raked across the coals by liars which he prematurely paid too well, so he is willing to hire me but only for what amounts to helper wages (less money than I was earning in the trade in 1992 , 26 years ago) until I was able to "prove" my competency and trustworthiness to him...

It was a legitimate concern from his side of the desk and so I comprehended it. He could be blowing sunshine up my skirt to manipulate me into signing on for a ridiculous pay rate...but to be big about it, I had to give him the benefit of the doubt.
Proving competency is easy. I can do it. I did not lie.
Proving trustworthyness should be easy. The truth comes out whether good or bad.

It's been 5 weeks now. I've been in prove it mode. I work early, late, long hard hours doing what I told him I do not want to do...
I've been patient. I've bit my tongue and not complained and hung in there. For all I know, he's been being hard on me as part of my proving to him.

He interferes with my ability to prove myself. I have been unable to prove anything other than I'm reliable no problems with showing up everyday.

He's slowly proving to me that he lied to me a lot in the interview. He's proven he doesn't care about his crew. He's pushing me out the door.
I told one of the office staff this morning while picking up my check ..does anyone here know and realize that I am about a quarter inch away from quitting?
He bout fell off his chair. WHAT? WHAT HAPPENED?

I am not being given a fair shake. Everybody in the office has told me they like me, I'm the best helper this company ever had...except the boss.
I'll prolly be unemployed Monday.
I can not let the boss take advantage of me and lie to me...I was looking for a job when I found this one...

I'm not sure what kind of reception I'll have on Monday. It's going to be interesting.. .I had to give them a warning, a clue to how I feel. They're either too dumb to pick up on the subtle polite hints that I have been dropping, or its manipulation of me and they dont care....we'll see.

I worked for a guy like that building pole barns in my early 20's. Nothing was ever good enough for him, and he started holding my pay back for some stupid reason.
I ended up quitting when I was late on my rent to find a paying job. I ended up getting an attorney for my pay. He said he would pay, then didnt. My attorney would call and same thing. A few weeks later when my shut off notce came in along with my eviction notice, i called him and he just started laughing, and proceeded to tell me how stupid i was.

He said he would pay me, but i wouldn't see a dime, and my attorney would get it all. He said this laughing hysterically. Meanwhile, how was I supposed to continue feeding my two children and where were we going to live? I was livid, picked up my baseball bat, put it in my car and sped to his office.

As I got out of the car, God calmed me enough to leave the bat in the car. I came in, headed for his office and sat in a chair and proceeded to tell everyone how he was a thief.

He came over to me and was aggressive. I stayed sitting and told him if I got up, he would be leaving in an ambulance. I have training, and can back those words. It wasnt ab empty threat.

He called the cops and I went to jail. I got out the next day and headed right back to his office and sat in his chair. The police came again and I went to jail.

The third time I went to his office, I left with every penny he owed me.

Several years later I was pleased to hear he was going to prison for something similar with other employees, contractors and people who gave deposits for work that was never done.

I dont suggest anyone take the approach I did. But I remember feeling I let my family down by not being able to support them.

 

[lisa-in-FL]

Friday was unique...

I got fired and rehired by the same guy at the same company in one day. So off to the same jobsite on Monday. But Tuesday is going to be a new jobsite.

Hope you are having a good day on your new old job!

 

[lisa-in-FL]

My boss at my new job is doing that to me. I was utterly honest with him during the interview. What I can do, can't do, can do but don't want to (installing) but am willing to help out with during crunch time or when something comes up and their in a pinch about, and what I can do but will refuse to do. I layed all my cards on the table like I should do.

How would it benefit me to lie to him? It would only embarass me later when they sent me out to work on what I said I can do. Plus it would prove that I am a liar.
No, I don't have to lie to get a job. Nobody knows everything. So why would I misrepresent myself?

(Besides, Jesus was standing right beside me while I interviewed. I had actually invited Him)

He said it sounds good, but the reality is that He don't know me nor does anyone intown. He said he's been raked across the coals by liars which he prematurely paid too well, so he is willing to hire me but only for what amounts to helper wages (less money than I was earning in the trade in 1992 , 26 years ago) until I was able to "prove" my competency and trustworthiness to him...

It was a legitimate concern from his side of the desk and so I comprehended it. He could be blowing sunshine up my skirt to manipulate me into signing on for a ridiculous pay rate...but to be big about it, I had to give him the benefit of the doubt.
Proving competency is easy. I can do it. I did not lie.
Proving trustworthyness should be easy. The truth comes out whether good or bad.

It's been 5 weeks now. I've been in prove it mode. I work early, late, long hard hours doing what I told him I do not want to do...
I've been patient. I've bit my tongue and not complained and hung in there. For all I know, he's been being hard on me as part of my proving to him.

He interferes with my ability to prove myself. I have been unable to prove anything other than I'm reliable no problems with showing up everyday.

He's slowly proving to me that he lied to me a lot in the interview. He's proven he doesn't care about his crew. He's pushing me out the door.
I told one of the office staff this morning while picking up my check ..does anyone here know and realize that I am about a quarter inch away from quitting?
He bout fell off his chair. WHAT? WHAT HAPPENED?

I am not being given a fair shake. Everybody in the office has told me they like me, I'm the best helper this company ever had...except the boss.
I'll prolly be unemployed Monday.
I can not let the boss take advantage of me and lie to me...I was looking for a job when I found this one...

I'm not sure what kind of reception I'll have on Monday. It's going to be interesting.. .I had to give them a warning, a clue to how I feel. They're either too dumb to pick up on the subtle polite hints that I have been dropping, or its manipulation of me and they dont care....we'll see.

Hey Edward hope you are having a good day and can work these issues out with your boss!

 

[JohnDB]

Hope you are having a good day on your new old job!

Kinda boring waiting on the UPS tech to tell us everything is ok.

 

[Edward]

Actually we don't use the Sunday paper anymore. (Used to decades ago)
Craigslist/Skilled Trades is where we look.

If a "Tin Knocker" can't find service work in the summer time...he needs to open his eyes.

And there's a ton of work the farther Southeast he goes.
The pay isn't the greatest but demand is outstripping supply of qualified help. So wages have been slipping up.
Over time is common because a job that requires 50 guys might get 20 if they use temp agencies. Peurto Rico refugees have helped with the lower skills for the grunt work but knowledgeable guys are premium. I am not allowed to walk to the trailer to get Supplies or wire. That is helper work. I never can get near a broom. And I usually have a team of grunt labor attached to me. I am to keep them busy.
We still have a severe labor shortage. My temp agency boss calls the company I am placed with to see if she can have me back to send me elsewhere. (She needs me in more than one place).

If Edward has his ticket (license to purchase the refrigerants) he can command great pay just hanging out his own shingle here on the side of a van. Having his own set of guages and ladders ensure that he will never see home again.

I do have the epa cert to purchase refrigerant. A universal they call it.

Where's this at?

 

[WIP]

Share your terrible job stories

Not necessarily terrible but interesting. On my 16th birthday my mother got me up in the morning and told me I had to go out a look for work. By 9:30 that day I came home with two jobs. One of them was with our trash collection service for $2.00/hr. It was a rural service so we covered quite a large area.

I had been working for this company for a couple years and one day I informed the driver that I would not be able to work the following Saturday. I don't remember what the reason was but I think it was probably school related. Anyway, the next time I was scheduled to work after that Saturday that I took off, I arrived at our meeting location and was informed by the driver that I was let go. I contacted the owner of the business that same day and he told me it was because he didn't think I wanted the job anymore. This totally caught me by surprise. I explained to him that I had given a week's advance notice to which he explained that the driver never relayed the message. He gave me my job back and apologized for the error. Never been fired and hired on the same day before or since.

The second job I picked up on my birthday was a part-time job at a service station/car wash for $1.62 per hour. At one point during my senior year in high school I informed my manager that I would have to take a particular day off. I do remember this was school related and one thing certain was at that age I placed my schooling far ahead of any part-time job and I told him as much. He promptly told me that he had to let me go.

These are the only two times I have ever been fired by a company. Been laid off due to cutbacks but not fired.

 

[lisa-in-FL]

Kinda boring waiting on the UPS tech to tell us everything is ok.

Ah yes, getting paid to be bored. I know that feeling well!

 

[lisa-in-FL]

Share your terrible job stories

Not necessarily terrible but interesting. On my 16th birthday my mother got me up in the morning and told me I had to go out a look for work. By 9:30 that day I came home with two jobs. One of them was with our trash collection service for $2.00/hr. It was a rural service so we covered quite a large area.

I had been working for this company for a couple years and one day I informed the driver that I would not be able to work the following Saturday. I don't remember what the reason was but I think it was probably school related. Anyway, the next time I was scheduled to work after that Saturday that I took off, I arrived at our meeting location and was informed by the driver that I was let go. I contacted the owner of the business that same day and he told me it was because he didn't think I wanted the job anymore. This totally caught me by surprise. I explained to him that I had given a week's advance notice to which he explained that the driver never relayed the message. He gave me my job back and apologized for the error. Never been fired and hired on the same day before or since.

The second job I picked up on my birthday was a part-time job at a service station/car wash for $1.62 per hour. At one point during my senior year in high school I informed my manager that I would have to take a particular day off. I do remember this was school related and one thing certain was at that age I placed my schooling far ahead of any part-time job and I told him as much. He promptly told me that he had to let me go.

These are the only two times I have ever been fired by a company. Been laid off due to cutbacks but not fired.

I read somewhere that most high schoolers and college age kids these days don't have summer jobs or part-time jobs anymore. I think it was a combination of lack of employers for years after the recession and lack of kids bothering to apply because school is so important. I remember having issues with my part-time jobs in school because of having to take the morning off to take the SATs and other issues with my college job.
I know employers need to cover certain hours but they should be able to tell the difference between the kids who are just working for a little extra cash and don't want that Friday night shift and the kids that actually want to work AND graduate from school.

 

[lisa-in-FL]

I worked for a guy like that building pole barns in my early 20's. Nothing was ever good enough for him, and he started holding my pay back for some stupid reason.
I ended up quitting when I was late on my rent to find a paying job. I ended up getting an attorney for my pay. He said he would pay, then didnt. My attorney would call and same thing. A few weeks later when my shut off notce came in along with my eviction notice, i called him and he just started laughing, and proceeded to tell me how stupid i was.

He said he would pay me, but i wouldn't see a dime, and my attorney would get it all. He said this laughing hysterically. Meanwhile, how was I supposed to continue feeding my two children and where were we going to live? I was livid, picked up my baseball bat, put it in my car and sped to his office.

As I got out of the car, God calmed me enough to leave the bat in the car. I came in, headed for his office and sat in a chair and proceeded to tell everyone how he was a thief.

He came over to me and was aggressive. I stayed sitting and told him if I got up, he would be leaving in an ambulance. I have training, and can back those words. It wasnt ab empty threat.

He called the cops and I went to jail. I got out the next day and headed right back to his office and sat in his chair. The police came again and I went to jail.

The third time I went to his office, I left with every penny he owed me.

Several years later I was pleased to hear he was going to prison for something similar with other employees, contractors and people who gave deposits for work that was never done.

I dont suggest anyone take the approach I did. But I remember feeling I let my family down by not being able to support them.

In this day and age, I wouldn't recommend trying this again. But good for you for sticking up for yourself. I'm amazed that there are so many employers who try to get away with not paying their employees.

 

[JohnDB]

Share your terrible job stories

Not necessarily terrible but interesting. On my 16th birthday my mother got me up in the morning and told me I had to go out a look for work. By 9:30 that day I came home with two jobs. One of them was with our trash collection service for $2.00/hr. It was a rural service so we covered quite a large area.

I had been working for this company for a couple years and one day I informed the driver that I would not be able to work the following Saturday. I don't remember what the reason was but I think it was probably school related. Anyway, the next time I was scheduled to work after that Saturday that I took off, I arrived at our meeting location and was informed by the driver that I was let go. I contacted the owner of the business that same day and he told me it was because he didn't think I wanted the job anymore. This totally caught me by surprise. I explained to him that I had given a week's advance notice to which he explained that the driver never relayed the message. He gave me my job back and apologized for the error. Never been fired and hired on the same day before or since.

The second job I picked up on my birthday was a part-time job at a service station/car wash for $1.62 per hour. At one point during my senior year in high school I informed my manager that I would have to take a particular day off. I do remember this was school related and one thing certain was at that age I placed my schooling far ahead of any part-time job and I told him as much. He promptly told me that he had to let me go.

These are the only two times I have ever been fired by a company. Been laid off due to cutbacks but not fired.

To me...
Laid off and fired are pretty much the same thing. The end result is the same.
My last temp agency boss was run by a maniac. He would holler every time I took off. Once he even called me in Slovakia to ask me why I hadn't been to work all week. (He had forgotten that I told him about the mission trip months in advance)

I haven't drug up (quit) a job for a long time. Last one was a loooong time ago.
I earn my layoffs the honest way.

 

[Razeontherock]

In this day and age, I wouldn't recommend trying this again. But good for you for sticking up for yourself. I'm amazed that there are so many employers who try to get away with not paying their employees.

I'm surprised he went to jail for just a threat. It's a big deal that somebody in FL got sentenced for it recently, and that because the person he threatened was a "protected class." (So much for liberty and justice for all)

The last time I worked for somebody else, I charged the boss. In my vehicle. Stopped less than 2" short of smashing through a faux wall right into his desk. This was after driving through 75 yards of warehouse not typically used for vehicular traffic. I put over 400,000 miles on that truck and knew it rather well.

The idiot middle manager never made that mistake again! The look on his face was priceless. He also cleaned off the patch of rubber I laid down on the concrete. (Rubber's really hard to remove from concrete)

I made my point. He knew he was wrong. I bet Steve's boss did, too.

 

[WIP]

To me...
Laid off and fired are pretty much the same thing. The end result is the same.
My last temp agency boss was run by a maniac. He would holler every time I took off. Once he even called me in Slovakia to ask me why I hadn't been to work all week. (He had forgotten that I told him about the mission trip months in advance)

I haven't drug up (quit) a job for a long time. Last one was a loooong time ago.
I earn my layoffs the honest way.

The term fired has negative connotations whereas the term laid off does not. Fired usually implies a breakdown in the relationship between employee and employer when laid off only implies that the job opportunity no longer exists due to economic conditions not related to performance.

This is why when one is laid off, there are no issues collecting from unemployment insurance but when one is fired, there are more difficulties involved and in some cases insurance claims may even be denied.

 

[WIP]

I read somewhere that most high schoolers and college age kids these days don't have summer jobs or part-time jobs anymore. I think it was a combination of lack of employers for years after the recession and lack of kids bothering to apply because school is so important. I remember having issues with my part-time jobs in school because of having to take the morning off to take the SATs and other issues with my college job.
I know employers need to cover certain hours but they should be able to tell the difference between the kids who are just working for a little extra cash and don't want that Friday night shift and the kids that actually want to work AND graduate from school.

Around here there is no excuse for not having a job. They are available everywhere.

 

[Edward]

I got the week off, lol!
Be in Friday at 8 to talk more to the new GM. He said I have legitimate concerns and he wants to hear me out...which is a good sign.

We talked an hour and a half! Too much detail to junk up the thread with, lol.

 

[Razeontherock]

Edward, that's great news! Maybe this will turn out not to be a terrible job story?

 

[lisa-in-FL]

I got the week off, lol!
Be in Friday at 8 to talk more to the new GM. He said I have legitimate concerns and he wants to hear me out...which is a good sign.

We talked an hour and a half! Too much detail to junk up the thread with, lol.

Congrats! I'm glad he's willing to listen! Praying it will work out. I'm currently at work late waiting on someone else and then have to drive halfway across the state for a meeting tomorrow. I'm glad I have a job just still trying to figure out why God prepared this specific job for me.

 

[Razeontherock]

Because you get to drive halfway across the State? Enjoy the drive!

 

[lisa-in-FL]

Because you get to drive halfway across the State? Enjoy the drive!

Someone's an optimist! I'll try to enjoy it.

 

[jasonc]

I read numbers,people hate me as I do it.