Out of college I worked for a big law firm as a paper pusher. I wanted to be a paralegal, so I took a job at another firm so that I could pad my resume with the title. I (34/m) was 24 at the time.
When I started at the new firm I could tell the office manager was a problem. Everything about her just screamed insufferable co-worker. Maybe that was the problem – I view managers as my co-workers. A few hours in she starts giving me the office rules which include (1) no cell phones in the office at all. leave it in the car (2) no cursing, (3) random drug testing. Boom. I was done – I walked into the office managers room and told her that she should have been more upfront about the incredibly restrictive office policies during my interview, and I left for my old job.
Ten years later I'm a lawyer working at a big national firm. I'm approached by a local attorney who tells me that he is looking for a succession plan before he retires. I worked with him on a case and he liked me enough to call me a year later and offer me this interview.
So today I am interviewed by another older attorney and his office manager – who is the same manager above. I didn't recognize her but she had my email address saved, and she certainly remembered me. Before introducing herself she walks in the room and asks if I was the guy who walked out of her old firm because I didn't want to be drug tested.
I was floored. You're trying to poach me, and this is how I'm greeted? Do you even see a person here or am I just a memory you've clearly held onto? She goes on to tell me about this new job, how I will take a pay cut, how the older attorneys will dump their files on me, how I won't have access to support staff for a few years, how I'll have to start commuting, how they've had to fire other attorneys for “not working out”…
I kept it cordial even though she clearly wanted to get this off her chest. I tried to move on, but she did not relent. So I said,
“I didn't agree with the office policies. I think one of them was no cursing, which seemed unreasonably restrictive and weird.”
“So you went back to your old firm where you could curse and say whatever?”
“Yes, they treated us very kindly and like equals. That is still my first priority.”
I won't be taking that job.