This experience is not about bad bosses, but instead about toxic workmates.
I started my current job 9 months ago, quite exactly on the date. My new job meant a higher level of responsibility, but also a better pay. They had convinced me that I was going to have plenty of room for taking my own decisions, and that it was going to be really giving. I thrived in my old position, but the developing possibilities there where sadly limited, and we had a boss who didn't really understand our organization so it was a pain trying to explain to her everything all the time. Seemingly, this new job had everything I was looking for.
Man, I was up for a rough awakening.
At the new place, I had a mentor that was supposed to help me get going with my new tasks. Sadly, it had to be done by Skype because we were still under Covid-19 restrictions, so we didn't meet physically until a couple of months later. My job was basically reading reports from companies we lend money to, and make executive decisions whether they should get the money or not, and order them to pay back if they mismanaged the funds. This meant crazy amounts of digital paperwork, and everything had to be logged. My mentor has been working here for ages, and he has developed his own system, which truly is very effective but it isn't easy to remember everything. The job had many parts to it, and some do not happen as often as others, so remembering it all takes time. As he was my mentor, I thought he was there for me to turn to him when I had a question, which I did. In the beginning everything went on smoothly, and I got an answer from my mentor every time I had a question, but about 1 month into the job something changed. His replies were often sent back with copy to our boss, and the tone was getting harsher, as if he was irritated when I asked a question. In the beginning I didn't even give it a thought, I assumed he was very busy and just being thouroug. But shortly after my boss started booking “check-ins” every other week to keep a track of my development. I actually appreciated those meetings because it gave me the chance to ask questions and explain how I saw things.
Sadly, my boss got sick and had to be out on indefinite sick-leave, which meant that his boss replaced him for a while. This meant that the only contact upwards I had was with my mentor, which by then I could really sense that he wasn't very fond of me. At the same time, a lot started happening on another part of the job which I was (and still am) solely responsible for, and I had to switch my focus for about a month. This meant that many errands from the other part which I shared with my mentor had to be put on hold. They were errands that I had sent an email to my mentor about because I needed his assistance before taking any decisions on the matter and which I hadn't receive any answers for yet. Remember when I said that he has his own system? Well, me putting on hold a few things didn't cut it for him, and one day he asked me “How come you aren't finished with this and that?”, with copy to our temporary manager. I replied (with CC) to him that I was temporarily forced to focus on the other task, but that I still couldn't make anything with those errands because he hadn't answered me yet.” His reply was: “I've taught people before and nobody ever took this long to learn how to deal with this.” Surprisingly, he didn't CC our manager this time, but I did: “I'm really trying my best to keep up and got better in taking my own decisions when working with our assignment, but sometimes I need help solving some minor questions and that's why I turn to you because you have more experience and you are my mentor. I'm sorry if it isn't enough for you and I will try to get better, but it would be nice of you if you just could answer my questions.”
Our temp manager called to a staff meeting shortly afterwards, which our boss attended as he was by this point starting to come back to work. During this meeting, my boss said to the group: “We hired a resource (me) because you guys told us you needed back-up, but now I've got an email saying that it isn't needed anymore. Can someone explain?”. Then, a colleague who was very close to my mentor said: “Well, it's because the resource you hired isn't much of a resource, but a load instead.” My boss was speechless, as everyone else. I raised my hand and said: “As you're obviously talking about me, what is it that I need to do for you to start seeing me as the resource I think I am instead of a load?”. She remained quiet. My boss encouraged her to answer, and she said: “I think everything that needs to be said has been said to you before.” When the meeting was over, I felt like a piece of crap. I think everyone would. My boss booked me in for another meeting, in which he reassured me that he wasn't thinking of letting me go at all, and that his boss felt the same about me. I asked why nobody stood up against my mentor's or the other's toxic behavior against me, and if HR was going to be informed about this. It was a turning point for me. I didn't want to come to work, I've been slacking because I don't feel welcome here, and so I started looking for another job.
Last week I was at an interview, I yesterday I got offered the job. When I was contacted, the new boss asked me what I wanted to get paid, and I just said: “my current salary is fine”. She answered: “I can't pay you that.” I said: “OK…”. She stopped me: “I can't pay you that because it's too low. It would be a gap of $700/month between our colleague with lowest income and you in the same position, so it would be unfair for you. So knowing this, where do you place yourself salary wise?”. I was baffled: “Well, at the same level as him then?”. She answered: “I think I'm going to give you an offer you won't be able to decline. Let me come back to you in a couple of days.”
I don't know if this post fits in this group, but I just wanted to say that colleagues can be worse that managers. Beware of them, too.