Nine To Five: Special to The Globe and Mail, Published Sunday, May 24, 2015
THE QUESTION
I’ve been in my job for four months. After completing my masters in engineering, I was excited about getting this job right away.
But after two months, I realized everything I was told in the interview about my role were misrepresentations. My manager ignores my e-mails and acts irritated if I try to chat with him. I tried booking meetings, but he cancels them. I am rarely assigned work and excluded from big projects. Most days, I have nothing to do, although my role’s description potentially entails lots of work. There are precedents to look at to figure out your severance entitlement. Severance
I talked to my manager’s superviser, hoping he could remedy the situation, but there isn’t any vision with regards to my role. This frustrates me and I find myself nervous and stressed out.
Can I remedy this situation, or is hopeless and I should leave? What can I do about the misrepresentation in my interview?
THE ANSWER
There is nothing you can do about being misrepresented in the interview, that is water under the bridge. You have done everything you can to show great intention to work hard, but to no avail. You are a victim of bullying, which is unacceptable but also somewhere you probably don’t want to go due to your short tenure at the company.
So, it is time to polish up the résumé. When you are being stymied by your manager and his boss, the situation is out of your control. Document in detail every occurrence – past and present. Approach the HR department and ask for their advice on how to handle the situation, without whining. Present your case with specific examples including dates, e-mails and documented conversations. You may not want them to intervene but you want their advice on how to proceed and an explanation as to why this is happening.
Can you shadow someone while you look for a new position? Identify a mentor so you can glean knowledge and new skills while you wait. In the meantime, maintain a professional demeanour, be respectful and helpful, learn what you can and network intensely inside and outside the company.
Colleen Clarke
Career Specialist and Corporate Trainer
Author of Networking How To Build Relationships That Count and How To Get a Job and Keep It
