Horrible Bosses

Have you ever seen the movie Horrible Bosses with Jennifer Aniston, Jason Bateman, and Jason Sudeikis? Well I’m living that movie, times ten, pretty sure.

My current boss would be most like Kevin Spacey in this scenario...

*Disclaimer – This post is only about how ridiculous some of my boss’s demands are. I do not want to kill him like they do in the actual movie. (Taylor had me clarify that before writing this)

Today I almost up and quit my job on the spot. It was that bad of a day. Or maybe the bad days are just piling up and I’ve been holding it all in too long?

Let’s rewind a moment to my walk to work this morning. Ethan had been telling me the past couple of days that someone had been calling his phone asking for me. When I was first looking for a job, and I didn’t have my own phone, I would put Ethan’s international number on all my resumes. So we both just assumed that it was a follow-up from an earlier job application, because, well, what else could it be? I rang the number up as I was walking to work this morning and was greeted with an automated message telling me I’ve reached ANZ Smart Choice Super and could call at a more convenient time or press one for an operator.  Well, I never applied for a job at ANZ Smart Choice Super. Plus, ANZ is my bank, so I figured out pretty quickly that it wasn’t a job offer.  Had it been a job offer, and perhaps I might’ve made an appointment for an interview, I don’t think I would still be employed at my current job.

It’s just absolutely ridiculous, and hard to keep a smile on your face, when your boss:

1)   Gives you a list of things to do, tells you to get started, but then continues to give you lists on top of lists of things to get done, all while not letting you work on the first list, then wondering why you haven’t finished anything. – It’s no wonder they still have “to do lists” from February that haven’t been done yet…

2)   Keeps asking for a “round of coffees” when the first two rounds are still sitting there on the table untouched.  OR, has you make a coffee for someone who you literally just asked if they wanted coffee or tea, and they said no. – I’d rather work on those lists than make coffee that won’t be drank/drunk…

3)   Makes you take your “breaks” either with them, talking about work, or typing up the day’s notes. – Noooottt quite sure that constitutes as a break. And no, I'm not getting paid for this work during "break" time…

4)   Doesn’t allow you to talk to your co-workers, even after you’ve triple checked your tables and made sure there’s nothing else to do.  – I’m sorry I want to get to know the people I work with and just possibly become friends with people who live in a different country than me…

5)   Tells you on a daily basis that you look tired, or “hungry,” or that you need to fix your hair after you JUST DID.  – What does it even mean to “look hungry?” I know for a fact that I don't look anorexic. And these flyaways don’t just lie down when I ask them to…

6)   Expects you to work fast AND quiet, like when you’re polishing the dishes or cutlery. – You can’t have both, you can only choose one…

7)   Has you sit across from them at a table while they go through mail, and instead of throwing the junk in the rubbish can themself, which is on the seat between the two of you, hands it to you, says “destroy it” and makes you put it in the trash instead. – The rubbish can is actually closer to you, and I could be working on those lists from earlier…

8)   Tells you to print two to three copies of everything, then put them each in separate manila folders; only to lose it within the next two days and have you reprint and copy everything all over again. – And no, I don’t need to make myself another copy, because I still have the first one…

9)   Tells you he will only give you one evening off, out of the three asked for, to watch the boys’ last soccer games of the season. And then he proceeds to schedule you anyways on that day they told you you would have off. – Yeah, I threw a fit on that one, and got that day off, again…

10) Cusses you out because you were trying to help another waitress take out food for a big table of twelve, on a very busy night, because they had been waiting on food for forty-five minutes. – I thought this place was all about good service? Sorry for trying to deliver that…

The boys actually had to have a sort of “intervention” with me when I got home this evening because I’ve been so moody these past couple days, and it was all because of work. I know it’s not fair to bring that anger home, and drop it on the boys; but it’s really hard for me to get out of a bad mood once I’m in it. But it’s nice to know that the boys care, and notice when I’m unhappy. They’re definitely good guys, and they gave me some good advice.

My parents have always said that there will be teachers, and coaches, and bosses that you don't like in life; but sometimes you just gotta suck it up. And I’m no quitter, and I only have six more weeks of putting up with this. I can do this.

Basically this rant comes down to one thing: having a horrible boss really makes you appreciate the good one’s you’ve had in the past (even more than you already did).

"We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed." - Corinthians 4:8-9

XO - Cristin