MARCH 25, 2009 1:46PM

Crying at work yet again

Rate: 15 Flag

I am stuck as a number-cruncher by accident. Everyone knows I don't belong here, and supposedly wants me to get back into the world of writing, where I belong, but they're too complacent and/or cheap to hire the numbers person.

It's okay, for the most part. I'm grateful to have a job, even if I hate it. And I'm relatively proficient at the numbers aspect, although I'll never be as good as someone who has that calling.

The standing rule is that my boss wants to sign off on orders over a certain volume. I understand that. We don't want to lose big orders, especially in this market. I also have a fairly comfortable understanding of what to do with the mid-range orders.

She's also told me how quickly I need to respond to requests, and I bust my butt to meet those deadlines. The problem comes on those large orders where I need her sign-off. She drags her feet for days. I don't understand it. If these large orders are so important we don't want to lose them, why would we run the risk of pissing them off? Or why not give me some limited authority, or a back-up, for when you're too busy?

Today, after 3 days of being ignored, I got snapped at. "I thought you could've figured this out for yourself by now" when the quantity was DOUBLE where my authority level is.

WTF? She slaps my hand for not getting sign-off. She slaps my hand for being slow, when I'm not missing my deadlines. Now she slaps my hand and treats me like I'm an idiot if I DO ask for sign-off.

I can't win. I'm tired of feeling like an idiot nearly every day at work. I'm tired of having my stomach in a knot tiptoeing around. I'm tired of getting criticized for not doing a stellar job on my writing job, when literally 90% of my day is spent crunching numbers.

I love working a mile from home and kindergarten. I love working 2 blocks from soccer. Hell, I love being able to pay my mortgage, at least for this month.

But something's got to change.

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I'm so sorry, dogmom. What a miserable oaf your boss is. Hang in there if you can. I wish I had better words for you; these feel hollow.
i can understand your pain..i once pulled a few strings and landed my wife a job as receptionist at a small insurance company owned by my brother-in-law (she'd worked at a shoe store for years and hated it)

i wish i hadn't...just about every day she'd return home in tears - go into the bedroom and lie down and sob...because of something nasty that her immediate boss said to her that day

looking back i wish i'd been more of a comfort to her - instead i looked upon all this as ME being the victim of her silly dramatics..i'm ashamed to confess that it seemed like i was the one suffering here...ME

i told her to quit if it was that much of an ordeal...but she felt that this would make her seem an ingrate to the owner of the company that gave her the job out of kindness

i'm convinced that she only got pregnant so that she'd have an excuse to leave that place and never have to go back

damn..now i've made YOUR post all about ME

so back to you...i don't think there is anything that can be done to make your boss less of a bitch and appreciate you more...you need to get away from there...i sincerely hope that a new opportunity comes your way soon

rated
I feel for you. A boss like that can create a living hell. I wish I knew what to suggest. That mile from kindergarten is important, isn't it? How big is your office? Does she treat everyone the same way?
You don't say how much tenure you have at work. If you haven't been there long, you can certainly start looking around to see if there might be something better out there for you. At this stage, anything you do is going to be risky (staying put means you run the risk of growing resentment, jumping ship means you run the risk of going from the frying pan into the fire or worse).
The only consolation I could offer you was my litany when I worked for a boss I disliked immensely: "I don't have to sleep with them, I only need to get through eight hours a day five days a week with them, only a third of a day five days a week".

Hope you find the resolution you so desperately need.

Thumbed.
Ugh, I hate bosses. Mine got pissed recently because I was "cutting my deadline too tight" after being unable to start because I was waiting for the specs on a project which HE failed to get... and failed to get... and failed to get. Buck always stops at the bottom, don't it?

There needs to be an anonymous service which shows up and smacks these people upside the head with a "DO YOUR JOB SO I CAN DO MY JOB!" bat.
Oh have I been there. Here's to hoping something changes for you soon. Work stress can just make everything else in your life so stressful. Like Ash- wish I had better words- I feel your pain.
Sorry your job sucks right now. Really sorry your boss sucks!
There is little nice about having to do a job for someone who doesn't appreciate you. I feel your pain, though am helpless to do anything except to offer a long distance (((HUG))).
What a total f*ckwit. I sympathise: It was only after I took early retirement that I realized just how much crap I'd had to put up with over the years.

Rated for perseverance.
Awh, man. I feel for you, sister. I'm going through the same thing right now. Y'think the economy might have something to do with it?
It sounds like time to "ask" for more responsibility. I think she probably wasn't sure she could trust you with the bigger orders, when you were new. Well, you're not new anymore, and she's trusting you now. So you tell her, "I know you've been very busy lately. I'm comfortable now if you want to raise my approval limit to double, leaving you with only the really, really big orders. That way we can both be more responsive on these orders." Or maybe suggest that you give a "recommendation" on the orders you send to her for approval - pre-read them and point out the areas that might affect how she handles it. Sounds like it's time for you to get a promotion!
Thanks, everyone, for the nice comments and letting me know I'm not alone.

Here's a semi-positive update: They've started interviewing for the numbers person. Which could mean that either I get to do my real job, or that I'll become expendable.

And after I nicely responsed that yes, I can figure it out, but YOU wanted to sign off on these ... "oh, I'm just tired of getting emails. But ask if you need anything!" Bitch.
Oh yeah, she's probably also getting pressure from "above" that she's pushing down on you. Especially likely in this economy. She may be trying to save her job - or yours!
I feel your pain. We might be twins separated at birth.

http://open.salon.com/blog/trudi_jo_davis/2009/01/04/why_you_havent_heard_of_me
I am so sorry this is your lot in life, fotr the time being Hang in there! Do not, do not give up on your writing but you probably do not need me to tell you that.
it reminds me of the old Office episode where all M. Scott has to do is sign off on some reports once a week, just sign his name, and everyone begs him to just sign the damn things and he keeps finding all these distractions so everyone stays late and signs his name to the reports just so they can go home, and even though they know it's forgery. What a creepy boss you have. I hate it when you bust your ass and things don't get done and it's still your fault. Glad to hear the good news update, hooray.
I actually read yours this morning before I wrote mine.

This is her problem. You are doing your job.

She likes to be snarky, could be for any reason. Maybe she has a painful sore on her backside.

Keep your chin up, continue meeting those deadlines and remember that she could be fired, promoted or hit by a bus at any moment. This thought should give you a warm feeling in your core.
Hope you are documenting each instance. Can't hurt.
she sounds like a crazy person -- try to ignore her (impossible, I know) and hope she moves on. Try reading a few books like "Working with you is Killing me" or "How to work for an Idiot" , or "The No asshole Rule": They helped me.
Sorry to read this, dogmom.

There's nothing worse than working in a job you don't feel happy with for an idiot boss. Back in the day when I worked for idiot bosses, people told me not to personalize but I personalized like crazy because I tied myself up with what I was doing for work. HUGE mistake.

You know what you truly are; a super talented writer, a loving mom, and a temporary numbers-cruncher. You just happen to be doing this right now to pay the bills. Try to disassociate from the work-a-day dogmom, and focus on the fun dogmom with a dream she fulfills every time she sits in front of her computer to compose a new piece.

My answer was to find work where the emotional stakes weren't as high, and allowed me more time to write. Of course, I'm poorer than a snake, but I'm almost happy!

Hang tough!
I am sorry things are so hard for you. I quit my job for a similar situation. Everything was wrong. Nothing could be right. It was too much.
I wish I could get you out o fthis situation. Sending good thoughts your way..(and remember-YOU are NOT your JOB and NOT what the Boss thinks of you..You are much better than that.)