Is it me or.......

I've been seething about this for 5 hours now - and its making me physically sick.

The two people I work with had a lunch arranged with one of our cients. Now, I really had no problem with this - it would have been nice to be included, but Admin staff rarely get to go and have the lunch/dinner thing.

What has really got me going is that it's become obvious that they never actually intended to come back to the office this afternoon. AND one of them had scheduled an interview with a new candidate for 4pm.

Nieve little me thought that as they had only booked it in the calendar for 1 1/2 hours, that was all it would be. It's not like we've nothing to do - 7 new jobs in yesterday, 1 today, so we've got work coming out our ears.

Added to this, one of the Directors has decided that the entire office needs to be re-arrangeed. By today.

Not a problem, except the consultant who has to move desks is resisting it as hard as she can - well passively resisting. Basically refusing to move. But that's easy to deal with - when the Director asks me if it's done, I;ll just refer her to this Consultant (who happens to be the Senior Consultant in the office) and she can do the explaining.

What really got my goat is that after 3 hours, I finally had to go to the loo, so put the answering machine on and ducked out. Naturally, the phone rang in the 5 minutes it took me.

It was a new candidate saying she was running late, as she was trying to find somewhere to park.

Tired to ring the girls - naturally neither one had taken their work mobiles with them. Tried the Consultant who had booked the interview - message bank. Tried the other one - she answered & I got onto the correct person.

She then had the absolute gall to ask me if I could interview this lady for her. "Was it all right?".

Of course it bloody wasn't! It's the height of rudeness (IMHO) to arrange a meeting and then have somebody else do it, because you're out socialising. (and let's be honest here - they weren't talking staffing needs al that time!)

I, naturally, said "yes, I'll do it" becasue if I said no, then it's an easy bet that she would have complained to the Directors about me not being a team player.

Now, I'd also been taking phone calls all afternoon & messages, expecting them to be back by 3pm at the latest.

This isn't the first time. They go out to visit a client, and it's a 2 or 3 hour thing (should only be one - one and a half hours) and then a couple of weeks ago went out to do some "training" and never came back (I was stuck at the office until 6pm that Friday beause neither of them had their keys, and had only taken walletts & mobiles - had to wait until one of them deigned to come back for their gear before I could pack up and go).

Yes - I was dumb. I should have just locked up and left and to hell with their stuff there.

So - am I just being whiny and stupid, or do you think that their actions are totally inconsiderate? The thing is, I know it's not deliberate - it's completely thoughtless on both their parts. I can't help but think it will get worse, as we have a new consultant starting on Monday and I can see them now being a trio and doing everything - so I'll still be in the same position.

I'd up and leave except.... I love my job. I love the company I work for and don't want to leave. And if I left, I'd forfeit my commissions (which are all from temp placements and come to about $2000 per quarter - which is what does things like helping support my mum who is on an aged pension, do maintenance on my car, and just generally buy a few "wants").

Reallly, I just need to have a huge rant. Well no - I need your help in deciding should I speak about this to my Directors? But I don't want to be seen to be whiny or jealous.

Am in a quandry and am making myself ill thinking about it.

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"When I'm old, I don't want them to say of me, "She's so charming." I want them to say, "Be careful, I think she's armed." -G. Stoddart

Oh Maddy, it sounds like they really left you in the lurch, and not for the first time! ITA that they should not have been missing any appointment, much less an interview!

I hope that you get them *good*... I'm sure we can all help you think of some nice revenge.

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quote:

[i] I hope that you get them *good*... I'm sure we can all help you think of some nice revenge.

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Eagle in Residence
Tempory Frisker

Maddy I agree with the others you are not being whiny or stupid they are down right inconsiderate.

See if you can sit down and speak to them in a team meeting or something?

Say that you have concerns about the team and how you are perceived by new clients.

Ask if they can be realistic in their timings in order you can provide a professional service to your customers (i.e. not say they will be gone for 1.5 hours when they intend to be gone for the day!)

Hopefully if you sit and talk it through they will have the common sense to realise the image they portray.

If it continues put it in writing to them and keep a log of all your actions.

Reasons for this is so that when you go to the managers you have documentary evidence and proof you have tried to rtesolve it within the team.

I actually work as a manager and trust me I see this a lot too. I always document things because you can guarantee the day you dont something will come back and bite you in the A**.

I hope that talking to them makes them see sense but if not and they go ot leaving belongings behind. Next time leave a message saying you had to get home and you have locked up for the day apologise for not waiting but explain that you had no idea they were going to be this late back (after all they only said and hour and a half right?)

Start keeping records of all this so that yo have evidence for the manager.

I am guessing when you wait back they dont pay you overtime?

and finally and most importantly you come and rant to us anytime we are all here for you

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Like the Phoenix I rise from the fire. Beware all who try to tame me, you may get burned

Not that my social skills are worth emulating, but,...

Lunch with a client is important. I've done the 2 hour lunch thing before. The client was worth several million in contracts, and the sales rep spent a lot of the time talking about each of the staff and how good we were. The client left relaxed, confident that everyone in our company could do their jobs, and feeling like we ran a clean, open shop. None of this "only three people can talk to you" BS.

But, we also informed Reception and the department clerk that we would be taking a very long lunch and cleared our books.

Admin staff should be invited to the occasional client lunch. It adds to the client's confidence in the entire organization, including the receptionist who does more than just answer phones. It gave me a different view of the client and the entire sales process; that rep was great in so many ways, helping me learn what the customer expects and wants.

But, it's one of those little things that most people don't realize is important.

Is there an account where you want to know more about the client in a less formal setting? Give a business reason rather than a personal one.

(I'm not minimizing the personal reason, just adding business ones.)

I wonder what the lunching customer thought, if he over-heard "Oh, I'm with George, I'll pass the interview down the line." Doesn't give him much confidence in your company's hiring practices.

That bit about the keys? For all they know, you had to leave right on time on Friday, and you didn't know that they left their keys. (Why would anyone leave their keys at the office?)

The move, gently passing it upwards is the right thing to do. The Directors asking you about it rather than the Consultant, interesting,... Just make sure your part of the move will go very smoothly.

Missing appointments, if only there were a way of adversising it,... Maybe a memo to the person who should have interviewed the girl, summarizing the results of the interview.

Hang in there. You're good at your job and a valuable member of the company. Karma will tell.

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Between stimulus and response there is a space.
In that space is our power to choose our response.
In our response lies our growth and our freedom.

- Viktor E. Frankl

Maddy, I'm sure you can find a way to pay them back when they least expect. Like explaining nicely the situation to your director/manager, that should bring them a lecture about work responsability.

Then again locking up their gear in their office and pretend you had an emergency would also be a good one. If they got away with it you will too. Do them what they did to you and they'll see how unpleasant it is.

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It is the tiny spark of humanity that adds blaze to a villain

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It is the tiny spark of humanity that adds blaze to a villain

Oh yes Maddy this sounds familiar. I guess it doesn't matter where you work, you'll always have some lazy git trying to shove their workload on you. I've had the same thing happen to me, only it was my boss doing it to me and I was just starting my new position and still under my 90 day trial period where she could fire me for any old reason she deemed fit!
So I had to grin and bear it with a big shit-eating grin if I wanted to move up the corporate ladder...

I wasn't even in Human Resources! So I didn't have a clue as how to go about interviewing this poor young lad. So I just tried to wing it and I probably came across as a totally unprofessional wackjob and gave him the most unorthodox job interview he's ever had! BTW...I never did get further up that ladder with her!

So I guess the question is how much shit are you willing to chow down on? It sounds to me that you're being taken advantage of and once they figure you out to be a doormat, they'll keep on doing it! This is from my personal experience. So maybe the next time they ask you for such a favour, maybe you should politely decline and list all of the things that are priority, throw around some bigwig's name, bore them to death with every little minute detail of what you have to do for the boss, heck toss in a little white lie...ok even a big fat one as long as you can get away with it, and maybe hint to a bigwig that someone isn't pulling their weight around here. Now if you can figure out a way to do this without coming off as a complainer and a non- teamplayer let me know.

For me personally, could care less what others think of me at work. (Crotchy Ole Bitch I am!) I know where I stand with upper management (and believe me they really don't care about underlings as long as the work gets done and they get their bonuses and perks without having to get their hands dirty) I point out that I am willing to do the extra work/favour for them and I am willing to learn new experiences but it will cost them (ie major OVERTIME!!!!)

I guess my advice to you would be to know your labour laws, and your job description inside and out and cover your own ass because nobody is going to do it for you. Politics baby! You scratch my back I'll scratch yours...*steps down from the soapbox*

I hope something of what I've babbled here helps you. At least you know you're not alone!

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Putting the "Con" in Condor....Ooooo... shiny red button!

Save the messages from 3pm Friday until she's in a meeting with the senior management.

Need help from one of them while they're out. Call whoever can help you instead (ie bigger boss); explain that you did try to get help from the usual person, but she's still at lunch with a client.

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Between stimulus and response there is a space.
In that space is our power to choose our response.
In our response lies our growth and our freedom.

- Viktor E. Frankl

I actually spoke to one of my direct reports who was up here for a couple of days (yes - I report to 3 different people! And not one of them works full time in my office - all are out of Sydney).

She was most incensed for me - especially since the two people concerned spent 2 hours yesterday out interviewing a candidate (and wanted to know why both of them went).

She then told the Directors (my other 2 reports!) who will be speaking to the consultants concerned.

When I think of it now, it's not so much the leaving me alone, it's the complete and utter lack of consideration with telling me what is going on that really go tmy goat - and the assumption that I'd do the work they did't want to.

On the plus side, I've been told that th ecandidate I saw is "my" candidate so if we place her (when we place her) the commission will be partially mine.

Ste, as usual, has been my absolte rock. He provided petting, cuddles & clear vision.

Thank you all also - it was nice to feel supported.

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"When I'm old, I don't want them to say of me, "She's so charming." I want them to say, "Be careful, I think she's armed." -G. Stoddart