The Job Hunt Thread

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

Well things just got interesting. I informed them that Boys Town confirmed that my benefits would end November 15th, all they would do is offer me COBRA. 

They got PISSED. I apologized and said I was trying to do my best but they called me rude and unprofessional.     They also insisted they are going to talk to HR and get my benefits extended.   They are stalling.

Talked to HR b/c I want to cover my ass and found out that I must submit my resignation letter to my bosses and then THEY give it to HR.

Oh hell no, after the conversation I just had that give them opportunity to either sit on it or "lose" it and try to get me for breach of contract when I start my new job.

So the new plan is I am quitting tonight or Monday morning if I can't get to HR before they close.  I want to  be GONE when I submit this letter.  I will go in hand them my letter/badge. I will explain that I was going to give a week's notice but this has become a hostile work environment and I am not comfortable continuing my employment. I am also not comfortable submitting my letter thru my former bosses and trusting that it will make it's way to HR as intended. 

Talked at length with the animal technician and she said they WILL try to sabotage me.  I haven't told them where I am going and she said keep it that way, it's none of their business and they have in the past used their connections to ruin job opportunities for people.

Hoping they leave me alone for the rest of the day

They came in to gloat to tell me I misunderstood the benefits plan and that now I have to give them two weeks (no I didn't).   This is getting bad.

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

Pretty sure now I am being watched b/c since when does my second boss hang out in the lab for 20 minutes?

[giramomma]

I'm sorry Drama.

[midjd]

DQ, did you sign an employment contract? Are you in an at-will state?

If the answers are no and yes, you can tell them to go fuck themselves. No wonder they have so much trouble keeping employees.

ETA -- sorry you're going through this. Just think how much better your new job will be in comparison! 

[Chocolate Lover]

Oct 23, 2015 15:13:40 GMT -5 giramomma said:

I'm sorry Drama.

  I guess now you understand the high turnover rate. 

[taz157]

Oct 23, 2015 15:14:18 GMT -5 midjd said:

DQ, did you sign an employment contract? Are you in an at-will state?

If the answers are no and yes, you can tell them to go fuck themselves. No wonder they have so much trouble keeping employees.

ETA -- sorry you're going through this. Just think how much better your new job will be in comparison! 

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

Don't be. I was trying to do the professional thing giving notice. It's not my fault Boys Town has  a stupid policy concerning benefits. They aren't going to make me go on COBRA just so they can wring extra work out of me.

They showed their true colors with the exchange when I apologized and then took it a step further by gloating and telling me I HAVE to give them two weeks.

I am not giving them the opportunity to ruin things for me. The longer I stay I am more at risk of them figuring out where I am going and trying to sabotage me.

Nebraska is an at will state and that works both ways.

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

DH wants me to quit right now. I told him I can't I am working with the mice right now.

If I were to leave now it would open up the chance of being brought up on charges for violating IACUC. It would be my word against theirs.

That would follow me to my next job b/c the IACUC people go between all the institutions.  All it would take is a whispered word and I am ruined.

I told him it is better for me to play good girl and let them think they won.  Once I get the animals back into the ARF then I can make my move.

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

Thank god for the ARF ladies. One is willing to stay late for me so I have a witness that I brought the animals back.

They know the situation, they've seen it play out for years. They told me they are surprised I lasted four months

[obelisk]

Drama you responsibility is with your Drama Queen corporation which includes your kids and your husband as CFO period.
You will be so much relieved of all  this stress in a short amount of time.  Enjoy the weekend with the people that matters most in your life.
No surprises to the ones whom have followed your stories over the years.  CHEERS!!!!!!!
ps We are rooting for you.

[quince]

Fuck these people.

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

I totally agree the actions of my now former boss these past couple of hours hammered it home. I am not the one being unprofessional in this situation and I refuse to work in a hostile environment for their benefit.

They would have had their week but they want to be bullies and try to force me to work two weeks.

Then what? From what the ARF techs told me they will sit on people's letters and basically try to strong arm you so you can't get another job b/c you're still technically employed with them.

For a normal boss I'd cooperate with the proper channels but their actions show I need to go over their heads directly to HR.

I hope I get this done before they close if not I will come in super early on Monday. They don't waltz in till around 10:00-10:30 I will be long gone and I ain't answering the phone.

[chen35]

Wow. They are pieces of work, that's for sure. I can see them being annoyed by the situation, and that is basically it. You 'have' to give two weeks! Ha! You don't 'have' to do anything in at at will state. I can't imagine anywhere you 'have' to give notice. I'm not a lawyer though. 

I seriously cannot even believe how they are acting. Like children who didn't get their way.

[The Walk of the Penguin Mich]

Crap, Drama......I can't believe a couple of PIs are doing this to you.  At this point, I would be really curious to hear what their previous employees say.

Go over their heads, I'd give them a copy of your resignation letter and give a copy to HR too.  

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

Well the people that are still here have nothing good to say that is for sure. A LOT has come out since I am leaving and no one has to worry about backlash b/c I repeat something.

I am not giving them my letter. I am giving it directly to HR and informing them I am not comfortable involving my bosses in the process due to the fact they have created a hostile work environment in response to me putting in my notice.   I want everything done thru HR.

The ARF people told me several former employees had to do that in order to finally get out of the job.

[obelisk]

For 13$ per hour, I would them then to pound sand.   In  my head then keep repeat that to your self in you head.
All is fair when you have your all life ahead of you.

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

If I didn't have animals with me right now I would have, but I am not taking the chance of them trying to ruin me by putting a bug in the vet's ear. The vet works at UNMC and I will be spending A LOT of time in their ARF. I don't want him having doubts about me.

They've been known to ruin people's job opportunities. I haven't told them where I am going. They can probably guess but there are hundreds if not thousands of PIs that work at UNMC. Good luck figuring out which department I am in and who I work for.

I'd also hope it'd be apparent they are being petty when you consider the glowing references other people give me. I could ask Keith to go to bat for me if it came down to them trying to pull that stunt.  You'd think the chairperson of the COP who I worked with for five years would outweigh people I worked with for four months and were fine with me until I put in my notice.

[Deleted]

NomoreDramaQ1015, ok, take a deep breath and calm down.  I don't disagree with what you are doing because I don't know these people and am not in your situation.

But you want to be very calm when you talk to HR.  You also want to refuse to engage.  When you gave your one-week notice, I tried to suggest that you not discuss it with them any further.  You don't owe anyone an apology or a discussion.  If you refuse to discuss it, they can no longer offer you options that don't work or threaten you.

Now it is simply a hostile work environment since you gave notice.  If HR tries to engage, refuse.  Simply say, "That explains the situation.  Here is my resignation." 

Honestly, the less you say at this point, the more professional you will appear.  You don't want to work there at this point so don't give them any openings to try to persuade you or bully you.

Good luck. 

[TheHaitian]

Holy fuck!!! What is their problem?

Stay calm , professional and give your notice to HR on Monday stating it is effective immediately due to the hostile work environment.

Thank you for the opportunity and good bye. Take the rest of the week to decompress!

Some people have some nerves!

[TheHaitian]

In other news, I went to my new store today. It is 35 to 40 minutes drive so not bad at all.

I officially start next Wednesday since I took Monday and Tuesday off.

Haven't heard from the other job yet, but I figure since they have to schedule the interviews with the VP of Operations that may take a little more time and coordination.

If I don't get this job I will continue to apply but 1 job at a time. This process has made me realize I cannot juggle interviews at 2-3 different places at a time while holding down a job.

I also will probably wait till after Holiday season (busy in retail) and start job hunting in January again.

Waiting to see...

[MJ2.0]

I'm so glad I don't have an important job because I would have walked right out of there if my job pulled that shit on me.

Random - I got an email back from a job I applied to months ago for Homeland Security in Newark. Yeah the commute would be worse, but the money would be a LOT better. Plus one of my career dreams was to work for the feds. The email basically said I advanced to the next round of applicants. Since the government hiring process moves at a snail's pace, I'm still going to take a math class in spring in preparation for my return to school.

[mojothehelpermonkey]

I got turned down for the job at the medical device company. They went with someone who had experience working in a FDA-regulated environment (sad trombone). At least now I don't have to try to figure out how to save for retirement on the low salary they were offering.
I may still be in the running for the other job, but I haven't heard anything yet. I also applied for another job at a company that a couple of people have told me is a bad place to work for just because it was the only job I saw posted that was related to my experience.
On the bright side, I start volunteering at the library next week, and my mom (who used to be my harshest critic) keeps telling me to let her know if I need any help. My emergency savings will get me to next summer, and then my SO and I will either move to a cheaper area or reduce our expenses here depending on how his job is going.

To Drama: I was a bundle of nerves from when I put in my notice at my last job until they told me to pack up my things and leave (before the two weeks I had told them I would stay). I just kept taking deep cleansing breaths and telling myself that they couldn't force me to keep working for them.  Good luck.

[suesinfl]

Drama, keep calm and breath. I feel that your plan will work in your favor. At least you know that you have a job waiting for you and there is an end to BT and your unhappiness there.

I wish you the best and am rooting for you!

[obelisk]

In other news, I went to my new store today. It is 35 to 40 minutes drive so not bad at all.

I officially start next Wednesday since I took Monday and Tuesday off.

Haven't heard from the other job yet, but I figure since they have to schedule the interviews with the VP of Operations that may take a little more time and coordination.

If I don't get this job I will continue to apply but 1 job at a time. This process has made me realize I cannot juggle interviews at 2-3 different places at a time while holding down a job.

I also will probably wait till after Holiday season (busy in retail) and start job hunting in January again.

Waiting to see...

It seems like all the stars are working for you.  Best of luck!  I believe with all the feelers you have out that it will work out in your best interest.  Enjoy the weekend.

[Ava]

Drama;

Don't forget that the aggravation will be over very soon.

Then you have a few days off to rest and recover before starting your new job which will be much better than this.

Your current situation at Boys Town is just a tiny glitch and will be over very soon.

Breath, relax.

I'm very happy for you.

Carl;

Best of luck on your job search and keep us posted.

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

I quit last night. I decided I wasn't going in and giving anyone the opportunity to try to involve my supervisors since they were pretty clear I was supposed to go thru them first.

I explained what happened on Friday and said that it had become a hostile environment. I attached my letter explaining I know policy but I am concerned that attempts may be made to delay my departure and sabotage my new job if  went thru my supervisors so I was giving my letter to HR directly, they can give it to my supervisors.

I also put down I will only communicate via email (paper trail) with someone from Human Resources if there is anything else that needs to be done.

I doubt there is since I didn't have keys or any other company property.  They can deactivate my badge.

I doubt this will come as a shock to HR b/c according to the Animal Techs A LOT of their former technicians had to go over their heads and outright quit in order to be free of them.   Attempts have been made on other people to stall by not filing paperwork, they cost one person a job b/c he couldn't get them to relase his letter to HR, he ended up having to go all the way up the chain to the HR director to get it resolved.   Then they have cost people jobs by using their connections to bad mouth them/ruin their reputations.

I am going to go up to UNMC on Monday to get the paperwork done and see if I can get my badge.   The building is secure so I'd have to have someone let me upstairs on the 2nd.   Since I have free time might as well get those pesky details out of the way.

I do plan on asking what would happen if my previous supervisors contacted them trying to bad mouth me.   I'm sure they have encountered it before and know if all of a sudden my former employer is calling to bad mouth me right after I gave notice that their vindictive assholes.   Especially since all my other references are glowing.

I'm hoping now that I disappeared they will leave it alone and that after my letter HR will shut them up b/c I made it pretty clear I have no problems taking things to the next level if they continue to harass me.   But I should still make sure for the next couple of weeks to protect myself.

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

cont. ..

I feel GREAT today. A huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I knew the job was killing me but I had no idea how bad it was until I was free. It was almost like am abusive relationship. They kept me isolated, they used threats to get their way, controlled my every move.   Insane.

I do feel bad for whoever is their next victim.   I hate that people like this can continue to secure funding and abuse people meanwhile really good PIs like my former boss at UNMC lose it.

Super excited to start my new job. I haven't been this excited about research in a LONG time.  I cannot wait to become a part of their research.   I get to be on the ground floor of something really amazing and it'll be a huge feather in my cap career wise.

And their labs have WINDOWS!   Did I mention that before?

I almost wanted to cry/hug the windows during my interview, if they saw the lab at BT they would understand but I figured that would look a tad too crazy.

[Jaguar]

Go get them NomoreDramaQ1015, you EARNED THAT !!!!!

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

Yeah they picked the wrong tech to mess with.

Which is why it got ugly. As soon as they realized I had the upper hand they turned to threats. Which is horribly unethical and unprofessional.

I've dealt with bat shit crazy in the workplace before.   This ranks up there as #2 on the list.

[debthaven]

Drama I'm glad you're out of there!

But I'm wondering ... might your new employer think it's a "red flag" if you're suddenly free on Monday to do the paperwork?