Some of you may know of my problems at work with my boss, the unmensch from the deepest regions of Hades. Unfortunately most of my rants were lost into the ether, and I don’t want to bore you by repeating it all here. Suffice to say my boss is a bloody raving lunatic.
I’m on probation right now, with two weeks to go. Taking into account the way she’s been acting, I’m not optimistic about keeping my job. While that well and truly sucks and will put Mr. Kitty and I into quite the financial bind, the positive aspect is I won’t be coming home every night stressed out. So here’s my question.
This person has made my life hell for the (almost) two years I’ve been here. It’s increased exponentially in the past three months. I don’t care for anyone else in the department, with the exception of one person who would be completely unaffected by what I’m planning. I’d like to leave a bit of a going-away present. Namely, I have a file set up on my computer. In it are shortcuts to every file on my HD. All I need to do, just before I permanently leave, is delete the main files, leaving the shortcuts. It appears everything is on the up-and-up, but when the boss goes to open the file it will tell her it can’t be found. She’s completely computer illiterate… the only people who would figure out what happened would be the tech support guys but I’ll be long gone before they come by.
Now, this isn’t vital data I’m deleting here. It’s basically copies of addresses, program posters, backup budgets, lists of students, etc. All files that I created, and some of which (such as the posters and newsletters) that I designed myself and which I don’t want anyone benefitting from after I go. All the information can be found in hard copy elsewhere, it’d just be an absolute PITA to input it all again (one of our mailing lists has over 500 names alone).
I wouldn’t do it (though I would take copies of things I’d want to keep in a portfolio). You want to be better than her.
Besides, people will probably call your supervisor for a reference. You’re not going to get a good one in any case, but she’s bound to tell them you deleted the files. It’s a concrete example that’s going to look very bad for you.
Being a :wally. Believe me – I’ve been in your shoes, and also in the shoes of someone who has to clean up the mess left after a disgruntled employee nukes a mess of important files.
Your antics won’t affect your boss a whit. Trust me – it won’t. Really. Plus you risk prosecution, because what you are talking about is against the law.
However, the person who replaces you WILL bear the brunt of your actions, and that person’s job will be hell for a couple of weeks (if not longer) having to clean up your mess. So why torture the innocent?
Just walk away … and look forward to your next opportunity. You know how after a bad relationship, people say “Living well is the best revenge”? Well, the same is true here – carrying on with head held high is the best defense.
bobkitty It really depends on how your going to feel about it after you’ve done it and gone. Your obviously having second thoughts or you wouldn’t of posted. Is it right or wrong? Well, I wouldnt do it. But that’s just me.
If your scheme will cause trouble or hurt, however small, for anyone other than your target, don’t do it. Be a good person.
If your scheme will cause trouble or hurt for only your target, still don’t do it. Show a little class and dignity. You’re bigger than that. You lose the cheap thrill of your petty revenge, but you retain your image of yourself as someone who wouldn’t do such a thing.
wrong? who cares! one vote here for “ream them as hard and deep as you can!”
if someone contacts them for a reference, the only thing they can legally do is confirm employment dates and rehire status, or they open themselves up to a major ass-reaming.
do it! you’ll be glad you did 5 years from now. revenge is like chocolate-- small, petty and realitivly unimportant, but damn! its sweet!
Well, here’s a possible honest third option: if there are other managers there besides the “bad” one, another manager can be used as a reference.
Another approach – list simply “REFERENCES” on your resume or application, without indicating whether or not they are personal or professional (if possible).
Coldfire, I understand in one sense that you are morally in the right. But what can one actually do when two years’ of valuable work experience may go for naught due to a personality conflict?
In practice, at least in the U.S. (AFAIK), gatopescado is correct – it is more or less against the law for a past employer to make disparaging comments about you to a potential future employer. When a business checks a reference, they normally only ask if a employment candidate actually worked there at the times listed on the resume or application.
Bobkitty, you might get semi-lucky by just going ahead and using the evil manager’s name as a reference. More businesses than you may realize DO NOT even bother to check references at all – especially if you’ve had a “personal interview” of some sort (like if you walked in to get an application, and got a chance to shoot the bull with the manager).
Three jobs ago, I was fired for attitude problems (stemming from overwork IMHO, but others’ MMV). When I applied for my next job, I went in person, resume and portfolio in hand, although the newspaper ad indicated that applicants should call a job line to apply. I got an interview on the spot, and was hired the next day. Later, upon talking to my new manager, he said he didn’t think there was much hypothetical value into speaking with prior employers because they’d likely oversell your weaknesses and downplay your strengths just to massage their own egos. He preferred to make his own impressions after a face-to-face.
First; I’m sorry your job has gone sour. That can be a real bummer. But…
Originally posted by bobkitty:
“Now, this isn’t vital data I’m deleting here. It’s basically copies of addresses, program posters, backup budgets, lists of students, etc. All files that I created, and some of which (such as the posters and newsletters) that I designed myself and which I don’t want anyone benefitting from after I go. All the information can be found in hard copy elsewhere, it’d just be an absolute PITA to input it all again (one of our mailing lists has over 500 names alone).”
If the work on these files and designs that you created was done on “company time”, then they legally belong to your employer. The law looks at this like the company “paid” for this with your wages.
My recommendation is to just walk away with class and dignity. Hard to do, maybe, but I think that in three months or so, you’ll be glad you handled the situation that way.
Also, you really DON’T want the knowledge that you sabotaged a previous employer’s files lurking out there. Somewhere, sometime when you least want or expect it to, that knowledge would surface. Good luck.
You don’t say what field you work in, bobkitty, but from the sounds of it it’s pretty close to what I do. I manage the database in the fundraising department of a small college. I, too, have an annoying boss (her shortcomings, thankfully though, are laziness and general incompetence rather than meanness). However, what you’re suggesting is about the last way on earth I’d ever get back at her.
I can see what’s going to happen here if you try it…she’ll try to access the files, won’t be able to, and will immediately assume it was something you did. When she calls tech support and they “retrieve” the files, that suspicion will be confirmed. Now, it’s technically true what gatopescado said about references…but, especially in the education field, people know each other, people talk to each other, and “bad info” about individuals does tend to get spread around, “off the record” as it were.
So don’t do it. There are better, more legal ways of getting around bad bosses. If you weren’t already determined to leave, I would have suggested cultivating business relationships with other supervisors, then trying to get a transfer when a new position opened up. In larger educational institutions than mine, it’s always worth a shot.
I agree with the others here, don’t lower yourself to her level, and don’t leave yourself open to the legal/employment hassles that might arise down the road. In a few months the victroy will hardly be remembered but the probable hassles will be with you for a long time to come!
If you’re gonna go and be all logical and appeal to my better nature and stuff, then fine. I guess I won’t do it.
To deal with a few questions… I don’t need the psychobitca for a reference. I have more than enough professional references, and if need be the one tolerable co-worker is in a somewhat supervisory position to me and will happily give me a good recommendation. A job has just opened up in another department, and I’ve emailed the woman at HR who dealt with our mediation to inquire about a possible transfer. Considering how well the mediation went, however, I won’t be holding my breath.
I think what amazes me is how quickly this happened. Until the beginning of January I’d had stellar reviews; then Miss I’m-a-hysterical-f*#)(nugget becomes my direct boss and things go to hell in a handbasket. February 18th I get put on probation. This isn’t simply my job… this is the additional income Mr. Kitty and I need to be able to pay our bills (we’re in the middle of building a house and are essentially paying two mortgages), this is my health care, this is me being able to contribute to my family. I hate that this unfeeling wench has so much control. And I think that’s what’s fueling my anger and desire for revenge.
In other words, thanks for being the voices of reason.
I was in a similar situation 2 years ago. I gave my heart and soul to the compnay, had created the first database concerning past products and specs. I had other plants calling me constantly for information concerning our product. I had salesmen and material handlers from other territories calling me for specs. Well, what happen? Some bitch with more seniority decided she didn’t want to play in the sales road anymore and wanted to come inside. Guess whose job they gave her? Yep.
I was promoted, kinda, to a job that previously took 3 people to do. When I could not keep up, I was canned.
So yes, I deleted all the info I had. Most of it I had compiled on my time, and I really didn’t give a shit about the next person to come along.
There’s always the possibility that karma will one day bite her in the butt.
I used to work for a particularly unpleasant, evil, backstabbing, rumermongering, terminally anal, manupulative insane psycho *itch. (And those were here nicer qualites.)
Recently I heard from people still working there that after I left, she managed, as the acountant/business manager, to give herself a pay scale upgrade. Of course, to do this she needed the director’s signature, but that had to have been really easy, what with all her evil powers.
Turned out she priced herself out of the operating budget and her position had to be “eliminated.” And because she made herself a reputation throughout the University for being a pain in the ass, she’s never going to find another job there. Aw, shucky-darn.
Of course the decision to axe her was partially brought upon by the fact that nearly everybody there hated her. But in the state university system, that’s not much of a basis for termination.
Many years ago I was The Lowest Paid System Administrator in the World. Yep, $6.50 and hour- and I was temp. This was at a non-profit organization- I think “non-profit” meant that I couldn’t show a profit. :rolleyes:
Anyhoo… I was hired on as the network administrator, membership coordinator, and database designer. I worked there for about six months- and I worked my ass off for 'em. Eventually, though, I realized just how woefully underpaid I was… so I offered 'em a choice- hire me on full time and give me an extra dollar an hour, with benefits. If they did this, according to my calculations, they’d still come out at least a dollar ahead.
They declined. Within a week I had a better paying job.
Before I left, I passworded all of the files I’d been using. Since I was the only computer literate employee they had, they would be completely screwed, and would have to hire someone to search through the documentation on all the software I was using to unlock 'em.
I couldn’t stand it, though- even though the only people that’d be hurt by this were the very people that felt that taking advantage of me was just sound business practice, I eventually called 'em up and gave them the passwords. They hadn’t even noticed that the files were locked, but I really didn’t expect them to notice for about a month, anyway, when the membership dues came due.
Now they’re out of business, anyway, and I’m making tons more money than any of them ever did.
My advice? Don’t do it. The negative karma’ll bite 'em in the ass, anyway. It doesn’t need YOUR help.
