Ok- Its not that bad but I couldn’t think of a thread title that could get me a better response, of which I’m hoping to get. Here goes:
I have worked at my place of employment for 7 1/2 years. I love my job. I did not love my new manager. I had hoped that once she started my direct experience with her would be good- I was so so wrong. I had known her as a back stabber and counted her previous 3 supervisors as very close friends. Know these gentlemen left their employment with our company and her direction to move on to bigger and better things, and maybe they are better employees for having worked for her, but I seriously doubt it. Anyway, Monday morning I get called into the conference room with the VP and her present. I am given a paper detailing my tardiness habits and asked to sign a formal write up. Ok- so where’s the verbal- Oh HR said it was ok and given the nature of your position as exempt staff we thought escalation was warranted. Ok- so sorry to have been late, let me sign this. I go back to my desk and within 2 hours I have walked off the job with no means of employment secured.
Yes I know it was very stupid of me, I have a family and a mortgage. But I think I just snapped and begged my husband to get his blessing to quit.
Anyway I have an interview with a pretty good company to which two supervisors there that I know gave great reviews of me. The HR guy thinks I am on some kind of vacation from my work-how do I explain this- knowing that it was a flaky move but hoping that my seven years showed that it must have been pretty bad for me to up an leave. I don’t normally leave jobs that I love.
If you were this guy- what would your thoughts be and what would be the best way to explain my situation?
“The company has changed since I started working there over seven years ago. The current direction the company and its culture are heading are not consistent with my own goals of personal development and company commitment, so, rather than be perceived as counterproductive or negative in my wishes for the company to retain its previous nature, I have decided to seek employment elsewhere.”
'course, if they ask your previous boss what’s up and they get told “we wrote her up because she was late to work a bunch of times,” you’re hosed, unless the people at the new place who know you can stand up for you.
Wow, Ethilrist, thats exactly the response when people ask why I would want to leave. I know that managers like my last one are everywhere and can maybe even be worse, but I’ll take my chances. I had been looking for a new job since February, and last week she came to me and advised me that they were going to change my hours. This was very bad for me and my family, I would lose 15 1/2 hours with my children, I’d have to put them in an after school program and the kids after school activities would have to stop. I Just knew how this manager worked, I’ve seen the steps she takes to fire people and she is such an overbearing micro manager. If I was new to my job or my production was crappy- I could understand. But I had been in this position for 3 1/2 years and my projects were consistenly number 1, I didn’t need a babysitter.
They won’t do that. So many employers are afraid of being sued for giving bad references all they will do is confirm your dates of employment and possibly your job title. They may go as far as confirming your salary. But beyond that they don’t dare.
That’s why it’s best that you get former co-workers as references. Former supervisors, especially if they still work there, can’t or won’t give anything more than name, rank, and serial number.
It is certainly fair to mention this aspect of the situation (expressed diplomatically). Changing your hours so that you would need to reschedule day care and terminate your children’s activities(provided your new potential employer is not wont to do the same) is a valid contributing factor to your decision. Depending on the employer, it might not make a good case as the only factor.
OK, this is scary. According to my display, my response, entered at 5:22 (CST) is post #5, yet I am responding to Nvme77’s post, now timed at 6:24 which carries the number 6.