I got this job 3 months ago. The boss is friendly, coworkers are cool, and I like my job. I was in Operations for a month before getting into sales, and now I am 50/50 doing sales call, going to shows, making paper proof for customer's approval, customer service rep, etc etc. I don't mind because I enjoy the responsibilities and befriend several coworkers. Boss and boss lady even had lunch with me and my wife and we had good time. But unfortunately good things never last forever.. My boss told me early on that he likes me a lot, that I remind him of his nephews and sons, and blah blah. He also said now that he's over 50 he's looking to relax a bit and do some traveling with his wife and he'd like someone to take over. I was puzzled why he'd tell me since I only started working there but ok whatever. He told me he wants me to work there a very long time and he'll give me raises. All good right? But lately he's giving me a lot of stress at work and I am seriously contemplating looking for another job. He first stressed to me that he wants me to know all the products (over 300+) in a month, including what page they are on and so forth. He even brought it up at sales meeting so everyone can hear. I just nodded and didn't say anything. Later he told me only a few items from each category need to know very well, then few days later he came over to my cubical, shoved a purchase order in my hand and asked me point blank what that item is, I answered I don't know and he's not satisfied with the answer and told me I should have known all the items by now. I was very confused to say the least. It's not the only case where he contradicted himself.. This morning I was there before 8am and started calling customers like he wanted. He complimented me and told me not to get too stressed out by what he said, but later in the afternoon he called me in the office and lectured me about a lot of stuff. He wanted me to keep a journal at home about work, study the catalog at home as well, and even called home and asked my wife about what I do when I am at home. I am beginning to think he wants to control my life to a point where I'll have to take work home with me every day and the weekends, know everything he knows in his 20+ years in the business right away so I can take over his job and allow him to take a vacation, not make a mistake at all and remember everything that happened at work right away and without looking at notes (chief complaint he has about me). I am stressed beyond belief and I am wondering if it's better to find a job with less demanding boss. It's not like I am making lots of money. Hell they don't even have insurance for you until you've been there for half a year. What do you all think I should do? None of the other coworkers I talked to have this much responsibilties and having the boss get on their case as much as I do. I am now working at least 10 hours a day, with zero commission for sales (base salary), and sometimes asked to work on weekends and doing shows without any overtime pay. I even helped my boss moving some furnitures a few weeks ago so he'll have the chance to talk to me even more about work and what I should do better. It's all a little too much to bear.
i think u shud just sit him down face to face and tell him its stressin you out. hell either apreciate the honesty or sumthing else
Could be a good thing bro...but you never really know... He could be just trying to prep you before moving you up in the company...or could be testing you a little to see how you will react to the stress... All sounds ok...except for him calling your wife to check up on you...that is getting into your personal life...a big no no for me...IMO personal life and work life should not mix...but again that is just my take on that... I say hang in there a little longer and see what happens...
Yeah, I would have to say something. Ask him to ease up a little bit. Calling your wife is going a little too far.
If he starts trying to get you to mate with his daughter and talking about prophecies, get out of there!
Boss: "Hey Mrs Predaking, do you want to hook up Saturday??" Wife: "Im sorry but im husband will be here" Boss: "Nuh uhhh, Im going to make him work, hehe" Kidding, calling your wife is screwed up. WTF is up with that? Im with Defstar, sounds like he's breaking you in for a position advancement . Atleast give it one more week and too find out what his intentions are. Too bad it's salary, you'd be making bank with all that overtime.
I'd have to really ask myself if I believed the promises were real, or just of a way of extracting the extra effort from an employee. I knew someone who was strung along with offers of profit-sharing and advancements by what was effectively a family-firm that bid on gov't contracts, took as much as they could, then cut and run. I'm not saying that's what's going on here, but shit in one hand and put his promises in the other, and see what fills up first. And I would absolutely, without question, lose my mind if anyone called my wife at home. No one has any business doing that. Period.
If my boss called my wife at home, I'd be pissed and have words with him the next morning. By "words," I mean, dictating clearly that that was off-limits.
WHAT is he thinking Calling a mans woman is off limits! You need to sit his A$$ down and tell him whats up. If you have the knowledge, you can find a better job. If he doesnt let off, beat the old man down Good luck
I agree that calling tyour wife was off limits. OTOH, it looks like you've been handed an opportunity here. It seems like quite a bit of work, but it's not gonna hurt to memorize that catalog, and it could make you a better sales person. Most of the time, a boss will want to see that you're willing to do the extra work before giving you extra pay. Before we promote someone at my job, we always try them out in the position for a bit, note things that they need to improve on, see if they improve, and then give them the raise. I don't know how your boss works, but this could be a big door to opportunity for you. Or it could be he's jerkin' you along, and you might need to talk to someone higher up in the company (if there is someone) or your state's department of labor. And start looking for another job.
Sounds like your boss and my boss might get along. I have similar problems but probably not quite as bad. For instance my boss has the mentality that we employees were just put on this earth to serve him and work should always be our number one priority. And its hilarious because he(not as much anymore)when I first started working here, taking a day off if you were sick or had some type of situation would always argue and try and argue that you were faking or didn't have a legitimate reason for taking off days. Actually the first time I called in sick, he came by my house the 2nd day to "check up" but obviously in a diffrent sense then he tried to implied and then the next day when I was still noticeably sick, he took me into his office and lectured me and accused me of not being sick and told me I needed to call and check in, real ridiculous stuff. I guess main question, why is it usually assholes that are in a position of power?
It's possible he's setting you up to be in a larger position than you currently are and he's loading all of this stuff on you to see if you will crack or not. You said so yourself that he wants to kind of step back and let someone else "be in charge". Maybe that's you.
What if the daughter is hot? He sounds business bi-polar or something. I agree he could just be putting you to the test and trying to prepare you for bigger things. But also agree that calling your wife is well over the line. I don't like when my boss calls ME at home. Does your boss own the business? Or is he just a manager?
He owns the business and therefore, there's nobody else I can count on to support me if he doesn't like me. I am getting caught in a bind. I have to put up with it if I want to create a good impression and hopefully get raise or promotion later, but his tactics of sending mixed signals to see how I respond under pressure.. I really don't need that when I am under enough stress at work already.
