Learning from a bad job/poor enviroment/etc

If you are lucky enough that you haven't experienced this yet, congrats! If you are like most other people and you have had at least one bad job, with bad mojo everywhere or just a poor work environment (or coworkers/boss)...what was your take away? What did you learn from it?

I put my two weeks in yesterday after fighting tooth and nail for a entry level job and getting hired just two months ago. There is a lot of stuff going on behind the scenes, more than I want to go into in public (this site has potentially many future employers lurking or posting) but I feel like I learned a lot working there. More than just technical skills.

The #1 thing I want to ask in my next interview (if the situation is appropriate) is "Can I meet a few potential coworkers or supervisors?"

Would that be a bad thing to ask? If I was able to do that here, I think I would have seen the writing on the wall...

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Comments

networker050184

Definitely not a bad thing to ask. I've always been introduced to coworkers and supervisors before accepting a job. It's pretty standard practice to introduce you to the team and the team to you.

cyberguypr

That should be standard. The manager at my last job refused to have a candidate talk to the team before he started. He came to us with a "god, this guy is ridiculous, wants to come talk to the team before he accepts the job" story. Big red flag in my book. I NEED to get a general sense of the people I will be working with every day.

Another thing, ask about hardware refresh cycles, most recent projects, as well as upcoming projects. If they are vague, this tells you a lot about the kinds of legacy crap you'll be stuck supporting. Ask me how I know.

j23evan

I wish it was more the exception than the rule. Unfortunately in my experience it is all too common to be 'sold' in the interview/hiring process and when you come aboard it is nothing like it was portrayed to be. Asking to meet the team/supervisors I think is good, and I think a hiring manager would look at it like a positive. Seeing the writing on the wall, knowing you are in a bad situation and it isnt going to get better, and getting out is a tough call. I applaud you for doing it, instead of being stuck in misery, and being brought down to that level you are getting out.

Chevel

My current and last job are the most stressful work environment I've ever endoured. The job itself is not bad but the work enviornment is very hostile and toxic. Pretty much everyone for themselves and dealing with a micromanaging lead is just the cake. Oddly enough this was the first time I was not allowed to meet my co-workers prior to starting the position.

Needless to say I'm searching for a more rewarding, challenging, and more involved work environment. From my experience I will most definitely ask about meeting co-workers.

--chris--

cyberguypr wrote: »

That should be standard. The manager at my last job refused to have a candidate talk to the team before he started. He came to us with a "god, this guy is ridiculous, wants to come talk to the team before he accepts the job" story. Big red flag in my book. I NEED to get a general sense of the people I will be working with every day.

Another thing, ask about hardware refresh cycles, most recent projects, as well as upcoming projects. If they are vague, this tells you a lot about the kinds of legacy crap you'll be stuck supporting. Ask me how I know.

Oh thats good, the hardware refresh's! I am lucky here that most of the hardware is fairly new (except the Avaya). I didn't have that kind of trouble.

networker050184 wrote: »

Definitely not a bad thing to ask. I've always been introduced to coworkers and supervisors before accepting a job. It's pretty standard practice to introduce you to the team and the team to you.

Thanks for the feedback. If I had done that here I would have been able to call BS on a few statements that were made.

j23evan wrote: »

I wish it was more the exception than the rule. Unfortunately in my experience it is all too common to be 'sold' in the interview/hiring process and when you come aboard it is nothing like it was portrayed to be. Asking to meet the team/supervisors I think is good, and I think a hiring manager would look at it like a positive. Seeing the writing on the wall, knowing you are in a bad situation and it isn't going to get better, and getting out is a tough call. I applaud you for doing it, instead of being stuck in misery, and being brought down to that level you are getting out.

I tried to just show up and do what I was told, but at some point I will no longer be the "guy that just works there". I would sooner or later become a party to whats going on.

I see it like this. Now that I have been here, I can spot sinking ships much more easily. I look forward to my next round of interviews, knowing that its only up from here I will be more confident and relaxed.

neo9006

I think the one thing I have learned from my job is that part of it is toxic. I hear my ex boss constantly nagging about what he has to do. He likes to take credit for small things. I know if you go around his him about things he sends the dreadful nasty e-mail to you. I have seen that and that one time he didn't care too much that I stood up to his butt. It took me a long time to figure somethings out which I should have picked up on sooner. I looked around at other offices at my company at different locations. I see pay is better than our office. I feel its unfortunate that you do not take care of the people that get your data for the client or sponsor. Sometimes people do not really know how good they have things. My current boss is in that boat and eventually things will catch up with our office and him if people leave for other jobs. I fell like others, things will get better once I move on, for now I have a few months in the hole as I call it. After that I am going after whatever I can get and get some exp. I think as mangers to a degree you have to remember the little people that help you achieve and get to where you get too.

devils_haircut

I think it's healthy for everyone to have a really terrible job at some point in their life. I had one that I stuck out for about 9 months before I realized how much crap I was putting up with. Now that I'm a little older and a little wiser, I feel like I'm much quicker to recognize a toxic work environment when I see one, and I'm much less likely to tolerate the B.S. If that means giving my two weeks notice or having a chat with my boss's boss, it doesn't matter. I'm less tolerant of that stuff now because of past experiences. It builds character.