What To Do When Your Company Backstabs You?

[BigJon16]

Prayers for you buddy!

[Anomaly]

[quote name='jaime' timestamp='1343358129' post='2459212']
Anomaly is probably reacting to the dramatic description of what's going on. He's old, cantankerous and uses phrases like "back in my day" a lot. I would pay him no mind at all except that he's probably more right than you want to believe.

If you think you're getting screwed. Tell your boss "This is what I got done in the 10 hours this week. I'd like to get more done for you if you can afford to give me more hours." if (s)he says no, then stop working if you want.
[/quote]exactly. The "toughen up" means don't let their treatment of you mess with you too much. You're obviously talented and productive. The situation isn't great or fair, but you are getting some positives out of it, especially with the right attitude. Jaimie's correct in you responding with this is what you can do, giving the the quality work you've been doing. You can't do much to change others attitudes or treatment, but you can attempt to change your own attitude with how you deal with the situation. Toughen up means don't let your attitude allow them to doubt yourself, but focus on accepting you are doing a great job, you're gaining experience, and you are well justified to tell them you are giving them great value for their pay.
In my opinion, it's better to not worry about getting fired when you know you are doing the job to the best of your ability. Toughen up and have confidence in your production and quality. Stay and work or leeave on your own terms, but try to avoid letting a crappy situation leading you to believe you can't handle it. In an interview, they really can't understand or comprehend the true picture and you'll risk sounding whiney and not confident, which doesn't seem to be the case.

Most bad situations tend to make us better persons when we work to make the best of it. Maybe "offer it up" is better phrasing on dealing with it.

[Mark of the Cross]

[quote name='BG45' timestamp='1343351928' post='2459183']
Better than I've ever been paid in the US.
[/quote]
Peoples here have been complaining about the price of things being much higher than in the US. I think I can see why. Here (Oz) If you're on less than 50k/year you get a low income tax rebate. As a casual part time gardener I got $20/hr plus super contribution. and that would be considered laughable by most subcontractors.

[Groo the Wanderer]

watch office space. get a red stapler. burn down the building.

[Slappo]

I don't know if sub-contractors can technically get "fired". The business can choose to no longer use your services, but it doesn't sound like you are an actual employee of the business for them to let you go or fire you.

[arfink]

Thanks all for the input guys, even though I don't always agree right away. It's always super useful to hear from as many angles as possible.

I have done some more thinking and praying about this whole situation, and here is what I have come up with:

Working 3 jobs is more than I can handle right now, period. Being in this situation makes all my jobs seem terrible, so I had to distance myself from that emotional constraint. Once I did that I was able to do a few things I couldn't before.

1) I realised that my job with ICATT is a better trade-off than I initially thought. There is still the very serious problem of needing a real contract on paper and not just a verbal agreement between me and the company, but that's the only really serious downside there. I asked my boss about time overages, and he basically told me I should just declare I'm "out of pocket" when that happens and I'll be in the clear. When I'm not feeling ground under the wheels of having 3 jobs I realise that me and Gabe (that's my boss' name) have a pretty good thing going there. Needs work, but overall not too bad, the the time/money trade-off is very good.

2) I realised that my job at the bakery is actually the one that needs a more serious look to determine if I should be staying there. Viewed without the emotional lens of 2 years of attachment and friendship to my co-workers there I can see that job is actually worse for me objectively speaking. Here is why:

- I'm not learning skills I need to move on with my life. The company can't actually train me any better to do the things I do with them. My boss has rated me "5 star proficient" in every area and has been having me train everyone else. I know there is more for me to be learning, and I'm not gonna find it there.
- Despite the big ego boot that gives me, the company also has my wages "maxed out" (at federal minimum wage) so I will not be able to advance at all.
- I am losing a large portion of my wages there in the long commute and union dues.
- I work just a few hours short of full time at this job so that I can be denied benefits. This makes my other jobs look much more appealing when I realise I can make the same amount of money with far less time invested.

3) Looking at my current life situation, I am living at home with mom & dad (low cost, thanks guys!), and have aspirations to be running my own business etc. I know what skills I should be getting to achieve that goal, and I know I can learn them and be paid to do it by working for the consulting firm and my 3rd job (direct sales rep). I now know for sure that I can pay my bills from just the latter two jobs and I could "safely" drop the bakery with no financial issues besides having a bit less "fun money."

Although I will for a little while sacrifice some income I am in no danger of not meeting my current financial needs, and I can move on to something else. My hope is that with the obnoxious pressure of 3 jobs removed from my back I'll be able to grow into the new roles a bit better.

[Anomaly]

[quote name='arfink' timestamp='1343678348' post='2460341']
3) Looking at my current life situation, I am living at home with mom & dad (low cost, thanks guys!), and have aspirations to be running my own business etc. I know what skills I should be getting to achieve that goal, and I know I can learn them and be paid to do it by working for the consulting firm and my 3rd job (direct sales rep). I now know for sure that I can pay my bills from just the latter two jobs and I could "safely" drop the bakery with no financial issues besides having a bit less "fun money."

Although I will for a little while sacrifice some income I am in no danger of not meeting my current financial needs, and I can move on to something else. My hope is that with the obnoxious pressure of 3 jobs removed from my back I'll be able to grow into the new roles a bit better.
[/quote]BINGO. I've managed branch offices, started my own businesses, partnered with owners in small businesses. It's the skills and experience you are developing when you are in a demanding situation that can't be taught in school and most people don't recognize when they're in a crappy job situation. It's hard to explain how much of a better leader in business you already are capable of being just from what you've realized in the above post. Continue on...

[franciscanheart]

Don't post about it on the Internet?

[arfink]

[quote name='franciscanheart' timestamp='1343679348' post='2460357']
Don't post about it on the Internet?
[/quote]

Umm, what? I suppose I can keep my mouth shut for you sake...

[quote name='Anomaly' timestamp='1343678976' post='2460353']
BINGO. I've managed branch offices, started my own businesses, partnered with owners in small businesses. It's the skills and experience you are developing when you are in a demanding situation that can't be taught in school and most people don't recognize when they're in a crappy job situation. It's hard to explain how much of a better leader in business you already are capable of being just from what you've realized in the above post. Continue on...
[/quote]

By the way, I should really thank you more explicitly. Your earlier posts made me really angry, but that was actually a very good thing. I realised that I was, as they say in Starfleet, "emotionally compromised," and then the pieces started to fall into place after that.

[morostheos]

Sounds like you've really thought things over and made an informed decision! Isn't it great when that happens?

[brianthephysicist]

[quote name='arfink' timestamp='1343679532' post='2460361']
Umm, what? I suppose I can keep my mouth shut for you sake...
[/quote]
She didn't mean it in the sense of "quit complaining!" but that if it's on the internet your current boss might find it.


I'm glad you're figuring this stuff out man.

[cmaD2006]

[quote name='arfink' timestamp='1343679532' post='2460361']
Umm, what? I suppose I can keep my mouth shut for you sake...
[/quote]

Yeah. One big problem is that you posted your boss' name. I mean, you could have said "Mr. X" or "Ms. Y" or simply "my boss", and you also (I think) posted the company name.

You're young, I know -- but you need to be more prudent. You never know when something can come back to haunt you.

[arfink]

[quote name='cmariadiaz' timestamp='1343712209' post='2460545']
You never know when something can come back to haunt you.
[/quote]

I know what that feels like. You don't want to know the details of that one.

I have made my decision.