From the frying pain into the fireOk, so I finally got a job that I thought would be a great opportunity as a legal admin. In my interview I was told I would be dealing with AP/AR, office maintenance, setting up satellite offices, payroll, special projects, etc. for an expanding law firm. I thought this was great since I've had 15 years experience running my own company and needed to get back into the swing of things especially while pursuing my degree in another field. So, I start hearing the bosses make cracks like "at least we pay our rent on time" and my client expense account is consistently over drawn so I'm getting a little nervous. I'd already been screwed over by the people I sold my business to and I start asking questions of the other employees. I hear about the bosses borrowing money from employees and issues with holding paychecks for a day or two and now I'm getting extremely nervous. I eventually call one of my bosses on it becauseI do not want to end up on a position where I need to chase my paycheck once again. I find out that they have mixed their personal finances with their business finances, like using their company line of credit to rehab personal condos and other things. I'm sititng here shaking my head wondering how such intelligent people make such stupid business decisions. So, now I've only bee on the job for 3 months and what I as hired to do is not actually what I'm doing more secretarial type things and there seems to be an issues as to who I report to. There is another person in the office and I do not want to speculate about what may be going on behind thescenes, but I'm clearly not the only one with these questions. while I am working on one project, she is monitoring my task lists and questioning me on what I'm doing and making sure I have enough to do or why I'm not making progress on my list - like I need a babysitter. I keep telling myself to just be a duck and hold out for another year when I get my associates degree and then move on, but I have to wonder to myself - how bad would it be to start throwing out some lifelines and see what comes up? the one boss micromanages everythign to the point where nothing gets done and the other seems to be oblivious to what is going on around him. I'm suppose to be handling the AR/AP and yet, their archaic software does not allow for any reports to be develolped and while they have QuickBooks on the system, he wont let me get it set up. so I end up wasting large periods of time doing things manually and trying to put together. I have used and know how to implement things that would help this company tremendously on their organization, financial aspects and expansion. I did these things successfully on my own and have a proven track record and yet either they do not care or they do not take me seriously. I've got a solid work history, but my previous job was running my own company from my home which just did not seem to carry much weight in my last year of job searching. I'm open to any suggestions and I can expand on some issues if anyone needs clarification before providing some instruction. thanks guys!! Maureen- Given the difficulty you had finding this job, you need to hold your tongue and tough it out as long as it lasts. So what if you're "wasting time"? They're paying you for that time and if they choose to "waste" it, that's their business, not yours. I do think you're going to struggle working for small and medium sized type businesses. I think that given your experience with your own business it is going to be incredibly difficult for you to stay in your Admin sort of role and not be analyzing what the bosses are doing, how they're doing it and how you could be doing it better. If you do end up making another move any time soon, I really think you have to move to a large corporatation or a government position so that issue won't be pulling at you. Frankly, that's a lot of the reason that many employers are reluctant to hire someone who has run their own business or someone who is otherwise overqualified. You're just a cog in this wheel, you don't own the car anymore. Naturally, if something fabulous crosses your path, by all means go after it, but the most important things for you right now are: 1) establishing job history working for someone else 2) getting a paycheck 3) getting a degree All the stuff about what tasks you're doing, who babysits your work or anything else are not important in comparison. As long as the checks keep coming, they're not beating you in the basement so put up with it until you can make a better move down the road. Tess You need to contact your "Fair Labor Board" in your state for those numnuts holding your check for "a day or two" that is completely illegal. You know back in the days when there was DOS there were all kinds of jobs lined up for computer techs. We never went a day without getting paid, having food on the table, and money in our pockets. But you know, one day it changed and jobs became scarce in the computer tech field, and so we had to move on if we wanted food on the table and some money in our pockets. Thanks Tess! Yeah, I know I need to work on my mindset a bit - it is, afterall their company and if they want to run their business poorly, then by all means, have at it - just pay me on time and with a check that is good. I'm learning - but that is not to say it is not aggravating at times. I am gaining a lot of "official" accounting experience and I receive my AA next May so that is when I will start looking again as I feel I will have a much better resume working for a company other than my own. You do have a point about smaller companies, but that's all I've ever worked for previously. I will definitely look for a much larger set-up next year, Be a duck, be a duck, be a duck....... Thanks for the reminder. So far, I've not had that issue, but others have.
I definitely understand that predicament. In my old field, there is definitely no shortage of work, but they brought the possible wages down to near impossible to make a living. I had seen my income decrease by over 40% and I was putting in twice as many hours to maintain that which is why I decided to leave the field and pursue employment after so many years.
Maureen, I hate to mention this, but if they are mixing their personal expenses in with company money it may be that an accurate accounting system is the last thing they want. The more messy the books are, the easier it is to keep dipping into funds to finance their condos, vacations, parties--anything but employee paychecks or typical business expenses. They may have a different set of priorities than most of us. As Tess mentions, I would stay as long as I could stand it and get away as soon as you can to a better and more organized setting. It may be Hell but it is not forever. | |
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