Comments on: blog conversation: leaving bad work experiences behind

By: Michelle D.

Michelle D. — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 11:20:53 +0000

I have a question for you. Please allow me to set up. I have had very bad situations (eventually) in every single position I have held. As a technologist coming into the profession during the tech boom, I have held positions at a number of companies in a number of states. Of all my managers, I have had 2 excellent managers. Every other one has not been qualified to manage people, which is common in large corporations; I have never worked for a small company. I have further been a road warrior for about 8 years. Currently I am unemployed.

All of the companies for which I have worked have pretty decent values and are forward thinking. Additionally, their mission statements are impressive. Their long-term goals are stated well. But in each case, what’s “on paper” is substantially different than reality. I read a post almost identical to this yesterday. The recommendations were the same. However, I am remiss to recommend this as an all-inclusive way to determine whether or not the “culture” of the department in which one is going to work is copacetic to one’s particular value set.

Benefits are one thing; as you mentioned, on-site child care, etc. But companies still function in a silo-d environment, regardless of the desire to break down the barriers as they projectize across the silos.

So, what is your recommendation in “sleuthing” to find out the true culture as opposed to that which is stated “on paper”?

By: Philip Winton Townsend

Philip Winton Townsend — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 14:46:43 +0000

Excellent topic. Good to see someone addressing this issue. I had a good work experience that turned into a bad one. I worked for a technology start-up that was purchased by General Electric. The place went to hell in a hand basket when the tech bubble burst. I wrote about it here: http://uberdigi.blogspot.com/2008/03/i-was-bad-employee.html.

All the Best,

Philip Winton Townsend

By: Raza

Raza — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 18:42:19 +0000

I have just resigned from a job that made me feel inadequate, lonely and depressed… I will have money problems. However once colleagues outside of the organisation heard of my resignation (1 day to 1 week) they have been passing me leads. I have all ready been to an informal interview… but I am not sure how I performed or if I will get it but it feels good that people want to help me out! Feel paranoid as well as feel there is an ulterior motive (they have someone else they think will do the job better; she lives opposite me by coincidence) as well but to be honest if there is I am not going to let it worry me… perhaps I need to move on anyway even though I feel I was pushed I think I need to me away from that environment to flower and move on. I will definately join the union and not ever put all my eggs in one basket as that kills me…