Really unhappy

RoisinClare6

Hi guys , ill try keep it as short as i can.

I was hired in 2016 as a temp part time office admin. I was told it would be 1 day per week for a few weeks to help clear back logged paper work and a data input project. On my first day I was given a contract for 2 years @ 15.5 hrs per week. Obviously I was delighted.

From the get go they had me doing tech work to have units ready for engineers which I had no experience with. I kept going though as I didnt want to complain. I'd only get admin work every so often. Ive since been doing this. However im often completely ignored, not kept informed and snapped at and last week i dropped some units and a member of staff stood over me and just laughed at me while I picked them up. It has gotten worse over the past month and a half

I went to the boss twice with the problems ive been having and nothings changed. It got bad one day and i actually cried in his office because it had become to much and still nothing.

We had a meeting last week, I was told the company would not be renewing my contract. I was told this was because I was hired to cover maternity leave...that member of staff was in accounts..I have not done accounts and have been on tech since I started. I was told they were just letting me know so I had time to look over the next 7 months and that im not obliged to stay if something comes up.

I don't know what to do. I feel physically sick at the thought of going in there. I cant leave as the social wouldnt be an option and ive my rent and bills etc. I dont think i can do this for another 7 months and honestly feel like im not wanted there. Ive been applying for other jobs but nothings come up yet.

Tenigate

I haven't seen anything so bad in your post that warrants your reaction. Have you been to your gp to investigate mental health issues?

I once left a terrible job that was making me sick. The welfare office didn't impose a disqualification period.

CalamariFritti

Changing jobs and on occasion being let go is life. Happens to all of us. Relax and have a good night sleep over this. Think of the positives. You have a job for the moment and 7 months to find another one. You probably end up with something better in o time at al and in a year from now you'll be glad this happened.

B.A._Baracus

RoisinClare6 wrote: »

Hi guys , ill try keep it as short as i can.

I was hired in 2016 as a temp part time office admin. I was told it would be 1 day per week for a few weeks to help clear back logged paper work and a data input project. On my first day I was given a contract for 2 years @ 15.5 hrs per week. Obviously I was delighted.

From the get go they had me doing tech work to have units ready for engineers which I had no experience with. I kept going though as I didnt want to complain. I'd only get admin work every so often. Ive since been doing this. However im often completely ignored, not kept informed and snapped at and last week i dropped some units and a member of staff stood over me and just laughed at me while I picked them up. It has gotten worse over the past month and a half

I went to the boss twice with the problems ive been having and nothings changed. It got bad one day and i actually cried in his office because it had become to much and still nothing.

We had a meeting last week, I was told the company would not be renewing my contract. I was told this was because I was hired to cover maternity leave...that member of staff was in accounts..I have not done accounts and have been on tech since I started. I was told they were just letting me know so I had time to look over the next 7 months and that im not obliged to stay if something comes up.

I don't know what to do. I feel physically sick at the thought of going in there. I cant leave as the social wouldnt be an option and ive my rent and bills etc. I dont think i can do this for another 7 months and honestly feel like im not wanted there. Ive been applying for other jobs but nothings come up yet.

Hi Roisin,
Let's look at the facts... The writing is on the wall and you will be out of a job in 7 months. You don't want to work another day there and the jobs market is still terrible. Also, you have to figure you are not going to get a glaring reference from this job. So this job does not matter.

The way I see it is you only have three options here:
(1,) Continue to put in for jobs and just do your best to get through each day. You'll sadly get a lot of job applications going no-where. It's still tough out there.

(2,) Start applying for any job outside of office admin. Even retail jobs. You can pass this off in your future cv in multiple ways. One could be that the job spec (of this current job) wasn't exactly what you were promised / comfortable with so you left with 7 months to go. Blow it out. Don't mention ignored or anything else. Another excuse could be you needed more flexible hours outside what this job could give you. You get the idea. You can return to office admin jobs down the line.

(3,) You say the social welfare is not an option. But seeing as how you are only working 15 hours a week is it really not? You can could get rent allowance too....

_Brian

It’s not uncommon in Ireland to tie your own self worth to you career, it’s a risky thing.

All I can say OP is try and seperate the two as much as you can.

ArthurG

I think you're completely overblowing the whole situation:

- you were asked to work 1 day a week for a few weeks
- this became a 2 year contract
- you don't seem to be very happy in the job
- you've been told the contract wont be renewed and you have 7 months to find a new job

If you really can't face going into the place, then leave. However given that they haven't cut your contract short or anything, and given you 7 months of notice, you could argue they are being very reasonable towards you.

RoisinClare6

Thanks guys, there have been other bigger incidents but i didnt want to go into full details as i know a fellow co worker is a member here and don't want to get myself into trouble.

As for social welfare I was told by citizens advice that I will face a 9 week penalty if I was to leave work before the 7 months are up and that would out me in a bad position rent wise etc. Plus its a route im hoping to avoid.

Trying my best to just get on with it so well how it goes.

RoisinClare6

RoisinClare6 wrote: »

Thanks guys, there have been other bigger incidents but i didnt want to go into full details as i know a fellow co worker is a member here and don't want to get myself into trouble.

As for social welfare I was told by citizens advice that I will face a 9 week penalty if I was to leave work before the 7 months are up and that would out me in a bad position rent wise etc. Plus its a route im hoping to avoid.

Trying my best to just get on with it so well how it goes.

Technically you do have to wait up to 9 weeks but that’s not always the case. They can and do use their discretion. Don’t feel tied to that 7 months. This time of year there are plenty of jobs going in retail. Don’t rule it out.

Diziet

Have you started looking for other work? That's the priority.