Career Advice - Tips to Cope With The Boss From Hell

How to Deal When Your First Boss is a Disappointment

By
Relationship Advice Expert April Masini

Q: Dear April Masini,

I just graduated from college and for the past three months have been working as an assistant to a woman who has my dream job. I was really excited about this opportunity; I felt that it was the first step to my great career. I'm no longer so sure.

My boss is a total nightmare! She sends me running around on pointless errands, which wouldn't bug me so much if it weren't for the fact that she is never at all appreciative of the work I do or the hours I put in. In fact, she's sometimes downright mean to me.

I want to quit all the time, but to be honest, I don't want to quit a job so quickly after taking it since I don't think it will look good on my resume and I don't have another job lined up.

What's the best way of handling this woman?

Signed,

Boss's Slave 

A:

Dear Boss's Slave,

Many, upon graduation from college, take their first “real” job with hopes, dreams and high expectations, only to wake up to a nightmare and the boss from hell.

Here are some ideas for dealing with your boss, and what to look out for on the next job hunt.

1. Understand why your boss is the way she is to help crack her code.

– Bosses, like the fashion editor in The Devil Wears Prada appear to be mean and nasty, because there is an expectation on the part of employees of what their boss should be like, and how the relationship should be.
– The boss in The Devil Wears Prada loved fashion more than people. It is an honor to work for these bosses, but it is also a challenge if you have different values. This is really just a compatibility issue.

2. How to deal with the boss from hell (or any boss, really).

– Know your own strengths and weaknesses.
– Be clear on what your boss wants from you and what you are able to do for your boss.
– Don’t make it personal.
– Many women are guilty of accusing bosses of being “mean”. They’d do better to realize that their boss has expectations that they can or cannot live up to.

3. Potential warning signs to look out for during the interview

–Do your homework before you apply for a job, interview for the job and take the job.
–Research the company, the employees, and find out why people leave the job.
–Temper your expectations to what you learn.

April Masini -- nicknamed "the new millennium's Dear Abby" by the media, is author of the best-selling books Date Out Of Your League and Think & Date Like A Man, the two (just released) step-by-step dating and relationship manuals, Ideas for a Fun Date and Romantic Date Ideas, and the critically acclaimed dating and relationship online magazine www.AskApril.com.

© 2004-2009 AskApril.com, LLC. All rights reserved. AskApril®, AskApril.com®, and Ask April® are registered trademarks owned by Masini Enterprises, Inc. This material can only be republished and redistributed if it is kept in it's original form, including, but not limited to, all AskApril branding, banners, links, books, and credits.