# Quit My Job due to Workplace Bullying/Con-Artistry/Issues: Advice?



## Psychonaut (Jan 25, 2014)

I didn't really know where else this belonged but this mostly job related anxiety and stress. I'm not sure yet if I should pursue talking to someone else about it, but I'm trying to protect my identity because I don't know who to trust anymore. I've only spoken to family and selected friends and my family has been supportive, even though I feel so bewildered by the whole thing and I have trouble shifting my mind from this whole thing. Anyway, I apologize if this is really long, but I've got to get this out of my chest.

A while back, I got a job I applied to online. When they brought me in for an interview, I had a hunch that the workplace had some problems (They had me reschedule an hour earlier, but still made me wait an hour and a half...). Still, I was grateful because I felt lucky finding a job this economy, being able to do what I loved and earning some money to pay back some loans. With that said, from the moment I began, everyone at my job openly talked about not looking forward to working there, including the person who was training me. 

Now, let it be known that I'm what's considered "entry" level, but I do have experience. But for my "trainer/supervisor"/coworker, this wasn't good enough because they did not want to be a 'teacher', and they would always let it be known by insulting my Masters and the fact that I went to school for more than 4 years (This person didn't have a Bachelors). Every day, they were always telling me how they hated working there and didn't plan on being there that much longer, so they wanted me to pick up the training as quickly as possible; how in a real job, I wouldn't survive, unless I learned how to work fast and that no one was going to help me after they left, etc etc. I felt really overwhelmed working under this person because they would get impatient and shove me out of the way and sometimes "fix" my work, but they assured me that I was doing really good, and to not take the job too seriously. After a while, I began to feel like this person was trying to sabotage me. I'm the kind of person that likes to commit to things, but I had a hard time understanding whether I was doing good or bad and what it was that we did for the job. There seemed to be little guidelines for how the work was suppose to be done and we were always making changes last minute. Whenever we were given assignments, there were never any 'due dates'; it seemed like everyone needed something "now". 

After 2 weeks of being there, I began to uncover some pretty bad things about the workplace. One day while I was arriving, the building's heat generator blew out and I saw a bunch firetrucks in the parking lot. I watched as firefighters tried to put out the smoke with another coworker. However, the smoke hadn't cleared out and our Boss made us come in anyway (He left early that day, and I'll get to him in a minute). While I was in the office, I had a pounding headache from inhaling the smoke. I ended up waiting, with other employees, near the building cafeteria that day because it was too much to breathe in. Being in that office was weird and I always had trouble focusing, and felt disoriented. My "supervisor" had told me that they had experienced the same thing and would have a headache in the building but that it would go away once they left. 

So anyway, it was after that incident and a particularly bad day in which my boss humiliated me in front of a coworker, that I found out that the company was facing many, many lawsuits. I also found out that the building had failed some inspection and that it was a fire hazard, and that they had violated labor laws in another state and was evicted from their previous building. It also goes without saying, but I also came to discover, right up until I left, that my boss is a con artist and he was having us work on ideas he stole from other companies. I didn't want to use this place to build a credible experience and I tried applying to other jobs (and since leaving, have continued applying), but was getting frustrated from the lack of responses. People were quitting this place left and right, and the work of the past employees began to fall on our heads. As I saw newer people come in, it seemed like they weren't aware of what was going on and were confused by the way people talked in the office as well. 

After being there for approximately a month, I was getting annoyed with getting my work so late. I approached management about the problems but rather than address my issues, my boss basically had a mental breakdown in front of me, which freaked me out so badly that I quit on the spot and called my parents. Since I was never being trained, just like everybody else, I had a hard time knowing who to trust in the workplace and sometimes, it seemed coworkers were talking about me or trying to sabotage me and my work.

I've been trying not to let this place have any control over me, but I've been dwelling on this experience ever since it's happened and I'm still trying to make sense of things. I really want to talk to someone but my family complains about money when I bring it up. During Christmas Break, I had a major panic attack/mental breakdown overseas and I feel like I haven't been myself 100% ever since. I have trouble remembering things from time to time, and I sometimes feel suicidal and depressed that I ended up unemployed, but...If I would have stayed at this place any longer, it was straight up going to kill me. It's depressing because this is something I love; it my first real job and it was so goddamn disastrous. I get pressure on my chest if I think about this job too hard. I've been contemplating seeking counseling but what should I do? I felt like reaching out to someone.


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## Psychonaut (Jan 25, 2014)

Ugh, I apologize for all the grammatical errors in this post. Wish I could edit.


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## ShadowOnTheWall (Dec 24, 2010)

Band together with your other non jerk co workers and search for work elsewhere, since its really not a place you want to be trapped in


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## Psychonaut (Jan 25, 2014)

ShadowOnTheWall said:


> Band together with your other non jerk co workers and search for work elsewhere, since its really not a place you want to be trapped in


Hey, thank you for responding! I've been keeping in touch with people who I've worked with who have given me their reference since I've left. Everyone's trying to leave now, since the boss made a spectacle of himself and pretty much acknowledged he doesn't want to run his own company. Even the person who was training me contacted me and has been trying to help out.

I've tried making the best of a bad situation, for the most part.


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## blueidealist26 (Dec 16, 2012)

That job sounds terrible. It was right that you quit, and I feel sorry for anyone who is still there. Just keep applying to more positions. At least you have references from the former company - some people don't even have a single reference to use (I even see people talking about that on here). Something will come along eventually. You won't be unemployed forever.


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## Psychonaut (Jan 25, 2014)

blueidealist26 said:


> That job sounds terrible. It was right that you quit, and I feel sorry for anyone who is still there. Just keep applying to more positions. At least you have references from the former company - some people don't even have a single reference to use (I even see people talking about that on here). Something will come along eventually. You won't be unemployed forever.


Thank you so much for the support. I think, because I've been in a position where I've worked and forgot to ask for references before I left, I didn't want this to be a repeat of that, so that was why I pushed for them this time. I am grateful for the fact that I could at least walk away from this, even if it's hard to get out of my head sometimes. I know there are people who are trying to raise families while working in a place like this. Even for myself, I couldn't walk away from this place initially when I first wanted to because after a while, my family really needed me there.


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## ToughUnderdog (Jul 7, 2013)

It seems to me like a toxic work environment regardless of any degree of social anxiety. This is what happens when you don't take care of your most important asset - which is your people who create value. In your case, it's an almost complete and total collapse of dominoes when people start leaving left and right. 

You made the right decision with your exit strategy. No job, no matter how important, is worth sacrificing your own personal health, the health you need to continue working and contribute to a family. 

We have a family friend that works at a major company who has had to take 3 short-term disability leaves because of a supervisor, and clearly some disgruntled employees. His psychiatrist was very concerned over his situation. Again, another reason why you have to look out for your health in the long run.


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## Psychonaut (Jan 25, 2014)

ToughUnderdog said:


> It seems to me like a toxic work environment regardless of any degree of social anxiety. This is what happens when you don't take care of your most important asset - which is your people who create value. In your case, it's an almost complete and total collapse of dominoes when people start leaving left and right.
> 
> You made the right decision with your exit strategy. No job, no matter how important, is worth sacrificing your own personal health, the health you need to continue working and contribute to a family.
> 
> We have a family friend that works at a major company who has had to take 3 short-term disability leaves because of a supervisor, and clearly some disgruntled employees. His psychiatrist was very concerned over his situation. Again, another reason why you have to look out for your health in the long run.


I've honestly contemplated talking to a psychiatrist myself. I have brought up the subject with family before and they're supportive. I know I haven't been myself since this whole thing happen, especially after my panic attack overseas. Posting this story here was a big step for me to gain some form of clarity on what I experience and I can't thank you guys enough for giving me support.


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## Psychonaut (Jan 25, 2014)

Also, ToughUnderdog, I am so sorry to hear about your friend and I hope he's doing fine!


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## Butterflyluv (Feb 12, 2013)

This sounds kind of like my situation,at least you have a masters to back you up,I wish you the best. Forget those jerks,it's a good thing you got out of there


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## Psychonaut (Jan 25, 2014)

Butterflyluv said:


> This sounds kind of like my situation,at least you have a masters to back you up,I wish you the best. Forget those jerks,it's a good thing you got out of there


Thank you so much Butterfly. I try to focus on the positives, I'm still fighting my depression, however.


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