Office Mgr Descibed Herself as "VERY DEMANDING"...What do you think??

[cosmogal]

I went on a job interview yesterday. The HR/Office Mgr is looking to replace her current AA with another person (aka-she's getting fired). At first, she seemed nice and it also seems to be a nice company w/ good beneifits to work for. Except, towards the end of the interview, she described herself as (at her will) as "VERY DEMANDING!" and that she is so demanding that often co-workers take it "the wrong way".

I think she liked me and may offer the job. In case I do get an offer, does this sound really bad? I've already been burned so I really can't take getting fired again! I'm not too sure since she described herself as a very demanding boss! Not to mention, she's letting the current AA go when she decides to hire someone else!

 

What would you do if this person offered you a position?

[laRubiaBonita]

well, at least you kinda know what you are in for.

[slubberdegullion]

What would you do if this person offered you a position?

First, I'd define exactly what her expectations are of you and get, in writing, a job description. And none of this, "whatever other duties may be expected" nonsense. That's code for, "you'll do whatever I want even if it has nothing to do with your job."

 

Secondly, work out (again, in writing) a plan to get feedback from her on a regular basis regarding your performance. Usually this takes the form of a face-to-face meeting, and take copious notes. A review like this doesn't mean a salary review, but simply a session to define how you are doing in her eyes.

 

Lastly, get a written offer of employment with a generous severance package included and a short (i.e.; no more than 30 days) probationary period.

 

I hope the money's good.

 

Good luck.

[brashgal]

Couple questions for you:

 

Are you willing to work hard?

 

Can your personal life take some hits if it gets busy at work - that is, are you flexible enough to spend some extra hours and/or cancel personal plans?

 

Whenever someone says they are demanding and some people "take it the wrong way" sounds like code for "I'm a raving b*tch when I'm under stress" - I'd expect some verbal abuse. If you're a hard worker, a fairly quick study and a little verbal abuse doesn't bother you, go for it if the money is good. Otherwise, I have to believe there are other jobs out there with a lower stress level.

[hooghie]

I wouldn't take the job. I've seen a lot of miserable AA's because of overdemanding demeaning type of managers. She sounds like she will have unreasonable high expectations and unless you are really smart and can take a lot of crap- you will hate your job.

 

 

First, I'd define exactly what her expectations are of you and get, in writing, a job description. And none of this, "whatever other duties may be expected" nonsense. That's code for, "you'll do whatever I want even if it has nothing to do with your job."

 

Secondly, work out (again, in writing) a plan to get feedback from her on a regular basis regarding your performance. Usually this takes the form of a face-to-face meeting, and take copious notes. A review like this doesn't mean a salary review, but simply a session to define how you are doing in her eyes.

 

Lastly, get a written offer of employment with a generous severance package included and a short (i.e.; no more than 30 days) probationary period.

 

Good luck.

 

Are you kidding me??? No company in the U.S. will do this for you. Would this really work in Canada? Maybe I should move there with my Canadian BF!

[HokeyReligions]

My experience with this type of person is RUN and RUN FAST!

 

I worked for someone who claimed she was meticulous and demanding. That was the understatement of the year. When I left that job I had to threaten a lawsuit just to get my unemployment because she lied to me, to my face and then turned around and lied to unemployment in an effort to deny my claim. I won my appear with unemployment by demanding hard proof of what she said and of course, she couldn't provide it.

 

I've been an office manager and I consider myself somewhat demanding, BUT I never said that to anyone I was interviewing or hiring. I said that I had certain expectations and that I more than happy to work with someone as they learned their job, and I was specific about my expectations: as in 'if something needs to be done that day, I expect that it will and I will be right there workiing on it until it is done and expect that - unless there are pressing personal commitments - the person would stay and work with me.

 

Get a clarification!

 

----

this is going to sound sexist, but the hardest bosses I've ever had (ie Demanding!) have been women! I don't like working for women.

[cosmogal]

thanks for the feedback people! I appreciate it!

She actually seemed very nice, as that was my first impression, but if that's how she best describes herself, I may not take the job IF she offers it to me!

 

I'm hoping for the right thing to come along!

[slubberdegullion]

Are you kidding me??? No company in the U.S. will do this for you. Would this really work in Canada?

It depends on the organization, the position you are going after and how you approach it. It's worked for me though.

[HokeyReligions]

First, I'd define exactly what her expectations are of you and get, in writing, a job description. And none of this, "whatever other duties may be expected" nonsense. That's code for, "you'll do whatever I want even if it has nothing to do with your job."

 

Secondly, work out (again, in writing) a plan to get feedback from her on a regular basis regarding your performance. Usually this takes the form of a face-to-face meeting, and take copious notes. A review like this doesn't mean a salary review, but simply a session to define how you are doing in her eyes.

 

Lastly, get a written offer of employment with a generous severance package included and a short (i.e.; no more than 30 days) probationary period.

 

I hope the money's good.

 

Good luck.

 

This works for staff positions, but I've never seen or heard of an AA position that will do this in writing. It can be discussed and verbally agreed, but it's not going to be a condition of emplloyment. I have given written offers of employment but severance package (generous or otherwise) is not part of an employment offer at anything below senior-level management or executives/officers of a company. Company policy handles this. Job descriptions also alway include ad hoc responsibilities because it's impossible to list everything that an admin will be required to do.

[cosmogal]

Hokey-

 

That's true, a great majority of AA positions don't give Employment Contracts of any sort. However, my job prior to this one (at the Advertising) agency did. And I was a Receptionist there. But my job duties included working weekends and also being a Production Assistant and not to mention my daytime duties included being an Executive Assistant.

 

My first 2 weeks there, was kind of boring. Then it picked up and I was doing quite a bit of work. As a Receptionist, they got a lot out of me. I was really doing 3 different full-time jobs. I was working as a Receptionist from 7:30 AM to 8:30 PM almost everyday, then doing production shoots on Sat & Sun from 6AM-7PM. Even the Advertising Professionals making 100K were not working the hours I was.

 

The VP there who made my working life a misery was VERY DEMANDING! More so verbally abusive. He even sexually harrassed clients and would throw things in the studio when he got upset. he was stressed at his job 95% of the time. Needless to say, he lost his job shortly after he let me go.

But in my interview with him, he did not state he was demanding, although I could certainly sense it in his personality.

 

With this interview I just went on, I appreciate the lady telling me what is really there. I would certainly go on a second interview for kicks. Then, if I get an offer, i would turn it down and tell her why.

[amerikajin]

"Very demanding" and "sometimes people take it the wrong way" ranks right up there with "I'm sometimes misunderstood"; a narcissist who can't accept that maybe she just doesn't work too well with other people.

 

You're out of the interview now, but in the future, one thing you might want to ask when you're checking out employers is to find out how many predecessors they've been through before hiring you. Of course, try to be subtle about it. For example, you could say ask how long the average employee stays with the company. If they've been through two or three different people in the last 18 months, there's a problem.

 

For now, I tend to agree with Hoke: unless you need the money, might wanna knock on a few other doors.

[cosmogal]

I will definetly keep looking!

Who knows...maybe this woman is too hard on herself, maybe her past employees just didn't care about their job and she had to be demanding, or she may very well be Satan!

 

I recently spoke to someone regarding this matter and she told me on her interview, her mgr seemed easy going and mellow. However, she found out her mgr just hide her temper and acted in out in other ways, enough to make her be so miserable there to quit with no job awaiting her arrival! I guess sometimes, you just don't know who exactly you are dealing with!

 

But I'm def taking everyone's advice to clarify things with her. She wants to schedule a second interview now. So I will try to get more out of her, but of course I will keep it subtle and professional. I am applying to a few other good jobs I see. Eventually something will work out! I HOPE!!!

[cosmogal]

I wouldn't take the job. I've seen a lot of miserable AA's because of overdemanding demeaning type of managers. She sounds like she will have unreasonable high expectations and unless you are really smart and can take a lot of crap- you will hate your job.

 

 

 

 

Are you kidding me??? No company in the U.S. will do this for you. Would this really work in Canada? Maybe I should move there with my Canadian BF!

 

You make a point...seldom to US jobs do this for you. Especially with American culture...it's a real "throw away" culture. You don't like your car, get rid of it and buy a new one, you don't like your clothes, throw them away and go shopping, you're not too thrilled with your employee, fire him/her and hire a new person! Employers POV: Why make special allowances for this one person, when candidate #2 or #3 can do the same job without special circumstances? I know some higher up positins will offer severance packages to Executives who are asked to resign...sometimes! But for an AA, hmmm... NO! It just aint happening! However, it if US companies did allow this, I would definetly do what you said!