Accepting a job you don’t want

[Anonymous]

The toxicity at work pushed me to my breaking point. They eliminated many of my peers in the past few months claiming it’s financial. It’s not. New executives just want their own hires.

My boss is going the route of trying to coach me out so they can avoid paying a decent severance.

I’ve been casually interviewing. There is one company that likes me more than I like them. Pay is the same or more. I’m interviewing elsewhere but not as far along in the process.

Would you take and look? Delay? Or try to out last coaching out to get severance?

[Anonymous]

Yeah this doesn't sound like the place for you, wait it out a little longer until you can get severance or you find a better job.

[Anonymous]

Be careful. The longer they "coach" you the more damage they'll try to do to your reputation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Be careful. The longer they "coach" you the more damage they'll try to do to your reputation.

How will they damage her reputation?

[Anonymous]

Once you have something lined up, go to your boss and try to get them to pay you to go away. "It's obvious that you're trying to get me to leave. Give me eight weeks pay and I'll be gone." Worst that can happen is they say no. If they go for it, just be sure not to sign any restrictive contracts as a condition.

[Anonymous]

Why do you think they’ll offer you severance? Our country has at will employment. They don’t owe you severance unfortunately.

Are these other jobs better? Are you actively interviewing at those jobs?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Be careful. The longer they "coach" you the more damage they'll try to do to your reputation.

How will they damage her reputation?

By writing a poor review, and telling others your work product is substandard.I’ve seen it happen in my workplace by bosses who have done exactly what OP’s boss is doing.

I would get out asap, OP. The toxicity will wear you down faster than you think.

[Anonymous]

Employment is at will, OP. No company is required to offer you severance.

Something about your post doesn’t sit quite right with me. You sound a little contemptuous of the company than “likes you more than you like them,” so why don’t you let them find a new hire who might appreciate the fit more? Interview with others and find a better fit, if you like, but make sure your expectations are aligned with reality.

[Anonymous]

It seems inevitable you'll be w/o a job so why not seize the opportunity and accept the job at the new place?

Are you trying to hold out for a severance package (which isn't a guarantee)? You seem to hate your current job so why are you trying to hang on? Your new employer might be better than they look on paper - good work environment, great people, and all the other unspoken perks.

[Anonymous]

I would take the new one. It’s not worth your sanity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Be careful. The longer they "coach" you the more damage they'll try to do to your reputation.

And self-confidence, which is harder to get out of. The damage can last for years.

[Anonymous]

If a company is granting severance to some employees and not others it gets dicey.

Some companies can give just two weeks in leu of notice and walk you out.
Some companies have published plans. For instance Fannie Mae gives one month per year plus paid cobra one month per year and the two weeks in leu of notice. Fired for cause you still get it but trouble is they don’t round up and fired folks are usually short timers.

Let go 22 months you get six weeks pay and four weeks paid cobra. What does that do for you?

Two weeks a year is bare min severance at most firms. Zero is dangerous as employee retains right to Sue. You get severance you waive right to Sue

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would take the new one. It’s not worth your sanity.

+1 I was in this situation last year. Take the job you don't want and view it as a lifeboat, then leave when another opportunity pops up. You don't have to stay anywhere; people move around quite a bit, especially in the current job climate. If you and your boss are oil and water the conflict will only increase. You're not part of their agenda. The longer you stay the worse it will get. Best to leave on decent terms before they start issuing PIPs and cutting you out of projects.

[Anonymous]

PP here. Just make sure you don't overstay your welcome. Doesn't matter if you're the best employee. The boss and company do not care. Based on my experience, the boss will start to feel like you're in the way of progress and treat you as such-- an impediment to their agenda. It's a mean situation, especially if you genuinely liked working there and really had no issues to begin with. I should have walked away from my employer with a great reference but I didn't. I did a stellar job and had wanted to stay for the long haul, but my boss was a protected bully who had the full support of leadership. Yeah, she was incompetent and disliked by the entire staff. Still didn't matter. She had an agenda and leadership supported it.

[Anonymous]

Op here - I have a contract at my level that includes a severance package if laid off. Does not apply if a) it’s for cause b) they offer me a lower level job and I decline.

It’s not a nice place to work for. They use tactic B all of the time. If you are a VP, they will offer you a manager role at 50% of your salary. Of course no one is going to take that…