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yanna · Expert Joined: 31 Jan 2007 Posts: 102 Career Advice: +0/-0

Of course....I put "nice" between inverted commas with a reason. I'm referring to mean colleagues who have built a passion of making my days harder and harder. I work as an administrative assistant (that's a secretary for whom doesn't know) in my former university and I have two female colleagues. Imagine that I'm 25 and they are 46 respectively 42. I've been in the office for 5 months now and they are still trying to kill me Smile

Seriously, I've been ignoring them, but I feel I kinds did wrong because they didn't stop from teasing me and setting all the hard work and responsibility on my shoulders.
Please....I'm waiting for ideas, suggestions...maybe personal experiences related to this...
Thanks a lot in advance.

dorothea · Expert Joined: 01 Feb 2007 Posts: 123 Career Advice: +1/-0

I'm a secretary myself (well.....at least until today I was) and have two colleagues which are older. THey are totally indifferent and they won't help me with anything...If I'm asking a question, they'd answer just to offer an answer, but they're allway evasive and give me the worst pieced of advice ever. I have tried to interrelate with them but who could? so I decided to ignore them miself. Now, when I'm in trouble with my job, they seem happy they might get rid of me... Sad

( How mean from their part!

lexa10881 · Posted: Fri Apr 06, 2007 3:40 am Post subject:

Ever hear of the office voodoo doll? Twisted Evil

Well, you could stick it out and suffer in silence. You could consult your boss and take the chance that it makes things worse and you become the office 'rat', or....you could confront them yourself. None of these are ideal but possibilities. Personally, I am evil and I would try to make their life as much of a hell as they have made mine, which is definitely a bad idea....Obviously, both of these people need to grow up. You might mention something to them, but you might also get set on looking for a job and get the heck out of there. If your boss is asked to help out and doesn't, definitely get out of there. No matter what, you deserve better.

http://www.cvtips.com/types_of_difficult_people.html
http://www.cvtips.com/survive_office_politics.html

ciberdawg · Newbie Joined: 09 Apr 2007 Posts: 1 Career Advice: +0/-0

I am also an administrative assistant/receptionist. In June I will have worked for this company for 2 years. My problem is just the opposite of yours! I am 52 and the others are all in their mid-twenties. It is a small office. Only about 9 employees. When this office first opened up (it is one of many in the company) there were 6 of us. We had a part-time supervisor and the director came down periodically. In 2005 we had a first staff meeting. One girl went to the front and said there were 38 missed calls. Well, right then it was decided I could no longer attend staff meetings. One of the girls "A" said (condecendingly - spelling?), "Well, I don't know why YOU have to attend anyway." I have talked with other AAs and they all attend their staff meetings...they let the phone go to the voice mail. Two of the girls "A" and "E" would roll their eyes whenever I would try to join in conversations and "smirk". They all would go to lunch together and never ask if I wanted to go or wanted anything but they always do with each other. Well, then they hired another girl "C-2" and she fit right into the clique...same age. Then we no longer had the part-time supervisor as an original girl "C-1" got the job. So she was "supervising" her friends. Then another girl was hired - "M". She is fairly nice...slightly older than the others. Then "E" was fired. And they hired "J"...fit right into the clique. Now. Last October I was put into the hospital over the weekend and had emergency surgery as my appendix burst. Well, the whole time I was in the hospital they never called, came to see me or sent flowers or a card. I was pretty hurt. I said something to one of them and they "didn't want to bother me". Everybody I have told this to has said that was a lame excuse. When I was finally allowed to come back to work and the supervisor went on vacation they were openly hostile and hateful to me. When "C-1" came back; she took me into a room and said she was asking everybody about this. She said she noticed when she came back that the air was extremely tense and asked if I knew of anything that had gone on. Of course, I was not going to tell her about how her friends had acted. It would have done no good. A short time later I went for my yearly physical. After over a year of tests; my doctor finally finds out I have Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Osteoarthritis in my neck, back and hip. I rearranged my area so it was easier for me to work. Well, I was off a couple of days in extreme pain. I came back only to find they had moved all the stuff back! I am the one who has to work there with not much room to do stuff not them! And I just snapped! I knew better than to stay there! I would not be good for the public or answering the phone...I called the supervisor on the way home. I only remembered sobbing. She was very cool to me. I called a friend of mine and we discussed whether I should talk with the director. Since the supervisor was quitting the next week; we thought it couldn't hurt. So I called him and the supervisor had already called him. I just remember him saying that I called "C-1" and it developed into "heated words". I told him I did not remember heated words but I was terribly upset. He said he was coming in on the following Monday and we would have a "meeting" about it. I decided that since I did not remember anything I should apologize to "C-1". She thanked me . So he was there on Monday and he waited till the last of the day. He took me into a room and shut the door. He told me that I (supposedly) said the "F" word to "C-1". I did not remember that at all!!! He told me company policy was that the first time for that was a verbal warning and if it occurred again; I was fired. Then he proceeded to tell me that he did not like the way I had my stuff arranged and I was going to have to leave it the way they had it. No matter that it hurts my hip having the stuff that way. Which does not seem fair since it is my area and the others don't have any reason to be there. He also said they were upset with me because of my appendectomy!!! Because they had to cover for me!!! He went on to say I have too many doctor appointments! But I always schedule them as late as I can, work through my lunch and this way I am only gone the hour (what my lunch would be). If I scheduled them earlier, say in the morning, I might wind up being gone even longer if the doctor got behind!!! Also...one of the girls "K" told me last year that they were trying to get one other girl to quit because they just didn't like her much and she didn't "fit in" (in other words, not fitting in with their clique) so they were ignoring her and being mean to her. So...is that what they are doing to me now??? And the supervisor's last day was last Tuesday. EVERYBODY in the office went out to lunch for her last day...except me of course. A friend of mine said that was totally uncalled for. They completely isolate me. I cannot afford to quit...there wouldn't be anywhere I could go and make what I am making, I have insurance, vacation and sick time. The only place I could go would be 30 or more miles away and my hip couldn't take that drive twice every day. Any advice????????

sweet_life · Expert Joined: 20 Sep 2006 Posts: 184 Career Advice: +0/-1

wowowoooooow.....That was a long story Very Happy

Ok...My idea, dear yanna is that by no means are you to be treated like that, especially by your colleagues. All of you have the same responsibilities, so you make sure they are split in the right way and in the right portion Very Happy

I'm mean too and I would probably make their days soooo hard...but as lexa already said it, this is not worth it...dedicating your life, time and thoughts on building up unhealthy relationships. The way you work and feel at your workplace affects the way you feel after, at home. I bet you realise this is noooot worth it. The best choice for you would be to make your point and have a word with them and.....if they do not understand and if the boss doesn't understand your situation either, it is better to say buhbay and search for something better.

Mrs Manager · Newbie Joined: 26 Oct 2008 Posts: 1 Career Advice: +0/-0

Resurrecting an old thread I know, but I'm interested to know how so many secretaries/admin people get their jobs with such poor grammar and spelling skills? Examples in this thread!

Apart from that, working in a group of females will often result in bitchiness.

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