5 Things to do When your Boss Hates You

Posted on June 6, 2019June 8, 2019 by Katie Evans

If you’ve been working in the business world for any length of time, chances are that you’ve had a boss who absolutely hates you. You know the boss I’m talking about—the condescending jerk who won’t listen to a single one of your ideas and criticizes everything you do. You can’t do anything right, and every muscle in your body contracts when he or she walks into the room.

If your boss is making your life a living nightmare, there are a few things you can do about it before you start crafting your resignation letter.

1. Make Yourself Indispensable, not Invisible

If your boss yells at you as soon as he sees your face, your first instinct might be to hide, but don’t—it will only make the problem worse. Instead, make a list of the things your boss complains about, and make sure you do those things preemptively, before he checks.

Then, make yourself indispensable to your boss by anticipating his needs and acting to make his life easier. If you know he’s doing a presentation on Friday with a client, go ahead and pull the data he needs on Monday or Tuesday and set it up in a PowerPoint slide. If he has to put in a supply order on Thursday, don’t wait until he asks what you need—email him a list on Tuesday.

The point is, don’t just show up to work and do the bare minimum. Bosses hate that. Besides, there has to be a reason why your boss is being nasty. His boss could be pressuring him. His personal life could be falling apart. You don’t know, and at the end of the day, your job is to support your boss and his/her initiatives, so do the best job you can.

2. Be Kind

You can’t control your boss’ actions and attitudes, but you can definitely control yours! Choose to be kind. When your boss throws negativity your way, end the conversation by asking if there is anything else you can do for her today.

Make thoughtful gestures. When you pick up your morning coffee, spend a little extra to buy the Coffee Traveler at Starbucks to bring the good stuff for the entire office. Be sure to pour the boss a cup and take it to her. If she’s not a coffee drinker, figure out what her “thing” is. It might be chocolate, donuts, tea, or soda. It’s a small gesture, but it can go a long way in changing your boss’ attitude towards you.

Think about the small talk you have with your boss. Are you an active listener? Do you know her kids’ names? Is there a sports team she follows? Is she planning a trip somewhere exotic? Always be interested in the things going on in your boss’ life. While it may not seem important, remembering the details shows the boss that you truly listen to her and have her back.

3. Inspire Camaraderie with Your Coworkers

When the boss goes on a tirade, it’s tempting to trash him behind his back with your coworkers. However, you have more class than that (right?). Trashing your boss makes you look petty, and your coworkers will remember it. Save your vent session for after work, with your friends or therapist.

However, you should create professional camaraderie with your coworkers. It will help you on the hard days to be surrounded by positive relationships. You can inspire camaraderie by supporting your coworkers, because the chances are good that the boss who hates you also hates them, too.

If you see the boss berate a coworker for not finishing a task, offer to help your coworker catch up. If you see a coworker working through lunch, offer to bring her back something to eat from the café down the street. If you notice a coworker working late, ask if there is anything you can do for them. Even if you can’t stay late, you may be able to pick up dry cleaning on your way or make an important phone call for them when you get home.

Creating a supportive office environment can make weathering the storm of a negative boss a lot easier for everyone.

4. Gather Your References and Update Your Resume

Of course, if you’ve tried absolutely everything, and your work situation is simply unbearable, it’s time to clean up your resume and gather your references.

If you’ve worked towards creating a supportive office environment, you will have a wealth of coworkers who are willing to write reference letters for you. Start gathering them, and as you do, offer to do the same for your coworkers. If you have three strong references you can use throughout your job search, you will do fine.

As for your resume, make sure it is up to date and looks modern. Make sure you customize it for each job advertisement’s keywords, too.

5. Let Recruiters Know You’re Open to other Opportunities

LinkedIN has a feature you can turn on to let recruiters know you are looking for opportunities. Start talking to recruiters as soon as you can. Be careful, though—they will ask why you are leaving your current job, and the last thing you want to say is, “my boss hates me.” Instead, tell them you are looking for a new challenge. It’s not a lie—you are looking for a challenge besides contending with a boss that hates you.

Know Your Options

When your boss hates you, your options are generally to either stay in the job and make the best of it or look for a new job. However, if you are being harassed, be sure your first stop is the HR office. No one has the right to abuse you, even if they are your boss. If you don’t feel comfortable reporting your boss, find a new job. Don’t stay in a toxic situation—your health and wellbeing must always come first.

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Do You Actually Hate Your Job?

Posted on July 5, 2018July 5, 2018 by Edna Crane

Sometimes, the reality doesn’t match the fiction. You may have landed your your dream job, spent years working your way up the ladder, but you still feel unfulfilled. You might actually hate your job.

But do you really, truthfully hate your job? When people say they hate their job, they often say it out of frustration without truly reflecting on what it is they hate. If you’re clear on what you hate about your job, you can make meaningful changes to find more fulfilling work.

Is it the Role?

This is the first thing you must ask yourself: Is it actually the job that you hate? Many people hastily leave a job they think they hate, only to find themselves in another career that’s even worse than the previous one. It might not be the role itself that you hate—it might be the people.

If you do some soul searching and realize you hate the people with whom you work, look at your options within your current company. Can you transfer to another department? Is there another location that would be a better fit for you? You might be able to solve your frustrations without losing your income.

Have you considered that your hatred towards your job has more to do with your perspective than the job itself? You would be surprised how many times this is the case. On https://tinybuddha.com there’s an interesting article about how you can change your perspective to feel happier.

If you were ready to throw something at me for suggesting it might be your perspective and not the job, then that’s the universe screaming at you that it’s time to make a major change in your career. Get ready to be brave and make the changes you need to relieve your stress and create a new career path!

Planning to Leave

While the temptation to jump ship without a safety net is very appealing, especially if you just can’t take it anymore, it’s unwise. It’s far better for you to plan your exit strategy in gradual segments. This way, you can prepare yourself mentally and financially for some downtime, or line up a new job you can walk straight into.

If you’re looking for a complete career change, look at what skills you already have that can lend themselves well to another industry. For example, on www.hansenagriplacement.com there are various types of job roles relating to the agricultural industry. If you’re tired of the people in your industry, farming can seem like an ideal career change. Besides, how hard can it be to milk some cows or plant some corn? You’d be surprised. Farming has become a field as scientifically driven as the pharmaceutical industry. You may not have the skills you need to pick up a pitchfork.

Take a good inventory of your transferrable skills. They are essential to forging a new career path.

Making the Jump

Actually leaving a job you hate may be harder than you think. Even with money saved and a new job lined up, writing your resignation letter may prove challenging, especially if you’ve been in your job for a while. Even if your job sucks, it might feel safe, and change is always hard. Power through—better things await you!

If your job is sheer hell on earth, you’ve probably spent many hours imagining your exit, running gloriously out the door while giving the finger to your boss and obnoxious coworkers. However, you’re an adult, so you have to act professional. Remember, these people are very likely going to have to provide you a reference, so it’s far better for you to maintain some sense of dignity and decorum.

If you hate your job, you will feel it in the pit of your stomach, in which case, changing careers will be the beginning of a whole new you. If you’ve come to the realization that you’re actually don’t hate your job, maybe it’s just the fact that you’re not feeling fulfilled. In which case, it’s time to challenge yourself in other ways. Try a side hustle to stretch your skills and make some extra money just in case you decide to leave your job in a hurry.

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How to Write a Resignation Letter When You Hate Your Boss – Ask HR

Posted on April 16, 2018June 6, 2019 by Katie Evans

Dear HR,

I’ve made the decision to quit my job. I don’t have another job offer lined up, but I’m confident that I have enough savings to live on for a few months until I find a new job.

I’m ready to turn in my resignation letter, but I don’t know what to write. My boss is a jerk and my coworkers are vipers. I won’t miss any of them. The whole company is horrible. It’s a toxic work environment, and I’m happy to leave.

What should I write in my resignation letter? I know it’s bad to burn my bridges, but I really hate these people!

Thank you,

Tired of It

My boss is a jerk and my coworkers are vipers.

Dear Tired of It,

We are sorry to hear that you’re working in a hostile environment. It’s fantastic that you have enough savings to leave your vile workplace, and we applaud your efforts!

It’s tricky to write a professional-sounding resignation letter that reflects your best self when all you really want to do is tell your boss to take this job and shove it. However, you have to leave on a high note. It’s not only the right thing to do, it’s the right thing for your career, too.

You see, you never know who is going to be in the position to help you land your dream job. The incompetent coworker in the cubicle next door could go on to a job somewhere fantastic and may be able to make an introduction or recommendation for you that lands you a job. Future employers will be calling your now-hostile boss for recommendations, and you want him to say good things about you. If you write the “shove it” recommendation letter that your fingers are longing to type, you are hurting your career more than your boss and coworkers.

So, be a mature adult and delay your instant gratification of telling your boss to get bent in favor of your vision of your future career far away from your current workplace in the inner circle of Dante’s Inferno. It stinks now, but you’ll thank us later.

Instead, write a short-but-sweet letter that says “see ya” in a polite, professional manner. Here’s what to write:

Email or Paper Letter?

In most cases, you should write an old school, paper letter in your favorite word processing software (Word, Google Docs, Pages). There are a few exceptions to this rule, though. For example, if you work from home, and never physically interact with your boss, an email is probably fine. If you work for a tech company, an email is likely expected.

If you work in an office where your boss is two cubicles down from you, a physical letter is more appropriate. If you work in healthcare, for the government, or at a university, go with a paper letter. If you work for a small, family-owned business, definitely choose a paper letter.

The most professional way to handle your resignation is to call your boss and let him or her know you’re resigning before you submit your letter. You could also set a meeting with your boss, let him know you’re resigning and hand him the letter there. Either way, it’s important to remember that your boss is human, and will respect your courage in confronting your resignation rather than simply hiding behind your letter. It’s a tough conversation, but if you can gather the bravery to have it, you should.

Address Your Resignation Letter to Your Boss and HR

If you work for a small business, your workplace may not have a full-fledged HR department, but if you work somewhere that does, your resignation letter should be addressed to both your boss and the head of HR.

When an employee leaves, there are many off-boarding tasks that need to happen. You may be eligible for continued health benefits through COBRA. HR may want you to complete an exit interview. Your boss needs to know where you are on all of your projects. You have to turn in keys. Your emails have to be forwarded to a coworker or your boss. IT will disable your computer access. Most of these tasks occur or at least originate with HR.

If sending a resignation email, your boss’ address belongs on the “to” line, and HR’s address belongs on the CC line. Your subject line should be something like “Resignation, Effective (date goes here).”

If sending a paper letter, you will need to make two copies: One for your boss, and another for HR. In both cases, your letter should start with a greeting like: “Dear Mr. Boss, and All It Concerns,” or, if you know the HR representative well, you can use a greeting like, “Dear Mr. Boss and Ms. HR Rep.” Of course, be sure to use their real names and not “Mr. Boss.”

Express Your Sadness that You’re Leaving

Even though you aren’t sad to start your new life away from this horrible company, you are probably disappointed that the job didn’t work out to be better than it was. The first sentence of your resignation letter should tell your boss that you’re leaving, and it’s regrettable. Here’s a few examples:

It is with a heavy heart that I submit my resignation for my position as marketing coordinator.

Sadly, I am resigning my position as desk jockey, effective March 5, 2019.

Unfortunately, I have decided to resign my position as dog trainer here at Canines ‘R Us.

Tell Your Boss When your Last Day will Be

In our second first-sentence example above, you’ll notice that we added the effective date of the resignation. You can either add this date to your first sentence, or add it just after.

Two-weeks’ notice is customary, but some management positions require a bit more. Your employee manual will tell you, or you can ask your HR representative.

Clearly state your last day. Try something like, “My last day will be August 5, 2018,” or “Please consider this my two-week’s notice, which makes my last day August 15, 2018.”

End with Gratitude

Even if you absolutely hate the place you’re leaving and everyone in it, grit your teeth and say “thank you for the opportunity.” Gratitude is good for the soul, and it’s good for your professional reputation, too. Sure, everyone remembers the guy who flipped off his boss and lit his trash can on fire on his last day, but no one hires that guy later. Don’t be that guy.

Here are a few examples you can copy/paste into your resignation letter that show gratitude, but don’t lie about the dismal nature of the workplace:

Thank you for the opportunity to work with you the past two years. I have learned a lot, and I believe this experience will aid me throughout my career.

I appreciate the opportunity to work and learn at this company, and I am grateful for the experience I’ve earned here.

Example Resignation Letter

Dear Mr. Warner and All it Concerns,

Sadly, I am resigning my position as Head Sales Associate. Please consider this my two-weeks’ notice, which makes my last working day April 25, 2018.

I appreciate the opportunities you’ve given me at Bulldozers Inc., and I am grateful for the experience I’ve gained here.

Thank you,

Grace Smith

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Final Notes on Resignations

Be sure to gather your references before your last day. Add your coworkers (at least the not-so-vile ones) to your LinkedIN account, and send a “nice knowing you” email on your last day with your contact information. You never know who might be the key to find your next great job.

Best of Luck,

P.S. If you’re struggling with your career, try looking looking here for inspiration: 100 Best Personal Growth Books