Need help finding a new job but also the right environment (sorry for the long post)

12 Comments

1. AnonymousOctober 30,2024 at 6:34PM UTC

   I think you were in a bad situation, with an inept boss, who covered their mistakes and used you as a scapegoat by letting you go. Good for you for going to HR to get a mutally agreed upon separation. Though being an assistant as I have been in higher ed, is no joke. Sometimes you are given more work than you can chew, and sometimes we have higher ups that are not organized nor good with funds. If he was misusing funds, you dodged a bullet. Know that your role has the behind the scenes view and you were in a know-everything role. And are the best gate keepers. I have much respect for assistant roles as I worked in one for years. I'm well over 26 years from that, but I still remember how hard some days were. Mutual trust is extremely important in an executive assistant role with their higher ups. You are capable, but maybe in the next role, you will have a better fit. And good for you for using any downtime into uptime by upskilling! You're going to land on your feet and do just fine in the future.

2. Regina BrownOctober 30,2024 at 8:02PM UTC

   FIRST, ensure that you are mentally well.

   Your former employer was "less than smart" and I know it took a toll on your mental health.

   If you can afford it also look in being an intern somewhere with an already established project manager/management department and see what you can learn from them.

3. AnonymousOctober 30,2024 at 8:14PM UTC

   Yes, being the scapegoat is never a good place to be. I also agree with the other two that you should take care of your mental health first and do all you can to avoid taking on the ineptness of your former boss. You are better than this; a good EA is hard to find. If you want to move out of education, you may want to look at small service firms or non-profits. They can always use people who can manage budgets and projects.

4. AnonymousNovember 1,2024 at 12:42PM UTC

   unfortunately, the Exec. Assistantant or "Secretary" - which is the same role by the way - is ALWAYS the scapegoat!! We "assistants" do a thankless job - everyday. It's not a position that gets much respect - I know this-having worked at law firms my entire 30+ years. So I document everything! And have protected my reputation (in writing) several times!! When in doubt, write it out. Move on, and find a qualified executive to work alongside and even someone who can be a mentor, not some idiotic coward incapable of managing a simple budget.

5. GirlBossanova934974October 31,2024 at 12:58PM UTC

   I wouldn't lose one minute of sleep over this. You need to take a look at the big picture. Forget the IDIOTIC boss who couldn't tie his own shoelaces. ASK YOURSELF! What kind of organization allows any sort of manager to go over his annual budget by over two hundred thousand dollars AND waits to the end of the year to say anything or put a stop to this nonsense.? Where was the Accounting or Finance Department? As a professional Accountant myself, I would have flagged this IDIOT half way through the year and notified his boss as well. You are running out of budget and we still have X months to go. It is clear you were working with a collection of fools and irresponsible management. You are well off out of there. IN YOUR NEXT ROLE, you may wish to ask for some adult supervision. Maybe stay out of the financial stuff unless you are working in Finance or Accounting.

6. AnonymousOctober 31,2024 at 1:00PM UTC

   i am so so sorry you've gone thru this. I remember working for a hospital and discovering that the Pharmacy Director was spending money on a huge software program that was "meant to be shared" with every physician, NP and PA- it was a corporate package that he bought from a huge vendor, never "shared" it with medical staff- what a mess. You've been working (and trying to survive) in a psychotic vortex at work, and unfortunately you were powerless to change anything. I am glad that HR offered you something else- that tells me that HR knew it wasn't YOU (we know that too). But, you're traumatized from 4-5 years of chaos- I get it. Time for you to mentally rest. It's natural to worry and think about nothing else but getting a job- but I would make a deliberate decision to "not" job hunt for 6-8 weeks. Give yourself permission to rest and refresh. Maybe education is not your place anymore, but you've got a great skill set- However, I will caution you that EVERY industry right now is flawed! I have friends working for a Church Non profit and you would NOT BELIEVE that chaos going on there with upper management (non profits are great for that). Corporate America, Healthcare, you name it...problems every where. Have you considered going back to school and simply learning a new skill? Like Ultrasound Tech (one year program)- something like that? In my life, I"ve had my most "happy" jobs when I was doing a task (nursing) but not working in an office/administrative/corporate position. Go to work, do your job, and leave- that sort of thing. Consider this if possible. Give yourself permission to take time off right now (holidays coming) and enjoy your loved ones. Cut your spending. Visit a sick friend. Bake a pie. paint the bedroom. Do all the things that you've never had time for before- And be thinking about your game plan for January. Wishing you all the best!!!!

7. AnonymousOctober 31,2024 at 1:55PM UTC

   I worked at a high school as a "guidance secretary" for 3 years with no prior experience. I use the term secretary loosely because I did A LOT - enrollments, transcripts, student transfers, attendance reporting, college rep visits, organized parent/teacher conference nights, and did all the front office secretary's duties while she was out on maternity leave. While I didn't have a bad work experience, I know I was severely underpaid for all I did. I like to keep busy and always say "yes" when asked of anything though; so I can't say I didn't bring it on myself.

   When I got to the point that I was ready to move on, I felt lost because I wasn't sure what I was going to do, but I knew I wanted something that gave me lots of opportunity for career growth. Out of desperation for a change, I interviewed for a bank teller position at a small local bank even though I knew it wasn't really my "thing" talking to people all day because it drains me so much. I actually ended up getting hired for a deposit operations role instead because my experiences made more sense for that open role. That led to transferring to wealth management operations, getting lots of certifications (paid for by my employer), and now I have moved on to a large global company that has so much potential for upward movement.
   I guess my point is that you may find your passion in a totally unexpected place. If someone told me 15 years ago that I would now be working as an investments analyst, I wouldn't have believed it (or even known what that was).

8. AnonymousOctober 31,2024 at 4:27PM UTC

   IMHO you should have taken another role in the company with the support of your HR rep. To not have done so means you still bear the weight of this situation and need to do something to put this in your past. Go back to that HR person and ask if you can speak to them again about another role that does not interact at all with that person and then take it for the short term if you can until you can get your confidence back. Continue to self learn and get more training so that you can become the person once again that does great work.

9. AnonymousNovember 1,2024 at 12:37PM UTC

   I agree, a helping hand and other option was afforded to her, I would have graciously accepted, and observed the behavior and character of those I worked for and closely with while still looking for opportunities OUTSIDE that workplace! I am proactive and don't assume anything. Always prepared for anything. Always have options, while leaving no stone unturned.

10. AnonymousOctober 31,2024 at 5:46PM UTC

    All the stuff you're complaining about: admin support, cleaning up other's work, re-doing permits, etc. Isn't that core to your role as an EA? Sounds like your emotions got the best of you when HR offered you another role. They came to you with a solution to save your job but you rejected it.

    No one is forcing you to go back to education, that's a choice you've made. I hope you know that project management will also include a lot of hand holding and administrative work. If you're applying to true project management positions, I'm guessing they'll want the full PMP certification rather than a single Coursera lesson.

11. AnonymousNovember 1,2024 at 12:33PM UTC

    OK, Having been there as an Exec. Assistant at a satellite office of a large national law firm in NYC, I was hired to "grow the office"! And that vague description encompassed everything you mentioned on a broad scale in addition to setting up IT equipment!! Granted, it's not rocket science, but quite difficult to do quickly with little to no guidance/training! Most firms/corporations today do NOT want to train or care about offering ample training. You are set up to fail --it's sink or swim, without a life vest! Unfair - absolutely - but reality. I think outside the box - innately I guess, but what you describe was a life lesson, that should be left behind, and not repeated. For your next opportunity you definitely need to be adamant about what level of support you WILL receive if need be, and expectation levels of what you will be learning, or doing daily or improving upon. We can't know for sure the character of those we work with or work alongside unfortunately--and this can ultimately make or break our decisions to stay or RUN OUT. But such is life. Their loss if you do leave, since you sound like a productive problem solver with a strong work ethic. I left that "startup" and never looked back, but everything I did for them - is on my resume and has served me well!! Good riddance to them.

12. AnonymousNovember 3,2024 at 5:09AM UTC

    Talk to a therapist and get over the incidence. They will be able to help you calm your nerves and focus on a good career path by rebuilding your confidence and strengths.