Very disappointed in how the manager at my previous job handled the situation of me returning.

Very disappointed in how the manager at my previous job handled the situation of me returning.

Back in May, my old coworkers from my previous job (real estate) told me that they were hiring for the front desk which is what I used to do. They've asked me before to come back but I always said no. I considered it this time because it was close to home and figured I would still look for a job and leave as soon as I found one. I have a long commute and it is wearing me out.

I emailed the new manager who has been there for a few years and told her I was interested in coming in for an interview. I went in and we spoke and I told her what salary I was looking for which was $20/hr. She said no because that salary was for a higher position. I asked if they have health insurance. They do, but since they don't have enough employees, I would have to pay for it myself. I told her I will think it over and let her know. I met with my coworker and told her what happened and she was not happy that the manager did not want to pay me what I asked her considering I worked there before and that she was being cheap. Tbh,it was a little insulting. My coworker said she was going to talk to the manager about that.

I went home to research health insurance options (they were expensive). Keeping that in mind, I emailed her that I was interested in returning. The manager emailed me back saying they will pay me $20/hr. I told her I accepted her offer and when to start the transition process.

I emailed her several times and she said to hold on, and not to say anything to my current boss until she gives me the ok. For a few days I haven't heard from her and decided to call the office to see what is going on. She tells me that the receptionist earned his real estate license and was waiting on his papers to join a team working at the office,and would let me know as soon as he received them. Keep in mind that I was told this towards the end of May. That was the last time I heard from her.

I thought I would lay off and give her time to let me know what is going on, as I didn't want to keep bothering her. I haven't heard from her at all. Even my coworker was texting me if I heard from her. Over 2 weeks passed and I emailed her on June 19 to ask for an update and received no response. I called 2 days later and no response. However,she emailed me later that day that there were complications with the hiring process and that she will consider me once they started hiring again. I screenshotted that response and sent it to my coworker. She texts back "wtf does that mean?" I told her I had no idea but it sounded like a BS excuse.

My coworker asked and turns out the recently hired team leader hired someone for that position that he used to work with. He heard what happened and called me a week later. I told him that I was already offered the position. Turns out he had no idea I was even offered the position because the manager never told him and was not cc'd on the emails between her and I. I told him everything and forwarded him the emails and also a screenshot of how many times I tried to call. I let him know that I did not appreciate how she handled this. He felt bad and took responsibility even though it was not his fault.

This pissed me off because she didn't have the courtesy to let me know what was going on and hasn't even apologized.

I am still looking for work and honestly I'm loosing hope.

Update: I was told that the manager was let go. The office owner wants the office to be run efficiently. There were many things that he had no idea was going on. Also, I currently DO have a job that I've been at for 6 years. However,I've been trying to find another that pays better.

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36 Comments

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  1. Anonymous

    I hate little office politics.

  2. Cindy Glover

    They are kinda funny sometimes????

    Other than that, this is why I keep Walgreens in business

  3. Anonymous

    This just sounds so petty and messy. It’s entirely possible they intended to hire her back before all the screen -shots and overly involved former co-worker.

  4. Anonymous

    I agree, this is messy. Dramatic too. Move on and focus your energy on better circumstances.

  5. Anonymous

    Although this sounds like a daunting situation, consider spending your energy looking for a better environment with less politics. Regardless of what your co-worker, or previous co-worker knows, all that does is add drama and anxiety to your life. Drop that, go for something new, and fresh, and expand your bubble. You've exhausted your efforts and it's not worth holding on to what they may or may not do. At this point, you could have been in a new job. Go for that hope and keep plugging away. Do you really want to work somewhere that all this drama unfolds and there's no health insurance? Look at higher ed. Lots of jobs and they have great benefits. Good luck!

  6. Anonymous

    I didn't completely put my job search on hold during this time. Unfortunately I still can't find anything that pays well and closer to home.

  7. Anonymous

    I told my coworker that I do not want to be considered for any future positions that may open up. She said she'll let the team leader know to not consider me. After this, no way I'm going back there. Originally I left because the team leader who was there at the time made it a toxic environment.

  8. Anonymous

    Why aren’t you communicating this directly to the boss? Stop going through the co-worker! I see in another response she’s offered to help. Decline this offer and reopen lines of discussion with the hiring manager or HR person. This sounds like junior high!

  9. Cindy Glover

    Well said!!!

  10. Anonymous

    Please, pull the coworker out of this equation. She's neither your proxy nor your agent in this job offer. She's being put in an awkward position. She shouldn't be the one delivering your messages back and forth. Even if she offers in the future, negotiate your own terms.

  11. Anonymous

    Oh I agree. The manager was supposed to keep me updated. I didn't ask her to get involved, she did that on her own.

  12. Cindy Glover

    I wouldn’t include the “co-worker” in any conversation moving forward- doesn’t look good (I’m sure they are pulling for you) but just have them not do the talking for you.

    Also, $20 per hour seems low to me (maybe it’s jurisdictional) but put your resume together again and rethink your qualifications and skills - depending on your work history I think you could go in with confidence asking for more WITH benefits. But a different company ??

  13. Anonymous

    I am a bit confused. You said in the beginning that you were only looking at this job as temporary and would leave as soon as you found another one. So, why waste so much time and energy on a job that you don't really want?

    Let it go and focus your energy in a new direction.

  14. Celena Barton

    So you left the job and wanted back in? Of course they will be hesitant to rehire you. You could leave again. Was it bad that they didn’t get back to you to let you know you were considered? Absolutely. But you were fortunate to get an interview at all.

  15. Lisa Mammen

    The new manager should have been upfront from jump when she knew she wasn’t interested in hiring you and I think working for her would be the same, poor communication and confusion. Since you don’t feel you would be there long term you probably dodged a bullet as management sounds weak and inexperienced. Sounds like the work environment has changed and even if hired on this might not be the right fit anymore.

  16. Anonymous

    She's been there for 5 years.

  17. Lisa Mammen

    In the op it is mentioned new manager to her even though she has been there 4 years. Poor word choice not inexperienced but more so just a poor manager period.

  18. Anonymous

    Move on, you made a demand it was beyond what she wanted to pay you and then she rightly had second thoughts about bringing you on after you went around her to your friend. You blindsided her and questioned what she wanted to do and that is probably what led to her having second thoughts. Yes, it is bad that she did not give you the professional courtesy of letting you know that someone else got hired, but...you should have either accepted the role and told her you could start asap and negotiated a sooner starting date or not. If you want to be in charge of making decisions perhaps run your own business? Sign up with a temp agency try out some new places and reset your expectations.

  19. Anonymous

    They've moved on.

  20. Anonymous

    Yes but a heads up would have been appreciated

  21. Anonymous

    It sounds like your old coworker was harassing this woman to offer you a job when she didn't want to. The whole thing sounds like a soap opera and I'm not sure why you found it to be your old coworker's business at all. Screenshotting communications and reporting back conversations you had with the hiring manager about pay and such sounds messy. You were going to quit this job (again) the second you could anyway.

  22. Anonymous

    OP here: It was worse when the previous management ran the place. This is nothing trust me.

  23. Anonymous

    More than she's worth!? You must mean more than they can/are willing to pay.

  24. Anonymous

    They found someone willing to accept the job at what they were willing to pay; hence, the OP was obviously asking too much.

    The job seeker doesn't determine their value, the job market does.

  25. Deborah Michaliszyn

    I empathize, and like you, I believe people should keep their word. but also, for future reference, see it as a learning experience too. You need to read the tea leaves as well, and mentally prepared yourself because until everything is signed and your in that desk, anything can happen. and the tea leaves showed that she wasn't interested in having you, and whether the pay being too high was an excuse or not (usually it isn't), it means she didn't want to hire you. It's like she didn't want to deal with it and let the other person do the dirty work. You also probably made her feel guilty, but she didn't really REALLY want to hire you. If she did, none of this would have happened at all, period.

    None of it!

    See? None, absolutely NONE of this would have happened.

    New managers like to leave their mark, do new things, and hire their own people they pick themselves. Not someone else's leftovers.

    So those were the tea leaves. You held out hope, and we all feel that way when waiting on a job offer, especially when it was SAID that you got the offer! I mean, words....you expected her to keep her word. But talk is cheap, just like her. and one thing my dad taught me a long time ago: managers always lie. and why? Because managers have no one to hide behind. People higher than them tell them to do things, like fire people, or whatnot, and they are hired to deal with people face to face. They have to make people happy and like them, and it's hard when the boss tells them to do something people working there won't like, so, they are chicken, and they just, lead people on and lie, until last second and then scoot out of there.

  26. Anonymous

    What a jerk. People don't seem to understand this is our lives not a game

  27. Anonymous

    Job seekers don't seem to understand this is the employer's business, not theirs, and hence, also not a game. Actually, the employer has skin in the game... capital invested... while the job seeker has no skin in the game.

  28. Wanda

    It is disappointing when folks don't keep their word. And I feel for you. But really, the way the manager was stalling on your salary requirements and kept stringing you along telling you to hold on and hold off, kind of indicates, that she really wasn't all that interested in hiring you back into your old spot. It's okay to feel let down by all that went on but don't linger in that mindset. Sometimes, circumstances happen that really confirm that we really shouldn't make it a priority to keep looking back on what happened in the past but instead look ahead.

  29. Anonymous

    this sounds like a cluster of confusion, very poor communication, and alot of TRIANGULATION on your part. In the future, do not keep talking back and forth with former coworkers, having them "ask" about what's going on with your possible position/salary, etc. This is not good practice. At the same time, the office manager sounds like he/she was hedging from the get-go, by offering you a low pay offer and then coming back with a better offer. This entire transaction sounds mucky to me- on their end, and on your end. You said you are "still looking for work" but this has been a two month-long process...so how are you making it right now? You do not sound highly motivated to work, in my opinion- I honestly think you could have found something by now (I know the market is bad, but Amazon and other places are paying $18/hr and might be closer to your home too- so you would save on gas). Going forward, be very clear on what your goals are and advocate for yourself. Chin up, don't lose hope-- this was a big learning experience.

  30. Anonymous

    OP here: Excuse me,but I currently do have a job. I'm looking for a higher paying one.

  31. Anonymous

    How insulting. Your comment is quite harsh and not helpful in light of the situation. Maybe put yourself in her shoes and see how you would feel. Even if you don't agree and want to express a different opinion there are a million other ways to provide constructive feedback.

  32. Anonymous

    The harsh truths offend many, but they are still "the truth."

  33. Anonymous

    I agree with everyone else to stop involving the previous co-worker. As a supervisor, I wouldn't relay my messages through anyone. If the person wanted a position, they should call me and speak like an adult.

    I have employees I have hired based on their referrals from an current employee. It has to be a solid employee that has a proven record of performance. I would never tell the employee to relay information to their friend/brother/referral/etc... That is my responsibility. I also wouldn't allow that person if hired to tell that employee they were not coming in for whatever reason. Communications are to be between the employee and the supervisor/manager.

    I know sometimes it feels like you have a foot in the door. It may have been better if the employee just said. "____ is interested in returning to their old position if the opening is available, I'll have them forward their resume" That should have been the end.

    I know you didn't ask them to go ask the manager anything but they never should have taken it upon themselves to do it either.

    If someone was hounding me to hire someone, I probably wouldn't want to either.

    Also is it really fair to put your previous coworker in the position to try and get your previous job back if you are just going to leave at the next better offer?

    I hope you find what you are looking for....

  34. LORI-ANN BURLINGAME

    Returning to a previous employer can be difficult and can create tension and drama in the workplace. Your reaching out to others is creating tension and drama.

    Stop looking back and start looking forward. Have you considered contract/temporary work? It helps pay the bills and is a great way to network. Finding a job is a lot of hard work.

  35. Anonymous

    Agree, I would absolutely consider temp work. I left my previous retail manager job and took a chance on a temp job as front desk for a consulting company. Led to a great full time job!

  36. LORI-ANN BURLINGAME

    That's great You moved forward and it lead to a better opportunity!.

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