Devil wears Prada kind of boss

ok then!

2nd attempt as I need advise.

Basically, I left a secure (very! secure) position in a line of work going the wrong way for this small company. I was told sky in diamonds, international projects, and all. Of course, I knew some of it was marketing yet the good resume of the boss, references online and else suggested the right direction for my career.

But many nuances popped up when I actually started there.

  1. There is no industry specialisation. It is fine by me. However, I remember the boss identifying the lines of specialisation and even organising them by employees. Turned out to be a fluff.

  2. International focus of the projects. I was told that the other staff is something he has no desire doing. Turned out otherwise, in fact I got that other, unwanted staff whereas my qualifications are more in line with the international trajectory. But also not a problem with me, everything manageable. Again the discrepancy with the initial story line.

  3. No single senior professional in the team, apart from myself. Only juniors. No single person working there longer than a couple of years.

  4. Problems with IT infrastructure.Funnily happening exclusively to my computer and exclusively before important deadlines. Keeping calm. However, when the key gets stuck at the door late in the evening, panic somewhat and text the boss. But the technician solves the problem albeit discovers someone having manipulated the lock. Next day I get accussed of “always having some problems”. The related issue concerns the data storage: files are disorganised, often missing, past documents not saved, the boss emails me the needed parts yet in the follow-up “our storage is perfect, you just need to look”. External locus of control all the way.

  5. Explanation that comes with the assignments. The common style is “guess what I want from you”. Of course, whenever is concerns some long-term projects with the time pressure, it is an extremely annoying and unnecessary layer of noise and time waste.

  6. The locus of control is always on the employee. No right for a slightly imperfect life.

  7. Finally, manipulation. Had some employee assessments and screenings recently. I noticed that one colleague seemed particularly depressed and shared the weak feedback on his quant side. Funnily, in my employee screening I was informed that this particular colleague can not imagine working with me (WTF; can not imagine, theoretically?) and that I should spend my weekend finding solution as to how I would like to integrate with the team, By doing I said, there is nothing to reconsider, we have never actually worked together apart from me helping out with a few slides and pointing out to non-plausible numbers - the comment by the way, that this person ignored then. But, once the client asked the same questions, he could not find the source behind the numbers. According to the colleague, he was encouraged to work with me closely so as to improve upon quant skills. Totally different storylines and there is no use searching for a solution once you read through 1-6.

  8. Finally. The was an issue regarding my start date. The moved the start day because they were all abroad. As it turned out, noone was abroad that months. A big thick lie.

All in all, looks like an unstable, insecure and unprofessional environment. The boss has an ego of at least Goldman CEO while he is not the one.

I am now considering if it is probably better to leave straight away rather than going through this madness day by day. On one hand, everything is in the Devil’s hands, there is no legal security in a firm that size. On the other hand, I like the job But the climate is infected and it is a very short-term career which can end any day he chooses not to pay the salary. I talked to some people who has previously worked there and it seems like our stories match.

What is the smartest move?

Reader’s dilemma - whether or not to continue reading after 6th paragraph.

I understand you’re having some work issues and need a vent. Fine. It’s really hard to read though.

I am not sure how this relates to Prisoner’s dilemma. Anyway, all this is very vague and full of speculation. I am not sure how people can be helpful, even if they knew what you wanted.

is there a shorter version?

Haha this sounds exactly like a role I was looking at last year after a friend left the position - does this apply to a HK PE firm with a PWM arm? US leadership

oh wait. this is all totally coming back to me. OP, you posted about this before right? I recall you were excited about this, lots of access and then the start date was super weird because they kept screwing you around, and you asked us all about it. these smaller shops tend to be make or break, there’s not many that rebound from the disaster you are describing. id bail asap and it’ll be an easy out to explain because most people understand small shops are unpredictable, especially when it comes to hiring people and making promises

itera, that is exactly my story.

In fact, they have handed me a notice. When I confronted them with (a) explanation (b) question why I could not start on the initial date, I was told they do not have to explain anything.

I am still under shock. I do not really understand what has just happened and why. It looks like the goal was to have me lose a job, that’s all.

Now I am confused as to how to handle this short stunt on my resume.

Leave it out and explain in an interview?

Honestly, I doubt that a company of this sort of style would give a decent reference. The reason I know that is the sadistic satisfactory looks I enjoyed today.

On the other hand, my previous employer will mention that I left to join the other firm (I can let them change that but I would not want them doing so, considering that noone is a sane state of mind leaves into nowhere). So even if I leave this odd experience out, I should somehow explain why I am unemployed out of a sudden.

No, but I am sure these companies are not that rare.

I would include it on resume, and when asked, don’t trash the company, but say it’s a small firm with few senior people and it didn’t turn out to be as it was described to me during the interview, and then be prepared to give a few examples why.

I am not sure people in this country understand anything but perfect resume.

Everything else is unacceptable for foreigners like myself.

I am pretty down and not really seeing the light.

My first thought exactly…

you know the way out. sorry could not offer a perfect story to fit a rich family prince

OP, rough situation. You could have been targeted for reasons you may never grasp, nor do you necessarily need to, and i wouldn’t spend energy on that if i were you.

To your comment on resumes in this country…understand that people can also have 9 lives here so to speak, and your stint was short enough that it may not really matter in the grand scheme of things. Don’t dwell on it, but learn from it and move on. If you have to explain it away, and you may not have to, just be very matter of fact about the reality being different from what you had envisioned going in, no emotion, no need to sweat it.

You took a risk, it didn’t pay off, not the end of the world, though speaking from experience I understand it may feel like it right now.

I do not intend to. Honestly. I have worked in at least a couple decent organisations and I know it can be different. I have seen how much respect juniors demonstrate to seniors no matter their progression in a career ladder, just for loyalty. No matter how busy, senior management maintained certain style in business communication. It is like a second skin to me to address a person in an e-mail by name, and add thank you. In a culture where the usual business email goes like “so when do I get—?” , where no thank you has ever been outspoken, and where personal assistant raises a voice, I sure do not fit in. But of course it hurts to have been ousted by such an organisation and to have been lied to.

Shake it off buddy. You’ll find something else. Don’t feel like the company betrayed you, thinking you ever have loyalty or security from your employer is a mistake you need to learn from quickly. Work diligently at finding something new. Don’t worry about a little resume gap.

You can always leave something off your resume. The resume doesn’t have to include every job you’ve had, but rather only the most relevant ones to your aspirations.

I take issue with this. Have you met Lloyd Blankfein? He is a great guy. No need to speak ill of him.