Office Politics

» Wendikaren - A difficult co-worker or office bully

I have always had difficulties with this subject. Over the last few years, I have left one job after another because of this issue. Recently, I left a job after being there only one month for this very same reason, a horrible office bully.

This co-worker continously bullied me and it started my very first week. She used foul language in my presence, she called me horrible names such as "Sorry Ass" and she consistently talked behind my back. When I wasn't there, she looked through my work and my desk. She made comments that she was more intelligent then I was and she knew more than I did. She would go to my supervisor and tell her, she wanted to train me because I didn't know what I was doing. My supervisor would allow her to task me. This individual would give me tasks but she would only give me half of the instructions, setting me to fail. When I went to her for guidence she would call me names and use foul language. It progressively got worst.

I went to my supervisor about her, but there was no support. It made the situation worst and she was even more abusive than before. My supervisor talked to this co-worker. After the conversation, the bully came up to me and informed me that our supervisor talked to her but indicated it was only because I was complaining. I felt so humilidated and she said it in front of the entire office. I than became what they called, "The Petty Bitch and I was shunned in the office. No one would talk to me not even my supervisor.

I apologized to her, big mistake, and I even stood up for myself but it made me look even worst than before. I was shunned, by other co-workers on a daily bases. I couldn't get anyone to help me, I was still learning this job. Additionally, other co-workers became critical of my job performance, I couldn't do anything right.

My supervisor, our Human Resource individual, and the other co-workers accepted her bullying behavior, they shunned me and I felt so left out, that was in my first three weeks.

I ended up resigning, again, after just one month there. My resignation stated I felt I was not a good fit for the office. My administrator wanted me to clarify. When I expressed the specifics and details concerning my situation and the bully. He defended her behavior, explaining to me that I was the "Odd Girl Out" and needed to adjust my behavior. I even took full responsibility and accountability for the situation after I realized I was not going to obtain any support from him.

The majority of my positions are within the medical profession, in small physicians offices where there is no training, little human resources support. If there is any at all, there's a real lack of process control and training in this area of office etiquette. Human Resource focus more on benefits and there are never any process in place to address these issues.

I have read so many articles concerning this issue. It seems to plaque every work situation I find myself in. At this time, I feel like I'm an office bully magnet. I don't even want to go back to work because I have this overwhelming fear, I'll run into another office bully or difficult co-worker.

In addition, it hasn't looked good on my work history. I am now having a difficult time explaining why I leave my job after such a short period of time over and over again. How do you explain, in an interview, to a potential employer, I quit because someone in the office was picking on me. I just lost an incredible job opportunity because of this recent bad experience.

Talk about doubting yourself and your career path. If there's a office bully or difficult co-worker out there, they will either be the one on my team or the one training me.

HELP! I just feel so lost.

-- posted by Wendikaren