The Right Way to Walk on Eggshells

yeah, and it turned out to be a great career move.
But not everyone deserves to be a boss. Some people really do fuckn suck at it.

 

I think another good question to take of this is what about a previous employer that you've worked for that you don't want a reference from. Say you left there after a short period of time for a much better position and said employer is still bitter; she even tells the employees/former colleagues about it. What would you do in that case?

 

I've always been lucky enough to have good bosses.

I typically let them know when something gets to an interview stage and/or if I know someone will be calling to check references.

 

As long as this person doesn't tell the prospective employer, not much. If you're not using her as a reference and she tells the prospective employer anything more than your name, verified employment and how long you worked there, you can sue the shit out of her and the paper.

 

I once worked at a paper where the publisher was so angry over losing a reporter that he let it be known that anybody else who was found to be interviewing elsewhere would have ample time available for such interviews with no work responsibilities to get in the way.  :-\ Can't blame anyone who's not telling.

 

And I'm sure there are plenty of hard-working, decent, trustful writers out there who listened to that and ended up eating ramen noodles out of their parents' basement as a result.

You owe them two-weeks. That's it.

 

I see both sides of this argument. I worked at a shitty paper where a staffer was fired because he was looking. In an at-will state, you can do that.

What I don't understand is why any decent editor would treat someone differently simply because he or she was seeking to leave. Is any employee really so crucial that the editor's going to be in a prolonged crisis situation? There have to be at least a few hundred capable people waiting in line. The editor likely has a stack of resumes from which to draw a replacement.

Only a poor editor would be angered. If someone knows an editor is an asshole, I have no problem with him or her keeping a lid on the job search. But I agree that it's a case-by-case thing.

 

I worked at a PM paper, and thus went into the office on a weeknight to use a better typewriter (yes, we're talking ancient history) to do my resume. Then I stupidly left an early draft of my project on the asst SE's desk, which he found in the morning. He came over very quietly and said, "I believe this is yours." Never ratted me out. Of course, I was gone in about six weeks.

Hey, at least I didn't leave it on the copy machine glass.

 

yeah, you're better than me Joe. I left a copy on the printer for the ME to hand to me.

 

Boy was your face red!