- Jan 23, 2008
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I'm a college student. I've got a pretty sweet on-campus student job. Officially, I'm a "Resident Technology Assistant," which means I do tech support for the University apartments where I live. I have office hours, too, during which I get to program. The programming is the good part. The tech support is doable.
I've had this job for a year, now, and I worked over the summer. The thing is, we have "RTA Coordinators." Last year's were all right. This year, we have a Dwight Schrute character who always refers to himself as "Supervisor" instead of "Coordinator," demands that everyone respect his authori-tah, and generally does a poor job of everything. Lets the office phone go to voicemail instead of answering it. Insists that his music ("I-hate-my-life" metal, which nobody else enjoys) be played whenever he has a shift. Personally dislikes the foreign guy in the office and goes out of his way to make his life hell.
Almost everyone in the office (and certainly everyone except this year's new hires) has made a complaint to the Student Affairs IT manager, who is everyone's boss. I've been the most vocal in my complaints, because the other coder and some of the noobs aren't comfortable voicing their concerns, as they fear confrontation. "I don't talk to the Boss, because I'm not okay with doing that. I talk to you, presidentender, because you can talk to the boss." Stuff like that.
Staff meeting. Nobody there to run it but Dwight. He yells at everyone to shut up, "please," several times. Boss gets a lot of complaint emails after that one.
So on Friday, I get called in to a meeting. Boss recognizes problems with Dwight Schrute, but wants to fix them. Tells me to stop "Driving the let's hate Dwight bandwagon and threatening to quit." To express the "we need to fix Dwight" message to everyone rather than making complaints. To have people bring him complaints, rather than me. Says we'll have a meeting, with Dwight, the other coordinator, the Boss, and the salaried Sysadmin who used to have Dwight's job. And, somehow, fix Dwight, my "authority issues," and make the whole office a well-oiled mean machine.
I told the other people in the office about this, and they were offended by the idea that I was somehow their leader. "So we're all presidentender's bitches, now, is that it?" They're not. I don't think they are. The boss and Dwight, though, do.
So... what do I do? I'll probably go to the "let's fix Dwight and presidentender" meeting and run with it, but if his behavior doesn't change (or changes for only a day or two, like every time he's been talked to before), I can't keep working here.
Cliffs:
Student supervisor at my job is a douchebag. Wants everyone to worship his position. Is not good at his job. Gets complaints from everyone. Because my complaints are the most eloquent, I'm accused of leading a rebellion. I have a meeting to discuss the complaints against him and my "authority issues." I like my job, but will quit if things don't get better. What do I do?
Edit: Dwight and I are legitimately friends outside of work. Last year, we were friends at work, too. He doesn't get along with a lot of the others in the office, though.
I've had this job for a year, now, and I worked over the summer. The thing is, we have "RTA Coordinators." Last year's were all right. This year, we have a Dwight Schrute character who always refers to himself as "Supervisor" instead of "Coordinator," demands that everyone respect his authori-tah, and generally does a poor job of everything. Lets the office phone go to voicemail instead of answering it. Insists that his music ("I-hate-my-life" metal, which nobody else enjoys) be played whenever he has a shift. Personally dislikes the foreign guy in the office and goes out of his way to make his life hell.
Almost everyone in the office (and certainly everyone except this year's new hires) has made a complaint to the Student Affairs IT manager, who is everyone's boss. I've been the most vocal in my complaints, because the other coder and some of the noobs aren't comfortable voicing their concerns, as they fear confrontation. "I don't talk to the Boss, because I'm not okay with doing that. I talk to you, presidentender, because you can talk to the boss." Stuff like that.
Staff meeting. Nobody there to run it but Dwight. He yells at everyone to shut up, "please," several times. Boss gets a lot of complaint emails after that one.
So on Friday, I get called in to a meeting. Boss recognizes problems with Dwight Schrute, but wants to fix them. Tells me to stop "Driving the let's hate Dwight bandwagon and threatening to quit." To express the "we need to fix Dwight" message to everyone rather than making complaints. To have people bring him complaints, rather than me. Says we'll have a meeting, with Dwight, the other coordinator, the Boss, and the salaried Sysadmin who used to have Dwight's job. And, somehow, fix Dwight, my "authority issues," and make the whole office a well-oiled mean machine.
I told the other people in the office about this, and they were offended by the idea that I was somehow their leader. "So we're all presidentender's bitches, now, is that it?" They're not. I don't think they are. The boss and Dwight, though, do.
So... what do I do? I'll probably go to the "let's fix Dwight and presidentender" meeting and run with it, but if his behavior doesn't change (or changes for only a day or two, like every time he's been talked to before), I can't keep working here.
Cliffs:
Student supervisor at my job is a douchebag. Wants everyone to worship his position. Is not good at his job. Gets complaints from everyone. Because my complaints are the most eloquent, I'm accused of leading a rebellion. I have a meeting to discuss the complaints against him and my "authority issues." I like my job, but will quit if things don't get better. What do I do?
Edit: Dwight and I are legitimately friends outside of work. Last year, we were friends at work, too. He doesn't get along with a lot of the others in the office, though.
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