Knowing when to Walk Away - Sure Signs that Your Employer May Have it Out for You

We all have to work for a living. It is one of those mundane and boring tasks that we all have before us as we get up at the crack of dawn, get cleaned up and dressed and head for the office of wherever it is that we work each day. In most cases, most people would say that they are happy with their jobs, but have they really asked themselves if they really and truly are? When people work, nine times out of ten, they are jobs that are needed just to get by while they are in school, pursuing life-long dreams, or just simply to be able to enjoy the lifestyle that they so choose. But, there are times when the working relationship between employee and boss become severely strained, and if it is happening frequently, we have a tendency of feeling like a chicken in a chicken coop that knows when it's on its way to the chopping block. This is a common feeling and one of the worst feelings in the world, but there is hope. I am going to show you the sure signs that your job may be in jeopardy, and I'm going to tell you how to keep your job as well as know when it is time to give your two-week notice and seek employment elsewhere.

From my own experience, I have just recently had to leave a position at a job that I had held for nearly ten years due to issues that could not be resolved with my upper management. They had given other reasons, of course, and had actually let me go before my two weeks were up, explaining that they were concerned for me and my welfare, and that they had thanked me for all my years of service. In my own mind, I really knew what was going on, but the reality of situations like this is unless you can prove that there has been wrong-doing within the confines of your State Labor Board and the Federal Labor Laws, then there is nothing that can be done.

These situations are quite common, and if you fall into these traps, I can assure you that trying to wriggle your way out them will cost you more in legal fees, attorney fees, and months in court. But, I have a plan that will help you (*at least for yourself) on how you will be able to walk away and still keep your integrity intact.

But, before I get into that, here is a list of signs that your employer may be looking for a loophole in getting rid of you or want you to quit. They are not in any particular order, but each one can come with its own set of consequences:

1) 'Called On The Carpet' or 'Dressing Down': If this is occurring more than once in a month and you are being constantly reprimanded, this should immediately send up a red flag. Many of us have experienced this, and we all know how it feels when it isn't even our fault and we are still being given the punishment. The two things that any manager cares about is either being a point of authority or they are not liking what you are doing because you are not doing it in the exact same fashion as they would. This is a simple one, and if it is happening more than once, there is an easy bet that management is looking for an excuse to get rid of you.

2) The Back-Biting Co-Worker: We all have these. These are people that do absolutely nothing all day but talk at the cooler, complain about the workload, and also may have thrown quite a bit of work on top of yours to be done as well. The main thing about 'back-biters' that you have to look for is how well they are friendly with their boss. If they get a 'buddy-buddy' attitude towards them, there is a good chance that they are willing to say or do anything that they can to make sure that they can keep doing what they are doing and keep on the good side of the boss. Watch out for them!

3) Office Politics: This is a great way to get things stirred up within any business, and there are many businesses that actually welcome this sort of thing without any questions. This is also called, in layman's terms, 'the pecking order'. If you are a low-entry employee that is at the very bottom, you can almost guarantee that anything that goes wrong will be coming your way in the Blame Department. This is an easy way that employers use to get people to quit by making their lives so miserable that they will simply just give their two-week notice and leave. If that happens, the person will not be able to collect unemployment and they are in a worse condition than they were before. Unfortunately, if the company does not have to pay anything, this is just the way that they like it!

4) The Shouting Match: These are the worst ones as they can go on for several minutes up to hours if the discussion is heated enough. If you become involved in one of these with a manager or boss, look out! This is exactly the sort of ammunition they are looking for in order to ensure that your walking papers are drawn up sooner!

With all of this in mind, we, as employees of many different companies in many different fields, I would like to think that we cherish our jobs, and yet those that work in upper management positions do not seem to see the above factors as an imminent problem. But, what the employee must understand is that it is not the manager's job anymore to worry about who they are offending or if people like them or not. They have been given a position of power, and unfortunately as the old saying goes: 'Absolute power corrupts absolutely.' If it is possible, do you best to hold on to the job if it is a job that you enjoy, and try to avoid these situations as much as possible, as they are iron-clad job or career enders. With our current job employment statistics, the unemployment line is getting longer and longer by the month.

If there is absolutely no way that you can save your job and feel that it is best to leave your current employment, here are some simple tips for yourself that will not only make you look good in the eyes of your fomer employer, but will also make you look good as a potential prospect for your next employer:

1) Work the two weeks, if possible. If you stay long enough to allow them to train a replacement, it will only make you look better in the long run to future prospective employers.

2) When you leave, leave on good terms. If you show that you do not hold any hostility towards the company, it will show that you have credibility and a good attitude on your side. It also will not 'burn a bridge' if you have absolutely no otheroptions but to re-apply at your old position. If they do not re-hire you back, you at least gave them the idea that you were interested.

3) When you write your letter of resignation, make sure that it looks professional. Human Resources representatives with companies do not take much stock in letters that have accusations and/or innuendos that the company or any of its staff have done something wrong. When you write, show that you are not taking this personally, as if you present it as simply that you no longer wish to deal with the situation because it is not professionally sound, they tend to take more of what you have to say to heart on your way out the door and may attempt to do something to correct it, or so you would hope.

4) If you leave because of some sort of legal infringement, make sure that you document all events as they happen. Even if you have not left yet, have it on you at all times. Carry a spiral notebook and take notes on anything that you may question that could be deemed at illegal by the judicial system. If something extremly gross occurs, leave immediately and retain legal representation, as the Federal laws were placed there to protect you. If you have witnesses and they will not come willingly, then they will have to become hostile witnesses and will have to tell the truth under oath, no matter what! But, be prepared for a long hard fight, as if the company is large enough and very equitable, that means that they have the money to hire the best legal representatives, which could already put you in a losing position to where you may have to settle for less than you hoped and then will still have all the other costs to worry about on top of finding another job.

We all hope that we will never lose our jobs, but the business world always seems to find a way to make sure that they will not have to pay extra when they can just bring in someone else that will work cheaper to do the same job. The thing that we all need to do is to make sure that we are all protected and informed as what the Federal regulations are so that when we do enter a new job or try to retain the old one that we are knowledgeable. In order for the business world to succeed, it will need workers, and workers will need jobs. If there could be a better way for employers and employees to communicate with each other, then the business world would be a better place to be in.

On a final note, if you do lose your job or you have to walk away, the best thing to tell yourself is one thing....I did my best and then move on.