When Bad Jobs Happen To Good People

 If it hasn’t happened to you, it’s probably happened to someone you know – a bad job experience.  Maybe you were unlucky enough to be hired under a horrible boss.  Maybe you took a position slightly outside of your skill set, hoping to stretch into the position, only to find it would never be a good fit.  I had a friend describe starting a new job only to discover the person training her REALLY wanted his friend to get the position… and took that out on her every day until she quit.

 There are many techniques for handling these situations, but this column is about what happens next.  How you were treated by a bad employer may have been out of your control, but how you behave following the experience is totally in your hands.  You can hold on to your bad experience, replaying the tapes over and over in your head, nurturing your anger and resentment over the way you were treated.  Or you can put it behind you and start looking for the job that will inspire and fulfill you.  Here’s how:

 Stop Ranting

Purging can be good for the soul, so some ranting is warranted.  But work to get past this phase as quickly as possible.  The first time your friends hear the story of how you were wronged, they’ll think, “Wow, you were treated horribly.”  The tenth time they hear it, they’ll think, “Bitter, party of one.”

 Get Some Closure

As my mother always says, “Living well is the best revenge.”  The more time you spend contemplating how wronged you were, the more power you give the people who wronged you.  And haven’t they taken enough of your time and emotional well-being already?  Start imagining yourself happy and prospering in a new position. 

 Decide to Move On

Unless you’ve been physically harmed (in which case, you should contact an attorney) or have uncovered something illegal (in which case you should contact the proper authorities), start putting the experience behind you.  Stop talking about it.  Stop thinking about it.  Stop reliving it.  Holding on to Bad Jobs Past will erode your self-confidence and keep you from landing the GOOD job you’re truly meant to have!

 Craft a Reponse for Your Next Interview

You know you’re going to be asked about this job, so be prepared.  Don’t lie, but try to stick with as positive an interpretation as possible.  “This turned out to be a bad fit for me, but I learned a lot about myself and I know I can use that knowledge to find a position where I can use my skills and thrive.”  Then shut up. 

 Letting your answer devolve into a rant is a major turn-off for a recruiter.  Even if they think you’re in the right, no one wants to bring that kind of negative energy into their workplace.  If, on the other hand, you present as someone who’s been through an ordeal but lived to fight another day… that’s someone we all want on our team!