Congratulations on your job. You must be very talented to have been given so much responsibility at your age. However, I'm worried about the underlying tone of your letter. Phrases like "second in command" and "they don't listen to me" make me wonder if you're being too authoritarian. The new workplace is much more egalitarian in nature. People want to be consulted, not ordered.
Be sensitive to the underlying politics of your appointment. Does your staff resent you because you got a job for which they felt they were more qualified? After all, they may feel that their extra experience should count for something. It's also true that many older workers have trouble taking direction from younger bosses.
Remember that your staff has some knowledge and wisdom that you don't. Find out how you can benefit from their experience. For example, they might know how to best deal with customer complaints, or how to get additional resources. Younger bosses, feeling uncomfortable in their role, sometimes fall into the trap of being either too dictatorial or too tentative. Are you clear in your communications? Managers mistakenly think that what's obvious to them is also obvious to everyone else. They ask people to do things and think they've been absolutely clear when, in fact, their instructions are vague.
You should try to make yourself into an asset for your staff. Most people want to do the best job they can and feel good about it. Ask your staffers what they need to do their job better, and how you can help them. As a general rule, people want direction from their supervisor--they don't want to be told exactly what to do.
It's All in the Timing At my workplace, people work very different hours. I come in very early and often work through lunch so I can pick up my child at a decent time. Some of my co-workers come in late and work late, while others are workaholics who work late no matter when they come in. What aggravates me is when late-schedule employees hold long meetings in the afternoon--some of them lasting up to 6 hours! I tell them that I have a prior commitment and require earlier meeting times, but they all think that I'm not being a team player. Am I being too paranoid?
Most people today believe that finding work-life balance and preserving personal time are rights, not privileges. Presumably, the late-shift employees at your company are designing the their work schedule to meet their personal needs. If you come in early, it is entirely appropriate for you to leave early without a legthy explanation.
You should sit down with your co-workers and work out a meeting time that accommodates everyone's needs. Begging off a late meeting by saying you have a prior commitment will not work in the long term. Picking up your child is not an occasional occurrence but a regular commitment, and you have organized your work to honor that commitment. If you are concerned about being left "out of the loop," ask your co-workers to keep you abreast of what was discussed and any decisions that have been made. Ask them what information they need from you in order to run late afternoon meetings. As always, open up better lines of communication.
Sweating the Small Stuff I was hired as a staff attorney through a staffing agency. Before I came onboard, the firm had serious problems with clerical and technical support staff. To make a good impression, I voluntarily helped out with some administrative and minor IT tasks. Now I'm getting daily e-mail complaints about obscure technical problems. I don't have time for this--I'm a lawyer, not an IT professional. What can I do?
Oh dear. Oh double dear. I might assume that you're a woman, based on your desire to please and "make a good impression." Every woman worker should memorize this phrase: "I am a professional, not a people-pleaser." Unfortunately, you have already created the expectation that you will be the department garbage pail. So how can you change that expectation? It won't be easy, and it may not even be possible.
Here's what I suggest. First, talk to the manager or supervisor that is responsible for evaluating your performance. Hit them hard in their pockets. As a result of doing low-level administrative or IT work, you are not able to do the professional work for which they are paying you. (As a lawyer, I bet your hourly rate is several times that of an administrative assistant.) I also think you should explain that there are trained professionals available who are much more capable of solving these kinds of problems. Perhaps you should consider offering to help them find the technical help they need. Show them how to solve their own technical problems.
They may say that you're "not a team player." Don't fall for that logic. If things don't turn around soon, I would look for other employment. Again, repeat after me: "I will make a good impression by the quality of my work as a legal professional, not by my willingness to pitch in where no else will."
The Virtues of Honesty I was let go from my last job while on maternity leave, even though my performance was never at issue. I was told that they fired me because the firm lost a large client. The firm was actually struggling to meet payroll, and I think they decided to simply manage the workload without me. What's the best way to address this in a job interview? I don't think my previous employers would ever admit to the payroll problem and I don't want my story to be contradicted.
Speak to your previous employer and ask them how they want to handle the "why did you leave?" story. Say you want to tell the truth--that you were asked to leave as a result of fiscal restraints. With today's obsessive preoccupation with the bottom line, particularly in professional service environments, most employers understand that very good people may be let go in order to save on salary expenses.
If the firm tries to "save face" by implying you were let go for performance reasons, you shouldn't take the fall because they lost a client. Be matter-of-fact in your interview and state plainly that you were let go for financial reasons. Don't be defensive, and don't give more information than the interviewer asks for.
