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View Full Version : A very unprofessional vent about my job



JessicaLee
11-19-2012, 11:21 AM
I know this is business related, but it is just a vent, so I figured it belonged on this forum.
I went to school for business and found myself a very high paying (for just out of school) bookkeeping job. This is my first job of this kind. I have work experience, just not in bookkeeping.

I got hired the day I had my interview and was thrown right into work that same day with no explanation or anything. Just: there is your desk, figure it out. And I am absolutely not kidding about this. I did figure it out and I feel as though things are going smoothly in the sense that everything I think needs to get done is getting done. But it is a small office with one employee who gets paid a wage, and the owner, and myself.

I found out the hard way that all of the previous employees who held my position here were quite inadequate at their jobs here, making my job more interesting (and mildly more fulfilling because I was able to fix everything that was messed up).
anyway, I am really starting to think that myself, along with the other people who held this position, were hired to be a pretty face around the office. I know it is a compliment, but I still think it is seriously unprofessional. I am very bothered by the idea that I was not hired to do a job that I was qualified for, I was hired so the men had a female to talk to and look at.

I feel like it would not matter either way if anything ever got done in my office, that I would still have a job. I know, I should not complain, I have a very easy, low stress, high paying job. But I do not want this to be the job I have for the rest of my life, and I do not feel that I am getting the experience I need here to move forward. I also realize that moving forward would be taking a step back because I am sure I would get a pay cut getting a different job. Am I expecting too much fulfillment or satisfaction from my job? Should I just suck it up and say who cares why I was hired, I have a job and I should be happy?

MyITGuy
11-19-2012, 01:12 PM
But I do not want this to be the job I have for the rest of my life, and I do not feel that I am getting the experience I need here to move forward. I also realize that moving forward would be taking a step back because I am sure I would get a pay cut getting a different job. Am I expecting too much fulfillment or satisfaction from my job? Should I just suck it up and say who cares why I was hired, I have a job and I should be happy?

This sounds about right for a small business with only two employees...and I'm actually surprised that you were hired on as a full/part time employee considering this fact as it could likely be easier to outsource this to an accounting firm.

Personally, I wouldn't expect much of a difference if your working for an employer that has 2-100 employees...so if your looking for more of a challenge you may want to consider working for an accounting firm directly as the challenges presented by dealing with several clients at once could be what your looking for, or the "accomplishment" feeling when your investigating/correcting these clients mistakes/issues.

billbenson
11-19-2012, 01:31 PM
You have an easy high paying job, I'm assuming you have free time. One thing people do in their job is get comfortable. I would use this opportunity to do two things. Do everything you can in your job to enhance your resume, learn, make money for the company, and be friends with your boss.

The second thing is to use the free time you have to study. I got caught up in the dot com economic crash in the late 90's and couldn't find a job that paid my cost of living. Its important that you have a backup plan. Don't waste the opportunity of free time and money that you have now!

Pack-Secure
11-19-2012, 02:44 PM
You mentioned in a different thread that taxes were not your forte, seems like with the extra time on your hands you could change that. :) Study, Read, Learn about taxes and you can add that to your resume.

Steve B
11-19-2012, 04:40 PM
Sometimes you have to take a step back so you can move forward. Forget the money and get a job that is a better fit.

Harold Mansfield
11-21-2012, 10:56 AM
Shut up and take the money for now.

I come from years of Hospitality joints ( bars, resturants and nightclubs) where women are most certainly hired because of thier looks over all else and they know it.Many actually depend on it. But I know that is not normally the real world.

I understand where you are coming from, but if you are doing the job well and your office enviroment is comfortable and not in any way condescending, then I don't see a problem. People get hired for all kinds of reasons, nepotism, looks, age, gender, quotas, whatever...because the people doing the hiring are human and have preferences and prejudices just like any of us.

I don't think you have a problem. Somewhere out there, there's a few women that interveiwed for that job, were perfectly qualified, and didn't get it because they weren't physically appealing enough to the person hiring. Now that's a problem.

If you feel like they aren't respecting you, then you have a problem. But, "I think they only hired me because I'm pretty", is not enough to lose any sleep over. You aren't the first and certainly won't be the last. Most people will take it anyway they can get it.

KristineS
11-21-2012, 12:36 PM
If you want a better job or a different job, use the time now to start qualifying yourself for that job. Learn everything you can. Take classes. Make yourself the kind of an employee who will get hired for the sort of job you want. Speaking as someone who has a high stress job, I can tell you to cherish this time when things are low stress. Take advantage of it.

As for the getting hired to be the pretty girl in the office, Harold is right, everyone gets hired for some reason. It could be because you went to the same college as the person doing the hiring, or because they think you won't make waves, or because they think you're attractive. Just because they don't expect much of you doesn't mean you shouldn't expect a great deal from yourself. Don't do the job based on their expectations, do it to the best of your ability.

dereksbicycles
11-28-2012, 12:35 AM
Customers who walks in office aren't going to know if you are able to do your job or not. Many of them like seeing pretty faces when they walk in. I would suppose that particular business feels you would recruit customers. Bottom line is about money. It's not about who is best capable of doing job. I do think it should be for people who are best capable of doing job, but it won't always bring top dollars. Life is unfair sometimes.

JessicaLee
11-28-2012, 11:31 AM
Thanks everyone for your advice!!

huggytree
12-03-2012, 09:44 PM
What your describing has been a fantasy of mine

working in a room full of women.....and the only reason they hired me was to be Eye Candy

i think ive had that dream since i was 16




as long as no one is touching you or making sexist comments to you who cares...you may be right or you may be wrong

you could gain 100 lbs and see if they fire you....if so you can sue them over the issue

you could ugly yourself up some.....wear loose baggy cloths....stop showering....



a place i worked at had a women that all the men liked....i still remember she had a 'special' dress (purple)

when she would wear it someone would get on the loud speaker and announce 'purple dress alert' and the men would all come running up front

she didnt care....she probably liked the attention....all the men talked to her respectfully and she brought a smile to us....maybe the boss hired her because of the Purple dress.....she did her job and the world went on



sadly my days of being hired just for my looks are over....my fantasy will most likely never come true unless i work at a retirement home for cougars