I came to Australia 6 years ago. After getting my second master's degree and PR in Australia, I started looking for a professional job but I ended up working in supermarket. Finally I could find a related part time job in a foreign engineering company(not Australian) . It was not the best place to work but I was happy for working there and I had good colleagues . The company was small and could not afford paying for training lessons. I decided to pay the fees by myself and attended several training lessons. Last Jun, my contract was not extended (because they could not get a new project). After a month, I could find a new job in a big company. I was very happy and enthusiastic. but I were not welcomed. The senior engineer which I am working with is from the same nationality as my manager and started working for the company 1 week before me. She is rude, un-supportive,lazy, disorganized and from the first day her attitude was so bad to me. I think she sees me as a threat. I don't get good projects. she is continuously bragging how experienced she is and tell people that i am a graduate. Surprisingly the other team members support and help here a lot. overall, the work environment is negative . what should I do? Should I look for another job and leave this company (I think what she wants) or stay and fight?
2 Answers
If you don't like where you work, and don't see it changing, you should find a new job, give your notice, then leave.
Working in a negative environment is not ideal, however should you leave based on someone else’s actions and/or attitude to shape the course of how you should make career decisions?
I wouldn't look at it as battle (or fight as you put it), look at it as a social experiment within a professional environment.
You can’t change an emotion you don’t own. The ability to recognize, own, and shape your own emotions to negativity is the masterful skill for magnifying influence in the workplace, and amplifying your ability to turn ideas into results.
By doing so overtime you would have built an invaluable skill of social influence and leadership that no book or course will ever provide you.
In your case there is a specific individual in mind that comes across as passive aggressive. People who treat others distastefully, normally has some insecurities within their own life so they seek to put others down or demoralise them to make them feel better about themselves.
Master your emotions when receiving a social attack. When they go low road, you go high. In time, people will associate you as a leader and someone that is worth paying attention to. The manager over time will be viewed as insignificant.
Plan to be 10 steps ahead. Visualise how you think a daily scenario may play out. Construct in your mind how are you going to deal within it in a way that is professional and that portrays a leadership figure like presence without putting down the individual. Your colleagues will respect you and your manager will develop a self awareness overtime.
