Just need to vent!
Let me start off by saying that 6 years ago, I chose the wrong profession and now I’m stuck with it. I am a massage therapist. Don’t get me wrong, I would love being a massage therapist if I had my own clientele and didn’t have to answer to anyone or give them a percentage of what I make. If I could be my own boss, life would be so much easier. BUT, that’s not the case. I work for a chiropractor making ridiculously low wages for someone with my experience. I am making less than what I made 6 years ago with my very first massage job. I blame the economy for that because there used to be a time when massage therapy was a booming industry…now, I had no choice but to settle for crap, just to pay my bills. It’s pretty sad. So here I am, at a job I can’t stand, with a boss who’s main objective is to make my life miserable. I can’t speak without him taking what I say out of context. He constantly puts words in my mouth. I honestly think seeing me upset is gratifying to him. Now if only I could be strong enough to not let his words hurt me, but of course I am big baby and start crying. I think he feels powerful when he puts me down. He’s like Jekyll and Hyde. One minute he’s really nice to me telling me that I am such an asset to the company and the next minute I’m afraid that I’m going to lose my job. I actually did try standing up to him, once, and that only made things worse. So basically, if I want to pay my bills and put food on the table, I will have to stay working here and enduring his daily verbal abuse. (pretty sad, huh?) I have applied for so many regular office jobs, but since I haven’t worked in an office in 6 years, no one wants to take a chance on hiring me. If I could only find SOMETHING, ANYTHING to get me out of here, I’d be so much happier. I blame alot of my weight on my stress as a massage therapist. You never have job stability, especially in today’s failing economy. I’m sure there are 10 people lined up for my job, which is why he can get away with treating me like garbage…he knows I won’t quit.
Sorry for blabbing, I just needed to vent. I love you all!
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That stinks! I’m so sorry that you are going through that. And you are right, with the economy those of us that are working are pretty lucky. Hang in there
AWWWW love, I feel for you sweetie. What you are experiencing is known as work place harrasment, possibly sexual discrimination. It is illegal for anyone to treat you like this and especially not a person of authority. I personally would go and see a solicitor. STAND UP for yourself!!!!!!!!
You are worth ten of them!!!! Chin up babe and keep fighting x x x x
But see, in the state of Florida, there are no laws to protect me when I work for a small business with less than 15 employees. I have been through this before with two previous chiropractors. The first one, used to exercise during his lunch break, then throw his dirty clothes (and underwear) in with my linens for me to wash. (and fold) I confronted him on that, telling him I refused to handle anything that came in contact with his manhood, and I got fired. What’s even worse is that I applied for unemployment and it got denied because he told them I quit. I couldn’t do anything about it. Then last year, I started working for another doctor and I had a male patient expose himself to me. The doctors knew he had been fresh with a previous therapist but never warned me about him. When I kicked the guy off of my table, the doctor’s got mad. They said they couldn’t lose him as a patient (it’s all about $$$$) so they lost me as a therapist. It’s a vicious cycle that I want no part of! But right now, I’m stuck. There are no laws to protect me, unless I work for a big company.
I’m sorry you’re going through that. I had a boss that sounds very similar to yours. It wasn’t a daily up and down cycle, it was minute by minute. I know the stress that can cause and wish I had advice for you. Just know you’re not alone and you’re in my thoughts.
Oh MAN, I’m so sorry to hear all this! My husband worked for a small company here (in Arkansas) and also got treated like crap. They don’t even have to pay you overtime, no matter how many hours you work! It’s crappy.
Have you thought about maybe going back to school? I know it sounds tough, but even if you took maybe two night classes with some kind of business or office theme, it might make you look more attractive to the people hiring for those office jobs you’ve applied for. I used to work at the hospital here, at an office job, and they had a pretty high turnover rate because it’s SO much easier to get a better paying job once you’ve worked in a “busy” office like that, so they FREQUENTLY took chances on people MUCH more inexperienced than yourself. (Like ME! LOL)
I really wish you the BEST of luck. I hate seeing anyone in a situation where they’re being treated badly. Hope you can find a solution soon!! *hugs*
It really angers me when I see the BS folks have to endure in the workplace. I have always had government jobs that were unionized and good protections.
What about starting your OWN business? Where I work a massage therapist comes once a week, charging a dollar a minute, cash only. This started because one of the social caseworkers was a friend of hers. The massage therapist brings her own chair, we give her space to do her thing and does a great job. We have a large office and she usually stays most of the day. She has folks sign up for a minimum of 15 minutes. She impresses me because it is very hard work, but she is able to do a wonderful job. I have always felt better when I use her services, being better able to handle the stresses of a very tough job–child protection. Perhaps you could put together a flyer and do a direct mailing to some companies that are close together, doing half days at each place? Include a picture of yourself doing the work with a client/model (friend) and a very professional mailing with a return envelope and a phone number.
Also a temp agency can often place you in an office job and then you can get to try a company out while gaining more updated skills.
Liana I can appreciate the hard work and the benefits to your clients of what you do and you do not need a scumbag boss harassing you. He does not deserve an experienced professional liek you working for him if he treats his employees that way with lousy pay and abusive verbal BS!
In any event where there is a will there is a way. To paraphrase a song title there must be “Fifty ways to leave your (abusive) employer”.
Your boss sounds like a jackass. And I agree, there’s very little to protect an employee in Florida. It’s a good-old-boys kind of state. Keep hunting for another job, and in the meantime, something I like to do around jerks is just sort of smile like I know something they don’t when they’re jabbering. Make them wonder what you’re up to.
It’s funny. Actually, today, I tried the smiling thing. I smiled and went back to what I was doing. That made him really mad. I heard him ask the other therapist what my problem was. lol