Bad With People AND With Business. Now There’s A Shocker.

I do graphic design-related work. I’m in my fifties and have been doing this for over twenty-five years!

A temp agency sent me to a gig at a small publishing company. The owner/boss/art director was absolutely horrible; she was condescending and patronizing, questioned all my skills and decisions, shrieked and yelled at me, and had tantrums when unfortunate but not unheard of computer-related issues happened — files got overwritten, documents with typo got sent to printers, etc.

She treated me so badly that I was in a constant state of shock and disbelief; she left me so rattled I started making more mistakes. The rest of the staff reassured and comforted me daily. (“We think you’re doing great!” “It’s her, not you.”)

I found another gig and left, but I offered to finish up a project off-site — not for free but I would work at home. [Boss] sent me several emails, not understanding that I wasn’t coming into the office anymore, and not understanding my offer to finish the project. She sent me all these confusing emails, and then she saw me waiting for a bus, parked her car, and got out to berate me!

Boss: “We spent so much money getting you up to speed!”

Boss: “You left us in the lurch!”

Boss: “Can you come in this Sunday to finish the job?”

The following week, the agency that sent me there told me she hadn’t been paying her bills and they were on the verge of closing the account, and they told me to cut off all contact!

Vindicated! She really was truly evil!