Working Wounded: Worst Boss in the World

Sept. 27, 2006 — -- Having written a column titled Working Wounded for a decade, as you can imagine, I hear from a lot of people with terrible jobs. Last time I addressed a few of my favorites. This week the worsts continue:

• Worst Interview (some worst jobs start even before you get the job)
• Worst Co-workers
• Worst Boss
• Worst of the Worst

Worst Interview:
"I applied for a job as a researcher. I was informed before the interview that the director was chemically sensitive. She said I shouldn't wear any scented products or even wash my hair before the interview. I complied, but when I arrived at the office, the director pointed at me from across the room and said, 'She's here, Bill. Could you sniff her?' At which point, this big, hairy guy proceeded to do so -- very up close and personal. Having passed the sniff test, I was allowed to approach the director and begin the interview. I later got a call saying I got the job, which, of course, I didn't take."

I've heard references to the "sniff test" at work, who knew that some people took it so literally?

Worst Co-worker :
"The last straw for me was the guy in the next cube who would have long, loud conversations with his wife, totally in baby talk."

OK, admit it. The Dumpster cleaning gig isn't sounding so bad right now, is it?

Worst Boss:
For many years, I included a worst boss contest in my speeches. I asked more than 10,000 audience members for their stories. I heard some whoppers. But by far the all-time worst boss story was told to me by a guy in Los Angeles:

"The worst boss I ever worked for? He asked his assistant to type her own termination letter."

Ouch, you've got to be really tough to survive today's workplace.

Worst of the Worst:
"I had an office mate who muttered to himself and constantly interrupted me. I complained to our boss, but he wasn't moved. His desk was directly under an old ceiling fan. One morning I left an oily machine nut on his desk. During the day I caught him glancing up at the fan. The next day I put a rusty bolt on his desk. The next, another nut and a screw. That afternoon, he went to our boss and asked to be moved."