Better half of 2014 - all about me

lulabelle

yep, 3 more days this week then 3.5 next week - still officially employed until 530pm on 29th as have annual leave to take but scary!

am hoping I don't have a massive panic but tbh i have been feeling pretty relaxed about it so not sure I will.

I will miss certain things and one person there but not the rest - still issues rearing their heads which reminds me why it's right to go - even if i don't give up law. It's salary review time and the girl i have issues with is going round saying if she doesn't get a decent rise she's going in all guns blazing telling them why she deserves this, and that. Our target is to bill 4 x our annual salary per year and she only just covered her salary (i.e. she billed 1 her salary) last year. She was given something to do by senior partner last week and he asked for a progress report yesterday - she said she hadn't made much progress - he said did that mean she'd done nothing and she said yes. Yet she gets away with it - she is lazy and rude yet somehow she seems to get what she wants. Whereas I billed nearly 5x my salary in 2014, was in work at 6am a lot and lost all my hair due to stress and didn't even get an RPI rise - does compound my decision I may as well take a step back!

lulabelle

3.5 days - woo hoo!!!!!!! Still feels like an eternity as have loads to do before I leave but, like the boy said, what are they going to do if you don't get it done?? They have more than had their pound of flesh out of me. I am not working extra hours - I'm already working through lunch each day to get it done.

It all kicked off on friday because the girl who does nothing got a higher rise than someone who had only been in the office 7 months and yet had billed more than her. It is reasons like this that make me realise I am def doing the right thing - it will never change there. You just don't get rewarded for hard work - mess about and do nothing and they reward you - nuts.

They have had an entire staff turnover in the 5 years I've been there and I am now realising why.

On another note, training is going well though yesterday was hard. It is not easy at all but I have to keep going as so many people have sponsored us now!

MSE wise just no point! We had no heating or hot water for 10 days so having to pay out for boiler being fixed, car not starting the other day so may have to pay for battery to be re-charged, we have water coming out of this cover in the garden so have to call the water people (though not sure we get charged for that) and last night the extractor fan in the bathroom blew up and all our lights don't work now - boy is going to fix the fuse but need the electrician out to fix the extractor and check it etc - think we may need a new fuse box. Does this always happen to people when they give up their jobs?!

Buffythedebtslayer

Lula, I CANNOT wait for you to be free of that place. What a hole. Honest to God. You so made the right decision. No more pound of flesh.

I really believe You will be ok. Am SO excited for you!

(and sorry about the boiler etc, but it is all fixable honest!)

Love Buffy X

lulabelle

awww bufster, thank you for that - you are so sweet X

yes, i cannot wait now either - 2.5 days. They are being pretty difficult with me now. It's not fair really when i think how hard i've worked with no reward and I'm still stressing myself out trying to get it all done to their satisfaction whilst others swan around not giving a !!!!.

in other (more positive! news) - I got the job!!!!!

They have offered me 4 days a week (hopefully can bin off mondays) - it's about a third pay cut which net means I'll be down about 2 k a month but ts much less stress and 4 days! Benefits package is great too - pension, full on private health and dental, life assurance, PHI - none of which I get now. Won't have a parking space (but we can park at the boys work) and one weeks less holiday but I'll probably need less holiday from my life! Anyway, might try to negotiate a bit more as personally I think they're getting a great deal - the FT salary is pretty good, it's just cos I want 4 days a week its a bit less than I was hoping for.

Got a run tonight - 40 mins. Even though I am shattered

lulabelle

did my 40 minute run last night - legs so heavy and had to battle with myself several times not to stop but did it!

1.5 days left. I'm so glad. The person who never does any work apparently compiled a dossier of why she should be paid more and is asking for a significant rise. I bet they give in to her - she always gets what she wants, even though she isn't any good at what she does. That was one of the massive reasons I wanted out - not cos of her but because they don't reward those who deserve it.

Still, 1.5 days................

lulabelle

omfg the girl I was talking about above was given a five figure pay rise!!!! !!!!!!?!!! She is going around chirping about it and saying that she "is in the driving seat".

Last year she billed 58k and work was rarely done on time, if at all. Plus lots of attitude. In 2014 I billed 349k, plus the actual level of the work I did (before write downs which were beyond my control) was close to 400k. They gave me a 2k rise. When I went back and said I wasn't happy they bulled me saying I had got the highest rise and there was no more etc. I know I am leaving but I am FUMING.

I have been loyal to these people for the last 5 years. I have consistently billed massive amounts for them (apart from this year but that's cos I gave notice twice) and am (without blowing my own trumpet) good at what I do - they know they can give me hard stuff and it gets turned around quickly and well.

Yet no reward for me. It has caused complete uproar at work, it's bad enough for me and I leave today - I feel sorry for those staying as the majority of them work really hard. It just reinforces bad behaviour - if you f**k about and do nothing you get handsome rewards - work hard, do your job and show loyalty and they f**k you up the @rse.

0.5 days...................

lulabelle

I AM FREEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!

A shiny new diary will follow - think that is appropriate

Buffythedebtslayer

How Simply MARVELLOUS to read!

Well done Lovely XXXX Well done indeed XXX

LondonGirl252

I thought about you on my train this morning knowing today was your last day!


CONGRATULATIONS! YOU ARE FREEEEE!!!!!!!!!! I can't believe how they work there and I am actually quite pleased its been so awful the last few weeks as you will never look back and wonder if you did the right thing. You have done absolutley the right thing.


Oh and new job?!


WAHOOO!!!! Couldn't have worked out better, I wish you all the best, make sure you post us a link to your new diary so we can join you on your new journey!


Enjoy tonight, relax and enjoy your freedom!
xxx

lulabelle

thanks LG! I am not sure how to post a link but hopefully you'll find it ok.

I was really quite down yesterday afternoon really wondering if I had done the right thing. Fast forward to today and I feel so so calm and happy!

Did a 4.5 mile run this am towards my marathon training, had lunch with a court official who is a friend and tapped him up for gossip, bought the boy a card and some lindt balls (his favourite) to say thank you for all his support over the last year or so and bought a new cd for my running!

Also did 2 lots of laundry and hoovered up in kitchen, going to sweep the hall stairs and hoover in hall and lounge shortly. Also got to sort out a load of boxes in spare room as going to have a major clear out over the next week or so!

I have 3.5 months of freedom!!!!! and it feels amazing!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you also to those on here who have shown me support over this journey - particularly buffy, LG, stressed mum and supersaver 100. I love this board!!! x