How many times have you left a job because of the boss?

ThemeOne

It doesn't do to have too high expectations of managers most of whom, in my experience, are only good at brown nosing their way up the ladder.

Maybe the OP's friend would do better with temporary / contract work if such roles exist in his field. At least then nobody can question why he left.

Fireflyaway

I have not left a job for that reason yet. Doesn't mean I have liked all my bosses, far from it!

greenbee

I've never yet left a job because of a boss, although I've had some pretty appalling ones. Ironically one of the worst ended up being one of the best after I finally confronted him about his micro-managing behaviour and we had a discussion about trust and management styles. When he was promoted he thanked me for helping him with his development.

However, I'm currently looking to move on as I just can't cope with my current boss. Micro-management with constantly changing priorities and no understanding of timezones is driving me nuts. I'm carefully researching not just the new role, but the management team (and the team I'd be working with) - I've had several calls with people who used to work for both the immediate line manager and the one above and hear good things about them.

It does happen, but I think if your friend is always leaving because of management, he may not be suited to employment and should look at alternatives such as setting up his own business so he can be his own boss.

FredG

Only once, despite having a couple of bad ones in my time. I was very young and my boss would use me to complete any IT related task and also to write policies and reports etc. Bear in mind I'm a minimum wage, credit processor at this point who's spending a fair few hours each week finisher her work off at her PC while she takes a bountiful amount of cigarette breaks.

Even though I'd consistently top statistics annually for speed and accuracy while also helping with her workload I'd still fail my appraisal every year and miss out on my bonus strictly because (and she admitted this) that she needed a certain quota in every appraisal band.

After a few years of the same thing and empty promises I left for pastures new, immediately got treated with a bit of respect and given additional responsibilites. Returned two years later a grade above her. I never encountered her but my colleague who did said she was fuming with anger and astounded that someone so "useless" was higher up the ladder than her.

The fact it made her angry brings me silent joy to this day.

I had a particularly bad manager when I had to take a tech support role as a stop gap after redundancy a couple of years ago but he wasn't the sole reason I left. He was 21 and promoted as a yes-man and decided that being condescending and authoritarian was the way to endear himself with a team of more experienced people who were on the whole baffled as to why he'd got the position.

After I was called into the office of the centre manager for threatening to fold him in half if he spoke to me disrespectfully one more time I knew I had to get out of there. It was pretty funny that she actually agreed with me and had been in receipt of numerous complaints about him throwing his weight around but if the environment's toxic you just have to move along.

Butterfliesarepretty

I worked for BT for 17 years, then took voluntary redundancy,then worked for Serco for 5 years, left for a new job, just wanted a change. In that job I lasted a month, the woman who was training me hated me, made it difficult for me so I left in tears after explaining to my lovely manager.

Had another job for a month in a small company (four of us), there was nothing to do and the boss was always swearing and I couldnt stand it anymore, felt it was unprofessional of him so I left as I was very unhappy.

Worked for two years at a sports store head office, liked it at first but then the office got !!!!!y and there were arguments between staff and problems created so I got a new job in a large firm. I ended up six months later overworked and stressed and ended up having a panic attack and depression.

After moving to a new area I now temp at a college. I have now realised at nearly 50 years old, started work at 18 that my health suffers if I am in a very stressful place. So I look after myself as I am still anxious but coping better.

I was always happy in my first job for 17 years and its hard to find that balance in a job nowadays as there are so many people in companies who want to be top dog and will do anything to push people out of their way and make them unhappy.#

I intend to keep temping until I feel that I have found a better place to work. Your health is priority and I was always a confident person and sure of my place in work.

So dont worry because nobody should have to deal with a nasty boss.;)

TBagpuss

Once. I had a boss who was a back-stabbing bully. I had reached the point where I was sitting pout side the office in my car every morning feeling physically sick at the thought of going in. It's also the only time I have ever left a job before having a new one to go to.

We were a small branch office where the other mangers/owners were no t interesting in addressing the issues with my boss. In the 6 months after I left, both the other people working in that office left as well. I think I was the first person who had ever stood up to him. When I left, i wrote a letter to the business owners setting out why I had left, and also details of incidents I'd witnessed of him bullying other staff. And I told the other staff members in the office that I had written to the bosses expressing my concerns and that I had kept notes of how he had behaved to them, and would be willing to provide a statement if asked. (He behaved worse to them than to me, as I had not reacted how he expected and took the wind out of his sales.I am pretty sure that either of them could have won a constructive dismissal case with ease, had they chosen to bring one. As it was, they simply followed my example and found other jobs. As far as I know, he is still there)

OP, if your friend had left 7 jobs in 3 years as a result of issues with his manager then he is either the unluckiest person in work, or he need s to look at himself and consider whether there is an issue with his own behaviour, or whether he simply has unrealistic expectations about managers and being managed. (or both, or course!)

Pennywise

Only once. I've worked in six different places, the first five were fine - the occasional issues with bosses/managers but nothing I couldn't put up with. The final one, though, an absolute nightmare. He had been promoted well above his ability, so micro-managed to make himself look good - he'd pick up on ridiculously minor stuff and fail to see the big foul-ups. I just couldn't work with him anymore so just walked out - no other job to go to but I didn't care. Anyway, started my own business and never looked back, never been happier at work!

System

Never left a job due to the boss. Felt tempted on a few occasions

Left jobs because of unrealistic targets, didn't take my evidence of being abroad when the incident happened at work.

20aday

I've never left a job (yet!) because of the boss but my previous employer made me nearly 'walk out' on several occasions when I worked for them for over 10 years.

As others have posted-I'm there to work, not be liked by my boss(es). I've experienced one boss who treated two ex-employees like friends and let them get away with murder; needless to say they took the proverbial and left them in the lurch by going on holiday and never coming back!

Gavin83

It's a little more complicated but yes, one job. My manager lied to me in a way I couldn't except and therefore I ended up leaving.

I've had others that have been totally useless at their job but it's not been severe enough for me to leave.