The Best of August - Horror Stories From Advertising

I had the pleasure of running into a former co-worker this past week and have learned some intriguing information. Apparently my former company has had record losses of clients over the course of the summer...

Even though their hay-day is long since over they keep paying the department managers top-dollar while not giving raises to current employees. I have to think back to the huge remodel they did over the past year - spending over $100K to put in mis-matched flooring, new furniture, and a "water feature" that eats up 5 gallons of distilled water every 3 days! Sorry kids - your raise went to keeping the fountain running this year.

It really just makes me sad. I can't count on all of my fingers and toes how many times I was literally YELLED at for making a SUGGESTION - either about commercials, different marketing strategies, even boosting company morale! Is there really something wrong with making your employees feel WANTED? Is it necessary to make them feel like worthless pieces of shit so they have a complex for the rest of their lives? I wish every day that I had called the labor board for the things I saw and they way I was treated.

Forget the cussing and belittling - the physical threats were the worst. Twice I had paperwork THROWN at me, once I was hit in the head with a media guidebook, and another time my boss actually dumped a glass of water on me.

Now the word on the street is that there have been many manager meetings. Long meetings. The cutbacks have begun. Silly - since dropping one worthless manager who spends their workdays golfing and gossiping would solve the problem for all of the employees in all of the departments who ACTUALLY WORK.

My advice would be to jump ship while you can. Get your resumes out there - take a few long lunches for interviews - and just get the FUCK OUT. That ship is going down sure as the Titanic.