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nulot · Newbie Joined: 14 Aug 2008 Posts: 1 Career Advice: +0/-0

Hi,

I seem to have gotten myself into a difficult situation. I need some opinions about what I should do next. Currently I am a student about to graduate. About a year ago I took on an "internship" that has really been a constant independent contractor work. The job was to develop and maintain two web sites for a small company.

Things were going well and I was nearly done with the work necessary for the sites. My boss, being an entrepreneur, set out to create a spin off company designing web sites. The first few went fine but I made the mistake of taking on two clients that were beyond my level of expertise. This has resulted in the 2 projects lasting several months over time and over budget.

My Boss is a very laid back, maybe too laid back. He can often be found at the gym at ten and afterwards out to lunch until two or three. I never questioned his leadership until recent events unfolded.

Some client complaints were completely ignored at his level forcing myself to reply and apologize on his behalf. When this was brought up, the matter was quickly dismissed. Payment has rarely been on time and is often forgotten unless I remind him. Proper tax documents were never created for me. Over the past few months I have found him to be repeatedly sleeping on the office couch after having been out drinking the night prior. This does not seem to be the proper way to run a business.

The really kicker occurred this past week. The land lord has been trying to contact my boss for the past month to no avail. I happened to see a notice of eviction on the door and knew something was up. The next day I was told to remove my things as he had gotten into a heated argument with the land lord. Then on the weekend I was told I should show up at the office to help someone move the couch out and I would paid for the time and trouble. The door code is different on a saturday and I was unable to enter. While trying to get buzzed in, I encountered the land lord. I became a spring board for the anger he had towards my boss. Apparently my boss took it upon himself to move out in the middle of the night without notice or regard for the policies of moving in the building and "owes a lot of rent". Needless to say I did not appreciate this encounter nor the unprofessional manner of the whole rent situation.

I use to think this job would offer me a great opportunity as a full-time employee at the bottom floor of a company. Now I am thinking I should bail before this situation gets worse. Am I right in thinking this?

Secondly, without me his Web company would be toast. The server and clients need weekly maintenance work, requiring someone. What would be the most ethical and quickest way to end this freelance position without any adverse affects?

I hope I have not gotten myself into a terrible situation. Thank you in advance to anyone that wishes to express their comments or suggestions. Very Happy

nulot

lexa10881 · Posted: Mon Aug 18, 2008 3:17 am Post subject:

Gee, what a mess. Sad

What I suggest you do at this point is save yourself in a professional manner. You said that the company could not survive without you. I would write a professional letter of resignation to your boss and not mention the rent incident in it. When you hand it to him, if you want to mention the increasing stress level and what happened that Saturday, I would do so but only if you are able to reamin calm and level-voiced about the situation. It should not become a confrontation, as that is not going to do anything positive for you in a professional sense.

As for the clients that will be affected by your leave, I would write a general form letter [yet change each one so that it is personalized to the person/company] and explain that you have decided to resign from the company and will no longer be working there, and that you have enjoyed working for them. If there is any one company you feel needs an apology for the craziness that has ensued as a result of your boss's negligence, this is the time to make a general apology on his behalf. Keep if brief and not detailed. In your letter, it would not be bad to include your personal phone number in case they have further questions, but also in case they would like to retain you as an independent person employed for the services you have already provided to them but under your old company. [I hope that makes sense?] Also, do not mention that you are seeking work, just put the phone number in there. If they really want to seek you out for more work, they have a way to get in touch with you through it.

I say get out now before it gets any worse and your professional image suffers in connection with this boss.

http://www.cvtips.com/before_you_resign.html

Randy · Posted: Mon Aug 18, 2008 5:07 am Post subject:

Well,let's see:

You're a student "about" to graduate and all this has been as an "intern".

You think it sucks now, wait 'til you're a "real employee" and find yourself working for the same sorts of incompetent cretins, people who drag you into the depths of hell but expect you to fix it all so afterwards they get all the credit and glory!

This is very simple--as these situations almost always are. The only common complication is that the people stuck in the middle are, like yourself, decent men and women who want to do the "right" thing, the "noble" thing, the "ethical" thing. Only here's the rub: In business there are no ethics, only bottom lines and profit margins.

So pack your stuff and get on with your life and never look book. You don't
owe that guy the time of day. As for "his" clients" I would indeed make it apoint to write a "letter of apology," worded in such a way so they may be open to continuing having you work for them on an independent basis.

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