Dealing with politics at work

[ebracer05]

I just got a new job at a pharmacy in the back of a discount store and I am the only male employee at the store. The store has been there since before I moved to my town, but the manager seems so incompetent I'm not sure how it has stayed in business and it's definitely never busy.

Anyways, my initial impressions are that the store manager (who I will not have to deal with much) is a total feminist b*tch who has no idea what she's doing. She's a single mom and spent half the time she was supposed to be getting me in the company's system b*tching about how hard it is being a single mom and blaming all her issues on the numerous boyfriends and husbands she's had.

The store clerks seem like they're a bunch of bitter old women.

The people I actually will be working with seem like reasonable people. The pharmacy manager and the other pharmacist both said they were happy to finally have a male working in the pharmacy and the pharmacy manager seems to have a pretty decent outlook on gender relations. I haven't dealt with the other pharmacist much. The other techs are just young girls, most of them are married and they just seem like everyone else.

I don't have any desire to work my way up in this company, but I would like to have my interests served as best I could. This is the first job I've had since 2007 where I'm working for an hourly wage as a bottom of the barrel employee and I'd like to know what kind of tips the older guys or experienced guys would have for me. Again, I'm going to be a doctor and this is a job to raise revenue to help with my necessary expenses and accumulated debt. And like I said, I'd like to get the most out of this as I can. There is a difference between employees who get more hours, more raises, more perks, vs those who don't. They can play the work politics game better. And I have really never had to play that game, because even in my last hourly wage job, my dad was the boss of the company's vice president.

I'd appreciate any suggestions and tips.

PS - I have already read the 48 laws of power, but I could benefit from reading it again after I take that medical school exam.

 

[The Bat]

Since this is temporary, I would just keep things civil with the feminists at work. You said yourself that your interaction will be with like-minded people who you don't mind working with. Keep it that way. Stay away from any controversial topics and only focus on work and non-controversial non-drama stuff.

It's easier to give the guy who gets along with everyone, yet is "boring" because he keeps his opinions and judgments to himself, more hours than the guy who is "controversial" and exciting because he can ruffle some feathers.

Good luck with the MCAT. They're changing it (i.e. making it harder) soon so you're taking it a good time.

 

[Solomon]

Holy buckets I was just writing a blog on the exact same thing for next week...

OP my last job was hell, I worked for a feminst bi-sexual cvnt of a supervisor, not only wa she a feminst but she was sexiest as well. She wuld have "boys versus girls" contest, would favor the women on our team by granting them favors, and other bullshyt(giving them better clients)The women at that place were low qulaity in every way but thought they were hot "shyt" and why not? one woman who would be a "4" on sosuave standards had a "plethora" men chasing her. The stuff these women talk about on what they had the men do, would make some of the vets here blush.

Long story short none of the women liked me, I was deemned to "****y" but truth is, they hated the job and I don't blame them. I was the new guy and I was doing quite well in such a short time. However the attidude those women displayed was really sad, and it shows how fickle women are, and treat someone they don't kow like shyt

My advice OP, keep your head down, do your fuccing job and get out ASAP

 

[Mike32ct]

This is just general work advice:

Don't let yourself be part of any gossip. Even just listening to someone talk sh$t about another coworker isn't good. When someone overhears, you're considered just as guilty. Change the subject or just get back to work.

Don't take sides with people. Just be friendly, positive, and focus on work.

But if you must take a side on an issue, the only opinion that truly matters is your boss'. Everybody else is an "expert" who knows everything lol, but they aren't the boss.

Make sure you say "Good Morning" to everyone you encounter in the morning. A lot of women have a thin skin in the workplace and will assume you're pissed off at them or you snubbed them if you walk by without greeting them.

The other thing with working with lots of women is no matter what you do, probably at least one won't be talking to you at a given time. Don't take it personally. It will pass. You'll never know why she hated you two days ago but is nice to you now lol. Just be professional at all times and don't sweat it.

Finally do NOT talk about your personal life. Women will "befriend" you to gain your trust, but what they are really doing (consciously or unconsciously) is digging for gossip material to share with everybody else. Remember, only your dog can keep a secret.

If they ask if you're dating, just say you've been too busy with school and work stuff.

 

[Scaramouche]

Dear EBrace,
Look keep your head down and avoid the bullets.....When talking to the other Guys always have something nice to say about someone,it gets back and may make a friend for you....Women in the work place,are as we all know,much *****vier,than the Males,never take sides,but always leave good friends,when they whinge in your ear say something like...Yeah I know how you feel...Or Sometimes I feel like that about people...It's not about Power it seems,but sheer survival in your system....Come out to Australia,a Man like you would find almost instant employment...We can't even get people to cut sandwiches,or pour coffees.

 

[Cremasta]

Office politics, you can't just avoid it.
If you actively try to stay out of it (telling people that you're just not interested), everyone thinks you don't like them, then you're in the sh!t.

I've usually tried to get the message across that if I'm engrossed in some task, I sometimes just won't hear what's going on around me i.e. gossiping co-workers.

If co-workers are gossiping and then try to drag you into the conversation, just look at them blankly and say "Huh? Sorry what was that? I was concentrating on this..." If they have to explain everything again to you, sometimes they won't bother.

Do that a few times and they will hopefully stop trying to drag you into their petty crap.