Escape from Hell

Today is the anniversary of one of the most life altering events I have had in recent years. It of course falls after meeting my husband, marrying my husband, and the birth of my daughter, and a few other things I'm sure, but still it was very important. Today is the day of my escape from Hell. A year ago today was my last day to work for Digital Dog.

I did have some wonderful times at the company, and met some people who still remain my close friends, J, L, C, G and M - you know who you are. I also learned a lot while I was there, some of which I wouldn't have learned if I hadn't worked in that type of environment. Still the majority of the time the environment was Hell a lot of the time all because of upper management.

I was hired as a production/design assistant straight out of college which was cool. But apparently included in that job were, receptionist, office manager, QC for everything, Tutorial creation, and being everyone's keeper to make sure they had the stuff they needed for meetings. All for the lowest salary in the company. So over 2 years time, I handled all of this. Working overtime almost everyday. Often times as late as 7 or 8, and several times til 11 or midnight. All without comepensation or even a simple thank you most times. I take that back, I once worked 28 days straight, commuting an hour and a half to Nashville 7 days a week, and I got to have Halloween off without having to take a vaction day. But being the only "real" job I had ever had, I didn't know it shouldn't be like that 365 days a year. If it hadn't been for the people I worked with I would have probably had a mental breakdown multiple times.

If anything went wrong with a project and it could be traced back to me, even if I had just answered the phone, the ensuing lecture or punishment landed at my feet. I had design privileges taken away from me more times than I can count for a misspelled word on a site, or missing something when I QC'd an application. I was put on a 30 day probation, with the threat of reduced pay and/or firing after that, and had a pay-raise put on hold for 2 months (after a year and a half of working there)if I didn't get my act together, all for missing something when I QC'd an application. The client wasn't even upset, but I paid for that mistake like you wouldn't believe. Other employees had almost crashed servers, lost clients, etc and not had that harsh a punishment given out, but for me, missing something not adding shipping was enough to banish me to the land of shame for a month.

Now that I think about it, the turn over rate for that company was ridiculously high. There might have well been a revolving door in the entrance, because that was what it was like. I was one of the ones that lasted the longest, but mainly because again, I didn't know any better, and wasn't going to jump out of a job with a steady paycheck.

When internal issues came up between middle management and upper management, I will be forever grateful to those who made sure I knew what was going on and ultimately convinced me to quit my job (you 2 know who you are!). I would probably have stayed if not for their encouragement, that I could do better and was more talented than upper management would ever acknowledge. I would probably still be in my corner desk, doing the same thing, for the same pay a year later if not for them.

Since I left the company has threatened to sue me for talking to an old client (note I signed no contracts, no non-disclosures, no non-competes, nothing) and they refused to fill out paperwork we needed to purchase our house. And they said I left on good terms, yeah right.

I have been much, much, much happier since I left. I landed with a new company CentreSource with the help of one of my old co-workers that I absolutely LOVE. I love the people, the environment, and my boss isn't a psycho. He genuinely cares about his employees. (When your boss emails you to get off the computer while you are on vacation, he cares about you taking your time off to de-stress). I am also management now. A big step from low man on the totem pole to running a division and being responsible for the look and quality of all designs that leave my shop.

I now have my self confidence back. I know that I am damn good at what I do, and no one will ever be able to change my mind. I am considering going back to school next year for my MBA, at the encouragement of my boss, something I would never have done in Hell, because what does a website builder need a business degree for.

I thought I would share my experience so that all of you out there in jobs that treat you like crap will know that sometimes taking a leap of faith out of the situation will take you to a wonderful place. No one should have to put up with being treated like that. I put up with it to long and I'm glad I left. I will never look back.