Job: Office Manager, Dental Office (United States)

There is nothing worse than office gossip. People going from person to person to gather the information and, some how, distort that information. This can cause all sorts of problems and a "he said, she said" type of attmosphere. No one should know your personal information and you should not know theirs (unless you need to know as part of your job). Some people like to stir the pot so to speek and then sit back and watch it all come crashing down!!!!!!! NOT GOOD !!!!

If I could advise my 2002 self, the "me" of five years ago, I would say one thing: RUN!!!

At that time, I had spent several years working for someone who was emotionally abusive. You can be sure you are being emotionally abused by your employer if they have you convinced that you are worthless, have a job only because of their tolerance of your stupidity, incompetence, etc, and that no one else would ever hire you. If you drive to work with your stomach in knots, and have nightmares about your job, and start dreading Monday morning on Saturday... you are not in the right place for you.

I now make more than three times (in the same job/position but with a different employer) what I was making before, and not a single day has gone by, in the past three years with this employer, that he hasn't thanked me for my hard work, and told me that I'm awesome. He uses different words, but expresses his appreciation for my work every single day and then backs it up with financial compensation.

If you're unhappy, leave. Don't let any employer convince you that there isn't someone out there who will appreciate your work, and pay you fairly for it.

Every year at review time, Dr. would always say.."I don't even know what you do up there." So one year I typed up a long job description, and hardly left out anything. Wow did I get a raise that year!