Today, the person who signs off on my work asked me to change numbers on a federal report, saying my logic didn't make sense. They have a bachelor's degree in education. I have two graduate degrees in math and computer science. FML
Collection
Fall
Dead leaves, the first cold of the season and an umbrella flipped inside out: fall, the season of grace.
Today, I found out that the degree I'd assumed I had for the last 10 years was invalid due to a clerical error. Surely it'd be an easy fix? Nope. Both the degree structure and the admin system have been entirely changed between now and then. I'd have to study for two more years to validate it. FML
Today, my boss chewed me out for correcting several spelling and grammar mistakes in one of his reports. The words "Think you're so damn smart, don't ya?" were uttered. I'm his secretary, and proofreading his shit is part of my job. FML
Today, I was working my job as a waitress near my college. I handed a customer her check, and she noticed that I had added her bill wrong. I apologized, and she pointed to my "student" labeled nametag, asking what I was studying. I said English. I'm a math major. FML
Today, I had to proofread a document my boss had written. When I pointed out that he spelled "college" as "collage" multiple times, he angrily accused me of trying to make him look stupid. This is the guy who constantly boasts about his "genius" IQ level to the whole office. FML
Today, disappointed with my results on a mathematics test, I went over it and realized my teacher had added up the marks incorrectly, leaving me with 17% less than I earned. The person who's supposed to be teaching me math can't even perform basic arithmetic. FML
Today, my boss yelled at me for ruining the report she was supposed to write with my "terrible spelling and grammar". I've checked it thoroughly, and all of her 'corrections' are wrong. She doesn’t believe me, and is refusing to look at a dictionary. FML
Today, it's been a week since I was supposed to be moved. I've had to work over because of network, data issues, and now a computation that's slightly off. The computation is optional, and there's no one at the federal office to even accept the report, but my stupid brain won't let me stop until it's fixed. FML
Today, my boss asked me to send an email on his behalf with an important report attached. I've already received 3 responses from directors commenting on poor spelling and factual errors. I get paid 1/4 the salary of my boss and he can't even write properly. FML
Today, I made it onto my boss's shit-list, after pointing out that he'd misspelled "customer" as "costumer" 6 times in his report, and "college education" as "collage education" twice. It'd be a dick move on his part even if making corrections like this weren't part of my damn job. FML
Today, I had to complete a simple math problem to submit a web form in order to show that I wasn't a spam robot. I got it wrong. I'm officially too bad at arithmetic to prove I'm human. FML
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Top comments
Thaylok 17
hols firm on government reports. don't be putting your integrity, reputation or legal liability on the line. Double check your work? Sure, but be honest in the data and report. let the superiors either explain it or reject it to find someone else willing to be a scapegoat. there are enough politic... err professional liars in the government. don't become one.
Chazzster 32
Let me guess, the changes they want make your employer look better? Or maybe it just makes your critic look better? Recheck your work and logic. Occasionally truth comes from the non-expert; not often, but often enough to relook at the section to make sure you were correct. If you were correct and this person is insistent, then the real test of your professionalism comes. Hopefully you can make them understand if you draw a mental picture for them explaining it in detail. If you were wrong, thank them and make the correction. If you are sure you are correct and you cannot resolve the issue, do not sign off on something that you do not believe is factual. It’s better to run the risk of career problems than to run the risk of eventually becoming legally liable.
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Comments (6)
Chazzster 32
Let me guess, the changes they want make your employer look better? Or maybe it just makes your critic look better? Recheck your work and logic. Occasionally truth comes from the non-expert; not often, but often enough to relook at the section to make sure you were correct. If you were correct and this person is insistent, then the real test of your professionalism comes. Hopefully you can make them understand if you draw a mental picture for them explaining it in detail. If you were wrong, thank them and make the correction. If you are sure you are correct and you cannot resolve the issue, do not sign off on something that you do not believe is factual. It’s better to run the risk of career problems than to run the risk of eventually becoming legally liable.
Thaylok 17
hols firm on government reports. don't be putting your integrity, reputation or legal liability on the line. Double check your work? Sure, but be honest in the data and report. let the superiors either explain it or reject it to find someone else willing to be a scapegoat. there are enough politic... err professional liars in the government. don't become one.
RichardPencil 32
All your degrees didn't teach you how the real world works. If your bosses tell you to fudge the numbers for the government, you fudge the numbers. If you think there's a chance the government will really care, record your bosses telling you to cheat. Bosses will fire you immediately for insubordination, but it'll take a while for your falsified report to be detected, if it ever is. Did you not learn any Game Theory in all of your schooling?
Jon Tessler 14
that person with a bachelor's degree sounds like YOUR BOSS. so redo all your work, show him where it is correct or where you made mistakes and move on. just because you have 2 doctorates, doesn't mean you understand how the corporate world works.