7 Bad Boss Types to Make You Reconsider Your J-O-B

Odds are if you’ve worked for anyone other than yourself you’ve had a bad boss. And if you’ve worked more than one job, you’ve probably had a few. Bad bosses abound in the working world, and while they range in severity, most of them are one of these seven types, and if you’re working for one, it might just be time to revamp your resume, and restart your LinkedIn Premium.

The Micromanager

They want the job done right, and even after training you, and giving you positive feedback for months, they will stand over your shoulder to watch you work. Literally. When they’re not looming over your desk watching your every move, they’re refreshing your asana list to make sure you’re checking things off as you go, correcting your syntax on emails you cc them on, and telling you to use only blue ink, never black. They’re so busy nitpicking every aspect of your job, you may wonder how they get their job done.

If you find yourself yoked to a mircomanager’s team it’s time to untether yourself and run for the hills.

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The Not Sorry-er

We’ve all seen the articles on how to be a badass boss, the ones that tell you you shouldn’t apologize, that you should instead thank your subordinates for pointing out an error. This boss takes it to the next level: even if they spill scalding coffee on you during a meeting, they won’t say the s word. They may, however, thank you for catching their hot cup of joe with your lap, and by doing so, assisting them in not having to sop as much of it out of the conference room carpet.

Unless this person is perfect (ha!) their foibles will inevitably impact your ability to do your job, whether it’s them missing their deadlines, or failing to loop you in on something that directly impacts your work, and if that’s not frustrating enough, if you happen to raise the issues with them you’re not going to get accountability, or an apology. How many times can you handle hearing, “Thank you for bringing this to my attention” as you have to re-do all your work until 2am? Stay long enough to get that reference, then get out!

The One Who Stuck Around

Also known as the Failed-Upper, this boss is not good at their job. In fact, they’re usually bad at it. But they know you can handle all the tasks that they can’t and for a fraction of their pay. They can’t be a mentor to you because you have more skills than them, but they’ve been at the company forever, and will literally never leave because they definitely can’t get this rate or title elsewhere. They’re in with the big bosses because of this “loyalty” and even if they can’t actually do what their title implies they should be able to, they do always manage to make the execs laugh so they’ll be here until they retire.

Odds are if you’re working for The One Who Stuck Around, you’ve found out they’re inept after your 90-day probationary period, and you may be feeling annoyed and stuck, but never fear! Thanks to at-will employment you can leave whenever you get tired of shouldering the burden of your boss even without notice. Although, if you can help this boss with their jokes, and tolerate the extra work without the compensation, they’ll probably help you climb that career ladder.

The Stressed Mess

If deadlines get moved up, budgets get unexpectedly reduced, or the coffee shop is out of almond milk, their world is turning upside down, and with it: yours. A mild, or major meltdown, will inevitably ripple into your world and pile more on your plate, and with it a healthy helping of their stress. Sharing the load has never been so anxiety-inducing.

Giving notice to The Stressed Mess is going to put them in a stress spiral, but on the bright side: you’ll only have to deal with that for two weeks!

The More of a Friend than a Boss

These may be the most deceptive of the bunch because they usually turn pretty quickly when shit hits the fan. They’ll call you all kinds of generic nicknames, “Buddy,” “Girlfriend,” “Dude,” and then when they have to point out an error, or you’re a little too lax about that hour lunch and take a cool 90, they’ll call you into their office by your full name in a way you’ve never heard it pronounced before. Or they’ll be the first to use all the info they’ve gotten when your guard has been down during happy hour, to toss you under the bus when the big boss wonders why last quarter’s numbers seem off. Never trust a boss who wants to be your “Pal.”

As soon as a non-name related nickname escapes the lips of this boss it’s time to work on your exit strategy, probably best done in a “we can still be friends” style breakup in a public setting so they can’t make a scene.

The Super Thankful

The first to say, “thank you so much,” when you perform the basic duties in your job description, but the last to put you up for a promotion, or help you get that raise you definitely deserve, this boss knows what to say, but not how to show it. After your second or third month of thank you’s you’ll start to suspect what’s absolutely true: their love language is words of affirmation, which is wholly useless in a job you’re working for money to pay your rent.

Unless you can leverage The Super Thankful’s positive feedback to get something actually beneficial like a promotion, or more PTO, or a raise, it’s best to chuck this boss the way you would a mass-mailed thank you card from a nonprofit.

The Physically Present, but Mentally Checked Out

Much like an old parent when you’re a teen: this boss doesn’t have the energy to supervise your shenanigans. You can get away with a lot with this one, but they’re also not going to be able to teach you anything, nor will they know what the hell is going on half the time, or maybe even all of the time. They’re there for their paycheck the same as you, but they’re awful in a crisis, or when it comes to being accountable. Work for at your own risk.

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