Scared in job

I have really low confidence in my job right now and I feel like I could get fired. I started about 3.5 months ago and there is a 6 month probation period. I would like to improve my confidence and anxiety to give me a chance of keeping it, so any advice would be much appreciated.

Background: It’s not the job itself which is causing me most of the confidence and anxiety problems but more the atmosphere. Four people left a team of 6 so there were a lot of new people who started at the same time as me and we really didn’t get the best training as it’s a very busy department. It’s a very particular company where they monitor everything you say and do and send to people by cc in e_mails and eavesdropping phone calls. Our supervisor can be very abrupt and quite nasty at times. I.e not very approachable!! I was dropped into the work, which is varied with lots of different bits to it, taught it all at once and pretty much left to it, although I could ask questions (which may get your head bitten off)

They let one person go after 5 days, claiming it was her decision however we know it was not and she wasn’ Bad at her job. She was then replaced within a week by someone who already had an interview before the person she replaced had left. A month later, a colleague saw all our jobs advertised on a job site. We were told it was a mistake and we were all safe. A week later, another person ‘left’ and we were told it was her decision, again we know it was not and they got rid of her with no real reason except that The supervisor didn’ like her. She rarely helped / trained her and snapped at her. The head of the department is wrapped around the supervisor’s fingers and will do her bidding to get rid of people. The person who replaced the person who ‘left’ again had her interview even before the person she replaced left the company. I.e the job site advert was most likely real.

All this has just made me feel anxious and insecure and where I started off doing well, my confidence has plummeted and made me bad at my job. As I feel like every mistake is monitored and scrutinised,which starts my anxiety and then I make more mistakes. I’m paranoid and reading into everything they do. For example when I came back from holiday, they had taken all the work off my desk so I could have a fresh start and it is now goes through the supervisor before it comes to me. She caught up with most of the backlog while I was gone (which I was so close to doing) and now I have the stuff I was left with to sort when I had time. We’re going to go through this next week and I know I will get told off. Basically my role has been whittled down... is this to prove they don’t need me and can get rid of me too???

None of us newbies feel safe, but i’m The only one who is letting it affect their job. I’m a sitting target for the supervisor who likes to take things out on people. I’m scared!

I presume your resume/CV is up to date and you're sending it out on a regular basis.

It’s up to date barring this job. I was hoping to stay as it’s close to where I live and I actually quite like the work. But I think being proactive and applying for other jobs is probably a good call too.

This isn't really a place you would like to stay for years, is it? I would apply for other jobs. This isn't the type of company culture you want.

This work situation sounds crazy! What field is it in? I can't believe a reputable company would just throw you into a job. Is this telemarketing or sales support so they're listening in on you over the phone? There's no shame in leaving a job like this.

It sounds awful. Been in this situation, and I was absolutely miserable.

Look for another position n a better environment.

Thanks guys. It’s a finance job and they don’t tap the calls, but listen to what you say from their desks. It’s quite obvious and very off putting. People have been reprimanded for saying the wrong things or sending out slightly wrong wording in e-mails.

I will look for something else but I don’t want to be beaten by the system either. It’s annoying because I could do the job, if it wasn’t for the supervisor and head of dept!

You could find a similar position at a different company, one with a better culture.

I have really low confidence in my job right now and I feel like I could get fired. I started about 3.5 months ago and there is a 6 month probation period. I would like to improve my confidence and anxiety to give me a chance of keeping it, so any advice would be much appreciated.

 

Background: It’s not the job itself which is causing me most of the confidence and anxiety problems but more the atmosphere. Four people left a team of 6 so there were a lot of new people who started at the same time as me and we really didn’t get the best training as it’s a very busy department. It’s a very particular company where they monitor everything you say and do and send to people by cc in e_mails and eavesdropping phone calls. Our supervisor can be very abrupt and quite nasty at times. I.e not very approachable!! I was dropped into the work, which is varied with lots of different bits to it, taught it all at once and pretty much left to it, although I could ask questions (which may get your head bitten off)

 

They let one person go after 5 days, claiming it was her decision however we know it was not and she wasn’ Bad at her job. She was then replaced within a week by someone who already had an interview before the person she replaced had left. A month later, a colleague saw all our jobs advertised on a job site. We were told it was a mistake and we were all safe. A week later, another person ‘left’ and we were told it was her decision, again we know it was not and they got rid of her with no real reason except that The supervisor didn’ like her. She rarely helped / trained her and snapped at her. The head of the department is wrapped around the supervisor’s fingers and will do her bidding to get rid of people. The person who replaced the person who ‘left’ again had her interview even before the person she replaced left the company. I.e the job site advert was most likely real.

 

All this has just made me feel anxious and insecure and where I started off doing well, my confidence has plummeted and made me bad at my job. As I feel like every mistake is monitored and scrutinised,which starts my anxiety and then I make more mistakes. I’m paranoid and reading into everything they do. For example when I came back from holiday, they had taken all the work off my desk so I could have a fresh start and it is now goes through the supervisor before it comes to me. She caught up with most of the backlog while I was gone (which I was so close to doing) and now I have the stuff I was left with to sort when I had time. We’re going to go through this next week and I know I will get told off. Basically my role has been whittled down... is this to prove they don’t need me and can get rid of me too???

 

None of us newbies feel safe, but i’m The only one who is letting it affect their job. I’m a sitting target for the supervisor who likes to take things out on people. I’m scared!

I agree with most of the answers here, you must not be working at a place which does not train you well and does not nurture you properly and trusts you completely. You have internet, keep sending your resumes and try to get a new job. Do not be scared, you have done nothing wrong.

The high turnover, excess micromanaging and hostile culture should prompt you to update your resume and LinkedIn profile asap and start looking for a better position.