Personal Development Review

Well today was my first proper PDR (pharma don't really bother for contract staff). There are a multitude of things I hate about my job, my boss can drive me up the wall and I never get the credit for my hard work.

PDR (a script)

Boss: to start with you are the best person I've ever had in this job - not that the others were bad you're just a lot better.

Me: that's good

Boss: you're great, you're great at the job and you get great results (repeat great, good, fantastic...)

Me: that's good

Boss: what don't you like about this job?

Me: travelling all the time, lack of work over summer break...(not mentioning that he doesn't seem to give a crap about what I do as long as it gets done and that he totally treats me like an idiot and ignores my opinions)

Boss: ok, (repeats everything that I whinged to another manager about the other week - lack of intellectual challenge, lack of input from boss, obsessive nature of organisation over photogenic kiddies playing at science not real science)

Me: well yes that's true too. Kiddie stuff is the main focus and not my work and my stuff isn't rated as important and is easy to do.

Boss: who told you that?

Me: Kiddie stuff guy? (and YOU!!!!!)

Boss: oh ignore him he doesn't know what he's talking about (FYI - Kiddie stuff guy is bosses pet - both male, both smug, both can't communicate with women)

Me: ok?

Boss: anyway I think you're great!

Moral of the story - i have no backbone and didn't say half of what I should have. He totally blindsided me by being so nice. He also knows that I'm almost a year into the job and that's as long as many people last so I'll be thinking about moving on. He knows that I'm pissed that I didn't get the secondment to another team with less travelling.

Is he a nice guy? Socially yes he means well and is generally ok. As a bosss - don't trust him one little bit.

Good result - I'll probably get a pay rise in Jan on the back of this (number 3 and only been there 12 months). I asked for more intellectually challenging work - conferences etc - got a lecture dat for 16th Dec as soon as we got back to our desks!