Pros
Dedicated frontline staff who were passionate about the organization’s mission.
Cons
I first applied in October 2022 and followed up several times. After being laid off from a role I’d held for nearly nine years, I expressed interest again when I saw the position reposted and was quickly brought in for interviews. I went through multiple rounds, received an offer in May 2023, and was thrilled to accept. I believed in the organization’s mission so strongly that I turned down another offer that paid significantly more.
After extending the offer and giving me a June 1 start date, the CEO repeatedly attempted to push my start date back. At the time I didn’t understand why. Looking back, I think it was because the organization had not figured out how to handle the transition.
I lasted six days.
On my first day, I learned for the first time that I had been hired to replace an existing employee. She had not been informed, had not been let go, and was still occupying the workspace intended for me. Because there was nowhere for me to work, I was given busy work in the CEO’s office and instructed to keep a low profile. If the employee I was replacing saw me, I was told to say I was volunteering.
My son attended the organization’s daycare, so I already knew her. Being asked to mislead someone I had a relationship with was deeply uncomfortable.
The onboarding experience only became stranger from there. During a leadership meeting, I asked questions to better understand the organization and was later told not to ask questions during meetings. Instead, I was instructed to wait until afterward and ask the CEO privately so he would not have to “filter himself” in front of other members of leadership.
As I got to know staff, I heard the same frustrations repeatedly. Employees described a culture where decisions and approvals were centralized around the CEO, but he was rarely in the office and often difficult to reach. Work stalled while people waited for direction or approval that wasn’t readily available.
The reason I was ultimately let go was even more concerning. At the end of my first week, the CEO asked why I seemed nervous. I explained that I wasn’t nervous, but had recently started medication for ADHD and thought that might explain why I seemed a little different than usual. He responded, “You didn’t tell me you had ADHD. I don’t think this is going to be a good fit.”
The following Monday, he handed me my paycheck and fired me.
What makes this experience especially disappointing is how badly I wanted it to work. I spent months pursuing the opportunity because I genuinely admired the organization and its mission. I’ve since found another job and another organization that I love, but this experience permanently changed how I view this one.