Do You Have a Toxic Job? - Careers Articles »
Posted By Eagle_Eye 3 months ago in Business & FinanceToxic chemicals are dangerous stuff -- hence the label toxic. That's why you can't just toss hazardous waste in a trash can or dump nuclear materials in a river. If you get uranium in your drinking water, you're bound to feel sick or find yourself with several extra limbs. (The latter is pure speculation, I admit.)
Bad workplaces aren't all that different. You might not grow a third arm from a toxic job, but you will slowly realize that your mental and even physical healths are suffering from undesirable work conditions.
Sure, you could quit, but how many of us are eager to leave our jobs in this economy? Until you find a better opportunity, you need to work with what you've got, and what you've got is a toxic workplace.
Caution: You're entering a hazardous work zone
If you enter a lab with hazardous materials, you're going to see placards with the skull and crossbones or radioactive symbols posted at the door. If you enter a toxic workplace, it's not that easy; you have to look for the clues. Job seekers can start when they arrive for the first interview, says Roberta Chinsky Matuson, president of Human Resource Solutions.
"When interviewing, be aware of your surroundings," she says. "Do you hear the sounds of laughter or does it feel like people are going through the motions until it's quitting time?"
Matuson also warns of an interviewer who couldn't be less interested in you or the interview.
"Clearly this is a sign that this person has checked out. Is this really someone you want to work for?"
Similarly, if you're given a tour of the space, look at how employees are behaving. Even if they're not laughing, they shouldn't look like work zombies who are afraid to look up from their tasks. Do they seem intimidated or even scared of the boss? If you get the job, you'll be one of those people. At this stage, you can walk away and look elsewhere. If you're employed and already one of those zombies, you have a little more work to do.
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Eagle_Eye
I am a female who has lived a complex life with complex situations and have learned a lot from my experiences.
I love the Environment ...
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miklkit3 months ago
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I have to laugh at your commentary. I mostly work in oil refineries. Of course you are exposed to hazardous chemicals! And your point is?
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If you value the lives of your children and grand children, you will do whatever is necessary to ensure that the current environmental standards are made tougher and stricter for many decades to come. This isn't about left or right. This is all about how you and your children will die. Will you die with dignity, or will you die coughing your lungs out because some company could give a better dividends to their shareholders.
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