Someone May be Holding a Grudge Against You, and You Don’t Even Know It

I was thinking about how strange life is the other day. Some years ago, when I was searching for a better job, I received several calls from the H.R. department of a former employer. It was really an unexpected request for me to come in and apply for the same position that I held a few years before with this employer. Since I was in the market for another job, I decided to call up the H.R. department and inquire about the position. I contacted the H.R. department and expressed an interest in reapplying for the position. The person that I spoke with told me how to go about doing it. I applied first online and then later, in person.

When I showed up to apply for the position in person, I had a chance encounter with a woman that worked in the same department with me. I will call her Shelby (not her real name). She was not my supervisor or anything like that. She was more like the supervisor's administrative assistant, but she did have a little influence within the department that I used to work in. We chit-chatted for a little bit, since we had lost contact after I left the company. I told Shelby that I was there to apply for a position in the same department. I explained to her about the ups-and-downs of my life, since leaving the company.

She seemed to understand, but here’s where the waters get a little murky: She made an out-of-the-blue comment to me. She had asked me where I am from originally, and I told her that I am from Florida. She went on to say to me that “Floridians are not very loyal”. I am not 100% certain what she could have meant by such a bizarre statement. It was largely irrelevant to the conversation we were having prior to the statement and it is an off the wall opinion.

This made me think that she harbored a grudge against me for having left the company. My co-workers and supervisors at the time, didn’t not want me to resign. However, I felt that I had to because of health reasons and to have more time to pursue my education. After I resigned, I learned that the department supervisor quit shortly afterwards as well as two other co-workers in the department.

I thought that perhaps, she blamed me somehow for the “upset” in the department. Hence, the statement that “Floridians aren’t very loyal”. It is probably Shelby’s was of saying that I am not loyal because I abandoned the company. It is the first time that I ever heard her say anything like that to me. I have other reasons to believe that she harbors a resentment towards me, but I won’t go into it here.

I never followed up on the comment and sort of dismissed it. In retrospect, it shows how childish and trifling people can be. As far as my “loyalty” is concerned, she might be right in some respects. I am not loyal to any one company, and I don’t think anyone should be in this day and age. The days of getting a job and keeping it until retirement are long gone. I have been laid off and fired from more than one job, so I can speak from experience about this issue. Therefore, people should always be looking for better opportunities, because no job is secure.

Also, when you apply for most jobs in the state of Florida, you are immediately informed on the application, that you are a prospective employee "at-will.” This means that you do not have a binding contract with the employer to work for them a specified amount of time. In most cases, the employer can let you go for any reason except discrimination or retaliation. At the same time, you can up and quit the job without notice, if you don’t like working for a company. Florida is a "right-to-work" state and unions are mostly discouraged here. That’s how we roll down here.

To me, Shelby’s comment was illogical, to say the least. Especially considering that she told me that she had left the company due to disagreements with the new management. Then, she came back to the company when she found out that the grass wasn’t greener on the other side of the fence. If you want to follow her line of logic, I guess this must make her not loyal, as well. *Sigh*. I can’t stand ignorant people.

Anyways, to make a long story short. After I applied for the job. I never heard from human resources again. This is despite calling them several times and leaving voicemail messages to the person whom originally contacted me. Although I have no real proof of this, I think Shelby badmouthed me and sabotaged my efforts. I figure that Shelby must have contacted the H.R. manager and/or the department supervisor (whom doesn’t know me) and suggested that they should not to hire me.

It’s either that or they may have found someone else to fill the position. I doubt it, though. I had the required training and experience for the position. Everyone there knew me as a good worker and I got along well with most of the co-workers. I never got write-ups or reprimands while I was there.

But it’s okay. That job probably just wasn’t meant to be. I’ve prayed about it and leave people like that in the hands of the Good Lord. I believe that God can fight your battles better than you can. 

Related posts:

People Are Poor Due to Mindset and Lack of Education

Why We Should Not Be Loyal To Employers

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