What you say and do can and often will hurt you, especially at work.

If something or someone sucked at work, the people affected won’t forget it.

Check out how this employee put his awful former coworker out of the running for a great job.

Rejected former boss’ nephew’s job application

I used to work at a small construction company and our old boss’s nephew worked with us and generally made everyone’s lives miserable.

He complained about everything constantly. He was always angry.

I lose my job and I suspect it’s because he’s been talking crap to his uncle about me.

OP moves on and life gets better.

I go across the street and get a job at the competition. Better pay, better position.

About a year later, I hear he’s been fired from his job by his uncle for some egregious stuff.

I’m sitting at my desk one day and my boss comes to me and says:

“Hey, you used to work at __________, right? You remember this guy? He’s applying for a job here.”

Then serendipity makes his life even more satisfying.

I take one look at the application, stare at my boss dead in the eyes and say:

“If you hire this guy it will be the worst mistake you ever made.”

He nods “Yikes. Glad we spoke. Thanks.”

He immediately through his application in garbage.

Screw you, Dale. You turd.

Here’s what folks are saying.

This is a volatile person. Why would you want to cross him?!

I don’t know anything about the military, but this sounds right to me.

 

Unfortunately losing money like this doesn’t change stubborn people.

Exactly. I knew people who were terrors even when they started their career. I don’t understand the cockiness.

Treat others how you would like to be treated.

This isn’t hard.

If you liked that story, check out this post about an oblivious CEO who tells a web developer to “act his wage”… and it results in 30% of the workforce being laid off.