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When you are just starting out at a new job, everything can seem overwhelming. In almost all cases, you are asked to do some additional tasks that weren’t spelled out in the job description which can be annoying. Of course, some companies take this too far.

What would you do if you were hired in as a receptionist, but your boss also made you clean the office, perform marketing, fix IT problems, and even rewire equipment?

That is what happened to the young receptionist in this story, and she feels like she is being used and abused in her job.

Personally, I do think a lot of what she is being asked to do is pretty normal, but a few of those things are crazy. I would be looking for a new job if I were her. Read the full description below, and see what you think.

Is reception suppose to be this hard or am I entitled?

I work in a dental office at a very small practice.

We use to have 2 other staff members, one who quit as she was over qualified (her school degree didn’t apply in this country, she was a dentist.)

The second being another staff member who hated our boss, to the point where it was affecting the business.

And then we have our long term dentist, who quit, who also hated my boss.

This is no way to treat someone new.

When I first started this job, I was thrown into it, knowing nothing it was chaos.

I would get nitpicked and blamed, even if the schedule was empty, despite only being there not even a month.

Fast forward to now, I’m stuck doing everything:

Having an assigned schedule is pretty normal. And if setting up for a dental assistant is what you are asked to do, that doesn’t seem out of line.

• I wake up at 6 AM, because I need to be on time, we ”open” at 8:30 AM, but I am expected to be there by at least 7:50-8. And expected to “set up” for the dental assistant (doing her job).
• I am basically the cleaning lady, because she won’t hire one. I’m expected to throw out the used needles (in the sealed hazard tub), vacuum the floors, sometimes also doing the assistant’s job with the sterilization.

Ok, this does seem excessive. I’d like to see the actual job description.

• My co-worker is also lazy, and messy so I’m expected to clean up her dishes or the mess she makes in the kitchen. I also have to clean the bathroom, take the garbage out, etc. ”Cleaners are too expensive.”
• As typical reception, I’m expected to answer the phones, she doesn’t have caller ID on the phones, so she makes me (if I’m in the middle of assisting her), run and answer the phones. It actually exhausting. I’ve been told off by patients for no reason, yet they be nice to her, probs cause I’m nothing but a receptionist.

How much are they paying this person?

• I am now being made to handle the social media, so every day I need to make content, post content, etc. I also was expected to make flyers for other businesses etc.
• Sales aspect, a lot of the times I’m expected to push her reviews & “sell” patients. I have pushed her reviews over 100, and have helped convinced patients to get things they were not considering on, e.g retainers, braces, etc.

This is no way to treat an employee.

• Any minor mistake she breaths down my neck, and tells me off on why I didn’t do it, or say I’m not doing my job correctly cause I didn’t text someone “good morning” when responding to them (which the patient didn’t care, and was happy).
• Sometimes I do the assistants job, as in the assistant leaves early (even if I do a 45-50 hour week), so I have to do both jobs, same day. I do not get this time back, nor compensated.

Most of this seems reasonable.

• The rest of it is booking keeping, talking to the labs, getting everything on time, writing letters for patients (and her friends, or insurance), sometimes she tries to make me do another dentist specialists job and make ME arrange the appointment for them. And the specialists are always baffled.
• I rarely get my breaks, and when I do she either cuts them short or repeats when I’m coming back from break, yet lets my co-worker sit for over an hour. She also let’s my co worker sit on her phone too, but not me.

As long as they are paying them for the time, it is fine.

• Usually I get home at 6 pm as well (get stuck going over hours). They are on a 4 day work week, I’m stuck at 5. Even when it is dead at the end of the week and there is no dentist or DA in.
• My boss also has begun ignoring me so I’m obviously no longer liked, so she only talks to my dental assistant, she only communicates with me via work, or tells my DA to tell me something.
• Sometimes if something breaks, I’m expected to fix it, e.g having to re-wire a dental chair.

I just feel like I am being mistreated and overworked, but I am still new, so I’m not sure what is normal.

Some of the stuff they are being asked to do is completely normal. Most employees have to pitch in and help with things that go beyond their strict job description. A lot of the other stuff, however, seems crazy.

Let’s see what the people in the comments on Reddit have to say about this terrible work environment.

This person says it is time for another job. I agree.

They are getting some great experience.

This person also had to quit a dental office.

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If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about an employee who totally rearranges her schedule, only to have her boss change plans last minute.

I agree, time to start looking for a new job.

They are doing at least three jobs.

It is clear that she is being taken advantage of in this office, and she should start looking for a new job. From the looks of it, she is likely very young and without much job experience, so it is easy for bad bosses to take advantage.

The fact that other employees have quit recently and people don’t like the boss really shines a spotlight on where the problem is in this office.

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Author

Michael Levanduski