Have you felt that inner voice that something is wrong in the office? Do you sense that someone is trying to steal your job? If someone’s gunning for your job (unfortunately and most probably are), you need to be armed and ready to fire back against this very real threat. In fact, in this (still) difficult job market—an aftermath of the recent recession, foreign market competition and even technology—jobs (wonderful, crumby or otherwise) are a sought-after commodity that people are clamoring for. Here are three signs someone is trying to steal your job and what you can do about it.
Your New Office BFF
You’ve been at the company for months or years and that coworker who barely says a word to you suddenly wants to be your best friend. Now they’re asking you to lunch or inviting you out for drinks after work. Don’t be fooled by the new BFF! They’re not your “Best Friend Forever;” they’re your new “Best Fake Friend.” They like being seen with you because of the job you hold, which just happens to be the job they covet. They’ll ask you questions and try to get you to divulge confidential and insider information. If you suspect your new BFF is trying to steal your job, be polite, but don’t help them by giving them that insider information they so desperately crave.
The Idea-Stealer
The first step to stealing your job is stealing your ideas—at least the good ones. Suddenly someone else is getting the credit for your ideas, and you’re left in the dust. If you’ve got an idea about a project or a way to bring in more business, the first thing to do is to write it down in an email and send it to yourself. Time-stamped, written proof is pretty hard for an idea-stealer to argue against. They may try to deny it, but you’ve covered your bases and you can now catch them in their lie.
The Helper
Not everyone who offers to help you get stuff done is trying to steal your job, but look out for the overly helpful person who only shows up when your boss is around. Maybe they include them in their emails offering you help. If they do, there’s a good chance they want to be seen as someone who can do your job and they want to make it look like you can’t. There’s nothing wrong with enlisting coworkers to help you get your work done, but be suspicious of the coworker who offers their help unsolicited. They could be trying to steal your job. If you need help, enlist another coworker whom you trust or talk to your manager about re-prioritizing your projects. This should make the unsolicited offers of help go away.
Don’t Get Paranoid!
Some people just want to be helpful. Some people just want to get to know you. I don’t want you to be suspicious of your coworkers, but if you know someone who has any of these habits, take notice. They may be trying to steal your job. The idea-stealer is perhaps the most obvious of these three characters, but if unsolicited help or a new office BFF make you suspicious, you now know a few ways to dissuade them.
While the signs mentioned are interesting, it seems important to remember that not everyone has malicious intentions.
True. We should evaluate each situation carefully rather than jumping to conclusions.
I wonder how often these scenarios actually happen. Could the article be promoting unnecessary distrust among colleagues?
That’s a fair question. It’s always best to take a balanced approach.
While the advice is sound, I think it’s also important to foster a collaborative work environment.
This article highlights potential threats but also warns against paranoia, which is a balanced way to present the information.
The suggestion to email yourself ideas for timestamped proof is a practical tip that can be useful in various situations.
The article brings up some valid points about workplace dynamics. It’s important to stay vigilant without becoming paranoid.
I agree. Maintaining a balance between caution and paranoia is crucial.
It’s essential to be aware of these potential issues without letting them dominate one’s perception of the workplace.
Being polite yet cautious with a new overly friendly coworker is a reasonable approach.