I wish I would have lied.........

[arw]

I just started working at the most wonderful job ever a few months ago. Some of you may recall my little breakdown thread I started before I got the job. I never dreamed I'd find this job. It's everything and more I ever thought I would get.

I have a slight problem however.....my friend helped me find a job last year after being laid off. It was at the company she worked at and we were both laid off from that place (no great loss) in March. She found a job right away but it's a bad situation for her. She emailed me a few times asking if I could help her out at my new job since she helped me out last year. I reluctantly emailed my boss asking who my friend could speak to. I told my boss that my friend has zero experience in this field and she's looking for more administrative work while she finishes up school. That was a month ago. My boss did tell me right away to have my friend send her resume to her. I didn't want to lie to my friend and say I asked my boss when I really hadn't. I just couldn't do that. The other day my friend told me she hadn't emailed her resume yet but was going to. I told her not to bother because that was already a month ago and the position is filled. I don't want to work with her. She's hard to be around all the time and I know she'd get really stressed at this job because it's very fast paced. She's not the most professional person I've ever work with and at our last job she used to slam the phone down and make loud sighing noises to show she was frustrated. That would seriously not go over well at this place.

Yesterday I was in a meeting and my boss said that although she did fill the open position we had she's still looking for another person.

What if my boss wants to interview my friend? I know it took her a long time to find the person she just hired. I think she's more open to hiring someone without experience right now. What if my boss comes to me to talk about her? Do I tell her she'd get too stressed and she's not a good fit? I had hoped she would have just told me the name of someone in human resources for my friend to contact. I don't want to work with this girl again. We get along great when we're hanging out but I was so relieved when I was laid off that I didn't have to see her everyday. Wouldn't I look like a fool for recommending her and then saying I don't think she'd fit well? Now I wish I would have just lied to my friend and told her there wasn't anything open. I know I'm getting ahead of myself since my boss probably hasn't even looked at her resume yet......

 

[beli]

Do what you feel is right.

I recommended a friend, who worked with us for a while. She pissed quite a few people off in the office, including me. We ended up not being friends for a while. Until her contract expired and wasnt renewed.

Next time we needed a temp my boss asked me to call her in and I said no. And I didnt. Told my boss why and he was okay with it.

Obviously didnt tell my friend. But if she had of got the job in out office, I dont think we would be friends now.

 

[bonosloveslave]

You're still fairly new to this job - if your boss comes to talk to you specifically about your friend, just say something like, "You know, I'm realizing as I get more settled in here, I'm not sure my friend would be able to keep up in this fast-paced setting." And just leave it at that. You warn your boss, if she pushes to get in touch w/ her, it's not really your fault whatever happens then

 

[arw]

^that's exactly what my sister said to me today too. She thought I should just email my boss and say something like I know that my friend did end up sending in her resume but after seeing the whole process of what we do I don't think she'd work out in this particular department. My boss is on vacation all this week anyway so I shouldn't be too concerned about it for now at least.

 

[neutral]

Wouldn't I look like a fool for recommending her and then saying I don't think she'd fit well?

Eh....no, I don't think so, if you handle it appropriately. Just like bonosloveslave said, just explain that as you have settled in at the office, you don't think your friend would be a good fit. I'd stop it there unless your boss presses you for specifics.

The thing is, even if you do look foolish for recommending her, you'll look a lot worse if she does get hired and then starts causing big problems due to her temper, etc. It can reflect badly on you, I've seen it happen many times.