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For Every Face of the 'Big, Bad Boss,' an Experience to Match

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"He also will not retire -- when a replacement is found, he does everything to see that the new person gets fired so that he, the old, bully boss, can come back for an interim appointment," she said.

Kathy's boss is also a Pretender. "He's computer illiterate and makes lame excuses like his 'wife broke his e-mail.' " Thus, he rails at technological advances and balks at updating equipment.

Alan, an audio engineer, also worked for a Pretender. His boss made big promises and he believed them. "He talked a great game, and I took the job on a handshake and with no benefits."

Within a month, Alan said, he was fielding calls from creditors, suppliers and the telephone company for nonpayment of bills. Then Alan became the one who wasn't getting paid -- his paycheck bounced.

"Instead of making it right, he fired me for making it a big issue in the office and threatened me with physical harm if I was not out of there in mere minutes."

Share Your Career Map

What are your career goals for the new year? Do you plan to use professional help, such as a career counselor, rsum service or personal organizer to meet them? If you're willing to share your strategies in a column, tell me all about them in an e-mail to slayterme@washpost.com .

Join Mary Ellen Slayter and guest Marilyn Haight, author of "Who's Afraid of the Big, Bad Boss?" on Dec. 19 at 2 p.m. athttp://www.washingtonpost.com.

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