Recently I started a new job, and last week I was introduced to my boss, who happens to be an old school friend. Upon seeing him I felt happy about the whole situation, but then I started to get a bad feeling about working under someone whom I know quite well. There are a number of positives and negatives outlined below.
 
1. It’s nice to know that I have someone who I can trust, and someone who will have my back. Then again, it’s not fair on the new members of staff who can see the obvious benefits I am receiving.

2. I am basically getting a free ride because I’m getting all the easy jobs that everyone else wants. I don’t mind this too much, but I can feel a tension building in the other members of staff, especially the ones who have to do the “newbie jobs” I should be doing.

3. During work hours I am around my friend/boss a lot and we tend to joke around quite often and take lunches together. I do not want the other members of staff to think I am brown nosing all of the time, but in reality that’s probably what it looks like.

4. Like most companies, new members of staff are not allowed holidays during their probationary period. However, I have already been able to take a few days off in succession. Once again, a lot of the new staff are getting jealous and are wondering why they are not getting the same entitlements.

5. When I joined this company it was just a summer job for me between college semesters. However, this position is supposed to be a permanent position, and they gave me 5 weeks paid training before actually starting work. At the time I didn’t feel bad because the company is a multi national greed machine, but now I feel guilty because the company has a friendly face attached to it.

6. I haven’t told my friend that I will be leaving in 3 weeks to go back to college, as I keep putting it off. I only have a week left to tell him, because they require 2 weeks notice.

What is the best way to tackle this situation? Should I tell him to stop treating me like a friend and to start treating me like an employee? Should I just grow a set of balls and tell him now instead of putting it off all of the time? Have any of you been in a similar situation before? Ah questions, questions, questions. Any answers?  

This is a guest post by Chris O’ Hara.