SG fresh grad says boss tells her to ask questions but ignores her, then blames her for poor performance

A fresh graduate in Singapore has shared her frustrations on a local subreddit, alleging her boss encouraged her to ask questions but consistently ignored her inquiries, leading to a cycle of blame for her poor performance. In a post on r/askSingapore, the unnamed employee described her first full-time job as "killing her on the inside."

She claimed her boss would reject her completed tasks, citing they did not align with company standards, without providing clear requirements from the beginning. Despite submitting her work well before deadlines, her supervisor allegedly revised the assignments, sometimes using AI tools like ChatGPT, and presented them to senior management without her input.

The employee also stated that urgent tasks were frequently deemed unsatisfactory near the deadline, leaving her no chance to improve. Additionally, her messages requesting clarification or vetting were left unread for hours, with responses received after she had already completed the tasks and they were marked as wrong. Moreover, the employee felt her boss repeatedly urged her to ask questions and be proactive, yet when she did, she was allegedly ignored.

Upon seeking help from colleagues or referring to past work examples, she was told to "check with her colleagues again," perpetuating a cycle with no clear guidance. The situation eventually escalated to an HR review, which surprised the employee as she had not anticipated her boss would attend. During the meeting, her boss told her the workplace is not a school and he lacks time to teach her everything due to having three staff members to manage.

The employee understood his busy schedule but felt frustrated at being told to ask questions while being treated as a burden for doing so. She described feeling contradictory, being told she thinks too much when she tries to understand expectations. After the HR talk, the employee felt she might be let go if she didn't improve. Seeking advice from other Singaporeans, one Redditor encouraged the fresh graduate not to let early experiences doubt her abilities and emphasized the importance of asking questions and seeking clarification.

Another commenter shared their similar struggles and advised her to stay on for the learning experience if passionate about the work. The third reassured her that she is not alone, as even mid-career workers face similar issues, suggesting she should communicate her expectations and ensure they are measurable and achievable to avoid misunderstandings.