11 Signs Your Boss Doesn't Like You

Whether your personalities clash or your work performance hasn't been up to par, there could be a lot of reasons why you and your boss are just not getting along. Even though there may be clear signs that your boss doesn't like you, there could be a way to turn the relationship around.

While you don't have to become best friends with your manager, you do want to feel that you're being respected and supported. It's easier to feel vulnerable with your ideas when you know that your boss likes you and doesn't judge you, but sometimes that's not always the case. According to CheatSheet, if your boss is avoiding eye contact with you or constantly criticizing you, those might be signs that it's time to reevaluate your relationship with your manager. However, just because your boss doesn't like you doesn't mean you need to put up with their abuse. A good leader should want to help you improve your problem areas and should communicate with you about their concerns. Yelling or being passive aggressive are not professional ways to handle a working relationship. If you feel that your relationship between you and your boss has been on the rocks lately, it might be time to set up a meeting to discuss your concerns. But if you're still not 100 percent sure whether your boss is just a bad leader or they just don't like you, here are 11 key signs that indicate that your boss isn't fond of you.

1. They Never Ask For Your Opinion

A boss that is fond of you will constantly ask you for your input when it comes to important decisions, especially if they're thinking of promoting you. But a boss that doesn't believe in you and your potential might do the complete opposite. "Your boss may not be invest in you and he/she seldom asks you the hard questions," says founder and CEO of Works Nicole Williams in a phone interview with Bustle.

2. You Have A Bad Feeling

Even if everyone is saying that you're crazy or imagining things, it's best to listen to your gut if you feel like your boss is not caring about you as much as other employees. "If your boss is asking you terribly difficult questions or is just extremely tougher on you than the other employees, then they might be doing it on purpose because they're not fond of you," says Williams.

3. They Micromanage You

"One sign that your boss may not trust you is if they're constantly second-guessing and double-checking your work. It may feel like your boss is micromanaging you and constantly looking over your shoulder. Sometimes it's quite that obvious, but having an instinctual gut feeling can also be a sign," says career expert for Monster Vicki Salemi in an interview with Bustle over email. While micromanaging might just be some bosses' work styles, if you feel like they're only doing that to you, then your boss might not like you.

4. They Ignore Or Insult Your Ideas

A boss who's not fond of you may purposely insult your ideas in meetings in front of others or completely overlook your suggestions. "Instead of praising you and/or giving you credit for your work, a boss that doesn't like you will do the opposite by putting you down making jokes at your expense and more," says Salemi.

5. They Don't Give You Feedback

If your boss is not giving you feedback on your performance every once in awhile or doesn't address your bad behavior, they just might not be that interested in you. "Generally speaking, when a boss is invested in you, they're going to be up your butt," says Williams.

6. They Give You Menial Tasks

Having hard tasks might seem intimidating, but it's one of the best ways for you to grow as an employee, especially when you want to be promoted. "You may notice that your boss gives others in your group opportunities to learn and grow, attend training classes and take on more challenging responsibilities," says Salemi.

7. They Don't Keep You In The Loop

Constantly hearing new news from other employees about your job and not directly from your boss may make your job harder. It can make you feel left out and under appreciated. "Your boss might not invite you in meetings or loop you in important conversations. Overall, they may have a general disinterest and may not be respectable towards you," says Williams.

8. They Close Off Communication Through Their Body Language

"Your boss may not look you in the eye or pay attention to you when you're talking. They may also seem more pre-occupied with their phone than your conversation. Their body language can be a sign too: Are they standing with their arms folded and closed off?" says Salemi. This could also involve communication via tech. If they're avoiding your emails or your text messages, that could also be a clear indicator that they are not invested you.

9. Your Job Responsibilities Have Dramatically Been Altered

If your boss is reassigning your tasks to other employees without communicating with you as to why, then you might want to consider that they might not like you. "Your boss might not like you if they start giving another employee tasks that you used to be responsible for. It might mean they are 'switching things up' because they no longer trust you with those tasks," says career expert and strategist Mary Jeanne Vincent in a phone interview with Bustle.

10. They Don't Treat Other Employees The Way They Treat You

"For one week, observe your boss with your coworkers. Does he [or she] tend to double check their work, not like their ideas, or re-do their projects as well? Does he [or she] only focus on you? In some cases, he [or she] may be a micromanager, in other cases he [or she] is only trying to make sure that everything under his [or her] supervision is completed correctly," says career coach Hallie Crawford in an interview with Bustle over email. Take note of all the times your boss treats you differently. If you feel like it's affecting your work performance, try to set up a meeting with them so you can discuss your thoughts and find a solution with your boss.

11. Your Performance Evaluation Takes A Nose Dive

"If your performance reviews were always positive in the past, but then suddenly took a down turn, even when your work ethic hasn't changed, it might mean your boss doesn't like you," says Jeanne. Ask specific questions if you feel like this is a concern during your review. While you always want to improve yourself, you also want to make sure that your boss has valid reasons as to why they believe your performance has become poor.

It's never easy working at a job where your boss doesn't value you as an employee. If you're bringing your A-game and/or you recently improved your performance and your supervisor is still not cooperating, then it might be time to clean up your resume and go on the search for a new job.

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