r/careerguidance•
Yashkamr

Is the project manager the bad guy in this role?

Started a new job, and a little over a week into the role I've noticed some concerning red/yellow flags.

I (45m) report directly to a Director. There is a project manager (47m) under him, lateral to me, and we work together on contracts. I'm technical, he's not.

In the first meeting between my director and the PM, introducing me, the PM segways into "We should get you onsite 5 days a week." I was hired for 2 days onsite per week by the Director, it is a 1.5 hour commute one-way for reference. To the Directors credit he shut that line down quickly, and the PM switched his tone to "Well okay then YOU tell us, what is a good schedule for you!?" And I just said "I was hired at 2 days a week onsite, that's good for me."

Fast forward two days, late Friday evening and I get a call from him with another manager on the call and now he's saying "The customer is saying they want you onsite everyday as they have requirements that need completed before January."

I informed him that's not possible, I am still onboarding, the Director has scheduled calendar events where he wants me to complete things as I get spun up. On top of that, it's the second week of December with almost everyone leaving the last two weeks for Holiday. When I shut him down on this he got weird and he replied that this customer is a bit of a bully and that he had to go to the gym and hit him up if I heard anything. Heard what!? And I don't care that you go to the gym...

But to be honest the Director has made comments in meetings, sent via text while PM is talking to the effect of "See I told you he talks a lot".

This all has me a bit concerned because they say the last guy was fired because he didn't fit in. But I'm wondering how much of that was this ADHD PM making crazy last minute demands of him and undermining the Director?

Oh! And even though we are lateral to each other, during our first meet he said "I give you the benefit of the doubt until you prove you can't be trusted." And I replied "I am the opposite. I trust nobody, business doesn't require it." He gave me a weird look and the Director gave a short laugh.

I think this guy is trouble.

Posted Dec 8, 2025, 3:26 AM UTC

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