Want to submit a question and be featured in our advice column? Click here. (Don't worry, you'll remain completely anonymous).
‍

Dear Quota Team, 
‍

A month ago I accepted a new role with a small-ish recruiting firm in my home state. Their pay package was competitive and I was sick of the bureaucracy at the huge company I was working for prior to this one, so I made the switch.  
‍

A week into the job, I was in my training session with my new manager, along with two of my coworkers, and she was talking about some of the bigger placements they’d just made, and explaining the commission on each deal. After she described one of the deals, I said, “Easy money,” not thinking much of it. That same afternoon, she asked me to hop on a video call and told me that what I’d said was inappropriate, and that the people who work for the company “Work really hard, and it minimizes their efforts to say that it’s easy money.” I was kind of shocked but apologized and played it professionally. 
‍

Fast forward to last week, and me and three of my new teammates had lunch together (over video call) in order to get to know each other. We were talking about long-term career goals, and I casually mentioned that eventually I wanted to start my own recruiting business. Again, these are conversations I’ve had casually dozens of times and it has never been a problem. 
‍

That same day, my manager (who wasn’t at lunch) asks me to get on a call and explains that it’s not appropriate to talk about starting a “competing company” (her words) and that I need to be more careful about my use of language. Once again, I was blown away and it took every ounce of my energy not to quit on the spot. 
‍

Now I am dreading going into work and regretting my decision to join this firm. But what’s the best course of action here? Should I stay and just be really careful about what I say, or risk the resume blemish and resign? I just feel like I’m being targeted rather than welcomed. What should I do? 
‍

Frustrated in Massachusetts 
‍

--
‍

Dear Frustrated, 
‍

It sounds like your manager is extremely particular about what can and can’t be said by the people who work for her. Nothing you said was offensive, harassing, or inappropriate, so her response is really strange. Maybe she’s using this as an opportunity to show you she’s in charge, given that you’re a new hire. Some people have issues with power, and this might be her way of expressing those issues, which is not a great start to your tenure. 
‍

The thing that’s even more concerning, however, is the fact that your coworkers took a casual conversation and went back and tattled to your manager. Given this behavior, we wouldn’t be surprised if they intentionally set you up. People who derive pleasure from throwing others under the bus do this to make themselves feel superior, usually because of their personal shortcomings (and if we had to guess, whoever snitched on you is as unimpressive as they come). 
‍

So, to answer your question, you don’t really have any other choice here: you have to leave. There is no way you should stay and work for a manager who wants to police your speech, and with a bunch of petty, gossipy coworkers who try to hide their own insecurities by tattling on others. Life is too short, and there are way too many open roles out there. Find a company that’s staffed by adults, not by fully-grown children.