Q: I am a doorman at a very exclusive high-rise with very wealthy residents. I love being around these people because I get to see how they really live and what they are like. Seeing and talking to these people daily makes it easier for me to pretend I have the same lifestyle, which is the furthest from the truth. Every so often a resident is rude or nasty, or just ignorant in their treatment of me because of my position. When that happens, it hits me that I make very little and I realize they see me as someone who's not worthwhile or important. It sends me into an angry funk that makes me want to be rude back. I wonder if these residents know just how low our salaries are, or if they even care.

A: An independent management company that is hired by the building usually pays Door people, so it's likely the residents don't know salaries or hourly wages of the buildings employees. A more difficult truth to face might be that they likely don't care. Most people adopt the attitude that if a person is in a particular job, that person must have known about and accepted the wages and despite the low pay.

Dealing with nasty people is always hard on the object of abuse, but dishing out an angry response or parlaying sarcastic remarks back and forth could get an employee fired if the resident pushes a formal complaint. When you do get fired for talking back, you will not receive a good recommendation, which could hurt future employment. The resident's extravagant life will go on, and you will be out of luck, experiencing a harder life than before. If you think your pay is a measly amount, just wait until you have no job and no chance of getting another.

Recommendations are sometimes more valuable than the job itself, especially if one plans on collecting solid references for the purpose of getting a better job. The next time you're angry, think about that better, higher-paying job and what you may have to tolerate to achieve your goal. If you feel like less of a person making low wages, work on improving and increasing your skill set so you can interview for less subservient jobs, or at least away from public contact.

Posted Confirmations in Office are a Joke

Q: I work with a girl who has many positive confirmations posted on her filing cabinets. Going into her office is like a visit to the therapist: "Follow your heart and everything good will follow," or "Live, laugh, and love." You know the kind of garbage I mean. I laugh when I see her affirmations because they are the furthest from who she is. She is rigid, controlling and unforgiving, so I guess she doesn't read her own signs. She heard me laugh when I was in her office to drop something off, so she knows I think she's a jerk. Should I apologize for laughing, or just ignore the elephant in the room?

A: It may help if you pity her rather than consider her to be a joke. She likely wishes she could believe those affirmations and hopes they will help her. If you can offer a sincere apology, give one. If it's going to make you laugh even louder, stay silent.

Email your questions to workplace expert Lindsey Novak at [email protected] and follow her on Twitter @TheLindseyNovak and Facebook at Lindsey.Novak.12. To find out more about Lindsey Novak, visit the Creators Syndicate Website at www.creators.com.

Photo credit: Garry Knight