How do you deal with office mean girls?

Navigating the “we all went to Syracuse and were better than you” clique is getting exhausting.

The behavior is petty and mindset is borderline PR elitist.

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There is nothing worse than people who are still stuck in college.

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Agree! This isn’t a sorority house.

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No offense, but ... Syracuse?

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Syracuse is a “big PR school” thanks to their rankings in PR Week. DePaul has won that award numerous times, as recent as 2018 and none of the students come across as cliquish. Maybe this is because many DePaul students come from lower-income, more-diverse backgrounds and many Syracuse students, from my perspective come from more upper-income, non-diverse backgrounds? Just a thought 💭

Stay away from BCW if you can’t deal with a mean girl sorority vibe.

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Say it louder for the people in the back. Thankful to see the old guard getting the door and some of the mean girls being reprimanded. #TimesUp for toxic workplaces and Syracuse alum who want to pretend their still at Hill Comm. Grow up.

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I work at BCW and went to Syracuse! Not sure what clique you’re talking about but feel free to come say hey over in Brand Solutions whenever you want! My extension is 3056 - hit a girl up!

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Don’t blame you, girl. It’s probably very real there - as it is at my agency as well. Real nice girls smile when they make eye contact, they initiate convos and they notice when others are around and by themselves. Not out of pity, but bc they are open-minded who want to get to know people and show leadership by encouragement and lifting others up... But some really need to feel validated by people EXACTLY like themselves.

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Syracuse was my fall back

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Haha.

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Ditto to the above. Come visit the 6th floor (dog park adjacent) anytime !

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BCW’s DC and New York offices are just toxic. The leadership used to be kickass and inspiring, but after the merger a lot of the good ones have been flushed out, which destroyed the culture.

Also lol at bragging about Syracuse.

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Couldn’t agree more. The Syracuse band wagon is exhaustive. I don’t care what your degree says, can you do the work, meet the deadline and exceed client deliverables. That’s what I care about.

In my opinion, management should set an example by not tolerating it. I once worked at an agency where someone was publicly humiliated in front of peers by a more senior team member and no one was reprimanded or fired. Thank god I don’t work there anymore - best decision of my life to leave.

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I agree. Need to set better examples. Especially at the VP level.

It for real, what practice is this in? Not my experience at all

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What practice are you in? Healthcare?? Never heard this at all - is it CW or Burson folk?

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Both sides. Per the comment below, I’m not the only one experiencing this. Very cliquish behavior.

I only hang out with fellow Syracuse alums. #sorrynotsorry

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No need to apologize for not expanding your network and being around like-minded people. I only hangout with PR professionals who diverse in background, expertise, education and thought. #sorrynotsorry

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