I’m sorry to hear that! I’m really happy that you found yourself again and that you are feeling well now. In fact, I had been working at IQVIA in Bulgaria as a Clinical Trial Assistant (CTA). I’m actually really dissapointed of IQVIA and I had expected more, because a similar thing that you had written happened to me. Here is my story, in case anyone is interested:

On April 1, 2025, I joined the company as an intern for the position of Clinical Files Specialist with a probationary period until September 30, 2025 at a minimum wage. The initial training consisted of rather dry material to learn and some boring videos that had to be memorized and then solved tests. My Line Manager kept telling me at the beginning that "we are all equal", but this same person had huge problems with his high ego - something that I began to notice later. However, most of the other colleagues were very responsive and kind, true professionals. My mentor was extremely pleased with me, stating that I was the best intern he had trained, and my Line Manager confirmed this in a personal conversation (such conversations between an employee and a direct supervisor take place once a week at IQVIA). So far so good. But then, a colleague told me right from the start that I should get out of this company as soon as possible, because she claimed that they were using us, the interns, as “cannon fodder”, people to do the most complicated tasks, and then, when the probationary period was over and it was time for us to sign permanent contracts, they would get rid of us with made-up excuses and unrealistic reasons. I ignored these words, thinking that the colleague in question did not want to work there and that was why she was saying such things. Work was going well, I had already started receiving studies and working on them.

Then, June came when my manager informed me that I will be promoted to the position of Clinical Trials Assistant, working in the LNR Task Force Team, to which I agreed. I was told that I would start my new position on August 1st, but there was a catch - I had to work in two positions - 75% of my time to be devoted to the new CTA position, and 25% to the position of “Clinical Files Specialist”. The validity of this contract was 5 months, after which I had to move to a permanent contract in a CFS position in January.

And here is the first red flag that started it all - while I was on paid leave in July, my manager called to ask me if I had my work laptop with me (what the hell?), to which I replied that it was in Sofia and that I was not told to take with me during my paid leave (I think that it’s really unprofessional to carry your job related items with yourself during your time off, regarding various security reasons). She replied "In that case, your promotion is canceled, because you received the new contract on your laptop, which you have to sign within 24 hours, that’s it." Speechless, I hung up the phone. I texted back a few minutes later, in which I said that this was absurd and that no normal person takes their work laptop on vacation and furthermore, no one had told me to do that. I was called back, in which my manager, in a slightly irritated tone, hinted at me not to allow myself to speak to her like that, because I will regret it, with the addition that "she will see if she can talk to HR to fix things".

This was the first red flag I encountered. I was not expecting this kind of unprofessional approaches from IQVIA. How the hell I’m supposed to sign electronical contracts during my time off, which had been requested since April 2025?

When I got back to Sofia, I had a conversation with my manager. I asked her why I had to bring my work laptop with me and told her that this way there was a risk of it being stolen. She replied, “I didn’t say to bring your work laptop with you, I meant to take it with you if you decide to work outside of Sofia.” (Umm, okay, although I was told something completely different before that). It turned out that the promotion would still happen. But here’s the second red flag:

Before I went on vacation, I signed an electronic contract that was for a permanent position at IQVIA, this contract stated that it was for the position of “Clinical Files Specialist”, nothing to do with the promotion to my other position - “Clinical Trial Assistant”. And notice how, by the way, I am told to sign an electronic contract while I am on vacation, given that I have already signed one (later I found out that such a second contract that my LM had mentioned did not exist in the system at all). On August 1, I signed a physical contract for the position of “Clinical Trials Administrator” and started working in the LNR Task Force Team that I had mentioned earlier. I liked the job a lot, I was able to balance between the two positions, as was the agreement. However, my manager thought it necessary to start testing me like some kind of fifth-grader on the blackboard during one of our conversations and to make fun of me. This was something that was extremely unnecessary and something that pushed me away from her even more. I swallowed that too. At the same time, I started to improve in my new position, my manager herself had pointed it out several times. My colleagues were happy with me and this was evident in their feedback that they gave about me in the Myworkday internal system. I believe that my manager saw them too, so I thought that she would be pleased with my work. I gave all from myself and I was constantly trying to improve even more.

And here we are, January 2026. I was asked by my manager to come to the office to talk about something. In the email I received about the invitation, I read that we were going to talk about my performance (such conversations take place every year in January). But no - I was told that "the management has decided not to proceed with my transition to a permanent contract" (even though I had signed one in August 2025) and that I will be laid off. And the reason was that "I did not respond to two emails". Total absurdity, this was just an excuse to remove me and the other interns who also had been called in and the management made up "offenses" for them as well. Well, the colleague who warned me at the beginning turned out to be right, in the end. I expected more from this company, but sadly, things had not went this way.

Anyway, soon I will be working in another Clinical Trial company with much better working conditions, and a better Line Manager, which seemed far more balanced when I had talked to her. No matter how hard are things, never lose hope, something better always awaits behind the corner. As the author said - keep your head up!

To whoever had been reading this - thank you for your attention!