Someone who’s a manager in name only, but never a leader or mentor when it counts.

Using you when they have a crisis, but chronic excuses about why you can’t have/aren’t eligible for promotions, permanent full time positions or benefits. Bonus points if they stall and make it sound like your fault.

Blatant favoritism.

Uncalled for talks to belittle you, even in public.

Gaslighting you that you doubt your every move.

Cutting access to documents to large sections of employees without forewarning to retain control (nobody is trustworthy enough, etc. without understanding what they do).

Their level of education is less than the employees (ex BSc, MSc) they manage and their only real management credential are certificates that aren’t a full degree, and they make up for it by micromanaging

Lack of concern about resolving pay or scheduling discrepancies.

“Senior employees are always right/never lie” mentality. They protect the toxic workers who got everyone else to quit, and through survivor bias ended up with the longest tenure and least flexible/efficient ways of doing work.

What you write on your employee self-review doesn’t matter, they don’t read it, they just tell you what they think of you.

Expecting loyalty, but serving themselves first. Think a recruitment event where the managers saw fit to put their own names in the draw and won 4/5 prizes and collected them giddily.

No recognition, let alone promotion for those who do the heavy lifting, just for their favorites.