Job stinks, but it pays...

Magick1 · #1 03-13-2006, 11:08 PM

I don't really like my job.

I have been looking externally, waiting for the right fit somewhere.

Now, the position I am in currently is the team leader.

They have opened up a UM (Unit Manager) position.

Do you bother posting for it when you don't really enjoy it to begin with & hope that it's better on the "other" side?

Or, do you ride it out, not show any interest in the position & keep searching somewhere else?

Both?

I am in a bit of a quandry and looking for outside suggestions from people that do not know me...throw it out there.

Thanks in advance.

**lynnzop**[$] · #2 03-13-2006, 11:17 PM

Ugh. That's hard.

Do you like the people you'd be working with? IMO, I can do almost any job if I like the folks that I'm working with, and even start to like it.

But if it's the same old, same old, and you don't like it now and don't care for the people, is it really worth your time, effort and energy to post?

Sorry to just ask more questions, but I guess that's what I'd be asking myself.

Magick1 · #3 03-13-2006, 11:37 PM

That's a bit part of the issue. I like my team, but the upper management, well, needless to say, I have issues with on a regular basis.

Perfect example was just about a week ago or so.

1) I completed a line increase for a loan.
2) My equal in the other city handled a second email on another issue, forwarded it to me, saying you handle this.
3) I responded to her, just asking, do you not know how to do this process?
4) She replies, copies in the upper manager saying I know how to do this, you worked on it before, you are already familiar with this, please answer it (I was at lunch, it could have been answered much more quickly and been over with
5) I responded that I handled an increase, this request was something different that I would have to familiarize myself with, but I will get it done asap & I asked (as a training point) to the upper manager, am I doing this wrong, should I be doing this other part of the file when I complete increases...

The upper manager responded that us two ( the team leads) needed to play nicely in the sand box together because we are on the same team, completely ignoring my question as to whether I am doing it wrong & if I should change my processing.

I don't know if I am a total dork or what, but somehow, I think I am missing something out there.

**Joubert**[$] · #4 03-13-2006, 11:52 PM

Both.

Shows your ambition, lets folks know you're ready for more responsibility. But don't be afraid to shake things up and look outside. Just be careful where you apply. (I live in a much bigger city than you do, and I'm being careful....

)

**lynnzop**[$] · #5 03-14-2006, 12:02 AM

Well....it sounds a lot like my situation.

I have been having some trouble with the folks I need to interact with, but not necessarily on my team. They want to play more political games to cover their own (donkey) than anything else.

My boss first told me to just play nice. It seemed to just get worse. Then she told me to get some distance...fortunately, I've been reassigned to a new project and can do that. It's not near as frustrating as it was a couple of weeks ago when I was dealing with "them" day in and day out, and everything seemed to be a battle.

Kim, I'd just have to say that if you have issue with the overall political policies of the upper management, maybe it's not the best situation. If you are going to 'be the boss' over the other gal that is a problem, you are going to have to deal with her. If you are going to be in a totally separate department and not have to deal with her any longer, and you like the actual work and the teams that you'd be over, it might be worth a shot, even if on a temp basis.

**theworm**[$] · #6 03-14-2006, 11:46 AM

What George said. Put in for the promotion, but keep trying to get out of there. And remember - it's just a job. Leave the ick at the office.

Magick1 · #7 03-14-2006, 11:24 PM

Thanks gang. This group always has such sound advice.

You help me get a level head & feel stronger in my decisions.

Isn't that totally wild! ? !

**Joubert**[$] · #8 03-15-2006, 12:15 AM

Holy crap, Delia. We got included in the same sentence with "sound advice".

I

Magick.

**theworm**[$] · #9 03-15-2006, 10:38 AM

I

Majick too, but its possible that she was referring to everyone but us.

Magick1 · #10 03-29-2006, 10:45 PM

Sorry gang. My notifiers got shut off somehow & I did not catch that I was so loved!

Thanks!

Magick1 · #11 03-29-2006, 10:48 PM

Update -

Well, we had our reviews. Let me say, it was one of the worst in my career anywhere.

It was based upon the past 6 months in this department under the manager in another city. Aparently, my asking questions in emails to learn the process & better understand my job have been taken as questioning authority.

There were other items on there that I disagreed with, but hey, what can you do about it? Nothing. My previous manager for the 1st part of the year was not included on any of the input for the review.

Now, I did try posting for the Unit Manager position in my department. Get this....1 day after the review was officially delivered, I got the message " thanks for playing but you're not qualified".

It all happens for a reason...no biggie. I did not even get the feel good 1st initial HR interview at all.

Does that sound totally cheesy or what?

Thanks for letting me vent. Right now, I can honestly, I hate going into work.

**lynnzop**[$] · #12 03-30-2006, 08:56 AM

Sounds like it's time for a change.

**theworm**[$] · #13 03-30-2006, 10:03 AM

things do happen for a reason. There is something better out there for you.

**pippadaisy**[$] · #14 03-30-2006, 10:11 AM

Based on that, I can honestly say it's time to start looking.

Same thing happened to me at the three-letter company. I interviewed for a job I was more than qualified for, but didn't get it since it went to an old-timer employee (not OLD, but just with the company for way longer) who had NO qualifying experience. They later gave me a job working for him, which was absolutely painful. He didn't know the tools. Didn't know basic development techniques. Didn't know SOP for developing a site and then pushing it live. Didn't know software packages or databases or ANYTHING. I designed a look and feel for the account intranet. He nixed it and went to an ad agency. Paid them $10,000 to take six weeks to come back with the EXACT same design I'd done for him, and then gave me two days to implement it to meet a deadline, including DHTML menuing, which required cross-browser programming (remember this was oh, 7 years ago).

This stuff happened ALL THE TIME. I finally got to the point where I would ignore him when he told me to do stuff because he would turn around a week later and want it back the way it was.

Needless to say, when it came time for layoffs, I was first to go, and I was actually relieved. I should have bailed WAY sooner, but I was company loyal and was about to have enough years in to get another week of vacation pay.

I have to say now I'm happy I hung in there, because my severance package and pension cashout were the down payment for our current house, but I'm still upset about the misery I put up with. And the best part was that when they let me go they said it was because I wasn't a "people person" but when they laid off my friend two months later, they said it was because she didn't have the technical knowledge for the job (i.e. they no longer had anyone to cover the boss' butt). She pointed out that they'd FIRED the one person who DID have the tech knowledge. Within six months, they had a new manager, and my former boss was doing the grunt work and reporting to someone else.

Sometimes it's just time to knuckle down and start searching in earnest.

**Joubert**[$] · #15 03-30-2006, 11:50 AM

Yup, time to go. Don't let it drag you down. If you've broken emotionally with the company (boy, do I know this one), you need to go. Look fast, don't rationalize it away.

Magick1 · #16 03-30-2006, 11:11 PM

Yeah, I have been looking, but short of getting back into CS, a job I really don't want to get roped back into, I don't know what strengths I have.

I think I am feeling so beat up, I am believing the crap they've been feeding me all of this time. I feel like my spirit is broken, if that's the way to say it.

I got the news today about the "raises". A good friend of mine got 6%...me, I barely snuck in about cost of living adjustment at 2%.

Now, mind you, a raise is good, but in this case, it just felt like another slap in the face on top of anything else.

**lynnzop**[$] · #17 03-31-2006, 12:45 AM

Kim, you need to do one of two things.

a) Evaluate what you want and have to give in a job. Do a pros and cons sheet - the strengths and weaknesses of both.

Better yet...

b) go visit a headhunter or career counselor. You are feeling down and beat up, and they will help you see that there is not only light at the end of the tunnel, but that you are the bearer of that light. I KNOW you have a ton of great qualities that companies are looking for....you just need to get past that bad karma that you've been fed for several months that is making you not believe the same thing.