Work issue

LegacyUser

I'm having a bit of an issue with my manager. I'm not trying to blow my own horn but I'm good at most things I turn my hand to and my work is no different. Because I'm good at it, I get rewarded by having more work piled on of me. Now initially I didn't think that was a huge problem because it gave me the opportunity to learn new skills and specifically time/project management. However a couple of years later and I've been learning less and now I seem to just spend my days rushing around trying to get everything done. I'm really at the end of my tether with my boss's attitude because every time I suggest that I have too much on my plate he dismisses it. For various reasons, there are few people on the level below me that I can confidently delegate this work to but when I have mentioned to him the viable opportunities for spreading responsibility/workload he doesn't really want to consider it - presumably it would mess up the status-quo that he's comfortable with. I'm feeling pretty much taken-for-granted right now & I'm not happy with it.

Anyway, an opportunity has come up to move onto another team where I would learn considerably more (and escape my current manager) and I've decided to throw my hat into the ring. I'm a good candidate and it has been mentioned to me that the only real reason that I wouldn't be in with a chance is internal politics. Now it may never happen but if I was prevented from progressing due only to the politics of the situation, then imo there's no point staying with this company. I may as well hand in my notice because in my eyes I'm being held back not for my own benefit or that of the company but for the benefit of one manager who can't do his job without serious assistance. I'd be stuck in a job I don't particularly like, working for someone who takes me for granted and I feel that my reputation within the company (amongst management at least) would likely be damaged. It would overall put me in a really difficult position and I don't think I could bring myself to stay with them.

Like I said, this is speculation and it may never come to pass so please don't post to tell me that and not to worry about it. I'm curious to know whether people think I would be jumping the gun by resigning if it did happen as described. Overall I'm pretty optimistic about the whole thing but would like to know if people think my "new position or bust" attitude is a bit OTT.

Overheal

If youre unhappy in your job and you feel undervalued you arent developing as a person or as an employee and youve tried to take these issues up with your manager and other superiors... then I dont see what else you can do. Your next option on that road is to leave the company and seek other work.

jenga-jen

Sorry for the lengthy post, just a few points to consider IME...

OP if you feel so seriously undervalued then yes, trying to get this new job is definitely a step in the right direction.

It may well be that popular opinion on the office floor is that you are the right candidate for the job and that so-called office politics would be the only reason as to why you wouldn't get the job. However, please bear in mind that ultimately the decision on filling a role lies with the person given that job and questioning the reasons for their selection can be a dangerous area to get into.

So please bear in mind that citing this as part of the reason for your resignation could reflect badly on you depending on how you handle it. IMO this is not an atmosphere under which you would want to leave a long term position with a company which you will need as a reference. It's quite a serious allegation and you will need to be able to back it up

The scenarios going forward, and this is purely as I see it, are:

• Apply for the new job and get it
• Apply for the new job and don't get it, in which case you
  • Resign and cite your unfair work load and unsupportive boss as reason
  • Resign and cite office politics and risk any reference/credibility :eek:
  • Approach the person directly above your boss in relation to your issues
• Get the fúck out of dodge with your experience and apply your skills elsewhere

Obviously the decision lies with you but please try not to rush in guns blazing and end up with no job and a few years of a gap on your CV that you can't provide a reference for!

Good luck!

LegacyUser

I'm 10 months in my job and I'm encouraging the manager to pile work on me because the more I learn, the more indispensable I become and the more they'll have to pay me (that's my theory anyway..) I had my review the other day and it was a bitch (or more precisely, my manager was)

The problem seems to be the more I learn, the more I'm kept busy so the less new things I can take on, and I'm quite a bit away from being "indispensable."

One woman I worked with was given a manager position in Risk management. We had flexitime but she worked 8am - 4pm. Almost every team in the company phoned her looking for reports to be generated and info to be provided. 90% of the time she said she was too busy to provide it. When they asked for someone else to do it, she'd say there was no one else available, it wasn't really her job, and if they wanted it they would need to allocate their own resources (get someone on their own team access to systems and training, etc) - or in other words "get lost."

I was on a night out and I said to her I thought it was brilliant the way she didn't break her back for other people and left work at 4 every day. She said "I learned a long time ago that the more you take on the more you're taken for granted." And now she was in a position where she got extremely well-paid and well-respected for doing a manageable day's work. That's where I want to be!

I think what you're really looking for is respect and you're not getting it in your current role. By all means use your current job to increase your profile in the company and prove your ability. If the company is not willing to provide you with the career opportunity you are looking for you will have no option but to leave.

Obviously have a new job lined up before you hand in your resignation. If you can't find another immediately there is no harm in staying in your current job until you find a new one, maybe even apply for more internal transfers.

dreamer_ire

If you decide to go down the resignation route I would strongly advise you to firstly speak to your manager again and secondly consider lodging a grievance. Go to your HR department and speak to them about trying to resolve the matter informally via mediation, and failing that consider lodging a grievance against your manager based on work allocation.

In the current ecnomic climate leaving a job is not the best option for you. In fact if you speak to HR before someone is appointed into this other job it may serve to neutralise any "internal politics".

Good luck OP

skooterblue

I'll take it you have some skill. The Answer is simple start circulating CV's. If all the supervisors are chummy they will close rank and drop your application.

If you are as good as you say you are work will find you.

LegacyUser

Hi all,

Thanks for your responses. Just to clarify, I would be very unlikely to cite politics as a reason for leaving - unless my manager finally invokes a nervous breakdown (I'm already a bit worried about stress & blood pressure levels as it is). Imo if politics became an issue then me highlighting that would cause little change and would only reflect badly on me and lose me any good reference I have coming. Tbh if I gave my notice right after being rejected for a new position I'm pretty sure they could guess the reason behind it anyway even if it wasn't mentioned.

In relation to applying for internal positions, I am of the opinion that it's good practice to request feedback if you've been rejected so you know what you need to work on for the next time. If I asked them and they couldn't say that it was my skill level or potential that was lacking (or someone else beating me to it) then I'd be pretty sure it was down to the politics. In that case, I don't think I would want to stay with them as there's no guarantee it wouldn't hold me back down the line too.

Really I just wanted confirmation that I wasn't jumping the gun in considering resignation if my manager threw a spanner in the works. I'm quite circumspect in my professional life so I don't want to do anything that would damage my chances for a good job elsewhere - the concept of being fired (as opposed to being made redundant) freaks me out as I consider a reference from your previous employer as very important when applying for new jobs.

tenchifan wrote: »

I'm 10 months in my job and I'm encouraging the manager to pile work on me because the more I learn, the more indispensable I become and the more they'll have to pay me (that's my theory anyway..)

Just one point to make on this - I'd be wary of becoming too "indispensable". If you become so indispensable in a role that they can't promote you then it will hold you back. In my case, I'm annoyed at myself for allowing myself to become a crutch that my manager relies on so much (although it has been pointed out to me that the only way to foresee this happening was to refrain from giving him the benefit of the doubt from the start). I have a nagging fear I may have crippled my chances within the company for advancement. Hopefully not though