My life can't really be this bad, can it? (longish

[aMrsin09]

So a bit of a back story. Where I work We have a manager and three team leaders. We have some kind of weird pay scheme where everyone makes the same $ determined by which pay band you're in.

Upper Management has always made it clear that if you aren't happy there you are welcome to leave, no one is irreplaceable.

Last week one of the team leaders let it slip that she had applied for a new job. Well the manager didn't hide it very well as she was making deals with the COO and GM to come up with something to offer the team leader so she wouldn't leave.

Today it was announced that the team leader is now the new assistant manager. So much for no one is irreplaceable.

And all it did was throw back in my face how crappy my life here is. I had taken a step forward by moving into the team leader position and now I feel like I've been pushed back two.

They can't expect that I was going to be happy about the fact that they created a new position, never posted it, and automatically gave it to a 20 year old who has been with the company 9 months (compared to my 2 years) and has 9 months of management experience compared to my 20. Oh and yes, now she makes 10k more than me.

H won't let me quit and cash in my 4 weeks of vacation, but I'm running the numbers to see if we can make it work.

[popcorn]

That sound terrible. I would be really pissed too about the younger, less experienced worker getting a position you didn't even realize existed and had no chance to apply for. That just blows.

I hope you come to a decision that works for you guys. I have no advice, but I am sympathizing!

Here, have a :drink:

[ninjatofu]

Have you brought this up to the senior management? There isn't much that they can do about it now, but telling them that you were surprised that a new position was created and that you would have liked to apply for it, and would like to express your interest in any other such opportunities in the future - would at least put you on their radar for promotions and other positions, right?

[irish]

Oh, that is not good!!!

I think you need to look into some regulations on the subject for sure!! I know here in Ireland (and therefore most likely UK as well seeing as a lot of our legislation is based on England & Wales law) that all positions must be advertised internally if they become available.

Even if it is a case where there is clearly only one possible internal candidate they must go through a fair and equitable selection process. (eg I was the only possible internal candidate when my boss left 2 years ago and I still had to apply and interview...). I have a junior working in my office and if I want to promote him (more experience now) I have to advertise a "new" job.

If you are clearly more qualified than the "candidate" you should be able to query the basis on which she was better suited to the position of assistant manager.

Please look into it, for your own sake. At least if you look into it and find that they haven't broken and laws at least you know that you have done what you could. Imagine you found out in a year's time that you could have pulled them up on it but you didn't - how would that make you feel??

It's a horrible position for you to be in... Hugs... and see what else is out there!

[aMrsin09]

Ninja, that is a by far, the most adult and professional response yet. Far better than any of the options I came up.
One of which was bursting into tears and the other was quitting on the spot.

Sadly I don;t think Sr Management cares. They are the ones that had to give the OK for this to happen

[aMrsin09]

Irish that is also very good advice which I shall do in the morning.

But I still want to quit, cry and have a cigarette.

[dulcemariamar]

I am so sorry! That does suck. :beer: :drink:

Could you look for a new job while you continue to work? Or is it possible to work from home?

Could you tutor online? Dog walk? Babysit?

I know you want to quit but is it possible maybe to find a PT job? Even if it not your dream job, you will still have more time for hobbies and it wouldnt be that bad.

[aMrsin09]

I've been looking for a new job for two years. We have the highest unemployment in Australia. I've been told too many times to count that I am "over qualified" and add in that I'm American ...

I'm lucky to have the job I have. And I still swear that I was hired because they thought I was Canadian.

[irish]

Jun 26, 2012 4:13:19 GMT -5 aMrsin09 said:

Irish that is also very good advice which I shall do in the morning.

But I still want to quit, cry and have a cigarette.

Don't quit! they win...

Don't have a cigarette!! You've done too well to have a setback over this...

But go ahead and cry... you will feel a bit better after it...

({) (})

[ninjatofu]

Well, I wouldn't suggest quitting over it, weren't you perfectly happy in that role and at that salary before this happened?

And if anyone came up to me quoting employment law and demanding that I re-open the vacancy I'd be put into a very tough position - and be looking to get rid of that person asap. I think it's much more productive if you go into these situations with the understanding that senior management are still human, make mistakes and poor judgements sometimes and you don't know the motivating factors behind their decision.

If she is a team leader at 20 years old perhaps they see a lot of potential in her that they didn't want to lose, and so created something for her to get her to stay. Best decision ever, maybe, maybe not. But I'd go in with a goal in mind. What do you want from this?

Do you want them to demote her back to team leader and then re-open the position for applications? Do you really think that they would do that? If they did, do you really think that they would promote the person that caused this problem and embarassment? Probably not.

Do you want a similar position? Is there one available? Is there justification to create one that you can present to them? This could be viable. If you want a promotion, or the creation of a new position, bring a full case to them of why the position is necessary, what benefit it will have financially and structurally and why you would be the best person for this role.

Are you looking for a standard promotion, and feel that the agreed line of progression through the company no longer applies, or is an unfair system? If so, there are ways to tactfully (and strategically) bring that up as well, which, as I said earlier, puts you on the radar for internal promotions.

By all means, have a good cry, fantasize about shanking that idiot slut and burning the place to the ground. However, don't make any professional decisions that are emotionally motivated. Wait it out a couple of days and think strategically about this to use it to get you what you want.

[ninjatofu]

Jun 26, 2012 4:31:23 GMT -5 aMrsin09 said:

I've been looking for a new job for two years. We have the highest unemployment in Australia. I've been told too many times to count that I am "over qualified" and add in that I'm American ...

I'm lucky to have the job I have. And I still swear that I was hired because they thought I was Canadian.

That's because you're so nice!

Baaaaaa ha ha ha ha ha ha ha

[dulcemariamar]

Dont smoke. Just drink and eat chocolate. You made it this far!!!!!

[livinitup]

Would it have really been better to be put through the fake steps of responding to a post and applying for a job they were going to hand to someone else? At least they didn't fake an open and transparent hiring process.

I bet your not as outraged at their internal hiring practice as you are hurt that they like her better. Especially without merit. That stings.

But in the end, you still have a good job and don't have to leave until something better comes along.

And as for them thinking how'd you react. Sadly, I doubt they gave it much thought at all. That may sting, too, but I mention it because it also has the pleasing effect of not having to react in any sort of way they contrive. Especially a bad way. You go on as if it doesn't matter at all.

Which, really, it doesn't.

Or, at least, it doesn't have to.

[crimsonandclover]

That would have also made me really, really angry, and since we can live off of DH's salary and I have several PT jobs, I probably would have quit and let them know why. In your situation, though, it doesn't sound like that's the best idea for you and your DH. Tofu's advice, as emotionally unsatisfying as it is, is probably your best bet for future progression in the company if you can't find something else.

Definitely have a good cry, but please don't have a cigarette - that will make you feel even worse later for having fallen off the wagon. You can do this without cigarettes!!!

[azure]

That really sucks. I'm so glad you got some mature advice from here. I can be pretty irrational and if that happened to me at my current job, I would have ripped of my uniform and quit on the spot (which I actually almost did yesterday) but for other reasons.
Chin up and I hope you find a solution!

[ninjatofu]

Is anyone else having visions of Azure ripping off her uniform and stalking out into the street in her underwear waving her middle finger around?

Just me?

[azure]

LOL! That's pretty much how I imagined it myself, ripping the shirt off hulk style.
I work next to a beach, so I would be fine and probably not look like that much of a crazy person.

[Deleted]

I would probably have raged irrationally at home in the presence of my husband for several days, calling all my friends about how I'm going to quit, and start looking for jobs before I finally calmed down and realized that while my job sometimes sucks, for the most part I like it and couldn't find anything better for the moment. Not that this response is in any way helpful, but I would be fuming too. Have a cry, a glass of wine or a beer, and maybe hit a punching bag, but avoid the cigarettes because they are bad for you

[aMrsin09]

Oh Azure I've been there too ...

An Update:

My manager decided to talk to to me today (she was out yesterday). After a few minutes of blah blah, I just broke in and said "listen, no matter what you say, we both know she was given the job because you found out she was thinking about leaving". cue crickets.

She jumped in with the whole "oh no that's just a rumour" so I had to tell her that she had told me herself she was leaving. Not a rumour. cue more crickets.

She sighed and said "yes I had to do something to keep her because I don't have time to interview anyone to fill that spot if she left. And your source of info is obviously better than mine is."
No, my source of the info was YOU. I was standing right there when you freaked out on the COO demanding he give you something to hook her with ...

[wise_rita]

Ugh. I'm sorry, Mrs.

Move.

Down.

Here.

[glitterfart]

That sucks major hairy balls. I´m sorry. But please don´t have a ciggy. Have some chocolate or a cosmo, or better yet, go take a brisk walk. Should help clear your head and make you feel better, and doesn´t have any calories!