Depressing work day

[Sputnik]

How depressing. That was my day today. I have more seniority with the company, manage more people, taken more courses, yet am not going to be a project leader - my coworker is. This is the job I want to do. This is probably my worst day at work ever. I don't quite really know why I wasn't considered. I must not have done something right but I don't know what it is.

[damronjr]

Sorry to hear about your lousy day. Perhaps you should talk to your bosses and find out why you weren't selected. Maybe your coworker has something you don't that you didn't realize? Maybe they have other plans for you, better projects that they want you to lead? Can't hurt to ask. Hope your day gets better!

[Sputnik]

Thanks. Its kind of a weird situation. We're just filling in temporarily for our boss who comes back this spring. After that we weren't sure what we were working on. And I'm still not sure what I'm going to be doing, but the one thing I wanted to be doing, seems to be gone now.

[rasermon]

Sorry to hear this Sputnik. Your coworker got this position. Does he or she think you should of had this title? I'm not sure what you do at your place of employment, but maybe your management feels that your more important with your current position. Just keep on trying.

[Sputnik]

I'm actually not sure my coworker knows he got this position yet. I was told that I'm not to know this. So I can't very well ask why, yet, I guess. I can let them know I want a position like that, I suppose. They may not realize I want to move from my current group to the management stream. But its not like they'd change their mind on this one - I guess I can hope they consider me for the next one.

[joatmon]

I think it's important that you do ask why you didn't get it. You not only need but deserve to know why it went to the other person.

[GMJAP]

Sometimes, if you're good at what you're doing, they don't want to move you into management because then you won't be doing the 'hands-on' anymore. Whereas somebody else may not be so good, but they think he can manage just fine. So to them it's less of a "loss" to move them, rather than you, into management.Often occurs in technical professions, esp. engineering.In the same "NOT FAIR!" category as "you're doing great at your work, these other guys aren't performing so well, so why don't you do some of their work in addition to yours?"Nothing like getting punished for doing a good job.....

[Sputnik]

Yeah I am in a technical field and yeah I know I am good at what I do (and no I'm not bragging). When you're told over and over again that you're good, you tend to believe it after a while... which is probably why I don't get this change of events. Maybe I should do crappy work for a while.

[silver_vibe]

Quote, originally posted by Sputnik »How depressing. That was my day today. I have more seniority with the company, manage more people, taken more courses, yet am not going to be a project leader - my coworker is. This is the job I want to do. This is probably my worst day at work ever. I don't quite really know why I wasn't considered. I must not have done something right but I don't know what it is.Something similar happened to me once. I took my personal lunch time (5 days/1hour per day) to train 5 coworkers on a new concept. I figured it would be worth some good brownie points. When it came time to choose the project team that required the use of this new concept, they upper management chose the 5 people I trained and not me. I found out later, I was the upper management’s first choice but my immediate manager didn't want to let me go because he wanted me for his project...I ended up leaving the company over that decision and I did not hide why. My immediate manager ended up looking like a dumb*ss. Now, I am totally appreciated for what I do in this new company.Anyway, my point is: if you're really good at what you do, find out why you were overlooked. If you don't like the answer, you can always leave.

[Sputnik]

I was told that maybe its sexism... but thats harsh to say and my brain can't quite grasp that. Then I was told maybe its because I'm only 28 and he's 40 something... still not reason enough.

[vibe-04]

You must be in working in software/hardware development here in Ottawa (can't be government) so I'm guessing you've hit the "performer" problem. What happens is that replacing you is more difficult than replacing your coworker, hence, pass him/her up the ladder and leave you to continue producing and train the replacement. It happened to me when I asked to work on more challenging projects. My boss said he didn't want to move me because I was too valuable a performer in my current position. So I quit.Sucks huh! Look around, the market is improving... and let them know your dissatisfaction.AA

[AKLGT]

sorry to hear that sputnik. but yes, i see things like this happen everyday at my office where someone is great at what they do so they don't want to move them to another position. hell, i was at the same position and pay as everyone else including the new hires and i'll have been there 4 yrs in april. it wasn't til i gave them my notice that they changed my position to a managerial one. i still do all the same functions i did before, but now i'm responsible for training and helping the new hires, and making sure we are all hitting our goals. it's more like an unofficial management position by rights and seniority. good luck to you! i would definitely recommend talking to your supervisor or boss when he/she returns as to why you were passed up. let them know that you are interested in that position.

[ArcsVibe]

Quote, originally posted by vibe-04 »You must be in working in software/hardware development here in Ottawa (can't be government) so I'm guessing you've hit the "performer" problem. What happens is that replacing you is more difficult than replacing your coworker, hence, pass him/her up the ladder and leave you to continue producing and train the replacement. It happened to me when I asked to work on more challenging projects. My boss said he didn't want to move me because I was too valuable a performer in my current position. Hi Sputnik,Sorry about your bad day, I hope only good days are ahead of you. I have to agree with Vibe-04. That is probably what happened to you. I would still want to ask why I was passed though, just remember to be diplomatic (as hard as it seems to be right now)Sending you lots of positive rays your way

[rebbierae]

That's what I say too--go ask them why you were passed over--tell them you are interested in doing just this type of thing, and you'd like to know what you can improve on in your work so you could be considered for the next time. Show them that you want to move ahead and you are willing to learn what it takes to get there. They SHOULD appreciate your willingness and initiative. Good luck--I hope you get the next, bigger & better job!

[joatmon]

interesting difference, my management is constantly trying to get me to accept more managerial and supervisory responsibilities, but I want to stay where the actual work is being done. I suck as a supervisor, but they don't believe me. Maybe we ought to swap jobs

[drunkenmaxx]

i know how it feels. i am not taken seriously because i am only 23 yrs old. yet, i know for a fact that i can design like a mofo. i blew my teachers away in school with my creative concepts. i guess thats life though...

[Kari]

I find myself in the same position every summer, with people discounting me because of my age. I don't want to scan groceries or flip burgers; I want to do something useful to me on a resume. I sent a resume to a company once in response to an ad that was in the paper and never even got so much as a response from them. But then when I worked for the paper that owns/works with (not sure which it is) this particular company last year and the person who runs it saw my work and later saw examples of my web design work, he complimented me, and I have a feeling that at that stage, he probably would have hired me for that job I applied for. But I'm pretty sure he probably just looked at my high school graduation date the first time and said, "No." Age discrimination sucks.A lot of people find themselves in Sputnik's position...too good at one job to be moved to another. It actually happened to me in a grocery store when I wanted to move to either being a bagger or a computer room operator (I was tired of cashiering) and they told me I was too good of a cashier to be moved to a different position. I really think there should be some accountability there; they need to own up to why they passed you up, and do something about it the next time that position comes open. It's unfair to make someone unable to advance in the company or to hold them down deliberately because they're too good at the job they do now. Isn't that what should get you a promotion?

[Atomb]

at one point in my career i was gettting the 'you're too young' feeling also. then a former employer of mine said something to me as i was (ironically) leaving the company due to the lack of 'upward mobility'. He told me that i needed to tell my future employer what i wanted more. He said that too many people (and he seemed to think this was more prevelant with engineers in his company) didn't TELL their employer what they wanted to do and which direction they wanted to move in. Engineers have this belief that the proof is in the pudding and their great work should automatically get them moved up (i'm an engineer by the way). So i'd say the best thing for you to do is to make a formal appointment to meet with somebody who will make the decison of moving you within the company and plan before you meet. You need to get across what you enjoy about your current position, what you don't enjoy, why you feel you want to move up in the company and examples of positions you'd like to move into.i did this with my last job and i ended up creating my position! I sat down with the VP and told him what i mentioned above, then i gave an example of a position that i felt i could handle that would benefit the company and a few months later, they created the position and i was selected! I ended up leaving the company for other reasons later on....You'd be surprised what simple communication does. I'm glad my former employer had that talk with me.

[tnpartsguy]

HOPE! I love this pic....back on topic, real sorry to hear about this Sputnik....I'm screwed because my boss can't get promoted any higher because he lacks skills in sales, so I am as far as I can go with this company.BUT, I like the guys that own this dealership.....it was one of the last dealership in the US that was not a corporation, it was still set up as a partnership......almost unheard of anymore (btw, that's not true, they did set up an LLC 2 yrs ago).

[Sputnik]

Thanks all for your support. It makes me feel much better. I went in and had a chat with my boss today and told him I had been taking courses and wanted to move out of my current role and into project management. He seemed to think it could be done, however the project I am most familiar with is still going to my coworker. He suggested there might be other projects I could assist on though.. so I guess my career aspirations aren't completely dead.

[Sputnik]

Thanks silverawd. I'm hoping good things will happen. I talked to a couple of people and they helped me see that I am a good employee, and do deserve to move up in the ranks.

[Atomb]

Quote, originally posted by Sputnik »Thanks all for your support. It makes me feel much better. I went in and had a chat with my boss today and told him I had been taking courses and wanted to move out of my current role and into project management. He seemed to think it could be done, however the project I am most familiar with is still going to my coworker. He suggested there might be other projects I could assist on though.. so I guess my career aspirations aren't completely dead. good job!a step in the right direction and a path to further successes!Keep at it...i know it'll pay off!