Welp, the announcements came out yesterday, and I got passed over for a promotion yet again. It's been happening for ... I don't remember how many ... years in a row now. Promotions here are more about getting moved up a pay grade than getting direct reports and whatnot, so Assistant Vice President is one pay grade higher than Associate, where I have been stuck for years.
Someone in a dept. that I was the senior person when I left it a few years ago (because I was passed over for a promotion 2 years in a row) has gotten 2 promotions in that time, from Analyst to Associate to AVP, and she can't even pass one licencing exam. I've managed to pass three!
The guy that sits next to me, and has been at the firm 10 years less than me got a promotion from Analyst to Associate. That's good, because he's a bright guy that deserves it, but man... it sucks because I have more time invested in this company than almost anyone else at this firm now. There were only about 20 of us that got Tiffany business card holders for 10 years of service last year.
My boss got a promotion to Managing Director, and had only been promoted to Director last year (or the year before). She should never have dangled the carrot so close to my eyes a month or so back, asking me to pick up more responsibilities, and speaking the word 'promotion' as if it were actually going to be given to me this year. So now, here I am, suckered into doing more than I had been doing, for the same rate of pay, and having to wait another year to get a promotion.
I say now to ye, **** the carrot. **** it, **** it, **** it. I've been here at the same firm, chasing it for 11 years, and I'm just tired. I think I will put the same effort into doing my job as everyone else does, even if I feel like I'm slacking. I'm certainly not getting the recognition I deserve, despite great yearly reviews.
World of Warcraft: Delissandra - Blood Elf Rogue (retired) - Feathermoon
EverQuest: Delissandra Splitshadow - 75 Rogue (retired) - The Rathe
City of Heroes: Splitshadow - Scrapper (retired) - Victory
Honestly? In this day and age, does it really benefit you to stay with the same company? I hear this story over and over and over again. People who have been loyal to the company get screwed over.
Go job hunting. Bring up your grievances and ask for an explanation. Unless they can give a damned good answer tell them that you are thinking of taking a new job and since you worked there so long you are offering them the chance to match the offer if they value your services. Otherwise they can go **** themselves.
Are you putting the new cover sheet on your TPS Reports? I'm sure they sent out the memo.
The funny thing I learned at a job I eventually got fired from, is that if you let your productivity slip down to the average range those above you get upset.
The college idealists who fill the ranks of the environmental movement seem willing to do absolutely anything to save the biosphere, except take science courses and learn something about it. -- P.J. O'Rourke
Democracy is a form of religion. It is the worship of jackals by jackasses. -- H.L. Mencken
My mom who typically gets jobs through temp staffing agencies, and spend some time working at a temp staffing agency, said the average employee is better off changing jobs every two years than sticking it out for the long haul at one place. Over the course of time, the increase in pay you will get by changing jobs will overtake whatever raises you should have gotten (or even would get) at a single job.
Sounds like your company's business model is to keep grunts who excel at their job doing the gruntwork, because if they promote you then they'd just have to train someone else. Whereas the guy who sucks at gruntwork gets promoted so he can do something he's better at: kissing the bosses' tushies.
Believe me, I've been there (as the grunt, not the tushie-kisser).
My mom who typically gets jobs through temp staffing agencies, and spend some time working at a temp staffing agency, said the average employee is better off changing jobs every two years than sticking it out for the long haul at one place. Over the course of time, the increase in pay you will get by changing jobs will overtake whatever raises you should have gotten (or even would get) at a single job.
Most employers are moving away from that. Employee retention is the key goal for HR people. They spend a ton 'training' a person for the job, the employee needs to be there at least 2 years to pay off that investment. That said, I've been here 10 years and I'm not the oldest employee in my group. This is a helpdesk job and it's extremely rare in this market to keep people, but our company culture has a lot to do with it besides money invested in us.
So, if your workplace doesn't value you then leave. But, remember the grass is always greener, etc. If it's something you enjoy and are good at at - stick it out. I had a boss tell me over 5 years ago that I should leave because I'd never get anywhere. He was gone in less than 6 months. I'm still here. I don't want a promotion because I don't want to manage or hand hold clients.
/shrug if you hate it, then leave. I had 1 job that gave me an eye twitch and my hair started to fall out due to stress. With all your years doing what you want DP, you must have a ton of networking sources to get a diff job in that field. Use them.
That said, IMO though, now is not the time to change jobs because last hired, first fired/layoff. A businesses not impacted this year, will be impacted by the economy by next year. It's a big chance, so ( again imo) take it only if you have a back up plan. I consider this market as bad as 2000/2001 with IT softening or even 1992 when we hit a recession.
edit: to clarify - I asked for more to do - if extra stuff was needed, but w/o a title change =)
That way pay increase is possible but it's on a different scale, not the next pay grade. It depends if you are chasing the $$$ or have ambition.
My experience is within the IT field, and It's a LOT easier to advnace by jumping ship than it is by moving up in the same company.
That's why it depends on the company culture. If the business doesn't invest in you, why worry about you being there 5, 10 or more years later.
I'm not saying that it applies everywhere, but that sometimes therew is more than the fiscal dollar/pay rate at play.
also, new employers will lie to get a person to work for them - especially in repressed markets (N/N midwest) where pickings are slim. (re: sis in laws position sat unfilled for a year)
other include saying oh, it's 7 -4, yet you cannot leave until 7 pm.
quality of life means alot because it cuts down on unscheduled pto or burn out.
