Career decision time!
I need some advice, and I think maybe you all might have some experience with my type of situation. If General Discussion wasn't the place to put this thread, I'd appreciate someone moving it for me =] Also, I have coworkers that read these forums, so I need to keep this a little vague (though it involves none of them; I work with great people). Hopefully I can get enough of it across to get some help.
SO. Last July, an internal job posting went up on my company's job boards. At that point I was a junior member of the art team. I had already been branching out in a more technical direction, and had a good working relationship with the person who would be training the hire-ee, so I threw my name into the hat for the job. I got it. But I also didn't.
They wanted me to do several months of training, to make sure I was a good fit (get down the workflow, make sure I was comfortable with the work, that sort of thing). Perfectly reasonable. The last week in September (three months later) rolled around, and I approached my boss about the title change and accompanying raise. He/she (see? vague!) told me that, to convince HR the position was necessary, I would have to perform the job for a while to prove there was a need. "A while" was never defined, and two weeks later we had a round of layoffs. I dodged the axe, and continued to do what I was I had been told would get me the promotion.
I performed the job well, and about two months ago decided to ask about the title change/raise again. We had another round of layoffs not even a day later, with no warning. Again, I survived, but decided it was A) in poor taste and
stupid to ask for the promotion at that time.
This week I asked my boss again, and I'm now being told that he/she doesn't know when he/she will be able to promote internally again. I really have no idea how to handle this. This is my first "real" (read: salaried that uses my degree) job. While I've received awards for streamlining parts of our workflow, and a bonus within my first two months on the job for implementing a tool that saved them some serious payroll, it seems like I'm just being used for free work now. The position I'd be moving into comes with a ~25% increase in pay over what I'm currently making, and they've gotten 6 months of free labor + 3 months of training labor out of me.
I've obtained some new skills, which is always great, but it feels like I'm being taken for granted at this point. The situation sucks even more because I *really* like the new work I've been doing. I don't want to stop doing it, but I also don't want to do it for free (especially when I've been as good as guaranteed the job). Has anyone else witnessed or had to experience a situation like this? Anyone have any suggestions on how I can handle it, short of giving them an "I get the job or I'm outta here" kind of ultimatum, or just continuing to work for free forever?
Any help you all could offer is GREATLY appreciated.
SO. Last July, an internal job posting went up on my company's job boards. At that point I was a junior member of the art team. I had already been branching out in a more technical direction, and had a good working relationship with the person who would be training the hire-ee, so I threw my name into the hat for the job. I got it. But I also didn't.
They wanted me to do several months of training, to make sure I was a good fit (get down the workflow, make sure I was comfortable with the work, that sort of thing). Perfectly reasonable. The last week in September (three months later) rolled around, and I approached my boss about the title change and accompanying raise. He/she (see? vague!) told me that, to convince HR the position was necessary, I would have to perform the job for a while to prove there was a need. "A while" was never defined, and two weeks later we had a round of layoffs. I dodged the axe, and continued to do what I was I had been told would get me the promotion.
I performed the job well, and about two months ago decided to ask about the title change/raise again. We had another round of layoffs not even a day later, with no warning. Again, I survived, but decided it was A) in poor taste and
stupid to ask for the promotion at that time.This week I asked my boss again, and I'm now being told that he/she doesn't know when he/she will be able to promote internally again. I really have no idea how to handle this. This is my first "real" (read: salaried that uses my degree) job. While I've received awards for streamlining parts of our workflow, and a bonus within my first two months on the job for implementing a tool that saved them some serious payroll, it seems like I'm just being used for free work now. The position I'd be moving into comes with a ~25% increase in pay over what I'm currently making, and they've gotten 6 months of free labor + 3 months of training labor out of me.
I've obtained some new skills, which is always great, but it feels like I'm being taken for granted at this point. The situation sucks even more because I *really* like the new work I've been doing. I don't want to stop doing it, but I also don't want to do it for free (especially when I've been as good as guaranteed the job). Has anyone else witnessed or had to experience a situation like this? Anyone have any suggestions on how I can handle it, short of giving them an "I get the job or I'm outta here" kind of ultimatum, or just continuing to work for free forever?
Any help you all could offer is GREATLY appreciated.
Replies
but ya. the dreaded "soon" or "its coming!"... i hate it all
Since they didn't and have put you in a limbo, you have two choices, sit down with them and in strong, but polite manner note them that you too are human being with basic needs and working and deserve to be treated as such, or hand in your resignation and go to greener pastures.
Either way, don't act rash, make sure you have a backup plan first, but most importantly, make sure you're not being cut dry either way.
The portfolio is ready to get fired off. I think I'll hold out until I've had an offer or two before I talk to the boss. That way if the talk goes poorly, I'm not totally screwed.
Thanks again!