How can I stop this from ever happening again?

Legacy_user

I've been job hunting and have 2 interviews this week:D The first 2 I have had in months of applying, If I do happen to get one, I want to make sure the following never happens again.

When you start a new job its normal to get the rubbishy type jobs for a while, correct? I expected it to be fair. However I'm not trying to blow my own trumpet but I done that good a job I am still doing them almost 4 years later:mad: Its stuck with me now, I can't get out of it.

Where as the other employees complained, huffed and puffed, I just got on with it and to be honest I feel I am just being taken advantage of now. A typical example of this was just this week, I heard a co-worker complaing to the boss "I don't feel I should have to do this" 5 mins later over comes the boss to me "Will you do this" and I just do it.

And as I have mentioned before, The ironic thing is out of the 6 or so of us I am the most experienced and qualified yet their I am doing the donkey work, I mean I am right at the bottom of the ladder, Its actually laughable when I think about it, there I am taking instructions from an 18 year old with limited experience and 0 qualifications.

And you know whats worse, is the way I have changed to fit into this situation, because I am doing all the cr*p I actually have started to act like I am thick and can't do any better, I act how they perceive me to be, so much so if I told them now about my experience etc they would think I am bull$hitting.

So as I say how can I make sure this never happens again? How do you put your knowledge and experience across without sounding cocky?

Horace

Rather than saying yes all the time then start saying no. It is hard to say no but it becomes easier over time. Don't whatever stop what you are doing to pick up this new item of work - say that you will get to it on Thursday, prioritise your work - new work goes to the bottom of the pile.

Also you need to tackle your situation and not be passive - ask your manager for some professional development courses (do some research first into things that interest you work wise and then approach your manager). You need to take the initiative. Ask your manager for more responsibility, I would even explain that it is demoralising to take orders from a barely qualified 18 year old (I guess that's just me taking the bull by the horns as it is what I would do). Say that you have been there four years and want to progress as this will increase your productivity and give you greater job satisfaction if you are allowed to take on more responsibility - then ask for the training courses (a training course will get you out of the office and meeting new people - networking opportunitie may lead to a new job).

HTH

Cemeteryjunction64

I have always worked on the basis that you keep your head down, do a good job and to a certain extent put some trust in your employer to appreciate what you do and value you.

I also believe that people who are inflexible and regularly complain do not do themselves any favours. Overtime they develop a reputation which will work against them and their career.

Problem is if you work for a large company or a poor manager or work under lots of different managers who don’t really see the full picture and you aren’t vocal, you can be left behind and under valued. Many bosses are looking for as easy a working life as possible. If they can assign tasks to employees who will do them without compliant they will do so and the tasks nobody wants to do go to those who don’t resist.

I would say that you need to communicate to management in a positive way i.e. get your point across in a constructive manner e.g. “whilst I am happy to do this, I have x years of experience now and feel that I could be making a bigger contribution if I were given the opportunity to xxx etc…..”
If you get the chance, do it casually and drop it into conversation with a manager. You should also ask for a review at least once a year and make a case which highlights the benefits to the company as well as yourself.

By the way, I’m not a HR manager but I have run a couple of businesses in the past. Good luck.:beer:

ferien_uk

Cemeteryjunction64 wrote: »

I have always worked on the basis that you keep your head down, do a good job and to a certain extent put some trust in your employer to appreciate what you do and value you.

This is a nice idea in theory, but I have never seen it happen in reality. I have learned from experience that you need to speak up to get yourself noticed, especially when at a bigger company.

The people who get promoted aren't necessarily the ones that work the hardest, but the ones that management perceive to be working the hardest.

My advice to the OP is to speak to your manager to let them know you are interested in progressing. He/ she probably doesn't even realise you feel this way.

However, sometimes once you are perceived a certain way, it is difficult to then be perceived in a different way. If you have tried your best to progress here and it's just not happening, then just find a new job, and like you said, never let it happen again! I have been in this situation too, and I have learned that you need to be responsible for moving yourself forward. Sometimes, you'll find an employer that is really supportive and will help you progress, but a lot of the time they either don't care or do care but just don't have the time to focus on anybody's job but their own.

I know I'm coming across as a cynic, but I mean it in a positive way. Ie rather than sitting around being all bitter about not being promoted, go and do something about it yourself.

Cemeteryjunction64

Just to add to this discussion. I think to a certain extent it depends on what your job is and how your company values what you do. For example I started my working life in sales and as long as I brought the sales in, and they were genuine sales, nothing else really mattered. So I didn’t have to worry about how I was perceived too much to get ahead because results were what mattered to the business.

The same can be said with different jobs i.e. if you are a solicitor or accountant how much revenue do you generate for the firm has a fairly large bearing on what your value to the business is. And if I worked on a production line, how many tasks can I perform per minute compared to my colleague etc…..

Don’t let yourself be sidetracked with stuff which the business doesn’t value. The workplace is a competitive place so make sure you are doing the things which will get you ahead.

coffee_prince

I know what you mean, I am in a the same situation, but this job is just a minimum wage retail one. I just let them think I don't know anything etc, it makes for less hassle. I am sure they don't want me acting all 'uppity'.

If you have the same job title then don't take any slack from anyone. A superior on the other hand is a different issue

getmore4less

As has been sais the real trick is identifying the tasks that are really important and making sure you are seen to be doing those.

Other stuff can wait.

Knowing who wants tasks done and making sure those people know you are doing them is also an important part of getting recognised.

Middle manager/team leaders will try to hide this information and make sure they get the credit for getting stuff done. Make sure you know which of the higher ups is important and influential and be seen to be doing the stuff they want done.

Look for crisis situations and step in if they are important avoid if they are just headless chicken crises that are not important.

System

Thanks for all the advice, I think as was already said when you are perceived in such a way it is almost impossible to change peoples perceptions, hence why I am on the look out for a new job, its pointless trying to put these tips into practice with my current employer, the problem I think arose with my previous employers, where you put your head down, done what was required and you progressed, sadly not all employers are like this, if they see you doing all the cr*p rather than giving you a break they seem to think, he is reliable, I can depend on him to do the job without hassle so I'll keep him at it and this will free up another team member.

System

Horace wrote: »

Rather than saying yes all the time then start saying no. It is hard to say no but it becomes easier over time. Don't whatever stop what you are doing to pick up this new item of work - say that you will get to it on Thursday, prioritise your work - new work goes to the bottom of the pile.

Also you need to tackle your situation and not be passive - ask your manager for some professional development courses (do some research first into things that interest you work wise and then approach your manager). You need to take the initiative. Ask your manager for more responsibility, I would even explain that it is demoralising to take orders from a barely qualified 18 year old (I guess that's just me taking the bull by the horns as it is what I would do). Say that you have been there four years and want to progress as this will increase your productivity and give you greater job satisfaction if you are allowed to take on more responsibility - then ask for the training courses (a training course will get you out of the office and meeting new people - networking opportunitie may lead to a new job).

HTH

Sorry, but I was having a re-read of this thread and must of missed your post. This made me smile, When I first started in there was have a part of our factory that make laminate flooring, for the laminate to stick to the wood presses are used, heat in the pressing room can easily reach 40'c, In that end of our factory we have portuguese workers because they can stick the heat better, My work was light a few years back so got sent up there, I have high blood pressure, my face was like a tomato and felt really faint. The next day my boss wanted me to go up there again, I explained the situation with my blood pressure etc, he said "Well if you don't want to do it of you go" meaning go home and don't come back.

Or when we moved into this house I needed a reference, so asked my employer, I asked him 5 times and in the end just gave up, it was obvious he didn't want to do it, so went to a previous employer:D

So I can just see his face if I ask him to send me on a professional development course.

But thanks to this thread I have been on the look out today and one thing saw blindingly obvious, so obvious I don't know why I haven't picked up on it before now.

When I arrived in this morning I got the thrilling task of emptying bins, just what I love to do on a Monday morning and quite frankly F8cked me of the rest of the day, but back to the story, I done that again without any thanks, I watched my bosses boss I.E the owner come down and praise him for the place being so tidy, infact that theme continued all day, Owner gives boss a job, boss gives jobs, boss gets praise even though he did nothing and if I look back it has been that way ever since I started, Owners tells boss what needs done, work is devided out between workers with yours truly getting the rubbish no one else wants.