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prunesquallor

The odd part is she hasn't always got on with our manager, they certainly used to be more chummy than they are now. She always has some gripe or other and doesn't take responsibility to develop herself. And she doesn't tend to work with others.

As you say there's nothing I can do about it but the whole clicking with people doesn't seem to apply in this case. So I'm still left a bit bemused as to why this has happened. It's not that I'm crying about it right now - in fact I've just started learning a new system/technology. It's just humiliating how I've performed better with a more technical job and yet she ends up with more.

I am getting on with things at work, but this whole thing just doesn't sit right. Something stinks, and it's not down to my personal hygiene.

prunesquallor

Slinky wrote: »

I told the management pay me the same or I leave, they wouldn't so I left. That set off down a path in life that led me to meet my now husband and run my own business making 5-6 times what I was earning in that job. There are other options out there for you, maybe it's time you found somewhere that appreciates you more.

Thanks, I'd love to work for myself. Then all this corporate crap goes out of the window.

kaflinkle wrote: »

These employees are called BEs - Bulletproof Employees. No matter what they do or how bad they perform or behave, they either get away with it or in some cases I've seen, get a pay increase/promotion. In all companies these people exist and to be honest, you are best to concentrate on you're own career than to worry about other people, it'll drive you nuts otherwise.

I think you're right, in the space of 2 days of knowing this it made me miserable (yet still quite productive, go figure). Yesterday, she sat there doing nothing saying she was bored, it's insulting and they don't even realise it.

bluenoseam wrote: »

During pay reviews it's highly possible that they have been more aggressive and as a result have secured a better deal, that's more to do with gall than negotiation.

She usually keeps to herself but I think has occasionally been a bit argumentative and moany in reviews. Needless to say she's always scored less than me but obviously has been given more... Thing is I can never question management on the salary difference as I'm not supposed to know. Wish companies had to publish salary information.

makeyourdaddyproud

You're a developer. Probably the only career in which two years' of experience can throw one into the big money contracts. Ergo, you are complaining about nothing. Does your momma wipe your bum too?

Build your skills, look for contract work, jack the job and enjoy the new money. Why waste time even posting here?

prunesquallor

makeyourdaddyproud wrote: »

Does your momma wipe your bum too?

No, not sure what would inspire you to make such a comment - in any scenario.

makeyourdaddyproud wrote: »

Build your skills, look for contract work, jack the job and enjoy the new money.

Thanks for your advice, I will look at building skills as luckily my employer has just taken on a new well recognised platform. Not sure about contracting as it will mean commuting or renting a room or staying at a hotel. None of these appeal as a lifestyle, though the compensation would be nice.

makeyourdaddyproud wrote: »

Why waste time even posting here?

For advice and other peoples experience - same reason anyone posts on any forum. It's also a good way of letting off steam whilst remaining anonymous. It's a bit of a waste of time asking some one why they're wasting time posting on a forum...

makeyourdaddyproud

Not sure what the platform alluded to is but Siebel was a wallet filler for me, 2004-2006. The money that arose from this new found edification (courtesy of a sucker employer), helped me to earn six months of free time each year between subsequent contracts. So, even if you toughed it out, this new skill could possible earn you a similar measure of free time. But I already had 10 years+ of SQL and C...

prunesquallor

makeyourdaddyproud wrote: »

Siebel was a wallet filler for me, 2004-2006. The money that arose from this new found edification (courtesy of a sucker employer), helped me to earn six months of free time each year between subsequent contracts.

So you were originally a permanent employee and underpaid until they took on Siebel and so, after you learnt the ropes with that, you went off contracting? If that's the case, that might be the route I end up going down. Either way now's the time to get busy learning.

Salesforce is the platform I'm referring to - in fact that looks to be a similar platform to Siebel. I hadn't heard of it until the company decided to take it on, but on investigation it seems quite a sought after skill in terms of jobs on linkedin. Plenty for me to start training on. I've only been trial using it for one week and think I've worked out a lot of the administrator / visual based set up just through exploration. But will obviously need formal training, especially on the programming side. That may end up being self funded but it seems to be worth it.

PlutoinCapricorn

There is indeed a demand for people with Salesforce experience: many charities for example are converting to it to save money. They all need customisation operations.

prunesquallor

Salesforce is my most logical next step then. I'm wondering whether I could get away with using it for one year in my current role rather than two years before looking at moving on? I guess it depends on how much of the functionality I'll be using, I can only try to use as much as I can get away with. And nothing stopping me learning more at home in my own time.

PlutoinCapricorn wrote: »

There is indeed a demand for people with Salesforce experience: many charities for example are converting to it to save money. They all need customisation operations.

Interesting, I wouldn't have thought charities would be using it - are licenses cheaper than others? I certainly would like to work for a charity, although in that case I would expect a lower salary - unless they tend to take on short term contractors? I imagine contractors would save them money in the long run.

PlutoinCapricorn

There are Salesforce modules suitable for charities - handling Gift Aid for example.

Charities get a good deal: free licences for example. There is a fundraising package called the Raiser's Edge that is good but expensive, so many RE users are moving to Salesforce. Some consultancies are creating conversion packages: Over the Edge for example. Most need extra customisation.

prunesquallor

I still have a nagging question of why the discrepancy. The reason it's still nagging is all of the possible reasons I've read about online are refutable:

- Later start date so different acceptable salary: false, she started 2 years before me
- Better negotiation skills: false, she started on a 10k below my starting salary, although it went up due to a job offer but even then it was still below mine
- Better skill set: false, not only do I have a more technical role with a wider range of commercial skills I also do more than she does. Not only that but I also perform some of the roles that she should be doing
- The other person works harder: false, historically I have frequently worked out of hours whilst she never does. She always leaves on the dot at 5. Half the time at work she's messing with her phone so I know for a fact that she's not even working half the time. And she always takes a lunch break. Just last week she was happy to sit around saying she was bored just because the manager wasn't around.
- She is more friendly: false, she often doesn't get along with people, she's rarely approached by anyone at her desk. She'll often !!!!! about people behind their backs

So it's all of the above together that makes me wonder how on earth she's ended up on more than me. I know I'm labouring the point, but it really is puzzling me given that there doesn't seem to be any reasonable explanation.