Job and General Employment Thread

YouTube · Postby **mikey** » Tue Jul 16, 2019 8:57 pm

Semi-unexpectedly went to do a sales presentation with almost no help today...first for me, as I'm used to be p2p sales, not b2b...and I don't occupy a sales role at my company...

Anyway, nice thing is that I knew about the stuff I was talking about...ate my balls on what I didn't know...so...whatever, we'll see...I felt I didn't do very well, which has me bummed out...it's also not my job or an area of my company I have any knowledge of...I just went because I'm the second most gregarious personality behind the sales guy...

Postby **mac5155** » Tue Jul 16, 2019 9:04 pm

Interview Friday for a new company. God it feels so dirty job hunting while employed.

This is a corporate job for a large sporting goods retailer in the Pittsburgh area. So if ya happen to work there PM me... I have questions.

Postby **mamaemeritus** » Wed Jul 17, 2019 7:45 am

Interview Friday for a new company. God it feels so dirty job hunting while employed.

This is a corporate job for a large sporting goods retailer in the Pittsburgh area. So if ya happen to work there PM me... I have questions.

I don't work there, but I know people that have interviewed there. The interview sounds all nice - they give you a tour of the building which is apparently insanely nice, and you get souvenirs like pens, cups, etc. Just for interviewing! I think it's a decent company to work for - good luck!

Postby **Joegap** » Wed Jul 17, 2019 8:42 am

Interview Friday for a new company. God it feels so dirty job hunting while employed.

This is a corporate job for a large sporting goods retailer in the Pittsburgh area. So if ya happen to work there PM me... I have questions.
I don't work there, but I know people that have interviewed there. The interview sounds all nice - they give you a tour of the building which is apparently insanely nice, and you get souvenirs like pens, cups, etc. Just for interviewing! I think it's a decent company to work for - good luck!

I interviewed there, it was just standard interview questions like tell me about a time when? Absolutely beautiful campus with a very nice gym.

Postby **shafnutz05** » Wed Jul 17, 2019 8:47 am

I have been blissfully unaware of Glassdoor until this afternoon when I learned that a former co-worker posted a review and was told I should read it. That led me down a rabbit hole of reviews dating back to 2015. I'm very depressed about my job now. The worst part is, the negative reviews are not only spot on, but are written by anonymous current employees so I can't even blame their bitterness on being fired.

Yeah, it is very easy to spot the disgruntled (usually fired) employees that write reviews on there. There are some elements of truth at times, but most often it is just someone that is bitter with an ax to grind.

Postby **Morkle** » Wed Jul 17, 2019 9:08 am

Interview Friday for a new company. God it feels so dirty job hunting while employed.

This is a corporate job for a large sporting goods retailer in the Pittsburgh area. So if ya happen to work there PM me... I have questions.
I don't work there, but I know people that have interviewed there. The interview sounds all nice - they give you a tour of the building which is apparently insanely nice, and you get souvenirs like pens, cups, etc. Just for interviewing! I think it's a decent company to work for - good luck!
I interviewed there, it was just standard interview questions like tell me about a time when? Absolutely beautiful campus with a very nice gym.

I've known a few people that have worked there. None of them had very nice things to say about the atmosphere or the corporate policies.

Postby **mac5155** » Wed Jul 17, 2019 9:43 am

Interview Friday for a new company. God it feels so dirty job hunting while employed.

This is a corporate job for a large sporting goods retailer in the Pittsburgh area. So if ya happen to work there PM me... I have questions.
I don't work there, but I know people that have interviewed there. The interview sounds all nice - they give you a tour of the building which is apparently insanely nice, and you get souvenirs like pens, cups, etc. Just for interviewing! I think it's a decent company to work for - good luck!
I interviewed there, it was just standard interview questions like tell me about a time when? Absolutely beautiful campus with a very nice gym.
I've known a few people that have worked there. None of them had very nice things to say about the atmosphere or the corporate policies.

I have as well, in the IT side... and they mentioned long hours, tight deadlines, and zero wiggle room. But also that things have since changed. So, that's why I'm just gonna give it a try,

Postby **mamaemeritus** » Wed Jul 17, 2019 9:38 pm

Management is for suckers.

That is all.

Postby **mac5155** » Wed Jul 17, 2019 9:56 pm

It sucks once you reach a certain point though, because if you want to stay an IC there are very few options. And the salary doesn't really ever grow in big chunks.

Postby **mamaemeritus** » Wed Jul 17, 2019 10:11 pm

I meant me. I’m the sucker. “Management” is literally fecking code for “here are your inherited HR nightmares that no one before you wanted to deal with.”

Stan was just stupid. (Though I wasn’t his manager)

My one current direct report is just...not cut out for this line of work. And also perhaps morphing into intentional disregard/trickery territory. And I don’t have the gd time to deal with it right now.

YouTube · Postby **mikey** » Thu Jul 18, 2019 7:18 am

Do what I did...keep a log of issues for each individual, date it, document it, write up when appropriate, and then ditch...build your own team, in your image...

There is 0% chance that I don't have the best team (out of eight or so distinct teams) in my company...you can't out exercise a bad diet...

Postby **mamaemeritus** » Thu Jul 18, 2019 7:22 am

Do what I did...keep a log of issues for each individual, date it, document it, write up when appropriate, and then ditch...build your own team, in your image...

There is 0% chance that I don't have the best team (out of eight or so distinct teams) in my company...you can't out exercise a bad diet...

I have started to. Unfortunately, I work at a place where you've got to write the Game of Thrones series in terms of "performance planning" before they even THINK about getting rid of anyone. I'm also fighting the battle of the complacency that existed before I got here. aka "I worked here for a year and half with no issues, now YOU got here and suddenly there's a problem..."

Postby **dodint** » Thu Jul 18, 2019 7:25 am

hey hey hey...YOU could've stayed with Stan.

Postby **mamaemeritus** » Thu Jul 18, 2019 7:26 am

hey hey hey...YOU could've stayed with Stan.

'Tis true. But, alas, poor Stan, his days were numbered anyway.

YouTube · Postby **mikey** » Thu Jul 18, 2019 7:32 am

Do what I did...keep a log of issues for each individual, date it, document it, write up when appropriate, and then ditch...build your own team, in your image...

There is 0% chance that I don't have the best team (out of eight or so distinct teams) in my company...you can't out exercise a bad diet...
I have started to. Unfortunately, I work at a place where you've got to write the Game of Thrones series in terms of "performance planning" before they even THINK about getting rid of anyone. I'm also fighting the battle of the complacency that existed before I got here. aka "I worked here for a year and half with no issues, now YOU got here and suddenly there's a problem..."

I figured as much. But I'd come back with: you hired me to do a job and part of that job is improving our team and improving our product...that's what I'm going to do.

Then if they don't see it your way, that's when you kidnap one of their family members...

Postby **mamaemeritus** » Thu Jul 18, 2019 7:57 am

Yeah. I totally have the backing of my manager, which is good. I've been documenting (there has been much to document), etc. But I'm also fighting the battle of his former mgr is still in the department (who is a good employee, but a poor mgr), and I'm trying to not throw him under the bus at the same time. It's a balancing act. I legitimately hate this. Lock me in a room and let me do my own work. That's the ideal situation for me - to be responsible for me and no one else. Unfortunately, that's not the way of the world. To get compensated, you have to get pushed into no-win middle management limbo.

Postby **Morkle** » Thu Jul 18, 2019 9:19 am

It's business if his former manager isn't cut out for being a manager, hiding his mistakes doesn't help anyone.

Postby **iamjs** » Thu Jul 18, 2019 12:09 pm

Dell tech is supposed to be here today to replace some parts on this laptop that had a swollen battery. I could have done it myself, but since we have the coverage and my schedule is crammed for the rest of the week, I decided to have them deploy a tech.

So this dude calls my desk and I'm away. I return his call from my cell, giving him my cell number since I knew that I'd be away from my desk most of the morning. One of the main things I mentioned was to give me a 15-30 minute heads-up prior to showing up. I have two "meetings" that are very flexible on time, one of which I could probably walk away from if needed. For somehow who was "on their way around lunch", I haven't seen or heard any trace from this person.

I already know how this is gonna play out: my plan was to run home for lunch. I guarantee the second I pull into my driveway, I'm gonna get a call from the receptionist saying the tech is here.

Postby **pens9192** » Thu Jul 18, 2019 2:34 pm

Rumor that the Project Managers on my floor will be moving floors sometime in the near future. Thank god, the office will get ten times quieter when that happens.

The Milton-esque guy in the cube next to me left last week. His contract wasn’t renewed. No shock there. The Admin on our floor cleaned his desk and had a few boxes of garbage that included half eaten candy and used condiment packages. Had to use a few Chlorox wipes to get the desk surface completely clean.

My manager is leaving the company..in four weeks. She just turned in her four weeks notice. Still dedicated to the company got the very end. Been with the company 19 years. It sucks because she was the most technically competent and supportive manager I have ever had and also one I have never met in person. Go figure. The interim manager will be a senior level analyst just hired to the company three months ago. He’s a pretty nice guy but I am anxious..

Postby **mamaemeritus** » Thu Jul 18, 2019 5:36 pm

It's business if his former manager isn't cut out for being a manager, hiding his mistakes doesn't help anyone.

Holy s is this true. Semi came to a head today, and somehow I ended up looking bad too. At least I feel like I did. Was NOT a good day at work.

Oh, and I pretty much busted the guy working the system re: PTO, but I have no way of proving it because no one ever felt it necessary to keep track of a chronic call-offer's days.

Postby **MR25** » Thu Jul 18, 2019 10:11 pm

Oh come on you can't just leave it at that!

YouTube · Postby **mikey** » Fri Jul 19, 2019 6:36 am

Yes! We're back on the Hot Mess Express with mamaemeritus!

Vent/story time...we are all ears...

Postby **mamaemeritus** » Fri Jul 19, 2019 7:13 am

Oh - ha. I didn't really think it was that much of a cliffhanger. I don't want to say too much because I'm paranoid he'll somehow see this. But essentially we were all meeting about the dead weight guy. I think the former mgr is worried that all this stuff coming out now makes him look bad, which it sort of does. He was pretty defensive in the meeting.

He's also been acting strangely to me for awhile, to the point where others have noticed. It essentially came out yesterday he thinks that I and one of my direct reports (also female) have been talking about him behind his back via IM. I was floored. We do IM, because she's a millenial and that's how she asks me questions. We do, on rare occasions, have personal back and forths - i.e. her having a baby in the future and being a working mother - but we have never mentioned this guy in an IM other than me saying "I think he hates me." He even went so far as to cite instances where he "heard her type and then I immediately typed." Again, floored. How old are we?? So I had to explain that that wasn't the case - but then we BOTH had to get the "we all have to get along" speech. It was so embarrassing, and I was mortified - but I didn't even do anything wrong. I feel like I can't even look my boss in the eye after this.

Postby **Kane** » Fri Jul 19, 2019 8:55 am

My boss makes some strange decisions some times. Another employee emailed him a simple question to answer, but instead of just answering it quickly, he forwarded it to me.

YouTube · Postby **mikey** » Fri Jul 19, 2019 9:23 am

That kind of insecurity is a real tough look imo...that's pretty garbagey. In that situation, I've taken some more aggressive stands just to set the tone because letting that slowly bleed into the work relationship is no win. So, I'd rather just try to cut it off out front "listen pal, no one is out to get you...check the game notes, we're just doing our job."

Unrelated: One of the four main leaders in our company (married to one of the others, son-in-law to the CEO) was away on paternity leave for the last two or so months...came back earlier this week, pulled me aside and said "you've been doing a really good job recently...blah blah blah"

Now, I appreciate the kind words as I require constant validation...but, how do you know? Frankly, I don't think it's even true...I'm also due a raise this week, so I'll use that line to pad my bank account a little...

I don't know, this is a weird, weird place...