1. #1

    <rant>I hate my job. seniority or performance?

    I'm sure there a lot of people out there that have jobs they enjoy and are thankful for their jobs as well as I should be but, i can't but help my feelings towards my current job position.

    I am a 25 yr old husband and father... i work full time at a local power company as a call center rep. I've been here for 3 years now waiting for a promotion or a new job opportunity and I am at the point where i just want to give up and give this company the finger. Here is where i stand... (btw, it is slow today at work, and there are no people in queue, so yes, i am taking my time to rant. sorry if i wasted your time, maybe someone out there can relate.)

    Since I have worked here in the call center I have had one of the best stats out of the reps in this division. I take more calls, I get better results, etc... yet because the company doesn't recognize performance over seniority, its going to take me a couple more years before I am even considered for a promo. Even when I try to apply for field work i.e. serviceman, lineman, etc... there are so many people to compete with that its impossible for me to get into their apprenticships. Its basically, "Its not what you know, its who you know mentality."

    Anyway, I take about an average of 80 calls a day and about 75% of those calls are people complaining or trying to get something for nothing. Its pathetic... everyday its the same thing. I have to listen to moronic people all day yell at me and try and lie to me about dumb crap i don't even care about. People not being accountable for their actions and trying to downplay their mistakes. People not paying their bills, complaining about the rate without doing any research on the topic, its so sad how far humanity has fallen that this job seriously has made me think about where this world is headed. I am not depressed or anything, I love my wife and child... its just that my job is more than half my life right now to try and support my family and its just getting real old.

    Anyone else in a company where they value seniority > performance? I thinks its best to have a balance between the two but my company doesn't see it that way.

  2. #2
    Deleted
    A career change might be in order. You could consider going to school to learn a new trade skill. You could also consider trying to apply for those field related jobs you want at different companies. It's a long proven method that the fastest way to climb the corporate ladder is by company hopping to a higher position each time. Nonetheless, doing some of this may jeapordize your job security.

    Sorry, the world is a pretty dark place sometimes. Just keep your head up and something will pan out.

  3. #3
    Deleted
    Look for another job, get it in the bag then move up the ladder. Best way to get ahead if you company employs the "dead mans shoes" promotion scheme.

  4. #4
    I know that this is probably not what you want to hear but going to the university would help if you want to get somewhere in life(another option would be starting your own business if you feel you are talented enough).Unless you do something with your life(I know that its hard because of the family and daily labour but it was your decision to become a father so young) there is a good chance that your situation wont improve(dont forget that the vast majority cant break out of such low wage/entry level jobs in their entire life).Alternative solution: get influental friends,everything is a lot easier with a little back-wind.

  5. #5
    I live in one of the worst areas for employment. unemployment here is one of the highest i think, its currently at 13%. I really need to be more thankful for even having a stable job. I like the company i work for, i guess its just the problem of seniority > performance. They give no incentive to work harder and yet i still find myself trying to get better at what I do everyday and I feel like I make no progress.

  6. #6
    Deleted
    Maybe you should look for another job. Don't quit your current job while you look so you're not left without a source of income but from what I've read, this job is doing more bad to you then good.

    Saying this because it seems to really demoralize you and as such you will start working less/worse since what's the need to work better and more then others in the end? So, keep an open mind and just try to find another company or you could also try suggesting your current one some changes, you never know who might listen!

  7. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by exstarcraftfan View Post
    I know that this is probably not what you want to hear but going to the university would help if you want to get somewhere in life(another option would be starting your own business if you feel you are talented enough).Unless you do something with your life(I know that its hard because of the family and daily labour but it was your decision to become a father so young) there is a good chance that your situation wont improve(dont forget that the vast majority cant break out of such low wage/entry level jobs in their entire life).Alternative solution: get influental friends,everything is a lot easier with a little back-wind.
    I have a terrible outlook on our education system right now and I actually have my Associates degree already. We spend so much money on education and with the way the unemployment is right now, there is no reward for all the hard work put it in. Just like the company i work for. I am paying off student loans as we speak and have nothing to show for it at 25 yrs old. My child and my wife dont bring me down either btw, if anything they give me more motivation. Its sad that you have to know people to get ahead in life. Sorry, I am just ranting, not really looking for advice just maybe someone who understands.

  8. #8
    Deleted
    honestly stop complaining over hating your job.
    at least you have stable work. I am lucky if I get temp work that lasts a week, even then its hard repetitive work on a fast production line where you know people from seeing them in other factories because there in the exact same boat as you are.
    Be thankfull that at the end of each week/month you have money in your pocket and not struggling to decide which bills to pay and which bills to pay later.

    Yes people get picked on seniority over performance, this is the way the world works at times and from what your saying there are other reason's not to premote you, if your doing too good a job at the moment, no manager in there right mind would allow you to move you to another department as they would loose you as a team member.

  9. #9
    You’re probably looked over for roles because the only person who would see your stats at an individual level would be your manager and his manager would probably only see the team performances, so your individual performance will only look to your bosses boss as his performance as a manager rather than yours, and moving somewhere else will impact his stats so he is less than willing to help it really is a catch 22 and this is from my experience with that type of work.

    It’s a slow process to promotion in those sorts of jobs so it might be useful to look for a better job, and let your manager know (if you’re in a position where they can’t fire you for no reason.) and make sure that a promotion would be better for the company than losing its top employee this can force his hand a bit but can also be a risky strategy as if you’re easily replaceable he will start singling you out more to try and get you out of the job without firing you.

    If you have a direct contact to your bosses boss see if you can set up an informal chat and let him know about your position in life, as a husband and a father looking for more responsibilities in a company that you enjoy working for and you’re looking for a senior position within the company which can help support your family better and his advice on the situation can also help if you want to stay within the company.

    I agree I absolutely hate how nepotism & office politics dictate promotions in the workplace because of the state of the economy as it mostly means you have to work with idiots that know the right people and have to pick up the slack rather than those who should be there on merit. But I don’t see this changing soon and will probably get worse in my opinion as most middle management types sons and daughters become an employable age people have always favoured their own, look at Trump & Murdoch as prime examples of employing practically retarded children.

  10. #10
    I don't even want to be in this type of work. It just pays well and i have decent benefits. I'd rather be in the field doing service work. They have apprenticships that allow you to get in without a BA or work experience in that field. However, there are so many people that apply that I'm almost positive my applications just get over looked after I've met all the qualifications to be a candidate for the position. I look for new jobs and thats always a slow process and a scary one at that. You never know what you are getting into.

  11. #11
    I really don't know what kind of advice you're looking for since you already know what you have to do; look for a different job.

    I'm a project manager for a software development company here in the UK, and I hate to admit it but when giving out promotions I always look at the people who have been with us the longest, this is mainly because in our industry the longer you have been with us the more chance you have a better understand of company and are a better programmer.

    With that said I will look at everyone who wants the promotion and base it on how well suited they are for the job, I did once promote a guy in his late 20's to management level not long after I was promoted myself but he wasn't with us very long after that.

    Good luck anyway though, I know how hard it is when you're trapped in a job that doesn't make you happy doing what you have to do to get by to support your family. All I can say is try your best to persevere but keep looking for a job that will actually make you happy because later down the line you'll regret it if you don't.

  12. #12
    Quote Originally Posted by bamf775 View Post
    I am at the point where i just want to give up and give this company the finger.
    Don't burn bridges when you leave a company. Walk away gracefully. You never know if you would want/need to come back.

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