"Pepperoni and Sour Grapes"

I was wondering what you think of my solution to a problem that has developed at work. I have been with the company for 14 yrs and recently a senior position became available at the office. I informed my boss that I was interested in the position. He then went and hired someone with only 9 months experience doing this type of work. So my solution to the problem is to find a new job and once I have accepted the new position, I plan to order in pizza for the entire office (its a small company), and while everybody is eating I plan to stand up and tell the boss to take his job and shove it up his ass. Doing so in a calm cool voice and then simply walking out of the room and out to my car.

Do you have a better solution?

Pizza Lunch Host

Dear Pizza Lunch Host,

Such actions as you describe feel like they will be satisfying in our fantasy, but I suspect they seldom turn out to be more than awkward and even embarrassing if we follow through on them.

The experience you have had can provide you with valuable information. It may be painful to hear, but why not ask your boss for a private interview and sit down with him/her and ask why the decision was made. What is there that you might do to improve your chances of getting such a promotion the next time around?

If you can't bear the thought of such a conversation, or if you are sure that the reasons for the other person being hired are not related to merit, you may be right to consider leaving the firm. But it surely won't help in your job search if you leave in the way you describe.

You might, however, draft a letter of resignation explaining to your boss, in calm, cool words, the reason for your leaving. That way there is a possibility he/she may learn something.

In any case, save the pizza for your family and friends to share with you, after you have done all you can to make this unfortunate experience have a positive outcome.

Dr. John

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