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I have gone through a roller coaster ride... and I can’t make any sense of why I shouldn’t be promoted or at least recognized for my efforts...

July 2006

Dear Office-Politics,

I joined my organization a year ago. This is my first job out of university.

I started out positively – always enthusiastic to learn and produce good results. My manager was very happy with my performance. However, as the months went by they gave me more and more responsibility, which I took on positively but there was a point when I knew I couldn’t take on more work.

I spoke to my manager privately and explained to him that I could not take on more responsibility – he did not want to listen. He said that our group was still growing and the work was building up and I had to “bite the bullet” for the team.

So I took on more but I could feel myself getting overwhelmed and I was 6 months into the new job. I began to make mistakes and I must confess my concentration began to thin being divided by several tasks. Eventually my manager wrote up a warning memo to me informing my higher ups that I was under performing. I was on a 1-month probationary period, which they later discontinued in 2 weeks. But thereafter my trust in the organization and my team has been broken.

I have received no appreciation for my efforts and hard work and I have been relegated to the background. One of my teammates who joined 5 months after me has been promoted to supervisor. They have pretty much given him my job without the extra work load and I am back to what I first started doing. My manager resigned a few months ago and now I have a new manager who isn’t very supportive and is quick at pointing fingers at me when something goes wrong (knowing that it has happened before) even if I am not to blame. I really don’t have any sort of relationship with my current new manager because I am scared of opening up to her.

I have been looking for other job opportunities elsewhere within and outside the company. I have completed 11 months now and I feel I have gone through a roller coaster ride and everything has happened so fast that I still can’t make any sense of what has happened and why I shouldn’t be promoted or at least recognized for my efforts. Maybe you could help me figure this out?

Let Down and Ready to Quit

Dear Let Down and Ready to Quit,

Entering the workforce for the very first time can be tough. Although this experience has been challenging, you can take a few valuable lessons from it that will help you in future positions.

The transition from an academic setting to 'the real world' of work can be daunting. Getting a new job, at any stage, is exciting yet pretty confusing because there the rules are different. It takes time and effort to figure things out and begin to feel confident in your abilities and part of the culture.

Next time, concentrate on discovering the organizational culture, i.e. the unspoken rules on how to get things done and the best ways to be recognized for your hard work. Seek out several friendly people who seem knowledgeable and ask questions like:

1. What do you think I should know about working here?
2. What do you wish someone had told you when you started here?
3. Is there anything I should avoid doing?

You'll be more successful if you know the rules of engagement.

Regarding your relationship with your current new boss, I have a question for you. You say you're afraid of opening up to your new manager. How will things change for the better if you don't open up and talk with her? Beginning a dialogue with your boss might signal to her that you are a team player who takes initiative to find solutions.

You asked why you weren't promoted or recognized for your hard work. While I don't have all the facts, I do know that employees often believe that simply being a hard worker will bring rewards. Sadly, it isn't enough. A course or book about 'personal branding' like Make a Name for Yourself: Eight Steps Every Woman Needs to Create a Brand for Success will give you tips and strategies for sharing your accomplishments in a professional way that can lead to new opportunities.

Thanks for writing to Office-Politics. Best wishes for a bright future.

Dina

Dina Beach Lynch, JD
Ombudsman
http://www.workwelltogether.com
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