BootsnAll Travel Community

OK, basically I'm looking for some outside opinions on my current job situation. Beware, many personal life details lie ahead. Haha. Here goes....trying to make a really, really long story short, so I hope it makes sense.

So...I am staff at the UofO. My office has been in a state of complete chaos since about November...the hiring and firing of people, financial scandal, blah blah blah. At the end of January, my immediate supervisor was moved to a different department, leaving her position. I am very well qualified for this job, so I apply. After some terribly awkward interviews (I feel they made it way harder than it should have been, but thats beside the point ), and lots of beating around the bush, they decide to hire someone else, also from our department. I chalk this up to the fact that although I am far more qualified, she is buds with the boss. (Also, I don't blame her, the other girl that is, we are really good friends infact.) But towards the end of this hiring process another job, same classification, pay, benefits, etc., opens up. So I hear in random office gossip they they are more or less looking for both positions. But in the end, they only hire for the one. This was a couple of weeks ago. So there is still another position that isn't filled, and we all just sorta hang out for a couple of weeks picking up the slack from this person who isn't there any more. End of last week, the boss says to me something to the effect of "I am really grateful for all the work you do here, and am looking for a way to be able to keep you here longer." (My term ends in June, so either I get hired to a higher position, or I gotta find a different job.) So I'm thinking, awesome, maybe they'll just offer me that other job, and everything will be cool. But no. This morning, I'm cruising around our website, and that job is posted again! So I am so annoyed by this, I call my mom. Haha. This afternoon, the boss says, "by the way, that other position is open. i'd love to see your applications." I just stared for a second and said that I would think about it. But basically, I feel like I got totally screwed in this deal. First, there is no way that the person who got hired in the first place is more qualified than I am. Second, the way she, the boss, talks about it, makes it seem like she thinks this is funny. Third, quit telling me how much you appreciate me and want to keep me around and all this bullshit if you don't mean it. Fourth, she's given me soooo much more work in the last couple of weeks...like its ok to totally overload me now that she can still keep paying me not even close to enough for what I deal with everyday. Fifth, if another one of her friends applies, I feel like it would be another gigantic waste of my time.Um. Yeah, and what makes this harder is that I know she does appreciate what I do, its just weird sometimes, and I do still really like my boss. I love everyone else I work with, and I don't really want to leave. So, what I'm asking is....tell them to f@%& off because I don't want your sloppy job seconds, or swallow my pride and go for it again? THere is something so insincere about it all, its hard to figure out whats going on.I could definately use the extra money, not to mention the insurance, but is it worth all this again? I don't NEED it, but it would be nice. I don't know, this is so stupid. Haha.

Thoughts?

Why not apply for the job again? You know that you're qualified for the job, but are inhibited by the thought of losing the job to someone with 'connections'.. that's not a good enough excuse in my book. Go for it! You never know until you try.. Good luck!

look elsewhere, make sure your cv is upto date and move on..
If they want you they'll pay for you, or find out too late, by which stage you'll be so p1ssed off you'll leave anyway..

the extra workload may be testing you though. see if you are capable of a step up

If, generally speaking, you like working there and would like to "advance"...apply again. If they don't promote you, they don't--but you'll have the benefit of knowing. You won't know until you know...

GO DUCKS!

If you like your boss and have a good working/personal relationship with her, I would just ask her to be honest with you and explain to you "what's going on here?" That's just me mind you, at 47 I pretty much just say what I want to say these days! Good luck and don't let them mess with you...you're a valuable employee and there are plenty of companies that would love to have you on their team!

So, just to get this clear, you applied for one job, didn't get hired and are now frustrated because they didn't give you a second job which you didn't specifically express interest for?

Hiring processes in university's can be tricky and the politics and assumptions of managers/supervisors make things even more difficult. I'd guess that you haven't yet been officially considered for the second job because you haven't officially applied for it yet. If you want it you need to go after it. The only way I will ever get a raise, a new position or new supplies or equipment is if I ask for it, some times more than once. Even if you are the most competent, qualified person in the universe there is no guarantee they will just walk up and offer you a new position. If you want it, ask for it. Besides, why should they give a promotion to someone who doesn't have enough drive to go after it? It doesn't say much to your employer about your determination or work ethic if you are to proud to apply to each position you want. You might think that sucks but it is apparently the way it is. If you don't like the endless politics and red tape of working for a uni (which no one (sane) does, really) then definitely go find another job because this isn't the last time you'll have this sort of situation.

That's too bad they're playing games with you. I'd apply, but also keep my eyes open elsewhere. You might get a tempting opportunity and find a better offer. Their loss.

Thanks for the input y'all. I do have a little while to think about it...apps close on the 30th....and it won't take me long, as I've already done it once. Haha.

And just to make myself a tad clearer, I don't think I was ever really mad that it wasn't me that they hired, it was the method, and the principle of the thing. Oh, how I hate injustice. But I've got time to think, and get a better read on the situation, so I guess we shall see what happens. Feel free to add more if you wanna, I'm all ears at this point.

Gracias.

I feel your pain. I worked at the U of O briefly until ran-off by politics. As with all universities there's a lot of backscratching there, but it seems to be to the nth degree at UofO. Personally, I was happy I left and could do what I considered good work without worrying if it makes me promote-able.
but of course we need people to stay and fight the good fight from the inside. I don't think their hiring methods will change anytime soon, but don't sacrifice your goals because of the bad ethics of others.

____________________

Nothing ventured, nothing gained. What have you got to lose?

I'd apply for the position.

Well, its now the end of the day on April 30th, so I just thought I would let you all know how it turned out.

I took a couple of days to think about the situation, and where I wanted to be in the future, and yadda yadda, and then talked to my boss. Because as much of a freak as she is, she's still pretty level. Reletively. Haha. Anyway, she was asking me about my plans for life and my options at this point. I explained. She said, "what is your ideal situation?" I explained again. She said, "How would you feel about a contract extension. That way, you wouldn't be done here in June, but rather January. And you would get a raise. And you would not have to deal with the interview process again, which I know made you really uncomfortable." I thought "NO SHIT!" I said, "You got yourself a deal." So basically, everyone wins. I'm going to get paid more for 9 more months, and then I am off to Costa Rica. Woohoo! Thanks for the input everyone!

Glad it all worked out for you! Sounds like a winner all around...have fun in Costa Rica! It's certainly something to look forward to...