Advice needed

[bellajgw]

I have been working for a small company for over a year.  There is very little room for growth in the admin side just because of how small it is, but it's growing quite a bit right now thanks to a large amount of new clients.  For the entire time I have been working here I have received rave reviews, gotten a 7% raise, and been given a larger work load because of my work ethic and quality.  I have also done a lot of work for our very young marketing manager.  He and I had not always agreed but we always worked well together.  He began to pile quite a bit of his work load onto me and I found my creative ideas being used under his name.  Before I could say anything he up and quit.  The president then brought me into his office and said that he and the CEO were considering three options in regards to the now open position because they knew how much I was helping him with.  1.  Giving me the job (I have a degree in Mass Media so I could do it if I wanted to), 2. Creating a new position for me that would encompass much of what I do now and much of what the marketing manager did and farm off the direct marketing to an outside firm, and 3. Just hiring a new marketing manager.   They also asked me to help finish quite a bit of the projects that he had been working on before leaving.  This has lead to an enormous amount of work for me, 50+ hour work weeks with no overtime (thanks to being salaried) and lots of added stress (I even came in for three days when I had a fever).  
Now it's been two months, I'm still doing all the work, still incredibly busy, my quality of work is suffering because of the amount of work I have to do, and I've noticed that the CEO and President have had 4 people in to interview for the position.  Now not only am I supposed to greet these interviewees, get them coffee, and introduce them to the executives, but now they want me to call the recruiter to schedule second round interviews.

I just don't know what to do.  I love the people I work for but I find mysef stretched incredibly thin, sick, exhausted, and very very insulted.  Am I out of line to think that since they had given me a 2 out of 3 chance of getting a promotion that they should at least confir with me as to what they are thinking?  Since I'm doing enormous amounts of work that is out of my job description should I be compensated more than just a Thanks and a pat on the back?  I think I would feel better about it if they would just involve me in the process, let me know what's happening.  Am I just feeling too entitled?  I can understand if they want to hire someone with a lot of experience to do the job, but shouldn't I be kept in the loop on this?  
I've spent most of my adult life sitting in a cubicle with no privacy and doing the work of two to three people, and the opportunity to have a real title, my own office, and a clear set of duties was getting me very excited.  At 30 I felt it was about time all my hard work was seen, appreciated, and rewarded.  Now I feel like I have had the rug pulled out from under me and a knife stabbed in my back.  

I need advice, please!

[gee4]

I am always puzzled as to why we are never kept informed of major things that go on when it comes to our jobs and personally, I would feel as put out as you do.

Is there any chance you could ask either the CEO or President what is going on and to help you understand their desires for the future?

These situations, in my opinion, do nothing but demotivate a person when they are kept in the dark. If you feel you are really being undermined here, I would try and find out what their plans are and where you fit in to that.  If it's not of benefit to you, I would start to look elsewhere.

[msmarieh]

Actually I am missing a key factor in your story. I don't see where you gave them an answer of which of the three choices you wanted. If it is has been two months and you have not done so, then I don't blame them for moving forward with the hiring process.

On the other hand, if you gave them an answer...

If #1 - I would certainly be asking why the marketing position and not the admin position was posted.

If #2 - I'd say you were insane, since it sounds to me like you'll be doing the bulk of two jobs. (In fact, right now you are getting a good taste of it).

If #3 - Then you have no reason to complain.

If you were just sitting back and waiting for them to make a decision, then I would say (and I am sorry this may sound harsh) - you snooze, you lose. You needed to be more proactive in pursuing the promotion if that was what you wanted.

It may or may not be too late, but I would make an appointment immediately, march in there and request an update.  

Marie

[bellajgw]

So, the key factor would be that I said I would be happy to take either 1 or 2 (the combination job wouldn't be all my work, just the upper-level admin and some light marketing, the rest would be handled by a receptionist and the outside marketing company).  We spoke at length about my interest in the position, my experience, my capabilities and my shortcomings.  When I left the "interview" (though it was set up as an informal meeting, spur of the moment), the president said they were still talking about the options, what they wanted to do, and they would let me know what they decided and talk with me further about it.    

I was giving them plenty of time because the execs work VERY slowly on this kind of thing (hell, it took the CEO two weeks to decide on a holiday card she liked and I had already narrowed it down to three options for her).  It took five months for them to promote the most senior consultant into a managers job, which was a simple and obvious decision.  So you can see why I haven't really pushed the issue over the last two months.

Also, the main reason why I didn't want to force the issue was because at that same time the company went through a survey of clients and employees to see where we could improve and where we were fine in.  Because of the survey results the execs have come to the realization that they may need to rethink the entire structure of the company, growth potential, training, and many other things.  They had scheduled a Leadership Retreat for the execs to get together to discuss the options.  Considering the fact that they were looking at a complete company reorganization I figured that they wouldn't want to make a decision on that one position until they knew where they were headed.  Silly, naive me.  Now the retreat is two days away and they've made a mad dash to interview everyone and their brother for this position.  They even had one interviewee back who didn't wear a suit, bring her resume, or have anything prepared for them.  Can you imagine?  

Well, I know I should say something, but I'm afraid now it will be too late and it will sound more like I'm being an entitled snot.  Any suggestions as to how I should approach this?

[panther_g0ddess]

If they left it with you on the tone of "we'll make a decision and get back to you" (i.e. keep you in the loop) then that's what they should have done.  More importantly, that's what you should have held them to doing.

It sounds to me like they are getting fee work from you and when the time is right they'll simply hire someone else into the position so you can support that person instead of be that person.

Companies and those in charge of departments are funny that way.  They'll butter you up (impromptu meeting) simply to get the extra work out of you, keep you in the dark, move orward with what their plans are and not bat an eye.

If you are doing the extra work, you should ensure that they realize it and have a sit down with them to discuss a retro-active bonus possibility and/or get the conversation going about what's happening.  You could approach it as "Is my heavy work load preventing you from interviewing me again for the position or keeping me in the loop on the current status?"  

However you approach it, I certainly wish you luck.  We've all worked more than our positions have required, but in your case, you should certainly get paid for it since it's not in your job description (field of work).

[Jackie G]

We had somebody else in a kind of similar situation to this about a year or so ago - sorry, I can't remember who, and I'm not sure the subject was ever followed up so can't remember what happened in their case.

I do think you should ask for some clarification - you certainly can't go on the way you are.  If you are regularly doing 50+ hours work you have too much to do.  And you are the only person who will care about your health.

Jackie, Peer Moderator
www.iqps.org

[queenbean]

I agree, you definitely need to follow it up.  I think if you're to get this promotion you need to prove that you're not afraid to tackle difficult situations and you should push for an answer.  At least you'll know where you stand.

QB

[niciburns_1]

I agree.  You need clarification.  Schedule yourself into their calendar and ask about what you need to know.  Your'e not a work horse.

[countrigal]

The other side of the coin is that they did interview you and may have decided to see what else is available out there in comparison to you before proceeding.  And there may be a 2nd impromptu meeting as your second interview forthcoming.  They may not be able to keep you "in the loop" because you are competing with these others for the job and they can't let you know things that the others won't know, really.  Go schedule your time, and see what they say, but remember that there may be a simple reason that doesn't mean that you're not in the running, so don't do anything to burn that possible bridge either.

Good luck!!

CountriGal
Peer Moderator