What to do... 4

[MaryCW]

I've been at my current job 6 months.
I started at lower pay (over $10k lower) than my last job but was promised a $3k raise after 6 months, which was last week. I'm in a high unemployment area and was basically desperate for work.

I have 7 yrs experience in my field - I have no trouble doing the work. Just before Christmas, the company was sold by the owners and bought by a mega-conglomerate in the business. Several of us think that they bought us for "parts" and that they'll likely close us down within the next 6 months or so, so job security is not something I have right now.

I was hired because I can get my P.E. anytime - but I've typically worked in manufacturing so it's never been a big rush for me to get it. This boss seemed pretty excited when he learned I could get it quickly and said that would be something to think about "in the future".

Since the buyout, I've decided it's in my best interest to get the PE so I printed off the paperwork and signed up for the April exam. My boss found the paperwork on the printer, which I did purposely, so I know he knows I'm taking the exam.

I had a 6 mo. review last week. My offer letter promised me the $3k raise "after 6 months, provided I made suitable progress in the position". I've learned it all very quickly and with less than 4 days of overlap with the last person, I feel as though I've covered his leaving very well. Almost too well - things haven't slowed down here over the winter as they usually would so I've been working my tail off to keep up.

I work with several people who are called "application engineers" even though they don't have an engineering degree. Two have been promoted into the department in the last six months; one from estimating (he was formerly a glass installer) and one from order entry. The glass installer is now our "Large Projects Coordinator". He asks me how to do every facet of his job on a daily basis. The other guy hasn't learned anything in the 2 months he's been in this department, and 2 weeks ago my boss asked me why I hadn't trained him yet in what I do, so he could help with the overflow. I didn't realize I was supposed to train him. I have a MSCE and this company has pretty much everyone doing the structural calcs as "overflow".

Anyway, long story, but I had my review and it didn't go well. I scored a 70.5 on his scale and 71 was the lowest number for "meets expecatations", so he considers me high on the "occasionally does not meet expectations" list.

All of my technical scores were 3's and 4's (out of 5) but he rated me a "2" on several personality-based rankings. He mentioned in his comments that I "occasionally become short with co-workers, especially when the workload seems heavy". I said, since starting, there has not been a moment when my in-box has been empty and though I occasionally struggle to keep up, I felt I'd been doing a good job. His answer was that I should be mentoring my coworkers (a couple of them have been here 2+ years, other than the 2 new people I mentioned) and when I answered "I didn't realized I was supposed to be mentoring people who'd been here longer than me" he brought up the fact that I signed up for the PE test and asked if I was leaving the company.

I said I had no plans to leave, but with new ownership I felt it was in my best interest to make myself as marketable as possible.

Now, this morning, I found out that he printed out the contents of my email inbox at 7:08 a.m., I arrive at 8. I feel like he's singling me out, possibly trying to get rid of me. I am the only person in the company with my Master's degree, and I'm now at the top of my payscale for the position I'm in.

Any suggestions how to handle this situation?

 

[jmw]

Get out there now.
All the signs are that they have it in for you so it is only the timing that is unknown and if the signs are that there may be a mass lay-off, you definitely don't want to wait till the market is flooded with people.
The one thing you can do is try and improve the timing.
Start looking seriously and don't just wait for job adverts. In the situation that exists jobs that do get advertised have probably already been filled.
Start contacting any and all possible employers, whether they are advertising or not and expand your search are to encompass the longest commute you can manage.

You also need to think about your own business. Can it be put on ice? is it portable? Is it worth persisting with if you get a really good job offer elsewhere? can you start it again from scratch elsewhere?
Is its success linked to the same drivers that affect the job situation you are in?
If you have some tough times coming the best way to keep ahead is to take the tough decisions yourself, don't let them be taken for you.

JMW

http://www.ViscoAnalyser.com

 

[msquared48]

Usually the drug testing is only with the initial hire, depending on the profession.

If you operate power equipment, randoms are common. Although a computer is power operated, I do not consider it dangerous to your health... That being said, the drug test should not be a problem, just irritating.

Also, watch out for the video cams in the bathroom.

Mike McCann
McCann Engineering

 

[MaryCW]

The video cam is in the lunchroom...they put up a big flat-screen in there on CNN then decided people were lingering too long...now we are being watched all the time.

 

[KENAT]

Realized my post may have come off wrong, but update resume I meant go out and find yourself a new employer. The rest of it was meant to mean prepare yourself incase they let you go before you find something.

KENAT, probably the least qualified checker you'll ever meet...

 

[MaryCW]

I'm not worried about being let go - they only interviewed one other person for this position in more than six months of searching. Despite the high unemployment in the area, most people aren't willing to work for peanuts, as I seem to be. The only other candidate was someone from several states away.

I got a call yesterday regarding the CAD work I'm trying to get, so things may be changing here quite soon!

 

[jmw]

Good luck with it.
If they had such a hard time finding you then perhaps some of the work you do is work you could do for them on a contract basis. If so then you could mix up this with the CAD work and your own business.
(Plus, your boss forked out $10k for a plotter: I hope you are the only one who knows how to use it properly.)

JMW

http://www.ViscoAnalyser.com

 

[greenone]

MaryCW-not much advice I can add here, but wishing you success in getting out of a bad situation. As others have said before about similar situations, document everything that happens. Could be helpful in the evetn that stress finally makes you quit-you can claim constructive discharge to try and get unemployment benefits.

 

[MedicineEng]

One note: Nobody commented the fact that in her first posting, MaryCW says that her boss printed out the contents of her email box. Isn't this illegal? I thougt that email was considered like private mail, so it was illegal to open it withour authorization from the adressee, but I am not in US so maybe I am wrong.

Other note:
Managers are human. So they are driven by the needs of any human being: food, clothes, and the most strong of the forces: Survival.
Tipically a manager will only keep the workers that do not put his position in stake.
As such, a better than average employee is a labelled as a "non-team player", "weird", "not following the ïnternal rules", etc.
Most probably you threatened his position so he had to push you down to see if you go out.
It will only become worse.
Or you swallow it for a couple of months while you take your PE and then say "bye,bye, see you around" or take your PE and go for his position next to his boss.
Either way, prepare to suffer and look for an option. As others said, even in a recession, good companies are always hiring.
Best of lucks.

 

[livingston]

Every company I have worked for has said that the computer and therefore its contents are the property of the company. Unfortunately, if she is getting personal email at work, it is still theirs.

 

[jmw]

I think that may be because the question of emails has been extensively discussed in the "How to improve myself at work" forum
<a href="

http://www.eng-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=205369&page=1">Personal

Email prohibited at work: thread 731-205369</a>

JMW

http://www.ViscoAnalyser.com

 

[dik]

It's pretty clear that you have to update your resume and find a new position somewhere else. Also, you should go for your PE. You do not have a professional environment, let alone a healthy one. I can't think of any salary that would keep a person in the environment that you're in.

I hope things work out... Dik