Bryan rants and raves about work

[bryan_65]

First, I am coming up on my 7th anniversary at my current job.

Now time to rant and rave.

Man, I really hate my job more and more every day. I made product and machinery more efficient with design work. Do I get a raise?

No, I get laid off!

By doing my job better I get less hours (no overtime). At one time I got 55 hours a week. Any one else who does my job duties takes longer and can't problem solve.With the design work I have done I have made production go up %35.

I really love my job and my coworkers are like family. I just can't make it though the recent layoffs. After 7 years it is finally time for me to try and move on.I really don't want to , but I have no choice.

Now I need to find my new "home". So I am sad to leave and also a little scared. I don't know what to think about these changes. I just don't want to leave and regret it.

[Hobie-wan]

That sucks man.

My dad went through a similar deal where he had worked since I was a little kid. He was the person who always got his stuff done. He also fixed other people's screw ups and picked up their slack. He always had overtime because his department wasn't a "get stuff done efficiently so we can do more of the same" but was instead a "get this stuff done right every time or we might get fined for environmental things". So yeah, when cutbacks came, he was let go because 20+ years of raises for a job well done plus overtime for picking up the slack meant he was making too much. Not that we were living in a mansion or anything.

Good luck getting a job sorted out.

[lwcook]

“Oh, you hate your job? Why didn't you say so? There's a support group for that. It's called EVERYBODY, and they meet at the bar.”

Seriously though, I completely understand. I think with the economy being what it has been, employers have been doing the same thing to many many people. The problem is that it drives productivity from workers like you for awhile until they burn out, quit, or suffer for not meeting the new "standards" your employer now knows you can make.

Good luck man. Hopefully a change will do you good.

[JsGameRoom]

And this is why I refuse to work for somebody

[D.D.D.]

Sorry dude. Best of luck in the job hunt.

[gtmtnbiker]

In any job, no one is irreplaceable. If you feel that you provide a lot of value to the company but not getting recognized for it, it's time to move on. If you are really a key person, they will try to keep you in the company once you have leverage.

We only know your side of the story but don't know the company's side. Maybe they're not getting the same amount of revenues/profits as before and cannot afford to pay more?

I remember in the late 90s, it was a struggle to hire/find good software engineers. I hired one for my group who was relatively junior (3 years experience) versus me (10 years, manager) and he was making 15% less than me (should have been a higher differential) but that was a reality of the time in order to get good candidates. Fast forward 2 years later, the person was one of the first to get laid off because of his high salary.

Yes, it can be nerve-wracking to go to a new job but most times, it will be a good experience.

[gtmtnbiker]

So yeah, when cutbacks came, he was let go because 20+ years of raises for a job well done plus overtime for picking up the slack meant he was making too much.

Was he essentially doing the same job for that time? Usually, one will get promoted to a higher level position with more responsibilities but needing more skills.

In my company's most recent layoff, people from all ranks (junior developer to VPs) were let go. When doing a restructuring, we identify the skills that are needed and then put the appropriate people into those positions. Usually people who are not top performers (the bottom 10-20% are the ones who get laid off). As a manager, you want to keep the best people for your group.

[Hobie-wan]

Was he essentially doing the same job for that time? Usually, one will get promoted to a higher level position with more responsibilities but needing more skills.

No, he had originally started out in a machine shop in a different division, then moved into being a programmer in the other department. I couldn't tell you exactly how long he was doing the programming or what moves up he had done there as this was years ago now. Anyway, the whole company let a whole bunch of salaried veterans go for noob contract workers at the time.

[BoringSupreez]

And this is why I refuse to work for somebody

Working for yourself and making your own money on your own time is undoubtedly the best way to go, but it's difficult to get that going and isn't feasible for most people. If I could that's what I'd be doing.

[bryan_65]

27 coworkers got the axe yesterday. Some have been there 20 or 30 years. I have not felt this sad in a very long time. I know why they chose the people they did, but I still feel like I just lost some family members.

I thankfully still have my job.