Career Chat

[Johnny_P]

Sounds interesting and all, but I guess the proof would be in the pudding. So much

Exactly.

I'd take him up on the offer to fund your adventure and continued education afterward while searching for a new gig. You've seen a lot of the company and you know you don't like it. HQ isn't going to be any better, trust me.

Yeah. Shorter trip. Exec learning. And a boss helping an exit strategy WTF is even happening what company is this?

[Johnny_P]

I am so conflicted

[fledonfoot]

So had the chat. Told bossman I don't like my position and want a change and am prepared to leave the company to travel and see the light.

He said a few things that threw me a curve ball:
-There may be good positions here in the company that I could go into that are outside of the refinery fence line such as our downtown office
-He can set up meet and greets with people at our downtown office and have me shadow them for a few days to see what they do
-He'd put me in a project management / construction position in the interim
-He would approve executive learning courses for me at area universities if I wanted them, which would provide a change of pace and scenery, and possibly networking opportunities
-Extended vacation would be ok, leave of absence likely not, but he'd "work with me" on the amount of vacation time used in such a trip, indicating I could take a month off for 2 weeks of vacation or something
-If at the end of it all the company isn't for me, he'd want to help me build skill sets (via positions or exposure or training) that would position me for the next job I want

Interesting.

Didn't get the boot. Didn't actually resign.

So your choices are basically still quit, road trip and find yourself; or double down and get paid more to become closer to the inner circle of management you revile and accept your fate?

[ChrisoftheNorth]

I am so conflicted

Just let them fund your exit strategy?

Seems like a win to me. Your future isn't at that company, and you know that. Don't let promises sway your long term goals. Promises from my experience are largely

[Johnny_P]

I am so conflicted

Just let them fund your exit strategy?

Seems like a win to me. Your future isn't at that company, and you know that. Don't let promises sway your long term goals. Promises from my experience are largely

Right

[Apex]

I’d be very tempted to let the middle option play out for awhile... take a month off to decompress and then come back and get some exec experience on the company dime? Yeah, I’d try that out.

[Johnny_P]

So had the chat. Told bossman I don't like my position and want a change and am prepared to leave the company to travel and see the light.

He said a few things that threw me a curve ball:
-There may be good positions here in the company that I could go into that are outside of the refinery fence line such as our downtown office
-He can set up meet and greets with people at our downtown office and have me shadow them for a few days to see what they do
-He'd put me in a project management / construction position in the interim
-He would approve executive learning courses for me at area universities if I wanted them, which would provide a change of pace and scenery, and possibly networking opportunities
-Extended vacation would be ok, leave of absence likely not, but he'd "work with me" on the amount of vacation time used in such a trip, indicating I could take a month off for 2 weeks of vacation or something
-If at the end of it all the company isn't for me, he'd want to help me build skill sets (via positions or exposure or training) that would position me for the next job I want

Interesting.

Didn't get the boot. Didn't actually resign.

So your choices are basically still quit, road trip and find yourself; or double down and get paid more to become closer to the inner circle of management you revile and accept your fate?

Well
Quit and attempt to find myself
Or stay on, in a different role, racking up certifications and skill sets to position me to leave without a break in employment

I dunno. The interim role, I've done that job before and it is not something I want. I'd be interested in some of the other downtown style roles but they are going to take a little bit of time to set up these meet and greets and check on open positions. Likely a week or two interim.

[Johnny_P]

I’d be very tempted to let the middle option play out for awhile... take a month off to decompress and then come back and get some exec experience on the company dime? Yeah, I’d try that out.

There isn't much to lose that way aside from some time on the trip and time to contemplate existence and the purpose of life.

[Apex]

I’d be very tempted to let the middle option play out for awhile... take a month off to decompress and then come back and get some exec experience on the company dime? Yeah, I’d try that out.

There isn't much to lose that way aside from some time on the trip and time to contemplate existence and the purpose of life.

[Irish]

I’d be very tempted to let the middle option play out for awhile... take a month off to decompress and then come back and get some exec experience on the company dime? Yeah, I’d try that out.

There isn't much to lose that way aside from some time on the trip and time to contemplate existence and the purpose of life.

watch the video
take the education
bolster the resume
take the shortened trip
cash the checks

[Irish]

So had the chat. Told bossman I don't like my position and want a change and am prepared to leave the company to travel and see the light.

He said a few things that threw me a curve ball:
-There may be good positions here in the company that I could go into that are outside of the refinery fence line such as our downtown office
-He can set up meet and greets with people at our downtown office and have me shadow them for a few days to see what they do
-He'd put me in a project management / construction position in the interim
-He would approve executive learning courses for me at area universities if I wanted them, which would provide a change of pace and scenery, and possibly networking opportunities
-Extended vacation would be ok, leave of absence likely not, but he'd "work with me" on the amount of vacation time used in such a trip, indicating I could take a month off for 2 weeks of vacation or something
-If at the end of it all the company isn't for me, he'd want to help me build skill sets (via positions or exposure or training) that would position me for the next job I want

Interesting.

Didn't get the boot. Didn't actually resign.

I tend to agree with everyone who said "promises, promises" EXCEPT for the bolded...... I read this as a sincere and unusual thing to say unless he had your best interests at heart.......
I could be but I think that all the things he said/offered to you are not only patently but also pretty damned in today's business world...... kudos to you for inspiring that kind of reaction .....

[Johnny_P]

There isn't much to lose that way aside from some time on the trip and time to contemplate existence and the purpose of life.

watch the video
take the education
bolster the resume
take the shortened trip
cash the checks

[goIftdibrad]

In other career chat news, i just looked average pay for my position / experience in my area.....

I'm 16% under the average.

What is your position?
Being under paid and aware of it is a kick in the balls. Ask for more money, if you're meeting or exceeding all your performance metrics.

I'm 4 years without a meaningful raise outside COL adjustments.

Mechanical engineer with 10 years experience in entergy and utility.

[fledonfoot]

I've talked to a few people I worked with, and apparently my reputation is the opposite of destroyed like I thought it was.

This is the car business. It's as backwards on the corporate side as it is on dealership level.

The good and the great are pigeonholed into jobs and kept there because they excel. A new spot opens up above you? You're overlooked because you're irreplaceable. You'll go to FCA for a few years, kick ass there like you did at GM, need to grow again and I assure you that GM would open their arms and wallets to bring you back.

I kind of wish I figured that out a few years before I left Toyota. I definitely wouldn't have found myself at Porsche, but I think i'd be in a mangler's office by now.

[troyguitar]

What is your position?
Being under paid and aware of it is a kick in the balls. Ask for more money, if you're meeting or exceeding all your performance metrics.

I'm 4 years without a meaningful raise outside COL adjustments.

Mechanical engineer with 10 years experience in entergy and utility.

Entergy doesn't pay. Have you looked into energy?

[wap]

Mechanical engineer with 10 years experience in entergy and utility.

Entergy doesn't pay. Have you looked into energy?

[Johnny_P]

Mechanical engineer with 10 years experience in entergy and utility.

Entergy doesn't pay. Have you looked into energy?

Your not wrong.

[Johnny_P]

What is your position?
Being under paid and aware of it is a kick in the balls. Ask for more money, if you're meeting or exceeding all your performance metrics.

I'm 4 years without a meaningful raise outside COL adjustments.

Mechanical engineer with 10 years experience in entergy and utility.

For an engineering firm or direct hire to a facility?

[troyguitar]

Entergy doesn't pay. Have you looked into energy?

Your not wrong.

:tiggered:

[Johnny_P]

I've talked to a few people I worked with, and apparently my reputation is the opposite of destroyed like I thought it was.

This is the car business. It's as backwards on the corporate side as it is on dealership level.

The good and the great are pigeonholed into jobs and kept there because they excel. A new spot opens up above you? You're overlooked because you're irreplaceable. You'll go to FCA for a few years, kick ass there like you did at GM, need to grow again and I assure you that GM would open their arms and wallets to bring you back.

I kind of wish I figured that out a few years before I left Toyota. I definitely wouldn't have found myself at Porsche, but I think i'd be in a mangler's office by now.

That's retarded.

[Johnny_P]

Your not wrong.

:tiggered:

[wap]

Your not wrong.

:tiggered:

[KYGTIGuy]

Probably $930(that's 3 weeks. It's bout 310 after taxes per week) without accounting for any earnings deductions the first week or any Vaca payouts.

Probably won't take more than an hour to get registered. It's not busy this time of year.

But it will literally be a month or more before you see the payment. GM will get a letter saying you've filed and asking them for details about the separation.

There's the kicker. Wouldn't the company just consider my separation voluntary and end story? I never even spoke to someone at HR, and there's no way my former boss gave the full story to HR.

The decision on eligibility is the state of Michigans alone to make. What the company considers the separation to be is irrelevant.

For instance, a company let's an employee quit to avoid being fired. Both the employee and employer tell unemployment Insurance it was a quit but describe the situation. UI should determine that the employer was the 'moving party" that initiated the separation and would adjudicate it as a discharge(fired) an potentially payable.


There is no doubt you are eligible based on your SEPARATION. I emphasize that because there are lots of other eligibility requirements that we haven't discussed. But I also know that Michigan has one of the highest, if not the highest, "improper payment" rates in the country. Meaning the first line of adjudication is dog shit and the appeals process is left to clean up the mess. So in your case , worst case scenario it plays out like this. You file and say you were fired. GM says you quit. A bad adjudicator gets the case and doesnt get your rebuttal statement. UI takes GMs word for it and you are denied. You file a "protest" of that determination and it get reexamined in-house. That gets rubber stamped denied. You "appeal" that determination and there is a hearing with an Administrative Law Judge where you give your side and the employer theirs. That's where all the facts are heard and you are eligible. Total time 8 weeks....best case scenario is you give a good statement and GM responds with the true and honest depiction or a good adjudicator gets the case and examines it correctly and you get approved in 4 weeks. And if GM HR doesn't respond, UI takes your word for it as well.


If you are serious about this, PM me. I can advise you on what you need to say in your statement (as in what's an important fact to note and what to leave out).

[KYGTIGuy]

Chris, it all sounds like fun on the internet and getting your just desserts and ALL OF THAT.....and then we've got guys calculating "is it worth your time, $200/hr and all that shit."

Here's the reality. You're an upwardly mobile exec in the auto industry. You're aspiring to be upper management, or at least the part of you that doesn't want to open a paint store in Nashville. You are headed towards a career of being THE MAN, as that phrase is used to describe authority. The club you're aspiring to be in doesn't file for $900 in UE benefits, or have that anywhere on their record, or ever have to testify to that fact at a deposition or otherwise. Just let it alone. It's just creating a trail you may not want to exist for very little benefit other than the amusement of your forum bros.

Even just the inquisition to GM and it going to my former boss

That is exactly the reason I made sure to point that out to you. Lot of people don't know the process and don't want that hassle or the stigma if those circles are small enough.

Either way you choose, its best to be informed.

[NeonJonny]

This is the car business. It's as backwards on the corporate side as it is on dealership level.

The good and the great are pigeonholed into jobs and kept there because they excel. A new spot opens up above you? You're overlooked because you're irreplaceable. You'll go to FCA for a few years, kick ass there like you did at GM, need to grow again and I assure you that GM would open their arms and wallets to bring you back.

I kind of wish I figured that out a few years before I left Toyota. I definitely wouldn't have found myself at Porsche, but I think i'd be in a mangler's office by now.

That's retarded.

If someone is reckless just promote them and get them out of the field. That’s the way its done here!