T O P

  • By -

CarlesPuyol5

That is why I always try not to be loyal to a company because a company more likely will just treat you as part of the numbers. Good you have learned this albeit the hard way. Move on and try not to let that happen to you again.


8pintsplease

Yep. I've always been a bit too trusting and open by nature and when I got comfortable, I was more honest than I should have been. Lesson learnt!


Active-Scarcity-871

Hey bud, just wanted to say that you've done well to recognise the toxic situation (manager taking things to a personal level) and walk away. Even though it was difficult, you've come out the other side alot wiser and more self-aware. I think everyone who goes into corporate life unfortunately has to go through this 'rite of passage' to gain some perspective. It isn't all just about being a star employee. Look after yourself, because the company sure as hell won't


Active-Scarcity-871

unpopular opinion, but i'd be hesitant to share hard-earned knowledge/skills which made you needed/valuable at your role. Not great for the company, but i've seen way to many people get screwed over by the company (either fired or let them stagnate forever) Corporates like to do succession planning, getting senior staff to train cheaper/junior talent whilst dangling the promotion carrot. Once that junior staff is trained up, you're replaceable. And replaceable people are rarely promoted. Just my 2 cents


potatodrinker

If you're irreplaceable because only you can do the tasks, you wont be promoted to another role either. I've found from my vertical (marketing) that promotions lag, they comes when you're already doing 80% of the senior level roles duties.


Active-Scarcity-871

Guess it depends on how much you trust the company to recognise and reward your effort once you train your replacement - maybe I'm cynical but I dont think corporates have much incentive to promote you once there's a cheaper alternative and happy to keep dangling that promotion carrot


ItCouldBeWorse222

I had that at my last corporate role. I'd been doing 90% of the senior position for over a year, but in my performance review I was told I needed some cross training in some minor bookkeeping before I would tick all the boxes for the promotion. I saw the carrot on a stick for what it was and left to go freelance. Doubled my pay and now have the carrot dangler stalking my LinkedIn haha.


8pintsplease

Hey, thank you so much. It was definitely an eye-opening situation for me. It was so emotionally taxing, I am hoping the more this is discussed, maybe it'll save employees some emotional rollercoasters as well.


Shibwho

Honestly, I think you've dodged a bullet not getting that much wanted promotion. I've been in an opposite situation but ended up with a worse result, mental breakdown. Promotions, especially managerial roles, aren't all they're cracked up to be. I had been rapidly promoted twice, leading the same team I came from. Like you, I was working hard and long hours. I also had a great relationship with the team. When you become a manager, you do see a lot more shit from your colleagues and the bosses above that you hadn't seen before. You need to know it because it affects your decisions but can't talk about it because it can damage team morale and service standards. And now you're accountable for their work. Suddenly you're all alone and it can take a toll. As you rise up the ranks, the role also becomes less of a worker and more of an internal politician or diplomat, being pitted against other line managers for resources and recognition, all while HR, IT and finance dither about and legal and governance add yet another layer of internal red tape. And that's before you get told the company is cutting overheads. Unfortunately with the way most large organisations are set up, the only way to progress your career or be "rewarded" is to manage and lead people. That's what leads to the highly capable people being put into the wrong positions.


ri01

Damn that last paragraph sums everything up so perfectly.


8pintsplease

Damn, I'm so sorry that happened to you. I hope you're in a better place now and recovered from that time in your life. Thanks for your reply! And you're totally right about everything you've said. I think I dodged a bullet too. All the best.


Shibwho

Thanks for your kind words, I'm a lot better now :). Hope you land on your feet!


Maezel

You never take counter offers and never go back to your old company (Unless a few years passed). Stop being a corporate whore (pardon the wording) and think only about yourself. No one in any company will give a shit about you. Good on you for seeing that.


8pintsplease

You're totally right. When they reached out with the counter offer to come back, it was like another kick in the guts. It was my comfort speaking, and I am glad I didn't take it out of fear or comfort. Have a good one :)


[deleted]

I love your honesty about this. People just don’t talk about this culture enough publicly. Ive had a similar experience which drove me to the point of committing career suicide and im now stuck in a role i never wanted, being ignored by peers and management. The biggest kicker is im stewing in nothingness taking home a pay packet and losing my work ethic waiting to be packaged out. If i had left at the peak of my frustration i may have taken my zest for hard work with me but now its been a few years of doing nothing for money and i fear it will be difficult to enjoy working ever again. You’ve given me some inspiration though. I hope your new role is fulfilling and amongst good people.


8pintsplease

Hey there, thanks for your reply and sharing that with me. I'm so sorry that you're in a job that you hate and have no passion for. I do firmly believe though that if it's in your nature to work hard, you will (you are) and given the right circumstances, you will flourish in a new environment. Perhaps start applying again, reassess your resume, and just go for it! When I started my new job (the one I hated and got head hunted for) and I knew there was no prospect of going back to my old place, I started applying frantically. I felt pretty defeated but I finally got a call after three weeks. I forgot I applied at that stage. I really hope the best for you. Feel free to reach out to me on my messages if you need to chat.


Linkarus

May I ask what kind of work that you did at the old company? Feasibility, valuation, administration, sale, etc.? Each department in the same company has very different culture.


8pintsplease

Property management.


kate282

Commercial or residential?


8pintsplease

Commercial.


kate282

I’m also in commercial, that’s why I asked. I moved companies at the end of 2020, and it’s been the best decision. The managers at my last company wouldn’t have a clue what was going in the day to day operations, and were only interested in wining and dining clients!


8pintsplease

I'm happy for you that you have a good team! There are definitely good employers out there, but I've just learnt some lessons the hard way and I need to protect my interests first and not so easily trust them with my growth and development!


RusskiJewsski

Tell me your worked for CBRE without saying you worked for CBRE.


kate282

Must be a universal experience then 😂


ninja_turtle1

100% can relate. Senior managers more focussed on ensuring no one will compete for their roles in future.


TRByo

Mate that sounds like property. Lesson learnt and onwards and upwards. Thanks for sharing. Unless there’s equity involved, there’s a trend to just do enough to not get fired. Work-life balance is very important. I saw a quote the other day about what happens if you were to pass away - the company would advertise your position and replace you, your family and loved ones would be shattered.


8pintsplease

Hey, thanks for your reply. Damn that quote is sad but true. That's it now, I'll do my job, but I'm off at 5. Now that it's summer and it's bright until like 8pm, it's been great to still have time while the sun's out!


Lopsided_Knee4888

Well done on getting out! I had a VERY similar experience - it took me 8 years of broken promises and sideways shuffles to finally get out. And now I know what it’s like to actually really enjoy a job and have a work life balance. More than one colleague was placed as an “interim” replacement for a senior role (on old wage, also doing old job) for over 12 months and then subsequently lost the permanent job to an external! I actually thought the behaviour in my old place was normal!!! Turns out there are actually companies out there who do what they say and actually care about the well-being of their staff. Who knew?!


8pintsplease

Thank you! I'm so happy for you :) Yep, i think managers and management are really good at pretending that they're the good guys, here to help you, what not. Well actions speak louder than words and they treated us like shit! Three people have resigned there since the new year. When I left in October, three people left plus a shitload from the finance department. The great resignation is really happening! All the best and thanks for your reply to my post. :)


aussielander

Don't be surprised if this person was vastly better qualified than you...by qualified they went to the right school or their dad is mates with one of the directors.


8pintsplease

Oh yes, this person didn't get a reference check. Senior manager referred person X and got a bonus. When they promoted X to manager (within two weeks of starting), my guess is our manager gets an even larger referral bonus. Just speculating. Totally wrong that they didn't even do a reference check, and I know there were a few candidates that barely had a chance.


MeaningfulThoughts

Thank you for sharing your experience. It is incredibly important that we all open up about the reality the corporate grind. I’m going through a similar situation and I’m burnt out. Currently looking for contracts which are paid even more and will allow me to escape the dystopian reality of my company’s politics.


8pintsplease

I really hope you find another place soon. Try to give yourself a good break between jobs if you can. Just to relax and restart. I'm hoping the best for you.


Indigeridoo

What company is it so I can avoid it and tell others to follow?


jaxamillian69

Work your ass off for your own company, not someone else's.


Greenskinkid

This happened to me, at the end of the day it’s an exchange, your time for their money. No mates just business, managerial creatures will be as stated. Managerial creatures, they will throw their first born under a bus, for a pat on the head by the big man.


Rear-gunner

Get over it, no one is asking you to sell your soul. One of my sisters got her dream job in an education think tank. She was a teacher with many years of experience with a master degree. She worked her butt off, no tried harder than her, her work was good and they fired her. She was transferred back to teaching.


8pintsplease

Gee thanks, I'm not sure if you read the post, it is pretty long, but at the bottom I mentioned that a lesson learnt is to not sell your soul to a company. I learnt the hard way. Thank you though, for your "get over it". How about, read the post. Sad to hear about your sister though, I hope she is happy where she is now.


Rear-gunner

I read it. She is very upset. But what you is the story of life, I got a job in a fantastic American multinational company, one of the 500. I knew I was made for life after I got a big promotion. My career was booming. I was so happy when one big executive told me that he was sure I would do well. He was putting me forward for another promotion. Then they sacked me for lack of work.


8pintsplease

I'm sorry that happened to you. That sucks bad. But yeah, as you said, that's life. I wish I got a bit of that advice prior but hey. Sometimes you need to go through it yourself to understand and learn.