What next?

[morea]

http://www.spacespider.net/emo/angry019.gif I have put up with a lot since I started here, including handling 3 people's work instead of just my own.

I started at a lower salary than I would have liked because I was promised a review with a pay increase after 6 months.

Six months went by. I mentioned the review. I was told "we'll do it next week."

The next week I was told "Sorry, I've been really busy, next week".

Then, "next week! I promise". You get the point.

On Monday I emailed the boss and (nicely) told him that I was expecting him to give me what he had promised me. I was given a list of questions basically to write my own review of what I have accomplished in the time I have been here. I spent a lot of time on it, and handed it in the following morning, because the review was still "on" for this week.

I waited all day yesterday. Finally my boss came in and said to me, "well, I'm not going to have time to do this today. We'll do it tomorrow. I promise!"

I have asked him 3 times today "are you ready to go over my review?" He says "in a little while" and promptly vanishes for a few hours.

Well, I have less then an hour until the end of my work day, and nothing has been done. I think that if he comes in and "promises" again that we will do this tomorrow I will scream.

I have worked here for 7 months, and STILL do not have a printer. It was approved when I first started here, and has been "promised" to me weekly since April. It is mid-June. I have mentioned this several times in person, and several MORE times by email.

I also asked if my raise would be retroactive to May, when it was due to go into effect. I never got an answer. Every day I come to work I feel like I am being cheated. This is seriously WAY more work than was ever in my job description, and I am not being compensated for all the extra work I do. Hell, I can't even get a printer!

I don't know how else to address this and let him know that I mean business. Advice or job offers appreciated.

[tony620d]

kick back, look for another job. it wont get any better. do the minimum amt of work and leave the day you find one.

[Keyare]

So stop working. Just sit there and refuse to do anything till your issues are resolved.
What'll they do, fire ya? :)

[MD]

Getting fired might not be a bad idea, unemployment checks are nice - plus think of all the money you will save on gas.

[danedawg99]

I'm going through similar issues at my job, Morea. and i'm doing exactly wah Tony suggested (which is why my resumé has been all over the "general" forum). Just take it in stride, when the day to leave comes, politley tell them to pancake off and walk out.

[morea]

Ah, it gets better.

HAD my shitty review. All of the "extra" job responsibilities are permanent now. He appreciates that I am doing all this extra work that was not in my job description.

He appreciates it so pancaking much that he is sorry to tell me that he "can not afford" to give me the raise I was promised.

Screw this. Job search time again.

So much for promises.

[tony620d]

arent they all the same? full of chit, overflowing actually.

[morea]

I am SO pissed!

[danedawg99]

http://ufies.org/txt/shavedcat1.jpg
pissed off kitty!!! :D

[morea]

lol, exactly! Only I'm less naked.

[morea]

Damn Damn Damn Damn Damn

[morea]

hey! I wrote that all in caps so everyone would know I was angry. Why did it come up in sentence case?!? DAMN!

[morea]

Oh sure, NOW it works. Pfft.

[morea]

http://www.spacespider.net/emo/common003.gif

[D-Frag]

that realy sucks Morea, but hey look at it this way. better to find out now than a year from now when your supposed 1 year review comes :)

ive worked for several companies like this, and ive done what was mentioned above....just not work until they review you....it actually works better then you would think.

sorry to hear about the crappy news, spruce up that resume, pick up some design books (esp PS cuz I know your still in the beginning) and get out to some interviews.

good luck to ya, things will pick up!

[Patrick Shannon]

Naturally send the message to your boss in response by finding another job, but as I know too well, easier said than done. Besides, that's a far distance to drive in such a ridiculous gas price era.

[D-Zine]

Wait a minute - sorry I am kinda late catching up in this thread but he gives you MORE to do at work....and then tells you he CAN'T afford to give you the raise you were promised?!!?

fkd up! Seriously, that's messed up :(

[uncle carbunkle]

this is only going to annoy you, but i hope it makes sense:

people will only treat you the way that you allow them to

looks like your boss is a liar. maybe he's well intentioned, but he just isn't capable of coming through on his word. don't take the extra work. don't take flack. do the job that you were hired to do and, if you were hired to do it at a 'probationary' wage that hasn't come through, well...plan b is in order.

i know it's frustrating, but you can't make things, or people, be the way you want them to - you can only control yourself. so, stop hanging around with losers and let's find a way to catapault you up to where you should be.

i see a job for you whipping EVERYONE'S arse into shape...have you ever thought about being an executive assistant? either until the design business picks up for you and neuro, or as a way through the side door into a firm? you have to admit, you've got the gusto and organisational skills...if you get in at the right place, the pay and perks can be alright, too.

just a thought...:D

[Mynock]

So it's a fight he's looking for. Be Ready! Have you voiced these concerns to him? Outside of just asking for a review? It's hard to read into your boss without knowing him/her/it, but sometimes you have to let the fur fly. If he doesn't make you the cat's meow, then hack him up like a furrball. It's time to use one of your nine lives and I know you'll land on your feet or feets. Lash him with your sand papery touch, or put up with it and get paid. It puts nip on the table and rocks in the box. We don't have to like our jobs all the time, but it sure beats digging in the dumpster for leftover tuna.

[reuber1]

Hey, wasn't that someone's avatar before?

I would definitely be asking what is up with the extra work and no raise? Honestly, what do you have to do there to get one? Thing is if I were in your situation, I would have definitely said something to the boss...not that it's the right or wrong thing to do, but that I have no filter from my brain to my mouth and I have a short fuse to back it up.

[Kink]

UGH.. WTF... I hate promise breakers!!!!!!!!!!!!
Kinda like here... I was promised the same thing... so when a couple months passed... my manager... he's cool... sent in an e-mail, which was HIS version of MY review. AND stated that I am worthy of a raise (that was promised to me). After 4, yes FOUR of those e-mails... they gave me a .50 cent raise/hr. AND retroactive too! I was totally shocked!

[morea]

Thanks folks... it helps that we can all be indignant about it together.

You all make good points. I am looking for a new job - any job that will get me decent pay - closer to home. I won't miss the 60-90 minute drive each way to work. I redid my resume last night and posted it on 4 job search sites. I am working on reformatting the printed version and will be going door to door to hand those out. I am also considering accepting part time work somewhere and devoting the other half of the work week to pushing my freelance business. We'll see what happens.

My boss is well aware of my opinion on all of this. And I think he is scared. In all honesty, he could not replace me with one person. (At least, not for what he is willing to pay!)

[defjoe]

uhmm.. .this is typical... this happens ALL the time. If I got all the money (and jobs) I was promised.. I would be owning my own agency right now.

DTA

Don't Trust Anyone

[G-Man79]

Morea-
That really sucks pond water! I'll keep my eyes peeled for you and pass along anything I see job wise. And when you find a new job, leave a note to the next person letting them know how much it sucks to work there! Chin up.

[morea]

lol - I hadn't thought of leaving a note. Thanks for keeping your eyes open for me!

[Lonepine]

Morea, I think this forum should hire you full time as a paid employee for all of your Librarian services. I've learned to count on your link referals for great information.

[morea]

aw, thanks Lonepine! You made my day. :p

[Patrick Shannon]

You could work here...

http://stlatwork.careercast.com/texis/jobsearch/details.html?id=42b06ed04a0930&q=graphic&qField=All&qCountry=United%20States&qSort=smart&qMatch=all&pp=20&qDate=begin%20of%20-7%20days&view=1&page=1

(Competitive salary, health insurance my ass)

[Mynock]

LMAO at PS! That there is funny, I don't care who you are.

[morea]

I know that this sort of thing happens a lot, and not just in the GD industry, but everywhere. The majority of employers are cheap, and more concerned with lining their own pockets than taking care of the people who are doing the work for them.

But like unc said, if I just sit here and take this, what will it prove? That my employer can walk all over me? What is my incentive here to work my tail off, honestly? If nothing I do is going to be appreciated, why do I want to stick around here?

I like to think that I have been able to help other people on the boards here by sharing what I have learned from my past job searches. If someone else learns from my mistakes and experiences, hopefully they won't have to go through the same situations themself.

[Patrick Shannon]

When I saw that I was going to go no further at Kwik Kopy nor get anything that I was promised, I simply stopped caring. As my old printer Kevin used to gripe, "Want me to work harder? Pay me more."

And yes, you have been a big help...you (and others on this board) helped me more with my resume than anyone.

[D-Zine]

Morea - I think going part time somewhere and working on pulling in some freelance to help the business grow is a great idea...if you can do it. God knows I wish I could go part time where I am and do that!!

[paulrandfan]

You could work here...

http://stlatwork.careercast.com/texis/jobsearch/details.html?id=42b06ed04a0930&q=graphic&qField=All&qCountry=United%20States&qSort=smart&qMatch=all&pp=20&qDate=begin%20of%20-7%20days&view=1&page=1

(Competitive salary, health insurance my ass)


Oh that is f'n funny Patrick. I remember when I quit ALIVE Magazine,...a similar ad came out...same lures...'competitive salary' (competitive with McDonalds when you divide it out with the hours I worked with no overtime), 'benefits' (I assume the benefits are working with them), and someone who is 'superstar' (don't you hate people who use that phrase in the work place?) and someone who is 'flexible' (flexible enough to give up your life, sacrifice your relationships, and be able to work a 21 hour work day).

It's a pattern...people hire you...work you to death...then when you quit, they hire the next chump. They dont care about loyalty, team or longevity, just deadlines and having a body.

FU Kwik Kopy
FU ALIVE Magazine
FU similar

[morea]

'competitive salary' (competitive with McDonalds when you divide it out with the hours I worked with no overtime),

'benefits' (I assume the benefits are working with them),

a 'superstar' (don't you hate people who use that phrase in the work place?)

'flexible' (flexible enough to give up your life, sacrifice your relationships, and be able to work a 21 hour work day).

It's a pattern...people hire you...work you to death...then when you quit, they hire the next chump. They dont care about loyalty, team or longevity, just deadlines and having a body.

The phrase "you hit the nail right on the head" comes to mind. Ugh.

[cbscreative]

As someone who is self employed, maybe I can offer a little encouragement. The comment about working as an administrative assistant reminds me of my days as an office mgr. That was the one where I got all the stress and headaches while the boss got all the money. Meanwhile, I was just lining his pockets more and more. To top that off, he was the cause of the stress, the customers were easy.

If you have the skills to do all of that, then running a business is easy by comparison. The added benefit is that all the crap you put up with is to build your own future instead of someone else's who only wants to control your future. It is likely that you will need a job for awhile, but when there is a goal, it changes your attitude. Knowing that your days there are numbered makes a difference in the way you view the unfairness of the job market.

In my case, I ended up training my replacement, and I figured that was what was going on but I didn't care. They conveniently got rid of me when they were smug enough to not need my services. The job market was horrible and I ended up working a 3rd shift job that had nothing to do with GD. As bad as that sounds, the lesser pay had no stress. I punched in, punched out and left the job there. No brain power was required. That is a bad way to spend your life, but a good way to build your future.

Being 3rd shift, I could build my business during the day and suffer the same sleep deprivation that plagues all artists anyway while I built the business strong enough to survive on its own. This is not an easy choice, but look at all the crap GD's put up with already, and it's no worse. If you should be so fortunate as to land great clients early on, you would probably go faster than I did, but even slowly, you will get there.

Get a vision.

Steve
www.cbscreative.com (http://www.cbscreative.com)

PS: I was so fed up with GD, I started college to become a computer network administrator. I am still pursuing that degree, not because I expect to work in that field now that I am self employed, but because I like to finish what I started. Besides, since I am a web designer, understanding networks makes me a lot better at web design. My options will be more open too since $80g is not uncommon in that field.

[julie_crickmore]

haha thats why I have my own company and I am my own bitchy boss!! I love shouting at myself!! hehe