When the Corporate Ladder turns into an escalator - going down

[Narya]

What do you do when this happens? Have you guys ever experienced it? Like when you know your career is on the move then suddenly, instead of going up you go down and fast!

What do you do in a situation like this?

[DGoeij]

I'm afraid that, as a student, my movement on the corporate ladder (if any) is basically horizontal. From one part-time job to another.:rolleyes:

I don't know why you are suddenly dropping and what kind of drop you are making (being fired or facing a lower salary for instance), so I wouldn't know what your best options are.

I got fired once (reoganisations in a company tend to result in firing those who are working there for the shortest amount of time, namely me) and couldn't find a job for a while. But since I still lived with my parents and had some savings, I wasn't in any financial trouble. I just felt a little bad, because I really liked the job and the people I was working with. I can imagine someone with a real life and less financial backing might have some serious trouble on their hands. I hope things work out ok for you.

EDIT: I hope nobody saw all these typos, sheesh.:eek:

[Narya]

I was transferred to another department and it wasn't my idea of success. Though the pay is the same and the workload a lot lighter but the work itself isn't that attractive.

[Elbereth]

This is the story of my life right now!

My first job out of college was a dream job. I was working under the International head of Marketing in one of the top three Auction houses in the world. I was able to get experience in all fields of marketing, earn the respect that I needed to get ahead, and I was placed in a position so that I could move into whatever department I wanted in the company within the first three years.

I couldn't have asked for a better scenario.

I had worked there for a little over a year...and was just beginning to make a name for myself in the company and get the respect that I deserved, when my boss comes to me one day and tells me that she plans to retire and will be leaving the next month. However, she assured me that she would set me up to move into the department of my choice(which at the time was Special Events), and in that last month she allowed me to work directly with the Special Events Director so that my switch over to that department would be much smoother.

Then the day came...the day that my boss left and her replacement came in. Her replacement seemed nice...and she really made it seem like she wanted to really work with us as my former boss had. However, I soon learned that it was all a fascade.

First of all she began by disconnecting me from my duties with the special events department...having me run "Special errands" for her...even though most of the time the errands were stupid errands for her own personal gain...then she would loan me to other departments that were not even connected to my job. And when I tried to confront her about all of it...she would quickly change the subject or she would have to cut the conversation short because she had to run to some meeting or take some other call.

Then I soon learned the truth of it. She wanted to come in and change our department completely...bring in new people, croonies who would answer to her every beck and call. Therefore, a month later...when she let the entire department go...I was not surprised...nor was I upset to go.

Since then, I have been floating around, trying to find my next big break. However, in this economy....those big breaks are a little harder to find...and you are forced to take the next best thing...that pays you less than what you are worth...just to get by.

However to end this story on a ironic yet strangely positive note... I discovered a few months after I had left my job that the evil boss lady who fired my entired department, was herself fired only two months after I was released from my job. Apparently, all of her efforts failed miserably...and nobody wanted to work with her. I guess there is a just God afterall....;)

[greypilgrim]

Well, I've been nworking my butt off lately.

I'm gearing up for the painting season. I have sent more than 10,000 word e-mails to the owner of the company I work at right now, trying to tell them that I want to open a music-related website soon, hopefully remaing an "ally" <--I even used that word in the e-mail!...remaining an ally to their company over the next year, as a salesman/marketer/warehouse/anything.

They told me to follow my passions. I responded that my passions were (as far as they were concerned) in this order...

$$$, Painting, and music...and that they were connected to me through music, or something like that. (They were very long e-mails)

So right now they are (I think) feeling positive about this idea of mine that I "proposed" to them, unofficially as of today.

The painting i talk about is exterior house painting. It's really fun, plus easy work and easy to do on your own and make out.

My letter to my current employer contained all my current dreams of success. Those dreams are secondary right now to my first plan, getting some other things together outside of the work area. Once I have some other things established, I'll be working away at 3 different things...painting houses, the plan i submitted, and writing part-time (only to get published). Those are my passions right now (work-related, ya know?).

-->My point is, I don't climb any other person's ladder, I try and create my own ladder. But hey, I had a paper-route when I was 8 years old, I always liked working I guess. I'm strange I guess!:rolleyes:

[greypilgrim]

My brother just took over the biggest and most succesful painting/home improvement company in Northeast Ohio, and I am his closest ally there. That means more than words can say.

The music store I work at also is very open to my ideas for selling their inventory. That also means more than words can say.

Climb that ladder, any ladder...as long as it goes upwards, and in the right direction that will make you happy, doing whatever work you can do. Too many people hate their job.

I'll stop giving advice now.:p

[Wonko The Sane]

I've not had a serious job before. I'm a student so I've had lame part-time student jobs.

But in my last job I had to go through a whole load of mess. I started out great, and kept building, was paid more than any other cashier or sales-person, and was set to get a raise and more hours.

And then something happened. Not anything that I did, but my boss changed. Perhaps he'd been told to change his approach to his employees, or had been disciplined and was cracking down and taking it out on those who worked for him.

Let's just say I started getting the shaft in everything. Hours were cut, no raise, and I began to be treated as a second class worker.

My boss had always been slightly sexist in his attitudes but it then became overt. Us girls were forced back behind the checkout counter and away from the sales floor. (It's a sporting goods store and all the men are sales or managers, all the girls are cashiers. We used to be able to do sales sometimse too but they put a stop to that.) And when I had problems with one of the other manager's racist comments I was overlooked accused of starting trouble and basically shoved to the bottom of the dustbin. My boss wouldn't discuss it with me so I had to go to his boss, which I think really pissed him off cos HIS boss isn't corrupt and did everything he could to fix the situation.

So since then (which was last August-September ish) My boss has been trying to find excuses for firing me. I asked for time off to go to England which he granted. But when I got back and then called him he informed me that I no longer had a job.

So yeah. I know how it feels to get kicked around by those in the businessplacething.

It was a crappy part time job...but it still sucks to deal with that ****.

[TheFool]

hmmm..

Well I am finally sorting myself out. I was a student for 3 years and ended up with a good science degree (though a pretty rare/bizarre one ;) ), but after graduating I just treaded water for a year, doing on-and-off temp jobs in boring offices. Actually I lived by myself for that year which didn't help. Then I moved back home and was unemployed for 6 months, which absolutely sucked, I think it was actually damaging my health as well... I realised I needed to do something, something drastic :D. Like a lot of students I pretty much wasted/drank all of my time, sat around playing the guitar, and I didn't do any travelling or much career-enhancing activities. So last thursday I went for an interview with a company that supplies personnel for the Merchant Navy. They accepted me by Friday, offered me sponsorship by monday, wanted me to start full-time training course on 28th April, then changed the course structure so that instead of doing 26 weeks college, I do 3 weeks college and then 'join ship' - the sponsorship company operates support/rescue ships for the offshore platforms in the North Sea. Needless to say, all this hasn't really sunk in yet!! But everything is falling into place; hopefully I'm going to have money, a lot more 'friends', a career which involves my degree (YAY!), a mad working environment, money, looong holidays... a life, basically :D Also it is v. scary, and I can't really allow myself to think, 'what if it doesn't work out?' - but I'm 23 now and I feel, well, unfulfilled. It must be better to get out there and try than to think in 10yrs time, 'if only...' - So that's what I'm doing.

Maybe I won't be around here/there for long! TTF has helped me during my long period of dole scrounging, I hope to be able to drop back in now and then; I hope my votes will help you guys! Maybe if you are lucky I will post a pic of me in uniform.. :D :D

P.

[Wonko The Sane]

Congratulations, Fool!! :)
I'm glad you found your direction!

It's that time of year or something becuase I similiary am putting myself out their for jobs. :)

GO YOU!!! :D

[Aulë]

Congrats TheFool! :D

I hope I become as lucky as you, and have a full-time job that I love by the time I'm 23.
And we have appreciated you're stay here, we couldn't have beaten those nasty Ost-in-Edhilians without you.

[TheFool]

thanks guys :) . heh.. my debating style of 'keep-plugging-away-and-hope-they-crack' :D ;) .

It is true that there is a shortage of engineers/tech people in this country, it just took me a while to find out where... and people, I'm rubbish at advice type stuff, but I suppose the most important thing is not to lose heart! Oh and all those 'follow yer dreams' tv ads :D

gaah ...I'm still in a daze

[Wonko The Sane]

Congratulations!

:) I can tell your happy and I hope the coming years find you more and more so! :)

[greypilgrim]

painting houses is gruelling work at times but most days it is a breeze. fun, too!:D ............

Keep your head up Fool! check out Vegas! that's the city that is always getting bigger and needs all kinds of specialty people!

[Gamil Zirak]

My whole career has been a downward spiral.

When I graduated college I had the job that every espiring accountant wanted, one with a Big 5 accounting firm. Due to personal reasons (mainly my wife getting accepted into a law school in a different town and there not being an office of the firm in that town), I couldn't take the job. I found a job for a health science center (medical/dental school type thing) as an internal auditor and took a big, big, big, big, big, big paycut. A whopping 19% less pay. After being there a little over a year, I took a job with a small CPA firm. It was a better job and more money, but still not quite what I would have had at my dream job. I thought it was going to be a good job and I would gain a lot of experience; unfortunately, I was fired after three weeks of working there. Long story short, I wasn't given any training yet they still expected me to be working as fast as the person I replaced. Strange thing is they never hired any one back to fill my position. Then I found a job with a Bus Company as an Assistant Controller (second in command of the accounting department). I still don't make as much as I did at my dream job, but I make the same as I did at the CPA firm. I'm right at two years out of college and not even close to where I thought I should be.

It's very frustrating and I'm not even sure if I want to stay in my field anymore. I'm actually considering a very drastic change in fact.

The only tips I have are to just not give up and keep giving it your all. The two times I was without work, I got in touch with a staffing agency and they got me temp jobs.

When life gives you a lemon, squeeze the hell out of it and made a big glass of lemonade.

[Niniel]

I'm a bit afraid of what wil happen when I get out of university. I study history, and I really want to get a job as a researcher when I'm finished. I know I'm a good enough scholar to do it, but there aren't many positions available. There are lots of things that need researchuing, but there is no money. So my chances of finding a great job are minimal. I won't be finished until December at least, but I'm already a bit nervous about what will happen then.

[Narya]

Well, the escalator has turned into a ladder again. The girl who replaced me turned out to be the biggest mistake the company made!!! She had absolutely NO CLUE on what to do.

So they transfered me again. Back where I belong, I guess!!! Hehehehe!!!

:D :D :D

[Wonko The Sane]

I'm meant to be getting a job with a law firm...
And things are going pretty well so far...

They'd all but hired me, said they had 4 positions open and wanted me to do a second interview with the head of that department so that they could figure out which of the four I'd be best suited for.

Unfortunately that guy got sick...then his baby got sick...and he still hasn't rescheduled that interview.

I guess I have to wait for him to recover. Maybe he has SARS... :)