Safe – for now

So, it was announced a couple of days ago that I’ve held on to my job. In fact, not only have I held on to my job but I’ve been promoted. Yet, I have the same pay and greater responsibility. I guess it’s better than the outside option.

It does mean that I need to learn more about our consumer tracking methodologies and that is scaring me. I now have the freedom to set my own path and without the handrails of a more hands-on manager, there is an element of fear there.

Onward into the great recession!

Bad Hiring – Totally My Fault

I’m a little bit frustrated with my latest hiring decision. I think it’s because I’m too easily convinced by people who can answer one good question really well. That singular answer taints the rest and I lose a little perspective.

The current hire was a very convincing. He spoke well and gave very clear and effective answers to all the questions posed. My fault was that I didn’t probe him sufficiently and took everything at face value.

As I’ve mentioned before, the work I do is heavy on the numbers and that means some heavy duty Excel work. My fault was not to probe deep into this. Although Excel can be taught, it takes time to acquire the level that I’m looking for. The Hire has good analytical thinking. His main deficiency is in condensing that into something that stands on its own – without him having to explain it.

The moral here for me is that if I have the luxury of time, compromising is possible. If not, then I should have asked the questions that would prove that a person could hop into the job and run. In this instance, at this very point, I’ve screwed up royally.

Making the Switch

I signed a new contract today. I’m still in the same company but in a new department. I’m pleased that I’m going to leave the old team and joining a new bunch of people with whom I have better affinity. Yet, the nagging sensation that I need to be elsewhere remains. I have too much respect for my new team to not do the right thing. This is a box that I must tick before other things.

Shuffling Decks

More changes at work. My current manager (who has been in the seat for about six months) has been promoted. That means the big chair has been populated by two people in the last six months; both had been from other states and obviously in a holding pattern until their real seats were made vacant.

The next guy in line isn’t as brilliant a thinker as the previous two but is arguably reasonably politic. My concern is whether the Director thinks this department is really one that produces anything or is just a holding bay until he can find a box for his mates.

It doesn’t fill me with any more confidence.

When Did I Start to Lose Interest?

 

I suppose my motivation started to ebb this year when my function was cut from Marketing and rolled into Sales. Okay, I wasn’t a pure marketer and worked more in analytics. Functionally I could have sat in either. My peeve is that there was an inferred promise that I would work for Marketing, investigating consumer trends. Alas, not to be. The change meant an alteration to:

• career progression plans
• skill building
• circle of colleagues

For me this change was unexpected and unexplained. I had no say in the move and no reason was given. Since then, I’ve been treading water and waiting for a chance to leave. In hindsight, I should have looked for an earlier escape or sought reasons. In the end, I chickened out and opted to do the best thing for myself.

I know I should I have been the proactive one, seeking reasons for decisions that affected my motivation. I should have been the bigger one.

Knowing Why You Want to Leave

I recently went and saw a recruiter that a former colleague recommended (he was lucky enough to have left Company X). Although I felt I was prepared, it’s been five years since I’ve done a serious external interview.

My preparation consisted of this: re-read my copy of “What Color Is Your Parachute”, took note of my strengths, wrote down a list of things I was looking for in an organization, and the type of industry I’d like to be part of. It’s a sound platform and (from memory) should have been sufficient to make a good impression. Not so.

I got thrown by a speculative question, “If you were starting at this Firm, XYZ tomorrow, what could you do for them that nobody else could?” I dithered on this one and gave an answer that 99 out of 100 people would have. She said, “Don’t you think they’d do that already?”

The tip here is to have something up your sleeve that demonstrates uniqueness. I’m sure I could have used something but hadn’t done enough of the hard work. Dig deep.