Decisions

I was going to blog about this dog and pony show we had at work, with a senior VP "gracing" us with her presence and ultimately kicking us collectively in the nads.  I still will, just not right now.  Instead there's a different topic I'm going to blog about, though its still work-related.

Awhile back I mentioned my dissatisfaction with my job, how I felt like I was accomplishing what was expected of me (and beyond) and yet how I didn't see the dangled carrot of a promotion drawing any nearer for a bite.  Things may change.  They may not of course, but now an entirely new path may be in front of me.

About six months ago our 3rd shift supervisor quit.  Nice guy, but he found something better I guess and that was that.  That was six months ago.  They still haven't filled the position, which is nothing short of disgraceful.  I'm not referring to the management within my facility, I'm referring to HR who has kind of shrugged and looked the other way regarding the needs of our facility.  Our DC is pretty much an unknown, unheralded asset to the company.  I'll get more into that when I talk about the town hall meeting we had, but like I said this spot has been open for 6 months now.

We've had HR send 3 candidates to my bosses for interviews, and from what I hear only one was worth considering and when he found out what the pay was he passed on it entirely.  Pretty much anyone with half a brain has been approached about taking the position, and some folks with less than half a brain have expressed an interest.  There are some good lead men on 2nd shift, but they don't want to move to 3rd shift.  It was suggested a while back to me that I apply for it, but I really didn't want to go to 3rd either.  Plus the guys on 3rd, while nice guys, are long timers we inherited from the main plant closing last year and their attitude isn't the greatest.  But there is no leadership at all on that shift and its hurting our accuracy ratings.

So today I was bullshitting...er, I mean strategizing...with the 1st shift supervisor as he was going through the local job openings.  He finally got to our posting and opened it and commented as he was reading the qualifications that I could do that.  I asked him if he seriously thought I could, and he looked and me and asked "Are you interested?".  I replied that I wasn't, and he said "good" and we moved on to other subjects.  But then I brought it up again...seriously, if I were interested do you think I'd be able to handle it?  He again said yes, he thought I could.  So then we talked a bit about that and I got to thinking a little.

So after lunch I went to my boss and asked him the same question.  I got the same answer.  I told him that I really wasn't particularly interested because I'd rather pursue the path I was on, but I did value his input.  If he thought I'd be in over my head, just say so.  But he said no, if I were willing to put in the work he thought I could handle the role.  But his question was along the lines of "do you really want to do that?  Because once you go to 3rd, thats pretty much the only place you'll go". 

So my next meeting was with the facility manager.  Keep in mind that overall I have a good rapport with all of management at our facility, and overall they seem to like and respect me.  So I asked the manager what he thought.  His response really surprised me.  He said first of all, in my position they'd have to offer me a lead spot first because I'd not had an "official" supervisor role in the past and because it would be too massive of a labor grade jump to go from where I was at to a supervisor.  At this point I want to go on record and state that our company's view on advancement is sad.  One step at a time, thats it.  Nevermind qualifications or performance, I guess.

So anyway, the manager tells me that I was actually one of the first people he thought of to put in there (I kind of doubt that, but whatever lol) but he had heard I wasn't interested in 3rd shift.  We had a lengthy talk and basically he said he believed I could take it on and succeed.  Now at this point I was actually beginning to consider throwing my hat in the ring.

The way I'm looking at it, I don't know how the situation in my current position is going to work out as far as advancement goes.  If I wind up not getting the promotions I feel I deserve, where do I go from there?  Thats pretty much it unless someone quits.  On the other hand, this opportunity is still right there.  It might be the only opportunity I get, or I might choose it and wind up screwed.  I don't know.

To be honest, the supervisor position would be a massive pay increase.  Of course I'd have to do the middle step as a lead, which probably wouldn't be as massive an increase but it would be something.  And lets face it, its all about the money.

The position has been sitting there for 6 months now, as I mentioned.  Everyone and their brother has had the opportunity to put in for it.  The manager pointed out that I hadn't been with the company very long (I haven't) but I've gotten a good handle on the business in that short period and he felt I was being underutilized in my current position.  I added that I was also being underpaid.  He ignored that and continued that this was the reason I was brought up to the office from receiving, to get more out of me, and he felt that even now they could use me in better ways.

So thats where I stand.  I talked to my son already and told him about it, asked him his thoughts.  I mentioned that with me working 3rds that things would change as far as during his visitations, with me having to be gone Friday nights at work and him being there alone.  He was ok with it though, so thats good.  I'll probably take a few days to think about it (and I really should), but the more I think about it now the more I'm leaning towards applying for it.  Of course HR could just say fuck no, and that would be the end of that.  But we will see, I guess.