My group's manager called me today to tell me that as a result of a planned reorganization of his and other departments, there would be some merging going on of functions performed elsewhere. I immediately tensed, as this usually precedes a statement such as 'and therefore we want you to pick up these additional responsibilities'. And that's what happened -- but not in the manner I expected.
Instead, he told me that it is possible -- not a given -- that they would ask me to pick up the responsibilities of a person who does some low-level performance work at my location, and that if that happened, I would begin doing performance full-time, as my primary job, instead of part-time, as a surreptitious, don't-tell-anyone sort of thing. Apparently, the combination of being a good doobie and continually saying that technical work is what I really want to do may be about to pay off. Its a maybe, not a given, but its a hell of a lot more than I've had in the past.
Cross your fingers.
4 comments:
Well, hey, then you will have to re-write your job description.
Maybe I am just a cynical old phart, but I have always found that such lateral promotions must be in writing, or else you risk trouble. What kind of trouble...well lets see...
You might be cutting somebody else's grass, you might be putting somebody out of work, causing resentment, you might be making more work for your supervisor (a serious corporate crime!) you might be bringing your attention to another supervisor (who gets to pick on the "new guy")You might be making more work for a different supervisor.
Good luck, and beware! Don't let the shine of the gold in the stream blind you to the landslide. Sounds like a great opportunity as long as you cover your bases.
Certainly, there are hazards. I don't know what's going to happen to the guy who does some work I'll be taking over (I'm assured 'nothing bad', and I believe that); I don't know anything about the woman who manages this other group; I don't know what they're going to ask me to do.
What I know for sure is that for the first time in a while, I'm looking forward to coming to work again. I am not looking at the end of this year -- when I'm vested in my company's retirement plan -- as a cutoff date. I was assuming that some time between then and next June, I'd be gone. Now, I'm looking further out...possibly, much further out. This is a good thing.
*fingers crossed*
What's particularly amazing to me is how wimpy I can be able this. I want it, I want it, I want it...until its offered, at which point gee, the old cage sure does look comforting and familiar. I thought I'd outgrow that when I was 20...30....40...50...
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