Manipulated by employer--how do I get my career back on track?
February 1, 2018 3:15 AM Subscribe
[UrbanismFilter] I feel trapped in a job I was essentially tricked into accepting as a young graduate. After three years of broken promises from my employer I've decided to pull the plug. How, oh how do I get out and back into the planning profession I originally wanted to pursue?
OK, the "how do I get out" part is relatively simple, if not easy: I could probably be gone within six months if I were prepared to accept whatever new position would pay my rent. However, I put massive amounts of blood, sweat and tears (and time, and opportunity cost) into an urban planning degree that I intend to USE if it's the last thing I do; now that I have this BS job on my CV I'm feeling increasingly panicky that I will never be hired to do the thing I want, which is transportation planning, specifically network design.
Snowflakes: in 2014, freshly graduated from a fancy-pants school in Paris, I was invited to interview at the marketing department of a large public transportation company. I initially wasn't interested, since CRM/communications/sales/etc. have nothing to do with my education nor my professional goals. "No no!" protested the then-director.* "Marketing also houses our network design team, which is what you would be doing!" I interviewed for several weeks and was finally offered the job, as a junior network planner. This being France, the hiring paperwork took 5 months, during which time I strung together odd jobs to stay housed and fed whilst I turned down other oppotunities, since I was willing to take that risk (nothing had been signed) in order to nab my dream job. I'm sure you can guess what comes next.
The company finally, FINALLY called me to come sign my contract, two weeks before my projected start date and nearly half a year after I had been offered the position. It was then announced that I was no longer to work with the network design manager, who had suddenly vanished from the process, but report instead to the promotion and communications manager, whom I had never even met. "Rosencrantz doesn't have time to manage you right now", they finally said; "you'll be reporting to Belinda initially until we have time to train you on network design." I was so stunned I initially didn't even express surprise, let alone object. I was utterly broke, in a country not my own, and desperate to start work; my student loans were coming due in 16 days. I signed, with the stipulation that I would do the work assigned me in exchange for training and eventual transfer to network restructure.
As any idiot could have predicted--and as I initially feared--three years later this still has not happened, for various bullshit reasons I won't detail here but which basically boil down to, "well you've never done network design, so how can we put you on it?" I am still reporting to Belinda, who resents my presence because, DUH, I'm not a marketing specialist and therefore cannot support her adequately on her projects. The previous network design manager quit shortly after I arrived, and his replacement is totally overwhelmed and has no time to manage an extra report, let alone train one. (I also suspect she dislikes me personally, though we've always gotten along fine.) Instead I exist in a humiliating limbo, on the edges of both network design and communications, and as a result look utterly useless to my colleagues, all of whom are highly specialised in one or the other field. (My current uselessness being a direct result of their dishonesty and bad management, I feel embarrassed but not particularly guilty about it.)
I have cajoled, insisted, bargained and protested to be allowed to at least LEARN network design even if I can't be totally and permanently reassigned; they threw a tangentially related project my way but otherwise have made it clear it's not on the cards. This, whilst repeatedly hiring from outside the department/company to fill positions in that unit, sometimes with people no more qualified than I. It seems pretty clear that this is a tactic to get me to quit, but when I requested a transfer in 2016 they acted *horrified* and relented somewhat, letting me do a sort of ride-along on a restructuring project. But that was all.
I'm at my wits' end: I've wasted three years of my career and am no closer to my goal, since I'm caught in the same Catch-22 as when I graduated: no one will consider me for network design because I've never OFFICIALLY done it, and I can't do it because no one wants to teach me. I'm furious and miserable that I may never be able to have the career I wanted because I allowed myself to be taken in by a bunch of unscrupulous assholes. I still meet my deadlines and hit my contractual objectives, I am professional and cordial; I even received a significant raise last year. But it's obvious to everyone that I'm not engaged, and my manager is openly pissed about it. Despite being competent at my job I am not optimistic for my annual review next week.
Where do I go from here? I have no mentors locally in urbanism/planning/transportation policy to point me in the correct direction, so this is kind of a Hail Mary, hoping anyone on the Green might have some experience and/or contacts. Do I keep fighting for some sort of internal training? Give up and go back to school for an even more specific qualification? Give up entirely and go do something else? Would it be worth it to take a pay cut and go all the way back to a junior position (assuming such a thing is even possible)? At 28 I'd like to think I still have time to steer myself back in the right direction, but maybe I'm wrong.
As usual, any and all advice, including "pull your head out of your butt and be grateful you can pay your bills", is welcome.
*"Then-director" because he was recently fired. The department actually has pretty spectacular turnover: of about 15 people who were here when I was hired, precisely 3 now remain (incl. myself). Which should give you an idea of the general ambiance and interest in employee retention.
OK, the "how do I get out" part is relatively simple, if not easy: I could probably be gone within six months if I were prepared to accept whatever new position would pay my rent. However, I put massive amounts of blood, sweat and tears (and time, and opportunity cost) into an urban planning degree that I intend to USE if it's the last thing I do; now that I have this BS job on my CV I'm feeling increasingly panicky that I will never be hired to do the thing I want, which is transportation planning, specifically network design.
Snowflakes: in 2014, freshly graduated from a fancy-pants school in Paris, I was invited to interview at the marketing department of a large public transportation company. I initially wasn't interested, since CRM/communications/sales/etc. have nothing to do with my education nor my professional goals. "No no!" protested the then-director.* "Marketing also houses our network design team, which is what you would be doing!" I interviewed for several weeks and was finally offered the job, as a junior network planner. This being France, the hiring paperwork took 5 months, during which time I strung together odd jobs to stay housed and fed whilst I turned down other oppotunities, since I was willing to take that risk (nothing had been signed) in order to nab my dream job. I'm sure you can guess what comes next.
The company finally, FINALLY called me to come sign my contract, two weeks before my projected start date and nearly half a year after I had been offered the position. It was then announced that I was no longer to work with the network design manager, who had suddenly vanished from the process, but report instead to the promotion and communications manager, whom I had never even met. "Rosencrantz doesn't have time to manage you right now", they finally said; "you'll be reporting to Belinda initially until we have time to train you on network design." I was so stunned I initially didn't even express surprise, let alone object. I was utterly broke, in a country not my own, and desperate to start work; my student loans were coming due in 16 days. I signed, with the stipulation that I would do the work assigned me in exchange for training and eventual transfer to network restructure.
As any idiot could have predicted--and as I initially feared--three years later this still has not happened, for various bullshit reasons I won't detail here but which basically boil down to, "well you've never done network design, so how can we put you on it?" I am still reporting to Belinda, who resents my presence because, DUH, I'm not a marketing specialist and therefore cannot support her adequately on her projects. The previous network design manager quit shortly after I arrived, and his replacement is totally overwhelmed and has no time to manage an extra report, let alone train one. (I also suspect she dislikes me personally, though we've always gotten along fine.) Instead I exist in a humiliating limbo, on the edges of both network design and communications, and as a result look utterly useless to my colleagues, all of whom are highly specialised in one or the other field. (My current uselessness being a direct result of their dishonesty and bad management, I feel embarrassed but not particularly guilty about it.)
I have cajoled, insisted, bargained and protested to be allowed to at least LEARN network design even if I can't be totally and permanently reassigned; they threw a tangentially related project my way but otherwise have made it clear it's not on the cards. This, whilst repeatedly hiring from outside the department/company to fill positions in that unit, sometimes with people no more qualified than I. It seems pretty clear that this is a tactic to get me to quit, but when I requested a transfer in 2016 they acted *horrified* and relented somewhat, letting me do a sort of ride-along on a restructuring project. But that was all.
I'm at my wits' end: I've wasted three years of my career and am no closer to my goal, since I'm caught in the same Catch-22 as when I graduated: no one will consider me for network design because I've never OFFICIALLY done it, and I can't do it because no one wants to teach me. I'm furious and miserable that I may never be able to have the career I wanted because I allowed myself to be taken in by a bunch of unscrupulous assholes. I still meet my deadlines and hit my contractual objectives, I am professional and cordial; I even received a significant raise last year. But it's obvious to everyone that I'm not engaged, and my manager is openly pissed about it. Despite being competent at my job I am not optimistic for my annual review next week.
Where do I go from here? I have no mentors locally in urbanism/planning/transportation policy to point me in the correct direction, so this is kind of a Hail Mary, hoping anyone on the Green might have some experience and/or contacts. Do I keep fighting for some sort of internal training? Give up and go back to school for an even more specific qualification? Give up entirely and go do something else? Would it be worth it to take a pay cut and go all the way back to a junior position (assuming such a thing is even possible)? At 28 I'd like to think I still have time to steer myself back in the right direction, but maybe I'm wrong.
As usual, any and all advice, including "pull your head out of your butt and be grateful you can pay your bills", is welcome.
*"Then-director" because he was recently fired. The department actually has pretty spectacular turnover: of about 15 people who were here when I was hired, precisely 3 now remain (incl. myself). Which should give you an idea of the general ambiance and interest in employee retention.
As usual, any and all advice, including "pull your head out of your butt and be grateful you can pay your bills", is welcome.
Mine isn't far from that - throughout this question, your phrasing indicates you see this as some kind of personal vendetta against you. It isn't and you need to get over that feeling. You're of value in your current position (even if you don't think you are that useful) and the value in replacing you isn't greater than the value of having you do network design, particularly when there's so much turnover on your team. To move you, they create yet another vacancy on a team that has been largely vacant since you got there.
I think one of the challenges here is - you're going to have a very difficult time getting a network design job that will also pay you like someone with three years experience because that experience isn't relevant. For jobs that require mentoring and a lot of training, the up front period where you're learning is often seen as an investment in future returns. An employer will still need to make that investment in you, so thinking you can skip the junior ranks is I think unrealistic.
If network design is what you want, then you need to get an external offer from someone else and leverage it against your current employer to move to the department you want. Be prepared for them to say no and to have to move on, but at your current employer it sounds like they need you more where you are and so the option needs to be "well, if you don't move me, you won't have me at all."
posted by notorious medium at 4:11 AM on February 1, 2018 [9 favorites]
Mine isn't far from that - throughout this question, your phrasing indicates you see this as some kind of personal vendetta against you. It isn't and you need to get over that feeling. You're of value in your current position (even if you don't think you are that useful) and the value in replacing you isn't greater than the value of having you do network design, particularly when there's so much turnover on your team. To move you, they create yet another vacancy on a team that has been largely vacant since you got there.
I think one of the challenges here is - you're going to have a very difficult time getting a network design job that will also pay you like someone with three years experience because that experience isn't relevant. For jobs that require mentoring and a lot of training, the up front period where you're learning is often seen as an investment in future returns. An employer will still need to make that investment in you, so thinking you can skip the junior ranks is I think unrealistic.
If network design is what you want, then you need to get an external offer from someone else and leverage it against your current employer to move to the department you want. Be prepared for them to say no and to have to move on, but at your current employer it sounds like they need you more where you are and so the option needs to be "well, if you don't move me, you won't have me at all."
posted by notorious medium at 4:11 AM on February 1, 2018 [9 favorites]
Best answer: You need *a* job offer to bring to the table of your current employer. You do not need a job offer that pays the same as your current employer.
posted by DarlingBri at 5:00 AM on February 1, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by DarlingBri at 5:00 AM on February 1, 2018 [1 favorite]
The first bit of advice I have for you is similar to above...you really need to start letting go of resentment here. I can see why you’re disappointed but this kind of restructuring isn’t uncommon. You will need to be able to talk about your work experience and background without that note or it could be an issue.
In France I know the process is really different and as you’ve outlined, takes months to get hired. So make sure you’ve got everything lined up that you need, savings, etc. Then yeah, I think you will have to look at entry-level positions. However, you do have some great customer-centric experience now and have proven you can perform in a work environment, so you may have a leg up on the next position...provided you can talk about it positively.
For jobs is there an alumni network you can leverage? One of my relatives was an academic in your field and often referred past students to positions. Find out where your classmates are working.
Three years isn’t that long in the schemes of things although I know it feels that way now.
posted by warriorqueen at 5:04 AM on February 1, 2018 [1 favorite]
In France I know the process is really different and as you’ve outlined, takes months to get hired. So make sure you’ve got everything lined up that you need, savings, etc. Then yeah, I think you will have to look at entry-level positions. However, you do have some great customer-centric experience now and have proven you can perform in a work environment, so you may have a leg up on the next position...provided you can talk about it positively.
For jobs is there an alumni network you can leverage? One of my relatives was an academic in your field and often referred past students to positions. Find out where your classmates are working.
Three years isn’t that long in the schemes of things although I know it feels that way now.
posted by warriorqueen at 5:04 AM on February 1, 2018 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Oh hi, I remember meeting in person after your question about intercultural office politics a couple years ago.
There are several things going on here, I'll address the obvious first. Yes, apply to places you did initially, aim for what you want to do and don't worry about starting off junior. It happens a lot. You can't skip those ranks and have legitimacy long-term. I wouldn't worry too much either as you have experience and have held on for three years, which is no small feat.
Reading between the lines + your intercultural ask in the past, and living in France as an American too, part of the reason I think you're taking this personally is that French office culture is much more relationship-based than in the US. In the States (and I am generalizing as what you've experienced here in France does also happen in the US) things tend to get explained more, whereas in France you're just sort of supposed to "know", which translates to getting a feel for things, fostering relationships with everyone, and using that insight to drive your career. That can be pretty hard as a foreigner, but it's not impossible – you do tend to get quite a few thwacks at the beginning. In cases where it doesn't work out, the reasons why can depend on quite a lot of things, there's no easy answer. But it does sound like, in this case, you're in a position where you can look elsewhere and see how to start off on stronger footing in the new place. Whatever you do, when interviewing, frame your experience at this current place as constructively as possible.
Don't worry too much about the 3-month préavis as everyone knows it's there. Plus, once you've signed with a new place (NOT before), and if they agree you could join them sooner, you can ask your current place if it would be possible to negotiate a shorter préavis. You'll lose your paid holidays since it will be at your request, but if it would make you happier, it would probably be worth it.
(If you go through the full préavis and don't use any of your paid holidays, the remainder will be paid out to you as part of the solde de tout compte.)
posted by fraula at 5:22 AM on February 1, 2018 [9 favorites]
There are several things going on here, I'll address the obvious first. Yes, apply to places you did initially, aim for what you want to do and don't worry about starting off junior. It happens a lot. You can't skip those ranks and have legitimacy long-term. I wouldn't worry too much either as you have experience and have held on for three years, which is no small feat.
Reading between the lines + your intercultural ask in the past, and living in France as an American too, part of the reason I think you're taking this personally is that French office culture is much more relationship-based than in the US. In the States (and I am generalizing as what you've experienced here in France does also happen in the US) things tend to get explained more, whereas in France you're just sort of supposed to "know", which translates to getting a feel for things, fostering relationships with everyone, and using that insight to drive your career. That can be pretty hard as a foreigner, but it's not impossible – you do tend to get quite a few thwacks at the beginning. In cases where it doesn't work out, the reasons why can depend on quite a lot of things, there's no easy answer. But it does sound like, in this case, you're in a position where you can look elsewhere and see how to start off on stronger footing in the new place. Whatever you do, when interviewing, frame your experience at this current place as constructively as possible.
Don't worry too much about the 3-month préavis as everyone knows it's there. Plus, once you've signed with a new place (NOT before), and if they agree you could join them sooner, you can ask your current place if it would be possible to negotiate a shorter préavis. You'll lose your paid holidays since it will be at your request, but if it would make you happier, it would probably be worth it.
(If you go through the full préavis and don't use any of your paid holidays, the remainder will be paid out to you as part of the solde de tout compte.)
posted by fraula at 5:22 AM on February 1, 2018 [9 favorites]
Don't be afraid to take a more junior role. For one thing, it won't be THAT much more junior - you've only been in the post-grad working world for three years. That's not much in the grand scheme of your whole career.
But more importantly, I bet your experience from the last three years will help you advance faster than you would have otherwise. When I was 32, I took a job in a career field that I wanted to work in that had barely existed when I graduated (Internet-related). It was pretty junior, but my earlier career experience allowed me to advance quickly.
Look at it this way: you've spent the last three years learning about working in a professional environment, with clients, in your field (or at least adjacent) in a foreign country. You are so much savvier and more seasoned than you were three years ago.
posted by lunasol at 7:53 AM on February 1, 2018 [3 favorites]
But more importantly, I bet your experience from the last three years will help you advance faster than you would have otherwise. When I was 32, I took a job in a career field that I wanted to work in that had barely existed when I graduated (Internet-related). It was pretty junior, but my earlier career experience allowed me to advance quickly.
Look at it this way: you've spent the last three years learning about working in a professional environment, with clients, in your field (or at least adjacent) in a foreign country. You are so much savvier and more seasoned than you were three years ago.
posted by lunasol at 7:53 AM on February 1, 2018 [3 favorites]
In most professional careers, three years is still quite junior. I know you're frustrated, but it's not as if you're burning your accomplishments to date to the ground and salting the earth if you take an entry-level job. And, yes, three years of learning how to function not just for the first time in the professional world, but in a foreign culture and language, will prove to have been of value to you personally even if you can't put it on the resume.
posted by praemunire at 8:10 AM on February 1, 2018
posted by praemunire at 8:10 AM on February 1, 2018
Not in France but I graduated from a US planning program and got a job that took me away from my interests (at about your same age). Almost three years later I got a job solidly in my field. It was “starting over again” in terms of seniority but as lunasol and praemunire said, that previous professional experience gave me an edge. Planning school didn’t prepare me for the daily reality of working in an office. You’ll definitely be starting over for the AICP work requirements.
I was honest in interviews that I wanted to change direction. The level of self awareness it takes to make that decision is a strength and shows motivation. I hope you end up where you want to be, it will be worth it!
posted by mrcrow at 9:09 AM on February 1, 2018 [1 favorite]
I was honest in interviews that I wanted to change direction. The level of self awareness it takes to make that decision is a strength and shows motivation. I hope you end up where you want to be, it will be worth it!
posted by mrcrow at 9:09 AM on February 1, 2018 [1 favorite]
Age 28 is a great time and definitely not too late to take a step into a more junior role to make a transition. A lot of people in my Masters of City Planning program were 28! A master's degree could be worth looking into as another way to make the transition, but 2 years of junior work experience is probably financially better and more useful than 2 years of study.
posted by salvia at 9:46 AM on February 1, 2018
posted by salvia at 9:46 AM on February 1, 2018
When applying for new jobs, don't talk about problems with your current one. "I expected it to involve more network design, but the department was restructured right after I was hired, so I've been working more in marketing. I've learned a great deal, but what I really want to do is network design. Right now, network design is a small part of my responsibilities, so I'm a bit frustrated and looking for something that's a better fit."
Because you have done some, just not nearly as much as you'd like, or enough to count at serious network design experience. But definitely mention every bit of experience you do have (don't lie, but don't downplay it either), and if you can, tell prospective employers that you like the job just fine - you just don't like that your responsibilities aren't the best match for your education and skills.
posted by ErisLordFreedom at 11:12 AM on February 1, 2018 [5 favorites]
Because you have done some, just not nearly as much as you'd like, or enough to count at serious network design experience. But definitely mention every bit of experience you do have (don't lie, but don't downplay it either), and if you can, tell prospective employers that you like the job just fine - you just don't like that your responsibilities aren't the best match for your education and skills.
posted by ErisLordFreedom at 11:12 AM on February 1, 2018 [5 favorites]
This isn't advice on what to do, but try on these shifts in perspective to see if they help, whether you stay or go - 3 years is an eye blink! 28 is young!
posted by troyer at 2:33 PM on February 1, 2018 [1 favorite]
- Look at your career from the other end: you'll have filled up four decades with all sorts of adventures - these first three will be just a blip.
- Look at your career in 3 year chunks: a huge amount happens in three years -- even your current job has probably changed in that time. Whole companies have been built and killed in three years. You could be doing almost anything, including your dream job, three years from now.
- Get rid of any thought of a deadline or some timekeeper measuring you. Most professions are not linear in time. Don't compare your career path to other real people, let alone some imaginary version of you. (Even doctors and lawyers in the US start with linear cohorts but diverge within a decade.)
- Don't worry about starting over or going back to school -- it's common at 28 and 38 and 48 and 58. Most people, even in France, change careers several times over their working lives. Going back to #1, your job is going to be very different in 40 years than you can image now, and it will have taken many turns that you do not anticipate.
posted by troyer at 2:33 PM on February 1, 2018 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Thank you all so much for your responses. They're a much-needed reality check whilst also being informative & encouraging. You are all rock stars!
posted by peakes at 5:48 AM on February 2, 2018
posted by peakes at 5:48 AM on February 2, 2018
Response by poster: [ETA: re reading salvia's comment, just wanted to clarify the planning degree I mention is indeed a master's degree, just in case people were confused as to why I didn't seem to be pursuing that path.]
posted by peakes at 6:13 AM on February 2, 2018
posted by peakes at 6:13 AM on February 2, 2018
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by coppermoss at 3:51 AM on February 1, 2018 [31 favorites]