Bait-and-switched in a new job report structure. Don't know what to do.
October 18, 2015 6:45 AM Subscribe
I went through a long interview process and it turns out the person who was leading that process knew they were leaving, knew whom I'd be reporting to once they were gone, and actively withheld that from me. I don't think I can stay, I'm not sure what my next steps should be.
The company in question approached me through a headhunter. I wasn't actively looking, but they caught me on a day off and the role was interesting enough to sit through the interviews. In the end, the process took about two months from start to finish.
I rejected the initial position after sitting through those interviews. The people seemed fine and I could see myself working for them, but the role wasn't right: It represented a definite step backwards for me, but it took interviewing to get to the bottom of that.
They were back a week later with a greatly expanded role that would have a different reporting structure. I was explicit about what I wanted in terms of scope and ongoing management responsibilities. After more discussions with the new hiring manager reassured me that this was a new, more appropriate role for me, I accepted their offer.
I've been in fast-growing organizations before, and I've seen "opportunity hire" situations, so while they were moving more quickly than I have as a hiring manager, I was also dealing with executives who have more latitude than I ever had as a lower-level manager. I wrote off the initial attempt at a hire as a reasonable misstep on their part. The second hiring manager alluded to that several times and was even a little apologetic for the ways in which the original job description from the other team was vaguely written.
Not six weeks in, I learned that the person who hired me is leaving. That's not such a big deal because it can happen. What I've also learned is that they knew they were leaving all throughout the process. They knew six months ago, as did the other executive I interviewed with. During interviews, I never met the person who'll be succeeding them, and know for a fact that this person was uncertain of the value of my role and remains anxious about potential overlap. Talking to them early on, it became clear to me that the role hadn't been discussed with them in any detail, and that none of their questions about it were answered to their satisfaction. The team I was told I'd be managing seems likely to be taken back -- the new manager never wanted to let that team go -- which means I'm probably going to end up with a non-management role, an inflated salary, and a title that doesn't match what I do (provided I keep it). Having been forced to "right-size" someone who got too good a deal during a less mature time, I don't think this bodes well for me: I'll be a pretty expensive individual contributor.
In hindsight, it's clear to me that the person who hired me knew this would be happening and wasn't even sure what they'd be doing with me going forward: They let me spend a lot of time planning, but never executing. They kept me from exercising any of the scope I was hired for.
It really bothers me that the "informal buddy" 1:1s that were set up with their replacement weren't any such thing, and I feel like I was consciously lied to about that. I'm a pretty conservative person, but "hey, I'd love to have coffee with my new peer and help you get your bearings" leads to a different style of conversation than "I'm going to be your boss."
Overall, don't feel like I'm in a great position organizationally: My new boss isn't sold on the need for my role. The role they created for me was essentially cannibalized from headcount that was meant to go to the person I talked to when they first tried to recruit me, and who is now telling people that they want to get the role back into their organization. I don't have any allies to speak of.
I'm supposed to meet the CEO soon, because they'll be stepping in to handle some of the role of the person who just left. My new boss told me the CEO wants me to know they're convinced of the value of my role and are looking forward to talking to me. The CEO signed off on my role to begin with. That's the one bright spot in the whole thing.
I'm just not sure how to navigate this situation. I've got a résumé that's three years old, and I went to work polishing it up about 20 minutes after I learned what was going on. I've reached out to potential references, and explained the situation to them in non-catastrophizing language so that they know why I might be back on the market so quickly. I've put on a pleasant face (easier to do in a distributed organization) and I've kept on working as if I'm here for the long haul. I left my last company on pretty good terms. They weren't happy to see me go, but I didn't burn any bridges. I was careful to frame the whole move as lucking into a role that was just a bit more suited for me. No, my position isn't there anymore: I arranged succession pretty nicely for them. Even if they offered it, I couldn't take it.
I feel pretty convinced I should leave: I feel so completely manipulated and deceived that it's hard to believe there's any actual respect for me among the people I'll be working for.
What I'm not sure about is how damaging it is to stay here for any length of time. I anticipate it'll take a good five or six months to find something new, especially since I wasn't actively searching when these people contacted me. I don't know how to deal with this job on my résumé because there's no way it looks like anything other than a quick bounce. I suppose I could just not mention it, but I can't try to enlist my references in a lie about what I'll have been up to in the span between working with them at my last job and a hypothetical interview in three or four months' time.
The company in question approached me through a headhunter. I wasn't actively looking, but they caught me on a day off and the role was interesting enough to sit through the interviews. In the end, the process took about two months from start to finish.
I rejected the initial position after sitting through those interviews. The people seemed fine and I could see myself working for them, but the role wasn't right: It represented a definite step backwards for me, but it took interviewing to get to the bottom of that.
They were back a week later with a greatly expanded role that would have a different reporting structure. I was explicit about what I wanted in terms of scope and ongoing management responsibilities. After more discussions with the new hiring manager reassured me that this was a new, more appropriate role for me, I accepted their offer.
I've been in fast-growing organizations before, and I've seen "opportunity hire" situations, so while they were moving more quickly than I have as a hiring manager, I was also dealing with executives who have more latitude than I ever had as a lower-level manager. I wrote off the initial attempt at a hire as a reasonable misstep on their part. The second hiring manager alluded to that several times and was even a little apologetic for the ways in which the original job description from the other team was vaguely written.
Not six weeks in, I learned that the person who hired me is leaving. That's not such a big deal because it can happen. What I've also learned is that they knew they were leaving all throughout the process. They knew six months ago, as did the other executive I interviewed with. During interviews, I never met the person who'll be succeeding them, and know for a fact that this person was uncertain of the value of my role and remains anxious about potential overlap. Talking to them early on, it became clear to me that the role hadn't been discussed with them in any detail, and that none of their questions about it were answered to their satisfaction. The team I was told I'd be managing seems likely to be taken back -- the new manager never wanted to let that team go -- which means I'm probably going to end up with a non-management role, an inflated salary, and a title that doesn't match what I do (provided I keep it). Having been forced to "right-size" someone who got too good a deal during a less mature time, I don't think this bodes well for me: I'll be a pretty expensive individual contributor.
In hindsight, it's clear to me that the person who hired me knew this would be happening and wasn't even sure what they'd be doing with me going forward: They let me spend a lot of time planning, but never executing. They kept me from exercising any of the scope I was hired for.
It really bothers me that the "informal buddy" 1:1s that were set up with their replacement weren't any such thing, and I feel like I was consciously lied to about that. I'm a pretty conservative person, but "hey, I'd love to have coffee with my new peer and help you get your bearings" leads to a different style of conversation than "I'm going to be your boss."
Overall, don't feel like I'm in a great position organizationally: My new boss isn't sold on the need for my role. The role they created for me was essentially cannibalized from headcount that was meant to go to the person I talked to when they first tried to recruit me, and who is now telling people that they want to get the role back into their organization. I don't have any allies to speak of.
I'm supposed to meet the CEO soon, because they'll be stepping in to handle some of the role of the person who just left. My new boss told me the CEO wants me to know they're convinced of the value of my role and are looking forward to talking to me. The CEO signed off on my role to begin with. That's the one bright spot in the whole thing.
I'm just not sure how to navigate this situation. I've got a résumé that's three years old, and I went to work polishing it up about 20 minutes after I learned what was going on. I've reached out to potential references, and explained the situation to them in non-catastrophizing language so that they know why I might be back on the market so quickly. I've put on a pleasant face (easier to do in a distributed organization) and I've kept on working as if I'm here for the long haul. I left my last company on pretty good terms. They weren't happy to see me go, but I didn't burn any bridges. I was careful to frame the whole move as lucking into a role that was just a bit more suited for me. No, my position isn't there anymore: I arranged succession pretty nicely for them. Even if they offered it, I couldn't take it.
I feel pretty convinced I should leave: I feel so completely manipulated and deceived that it's hard to believe there's any actual respect for me among the people I'll be working for.
What I'm not sure about is how damaging it is to stay here for any length of time. I anticipate it'll take a good five or six months to find something new, especially since I wasn't actively searching when these people contacted me. I don't know how to deal with this job on my résumé because there's no way it looks like anything other than a quick bounce. I suppose I could just not mention it, but I can't try to enlist my references in a lie about what I'll have been up to in the span between working with them at my last job and a hypothetical interview in three or four months' time.
It's often said on AskMe that the simple sentence "It turned out to be a bad fit" is usually enough to explain the situation you're currently in and trying to get out of. Variations on that theme would also work, I think: "The role changed in a way I hadn't anticipated" or some such.
I'm sorry the current situation is so fraught.
posted by GrammarMoses at 6:55 AM on October 18, 2015 [8 favorites]
I'm sorry the current situation is so fraught.
posted by GrammarMoses at 6:55 AM on October 18, 2015 [8 favorites]
Accept your circumstances, and apply for more jobs. Update your resume and call recruiters.
posted by oceanjesse at 7:08 AM on October 18, 2015
posted by oceanjesse at 7:08 AM on October 18, 2015
What does the headhunter that placed you there say/think?
posted by AugustWest at 7:15 AM on October 18, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by AugustWest at 7:15 AM on October 18, 2015 [3 favorites]
If you're seeing the CEO soon gather as much trenches level understanding as possible in advance then feel out the situation at that meeting and be as frank about what you want to do and how that will benefit the company. Then go with your gut.
posted by sammyo at 7:52 AM on October 18, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by sammyo at 7:52 AM on October 18, 2015 [1 favorite]
Don't ask the headhunter. The have an economic incentive for you to stay a year.
Hold on for a bit to see what the role really ends up being. So far you don't really have any concrete info yet.
That said I would also start ramping up the networking machine. It is essentially riskless
Your hunch is right, you are already back in contact with folks, it turns out this worked you've kept your network up which is real work and effort that needs to be done.
posted by JPD at 7:54 AM on October 18, 2015 [5 favorites]
Hold on for a bit to see what the role really ends up being. So far you don't really have any concrete info yet.
That said I would also start ramping up the networking machine. It is essentially riskless
Your hunch is right, you are already back in contact with folks, it turns out this worked you've kept your network up which is real work and effort that needs to be done.
posted by JPD at 7:54 AM on October 18, 2015 [5 favorites]
Take a deep breath, wait three months, and see how it all shakes out.
"The manager who hired me left very shortly after my hire, and the resulting organizational realignment put me in a role that was a step back and not what I signed on for" is a very good reason for a short stint, for a person at a senior level. It won't hurt you, if indeed it turns out that way. (Don't lie! - that WILL hurt you.)
posted by fingersandtoes at 9:01 AM on October 18, 2015 [5 favorites]
"The manager who hired me left very shortly after my hire, and the resulting organizational realignment put me in a role that was a step back and not what I signed on for" is a very good reason for a short stint, for a person at a senior level. It won't hurt you, if indeed it turns out that way. (Don't lie! - that WILL hurt you.)
posted by fingersandtoes at 9:01 AM on October 18, 2015 [5 favorites]
Is there any kind of probationary period you need to be aware of? In my neck of the woods a company has up to 3 months to let go of a new hire without needing much explanation or compensation.
I think explaining that the person who hired you is leaving/not confident your newly created role will be what it was meant to be under new boss is totally reasonable as a reason for interviewing.
posted by dotparker at 4:28 PM on October 18, 2015
I think explaining that the person who hired you is leaving/not confident your newly created role will be what it was meant to be under new boss is totally reasonable as a reason for interviewing.
posted by dotparker at 4:28 PM on October 18, 2015
What I'm not sure about is how damaging it is to stay here for any length of time. I anticipate it'll take a good five or six months to find something new, especially since I wasn't actively searching when these people contacted me. I don't know how to deal with this job on my résumé because there's no way it looks like anything other than a quick bounce.
I wouldn't think it was damaging. I often see candidates with these kinds of short tenures on their cv-- ironically, especially in leadership positions. "When I was hired, my new manager created a position for me as part of an organisational change. Unfortunately, Mary left after a few months and never had time to anchor my role with the existing team. Although they would have liked to have me stay, it would have been with a scope where I felt neither of us got enough value out of the arrangement. Nice company, and I wish them well." Something like that.
With the CEO, you'll have an opportunity to ask questions without seeming as though you have serious doubts. "How do you see my role evolving, given that Mary has left? It seems she had quite a clear vision..."
It happens, sorry it happened to you.
posted by frumiousb at 5:10 PM on October 18, 2015
I wouldn't think it was damaging. I often see candidates with these kinds of short tenures on their cv-- ironically, especially in leadership positions. "When I was hired, my new manager created a position for me as part of an organisational change. Unfortunately, Mary left after a few months and never had time to anchor my role with the existing team. Although they would have liked to have me stay, it would have been with a scope where I felt neither of us got enough value out of the arrangement. Nice company, and I wish them well." Something like that.
With the CEO, you'll have an opportunity to ask questions without seeming as though you have serious doubts. "How do you see my role evolving, given that Mary has left? It seems she had quite a clear vision..."
It happens, sorry it happened to you.
posted by frumiousb at 5:10 PM on October 18, 2015
Keep your counsel for now, speak frankly to the CEO about what you signed on for, and see what he says about delivering that for you. Make sure you sell your vision of how you see you/your team adding value for the business.
You should know what to do after that.
posted by GeeEmm at 7:37 PM on October 18, 2015
You should know what to do after that.
posted by GeeEmm at 7:37 PM on October 18, 2015
The CEO signed off on my role to begin with.
Which means that there was some need they saw the role as filling. It sounds like you have a good view on the organizational perspective of this. But, consider it you confidently know why the CEO was convinced your salary was a good investment for the company.
Deep breaths, gather information and stay curious to the possibilities.
posted by meinvt at 8:25 PM on October 18, 2015
Which means that there was some need they saw the role as filling. It sounds like you have a good view on the organizational perspective of this. But, consider it you confidently know why the CEO was convinced your salary was a good investment for the company.
Deep breaths, gather information and stay curious to the possibilities.
posted by meinvt at 8:25 PM on October 18, 2015
For all you know, the CEO is planning on restructuring and replacing your new boss. Wait to see what CEO says and what their goal is for you and your dept.
It's a good sign for your future that the CEO wanted to hire you, regardless of what new boss is doing.
I was in a similar situation years ago but CEO didn't understand my hire. It was rough. I got as much out of the role in terms of learning and resume building and networking as possible, made sure to make a good impression on peers and people lower in the org, and then got out of there.
Having a role switch and being not supported from the top is hard, but it isn't clear that there isn't a larger plan here.
If the CEO convo goes badly and they don't seem to either have other plans for you or want to hear/act on your plan, then start looking. No need to jump early, though. Could still turn out ok, or you could make new good contacts for the next move.
posted by rmless at 12:47 PM on October 19, 2015
It's a good sign for your future that the CEO wanted to hire you, regardless of what new boss is doing.
I was in a similar situation years ago but CEO didn't understand my hire. It was rough. I got as much out of the role in terms of learning and resume building and networking as possible, made sure to make a good impression on peers and people lower in the org, and then got out of there.
Having a role switch and being not supported from the top is hard, but it isn't clear that there isn't a larger plan here.
If the CEO convo goes badly and they don't seem to either have other plans for you or want to hear/act on your plan, then start looking. No need to jump early, though. Could still turn out ok, or you could make new good contacts for the next move.
posted by rmless at 12:47 PM on October 19, 2015
This thread is closed to new comments.
I think you are handling this about as well as you can.
My recommendation is to see what the CEO has to say, and go from there.
I can't get a picture as to how involved he was, if any, with the deception. It sounds like folks beneath him are the culprits here, and how he handles THAT in conjunction with your role going forward will be very revealing, and should go a long way toward helping you decide if you need to jump and pull the ripcord.
Take a deep breath.
Remain still.
Listen more than you speak.
I think you will be fine, and have faith in you, based on your above description.
posted by Major Matt Mason Dixon at 6:54 AM on October 18, 2015 [3 favorites]