Drama at work. Am I being used?

[allison]

I volunteered at my company for years and was hired part time 4 months ago. I loved the work so did more than my share. My boss, the manager, ended up doing very little. He announced last week that he found a new job and is leaving soon. I was excited and assumed I would get his job since I was already doing 80% of it.

The boss of the small company pulled me in to his office and was very nice and asked how I was handling it all. We were both overwhelmed but I appreciated he was being open with me. He gave me a heads up that they were opening up the manager position to outside applications. He said it wasn't personal and I was free to apply and have a fair chance at the manager job.

He asked that if I didn't get the job if I would stick around and help train the new manager. I was trying to be mature so said it would be hard but I know it would be good for the company (they are a charity).

I have been very stressed out, I cry often. the outgoing manager has been cold to me and his supervisor isn't giving me the info I need to be successful because he's grieving my boss leaving.

I am hurt that I am supposed to do this job with little support. I am grieving that I might not get this job then be expected to train the person that does. I'm mad that I have been training for this for months and don't feel appreciated.

I want to tell the company boss that I quit. I have been trying to get this job for years and I am beside myself that they would open the job up to outsiders.

Changing my schedule and understanding my new position as temporary manager has been hard. the outgoing manager gave me no framework. Now I'm supposed to be in limbo while they take the next month to decide what to do about the manager job. Getting the job would mean a new house and a huge income

 

[china autie]

In the USA a company is required to post an available position for one day. You may yet get the promotion. I would not lose hope until you hear otherwise.

If you aren't in the USA, then I don't know anything about the employment laws in your country.

One of the things I found helpful is ask a manager dot org. Ask a Manager

Meanwhile, do concentrate on being the best employee you can be. It does not hurt to read the want ads or see what other jobs are around. I do that constantly even though I have no active plans to leave my present position.

 

[Judge]

You have my condolences.

Sadly this is a dynamic that seemed somewhat common in the workforce. Where an outgoing person suddenly becomes quite mercenary about the job they are soon to leave behind. Even if they've been there for years. It just happens, leaving someone like yourself to have to pick up all the pieces, the best you can.

Reminds me of when I worked in insurance and was told each year to attend corporate training on the other side of the country for two weeks. In the meantime, no one in my department including managers did anything about the work that would pile up in my absence. A major reason why I became so reticent to take any vacation time. Because I always had to factor in this pilgrimage to the home office each year.

I also recall when two members of our department were layed off. Where their piles of work had to be divided up among us "survivors". That was ugly too. When management may become equally mercenary with more work and less people to handle it. Downsizing to please shareholders- not employees.

All you can really do is to "soldier on". Hope you can hang in there.

 

[Tom]

Not sure about this type of work, but hiring managers from outside the workforce is common in others. Not sure about the particulars but part of it seems to be designed to keep a professional distance between the manager and the workforce.

Are you sure you are up to the manager position full time? Many of us are not that good at high levels of stress and do better in the long run in supporting positions. But it depends on the job and I don't know what yours entails. If you have it down or think it can be mastered it can be doable.