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It's not just in my current role, but in many of the roles I've had since college. I'm told I'm a valued member of the team, a star, a prodigy (semi-jokingly)...blah, blah, blah. All talk and never any action to get me bumped to the next level. Meanwhile, I see people who are absolutely no better than me, have no superior skills, did not graduate from any stellar program, etc., who do get promoted. In some cases, they are very clearly inferior to my knowledge, experience, and skill set. And I'm not saying this to stroke my gigantic ego, I'm saying it matter of factly like anybody else here would acknowledge that someone is not as good as someone else.
I worked hard to achieve all the things that I have achieved in my life. My family was poor, I was the first to go to college fully paid by myself, I moved across country for my first job out of college. I've dug myself out of poverty with absolutely no help from anybody. I'm tired of the lame excuses. Politics this, work place dynamics that. I want answers now. What do I need to do in order to get promoted internally at a company? My educational investment was clearly a waste of money as it has been acknowledged here that it does not matter and does not set you apart. So what now? What can I do now?
I don't think anyone on the board is going to be able to answer these questions for you. Is there a mentor at work you can ask? Or a really honest friend? And maybe your question should be more specific: What do I need to do to get promoted at THIS company?
And you do sound condescending toward your co-workers. If this is apparent in real life, it will rub people the wrong way.
Your education doesn't sound like a waste to me. You've been able to dig yourself out of poverty and paid for it all yourself. No student loans? That's amazing. You obtained the education and skills you need to take care of yourself. You have a good job at 32 and you're getting married soon. Those are not small accomplishments.
By all means, keep trying to better yourself and your position. But also try to focus on what you have, rather than what you don't have.
And here's some unsolicited marriage advice: Do not harp on how poorly you're treated at work when you're with your spouse. You sound a little whiny, and that's okay in small doses, but don't make a habit of it. Nobody likes a whiner.
03-01-2018, 08:47 PM
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So you work hard, but is your work visible? A project that takes ten minutes is just as impressive as a project that takes a month to someone who doesn't understand how to do either, so you may as well do more of the ten minute projects so you can build a reputation with more people.
Honestly this doesn't really strike me as an education question. You're well past the point where the school name on your degree is doing anything for or against you.
I don't think anyone on the board is going to be able to answer these questions for you. Is there a mentor at work you can ask? Or a really honest friend? And maybe your question should be more specific: What do I need to do to get promoted at THIS company?
And you do sound condescending toward your co-workers. If this is apparent in real life, it will rub people the wrong way.
Your education doesn't sound like a waste to me. You've been able to dig yourself out of poverty and paid for it all yourself. No student loans? That's amazing. You obtained the education and skills you need to take care of yourself. You have a good job at 32 and you're getting married soon. Those are not small accomplishments.
By all means, keep trying to better yourself and your position. But also try to focus on what you have, rather than what you don't have.
And here's some unsolicited marriage advice: Do not harp on how poorly you're treated at work when you're with your spouse. You sound a little whiny, and that's okay in small doses, but don't make a habit of it. Nobody likes a whiner.
Imagine a world where you're 100 lbs overweight and you spend weeks rigorously cutting your diet and begrudgingly running five miles a day and, after 10 weeks of this, you gain another 10 lbs. Meanwhile, you you have a cousin, same age as you, who chows on Doritos, Mountain Dew, and Taco Bell all day and manages to be underweight and chiseled. Nobody on the planet can explain to you why you're not making any progress, while Cheeto fingers sits on the couch to Netflix and chill six days a week looking like a 19 year old surfer.
This is the analogous world that I live in. Tell me what's not to love about it. Yes, I'm frustrated. Yes, I'm frustrated how everybody pretends to be an expert on life matters, but nobody can give me a clear cut answer on how to rectify this situation. You would be, too. Or do you enjoy not being able to solve a life/career-hindering problem? And judge me all you want. There's no way you've gone through your entire life not thinking a few times that you're a better person/worker/etc. than someone else.
Also, my relationship with my fiance is off limits on this thread. We are each other's sole support network. We are an open book with one another, and we are both very content with that.
Last edited by Left-handed; 03-01-2018 at 09:49 PM..
I'm an engineering manager at a large company (around 70K employees) and interview/hire people frequently. The school from which a new grad earned their degree means almost nothing. There are a few hiring managers who are biased to towards one school or another, but I can't remember ever hiring anyone or deciding one candidate was better than another based on where they went to school. For experienced candidates, the school means absolutely nothing.
As an aside, the area in which I work is home to a couple of universities that have very recognizable and highly respected names. They offer masters programs in various engineering disciplines (none of these schools are known as engineering schools) and it is generally known in the local area that these schools are one step short of being diploma mills (for the engineering masters programs). We call candidates who hold masters degrees from these schools "paper chasers". Everyone acknowledges these degrees are worthless, but I suspect an employer in a different state would be impressed by the name of the university and be completely unaware of the quality (or lack thereof) of the degree.
For me the top school qualification gets me interviews. Almost always. Anywhere int he country. However, that is it. Getting the job has always been up to other factors and sometimes I lost out on a job to people with a "lesser" pedigree.
Yep. Although, getting the interview is often difficult enough in and of itself. I've also found that many interviews aren't always about what you'd be doing at the job, but rather try to ascertain whether you'd be a "good fit" (socially) for an organization.
I'm an engineering manager at a large company (around 70K employees) and interview/hire people frequently. The school from which a new grad earned their degree means almost nothing. There are a few hiring managers who are biased to towards one school or another, but I can't remember ever hiring anyone or deciding one candidate was better than another based on where they went to school. For experienced candidates, the school means absolutely nothing.
As an aside, the area in which I work is home to a couple of universities that have very recognizable and highly respected names. They offer masters programs in various engineering disciplines (none of these schools are known as engineering schools) and it is generally known in the local area that these schools are one step short of being diploma mills (for the engineering masters programs). We call candidates who hold masters degrees from these schools "paper chasers". Everyone acknowledges these degrees are worthless, but I suspect an employer in a different state would be impressed by the name of the university and be completely unaware of the quality (or lack thereof) of the degree.
Sorry, I don't buy it. Highly respected universities do not equate to diploma mills for specific programs. Unless you're talking about University of Phoenix or DeVry, I'm calling your bluff.
Sorry, I don't buy it. Highly respected universities do not equate to diploma mills for specific programs. Unless you're talking about University of Phoenix or DeVry, I'm calling your bluff.
Really? Why would I fabricate such a thing? Here's the reality. Accept it or continue living in a fantasy world. My area has a heavy concentration of defense contractors, which employ a large number of engineers. Said contractors offer tuition re-reimbursement. The universities in the area, sensing a cash cow, started offering masters programs focused on people who work full time. It's almost impossible to fail (that would be biting the hand that feeds) and the course work isn't nearly as challenging as real masters programs. Everybody wins. Universities are making money hand-over fist from a guaranteed income source, employees get pieces of paper from schools with nationwide name recognition, and the defense contractors can claim a higher education level for their workforces, helping them to win contracts.
Get it yet? That's the real world. Let me guess - you work in academia and can't fathom the possibility that anyone would corrupt such a noble system. You may wish to do a little research/fact checking before accusing people of duplicity.
Last edited by toobusytoday; 03-03-2018 at 09:17 AM..
Really? Why would I fabricate such a thing? Here's the reality. Accept it or continue living in a fantasy world. My area has a heavy concentration of defense contractors, which employ a large number of engineers. Said contractors offer tuition re-reimbursement. The universities in the area, sensing a cash cow, started offering masters programs focused on people who work full time. It's almost impossible to fail (that would be biting the hand that feeds) and the course work isn't nearly as challenging as real masters programs. Everybody wins. Universities are making money hand-over fist from a guaranteed income source, employees get pieces of paper from schools with nationwide name recognition, and the defense contractors can claim a higher education level for their workforces, helping them to win contracts.
Get it yet? That's the real world. Let me guess - you work in academia and can't fathom the possibility that anyone would corrupt such a noble system. You may wish to do a little research/fact checking before accusing people of duplicity.
You are extremely arrogant to think that you have any idea what I do. I've never worked in academia, always in the private sector (until recently; non-profit).
I'm sorry you have such a low opinion of John Hopkin's Master's in Engineering Program. I completely understand why it's such a poor reputation with all the evidence you've provided. Ironically enough, US News has it ranked 19th best engineering program in the country. But you know what, I'm gonna take random Internet forum user's word for it instead.
Last edited by Left-handed; 03-02-2018 at 08:42 AM..
What is the "next" level you wish to move to? Does it involve managing people? In my experience, just because someone is a hard worker and excellent in their current job, doesn't mean they have the skill set for the next level especially if that level involves managing others.
Some of the best software analysts I've worked with never moved up to the management level. Not because they weren't hard workers or technically excellent, but because their people skills were less than excellent although they thought otherwise. Sometime the "best" person in one job would not be the best in another role.
If you're interested in moving up to whatever role, I would verbalize that desire to your direct report. And gauge their response carefully. Perhaps that will tell you where you stand.
What is the "next" level you wish to move to? Does it involve managing people? In my experience, just because someone is a hard worker and excellent in their current job, doesn't mean they have the skill set for the next level especially if that level involves managing others.
Some of the best software analysts I've worked with never moved up to the management level. Not because they weren't hard workers or technically excellent, but because their people skills were less than excellent although they thought otherwise. Sometime the "best" person in one job would not be the best in another role.
If you're interested in moving up to whatever role, I would verbalize that desire with your direct report. And gauge their response carefully. Perhaps that will tell you where you stand.
My current place of work is a very bad example, because it's highly dysfunctional and has been going through major re-org for the past two years I've been there. I've gone through six management changes in those two years!
The politics have gotten in the way of my advancement here, plain and simple. I've applied for non-management roles in more technical areas and for one reason or another, was turned away. I could write you the book, but I'm sure you couldn't care less. So just trust me that I'm not a degenerate out for blood. I've been treated very unfairly where I work now.
Anyway, I'm not really looking to step into management, not of people anyway. If anything, I'm looking to move over into more technical roles that pay better. Project management, data science, BI, IS to name a few areas that I'm interested in.
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