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Anyone have experience with starting a new job at a higher title or pay scale than workers already there?
I dealt with this in fact at each of my last 4 jobs.
Of course some people were not too thrilled that a new person came in at a higher position, while they were still stuck at their current position. Some bitched in my presence, but never at me or disrespected me specifically. I always conducted myself at these jobs the way I have always conducted myself, work as hard as I could, always volunteer, always looking to do new tasks, never sit around and fiddle with my phone, etc. And it always worked, eventually I was 'accepted' as one of the team.
Now before all the know it all's out there chime in with "but of course they would be upset, wouldn't you," I am not interested in these types of comments. Of course I understand how it could be frustrating for long time employees to have newer people come in at a higher title. That is not my point.
The funny thing is, in several of these jobs I started, I actually interviewed at a lower title, but during the screening process, the employer decided to bring me in one level higher (due to my experience they said). I really didn't care either way.
I actually interviewed at a lower title, but during the screening process, the employer decided to bring me in one level higher (due to my experience they said). I really didn't care either way.
I did the exact same thing in January when we moved to PA from Maine. They were going to promote someone internally, and I would have been underneath them, but they liked what the saw with my experience and put me in that higher position instead. Also, much like you say, it took a little while to get everyone on board with it, but if you lead by example, you can win them over.
Does this apply to a specific field because otherwise it doesn't really make much sense. Directors and VPs are always being hired above me. I'm not going to be jealous of them because they are new to the job.
I just started at a Director-level position at a new company a few weeks ago. Everyone here has been fine as I came in with a lot of experience. However, there was one weird interaction. One employee I had to do a task with came into my office and said "Oh...wow...this is your little office, huh?" He then started drilling me about my job and why it was necessary. He's older than me so I can only guess that he's stuck in his position and has some jealousy issues.
Yes, you will be resented, especially if you are brought in from the outside to be in charge.
I had this happen several times, when I was brought in as a management position.
First time I was in the Navy. I had been in Alameda California, in charge of cargo loading and unloading on the biggest operating sea planes in the world. Two levels, for passengers, with half the bottom level cargo. I was sent to Hawaii to the same position the other end of the route we flew. I had been there for two weeks when I was transferred to the biggest air transport base on the other end of the island, to the same position.
A few months later I was transferred back to Alameda, and found I was the Air Terminal Chief, in charge of all cargo and passengers. I was a 3rd class petty officer. The two men that were my section leaders both outranked me as a 2nd class and a 1st class petty officers. The first day was Friday. That day no planes arrive or leave, and it is field day (thorough house cleaning of air terminal). They all decided if I could not get it cleaned by 1 p.m. they would demote me and the 1st class would take over. The terminal was not even half cleaned by lunch. At 1 p.m. the commanding officer left the squadron headquarters and walked about 1/4 mile to the terminal along with his aid. I had the people line up for marching formation, and ordered them to march around the building, and not stop till I told them. The other 2 petty officers, were hanging out windows to see me get eaten out and demoted.
When the Captain got down to us, I had my crew halt. He wanted to know what was going on so I told him.
These people do not think I should be in charge, and they have not got the terminal ready for inspection. It is a mess. I decided they needed to march a little to take the starch out, and when they stop marching I am going to put them back to work cleaning, and before they have the evening chow (dinner), this building will be the cleanest it has ever been.
The Captain asked if I was going to give it a white glove inspection (checking for dirt with a white glove) and I assured him I was. He turned to his aid and told him to mark the terminal perfect, and told me to remember that latest I could get them fed evening chow was 11 p.m. I could get them sandwiches sent down. I saluted and he returned it and they went back to the hanger. I marched them around the hanger one more time, and then asked them if they were ready to go to work cleaning. That afternoon the terminal had the best cleaning it ever had. From on there was no more problems as to who was in charge. I spent the next year and a half at that job till I mustered out of the navy.
Sometimes a new person moving into a supervisors job, has to demonstrate who is in charge. I know men that when they moved in as a supervisor, that made it a point to find a worker that really was not pulling their weight and fire them.
I never had to go that far in civilian life, but when I walked into a all hands meeting when it was announced I was the new division sales manager (for half the country for an old and very large corporation) I thought at first I might have to do that to get control, but in a few days I was fully accepted in my position without such a drastic step.
I am a computer programmer, you see, I like computer programming and management is a different profession. Basically they hired a us a new manager. First person resigned 3 weeks later, second person waited a month for his vacation and tendered his resignation immediately after coming back. They replaced old crew with entry lvl kids. Myself I was the last to leave, i did not want to job hunt in the summer, so I waited till September to look for work.
Here the problem is with what they hired and not that they hired a new manager.
The new manager was an office space cliche that it was difficult to pass by without punching out.
This happens when the person doing the hiring does not understand what the new manager will be supervising. They have the idea, that the manager does not have to understand what the project is they are hiring a new manager for. They think if they can manage one thing, that they can manage everything. They are wrong, but don't realize it till after the damage is done. When I promoted managers, I believed the best is to hire the best person for the job, that knows as much or more than anyone he will be supervising.
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