My Story

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Here is my story: I have worked for my present company for just over 7 years. I hired on as a builder of "highend" wood products ( we make elevator interiors)and enjoyed my work very much. About 5 years ago the owner hired his friend to manage the shop as he was experienced in the sheet metal part of the company but had zero experience in wood working. Eventhough he's a nice guy he is the kind of person that would ask you a question and then turn around and share what you just told him like he's known it all his life. He would start his diatribes with "well it's industry standard...." and then parrot out what I just told him. Well anyway, I stayed at my position for the following 4 years not on friendly (like we hang out on weekends) terms but professional and doing whatever they asked of me including making items for his home and his friends.
One day he says to me that he would like to move me into a position where I would be estimating the jobs and no longer building. He made it seem like a real promotiom and I accepted. Once in this new job, he hired his son (also with zero experience) and put him in my old position.
My estimating job hours are 50 per week. I have yet to work more than 25 hours per week because the company doesn't really need an estimator and now I'm stuck in a position where no one seems to mind weather I'm busy or not. I spend most of my day surfing the internet.
My wife has started her own business so I'm kind of stuck here till she gets to the point she can afford insurance etc...
I'm not sure what to do about this situation or how much longer I can do this but by leaving I give up my vacation time, retirement plan etc...
Just not sure what to do.

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Perhaps you can work mentoring the new employee.

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The problem is that all the new hires around here are either personal friends or family members of the current Ownership or Management.

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"Eventhough he's a nice guy he is the kind of person that would ask you a question and then turn around and share what you just told him like he's known it all his life."

Hah, that rings a bell. Used to make me very irritated. In some ways that is part of human nature, not to give credit every second for where you just learned something, and sometimes it is because people just don't imbed who told them in the learning process, because they've already internalized the information.... and, yes, sometimes I figure it is possible it's on purpose, either that the person who did the "instructing" will understand, or not. Whichever of those is operating when this happens, I'm still bemused to hear my own words, facts or opinions, come back at me.

My ex husband even used this phenomenon as a way to promote an idea or project, to have people think it's their idea and never mind him getting credit - he was a sort of community facilitator, and I think he was right in that situation so I can see the pattern as sometimes a good thing.

I do have sympathy for your plight there at work, and no real suggestions except perhaps to seek new employment... or set up your own firm, not necessarily specifically re elevator interiors, taking the meantime as a time to prepare for doing that.

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This is just one small facet of what I don't like about this company. My boss used to complain about the place he used to work for and how the owner hired his "worthless kid" and sure enough when he gets in his new position with the company I work for, he does the same thing. He and the Owner go way back as friends and so he has the green light to do whatever he wants including crap on everyone in the company that he didn't personally hire.
Does it sound like I'm venting?

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Yes, it does sound like you're venting and that's perfectly okay. It sounds like a frustrating situation.

First, I would have stopped giving him advice when I realized what he was doing Smile

Second, why not just have some fun on the internet? Take advantage of your situation!! If they're willing to pay you to play, why not?

Third, I agree with the suggestion someone (oh, hang on - gotta give credit here!) ossobucco made to look for another job. You may not find one, but if you don't look, you certainly won't.

Fourth, use that internet time to search for No. 3 (job) Smile

Or maybe you could do something completely different? Maybe this is a door opening for you.

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If you only work 20 to 25 hours a week, can you get a second job
in woodworking, or do custom work, like wood furniture pieces on
custom order on the side?

Instead of surfing on the internet you could work on a beautiful
cabinet and sell it through craigslist or other venues.

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It would have been a nice option to work in the shop but with my "promotion" I was required to take all my tools home. It is such an odd situation that sometimes I think I hang around just to see how much weirder it can get.
I have come to the conclusion that they only promote people that they can create in there own image. I am an outsider in that my boss didn't teach me my trade and I think that is how my value to the company is measured.
Thank you for your replies to my story...it's so much more fun venting when you know someone is listening [reading]

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If your boss is as usless as you say and his son is not much better and you are sitting on your backside for half the week not actually earning money for the company then it wont be long before the company goes bust.

1. document all the faults. write down examples and incidents email them to yourself at home and delete them off the work system.

2. Find another job. It is important to have another job to go to as leverage.

3. Approach the owner with the facts. Tell him the truth about his staff as you see it. Acknowledge to the owner that the situation is "how you see things currently".

4. Advise the owner that you have found alternate employment but do not want to leave him cold and can you and he work together to see the business regain its strengths,

5. In very generalised terms outline what you would do to get the business back on track and increaing sales. include the manager and his son in your plans if at all possible

Try really hard to make the situation be a win win win and don't forget the son has to start getting his experience somewhere.

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Great points!
I guess it's the hypocrasy that really gets under my skin. I understand that he will be looking out for his family. If he doesn't do it who will?
But to put his son in a position that isn't an entry level position just amazes me.
I know there might be a mushroom cloud on the horizon for this company and I want to make sure I'm not under it. I am in complete agreement with your advise but when I'm so eaten up with anger, mostly at myself for giving them the benefit of the doubt it's difficult to sort out the right way to aproach things. I should have never taken this "promotion" because deep down I knew what kind of people I work for.
Ah well, you know what they say about hindsight.

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This company has a histiory of firing the more qualified people in order to make room for friends and family that come with little to no experience.
I'm in a situation that I don't know if I can get around by reasoning. My real problem is that they keep moving the goal posts on me to insure that I will find success difficult and the longer I stay here the more of a case they can build to show how I'm not succeeding. I an turning 50 in a few weeks and I'm not sure what direction to go in. Do I start over from scratch with a whole new career or try to somehow make this work?

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Do you have to be in the office all day? If you are giving estimates, do you get to leave while you are giving estimates? If you have expected time outside the office, get another job, work that job, while you are "working your original job" since they don't care if you do anything or not - you get two paychecks and when they finally catch or begin to care, you already have another job any way.

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Unfortunatly not. I have to be here in the office from 7 to 5.

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older wrote:

Unfortunatly not. I have to be here in the office from 7 to 5.

Can you do some other work from the computer, while you are in the office?

My husband works from home - if he had a job like yours - he would simply be able to collect two paychecks while really only working one job. Since you are simply just surfing the net, why not make money doing it?

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