# Old Lives Matter (or, maybe they don't)



## TJW (Mar 20, 2012)

I'm deeply hurt. If I go to my wife about it, she will dismiss my feelings as those I "shouldn't be worried about". So, fuhgedaboudit. I'm not bringing it up to her in the slightest way. I'll come here. It's related to marriage in that our family needs more money. I was working there under the hope that they would advance me to full-time as the work load increased, which they expected.

It's coming up next month, my work anniversary date. HR sent me an email saying to contact my supervisor to complete my annual review....along with the usual "raises will not be paid until review is complete".....yada, yada...

When I began with the company, I was asked to create goals and milestones for a junior engineer's development plan. At the same time, I was not made aware of any development plan which existed for me. I found this strange, didn't understand. As it turned out, the junior quit and went to a better situation about 3 weeks after his hire. I've been alone in the department for all of the past year.

Yesterday, I get an email from my supervisor saying that they hired another junior. This was the plan from the beginning, so I didn't think too much about this.

And, I took the opportunity to ask about my review. I wish I hadn't.

My supervisor told me "...we never created a plan for you in the beginning, I thought it would be a waste of your time. The process is lengthy, and it's not easy to come up with goals for you. Many of the things which we would have asked for, you have done without being asked."

He then continued, perhaps I can give you an abridged version of a review form, one having no goals.

Early when I started, another older employee (who is also part-time) said to me surreptitiously "...we're the olders....". I didn't quite know how to take that, I chose to not let it bother me.

The no-goals thing really bothers me. It means, to me, that I have no chance at advancement in this company. There is nothing I can do which will prove my worth.


----------



## Tasorundo (Apr 1, 2012)

Does the lack of goals and subsequent abbreviated review mean you do not get a raise? I have a similar situation in that my goals are somewhat nebulous, I am the only one in the company that does what I do. However, my future with the company is good and I am treated well and compensated well.

Is your company large? Is the junior full time and you part time?


----------



## Openminded (Feb 21, 2013)

IIRC, you’re in your 60’s? They probably don’t realize you see them as long-term.


----------



## TJW (Mar 20, 2012)

Tasorundo said:


> However, my future with the company is good and I am treated well and compensated well.


I am insecure about my future, I am treated well and compensated well. I like working there. It would be heartbreaking to leave, but I have to make more money.



Tasorundo said:


> Is your company large? Is the junior full time and you part time?


The company is much smaller than these types of formal reviews and paperwork indicate. It employs 25 and a collection of vendor sources for both manufacturing and engineering services.

The junior is full-time, yes.



Openminded said:


> IIRC, you’re in your 60’s? They probably don’t realize you see them as long-term.


68. I see them as long-term, if I can get more work. If I can't, then I don't., I hated being retired. I would stay if I can't find more work, or if I could work out some contracting, etc., but current contract prohibits it.



Tasorundo said:


> I am the only one in the company that does what I do.


This is true of me, too. I am assigned forward-looking and speculative work, where most of the other people work on "payload". I am occasionally shifted to "payload", but I think that has been more because we didn't have a junior. The ownership wants to keep advancing the technological level.


----------



## Tasorundo (Apr 1, 2012)

TJW said:


> I am insecure about my future, I am treated well and compensated well. I like working there. It would be heartbreaking to leave, but I have to make more money.
> 
> The company is much smaller than these types of formal reviews and paperwork indicate. It employs 25 and a collection of vendor sources for both manufacturing and engineering services.
> 
> The junior is full-time, yes.


I think you have to look at leaving then. I know that it sucks and you might not want to do it, but no one is going to change if they do not have to. I think it would be insulting to be a part time employee and have a junior come in full time and it basically makes it harder for you to get what you are wanting.

The age thing, unfortunately, is going to be a problem as I would guess it is harder to find a job because of that. Ageism is a thing unfortunately.

The way you paint the picture it seems like the company is just using you to get what they can with no intention of giving you want you want. If you have advocated for yourself there and it falls on deaf ears, then there are not really any other options.


----------



## Openminded (Feb 21, 2013)

If the anniversary date is coming up, does the contract expire then? Can it be renegotiated?


----------



## TJW (Mar 20, 2012)

The contract is term-of-employment. But, if they are unwilling to fill my time, then I don't think it can stand. If they won't bump me up, I'm going to ask them to redact.


----------



## Laurentium (May 21, 2017)

TJW said:


> I am treated well.... I like working there. It would be heartbreaking to leave, but I have to make more money.


Maybe you should say these words to the head of the place.


----------



## TJW (Mar 20, 2012)

I think you're right. This is exactly what I plan to say. When I have another job lined up.


----------



## Andy1001 (Jun 29, 2016)

There’s a saying in business that if you have the right man in the right job then leave him there. 
There’s another saying “If you don’t ask you don’t get”.


----------



## Diceplayer (Oct 12, 2019)

Andy1001 said:


> There’s a saying in business that if you have the right man in the right job then leave him there.
> There’s another saying “*If you don’t ask you don’t get*”.


Andy is right on. I was a department head, managing engineers and supervisors for many years and I can tell you that the passive ones got the average raises. If you truly like working there, I would go ahead and tell them that you enjoy working there but your situation requires more money and if you can't get it there, you will be looking elsewhere. Give them a chance to help improve your situation. It costs the company less money to retain a current employee than to hire someone new. If they don't help you, then follow through and find another job. They won't be able to say that you didn't give them a chance to retain you.


----------

