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Subject:Re: Hold that resume? From:Rick Lippincott <rjl -at- BOSTECH -dot- COM> Date:Thu, 24 Aug 1995 10:48:20 EDT
Geoff Hart listed several good reasons why Richard Anderson should think
twice about jumping ship, following the "no raise for you" meeting.
Although caution is in order, I still support Richard's first impulse. Update
the resume, and start looking. Here are some reasons:
1) Richard didn't suggest that he was going to jump first, -then- look
for a job. He's got time to think, and if necessary time to reconsider.
But if a job change is in order, then every day's delay is an opportunity
that's been wasted.
2) There's -never- any harm in looking for another job. It's always helpful
to know what your market value is. If Richard gets a lot of positive
response to his resume, then he can pick and choose. AND he can even go
back to his current boss, and do the old "I just got the following offer,
are you gonna match it?" game.
3) If Richard gets little or no response to the resume, it's time to offer
to wax the boss's car....
What I read in the original message from Richard, though, was more than just
money. There was a certain amount of public humiliation involved. How would
any of us feel being singled out like that? Never mind developers vs. tech
writers. I know if there was a department meeting, and our manager announced
that everyone gets a raise "except you, Rick" I'd feel doggone angry. Richard's
manager didn't take into account the impact that his method of delivery would
have on Richard's feelings. Or, worse, he -did- think about it and didn't
care. Or worse yet, he thought -carefully- about it, and was trying for a
specific effect.
I worked for a manager like that once. I never did figure out -why- she went
for the public jab. I chose not to stay in the position long enough to
discover the patterns. It was not a fun job.
The information about the raises should have been conveyed to Richard in
a private meeting first. And maybe the announced raises to the developers
should not have been conveyed in a public meeting at all. But blindsiding
one person like that suggests some very poor management skills.
Rick Lippincott
Boston Technology
Wakefield, MA
rjl -at- bostech -dot- com
