Reason to be worried?

[countrigal]

Gee... sorry to hear your plight.  I would think, if you're worried about you, that you'd grab ahold of the option to move with bossie, even if it's not your choice, if it's the difference between a job or no job.  If they are outsourcing jobs, and folks are retiring and not being replaced, I see that the office you're currently in could be going away -- meaning no job soon.  I'd be doing what I could to make myself indespensible to bossie so he'd want to take me with him.  Then if it's still not what you want, you can look elsewhere, but at least you still have a job.

Also, as MsMarie says... you need to have some knowledge of what is going on around you.  If everyone else knows and you don't, to me that's a flag that there's a problem.  I know that places are clicky and not all companies have networking on the brain for admins, but it may be an issue of putting yourself out there and being friendly to help open that door.  I remember you used to say how you told people you don't gossip, don't believe in it, etc, etc...  Depending on how you go about this, you may be closing doors (permanently) that you don't want to.  There are ways of not gossiping but still being friendly, chatty without being too chatty, and hooking into the grapevine without really being "in" it.  In one post I had, I simply had to keep my ears open and listen to the conversations the other admins were having to be kept in the loop.  Yeah, their visiting sometimes drove me nuts while I was trying to work, but I developed an ability to only half-listen, keying in only when certain words were used and such.  In this way, I knew what was going on, never spread gossip, was never in the "in" group, and in some ways this allowed me to be a better admin for bossie because I could start anticipating things (needs, concerns, reports, etc) before he asked for them.

Not knowing how your place is set up, meaning are you where you can listen to others or not, is there a break room you could use as a place of education, a water cooler that you need to start visiting, etc... it's hard to help you.  But I really think, no matter how clicky the admins are, there are ways to start learning information and being "in the know" if you put yourself out there to do it.  Don't think of going to the water cooler as a break, see it as part of your duties to gather all the information you can for your position.

Good luck, no matter what.  Hopefully all will work out the way it should, be that you having a job with bossie in the new position, or keeping a post in the office you're in, or any other option...

[gee4]

CG,  where I am located there is no break room only a canteen as we are not allowed to eat at our desks.  (We have over 500 people in the company, split across 3 buildings).  I am located with my boss along with 3 other managers and another secretary in a sectioned area. 

I guess because I am still fairly new people will not "gossip" with me or at least not divulge information I shouldn't know about.  I've never experienced this "grapevine" thing before and whilst some of you are telling me to get involved, surely it would be much more professional if my boss could keep me informed.  I am sure that the others who are in for this vacancy have informed their secretaries - it's embarrassing to say the least but I already know now what he's like since I have experienced it.  I actually still feel like the temp.

I'm not about to up sticks and leave but at the end of the day without him communicating what is going on, I have no idea.  I feel he should be discussing things with me, not me having to find out from others.  I mean it would have been better for him to inform me he was being shortlisted for promotion.  Isn't it going to be even harder for him to tell me he's got the job, without having alerted me first that he was applying for it?

It seems every time I get a job something major happens to spoil it.

[geminigirl]

I keep thinking about a post I made in January 2006 which has parallels to your situation ie not being told something I thought I had a right or at the very least an expectation to know - hope this link works

http://www.deskdemon.com/dnet/index.php?topic=7793.msg55615#msg55615

[gee4]

Hi Gem, sorry I've taken a while to reply.  The site timed out and it's been a nightmare to log in again.

I read your January posting (and my reply) and it seems nothing has changed as regards PA's being kept informed about these matters.  I think as PA to a Manager or Director it is only right for us to be kept informed since we work closely with that person.  If it was someone who I didn't work for then it wouldn't matter so much.

My initial posting was "do I have a reason to be worried?"  It's not really about whether my boss should have kept me in the loop, but more about how this potential change might impact on me.  If it was the other way round and I was applying for another position, I would no doubt have had to keep him informed.  I think I have a right to be concerned after facing redundancy several times and only being in this job 10 months.

I guess since the vacancy my boss applied for is further up the ladder for him, there will be an announcement of some sort, whoever gets the job.  However out of courtesy, I still expect him to tell me in person if he gets offered the post.  I would also expect him to discuss where that leaves me.

Only time will tell.

[geminigirl]

He's back now, isn't he?  Has he said anything at all to you?  I can well imagine this whole thing has left you in a state of not inconsiderable anxiety...

[gee4]

Oh yes he's back and has had the interview.

I've been asked this morning by another of his manager's how it went.  Of course I looked blankly at him and he realised I knew nothing about it to which he replied, typical.

It seems when he applied for his current post, he was the rank outsider.  However it does seem on this occasion he is not the clear favourite but anything can happen on the day.

I think there is a second stage to the process so there may not be an outcome immediately.  For now I carry on but it doesn't account for the atmosphere this week and I sense he's been preoccupied with it all which is not having a good affect on me.

Thanks again Gem.

[JessW]

Gee

Does he have a fixed notification period?  Most bosses I have had were expected to give between 3 and 6 month notice! unless it is internal, of course!

Jess

[gee4]

Jess,

It is an internal promotion so no notice required.  My understanding is the new appointee will be in place by 1st September.  However there is a second and third interview before then.

[geminigirl]

Well, if he goes further in the interview process, perhaps he'll have the courtesy to at least mention it to you ... hope you have a better week of it this week!

[gee4]

Ha, try this for courtesy...

My boss was away on business yesterday and emailed me with a few requests.  One of those was to schedule mid-year reviews for his direct reports.  No problem - 90% of it was done for his return to the office today.

Now that he's back after the holidays, he is travelling a bit more.  So before I left today I spoke to him regards that and the mid-year reviews.

He strangely asked me if I had had mine yet.  I was shocked and said no, I was only made permanent in February.  He then had the cheek to smirk and say, well you know with all the changes happening here I thought Mr X (his boss) had carried out yours.  I was even more shocked.  Why would his boss do my review? 

So I said no.  No one had spoken to me, no one had mentioned it and no one had scheduled anything that I know of.

Is there something I don't know?  I mean why on earth would my immediate boss not do my review and why did he not mention this before if he had no intention of doing it anyway?

I have never met a stranger person or non-communicator.  He only seems to divulge information as it arises. 

[msmarieh]

Well communication is a two way street. Did you ask him if the senior boss would be conducting the review and why?

[gee4]

He more or less said he would speak to his boss to schedule it.  I was so shocked and waited for a reason that I could hardly speak.

It's my first year in the job and no one seems to discuss things in a structured manner.  It's just mentioned as someone remembers it.

I mean what if I hadn't spoken to him or mentioned this until tomorrow say?!  The whole place is bizarre. 

I emailed my boss's direct reports with details of their reviews, so couldn't my boss do that and discuss the process for mine?  I was informed my HR at my induction that my boss would be doing mine - so what has changed and why?

[Jackie G]

Don't you think your boss gave you the ideal opportunity to ask questions when he said 'With all the changes going on ....'  You've been asking the question in here, why not ask him?  I would.

And then you have to decide.  You say you're not happy in this role.  Do you want it or find something else?  

If you decide you want to stay, you need to find out what's going on and roll with it.
Or decide to cut your losses and find something else and go.

I know and understand that you don't want to leave without something to go to, but if it were me and I was as unhappy as you appear, I would be phoning, not just the agency that found me this job, but the others around, to see what's out there.  Things do appear to be starting slowly to pick up and it may be a good time to move...

[gee4]

I have been in contact with a few agencies over the past lot of months who know I am unhappy.

The problem is there is nothing out there that meets my expectations - most of the jobs are servicing board meetings and preparing minutes (which I hate) or audio typing (which I don't do).

Northern Ireland is very small - most of the jobs are in the capital and even then they are limited as everyone is applying.

I am totally disgusted that my boss cannot communicate with me and that I have to find out these things in such a random manner.  The fact he smirked when he spoke to me yesterday just says it all and I don't trust him. 

If someone else is doing my review I shall wait until I am informed and then I will explain how I feel during my first 9 months here.

[gee4]

I have just spoken to a colleague who is Secretary to the Engineering Director ie. my boss’s boss.

She has confirmed I come under the Engineering Director's remit and whilst HR have asked my boss to do my review, he has in fact never done any secretarial reviews before which is why he informed me his boss will be doing it.

I cannot understand why he hasn’t mentioned this before.  Now it seems I will be having a review with someone I don’t know, who I don't work for directly, who knows nothing about me.