This is mostly a rant, and I know most people who post have it way worse. I just need to get it off my chest.
A couple of years ago was the first chance that a job opened up at my plant that I was eligible for. I had a shot to get out of operations.
I didn't get it, but I was a “really close second”. I've come to hate that term.
About a year later, they created a new job. It was suppose to be like a step between operations and supervision. I also didn't get this one, and it instead went to someone who made it very clear that they did not ever want to be a supervisor because of the lack of overtime.
Soon after, a supervisor position that I actually had the experience equivalent of opened up. My superintendent said he only wanted internal candidates. When he pooled who he would interview, there were five of us. Four from the plant, and one from another plant. I understand that it still counts as internal, but come on.
The first person who got that job had worked here for fifteen years. Not in operations, but in maintenance, so he knew everything fairly well as far as how things should work. Learning the ops side of it is easy. He's not too far from retirement, and I feel like placating him was easier than giving it to me, when I'm probably not going anywhere. Fair.
Turns out he didn't like the admin side of the job. So he demanded to go back to maintenance, which they couldn't do because maintenance is a union-protected job, and supervisor is salary. So they created another job for him, similar to the last one I didn't get.
For the record, that's two “ops to supe” jobs where neither person who has it wants to be a supe.
Superintendent then gave that job to the person from another plant. I was told due to experience. Where I had five years worth, she had a bachelor's and 2 months of interning at that other plant. So 'experience' is kind of a joke, but I'm used to being over looked by people with degrees.
The next job that opened was basically a shoo-in for me. Except, wait. The woman who got that last job didn't like it, mostly because she didn't have any authority with ex-supe being her go between for operators. He wanted the power, just not the admin duties. So she ended up getting this new job. She now has 6 months experience and a degree.
I wasn't too torn up through most of this. Overall, this is a good job. Also, none of those were really my interest. The last job to come up was. It focused on plant safety, something I have helped helm since I started here.
So I applied, got an interview. Had an amazing interview. The hiring manager basically wants to be my best friend and fully acknowledges all the extra things I do to make sure we operate safely and follow all laws and policies.
I'm told I just don't have the experience. I'm told that “Since this is a Specialist II position, we need someone with more experience and knowledge. If this was a Specialist I position, we'd be having a different conversation.” I looked up the job posting. All it says is Specialist. No number.
That job has a direct report supervisor for it in plant. I don't see how I couldn't learn these things while they make sure that its all being done correctly. Especially when the acknowledgement is there that I do in fact know most of this stuff.
Here's the fun kicker though. Before I applied for that job, I decided to go to college to get a degree in something I enjoy, whether or not it ends up being utilized for a new career. If I had gotten that job, I would have gladly switched majors to help me with that job. I even said so in interview.
Both that hiring manager and my superintendent have since told me that I should major in that field and that they would do everything to help me with it for a possible job in the future. I basically told them both to shove it. They can't guarantee that there will be a job opening when I'm finished, and as much as this place is the best in the area for ops pay, that field gets better offers other places. I'd be out in a jiffy.
I've been quiet quitting since. I don't do any of the extra safety stuff anymore, and won't. I'll do my job and go home, knowing that there's nothing I'm working for here. A little more hope placed on my degree leading to something, but I'm going to stick with the major I enjoy.
That job that went through two people in 6 months opened up again. I applied again. I'm excited to hear the excuse this time, especially after my superintendent recently told me he likes my drive to move up within the company. The decision for this one is his.
Either way, I'm looking for better things when my degree is done.