Issue at work - Advice on what to do

Shicky

Shicky

Shicky

Associate
Joined
13 Jan 2007
Posts
2,424
Location
Belfast,Northern Ireland
Hello all,

long story short I work for an finance/IT consultancy firm and have done so for around 7months after graduating. Since working there I have received no formal training of any sort, just completing in-house exams for about 3months and a rubbish internal project with little senior support (no one to learn from.) However I got the chance to spend about 4months working in Toronto which was pretty good as the company in Toronto were great and gave me responsibility as well as an opportunity to learn. I felt I got a good bit out of it though was left with the feeling that I don't see the point in working my little socks off 15hrs a day to make some corporation rich at the expense of a life.

I've been back in the UK now for a few weeks and things have really gone downhill in my eyes with several issues annoying me.

1) I was asked to take a development role in the crappy town I'm currently living, lasting 6months (significantly less money than on site and just a horrid town as well as knowing I'm not cut out for straight development work, I need variation.) I refused this outright and got myself on an internal role which would expose me to a third party product I thought would be useful.

2) I received a talking to over my work in Toronto, this especially annoys me because I worked insanely hard to bridge an experience gap (client wanted 3-4 .NET exp and I was just out of uni.) The client spoke to me and said they were very happy with my effort levels but they could get people much cheaper in Canada. The negative feedback came from an internal HR girl who dislikes me due to a separate issue that basically exists because she read an e-mail differently from its intention. Further to this there was another guy sent to Toronto with me and he did very little during his time there other than seem socially retarded and incapable of work - he received no talking to.

3) I have been forced onto the dev role I mentioned in point 1 with little mention from anyone other than the team leader, who I am guessing has no idea I previously refused the project.

I had pretty much told myself I could deal with this, learn something new at work, focus on things outside work and gain experience for my CV. However today I received an introduction to the project, which they want to develop in ASP.

I raised issue with using a dead language that the client would throw us out however word came back from upstairs that they didn't really care as the client has no option but my company on such a sort time scale. I tried to force asp.net, rails, anything and I am considering to make more of a go of this but as of yet it is 'under consideration' meaning it won't happen and even if it does the two other people I am working with do not seem remotely up to that task.

Finally to round things off I received access to the code, which of course doesn't use any sort of source control. Worse than that it is tables GALORE, not a div/container in site.

Overall I am just not happy associating my name with a project as terrible as this, I would literally do a better job as a sole developer.

So basically I am wondering if I should a) shut up and stick with it. b) leave asap. c) refuse to be a part of the project. d) speak with the team leader and tell her I won't be part of the project as it stands unless some changes are made. e) something else?

*I feel it important to mention I do not see myself staying with the company long term, I am strongly considering teaching but the timing of this means I've missed out on 2012 PGCE positions as far as I am aware. So I am wondering if I should just take the crap for 18months till I can escape or not waste my time doing this rubbish?
 
Shicky said:
*I feel it important to mention I do not see myself staying with the company long term, I am strongly considering teaching but the timing of this means I've missed out on 2012 PGCE positions as far as I am aware. So I am wondering if I should just take the crap for 18months till I can escape or not waste my time doing this rubbish?
Click to expand...

stick it out and keep working on your long term aspiration of teaching
 
cm1179 said:
stick it out and keep working on your long term aspiration of teaching
Click to expand...

I feel awful about how they're doing this project though, I would really have a problem with being involved in such a shoddy project. Do I just do what I'm told or demand they change things so at least I'm learning something?
 
Just out of curiosity could I ask where the company you work for is HQed?

And if it is a small or large firm?
 
d) but don't 'demand' anything. Suggest improvements and have concrete reasons why your suggestions are better than how things are at the moment. Plan what to say or your suggestions will get shot down with a simple 'why?'.

At the very least, get some sort of source control installed pronto.
 
Sorry Peno I don't want to trash the company in question, plenty have had good experiences with them, plenty bad, the thread is more about how to go about this particular problem, with the extended background information for the purpose of helping people tell me to jump ship or not. As I feel I could secure a job elsewhere without too much effort but then contractual issues come into it also
 
From a professional stance I would suggest going with option d) but with emphasis on the work, dropping the ultimatum altogether. The client wants X and your firm has to deliver. I understand where you're coming from but it sounds like your ideal project is outside of their constraints.

It sounds like you are really unhappy at the firm. Do you have a support network in place such as a buddy or mentor? Maybe you should talk to them first before you start thinking about quitting.
 
cm1179 said:
no. do what you're paid to do, follow instruction.
Click to expand...

eventually he'll have to do this or quit - but he can still make his views known, push as hard as he can constructively do so for a change and make people aware that he doesn't agree with the approach being proposed.
 
You put up or shut up effectively. Your just out of uni, you even admited yourself that your pretty inexperienced in most things they have asked you to do, why would they listen to you?
 
I'd agree with iamtheoneneo, you are fresh out of uni and as such do not know as much as you think you do.
Do what you are asked and build that experience or leave and face the same issues elsewhere.
 
You should stop arguing and do what you're told no matter how you feel. Companies don't appreciate the new employees rocking the boat. Either do what you're paid to do or leave. Don't try and change things. It's not your place.
 
Comedy Answer -

You sound like some of graduates I've worked with. You think the world owes you something because you have a degree, probably from a reasonable university, and probably in some lefty type subject.

Honest answer -

Realistically, if its a major multinational, to a point, they probably couldn't care less what you think. You are fresh out of Uni, have no experience, and they were probably doing just fine before you pitched up. As a graduate entrant you need to make it your lifes work to learn whatever they put you on. I know people who came into major corporations on graduate schemes who got thrown straight into coding and just got on with it, even without any experience in the subject. You can't honestly think you can pick and chose what you do, christ, you can't even do that at Tescos.

You need to take a step back and realise if you have any personal impact issues. Kicking off saying you don't want to work on xyz in my opinion will seal your fate. Jump before you are pushed, etc, etc.

Just slow down, realise they aren't going to throw you on hundreds of expensive external courses (Expensive as by the sounds of it you are in consultancy... remember they have the course cost AND the lack of your income when you aren't at a client site).

Career progression takes time, and a load of hard work and determination. Make the most of every role and situation you get offered and build up your experiences. If it isn't working for you consider leaving, but remember how it will look on your CV. You really want to do 2-3 years before 'giving up'.
 
Conanius said:
Comedy Answer -

You sound like some of graduates I've worked with. You think the world owes you something because you have a degree, probably from a reasonable university, and probably in some lefty type subject.

Honest answer -

Realistically, if its a major multinational, to a point, they probably couldn't care less what you think. You are fresh out of Uni, have no experience, and they were probably doing just fine before you pitched up. As a graduate entrant you need to make it your lifes work to learn whatever they put you on. I know people who came into major corporations on graduate schemes who got thrown straight into coding and just got on with it, even without any experience in the subject. You can't honestly think you can pick and chose what you do, christ, you can't even do that at Tescos.

You need to take a step back and realise if you have any personal impact issues. Kicking off saying you don't want to work on xyz in my opinion will seal your fate. Jump before you are pushed, etc, etc.

Just slow down, realise they aren't going to throw you on hundreds of expensive external courses (Expensive as by the sounds of it you are in consultancy... remember they have the course cost AND the lack of your income when you aren't at a client site).

Career progression takes time, and a load of hard work and determination. Make the most of every role and situation you get offered and build up your experiences. If it isn't working for you consider leaving, but remember how it will look on your CV. You really want to do 2-3 years before 'giving up'.
Click to expand...

This
 
The picture I get is that you have fallen into the Frank Grimes zone. You appear to work hard and have aspirations while those around you wallow in mediocrity. You have two choices:

Accept that life isn't "fair" and that nobody in a working environment cares how good you are as long as you don't cause them problems. This will then make you start to wallow yourself.

Move on NOW! Time to be proactive and find that rare little job where you are appreciated.
 
I say go, find somewhere else, and if you don't like it do it again. I totally disagree with the "looking bad" on CV thing. Not only is life too short but these days interviewers care much less about it.

I'm a software dev and have a couple of jobs I only stuck for 6 months (some a lot longer mind) because of many of the reasons you have outlined.

I now work in one of the most progressive software houses in the uk and absolutely love it, if I'm honest about the only place I'd swap it for would be a job at google.

I think if anything when asked in interview about those 6 months stints it actually went in my favour. I told them straight why I left; and I think any company worth working for wants aspirational, hungry, enthusiastic and engaged people, they thought they could provide an environment my other jobs lacked and saw that as a good match. They were right.
 
Last edited:
Peño said:
From a professional stance I would suggest going with option d) but with emphasis on the work, dropping the ultimatum altogether. The client wants X and your firm has to deliver. I understand where you're coming from but it sounds like your ideal project is outside of their constraints.

It sounds like you are really unhappy at the firm. Do you have a support network in place such as a buddy or mentor? Maybe you should talk to them first before you start thinking about quitting.
Click to expand...

The actual project is fine and I would be more than happy to work on it, my issue is with what they're going to deliver or how they're going about it. They're producing a spec now including the technology being used and future proofing. If you're using a language which has been dead for over a decade how can that possibly be justified? The only reason is the people on the project are inexperienced in anything else and are poor coders (not that I'm great but they're first year university level.)

Don't consider the mentor route an option but do have my own mentors as such from personal projects so asking their input.
 
Just do what you're told, you're a graduate. Feedback is one thing, refusing to be involved because you disagree with the method is another entirely. Accept that you don't in fact know everything, and that there might be very good reasons that you're not party to as to why they're doing things a certain way. There are people better and cleverer than you in almost every organisation, jumped up graduate fellow.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom