Looking for some advice on a career problem...

  • First off, I'm not trying to garner any sympathy here, just sounding out a couple ideas.

    So, here's the scoop. I've begun to feel that one of my managers (yes, I have more then one) has been actively "freezing" me out. He's a Linux guy (and it seems of the belief that if it ain't open-source and free, it's wrong), I'm an MS guy (who feels that the best tool for the job is what can be supported by the staff.) The company is MS product-based, with a couple Linux machines in the office (mail server, router, and wiki server.) The company has begun to sell a MS SQL 2008-based EHR (Electronic Health Records) system to our clients. In part in preparation for this, I pursued (and received) a Bachelors in IT (the course program was focused on database admin, plus I've recently attended some conferences on MS SQL adminning) Now, where I'm beginning to feel frozen out is, this manager: •Seems to ignore my e-mails (I think this because I will send a reply to one of his asking me a question, then he will come and ask me the exact same question a few days later)

    •Recently worked with one of the support people (who is NOT and SQL person) to develop a backup solution for our clients using the SQL product. At no time was my input solicited

    •Even when asking for my input on something, it feels he will decide to use his solution, regardless of any points against it I may make (using SA to run backup jobs...)

    •I get no information on what is going on with this project, from anyone, yet I'm one of the two people in the company who have any experience with SQL (the other is the Accounting manager)

    Further issues that are troubling me include a general feeling that among the managers, there's a sense of "don't tread on my turf!" For example, the manager described above is the "Director of IT" while my second manager is the manager of the Support Department. The Support manager (lets call him B) was tasked by the VP to come up with a disaster recovery plan (which would include the backup and restore of our in-office servers, testing of the UPSes, etc) The DIT, recently talked to me about coming in on a Saturday (he and I) to "test" the battery backup units. Now I don't have a problem with coming in on a Saturday, but I also don't feel this is the sort of thing that would require both of us, that it's the sort of thing he could tell me what he would want checked, and leave me to it. Instead, I feel I'm going to come in, and get to "stand around" then be the one to try to explain why any UPSes may fail (which seeing as most of them are 5+ years old and the battery packs are 3+ in most of them, I expect at least one will) as thought it is somehow my "fault." Bear in mind, I have NO power to purchase ANYTHING without going through the DIT.

    So, as I see it right now, I've got two options, both of which make me nervous...

    1.I could craft an e-mail, explaining why I am currently less-than-happy with what I see as going on, and send it to both of my managers and the VP (see below about this)

    2.I can say the heck with it, cut my losses, and start sending out resumes and try to find a new job elsewhere.

    About including the VP in the e-mail, the company is a fairly small company, with only 5 managers and 3 owners (one of whom is the VP and she is married to one of the owners) My biggest concern with the e-mail, is that there will be repercussions. Moving to another department isn't really an option, as the DIT (it seems to me) wants to keep his finger in every pie in the office. As for management turnover, the last manager to leave was almost 5 years ago now, and the DIT has been with the company for more than 20 years...

    My issue with job hunting, is two-fold. First, it's been a LONG time since I had to find a job (almost 15 years.) Second, money does become a distinct problem, as I would need to be making enough to either allow the wife to also quit, or to cover buying a second car. Short-term, I'm sure I could get a "beater" that would get one of us back-and-forth to work on a daily basis, but I'd rather be able to get something we could keep for several years.

    So, if any of you have any thoughts or suggestions, I'd really appreciate it.

    Thanks,

    Jason

  • I'm assuming you've tried this, but have you thought about beers after work with these people, individually, and having a frank discussion about what you're percieving? I'm not saying it'll help. Heck, sometimes it hurts. But the other two are nukes in comparison to the fallout from a simple discussion.

    At the end of those discussions, you may just find out it's a "shaddup and be the code monkey" type of situation. Make your decision from that. I'd still prep the resume though. In the end, laws and retaliation suits and what not aside, you will need to work. If you're not going to become a doormat (which from your description is what you're being treated as), you're going to need that paperwork in the near future just so you have a fallback plan in case things fall through.

    Also, a private discussion, no paper (yet) with the VP might be called for, just so they're not surprised when things start hitting the fan. Small firms are like families, I've found, and there's forms of pressure and discussion used that have nothing to do with HR, paperwork, or anything else found in legal documents. Sometimes a respected family member just needs to Gibbs-smack the annoying uncle so he realizes he's being a pr**k.


    - Craig Farrell

    Never stop learning, even if it hurts. Ego bruises are practically mandatory as you learn unless you've never risked enough to make a mistake.

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  • If you're in a company where only two of you (as you said) know SQL Server and you want to stay with SQL Server, perhaps it's time to have a heart-to-heart with your managers about all of this.

    --Jeff Moden


    RBAR is pronounced "ree-bar" and is a "Modenism" for Row-By-Agonizing-Row.
    First step towards the paradigm shift of writing Set Based code:
    ________Stop thinking about what you want to do to a ROW... think, instead, of what you want to do to a COLUMN.

    Change is inevitable... Change for the better is not.


    Helpful Links:
    How to post code problems
    How to Post Performance Problems
    Create a Tally Function (fnTally)

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