DW Community Catch-up Thread
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I hate that golf is so big in some fields for networking. I actually took lessons over the summer to be able to (theoretically) participate in stuff like this. I’d need a lot more to be a proficient golfer. (The park district offers relatively inexpensive lessons, FYI, if that’s something you’d ever want to consider.)
Anyway, unless this would somehow make or break the relationship or deal, I’d pass. Your travel plans are set. December is a very busy month for many people and it’s already Friday — our weekends are already mostly booked up through the end of the month. I don’t think it makes you not a team player to say no to something that has come up last minute after plans are set during what I’d argue is the most hectic month of the year… especially if you already have a track record for being a team player, one “no” shouldn’t be a big deal.
I successfully got out of it. I have a good record so it won’t reflect poorly. The PM was cool about it.
That’s good! Honestly, I’d want to cry if work added anything more to my plate in December. We shut down between Christmas and the new year, which is nice, but I have the same amount of work to do regardless. And we have a conference next week. And mandatory training the week after (with our holiday party thrown into the mix that Thursday, which I know is a fun thing, but still takes away from the amount of time I have to get my stuff done). And weekends are busy with festivities.
I finally advocated for myself at work re: work that I’ve been doing for another department for far too long, even now that they’ve been fully staffed for probably six months. The other department’s manager wanted me to do some admin work for his department at our conference next week, on a day I have zero reason to be on-site. So I spoke up. It was like injecting caffeine into my veins, haha. I have another coworker in my position — saddled with work that has nothing to do with her role for this department — and for some reason she’s scheduled to be doing more of that department’s work at our conference than any of that department’s full-time staff members. She told me she noticed the imbalance but didn’t want to say anything. I’m a manager, she’s not, so now I’ve been wondering if I ought to say anything on her behalf, but that seems like I’d just be a busy body if I did.
I should find out next week if I’m a finalist for a job I applied for a couple months ago at a company I really admire. When I met the hiring manager in an interview, I was asked several questions I think were intended to test my emotional intelligence (e.g., How do you define a safe space and how do you create one?)… I’ve never been asked anything along those lines before. I also just got an invite to come in for an in-person interview at a different organization. So maybe 2024 will bring some ch-ch-ch-changes for me.
I remember you saying how much extra work you had. I’m glad you spoke up and advocated for yourself. If you’re not that person’s manager, I wouldn’t say anything. If you were, I would.
Good luck with the job searches! I hope 2024 treats yous well on the occupation front. All fronts. But I remember you’ve been looking so the job front especially.
Since I’m in marketing at an engineering firm, it’s really hard to move up. You basically have to wait for someone to leave to take on a bigger role. Well, the time is here. The head marketing honcho in my region announced her retirement. My direct manager is the favored out of about 7 people. If she wants it/gets it, I’m the likely candidate for her position. My competition already said she didn’t want it and fully supports reporting to me. Fingers crossed!!! And id still be able to report to my manager. She’s the only manager in my 20-yr career I’ve truly respected and liked and appreciated.
@Copa – that’s fantastic. I’d say, you are showing your colleague how to standup / push back in a professional manner. So she should try your techniques, however, you may want to reach out to see if she needs help to practice or otherwise figure out how to raise the same concerns. Basically, be an ally not a white knight.
@ktfran – wishing you a smooth road for your next steps.@Copa – that’s fantastic. I’d say, you are showing your colleague how to standup / push back in a professional manner. So she should try your techniques, however, you may want to reach out to see if she needs help to practice or otherwise figure out how to raise the same concerns. Basically, be an ally not a white knight.
@ktfran – wishing you a smooth road for your next steps.
@ktfran – That’s exciting! Lack of upward mobility is my biggest reason for keeping an eye open for new roles, so to have a chance to grow internally where you already like your manager and feel comfortable must be so nice. BTW, my sister is on the architecture side of your field and over the weekend said this time of year gets crazy in the field since everyone starts planning for spring. Which I guess makes sense! But honestly her work always looks, from my perspective, like drinking out of a firehose.
Re: the coworker I want to advocate for, yeah, so far instead of being a busy body, I told her that I did speak up about my role within this other department in case it emboldens her to do the same. She works out of our other office so I can’t quite gauge her level of frustration. She’s only made that one comment to me about the work. I’ll see her in person when she comes to my city this week for our conference and next week for our holiday party/training. I’m planning to be nosy. If nothing else I’d just like the validation that I’m not the only one who wants to scream into a pillow over how things have been handled the last couple years with staffing changes.
I’m sure you’ve all been on the edge of your seats for this update that nobody asked for, but yesterday was day one of our work conference. I didn’t even have to be nosy or try to discreetly ask certain coworkers if we’re on the same page about the department I have complained about, it came up easily because others brought it up. Heh. I now know my boss vaguely knows about the thing I wanted to be a busy body about on behalf of my coworker — he shared that her boss knows and is unhappy. The coworker being taken advantage of is in our legal dept and our assistant general counsel, who has been in some of the same weird meetings I’ve been in, is on the same page I’m on. I think she raised the alarm to their (shared) supervisor. Anyway, I’m happy to know I’m not the only one and that high level directors and supervisors are more and more in the loop.
I’m a little late to the perimenopause convo but thought I’d chime in. I talked to my doctor months ago and she put me on a cream of testosterone and progesterone with no estrogen. The pharmacist thought that was odd but my estrogen reading came back really high…well it helped a little but I’m still not where I want to be (still symptomatic on all the things). I asked my pharmacist about changing the dose and adding estrogen and he said talk to the doctor who said talk to the pharmacist. I’m so frustrated. I don’t think the pharmacist can change anything without a doctor rx so I’ll go back to the doctor again…problem is trying to get in takes months on it’s own. Thanks for letting me vent 🙂
On a happier note we got a kitten! She’s four months old now and a hoot. My 12 yo dog loves her and they play a lot. Love having a new tiny thing but also forgot how energetic babies are…and then training. It’s a lot but totally worth it!
I’m happy to report that my manger got promoted and starting January, will lead our region’s marketing team. We have three regions in the Americas. And I’m going to be promoted to her position!
They’re working out the details still, but was happy to hear.
