NSR: Is this good news? Or a consolation prize?

[OldLarry]

I'm a little confused.

There is a bit of a reorganization going on behind closed boardroom doors at my shop and everyone is wondering how they will come out in the wash. Yesterday, a guy I'm friends with who is privvy to such conversations (he runs a different dept which will also be affected by these changes), pulled me aside and said that my department was going to be re-modeled after how I do things and the approach I take to my work.

I took it as a huge compliment, but am worried about what he did NOT say:

- He did NOT say I was going to be promoted.
-He did NOT say I was getting a raise.

I'm also wondering why my own boss hasn;t told me this.

[OldLarry]

A great help you lot are! Sheesh! Now I have to go to therapy!

[RootSkier]

I wouldn't worry until it becomes public. Then I would rage.

[OldLarry]

Rage as in party? Or as in go postal?

[GoldMember]

It would be inappropriate for your friend to say whether you'd be promoted or given a raise. That's your supervisor's job. As it is, he probably already told you more than he should have. Kind of took the wind out of your supe's sails by taking away any surprise you may have had.

If you don't get a promotion or raise, you should approach your supe, remind him of the remodeled processes, and state your business case for a raise. I would start by telling him you're honored by the remodeling of the processes that reflect your methods and offer to participate heavily in the training of your coworkers in order to bring about the change as quickly, efficiently, and effectively as possible. After all, no one knows your methods as well as you so who else would be best suited to train?

In a training role, you would deserve a stipend for that effort. In our company, we utilize mentors for training purposes and pay a $1.50 per hour bump for it. It's a fairly informal process but recognizes those who have the greater expertise and takes advantage of their knowledge in the education of the newer, lesser experienced guys. In your case, if there's no thought yet given to this type of role, you should just respectfully ask your supe to think about it and go about your business. My guess, if you're working for good people, you'll get some positive consideration.

Good luck.

[BLOODSWEATSTEEL]

^^ That's some solid fkn advice right thurr mang.

[seatosky]

Rage as in party? Or as in go postal?

Both, in whatever order seems to make the most sense at the time.

[OldLarry]

It would be inappropriate for your friend to say whether you'd be promoted or given a raise. That's your supervisor's job. As it is, he probably already told you more than he should have. Kind of took the wind out of your supe's sails by taking away any surprise you may have had.

If you don't get a promotion or raise, you should approach your supe, remind him of the remodeled processes, and state your business case for a raise. I would start by telling him you're honored by the remodeling of the processes that reflect your methods and offer to participate heavily in the training of your coworkers in order to bring about the change as quickly, efficiently, and effectively as possible. After all, no one knows your methods as well as you so who else would be best suited to train?

In a training role, you would deserve a stipend for that effort. In our company, we utilize mentors for training purposes and pay a $1.50 per hour bump for it. It's a fairly informal process but recognizes those who have the greater expertise and takes advantage of their knowledge in the education of the newer, lesser experienced guys. In your case, if there's no thought yet given to this type of role, you should just respectfully ask your supe to think about it and go about your business. My guess, if you're working for good people, you'll get some positive consideration.

Good luck.

Good scoops man, thanks. I vuggin hope I'll get a bigger bump than 1.50/hr though!

[DBdude]

Hi OL,
If your work is anything like the employers I've had in the past you won't get anything until review time; and then maybe you won't get much props. My work experience is no big raises without a title change. Is there a new title they could give you? Do you have a career path? You are in financial services aren't you? Are you commission based?

Keep mum on what you have been told and don't worry about the changes. Sounds like you are a keeper.

[steve]

I'd wait and see what they actually do before making assumptions about what they're going to do..

If they give you a raise/promotion, fine - if not, then you can say something.
Figure this: even if you did have the inside information about what's in your future, you couldn't do anything about it anyway.

[GoldMember]

Good scoops man, thanks. I vuggin hope I'll get a bigger bump than 1.50/hr though!

Our mentoring bump is just what we do. It would probably just be more dependent on scale of income. With luck you'll get a bump and, with an offer of training aid, an added bump on top. Our deal with the mentoring bump goes to the most experienced guys who are already at the tops of their pay ranges as it is. Most of them make about double what the newbies do.

[OldLarry]

Hi OL,
If your work is anything like the employers I've had in the past you won't get anything until review time; and then maybe you won't get much props. My work experience is no big raises without a title change. Is there a new title they could give you? Do you have a career path? You are in financial services aren't you? Are you commission based?

Keep mum on what you have been told and don't worry about the changes. Sounds like you are a keeper.

Thanks! Yeah- I work for a behemoth of a financial services co. More likely to give you a BS title and pile on work than to give you more $, but it's not out of the question. Lots of changes going on in our end of the org, so theoretically they could litearlly make up a new title and role for me.

What I do know is I could use the scratch- I openly joke w/ my bosses that they could make my title "Janitor" as long as I got paid well. Lots of political jockeying going on at the moment, and I'm wondering if/how I should get involed. Really not my style though- in a past life it has always been crystal clear what I contributed to the bottom line so that kind of ting was useless. This new phase of my career is a different story though. The bottom line is affected big time, but it's not quite so clear, and lots of morons are trying to take credit where it is anything but due.

That aspect kinda sucks, but as the wife says "Well if you can't handle it, just become a kindergarden teacher. Teachers are great people, too!"

[GoldMember]

If you're pushed into having to ask, then the case I made above would probably be your best bet. Again, it's all about making a business case for your request; win-win. You know your methods best, they believe those are the best methods for greater success, you do the training, they benefit by your expertise. It's a hard argument for any logical business operation to ignore.

[OldLarry]

Very good advice I think- thanks everyone!

[GoldMember]

No problemo. Good luck, let us know how it turns out.