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crystal_dance
12-29-2007, 09:37 PM
This is a semi-rant, semi-question.

I work in the financial services industry in a finance-technology role. My company is a good firm and one of the few firms on the street that hasn't taken a significant hit from the subprime mortgage mess. The culture is also comparatively relaxed which is a big plus and the pay decent which are just about the only positive things to say.

My problem is that for the last week, I've been worried about my job. My performance evaluations are coming up in January and on Monday my manager out of the blue told me some troubling things. She said that "given that you have a masters degree, done a thesis and have prior work experience I kind've expected more from you. I feel like you're learning to make these reportsfor the first time. Perhaps it's also my fault for having different expectations."

Now this comment has really hurt me, because I've been working under this woman for the past 6 months and I've always felt that I've been doing a great job on my assigned tasks. Infact I'm bored most of the time from being under challenged and not being given meaningful work to do. I've been constantly asking for more analysis work so that I could improve my reports. I've also asked for things I could do other than just making these reports but her answer was "this is what a business analyst does". I've also asked her twice in the last 6 months for feedback on my performance, and how I can improve. The first time she said you're doing fine. The second time she said you need to improve your reports. So I started doing more and more of them. Then oddly enough 2 or 3 weeks ago, during a meeting she asked me how many reports I've done over the last several months. I said I've done 13 and she said wow and was impressed. She said good job and that "over time with practice your reports are getting better." I was pleased and told my colleague about it. Now 2 weeks later she throws this freaking rock in my face by telling me that she's surprised that I haven't done any of this before and that I'm not meeting her expectations. It really really pisses me off because I've put myself out there over the last 6 months trying to improve myself. She accuses me of "misleading on my resume" because I've listed report creation experience on my resume but I appear to be a novice. That's total BS because indeed I've made these reports before but in a totally different style and format than what is being followed in this specific group and I've had to adapt to a totally different style of doing things. Not to mention the fact that I switched business groups so new learning curve.

What should I do guys? Should I start polishing my resume? I'm expecting a medioce review in January and I don't want to wait till I get the pink slip to start job hunting.

crystal_dance
12-29-2007, 09:43 PM
I forgot to add - she's also very rude. She asked me what tasks I'd be interested in doing, and I said I like math and I would like to be involved in more quantitative assignments like project management or quant modelling. She looks at me and says "those quants are really smart. do you think you're upto it?". I mean WHAT THE FUCK?! Do you think I'm not smart enough to? Is there a more lousy way to treat a subordinate?

TinyDancer
12-30-2007, 12:10 AM
Hmmm. . . not that she'd be that open to it, but did you have a two-way discussion with her when she brought this up, or were you so floored that you didn't say much?

I think that you have to ask her specifically what you need to improve and let her know that up until now you'd received only positive feedback so this has come as a surprise to you. Let her know that you were bothered by her comment about deception on the resume and about the different formatting etc.

Is there anyone else in the company you can go to for advice? A mentor, another manager?

I would hate to have you start looking for a job when the culture is what you are looking for. . . but I think you're going to have to find a way to make things work with this boss or things may become unbearable for you.

crystal_dance
12-30-2007, 10:14 AM
Hmmm. . . not that she'd be that open to it, but did you have a two-way discussion with her when she brought this up, or were you so floored that you didn't say much?

I think that you have to ask her specifically what you need to improve and let her know that up until now you'd received only positive feedback so this has come as a surprise to you. Let her know that you were bothered by her comment about deception on the resume and about the different formatting etc.

Is there anyone else in the company you can go to for advice? A mentor, another manager?

I would hate to have you start looking for a job when the culture is what you are looking for. . . but I think you're going to have to find a way to make things work with this boss or things may become unbearable for you.

At first I was totally floored, but soon I regained composure and I started asking specific questions about where I need to improve, examples, etc.

Anyway, I didn't plan to start dishing it all out right then and there because I felt it was best to wait until January when my formal review comes up and tell her then about what I think.

I do have a mentor at work. He comes back after the holidays so I plan to have lunch with him and discuss all this.

cheshrcarol
12-30-2007, 12:23 PM
Do you have any kind of regular 1:1 with your manager? If not, I would schedule one to go over your concerns. It sounds like some of it is communications issues, and some is her being rude.

It may be that she has different expectations for the content of your reports, not just the volume, and hasn't expressed that very well. Ask her what she wants you to do differently and what her expectations are.