It’s a career move you want and your manager is keeping you from realizing it? Not my idea of a good manager. Any decent manager would be happy for you and would find a way to transition you to the new position.
This is a bit tough, as we are talking Finance to Marketing. I have thought of trying to find a negotiated solutions, and have bascially told my boss, that if I were to leave, I would continue to work on the project and help to transition and train a replacement.
The position I was offered, is an open job. It will be, and needs to be filled, asap. As much as the guy who offered it to me would like to have me fill it, he needs to get someone in there soon, and can’t wait for me.
I keep trying to rationalize, stay positive, all that. But, it just keeps coming back to what you said
Especially,
After some conversations today, I pretty much have real proof now that HR only enforces the rule if the applicants current management requests to enforce it, to block a move. And my boss told me this morning that “HR said they can’t allow the move”
So they went behind my back to sabatoge the move, and then lied to me about it by blaming HR.
Was there something missing after especially?
I’ve seen the old HR <-> Management pointing at each other trick before. And this is why I have found the last few years working at smaller, more flexible companies to be better. There’s not as much BS and people actually communicate more openly than the larger bureaucratized companies. YMMV.
Considering the situation, I would suggest you go and talk directly to HR. Tell them the whole story and see what they have to say. Sometimes you’ll find that your boss is simply telling you “HR said” when they haven’t, in fact, said anything of the sort! And if it turns out to be true, then discuss it with them. Most large companies have “mediators” in HR that are there to work out these kinds of issues, especially for employees who have shown to be good workers. Don’t be intimidated by just going to have a talk with them. Good luck!
Hmmmm… My experience with this stuff is that HR is usually in cahoots with management. You’d be throwing rocks at a hornets’ nest. I’m not sure what the answer is. Actually the more I think of it the more I would look outside the company for another job. And when leaving tell them exactly why. “Because you wouldn’t allow my career to progress in the direction I wanted.”
So, time for a follow up (I hate it when OPers abandoned threads!)
Without real proof, I did indeed confront my boss and VP with the appearance that they were behind the block, and lying to me about it. My boss, basically apoligized, though only for “miscommunication” but I knew what he meant.
My VP called me into her office to “discuss my career” and explained the usual about how I was highly valued and opportunity may be around soon. Since I hadn’t even discussed the situation with her to this point, I didn’t really feel it prudent that I accuse her of any hand in blocking the move, though I expressed frustration at having my career progression slowed, and that I would have to seriously consider my ongoing strategy.
Last week, my boss announced he was moving to another role, and a reorg of sorts was announced. A new manager level job was created/opened, and my VP suggested to me that this position would be perfect for me. The job was posted, and I applied. At this point my new boss and VP are playing it political in telling me that I am perfect for the job, but “they have to see who applies, etc.” The job description that was posted, however, was obviously taylor made for me. It seems they just don’t want to say too much, in order to follow protocal.
So at this point, I am pretty sure I will be getting this promotion, and am only waiting on the process and mechanics of HR to flow through before I am approached with an offer. Now I have to worry about them screwing me on the $ offer!!!
So, I am not real happy about the way the situation was treated, but I also see now that this plan may have been in place all along, and may have driven some of the actions of my superiors. Considering this position will get me promoted to a manager as well as have direct reports (the marketing job was a manger job, but without direct reports), I have decided to embrace it and try to forget how I was treated. If nothing else, it is my best opportunity at the moment to gain valueable management level ,as well as direct supervisory, experience in a position I am well suited to succeed in.
All along, I keep thinking to myself how great an opportunity this has given me to learn how to be a better manager/leader of employees when I get the opportunity to have direct reports!
I’ll be sure to update when/if I get the offer!!!