The Cult of Work

[Cognisant]

Spoiler

For some months now the guy in the position directly above mine (not a management role, no special qualifications, just a higher paid more senior position) has been seconding to another department (we're public servants) and in that time I've taken on the responsibilities of his role because someone had to. His role is now up as a temp position and if he leaves to take on a permanent position at the other department which I have no doubt he will (it saves him about 30min each way transit) that role will become permanent, needless to say I'd like to have that higher paying role so I've applied to second into the temp position.

I very much doubt I will get it.

At the moment it's an employer's market, jobs are scarce, potential employees are plentiful, I'd like to think my boss is a decent person who appreciates the work I do but realistically why would he pay me more and go through the added hassle of hiring someone to fill my position when he could just hire a new senior employee?
What am I going to do, quit? It would be madness to give up the security I have out of spite.

I suppose when the role is filled I'll be able to relax a bit, as a permanent my boss can't get rid of me unless I really fuck up somehow and as the junior to a senior it is to be expected that I can hand over those higher responsibilities to him. I'll still get stuck with all the grunt work but hey work is work, I used to cheerily clean the dishes in the office kitchen (there was a roster but people would "forget" or be "too busy") which everybody appreciated until I pointed out they were paying me for work below my pay grade. Suddenly there was money in the budget for a washing machine, funny that.

But then again if someone gets the temp role it's only temp, it'll come up again in six months, maybe I shouldn't give up those responsibilities maybe they won't give it to me now but if I work harder still maybe I'll prove myself to be invaluable somehow or at very least a worthwhile investment, maybe if my boss really appreciates me I'll get that senior role.
Or I could bust my ass for six months just to be let down again.

Sigh, it's fine, I have other plans anyway.
Like the video says I have my own cultish belief that I can invent something in my garage with which I can start a business and rise to wealth and power based solely off my own hard work, perseverance and intellectual merit.

Spoiler

 

[scorpiomover]

If you want to impress your boss' boss to get a promotion, you need to use the Peter principle:

People in a hierarchy tend to rise to their "level of incompetence"

Employees are promoted based on their success in previous jobs until they reach a level at which they are no longer competent.

You are evaluated and promoted, based on your success doing your job.

What would you think about an employee that was hired to do a job, turned out to do it quicker than most employees, and spent the other part of the day doing someone else's job? That's a pushover.

What would you want to see an employee do, if he turned out to be much more efficient and did his work much quicker than planned for? What would you want him to be doing when he's at work but has finished all his tasks and has no instructions at the moment? You want him to start doing things that he wasn't told to do, but you can expect that if his bosses had been asked, they'd have probably said that they would want him to do those things. You want him to start using his own initiative.

Like getting a washing machine by washing the dishes yourself for a few weeks, and then subtly suggesting that you might demand increased pay, unless they find a way to get the washing done without paying you, such as buying a washing machine.

That's an example of using your own initiative.

Now, if you can use that more in your own tasks, then you are clearly a guy who knows how to get things done, and so if you were thrown into a different job, you'd also use your initiative to get things done in your new position.

 

[Cognisant]

On one hand you're telling me I'm a pushover for taking on responsibilities outside my role on my own initiative, then telling me I need to use my own initiative to take on responsibilities outside my role.

Yeah the dishwashing thing was lame, although keep in mind this is an office we're talking about not a restaurant, rising out a few coffee cups and wiping down the bench took maybe 5min and just goes to show I have a get-shit-done attitude, I don't need to be told or consider myself to important to get my hands dirty.

If you mean I should use my initiative to ask for more money well I suppose I could talk to my director and say hey I'm applying for this role and I really think I deserve it, that's a bit more assertive than just submitting my resume and cover letter, but as I've explained given the current circumstances I'd be crazy to actually quit.

I may lack assertiveness but in no way do I lack initiative.

 

[BurnedOut]

You are egregiously short selling yourself.

If you have washed dishes and done favours and generally have been nice and amicable and present socially frequently, there's a good chance your peers will vouch for you and so shall boss (with the added requirement of your work being speckless or generally of good quality.)

There is a heuristic which we use to determine how much we admire them. It happens quite automatically. If you have fulfilled the above requisites, you will make them 'feel like home' and with some minor pushing from your side will actually get you results. If you have not been awfully isolated by your own will and have at least an acquiantance with everybody, they are going to see you as a good fit because 1. You work there and kept everybody content. 2. They surmise that you have developed a good intution regarding how the office works and so if any difficulty arises, you will probably handle it quickly. 3. Since you are a 'good' guy, having someone from the office is not as vexing as an alient. 4. Since everyone sees you on a daily basis, they auto surmise that you are an attentive person.

I feel that you will make it if there are not many rivals competing with you for the same job. With a little initiative-taking and good attitude, your boss will definitely consider you as a good candidate. Don't give up