Hi Ladies,

28 Comments

1. AnonymousJanuary 25,2022 at 9:49PM UTC

   Do you have any interest in staying at the company and learning the new role? If so, I would request training or for the company to pay for classes for you to take so you can learn!

2. AnonymousJanuary 26,2022 at 3:50PM UTC

   I would love to stay with the company so I wouldn't lose my seniority. However, I feel like I'm not being heard when I express my concerns. This is not something I ever wanted to do and something I have no experience in whatsoever. I dread work every day now, where I used to love it.

   They provided "video" training and no best practice's or SOP's to look back on for guidance. Everyone is so busy that it's hard to find the answers needed to proceed.

   I guess I'm just at a loss as to what to do.

3. AnonymousJanuary 28,2022 at 1:39PM UTC

   I replied above but also wanted to add, you’d be surprised how many people are winging it on a daily basis.

4. AnonymousJanuary 28,2022 at 1:45PM UTC

   They need to provide you some resources— the best would be $ to get. Consultant services, there are loads of developers w HTML skills everywhere. Some will work at reasonable cost. Or a temporary colleague….

5. Belen PerezJanuary 28,2022 at 2:57PM UTC

   I've been in a similar situation. I was unhappy in the role until I decided that since no one could define it for me, I'd define it for myself. Start with what the end result needs to be and retro-engineer your own SOPs and best practices from there. Give yourself space to adjust as you learn what works and what doesn't, and consult with your manager when you figure out what you want to try. They may not have documented SOPs ready for you, but they should be able to provide suggestions and guidance as you develop new ones.

6. Maggie StoneJanuary 28,2022 at 4:17PM UTC

   I agree. And the training should be at their expense. If they don’t provide the training and support, then they are setting you up for failure. Is that worth the seniority?

7. Christine CovingtonJanuary 27,2022 at 2:18PM UTC

   Good for you for not being afraid to ask for help! Figure out to how to bloom where you’re planted.

   Specific to the kick-off calls, can you include other team members (web designer, digital specialist, etc) who would be involved in the creating the assets? They can help fill your gaps in knowledge by asking the right questions of the stakeholder. Can you also schedule time with your manager and ask for an end-to-end overview of the website development process?

   Start your own version of SOPs and have your manager react to it. You’ll have that experience as a bullet point on your next resume. :)

8. AnonymousJanuary 28,2022 at 1:26PM UTC

   Looks like we are in a similar boat. No lay off. Lots of job changes. Hired for one thing yet they want to shove something else down my throat with very little help.

9. AnonymousJanuary 28,2022 at 1:31PM UTC

   I was in a situation where my boss quit suddenly, leaving me to fill gaps. I never wanted to be in her managment position, selling to clients and structuring big projects but I found that with the support of a mentor who took time with me, I was very good at it. They saw something in me. And, I also discovered a new talent. While I don’t plan to do that kind of work in the future, it helped me improve all around. I ended up enjoying it. But yes, initially I cried before big meetings, fearful that I’d make a mistake.

   Learning something new at 10+ years of experience means that you’ll be practicing all those leadership competencies in new ways. Admitting the limits of your knowledge and seeking help from your company and external sources like training are integral to that.

   I work in this domain. If you can be specific, I will share courses. :)

10. Maggie StoneJanuary 28,2022 at 1:46PM UTC

    What I am hearing is that you were moved into a new role, and you have had little or no training or experience that would allow you to perform the primary function of that role. In addition, no training or support is really available. That sounds incredibly stressful! I don’t blame you for wanting to bail. But what I am not hearing is a that you hate the industry or your previous role. Is what you really want a total career change, or a job change?

11. AnonymousJanuary 28,2022 at 1:52PM UTC

    My last company went through a merge (which was way more like an acquisition) and they did the same thing - eliminated my role and gave me one I knew nothing about.

    It was clear that my new manager had no interest in training me (she worked at a different location), and had very high expectations from day one that I would be able to process payroll for all of 500+ of my location’s employees on my own.

    I did what I could, but unfortunately there really isn’t a way to learn an entire new position when it’s something as important as payroll and that many staff, and with a manager that clearly didn’t want to take the time to help me succeed, I found another job at another company doing what I did before the merge so that I could continue on my intended career path.

    In your case, I think it depends on what kind of support you have around you and how happy you think you could be in your new role. It sounds like your best course of action may to be to walk away as well, as hard as that seems.

12. Peggie Arvidson * Career Consultant | Adoptee Advocate | RecruiterJanuary 28,2022 at 1:58PM UTC
    1. It's always a good idea to keep your resume and LinkedIn Profile up to date - the best time to find a job is when you don't need one and 10 years is a great tenure.
    2. Do as much research as you can to be indispensable in this job - sounds like no one knows what they're doing in this project but they feel strongly you have the ability to figure it out (not great but it is what it is) so show them you can figure it out
    3. ask as many cross-departmental people as possible for help to pull it together.
13. Ann Cat1January 28,2022 at 3:04PM UTC

    I agree with another poster, you'd be amazed at how many people are trying to wing it daily. I went through a similar situation, really didn't get much support, and ended up leaving that job and switching to an entirely new path. It depends on your stress levels and what you want for yourself. Be nice to yourself because as you've seen, you are a number to them. So do what you truly want to do.

14. Brenda CrawshawJanuary 28,2022 at 3:25PM UTC

    First, is there anyone else there who DOES have an inkling of your new position? Can you take them out to lunch/dinner and pick their brains?

    Second, document the DAYLIGHTS out of your concerns, progress, choices, etc., for two reasons. First, and hopefully never needed, if they decide to drop you for cause, you will have "in ink" all of your efforts and communication. But second - and this is where it could be a positive - you will be showing how you are trying to basically create your protocols out of the ether which will put you in very good light.

    Go as far up the food chain as you can to get to someone who does know the company's web dev process/goals/client outcomes, then learn what the client outcomes are expected to be and see if you - with all your creative genius and insight - can create the best way for YOU to accomplish what your new position needs you to. And document. Send emails to your manager - "Today I requested a meeting with so and so to learn X. I will let you know when we've been able to connect". "Today I was able to sit with so and so and here is what I learned." (and cc so and so).

    And good luck - I suspect once the dust falls and you've had a chance to breathe, you will figure out a way to make this yours!

15. Lisa VatnsdalJanuary 28,2022 at 3:54PM UTC

    If you can, I suggest looking into some online courses to learn about the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) which will help give you an idea on the process to follow for website development. LinkedIn Learning and Udemy are two sources of these types of courses.

16. Linda BlackmoreJanuary 28,2022 at 5:05PM UTC

    I'm sure you feel in over your head which is never pleasant, kind of crazy making too when no one seems to be able to help you. That said, if anything in this role interests you (web development and/or project management) - you didn't mention what role you were in before, so don't know if this is perceived as a step down - I would start learning everything you can about both, as fast as you can. Both fields are some of the hottest right now and you can only go up. You may have been given that role because you are a valued employee and they wanted to keep you, and probably because you are also a go-getter and a fast learner. There is a lot of training out there for both. Good luck!

17. Deb StricklandJanuary 28,2022 at 5:33PM UTC

    You've been shoved into a dark corner assigned to own web strategy and development for 15 clients with zero experience. That's insane and absolutely short sighted. Those 15 clients assume they are working with someone who knows their job and will do right by them, but they are being lied to by your employer.

    Yes, you could learn this new skillset but with 15 clients expecting answers now, and projects currently in-place, that is not possible. Deadlines will be missed, you won't be able to speak to their problems with solutions that make sense. Clients will then start to wonder what is going on and then you will be blamed. You are set up to fail.

    You said you don't really want to leave because you've been there for 10 years, but that's not true anymore. Your company of 10 years no longer exists as it was, and your old job does not exist. Get out fast before those clients find out they are not getting what they signed up for.

    I would not put this new 'job' on your resume either.

18. Stephanie LekowskiJanuary 29,2022 at 7:37PM UTC

    I agree. This is not a "promotion" this is an impossible situation. I'm also in the same firm for several years and am being asked to do things that are not my job but am in the Catch-22 of not being able to ask for a title change but expected to "figure it out". If I ask for a title change I run the risk of being suspected of job hunting, with the potential consequences. Firms that expect more but don't give you the proper tools and training to do more are trying to force you out and have it not be their fault.

19. KathyJanuary 28,2022 at 5:36PM UTC

    In some ways it looks like you are being setup to fail.
    Perhaps, perhaps not.

    Ask for training. I've been 'criticized' in past positions because I didn't ask for training though I would have expected your manager to suggest it.

    Is your manager new at her job too? Perhaps the website development was supposed to be her new job and she has pushed it on to you? She should be helping to create solutions to this 'crisis' so you both can succeed.

    Do you have a staff that actually performs the website development? If so I would meet with them individually and have them explain their position, who provides inputs to their work, expected outputs, what if any documentation process is followed.

    As others have suggested, are you interested in software development or project management? LinkedIn has courses in project management for premium members.

    Of course, if you feel that this job is too much and you have no interest in it at all then it's time to move on.

    Good luck!

20. Ellen Mallman MearnsJanuary 28,2022 at 6:12PM UTC

    I want to provide a slightly different perspective than I have seen here. I work for a major international corporation that has gone through 5 major re-orgs/layoff rounds in the last 8 years (energy sector, so more common here than elsewhere!). From my experience, if they have laid off ~15 % of the staff, and your previous position was eliminated, but they found a role for you that is often an indication that they actually really value you as part of the company, but just didn't have the best of places to put you in the first round of the re-org. Your new boss may not have been in the conversations around placing people, but if you have someone that was privy to some of those conversations I would schedule some time to talk to them to see what the thought process was behind your placement. It might be that they see this as a short term placeholder (I have been there!), or a way to broaden your experience. Or maybe others are right and it wasn't thought out and there isn't a future with your current organization.

    I think that before you jump ship I would do a little recon to see what the future might look like for you in your current organization. That will help you strategize about 1) how you handle your current role, and 2) if you start actively looking for something new. Either way, now is a good time and prompt to update that resume and think about what other options are out there, but I personally wouldn't write off your current company yet.

21. AnonymousJanuary 28,2022 at 6:22PM UTC

    Let me tell you a story about something that happened to a co-worker recently. The team she was working on recently went through a re-org under a different leader. Her position was no longer relevant so they moved her into a QA position, something she had no experience with. They did not provide her with any training either but consistently told her how terrible a job she was doing. She continued to ask for assistance and training and they did not comply. Two months into this new position they eliminated the position and let her go. Please protect yourself.

22. Susie SylviaJanuary 28,2022 at 6:46PM UTC

    CYA. Get your resume polished, line up some opportunities and start getting interviews, even if it's just for "practice." Look for opportunities in the type of role where you have the most experience, not the role you've been shuffled to. This sounds like a "Failure Assignment" to me, but I could be wrong. Err on the side of keeping your professional reputation golden. Especially if you're being denied any type of training or assistance. Good luck.

23. RachelleJanuary 28,2022 at 6:56PM UTC

    Hello what a great opportunity to make something your own. Do not show your frustration show your desire to be successful. You got the job you do have the skills take a step back and make a list of what you can do, and what you think the job requires. Then reach out to team members and ask to shadow on a few calls to see how they do it. You got this the only constant in life is change. Go out and have fun.

24. Joanna PoeJanuary 28,2022 at 9:46PM UTC

    It sounds like they want to keep you, but don't know how to invest enough in you to make you successful at the new position. Can you ask your manager for a path forward, with more training and less DIY OJT?

    If you really don't like it and want to go, look around at what's out there that aligns with what you want to be doing in other industries or in the public sector - don't be reliant on titles, they vary widely; look at the description of the job, and don't be too concerned if you hit on only half or so of the description.

    The key is to alter your resume before each submission to focus on the points in your prior experience that are relevant to the position you're submitting for.

25. Audrey KirschJanuary 29,2022 at 12:38AM UTC

    Sorry to be negative, but maybe they were only budgeting to pay 15% unemployment benefits. They may have stuck you in a role without training in the hopes that you quit. I'd dig in and show them that you can do the job. Reach out to anyone in the company that you know who can help you succeed.

26. Laura BrowneJanuary 30,2022 at 1:44AM UTC

    The positive I see is that you did not lose your job and they valued you enough that they moved you to another role. I suggest 2 strategies. First, start researching and connecting with people to see how you can do this job. Talk to the person who had it before. If it's a new role, it's a great opportunity to design it. If you can't get help inside the company, go externally. Second, put together your resume and start connecting with people and looking for new roles. Do both and see which path leads you to where you want to go.

27. Eloisa JacintoJanuary 30,2022 at 10:15AM UTC

    Hi. I hope you are faring better today. Look at this as an opportunity for you to get a new set of skills which can help you later when you decide to look for a new job or change career. Are there mentors outside of your workplace or perhaps a web resource that can help you? You can always find ways to make this change your own. Good luck!

28. ElleJanuary 31,2022 at 7:08PM UTC

    I work in your new domain and am happy to have a conversation with you. DM me and we can set up a time.