Good morning, everyone.

Anonymous

September 18,2022 at 3:40PM UTC

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Good morning, everyone.

I just started a new job after being unemployed in October 2021. I had exhausted my unemployment benefits and had no income so I set my sites lower, went back to the beginning of my career, and secured a salary position in a Tier 1 tech support role

Unfortunately, this is the first time in my long tenured career that I have started looking for another job within two weeks of starting one.

Onboarding was great - lots of corporate bling, DoorDash and UberEats cards for lunches my first week. Everyone was nice, seemed to have it together.

Training has been horribly non-existent. My immediate manager stated that he has never trained anyone remotely before. I have trained remotely since 2004. There is no knowledge base. I am supposed to rely on other engineers to help me even though they have their own workload

They are using a system that you have to track every minute of your eight-hour day. It is complicated and messy and I have never seen this level of granularity.

I just finished my second week, and starting next week, the expectations are set to be the same as those that have held their positions for 4+ years.

In the course of taking care of clients, I did not agree with the way the issues were handled. The idea of doing what is best for the customer, which is one of the slogans, does not hold up. Example, computer is running slow, so immediately direct client to replace hard drive with SSD. Or a battery replacement that has greatly expanded a laptop and insisting our in-house tech take care of it even though there is a very good chance that there is other damage that needs to be addressed. The plan with the battery replacement is to let the tech try and if it does not work, send the laptop to the manufacturer, thereby adding unnecessary time and inconvenience to the client.

The final cherry on the sundae came Friday when my immediate manager and I were talking about a large client. He said he would take a crap, not the word he used, if this client told him to, and the unsaid expectation was that I should feel the same.

Am I just out of the loop after being in project management for the past five years? Do I just need to put my big girl pants on and get it done or do I trust my gut instinct that sees so many red flags?

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AnonymousSeptember 18,2022 at 3:48PM UTC
When I started my job nearly 6 months ago (? I've been there that long?! Lol!!) I was trained by someone our corporate office had no faith in. For three months I was doing it all wrong. So three months later, I learned again.
My point is that sometimes the bling (as you mention) is a cover up. "Free food because we can't do anything else"
I was one of the many that lost their job during the pandemic and had to take a step backwards
It amazes me how incoherent some places are
I think that it's a good idea to start looking. Don't quit, but see what your options are
Maybe reach out to other places you interviewed with to see if....??
AnonymousSeptember 18,2022 at 4:12PM UTC
Thank you! I feel like this was kind of a bait and switch. They said all the right things, gave me a training schedule - which has been totally thrown out. Then my direct manager was supposed to provide me with one but it never materialized. I am being thrown off the bridge and expected to swim. I dread tomorrow and am completely demoralized.
My lay off was pandemic related as well. We made it through the pandemic but when the PPP loans dried up, we were a small shop and further cuts had to be made.
AnonymousSeptember 18,2022 at 10:05PM UTC
You'll be ok, I'm sure!!
Like I said, I've been there with insane employers and there now!! I simply don't understand people. But I'm 49 so I must not get it???!!! Lol
These people have to eventually figure out that their method isn't going to work well for them??
Take their pay. Keep looking for what you want in the meantime:)
JJSeptember 18,2022 at 4:20PM UTC
I do not work in the same field but that does not seem like a great place to work. It’s ok to keep looking.
AnonymousSeptember 18,2022 at 6:57PM UTC
Take this employer at face value if this is what you’re experiencing during onboarding. You can either choose to operate within their construct or keep looking. Suffering is a choice and it sounds like you’ll have little ability to influence a different path to client management.
Joan Williams, Senior Talent Acquisition SpecialistSeptember 19,2022 at 4:39AM UTC
I would continue your job search while staying there as long as you possibly can.
Cynthia Armistead NewmanSeptember 19,2022 at 12:16PM UTC
Hi there. I started back in tech support in 2013 when I returned to work after a 12-year "mommy break" so I can relate (I was in software QA when I left the workforce).
That isn't reasonable training/onboarding and your boss talking about not having done that with a remote employee before shouldn't matter. OR it should push him to try harder, not half-ass it at best!
Apple is pretty much always hiring and they do a great job of training. When they hired me in 2014 I hadn't touched a Mac in over 20 years, though I'd done some virtual training regarding them. They treat their employees (not their contractors) very well. Look on their site and see if you can get in there.
Good luck!
AnonymousSeptember 19,2022 at 12:53PM UTC
The benefit of “job hopping”
and consulting is that you get to see the norms of various workplaces from startup to Fortune 500+.
In the 55+ Client companies where I’ve worked… only one had training. In todays market companies expect people to be tenacious and “self directed.” You’ll learn as you go.
You’re coming to a new environment and they do things differently than your last. Have you considered getting curious about their protocols? You might find that things are different for a very good reason.
My honest suggestion is to learn more before you label the whole thing a wash.
Finally, ive worked with lots
of great people who had 10+ years of tenure in one of my client companies. I often noticed when we (the consulting firm) brought best practices they struggled because they had only done it one way. I’m not saying this is you. Why I am saying is that adapting is
part of the human condition.
Michelle S.September 19,2022 at 2:06PM UTC
Trust your instincts. I feel like I could probably name this employer as it sounds verbatim The type of issues several employees that I know worked at a place had. Cut and run! I understand the fear in losing income, I can’t tell you how much, but it doesn’t matter if you have a new job every month. You just keep a job and eventually you’ll find your place again! Don’t even worry about how many times. Good luck to you!
AnonymousSeptember 19,2022 at 2:27PM UTC
It doesn't sound like this job is worth all the emotional labor you're putting in to it. My advice is for now just follow the script and keep looking for a job that's more aligned with your skillset and interests.
AnonymousSeptember 19,2022 at 5:47PM UTC
I've been there - The best advice that I can provide, which others already have already referenced below.
If you are currently in a place where you need the monthly income, please don't quit, until you secure another position with another company/firm.
After you do, simply thank them for the 'opportunity' and leave on a 'positive' note, as we never know who we might run into in the future.
I wish you the very best -
AnonymousSeptember 19,2022 at 9:48PM UTC
I’d like to offer an alternate perspective for diversity of thinking.
One might say that with a world of experience we can interpret scenarios quickly given our tenure. We might call that intuition or instinct.
What happens when our instinct doesn’t have all the data? What happens when our instinct includes a bit of bias? These are all totally human characteristics. I don’t believe that it’s an either/or proposition.
The dimensions that you have shared sound like A) regarding training are a one-time hurdle that can easily be overcome and B) a situation that may have a variety of perspectives. There probably isn’t a one-size-fits-all decision.
These are all natural dynamics in the flow of any business. I’m curious though, why do you feel this is so insurmountable? Are you unable to listen to the current rationale and propose new ideas?
here’s a list of different types of bias. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/thoughts-thinking/201809/12-common-biases-affect-how-we-make-everyday-decisions?amp
Crystal HowellSeptember 19,2022 at 10:27PM UTC
The gut always win! Do You, find better and more established companies.
AnonymousSeptember 19,2022 at 11:57PM UTC
a few honest questions. what is the consequence of not having the training? Are you concerned that there will be an unrealistic expectation for you? Or that you’ll be set up to fail? I don’t know your area but as tenured as you are, would the average training even be useful to you?
Doris AppelbaumSeptember 20,2022 at 1:04AM UTC
Be aware of the red flags. Update your resume and keep looking for an alternative.