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Just got demoted

It's times like these where you have to put your pride behind you (not you imparticular) and realize that a demotion hurts but not having money hurts even more. Work hard, work overtime, show them how valuable you are and can be in the future. While doing this look for another job. If you find one great. Let them know and they might offer you more for working so hard.

Good luck with your work and with your finances. Finances are always one of my biggest worries. Wether I have a billion dollars (never happened) or 20 dollars I think about it way more than I should. You will get through this. Keep up the good work.
 
I'm with everyone who says stay until you find something else.

I'm kinda surprised they're making you hourly. According to you, they kept your two managers and you, and you could potentially make more money hourly than salaried. Where's the cost-savings in that? Or am I missing something?

I suppose it's even conceivable that the hourly status is a bone they threw you in return for the demotion, thinking a chance at extra money might soothe your feelings.

On the subject of pride...I feel for you. I just went through something rather traumatic myself. Even though I felt I was the best candidate, I recently got passed over for a promotion for the second time. Got me a little pissed, I tell ya, and I wanted to salvage my pride by leaving.

So within two months I'd quit for another job, only to find out that the new job was horrendous. Far more demoralizing than the one I'd quit. You know, I'm 50 years old, and that's too old to put up with that crap.

So even though the money was better, I quit after three days and went back, hat in hand, to my previous employer. I'm damned glad I parted with them on good terms!

I hope you find something soon. I know the job market's lousy, but keep looking. We're in the same boat, buddy. :(
 
the way i see it, there's no justification for not staying until you have a new job. you need the money and we all know money is what runs this world. a lot of people have been in bad jobs for years and they've managed to find new jobs so just stay where you are until you have a job secured somewhere else.

until then, work as many hours as you can to get as much money as possible from your currenty employer.

good luck.
 
I'm in a similar situation, Lee.

I started a contract position for a couple I worked with at my old job around this time last year. It was an aerial photography project that was "supposed" to entail world travel, having a team of photographers and pilots working for me, working all day in Photoshop correcting images, etc. etc. etc. I negotiated a really nice consulting fee and I was just tickled with what I was doing.

About five months into it, they started to get flaky on me. They took all the logistics responsibilities away from me (working with the photographers and pilots, arranging aircraft, etc.) first to "free me up" to process more images to send to their client.

Then they had "issues" with my Photoshop work. God, I wish I could show you some of the images they took in Denmark. They were black - I mean black. And they were not pleased that I could not make black pictures look "rich and vibrant." Add to this the fact that they refused to let me have the photographers use polarizing filters (God, I wish I could show those pictures, too), and I was given an impossible task. So they decided to take away my part-time help and my PC workstation that I used for charting.

Then I found my contract position on Monster about four months ago. I confronted them about it and it got ugly. Really ugly. I mean yikes.

Today, I am desperately seeking another client/looking for a job, but while I do that, I have to write a minimum number of articles a day for them (they are using the images for a Web site and I write articles about the locations) to keep my company afloat.

It sucks man, it sucks really bad. The paralell is I am stuck and I have to keep working for them until something comes along, but this crap and working for these creeps is sucking the life out of me slowly. I submit an invoice every two weeks and that's all I hear from them. I used to be on the phone all day. Now I'm just another one of their "piece workers."

It kills me to do this **** every day.

They have hired out all the Photoshop work to part time college students who are willing to work for half what I charge. God, I need to stop before I cry. :eek: :(

Hang in there buddy, and just do the best you can every day to find something better. You're talented and I am sure you'll do fine. :)
 
All I can do is agree with the previous posters. Don't leave until you get another job offer, in writing. You may not be happy in the interim, but at least you'll have the luxury of food and shelter. And milk the OT for all its worth!
 
iGary said:
I'm in a similar situation, Lee.

I started a contract position for a couple I worked with at my old job around this time last year. It was an aerial photography project that was "supposed" to entail world travel, having a team of photographers and pilots working for me, working all day in Photoshop correcting images, etc. etc. etc. I negotiated a really nice consulting fee and I was just tickled with what I was doing.

About five months into it, they started to get flaky on me. They took all the logistics responsibilities away from me (working with the photographers and pilots, arranging aircraft, etc.) first to "free me up" to process more images to send to their client.

Then they had "issues" with my Photoshop work. God, I wish I could show you some of the images they took in Denmark. They were black - I mean black. And they were not pleased that I could not make black pictures look "rich and vibrant." Add to this the fact that they refused to let me have the photographers use polarizing filters (God, I wish I could show those pictures, too), and I was given an impossible task. So they decided to take away my part-time help and my PC workstation that I used for charting.

Then I found my contract position on Monster about four months ago. I confronted them about it and it got ugly. Really ugly. I mean yikes.

Today, I am desperately seeking another client/looking for a job, but while I do that, I have to write a minimum number of articles a day for them (they are using the images for a Web site and I write articles about the locations) to keep my company afloat.

It sucks man, it sucks really bad. The paralell is I am stuck and I have to keep working for them until something comes along, but this crap and working for these creeps is sucking the life out of me slowly. I submit an invoice every two weeks and that's all I hear from them. I used to be on the phone all day. Now I'm just another one of their "piece workers."

It kills me to do this **** every day.

They have hired out all the Photoshop work to part time college students who are willing to work for half what I charge. God, I need to stop before I cry. :eek: :(

Hang in there buddy, and just do the best you can every day to find something better. You're talented and I am sure you'll do fine. :)
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That absolutely stinks. Although I'm not working, I can sort of relate to what you're going through.

I'm doing a PhD, and agreed to do it at my uni because the professors treated me well when I did my Masters. I thought I was at a place where I was certain I would be treated decently. However, my supervisor is a loon, and it's starting to cause problems. Everyone knows he's got this crazy ego problem, but he also comes up with some great ideas and people think he's brilliant and want to be involved with him in some way through projects. This doesn't mean he's easy to work for, and that's my problem.

Three days ago, the man was 1h and 20 minutes late for a meeting with me. He's usually 30-60 minutes late for meetings since he's "so important," and I should wait and not say anything since he "has done so much for me" (his words, not mine) and that I don't respect him enough, but 80 minutes was pushing it. Plus, that was when I started to get a fever, and I wasn't in the mood.

I first told him I had to meet other people for a meeting, and he told me that if I walked out, I'm no longer a PhD student. Well "hello" to you too, sir. I told him that he shoudn't be this late, and that I had better things to do than to wait for him to show up. That's when the argument began. We had a 15 minute shouting match after that. Yes, a student was yelling at his professor/supervisor. That's me. I'm like Chuck Norris toilet paper --- I don't take s*** from anyone. However, it should be said that this shouting happens for the first 20 minutes of every meeting we have. Oddly enough, once we get down to business, he always walks away from the table happy and excited about my results.


Um....I hate doing my PhD, and I hate meeting with my supervisor. I'm starting to lose interest in my thesis, and if it weren't for the thought of my mum being so disappointed (I'm the most educated person on both sides of my family other than my cousin "the lawyer") about me quitting my PhD, I would have done so and gotten a job somewhere, or started another PhD somewhere else.
 
Thomas Veil said:
Jesus that sucks. :(
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Pretty much™.

And I quit a cushy, easy, good paying job as an editor with an office that has a waterfront view for this. God I miss that job.

It will be all right, though, and I'm sure Lee will pull out of this on top (no pun intended :p ), too.
 
Thomas Veil said:
I'm kinda surprised they're making you hourly. According to you, they kept your two managers and you, and you could potentially make more money hourly than salaried. Where's the cost-savings in that? Or am I missing something?
(
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It's cost saving if they plan on messing w/his hours. Maybe this is "phase 1" and "phase 2" is trimming back his hours as the new owners hire in new people to replace the old.


Lethal
 
Abstract said:
That absolutely stinks.

Although I'm not working, I can sort of relate to what you're going through. I'm doing a PhD, and while I don't love the project I'm doing, I don't hate it either. However, my supervisor is a loon. I mean, he's crazy, and everyone knows he's crazy. Problem is that he also comes up with some great ideas and people think he's brilliant and want to be involved with him in some way through projects. This doesn't mean he's easy to work for, and that's the problem.

Three days ago, the man was 1h and 20 minutes late for a meeting with me. He's usually 30-60 minutes late for meetings since he's "so important," and I should wait and not say anything since he "has done so much for me" and that I don't respect him enough, but 80 minutes was pushing it. Plus that was when I started to get a fever and get sick, so I wasn't in the mood. We had a 15 minute shouting match. Yes, a student was yelling at his professor and supervisor. That's me. However, it should be said that this happens for the first 20 minutes of every meeting we have.

Anyway, I told him I had to meet other people for a meeting, and he told me that if I walked out, I'm no longer a PhD student. I told him that he shoudn't be this late, and that I had better things to do than to wait for him to show up. That's when the argument began.

Um....I hate doing my PhD, and I hate meeting with my supervisor. I'm starting to lose interest in my thesis, and if it weren't for the thought of my mum being so disappointed (I'm the most educated person on both sides of my family other than my cousin "the lawyer") about me quitting my PhD, I would have done so and gotten a job somewhere, or started another PhD somewhere else.
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What is amazing, in retrospect, is how much I really liked the job that I hated when I quit a year ago.

And yeah, honestly, the only thing that is stopping me from telling these people to go **** themselves and sending them a Thank You card for helping to **** up my life is Rob, my family and my own "pride."

In the bad old days I would have blown up this bridge five months ago. Getting old sucks. :D

Someone hire me! (And Lee, too)!!!!!
 
iGary said:
What is amazing, in retrospect, is how much I really liked the job that I hated when I quit a year ago.

And yeah, honestly, the only thing that is stopping me from telling these people to go **** themselves and sending them a Thank You card for helping to **** up my life is Rob, my family and my own "pride."

In the bad old days I would have blown up this bridge five months ago. Getting old sucks. :D

Someone hire me! (And Lee, too)!!!!!
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Well iGary, This job is definitely not something to love. I will definitely not miss it when I leave. I'm still thinking about it and talking to people. I do have some possibilities available.
 
Give them your two weeks otice or however longyou want to specify. After you have done that, carry on working well for them and still look for another job. A good recommendation is always helpful in this situation.
 
leekohler said:
Well iGary, This job is definitely not something to love. I will definitely not miss it when I leave. I'm still thinking about it and talking to people. I do have some possibilities available.
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Well good luck with it - seriously.

I am often tempted to just ditch what I am doing now with the hope that the extra time I can invest in finding new clients/a new job will pay off, but it's a gamble, as you are well aware.

Just depends on your pain threshold for being poor versus hating your job/position not being secure.

Unfortunately my "poor" threshold is pretty low, so I continue to suffer until something better comes along.

Best of luck, Lee. :)
 
Just my two cents...

It's just a job. Business is ruthless and we all have to be prepared to adapt, improvise, and adjust to the constantly changing situations. Do not take it personally when things like this happen. The only way to avoid being yanked around is to own your own business. But that certainly is no guarantee because you'll always be at the mercy of external competing forces.

I understand and appreciate your disappointment at the current situation and I'm sure I don't understand it in its fullest context, but don't take it personally. Every time I have been faced with something similar, I end up in an even better situation!

Good luck!
 
A bit of good news- I have a bunch of folks on another account trying to get me to work with them as they need people. They're actually meeting about it today. I'm feeling a lot more loved now and I'm actually kind of teary. They were saying that they're gonna do all they can to get me on that account. Cross your fingers guys. ;)
 
I expressed my displeasure to my boss today and mentioned quitting. It now looks like they're going to find me a spot in another account keeping my job description and title. We'll see what happens! Cross those fingers. BTW- this in no way means that I have stopped looking for a new situation. ;)
 
leekohler said:
I expressed my displeasure to my boss today and mentioned quitting. It now looks like they're going to find me a spot in another account keeping my job description and title. We'll see what happens! Cross those fingers. BTW- this in no way means that I have stopped looking for a new situation. ;)
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I really hope that this works out for you! Good luck and hopefully we will hear some good news :D.
 
leekohler said:
I expressed my displeasure to my boss today and mentioned quitting. It now looks like they're going to find me a spot in another account keeping my job description and title. We'll see what happens! Cross those fingers.
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Good for you!

leekohler said:
BTW- this in no way means that I have stopped looking for a new situation. ;)
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Sounds like a good plan.
 
Take the job, since it will be something you have now and get some income and focus on getting a new one as soon as you can. Get what you can out of it and move on.

Good luck,

D
 
So you just needed to audibly throw your toys out the pram then :D Well done on getting it resolved, but please promise me one thing; Don't go killing yourself for them. From what you've previously posted, that company has been attempting to suck all life out of you for some time. Even if you stay there long term, treat this as a new start and stand your ground over hours and workload. Take the attitude that you're doing them a favour by working there. That's the reality, but they'll never admit it to your face.
 
Guys- a major breakthrough. This has been an amazing day. I honestly have never felt so loved in my life. After the news of my demotion spread, I had people left and right calling to see how they could help. It was a constant barrage of "What can I do? How can I help? You have been wronged, etc." My boss was really cool. As I mentioned before, he has said he wants to help me find another place in the agency. I have cried 3 times today out of joy. People really have noticed what I do and do care.

It has really made me feel good about myself. I had one person that I managed say, "You're the best Senior Art Director I have ever worked with, WTF were they thinking?"

Guys, I can't tell you how today has been. People came out of the woodwork to help-people I didn't think even noticed me. I feel humbled and grateful.

Just to let you know my history- I came to this company over 7 years ago with no experience and having gone to college for theater- not the best for getting a job. My then and current boss took a chance on me, and I am eternally grateful for that. I learned a lot from him and I don't think I could ever repay him for what I was taught.

That said, we'll see what happens. But I have never had this many people come to my aid ever in my life. I guess I just wasn't seeing it and I underestimated myself. One of the creative directors said to me today, "You are valuable, don't ever underestimate your worth- (and please stay so I can get you on my team)".

I am floored, humbled and thankful.

Will I stay? I'm not sure yet. But it was an amazing response from people I respect and I feel great about my prospects.
 
leekohler said:
I guess I just wasn't seeing it and I underestimated myself.
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Possibly the cause of this happening Lee. In a small firm, you can get on with the job and everybody knows how good you are, but in a larger shop you need to make a bit of "corporate noise" to make sure the people at the top know your name without having to be reminded of it. It's okay to occasionally push your weight around and tell people when you've done something right. As long as you don't make a career of only doing that people don't think any worse of you.

Think of your own career like a product campaign if it helps. Selling yourself should be easy for someone in your line of work :p

Let us know what you decide. You may as well, because we'll only ask scem0 if you don't. :D
 
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