WTF is my job headed downhill

Yeah, probably going with this.

Problem is im not that slick, and Itd be another surveying job, which would get me fired for sure.

 

im back and forth. probably tomorrow im goin to have a conversation with Bossman. i plan to say i understand i am part time, but i make very little as is. If i cant work full time, how about 4 full days a week (32-36 hours). I need to make money, and I love what i do here, but i need to work while im not at school.

 

my professor said their great, they have good benefits for full time, and they have a great reputation for good work from the office. but as far as the field goes, they're living off an old reputation. in the field they used to be big before 2007 and they were the number one around. now we have a lot less guys in the field and they take too long to do some jobs IMHO.

 

yeah. makes sense. I just hate that I get ripped off moneywise from them.

 

they do talk a lot of crap about it lol....and most of the guys know each other so i do sense good ole boy system. especially with my coworker who just got a raise.

 

i wanna work.... no sense in sitting around while im able because i love surveying. also i thought part time doesn't get unemployment, especially if fired.

 

what don't make sense to me is in the fall i got 30-33 hours a week, now my max is 27..... something is fishy with that

 

My advise is read the book Rich Dad Poor dad. There will be chapters in there that will help you to understand what is happening with you and your boss. After you are done reading that book you will have a different outlook on how and who you work for and how you spend your hard earned money.

 

i might pick up a copy

 

You should be able to get one at any used book store. That's one rule "never pay retail".

 

Exactly. always find a steal

 

I know guys who work for a company that couldn't possibly be a worse environment.

It's one huge competition and they will constantly do things to make their coworkers look bad to get themselves ahead even if it's at the expense of their clients. If you don't play the game they'll keep you but you are never moving up or getting any raises with them. Doesn't matter how conscientious you actually are--it's just the show you put on.

I am thankful that I don't work for a place like that, but I guess it's a reminder that it always could be worse.

 

It doesn't hurt to send them a resume. It is unfortunate when it happens, which probably happens more than it should, but there are people that are in charge that have no clue what their employees do. If your boss had any idea of what you did, he'd find a way to keep you. If you make yourself irreplaceable and prove to be capable a good boss will find a way to keep you around because there isn't a surplus of great workers. Get yourself another surveying job.

 

So I've read through most of your posts carefully and I'm getting the sense that most people here are coming from your side of the argument. I'm going to try to give you the other side, your bosses side, and some personal examples from experience.

I work at a large Agricultural Retailer in Alberta, Canada. I've worked for this company, on and off, for about 10 years. I only started working for them full time throughout the year when I finished university. I did skip a few summers of work with them when I could find other companies to work for, since the other jobs were co-op and looked good on a resume, but overall I've always been sort of a part of this place. When I first started I had times exactly like yours during slow periods. In the end though I now work for this company for very good money. Are you getting 27 hours because the amount of work has decreased? Even if profits are good most businesses will adjust to the work load during the year and asking for a raise or more hours as a part timer in the slower season will not go over well with most managers.

Is your boss really looking for you to stay on forever? Have you done anything in the last year that says he's not enthralled with your performance? I know we've had several promising "summer students" who we keep on round year that end up acting like idiots around our customers by doing normal college things (hanging out with customers in shady bars, telling customers things they aren't paid to say, in general being wreckless with company time and image) that have basically talked and acted there way out of a full time job. Some of them have been extremely hard workers and great people but they, for whatever reason, didn't have the professionalism to stick around. I could see how some would call it a boys club, but the truth is if you don't fit in then most places will assume you don't belong.

Is your boss looking to retire right away? You said he's older, he very well could be trying to get all the money he can out of the company before he sells out. $200K in profit is not a lot of profit to be honest. In my industry that wouldn't be enough. To keep the doors open we are expected to pull down about triple that in a three month period and we only have 8 full time staff members. If your boss needs the money for retirement I have no doubt he is looking at his bottom line and could be cutting hours to try and increase ROI from every dollar coming in the door. Don't blame him if that's the case. To be honest that's just capitalism and if you aren't happy with that you can try to find another company that is undergoing expansion rather than stagnation that is willing to operate with tighter profits.

Anyways I kind of babbled there but I hope that gives you some other things to think about. As others have said there isn't anything wrong with looking around. I wouldn't assume though that going somewhere else will be different unless you know of someone who has worked for that company and can attest that you will have more hours and a better paycheck. You're young, there isn't any reason to commit yourself to any company and they won't hold it against you if you leave for greener pastures. I know plenty of companies, including mine, that have taken back seasonal staff into full time positions once they are older and have there paperwork.

 

Depending on sales...a 200k EBIT on 1000k sales is not bad at all.

If I cut hours of employees (especially temps) under 40/week they start looking for now jobs ASAP, they have bills to pay and unfortunately most live paycheck to paycheck.
Can't blame them. I try to load-level as much as possible to a) don't pay much in OT and then have to send people home the end of the month b) make sure everyone works at a steady pace and c) make sure we are on track to hit budget

 

I worked 27 hours because I had to work around classes, and hes not looking to retire soon the profit was after all bills and salaries paid. the profit was from January, February and march. The CEO wants me to work there forever, but the head of the survey department could care-less and doesn't really want me around based on his attitude. As far as off work attitude, I talk the business up, have given out business cards, and even gotten them jobs (which they refused because of too much work). Ive been nothing but positive, and things certainly aren't slow around the company.

 

That's the plan. Bringin in $150 a week after taxes is not enough for me.

Yeah, im going to use my professors for a reference because I got an A in all their classes.

 

Yup, 20% is the magic profit number. That's been a rule of thumb since god knows when. At the end of the day though it's not just percentages that matter. I know, I've been with the manager in meetings with the regional guys. We have both percentage and real targets we have to hit to keep the doors open.

No manager should ever get angry at an employee when they leave for a better position. It's frustrating but it is the way the world works. People go where the money is.

The seasonal nature of Agriculture means we can't do much load leveling. We've tried banked O/T and it's not widely accepted by part timers. They want there double time pay cheques now. I don't know what surveying is like, but given the fact that it is construction related I would assume it has a slower season where, no matter how good a manager you are, you will have to cut man hours somewhere.

 

Sounds like you have a problem with the head of the department then. If he isn't leaving then that won't likely change no matter what piece of paper you bring to the company. I'd look for another opportunity then, but don't close the door on this one unless you feel totally comfortable leaving your current position.

 

If an employee is considered an asset I will do what I can to get them what they want or need whether it is more hours or raises. If I don't consider an employee to have much value I will not give them the hours or raises. Now OP, this should clear up any confusion with your current situation. You do not have a future with your current company. Your current company is restricting your hours as well to keep you from being considered full time/claiming unemployment benefits.

The other thing that disturbs me unless this is a really small company and someone brags about how much money is coming in is that as a part time employee you know the quarterly profits.