An uncomfortable moment at work yesterday.

[Tobin S.]

I went back to school a year and a half ago and I mostly kept that information to myself at work. I did tell my immediate supervisors about it a couple of months ago. My boss said something to the effect of, "Y'know, it's not that I didn't think you were smart, but..."

It's a small company. The owner is getting very old and his nephew will probably inherit the place. His nephew is currently the general manager- the second in command. He was in my boss' office yesterday and one of my supervisors mentioned to him that I was in school. I was going to tell the guy, but I was going to wait until evaluations later this month. So I had to make the best of the situation.

He wanted to know when I would graduate. He asked me how I was doing and what I was majoring in. I told him business administration with a concentration of study in accounting and I was getting 'A's. He was impressed that I was doing so well in difficult classes. He went to the same school I'm going to and majored in the same thing.

My Plan A is to go to this guy's uncle if he's still there when I graduate and ask him for a better job at the company than my current truck driver position. If the owner has passed control of the company to his nephew...well, I'm already in his head. Plan B will be to go elsewhere. But I do feel a sense of loyalty to this company. They've been fair to me there and have treated me well. That's more than a lot of people can say about their employers now days. Lord knows I've been dicked over enough at other places.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. You obviously know how to think on your feet, my dear Tobin...

I think you handled it just right!

I hope they will see you as a logical person to promote; I bet they will since they have been good to you. They're invested in you, and promoting you would just continue that.

Best of luck!

[Tobin S.]

2. Thank you.

I don't always think to say the right things at the spur of the moment, but I think I got it right yesterday.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

3. You sure did!

[Major Nikon]

4. I think most managers prefer to promote from within when they can

You just never know what you're getting with people from the outside. Even when you go through the resume, interview(s) and check references you just really don't know what you're getting. If you are looking for a particular skill set, often you just don't have a choice. When there is a choice my preference is someone I know has aptitude and works well with others which can be far more important than other considerations, but is very hard to ferret out during the selection process.

[Tobin S.]

5. I appreciate your perspective.

It makes sense to promote from within if you have qualified people there. I know they have done that at my employer. My boss doesn't have a high school education. He started there as a trucker and worked his way up. He's done well for a guy who dropped out of school when he was 15.

So the precedent is there. I suppose it depends if there's a possible opening when I graduate.

[monmouth3]

6. I think they were discussing, not if, but when they will promote you. After the Uncle retires the

nephews job will be offered to you. I'm an optimist and you deserve it...