question for you workers out there

[Jerryaki]

suppose your boss is hiring someone who is a peer to you (as stated in the job opening, and in the skills and experience of the person hired). the new person arrives and you realize they've been given a hire title than you.

how would you feel?

 

[VF21]

Do you mean higher title? Does the title really mean that much? Does it include a higher rate of pay, for example?

I may be in the minority but I've never worried about other employees where I worked. If I liked my job and thought I was receiving fair pay for what I did, I stayed.

 

[Jerryaki]

it does include higher pay, and it's a higher functional title (say, manager versus senior manager).

while i know that you can't control what happens with others, would you feel at all put out if you knew the person's background and experience were commensurate with yours?

treating you fairly is what you hope for, but if someone gets special treatment, does that then make your previously fair treatment...unfair?

 

[VF21]

it does include higher pay, and it's a higher functional title (say, manager versus senior manager).

while i know that you can't control what happens with others, would you feel at all put out if you knew the person's background and experience were commensurate with yours?

If I had applied for the vacancy and been turned down, I might at least wonder why.

treating you fairly is what you hope for, but if someone gets special treatment, does that then make your previously fair treatment...unfair?

I guess it would depend upon WHY they got special treatment. Are they, for example, related? Are they returning veterans? Is there something else going on that might have tipped the scales?

I would think - and we're really talking in vague generalities here - that if I was happy in my job yesterday and satisfied with my pay and if this person's hiring didn't directly affect my job or salary, I wouldn't lose any sleep over it.

But I think you might consider asking TPTB, because it's clearly hit a nerve with you or you wouldn't have asked the question. Is there anyone in management you trust enough to ask a question and be confident of receiving an honest answer?

 

[Jerryaki]

i think the consensus is to approach the hiring manager and be straightforward in a positive (read: not "how could you?!") way. but we're just talking hypotheticals here.

thanks for your input on our imaginary situation and i will stop typing now as the man is currently logging all my key strokes...

 

[LilMissDiva]

I tend to ask the person in charge of promotions what I can do in the future to be better considered, and I work towards that. Always approach the situation completely positive. It has worked for me.

I have come a long way where I am, and I only admire those in the positions that I feel I would like to do. You should never show any kind of contempt, even slight. Whether you think so or not, it does show through. Your peers do notice.

Good luck in your future endeavors!

 

[pdxKingsFan]

In my experience the addition of "senior" to a title has meant absolutely NOTHING. I was a "senior" [job title] at my last job even though I had completely changed industries and had no experience in the field. As for the pay discrepancy, I've also found over time that newer hires occasionally get more starting pay than established workers - often a company will set a rate for all new hires for a specific position and that may wind up higher than the sum of all previous percentages in pay increases. The last company I worked for actually gave me an adjustment on top of my annual raise to make up for this but less scrupulous companies will not do this until they absolutely have to.

In any event, the older and more mature I've gotten the greater I've come to appreciate that other people may actually have stronger skills in certain areas or may just be better all around and these things no longer bug me. On a side note I've never actually asked a coworker what they were making except when it was for information on promotions. I suspect I'm in the minority though, for me it just seems tacky and if its more I don't want to know.

 

[HndsmCelt]

I just operate on the assumption that those in management will never have my best interest in thier mind when they make decisions.

 

[Jerryaki]

In my experience the addition of "senior" to a title has meant absolutely NOTHING. I was a "senior" [job title] at my last job even though I had completely changed industries and had no experience in the field.

i agree with this from the perspective of the worker (your responsibilities don't change all that often regardless of what title you are given). it is a valid concern though, from management's perspective. if they give someone else a "senior" title, then i'd like to know whether they (management) sees the person as a peer or a superior. it affects year end discussions and evaluations.

I just operate on the assumption that those in management will never have my best interest in thier mind when they make decisions.

have you by chance worked in NYC?

thanks for the input everyone!