Beta
Senior Member
- Joined
- May 30, 2008
- Messages
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I know that I'm relatively new to the forum, but as I gauge the average person here to be more career oriented and educated that other boards that I frequent for entertainment, this seems like the best place to present my situation. Also, writing things down makes them easier for me to review.
Backstory:
When I graduated from college, I went to work for the family business, which, for all intents and purposes was essentially purchased for my benefit as something for my "ex step father" (who I consider my closest family member) and I to do together. This didn't work out well for a few reasons:
1. I was 21 and still in a college mindset, rather than career. (im 25 now)
2. We were both new to the business, lots of learning curve for both.
3. We lived together, work never stopped.
4. I was involved in a long distance relationship.- distracted
5. The business was severely lacking in trained personnel. This resulted in me performing way too many different tasks, and none of them to perfection.
6. Crap pay...really bad.
7. Father's expectations combined with type A personality and a tendency to yell...in front of other employees. Equal treatment would have been nice...what i got was unacceptable, which he has admitted.
8. I was promoted to manager (while my father was an extremely absentee owner at this point in time) due to my auditing of expenses and finding out that the guy I replaced had stolen many thousands of dollars, didn't have a valid drivers licence, etc. He came with the company when it was purchased from the previous owner...he has since died from a drug OD. Needless to say...at barely 22 and 6 months on the job...i wasn't ready to be a general manager of 3 stores doing 7 figures in sales.
Fast forward three years or so,
I've worked off and on for the company in different capacities since then, helping out with sales, doing back end work etc. I've never truly "gotten out", we have regular discussions about the direction of the business and issues with international trade/manufacturing, etc. Business growth has more than tripled.
Currently I work at a very prestigious company in my area. I got my job from a buddy's wife (recruiter) and work with/around 2 great college buddies of mine...carpool, the whole deal.
I've been working as a contractor at this company through the staffing agency that they use so that they don't have to hire people or can hire people that are already trained. This shouldn't have been a problem except for the company having a hiring freeze, as well as outsourcing the less desirable jobs to India. Since I've been there I have been passed over 4 times for permanent positions (when i was less proven), which my boss has told me that she regrets, which I believe, but it doesn't make me feel better.
I have a much higher responsibility level than my peers, and have been basically given anything that is high profile because I don't make mistakes. My boss's boss's boss knows my first name and what i do. I'm involved with projects that are being spread to the rest of the company...if stuff isn't right...its on me. My suspicion is that my immediate boss is trying to make me invaluable and so resourceful that when ( if EVER) the appropriate headcount for my BU is approved, I can trounce anyone in an interview....which is actually pretty screwed up, you can't just get promoted or hired, you have to interview for anything.
This said, I don't see any of the three of us staying at this position long enough to advance, due to the paygrade (its ok, but its the reason for the mediocrity among my peers) anyone who busts ass is going to get a better job somewhere else. Its impossible to get fired, raises are a joke, 3%max yr., and people who they recruit from other companies that negotiate their salary often make more than people who have been there for ages.
sorry about that:
Current situation, had business meeting with dad last saturday....he is trying to figure out what direction he is going to take with the business. 2 choices:
1. Keep accurate books for a few years, quit expensing everything, show profit and sell out at a tidy profit. (bought company for 100k, it now grosses over 3 million)
2. Purchase the building, get rid of the nonprofitable store, have Dad do heavy outside sales (making deals is his forte') and have me come back and run the flagship store. Basically do the books and paperwork/organization bills....office manager stuff, and the walk up sales when he isn't around, which isn't a a problem at all.
His only option for a business manager is me, because im the only person who isn't going to steal all of the money (it would be really really easy to steal 10-20k a year).
He is aware that if he wants competence, he is actually going to have to pay for it, instead of getting high school diploma educated secretaries on the cheap and expecting real work. The volume and value of items that need to be tracked and the paperwork really is a full time job.
another plus is that there is a dedicated, competent service manager there, who I get along with...he is responsible for the blue collar people, and I am responsible for facilitating everything they need (they are not capable of ordering parts, etc) For once every single thing wont be my fault.
work schedule: 9-5, i currently work till 5:30...this said...i dont ever remember leaving at 5...but in those days for some reason I had the expectation that 5 was a normal time to leave work...Im aware now that i dont work in a bank! there is at least an extra weeks worth of weekends due to tradeshows...which are generally highly worth it. I would no longer have to do the set up and tear down of these, which I didn't like to do at all. Commute isn't too bad. Consider this a wash i guess.
compensation: basically, my base would be what I am making now...with the addition of 10% of the profit of sales (not service) that i make. given this number, if we took my stores sales, gave me 25% of them, this should still be 5k. 15-20 percent of consignment sales (all cash sales), and year end profit sharing (which would depend on if we make a profit, since we usually try not to)
I could conceivably make 10k more...at least 5k more than i do now. with way more upside (like a free company)
I am definitely trading a no real stress job for a stressful one...but im not sure if a no stress job is what im looking for anyway. What I stand to risk is my relationship with my father again...
I left once because I didn't think it was worth it...but careers don't normally fall into your lap like this either.
fingers hurt now...
anyone have any feedback? work with a father? worth it?
I appreciate anyones help....this is an extremely major decision for me that I wasn't expecting to have to make at all.
Backstory:
When I graduated from college, I went to work for the family business, which, for all intents and purposes was essentially purchased for my benefit as something for my "ex step father" (who I consider my closest family member) and I to do together. This didn't work out well for a few reasons:
1. I was 21 and still in a college mindset, rather than career. (im 25 now)
2. We were both new to the business, lots of learning curve for both.
3. We lived together, work never stopped.
4. I was involved in a long distance relationship.- distracted
5. The business was severely lacking in trained personnel. This resulted in me performing way too many different tasks, and none of them to perfection.
6. Crap pay...really bad.
7. Father's expectations combined with type A personality and a tendency to yell...in front of other employees. Equal treatment would have been nice...what i got was unacceptable, which he has admitted.
8. I was promoted to manager (while my father was an extremely absentee owner at this point in time) due to my auditing of expenses and finding out that the guy I replaced had stolen many thousands of dollars, didn't have a valid drivers licence, etc. He came with the company when it was purchased from the previous owner...he has since died from a drug OD. Needless to say...at barely 22 and 6 months on the job...i wasn't ready to be a general manager of 3 stores doing 7 figures in sales.
Fast forward three years or so,
I've worked off and on for the company in different capacities since then, helping out with sales, doing back end work etc. I've never truly "gotten out", we have regular discussions about the direction of the business and issues with international trade/manufacturing, etc. Business growth has more than tripled.
Currently I work at a very prestigious company in my area. I got my job from a buddy's wife (recruiter) and work with/around 2 great college buddies of mine...carpool, the whole deal.
I've been working as a contractor at this company through the staffing agency that they use so that they don't have to hire people or can hire people that are already trained. This shouldn't have been a problem except for the company having a hiring freeze, as well as outsourcing the less desirable jobs to India. Since I've been there I have been passed over 4 times for permanent positions (when i was less proven), which my boss has told me that she regrets, which I believe, but it doesn't make me feel better.
I have a much higher responsibility level than my peers, and have been basically given anything that is high profile because I don't make mistakes. My boss's boss's boss knows my first name and what i do. I'm involved with projects that are being spread to the rest of the company...if stuff isn't right...its on me. My suspicion is that my immediate boss is trying to make me invaluable and so resourceful that when ( if EVER) the appropriate headcount for my BU is approved, I can trounce anyone in an interview....which is actually pretty screwed up, you can't just get promoted or hired, you have to interview for anything.
This said, I don't see any of the three of us staying at this position long enough to advance, due to the paygrade (its ok, but its the reason for the mediocrity among my peers) anyone who busts ass is going to get a better job somewhere else. Its impossible to get fired, raises are a joke, 3%max yr., and people who they recruit from other companies that negotiate their salary often make more than people who have been there for ages.
sorry about that:
Current situation, had business meeting with dad last saturday....he is trying to figure out what direction he is going to take with the business. 2 choices:
1. Keep accurate books for a few years, quit expensing everything, show profit and sell out at a tidy profit. (bought company for 100k, it now grosses over 3 million)
2. Purchase the building, get rid of the nonprofitable store, have Dad do heavy outside sales (making deals is his forte') and have me come back and run the flagship store. Basically do the books and paperwork/organization bills....office manager stuff, and the walk up sales when he isn't around, which isn't a a problem at all.
His only option for a business manager is me, because im the only person who isn't going to steal all of the money (it would be really really easy to steal 10-20k a year).
He is aware that if he wants competence, he is actually going to have to pay for it, instead of getting high school diploma educated secretaries on the cheap and expecting real work. The volume and value of items that need to be tracked and the paperwork really is a full time job.
another plus is that there is a dedicated, competent service manager there, who I get along with...he is responsible for the blue collar people, and I am responsible for facilitating everything they need (they are not capable of ordering parts, etc) For once every single thing wont be my fault.
work schedule: 9-5, i currently work till 5:30...this said...i dont ever remember leaving at 5...but in those days for some reason I had the expectation that 5 was a normal time to leave work...Im aware now that i dont work in a bank! there is at least an extra weeks worth of weekends due to tradeshows...which are generally highly worth it. I would no longer have to do the set up and tear down of these, which I didn't like to do at all. Commute isn't too bad. Consider this a wash i guess.
compensation: basically, my base would be what I am making now...with the addition of 10% of the profit of sales (not service) that i make. given this number, if we took my stores sales, gave me 25% of them, this should still be 5k. 15-20 percent of consignment sales (all cash sales), and year end profit sharing (which would depend on if we make a profit, since we usually try not to)
I could conceivably make 10k more...at least 5k more than i do now. with way more upside (like a free company)
I am definitely trading a no real stress job for a stressful one...but im not sure if a no stress job is what im looking for anyway. What I stand to risk is my relationship with my father again...
I left once because I didn't think it was worth it...but careers don't normally fall into your lap like this either.
fingers hurt now...
anyone have any feedback? work with a father? worth it?
I appreciate anyones help....this is an extremely major decision for me that I wasn't expecting to have to make at all.
