h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

as if I haven't had enough work rants here over the years.

I handle our Turkish customer accounts, because they are horribly complicated (payment is by Letter of Credit) and horribly difficult (in comparison to our other accounts, since for these we have to negotiate every month rather than working from a fixed yearly forecast) and because I'm in Germany, my factories are in Asia and Poland and my boss is in Turkey (because I can work on my own... or in a team...)

so they told me last week that they are recruiting 2 people to do my job in Turkey and that they will come here for 2 months so I can train them to do my job. (actually i have a sidekick here who is, technially, superior to me - HA! that's a whole other rant)

My boss (in Turkey) asked me what I'd like to do afterwards and there is some discussion about me taking over a sales manager role for a new department (which would be promotion and I need to negotiate more money and a car which would be cool) but I'm only 10% sure they will really do that.

Keeping positive thoughts for you and fingers crossed (thumbs pressed?) that all this will work out in your favour, Sho. And soon!

(it's at times like this I wish there was a Johnny Depp smiley)

I think they might need three or four people to replace you, Sho.

Sho, they can only employ people to take some of your workload, not to replace you. You are irreplaceable. There is only one Sho. We will accept no substitutes!!

Whatever happens, I hope it works out for the best.

Best of luck to you, luv

I'll keep my fingers crossed it's not a scam again, Sho.

So will I. Get as much as you can in writing. Take minutes of any discussion and get them to initial it.

Fingers crossed. (hug)

You sure you don't work for my lot? what would they do if you don't get a sales manager role, do you think they'll try to make you redundant? Or will you end up in a crappy role you don't want? I hope this turns out positively and at least you won't have horrendous month-ends any more.

sometimes, Kelli, I'm convinced we work for the same lot

There's no way, right now, of knowing what will happen. A normal company would tell you... at least the possibilities.

The way I see it is this: most definitely they want this job to go to Turkey so this job is just about finished for me. Light at the end of the tunnel

Either they will try to make me redundant, in which case I'll try to negotiate a good package (I've been here 12.5 years, that must count for something) or fire me. Actually they can't fire me, and I've consistently received either A or A+ on my appraisals for the years I've been here, so it would be a bit odd if they could.

Or they will try to move me sideways. I've already been told that the sales team don't want to lose my experience (!) so I didn't get the other job that was going (thank goodness, to be honest, I didn't really want to be in our mental-month-end-accounting-team). I've had a few informal discussions about moving up a step and taking over a sales manager role, and that might be ok (after all, what do I have to lose, at the end it will be either another internal move or redundancy). If I can move up that will give me at least a better title on my CV (after so long I should at least be a manager ) and I'm going to try to get a better package out of them

My sidekick hasn't had any of these discussions or offers and I seriously think they will either try to get rid of her or move her to a similar position. In her shoes I'd go for redundancy, she's been here 6 years or so and her husband works about 4 hours away. But she's rubbish at this job so it doesn't look good for her.

Also, the OJT for my replacement will be about 2 months, and only a mad company* would give me notice while I'm doing that, so that means with my 3 months notice period I have at least 5 months left.

Basically I'm trying to stay positive. But I really don't like my commute, it's so expensive. So what I really want is home office or a company car

* oh. Wait...

ah
so the HR guy told me - well, actually there are no positions.

guess there will be a lot of daytime TV in my future.

Get a good deal out of them, anyway.

TRiG.

Can they legally get rid of you after those good reports and when your position is still there, albeit being reassigned?
How many years severance pay are you due under german law? If yoiu were in England it would be worth being "let go".
Deep sympathies. I've got that Tsahirt somewhere.
Have lots of stiff drinks while you ponder.

thanks all.

I've told HR that I expect them to lay out the options in a clear form. After that I'll go to my union to find out what my own possiblities are, if I don't like anything the company has to offer.

I hope that I can keep on working on something that doesn't totally suck otherwise I'll have to abandon my OU plans forever (I'm on their transitional fee arrangement, since they put their prices up I can't afford it any more, but as long as I keep on going as planned I can pay the old rate if I have to take a break I'll go onto the new rate and that's too much for me (the current fees are my absolute limit)

Oh. That sucks.

Fingers crossed that you can continue in a role that does not suck.

Any news, Sho?

looks as though it will either be a Betriebsbedingtekündigung (let go) or maybe they will try to push me into a job in the accounting team.

In any case, two young, pretty ladies will start in our branch office on Monday. They're expected to be here in August for us to train them (I'm on holiday in August) and nobody but one of our colleagues has said that - still waiting for the HR manager or my boss, or my boss-of-boss to actually tell us what's going on. For my colleague there probably isn't even the option of an internal team change - which is very sucky since I've been here 13 years and she's been here 7 (but she is useless)