Loyalty Goes Both Ways

I learned today that a job I applied and interviewed for, went to the other candidate I was up against.

I have no clue who this other candidate is, but obviously he was the better choice for this position.  It was just myself and this other person that made it past the second interviews.  As a constellation prize, I was told that another position will open up in June and that they would like to talk to me at that point.

Also, I get to remain employed at the job I've been at for almost 11 years now.  Which makes me reflect on my time there:

• I have never once traveled with this company even though we have multiple offices
• It's been just shy of 6 years since my last raise
• My last raise was me quitting in October 2007 and coming back in February 2008
• I am no longer challenged by any of my given responsibilities
• My last 3 bonuses have all been half of what they were the previous time
• I do have a lot of flex time, which is nice when I am asked to do things for other people in my life
• I get 5 weeks of vacation and I use up every single hour that I earn. Each and every year

I was hoping that being dedicated (I've not taken a single unscheduled day off for sickness in over two years), coming in when there is an issue (I live 3 miles away, which is 1 mile closer than one co-worker and 20 miles closer than the other co-worker), always having my phone with me to answer it, staying late when needed would somehow be shown in ways other than the occasional "Attaboy".

Instead, I do my best to appreciate a regular paycheck, which I discovered today, is less take home pay than I made 6 years ago when I returned to the company. And employment that I seem to not be in any imminent danger of jeopardizing.

So in six years, I have not moved forward.  I have not stayed stationary.  I have regressed in many ways.  The loyalty I have given these last six years has all been for naught.  Well, it does garner an impressive response to friends, family and job interviews.  Which I label as a positive.  So long as I use that positive to find much more gainful employment at a company that understands loyalty goes both ways.

Yes, folks.  I am making efforts to leave the job I loathe.  Today was just a minor setback in my quest to take my loyalty elsewhere.

Untouchable

Part of me wants to be an executive. The part that can make mistakes and still keep your job or at least land on your feet with a nice exit package.

You are able to make decisions that cost the company money, putting that spin on it that makes it look like you are doing something positive.  For example, let's say you had your hand in migrating from one system to another.  The newer system is highly inferior than the one that's already in place.  Two years into the migration, things are not going so well.  A few million has been spent on software, hardware and consulting fees to the person that sold the idea as "awesome".  Now, the whole company is "excited" about the transition from this newer system back to the system that was already in place and it's billed as a "success" that we are making progress.  That is, if you deem progress as costing a few million, a couple of years of wasted time and endless amounts of extra hours that everyone except aforementioned higher up and his consultant have put in to make things right.

Meanwhile, those of us on the lower end of the organization chart, forget one minor configuration when rebuilding a computer - one that takes a few minutes to correct - and are chastised because of it.

Something seems a bit off balance here.  Way off balance.

I'll continue to pursue my efforts to be the other part.