Got screwed over for a promotion and Im depressed

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So Im not normally one to complain about work. Its corporate America, Ive been in the workforce for 12ish years now and its pretty much the same everywhere, but this one hurt. It was such a slap in the face and I...dont want to do anything. I have to struggle to get out of bed. I slept for 13 hours the other day. Got home at 5:30 was in bed at 6:30 and then barely got out of bed at 10 after 8. Was 5 minutes late for work.
So the story is, about a month ago they hired a dude through their temp service. They were looking for a technician, and went that way so they could get rid of him easily if he wasnt up to snuff.
He's a good dude, and probably can be trained to do what they want, but hes not knowledgeable. As an example, he didnt know what a choke switch was for on a aerial lift. He kept trying to use it like the glowplug on a diesel. Our Tech II had to show him how to start the machine.
Thats enough badmouthing him; hes not the target of my ire.
Last week I learned they hired him. I asked him, and he volunteered happily that they hired him as a Tech II. I felt like I'd been punched in the gut. Im only a Tech I.
I started out as a Equipment Associate, washing equipment for 6 months straight with recycled wash water that smelled like sewage. I didnt complain. Then I took over staging, running my tail off to get equipment ready for pickup or delivery sometimes at a moments notice.
I knew I was above that stuff, but my resume doesnt show any technical stuff, so I worked to prove myself technically competent while doing everything else asked of me.
Since Mid 17 Ive been Primary ESR tech. ESRs being equipment that has returned from a rental and needs to be inspected before being made available for rent again. I gave every machine a through comb though, and I think I find much more stuff than the average person, being that every time I get a piece of 'available' equipment from another of our stores I find at least one thing than needs fixed.
To prove my worth, Ive even brought in my personal laptop, that I loaded a copy of Windows XP 32bit into Virtualbox so I could program a required safety update into a piece of equipment. The company issued laptops run Win 7 64bit and my boss could not get the programming software to load on it. Hes not technically savvy enough to set up a VM, nor are any of the other techs. The equipment had been down for several weeks and after about an hour I had it figured out and got the update programmed into the machine. This was about a $250k piece of kit that wasnt making us money until I stepped in.

With all that Ive done, going above an beyond my paygrade, I thought for sure that whoever they hired would be brought in as a Associate or a Tech 1 so I could then be bumped to Tech II.
So I went and finally asked my boss about it. It was obvious I wasnt supposed to know about it, judging from the eyeroll. But then he tells me they hired him as a II so they could have a 3rd tech to send out on service calls in a truck. He tells me I wasnt qualified because my driving record is classified as a 'Medium Risk' from speeding tickets. Heres the thing. The last one drops off TODAY, 4/6/18. As of right now I have a CLEAN 3 year record. It was literally like 2 weeks if they couldve waited.
So now they have this super under qualified guy they are theoretically going to send on service calls? For real? Its embarrassing. There is a huge risk some rando customer he goes to at some point will know more than he does. Its also bad for him, 'cause they are gonna want something from him that...hes not capable of and is gonna struggle at. Its such a bad decision on so many levels its absolutely mind boggling.
I just want to sleep. I dont want to do anything. I get to work late and I have absolutely no energy. I barely look at the machines I ESR. I really want to quit, but I dont have the energy to find another job. At least with "Service Technician I" on my resume I dont have to start at the bottom again, so I guess I have that going for me. But still...its just a lot of effort. That I dont feel like putting in. Thing is because of my lateness I will probably eventually get canned for it. Ill get written up and care less and it will snowball. I already know how its going to go. I almost might as well quit now. At least it would be on a semi good note with them instead of "Hes 2 hours late every day"

If you read to here. Thanks. You didnt have to. I just wanted to vent publicly and maybe someone has some advice.
 
I see this every day. My only advise is to either suck it up, staighten out, and keep working or quit. No in between. You don't want to be fired, but that's the direction you're headed.
 
Unfortunately this is how the business world turns in many instances. PumpPusher is correct in what he said. If I were you I'd look for another job and leave.
You're heading down the path that will lead to getting canned, and it appears you don't care. Why not find a job then and tell them to shove it as you walk out instead. There's more satisfaction in that, then being an insubordinate and getting the boot. Me I'd find another job, give them notice and leave, and it they gave me the satisfaction of asking why I'd tell them. Life it too short to worry about working for people who don't appreciate me.
 
Sometimes this is the way it goes. Some other company may need to discover your talent and skills. I think I'd be building a resume. Some companies just will not take care of their employees. At least you can float your skills out there and see what someone else thinks you're worth.
 
Improve your "toolkit"--get more training, get a degree, grab some certifications and the best time to do that is when you have a job. The typical excuse is that "I have a full time job and do not have time". My response is whether you choose to do something or not, the clock will continue to tick and at some point you will look back and wish that you had, but you have to want to do it. Several years ago, I had a full time job with small children and did an undergraduate and graduate degree back-to-back, but I wanted it--you can too--but you have to want it.
 
Look for another job ASAP.
You are wasting your time and energy at a dead end job.

Too bad you’re not down here cause we are always looking for technicians to repair equipment.
I sometimes post jobs...
 
Good advice on more schooling, getting certs or looking for a new job. Don't be negative about your employer during an interview. It's best to look for a job while your still employed as it throws a red flag to prospective employers thinking you were terminated. I had a low paying flat rate mechanic job at a Honda dealership when I started our. I quit, went to Nashville Auto Diesel college and am much better off. I understand your frustrations. You think your hard work would pay off.
 
Thanks all. You've been a million times more interested and helpful in my predicament than I was able to get from friends on twitter.
Originally Posted By: PumpPusher
I see this every day. My only advise is to either suck it up, staighten out, and keep working or quit. No in between. You don't want to be fired, but that's the direction you're headed.

You're right. I will have to think about this during the weekend and come to a decision. If I do Im just gonna pick up my toolbox on Monday and that will be that. I know thats 'bad' but I know I wont make two weeks without [censored] them off from absenteeism. I already barely care, adding a D-Day to the mix will just make it so much worse.

I realized I kinda screwed up in writing that. The person I confronted about the issue is the branch manager. The person that was struggling to program the machine is the shop foreman. Both are my boss in the respect that I have to listen to what they tell me to do, but the BM is obviously above the Foreman. I just always think of them as 'boss' in my head.
Sad thing is Ive been told by a 3rd party that our Foreman wanted the very thing I wanted. Me to Tech II and the new guy to I. But he doesnt have the power to decide. That blew me away. That doesnt make any sense at all. The dude is the leader of the technicians in our branch, you'd think he would have input? That would make sense? But no the hiring decision was supposedly made by our Service manager at a branch an hour and a half away and who's never met the dude for more than 5 minutes.

Originally Posted By: 2015_PSD
Improve your "toolkit"--get more training, get a degree, grab some certifications and the best time to do that is when you have a job. The typical excuse is that "I have a full time job and do not have time". My response is whether you choose to do something or not, the clock will continue to tick and at some point you will look back and wish that you had, but you have to want to do it. Several years ago, I had a full time job with small children and did an undergraduate and graduate degree back-to-back, but I wanted it--you can too--but you have to want it.

Ive perused the local community college's book a few times, but I just don't know. Most if not all of the stuff I would want to go for have high math requirements, and Im frighteningly horrible at math. I did once go to Community college in Las Vegas to get my auto tech certifications, and I tested so low they put me in pre algebra. I think I got a B or an A, but it was a struggle the whole time. All the work we did the prof wanted our work, to show how we arrived at the answer. But what he didnt get was my 'real' work sheet, he got my 'funny' one. Kinda like truckers before computers keeping two log books. I have to break problems down to their smallest components, single digit into a single digit for example, in order for me to work through it.


Originally Posted By: Mr Nice
Look for another job ASAP.
You are wasting your time and energy at a dead end job.

Too bad you’re not down here cause we are always looking for technicians to repair equipment.
I sometimes post jobs...


I know I think you've offered me stuff before. I wish you were even just one state away I would be seriously looking into it, but you're a lot more than that. Pretty much as far away as you can get and still be in the US... Thanks so much though.
 
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Either push them to promote you, keep working at your pay grade and dont help outside of your job code or find a new job.
 
Colton,

You could be smarter than Einstein, but if your boss doesn't know that, then you'll be in the short end of the stick.

You need to learn the value you bring each and every day to your job. More importantly, you need to be able to give a 2 minute elevator speech on what you bring. You need to understand how your boss thinks and what he values. Let's face it a lot of bosses/managers should be in their positions, but they are.

If you want a promotion, ask what it's going to take from your boss to get it. If he doesn't give you that, start looking for a job where they value that.

Nobody in your life will care more about you than you. Get the skills that will set you apart from everyone else and you'll find that things will come easier to you.

As they say, "When life hands you lemons, make lemonade".
 
To echo what was said about not getting fired, perhaps use this time to find another job? It's easier to look for a job while having a job than the other way around.. Surely there's a similar gig in town?

Lastly, not to be a jerk, but your boss had a point about speeding tickets. I am just curious how they knew.

Also, don't just quit your job regardless of how fed up you are. That looks horrible in so many ways.
 
It sounds like they like you exactly where you are because you're actually a very competent Tech I. For whatever reason you have to act like you're "itchy" for Tech II somehow-- and I don't know how to do that outside of being darn good at the job you already have.

It sounds like you have a clash between you and the current job and the best way out is to move to another company. You have a great excuse at interviews... "I don't have the opportunities for promotion at my current job" then leave it at that, you don't want to seem bitter.
 
Originally Posted By: PumpPusher
I see this every day. My only advise is to either suck it up, staighten out, and keep working or quit. No in between. You don't want to be fired, but that's the direction you're headed.

Oh [censored] he got fired
 
I was told I'd have to have a clean record to get the Tech II. Which I have today. When I told him when it was dropping off I was then told a year or so. Im not holding my breath for that. We are full up on techs. Someone above me will have to leave or quit for me to get II.
Worst part is this whole thing has soured me. Not 3 weeks ago I had a goal, a dream, of in 5 years coming home in a company F550 service truck to a wife and kid (I have neither a wife or a kid right now)
Now...I dont know. and that makes me so sad, because I enjoyed what I was doing. I love fixing stuff. And its not some random person's unmaintained 10 year old appliance suv-thing who then balks at the repair costs. Everything is maintained on a schedule so its just keeping up with and catching things as they go bad. If somethings broke, I open a work order and either fix it if we have the parts, or tell my foreman who orders the parts and either I or someone else will install them.
I think if I was to go some place else, it would definitely have to be the same type of equipment Im in now. I do not in any way want to work on a 2018 anything, or maybe something completely different, but not automotive.
 
You can look up traffic infractions and criminal records at many county courthouse websites in many states. And having another job lined up is much better than having no job and trying to get one. Again, it is a red flag. The reason is past employers can't tell if you were terminated or left on good terms. So most employers assume you were fired if you don't have a job and are looking for one.
 
Originally Posted By: Colt45ws
I was told I'd have to have a clean record to get the Tech II. Which I have today. When I told him when it was dropping off I was then told a year or so. Im not holding my breath for that. We are full up on techs. Someone above me will have to leave or quit for me to get II.
Worst part is this whole thing has soured me. Not 3 weeks ago I had a goal, a dream, of in 5 years coming home in a company F550 service truck to a wife and kid (I have neither a wife or a kid right now)
Now...I dont know. and that makes me so sad, because I enjoyed what I was doing. I love fixing stuff. And its not some random person's unmaintained 10 year old appliance suv-thing who then balks at the repair costs. Everything is maintained on a schedule so its just keeping up with and catching things as they go bad. If somethings broke, I open a work order and either fix it if we have the parts, or tell my foreman who orders the parts and either I or someone else will install them.
I think if I was to go some place else, it would definitely have to be the same type of equipment Im in now. I do not in any way want to work on a 2018 anything, or maybe something completely different, but not automotive.


Look into becoming an aviation mechanic?
 
Originally Posted By: skyactiv
You can look up traffic infractions and criminal records at many county courthouse websites in many states. And having another job lined up is much better than having no job and trying to get one. Again, it is a red flag. The reason is past employers can't tell if you were terminated or left on good terms. So most employers assume you were fired if you don't have a job and are looking for one.


Unless you lie and say you're still employed there, which I've seen before.

Also didn't know tickets were public.
 
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Originally Posted By: dlundblad
To echo what was said about not getting fired, perhaps use this time to find another job? It's easier to look for a job while having a job than the other way around.. Surely there's a similar gig in town?

Lastly, not to be a jerk, but your boss had a point about speeding tickets. I am just curious how they knew.

Also, don't just quit your job regardless of how fed up you are. That looks horrible in so many ways.

I have to sign paperwork giving them permission to pull my record. Its part of the job. They have to insure me to drive their 19k lb service trucks, they have a right to know.
And Im not disputing they are right about it, what hurts is they were not loyal enough to wait two flippin weeks for me to be clean, re-request my record and then I would have it.
If I still had another year or even a month, because they are looking at the busy summer season and I understand the business need, then I wouldnt have made this post.
FWIW they still havent sent him to the training required of new techs down in San diego, so its not like hes in a truck already. It would have been a faster option to have me, since I could be in one as soon as my record comes back. So like Wednesday of next week.

And no, I think I will have to go to another town to get similar work. My town is only 18k people. They have all the business if your want serious construction equipment here. We just put a Genie SX-180 on rent for two weeks.. The local Mom and pops cant afford a half million dollar machine to send it out once a year.
 
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Have a sit down with the boss and say "help me understand what experience of knowledge I need to acquire to be promoted to Tech II"

Best not to compare your knowledge or skills to the just hired guy when talking to boss. If you say why was he promoted and not me you put boss on defensive.
 
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