The job

All was fine until about a year ago... I used to represent my company monthly at meetings with our customer and another supplier. It was a real step forward in my career and one that helped me recently gain official recognition in my industry.

A specialist topic came up in these meetings that our company struggled with technically and I had to pass it up the chain. The lack of understanding became evident in the meetings and highly topical. I just kept repeating the company line and reiterating that it had been passed up the chain with an answer to follow shortly. Several emergency meetings later between the customer, my superiors and me, an answer was finally settled upon but not without some repetitional damage to the company and my superiors.

Then came the scapegoating. It came first in a surprise meeting with my immediate boss who told me he himself was moving on and had therefore brought the new boss along. They informed me that I was now not to attend future meetings and would be replaced by a slightly more experienced colleague. Apparently it was all only temporary. Questions were asked in private by my contacts with the customer and the supplier. I made sure they knew the truth... as much of it as I could get away with.

A year on, that guy is now running the project as I used to. He's decent enough about it but I am just a lackey now. Unloved and under appreciated. I had a lot of reputation to defend internally too because new people came into the project and they heard I used to run it but now don't.

To be honest it eats me inside sometimes. I feel like my career was sabotaged to save someone's neck. I won't accept any other answer. The bastards even went far enough to mark my performance records down over the space of one month as the financial year changed; "exceptional and outperforming" to "meeting expectations" within 4 weeks.

I have strong leads on a new opportunity. I've attended multiple interviews over the last year and turned most down because of a long commute (right now I live on the same street almost as work). I think this time though I'll do it. The risk is too great to my sanity not to.

In a way I am terrified that they might try and get rid of me. It would be difficult for them to do it but I can't take that risk either; not so close to ILR and being a sponsor!

Sorry for the mega rant. I've been fairly non-specific in an effort to keep it short...



UKC married to USC 2012.
USC is on FLR(M) - 1 year to go to ILR

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my immediate boss who told me he himself was moving on

Key bit.

I am really sorry.  That is nothing short of bullshit.

At my last company, we had a guy that was VERY much the scapegoat for things not always going to plan.  I always felt for him.  I think he did a great job in his role and handled things MUCH better than a lot of other people would.  But he was the one to take the bullet.  He's moved onto greener pastures now - after a VERY handsome payout that took some time to sort.

The person that took over for him was no where near his calibre.  I always wondered what our customers thought (my role was not customer facing).

I hope something awesome comes your way! 

Key bit.

Yep. The writing has been on the wall for some time really. Need to actually make it happen which I'm working on.


UKC married to USC 2012.
USC is on FLR(M) - 1 year to go to ILR

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I am really sorry.  That is nothing short of bullshit.

At my last company, we had a guy that was VERY much the scapegoat for things not always going to plan.  I always felt for him.  I think he did a great job in his role and handled things MUCH better than a lot of other people would.  But he was the one to take the bullet.  He's moved onto greener pastures now - after a VERY handsome payout that took some time to sort.

The person that took over for him was no where near his calibre.  I always wondered what our customers thought (my role was not customer facing).

I hope something awesome comes your way!

It has taunted me as such for the last year. There is this presumption, I feel, that I screwed up; I didn't. Evidenced by the fact that the base issue still exists and the company still does not have a good answer to it. It's absurd really. As a whole though, I don't think I am the only one who believes the organisation has lost direction and is caught up in heaps of meaningless process for a very simple product. Can't elaborate too much on that but yeah.

Nonetheless, the trust between me and the people I work for went a long time ago. I'm fed up of paying for it with my career and my sanity.


UKC married to USC 2012.
USC is on FLR(M) - 1 year to go to ILR

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Just come back from a couple of weeks away. It's hit me yesterday just how much stress and anxiety this job is causing me personally and what I must be bringing home and inflicting on my family. I'm no longer prepared to tolerate it and will be seeking out alternative employment immediately. This year, I have been quite ill and no doubt the job has had a lot, if not everything, to do with that.


UKC married to USC 2012.
USC is on FLR(M) - 1 year to go to ILR

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Just come back from a couple of weeks away. It's hit me yesterday just how much stress and anxiety this job is causing me personally and what I must be bringing home and inflicting on my family. I'm no longer prepared to tolerate it and will be seeking out alternative employment immediately. This year, I have been quite ill and no doubt the job has had a lot, if not everything, to do with that.


UKC married to USC 2012.
USC is on FLR(M) - 1 year to go to ILR

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Good for you Dave, glad to hear it! 

Just come back from a couple of weeks away. It's hit me yesterday just how much stress and anxiety this job is causing me personally and what I must be bringing home and inflicting on my family. I'm no longer prepared to tolerate it and will be seeking out alternative employment immediately. This year, I have been quite ill and no doubt the job has had a lot, if not everything, to do with that.


UKC married to USC 2012.
USC is on FLR(M) - 1 year to go to ILR

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

There is nothing worse than being miserable at work.  Life's too short to stay in a job that makes you lose the will to live!  Good luck, I hope you find something amazing soon.  The grass CAN be greener on the other side!

I've never met anyone who isn't happier after leaving a crummy job.  No matter what.  You'll get another job and be glad you did.

Thanks guys. I'll dust off the old cv tonight and get it out there. Got a few companies to go for with it.


UKC married to USC 2012.
USC is on FLR(M) - 1 year to go to ILR

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

What a horrible situation Dave. You will be much better off leaving and finding new pastures.  Good luck!

What a horrible situation Dave. You will be much better off leaving and finding new pastures.  Good luck!

Thanks. I have contacted a lead today with the aim of making some progress in my escape.


UKC married to USC 2012.
USC is on FLR(M) - 1 year to go to ILR

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

A friend of mine works for the job centre and she says the hot times are April, September, and January.  Perfect time to stick those feelers out.

Really sorry this happened to you as that's frustrating! If I were you, I would probably start putting the feelers out there and applying for other jobs/uploading CV to Reed and the rest of the sites/look for jobs on LinkedIn - not because you think they may try to get rid of you, but for your own piece of mind! You should take your skills and knowledge to a place that will appreciate you instead of using you as a scapegoat.

Thanks. I'm working on it slowly. There are a few places within an hour or so commute from here that I can go. I have contacts at various places too which I am starting to use.


UKC married to USC 2012.
USC is on FLR(M) - 1 year to go to ILR

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk