Having a bad day - how to deal with rubbish feedback

[Lushmetender]

I know everyone has to do this but I started off a new job a year ago. I had great feedback to start and fairly ok appraisal but I feel things are going pear shaped. Truth is I find the new job pretty thankless and boring and hasn't lived up to expectations. I am in a specific professional field and thought I would expand my knowledge in this field but truth is it's a project manager role and mainly i number crunch so I don't feel motivated. They do encourage you to talk over whether you feel you need to be considered for other roles in the company but I've come to the conclusion I don't like the culture and don't see a long term career in it even if I went for other roles. The thought of looking for another job so soon fills me with dread and in the meantime I have to try and keep trying my best and frankly doing a good job under the circumstances. I am the main breadwinner so cannot just leave. But I am answerable to many different senior folk all with different conflicting expectations on a flagship project and I feel my overall credibility is coming under question. I had rubbish feedback from the manager of someone who works on the project and I feel so deflated and upset with it. I have sent preliminary reply to my manager and he's set up a call to discuss (my manager is a nice guy, listens but is ineffectual). This person suggests I need mentoring by another girl who runs a very efficient project ( I have set up calls with this girl but she often cancels but our projects are like chalk and cheese). She has a big client with efficient systems. I have a disorganised client who can't forecast work nor has the systems to do so so it looks like I (my staff) are disorganised but I know we are doing the best we can under the circumstances. I don't even work directly with this girl. Some of the feedback I can take on but some I feel isn't specific and misinformed. WWYD? I've had enough q frankly.

[EBearhug]

I would discuss with my manager about how to balance and prioritise the different tasks and expectations.

For the non-specific feedback, I'd ask them for examples. If they can't provide anything, I'd just ignore it.

I'd look at whether any process changes could be made that would lessen the effects of the disorganised client.

How is the mentoring with the woman on the efficient project arranged? Do you focus on a particular question each time? If it's very vague, I'd probably not make it a priority, either, so perhaps saying you particularly want help with X and Y would make it easier for her to see why you should spend time together to work on it, how she can help you. But may be you'Re already doing that.

But if you don't like the culture and can't see a long-term future, then you need to think about roles which would suit you better (more number crunching?) and get your CV out there again. And I think you probably already know that, even if it fills you with dread. But you can use this role to think about the tasks you do and don't like, which can focus the type of roles you look for, and also what questions you will want to make sure are covered at interview.