So worried about work situation

[Posturesorposes]

Been awake most of the night. Hoping some of you might give me advice. Have name changed so as to not out myself...

During lockdown, whilst I was on mat leave with a weeks old baby a fab new position within my organisation was announced. It would become roughly a third of the postholders contract and would be cross-departmental- a total step up and spot on with my interests. I applied. When I applied I knew that experience wise I would be a total newbie (say under 10 years after my PhD versus others in parallel roles 25 plus years since PhD). But my department encouraged me and I was called to interview. Interviewed on zoom and voila - was offered it! Returned to work two weeks ago with this cool new title at work and flung myself into my new role — a huge career step up.

As part of this role I’ve been having meetings with loads of people and have had 3 lines of feedback from some Very Important People. They are all under the rank of the person who hired me (this person is bear the very top of the organisation) but they still are Very Important.

Person 1 told me: I am too inexperienced for this role. They wanted it themselves.

Person 2 told me: the role itself is meaningless and adds no value to the organisation and they can see I’m buzzing with energy but they see no reason for them or their department to engage with me/this role.

Person 3: they already have what they need and this role makes little sense.

Three three people pretty much lead key aspects of the organisation. I can see they are years and years of achievement ahead of me. But I WAS given this role. I didn’t cheat my way into it somehow. Now I feel they’ve made a colossal mistake and I should resign.

Other less senior voices have subtly indicated the role decision had to do with my gender/ethnicity.

I’m a really driven ambitious person, and even with a baby and a pre schooler i was SO excited about this role but if such senior people are so so down about me doing this maybe it’s a task too huge for me and maybe my hiring was a huge mistake. So unsure what to do. An array of marketing is being produced to promote the role and me and I feel like a total imposter.

Really upset about this and soon will need to get up for baby’s morning breastfeed then nursery etc but thought would pop it on here. Have been looking vaguely for “women in leadership” type courses even :/

This is BS all this needing to be a hundred years old to be able to be experienced. There are heads of state, in charge of actual countries, who are in their early or mid 30s.

Ignore the downers and concentrate on doing your best. Sooner or later they will get on with their work and leave you alone to do yours. And congrats!

If you’d been asked at interview ‘not everyone is in agreement about this role. How will you overcome resistance from colleagues?’ my guess is you’d have given a great answer about working with people, addressing concerns, demonstrating impact over time.
So you have your first challenge but actually I’m sure you do know what you need to do.

This with bells on. If you need the co-operation of the 3 senior people to be successful in your role, you will be able to think of strategies to bring them on board. It won't happen in a hurry, but this is academia, so it doesn't have to. You've got 5 years, and time to work out how you intend to manage them successfully! If you don't need them, then you can develop strategies which don't include them immediately, as you move forward.

Your role seems different to how you had imagined, but it is still an exciting role, and you have got it! Best of luck

@Posturesorposes the best way to make them eat their words is for you to make this new role a massive success. Use their bitterness to propel you forward.

Plus maybe the role needed someone who could see the need for it. Who could see the potential. Which clearly these 3 twits do not have that ability - meaning they were definitely wrong for the role and you were definitely right for it.

I have hired people in the past with zero previous experience in a job.
The reasons I hired them included enthusiasm, interest in the actual job and what it involved, and above all a hands-on type confidence they can and will do the job well.

All were a total success, and from the way you describe your new post all the above shines through for you.

So on that basis I'd say you deserve the post and your Super Boss Manager has picked the right one for the job.

This critics, you could ask them...

"So you think x was wrong to create this role and/or wrong to applying me into it. Have you told them that as constructive feedback?"

Watch them splutter...

Yep, sounds like jealousy. Do NOT take it personally! You can win them round

It's great and well done on it, you were the best person for the job it was deemed.

But everyone has commitments and you're not super special for having a child or being a different ethnicity or sex or age. Actually it does happen that organisations tick boxes.

Just get on with the job and log negative feedback but be aware you're preening yourself on being super special too.

You were chosen for yourself.

Wow. Thanks enormously for all al these responses - the encouragement, strategies, practical tips and many reading suggestions. Am on it.

To the PP who asked why I capitalised “Very Important Person” and “Super Senior Person” and whether such phrasing displays inexperience/ineptitude on my part. My options - when writing on a public discussion board - of explaining institutional hierarchies in a 1) way which conserves writing time early morning 2) does not out me and my context and 3) very roughly at least does the job of communicating where the key actors stand - told me that these phrases are useful to make my point. Nothing further needs reading into it :)

I have a catch up meeting arranged with the person who hired me, and one with my HoD too. And yes am sure I will navigate things a bit better after even the first month back at work after maternity leave amidst a pandemic!! Not to mention new role.

Those that ask about specific sector/role - ah I wish I could, but I’d rather not if ok - but it’s an area where we are significantly dependent on external funding/Income generation needing to be kept up. Not by any means government funded or guaranteed (if there is such a thing!) any form of support.

Absolutely certain we are working in the same... industry now I really hope those meetings help put your mind at ease - it's definitely them, not you, that's the problem! Have you got an internal mentor? Mine is amazing, and I was quite sceptical at first. It's difficult to describe exactly what's been so helpful - someone who has just suggested that certain things are possible for me, and that I'm good at what I do, when I might not have even considered those things.

I’ve asked for an internal mentor - but in a different department as the ones in my department are already my unofficial mentors and ace friends/supporters and have my back 300% - a mentor in a different department is being hunted out swiftly by my fab HoD and senior colleague. Thank goodness for my ace department amidst everything!

Well done OP sounds like you are well supported to succeed and took looks of immediate steps based on some of the advice here today as well. Hope you’re feeling satisfied and bolder this evening!

@Posturesorposes how is the job going? Have been thinking of you!