Situation at work - advice please

[safetymatches]

NC

I work in a support role in a secondary school. I returned to work 10 days ago. I have been in this role for 6 years, 10 in total working at the same school. I recently took a university course (3 years long) alongside my day job and qualified, this involved considerable time and expense, all covered by me. The course is totally relevant to the work I do, but work never covered any expenses, nor there were ever any promises that my role would change after qualifying.

So, now I am qualified but I am still in the same role, same grade, same pay. Nothing at all has changed. Whilst this is secretly a little disappointing as I hoped something would happen, there were never any promises, I did this because I wanted, like I said, outside work hours and fully covered the cost and related expenses, and it's my choice to continue on the same job. I am a single mum, at present, my youngest is still in primary, so it is not in my interest to find a different position elsewhere, not for another 2 years at least.

However, work seem to be wanting to take advantage of my qualification, in that they are setting objectives that relate to my qualification. Also, there's a new person that has joined my team, she has my exact same job title, grade and salary ( I am probably a few pay points ahead within the same pay scale as I have been there longer), and they want me to adopt an almost supervisory role.

I want to nip this in the bud sooner rather than later. I can see why it would suit them to have me performing tasks that I can do because of my studies, but that's not in my job description. Equally, how come they're giving me supervisory tasks over someone who's the exact same grade as me? Or is this an okay thing to do?

Sit down, talk to your line manager and start looking for other jobs!

Ask them for a pay rise and change in job title. Say I’d be happy to do this new role so long as the pay and title reflect the additional responsibilities.

I think alongside your qualifications the additional responsibilities will give you experience to move on and up in two years time should you choose to.

2 choices... Put your foot down and say no...
Or do it strategically... Will what they are trying to give you be needed on your cv as good experience for when you move jobs?
If the answer is yes then do it...if not needed... Your choice

I think having supervisory experience would be good for your CV when you start looking for a new job? Or you may find that they are looking to develop your skills now so that you are ready for a higher level position within the school when one comes up?

Personally, I'd probably take on the new responsibilities and then, if it's clear that this does not lead to any career opportunities in your current role, then look to move employers when you feel ready.

I think your well within your rights to ask for a meeting with management to discuss the new aspects of your role which relates to your degree and negotiate something. Have you been asked to supervise the new comer exactly or just shadow her until she’s on her feet.. if it’s the latter I don’t think you can go anywhere with it but if you have been asked to delegate tasks and manage her that needs to be brought into the conversation too. Xxx

It could be useful experience as others have said.
Be careful you are not given too much responsibility without proper backup, tho.
Speak to your line manager about the situation.

As others have said. 2 choices, insist on the pay rise first (you might not get it).
Or take the extra responsibilities first and know you are building your CV (whether for internal or external roles).

I have always gone with the latter option, and have gone in 10 years from most junior member of the team to heading up a huge department. (Despite working part time around children).

Does the school use a job evaluation scheme? Could you ask them to amend your JD and have the role evaluated?

(I have watched peers who took the first option look confused as I get promoted above them again and again...)

Another way to look at it, is that these increased responsibilities are a way for you to demonstrate that you are now capable of operating at a higher level.

I would welcome the opportunity and get agreement with whoever sets your objectives, the steps you will demonstrate in order to be promoted internally.

Things like 'demonstrate supervisory skills' and other things explicitly commensurate with your new qualifications.

What have you got to lose? You can still look for new roles alongside these changes.

In any interview, which would be a more powerful line:

"I have demonstrated supervisory skills (in whatever words explain what you have done) "

Or

They tried to give me the chance to demonstrate more responsibility but I soon nipped that in the bud'.

In the school I worked at - taking on extra responsibility would not lead to any extra recognition, it just became expected. Then when some one left, they would struggle to recruit at the same grade. It is unlike any non education place I have worked in!

If you do take on more, do it to better your CV for the next role. There may be opportunities in other schools.

Thank you everyone. It's really useful to gather other people's perspectives as I haven't got a partner to discuss things with. Before children I worked for private companies where one had the opportunity to demonstrate skills in the knowledge that eventually it would lead to a promotion. So I am not at all against giving more than I take in order to achieve something. However, daisybrown37 is right. In the school I'm at, working harder will only lead to working even harder. Not to blow my own trumpet but I have already been working at way above requirements, and in all honestly, most of my colleagues do too. There are so many highly skilled women who need jobs they can do alongside childcare, losing me wouldn't even be a disaster, even though I do bring skills that no one else has, I have 'formalised' them into a recognise professional qualification and I'm bloody good at what I do.

I do appreciate I need to leave, but it won't be for a while yet, and I need to work out how to best handle myself in the meantime.

Have you told them what you want in your career OP? And did you ask for help with your course costs and were refused??

Assuming you haven’t/didn’t, then just book a conversation with your supervisor, explain where you want to get to in the next couple years and ask them how you can achieve what you want. Establish a time frame, so you’ll quickly know if it’s happening or not.

If you can’t get an instant promotion, meantime take the supervisory gig for experience.

Going forward I’d say you really have to assertively ask for what you want in life. They may be deliberately taking the piss, but at least in part they probably think you are happy where you are if you never said otherwise.

… you aren’t alone BTW, women do tend to expect people to realise their talent and ambitions - on the whole men are better at advocating for themselves.

@Givemethatknife

… you aren’t alone BTW, women do tend to expect people to realise their talent and ambitions - on the whole men are better at advocating for themselves.

I completely agree with this.

The times I’ve had massive an fast pay rises/promotions I’ve just frankly said I’d do the job for the relevant pay and job title. Twice it made the manager smile and agree without further comment.

When I was younger I was too shy and quiet but would simply gain the experience and job hop every two years or so. So still worked on building up my career.

I’d certainly discuss your career path and expectations and realistic opportunities at your current employer if you like where you are and want to stay. You could ask for your role to reviewed after a period of time with a view to making your new role and associated responsibilities permanent with a promotion.

Or I’d gain experience and move on if your current employer doesn’t want to pay you according to your responsibilities.

The trouble is, you're working in a school. What's your role?
In recent years, the people that have been made redundant or not replaced are TAs, year managers, support welfare staff and AEN staff. It maybe that the school budget will not allow for you to have a pay increase?
What's the situation?

I think I would move. My experience of job structures in school is they are very fixed (especially for support roles) and they just won’t pay more money for a role.

Maireas and Larryyourwaiter you're both right, I think that's the issue. It just doesn't work like a private company would. Roles are fixed and it won't matter if I am doing an exceptional job or not. Maireas, sorry to be vague, yes my role is within the one's you've mentioned.

That's the trouble, @safetymatches, there's probably no more in the budget.
It may be worthwhile asking the headteacher what the long term plan is for your role. We lost three great people in July, their roles in student support just don't exist anymore.
They did fantastic jobs, above and beyond. That's the problem with schools.

@frazzledasarock

Ask them for a pay rise and change in job title. Say I’d be happy to do this new role so long as the pay and title reflect the additional responsibilities.

I think alongside your qualifications the additional responsibilities will give you experience to move on and up in two years time should you choose to.

This! You need to have a conversation and this seems a fair way to do that.

@Maireas

That's the trouble, *@safetymatches*, there's probably no more in the budget. It may be worthwhile asking the headteacher what the long term plan is for your role. We lost three great people in July, their roles in student support just don't exist anymore. They did fantastic jobs, above and beyond. That's the problem with schools.

That's terrible. I didn't think that schools could get rid of people just like that? Or is this a private school?

If you’re responsible for someone then you need to be appropriately paid. Negotiate, hard!

State secondary, @safetymatches.
It's all cut to the bone. They were offered other jobs or redundancy. The jobs offered were not good.

I sympathise. Also in a support role at a school. Career progression is non existent. So depressing.