Expected to do bosses job when she's not there.

[yousmellMarfelus]

A few months ago at work, I applied for a more senior role, which involves more responsibilities and more pay.
I was unsuccessful at the time and the post went to someone else.
I'm fine about it, because it was good interview practice and I don't begrudge it going to the this particular person. She is right for the job.

My gripe is this.

When she is off sick or at a meeting or on a training course, I am often asked to fill in for her.
It tens to only happensabout once every two weeks, but still.....
Am I right to be a bit annoyed that they don't think I'm good enough to do the job, but are quite happy for me to step in when it suits them.
Why should I do her job when I don't get any of the perks.

Does this happen in many working environments?

By all means ask for a pay rise, but be prepared for them to say no on the basis that it is good development for you-and then what will you do? Are you prepared to leave over this? Or will you accept their decision & continue? Because that's probably what they will expect you to do (and if you refuse to do the extra work tbh you'd be cutting your nose off to spite your face and it won't help your reputation).

I'd be more inclined to approach it as "I think there is a real need for a formal deputy role in the team"with your boss and put together a proposal about what exactly that would look like - filling in as you are doing now, but also seeing if there are other areas you could take on eg some of the planning/prep for meetings. If you frame it as supportive to the manager ("freeing you up so you can concentrate more on future planning & strategy") then it's more likely to be considered positively, and a small pay increase considered appropriate...

YABU,
It's standard in most workplaces to cover for team members and managers when they are unavailable. It is part of being a team but also developing skills and knowledge as well as experience.'

I think it's perfectly normal and reasonable.
How often is she actually out of the office? I doubt it's enough to make a legitimate claim for a pay rise but if you want to ask, go ahead.

Doing some of your boss's role a couple of days a month is totally different to doing it full time. There is a middle ground between good enough for the role and not at all suitable.

YABU. About once about every two weeks is really not very often at all. This is an entirely normal thing to do and you are in no way doing her job for her. It is giving you work experience that you can use if you want to apply for a position like hers later. At current it is part of working as a team and taking responsibility. I wouldn't be impressed if I were senior to you and you came to complain about doing her job and wanting more money based on the odd day covering for her.

Sounds normal to me and I can't see how you'd be able to get a payrise based on covering her once every couple of weeks. As virtually everyone has said, most roles do involve covering for other members of the team. I can't imagine a job where that means that you are doing everything expected of the senior person, but if you're more specific about the job then that might help.
AFAIK, TAs don't get paid a teacher's salary when they cover a class because they aren't doing the job.

But this is a good thing!

Uou step up to fill in for mat leave/ illness / holiday etc and you prove you can go the job. Then you get promoted after they know you can do it.

This is how both dh and I have progressed in our careers. Get the experience and then go for promotion again. Be aware that you may not get it first time but if you're passed over too. Much you just take your skills and go elsewhere :)

I think if you ask for a pay rise, you'll show that you are not suitable for a managerial role.

I'm not sure what you mean by them thinking you aren't good enough for the job. Assuming you didn't fail the interview, they haven't said this, nor do they seem to think it. They just chose the best person for the job. Often there are several candidates that would be good for a post, but only one can be given it - that doesn't make the others not good enough!

The fact that you are being given the opportunity to do some of the role occasionally suggests your employer thinks you have ability and potential for the next level and are giving you a chance to build up experience for it.

The more you post, the more I can see why she got the senior job and you did not

You are doing yourself no favours with this rather precious attitude, tbh

I think yabu sorry but it woukd be useful to understand what you are being asked to do. I should imagine she is held responsible for certain things and you're not. Think if it as a way to price yourself.

Who was previously managing the team and who covered for them? Surely this isn't a new arrangement?

Yanbu.

If they didn't consider you suitable for the position, perhaps there is a risk you may not do some of the tasks properly, or be unaware of all of the ramifications of your decisions if you are covering the role at short notice.

This could lead to you making a mistake, for which you may face disciplinary action, which is hardly fair if you are covering the work of a more senior staff member without being considered qualified enough to do this job on a permanent basis.

If I were you, next time I'm asked to cover, I would decline on that basis, but state that you would be willing to cover if you had more training. That way, you either won't have to cover your boss's work, or you will be trained for free as some compensation for taking on extra work for no extra pay.

I don't think you're being messed around. But it won't hurt to politely but firmly put your case for a pay rise at the next review. But you must make sure that you don't come across as resentful or anything but grateful for the experience.

If your attitude to covering some of the work on a 2 weekly ad hoc basis then that might be a factor in you not being considered for the job in the first place.
Honestly, if you want to progress then attitude is just as important as aptitude. The latter can often be taught or mentored, the other is less easy to do so.
Be keen, assimilate the skills, be seen to be positive and successful and you will be regarded more highly. You might even outshine her and find unexpected opportunities come your way. Be stroppy or passive aggressive and even ask for more money? You will be seen as jobsworth.
They haven't said you cannot do the job, they have said she is the best candidate at this time. If you feel sore about it then just prove yourself otherwise!
Now if she took the job but you actually did all the work and she passed it off as hers then this would be a very different scenario.

I'm a manager and when I'm not there I expect someone to step up into my role
Its in their job descriptions that the team then step up to the team leaders role
But they are not doing my job.
I'm still legally responsible for everything that happens in my absence

"I'm either good enough or I'm not". Not at all. You may both have met all the criteria. Then they had to choose between you. You sound like your being churlish and taking your unsuccessful application as a personal slight.

I've got to agree with anyfuckers last post to be honest.

Filling in while someone is out of the office for a day is not at all the same as doing their job. If it was, then somebody would need to be filling in for you while you did it. When you're covering you're just filling a gap. Presumably a lot of stuff would be deferred until she's back in and she will have stuff that she sorts out before she's away to keep things ticking over. I understand why you feel put out, because it's all still a bit raw from not getting the job, but I think you need to look at it as a positive opportunity to show them you're promotion material. Going whinging about it and asking for more money would make you look bitter and unprofessional. (Obviously if you were running whole projects or covering for a long period it would be different, I'm not saying you should be a doormat).

I think it depends how regularly you are doing your manager's work, whose responsibility this work is done under, and whether there are other people at the same level as you who are not expected to take on these extra duties.

If you're doing this additional work regularly, are expected to take full responsibility for it, and others at your level are not expected to do these extra duties, then you have a good case for getting your job description reviewed.

YABU

"I'm either good enough or not" - the answer is, at the point you applied for the job, compared to the woman who did get the job, you weren't good enough. by asking you (rather than someone else) to step in, they are getting you to a point where you are good enough.

Who used to step in to cover the old manager's role when they were off sick/on holiday? Was it you? If that's the case,then yes, you'd have a gripe, but if it used to be someone else and this is a new thing, then see it as moving you to being the natural successor. (Don't tell me the previous boss never had a day off sick or any holiday leave at all ever).

Put another way, would you prefer if someone else was covering her work when she was off? Would you prefer someone else to be in the 'number 2' position? (no sniggering!). Would you prefer that someone else was being groomed to be her natural successor should she leave or be promoted again?

I assume they felt there was more than one person who was good enough, but one of the candidates was better than the other/s who were qualified and they got the job. The fact that you weren't given a role doesn't mean they didn't think you were up to it. Sometimes there are a shitload of excellent candidates for a vacancy. Being generous, I can see why it might grate slightly, but isn't it useful experience for next time you want to apply for the next step up? Depending on how often she's off, what the role entails and your respective salaries it's possible they're taking the piss not paying you any extra for it, but it's hard to say without a lot more information about your work. It may be legitimate to ask for a raise on the basis that you cover her a lot, whether it's sensible may or may not be a different issue.

I try to find bits of my job that I can delegate to others, not because I can't be arsed or I want to take the piss, but because it's a good opportunity. Some of it is about the chance to learn new skills, some is about getting a promising team member looking good in front of senior managers on a regular basis so that when we're in a meeting talking about who to promote, they are already convinced. If your boss's response to "I want to promote X" is "Who?", you're not going to get them that promotion.

I've often given members of the team the plum bits I'd rather be doing myself, just because it's good exposure & good development for them.

YABU
There is a difference between covering for a boss for a short period of time and taking on the full long term responsibility. Your work didn't think you were ready right now for the full job. However, you are getting the opportunity to take some limited responsibility that will help you grow and develop. The fact that you applied for this job might be part of why your boss has made you her deputy. She probably thinks she is complimenting you and giving you an opportunity.
If you stamp your foot and have a bit of a tantrum over this instead, you will definitely not be seen as promotable for the next opportunity. You will be seen as someone with a bad attitude.

Don't ask for a pay rise. You'll look lazy and greedy.

Instead, mention to management that you're enjoying the challenge of being given some additional responsibility. You'll look motivated and ambitious.

I've got to agree with anyfuckers last post to be honest

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