to be angry with soon to be ex colleague?

[rachelzane]

Hopefully name change has worked, but anyone who recognises me please don't out me.

I started my job 2 years ago at the same time as two other girls, Linda and Cathy (not their real names)

Really interesting jobs we did. Linda left after a year for something better paid (she had been doing an open learning degree in that area so once qualified obviously wanted to do it). that left two of us.

Cathy made no secret of the fact she did not enjoy her job - she complained about the commute and the workload and was open about the fact that she applying for other jobs. She managed to negotiate with our HR department to work from home one day a week and some flexible working hours. She has also utilised parental leave and annual leave entitlement.

Cathy has 2 children of school age. Her family live either abroad or in other parts of the country, her DH works full time, so naturally childcare would be an issue. My family help with childcare and I have less of a commute.

After 18 months doing our jobs, we were told the department was being restructured so our jobs would not exist any more but the two of us were invited to apply for the same job. Just us two invited to apply. not advertised to anyone else either internal or external. The job would be the same grade as we were currently doing, same hours (35 per week), same pay, same base but different responsibilities.

Cathy divvered about whether she would apply until the very last minute. She emailed our manager saying she would like to be considered but that it had been 'a very difficult decision to make'. I also put my CV forward.

The interview was a very intense selection process. I interviewed first, then Cathy after me. She got the job which I was very surprised about given it being common knowledge she didn't enjoy working for us.

I was offered a demoted position, less pay, less status. I wasn't happy but had no other opportunities so had to accept.

A few weeks before the start of her contract, Cathy put in a request to work less hours and go down to part time. HR were in the process of trying to arrange this for her by internally advertising for a part time position 2 days per week doing basically half of her job.

Obviously I was not happy that I had not been asked to take on these responsibilities if she could not do them and voiced this to my manager but all I got were vague responses about HR processes/rules.

It's now 2 weeks after our new contracts have begun, and Cathy has announced she has a new job - part time and closer to her home.

AIBU to be absolutely (but privately) furious with her? Furious that she put me through all that, furious that I have been demoted unncessarily. I'm too nice a person to say all this to her face, plus I don't want to cause trouble in the workplace although I've had angry conversations in my head with her and my manager.

I'm not sure what I can do now. I don't know if her position will be readvertised or offered to me. Even if it is, there's that feeling of being second choice, isn't there?

AIBU to consider this totally unprofessional? My organisation really tried to make her happy. It's a public sector organisation so really good policies on flexible working etc. She knew what the hours and workload were when she applied.

My manager isn't too impressed either but I've only gotten snippets from management as obviously they need to be professional too.

She's literally done nothing wrong. She's put you through nothing.

'Cathy' knew you wanted the job and might struggle to get another one, but she went for it even though she didn't really want it. End result - you have had to take a demotion and the employer has to start over.

She's done nothing illegal, but in your shoes I would feel a bit let down.

It's not Cathy's fault but I'd still feel bitter about it, especially given that she'd complained about the work.

I still think I would still be mad at both. Cathy has made employers jump through hoops and dance to her tune and they have gone along with this blindly. Then she has left them high and dry so I would be mad at Cathy for this as it leaves you with a bad taste in your mouth about her and about your employers for naively fawning all over her and dancing to her tune. With the best will in the world this affects a person and their families. There may not have been much between you at interview but for whatever reason maybe the gift of the gab they preferred Cathy over you (which hurts) especially now she is leaving as she had no loyalty to them. When OP says Cathy put her through it she means the worry stress (I know ours has gone on and on and we have had over 4 months of hell stress and worrying about our job security which impacts on your whole life) and sadness over loosing out to her, only for her to finally up sticks and leave 5 minutes later. So not surprised you are annoyed OP. I would ask for interview feedback if you haven't already and also maybe take up some employee counseling if they have something so you can air your feelings and work through things safely. Take care OP.

You must be awful at your job if this moany cow is better than you!!! Maybe you need to revaluate your career?

Cathy did nothing wrong. She was told her current job wouldn't exist anymore, and given she had apparently had no luck finding a new job in those 2 years she was miserable and applying at other places, she would have been very foolish not to apply. She'd also be very foolish to stay when she finally has the chance to get out of a job she hates.

It's not her problem management chose her over you. TBH it sounds like they're going well out of their way to not to give you the job. If Cathy hadn't applied I highly suspect they would have looked elsewhere instead of giving it to you, so if you have an issue, it's with them.

•She did not enjoy her job
•She complained about the commute and the workload.
•Was open about the fact that she applying for other jobs.
•She worked from home one day a week and some flexible working hours.
•She has also taken parental leave and annual leave entitlement.
•Cathy has 2 children of school age and childcare would be an issue.

All of this within 2 years starting her employment and they still chose to give her the new role and they were prepared to accommodate her flexible working request.

Why do you think they offered her the role over you?

Could it be possible that they think giving her the role is the lesser of two evils?

Doesn't sound to me as if they value you at all.

brighteyes27 you are spot on in your analysis, thank you.

We were told of the restructure about 6 months ago and only started our new roles 2 weeks ago. She knew months before me what her new role would be whereas I didn't know what was happening to me. I had to go through a really intense interview for a job I didn't get and waited months, very stressful months, waiting to find out. And yes, it was stressful for my family after years of my husband going through redundancy after redundancy.

Those who say I'm maybe not 'wanted' or 'good enough' - I've actually worked for this company for 15 years but this is a new department/region I'm working in. I was trying not to reveal this in case of being identified.

I applied for my previous job 2 years ago and was told after getting it by the interviewers that I had been an 'outstanding interviewee'.

Cathy only joined our company 2 years ago from the charity sector.

crap name change fail

MNHQ to the rescue, thanks ladies

If you've worked for a company for a long time, that can be more likely to lead to you being taken for granted, because they start to assume you'll never leave so can give you the shitty end of the stick. I would look for other jobs no matter what after this, maybe in other public sector organisations?

I feel your pain OP. Management recruited to our role recently and got a very confident liar who bent the truth to get the job, she wouldn't listen and thought she always knew best even in her initial training period. She couldn't do the job the rest of us carried her. A few months after her appointment the rest of our jobs were in jeopardy due to a restructure and we have had months of hell so I completely understand your pain. However, last week she landed on her feet with a sideways move that myself and another girl in our role also applied for. We are both very experienced and are both extremely good at our jobs. However, the management who know little about the day to day still appointed her over us both last week. I spent ages sweating over my application, CV and thinking of interview questions/technique. Our restructure is still ongoing and her new appointment may have alleviated some of the pressure on us and may save our jobs we are still waiting to see. But she is lording it over us and her head is so big I am surprised she can get through the main entrance. Hopefully in this new post she will move buildings as she is such a smug know it all. The job maybe a poison chalice, it's another part time role and someone already does the job part time and wanted more hours. His manager also wanted to appoint him (they are rumored to be extremely friendly) but he couldn't apply as his job wasn't at risk. This person our Cathy is on a 12 week trial if she doesn't impress she's out on compulsory redundancy.

Agree with Butterymuffin. After 15 years, you need to remind them that you aren't a permanent fixture unless you want to be taken for granted.

I'd do what an earlier poster said and say you want Cathy's job now she's leaving. If they say no, you need to be prepared to leave. If Cathy found another job, presumably in a similar area, then you can too.

There was an old saying when I worked in the public sector
"If you try hard and do your best,
You will get the sack like all the rest!
But if you laze and bugger them about,
Then likely you will see the job right out"
It's your bosses you should be cross with, not your colleague who was quite rightly doing what was best for her.

Oh. Are you disabled? If so don't worry. You should be guaranteed interviews due to disabilty regulation

This may be the stupidest and most deluded thing I've ever read on here. Disabled people don't need to worry about employment prospects? Not everywhere guarantees interviews for disabled people. And getting an interview absolutely doesn't guarantee getting a job.

As to the OP, this seems typical of public sector. They tend to fall very easily for bullshitters leaving the actually skilled workers they employ to pick up the slack. The interview policy of our local council is actually geared towards people who can 'talk the talk' rather than any actual ability.

They are also very good at making all the right noises when it comes to being 'equal opportunities' but are very reluctant to make any actual adjustments and will jump on anyone taking too much time off for medical appointments etc.

@BouncyHedgehog - really. even more deluded than the person claiming girls wearing jojo bows are more likely to have underaged pregnancies? Or the idiot who blocked a person's driveway to have a shit for half an hour? You're fucking deluded

Public sector workers tend to go to larger corporations to keep some semblence of their benefits. ALL of them have and apply disability regulation.

Groupie - believe it or not, I don't read every single thread on here. I have other shit to do with my day.

And just because there are rules against disability discrimination, doesn't mean it doesn't happen. That's WHY there are rules against it (laws don't tend to be made against things that don't happen).