Would it be u professional to stop helping out now that they are hiring somebody else?

[MandalaYogaTapestry]

I have recently had quite a bit of free time and volunteered to help out in a new emerging department of the company where I work. My line manager allowed this - I have been asking for more duties for ages and it's the same area - and I have been helping out for over 6 months.

Feedback from the new dept has been super positive, they kept involving me in new things which I very much welcomed as in my office I have been pretty much stuck.

Then my line manager expressed concern that I was getting too busy and had a talk with the other dept. Now I am finding out that they are recruiting a new full time person and won't need my help anymore.

All is fair enough but I think they should have offered me a chance to apply as I have already demonstrated that I am capable and interested - very much so. But they said that my line manager said that he needs me in his department.

And nobody actually asked me what it is that I want myself. Both the new department and my manager all just decided without me.

Is this how it's done? I feel disappointed and not a tiny bit peeved off. WIBU to stop all help now and not wait until they have hired a new person? Or would it be unprofessional?

It was supposed to have paragraphs, sorry!

I think your expectations are unrealistic. You already have a job and your boss has been very accommodating in allowing you to assist another part of the business. If you wanted that other job you should have been more proactive in asking if there was going to be a position advertised or looking out for it on your company jobs page. If you are feeling stuck in your current position maybe it's time to look for another job elsewhere using the experience you gained helping out the other part of the business?

Op do your company have any kind of policy te advertising vacancies internally?

If you wanted to do the other job permanently, you should have at least enquired. Your manager allowed your temporary secondment, it really wasn’t his/her responsibility to put you forward for the other job and I can imagine the other manager didn’t want to tread on your line managers toes by poaching you.

You should have been more proactive than you were and blaming management for your lack of proactivity isn’t very mature.

Maybe your department is annoyed that the other department is ‘borrowing’ you more than originally planned and has insisted they sort out their staffing levels without really thinking any more about it.

Could you talk to your line manager about opportunities for development in line with your skills and qualities?

Organisations often don't 'invite' people to apply but expect you to show initiative and respond to the advert yourself. They may well be thinking "bloody weird that @MandalaYogaTapestry hasn't applied, maybe she didn't like the work that much".

Is the application process still open? If it is then approach the hiring manager, express your interest and ask more about the role. You'll get a feel for what/who they're looking for which can help you decide whether you want it or not and help you in the application/interview if you do go for it.

I don't blame you for being annoyed.

I had a similar situation and the replacement was a disaster and the whole thing left a very bitter taste in my mouth.

If I were you, I'd duck out now and just make an excuse about being too busy. Not very mature, but much better for you.

I'd also start job hunting and try a find a more stimulating job.

People are assuming the you haven't applied for the new job, but your post suggests that you were told not to. Is that correct? If so, that's very poor recruitment practice. I'm not sure what you can do about it, but I must say I'd definitely stop helping and use the time to look for another job.

Was the job advertised? Doesn’t it have to be legally? Was it on an internal notice board?

Eh. From a manager's point of view, no it's way better to advertise a position. Otherwise it may get "Yeah but you have OP doing that job 25 days a week so why do you need someone?" and then it goes shoes to shit.

Did you apply for the role in the other dept? If so, what feedback were you given?

You're not an indentured slave. Apply for the new position and also for other jobs elsewhere. Make it clear that you are on your way up and if the company wants to continue to benefit from your talent and dedication they need to give you opportunities. They need to know that with oldish this new job from you will not keep you tied to the old job.

"with oldish" was an autocorrect fail for "withholding"

I'd make it clear you want to apply for the new role. If it is obvious that they won't consider you, then I'd stop helping them out and start applying for other things externally.

And nobody actually asked me what it is that I want myself.

Because some managers want to keep you where you are. If you want to get on you need to take the initiative. How do they advertise vacancies at your company? Keep an eye on these new jobs, apply for any that suit / stretch you. Please don't wait around for someone to notice how good you are.

Apply for the position and make it clear to both manager's that you are interested. Your manager cannot deny your application because they want to keep you.

Thanks for everyone's replies. I did ask if I can work in that department and was told that they are not looking to hire anyone permanent so 'we are continuing as we were'. And then later I found out that they actually are hiring now. Why not ask me first? The vacancy wasn't advertised.

The colleague who I have been helping from the new department said "your manager said that your work for him is very important so we didn't even consider you for the new job".

How long was the gap between them telling you they weren’t recruiting and them recruiting? If it was short, then unfortunately that suggests they didn’t want to give you the permanent job. Most likely either because they could get someone cheaper than you, or because you haven’t quite got the skills they want long term.

Have they actually given it to someone?

I don’t believe that bit about you being too important to your current manager. If that was how it worked nobody good would ever move internally. It sounds like a fairly patronising way of letting you down gently.

doobigetta a month between the two talks that I had.

I fully accept that they needed someone slightly different. However I have had glowing feedback and "I very much want to continue involving you". So I assumed I was seen as a something workable long term.

Regarding the importance to the current manager: I believe it, this is what he usually says when I ask for more duties. "I don't want to compromise your main duties".

Haven't hired anyone yet but interviewing.

The question is if it is ok to bow out now? I don't know when the new person will be starting.

I don't want to let down the new dept and leave them in the lurch, they have been lovely. But I wish they at least told me that they were in fact hiring - the last info I had from them is that they don't have a full time position.

They haven't even told me that our arrangement was going to end - I had to ask directly.

Apply for the other job, either externally or internally. I did this at the civil service, a role I really wanted came up in a dept that I had been seconded too from my first dept.

kanga i can't :( They wouldn't go against my manager by "nicking" his employees. He is very high up. It's all a lot of politics.

I just wanted to advance myself, did it openly and now feel even more stuck.