Mixed messages at work

[smashin]

Aibu to feel a bit hurt?

I am a junior manager and have been acting up as a senior manager for 2 years. I have been applying for a permanent position at the senior grade. I get lots of positive feedback at work, my ideas get implemented, I’m allowed to work autonomously and am trusted to speak on behalf of my office at district meetings etc. I’m constantly told to apply for jobs by my bosses and given tips on how to word my applications and given development opportunities etc by managers on site.

however today another manager at a different site today had a look at my job statement (as a mentor) and felt like it was a load of crap. She wants me to rewrite it and maybe go on a course to get better examples to use than the work I have been doing for 2 years. Aibu to feel a bit hurt by this as it makes me feel like my work hasn’t been valuable or appreciated? It’s just odd how other managers have been giving me advice and telling me I’m great lol. I have been getting interviews from my personal statement so far.

I doubt she said it was a load of crap. If she did, get a better mentor. But I think you are being overly sensitive. It is entirely possible that you are doing a great job, but your applications aren't hitting the mark. You are being told to apply for jobs, you apply, and don't get the jobs? That suggests that the issue is either your application, your interview, or both. Not your performance currently

No, I get that. Any advice helps I suppose. She meant that my examples aren’t good enough/are too low level whereas recruiters have given me interviews based on them. So it just feels like a mixed signal.

Maybe your examples are good enough to get you through to interview stage but when they delve deeper face-to-face, their expectations are higher. Will any of your managers perhaps do some mock interviews with you, as well as helping with applications?

That kind of feedback is like gold. Recruiters work on a numbers game, they won’t always tell you honestly what you might improve on because as long as one of their candidates get the job they get their fee.

I’d try to have another conversation and get a sense of the kinds of examples that would really showcase your skills and experience. When I’m job hunting I’ll think of two or three examples of projects that I can use to demonstrate a range of skills (eg one might cover project management, change management, conflict resolution depending on the interview question), it means I don’t need to remember lots of different examples, I just highlight the necessary skill in the example I have in mind.

I can tell you feel a bit deflated, but once you’ve sat with the feedback hopefully you’ll see how valuable it is.

getting an interview and getting the job are two different things

I definitely need some mock interviews. I think I already have the examples ready but maybe I’m not explaining them well at interviews.

How did the mentoring relationship come about?

a mutual friend put us in touch last year

It will be worthwhile working this through with the person giving you this feedback as being open minded about alternative feedback is a key skill as you move into more senior management roles. Have a go at rewriting then see if she will sit down and go through exactly where you may be missing the mark. Skills in open questions and a mind open to feedback are great skills. I am not saying you don’t already have these but this is a good opportunity to check.

What feedback have you got from the interviews you’ve had so far?

If the support others have given you haven’t got you very far….

surely this mentors approach is worth a try on a couple of applications….

just because you get to interview you might just be scraping through to interview with your examples and have low scores…

What experience does she have?

Maybe she is the only one giving you an honest opinion

If you respect her and trust her judgement I would take the feedback as constructive