Help needed to politely tell boss that I am not happy!

[Rhubarb]

Briefly; I work for a charity as a fundraising admin assistant. My wage is £12k pro rata - I work 20 hours spread over 4 days to fit in with school hours.

My actual job consists of a little admin work, banking, recruiting volunteers, organising fundraising events, liaising with the media, producing leaflets/posters, a lot of the work I have to use my own initiative for. So basically I'm a fundraiser being paid as an admin asst (there is no admin officer, the next position up from me is Senior Fundraiser).

I'm not happy because I feel they are using me. Last week I had to travel to Newcastle for a training course, then to Sheffield the next day and there are other courses/meetings coming up that I will be expected to attend, even though that means working outside of my hours, often late into the evening (no overtime just time in lieu). I am not given enough guidance, I am taking on huge responsibilities and my deadlines according to my appraisal are fundraising deadlines, very rarely am I praised for the work that I do, yet my boss is very quick to criticise.

My predecessor used to take calls at home and she never said "no", she even cancelled a booked holiday last year because they didn't have enough volunteers to help with a fundraising event. I am not prepared to do this. Not on the wages they are paying me! Trouble is that most employees here DO just that!

I like my job, I like the flexible hours and the fact that it's 10mins away from my house. I like the people that I work with and I don't mind taking on certain responsibilities. But I resent that they push and push expecting more and more from me, that they are quick to criticise and slow to praise and I know that I will never get a fair pay rise in the future as the budgets are so tight. I just feel a bit used!

I am having a one to one with my boss tomorrow and I want to be able to put my argument forward eloquently and firmly but neither do I want to jeopardise my position or create bad feeling. I was going to tell her that I am actively looking for another job, which is true. Any tips?

yeah i'll bet.

Thanks everyone, I'll print this out now and go over it tonight. Boss not had good day and just offloaded onto me - talk about me being professional!

I'll see how it goes tomorrow, I'm not going to let her off the hook just because she cries to me! Does she not know that I have no heart?

Hi Rhubarb, ime praise is, unfortunately, often in very short supply in the non-profit sector. It was one of my mine gripes for years. However I am told that this is not at all unique to the sector and that once you are working at a certain level of self-motivation most jobs simply don;t come with praise and thanks. What you do need is recognition, which is something a bit different. Some sectors you get recognition through pay, some (civil service springs to mind) you get it through graded promotion, in the non-profit sector - again, ime, - you get it in its lowest form - which is by being asked to do more, and being relied upon. I have buckets of empathy for you, believe me. We take what crumbs we get.

In your shoes I would seek structure from your boss. I would ask for a proper appraisal system whereby you agree tasks and objectives for a particular period - 3 months probably, maybe 6 months for longer term ones. You agree together a written, formal work plan. You could perhaps suggest a structure for your plan - with tasks and objectives under different headings: eg administrative support; volunteer recruitment; fundraising materials etc.

I would also seek a change in job title. again it might seem like a bit of a crumb but it's a good one for your cv.

Another idea - esp as there seems to be more than enough work for you is to suggest recruiting an office-based volunteer to take on some of your more boring (but don;t say it like that) tasks. make a business case for this, combine it with the point about job title, offer to raw up a volunteer job description, work out how many hours they would be needed for etc. If they buy it you can put yourself forward as their manager, giving you more transferrable skills for your cv.

Don;t mention that you're looking for work. The implication will be tehre, and that's enough. Mention instead how much you want to stay. Your line should be "I really like x, y and z about this job, and I do want to stay, but I'm finding a,b and c difficult" that gives them carrot and stick - it's a veiled hint that you might leave, alongside a level of commitment - indicating that they shouldn't give up on you. good luck

look around for other equiv jobs in your sector and show the pay

mention tribunal

watch the bitch cry again

Thanks everyone! Brilliant advice as usual from everyone here!

We do have a volunteer working for us one day a week, but he has nervous problems and can't handle complicated tasks like, err, answering the phone.

I think my stance on this will be that I shall tell her that I'll do my best for the next 6 months to achieve results and boost the budget, I'll make my name known and their big fundraising week in May will be a huge success. After that 6 months, I will have been there a year, and I shall expect a review of my position and pay.

I'll tell her what my achievements to date are and what I hope to achieve in the next 6 months, I'll tell her the areas in which I would like some support and guidance and I'll say that whilst I shall try my best to accommodate out of hours training, meetings and networking events, I cannot guarantee to attend each one as, I took a part-time job because I needed the flexibility, otherwise I would have gone full time!

I shall hint that if there are no changes after 6 months I shall be looking for other work.

And I will conduct myself with dignity throughout and try not to point and say "You cried on the phone you great big wuss!"

I'll let you know how it goes.

We also have our office Christmas party straight after! 8 of us, bringing some food, possibly a whole bottle of Rosé! I can't wait.

anyone with employment law knowledge? cos am i right in thinking if your job changes from your JD of more than one third they have to create a new role?

flippin eck rhubarb- what does your nervous volunteer actually do then?!

good luck anyway.

He makes a fuss about his new black jeans possibly marking our grey office chairs.

Custy, I could get them on the appraisal alone, but I don't think that quoting the law at this stage would do me any good. However I have my evidence should I ever need it!

if owt else fails - just make her cry again

Should be easy to do - she's obviously 'on'!

any news rhubarb?

Didn't get anywhere.

I politely explained that from me, the lowly admin asst the next senior person is the senior fundraiser - there is no admin officer, no community fundraiser, so my position incorporates all of this.

She said that my job description states that I am responsible for the smooth running of events and "any other work" - the responsibility of these events lies with her, I just do all the work for them.

She also said that my job title would not hinder any future applications because my job description would say it all and it's how I present myself etc etc - like I need lecturing on how to conduct myself at interviews! So I interrupted and told her that I disagreed but obviously this was the policy of the organisation where I work and I would give it 6 months, after which I would like a review and if their position is the same then I shall be seeking other opportunities.

I also said that whilst I would try to accommodate training courses, meetings and so on that were out of my core hours, the reason I am working part-time is because I cannot do the hours of a full-time job! So I shall be saying 'no' to out of hours work if I cannot find childcare to cover it.

So the outcome was that nothing will change, we agreed to disagree and she is clear now where I stand. I'll start looking for other work now, but in the meantime I'll do a damned good job and get my name known round the organisation.

And I was tempted to give her a box of tissues in case she started again - but instead I showed her how professionals handle these things!

Well done, you. Sorry it was not more productive though. Bummer. But at least she was told and if she's stupid enough to risk losing you, well she's a prat, isn't she?

crying periodical prat!

Oh and Scummy .................

I blardy love you!

Sounds like you handled a very difficult situation with your usual resolve and unwillingness to be fobbed off Rhuby. Really sorry to hear that the job has not lived up to expectations - what they are doing sounds unacceptable but not unfamiliar...esp the Nervous Volunteer. We had three of them. They were Hard Work.
You have a toe in the door now on the local job market and also in the wider organisation. If there is any justice one or the other of these avenues will get you a better job in 2007.

well done for saying your piece. Your plan sounds right. there are other flexible jobs out there and it does sound like you're getting good experience - even if it gets the wrong label.

well done Rhuby, sounds like you handled it brilliantly. Just remember to take in extra tissues for her and nervy volunteer when you do actually quit!

Rhubarb, sorry you're having problems. Can you approach similar companies on spec, so you might be able to get another job sooner rather than later?

Well done, Rhu!

I think we've all had jobs like this - where you expected to attend training courses and conferences on days you're not scheduled to work.

If that's not for you, just say NO!

Good luck in your job hunt!

Oh well done Rhubarb - you handled yourself very professionally and got your point across well. At least the boss knows where you stand (and where she stands, for that matter).

The next job will be fab

well done rhubarb. sorry you didn't get a better outcome but atleast you know where you stand now and you can prepare to move on.