WWYD? Restructure and considering options

[colalight]

I have worked for my company, a large public sector organisation for about 15 years now, almost since graduation. I have worked in 2 departments during this time. The first department is what I am qualified in. A very niche sector and very few comparable jobs out there, especially any that pay the same salary. Graduates almost always go into my company.
I did that for 12 years but due to being very badly bullied no matter what office I worked in and HR not handling it too well, I saw a secondment in another department, went for it and got it. I'm not qualified in this area but as I had been volunteering in that area for about 20 years I had a lot of experience. The secondment was 2 years and during those 2 years my new manager kept saying that I would be kept on. there were 2 others seconded into that department at the time and 1 existing member of staff. so 4 of us. It was also a higher level position than my previous role. I absolutely loved this seconded role. I loved my new colleagues, I just felt more respected, more valued and that I had finally found 'my thing'.
Towards the end of my secondment the team was restructured. One member of staff left before the restructure leaving 3 of us. We were told that there would be just 2 jobs at our level. One would be the permanent member of staff and the other would be for the two remaining secondees to apply for (not advertised internally, just us two).
There would also be 4 new positions created but at a lower level than my previous role (so effectively dropping 2 grades). The unsuccessful secondee would get offered the lower position but also had the option to return to their substantial role. The remaining 3 positions would be advertised internally across the organisation.
Well I was unsuccessful, despite my colleague being very open about the fact she actually had another job lined up and was just finalising the hours and pay etc.
I was offered to either return to my subtantial post (one grade lower) or take the new post created (2 grades lower). The new post was similar to what I had been doing in the secondment role but not exactly so whilst I would still enjoy it, I would no longer specialise in just this one area. Returning to my old team and role was an option but considering the bullying and the fact I ended up in hospital on suicide watch, the only choice I felt I could take was the position 2 grades lower.
When my colleague left for her new job, her position obviously became available again although advertised much more widely. I applied and didn't get it again.
So now I am in a position where I am doing a job I enjoy but no longer LOVE, my secondee manager is now 3 grades above me, a former colleague (the permanent one) is now my manager, my old colleagues who bullied me now all get paid more than me, the 3 new staff in the new jobs that were created have only been in the organisation about a year, they are in their 20s, and although they applied for the job they only got it because they were previously on temporary contracts and no one wanted to piss off the unions. They don't have the experience or any related qualifications. I was expected to give them some training and allow them to work shadow.
As I said the job is alright, I still have a good salary although less than what I did have, they are putting me through a postgraduate qualification I believe in a bid to keep me happy and I am enjoying it although I doubt very much that it will help my career progression. I have good flexi and annual leave and can work from home fairly regularly.
But I find myself wondering if I should return to my old role or find another department to move to, just so I can get my old grade back and a better salary?
My new manager keeps telling me about internal positions that come up and I don't know if she wants rid of me (she's a bit funny) or if she is saying this because she knows how pissed off I am at how I was treated and is trying to help (only got 1 weeks notice of each interview and no time off to prepare and it was a 4 stage process which I'd never experienced before or was warned about)
My question is really - do I stay or do I go? My postgrad is relevant to my current team and job role. I do enjoy the work better than the role where I got bullied and am qualified in. However, it's not the role I joined the team to do.
Sorry for the essay but if anyone could give me advice and let me know what they think I should do next? I'm so angry and bitter at how I've been treated. I know I am better than where I currently find myself and I want to get back up that ladder but doing something I enjoy ideally rather than anything available but what if something I enjoy doing never comes? Leaving the organisation isn't really an option unless I want to take a 20 thou pay cut which is honestly the only comparable salary out there.

Sorry, sounds like your employers have messed you around(and maybe taken advantage if you are too quiet/polite??)

Did you get any feedback from the interviews that were unsuccesful, is there anything that you could work on from it?

I would suggest looking at other roles and seeing what else you could do, while staying where you are til you have got your postgrad qualification. I think even going to external interviews would be good experience and learning more about how to promote yourself.

You have spent a lot of your post comparing yourself to others (eg the grades of the people in your current and old teams). This really isn't helpful for you, OP. You can't control these things and so you need to focus on what is important to you and what you want from your career.

From what you have posted, it sounds like you don't really like the new role anyway, so maybe you should re-consider your options. The key, is that you do have options and just as important, time, on your side. If I were in your situation, I would consider finding a new role, but at your leisure, so you get the right job for you. Get feedback from your manager as to your areas of strength and development, take whatever training you can get, network like crazy, complete your qualification etc.

At the same time, you will need to let this anger go, about how you perceive you have been treated. From what you have posted, it doesn't sound like your employer has done anything wrong. They advertised the role twice and on both occasions, there were better candidates than you. In addition, they gave you the choice to either stay in your current role or go back to your permanent role. I know it's hard, but it won't help you in the long run and it may hold you back in finding a new role. I recruit staff and sometimes, you do get a vibe that something isn't quite right with candidates, from the way in which they answer questions.

Sometimes, you are better off moving on and reinventing yourself somewhere else. Life is too short to be unhappy at work.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

I do find it difficult to see how you were poorly treated. You say “only got 1 weeks notice of each interview and no time off to prepare and it was a 4 stage process which I'd never experienced before or was warned about”. Time off to prepare for interviews would be unusual, so unless there is an internal policy allowing that and you were denied it, that’s nothing to complain about. Not sure how much warning you wanted about the number of stages involved in the selection process. Did you get less notice of each stage than anyone else?

Bottom line is, you have applied for the position twice and each time been unsuccessful despite the fact you’ve been doing the role. If your employer thought you were the best candidate, you would have got the job. I would agree with PPs it’s time to look at moving on elsewhere.

You seem to be taking a "grass is greener on the other side of the fence" attitude. This could influence your attitude and demeanour more than you think.

I presume you know the cost of a post graduate qualification is something of the order of £20K untaxed benefit to you, in addition to having an enhanced potential for significantly more earning power than people without that qualification. So you need to consider the big picture about the benefits your company have already given you and determine how you will give back that confidence in tangible contributions, in whatever role you are in.

I'd have thought someone of post grad calibration would take an interview at a moment's notice in their stride - management roles expect that response level when in-role, so you need to be interview-ready, with a few stock answers under your belt.

Sorry - calibre not calibration.

many thanks for the feedback

In the first interview, I was told my presentation was too long and my written exercise also over the word count - I agree, I could have done better.

Second interview, I got told that my presentation and written exercise were too short! At that point I was like FFS, they just don't want me.

In my interview for the secondment role, I was told it was the best interview they had ever undertaken. So to go from that to two unsuccessful interviews has really shaken me.

I already have a postgrad qualification, I needed that to get into the company 15 years ago and this new postgrad qualification is a level up (without being too specific). So despite having a postgrad, I've still gone down the ladder.

The 20k increase in salary / difference in salary thing is laughable. Not a chance. It's public sector, we are all on the same pay band regardless of qualifications. The only way to get a better salary is to apply for an internal position at a higher level but most of them are asking for managerial experience and I have none. I have asked for opportunities to mentor etc to develop this experience but have been given none.

You've had some recent setbacks, but you have a lot going for you in terms of qualifications already achieved and this latest post-grad. Try not to burn up your motivation and energy feeling resentful about the career hand you've been dealt.

Rereading your OP it sounds like your new manager is recommending new role is because they can probably sense your low morale (rather than pushing you out the door).

Why not stay in this post a while longer and meanwhile put the feelers out for new opportunities. But count your blessings. Imagine yourself with no job, no MSc, no organisational support, etc and it may help regain some perspective.

Re managerial experience, what exactly does this include (in the vacancies you've reviewed), if it's having staff working for you ask yourself whether that's what you really want , or is it just the advancement you're looking for? It isn't clear from your posts so far what your sense of career direction is.

the position that my manager mentioned is managerial level but does not mention managing people, which I am not sure I want to do but would come with advancement.
There is another managerial position that does involve managing people and the interview process involves an assessment centre which I have no experience of. It used to be just interviews now its assessment centres, written tests, presentations etc! It's sad it's no longer qualifications or experience just how well you answer questions/talk/test.