What should I do, difficult work situation

[harajukubabe]

I don't know what advise I am looking for. Here is the situation:
I have been working at a different part of a large male dominated company then the branch I originally joined.
I am now being forced to return back to the branch I originally joined after being out for more than 9 years. Other men who have returned back have got a promotion and a role higher than what they left. I am returning back reporting to one of them even though I have more experience have performed better.

Pension and pay at this company is high which means leaving is harder.

The role I will go back to is something i would have done perhaps 6 years ago. I have progressed much in the time I have been away in terms of my experience and knowledge.

I am upset about having to report to someone I perceive as less experienced.

What are my options? I cannot prove discrimination as their systems are deliberately made complicated.

Only option I see is to resign once finding another job which will be difficult.

What’s happening to your current job? Why are you being forced into this new one?

Current job finishes as a project is ending.

I would be looking for a role elsewhere, there doesn’t seem a future here sadly

Do I understand correctly that you've spent a while having been seconded into another role but that need is now finished?

I think that not only is the option to job-hunt the best option - it is probably the unspoken expected path. If you accept this and go back you will be pigeonholed as not career focused and will not be given an opportunity like that again.

When junior people are seconded into more senior roles they obviously gain new skills and experience. The decent ones then use that as a springboard to more and greater responsibility.

Its not exactly that they want you to go, but the business need is now for junior skivvy not experienced project leader. The company is not responsible for your career progression. You are. The business is happy for you to accept effective demotion if you choose, and has no obligation to provide you with a nicer option. The business will be just as happy for you to leave, wishing you well with it, and replace you with a new inexperienced staff member.

I have seen this pattern many many times. A team has a role for a junior person that doesn't need much skill so a recent grad is fine. After a year in post they have some decent skills and experience and can be trusted with a special project or two. Sometimes there's an opportunity for an acting-up maternity cover or short term secondment. Then that stops and the business need is simply to have that role filled. Tbh the worst outcome for all is when they accept that and stay. Far better all round if they stretch their new wings and fly.

Is there actually a more senior job available which you could do OP? If this job is the only one available then that’s kind of tough. If there is another suitable role available that would match your skills/experience and be the promotion you are hoping for and they aren’t letting you apply for it, that’s slightly different.

Thanks all for your reply. It is as Flowery says. There are other options available to the company. I work for a multinational. To save costs and to get an experienced person to do a variety of tasks they give me this role but it stagnates my career at best.

I’ve only worked in mid sized organisations and for those when this happens you have to leave to progress and jump company to company.
I’m not sure about huge organisations - are there not lots of jobs at other levels other areas of the business you can apply for?

Either way you need to take this experience you’ve gained and run with it to a new role.
If you have access to a senior enough manager tell them you are looking to do this just in case there is something they can flag up to you.

OP do you mean there are other vacancies available you’d be interested in? Have you applied for them?

I cannot apply for potential other vacancies as my current organisation have to facilitate this and they won't let me.

Will your move involve a drop in salary? I would say that if they are paying you as much and your new line manager got his current role through a fair interview process, there is not much you can do other than wait for opportunities to apply for promotions. As an employer, I cannot just promote people because of their experience as there is not a magic money tree. We have established staffing and someone has to leave a job for someone else to have the opportunity to move into it.

I don't understand - the vacancies you are interested in are for another organisation? Why does your current employer have to facilitate you applying?

Move will not involve a drop in salary. A drop in position certainly.

There was no fair interview process. The men were just selected for the roles they got. I do not know how as I have more experience. I also have a fantastic performance rating.

How can your organisation prevent you from applying for other vacancies that better fit your career trajectory? that makes no sense!

If that's true, i don't think people here can help you as it's obviously a strange situation (are you going to say you are in the army or diplomatic service or something?)

I am not in the army or diplomatic services but a large multinational. I would have to go against my current organisation to search for a position outside (but still within ) the company.

Yes, it's a strange situation and I am frustrated as I don't know what the best path forward is.

Is there not a HR dept where you can challenge the process where roles were handed out without a fair process

HR is weak at the company. They wouldn't have a clue. In fact I might make more trouble for myself if I complain and word gets out I went to HR. Not a good long term prospect.

Increasingly only option I see is to leave for another company. Although I don't want to at this stage.

It's gut wrenching and totally disappointing.