Job pulled from under my feet

[nightsky69]

Can't quite decide how to handle a situation in my work and would welcome thoughts! I'm a fit and youthful woman in my 50s and have been working in a small start up company in an area of sustainability for the past 2.5 years, initially as a volunteer and then this year was offered a project within the company which paid about a day a week. In order to earn enough to live on I have an admin job too for 3 days a week which is a good job and pays an average salary. I struggle though with full days tied to a desk and computer. I started the job in the area of sustainability because I was passionate about it and it was said on several occasions that as the company grew and had an income stream I would be a central figure in helping 'grow' the company. Out of the blue another, younger person in the same field lost their job and this company handed her an upcoming project which they'd talked about me undertaking. Suddenly my couple of years of volunteering and working so hard to prove myself with the small project gave me seemed to count for nothing. This person came in with some contacts and managed to start talking to the project's funding body so that it seemed logical for them to start work on the project which had been lined up for me. I now find myself feeling so marginalised in a company I'd loved being part of. The company owners I'm pretty sure feel a bit guilty but the newish person seems already to be able to pick and choose the best opportunities and I know wants to keep me at bay. I tried talking to her to see whether we could put our thinking caps on to share some of the project as I know she'd felt gutted when she lost her previous job so might have been empathetic but nothing emerged. I can see my prospects for learning on the job dwindling and networking diminishing. Basically the problem is they now have two women with the same skill sets. After 6 months of festering and feeling gutted about it I've asked for a meeting to discuss my role. I really don't see why the co-owners who I know both like me can't fight my corner and recognise that as they initially brought me in with a speech about helping them grow their company they should at least make sure we both get an equal exposure to key opportunities. I am capable and they and I know this, but my confidence has taken a real knock and when I tried to apply for other jobs in the field, I didn't even get replies, possibly because I'm in my 50s. I feel time is running out for me. Thoughts in how to handle a meeting with co-owners to discuss my role moving forward?

Oh that stings @Alex Drake It is not personal obviously but I can see how it might feel personal. I think I would start to look elsewhere. I know a family member who is massively overqualified has been left of a similar string for 5 years now and she hasn’t realised how used she has been because she feels like she is choosing it but actually from the outside it looks more like the boiled frog analogy.

I'd find a new role, they clearly don't value you and like the new lady and her contacts.

Or as someone else has suggested set up your own business as a consultant and use all your skills as a when you like and get paid!

I don’t think that’s fair or right. I am sure they do value her, simply this other employee brings more to the table and subsequently the success of the company.

however the op cannot act like a jealous child running to mummy and telling her to make this person share their toys. She needs to offer to support if required, but look at what direction she is going in. Carve that out. Who understanding why this woman brings more to the table. Focus on what she can now bring to the table separately.

Hi @nightsky69 . You seem like a very engaged employee who cares about the sustainability goals of the organisation and the project. So, gently, I think you are giving them too much of the benefit of the doubt here, they probably didn’t forget, they just hoped they could get away with the minimum of fuss and you might just accept being sidelined.
By all means do the meeting and be positive, but have in the back of your mind they will probably take the existing arrangement as the lesser of 2 evils and won’t back what you want, so as PP said do look for something else so you have options- don’t sell yourself short, you have lots of value to contribute!

Good luck!

Most start-ups fail, and if the people behind this one are only working on it part-time in order to focus on other businesses then this one would appear to have a lower chance of success than many start-ups. It sounds as if they're just scraping along and as if they value the other employee's contacts and networking skills more highly than your dedication, OP. It's what happens to volunteers. Employers are quick to pass over people who are 'only volunteers' and go with people like them (often young, often speaking the same language) who talk up their minimal paid experience.

Various options available, including looking for other companies in the sector and contacting them to ask about work, or starting your own small business in the sector you've been volunteering in. Or how about forgetting the whole thing, taking a long hard think about what you want to do in the future and working towards training and getting qualifications in order to thrive, fully paid, in your chosen role.

As someone a bit older than you, can I suggest that if you haven't already secured a decent pension for later in life, you try to focus on making decent money in the next 15 years, and putting yourself in a position where, when you need to retire, you have an income to make the later stage of your life more comfortable?

I'd have a chat about it with the founders and explain you feel hurt, ask if they think you have a future with the company.

What might be very useful is maintaining goodwill with them and asking if they have any contacts they could put you in touch with about other roles - a relatively senior person saying 'here's someone I vouch for' might help you get ahead in job stakes. It could be a good way for you all to put a difficult situation behind you.

I don't see the point in focusing on your age. Maybe it does make it harder to get a job, so be it, you need to persevere. Networking yourself might also be useful.

The thing is the op is not looking at it from the companies perspective. The op says this woman came in with contacts, she says she managed to start talking to the funding body, indicating the op never managed this, and as such it made sense for her to do it.

start ups are notorious for failure, sustainability is becoming a crowded market in terms of start ups. They need to do what’s best for the business to drive it to success. Giving the project to the op would not be best for the business, just best for the op. Why wasn’t the op able to speak to the funding body, she had way, way more time to make connections and try than the other woman.

the use of the term collaborative here is simply the op wants to share the project with her, this isn’t a hobby, you don’t share, you do the job allocated, as the company wishes. Not job share out of kindness.

amd the woman didn’t appear out th4 blue as she lost a job. She didn’t just turn up on the doorstep. The owners clearly undertook a conversation and interviews and decided to employ her for the 3 days a week. The woman is clearly trying to build that up further and do the job awarded to her. Asking her to job share is simply embarrassing and unrealistic.

the op needs to be more proactive. Not ask them to force her to share. Not ask them what her role is. But think about where she can add value. She works one day a week. She need to think about how she can add value, grow the business. Put a proposition forward, and then also see her doing, understanding she’s employed only 1 day a week. Not say well I’ve been here two years for a day a week so I deserve it more.

I agree with this. It's a business at the end of the day, this new employee has contacts and the proactive nature to get stuff done, apparently quite quickly. No company is going to dismiss that if it's something the OP hasn't yet been capable of.

Why on earth would you volunteer for a business? So that other people can make a profit whilst you work for free?
Voluntary work is for charities not businesses.

Why buy the cow if you can get the milk for free ?

That sounds more like making the right noises and trying to keep you sweet whilst you work 2 days for one days’ pay. I think it is for you to make a choice between walking away or as a couple of recent posts have suggested, carving a new role out for yourself by putting a decent proposition forward. The issue with the latter is that they could just take your ideas and run with them without you.

I think you’d do well to look at jobs elsewhere regardless of what happens in the meeting. Knowing that you can put a back up plan in place will bolster your confidence as you need a positive attitude rather than one coming from a place of hurt. This is a business and they sound pretty cut throat. The value, which you can give to them in the future is the only important thing right now.

Professional coaching can be invaluable to help you put your cv together and polish those interview techniques to bolster your marketability despite feeling disadvantaged due to your age.

I'd get some external qualifications, there's so many amazing courses on sustainability / business and human rights now! And start looking for another entry level job in a larger company you can grow in.