Promotion to sys admin fell flat on its face this morning

thrshr2004

What are your guys thoughts about the excuse “You are currently too valuable to the service desk to let you go at the moment”?

Situation:
I am a lead tech on the service desk with 4 other techs that I work with. I was being promoted to systems admin on the networking team and was given the date of July 15. This promotion has been over a year in the making.

This is where things go south. 1 of the techs just put in his 2 week notice, and another tech has a job offer on the table. So in total they would be losing 3 techs including me

I was told today by upper management that “You are currently too valuable to the service desk to let you go at the moment”?

Am I being illogical or too emotional about being p*ssed off about this? I honestly feel lost and confused after the meeting I had with them today. Any thoughts would be very much appreciated

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Comments

Kinet1c

Is it possible for you to get a sys admin job elsewhere?

Fidelity

Hmmm. This is a complicated situation. Those words are generally a nail in the coffin, but with everyone having quit it might be sincere. They could still be planning to give it to you once they get some new techs onboard or they could be planning on keeping you on the service desk forever.

My advice is to ask them if this is just a temporary delay before you get the position or if this means it's completely off the table. If it is temporary I would ask for an estimate of how long they would think it would be before you move up.

If they tell you it's off the table or the time frame is way longer than you'd like to wait then you should start applying for SysAdmin positions. As the lead tech you shouldn't have too much trouble getting a company to take a chance on you and offer you the position.

MrAgent

Yeah I would go ahead and find employment elsewhere. I would feel like they didn't value me enough to go ahead with the promotion.

Iristheangel

Time to find unemployment elsewhere. You're never going to move up there if that's the legitimate excuse for why you can't move up.

Jackace

It could be a legitimate reason on their part, but if that is the case you will probably never move up at this place. Help desk is a revolving door, you are either moving up or moving out. If you stick around too long you risk being stuck their. I would bet the reason your co-workers are leaving is because they are moving up. If I was you I would at least start looking around.

Edit - If they were truly interested in promoting you they would at least work out some kind of transition strategy that gets you learning your new job while still helping in the old one. I have done that before myself and that shows the company is willing to promote you, but the timing was just bad and we need your help in the old position for a little while longer.

22306

Move! Find another job asap

pramin

thrshr2004 wrote: »

Situation:
I was being promoted to systems admin on the networking team and was given the date of July 15. This promotion has been over a year in the making.

Based on the facts you have mentioned; if they can't come through with the promotion its time to move on.

cyberguypr

What Jackace touches on is precisely what I was thinking. Under normal circumstances help desk is a stepping stone so they should plan for turnover. Timing definitely sucks if they are hemorrhaging talent. But even if that was the case they should've come up with a transition plan. When I was desktop support lead and transitioned into Sys Admin, the deal was that I had to hire and train my replacement. Once he was up to speed, then I could move up. It took three months to hire and train that person but everything worked OK. If they gave me the "sorry, you are star and we can't lose you" guess what would've happened? They would've lost me anyhow.

My question to the OP is, did they say "sorry, you are SOL" or something along the line of "let's get some people here first and then you can move". Two very different things in my opinion. One is workable, one is not.

Priston

thrshr2004 wrote: »

I was told today by upper management that “You are currently too valuable to the service desk to let you go at the moment”?

If they value you more at the service desk then the networking team, they should be paying you more at the service desk then the networking team.

I would find a nice way of telling them that they should pay you the rate the networking team was going to pay you, and to keep the position on the networking team open for you until they get new people in the service desk

thrshr2004

@ Kinet1c
I am not sure if I would be able to find a sys admin job elsewhere. Basically what has happened is I have developed a reputation there of being someone who is extremely dedicated, motivated, and capable of learning a lot given the right about of time and resources. I do have my associates but no certs other than Net+.

@Fidelity
They are telling me that the position is mine……just the timing of these guys leaving is what killed it. Also I did ask for a timeframe and he said he couldn’t give me one at the moment. It all depends on getting the positions filled and I will have to train them

@Jackace
They did mention getting me to take on some of the tasks that I would be taking on as system admin. My concern with this is that we are a high volume service desk and when we lose the 2 techs, I’m not going to have time for anything b/c my “primary responsibilities would be the service desk tasks”.

@Cyberguypr
They didn’t say the offer was off the table, just that we had to get new team members in and get them trained up before I could go

BTW Thanks everyone for their input. The environment at work seems to be really negative at the moment and just wanted some input from someone outside of the company. Once again thank you everyone

Raisin

It's time to look outside the company for a promotion, because they will always dangle the opportunity to move up and then say "you are too valuable". If you're feeling ballsy go in to work tomorrow and deliver your two week notice. Tell them you'd like to stay with the company and transition to the network job while training your replacement, but if that's not possible you must move on. Or you can play it safe and pretend that you're happy to work the service desk while aggressively hunting for a new job.

I'd go with the two week notice plan, but then again I also have enough savings to carry me through an extended period of unemployment.

kurosaki00

It could definitely be a legitimate reason from them. The thing is, did they discuss a transition period? Maybe a small raise + some projects on the side? Some training while they get some other ppl trained?
If not, I would consider starting to search around

LinuxNerd

With 2 other techs about to leave and you being the lead, it seems like the ball is in your court and you have some negotiation power. I would view this situation as a temporary opportunity for negotiation on your behalf.

ande0255

This EXACT thing happened at my last job, which prevented me from getting into the network team at an Engineer level, my director called the hiring manager and told him they couldn't afford to lose me.

At that point I immediately spent all my time in interview rooms, and now work for a great company as a Data / Voice technician, who supports / reimburses for certifications and related material.

Seriously, F that place, do not give them one extra second of your time than you absolutely must to pay bills. Seriously, how freakin insulting, when this happened to me it nearly knocked me out of the IT field altogether out of frustration.

linuxlover

Honestly if I were you I would start looking for another job. If this has been a year in the making and you got rejected who guarantees you won't get rejected next time also? If you're so valuable as service desk now, you'll be even more valuable next year. In our company they don't want people staying in the same place for a long time and they encourage promotions. Your guys obviously have priorities mixed up, so find another job.

JoJoCal19

Along the lines of what everyone else has said, you need to first ask them if this is just a temporary hold until they fill the two spots AND ask the sysadmin hiring manager if he is willing to hold the spot for you. If the answer to EITHER question is "no", then either start applying and interviewing like crazy at other places, or put in your notice if you can afford to be out of work a short time and/or have other opportunities you could easily jump to.

Grafixx01

I agree with most everyone. See if its just a temporary thing until they hire new / additional people. I would also say to them, if you were going to get a pay raise to go to the Networking Department, that you want that raise now. At least that will give you a few extra dollars in your pocket to help pay the bills and you can also be looking for something else in the meantime, since you can take the whole 'temporary, you'll be moved once we hire more' with a grain of salt.

markulous

I'd be prepping my resume.

If you're that much of a rock star in that role, then any company would want to promote you so that you can use your skills in a more important job plus they won't have to go through the hiring process and potentially hire someone that isn't a good fit. Their comments are confusing and make me think they aren't going to ever promote you, especially considering the time frame this has been happening.

thenjduke

Walk out the door once you find a new employer. It is not your problem that they have two others leaving.

gorebrush

Time to get a new job! It happened to me, could have temporary well paid jobs and only option for permanent employment was on £10K less.

I was gone from there soon after and went permanent elsewhere.

zxbane

I agree with everyone else, it doesn't sound like they are willing to give you the opportunity for advancement due to your performance where they have you. Time to start searching.

Devilry

If this is a legit reason on their part, propose this:

Ask them to promote you to the new position (officially) but have terms in there that you are responsible for current duties in the interim while they find/train a replacement.

If they don't go for something along those lines to promote and backfill - time to talk to a recruiter.

Devilry

thenjduke wrote: »

Walk out the door once you find a new employer.

Whatever you do - don't follow this guys advice. The last thing you want is a bad mark on your resume and to potentially burn a bridge just because you did not put in 2 weeks due to you not getting the promotion you thought you deserved.

thenjduke

I did not say to burn the bridge I said walk out the door once you find a new employer meaning give your notice.

Devilry wrote: »

Whatever you do - don't follow this guys advice. The last thing you want is a bad mark on your resume and to potentially burn a bridge just because you did not put in 2 weeks due to you not getting the promotion you thought you deserved.

Heero

If the company values you so much, they should want to promote you to a more important role that has more impact. By refusing to give you the promotion because "they value you too much at your current role," the are basically saying that they want you to leave and find a job somewhere else.

puertorico1985

This is a tricky situation, and I would advise to speak with your manager. You were supposedly getting a promotion next month, but now two of the guys are leaving, and they obviously can't afford to move you up just yet. Depending on how long it would take to hire two or three new employees and get them up to speed, I would say that they give you a firm date on that promotion. If it takes two months to train someone, then tell your boss to push that promotion to September 15th. Also let him/her know that you will take charge in training them, and that the desk will be fully manned by that hard date that is set.

If they are willing to work with you, and it's a place where you can see yourself for a while longer, I would try every attempt at staying. However, if they don't want to work something out or give you a date on that promotion, I would be looking to leave quicker than quick.

idevuser

My Suggestion is first go for system admin certification like MCSA or MCSE then see the situation and decide whether to find an employer or stay in same organization.

BradleyHU

Devilry wrote: »

If this is a legit reason on their part, propose this:

Ask them to promote you to the new position (officially) but have terms in there that you are responsible for current duties in the interim while they find/train a replacement.

If they don't go for something along those lines to promote and backfill - time to talk to a recruiter.

I agree with this part...if they say its yours, make it yours officially. Cuz who knows how long it will take to hire 2 or 3 ppl. Hello it takes depts 2+ months to hire someone for 1 role in the group, let alone multiple...

PurpleIT

You obviously have skills (certs or not), so use them to shop for another job while you are "waiting" to get the promised promotion. You have the benefit of not being unemployed, so be picky and really look for a job you want.

New job or promotion, whichever comes first wins and either way YOU win.

W Stewart

Without reading the other post (yet) I think it's time for you to bounce. Those other guys that are leaving may very well be leaving for a sys admin job elsewhere. If you feel like you're ready to advance in your career then I wouldn't wait around for the company you work for to be ready for you to advance as well. That's the very definition of holding you back.