I took on a role managing a small team and then found I had to sack them
After several years working as the only digital person in a small company, I got a job as a manager in a larger organisation, believing I would be managing a small team and have responsibility for a bigger budget. I was given an important project, which has been completed successfully – but within months my employer announced the organisation was struggling financially, and I found myself having to tell my team they’d lost their jobs.
I’ve had to deliver their work and my own on a smaller budget and I’m unhappy about it. I can’t shake the belief that my employer knew about the financial problems before I was hired, and that the scope and opportunities of my role were exaggerated.
I’m trying to put my suspicions to one side and make the best of the situation, but I’m also looking for another line-manager job.
I’ve had two interviews at larger organisations but have struggled to answer questions about my management experience. I told one the truth – how I’d tried and succeeded to motivate staff at a difficult time – but I think I came across as angry and resentful, and they also seemed to have been put off because I’d managed people for less than a year. At the other job interview I tried to fudge the situation.
How can I convince a potential employer to take a punt on me? And are there ways to get line-management experience without managing anyone at work – ie by volunteering?
Jeremy says
I think you’ve diagnosed your situation pretty accurately – but you may be exaggerating the problem.
As you suggest, it’s likely that it was your manner at these two interviews that counted against you.
I can quite understand that you feel seriously misled by your employer. But when talking to future potential employers, it’s absolutely essential that you don’t let your resentment show.
Employers know perfectly well that other employers can be dodgy and difficult. At the same time, they deeply distrust dissatisfied employees who put all the blame for their dissatisfaction on their existing employers.
Next time, stick with your original instinct to tell the absolute truth; but confine yourself strictly to fact – and leave your own emotions well out of it. Don’t try to fudge anything. Tell your story without self-pity. And rather than try to exaggerate your experience, I think you can fairly claim to have been through an accelerated learning process.
To have done what you’ve had to do, to have done it successfully, and all in under a year, is an impressive achievement. If you let the facts speak for themselves you’ll get a fair hearing; and, maybe, even a sympathetic one.
Readers say
• Many charities are crying out for volunteer managers. Volunteer for one and manage their volunteers. Cariad
• Lots of companies hire managers to manage redundancies and close down divisions as best as they can. Leave this aside in interviews if possible.
Consider it a business process and be objective. helenmia
• 1. Why would they be hiring when they were planning redundancies?
2. You didn’t make them redundant, the company did.
3. You are, apparently, doing the job of four people (you plus the now three redundant team members). Either you are very good (a positive at interview), or the company used to be spectacularly over-manned (not your fault). moneyallgone
• You need to do what everyone does when asked questions about the nature of their current work: find inspiration from the things you’ve done. Putting the bitterness aside and focusing on the future will help sell this vision of yourself to prospective employers. cephus
A good degree from a good university seems to count for nothing
I graduated this year with a good degree from a good university and am now studying part time for a master’s in London. My original aim was to find a job to complement the degree. This would mean a role in advice, politics or with an NGO. I have some experience in both administration and research, so have focused on these.
I have now sent well over 40 applications. For all but a few, I am easily qualified and have related experience, but still no luck. Many people have advised me to consider an internship. I realise that this might give me a much-needed foot in the door, but as they are mostly unpaid and I don’t have family or free accommodation in London, this is unfeasible for me.
Jeremy says
Before you start applying for internships, I suggest you start to make your applications more specific. That the 40 have all been unsuccessful suggests you’ve been too general in your approach. Be more targeted.
Identify the 10 jobs you think you’re particularly well equipped to do extremely well. Then spend a very long time on each separate, tailor-made application. Demonstrate that you’ve done your homework on each company; and suggest how you could be of value. Set out single-mindedly to achieve just one immediate response: “This applicant seems unusually interesting. I think we should ask to see them.”
Readers say
• I suspect that your degree is in a subject that is popular but where there are more graduates than there are graduate jobs in your target fields. You will be competing with people who can afford unpaid internships, and if you truly cannot afford to do so you will be seriously disadvantaged. (Yes, I know it’s not fair, but life isn’t.) SpursSupporter
• Given that London is not an option, it might be worth looking at NGOs based outside. While the big names are likely to be London based, many smaller and newer NGOs won’t be.
As disheartening as it is, do keep going. Forty applications isn’t that many. Keep positive and also consider voluntary work (local food bank?) to boost the CV. ID725569
• This is familiar from the other side, at a large charity. The standard of applications for entry-level jobs in admin is so, so high. A recently-advertised basic role had everything from Oxbridge graduates who had done numerous internships to people doing very similar jobs (sometimes for years), all for a job in London paying £15k. In other words, a lot of amazing candidates are not even shortlisted. I would advise you to change your approach. There are various sideways routes into the kind of work you want to do.
Forget, for now, jobs specifically focused on research. These are often externally advertised.
Volunteer. Even if a couple of hours a week.
Pick less popular areas within the orgs you want to work for and target these. Fundraising is one – we always have fewer applicants. Easier to move sideways once you are at an organisation.
It sounds naff, but get on Facebook/Twitter and follow loads of small orgs. Many won’t pay to advertise roles, but will promote through social media. room32
Do you need advice on a work issue? For Jeremy’s and readers’ help, send a brief email to dear.jeremy@theguardian.com. Please note that he is unable to answer questions of a legal nature or reply personally.
