How to move on from a vital position?

[kustomizer]

Ok. It’s clear that, without some sort of clear sign that an improvement plan is about to go into action, the ship’s probably sailed. That’s hard for me to face for a place that brought me into my first job but, reality can be that way. Thank you all.

Let me ask one more question, perhaps a pay check. Given my role: lead programmer, assisting in quotes, scheduling all of the CNC work, filling in for the manager when he is out, giving any and all assistance to the operators when needed, doing inspections as required and making parts manually or on CNC when required: what’s a fair rate/benefits? 8 years in the trade, all at this one shop. I’m the third most senior guy on the floor/in lower management, the next two have been here 9 and 11-12 years (this one being the machine shop manager). The machine shop has about 15 people all told, the company as a whole 50.

Many find that they are very good at what they do in the shop where they do it only to find they can't do a damn thing right in the next shop, perhaps work a few week ends or take a week off to test another place before you jump, as mentioned above, this is the time to do it.

 

[JST]

You said the most important thing about the company a while back, when you said everyone above the GM was "family", and he was married-in.

You are not part of the place like they are.

Those places are full of problems, because they cannot make good business decisions due to "family" issues. They tend to take care of the family even when they cannot afford to do it.

Just get out on your own terms, don't let anything be known until you put in your notice. Find a better place to go first, and then give notice.

Odds are you leaving will not be any higher on the problem list than you were on the priority list. And it's not something you need to worry about.

The GM does need to, if he is perceived as screwing the others over, he has to deal with the family fallout in the future. You don't. You can be happy it's that way.

 

[Mechanola]

In this country you were the typical case of further training and a step up or to start a business yourself.

 

[DouglasJRizzo]

Ok. It’s clear that, without some sort of clear sign that an improvement plan is about to go into action, the ship’s probably sailed. That’s hard for me to face for a place that brought me into my first job but, reality can be that way. Thank you all.

Let me ask one more question, perhaps a pay check. Given my role: lead programmer, assisting in quotes, scheduling all of the CNC work, filling in for the manager when he is out, giving any and all assistance to the operators when needed, doing inspections as required and making parts manually or on CNC when required: what’s a fair rate/benefits? 8 years in the trade, all at this one shop. I’m the third most senior guy on the floor/in lower management, the next two have been here 9 and 11-12 years (this one being the machine shop manager). The machine shop has about 15 people all told, the company as a whole 50.

That is region dependent.
However I would start checking things out and talking to folk NOW.
I'd also do as some others suggested and maybe work a few weekends someplace (if possible) and learn how the other places roll.
The best time is NOW.

 

[Fal Grunt]

Definitely shop around and try to have a job lined up before leaving.

We are considering a change that would put me back working for the man. Not ideal, but let's be frank, all these talks of labor shortages, and everyone begging for employee's, companies still want to pay outside vendors $35/hr for tool & die work. Several of my friends recommended several places and I put the word out I was looking. A good friend of mine is a mold maker about 5 years younger than me and told me the place he works at is looking to hire. By his accounting, I am far more skilled, far more knowledgeable, and a better machinist. After wasting an enormous amount of my time (their standard hiring process is 4 in person interviews plus 2 phone interviews each lasting about an hour) they offered me $26/hr. When a tow motor operator with a GED STARTS at $24/hr at the climate controlled plant down the road, why would I work with a tenth or two tolerance, loads of responsibility and stress, for $26?

So, what I'm saying is, get a good look at the available market. There are several shops around me that are desperate to hire. Desperate until you talk wages. Wages are all over the place today. Benefits are all over the place today. Maybe you don't want to continue programming? Maybe now is a good time to do a career change? Depending on your location you could get a job in the CPG industry for double or triple what you make now, with very little comparative stress.

 

[CITIZEN F16]

That is region dependent.
However I would start checking things out and talking to folk NOW.
I'd also do as some others suggested and maybe work a few weekends someplace (if possible) and learn how the other places roll.
The best time is NOW.

Definitely true, in some states average pay in the high cost of living areas can be almost double of out in the sticks.

 

[david n]

Put your feelings aside........some of us care too much and others too little..............trust me, the place you're at will continue w/o you.............lot's of us think we are essential to keep the world turnin'. We're not...................

Git out there, git another gig lined up and then put in your two weeks. Maybe even 3-4 weeks (if the new gig allows it) so you can help them transition. But I wouldn't, I'd just keep things short and simple.

 

[Fancuku]

We are all replaceable. Employee or employer, doesn't matter. No one is irreplaceable.
If you are not happy, just get out. Don't make it harder than it needs to be.

 

[john.k]

Not so ,seen lots of small businesses die when one key employee is removed......

 

[david n]

Not so ,seen lots of small businesses die when one key employee is removed......

Sure, it can go that way.............but if a biz is being carried on the shoulders of one employee, they should either fairly compensate the employee, reevaluate their operation, or deserve to go down in flames...............

 

[mhajicek]

Not so ,seen lots of small businesses die when one key employee is removed......

Me too. But then you shouldn't blame the key employee for leaving, you should blame the management for not being able to retain them, and not having a proper contingency plan.

 

[cnctoolcat]

Let me ask one more question, perhaps a pay check. Given my role: lead programmer, assisting in quotes, scheduling all of the CNC work, filling in for the manager when he is out, giving any and all assistance to the operators when needed, doing inspections as required and making parts manually or on CNC when required: what’s a fair rate/benefits? 8 years in the trade, all at this one shop. I’m the third most senior guy on the floor/in lower management, the next two have been here 9 and 11-12 years (this one being the machine shop manager). The machine shop has about 15 people all told, the company as a whole 50.

In Tennessee, (similar to the rural regions of Virginia where I'm at), the job you're describing at that size company might pay $25-35 per hour, with plenty of benefits.

The auto plants and tier-level suppliers set manufacturing wages in the south...with production workers making maybe $18-24/hr. these days (with nice benefits, as most of these companies are larger-sized, with a good percentage being foreign owned.)

For smaller job shops, pay can be all over the map. Production operators (warm bodies) $14-18/hr. to start. I have no idea what a skilled machinist would make at a smaller place...$20-25/hr.? (I'm the skilled machinist at my small shop, so my wages fluctuate with the business.)

A talented, capable machinist would have to run their own shop to get their true value, I would imagine...

ToolCat

 

[john.k]

On of my guys quit to buy a lunch wagon,was his long term goal for working.........anyway ,he was back in about six months to see me....he wanted some finance to buy a second wagon.....he showed me his tax books ,then he showed me his greasy pencil entry note book..he couldnt get finance from a bank on the tax records,but on the notebook,it was a goldmine.....So I gave him the money. He had a pretty cousin to run the other van,and she doubled his sales with a bit of torn shorts and tits out.....she could sell a can of drink that cost us 8c for $1.50...

 

[Trueturning]

A very honest and enlightening appraisal you have provided for us. I appreciate your candor. It is always a challenging thing to break through the fog and see clearly ones reality.

You seem to me to have answered your concerns.

Four frogs on a lily pad and two decide to jump off and so how many are left? The answer is four two decided to jump off but changed their minds. What small peabrained minds which they have no less. Likely ideal for transplant for many folk as we may meet.

Be glad you finally saw it. Many remain loyal and committed as a rule and there is nothing wrong with that until too much wasted time passes. Count yourself fortunate and leave in a manner that they are not as mad as they could be as on many such times such a employer may wish to stumble you. If they can not have you no one should. If that happens see now that a scenario like that should be shaken off with extreme prejudice.

Good luck when you see that you should move on just leave.

Best wishes for you. Be excited about the change it is necessary. Staying there given what you divulge does not in any way bode good outcomes. They are not progressing by any stretch of the imagination if your eval is accurate.

Best regards and best of luck. Make your plan and follow through.

 

[camscan]

Have you tried Blackfast Chemicals?

 

[camscan]

Have they got any good job openings?

Is Spain so bad that you are willing to commute every day?

 

[camscan]

Not.
Yet.....

Well you're not dossing down at my place,have a word with the old man.
Good news for you there,he's a veggie.

 

[ttrager]

There is good advice given by others. At the risk of repeating some of that:

1) Making the Decision you must make. Only you can weigh all the factors relevant to your life, including your age, what you think your competencies and worth are, the state of your current employer, etc.
2) Take your time and start surfing for a better opportunity. Keep your cards to your chest, don't broadcast your intent. You need the safe-time to scout.
3) Be confident and recognize you aren't being underhanded. In the end, this is NOT about you being ungrateful. It's about fit and finish after 10 years. It's fair for employers to expect loyalty from employes, and in like fashion Employers are obligated to understand they are on the hook to run their operations in a manner that, in natural fashion, retains employees of their own free will. We all know if there's a better opportunity out there (global statement, not just $), common sense indicates that will be considered.

I don't want to push you in a direction, so please bear with me: One of the biggest mistakes throughout my lifetime was NOT leaving a place when I should have. I stuck around because of how much I had invested into managing those projects and felt "my name" was on them.

What I didn't see at the time was that to too high a degree what was going on was: Use the "agreeable fellow" as the target dummy and convenient gopher. I've generalized here, but I hope you get the drift. Companies (that have management / leadership challenges) absolutely LOVE to have hard working agreeable-people sweeping up or shouldering tasks that otherwise would/should/could be handled by other or more people.

So relax, take your time, keep quiet about it, and do some scouting in a relaxed and thought out manner. That's key.

If you are older, you have a different factor to consider: Do you stay because, in the end, that's smarter because you don't have that many years left to work? If you are younger, my personal feeling is now is the time to learn how to "dance" in job seeking. That, in itself, is good life experience.

Lastly: Be stoic, and practical. No place is Utopia. When sticking your neck out for a change it's entirely possible you end up someplace you want to leave in a year. That could happen. Consider that risk, own it, and if it should happen rinse and repeat the process.

It's like fishing. You keep casting.

Anyway, good luck to you. Be confident in your abilities. By your description and knowing nothing else you are a self-initiator with enough skills to have taken on some important duties.

There are a lot of places that want that kind of person in their shop.

 

[camscan]

Vital position

Just what is a vital position?

 

[jccaclimber]

<snip>
The sad thing is, the GM is about in the same spot. All the reward he got was a pretty decent raise after 3-4 years of promises - which was then promptly cut back in a few months after the owners over-leveraged the company to add a third location and part of the business. He’s as torn as I am, probably worse because everyone above him is family by marriage.
<snip>

Just to really spell this out, someone higher than you in the food chain, who is family with management, had his raise delayed for years, then reneged on almost as soon as it appeared, so that the owners could make more money? You aren't even family, and you think they won't screw you?

This tells me the GM, however well intentioned, isn't afforded the tools to retain you. Frankly it sounds like he isn't afforded the tools to retain himself.

We could take this from a different angle, the low pay they've given you in the past, combined with the education and experience they have given you to get to where you are now (capability wise) sums up to decent compensation. If you were continuing to get a fine and ever expanding education out of it (that you couldn't also get somewhere else for more money) it might make sense, but it sounds like this isn't the case.