The review was performed by big boss, even though my immediate superior under the organisation chart for last year was little boss. But for the entire last year, i've not worked with or for little boss on any projects at all, and i had been working closely and directly with big boss. That was also why many people had thought that i report directly to big boss, and when were told that i was actually under little boss, everyone was surprised and asked me why, because they could not see the reason for me to be reporting to little boss when i don't really report to him on anything except applying for leave and making claims.
Frankly, i do not know the rationale either. The only explanation i can think of is that big boss had to be sensitive to the feelings of little boss.
I was hired as a regional consultant and reporting to little boss, who's a project manager. Then just about 9 months, i was promoted and moved over to lead a different team, working on a different system. Even though my job scope is exactly the same as little boss since then, i was promoted to "Assistant Project Manager" rather than manager, still under the reporting line of little boss. I guess big boss was worried that little boss would be unhappy by putting me to the same post as him in such short time, when i was originally hired to be his subordinate.
I didn't really care at that time, for all i want is a good pay rise and job title is really secondary. But then, of course, salary range goes according to job title, so i guess sometimes it does matter.
Anyway, over the past year, i have been functionally reporting to big boss (even though there wasn't a dotted line in the organisation chart), and administratively reporting to little boss.
Now, back to the performance review. Big boss didn't really say much and gave me decent ratings for my performance last year. In fact, out of the scale of 1 to 5, he said he was considering between 4 ("Exceeds Expectations - Exceeds expectations in 2 or more objectives and performs to a high standard against all core job responsibilities") or 5 ("Outstanding -Outstanding achievement by significantly surpassing all objectives and core job responsibilities"). We agreed on a 4 in the end, as he said there were quite a few months of non-productivity for me last year due to the personal event.
I couldn't really argue on that because i really hadn't been my best last year. No point crying over spilled milk now, but i did feel unhappy thinking how YY's folly had cost me not only my happiness but also my career. I then reminded myself that i should accept God's plan for me and not to feel resentful over things in the past.
During the review, i highlighted to boss about how lousy our company is in terms of HR policies and benefits as compared to other MNCs. I also reminded him about the pay rise last year that was so pathetic and incommensurate to a promotional increment at all. I told him that they said the economy was bad and hence they could not give a big increment then, but this year i would hope to see the proper adjustment to be made.
His reply was again a vague one, not promising anything but said that they would benchmark against the market and make the adjustment accordingly. Well, what i did not say to him was that if i do not see that happening, i will definitely be moving on to another job -- even if it's a job that pays the same but at least of a compatible job scope.
Ok, and another thing that i leave to the last to mention is this -- for this year onwards, i would no longer be reporting to little boss (and hence from now on, i shall refer to him as ex-little boss). Big boss will be my direct superior, and my title will be changed to Project Manager.
No, no, don't congratulate me. He did not say it is a "promotion", but a change in title because there is no such post (i.e. Assistant Project Manager) in our company. Uh huh, that was the reason he gave, which i guess pretty much means that i didn't exist at all last year?! Really, if this post actually didn't exist and yet i have been holding this post for more than a year, then seriously, what was i all this while?
I must say this is a very smart move, as i do not get a promotional pay rise because there is no change in job scope or whatever. It's simply a change of title and reporting line! I do not know what to feel about this. In normal situation i should be pissed i guess, but lately i've been rather numb in my feelings. My brain is telling me that this isn't right, but i do not feel the proportional resentment about it.
Oh well, whatever it is, let's just wait and see if i get a letter of promotion in the end. I guess even if i don't get a good pay rise, this is still something i can put onto my resume and will be beneficial to my future career hunt.
Labels: work
