Need advice - Job related

hearts and roses

Mind Reader
I recently had my review at work, ahem...10 months late. Anyway, while I did receive a cost of living increase, my boss informed me that I am at the peak of my position, with no real opportunity for merit raises in the future. I asked him if I could move into another field within our company, which I am already licensed for and am mostly trained in. I would need more training to take on larger cases. He said no. He said, "Don't you think you're a bit beyond starting that at this stage?" and then faded off (I recently learned that in addition to his inept son he's training for that position, he will be taking on his daughter for training as well!). Then I suggested perhaps getting into the marketing of our company and he said no again. He explained that the clients we service would rather have the personnel actually handling their accounts market them rather than a company representative.

Our business, like so many others, is slow. Has been slow for months. Business overall is supposedly down 30%, but I do a part of the books here and I can tell you, we're definitely in the black and doing well.

My job was scaled down last September (2008), so I don't have many day to day responsibilities, however, I am very busy and productive sporadically throughout the year.

Anyway, at the end of my review, I mentioned that I would like to go back to school and he became very excited and said that's a great idea. The company would pay my tuition. Awesome, right? Well, he would want me to take business courses and I don't really want to, but I am very interested in Human Resources, which I told him. Unfortunately, many companies are downsizing their human resource department and our company is only 12 employees so there is no real need for a human resource department, though I am technically it. So, I researched local schools and found that they have all dicontinued the Business Management: Human Resource programs!!! However, they still have Human Services, which is basically social work, psychology, etc. I've always wanted to do that. Always!

So, my question is, since the company is paying, do you think I should go to the local community college and take all the CORE courses I can that can be applied to any degree? I can save all the degree specific courses for last, or, as many as possible, and if the company won't pay for those, then I will. But in the meantime, I can take courses that the company will pay but eventually use them towards the degree of my choice. What do you think?
 

DammitJanet

Well-Known Member
I would do that. One thing though, most times the CC's want you on a certain track and tend to steer you into taking certain electives at certain times. This is because their degrees tend to disappear like mist in the rain. You can be taking the program and if you havent taken the elective that is supposed to get you that degree when it was originally offered...it may never be offered again! Have seen it happen here.
 
I would definitely take advantage of the company offering to pay for your classes, and getting those core classes out of the way is such a big help. I don't know if you have an official employee "handbook" with only 12 employees, but you might want to confirm that they would not require reimbursement for those classes, if you were to leave the company in a certain period of time. Some companies have been burned by people using them to get a degree and then taking it to another firm. Good luck to you!
 

Mattsmom277

Active Member
Heck, I say go for it!! If you do core courses until those are completed, even if your employer requires you to take other courses to graduate that aren't what you'd choose, you are getting a great gift here. Also, you may down the line want to use those original core courses and pay on your own to get another degree by building fresh off the core courses in the field that you truly want.
This job sounds like a blessing, in that its steady employment. But it sounds like a problematic position in many ways. I say if they are offering educational perks and school is an interest for you, dust off your book bag and enjoy adult education :). I can't see you regretting it even if your boss steers you in a direction you wouldn't have chosen if you had complete control over the decision.
 

Suz

(the future) MRS. GERE
Jo, I hate to play the devil's advocate on this so tell me why this isn't so. This seems somewhat deceptive to your employer, especially since you know going in that he has ruled your preferred major out.

I would recommend that you definitely make sure there aren't any rules about paying back the company for classes that don't benefit the company in the long run (the company I work for has that kind of clause).

Since you are also related to your boss, I would also consider the potential toll this might have on your family, if any.

Suz
 

susiestar

Roll With It
First of all, I believe that it is illegal for him to turn down your request for a new position because you are "too old to start over". Blatant age discrimination.

I don't know about the college courses. Read the fine print, make SURE that it is in writing and NOTARIZED. Having it notarized will keep him from being able to back out.

I am sorry he cannot see how truly inept his son is. Hopefully the daughter will be better?
 

hearts and roses

Mind Reader
We do have an employee handbook, though it does not cover anything in regards to educational reimbursement. I know that the company will pay for tuition with no expectation of reimbursement from me at all. They will cover all costs, from the admission fee to the books, etc. No worries there. I think this is a gift that my boss (brother in law) is knowingly giving me since he will not of cannot offer any further growth within the company.

He needs me in the position I am in. Things are slow, it's true, but I support four offices total for all human resource issues as well just being the 'go to' person for the company, often before anyone even goes to the boss. I'm the answer person. I've been with him since he started the company in 1997 - almost 13 years and prior to that I worked with him at the company he defected from beginning in 1993 when I was newly separated from my exh...so we've worked together well for all these years.

What I have to do is focus on me and my future, especially now because I can with my two girls grown and making their own way, and not focus so much on how he's planning to utilize his two adult children in this business. That's his thing, his business, his ultimate problem, if you ask me. But no one asked me! Hahaha, so I just have to do what's beneficial for me. I'm calling the admissions office today at the CC of my choice to schedule a meeting with them and see which credits I already have will apply to the degree program I'm interested in. If I do a 'General Education' degree program, the company will pay all. Later, if I choose to continue, which I will, I can then focus on my desired major and transfer to a local state college.

Thanks for the feedback; with all that's going on in so many people's lives here, I know this seems trivial, but thanks again~
 

WhymeMom?

No real answers to life..
Might also be worth a call to the state college just to make sure what "core" courses will transfer from CC...... sometimes the state wants you to take their core courses and won't give full credit for courses taken at other facilities...... would state college have a "satellite" campus near by? With nothing written down about college credit I would make sure that fees were paid upfront and that you were planning to stay at your workplace for at least 2 years after your last course taken. I think that would be the fair way to handle it for both of you.
 
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