Help!! Workplace frustration to the max!!!

[sweetpeamom25]

I just need to vent for awhile, my job/workplace is driving me crazy!!!

I work for a small company, 10 people in the office at the most on any given day. We have other offices of business we manage, but in my actual office there are only about 10 people. They say they are all about you 'creating your own path', which sounds great doesn't it? But they won't give you any idea of options within the company, such as what kind of projects would I be working on? What would someone in that sort of position grow into? Some of my work is being transitioned to someone else to free me up for other opportunities, which in theory is great. However, I cannot get any details of those other opportunites. There's another team that they want me to work on, I was told that they can give me the topic of the work, but no details. Really? I was told they need some help and there are tasks that they are falling behind on, but they can't tell me what. It's not like it's some secret or anything, they are just that vague about things. This line of work would be new to me so I don't even know if I woudl like it, how can I say yes or no if they can't give me any details about the work? How can I be excited about a new role if they can't tell me what I'd be doing?

They also want me to create a 'development plan.' As in, what do I want to do, what will make me happy. I've been with this company for 2 1/2 years, I was very harshly docked in a review for not having a development plan. I have asked for details, info. etc. on other opportunities or work areas within the company. I've been told to tell THEM what I want to do. How can I tell them what I want to do if they can't tell me what the options are?

Am I just that crazy for wanting someone to say to me we have these projects A, B, C and you would be doing X, Y Z. And then I can say 'well I have skill A that I think would fit nicely with project B, and I can take a class in blah, blah that would help me learn about project C.'

I know I'm rambling, but I find it very frustrating that they can't give me any details!!! or any idea of what I would be doing!! Just that I'll be working with person A, B and C. They are putting it all on me. I think this is unfair and soooo frustrating!

How are things handled at your work? How are career plans, development plans, etc. created? How do you move up/around within your company? Do you know the work you would be doing before you decide to do it? Please, tell me how it is at other places, because I'm starting to fee like I'm crazy!!

[dara1012]

I would be really frustrated too. Some people are more creative thinkers who can make their own plans from nothing and other people are more concrete and want to know the options so they can develop a plan.

I would suggest since they seem to want you to do your own planning without direction from them that you spend some time really thinking about what you would like to do if you had the opportunity. Go to a coffeeshop or where ever you can think without being interrupted by kids and start journaling and brainstorming what you love to do. Or if you are a verbal processor call your best friend or meet up with someone who can help you brainstorm. Develop some ideas about what you want and present them to your employer.

At my job there is a very structured hierarchy so when I started 10+ years ago I new what positions were opportunities for promotion. I have been at the highest level for awhile and whenever I feel like I am not intellectually challenged or stimulated enough by my job I talk to the COO and we find a temporary project to take on. This eventually led to them developing a new position for me in addition to my current role. Eventually I realized that in order to have opportunities outside of my current employer I needed to go to school and I do grad school in addition to my full time job. Sometimes life and jobs are about creating opportunities for yourself and putting your dreams out there.

Good luck!

[bumblebee23]

Doesn't sound like they are really giving you the option of saying no to being transfered. Maybe you can speak to the other people in the group they want you to work in and ask them what it is they are working on? If they won't give you any details about anything just maybe a plan for something you would like to see yourself doing/working on. If they won't tell you anything use your imagination at least then you would have a plan and they can stop harrassing you about it.

I work in a small office too. Not really any room for me to move up to anywhere but at least I would know where I am going and what I would be doing. Best of luck!