I have a meeting with my new VP today. I really dislike these things! I am quiet and shy, just don't talk much, and it's hard to do these 1-on-1 things. It's like a job interview all over again and I've been here 16 years!

I spoke to a co-worker and who has had his meeting and he said it was OK... not easy but OK. He said he was put on the spot and drilled about things a few times. He did say something very nice that I appreciate. When asked, out of the three of us who work on the IP Telephony systems, who was the best he said hands down it was me. I'll be sure to return the favor and one of his strong point is that he handles all the Executives and their Assistants. Does a lot of hand-holding and individual work with them. I REALLY appreciate that because I don't want to do it.

Wish me luck.

Good luck!!

I am sure you will do fine! Keep us posted.

Deep breath - remember - you have all the knowledge, just let it show. Good luck!

good luck.

Good luck and let us know how it went :D:D:D

Hope things go/went well! You are not alone in your dislike of these kind of meetings. I hate this type of thing too! But, no one could ever call me shy, and as for talking, my mom used to say I was vaccinated by a phonograph needle! LOL

Marjpf is right...you have 16 years of experience and knowledge...just let your light shine!

Dang... I talked so much I feel hoarse! He asked some tough questions but I got through them. Some were technical like asking about setting up a Call Center and E911. Most were non-technical and more about my team and management.

It was OK. :D

I walked away with a bunch of tasks though that I wrote down as soon as I got to my desk to I don't forget them.

Good to hear it went okay. Since you got new tasks, shows he knows you are capable!

Pam, I have to tell you the perspective from the "other" side of the desk. There is no reason to be scared. If you are shy, most likely your boss/or whomever already knows that. Your work speaks volumes about your talents. Generally the meetings are to find out how you are feeling about lots of aspects related to your job and your ability to work to the best of your ability. Like...what stands in your way. The questions asked will give insite into that type of thing. When I had "those" one/one meetings with my employees...I came away with lots of work to do to try to meet their needs. So...really don't worry about that type of thing.

Sounds like you did just fine though. :lol:

WAAAAAY to go!!! I knew that your knowledge and experience would stand up to whatever got thrown at you! AND you have been given new projects. Seems to me the boss sees that you are a capable person, especially getting your input on the setting up of a call center and E911.

Sounds like you aced it! Congrats!

Thanks all. :) He did ask me if I had any advice to give HIM on management. I said my view on management was to recognize what your people are naturally like, what they are strong in, and use it. Usually, a person's strong point would be something they enjoy doing, and would do it well. He, and the company, would benefit.

I was very happy to hear that he thought that I was the one who had learned the most about the new systems in all areas. I thanked him and told him there was still a lot I needed to learn but that I enjoyed my work and learning new things. Hopefully sending him info about training that he asked for will result in getting the classes I want to take.

I have been worried, as everyone else, about the layoffs that have been happening. In a closely related department there were two women (the only women in that department) that were let go. It was shocking as they both had been here for 20+ years.

There's no guarantee of keeping my job and I need to stay valuable and keep my skills up to date.

Glad to hear that your meeting went well. Glad you covered your material well.

I work for Hubby and with Son and Daughter we don't have anything like that, I don't think I could handle a job like that. No chance of me loosing my job either.

Glad it went well today Pam. You are a smart lady, I have faith he was blown away by you!!!

How's your QQ doing?

I wish there was no way I could lose my job... unless I wanted to. :-D If I was REALLY smart, I wouldn't need to work at all!

Reminds me of a routine of Bobcat Goldthwait. "I lost my job. No, I didn't really lose my job. I know where my job is. It's just, when I go there, there's this new guy doing it." Later in the routine he says, "I lost my girlfriend. No, I didn't really lose my girlfriend. I know where she is....." :lol:

The QQ is going OK. I got the other table support on and got the pieces of the table on and partially bolted down. I unpacked the carriage and set it on the bars. It's starting to look like a real one. I also found that I need six 10' poles, not five. The 6th one is for the batting. I can still put it all together without it, of course, and make another trip this weekend to the home store.

There's still a lot of work to do on it and I need 40' of velcro to attach the leaders to the rails and to attach the leaders to the quilt backs. I saw that on Sharon Schamber's Network. I also saw how she makes side leaders with PVC pipe and canvas for the clamps to attach to instead of directly to the quilt so that the tension is even and not pulled on just where the clamps are.

So very glad to hear it went well!! I'm also very quiet, prefering to get my job done without necessarily drawing attention to myself. Unfortunately, the old adage "the squeaky wheel gets the ?? oil ??" is very true. My immediate management might know what I'm doing and like my work but that message isn't always communicated to those above.

In my company, we're "laddered" once a year; i.e., everyone's photo is placed on a table and then ranked by their work, etc. Those higher on the ladder get the bigger raises and/or promotions. The key is VISIBILITY. If upper management knows you, you slide up the ladder more easily.

I've been here for 27 years but that doesn't guarantee anything, especially now-a-days. Your idea of needing "to stay valuable and keep my skills up to date" is oh so true. Well done!

I have never heard of such a thing as "laddering". That just sounds really strange to me.

I totally understand about being visiable or not. I do often feel that I am not that visible to management. Most everyone at the company knows me as "The Phone Lady" but that doesn't mean that anyone knows what I do to ensure that their phones work. People are used to network or servers being down sometimes but just let the telephones be down for a few minutes and the entire company is in an uproar! It's something that sits on the desk and is taken for granted until it doesn't work.

I have NO idea what you mean! :-)

Thankfully, I've never been in a "service" type of job, if that's the correct word. I'm usually a very calm, gentle, person but am afraid if I had your job (i.e., trying to work with the phone public), I'd be locked up by now.

As for laddering, it's just my company's strange way of ranking people. There have been many complaints over the years but, as with most large companies, it takes a bazooka to change some things.

I'll be thinking of you. I hate that kind of thing too.

I don't work with the phone public, I administer a corporate telephone system with offices across the US. I've worked on traditional telephone systems and we're now on a VoIP (Voice over IP), which is voice over the data network like Comcast Voice. Someone in our Washington DC office can pick up a phone, dial a 4 digit extension, and reach someone in our California office.

I install and configure telephones, voicemail, Call Centers, call accounting systems, telephone circuits, audio conferencing, etc.

I could never work on a phone myself, taking and making calls to customers. I am behind the scenes making sure the phones work for those who do.

Sorry, I didn't mean to minimize your job responsibilities! I was only trying to say that .... oh, whatever. Again, sorry.

BTW - I know what all that stuff is. Good for you!

I didn't take offense. :) I often find that when I say I work on telephone systems that people think that I answer phones, work as a receptionist, or something of that nature. I usually have to explain that I work on the SYSTEMS, not the phone.

Oh, I understand! Am in the same situation myself, all too often.

Hope it all goes well!!!!!!!!!! I hate those type meetings also!