Dilemma: Let's say you're working for a big company, a reputable company, a rich and powerful company, as a contractor. Let's say that a month after you finished the job, they haven't paid you. They claim they liked your work, and they even want to give you more work, but you're still mulling that missing paycheck. You asked your boss, and she apologizes, says she forgot to file the pay request with HR. A month later, you ask again and she apologizes again, saying she's been swamped with work. Every time, it's a new excuse. Always really nice. Always apologetic. You offer to talk to HR, but she ignores the request. And still, no paycheck.You've worked for other companies in the industry, so you know it doesn't usually take this long. As far as you can tell, the only explanation is that your boss is reallllllly busy, or she's distracted and doesn't realize how much you need the money really. Probably a little of both.
At what point do you storm in and ask for your money? Talk to your boss's boss? Email HR?
You realize that if you make your boss look bad, she'll be less likely to want to work with you in the future. And except for the minor lack of paycheck part, it's a great job. Great experience. Major resume booster. Definitely want to keep working for them. And minus the delayed paycheck, the boss is awesome. Good feedback, receptive to ideas, everything you want in a boss.
That's what happened today -- I asked once again -- and my boss replied 'so sorry, really busy today, will do it asap.' Again.
What should one do?
What would you do?
Any advice out there??? Sigh.
Gained: Still nothing.
After this phone call and email, I met up with Tee, a friend who's in town. Tee was a regular feature of this blog a few months ago -- she lives in Northern California, where she's a professor.
In high school, she was the first person I ditched with. It was "cross-cultural day," and ironically that was the day we decided to skip out. Ironic, because she is one of the most cultural people I know. Travels the world, speaks several languages, has friends of many backgrounds. And I love other cultures as least as much as my own. But her fresh driver's license, new Ford explorer (in the glorious gas guzzling days of the late 90s! now she has a Prius) and the nearby Denny's (now a gas station, alas) meant FREEDOM.
Today, she gave me her take on life in academia, and the more I think about it, the less inclined I am to apply for university jobs. For her, it's perfect. She's brilliant. An intellectual powerhouse, and a gifted teacher. As for me, for 7 years, in grad school, I've been in academia but yearning to get out. Working on the side in my secret industry, now blogging. Always planning my academia exit strategy. If I were a prof, it might only be so I could count down until I could get out again, once tenure review came up. Is that fair to my students? fair to me?
I know, mama, you think I should be a professor. "What an easy lifestyle! You teach for an hour, then relax all day!" Well, why don't you chat with Tee? Heehee.
Any other profs out there want to back me up? Comments welcome below!
Who knows. Maybe I'll give academia a shot, if I find something really compatible. But more likely, not.
Talking to Tee, though, gave me a great career idea. I'd never have to beg for a paycheck again. It's a growing field. It's a natural progression given my professional backgrounds. And if I play my cards right, I could name my own salary.
Now, just have to make it happen!!!!!
(No asking involved here, but since this blog is, to a degree, about becoming assertive, planning a career trajectory and preparing to negotiate that magical starting salary, this idea is one piece in the puzzle.)
I work in a small private college, have been an adjunct teacher, and know the inside of what tenured profs go through. Believe me, it's not teach an hour and relax the rest of the day. It's not the teaching work, incessant politics between departments and in departments, or the unending schedule of committee meetings.
ReplyDeleteIt's that once you get tenure, you're locked into that school's politics/economic situation for careerlife. Administration decisions/changes, department changes, student profile changes--you're stuck with it for decades, whatever comes. And no tenured professor can leave and get respect from another institution unless they're majorly famous and above all the institution's normal demands.
Some people can see tenure as a safe secure locked-in life. Others see it as a trap they can only escape by leaving a foot behind.
About getting that check you are owed. I have been freelance so know how difficult that can be, but the longer you let them do that the more likely it is to somehow become impossible. So I would call, remind whomever that you finished the work xxx days ago and you'd like a check by the end of the week, by Monday, by a time not too far away. Then say that you will be "coming over to pick up the check" on that day and what would be the best time. Then do it. I have always left with a check.
ReplyDelete..."a trap they can only escape by leaving a foot behind" -- ouch. Beautifully stated. Thanks for your insights.
ReplyDeleteRE: the check
ReplyDeleteI write a memo to the person who was supposed to approve the check and follow up - EVERY week - with another written memo and a copy of the previous memo(s) attached. Eventually they get sick of getting the memos.
Also, if you leave the job, for whatever reason, you have a paper trail that shows they still owe you money. When money is involved (or comp time) alwaysw create a paper trail.
Re: academia, it's difficult to give a piece of advice that will suit everybody, for the reason that everybody is different.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I like the fact that it's not a 9-5 job; but lack of structure can be a negative too.
Above all, I like the fact that I essentially work for myself and set my own agenda. For example, I choose my own research topics. That makes my life slightly less meaningless than if it were otherwise, since my aim is not to help a company make more money or a newpaper gain more readers: my aim is to satisfy my own curiosity. But then there can be a trade-off between meaning and usefulness: satisfying my curiosity is an individual pursuit, of little practical social value. So I am literally useless. A scholar such as you who writes on balconies in literature is equally useless. A carpenter is more useful than you and me.
I should add that there are different types of academic jobs. If trying to publish a lot is too stressful, you can always get a job at a teaching college, where the demand to publish is much less severe.
It's a stressful job, but personally I've found it rewarding.
I saw the comment above on post-tenure departmental politics and committee work.
ReplyDeleteThat may not be one of the bright spots of the job, but I think politics is a universal feature of jobs in which one wields some influence and power. Suppose you become a top manager or editor in a newspaper. Then you'll have to worry about hirings, firings, assigning which reporter to which story, competition with other newspapers, etc. Same thing.
Is tenure a trap? I don't see why it would be more of a trap than any other job. One thing tenure offers that other jobs don't is unparalleled job security, a feature that becomes more important as you grow older, have children, and settle down.