posted
I was up for a huge promotion these past few months, and yesterday my manager called me in to his office and told me that the corporate office had declined to hire me for the specific position I had recently applied for, due to a surplus of candidates. They said I was not the most qualified applicant despite having a specific request for me from the Store manager and completely glowing reviews and letters of recommendations from all my current and past managers.
I have worked at JCPenney for about 4 years now, and at this point I am not sure I want to continue working there. My management team approached me about management opportunities in November, not the other way around, so I am feeling a little out of sorts about the whole process.
In reality I am pissed off, frustrated, and severely disappointed.
At the store level the support has been outstanding the whole time. My store manager tried every possible trick in the book he knew to get me into a position, and he is the one who told me I was overqualified for the initial position I we were looking at, a specialty manager position. He wanted me to apply for a full blown sales manager position, which is what we did. It was more responsibility, but much greater pay and advancement opportunities.
Now I have to decide what to do. Do I stay with the same company but go after a lesser specialty manager position? My manager recommended switching to Fine Jewelry if I wanted to pursue that option, as shoes and jewelry are the departments that have the those managers positions. There will be 8 stores opening in the next year in FL, as well as a number of people retiring and being promoted, so it isn't a bad option, providing I trust them to actually promote me next time.
The good part about this is I would make more money in Jewelry to begin with than I ever did in suits. Also, specialty managers are hired at the store level, and that is where my greatest level of support is. If this last promotion had been decided at the store level I would be moving out there right now rather than bitching about not getting it.
My manager also told me he felt I was wasted doing my job, that it was beneath my abilities. He offered to get me another job in sales, saying he felt I could "sell snow to an Eskimo", and that I might be happier there as the money would be better. Less consistent, but better overall, at least while the economy remains decent. He said he could make one of five calls for me, including a car dealership that is very hard to get into (I didn't ask for details yet), where I would probably make more than double what I currently make.
He doesn't want to get rid of me by any means, but he is a really cool guy who is almost as aggravated with corporate as I am, and wants me to succeed even if it isn't with this company.
I also have a few other options, but they aren't definite, and I have no idea what they pay in reality.
Talk about a downer; JenniK and I were going to start considering having kids if I had gotten the Lakeland position. Now I am not sure if I even still have a job. . . at least a job I want to return to, that is.
I took yesterday and today off to think about this, at my store managers suggestion. Unfortunately I am no closer to deciding. I am redoing my resume to make it less JCPenney specific, and I called one of the guys who offered me a job a month ago; I sold him suits and he liked me so much he tried to hire me.
All in all this just really sucks, though. Posts: 15082 | Registered: Jul 2001
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posted
I'd personally do both - send out the resume and see what opportunities there are, and try to get the better department at Penney's.
Posts: 51 | Registered: May 2006
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posted
If I were an eskimo, I'd buy snow from you!
All I can say is, good luck! You are such an open, honest, and infectiously cheerful person I can't see how you couldn't be given a kick-ass position. Go get em!
Posts: 3636 | Registered: Oct 2001
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posted
Sounds like you have a great deal of support from people who can make the difference for you (though, perhaps, not right where you were hoping they would, right now).
It also sounds like you have a few good choices available. Choices is nice. You get to think, "What do I really want to do?"
I mean, not what I want to do...what you want to do. Oh...you know what I mean!
posted
It's frustrating when an organisation sidetracks you for artibrary reasons. If you're not getting the opportunities you deserve at the company you work for, then look elsewhere. Simple as that. Why dedicate yourself to a company that refuses to return the favour?
Posts: 3 | Registered: May 2006
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posted
If it were me, I'd be looking to move on from JC Penney's. Companies that don't know how to take care of their valued employees don't deserve the service of those employees.
Posts: 5462 | Registered: Apr 2005
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posted
Take the job in jewelry and make sure you keep it for at least 3 years. My wife is expecting something big for our 10-year anniversary and I could use a man on the inside. Posts: 4625 | Registered: Jul 2002
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posted
I am probably goinig to retrain in another department, but continue to send out and actively seek other managerial positions with other companies...or high paying sales jobs as well, I guess. That way I am still getting a paycheck, still working for two highly supportave bosses, and keep my time in service for vacations and whatnot.
I will be honest...while I am flattered by his opinion of me, and know that I would eventually do a great job as a sales manager, I thought he was crazy when he told me what to apply for in the first place. Sales Manager is only two steps from a store manager (big steps, but still), and usually only goes to people with college degrees AND 5 years of experience. He was trying to get me in, bypassing the entire manager training program.
It would ahve been a crazy 6 months learing on the job.
I think a specialty manager position palys to my strengths, and according to Ron and Jim there would be no corperate involvment in the hiring process, meaning they can almost promise me. Ron even said " I don't want you as a salesperson, you deserve much better than that. This would just be for seasoning, so we could say you had experience in the department when a Specialty Manager position opens up.".
I really like the manager in shoes, and don't know the one in jewelry at all; but I think at this store jewelry pays better. Also, I woudl have better career options as a jewelry salesperson in the future if I leave Penney.
posted
Rob, I told Ross about my opinion on getting into accounting (that I expressed on that other thread) and he responded the exact same way you did, almost word for word. I laughed and told him you'd said the same thing. Salesmen are salesmen no matter what they sell, I think. Big trucks or suits.
So I have to wonder if you might be happiest finding a company whose products you really like or think highly of, then try to get into sales there. Ross really believes in his product, which makes the stress of it all worth it (most of the time... ). The money will follow.
edit: I'm sorry that you didn't get that job. I remember you talking about it when we were there in December. Hard to have so much build up for it not to go the way you'd hoped.
Posts: 5948 | Registered: Jun 2001
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I am going to be looking into higher paying sales jobs as well as possible management jobs, I guess. The Orlando area is still booming, although not quite as strongly as the past few years. I should be able to move up one way or another.
Jenni's cousin works for Carmax, and the part time sales people there make over $30,00. They are not a high pressure sales place either, which is the only reason I would consider it; I HATE high pressure salespeople, and don't want to turn into one myself. Posts: 15082 | Registered: Jul 2001
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Big trucks or suits.![[Wink]](wink.gif)
). The money will follow.
