Q: I have been with the same company for 10 years, and have always been valued and thought of highly by my bosses and peers. About four months ago, our department got a new vice president. His expectations for my position and our whole department are different from those of my previous boss, and yesterday he put me on probation (the step before getting fired).
In the documentation for my probation, he indicated that I was not proficient enough with technology, even though that was never expected of me in the past. I am in my late 60s and can't afford to lose my job, but I am not sure that I will ever be able to meet his expectations.
Honestly, I feel like I am being targeted because of my age. Do I have any recourse, or do I just need to hang in there until I get fired and try to make a claim for unemployment? I am doing my best to try to address the issues outlined, but some of the expectations seem so unrealistic, I'm not sure I can meet them and I am being set up to fail. I have never been fired from any job, and this is very stressful.
A: This is really a tough situation for you. Have you had a conversation with your boss to learn more about his expectations and have you been able to ask questions to learn why these expectations are different from your previous boss?
In other words, do you understand what the new expectations are for your work and why they are different? If not, I would set up that meeting with your boss. You have nothing to lose to have that meeting and it might help you know what is going on in his head - that is, what has changed in the company to make the expectations for your job different. Is his boss someone new? Has that person changed the expectations for the company and your area of work? It would be good to learn as much as you can.
Also, do you have an HR person you can go to talk to about these issues - to learn their perspective and to share your concerns? That would also be an important thing to do, and might be very helpful for you to have someone you can talk with. In addition, are there any other higher-level managers you are close to that you can talk with to see if something has changed in the company?
You really need more information here and to learn as much as possible about the situation. HR can also help if you are concerned about possible age discrimination.
If you have a conversation with your boss, you can also let them know about your commitment to the company and to doing a great job, and in trying to better understand what he is looking for so that you can be successful with the company.
How to leverage multiple offers
Q: I am competing for a promotion in my current agency (I was a close second for the last promotion opportunity, so the chance of me getting it is pretty good), but I am most interested in a position in an outside agency that I am interviewing for. Any advice on how to negotiate with the outside agency on salary (at the new promotion level) or encourage a quick offer?
A: Very tricky question, but a good one. Would you take the promotion if the outside offer does not come through? If so, then it makes sense for you to continue to apply for the promotion. But, if there is no way that you would ever take the promotion job, then it really is not a good idea to apply for it since you are leading them on without ever wanting to take the job.
With the outside agency, you could let them know you are very interested in them and let them know that you are in final stages for another job (that would be your internal one, but you don't have to volunteer where it is at), and ask what their timeline or process is for letting you know what they are doing. It might speed them up to move faster.
I also think you are fine to negotiate with the outside agency based on the new promotion level since you would not leave your company for a lateral move anyway.
Russell is the vice dean and the director of the Executive Coaching and Leadership Development Program at the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business.
