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Author Topic: Unfair Treatment of employees Hieu Trung Ngo Film Handler Posts: 16 From: Quincy, MA, USA Registered: Jul 2005 posted 05-25-2006 03:28 PM                     Just looking for some advice here. I've been getting the runaround about being promoted for a while here. I've tried talking to the managers and they tell me to "keep at it". All the while, people are getting promoted left and right around me. I understand there are qualified people, but I've been with the company for 4 and a half years. I just transferred to this theatre a year ago as a projectionist, with aspirations of becoming an assistant manager. The managers here tell me I need to prove myself to them on the floor, even though I had been promoted to supervisor a year earlier (albeit a different theatre). I get them wanting to refresh my knowledge because i've been in the booth so long (according to them), but I don't get many chances because the booth is barely staffed well enough as it is. I feel like this is taking too long but keep getting that "keep at it" talk. How long is too long to be getting the runaround, and what would you guys suggest doing? Is it bad to be discouraged amid rumors that other people are being considered more highly even though they aren't even working at the theatre at this point? Any Advice would be helpful  |  IP: Logged Paul J. Neuhaus Expert Film Handler Posts: 126 From: Iraq.. Again! Registered: Jun 2005 posted 05-26-2006 06:52 PM                     The bottom line. And, i'm not trying to be rude here I'm trying to help...... You are not being considered for promotion!! I don't know you nor do I know your theatre but that is the bottom line Managers are giving you the run around and you feel it. Now where to go from here...... Here's the deal it is not going to come to you. You will have to make it happen or place events in your favor to get it that way. The more that you ask about your promotion the more you will be frustrated that it is not happening and ultimately it will NOT make you a better employee which in turn can hurt your chances at promotion. It is a real ego bust but sitting down and figuring out or even asking how did "they" do it? How did the other guys get promoted. Along the line some people just get promoted on charisma alone which is frustrating because you posses more job skills and proficiency!! Alright first of all you need to know what you know. Get a resume together to apply for the possition you want whether or not it is needed is not important but this will help organize your job skills and help you interview yourself for the possition you want......ask yourself where do I need improvement... If the answer keeps coming back that you have the skills then ask yourself how to better get noticed in those job areas. The best fit for the job already does the job!! Frustrating as it is if you want the job you need to posses the experience.... It can be a privelege to work outside your job title. Do not take on a "i don't get paid for that" attitude. If you do ... You will not get paid for that and will not get that job!! Always seek more responsibility and do it with enthusiam. Regardless of how long you have worked for somebody the bad news is they don't "owe" you anything. You get paid to be a proficient professional at what you do.... That is it. Do your best and push a team attitude. Accomplish things with others and always seek more.... and more.... Do all this with a contagiously great attitude that emits mutual respect not condesention. The easiest way to get promoted is to get your boss promoted out of a job and step in..... I didn't say ass kissing ... I mean good old fassioned work and plenty of it. Do a personal inventory and give yourself the tools to get the job you want! You CAN get promoted... get yourself there!! Paul  |  IP: Logged Frank Angel Film God Posts: 5305 From: Brooklyn NY USA Registered: Dec 1999 posted 05-27-2006 04:15 PM                        Man, Paul...VERY well put; great work-ethic. I think I am going to print that out and post it all over the theatre so some of my coworkers can read it! quote: Hieu Trung Ngo I just transferred to this theatre a year ago as a projectionist, with aspirations of becoming an assistant manager. But Hieu, Assistant Manager is a step up from Projectionist? I thought it was the other way around....Assistant Managers were aspiring to be Projectionists!  |  IP: Logged Caleb Johnstone-Cowan Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 593 From: London, UK Registered: Mar 2006 posted 05-27-2006 08:32 PM                     There's no way being 'an' assistant manager is a step up from projection. Being 'the' assistant manager would be a good promotion perhaps, but even then any job where you don't have to deal with customers is pretty sweet.  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 05-28-2006 02:01 AM                     kinda like .. go the second mile if you really want something..can't be handed to you expectedly. Plus, if you want repect, you need to learn how to give it wholeheartedly to show that you deserve repect. Be on their team and don't fight them..be one of them by showing service without any conditional attitudes. - which is common thing nowdays in a youth oriented workforce..they want it all without any effort on their part. -Monte  |  IP: Logged Hieu Trung Ngo Film Handler Posts: 16 From: Quincy, MA, USA Registered: Jul 2005 posted 05-30-2006 09:00 AM                     Thanks for your advice everyone. I'll keep it all in mind. As for the "promotion" thing. I also don't really feel like being an assistant manager is a promotion, though thats what its being called. I just want a little job security as we've been told projectionists only aren't too common for our new company. Thanks again.  |  IP: Logged Paul Goulet Master Film Handler Posts: 347 From: Rhode Island Registered: Jan 2000 posted 05-30-2006 06:55 PM                        hey Hieu Trung, Can I ask who you work for?  |  IP: Logged Paul J. Neuhaus Expert Film Handler Posts: 126 From: Iraq.. Again! Registered: Jun 2005 posted 05-31-2006 02:34 AM                     That is not a good reason to become an assistant manager. An Assistant Manager is basicaly the catch all position and the position that gets the least credit around the house. The Assistant Manager should want his own theatre. Should run the place like it was his own and have a vested interest in the overall buisiness of the theatre. You can't just want to get paid more money or be the last one on the chopping block which is what I take from your "job security" comment. Don't get me wrong I am not pro Management or Projectionist i am judging from your comments that you are not a fit for an assistant manager possition with that attitude. Not to mention if you are not into the concession and boxoffice thing (which is only a fraction of what management is responsible for) then you will be missing that booth like there was no tommorow. Yes, managers are aspiring projectionists (not only for the reasons that I won't go into now about little to no training etc..) but because if you had a love for it and then you have to trust somebody else with it..... You will miss it my man ... you will miss it B A D!! you have to do it for the right reasons.... Do it because you want to stick around in this industry and make a good impact on every area of operation you can... or just stay in the booth Besides, thats not a bad thing... The booths a good place to be!  |  IP: Logged Monte L Fullmer Film God Posts: 8367 From: Nampa, Idaho, USA Registered: Nov 2004 posted 05-31-2006 02:46 AM                     quote: Hieu Trung Ngo As for the "promotion" thing. I also don't really feel like being an assistant manager is a promotion, though thats what its being called. I just want a little job security as we've been told projectionists only aren't too common for our new company. Ummm....this really doesn't sound too good then. For, if this just another position to fill then..an assistant manager - job with a title, instead of title with the job..if you know what I mean...a dime a dozen employee then.. Is there a job description in your company allowing the position of a projectionist, or is it just under another job descriton that this falls under...? Some companies do not have the job description in their workforce positions. It's either management, or floor employees. In any case, it's just a position that needs to be filled and proper training will occur in these allowed positions.. Really, the only way that job security can really take place in the projection field and that is if you had any technicical know-how... and know how to fix things instead of that company having to call in a service tech for occurances and checkups.. This could buy you a ticket for security then...for these are rare to find that is working in the theatre company itself.  |  IP: Logged Dominic Espinosa Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1172 From: Boulder Creek, CA. Registered: Jan 2004 posted 06-05-2006 03:46 AM                     The question is your track record with THIS theatre and THIS company that you're working for. Speaking as a manager sometimes you can have a long termer who looks good on paper (i.e. no write ups, no cash handling errors, no run-ins with peers, etc.) but just isn't cut out for the gig. I'm not saying this is you, I've been in your shoes before; wanting/deserving a promotion and getting the run around. But where the rubber meets the road are you really cut out to be in THAT position at THAT theater?  |  IP: Logged Christopher Duvall Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 500 From: Denver, CO Registered: Dec 1999 posted 06-06-2006 01:37 AM                     I have also been there. I got the run around when I was a lower tier assistant. I took a self inventory saw what was needed to get the job done. As a GM now for the past 9 years, the last thing I ever want to do is lead my potentials on. The best thing to do is ask point blank what you need to do to get yourself in that position and ask them not to sugar coat. Be prepared to take a bitter pill but you will be better for it. However, just do it once and do not make a pest of yourself. That will definately turn the GM off to you. The "keep at it" talk seems a bit of a cop out and apears that the GM does not like confrontations. Good luck  |  IP: Logged Robert John Jeromson Master Film Handler Posts: 264 From: Auckland, New Zealand Registered: Jul 2004 posted 06-06-2006 03:34 PM                     Some time ago when I had aspirations of being a technical manager our GM sat down with me and basically laid out what he believed was holding me back. I had previously signalled my intentions to move forward with the company but either through lack of forsight or maturity I hadn't considered what I would actually need to do to get there, it was never going to be a matter of being appointed, I was going to have to earn it. Anyway, I felt a little deflated after the "chat" but after careful consideration of his comments and some self assesment I made some concious improvements to the way I went about things and eventually, some 9 months later, got the position I wanted. I am very greatful that he took the time to lay it out for me warts and all, had he not done that I would still be downstairs. Now whenever possible I offer my staff guidence and support and yes sometimes tell them things they don't want to hear (respectfully of course), the commited ones take it seriously the others, well, they're never around very long anyway. The short of it is if you're not moving forward fast enough for your liking there is usually a reason and you will do yourself an enourmous favour finding out what that reason is.  |  IP: Logged

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