Please allow me to vent about work

[saluki9]

OMG I'm going to scream!!!!!

I'm a portfolio manager for a medium size investment advisory firm in Chicago. Usually I'm a behind the scenes guy (I'm kind of like Dilbert in that they don't want me in front of the clients too much because I tend to tell the truth)

So, by force I was taken to a client dinner because this client tends to ask lots of questions about their account and they wanted to have somebody there to answer questions. So, I had to sit there (eating some pretty decent food) for 3.5 HOURS!!! listening to the client go on about how hard it is to live on $500K p/y (they were seriously complaining) down from $1.1M. Then I got the jolly task of explaining to them how we actually did a good job for them last year and they earned around 10.5% after fees on a fairly conservative accout blah blah blah....


So, after 3 hours or so, I was itching to get home (my wife was home sick) and after 3.5 hours we leave (to drive home another hour at which point it's now 11:00)

So today, I get called in by the senior people. I was thinking it might have been "great job, the clients are happy" NOPE! Instead, "you looked anxious to leave that meeting, it was an embarrasment to the firm"
I thought I was going to throw something

 

[setab]

You should have thrown something.

setab

 

[saluki9]

You should have thrown something.

setab

I thought about it for a second.

 

[setab]

Frankly, stories such as yours convince me that retiring even from a government position is the correct thing to do. When I was in private legal practice (a generation ago) I worked for someone like you described. Makes me want to never go back.

setab

 

[brewer12345]

Look at it this way: ain't no way they will be bringing you to another client schmooze any time soon.

 

[saluki9]

Look at it this way: ain't no way they will be bringing you to another client schmooze any time soon.

Man, I hope that's true. I remember when I first found this forum I asked if the people who FIRE'd were worried about losing their "perks" like expense accounts etc. I see know why there was nobody in agreement.

 

[cube_rat]

Saluki, I'm going through the same kind of crap myself. They squeeze the life out you and then smack you if you need to attend to personal matters. I have orders for bloodwork that I received in December(!) that I can't get to because of the hell hole I'm working in. It will change very soon...

 

[maddythebeagle]

Man, I hope that's true. I remember when I first found this forum I asked if the people who FIRE'd were worried about losing their "perks" like expense accounts etc. I see know why there was nobody in agreement.

I will miss my office supplies I better start hoarding now.

 

[REWahoo]

I will miss my office supplies I better start hoarding now.

I actually paid for some file folders last week! First time in 35 years.

 

[saluki9]

I will miss my office supplies I better start hoarding now.

I'm going to build my vacation home out of stack of post it notes.

 

[brewer12345]

Saluki, I'm going through the same kind of crap myself.  They squeeze the life out you and then smack you if you need to attend to personal matters.  I have orders for bloodwork that I received in December(!) that I can't get to because of the hell hole I'm working in.  It will change very soon...

Go get the damn blood work done before you drop dead, please. Take a sick day if you have to.

 

[HFWR]

No good deed goes unpunished...

 

[Outtahere]

I agree with Brewer, get the bloodwork done!!!

 

[retire@40]

I'm a portfolio manager for a medium size investment advisory firm in Chicago.  Usually I'm a behind the scenes guy (I'm kind of like Dilbert in that they don't want me in front of the clients too much because I tend to tell the truth)

So, by force I was taken to a client dinner because this client tends to ask lots of questions about their account and they wanted to have somebody there to answer questions. 

You are nothing but a money-making tool for the company for which you work.  You are there to make money for yourself and they use you like a human machine to generate a profit for the company.

They (the managers aka human tool operators) made the mistake of using the wrong tool for the wrong job, kinda like using the handle of a screwdriver to bang down a nail.

If you are good at what you normally do in your company, the company will keep you, but if they feel they can replace you with a more versatile human tool that can do your job plus be able and enjoy shmoozing (like a combination hammer-screwdriver in the example above) they will do it, so watch out for your self.

One question:  If you are very good in the financial arena, why not get licensed to be an independent financial planner and go out on your own?  I'm guessing it may be because you may rather work behind the scenes and not have much people contact.

 

[saluki9]

One question: If you are very good in the financial arena, why not get licensed to be an independent financial planner and go out on your own? I'm guessing it may be because you may rather work behind the scenes and not have much people contact.

I'll tell you why. I don't know how much experience you have in this business. Our firm's average account is in the $5M - $7M ballpark. These accounts aren't won on performance, they are won at the country club, tennis club, etc. I may be able to help client's get great returns, but you have to get the clients first. I'm honest enough with myself to know that I'm not the kind of guy who can do that. For the most part I'm perfectly happy sitting behind the three 20" monitors on my desk and doing my work.

At least here I'm able to do good things for our clients (most of the money is with DFA or ETF's) and make a very good living. Also our scale allows us to charge fees low enough that I'm able to sleep at night.

Also, I don't mind people contact (I'm actually like people) but allow me to re-enact a typical meeting when it comes to explaining our results to the clients...

ME: well Mr. Client, we were able to earn a solid return last year slightly above market averages while being well diversified and keeping our expenses low (It's hard for me, but I don't use any greek letter or statistical term in my conversation)

Client: Well, what % did we earn

Me: 9%

Client: Hmmmmmm..... One of the guys in my foursome at the club earned 120% last year by mortgaging his house and investing it all in google.

Me: You're welcome

 

[Ginger]

Saluki9 -- you can vent here. We all understand.

Everyone, please go to your doctor appointments, lab appointments, etc. No one at work cares about your health. You have to make it your priority to get the basics done. Just go do it... and don't put it off. Could save your life in the long run...

 

[brewer12345]

Also, I don't mind people contact (I'm actually like people) but allow me to re-enact a typical meeting when it comes to explaining our results to the clients...

ME: well Mr. Client, we were able to earn a solid return last year slightly above market averages while being well diversified and keeping our expenses low (It's hard for me, but I don't use any greek letter or statistical term in my conversation)

Client: Well, what % did we earn

Me: 9%

Client:  Hmmmmmm..... One of the guys in my foursome at the club earned 120% last year by mortgaging his house and investing it all in google.

Me: You're welcome

The sad thing is that institutions are no better.

 

[Spanky]

saluki9,

As you say, I do not mind people contact, but I do not want to "kiss" up or receive crap.

Spanky

 

[SteveR]

Saluki9 -- you can vent here.  We all understand. 

Everyone, please go to your doctor appointments, lab appointments, etc.   No one at work cares about your health.  You have to make it your priority to get the basics done.   Just go do it... and don't put it off.  Could save your life in the long run...

I could not agree more.

Dying at your desk is no way to end a career. Leave you your own terms and remember that "the man" will push until you push back. If you don't take time for yourself and take care of yourself it is your own fault. Don't blame the job for it. I have done that a million times and no longer do that. You are responsible for you own health and the company does not give a crap if you do or not but your family does. If you won't do it for you then do it for your family.

I was carried out of my office once on a stretcher and I can assure you it is much easier to find time to take care of yourself for a couple of hours than be dead 24 hours a day.

 

[Nords]

I may be able to help client's get great returns, but you have to get the clients first.  I'm honest enough with myself to know that I'm not the kind of guy who can do that.  For the most part I'm perfectly happy sitting behind the three 20" monitors on my desk and doing my work. 

At least here I'm able to do good things for our clients (most of the money is with DFA or ETF's) and make a very good living.  Also our scale allows us to charge fees low enough that I'm able to sleep at night. 

Maybe you need one of Roy Weitz's jobs...

 

[HobbyDave]

Feel free to vent as long as I can disagree with some of your feelings

So, by force I was taken to a client dinner because this client tends to ask lots of questions about their account and they wanted to have somebody there to answer questions. So, I had to sit there (eating some pretty decent food) for 3.5 HOURS!!! listening to the client go on about how hard it is to live on $500K p/y (they were seriously complaining) down from $1.1M. Then I got the jolly task of explaining to them how we actually did a good job for them last year and they earned around 10.5% after fees on a fairly conservative accout blah blah blah....

First of all, how exactly were you taken by force? I assume by force you mean that you were told / expected to go, because that is a part of your job? I've worked in software for years, we're certainly "back office" people, but as a part of my career I've gone to plenty of dinners. And speaking of dinners, 3.5 hours is a pretty short business meeting when it comes down to it.

In software, we have to listen to clients (and upper management) talk about whatever they feel they want to talk about. I believe this is standard when doing any kind of business (in business for yourself, or for "the man"). The person paying the bills is generally treated well. Now I understand you may be frustrated as you were berated, but I think saying you were "forced" to go, and it was "3.5!!!" hours long, and you had the "jolly" task of explaining makes it seem as if you don't want to be working at all.

In general, most people need to work. While it's always fun to make fun of "horrible corporate workplaces", and "you are just a cog", etc, this situation doesn't seem to fit the bill. If you were just a cog in the machine, you would probably be expected to write a report and hand it off to some pointy haired boss who would talk to the client. Instead, you were given a great opportunity to have some face time with clients, and get some practice talking politely with important people. Even if you worked for a small company, or worked for yourself, you would still need to have long dinners, and you would still need to explain things to clients.

So, after 3 hours or so, I was itching to get home (my wife was home sick) and after 3.5 hours we leave (to drive home another hour at which point it's now 11:00)

I understand that your wife was sick so you wanted to get home, but getting home at 11pm is not such a horrible thing. Seems fairly reasonable, especially since you're saying that this is an uncommon thing. Once in awhile going to a business dinner is a good opportunity for almost any career plans. You can advance in your company, or you could learn skills for your own company, or learn marketable skills for other companies. In either case, it was a good opportunity. If your wife was "really" sick, then I think you could have bowed out of the whole thing (along with work for the day), but I'm getting the impression that you just wanted to be home. Not saying that I don't understand the feeling (when my wife takes a day off, it's hard for me to be at work at all), but it doesn't seem like such a terrible situation.

So today, I get called in by the senior people. I was thinking it might have been "great job, the clients are happy" NOPE! Instead, "you looked anxious to leave that meeting, it was an embarrasment to the firm"
I thought I was going to throw something

From your earlier post, it certainly sounds like you didn't want to be there, and you were anxious to leave. The senior people wanted to rely upon you to do an important task (a part of your job). It seems as if you let your personal feelings get in the way of your job. Everyone who works (again, for themselves, government, small / large businesses) generally has to do some things they don't like. Heck, I hate picking weeds, but it's a part of gardening. However, how you go about doing things is very important. If you was glancing at your watch over and over during dinner, as a client I would be upset, and as a business partner I would be upset. I think in general it's just bad manners.

Now, what I think you should be saying is: I am bad with people, I don't have the political or social skills to handle business situations. I am best in a back-office environment. I need to explain the situation to the senior staff, and make sure they understand that clients should never talk to me. If this is an unacceptable situation for them, I will need to find a company who understands my skillset.

 

[Nords]

Feel free to vent as long as I can disagree with some of your feelings

Hey, thanks Ceberon, for being so understanding & supportive and for making the posters feel comfortable sharing their feelings. 

I don't think a smiley face cuts it with those comments.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

I smell a 'bad boy' about to show up on someones next review.

You should have just told them that your wife was sick and you were distracted by that and the dinner ran long.

What you should have done was let them know that in advance, and tell them to call you on your cell phone if they had any questions that needed to be answered by you. Let the sales shmuck front end it since he's getting the commissions.

Unless they set you up in a difficult situation so they'd have something to complain about...

 

[saluki9]

Now, what I think you should be saying is: I am bad with people, I don't have the political or social skills to handle business situations. I am best in a back-office environment. I need to explain the situation to the senior staff, and make sure they understand that clients should never talk to me. If this is an unacceptable situation for them, I will need to find a company who understands my skillset.

Now let me evaluate your interpretation....

First of all, I am good with people. I have a wonderful relationship with many of our clients. In fact, many of them call me directly instead of their "relationship manager" because they know that I will tell them what is best for them, and be 100% honest.

In addition, as far as social skills I regularly teach an investments course at a local college and love speaking to large groups of people. What gives me the greatest joy is meeting newer investors and giving them a good footing and keeping them from the sharks. I am also active in my local CFA society and enjoy participating in group discussions and their speaking engagements.

In addition, my presense at this meeting was firmly requested under the auspices of needing my professional opinion. I'm sure that the company could have better deployed the $150 or so of wine and steak I consumed while listening to this conversation.

 

[HobbyDave]

Hey, thanks Ceberon, for being so understanding & supportive and for making the posters feel comfortable sharing their feelings.

I don't think a smiley face cuts it with those comments.

I am attempting to be honest about the situation. Unless I understand correctly, this is not a "support" group, where we all give each other high 5's. We evaluation other people's situations, and tell them when they're possibly fooling themselves.

We certainly all jump at the chance if someone says "My phone bill is $500 per month, but there's no way I could cut that". So why not in this situation? I think that there are some things that could be worked on, and maybe it just needs to be looked at from another angle. I don't see this as a pure black and white situation, where the managers were just being "the man", and should be yelled at.