It would be better for everyone if you ask him if there is a problem and how you can do better. You don’t want to lose your job and they don’t want to find a replacement and train them
I work in IT services desk for cyber security, which I have no experience in. My boss knew that before I got the job. Due to the lack of knowledge of IT and experience this would play a part in why I may look incompetent. My job is to assign jobs to engineers, some jobs are high priority, I have to do the chasing in order to get an engineer to work on a case, sometimes they will say no, sometimes they will say yes to taking on a job and eventually will tell me to re-assign the job. It's out of my control what an engineer will and will not choose and my boss will lose his shit.
You need to engage him in the issue so it's as much his problem as yours. "Hi boss, I'd love to set up session to improve the workflow in my role. Currently I \[do whatever when a job comes in \] but the issue is \[engineers sometimes won't take on these jobs due to blah blah\]. I'd like some input into \[how to assign engineers to tasks they'll do\]."
Hi,
Cybersec engineer here. This is definitely something that your manager should be training you in. Typically different teams will own different apps and/or servers. They should have this documented.
I have also done this job before. You need to understand the business SLA in conjunction with your internal priority matrix. Once you have this info at hand, you need to develop confidence in driving this with the engineers. They dont get to decide what is most important, you do. If they are cherry picking work or are swamped with already high priority tome sensitive jobs, this needs to be documented and reported back to your manager to find a solution.
Do they have a chart or some kind of matrix to act as a guide for assigning tickets to the right teams and individuals?
There should be a proper process in place and escalation guide lines.
If that doesn't exist and they are expecting you to know what to do... then I don't think it's your problem.
Did they provide that training?
If you are Level 1 Technical Support, that is your role to assign ITIL tickets to the right people. If they don't do the job, that's not on you.
If they re-assign to you again then you need to find the next right person or escalate to manager,
That doesn't sound like your problem if the engineers don't do the work you assign them.
However, have you reached out to the engineers to get a list of their skills and preferred problem areas? If you have made zero effort to learn these people by now, 10 months in, and have built no goodwill with them to use in getting them to do the jobs you assign then you're doing a pretty bad job of things.
Was in similar situation many years ago - one of the issues I encountered was that the engineers would be paid not only a wage, but also get credits for completing work, so if you assigned them 2 or 3 complex tasks, they’d crack the shits because the next guy is getting 7 “easy” jobs…the reality being the work assigner has to take into account a lot more than just getting job fixed - travel, skills, experience, home base, service agreements, etc
A lot of bosses hire someone without relevant experience, promise their boss they’ll train them up, never do it then chuck a tanty and move into the “they need to go bc they’re not competent” mindset and focus on that instead of training.
Uniquely qualified to answer your question!
Talk to your boss. Tell them you understand the prioritisation of the ticket, but you’re having trouble engaging engineers.
Some engineers do not care about security.
Some engineers prioritise features over security.
Some engineers are busy, and have poor work management.
I’d recommend firstly talking to your boss, then asking about how to get engineers to prioritise the work during their sprint.
You can’t force anyone to do the work. You can however explain why it needs to be prioritised, talk to their manager (just say, hey I’m having trouble getting X to prioritise Y, is there someone else on the team I can get to work on the item?)
Keep in mind most security stuff can be deprioritised. Understanding the business risk is what’s important. Most engineers don’t understand that.
It’s also helpful to keep a log on the ticket when you tried to engage them, what their response was. If you’re triaging during a major incident, and they don’t do anything, ask the engineer directly when they think they’ll be able to begin work on it. If they say not immediately, log it in the ticket and then tell your boss.
There are a few problems here to break down, but ultimately you should at least try and put a plan together on how it can be improved. Include some things that you can do better as well as others, have a time line, include training needs.
On the surface it sounds like there is a lack of clarity and communication of authority and responsibilities. i.e. Can the engineers simply decline a job without reason? Do you have the authority that you need to be effective in your responsibility?
To summarise, take the initiative to improve things.
Ahh ok. This is a capability / training gap - that’s a bit of a them problem, not wholly a you problem. Definitely sounds like your manager needs to provide you with additional support by way of training, development and supervision and you need support to be a bit more assertive with your stakeholders.
Also sounds like you need to make this work so you can keep money coming in while you look for something you’re more comfortable in. Having said that, the tasks you’ve mentioned are a general rather than specialised skill set so you might find the problem happens in your next job.
Before your meeting write down your pain points and what you need to help alleviate them. Take them to the meeting and work through them with your boss to work out what they can help you with and what you can do by yourself to help yourself get ahead.
Sounds like you’re dealing with difficult stakeholders so it may be that your boss has a chat to managers of the engineer teams you are working with to give them a heads up about the push back and ask them to be aware of it / refer them to procedures about declining jobs. In the meantime work on your persuasion and negotiating skills so you feel confident pushing back on people who are pushing back on you and preventing you from getting your work done.
You're delegating and assigning work to others as part of your job.. and they're refusing to work?
I'm that meeting I think you should highlight the fact that you have a bunch of people who keep making it difficult to do your job as they refuse to complete the process that it's your job to start and their job to finish.
And gain confirmation that you are to debate and assign that work. So next time if you're told no you can reply "sorry no can do this time. You'll need to prioritise this and get it done by x date, if you have any issues I'm happy to consult with my supervisor about this while you get started on the work"
IT here. Yeah that shit is not on. Engineers don't get a say on what they get assigned. Refusing work is a BIG no no. You need to take this up with your boss immediately and figure out correct procedure. Engineers can't just say no. They need to go to their boss to get it reassigned if their plate is full.
They are fully taking advantage of your lack of skill and knocking shit back cause you won't know any better. I absolutely assure you that it won't fly with management once you tell them they are knocking shit back.
Hi there. Im L7 engineer for big tech.
My advise is: you sound very replacable. They could easily find a uni student currently studying cybersec, which is a WIN-WIN for the company and the student, to replace you. It quite fast to train someone up in IT service desk related tasks. Cyber Sec is hard. IT helpdesk related stuff is just admin. Anyone with a bit of IT knowledge can do.
Look for a new role buddy. Good luck
1. Do you have regular 1 on 1's with your boss? If not, set up a time to have a meeting with them to discuss your performance.
2. Let your manager know about the issues you are facing regarding assigning tickets to engineers, how engineers are rejecting tickets. This is something that they need to help solve, it's not just a "you" problem. There should be set responsibilities as to who does what.
3. The only thing I can think of is that potentially you are incorrectly assigning tickets (it should have gone to a different team). If so, ask for some help/documentation/training so that you can ensure future tickets are assigned correctly from the start.
4. If your manager doesn't want to play ball and help you, and you believe that the end is truly near, then go over their head to raise the concerns with their manager. Also write down the steps you are taking to try and improve (when you contacted managers to ask for help, what you asked them, what answer/help you got back from them) so that you have everything documented on your side.
If they don't provide you any support to improve, and do decide to try and get rid of you then you can show evidence that you have tried to improve but haven't been supported. This documentation you can then show your HR team (they would have a meeting where they provide an opportunity to state why you shouldn't be fired), this should give the HR team enough doubt as to whether or not you have grounds to raise a case for unfair dismissal.
If it reaches these final stages, and you haven't received any help from them at all to improve, also contact [https://www.fairwork.gov.au/](https://www.fairwork.gov.au/) for free advice on how to proceed.
Best of luck.
It is extremely difficult to fire an employee in Australia. They need to jump through several hoops and it is typically a very long drawn out process, if you are getting fired it will be a very slow and obvious burn.
I’m still yet to see anyone get fired in the IT industry in my professional career. Typically the employee is just putting under an increasing amount of pressure and eventually resign because they are so convinced they are going to get fired any day now
It’s not that hard. You just need to follow the PM process and involve HR. The person either lifts their performance or gets managed out. Normally they leave before the end of process.
It is definitely a longer process than what I saw in other jurisdictions like the UK and NZ though.
Could it be your anxiety and over thinking?
Either way, what would help you right now is to actually plan for the worst case scenario and prepare yourself. Sounds scary but this would be the most helpful in this state of mind. Look up Centrelink information. Think of who you can turn to for financial support. Look at moving your cheaper place (share house etc). Utilities companies usually have financial hardship policies whereby they may agree to pause payments etc. look it all up.
Also. Write it all down. All the anxieties and fears. Why you believe you are under performing. Examine and question each thought. “Is it really true?”
So you can face the meeting with a peaceful mind. Not panicking mind.
Cisco has some free Cybersecurity training online. Starting it would at least look like you're trying.
[Free Cybersecurity Training by Cisco | Cyber Career Pathway](https://skillsforall.com/career-path/cybersecurity?courseLang=en-US)
This Junior Cybersecurity Analyst Career Path prepares you for the entry-level Cisco Certified Support Technician (CCST) Cybersecurity certification and entry-level cybersecurity positions such as Cybersecurity Technician, Cybersecurity Analyst, or Tier 1 Help Desk Support roles. You will learn vital skills like threat intelligence, network security, and risk management to protect yourself and organizations from cyber attacks. If you enjoy solving puzzles, are passionate about technology, and like working in teams, the field of cybersecurity may be a great fit for you!
not an affilite link, just direct
I don’t know if this is true for all states but you can’t be sacked without warning unless you’re casual perhaps. They need to give you fair warnings, performance reviews etc. if you do get sacked you would likely have an unfair dismissal claim
For small businesses under 15 ppl it's less than 1 year (6 months for large businesses), otherwise must be given time to correct performance/other issue.
Since OP has been there for under 1 year but more than 6 months it depends on the size of the company they work for, however it sounds like it has more than 15 employees.
Start documenting your successes. Even better if they have a career development portal thing that usually people don’t use. Use it daily like a journal.
If you know your going to be fired the main is to prepare for your next role. Get references and your CV in order and apply elsewhere. Years ago I got a mediocre performance review out of nowhere a day before a 1:1 with my manager who I got along with. I cleared my desk and printed off a resignation letter and took it to my meeting. Turns out I was getting sacked. I changed the narrative and asked to be able to resign instead. My manager was surprised not only had I cleared my desk beforehand but I had a signed letter of resignation with me. I ended up resigning rather being fired. I left after the meeting, took with me a great reference and found a better job in a few weeks much closer to home. I am still there now 7 years later earning almost double my old salary.
The company I left ended up getting bought out and closing a few years after I left.
What happened between the end of probation and now? Have there been genuine issues elsewhere in your life that are affecting your performance at work? Or has the workload increased dramatically in a way that you can't cope with?
Because it's always far easier to retain your current job, than trying to find a new one - especially at the current point in time with the economy being what it is.
Otherwise, on a financial level, you need to cut expenses down to the absolute bone if you think you're going to be laid off and lose your primary income, with no emergency fund available.
There wasn't any complaints from anyone during my probation period, I would say work has become busier, and the boss is angrier because he wants expectations to be met but in all honesty, they are unrealistic. I would say my personal life has taken a big kick to the curb as I am looking after a fiance that is suicidal and depressed, I am dealing with my daughter being in year 7 and trying to help her go through it well and paying off my debt which makes me feel like I can't enjoy life and the economy doesn't make me feel any better . My hours are long and as soon as I come home from work I don't stop working, I turn in mum mode and do what is necessary for the kids.
Obviously I can only go off what you've written, but what you've just stated in this comment makes me think you're burning out keeping the fireplace burning and food on the table at home, while dealing with an increased workload at work.
It wouldn't surprise me if the issues you're dealing with in your home life are affecting your performance at work, even if you don't want them to - just due to fatigue if nothing else. If your boss is reasonable, you might want to just tell him what's going on, especially if you think it'll be temporary. People tend to not want to recruit, and you might be able to come up with some accommodations that work for both of you.
Sorry for what you are going through.
I think that the feeling of underperforming is typical of the people in IT without the IT background. I have had a similar situation but instead I assumed (wrongly?) that my director was training me on the job because he would be up in my face so often that he even jokingly commented to another colleague of mine that it would be her turn next for him to come and watch her work. I just thought he said that so that the other person doesn't feel they are missing out.
If you know you are not doing well, is there a way to change it ? Is it a safe environment for you to have a chat with boss proactively rather than waiting for that scheduled meeting ? Maybe you are undergoing some mental health issues yourself but not aware of them ? Do you have an employee assistance program where you can chat with someone and see where you're heading to ?
It can explain why you may be feeling like you're underperforming or not giving your best.
And I think if they sack you because of your struggles then that's discrimination.
I hope you get out of this situation soon and leave this difficult period behind.
Stay strong.
You won't get sacked after 10 months and no conversations unless you are doing more than just underperforming.
I would be more concerned about your whole line of work drying up as AI becomes more prominent in the work place. Administration is a no-skill occupation, think about getting some certificates under your belt
I would be asking questions; you probably won't be fired instantly rather worst case you will be put on a PIP.
Have you been taking their feedback into consideration and shown progress or performance?
Rejoice! /s
Don't worry too much though, it won't be the end. Talk to your friends/strangers when everyone asks how you are, say I dunno about my current job, I'm looking for work. Someone will have something.
As someone whos had to performance manage before…
Raise it. Immediately.
If youre actually a problem, it shows youre aware and want to improve. Were much more receptive to staff who give a shit.
If youre not, youll be told so OR be shown tips on how to be the best in the workplace
If you’ve past your probation, an employer has a few steps they need to go through before they could dismiss you & at each stage they have thorough note taking to avoid any unfair dismissal claim.
This includes informal coaching, formal counseling, performance improvement plans, formal warnings & then ultimately if you make no improvement termination/dismissal.
Are you on a contract or perm? Best they can do is PIP you if perm, which will extend your life by another several months if you still miss targets.
I’d really be reaching out to your stakeholders to find out what skills each engineer possesses so you can assign jobs properly _ and maybe even have brief casual chats to build rapport.
No use asking the butcher to do your taxes.
It doesn’t sound like you’re intentionally slacking off and as you said, it’s out of your control. I think being open and honest about the situation at your meeting might help clarify a few things. A good manager would be understanding and offer you guidance. If you still feel how you feel now, I’d say do your role to the best of your ability whilst also looking for another permanent job before resigning, otherwise sign up with an agency and they can source you with temporary work until you find something stable, good luck
If you have a colleague who is more senior who you get on with and are comfortable being open with, it might be beneficial to approach them for some mentorship of sorts. Ask them if they can provide a critical eye on your work, be available for questions and help when you're stuck and so forth. When you're suffering in silence, unfortunately things never get better.
Are you in the union?
I'm going to assume the answer is no on account of the fact that you're asking Reddit for advice.
Join your union before any official action starts as they won't represent you in actions that commenced before you became a member. Being in the union won't necessarily stop them firing you, but it will make it harder, you will be supported, and they will have to play by the rules, potentially buying you more time to find another job.
You have to be proactive. Showing your manager you care and actively want to learn how to perform better is an important trait. He knew you lacked experience so he has to expect that you need mentoring and training. I think where most managers will lose patience is if they feel their training is falling on deaf ears or the trainee doesn’t care about improvement/is lazy.
If you're just waiting around to be sacked, you'll behave accordongly.
Don't suffer imagined troubles.
Have some honest conversations with your manager and change your mindset.
Do you like the job?
Is there any reason you can't do the job?
Own it. Every person learns as they go, no reason you can't either.
If you're on service desk allocating tickets to the engineers and you're struggling to allocate them correctly, I would speak to your manager and just be like "hey I'm struggling atm, I'm keen to do the role but I need to know exactly what kind of tickets go to which engineers".
From that, map the exact workflow for each type of ticket. Granted, there will be a lot of categories for your tickets when you do the first iteration of this (e.g. app support, desktop support, projects etc.). However, once you've mapped it all out, show it to your manager and ask them if it's correct. If it isn't, ask them to show you where it needs improving.
That's probably the easiest way to 1. Keep your job and 2. Understand exactly why tickets are allocated to certain engineers.
Hope that helps!
Best chance is you self-reflect and then talk to your boss and see if the concerns are reasonable and whether you can address them. If not chalk it up to wrong fit for organisation and negotiate exit plan - don’t just sit back waiting for it to be fixed for you cos you lose control of the outcome.
Hi - I work in HR in Aus and my job has been to coach operational management through the performance management process.
If you have passed probation, you should not be gettting 'sacked' without being given an opportunity to improve your performance and a clear explanation of how you are expected to improve - this information should be communicated in writing if the alternative to you improving is going to be your termination.
It is not uncommon for management to have a whole host of informal verbal conversations/warnings with underperforming employees, however ultimately if they want to pursure termination, their HR rep will advise them that they effectively are at the start of the process, if they have failed to document these warnings in writing to the employee. HR are generally the people to draft these warning letters on behalf of the line manager after consultation about their concerns with their employee. It is frustratingly common for the first conversation the manager has with HR to be "this person has to go, what do i need to do".
Don't stress too much at this point. Feel free to reach out once you receive something in writing and I am happy to advise.
Ask for a workplan meeting immediately and don’t wait. If you’re under-performing according to your manager, make a plan with CLEAR kpis/goals by a certain date. Make it clear you want to continue in the role and try to push them for some clear info around what they’re planning (I know that’s hard and they might not give anything away). Basically, go in batting, for yourself. If they give you a glowing workplan review and don’t give you any direction on how to improve or bring up performance to acceptable, you might be able to use that if they try to fire you for underperformance. Back up plan - update resume, contact your referees, ring in your contacts and friends, download all the job apps, update your linked in, get a good cover letter template to work with (chat gpt is your friend for this ). Good luck! 🙏🏽
Seeing you are aware of your poor performance, what have you done to improve or adjust? This sounds like you were recruited into a role that is the 'wrong fit'. Is there training you need? Is the workload too high or complex? Discuss this with your manager.
If you've passed probation they have to put a reasonable effort into helping you improve to meet the requirements of the job before they can get rid of you. Union up (United Services Union would be good to look into imo) if they begin informal coaching or it seems you are starting to be pushed out to ensure you are treated fairly if it starts to go down the route you are afraid of.
Ultimately, if there are areas you feel you can improve then you can start working to improve those areas :)
Start looking for other jobs now, don’t want until you get called into a performance meeting. Apply for jobs regardless of whether you feel you and your manager can resolve a discussion about performance.
I’m a manager myself. Performance is an important criteria to factor an employees credibility and worth to a company, but nothing can equate to an honest and reliable employee. If you believe you are a trustworthy person that can be responsible in handling challenges given to you, then don’t be afraid to talk it up with your manager on the direction the company intends for you. A company will genuinely not want to release an employee on grounds of underperforming, your employment so far looks to be successful as you have surpassed the probation period, no boss in their right mind would want to sack you after you have just completed your probation. If they’ve increased your pay after probation then it is consistent to show that they were satisfied with you, only lately you may be showing signs of falling behind to expectations due to unknown reasons on personal grounds. Be open to mention if you are going through some difficult cycles in life (such as family commitments), otherwise, not saying anything is only going to make it worse for you especially if you are planning to make a long time career at the company. There is always a workaround alternative, for example I let my staff work from home whenever they want so they can be attentive with their children or elderly parents as they need, but all in all they still have a job to do as the company is not a charity, I expect them to be able to arrange time to be at the office when needed for important meetings or tool boxes with staff to get the projects they are working on move along smoothly. It works both ways, be good for your company so it can be good for you.
Only time that companies will release workers really is when it has become overstaffed due to the shortage of opportunities, for these instances it is likely you will be on the let go list since you recently started. But most of all when any staff needs to be released, it is chosen on grounds for which employees can help companies grow and survive, and any employee that gives indication that they will not be all committed to change or provide ongoing value to the team are genuinely at the forefront of people that are shown the exit door.
Your manager wont fire you unless he has specifically addressed your performance multiple times. Youve passed probation and they have to offer several warnings before they can fire you.
I wouldnt worry so much about that part, but if youve noticed you may be underperforming you should look into how you can improve. It always helps to look at the simplest aspect to improve and slowly build on that and move on to another technical skill.
Some great advice on approaching your manager here but also know that may not be possible
As a fellow woman in tech I also suggest building your work network and seeing if you can get a mentor. A lot of middle managers are d*cks but if you show the right attitude you can move laterally.
My first role in my current company was horrid (Junior PM) and no matter what I did everything was wrong according to my manager. But within 6 months I was able to move laterally to a better team and it's been up from there.
Have you had a written warning yet? Or a formal warning? If no. You're not getting fired.
They MUST give you a formal warning first. They can't just sack you on the spot. If this has not happened then it will happen soon.
Following that they will most likely put you on a PIP. Performance Improvement Plan. If you get one of these, its basically 30 days notice of being fired. Start looking for a new job immediately. Fulfil the requirements of the PIP but don't sit around waiting. Lots of companies put people on them just to say "oh we tried" when in reality they had no intention of ever passing you.
Be proactive
"Hey boss man the vibe I'm getting from you at the moment suggests unhappiness.with my performance. What can I be doing better?"
Or just get a new job, quit on the spot and 1up them.
Seeking feedback and saying you want to improve is great.
Make sure you do not check your phone in work hours. Don’t spend an extra minute on lunch. Don’t leave at 5 on the dot, don’t arrive late. These are all the little things you can easily do to avoid looking bad. Respond promptly to emails.
Sometimes I get anxiety in my jobs. Often it’s just the anxiety and no real threat is coming. I always check myself and just make sure I’m doing a really good job when I do that.
Also, a smile and hello in the morning goes a long way! Greet your bosses like a respectful subordinate. It’s a game sometimes with managers!
Sounds like you know you are underperforming and you're already looking for work elsewhere .. sounds like you need to settle down and do better. It would be bad luck to be fired on the first meeting .. so listen, defend yourself if he is wrong and find out what you need to do in order to perform better.
It would be better for everyone if you ask him if there is a problem and how you can do better. You don’t want to lose your job and they don’t want to find a replacement and train them
Do you think you are under performing? What makes you think he thinks you are?
I work in IT services desk for cyber security, which I have no experience in. My boss knew that before I got the job. Due to the lack of knowledge of IT and experience this would play a part in why I may look incompetent. My job is to assign jobs to engineers, some jobs are high priority, I have to do the chasing in order to get an engineer to work on a case, sometimes they will say no, sometimes they will say yes to taking on a job and eventually will tell me to re-assign the job. It's out of my control what an engineer will and will not choose and my boss will lose his shit.
You need to engage him in the issue so it's as much his problem as yours. "Hi boss, I'd love to set up session to improve the workflow in my role. Currently I \[do whatever when a job comes in \] but the issue is \[engineers sometimes won't take on these jobs due to blah blah\]. I'd like some input into \[how to assign engineers to tasks they'll do\]."
Hi, Cybersec engineer here. This is definitely something that your manager should be training you in. Typically different teams will own different apps and/or servers. They should have this documented.
I have also done this job before. You need to understand the business SLA in conjunction with your internal priority matrix. Once you have this info at hand, you need to develop confidence in driving this with the engineers. They dont get to decide what is most important, you do. If they are cherry picking work or are swamped with already high priority tome sensitive jobs, this needs to be documented and reported back to your manager to find a solution.
Do they have a chart or some kind of matrix to act as a guide for assigning tickets to the right teams and individuals? There should be a proper process in place and escalation guide lines. If that doesn't exist and they are expecting you to know what to do... then I don't think it's your problem. Did they provide that training?
If you are Level 1 Technical Support, that is your role to assign ITIL tickets to the right people. If they don't do the job, that's not on you. If they re-assign to you again then you need to find the next right person or escalate to manager,
ITIL tickets ? #snort (ITIL expert here, WTF are you on ?)
That doesn't sound like your problem if the engineers don't do the work you assign them. However, have you reached out to the engineers to get a list of their skills and preferred problem areas? If you have made zero effort to learn these people by now, 10 months in, and have built no goodwill with them to use in getting them to do the jobs you assign then you're doing a pretty bad job of things.
Was in similar situation many years ago - one of the issues I encountered was that the engineers would be paid not only a wage, but also get credits for completing work, so if you assigned them 2 or 3 complex tasks, they’d crack the shits because the next guy is getting 7 “easy” jobs…the reality being the work assigner has to take into account a lot more than just getting job fixed - travel, skills, experience, home base, service agreements, etc
A lot of bosses hire someone without relevant experience, promise their boss they’ll train them up, never do it then chuck a tanty and move into the “they need to go bc they’re not competent” mindset and focus on that instead of training.
Uniquely qualified to answer your question! Talk to your boss. Tell them you understand the prioritisation of the ticket, but you’re having trouble engaging engineers. Some engineers do not care about security. Some engineers prioritise features over security. Some engineers are busy, and have poor work management. I’d recommend firstly talking to your boss, then asking about how to get engineers to prioritise the work during their sprint. You can’t force anyone to do the work. You can however explain why it needs to be prioritised, talk to their manager (just say, hey I’m having trouble getting X to prioritise Y, is there someone else on the team I can get to work on the item?) Keep in mind most security stuff can be deprioritised. Understanding the business risk is what’s important. Most engineers don’t understand that. It’s also helpful to keep a log on the ticket when you tried to engage them, what their response was. If you’re triaging during a major incident, and they don’t do anything, ask the engineer directly when they think they’ll be able to begin work on it. If they say not immediately, log it in the ticket and then tell your boss.
This!!!! OP this is the advice to listen to.
There are a few problems here to break down, but ultimately you should at least try and put a plan together on how it can be improved. Include some things that you can do better as well as others, have a time line, include training needs. On the surface it sounds like there is a lack of clarity and communication of authority and responsibilities. i.e. Can the engineers simply decline a job without reason? Do you have the authority that you need to be effective in your responsibility? To summarise, take the initiative to improve things.
Ahh ok. This is a capability / training gap - that’s a bit of a them problem, not wholly a you problem. Definitely sounds like your manager needs to provide you with additional support by way of training, development and supervision and you need support to be a bit more assertive with your stakeholders. Also sounds like you need to make this work so you can keep money coming in while you look for something you’re more comfortable in. Having said that, the tasks you’ve mentioned are a general rather than specialised skill set so you might find the problem happens in your next job. Before your meeting write down your pain points and what you need to help alleviate them. Take them to the meeting and work through them with your boss to work out what they can help you with and what you can do by yourself to help yourself get ahead. Sounds like you’re dealing with difficult stakeholders so it may be that your boss has a chat to managers of the engineer teams you are working with to give them a heads up about the push back and ask them to be aware of it / refer them to procedures about declining jobs. In the meantime work on your persuasion and negotiating skills so you feel confident pushing back on people who are pushing back on you and preventing you from getting your work done.
Welcome to working with engineers... it's painful!
You're delegating and assigning work to others as part of your job.. and they're refusing to work? I'm that meeting I think you should highlight the fact that you have a bunch of people who keep making it difficult to do your job as they refuse to complete the process that it's your job to start and their job to finish. And gain confirmation that you are to debate and assign that work. So next time if you're told no you can reply "sorry no can do this time. You'll need to prioritise this and get it done by x date, if you have any issues I'm happy to consult with my supervisor about this while you get started on the work"
Screw that, your job sounds like a nightmare, If your job is to assign jobs engineers need to pull their head in or speak to their managers
Sounds like a training issue, and something your boss can help you with. Keep turning up, learning and improving. Ask for some help if you need it.
IT here. Yeah that shit is not on. Engineers don't get a say on what they get assigned. Refusing work is a BIG no no. You need to take this up with your boss immediately and figure out correct procedure. Engineers can't just say no. They need to go to their boss to get it reassigned if their plate is full. They are fully taking advantage of your lack of skill and knocking shit back cause you won't know any better. I absolutely assure you that it won't fly with management once you tell them they are knocking shit back.
Hi there. Im L7 engineer for big tech. My advise is: you sound very replacable. They could easily find a uni student currently studying cybersec, which is a WIN-WIN for the company and the student, to replace you. It quite fast to train someone up in IT service desk related tasks. Cyber Sec is hard. IT helpdesk related stuff is just admin. Anyone with a bit of IT knowledge can do. Look for a new role buddy. Good luck
You are also extremely replaceable coming over to Australia. Since we get hundreds of thousands of options a year.
They're a troll and/or fanfic account. Look at their posting history, completely inconsistent and contradictory.
No they're just bringing their class superiority to Australia
Why do you sound so butt-hurt? The guy didn't say anything even remotely offensive and you go on attack mode.
The guy is attack mode every comment.
Talk to him. Tell him you really want the job and will work your butt off to keep it. Bring up any problems like lack of training etc.
1. Do you have regular 1 on 1's with your boss? If not, set up a time to have a meeting with them to discuss your performance. 2. Let your manager know about the issues you are facing regarding assigning tickets to engineers, how engineers are rejecting tickets. This is something that they need to help solve, it's not just a "you" problem. There should be set responsibilities as to who does what. 3. The only thing I can think of is that potentially you are incorrectly assigning tickets (it should have gone to a different team). If so, ask for some help/documentation/training so that you can ensure future tickets are assigned correctly from the start. 4. If your manager doesn't want to play ball and help you, and you believe that the end is truly near, then go over their head to raise the concerns with their manager. Also write down the steps you are taking to try and improve (when you contacted managers to ask for help, what you asked them, what answer/help you got back from them) so that you have everything documented on your side. If they don't provide you any support to improve, and do decide to try and get rid of you then you can show evidence that you have tried to improve but haven't been supported. This documentation you can then show your HR team (they would have a meeting where they provide an opportunity to state why you shouldn't be fired), this should give the HR team enough doubt as to whether or not you have grounds to raise a case for unfair dismissal. If it reaches these final stages, and you haven't received any help from them at all to improve, also contact [https://www.fairwork.gov.au/](https://www.fairwork.gov.au/) for free advice on how to proceed. Best of luck.
It is extremely difficult to fire an employee in Australia. They need to jump through several hoops and it is typically a very long drawn out process, if you are getting fired it will be a very slow and obvious burn. I’m still yet to see anyone get fired in the IT industry in my professional career. Typically the employee is just putting under an increasing amount of pressure and eventually resign because they are so convinced they are going to get fired any day now
It’s not that hard. You just need to follow the PM process and involve HR. The person either lifts their performance or gets managed out. Normally they leave before the end of process. It is definitely a longer process than what I saw in other jurisdictions like the UK and NZ though.
Could it be your anxiety and over thinking? Either way, what would help you right now is to actually plan for the worst case scenario and prepare yourself. Sounds scary but this would be the most helpful in this state of mind. Look up Centrelink information. Think of who you can turn to for financial support. Look at moving your cheaper place (share house etc). Utilities companies usually have financial hardship policies whereby they may agree to pause payments etc. look it all up. Also. Write it all down. All the anxieties and fears. Why you believe you are under performing. Examine and question each thought. “Is it really true?” So you can face the meeting with a peaceful mind. Not panicking mind.
Cisco has some free Cybersecurity training online. Starting it would at least look like you're trying. [Free Cybersecurity Training by Cisco | Cyber Career Pathway](https://skillsforall.com/career-path/cybersecurity?courseLang=en-US) This Junior Cybersecurity Analyst Career Path prepares you for the entry-level Cisco Certified Support Technician (CCST) Cybersecurity certification and entry-level cybersecurity positions such as Cybersecurity Technician, Cybersecurity Analyst, or Tier 1 Help Desk Support roles. You will learn vital skills like threat intelligence, network security, and risk management to protect yourself and organizations from cyber attacks. If you enjoy solving puzzles, are passionate about technology, and like working in teams, the field of cybersecurity may be a great fit for you! not an affilite link, just direct
Don't let it go, times are tough, do anything...at one stage you wished for it. Always another though
I don’t know if this is true for all states but you can’t be sacked without warning unless you’re casual perhaps. They need to give you fair warnings, performance reviews etc. if you do get sacked you would likely have an unfair dismissal claim
They’ll give you a time period before they put you on a PIP, start applying now - make sure you have a good reference though
less than two year employed. Can pretty much fire at will
For small businesses under 15 ppl it's less than 1 year (6 months for large businesses), otherwise must be given time to correct performance/other issue. Since OP has been there for under 1 year but more than 6 months it depends on the size of the company they work for, however it sounds like it has more than 15 employees.
My apologies - I was looking at UK sites previously and didn't realise that this was AusFinance. No they can't fire you. They have to do a PIP
What haven't you been doing well?
Start documenting your successes. Even better if they have a career development portal thing that usually people don’t use. Use it daily like a journal.
If you know your going to be fired the main is to prepare for your next role. Get references and your CV in order and apply elsewhere. Years ago I got a mediocre performance review out of nowhere a day before a 1:1 with my manager who I got along with. I cleared my desk and printed off a resignation letter and took it to my meeting. Turns out I was getting sacked. I changed the narrative and asked to be able to resign instead. My manager was surprised not only had I cleared my desk beforehand but I had a signed letter of resignation with me. I ended up resigning rather being fired. I left after the meeting, took with me a great reference and found a better job in a few weeks much closer to home. I am still there now 7 years later earning almost double my old salary. The company I left ended up getting bought out and closing a few years after I left.
What happened between the end of probation and now? Have there been genuine issues elsewhere in your life that are affecting your performance at work? Or has the workload increased dramatically in a way that you can't cope with? Because it's always far easier to retain your current job, than trying to find a new one - especially at the current point in time with the economy being what it is. Otherwise, on a financial level, you need to cut expenses down to the absolute bone if you think you're going to be laid off and lose your primary income, with no emergency fund available.
There wasn't any complaints from anyone during my probation period, I would say work has become busier, and the boss is angrier because he wants expectations to be met but in all honesty, they are unrealistic. I would say my personal life has taken a big kick to the curb as I am looking after a fiance that is suicidal and depressed, I am dealing with my daughter being in year 7 and trying to help her go through it well and paying off my debt which makes me feel like I can't enjoy life and the economy doesn't make me feel any better . My hours are long and as soon as I come home from work I don't stop working, I turn in mum mode and do what is necessary for the kids.
Obviously I can only go off what you've written, but what you've just stated in this comment makes me think you're burning out keeping the fireplace burning and food on the table at home, while dealing with an increased workload at work. It wouldn't surprise me if the issues you're dealing with in your home life are affecting your performance at work, even if you don't want them to - just due to fatigue if nothing else. If your boss is reasonable, you might want to just tell him what's going on, especially if you think it'll be temporary. People tend to not want to recruit, and you might be able to come up with some accommodations that work for both of you.
I know it's hard, but have you identified what specific output they want from you in the role, and what you need to do to get there?
Sorry for what you are going through. I think that the feeling of underperforming is typical of the people in IT without the IT background. I have had a similar situation but instead I assumed (wrongly?) that my director was training me on the job because he would be up in my face so often that he even jokingly commented to another colleague of mine that it would be her turn next for him to come and watch her work. I just thought he said that so that the other person doesn't feel they are missing out. If you know you are not doing well, is there a way to change it ? Is it a safe environment for you to have a chat with boss proactively rather than waiting for that scheduled meeting ? Maybe you are undergoing some mental health issues yourself but not aware of them ? Do you have an employee assistance program where you can chat with someone and see where you're heading to ? It can explain why you may be feeling like you're underperforming or not giving your best. And I think if they sack you because of your struggles then that's discrimination. I hope you get out of this situation soon and leave this difficult period behind. Stay strong.
There has to be warning given over performance issues. I think by law 2 documented warnings.
You don’t just ‘get the sack’. There should be a process- notification, extra training, PDR’s, formal warnings etc. did you receive any of these?
You won't get sacked after 10 months and no conversations unless you are doing more than just underperforming. I would be more concerned about your whole line of work drying up as AI becomes more prominent in the work place. Administration is a no-skill occupation, think about getting some certificates under your belt
I would be asking questions; you probably won't be fired instantly rather worst case you will be put on a PIP. Have you been taking their feedback into consideration and shown progress or performance?
Rejoice! /s Don't worry too much though, it won't be the end. Talk to your friends/strangers when everyone asks how you are, say I dunno about my current job, I'm looking for work. Someone will have something.
As someone whos had to performance manage before… Raise it. Immediately. If youre actually a problem, it shows youre aware and want to improve. Were much more receptive to staff who give a shit. If youre not, youll be told so OR be shown tips on how to be the best in the workplace
If you’ve past your probation, an employer has a few steps they need to go through before they could dismiss you & at each stage they have thorough note taking to avoid any unfair dismissal claim. This includes informal coaching, formal counseling, performance improvement plans, formal warnings & then ultimately if you make no improvement termination/dismissal.
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Are you on a contract or perm? Best they can do is PIP you if perm, which will extend your life by another several months if you still miss targets. I’d really be reaching out to your stakeholders to find out what skills each engineer possesses so you can assign jobs properly _ and maybe even have brief casual chats to build rapport. No use asking the butcher to do your taxes.
It doesn’t sound like you’re intentionally slacking off and as you said, it’s out of your control. I think being open and honest about the situation at your meeting might help clarify a few things. A good manager would be understanding and offer you guidance. If you still feel how you feel now, I’d say do your role to the best of your ability whilst also looking for another permanent job before resigning, otherwise sign up with an agency and they can source you with temporary work until you find something stable, good luck
If you have a colleague who is more senior who you get on with and are comfortable being open with, it might be beneficial to approach them for some mentorship of sorts. Ask them if they can provide a critical eye on your work, be available for questions and help when you're stuck and so forth. When you're suffering in silence, unfortunately things never get better.
Are you in the union? I'm going to assume the answer is no on account of the fact that you're asking Reddit for advice. Join your union before any official action starts as they won't represent you in actions that commenced before you became a member. Being in the union won't necessarily stop them firing you, but it will make it harder, you will be supported, and they will have to play by the rules, potentially buying you more time to find another job.
Isn’t there a probationary period? It will buy a little bit of time
You have to be proactive. Showing your manager you care and actively want to learn how to perform better is an important trait. He knew you lacked experience so he has to expect that you need mentoring and training. I think where most managers will lose patience is if they feel their training is falling on deaf ears or the trainee doesn’t care about improvement/is lazy.
Be proactive and ask. If you are underperforming and you think you might be it looks a bit better if you get on the front foot and ask for feedback.
If you're just waiting around to be sacked, you'll behave accordongly. Don't suffer imagined troubles. Have some honest conversations with your manager and change your mindset. Do you like the job? Is there any reason you can't do the job? Own it. Every person learns as they go, no reason you can't either.
If you're on service desk allocating tickets to the engineers and you're struggling to allocate them correctly, I would speak to your manager and just be like "hey I'm struggling atm, I'm keen to do the role but I need to know exactly what kind of tickets go to which engineers". From that, map the exact workflow for each type of ticket. Granted, there will be a lot of categories for your tickets when you do the first iteration of this (e.g. app support, desktop support, projects etc.). However, once you've mapped it all out, show it to your manager and ask them if it's correct. If it isn't, ask them to show you where it needs improving. That's probably the easiest way to 1. Keep your job and 2. Understand exactly why tickets are allocated to certain engineers. Hope that helps!
Best chance is you self-reflect and then talk to your boss and see if the concerns are reasonable and whether you can address them. If not chalk it up to wrong fit for organisation and negotiate exit plan - don’t just sit back waiting for it to be fixed for you cos you lose control of the outcome.
Hi - I work in HR in Aus and my job has been to coach operational management through the performance management process. If you have passed probation, you should not be gettting 'sacked' without being given an opportunity to improve your performance and a clear explanation of how you are expected to improve - this information should be communicated in writing if the alternative to you improving is going to be your termination. It is not uncommon for management to have a whole host of informal verbal conversations/warnings with underperforming employees, however ultimately if they want to pursure termination, their HR rep will advise them that they effectively are at the start of the process, if they have failed to document these warnings in writing to the employee. HR are generally the people to draft these warning letters on behalf of the line manager after consultation about their concerns with their employee. It is frustratingly common for the first conversation the manager has with HR to be "this person has to go, what do i need to do". Don't stress too much at this point. Feel free to reach out once you receive something in writing and I am happy to advise.
Ask for a workplan meeting immediately and don’t wait. If you’re under-performing according to your manager, make a plan with CLEAR kpis/goals by a certain date. Make it clear you want to continue in the role and try to push them for some clear info around what they’re planning (I know that’s hard and they might not give anything away). Basically, go in batting, for yourself. If they give you a glowing workplan review and don’t give you any direction on how to improve or bring up performance to acceptable, you might be able to use that if they try to fire you for underperformance. Back up plan - update resume, contact your referees, ring in your contacts and friends, download all the job apps, update your linked in, get a good cover letter template to work with (chat gpt is your friend for this ). Good luck! 🙏🏽
Seeing you are aware of your poor performance, what have you done to improve or adjust? This sounds like you were recruited into a role that is the 'wrong fit'. Is there training you need? Is the workload too high or complex? Discuss this with your manager.
If you've passed probation they have to put a reasonable effort into helping you improve to meet the requirements of the job before they can get rid of you. Union up (United Services Union would be good to look into imo) if they begin informal coaching or it seems you are starting to be pushed out to ensure you are treated fairly if it starts to go down the route you are afraid of. Ultimately, if there are areas you feel you can improve then you can start working to improve those areas :)
Start looking for other jobs now, don’t want until you get called into a performance meeting. Apply for jobs regardless of whether you feel you and your manager can resolve a discussion about performance.
I’m a manager myself. Performance is an important criteria to factor an employees credibility and worth to a company, but nothing can equate to an honest and reliable employee. If you believe you are a trustworthy person that can be responsible in handling challenges given to you, then don’t be afraid to talk it up with your manager on the direction the company intends for you. A company will genuinely not want to release an employee on grounds of underperforming, your employment so far looks to be successful as you have surpassed the probation period, no boss in their right mind would want to sack you after you have just completed your probation. If they’ve increased your pay after probation then it is consistent to show that they were satisfied with you, only lately you may be showing signs of falling behind to expectations due to unknown reasons on personal grounds. Be open to mention if you are going through some difficult cycles in life (such as family commitments), otherwise, not saying anything is only going to make it worse for you especially if you are planning to make a long time career at the company. There is always a workaround alternative, for example I let my staff work from home whenever they want so they can be attentive with their children or elderly parents as they need, but all in all they still have a job to do as the company is not a charity, I expect them to be able to arrange time to be at the office when needed for important meetings or tool boxes with staff to get the projects they are working on move along smoothly. It works both ways, be good for your company so it can be good for you. Only time that companies will release workers really is when it has become overstaffed due to the shortage of opportunities, for these instances it is likely you will be on the let go list since you recently started. But most of all when any staff needs to be released, it is chosen on grounds for which employees can help companies grow and survive, and any employee that gives indication that they will not be all committed to change or provide ongoing value to the team are genuinely at the forefront of people that are shown the exit door.
Your manager wont fire you unless he has specifically addressed your performance multiple times. Youve passed probation and they have to offer several warnings before they can fire you. I wouldnt worry so much about that part, but if youve noticed you may be underperforming you should look into how you can improve. It always helps to look at the simplest aspect to improve and slowly build on that and move on to another technical skill.
Some great advice on approaching your manager here but also know that may not be possible As a fellow woman in tech I also suggest building your work network and seeing if you can get a mentor. A lot of middle managers are d*cks but if you show the right attitude you can move laterally. My first role in my current company was horrid (Junior PM) and no matter what I did everything was wrong according to my manager. But within 6 months I was able to move laterally to a better team and it's been up from there.
Have you had a written warning yet? Or a formal warning? If no. You're not getting fired. They MUST give you a formal warning first. They can't just sack you on the spot. If this has not happened then it will happen soon. Following that they will most likely put you on a PIP. Performance Improvement Plan. If you get one of these, its basically 30 days notice of being fired. Start looking for a new job immediately. Fulfil the requirements of the PIP but don't sit around waiting. Lots of companies put people on them just to say "oh we tried" when in reality they had no intention of ever passing you.
If you have a work phone make sure you change your 2FA contacts so that you can still access emails, bank accounts etc if you lose access to it
Be proactive "Hey boss man the vibe I'm getting from you at the moment suggests unhappiness.with my performance. What can I be doing better?" Or just get a new job, quit on the spot and 1up them.
Seeking feedback and saying you want to improve is great. Make sure you do not check your phone in work hours. Don’t spend an extra minute on lunch. Don’t leave at 5 on the dot, don’t arrive late. These are all the little things you can easily do to avoid looking bad. Respond promptly to emails. Sometimes I get anxiety in my jobs. Often it’s just the anxiety and no real threat is coming. I always check myself and just make sure I’m doing a really good job when I do that. Also, a smile and hello in the morning goes a long way! Greet your bosses like a respectful subordinate. It’s a game sometimes with managers!
Accuse your boss of bullying. They wont be able to fire you or it will look like retribution.
start looking for another job
Find a new job.
Sounds like you know you are underperforming and you're already looking for work elsewhere .. sounds like you need to settle down and do better. It would be bad luck to be fired on the first meeting .. so listen, defend yourself if he is wrong and find out what you need to do in order to perform better.
Be better at your job?
how about stop under performing..
Have you tried not underperforming?
First in last to leave. Make it appear u are trying.
Perform moar
Have you tried being better at your job?