Should I quit my job or stay put and stand up for myself?

Question

I work for a local Nationally recognized youth mentoring program. My title is Enrollment/Match Support Associate. I have been employed off and on for this place for the past two years and before that I was an intern student for two school years. I have learned my skills by doing the hands on work myself. I graduated with my Associates in Social Work in 2006 and have worked for this place off and on since. I am quite talented at the interviewing and assessment process of both the clients, children and the volunteers, the adults. My position also consists of providing social support to the volunteers and the parents of the youth in the program. I do well at all of these qualities, as these are things that I was taught at school and while performing my internship. I am also providing clerical and administrative support to the CEO of the program and have been the whole time I have been involved with this place, even as a student. I am however experiencing some grief from the Board members who are the final decision makers of this non-profit agency. They recently ran our previous CEO of ten years out of the organization and now have hired a new CEO to act as a temporary one until they hire a new one. I am being told that my qualifications do not meet the standards of the organization, as I do not yet have my Bachelors Degree completed, however I was rehired by the same board members who are now saying this, regardless of my degree, as a result of my past performance and work experience. I am now being told that once the Temporary CEO leaves, they will be in need of someone with a higher educational degree then myself. I am considering walking out of this place and not allowing them the satisfaction of utilizing my skills until they find someone else with a higher education. Upon accepting the position, I was led to believe that I would not be a temporary employee. I am wondering now if I have been misled and used as a means to train the Temporary CEO and to make this organization look good as a result. I have been the sole person running this office for the past month since my return, as the CEO they have on board now, cannot even log onto a computer without my assistance, yet she has a Bachelors in Business Admin. I am wondering why it is that she is getting paid the higher dollars and only doing half of the work, yet I am the one who is doing part of her job as well as my own and am being told that they need someone else with a Bachelors. Should I quit and find myself another opportunity or should I stand up for myself and wait until they let me go and file for unemployment? I am not about to allow these uneducated individuals to put my knowledge down, when I am the person who fully understands the program and its client's needs. Ronda

Answer 1

Regardless of whether you stay with this company or not, getting a Bachelors is a good idea. You would automatically jump into a higher income range, as well as hone the skills you already have, and learning new ones on top of that. Don't look to your Temp CEO as your guide to what a bachelors can do for a person. She clearly isn't a good rep.

You really do seem to enjoy what you do, as you're doing so much for the organization- someone who didn't enjoy it really wouldn't have done that much. That actually makes it a lot easier for you, because it'll come easier for you during your bachelors.

As for this place, if sitting by while others are putting down your knowledge isn't something you can do, then you have to stay true to that. Just keep in mind that it's better to plan out how you're going to do it, instead of letting your anger fester inside you and come out unexpectedly. Start getting some leads together on where you could go after, especially if this is the income you need to get by. Once you've got some leads in place, you can see your options better as well.. you'll know what else is out there for you, and maybe even find somewhere you'd rather be anyway. If you really do want to stay with the organization (and clients) that you already know, then you have an ultimatum to give them: that they recognize your talents, and allow the organization to continue to grow and become better, or you go where your talents are appreciated and help the cause somewhere else. If you don't plan on staying there, then at least you have somewhere you can go without jeopardizing your bread and butter, while still getting the satisfaction of telling them what they lost.

Good luck with everything! Hope it all works out for the best for you.

Answer 2

I would suggest finding another job and then quitting on this. Get in touch with the earlier ceo to check if u can join the organisation she/he has joined. check out with other programs which may need your services. and finally, once u have secured a job -- i think it would really be worth the effort of finishing your graduation. U are excellent in this job, u love the job -- a degree will help u contribute more and more. so why not? think of it from a long term perspective.it will be worth it.