listened to AI, asked for a raise and it went badly

[late40ontheground]

I used to have 1 title with a specific specialty that just me and a coworker did. The company moved us under IT which is my background. I was offered a raise and choice of the same title or new IT title for a few cents more per hour. I took the IT title with assurances from my then boss that my job duties would not change. I was asked to take on a new system but was happy to do it because it's interesting and the current workload was mostly going to my coworker. I was worried about staying relevant to the company.
So i got a new boss in the same dept. He started asking me to do more tasks unrelated to my core strengths. I have alot of different skills but I wanted to stay focused on my specialty and the new system I took on. He seemed to be taken aback but didn't press. However then my old boss did ask me to do some more IT related tasks. All this to say I feel like I'm being pushed out my specialty that I was hired for, because
1. I don't get along with my coworker who also works in the specialty. They have a strong personality.
2. I know technical concepts very well but I am lacking in some of the knowledge needed for my specialty.
Last week I was asked to take on another task that would clearly be outside the scope of what I had been working on previously. It was mentioned by a manager that I could do it faster than others. I have mixed emotions about being recognized for a skill but at the same time further opening the door to moving away from the specialty I had worked long at hard at getting into.
I used AI for advice and it told me it was completely normal to ask for role clarification. At my prodding it also agreed a raise would be in order. Writing this now that does seem like a mistake. However AI made a strong argument and provided references for HR/Management procedures where it's completely justified to ask for a raise and role clarification if given tasks outside of job responsibility.
My boss did schedule a meeting with me. He started the meeting saying this is a task expected of you. He said they talked to my old manager who denied saying my duties would not change. I straight up told my boss I wouldn't have taken the new title of I knew my duties would change. A big issue is my current job title is sort of a catch all in the industry and I have suffered from this, and I see my coworkers suffer from overload too. Worse, it is paid less than others in the dept that are specialized, including my old job title. I am so angry, sad, frustrated and feel alot of shame for how this whole situation went down. I wanted clarity and recognition, and my boss simply said there's nothing that can be done and it's just part of the job.
I am worried about retribution from my boss. He used to be a coworker and when I first met him I did not trust him due to his actions. I know I have a litany of my own issues but request some feedback from some actual people instead of AI.

 

[Aspychata]

Reading your words, it seems or feels you were moved out of your existing role to an area where you will be of more use to your boss. Have you thought about becoming more knowledgeable in your specialty? Have you thought about applying elsewhere while being employed currently? Do you feel AI helped you? It just didn't go as planned?

 

[Dagan]

Everyone has worth, but it depends on how much anyone values it. I mean that and that it can and will vary across the world, even just across town sometimes.

All that to say that you should detail out what your job description is, write it all down in short, professional form and then realize that is a portion of what you can put on your resume overall....but, just use that bit of details from your current job to create a simple resume of only those skills, put said resume on a job site and see what offers you get. I've been doing the same, actually. After 22 years, I am willing to take a leap but for only the highest bidder, if you will.

 

[Outdated]

I used AI for advice....

I have no job advice but I hope you learned the lesson about AI.

Artificial Intelligence is an oxymoron. There is no such thing as a "thinking" computer and there likely never will be. What they're calling AI is nothing more than an algorithm dedicated to telling you what you want to hear, based on the words used in your questions. Ask the same question but with different wording and you'll get an entirely different result.

This is much more obvious to people living outside of the US because AI tends to be US centric and gives us completely irrelevant or entirely culturally inappropriate answers.

 

[Judge]

I see a lot of grey in such a scenario. Unfortunately it appears that you may have "poked the bear" in the eyes of your employer. Worse perhaps if their position is that they were trying to make the most of you with skills you had, as opposed to those you may not have.

Reminds me of when I worked as a web designer and maintained all the websites I was in charge of with a game/entertainment software developer/publisher. There were definitely areas where I was stronger and those which I was weaker in.

My basic decision was to keep as much of it under wraps as I could, and essentially "wing it" when I had too. I still recall how much stress I was under to learn and master Macromedia Flash at the time, apart from Microsoft Office 2000. But I knew how "mercenary" my employer could be, and how easy I might have been replaced. Though I also knew that I had a particular skill in graphic design that was unique. And at the turn of the century I was compensated quite well for only recently graduating from tech school. Lots of pressure in high tech from my perspective.

I still recall something I witnessed when working in insurance before my website designer position. A coworker who was fed up with his situation and asked to meet with the branch manager for a raise. Bad idea, and we told him as such. Though he did it anyways, leaving the branch manager's office with his tail between his legs.

AI ? Look at it more as an investment fad than a consumer innovation.

 

[late40ontheground]

Reading your words, it seems or feels you were moved out of your existing role to an area where you will be of more use to your boss. Have you thought about becoming more knowledgeable in your specialty? Have you thought about applying elsewhere while being employed currently? Do you feel AI helped you? It just didn't go as planned?

Yes I was moved, and it feels really shameful to me that I was taken advantage of. I have a coworker that has not had to take on extra responsibilities and makes more than me. It just hurts that after several years of what I thought was being at an accomplished and relatively safe place in my career. Also, I feel like AI gave me false hope. But it's been an eye opener. AI is just a computer tool, it's not all-intelligent or all knowing and it for sure doesn't understand nuances of human interaction, no matter how much research it has access to.

 

[late40ontheground]

Everyone has worth, but it depends on how much anyone values it. I mean that and that it can and will vary across the world, even just across town sometimes.

All that to say that you should detail out what your job description is, write it all down in short, professional form and then realize that is a portion of what you can put on your resume overall....but, just use that bit of details from your current job to create a simple resume of only those skills, put said resume on a job site and see what offers you get. I've been doing the same, actually. After 22 years, I am willing to take a leap but for only the highest bidder, if you will.

I am definitely considering looking at whats out there. However having worked for several terrible and corporate employers, and currently working for an amazing CTO and relatively great IT dept, I am pretty scared to leave my current situation.

 

[Outdated]

I am definitely considering looking at whats out there. However having worked for several terrible and corporate employers, and currently working for an amazing CTO and relatively great IT dept, I am pretty scared to leave my current situation.

Just keep your head down and hope it blows over. Most employers don't like changing staff simply because it costs them time money and effort, so if it looks like there's no longer an issue with you they'll carry on as they are.

 

[Judge]

The scary thing I recall about such work is that I always had the impression of corporate employers wanting "jack-of-all-trades". Those skilled in a little bit of everything rather than specializing in any particular area. Yet I suspect it was my skill in that one area that kept me working until shareholders forced a sale of the entertainment division.

Though that was literally 25 years ago...and I moved on to other forms of work before retiring. Though I had a lot of fun designing websites....much more than insurance underwriting or managing my own investments.

High tech has its share of attractions, but it seemed that employers wanted so much in the process.

 

[late40ontheground]

I have no job advice but I hope you learned the lesson about AI.

Artificial Intelligence is an oxymoron. There is no such thing as a "thinking" computer and there likely never will be. What they're calling AI is nothing more than an algorithm dedicated to telling you what you want to hear, based on the words used in your questions. Ask the same question but with different wording and you'll get an entirely different result.

This is much more obvious to people living outside of the US because AI tends to be US centric and gives us completely irrelevant or entirely culturally inappropriate answers.

That is really interesting that AI give US centric responses. I guess the decline of the US can be a good thing, especially for other countries in the world.

 

[Judge]

That is really interesting that AI give US centric responses. I guess the decline of the US can be a good thing, especially for other countries in the world.

It usually is in terms of new labor markets emerging, involving more workers being paid much less. A pattern that seems to always repeat itself among the most technologically developed nations.

 

[Outdated]

I guess the decline of the US can be a good thing, especially for other countries in the world.

A decline sounds a bit drastic, perhaps a rebalance would be a better term.

I want to see it's use in search engines ended. In a recent post I mentioned Random Breath Testing in Australia, RBT is a common term in Australia, every Aussie immediately thinks of a police road block. Tonight I just found out that in the US that term is something to do with behavioural therapy and finding any results that I was actually looking for was almost impossible.

 

[Judge]

A decline sounds a bit drastic, perhaps a rebalance would be a better term.

I want to see it's use in search engines ended. In a recent post I mentioned Random Breath Testing in Australia, RBT is a common term in Australia, every Aussie immediately thinks of a police road block. Tonight I just found out that in the US that term is something to do with behavioural therapy and finding any results that I was actually looking for was almost impossible.

Funny to me, having run into similar frustrations using AI oriented search engines. That not all of them turn up perfect, magical responses. Especially when they may reflect some forms of bias that most of the public may not be aware of.

 

[Outdated]

Funny to me, having run into similar frustrations using AI oriented search engines. That not all of them turn up perfect, magical responses. Especially when they may reflect some forms of bias that most of the public may not be aware of.

We even had a popular TV reality show called RBT but AI doesn't know about anything outside of the US.

 

[Outdated]

"I'm just waiting for my mate."

 

[Neonatal RRT]

I don't know about your company, but... within the US, every job title should have specific responsibilities assigned to it... and those responsibilities should be described, in writing... and explained to you prior to accepting the title. Furthermore, acceptance of any new title and responsibilities would require a written contract and you signing it... your legal acknowledgment. This is, from what I understand, "standard" Human Resources (HR) practices... and if I understand correctly, it is illegal for any employer to demand or expect any employee to perform outside of their agreed upon job description and responsibilities (scope of practice). This also crosses over into the realm of Risk Management and Legal departments.

Now, I do have some understanding of the autistic mind and the need for precise communication and explanation. I also know the anxiety of being put into situations in which one is not comfortable... for whatever the reasons... and then expected to perform under that psychological pressure. However, this is all within the context and perspective that I did sign the contract and accept those new responsibilities. I have and am dealing with some of these situations myself. (1) I could be "passive aggressive" and make attempts at avoiding certain situations by being "too busy" with other things to be asked to do them... or conveniently "not available". (2) I could also take up the responsibility to train myself and learn how to do those things so that even if I am uncomfortable with them... if push came to shove, I was put into a situation where I had to do them, I could... and not let the team down. That's on me.

 

[late40ontheground]

I don't know about your company, but... within the US, every job title should have specific responsibilities assigned to it... and those responsibilities should be described, in writing... and explained to you prior to accepting the title. Furthermore, acceptance of any new title and responsibilities would require a written contract and you signing it... your legal acknowledgment. This is, from what I understand, "standard" Human Resources (HR) practices... and if I understand correctly, it is illegal for any employer to demand or expect any employee to perform outside of their agreed upon job description and responsibilities (scope of practice). This also crosses over into the realm of Risk Management and Legal departments.

Now, I do have some understanding of the autistic mind and the need for precise communication and explanation. I also know the anxiety of being put into situations in which one is not comfortable... for whatever the reasons... and then expected to perform under that psychological pressure. However, this is all within the context and perspective that I did sign the contract and accept those new responsibilities. I have and am dealing with some of these situations myself. (1) I could be "passive aggressive" and make attempts at avoiding certain situations by being "too busy" with other things to be asked to do them... or conveniently "not available". (2) I could also take up the responsibility to train myself and learn how to do those things so that even if I am uncomfortable with them... if push came to shove, I was put into a situation where I had to do them, I could... and not let the team down. That's on me.

Yeah this is a medium size non-profit. I'm sure I have an argument to make with HR but the fallout would not be good. I'm going to suck it up and do what needs to be done and get more experience and hopefully in a couple years I might find something better, or go into consulting. (HAHA yeah right not with my antisocial tendencies).

 

[RemyZee]

A decline sounds a bit drastic, perhaps a rebalance would be a better term.

I want to see it's use in search engines ended. In a recent post I mentioned Random Breath Testing in Australia, RBT is a common term in Australia, every Aussie immediately thinks of a police road block. Tonight I just found out that in the US that term is something to do with behavioural therapy and finding any results that I was actually looking for was almost impossible.

 

[RemyZee]

RBT not very popular with many autistics. I sat in on some sessions--they had us throwing imaginary balls to each other and watching cartoons about how to say hello and shake people's hands.