An actual promotion!

[M444TTB]

Had some good news this week. I've tricked more senior people at work into promoting me! I finally have 'manager' in my job title although I still won't managing any people! Funny how it seems to work these days. When I started 10.5 years ago aged 20 my then manager reported to someone my new level. Seems they don't want any of us to get any people management experience.

[Norman Verona]

Congratulations.

 

So, if you don't manage people what do you manage?

[SootySport]

It's some sort of of job oneupmanship, you know,  Managers look at laptops all day and the miniums actually do the work.

[Norman Verona]

But presumably the manager whilst looking at his laptop manages the minions doing the work?

 

No? 

[M444TTB]

I will be managing Nationwide Building Society's General Insurance strategy and product planning. Sounds more important than the reality put like that though!

[M444TTB]

Looking at a laptop all day while telling us to stop talking about anything interesting is exactly what my team manager (and her deputy) from a decade ago used to do!

[Norman Verona]

Sounds really important.

[M444TTB]

Technically there are 3 people between the CEO and me, but that really would be overstating my importance! The Stoat on here is more important than I am.

[Norman Verona]

I know a lady over here who worked at Nationwide in Norwich. She knows all about banking.

 

She didn't know what Free Pay was. When she stopped shouting at me (that she knew everything to do with money) and listened she completed a tax return and claimed back £6000 overtax from the previous 6 years.

 

She will not buy Euros through the exchanges because se thinks the French will want to know where she's getting the money from. She goes to the hole in the wall daily and pays 3 to 6 pence more than I do.

 

She still pays her tax in the UK instead of in France. She is convinced the banks have to deduct tax on 100% of the interest earned. No matter how much I explained that they deduct tax in accordance with her tax code she will not accept it. 

 

So, she pays about £9000 UK tax and I pay 360€ French tax.

 

Sorry, you reminded me about her.

[Norman Verona]

Well I think you're important. Managing Insurance to sell to customers is very important. 

[M444TTB]

Thankfully the really important bit (regulation) has someone more senior specifically looking after it.

Lots of retail businesses has people like that lady. Sainsbury's was no different when I was a student.

More importantly than all of this... should I reward myself with a digital dash (Race Tech one Westfield sell)?

[SootySport]

I will be managing Nationwide Building Society's General Insurance strategy and product planning. Sounds more important than the reality put like that though!

Hope it's not some useless insurance, son of  PPI  or something like that to con the public,  ( I hate Banks after the last few years  ripping us all of).   Oh hang on a mo.  your with Nationwide, they're OK with me as I have me mortgage with them.

Good luck Matt.

[M444TTB]

Wouldn't give me a mortgage 4 years ago General Insurance is just the department name. We look after all the insurance products we sell and manage the back book of those we no longer sell.

[Norman Verona]

I had a friend (notice "had") who was a BS manager. He was always rattling on about how the BS "forced" their customers into insurance that was much more expensive than the open market. He explained that most people thought they had to take the building insurance with the mortgage.

 

Whilst I too can be critical of bankers but I also feel it's the public at fault but most of all the government.

 

Anyway, enough of all that cobblers, I, for one am pleased for you. I'm assuming you've been in this department for some time so know what your doing.

[SootySport]

But presumably the manager whilst looking at his laptop manages the minions doing the work?

 

No? 

 

In my company a monkey could do that job now.  I sometimes have to temp. cover for my manager when he's on holiday, sick, on a project, whatever,  cause I'm old and sensible, he says.   It's an easy few days or weeks for me not doing any real work.  The thing is, all the man management of engineers is automatic, on a poxy machine.  Going to management meetings is another thing, there is some sensible managers  and also a few who that are   obsequious . Glad I don't do the job permanently.