this post was submitted on 18 May 2026
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Work Reform

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Hits close to home (lemmy.world)
submitted 4 hours ago* (last edited 4 hours ago) by tooks@lemmy.world to c/workreform@lemmy.world
 

I work in higher ed. Upon the last big promotion cycle, I was passed over for a Director position. This position was instead given to a less tenured person with only a high school education. No certs, just the best friend of the boss. Meanwhile, I'm sitting here with three degrees, enrolled in a PhD program at the higher ed institution I work at. ๐Ÿง Higher education not valuing the higher education of their employees. Doomed.

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Guess it's kinda right when people say meritocracy is a joke, but hopefully you like what you do

[โ€“] solidheron@sh.itjust.works 1 points 59 minutes ago

Yeah the hard part is having to deal with that change since you'll see both of them on a regular basis

[โ€“] jtrek@startrek.website 28 points 3 hours ago (1 children)

Like the classic joke

A guy is heading into work when his boss pulls up in a new luxury sports car

"Wow! How'd you get that?" he asks the boss

The boss smiles and says, "I'll tell you what. If you work hard, hit all the targets, put in some overtime, I can buy another one next quarter"

[โ€“] tooks@lemmy.world 10 points 3 hours ago

Ha! Where I work, you can almost place an exact date on the promotion based on what they're driving. I bought my first new car in over 20 years back in 2024. People at work and in general immediately asking about my "raise."

When I tell them it was a necessary purchase after my 2008 Mazda with 257k miles decided to no longer be a car, they grin. When I continue telling them the investment was much more stomachable because I was able to use 3/4 of the $60k inheritance my parent's left me upon my mother's recent death (all they had to their name was our childhood house, which my brother and I sold, paid debts from, and split the remaining balance), the air leaves the Earth.

[โ€“] Oka@sopuli.xyz 23 points 4 hours ago

Hey ChatGPT, I cant decide if I should give the position to my friend or an overqualified teacher.

"Sure I can help with that. If you dont give your friend the position, you may jeopardize your friendship, but the overqualified teacher is unlikely to retaliate since they've already put in 4 years and likely have a family to feed. Still, it makes more sense to give it to the teacher."

But my friend is cool.

"Oh right, I didnt consider that. You should definitely give it to your friend then."

[โ€“] BCsven@lemmy.ca 7 points 3 hours ago (1 children)

Not sure where you are but a teachers union here wouldn't allow those shinanegans. Is it different at University level?

[โ€“] tooks@lemmy.world 4 points 3 hours ago

Unfortunately, we're a private university, so yes.