Alright, I'll throw in my two cents worth. I hope I get this out right, I'm highly medicated right now.

About 4 years ago, I had to close down my own company. Things had been going well, but several large projects we had been working on were cancelled due to 9/11.

When I started looking for work (and it was a VERY bad time to be looking for work where I am located), a friend that I had worked with before recommended the place he was currently working. The work was cool, the environment sound cool, I went for it.

In reality, I should have seen the issues right off the bat, especially when they offered me the job. But I was desperate for work. Sadly, they knew I was desperate, due to my friend telling them. So, here I was, with about 17 years experience, being offered a job for 45K a year. I managed to up them to 50K, and I let them know that my goal was to manage thier software development department. They were thrilled. The current manager was the CEO, and he thought that in a few years, he would love to transfer the duties.

Fast forward a few years.

I've completed several projects for the company. Each project had no specifications and only vague requirements. Each also had no timeline. "When you are done" was the bosses motto. In the years previous, I had converted the team from Visual SourceSafe (which oft times corrupted binary data) to CVS, and introduced an Issue Tracking system.

There were no formal performance reviews or pay reviews. (I know, the two do not go hand in hand). In fact, some of the team had not had a raise in 3 or more years, because they did not initiate anything with the boss/CEO. I made it a point to initiate a review every year, which also ended up with a pay increase.

Last year, during my review, my boss (CEO) offered me the management position. I accepted. I turned down my pay increase, in order to immediately give everyone on my team one. None were gratefull, but I was happy. I started implementing some time lines, and a planned release date for our product, all based on the teams input.

Now comes the good stuff.

A week later, one of my team members was removed from the team. He went to the CEO and said he didn't want to work for me. He had been working at the company longer, and felt slighted. The CEO removed him with out discussing it with me.

A month later, I was told by the CEO that I would no longer have access to my teams salary. Seeing as how one of my tasks was to 'equalize' the salaries, I felt that was a bad move, and asked why. It seems that the friend that got me hired didn't want me to know his salary, even though we had discussed it for years. On top of that, he went behind my back to the CEO and got another raise. All with out my knowledge. We got that sorted out (I retained knowledge of salaries, since it was my responsibility to equalize the pay scale, and do performance reviews with salary recommendations.)

About a month after that (for those keep track, I've been a manager for about 2.5 months), I came to the conclusion that I had to let someone go. His work was substandard, painfully slow, and he had problems communicating and incorporating with the rest of the team. My decision resulted in two days of meetings with the CEO, when he then agreed it was for the best. It was up to myself and the controller to inform the employee. It was the first time I had to get rid of someoneone (multiple hire situtaions, but never a fire), and it was the toughest thing I had to do. Especially since the employee was completely surprised (and yes, I had given him several warnings, some in writing, with a check list of what had to be improved).

To make a long story short (too late, you say?), the CEO rehired him a day later at substantially less salary (15K less a year). CEO's perogative is what I was told. Two week later, I stepped down from management, and started looking for work.

Also during the 3 month period, the CEO would repeatly change the tasks of my team members, and not inform me. When I stepped down, I walked into his office and informed him of my decision, He said Okay, and went back to work. As did I. Three or 4 weeks later he wanted to talk about my decision. I quite frankly told him that he didn't want a manager. He needed one, but didn't want one. He agreed. Great! (that was sarcasm)

So now it's a year later, I'm STILL looking for work, and still working on projects with no specs and no deadlines. Motivation is difficult.

I've had a couple of job opportunities, but since I am still gainfully employed, I am being somewhat picky.

Thanks for listening to my rant.