Ever feel like you just didn’t fit in? I had that feeling today - we had an all-hands meeting at work, and it was painfully obvious that my role in the organization is unlike anyone else’s.
I’m a web developer - the only web developer, as a matter of fact - in the Performance Reporting Group, which is contained within the RF Engineering organization at Nextel. My immediate coworkers include two statistical analysts and an engineer; everyone else under our director (three levels up from me) is either management or an engineer. My job is essentially support; I’m responsible for two intranet presences, one document library, and numerous applications used by people across the nation to retrieve performance data and reports.
Because the PRG is a relatively small part of the RF Engineering team, it’s unsurprising that the all-hands meeting would focus more on the goings-on in the engineering world than on those in the reporting world. Nevertheless, it’s always a shock when everything that’s mentioned revolves around RF - the announcement of a methodical approach to career planning (something I’ve been asking about for several years now)? Clearly directed towards the engineers, though upon questioning the PRG got a nod, too. The afternoon status updates? All engineering and technology all the time. Even the pep talks were engineer-focused: “You all make decisions that are carried out in the field every day - the standards you publish guide the use of millions of dollars….” (paraphrased)
Don’t get me wrong - I work with great people, and I have a fantastic manager. It’s just that sometimes I see more clearly than others that I just don’t really fit in where I am. What that means for my future… well, that’s never so clear.