I accepted a job as creative director for a Point of Purchase Company about 2 years ago about 300 miles from where my wife and I lived in Chicago. The company is medium sized & wanting to grow. My duties are to design new products and bring in new business.
The company did just about everything they agreed to in the relocation agreement (verbal of course). The one thing they didn’t provide was the list of software requirements that we agreed to. I didn’t find this out until I sold our house & moved everything we possessed a whole state away from home. Being a “sink or swim” kinda guy that I am, I ordered a workstation and 3ds Max (ouch!) for me to run at work with the money that we made on our house. I think I’ve done an incredible job bringing in new business in an industry that currently doesn’t have much new business.
Of course there’s more to this story but this is it in a nutshell. Is it just me or is something wrong with this picture?
Did you buy a new workstation too? Did you buy 3ds Max too? Did they at least provide a computer for you to work on? I’m assuming you’re a PC guy if you use Max.
I relocated too. It’s a long hard road and takes a long time to get used to. Go to Borders and pick up, “Life After Loss: A Personal Guide Dealing With Death, Divorce, Job Change and Relocation, Third Edition.” It’s on Amazon right now for $2.95 used.
Chicago Rocks!
Are you saying that they refused to refund you the money, did you approach them for a refund. Did they already have software and a system in place for you to use? If the company will not reinburse you remember that you can still right it off in taxes even though you don’t own the company.
A little more background is needed, are you looking for a solution or just venting? I learned a hard lesson at my second job, we had a verbal agreement for me to create a design office for them, they bought the software and the system but then back out of hiring a second designer to help support the work load. They also backed out of the agreed 6month salary increase, even though they amitted I desereved it.
How come you bought the workstation ?..jeez, I wouldn’t even buy a ruler if it was for work. No offense or anything, I’m sure you’re a bright guy but you really should learn to get things in writing. I’ve been dinged a couple of times and as long as an employer or client is playing ball they will have no qualms about putting things in writing…if they try and avoid it, then avoid them…like the plague.
Does anyone else here ever buy stuff for themselves to use at work ?
Even if it is something I can’t live without then tough sh*t I don’t do my work unless they get it for me…it’s they who benefit in the end. Employers quite often make people feel they are doing them a favour by giving them a job, especially in the POP industry where I felt design is not taken as seriously as it should.
what i’m reading is you had a verbal agreement on work environment. when they didnt meet expectation you went out on your own and purchased workstation/Max with money from home sale. get that right?
if this is an issue, and they didnt pay for it, why is the workstation and software at the office (if it still is)? take it home.
The company (the owner) did refuse to refund me. Once it became an issue things became more difficult when I made any inquiries on any technical issues. I even had to go out and buy my own battery backup supply. I did right it all off in last years taxes though.
I had to buy my own workstation because the IT Manager wouldn’t let me load any software on their equipment. The only way my 2 computers communicate is by a jump drive, which I also had to purchase. It was much like what you are describing in your 2nd job except that they didn’t provide the software, & hardly the system.
The good news is, we have new owners as of January 2004. So this is a quest for a solution.
I guess the whole relocation thing sucked the wind right out of me. My wife & I where financially stuck far from home, friends & family so I didn’t have any legs to stand on as far as negotiating was concerned. I did some great negotiating before the fact though.
Anywho…
I am very ashamed of this particular arrangement and consider it to be by far the most painful part of my career.
…I did win my last company 8 OMA awards in a 2 year period. Working at a place like that where you’re very comfortable really dulls your negotiation skills too.
If you’re not happy then start looking for a new job. There are plenty of POP houses in the Chicago area.
Get all your equipement, software, personal stuff out of the office. What if they fired you tomorrow and refused to give you your stuff… or at least took their time about it. Also, if its at work that means anyone can use it.
I have bought books for work. The reason I do this is so I can keep them. Other than that I have never had to pay for stuff that my job required.