Rising Star
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Bowl Leader
Hi All,
I have around 10 years experience in IT industry, mainly on QA automation. I have experience with PwC and Deloitte in the USA.
My I797 expired, however I have 10 months remaining on initial 6 year period. I’m looking for opportunities in US for getting H1B/L1. I’m open for positions in India initially as well. I’m well versed with Salesforce too. Any suggestions are really appreciated Accenture PwC EY KPMG Capgemini Salesforce
Visual Storyteller
Bowl Leader
Thoughts on Havas? Considering a switch!
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Conversation Starter
I got fired yesterday. In a pandemic. 😩🤷🏿♂️
Visual Storyteller
Black don’t crack
Pro
You are asking the wrong question.
Get off this project ASAP.
Your rep with that team is done.
The client can like you or appreciate what you did if you warn/advise them, but it will not matter.
Rising Star
Hey - OP, I am sorry that you aren’t supported by your team leads and colleagues. I really dislike folks looking for scapegoats when something goes wrong. You guys are a team and any « mistake » is a collective one! I would certainly urge you to request written feedback from your client ASAP and have them send it via email to your counsellor/ people manager (ie your « boss »). This will serve as documented evidence that you are a trusted advisor.
Have you considered speaking with your counsellor about your project experience? I wouldn’t attack this alone and would recommend you engage them in a dialogue around helping you navigate this uncomfortable team dynamics.
Seems disingenuous considering your original response
Pro
OG Perspective - Op, SD1 advice is actually spot on you need to work your way off that project team as you are being used and exploited to further the careers of others.
While client support is great, unless you are directly responsible for client delivery as SD1 said it doesn’t matter. What matters is the chain of command, and the opinions of those in that chain.
There are only a handful of situations where you should stay on this project, and they all involve you being the consulting equivalent of a CIA operative (which from your question you’re not, which is a good thing….BTW)
As SD1 implied you need to be focused on saving your mental health vs your rep…Why, in this business as a black person your rep is based more on the biases of those around you than on your actual performance. So forget that, save your mental health and continue to develop your skills. The rest will take care of itself
Rising Star
I have and it did nothing…
Thank you asking
OP If you have raised concerns with your leadership already and you still have these questions and concerns, you have a significant data point.
Please consider finding a way off the project and away from this team NOW.
I have seen others try to reason with unreasonable people and try to build understanding with people committed to misunderstanding them. Hell - I’ve done it myself.
It’s a no-win scenario and leaves the target *more* damaged in two major ways:
1. psychological damage
…very important! These attempts to reason with unreasonable people and build understanding with people committed to misunderstanding you causes real psychological damage because the perpetrators will absolutely use gaslighting. If you do not understand gaslighting… “Gaslighting is a form of psychological abuse where a person or group makes someone question their sanity, perception of reality, or memories. People experiencing gaslighting often feel confused, anxious, and unable to trust themselves.” More here: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/gaslighting and here: https://www.betterup.com/blog/gaslighting-at-work
2. reputation damage
Every attempt the target makes to explain their perspective or share information related to correcting the inaccurate conclusions of the perpetrators will be leveraged as “evidence” that the target is a “bad” cultural fit, too needy, unfocused, emotional, and (this is a big one in consulting) not open to feedback. The perpetrators will most certainly spread this. It’s important to jump before that happens extensively and to the point where getting staffed on other projects gets more and more difficult. In the workplace, if you are Black, negative comments about you are easier to believe - especially if the comments relate to stereotypes.
I understand that what I am sharing here may be hard to read and I don’t share this lightly.
This is absolutely unfair and you don’t deserve what has happened to you as you’ve described it.
Just know that a client’s high regard for you or being transparent with the client about company/ project misdeeds is not likely to save you unless you are truly willing to play dirty. For example, you can throw specific people in your team under the bus - perhaps the Senior Manager - and conspire with the client. I’ve seen a senior consultant do this and she got her manager and senior manager removed from the project. For some reason, she was gone a few months later. She was Black. I’ve seen white people do it with greater success. They are able to get promoted too. The only catch is, they stay with that client forever because no one in the company will trust them.
The other thing to consider is that since your team already threw you under the bus with the client, if you share disparaging info about your team with them, it could be seen as self serving. At best, they’ll ignore the info. At worst, they’ll report you to your team and you will be removed from the project.
You said the client sought your advice. Can you share more? For example was this advice request from a powerful member of the client team?
Rising Star
SD1 and ACN1 Thank you so much for the sage advice. I am actively looking for another position.
Pro
OP checking in on you. How are things going?