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Q: Three years ago, I was hired to set up and run a new hospital pharmacy. Everything was going fine until an external audit turned up some problems, and I was blamed. I had hoped to have a career here, but now I'm not so sure.
Recently, management hired another pharmacist who seems to be after my job. She frequently accuses me of not keeping up with my work. It's true that I don't put in as many hours as I used to, but that's only because I need to spend more time at home with my new baby.
Although I previously had a good relationship with my boss, now he and his manager say that I complain too much. Is my career doomed or is there a way to fix this?
A: Your career may not be dead, but it's certainly on life support. In addition to expressing concerns about both your competence and your attitude, management also appears to have hired a potential replacement. So you need to take action quickly.
The key to salvaging this situation is to stop complaining and start implementing a recovery plan. You must first acknowledge past difficulties, then present a proposal for getting back on track.
For example: "I realize that lately I have not been doing my best work, but from now on, my goal is to make this a model pharmacy. I have outlined specific steps to correct the audit issues and bring everything up to date. I would like for us to meet regularly to assess my progress."
If you can live up to these promises, you may be able to resurrect your reputation. But should you find that the demands of this job conflict with the demands of parenthood, then you may need to start searching for a more child-friendly position.
First Published June 17, 2012 12:00 am
