S
Shaggy
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First job I was replaced by someone I didn't know. I told the SE to feel free to have him email me if he had any questions about the beat. He never did. That's about all I know or care to know.
Your successor
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Baron Scicluna
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The first position I had was a job where the average stay was six months. I stayed longer than that, and after leaving, I stopped back and visited. I don't know if the guy was my direct replacement, or another successor. Still, I had a good time chatting with him, telling him that there is life after leaving the place. He did leave a couple of months later.
Second job I left, my replacement was a relative of one of my coworkers. I helped him his first day on the job, and he seemed appreciative of it. I think he did better for himself too after a few years there.
Both places, I thought there were some things that I would have done better than the other guy, and admittedly, I thought they did some stuff better than I did.
Second job I left, my replacement was a relative of one of my coworkers. I helped him his first day on the job, and he seemed appreciative of it. I think he did better for himself too after a few years there.
Both places, I thought there were some things that I would have done better than the other guy, and admittedly, I thought they did some stuff better than I did.
Mystery Meat II
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In the places where I can point to a direct supervisor, I'd say they've all done respectable jobs replacing me. I might make a case that I'm a better writer or reporter, or at least would do things differently, but I've never felt as though I were markedly superior to any of them. As long as you make the trains run on time, that's all that matters.
micropolitan guy
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I love my successor, because that means I'm not there any more. And he does a fine job.
baddecision
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I was taught, and I firmly believe, that if your successor fails, the blame rests squarely on you for not preparing him/her -- or for failing to recognize and point out there would be a problem.
Of course, this does not apply to outside hires.
Of course, this does not apply to outside hires.
Gomer
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The guy who replaced me was a total douche.
Whoops!
Beef03 said:
Whoops!
MonsterLobster
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I have only had one other job out of college, so my experience in that sense is limited.
I just remember being there, post-college, for a little over two years and being so relieved to get out I didn't really care who replaced me. That guy is still there, three years later, but they're behind a pay wall so I couldn't tell you what he does, nor do I care about how good or bad he is or the subjects I used to cover.
I was a bit insulted, though, when they hired him. About two days after I gave my two weeks' notice, the SE told me the EE just picked the first resume off a stack he had been sent over the last year or so, called him up and hired him. The SE was saying he didn't know what he was getting because he had no college degree, no other real work experience and his only writing experience was a couple of 200-word interviews that had somehow made their way onto a recruiting website. And the kicker, he said, was that they were only paying him $X a year. "Can you believe that? I guess we'll get what we pay for. Scary thought, huh?"
After a few surreal seconds I said, "That's exactly what I make. After two raises in two years."
"Oh. I guess that's why you're leaving us."
I just remember being there, post-college, for a little over two years and being so relieved to get out I didn't really care who replaced me. That guy is still there, three years later, but they're behind a pay wall so I couldn't tell you what he does, nor do I care about how good or bad he is or the subjects I used to cover.
I was a bit insulted, though, when they hired him. About two days after I gave my two weeks' notice, the SE told me the EE just picked the first resume off a stack he had been sent over the last year or so, called him up and hired him. The SE was saying he didn't know what he was getting because he had no college degree, no other real work experience and his only writing experience was a couple of 200-word interviews that had somehow made their way onto a recruiting website. And the kicker, he said, was that they were only paying him $X a year. "Can you believe that? I guess we'll get what we pay for. Scary thought, huh?"
After a few surreal seconds I said, "That's exactly what I make. After two raises in two years."
"Oh. I guess that's why you're leaving us."
Versatile
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baddecision said:
This only applies if you were promoted to becoming that person's boss. That's it. And even then, also only if you had to do with that person's hiring. And even then, only if the person proves at least competent. This is a terrible, terrible mentality.
my successor at my first gig was pretty much selected by me when i told my bosses i was leaving; they asked who they should woo to replace me, i told them 'joe smith' was the only person on the beat i considered legit competition, so they went and hired him. he was there for 14 yee paper.ars, 1 more than my stint on the beat. not a bad run -- the two top beat writers covering this team (imho) had a 27-year run at this shop. not bad and highly unusual.
when i had to yield my nfl gig at my second shop for health reasons, they didn't really replace me, deciding the nfl gig was a luxury they could no longer afford. i told them i'd like to continue giving us competitive league-wide coverage working from home, pitching it as the best of both worlds: they'd be saving on all my travel expenses yet still high-calibre coverage. the geniuses decided it would be best for me to waste all of our time and my talents on working nights on the sports copy desk (no doubt a ploy in hopes that i'd quit). so for a couple of years, i was an over-paid copy editor sucking up the insanity it was to commute 100 miles round trip for a 6 p.m.-2 a.m. gig... ultimately, as driving became more difficult and i began using a wheelchair at work, the editor of the paper came to his senses, told me to stop the commuting nonsense and figure out with my sports editor how to best use what i could do... so, of course, my last three years had me covering the nfl, just i had suggested in the first place....
oy... better late than never, i suppose.
but as for the theme of this thread, while certainly no one should obsess over how their 'replacement' is doing, it's only natural to monitor how they're doing, isn't it? i mean, this is a competitive business; if, like me, you've left your beat by your own volition and have a hance in selecting your replacement:,, well, that's pretty ideal. everybody's happy. but if you've been 'replaced' because your boss insn't happy with your work, damn straight you'd want to keep tabs on whether the readers have truly been served.
we all do have an ego to come extent, no?
when i had to yield my nfl gig at my second shop for health reasons, they didn't really replace me, deciding the nfl gig was a luxury they could no longer afford. i told them i'd like to continue giving us competitive league-wide coverage working from home, pitching it as the best of both worlds: they'd be saving on all my travel expenses yet still high-calibre coverage. the geniuses decided it would be best for me to waste all of our time and my talents on working nights on the sports copy desk (no doubt a ploy in hopes that i'd quit). so for a couple of years, i was an over-paid copy editor sucking up the insanity it was to commute 100 miles round trip for a 6 p.m.-2 a.m. gig... ultimately, as driving became more difficult and i began using a wheelchair at work, the editor of the paper came to his senses, told me to stop the commuting nonsense and figure out with my sports editor how to best use what i could do... so, of course, my last three years had me covering the nfl, just i had suggested in the first place....
oy... better late than never, i suppose.
but as for the theme of this thread, while certainly no one should obsess over how their 'replacement' is doing, it's only natural to monitor how they're doing, isn't it? i mean, this is a competitive business; if, like me, you've left your beat by your own volition and have a hance in selecting your replacement:,, well, that's pretty ideal. everybody's happy. but if you've been 'replaced' because your boss insn't happy with your work, damn straight you'd want to keep tabs on whether the readers have truly been served.
we all do have an ego to come extent, no?
RickStain
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I haven't checked on my old job in quite some time, but last night was the first night of football season. Big local team football is pretty much the most important sports story of the year. What do I see?
Contributed photos from the local school photographer, and the lead is "The Mascots fell in its season opener Friday."
Its/their disagreement and the blandest lead in history.
But at least he hasn't stormed out of the job in a huff, so he has that going for him.
Contributed photos from the local school photographer, and the lead is "The Mascots fell in its season opener Friday."
Its/their disagreement and the blandest lead in history.
But at least he hasn't stormed out of the job in a huff, so he has that going for him.
crimsonace
Well-Known Member
I've had three replacements since I left, so I guess I set the bar high 
.
In all seriousness, I've had great relationships with all -- the first guy, I hired and they promoted. The second was a guy who came in from out of state and leaned on me a lot for info, the third has been very good.
I got out of the biz and stayed in the community, so I've been available and been a resource for them and even freelanced for them a few times.
Where I've been frustrated is that they've been forced to work with one hand tied behind their backs by an overzealous publisher with a really intense sense of hyperlocal. I had a pretty good idea of what I wanted to do and a pretty good reputation in the community, so I pretty much did everything I could to not let him influence my section at all. The successors have been more easily controlled by him.
. In all seriousness, I've had great relationships with all -- the first guy, I hired and they promoted. The second was a guy who came in from out of state and leaned on me a lot for info, the third has been very good.
I got out of the biz and stayed in the community, so I've been available and been a resource for them and even freelanced for them a few times.
Where I've been frustrated is that they've been forced to work with one hand tied behind their backs by an overzealous publisher with a really intense sense of hyperlocal. I had a pretty good idea of what I wanted to do and a pretty good reputation in the community, so I pretty much did everything I could to not let him influence my section at all. The successors have been more easily controlled by him.
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