career decisions

so i've decided that the part of the rational program within EMC that i'm involved in is a sinking ship. pete's basic approach is 'whatever the business wants and will fund' regardless of whether it makes sense. we'll be forever in firefighting mode and i can't get him out of this way of thinking.

now i'm still learning a ton and getting interesting projects. there are also incredibly stupid projects like investigating CC/CQ over WAAS as a multisite alternative that i've already explained was stupid, bert (my principle guy), and our PSM have also explained that it's stupid. yet it is still a project that bert or myself will have to work on in '07 because it's political - we invested in the technology and need to use it whether or not it's appropriate.

i also have to protect and make a guy in india feel warm and fuzzy and happy when he's quite incompetant as far as i can tell. the other guy in india is very green, but i don't have much trouble working with - i enjoy mentoring him.

it's becoming quite clear that i will not be allowed to make things better. pete will not allow me/the senior members of the team to direct things because we can't say no to the business. and you know almost nothing frustrates me more than not being able to make things better.

i haven't gotten my title change (to supervisor - a lateral move that does add money) yet and i'm not holding my breath anymore. i'm not entirely sure i will get any raise this year ... i didn't get one last year and have a hell of a lot more responsibility and work than ever before. if i do get one, it is likely to be solely in the form of bonuses.

i really like most of my team and the stuff i generally do. the big trouble is my boss and PPMG's manager (mark) and the frustration at not being able to fix things and having responsibility as 'lead/supervisor' without any power.

is there anything else i can try to fix things? or am i better off cutting losses and looking elsewhere in EMC?

-s
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well-behaved women rarely make history