Please advise me to get out of "Inferiority Complex"
I kindly request my friends in QL to advise me in this issue. I am in a very bad situation due to the “inferiority complex” (I don’t know if I can call this feeling inferiority complex!!)
I have studied a 2 year vocational training course after my 12th class. I started my career in Qatar in 1997 after 1 year professional experience in India. I joined as Electrical Technician in one of the leading construction company (1st company) in Qatar in May 1997. After 2 years, I got promoted as Electrical Supervisor. In 2001, I resigned from 1st company and joined another engineering and construction company (2nd Company) as Electrical Supervisor. It was an Italian Company. Upon completion of their project in Qatar, I had relocated to Abudhabi in 2007 for the same company’s project (Promoted me as Site Engineer) and stayed there for about 6 months.
In March 2008, I got an offer from another reputed company in Qatar (3rd Company). They have contacted me to join their company to work for their projects in oil and gas companies. To be honest, I had a strong experience with major oil and gas companies in Qatar and had a strong references and this company wanted to utilize my experience and references for the success of their project. I did a robust negotiation on my salary and this company accepted my conditions. I joined with them in March 2008.
Here the ‘problem” starts. When they have issued me the offer, they have offered me Sr. Electrical Engineer position. I have asked the manager that why you have offered me Senior positions which does not suit to my qualification. They said that to match with the company’s HR system’s salary scale of each position, they had to offer me a senior position. I agreed and joined the company.
Until now, I am continuing with same company. I always complete my projects/works assigned to me with great success. By god’s grace and besides my sincere and hardworking, I got increase of salary almost every year and my current salary is almost 55% increased from my joining salary. Almost every year I gets project bonus as well. I have about 60 staff (technicians, supervisors, even engineers) working with my team.
In this year, my company offered me a promotion as “Asst. Manager” and the management told me that they expect me to perform more for the company’s business targets and growth. I don’t have any issue with work but my “inferiority complex” always disturbs my mind that I am holding a job designation which I really don’t deserve due to lack of qualification. This issue really disturbs my mind and I don’t know how to come out of this situation. Sometime, I feel like to regret the promotion offer or leaving the company. Please advise me to get out of this issue, what should I do?
you have to separate paper qualifications from experience. if you can do the job , it doesn't matter if you have no qualifications at all. just work , earn the money and play hard. forget about your inferiority complex. from my experience , there is no point in being poetic about our situations. make the most of it so snap out of it and enjoy the ride.
I'm curious. How do people around you know what qualifications you have ?
I know how it feels as I have gone through a similar situation as well. Just believe in yourself and move ahead and take your new position. Remember that every company management evaluates a persons ability to perform before making a job offer. Obviously, you working in the same company, your capabilities are noticed. Sadly, when you are being interviewed for a job in a new company, they have only your certifications to look at as a yardstick to gauge your abilities, and in such cases non degree persons suffer even if they are capable and experienced. Call it jealousy or ignorance, but some people with high academic credentials cannot digest the fact that they are being manged by a capable person who is less qualified on paper. That being said, there is no substitute to hard work and dedication.Your gradual ascend is proof enough of your capabilities. Take up your new challenge and Best of Luck!!!
thank you friends for all your encouraging comments and advise....thank you so much.
I will just say that there are many culprits who became managers and operation in charge even though they dont have any proper degrees infact they produces some fake doscuments by paying money and now gained some higher post in company...they are not only bad at work but their behavior with junior staff are worst and in-human, they are reaching on high posts by buttering their GM or arranging"GIFTS"...so i would say and appreciate your hard working efforts which brought you on these heights which you deserve infact..degrees and documents are just nothing to worry about...you are a hero in real and inspirations to others....By The way i forgot to tell you...i am just S.S.C pass...and now working as a Senior Housekeeping Supervisor
britexpat is right for a certain extend.
I suppose the now a day HR should have an equal policy of short listing experienced & academically qualified candidates.
This may ease the anxiety of experienced one.
acchabaccha: Sadly, the truth of the matter is that most companies in GCC start with asking for your degree or certification
Wild Turkey is absolutely right. Papers and degrees are useless when it comes to a persons abilities. The Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi for example, is just a high school graduate. Former Indian President Abdul Kalam's rise is a true rags-to-riches story as in his initial days of life he used to sell newspapers. If you keep you head high, have full faith in your abilities, have the confidence within you, then even the sky is not the limit.
The institutions, companies, universities have no clue. Einstein DID NOT get a job in his field. He worked as a patent clerk, wrote the General Theory of Relativity and showed the middle finger to the rest of the world. Papers are useless, they say NOTHING about your abilities. Absolutely nothing.
Dear Arun Nair,
The educational qualification is meant for your competent knowledge in the field. It is not mandatory to one should have degree or master degree to assume that post. If you have enough knowledge in leading the work and team then you deserve the post. And company management will appreciate the attitude and knowledge and qualification is only secondary
"I failed in some subjects in exam, but my friend passed in all. Now he is an engineer in Microsoft and I am the owner of Microsoft" - Bill Gates
It doesn't make any difference if you are qualified or not, the point is your know your job well and you can do it properly. Experience matters lot more than qualification. So you deserve the best (which you are getting)
In my opinion, experience plays a bigger role when it's comes to practical terms. Sharing your valuable experience with your co staff and the team would earn more respect for your position.
On the other hand some time it's a shame that the electronic system does not understand the reality of a person when it's comes to online job application mode.
Therefore quite a lot of talent were not selected for the job due to the reason of not having a Degree or Masters as this has been purified at the beginning stage by the online system itself.
Friends, thank you so much for your valuable comments and advise.
certificate/degrees are not the only source to show someones' qualification/skills. If you know your job and doing it perfectly and your management is satisfied with your work, so what is the issue. Take it easy. your management knows that what is your qualification on papers.You are not lying.
when I was with an American multinational company, one the general managers qualification was Degree in Music. But in Management eye, his performance was good. Qualification is one thing and experience is very valuable. So enjoy the fortune. If you are keen you can study by correspondence course.
you are a good example of a very hardworking man. Chill out and meet other people outside your work to break your stress and gain more confidence. Ask more advise from your families and friends, i know they can help you more. Cheers!
I agree with britexpat. Also, the key thing is experience, not qualifications. The experience you have is what matters now, not your qualifications. Clearly Management can see that you've done a good job and can continue to do a good job in the new role so my advice is go for it!
You are true to yourself - Many inflate their resume / expetise - you go in the opposite direction. You are afraid of committing in case you can't deliver. This is a natural human trait.
All you have to do is look at your own post and realise that you have achieved a lot through hard work and perseverence. You now deserve the Assistant Manager's job and you are very capable of doing it.
Good Luck!
Your conscience is really the culprit here, and in fact, I think good heart is almost second to none. I do not see the reason why you should allow the self guilt to over-burden you. Even from your construction of English language, I can perceive you are intelligent and competent. You are advised to practically leave behind the 'generic opportunity' which you were denied,that is, the opportunity to spend four years in school. In which case, you may not have been better! Otherwise, you may try to enroll in degree programmes with QU or other universities in Qatar. You should also write challenging professional qualifications, the ones which the degree-qualified colleagues in your company are eligible to write too. Ultimately, this would bring you at par with them, and there wont be any room for complex anymore.