So quick background - I have been in the company for 3 years, and was moved into the RandD group 2 years ago. Last year 2 new engineers with MS were hired. I earned my MS while working last year as well.
There are a bunch of cool travel opportunities that come up, and for some reason these 2 always get to go. And I have never gotten to go.
It is frustrating. Also, both those engineers are hispanics with accents, so could be diversity thing. However, I myself am an Asian (but no accent and blend in fine, so I kind of downplay my own diversity card power I think).
Why in the world would the engineering director give so much exposure to them and none to me? I think he is doing it unknowingly (the travel means nothing to him). But they get to go to cool islands and what not. All on the house with no vacation time charged. And there is this smugness that they gain within the group too.
Why would this be happening? Should I bring it up? CEO here is 70+ but likes me, and I could bring it up to him next time I see him? My immediate boss is just a non-entity - he doesnt defend what is right or anything - just rides the tide whichever way it flows, so no real point to bring it up to him.
After a relatively short period of time business travel becomes less exciting, and more tiring and annoying. A few examples: Many business travelers find they have some difficulty getting enough sleep on business trips; It is not uncommon for flights to be delayed, and showing up after midnight to your hotel with an early meeting the next day is not actually much fun; Some large commercial airlines are not known for treating their customers well, or even in a marginally human manner.
Managers are often risk-adverse, and tend to ask people to do things that they have already shown an ability to do. This does of course make it more difficult to get to do something for the first time.
I would recommend that you very politely volunteer to travel if they need someone, and show willingness to travel with one or both of the folks who already do a lot of traveling.
In some cases managers feel there might be an advantage in sending folks who know something about the culture or country where a meeting is going to be held. Even if you have lived in the US for your entire life, you might have a chance to be sent to a meeting in a country where your ancestors came from. Thus if your company has an hispanic customer the management might feel that there is an advantage of sending someone with an hispanic background. It is possible that they might be willing to send you as a sort of “second chair” to other customers.
Be polite and calm, and volunteer to help out whenever you can be of help.
Step 1 is to talk with your manager and let him know you would like to take some of these trips. If he’s reluctant, ask why.If he’s the one making the decisions, he’s the one you first have to ask.
The first question the CEO would have for you, “Did you talk with your manager?”.
^^ This! And tell your manager why you think it would be good for the company to send you. Would you be more effective in your job if you knew more about xyz? Would presenting a paper enhance the company’s image in the market? Your manager has to defend his choices to his manager, so make it easy for that to happen.
I used to have a job where I spent one week out of every six on the road. It was fun at first, but it was starting to become a drag after the third trip.
Looking at it from your manager’s perspective, do you think you’d be a better representative of your company than the two newer guys you’re talking about? Once a manager thinks of an employee a certain way, it’s very hard for them to change their perspective, which is why it’s often recommended that employees unhappy with their situation find a new job. I suppose you can talk to your manager about it, but don’t go in expecting a lot.
Is the travel viewed by management as a chore, just part of the job, or a perk?
If the travel is looked on as a chore, as many here have already described, it could be that they think they are sparing you from it. If this is the case, let the boss know that you would be interested in having this experience too.
If its just part of the job, maybe the other employees are just more appropriate for the assignment. You mention they are Hispanic and are traveling to islands. Is their ability to speak Spanish an advantage? Maybe they are getting the assignment because they can communicate better there.
Finally if its a perk, then you really need to find out why the others are being given the travel. Perhaps the boss thinks they have done a better job and is rewarding them for it. You’ve written some disparaging things about your boss. Maybe he’s picked up on the fact that you don’t respect him and is rewarding those who do. You may not like your boss or respect him, but he is your boss. Calling your boss a non-entity shows that you are not understanding something about your company’s values. Your boss was promoted to that position for some reason. He is not a non-entity. Whatever you do, don’t go over his head to the CEO. Everyone will look badly on such a move.
My dad is a program manager and hates when he travels and he travels at least twice a month across the country. If it were up to him he would send one of his chief engineers each time so grass isn’t always greener on the other side.