I'm ticked off at my boss, should I tell?

My supervisors have been lying to us about promotions. They post a job with a particular description, award the job, and THEN annouce the new promotion as an entirely differnent job description than that which was posted. We are all frustrated about this. We all are mad. We know why this is being done. (They know who is getting the job even before it is posted) But the way they go about it is circumventing our trust in their ethics. Would you let it be known you don't appreciate their methods? Or just keep your mouth shut?

Or would you just get together with your co-workers and use this as an excuse to get drunk together????

Don't do either. Never, and I repeat, NEVER confront a supervisor in anger. Keeping your mouth shut won't help either.

After you have completely calmed down, try to enter into a constructive dialogue "innocently" inquiring about how the process works because you don't understand...but only if you can keep your cool. They're manipulating you, so manipulate them back. Think of it as a poker game. You want to find out how they're playing their hand, so you know how to bet yours. If possible have you're coworkers use the same approach building on what you glean from your inquiry. Keep building on what you learn from each dialiogue and eventually you'll beat them at their own game.

Then you and your coworkers can go out and get drunk in celebration of outsmarting them. Just don't forget about the "designated driver" thing.

As lawyers and economists are wont to say, "It depends".

How large is the company? Larger companies frequently have someone to handle ethics inquiries (usually HR or Legal). If not is it large enough to have someone over your supervisors that you can voice your concerns? Not just the supervisors' bosses, but maybe a rung or two higher. If you do, be tactful, ask for understanding of how this supposedly fits with the company's culture, and be considerate of their time.

Beware that if may come back to haunt whoever brings the topic up (especially if you need speak to upper management). If you speak to HR or whomever handles your ethics the typical policy is that this type of topic is held in confidence. Double-check company policy beforehand.

Custom fit job openings happen in many companies. Sometimes you can read between the lines just who is going to get the position. An unfortunate fact of working life.

It's a very poor management practice when the hiring process is manipulated in that way. It raises questions of your management's fairness, honesty, and justice.

You have to clarify what it is that you want to accomplish by talking with anyone: Do you want to

-vent and let management know that you caught 'em?
-ask them to stop that practice?
-understand the company's practices so that you know how to handle future job postings? or to
-ask them to reconsider your application, if you applied for it.

I don't know what kind of a company you work in. But if you work in a public agency, you might consider filing a "Whistleblower" report. You're supposed to be legally protected from retaliation if you feel that the hiring process was abused.

Otherwise, you might consult your employee relations office or write a letter explaining what occurred and asking for some clarification.

If you or a colleague applied for the job and felt that you were "injured" in some way because of the "switch", you might consider talking with an attorney.

Whatever you decide to do, do it calmly -- not in anger -- and do it in a business-like fashion. If you do it in anger or in a confrontative way, you'll just burn your bridges, make it hard for yourself on the job.

Depending upon the type of organization, as Bill W. said, sometimes custom-fit jobs are a fact of life.

If this practice reflects wider issues of management, you might want to decide if you want to continue to work there.

Good luck!

Documentation, Documentation, Documentation, and a daily work diary, coupled with encouraging your co-workers to do the same.
When presented with these documents a supervisor will know you are serious about your career and fairness at work.
These things will not hurt if you end up in court ether.
DO NOT confront your supervisor with out leverage!
Good Luck.