Time ticks by. The first few years at your job were exciting. Last summer and into the fall, things at the office were going fairly well. But as the days grew shorter and the chill set in, work became a drag. Projects stagnated.
Objectives changed. Your frustration grew…and grew! Soon, you came to realize that:
Co-workers were being promoted. (You weren’t.)
Your bonus was disappointing. (And a raise was never even discussed.)
Your boss stopped including you in meetings. (In fact, she stopped talking to you almost altogether.)
On a cold, dreary, gray day, you came to the stark realization:
“My career here is as dead as the dead of winter.” WHY? Here are three likely reasons.
1) Performance: Maybe you were promoted into a position you weren’t quite ready to hold. Or perhaps your new supervisor has much higher expectation about what your job entails. Regardless of the reason, you’re missing deadlines and/or mistakes have slipped into your work product lately. If these weaknesses are recognized by your colleagues or your supervisor, your future success with your current employer is questionable.
2) Engagement: So, you’re not the first to raise your hand when a volunteer is needed for new initiatives. And you’ve complained now and then about the “rubber stamping” that goes on in your department. That doesn’t mean your disengaged, does it? (YES IT DOES!) Your frustration is not always a reflection on you — it may be due to a changing culture that doesn’t suit you any more. Whatever the reason, If you’ve lost all enthusiasm for your job or shown some irritation with the process, management HAS noticed.
3) Professional Persona: You don’t have to be a liar, a back stabber, a cheat or a thief to have an “image issue” that keeps you from advancement. Maybe you’ve moved up from receptionist to coordinator, but management seems out of reach. There’s a reason for this. Your persona is that of a support position. Or perhaps you had an angry outburst at a co-worker (warranted or not) that ultimately marked you as a “hot head”. In business, perception is reality. On a subconscious level, conclusions are drawn. Once imprinted in the psyche, them may be impossible to change. Bottom line: If you’re not respected, you’re not in a position to grow at your job.
‘Great,’ you think. ‘Now what?’
First, acknowledge the reality. Then, accept full responsibility for it. Finally, take stock with a hard-hitting self-evaluation. Ask yourself this:
‘Realistically, can I revive my performance, my attitude or my professional persona? And, if so, will my efforts be noticed and appreciated in light of the competitive nature of business?’
At this point, staying in your position may be a bit of a gamble. Given the time, effort and improbable outcome … it may be easier to just LEAVE.
Just leave? That may sound harsh, especially when coming from this blog. After all, we’ve written thousands of encouraging words, dozens of positive blog posts, on how to succeed on-the-job. But perhaps, in this case, it’s time to step out of the cold, into the sun and renew. After all, spring has sprung!
This is the season of optimism. Plant the seeds of change, nurture your professional network and move forward. A fresh start is a new opportunity to make the changes you want to see in your professional self. Who knows… before long, you’ll be looking back on those long cold winter work days and wondering why you didn’t make a move sooner.
The summer will be here before you know it and your career may just be sizzling once again.