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Should I stay hoping that things will GET better or start looking for a job that IS better?

Background:
I nailed "how to prepare for your review" and it blew my boss away. Got a nice increase and a promised promotion. THANKS MT!! Still, I have my doubts as to whether or not the promotion will REALLY happen.

I'm not sure there's room in the company for me to grow. I work for a small chemical company...4 Sr. Managers and only 8 people to manage including myself. First job, I've been there for almost 6 yrs and have fully completed the learning curve and am now in an endless troubleshooting mode. Of my 8 peers, occasionally someone will get a title change....but nothing really changes because our roles are set...I feel like we're just being appeased.

So, Idealist or Realist..............thoughts anyone????

jhack's picture

You can do two things, regardless of what you decide:

1. Establish relationships with a few good recruiters.
2. Build your network.

These steps put you in a position to know if there are other opportunities while you give your manager a chance to promote you.

John

WillDuke's picture
Training Badge

In your message, you say there's no room to grow. I think to clarify the situation in your own mind, you need to clarify what "grow" means to you. This is your first job, and you've been there a while. You need to be careful to not have a "the grass is greener" response to this job. Once you get more specific about what "grow" means, then it will be easier for you to decide if your needs can be met where you are. If you're comfortable with your manager, you can approach them with some specific skills you want to grow.

Nobody's going to look after your career, except maybe you. Regardless of how well-intentioned any manager is, they're responsibility is to the company that's writing their paycheck. So it's definitely your job to do what is right for you.

Now, that doesn't mean a good manager isn't going to help you develop. We are all believers in the positive impact a good manager can have.

I'd point out that other than "growth" you didn't express any complaints about this company. If the environment's good, and the pay is good, and the team is good, and the work is satisfying... That's a lot.

Mark's picture
Admin Role Badge

Ant-

Sorry this has taken me so long.

I don't know enough to make a recommendation, other than it's time to get your resume together and get READY to make a move. Talk to recruiters, and think about what you want to do and where you want to do it.

Please consider reading Rites of Passage by Lucht.

Mark

antbug1978's picture

Thanks Mark, always appreciated.

Since my original post I have my resume ready and started preparation for interviews as recommended in the new series.

In the meantime I have also learned from my manager that he wants to groom me to take over his position as technical director. That would be a double promotion. I'm treating this with Horstman's first law of interviewing in mind and am not going to count on getting either promotion until the notice of promotion memo is hanging on the break room bulletin board. And No, I still don't have the first promotion promised 2 months ago.

I will continue to work hard for [i]that [/i]promotion while at the same time working on getting similar offers from other companies.

I'll read the suggested book and I am also going to read the Prince as suggested for political reasons. If I did land the Tech. Dir. position, I would be promoted over several people with more seniority and YIKES that's touchy in a small company.

Mark's picture
Admin Role Badge

Ant-

Keep us posted.

Don't be surprised if the Prince disappoints. It's about Machiavellian uses of power, of course...and you better have a small army at your disposal (as Princes did back then) if you use some of its recommendations.

Mark