CREATING OPPORTUNITY WHERE IT DOESN'T EXIST

“There are two types of people who will tell you that you cannot make a difference in this world: those who are afraid to try and those who are afraid you will succeed.” - Ray Goforth, Business Strategist

THE HARD TRUTH OF SOME EMPLOYMENT SITUATIONS

Situation: Your role and current skill set does not hold significant value to your company, and you are easily replaced. Salary negotiations or promotion discussions are more likely to get you fired than elevate you. You go above and beyond, trying to convince the company you are worth greater investment, but they don't seem to care.

First, be honest with yourself. No matter how hard you work or exceed their metric-based performance expectations, the company does not promote from your position. Which means it is time to stop going the extra mile for the company. You have a job to do, do it, and put your excess energy towards how you are going to create a better opportunity for yourself.

Start by investigating if there are advantageous resources available that are company funded while you are still fulfilling the requirements of your role.

Does the company have a tuition reimbursement program for certifications, university programs, or development workshops? Contact your manager or human resource division to explore the possibilities.
What extra responsibilities are being tasked to your role that can add to your resume skill sets and build your work portfolio. Note: If the responsibility only serves the company, don't volunteer for it. Take on extra work that helps you increase your skillset.

Example: You are a call center representative who handles basic troubleshooting and customer service situations. Your company is looking for someone to document the call script and resolution procedures into the company knowledge base. Volunteer and you will have a Technical and Knowledge Base Writing experience!

3. Explore possible futures! Talk with your manager about shadowing roles in other departments for a few hours. This gives you networking opportunities and a chance to ask others how they achieved their roles.

Ultimately, your goal in this situation is to find ways to develop yourself with your current employer and take what you have gained to a different company with real career potential. You have elevated your knowledge and capabilities, so apply for the next level position at the prospective company.

Suggestion: Find a way to improve yourself every day, even if it's for only 15 minutes. It can be as simple as using Google to learn something new about the world.