I’m 43, working in a policy related role for a charity, earning around £40k per year. I’m pretty happy with my job - I have some responsibility and autonomy but not so much that it stresses me out. I feel I’m paid a fair wage. My work-like balance is pretty good. I’m been in roles at this level for nearly 10 years.
The problem is I feel like there’s an implicit, and sometimes explicit, expectation that I should be aiming to progress to the next level. Many of my colleagues on the same grade (aged 28-35ish) are keen to take on more responsibilities and get promoted after a couple of years in the role. Which is great for them, and I’ve watched a number of them get promotions.
I’m confident in my own decision to stay at the level I’m currently at. Any promotion would mean taking on a role that has less of what I’m good at (in-depth project work, writing reports, nice mix of processy tasks and other tasks that use my brain more) and more of things I’m less keen on (loads of meetings, ‘big picture’ strategic thinking, the stress of more responsibility).
I guess I’m frustrated at this expectation that everyone must want to progress, and that if you don’t you’re a bit weird. At my most recent performance review I could tell that my line manager (mid-thirties, well on way with high flying career) was just a bit perplexed that I wouldn’t want to progress. And just to be clear I’m more than happy to take on new things, am open to change etc, I just don’t want to move up a level!
I think part of the issue is that senior management teams are always going to be full of people who did choose the ‘progression’ route, and so company cultures are geared up to see this as a norm. Whereas in my mind progression is something that should be an option, not an expectation.
It’s been this way at all of the workplaces I’ve worked at and I’m wondering if it’s a universal thing? Does anyone else feel like I do, and if so how have you managed the expectation that you will ‘progress’ to the next level? I fear the expectation that I should progress is only going to get worse as I get older!