Should I look for another job?

[Sunshineyelloww]

Been at my job five years. Work in communications and marketing. I love marketing and comms but find this role frustrating. Always difficult to get direction so feeling like you don’t know what you’re doing half the time and end up being Jack of all trades, lots of pressure, lots of demand. i dread going into work. They put on you constantly and it won’t change as there’s no choice.
I’m expected to give comms advice to people who get paid a ridiculous amount more than what I do, and go to senior meetings with people who are getting paid a lot more than I am. But I’m supposed to have the attitude of being the same level as them, I’m not working for them I’m working with them. And I’m getting fed up with the expectation. I’m treated as a manager but I’m not one.
no career progression and no hope of a pay rise due to the sector I’m in.

I’ve won multiple awards for the work I’ve done for this company so I know I have a good cv. I’m getting crap pay and know I could get 10-20k more elsewhere.

positives - family friendly so the flexible hours are great, great pension, i like my team, good sick pay if anything happened, approved my flexible working request, managers are caring. I’m comfortable.

I’m torn between leaving and going to a different sector and getting more money, or staying where I am because I’ve got it quite good in other ways. But I’m sick of it there. But also think better the devil you know. What should I do?

I would definitely look to move in your shoes. 5 years and awards is a great achievement in your current job but no career progression and the other issues you mention would have me looking to move. You are in a really good position - you don’t have to leave and are well respected - it means you can take your time looking for a really good new position and don’t have to take the first new job available to you.

I would have some informal discussions with mentors outside the company/other contacts who work at companies you’d find interesting and take it from there. Potentially speak to recruiters also.

I guess another option (and you’d need a really sympathetic senior leadership team) is to advocate for them creating a new role for you that reflects the more senior responsibilities you’ve taken on. When you mention these extra responsibilities at your appraisal what is the response?