Frustrated at lack of promotion opportunities

[CheeseAndCrackHer]

Feeling a bit disenchanted and not sure how to snap out of it.

I’m early 40s, in a professional role I worked hard to qualify for (degree + 3 years training), and I’m now about 3 levels up from graduate. I have two kids and took time out for maternity leave.

The issue is there’s no real progression where I am. I don’t want to leave because the pay is good and the benefits/flexibility are excellent for working parents. Plus moving elsewhere would likely mean a pay/benefits hit, with only a chance of progression longer term.

So I feel like I should stay, but it’s demoralising knowing there’s no upward path. The only option internally is sideways moves at the same pay, which would mean learning something new for no obvious gain. I took a sideways move a couple of years ago and I’ve put loads of effort into learning the new role for zero benefit (no extra pay and no extra opportunities). Not sure I can face doing it again.

I’m struggling with the “what’s the point?” feeling, has anyone else been in this position? Any words of wisdom?

It’s pretty common to find a lack of promotion opportunities in your current work place.

so if you are bored and want to progress you will need to go elsewhere.

I could have written this! How old are your kids?

I think I will move externally once my kids are in school, so in 3 years. Need to grit my teeth till then!

current office is very close to my house, so I can easily manage nursery drop and collection plus a full day in the office.

no other big companies near by so if I move I’d have more of a commute.

any advice on how to not just survive the next 3 years but find a way to enjoy them? I hate the feeling of having lower motivation.

They are nursery age. 3 years till the little one will be in school.

how about you @Limmers14 ?

Nail on the head there. I've been in the same position as the OP. Four times!

All I could do was move on to different employers as, at the time, there was no obvious upward promotion. Moved onto different firms, and every time, "progression" options were promised in the adverts etc., but once there, clearly no likelihood in foreseeable future.

My only caution for OP is that in 3 of the firms I left, I later found out that people "above me" unexpectedly left, so there would have been a chance of progression after all, despite not looking that way. Annoyingly, in one firm, a colleague I worked with, same experience, doing same work, same qualifications, ended up promoted as our line manager unexpectedly emigrated, so I'd have had a 50:50 chance of getting promoted!

It must have been very frustrating to move 4 times! Sounds like you’ve got what you wanted now at least

moving would be great, but I know it’s not really feasible for me for 3 years, so I need to find a way to get through this period.

I would love to have advice or a solution to offer you but I’m afraid I don’t.

I’m currently 6 months pregnant and have been in the same company for 4 years. I had a period of 1.5 years where my role changed and I loved it but we recently had redundancies and I’ve been moved back to my old team to the job I did 1.5 years ago which feels like a demotion.

I’ve been sticking it out because the job market isn’t great right now, I need the 6 months paid mat leave and other benefits and there’s a bit of me that thinks, “you really know how to do this job, it’ll be so easy when you come back from mat leave”.

I try to talk to recruiters regularly just to see what’s out there and get a feeling for salaries but I think I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s just the motherhood penalty.. As your kids are approaching school age, I’d probably start thinking about your budget, future financial ambitions etc and see if you would really need to take a pay cut or if you could move roles for a pay rise! I think it’s also really important to talk to your partner to see if they’re going to pick up the slack while you learn the ropes at a new job.

I am in a similar position but I’ve accepted that the location of the office and family friendly flexibility is worth more than any progression opportunity. I was looking at changing jobs for promotion about 2 years ago until one of my children was very seriously ill - I’m a lone parent - my company was so supportive and I have a flexibility I know isn’t available anywhere else (I know because I’ve asked whenever I get approached with a new opportunity) - My child won’t ever get better and so I’ve reconciled that actually I’m in the best place for them and me. Throwing in a new job with commute and less flexibility would be far too stressful. I appreciate you don’t have that dynamic to factor into your decision but you never know what’s around the corner and for me it was enough of a shock to make me reassess

I'm not being funny so please don't take this the wrong way, but what is it that you're finding demoralising about the current situation? Is it that you're not feeling challenged? The work is dull? Or is it more about feeling left behind or unrecognised?

The things that might help depend on what it is about the situation that's difficult for you, which is why I'm asking.

I feel the same OP, people don't often leave my employer as the flexibility and personal support is unmatched. So even where routes exist, they never come up, and then they do competition is quite fierce. I swing from one extreme to the other but at the moment with a young child I always come back to resolving to value the flexibility. It's hard because I'm bored out my skull along with some other issues and I don't have any words of wisdom sadly - just getting on with it. I do take up learning opportunities outside work to keep my brain ticking.

Exactly the same situation here too I'm afraid!
Single parent and job (which I do enjoy but feel I have grown out of) is stable, close, has good benefits, holidays and fairly flexible for childcare.
Child starts secondary this year so feel I should make the leap soon, but easier said than done when a lot more responsibility come with not a lot more money plus a reduction in holidays etc 😔
Really felt I needed to get out last year but only managed to get an interview for a job with less money/benefits and didn't even get it so my confidence took a knock.
Also with the job market the way it is I don't hold out much hope!

Be careful what you wish for. If you earn enough to pay the bills and have flexibility to maintain a decent work/home balance, plus job security, in this economy... you see where I'm going.

Like previous posters have learnt to appreciate all I have in my current role, and that not being overly stressed or worried about work is something in itself to enjoy!!

Wow, so many people are in a similar position.

@decorationday what a fab question, hmm, two things frustrate me:

1. while I’m well paid for the level of job I’m doing, after bills are paid we don’t have much disposable income. I would like to increase my earning capability so that we can enjoy life more - eg. just now we only eat at restaurants on special occasions, never get takeaways and holidays are not guaranteed and are saved up for.

2. I know I am capable of more. My role is currently an Individual contributor, and I have a passion for leadership. In a previous role, I led a group of people and really enjoyed the work, and people wanted to work on my project, so I think I was good at it. It annoys me when I see people men above me doing a poor job of leadership and can’t be bothered making an effort, as I’d put the effort in and be passionate about it.

the company I work for are scaling down staff, while there are no redundancies, when people at my grade or above naturally leave, they don’t replace them, instead just restructuring to take out 1 FTE, meaning the environment is very static / stagnant with no progression and very limited career development.

Yes, I had a job I loved but there was no hope of promotion. I left and did a year’s training and a degree to do another job. The job I went into had more progression opportunities, which I really enjoyed.

You’re clearly ambitious @CheeseAndCrackHer you should search for something to satisfy that ambition.

I think this is very common. The only way I’ve progressed is by moving employers, sometimes more of a diagonal move than straight upwards. It has really paid off in career terms though.

If you think about it, there are fewer jobs the further up you go, so not everyone will be able to progress in that organisation. And it means waiting for someone to leave, and then being sure that your skills and experience will be what they’re looking for when they recruit.

I got stuck for a few years due to childcare flexibility but coped with it by doing a couple of extra qualifications and keeping a careful eye on job ads and checking my skills off against what employers were looking for, so that when I was able to move jobs I could find one more easily.

It might seem crazy but could you set up your own department /service in this company?

I am just coming on to empathise - I love the company I work for, interesting work, decent flexibility, good benefits and nice colleagues. However, everyone feels the same so there is just no obvious route for promotion. I also feel I could do more. I think I’m coming to terms with the fact that I’m going to have to move if I decide to prioritise my career progression.

OP have you discussed your career ambitions with your management? If not you should. Typically resourcing is a pyramid so getting more senior does get harder.

A place that is using attrition to slim the workforce isn’t an obvious place where there is room for growth. But it might still give opportunities. Say 2 people grade above you to, perhaps part of their role can be given to you at a more senior role and then your current role is eliminated so headcount remains minus 2. i would keep your ear to the ground on movements and think how you can come up with proposals, don’t wait for a knock on the door. The mediocre men aren’t waiting.

If the org has any info on standards/expectations at particular grades I would review carefully against your current performance. Identify the gaps you have and work out how to fill them so there is no development reason why you aren’t getting promotable. If leaderships skills is an issue perhaps you have courses via work can access or make a case of L&D budget use.

Same situation here

There's not really any opportunities for promotion

But:

Its WFH
Amazing pension
Good holidays
Very accommodating boss/the work is easy

It's a tough spot to be in, as I don't feel like I am realising my potential

🙄