Job Appreciation: Is It Enough?

Job Appreciation: Is it Enough?

You do a great job at work, and you know it. Your coworkers know it. You’re reliable. Dependable. Consistent. Even efficient. The boss can’t say enough good things about you. At every review, you get high ratings and plenty of praise. Unfortunately, the one thing you don’t seem to get is a promotion.

Sound familiar? If so, read on to explore likely reasons that you’re not moving up the ladder. Learn what you can do to keep those accolades coming while getting the career advancement you want.

Words Are Cheap

The reason you get nice compliments but no promotion could be as simple as economics. You’re valued, you’re needed, and your manager isn’t shy about telling you what a great job you’re doing. But you’re not promoted because with a new title comes a raise, and your company may not be prepared to dish out the dough.

Look around. Are others getting promoted? If not, then maybe corporate purse strings have been tightened. Until your company or the whole industry turns around, it could be a while before you advance. Your best bet might be to look for a job elsewhere.

If you see that others are getting promoted but you’re not, then it’s not about corporate finances. You’ll have to do a little detective work. Are those getting promoted doing more work than you are? Have they achieved more for the firm? Are their accomplishments more visible than yours? If you’ve answered yes to any of these, then there’s room for improvement on your part. You’re doing a good job, but in your competitive workplace you’ll need to find ways to do better and stand out

Company Politics At Play?

Here’s another possible scenario. Maybe those who are getting promoted while you’re getting passed by aren’t doing a better job. Maybe they’re just the manager’s favorite. Or they’re related to the company boss. It’s unfair, but just like in high school, sometimes favoritism wins out over performance.

If it looks like a case of company politics, what recourse do you have? First, keep your wits about you. Causing a stink won’t win you any points. Remember that a person can’t go too far on connections alone. If you consistently outperform, your turn for a promotion might be just around the corner. Regardless of games people play at the office, it’s still in the company’s best interest to match a position with the best-qualified person. If that person is you, then your promotion’s bound to come soon. If it doesn’t, then it’s time for a frank but diplomatic talk with your manager.

Maxed Out

Another possible reason you’re not advancing in your career is that you’re maxed out in the skills department. You’ve reached the top of your game and you can’t go any further without acquiring new skills or sharpening the ones you presently have. The question is, what’s the best way for you to acquire new marketable skills?

It depends on your line of work, your company’s training policies, your career goals, your financial position, and several other factors. You’re going to have to carefully evaluate your professional situation, temper it against where you are in your personal life, and decide what the right step is for you. Ask yourself these questions:

What kind of on-the-job training can I get here at work?

Will it help me develop the skills I need to advance?

What specific set of skills am I lacking?

What’s the most effective way to acquire these skills?

Do I need to enroll in a vocational program or a college class?

Will I need to complete an extended program of study?

How long will it take?

Can I take classes on the side while I work?

Should I leave work for a while to focus on studying?

For each option, weigh the pros and cons carefully. For example, do you really need a Master’s degree, or will one or two classes be enough to get you where you want to be? Will your company cover part of your continuing education costs? Would it be more cost-effective and relevant to attend a company-sponsored training program instead?

If you’re not sure about the answers to these questions, consider discussing your options with your manager. Let her or him know that you’d like to acquire new skills or sharpen existing ones. Share your career goals, and ask what the best approach might be.

Should I Stay Or Should I Go?

Keeping or quitting your job is a decision only you can make. Again, you’ll have to evaluate your present situation, your future goals, and whether or not what you’re doing at work lines up with what you want to do down the road. Ask yourself probing questions. Do you like your job? Do the hours go by quickly? Do you look forward to coming back each day? If so, then you’ll probably want to stay. Instead of looking for work elsewhere, see what you can do to make this job work better for you. Job satisfaction is worth much more than a slight increase in pay.

But if you feel lukewarm about your jobor worse, you can’t stand what you’re doingthen you really need to start looking elsewhere. Maybe this is why you aren’t moving ahead. If it’s just another job for you, if there’s no enthusiasm there, no sense of passion for what you’re doing, don’t expect to get promoted. Sharpen your resume, and start looking elsewhere.

Don’t Go There

Whatever you decide to do, heed these definite don’ts:

Don’t accuse your manager or supervisor. Even if it’s obvious that favoritism is going on, it’s not in your best interest to be confrontational. It could backfire and cost you your job. At the very least, you’ll get blacklisted and have virtually no chance of being promoted as long as you’re in this department or firm.

Don’t bad-mouth your coworkers, even if they’re lazy, lying, cheating, or taking credit for other people’s work. You have to be diplomatic and tactful. Always. Make friends, not enemies.

Don’t perpetually brag about your accomplishments to anyone within earshot. You’ll get a reputation as a loud mouth and a showoff. No matter how well you perform, people (including managers) will get turned off by your constant bragging.

Try This

So, what can you do? Plenty. You don’t need to sit around waiting for someone to wave a magic wand. You can take charge of your career advancement with tact, grace, and style.

  • Talk To Your Manager. Keep it friendly, and show appreciation for the compliments you receive, but make your career goals known and ask what you can do to move ahead. Ask for specific, constructive feedbackwhat can you be doing better? What areas need improvement? What expectations do you need to meet to get a promotion?
  • Go Above & Beyond. If you do more than what’s expected, you’ll get noticed, and you’ll improve your chances of getting promoted. Especially try to take on leadership roles. Managers often reward leaders.
  • Take A Continuing Education Course. This could be the easiest and most economical way to acquire new skills. Instead of quitting your job or enrolling in a lengthy college program, take one evening class that will improve your productivity quickly. You might consider a class on speed reading, advanced Windows concepts, a programming language, public speaking, or anything else that would help you do a better job.
  • Become A Strong Communicator. Being good at what you do isn’t enough. In a work setting, you need to communicate well with your manager and co-workers in a timely, effective manner. The better you communicate with others, the more smoothly projects will go, and the more your boss will remember you when it’s time to hand out promotions.

    • Author Bio: Dr. Madeline Ann Lewis is the President/CEO of the Deline Institute for Professional Development. She is a consultant, career coach, professional speaker, an author, and co-author published in many other books. Contact her at Website: www.delineinstitute.net or Email: women@delineinstitute.net