Reaching a career "Cul-de-sac". what to do?
Discussion
Apologies in advance for quite a long post.
As per the thread title, this must happen to plenty of people but what to do???
I'm sure its a familiar story. You start a career, work up from trainee/grad, to fully qualified team member, maybe a promotion or two. All the while you're becoming better at your job, doing more courses, picking up more skills, gaining more technical knowledge, expertise and more responsibilities, then suddenly you realise that:
1. You haven't really gone anywhere career-wise for a while.
2. The only staff turnover is going on below and around you and the incumbents above you look like "lifers"
3. Your pay starts to stagnate and you realise that you now have a list of fairly hefty responsibilities that were never on your original job description and that you're doing for maybe only a few grand more than when you were a fresh graduate with zero industry experience.
The obvious solution is to look to pastures new, right? The complicating factors though are:
1. I really enjoy what I do (for now).
2. I have a great line manager.
3. I am heading up a cracking team, probably the best group we've ever had, and I'd miss them (probably get over that though fairly soon!!)
4. Its a niche industry made up of SMEs so decent vacancies are few and far between and most tend to be either right at the bottom, or at board level.
Oh, by the way, the job I do is split into two main areas.
1. Structural inspections (typically to highways agency PI-standard work) with some NDT work (specialising in difficult access - heights, confined spaces etc.)
2. Consultants and safety/rescue specialists in confined space working (everything bar underwater works).
The last time this happened it was solved by being poached by another company, but I now find myself slightly further up the ladder, but essentially in the same situation. The more I research and look around the less certain I am of what to do. Starting to think I can't see the wood for the trees. I thought I'd throw it open to anyone, a fresh viewpoint is required I think. so, has anyone any advice? I'm going round in circles at the moments.
Any advice would be gratefully taken on board (even stupid advice).
Many thanks,
TNS
As per the thread title, this must happen to plenty of people but what to do???
I'm sure its a familiar story. You start a career, work up from trainee/grad, to fully qualified team member, maybe a promotion or two. All the while you're becoming better at your job, doing more courses, picking up more skills, gaining more technical knowledge, expertise and more responsibilities, then suddenly you realise that:
1. You haven't really gone anywhere career-wise for a while.
2. The only staff turnover is going on below and around you and the incumbents above you look like "lifers"
3. Your pay starts to stagnate and you realise that you now have a list of fairly hefty responsibilities that were never on your original job description and that you're doing for maybe only a few grand more than when you were a fresh graduate with zero industry experience.
The obvious solution is to look to pastures new, right? The complicating factors though are:
1. I really enjoy what I do (for now).
2. I have a great line manager.
3. I am heading up a cracking team, probably the best group we've ever had, and I'd miss them (probably get over that though fairly soon!!)
4. Its a niche industry made up of SMEs so decent vacancies are few and far between and most tend to be either right at the bottom, or at board level.
Oh, by the way, the job I do is split into two main areas.
1. Structural inspections (typically to highways agency PI-standard work) with some NDT work (specialising in difficult access - heights, confined spaces etc.)
2. Consultants and safety/rescue specialists in confined space working (everything bar underwater works).
The last time this happened it was solved by being poached by another company, but I now find myself slightly further up the ladder, but essentially in the same situation. The more I research and look around the less certain I am of what to do. Starting to think I can't see the wood for the trees. I thought I'd throw it open to anyone, a fresh viewpoint is required I think. so, has anyone any advice? I'm going round in circles at the moments.
Any advice would be gratefully taken on board (even stupid advice).
Many thanks,
TNS
yes you've got a very good point there, i was in two minds whether to post or not, knowing the s
t some people are going through at work at the moment.
I didn't want to come across as moaning, i know plenty of people would be happy with my job situation, i'm just trying to get different perspectives on the issue, and yours is certainly a good point i need to think about, and also the 20% rule is a good one, i didn't know there was a general rule of thumb for that kind of thing. Thanks.
t some people are going through at work at the moment. I didn't want to come across as moaning, i know plenty of people would be happy with my job situation, i'm just trying to get different perspectives on the issue, and yours is certainly a good point i need to think about, and also the 20% rule is a good one, i didn't know there was a general rule of thumb for that kind of thing. Thanks.
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