Today’s comment came from a busy professional and an entrepreneur:
How do I get out of my job rut?
I am looking for some advice on how to move forward in my job. I feel that I am stagnant. Advancement in current program is nonexistent because of two reasons: company financial strain and flat hierarchy organization. I work as a Match-Support specialist for the Big Brother/Big Sister organization. There is nothing between my position and the VP; therefore, there’s no place to go.
I can see a few false-assumptions right away – WHICH IS A GOOD THING! This is a good thing, because we can fix this.
1) Just because there isn’t a level between your job/position and the VP position, doesn’t mean that you can’t create a new position or role for yourself.
2) Financial strain is a temporary situation. If you make money for the company, then you resolve the financial strain.
3) Creating a new role for yourself that increases the revenue for the company accomplishes both your growth in your position and salary.
Some steps:
1) Clearly articulate your career goals and big picture vision for your life. Write down your individual 360 degree mission statement. This statement covers your professional life, your personal life, your social, family and community desires.
2) Outline your imperatives (what you really need to create a fulfilling life).
3) Create your Individual Develop Plan to get you there.
This sounds “good” – but how do you start to implement these steps? How do you start?
Sample Real-World Scenario:
Well – let’s illustrate with this specific example. The below example is a rough design. To get a customized recommendation, please consider taking advantage of a free-consult. This way I can learn more about your unique situation and create a custom roadmap for you.
1) Big Picture goal and Imperatives. Happiness was this person’s overall goal. When he wrote down what makes him happy, he wrote down being at the beach or at the mountains; helping others reach their potential, move out of the house he grew up in and live on his own.
2) After quickly reviewing his goals and imperatives, we created some new, more exciting activities that fit in his “Match-Support Specialist” role.
3) We also created some Individual Development tasks that would allow him to find a more lucrative job in a more financially secured company (such as acquiring a higher level Certification in an area he is interested).
4) This job isn’t his only avenue for income. He is also a yoga instructor on the side (as a hobby). By looking for additional opportunities to teach yoga at gyms, fitness clubs, YMCA, and YWCA organization, he can increase his income immediately.
Creating his new position
Since he is currently responsible for matching volunteers with boys and girls in the program, we talked about elevating his current role. Combining his love for the beach and mountains, we discussed creating a Big Brother/Big Sister beach (or mountain) retreat. This would be an organized event for the volunteers and children to gather and participate in various classes and hobbies like yoga, hiking, biking, sports, etc.
This would be an opportunity for him to collaborate with other departments in the organization to create a proposal for the VP. Since he led this collaboration, he will obviously take a lead position on this project (which elevates his standing among his peers and executives).
He can then use this project to increase revenue, by approaching other businesses in the area to sponsor and host these retreats. He has elevated his “Match-Support Specialist” position to not only volunteers to the children – BUT now to include B2B (Business to Business liaison). This is his new position: liaison between businesses and Big Brother/Big Sister organization.
The advantage for other businesses to participate in these organized group retreats/events is exposure and marketing. Their business is now being exposed to the volunteers of this program; volunteers that have the money and time to spend on the children of this program (which means they have money to spend on their products and services).
These retreats can also be used to increase donations as well as the impact on the children. All in all, this self-defined project increases his visibility and value to the organization.
Conclusion:
Just because there isn’t a current role defined specifically for you – doesn’t mean you can create that role specifically for you.
Just because this current company is financially strained – doesn’t mean that this company is your only income resource.
If you need additional help on this topic, please contact LauraRose@RoseCoaching.info
I am a business coach and this is what I do professionally. It’s easy to sign up for a complementary one-on-one coaching call, just use this link https://www.timetrade.com/book/WFSFQ