Being inside the box

One of the challenges facing employees these days is the reality of feeling boxed in professionally while jumping ship is hard to do in this economy. 

The picture: Your salary is frozen at 2007 levels, you cannot get the needed staffing support, more work comes your way, big bosses are still getting raises (and staffing support), you are not getting access to the high profile projects in order to grow and succeed in your role...in short, you are being boxed into a corner of stagnation.

This can happen for many reasons but the usual reason is a perception from one individual with the power of the puppet strings. They may fear your strength and see blocking access for you as a safety measure, they may be discriminating based on gender, race etc., they may be mommy/daddy tracking you, your overall dissatisfaction with your job may be shining through and you just do not seem interested in more work/bigger roles, you might be so swamped trying to manage the load you already carry that more meetings and projects has become impossible.

I am saying here that whatever the reason, it is time to be building your escape plan, unless you enjoy being disrespected that is...but what to do in the meantime? Learn all you can by taking every training program possible (ask for more training), complete all outstanding projects with class, speak up in all the most positive ways you can think of, collaborate with co-workers where you can, clean up and out your office/cubicle/desk, clean up you computer files, update your resume, build your reference base, begin to explore jobs on the Internet (not at work)...print these postings out and keep them as a reminder of what is out there...compare salaries...make a solid plan, think about where you want to be in a year. What do you need to do to get there? Maybe your current employer pays for classes (one way to get your salary back).

Meet with a career counselor/coach to set goals and devise a step by step plan and to help you stay on track. They will not do the work for you but will help your motivation and correct some bad habits. Keep in mind that you have access to Career Services as an alumni of a university. If you did not go to college, look for employment one stop centers in your area (they are free or very low cost).

We all feel stuck at one point or another. I tend to think that this feeling is what lets us know it is truly time to move on. This can mean a new role in the company or a new company. Either way, if you do this with forethought and planning, it will make life better. Do not jump too fast based upon unhappiness.

(Remember, all of what I said above is not based upon harassment in the workplace. This is a truly serious and illegal occurrence. HR and potentially lawyers will need to be brought into the process).

Happy 2010 and new beginnings for us all! Stay tuned...

Out with the old...

Well here we are at the edge of 2009 leaning into the void to try for the first glimpse of what is to come. I don't know about you, but I am very excited. This current year has been filled with wonderful times for me and mine but has also had its share of challenges, hurts and plain old bad ideas. Just around the corner begins not only a new year but a new decade.
In this coming year my son will begin high school, my daughter will start 7th grade (what?), Mark will hit the one year anniversary of his new job (3 weeks in so far), I will re-learn my Spanish, rehab my knee (still pain free people), finally paint my kitchen, email less, use the phone more, keep up with my blog with weekly updates (really, I will), spend more time with friends (hear that Hula Honeys), think before I volunteer yet again, reinvent myself professionally, put myself a tiny bit closer to the top of my own to do list and giggle a whole lot more.
As I look around at the mosaic patterns that create my life's portrait...I am happy with who I am and with the people in my life. My universe has been expanding the past few months with re-found friends and family and for this I am blessed...you know who you are!
I have come through many a stumble over the past decade by just standing up and finishing the race. It has not always been pretty, but I have finished. I have learned a great deal about myself from my choices, good and bad. Some important people have come in and out of my life and I have learned that you should just not open the door for some folks if you know what I mean (and yes, you too know who you are). In the end, all is forgiven...I forgive myself for being profoundly human and whatever...it will make a great book one day.
So, get out there and thoroughly enjoy the dwindling days of 2009. We shall never pass this way again except in out own memory rewrites.
Avanti!