Waiting to Move Up?

Maybe not a statement more of a give people your best "What would I do." So some people out there are in a position of wanting to move up and not being able to. One end the corporation might have tenured employees in place that prevent the other from moving up or the corporation might not feel they are ready to move up. Either way this presents a non-problem that is a problem for the individual. The employee might believe he/she is ready however the company does not believe the individual is ready. If the individual is ready however the corporation is staffed with tenure at every corner not having an opportunity to move up.

Would the not being ready to move up in position be better than not having a place to move up to? Would the company who does not have any place to move up to be a better fit however, the kicker is that in order to look for the next position, in another company, a lot of people require experience in that role just to get an interview. Should the employee just wait for ten to twenty years until a new position becomes available?

I believe the manager should be providing a roadmap telling employees what is needed to move up in the organization. I think too many companies are scared of doing this because they are worried that it will sound like a promise, and it may be a promise they can't keep. But I think that ultimately stunts the team - many people just need guidance on what they need to do to excel. And to hold that back just means you are not getting enough out of your employees.

But it sounds like you are on the opposite side of the fence - that you are waiting to advance but haven't been. I would be proactive and ask management what is required of you to get to the next level. If your company is small and there is a chance that an opening might not be available for a really long time, I agree that you might want to consider other options. But I would be semi-open with your boss. For example, make them understand you want to progress your career, and see if they have some option that will help you do that. I've heard of companies creating new job positions in these circumstances, so if you like the company, I would try that first.

There are three things that I think need to happen

First: When a person first comes on board it should be outline what there job is and what schooling and training is needed to move up. What is moving up? What means more; position or pay? Findout what the motivator is. Lets use the general word advancement/promotion. Staying in a position getting performace appraisals you reward perfomance with increased in pay after one year and then every two years and increase in pay for performance. So the longer an employees stays with a company there is a reward and it may keep turnover down.

Second: There should be a performance counseling that outlines schools needed and training to improve where they are at and what it takes to be qualified for the next level.

Third: Groom your personnel for that next level. You can grow your company and take on more properties with a core group of well trained and loyal employees an this may keep your turnovers down.

What I have written is simplistic on the surface, but it takes a well organized manager and leader to carry this out. The other thing if you know you cannot promote the person within your organization, then for sure do not hold them back if there is a job else where, where they can move ahead. When you have a rare diamond though you try to hold it by giving room and even creating room at times.

Then the bottomline is also if the company wants to grow or are satisfied where they are at.

Within a company, there are the employees and within that heirarchy is the chain of command. Employees are motivated in 2 ways: extrinsic (where they respond by receiving rewards: bonuses, praise, mentions in company newsletters, and perhaps awards, like Manager of the Year.) The other way is instrinsic motivation where the employee is motivated from within him/herself. The instrinsic employee values being promoted, being given new projects with bonus compensation upon successful completion. Once you understand which you are, then you look at your company. Does it reward with praise and/or bonuses, or does it promote its employees and give them fun, challenging new projects? If you are looking for a promotion and your company isn't able to do that for you, it is time to re-evaluate your options. I would invite you to go to your supervisor and ask for new responsibilities, projects, goals to set. Keep a list of your accomplishments, and if the time comes, you will have that list handy for your cover letter and interview.

I will tell you that some companies will promise you a lot, they may dangle that carrot forever. Only one can decide when it may be necessary to make a change.

Good Luck!