The question
I've been working with my current employer for the last three years, with 10-15 years of experience in total. I was courted by my company under a false job description (my supervisor already held the role they advertised). When they later told me my real role, they said I would move up the ranks.
It’s a media-related job on a website that covers the news 24/7, so I work weekends and evenings. I showed ambition, dedication and, above all, I showed that I could do tasks above and beyond my scope. I gave my ideas on several projects, since these were always welcome, but they were used without credit from my supervisor.
There were several other instances that left a bitter taste in my mouth. The breaking point came when I had to work New Year's day, there was no news, and my supervisor e-mailed me wondering why there was so little being posted. I had to give up my holidays with family and friends and then I was being told that I wasn't doing my job the way I should. They have since hired a new person to help out so that we can share duties, and he's moved up the ranks in the last year.
Here's my issue: I know that after a lot of introspection, I am not the problem. Glowing performance reviews aside, I have always done more than my fair share, always tried to help out whenever I could and I always asked for more to show that I'm a team player.
I am finally acknowledging what my family, husband and friends have been telling me for years: this job is not what I'm meant to do. But I can't seem to get anywhere from here, nor do I know how to get myself out. I'm worried that I'll end up in another situation similar to this one – or worse – so I stay partly out of this fear.
I'm 34 and I fear my career life is going down the drain. Short of going back to school for yet another degree, I don't know what else I can do, and whether going back to school is even something I should consider. I've exhausted all patience at this point, as well as the last of my desire and ambition. I need career advice that isn't centred around what I've already done, because that's gotten me here, and here is not where I am meant to be.
The answer
I feel your pain. It can be frustrating when you have aspirations, put in hard work but don’t feel like you are advancing. But rest assured, many highly successful people have experienced situations like what you’ve described and were able to advance their careers just the same. This is not a dead end for you. It just may be a fork in the road and perhaps, as you’ve recognized, time to shift gears in a new direction.
A few thoughts to consider:
Remember that careers are meant to be marathons, not sprints. Some miles will be tough, others smoother. Consider this a tougher part of your career run but if you plan wisely and learn from this leg of your career journey, you can leverage this experience into a better one ahead. Do not assume all was for naught! But you do need a plan and a healthy dose of resilience to stay the course and reach your goals.
Own your career. If you let one bad experience define your future, you will have lost your most valuable asset: your empowerment. You need to own your career and take responsibility to reach your goals. Channel your energy to learn from this experience and find a better opportunity – one where you can better express your strengths, further develop yourself and actualize your career goals.
