The salary revision cycle is around the corner in most organisations. During your performance presentations you have proved your contribution above and beyond the expectations and yet it’s not recognised by your supervisor due to reasons best known to him, it can be a good time to consider leaving, especially if you have tried to address the issue with your hierarchy and haven’t seen positive changes.
This is because feeling undervalued can significantly impact your motivation and job satisfaction, making it difficult to remain productive and engaged. You know your value and convinced of your capabilities you can go work anywhere. Feeling unappreciated at work is an unfortunate situation to any employee at any level.
The best way to address it, is to openly communicate with your manager, clearly outlining your contributions and achievements and asking for specific feedback or recognition; you can also try documenting your accomplishments, increasing your visibility at work and evaluating whether your expectations are aligned with your role and your delivery meets or exceeds the company goal.
Move out
When the environment is stable and the job market is good, making the right decision on a career path can be easier than you think – you need to make that right decision at the right time. Two key aspects here are; what can I best do and am I in that career.
This feeling being based more on job satisfaction, the other question is; does it give the right returns. After all we all want a satisfying job with the right pay in the right area of work to have the best competitive advantage.
You have invested in studies in a given area and acquired experience – that’s the technical match you should look for. The other match is your heart – what you like to do as your career. One of the biggest career challenges is your ability to read your inner feelings when direction is needed.
Making time for you does not have to be hours at a time. Just enough time to give you clarity about your career. You can spend five minutes in the morning before you get out of bed. You can spend five minutes while you are in the shower or ten minutes while you are driving or riding to work.
The goal is not how long, but what you do with the time you have. If you clear your mind for a few minutes each day, over time, the answers you are seeking will come to you.
Unless you make time to listen to your inner voice and when you don’t spend time on your goals, your goals get lost. Your career dreams start to vanish. What you want in your career becomes a blur. You know what you are doing in your career is not the right thing for you anymore, but you don’t know how to go about finding something different.
You blame yourself. If only you were smart enough, creative enough, talented enough, then a great career would come to you. A great career is possible but not without your conscious participation and consideration.Until you decide to make a better step, the actions necessary to make this happen cannot begin.
There are always reasons to stay where you are. The money is good. The job market is tough. What you know is better than what you don’t know. Or, is it? It’s actually harder to stay in a bad situation than to work towards happiness. Listen to your inner voice. If it says it’s time to act, then listen. Decide that today is the day your career begins to change for the better.
It takes courage to move forward in your career. What happens if you are wrong? What about the people in your life who will tell you, “I told you so” But, what happens if you are right? Maybe the answer you have been hearing is there for a reason.
Maybe you are meant to do something different. Maybe you have done all you can where you are and you are supposed to go somewhere else so you can make the difference you are always talking about. How will you know if you do not try? Tell yourself again and again that you can – until you believe it. There is no job in the world that will completely satisfy each and every aspect of a job.
Do you know if your next career move is going to work out or not? No one knows in the beginning. All you have is what feels right to you inside. If you keep moving towards what feels right and move away from what feels wrong, you will be happier. You will have more optimism and energy. The light at the end of the tunnel will start to appear.
Action brings action
Taking the first step is always the hardest but know that the steps get easier over time. Action brings action. One action today, leads to many actions completed tomorrow. The right career moves are in you. They will work out if you take the path you know you are supposed to take.
Where can you be most competitive and what career choices are available to you to explore with the technical qualifications, experience and skills you have.
Leave when you are not valued. Don’t stay somewhere where you don’t feel like you matter.
