Trying to move up the corporate ladder

[dragonwalker]

I work in the back office as an analyst at a credit union. I’ve been in banking since I graduated college 12 years ago starting from the bottom as a teller and worked up at a major national bank and worked there for 8 years. About four years ago I decided to change my job to the company I’m at now in the hopes of greater opportunity.

I started 4 years ago, did good work and received 2 promotions in my second and third year. My goal is to go into management, and I’ve made this clear from my interview when I transferred departments in my 4th year. I took my specific position in part due to my interest and also the perception that the position has a project focused work rather than task oriented and that project experience is helpful in a management role. Last year I also enrolled in an MBA program. I have also expressed my intent to sign up for our own company leadership program early next year and have taken some company courses to that end in the meantime.

I like our work environment as it’s a good mix of professional and casual interactions. One thing about our company is that there are a lot of women who work here maybe like a 70/30 split in favor of women. I have nothing against this and I’ve also noticed that even in management there is a similar gender representation. Our company prides itself on being a progressive type of work environment and uprooting old trends in a traditionally conservative industry. I think a lot of good has come of this.  

I think at this time there is a bit of an unspoken rule that a woman is more likely these days to get a leadership position all things being equal between two candidates of different genders. I could be wrong ofcourse but I want to be able to get ahead of the trend. I want to adapt to play up my strengths in the intangible areas that are often of importance or greater importance when one is picked for promotion to management.

I know this may be calling for generalizations but for anyone here who has also felt this way what are some things I can do to help myself besides the obvious like do a good job in my current work? One thing I think I have always consciously tried to cultivate is a personality open to communication, feedback, growth, and learning. For a variety of reasons, I sense that I’m probably a little old fashioned compared to most of my colleagues and can be less social/open. However, I make a concerted effort to talk to as many people, be friendly as possible and network when possible. What are some other things I should consider putting effort into improving to make myself be as viable as possible for management in the future? I’m thinking along the lines of it’s not what you know, it’s who you know mentality. It’s clearly these days not the hardest worker or smartest person who gets the nod to move up.      

[Wiseman2]

2 hours ago, dragonwalker said:

 I also enrolled in an MBA program. 

Excellent you are pursuing continuing education. Get a good profile on LinkedIn. List your employment, education and join some professional organizations. Connect to alumni, professors and current and former colleagues. Upload your contact lists and see who you know who's on there. Make connections, post some articles and keep a high profile.

[glows]

Do you have meetings with the person you report to at least quarterly? Ask that person specifically what it is you need to gain a promotion in the direction you wish to go. In that industry it’s all numbers and the quality of your reviews. Everything you’re doing is logged and charted. You may be lacking in some areas and not be aware. 

Have there been management roles recently that you applied for but weren’t selected? 

[dragonwalker]

@wiseman2 , yes I have a LinkedIn but it’s pretty basic but I totally agree I could benefit from a revamp to use it as a more effective tool. This is embarrassing but part of the reason I haven’t is I feel self-conscious about what I “have not” achieved. For whatever reason I’m constantly comparing myself to other people my age or younger who appear to be much more successful and sometimes I put myself down for where I am. For example, I had a plan of “updating” my LinkedIn and resume after I got my most recent promotion but then after it happened I again felt doing so would highlight my own “failings.” I know it’s a head trip and I know that pattern of thinking is wrong. Now I’m by no means destitute or anything but I feel over time the gap is widening and it’s just the vision of where I felt I would be 10 year ago now is very different than reality. The reality though is financially I make only a modest amount but ironically I’m a pretty modest person spending so I’m not hurting for money but somehow I’ve gotten part of my self worth tied to what I make and what I do which I feel is psychologically damaging. I had actually given up a position where I made more to develop different skills that I think will help me long term.  
 

I know in no small part this is due to a small crisis in confidence which also affects me personally and I’m trying to get through it. 
 

@glows and wiseman, I actually meet with my boss weekly and we collaborate fairly often. Yes I’ve made my intentions known and I feel he is supportive and a great example of leadership and competence in general. I have a good working relationship with him as I’ve had with all my former bosses. Sometimes I wonder how other people get promoted so quickly because there are many examples of people in my company who have achieved much higher positions than me without having even having finished college. Now, all of these people are at least competent but in the case I know of a few are not exceptional. Sometimes I wonder if it’s just luck, timing, who they chose to be friends with or even who they identify as rather than skill.  I have not applied for any management positions yet so I guess judgement hasn’t officially been passed on me in that regard but I’d prefer to apply when I have maximized as much experience, education, EQ, social capital, and time in current position as reasonably possible. 
 

I’m of the growing opinion that nowadays the more intangible has surpassed the importance of skill. Especially in a field where the work we do isn’t particularly technical or requires a very specific technical skill. This sometimes causes me to doubt my MBA efforts but I tell myself my education is one of the things I have control of and is mostly paid by work anyway. 
 

My main goal in thinking about this issue is finding a ways to develop and nurture these less tangible soft skills and leverage them more successfully. 

Edited November 26, 2022 by dragonwalker

[glows]

Your boss isn’t actually helping you achieve your goals if he isn’t telling you what you need to do to get to where you want to be. I’m curious if he was giving you an answer you didn’t believe or like? What was his response? Did he brush you off or change the subject or give you a vague answer?

It can depend on who you know. Be careful in organizations that mostly promote family members and friends. 

Go ahead with the MBA either way. Do you enjoy what you do or are you chasing paper and titles? I ask out of curiosity as I’m not really hearing what you like about this industry or work aside from the kind of work relationships you’ve developed.

You can move onto other things too after your MBA seeing as they’re paying for it. Did you sign anything saying you have to stay for an amount of time upon completion? 

Edited November 26, 2022 by glows

[Els]

I can't comment on your field specifically, but in mine, you are significantly more likely to get a promotion diagonally than vertically. Basically, people apply to other companies that are looking for their desired role, get accepted for that role - and based on their new role, they eventually get offered similar roles in other companies, including their old company.

If I were you, and really wanted the promotion, I wouldn't limit myself to striving for an internal promotion. Look elsewhere. Could you attend networking events for people in your field? Most of my job offers have come from contacts.

[dragonwalker]

On 11/26/2022 at 9:48 AM, glows said:

Your boss isn’t actually helping you achieve your goals if he isn’t telling you what you need to do to get to where you want to be. I’m curious if he was giving you an answer you didn’t believe or like? What was his response? Did he brush you off or change the subject or give you a vague answer?

It can depend on who you know. Be careful in organizations that mostly promote family members and friends. 

Go ahead with the MBA either way. Do you enjoy what you do or are you chasing paper and titles? I ask out of curiosity as I’m not really hearing what you like about this industry or work aside from the kind of work relationships you’ve developed.

You can move onto other things too after your MBA seeing as they’re paying for it. Did you sign anything saying you have to stay for an amount of time upon completion? 

I do think my boss is sincere when he has told me that part of his job is also to help to develop me in my career. Interestingly my own boss came to the company about 3 years ago into a non management position and within 6 months he was asked by a VP to apply for a management position in the field he was working in. He is very competent in the field and had management experience before but he was more or less chosen so his experience is a bit unique. His focus has been primarily in developing skillsets relevant to my current position and allowing me to take coursework like certification for the position or company sponsored leadership courses. 

The promotion of family members isn't a thing in our organization from what I can tell but as far as friends I do think that plays a part as it's often your friends you know the best and develop a certain amount of trust and when one person gets in a position to help the other it often happens. For example,  I have seen specific educational requirements edited out of job requirements to allow for a person to be promoted into position 6 months later. Technically promotions to management go through a committee of individuals in higher management that don't know the applicants as well individually to make as unbiased a decision but it's often the case I see people promoted into positions where their new direct boss had previously worked closely with them. 

As far as the "diagonal job" transfer yes I'm very well aware of this opportunity elsewhere however work is paying for about 2/3 of my MBA and I am obligated to stay for a couple years after money has been paid to me in order to prevent me from  needing to pay it back so there are a few years where I am highly likely to be around. I also obtain another lucrative non cash benefit which is definitely tying me to the company as well. Basically I'm trying to maximize my time here.        

[glows]

You’re doing what you can. Keep improving yourself as advised by your higher up, finish your MBA and look at other options once the stay period is over if your current organization doesn’t promote you. Don’t drive yourself crazy trying to manipulate the system or tell yourself you’re not good enough. Bide your time and build momentum. Enjoy the MBA as that is a privilege a lot don’t have access to. 

[Eternal Sunshine]

My biggest tip is to look externally. I have tried it both ways and looking externally is the fastest way to go up, by far. I know that you said that you are tied to your current employer until you finish your MBA (BTW smart move by your employer to tie you down like that). I still wouldn’t rule out external opportunities - don’t know the costs of MBA where you live but a pay rise in a new role may well more than cover it.