But it's also possible to improve your career without making such a dramatic move, by moving within your current company. After all, you're already intimately familiar with the company and (hopefully) you enjoy a mutual respect and close working relationship with the employer (your boss) - items essential for any successful career move. Besides, a move within a company is far less traumatic than making a complete change.
People often find themselves at a dead end and automatically assume that the solution is to make a drastic move. Rarely, however, do they look at their current company to see what else they might do without moving.
I once worked with a woman who had risen, over the course of ten years, from secretary to operations manager at a large brokerage house, the highest level she could expect to attain along her career path. She initially assumed she would have to move to a new field. However, she went on to realize that she had an untapped sales ability. Therefore, rather than leave her company, she carefully negotiated a move into the sales division of the firm. That was many years ago. At this writing more than 20 years later, she is still with the same firm and is one of its two top sales producers.
Much of what's involved in making this kind of career improvement (essentially creating your own promotion) relates to the fundamentals discussed in earlier chapters: Identifying your internal talents; identifying your internal needs; setting goals; and being completely objective about yourself, your future and your company. Then you must market (communicate) yourself and your talents to your employer.
One major problem you may encounter is that while you've grown and matured in your job, your employer may well perceive you as being the same person you were when you started. The woman I mentioned earlier was still perceived by many people in the brokerage house as being "just a secretary." This was one of the biggest obstacles she had to overcome. The challenge, then, is to develop in the mind of your boss a more realistic picture of yourself
That's not easy. It requires an extraordinary amount of tact and diplomacy. If handled improperly, it can inalterably change your relationship with your employer for the worse. You can't just walk in and demand a change or lecture the boss about how the company can be improved. That's a one-way ticket to the unemployment line. At the same time, it is necessary to be direct about what you think you can do and how you can help the company. As I said, it's not easy.
While a step by step how-to guide is not possible, here are a few suggestions:
- Once you've determined that a career improvement within the company is in order, and you've determined how to market your talents, ask your boss for a confidential meeting. During this meeting, don't ask for action and don't get confrontational. Keep it friendly and help your boss think out loud about his or her daily responsibilities and plans for the company's future. Most employers will be happy to discuss such things.
- Listen carefully and demonstrate a sincere interest in what he or she is saying (without appearing to be a bootlicker). If you can't do this much, perhaps it really is time for you to move on to another company.
- If, on the other hand, you truly believe you can address the boss' concerns, he or she will surely want to know about it. Again, make suggestions, not demands. Virtually all bosses like to think that they initiated good ideas (like moving you to another position in the company) and as I've said before, people who feel that we've listened to them will give us anything we want.
- As much as anything, it's a matter of making a decision. If you've developed the self-sufficiency and complete open-mindedness about your talents, needs, and goals, any decision you make, and that you help others make, will be the best one.
