I have been with the same institution for almost 14 years.

Anonymous

January 24,2023 at 5:53PM UTC

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I have been with the same institution for almost 14 years. I have been promoted from entry level office assistant all the way up to Assistant director. The issue is that I didn't take the assistant director position because I wanted it. I took it because it was expected of me. I HATE this job, with everything that I am. It is expected that in this AD role that I will take my work home and work essentially every day, around the clock. It isn't enough money to warrant working overtime in my opinion. I need to find a new job, but I cannot seem to find anything new. I have been honest in my interviews by saying I want to leave my current job because it isn't a good fit, but I am worried that it is making a bad impression. I am at a loss as to what to do now.

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Renee HolderJanuary 24,2023 at 6:19PM UTC
Good for you for recognizing what works and does not work for you. The issue with your current role is not that you are "not a good fit", so you should not say that in interviews - that may give the impression that there is something wrong with you. It sounds like the role at your current organization "is not meeting your career goals in that industry/org because your passion for ... is not being realized" - You should say that instead. You need to reassess and write down what you love to do; what work you have passion for; what aspects of your previous roles you enjoyed; and finally, what you don't want to do in the future (e.g. working around the clock) - the latter is of course a boundary/expectation you can set. You'd be surprised that what you find in your list may require a change in industry/role. Perhaps leadership is not for you? Perhaps you have outgrown the company? Perhaps your heart is no longer in that kind of work? All are ok. Just searching and not being clear on what it is you REALLY want/love to do going forward will result in a short-term, disappointing stay at a new job at X company. Get clear, update your LinkedIn to target the roles you want to attract, and that perfect job will find you. Good luck in your job search!
Elena ChurikovaJanuary 26,2023 at 2:05PM UTC
Great advise from Renee! Might be worth investing in a couple of sessions with the career coach to work through your passions and set clear career goals for the future. Good luck!
Cindy GrossJanuary 26,2023 at 4:46PM UTC
Interviewers don't want to hear what you're running from "a poor fit at your current job," they want to hear the passion in your voice as you describe what you're heading towards. Pick a very specific direction, commit to it with everything you have, and develop a set of interview stories (SOAR or STAR format) that support where you want to go. A good career coach and/or a resume writer can help with this. As a coach I focus on helping you surface and articulate the edges and heart of who you want to be and what you want to do next, build a community that is working to mentor and sponsor you, and practice the habits and tools that will get you there. Find a coach that you can get vulnerable with, someone would have something in common with. #BefriendingDragons
AnonymousJanuary 27,2023 at 1:51AM UTC
NEVER complain about your current employer or work situation in a job interview.
Instead, talk about what interests you about the role you that you are interviewing for, the strengths that you bring to that role and the skills that you have acquired in your current and prior jobs that will benefit the new company.
Have concrete examples of what you have accomplished in the past and relate them to the new role.
SueJanuary 30,2023 at 8:05AM UTC
Can you take another position in your company, since you have been there for fourteen years? If they value you they should be open to the discussion, if not then move on. They should not expect you to give up your entire life for this new position. Good luck!