Do you think if you are in a lowly job but have grown in knowledge through education online and experience you can ever be respected in the sector you are in?

14 Comments

1. AYANNALYSENovember 20,2022 at 5:28PM UTC

   I think you need to learn to be happy with what you have achieved so far if you are not at peace others will attack you for it and if they see that you are insecure then how can you expect them to respect you when you don't give yourself the same respect , at the end of the day there will always be someone smarter than you , someone with a better degree you just have to accept that and be proud of your achievements otherwise its time to upgrade and do better.

2. AnonymousNovember 20,2022 at 5:45PM UTC

   I think you can be respected and it depends on the environment you are in. Some workplaces are okay with people staying in a role, even though they may expect more or want to see more as time goes on. If they are expecting more and you want to give more, you could try doing a project or collaborating with someone on one to showcase your skills. You should probably also be compensated for your education and abilities. Hopefully you are getting merit increases or something like that. It might also be time to do something new. Same sector, but different company or same company, new department; vertical move if possible.

3. AnonymousNovember 20,2022 at 5:48PM UTC

   You have to watch out for being pigeon holed in that management only sees you in the role you are in try to branch out but if not move on

4. Barb HansenNovember 21,2022 at 4:17AM UTC

   Yes

   Don't let anyone else put you in a box. There are no boxes.

   Who cares if you are self-taught? Trust me, your next employer only cares if you are good at your job assuming your job doesn't require formal training, like a medical professional or an accountant.

   If you feel like your current employer is holding you back, you can always keep your eyes open for your next opportunity.

5. AnonymousNovember 21,2022 at 3:19PM UTC

   It depends on a lot of things. In my case, ageism and ableism have held me back again and again. I'm a former VP/Director in my field, with a terrific track record. I'm also disabled and over 40. Several years ago I collapsed in an airport after yet another unnecessary business trip but when I asked for accommodation, not to have to travel unnecessarily anymore, instead I got fired. (Totally illegal but I had to make tough choices for myself and my sick child, having lost my health insurance with the job.) It took five years to find another job. Recruiters would rave over my resume and accomplishments, take one look at me when I went in for an in-person interview and suddenly the "job was filled this morning." Not my imagination, it happened time and again. I haven't given up - hopefully someday I'll get back to the higher-level role I'm totally suited for. But my low-level current job on my resume keeps me pigeon-holed...and very frustrated.

6. AnonymousNovember 22,2022 at 1:35AM UTC

   Change your resume format from chronological to hybrid, so that you highlight your skills and senior level responsibilities, rather than your current and more limited job.

7. Gisele CloutierNovember 24,2022 at 10:44PM UTC

   I appreciate the suggestion but as a Recruiter I can tell you the first thing we think when we see functional or hybrid format resumes is, "what is she hiding? Where's the work experience?" On average, Recruiters spend only 7-10 seconds scanning a resume. If it doesn't tell the right story, right away, that's it.

8. AnonymousDecember 1,2022 at 2:26PM UTC

   Even with the jobs included in chronological order on the CV?

   Many folks have valuable experience that doesn’t fit neatly in standard resume format, especially if they’ve held a variety of positions over time.

   As a a recruiter, what would you advise people who would like to apply to a job that draws on earlier experience than their current position?

9. AnonymousNovember 22,2022 at 1:33AM UTC

   Of course you can be respected! Rely on your successes to keep you moving forward.

   Keep a written record at home to document your accomplishments and education. (Today, online credentials are becoming increasingly accepted.)

   Remind your managers of your accomplishments when you ask for new assignments (definitely let your managers know that you are excited for more challenges.)

   Join professional organizations in your industry and/or attend industry events to build your network. Today, many networking events are online.

   Finally, don’t hesitate to apply for new jobs if you want to move to a new organization.

10. Crystal HowellNovember 22,2022 at 2:56PM UTC

    Sure, boast about the courses completed and print them for your HR file!

11. AnonymousNovember 22,2022 at 3:24PM UTC

    It is all on your confidence. Own your job. You know a lot? Make sure people know. If classes/training/certifications are offered - in anything you might remotely think is helpful, take them. Don’t hold yourself back and others will eventually see that, and you will believe it.

    I started out lowest person on the totem pole. Over time, I learned, grew, took classes and the standard sentence out of my mouth was “I don’t know but I’ll figure it out”. Got me moving up, I became an asset to first my boss, who then transferred his confidence in me on to the rest of the office and clients. I became the go-to person for anything and everything. Made decisions sometimes when he wasn’t available and owned them. He was on vacation? I made sure things moved along, left him detailed lists of what I’d done and if I made a mistake, it could be fixed. Eventually. When he retired and I was forced out by the new boss (it took 4 people to replace me when they finally realized I worked awfully hard but made it look easy) I went to another lower level position just to regroup. In less than two years, I had changed positions - because I already had the knowledge, skill and certifications in a area they needed me. No interview, just “hey, you know how to do this, will you take over this position because the person quit.” And I keep taking random classes.

12. Terri ClarkNovember 22,2022 at 7:26PM UTC

    Start volunteering for additional assignments to prove you're ready to move up. It's hard to ignore the person doing the actual work.

13. AnonymousNovember 23,2022 at 1:40PM UTC

    Of course ! Maybe even more so be user you built yourself up from the bottom . Be confident , and if you can volunteer for projects that will give you visibility and experience . You got this decided where you want to get and plot your course meet people , sign up for meetups your can meet lots of people in the position you want to be in I wanted to be insecurity I signed up and interacted with lots of people on meetups and linked in go to the live discussions ask questions out yourself out there you have a lot going for you ,

14. _November 23,2022 at 2:38PM UTC

    Let's start with your feelings. They are valid, and maybe smarter than you give them credit for. Likely you are correct in that these other people feel the need to impose false superiority and keep you in your place. Now imagine for a second, your best friend was telling you this story. What advice would you give her?
    1. It's probably not all in your head.
    2. Detetmine what you really want- stay, leave, new position...etc. No wrong answer here. it's about what you want.
    3. Review your resume, does it reflect what you want and can do?
    4. Review open postings that match what you want, touch up your resume to include new phrases showing you can and will do.
    5. Start networking- volunteering, get different tasks and projects, join professional groups, etc