Hi, is anyone else here ok with their current role and ok to not have a career plan?

9 Comments

1. Heide FramilNovember 3,2021 at 5:00PM UTC

   Hi. I'm the same. When asked if I want to move on to the next role as a career growth, I would always say maybe not now, or when the right time comes. That is because I don't want to commit to something that would take away my time (with my daughter) and would give me so much stress, and yes, would impact my work life balance. I'm happy with my current role and the pay I get. If you see fit that what you have right now is enough and good for you, then stay. Moving up to something you're not wholeheartedly into will only lead to regret. I'd say, just continue doing your job the right way. The right time will come when you're ready to take the next role. Hope this helps!

2. Stacey DarlingNovember 3,2021 at 6:32PM UTC

   I have no desire to move on to the next or any other role, I'm an admin, and I'm happy doing what I do. I am always looking to improve and add to my skillset, but I'm ok doing what I do. My employer does not push for me to move into the next role, whatever that might be. However, if were wanting to, they would totally support that. I feel fortunate to have landed in this role.

3. AnonymousNovember 3,2021 at 8:08PM UTC

   Absolutely.

   Unfortunately it seems like often it’s frowned upon if you’re content and don’t have aspirations to “move up” even is you excel at your job.

4. KarinNovember 9,2021 at 4:14PM UTC

   Absolutely! I came back to work about 6 years ago after a long stretch as a stay-at-home parent. I'm in my 2nd role -at a nonprofit- since coming back and love the mission focus and work/life balance. A couple of years ago I added Sales to my role and learning that new skill was such a great spark for me. With the new responsibilities and a permanent WFH structure, I am content and not feeling any pressure to move up/along on anyone else's timeline :)

5. Anita GetzNovember 9,2021 at 4:25PM UTC

   I do not have a career plan, I use to be happy with my current role. Take 10 minutes and jot dot where you see yourself in the next few years, and what position you want to move to. If it is stressful then you are overthinking, write down what first comes to mind. Good luck

6. AnonymousNovember 9,2021 at 5:49PM UTC

   Definitely. I've had some changes in roles over time, but I've taken them because they let me do more of what I enjoy without impacting my work life balance. I'd rather not make another move if it came with more stress and less time for my personal life.

7. Barbara WhiteNovember 9,2021 at 5:50PM UTC

   I would agree that if you are happy where you are and you are trying to maintain a work/life balance, then you shouldn't feel like you have to move up. We need great employees at all levels of an organization, and there's a definite value in having people who know exactly what needs to be done and can get it done quickly because they have performed those tasks for many years.

   But there are two "food for thought" comments I will add--not saying you should do either, but it's always good to at least consider some options, particularly around performance appraisal time, so you will have something to discuss with your manager. One is that it's a good idea to demonstrate that while you are happy in this current role, you are also upgrading skills to stay current with technology or to meet changing needs. This could be learning new software or even taking some "soft skills" courses that could add value to your company in your current job. Companies do like to see that you have some ideas about how to build on what you already know, even if you want to stay in the same role.

   The other is to ask yourself if your work/life balance needs will change as your life situation changes. What I mean is, you may have kids now and need to be able to take them to their activities, etc., so working long hours or on a rigid schedule may not be appealing because of that. But what about when they are no longer at home? Would you want new challenges at work, or would you pursue outside hobbies/activities in that time that used to be taken up by active parenting? What if there were a change in your marital/partner status? If you think that possible life situations may change your job plans (perhaps you would want a new challenge or have to have more salary should a spouse/partner no longer be there), then it could be good to have a career plan for "just in case". That was my own life actually, I had a pretty flexible and not so demanding position when my daughter was younger so that I could be an involved parent at school, her extracurricular activities, etc. But when she graduated high school and went to college, I knew I would want more, and I would have a lot more time to devote to work and personal development. So a few years before she graduated, I started doing volunteer work and taking some extra assignments/courses as time allowed. That helped me to transition into management fairly easily when the time came. Just some things to consider......have a great day!

8. Anna C AdamsNovember 9,2021 at 6:28PM UTC

   I am with you!

   I love the work I currently do and when this conversation comes up, as it always does, my response is something like, "I am fully engaged in my current role and would like to focus on ways to improve my work." Or something like that. I have also said that I'm not interested in moving up the ladder. I want to continue to improve my skills and apply them to my current role so that I can be the best at my work.

   Good luck!

9. AnonymousNovember 21,2021 at 3:39PM UTC

   Great discussion! I’m 59, and took a contractor position at a university. As a contractor, the pay is really good, and I don’t have to get involved with politics. I’m coming off my last two positions being at the director level, and I wanted to try this out to see if I could just work my 40 hours and turn it off - sort of a pre-amble for retirement. It’s been five months, and I’m happy to say it is going well. My contract can go as long as five years, and I plan to retire well before that. I’m happy not to have a plan!