To stay or go...

Anonymous

October 19,2022 at 8:59PM UTC

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To stay or go...

I started a new job and generally like the company, culture, people. But this job/role is not the right fit for me, and moving to another role is not an option as I am in a very specialized role and do not want to deviate from my own career path in this field.

The job is not the right fit because it is not the leadership role I expected based on how it was described. I have a team of people who have 1 year or less of experience, so a lot of what I am doing is helping them, I would describe it as much more than a hands-on leadership.

This is not where I want to be at my career level, I want to be able to strategize, create, innovate, etc., but I am feeling a bit stuck fixing issues, working alongside my team because they are that inexperienced. I estimate it may take me 2-3 years to get to where I want to be today in my own career path. I worked hard to unlearn being task oriented to becoming more strategic, but now I am relearning how to be task oriented, and this feels like much more than a step backwards in my career. The problem is I really like my team, they are willing to try, but at the same time my satisfaction in this role is decreasing everyday, and I am becoming unhappy as each day goes by.

What would you do? Would you stay in a job that feels like you are putting your own career growth on hold because you like the company, culture and people?

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AnonymousOctober 19,2022 at 9:15PM UTC
I would definitely start looking while you are employed abd have full benefits. It doesn't make sense to roll up your sleeves and work with your team if you have moved far beyond that work.
Enjoy your team and culture but definitely look to get back on track in a pure leadership capacity.
A truly rewarding career is about defining a path for yourself.
AnonymousOctober 19,2022 at 9:41PM UTC
I would try to see the silver lining and see this as an opportunity to mold and grow them to develop the skills you accrued over the years.
And then within 2 yrs you have them at a level that when you are ready to take the training wheels off and strategize you will have more harmony, the grass is not always greener on the other side. You can go somewhere else with a more seasoned staff but you still run the possibility of a boss that does not share or accept your vision or ideas or end up with staff too set in their ways to adjust which is a whole headache and stress on it’s own. And that’s something not always easy to decode from an interview. I would write a list and itemize all the pros and cons objectively. Be honest with yourself on what you are willing to tolerate the worst possible scenario in both sides and try to make your decision from there. From what you explained so far, your staff seems cooperative and are receptive to your guidance. So that in itself gives you the opportunity to groom them and mold them to be your army of fierce and productive workers. Good luck whichever you decide,
Megan ConkleOctober 20,2022 at 1:16PM UTC
I think it's okay to make the change and have a serious, open conversation with your leadership about why. If it's a company that you like and would want to work with under other circumstances, say that! Tell them that if other opportunities arise, you'd be extremely interested in returning.
If the culture is as good as it seems, that would probably be a welcome conversation and one that would keep your relationships strong if you should need them in the future.
Patriciai AllenOctober 24,2022 at 1:25PM UTC
I learned from co-workers how quickly things could roll downhill when a person is unhappy at work. Being unhappy at work can affect one's physical and mental health. Often a person doesn't make the connection until after serval visits to the doctor's office and many days absent from work. In my experience, it is hard to enjoy spending a paycheck if one is always sick. Isn't it better to take a day off from work for a vacation than a sick day? Work where you will be happy and grow because one should not be without the other.