DISCUSSIONS

Reluctantly Staying put during the Pandemic while Proactively Improving my Current Position.

Anonymous Image

Anonymous

Welcome to Fairygodboss!

We’re the largest online career community helping women achieve their career goals. Gain access to articles, jobs, events, and a supportive network of women and allies. Membership is free, always.

Reluctantly Staying put during the Pandemic while Proactively Improving my Current Position.

I entertained a job offer but due to recent COVID spikes, I decided to stay with my current company. It was a dream opportunity that any other time, I would have jumped at the chance. With the recent spikes in COVID cases, I'd rather stay with a company that kept its staff during the height of the pandemic rather than switching to an industry that previously furloughed staff.

After making the tough decision, I reexamined my current role. Although I accepted it as interim position, I've been fortunate to receive a lot of benefits and promotions. They value my ideas and while not being a preferred industry, if I can continue to move forward, maybe I should rethink seeking another position until there's more certainty in the market.

I found a possible gap in between my position and the department head's. I'm getting ready for an end of the year performance review and decided I was going to put myself forward and request what I needed to work towards in 2022 to obtain that type of role? If I can't make the move, why not try to advance in my company?

What is everyone else doing? Are you forgoing changing companies due to COVID or using this time to focus on what you want out of a career?

Why women love us:

  • Daily articles on career topics
  • Jobs at companies dedicated to hiring more women
  • Advice and support from an authentic community
  • Events that help you level up in your career
  • Free membership, always

Like

35 comments

Share

Share your insight

Join an authentic community that helps women support each other at work. Share your professional experience or ask for advice — you can even post anonymously.

35 Comments

Join the conversation
  1. Anonymous

    Good for you! Congratulations on pushing for a promotion. Good luck and please let us know how it goes. You can always still look for a new job if it doesn't look like you'll be receiving what you need in your current company.

  2. Anonymous

    Thank you and I figured it doesn't hurt to make the case for a promotion. That would make me feel better about staying put for now while providing a stronger resume for future opportunities.

  3. Mindy Swank

    I’m changing companies to one that is fully remote. My current employer continues to make everyone come in (no laptops) and won’t even require a negative COVID test when someone comes back after a few days of calling in sick for having “the worst cold of my life.” I don’t feel safe or protected. What a 2 years!

  4. Anonymous

    I feel you on this! Our President wouldn't pay to have the office sanitized when 4 people went home sick and 2 additional people tested positive for Covid. This was after our in-office, family friendly Christmas party. They said if anyone complained, they would take the $500 to sanitize out of bonus money.

  5. Anonymous

    I'm sorry to hear that you're in that horrible position. Best of luck with your next role and with a company that values you!

  6. Anonymous

    Personally I am in a similar boat, sort of. During the pandemic I switched my position 3 times, luckily each employer allowed us to work from home or switch to hybrid during the summer/fall time, so I had a choice not to go in if you’re still scared. I switched my first job because we were furloughed and there was a possibly of being laid off, my second position was just too overwhelming with too manually created processes that had me working 60 hour weeks that really conflicted with the child care needs I also was obligated to do because of the school closures, and with my current position I took something a bit “easier” to catch my breath but I am also finding the work is of a low level analyst when I am searching for something in the leadership path. Plus recently I accepted a fourth position but I decided to decline it because the company only offered 15 days off and no extra sick/emergency days, and hybrid work schedule that is a deal breaker for me during these Covid times. In the meantime, I am taking certifications and quick learning opportunities like linkedin learning paths and such, and once I am ready I will start searching for a position that really suits me., my current position is a pretty dead end and I don’t think anyone will get promoted here. It is always a good idea to ask for additional responsibilities if possible or continue to grow yourself in other ways and just be ready to go to another company. The good news is that during my career switches, the employers were very understanding and no one held it against me that since January 2020, I was with 3 different companies as a regular worker, not a consultant.

  7. Marina Z.

    What classes are you finding useful on LinkedIn? I am exploring it to add to my skill set.

  8. Anonymous

    Anything that is related to my field. Since I am in IT, I take ITIL, PMP, agile, data visualization, leadership classes etc.

  9. Anonymous

    I would love to know more about your LinkedIn Learning experiences! What classes or certifications have you tried? Are they easy to balance with work/home life?

    Thanks for sharing your experiences as well. I am currently debating leaving a company I joined a year ago as well. Hearing what others are doing to make the most of their education, experience and options available is pretty inspiring.

  10. Anonymous

    Anything that is related to my field. Since I am in IT, I take ITIL, PMP, agile, data visualization, leadership classes etc.

  11. Anonymous

    Thank you, Anonymous. I appreciated your advice. I'm trying to advance my skills and opportunities. I've been taking LinkedIn courses and also free certifications ones on HubSpot as well. Best of luck with with finding your career position.

  12. Shelley Maley, Career Coach (PHR, GCDF)

    It certainly doesn't hurt to inquire about advancement possibilities with your current employer. Just keep in mind that you should evaluate what's important to you. Is the new role in alignment with your skills, values, and interests? If not, you will likely feel unfulfilled and decide to move on at a later date. All the best to you!

  13. Anonymous

    Thank you, Shelley. The proposed role is one that I've held at a previous company. I would like to get back to that level. I didn't think of looking within my company for opportunities as I didn't think it would be a career company, more of an interim stopover during the pandemic. As COVID concerns continue, instead of making a move, maybe there's opportunities I didn't know were available?

  14. Shelley Maley, Career Coach (PHR, GCDF)

    It's always great to explore your options. Please let me know if I can help you in any way.

  15. Anonymous

    I am actually taking a bit of a riskier approach. I am leaving my current position that is full time with benefits for a temp to perm position. My current job is ok but I’m learning nothing new, see no promotion in sight and I know my upcoming raise will not match what this new company is offering. Although Covid is riding again I am working in a field which need rised during Covid so I feel secure as their is a lot of need and open positions in this field right now.

  16. Anonymous

    It sounds like you made the right decision! You're taking a risk but there's a lot of opportunities. Wishing you all the best!

  17. Anonymous

    I made a move during the height of the 2020 pandemic. It was a good company but I was bored with my work so started looking after a year. I immediately got an offer but turned it down because I wasn’t sure how “recession-proof” the company was so stayed put. Before making that decision I went to my boss and told him about my offer. He was surprised but we had a good talk. I stayed for 3 more months and the job market became increasingly hotter, and decided I should find a job I love, not just like, so I applied for something that I wanted and got an immediate offer again. I felt bad about leaving but decided it was for the best. Is there a crystal ball that will tell me I have job security and everything I want here? Of course not. But I’m happier with the role and the organization. Pandemic or not, I decided I needed to live my life.

  18. Anonymous

    Good for you! Were you worried about switching to a new company that might furlough staff? I'm in a creative field and unfortunately, those type of roles tend to furlough employees. I was offered a job that I really wanted but they are only starting to hire back staff from 2020. If the pandemic gets worse, I was worried that I would be out of job in another city. The pandemic is making rethink my options and if I'm ready to make the move.

  19. Anonymous

    I just got an amazing offer in a new city and I've decided to take it. It will mean relocating in the middle of a pandemic but it's just something I can't pass up.

  20. Anonymous

    First of all, congratulations! That sounds like a wonderful opportunity. If you don't mind me asking, do you have any advice regarding finding a new role in a different city?

  21. Danielle

    I actually left my company during Covid and I ended up returning. I’m not happy though. Now, I’m pivoting and instead of mass applying, I’m picking and choosing what companies I apply. I am okay with staying but this isn’t where i want to be long term nor do I feel like I want to move up. When I returned to my company I had to take a demotion (I was fine with it), so I have extra time on my hands. I’m learning to blow glass and teach myself German. I love that I’m finally focusing on developing myself as a person.

  22. Anonymous

    Good for you, Danielle! I love that your trying new things and blowing glass sounds amazing.

  23. Anonymous

    I’m staying with a contract job (good pay, good people, but it’s not a step “up” career-wise and also stops and starts). In non-pandemic times I’d have more childcare options and more flexibility to handle a new job. I’m grateful to have a job at all though, and I’m staying put unless a really fabulous full-time role comes along. I turned down an offer because it would have been really intense and potentially very stressful to manage kid & family stuff right now. It’s all good though! But the pandemic did cause some unusual decision-making factors.

  24. Anonymous

    Anonymous, I'm in the same situation. I'm not in a bad company so I've been staying put unless it's the right opportunity. In a regular job market, I would be more open to make the leap but as you mentioned, the pandemic requires us to think things differently.

  25. Anonymous

    I love this - not only because it seems like a smart choice for you, but also because it highlights that staying put can be a smart choice. People are job hopping like crazy in my industry and sometimes you feel like a chump for not doing so. I like being reminded that it's all choices - and we don't all prioritize the same things at the same time.

  26. Anonymous

    Thank you and I'm watching everyone switching to other roles. If I make the move, I want it to be for the right reason. I feel that if I'm open to making my current position better that would help my morale as well as align me for future opportunities.

  27. Carolyn Hipkins

    An opportunity to become an FTE in the agency I'm contracted out to will come up shortly. I will apply for it. If I get it I'll stay where I'm at. If not I'm going to keep looking for a new position. I'm tired of being a contractor through a staffing agency. The benefits are lousy.

  28. Anonymous

    Best of luck!

  29. Anonymous

    It sounds like you are making reasonable strategic decisions and that's something not everyone manages. My daughter has had some similar experiences recently and I'm proud of her for thinking everything through so carefully and looking at the big picture. Best of luck on your professional development plans!

  30. Lori Laurito Betz

    I work in the human/social services field and I’m starting a new job on January 3rd. I’ve been a home visitor for Early Head Start for 10 years and I just finished my BA in the spring. I took some time to reflect and realized that I was ready to move on. Also, there’s really nowhere for me to go in my current job (although I also realized that I’m not quite ready to stop working in direct services either). My current job has been working virtually since 3/2020 although we returned to in-person home visits in October. I’ll be in the office and in the field in the new job (and coincidentally my current job is returning to the office on 1/3 as well). Honestly, Covid didn’t figure into my decision, it was time to move on and I would’ve done the same regardless.

  31. Anonymous

    Similarly, to Lori, I am starting a new job on January 3rd. I started my existing job right at the beginning of COVID. I have loved my job, my project, my team, and ability to make an impact on those around me through Employee Experience initiatives and managing a development program.

    You might be asking why I am leaving my existing job if I love everything? Well, something changed in management where people felt threatened by my accomplishments and started reprimanding me for things where I did nothing wrong (as stated by HR, my Project Lead, and Leadership). These were people I looked up to but their push to put aside ethics really rubbed me the wrong way.

    Secondly, they mandated the vaccine. While I have nothing against vaccines, I am unable to due to allergies. So, I submitted an exemption; however, it was radio silence for months with a hard deadline if you weren't approved you were termed without any severance. Because I had to think of my family, I was forced to look for employment elsewhere. I applied for 100+ roles but all were denials and for the first time I was having anxiety and panic attacks.

    To make matters worse, our landlord asked us to move out because of a remodel. I felt as though my world was crumbling but in the middle of this, I started receiving requests to interview left and right for roles I never applied for, we found a house the same day we received the notice from our existing landlord, was approved in a week, etc. One of these roles was the perfect fit for my career goals, aspirations, and growth in skills because it would have taken me 5+ years to get to the same level at my current employer.

    My employer gave me a promotion, but the salary increase was a slap in the face for all the work I have done. I refuse to be undervalued and it was admitted that I was brought in at the wrong career level and role, but they didn't want to move me into the right level for fear of retaliation from other management. When I asked if they would counter, they decided not to. It was a hard decision, but I am taking the new role because I can always return if I choose to. Hopefully, my current employer will be in a better position when/if I decide to return.

    Honestly, I have faith in God that everything happens for a reason and genuinely believe in his divine intervention - this was His for me!

  32. Anonymous

    Anonymous, wishing you all the best and I'm applauding the fact that you were true to yourself. You should be proud of recognizing that it was time to leave and having the courage to do so.

  33. DeBorah S. Walker

    Merry Christmas to all, and those who are not (merry xmas), "happy holidays". Sounds like you are making a long term smart decision to me...?

  34. Anonymous

    Thank you and I appreciated everyone's advice. I had a meeting with our senior team this week and have good news to report. I proactively asked about advancement opportunities and they replied that they see me moving into my requested role in 2022. It doesn't hurt to ask for what you want so go after your dreams! Have a happy and healthy holidays!

  35. Anonymous

    I'm in a similar boat.
    I don't love my current job, but the pay, benefits, stability and work/life balance are what's keeping me here, despite being offered a new "sexier" job (albeit $35k less!) I think I've realized as I've matured, I value different things that a job can offer. Stability, salary and balance are the top for me these days!
    Hopefully post-pandemic there are more opportunities for me to choose from!

Browse recent posts

Netwroking Event: Treating Interviews as Sales Conversations and Communicating Your Value 11/13 11AM ET
Networking Event: Treating Interviews as Sales Conversations and Communicating Your Value 11/13 11AM ET
When you role ends your experience goes with you....
Ready to land your next sales or marketing role? 🚀💜
Hiii everyone!
I'm. Current looking for remote jobs
See more
Fairygodboss VIP
Achieve your career goals.
Be part of the largest online career community for women to find jobs, advice, and support — for free.
Fairygodboss members