Slightly Lost
At first I followed the rules and got a college degree right out of high school. Due to my family situation what I studied and where I went to school was strictly to make my mother happy (she was very domineering and controlling) and not anything I was good at - unfortunately I didn't have the emotional or professional educational support to change majors so I ended up stuck with a degree that didn't serve me long term. Long story short I graduated in December 2000 and have - like most of us in this generation - gone through more layoffs and economic downturns than I can count. Most of my working years have been spent in jobs that were just for the paycheck (I like to eat and have a roof over my head #priorities). Almost always entry level roles and more often than through a temp service. I moved away and moved back - I started a career transition 15ish years ago by doing field operative work on political campaigns which lead to nonprofit roles in marketing and outreach. After being laid off in 2013 I was unemployed for a year before getting hired in a retail store job because my it was the only place that would hire me with my degree. Since by that time my mother had passed away I went back to school at 37 for a degree in Organizational Leadership as a way to have a piece of paper that supported my work experience and could help me jumpstart a second act. Now a few years after graduating I work for local government and like public service but I want something more - I feel like I should be further along in my career than still pushing paper in entry level roles.
Over the past few years, both during the last layoff and after graduating, I've reached out to various career coaches and have heard over and over that I'm going to have a hard time because this area is "very conservative" or that I'm just flat out unemployable because I've had too many jobs or I'm too much of a generalist. I feel like these statements are cop-outs - I mean why tell me I "need to understand this area is very conservative" if you can't give me advice on how to market myself within that dynamic? (Sorry - I let a rant get the better of me there).
Anyway I've been in my current role for almost 2 years and my husband and I are very interested in relocating in the next few years. Right now I'm trying to lay the groundwork for a huge transition and I'm struggling with where my skills and experience will fit, while also taking into account that I need to develop specific skills or maybe get some additional training or certifications to be marketable. I'm hoping for some support and insight from the group here - because I'm not getting good feedback from the coaches in my area. Thanks.
Thank you for your feedback. Currently I work in an entry level low level role with the government. I like the security a government job offers - and it provides me a stable schedule to have a work/life balance. I'd like to stay in a government role - which opens 50 states, 1 federal government, and countless cities and counties. So I know I have opportunities.
However, I know mentally I'm just beaten down. I'm stuck in a situation where there is a lot of favoritism on my team and I'm getting passed over more out of pettiness than anything else. I'm just not appreciated or valued - and the kicker is that I'm the most educated and experienced member of my team, yet I'm doing the lowliest of tasks.
I've been through this dynamic before - I've been bullied all my life (both in the workplace and personally) and while I've had some good work experiences where that didn't happen, those were temporary jobs. What's going on in my workplace is that the bosses favorite and go-to employee is a bad apple and - ahem - poop stirrer. Much younger than me, not to mention very petty and very juvenile - but she's cute and has this way that blinds everyone to her nastiness. We've been on the team about the same amount of time and when she first started she literally picked a fight with me in the middle of the office because she thought I had done something I didn't. For my part I told her to take it up with the manager then stood up and left her presence. Her story about this incident has changed multiple times but the latest rendition is that I got in her face. Laughable, because I'm quiet, serious, and put my professional reputation first - also in 25 or so years of working I've never gotten in anyone's face. Since then she has been on a rampage against me and lied about me and my character - it's so bad the entire team believes her and I can count on 2 hands the number of times in the past year any member of my team has even talked to me - not even a hello or good bye from them. Unfortunately my boss has not shut her down but rather elevated her status and allowed multiple public verbal assaults on me - while also documenting on my evaluations that I don't get along with my coworkers. I've disputed this in writing on the comment section and have also gone to HR. I've even talked to my bosses manager and gotten weekly coaching from him, but it seems I'm stuck.
It's soul crushing to go to work in such a toxic environment and I know I would be happier - not only on another team but honestly in another city.
I know I'm capable of more - I've run outreach efforts and marketing programs in nonprofits. I don't want to go back into nonprofit - but I'm capable of managing projects and programs too. The problem is I haven't had my behind in that seat for the requisite 2-5 years and can't get past 1st base when I apply for a role like that in my own organization not to mention others. Likewise, it's challenging to showcase my accomplishments in these areas on my resume because the organizations I worked for either are highly political or irrelevant. Other than going back to school (again) for a Masters or a credential study I have no idea how to market myself out of this hole.
Wow, you could be describing the exact same situation I found myself in during my last contract position and sadly, the one before. I am not one to assume I am perfect or that I never have room to improve, but I can't help but connect the dots that turning 50 a few years ago has not done me any favors, with opportunities shrinking and the few that remain feel as if I am being approached by recruiters so they can provide their clients with at least three options. The most recent situation was doomed from the start, as I was interviewed by a recruiting company twice removed from the actual company I'd be working for, as the current manager had put together a team to take over from an agency and train internal employees in new methodologies at the same time, as opposed to a competing manager who was building a team internally and interviewing for full time roles. The latter manager was obviously competing for my managers spot, higher up the chain. She made obvious her disdain for me and the team I was on and was systematically finding reasons to get everyone on the consulting team fired. She was shocking in her unprofessional attitude via displays of anger, viscous gossiping and obvious glee at treating others with condescending cruelty. Even though my team proved to be much more successful than the team she was personally building, much like a certain man in office, she seemed to feel most comfortable surrounded by clueless "behind" kissers and threatened by anyone who knew what they were doing. In both situations I do not get how this type of boss keeps their job, as the best leaders know how to delegate and are not threatened by experience and knowledge. It is pretty well known that the tech industry has never been especially inviting for women in general, but being over 40, forget 50, makes it even more of a struggle. I have found this culture to be so toxic it makes me ill so I am looking for another way to use my skills and background but of course like so many others, the coronavirus has made changing course feel even more out of reach. I too went back to school, 10 years ago for me, and am still paying off student loans, so going back to school to open more doors is not an option for me. I wish I had advice instead of just reaching out in solidarity in a world that is beating me down as well. I have thought about getting a career coach but money is tight and the ones I have talked to seem more focused on being a life coach, which is luxury I cannot afford. I need real world advice on how I can segway my experience into a viable second career. What I was pursuing right before the virus hit (and still am) is entering the world of teaching online certification programs/workshops in design and/or UX, as I only have an associates and art school certification I can't go the traditional route. I have gotten some interest but so many companies have hiring freezes I can't get a sense of how realistic this path is. I actually would love mentoring and teaching so this isn't a choice made out of desperation, though I have not been able to come up with other ways to utilize my skills. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Wow, that is some story. Thank you for sharing, because I'm sure that isn't easy for you at all.
First off, I am a career and life coach and I am sorry you've been frustrated by your experiences. In truth, not every coach specializes in everything and not every coach is strong. My personal expertise is not about fitting skills and experience into jobs but I do help Gen X women build their brand story.
I do believe doing mindset work around your past experiences, your beliefs in your abilities and the marketplace is critical for your future success.
What we believe, how we view the world reflects what actions we take. That said, if you are believing all of these things are holding you back from moving your career forward then they will. It is all brain science and pretty incredible what can happen when you start seeing things differently.
What is your current role and what do you envision your career step to look like (what fuels you from a day to day work perspective?)
It sounds as though you aren't sure what your transition step should be for your career and looking for advice on that as well? Do you have any inkling of what sector you want to go in? Any more details will help here.