Advice on career advancement

newmumincov

I know I posted about a problem boss. That person is no longer an issue, and generally I get on my current boss. Or so I thought.

I was recently asked not to apply to an interal vacancy by my boss (who would be this person's manager as well) because I was needed where I was. Currently I am in a senior technical role and this post would be supervisor of more junior technical staff and a slightly sideways and slightly upwards move. I already have some management experience and at least as much as those who are already in the running but I'm less exposed to this boss except in end product.

I did um and ah about applying anyway but I was under the weather and really busy with work so decided I'd be better off picking my battles.

However, I absolutely don't want to get typecast as the "useful idiot". I sit seperately from the rest of my team (and the opposite side of the team to the boss) and have so much work on that I don't get the opportunity to interact with them very much. Plus I'm really not very good at the kind of small talk that they are into - I don't watch Celebrity island on ice and I'm not interested in the kind of personal diatribes that some of my colleagues make against other colleagues whilst they're at lunch. This is in a big open plan office. One of these will have the role of supervising these colleagues so I hope they change their tune

I am substantially more experienced in the technical side of things than my colleagues. I've come from a place where I did a lot of training (ad hoc and formal) and had a big hand in decision making and process design. I've found myself increasingly compartmentalised here. The management seem to see me as some kind of golden goose and despite my best efforts some of my colleagues appear to be threatened by me. For example, I am excluded from the tea round, and if I offer to make a round no one wants one, so I end up doing my own seperately or making stuff for staff in another team instead. Whilst I find this odd, rather than upsetting, this is a good example of the kind of dynamic that is going on.

The difficulty is a) getting over myself - I've been steaming about the knockback ever since, b) getting my boss to realise I am management material whilst I'm still needed to knock out the work and c) smoothing things over with my colleagues. I'm not sure where to start

Wellery82

Personally the way i would approach it is to focus on the fact they were so reluctant to lose you. Maybe have a discussion with your boss and say how keen you are to advance your career, but you have recognised in this instance it will benefit the company more if you stay. However it has shown how vulnerable the company are if something happened to you, and you want to start training other people and putting together process documents etc to help you make the step the next time something comes about, to make sure others could fill your shoes. This would give you the ability to evidence management skills, to build a closer rapport with these colleagues, and also to mean you are less indispensible should another opportunity arise.

Maybe also ask your boss for some formal one to ones and chat about your career aspirations. Tell him where you want to get to, in fact tell everyone who has a say on your career so people understand the type of work you want and start considering you for it. Chat with people about what you would need to develop, and see if you can incorporate that in your role?

Also regards not having time to chat to others, i can relate, and have probably been guilty myself also. Ultimately though making time to network pays dividends. The old adage its not what you know but who you know is very true i feel. The reason i feel is just because people start to see you as a character, they recognise all of your human skills and see you as someone they can work with easily. Even if it is ten minutes a day i am sure you can find that time from somewhere. It is definitely worth making a point of doing it so you don't start becoming ostracised from your colleagues. You don't have to be false, just friendly and polite, taking the time to listen to others and pick up on what is happening in their life

Good luck anyway

CANZON

Okay, I'm gonna keep it short and blunt.

From what you've said about past problems with a boss, the words you use to describe both your relationships with colleagues and comparable skills, and your feelings about this, I'd say you need to check your own attitude. What are you doing in your interactions to create this tension?

Even if that's not the whole story, I'm willing to bet that it is part of the reason why you're having problems. Change has to be two-way.

Second, I agree with the poster above about asking for meetings about career advancement. In fact, I'd ask your boss for a meeting where you ask specifically for what you would need to do to get a raise. Go away and do it. Measure the results. Go back, point out that your boss said you had to do X Y and Z to get a raise and that you've done that. Show the evidence.

Ask what it would take for you to be considered for management. Go away and repeat on that score.

The reason I say first ask for a raise is that you do seem quite emotional about this current incident - you need time to distance yourself from that and consider your own attitude before you raise discussions about it. So ask for a raise first, then for management positions.

I also agree about networking. I'm no fan of celebrities, reality tv, or even a lot of small talk. I'm crap at that stuff. But I know I have to make an effort. I don't try to appear like I know anything about reality tv, but I try to listen and empathise with whatever they're feeling. That's a process, you just have to start practicing it and making it a habit.

Most people aren't ready for management positions when they get promoted to them. But they'll usually be demonstrating growth, including growth in those kinds of roles and qualities. You have to play that game.

newmumincov

The previous boss was one who was instructing everyone to only communicate by email and phone other staff in the same open plan office. They've been moved on, thankfully, and things have lightened up a lot. However people only really talk to their immediate neighbours and you stick out like a sore thumb if you get up to talk to people. I sit away from my colleagues with my back to them and have to get up and go over to them if I want to join in. My hearing isn't great so I can't overhear my boss from where I am. I talk to the people I sit with, but I don't work with them. No one goes to lunch here. Very few go for drinks after work - my colleages generally don't. I keep persevering with the offers of tea and you never know, they might break!

The work is extremely absorbing/mentally challenging and I'm the only one doing it at the moment. I don't have the tech support or software I'm used to. The processes that could be in place either aren't or haven't been done properly. I love doing my work even so but I find I go home completely shattered - which is probably one reason why I'm getting so worked up.

I've definitely gone wrong, though, I've no doubt of that. Which is why I'm on here asking for advice and I really appreciate the replies (and reality check).
I have requested regular private meetings with my boss, as otherwise I don't get the opportunity to talk to them very often and they have very little oversight of what I do - they see the end product basically.

I know I need to lighten up.

A_Phoenix_of_Tangerine

So offers of tea haven't been working... What about a pack/box of deliciously tempting biscuits or chocolates to offer around on passing, to weaken their resolve? Many a frosty foe has been thawed by the sharing of sugary chocolatey things!

newmumincov

Hmm, maybe ... I don't eat cakes and biscuits myself but I know the attraction all to well.

I've tried to be a bit more chirpy today, though I still didn't get much opportunity to chat. It also occurred to me that the most frosty one very obviously wants this job and probably thinks I'm a competitor.

CFC

You should have applied for the job - effectively it is a promotion as it is managing staff. If you don't apply, then you won't be recognised as someone who wants a career rather than a job. Of course when putting in your application you can explain to the boss that of course you would support whoever took your role - or if they decided you were indispensable where you are then they could upgrade your current role.

newmumincov

It's too late to apply now, I'm afraid.