They’re Sending Messages | Career Angles
By Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter
I worked for a firm for more than a decade where the people who were in leadership or with the organization for a long time. Not just 10 or 15 years but 25 or 30 years. I missed that queue when I interviewed with them.
I should’ve recognized that although they were all contemporaries of mine from an age standpoint, they would always be ahead of me in terms of leadership within the organization. This sales firm set things up in a way that there would not be opportunity to move ahead despite statements to the contrary.
Someone I work with now is going through something similar. They specifically recruited his from a competitor to head up a function. You would recognize his work in all forms of media if I told you what to look for. For very little money, he has generated enormous returns for his firm. When it comes time to give him a review, he is told to “play ball,” not to worry about how his numerical scores were placed in their systems (even though they will affect is bonuses and promotional opportunities), and to “play the long game.”
In other words, you need to be prepared to work here for 20 or 30 years in order to get anywhere. That was confirmed when multiple promotional opportunities existed that he was more than well-qualified for but was passed over for the “average at best” long-term employee. Worse than that, he was put in the position of reporting to someone who beat him out for one of the promotions and now claims credit for his work!
Isn’t that special.
Organizations give information through their behaviors. Your manager may tell you things but the organization may contradict what your manager says. I remember years ago doing a video for YouTube during the time of a previous recession reminding people that your boss may tell you not to worry and how important you are to the organization during difficult economic times but has no real input or impact upon your future with that firm.
Ⓒ The Big Game Hunter, Inc., Asheville, NC 2020, 2022
ABOUT JEFF ALTMAN, THE BIG GAME HUNTER
Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter is a career and leadership coach who worked as a recruiter for more than 40 years. He is the host of “No BS Job Search Advice Radio,” the #1 podcast in iTunes for job search with more than 2300 episodes. He also hosts Job
Search TV on YouTube, and Amazon, as well as on BingeNetworks.tv for Apple TV and 90+ smart sets.
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