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After years of looking for an ideal place to call my home away from home, I've come to a frustrating realization.
An abundance of job descriptions paint a picture that the employer is looking for a self-motivated, highly ambitious super star to come in and take the bull by the horns. But more often than not, what I find is an environment that demonstrates the complete opposite of this. Instead, you find burnt out, jaded employees who've given up the effort to go against the grain, and who've decided that it's just best to keep your head down and do the minimal to get by. You find silo after silo after silo which inhibits any possibility for major improvements. You find management that is not conducive or supportive of any drastic change that would have any sort of real impact.
You'll start out highly ambitious and wanting to take on more and help change things for the better, only to find yourself hitting brick wall after brick wall. Furthermore, management will layer on the tasks on those who make a fuss about not being engaged enough, while promotions and raises are handed out to those who are rubbing elbows with the right people.
In my observations, companies operate more as country clubs than they do meritocracies. Those who are ambitious and eager to prove themselves are rewarded with more work, but rarely with anything else. No wonder people either shut up and keep their heads down and do the minimum, or leave after a few years. Employers treat their most ambitious super stars abysmally.
At most of the places I've worked, there's a fairly clear hierarchy of which junior level or mid level workers are more favored by their superiors. And they are usually rewarded with promotions.
Where I am, one guy has been promoted 5 times in as many years and some people I work with have never been promoted within that timeframe.
An ironic thing is that he, himself (since I talk to him often) thinks he is mistreated by management. He can't see apparently that he has been promoted 5 times in 5 years, and that he has a lot of margin for error.
He can't see that he has more work than he knows what to do with, yet other employees at his level are not getting consistent work and their jobs are in danger.
Or maybe you are at a company that just works its employees like dogs and never promotes them, though I suspect such a company would have difficulty staying alive.
Rest assured, if your goal is to climb the corporate ladder, there's plenty of places where that can happen if you're young.
At most of the places I've worked, there's a fairly clear hierarchy of which junior level or mid level workers are more favored by their superiors. And they are usually rewarded with promotions.
Where I am, one guy has been promoted 5 times in as many years and some people I work with have never been promoted within that timeframe.
An ironic thing is that he, himself (since I talk to him often) thinks he is mistreated by management. He can't see apparently that he has been promoted 5 times in 5 years, and that he has a lot of margin for error because management trusts him while other employees make a mistake and a manager won't use them ever again.
He can't see that other employees are not getting consistent work and their jobs are in danger.
Or maybe you are at a company that just works its employees like dogs and never promotes them, though I suspect such a company would have difficulty staying alive.
Rest assured, if your goal is to climb the corporate ladder, there's plenty of places where that can happen if you're young.
One guy has been promoted. How many others have been passed up?
I've worked in a variety of companies and industries. There were a couple places that did have a better track record of rewarding their super stars. I saw it mostly in IT, which is rapidly evolving at all times; therefore change is inevitable. People who have a hard time keeping up just aren't cut out for that industry. Telecom and healthcare have been my worst experiences thus far. Though admittedly, I work for a non-profit now that tries to pretend that it's a private-sector for profit, but just can't compete. The nepotism and cronyism here are rampant, so it has probably left me a little more biased as of late.
One guy has been promoted. How many others have been passed up?
I've worked in a variety of companies and industries. There were a couple places that did have a better track record of rewarding their super stars. I saw it mostly in IT, which is rapidly evolving at all times; therefore change is inevitable. People who have a hard time keeping up just aren't cut out for that industry. Telecom and healthcare have been my worst experiences thus far. Though admittedly, I work for a non-profit now that tries to pretend that it's a private-sector for profit, but just can't compete. The nepotism and cronyism here are rampant, so it has probably left me a little more biased as of late.
Lots of people have been passed up or laid off where I work. Tons.
In my experience, the places (or regional offices rather) that never promote employees also are more laidback working environments and 'lower' performers are given more of a pass. Think 'family businesses' or municipal, state and federal jobs.
The less corporate for me, the better. If I was younger, I'd be sure to get myself out of the game all together.
Lots of people have been passed up or laid off where I work. Tons.
In my experience, the places (or regional offices rather) that never promote employees also are more laidback working environments and 'lower' performers are given more of a pass. Think 'family businesses' or municipal, state and federal jobs.
The less corporate for me, the better. If I was younger, I'd be sure to get myself out of the game all together.
This is where I'm at now. It has become highly frustrating. But also not limited to this line of work.
Lots of people have been passed up or laid off where I work. Tons.
In my experience, the places (or regional offices rather) that never promote employees also are more laidback working environments and 'lower' performers are given more of a pass. Think 'family businesses' or municipal, state and federal jobs.
The less corporate for me, the better. If I was younger, I'd be sure to get myself out of the game all together.
I don't know.
I've worked from small businesses to three F500s. I have almost always found small businesses to be more competitive and cutthroat. At large institutions, it's much easier to sort of blend into the background.
I've worked from small businesses to three F500s. I have almost always found small businesses to be more competitive and cutthroat. At large institutions, it's much easier to sort of blend into the background.
Yes, you can be correct.
In my line of work, it can go both ways.
By 'family business', I was not only referring to size, but environment.
In family businesses, they value things like duration of tenure, and can be more forgiving. They also pay less. But small companies could be run differently, trying to gun for profits, grow and become more corporate.
My experiences are actually similar to yours. However, when I have worked for large companies, it has tended to be on city, state or federal contracts. And that is why the work was more laidback.
After years of looking for an ideal place to call my home away from home, I've come to a frustrating realization.
An abundance of job descriptions paint a picture that the employer is looking for a self-motivated, highly ambitious super star to come in and take the bull by the horns. But more often than not, what I find is an environment that demonstrates the complete opposite of this. Instead, you find burnt out, jaded employees who've given up the effort to go against the grain, and who've decided that it's just best to keep your head down and do the minimal to get by. You find silo after silo after silo which inhibits any possibility for major improvements. You find management that is not conducive or supportive of any drastic change that would have any sort of real impact.
You'll start out highly ambitious and wanting to take on more and help change things for the better, only to find yourself hitting brick wall after brick wall. Furthermore, management will layer on the tasks on those who make a fuss about not being engaged enough, while promotions and raises are handed out to those who are rubbing elbows with the right people.
In my observations, companies operate more as country clubs than they do meritocracies. Those who are ambitious and eager to prove themselves are rewarded with more work, but rarely with anything else. No wonder people either shut up and keep their heads down and do the minimum, or leave after a few years. Employers treat their most ambitious super stars abysmally.
Companies are operating on the social club mentality. This is very true in my experience as well and I think the sentiments will be overwhelmingly shared by most who work in the private sector. You don't to be the superstar today
-chance of promotion are slim. (Management will refused your contribution where you are at)
- the entire workload is thrown on the superstar because management is too lazy to get the slackers up to speed and don't want to be bothered with doing their jobs. It's a slap in the face of the superstar
- the slackers can maintain their laziness their entire career why bust your rear?
Look what the social club mentality has done to so many companies long term however?? Many are shell of Their former selves because words gets around and they can't find nor keep any great employees
The only way sadly for superstars to make more money is job hopping all over the place. Personally, the rat race gets old. I would strongly recommend a government. Sure there is much of the same BS there but at the end of the day you will probably get compensated better and you have job security and much better benefits
The private sector isn't a place for superstars anymore. It will just get you taken advantage. of. And truthfully I think most companies don't want them around. Why? They make poor managers looks complete useless and lost
The private sector isn't a place for superstars anymore. It will just get you taken advantage. of. And truthfully I think most companies don't want them around. Why? They make poor managers looks complete useless and lost
The rat race gets old after awhile
While I agree with some of the things you've mentioned, I don't agree that a government job is a good fit for someone with an ambitious mindset. It's great for someone who wants stability and not as much accountability, I will give you that. But it's far more difficult to move up in governmental jobs due to limited funding and growth, and also because nepotism and cronyism run rampant within some groups. A super star would likely be miserable in a government job.
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