By Bill Kaufmann, President of My Greener Future
My personal formula for deciding when to seek another job has served me well. It took me about 7 years to understand and articulate my career drivers. They may serve others as well. Here’s a start.
First, create three separate scales from 0 to 100. Designate cut points: A 50 rating is “Minimally Adequate”. A 70 rating is “Acceptable”. Anything below 50 shouts for a change and above 70 indicates you are making satisfactory progress. The higher the rating, the greater the progress.
Second, take a look at the drivers to your career success and apply them against your scale. In my case, there have been three drivers throughout my career. You may have different drivers so you need to figure that out. Later in life I added to this mix, but that’s a tale to tell at another time.
When you’ve completed your review, add all three numbers for a Total Satisfaction Index. Let’s take each driver separately then show you how it works.
- Personal and professional growth As an individual: Are you growing in confidence, maturity, interpersonal relationships, experience, exposure, visibility, credibility, influence, and most other personal attributes needed for the tasks ahead? As a professional: Have you increased your skills and abilities, learn higher levels of complexities, engage with higher management, expand your business and functional knowledge that continue to position you on an upward trajectory?
- Responsibility and compensation Are you increasing your functional responsibilities while expanding your compensation? Responsibilities can expand by additional roles, tasks or projects, inclusion in representative groups that will advance you within the organization? Compensation is a measure of how the organization values your contribution. It can be in performance increases above the norm, a bonus for a job well done, or stock. Non-financial rewards are also an indicator of appreciation, like being recognized by the “big boss” in an open meeting.
- Freedom to perform How tightly are you supervised? If you’ve been given the freedom to develop the strategies and execute an approved plan to achieve stated results, you are where you need to be. If however, you’re micro-managed or spoon-fed, it’s time to ask why. Freedom to act is extremely important as it demonstrates the confidence the company has in you. Also, the higher in management you go, the greater the freedom of action. A person cannot become an Olympic gold medal figure skater by practicing on a block of ice.
Take each career driver and rate your current position on the scale. If your Total Satisfaction Index is 150 or less, you have a major problem. A total number made up of all 70s or above, means you are making progress. Not only is the total number important, but so is the combination. You can be in the 90’s on #1 and #2 but have no freedom of action. Determine what your best number is and in which combination. The difficultly is when all three numbers range in the 60’s.
If your scores are not acceptable to you, talk with your boss if you can. Explain what you need in order to achieve your greatest performance. Your current organization knows you best and should be able to adjust easier. If not, then you’ll know it’s time to initially research the marketplace.
Take control of your destiny. Let me help you succeed in the marketplace. Want some answers to you questions? Contact me by Email: Mygreenerfuture1@cox.net
Check out the website: Mygreenerfuture.com