by Andrea
(New York)
I can't get a promotion.
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This story is an example to get us started and to officially open The CGB Community Page.
This story is written by me, Andrea G. Shenkman, the creator of Career Growth Basics. It tells a story about a career obstacle I faced at the start of my career.
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I’m stuck in a company that won’t promote me.
Three years ago, I started working as assistant to the VP-Women’s Division of a family-owned company. During the interview, I was assured the company actively promoted from within. I received a substantial pay last year to “recognition my service to the company.”
A recent managerial position in the company was given to a niece of the owner who had just graduated from college. My VP Boss explained to me that I did not have the qualifications for the job. She advised me to “bide my time” for the right opportunity.
Confused, I went home and made a list of pros and cons of the job. The main positive was that it was my “dream job.” However, the main negative was that I was grossly underpaid. My dream job was a nightmare. I realized I was stuck in a company that was not going to promote me.
A discussion with a friend about my job situation helped me organize my thoughts. I decided to keep my fashion job and investigate new job possibilities.
The talk with my friend helped me see the value of “networking.” So, I started calling family and friends to ask if they knew about job opportunities. I started this about a week ago. I have two good leads and one appointment for a job interview with a large corporation. And, I haven’t even started to contact business associates.
And this time, I’m making sure to do intense research about company policies and procedures.