Career Change: The 3 Times to Move On (Part 2: Career Plateau)

When Moving Forward Requires You to Move On

Copyright 2004-2010 G. A. Puleo

In Part 1 of this series on career change, we focused on downsizing as a reason to change careers.  In this part, we will look into career plateaus. 

If you currently feel secure in your job, but are consistently overlooked for desirable promotions, your have reached a career plateau.  Job satisfaction often deteriorate and you often feel trapped by the 'golden handcuffs' of security and compensation.  The problem with a career plateau is that you believe that your efforts are neither appreciated nor recognized by your employer. 

Career plateaus are characterized by:  (1) a lack of promotions or career advancement despite your repeated attempts and interest in achieving them OR (2) a lack of challenging new assignments.  Your work life has become a series of the 'same old, same old.' A career plateau thus represents a combination of internal and external forces that lead to career change.

Plateau workers hit glass ceilings:  you can see the positions and opportunities above you, but you are unable to break through that ceiling to participate.  (NOTE:  If you are in a protected class, this may present a potential legal violation by your employer.) 

When you're constantly being overlooked for promotions or new assignments, frustration, boredom and decreasing commitment to your employer result.  However, these same plateaued workers often feel revitalized when they change employers and work environments -- especially if the new employer's goals and values are more closely meshed with theirs. 

The first step in changing careers due to a plateau is to determine if your lack of advancement may be due to a poor fit with your company's newly emerging vision, strategy or markets.  Many companies are uncomfortable in terminating a long-term employee due to a poor person-job fit.  Unless the employer actively makes your life miserable in attempts to force you to resign (which may be indicative of a hostile work environment), many companies utilize a patriarchal approach to workers by keeping them on the payroll even though their worth to the organization has significantly diminished. 

Follow these tips to help plan a career change due to a plateau: 

• Be honest and realistic with yourself about the reasons why you have been overlooked for promotions or more challenging assignments. 
  
• Consider if your interests or goals have changed. 
  
• Identify the types of duties, responsibilities and assignments that would not only be the most satisfying to you but would also benefit an employer. 
  

In Part 3 of this series, we will discuss career change as a result of burnout.