At the end of the day, for you to pull this off you need to ensure that your manager is supportive of your career goals.
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A time comes for every employee when they feel it’s time to move from the company they are in. It’s not uncommon for a worker to feel like they hit a certain ceiling. When you hit the ceiling you feel like your work routine has become mundane.
A certain Operations Administrator once told me that she had worked in her organization for more than 10 years. Within those 10 years, she had doubled the team and overheads. She felt like she had achieved enough and wanted to move to bigger challenges.
That necessitates getting back to the job market and looking for a new and better opportunity. But a conundrum presents itself. Do you hide or reveal your job hunting to your boss?
If you revealed that you are actively seeking another opportunity, what would it look like? This might be a sensitive area and expert advice is needed.
Steve Monte, a career coach and expert dishes details on how you can approach this unique situation.
What are you looking for?
First and foremost, you must know what you actually want. You might want new responsibilities. Alternatively, you may want a whole new experience altogether. New colleagues, new environment, new culture, etc.
Understand your relationship with your boss
Monte says that you should study your environment and know your leader. There are people who have open relationships with their bosses while for others, it would be safer if they just avoid disclosing. Assess the kind of relationship you have with your boss before deciding on which approach to take.
If you have a good relationship with your boss, request them for a meeting. Ask your boss, “How would you rate me as an employee? What can I do better to be of more value to my department and company?”
When you get a response, express your concerns or desire to have more responsibility. “I have worked in this department for four years now and I have achieved great results. For my career growth, I am looking into other horizons. My desire is to have more challenges and get bigger results.”
The career coach says that your boss might offer you more responsibilities and roles. And when they do, check if that is something you can take on. If you both agree, register your appreciation. “I thank you for entrusting me with new responsibilities and I look forward to working with you on a much larger scale.”
How to ask for your boss’ support
When you actually want to move to a new company, your boss can be a great resource in helping you transition to your next assignment. If you approach this boldly, you might step into your dream job. Just ask them honestly.
“I have clearly looked at my career goals and the things that I have been able to achieve with this company. And, you can attest, we have made tremendous growth since I started working here. I now feel like it’s time for me to expand my horizons and venture into other career opportunities. Would you be willing to recommend me when a recruiter wants to find out more information about me?”
Communication and the careful handling of the situation will help you yield positive results.
In conclusion
At the end of the day, for you to pull this off you need to ensure that your manager is supportive of your career goals. If your performance is unproven or the supervisor is largely unsupportive of your career progress, then discretion is an option you might want to consider.
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