How To Push Through Career Plateaus When You Don’t Want To Be A Manager
Ambition can sometimes hit a wall. Like when you’re ready for the next challenge and hungry for a raise yet realize you don’t want to be a manager. Perhaps you’ve even tried it, maybe you’re even good at it, yet you hate it. So what should you do?
First, realize this is not uncommon. You’re not abnormal or unsuccessful. And there are avenues for growth when you want to push through a career plateau without being in a management role. J. Kelly Hoey, author of “Build Your Dream Network” and networking expert, remembers hitting a glass ceiling when she realized she didn’t enjoy being a manager after years of successfully climbing the career ladder.
“By all accounts I was a successful manager, moving up the ladder, ready to command bigger teams, etc. but the reality was, as good as I was at managing people, it wasn’t how I wanted to spend my days at work,” she says.
“I was able to push through that career plateau because I was known for building projects from the ground up, turning consultants’ strategic reports into sustainable programs and building relationships with colleagues across my firm.”
These factors came together and resulted in an offer that was a much better fit for Hoey: Redesigning the company’s alumni program in the marketing department. “It was a move from managing a team and office, a budget and established programming to having no budget, data chaos, a disgruntled community and a cubicle — and my career satisfaction skyrocketed overnight,” she says.
If you breathed a sigh of relief at the idea of career growth minus management headaches and are wondering about your next steps, we’ve asked Hoey and other experts to share insights on advancing your career without stepping into a managerial position.
Evaluate where you are and gain clarity
“Gain clarity on what you enjoy and don’t at work. What days are energizing regardless of how long or challenging they are, and which tasks suck the life out of you?” says Hoey, who also suggests asking trusted colleagues for feedback on your strengths and contributions.
Speaker and career development coach Michelle Enjoli Beato is a fan of regular self-evaluations. Consider your experience to date and skills. What are you most qualified to do? Are there interesting opportunities that you haven’t yet explored? “Writing this down can help you visualize your growth so far and how you can qualify for new opportunities,” she says.
Get exposure at work and outside of work
According to Hoey, finding ways to collaborate with colleagues in other departments is also a great way to combat stagnancy when you don’t want to be a manager: “Pursue projects that will have you working alongside colleagues from other offices and departments. Let your skills and abilities gain exposure outside your own department or team.”
“Take the lead on presenting and leading meetings with those you report to. Don’t avoid these critical moments to let your leadership abilities shine, as they will strengthen your ability to craft the non-managerial challenging career you’re seeking.”
According to Jeff Gothelf, author of “Forever Employable: How to stop looking for work and let your next job find you,” building a reputation as a subject matter expert outside of work is key too.
“Build a reputation as a subject matter expert through blogging, podcasting, writing or creating videos explaining your expertise to others. You’ll learn not only how to teach, but also how to create assets and you’ll grow your network and reputation at the same time, making new job opportunities easier to find,” he says.
If you’re not sure where to start to build an audience, focus on having meaningful conversations on platforms where you like to spend time. And aim to provide value and share insights on a regular basis to build your credibility.
“Engage in conversations with your community online — Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Medium — wherever they consume information and learn about the trade. Blog regularly on simple, entry-level topics. Build your reputation slowly and engage with other leaders in your discipline. Offer to speak at meet-ups and conferences for free.”
Continuously learn and network
Do remember that, at the end of the day, you are your own best asset when it comes to taking your career to the next level. It’s important to keep expanding your skillset and learning new things. It’s also crucial to build and nurture relationships that allow for that kind of growth and might even lead to your next exciting opportunity (in a non-manager role, of course!).
“I recommend finding opportunities to learn through courses, books and conferences. The business environment is ever-changing and being on top of those changes can help identify new areas of opportunity to pursue,” says Enjoli Beato.
“Networking with leaders and other professionals in your industry is also vital to career growth. I have defined a career opportunity as any conversation or experience that can provide new insights to further your professional development. They exist everywhere and you should be taking full advantage of them.”
