Re: please advise! -- No 5 Year Plan --

[Mary Anthony <mary -at- PERSISTENCE -dot- COM>]

>I feel discouraged. If there is no promotional system, what is my 5-year
>goal supposed to be?

First, you need to answer this question yourself -- define your own goals.
Define what you feel you are doing that makes you deserving of X (how you
are working toward your goals).  Finally, define your limits --- what you
are willing to do to reach those goals.  Once you define what you want, your
qualifications, and what you are willing to do to get what you want you can
negotiate with your boss.  That is what you must do -- negotiate with your boss.

For instance, is your goal to be making X number of dollars in 5 years?  Or
are you willing to make less than X if you get Y title...or Z courses. If
salary X is what you want and your boss says no, are you willing to quit or
move to another department in your company?  Compare your "extra" work
against your job description.  Quantify it as much as possible -- I spend 3
hours extra editing a week -- or whatever.

Forget about what other people are making in your department.  You cannot
know their entire situation in relation to the department -- and besides ---
what your colleagues make is their business not yours.

Once you know what you want.  Write it down and check it again.  Then, go to
your boss.  Explain that you would like to talk with him about your 5 year
plan.  Explain to him your goals and what you feel you are doing to achieve
your goals.  You might give your manager a written "goals and path" plan.
Explain that you are really interested in achieving these goals and are
looking for help from him.  Ask him to review your plan and let you know how
he feels the company can help you achieve these goals. (The company not him
-- less personal that way.)

Most companies are interested in keeping employees who are goal and
achievement oriented.  Many companies help employees by designing these
plans with them. By presenting a written plan, you let your manager know
exactly what your expectations are.  Also, by giving him something written
to respond to, you do half his work for him.

Set a meeting time for you to receive and go-over his response with him.
Get his response the day before the meeting.  Go over it and write down any
questions or concerns.  If you are discouraged by the "company's" response,
now is the time to say so.  Discuss the plan without emotion.  You might
want to read up on negotiation tactics.

After you go through this process you will have a better idea of what you
want.  You will also have a better idea of what to expect from your manager.
This process is less confrontational then the face-to-face you describe.  By
presenting yourself in this way, your manager has greater time to judge you
as an employee.  It also sends a "polite" message to him that you have
certain expectations that are not being met.

It might be your manager doesn't handle this well.  He might not respond in
a positive or reasonable way.  If that is the case, you can look at your
limits.  If your manager objects to getting you to salary X say in 2 years
time, then you might want to start looking elsewhere --- assuming that is
within your limits.

Hope this helps.

Mary


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"What I read, I forget; what I see, I remember; what I do, I learn."
        - Unknown Dressage Master
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Mary Anthony                                     mary -at- persistence -dot- com