If you’ve spent any time in a Learning and Development (L&D) Slack channel or scrolled through LinkedIn lately, you know that AI has officially entered its “main character” era. Every conversation in talent management seems to eventually circle back to one question: “How can we use AI to scale career growth?”

It’s an exciting question, isn’t it? It feels like we’re on the verge of a total workplace makeover. But here’s the thing about makeovers, if you just slap a fresh coat of paint on a house with a cracked foundation, you’re still living in a house with a cracked foundation.

I’m seeing so many organizations rushing into “AI situationships”, committing to flashy new tools before they’ve really defined the relationship between their employees and their growth. We want the magic of AI, but we haven’t quite fixed the mess that’s already in the closet.

Before I take the stage at ATD 2026 later this month to talk about the future of talent, I want to share a truth that might be a little uncomfortable: AI won’t fix your career development strategy. It will only amplify what you already have.

The Effort Trap: Why More Isn’t Always Better

For years, we’ve been working our hearts out. We’ve encouraged employees to “own their careers” (a phrase that sometimes feels like telling someone to “just be happy”). We’ve trained managers to be coaches, expanded access to massive learning platforms, and launched mentorship programs.

We haven’t lacked effort. But many of us are still seeing the same old outcomes:

• Low utilization of expensive platforms.
• Inconsistent support from managers who are already stretched thin.
• Employees who are still stuck, staring at a library of 5,000 courses and wondering, “Okay, but what do I actually do next?”

This isn’t a technology problem. It’s a system problem.

Career Growth Starts Before AI

Think of career development like a garden. AI is the high-tech irrigation system. It’s amazing, it’s efficient, and it saves you a ton of time. But if you haven’t planted the right seeds or understood the soil, you’re just watering dirt.

Before you invest in the latest AI-driven career pathing tool, you have to ask a more fundamental question: How strong is the foundation of your career development approach?

Growth doesn’t start with a platform. It starts with a human being who can:

1. Understand what actually matters to them.
2. Identify where they want to grow (and why).
3. Take action and initiate a conversation.

When these human elements aren’t aligned, adding AI is like putting a megaphone in front of a whisper. It doesn’t make the message clearer; it just makes the silence louder.

A Simple Activity: The 4-Step AI Readiness Assessment

If you’re currently exploring Workplace Learning and Development upgrades, I want you to try this. Take 15 minutes with your team and map out your current state across these four areas. Don’t look at how much effort you’re putting in: look at the outcomes.

1. Foundation: The Identity Layer

• The Question: How well do employees understand their own strengths, values, and goals?
• The Reality Check: If your employees can’t articulate what they want, no AI recommendation engine is going to satisfy them. They’ll just be “window shopping” through job titles without a sense of purpose.

2. Activation: The Conversation Layer

• The Question: Are managers consistently having meaningful development conversations?
• The Reality Check: Managers are the bridge. If that bridge is shaky, the best Employee Career Development tools in the world won’t matter because the “activation” moment: the human connection: is missing.

3. Direction: The Roadmap Layer

• The Question: Do employees understand how growth actually works in your organization?
• The Reality Check: Is growth a “ladder” (which is mostly dead) or a “lattice”? If employees don’t understand the rules of the game, they won’t play: even if AI gives them a strategy guide.

4. Scale: The Momentum Layer

• The Question: Are your tools and programs actually being used to support real growth, or are they just digital wallpaper?
• The Reality Check: If your current “manual” programs have zero engagement, AI might give you a temporary spike in curiosity, but it won’t create long-term improving employee retention.

Now: Apply AI Where It Actually Helps

Once you’ve looked in the mirror and identified where the gaps are, the role of AI becomes crystal clear. Instead of asking, “Where can we use AI?”, you start asking: “Where do our employees need help connecting the dots?”

That’s where the magic happens. AI shouldn’t replace the system; it should be the layer that strengthens it.

• If employees lack clarity: AI can act as a reflection partner, helping them synthesize their interests into a clear focus.
• If conversations are weak: AI can help employees prep for their 1-on-1s, giving them the prompts they need to ask for what they want without the “anxiety-sweats.”
• If options feel overwhelming: AI can act as a GPS, helping them navigate the messy Career Growth Strategies of a modern, fast-changing workplace.

At Career Revolution, this is exactly why we built the AccelerateME Program. We didn’t just build a tool; we built a way to put employees in the driver’s seat. We blend that essential human-led learning with AI-smart solutions so the growth is relevant, engaged, and: most importantly: aligned with what the organization actually needs.

Start Small, Stay Human

I know the pressure to “go digital” or “go AI” feels like a race you’re losing. But remember: your people don’t want more tech. They want more clarity. They want to feel like their career isn’t just a series of random tasks, but a journey they actually own.

You don’t need to overhaul your entire learning and development strategy by Monday. Start with one moment where employees are consistently getting stuck.

• Maybe it’s the “Initial Career Conversation.”
• Maybe it’s “Identifying Transferable Skills.”

Introduce AI there. Test it. See if it actually helps them connect a dot that was previously missing. Refine it, learn from it, and then expand.

The Bottom Line

AI is a powerful tool, but it’s not the foundation. It’s the engine, not the car.

If you’re heading to ATD 2026, I can’t wait to dive deeper into this with you. We’ll talk about how to move past the “AI hype” and get back to what really matters: empowering humans to grow with intention.

So, before you sign that next SaaS contract, take a step back.
Assess what you have.
Strengthen the human heart of your system.
Then, and only then, use AI to help it reach new heights.

Want to see how we’re bridging the gap between human coaching and AI-smart growth? Let’s chat about bringing a workshop or keynote to your team.

The post Before You Add AI to Career Development, Do This First appeared first on Career Revolution.

Your career can also feel stuck in a gray area—full of potential but lacking clear commitment. If your professional life feels more like a string of “what-ifs” and “maybe later” than a well-defined relationship, you might be in a career situationship—and it’s time for a career makeover.

What’s a Career Situationship?

In dating, a “situationship” describes a romantic relationship that lacks clear definition or commitment, leaving both parties in a gray area. It’s often characterized by emotional ambiguity, where expectations aren’t fully discussed or met.

Examples of a dating “situationship”:

• A couple might spend time together regularly, yet never label their relationship.
• They have deep conversations, but avoid discussing their future.
• They engage in physical intimacy without establishing boundaries or commitment.
• One partner introduces the other to friends but refrains from calling them a “partner.”
• There is frequent communication, but no solid plans for long-term involvement.
• Both are left unsure of where things stand due to mixed signals and unclear intentions.

A career situationship is similarly undefined and unfulfilling.

You might show up to work regularly, but feel uncertain about your future with the company. You could be doing tasks that keep you busy, but you’re not sure they align with your passions or career goals. Perhaps you’ve built strong relationships with colleagues, but don’t see clear growth opportunities.

You may even receive occasional praise or small promotions, yet feel like you’re stuck. These unclear boundaries and lack of commitment mirror the same emotional ambiguity found in personal situationships.

This ambiguity renders your future career path unclear or even nonexistent

If you’re still unsure where your career stands, here are ten signs you’re caught in a career situationship.

But don’t worry! I’ve included actionable tips to move forward—whether with or without your current career.

1. You’re ‘Seeing Where It Goes’—Without a Real Plan

Are you just going with the flow in your career, hoping that “something” will happen but without any real strategy? It feels comfortable, but there’s no forward motion.

How to Get Out:

Create a concrete plan with achievable milestones. Break down your long-term goals into smaller, actionable steps. Whether it’s asking for that promotion or enrolling in a new course, give your career a road map.

2. You’re ‘Just Happy to Be Here’—But Not Growing

You’re employed, you like your job, but you haven’t learned anything new in years. Just like it’s easy to get stuck in a relationship that is past its expiration date, it’s easy to get comfortable staying in the same workplace. Who really wants to launch a job search, anyway?

How to Get Out:

Growth comes from challenge. Seek out opportunities to stretch yourself. This might mean taking on new responsibilities, requesting feedback from your manager, or seeking mentorship from someone outside your team.

3. You’ve Been in the Stagnant for Too Long

It’s been a while since you’ve advanced. You’re putting in the work but have seen no movement—up, sideways, or otherwise.

How to Get Out:

This might be an easy fix. You need to become more noticeable at work. Start an open conversation with your boss about advancement opportunities. If there’s no growth potential, it may be time to look for roles that offer upward mobility.

4. You’re Overqualified, Yet Underpaid

You have all the skills for the next level but are still stuck at an entry-level salary. You’re making things work, but deep down, you know you deserve more.

How to Get Out:

Advocate for yourself. Research industry salaries and prepare a case for a raise or promotion. If that doesn’t pan out, consider exploring other companies where your skills are properly valued.

5. You Have No Boundaries

Your career feels more like a toxic situationship because you’re constantly on call. You’ve given your job unlimited access to your time, energy, and emotional bandwidth, yet you’re receiving little in return.

How to Get Out:

Set firm boundaries. Decide what’s non-negotiable (weekends off, no emails after 6 p.m.) and stick to it. Communicate these boundaries with your team and management, and enforce them regularly.

6. You’re Not Excited About Your Future

If someone asks where you see yourself in five years, your only answer is a blank stare. You’re in a holding pattern, unsure if this is the career you even want.

How to Get Out:

Do some self-reflection. Assess what aspects of your job bring you joy and which ones drain you. Explore other paths, whether through informational interviews or experimenting with a side hustle, to see what else excites you.

7. You Feel Stuck, But Don’t Know Why

Something feels off in your career, but you can’t put your finger on it. You’re not moving forward, but it’s not due to lack of effort. Perhaps your career doesn’t;t align with your interests, talents, or even your core values.

How to Get Out:

Identify the root cause.

Are you under-challenged, underappreciated, or just not passionate about the work? Consider talking to a career coach to gain clarity on your next steps.

8. Your Career is Unbalanced

Work is consuming your life, but it’s not bringing you the satisfaction or rewards you expected. You’re sacrificing personal time, health, or relationships, and it doesn’t feel worth it.

How to Get Out:

Reevaluate your work-life balance. Consider scaling back on your workload or asking for flexible work arrangements. Remember, burnout helps no one.

9. You Keep Talking About ‘Someday’

“Someday I’ll start my own business.”

“Someday I’ll ask for that raise.”

If you’ve become a  “someday” person, you’re letting fear keep you in limbo.

How to Get Out:

Turn “someday” into today. Choose one “someday” goal and take a small but tangible step toward it, like researching what it would take to launch your business or scheduling a meeting to discuss a raise.

10. You’re Comfortable, But Not Fulfilled

You’ve outgrown your role, but the stability it offers makes it hard to leave. You know deep down this isn’t your endgame, but change feels risky.

How to Get Out:

Comfort is the enemy of growth. Push yourself to explore new opportunities, whether that’s a new role within the same company or branching out entirely. Fulfillment often requires taking risks, and the first step is acknowledging that it’s time to move on.

Get Out of Your Career Situationship + Assess Your Future

I have some good news. This chapter won’t be forever.

Recognizing the signs is the first step to breaking free and finding a career that feels committed, fulfilling, and aligned with your true goals. You can turn your professional limbo into a career that loves you back with a little intentionality and a few bold moves.

If you’re looking for an easy way to Assess where you are in your career, check out my completely free course, Assess Your Current Career. It’s part of my three-course program, Revolutionize Your Career.

I want to help you get unstuck—and out of any ambiguous career situationship!

The post Are You in a Career Situationship? appeared first on Career Revolution.

Just like your closet gets filled with outfits that no longer match your style or fit, your career might be ready for a refresh.

But before taking any drastic steps, it’s essential to assess if you’re going through a tough period or if it’s really time for a major career transformation. After the upheaval of recent years, many people are finding it harder than ever to discern the difference. Here’s how you can tell whether it’s time for a small career refresh or a total upheaval.

Is it Time for a Career Makeover?

If you’re noticing these tell-tale signs, it might be time for change:

• Endless Snooze: Before you log into your first meeting, you hit snooze four times.
• Daydreaming of New Careers: You zone out in meetings and find yourself fantasizing about running a vineyard or finally opening that doggy daycare with Fluffy.
• Exhaustion: You’re skipping workouts or social events because your job leaves you drained.
• Lack of Identity: When someone asks you what you do, you’re not sure how to respond.
• Energy Vampires: You end your workday feeling like your energy has been sucked out of you.

If this resonates with you, it’s time to consider a career makeover. Whether you’re working for a “boss-hole,” feel like your skills are underutilized, or sense you’re contributing to something you no longer care about, taking proactive steps can help you regain control and re-energize your work life.

Before You Quit, Take Stock

Sure, quitting might sound like the easiest option.

In fact, millions of Americans do it every month. But while quitting may seem like the ultimate solution, it’s important to remember that jumping ship without a plan could swap your current job stress for financial stress. Sometimes, instead of quitting, it might be time to get a promotion instead.

So what should you do instead? Take a baby step. Often, there are smaller, strategic shifts you can make before going for the big leap.

Take Inventory of Your Career Stress

Start with this simple but effective exercise:

• Write it Out: List everything currently stressing you out about your career. No filter—just jot it down.
• Circle What You Can Control: Now, circle everything within your sphere of influence. Be brutally honest about what you can and can’t control. This will help you pinpoint areas where you can make immediate improvements.

Sometimes, writing your stressors on paper can provide a surprising amount of relief and clarity.

Small Shifts Lead to Big Changes

It’s easy to fall into habits that drain your energy over time. Maybe you’ve gotten used to indulging toxic colleagues or letting your packed schedule crowd out important self-care activities like hitting the gym.

Small adjustments—like setting better boundaries, speaking up in meetings, or following through on conversations with your boss about your aspirations—can lead to significant improvements in your overall satisfaction.

These smaller changes can have a huge impact. They might help set the stage for more significant transformations, like starting your own business, shifting into a leadership role, or pivoting to a new field. The key is consistent progress.

Just like fashion trends rarely stand the test of time, short-term fixes to your career won’t deliver lasting satisfaction. Instead, focus on long-term shifts that align with your authentic self.

Actionable Tips for a Career Makeover

Here are some small (but very actionable) ways to zhuzh up your career!

• Refresh Your LinkedIn Profile: Update your headline, photo, and summary to reflect your current goals and skills.
• Clean Up Your Inbox: Organize emails into folders, unsubscribe from irrelevant newsletters, and set up filters to manage future correspondence.
• Take a New Online Course: Invest in your skill set by taking a short course on platforms like Coursera, LinkedIn Learning, or Udemy.
• Update Your Resume: Even if you’re not actively job hunting, keep your resume current with your latest achievements and skills.
• Set Up Informational Interviews: Reach out to people in roles you’re curious about for a casual chat and advice.
• Reorganize Your Workspace: Declutter and personalize your desk or home office for a more inspiring and productive environment.
• Set Clear Career Goals: Write down where you want to be in six months, one year, and five years, and create an action plan to get there.
• Join a Professional Group: Get involved in industry-specific online or local groups to expand your network and stay updated.
• Schedule Regular Breaks: Incorporate mini-breaks throughout your day to avoid burnout and maintain focus.
• Reconnect with Old Colleagues: Send a quick email or LinkedIn message to touch base with former coworkers or mentors.
• Request Feedback: Ask your manager or peers for constructive feedback to identify areas for improvement.
• Attend Webinars: Sign up for webinars or virtual events in your field to stay current on trends and best practices.
• Practice Mindfulness: Try incorporating mindfulness exercises into your daily routine to reduce stress and boost creativity.
• Start a Work Journal: Document daily wins, challenges, and ideas for growth to keep track of your career progress.
• Tidy Up Your Digital Files: Organize your computer files and folders to make finding important documents easier and faster.
• Volunteer for a New Project: Show initiative by offering to take on a new responsibility or side project at work.
• Redefine Work-Life Boundaries: Set clear boundaries for when and how you work to improve focus and personal time.
• Update Your Professional Photo: Get a new headshot for your online profiles to refresh your professional image.
• Learn a New Software or Tool: Mastering a new tech tool or program relevant to your industry can make you more efficient.
• Set Up a Networking Coffee Chat: Reach out to someone in your field for a casual coffee chat, in person or virtually.

Celebrate Small Wins and Track Your Progress

Every small shift you make—whether it’s blocking off gym time, updating your resume, or negotiating with your manager for more flexibility—counts as progress.

Celebrate these achievements, no matter how minor they seem. Over time, these small victories add up, helping you realize that you’re not just in need of a makeover; you’re actively designing a career that aligns with your passions and values.

Get Feedback

For an even deeper career assessment, consider asking for feedback. Schedule career conversations to gather insights from coworkers, mentors, or friends. You may uncover strengths or areas for growth you hadn’t considered, helping you refine your career makeover in real-time.

Ultimately, your career—like your wardrobe—should make you feel confident, energized, and aligned with your true self.

Make this makeover about long-term success and sustainability, and you’ll end up with a refreshed career but a renewed sense of purpose.

The post Do You Need a Career Makeover? appeared first on Career Revolution.

We’re all familiar with the saying, “You don’t leave a bad job; you leave a bad boss.”

Most managers don’t intentionally drive their employees away. However, approximately 50% of adults surveyed by Gallup have left a job to escape their manager. This startling statistic means that there’s a significant chance your employees might consider leaving their role—and your company—because of your management style.

What drives this dissatisfaction? Many employees cite a lack of guidance, unclear expectations, and insufficient support in setting goals or managing priorities.

If any of your employees exhibit the following signs, they might be harboring frustration or resentment towards your management approach. Let’s find out, once and for all, if your employees hate you.

1. Employees Hate Making Eye Contact With You

If your employees are more likely to focus on a photo behind you rather than make direct eye contact, it could be a sign that they are uncomfortable or disinterested in engaging with you. Eye contact is a fundamental aspect of communication, and its absence may indicate a lack of trust or a desire to avoid a deeper connection.

Lack of eye contact can also be connected to their trust or familiarity with you.

However, it’s also possible that lack of eye contact could have nothing to do with you. Neurodivergent people may experience discomfort with eye contact due to their heightened sensitivity to visual stimuli. This can lead them to avoid or limit eye contact to regulate their sensory input and reduce anxiety.

What to Do: 

If you sense your employees dislike you because they won’t make eye contact, try building trust and connection. Think of your employees and team members as a crucial part of your career village, and work to create a harmonious community. Ask questions, communicate your values, and genuinely make efforts to make a personal connection with your employees.

2. Employees Take Extreme Efforts to Avoid You

When employees would rather walk up fourteen flights of stairs than share an elevator with you, it clearly indicates discomfort. This behavior suggests that they find interactions with you so unpleasant that they’ll go to great lengths to avoid them, even if it means inconvenience.

What to Do:

Similar to an employee avoiding eye contact, an employee avoiding any contact with you might be experiencing discomfort around you. In these cases, it’s important to conduct an honest self-evaluation. Reflect on your behavior, especially concerning employees you suspect might be avoiding you.

• Is your management style harsh or abrupt?
• Are you overly critical or dismissive?
• Do you provide positive feedback or do you tend to skew negative?

If you can make adjustments, be gentler, or find ways to provide an open environment, do so.

3. Frequent and Unexplained Absences

If you’ve noticed an uptick in sudden family health emergencies or other reasons for absence, your employee may be fabricating excuses to avoid work or interactions with you.

This can be a subtle cry for help, signaling that the work environment has become unbearable for them.

What to Do:

If your employees’ frequent, unexplained absences affect their work, try facilitating a conversation. If they are breaking protocol or calling in sick without notice, it might be grounds for disciplinary action. Keep a detailed record of absences, lateness, and other priorities that take them away from their work.

Before resorting to discipline, however, make time to connect with your employees. Ensure that there aren’t health or family reasons keeping them away from work. Have these conversations privately and discreetly.

4. Lack of Positivity or Enthusiasm

When was the last time you saw this employee smile or show enthusiasm? A consistent lack of positivity might indicate disengagement or even resentment.

This lack of visible joy can indicate that they no longer find satisfaction or fulfillment in their work, largely due to the work environment.

What to Do:

I hate to break it to you, but as the boss, you are responsible for your team’s morale. Low morale and job dissatisfaction may not be your fault. It could be an organization-wide issue that has been a scourge for years.

Do the work you need to do to make your team members feel respected, heard, and celebrated.

How to Show Your Employees Appreciation 

• Write thank you notes and send messages of gratitude
• Give verbal praise
• Celebrate achievements, both big and small
• Have an open-door policy
• Schedule regular 1:1s (and don’t cancel them!)
• Respect boundaries
• Offer training and learning initiatives
• Facilitate small office outings (on the clock, if possible)
• Check-in on personal and professional well-being
• Make it a point to know things about your employees (e.g. their dog’s name, their birthday, their favorite sports team, and their ambitions)

In many circumstances, it doesn’t take a huge effort to improve morale. It’s more about showing up as a consistent and human boss.

5. Suppressed Communication and Laughter

If your presence seems to stifle any ongoing conversation or laughter, it’s a warning sign.

Healthy workplaces are filled with open communication and camaraderie. If entering a room causes these to cease, your employees might feel intimidated or overly cautious around you.

What to Do:

This is a tough one. It’s tough to address stifled laughter or a conversation screeching to a halt upon your arrival without seeming a little paranoid.

6. Exclusion from Social Events

Discovering that you were not informed about a team happy hour until overhearing it in passing suggests that your team deliberately excludes you. Social exclusion is often a sign that employees do not feel comfortable or connected with their manager on a personal level.

What to Do:

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but your employees probably don’t want you at their happy hour—and can you really blame them?

Think back to your first boss. Did you want them showing up to your happy hour? Nope.

Instead of insisting on an invite, make a bossy power move. Show solidarity by offering to provide a couple of pizzas for their next happy hour. They can’t spend the entire time speaking badly about you if you’re filling their bellies full of pizza, right?

7. Minimal Responses in Conversations

When an employee limits their responses to one-word answers or minimal engagement, it indicates a lack of willingness to communicate. This behavior often reflects a deeper issue, such as feeling undervalued or unheard in the workplace.

What to Do:

This behavior might have nothing to do with you. Some employees are quieter and more contemplative. As such, they might be less likely to speak up or share their opinions until they have had time to ruminate.

Ask direct questions and make it clear that you value their input. If you’re still hitting a communication wall, discuss your employee’s communication preferences. If you can facilitate discussion over email or another communication platform, it might be worth a try.

8. Overreliance on Email Communication

If all your communication with an employee is via email, even when face-to-face or verbal interaction is possible, they may avoid direct contact. This can be a sign that they are uncomfortable with the idea of open dialogue or fear confrontation.

What to Do:

Just like the above tip, facilitate a conversation that addresses communication techniques.

In fact, since communication is paramount to a successful team, a communication preference questionnaire is a great way to learn the best ways for the entire team to get their messages across.

9. Frequent Disagreements Over Minor Details

An employee who challenges you over even the most basic details might be doing so out of frustration or a lack of respect. This behavior can stem from a deeper dissatisfaction with how they perceive your leadership or decisions.

What to Do:

Not to sound like a total nerd, but respect is important in the workplace. If your employee frequently and publicly disagrees with you, find ways to communicate your boundaries.

10. Lack of Participation in Meetings

If you often ask for input during meetings and are met with silence, it could mean that your team doesn’t feel safe or valued enough to contribute. A disengaged team won’t offer new ideas or feedback, which is detrimental to your leadership and the company’s success.

What to Do:

All these behaviors are rooted in two primary issues: fear and distrust. If your employees fear you or don’t trust you, they will not be open or honest, and this hinders the flow of ideas and collaboration necessary for a thriving team.

If your employees are acting in these ways, it’s time to assess whether you’re seen as an effective leader or if you’ve unintentionally become a “boss-hole.”

Understanding Why You Might be Disliked at Work

It’s important to recognize that if your employees dislike you, it may not entirely be your fault. Many managers are promoted due to their success in non-managerial roles, without being given the necessary training to lead others effectively.

Unfortunately, management requires a different set of skills than individual contributor roles, and many organizations fail to provide adequate training.

For example, companies with fewer than 100 employees, on average, provide only 12 minutes of manager training every six months. This decreases to just six minutes for organizations with 100-500 employees, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

However, there are a few common reasons that employees dislike their bosses. Do any of these sound familiar?

• Lack of communication or insufficient communication
• Micromanagement
• Failure to recognize or reward employees
• Unfair treatment of preference towards other employees
• Poor leadership skills
• Lack of support
• Poor interpersonal skills
• Poor or inconsistent decision-making
• Inaccessibility

How to Improve Your Perception at Work

If your company doesn’t offer the training you need to succeed as a manager, it’s crucial to seek leadership education yourself. Becoming a strong leader involves introspection and a commitment to learning.

Reflect on the type of leader you aspire to be and the impact you want to have on your team. Remember, effective leaders inspire others through authenticity and by leading by example. In having many of the conversations mentioned above, you’ll likely learn more about your employees, their professional goals, and maybe even their desire to seek a promotion. 

By changing your approach, you can significantly improve employee engagement and, by extension, your company’s performance. Engaged teams experience 24% to 59% less turnover, 10% higher customer ratings, 21% greater profitability, 17% higher productivity, 28% less shrinkage, 70% fewer safety incidents, and 41% less absenteeism. Plus, as a bonus, your employees might start inviting you to join them for after-work drinks—no more being the boss that everyone avoids.

The post 10 Signs Employees Hate You + What to Do appeared first on Career Revolution.

In this article, I will explore how to become more promotable at work. You don’t have to do anything wild. You don’t need to trample your coworkers, enlist the help of a dozen career coaches, or pull 80-hour weeks. Becoming more promotable at work is about identifying your strengths and putting them on display.

It all hinges on dazzling your boss, facilitating important career conversations, and becoming an instrumental (and irreplaceable) team member, and being authentically you.

The career ladder is rarely a clearcut climb upwards. Climbing the career ladder can often feel like navigating a maze or paddling through dangerous rapids. You’re putting in the hours, delivering solid results, and maintaining a positive attitude, but somehow, that promotion feels just out of reach.

If you’re ready to step into the spotlight and take your career to the next level, it’s time to shift gears. Here’s your comprehensive guide on how to get noticed at work and secure that coveted promotion.

1. Master Your Current Role

Before you can impress with your future potential, you need to excel in your current position. Make sure you’re not just meeting expectations but exceeding them.

Deliver high-quality work consistently and demonstrate a deep understanding of your responsibilities. Your goal is to become indispensable.

Tip: Keep track of your accomplishments and contributions. When it’s time for performance reviews or promotion discussions, you’ll have a solid record to present.

2. Demonstrate Initiative

Being proactive is key to standing out. Look for opportunities to take on additional responsibilities or projects.

Offer solutions to existing problems or streamline processes within your team. The more you demonstrate that you’re willing to go above and beyond, the more you’ll be noticed.

Tip: Volunteer for cross-departmental projects or committees. This shows that you’re interested in contributing to the company’s success beyond your immediate team.

3. Cultivate Strong Relationships

Networking isn’t just for job seekers; it’s a critical part of career advancement within your organization. Build strong relationships with colleagues, superiors, and key stakeholders. Be genuinely interested in their work and offer support when you can.

Tip: Schedule regular one-on-one meetings with your manager to discuss your progress and career aspirations. This keeps you on their radar and shows your commitment to growth.

4. Showcase Leadership Qualities

We’ve all heard the advice to “dress for the job you want”—but what about acting like you already have the job?

You don’t need to be in a formal leadership role to demonstrate leadership qualities. Take the lead on projects, mentor junior team members, and show that you can manage tasks and priorities effectively. Leadership is about influence, not just authority.

Take initiative and show your reliability. Look for opportunities to contribute beyond your usual responsibilities.

Whether it’s volunteering for extra tasks or offering solutions to ongoing problems, showing that you’re willing to go the extra mile can significantly impact your boss’s perception of you.

Tip: Lead by example. Your attitude, work ethic, and problem-solving skills should inspire those around you.

5. Communicate Your Ambitions

I’ve heard from many employees who really do want that big promotion, but there’s one big problem. They have never asked for the promotion or expressed any interest in it! Don’t be so mysterious!

Sometimes, you need to be clear about your career goals. Don’t assume that your manager knows you’re interested in a promotion. Have an open and honest career conversation about your aspirations and seek feedback on what you need to achieve to reach the next level.

Better yet, get your whole career village in on the action. Work with your mentors, colleagues, and managers to make a plan for securing the big promotion. It might take a while, but teamwork brings that promotion into reach. 

Tip: Prepare a list of your accomplishments and future goals to discuss during these conversations. This demonstrates that you’re serious about your career path.

6. Develop New Skills

Everybody loves an employee who is willing and ready to learn new skills! To get that big promotion, hit the books! 

Invest in your professional development. Identify the skills and qualifications required for the role you aspire to and work on acquiring them. This could mean pursuing additional training, certifications, or even taking on projects that stretch your capabilities. If you’re looking to pursue the promotion that brings you into a management role, make sure to enroll in leadership courses that give you a competitive advantage!

Tip: Stay updated with industry trends and be willing to adapt. A commitment to lifelong learning signals to your employer that you’re ready for new challenges.

7. Be a Problem Solver

Employers value employees who can solve problems rather than just point them out. When encountering issues, think critically about potential solutions and present them proactively. This not only shows initiative but also positions you as a valuable asset to the team.

Tip: When proposing solutions, ensure they are practical and aligned with the company’s goals. Your recommendations should be well-researched and actionable.

8. Build Your Personal Brand

Make sure you’re known for something specific. Whether it’s your exceptional project management skills, your ability to innovate, or your knack for bringing out the best in your team, build a reputation that aligns with the role you want.

Tip: Share your achievements and insights through internal channels like newsletters or meetings. Establish yourself as a thought leader in your area of expertise.

9. Seek and Act on Feedback

Feedback is a powerful tool for growth. Actively seek constructive criticism from your manager and peers, and use it to improve your performance. Show that you’re open to growth and willing to make necessary adjustments.

Tip: Implement feedback promptly and discuss improvements with your manager. This shows that you value their input and are committed to personal and professional development.

10. Maintain a Positive Attitude

Finally, your attitude can make a significant difference in how you’re perceived. Approach challenges with a solution-oriented mindset and stay professional even in difficult situations.

A positive attitude not only helps in building strong working relationships but also reflects well on your potential for leadership roles.

Tip: Practice resilience and adaptability. These traits are highly valued in any leadership position.

In Conclusion: Now That You Know How to Get Noticed at Work, Go Get It!

Getting noticed and landing a promotion requires a combination of exceptional performance, strategic thinking, and proactive communication.

By mastering your current role, demonstrating leadership, and investing in your professional growth, you’ll not only increase your visibility but also position yourself as a top candidate for the next step in your career.

So, step into the spotlight, showcase your talents, and let this phase of your career journey begin!

The post Get Noticed: How to Become More Promotable at Work appeared first on Career Revolution.

As humans, we often need support and guidance from others to get through tough times and unscheduled mishaps. Even when things are going well, having a few “villagers” there to witness (and maybe share a glass of celebratory wine with) is wonderful.

In short, it’s nice to have a village.

This got me thinking about our careers. As careers average about 40 years, surely we all acquire a career village. Some villagers will pass through “town” quickly, but they might leave a lasting impact. Others will know you, your career values, and your professional history as well as you do—and maybe even better!

What should a career village look like? Who are the folks we meet early in our careers? Which villagers seemed like the “village witch” but may have taught us valuable lessons? Who are we missing in our career villages?

How to Build Your Career Village: Common Career Villagers

I want to introduce you to the so-called career village. These are the folks who have taught me lessons, offered support, and generally guided me through my career.

Some villagers acted as unwavering support throughout every move. Others taught us tough lessons—and maybe we’d prefer it if they moved out of our village, but a little challenge is a good thing, right?

I had so much fun exploring my career village. I found bakers, makers, beauticians, personal trainers, mayors, and many more personas who were crucial to my career journey.

Do any of these villagers look familiar to you?

The Mayor aka Your Mentor

Role: Your mentor provides guidance, shares experiences, and offers career development and advancement advice. Like a village mayor, your mentor is typically someone with more experience and familiarity with your career path or industry. 

Function: Helps with setting long-term goals, overcoming challenges, and making important career decisions.

The Village Witch aka a Tough Boss

Role: Like any witch, there are good ones and bad ones. These “witches” are responsible for “scary” events in your career that ultimately became colossal learning experiences.

Function: This person teaches you tough but formative lessons, both good and bad. While this isn’t someone you necessarily wanted to be on your career journey, there they are. For example, remember that boss that was trying to get you to quit? What lessons did they teach you about leadership?

Be grateful for the tough lessons they taught, and ensure you don’t emulate their behavior in the future.

The Personal Trainer aka Your Career Coach

Role: Anyone who has ever played a sport knows that an athletic coach can be your best friend and greatest enemy in one package—often equipped with an ear-piercing whistle.

In your career, your coach offers personalized coaching to improve specific skills and performance.

Function: The trainers help with interview preparation, public speaking, leadership development, and other targeted skills.

The Innkeeper aka The Hiring Manager

Role: In the best circumstances, this person connects you with the job you have been waiting for. 

Function: The innkeeper or hiring manager gets to know you in a formal interview setting and (hopefully) offers you the next big career move! 

The Wise Elder aka A Career Advisor

Role: The wise elder is your secret weapon for making major decisions or navigating career crossroads. They provide expert advice on specific career-related topics, such as financial planning or industry trends.

Function: Offers insights into market demands, salary negotiations, and career transitions.

The Matchmaker aka Recruiter

Role: The matchmaker knows what career move fits you best—and they have just the job you might be looking for! The village matchmaker helps find job opportunities and matches the individual with potential employers.

Function: The matchmaker or recruiter provides job leads, assists with resume and LinkedIn profile optimization, and preps for job interviews.

The Baker aka Your Cheerleader 

Role: The baker provides delicious treats through emotional support and encouragement. This is your go-to person for all big and small career conversations. 

Function: Your baker or cheerleader always boosts morale, celebrates your achievements, and helps maintain motivation and confidence.

Teacher 

Role: Teachers are everything, so we should seek them out. Your teacher provides education and training to develop new skills.

Function: Someone playing the role of your professional teacher will help with your professional development. This can include recommending courses, certifications, and learning resources to enhance professional knowledge and abilities.

Fellow Villager aka Professional Peer 

Role: This one might seem simple, but simplicity is important. Your fellow villager or professional peer offers camaraderie and peer support.

Function: This peer shares experiences, provides feedback, and supports each other through challenges and successes. Make sure you are someone else’s fellow villager, too. This is a low-lift but highly impactful role! 

Inventor aka Career Innovator

Role: Encourages creativity and innovative thinking in career planning.

Function: Helps with identifying unique opportunities, brainstorming unconventional career paths, and fostering a mindset of continuous improvement.

The Constable aka Accountability Partner

Role: You don’t want to get on the bad side of this person. Your village constable ensures that you stay on track with your career goals. 

Function: A great accountability partner will set regular check-ins, help track progress, and hold you accountable for their actions and commitments. In a true partnership, you may be both holding each other accountable to your respective goals! Together, you work to unlock your respective potential!

Healer aka Mental Health Advocate 

Role: Your mental health is probably the most important thing you have, so protect it. The healer is there to support your mental and emotional well-being.

Function: This crucial person (often played by a close friend or family member) provides resources for managing stress, work-life balance, and mental health challenges.

The Beautician aka Motivator

Role: Think of every “makeover” montage in a movie. Now, apply that to the career. In this montage, your beautician helps to prepare you for significant career changes. In this montage, your LinkedIn profile, resume, cover letter, networking skills, and overall career presence get the glow-up they deserve!

Function: Your motivator is there to hold you accountable for learning new skills, connecting with decision-makers in your new industry, and preparing you to make big moves.

Who Lives In Your Career Village?

Together, these personas form a holistic support system designed to help you thrive in your career. Whether you’re just starting out, looking to pivot, or aiming for the top, the Career Village is here to guide you on your journey to success.

If you like blogs like this, join my newsletter, Getting There.

The post How to Build Your Career Village appeared first on Career Revolution.

How do your values align with your career decisions? Do you consider your personal values when making life decisions? 

Okay, that’s enough questions for now. In this post, we’re going to talk about personal values and how they can be the key to finding the best career for you.

Whether you’re looking to change careers, change your job function, or find an organization that fits your larger goals, I have some tips for identifying and activating your career values.

Spoiler alert: Once identified, your personal values might just unlock an unexpected career path that you hadn’t thought about yet! 

The Benefits of Centering Your Personal Values at Work

What’s the big deal with personal values, anyway?

Surely, we all have an idea of what matters to us, right? Do we really need to make such a big deal? The answer, of course, is a resounding yes! A working awareness of your personal values at work is precisely what will lead you to the best professional decisions.

A healthy understanding of your personal, values has a huge ripple effect, including:

• Building a healthy foundation in any professional venture
• Guiding your networking
• Growing a satisfying and rewarding career
• Avoiding burnout, boredom, and disengagement

Aligning your career decisions with your values often provides a profound sense of purpose and meaning. When your work reflects what you believe in—whether it’s integrity, creativity, social justice, or innovation—your job becomes more than just a paycheck. It becomes a reflection of who you are. 

The “Paycheck” Job Versus Values Job

We’ve all worked jobs for the main goal of the paycheck.

Before I get into this, let me get one thing out of the way. If earning a certain salary is your prerogative, there is nothing wrong with that!

These “paycheck-first” positions tend to be the least rewarding jobs, even if the number on the check is attractive. The good news is that you can still get the nice paycheck, but why not also have a job that continuously motivates?

Questions to Ask Yourself:

• What salary do I need to make?
• Can I assign a dollar amount to having a better work-life balance? A better boss?
• Would I rather have a higher paycheck or a job that reflects my values of ______ better?

Make Better Decisions

Integrating your values into your career choices enhances decision-making. When faced with ethical dilemmas or crossroads in your career, having a clear set of values guides you in making choices that resonate with your principles.

This clarity reduces internal conflict and ensures that your actions and decisions are consistent with what you believe is right and just. 

Questions to Ask Yourself:

• What are some bad career decisions I have made in the past? What values was I centering when I made bad decisions?
• If I could change anything about my job today, what would it be? What values does that reflect?
• Have I ever worked on any projects or for organizations that break my own ethical codes? Why?

Built-In Prioritization = Authenticity

Moreover, prioritizing values in your career promotes authenticity and integrity. It lets you be genuine in your interactions with colleagues, clients, and stakeholders, fostering trust and respect.

Authenticity builds strong professional relationships and enhances credibility as others recognize your commitment to principles beyond profit or success.

Questions to Ask Yourself:

• How can I center my value of _______ when interacting with my colleagues?
• How can I bring my value of _______ in small ways every day?

Achieve Sustained Motivation

Additionally, when your career is aligned with your values, you are more likely to experience sustained motivation and resilience.

Challenges and setbacks are inevitable in any career, but a values-driven approach provides inner strength and resilience. It allows you to persevere through difficult times because you are driven by a deeper purpose that transcends immediate obstacles.

Questions to Ask Yourself:

• When was the last time I felt truly motivated at work?
• What organization best reflects my personal values at work? Is there a way to bring that to my current position?

Examples of Personal Values at Work

Career values are principles or beliefs that guide your professional decisions and actions. They reflect what is important to you in your work life and help you prioritize goals and make meaningful choices. 

Here’s a list of career values that many people center in their careers and lives. Do any of these resonate? 

Making a Difference

• Integrity: Acting with honesty and transparency in all professional interactions.
• Ethics: Upholding a strong sense of right and wrong in decision-making.
• Diversity and Inclusion: Working in an environment that respects and values diversity.
• Environmental Responsibility: Working for organizations that prioritize sustainability and environmental stewardship.
• Innovation: Being part of an organization that fosters innovation and embraces new ideas.
• Impact: Making a meaningful difference through your work.
• Community: Feeling connected to and contributing positively to your community through your work.

Work + Life Balance

• Flexibility: Having the ability to adapt to changing circumstances and work arrangements.
• Job Security: Feeling stable and secure in your position.
• Work-Life Balance: Maintaining a healthy balance between work responsibilities and personal life.
• Creativity: Having opportunities to innovate and think outside the box.
• Quality: Focusing on delivering high-quality work and products.
• Health and Well-being: Working in an environment that promotes physical and mental well-being.
• Belonging: Being a part of a company that values you as a person.

Growth + Professional Development

• Professional Growth: Continuous learning and development to advance your skills and knowledge.
• Autonomy: Having independence and the ability to make decisions in your role.
• Challenge: Seeking roles and projects that provide intellectual or creative challenges.
• Collaboration: Working effectively with others and contributing to team success.
• Leadership: Having opportunities for leadership roles and responsibilities.

Financial Rewards + Recognition

• Recognition: Feeling valued and appreciated for your contributions.
• Financial Reward: Being compensated fairly for your contributions and achievements.
• Awards: The ability to win awards or public recognition for projects.

These values can vary greatly from person to person, and your prioritization of them may change throughout your career.

It’s essential to periodically reflect on your career values to ensure that your current role and organization align with what matters most to you professionally and personally.

How to Find a Workplace That Matches Your Personal Values

From a broader perspective, organizations that prioritize values tend to cultivate healthier work environments and stronger cultures.

Employees who feel their values are respected and integrated into the workplace are more engaged, productive, and loyal.

This positive culture attracts top talent and enhances the organization’s reputation, contributing to long-term success.

Centering your values in your career isn’t just about personal satisfaction; it’s a strategic choice that enhances your effectiveness, resilience, and overall success.

By aligning what you do with what you believe, you create a career path that is fulfilling and fits your lifestyle.

Next time you choose a new career path or evaluate your current one, considering your values should be a fundamental part of your decision-making process.

The post How to Define Your Personal Values at Work appeared first on Career Revolution.

Did you know that most managers fail in their first year? According to research by CEB Global, 60% of new managers fail within their first year! 

Why do new managers so often face failure? While the reasons vary, most new managers fail due to lack of training, many employees are promoted to a management role as a reward for great performance.

However, as part of their “reward,” very few new managers receive appropriate training and tools to help them succeed. 

Just like any skill, leadership skills can always be improved. 

Benefits of Leadership Courses

Before we dive into the leadership courses we’d recommend, let’s get one thing out of the way. You don’t have to be a leader to enroll in one of these classes. I’d encourage more junior career people to take leadership courses early in their careers. This gives anyone a better idea of what healthy, good leadership looks like. 

This can be extremely helpful in looking for new roles, discussing career advancement with your boss, finding mentorship, or looking towards leadership roles in the future. 

Many of the best leadership courses teach the following skills, which apply to any career. 

• Enhanced Communication Skills
• Improved Decision-Making Abilities
• Developing Conflict Resolution Skills
• Building Self-Awareness and Emotional Intelligence:
• Strategic Thinking and Planning

The following are some of the best-reviewed leadership and management training courses for anyone to take—and list on their resume! 

Coursera’s Leadership and Management Certificate

Offered by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign’s Gies College of Business, this specialized certification course covers leadership, teamwork, and communication skills crucial for new managers. This for-credit program teaches in-demand skills for managing teams and implementing organizational strategy. 

Career Contessa’s The New Manager Manual 

This self-paced course sets any leader up for success in their first (or next)  90 days on the job.  It provides tools to create a New Manager Action Plan.

Use it to maximize your performance, set achievable goals with a clear vision that builds an engaged team, and implement open communication, including feedback loops for long-term inspiration and motivation.

Franklin Covey’s The 6 Critical Practices for Leading a Team 

Leaders at every level make a significant impact on your business and its metrics.

edX’s Becoming a Successful Leader (Inclusive Leadership Training)

This leadership course, provided by CatalystX, explores inclusive 21st-century leadership. Using research and best practices, students learn to practice empowerment, accountability, courage, and humility. 

Career Revolution’s AccelerateME 

Of course, I had to include AccelerateME in this list!

This course is designed to help employees make career decisions and take decisive action daily. It is taught by Career Revolution Master Facilitators and teaches individual contributors how to own their careers. In many cases, employees can complete this course before entering a leadership role. 

AccelerateME Program guides participants through a series of self-discovery based lessons, assessments, small group discussions and assignments that puts them in the driver’s seat of their career.

LinkedIn Learning’s New Manager Foundations

This comprehensive course, led by thought leader and leadership expert Dr. Todd Dewett, guides you through the foundations for success as a new manager. Learn how to establish your identity as a leader, connect with your team, build trust, develop authority, and more.

Employers Association of the Northeast’s Communication Skills for Leaders 

Communication is the cornerstone to success in any leadership role—and I’d argue in any role, period. This communication course, along with most of EANE’s course library, is highly recommended by many Reddit users. It can be completed in person (at select northeast locations) or online. 

Udemy’s Management Skills: New Manager Training in Essential Skills

This management course takes a challenge-based approach to leadership and management. For leaders who struggle with delegating or communicating effectively with team members,  this course provides skills and actionable advice to excel as a manager. 

Harvard Business School Online’s Management Essentials

While this course is one of our pricier recommendations, who wouldn’t jump at a chance to say they “went” to Harvard? I am mostly kidding, but it’s true! This course takes an in-depth approach to help leaders master four vital processes. 

Skillshare’s Agile Team Coaching

Is there a real measure of a great leader? For my money, the best leaders cannot be measured in dollar signs or revenue. Rather, the best leaders inspire and motivate their teams. Best of all, they create new leaders with their inspirational and uplifting approach. This course from Skillshare, led by Will Jeffrey, is designed for leaders whose ultimate goal is to help their team learn and grow. 

FutureLearn’s Leadership Theory: The Basics 

“Develop an in-depth understanding of leadership by assessing your own leadership qualities with the use of different theories.”

If you want to explore the very root of leadership and what separates managers from real leaders, this is the course for you! In partnership with Coventry University, this leadership course explores the theory behind leadership and different leadership styles. 

Alison’s Effective Leadership Skills and Strategies 

This free online course teaches new and aspiring managers how to get ahead and learn the skills and strategies required of an effective leader.

The post The Best Leadership Courses for Aspiring Leaders appeared first on Career Revolution.

Not all bosses are bad.  In fact, many can really help your career. However, we have all had at least one bad boss who we simply can’t stand—and you suspect the feeling might be reciprocated. 

While mutual dislike is nothing new (we all don’t have to vibe with everybody, after all), it’s problematic when there is an imbalanced power dynamic. 

Whether they are incompetent, overly demanding, or not a match for you, it’s important to know if the situation is worth salvaging. In some cases, an acrimonious relationship might mean it is time to quit. 

What’s Up With Your Boss?

Incompetent bosses will eventually be discovered by higher-ups.

If you work for one of these, you may want to give it some time.  In fact, if you continue to get your job done, you may even put yourself in a position for promotion once this boss’s lack of skill is exposed.  Bosses with high expectations can be challenging to work for, but as long as they are fair and trustworthy, you can learn something new. 

This boss will push you to another level of performance.  Although you may feel frustration at times, being pushed out of your comfort zone, the experience could very well be one of your greatest resume builders and worth a little patience on your end.

When Something Just Doesn’t Feel Right With Your Boss

Trust your gut. 

What about those boss relationships where something just doesn’t feel right –you can’t put your finger on it but no matter what you try, you are not seeing the results you need to move your career forward.  

Delegated nothing but busy work? Not invited to team lunches?  Passed up for promotions?  Even though you may never understand why your boss doesn’t like you, you can tell if it’s bad enough to cut your losses and find a new opportunity – before they do it for you.

 If you have a real performance problem, your boss can usually go down a path of termination. In the case that your performance is adequate or even great, you may have a boss who just doesn’t like you. 

As a result, they may consciously or subconsciously try to create a situation where it would be easier for everyone involved if you just walked out the door.

Let’s differentiate the signs that your boss wants you to quit from your imagination working over time.

Here are 5 telltale signs your boss would be happier if you quit. 

1. Your Boss Might Be Trying to Get You to Quit if…You’re Buried in Busy Work

Your job description says one thing, but your tasks feel meaningless and repetitive.  If you notice that your colleagues, some potentially less qualified, have opportunities to complete work that adds more value, your boss might be up to something. Pay attention to your daily and weekly tasks. If it feels extremely off, compare your job description to your actual workload. 

2. Your Boss Might Be Trying to Get You to Quit if… You Receive Little to No Feedback

Not all managers are big feedback people. However, it is part of a leader’s duty to provide feedback when asked. 

Despite your efforts to ask for performance feedback, your boss seems to avoid giving it or when he or she does it’s always negative.

3. Your Boss Might Be Trying to Get You to Quit if…You’re Being Excluded, Overlooked, or Ignored

You may find out about important meetings at the last minute or after the fact and may not be included in team social gatherings.

If that weren’t insulting enough, your boss always cancels or reschedules your 1:1s or scheduled meetings. 

Whether they cancel your meetings with you at the last minute or are chronically late, you can’t seem to get the time you need to get your job done.

4. Your Boss Might Be Trying to Get You to Quit if…They Document Your Performance Conversations

Bosses who want you to quit may try to create a trail of documentation that they tried to “coach” you on your performance problems. This usually means that when they do meet with you, they make the meeting about a specific deliverable and proceed to document the conversation.

5. Your Boss Might Be Trying to Get You to Quit if…You’re Overworked

You have so much work on your plate you are forced to work late nights and weekends. This is especially frustrating when the work you’re assigned isn’t related to results that will help the business and your career.

Of course, any of these reasons alone doesn’t necessarily mean they want you to quit.  However, in combination, may be screaming for you to open your eyes and head for the door.

What to Do If You Suspect Your Boss is Trying to Get You to Quit

If you suspect your boss is trying to force you to quit your job, take a breath. It’s a very stressful experience, but there is recourse. 

Keep Meticulous Track of Evidence

First and foremost, it’s crucial to gather your evidence. Keep a record of rescheduled meetings, assignments changes, or exclusion from projects or meetings. 

Consider Discussing With a Trusted Mentor or Colleague

Feeling like your boss has “it out” for you can be an incredibly alienating experience, so you might want to find an outlet. Consider discussing your concerns with a trusted colleague or mentor. Don’t frame this as gossip but as an opportunity to get a second opinion. Maintain professionalism and avoid spreading rumors or making accusations without sufficient evidence.

Document Your Performance

Document your own performance and any outcomes it yields. Keep records of positive feedback, completed tasks, and any contributions you’ve made to the company. This documentation can be invaluable if you need to defend yourself against unjustified criticism or negative performance reviews.

Consider Addressing Your Boss

If you feel comfortable doing so, address your concerns with your boss calmly and respectfully. 

Choose a private and neutral setting for this conversation. Express your observations and ask for clarification on any changes in your workload or interactions. Sometimes, a five-minute conversation can clear up a ton of miscommunication. It’s worth a try. 

Finally, Involve Human Resources

Ultimately, if you continue to feel targeted or marginalized despite your efforts to address the situation, it may be necessary to explore other options. 

Human Resource professionals exist to help navigate tricky situations just like this one. If you have explored other options and you still feel like you’re being silently punished by your boss, look to HR for guidance.  

Your mental well-being and professional growth are paramount, and taking proactive steps to protect both is important.

The post Is Your Boss Trying to Get You to Quit? appeared first on Career Revolution.

Interviewing stresses most people out, especially if they’re new to it or haven’t been in the interview chair in a bit. 

Don’t undo all of your job search preparation by letting your nerves get the best of you. In this article, we’ll detail three modes interviewees enter when feeling nervous at an interview.

Don’t miss your next job opportunity because you let your nerves take over.

How to Stop Nerves From Causing Too Much Honesty in an Interview

Unfortunately, when we’re nervous, we can enter several unhelpful modes. Three common modes are panic, prattle, and potty mouth. 

• Panic: When an interviewee clams up and can’t answer questions at all.
• Prattle: When an interviewee nervously rambles on and on to fill the awkward silence. By the end of the sentence, they forgot what question they were addressing in the first place.
• Potty Mouth: When an interviewee lets one of those choice four-letter words into the chat.

How Honest Should You Be in an Interview?

Right off the bat, let’s set one base rule. Don’t lie.

Some of the biggest interview flubs happen when an applicant sets false expectations. If you pad your resume with a small lie that you describe as “a matter of nuance,” ask yourself why. Are you simply padding your resume with meaningless accomplishments and inconsequential skills? Try to keep things honest. Being caught lying on your resume can have a big consequence.

The strange thing about interviews is that, ultimately, you want the interviewer to like you. For better or worse, hiring managers arrive with their own set of biases. They might have an unconscious bias for people named Julie with brown hair. As an interviewee, that’s not a problem you can solve for. 

However, you can follow a few common-sense guidelines to soothe the judgments coming from even the biggest Julie-hating interviewers. 

Every now and then, I find myself conducting an interview that generates a mental text, “OMG, LOL!” due to the level of personal disclosure from the candidate.  

Know the Difference Between Honesty + Oversharing

I continue to be amazed at how much I’ve learned about a person, unrelated to the job, by asking simple interview questions. 

Although it’s important to come across as authentic, there’s a fine line between being honest and revealing aspects of your personal life as part of a nerve-ridden info-dump. Don’t let conversational chatter turn into TMI. 

I’ve created the guide below based on real interview responses I’ve personally experienced. These answers made me think twice about how well the candidate might fit into the company or new position.

However, the biggest mistake I see candidates make is trying to be too honest. In doing their best to answer each question honestly, they might lose credibility, badmouth former employers, or reveal some little white lies contained in their resume.  

The Interview is a Stressful Experience 

The interview is a stressor. In some situations, an interviewer might be equally nervous, especially when new to management. 

This is why it’s important for all parties to conduct some pre-interview preparation. Many interviews include the same common interview questions. As an interviewee, don’t take a gamble by skipping the preparation stage. 

Interview Preparation Tips 

Gather actual memories from workplace scenarios, especially how they can relate to important workplace skills (e.g. problem-solving, teamwork, critical thinking) 

• Know your most important job skills and prepare to talk about them. Ditch your anecdotes about the more inconsequential skills.
• Prepare to talk about your hobbies and interests, especially if they relate to the job at hand.
• Center your goals, especially when speaking about this particular opportunity. get excited and use your imagination to align your goals with this job. Get wrapped up in talking about that to dazzle a hiring manager!
• Speak about all former jobs and organizations in a positive light. Even if you hated your last boss and role, find a way to generate a positive response.
• Mind your body language. While this may feel completely uncomfortable, try filming yourself answering common interview questions. Keep an eye on your body language, with special attention to posture and eye contact.

Almost everyone has been guilty of disclosing a little too much or perhaps not enough in an interview at one time or another. Below are simple interview tips to help you maintain a good balance in your next interview.

How to Talk About Yourself with Authenticity + Honesty

Below are simple interview tips to help you maintain a good balance in your next interview.

• Define your personal brand – Before you interview have a clear picture of your top 3 strengths, personal values, and how you’ve applied them in the past to achieve results. You should be able to clearly and briefly articulate the value you bring to the organization.
• Be authentic – Effective interviewing is all about being you and connecting your talents and experiences to the needs of the position and company culture. You don’t need to have all of the answers. Instead, focus on real experiences you’ve learned from. 
• Don’t panic – If you’ve ever given a “bad answer” to an interview question, it’s not over. If you’re still in the seat in front of their interviewers, take a breath. Ask for a do-over. Why not? This shows that, while you may be battling nerves, you intend to provide thoughtful answers. Give your thoughtfulness time to catch up to and eliminate your nerves. 
• Stick to the facts – Always provide accurate dates, degrees, and career history like titles and organizations you worked for.
• Practice and prepare – You can use the questions in the chart above to practice articulating your opinions and experiences into statements that are true, yet also professional. Avoid preparing canned responses; rather focus on having a variety of real examples at your fingertips.

Small lies can have big consequences. Your personal brand can be at risk if you’re inaccurate with facts. 

However, you can do even more damage to your personal brand if you can’t distinguish authenticity from disclosure of every detail about your life just because it happened. There are times when it’s best to stick to the facts and not spill your guts—interviewing is one of them.

In conclusion, Practice really does make perfect.

The post How Honest is Too Honest in an Interview? appeared first on Career Revolution.

If your next career move isn’t a promotion, isn’t it basically tantamount to a demotion? No way! Ditch this type of thinking. 

Of course, we all want to move up in the world, make more money, improve our social standing, and even increase our power.  In a world so focused on being upwardly mobile, why would anyone waste her time making career moves from side to side?

Why Lateral Career Moves Matter

Lateral career moves or lateral transfers describe a situation wherein an employee might stay at the same level of pay or authority while changing roles.

If you were to ask ten successful veteran corporate professionals about their career paths, you might be surprised by the trajectory or career path they have navigated so far.

We are inundated with news of promotions, snazzy job titles,  career development wins, new opportunities, and professional achievements on social media.

It can feel like everyone is experiencing exciting job opportunities and increased pay grades. It feels like everyone is scaling that so-called corporate ladder while you are stuck on this one rung.    

Let me remind you that LinkedIn is often a highlight reel. Folks post news of new roles and new skills because they are proud. Don’t be fooled. It’s often a very long road to get to these wins. 

Every employee navigates times of career dissatisfaction, burnout, or unmet expectations. 

Life events, unforeseen circumstances, and even career missteps play into almost everyone’s personal journey toward success.

One common element among those most successful people is understanding the difference between pay grade increases, promotions, and career progression.  Here’s the secret: You don’t need the first two things to achieve the third.

Lateral Career Moves Can Better Position You for the Future

It’s easy to get caught up in short-term wins and forget about the big picture. Moving laterally can help you acquire new knowledge, skills, and experiences that will round out your personal tool kit.

When looking toward your next career move, you’ll be a stronger candidate for a wider variety of roles, higher salaries, and new experiences. 

The old adage that “success is where preparation and opportunity meet” is particularly true for people who take the opportunities to learn. Especially in a small or medium-sized organization, make it your business to know the ins and outs of…everything.  

For instance, if you’re in a product-facing role, try to spend some time in a customer-facing role and a vendor-facing role.  Having experience in all three will make you the most capable person in the room when it comes to articulating solutions to common pain points and improving overall business performance.

Parallel Career Moves Demonstrate Strong Learning Agility

Hiring managers have overwhelmingly reported looking for employees with a demonstrated history of obtaining new skills. Whether it’s learning new technologies or strengthening current skills, an employee who shows that they are open to learning is extremely attractive to many employers. 

“Learning agility” is one of those HR terms your current company uses to identify people they think are “high potential.” These are the employees that organizations want to keep long term. 

To join that elite group of individuals, you need to demonstrate a high level of learning agility. Folks with high learning agility are successful in almost any role. Your internal mobility describes your unique ability to learn and apply new concepts quickly.  

It can be challenging to secure promoted roles with increased responsibility in the time frame you want to move your career, and lateral moves are often more freely available, and just as rich in learning opportunities and challenges. Try to find more peace and some excitement in the unknown.

Moving Laterally Improves Your Exposure With a Broader Group of Leaders

We all hear it, but we all forget to do it. Yes, I am talking about networking. 

Who has the time or resources to network when trying to stay afloat at work and in your personal life?

Especially in large organizations where leaders can be less accessible, you want to make a name for yourself.  Make time to have important (and career-changing!) career conversations whenever possible. 

When it comes to review time, and leaders are comparing you against your peers, be a known person. As an employee, you never want to be a name on a paycheck. Make sure that folks know who you are and what you can do.  

Lateral career moves allow you to work under a new set of leaders who will be able to firsthand vouch for your capabilities and can become very strong advocates for your career advancement.  All good leaders have a “short list” of talent they want to grow, and your goal is to be on as many of these lists as possible.

Lateral Promotions Show Leadership and Willingness to Work Hard

A lateral career move does not translate to failure.

In many cases, initiatives, projects, or even teams have fallen off track and require new focus. 

People who can build reputations as “fixers” are invaluable to organizations. Jumping in with a positive attitude to help solve a business need. Show leadership and your commitment to organization-wide success. 

Potential Drawbacks:

Of course, you don’t want to turn into your organization’s puppet. As someone open to a lateral move, you wouldn’t want to appear flaky. 

When discussing lateral moves, make sure to highlight why the functional or departmental change works for you, your skill set, and your career vision. Be mindful of your reasoning before saying “yes” to any internal career move. 

Lateral Moves Help Keep Engagement High

If you’ve ever experienced prolonged boredom at work, you know that it’s a real slog. Why look for more responsibility in a department and job function that (let’s be honest) you hate?

Even in the most exciting jobs, things can become rote once you’ve mastered your role.  If you like the company, and the role you want is not yet available, choosing a lateral position can often be just the tonic you need. This could be your “in-between job” that keeps you interested in your work and engaged with the company. 

Of course, before you take a lateral role, discuss your goals with leadership. Make it clear that this move will be a useful step toward that goal.

The post 5 Reasons a Lateral Career Move is Better Than a Promotion appeared first on Career Revolution.

During this intensive informational exchange, you answer probing interview questions about your experience, skills, and five-year plans. If you’re asking the right questions, you’re also learning about your workplace, their goals, and what their huge goals are going forward. 

Now, raise your hand if you’ve never had a career conversation outside of an interview or performance review. What’s up with that?

Career conversations, or stay conversations, facilitate open dialogue between managers and employees and between team members working toward organizational goals. 

There’s a lot of unknown regarding careers and where they’re headed. When planned currently, career conversations benefit everyone in the room. It helps team members to truly understand everyone’s long-term ambitions, circumstances, and overall career goals. You can only achieve this by getting to know each member of your immediate team personally.

Having these conversations with your manager, mentor, or trusted colleagues can help you navigate your career more effectively and make informed decisions that align with your professional and personal aspirations.

Career Conversation 1: Your Career Path

Who Have This Career Conversation With: Yourself

The first career conversation you’ll tackle is with someone you’re very close to at work. To facilitate important carer conversations with managers, coworkers, and interdepartmental colleagues, you first need to have a heart-to-heart with yourself. 

Ask yourself a few questions to define where you are headed and why. Some questions you can ask yourself include:

• What type of work energizes me?
• What values are most important to me?
• What career goals or milestones would I like to achieve within one year?
• What potential barriers might I encounter in working towards my goal?
• How do I think I’ll feel once I achieve these goals?
• Who could help me or advise me in working towards this goal?

Taking a few minutes to check in with yourself can be an extremely clarifying practice. Sometimes, feeling lost or unsatisfied in our careers is due to a simple disconnection between our work and our values. 

Once you have an honest check-in with yourself, you’ll have clarity around preparing for your upcoming career conversations. 

Career Conversation #2: Aligning Personal Goals with Your Organization’s Goals

Who Have This Career Conversation With: Your Manager, Your Colleagues

In this next career conversation, you’ll work to align your values and goals to your team’s and/or your entire organization’s. 

Before reserving time on your boss’s calendar, complete some preparatory work. Arrive with a plan, and some pointed questions to ask. 

Here is a three-step strategy to help facilitate a productive career conversation with your boss. 

1. Align Your Goals With the Organization’s + Your Team’s: Get the old Venn diagram to work by finding the overlap between your goals and the organization’s. Leave room for questions, too. Are these still the organization’s most important goals? Does it still make sense to work on goals you established when you started your position? 
2. Know Your Ask: If you’ve scheduled this career conversation with your boss, you may have ideas for skills improvement, classes, or special assignments you’d like to add to your plate. This might be the meeting where you request a professional development stipend or on-the-job training. 
3. Open Yourself to Change: Because we tend to have career conversations as a reaction to a problem, you might find that your values aren’t aligning any longer. If you find that this is the case, it might be time for a pivot. Your pivot may or may not include your organization. That part is up to you. 

Career Conversation #3: Your Career Expectations

Who Have This Career Conversation With: Manager

In our next career conversation, we will dive into communication preferences. Before that, let’s talk about expectations. This is one of those career conversations you can have at a macro- and micro-level. 

Macro Expectations at Work

• What do we know about the history of my role? What did other employees manage or achieve optimally in this role?
• What will a successful first year look like for someone in this role?
• What are the three main priorities for this role?

Micro Expectations at Work

• What is the goal of this specific project? 
• What impact is my contribution expected to make? 
• How will I know I was successful in this meeting/on this phone call/in completing this project?

Set your career expectations early if possible. Like many of these career conversations, use this talk to open yourself up to future conversations about expectations—especially when it comes to adjusting or modifying them. 

Career Conversation #4: Your Communication Preferences

Who Have This Career Conversation With: Manager, Entire Team

One of the most important career conversations rarely happens. Communication is the cornerstone of any strong workplace. Unsurprisingly, the weakest workplaces usually exhibit poor communication strategies or none at all. 

Anyone who has worked remotely knows the importance of different communication channels, using clear language, and keeping an open line for questions, input, and feedback. And don’t forget your boundaries!  

Let’s explore how we can communicate our preferences. 

Identify Your Preferences: Determine your preferred communication methods (e.g., email, instant messaging, face-to-face, video calls) and styles (e.g., concise, detailed, formal, informal).

Understand Situational Preferences: Consider how your preferences might change depending on the situation, such as for urgent matters versus routine updates.

Encourage Others to Share Their Preferences: Sharing your communication preferences might start a lightbulb moment for your colleagues. When sharing your communication preferences, encourage your colleagues to share theirs. This is a great way to eliminate (or at least drastically reduce) communication problems. 

Career Conversation #5: Your Personal History + Your Dreams

Who Have This Career Conversation With: Your Colleagues, Friends, Partner, Manager, Self

While this conversation is similar to discussing your goals and personal values, it is slightly different. When thinking about these important career conversations, I found this article by writer Brandi Neal on Radical Candor. In it, the writer explores the more personal side of career conversations. 

Instead of speaking about workplace communication, goals, or professional development, these conversations address personal history. 

Specifically, the writer shares a conversation structure created by Russ Laraway, VP of people operations at Qualtrics that dives into your past, present, and future. The steps are as follows: 

1. Start With the Past: Your Life Story 

What’s your story? Aside from the professional accolades listed on your resume and LinkedIn, who are you? How does that inform where you are? What are some huge takeaways you’ve learned? 

2. Talk About Your Future: Your Dreams

Close your eyes. Now, envision where you’d like to see yourself at the pinnacle of your career. What do you want to be when you “grow up” in your career? Everyone has dreams, and we should! This exercise helps you to vocalize them, and, by extension, make them a little more tangible. 

Envision your dreams. Write them down. Share them! Most importantly, be flexible to the very real possibility that your dreams will change as you progress through your life and career. 

3. Plan for Your Present: Your Career Action Plan 

Now that you’ve explored your past and dreamed about the future, make an actionable plan to put into motion…right now! This might be an ongoing exploration you have with yourself for a while before sharing it with your manager.

When you feel ready, conversations like these are best to have during a weekly 1:1 or a review. If your organization doesn’t provide either of those recurring meetings, get it on the calendar! 

In Conclusion

The best aspect of many of these conversations is that they can tend to be quite contagious. While, as a more junior employee, it might feel audacious to communicate your preferences to your boss, these upfront conversations often become part of the organizational blueprint.

Why wouldn’t we all want to explore our goals and aspirations with the people working alongside us toward the same outcome? 

Now, get that time on your calendar!

The post 5 Important Career Conversations to Have appeared first on Career Revolution.