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Unsure if its my time to move on.

Gina

| 0 Posts

6 Feb, 2019 14:07

Hi Everyone,

I'm currently unsure of my next steps and wanted to put my thoughts out to other HR Professionals for help.

Since joining my current organisation I've grown immensely in skills and knowledge, and have grown from a HR Administrator to HR Assistant and then to HR Adviser. When i became HR Adviser, the HR Manager went to part time and the organisation started to put me through training so that when she left, I could look at progressing to HR Manager. My Manager was always open and advised she wouldn't be with the organisation much longer when she went to part time. In October of last year, my manager handed in her notice (which was 3 months) and i wrote a business case and how the HR team should be restructured. I handed this over for SMT to review. During this time a lot of promises were made and i was told I was going to be given responsibilities, such as budgets for the department, line management, a pay review to reflect this.

However just before my manager left, I was told that I wouldn't be taking on the budgets, I would have no pay review, however I would recruit an assistant and take on our volunteering team, while the HR Manager from another organisation would come in and oversea things, however I would still be in charge day to day. I understood the reasons behind this and accepted it, however this felt like another stumbling block in my career. Progression is key for me and i'm happy to stay at a level if i know progression would be there in the future (even if its not straight away). I've always been a career climber as I'm the type of person who sets a goal of where i want to be and I'll work as hard as I can to get there.

Recently I've seen a role that is perfect and after discussing it with the recruiter for the organisation, there is also the chance of progression, even if it isn't straight away. The organisation sounds great, so i applied. Now i know there's no guarantee that i will get the role, but now i'm in that strange turmoil of do i move. I'm thinking do i stay where i am, look after my employees and just hope for progression that may never be there or do I take the leap if the option is given to me. 

Thanks for your reading this.

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  • Cass Clothier

    | 0 Posts

    6 Feb, 2019 14:52

    Hi Gina

    In all honesty it seems like the odds are pretty similar in both cases where neither are guaranteed necessarily to give you the progression that you want in the short term. Taking on a new role with a new company might expose you to new processes etc, but equally, your current place may perhaps provide you with opportunities to take on new projects and duties too. I honestly couldn't advise you what to do though at the moment it doesn't appear that either role could fulfil your aspirations for much longer in their current form.

    It sounds to me like you are being given a lot of autonomy in your current role so I wonder if it might be sensible to maximise your time there and get as much exposure and experience out of this as possible for a while longer. Then, you can start applying for roles where there is the distinction between the level you are currently at and the level you want to be at.
  • Keith

    | 0 Posts

    6 Feb, 2019 15:03

    My experience is that when people start looking then 80%+ of the time they never settle down again in current organisation and ultimately move on.

    I think by asking the question you probably know its time to move
  • Gina

    | 0 Posts

    6 Feb, 2019 15:08

    In reply to Cass Clothier:

    Thanks Cass, you are right, its a no win situation as there's no guarantee on either side, which i think is causing me to question everything at the moment. Having an external view point has helped a lot. Thank you
  • Gina

    | 0 Posts

    6 Feb, 2019 15:10

    In reply to Keith:

    Thanks Keith, this is a very good point and something I've thought about when coming across this role. On one hand i feel like i might be ready, however on the other hand i feel like i might be letting down those employees who come to me for help. However i also feel this role has been great at growing me and maybe it is someone else's turn to have that growth with the organisation.
  • Keith

    | 0 Posts

    6 Feb, 2019 15:13

    In reply to Gina:

    You aren't letting down employees. You are being paid to provide a service and sadly / inevitably none of us are irreplaceable. My view (FWIW) is that most people can only grow so far in one organisation. There are exceptions but ultimately you are still seen by some in the more junior roles for ever

    Keith
  • Fiona Mary Palmer

    | 0 Posts

    6 Feb, 2019 15:53

    In reply to Gina:

    Hi Gina
    It's a difficult one really. I think I might be tempted to wait until you have had a discussion with the manager who is coming to oversee things? They might be the sort of person who adopts more of a collaborative approach and that you can learn things from, or even fight your corner for you. I don't know how hierarchical your organisation is. Just make sure that if you are going, you are going for the right reasons. People promise all sorts of things, this happened to a friend of mine recently who wanted to progress from Assistant to Adviser and she found that when she got to the new organisation she was doing more of an admin job than before. If you are fixed on going, make sure you ask them lots of questions about progression and examples of people who have progressed within the organisation.
  • Jamie

    | 0 Posts

    6 Feb, 2019 16:44

    I waited three years for the step up within a Company (granted whilst building knowledge like yourself), at the point where I was ready I was overlooked for someone external - that was my prompt to look and I left within a couple of months.

    Since then my perception on internal progression is skewed, although seeing colleagues in CIPD study join an organisation and within a year achieving promotions, or being in the right place at the right time.

    I moved for each step up I received, which has pros and cons. You did the right thing with your business case and your aspirations will be clear to management. At the stage you are, I would have the conversation with them - there is nothing to lose and if you receive an offer and resign there won't be a feeling of 'what if'.
  • Gina

    | 0 Posts

    7 Feb, 2019 10:07

    In reply to Fiona Mary Palmer:

    Thanks Fiona, I'm completely understand the over promise, under-deliver as sadly I've been in that situation before, which i think is why I'm very over cautious on this occasion and not jumping in feet first.
  • Anna

    | 0 Posts

    7 Feb, 2019 13:12

    In reply to Gina:

    At the moment you're dealing in hypotheticals - if you get the job interview and offer should you go? Wait until you get the interview, assess the potential employer against what's on offer at your present organisation (after all interviews are a two way process) and then see how you feel.
    If nothing else going for an interview will help you evaluate what may be on offer elsewhere and clarify your thinking.
  • Nicola Coull

    | 0 Posts

    8 Feb, 2019 15:03

    Hi Gina,

    I thought I'd try and give you something to think about from a slightly different perspective - but also wanted to say I completely agree with Keith. I find (from personal experience and others) that once you start looking around and giving serious consideration to other roles your head is 80% gone and it is rare that you can ever truly pull back from this. Slowly little things that previously you wouldn't have minded start to niggle at you.

    I've been with my current company for four years - and love it, I've no intention of moving on at the moment, but have had a varied career which has given me good and bad experiences! They've all contributed to how I now manage HR and my team and I wouldn't change any of them.

    However, we have a lot of people who have been here for a long time (15 years plus) - this has some great advantages, but is also causing us some real problems as we go through a current re-structure. One of our manager's is really struggling with this, he's been with us since graduation over 15 years ago - and it is really sad to see. His devastation at the changes is clear to see and he has taken the decision to leave rather than evolve with us - we simply can't continue to manage the business in the same way but he can't see any other way to function. I really do worry about how he is going to adapt and cope in another organisation.

    I guess what I'm trying to say, whilst loyalty to a company is great, staying in one place too long - particularly in today's world - can bring its own problems. Don't let fear of the unknown be the only thing holding you back and end up being too scared to move and progress. You sound as though you have a very logical and well-balanced approach to planning your career and won't move unless you recognise it would be positive for you, so you will make a sound decision. Trust in yourself and your judgement,

    Also, don't worry that you are letting anyone down in your current company - as much as we might like to think we are indispensable in HR, everyone will quickly adapt to another HR Adviser!
  • Gina

    | 0 Posts

    13 Feb, 2019 09:43

    In reply to Nicola Coull:

    Hi Nicola,

    Thank you for this, its been really helpful and given me a lot to think about over the last couple of days. I think your right, that being scared of the unknown is a big part of it and being comfortable where i am, even though i know I don't really have a chance to climb.

    Thank you for the input, its been great to see different points of view and get out of my own head.

    You are right though, no one is replaceable.
  • Gemma

    | 0 Posts

    13 Feb, 2019 11:50

    In reply to Gina:

    Hi Gina,

    For what it's worth, I understand where you are at the moment. I was in my first HR role for 3.5 years and I worked with two really great HRBP's who were the ones to hire me, helped me develop and encouraged me to do my CIPD Level 5. The only problem, was as much as they pushed for my development to be recognised and wanted to help me progress my career, they just couldn't get this through with senior management. I had the same choice as you, stay put and hope it would happen eventually, or take a leap and try it else where. I chose to leave ultimately. As Keith rightly points out, I started looking and that was it, I couldn't see my future there long term (I was also fed up of the 1 hour+ commute each way).

    I changed roles into a stand-alone HR Officer/Advisor role which ultimately didn't work out, it wasn't the right fit for me on a personal level, so I stayed there for 3 months and moved on to the role I'm in now - another stand-alone HR Officer/Advisor role but it in a much better environment for me and I'm now getting the opportunities I was looking for. I'm involved in all aspects of HR now and I'm learning as I go with the help of my senior managers, the communities and also our external legal advice when needed. I've been here for a year and half now.

    The way I see is it doesn't matter if the change to the new role doesn't work out, it might be the thing that helps to get you to the right the role. My friends like to refer to my 3 month role as my "middle job" as ultimately, I don't think I would have got the role I'm now in if I hadn't taken the chance and left the first company.

    Hopefully you'll be able to make the best choice for you and what you're trying to get out your career. Let us know how you get on :-)
  • Gina

    | 0 Posts

    14 Feb, 2019 14:31

    In reply to Gemma:

    Thanks everyone for the input. It gave me a lot to think about. As of Tuesday i was offered the role in the new organisation, they even changed the salary and the title of the role (although we all know titles are different in every organisation for HR) so that it would ensure that I took the role. Luckily after some thought and discussion with a family member who works for the same organisation but in a different location, i opted to take the new role. Its a big scary leap but i think its one that i need and will get the opportunities i want.

    Thank you all again for your input, it really was helpful for each step of the way :)
  • Gemma

    | 0 Posts

    14 Feb, 2019 14:37

    In reply to Gina:

    Congratulations Gina, good luck in the new role :-)
  • Keith

    | 0 Posts

    14 Feb, 2019 14:52

    In reply to Gina:

    Good luck in the new role