You got the education, you earned the degree, and then you went straight into the corporate world. It’s what felt right because, hey, it’s what made sense. It offers stability, growth, and a darn good paycheck, especially when you climb the ladder.
Only, to get up that ladder, you’ve had to yell and scream your way up there. And now that you’re standing in the position you’ve nearly had to scratch and claw your way to get, you’re realizing that the ladder you climbed… isn’t actually the ladder you wanted to touch.
But why is that? What changed to turn the excited recent two-time uni graduate You, to the frustrated and unsatisfied corporate You?
Here’s what I know, sometimes our desires change because we’ve changed our minds about what we actually want. And sometimes those desires change because the ladder we’ve been taking was never, actually, the one we were supposed to step foot on in the first place.
So if you’re wondering why you’re standing in a position that no longer feels good despite the money you’re making or the credentials you’ve earned, I have ideas as to what might be going on.
Your job title doesn’t match the work you’re doing.
Take a look at your job title. Then, go ahead and list out the description of that job title.
Hold on, wait. Let me clarify because I know what you’re going to write down if I don’t:
Write down your actual job description. NOT the description of what you do.
Know how I know the difference? It’s because so many rockstar women are fixers without even realizing it. They see there’s an issue at work and they get moving on it. They see someone is on the struggle bus to doing things right, so they go ahead and do it themselves.
They pick up all these tasks and duties because they know they need to get done, so they suck it up and get it done. They fill the gaps so that everything doesn’t fall apart. They save the manager, the department, the company.
And before they know it, they’re actually doing the jobs of four or five different people, picking up on slack. Yet, their titles never change and nor do their paychecks.
If any of this is ringing true to you, congratulations, you’ve exceeded the expectations of everyone around you and set unrealistically high expectations of yourself without getting the credit of actually meeting those expectations.
That one guy got a raise and you’re still sitting on the same paycheck.
Because you’ve taken on extra responsibilities to ensure these tasks are done and done right, you’ve taken the heat off other people. Lady, you’re picking up their slack and making their jobs easier.
You’re freeing up their time and clearing their way for the next addition to their paycheck. Which means that guy that is actually bringing the company down, the one who is leaving a hole in the things that need to get done, he’s getting the recognition you deserve.
He’s getting the pat on the back. He’s getting the gold star. He’s getting the raise that should be yours. He is dining out on your genius.
And maybe in the past, you’ve thought, “Well, I’m doing this for the company, not for me. It’s not about the money.”
Bull, lady. If you really love the company you’re working for, you can still do the work to keep them doing well, AND you can get the recognition and raise for doing the work, too.
If that guy over there can get a raise by doing less, then you should be getting double the raise for doing more.
The “Family First” mindset is dripping into work, too.
“But they’re like family.” I hear this all the time. Hard working women spend more time with their coworkers than with their actual families. They get to know their personalities and develop relationships with them.
They begin to see them as family.
Here’s the thing: I know that families come in all shapes and sizes. And I know that sometimes family members share zero ounces of blood to your DNA. But your work colleagues are not your family, they are your work colleagues. They get paid to be there just like you do.
And while work is important, it’s never more important than what your heart needs to feel seen and heard. Their needs, desires, goals, etc.… are NOT more important than your own.
So, if you’re putting your loyalty to their needs before the kind of life you actually want for yourself, you’re doing your own self a disservice.
When it comes to work, you shouldn’t be putting family first, because point-blank they’re not family.
The Lie of the Corporate World
As a society, we’ve lied to ourselves as to what the corporate world should look and feel like. It should be stable and allow us to climb to the highest heights, if only we put in the work. It should be reliable as long as we give them our all.
But somehow, women especially, have stepped up to the plate over and over again and have their time, energy, and possible earnings only for their counterparts to gain the benefit, get the accolades, the pay and the promotion… instead of themselves.
No wonder corporate doesn’t feel good. We’re not being seen. We’re not being heard. We’re not being recognized with any more than a pat on the shoulder for doing the above and beyond.
And worst of all sometimes it’s not Chad who’s creating the blocks to our success, it’s Lucy!
If you’re ready to stand up and make corporate feel good again (or, drop corporate altogether if that’s what your heart is telling you), then I’m ready to champion you along the way.
Click this link and find yourself on a happier working journey, with your desires front and centre.
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