Expressing the desire for a new role to your employer
By Ken Pelczarski, Contributing Editor | TLT Career Coach January 2023
These tips for having a discussion about your career goals can set you on a new trajectory.
You must take action to keep your career moving in the right direction.
Are you feeling a lack of excitement and challenge in your daily responsibilities? Have you been thinking that you can achieve greater personal growth in a different position? Are you looking to work in a more meaningful role?
If you answered
yes to any of the above questions, you must take action to keep your career moving in the right direction. This would likely mean taking one of three logical steps:
1.
Discuss possible new roles within the company that interest you. Talk with your boss, other management and/or human resources.
2.
Search actively for a position with a new employer, especially if growth opportunities are limited with your current employer.
3.
Combine the two above action steps by talking with your employer about different internal roles, evaluating what may be available in the short term, keeping an eye on the job market and comparing external versus internal opportunities.
How do you bring up your desire for a new role to garner support from your employer and not have management think you are unhappy and looking to change jobs?
Here are a few important points to keep in mind when speaking to your employer:
•
Emphasize that you have been happy in your current role, but you are ready for something new.
•
Express that there is no rush and that you simply want to communicate clearly about your goals within the company.
•
Explain how certain kinds of roles would benefit both you and the company.
•
Mention that you are not necessarily looking for a promotion but something that may increase your personal growth.
•
Be clear that you are not looking to change employers.
•
State that you are happy with the organization and are thankful for the opportunities they have given you.
•
Ask what you need to do to achieve your goals within the company (e.g., better performance, take on new projects, further your education and/or relocate).
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Stress that you will continue to work hard in your current job to achieve company objectives until the right internal position opens.
Depending upon your goals and the urgency of your situation, below are a few options regarding when to speak with your employer and with whom to have the discussion.
1. Arrange a meeting with your boss to discuss your goals. It could raise eyebrows if you call a special meeting. You may want to do this only if you are unhappy in your current role and/or desire quick action.
2. State your goals during a performance review. Your career goals should be discussed in every performance review. It is advisable to first learn what your employer has in mind for you and how soon. You can then respond with your preferences and different ideas. This is a great option if you can wait until the next scheduled review.
3. Bring up your goals one-on-one in casual conversation with your boss. This is a good option if your first want to gauge your boss’ reaction to your goals before having a more serious discussion.
4. Bring up your goals to your boss during a casual group conversation. It is probably best to avoid discussions in a group setting. Not a lot is likely to be accomplished, and you may not garner a serious or trustworthy answer in front of coworkers.
5. Wait until your boss needs to meet with you one-on-one. This is a good option if you can be patient with expressing your goals or if your boss tends to meet with you on a frequent basis.
6. Send your boss an email regarding your goals. This is usually not a good option. What you say in an email can easily be misconstrued. Discussing goals requires a personal touch and a back-and-forth exchange of ideas. A face-to-face meeting allows you to see your boss’ facial expressions and body language, and helps you determine how far to take the discussion.
7. Bring up your goals to top management instead of your boss. If there is a good chance you will be staying with the company for a while, you risk harming the relationship with your boss if you do not first discuss your goals with him/her. You may want to talk first with top management, though, if you do not trust your boss or believe that he/she will not look out for your best interests. It may be a good idea to try to arrange a meeting with both your boss and the individual directly above him/her.
8. Learn about available internal positions from human resources. This can be an excellent first step to help you sort out your goals and learn what opportunities are available.
Why should you risk speaking openly with company management about wanting to take on a new role when they might think you are secretly looking to switch employers? If you do not communicate your goals to company management, you are potentially delaying your own career advancement and personal growth. In addition, if you do not speak up, your boss may have the impression that you are content in your current position and pass you over for an interesting new role for which you are well-qualified.
I am a firm believer in making the most of a current job situation before deciding to switch employers. The best way to do just that is to build and maintain strong work relationships, communicate frequently with management and be transparent about personal growth goals.
Ken Pelczarski is owner and founder of Pelichem Associates, a Chicago-based search firm established in 1985 and specializing in the lubricants industry. You can reach Ken at (630) 960-1940 or at pelichem@aol.com.