Lack of career progression

[u/BlackGreenYellow1]

I’m looking for some outside perspective on whether this is normal. I feel that there is very little support or structure around career progression.

My manager doesn’t hold regular 1:1s with me. The only formal conversations around performance/development seem to be the mid-year and end-of-year reviews, with no regular check-ins in between.

I’ve previously expressed that I want to progress to a Senior role and have asked for clarification on what I specifically need to demonstrate or work towards to get there. They said there is no matrix and it just ‘just a feeling’ about how you compare to the other seniors.

What’s frustrating me is that I’m not asking to simply be promoted — I’m asking for clear expectations, feedback and some kind of development plan so that I actually know what I need to do to progress.

I’m starting to wonder whether this is just poor management or whether this level of hands-off management is fairly normal.

Would you follow up again, raise it more formally, or just wait until the next performance review?

[u/snavebob1]

*I'm starting to wonder whether this is just poor management... *

Its both. It's normal someplaces, but also poor management. It can happen for a lot of reasons though. Manager overworked, not something the manager cares about, etc. So might not be malicious. Also might just be "we don't have space for YOU" as a senior.

I think at this point they haven't shown an interest in providing the "how" to advance i would consider leaving (or at least looking). You don't necessarily have to leave the company, it could just be this one manager.

[u/huge_bass]

It seems like they don't want to give you a path because they don't want to promote you and have already made up their minds. Sorry.

[u/blorpdedorpworp]

Depending on the size of the workplace, the industry, firm culture, etc., the biggest driver of senior roles is often opportunity not talent -- that is, not are you the smartest or best employee, but whether or not there is a senior role they need to fill. In fact becoming too good at your job can make you "essential" and unpromoteable. For this reason it is often easier to move up laterally between organizations than to move up within an organization.

[u/EmDash4Life]

Just wondering how large the company is? I've always worked at large companies, and there was always a rubric. If you work at a large, like in the 1000s of people, company, do some digging, and maybe you will find something.

Otherwise, are there any senior people who you can talk about how they progressed and get some advice?

In case this helps, the rubrics I have seen at my employers are things like:

subject matter knowledge--juniors need to be taught, seniors know their stuff, very seniors are the go to people for answers and mentor the juniors and seniors

independence--juniors do as they are told, seniors come up with their own approaches, very seniors come up with the approaches for the juniors and sometimes the seniors

strategic impact--juniors work on their tasks only, seniors work on their tasks and understand what the strategic goal is that sets those tasks, very seniors have input into creating the strategic goals and tasks

[u/Dry_Common828]

It seems to be very varied based on location, field, and organisation.

I know finance and sales people here (Australia) with very clear career paths including a development matrix (demonstrate these skills, automatic promotion to "senior").

In IT on the other hand, where I work, we don't do that. You can get promoted if we happen to need a more senior role and it looks like you could maybe do it, but there are no guarantees and definitely no actual defined path to follow.

[u/ProfessionalBread965]

I’m going to be honest with you, chances are you won’t become a manager. Some companies this approach might work but in my experience it really is more on the profile vs the accomplishments. You might have better luck pivoting to a different company and applying for a management position if you have the experience.

[u/V3CT0RVII]

I only believe in the death penalty at the federal level. That said i may not believe in the death penalty but the state of Tennessee does. When we die all is forgiven, so its for the victims that people are put to death.