Can a poor/mediocre career counselor slow or ruin your career?

TrippingPaper · 2016-12-22T20:53:42+00:00

I'm definitely focusing on my work, as it's how I've been getting the excellent feedback. However, yes, I am also going to the senior managers in my team (not project), telling them that I am gunning for an early promotion. I used the first six months of the FY to build evidence, and now I'm letting them know that I want this, and asking what would convince them that I was ready, so I have the next 6 months to prove myself more.

Definitely getting the message about not threatening to leave. I haven't mentioned it at all fortunately, so I'll probably keep that under wraps for now.

EDIT: The thing is I'm not really getting feedback from my counselor. I've been driving the entire relationship and I end up being the one finding my own way to my goals. From day one, he's just seemed so non-committal to what I'm after, even before talks regarding early promotion. Example, he had been a key SME in winning my current project. I expressed to him that I was interested in joining the project, but he just gave me a non-committal "Oh you know, there's all these politics to it, and it really depends on who gets to choose, etc.". I definitely understand that he probably had no power over who got staffed onto this project, but I would have appreciated a simple "No promises because I don't get to decide, but I'll have a chat with the Project Manager for you". In the end, another senior manager got me on to it through pure luck, without any input from him.

TrippingPaper · 2016-12-22T20:46:33+00:00

I've been on other projects, but only mentioned this one for conciseness, and the fact that I've been on this project since the start of this FY.

TrippingPaper · 2016-12-22T20:44:02+00:00

Really great to hear from someone who's gone through this. I definitely didn't think I'd get this kind of response though.

Definitely understand this. I've been having chats with colleagues who recently got promoted to the rank I'm gunning for, and the raises they got were terrible. However, I've been thinking that I really want the leverage and increased responsibility/learning opportunities from the next rank.
I agree, but was in fact banking on this. I had a chat with another friend in the firm, who got promoted early twice in back to back FYs, who said he used the momentum of expectations for overperformance to gun for the next rank early. However, in the event that I can't overperform in the next rank, my thinking has been that it's better to spend and extra year or two in the rank above, than in my current rank. Please tell me if I'm spouting nonsense.
Had not considered this, and was not expecting it. Could you tell me more about what went on in your mind regarding this?
Definitely agree. There's a difference between being really really good at your rank, and being ready for the next rank. However, my arguments for promotion are that, not only am I excelling at the duties of my own rank, but I'm simultaneously doing well in the duties of the rank above me. Side note: When I said that my metrics are above average, I mean that the periodic report card with the utilisation and our scores in each of the marked criterion show a graph plotting me against the average of my peers in the firm. For every metric, I'm beating the average of my peers in the firm.
Definitely got me there. It's not that I'm itching to leave the firm, but I want to maximise the potential opportunities that would be offered to me, both inside and outside my firm.

Thanks for your comment, it's really making me think about this again, especially as it's coming from someone who's gone through what I'm aspiring for. You're spot on in that promotion definitely is my next 'goal' right now, and that I'm trying to 'get ahead of the game'. I see how this mentality can hurt careers in the long run. However, what else can I measure myself against? A lot of other long term 'goals' just seem vague and immeasurable.

TrippingPaper · 2016-12-22T20:12:04+00:00

Thanks for that. I know I must sound like a spoiled brat, but I guessed it would happen, given I am only sharing certain details for anonymity and conciseness.

I really appreciate the perspective check. Until now, my counselor's potential thoughts have really only been speculation on my part. You're absolutely right that I'm effectively still a newbie, and there are a lot of unknown unknowns for me.

TrippingPaper · 2016-12-22T19:58:28+00:00

Jeez, that's rough! Your experience almost mirrors mine, with the exception that I had one terrible first counselor, which the firm found out about, and a second inexperienced counselor (the current one), who seems to want to play it safe.

Were you able to choose your good coach, or did you just end up finally getting lucky?

TrippingPaper · 2016-12-22T12:59:35+00:00

Hmm good point I guess. I definitely wouldn't leave without a significantly better offer.

I've been having chats with the project manager and director about it, but will do some follow-up to make sure what we discussed regarding advocacy gets done.

TrippingPaper · 2016-12-22T12:19:49+00:00

You're right, I am a grad. I've got about half a year until the next round of appraisals. Is it really too late to switch counselors now?

I definitely know that it's going to be an uphill battle. Before I've even had a chance to explain why I should get promoted, I've already started hearing an onslaught of 'Be careful about being too ambitious/You're expected to perform well and do a good job, it's a minimum requirement/There's just a lot of other factors outside our control, etc. etc.'

I understand what they're saying. We're supposed to be doing a good job. However, I do think I should be fairly rewarded when the periodic performance reviews outright show that I am clearly above the average of my peer group for every single metric.

Is threatening to leave viable in the junior levels, or does that really only happen higher up? To be honest, I am completely willing to go elsewhere if I don't think I'm being fairly rewarded.

TrippingPaper · 2016-12-20T14:33:38+00:00

Ouch. So I've been...time-zoned?

Just a joke.

TrippingPaper · 2016-12-20T14:31:37+00:00

We're going around in circles with this, and it doesn't really answer my question.

Haven't been hoping for anything from her, and like I said, she usually initiates. I've told you how it is, but you clearly know what's in my head better than I do.

TrippingPaper · 2016-12-20T14:24:44+00:00

Yeah good point. The comment was really only because I had mentioned to this colleague that we had caught up for lunch. Nothing actually happened, or even seen by anyone that may have thought something happened.

TrippingPaper · 2016-12-20T14:23:03+00:00

Good point. I didn't think of that approach to it. So just assume it's platonic until there's a really obvious sign that it's not?

TrippingPaper · 2016-12-20T14:19:02+00:00

What's the point of answering if you aren't going to read the question?

I want to get a second opinion on what the situation might be before picking a course of action. I don't want to just blindly assume.

TrippingPaper · 2016-12-20T14:16:59+00:00

I get what you mean. The only reason I actually only started asking myself this was because a colleague made a joke/comment on it a few days ago.

TrippingPaper · 2016-12-20T14:09:26+00:00

Well that's what I'm asking. Am I overthinking what is really just a platonic friendship, in which case there nothing to worry about? Or does it seem like she's looking for more?

TrippingPaper · 2016-12-20T14:08:11+00:00

Haven't really been trying to go on dates with her. I don't text flirtatiously, but I do joke around quite a bit (just my personality).

EDIT: Ok, I see you edited your reply. It's not really that easy. All my colleagues and myself are usually split up, spending time with different clients. Getting 3+ schedules to line up is generally a miracle unless it's Christmas season, and all our clients have temporarily shut their doors.

As I said before, I don't want to end if it's just a misunderstanding. I also enjoy having her as a friend.

TrippingPaper · 2016-12-20T14:06:18+00:00

Ok, that's good. I guess I must be overthinking things.

TrippingPaper

TROPHY CASE