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Resources of the Week

1. CollabWORK has updated our job board into this snazzy new site!! I’m grateful for their partnership in providing this job board free for us. Check out (and bookmark!) the upgraded job board here!

2. Texas is Texas-ing again, and this time, they have blocked the FTC non-compete ban. The is once again good for big business, and bad for workers. Learn more here. The good news is that some states are pushing their own non-compete bans, so hopefully that will offer some protection.

3. Payrolls down 30%? One thing to note is that these downward revisions happen every year, but the data is continuing to catch up to what many of you know from experience about the job market.

4. Matt Hearnden is a good buddy and his LinkedIn has been hilarious lately, so for a good laugh, check it out for posts like this.

5. If you’re an HR professional, make sure you’re subscribed to HR for Good where we’re sharing ideas and helping everyone grow together to make the workplace work for everyone!!
   

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What do you do when there’s no room for growth ANYWHERE?!

Today’s topic is inspired from one of my networking calls this last week with someone who shared that they are high-performing, getting high ratings, but have been told there’s no room for growth or a raise due to budget. But they feel stuck because of the tight job market.

So today, I wanted to dig into that topic and share some ideas.

What’s most important to you?

My first suggestion is to really get clear on your values and priorities at this time.

For some folks, it’s title growth and showing upward trajectory.

For others, it’s could be more money.

Maybe it’s building new skills or getting a certification or becoming an expert in an area of your work.

Or maybe you just want balance and flexibility!

So I’d get clear on that first - this can help you come up with a game plan.

Next, consider the ways you can get those things in your current role.

Talk to your manager, or perhaps a business partner who might be able to help you figure out how can get more of what you want in your current situation.

If your goal is an increase in title, what opportunities are on the horizon? Maybe there’s no natural progression, but building a few skills could make you competitive for growth on another team.

Perhaps budget is the driver of that lack of growth and you can negotiate a change in title with other benefits and a commitment to increasing your compensation in the future. (This can also allow you to job hunt with that new title which may make things easier.)

Maybe your employer can cover the cost of a course or a coaching program.

Perhaps you can volunteer on a project with other teams.

Or maybe you focus outside of work. You’re good at your job and can get more done in less time - maybe that extra time goes into a side business, or coaching others, or something along those lines that can fulfill that desire for growth.

As a high performer, your company is invested in retaining you so if you’re able to brainstorm some good ideas that aren’t too much of a budget stretch for them, they may be able to support you!

You can also job hunt while doing all of this

There are two upsides to job hunting while employed:

1. You can be really picky and only apply for jobs you really want.

2. You will often have an easier time because sadly some employers have biases that favor employed jobseekers.

So why not focus on finding fulfillment at work AND start strategically applying to a handful of jobs that are a strong match?

🙋Answering Your Questions🙋

Each week, I’ll answer one (or more!) of your questions in this section. You can submit your questions here.

There are two types of demographic questions you’re likely encountering.

The first, and most common, is the EEOC questions around race/ethnicity, age, military service, disability, etc. These should have a disclaimer explaining that they are EEOC questions and anonymized. Applicant Tracking Systems are set up NOT to associate responses to these questions with the applicant, and to only show the data in aggregate once a certain volume threshold is met. Even if I wanted to see the data for an individual, I couldn’t.

The second, and less common version is when companies ask simply for their own records. This is allowed in some countries, and not in others so many companies avoid it. Often, they do this because they value diversity and want to know if their efforts to build a diverse workforce are working.

Personally, I complete this information. My philosophy is that if a company wants to discriminate against me for my identity so badly, they can figure out my background by finding me on LinkedIn, or they are going to hold it against me once I get into the interview. I have no desire to work in a workplace that will discriminate against me for my identity.

But there isn’t a penalty for not completing it, they will likely not know so if you’re hesitant in any way, I would just leave it blank!

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