How To Deal with a Blocker
Sitting beneath a “career blocker” is costing you $62,531 per year.
According to Salary.com, that’s the difference between a recruiter’s salary and a recruiting leader’s pay.
That financial divide is even bigger when it comes to Managers gunning for a Director role.
So what’s a career blocker? And what can you do to get a piece of that pie?
DEALING WITH A CAREER BLOCKER - THE WRONG WAY
A career blocker is someone in your organization who sits in a role that you want.
And they aren’t going anywhere any time soon!
Now, in order for you to advance, most people think that 1 of 3 things needs to happen to the blocker…
They need to move roles.
They need to get fired.
Or they need to leave the company.
The problem with these strategies is that they’re passive. Each one involves you “waiting” for something to happen.
So, I’d like to offer up a 4th strategy…
4. Go around the blocker!
What’s this mean?
It means not sitting and waiting for your day to come. It means creating a plan and taking action.
Tired of waiting? Here are 10 ways to deal with a blocker…the right way!
1. Pitch a New Role
Find a problem that is not being solved and write your own job description.
2. Loan Yourself Out
Ask to be loaned out to another role where you can get the experience you need to qualify for the role you really want.
3. Slide Over
If the ceiling is blocked in your current region or line of business, consider taking a similar role in another region or line of business where the path to promotion might be easier.
4. Plug A Gap
Keep your eye out for maternity leaves, sabbaticals, or any gaps in coverage where you can show your worth.
5. Double Down
Become a subject matter expert in something the team is lacking. This could elevate you in the eyes of leadership and put you on your own vertical path to success.
6. Integrate Yourself
Offer to take things off the blockers plate. This positions you to be the shoe-in when their position opens.
7. Skip Levels
Get permission from your boss or blocker to do skip level chats with other leaders. This will make your ambitions known to others if you think that message is being blocked too!
8. Get Famous
If internal recognition is capped, build external fame. Start writing on Linkedin, speak at conferences, and get on podcasts. Make yourself undeniable.
9. Raise Your Hand
If there are big projects coming up, volunteer. Even if they aren’t recruitment related. You’ll gain new skills and visibility.
Now…if all else fails, there is a 10th way to go around a blocker.
I don’t like to recommend this to people unless their situation is really dire or their ambitions truly outpace their ability to wait.
10. You could leave the company
Yes, sometimes people leave to get the experience they need and then come back. OR, they simply leave and secure the job they really wanted in the first place.
PARTING WORDS & SOME ADDITIONAL HELP
Regardless of the path you choose, don’t sit and wait. Get active!
The few times in my career I waited in the wings, I found it helpful to get feedback from people who mattered. This made sure there wasn’t something else (besides the blocker) holding me back.
If you’d like to know how to get valuable feedback from people who can accelerate your career, consider taking a free course I call “Get Promotion-Ready”. It only takes about an hour, it’s free, and it could be the difference between you doubling your income or staying flat this year.