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CAREER EVOLUTION

Try this framework to evaluate if you’re happy with work

Super’s CMO explains that a systematic approach can help reinforce that you’re in the right place, or put you on the path to get to the right place.

Try this framework to evaluate if you’re happy with work

[Photo: Morsa Images/Getty images]

BY Lydia Dishman4 minute read

For many companies, this time of year marks performance evaluation season. Amidst hiring freezes and layoffs, we may feel we should simply be thankful that we’re employed. I agree and I’m grateful for my post as CMO at Super.

But I also encourage everyone to remember the value we bring to the table and acknowledge the fact we spend more time at work than with family, friends or nurturing our hobbies. Let’s couple our gratitude with a systematic approach to assessing if we are happy and fulfilled in our current roles this year-end.

Here’s the framework I use to evaluate if I am happy with work at least 70% of the time.

People

People are the most critical aspect of the evaluation since they can literally make or break your experience, but also the trajectory of the business. Ask yourself:

  • Do I respect the people I work with daily?
  • Am I learning from them?
  • Are they invested in my development in the context of the business needs?
  • Do I truly enjoy the time I spend with most of the people I work with?

It’s critical to think about people from a 360-degree lens and ask these questions as you think about company leaders who may be senior to you, your own team, and your peers.

Value

Feeling valued is . . . well, a feeling, so it is very difficult to quantify. To get clarity, ask yourself:

  • Does my voice matter in the majority of instances where I choose to use it? 
  • Do people at least consider my perspective? 

Depending on your company size and structure, you might also ask:

  • Am I even in the room where the decisions are being made such that I can use my voice to share my expertise? 

Impact

Depending on your values, this may or may not be critical for you.  Since work is such a large part of my life, I feel strongly I need to see real impact from the work I do every day.  So, I ask:

  • Can I see a line of sight to my work making an impact on real people? 
  • If I can’t see that impact today, will I see it in the near future?
  • At what scale can I have this impact? 

Role

Your role defines what you do on a daily basis so having a clear understanding of the quarterly goals you’re responsible for is critical. Ask:

  • Do I have a clearly defined role such that I know my goals and the steps I need to take to deliver against them?
  • Is my role a priority for both me and the company?
  • Is there room for learning and growth in my role?

Compensation

Anyone who tells you compensation doesn’t matter is trying to pay you less than your market rate.  Don’t accept that.  Instead, understand your market rate by speaking with recruiters and taking inbound calls from those who find you for analogous roles on LinkedIn.  Simply asking the compensation range and structure for other roles you are eligible for can help you answer the question, am I being compensated in line with my worth as dictated by the market?

No job is perfect, so I know I’ll never be able to definitively answer “YES!” to each of the questions aligned with the five criteria above.  But, if I can answer yes to most of the questions aligned with three of five criteria above, I know there’s a strong chance I’m in the right place. 

More importantly, the act of the assessment helps me understand where I need more clarity and where I need to work to find a solution or a path to specific issues that could be improved.

But what if I cannot answer yes to even two or three of the questions aligned with the criteria above? Then, there are two options.

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Talk to your manager

Show them how you’re approaching your evaluation and where the gaps are. Most importantly, come with thoughts on solutions. If you identify a gap, come with a proposed solution and talk through it together.  You may not win your manager over in your first conversation but you’ll feel more in charge of your own destiny, demonstrate real initiative and over time, you may find constructive solutions

After you’ve employed the option above, if you truly can’t find a way to make this role or company match your criteria, it’s time to move on. Often, it’s the right thing for both parties.  But, knowing when and how to leave is critical.

When: Remember that you did choose this job for a set of reasons so if it makes sense, make a concerted effort to salvage it. But after you’ve had a few conversations with your manager to improve your role and the impact you can have within it, it may be time to resign. I recommend at least three conversations over six months.

How: How you do it is important. Always do it in person, if the role permits, and give enough notice to transition your work to those around you who will take it on in your absence. Above all else, be gracious. 

The reality is until you are in a role, you cannot truly understand the dynamics of the people, impact, or work. Similarly, you won’t know if you’re truly valued until you’re in the day-to-day, and since market compensation swings, it’s important to take a step back frequently and re-evaluate.

Regardless of the outcome, a systematic approach to the evaluation can help reinforce that you’re in the right place, or put you on the path to get to the right place.


Radhika Duggal is the CMO of Super.


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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lydia Dishman is the senior editor for Growth & Engagement for fastcompany.com. She has written for CBS Moneywatch, Fortune, The Guardian, Popular Science, and the New York Times, among others More


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