Question
I recently started a new role at a financial services company. I initially interviewed for a more senior position but they felt I didn’t have enough experience. I argued that I did but they insisted I was better suited to a lower role, which I accepted as it was still good financially.
Having started, I feel they have really mismatched me given the scope of the work. I definitely have enough experience for the more senior position, and I have joined a team with much younger colleagues with less or similar experience to me who are in senior positions.
I am concerned that my expertise and skills have been undervalued, and that I will be doing work that is not as interesting or challenging to me once the person in the senior position starts.
I left my last role because I didn’t find it challenging enough, and don’t want to be in that position again. I want to approach my manager on this, but I’m not sure what to say or how to say it as the senior position is now filled?
Your work questions answered: I was humiliated and verbally abused by my manager, what rights do I have?
Your work questions answered: My employee has changed hours without permission, what can I do?
My company is clamping down on working from home. Can I reject this change?
Your work questions answered: ‘I have ADHD and so work from home a lot. When I go to the office, nobody speaks to me’
Answer
Although feeling undervalued or unchallenged can be frustrating, and a labour market calling out for experienced candidates might be tempting, a frank conversation with a manager would be more beneficial than making any “drastic decisions”, according to experts in human resources.
“I would understand that this is a frustrating situation. However, as the reader is aware, what is done is done and the job offer was accepted,” says Damien McCarthy, founder and chief executive of consultancy firm, HR Buddy.
McCarthy advises not shying away from having an open and honest conversation with a manager, expressing any frustrations or concerns, something he says the manager “may not even be aware of, so it could be a very worthwhile conversation”.
“In my experience, and I see it all too often, difficult conversations are being avoided in workplaces,” he says, adding that open and constructive communication usually delivers positive outcomes.
“Unfortunately, there generally seems to be a real fear from people broaching or highlighting issues they may have and when these are left fester, it usually means things will only go south,” he says.
McCarthy adds that employers remain challenged in attracting and retaining talent amid a “tight labour market”.
“People who are in a position such as the reader really do have a strong hand to play with,” he says.
However, he encourages a frank conversation with a manager before taking any “drastic measures” such as leaving the company, as a solution could be found internally.
“Alternatively, if it is not, well then at least they know where they stand and the good news is that given the current labour market, experienced and capable candidates who want and enjoy a challenge are most definitely in demand,” he says.
“For all we know, they could have underestimated this individual but that ship has sailed now,” adds Michelle Halloran, independent HR consultant and workplace investigator, of Halloran HR Resolutions.
Although recruitment teams do not necessarily always “get it right”, and the reader could be correct in their assertion that they are more suitable for the more senior position, they accepted the contract for the more junior role.
There may be internal conflict at play in that although the reader wishes to be challenged, the junior role was accepted as it was financially favourable, she notes, advising workers, in general, to set out precise motivations before applying for new roles instead of “stumbling into a recruitment process”.
“There’s no point accepting a job feeling aggrieved from day one, because you’re going to find it very difficult to be happy in it,” she says.
“Regrettably, once you’ve accepted the role and the contract, that’s what you’ve signed up to so you’ve agreed to do it,” she says.
Halloran advises the reader to discuss career progression and aspirations with their manager, potentially during an annual performance review which would provide an opportunity to learn what is required from the company, such as specific skills, in order to progress.
If you have a work-related questions you’d like to ask our team of experts, from how to deal with difficult colleagues and big workloads to career progression, you can submit them using the form below.
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