I need to move on

26 September 2002 by
I need to move on

Question

I started off as a kitchen porter and then moved to front of house porter. Now I am head porter. I'm doing a supervisor's job, and my manager has been telling me for the last six months that I will move on and up, but nothing is happening. I'm stuck as head porter. When I mention it to him, he says that I'm good at what I do and the company has had letters from customers thanking me. What should I do?

What the expert says

Steve Nunes, managing director catering, Blue Arrow

!
First, consider and decide on the career direction that you would like to pursue and identify what skills and experience are needed. Ask to talk with your manager (your next appraisal would be an ideal time, if your employer has a regular system in place) and find out what opportunities for advancement the company can offer. Identify, too, any training or development programme they can provide, and agree on a realistic timescale for things to happen. The fact that you've already been recognised as successful by management and customers alike is a real positive. To further your ambitions, it may speed things up if you work with management towards finding a replacement for yourself. Try documenting what makes you good, then set about coaching and developing those skills in a potential successor. As a supervisor, you're ideally placed to initiate a development plan for your own team. Include some clear-cut objectives and agree how progress will be measured and at what point it might become viable for you to be free to concentrate on your next step. Not only should this approach satisfy your employer and be popular with your team (as it will give them room to grow), but it will serve you in good stead for the future.
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