Signs You’ve Outgrown Your Role
As the calendar turns, the start of a new year naturally brings a desire for a fresh start—and that often includes our careers. For office professionals in Finance, Sales, Customer Service, and Executive Assistant roles, this is the perfect time to assess where you are and where you want to go.
The big question: Are you ready for a promotion at your current company, or is it time to move on to a new one for the growth you deserve?
Knowing when to move on is one of the most important professional decisions you'll make. It’s not just about what’s obvious; often, the subtle signs of stagnation are the most telling.
🌟 Obvious Tell-Tale Signs:
You're an Expert with No Ascent: You’ve mastered every aspect of your job. In a Finance role, you might be automating tasks that used to take hours. In Sales, you're consistently hitting targets with ease. For Executive Assistants, you're anticipating needs before they're voiced. There's no clear, next-level role available.
Lack of Learning Opportunities: If the company isn't investing in your growth—no relevant training, no new challenges—you've hit a wall. Your skills in Customer Service or Sales are becoming repetitive instead of expanding into management or strategy.
You're Constantly Searching: If your downtime is spent on job boards, updating your LinkedIn profile, or daydreaming about another industry, your heart has already checked out. This feeling of dissatisfaction is a powerful signal to explore new opportunities.
🛑 Not-So-Obvious Signs of Stagnation:
The "Sunday Scaries" Are Chronic: Everyone gets a little pre-Monday anxiety, but if you constantly dread the start of the work week and your motivation is consistently low, your current role is likely draining you.
Your Ideas Are Consistently Shelved: You bring innovative solutions—a new CRM strategy for Sales, a better financial reporting process, or a way to streamline the Executive's schedule—but your input is ignored. This lack of appreciation for your strategic value is a sign you're not viewed as a future leader in your current environment.
"Comfort" Has Become "Complacency": While stability is good, if you can perform your duties without engaging your brain—you're comfortable, but not challenged—you're not growing. This is a common trap in roles like Executive Assistant or Customer Service, where daily routines are established. Growth requires challenge.
💰 The Compensation Check: Are You Underpaid?
A promotion should come with a significant compensation increase, but even without one, your annual raises should keep pace with market trends and inflation.
What to Expect for Annual Raises:
While annual raises vary by industry, performance, and the economy, recent data suggests a general range for increases:
Annual Merit/Performance Increases: Average salary increase budgets across U.S. companies have recently hovered around 4.1% to 4.5% (Source: WTW/PayScale, 2023-2024 projections).
Promotion Increase: When you secure a one-level promotion, the average pay increase is often around 9.5% (Source: Mercer, 2024 projections).
If your annual raises have consistently been below this range, it’s a red flag.
🚨 Tell-Tale Signs You May Be Underpaid:
Your Responsibilities Increased, Your Pay Didn't: You've taken on the duties of a former colleague who left, or your role has expanded significantly (e.g., a Customer Service rep now handling complex Fin-tech accounts) without a corresponding title or salary bump.
External Job Offers Are Significantly Higher: When you casually search for roles like your own (Finance Analyst, Senior Sales Rep, etc.) and see job postings offering 10-20% more for the same experience, your current company is likely lagging behind the market rate.
High Employee Turnover is a Norm: If your company is consistently losing good people, especially to competitors, it’s a strong indication that employees are leaving for better pay and opportunities elsewhere. Companies with chronic retention issues often struggle with competitive compensation.
No Performance Review in Over a Year: A lack of regular performance and salary reviews means you're missing the formal opportunity to discuss your market value and potential raise.
Summary
Professionals (Finance, Sales, Customer Service, Executive Assistants): Use the new year to assess your career growth.
Signs You're Stagnating:
Obvious: Job mastered with no promotion path; chronic lack of new learning.
Subtle: Constant dread of work; strategic ideas are ignored.
Are You Underpaid?
Raise Expectation: Annual raises should follow market trends (approx. 4.1%–4.5%), while promotions average around 9.5%.
Red Flags: Increased responsibilities without a pay hike; external offers are significantly higher; no salary review in over a year.
If you’ve outgrown your role, it’s time for a change.
Ready for Your Fresh Start?
If you've identified these red flags—the lack of new challenges, the chronic dread, the below-market compensation—it’s time to stop waiting for your current company to catch up and start exploring the opportunity that matches your true potential.
A new year is the perfect time for a clean slate and a significant career step forward.
Riverway Business Services is actively looking for high-potential candidates like you to fill exciting new roles in Finance, Sales, Customer Service, and Executive Assistant positions.
Explore new roles with Riverway Business Services today!
contact@riverway.jobs