Comments on: How to make ladder-climbing a positive experience http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/01/30/how-to-make-ladder-climbing-a-positive-experience/ Advice at the intersection of work and life Mon, 08 Sep 2008 05:17:25 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: What Would You Tell Your College Self? : Brazen Careerist http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/01/30/how-to-make-ladder-climbing-a-positive-experience/#comment-148910 What Would You Tell Your College Self? : Brazen Careerist Sat, 14 Jun 2008 14:42:38 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/01/30/how-to-make-ladder-climbing-a-positive-experience/#comment-148910 [...] your own ladder. There are some places where the career ladder is dead. There are others where it’s not. Who cares? Make your own career ladder based on your wildest dreams. Whether that means job [...] [...] your own ladder. There are some places where the career ladder is dead. There are others where it’s not. Who cares? Make your own career ladder based on your wildest dreams. Whether that means job [...]

]]> By: What Would You Tell Your College Self? at Personal PR http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/01/30/how-to-make-ladder-climbing-a-positive-experience/#comment-148888 What Would You Tell Your College Self? at Personal PR Fri, 13 Jun 2008 17:57:54 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/01/30/how-to-make-ladder-climbing-a-positive-experience/#comment-148888 [...] your own ladder. There are some places where the career ladder is dead. There are others where it’s not. Who cares? Make your own career ladder based on your wildest dreams. Whether that means job [...] [...] your own ladder. There are some places where the career ladder is dead. There are others where it's not. Who cares? Make your own career ladder based on your wildest dreams. Whether that means job [...]

]]> By: Susan http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/01/30/how-to-make-ladder-climbing-a-positive-experience/#comment-22454 Susan Fri, 02 Feb 2007 04:16:07 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/01/30/how-to-make-ladder-climbing-a-positive-experience/#comment-22454 I'm sorry to say it, but as someone who does PR/marketing for a non-profit (double the pink ghetto factor), these same rules of hierarchy can apply. Sometimes at a really small non-profit (my friend works on a staff of eight people), you can boundary span and wear a lot of different hats, but my experience has been that you're expected to pay your dues by working in a support role AND go without an annual bonus. Your reward is in fulfilling the mission. I'm sorry to say it, but as someone who does PR/marketing for a non-profit (double the pink ghetto factor), these same rules of hierarchy can apply. Sometimes at a really small non-profit (my friend works on a staff of eight people), you can boundary span and wear a lot of different hats, but my experience has been that you're expected to pay your dues by working in a support role AND go without an annual bonus. Your reward is in fulfilling the mission.

]]> By: CKWong http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/01/30/how-to-make-ladder-climbing-a-positive-experience/#comment-22028 CKWong Thu, 01 Feb 2007 00:12:30 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/01/30/how-to-make-ladder-climbing-a-positive-experience/#comment-22028 Unfortunately I'm in a support role and love it very much, I guess that means a limited opportunity for me. I wish management can acknowledge the importance of the support staffs. But reality is that the main actors/actresses are all that matter, all the rest of the people are just there to make them shine. I wonder if there are any industries that value the support staffs as much as the money-generating ones? Maybe non-profit? Unfortunately I'm in a support role and love it very much, I guess that means a limited opportunity for me. I wish management can acknowledge the importance of the support staffs. But reality is that the main actors/actresses are all that matter, all the rest of the people are just there to make them shine.

I wonder if there are any industries that value the support staffs as much as the money-generating ones? Maybe non-profit?

]]> By: Gordon Whyte http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/01/30/how-to-make-ladder-climbing-a-positive-experience/#comment-21917 Gordon Whyte Wed, 31 Jan 2007 10:59:53 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/01/30/how-to-make-ladder-climbing-a-positive-experience/#comment-21917 your last point is very true, once you are in the position of power lol you can take the odd hour off or go for an early lunch...but also the higher youa re up the ladder the more stones come your way :) it's all about balance and desire.. Slainte Gordon your last point is very true, once you are in the position of power lol you can take the odd hour off or go for an early lunch…but also the higher youa re up the ladder the more stones come your way :) it's all about balance and desire..

Slainte

Gordon

]]> By: Joanne http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/01/30/how-to-make-ladder-climbing-a-positive-experience/#comment-21835 Joanne Wed, 31 Jan 2007 01:21:23 +0000 http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2007/01/30/how-to-make-ladder-climbing-a-positive-experience/#comment-21835 Your comment about discrimination lawsuits identifying placing minorities in HR and PR departments as inherently career-limiting moves is a good reminder about the plateaux inherent in some companies' structures. I am in a support department (I manage Quality Assurance for a manufacturing plant), and before I took the position I discussed it with a friend at a software company - a friend who manages QA for a particular line. She warned me to watch out for the "pink ghetto" (her quote, and I apologise if it offends anyone) - departments where women can become managers, but where they then become trapped. Unfortunately, Quality tends to be one of these. Fortunately right now I have a great mentor/sponsor, and she's trying to position me with other people so that I can progress to more "bottom line" related departments. She's retiring soon, but I will keep working on finding a new sponsor, and getting out of support. Your column is once again absolutely right - there are definitely advantages to what you call line management positions. But sometimes a (brief, targeted) move off the line is the only way to position yourself to eventually move up it. My current support position has much more visibility, and if I can shine here and reduce costs, I can make people take notice. <strong>* * * * * *</strong> <i> Joanne, Thank you for using the term "pink ghetto" on the blog. Important term. Everyone, I'm really sorry to say this, but if your department is full of women and the rest of the company is not, do a reality check: You might be in a department that is going nowhere. I wish this weren't true, but I have to concurr with Joanne here. Your comment about discrimination lawsuits identifying placing minorities in HR and PR departments as inherently career-limiting moves is a good reminder about the plateaux inherent in some companies' structures. I am in a support department (I manage Quality Assurance for a manufacturing plant), and before I took the position I discussed it with a friend at a software company - a friend who manages QA for a particular line. She warned me to watch out for the "pink ghetto" (her quote, and I apologise if it offends anyone) - departments where women can become managers, but where they then become trapped. Unfortunately, Quality tends to be one of these.

Fortunately right now I have a great mentor/sponsor, and she's trying to position me with other people so that I can progress to more "bottom line" related departments. She's retiring soon, but I will keep working on finding a new sponsor, and getting out of support. Your column is once again absolutely right - there are definitely advantages to what you call line management positions. But sometimes a (brief, targeted) move off the line is the only way to position yourself to eventually move up it. My current support position has much more visibility, and if I can shine here and reduce costs, I can make people take notice.

* * * * * *

Joanne,

Thank you for using the term "pink ghetto" on the blog. Important term.

Everyone, I'm really sorry to say this, but if your department is full of women and the rest of the company is not, do a reality check: You might be in a department that is going nowhere. I wish this weren't true, but I have to concurr with Joanne here.

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