Feeling Stuck in a New Role: Should I Stay or Move On? Seeking Career Advice

Hi everybody,

I completed my MBA in HR in 2007 and currently work for a company. Management has assigned me to a new department, Focus & Analysis Dept., where I am the sole staff member. While I receive support from senior management, the department is not operating at full capacity. This situation is discouraging for me as I possess strong HR skills and ideas to enhance the existing HR department. However, I am not permitted to directly collaborate with the HR department. Management expects me to seek guidance for every task, which can be challenging for each activity.

I feel quite helpless and unsure about what to do next. Should I persevere or consider leaving? I am uncertain whether my frustration stems from limited operational functions, the novelty of the new department, or the absence of colleagues in my department.

I am in a state of confusion and seek guidance. Can you please assist me with this matter?

Thank you.

Vaishali,

In many organizations, you will face this issue. In some, you will have a separate HR function, and in others, you may not. Look at it as a learning opportunity and take this as a challenge to develop further. Sit with your senior management team to understand your KRA and KPI, and then develop plans to deliver. Never quit due to frustration. Give it time; you will learn and mature for the future.

All the best!

Regards

Hey,

Since you are new at your current company, you may want to continue with what has been asked of you. At the same time, ask your manager to help you create your development plan in any area of HR. Before that, you may want to:

1) Research what knowledge you need to acquire so that your managers trust you enough to understand the company and its policies and procedures.
2) Find out what tangible contributions you want to make to the company. Show the benefits.
3) Highlight your key competencies. If you are feeling frustrated, it may be because your manager hasn't had the opportunity to see your true worth.

Regards,
Ken

Hi Vaishali,

I have been through your email. I came to understand that you are not happy with the current job as you have mentioned the reasons, i.e., the operations of the current department (Focus & Analysis) are low and you are more interested in HR.

Vaishali, presently, you are in a dilemma in making a decision. You have more than one problem to solve in your mind. My suggestion is to separate the problems first and then slowly sort out the problems one by one.

Problem 1: New department

Suggestion: According to your email, I understood that you are a fresher. As a fresher, one should go through a rigorous learning process. You have mentioned you have very little interaction with the HR department. But I feel this is a department where you have to do a lot of mental work. Why don't you relate your HR skills here and improve the department? How many people will get an opportunity to build a department? Use all your skills and relate them to the work. Everyone can do the job that has already been built.

Problem 2: Resistance to change

Suggestion: Unknowingly, you are trying to avoid learning new things. I don't think you are getting deviated from your profession. HR is not separate from anything. It is a part of many things in a profession as well as personally. All the subjects you have learned, relate them here. Your Organizational Behavior will help you assess human physical and mental behavior, Social Research Methodology will help in the study for analyzing, time study, etc. Relate all your subjects and go ahead; you will not feel that you're doing something different. Moreover, I feel this will help you in the future. What you already know is known to many; what you should do is learn what is not known to others. "The early bird catches the prey first." Be competitive. Learn more than others, and you will be a competitive edge to many.

My sincere feeling is to learn, understand in your way, and execute. You will reach more than expected.

ALL THE BEST

Regards,

Prasanta

Hi everybody,

Thanks for your replies. You all have given me a new sense of spirit. My confusions are eliminated now. Now I'll learn and I'll relate my HR skills with it so that I can strengthen this department, showing its real worth as the management expects from me.

In the future, please continue to help me. You all have abolished the dilemma in me.

Thanks a lot... 😊😊😄😄😄

Hi Vaishali,

The world is a circle, which means that where there is a question, the answer will be there as well. You should chart out the questions and collect as much related material as possible, and then prepare according to the chart. In fact, you are supposed to seek help from seniors.

All the best; it is a challenging job.

Pandurang

Dear Vaishali,

If you are not satisfied with your job, it's better to quit. Since you completed your MBA in 2007, you are almost a fresher. If you are interested in HR, it's better to try in that field. However, before making that decision, plan in such a way that you will not quit, even if you face critical situations. Also, try to learn from every situation, whatever it may be.

Please let me know if you need further guidance.

Thank you.

It's a good opportunity for you because you are alone in the department. During this period, you can learn more and more.

Regards,
Rajender Bora
[Phone Number Removed For Privacy Reasons]