Barriers to Career Growth

I wasn’t a quitter. At least, that’s what I kept telling myself. So I stayed. Stayed in meetings where my ideas stayed locked in my throat. Stayed chasing goals that no longer meant anything. Stayed convincing myself it was “just a rough season.” But the truth was, I’d outgrown the role more times than I can count. I see it daily as a career coach working with hyper busy, high-achievers: Brilliant leaders whose careers look flawless on LinkedIn, but inside, something’s quietly dying. They tell themselves they’re “just tired.” But what if it’s not exhaustion? What if you’ve simply outgrown where you are? Here are seven subtle signs your role has become too small for your career growth: 1. You’re Constantly Editing Yourself → You hold back ideas or hide too many parts of who you are. 2. Small Wins No Longer Feel Satisfying → Milestones fall flat and even praise feels hollow. 3. You’re Overly Invested in Distractions → Planning your “escape plan” is more thrilling than your work. 4. You’re More Irritable Outside of Work → Frustration spills into personal moments and loved ones notice. 5. You Fantasize About Drastic Changes → Quitting, relocating, starting over feels necessary, not crazy. 6. You’re Numb to Both Good and Bad News → New crises or changes barely register. 7. You Avoid Making Long-Term Plans → The future feels blank, or suffocating. If even one hits home, know that outgrowing a role doesn’t make you ungrateful or unfocused. It makes you 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯. Your career growth didn’t stop. Your environment did. Becoming The C.H.O.I.C.E.®  means having the: → Courage to face the discomfort of moving on. → Humility to admit what’s no longer working. → Openness to imagine new paths. → Integration of lessons learned into your next chapter. → Curiosity to explore what’s possible. → Empathy for yourself as you navigate change. ✨ Staying small to avoid change costs more than leaving. Ask yourself: Have I outgrown where I am, or just forgotten how big I’m meant to be? Which of these signs speaks loudest to you right now? ♻️ Share to help others ➕ Follow Loren Rosario - Maldonado, PCC for more #Careers

I got fired twice because I had poor soft skills. Then, I became VP at Amazon, where my job was more than 80% based on soft skills. This was possible because I stopped being an outspoken, judgmental critic of other people and improved my soft skills. Here are 4 areas you can improve: Soft skills are one of the main things I discuss with my coaching clients, as they are often the barrier between being a competent manager and being ready to be a true executive. Technical skills are important, but soft skills are the deciding factor between executive candidates a lot more than technical skills are. Four “soft skill” areas in which we can constantly improve are: 1) Storytelling skills Jeff Bezos said, “You can have the best technology, you can have the best business model, but if the storytelling isn’t amazing, it won’t matter.” The same is true for you as a leader. You can have the best skills or best ideas, but if you can’t communicate through powerful storytelling, no one will pay attention. 2) Writing Writing is the foundation of clear communication and clear thinking. It is the main tool for demonstrating your thinking and influencing others. The way you write will impact your influence, and therefore will impact your opportunities to grow as a leader. 3) Executive Presence Executive presence is your ability to present as someone who should be taken seriously. This includes your ability to speak, to act under pressure, and to relate to your team informally, but it goes far beyond any individual skill. Improving executive presence requires consistently evaluating where we have space to grow in our image as leaders and then addressing it. 4) Public Speaking As a leader, public speaking is inevitable. In order the get the support you need to become an executive, you must inspire confidence in your abilities and ideas through the way you speak to large, important groups of people. No one wants to give more responsibility to someone who looks uncomfortable with the amount they already have. I am writing about these 4 areas because today’s newsletter is centered around how exactly to improve these soft skills. The newsletter comes from member questions in our Level Up Newsletter community, and I answer each of them at length. I'm joined in the newsletter by my good friend, Richard Hua, a world class expert in emotional intelligence (EQ). Rich created a program at Amazon that has taught EQ to more than 500,000 people! The 4 specific questions I answer are: 1. “How do I improve my storytelling skills?” 2. “What resources or tools would you recommend to get better in writing?” 3. “What are the top 3 ways to improve my executive presence?” 4. “I am uncomfortable talking in front of large crowds and unknown people, but as I move up, I need to do this more. How do I get comfortable with this?” See the newsletter here: https://lnkd.in/gg6JXqF4 How have you improved your soft skills?

Career hack: have coffee with 1 person outside your company, every week, for a year. Whether you are a ceo or intern, this is singlehandedly the best thing you can do for your career, and you can kickstart it tomorrow. Networking is a flywheel you can start today, and it drives 1) general networking - expand your network, never know who will help with what 2) expanding your map - think of your strategy (this could be your personal career plan, your company's overall strategy, or anything in between) as a map. every conversation expands the map, and shows you whats just a bit farther off the page. 3) serendipity - putting yourself (and your goals) out into the world is the #1 best way to make things happen. you will be amazed at what comes your way. the best hack to get there: put a recurring event on your calendar called "coffee." create a doc of all the potential people you'd want to meet with. start reaching out, and scheduling them for 2-3 weeks in advance. once you are in the habit, the slot will start filling itself. but you have to get the ball rolling.

Recently, I applied for a job. It was for a non-profit that specialized in providing job services for people with disabilities. So it makes sense that everything having to do with disability inclusion would be perfect, right? Yeah, about that. My non-disabled husband informed me that he could have completed the application in 5-7 minutes. The application portal had no focus indicators, the questions were poorly worded, fields were mandatory and then they asked you to put n/a if it didn't apply, and the error messaging was nothing more than generic "you have an error" garbage. So it took me 25 minutes to submit. And then 35 minutes later, I got an auto rejection email, likely without a human ever having reviewed my application. And this is happening literally every day. People with disabilities looking for jobs have to deal with: 1) Inaccessible job portals 2) Discriminatory job descriptions 3) Limited or no accommodations during the application process. We stress out about whether or not to disclose the disability at all. And then if we are lucky enough to get a call, we get to deal with more accommodations headaches and unconscious interviewer bias. If, by some miracle, we get an offer, too often our salary is low-balled by recruiters who perceive the disability as a lever to press to offer lower pay. It's frustrating that accessibility and inclusivity still seem like afterthoughts in many hiring practices when they should be integral from the start. How we approach job hunting needs to shift to accommodate everyone, not just the majority. Unfortunately, I expect to be repeating this post next year during NDEAM2025. Alt: Looking for a job is exhausting. Looking for a job when you have a disability is ridiculously exhausting. #AccessibleHiringNow #DisabilityEquity #InclusiveHiringPractices #BarrierFreeJobs #NDEAM2024 #Accessibility #Inclusion #Disability

Overthinking is destroying your progress. 3 mindset shifts that will help you conquer it: 1. The decision is less important than the actions that follow it. 90% of overthinking comes from a single flawed belief: That the decision is what matters. The ultimate outcome in any given situation is governed far more by the actions that follow a decision than the decision itself. An observation on the highest performers I've been around: They focus all of their energy on the actions that follow, not the decision itself. They make a decision, then make it the right decision through their actions. 2. Trust in your adaptability, not your plan. The lack of self-trust is the cause of a tremendous amount of overthinking. It is a lack of trust in your ability to make the right decision, to navigate to your desired destination. Consider this simple metaphor: The explorer doesn't set out on his voyage trusting that the seas will remain calm and that he will stay perfectly on course; but rather, in his ability to adapt when the inevitable storms and chaos arrive. You are the explorer and life is your voyage. You don't need to place your trust in the perfect plan, but just in your ability to adapt. 3. Most decisions are far more reversible than you think. In his 1997 Amazon shareholder letter, Jeff Bezos shared an insight on the two different types of decisions an organization will face: "Some decisions are consequential and irreversible or nearly irreversible – one-way doors....We can call these Type 1 decisions. But most decisions aren’t like that – they are changeable, reversible – they’re two-way doors. If you’ve made a suboptimal Type 2 decision, you don’t have to live with the consequences for that long. You can reopen the door and go back through." This offers a powerful lesson for life: Never mistake Type 2 decisions for Type 1. For the overthinker, there is a common tendency to assume irreversibility—to assume that every decision is a Type 1 decision: "If I quit my safe job to pursue this entrepreneurial path, I'll never be able to go back." "If I move out and fail, I'll never be able to move back home." "If this doesn't work out, I'll never be able to recover." "If this venture fails, no one will hire me." The reality: Most decisions are far more reversible than you think. Walk through the door—it's probably a two-way door anyway. *** Overthinking won't build a better future or fix your broken past, it will only hold you back. You don't need to make perfect decisions—there's no such thing—there are just decisions, and you make them perfect with your actions. 📌 To learn more science-backed systems to design and improve your life, preorder my first book: the5typesofwealth.com Enjoy this? ♻ Repost to help your network and follow me Sahil Bloom for more!

Did you know that Black women working full-time, year-round are paid only 66 cents for every dollar earned by white, non-Hispanic men? According to the U.S. Census Bureau, that adds up to nearly $1 million in lost earnings over a 40-year career. This #BlackWomensEqualPayDay, it’s important to look at how this gap impacts the tech industry — a field where women, especially Black and brown women, remain significantly underrepresented. While the wage gap is smaller in STEM careers, it still persists. According to Vox, Black women in tech earned $0.90 for every $1 earned by White men in the same roles in 2022. Why does this happen? 📉 Lower salary expectations: Black women often enter negotiations expecting about 10% less than White men, which impacts both initial and long-term earnings (Urban Institute). Imposter syndrome can also make it harder to advocate for fair compensation. 💼 Underrepresentation in leadership: Black women make up about 3% of all women in tech, and less than 1% of executives (AnitaB.org). 💜 Intersectional bias: Racial and gender stereotypes can influence performance reviews, promotions, and retention. 💻 Lack of access to resources: Limited mentorship, sponsorship, and economic mobility create long-term barriers to advancement. It's not just about the numbers, it’s about advocating for an equitable world for our students to thrive in tech. #BlackWomensEqualPayDay #PayEquity #EqualPayDay #BlackWomenInTech #Leadership #WomenInTech Learn more: https://lnkd.in/gxSfqNfJ

Entry-level shouldn’t need to have 3-5 years of experience This is one of the most frustrating challenges I hear from people every day. In the 4 years I’ve been creating content and helping people navigate their careers, the most common reason I hear for rejections is this: “You don’t have enough experience.” But how can someone gain experience if they aren’t given a chance to start? We constantly see job postings labeled as “Entry-Level,” yet they require 3-5 years of experience. For someone entering the workforce or pivoting careers, these types of requirements create a barrier that feels impossible to overcome. This is where companies can do better: - Clearly define what entry-level means. - Adjust job descriptions to align with realistic expectations for early-career professionals. - Value potential, transferable skills, and a willingness to learn over arbitrary year requirements. Let’s be clear: Entry-level should mean entry-level. If you’re looking for more - then adjust the expectations and pay range accordingly. To everyone looking for opportunities: I really hope you find the place that will value what you bring to the table. To the companies hiring: Let’s open more doors, not close them. #StephSynergy

Imposter syndrome is the quietest career killer in STEM. It doesn’t mean you’re not qualified. It means you’ve been conditioned to doubt yourself. The result? → You hesitate to apply for the promotion. → You downplay your achievements in reviews. → You accept less pay than you deserve. I’ve seen brilliant women lose years of growth to this cycle. But imposter syndrome isn’t a personal weakness. It’s a workplace problem. And you don’t have to face it alone. Here are 3 truths every woman in STEM needs to hear: 1. “Feeling like an imposter means I don’t belong.” Why that’s false:  You’re working in systems not built for you. Doubt is a symptom of bias, not proof of inadequacy. Try this instead:  Separate your feelings from facts. Your results speak louder than your inner critic. 2. “If I stay quiet, I’ll eventually be noticed.” Why that’s false:  Silence gets interpreted as lack of ambition. Opportunities go to those who show up visibly. Try this instead:  Share your wins in ways that highlight team and business impact. 3. “I just need more confidence.” Why that’s false:  Confidence isn’t the problem. Strategy, advocacy, and support are. Try this instead:  Build allies, seek mentors, and practice visibility skills that position you for growth. Which of these truths hit hardest for you today?

My recent research, which examines the adoption of emerging technologies through a gender lens, illuminates continued disparities in women's experiences with Generative AI. Day after day we continue to hear about the ways GenAI will change how we work, the types of jobs that will be needed, and how it will enhance our productivity, but are these benefits equally accessible to everyone? My research suggests otherwise, particularly for women. 🕰️ The Time Crunch: Women, especially those juggling careers with care responsibilities, are facing a significant time deficit. Across the globe women spend up to twice as much time as men on care and household duties, resulting in women not having the luxury of time to upskill in GenAI technologies. This "second shift" at home is increasing an already wide divide. 💻 Tech Access Gap: Beyond time constraints, many women face limited access to the necessary technology to engage with GenAI effectively. This isn't just about owning a computer - it's about having consistent, uninterrupted access to high-speed internet and up-to-date hardware capable of running advanced AI tools. According to the GSMA, women in low- and middle-income countries are 20% less likely than men to own a smartphone and 49% less likely to use mobile internet. 🚀 Career Advancement Hurdles: The combination of time poverty and tech access limitations is creating a perfect storm. As GenAI skills become increasingly expected in the workplace, women risk falling further behind in career advancement opportunities and pay. This is especially an issue in tech-related fields and leadership positions. Women account for only about 25% of engineers working in AI, and less than 20% of speakers at AI conferences are women. 🔍 Applying a Gender Lens: By viewing this issue through a gender lens, we can see that the rapid advancement of GenAI threatens to exacerbate existing inequalities. It's not enough to create powerful AI tools; we must ensure equitable access and opportunity to leverage these tools. 📈 Moving Forward: To address this growing divide, we need targeted interventions: Flexible, asynchronous training programs that accommodate varied schedules Initiatives to improve tech access in underserved communities. Workplace policies that recognize and support employees with caregiving responsibilities. Mentorship programs specifically designed to support women in acquiring GenAI skills. There is great potential with GenAI, but also risk of leaving half our workforce behind. It's time for tech companies, employers, and policymakers to recognize and address these gender-specific barriers. Please share initiatives or ideas you have for making GenAI more inclusive and accessible for everyone. #GenderEquity #GenAI #WomenInTech #InclusiveAI #WorkplaceEquality

Ladies, we need to talk about the REAL glass ceiling. It's not at the C-suite level. 👉🏾 It's at the very first promotion to manager. According to McKinsey's 2024 Women in the Workplace report, for every 100 men promoted to manager, only 81 women make that same leap. This "broken rung" on the career ladder hasn't improved in 20 YEARS. And for women of color? The numbers are even worse. This isn't just a statistic. This is why you're: Working twice as hard Getting half the recognition Watching less qualified men zoom past you Questioning if you're the problem You're NOT the problem. The system IS. But here's the truth: knowing the system is broken doesn't fix your career. So what do you do? 💡Document EVERYTHING Track your wins, your impact, and the value you bring. Numbers speak louder than words. 💡Build your coalition Find allies who will advocate for you when you're not in the room. 💡Create your own ladder If the traditional path is blocked, forge a new one. Lateral moves, special projects, and visibility opportunities. 💡Know when to walk Some companies will never value you properly. Recognize when it's time to take your talents elsewhere. The broken rung won't fix itself. But YOU can climb over it. 👉🏾 Which action can you do better? Finding allies or document your accomplishments.