Do you give your job all you’ve got and still receive little to no recognition for the work you are contributing? You may be undervalued, and it may be time for you to start looking for employment elsewhere. A career should be more than a paycheck; it should be an individual’s way to have a purpose and feel valued for it. Luckily, there are signs you can look for to understand if your boss doesn’t appreciate you so you can start making strides toward having your dream career.
Your boss does not offer guidance or feedback
When you begin to feel undervalued, your first question should be pointed inward to the quality of work you are producing. You should be asking management where you can improve and be actively looking for ways to become a better employee. If you ask your boss and get little to no feedback on how you can improve, it may be a red flag that your boss does not care about your success.
Your opinions or ideas are not valued, or even heard
There are managers who take offense to suggestions for improvement. This attitude does not cultivate innovation and growth. Whether your ideas are good or bad, the worst thing that you can be told to do is stay silent. If your ideas and opinions are met with hostility or resistance, it can be a sign that your boss doesn’t appreciate you or he or she does not value your thoughts or contributions.
You rarely receive praise, much less thanks, for a job well-done
Positive feedback is just as important as constructive criticism, it motivates employees to strive for more and to become better. If your boss is starving you of praise for a job well done, especially when you know you’ve accomplished a miracle, he or she is not interested in your individual growth.
You are not included in the larger picture
You cannot bring your best to the table if you do not understand the grand scheme of the operation. If your boss does not think it is worth his or her time to include you in the overall plans, direction, and how your role fits into that picture, you are not seen as a part of the team.
Your job responsibilities have dramatically been altered
If your boss is reassigning your tasks to others without communicating why, it could mean you are not trusted with the tasks. If you know that you are contributing good work, but are not being trusted with the tasks you were once assigned, it may be a sign you are undervalued and taken for granted.
It’s never easy working at a job where your boss doesn’t value you as an employee. If you’re bringing your A-game, or you recently improved your performance and your supervisor is still not cooperating, then it might be time to clean up your resume and go on the search for a new job.
