17.09.2024

Seeking career advice for progression

Stuck in your role with no promotion in sight? Discover expert advice on navigating career progression, including when to seek new opportunities and how to stand out with strategic projects and elite qualifications.

*Datuk Mohd Anuar Taib**. At 42, he is* Shell Malaysia's youngest chairman. He joined oil and gas industry in 1990 after completing his B.Sc. Engineering from the United States, with the Royal Dutch Shell subsidiary in Malaysia, Sarawak Shell Berhad. He also graduated with MBA in International Management from the RMIT University, Australia in 2004.

Datuk Anuar then joined PETRONAS as the Vice President of Development and Production, PETRONAS and Chief Executive Officer of PETRONAS Carigali Sdn Bhd. Datuk Anuar is currently the Group Chief Executive Officer of Sapura Energy Berhad since 23 March 2021.

Picture for illustration only | Bloomberg

Question from Mr. E:

Hi GC,

I have been a loyal reader of GC for some time now and greatly admire the thoughtful and gentlemanly approach you bring to various aspects of life, including career and personal growth.

I'm 34 years old, earned my Degree in Engineering and an MBA, and currently employed at one of the top banking institutions in Malaysia and have been serving diligently for the past five years. While I have consistently performed well and fulfilled my responsibilities, I have not yet been considered for a promotion. My boss has explicitly instructed that I should never seek a promotion until he himself decides to offer one, which has left me in a difficult position.

As someone who is committed to my career and personal development, I find myself at a crossroads. I want to progress in my career, but I am unsure how to navigate this situation without overstepping boundaries or jeopardizing my current role. I would greatly appreciate any advice or insights you could share on how to handle this dilemma while remaining professional, patient, and proactive.

Thank you for taking the time to read my email, and I look forward to your response. Your guidance will be truly valued.

Answer by The Gentleman:

Dear Mr. E,

Thank you for reaching out and for your continued support of Gentlemanscodes.com. I appreciate your candidness in sharing your current career situation, and I’d be happy to offer some guidance based on my own experience.

One of my former bosses, a General Manager of Corporate Planning in the oil and gas industry once told me that if your boss doesn’t consider you for a promotion after three years, it’s a sign that you should seek your career progression elsewhere—no matter how prestigious the company may seem. This advice has stuck with me over the years, especially when navigating my own career journey.

I also remember a conversation with a suave Chief Operating Officer in the same industry who pointed out three critical ages for career milestones: 32, 35, and 40. He said that if by the age of 40, you haven’t secured a leadership position—be it as Head of Unit or Head of Department—then you may have missed the key train for career progression. While this can sound daunting, it’s a valuable perspective that urges us to take action and seek growth when needed.

Before you decide to make any career moves, I recommend updating your CV with all the strategic projects you’ve undertaken. Be sure to highlight how your contributions have directly impacted the company’s growth, productivity, or financial health. In my case, I've highlighted my role in establishing a new R&D unit from ground zero and spearheaded the innovation challenge platform to identify the novel solutions that can bring my previous company to the next level. I also chose to invest in myself by earning two strategy certificates from Harvard Business School to add even more value to my CV. I remember not long after that, I received an offer to work from various companies; one from one of Malaysia's top private conglomerates, and one from Malaysia's prestigious government-linked investment companies.

Remember, in the eyes of potential employers, they are elitist in their choosing, in which they are looking for the best candidates, and they’ll focus on how your qualifications, project work, and skillset set you apart from the competition. Make sure your CV is associated with excellence—whether it’s through elite education, leading a strategic or transformation project, or mastery of critical skills like strategic planning, financial analysis and evaluation, and project management.

I wish you all the best as you navigate your career journey, and I’m confident you’ll make the right moves to ensure your progression.

I would like to end this with two quotes from an iconic man:

"A prince should therefore have no other aim or thought, nor take up any other thing for his study, *but war and its organization and discipline (strategic planning & project management), for that is the only art that is necessary to one who commands (leadership position**), and it is of such virtue that it not only maintains those who are born princes, but often enables men of private fortune to attain to that rank." - Niccolo Machiavelli,* The Prince

"But as to exercise for the mind, the prince ought to read history and study the actions of eminent men, see how they acted in warfare, examine the causes of their victories and defeats in order to imitate the former and avoid the latter, and above all, do as some men have done in the past, who have imitated some one, who has been much praised and glorified, and have always kept his deeds and actions before them, as they say Alexander the Great imitated Achilles, Julius Caesar imitated Alexander The Great, and Scipio imitated Cyrus The Great. *A wise prince should follow similar methods and never remain idle in peaceful times**, but industriously make good use of them, so that when fortune changes she may find him prepared to resist her blows and to prevail in adversity."*

Niccolo Machiavelli, The Prince

With gratitude and respect,

The Gentleman

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