In my job before this one, my job title was a clinical supervisor. I supervised a team of seven LMSW’s (Licensed Master Social Workers), providing supervision, reviewing notes, and leading group supervision meetings. I also had my own caseload of clients, I screened intakes, and I had some insurance-related administrative tasks. Not surprisingly, I was working 11-to-12-hour days. Surprisingly, I was not making enough money to pay my bills.
After a year, I started looking for another job and saw the ad for a staff psychotherapist — a geriatric specialist at an outpatient practice based in Manhattan. The job was hybrid, and I had sworn I’d never commute into Manhattan from my home in Westchester. I’d also be taking a step down in title. But the job was salaried (not per diem) and the proposed salary was more than I’d ever been paid as a social worker. I threw my rules out the window and applied. The interview process took about a month, and I was living in a state of heightened anxiety. Finally, late on a Friday afternoon, I got the call: I got the job.
During the second interview the HR person said to me “I bet you make supervisor within the year.” Apparently, he liked me, but I still had the third interview with the Director of Psychotherapy to go in which I had to present a case. When I was hired, I never forgot what the HR person said, and I clung to the idea of being promoted by my first anniversary with the company. That didn’t happen and I kept my feelings of inadequacy to myself. Two months later my supervisor asked me if I’d be interested in a leadership position. “Yes!” I responded.
The practice is growing, and they recently hired a number of LMSW’s who have just started. I was promoted to a Team Lead position, assisting the Psychotherapy Supervisor in leading a team of psychotherapists — supervising, facilitating the team meeting, reviewing notes, responding to questions, dealing with urgent situations, etc.
During the 17 months I’ve worked at this practice, I’ve taken a proactive stance in promoting myself. A post here by Wendy Patrick listed the ways in which an employee can promote herself to facilitate the opportunity for a promotion. The first item was to “stand out from the workplace crowd is not through your words but through your wardrobe.” I’m from the old school that believes, “dress for the job you want, not for the one you have.” While my in-office colleagues wore jeans, casual tops, and sneakers, I took great care with the way I dressed, cultivated a style of my own, and stood out from the crowd.
Secondly, I didn’t hesitate to bring challenging cases for consultation when I felt the situation warranted it. Despite having 25 years of clinical experience, I ignored the voice in my head that told me you should know how to handle this, and brought the case up in our team meetings and even up to the Medical Director. As cited in the post mentioned above, “Alison Wood Brooks et al. note that people also tend to perceive advice-seekers as more competent when attempting a difficult task, when seeking advice from them personally, and when seeking advice from experts — as opposed to non-experts.”
In my own supervision, which was virtual, I made sure to come with an agenda and be organized about how I wanted to spend the hour and what I needed from my supervisor so as not to leave him with the feeling that I was wasting his time. I know he appreciated this because he made it a point to mention that in our most recent supervision meeting. I also shamelessly promoted myself. If a client wrote me an email in which he or she praised me or my clinical abilities, I made sure to share that with him. If I didn’t, how would he know?
I’m cautiously optimistic about my new role. I know I’m capable and have the ability to do an excellent job. I suppose part of my fear stems from wanting so badly to please my new boss and earn his approval — which triggers issues both my perfectionism and my futile desire to please my father. My years of therapy have helped me become aware of these issues, so they don’t simply pop-up and negatively affect my job performance.
A report from the ADP Research Institute states that “Within a month after their first promotion, 29 percent of people had left their employer.” I have no intention of leaving. This is the best job in social work I’ve ever had, and the people are great. The same report provided two potential reasons why people leave a job following a promotion: “These data suggest that landing a promotion gives a person a leg up in their search for work outside their current employer. But they’re also consistent with another workplace phenomenon: People who are given more responsibility without adequate preparation, compensation, or resources could become more likely to quit.”
In this job, I’ve never felt so supported as a clinician, both in working with challenging clients and in ensuring that we keep learning. They also pay us well and genuinely care that we have a work-life balance.
Why would I leave?