5 Ways To Grow In Your Career Without Quitting Your Job

As seen on Forbes.

For the last few years, the career narrative has been dominated by one theme: quitting. From rage quitting to the “Great Resignation,” we’ve witnessed a constant push to find the next best thing.

But with layoffs and economic uncertainty shaping the market, many professionals are tired of jumping ship. They’re looking for stability. Does that mean your career growth has to stall? Absolutely not.

Enter “The Great Stay.” Think of this era as a strategic movement about finding and creating opportunities for growth right where you are. It’s about reclaiming agency and building a career you love without having to start over. Here are five powerful ways to do it.

1. Identify Internal Pain Points: Become The Go-To Problem Solver

One of the fastest ways to increase your value is to stop just doing your job and start solving the problems that exist around your job. Inefficient processes, recurring issues, and failed communications are some internal pain points that every team and every company has.

Instead of complaining about them, take the initiative. You don’t need to propose a massive, complex solution. Start small. Did you notice the team wastes time searching for files? Suggest a simple, standardized folder structure. Is the weekly meeting consistently running over? Draft a clearer agenda.

2. Expand Your Skills: Ask For A Stretch Assignment

Comfort zones are where careers go to stagnate. If you want to grow, you need to get comfortable with being a little uncomfortable. A “stretch assignment” is a project that falls slightly outside of your current expertise and forces you to learn new skills.

This isn’t about taking on more work for the sake of it. It’s about being strategic. Talk to your manager about your career goals. If you’re a marketer wanting to become more data-savvy, ask to help the analytics team with a small part of their next report. If you’re in sales, volunteer to help with a product development feedback session.

Your eagerness signals your ambition. This quality helps you gain valuable, hands-on experience that you can add to your resume.

3. Utilize Your Company’s Development Benefits

Many employees are leaving free money on the table. Based on the 2024 Employee Benefits Survey from the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), 80% of employers offer professional development benefits. More employers are covering the expenses of formal training or education to keep or develop new skills.

This program is literally your company offering to pay you to become more valuable. Dig into your employee handbook or talk to HR. Find out what budget is available for courses, workshops, or certifications. Whether it’s a project management certification or a public speaking workshop, using these benefits is a direct investment in your future earning potential, all on the company’s dime.

4. Build Your Internal Network

Networking isn’t just for finding a new job. It’s also essential for growing in your current one. Too many professionals stay siloed within their own teams. Once you break out of that bubble, it’s a career game-changer.

Make it a goal to have a virtual coffee chat with one person from a different department each month. Talk to someone in finance to understand the business’s financial health. Chat with someone in product to learn what’s coming next.

Building these internal relationships gives you a broader understanding of the company. Accordingly, you open doors to exciting cross-functional projects that eventually increase your visibility to leaders across the organization.

5. Conduct A “Stay Interview” With Your Manager

We’re all familiar with exit interviews, but by then, it’s too late. A “stay interview” is a proactive, forward-looking conversation with your manager about your career. It’s a great way to take control of your growth path.

Schedule a meeting and frame it positively. You can say something like, “I’m really enjoying my work here, and I’m committed to growing with the company. I’d love to discuss what the next year or two could look like for me and how I can best contribute to our team’s goals.”

This interview is an opportunity to discuss your aspirations, what you love about your role, and how you can take on more responsibility. Through this conversation, you can effectively shape your job into the one you want.

It’s easy to look at another company and think the grass is greener. But often, the grass is greener simply because someone is taking the time to water it. By investing in your current role, solving problems, expanding your skills, and building relationships, you are watering your own lawn.

Lasting career success isn’t about constantly searching for the perfect opportunity. It’s about creating it right where you are. You’ve got this.