We've all got to dream

“Well, we've all got to dream, haven't we?” 
July and August have seen two career milestones for me. I’ve now been a director for two years, and I’ve entered the final phase of my Level Seven in Senior Leadership – all my coursework has been submitted and I’m waiting on the final assessment. All of this is a far cry from the sixteen-year-old whose ambition was to get a job in HMV and play guitar as possible. I have, on and off, been working in the residential childcare sector since I graduated as a teacher in 2002.  It's not been a straightforward path to where I am now. There have been many ups and downs, many unexpected opportunities and many setbacks. 
When I think of the ‘ups and downs’ there is one moment that still stands out. An internal transfer at a previous employer meant I had been tasked with supporting a manager to run her home as part of what was, a fractured team who needed a lot more support than they received. As part of that team, I did what I could to support my colleagues; looking at it with more experience and from a management viewpoint, I would've handled the situation differently. Some of the learning promoted by my Level Seven has been very useful in reflecting on what I could have done differently. I would have focused a lot more on supporting the staff team and avoiding my own burnout. But this was not a perspective that the company had when it came to managing their staff. 
The supervision in question took place the day I arrived at home. My manager’s opening question was, "What are you doing here?”. 
On occasion I can be very literal. Unfortunately, this was one of those occasions. "There was a reshuffle amongst the staff, and I was told I had to come here.” 
Her eyes narrowed as if checking whether my response was genuine or sarcastic. "I mean, I've looked at your CV. I've seen your qualifications. I've seen your experience. Why are you here as a senior RSW, when you should be managing a home?” 
In another error of communication on my part, I took this to be the green shoots of support I'd been looking for since starting work with the company. "Thank you. I joined as a senior, but was told in my interview the company was expanding and I could expect to work towards a management position. My qualifications are the equivalent of the NVQ four, but not everybody recognises them as such. I was also told I'd be supported to gain that qualification. Neither of these things have happened.” 
"So, what are you looking for?” 
"I'm looking for the opportunity to train, progress, and find myself challenged. Long-term I'm looking for an operations manager role. Salary wise, I'm going to be earning £40,000 a year by the time I'm 40 years old." This was the goal I had set myself. As it transpired, I not only left the company but left the industry briefly before achieving this goal. 
This wasn't the answer she wanted. With a troubled staff team and three unsettled young people in the home, she wanted somebody focused entirely on helping her achieve her goals for the home. She didn't want anybody distracted by ambitions of their own. What I learned from this was that how you frame your answers can be as important as the answers themselves. She dropped the pen she had been using to take notes onto the table, shrugged, and said, "well, we've all got to dream, haven't we?” 
I really should have read the situation better and replied with something like, “this is a busy home and I’m looking forward to helping you manage the staff team, and maybe developing my management skills in the process. Once the home is settled, I’d like to look at how I can build to the next step in my career”. But I didn’t, and that was the end of any hope I had of support from that company. 
In situations like this, there is something inside me that stands up and wants to prove people wrong. When I said I was going to university to learn to be a teacher, I was told I wasn't organised enough. When I chose to work in children's homes, I was told I wasn't strict enough. When I decided to manage children's homes, I was told I wasn't robust enough. Each time I took on board what I was told, analysed it, and opted to ignore it. Not that discarding all advice you don't want to hear is always a good thing. Sometimes the things we don't want to hear are accurate. Sometimes shortfalls and gaps in knowledge can be overcome through training and perseverance, and it's useful to know what these are to address them. But sometimes, as in these cases, people will evaluate what they know of you from what you have decided to show them of yourself. 
The first step was to leave the company for a promotion with different employers. Then, the aforementioned step outside of the industry in order to recover from the burnout I had, by that point, been feeling for some time. Then I was able to re-enter the industry. That company was incredibly supportive, their support enabled me to continue to grow, progress, and develop into the director I am today. 
Career progression in this industry can be very difficult. The myriad influences that can accelerate, slow down, derail, and otherwise interfere with your plans are often nebulous and unpredictable. My advice to those people looking to pursue a career in care regardless of where they are is always the same. Take it step-by-step. Have a goal in mind, but always check in regularly with yourself to ensure this goal hasn't changed. Always be mindful of where you are and the opportunities or otherwise surrounding you. If you are in the wrong place, don't waste time hoping for the company to change; it almost certainly won't. There is always a new employer to explore, and opportunities you may not even be aware of. Don't expect a linear progression. There will always be bumps in the road and diversions you need to follow; always try to manage them proactively, work out what you can learn from each situation, and above all, be useful. This might mean taking on extra responsibilities that align with your career goals but may not necessarily be part of your job description. It doesn't matter. It still goes on your CV. Always be useful and always strive to learn more. 
The learning never stops. Despite achieving a directorship, I don't feel I’ve ‘arrived’. A few months back I enrolled on a self-paced online Excel course, and am improving my financial literacy through reading around the subject.