‘Help! What I thought was my dream job now feels like a dead end. I have what appears to be a dream job: I work for high end travel company, planning luxury holidays for a living. But the money in this ‘dream job’ is terrible and I feel undervalued. The events I organise are very successful and profitable, but I’m not given the opportunity for promotion. I feel like I’m stuck in a limbo. How can I expand and grow?' Suzy, 32

Dear Suzy,

Credit where credit’s due. You’re thriving in a competitive, high-profile industry – that tells me you’re sharp, focused and determined. You made a dream happen and that’s no small thing. But sometimes the dream changes. Money aside, is this role still feeding your sense of personal success? Do you remain enthusiastic and excited about the industry and your place in it? Often, we have to stretch to reach a dream, only to find that who we’ve become no longer fits it. Or that, up close, the dream doesn’t deliver quite what we’d hoped.

What to read next

At this point, you have three options: 1) Quit and make a new choice; 2) Accept the role as it is; 3) Adjust and expand within it. Let’s explore that third one. You say your events are successful and profitable – have you had a direct conversation about pay, value or promotion? If not, task one is to build a case and ask.

But let’s also flip your focus. You’re thinking about what’s not working, but what do you want to experience next? Try this exercise designed to help you clarify what your ideal experience would look like: Keep/Stop/Start. 1) What do you want to keep? The glamour? The adrenaline? 2) What do you want to stop? The burnout? The under-recognition? 3) What do you want to start? Maybe being seen as a thought leader?

Once you know that, you can start asking: where else could I get it? To me, the key element for you is that you like the work and using your skills but the environment isn’t supporting you to be your best. And perhaps the results of the work don’t feel like a win for you as much as they do for your employer and the consumer. So we need to make some adjustments to these elements.

The truth is, you’re not stuck. You’re just designing and reflecting on the next chapter in your career. You’ve already proven you know how to go get what you want, so you just need to choose what you’d most like again. And go get it.

Takeaway toolkit

Practical steps if you feel undervalued.

■ Keep/Stop/Start
Get clear on what you want from a role.

■ Build a business case for a raise or promotion
Include revenue, client feedback, etc.

■ Schedule a value conversation with your manager
Be calm, clear and specific.

■ Update your CV and LinkedIn while you reflect
It helps shift energy.

■ Talk to recruiters in adjacent fields
Test the market quietly and consider how your expertise might translate.

Considering a life pivot? Email Erica at worthsharing@goodhousekeeping. co.uk with ‘The reinvention diaries’ in the subject line Find Erica on Instagram and YouTube @thecareerequation