Recognition at work

StockCube

I've a bit of an issue at work - i work in a male dominated industry where although women survive - they don't usually get the chance to flourish.

I'm doing quite well at the moment and I don't want to mention the industry i am in but my work has had extremely good feedback - i took over the account I have always wanted, not the most serious of accounts,and certainly not an account they would ever give a man - the previous girls who did this job were happy to quietly leave things ticking over and manage the existing clients. I have worked my ass off to improve this account and am now competing in the same market with some of my male counterparts (exceeding some of them) - most of them don't acknowledge me - because my account is girly, but my boss would always congratulate me on how i've been doing - but in a patronising way.

I realised though that I'm probably doing double the hours my predecessors did. I work my own hours and there is no bonus structure in operation. I pointed out to my boss all the extra hours i was putting in and he said that that was my call - they were really happy with the account, and it was "my account" and it's brilliant for me to be able to stand over the terrific results I have achieved - but, it's my call.

This account means everything to me, I enjoy every second I am working but it's costing me half the money i'm earning to go to work, i'm sacrificing a social life to make it work and i don't want the account to start suffering so that i can prove a point over money. There are NO other jobs like this, maybe 2 other similar ones in this country and the people in these roles will not give them up lightly.

I don't know what my next move should be

Marksie

Well looking at that i can empathise.

But its all about work/life balance.
Make a list of the pros and cons and weigh up whats important.

Now a couple of things strike me that you may want to consider:

The difficulty in movement in the job.
How long you have been employed in it: you have your account that you work on so its necessary experience.
I am not sure how the gender discrepancy is actually affecting this, for example if a male colleague were to kick up would they get the bonus? or is it policy all around.
Your boss has said that its "your call"..so thats one thing to consider..cutting back and getting a fairer balance.

Other options include
1) moving into another field/ doing something related and equally as rewarding
2) Continuing for a set amount of time to gain experience/ work yourself in a space where you can decide whether to do the two below:
3) freelance and take accounts with you, its been done before.
4) emmigrate to a country with more opportunities (i know an accountant who did this and really hit the heights in the uk, where its what you know not who you know that counts).

LegacyUser

You wont get treated with much respect and any praise will be fleeting as an account manager.
Your not the CEO, previous account managers were replaced by you, and you in turn will be replaced. In essence its a start position on the corp ladder, you're not on the radar of the big shots

While the above my sound harsh, waiting on others to recognise you, will ultimately leave you unfullfilled.

No one managers your career but you, if you not happy do something about it, rather then waiting for others.