“Oh, you want a pay rise?”
“No – I want to grow.”
An assistant told me recently about her annual review.
She’d done everything right: arrived prepared, brought evidence of her impact, outlined a development plan, and identified training aligned with the organisation’s goals.
But her manager misread it completely.
“Oh… you want a pay rise?”
She didn’t – she knew that wasn’t on the table.
But what she did want was to evolve.
She wanted tools.
She wanted to lead from where she stands.
I see this confusion time and time again – between pay rises, promotion, and personal development. They’re not interchangeable, but in our profession, where there’s a scarcity of all three, the lines get blurred.
❌ Job title changes with increased scope but no pay rise, presented as promotion.
❌ Promotion with increased scope but no training.
❌ No promotion opportunities unless you move into a new arena and start from the bottom again.
Did you know…
📉 Only 23% of administrative professionals say they have a clear path to career progression.
📉 Just 18% say they’ve had consistent access to professional development opportunities in the past year.
📉 And fewer than 1 in 4 report regular, meaningful performance conversations with their manager.
When you don’t see a way up, it’s easy to stop showing up. To stop asking. To stop believing anything will change.
But the truth is, training is not optional anymore. It’s survival.
The workplace is evolving at speed. AI adoption is over 56% and climbing. The skills required to remain relevant, impactful, and strategic are shifting beneath our feet.
So let me say this clearly.
If you’re not being offered training, ask for it.
If your company says “we don’t have budget,” make the business case.
If your manager assumes you’re just chasing a raise, explain the distinction.
💡 Pay rise = recognition for the value you already bring
💡 Promotion = elevation in role or scope
💡 Development = an investment in your future potential
You can’t grow into a bigger role, or make a bigger impact, without expanding your skills. And that means not waiting for a title change or a pay bump to begin.
Your review is two hours a year to talk about you.
Not admin. Not the to-do list. Not logistics.
You.
So show up.
Speak up.
And come prepared.
Because new skills are no longer a nice to have.
They are your future!
