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On paper, it looks like a promotion is right around the corner. You’ve been given new responsibilities, are invited to lead meetings, attend conferences, maybe even mentor others. But your title hasn’t changed, your pay remains the same and conversations about advancement always seem to stall.
 
 

Sound familiar?

 
 

A new report from career platform My Perfect Resume confirms you’re not alone, with nearly two-third of U.S. workers saying that they’ve experienced this type of “ghost growth.”

 
 

“Ghost growth is the allure of growth and development. It’s like the mirage on a hot day that disappears as you get closer,” says Ontario-based career coach and author Michelle Schafer. “It’s the promise of something more, like more money or a title, and the promise is never actioned.”
 
 

While traditional career stagnation is easier to identify – think no learning, no motivation and no movement – ghost growth is more insidious. Employees are doing more and achieving more, but there’s no meaningful recognition or change. The illusion of progress masks the reality of being stuck.
 
 
 

According to Ms. Schafer, financial strain is one of the biggest drivers of ghost growth today.
 
 

“Companies are being asked to do more with less. They give people more responsibility but do not have the financial means to compensate them for the extra work,” she says. “They offer these opportunities under the guise of career development, and may not have any intention of making the added responsibilities official in any way.”
 
 

It’s not just employers pushing this trend. Many team members are eager to grow and they initiate development conversations themselves. However, once leaders start offering projects without delivering real advancement, the mirage becomes clear.
 
 

Ms. Schafer compares the letdown to The Wizard of Oz – the moment Dorothy pulls back the curtain and realizes the wizard isn’t all he’s made out to be.
 
 

“Employees are disappointed when they pull back their own proverbial black curtain and there is nothing new there,” she says.
 
 

The impacts can ripple across an organization. Workers begin to feel disillusioned and disengaged, and the loss of trust and psychological safety often leads to turnover.
 
 

“People leave leaders, not jobs,” says Ms. Schafer. “When team members realize they are being asked to do more without compensation, an expanded title or recognition, they will start to question whether the company is right for them.”
 
 

While today’s job market may seem tight, Ms. Schafer says employees aren’t necessarily waiting around and there is a lot they can do to get ready to make a change.

 
 

For anyone feeling stuck in ghost growth, Ms. Schafer suggests starting with a conversation. “Highlight your contributions, ask for clarity around compensation or title changes and request timelines.”
 
 

And if nothing shifts? She encourages people to quietly prepare: update your resume, refresh your LinkedIn profile and start talking to your network.
 
 

Ms. Schafer says, “You are not stuck; you have options and choices.”

 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 

61 per cent
 
 

That’s how many Canadians are worried about running out of money when they’re retired, according to a new financial well-being report from the Canadian Standards Association.

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 

According to this Wall Street Journal article, the next time you go to reply “maybe” to a meeting invite, take a pause. While this ambiguous reply may seem better than saying “no” it often leaves your colleagues with more questions than answers.

 
 

Instead, put yourself in the shoes of your co-workers before you decide how to reply. Taking the time to communicate why you can’t commit yet – maybe you’re waiting for your boss to reschedule another meeting – can limit confusion and keep the person hosting the meeting from feeling slighted.

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 

“On average, a recruiter spends 60 seconds looking at a resume, so they’re going to miss things,” says Justin Bergeron, senior consultant with Calgary-based HR and recruitment strategy consultant Salopek and Associates. “AI won’t.”
 
 

This article looks at how artificial intelligence is speeding up hiring, challenging job seekers to adapt and raising new concerns about fairness in the process.