5 Things Keeping You Stuck as a Community Manager
Feeling stuck in your community career? You’re not lazy or unskilled, you’re likely just misaligned. In this post, I’m breaking down 5 common reasons early career community managers feel burnt out, undervalued, or like they’re not growing, and how to start turning that around.
If you've been feeling burnt out, overlooked, or like your work doesn’t really matter, you’re not alone.
I’ve been there too.
There were times I genuinely thought:
“Why am I not growing? Am I even good enough to be a community manager?”
If you’ve ever had that feeling, this post is for you. These are five reasons you might feel stuck in your career, and more importantly, how to start getting out of that stuck place.
1. You’re Doing Everything, But It’s Not Getting You Anywhere
When I first started, I was doing all the things, posting regularly, running events, trying to spark conversations, because that’s what I thought I was supposed to do.
But nothing was really moving.
And the truth is, just doing what other communities do doesn’t guarantee results. What works in one space doesn’t automatically work in another. Every community is different. Different people. Different needs. Different motivations.
If you’re not starting with your members' actual goals and challenges, you’re doing nothing.
The fix? Talk to them.
Ask real questions. Get curious about what they want, what they struggle with, what excites them. Then build your efforts around that. If you’re not sure where to start, I’ve got a free guide that walks you through this step-by-step.
Once you start from what your audience actually needs, everything becomes clearer, and way more effective.
2. Your Role Doesn’t Match What a Community Manager Is Actually Meant to Do
Sometimes, you’re not the problem, the job description is.
A lot of companies still don’t really understand what a community manager does. So they lump everything in. One minute you’re running events. Next you’re doing social media. Then suddenly you’re managing employee wellbeing or facilities or… whatever else gets thrown your way.
It’s frustrating. And it can make you feel like you’re failing when you’re actually just misaligned.
If that’s you, take a step back and ask:
What’s actually in my job description right now? And does any of it reflect what a community manager is supposed to do?
If the answer is no, that’s not the end of the world. It’s actually an opportunity.
You can reposition yourself by educating your team on what community strategy really looks like, and how it drives business value.
Start with curiosity. Ask your manager why the role was designed the way it is. Then share ideas on how it could better align with your strengths and the company’s goals.
You don’t need to be aggressive, just honest. If they’re open to the conversation, you might be able to reshape your role into something way more fulfilling.
3. You’re Not Proving Your Value
Here’s the harsh truth: if you’re not showing your value, don’t expect anyone to just notice it.
It’s not enough to say, “The community feels busy” or “People seem engaged.” You need to show outcomes.
Compare:
- “People were chatting a lot this month.”
vs. - “Engagement in our orientation channel increased by 70%, and it helped reduce onboarding time by half.”
Which one sounds like it’s worth keeping (and promoting) you for?
If you want to prove your value:
- Know your community’s goals
- Understand the business goals
- Find where they overlap
- Pick a metric to track
- Report on it clearly and consistently
And don’t be afraid to ask for help setting up tracking tools. It helps everyone when your work drives results.
4. You’re Waiting for Someone to Tell You What to Do
I totally get this one. When you’re new, you don’t want to step on toes. But waiting for someone else to map out your career will keep you stuck for years.
No one is going to hand you a roadmap. You have to start building it yourself.
That doesn’t mean going rogue. It just means coming to your team with ideas, not waiting to be told what to do next. Think about where you can have the most impact. What’s not working that you could help improve? What’s something your community needs that no one’s tackled yet?
It can be small. But if you take the lead, you’ll start being seen differently, like someone with potential, not just someone following orders.
I’ve even found job opportunities just by reaching out to companies who might need what I offer. That’s how powerful initiative can be.
5. You’re Not Building a Future, You’re Just Surviving the Present
Even if you love your current role, you can’t assume it’ll last forever.
Companies change. Budgets shift. Managers move on. Colleagues burn you out. It happens.
And that’s why it’s so important to build your own reputation alongside your job.
I don’t mean becoming a “LinkedIn influencer.” I mean taking a few minutes each week to write about what you’re learning, what you’re trying, what’s working, and what’s not. Break it into small posts. Turn your experiences into case studies.
You’ll be surprised how quickly people start paying attention, and how many opportunities that opens up later.
The best time to start is now. Not when you’re job hunting. Not when you’re feeling stuck again. Now.
You’re Not Alone in This
If any of this hit a little too close to home—I’ve been there. All five of these held me back at one point.
The good news is, you can work through them. Bit by bit.
You can go from feeling invisible to feeling confident and respected. You can turn your role into something strategic. You can grow a real career out of this.
That’s why I make this content, to help people like you skip some of the struggle I went through.
Get the 30-Day To Your Community Management Role, a free step-by-step guide to help you grow your career starting this month.
AND free training!
💬 And if you want personalized support, feedback, or help applying these steps to your situation, book a free personal guidence chat