By: Jane Burnett – theLadders

Ever feel like your manager either doesn’t want you to succeed, or won’t even give you occasional praise, even when it’s well deserved?

You definitely don’t have to suffer in silence — this is what you should do instead of feeling undervalued.

Have a chat
Take a more proactive approach.

A blog post by specialized staffing services company Robert Half says that you should “discuss the problem.”

“True, talking with your boss about how you feel unappreciated is difficult. Make it easier and more productive by staying composed and not casting blame,” the post says. “Speak for yourself, not your colleagues, and be objective as you tell your boss how you feel. Don’t turn it into a therapy session. Instead, discuss what you have accomplished and what feedback you’ve received. Then, ask how the two of you can solve the problem by coming up with ways to make you feel more engaged at work.”

Create your own happiness
Journalist, digital media consultant, and investor John Boitnott writes in Entrepreneur about how to remain inspired when your manager doesn’t pay attention to you. One of his tips is to “motivate yourself.”

“Without a boss acknowledging your hard work, you’ll need to find that motivation internally. If that motivation comes from seeing how your work makes a difference, create a visual representation of that. If you answer calls on a customer support line, keep charts of the number of tickets you close each week. If you process payments for your employer, track the improvements you’ve made in getting suppliers paid from one month to the next,” he writes. “Since you won’t be getting encouragement from your superiors, you’ll need to set time aside on a regular basis to give that encouragement to yourself. Set goals for yourself and celebrate each new milestone you reach. You’ll soon find that you’re shooting for the completion of the next milestone so you can enjoy your reward.”

Get a mentor
Contributor Vicki Salemi, a public speaker, author, columnist, and Monster career expert, writes in U.S. News & World Report that you should “seek support elsewhere” when your boss doesn’t appreciate you.

“If you don’t have a mentor yet, now’s the time to find one. And if you do have one, now’s the time to reach out to them,” she writes. “Meet with them to discuss your goals and brainstorm potential new goals you may not have even thought about. Not only does it help to have a road map to help you get to your next step, it’s reassuring to know you have people to look up to who are on your side.”

Recognize when it’s time to head out
Freelance journalist and Wesleyan University lecturer Rebecca Knight writes in the Harvard Business Review that you should “consider moving on.”

“If you continue to feel undervalued and unappreciated by your company, it might be a sign that it’s not the right place for you,” Knight writes. “Maybe you need the experience, or perhaps you can’t move because you need to be in a certain geographic region for your spouse or partner. But if you’ve tried to make the job more validating and fulfilling, and nothing has worked, it might be time to look for a new one.”