Do you sometimes feel like you are not progressing in your career? It is common to feel stuck in your profession. You may find yourself doing the same things occasionally, thus killing your sense of motivation and impacting your career growth life. No one wants to work in a career that does not inspire them. There is no sense for you to put up with a job you do not like.
Here remains the big question. How can you dig yourself out of stagnation and get something that makes you feel interested and passionate about your career development planning again? Here are five sure ways to move out of that rut
- Stay positive: Do not let bad feelings drain you. Think about your big picture and envision where you want to be; instead of focusing on the negative, shift your sight to the good vibes that will give you the right mind frame when new opportunities come along.
- Think outside the box: Many professions have clear-cut progression steps where you understand what you should do to reach your goal. You can create your path and find new ways to achieve your goals. Know what you want from your job; if the means to achieve your plans is not there, create it. Reaching out to other colleagues and learning from their career journeys is helpful.
- Ask for help: Nobody is an island. Do you want to progress? You need the help of others. Ask someone to help you determine what you are good at. If you are afraid to ask your friends around you, online is full of good resources. You can reach out to career advisors to help you where you may feel stuck.
- Work on what makes you unique: What makes you special? Brainstorm what makes you an asset in your career. Once you know your unique selling point, you will be in a position to sell your services.
- Work on your communication skills: Communication is fundamental in any job. Be adaptable; it will help showcase your worth when you want to take the next step in your career.
Indications That Your Career is Stuck
If you do not love your career, it signifies that you need a shift. There are various flows in everyone's career. If you think you have hit your end, here is how to know.
- You do not feel challenged.
- Plateaued performance
- Flatlined salary
- No promotion
- Exclusion from important meetings
Obstacles That Could Be Holding You Back
Do you feel like something holding you back? Probably, you could be the one standing in your way. In most cases, your thought of making a change can feel overwhelming. Any career that does not provide you with a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction can negatively impact your professional life. The reasons that could be holding you back include
- Your comfort zone: Unfortunately, most people take comfort in jobs familiar to them. Nevertheless, It can stop you from being challenged. If your idea of learning something new puts you off, it may be your comfort zone, so you need a shake-up.
Individuals who change industries feel challenged and increase self-esteem, thus gaining a sense of achievement; you should start pushing yourself beyond what you already do and know. Take a new task and upskill your way into new terrain.
- Fear of rejection: Are you worried prospective companies will reject your application? No one likes to be rejected. You should not be afraid; receiving knockbacks is part of job hunting. Your reward of getting a new role and being fulfilled outweighs a rejection. It may end up paving your way to getting something tangible. Do not take rejection personally; with confidence, pursue your goal.
- Anxiety: Most likely, you are worried about fitting in a new work environment culture. Do not allow anything to stop your success. If you struggle with anxiety, explore and know the company you want to join. Your research puts you in an excellent position to hit the ground.
- Procrastination: Being slow to make decisions can mean missing out on excellent career progression opportunities. Your actions determine your career path and achieving your goals. You will only get what you work for. It is time to make a change; grab motivational career guides, or join sessions with a career coach.
- No concrete career goals: You need to set your career goals, both short and long-term. Create your plans on how to achieve them.
- Supporting the wrong individuals: It is not about ignoring anyone but instead wanting to be collaborative and collegial with everyone. You should know who makes the career progression decisions and make sure they know your worth. Focus your career-building relationship with the decision-makers who can help you move to the next level.
- Serving wrong goals: Business strategy and market condition changes. Probably you thrived when your department was in colossal growth. You need to know your boss's priorities to be on the right track, or else you might focus on the wrong objectives.
Embracing a change can be challenging, but you need to move forward no, matter the cost.
What You Should Do
Identifying what is hindering you can help you find a way to push through it—whether it means you make a series of minor actions or a more extensive turnaround. Here are some reasons you may not see progress in your career and how to address them.
1. You Feel Drained Off and Disappointed by Your Career
Everyone wants different things from a career, whether basic things such as being able to help yourself, family or even work that fits your lifestyle. There is a key to what you find fulfilling. Sometimes you may need to get only your basics, which will be okay. However, if you desire fulfillment from your career, you need to explore it. It is common to feel drained off and unfulfilled. Most likely, you took the job because of your circumstances, but you no longer enjoy it, or you have worked hard for something you loved but no longer have the feelings to proceed.
No matter the case, there are things you can do to find fulfillment and satisfaction in your career. Identify your passion and take the desired steps to pursue it. Assess your values to find a job that suits you best. Knowing the steps to follow your passion is a great way to look at it. You may find that what brings fulfillment is a professional change or incorporating different things you are passionate about in your present job. Starting a project can also help you become your boss.
2. No Growth Opportunities
Most likely, you have been working in one place for a long time, and you are exhausted with no chances of growth, or you feel your career is stagnating and you do not know how you can add more skills or move up. If this is your case, you must bring it up with your boss first. Maybe they do not know your experience and could help you get new opportunities you did not know existed.
On the other hand, if there are no options for development and growth ,it is worth shifting elsewhere. Grow your network by connecting with people professionally; various ways to build networks online exist. It can open up potential opportunities for you. Consider the areas you may want to develop, maybe specific skills. Know what other companies are doing, if they have options, or you can pitch to express your interest. It is a great move.
3. You Do Not Predict a Future in Your Industry
Interestingly, the career world is changing rapidly; you are constantly forced to evolve and adapt. Technology, challenging environments, and various ways of working can lead to change, thus creating new opportunities or even declining specific jobs. Is your Industry declining? It is worth attempting other options.
You might feel challenged to look at a different industry if you do not have experience. Nevertheless, if you have transferable skills such as collaboration and leadership that can be vital in any role will help you.
Final thoughts
It is all about realizing your potential. You do not have to remain in a career that doesn't drive you to your passion. Work on these tips, and you will find progress and a fantastic job you love.