It’s very easy to settle into a job or career and keep receiving a consistent monthly wage. Life is hard enough without having to worry about where the next pay cheque is coming from. But should we let the usual stress and hassle of life get in the way of our career? Or should we push beyond that and focus more attention on what we want out of life?
As the years role on you may be wondering what’s happened to your career. It seems to have stalled and you’re stuck in a job you don’t like and receive little satisfaction from. Or maybe the salary isn’t great and you seem to have been forgotten for all your efforts by your boss. Whatever the reason for your lack of career progression, there is something you can do.
Here are 3 common reasons why your career isn’t progressing and what to do about it.
1. You’ve chosen then wrong career
At some point during your education you will have been asked by a career officer, ‘what do you want to do for a job?’ The answer wasn’t simple then and probably isn’t now, but it’s never too late to re-focus your career and do something you actually enjoy.
A common reason why a career stalls is because you lack the motivation to keep it driving forward. This sometimes comes down to choosing the wrong job or career, and finding the enthusiasm to progress further diminishes as each year passes.
If you don’t feel like you’re being challenged and receive little or no job satisfaction, then you are unlikely to gain a promotion. Your lack of passion and drive will not go unnoticed and you will often be left to continue plodding along. All businesses like to have a few plodders as they are reliable and get the job done. But if you’re someone who wants their career to progress and not stop at any point, then consider if you need a job or career change.
Act now and get the wheels in motion. The sooner you begin your research and figure out what you want to do and how you need to do it, the sooner you can revitalise your career.
2. There’s little chance of promotion
After a few years of working for a company, staying loyal and dedicated, working hard and giving it your all – where’s the promotion? Unfortunately not every company either recognises talent or has the scope for promotion. Smaller businesses often have this problem, and if your manager shows now signs of leaving anytime soon, then there is little opportunity to advance your career.
So what now?
If you feel like your career has stalled and it isn’t progressing like you’d hoped, then there are two options to consider. The first is to speak with your boss and find out if there are any options to progress. There could be another branch that’s looking to hire in a better position for you, or maybe they were considering opening something up to allow you to step in and take charge of a new team or project.
The second option is to change jobs or even careers. If there is literally no chance of moving up the ladder within a company, then this would most likely be the best option. But don’t jump ship just yet! You need to do your research and find out what’s out there before you hand your notice in. You may need to gain some qualifications or experience before you switch jobs. So make sure you know what’s required and begin to apply once you’ve got everything in place. Always wait for a job offer or two before you quit, and make sure you check with the new employer how you can progress up the ladder. The grass isn’t always greener, unless you scope out the field first!
You decided to start a family
Leaving your job to start a family doesn’t mean it’s the end of your career – it just means it’s been put on hold. After a few years of being out of the game it can feel like an impossible task trying to get back into work and to figure out what’s changed. But there are ways you can keep on top of your career and continue to learn.
Being left behind is the biggest worry, but with fantastic sites like LinkedIn you can continue to share, connect, read, learn, and even scope out a few opportunities. By continuing to interact with other professionals in your industry, you can stay on top of your career and keep up to date.