Whether circumstances have led you to take a job you’re not exactly passionate about, you’re unhappy with your current salary or just feel like your talents aren’t being fully utilized, being stuck in a rut at work is something most people face at some stage. So how to get out of it? Let’s find out!
Figure out your goals
You can’t formulate a plan for success until you actually understand what you’re aiming for. Do you feel like you’re overdue for a promotion at your current place of work, or has the time come to change industries entirely? Take a weekend and spend time writing down the goals you’d like to achieve, bouncing ideas off of someone who knows you well, and playing around with different options. Once you’ve figured out the direction you want to be moving in, you’ll almost certainly have an instinctive reaction that this is what you really want. And when you know what you want, you can start working towards it systematically.
Create an action plan
Maybe your goal requires you to further your studies, or maybe it just entails working up the nerve to ask your manager for more responsibility. It’s tempting to put these things off until ‘the time feels right’ or you’re in a better place in your personal life but setting deadlines for yourself can give you that sense of urgency you need to actually make the first move. Don’t just set goals, set a timeline so you don’t lose sight of the bigger picture.
Volunteer for projects that showcase the skills you want to be recognized for
If you’re angling for a promotion, then you need to prove to the higher ups that you have the skills and willingness to take the role on. If you’d like to move into an HR role for example, then volunteer to help your boss recruit new talent or lead a training workshop. If you want to go into marketing, then offer to help out with the company’s social media or digital marketing efforts.
Dress for success
Dressing for the job you want isn’t just about showing that you take your responsibilities seriously or can follow a dress code – it’s about boosting your confidence and making you feel like you’re really up to the task. Not your realm of expertise? Then get a fashion-savvy friend to help you update your look, or partner with a dedicated firm like House of Monatic Corporate Wear and let the professionals help.
Ask your boss for an evaluation
If you feel like you’re being overlooked for promotions, then maybe the time has come to actually sit down with your boss and find out why. There may be factors at play that you’re completely unaware of, or perhaps they simply feel that you’ve already got enough on your plate. They may even have some harsh criticism for you, but it’s well worth it if you gain a better understanding of where you need to improve as a result.
Brush up on your professional networking and industry expertise
If there’s no room for promotion at your current job, you might be looking to cast a wider net – but you’re unlikely to be considered for new positions if no-one knows your hat is in the ring. Make sure you have a presence on professional networking platforms and that you update them regularly, join forums to discuss industry-related topics and make it clear you know what you’re about. On the flipside, it might be a good time to scrub those older social media posts and make sure there isn’t some potentially embarrassing stuff out there too!
Start small when it comes to a big career change
Maybe your dream job is something you’re only doing as a hobby at the moment. Is there potential to turn it into a money-earner? Doing freelance or contract work on the side until you can establish how much potential there is to do it fulltime can be a great way to test the waters, improve your skill set and identify new opportunities.
Be open to new things
We live in a time of exceptionally rapid change, especially if your ideal role is working in a digital or technical field. If you’re browsing through job openings and keep coming across a skill you don’t have, then make it your top priority to acquire that skill, even if it’s not the way you’re used to doing things now.
So many people feel like they’re not living up to their full potential, but the reality is that only you can change that. Be brave, take the initiative, figure out what you really want – and go for it.
