4 Ways To Break Out Of A Career Rut

You know you are in a career rut when…
*  You wake up on Monday morning and feel ill at the thought of going into work.
*  You feel jealous when your best friend tells you about the dream job she has found.
*  You are at work, and the predominant feeling that comes over you is absolute boredom or apathy.

So what can you do about it? It’s not always possible to leave your job at the drop of a hat, but we have some advice that may help you if you are in this position.

• Identify the problem. What is it about the job that you don’t like? Is it that you’re not progressing very far? Are you feeling exhausted with long working hours? Or perhaps you no longer have any passion for what you are doing? Make a note of the things you have a problem with and do one of two things about them. The first is to stay at work, but look for ways things can be turned around. A quiet word with the boss may help matters, helping you find that balance can swing things for the better at work. Alternatively, you may need to move on, looking for other jobs that are more suited to what you are looking for. Remember too, however, that no job is perfect, so you may need to alter your mindset if you want to be happy at work.

 

• Commit to research. If you are looking to move out of the career you are in; you do need to research other careers to find that perfect fit for you. Write down the things you want in a job - more money, less hours, better work-life balance, etc. - and consider jobs that fall into your criteria. Then look at what you need to do to move into those jobs. You may need to go back to school, take an apprenticeship, or take on voluntary work to give you some of the skills needed for your desired role.

 

• Look for help. If you don’t know what it is you are after, speak to a careers counselor who may be able to help you pinpoint that perfect career for you. There may be jobs you have never thought about, so be open to a range of possibilities. You may already have a company in mind, and if you know somebody who works there, ask for their advice and assistance. Consider too the services of online professionals, such as the folks at Wantrepnr. They have the right people on board their team with the skills to help you find the career you are looking for. Also don't forget to connect with your network - this is exactly what it is there for!  So don’t be alone in your career rut, as help may (literally) be around the corner.

 

• Get the ball rolling. When you have identified where any problems lie, and you have an idea of what is you need to do next, start to get the ball rolling. Nothing will happen with inaction, and you will never get out of your career rut with no effort. Commit to research, speak to the relevant people who can help you, and look at yourself for any changes you need to make personally as you consider your current position. Set specific goals to keep yourself on track to make progress in your moving out of your career rut.  Find an accountability partner that can ask you how you are progressing. You don’t need to be in a career rut forever, but you have to hold yourself to the task

Have you ever been in a career rut? What did you do to get yourself out of it? Let us know in the comments and help out your fellow Polished Professionals. And for more resources, check out our business video serious you can check out Polished Professionals Youtube Channel or you can also check out the How to Land Your Dream Job series from the Not Wonder Woman Podcast!