4 Reasons You May be Feeling ‘Stuck’ in Your Career and What to do About It
/It’s not you, it may just be the job.
As the story goes, you wake up racking your brain for an excuse to not make the 45 minute commute to the office and then while begrudgingly getting dressed for work, you begin wondering what the heck you are doing. This question, weighing you down as you start your day, leaves you anxious even as you shut down your monitor to head home.
Sometimes we feel trapped in our jobs and are left questioning the what, where, when and why of how we got here. Although you may feel ‘stuck’ when these questions arise, there is a set of proactive solutions to help you overcome this feeling of being ‘stuck’ while continuing to excel at your current job (or make a more educated decision to explore other opportunities) with a renewed sense of perspective. Let’s shine a light on some of the thoughts that may (or may not) have crossed your mind over the course of your career, and how you can approach each.
1. “I took the position for the money…but now I feel like I can't leave….”
We’ve all scrolled through the virtual job board looking for the “perfect job” that checks all the boxes and is also lucrative. The challenge is that sometimes the role that will make you the happiest doesn’t always come with a salary that will do the same; so which do you pick? For some, the inflated paycheque is too attractive to resist, so you eagerly sign over your work/life balance for a 9-5 that is all-encompassing, to say the least.
Should you find yourself questioning “now what?” two months down the line, instead of jumping ahead to find a different role, assess the internal opportunities to see if there is a position that would be a better fit for you in the long term. Depending on the organization size, you may see the opportunity to change roles internally to one that you would enjoy more or offer your skills to a new project that you are passionate about. The grass is greener effect can be very real when it comes to your career; by making a point to try and expand your skills and level up internally you may gradually find yourself in a new position or with a better understanding why leaving may offer greater benefits in the long term.
2. “I signed the contract, but I didn’t really know what would be required of me….”
When swiping on the latest dating app, you may be looking for small insights like what their core values are, indications that you would get along together, and what their long term goals look like. For many, a similar process is followed when scrolling through an organization's open opportunities in order to determine if it is the right position for you to apply to. So what is your move when you discover that the role you swiped right on isn’t the suitor you were expecting to meet?
It is fair to expect your role to evolve over time, but if you feel your position responsibilities have changed and expanded drastically, this may be a great opportunity to pull your supervisor aside and pitch your case. Depending on what you are hoping to get out of communicating your feedback, you can frame your communication towards getting a raise, promoted to a new role that encompasses all the activities you are already doing, or simply cutting back on the additional responsibilities that fall outside of your job description.
A proactive way to avoid this situation from the start is capitalizing on the two-way interview; use the interview process as a way for potential employers to ask you questions that measure your skills, culture fit and goals, and you can do the same. Make the most of every interview by asking thoughtful questions around the role, company, and growth opportunities.
3. You tell yourself to “Wait and see…”
The “wait and see…” tactic is sometimes effective when you are looking to make a large purchase but want to ‘wait it out’ for a better deal, or when you go on an awkward first date so you wait and see how the night ends before calling it quits. But when it comes to your career, feeling ‘stuck’ out of fear of leaving doesn’t usually go away when you choose to wait without making any proactive changes.
If you are willing to admit that this may sound a little bit like you, take this opportunity to explore how you can make an impactful change (no commitment needed!). A good way to start is by recruiting a trusted colleague, friend, or family member that knows you well and begin to brainstorm why you may be feeling ‘stuck’; what about your current role is making you feel like you can’t move forward and what you can do about it?. This may mean looking at other roles outside your organization, looking for internal growth opportunities, or expanding your skill set to take that next step toward your dream job. Whatever your next move is, keep in mind that it took time for you to get to this place of feeling ‘stuck’ and therefore will also take a few strategic steps to get ‘un-stuck’ as well.
4. “Am I getting too comfortable?”
Have you ever worked in an organization where individuals have been with the company 20+ years? Okay, what about meeting a co-worker that has been in the same role for 5+ years? Don’t get me wrong, being exceptional at your job is something that we should all strive for, but getting too comfortable is a symptom to be avoided whenever possible.
You may be thinking that being comfortable in a position is a strong indicator that the individual has mastered their job and really enjoys what they do. On the other hand, this level of comfort can also mean having an outdated skill set and a stagnant career should they choose to look for other opportunities. To avoid having the perspective that you are stalled in your career, commit to consistently developing your skill set, industry awareness, and looking for new ways to better yourself (check out one of our previous blog posts for a comprehensive list of ways to level up your career/skills online!).
Breaking Your Commitment to Being ‘Stuck’
Okay, let’s take a second to re-read the heading to this section.
The word ‘stuck’ is in quotations to signify that this is a temporary state, a surface level feeling. When it comes to pondering the idea of making a career change, it is important to determine what specifically in your current role isn’t working to your advantage and get to the root of the ‘why’ you’re feeling ‘stuck’ in order to get unstuck.
The key to getting to the root of any issue is by gaining a better understanding of all of the different components that could be impacting the end result - in this case, how you feel towards your current position. The following questions are curated for you to use in a self-assessment of which areas you should focus more on (eg. money, environment, work).
Self-assess your answers to the following questions:
Do you feel there is room for personal and professional growth with your current company?
Are you being compensated for what you feel like you are (your skills, education and work) worth?
How do you feel when you are going to work in the morning?
While in the throes of the work day, are you engaged or checked out?
How is your relationship with your manager or direct supervisor?
Where do you see yourself in the next 2 years? Is it with the same company?
Is your unhappiness coming from the job/work itself or the environment you are in?
After answering these questions either in your head or on a piece of paper, you should have a good idea if it is time to make a career change, company change, or maybe just set some boundaries in your current role. Keep in mind that if all else fails you can always make the executive decision to leave a job, but for some it may be worth making the extra effort to make your job work for you prior to looking elsewhere to fill the void.
Blog post by Georgia Crawshaw. Georgia is a Social Media Coordinator for YWiB Vancouver.