Reached a career plateau? Here’s what you can do
Where do you go when you can’t move up any longer in your career? What if you’re working in an organization with a pyramid structure that leaves you very few options for the top job or bigger responsibilities? Are you going to wait for your boss to resign or die so you can rise? Or maybe you’re just not feeling the Christmas cheer this time of the year because you can’t imagine doing next year what you’ve been doing this year. Or maybe you're just questioning what your life purpose is altogether. If you don’t want to be what I normally call ‘the working dead’ please read on.
The opportunity is in changing the game, changing the interaction, or even changing the question.”
“Given the choice, though, most of us, most of the time, seek out art. We seek out experiences and products that deliver more value, more connection, and more experience, and change us for the better.”
“The act of bringing your whole self to work, of engaging in tasks that require maturity and soul and personal strength, and doing it for the right reason.”
- Seth Godin’s Linchpin
A Career plateau is the point in time in a professional’s career, where the possibility of a vertical promotion is less. The position of the employee becomes stagnant with the same repetitive work and responsibilities. (mbaskool.com)
- Only 36% of Employees Are Engaged in the Workplace!
- 33% of Employees Leave Their Jobs for New Challenges!
- Only 29% of Employees Are Satisfied with Available Career Advancement Opportunities!
Career fatigue is a much more common thing than most people care to admit. It’s one of the largest causes of the highly expensive employee disengagement stats. So what can you do with the remaining days in the year to set yourself up for happiness, fulfillment & advancement?
Take a break
Get away from it all! Seriously, just pack a bag and get away from the work environment. Lots of people are unhappy in their jobs because that’s all they do. We’ve talked about this before here about the importance of the work-life balance and in our latest piece about ‘the art of stillness’. Never should one area of your life be your complete source of happiness. Happiness is a combination of little things done & felt every day. The more all-rounded you are in life, the greater the value you can provide even at work. Not forgetting you will be more creative & networked in a way that will set you apart from your peers at work. Sometimes you just need a fresh perspective on your current job. Great business leaders worldwide have been known to use this technique to get things done including Bill Gates. They say when you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change. Check out these tools about self-awareness that can help frame your mindset when thinking about your next move.
The answer to where to next may come while you’re sipping a cocktail on the beach or when you’re hundreds of feet high up a mountain. Out-of-work activities can also help you build or acquire work-related skills & networks that you may not be getting the opportunity to build in your current job. If there’s no way to go up, don’t let this stop you from growing & being happy nonetheless. Your worth & abilities as a person are not tied to the one thing you do professionally. Volunteering at a children’s shelter could awaken some passion in you that you didn’t realize you had.
“When a man walks into a room, he brings his whole life with him.”
“True intelligence operates silently. Stillness is where creativity and solutions to problems are found.”- Eckhart Tole
“In the space between your thoughts, there is your truth.”- Reuben Lowe
Change or pivot
May God give you the serenity to accept the things you can’t change. You make your own opportunities. Surrendering your happiness in life to the decision of a few people in this world is unfair to all you can be. For one, there may not be opportunities for vertical advancement but careers can grow horizontally as well. Find out with your HR Manager and direct Supervisor what other opportunities exist within the company for you to grow. This may be through job shadowing, interning, or job rotation programs. Let them know you’re feeling unfulfilled and are looking for ways to grow. You’ll never know unless you ask.
“You attract what you’re ready for.”
“Do it with passion or not at all”
If there are no such opportunities inside, don't be scared to make the big move. You don’t owe anyone anything but your best. Life is too short for you to settle for maybes. One of the 7 habits of highly effective people is, to begin with the end in mind. Start looking for jobs at the next level of your career. Look at job ads and what recruiters are looking for. Do you have everything required? What will you need to acquire or build? Now start working backward to achieve that. If possible get in touch with recruiters & headhunters to let them know you’re open to new jobs or new types of jobs such as remote work. Remember to also update your CV for the same and get more active on networking sites & social media. Apart from job boards, we’ve shared various techniques you can also use to get ahead of your career. And maybe one is getting out those business cards you’ve been piling up all year. Rebrand yourself and get your reviews & recommendations ready. You can also reach out to past employees while doing your job search and be sure to check out the 3 things you should know about your potential employer. Check out our blog for more articles on this & interview preparation.
“Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.”-Dalai Lama
Be keener when evaluating new job ads and only go with those that speak of what you’re looking for. Also, look out for these early warning signs of bad employers so you don’t get stuck again. You are in control.
“If you need to conceal your true nature to get in the door, understand that you’ll probably have to conceal your true nature to keep that job. This is the one & only decision you get to make. You get to choose.”
Anything else we may have missed that has worked for you? Please comment below. All the best.
Still looking for more, check out our follow-up article on 3 things we wish experts told us earlier about finding your dream job. Or read this HBR article on How to Beat Mid-Career Malaise.
You can also check out this free LinkedIn learning course on Figuring out your next move to learn about the 4-point career pivot method.
