How to get your stalled career unstuck and climbing again.
You’ve evaluated your career progress against your written career plan and find you are not advancing as planned. Or perhaps there appears to be something lacking in your career, maybe not the expected degree of satisfaction you had planned.
Here are some suggestions to get your stalled or stuck career back on the fast-track.
Add skills and knowledge: Building your skill base is an excellent method to advance your career and add more satisfaction to your job. What additional skills would improve your chances on winning a promotion? Discuss this with your boss.
What general and then what specific skills are valued by your employer? Will your employer pay the costs of your added education? The variety of educational offerings is almost endless.
Seminars and workshops may be offered locally. National conferences related to your career or industry can be valuable additions to your career development. Just be sure you report back to your boss on what you learned and what can be implemented to improve your job performance and/or the department and company.
You can take courses at a local college or university. Internet-based learning has a wide variety of offerings. Self-study can also be a valuable method to build your skills. Listening to CD’s on your commute can over time, add to your language and other career building skills.
Search and ask for additional opportunities: There may be opportunities within your department or the company that are neglected because of downsizing or a shift of focus yet are important to the health of the company. Ask your supervisor if you can take on the added responsibility. Be sure the added tasks will spotlight you skills, are within your abilities, are challenging and will help you in your career advancement.
Take a positive approach: Do you have a clear picture on possible advancement from your current position? Talk to your supervisor. What do they see changing in your job? What are others doing?
What can you do to improve your abilities to qualify for a promotion? Work with your supervisor, let them know about your progress and that you are motivated to qualify for a move up the ladder.
If after this discussion, and further research you conclude your current job is a dead-end and you’ve reached the top of the salary scale you have some thinking to do. You still have a job to do, but you can begin developing options to build into your career plan.
Build your network: As we move through our career we come in contact with a variety of people. Former co-workers, ex-bosses, vendors, members of alumni groups, association with career related organizations, neighbors, contacts from other groups, all are individuals you should keep in contact with.
You can assist members of your network in their job hunting efforts, provide them with career related information, and most important they can keep you informed of other career related opportunities. Find a mentor in your network to guide and support you. Mentor others as appropriate. It will all help you in your career research and career planning.
Reassess you career plan: Maybe you’re stalled career should be pushed over to the side of the road. Perhaps there are other challenges that excite you. Maybe there are other things you have a passion to accomplish. So reassess your career plan and analyze how you can best use your current skills and interests to make a successful career change.
Be realistic in your assessment, what obstacles do you have to overcome to qualify for the changed career? In rebuilding your career plan, lay-out an action plan that will allow you to reach your desired destination in a reasonable amount of time.
Don’t overlook the financial aspects of a change in career.
Now you’ve got your stalled career back on track, or you’re excited to be working toward a new and exciting career direction. Either way your job satisfaction should be climbing and isn’t that what a great career is all about?
