Feeling stuck in a career is a common situation experienced by many working individuals for a great variety of reasons. This includes feeling too comfortable in your routine, not knowing the value of your own skills, being unsure of your career trajectory, or questioning your values. Most of the time, it can feel challenging and frightening to step away from the career you already have to take a risk on another.
However, if you feel as though your current job is no longer helping you grow personally and professionally as an individual, then perhaps it is about time to re-evaluate your career plans for the future. Although changing your working circumstances may seem daunting at first, change is the only thing you need to be able to move forward. In this article, we will discuss five helpful steps you can take to make yourself feel more productive and satisfied in your career journey.
1. Take time off to introspect
If you are feeling rather stuck and frustrated with how your career is currently turning out, the first step you should ideally take is to find out the answers to your why’s:
- Why do I feel stuck?
- Why am I unhappy with my present job?
- Why am I afraid to make a career change?
Most of the time, people feel hopeless in their careers because they are afraid to address their issues. However, if you would like to stop feeling this way, you can consider taking some time off to think. Book an appropriate time in your day to have an uninterrupted discussion with yourself. Find out what you like and dislike about your current career and where you might want to go. In essence, decide on the steps you want to take to progress your career in the desired direction.
2. Find your passion, speak with a Career Coach
Oftentimes, working professionals feel unhappy because they no longer get to do the things they are passionate about due to their busy schedules. This is especially true for those whose careers are not their passion. If you are one of them, one of the most effective ways to address your career crisis is by finding time to carry out your passion again.
You do not always need a total career shift to feel happy and fulfilled. Activities such as volunteering, developing your interests, or taking on a new hobby might change the way you feel about your job. By just spending your evenings and rest days on the things you enjoy most in your life, you can already make yourself feel less stuck in a career trap.
Another way to find your passion is to speak with career coaches. For example, many mid-career professionals engaged in Aventis’ career coaching services to help them explore their career options and decide on their next career move. Moreover, Aventis’ career coaches help unlock access to specialist information and resources that you might need while simultaneously assisting you in identifying new skill sets and competencies to enhance your employability.
3. Consider further studies and skills upgrading
One of the most common reasons professionals might feel stuck in their careers is that they think they can no longer improve themselves in their current job. If you believe this is the reason behind your career crisis, your best solution would be to enhance your skills by furthering your studies.
Continuing your studies to acquire a new skill set or develop your existing expertise and knowledge is an effective way to keep yourself moving and restore your sense of fulfilment in your career. In this day and age, there are many online classes available to help you gain new skills. If you want to broaden your knowledge of business management and possibly one day start your own company, you can consider taking specialized part-time master’s or executive MBA courses in Singapore.
At Aventis Graduate School, we pride ourselves on offering a myriad of courses, from graduate diplomas to master’s degree programmes, to help working individuals select the right programme to move forward in their career progression. Geared towards the motto, “aspire to new ambitions, achieve career success, and accomplish meaningful goals”, our professional and seasoned instructors dedicate themselves to helping working individuals become the professionals they have always dreamed of being. Thus, if you find that you are in need of a program to upskill, consider registering for our courses to build your dream career right away. At Aventis, we collaborate with professional bodies including the International Association of Counselling, Executive MBA Council, AI Singapore, SG Innovate, and NTUC UTAP funding to support the professional growth and development of adult learners and mid-career professionals.
4. Grow your professional network
When it comes to career progression, who you know is more important than what you know. As much as possible, refrain from waiting until you feel stuck in your job to start growing your network. If you want your career to be fruitful, you should consistently expand your circle — networking is vital as your connections can help you find career opportunities. Additionally, should you need professional advice or recommendations, your friends in the industry are the ones who can help you the most? Moreover, if you are planning to launch your own business in the future, your networks can help you and may even serve as your first clients. While networking can seem tricky and complicated, especially for introverts, you will eventually learn how to effectively connect with other professionals as you go along.
5. Leave your comfort zone
For change to happen, you would need to step out of your comfort zone. Oftentimes, many professionals feel stuck in their careers because they are afraid to go beyond their comfort zone. While it is part of human nature to be fearful of changes and risks, confronting the frightening unknowns is far better than staying in your unhappy state.
If you feel like your job is boring and unfulfilling, then it is about time that you crossed the borders of your comfort zone. Start by taking small steps towards what you would like to do and the professional you want to be. By embracing change one step at a time, you can eventually regain your interest and dedication to work.
We all want to be happy at work, to master our respective skill sets, and to make a positive contribution. Designed for working adults, the Aventis Graduate Diploma in Organisational Psychology encourages professionals to develop a well-rounded understanding of how organisational psychology can enhance their work value and build resilience to workplace changes and pressure. By finding the proper purpose and direction in life, you will learn to recognise the opportunity to pursue life’s true purpose and embrace it professionally and personally.
Conclusion
Change is indeed a scary thing, and no one would want their years of training and work experience to go to waste by stepping away from the career they have already built. However, if your present job is no longer helping you become the person you want to be, then swallowing your fear and embracing change is an excellent option you have. In essence, the tips above can help you break free from the shackles of your current career.
At Aventis Graduate School, we prioritise working individuals seeking to upgrade themselves career-wise. We are dedicated to assisting professionals in reaching their full potential through our popular part-time graduate programs, which include the MBA, master’s degree in HRM, Data Analytics, Data Science, Cyber Security, and many others. If you are looking to upgrade your skills and qualifications through industry-recognised graduate education in Singapore, Aventis Graduate School might just be the institution for you. Find out more today by simply downloading any of our course prospectuses or speaking with our friendly programme advisor at 6720 3333 or 83588088!