What's Getting In The Way Of Your Career?

Sailor crawls through the mud on his way through the third obstacle of the Tough Mudder competition, a photo by Official U.S. Navy Imagery on Flickr.

Everyone is doing their share of level-setting these days. We’re cutting back on lattes or eating out, we’re downsizing our homes and accepting the research that says most of us will earn our highest salaries in our forties. But we hold out hope that our jobs will get bigger.

In spite of a salary freeze or a layoff, we know we have more to contribute to the world—we’re motivated and refuse to give in to career complacence. That we can push our career envelope further is the American Dream, and whether we intend to earn more, grow our own business or get promoted, we believe there’s always another rung on the career ladder to climb.

If this rings true for you, make sure you eliminate common obstacles that are getting in your way. Consider if you’re sabotaging your efforts with these missteps:

You haven’t found a place of peace.  There’s always a lot to learn before you get ahead in your career—but if you’re in turmoil, it’s impossible for you to get to the next step. If your mind is always churning over team politics or you are preoccupied with the next round of company layoffs, you can’t possibly be open to new career possibilities. Your brain is too busy to form strong partnerships. While you’re learning and planning your next move, find a quiet place in your mind and accept your current circumstances for what they are. Get calm so that you’ll be open to new opportunities without any attachment to the outcome.

You think you can grow your career alone.  When you’re in a good job, reach out to others in your network to offer help in their careers. When you need a job, reach out to those same folks for support. No one can grow a career or a business in a vacuum—it’s important to get out of your comfort zone and collaborate with others.

You’ve succumbed to Social Profile Envy.  Especially on LinkedIn, the profiles you see are professional branding messages, devised to make everyone appear in their best light. Would it help to know that most people don’t know three quarters of the 2,000 connections they are connected to? Put this in perspective, and try to be truthful when you create your own professional profile.

You’re using the same career-building tactics you used in your twenties.  The career landscape has changed drastically and so have you. It doesn’t make sense to deploy the same strategies you used when you landed your first job. Get a pair of fresh eyes to peruse your resume. Is it specialized (good) or have you portrayed yourself as The Master of Everything (old school)? Ask a friend or recruiter to rehearse an interview with you—is your suit too formal? Do the examples you’ve chosen as your greatest work put you in the best possible light?

Remember this. Sometimes what has to change in order to move ahead in our career is not the economy or the business landscape—just our perception of it.