Is Your Career Stuck?

Tug of War 3, a photo by scott1723 on Flickr.

The definition of the word stuck is caught or fixed; it is a so defined as baffled.  All of these definitions apply when you are stuck in your career trajectory. To get unstuck, it’s important to break down the problem into its smallest parts before you try to fix it.

Are you stuck because you don’t know what to do next?  Very few great resumes read in a straight line. Over they years I’ve seen workers zigzag along their career paths, become independent consultants before returning to traditional roles, and also boomerang back to the companies where they started their careers. The need for flexibility is a given, but what do you do if you don’t have a clue about how to save your career?

Be bold and ask your manager and trusted co-workers what they think about how you add value. Don’t open up the conversation asking for what’s wrong with your performance—instead, ask them what they think you do best. You may be surprised to discover you are not considered the go-to person for closing new customers like you thought—you may be more admired for how you remediate problems. This is valuable feedback that you can use to figure out the next step in your career.

Just remember to keep the advice that’s useful and throw out the rest. Develop a thick skin before you ask for their opinions. People rarely offer opinions that don't include their own version of things. Once you get past the sting of any surprises, you’ll be able to tell the difference between the stuff that’s telling about you and the stuff that’s more reflective of them.

Are you stuck because there’s nowhere to go in your current role?  A lot of career paths seem to end at a brick wall. But this is rarely the case. Be objective about exploring all opportunities where you work. Have you just become impatient and given up? Think creatively—can you move laterally in a new department? Can you take on a special project with new faces, or volunteer for an interim leadership role while someone has taken a leave of absence?

Are you stuck by details that you cannot control? Often you can’t control the factors that would help accelerate your career. Your geography or your inability to travel frequently may limit your options in sales management. Your family obligations may make it impossible to pursue a much-needed secondary degree that's required to get ahead. Company politics can be a powerful thing, too—putting a few select individuals in the spotlight and leaving you in the dark. 

Try your hardest to exhaust all of your efforts before you throw in the towel over outside excuses like these.

If you must change career paths, make sure you are moving toward something you can look forward to, as opposed to just running away from your old job.

In the end, we can only work on ourselves. Focus on details within your own control, particularly your own perceptions of your career. Leave the rest to timing, serendipity and luck.