One of the worst feelings in the world is feeling stuck where you are. Maybe you’re yearning for a promotion, searching for a better company culture, or even pivoting your career entirely. It can be intimidating to let go of stability, the ability to provide for your family, and comfort. However, your choices aren’t just black and white if you feel stuck in your job: you either stay in a lackluster position for security or quit and dive into the complete unknown. Here are some concrete steps you can take to start discovering a fulfilling career, starting today.
Self-Reflect
You can’t get ahead if you don’t put yourself out there. Start by figuring out what you want your next step to look like. Is it the same role with more responsibilities and a more supportive team? Or do you want to do something completely different? Write out your must-haves, nice-to-haves, and must-avoids. Browse job boards and LinkedIn, taking note of what catches your eye. Is it a particular job title or perk (i.e., working from home)? Understanding your ultimate goals will help guide the rest of your career.
Research
You can’t move on to the next step if you don’t know what’s out there. Now that you know which direction you want to take, search for those jobs and skills. Keep in mind that a single job can have varying titles. While we’re not huge fans of “Data Analytics Wizard,” as a job title – it’s out there. So, keep an open mind!
Additionally, research your “dream companies.” Find out the types of roles they typically hire for, learn more about their company culture, and even connect with some of their employees on LinkedIn. Just because a company isn’t hiring for your ideal role now, doesn’t mean they won’t in the future. And it pays off to start building a foundation well before that door opens up!
Grow Your Skillsets
Whether you want to continue in your field or completely pivot to a new job, growing your skillsets is an excellent step for your career development. If you feel stuck in your job, it will expose you to your passions and help you discover what you truly love doing. Even taking free online courses looks great on a resume. It shows hiring managers that you choose to actively advance your career in your free time, and increases your skill toolbox. (Which can often result in a significant bump in pay!)
Connect With A Recruiter
One of the best ways to invest in yourself and your career is to build a relationship with a recruiter. Recruiters who work at reputable firms are an incredible resource for job seekers. It is their job to monitor the pulse of the market and identify the latest and greatest opportunities (many of which don’t even hit job boards!). They keep your search completely confidential and can purposefully pursue your dream companies.
When it comes down to it, you do not have to feel stuck in your job. As Karamo Brown recently said in an interview with LinkedIn, “you just have to, first of all, tell yourself that you deserve it and then believe that is out there. One of the ways I do that is by remembering the job that I’m in. At one point, I didn’t have, and I had to believe that this was here. So I have to go back to that mindset to believe that there’s another job out there as well that’s going to make me happy, to fulfill me, it’s going to bring me closer to my dreams.”
Are you ready to start the conversation about the next step in your career? Explore our opportunities or contact one of our recruiters today!
