Escaping a Job Rut
Stuck in a job going nowhere? Overworked and underpaid? You’re not alone. Thousands face the same feelings everyday. But it doesn’t have to be this way.
12 STEPS TO GET OUT OF A JOB RUT.
- Take a personal inventory. A problem defined is one already half solved. Oftentimes we blame a job for personal problems. Carefully, evaluate all areas of your life to identify the cause of your consternation.
- Understand the symptoms: Take this short quiz. The following is a list of telltale warning signs of career fatigue:
a. Do you drag yourself out of bed, dreading another day of work?
b. Do you count the days until the weekend?
c. Are you taking longer lunches?
d. Do you constantly look at your watch awaiting the 5 o'clock whistle?
e. Are you spending more time on non-business-related conversations?
f. Are you using your time at the office to plan personal business?
g. Have you stopped reading job-related materials?
h. Has your outlook become more negative or cynical?
i. Are you bored most of the time and running low on enthusiasm?
j. Are you stressed out about time and deadlines?
k. Do you feel like your talents are being wasted?
l. Are you having problems concentrating?
If you answered "yes" to three or more, read on. - Make a list of all the things that are bothering you about your job. Evaluate how many of the items on your list are ones you can do something about.
- Keep in mind that a job is more than just money. Don’t end up being a highly paid, unhappy worker.
- Live for today. Don’t dwell on negativity from the past. Focus on the present and plan for a better future.
- Look sideways. Sometimes the key to advancement and enrichment is less about moving up in the ranks and more about moving across them. Lateral moves can provide a richer understanding of the challenges in other departments and equip you with a broader set of job skills. Is there an area of your company that you have an interest in learning?
- Make sure the grass is greener. Other jobs may look more interesting, challenging or lucrative, but appearances can be deceiving. It pays to do your homework before you make a career altering decision.
- Fire yourself. Practice some visualization. This Friday, fire yourself and then spend the weekend as if you were unemployed. Browse jobs. Consider your finances and how you’ll make ends meet. Gain some much needed perspective that can help you formulate a game plan for the future.
- Think outside your box. Be alert for new internal assignments. Press your comfort zone. Get involved in industry organizations and brush up on the latest industry trends while gaining valuable networking opportunities.
- Make your mark beyond the cubicle. Get involved. Most companies have community service projects that are crying for champions...if yours doesn’t…initiate one. Take a course; or teach one. Coach a local team. Find fulfillment in other parts of your life and you may discover that your current job is still a great fit for you.
- Test the waters. Take a few days off to conduct a guerilla job search campaign. You’ll sharpen your interviewing skills, discover your monetary value and establish a baseline by which you can judge future job opportunities.
- Set goals. If you decide to leave your current position, develop a plan along with action items and a concrete timetable. Then stick to it.
All of these items demand ownership and action. Once you’ve started doing something positive to rectify your situation, you’ll find you’re feeling much better and that no rut is insurmountable.