If you’re feeling stuck in your job, you’re in good company. Unfortunately, there are a significant number of people who say they feel like their role isn’t progressing or as if they have nowhere to go in their career. And a report from Glassdoor found that 65% of employees felt stuck.
Stagnation has become a defining feature of modern work, with people who feel trapped between wanting change and fearing the risks that go along with making a shift. But you can take action to reduce your feelings of frustration and move your career forward in meaningful ways.
1. ENGAGE
When you’re feeling trapped or unhappy, it’s natural to disengage or detach from your work. In fact, engagement is at a 10-year low, according to Gallup, with only 31% of employees who are engaged and 17% who are actively disengaged.
But when you disengage, you start a cycle of dissatisfaction because you can miss opportunities for meaning and progress. It may seem counterintuitive, but to bring more meaning to your work, one of your best strategies is to lean in and do your best to make a great contribution.
Staying engaged will help get you noticed and you’re likely to have more opportunities as a result. When the new project comes up, decision makers will look for those who demonstrate commitment. When the promotion opportunity emerges, managers will look for those who are energized and interested in their work.
Engaging can result in more opportunities to keep things moving in your career.
2. Connect with colleagues
Another unexpected way to move your career forward is to connect with your colleagues. A hallmark of feeling stuck, depressed, or stagnant is feeling insular or overly self-focused. But empathizing with others is correlated with greater wellbeing, according to research published in Industrial Psychology Journal. Why? Because it takes the focus off of ourselves and helps us feel linked with a community.
Creating positive relationships with others is good for them and it builds our mental health so we have more energy to invest in our own work. It can also be the source for moments of micro joy when we laugh with a colleague, share an eye roll, or achieve something together.
But positive relationships can also pay us back because our colleagues can contribute to our career progress. They can give us feedback about how we can improve, they can recommend us to others, or let us know when they hear about a new opportunity.
Pay attention to what others are going through, ask questions, listen, provide support, and be present for others as you build trust and rapport with colleagues.
3. Focus on development and growth
Another primary reason people feel stuck is because they don’t have adequate opportunities for learning, development, and growth. In a LinkedIn survey, only 36% of companies are focused on career development strategies and career mobility. In addition, only 29% of leaders encouraged employees to spend time learning and only 25% encouraged employees to learn new skills. Only 15% helped employees build career development plans.
Some companies offer growth opportunities, but the advantages are not evenly distributed, and fully 25% of employees lack mentorship or advancement opportunities at all, according to a separate study by Gallup.
To get unstuck and move your career forward, you’ll likely need to take greater ownership for your career than you might prefer. While this can be frustrating, it’s yours to own and you can take positive action.
Schedule time with HR and your manager to talk about your goals and understand the learning options within the organization. Explore joining a professional association or club that will give you networking and programming options to expand your expertise. Get to know someone senior to you and ask them to be a mentor. In addition, investigate learning programs outside of the organization and look for policies that allow you to take advantage of them on the company’s dime.
Even if your company doesn’t have a solid learning infrastructure or support, you can take initiative to own your career progression.
4. EXPLORE OTHER OPTIONS
It’s also reasonable that you’ll want to look for another job. Sometimes you need to change companies in order to find a fit and ignite your passion for your work or the organization’s mission.
According to data from Resume Templates, almost 56% of people are looking for new jobs and 80% of them feel confident they’ll find something better. And while the job market is tight at the moment, looking for something else can help you feel empowered and more in control of your career.
Importantly, when you are proactive, you’re more likely to have greater levels of wellbeing because you reinforce your capability and sense of agency. Stepping up doesn’t guarantee success, but it does give you the opportunity to learn about what works and what doesn’t, and how to improve for the next time.
You may feel stuck, stagnant, or dissatisfied, but you can take your career into your own hands and drive terrific success for now and your future.
