When Doing Everything Right Doesn’t Move Your Career Forward
On this blog, I talk a lot about job searches and finding your next opportunity. But what if you feel like you’re already in your dream role and you STILL feel stuck? Or what if you have no idea whether or not you need to seek out a new opportunity or even where to start?
I know that for me, the most discouraging time in my entire career was the period of time when I knew I didn’t achieve the results I wanted yet… but I also had no idea what I needed to do to get those results. I felt powerless and I didn’t know how to get myself out of the situation. It was soul crushing.
The Common Trap We Fall Into
Many of us have experienced times in our career where we had this bursting energy about everything we were doing. I know I have! I felt so energized by my work and my goals that I didn’t mind working late or taking on extra projects. In fact, I was actually fueled by the excitement I felt for my work.
Then at some point, we realize that our inspiration and excitement isn’t actually adding up to more money in our bank accounts. We’re not getting a promotion. We’re not even getting any recognition! Our employers are taking so much from us and not giving us anything in return.
You’re doing everything right, checking off all the boxes, doing exactly what all the successful people are doing: working hard, putting in extra hours, saying “yes” to whatever comes your way. But for some reason, doing everything right isn’t working.
Once you have this realization, it’s really hard to get yourself back to that “bursting energy” mindset again. Instead, you might slip into a mindset that many of us know all too well: burnout. This is a tough thing to confront and overcome, especially if you’re not looking to change jobs.
So, how do you get back that feeling of loving your work without it sucking your soul and your energy in the process? How do you actually move your career forward if working harder and taking on more responsibility hasn’t been working for you?
Here’s What Most People Do…
The most frustrating thing for me when I was going through this myself was the fact that I didn’t understand what I should be doing. I didn’t know where to focus my energy or my efforts, so I just kept replicating the same tired actions and getting zero results. Quickly, I started resenting the work. I see this happen with so many of you, too.
You end up going back to school or getting certifications you don’t really need or want because you don’t know what else to do and you assume that these things will move you forward. Or, you get stuck in a cycle of taking on too much, feeling overwhelmed, stepping away from the work, slowly taking on too much again, getting overwhelmed, etc. etc.
But if these strategies aren’t the answer, what is?
My Three Steps for Moving Your Career Forward
When I speak with someone who knows it’s time to move their career forward, but they’re not sure where to start, here’s what I tell them to do:
#1 - Reflect on Your Value
It’s very difficult to get a promotion or pay increase if you can’t show the value you provide to the organization. It isn’t just saying, “I have such-and-such new degree or certificate.” Instead, it might be something like, “I developed a new system for processing payroll that has reduced errors by 20% and saves the company 5.5 hours per pay period.”
Notice how the value you’re highlighting in this example isn’t centered around wearing yourself down to nothing by taking on every extra task you can. It’s really about determining what matters most to your leadership team and finding the real world examples that match up.
#2 - Learn How to Communicate
Are you sharing your career goals with your boss or asking them where they would like to see you grow in your role? Most people only check in with their boss once a year during their annual review, but that isn’t enough. You want your boss to see you taking real initiative in your career.
Most roles aren’t as defined as you would like them to be, so taking on the task of outlining your career development plan and the steps you’re going to take to get there is an extremely smart move. It gives you direction and it shows your boss that you’re taking your career seriously.
#3 - Work with a Coach to Find a Strategic Approach to Intentionally Move Forward
If you’re truly stumped about where to go next in your career, a career coach might be a really helpful resource for you. They can help you outline a strategic approach to move your career forward so you aren’t just guessing at what to do next or burning yourself out taking on every project that you possibly can to impress your boss.
Chances are, you don’t need to go back to school or add more certifications to your resume. You don’t need to be working through the weekend or leading every initiative in your department. You just need someone with a birds eye view of your career path and a lot of experience helping people define their goals to help you map it all out.
Does this blog post give you clarity on what you need to do next in your career? Have you ever faced burnout like I have? I would love to hear your stories! Let me know in the comments what resonated with you the most.