You drag your feet on the way to work. You’re doing the same old job you did an eternity ago. You just don’t know where it’s all headed. If you feel unappreciated or are not challenged enough, you may be stuck at a dead end, careerwise. Here are a few signs that your career has reached a standstill.
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1. You’ve not received a raise or a promotion in the last few years
If you find yourself doing the same job and you haven’t received a raise or a promotion in the last two to three years, your career is definitely not headed anywhere. Maybe it’s time to have a discussion with your manager to realistically assess the situation and get a sense of what you can expect for your career.
2. You have not learned any new skills in a while
If you feel that you’re doing a repetitive job, you probably are. Your job needs to come with learning opportunities, in order to build your skill level and prepare for any complexities down the road in your career. If you are not learning anything new, you are not really growing meaningfully in your role.
3. You’re not looking forward to Monday, or any other workday
OK, this can happen to the best of us on some days. But if you constantly dread heading to work, are not motivated to do your work, then either you’re not doing what you like, or you’ve reached a stage where you’re just finding your job drab and uninspiring. Try to take on additional assignments, or work on projects that are challenging and can motivate you.
4. Your work is not appreciated; you are not assigned any new project
You’re being zoned out. You are not being given opportunities and your work is not recognized. Assuming it’s not a work quality issue, you may have reached a stage where your contributions are just not valued and there’s no possible way to change that. If you’ve tried everything you can and just find that you are not respected and your opinions are not valued, then maybe it’s time to move on – to a different team or a different company. Assess your situation before you make a decision.
5. Your career in the company has maxed out
You’ve reached a career level where you can’t grow anymore. There’s just no level above you, or the level above is occupied, or there is no scope to widen your responsibilities. Maybe it’s time to look outside or build on your cross-functional skills and competencies, if it helps your career.
Tell Us What You Think
Have you been in a situation where you felt you had reached a career dead end? What were the signs and what did you do? We want to hear from you! Leave a comment or join the discussion on Twitter.
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