Excite Your Career!
Getting ready for the new year? Thinking about your working life? John Rossheim, senior contributing writer for Monster.com, has some good thoughts.
Ask human resources people how to get out of a rut and they may dutifully present you with a career ladder that demonstrates how - at least in theory and in due time - you'll be able to climb to the next rung in your company's petrified organizational structure. If you ask your friends, they're likely to tell you to jump to one of your employer's rivals, where, after a year or two, you may catch a bad case of deja vu all over again.
Consider these ideas to make real changes in your employment circumstances - changes that can make your job feel like a brand new day:
De-emphasize the Negative:
It's hard to improve your career's circumstances if your immediate work environment is toxic, so wherever practical, leave dysfunctional environments.
Change Sectors or Industries:
A change of subject matter is another way to re-energize. It won't be easy to convince a hiring manager that you can transfer your sales skills from life insurance to living room furniture. But if you can creatively bridge the gap - for example, by pointing out that in both scenarios, you're selling a long-term investment - you'll have a shot at making the leap.
How can you improve your odds of success? Attend trade shows, read as much as you can, and work your network - all with your target industry in mind.
Further Your Education:
Dramatically improving your educational credentials - not just picking up your umpteenth certification - is another way to get yourself out of a career rut.
Create an Advisory Board for Your Career:
Of course, major career moves are easier said than done, especially in the likely event that you're acting without the institutional support of your present employer. It's nearly impossible to create major changes for yourself without reaching out. So don't even try.
Establish a personal board of advisors; your board could include an HR person, a mentor, a person from an industry you want to get into. Get their feedback on your plans - their support is amazingly powerful.
