Dilemma of a Dead-end Job: Revitalizing your Career

Does your career need to be resuscitated? If so, learn how to revitalize your work situation. Evaluate your options and put movement back into your career.

By Annabelle Reitman, Career Management Consultant

Have you determined that your current job isn't going anywhere? What factors have made you come to this conclusion? And once you realize you're in a dead-end job, what should you do about it? These factors can help you determine if you've reached this stagnant phase in your career:

Why are you unhappy? Improve your chances to turn a stagnating job into one with a future.

• Passed over for a promotion or advancement more than once.

• Excluded from important meetings and events.

• In a rut, bored, frustrated, and discouraged.

• No project leadership roles aligned with your skills.

• Job plateauing: no challenges, risks or creativity.

Revitalizing a Dead-end Job

There are several steps you can take to get your career back in track. First, take a long hard look at yourself. Why are you unhappy? Is it something you can remedy yourself e.g., further training or up-dating your skills, transferring to another department? You may decide that you need further input or information about the situation. Ask co-workers you trust and respect to comment on your professional behavior and work. If you have a good working relationship with your supervisor or another manager, discuss your concerns with them and solicit suggestions.

When you have completed analyzing, decide how to best improve your chances to turn a stagnating job into one with a future. Based on your assessment of your job and feedback from peers and superiors, review the following options and check those you feel are the best for revitalizing your job and will advance your career:

List of Options to Move Ahead

• Dress and act in a more professional way
• Increase visibility - volunteer for projects and special programs
• Ask for extra responsibilities to hone skills and demonstrate capabilities
• Take the initiative and suggest projects or activities that could enhance your position
• Find out about your company's long-range plans and ask how you can help it get there
• Let your manger know about your career ambitions before someone is hired for the more senior level position
• At your performance appraisal, discuss how you can better situate yourself for advancement
• Become involved in outside professional activities establishing an image as a take-charge person
• If possible, move laterally within the organization

Situation Remains the Same

However, what if you have done everything you can do to bring movement to your job, but to no avail? Then you may need to consider leaving your employer as your next best move and find a new employer whom appreciates the assets you bring to a job.