Career Advice from 75+ Career Coaches
We asked expert coaches two things: What is the most important advice you give people and What tip do you give people who feel ‘stuck’ in their career?Here is what they have to say!
Be yourself. If you feel like you have to bottle up any part of yourself, your creativity, your energy, to do well where you are, find a new job. It’s actually possible to love your job. Start a work journal. Keep track of how you feel about everything in your day, from how you feel about going to work, how you feel about the interactions you have with people, to how you feel on your way home.
Have a well calibrated compass to guide your life. Doing so will create fertile ground to live in your bliss- professionally and personally. Define what your purpose is and align it with a career that meets your financial goals.
Your career results are entirely the result of your own thinking. To change your results, you must change your thinking. It’s simple, but it’s NOT easy.Write up what you would love your career to look like, then figure out ONE step toward making it happen. Take that step. Repeat.
Read books, have an idea, believe in yourself, create a mindset in an achievable smart goal, go into action, and don’t you dare to give up. Read think and grow rich (Napoleon hill) as a start if you are employed and you are in love with your job just grow to reach your goal, if not start from nothing put a plan to implement your burning desire and put it into action and the number one rule that each and every successful person knows and will teach is not to give up on your dream since this is something that was gifted to you and only you by the universe and you have the choice to make it possible and change lives beyond only you think big have a bigger goal and put it into action. STOP sit in front of the mirror have some time with the other you and ask yourself: why I am here? What’s my passion? What I am good at? How can I invest more in myself? What is my Hobby? How can I turn that into a way of income? Set a five years plan in a smart goal, Narrow your goal and make it a smart one then take action accordingly and don’t give up on that since you won the lottery by being here alive giving birth to the power within.
Don’t stop growing within and investing in you till you connect the dots.
Focus not on money or status, but what truly makes you happy. That is when you will find success.Find the root of why you feel stuck, ask the hard questions, and then do something about it.
Some people refer to this as the “Hell’s Bureaucrat’ exercise. Think about everything that makes you feel stuck and miserable in your current career situation or things that would make you feel like your job is Hell: Terrible hours. Long commute. Poor communication. Everything that doesn’t work and isn’t good has an opposing end of the spectrum. List all these things that make up your “hell” at work and then list the opposing positive values and attributes of this ‘heavenly’ position. Therein lays the type of career and job that you truly desire.
As a Career Coach, I think the most important advice I could give others is develop self-awareness/ self-reflection. Once you figure out your ultimate goal, you can then self-reflect on what it will take for you to reach it. You need to ask yourself: what makes me happy, what doesn’t, what are my strengths, and what do I need to improve on. Once you answer these questions and can narrow down careers that will make you feel truly fulfilled. Self-awareness/ self-reflection is a useful tool that you use throughout your life whenever you find yourself making decisions for yourself and others (which is everyday). By using self-awareness/self-reflection, you will learn to realize what is valued as importance in your life. I assist my clients in creating a plan and implementing realistic goals to achieve. In doing this, we will acknowledge and remove all obstacles that are preventing you from achievement and fulfillment.Many people I’ve worked with feel like they are stuck in a career they don’t like. A common tip I tell my clients is to make a list of their past jobs and figure out what they liked and what they didn’t like about those positions. Then make a list of qualities, strengths, weaknesses, and hobbies. From those multiple lists, you can then do research on possible careers that match with your interests. Being unhappy in a career is not okay. If you are unhappy or you don’t feel fulfilled in your career, other areas in your life could suffer as well. It’s extremely important to have a good balance in all aspects of your life (career, finances, relationships, health, spirituality etc.). It is always scaring changing jobs, but I always help my clients build their confidence to make the courageous decision to change careers.
“Never, Ever Settle.” I’ve worked with many professionals that have settled for finding jobs that were convenient for them at that specific time because they needed quick income. However, it hurt them in the long run because they gained experience in a career that they didn’t like, and missed out on gaining experience that would of led them down the career path that they truly desired. So all your career decisions have to be based on what you desire to do long term. For instance, if I work with an administrative professional that wants to eventually be a veterinarian. I push them to pursue the education (if they are not already) then focus on finding administrative jobs in environments that are related ( i.e. vet clinics, pet adoption centers, zoos, aquariums, etc.) rather than just any administrative job that they can get. I also encourage them to look up volunteer opportunities that match it. So by the time they are qualified by their education, they would already have built up knowledge and experience that will allow them to transition easily….plus that would look great on their resume!”It’s time to go back to the drawing board — reevaluate your skills, passions, experience, salary requirements, and behavioral traits, because all of these things play a role in discovering the career they will not only pay the bills, but also bring fulfillment in their lives”. I think feeling ‘stuck’ is a good indicator of someone is tired of settling and wants more. We should all wake up every day being excited to get out of bed to get to work.
Move towards work that expresses who you are as a human being. Look for clues. When do you feel energized? What books, blogs, podcasts, etc do you read or listen to? Who do you admire? Where do you naturally spend your time? Look throughout all the hobbies, interests, and roles you’ve held in your life and identify what you enjoyed (yes, start very young!). There are clues in your life, but likely they have been dismissed or neglected as they don’t directly lead to a career or a career that “pays the bills”, require too much effort to pursue, etc. They may however, lead to you a way to get unstuck. So follow the clues and see where else they might take you.
Learn to enjoy and honor the process and the way. Find gratification in doing what it takes. It is all about the process, and not the paycheck. Money will come when you are operating at a level that warrants income, and is capable of creating commerce with your trade. Just love getting great and constantly better at what you do. Doing things for the right reasons also keeps your spirit clean and purely motivated at a deep level.Keep learning and developing yourself. you need a new edge or at the very least, some fresh sharpening
To ask themselves the question: what do you want from life and how do your career aspirations [or your existing career] help you in achieving your aspirations?To examine their current career and determine the cause of their dissatisfaction? Do they want/need more compensation? More recognition? More challenges? Promotion/Advancement? Dislike their current career because they have always wanted to do something else? If they could move to a new career would it provide them with the compensation they need to sustain their life style? In essence find out the reasons you feel stuck and then determine if the issues can be resolved in their existing careers or should they consider other options.
Your career will excel, as well as your personal life when you are able to unleash your authentic self and discover your voice. When a person is feeling stuck in their career, it is mainly because they need to define their “why.” When you know your “Why” you can get on the path to moving forward, it is a liberating feeling.
Treat the job search as if it were a job. Know what future you want for yourself and stay focused on that.Determine what aspects of your career you are passionate about. Be brave enough to pursue your passions.
Do what sets your soul on fire. Find the sweet spot between your strengths, values, and the world’s greatest needs.. therein lies the area you should be spending your talents focused on. Think critically about the intersection between these 3 very important facets. It’s important to find a career that aligns with you + your intrinsic values and interests. Don’t be afraid to choose the wrong path…It can lead you to the correct one. Question your thoughts, habits, and actions. Seek out powerful mentors who’ve walked in your shoes and can provide wisdom to you. Be proactive about getting unstuck. Think Big.
The key to job satisfaction is understanding how to find the intersection between what tasks you enjoy doing and what tasks you excel at doing, and then translating that into a job someone will pay you to do.Don’t self-censor yourself, meaning really think about what you’d like to accomplish but don’t immediately think “well, that’s impossible, so I may as well forget it.” You’ll face enough hurdles without adding to them on your own.
Answer all your interview quotation truthfully, no embellishing or exaggerating.Take a career assessment to find your true career calling. An encore career does not have to happen after you are burned out and tired. You should enjoy your career because it’s your second home.
When working with clients the most important information I can give them is to help them understand an important perspective about career and job searching. When looking for a career of job there’s a very important question I ask all clients which is, “who do you want to serve or who do you want your client to be?” We always think about the job and what we want to be doing but not always thinking about who we want to do it for. Another aspect about this is asking, “who’s mission do you want to advance?” When looking at finding a career or job it’s important to see that there is the job you will specifically be doing but there is also who you do it for, which is just as important. To truly find a career or job you will love and be passionate about then your focus must be on finding a job within the mission. Well there are many reasons one can be stuck in their careers but in general I would say to not become complacent because stuck is really just a state of mind. When we feel stuck we need to see a new perspective and as a Coach that is often what I provide in addition to direction. Many who are stuck can make huge shifts in their careers within just this new perspective. On ones own you can start by not letting limiting beliefs rule your behaviors and actions regarding how you find a career.
If I had to narrow down the many different points of consideration when working with individuals who seek direction in their careers, I would have to say the most important advice would be to embrace change bravely! Many of us consider what we would like to see for ourselves but the reality is to transform a daydream into the real thing is to do your homework, push out fear, take the first step, and then take the next one. Doing something different can be a scary place to be but with the right preparation and the courage to walk out the plan, your dream career can be in reach! Feeling stuck is an experience most of us can relate to. This leads to my first tip-Know that you are not alone or unusual. Finding yourself in a rut is not peculiar; in fact, you can view it as a reason to celebrate. The stuck feeling has just become your catalyst for massive change in your life. So get excited! Secondly, begin to think about what makes you excited, what are your talents and skills, and what qualities do you have that have made you successful in the past. Now, close your eyes….think about the career you would have if you could make it happen instantly. Open your eyes and start writing your vision. No idea is too grande. Your passion about your vision is what matters most. Do your abilities, skills, and characteristics you previously identified match those needed to live your vision? When your abilities and your vision align you create a greater likelihood of not just success but also fulfillment. Third, begin your career plan. Write down measurable goals and objectives with accompanying dates to help you stick to your plan. Don’t forget that a large portion of your goal achievement will be based on accountability. Reflect on your plan and evaluate your commitment regularly. Having a support system to help you with this is also a great piece to the puzzle. Being consistent with these tips can help you move from feeling stuck to experiencing triumph!
You can make money doing what you love, but first you need to get clear on what that is. It’s ok to try several things until you find the right fit. What was right for us at 25, might not be right for us at 45 and that’s ok. You can design a life and career you love, you just have to decide you’re worth it. Most everyone will feel stuck at some point. It’s a great opportunity to find clarity. I advise a clarity exercise where you write your own job description. what does your ideal work day look like, who are you with, what are your actives. If you create a dream job for yourself it gives you a starting point of where you might want to go. We normally feel stuck because we’re undervalued or underutilized. So what should you be doing instead?
When it comes to your career and how you progress, it should not be left to chance or to others; you must take control of opportunities and partnerships that will best align your goals and aspirations with what your company values. Too often I work with clients who are frustrated because there is a misalignment between what they perceive as being a value to the company with what the company actually values. In general, a company is looking to advance its mission, social capital (not for profit), and profitability for its shareholders (corporate). The question is, “Are your values, skills, and knowledge in demand as a necessity in meeting your organization’s strategic objectives?”When a person feels stuck in their career is most likely due to a sense of confinement in their career without the possibility of advancement. To overcome this state of mind, a person should consider three questions: (1) Am I stuck in my career because I lack the knowledge, skills, and Abilities (KSAs) needed to advance to the next level? (2) Does the company value internal advancement or does it prefer hiring outside talent to give a fresh perspective to the company?
Second, What have you done to demonstrate your value to the company that tells them you are promotable and best fit? Once you determine the answer to these questions, I would strongly recommend that you request leading a major project to demonstrate your leadership capacity and ability to influence others and get results. This will also show initiative and willingness to “go the extra mile.”
For those who may say, “Lyman, I’m doing all the things you suggested, but I still feel stuck.” In situations like this, you have to decide if you had outgrown your company and needed to find an environment that allowed you grow professionally in your career. For example, I had a client who decided after years of going nowhere in her career and being overlooked for promotions and having to train her new boss to take the bold step to leave and start her own business and today, she employs about 25 staff and because of her experience it made her sensitive to offering opportunities for growth, development and profit sharing.
Finally, understand that career development and growth is about knowing what you want and having a vehicle to get there. Here are a few parting tips to help you stay unstuck and focused:
1. Focused on investing in your personal and professional development
2. Open yourself to constructive critique and coaching
3. Communicate your intentions for advancement
4. Utilize the resources available to position you for advancement
5. Stay the course.
Love and have a passion for what you do, because that’s what will make your career. It takes diligence and hard work to succeed in any career and if you do not have the passion for it you can’t grow to become the success you want.Stop and evaluate your career and if you are unhappy, it’s not what you really want to do or you feel you can’t grow, it’s time to make a change. You only become stuck in a career when you do not face where you are and what you really feel about your career and don’t make any changes.
Know who you are and what you were created to do (know what value you add to the world).Being stuck is a choice. Make a different choice than you’ve traditionally made and trust your internal GPS. Get clear on what you want. Identify who has access to it or what’s blocking you and devise a plan of action to get out.
You need to like what you do to be successful in your career. We all want to improve and get better at what we do in life, same goes for your career. You should always be willing to learn and gain more knowledge about your field. By doing this you will stay engaged and appreciate your job even more. If you find yourself not wanting to learn anything new or move up in your career, it is time to think about a changeWhen you feel stuck in your career I suggest career introspecting. Try to find out what aspect of your job or career you do value. What keeps your interest inspite of the fact you feel stuck. For example, is it the analytical functionality, your leadership role, teaching others within the department or being left alone to do your job. You are not stuck in your career but your role. After understanding the root cause of why you feel stuck, you can then look for a career more in line with what you like to do. Do what you love and you will never work a day in your life!
Career exploration should be thoughtful and intentional. It took you years to reach this point and to expect to know what you what to pursue next will not happen overnight. A coach can be your cheerleader and advocate but you will do the “heavy lifting”.Go out on a “listening tour”. Meet with connections in all industries and backgrounds. See what sparks your interest and work with your coach to identify what that lights in you.
To truly think on what is important — ranking criteria of what matters in the next job search and to focus on longterm goals.Reflect on what skills you really enjoy using that you feel strong in.
If you don’t love your career, check in with yourself first. Is this a YOU thing or a THEM (the job, the environment, the people, etc) thing? If it’s YOU, tap into what you need to shift inside to make this career work. If it’s a THEM thing, create your exit plan; life is too short and the opportunities outside of traditional 9–5’s are too vast to stay in a job you don’t love. Move. You’re literally NOT stuck. Stuck is a choice that you are making, choose to move instead.
Research the company well that you are looking to join. The career choice you are thinking about is a very serious and important to your success and you need to be firm on your decision. You never have to settle. Explore every avenue so you can be sure.
Find a profession that really serves you, meaning who are you? Where do you want to live? Do you want a family? Do earning a high income matter? See, the happier you are with what you do, the more likely you are to stick with it. Many people may think they want the money but in all actuality any career you go for can bring you top money. Ex: One of my clients is a teacher at a public school, she loves it but doesn’t earn what she feel she should. Within 6 months of working with her, she managed to keep her job but yet start a business teaching people but online. She learned how to create programs that she was interested in. She even could have took the path of teaching at a University, considering she has a Masters Degree. Also be strategic in the career path that you want. Not every career path needs a Masters degree, realistically theres a lot of professions that makes a lot with out having the big loans over your head. Anyone can have a degree but what you do with it is key. If you go for this degree, you better have already looked at every career choice you can have with it and also weight out WILL YOU BE HAPPY! If you will be happy no matter what, then go for it. Also don’t be afraid to dream. Dream big, even if you feel uncertain. In the beginning I told you to find a profession that serves you, Well how do you do that? Write everything out on a sheet of paper, vision board board, computer or whatever and ask yourself…. What do I want to be? Does it makes me happy? What is my earning potential in this field? What kind of life do I want? Where do I want to live? You really will not know your career path until you evaluate what makes you happy as a person. Hopefully this will get you thinking.Reevaluate your GOALS! A person should know what they want, PERIOD! Meaning be honest with yourself and find what makes you happy. I always go back to what makes you happy because to live your best life is to feel fulfilled. Once you figure out what makes you happy, see if that aligns with where you are in your career. It also depends on why you feel stuck. If you feel you aren’t earning enough or you haven’t climbed up the ladder into that promotion, then the question is, WHY? Be honest and redo your steps. If you aren’t where you want to be, DARE to take another course. You have to do something different to get a different results.
Ex: I originally went to college and was close to completing my degree but reality struck, I love the idea of being a Rn and I know so much about the medical field but I can’t see myself working long hours just to make money. I want to travel in my own time and live spontaneously. I don’t even care to work for someone else. I never believed in working a 9–5. So when I realized this, I had to make a change and since I was close to finishing my college work, I changed my degree all together. But guess what? I started my own business in coaching as I already was coaching 3 other people and didn’t realize this until someone brought it to my attention. Also upon starting college I knew I wanted to be an entertainer in the film industry. So my mindset was to go to school for an RN and and in my free time take acting classes and build my resume. I continued this but changed from an RN to a communications degree. Needless to say, I had a business before I had a degree and made a WHOLE lot of money without a degree and sometimes I think to myself, wow no degree and still reached a level of success. But guess what? I changed my path and reevaluated me. Working for myself is what made me happy and continuing my path as an RN was no longer my dream.
Make sure that your resume closely “matches” the job requirements of the position you want!Take on new, additional duties to learn new skills and take it to the next level. Emphasize your highest level duties in your position. Learn to review and analyze.
1)Take stock of who you are, what you’re good at and the kind of work you truly find inspiring
2) Develop a personal mission statement that aligns to your self assessment.
3) Then as you look over the landscape of your life, look for people who have manifested the kind of work success you ideally want for yourself and ask those people for advice. If you don’t know people who can help then start building a network today!
4) Layout a detailed plan that will get you to your goal
5) And last and most importantly, take action each and every day in the direction of where you are going.Assess where you are, decide where you would ideally like to be and develop a granular plan for getting you there in a specific time period.
If you are having difficulty achieving your career goals, there are so many resources out there to help you, take advantage of them. For example, a coach can help give you a fresh perspective. You don’t have to stay stuck in a career you don’t enjoy. Consider what you might be happier doing, explore other career paths, get input from friends and family and consider talking to a coach who can quickly help you get unstuck and help you decided what direction you’d like to move in.
It is essential to vet the workplace for your needs but to do that you have to know yourself and your needs. Take the time to do self-assessment work so that you know what you need to have and to avoid in your career. Look for careers and jobs that play to your strengths and strong interests and get the closest match within reason for your strong need-to-have items.People who feel stuck are usually unmotivated or under-utilized. Motivation comes from strong interests. If you can get into a career and a job with a content area that is interesting enough to you, it will help with your motivation unless there are other psychological or workplace culture issues that interfere with your sense of engagement. If you are doing boring and repetitive work, that can create a sense of being stuck. You might need to find a job with greater challenges or possibly go back to school to get a degree that will open doors to jobs that are more intellectually engaging and challenging and where you have more responsibility.
Be a proactive (not reactive) job seeker and take a multi-pronged approach to your job search (stop relying so much on job boards). Try doing something new and challenging. Just throw yourself into it!
Be confident and visualize your success. Break down stressful situations into sub-components and handle a little bit each day. Small victories every day.Think very deeply about what you really love doing and go for that.
How to discover their passions and how to find or create opportunities that match their passions. This is my specialty.There’s no one silver bullet trick that will help someone get “unstuck” in their career. It’s a series of tips, advice, practices, and processes that, once applied, will people start to see a way out of those feelings and a path toward something better.
But all of that starts with spending time in reflection on personal values and desires, and then discovering your unique differentiators that create your personal brand. From there, it takes learning who are the people most in need of your unique differentiators and how to articulate your brand to them.
This process is one of my most popular programs and it’s the foundational program to all my other programs. It’s the one my clients love the most and sets them up for success with all the other processes.
If you have to start somewhere without the help of a coach, begin by paying attention to and documenting what energizes you versus what drains you and what gives you peace versus what stresses you out. These things will serve as clues to your next steps.
Don't be afraid to do the research. One of the biggest blocks I see to people actually making a career change happen is that they feel like they should already know all the answers or have all the information on how to change careers. Don’t be afraid to go down the research rabbit hole at the beginning of your career change. Learn about different jobs, companies, industries, education options etc. Check out the profiles of people who do that particular job on LinkedIn and check out their career history. By collecting data at the beginning of your search, you’ll be able to make more confident decisions later on and will have a base of knowledge that will allow you to move forward more strategically. Allow yourself to be open to many options or to many different ways of making a change. Too often, we get locked into in the mindset that it’s everything or nothing, that there are only one or two choices i.e. either you quit or you stay in this role forever. Don’t limit yourself — maybe it is changing careers, but it also might be changing companies, changing cities or changing what side of the business you work on (like moving from an agency to the client side in the marketing world). It could even be adding a side hustle or doing some volunteer work that allows you to use some of your other skills sets or fulfill different values. Then, think about what move you really want to make first and then plot the steps that it will take you to get there — rather than trying to do everything in one single “perfect” leap.
You deserve to be happy at work. Get clear on who you are, your values and build a career working for and with people who share in those values. Get a coach! Maybe that is an obvious answer, but it’s true. I know because I’ve been there. We rely on professionals in other areas of our lives, why wouldn’t we rely on a coach to help us with the area of our life that consumes half (sometimes more) of our waking hours.
“Follow your bliss” Joseph Campbell Wherever you go, there you are. Work on improving who you are and the best career will come out of living vitally.
You have gifts that no one else has. Once you align your gifts with a universal need or service, you’ll successfully wake up and love what you do each and every day. Follow your passions! There are two choices. (1) Clarify what you want to do and make a change that will make you happy (2) Change your mindset around your career. Most suffering takes place in the mind.
The most important advice I have for people is to focus on a career that gives them personal satisfaction. The best feeling in the world is when work does not feel like work. I focus on helping people discover their lifelong careers not their next job. The ultimate goal is to find a path that leads to success and happiness.Re-evaluate, re-assess and restructure. There is no reason anyone should feel ‘stuck’. With the right career coach anyone can rediscover themselves and find the road to success and happiness.
"Develop a clear vision of what you want, and take step by step actions to achieve it.” I take people through that step by step process, beginning with asking questions about life purpose and values, and then to the practical steps to achieve a life vision, including resume development, LinkedIn optimization, interview effectiveness, and negotiation.I have developed a Career Wheel which identifies 10 areas of career reward and we identify the area(s) that is strong with reward, and the area(s) that they want to improve. Once identified, we develop steps to make those improvements.
To build a satisfying career, understand what you want your life to look like; how do you want to be spending your time, who do you want to be working with and what types of problems do you enjoy solving? Invite someone out for coffee that you admire and ask them about their process.
Get in touch with who you are in the areas of abilities, interests, personality, and values before you attempt to make a career decision.Talk with a professional who can help you identify the issues causing you to be stuck and what changes should be made.
Know Thyself. Before launching any type of job search or career change you must first know yourself really well. You can’t sell something you don’t understand, and successfully competing for career opportunities requires a solid understanding of personal value and achievements. Take time on a regular basis to assess skill sets and record notable achievements to support claims. If you aren’t sure what sets you apart from competitors, employ a career professional to assist. Build confidence for promotions and job changes by understanding what makes you tick and owning the areas you’ve consistently excelled at throughout your career. Engage assistance. Not all careers run smooth and feeling stuck is a natural thing. Yet there is no need to tackle this challenge alone, nor remain locked in a negative space. Create a support network to help. Your network might include friends and family in addition to qualified, paid professionals who are there to guide, motivate, and encourage you. Ideas to help you move forward include: engaging in career assessments to identify new areas of interest, asking other people about their personal journey and how they got to be where they are, and exploring ways to improve your situation through additional education, professional development, or volunteer experience.
Choosing your inner mindset towards your life and career is your greatest source of power. If you can shift your intention to viewing everything that is arising in your world as an opportunity for liberation and growth, you will be able to navigate anything. As a Meditation Teacher as well as a Career Coach, I often share the mindfulness community’s phrase that whatever “you resist, persists”, and rather, you need to “attend and befriend” what you’re going through to shift and find the answers and the path you’re looking for. Even if you have no idea what you’re doing, just choosing to engage anyways and to have the courage to turn towards what’s calling your attention in your life, matters. Just bringing your willingness to engage and your presence to the situation is a huge step forward! And if you can cultivate a sense of curiosity and compassion in your mind towards your situation, then even when it’s difficult, you will be able to allow life to move you in the direction you need to go for the next level of your journey! Also, as much as you can get away from a linear growth mindset into one of cycles like the seasons of our Earth, you can begin to trust the natural creative flow of planting seeds for new beginnings, growth, harvesting the fruits, destruction and hibernation so that new opportunities can emerge for you and guide you to even greater possibilities!“Stuck” is really just a perception. Things are always flowing, growing, and changing in the natural world. So the invitation is to start to get curious about what moves you and what keeps you from moving. Start running mini-experiments to reconnect with your desires (impulses to move), and clear out fears that are creating the feelings of impasse and inertia. One way to do this is to try to avoid falling into the trap of repeating the same old story in your mind of feeling stuck, and instead to drop into curiosity, creativity, and connection. A few tips are to start asking more questions to open up new ways of being in the world, like “How do I want to feel in my career development process?” Perhaps you want to feel more relaxed or supported. And then, “What is one small step I can take to begin creating that experience for myself?” Perhaps you need to ask for more support from others to feel more at ease in your process. It’s also important to drop out of your mental body and into other forms of consciousness to be able to feel more inspired and generate new creative solutions to move forward. If you like to dance, make music, or even just doodle, engaging in various art forms before and while trying to solve a career challenge, can help you free your mind and open up to fresh insights, energy, and new possibilities. Plus, it’s more fun that way! Lastly, movement forward always happens in connection with the people and world around you. We tend to isolate when we “feel stuck” which only leads to more “stuckness”. Gather a trusted circle of friends, family, or contacts, or even contact a career/life coach to help you find new ways to receive resources, encouragement, and opportunities on your journey!
It is less advice as it is guidance to answers my clients need in order to exact change. We all have our purpose, infinite knowledge, and more capacity within us, and my task as a coach is to help people find that. Meditate. Ask yourself why. “Why do I feel stuck?” Being or feeling stuck is usually a symptom of other layers not yet peeled back. Shift your focus to gratitude. Rather than the stuck feelings or the negative feelings, spend 10-minutes morning + night focused intently on the things in your life that are going where you want them to. Even if they are tiny, minute things. Any one or all of these approaches will yield fairly quick results for someone.
It would depend a lot on what that particular person desires out of their career. Its important to be strategic and intentional about what you want career-wise. The best way to do this is to plan. Create a plan… you may need to update it along the way but at least you have a focus. If you don’t have a focus on what you want, you're guaranteed not to get there.
Small changes in the way you communicate will bring huge results. Take some time to think about where you are now and where you want to be. Then, make a plan to get there. Invest in yourself. Get training in your gap skill areas so you are ready for your next career move. Work with a career or business coach to build a plan and learn how to implement it.
Everyone has heard that networking is a great way to find a new job. The key is to develop your network BEFORE you need them. Unfortunately, the only time most people give any thought to networking is when they’re looking for a new position or suddenly find themselves out of work. They start attending networking events, pass out their business cards, and expect strangers to help them find a job. They may contact people they don’t know on LinkedIn, ask them for advice, and wonder why they don’t hear back. Networking isn’t scrambling around asking strangers for help, it’s building relationships over the years so people will be there when we need them. Make professional development part of your life, look for ways to grow with your current employer, and always be open to new opportunities. Changing jobs or even careers isn’t easy, but it can be done.
To always set small, realistic goals and crush them one at a time . The years will pass by whether you decide to make that change or not. Do it !
As a career coach who is also an image consultant, I always advise people to consider their image as a strategic lever that can help them in their career progression. While the technical and soft skills are paramount, one’s image is an additional tool that most professionals often overlook. Let’s face it, if you’re working in corporate America, your appearance can signal confidence and credibility. One of the major reasons why high performing employees often get knocked out of the race for critical roles and promotions is because they don’t look the part.When people get stuck I counsel them to examine their core values and strengths. Are they in a role or career that they love? Are they still being challenged? Does the career align to their values and strengths? The answers to these and other questions can provide the clarity and direction they need in order to chose a career path that they love.
Go for the job you will love! As the saying goes, ‘money isn’t everything’ and it stinks to be in a job you hate. Taking a job you are interested in even if you make a little less is will make a world of difference in your life. Try a career assessment. You might find something else you’d like to do instead. You are never too old to take a class or earn a new certification. You can also ask your employer for different responsibilities so you can try something new and mix it up a little bit. Sometimes we just need a change. If you aren’t in a position to change careers, trying something new in your company will help you from feeling bored or stuck.
That they aren’t their jobs. We learn as children to be defined by what we do for a living because people often ask “What do you want to BE when you grow up.” Realizing there is more to us than how we make a living takes a lot of pressure off of us with regard to our careers. I work with my clients to bring creativity into their career lives. When we feel stuck it’s often because some part of our spirit is not being fed. I help my clients to strike a solid work-life balance.
Be courageous enough to be honest with yourself about who you are, what you value, and what you love to do. Own your fears and imperfections; it’s ok! We all have doubts, fears, and things we’re not great at. When we can do the hard good work of being honest with ourselves, we can find work, jobs, careers, that are meaningful to us.It’s perfectly normal to feel “stuck” from time to time. Ask yourself what you think/feel is causing you to feel “stuck.” Perhaps you’ve done all that you can learn and do in your current role. Maybe you’re not in a job or career that fits well with your values and interests. Make a list or draw a picture of what you like and energizes you about your current role and what is challenging, boring, or difficult. What’s coming up? If it’s a case of you love your job but it could use a few tweaks, you might be able to have a conversation with you supervisor about some of your responsibilities or the structure of your role. But if your list of negatives outweighs the positives, it’s time to look deeper at the roots of your frustration. Maybe you and your supervisor just can’t get on the same page, your workplace is toxic, or you’ve discovered a new career interest. You would benefit from further exploration about what you like and what motivates you so you can find a career that better suits you. Right now, most people won’t have 1–2 careers for their entire working lives and accepting that career change is normal can be helpful for people who might not want the same career for decades.
Know what you want clearly and be fuzzy on how you get there.Tough one with no context, why do you feel stuck? Generally I would say if you are feeling stuck in your career, practice your hobby. Often inspiration in our lives spills over into other areas of our lives as well. Practicing your hobbies more may bring an inspiration that carriers over to work or sparks what it is you want to be doing clear in your mind. Start with what you know and love. Let the answers come from there or better questions to dig on.
Be intentional and dedicated to personal and professional growth every day. If you are not getting better you are falling behind. Focus (with the help of others) on your ‘WHY’.
It is important to be clear on what you want in your next role and to have realistic expectations. Just because you have a passion for teaching, doesn’t mean you’re willing to go back to school and obtain additional education or be willing to take a pay cut. The best thing to do is to fully understand your talents and abilities and learn how using those skills can translate into a career. Try to figure out what aspects of your career you’re no longer loving and what aspects of your career you love. Then it’s a matter of asking yourself how you can start doing more of those things you love and less of the things you don’t. Is it possible to restructure your role in order to accommodate those things you enjoy doing? Or is there an opportunity to take on other assignments to fulfill your needs? If not, then maybe it’s time to make a change.
Without exception, professional connections are the most important aspects of a career. Creating and cultivating relationships is one of the most rewarding components of career development. It can also be one of the most frustrating! Learning to listen effectively can help build successful working (and personal) relationships. According to Flynn, Valikoski, & Grau (2008, p. ), “Being a good listener is one of the most important skills in the workplace.” Whether you are receiving instructions, listening to a client, or just making small talk, being a good listener is a key to success in the workplace. A Dec. 2012 Scientific American Mind article, How to Use your Ears to Influence People, by Toni Rodriquez (p. 20), conducted research which rated coworkers on influence, verbal expression, and listening behaviors. The study indicated that good listening skills had a stronger effect on influence than talking did. The article goes on to say that 82% of respondents prefer to talk to great listeners, not great speakers. To sum it up — listen more, talk less.
it is possible to have a balanced, rewarding career. You are responsible for learning what works for you in your work life.There are many, many ways to move past stuck in your career, you just have to be open to changing your mindset and improving yourself.
The level of success you achieve in your career will be based upon the career plan you create and the accountability partner or mentor you have to help hold you accountable!The first step to getting unstuck in your career is realizing you’re stuck and then looking at when and or how you got stuck in your career. You first must deal with what made you get stuck before you can create a plan of action. Also, it’s important to understand that getting stuck in your career didn’t happen overnight and can’t be fixed overnight. The first step is making sure your thoughts align with where you want to go with your career, I like to say if you can believe it then you can achieve it!
Remember that the most powerful way to brand yourself as you pursue career transition is to remember that prospective employers are looking for a complete package from job seekers which includes your resume, interview skillset, robust experience, expertise, and more. It’s important for you to work to enhance every component of what might get you your next dream role.Stop and reflect on what it is you truly want to do, then go about working on a strategic plan to get there, one small, significant step at a time.
You possess the wisdom and courage to face whatever is happening in your life; this is true for almost everyone, but it’s especially true if you know three things about yourself: who you are, what you want and what’s most important to you…when your values are clear, your decisions will be easy.I usually start by talking about how normal it is to feel stuck and helping them realize it is most likely impossible to get unstuck by themselves. We all need a push sometimes and finding a friend, counselor or professional coach who can help us process the challenges and emotions of their situation is the best way to reclaim the direction of their life and career.
Know how to talk about yourself in an authentic way, that gets people excited to know you, work with you and/or hire you. 1. Be clear about what is most important to you in your career. 2. Determine how what it takes to achieve it. 3. Break that down into comprehensive but manageable steps. 4. Start off by spending 30 minutes a day (5 days a week) working on the steps, one step at a time.
It not an easy road looking for work, changing careers or taking the plunge to develop a new skills set. I often tell people to never give up. Each experience (good or bad) teaches you something and those experiences you can draw from in future. I might sound like a broken record here, but if you feel stuck in your career I’d tell you to never give up! Sometimes if you just find a new angle or a new way of doing your everyday tasks, your career can seem interesting again. It’s also about knowing yourself, you are the best person to judge how salvageable a situation is. So reflect, and never give up!
A common thread I come across between all of my clients whether they are looking for a new career, stuck and lost in their current career or desperate for a new job is that they are all getting in their own way. My job is to figure point that out to them and as a team we figure out how they are preventing themselves from moving forward and some tips and tricks to overcome it. A lot of the time it is a self-esteem issue and so we work on ways to get them realizing their worth and also ways to stop the negative self talk, destructive coping and defense mechanisms and overall cynical world view.A good first step is to complete some assessments, my go to is the MBTI (free on at 16personalities.com). The second step is to complete an “Interests, Motivations and Skills” assessment — what have you also loved to do, what is motivating you RIGHT NOW, and what hard and soft skills do you have. All of this may tell you that you are in the right career but just need to change industries to suit your personality type in order to feel more satisfied. Or it may open the door to some other careers.
Learn how to translate your skills and expertise into language that employers can understand. However talented and experienced you are, you must be able to ‘speak the employer’s language’, especially when you’re changing careers.Take a look at job adverts in other careers, and explore out how someone with your skills and experience could switch into those careers. Conduct interviews with people in other professions and industries, and find out what skills and experience are in demand. Consider how you could match that profile yourself.
One of the most important gifts we can give ourselves is to be open to opportunities when they present themselves. This means even if you are happy with your current job, take time to listen. You’ll never know what fabulous opportunities are out there unless you’re willing to hear about them.
The precursor to this advice is, you should always be prepared to interview. Meaning, your resume and LinkedIn should be updated frequently. Have your professional statement — a.k.a. “elevator speech” — down pat. First, it’s important to remember we all have options when it comes to our careers. It may take time to find the options, but they are out there. The “stuck” feeling is temporary. If you feel stuck simply due to the company or situation — not because you want to change fields — the first step towards feeling “unstuck” is to update your resume and LinkedIn profile. Once these two items are complete, you have the basics for networking and applying for new opportunities as you find them. You have now taken control of your career and a feeling of empowerment will kick in. More challenging are those individuals who feel stuck because they are unsure of what they want to do next, and/or don’t understand how their skills and experience translate to another field of interest. Assuming you are unsure of your next career move, the short answer is to consider two options outside of your day jobs in an attempt to discover where your interests intersect with your skills.
First, find a cause you’re passionate about and volunteer for a project or event. Whether you’re in marketing, accounting, or IT, by offering your professional skills to the non-profit you’re adding to your resume while determining if you still enjoy what you do (maybe it’s just the organization?) or if it really is time to find a different line of work. And helping a great cause in the process.
Second, find a side hustle. Maybe you’ve dreamt of opening a café but have no clue as to what it takes. Why not work at one part-time to see if you like it? Think you want to move into a creative field? Pick up a side-hustle that allows you to explore that avenue. Need a certification to move on to the next career level, at your current company or even the next one? Do it now!
All of these provide a sense of empowerment; that you are in control of the situation vs. the company. And that is the first step in feeling “unstuck” in your career.
Authentic self awareness is the foundation of self development and it all begins with effective self leadership!Reflect on how you think: We act the way we think! Our thought create our results and get someone you trust to help you think through your challenges.
Address your internal barriers, such as confidence, anxiety, post-work trauma and the issues that might cause self-sabotaging behaviors like procrastination before trying to pin yourself too securely to a certain path.I encourage my clients who feel ‘stuck’ in their career to pursue a pastime in their free time that lets them play and connect with a more creative or unconventional side of themselves. It helps if this thing is separate from their current career and sort of “protected” as something no one else can judge or minimize as it is allowed to grow and develop.
If you can master self-discipline and make action as important as your planning ability. The opportunities and goals that you can achieve is limitless. Audit their routine and the people who they hang out with the most. Small changes in your routine such as starting the day with cardio and/or meditation can make a world of a difference. There’s truth in the cliche “The five people you hangout with the most, you become”. So find someone that radiates positivity.
