If you’ve reached a point where your role feels like a dead end, you’re not alone. Research from Gallup suggests that almost 62% of employees say they are not engaged at work, and 15% are actively disengaged. Dissatisfaction is common enough that more than half (52%) of employees are watching for or actively seeking a new job.
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So, what can you do when your career is stuck in a rut? Five business leaders give us their advice.
1. Get certified in something new
Miguel Morgado, senior product owner for the Performance Hub at satellite company Eutelsat Group, said he’s experienced several ups and downs during his career.
He advised other professionals who feel stuck in a rut to get the paperwork that proves they’re capable of moving into new areas.
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“If you don’t know certain subjects, take a certification. For example, if you want to work in data, take a Snowflake certification. Just show people, ‘Okay, I don’t have the experience, but I have the skills to get into a basic position.’ To have a certification is important.”
Morgado told ZDNET that certifications can be expensive, whether for Snowflake or something related to a cloud platform, such as AWS, Google, or Azure.
However, managers will look at certified professionals favorably. He said bosses are also keen to see that people have strong soft skills — and these capabilities will become even more important as emerging technology takes hold.
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“With the AI revolution that’s taking place, I think you need to think logically and invest in things that machines will not be able to do,” he said.
“Soft skills, such as leading people, communicating efficiently, and managing situations effectively, will be really important.”
2. Take any opportunities
Sasha Jory, CIO at insurance firm Hastings Direct, said professionals should be prepared to take on new adventures if they want to give their careers a boost.
“I’ve always been somebody who takes any opportunity that comes my way,” she said. “So, don’t be too focused on structuring things and thinking that you have to go through your career in a set order to be successful.”
Jory developed her IT leadership skills during roles with blue-chip finance firms. She joined insurer Hastings Direct in 2019 to lead the firm’s digital change program.
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As Jory began to exert her influence at Hastings, new openings emerged. She became CIO in January 2023 and leads digitalization, security, and technology. Jory told ZDNET that the key to success is embracing change
“If opportunities present themselves, don’t be afraid to take them. As you gain more experience, you grow and become a better leader, and more opportunities follow. So don’t be afraid — try anything.”
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3. Gain a specialist skill
Jon Grainger, CTO at legal firm DWF, said he calls decisions on where to take your career next “turn left at the traffic lights” moments and explains how he gave someone advice on how to kickstart their career with confidence.
“When I was at a big consulting company, and I’d been there for quite a while, someone joined and said, ‘Jon, I’m never going to know this company like you. You’ve been here a long time, and you know everyone,'” he recalled.
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“And I said, ‘Actually, that’s not the case. You’ll only need to be here for three years to gain 80% to 90% of what I know. That extra 10% comes with tenure. And you’ll be able to get that 10% and make that specialist area your own.'”
Grainger told ZDNET that professionals often feel it’s too late to move into a new area and gain new skills, especially in a complex area like technology. However, he said the fast pace of change can be your best friend if you want to try something fresh.
“The technology world might seem inaccessible to some. But the things we would have been talking about even two years ago are very different from what we’re talking about now because of the rapid rise of generative AI,” he said.
“So, I think people need to understand that there is that degree of change and you can get into a new area if that’s what you want to do.”
4. Find your happy place
Claire Thompson, group chief data and analytics officer at financial services firm L&G, said it’s much easier to kickstart your career in bigger companies because there are more ways to change direction.
“People don’t always recognize the breadth of different roles available in large organizations,” she said.
“These businesses have many different roles you can get involved in – technology, data, customer service, partnerships, asset management – there’s a variety of different roles.”
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For professionals still unsure about where to go next, Thompson told ZDNET that any attempt to kickstart your career must leave you satisfied.
“I always advocate taking a step back. Think about what you enjoy doing and what makes you happy,” she said.
“I love what I do. I think it’s much easier when you come in every day, you’re doing something where you feel like you’re making a difference, and you can influence the direction the company is going in.”
5. Reflect on your career journey
Andy Heyes, managing director UK&I and Central Europe at global technology recruiter Harvey Nash, said it’s important for professionals to take some time to reflect.
“Why do you feel stuck in a rut? What do you like about your role? What don’t you like about it? What are your longer-term career ambitions?” he said.
“Then, speak to people. It’s important to keep connected to others in the industry and stay abreast of technology trends. Go to events, read the press, and be curious. This interest may bring inspiration as to where you want to go, and what direction you want to head in.”
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Heyes told ZDNET that professionals then have two choices – change roles internally or find a new position elsewhere.
“For the former, look at what opportunities exist, speak to your boss, put your hand up to get involved in any new initiatives,” he said. “Think about learning and development too, which may involve personally investing in training courses or upskilling. Is there an emerging area, such as AI, automation, or big data, that interests you?”
If you decide that the time has come to look for a new role somewhere else, research the market carefully, build a relationship with recruitment consultants, and see what opportunities are out there.
“You have nothing to lose – and when the right opportunity comes up, the likelihood is that you’ll instantly recognize it as something that could be for you.”
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Source: Robotics - zdnet.com
