How To Reinvent Your Career When You’re Feeling Stuck In A Rut

It used to be the case that a career was something you picked in your 20s, worked hard at, and lived out your days happily ever after. However, in the words of Bob Dylan, the times they are a-changin’. Although our ideas about working life have been gradually becoming more fluid for decades, Covid threw an accelerant into the mix, and caused many of us take stock to reflect on what truly makes us happy. This led to unprecedented numbers of people finding new roles, becoming self-employed, or even choosing to take a career break. Even now, a reported 60% of us are considering changing roles in the near future – a stat that would have been shocking to many as little as five years ago.  

The takeaway from all this is that careers don’t need to be static anymore. Rather, you can consider your professional life a work-in-progress that you amend and tweak along the way as your needs and preferences change. Whether you’re thinking about a total career switch up or you’re simply feeling a little lacklustre in your current role, in this article, we’ll explore six steps to help reinvent your career if you’re feeling bored or stuck.  

1. Try to examine the deeper issues, and visualise!

Even if you’re only feeling a bit of career fatigue, there’s probably something deeper at play. Maybe you could do your job with your eyes shut and it feels like there’s no challenge left anymore, or maybe you’re frustrated being managed by someone else. Either way, it’s time for some serious introspection. Try keeping detailed notes over the course of a week, and make a note of when you feel frustration or boredom – you’ll most likely start to see a pattern that will help you identify your next move. After you’ve completed this, try a few visualisation exercises to see if you can gain any more clarity – if it’s good enough for all the top sports starts and CEOs, it’s good enough for the rest of us! Even though you might not know the exact changes you want to make yet, visualisation will help you to picture your future self in a career that makes you happy and fulfilled, and may help bring your desires and goals into sharper focus.  

2. Define your core values

Core values aren’t just business spiel, they’re deeply important for all of us to hold. Only by understanding what matters to you most will you be able to plan out exactly what your future should look like. Yep, it’s time to get that notepad out again and start writing! As an example, three core values might be: creativity, autonomy, and compassion. You can then use these values to reverse-engineer what your next move might be. Let’s say you work in an office job that leaves very little room for interacting with others but you feel strongly about helping and making a difference – that’s a good indicator it might be time to switch industries or sectors entirely into one that allows you to exercise your compassion and make the most of your desire to help. This could lead you to explore opportunities in fields like social work, nonprofit organisations, or community outreach. 

3. Think about your transferrable skills

Consider your transferrable skills as valuable assets that can propel you forward in your career reinvention. Take stock of the skills you have developed throughout your previous roles, experiences, and even hobbies. Whether it’s effective communication, problem-solving, leadership, or technical expertise, these transferrable skills can serve as a solid foundation for your new career path. For example, if you excel in analytical thinking and data analysis, you could explore opportunities in finance, marketing, or research. Don’t overlook the importance of soft skills such as teamwork, adaptability, and time management, too. These interpersonal skills are highly sought after by employers across different fields and can enhance your success in any new career endeavour. 

4. Make a plan

Reinventing your career could mean several different things. It might just mean getting the additional skills you need to gain a promotion into management, it might mean taking on a side-hustle, or it might mean switching careers entirely. Either way, developing a solid career plan is paramount. Create a timeline for your career plan, setting realistic milestones and deadlines for each step. This will help you stay focused and accountable as you work towards your goals. Consider incorporating both short-term and long-term objectives to provide a sense of direction and progress. Regularly reassess your career plan to ensure it remains aligned with your evolving goals and circumstances, and be open to adjusting your plan as needed. After all, Rome wasn’t built in a day! 

5. Do your research

Once you have some idea of the changes you’d like to make and have started visualising your future, it’s time to do some real research to ensure your aspirations are possible and practical. There’s a whole wealth of career resources out there, so get creative. Read about different professions, start watching tutorials, and connect with others on LinkedIn who work in fields you think you might enjoy. Once you form a connection, you could even reach out with a few questions, or ask to shadow someone for the day. You should also find out if your desired career transformation will require any additional training or an internship, and examine your finances to ensure you have the means to support yourself during the transition.  

6. Seek out expertise and advice

You might choose to speak with trusted friends and family members about your goals to see if they have any advice or insights – after all, no one knows you better than them. Alternatively, you might choose to discuss the changes you’d like to make with a therapist or a career coach. They’ll be able to make sure you’ve thought through all your plans thoroughly, and you’re making smart and balanced decisions. Once you know how you’d like to reinvent your career, however, your best friend will most likely be a trusted recruiter – while you have the vision, they have the knowledge, expertise and the network to make it a reality!  

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