Perhaps you jumped straight into a job after grad school and now, five years later, you're bored, unfulfilled, and spinning your wheels. Or maybe you've excelled in your position, but now you feel that you've risen as far in the company as you can go. In other words, you're stuck in a career rut.
Related:6 Ways To Dig Yourself Out Of A Career Rut
In a tight job market, people who are dissatisfied with their jobs tend to stay put. Does that mean you have to stay in a job that doesn't challenge you, provide meaning, or offer long-term career benefits? Not necessarily. It's possible to change your behavior, attitude, outlook, and workplace relationships in such a way that today's dull job becomes tomorrow's exciting career opportunity.
In other words, you don't have to quit your job to get out of a career rut. All you have to do is start moving in a fresh direction.
Here are four tips for creating forward movement when your career seems stalled:
Step 1: Imagine Your Destination
Before you get in a car, you know where you're going. The same is true for your career. Take some time to write down where you'd like to go next. The more specific your goal, the better. Set a date by which you want to accomplish this goal. The purpose of this activity is twofold.
First, writing down a career destination helps you draw a distinct contrast between where you are now and where you'd like to be. It may even help you articulate, in your mind, why you got stuck in the first place. Second, having a concrete goal statement that you can read daily adds fuel to your process of moving forward. It's motivating and encouraging.
Step 2: Identify Your Obstacles
Write down everything that may block your progress toward accomplishing your new career goal. Don't censor yourself—just make a list of every obstacle you can think of. Now, make three columns on a page and place your obstacles into one of three categories: (1) Things I Can Control; (2) Things I May Be able to Influence, and (3) Things That Are Out of My Control.
This is a critical step because, as behaviorists have learned, it's a great relief and very energizing for us to understand that we can't control everything. Cross out everything in column three. Now you can put all your energy into all the obstacles you can or may be able to control.
Step 3: Try On Some New Behaviors
Try on a new you. Think of your job as an opportunity to learn and experiment. For example, if you're someone who moseys in at five minutes after nine each day, try coming to work at eight for a week or so. You may get to know a whole different set of coworkers at that hour, or you may discover that you can work on skills that you normally don't have time to develop.
Another way to try on new behaviors is to ask outside experts or inside mentors for advice and feedback on what you're doing right and where you could modify your behavior. Observe movers and shakers in your company to see how they behave, whom they talk to, and what their habits are. Try to adopt some of those "success behaviors."
Step 4: Change The Way You Communicate
One of the main reasons people get stuck at a certain level in their job is because of what behaviorists call mismatched communication styles. How you communicate with influential people can either lead to misunderstandings about your effectiveness and intention, or instant affinity and a positive impression.
Analyze your own communication behaviors. Are you assertive and quick to act, or introverted and a strategizer? Do you talk before you think? Next, pay attention to your boss's style. If your boss is direct and "get it done" but you need time to process information and plan, you may come across to her as slow, procrastinating, or even resistant to feedback or authority. Try to modify your approach to match her style. Use the same words your boss uses; match her tone and approach to the degree you can.
Try these four steps and after a month or so, do an inventory of how you feel about your career. Do you feel more challenged and hopeful? Are co-workers and managers treating you differently? Are there new doors opening up for you at work? Career ruts can be caused, largely, by one's mindset. Changing your thoughts, behaviors, and attitudes is the best way to get unstuck.
This post was originally published on an earlier date.
Are you terrified of screwing up a job interview? Does the thought of writing a cover letter horrify you? Are you scared to network with others? What do you even say, anyway? If you're struggling to overcome your job search fears, this live event is for you.
We get it. Looking for work can be scary, especially if you’ve been at it for a long time and haven’t gotten any results.
Understanding which fears are getting in the way and how to overcome them will make all the difference. Sometimes you might not be aware of which obstacle is getting in the way of your goals. If you want to overcome these fears once and for all, we invite you to join us!
In this training, you’ll learn how to:
Utilize strategies for coping with your job search fears
Be confident in your job search—from writing your resume to networking
Face your fears and move forward
Join our CEO, J.T. O'Donnell, and Director of Training Development & Coaching, Christina Burgio, for this live event on Wednesday, October 5th at 12 pm ET.
CAN'T ATTEND LIVE? That's okay. You'll have access to the recording and the workbook after the session!
True or false? Recruiters don't read cover letters.
Most people may think this is true, but guess what? They're wrong!
Recruiters do, in fact, read the good cover letters.
So, what does that tell us? If most people don't hear back from recruiters, and recruiters only read good cover letters, that means a majority of cover letters aren't written well and, therefore, don't stand out to them.
That may be hard to hear, but it's the truth.
CRITICAL Cover Letter Mistakes
Often, there's WAY too much "blah, blah, blah" and "brag, brag, brag" going on in a cover letter. If you write a cover letter that only focuses on how great you are, recruiters are going to toss it.
Why? Because it's exactly like all the other cover letters they've read.
Think about it. Why should they think you're incredible when they've read hundreds of other cover letters saying other people are incredible, too?
If you want to stand out in the hiring process, you MUST have an attention-grabbing cover letter. This an important tool to have, and one that shouldn't be glossed over. In some cases, your cover letter can hold more power than your resume. That's huge, right?
Getting Personal On Your Cover Letter
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Because the cover letter holds so much power, you need to know how to write one that stands out from the rest. One way to do that is to show a personal connection with the employer.
So, how exactly do you do that?
You can explain how you learned that what they do is special. Showing them that you personally connect with their brand will make you memorable.
Another thing you can do is tell them what it was like the first time you used their product or service. That also shows recruiters that you understand the company and that you believe in what they do.
Lastly, you can tell them about an overall life experience that helps you feel connected to their tribe. This shows that your values and beliefs align with theirs.
The big fact here is that the more personal the cover letter, the better! When you have a cover letter that really has recruiters at "hello," you know you have their heart AND their mind engaged.
Creating That Crucial Connection
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The reason you want to get personal in your cover letter is because you want to create an emotional connection with a recruiter. Once you establish that connection, you're not just a piece of paper anymore.
This is what we at Work It Daily call a disruptive cover letter. Why? Because it disrupts the reader and gets them to snap out of autopilot mode and really think about who you are as a candidate.
The First Step When Writing A Disruptive Cover Letter
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The first thing you need to do is watch a quick video tutorial on how to write this kind of cover letter. You're going to want to see specific examples so that you know how you should be writing them.
Step 2: Fill Out A Simple Template
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You'll have a template that tells you where the beginning, middle, and end of your cover letter are, and what content should be where. This gives you a great foundation for how to fill out a cover letter properly.
Step 3: Submit That Cover Letter For Review
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Once you're done with your amazing cover letter, have someone review it.
It's always good to have a second set of eyes on this, especially someone who understands cover letters, recruiters, and the hiring process. This person should be checking grammar, spelling, etc.
So, when all is said and done, how long should it take you to craft a disruptive cover letter? The average time is between one and two hours. That may seem like a lot of time, but think of it this way: once you've built a cover letter you know will grab a recruiter's attention, you'll be able to use that cover letter format for other job opportunities. You'll just have to tweak the content in your disruptive cover letter here and there to match the company and job you're applying to.
Does The Disruptive Cover Letter REALLY Work?
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Here at Work It Daily, we know these disruptive cover letters work. We've seen hundreds of our clients write KILLER cover letters and get calls for their dream jobs!
So, wouldn't learning how to write your own disruptive cover letter be good for your career? If so, how much would it be worth?
All of us at Work It Daily personally believe that it's priceless.
Owning your career change or job search process is a powerful thing, and we believe you can take control of that process and do incredible things.
Need more help writing a disruptive cover letter recruiters will love?
Let's face it: job search can be challenging, and staying motivated during a frustrating job search can seem impossible sometimes. However, it's critical that you stay positive. Otherwise, you risk falling into a downward spiral, which will only make things worse.
So, how can you get past your job search struggles?
Here are some tips for staying motivated during a frustrating job search:
1. Find Things You Can Get Excited About
What gets you excited? Think about your hobbies and interests. What do you do for fun in your life? Make sure you dedicate at least one day a week to doing what you love. This will help you get your mind off of the negative and focus on the things you enjoy.
Looking for a job shouldn't take up all of your time. By customizing your resume for each position you apply for and writing disruptive cover letters, you won't need to spend hours a day sending your job applications to a dozen different employers. Two or three will do.
For a strategic job search, quality is always better than quantity. It also means you'll stay motivated, won't get burnt out, and still have time to do the things you love to do. Balance is key!
2. Surround Yourself With People Who Inspire You
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When you're feeling down in the dumps, it's important to surround yourself with positivity. Make an effort to meet up with positive influences in your life—your family, friends, significant other, and mentors. These people will help you stay on track.
Also, surround yourself with your "virtual mentors," people who inspire you from afar. Whether they're celebrities, successful business people, or authors, keep them "nearby." Read their books or showcase their inspirational quotes. A little inspiration can go a long way.
3. Help Others
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Helping makes us feel good! If you're feeling bad about yourself, see how you can help someone else. Volunteer. Pay it forward. Give back somehow. This will recharge you and get you in a good mood.
Another way to help others is to provide value to your professional network, whether on LinkedIn or in person. Share articles, videos, or podcasts you find inspirational, informative, and insightful. Offer to help your connections in any way you can. Chances are, they will be more than happy to return the favor, and may refer you to an open position at their company.
Never help anyone with the expectation of receiving something in return, though! If helping others keeps you motivated and makes you feel grateful for what you do have, don't stop doing it while looking for a job.
4. Get Some Exercise
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You've got to expel that negative energy! Make sure you take time to exercise daily. Take a walk. Go for a run. Do yoga. Lift weights. Just get GOING! Exercising equal endorphins and endorphins make you happy.
Not having structure can make your life seem unstable. Create a plan for your week on Sunday nights. Have a schedule and stick to it. If you like to-do lists, write one of those too.
You'll feel accomplished at the end of the week when you look back and see everything you got done while making time for yourself and prioritizing your career as well as your physical and mental well-being.
Staying motivated during a frustrating job search isn't easy. We hope these tips will help you find the motivation to not only land your next job but also improve your career.
When everything feels overwhelming, just remember to work it daily! Small, consistent actions can make a big difference. Good luck out there.
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