3 Career Plateaus and How to Use Them to Your Advantage

Are you wishing you were somewhere else doing something different? Many people leave college and enter a career path that seems to be the ideal choice for their future only to find themselves stifled, struggling, or just downright bored with it. Why do so many men and women seek out a new career path even if they have spent a decade or longer in their current position?rnInterestingly, Forbes.com states that job-hopping, or making the change from one career to the next, is not just happening, but it is becoming the new normal for millennials. It also reports that the average worker today is moving on in just 4.4 years. Let's be frank in saying that most people can't afford to just pickup and switch careers every time they hit a career plateau, but most people find themselves here. What does it mean? How can you use these career plateaus for your own advantages? The Reasons Why It HappensrnWhen it comes to holding back and hitting that plateau, there are three very common causes you need to know if you are feeling the symptoms of needing to move on. #1 - You're BoredrnOne of the main reasons individuals seek out new careers or become less happy about their current one is as simple as being bored. If it is the same old thing day in and day out, you are bored with the job. You are lacking challenges that breathe life into your day's work. That's not only hard to deal with, but it can make you hate your job. #2 - You Lack SkillsrnIn today's highly competitive market, you cannot expect to move up if you don't have the skills to do so. The problem is, skills are outdated in even a short amount of time after obtaining that certification or degree. If you lack the skills necessary to progress to a new position, you are stuck, unable to move forward until you make a change. #3 - Ethics and ValuesrnIt's a cutthroat world out there and in order to remain competitive in today's market, you have to outdo the other guy. For many people, though, that's just not in the cards. You have ethics and your values tell you not to move up into the less-than-good upper management within your current position. So, What Do You Do About It?rnConsider these scenarios, you have a few decisions. You can make some changes, or you can continue to dread going in to work each day. Here're a few helpful tips. • Learn from these reasons. Once you know why you are facing a plateau, you'll be able to make better decisions about what to do from there on out. Know what you like and don't like about your job and find a way to fix it. • Bring new life into your current position. Find ways to move beyond the basics of what you do. For example, you may want to start cross training with another team member to add some vibrancy into your portfolio. • Make a move to a new department, but stay at the same level. Even if you don't have the skills (just yet) to move up, you may be able to move into a different department to get added experience and training. The bottom line is that plateaus do happen, but they do not have to dominate your future. It's up to you to find a way to move forward either with new education and training, on to a new job, or into a new position.