Changing Careers – 10 Signs You’re Stuck In A Dead End Job

Thinking of changing careers but unsure whether you’re making the right decision? If more than a few of these are true it could be time for a career change.

Why You Might Consider A Career Change

Job and career satisfaction are important in the long term when working at an organization. If you’re given the opportunity to take on a greater responsibility and receive higher wages, then you’re more likely to be satisfied with your career. There are cases where career satisfaction reaches the lowest point and it feels as if you’re trapped in a stagnant position. These are the moments it can be worth considering changing careers.

Here’s 10 signs that you’re stuck in a dead end job:

1. No change in routine

Are you bored of doing the same thing over and over again, day after day, month after month? Particularly this may be an issue for those who now work from home full time due to COVID. Does it feel like you’re not learning anything new or doing anything that will lead to working on projects that contribute to the bigger picture of the organization? Constantly being dumped with menial tasks can be a sign that your higher ups aren’t recognizing your true potential.

2. Your skills aren’t being tapped into

Do you feel as if you have so much more to offer in terms of skills, but your role doesn’t utilize them to explore your full potential? It could be a case of underemployment, where your job is insufficient in keeping you motivated, challenged and is neglecting your development. Again, this is something which may have been exacerbated by working from home during COVID and you not having the opportunity to showcase your skills face-to-face

3. Your career goals aren’t being accomplished

Accomplishing your career goals is important if you want a fulfilling career that continually keeps you motivated and satisfied in what you do. If you feel like you’ve hit a wall in your career path and haven’t seen the change you’ve wanted to see in the time frame you’ve set, then it’s probably time to reassess your career plan and situation.

4. Higher level positions are going to the newly hired

If you’ve been expecting a promotion to a higher level position and your organisation hires a new person to fill that role instead of internal recruitment, then your potential is being overlooked.

5. Your morale is at an all time low

Bored, unmotivated and feeling unhappy with having to turn up to work every morning? If you were given opportunities to work harder for a promotion or raise, you’d definitely have a higher morale!

6. No promotions or change in pay

If you’ve asked for or expected a raise but haven’t received any upgrades in a long while, this is a possible sign that you’re being held back.

7. Turnover in your organisation is very high

Have you been attending too many farewell dinners for your fellow colleagues in the past few months? That could be a sign that career pathways are not being progressed within your organisation and others have caught on to that.

8. You are not involved in any aspect of decision making

Does the kind of work that you produce have an impact that you can feel? How involved are you in the decision making process for tasks and projects? If you are not playing a role in any part of decision making, your chance of progressing into more authoritative roles is lowered significantly.

9. No recognition for your achievements

If you’re a good employee you deserve at least some recognition for your achievements. If you were being recognised, your seniors would see that you are excelling, and hence you would have opportunities for progressing into more senior roles. COVID has created a sense of disconnection within some work teams so it’s important to make sure recognition is still given when it’s deserved.

10. No work-life balance

Are you expected to work so much that you have terrible work-life balance and are constantly being put under stress? If you’ve discussed this issue with your management and nothing has changed, that is a bad sign you’re not being heard.

What can you do if you’ve decided to quit a dead end job?

By changing careers, you can pursue a better job in the same field or perhaps a new role in a completely different area of work. You could also consider a career change to something that better fits your career goals, skill set and work-life preferences.