A career can be a source of great joy and great pain. If you relate more to the latter, chances are you’ve experienced one of these common career struggles. Fortunately, you do not have to continue suffering. Read on for solutions to some of the obstacles most frequently faced by professionals.

Problem: You hate your job and/or chosen career path.

Solution: If you know you’re not happy and have yet to take steps to remedy it, you typically fall into one of two scenarios:

1. ‍You’re fearful of making a change. There are many stories we tell ourselves that can cause us to stifle our own success.“I’m not good enough.” “What if I fail?” “What if I make a change and it’s worse?” It’s critical to recognize what story you’re telling yourself so that you can start to isolate those thoughts and address them. Bringing your fears to the forefront of your consciousness is the first step in being able to overcome them. Once you recognize and acknowledge the fears, applying some simple but effective tools can render them powerless in holding you back‍
2. You don’t know what will make you happy. You’ve recognized you’re not happy, but you don’t know what will bring you joy. This can be especially difficult when you’ve spent your entire career in one field. It’s time to do some discovery work. Finding your purpose is a key place to start. Once you know your purpose, make a list of your strengths and passions. If you start to see some similarities between the lists, follow that path.

Problem: You’re struggling to get to the next level in your career.

Solution: It’s time to expand your network. You’ve got the experience and you need to highlight that to the right people - whether it’s a decision maker or someone who can make a referral. They can be at your current company or at a potential new employer. Connecting with the right people can make all the difference. Expanding your network doesn’t mean you have to attend in-person networking events, especially in the age of social distancing. There are great digital tools, such as LinkedIn and Shapr, that allow you to build relationships with other professionals. Find an authentic way to connect with others that’s enjoyable to you.

Problem: You’re not standing out to potential employers.

Solution: Most recruiters and hiring managers see hundreds of resumes for a single position. That number increases the more desirable the role and company are. Standing out is difficult, but possible. We recommend that every job seeker approach their career as if they were an entrepreneur building a company. Your career is your business. You must determine your product (your skillset), your unique selling proposition (your strengths and passions) and your target market (the companies YOU want to work for). Once you’ve defined your professional brand, you need to ensure that it’s reflected everywhere – your resume, your cover letter, your online presence, and especially how you show up for interviews.

Now it’s time to market yourself. You have to do more than just submit your resume to job posts and boards. Connect with the right people and make sure you’re visible. Focus on your strengths and passions, especially if you don’t have the requested experience.

If you need help defining and marketing your personal brand, we can help.

It’s time to transform your career.

Your career plays a major role in your life. Settling and being complacent in this area can leave you feeling unfulfilled. Accelerate your career!

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