What’s Stopping You Progressing Your Career?

Some people are lucky enough to end up in a job that makes them feel content. Others however can get stuck whilst trying to progress. You may feel that you deserve a promotion or you may feel that you want to switch careers entirely. Whatever the urge may be, it’s important not to hold oneself back. Here are just some of the most common obstacles that can get in the way of career progression and how you can overcome them.

You haven’t got the skills/qualifications

Progressing up the career ladder or switching careers may require learning new skills or gaining new qualifications. Learning these skills and studying for qualifications can be challenging – many of us end up staying in a career where we feel qualified as a result.

Gaining new skills and qualifications shouldn’t have to feel like an obstacle. Nowadays, there are lots of flexible ways to get qualified. There are online courses that can help you to get into leadership roles as discussed by the University of Southern California – these could be studied around a job so that you don’t have to lose out on income. There are also short courses that don’t take as long as a full course but may still be able to offer the skills and qualifications that you need.

You’re selling yourself short

It’s possible that you may not be able to progress your career because you’re not selling yourself enough. When getting considered for promotions, it’s often those that shout the loudest and make their skills and achievements known that get the role. Similarly, when switching careers, you may be underestimating the importance of transferable skills.

Start being more confident and make employers aware that you know your stuff. This will help you to be considered for new opportunities.

You’re not being proactive enough

Sometimes career progression requires being proactive. Rather than waiting for an employer to bring up the opportunity of promotion, consider asking your employer directly about wanting a promotion. Rather than replying solely to vacancies that are advertised, consider contacting companies directly that aren’t advertising and ask them about vacancies. You may even be able to offer yourself up for a trial shift to show that you’re motivated.

This guide at A.J. O’Conner offers several strategies for being proactive when chasing a new job.

You’re afraid to take the leap

Many of us can stay in a job out of comfort, despite knowing that we can do much better. This is often due to a fear of change.

Of course, there’s no point in taking a leap into the unknown if you feel satisfied with your current job. However, if you have a burning desire to progress forwards, this fear of change could be unhealthy and could be stopping you from getting to where you need to be.

To overcome this fear, do your research into the responsibilities and changes that will be required in your new role and focus on the perks that it will bring. It could then be worth setting a date of when you plan to take the leap whether it’s asking your boss for a promotion or applying to other jobs.

Disclaimer: This is a contributed post but I agree with it wholeheartedly.

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