When you’re looking for a job, it can be tempting to make a move you think is settling. When push comes to shove, you might take a position that seems like it has zero opportunity for progression. But that doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve found yourself a dead-end. Sometimes, it pays to look outside the box for your next career move.
Brand thyself
If you want employers to understand that you are someone who deserves more than a dead-end job, then you’re going to have to tell them. It’s easy for even those with years of experience and results to end up being pigeonholed if they don’t make enough notice around the fact they could be much more valuable in a serious position. Branding yourself is hugely important, nowadays. Writing your own blog based on your experience, setting up an online resume, and loading your LinkedIn profile with an in-depth account of your professional capacities can make it a lot easier to get spotted for the positions with more mobility.
Always be educating
Sometimes, a job might only seem like a dead-end option because you haven’t taken the time to make yourself ready for the next step. For instance, there’s a lot of potential for mobility in a nursing career, but you’re going to have to invest the time and effort in future education to keep going. For instance, you might want to take some time to get a Doctor of Nursing Practice diploma from places like Maryville Online. Or you might ask your boss if there are any training opportunities for specification qualifications they could help you acquire.
Think sideways
When you’re frustrated about not being able to think of a path up, then think of how a job at a certain career might instead lend itself better to lateral movement. If you know the industry you want to work in, even the company you want to work in, it might be worth taking that ‘dead end’ position simply because it gets you a foot in the door. Once you’re in, start talking to your bosses and taking any training on offer. The experience you gain could make you qualified a little later down the line to slide into a similar role but in a different position that allows for more forward movement after.
Always be networking
Just as important as branding yourself is making some influential friends. Internally, you could find those people who recognize your skills and make way for that lateral move. But you don’t have to necessarily think about making the move in the company you take the job at. Networking externally while you’re still employed is better than unemployed networking. Networking while you’re already in a job shows that there’s some demand for your skills and answers unspoken questions about your willingness to truly work for your career.
You need to keep your eyes sharp and your ear to the ground if you’re going to avoid getting stuck in a dead-end career. Speak to your boss, look to other opportunities, and work on your own prospects.
