Have you ever, at one point, thought you are not living your dream, or simply not even happy in the career path that you are on? Well, it’s believed that this is something one should worry about as it is one of the major signs of being stuck in your career. On many occasions, people find themselves stuck in a career and although they feel like something has to be done to break the cycle, they most of the time don’t have that confidence to take that step. Joan Mugenzi, a life coach expert says it’s ideal to first understand that every person’s career has a dull period at one point, which she says people shouldn’t confuse with feeling stuck in a career that’s going nowhere fast. She says knowing how to tell if you’re stuck in a career is very crucial as far as your career development is concerned. Mugenzi points out that one of the problems with being stuck in your career is sometimes one doesn’t realise it, and that when they do finally figure it out, it can often be a demotivating experience. For this reason, she advises that the only way out is to identify the signs before it happens. “Everyone has parts of their job that they don’t like but the most important thing you should know is that there should be a portion of your work that you enjoy doing and find rewarding,” she says. How to tell, she mentions that one should be in a position to know if what they are doing is enjoyable in the first place. This, she says can be achieved by one going through their tasks and responsibilities and taking note of how they feel about them. For instance, she says, if one of your values as a professional is that you want to be consistently challenged, then there is a need to ask yourself if you are working on anything that’s helping you to grow as an individual. If not, then she says it’s high time for one to find another way out because this is one of the signs that they are being stuck in their careers. Peter Minani, a youth mentor in Kigali says it is also important for one to ensure that what they are doing aligns with their values, as this is the foundation upon which fulfilling careers are made. He says if one hasn’t felt any sense of achievement for a long period of time, then it’s time for them to start considering a change. Also, another vital aspect to consider, he says, is to find out if you have a clear career path. Thus, he explains that one has to be aware of the next step they are going to take as far as their career is concerned. Minani also advises that one should be able to know if they are reaching their potential. For instance, he says one should be in a position to step out of their comfort zone if this doesn’t happen, then one should think twice. Mugenzi says when one doesn’t feel challenged, then there is a need to worry, explaining that if one is continually pushing themselves outside of their comfort zone, they’re going to become irrelevant in this competitive world. Also, she points out that being in one position for a long time is also something to worry about, noting that this is a sure indicator that your career is stuck.
