It’s not uncommon for people who have been in the same job or career for several years to experience a ‘career slump’. This refers to when you’re no longer passionate about your job and don’t particularly look forward to a new workday. You may also not know what you would prefer to do instead. Being in a slump can be frustrating, especially when you don’t know how to get out of it. Everyone is different in how they approach it, but you may see value in taking these actions:
Update Your Skills
A change of job is sometimes as good as a vacation. If you’re stagnating in your current role, consider updating your skills. You might choose to stick within your same industry or branch out into something new.
For example, if you’re interested in healthcare but don’t have a healthcare background, you might look into a Master of Public Health online. Such a qualification may lead you into a broad range of roles that could hold your passion, such as a medical writer, health promotion officer, or community health and wellbeing officer. New skills that can open career doors might be all it takes to break you out of your slump.
Refresh Your Resume
If it has been a while since you cast your eye over your resume, now might be the right time to look at it. Update it with all the new skills and qualifications you have learned and obtained in recent years. You don’t always know how skilled and experienced you are until you write it down. Once you’ve finished your resume, either by yourself or with the help of a resume service provider, you can decide whether you’d like to use it to apply for new jobs.
Take a Break
You might love your job and all the goals you’re achieving within your career. Still, that doesn’t mean you can’t feel like you’re in a career slump. You might just need a break to de-stress, unwind, and discover who you are beyond a professional businessperson.
Whether you take a week or a month, now could be the right time to submit an annual leave request and go on vacation or enjoy a staycation. You may then feel more relaxed and refreshed, ready to return to work in a new capacity.
Seek Professional Help
A vacation or a few new skills might be all it takes for you to start enjoying your career once more. However, there’s no harm in admitting you need more than that to get back on track. Seek professional help if you need it.
A mental health counselor, therapist, or even a career advisor can be valuable sources of information. They can provide the tools you need to find your lost motivation or help you understand why you’re feeling the way you do. A new perspective on your situation may be all it takes to find what you’re looking for.
Being in a career slump can be scary when you no longer enjoy going to work. Despite it feeling like a permanent problem, you may be on the path to more career satisfaction by taking the actions above.
