Feel like you’re stuck in a dead-end job? You’re not alone.
All of us want to have a job that brings satisfaction. Not only by providing a monthly paycheck, but also by giving us the motivation to wake up every day to go to work, to excel in our job and to keep on moving forward.
Unfortunately, the reality of today’s work environment does not quite meet our expectations. Many people feel stuck in a job with no progression opportunities.
According to Gallup, only 34% of employees in the US are engaged – the joint highest score in Gallup’s history.
Which basically means a lack of motivation, poor work performance, more job stress, and less job satisfaction.
Eventually, all this results in high employee turnover rates across the world and generally very low rates of happiness among people.
While most workers would agree that this is because “something does not feel right at work”, there is a general confusion between being stuck in a dead-end job and just simply not liking what you are doing.
Good news is there are solutions to both situations but there is certainly a rising need to clarify the difference between these two in order to bring plausible answers to each of them.
When we feel stuck in a dead-end job, it usually has to do with the company and the job we are doing, whereas not liking our job has to do with our interests in general.
So the first step towards regaining satisfaction with one’s work is to understand which one is your case.
What can also be puzzling is that we often think we reached the dead-end and it is time to quit the job, whereas what we actually need is a little paradigm shift to help us out.
So the second step is to give it a chance and try to resolve the problem by your own means. If it does not work, it is time to give up the ship.
So to make it easier for you, we came up with a list of 6 signs that you are stuck in a dead-end job, and what to do in each situation.
1. Your work has become mechanical
Doing the same work every day can be tiring, especially when you have been doing the same thing for a couple of years.
Quick tip: Before thinking it is a dead end, try to arrange a meeting with your supervisor and explain the reasons for your frustration.
It will be beneficial if you could tell about your career goals and how those do not align with your current repetitive work.
Do not wait for them to suggest a solution. Bring it to the table yourself.
For example:
- Suggest getting involved in new projects; or
- Taking on new responsibilities that align well with your goals.
It is important to be transparent with your supervisor about how you feel and why you feel that way.
2. You find no meaning or purpose in your work
Everybody wants to find meaning in their work, but very few of us actually find it.
If you work for the same company for many years, it becomes even harder to find meaning especially when you are not reminded about it very often.
This can result in feeling no purpose and motivation in your work.
Quick tip: Most of us think of purpose and meaning of work as something unattainable.
What they actually forget to teach us is that purpose can be found in very small things at work like helping out a less experienced coworker or working towards a more eco-friendly environment at work.
Instead of concentrating on a large vague purpose try to set one small purpose at a time. To help with this, try to develop your time management so that you can effectively focus on smaller, more purposeful tasks.
And if you combine that purpose with your values, that is when you will get most out of your work.
By experiencing purpose and meaning in your work every day, you might find out that you are actually no longer in a deadlock.
3. You lack motivation (not even money keeps you going)
If not even money keeps you going at work, then you are certainly in a dead-end job.
Most employees find themselves in this situation when they are not using their strengths and skills in their everyday work.
But the reason for the lack of motivation could simply be the fact that employees do not know their strengths.
According to recent research, not even one out of three people can accurately name their top strengths.
Quick tip: Before confirming that it is a dead-end job for you, first try to concentrate on your strengths. Ask yourself what your top strengths are and if you are actually using them at work.
The research has proven that when we utilize our strengths are work, we are on average 74% more engaged, let alone feeling more productive and more confident in one’s work.
This shows that strengths-awareness is quite underrated among both employees and employers but has a lot of potential to positively influence work performance and job satisfaction.
4. You only talk about negative things
We have all caught ourselves in the spiral of negative thoughts and feelings.
Especially when something goes wrong, it is easier for us to continue the cycle of negativity than give it a positive twist and move on.
It is because our brain is easily drawn to negative thinking.
Moreover, it has been proven that negative thoughts and emotions prevent our brain from seeing other options, other opportunities and solutions to possible problems.
Quick tip: Instead of continuing the endless series of negativity, try to practice some positive thinking.
One way of doing so is by using positive visualisation and positive affirmations when you are having negative thoughts. Say, “I am going to try a new approach today”, instead of saying, “It is going to be yet another boring day.”
At the end of the working day, take a piece of paper and write down at least one positive thing that happened to you during that day.
Remember that positive thinking is nothing without positive action.
If after practicing positive thinking and positive action during at least 20 days nothing changes, then the problem is probably not in you and it is time to look for another job.
5. Your values are different
Values are what we believe in and value most in our life.
While there are certain commonly accepted values in each society like love, family, friendship, personal values of each employee can be very different from the values of a company.
If the differences are fundamental, your career is probably not likely to move forward in that company.
Quick tip: Before deciding on moving on or not, take some time to reflect on your values and the values of your company.
Write down 3 personal values and 3 company values (you can easily find those on the company website) and see if there is an alignment between these two.
If there are any areas where you could exercise your values in a more constructive way, do so.
Understanding this will help you utilize your values in the areas where the company needs them most and might probably change your opinion about the differences in values.
6. You feel physically unwell
Stress and unhappiness at work can cause physical pain especially when we are talking about constant stress.
People who feel unhappy at work tend to neglect their health and well-being, which can also be a result of putting too much energy into negative thinking.
Quick tip: Even if you feel stuck in a dead-end job, health should stay your number one priority.
Take 15 minutes every day to meditate and to engage in a mindful cardio exercise. When our body and mind feel well, we embrace positivity and change more easily.
This will also help you understand if your physical pain is the result of your dead-end job and not the other way around.
Summary
If you notice at least one of these signs at your work, chances are high you are stuck in a dead-end job.
But before jumping to conclusions, take some time to go through the quick tips we provided.
These are simple actions you can do to change your reality without quitting your job.
But if none of these tips works, it is time to get your resume and cover letter prepared to start looking for a new job.
