Is your career moving in the right direction? Will you be promoted some day? Should you try something else? What if you have already missed the boat? If you are asking these questions, you should know that you are not alone. Everybody starts to ask them after spending some time with one employer in one field.
At a time when unemployment is rising, many people are afraid to make changes in their careers. However, is such a fear justified? Many career concerns can easily be overcome and need not prevent your further development. The following career fears and ways to overcome them were described on Forbes.com.
Nowhere to be promoted
You work in a position where you cannot be promoted or transferred to another department. You are not in danger of losing your job but you are afraid of having to do the same thing repeatedly. In such a situation, try to take another look and see if your work must really be monotonous. Maybe you could swap clients with your colleagues or you can start writing or giving lectures on what you have learned in your job.
I will miss out on something
You feel there must be something better out there. First of all, make sure that this is your own personal feeling, not the feeling of your family or other people around you. If you really think that you should be doing something better, do something about it. Start by asking for a promotion or an interesting task in your current job.
Somebody else is always promoted
You think you deserve a promotion or a pay rise, but nothing happens. In both cases, you should first find out the exact criteria which govern these processes in your company. Try objectively to assess your knowledge, skills and results, and prepare your arguments. Work hard on your negotiation skills and communicate more with your superiors.
It is too late
It is not a problem for you to find a job in the field you have worked in so far. However, you would like to do something else and you are worried that it will not work. You can in fact do what you wish, but it requires careful preparation. You need to start exploring the field you want to work in and change your personal marketing.
I cannot do it
You have been promoted. Your salary has been increased. You have reached your dream career and now you are worried that you will not be as good as you thought. In this case, do not be afraid to ask for help. Ask your supervisor for support or more information in areas where you are uncertain. Find a mentor. Search for support among your friends and family. And remember that most of your fears are unfounded.
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