10 Ways to Get Your Career on Track

How do you feel when you wake up in the morning to get ready for work? Are you excited about the new day ahead? Do you feel fulfilled, knowing that you’re passionate about your job and career? Unfortunately, the majority of professionals feel stuck. Roughly 70% of American workers aren’t engaged on the job.* This means that they are just going through the motions in the workplace and might even be actively trying to sabotage their organization. As a result, many life science professionals are stressed out, unsatisfied, and feel like they are caught in a cycle of monotony.

It doesn’t have to be difficult to start making changes and reach your career goals. The truth is many people are so resistant to change that after coming up with an idea or plan to improve their circumstances, they quit on themselves. Whether you’re interested in finding a new job, getting a promotion, or negotiating a raise you have to be serious and take consistent action. If you are feeling stuck, here are 10 ways to get your career on track!

1. Get clear on your goals in your current position. Are you on track to reaching them? If not, think about developing your own performance improvement plan. Before you can expect to receive more responsibilities or compensation, you must be outstanding in your role.

2. Believe in yourself and your abilities to achieve those goals. If you don’t truly believe in yourself or skillset, you will have a long, uphill battle when it comes to being successful at work. Maximize your strengths when working on projects and accept the fact that you won’t be an expert in every subject.

3. Release any negative thoughts, feelings, or people who are stopping you from moving forward. This is much easier said than done. In the workplace, we are often exposed to negative people or situations that are beyond our control. How can you minimize the impact of these circumstances? Think about reducing some of the time and energy you give to unproductive people and situations.

4. Grow your professional network. There are many advantages to expanding your network including: getting exposure to job opportunities, becoming acquainted with leaders in your industry, and meeting others who can help your learning and development. Get out of your comfort zone and attend events for professional associations, industry conferences, and trade shows.

5. Create a career support system of colleagues, mentors, and coaches. Friends and family members can be great when it comes to venting about your day, but because they are close to you, they usually are biased. Having a group of professionals to provide an outside perspective on your career is invaluable.

6. Explore new professional growth opportunities, supplemental courses, certifications, and/or degrees. What training or information would help you do your job (or your dream job) better? Consider taking any courses or getting additional certifications to expand your knowledge.

7. Decide if your current position is one you are passionate about. Interest and passion can’t be overlooked when it comes to your career. It’s true that many people remain in jobs or organizations strictly for financial or other benefits. However, if you feel stuck or disengaged that is an indication that over the long term you will be unhappy or dissatisfied.

8. Make a plan to get from where you are now to where you want to be. Depending on what you’re trying to achieve, you might need to include others in your planning efforts. Think about how you will handle any problems that may arise and consider alternate solutions.

9. Commit to being positive about your current situation and future prospects. Maintaining a positive attitude can be challenging in stressful situations. By preparing yourself with the necessary plans and education, while minimizing negative influences, you can improve your level of confidence. When you recognize that you’re focusing on external issues, have faith that things will work out.

10. Take consistent and decisive action. After thinking and planning for your next moves, implementation and execution are required to make your goals a reality. The vast majority of people don’t achieve what they were hoping to because they never take action or take action a few times and stop. Schedule out the tasks that must be completed to move forward and get help from your career support system when necessary.

Unfortunately, there isn’t a manual or instruction guide when it comes to navigating your career. Therefore, many life science professionals end up feeling unhappy or stuck in their job. Understanding how to get your career on track can be beneficial in improving your level of satisfaction, income, and career development. Which of these areas discussed would make the greatest impact on you and your career?

* Reference: Gallup. The World’s Broken Workplace. Jim Clifton. June 13, 2017.

Porschia Parker is a Certified Coach, Professional Resume Writer, and Founder of Fly High Coaching. She empowers ambitious professionals and motivated executives to add $10K on average to their salaries.