9 SIGNS THAT YOU ARE IN DEAD END JOB & HOW TO BREAK OUT OF IT.
The Dead End Job — How to Spot it and How to Get Out of It
When you’re unemployed, your first instinct is to grab any job that comes along. We all want to be productive, and we all want to earn money and support ourselves. Employment means security, productivity, acceptance, and the promise for a better future, and for most of us finding a job, keeping it, and moving forward in our professional lives is a primary personal goal.
Not all jobs are equal, though, and people sometimes discover that the job they once thought was a significant step forward seems more like an obstacle than an opportunity.
If every Monday seems like a nightmare and you have to drag yourself to work if you’re not using your core skills and nobody appreciates or recognizes anything you do, if promotion and a raise seem impossible, you may have worked yourself into a dead end job.
If you’re looking for work, you need to learn to spot those jobs and avoid them. If you’re already in one, you need to take the situation in hand and drive the changes that you need to break out of the rut. This situation won’t go away on its own, and the sooner you take action, the better off you’ll be.
What is a Dead End Job?
The traditional definition of a dead end job is work with little or no advancement potential. The term conjures up images of a tired, unmotivated desk jockey occupying the same cubicle and performing the same dreary, repetitive tasks for the same inadequate salary as years wind into decades.
That definition still applies in all too many cases. More often, though, we now classify any work that doesn’t provide satisfaction and seems like it never will as a dead end job.
Satisfaction and advancement don’t necessarily go together. If you’re happy where you are you may not want or need advancement, and if you took a job primarily to learn you may be less interested in progress than in what you’re gaining on a day to day level.
Ultimately, a dead-end job is defined by your happiness, your satisfaction, and the sense that you’re meeting your goals. Any position is likely to leave you frustrated and unsatisfied once in a while, but if it’s happening day in and day out and getting worse rather than better, there’s a problem. That problem won’t go away by itself: you need to do something about it.
How to See It Coming
The best way to get out of a dead end job is not to take one in the first place. No employer will describe a role as a dead end on the help wanted ad, but there are signs, and if you can see it coming you may be able to avoid the trap. If you’re applying at a large company, check online reviews and see what employees are saying.
Not every job at a Company is going to be the same, but management culture is a real thing, and if a Company has a consistent reputation for letting employees stagnate, that’s not a good sign. Ask your interviewer directly about advancement possibilities and long-term career development options. If they address that topic with enthusiasm and give you some examples of employees rising through the ranks, that’s a good sign. If the interviewer is evasive or seems uninterested, be alert.
If you receive an job offer, ask to meet your co-workers and see your workspace before making a final decision. It’s not good form to ask people if they feel that they’re in a dead-end job, but you will get a sense of the workplace. If there’s a buzz about the place, a feeling of excitement, commitment, and purpose, you’re in luck. If people seem bored and sluggish and seem to be going through the motions, it’s not a good sign. It’s always worth asking what happened to your predecessors in a position. If they quit, be worried. If they were promoted, be happy.
Lastly, look seriously at the job you’ll be doing. Will it use the skills you worked hardest to acquire, and those most important to your future? Do you honestly expect challenges and opportunities to excel? We have to be realistic, and if we really need work, we may not be able to be as selective as we’d like.
Even if you have to take a less than the optimal job, it’s good to know what you’re getting into. If you know you’re taking a job that you won’t want to keep, you’ll want to keep that resume up to date and circulating. You never know when something better will come along!
Is Your Job a Dead End?
It can be hard to admit to yourself that you’re in a dead end job. We’re all invested in our careers; we worked hard to get where we are, and we don’t want to consider the possibility that we’ve backed into a corner with no progress in sight. You need to overcome that reluctance. It’s a good idea to take a thorough, honest career inventory at least once a year, looking at where you are, where you want to be, and whether you’re on the right course. If that process gives a positive result, all’s well and good. If it doesn’t, it may be time for a change.
Here are some signs to look for:
- You’ve gone years without a promotion
2. Nobody around you is being promoted
3. You open up your resume to update it, and there’s nothing to add
4. You review your biggest accomplishments in the last few months, and there aren’t any
5. You get no praise and recognition, no matter what you do
6. Your ideas and suggestions are never implemented or noticed
7. You don’t feel that your most important skills are being used
8. You don’t like your boss or the people working with you
9. Going to work is a daily struggle
You can think of more, but that’s enough. If more than a few of these elements are part of your working life, it’s time to shake things up and make some changes.
How to Break Out of the Dead End Rut
A resignation may seem like the obvious way out of a dead-end job, and it may eventually be necessary, but it shouldn’t be your first step. You owe it to yourself and your employer to take your best shot at fixing things before you decide to move on.
First, take a close, critical look at yourself and the way you approach work. Sometimes we make our own ruts, and sometimes a situation offers possibilities that we don’t see. Review the work you’re doing and the work going on around you and look closely for opportunities to stand out, get noticed, and get ahead.
There may be none, but it’s still worth looking. If you have trusted friends who are familiar with your situation, ask for feedback on anything you might do to open doors or create opportunities in your current position. If you’re seriously worried about your future in your job, it’s likely that you’ve already been through this process, but it’s always worth repeating it.
If you still don’t see a way out, it’s time for a serious talk with your boss. You don’t want to sound critical or overly self-centered, but there’s nothing wrong with expressing concern for your future and a desire to offer more to your employer.
The way your boss reacts will tell you a good deal. If you sense genuine concern and interest in working with you to find a solution, there’s a good chance that you can make things work out. If your boss doesn’t seem interested a good outcome is not so likely.
If your boss isn’t interested in your situation, look into the possibility of moving to a different department within the same company. That’s not always possible, but it’s worth considering.
If you make an honest effort at all of these and you still don’t see any way out of your dead end, it’s time to start looking for a new job. That doesn’t have to mean quitting right away unless your situation is intolerable and you have some savings to fall back on, but you’ll want to put yourself on the market and start actively pursuing options.
Recruiters prefer employed candidates, and it’s always easier to find a new job when you’re working, so quitting before you have another offer is a last resort.
If you’re breaking out of an extended period in a dead end job, pay particular attention to your resume. It’s often difficult to find ways to make that period in your working life look exciting. After all, if it were exciting, you wouldn’t be leaving!
That doesn’t mean it has to look like a dead spot. If you’re having a hard time putting some sizzle into your description of that all-important most recent job, it’s worth going to a professional resume writing service for some specialized help. If you’re looking for quality without breaking the bank, check out resume writers, that’s making waves with a combination of quality, service, and accessible pricing.
If you’re looking for work, be aware of dead-end jobs and the signs that you might be getting into one. If you need work fast you may not be in a position to walk away, but you’ll go into the situation with both eyes open, and awareness of the problem can help you to minimize its impact.
If you’re already in a dead end job, don’t wait to act. Your career is an integral part of your happiness, and you owe it to yourself to recognize the rut and do what you need to do to break out of it. That can be a serious challenge, but nobody ever said building a career was easy. It’s not easy, but it’s worth every bit of the effort it takes!
