You spend nearly one-third of your adult life working, so it’s natural to experience challenges and low points in your career. Unfortunately, the tough times you encounter on the job can easily follow you home, impacting all aspects of your personal life including your relationships.
We’ll explore three common career crises you may face and offer tips to manage them in a way that keeps your life moving forward. Our goal is to help you replace stress, frustration, or regret with calm, contentment, and hope.
Do you feel like you…
Are trapped in a professional hole with no way out?
Put in the effort and exceed all expectations but will never get a raise or promotion?
Fell behind your peers on the career ladder even though you work just as hard?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, you’re not alone. Countless others, including celebrities, experience these same painful thoughts and emotions every day.
Did you know popular fiction author Stephen King1 once felt stuck in his writing career? He received stacks of rejection letters from publishers before he profited from his craft. He persevered and eventually got unstuck, but the journey was difficult.
You don’t necessarily need to stick it out in a frustrating situation, though. You may be able to break out of your professional rut by switching to an employer offering better pay or more advancement opportunities. The change of scenery, while daunting, could make you feel excited and hopeful again, spilling over into your personal life.
Looking for a new job could also shed new light on your current position. Perhaps you’ll learn that the grass isn’t actually greener elsewhere.
In either case, it’s important to remember a successful career isn’t the only element of a successful life. Take a moment to reflect on what you have outside of work that brings you happiness and pride.
You spent years earning an advanced degree in your field (you still have a student loan balance to show for it), and you prioritized the industry for over a decade. Unfortunately, you’ve experienced more bad days than good in the office over the past year. Despite your substantial commitment, nagging doubts about your future have started to creep in.
You realize you want to make a career change, but you can’t quite say so out loud. You hate that everything you’ve done to build up to this point seems to have been in vain. You’re scared to start again. How do you even begin to embark on a new career?
World-renowned fashion designer Vera Wang2 once found herself asking similar questions. Wang, a gifted figure skater, was forced to change professional gears after she didn’t make the 1968 Olympic team. She took a job as an editor at Vogue magazine instead. Eventually, she applied and got rejected for the editor-in-chief position. Needing to pivot again, Wang started designing wedding gowns at age 40. Today, her fashion business is worth more than one billion dollars.
Your path will likely look much different from Wang’s. However, her story demonstrates an important lesson: making a career change doesn’t have to mean starting over entirely. You can explore other career paths or job opportunities that fit your education or experience, which is what Wang did when she went from being an editor of a fashion magazine to a fashion designer.
You could also ask your boss about modifying or expanding your current role to better align with your interests and goals. If that’s not possible, you could consider going back to school part time to learn a new skill set and facilitate a career change. Juggling your studies with your work schedule can be hard but rewarding.
Finding oneself unemployed is a horrifying prospect for many people. Suddenly, your entire world feels uncertain, and your stress level spikes.
You worry about money constantly. You wonder how long your savings will last and how much available credit you have on your credit cards. You spend every waking hour looking for a new position.
You start feeling hopeless if you’re out of work for long. Your resources are running out, and the situation is becoming dire for your entire family. You don’t understand why you can’t get hired. You thought you were well-qualified, but now your confidence is at an all-time low.
We hope you never have to endure these intensely difficult circumstances. But if you do, know that you can get through them. You might even come out on the other side better off than you ever thought possible.
That happened to Bill Belichick3, the famed NFL coach. Belichick was fired as the Cleveland Brown’s head coach in 1996. Fast forward a couple of decades, and Belichick had led the New England Patriots to six Super Bowl victories.
If you get fired or laid off, take a deep breath and don’t hit the panic button. Instead, prioritize self-care.
You’ve just been through a traumatic event and must treat yourself gently. Make sure you eat well, exercise, get ample rest, and spend time with family and friends.
It’s critical for you to take the time you need to process and reflect on your job loss before jumping into a new role. That way, you can start your new endeavor with a clear mind and an open heart.
Remember: While it may be hard, try to view your situation as an opportunity. While you do need to find a new job, you also have the chance to change the course of your career. Explore your options!
You’re bound to experience many highs and lows during your career that can impact the overall quality of your life. However, by shifting your perspective and looking for the opportunities in the low points, you can move through them in a balanced, fulfilling way.
If you need or want a new job, consider starting a fulfilling career as a financial professional with New York Life. Our financial professionals earn a great living, enjoy a flexible schedule, and help others.
1 https://www.themuse.com/advice/9-famous-people-who-will-inspire-you-to-never-give-up
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