You work hard, you’re ambitious but you’re feeling stuck and overlooked. Time to turn detective, says career coach Lucinda Harlow…
I went on a murder mystery on the Orient Express this week. It was the business. Was I the big kid with a candlestick and rope in my bag ready to fox the super-keens? Maybe.
Now, some people took the role of finding clues tremendously seriously. For us though, the champagne and hilarity of the actors somehow fudged the issue.
Did we work out whodunnit? Nah. But we did come up with a great team name – Tapioca (long story) – and we loved all the red herrings.
But in the workplace red herrings are more serious. They stop us from seeing or doing what we want. A bit of a bummer in your career, despite the enjoyable distraction.
So how d’you find out what’s really going on?
5 Career Clues: and how to crack them
Clue 1: Your career goals are a big foggy round the edges.
So make them really tight. Keep asking yourself what you really want. And what does this give you? Make your goal visual. Yup it’s time to go all Blue Peter. Out with felt tips and magazines. Get chopping and sticking to see what your goals look like. Soon you’ll have the skinny on what’s really important to you.
Clue 2: You’re spending way too much time moaning about your job.
Spend that time doing something about it, instead. EVERY evening write down three priorities for the following day – keeping your goal at the front of your mind.
Clue 3: You always shy away from the same sort of challenges.
So stop it. You do have to confront them rather than hide them away! Identify what obstacles are under your control and what are not. Work on the ones that are under your influence – it’s much more rewarding.
Clue 4: You feel no-one even notices the efforts you make.
So be your own advocate and give yourself lots of pats on the back for progress made. If you can afford to get some professional help – go for it. (Why not give me a call?)
Clue 5: The biggest mystery for everyone else is… what you’re capable of.
So go public! Share your goal! Call your own bluff! Make it clear you intend to go places. Go on, make yourself accountable to someone else – you will be amazed how it spurs you on.