Could your current job role have passed its best before date?

Could your current job role have passed its best before date?  

Let me explain. 

Imagine yourself trying to find a way to spice up your meal to give it that extra kick. You head to the fridge and reach for your favourite hot chilli sauce only to find it has passed its expiry date. You almost didn't notice that small, subtle date at the bottom of the bottle but something drew your attention to it and now that you've seen it, you can't 'unknow' that important information. You'd be risking making yourself unwell if you go ahead and use it. You feel a sense of disappointment that your best-laid plan can be no longer and you start to wonder just how you are going to take your meal from mediocre to amazing.

It's my observation that many of us reach a similar point (at some point) with our jobs or career path but unfortunately, jobs don't come with a conveniently printed label telling us we've passed the peak. Instead, we feel boredom, dissatisfaction, or a sense of being stuck. Our feelings are the human equivalent of the printed label and can help us understand what is no longer good for us. When this time comes, it may seem like a challenge to change things, but it's actually a great opportunity to reinvent ourselves.

Long gone are the days when we are expected to stay in a career or organisation for our entire lives. Adding to our skill set through a range of job experiences is highly valued. I remember a time when I spoke with a manager who said every 3 years he would change his role and his reasons stuck with me. He said, "The first year was learning the role. The second was doing the role and the third was looking for ways to set me up for the next role”.

So how do we go from mediocre to amazing in our work life? I like to call it 'career reinvention' and there are plenty of ways to go about it. Tackling a new role, working on a new project, changing how or where you work, or taking a secondment are all great ways to add spice to your work life. Sometimes, all it takes is a conversation with your current employer to find new ways to breathe life into your role. 

As a career and leadership coach, I love supporting people through exciting transitions in their jobs and careers. Helping people identify what needs to change and map out a plan so they can feel greater satisfaction in their work ultimately helps them grow their skills, capabilities and improve productivity. I support organisations to build the engagement and connectivity of their teams through helping people understand their strengths.

If you're noticing a dip in energy and are keen to revitalise your career, reach out and start by downloading my free Confusion to Clarity guide here

After all life is too short to be stuck in work you are not funding fulfilling!