5 Obstacles That Can Prevent You From Achieving Career Advancement
One of the most frustrating experiences you can go through is seeing your peers being promoted while you hold the same position for several years.
Such a situation can send anybody reeling. Moreover, it can impact your self-esteem, causing you to perform poorly at work and feel bad about yourself.
Although complaining about and to your bosses may be the first thing you want to do, you need to hold off doing this for a while. The last thing you want to happen is to get into hot water with your bosses and lose any chances you may have for a promotion.
Career Progression Hurdles
When you are unsatisfied with your (non-) progression in your profession, it helps to remember that career success for individuals varies from person to person.
Blaming others, especially your bosses or recently promoted co-workers, won’t help you much since your superiors probably see something in them that makes them the best candidates for a promotion.
Moreover, your co-employees may really be worthy of a promotion. As such, being bitter about their success will only put you in an unpleasant light.
If you want to achieve career advancement at this time of your life, taking a closer look at the possible obstacles that are preventing you from experiencing this is the best step to take now.
But what are the biggest hurdles that can prevent you from climbing the career ladder? Below are the top five obstacles to promotion and some tips on how you can overcome them:
1. Lack of qualifications
The most common reason people do not progress in their career as they may have expected is because they do not have relevant qualifications and work experience.
If it has been a year since you took a look at your CV, take a few minutes to review what is on it. Next, think about whether your qualifications and experiences meet the requirements for the position you are targeting.
Unfortunately, if the position requires a master’s degree, you have to wait longer even to be considered for it. You have to complete the course within two years or so and prepare for an expensive outlay as well since most post-graduate courses are not affordable.
If the requirements are basic, you can stay ahead of the competition and boost your chances of being promoted by acquiring more qualifications.
Look for classes offered by reputable training institutes that you can afford. You may even find free ones online if you do your research right.
Make sure you complete the course so you expand your knowledge and skills and have proof of your new qualifications.
2. Employment gaps
Sometimes, no matter how sensible your reason is for having a gap in your work history, some employers may not understand them or share your view. Because of this, it can be a hurdle in your quest for career advancement.
Lying about what happened during your employment gap won’t do anything good. The best way to overcome this obstacle is to be honest and be prepared to provide a clear, compelling explanation for why you decided to take a break from working.
Think deeply about the reasons behind your employment gaps. Write those down and make sure you believe your explanation so you’ll have full conviction and be able to enlighten your employer or anyone interviewing you if you are applying for a new job.
3. Not having a career plan
Having a career goal is one thing, creating a plan for the next five to twenty years is another. If you don’t know where you want to be in the years or so, you won’t be prepared for the demands your new roles or jobs require.
Take the time to think about and chart your career plan. If you are having difficulty doing this, there are career consultants that can help you create a realistic, workable plan that meets your needs.
If you want to progress further in your career, your focus should not be on staying employed. It should be staying employable and promotable. This essentially means always being ready for the next level.
Keep in mind that many people find it hard to progress because they don’t stay prepared to take on the next role. If you think you have this same problem, create a good career plan now and be flexible in tweaking it when you see fit.
4. Lack of patience
Careers do not always move quickly as everyone wants them to be. If you are frustrated with wherever you are right now in your career, you will become impatient with your present position.
And if you get impatient easily, you will have another hurdle to deal with.
Having a career plan and completing the steps involved in achieving your goals can help reduce your impatience. By keeping yourself busy, you won’t be too overcome by your desire to do and get things in a hurry.
Additionally, instead of paying attention to what frustrates you in your present job, focus on what you can learn. Understand that you can always learn something new in any work you have.
5. Overwhelming fear
Finally, fear is another obstacle that can affect your goal of achieving career advancement.
If you want to be promoted but are afraid of taking on more responsibilities or becoming a leader, you won’t get anywhere. If you don’t want to let go of your current job to chase a new one overseas but also don’t want to fail or are too fearful of being away from your family, it will take you longer to achieve your goals.
If you want to perform and live life to the fullest, avoid living in fear.
Although overcoming this hurdle can be pretty tough, there are ways to get over it. Start by identifying your fears and addressing them head on.
If you are afraid of becoming a leader, there are leadership, coaching, and mentoring services and programs you can sign up for that can help you build your confidence and learn the skills you need to become one.
If you are hesitant about working abroad, look for friends or acquaintances who are already in your target destination. Ask them what it’s like living there. Research the country online and join forums to get as much information as you can.
When you are well-informed, you will have fewer things to worry about.
The road to career advancement is not the easiest path to take. But if you know the particular obstacles you have to face and how to overcome them, you will have a less bumpy route to navigate.
AUTHOR BIO:
Leila Rezaiguia is the Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Kompass Consultancy, an innovative global talent management consultancy headquartered in Dubai and with offices in Abu Dhabi and Sydney, that specialises in enabling individuals, organisations and educational institutions to achieve performance excellence and career success. Leila is a multi-lingual (English, Arabic and French) PCC Coach, Mentor Coach, Trainer, Facilitator and Business Mentor who is passionate about coaching, women in leadership, talent management and organisational development.
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