Re-energizing A Stalled Career

by Louise Garver, MA, CPRW, CMP, CEIP, JCTC, MCDP, CLBF

 

Managing your career in sales or any other field is similar to keeping your body in shape. Positive thinking and high-quality input will keep it healthy and growing. Just like an annual check-up ensures you're in good physical condition, it's important to monitor your career in the same way. Ask yourself at regular intervals if your career development is as it should be—or needs a new focus or energy. If your work life seems stalled, consider revitalizing it through one or more of the following steps.

1. Make a Career Change

You may feel that changing to an entirely different field at this point in your life is too risky, but with careful planning, it's possible to change occupations, industries, levels or the type of products or services you sell. For example, why not make a change from selling insurance to healthcare products? You can't really know what could be possible until you investigate further. In fact, you may discover related possibilities that don't require a dramatic change or reduction in salary.

Consider a recent client, a sales director, whose career path was quite successful but didn't fulfill him professionally or personally. After career assessment and time to think through his needs and interests, he realized that he'd be much more satisfied in a leadership role serving a non-profit organization. However, he didn't want to relinquish such a lucrative income. His present employer, however, has an active community involvement program, and the company was searching to fill that role. My client was able to discuss his career interests with his supervisor and negotiate a new position. He remained part time in governmental relations while assuming responsibilities as his company's liaison with non-profit groups. His new position didn't result in a salary cut either. Had he not taken stock to examine his career situation and investigated his options, he'd still be feeling restless and bored.

2. Create a New Image

Professional success depends on such objective criteria as your education, work history and previous advancement. However, subjective factors such as your image and presentation/verbal skills also impact your career advancement. What image are you conveying? You can improve your professional life by enhancing the impression you make on others who can influence your future. What image are you conveying? Are you projecting self confidence and a polished presentation style? Would you hire you? If your answer is no, consider what you need to do.

The results can boost your self-confidence which can increase your credibility and may help you get what you ask for when you approach your supervisor. According to image consultants, people with good verbal/speaking skills tend to be perceived as more interesting, credible, articulate and intelligent. Poor verbal skills can convey self-doubt and low self-esteem.

By changing how you think of and talk to yourself, you can change the way others respond to you. Begin by tape-recording yourself when calling hiring managers about possible openings or participating in a telephone interview for a new position. Listen carefully to your verbal content. What is your "voice personality" saying to listeners?

No matter how low you're feeling, your [just like when you are selling yourself you have to.] voice must convey that of a winner who's merely suffered a temporary setback. If you sound like a victim, you'll be perceived as one. If you have a bounce in your voice and sound interested, your message will be heard more clearly and you'll get a favorable reception.

3. Attitude Makes a Difference

We've heard it before: our thinking sets the stage for action. If you feel hopeless, your career may seem hopeless as well. However, if you redirect your thought processes, your career can take a positive step forward as well.

Realize that you're the only person who can make things happen in your life. When you understand and accept this, you'll develop the courage to take careful risks and manage change.

Elaine, a sales representative for a manufacturing company, is a good example. Elaine had invested 8 years with her recent employer when she learned that her position was being eliminated as part of a corporate reorganization. This is actually Elaine's second layoff from positions she'd enjoyed — and put her heart and soul into doing very well. Instead of sinking lower, Elaine chose to move forward and take action. She accepted that job security is nothing you can bank on any longer. By planning and following through on her next steps, she actually discovered a whole new sense of satisfaction in a new sales position in a different industry within a few months.

In other words, don't stake your career future on any employer's goodwill. Your company could fold or be acquired. Given this climate of uncertainty, professional survival requires creative self-reliance — that can lead to new and better opportunities.

4. Chart a New Course

Mental obstacles are caused by the fear that your age, educational level, ethnic background, gender or current workplace limitations are stacked against you. To recharge your career, shake the mental obstacles by focusing on what you can attain despite the odds.

Talk to others who have persevered and succeeded in the face of difficulties. How did they do it, and what lessons can you learn from their experience? Participate in industry functions and attend professional meetings where you can meet people whose career paths have taken interesting turns. Their stories can be inspirational. You may even receive some promising job leads from your conversations.

Create a game plan as a next step for your career whether in sales or in some other field. A few of the options that could help you reach your professional and financial goals include:

• Moonlighting to explore working in a different industry or type of job.
• Investing in a franchise to see if you're suited to entrepreneurship.
• Becoming an "intrapreneur" who performs services for various companies under contract.
• Pursuing further education or professional certification to prepare for a different occupation.
• Taking early retirement to follow a dream outside of the corporate mainstream.
• Volunteering for work assignments, task forces or special projects that reflect your interests add to your skill base and help you develop new contacts.

If none of these options make sense for you, think of other ways to open up new choices that can recharge your professional life. If you're open to change and willing to take informed risks, you'll be surprised by how many avenues you could pursue. Your future is what you make it, and it's never too late.