Finding yourself at an impasse is an uncomfortable state of affairs: you know that things can’t go on as they are, but working out what direction to take them in can seem impossibly difficult. However, Timothy Butler, the director of career development programmes at Harvard Business School and the author of Getting Unstuck, argues that running into a dead end is one of the best ways to find yourself a new path. Here’s how to approach career stop signs.

1. Hurdle or barricade? The first step is to identify whether something has stopped your progression or is merely delaying it, says James Bywater, the head psychologist at SHL UK, a business psychology company. “The key is how quickly it is resolved. If you can negotiate a way out of it, such as putting up with it for a certain time in return for an exit route, it’s a hurdle.”

2. Grasp the opportunity. The shock of hitting an impasse can be so overwhelming that the temptation is to ignore it, Butler writes. “But while defensive evasion may get us past the immediate circumstances of crisis, it simply postpones resolving the issue underlying the crisis.”

3. There’s more than one way to get stuck. The list of common stop signs includes redundancy, being passed over for promotion several times in a row, failing to get into your chosen profession despite a number of intelligent attempts and becoming too valuable where you are to get promoted anywhere else, says Gabriella Goddard, an executive coach.

4. It’s your problem. You’re the one at an impasse so you’re the one who needs to find a way out, whether that’s a new company, a new career or further study. “Don’t expect your company to put you on a training course,” Goddard says. “Get out there and find one yourself.”

5. Reality bites. Consider a psychometric test, a meeting with a mentor or a chat with a critical friend. “It’s fine saying ‘here I am and this is what I want to do’, but you have to have a frank dialogue about how you are going to get there and how realistic it is,” Bywater says. “You need to temper your ambition with realism.”

6. Faulty logic. Are you the cause of your own luck? “Some people want to move on because they feel that they can’t work with their boss because he or she doesn’t bring out the best in them,” Goddard says. “But you have to be honest with yourself – does your own behaviour contribute to the dynamic?”

7. Practical preparations. “Get your CV up to date and review your skillset . . . then make an action plan,” Bywater says. This might include further study, such as an MBA, or gaining work experience. “And make sure you assess your behaviour, not just your skillset,” Goddard says.

8. Consider this. Think about what truly motivates you. When you’re at a crossroads and “the sheer uncertainty of the immediate uncertainty” overwhelms you, drop everything and listen for the internal voice that reminds you what is important, Butler writes.

9. Think positively. “This may turn out to be a good thing if you deal with it correctly,” Bywater says. “Many people say being made redundant allowed them to take stock of their career.”

10. Get ahead of the game. Don’t wait to be blindsided again, Bywater says. “Keep a close eye on what’s going on outside your environment and review your learning on a weekly or monthly basis.”

Find out more

Getting Unstuck: How Dead Ends Become New Paths, by Timothy Butler (Harvard Business School Press, £15.99) offers anecdotes, exercises and tools to readers to help them to find the way forward.

Visit www.movershaper.com to find out about Gabriella Goddard’s self-help books.

Let the internet help you decide – see www.wisegeek.com/am-i-in-a-dead-end-job.htm; www.mindtools.com/stress/pj/CareerPlanning.htm; and www.lewrockwell.com/north/north336.html

Read How to Choose a Career Now That You’re All Grown Up: Evaluating Your Interests, Abilities and Goals to Find the Career That’s Right for You, by Anna Mae Walsh Burke (from £15.17 on Amazon).

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