By Steven Petroff, Toronto Financial Recruiter
Even the best of us get into a rut now and again. It’s not a place you want to be, especially professionally. Most financial professionals will have to work through a rut at some point in their careers. If it happens, it’s okay. You can work your way out of it.
Why Do People Get Into Career Ruts?
There are many reasons finance professionals can find themselves in a rut:
- You’ve been working in the same role for a long time
- You do repetitive work
- You’ve had issues in your personal life that have crept into your work life
- You have been working long hours and haven’t taken a vacation in a while
Whatever the reason, ideally you want to avoid a rut before it happens. The key is being proactive and seeing the writing on the wall before you get too far down the rabbit hole.
3 Telltale Signs You’re in a Finance Career Rut
To help you avoid a career rut before it happens, we’ve put together the following list of things to be on the lookout for:
You start to explore other options
If you’ve started browsing job ads more frequently, it may be a sign you’re in a funk. But looking for a new job when you’re in a rut could actually work against you. No company is going to hire you when you’re feeling down. You won’t be in the right headspace. Before you start searching, take a look at your current situation and try to figure things out. Once you’re in a better place mentally, then you can revisit new opportunities.
The quality of your work is suffering
Are you making uncharacteristic mistakes? Are you having trouble meeting deadlines? Is your performance not what it normally should be? These are all signs you are in a rut.
Another related sign of being in a funk is complacency. Are you doing the bare minimum? Have you stopped caring as much?
If you find yourself in this headspace, perhaps it’s time to take a few days off or even plan some vacation time to clear your head and take a break.
You have no motivation
People who are in career ruts often say they are bored at work. They don’t look forward to the work day, they can’t wait for the weekend, and they feel tired all the time. You may be in a rut if you’ve lost the motivation you once had. This is especially the case if coworkers start to take notice of your change in demeanor and attitude at work.
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