Stuck in career quicksand? Busting these 5 behaviours can get you out

If you are stuck in career quicksand, there are five behaviours that you must change. These behaviours are relying on meritocracy, ignoring the impact of working remotely, ignoring the rules of the game, neglecting social capital and indulging in the office grapevine.

It is not uncommon for individuals to feel stuck in a rut in their professional lives. Despite putting in the work and the hours, they may still not see the progress or growth they want. This feeling of stagnation can leave them frustrated and disheartened, particularly if they believe they have been doing everything by the book.

“If you feel that you are on a career path to nowhere despite your best efforts over the years, you are not alone. Many people at all levels, in all fields and sectors, have felt this sense of defeat, not knowing where to turn or what to do,” says Advaita Naidoo, Africa MD at Jack Hammer, an executive search firm.

“There are a number of behaviours and beliefs that can hold professionals back. Being aware of these and considering whether they may have played a role in your own career, could help you break free from the cycle of frustration, allowing you to start making real progress towards your goals,” Naidoo says.

Relying on meritocracy

Most people believe that hard work and great results will and should automatically lead to recognition and reward in the form of promotion, annual increases, bonuses or benefits. However automatic recognition is the exception, not the norm and therefore it is important for employees to (diplomatically) take credit where it is due and initiate conversations and negotiate for advancement.

“If you feel your contribution is not acknowledged and suitably recognised, it may be necessary to become more strategic in terms of managing your career and communicate your value and accomplishments on an ongoing basis.”

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Ignoring the impact of remote working

While many of the world’s workplaces embraced remote and hybrid working arrangements and most people are grateful for their more flexible working arrangements, being passed over for promotions and projects because you are out of sight and mostly out of mind is not ideal, Naidoo says.

“Remote and hybrid workers must not assume that their contributions are automatically picked up by the key decision makers. The reality, which we are seeing all over the world, is that unless an organisation is truly invested in equality around hybrid and remote workers compared to their fully in-office peers, those with more flexible arrangements may feel their careers starting to lag.”

Remote and hybrid workers must aim to continue “showing up” by consciously working on engagement with their managers and colleagues, volunteering for new projects and cultivating relationships that extend beyond your core scope of work. It also goes without saying that you must take advantage of as many in-person meet-ups as possible.

Ignoring the rules of the game

Staying out of office politics is noble but must be mistaken for divorcing yourself from the rules of the game. Every organisation has certain norms, expectations and behaviours that form part of its culture and supports cohesion and teamwork.

Without compromising personal authenticity and integrity, those seeking to advance their careers must aim to understand the unwritten rules of their company and teams and to become a valued player in the team – not one who stands to one side and does things on their terms only.

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Neglecting social capital

Perhaps one of the most important ways to cultivate career advancement opportunities is to invest in networking and building relationships, Naidoo says. Related to the sentiment of doing more than just getting the job done well, professionals need to broaden their horizons, seeking out mentors and role models who can help them on their journey.

It is also important to find people outside your immediate team to broaden access to information, resources and opportunities, as well as increase your visibility, particularly in big organisations.

Indulging in the office grapevine

Feeling like you are in a professional rut is the ideal breeding ground for office gossip to flourish, but indulging is the catalyst that will start off a vicious cycle. It may seem comforting to cultivate a sense of camaraderie in sharing war stories about team members or managers, but this is one activity that is all but guaranteed to kneecap your career prospects.

Office gossip is an indulgence that seldom benefits anyone and in fact could backfire by you being thrown under the bus by fellow gossipmongers at an opportune moment. This is definitely a career-limiting practice to be avoided.

“While it may be tempting to blame lack of career growth prospects on external factors, a first step is to examine whether your career quicksand may be your own doing. The good news is that if any of these five pitfalls are at play, you can take immediate action to address them and shift quickly out of your career rut,” Naidoo says.