This guide outlines how to cope with career challenges such as being terminated, overlooked, accused of harassment, stalled or losing your job to automation.
People have to overcome so much in their professional lives. There are some industries that are just incredibly tough to get into as a woman regardless of experience/qualifications. Recovering from career challenges can come in a number of forms. Take control of your career especially after something negative has happened.
How to cope with the worst career challenges
The following are common career challenges and tips to overcome these unfortunate circumstances.
Falsely Terminated
Being terminated is one of the career challenges that is most tough to deal with. There is a chance you have been targeted for one reason or another. A person being fired after a certain amount of time requires a reason. No verbal or written warnings about being fired although you were performing well is a sign you have been falsely terminated. The difficult aspect of this is that most companies might treat you poorly if they want you gone. Document everything if you feel like this is the case. Don’t mention a lawsuit during the termination meeting. You can rely on freelance or contract work until you find another full-time role. This situation should not stop you from advancing with other companies.
Overlooked Due To Your Gender
This is one of the most common career challenges. Women have to deal with being passed over for promotions due to their genders regularly. Some companies might cite the reason as being that they could get pregnant in the near future rather than the work they have done. This is a classic form of pregnancy discrimination in the workplace. Finding an employment discrimination attorney immediately can be a huge help. Proving this might be very difficult. Proof might only happen if someone involved with management left the company on bad terms. They could have heard pregnancy being discussed during the promotion deliberation process.
Accused Of Harassment
The era of remote work makes it even more important to choose your words wisely as this is one of increasingly common career challenges. Jokes might come off terribly so make sure to keep it professional when typed out. Traditional harassment might have decreased due to remote work but new forms of harassment are most likely prevalent. Being accused of harassment over email or instant message is far less daunting than being accused of doing it physically. Paper trails are important to keep as this can prove what was said was relevant to the conversation and was just misunderstood.
Unable To Climb The Corporate Ladder
Being in a dead-end job can be difficult to identify as amonth the career challenges during your infancy with a company. Continually looking for opportunities to work at higher levels of a company is wise. A dream job simply will not magically open up when you are fired or feel like quitting. Looking for great jobs consistently can also allow you to hone your interview skills. LinkedIn can allow you to see which jobs are open and other job-hunting websites can be used to apply.
Applying at multiple job-hunting websites could be wise if you feel like the platform you are using has too many applications to sift through. Most HR professionals can see and sort the various applications/resumes they have received. Some might be impressed if you apply for a position when it opens at each turn while improving your experience elsewhere. Below are some tips to keep in mind:
- Continually edit your resume and LinkedIn if you have an achievement, certification, or new skill you have learned to note. Companies love to see people that continually grow as professionals even when they are in the same job role for a few years.
- Set alerts on websites to find jobs and you can get a daily email.
- Set aside some time weekly to apply for jobs that you are interested in.
- Make sure management knows you want to advance in the company.
- Keep your job search a secret as you do not want to offend your current company. Looking for a new job always seems easier when you are employed.
Your Job Has Become Automated
This is one of the worst case scenario challenges you can expect to see more and more of in the future. Technology could have rendered some your job functions useless due to automation. The world is quickly moving towards automation so learning cutting-edge skills can be important. A person that understands how to write copy or market a product will continue to be useful. Great employees might be retained if they have skills in a department they can be transferred to. Startups tend to like to hire versatile employees so they can be moved where needed but can be productive in multiple roles.
Conclusion
Disasters and career challenges that happen to you professionally need to be managed appropriately. Turning yourself into an invaluable resource for any company is your best defense against any career challenges. The market has truly turned into one where people seeking jobs are empowered. You’d be surprised as to the pay bumps that some companies are giving employees simply to retain them.
