Career Expert Reveals The One Uncomfortable Truth Workers Should Know Before Getting Stuck In A Dead-End Job
She shared valuable advice for anyone worried about their future.
Vitaly Gariev / Unsplash The transition between ending college and entering the working world is a major adjustment for most young adults.
While college classes teach students how to analyze complex concepts, they don’t teach how to survive after school is over.
Certain skills can only be learned through experience, but that doesn’t mean that young people should feel completely unprepared in their new environments.
A career expert revealed an uncomfortable truth that all workers should know before getting stuck in a dead-end job.
Sally is a coach who guides recent graduates as they make their way into the corporate world.
She shared the one thing she wished she had known when she was 22 and starting her career, warning her followers that they probably weren’t going to like what she was going to say.
Sally explained that it’s okay to leave a job that does not provide what you need to get ahead and feel accomplished.
“It is okay to walk away,” she said, "especially when you’re not a fit with that manager.”
She explained that if you and your manager don’t see eye to eye, “They are not going to promote you, they’re not gonna risk their neck out for you, and they’re not gonna give you those projects that help you learn and grow.”
So much of professional advancement actually has to do with personal connections. While you don’t have to be besties with your co-workers or managers, being on solid ground with the people you work with can help you land promotions and projects.
As Sally made clear, there’s no shame in walking away from a job that just isn’t working for you.
Brooke Cagle / Unsplash
“If you are not clicking with your manager, it is okay to say, ‘We’re out. I’m out,’” she said.
Throughout our lives, we’re taught not to quit. We’re told to grit our teeth and keep going, even when the going gets tough.
There’s an overarching narrative that quitting means you’re weak when, really, the opposite is true.
It takes strength to be vulnerable, to acknowledge that the path you’re on isn’t giving you what you need.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with course-correcting, changing your mind, or quitting a job that leaves you feeling burnt out and stuck.
In her role as a career coach, Sally recognizes that workers who are just starting out need help navigating what can feel like uncharted territory.
Austin Distel / Unsplash
Her work is the opposite of gate-keeping. The advice she gives holds doors open for young people to walk through in order to find their own version of professional success.
As she noted in another post, everyone is in charge of their own career path, which means that you get to make the decisions that are right for you.
“No manager, no mentor, no one else will fight for you if you don’t fight for yourself,” she explained.
According to Sally, this means it’s up to you to push yourself forward. She advised, “Raise your hand for the tough projects. Ask to speak at team meetings. Talk about your accomplishments.”
It takes a certain level of self-reflection to know when something does— or doesn’t— provide you with what you need. For young people who are just finding their sea legs, this can feel difficult. Checking in with yourself is a valuable practice, one that gets easier with time.
Leaving a job shouldn’t be equated with failure, but knowing yourself enough to accept when to walk away.
Alexandra Blogier is a writer on YourTango's news and entertainment team. She covers social issues, pop culture, and all things to do with the entertainment industry.