Dead-End Job? 5 Rules to Help You Make the Tough Decisions!

You know it's time! You've about as far as you can go. It's a dead-end job.

That's a tough assessment and a challenging realization. No one likes to get to the point in their career or work history where they recognize they're up against a dead-end job. But if you've come to that conclusion, it's time to bite the bullet and get on with the rest of your career!

Here's what you should do.

1. Reassess your strengths, capabilities and assets. Do not rely on your work history for this. Much of what you've gained and accomplished are what we call "transferable skills." This is the transcendent knowledge you've acquired which goes way beyond a job description.

For example, skills like people managing, problem-solving, interpersonal dynamics, inventiveness, goal-orientation, loyalty, commitment, etc. In fact, these transferable skills are the ones an employer will be particularly interested in when you make your move. Studying them can also give you a sense of direction for your next job.

2. List what you want to get out of your next job. Remember, making a job decision is a two-way street. It's not just about whether or not an employer decides to hire you. You need to be very clear in your own mind what will make you happy. And it's not just money.

You need to consider a lot of other things that will advance your career and make you happy. For example, benefits, long-term career growth, opportunities for advancement, comfort level with the team, relationship with the boss, etc.

3. Do your homework. Before you make any job search decisions to get out of your dead-end job you want to get a feel for what's out there. Use Google, trade publications, association directories, product directories, Chambers of Commerce, etc. to narrow down the kind of industry or organization you'd like to be part of. Review (but don't answer) want ads to get a fix on whose hiring or growing in your area.

Start to single out the names of hiring decision-makers in those organizations. These are typically the people you would report to. You can find information about them online in such places as Who's Who, a name search in local newspapers, business publications, etc.

4. Build your contact bank. Start immediately to list all the names of people you know who could be helpful to you . . . not to find you a job, but who could advise you, serve as a conduit to others, help you with defining your goals, share information about industries and companies you're interested.

These names aren't limited to friends, relatives, and neighbors. There are many others in your community who will be happy to assist you: religious leaders, business connections, your banker and financial advisor, political leaders, etc.

5. The last thing you want to do is think about putting together a resume. This should come at the very end of a thorough reassessment effort like we've been describing. Your resume can summarize what you've learned with the idea of representing who you are going forward . . . not what you used to do for someone else. Your resume will NOT get you a job. But it can serve as a useful recap of goals, capabilities and assets.

Now what? You want to meet the challenge of a dead-end job with a great job search plan. Discover an amazing alternative job search program and take advantage of some remarkable non-traditional career advice. Then watch your job campaign take off. You could be entertaining a job offer in as little as two weeks!