Is COVID Negatively Impacting Your Career? Three Signs It Might Be and What To Do About It.
Photo by Daniel Schludi on Unsplash
Covid has been with us for a year and a half now. And, as we speak, many cities and companies are moving forward with moving back to mask-mandates or some version of trying to control the spread of Covid. Depending on who you talk to, you hear that Covid will be with us forever or things will get back to normal after most people are vaccinated or contract the virus. It’s clear, however, that no matter what you believe, Covid has changed our careers as we know it. From working at home to wearing a mask and social distancing – the workplace has changed. The question to ask yourself from a career perspective is if your career has taken off, paused, or wholly stalled in the last 18 months?
For many of you, the answer is “Yes, things have changed for the better.” So many people have found newfound career freedom. I’ve read many articles highlighting the “Great Resignation” – a time where people are leaving jobs in droves in search of life balance, a new career path, a fulfilling job, or simply leaving the workforce. Other articles indicate that many more people are actively in search of a new job. It’s clear that Covid has forced us to reevaluate what’s important – and many of you are using it as an opportunity to make a change.
But what about the individuals who are still in the same job they were in 18 months ago with no clear path forward? What about the high-potential employee whose career was skyrocketing until March 2020, when the workplace as we know it changed? What about all the company initiatives that were focused on career development, mentorship, and support – that have had to take a backseat to today’s reality of social distancing? There are many more examples of how you have to be more deliberate in your career development today. So what are a few signs that your career might be on “Pause,” and what can you do about it?
Sign #1: To be determined
If that’s the answer you get when you discuss the timing of your next move, your career may have stalled some. But it’s not all bad. As I mentioned before, there are a lot of people looking for new jobs. If you’re clear about where you want to go in your career or at least where you want your next move to be, share it with your manager. I had a supervisor ask me once where I wanted my career to go. I waffled, “Oh, I don’t know, it can be this, or it can be that.” I happened to have a career coach at the time, and he shared with me how difficult that response makes it on a manager. “If you are relying on your manager to guess your next position, you’re heading for disappointment.” He was right. I needed to take the time to identify 1 or 2 positions of interest to help my manager determine if they were in a place to help me or not. Having the clarity enabled me to provide better feedback to my manager, who, in the end, was able to help me get to the next position. If your next career step is “To be determined,” be determined to identify that step and take action towards achieving it.
Sign #2: You’re doing a good job
How many of you have heard this response when asking about your job performance? I can’t tell you how many people have come to me frustrated when they hear this feedback from their manager. On its surface, it doesn’t appear to be a problem or a bad answer. Often, it isn’t. However, when you are looking to make a career change and hear this answer, you may want to follow it up with, “And do you support me for the next step in my career?” It’s an important distinction because it helps you clarify how much your manager supports you. When a manager tells you you’re doing a good job, it can mean many things. It can mean you’re actually doing a good job. It can mean, “I’m not comfortable giving you constructive feedback, so I’m going to say this to you instead so you’ll go away.” It can mean, “I barely have the time to focus on what I need to do; I haven’t thought about your performance, so it must be at least okay.”
Two of those answers may be slightly concerning. If you shared this story with me, one of the first questions I would ask you is who is your career champion? Is it your manager? Is it a mentor? Is it you? The answer would help me understand if you’re in a positive, difficult, or decent career position. In short, if your manager is your champion and isn’t comfortable giving you constructive feedback or hasn’t thought about your career, then you’re in a difficult spot right now. Suppose you are your own career champion in that same situation. In that case, you can still own the narrative by advocating for yourself – meaning that you can ask your manager to help you make contacts or connections, or you can do the same with a mentor, peer, or colleague. In any case, if “you’re doing a good job,” do yourself a favor and find out how good and how much you’re being supported. Get specific. It may be the difference between moving forward and staying stuck.
Sign #3: Be patient
This answer implies, “everything’s okay, and it’s only a matter of time.” That feeling that all of my career dreams will come true as long as I’m patient can be paralyzing. It can prevent me from taking any action because I trust my manager has my best interest in mind. For someone looking to own their career, these words are dangerous. If someone comes to me with advice on how to approach their career after hearing those words, I give them three options – though I’m sure there are more.
Take them at their word: If they’ve given you a reason to trust and believe them in the past, there’s a good chance they do have a plan or at least an idea of how to help you take that next step.
Trust but verify: Maybe you haven’t worked with them long enough to know their track record, so you’re unwilling to say they don’t have your back, but you want to understand how they’re thinking about it. So – ask questions. Ask detailed questions to see how they are thinking about your career. Does it line up with how you perceive yourself? Is it a fair point of view? Or is it misaligned? Depending on the answer, you may need to do nothing – or you may need to take immediate action.
Be impatient: Panic! <Alarm blares in the background> It’s like someone telling you, “Everything is okay,” but you can see the building is on fire. If I’m you, I’m looking for the exit! That may be exaggerating a bit, but the idea is that if you don’t feel supported, support yourself. Take action! Take the necessary steps to make the next step. Get the degree. Reach out to colleagues, agencies, recruiters, friends, family, and the others you trust who can put you in a better position to win.
The world has changed rapidly in the past year and a half. Darwin surmised that it was the most adaptable to change that would survive in the future. As you march forward in your career, it’s essential to acknowledge that change and the impact it may or may not have had on your career and take the appropriate next steps. Hopefully, these three signs will help you recognize the impact and put you in a position to move forward.
Good luck!
Coach Ha-Keem
You’re Worth It!
For more tips, check out my book, “You’re Worth It! Navigating Your Career in Corporate America,” or go to my website, CoachHa-Keem.com.
