Ever feel like your day-to-day working life is becoming increasingly like Bill Murray’s life in the film, “Groundhog Day?”

If the answer is a resounding yes, I can’t say I’m surprised, given the pace of life and our yearning for stability. But at what cost? Should we just accept the repetitive nature of the day-to-day? Or is there something we can do to re-invigorate our working lives?

I’m sure many of us have read profiles of high-flying entrepreneurs or heard stories about go-getters globetrotting the world, constantly embarking on new adventures. Perhaps these stories lead us to question, “what’s the formula?” Are they just lucky or do they think and behave in a way that’s different to how we are conditioned or socialised to think and behave? This may cause us to feel stuck in the life we’ve grown accustomed to, because the thought of changing anything is simply too hard!

I’d like to offer a different perspective on the daily grind…

I question whether it’s necessary to make drastic changes in order to break a cycle. Rather, I believe it’s possible to implement small, progressive improvements to our careers which may just be the antidote that can make all the difference.

Let’s face it, it’s not always easy to make drastic change in our careers, particularly toward the latter stages, when we’ve perhaps “fallen into” or “have been doing” a job for awhile and feel that our career has channelled itself in a particular direction or niche as a result. Our economy certainly doesn’t help. With the cost of living at record highs, the ability to re-educate and change our careers seems further out of reach than ever before. 

However, there is light at the end of that proverbial tunnel. We’ve had many candidates come to us, not happy in their current position or industry, but not expecting to be able to change or divert from what they were already trained and had experience in. However, opportunities presented, where we suggested they could take on a new role which, at first glance, did not seem to align with their experience. What these candidates did have were solid transferable skills such as an ability to engage with people or high-level analytical skills as well as a desire to try something new. Our clients were willing to take them on based on their character and potential. With the help of some training by our clients, these candidates ended up, not only learning new skills, but also achieved supervisory level responsibilities which saw their salaries increase as a result. The bottom line here is: you don’t have to feel that you’re stuck in a trap because you’ve only had experience doing one type of job. You need to look at the transferable skills you have, then talk with recruitment professionals about exploring other potential opportunities that could open new doors.

I believe if people want to make change and advancement in life and career, they should look towards making smaller incremental changes to their skill-set by way of short courses, peer engagement or extra-curricular activities that consistently build on their already-acquired knowledge and experience. This, in turn, will assist to develop new skill-sets that can pave the way for potential transitions to new and exciting career opportunities.

If you lack the confidence to shift your career trajectory because you don’t think you have the qualifications or knowledge, you could look to undertake a short course or two. Not only will you gain the qualifications but also the confidence knowing you can enter a new role with the essential required knowledge. Look to TAFE colleges, local business colleges and universities. These days, many universities offer courses by correspondence which allow you to gain new knowledge and skills whilst not missing out on paid work.

Joining industry groups such as representative bodies or organised networking can also open up a world of knowledge. By immersing yourself in this way you can connect with peers (and potential peers) in the industry you wish to move into.

In this digital age, there are a plethora of platforms where you can become involved in, as well as learn about, the industry or job you wish to pursue. Social media opens up a world of new connections through virtual industry groups, associations and individuals. At times, connecting with individuals can also provide scope for opportunity through referral.

Taking baby steps along the journey is not only possible, but it can also prove to be a more enjoyable experience and one that sees change and improvement happen sooner and more consistently. It could well be what ignites a new passion or opens a new door, ultimately breaking the “Groundhog” experience.