March 12, 2009 
By Janet Farley
It happens to everyone sometimes. You find yourself professionally or personally somewhere where you’d just rather not be. Maybe you are currently unemployed and desperately seeking a paid position of any variety. Or maybe you are gainfully employed, just painfully dissatisfied. Or just maybe your professional picture is just so out of focus that you can’t even begin to figure out where you are in the first place, let alone begin to dig yourself out of it.
Face it: You are in a professional black hole and the view is not a pretty one.
Sound too familiar? If so, there is light at the end of the proverbial tunnel. You won’t reach the end of that tunnel simply by wishing on a nearby star for it, however. You’ll have to roll up your sleeves and get to work. The following steps can help.
1. Accept your current reality.
It ain’t pretty but it is what it is, lady. Deal with it. Denial may give you the illusion of comfort but it is still just an illusion. You’ll never be able to get past it if you haven’t accepted that it for what it is.
2. Drop Your Membership in the “Woe is Me Club”
Unless feeling sorry for yourself does something to positively propel you out of the endless pit of apathy you may find yourself residing, ditch it. It’s not working for you or for anyone who has to put up with you in the process. Attitude is key and having a positive one, coupled with a willingness to make good things happen is a must.
3. Identify the Light at the End of the Tunnel.
So, here you are and here is not where you want to be. Just where do you want to be, anyhow? Do you want to get promoted at work or would you be happy just to have a job in the first place? It’s important to know where you want to end up before you set off on your journey to reach it. Clarity. It’s a cool career accessory to own and show off.
So, to that end, clearly identify what it is you want to do so you can go on the next important step of determining the dirty details that will get you there.
4. Figure Out the Dirty Details.
You know what you want to do. That’s good. Now, how are you going to do it? Get the plan on paper and fill in the blanks for clarity’s sake. Figure out the meat of the equation.
For example, you feel stuck in your current job. How can you get unstuck? Consider all your options. They may include:
• quitting your job altogether
• talking to your boss about expanding your scope of responsibility
• looking for a new job or even a new career path
• continuing to suffer in silence
Pick your preferred course of action and identify the steps you need to implement to make it happen. Be specific. Use start and end dates. Cut yourself zero slack and keep your plan based in reality. For example, if your goal is to look for a new job and you haven’t touched your resume in five years, you have your first step already. Add a deadline to updating your resume and you’re on your way. Baby steps are perfectly acceptable assuming that propel you forward towards a goal.
5. Just Do It!
We all know that planning is easy. Getting down to the hard work of implementing a plan, on the other hand, is essential. Make it your job to dig yourself out of the career black hole. Put your brave on and just do it. Expect the bumps in the road and drive on. If anyone can make it happen, you can. Now quit wishing on those stars and start rearranging them yourself.
Janet Farley, Ed.M Freelance writer specializing in Careers & Workplace Issues Author, The Military Spouse's Complete Guide to Career Success (Impact Publications, Jan 2008) and The Military-to-Civilian Career Transition Guide (Jist Inc). Visit my website at www.janetfarley.com