Is Your IT Career Going Down with the Ship?

A fascinating video appeared online this past week in commemoration of the Titanic sinking 104 years ago. The video depicts the entire sinking of the great ship in real time (about 2 hours and 40 minutes) from the moments before the ill-fated iceberg strike. (Strangely missing from the video is the part where Jack sketches Rose while she's wearing the giant blue diamond.)

The first two-and-a-half hours depict the slow and arduous submerging of the front half of the ship. The pace of the rising water is almost indiscernible, until the back end of the ship is nearly at a 45 degree angle out of the water. The entire hull and superstructure of the ship then snap in half and, within two minutes, the ship is gone. This incredibly tragic event should not be taken lightly, but within it there's an important life analogy.

Oftentimes our career may feel like a sinking ship. Many professionals put so much time and effort into building and keeping a career afloat, that they're often slow to notice the signs of danger. When things go stale, the "ship" can start to slip below the surface so slowly that its almost imperceptible. The longer we allow ourselves to stay in this sinking state, however, the more we lose hope of being rescued. This disinterest and dissatisfaction can eventually lead to the quick and tragic end of any career.

There are ways to save yourself from this demise. A sinking career usually means you need a change. Here are some steps to help you find rescue.

• Increase awareness: Recognize that you are sinking, and note the things that have caused the decline.
• Change your attitude: Sometimes a change of attitude could be all you need to increase your job satisfaction. You can choose to let adverse situations affect you, or you can brush them off.
• Recertify or go back to school: Try to learn something new. Recertify, or look for more certifications that can help you get on another career path.
• Change positions within your office: A change of job position will increase your excitement to go to work. Make sure that a lateral move within your company is to a position that has possible promotions.
• Find a new job completely: A new company will give you an entirely new outlook on your career path. Again, look for a job that you can be promoted in.

You can save yourself from a sinking career. Sometimes this takes jumping ship, but that doesn’t have to be the first step to career satisfaction.

About the Author — Jake Slater is the social media manager for GoCertify and a graduate of Brigham Young University. On the maiden voyage of the Titanic, Jake's great-grandfather was an adventurous lad from Chippewa Falls with a twinkle in his eye and a steerage ticket in his pocket.