Making a decision on what career path to follow can be very difficult. We recently carried out research showing that many adults put little thought into their careers at an early age and now are in jobs they don’t like or which offer no career progression.

When leaving school

Once students finish school they do not feel informed about the different options they have and it is still perceived that university is the best route. Our research shows that 57 per cent admit they put little thought into their career at an early age and wish they could have done things differently. Many found that they could not get a foothold into their desired profession, 6 in 10 believing they could do better than the job they had. Many have not chosen their current job and therefore ‘fell’ into their role which can lead to stress and poor performance.

It is crucial that we offer better independent career advice from a younger age. Helping young people understand how education and jobs are intertwined  will ensure they make the right choices when it matters most. A good starting point is the National Careers Service website.

Performance and happiness at work

When reflecting on their performance and happiness at work, we found that just 22 per cent described themselves as good at their job. However, many people decide to stay put as their current jobs offer security and the job market does not offer that sense of stability. Not surprisingly, over half of those studied said they felt ‘stuck in a rut’ in their career.

It has been proven that people succeed if they are in jobs that they find stimulating, challenging and offer real career progression. A startlingly high 52 per cent of respondents said they were going nowhere, with no opportunities of any kind for meaningful progression. Those who are unhappy in their careers need to know that they are never too old to learn and employers need to adopt an attitude that encourages lifelong learning so we can continue to fill the skills gap.

Career change

It is worrying to learn that one in three Brits are not currently working in their chosen profession and as the time passes by, they feel that making a career change is more difficult. We spend most of our lives in the work environment so to know that many adults are feeling unchallenged with no motivation or career progression is a major problem for people’s wellbeing as well as having a detrimental effect on our economy now and in the future.

Top 20 most common signs of work unhappiness

1. It is very stressful
2. I don't get paid enough
3. There are no perks
4. I'm not stretched in my current role
5. There are no opportunities to progress
6. The boss never says thank you
7. I work long hours
8. The work environment isn't very nice
9. I was destined for better things
10. I'm in completely the wrong profession
11. I'm expected to work a lot of overtime
12. I'm too intelligent
13. The commute is terrible
14. I never get a lunch break
15. The pension plan is awful
16. I don't get on with colleagues
17. The boss is a slave driver
18. I'm constantly overlooked for promotions
19. I don’t care about the work
20. The company is understaffed