Every couple of years, we take a look at the barriers to envisioning, planning and implementing our career goals.  A barrier is anything that restrains or obstructs progress.  Barriers can be real, imagined, internal or external.  Another important characteristic of barriers, as this article will illuminate, is they change over time.  The length of time a barrier exists is called its “stability,” and is an often overlooked consideration.

Barriers are key factors in our success as they have a strong tendency to directly influence the development of career interests, plans and actions.  If barriers are believed to be internally caused, research shows that this improves career decision-making as these barriers are also considered to be controllable.  Luzzo and Tompkins-Bjorkman postulated that attributing career-related barriers to external and uncontrollable factors, one may generate an obstacle to their own effective career development. 

Real or perceived barriers have roughly the same impact on career decision-making.  In both cases, our expectations of the barriers force us into a particular direction.  For example, my niece is experiencing a change in expectations after her first year of college.  She originally wanted to become a medical doctor.  After the first year of college (not medical school), she has begun to believe that it will be too much work for and she doesn’t feel she has that much drive and determination to complete all the years of education required.  It won’t take long for this expectation to become a belief, which will eventually push her to formulate a new goal.  The important key to these barriers is getting help in defining the perceived barriers, so that they can be accurately internalized and overcome.

In 2008, our survey results on career barriers revealed numerous internal and external barriers.  Internal barriers included: fear, inability to plan a career, certifications and training, embarrassment, risk, and an inability to market skills.  External factors identified were: fierce competition, difficulty in outperforming peers, current position doesn’t develop marketable skills, competition from recent college graduates and a lack of opportunities. 

To understand how barriers may change over time, we conducted this survey again this year.  Both internal and external barriers identified by respondents are listed below.

Internal barriers - present professional track is in conflict with ones value system, can’t formulate a system of goals, lack of an appropriate network, vision, attitude, passion, patience, likability, apathy brought on by frustration leading to procrastination, limited or closed perception of the self, family feuding, nepotism, letting emotions run the business, losing non-family employees, and no succession planning.

External barriers - companies just aren't equipped/set-up with the mindset for career development of its employees, companies need to provide coaching and development for the next level in one's career, trouble finding a job and settling for a paycheck, being "typecast" into a certain career path, can’t find a job in your chosen area of academic study, industry imploded and eliminated massive numbers of jobs, and the Federal government has frozen funds for businesses.

Those who experience fewer barriers are likely to report a stable personality profile and higher career maturity than those who experience more internal and external barriers.  Often, these respondents reported that “self” was the only limitation to higher career mobility and success.  While this response implies that this group experiences internal barriers only, further discussion illuminated the presence of very few barriers.  This group also communicated a greater resilience and locus of control than those who experience career barriers.  Yeah, I know what you’re saying to yourself, “if I didn’t have anything slowing me down, I’d be happy and the master of my domain too.”

Respondents who reported internal barriers are less anxious and more optimistic than those who experience external barriers. This is mostly driven by the fact that respondents felt that their internal barriers are somewhat under their control and can be overcome; whereas, external barriers are outside of their control.  As you might expect, their resilience and locus of control are relatively lower than those who do not experience career barriers.  After all, these barriers are still impeding their career progress. 

Survey results also imply that respondents who experience more external barriers are more anxious and less optimistic than those who experience internal career barriers.  Their motivation may experience a sense of helplessness due to situations which are fundamentally not amenable to change. Professionals with external barriers don’t usually suffer from internal conflicts such as lack of interest.  They have an idea of what they want to achieve but due to these external factors are not able to traverse their chosen path.  Elevated levels of financial problems and age-related problems are also seen in this external career barrier profile.

Surprisingly, our results did not show external barriers related to gender, race, nationality or age discrimination.  While the population of the survey sample was a limitation to this study, it is comforting to see that these factors were not identified in the results.  This may imply that all external factors identified in this survey can be overcome.  Factors that impact entrepreneurs were also listed for the first time in our studies, implying that there may be an increase in such activities to achieve career goals.  Professionals might be experiencing too many barriers within organizations and feel forced to pursue their goals through entrepreneurship. 

The key to dealing with career barriers is recognizing them and taking action.  Determining your barriers can be easily accomplished using a Career Barrier Inventory (CBI).  As our results show, there are few barriers that can’t be overcome.  Your career requires self-reliance. It’s your responsibility to identify the factors that are impeding your progress and seek the support necessary to establish methods for getting around them.  From my experience with high achievers, you may need to assess your external barriers closely as they may require a change of environment.  By that, I mean, you can’t always be successful in every environment, whether you’re running your own company or working in someone else’s.  I mention this so that you don’t spend years trying to overcome barriers that you should just remove entirely by putting yourself in a company or business that is more receptive to what you have to offer.  Consider yourself a professional athlete in search of the right team and coach.  Once you find the right fit, success is unavoidable.  

By the way, if you would like help in conducting a CBI, please contact me at todd.rhoad@blitzteamconsulting.com.