When ‘I’ll figure it out’ is a career red flag

If you keep saying this at work, you might be in the wrong career. Picture: iStock Most of us assume that being in the wrong career means waking up every morning dreading work. But career misalignment is rarely that dramatic.

More often, it hides in the small, everyday phrases people repeat without thinking – subtle admissions that say far more than a polished LinkedIn bio ever could. One of the biggest red flags? A seemingly harmless sentence many professionals lean on: “I’ll figure it out”.

According to Sharon Armstrong, CEO of recruitment agencyArmstrong Appointments, that phrase can be surprisingly revealing. “Almost everyone says this at some point. On the surface, it sounds resourceful, even confident.

[paywall]

But when it’s repeated constantly, it often signals someone feels like they’re improvising through a role that doesn’t fit, rather than thriving in it.” Dreading Mondays occasionally is normal, but feeling it week after week is not. “When the start of the week triggers anxiety consistently, it’s usually the role itself – not just the workload – that’s misaligned.” Competence can mask misalignment.Many stay in the wrong careersimply because they’re capable. Looking forward to weekends or holidays is normal.

Feeling like your real life only begins after work is not. “If work feels like something you endure to reach your life, that’s a sign it may not be the right fit.”

[/paywall]