Waiting Is Not a Career Plan

There’s a word we often underestimate, waiting. It sounds patient. It sounds noble. But when it comes to your career, waiting can quietly become the most dangerous form of stagnation.

Let’s talk about it.

The Culture of Waiting

We’ve normalized “waiting seasons” so much that many young people have unknowingly turned them into permanent addresses.

You’ve probably heard these phrases before:

“I’m just waiting for something to open up.” “I’m waiting for HR to call me back.” “I’m waiting for things to settle first.”

But let’s be honest, how long have you been waiting?

3 months? 6 months? A year?

Here’s a hard truth: waiting is not a strategy, and time alone doesn’t change your situation, action does.

When you finish campus and sit at home hoping someone will “discover” you, you’re missing the point of how careers actually grow. Careers are built, not by waiting for the right time, but by doing something with the time you already have.

The “Invisible Years” That Define You

Many successful professionals had seasons that looked invisible to the world, moments when no one was calling, no job was forthcoming, and no opportunity seemed to fit.

But instead of waiting, they used those “invisible years” to prepare.

• One graduate I mentored spent three months after school volunteering at a local NGO while taking free online courses on data analysis and report writing. She didn’t get paid but she built a portfolio. This year, that experience became her strongest advantage in landing her first corporate role.

Here’s the lesson: Preparation turns waiting time into working time.

Why Waiting Feels Easier But Costs More

Waiting feels comfortable because it doesn’t demand accountability. You can tell yourself, “It’s just not my time yet.” But the hidden cost is momentum.

Every month you spend waiting passively is a month someone else spends learning, building, and growing and when opportunity finally knocks, they’re ready while you’re rusty.

I often tell my clients and mentees this:

“If you stay still for too long, the world won’t pause for you. It will move forward without you.”

Technology is changing, industries are evolving, and employers are demanding more. The longer you wait to act, the further you drift from relevance.

Faith Is Not Waiting Faith Is Movement

Even from a spiritual lens, waiting doesn’t mean being idle. When Noah was told a flood was coming, he didn’t sit under a tree waiting for rain he started building an ark.

In the same way, you don’t prepare for an opportunity after it comes you prepare before it comes.

Your “ark” might be:

• Taking a free certification course on Alison, Coursera, or LinkedIn Learning.
• Volunteering at a nearby organization to gain exposure.
• Attending industry webinars to understand trends.
• Or simply polishing your CV, LinkedIn profile, and communication skills so that when an opportunity appears, you’re not starting from scratch.

Faith believes that things will work out but wisdom builds capacity while waiting.

What “Not Waiting” Looks Like in Practice

Let’s make this practical.

If you’re currently between jobs or internships, here’s how you turn waiting into working:

1. Set a Weekly Skill Goal Pick one area in your field you want to strengthen. For instance, if you’re in finance, learn budgeting tools or Excel formulas. If you’re in HR, learn recruitment systems. Just one micro-skill per week compounds massively over time.
2. Redesign Your Digital Presence Your CV, LinkedIn profile, and even email communication represent you. Make them reflect your professionalism and growth. (This is something we do often at Prime Career Hub, transforming simple profiles into recruiter-magnetic brands.)
3. Start Talking About What You’re Learning Don’t wait to be an expert before sharing insights. Post about what you’re learning, challenges you’re facing, and lessons from your growth journey. Visibility opens unexpected doors.
4. Network Intentionally Reach out to professionals in your field, comment meaningfully on their posts, or attend online events. Opportunities flow through relationships more often than job boards.
5. Offer Value First Volunteer or freelance. Offer to help small businesses, startups, or NGOs. Even if it’s unpaid, experience is currency, and credibility follows action. (I'll be sharing a post on this to get your views)
6. Reflect and Refine Every two weeks, review what you’ve done. What’s working? What’s not? Adjust. Growth isn’t a straight line, it’s a cycle of learning and improving.

A Story Close to Home

When I finished campus, I also went through a phase where nothing seemed to move. I remember sending applications and hearing nothing back.

But instead of waiting, I started doing. I volunteered, did an internship, I took certifications, I built my communication and storytelling skills.

Those “small steps” became the foundation of what I am doing today, what began as a personal journey turned into a platform empowering others to navigate their careers with clarity and confidence.

If I had waited, this vision would’ve never been born.

My CTA

Waiting might feel safe, but it’s not progress. Time doesn’t automatically bring change, decisions do.

The difference between where you are and where you want to be is not time, but action.

So today, I challenge you:

• Stop saying “I’m waiting for something to happen.”
• Start asking, “What can I make happen while I wait?”

Your future self will thank you for not wasting the season you’re in.

Because remember this: The world doesn’t reward those who wait; it rewards those who move.

By Victor Onyango, Empowering individuals to navigate their career journeys through confidence, clarity and purpose.