I’ve been working for 7 years now in a healthcare job with little career progression. Should I stay or leave given the pandemic and have I committed career suicide by staying so long?

7 years - just take it as sunk cost.

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If you venture out to something with better prospects and it doesn't work out, Im pretty sure you can go back to your existing industry with your experience.

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Do if while you're young and have relatively lower level of fixed commitments, else 10 more years from now, you'll truly be stuck and hate your life everyday.

As job seekers, we need to take charge of our career planning. Hence, when you feel that you’re in a rut on your career progression, it’s always advisable to initiate a conversation with your supervisors to determine how you can move away from your current situation and get back on track. Keep an open mind during the conversation and discuss on areas that you can embrace to reignite your career. Sometimes, this could involve taking on new work responsibilities because with 7 years of experience behind you, you definitely have the competencies and skill sets to contribute positively to the healthcare environment.

Should you still feel your career is stagnant after having the conversation with your supervisors, leaving the role for greener pastures could be a viable option as your next career move but before making the plunge, weigh the pros and cons and do a career analysis as to whether you wish to remain in the healthcare or move beyond healthcare. No employers will hire us just because we need a job and they would always want to know what we can bring to the table in terms of our value prepositions (e.g. transferable competencies, skill sets, etc.) before they can seriously consider our application.

Staying long in a career does not necessarily translate to career suicide especially if you have thought through the pathway that would support your career progression. Experiences are acquired by staying on the job and if you’re convinced you can continue to acquire new learning opportunities to deepen your knowledge and skill sets where you can develop yourself professionally, and see there are growth prospects within the organisation, staying on longer may have more benefits in supporting your career progression.