Underemployment is worse than unemployment for some depending on their other life choices and whether they feel trapped. Others will use it as an advantage because it gives them the space to hone their craft or sharpen their career tools.

There are are a few who will position themselves as a big fish in a small pond. I didn’t consider that in recent years and having written about it before, it’s important because it’s choice. All of the above are choices.

Many people choose underemployment to prepare for the future and take a job that is not stressful or demanding and for which they’re overqualified. It could be a competitive advantage if they buy time while going to school, get training, or need more time to prepare for a new career or venture.

Other people may have their confidence shot and take an underemployment to prepare for the future and take a job that is not stressful or demanding and for which they’re overqualified. It could be a competitive advantage if they buy some time while going to school, get some training, or need more time to prepare for a job that is not their chosen career for a short period. Sometimes, people get stuck in those careers because they are still trying to gain their confidence, and their mojo, salary, benefits, and coworkers cannot help them move forward. Mostly, it hurts their salary because they are not earning what they can, and it could be a little degrading because they’re underachieving.

Here are a few signs of underemployment. The following can keep you in employment captivity and ultimately affect your finances and the long term:

1. You’re caught in complacency

You become very complacent about where and how long you’ve worked, and you take more pride than that instead of learning what’s new in the marketplace and how that will translate to your future advancement and earnings. The cost of career development could be stifling, but the return on investment can be well worth it, especially if it’s far above where you are underemployed.

2. You covet and grow jealous of the career moves your peers made.

Seeing your peers move up and move forward with their careers ahead of you is a thing. You become envious of their new salary, promotion, and status. Meanwhile, you become disgusted with yourself and see it more as missed opportunities without knowing what opportunities are available for you and your future.

3. You’re easily distracted by personal obstacles

If you listen to yourself, you’re full of excuses and apathy. You think more about how arduous Your journey has been so far rather than the prize at the end, which is to create more impact on the work you love or used to love. Meanwhile, your obstacles may cost you thousands of dollars daily or weekly.

4. You’re scared of rejection.

You’re afraid of what others may think of you if you don’t get to where you want to go the first time. Today’s job search is full of trials and errors: what you did right, what you did wrong, and what to leave and what to leave out. If you are rejected, I cloud your vision and judgment about your life.

5. Uncertainty becomes a showstopper

We’re in the days where anyone can Google or YouTube what they need to know or at least where they can find more answers. Sure, confidence has much to do with it, and you may feel a lack of confidence now. Negotiating your worth is hard if you’re unsure of your market value and worth.

Some stigmatize underemployed as being lazy, unambitious, and problematic. Very few fit this description, and an argument to be made is many chose it as a way to transition to something bigger. People chose bridge jobs all of the time with plans to prepare for something bigger at the right time.