There are many ways to define a problem, especially problems that confront us in our careers. For the sake of this article, I will define a career problem as the difference between what you have and what you want. When we encounter a problem in our careers, it’s not initially clear. At first, it shows up as a feeling of anxiety, a lack of fulfillment, or even a feeling of being stuck in a never-ending situation. As we begin to return to the office after over a year of uncertainty, we’ll undoubtedly come to identify some problems within our careers. And these problems will lead to some necessary changes, some of which will be welcome and others that will challenge us.
The New Normal
Updated workplace policies, decisions to stay remote or return to the office, and the reconfiguration of workgroups may be part of the new normal that require us to adapt.
With that in mind, I’d have you consider the following three reasons to consider career coaching as a way to move from what you have to what you want as we establish a new normal.
- Job Anxiety – How we go back to the office and what the office will look like in the new conditions are going to raise concerns for how individuals chart their career path.
- Feeling Stuck And Unfulfilled – The feeling of enjoyment may have vanished as jobs shifted to remote work while other’s careers may have become dead-ends.
- Planning An Exit Strategy – When it’s time to leave the first thought is, “there needs to be a change.” The second thought is, “what will the change look like and how do I make it happen?”
Job Anxiety
How individuals maintain a sustainable career path is a common topic that I work on with those whom I coach. The experience of remote work during the pandemic has put an interesting spin on sustainable career paths. When remote work is no longer the standard some will want to return to the office and others will want to continue working remotely. Regardless of how individuals decide, both groups share a common concern about growing their internal brand. Coaching sessions, therefore, include a focus on enhancing internal networking, projecting value, and staying top of mind with influential people in your career path. Coaching helps to develop new perspectives relative to new conditions so that you can chart the right course of action.
Feeling Stuck And Unfulfilled
For many, the past year has created several changes to how their jobs function. For some, those changes have taken away the purpose and passion that attracted them to the role when they first accepted their position. The changes of the pandemic created a deficit of purpose which has resulted in a lack of fulfillment. The career they once loved became a mere job. Coaching sessions with individuals in such situations have focused on how to make a change either internally or externally. This process involves identifying how individual’s values will alight with their career aspirations. The ultimate goal is to recapture job satisfaction and a sense of purpose in their career.
Planning An Exit Strategy
To recapture purpose and fulfillment some people have decided that it’s time to move on to something else. The pandemic marked a change in how these individuals want to spend their time which can include retirement or a new career venture. Their big questions are “What do I want to do?” and “How do I make this change?” Coaching sessions help these individuals focus on identifying fulfilling work, planning the search process while holding their current position, and then making the break with their old employer while not burning bridges.
Are you feeling discontent with your job or feeling uncertain about how to move forward? A Career Coach can help you clarify what you want and then plan a way forward to where you want to be. If you’re interested in finding out more about working with a Career Coach, click here to schedule a free 1-hour business coaching consultation with John Bushee, ACC. In that session, you can experience the support coaching provides for your career and life trajectory.