The past year has been a time of reflection for many people.
Where people work and why they do what they do has given many pause to ask hard questions about their careers and their quality of life.
Some realize they’re discontent and are thinking of a change. As they consider change they also think of what their work-life could look like and how it may better align with their outlook of purposeful work.
Three reasons seem to come up in conversation with people who are considering changing jobs or careers.
- I don’t want to do this anymore.
- The job I’ve had for a long time doesn’t fit with where I am in life.
- I’ve had a change in my life and need to make more money.
Based on experience, there are two coaching areas I would suggest considering if you elect to take action on a job/career change. They will help you understand the challenge and the path to a successful career change.
Career Management – This is the strategy for pursuing a new career. It is the process of establishing a plan with career-related goals and designing a way forward to achieve those goals. It entails building a vision for what salary, title, skills, and companies are important and how to pursue your change.
This step requires self-knowledge and awareness of current skills and abilities as well as what’s needed to reach your goal. This step is about gaining clarity and mapping out the actions and knowledge needed to reach your goals.
Career/Professional Development – is self-development to acquire the skills needed to take on the new career. Depending on the requirements of the new job it may require training or coaching to develop and enhance existing skills and behaviors that are evident in people who do the work to which you aspire.
Careers often begin at a young age. When we leave school and begin our careers we’re often in our 20’s.
Over time we change. As we experience life and add-to or change our values and other aspects of life, like raising a family, what’s important becomes different.
Our industries change. Technology and market shifts can and will change the way the job looks and feels.
If you think about it the only job that didn’t seem to change during Covid was the lighthouse keeper. Everyone else had some experience that interrupted how they did their work.
So if you aren’t a lighthouse keeper and have been considering a career change here are some questions you might ask yourself to start the strategic process of Career Management?
- What does your ideal job look like and feel like as part of your life and legacy?
- What would that new career look like to the people around you and those who rely on you?
- What will a typical week look like as opposed to today?
- What are the obstacles to making a change?
- What are the opportunities to making the change?
- What is one thing you can do now to step into action?
Once you have the answers to those questions look for feedback from trusted sources as to how to make the move that fills the gap between what you have and what you want for your career so that you can set your strategy and begin to focus on the development needed to take the step into a better life.
Working with a certified career management coach can help you develop your career plan and learn more strategies to perform the best in your job and understand your career. To schedule an appointment with John Bushee click here.