Thinking about a Career Change?

Thinking about a Career Change?

Three main steps

Career Exploration

When people start thinking about change, they usually see some warning signs (career confusion and disillusion), they’ve experienced some roadblocks, and they feel there is something else out there they would like to try.

If you have identified a need for a change, it’s imperative that you make room in your schedule for some career exploration. 

Typically, this time of reflection involves three main steps:

1. Career Clarity: what is going on?

What is bothering you: WHAT you do or WHO you do it for (boss or clients)? or , you like your what and who, but not your career growth or results?

2. Roadblocks: what stands in your way to change?

There are different options to obtain support for each of these roadblocks:

• Financial: seek assistance from a financial advisor who is qualified and unbiased

• Unknown: manage the anxiety of the unknown, seek assistance from a career coach

• Losing the community (boss, colleagues): there are other communities outside work, research professional organizations, groups to share your hobbies/sports

• Fear of failure: you will boost your confidence by taking the time to write down all your past career accomplishments, everything you’ve done that has made an impact. There is always room for growth, perhaps all you need is to seek career development to reach your next level of expertise, leadership, or both

• Unclear career path: see #3

3. Career Path: there are four steps to reflect about your career path

a. Identify your EXPERTISE: including your core skills, experience, credentials and personal descriptors (blog post)

b. Identify your INTERESTS: you can use the following prompts to guide you, the whole point here is to align your gifts with your strengths

• What did you want to do for a living when you were young?

• Did you have a dream that you set aside due to other people’s expectations of you?

• Are there any jobs, industries, or trends that excite you?

• Is there an organization (or a project) where you would gladly volunteer your time to?

• What comes naturally to you? And what comes easier for you than for others?

• What companies/organizations do you admire? Why? How do they connect with you?

c. Identify your STRENGTHS: you can use an assessment or you can keep track of

• Build a list of daily, weekly, monthly tasks. Include mundane and routine items

• Notice which tasks and expertise areas you give 100% of your energy and which ones drain you

d. GAP Analysis: start looking at job postings. You can use Indeed or search for jobs on LinkedIn. Find job postings that excite or interest you, analyze them, line by line

• Even if you are not sure, even if you are looking at different roles, find roles that best fit you and that you are a best fit for

• Do you meet their requirements: skills, credentials. education, previous experience?

• What tasks are required: are these things you love or would drain you?

• Build a list of gaps (if you have them) and think about how you can fill them. Perhaps you can gain a specific experience through volunteering, working on a project, taking a class, learning a skill on your own

If you need assistance and support with your career exploration, I can help you!

Contact me and we can work together. Let’s get started!

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