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Career Moves
When you are considering a career change there are many factors to consider and too often people do not look at the big picture prior to making the shift, only to end up regretting the move in the long run.
Know what you want, know what you need, know what you need to do to get where you want to be and take action. Visualize, plan, have faith in yourself and take the necessary steps.
Here are a few things to take into consideration before making that move:
Ask yourself some question "what is it that I truly want?" and "what is missing from my current situation?" be specific. Know what you value in life for you and your family.
Take pen in hand and start a list. Further questions to ask yourself may include:
What do I not like about my current situation, why? What would it look like if it was what I wanted?
Paint a clear picture of your ideal situation, how do you feel - feel it! - Visualize - daily.
Know what you already have - what do you already have that is a part of your ideal world? Be clear on what you want included in your ideal.
Know what you need to get where you want to go - what is missing, be specific. Is it physical, material, emotional, financial, etc? Again, be clear. Identify the gaps.
How do you obtain what you are missing? This will help you identify what you need to do to get where you want to be. Is it training, networking, finances, etc? Where can you get what you are missing? Research your options.
Is there anything you can do to make your current job into what you want? Have you made every effort to resolve the current situation? If not, what else can you do? If you have identified actions that you can take to make your job more satisfying, write them out and give them a timeline. Take action to do what you can. Once you are satisfied that you have done all that you can to create the ideal situation for yourself in your current role and you know it is time to move on, up or over, it is time to weigh your options.
Caution - Often times, a decision is made to take on a new role for the financial pay off, however, without thoroughly researching the role and it's responsibilities and matching it to your strengths, interests, abilities and values it can end up in disappointment. If the financial pay off takes away from quality of life for you, is it worth the sacrifice?
As we spend about one third of our time at work, the impact work has on the rest of our lives is considerable. So when you are searching your soul to determine if a change is required, it is important to look at the impact any change will have on the other aspects of your world. Consider the following areas of your life - family, financial, friends, spiritual, physical and emotional and any other high value areas you have.
Start with listing how your current situation is impacting these areas of your life now, then for each of the options you are considering, list the impact the option will have in each of these areas. How is the current situation impacting you life now? What parts of your life will be impacted by the change you are considering? Look at all aspects of potential impact. What supports do you have available to you in each area? Write it out. Review your list. Which of your options is closest to your ideal?
If you know you want to change your job, but are unsure what your options are, there are supports available. Have you ever completed career decision making assessments to identify your strengths and suitable occupations? Local employment offices and human resources consultants can give you access to assessments that may be able to assist you with your career decision making. Also, life and career coaches are a great option for guiding you through change. In some cases your HR department can assist you with making a change within your organization.
If you do seek the assistance of a professional, know that it is OK to shop around for the right one. Interview your support options and choose one that works for you. Much like your favourite pair of shoes, your personal support person has to be a comfortable fit for you.
Now that you have painted a clear picture of what you want, and you have a plan to get there, it is time to take the leap. How can you leave your current job in a manner that ensures you reputation is intact and you have a good reference? OK, so we all know that this is not always possible, but what can you do to ensure minimal impact to you r reputation and career? Ask yourself, "If I were to look back on this one year from now, would I be proud of how I handled it?" Identify what you would need to do feel good about how you handled leaving your job - and don't forget to give sufficient written notice.
Life is short, enjoy what you do, do what you enjoy!
Posted Sep 26th, 2008