Four strategies for your job or career change
Are you looking to change jobs or careers?
Making a change, whether it’s to a new role or a whole new industry is no small feat. It takes time, energy, intention, and is mentally and emotionally taxing. Getting started alone can be overwhelming – add a demanding job, life or family activities, disorientation of a layoff, health concerns, and more, and it’s no wonder we are often more reactive vs proactive.
This article Three Strategies For Transitioning Into A Less Stressful, More Meaningful Career by Sherri Thomas discusses three great strategies for being more proactive and intentional in a job transition: choose the industry, find company value, and seek a role that inspires. She states that creating your career requirements before applying for jobs, and then using those requirements to guide a search can create less frustration throughout the process.
Every time I have made a job and career change I have flipped the script in the way that Sherri outlines. Getting clear about what I wanted and where I wanted to go in both the short and long-term has made all the difference. Not only did it create clarity throughout the process, but also throughout the experience of the new role and/or career.
As a coach, some of my favorite work is to partner with folks in areas of job and career change! In addition to the strategies of this article, I help people define the following for themselves:
Set your roadmap
Writing a career roadmap helps you to look at the whole story of where you have been, where you are at, and where you want to go. This is not only beneficial for your own process and clarity, but it will also help you when networking and speaking with potential employers.
Get clear
Instead of trying to fit yourself into a particular job or industry, get clear about what YOU offer and want – down to the details of the role, team, manager, company, and more. Of course it’s important to remember that you may not find everything you want in the next job or career, but getting clear about what you are aiming for will help you get damn close – trust me, I’ve done it several times over!
Do your research
This may sound tedious, and it can be, but it will make the difference. Learning about the industry, company, and people will help you decide if that job or career is really right for you. This research can help you determine where and how to spend your time and quit wasting time on applications. It will give you a step ahead with knowledge during interviews and potential networking opportunities!
Get to work
Once you have gotten clear about what you want and where you are going, it’s time to get to work! This may include a rebrand or resume and LinkedIn update, networking, and more. It also means applying, interviewing, and negotiating with purpose and direction.
Yes, changing jobs or careers is no small feat – but you’ve got this and I’ve got you! As a coach I am here to help you navigate each of these steps, providing you accountability, support, resources, and more.
Interested in coaching as you navigate a job or career change?
Contact me to set up a complimentary exploratory coaching session: https://www.nicolebrookecct.com/contact.
I can’t wait to connect with you!
