Career Change - Take Action
posted in World of Work |Recently I’ve talked to several people who are, for one reason or another, unhappy with their work situation. A few are unemployed, but most have a job. They are just unhappy in their current position.
As people have shared their frustrations, I come back to the same question, “What are you doing to change the situation?” Sometimes this question angers people because most of us want to live under the illusion that we are victims of our circumstances. That is not the case. We always have a choice in how we respond to our situation.
In the case of employment, there are always avenues we can take to seek change, the least of which is looking for another position. The new position can be in the same company or another company. It can be in the same field or a completely different field of work. It can be a lateral move or a horizontal one. There are lots of options.
As I have counseled many people through career transition and have gone through career transition myself, there are a few basic steps that should be taken when a career change is sought. (These are in addition to those stated in the post A Decision to Decide.)
Tell people you are looking - One of the hardest things for a job seeker is to let people know you are looking for work. For some reason, we often feel that if we are looking for work there is something wrong with us. This is definitely not the case. At some point everyone who is working was looking for a job and most will again be looking for work at some point in their careers. Granted, this can be tricky if you are currently employed and you don’t want to “rock the boat.” My advice is that you find a handful of people you trust with whom to share your search.
Network – Along with telling people you are looking, you need to network. Most jobs are not advertised in the papers or online. Most positions are filled through people knowing people.
Networking is a great way to meet people who know people who know people who are hiring. A referral from an associate carries much more weight than a blind answer to an ad.
And with online social networking sites like www.LinkedIn.com (my personal favorite) you can literally network around the world from the comfort of your own home. However, a caution, don’t rely solely on online networking sites; there is still great value in the face-to-face meeting.
Informational interviews – If you are interested in a specific field of work, find an expert in that field (or several), buy him a cup of coffee and “pick his brain.” Find out how he broke into that line of work and what skills are important for success. Make connections between what you are currently doing and how you can be successful in the expert’s line of work.
Informational interviews are also great for learning new skills. For example, I have never been one to love sales. However, because there is a sales component to my career (I need to “sell” my training and workshops) I am meeting with several sales experts to get direction and gain a better understanding of sales techniques. By doing so, I am enhancing what I already do.
Seek mentorship – Just as informational interviews can provide you with great information, a mentor in your desired field can give you specific direction. This is especially important if you are new to the field. A mentor often provides tips on best practices based on his own success and/or failures. This type of direct training is invaluable.
Take a class – Once you start your informational interviews you may find that you need to take a class of some sort to learn or refresh your skills. For some, this could be a computer course or a technical course. For others, this can be something fun. For example, I recently started an improv class at a local comedy club. The class is wonderful because it gets me out of my comfort zone and is training my mind to stay in the moment and to approach issues from a completely different perspective.
Find a support group – I am not necessarily recommending an employment support group, although those have great value. What I am referring to is a group of 3-5 individuals whom you trust and admire. Individuals from different disciplines, but who are all doing what they do well. What this group does is encourages its members to take the next step towards success while holding each other accountable to do so. The group also becomes a “think tank” for creative ideas and solutions.
Whether you are changing your career out of necessity or desire to follow your passions, having a plan and enlisting the help of others is invaluable.
Choose a Better Life by stepping out of your comfort zone and taking action.