Need a Career Change?

Feeling under-challenged, bored, stuck, or just need a change? Make sure you answer these 4 questions before making any changes in your career...

"I really need a career change...!" As a career coach, I hear a lot of people say this, and you might just be thinking "I really need a career change, too!"

So here are 4 questions I usually ask my clients before we go about planning to make changes in their careers:

WHY?

1. What is causing this feeling?

2. Do you have an unfulfilled dream?

3. Is it your work environment?

4. What is fuelling this desire for change?

5. Are you trying to run away from something, or run towards something?

Acknowledging that change per se won't make everything better will put things in perspective, too. Making changes on the surface don't help either.

But assuming you have a good reason to want to 'run towards' something, then a good next question would be to understand what that something could look like.

what?

What should your next move look like? ...and what not? It's common to find it easier to know what you don't want, so spending a bit of time to be specific about what you do want is time well spent.

1. Dream-storming: just like brainstorming, but let this happen in a relaxed manner, and 'daydream' about what you'd really like to do. Imagine you being at your best, interacting with others in an environment that really suits you. See yourself play out your strengths in a way that represents your personality.

2. Any job titles that come to mind? What makes these sound attractive and suitable to you? Do you understand what people with that job title do on a daily basis? Do spend time to research.

how?

How to get there? What is it going to take to achieve what you want? Time to get real...

1. What skills gaps are there? Is there a realistic path and does it require an intermediate step to get there?

2. Do you need a certificate, or a license?

3. What would you need to invest to get there? Time, money...

4. Are you willing to make that investment?

5. What kind of support will you need from others?

The cost of doing nothing

Final question: will you be able to cope with it if you do absolutely nothing about it?

Imagine yourself at old age looking back. Will you say "I wish I had taken steps towards my dream back then"?

If you think you'll be able to cope with it, you might just need to be able to cope with the current situation. Sometimes finding a way to handle the things the way they are is a good choice.

However, if you feel you'll be regretting not having taken steps towards your goal, then a really good time to get started is, NOW!