2. If you didn't have any obstacles in your career/life, what would you want to be doing?
3. This is the question I pose with many of my clients who are unsure of their next career move.
You would be surprised how many people get stuck on that question. Not because they don't
know what they want (in some cases this is true but not all), but because most plan to pursue
a career path that they have been on because it makes sense. Many people think they should
keep going in their particular field of work because they have been in this field/role for many
years and it makes sense to keep going. But why? If you enjoy the career that you are in, then
perfect. Keep going. However, many people don't enjoy their jobs (as per many researches
and studies that have been done on this topic), so how come we don't stop and ask ourselves
this question? For many that I speak with, they don't event put that as an option, it often gets
left behind as a dream they will never achieve.
4. WHY NOT? I UNDERSTAND THAT ARE MANY UNCERTAINTIES THAT COMES WITH SUCH CHANGE. MAYBE ONE
DOESN'T THE NECESSARY QUALIFICATIONS OR BACKGROUND. OR MAYBE IT WILL TAKE LONGER FOR ONE TO
CHANGE CAREERS VS STAYING IN THE COMFORTABLE ONE HE OR SHE HAS NOW. THERE IS A POSSIBILITY OF
DEMOTION OR SALARY CUT AS WELL. ALL OF THESE ARE TRADE OFFS THAT ONE MUST CONSIDER WHEN
CHANGING CAREERS, ABSOLUTELY. NONETHELESS, WHAT WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO TRADE OFF TO PURSUE
YOUR TRUE PASSION INSTEAD BEING IN A JOB YOU DON'T ENJOY? WHY DON'T WE JUST GET OUT OF OUR
OWN WAY AND GO FOR WHAT WE REALLY LOVE DOING? I BELIEVE WE ARE OUR BIGGEST OBSTACLES TO
SUCCESS AND WE NEED TO GET ON OUR OWN SIDE INSTEAD OF BEING THE BLOCKER. I DON'T MEAN YOU
SHOULD QUIT YOUR DAY JOB AND GO FOR A PURSUE A STARTUP COMPANY (OR DO! DEPENDING ON YOUR
SITUATION, OF COURSE), BUT WHAT I MEAN IS START TAKING SMALL STEPS TOWARDS WHAT IT IS THAT YOU
REALLY WANT TO IN THIS LIFE. IF YOU ARE MISSING QUALIFICATIONS, THEN MAYBE LOOK INTO GETTING
THOSE; IF YOU ARE MISSING EXPERIENCE, THEN GET EXPERIENCE IN THAT FIELD (VOLUNTEER IF NEEDED). DO
WHAT YOU NEED TO DO BUT JUST START!
5. Don't limit yourself because you feel you should stay in a particular field just because you
have been in this field for many years. I understand that there responsibilities that all of us
have; however, changing careers and pursuing your passion doesn't necessarily mean a pay
cut or a struggle. Often enough you are able to use your past experiences/education and
transferable skills in your dream career. I don't know about you, but I have never met anyone
who regretted pursuing their passion. However, I meet plenty of people who regret staying in
a job they don't enjoy for longer than they should have.
6. Don't limit yourself because you feel you should stay in a particular field just because
you have been in this field for many years. I understand that there responsibilities that
all of us have; however, changing careers and pursuing your passion doesn't necessarily
mean a pay cut or a struggle. Often enough you are able to use your past
experiences/education and transferable skills in your dream career. I don't know about
you, but I have never met anyone who regretted pursuing their passion. However, I
meet plenty of people who regret staying in a job they don't enjoy for longer than they
should have.
7. So you want to apply for a job…
The people I meet with to discuss career goals are often looking to change jobs/move
to another company. The first question they ask me is "How can I improve my CV?" To
which I come back with "It depends." What does it depend on? The following:
8. • What roles are you applying for and why?
• What skills can you highlight to help you get your CV recognized for a specific role?
• What companies are you interested in?
• What industry? (every industry has a different way to present CVs)
• Are you changing career paths or staying within the same field?
• What is your motivation for changing jobs?
9. Before you even begin creating a CV, you should start with doing research about the
roles/companies you are interested in, reaching out to people (to be covered in another post)
who are doing the hiring to conduct informational interviews, using your network to get
information and connect, and gathering related information. Only after understanding what
you want and why, what you have to offer to companies, and a strategy of how to do it, can
you proceed with adjusting your CV. Otherwise, even if I get you in front of an employer of
your choice, unless you know what they need and what you can offer to them, you will not get
the job.
10. Feel free to reach out to me for any guidance or questions.
Steve Dalton does a great job summarizing the job search and how it do it effectively in his
book "2 Hour Job Search." I highly recommend you read his book if you are looking for a job.
He provides a step by step process on how to conduct a successful job search.