A lot has been said and written about how to change your career, but mainly focusing on giving you that final boost of motivation for you to be able to ‘take the leap’. However, if you already have the right dosage of courage, how should you go about it?! This is indeed, the key question my clients struggle with!
There are five key steps you should take to find your next career move:
1. Understanding YOU: take some time to really get to know yourself. It’s key to identify your skills and what drives you, such as a sense of purpose, money or even work flexibility – remember that this can (or most likely will) change at different moments in life. Also, in which kind of environment/ culture do you feel comfortable?
2. Understand your SURROUNDINGS: look around you and determine what success looks. Who do you see that you admire and wish you had the same type of career? Is it a CEO, a freelancer, an entrepreneur or a stay at home mum? Is there an industry/ company or role you would see yourself in? Do you feel any social pressure to do a certain type of job?
3. Define GROUND RULES: Once you understand what is that you are looking for, to make it into a real goal, define some ‘musts’ and ‘don’ts’. This can be things like the role must be in a certain type of industry (e.g. Fashion, Charity), type of organisation (e.g. one that is known for promoting equality) or have a specific characteristic (e.g. manage people). Equally important is to translate your will into things the role must not include and really stick to them (e.g. not to involve any travelling or being in a male dominated team).
4. Identify potential ROLES/ AREAS of interest: once you know the type of role you are looking for, match it against your individual skills – remember that we all have transferable skills that can be used in a great variety of roles! Once you know the type of role you would be able to do, spend time searching those hundreds of recruiting websites to understand the types of jobs that are out there.
This exercise will allow you to turn your somehow intangible wishes into a reality, by starting to understand what job in real life will make you feel fulfilled.
5. It’s time to PURSUE YOUR NEXT MOVE!
Once you’ve been through the steps above, it is time to update your CV, emphasizing those key skills that will make you a success in the role you have identified for your next move and…. Start applying! Looking for a new job will feel like a full-time job itself, but it’s worth it!
Don’t forget to apply only for roles in organisations and teams where you are comfortable with the culture, and spend time contacting recruiters and filling in online applications!
Be resilient and, with patience, you will be finding your next career move!
By Joana Fonseca Orvalho | www.coachingforprofessionals.online