How to Successfully Navigate
a Career Transition
(by Hallie
Crawford)
I am often asked by my
career
coaching clients how to best navigate a
successful career transition. In other words, how
can you pursue your dream job while remaining
practical and fulfilling your everyday needs and
responsibilities? My job as a certified career
counselor is to assure you that, like many others
I've already assisted, I can put your fears aside as
you journey down the path to greater career
satisfaction.
Realize it's a process.
When it's time to make a change, people
understandably get antsy and sometimes anxious.
Change is scary for us. The fear of the unknown can
leave us stuck in fear or anxiety. Know that this is
okay, and that the discomfort you're experiencing is
actually a good sign, because it means you are
making a change and starting to step outside your
comfort zone towards a more fulfilling career path.
Amidst the anxiety, there is typically also a sense
of excitement. You're ready to make the change so
let's get to it! Embrace that motivation, tap into
it to keep you moving forward, AND realize that this
is a process that can take some time. Be willing to
be patient with it, and with yourself. The more
patient you are, the more opportunities and ideas
can flow to you and the more open you will be to
them. So when that impatience about wanting to move
forward more quickly rears its ugly head... use it
as a motivator, not a force that will push you into
a decision more quickly than you are comfortable
with just because you want it to be over.
Develop a transition plan.
Of course you'd create a transition plan to help you
move through other changes in your life... right?
Makes practical sense. Yet sometimes we get so
excited and caught up in the moment that we tell
ourselves we're going to outline a step-by-step
process and then quickly forget about it as we're so
busy reacting to whatever is happening around us.
Before you can move past the point of vague
possibilities and enter the throes of a serious
career change, you MUST develop a plan so you
are covered in the financial, mental, and emotional
aspects of your life and your future. The basics of
your career transition plan should look something
like this:
1. Financial. Taking care of your bills,
yourself and your family, and any other obligations.
Making cutbacks where necessary; starting a savings
plan that's devoted entirely to your new
professional endeavor. These are just a few of the
many ways to keep your finances in order while you
restructure your life.
2. Mental. Coming up with ways you can keep
those negative voices at bay. Developing a plan for
learning the skills you may need in your new career.
Rewarding yourself for milestones achieved along the
way. This is a time for encouragement, confidence,
and a can-do attitude, and it helps to "feed your
hungry mind" what it needs to help you grow,
spiritually, intellectually, and professionally.
3. Emotional. Identify ways to overcome the
fears you may have. You'll need a cheerleader to
help you continue on and move past the potential
obstacles in your way. Find or ask for emotional
support from friends, family, or a career coach who
can help steady your course as you make the
transition in your career and life.
Set goals.
When the time comes to set goals... make sure
they are specific, tangible, measurable and include
a time frame. Your goals should be realistic,
and also a stretch so you're pushing yourself beyond
what you'd normally do in order to move forward.
Take care of yourself.
Again, transition can be stressful, no matter what
kind it is. Make sure you take care of yourself,
especially during this time. Physical exercise,
eating right, getting enough sleep and maintaining
balance in your life are all things to consider and
pay attention to when you're navigating an
adjustment in your life. Make sure you also schedule
time to have fun. Often we leave out that part of
the equation... and enjoying ourselves along the
journey is the best part of all.
Remain or become financially stable.
Before I work with someone on changing career paths,
I talk to them about their financial situation. It's
hard to dream and plan for the future when you're
heavily focused on or worried about paying the
bills. While it's important to dream about your
career possibilities, you need to be practical as
well. What are your options for becoming financially
stable? Perhaps you can stay in your current
position and work on the next career step after
hours, or find a part-time job that pays the bills
and allows you greater freedom to pursue your
passion. Another option is to begin to set aside
savings that will allow you to cover six to twelve
months of living expenses. Remember, this process
can take time. It took me about three years from
leaving my full-time position to creating a
full-time coaching practice. I encourage you to
start now!
Dream first.
While financial stability is the foundation of your
future, you also need to do some dreaming here.
Therefore, once you have a plan to meet your basic
financial needs, it's time to take off your
Practical Hat, put on your Dreaming Glasses - and
dream big.
When I work with
career
clients, I ask them to dream first and worry
about the specific logistics of how they're going to
make the change later on. What I find is that people
tend to focus so much on the practical side of "how
will I make this work" that they squash any creative
idea or thought that may have merit - or may lead
them to something they'd love to do. While
practicality is important, it can also be limiting
so notice when you're getting too caught up in the
practical side and not doing enough brainstorming or
dreaming. Ideas are expansive and can be "trimmed
and shaped" later to fit into your personal scheme
as needed. So... before you set a new career plan in
motion, you've got to start with the dream and then
brainstorm ways to make it a reality. So what is
your dream?
Share your dream or plans with those who'll be
supportive.
If there are people in your life who tend to be
negative, point out why you shouldn't do something
or can't, or something along these lines-wait a
little while to tell them your dream. Sometimes
holding back until you're really solid in your dream
is the best way to go. Share it with people who are
going to be positive and supportive... who'll
inspire and encourage you.
All the best for a rewarding and fulfilling career
doing what you love!
Copyright 2006 Hallie Crawford, Authentically
Speaking. All rights reserved.
