6 Steps When Making a Career Change
Jul 16, 2020
Great Question Submitted at Last Week’s “Ask the Coach” Webinar
One of the most interesting and thought-provoking questions sent to me prior to our most recent webinar was, “What do I do if the job market in my newly-discovered ideal occupation is not hiring very many people right now?” Well, let us turn lemons into lemonade. The overall answer is to take time until the job market opens to make yourself more attractive helping you nail the interview for your ideal occupation. The economy will recover – it always has. So, make the best of the time you have now.
There are six essential and effective steps to career change. Part of what you will be doing is creating a career vision of what could be so that you can leave what has been. Here are the six steps.
Step #1: Commit to Exploring a Career Change
The best way to do this is imagine what it would be like to have a career that fits the way God designed you. When you are on His path for you, you will experience joy, fulfillment, and great peace. If a change feels like a risk, you can trust in Him since He wants you to be a part of His story and be a light in the darkness. You can do this with him. It is time for ACTION!
Step #2: Understand Your Design
There are always surprises when people see what aptitudes, personality traits, interests, approach to work, and much more about themselves in their assessment report. Notice I did not say skills. Old career assessment science uses self-reported skills versus understanding all aptitudes whether developed or not. I discovered at age 55 that I could paint! I did not see that coming nor do we know all our aptitudes. Whether you use us or somebody else, get a career assessment with the latest science available.
Step #3: Fill Holes
Again, high self-awareness will be your friend and ally. God knows you best and is with you. There are databases available to show you what education, on-the-job-training, certification, and licenses are needed for what God is guiding you to do. Or what trade schools have to offer. Whatever the case may be, you are going to have to answer this question in an interview, “What have you been doing during COVID-19 to prepare yourself for this career and interview?” A LinkedIn survey stated, “74% of those workers surveyed anticipate conducting more L&D (learning and development) online moving forward”, so you’ll need to do some learning, too. However, it does not have to be college courses given the less expensive alternatives.
Step #4: Invest in Yourself
You have Untapped Human Capital or Potential. Never mind the stock market. An investment in you tapping your potential is likely to be the best investment you will ever make, especially if you are using the aptitudes or gifts that God has given you. You will land in the occupation for which he has designed you with joy, promotions, God-glorifying opportunities, and the ability to impact others. Break the plan down into small steps and tackle them one at a time.
Step#5: Read Books and Articles
Get to know who the thought leaders are and what companies they lead in your target industry. Are they innovative? Are they strong servant leaders? What do they say about a healthy culture at their companies? Do they invest in their employees? These are the companies that will grow allowing for more opportunities for promotion.
Step #6: Network Confidentially
Ask your church staff if any members work in the industry or occupation you are looking for. If there are few, then ask for who are connectors and know lots of people. Ask around but not as a person seeking a job. You want to approach people in the networking phase as seeking advice. It should not be a disguised job interview. It should be about getting advice. You can always go back to them later and show that you took their advice and implemented it, but do not fake it. You need advice now.
Conclusion
If you have a career vision of what could be, you will be able to retool yourself for the ideal occupation while tolerating the misfit nature of your current job. There is a great job out there for you, but you are going to have to do some renovation of yourself with His help in order to secure the occupation He has in mind for you. Think of that vision and act.
Charlie Haines
