What to Do When the Career Glove Doesn’t Seem to Fit
Like O.J. Simpson at his trial, sometimes no matter how persistent you are to make the glove fit, your work just doesn’t fit you.
In a tough economic environment, it’s scary thinking of making major industry changes, (i.e. from a preschool teacher to a nurse), let alone changing jobs in your same field (i.e. from a piano teacher for kids to a piano teacher for adults). If you’re not in pain right now over your job and don’t have financial resources to be out of work for at least six months, I recommend you hold tight where you are until your finances will be supportive for a period of transition, you do know what you want, have the skills and talents to bring to the work, and have developed sufficient contacts to help get you the work.
But in the meantime, it’s time to find out why your job isn’t a fit for you and see if you can’t infuse it with new energy and interest to stay or begin the research process for a job change. Some key questions so you can make a list of your responses and begin to formulate a clear plan for your future action steps:
1. Was your job ever a fit for you? What are the best, the worst and the so-so parts for you?
2. Have you ever had some of the same positives (from #1) in other work you’ve done?
3. What specifically has changed and what can you be responsible for to improve your situation?
4. Is there anything you’re willing to do to shift it positively, despite any fears, and what exactly will you do?
5. What environments do you feel best suited for? (i.e. Do you get bored easily and require high stimulation? Do you enjoy working closely with people or more independently? Are you flexible to move to a new area or travel?)
6. If you had a magic wand, what would you love to do most? Secondly?
7. If you don’t know what your fit or great love of work would be, what do you imagine it is? (using self-coaching)
8. What are your strengths and top skills and if you don’t know them, how might you find these out?
9. What steps will you take to learn about and move towards the work you’d love?
10. Are you willing to prepare and plan before leaping to new work and who will you rely on for support?
If you answered yes to #10′s question about your willingness to prepare and plan, then I recommend you start with the Career Industries Checklist on my Creating At Will website in the Resources section. You can also look for other versions of this such as the A-Z list. in A few recommended older, but helpful books, are Career Match, by Shoya Zichy and Ann Bidou and the Gallup Organizations, Now Discover Your Strengths.
The comprehensive classic, What Color is Your Parachute? (available on Amazon, in your bookstore, or library) has many, valuable exercises and resources. I also recommend Dr. Randall Hansen’s thorough Career Research Checklist that provides links to assessments and helpful online career and job sites.
Tags: career challenge, career change, career transition, job change
