I have resigned from my current job announced my friend the other day. Ideally this news would have come to me as a little surprise but it actually did not, even though she had joined her new workplace hardly six months back. The element of surprise was lost because it’s no secret that how we work, is changing – think more flexibility and remote connectivity.
Yet most of us are still unprepared for what it means for us because we’re still encouraged to think of our careers as entering a workforce and exploring a few roles in search of something that keeps us happy until retirement, to say the least. Many experts in the said field advise that it is important to look at the future of one’s career as completely fluid and adaptive. You need to get comfortable being able to shift, shape and reinvent it at multiple stages throughout your life. So, ask yourself……..
If you don’t like where you are, move. You are not a tree – we must have heard this phrase ample times. So it’s equally important to assess your career in order to determine whether you are in a rut or holding on to an outdated, unrealistic view of it.
A person should examine his/her current job and their career goals every two to three years, a belief held by many experts. The world of work is constantly changing and the skills, qualifications and experience in demand today may not be important or simply relevant in two years’ time.
With automation, optimization and technology starting to increasingly drive industry, it has a direct impact on every career, therefore it is important to verify that your career plan, career roadmap and career development plan are all still valid for the foreseeable future as it will challenge you to think along the lines of what may need to shift and what to do more or less of for a successful, sustainable and rewarding career.
The above statements make sense in the light of identifying the purpose behind your need to switch jobs. Look at what may be holding you back from making certain career choices as this is probably one of the most important questions you will ask yourself – whether the motivation to switch jobs is a move TOWARDS a new career or job or simply to get AWAY FROM the current career or job. Away from – motivation would more often than not signify getting away from a boss you hate.
It can lead to bad decisions about the next job etc. Simply put, whether you are looking for a new job or redefining a current one to fit in with your career goals, a few key pointers to be considered are highlighted below for reference.
First and the foremost, it’s not about being the best, it’s about being your best and to be your best, you ought to have a plan in place or in simpler terms, a career plan to know what the “next level” is for you. This would run something like a roadmap that outlines the route you want your career to take and addresses any gaps in your skills, qualifications or experience for each step in your career path.
Your ‘next level’ will be the attainment of anything necessary to ‘plug the gaps’ and having an action plan to achieve that ‘next step’ in your career plan. The next step would be to build your plan to execute your career leap. It includes considering all the key elements that need to be in place to make it happen.
A dream career very rarely happens by accident. Taking it to the next level requires a specific mindset. Regardless of your profession or the career stage you’re at, it’s important to have an entrepreneurial mindset when managing one’s career which means actively embracing opportunities that allow one to learn and do more, to acquire new skill sets, experiences and connections.
Practically speaking, list down the choices and then tailor your many options to find your sweet spot– the options that fit with your life circumstances, goals and willingness to take risk.
Understanding your tolerance for change and risk as it relates to your career. Self SWOT analysis is a must, through which you would be able to Identify your strengths and weaknesses.
Your strengths can lead to opportunities and your weaknesses can be possible threats. This would also help you to know how the world of work is changing and how to be able to identify options to progress. I think that’s important in order to constantly adapt to our fast-moving and dynamic world where job roles are being displaced and redefined by technology.
A job is a job. It’s a way to pay for a living and that’s it. Don’t let it define your happiness. You work to live, not live to work. Work on what makes you happy.
Now, if you have made the decision to switch jobs, it’s essential to clarify exactly the type of job you are targeting rather than “any job”. Being specific about the job helps focus the job search and helps you prepare better, from focusing your resume, to helping prepare yourself for interviews.
It’s always better to be wise before the event meaning thereby that you evaluate if the job you are considering fits in with your career values – Whether the new role would build on your current assets, skill sets, experience and knowledge, help you get closer to your aspirations and importantly, maximize your options or follow-on opportunities so you can move on to something else as a Plan B should the new move not work out.
You also want to ask yourself if the opportunity is the next logical step up as far as your career plan for the next seven or ten years is concerned. It’s important to understand that your career identity will shift as your career progresses and consciously cultivate an identity that works for you.
It starts with understanding how you see yourself and how others see you. Only then can you work out what may need to change. As they say – Chance favors the prepared mind and we need to always remember it’s three Apples that changed the world – Adam’s, Isaac’s & Steve’s !!!
(Ifthikar Bashir is a freelance Financial Advisor)