Today is a great day to begin the journey toward finding a job
you will love. Since you are attempting to create a brand new
future for yourself,
I suggest you give this process some time.
Work your way through the steps below over a few weeks. It’s a
good idea to approach this program like taking a class. Set
aside a specific time each week, such as Monday evenings at 7
p.m. Each week, read one step and work on it. Over the course of
the week, be sure to let each step percolate in your mind during
your daily activities. The following Monday, note any new
thoughts you have had and then begin the next step. If you get
stuck or need help, you can contact Deirdre at 207-439-4280 for
assistance.
Step #1: Identify Why You Are Changing Careers
The first step in any career change is to identify why you are
looking for a change. It is important to know whether you are
trying to move away from something or if you are trying to move
toward something. Ultimately, it is much more empowering to
move toward something as opposed to trying to escape from
something.
It is much more difficult to identify your ideal job if your
personal vision is limited to overcoming the negatives of your
current situation.
This is your time to dare to dream. Why not dream big? If you
are going to make a career change, keep all of your options open
to give yourself the best chance of making a fresh start. This
is your time to find a job you will love for years to come.
Step # 2: Create a Personal Vision & Specify Your Goals
The next step in finding work you love involves creating a very
clear vision of your future work situation. You need to be able
to definitively answer the following questions:
–What is your ideal work day schedule?
–What is your required salary to live comfortably?
(For more information on salary and work you love,
I highly recommend the book Your Money or Your Life by Joe
Dominguez and Vicki Robin)
–What is your preferred commute time?
–What are your ideal positions and tasks?
–To what managerial level do you want to be reporting?
–Are you an entrepreneur at heart?
–Would you consider self-employment?
–Are there any other logistical aspects you need to consider –
such as travel required or on-site day care provisions?
Try to think through every aspect of a normal day. Don’t be
afraid to outline what might feel like unrealistic or
pie-in-the-sky options. The purpose here is to get very clear on
what it is you want. Not what you think you can get.
Creating this vision and specifying your goals is an integral
step toward finding your ideal job. I recommend that my clients
spend plenty of time on these questions and write out their
answers in a notebook or journal.
Step #3: Re-Connect With Your Interests
So many of my clients have lost touch with their interests. It
is not easy for them to identify the things that capture their
attention. To help get your self-knowledge flowing, answer the
following questions over the course of a typical week:
–What is your favorite bookstore section?
–Which sections of the newspaper do you turn to first?
–What magazine subscriptions do you have?
–What were your favorite classes in college?
–What are your hobbies?
–What categories of books do you keep on your bookshelf?
–What great conversations do you remember from parties and
social events? What was the topic? What made it a great
conversation?
After keeping track of these things for a week you should be
able to identify some trends. Did you notice some of your
interests emerging on a consistent basis? Are you able to
narrow it down to two or three top interests?
Do not worry at this point whether the interests you have
identified have any possibilities as careers. You are just
beginning the self-exploration process. In order to have any
hope of finding work you love, you have to start by identifying
what is truly interesting to you.. Piattaforma lavoro