How can you be certain a new career option is right for you?
Certainty is a cousin to perfection - can it ever actually exist?
The need for conviction in making a change of direction in your work life is completely understandable. That level of clarity and motivation is essential and makes movement possible. Without that clarity, the chances are you’ll stay in that whirlpool of doubt and fear.
What I see opens the door to well-informed choices in my clients are two important factors: clarity around WHY this new choice is a great fit for their circumstances and the person they are today, and a belief that they have what it takes not only to make the transition, but to succeed in their new career.
Perhaps you can never be absolutely certain, but there are several ways you can ensure you have approached a possible new career so as to minimise risk and maximise clarity in your decision. And in a very uncertain world, where many economic and socio-political factors are beyond our control, perhaps that is the best we can hope for.
How to achieve clarity and self-belief?
I don’t believe there’s a shortcut to this - it takes time to reflect and really gain self-awareness about what truly matters to us. This is where you have permission to move away from the assumptions about what success looks like that have developed over a lifetime. These have been embedded from family, from friends and peers, and from the social groups we live in or aspire to.
But there comes a time when we might realise we don’t have to accept the idea that (for example) earning a certain amount of money, or achieving a particular status in the career hierarchy is what we really need to feel fulfilled. And it is usually at this point that prospective clients come to me. They want support in uncovering what they really want and need to feel happy and fulfilled in their work life, and what success actually looks like to them.
The process I use enables individuals to understand their own needs and wants at this stage of their life and their career, and therefore delivers the clarity they need to make a good choice about their future direction.
There are five main elements to achieving this clarity:
Values
When you know what you value most, whether at work or in life generally, you gain instant clarity. And when you bring your highest values into focus, you will immediately know just why your current work context is or is not working for you.
In practice, what does this misalignment of values look like? Common examples include:
you value autonomy and are constantly being micro-managed
you need flexibility but have to work within a rigid structure
you thrive in a collaborative setting but are forced to work in isolation on work projects
Values clarity is essential if you want more fulfilment or meaning at work, and if you want to feel you are a natural fit for the culture of an organisation. This clarity opens up the possibility of making values-aligned choices. Can you tweak how you work in your current role to better express your values? It could be a win for the organisation as well as for you.
This clarity around values makes authentic decision-making possible. You will know if a new career direction has the potential to express values that matter most to you, within an organisation that best allows you to thrive. Clarity makes choice and action possible.
2. Strengths
Which skills have you not only developed to a competent level, but also enjoy using? These are the strengths you need to express frequently in your work if you are looking for greater satisfaction in your career.
Might there be a way of adapting your workload to best accommodate your preferred strengths? With an open team discussion, there could be a way of reorganising who does what so everyone gets to use the strengths they love using most.
Really understanding the strengths you would love to be using regularly (and those you need to drop), gives you real insight when you’re exploring new careers. Be sure to research the daily or weekly work involved, and which skills you will be deploying most. If it doesn’t leave space for your preferred strengths, this may not be the right move for you.
3. Purpose
One of clearest indicators of career fulfilment is whether work gives you a sense of purpose. This is not only a hugely motivating factor, but also a touchstone to answer the questions ‘Am I in the right place now?’ or ‘Am I going in the right direction?’
It’s not always easy to put your finger on exactly what makes work meaningful for you. Very often it’s linked to values you hold dear, causes you care about, or the immediate impact of your work. How often do you arrive home thinking, ‘That was a really worthwhile day’s work’? Think about when that last happened and what gave you that feeling. This is vital information.
Having real clarity about the kind of work that feels meaningful for you, where you can see your input equates to an outcome you care about, that’s when you’re on the road to greater fulfilment.
4. The Realities
Narrowing down options means understanding the realities of the the role or organisation you’re aiming for. Your initial idea of what this might be needs checking against the facts. Talking to people who are already doing your target work, preferably in the organisation you have in mind, can be a good starting point. I help clients design the best way to make an approach.
You can also research a role through career sites or professional organisations. There may be seminars or conferences you can use to get more of an ‘insider’s view’ of just what’s involved. This is exactly how I secured my first career’s advisor role, having attended a conference, made contacts, and been invited for a visit to find out more. Contacts are invaluable and it helps to understand what the current challenges and opportunities are in any industry, especially when it’s a new context for you.
5. Mind games - facts or fiction?
In any kind of change, the uncertainty generated also brings up all kinds of self doubt and fear. It’s important to be able to differentiate between negative self- talk (‘you aren’t qualified enough for this’) from the facts, which can be surprisingly different.
Don’t make assumptions about your lack of direct experience or skills, as your enthusiasm and related experience could be equally important. Certainly your enthusiasm based on the clarity I described earlier can go a long way to connecting with your potential new employer. I have seen clients grow in confidence and find they are ready to articulate what they can offer. And speaking from that connecting place is very compelling.
So don’t let the battle inside your head keep you stuck. We’re all experts in talking ourselves out of new things - that’s the fear of the unknown talking. But when you anchor your application to values, purpose and strengths, and bring the kind of positive energy and purpose that makes things happens, others will recognise and value this. The first step on this journey as I mentioned earlier is CLARITY.
With that comes self-belief, energy, a convincing transition story and genuine enthusiasm. With those, you’ll be able to steer your course to a fulfilling new career.
Clarity is step one in any career change and what I’ve been exploring here. The next steps that are part of my Quickstep Career Change Programme (linked below) include generation and evaluation of options, confident choice, and a realistic career change strategy. All add belief that transition is possible and that their new direction is what they really want and need.
If you’d like to know more, follow the links below or get in touch to arrange a free 30-minute Zoom call to start exploring the future you want to design.
For more information:
Quickstep Career Change Programme - clarity, direction, and action - coaching version
Quickstep Career Change Programme Online - self-study version
Values Discovery - coaching to identify and live your values
4. Think like an Insider - request your free guide to getting inside a new career