Are You Clear That 2022 Will be Your Year? (Start Here)

‘Tis the start of December, and one thing is clear: you want a new job, and you want it next year!

(I’ll be here all week, folks!)

Inspiring holiday rhymes aside, have you secretly dreamt of ditching your career for a whole new gig? Ever feel as if you missed your true calling somewhere along the way? Can’t quite imagine doing the same old thing for the next 5, 15 or 30 years?

If this sounds familiar, your brain – and your heart – may be onto something.

Here are a few hints that you may be ready to kick not just your current job, but your entire career field, to the curb and head in a new direction:

You’re so unmotivated to get up and at ‘em each day, your snooze button is glitching from overuse.
You just got a five-figure raise but even that hasn’t made you feel any better about your job.
Your potential for growth is so stunted, you can almost feel your head scraping the proverbial ceiling.
You’ve lost that feeling (or maybe you never had it) that what you do matters, and you really, really want it back.
You’ve finally let that go of that teenage yearning to be a drummer in “the band,” but you’ve got a new career dream you just can’t shake.

If this sounds at all like you, perhaps it’s time to add “new job” or “altogether new career” to your list of New Year’s resolutions.

We all know change is hard, looking for a new job or career path is unappealing, and it’s easy to convince yourself that you should just buckle down and stick it out.

While it would be fan-freaking-tastic if we could drop a new dream job right into your Christmas stocking, you already know that finding your next path will take some soul searching, a hefty bit of organization and plenty of planning.

But making a big career pivot is absolutely doable, and we’re here (and will continue to be in the new year) to help you kick off the process and (of course) support you along the way.

For today, I encourage you to think about what we call “The three W’s”.

You need to understand your Why, your What, and your What’s it Gonna Take?

Start with your “Why?”

If you’ve been contemplating a career change, this should be the easiest step of all. It’s all about asking yourself what is behind your desire for change, which we’re betting you’ve already been doing.

Are you seeking more money, more opportunity, more time with family, more of a sense that what you do matters?

Can you simply not imagine bopping along on the same career path until the day you retire? (And again, why is that?)

Whatever your why, be sure you have a firm grasp on it. It’s the very first step in determining whether moving forward and making a career pivot is worth it to you. “Why?” is both a jumping-off point for the effort that follows, and a touchstone to return to when you’re feeling frustrated.

What’s your “What?”

If that sounds like something an annoying philosopher or self-help guru would ask, we apologize, and also welcome you to the deep-thoughts portion of our programming. Here’s what’s up: Once you’ve clearly identified why you want a change, it’s time to outline what, specifically, that change should look like.

What would you like to do next? What do you definitely not want to do? What would be your ideal job description?

Think about the skills you hope to use in your next job. This is an excellent place to examine your “career capital” – the experience, knowledge and skills you have acquired over the years – and ponder ways you can harness that to get you to where you want to be.

Warning here: be wary of the romantic idea of “pursuing your passion.” As appealing as that sounds, if you’ve spent your adult life as an accountant and now feel you missed your calling as a Cirque du Soleil performer, well, you’ve got your work cut out for you.

Our passions are not always where our marketable talents or skills lie. The trick is to find a way to marry what you’re great at with a career that both holds meaning for you and can meet your financial and lifestyle needs.

Now, “What’s it Gonna Take?”

So you’ve figured out your why and you visualized your what? Cool cool cool.

Next up, is your goal realistic? That is, is it achievable with a realistic amount of time and effort? Is this change going to require you to get certifications, or a different degree? Can you handle that? Can you afford that? Make a list of all the financial, educational and time considerations you can think of.

Start leveraging or expanding your professional network. Seek out people who are already doing the kind of work you’re targeting, and ask them to coffee. Not only can they help give you a clearer picture of the work they do, but they can likely fill you in on other training or skills you may need to acquire.

And, once you’re on your way …

It’s time to create a game plan and get moving, and we’re here to guide you – every step of the way.

Let us help you every step of the way…

We’ve recently launched an all-new video masterclass, “Change Your Career, Change Your Life,” The self-paced video course will guide you through every stage of a career pivot — from initial idea all the way through your first successful weeks in that new job.

You can review the content, check out a sample module, and enroll right here:

Take me to the course, please!