Three Steps To Deciding On A New Career
Posted on October 30, 2010 by Stacy Harshman, One of Thousands of Career Coaches on Noomii.
A how-to in deciding what new career to follow.
It seems daunting to look into pursuing a new career; however, there are three simple steps that will help begin the journey.
Step 1: Just Dream- If you could do anything and had nobody or no obstacles to stop you, what would you do with your life? Allow yourself to have fun thinking of several scenarios that you would do with your career. Write each of them down and let them sink in. Journal about your favorite “life” and see what comes up in your writing.
Step 2: Know What You Value- What do you value in a job? Think through what things are important in your next career. Do you want a job with flexibility? Do you want to travel in your job? What income do you want to make? Do some brainstorming and then write down a list of things that are essential in your next job. Next, rank the items from most important to least important. You may be surprised what ends up being the most important value.
Step 3: Take Inventory- The next step is to take an accounting of your skills and strengths. Sometimes it is difficult to list all of your skills off the top of your head. Having a system to assist you is helpful. Richard Nelson Bolles, the author of What Color Is Your Parachute?, talks about dividing your skills into three areas which are mental, physical, and interpersonal. Mental skills are skills with gathering or creating ideas, managing information, sorting and retrieving it, and putting it to use. Physical skills are skills associated with building, materials, machinery, remodeling, growing things or with animals. Interpersonal skills are skills that are related to communicating, leading, managing, negotiating, motivating, teaching, and mentoring. Try developing your own list with these categories as your guide.
Once you have your lists of dreams, values, and skills, you can begin to see a pattern of careers emerging. You will begin to see more clearly what your path of development will be. I highly advise you to talk through these ideas with a trusted friend, mentor, or coach. It is amazing what clarity comes when you are able to share your thoughts with someone who will listen and support you.
Stacy Harshman, founder of Your Fulfilling Life, brings her experience as a recruiter for a Fortune 500 corporation to her work as a career coach. In addition to helping people discover their passions, she also provides clients with insight into the mind of a recruiter, unlocking the secrets of what employers look for in potential employees. Stacy offers individual and group coaching in person and by phone to those seeking positive change in their professional lives.
