Change jobs.

In today’s world, individuals will change careers on average 7 times more in their lifetime, compared to only a couple of decades ago – and this rate is rising. There is more choice available to us – especially for those with talent, drive and ambition.

What results is a combination of lack of control and a cycle of movement from one unfulfilling job to another, or getting stuck at a ‘dead end’. However – do not fear – you do not need to stay in this ‘rut’.

Right – so you are ready to change careers and want to find that right role. In order to succeed bear in mind the following tips:

Invest in yourself

This journey is important – so give yourself time to work it all out. You will need a significant amount of thought, consideration, time and investment in order to make this change smoothly and to make it the right career change.

Get Clarity

Without real clarity about what you want to do or how to get it, achieving any sense of fulfillment or being in control of your future will be very difficult. Therefore it is really important to work on getting clear about what your central goal is and how to achieve it.

Create an action plan

You need to be clear about your plan of action and how to carry out what you have specifically designed for yourself. Get clear achievable steps in place. Outline it. Reward yourself and be proud of yourself as you get through each stage of your plan.

Focus your energy on the task

Making a change and finding the right role is not always an easy task. Make sure that you are in control of the key elements in your world and are able to drive forward with the career and life of your choosing. You will need perseverance and determination to help. Being smart about how you spend your time is crucial.

Understanding your strengths

Get to know yourself better. Identify what your key strengths are.

• What are you really good at?
• The skills have you learnt?
• What are you naturally inclined to do and be better at?

The more you know yourself the more confident you will become and the better you will be at identify the right role for you and projecting yourself in order to get it.

Ignite that passion

Without real passion for a role – it will be difficult to get. Even if you do get it – you will find it difficult to maintain and grow within and beyond it. What you want here is the right role. This means something that you are truly passionate about.

It might take a bit of experimenting to find what ‘floats your boat’ – but it will be worth it when you have found it.

Know your boundaries

In each different work situation – we may have different boundaries. By being clear about what they are and then communicating this clearly to others and staying true to what is important – will make a huge difference.

Manage and improve relationships

This is important from all aspects. If you learn to manage your relationships effectively you will be able to control the process and transition. Understanding where your old boss is coming from and the impact you have on him/her – and how you interact could really influence how you leave a job.

Leverage your connections

Learn how to network and harness your connections effectively. This does not mean bombarding people you do not know with emails or adding everyone you can find to LinkedIn. Neither is this picking up as many business cards you can at a networking event and calling that person part of your ‘network’.

Real networking is about getting to know people.

Rid yourself of blocks, fears and insecurities

All of us have them at one stage or another. However, do not let them stop you. If you are afraid – that is OK – just do not let it take over and control what you do or do not do. If something is blocking you from moving forward – take the time and action you need to confront it, deal with it and resolve it. Find support from those around you. Get support from a professional if it is a deep personal issue that is troubling you.

If you do not deal with it now – it will keep blocking you in different ways throughout your career and life.

Once you have worked through the blocks – you will be so much more energized, comfortable, confident and free.

Disclaimer:

THE VIEWS AND OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN THIS ARTICLE ARE THOSE OF THE AUTHOR AND DO NOT REFLECT THE VIEWS OF SPEAKIN, ITS MANAGEMENT OR AFFILIATES. SPEAKIN MAKES NO REPRESENTATION AS TO ACCURACY, COMPLETENESS, CORRECTNESS, SUITABILITY OR VALIDITY OF ANY INFORMATION ON THIS ARTICLE AND WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY ERRORS, OMISSIONS OR DELAYS IN THIS INFORMATION OR DAMAGES ARISING FROM ITS DISPLAY OR USE. PLE