Career change often begins with a statement. “I hate my current job. I want a totally different environment. What are some steps I can take to make a move?”
Alas, many career books give a false impression. They suggest that career change proceeds at an orderly and very linear pace. Typically, you are advised to take these steps:
- Look inward to find out who you are.
- Identify your strengths.
- Match strengths to careers.
- Find a career that matches your strengths.
- Apply for jobs in those fields.
- Live happily ever after.
Of course, an experienced career consultant will tell you this is hogwash. The best guide I’ve found is still Herminia Ibarra’s book, Working Identity. The book’s getting old and out of print but you can find it in libraries and online bookstores.
As Ibarra explains, most career change goes more like this:
- Come up with a few ideas that might work.
- Talk to people in those fields.
- Get referred to other people.
- Hit a few dead ends and realize your dream job isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.
- Talk to more people.
- Run into an old friend at an airport lounge in the Los Angeles area. He says, “Gee, we’re looking for somebody to take a job in our Chicago office. You’re in Chicago. Interested?”
- Your friend dashes off an email from his laptop. He tells you to call a certain number. You shake hands. You get on your plane for Portland. He gets on his plane for Tokyo.
- A few days later, you call the number. The job isn’t anything like what you’ve been looking for. But it sounds intriguing. You go on a few interviews that feel more like social chats with a bunch of old friends.
- Before you can return a call from your career coach, you’re on a new payroll.
Sounds far-fetched? “Brad” w literally fell into his career. As a child, he tripped on the choir loft of his church, landing on top of the organ. He became fascinated watching the organ repair specialist who came to fix the damage. Eventually, he became the specialist’s apprentice and branched out to his own busy career that lasted over 40 years. He loved it.
“Julie” graduated from law school but couldn’t find a law firm job in her medium-sized city. Out of desperation, she took a job in a bank, telling everyone, “I’ll just be here six months. I hate banking and I’m not good with nunbers.” Three years later, Julie is still with the bank — by choice. She likes the job and the people. And she keeps getting raises, even in a recession.
These stories are true.
Research on career change shows they’re not unusual. Most people owe their career choices to an unexpected event or chance meeting.
So do you have to take a fatalistic approach?
Not at all. You can give serendipity a little push. Keep moving. Talk to lots of people. Develop confidence and radiate a positive, optimistic outlook. I’m not being woo-wooey. More research shows that we like to be around others who are confident, energetic and upbeat. The more people you meet and the more friends you make, the more likely you are to hear the magic words, “Gee…maybe you’d like to consider our company.”
And the rest, as they say, will be history.
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For more on career change, see my ebook on Career Makeovers.
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi Cathy! Loved your article referring to Herminia Ibarra’s “zig zag” career path. You are so right. I would always tell my career consulting clients to pay attention to those interesting “side paths” that they may come across while researching and talking to people about their work interests. You never know what’s out there and new possibilities are aways popping up these days. I NEVER would have had my 6 years of working in a natural food/products/supplement business if I hadn’t gotten sick. Now, I wouldn’t wish getting sick on anyone but I learned alot, got great customer services skills that then helped me in my later work, including the 7 years I spent as a career consultant. And the LATTER work directly helps me in my current job involving being the administrative assistant in a business counseling office.
This is a good article, and I believe it works for many people. Alas, it didn’t work for me. Several years ago I had done what was suggested in the article but I ended up working in the same career for many years even though I didn’t like it. I live far away in Indonesia where there are only a few career choices. Thank God there is the internet, so I could do a lot of browsing and searching. And I did look inward and took several tests. Until at last I knew why I didn’t like my previous job and what kind of new job would be suitable for me.
Ninik,
Tests work effectively when you’re in early stages of your career. Some career advice applies everywhere, but I’m afraid some will not travel well. Hope you are happily situated now.
Cathy