career change help

Career evolution or revolution?

March 15, 2015 By // by DigitalJenIPC

Work can start to get a bit repetitive after a while; a bit ‘same old same old’.

Some people find this comforting, others brain numbing. I am the latter. How about you?

Many many people have been sitting tight in the same job during the downturn years. Staying put for security. A wise strategy. Or is it?

If your career is starting to feel a little stale there are 5 strategies to explore:

• Portfolio career
• Job sculpting
• Sabbatical
• Attitude shift
• Secondment

An interesting book about the revolution of work shaped my thinking 4 years ago. It is by Lynda Gratton – ‘The Shift: the future of work is already here’.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Shift-Future-Work-Already/dp/0007427956

My decisions during the downturn years have been the opposite of most people. They have been shaped by Lynda Gratton’s predictions and other reading. 2020, about which the book focuses, is now just 5 years’ away and it really concerns me that most people don’t have a career strategy, they leave it to chance.

“The best way to predict the future is to invent it.” Abraham Lincoln and Peter Drucker. (both have been credited with this quote).

The rest of this blog gives an overview of portfolio careers, a major trend according to Lynda Gratton.

Portfolio careers have been growing for a while. Some people have them because they have to as a source of work is going out of fashion or cut-backs are being made, others because they want variety and stimulation. I am the latter – it fits my values.

What is a portfolio career?

A portfolio career is when your work is made up of different components which you flex, in response to changing market conditions and/or changes in your personal circumstances or life stage. This makes your career future-proof too.

Portfolio career components

The components of a portfolio career might be a part time job, volunteering, consultancy or freelance projects/contracts, travel, study or a non-exec directorship (s).

My portfolio career

My portfolio career is made up of career coaching, executive coaching, events, content creation, content curation, books, chapters and articles and consultancy work. It can be very full on but never a dull moment!

Employers and portfolio careers

Companies are starting to take note about portfolio careers for a number of reasons.
– Flexible resourcing – as needed
– Generation Y/Millennials demand flexibility
– Talent/skills shortage in business critical areas

I am writing an article on this topic next week and one recruitment agency I interviewed predicts that recruitment will not look the same in 4 years’ time. I agree. Why then are so many people carrying on as though nothing is changing?

Portfolio career example

Read about our client Jon’s portfolio career:
Part 1:

Portfolio careerist – Jonathan Green #1

Part 2:

Portfolio careerist – Jonathan Green #2

How do we help?

Here are 4 ways:

• We offer early bird and weekend Skype appointments.
• We help you create, edit, market and manage your portfolio career
• We define your personal brand
• We assist you in creating a career strategy

What next?

If you are interested in exploring a portfolio career, want to create or review your career strategy, or know someone we can help, get in touch.

Don’t wait until the General Election result in May 2015, start future proofing your career now. Get in touch.

20 career change tips from people who have

October 4, 2012 By // by DigitalJenIPC

Career change can feel daunting at the best of times, let alone in a downturn. What better way to get tips than from people who have already changed career. Here are 20 tips from people who have successfully made a career change.

Use your network to get a warm introduction to the decision maker
Anything is possible if you desire it enough but it takes planning and realistic expectations
Make time to do research and understand a new career and sector
Think about what you really want and if it is to do work you are passionate about or just have another job
Evaluate your short, medium and long term financial commitments
Evaluate your current finances for ‘survivability’
Think about what you would do in a ‘worst case’ situation
Don’t put yourself in ‘a box’ – open your eyes to new opportunities
Believe in yourself and stay determined
Research new career choices so you understand barriers to entry, competition and future career prospects
Check whether you are likely to face the same challenges and frustrations in your new career as your old career, so ‘jumping from the frying pan into the fire’
Unless you have money saved up and you can afford to take time off, don’t leave your job with nothing to go to until you have thought everything through
Be clear if you are running away from or towards something
Analyse your current position and why you want to leave it
Know your strengths and weaknesses and what type of environment, work schedule and activities you like to do
Think about what would make you happy, give you meaning and purpose and make you jump out of bed every day
Remember that career change is a process
Keep an open mind to what the future will hold and what unexpected opportunities may present themselves
Make sure your desire to change your career is not projection of frustration in another area of your life e.g. personal relationship
If you can, go indirectly to the decision maker and bypass HR who can have a ‘ruling out’ mentality, especially as they are overwhelmed by hundreds of CVs

With a busy job/life, all these things can be a lot to take in/make time for, especially as you are so close to yourself. That is why working with a career coach and strategist can help you to make it happen and give you support and practical advice in a safe setting and objective and confidential way. It is bit like having an event or wedding planner help you. They support you to create a great and positive result.

Itchy Feet? Need New Career Ideas?

July 5, 2011 By // by DigitalJenIPC

I adore those moments of blinding insight. An oxymoron if ever I heard one. Moments of utter clarity about what someone REALLY wants to do. Most people fall into their career by accident and plod along, leading a half empty working life. Shame.

A client came to me looking for new career ideas. They knew they wanted a career change, they just weren’t sure what. My favourite challenge! I asked what she really loved doing. She replied: “I don’t know if it is significant but, when I was a teenager I used to babysit and I would clear out and tidy the cupboards. I absolutely loved it.” As she talked about it, she glowed with enthusiasm and her energy completely changed from 60 to 240 watts. The seed of a new business was sown.

Bingo, or Bob’s your Uncle. Whoever Bob is. That wonderful moment that informs a new career. Utterly exciting. Hugely rewarding. New career ideas are hard to come up with on your own. You are too close to yourself. A career that fits you is like finding a partner with whom you are compatible. It has an unquantifiable large impact on your happiness and fulfilment.

Here is an example of a career change http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs042/1102862873131/archive/1106375841019.html

Do you like something for free? Thought so. If you have got itchy feet and could do with some new career ideas, why not download our free report, “Pain free career change“? Click on the link: http://www.careerstrategies.co.uk/