new career

My inspiring clients. Part 2 of 4.

November 2, 2013 By // by DigitalJenIPC

Most people don’t realize how amazing and talented they are, and hide their light under a bushel.

My job is to help them to see their talent & uniqueness, work with them to define a career vision, strategy and plan and support them to market themselves and get to where they want to be, overcoming actual and perceived hurdles.

My clients inspire me so much and I learn a lot from them, getting new ideas that help myself and I can share with others. This is a 4 part blog series each sharing 5 current client scenarios and 5 success stories to inspire you.

5 current client scenarios

• A quality assurance manager in her 30s who wants to become an events/project manager

• A management consultant in her 30s frustrated with full time employment in the NHS who wants to do contracting work more in line with her values

• A former manager in her 40s in a corporate who has been a full time carer for her family for many years and who now wants to create a new career & life for herself

• A female in her 30s who has just returned back to the UK after living in Australia and wants to get a job and build a network

• A successful management consultant in his 50s who wants to define their brand and market their business to get more clients in the UK rather than abroad so they can spend more time with their family

5 inspiring client examples:

Evolving business focus (Lorna)
http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs042/1102862873131/archive/1106770475879.html

Family friendly business (Francesca)
http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs042/1102862873131/archive/1106769308248.html

Hobby into a business and child friendly (Martin)
http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs042/1102862873131/archive/1106786138295.html

Leaving corporate life – portfolio career (Pippa)
http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs042/1102862873131/archive/1106787631164.html

Life work balance – (Jon)
http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs042/1102862873131/archive/1106769307989.html

Are you ready to create your own success story? Get in touch.

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My clients are very unhappy with me

October 6, 2013 By // by DigitalJenIPC

Sometimes my clients are very unhappy with me. They question what we are doing, how we are doing it and whether it works. I don’t mind. It is the storm before the calm.

Usually it is because they are very frustrated with themselves and/or feeling stuck and scared.

Changing career can be a pretty scary decision. A big change evokes big emotion and natural fears that need to be worked through.

During the process, they can feel very stuck at times, having made the decision to change, mentally left behind where they have been but not yet sure what they are going to do next and how they are going to get there. They don’t know what to do with this uncomfortable emotion swishing about so they project it onto us.

They can be slightly aggressive, defensive, ‘arsy’ even, but I see it as a positive because I know it is normal and healthy. They can be how they are and express exactly how they feel with me. Their friends and family may be worrying about the change they are making and talking about their fears to them can make them feel more worried and anxious, when they are feeling quite anxious enough as it is.

The breakthrough, or ‘aha’ moment follows this stuck phase and they move forward, often quite fast. The calm after the storm.

If you are considering a career change, it won’t be all plain sailing, but you will get to calm waters and be glad that you set sail, even if there are some squally patches along the way.

The alternative is staying in stagnant water that becomes more putrid over time, feeling more and more fed up, stuck and unfulfilled.

So what choice are you making for you? Get in touch if you are ready for change.

Click on this link for some blog about fears:
http://liberateyourtalent.wordpress.com/?s=fears+

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https://twitter.com/talentliberator

Opt in to receive our Energise bulletins; career strategies, smart living and working, self-promotion. You can view previous topics and opt in from this page:
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Who’s your Sherpa?

September 27, 2013 By // by DigitalJenIPC

I recently heard an amazing speaker at an Ernst & Young quarterly women’s network event: Herta von Stiegel.

She decided she wanted to climb Kilimanjaro as a challenge for reaching 50. Not only that, but to do it taking a group of disabled people and their helpers too. It took two years of planning and she succeeded. The climb resulted in a book called “The inner mountain” which draws parallels between leadership lessons and her experiences climbing Kilimanjaro.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mountain-Within-Leadership-Lessons-Inspiration/dp/0071773061

Two things I personally took away from her talk were:

Vision is the intersection between something you are passionate about/a major strength and how it meets a human need.

The aptness of the ‘inner mountain’ metaphor for career change.

Many people want to change career but don’t start because the change feels too great, the climb too steep, too daunting. No one who has climbed a mountain or done a marathon would say it is easy, but they focus on the motivation of the outcome and break the stages into steps just as climbers have different camps along the way e.g. base camp.

Two of the highlights for me about helping people to change career are the ‘aha’ moments – insights about what they really want to do, what is stopping them and breakthroughs in progress. Career change like climbing a mountain is an outer journey too, but very much an inner one of personal discovery and change.

Three questions for you:

What do you feel passionately about doing through your career to help others?
What are you really good at?
What’s stopping you from career change?

Here is what a client of ours said recently:

“Coaching has been very instrumental for me, because it helped me carve my own path at my own pace, to reach my goal. I’m not sure that without coaching, I would still have had the willpower to change and enter a completely different line of work – I may have thought about it, but whether I would have put it in action anyways? I’m not so certain!

Also, I enjoyed speaking with Rachel, because I knew that she wouldn’t be judgemental or biased – she understood where I was coming from and she understood why I needed the change, which has been at times, difficult to explain to friends and family.”

Click on this link for some blog about fears:
http://liberateyourtalent.wordpress.com/?s=fears+

To follow us on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/talentliberator

Yes! But, but, but…..

August 27, 2013 By // by DigitalJenIPC

What’s your ideal career? Is it what you are doing now? If not, what are you doing about it?

Many people want to change career, get to the starting blocks, and then find ‘buts’ and never move any further. So how can you overcome fear?

The thing is ‘buts’ are normal and part of the career change process. Identifying them and working out how to get around them or jump over them is important.

‘Buts’ can be big or small, but they are still ‘buts’.

BUT what will my parents think?

BUT what if I make the wrong decision?

BUT what impact on my employment rights?

BUT how long will it take?

BUT where else are my skills and experience useful?

Sound familiar?

It is easier to overcome the ‘buts’ with support. Talking with friends and family can add to the ‘buts’ because they give their view and see problems and risks rather than seeing the situation through your eyes. Not everyone will welcome the change that you need, sometimes because it affects them in a way they don’t like.

A career coach like me champions you and is experienced at the process of career change and the natural fear and buts that arise. Our society isn’t especially open in talking about fear.

Some of the ‘buts’ my clients have tackled have been:

– A lawyer dealing with their father’s disappointment of not wanting to remain in the law
– A teacher sourcing a certificate from their native Italy years after doing the exam to be able to apply to do a course to retrain
– A Doctor letting go of the high regard of others ‘oh, you’re a Doctor?’ at parties

and many clients working through dealing with unknowns and uncertainties and the perceived risk in a challenging market

What would your ‘buts’ be?

Black and white thinking is common – all or nothing. In reality, there is always more than one option.

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Have you downloaded our free PDF to identify what your transferable skills are? Click on this link:

Free Skills download:
http://careerstrategies.co.uk/changingcareersreport/

11 career steps to a second career

August 5, 2013 By // by DigitalJenIPC

Fancy a second career different to your first? Many people fall into their first career, so it’s not surprising that more and more people are seeking a second career.

It can feel like a void when you change career, so it helps to have career steps to pave the way to your future.

Last week I did telephone coaching sessions to prepare two clients practically and mentally in their decision to negotiate a career step in their career change.

Client A is working full time and wants to change career direction and needs to be able to do an internship in the Autumn in their new area of work. They broached the subject of a sabbatical with their line manager with 3 options. It went really well and it is looking like a ‘yes’ to the sabbatical.’

Client B’s current role is being made redundant and they have been offered alternative roles but are concerned that this is not the right choice for them and they want to take the opportunity to do something different. Result – they successfully negotiated redundancy.

Coaching is really useful to help people to prepare and think through different options, make the right decision for you and communicate this in the best way to the target audience to achieve your desired outcome.

What could your stepping stone be to a different career? In future, work will become much less guaranteed and more transient with temporary assignments the norm for many of us, so this is an important thing to start thinking about.

Here are 11 possible stepping stones to pave the way for your new career:

1. Get made redundant and get a lump sum
2. Take voluntary redundancy and get a lump sum
3. Take a sabbatical
4. Take a career break
5. Switch from working full time to part time with your current employer
6. Leave your current employer and do contracting/interim work in the same industry/profession
7. Switch from full time employment to freelance project work in the same sector
8. Help out a friend in their business to gain new experience
9. Save up a cushion to dedicate to creating your career change
10. Do some volunteering
11. Fund your own retraining while still self-employed to broaden your skills, qualifications and choices

What other career steps would you add?

If you are thinking about career change, start the career steps to your new career this August.

For more insights and tips, follow us on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/talentliberator

Have you downloaded our free PDF to identify what your transferable skills are? Click on this link: http://careerstrategies.co.uk/changingcareersreport/

Does your job ever make you weep?

July 24, 2013 By // by DigitalJenIPC

I had an e mail this week from a potential client. I bet some of you can relate to what they said in their e mail or know someone it reminds you of:

“I am not happy in my current role and have for a while been thinking about what to do next. I know I do not want to stay in my current profession but in truth do not know what I want to do. This has been brought to the fore last week as I was put at risk of redundancy by my employer although there are a number of new posts that I could apply for and I think the expectation is that I will take one of these. This would be the easy option but I think will still leave me wondering ‘what if?’

‘What if?’ is a hard one isn’t it? It is in the future and an unknown quantity, so you don’t know if you will wish you had done something differently and have regrets or not.

This week I have worked with a number of new clients who hate their job/career. It is not uncommon for them to feel depressed and sometimes they cry in the session because they are so fed up of feeling fed up.

It is not surprising is it? As a metaphor, it is a bit like a plant trying to grow without any sunshine and in the wrong environment for it to thrive.

When we first start working together, we do a session in two hours which helps them to identify what motivates them and what is important to them (their values). They quickly see that their job or career is not giving them these things. You can see the light bulb go on. Sometimes moving department or company can make all the difference, but for many changing career is what they choose to do.

Career change is a big decision so we tackle it thoroughly, strategically and practically.

Who do you know who is wondering ‘What if?’ It is never too late to change track, get on the right path and have more career fulfillment. Summer is a great time to do the career change programme when the pace of life and work is a little less frenetic.

Here are a couple of examples of career change:

Anne

http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs042/1102862873131/archive/1108092201346.html

Duncan

http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs042/1102862873131/archive/1106786590378.html

For more insights and tips, follow us on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/talentliberator

Mind the gap

June 30, 2013 By // by DigitalJenIPC

Do you find career change daunting?

Many people want to make a career change, but choose to stay put instead. With an uncertain economic situation and with perceived security, this is a common choice. But at what cost?

Sitting on a fence for too long gets a bit sore.

Many people will happily buy 2 coffees a day or eat out three times a week, or buy clothes and shoes, the money for which over a year would fund a career coaching programme or a course to further their skills. We call this unconscious eating, drinking, shopping habits; ‘filling a gap’. Sound familiar?

Better to mind the gap than fill it.

This week during a coaching session with a client their fear about career change was palpable. Our client was clear about where they wanted to go, they had an impactful CV, and are extremely marketable. But they were in the void.

What is the void?

It is a place of ‘not-knowing’ and not knowing is scary and unfamiliar.

You have gone beyond where you have been in your career but not yet reached where you are going to be, and you don’t know how you are going to get there. People who have only worked in one company or type of work feel this especially strongly.

At this point in the process, common questions and themes are:

– How do ask for introductions?

– How do I get on the radar of headhunters?

– My network is very narrow, how do I build it when I am busy at work?

– How will I make the right decision?

– There is so much competition, how can I stand out?

We help our clients with these topics and a lot more, including creating a career strategy and plan and being a ‘Sherpa’ to help them get to their summit.

For those of you reading this, what are you doing to do this week to move your career in the direction you want it to go?

One action would be to set up a savings account to invest in your career, skills and knowledge. Even a small amount e.g. £5/week adds up over time.

In future, people will need a higher level of skill to secure the job they want, take responsibility for their own career, rather than leave it to their employer and to market themselves.

Be one of the wise ones.

Don’t wait for the end of the downturn to start creating your future.

For insights and tips, follow us on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/talentliberator

To read our Career Strategies, Smart living and working and Self-Promotion bulletins with useful insights and tips/opt in to receive future ones, click on this link:

http://www.liberateyourtalent.com/cms/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=79&Itemid=106

What change do you seek at work?

January 5, 2013 By // by DigitalJenIPC

I have been creating some new ‘inspiring client examples’ this week, having had the time over the break to reflect on last year.

Changing your career can feel daunting and hearing about the successful transitions of other people can help make it feel possible.

One of my favourite inspiring quotes is by Alan Kay: “The best way to predict the future is to invent it.” Career change in times of uncertainty can feel scary, but doing nothing changes nothing. And too much analysis = paralysis!

Here are some clients we have worked with – they inspire us so much and we learn a lot from them.

Choose the one(s) that you most relate to:

Escaping from the law:

http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs193/1102862873131/archive/1112027555089.html

Transitioning from the public to private sector:

http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs193/1102862873131/archive/1112056859585.html

Wanting to get off the hamster wheel

http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs042/1102862873131/archive/1106787631164.html

Child friendly work

http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs042/1102862873131/archive/1106786138068.html

Work with meaning and purpose

http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs042/1102862873131/archive/1106786590378.html

What would be the headline for your desired career transition this year? Why not get in touch and tell us about your dream/goal? Click on this link:

http://careerstrategies.co.uk/careercoaching/what-next/

For useful insights, tips and more inspiring examples of career change, follow us on Twitter @talentliberator

Comfortable or uncomfortable career change?

December 8, 2012 By // by DigitalJenIPC

Career change is a big change affecting lots of things and often people get stuck for different reasons. Change and clarity about the change need to be created at a number of levels and ‘stuckness’ for a short or longer time can occur at any of these; vision; identity; values; beliefs; capabilities; behaviours; environment.

Vision: The future vision you have for your second career is often very different from your first career or the vision your parents/guardians had for you. Many people fell into their career, or received no/poor advice, so may not have had a vision at all. Creating a vision – the horizon towards which you are always moving towards is crucial, especially through challenging uncertain times and knockbacks.

Identity: Identity – ‘who am I’ in the world of work and society is crucial to how we feel. Having a place in the world and feeling connected is an inherent part of being human. Life is full of job titles and ‘what do you do?’ questions when you meet people in a social or business context. “I am a senior manager” or “I am a doctor’ or “I am a lawyer” for example can be difficult to let go of unless you have thought through the new you and feeling comfortable and congruent with what you say when asked “What do you do?”

Values: What is important to you is an inherent part of the desire for career change – your values. Poor career fulfilment is caused by people’s values not being honoured by their work. If you love innovation, but your boss or employer loves tradition, this is a mismatch and causes dissatisfaction. Making decisions consciously and intuitively about your career or job options around your values is essential. Values also affect what type of employment or self-employment is right for you.

Beliefs: ‘I must work 9-5’ or ‘I need to strive and get to the top of my profession’ or ‘it is impossible to earn a living doing what I love’ are often beliefs that cause people to be stuck. Often the beliefs we have about work are not even ours, but ones that we pick up from society, the media or parents e.g. ‘self-employment is risky’ or ‘a secure job with a career path is essential.’

Capabilities: Everyone is talented in their own unique way but many people find it hard to identify their capabilities and skills and see where else they are useful. If you cannot see where you are moving to, it will be unlikely that you will step off into what can feel like a void or abyss!

Behaviours: Proactivity and self-belief make a huge difference to making a career change, career success and career adaptability. Doing nothing is the easiest behaviour to choose but then nothing changes. Making a decision causes stress and anxiety, magnified in uncertain times and it is human nature to avoid stress and fear. Acknowledging these and keeping on moving forward makes uncomfortable change feel more comfortable.

Environment: The environment in which we thrive can be really important for career fulfilment; being out of the office, or having music on in the background rather than silence. Not being clear what environment energises and nourishes you can cause an impasse.

At any point in a career transition, you can get stuck at one or more of these levels. To create a successful career change, you need to think through all these areas; vision; identity; values; beliefs; capabilities; behaviours; environment. This is something that it can be hard to do yourself, as you are too close to yourself.

Where are you stuck? What advice/experience can you share to help people to move forwards? A career coach helps you to become unstuck, like a plumber helps you unblock a drain so things flow free again.

For more insights and tips, follow us on Twitter: @talentliberator

PS Did you know we do career coaching gift vouchers? They make a great thoughtful and practical birthday, Christmas or leaving present.

Are you at the end of your tether?

July 25, 2012 By // by DigitalJenIPC

We are finding stress on the up with people at work, and with the heat and pressure of uncertainty, it can be wise to make a move elsewhere.

There are many reasons for changing career for something better; here is a compilation from the various people we have worked with.

Redundancy
Early retirement
Need to fund retirement
Dislike of politics
No career progression prospects
Fed up of doing more for less
Desire for variety
Partner moves job/location
Shrinking prospects
Sacked
Hunger for broader/more diverse role
Boss staying put so prospects blocked
Kid on the way – need more money
Young family – need a pay rise to support
Increased competition
Fancy a change
Desire to focus work on what enjoy
Want to line own pockets from effort put in
Changing values over time
Need more money
Want more satisfaction from work
Burning ambition to have own business
Feel bored
A merger
Divorce
Partner made redundant – need the money
A big birthday – catalyst for change
A change of boss
Your role changes without you having a say
You need/want more flexible work
Having kids – need more flexibility
Company moves their office base too far away from your home e.g. BBC
You see someone making a successful career change so think that you can too
Someone dies who you are close to and it makes you revaluate
You inherit some money which gives you choice
Your children leave home freeing you up

Which can you relate to? If you are at a career crossroads or know someone who is, our Energise bulletins provide free insights and tips to help you when changing career:

http://www.liberateyourtalent.com/cms/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=79&Itemid=106

What do our clients think?

http://liberateyourtalent.wordpress.com/energise-client-testimonials/