Just like your closet gets crowded with clothes that no longer fit and shoes you wish you never bought, your career may be ready for a new look.
Before you take drastic measures, first understand if you’re just having a rough week (or coming off of the COVID Career slump) or if you really need to make a career change.
The signs it’s time for a change
- Before you log into your first meeting, you hit snooze 4 times.
- You find yourself zoning out in meetings while you daydream about the vineyard you’re going to manage in Napa or the Doggy Daycare you and Fluffy have dreamed of for so long.
- You miss workouts and social gatherings because you’re too exhausted from work.
- When someone asks you what you do for a living, you respond with a blank stare.
- You end each workday feeling like the energy was sucked out of you.
If most of these statements sound familiar then you may be ready for a career make-over.
Whether you work for a boss-hole, don’t feel you’re contributing to something of value, or are simply underutilized; being proactive about a career make-over can put you back in the driver’s seat and feeling re-energized!
Where do you start?
Quitting your job can be a quick solution. In fact, over 2 million Americans quit their job each month. Although this is the ultimate career make-over, it’s not always the best solution. For one, you may be swapping the stress of your current job situation for the stress of worrying about how to pay your bills. Unless you have a good backup plan, you may want to take a baby step first.
A simple, but powerful, activity
Without overthinking it, make a list of everything that currently causes you career stress. There are no wrong answers, just jot down everything that comes to mind. Small or big, capture it!
Even getting it all out on one piece of paper will feel better. Now circle everything that’s in your sphere of influence to change. This means that you CAN control the outcome. If you’ve been honest with yourself about what you CAN and CAN’T control, then it’s time to make the necessary adjustments
Small Shifts
As we all know, this can be easier said than done. You may have developed a few habits that are no longer working for you. Whether you’ve made a habit of indulging toxic co-workers, letting your meeting schedule prevent you from making it to the gym, or even not following up with your manager to discuss your career aspirations, making small adjustments over time are the best kind of make-over.
Small shifts can even lead to big changes, like starting own business.
Just like fashion fads rarely look good in the long run, a career make-over should be focused on long-term success. Celebrate small wins. They add up and before you know it, you may forget you needed a make-over in the first place.
If you want to take it a step further, uncover your potential blind spots by asking others for feedback. Use our 360-degree career feedback tool to find out how promotable you really are.
