Pause, Rethink, and Then Restart

As a coach who works with people in the midst of making big life and career shifts, I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the difference between two mindsets: a fixed and a growth mindset.

There’s nothing more useful than a Swiss Army Knife. If you’re thinking about a career change, here’s my “Swiss Army Knife” of tools you can use as you embark on your journey.

Dejected to delighted. That sums-up the experience one talented mid-career professional had recently when she navigated a complicated career move.

Four bold letters, blazing in red, pointed this client in the direction of her next career move. Was there an alternative to making an EXIT? Discover the power of a simple 3-question quiz.

Here’s how to find yours.

When you’re intentional, the changes you make align with your vision of what’s possible and you’re confident they’re right for you. However, we often encounter resistance. Here are a few examples of what happens when the people in your life realize they can’t escape adapting to the changes you’ve introduced:

Who intentionally fails at their work? Nobody. Yet, we set ourselves up for failure when we don’t create a clear picture of what we really want and pave a path to get us there. Keith leveraged the power of his professional INTENTIONS – more aspirational than goals – and here’s what happened when he flipped the script during his annual performance discussion.

One by one, personal acts of courage are creating the “great resignation.” Maura hit her breaking point during the global pandemic. After 16 years with her company, a toxic work environment and the relentless stress of juggling work on-site and from home, plus the daily supervision of remote learning for two school aged kids, finding a new job became her top priority. But how? This is a story of curiosity, bravery, and intentionality.

What’s your number?

When you are anticipating a career move, knowing the salary you want in exchange for your time and talent, is essential. Not knowing can create a costly mess. A coaching client found herself at a huge disadvantage when she began interviewing for a new job without knowing her number. The final offer came in $10K less than she expected. Here’s how she regrouped and got the salary she deserved.

I can’t imagine another year in this job. I will make a change when the time is right. I can’t switch careers right now. It’s not the right time. Right now is not the best time to look for work. As a career coach, I routinely hear statements like these from professionals who are unsatisfied in their careers, but also anxious about making a change.

What would you do if you were contacted by a recruiter, agreed to a first round interview, liked what you heard, and realized a job change was a very real possibility? Did they stay or did they go? Our IT pro enjoyed a fast-paced interview process that opened-up conversations with potential colleagues and key decision makers up and across the organization.

The adage ‘absence makes the heart grow fonder’ played out for a training executive and client specialists who recently resigned in frustration over misaligned priorities, and a pattern of squandered opportunities to innovate, improve service, and turn a profit.

The pandemic is relentlessly flipping our work and personal lives inside out. We miss the in-person meetings that make connecting so easy. People want to hear from you. Next time you want to reach out to a coworker, colleague, or anyone else, anywhere in the world, try a surprise.

Successfully navigating the rocky road from laid off to landing a job had an unexpected benefit for J, a recent client. The change presented a unique and unanticipated opportunity to clearly rethink his priorities.