Career Change

Have you experienced the two year itch in your career or job?

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When will I be able to change jobs? How will my career develop? Do I want a career change? If these questions sound familiar to you, what do you do to find the answers?

It is really common for individuals to start reviewing their career having been in a job or role for two years or more.

We start a new job with such enthusiasm and motivation, jumping out of bed on a Monday morning keen to ensure we get ahead in our careers. We want to perform well and develop a fantastic and fulfilling career, until that well known ‘Monday morning feeling’ gradually creeps in. As time has moved on, we have settled into our new job and are familiar with our day to day role. We become restless and start wondering where our career is going.

If you have got to this point, how can you now restore the motivation and enthusiasm you once had when you started your new job? How can you prevent your 2 year itch developing for the next 2, 3 or even 4 years? It all comes down to two main options:

  1. Stay in your current job

Often it is much easier to simply stay put than find a new job. If you decide this is the right career path for you, then finding techniques to improve your motivation should be the first item on your to-do list. Perhaps take this opportunity to review where you are in your career, what you have achieved and what you want to achieve next. Start planning your career path, set yourself challenges at work and establish ways to achieve your ambitions. Make sure you tell people at work about your career ideas and plans. This will give you the best opportunity of achieving your ambitions and restoring a good Monday morning feeling.

  1. Change Job/Change Career

If you decide changing career or job is the best career choice for you, take time to evaluate your career options, working out what you want and exploring possibilities and opportunities. Talk to people to find out more about specific roles, jobs and careers. This is the best way to discover the best job move or career choice for you.

For further help, click here for my free career resources.

Remember, the more consideration you give to your career development, the better your decisions are going to be.  

http://www.tessaarmstrong.co.uk/

Who is the best person to tell you what job you should do (and it’s not me!)?

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We all want someone to tell us what job we should do, to make the decision on our behalf so we can simply focus on enjoying our career.

Sounds good, doesn’t it? I know that’s what I wanted when I was pursuing a career change. The decision-making process was hard work and I just wanted someone to tell me what to do. When I was advised that the best decision would be the one I made for myself, I realised I needed to take responsibility and do some serious thinking!

What did I discover? I found that I was frequently being given advice on what I should or should not do and I didn’t know which advice to follow. I soon realised I would be far more committed to a decision I had made personally, rather than a decision someone had made for me or advised me to make, and what I really needed to do was develop a thorough understanding of my skills, passions and aspirations to enable me to make that decision.

Still not convinced? Let me give you another example….

Do you remember the career advice you received at school?

I have a very distinct memory sitting in the school careers room completing a personality questionnaire and subsequently being advised, amongst other things, that I should be a probation officer. It was as simple as that…the answer to my future career was found by completing a 10-minute test. Was this the right answer? Well, I did not become a probation officer!

There can be limitations in being pigeon holed into a specific career before you are ready to make that decision. It can lead to career paths being pursed but not enjoyed and an individual’s confidence being knocked. Many people need time to build their self- awareness and once they really understand what they want from their career, they will then be in the best place to move forward. Many of my clients say they regret following early career advice for this reason. They wish they had spent more time thinking about and discussing their personality and aspirations before taking the next step.

Have I just talked myself out of a job?!

No, because the best thing about all of this is that, although it may be up to you to make the decision, you do not have to go through the process alone. I become part of the process when individuals become stuck and need some help and guidance in moving forward. I help individuals build self-awareness to enable them to discover and explore different career possibilities and find the best career choice for them. I also help individuals to eliminate issues of procrastination, fear and anxiety to enable them to believe that they can achieve a fulfilling career. Career advisers can also help with the decision-making process.

It is all about you and how your career is going to fit in with your life. You may need a bit of guidance and assistance in getting there but….

…the best career decisions are those that you make and discover yourself.

www.tessaarmstrong.co.uk

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Stand out from the crowd – How to write a great LinkedIn profile

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LinkedIn is a powerful tool allowing you to have a professional presence in the world. It provides the opportunity for you to tell other professionals what you can do and what you can offer.

Do you have a LinkedIn profile and does it represent you in the best way?

Having a LinkedIn profile is fast becoming an essential professional requirement. You now have to assume prospective employers will look at your online presence before approaching or hiring you and if your LinkedIn profile is out of date or poorly written, it could potentially close doors. Who would want to employ someone who does not spell correctly in their shop window?

It is therefore really important that you spend time completing your profile. To assist, I have provided some hints and tips to help you write a great LinkedIn profile.

Some initial thoughts:

  • Make sure your CV and online profile match (consistency around dates is particularly important).
  • Think about your brand. Does your profile match the kind of jobs you are applying for?
  • Complete every section of your profile.

 

Your profile

Headline

The headline appears directly under your name and will be the first thing people read about you. It will also appear when people search for you and decide whether to click onto your profile. To make it more compelling, include a short description of your role as well as your job title.

For example, my headline reads:

‘Career Coach, Specialist in Career Change & Career Development – Achieving the best career path for you.’

You should also upload a professional photo of yourself.

Summary

Make life easy for a potential employer by using this section to tell them about what you can do, including your achievements. This is your chance to sell yourself in 2,000 characters. To give potential employers an even better chance of finding you include keywords which you know your industry uses. The more you use these keywords within your profile, the higher you will rank for that term in the search results

Perhaps include your contact information in this section (otherwise your contact details do not appear until the end of your profile).

Experience, Skills, Publications and Education

Include all relevant employment and education in these sections as well as your skills and publications.   If your CV is up to date, simply copy and paste the information.

Additional Sections

There are many additional sections to choose from, the most important being the ‘Volunteer Experience and Causes’ section. If you do any relevant voluntary work, add this section to your profile using the ‘Add Sections’ link. Relevant voluntary work will make your profile stand out even more.

Additional Information

This section gives you the opportunity to link to your website, blog, twitter account and any other sites providing professional information about you. Do not provide links to social networking sites used on a personal basis.

Recommendations

This is your chance to request recommendations from people who have worked with you. Make sure you personalise your requests rather than using the standard LinkedIn wording.

 My final tip is to make your profile public to ensure people can find you – market yourself and show potential recruiters what you can do! http://uk.linkedin.com/in/tessaarmstrong

 

www.tessaarmstrong.co.uk

Why you should have a LinkedIn account

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LinkedIn is a powerful social networking tool which will expand your network and enable you to stay ahead in your career.

I am always surprised when someone tells me they don’t have a LinkedIn account because they can’t see the point. There are lots of reasons why you should be on LinkedIn and here are just five of them.

  1. Employers and recruitment agencies are now using LinkedIn as a headhunting tool. It is an easy way for them to find out about you and make contact with you.  Even if you are not actively seeking a job, you may be approached and may be offered an even better job with more money. If you are not on LinkedIn, you are closing the door to these opportunities.
  2. Many employers now automatically download a candidate’s LinkedIn profile when they apply for a job. Your LinkedIn profile gives you another opportunity to tell them what you can do and what you have achieved.
  3. Group discussions on LinkedIn can enhance your knowledge on topics you are interested in and create job opportunities.
  4. You can build a large network of contacts. Imagine you are made redundant next year. Who would you turn to for help? Is your current network big enough? LinkedIn is a hassle free way of networking and can connect you with past colleagues, friends and acquaintances.
  5. LinkedIn is an online CV which must be kept up to date in order for you to get the most out of the social networking tool. This means that when you are actively looking for a job you will always have an up to date CV to hand.

Without LinkedIn in your life, you are missing out on a whole world of opportunity to connect with people with similar interests. Start building your LinkedIn profile now and use my blog on writing a great LinkedIn profile to assist.

www.tessaarmstrong.co.uk

Overcoming Fear of Failure – Making a Career Change Possible

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Have you ever thought about changing career but have been so afraid of failing that you decided not to?

In the UK, we are surrounded by opportunities and choices yet so many of us do not take advantage of what is available. We have the option to find a career best suited to our personalities yet choose to remain in a disheartening career because we believe a career change is simply not possible.

Fear of failure is one of the most common beliefs preventing career change.   You may be a perfectionist, a procrastinator or feel you are not good enough. These all come from a fear of failure and can cause you to miss out on career opportunities, leading to unnecessary stress, worry and unhappiness.

PURSUING A CAREER THAT BEST SUITS YOU

A fear of failure can be overcome through changing your thought pattern. Be willing to change and this will be possible. Here are a few steps to help you:

  1. Be aware of your belief, ‘fear of failure’, and the reasons you have for supporting this belief (perhaps you made a mistake in the past or did badly in an exam at school).
  2. Ask yourself if it is useful for you to continue clinging on to these past experiences/beliefs or whether it is now time to update your beliefs.
  3. If it is time for an update, decide what would be more useful for you to believe instead by turning your fear of failure into a positive statement. For example, ‘I am scared of failing’ becomes ‘I am successful’.
  4. Keep repeating your new positive belief; each time your fear of failure belief resurfaces, stop it and replace it with your new belief.
  5. Now take action to support your new belief. Fake it ‘til you make it! Use this new positive belief to empower you to take action.

You may now be thinking this is easier said than done or you are unsure of what to do next. Making the decision to change and knowing where to begin can be difficult and takes courage and perseverance.

I have had many clients who were desperate to change careers but believed it was not possible. One client believed that a job was not to be enjoyed. He had been told this by others in the past. He subsequently developed a fear of failure and remained in a job he disliked. This client then made the decision not to waste any more time and worked towards changing his belief. This allowed him to explore career opportunities available to him.  He is now pursuing a career that he is passionate about.

IT IS YOUR CHOICE

You have the choice to either allow fear of failure to control your life or to overcome this belief and pursue a career that fulfils you and brings a smile to your face.

 

www.tessaarmstrong.co.uk

For lawyers – What to do when you feel dissatisfied at work

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‘I have been wondering whether law is the right career for me for a while now. I don’t feel very motivated or satisfied at work but my options are limited as my skills are so specialised.’

It is not uncommon for lawyers to consider a career change when they are feeling demotivated or dissatisfied at work.   If a recent event has made you feel this way then wait until the situation has calmed down or you have managed to resolve it before you make any decisions.

Also, take a look at your current situation. What specifically is bothering you about your current situation –   is it the working environment, the subject matter, your work-life balance or something else? A career change may be the answer but consider other solutions too such as changing law firm, changing specialism, in-house work, further training and development, seeking help from your supervisor or even pursuing a hobby out of work.

If you do decide that a career change is right for you, the good news is that you do have transferrable skills. Start having a think about them now. Your skills are likely to include people skills, advanced drafting skills, research and problem-solving skills, excellent oral skills as well as many others that make you employable. You can then start investigating career options that closely match your set of skills.

Remember, with all challenges you face, if you keep doing what you are doing you will keep getting the same result. Try new techniques and tools to help you succeed and if you think a career change is for you, start your investigations now!

www.tessaarmstrong.co.uk

Is it time to make your career dreams a reality?

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Success doesn’t come to you… you go to it. (Marva Collins)

As Christmas approaches, our minds start to wander into next year. Whilst reflecting on 2014, we think about what we would now like to achieve in 2015.  Perhaps you didn’t achieve everything you set out to achieve in 2014 or you may still have some important decisions to make in specific areas of your life. Whatever your situation may be, is it now time to put an action plan in place to enable you to achieve what you want to achieve in 2015?

An action plan can really focus the mind and help you to put small steps in place to enable you to achieve your personal goals/objectives in life. These goals may be solely focused on your career or cover all aspects of your life.

Here are some action points to help you start planning:

  1. What are your objectives?
  2. How are you going to achieve your objectives? Think about this in detail.
  3. How would you rate your commitment in achieving these objectives on a scale of 1 – 10 (anything less than 8 may need your further attention!)?
  4. How realistic are your objectives on a scale of 1 – 10?
  5. By what date do you want to achieve your objectives?
  6. When will you review your progress?

By putting a plan in place, your dreams can start becoming a reality.

Do not fear going forward slowly; fear only standing still.

http://www.tessaarmstrong.co.uk

How to achieve the best career path for you – Step 3

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Creating a plan of action to achieve your new career goal

In a previous blog I wrote about how building your self-awareness is the first best step towards identifying a career that suits you and in my ‘How to achieve the best career path for you – step 2‘ blog I wrote about how, when you have achieved this, it is time to start identifying and exploring different career and job ideas.

One you have progressed through these two steps, it is time to assess the suitability of the different career and job options you have discovered and narrow them down to those that best suit you. To help you carry out this assessment, continue to talk to people working within the relevant career fields and work out how closely each role matches your skill set and interests. Evaluate each option and work out the gaps needed to be filled in order to work in each area.

Once you have narrowed down your options, set your new career goal and create a plan of action to achieve this goal. Write down when you want to achieve it by and each step you will need to take to get there.

Your action plan may include investigating sources of vacancies, preparing a CV and making applications where relevant. You may want to contact recruitment agencies or attend seminars and conferences. It is also really important to continue talking to relevant people within the career field you have identified – you never know who may open a door for you. Networking is often the best way to move in to a new role.

You may also want to spend some time researching interview techniques and finding someone to practise with.

Finally, remember to celebrate when you have achieved the best career for you!

www.tessaarmstrong.co.uk

How to achieve the best career path for you – step 2

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Discovering and exploring career possibilities and ideas

In one of my previous blogs, I wrote about how building your self-awareness is the first best step towards identifying a career that suits you. When you have achieved this, it is time to start identifying and exploring different career and job ideas.

If you haven’t done so already, use the information in my previous blog to help you to identify which skills and qualities you would like to take forward and use in your career. Once you have achieved this, have a think about what these skills and qualities say about you. Are there any common themes? What is missing from your current job that you would like to include in your career?

Now think of as many career and job ideas as you can based on your skills, qualities and personality. Perhaps ask your friends and family for ideas or have a go at answering this question:

  • Which jobs would you like to try out for one week?

Make sure you write down ALL your ideas – even those you may feel are an impossibility….don’t write-off any job or career opportunities at this stage. Ignore the voices in your head that say ‘you can’t do that job’. They are only ideas at the moment and with some thought and dedication you may be able to make them a reality.

Now start investigating the careers you have identified. Use your contacts to build your knowledge about each idea and contact relevant organisations or companies to find out more.

At the end of this step, the question you are aiming to answer is:

‘What are the names of jobs and careers that would give me the best chance to use my skills, in a field that is based on my interests?’

Enjoy your investigations!

The third and final step will be to start creating a plan of action to develop your chosen career path and I will be covering this in my next blog.

The more career ideas you investigate, the better you will be at choosing the right career for you.

http://www.tessaarmstrong.co.uk

How to achieve the best career path for you

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Building self-awareness to enable the discovery of what you want to do – STEP 1

How do you achieve the best career path when there are so many career and job options available to you? Where do you start? How do you find the perfect match? Is this really possible?

The good news is that it is possible, you simply need to take it one step at a time.

The first step involves building your self-awareness. This means you need to take time learning about yourself so that you become really clear about the kind of career that would best suit your personality. You want to be able to imagine your ideal career and what the outcome of finding this will be like for you.

To help you through this first step, here are some questions to think about:

  1. What are you good at?
  2. What activities and work environments enable you to work at your best?
  3. What motivates you?
  4. What knowledge do you have that you would like to use?

Use enjoyable and satisfying past experiences, in both your personal and working life, to help you to answer these questions. You can then start identifying themes of skills and qualities to enable you to discover what you would like your ideal career to include.

The second step is to start exploring career and job ideas that match your skills and personality and I will be covering this in my next blog.

In the meantime, enjoy spending time focusing on the things you enjoy and are good at!

The more you know yourself, the better you will be at identifying a career that suits you.

 

www.tessaarmstrong.co.uk