25

Careershifters’
Top to kick-start
your career
Tips change
Stuck in a job Careershifters.org , the UK’s
you don’t like? leading dedicated online
career change guide, has
Want to leap out compiled practical advice
of bed looking from some of the country’s top
forward to career change experts to help
you make a successful shift.
work? Feel Whether you’re just thinking
it’s time for about a change or you’ve
a change? already started the process,
these nuggets of expert
Not sure wisdom will help you create
what to do a career that really gets you
next? going
25 Top to kick-start
your career
Tips change

Assess your
current
dislike about what you
do. Do you just want 2 Leave for a new, but
similar job
You may actually enjoy the
to do anything as long
position as it’s new, or is there a
activities and tasks involved in
your job, but find that the people
If you’re unhappy in your burning desire to follow you work with, the company

career, it’s sometimes a specific career path? culture, or the objectives of your
What do your answers work don’t fit with who you feel
tempting to think you are and what’s important to
that moving into a tell you?
you. Consider moving to a similar
completely new arena job but one that feels more in line

1 Stay and negotiate

could be the answer. with your values. If for example
Assess your current position you are a frustrated PR in a large
However, don’t discount
and what it is about your job law firm you might find that a
a less dramatic shift. that you are unhappy about. You new but similar role working in a
You could move jobs may realise that the job itself different industry brings all the
within your company, isn’t the problem, but that some fulfilment you were looking for.
you could find a similar things need to change for you to
start enjoying it again. Work out

3
role but in a different Leave for something
what these changes are and see
industry, or you could completely
what can be done. For example,
move to a different city different...
voice the issues that have been
≥
or different country. concerning you or ask your boss if
Ask yourself what is you can work from home one day
per week.
it that you like and
ILLUSTRATION: NEIL COLLMAN

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v2 February 3, 2008
25 Top
Tips
So you want
to change
career, but to
do what?
4 Get to know yourself
What makes you come
alive? What really motivates you?
Start by thinking outside the box.
You’ve probably only looked at
yourself from one perspective.
Step back and look from another.
Look at your interests outside
of work. What makes you feel
excited, what are you passionate
about? Listen to your heart. What
does your inner voice keep telling
you?
5
What do other
people say about
you? Sometimes the work you
were born to do is so easy and
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to kick-start
your career
change
natural to you that you miss it
completely, either not seeing it
or not valuing it. Notice and listen
to what other people see as your
strengths and natural abilities.
What do people compliment you
on? What have people said about
you that you’ve dismissed in the
past, but actually may have an
element of truth?
6 Focus on your
strengths
It’s a good thing to be aware
of where our performance is
less strong, but to make a real
success of your career, the most
important thing to focus on is
your strengths. What do you
find easy that other people find
hard? Understand your unique
package of skills and abilities.
Forcing yourself to “overcome”
your “weaknesses” is a drain on
your energy. Instead, concentrate
on making use of your real talents
and leave the stuff you’re not so
good at to the people who are!
7 Who are your heroes
and heroines?
Think of someone whose job
you are envious of. It could be
someone you know or someone
famous. What is it about these
people’s careers or lifestyles that
appeals to you? Talk to people
with jobs you think you’d love to
have to find out what it is really
like. Too often we choose a job
that looks good on paper but
don’t think about what it will be
like day to day.
8 Believe in yourself
You may have been
conditioned not to think too
highly of yourself, think small or
even belittle yourself. You may
© Careershifters Limited 2008
have thought “who am I to…?”
Your new career may be found
You can’t make a career decision
from a depressed state – which
by recognising that you are more is where we can end up when we
significant, valuable, worthy or
important than you have believed.
feel stuck in our work. Go out and
do what you enjoy, even if you
don’t think you could ever make
a living out of it. Often a crea-
9 It could be right
under your nose
Have you ever said “if only I could
tive hobby you love but haven’t
touched for months can light
your creative spark for thinking
find someone to pay me to do
of career options. When we feel
…“ Often you know what you
happy and positive, we usually
love to do, but you don’t know
how you could ever do it and get
paid. Or it is the thing you keep
attract happy and positive events.
So give attention to making your
life fun, and let that spill over into
avoiding, making excuses about,
your quest for career change. ≥
and rationalising away. It almost
seems too good. So don’t confuse
Need more help with getting
‘I don’t know’ with ‘I don’t know started?
how’. Acknowledge the what, and
then figure out the how. Try the “Get Started” section on
our website:
www.careershifters.org/
getstarted
10 Have fun!
Change happens best
when we’re enjoying ourselves.
25 Top
Tips
I know what
I want, but
how can I get
there?
11 Positive thinking
Instead of thinking
about what you are trying to get
away from, think about what you
want to move towards. If you’ve
ever said something along the
lines of “I really can’t stand this
job / role / project / my boss”
you’ll know what this one means.
You are more interested in how
to escape from the present than
where you’ll be escaping to. Try
changing your thought process to
‘I’m looking for a job/role/project/
relationship with my boss that
has/is X, Y, Z’. This helps you avoid
going from a bad situation to an
equally bad one. It also gives you
positive motivation and energy
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to kick-start
your career
change
for change and a far better
chance of looking in the right
places for the right opportunity
for you, then recognising it when
you see it.
12
Build your
confidence
When we want to change our line
of work, we can sometimes be
overcome by inadequacy that we
don’t have the right experience.
Nurture your confidence by
ILLUSTRATION: NEIL COLLMAN
focusing on what experience
you do have. What are your
strengths? What skills do you
have that would be relevant to
your new career?
13
Do your
homework
To make any change as smooth as
possible do your homework about
your new chosen career. Research
what it entails and what training
you may need. Identify any
© Careershifters Limited 2008
shortfall you may have skills-wise
and how you might fill in the gaps.
14 Instead of saying
“I can’t have what
I want” ask “What do I
need to do to get what I
want”
It’s very easy to get stuck in this
belief. Yes, occasionally it’s true,
but often it’s just a convenient
excuse for not taking the actions
and risks required to get what
you want. When you look at things
more positively, you can see the
path you need to take and the
real obstacles in your way. Then
you can decide whether you are
willing to take the action you need
to get there.
15
Create a realistic
time plan
It is tempting to want to rush in
once you know what you want,
but take some time to look at
the timing of the shift. What do
you need to sort out, complete
or make arrangements for in
your life to give yourself the best
chance of success? How long
does it take to gain the skills that
are necessary to make the move?
What would be the best time plan
for this move, both for you and
for those around you? Once you
begin to see the plausibility, the
more real it becomes. ≥
25 Top to kick-start
your career
Tips change
16 Be honest around
finances
Not only is a realistic time plan
necessary but so is a realistic
financial plan. Do you need to put
savings aside before you make
the move? Are extra costs going
to be incurred by this new career?
If you need extra finances for
training where can that come
from, what can you cut from your
budget, what are you prepared to
do financially to make it happen?
Do a money diary for a month and
see where your current earnings
go. Are there some cuts that can
be made? Make a solid financial
17
plan for the move.
Need more help with
finances?
Try the “Finances” section on our
website:
www.careershifters.org/
tag/finances
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ILLUSTRATION: NEIL COLLMAN
Get out there and
18 Volunteer or try
talk to as many an internship
people as possible
Talk to as many people already
There are many ways to try a new
career. Consider a sabbatical
in the industry you want to move
or internship, volunteer, go
into about how they got into it
freelance or go part time as you
and what would have made their
make the change. If possible
way easier.
volunteer in the area to gain good
© Careershifters Limited 2008
experience for when you come to
apply for a position. All of these
options will allow you to get a
much better idea of what you are
letting yourself in for – and might
also lead to job opportunities.
19 B uild your
profile
Imagine telling someone (who
you don’t know) what you do.
Respond as though you have
already career shifted. Write
out a new CV. Imagine being
interviewed: develop a bank
of thoughtful, well-researched
answers. Now build a profile in
others’ eyes. Go to events where
you’ll learn and meet interesting
people. Contribute. Get involved.
It’s you as a person, as much as
you as a collection of skills and
knowledge, that’s important. Get
“you” on the radar.
20 Don’t do it alone
The idea that success is
a solo activity is one of the most
damaging myths ever created.
If you’re going for a big change,
you’re going to need a lot of
support. Get a coach, come ≥
25 Top
Tips
to a Careershifters workshop
or find a friend who also wants
to make a career change. Meet
regularly with this person to get
encouragement and to make
commitments about what steps
you are going to take next.
21 Speak only to the
cheerleaders
When you are in the process
of making changes in your life
only share your dreams, ideas
and plans with those who truly
support you. These are the ones
who will encourage you even if
things get tough, they will keep
you going and remind you always
of your end goal. We sometimes
have people in our lives who
outwardly look like they support
us, but in fact do not actually want
us to change. When we change
they have to change in relation to
us and that can be uncomfortable.
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to kick-start
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change
Identify a few true cheerleaders
and stick with them.
22 Do something
today
Making a career change isn’t easy.
It can seem an overwhelming task
at times and is often a reason for
people putting it off or giving up
when they get stuck. So make
sure you do something today
and continue to take one action
towards your career change every
day, no matter how small. Put the
actions down in your diary, set
daily alarms on your mobile to
remind you to take those actions.
And step by step you’ll get there.
Need more help getting
there?
Try the “Make the Change”
section on our website:
http://www.careershifters.org/
makethechange
Overcoming
common
hurdles
23 What if I make
the wrong
decision?
This is often the root cause of
“paralysis by analysis”. A certain
amount of thinking is valuable,
but if your decisions are slow or
nonexistent, your progress will
be too. You’ll find life much easier
and more fun if you start moving
in the right sort of direction and
enjoy the journey.
24
Don’t fear
rejection
No job has ever been found, or
glittering career developed,
without overcoming this fear.
And very, very, VERY few
© Careershifters Limited 2008
without experiencing rejection
itself. Rejection actually shows
by tracking what you can do and
have done. When job searching
progress. You know you’ve really this might include contacts or
started your job hunt when you applications made, interview
get your first “no”. There will
be a certain number of “nos” to
practice time or completing a new
draft of your CV (not job offers
experience before you get to
the “yes”, so chart each rejection
or interview offers – that’s an
external factor you can’t control).
as one less “no” you’ll need to
find. Learn what you can from
the feedback you’re getting, and
move on.
25
Focus on the
progress you
have made so far
instead of what you
haven’t achieved
There are many things you can’t
control in a job search or in career
development. Don’t waste your
time, energy or motivation levels
worrying about them. Make the
best use of your time and keep
your energy and motivation up
25 Top to kick-start
your career
Tips change

About Careershifters offers:

Careershifters • Inspiration from people who’ve

successfully made changes in their own
careers
Careershifters.org is a
• Confidence by sharing other people’s
groundbreaking service for
experiences and offering access to no-
anyone considering or going nonsense advice from some of the best
through a career change. career experts in the business
Through a unique mix of • Connections, by providing links with
free and affordable online professionals, with relevant institutions
resources, regular workshops and fellow career shifters
and an online community of Find out more on our website:
thousands of fellow career www.careershifters.org
shifters, it helps people who
are unfulfilled or at critical
transition points in their
careers make a successful
shift.

You can find a whole raft of useful advice and inspiring

stories on our website

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v2 February 3, 2008
25 Top to kick-start
your career
Tips change

Contributing Communication, is a graduate of Coach

University (one of the world’s oldest
Jenny Ungless is the director of City Life
Coaching (www.citylifecoaching.com), a
changes, from starting their own

coaches coaching schools) and an accredited leading provider of career coaching to

Sue Clarke is a life, career and business
coach for the Fiona Harrold Consultancy.
Sue specialises in career management and
change, motivation, confidence building
and coaching entrepreneurs.
www.fionaharrold.com
Holly Crane is a career and business
coach. She works primarily with people
passionate about making a difference and
those wanting to find, and excel at, their
ideal work.
www.hollycrane.com
Nina Grunfeld is the founder of Life Clubs.
Life Clubs are weekly workshops around
the country where you go to make a good
life better.
www.lifeclubs.co.uk
Satu Kreula is an executive and personal
career coach. She has a Masters degree in
Organisational Behaviour and Intercultural
member of the International Coach
Federation.
www.escape-club.org
John Lees is one of the UK’s best known
career coaches. He is also the author of the
best-selling How To Get A Job You’ll Love
(McGraw-Hill), now available in its 2007/08
edition, plus a range of other career books.
www.johnleescareers.com
Carmel McConnell is author of the
Happiness Plan and founder of children’s
charity Magic Breakfast and social
enterprise Magic Outcomes.
www.magicbreakfast.com
www.magicoutcomes.com
Jessica McGregor Johnson lives in
southern Spain and works internationally
as a life coach enabling people to follow
their dream and gain fulfillment in every
area of life.
www.jessicamcgregorjohnson.com
businesses to nailing an interview for a
dream job.
young professionals. Jenny is also the
www.onesmartstep.co.uk
official career coach for Monster, the
online recruitment agency.
www.citylifecoaching.com
John Williams helps people escape
conventional full-time work to create a
“Freestyle Career” - work that fits you like a
glove. It’s doing what you enjoy as much as
possible, it engages your creativity and it
pays you what you’re worth.
www.freestylesuccess.com
Nick Williams is the author of the best
selling The Work We Were Born To Do and
has helped thousands of people find and
live the work they were born for.
www.nick-williams.com
Sonia Lakshman is a career transition
coach, who helps people discover the
work they truly enjoy. Her career coaching
consultancy, One Smart Step, has great
success with clients navigating career

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v2 February 3, 2008