Im stuck! Gaining career direction
Im stuck! Gaining career direction
This place called "stuck" has another name: "The Neutral Zone," a term coined by William Bridges in his bestselling book, "Transitions: Making Sense of Life’s Changes." Simply put, it is going through an in-between time when the old is gone (or nearly gone) but the new isn’t fully operational. Anxiety rises and motivation falls. Self-protection becomes an overarching goal. People begin to doubt themselves and their ability to get through difficult times, sometimes reverting to old, destructive behaviors. No wonder we feel stuck.
But it’s not all bad. According to Bridges, this is also the time when "critical psychological realignments and repatternings take place." Put another way, through it all we are likely adjusting to the idea that we are going to have to do something different to realize our goals. We eventually end the notion that career transition is going to be easy or that the challenges are going away. Now we are truly ready to move. Take note. There are two distinctive aspects to career change. One is about the all important external environment such as the local job market or current employment trends. The other is about your internal environment — that’s you. It includes tangibles such as your skills, educational background and employment history. It also involves intangibles such as your long-held dreams, preferred environments and personal values. Take stock. Many career experts recommend beginning with the second part. Go back to Socrates: Know thyself. If you aren’t clear about what you like to do and what you are good at, it won’t be clear to a potential employer either. And if your previous jobs on their own have not reflected your needs and values, chances are your contributions through those jobs will reflect that. To help you gain clarity and focus, try out different career self-help books.
Take an assessment. Career assessment tools such as the Strong Interest Inventory and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator are time-tested and quantitative. Available through college career centers and private coaches, they provide in-depth reports that give detailed information about your preferences. Quick results reveal your career clusters, your preferred work environment and how you work best. Do we always get exactly what we want in a job? No, but it’s all about finding the best fit possible. These tools can help with that.
Take on a coach. Consider consulting a career coach. For some, this is type of assistance seems unnecessary, even invasive. Remember we’ve already established that when we are in the Neutral Zone, anxiety prevails. The idea of hiring a career coach or discussing our personal career issues with a stranger may sound like the last thing we want to do. But you can benefit from working with a coach if:• You need unbiased guidance to attain your goals. • You want more clarity and focus.• You want to get unstuck. • Something is missing; you want more out of work/life. You may be ready to work with a coach if:• You are committed to your personal and professional development. • You are motivated to discover new possibilities. • You are committed to take action, do the work and address the difficult questions. • You want to live your best life, personally and professionally. When you are ready, coaching can connect you to your goals and inspire you to reach them. Take a "PaperRoom" day. When astute businesses need to gain new direction and decide how to move forward, they take a retreat. They drop back from normal activity, go to another location and sometimes work under a new leader to gain perspective. Job seekers and those pondering a career change have that option as well. The PaperRoom is an innovative, personal 360 process has come to the Piedmont. Together with the facilitator/coach, you begin by gathering information about your goals, silent partners, peak experiences and work history. Recorded on flip-chart-sized paper panels that wrap around the room, it’s a visual, colorful and powerful process. During the session, you gain an understanding of how people and events have shaped you and why you react as you do. Many leave with new insights and an immediate improvement path.
Take your pick. The easiest way to get unstuck is to take one step. So go with your gut. Grab a shovel and start digging into one of these ideas to move you from neutral into high gear.
Marilyn Taylor is president of taylortrain, based in Lexington. She works as a coach, trainer and human resource consultant. Since 1991, Taylor has been working with individuals and organizations that want to learn, change and grow. She can be reached through her Web site at http://www.taylortrain.com or by calling (336) 249-3194.
