This Summer, Kick Back to Get Your Career on Track

In my career coaching work, I’ve noticed a pattern over the years – a significant uptick in people reaching out for career help immediately following vacations and holidays. What possible explanation can there be for this phenomenon? My theory is that when we have the chance to step away from the grind, we are able to look at our lives from a wider lens. We gain the perspective to realize when we are unhappy and the courage to do something about it. If this speaks to you, then how can you take advantage of your time off to gain clarity on your next move?

To begin with, somewhat counter-intuitively, allow yourself to get completely away from work and worries over career. We know that the brain does important work when it’s at rest – sleeping, playing, and laughing. So, spend time with family and friends. Look for interesting rocks and seashells at the beach. Take naps. Try something new, off the grid: play a musical instrument; paint; work on a puzzle.

After you’ve had some time to completely detach from work, you’ll have the renewed energy and focus needed for soul searching. Take some time to capture your reflections in a journal. Borrow a page from the book Designing Your Life. What are the activities at work that energize you? De-energize you? Make note of these. What do you want your life to look like in five years, personally and professionally? How might you get there? What’s another completely different five-year path you could take? Can you identify a third path?

What are your core values? Your broader purpose? As coaches, we have exercises we can share that will illuminate these for you. Does your work allow you to be the person you want to be? If not, what can you change?

Likewise, you may want to complete a series of career assessments, such as the CareerLeader, Myers-Briggs (MBTI), or Gallup’s CliftonStrengths. The CareerLeader is especially good at identifying your core business interest pattern and matching that to top business careers. The MBTI will tell you your four-character personality preference, and with this information, you can consider career matches for your type. The CliftonStrengths will give you your top five strengths pattern. By looking across these three assessments and working with a coach, you can begin to put the puzzle pieces together to create a more cohesive image of your ideal next move.

If you’re still feeling overwhelmed regarding your career direction, take a deep breath and rest assured that it’s not as difficult as it may seem. Realize that there are certain “must-haves” or anchors that will help narrow your choices pretty quickly. For example, location. If you are restricted to a particular location, such as Ann Arbor, Chicago, New York, or Austin, I say, “Hallelujah!” It’s easier to conduct a search when you can narrow it to a geographic location. Maybe you are set on working remotely. That’s OK too. This limits your choices, and limits are generally a good thing once you begin your search in earnest.

Additional “must-haves” might include a certain compensation figure, level of work-life balance, and positive culture. If you’re more than two years out of school, you have established yourself as a professional with an industry/sector and functional identity. In other words, you have a brand. In a job change, you can’t pivot too far from that brand at one time. This becomes another anchor that defines your direction.

So, enjoy your vacation. When you come back, if the idea of a career pivot loomed large for you while you were away, feel free to reach out to us at info@optimizeu.com and let’s talk.