| A career change often becomes an important consideration. Last time most
of us had any career advice was either at school or university. It was invariably
centred on vocational qualifications and which organisations provided the best
training for graduates. We then set out on a career path with a clear starting point,
a vague mid point and beyond that often a complete unknown. Any thought
of a subsequent career change is often put off. Instead promotions follow, headhunters
call, offers are accepted and life goes on. Then at some point, often triggered
by a major birthday or a material change in personal circumstances or a significant
external event such as redundancy, we reach a "career crossroads" when the idea
of a career change becomes ever more attractive. Perhaps our work-life balance
is no longer acceptable or we are not enjoying what we do, which raises some important
questions: Am I going to seek a career change or continue
what I am doing for the rest of my working life? Is a major career change
of direction feasible? What do I really want to do? And how am I going
to make a career change?
The way forward is to take
stock of where we are and decide where we would like to be and what it will take
to get there: Examine our skills, marketability and personal
preferences. Make decisions about what to do next, plan a strategy and then
execute that strategy, just as we'd undertake a business project.
We
now have a choice: Do we try and struggle through this
on our own? Or do we consider enlisting professional support and know how,
which will enable us to move forward more quickly and decisively and probably
achieve a better result?
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