To do, or not to do, that is the question – why hitting pause can be the best course of action.

What’s the first thing most people do when they start job-hunting?

That’s right, they go to Seek or LinkedIn and enter pretty much the exact search terms and parameters that MATCH THEIR CURRENT SITUATION.

Want to know a little secret? Sometimes the best plan of action is to hit pause.

When clients come onto a discovery call or their first session with me, they usually start by putting the obvious options on the table. The next logical step. That’s natural. But when we start to drill down and the conversation is flowing, all kinds of wonderful things come out of the woodwork.

Childhood hopes long forgotten. Secret career dreams gathering dust. Exciting possibilities left unexplored. Superpowers yet to be shared with the world.

So before you start channelling time and energy into essentially applying for the same job (or maybe a more senior version of it) elsewhere, why not use this opportunity to take stock of your career completely, rather than continuing to plod along.

There’s a reason so many people end up changing careers completely after a redundancy. Losing your job out of nowhere, often with little or no notice, frees up a whole lot of time to ask yourself “What do I actually want to do?” whereas when you are working and trying to figure out the next step in your career, you have a whole lot less time in which to ponder the big questions.

After the immediate and inevitable sting comes relief. Spin it how you want, but it sucks when you’re in the process – the most common platitude being “it’s not you being made redundant, it’s your role. It’s not personal.” 

But it always feels personal.

I’ve been through a redundancy before.

So have many of my clients.

The funny thing is, often (and this was certainly true for me) they were ready to move on anyway, but SOMETHING kept them hanging on. 

Sometimes (often!) that something is:

- lack of confidence
- fear of change
- reluctance to do the hard work needed to get where you want to go!

And it can sound like:

“I haven’t been a Project Manager before; my roles have all been front line.”

“I studied Accounting, not Human Resources.”

“I don’t have the right qualifications. I would need to study to get a foot in the door.”

“I’m not senior enough in my career yet.”

“I don’t meet all the criteria in the job description or person specification.”

“No-one would pay me to do that.”

These are things I hear all the time.

Many people are too quick to discount opportunities which might be more achievable than they first think. I help my clients find their ‘in’. 

If you’ve been thinking about branching out into a new field of work but feeling a little unsure of how the heck to make it happen, this is for you.

Here are 5 easy steps you can take now to explore transitioning into a new field of work:

Be upfront about your interests and aspirations

Gone are the days of sneaking around, harbouring secret career wishes. Once you have clarity (or at least a good sense) around a new avenue you would like to pursue in your career, start telling people about it, including your manager if you have a good relationship.

Try before you buy, and gain experience

Find an opportunity within your existing workplace for a secondment or involvement in a project which will provide exposure to what it is you are considering making a move into, giving you a chance to ‘try before you buy’ and gain some valuable experience. You can also gain experience outside paid employment through volunteer work, being on a Board, and participating in community groups.

Explore study and training opportunities – everything from quick fixes to recognised qualifications

Look for a course or professional development opportunity to help bridge any obvious skills gaps relevant to your new career direction. If you are currently employed, find out whether your workplace will pay for it. Some of my clients have even had their employers pay for them to have coaching with me.

Invest in the right tools for the job

A great career coach will help you explore ALL your options, and call you out on any behaviour or excuses which are getting in the way of you creating a career that lights you up. A professionally written CV which showcases your talents and transferable skills, and tells a coherent professional story that appeals to the right employers is a must when you are looking to pivot with purpose.

Network, network, network

Establish a network of contacts and start building relationships in the area you want to move into. This is a great way to hear about opportunities that might be suitable for you, get advice from people who know the industry or area you want to break into, and once you’ve nurtured those relationships you might find people are willing to put a good word in for you.