Nick Roud Blog, January 17th 2023.
Today’s career coaching blog includes a self assessment.
A common starting conversation with my career coaching clients/professionals typically around January / February time is ‘Nick I should change jobs | make a career move | try something else’.
Whilst this comes up throughout the year a surge in clients over the last month can only mean one thing, change is in the air!
But before we go getting all excited and following the crowd can I ask you to stop and do just one for me please…………..run your own race and don’t follow the crowd…..in other words, ‘BE SELFISH’………..just because little Johnny jumps off the wharf into the ocean doesn’t mean you should follow………….!!
I know many professionals who are totally happy, content, ticketyboo, head over heals in love with their career, if that is you then my second ask to you is this……….stop reading now and get back to your work 🙂 This blog is for those who are not happy in their current work environment and are considering a move…….please read on!
Many clients have already made contact with me and said Nick, I’m out and want to put a plan in place for my move. Some have already written their resignation letter and others have made the commitment to move.
If you are having those thoughts my advise from the start is the following;
#pause,
#breathe out
#put a pin in that for the time being
Big decisions in or lives should not be rash, rushed or irrational. They must be worked through and this is where Roud Career Coaching comes in, your confidential career coach who wants only the very best for you!
Too often I sit with clients who in hindsight have made a bad call in taking on a new role, many were ‘promised’ so much, others paid 20-40k more then currently earning, others just needed to make a move but in reality this has not eventuated to ‘happy-ever-after’, in fact quite the reverse, they are more unhappy than before and now looking at their options!
Over the xmas break many of us spend time reflecting, discussion with loved ones our current job situation. It’s only right that as we take some time out with family and friends we reflect on the year that was and the year ahead and start to accumulate a sense of………do I want to be doing this for another year. My job as a coach is to partner you to make formed decisions.
Some initial questions that I’d love you to consider,
a) am I motivated to do my job for another year?
b) what can I control in my work enviroment?
c) do I like working for my boss, those around me and or the actual work I do?
Take some time when answering the above 3 questions as it might just be the key to unlocking if you should or shouldn’t be looking for a new job.
Our careers are complex beasts and every now and then we need to tame it, we need to look deep into the mirror and ensure that what is staring back at us is what we want to see.
Speaking from first hand experience, many years back I too looked very hard in the mirror and noticed what was staring back at me was not making me at all happy, my gut was hurting, my moods were all over the place and I was spiralling downhill ‘fast’. So, I sat down with Nicola (my wife and business partner) and we started to talk things out and what evolved was turning the worst time ever in my life to the best decision of my life (so far)……….. you have to really talk things through with a trusted person, a partner, a mentor, a coach a mate……..Those who know me well will appreciate the sleepless nights, the uncertainty and the unknown I was walking into but the mirror never lies!
Self Assessment. Career Move (Yes/No)
- How many times a week am I waking up worried about work?
- Am I happy with my current positon?
- Do I struggle to get out of bed in the morning (hit the snooze button)?
- Do I respect my boss?
- Am I stretching myself or am I just cruising along?
- If I new I couldn’t fail what would I do (professionally)?
- Is my income going to serve myself and my family in 2023?
- Can I do this work for another year?
As you reflect on your answer what are you noticing, are there themes, are there some big elephants in the room which you now must address? If so reach out and let’s talk!
The very point of completing this short Career – Self Assessment is not to push you into any sort of rash decision, more to get you really looking at your current career and to ask yourself honestly if your current position is serving you and are you therefore serving it.
We spend a great deal of time in our jobs, I’d love you to be doing the work you should be doing, I know personally how hard it is to walk through this kind of decision but trust me when I say, if you put the work in and I mean the real work in the decision making process – the rest will take care of itself!
I’d encourage you to do that self assessment over a three month period……..you need to get a real gauge on your response.
Life is not a dress rehearsal, you might as well enjoy it
my dad!
So if after reading today’s blog you feel some deep questions need to be answered and you would like to confidentially discuss with me I welcome the opportunity to be of service to you. You don’t need to be scared, you don’t need to go it alone just reach out and let’s go from there!
Don’t look back and think what if!
Your Career | Your Decision
book a coaching session or 2 with Roud Career Coaching (it’s good to talk)
Look after yourself and each other,
Nick, coaching professionals who want more
Helping professionals in their careers since 2006 | Global Award Winning Coach | Private + Confidential