Whether the decision is made by the individual or the organization, the truth is that career changes are becoming more common.
These transitions are always an opportunity to question one's deepest dreams in order to develop a path to making them a reality.
A path that is always personal and requires perseverance and determination.
But how can you prepare to get the most out of career transitions and turn them into a springboard for a better future?
Twenty years ago, no one would have considered a career change as positive, especially if the reason or trigger was a separation. Today, society has gradually begun to view these processes without shame and, knowing that they are natural in a changing world, is gradually learning to capitalize on their full potential to achieve a better future for those who choose to live them intelligently.
These changes, according to statistics that we can extrapolate to our local reality, are occurring more frequently, and today we can expect to experience one approximately every five years. For this reason, it is essential to acquire tools that make it easier to experience them as an opportunity.
Beyond the motivation behind them, they generally express a need for fresh air, new opportunities, and economic and professional growth. As we mentioned, they can be influenced by a personal or organizational decision. The optimal and desirable thing is for both the company and the individual to make the most of the change.
If the company made the decision, let it work consistently to achieve the results that motivated the separation.
If the person has made the decision, they should not miss the opportunity to rethink their vision and existential purpose, so that the change effectively implies an improvement in their quality of life.
Unfortunately, this isn't always the case, so today we're asking ourselves how a person can capitalize on a career transition.
How to make the most of a transition?
One of the methodologies we have found most effective in our coaching and mentoring work is the one developed by the German consulting firm SKP, which focuses on the market and the individual.
It involves analyzing, in two distinct moments, what I want and what the job market has to offer me. (Note that we refer to the "job market" rather than the "labor market." The latter is, by definition, more limited and restricted.)
It basically consists of first looking at who I am, what I want, what I value, and what I expect from my life tomorrow and in 5 or 10 years.
It's essential to answer these questions honestly and try to delve into the depths of one's dreams and aspirations. We live in a society that doesn't allow time for existential questions, yet success in life depends on asking the right questions, following your heart's promptings to answer them, and putting all your energy into achieving those answers.
To help with this self-improvement, we have several tools. We're sharing one of them as this month's tool. It's called Questions for Yourself.
We suggest taking the time to answer it calmly and thoroughly. The ancient Socratic motto still holds true: "Know thyself." An old colleague used to say: don't dream of being Indiana Jones if you're afraid of scorpions. So, it's about harmonizing what I want to do with who I want to be and then looking around me realistically but positively.
We believe our clients value the methodology for its simplicity and because, by emphasizing two key aspects, it allows them to achieve a harmony and vision of wholeness that provides security and unleashes their deepest desires.
Once the first round of this endless spiral of self-discovery is complete, it's time to ask yourself what's out there in the job market that can satisfy your personal aspirations and skills. Investigating the market for opportunities is a much easier task if you already know who you are and what you want, what you value and what motivates you, what you find challenging and what you don't. In short, where you want to see yourself in 5 or 10 years.
As we said at the beginning, it's about looking at the labor market where employment is a part, not the whole. It used to be assumed that getting a job was a "one-way" task, where my role was to submit a resume and wait for the results. After the 2001 crisis, Argentinians realized that we could and should take charge of our own future, since we could no longer wait on either government officials or employers. Today, choosing a job is a "two-way" task. Someone will choose me, but I must also choose who I want to work with. Otherwise, I could end up in a work environment or culture that isn't consistent with what I want for myself.
After the 2001 crisis, we also learned to develop our own businesses, and we realized we were doing well. This opened up a whole new world of possibilities for many who dared to take the plunge.
Therefore, when it comes to a transition, the best thing will always be: take the opportunity to think about what you want to be and do. Perhaps, as the poet says, the time has come to let go of everything and get going. How wonderful!