I want to share one of the top issues most of my clients and I discuss early on in their work with me. These scenarios, below, may sound like a familiar. If so, and you’re a former or current client, please don’t think I’m using your personal story here…it could be one of many of my clients!

Something happens. Something changes.

A client has been working in a particular job or industry for years. Could be 7 years, could be 20. Working diligently, head down, doing a good job, maybe really liking their work…but… something happens.

• There’s a re-org and they’re suddenly let go, or the client has gotten married and now they need to switch gears and find something that is more lucrative, or flexible for a new baby on the way,
• or maybe they’ve been traveling so much for work that it’s putting a strain on their marriage and family,
• or maybe the demands of senior management or the firm have just been ridiculously high and the only way to get more control of life is to move to a different kind of company
• some clients have horrid bosses who are demeaning as well as demanding so leaving the job is the only way to gain personal and professional control.
• In some cases, my clients are considering quitting their job just to do the job search because their work is so demanding and they feel so completely depleted that they can’t find the extra energy to do the job search.

Do any of these scenarios sound familiar? Might you be afraid something like this could happen to you?

The fundamental issue here is that my clients have expected everything to go just as it has; they haven’t thought about Plan B, or how their skills could be put to other uses, or in other organizations. They haven’t looked at emerging trends in the workplace, or updated their skills to stay current. Usually, my clients haven’t done the often annoying work of updating their profile and connections on the now ubiquitous LinkedIn. They forgot to keep up with people they worked with earlier in their career, or with fellow grads from college or grad school, so that they’d learn about other ways of working, or new opportunities they might not otherwise hear of.

A strong offense is a good defense. Even in career management.

Being prepared and strategic as you look at your life and work is essential. You can think of your career management activities as an essential aspect of your healthcare. Spending time thinking about what might happen, researching and reading about new developments in other industries and re-connecting with those outside of your field is just smart life maintenance.

Jobs Job Jobs

I often hear of new opportunities that I share with clients and former clients. I also know (obviously) of people looking for jobs; smart, capable, creative people who are looking for new ways to work. If anyone is looking to fill a high level operations position, please share with me! I may know the right person for that position. I also work with younger clients who are trying to land that early career job so they can get the necessary 1-3 years of work experience to launch themselves.

Q&A

I’d like to provide answers to your career and job search questions. If you have any questions of your own (or from a friend) please email Angie and she’ll pass them to me. I’ll, now, be sending out a regular post to answer your pesky questions about work and job search.

Spring is here, longer lighter days are ahead. Here’s to making the most of everyday,

Daisy