Career transitions are increasingly part of the overall career life cycle. At different stages of our careers, we may choose to transition or face workforce or workplace changes that affect our jobs. In either case, career changes prompt a series of responses, choices, and decisions.
When clients are considering a career transition, have been forced into one, or feel stuck, I begin with an experiential, reflective conversation. These conversations help clarify:
• The specific contexts influencing and driving the changes a client is experiencing, and how they intersect.
• The client’s relationship with work and career, their experiences of work, and what work and career mean to the client at their current life stage.
• A client’s expectations, attitude toward change, and initial responses to it. This includes the positive and negative impacts they anticipate change will have on their lives and careers.
• A client’s motivation and tolerance for change, or a client’s aversion to or fear of change.
• Practical considerations unique to that client’s life that must be integrated into any decision, plan, or strategy moving forward.
This conversational and reflective information-gathering provides a foundation for developing personally relevant, attainable next steps, whether those include reevaluating career goals, conducting targeted research, developing tailored strategies, managing expectations, attending to well-being, or preserving other areas of the client’s life.
Consider the following questions for reflection:
- What have I been experiencing lately? Can I describe it?
- When did I first notice a change in my relationship, engagement, or connection with my current work, role, or position?
- Why does change feel important—or challenging—at this stage of my career?
- What do work and career mean to me at this stage of my life? Has that meaning changed? In what ways?
- If change is being imposed on me: How am I reacting to it? What changes have I noticed in my work environment that have directly affected my job or role? What are my immediate concerns about this change?
- What do I imagine a career or job change might release, make room for, or replace?
Now, let’s look at six specific areas to consider.
- Capacity or tolerance for change
We don’t embrace or experience change in the same way throughout our lives. Change always involves intersecting variables shaped by context and situation. We can therefore approach change with openness and eagerness, or feel resistant, hesitant, or fearful. Most of us have experienced some combination of these responses when facing change.
By approaching our experiences and attitudes toward change with compassion, we deepen our self-awareness and better understand how they may shape how we approach and navigate a career transition.
Some sample reflective questions:
- How do I feel about change at this stage of my career and life?
- What kinds of change have I experienced that felt exciting?
- When have I embraced change in the past, and what made that possible?
- What kinds of change have I experienced that felt challenging?
- When have I resisted change in the past, and what were the circumstances?
- Can I accept the changes that will accompany a career transition, including possible changes to salary, professional status, responsibilities, retraining or upskilling, and new leadership styles or team dynamics?
An honest, compassionate, regular “check-in” gives you insight into your capacity and tolerance for change and keeps you grounded in your life’s realities and contexts throughout your career.
2. Motivation and stamina
Career transitions can feel exciting and liberating, yet also demanding and unsettling; some factors are within our control, while others are beyond it.
How we experience and navigate change, move through the steps and stages of a job search, experience unemployment, or onboard into a new role or profession can happen quickly or take much longer than expected.
For this reason, it can be helpful to check in with yourself regularly during the transition.
- How are my energy, motivation, focus, and mood today or this week?
- Can I identify when and under what circumstances my motivation tends to drop? Where do I get stuck, feel discouraged, or become avoidant? How is that affecting my job search?
- Where am I noticing progress or momentum? What have I accomplished so far?
- What needs to be adjusted or reprioritized?
- What can I realistically accomplish today or this week? Can I name 3 things I can do this week?
- Where could I use more support, guidance, or encouragement?
3. (Re)defining your expectations of work/career
We all carry expectations about what work and careers should look and feel like—and what we want them to provide, from financial security to personal fulfilment.
Taking time to reflect on these expectations can yield valuable insights.
- What are my expectations for work and career? Have they changed at different stages of my career? In what ways?
- Have my expectations shifted because I am facing a career transition in a very different job market and an uncertain future? If so, how?
- How are my expectations shaping my choices, including the opportunities I am open to and those I may resist?
- Are there any expectations I may need to redefine, expand, or change?
4. Reassessing skills and capacities
We often associate our skills and capabilities with our current role or career. As a result, many people see a career transition as losing skills, experience, or perceived value.
In reality, each of us brings “portable” value and an ever-expanding range of learned and transferable skills. We carry innate strengths and talents, along with a growing body of “experiential expertise” shaped by our work and life experiences. We also bring a unique approach to our work—how we think, solve problems, relate to others, and contribute—along with the knowledge and perspective those experiences have given us.
During a career transition, you can review, reassess, and leverage this evolving portable value in new and creative ways; ask different questions; bring fresh perspectives to current interests; explore new avenues for research and networking; and redesign targeted strategies.
These sample questions can help you reflect on your skills, strengths, and transferable value:
- Can I identify and describe some of my innate strengths? What makes them portable or transferable?
- Can I describe how I work? What personal perspectives, experiences, skills, and contributions do I bring that uniquely animate the roles I have held?
- How would I describe my unique value at this stage of my work and career? What am I capable of? What kinds of responsibilities could I take on? Where could I contribute? Given that value, which roles suit me best, and why?
- Which skills or capacities would I most like to highlight or continue using in my next role?
- Are there areas where I could upskill or consider retraining?
- What would I like to learn more about, gain experience in, or contribute to next?
5. Finances
Career transitions may involve a period of unemployment or a change in income. These realities matter because they affect other areas of your life, including whether a transition is feasible and how you plan it.
Consider the following:
- Is a career transition financially feasible for me right now?
- Do I need to remain in my current role or profession while I explore new opportunities?
- Could I manage being without work for several months—or even up to a year? How might that affect other areas of my life, and how would I feel about not having a regular salary?
- What salary ranges would I consider at this stage in my life? Are they realistic, or would they require compromise?
- Is it financially feasible for me to pursue a retraining or upskilling program, or to return to school? What funding options are available to me?
6. Support and self-care
Support and self-care are essential for navigating a career transition. Take time to regularly reflect on the support you have, want, and need; check in with yourself emotionally, psychologically, and physically; and make small adjustments to sustain you throughout the process.
Ask yourself:
- What support do I already have around me? Do I have support from family, friends, colleagues, mentors, or career counsellors or coaches?
- How comfortable am I asking for help and support? Where can I turn for conversation, encouragement, or perspective during this transition?
- Am I practising self-care in ways that truly support me? Am I making time to rest and recharge, stay connected to other parts of my life, and care for my sleep, nutrition, and emotional and physical health?
- How compassionate am I with myself during this transition? How flexible am I when I do not complete my job-search to-do list or when my motivation dips?
As you work through these sample reflective questions, notice the personal insights and perspectives that begin to emerge. What would you add to your checklist? Which contexts do you need to prioritize at this stage of your career life?
For help, guidance, and support as you navigate change and a career transition, contact me at [email protected] for more information or to book a consultation.