If you are thinking about changing your career this year, then now more than ever you need to take charge. That means thinking about the direction of your career and its role in your life.
It’s important that you answer these 10 essential career change questions. They matter not only because now is a time to reflect but also because the world of work is changing rapidly and if you want to change or advance your career, you need to be prepared.
Changes in the workplace will make a difference in how we think about our work. Workplace trends in 2017 include jobs that “require human creativity, flexibility, judgment, and ‘soft skills.’ They don’t need skills that are repetitive or could be automated, so knowing how you fit in is key.
Early in 2016 Seth Godin wrote “Ten Questions for Work That Matters.” Those are helpful guidelines for creating work that matters to the world. Here are the 10 most up-to-date questions you need to ask yourself it you’re planning on changing careers this year.
1.What does your career do for you?
Some people work because they want the paycheck, some want the prestige, some have an end goal or level of advancement in mind. Some people believe in the mission they are working to accomplish. What does work do for you? Why do you get out of bed every day? Is it simply for the paycheck, or is there something more? Do you have career aspirations and goals?
2. Why are you making a change?
Sometimes people are sick of their boss, co-workers, office space, or the rut they’ve fallen into. In that case, what they might need is a new job. Sometimes they really do want to do something different. They are tired of the challenges at their current career and are ready to take on something new. Other times the industry they are in is no longer thriving and they want to do something that has more potential. Do you need a new job or new career? What is really motivating you to make a career change?
3. What matters to you?
Making a change to something you don’t care about might not be a great idea, but are there other things that matter to you? Maybe it is that fat bonus you bring home and your first priority is finding another job that you can tolerate that will replace it. Whatever matters most to you, define it, and then find a career that matches with these values.
4. What makes you happy?
What matters to you might not be your happiness – it might be your family’s happiness or something else, so this question is separate. Still, you should stop and ask yourself what makes you happy. What motivates you at work? What would you bounce out of bed to do all day? You’ve likely thought about this and then dismissed it as a fantasy. Possibly only because you haven’t been able to see the path to get there, or how to take elements of that dream and make it a reality. You can find ways to have career happiness, even if it’s not exactly what you thought it would look like at first.
5. What makes you human?
When you’re a career changer, you’re likely competing against people who have been in the field and have experience you don’t. That means you have to stand out in a different way. Luckily, as we just learned, softer people skills are going to be essential while the technical skills of (almost) any career will be considered teachable. This doesn’t mean you won’t have to work your way up or that you can become a neurosurgeon tomorrow. It does mean that you have a shot at things you might not have had a few years ago.
6. What makes you stand out from the crowd at work?
What’s your superpower? It’s essential that you know yourself well enough (and that you’re confident enough) to be able to nail down exactly what you can do better than anyone. If you don’t know, your potential employer won’t have a clue why they should hire you over the next guy.
7. What do you do that is essential?
I admit, I basically stole this question from Seth Godin, but it’s so awesome I couldn’t help it. I mean, how many times have you wanted to crush that alarm clock with your bare hands and go back to sleep but then thought, “No, I have to . . . “? Why do you do it? What do people miss if you don’t show up? Why can’t someone else just pick up the slack? Whatever your reason, THAT’s what makes you important my friend. And it’s not just that you happen to know everything about that project at that moment in time. There’s a reason you’re juggling all those balls. You’re a good juggler. Learn to talk about that and how awesome you are at it.
8. What do you do that a robot can’t do?
Automation could crush certain industries and tasks in the future, which is why focusing in on the things you do that a robot can’t, and building your skills in that direction is smart. Future-proof your career by doing something a robot can’t do.
9. What are you learning from your work and what do you want to learn?
Your learning and creativity are key to keeping you interested and valuable in a career. Otherwise you become a disengaged worker. So, what fascinates you? What sparks your excitement? What courses do you want to take? Learn these skills and apply them to your new career.
10. Who are you serving or giving back to with your work?
Mission driven careers are not just about feelings. Did you know that conscious companies often outperform traditional companies? In fact, Firms of Endearment companies run in a specific, socially conscious way, have have out performed the S&P 500 by 14 times in a 15 year period. It matters to the success of the company that the mission matters to you. Find one you care about.
Remember, your resume isn’t a showcase of what you have done as much as it is a demonstration of how you can get the job done and why your future employer should hire you. When you have asked and answered these questions, you’ll be prepared to make a career change this year.
Featured photo credit: freephotocc via pixabay.com
