Wanna Change Careers Do These 5 Things First. - When I Grow Up

Wanna Change Careers Do These 5 Things First. - When I Grow Up PRINT by ThimbleTypeCo. When youre thinking of changing careers, you often envision a few things: much greener grass than what youre used to grazing on being well-rested and glow-y smiling 24/7 blissful happiness that never ends fame and fortune becoming the After in all those makeover shows unicorns and pots of gold and magic Yeah. It can get out of control when youre  escaping your job in your mind, especially if youre in a situation thats unfulfilling at best and utterly abusive at worst. Instead of latching on to  those dreams at face value, though or doing something totally drastic like making the leap to a career you reeeeeeeally dont know anything about do these 5 Things First: 1. Talk to at least one person whos doing the thing you think you wanna do. It floors me every time, but Ive never had a client not know someone they can personally talk to about a field theyre thinking of going into. Never! Never ever in the 6 years Ive been The When I Grow Up Coach! I know, right?! So if you think you wanna be an interior designer, for example, go to the person you know or the person your peeps know whos already making it happen. Ask for an hour of their time to get the scoop on how they got to where they are, what they love about their career, what they wish they knew, etc. Then try to relate what they said back to your own needs/priorities/goals/dreams and see if theres a fit.      Resources: my Career Connections Pinterest board; your own network of amazeballs peeps (LinkedIn and Facebook searches are more advanced than you think!); How to Land and Ace An Informational Interview; Grown Up Gigs: An Inside Look at Dream Jobs Held By Real People 2. Come up with your personal and/or professional skills, strengths, attributes and stories that show youd be a smart choice for someone to hire you in this new role.  Ill never forget one of the very first exercises I had to do in my coaching school. Only  a student for a few weeks, I had to write my bio thatd go on my future coaching site. But I dont know how to coach! Im not any good! Ive only had 1 15-minute session in class and thats it! Something happened, though, when I put myself in the shoes of those hypothetical clients, wanting to know why I was the right coach for them. I brought up my acting background and passion, why I chose to become a coach, and why it was the role I was born to play. Thats not only when I started building my confidence as a coach, but it was when I realized that what I would bring to my clients was oh-so-much more than my certification or prior professional experiences.  Resources: Your Win Book, Create Your Dream Career. 3. Rewrite your resume and cover letter (if youre looking for a job) or bio  (if you wanna work for yourself) as if youre already asking to do that work. If youre looking for a more traditional role, dont wait for the job of your dreams to come your way and then have to scramble to get a new resume and cover letter in shape. If youre looking to be a freelancer or entrepreneur, your About page will be your most read page after your homepage so make it resonate right away. Dont put the pressure on for it to be perfect    you can (and will!) always update it along the way.      Resources: my Rockin Resumes Pinterest board;  Brooklyn Resume Studio; Job Jenny. 4. Finesse your elevator pitch so that when someone asks, So, what do you do? or What are you up to?, you can answer it clearly without getting flustered.    Seriously, I know how anxiety-producing it can be when you have to articulate what you do when you have one foot in your current work and the other foot in a new career. I had my share of answers that went, Well, Im an Executive Assistant for a financial consultancy firm, but Im getting my life coaching certification, and I used to be an actor, so.. Oy. If, instead, wrote a script about my transition and practiced it aloud a bit, I wouldve feel more confident answering, Im currently an Executive Assistant by day, but am getting my life coaching certification so I can work with creative types through their career transitions. Soooooo much better.  Resources: The Dreaded Question;  Ascertaining Your Awesomeness;  The Great I Am Worksheet;  Pitch Perfect. 5. Talk to your loved ones about the transition and listen to their needs. As much as you think you know how your spouse, parents, and/or kids are gonna react to your news, dont assume any of it. Instead, have a real dialogue about this change and their concerns and create some compromises so that everyone is as comfortable and confident as they can be about whats to come.  Resources: How to Talk To Your Spouse About Your Scary/Exciting Career Change; An Effective Escape.