A world of career options awaits you

When it comes to career direction, one thing I have consistently witnessed (and experienced myself) is that we don’t see all options. We actually see very few, if not none. Because we are very much entrenched into what’s happening right now, that ranges from ‘not quite right’ to ‘unbearable’ depending on the person. So why are we not seeing the solutions easily? And how do we see those other avenues, other paths?

Our current issues create a lot of angst for us, and impact us well beyond work. So that is where our attention is, unfortunately. We feel our frustration going to the same job week in week out. We hate that colleague who pushes our buttons. Our stomach twists at the idea of something new, and all the risks that come with it. The discomfort is hard to endure, so we try finding ways to diminish all those negative emotions. We want the pain to go away – who wouldn’t in those situations?

Yet it is a shame that our default setting isn’t to look optimistically for other ways. Let’s just say it – we typically curl up into a ball, and talk to the next person that will hear us – our partner, our bestie, our work buddy – about how unhappy we are. Fine, but what comes next? It is challenging to shift from being down there miserable to open to consider options. And to actually claim them as yours. So I would like to share with you here some of the many options that my clients have discovered. Options that they would not have thought possible when we started working together.

All of the below scenarios are true and have happened to some real women like you:

• Resigning from a draining place of work, taking time off to travel extensively and plan a freelance or service-based business.
• Resigning during maternity leave, finding a role in their preferred industry the next level up with flexible hours.
• Adding a special interest into their job description, meaning more fulfillment at work. This led to the CEO becoming the sponsor, the function to grow, and the person to decide where to take it based on their own agenda.
• Gaining an entry position in a totally different field to build up experience and credentials, whilst growing a business on the side in a partnership.
• Obtaining another role internally that didn’t previously exist, and being able to influence the job description to align with their new career goals.
• Switching industries, going for an environment they were passionate about after leveraging connections. This led to a small pay reduction, setting up flexible hours and low-intensity work which perfectly aligned for maternity leave.
• Rebuilding confidence after a redundancy, moving to highly paid contract work with overseas travel break in between projects.
• Holding a well-planned discussion with their manager to secure a promotion and pay rise to align with market value and that boosted their own self-worth.
• Leaving a highly stressful job with heavy workload to grow their own business whilst working part-time (that’s me!)

As you will see, the examples above are extremely varied. This shows you the depth of options that exist, and how every single one of them is a reflection of the individual situation, aspirations and assets. You will note that none mention a new course, which is typically what most people think of when they want a change in their careers. So this might be your clue that the answer lies somewhere else.

Instead it is more about pivoting, flexing your options, paving the way gradually, carving opportunities. It is fairly organic, and to be honest, pretty hard to conceive prior to getting stuck into it.  I must say it is also an iterative process, which unfolds over time. You can’t get this out of a software or after a few wines with your girlfriends (sadly!).

The moral here? There is a way, a path for you. A unique sequence of events that will lead you to a better, happier work life. I hope I have managed to convince you that even if you can’t see those options yet, you will trust that they are there for you. I can guarantee it, because I am yet to work with anyone who hasn’t found them. Now you just need to get started, enlist help and do the work to uncover them. So do you want to find out what is possible for you?