Founder & Host of Heart of Change Podcast I Transformational Coach & Talent Professional I Positive energy, positive change
To be clear, I am not referencing the currency tied to your salary or any form of money exchange. This type of currency is the intangible one that often gets lost in the shuffle.
It’s the currency of growth, development, and active involvement along your career path. A type of currency found intimately interwoven in your relationship with career change. Are you leaving it on the table?
You might be thinking, “No, not me…I successfully started a new position last week.” But how engaged were you in your career change?
According to the Cambridge Dictionary, the definition of “career change” is a change to a different type of job from the one you have been doing. See also: Career Move.
Great, but aren’t we missing something vital in our definition of career change? To me, this is the heart of the discussion.
Our power lies in the delicate movement from job A to job B (or however the career change manifests itself for you). Your journey through change, how you view and embrace it, matters most.
As busy workers, we often make career decisions from a place of haste. Career change is often a highly tactical and transactional process. We are consumed with modern day stressors. Unfortunately, we often arrive at our destination disorganized, with narrow ambitions and a sense of disillusionment.
Slow down workers! Let’s check-in with ourselves along the way and ensure we are in sync with change. Let’s make sure we are moving in a healthy and progressive manner. This is a good time to inject mindfulness into your career change.
Below I have created a simple diagram and helpful guide to align, check-in and do inventory as you move through your career change.
Notice that Core Value Alignment is at the center. This is the most vital piece to consider. And - continue to consider throughout your movement.
The first question we want to ask ourselves is: Does this change align to our core values?
Core values could range from radical honesty to respect to authenticity, etc. It is important to sit down with a pen in hand and think through your core values. Keep in mind that some values may change as we change throughout our career.
If we are going against the grain of our value system, we should reconsider whether this change is too expensive.
This question will act as a big indicator of a healthy match. We often forget to ask ourselves if we are truly in alignment with where we are headed.
Other considerations alongside our Core Value Alignment:
Constant & Inconstant
Constant is the unchanging factor/s in your change, and inconstant is the changing factor/s. Time to do some inventory. Compare this to moving from one house to another. Professionally, consider what skillsets to bring; perhaps habits to shed. This can include tangibles such as skillsets and intangibles such as time management.
Now Check-In
Stop in the middle of the change to think about where you are in the process. Check-in with your emotional state. How is this change feeling? Remember, even anxiety can be a good indicator, but it might mean you need to slow down or level-set.
Future Check-In
We often think about our next position title or task. But who do we hope to become from this career change? What is our intention? The actual achievement is less important than how you develop and who you become. You may, for example, be moving from an individual contributor role to a team structure and becoming a more connected person in return.
In the end all answers should stay aligned with your core values.
Remember, your career can be a transformative experience. And, how we view and embrace change along the way matters.
Don’t forget to be involved in your career change. Don’t forget your change.