The Covid-19 pandemic has led to many people being furloughed and loosing their jobs. This means that this is a time for many people to either get new jobs or change careers.

Here are some important things to consider if you find yourself transitioning to a new job or career;

Mentally commit to the process

This is because we all have competing demands on our time. By making a mental commitment,  it ensures that when you tackle obstacles, you are more likely to  figure out a way forward rather than simply giving up. Mentally committing means saying to yourself that this is a journey, you are prepared to be a beginner, you are committed to finding solutions. It is hard to think of yourself as a beginner when you are accustomed to being an expert. 

Other things to consider when making a mental commitment to the career or job transition process, are to acknowledge the things which might hold you back. For many people, these typically include finances and time. Honestly consider where there are opportunities for you here and create a workable plan

Conduct a visioning exercise 

Think of yourself a year from now, what do you see yourself doing, who are you around, what are you feeling? This is important because our lives follow our vision. It also helps you realize your ideal before worrying about how to do it. Do the write up in the present tense. 

The research phase 

This is where you begin to gather information about what you need to get you to your new career or job. This is also where you conduct a few trials on prospective career paths.  During a job search process, this would be where you research job descriptions. Treat the process of transition as a scientist, gathering information both internally through journaling and externally through research and analysing all of the information to come to a conclusion. Ultimately know that, the foundation of any successful pivot starts internally.

Create a plan

Not only should you create a detailed plan but it is also important that you schedule it. This is what differentiates dreams from plans.

Seek the help of a professional 

Seek help and support from a professional such as a career coach or business coach, who is able to pull you out of the weeds and can help you see things more holistically so that you have a greater level of awareness when you make your transition

Bonus Tip

At the start of your job search or career transition process, write down a list of all of your strengths, what has worked for you previously in your career and what has not worked for you so far. This is important to do at the start of your job search process

Making a successful career pivot is not easy but using the framework above helps you approach it in a more structured way. However give yourself some grace, as this is a process that takes time

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