Resolving a New Job

We are fast approaching the end of another year and this may be the time you make your New Year's resolutions. Many people would like to change jobs or do different work in 2008. If you are sharing those thoughts, now is a good time to write out what you resolve to achieve in the new year.

So spend some time thinking about what it is that you would like to change. If you feel you need to change the tasks you do on a regular basis, you should consider what else you could do for the same employer. If you believe that you want to continue with the tasks you do, but need to change the environment in which you do it, you probably also need to look outside your current organization. You are definitely not alone in your thinking. Before you take any action, I encourage you to make a plan for the change you would like to implement.

Write a goal statement - explaining what your new situation will include - in as much detail as possible. Your goal should be something that is doable, even if it requires some stretching, or learning new skills, or acquiring new knowledge. Include a time frame by which you will accomplish it. This is where some people lose motivation - they look at their goal and figure they will never be able to find time to accomplish it while they are working full time.

It helps to write out your objectives or the steps that you will take to move you closer to achieving your goal. You should also include time frames for your objectives. Many people find they need to break some of their objectives into small, bite-size pieces of things they can do when they have just 15 or 20 minutes to devote to something on their goal to-do list. By having those small pieces identified already, it will make it easier to actually accomplish one of them when you have those few minutes to work on your goal.

Create some type of method to keep track of the objectives as you achieve them - or if you need to make adjustments to them. It can be a simple list with your overall goal as the title and each objective identified by a different letter. That way, each smaller step for each objective can be numbered, perhaps in the order they should be completed. For example, if you are planning a job search, you will need a resume and brush up on your interviewing skills, among other things. So, the resume might be objective B. Then finding your current resume would be item B1. Revising that resume would be item B2; typing the revised version would be B3, and so forth. Some people will create flow charts or something with graphics, showing how they will get from here to there. The format does not matter, what matters is that you create your plan and have it written out in some readable form.

It is generally helpful to have a plan that can help you keep on track toward accomplishing your goal. By writing it out, you can become clearer in what you need to do. Besides, as long as it is just in your head, it is not a real plan, but a dream. You can plan now to make 2008 great!

Mary Ann Davis is a Licensed Professional Counselor in private practice providing career coaching and counseling for life's transitions. She is certified as a Master Career Counselor (MCC) by the National Career Development Association; a Life/Work Counselor by the National Employment Counseling Association; and is a Distance Credentialed Counselor (DCC). Check out her web site at http://www.YourCareerPlan.com. To contact Ms. Davis, please call (513) 665-4444 x3 or send an email to YourCareerPlan@cinci.rr.com.

Do You Find It Hard To Make A Career Decision?

Some of the people I work with say they find it hard to make a career decision because they have so many career dreams. Some of them find themselves thinking there are so many things they could do that they don't want to eliminate any of their options. If this is your situation, I urge you to keep in mind that, depending on your age, you may have a few, or several, more opportunities to make career changes. Just because you decide on one direction today, that does not necessarily mean that all of your other career possibilities will be gone forever.

Research indicates that more people are changing jobs every 3 to 4 years. Of course, not everyone will fit that statistic, but the average person will probably work in as many as eight (8) to ten (10) jobs during their lifetime. The basic idea is that you will likely make several more job changes. So, although each decision about a job or career change should be well considered, you will likely have more opportunities to make those kinds of decisions.

Generally, career management begins with knowing yourself - the things that interest you, the skills you possess, the work values that are important to you, and other personal factors. Most people also need to expand their knowledge of the world of work, or at least have information about the occupations they are considering. Look for areas where the skills, values, etc. you possess are required by the occupation(s) you are considering. There are no guarantees, but the more knowledgeable you are, as you make your decisions, the more likely they are to be sound decisions that you can easily live with.

Mary Ann Davis, is a Licensed Professional Counselor in private practice providing career coaching and counseling for life's transitions. She is certified as a Master Career Counselor (MCC) by the National Career Development Association; a Life/Work Counselor by the National Employment Counseling Association; and is a Distance Credentialed Counselor (DCC).

Check out her Web site at http://www.YourCareerPlan.com. To contact Ms. Davis, please call (513) 665-4444 x3 or send an email to YourCareerPlan@cinci.rr.com.

Are You Stuck?

If you feel you are stuck in your job because there is nothing else you could do, I encourage you to put on your creative cap and think about different things you could do. Start by making a list of activities you have done that you enjoyed. These could be things from your work life, community or church activities, or other aspects of your personal life. If you feel your job has changed over time and you no longer enjoy most of the tasks you do, also list the previous tasks you did that you enjoyed. Spend some time creating your list, and then begin identifying the common themes in the activities you identified. Does it include planning the project, creating something, helping people, etc.? Review that information to get ideas about activities that you may want to include in your new work situation. Then work on creating a list of career possibilities that would include your preferred activities. Include all careers you can think of - even if they are not your most attractive options. Just knowing that you have options can help you expand the list of possibilities for serious consideration. Once you have narrowed your list of possible career directions, you may need to do some checking to find out what the actual requirements are for each option, skills needed, values that may be met in that type of work, and other important factors. Then you can eliminate any options that would require more preparation than you are willing/able to undertake. Work through your remaining list to prioritize the potential career directions you have identified and develop your plan to achieve that career or occupational situation. Mary Ann Davis is a Licensed Professional Counselor in private practice providing career coaching and counseling for life's transitions. She is recognized as a Master Career Counselor (MCC) by the National Career Development Association and is a Distance Credentialed Counselor. Check out her web site at http://www.yourcareerplan.com/. To contact Ms. Davis, please call (513) 665-4444 x3 or send an email to YourCareerPlan@cinci.rr.com.