Use Your Resume to Think about Your Life (part 3)

After you have written about where you are headed and were able to create a mental picture of that scenario, if that picture is not appealing to you, or you get a cold feeling when you envision it, then you want to work at creating a different picture. I suggest you begin by looking over your historical resume to find things you did, time you spent, that was enjoyable or satisfying. Some people need to go back fairly far into their past to find some things to consider. Go back as far as needed. If, unfortunately, you do not really remember a time when you were involved in activities (job or otherwise) that brought satisfaction, enjoyment, or stimulation, then you may need to work from a different approach.

For those who do remember something, from whenever in their past, follow the suggestions from the second part on this topic. Write as much as you can about what brought you satisfaction or enjoyment or made you excited about what you were doing. Would those things still create the same feelings? If so, is there a way to get back to those days?


If not, then you probably start at the same point as the folks who weren't really able to come up with anything from their past that fits with what they want now. That is, review your historical resume, again. Look for pieces of projects or activities that brought enjoyment or satisfaction. Look for signs that indicate what you would rather have been doing - again, whether in your job or in your outside activities. After you have reviewed it, you may want to spend some time just day dreaming about what your new situation could be and what could be included. Think about the kinds of people you would like to work or interact with, the kinds of things you would like to use in your new situation, and the kinds of data/information you would like to work with and how you picture yourself using it.

Once you are able to create your new picture, write it out as a goal statement. Then work on filling in the details - the objectives you will need to achieve to get you to your goal. In developing your plans, it is good to include as many details as needed to help you be clear on where you are headed. It is also good to include time frames or target dates for completion of each objective. If you will need to continue your education to achieve your new goal, figure out where and how you will manage that. If you need to develop some additional skills, also be creative in figuring out how to make that happen. The more details you can include in your plans, the more likely you will be able to bring them into reality. It is always a good idea to have a Plan B. It does not necessarily need to be as detailed as your Plan A, but should contain enough information that if you do need to resort to it, it will be fairly easy to dust it off, fill in some holes, and proceed.

Mary Ann Davis, M.A., is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in private practice providing coaching and counseling for life's transitions; including career change or job search, planning for retirement or non-retirement, coping with an empty nest or loss of job, or preparing to return to school or to work. She meets with individuals in person and via telephone to assist them in finding solutions to their life planning issues. 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). For more information on her services, please visit her web site at www.YourCareerPlan.com.

To contact Mary Ann, please call (513) 665-4444 x3 and leave a personal and confidential voice message or send an email to YourCareerPlan@cinci.rr.com.