I read an article not long ago that talked about writing a story to describe what your next job would be like. I encourage my clients to do creative writing to help them with many thought processes. Sometimes we get so caught up with what is going on in our heads, that we don't think abut what's going on in our hearts. For most decisions, you need to consider both - your head and your heart.
As you consider my topic for this post, what is the work that you dream about? I know you may be thinking that work is work and if you could just get a job, you would be happy about that. As I mentioned last time, it is possible for work to be more satisfying than the day-to-day grind it may have become. Although you may be inclined to think that work is just work, try to avoid that temptation. As a matter of fact, many career professionals and others believe that the more details you can fill in on what you would like your next job to be like, the more likely you are to find it. That is partly because as you consider more details, you are more likely to think of ways or places where you could bring that picture, your dream work, into reality.
So, even if you don't actually write a story that describes your dream or ideal work, I suggest you at least write down, in as much detail as possible, what that work would be like - in an 'ideal' or 'dream' situation. Think about whether you would be working primarily with people, primarily with data, or primarily with things,. If you would be working primarily or secondarily with people, consider what those people would be like - their qualities and characteristics. Also would you work with them as co-workers or would they be your customers/clients/students, etc. In many cases, you may have co-workers and customers or clients.
Consider what age group you would prefer to work with - as customers/clients/students and whether or not they are people with disabilities, or other issues/concerns/presenting problems, and other general descriptors you would prefer; things such as level of education or training, if appropriate. The idea is to write out a description of who your "average" person to work with would be like. Next time I will write more about your dream work.
Mary Ann Davis is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in private practice providing coaching and counseling for life's transitions; including career change or job search, as well as loss of job, retirement planning, coping with an empty nest, and other 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). Please visit her web site at http://www.YourCareerPlan.com for more information on her services.
To contact Mary Ann, please call (513) 665-4444 x3 and leave a personal and confidential message or send an email to YourCareerPlan@cinci.rr.com.
Friday, February 25, 2011
Monday, February 7, 2011
Why Do You Work?
So, why do you work? Oh, I know, because you enjoy eating, having a place to rest, wearing a warm coat, etc. But beyond providing for the basic necessities of life, why do you do the work you do? If your work only provides a source of money and you get little or no satisfaction from it, I would say you are being underpaid.
Your work and your job should also provide you with some sense of satisfaction, a sense of making a contribution to making this a better world. Ideally, your job should feel like an adventure. You should look forward to going to work - at least on most days not mind going to work.
If this doesn't describe your situation, I would ask if you have considered changing jobs. If not, is that because you think if it were enjoyable, they wouldn't call it "work"? So many people I have talked to are just "marking time". They have been in their job so long that they hate to leave their employer and if they can just hold on, or hang in there another ___ number of years, they can retire and then do what they want to do. Part of the problem with that thinking is that not everyone is able to hold on and, sometimes involuntarily, their jobs are gone. Another problem with that thinking , at least from my point of view, is that life is too short to spend it wishing, hoping, and waiting for something that may or may not ever come.
So, if you have been just "holding on", I encourage you to start thinking about what kind of work you would do if you could afford to work for free. What could bring you joy just thinking about your work/your contribution? What gifts do you have to share with the world? Once you begin to picture that, then you can begin to figure out how to make that picture a reality.
Mary Ann Davis is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in private practice providing coaching and counseling for life's transitions; including career change, job search, as well as loss of job, retirement planning, coping with an empty nest, non-retirement planning, and other 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). Please visit her website at http://www.yourcareerplan.com/ for more information on her services.
To contact Mary Ann, please call (513) 665-4444 x3 and leave a personal and confidential message or send an email to YourCareerPlan@cinci.rr.com.
Your work and your job should also provide you with some sense of satisfaction, a sense of making a contribution to making this a better world. Ideally, your job should feel like an adventure. You should look forward to going to work - at least on most days not mind going to work.
If this doesn't describe your situation, I would ask if you have considered changing jobs. If not, is that because you think if it were enjoyable, they wouldn't call it "work"? So many people I have talked to are just "marking time". They have been in their job so long that they hate to leave their employer and if they can just hold on, or hang in there another ___ number of years, they can retire and then do what they want to do. Part of the problem with that thinking is that not everyone is able to hold on and, sometimes involuntarily, their jobs are gone. Another problem with that thinking , at least from my point of view, is that life is too short to spend it wishing, hoping, and waiting for something that may or may not ever come.
So, if you have been just "holding on", I encourage you to start thinking about what kind of work you would do if you could afford to work for free. What could bring you joy just thinking about your work/your contribution? What gifts do you have to share with the world? Once you begin to picture that, then you can begin to figure out how to make that picture a reality.
Mary Ann Davis is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in private practice providing coaching and counseling for life's transitions; including career change, job search, as well as loss of job, retirement planning, coping with an empty nest, non-retirement planning, and other 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). Please visit her website at http://www.yourcareerplan.com/ for more information on her services.
To contact Mary Ann, please call (513) 665-4444 x3 and leave a personal and confidential message or send an email to YourCareerPlan@cinci.rr.com.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Ambivalence Often Comes Before Change
If you are considering making a change in you life, particularly if it may be a fairly significant change, but you are not ready to make the change, I encourage you to look for signs of ambivalence you may be experiencing. As long as things are working for you in your life, you are not likely to be truly motivated to make a change. Except for involuntary changes in our lives, we need to have an amount of willingness to make change happen. Initially you may consider making a change but decide that whatever the situation, it is not really that bad. In that case, there is little motivation to change.
Thoughts of change may creep into your mind even when you are busy doing other things. As thoughts of changing increase, or you move into more dissatisfaction or discomfort with that part of your life, you will eventually get to a place where you are ambivalent about it. So you might begin to consider what your life would be like if you made some changes. Generally, at that stage you begin to recognize that there could be some benefits to making some changes. Until you can begin to see that there could be some benefit, you are not likely ready to undertake the change; that is, you are not yet sufficiently motivated to follow through.
Over time, you may begin to see additional benefits or would see increasing value to changing. As you move through those feelings of ambivalence about making a change, if it still seems to represent what you want, or at least a step in the right direction, you are likely to be ready to develop and implement a change plan. You could then put your plan into action with a fair amount of confidence that you are ready to make the change you desire.
If, however, you find the ambivalence has given way to reluctance to make the change, you are probably not ready to do so. You may want to rethink the situation or consider other possible ways to make some changes that would be beneficial for you.
Mary Ann Davis is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in private practice providing coaching and counseling for life's transitions; including career change or job search, as well as loss of job, retirement planning, coping with an empty nest, non-retirement planning, and other 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. Please visit her web site at www.YourCareerPlan.com for more information on her services.
To contact Mary Ann, please call (513) 665-4444 x3 and leave a personal and confidential message or send an email to YourCareerPlan@cinci.rr.com.
Thoughts of change may creep into your mind even when you are busy doing other things. As thoughts of changing increase, or you move into more dissatisfaction or discomfort with that part of your life, you will eventually get to a place where you are ambivalent about it. So you might begin to consider what your life would be like if you made some changes. Generally, at that stage you begin to recognize that there could be some benefits to making some changes. Until you can begin to see that there could be some benefit, you are not likely ready to undertake the change; that is, you are not yet sufficiently motivated to follow through.
Over time, you may begin to see additional benefits or would see increasing value to changing. As you move through those feelings of ambivalence about making a change, if it still seems to represent what you want, or at least a step in the right direction, you are likely to be ready to develop and implement a change plan. You could then put your plan into action with a fair amount of confidence that you are ready to make the change you desire.
If, however, you find the ambivalence has given way to reluctance to make the change, you are probably not ready to do so. You may want to rethink the situation or consider other possible ways to make some changes that would be beneficial for you.
Mary Ann Davis is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in private practice providing coaching and counseling for life's transitions; including career change or job search, as well as loss of job, retirement planning, coping with an empty nest, non-retirement planning, and other 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. Please visit her web site at www.YourCareerPlan.com for more information on her services.
To contact Mary Ann, please call (513) 665-4444 x3 and leave a personal and confidential message or send an email to YourCareerPlan@cinci.rr.com.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
Renew Your Job Search Energy
If you are currently conducting a job search, it is important that you take a little time to renew your energy so you can continue the search with a new enthusiasm. Hopefully, you did at least some renewing during the holidays, but I know that can be difficult to do. If you did not, then I suggest you revisit your job search goals to remind yourself of what you are looking for and why. Spend a little time day dreaming about your new situation and what your life will be like when you achieve it. Put some details into your daydream to help give it full color. Sit back and enjoy how good you will feel when you have landed in your new work situation.
Once you have that picture clear in your mind write down things that need to happen for that to become a reality. It might require you to stop procrastinating and update your resume or write out a draft for your cover letter. Maybe you need to pick up the phone and call some of the people on your contact list that you didn't want to bother during the holidays. Maybe you do some research to locate companies/organizations where you could find your dream work scenario. List all the things you can think of that you need to do. That may include reminding some contacts of phone numbers or connections they were going to provide for you. When you have written everything you can think of, put it aside and take a 20-30 minute break.
Taking a walk is a good way to clear your mind or sort through your thoughts. Others find a short drive does the same for them. Maybe spending a little time to catch up with someone else is the break you need. After your short break, revisit your list. Add any other activities that should be included and put in some estimates of how much time each task might take and which ones need to be done early in the search and which ones should be tackled later on. Set that aside for today.
Tomorrow, as soon as you have the opportunity or could make the time, revisit your list. Again, add any tasks that you omitted and write all of your activities/tasks in on a calendar or make a timeline chart. Don't be overly generous with the amount of time you assign each part of this project, but also, don't be unrealistic. If you can only work at this in bits and pieces, allow for that in your schedule. The idea is that you will then have a detailed project plan with time lines and you can build in some checkpoints to check your progress on the completion of major pieces. Then as you begin to complete each of your tasks, you can see how it fits into your big picture. That should help to keep you going through what might be a long and arduous search.
Mary Ann Davis is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in private practice providing coaching and counseling for life's transitions; including a career change or job search, as well as loss of job, retirement planning, non-retirement planning, coping with an empty nest, and other life planning issues. She is certified as a Master Career Counselor (MCC) by the National Career Counseling Association, a Life/Work Counselor by the National Employment Counseling Association, and is a Distance Credentialed Counselor (DCC). Please visit her web site at www.YourCareerPlan.com for more information about her services.
Once you have that picture clear in your mind write down things that need to happen for that to become a reality. It might require you to stop procrastinating and update your resume or write out a draft for your cover letter. Maybe you need to pick up the phone and call some of the people on your contact list that you didn't want to bother during the holidays. Maybe you do some research to locate companies/organizations where you could find your dream work scenario. List all the things you can think of that you need to do. That may include reminding some contacts of phone numbers or connections they were going to provide for you. When you have written everything you can think of, put it aside and take a 20-30 minute break.
Taking a walk is a good way to clear your mind or sort through your thoughts. Others find a short drive does the same for them. Maybe spending a little time to catch up with someone else is the break you need. After your short break, revisit your list. Add any other activities that should be included and put in some estimates of how much time each task might take and which ones need to be done early in the search and which ones should be tackled later on. Set that aside for today.
Tomorrow, as soon as you have the opportunity or could make the time, revisit your list. Again, add any tasks that you omitted and write all of your activities/tasks in on a calendar or make a timeline chart. Don't be overly generous with the amount of time you assign each part of this project, but also, don't be unrealistic. If you can only work at this in bits and pieces, allow for that in your schedule. The idea is that you will then have a detailed project plan with time lines and you can build in some checkpoints to check your progress on the completion of major pieces. Then as you begin to complete each of your tasks, you can see how it fits into your big picture. That should help to keep you going through what might be a long and arduous search.
Mary Ann Davis is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in private practice providing coaching and counseling for life's transitions; including a career change or job search, as well as loss of job, retirement planning, non-retirement planning, coping with an empty nest, and other life planning issues. She is certified as a Master Career Counselor (MCC) by the National Career Counseling Association, a Life/Work Counselor by the National Employment Counseling Association, and is a Distance Credentialed Counselor (DCC). Please visit her web site at www.YourCareerPlan.com for more information about her services.
To contact Mary Ann, please call (513) 665-4444 x3 and leave a personal and confidential message or send an email to YourCareerPlan@cinci.rr.com.
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Think About What You Want in 2011
If you have been considering whether or not to make a job or career change, you may want to spend this winter preparing for a change for later this year or early next year. Think about whether or not you want to stay in your current line of work, with the same organization, or something different.
If you would like a different line of work, you should make sure you know about the qualifications for that work and whether or not you are ready for it or need to spend some time preparing. At some point, you will also need to update your resume, if you have not already done so. As you review your resume, think about the experiences you want to emphasize to demonstrate your qualifications. Although, in general, people only go back 15 to 18 years in listing their work experiences, if you have experiences from earlier than that which are relevant to your new direction, try to find a way to include some of that information in your resume or cover letter.
You may also need to update your references. At the very least, you need to contact the people who have been references for you and update them on your latest plan. That includes confirming that they are still willing to serve as a reference for you. Once you have updated your resume, they should receive a copy of that as well. With those pieces in place, you should be able to identify the organizations you plan to target. You can begin networking with the focus on your target organizations.
If you have read many of my blog entries, you probably know I recommend writing out a plan, with time lines, that you can follow and track your progress toward achieving your new goals. Keep in mind, these days, it may take 12 to 18 months to land a new position. So it would be good to allow sufficient lead time to get to where you want to be.
Mary Ann Davis is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in private practice providing coaching and counseling for life's transitions; including career change or job search, as well as loss of job, retirement planning, coping with an empty nest, and other 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). Please visit her web site at http://www.yourcareerplan.com/ for more information on her services.
To contact Mary Ann, please call (513) 665-4444 x3 and leave a personal and confidential message or send an email to mailto:YoOurCareerPlan@cinci.rr.com.
If you would like a different line of work, you should make sure you know about the qualifications for that work and whether or not you are ready for it or need to spend some time preparing. At some point, you will also need to update your resume, if you have not already done so. As you review your resume, think about the experiences you want to emphasize to demonstrate your qualifications. Although, in general, people only go back 15 to 18 years in listing their work experiences, if you have experiences from earlier than that which are relevant to your new direction, try to find a way to include some of that information in your resume or cover letter.
You may also need to update your references. At the very least, you need to contact the people who have been references for you and update them on your latest plan. That includes confirming that they are still willing to serve as a reference for you. Once you have updated your resume, they should receive a copy of that as well. With those pieces in place, you should be able to identify the organizations you plan to target. You can begin networking with the focus on your target organizations.
If you have read many of my blog entries, you probably know I recommend writing out a plan, with time lines, that you can follow and track your progress toward achieving your new goals. Keep in mind, these days, it may take 12 to 18 months to land a new position. So it would be good to allow sufficient lead time to get to where you want to be.
Mary Ann Davis is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in private practice providing coaching and counseling for life's transitions; including career change or job search, as well as loss of job, retirement planning, coping with an empty nest, and other 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). Please visit her web site at http://www.yourcareerplan.com/ for more information on her services.
To contact Mary Ann, please call (513) 665-4444 x3 and leave a personal and confidential message or send an email to mailto:YoOurCareerPlan@cinci.rr.com.
Monday, December 20, 2010
Another Set of New Year's Resolutions
As we approach the end of 2010 some people will begin to think about resolutions they plan to make for the new year. If this is a new idea for you, this message should still be helpful. If you have frequently written out a set of resolutions that have seldom been kept or realized, then this entry is particularly for you.
I have been guilty of writing resolutions sometime between Christmas and New Years and not looking at or really thinking about them again until maybe Easter or Memorial Day. Well, by then, many months have gone by and that generally decreased the likelihood of my actually fulfilling my resolutions for the year. Certainly some people resolve to quit smoking or to lose weight or to start exercising and those are good ideas because they would represent improvement in your life style. Others plan for changes in their routine or life roles.
Whether you are considering relatively small or fairly large changes in your life for 2011, it helps to do more than just think about what you plan to do differently. You should certainly write down your ideas/plans and it is best to include specifics or steps you will need to complete to reach each goal. You should also include some time frames or dates by which you should complete each step or review your progress. Having some realistic plans are one way to increase the likelihood that this year's resolutions will not be on your list again next year.
Good luck and Happy New Year.
Mary Ann Davis is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in private practice providing coaching and counseling for life's transitions; including career change or job search, as well as loss of job, retirement planning, coping with an empty nest, and other 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). Please visit her web site at http://www.yourcareerplan.com/ for more information.
To contact Mary Ann, please call (513) 665-4444 x3 and leave a personal and confidential message or send an email to YourCareerPlan@cinci.rr.com.
I have been guilty of writing resolutions sometime between Christmas and New Years and not looking at or really thinking about them again until maybe Easter or Memorial Day. Well, by then, many months have gone by and that generally decreased the likelihood of my actually fulfilling my resolutions for the year. Certainly some people resolve to quit smoking or to lose weight or to start exercising and those are good ideas because they would represent improvement in your life style. Others plan for changes in their routine or life roles.
Whether you are considering relatively small or fairly large changes in your life for 2011, it helps to do more than just think about what you plan to do differently. You should certainly write down your ideas/plans and it is best to include specifics or steps you will need to complete to reach each goal. You should also include some time frames or dates by which you should complete each step or review your progress. Having some realistic plans are one way to increase the likelihood that this year's resolutions will not be on your list again next year.
Good luck and Happy New Year.
Mary Ann Davis is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in private practice providing coaching and counseling for life's transitions; including career change or job search, as well as loss of job, retirement planning, coping with an empty nest, and other 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). Please visit her web site at http://www.yourcareerplan.com/ for more information.
To contact Mary Ann, please call (513) 665-4444 x3 and leave a personal and confidential message or send an email to YourCareerPlan@cinci.rr.com.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Keeping Active in Your Job Search During the Holidays
I have talked with several people recently who were considering putting their job search activities on hold during the holidays. Although it may be tempting to do, it is probably not the best move to make. Even though the economy is still sluggish and many employers have not actively begun to fill vacancies, there is every indication that at least some jobs will become available after the new year, if not sooner.
The best opportunities still will most likely come from someone you know who knows someone in an organization that has decided to fill some positions in the near future. Even that does not mean you should stop looking at the want ads or selected job sites. Although the majority of your job search time should still be spent networking, etc., you should still check the obvious places for notices of job vacancies. Think about organizations/companies you would be an asset to and see if anyone you know knows someone who knows someone who works there. Perhaps they can put you in contact with that person so you can network with them also.
Some employers have advertised temporary positions during the holidays. Although that may not be ideal, it may be worth considering. In some instances, some of those temporary jobs may develop into something more permanent. At least that would give you the opportunity to demonstrate your skills and value to the organization. In that event, the organization may find a way to make you an offer for a more permanent position.
So enjoy the holidays and all they mean to you, but if you are looking for work, I encourage you to continue those activities as well.
Mary Ann Davis is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in private practice providing coaching and counseling for life's transitions; including career change or job search, as well as loss of job, retirement planning, coping with an empty nest, and other 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). Please visit her web site at www.YourCareerPlan.com for more information.
To contact Mary Ann, please call (513) 665-4444 x3 and leave a personal and confidential message or send an email to YourCareerPlan@cinci.rr.com.
The best opportunities still will most likely come from someone you know who knows someone in an organization that has decided to fill some positions in the near future. Even that does not mean you should stop looking at the want ads or selected job sites. Although the majority of your job search time should still be spent networking, etc., you should still check the obvious places for notices of job vacancies. Think about organizations/companies you would be an asset to and see if anyone you know knows someone who knows someone who works there. Perhaps they can put you in contact with that person so you can network with them also.
Some employers have advertised temporary positions during the holidays. Although that may not be ideal, it may be worth considering. In some instances, some of those temporary jobs may develop into something more permanent. At least that would give you the opportunity to demonstrate your skills and value to the organization. In that event, the organization may find a way to make you an offer for a more permanent position.
So enjoy the holidays and all they mean to you, but if you are looking for work, I encourage you to continue those activities as well.
Mary Ann Davis is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in private practice providing coaching and counseling for life's transitions; including career change or job search, as well as loss of job, retirement planning, coping with an empty nest, and other 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). Please visit her web site at www.YourCareerPlan.com for more information.
To contact Mary Ann, please call (513) 665-4444 x3 and leave a personal and confidential message or send an email to YourCareerPlan@cinci.rr.com.
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