8 common mistakes you should avoid when trying to change career

Do you feel like you’ve tried everything when it comes to changing career?

A common story I hear from my clients is that they have been trying to tackle their career crisis alone, usually for months or possibly years. They feel like they’ve gone down one dead end after another and just can’t understand why the road ahead isn’t getting any clearer.

So I thought it would helpful to share some of the most common mistakes I see people making and why they often end up getting frustrated and sticking with the status quo…

#1: Job hopping:

This is where you end up moving from job to job without really getting to the bottom of what makes you truly happy at work and gives you a sense of purpose. The problem with this approach is that the novelty of a new role wears off after a few weeks or months, and then you find yourself facing exactly the same issues as before but just in a different setting.

#2: The research trap:

 Do you have huge piles of self help or business books by your bed? Do you make endless lists of possible job or business ideas? Do you love doing personality quizzes, tests and assessments? It’s easy to end up down a rabbit hole of research because it feels like you’re doing something proactive to try and change your situation. However you run the risk of being an eternal student if you don’t ever put what you’ve learned into action. The trick is to figure out how to actually turn all that knowledge into a real new career.  

#3: Not thinking about the lifestyle you want to lead:

Sometimes we can get carried away with a dream career idea without considering what lifestyle might go along with it. Some industries rely mainly on freelance workers, so is that lack of security something you would feel comfortable with? If you go for that big promotion, the role might require a lot of work travel away from your family. Does that fit in with your values? It’s worth learning more about the day to day reality of a new career before jumping in. 

#4: Relying on job ads:

Are you signed up to multiple job alerts? Do you trawl the online jobs boards most days, praying for your dream job to magically appear? The issue with this approach is that if you haven’t got a clear idea of what your dream job actually is, what work environment would suit you or what your unique skills and strengths are, then it’s incredibly hard to spot that mythical ‘unicorn’ job and you can wind up feeling downhearted and hopeless.    

#5: Worrying about everyone else:

It’s really common for clients say to me “I have to check with my partner first”, or “my parents are worried about me” or “my friends think I should do X”. They worry about the impact of their career choices on everyone else which in turn holds them back. The key thing to remember here is that others look at life through their own lens, which has been influenced by their own beliefs and life experiences. They will only see what’s possible based on what they were taught, and that has nothing to do with you and your own journey. You’re the only one who knows what you really want and what you’re capable of. 

#6: Following your ‘passion’: 

This is career advice that we hear ALL THE TIME but it’s incomplete. For a start, you might have several ‘passions’ and struggle to find a perfect career that includes them all. And passion alone won’t pay your bills, so you will need to figure out how to monetise it and test your idea first to see if there is a market for it. 

#7: Getting addicted to ‘quick fixes’:

I get it, I really do. When I was stuck in my last corporate job and feeling really stressed, I’d try to make myself feel better by spending any spare cash on distractions like shopping or holidays. However the temporary high would never last long and I’d soon be back to square one again. The problem with this approach is that it doesn’t ever tackle to the root of the problem which is of course, your job.

#8: Overthinking it:

Sometimes the prospect of making a big career change or starting a business can feel so overwhelming that we do nothing at all, and we get stuck in ‘analysis paralysis’. I’m a big fan of getting back in touch with your intuition and sense of play and just following your curiosity. Heard about an evening class that sounds interesting? Sign up. See a book title that grabs your attention? Read it. Have a childhood hobby that you haven’t done for years ? Set aside an hour in your diary and just dabble again. These small steps will reconnect you with yourself and the things that truly fill you with joy.  

So do any of these sound familiar? Let me know in the comments which one resonates with you the most.

And if you’ve tried any of these and you’ve been left feeling frustrated then don’t worry, because there is another way.

A way to help you identify a fulfilling new career or business path that plays to your strengths, fits with your values, covers your income requirements and allows you a better work/life balance. Click here to learn more about my coaching programmes.

I’ll speak to you soon, 
Juliette

Resilience: Your 'secret weapon' in tough times

Man the workplace is a TOUGH place to be these days.

Back when I was still in my 9 to 5 in advertising, I remember only too clearly the constant pressure, shifting deadlines, and heavy workload that frequently pushed me beyond "mmm isn’t this exciting" stress, to "OMG I don’t know if I can cope" stress.

And I hear similar stories from my clients all the time, about how they are desperate to escape and find some balance, whether that’s in a new role or as their own boss. 

Although entrepreneurship isn’t exactly a cakewalk either. You have to constantly step out of your comfort zone, and get used to living with uncertainty. 

Which is why I was so glad to come across the topic of ‘Resilience’ during my studies in positive psychology. It’s a bit of a buzzword at the moment, and turns out to be the perfect antidote to modern day work and life stress. 

So what exactly is resilience?

In nutshell, resilience is our capacity to cope with, be strengthened by, and recover from difficult times. You may think that resilience is something that we are either born with or we’re not, but that’s not the case at all. We can all develop a resilient mindset, if we are given the right knowledge and tools.

Resilience is something we do, rather than something we have.

Another advantage of becoming more resilient, is that it allows you to not only bounce back from tough times, but actually bounce forward into something even better. 

This is especially important when it comes to handling failure. It could be that your proposal was rejected at work, or you were turned down for that promotion, or you lost a client, or didn’t get that grant you applied for. Or maybe you’re having a tough time in your personal life, and that is having a big impact on your work.

Any of these events can lead to to self-doubt, anxiety, burnout and depression. Which is why learning strategies to handle failure is so important, so that instead of spiralling downwards, we can learn from the experience, maintain a positive outlook, and move forward.

Here are three tips to get you started on the road to greater resilience:

1. Look for lessons learned. You’re in good company, as there are plenty of famous people who failed many times before they finally got it right. Think of Thomas Edison who made 1000 unsuccessful attempts before inventing the lightbulb. Hunt the good stuff. Ask yourself, "where can I improve here? What will I not repeat next time?".

2. Remember your strengths. This isn’t about being overconfident or arrogant. It’s about remembering what you ARE good at, rather than focusing on your perceived weaknesses. Lean on those strengths, and leverage them as often as possible, to get you through rough spots.

3. Gain strength from others. Make sure you have a great team around you, who believe in you. Whether it’s colleagues, mentors, friends or family, it’s crucial for your resilience that you have those people in your life who are there to catch you when you fall, and help you get back up again.  

Everyone can become more resilient. It’s about choosing a more optimistic mindset, and learning to turn any setbacks in life to your advantage. 

Speak to you soon,
Juliette xx

p.s Struggling with stress or burnout? Feeling lost, stuck or just unmotivated? Then book an introductory 45min coaching session with me for just £97, and get some support and accountability to help you figure out your next steps. 

Are you hanging on to a career that’s past its sell by date?

Tell me if any of this sounds like you?

• Are you in a job that you used to love, but your passion has faded and now you’re just going through the motions?

• Are you sticking with the status quo, only because you’re scared of taking a leap into the unknown?

• In your personal life, do you tend to hang on to things e.g old possessions or relationships, even if they’re not making a positive contritbution to your life anymore?

Then you might be experiencing something called ‘loss aversion’. 

I first read about this in Psychologies magazine, and discovered that it can be a big factor in holding you back from changing career. 

Some people are more resistant to change than others, and don’t want to let go of things for fear that the alternative may be worse. However, sometimes this means that they don’t recognise that their current situation isn’t doing them any good either.

So what can you do about it?

Well ask yourself these two questions: 

1. If you were applying for your current job now, how badly would you want it?

2. If your boss came in tomorrow and said that you were being moved to another department to do a completely different job, how would you feel?

If your response to either of those is lukewarm or apathetic, then it might well be time to look for something new! Sticking with it in the hope that things will improve, could result in even greater losses in the long run, because you are wasting your valuable skills, time, emotions and even money.

You could drastically improve your levels of joy, fulfilment, work/life balance and even salary, if you found a career or business idea that matched your strengths and values perfectly.

So how to begin the process of change?

The key to embracing the process of change is to break it down into small steps. 

Starting your own business is a great example. You could start to attend networking groups and evening classes, and do your market research, all in your spare time whilst you are still in your 9 to 5.

Or go part time first, allowing you to test your services or products, create your website, and start to market yourself, all whilst keeping a regular salary coming in. 

And remember, you can always change your mind. You may begin to take steps towards change, and in the process re-discover certain aspects of your job or your company, that you do actually like and value. 

But unless you take action and stir the pot a bit, you will stay stuck and won’t be any closer to clarity.

I’ll talk to you soon,
Juliette xx

p.s If you want to chat through why you might be stuck in your career and discover how coaching can help, then book an introductory 45min coaching session with me for just £97. I’d love to talk more.