It’s never too late to begin…

Perhaps you had no choice but to find new employment or perhaps you had time to reflect during pandemic and realised that you aren’t enjoying your job.  Maybe you’ve realised your ambition of starting your own business. You aren’t alone. Around 400,000 new businesses have been started in the UK since January 2021.

You may have taken the opportunity to retrain. Perhaps you wanted to reduce your hours or craved more flexibility having realised you didn’t have a good life balance before. Furlough may have given you the opportunity to test your entrepreneurial ideas. Perhaps the pandemic gave you the opportunity to switch-off for the first time in years and you liked how that felt and felt energised and motivated to make important changes to your working life.

What is there for me if not in the workplace with an employer?

Many older job applicants struggle to find jobs.  Unfortunately, many (often incorrect) assumptions are sometimes made about workers over a certain age and this can start as early as 30 and then go on to 40, 50 and beyond.

Take time to reflect and review, a birds eye view of you and what you have so far achieved in your life, it’s so easy to forget all your accomplishments.  This can help with ideas on how to move forward if you’ve come to a turning point in your career. Every experience and skill you have so far gained is a transferrable skill.  And soft skills are as vital as academic skills so never discredit your capability or ability to venture on a different career path.   

When you come to a crossroads in life (such as being made redundant) it is a good time to revaluate who you are and what you would like to do.  You may have wanted to take a new direction or make changes in your life but may have repressed because day-to-day life got in the way.  Every change in life is significant but look at it as an opportunity to steer you in new direction that you may have not thought possible.

How do I cope with change?

You may feel afraid of change. This can be for a number of reasons including fear of failure, rejection, criticism or of the unknown. You do have to face your fears – replace them with something positive and move away from the negative scenarios you have in your head.  Think about a time when you handled change well and what actions you took to make that happen.  Can you replicate those in your current situation?

Try to be flexible and open to change. Resistance against changes can stop you from creating something exciting and new, become your own personal leader to go forward.  Be part of the change, be a driver for change. Develop and offer constructive ideas and perspectives.

Try to see the big picture, and remember to nurture yourself, be your empathiser not your critic – self encouragement, understanding, positivity are vital.  As well as ensuring that you keep yourself fit and healthy remember to take time to relax with what you enjoy and allows you to switch off.

How core values relate to what you enjoy doing

Take time to decide what your core values are as this can help to guide you in what type of work, you’d like to do going forward.  Think about what kind of culture and environment you want to work in (or do you want to create your own?).

What qualities do you feel make strong healthy relationships and what qualities do you admire in your role models?  What motivates you?  What qualities would you like to develop in yourself and what are your future goals? Listing pros and cons for a change of career or starting a business can also be helpful.

Your answers to these questions can help guide you.  Good luck!

If you are looking to create a new pathway in your career, start a business or develop your business, and don’t know where to begin, do get in touch with me to discuss how I may help.

 

#Listentalkinspire #Coaching #Careertransition #Careerdevelopment #careerchange

This blog was first published on 9th November 2021

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