Are you considering making a major career change? If so, there’s some crucial things you’ll need to consider to successfully navigate the transition.
At Y Scouts, we’ve seen everyone from the Former Director of Camp David to current business owners come to us looking to make a dramatic career change. People who want to successfully navigate a major career transition need to spend time defining their “why” – the reason why they work. Without having a clear definition of what motivates you in your work, career changers will inevitably run into the same career dilemmas they face now.
Here are a few tips on what to do before making a major career change that we’ve developed for leaders we work with at Y Scouts:
1. Define your “why” – the reason why you work.
Roy Spence of the Purpose Institute defines Purpose as “a definitive statement about the difference that you are trying to make in the world.” What do you believe your purpose to be?
2. Identify your areas of mastery – the places where you currently or desire to excel in your work.
The book Conscious Capitalism by John Mackey & Raj Sisodia suggests that there are four categories of great purpose. If forced to pick one, which area of mastery best applies to you?
3. Describe the role that would make you excited to jump out of bed each day.
It’s most helpful to answer this question by including specifics about your ideal role functions as well as your preferred organizational traits such as size, industry, and culture.
Once you’ve answered and thought about these three areas, ask yourself, ‘Does the career opportunity in front of me align with my “why”, my areas of mastery, and my excitement?’ If the answer is yes, you’re ready to make a major career leap.
Paul Eisenstein is the Leadership Search Director at Y Scouts, an executive search firm that helps nonprofits, social enterprises and high growth organizations find exceptional leaders. Click here if your organization is seeking a leader, or click here if you are a leader seeking an organization.
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