“I want to change career, who can help me?”

This is a common question I see popping up amongst career changers. They want to change, but they're STUCK.

STUCK in the problem.
STUCK not knowing what to do.
STUCK because their current job gives them financial security and they can't afford to leave.
STUCK because they fear change.
STUCK because they're unsure of who can help them.

Well... I CAN HELP!

‘Unstick’ Yourself
Firstly, unstick yourself from the problem. If you imagine your career discontentment as a dot in the middle of an A4 page.... then ... the solutions are anything and everything else around it. Time to BRAINSTORM!

What might the solutions look like for you? I invite you to take time to get creative! What sparks joy in you? What would you love to be doing in a typical working day? What types of activities energise you? Who are you when you’re engaging with a challenge that you really enjoy? What are 5 immediate actions you could take to get more clarity about your career plan?

Here are some further ideas to get you started.

Undertake a 360 Review
A 360 review is a questionnaire that you send to those to know you well that is designed to give you feedback about your strengths and weaknesses. During my coaching course, I created my questionnaire on Google Forms (or you could do a paper survey) if you choose to do one. It's interesting to see the common trends that come back. Think carefully of whose opinion you respect and who may give you honest feedback.

You could ask questions like... what am I very good at? What are my best qualities? What career do you think I would be well suited to? Who do you think may be of interest for me to speak to?

Work Experience

Other solutions outside the problem of feeling career 'stuck' may be to organise work experience or to have conversations with people in the field you may be interested in.

Where could you learn more information?

What courses could you do to learn more?

Career Guidance Councillors and Career Coaches
I work with clients to help them get clear on what they want. They then take action on what they've learned and with my support they take concrete action towards finally investigating the path that they feel drawn to.
Career Guidance Councillors provide more directive advice. (As coaches, our job is to ask powerful questions so that you

MABS (Money, Advice and Budgeting Service)
These may be an interesting group to speak to come to terms with the financial side of things. Are there any financial opportunities to help you get your finances in order to provide a change?

Recruitment Companies
Personally, because of my previous background experience before I went into teaching, I didn’t have much luck connecting with Recruitment Agencies. There are some agencies however, who specialise in the area of Education If you wish to remain in education (or move outside of the sector) tailor your CV give the agencies a try!

People Who Already Work In The Industry
Who do you know who already works in that sector? What about friends or friends of friends who may be willing to meet you for coffee. Reach out with a list of questions you’d like the answers to and see what their thoughts are on the industry.

Jobs Websites and Course Providers
There's a mountain of information out there - articles, blogs, quizzes etc on the job websites. It can become overwhelming at times if you feel under pressure to get an answer and a job in the here and now. . I advise setting one hour aside and one objective to achieve in that focused hour
Eg. What are the particular, useful job websites I will need to reference in my job search? Bookmark them and create a list of when and why you should reference them in the future. Ignore the pop ups, the other distractions that inevitably crop up.

Or, what are the course providers for Speech and Learning Therapy? Jot down contact details for each of them and be ready with your questions to give them a call or email.

Setting just one objective allows you to keep the mind focused and filter out the distractions.

LinkedIn
LinkedIn has a job search functionality and there are lots of fantastic positions posted there daily. Perhaps it's time to widen your network, update your profile and test the waters on LinkedIn.

Springboard Courses.
Springboard provide a range of excellent courses designed to allow participants to up skill. Have a look to see if any of them spark your interest!

So there you have it... start with that little black dot and let your mind wander.... then work on steps 2,3,4.... It's not easy, I know, I've been there too. But trust yourself. Do your research, evaluate your costs and take inspired action. Good luck on your journey!