So you are thinking about making a job or career change – which is fantastic. Chances are you have been thinking about this for a while and that you have lots of thoughts and idea’s running about your head. Before taking the step to engage a career coach or engage professional support, spend time considering the below questions. Even if you are not ready to put pen to paper just focusing your thinking a little may help provide you with some clarity and confidence to take the next step towards action!
The Position
- What salary do I want?
- What benefits am I seeking?
- What hours do I want to work? I.e. days, evenings, part-time, etc.
- Do I want to manage staff? If yes, what type of people?
- Do I want to work autonomously or in a team or both? If both, what will the percentage be?
- Do I want my role to involve travel? If yes, where? International? National?
- Do I want one role or to have a few roles?
- Do I want to work for myself or someone else?
- How much flexibility would I have in my role?
- What skills would I be using?
- What challenges would I be encountering?
- What types of people would I be working with?
- How do I feel about these people?
- How do I want to feel about the work I do?
- What work life balance looks like for me?
- Would I be learning?
- If I was learning, what types of things would I be learning?
- What are the pros and cons of the roles I have had in the past?
The Physical Work Environment
- What does the office I work in look like? I.e. the style of building, levels, décor etc.
- What is the location of the office?
- Do I want to drive to work and will there be parking?
- What space will I be working in? A cubicle, office, open floor, etc?
- Do I want natural light?
- Will there be music and a lot of noise and activity?
- Do I want tranquility and peace?
- Do I want to work in a high rise office tower?
- What are the immediate surrounds of the organisation? I.e. parks, shops, gym etc.
- What are the pros and cons of the work environments I have had in the past?
The Organization
- What is the people size of the organization?
- What is organisation’s culture?
- What is the leadership of the organization like?
- How will they manage their staff?
- What are the organisation’s vision / goals / motto?
- How is the organisation viewed by the community?
- What are the values of the organisation?
- Are they a prestigious organisation (well known to everyone) or an unknown entity?
- If I want to create my own organisation, what will it look like?
- What are the pros and cons of the organisations I have worked for in the past?
The Industry
- What is the industry I am working in?
- Is it a new industry for me?
- Is it a growth industry?
- Am I working across multiple industries?
- What appeals to me about the industry/s?
- How is the industry perceived by the general community?
The People
- What will my co-workers be like?
- What will the management of the organisation be like?
- What will my boss be like?
- What type of boss will I be?
- What will my customers and clients be like?
- What types of people do I work best with and why?
- What are the pros and cons of the colleagues and managers I have had in the past?
My Personal Needs
- What are my key interests – work and personally?
- What do I enjoy doing most?
- What am I great at?
- What do others say I am great at?
- When have I felt the greatest about what I was doing?
- If I could change the world, what three things would I like to see?
- What would I have to do to bring these into my work?
- What are my own personal values that I live by?
- What values do I expect a business that I work for to uphold?
- What will I and won’t I tolerate at work and in life in general?
Actions
- Write in a book or on paper your answers to some / all of these questions.
- Go through your resume in chronological order and look at all the roles you have had to see if there are any patterns. Think about what you enjoyed doing and why?
- Using job sites print out jobs that appeal. What are the things that appeal? Why?
- Talk to people who work in roles and industries you are interested in working in.
- Research courses that relate to roles and industries you are interested in.
- After you have spent some time thinking about these questions do your research – are there any patterns or themes?
- Talk to friends or family about your discoveries.
- If you still feel unsure about where to go from here, contact a Career Coach or Career Counsellor to assist you with gaining some direction.
About the author
Kelly Magowan is a certified Career Coach with her own Career & Executive Coaching Practice. She has built a reputation as a thought leader in the careers space and has published a book on Amazon,‘The Busy Women’s Guide to… Salary Negotiation’.
