Are you a passenger or a driver in your career?

Job search coaching is aimed at landing a new position as quickly as possible. This often leaves little time for a deep analysis of your skills and strengths. Career planning and the coaching related to it, however, are based on long-term preparation and carefully defining your desired outcome. Professional development and career building take time.

Career coaching progresses step by step toward the goal and is not always a fast process. Achieving your objective takes at least several months, often years. It’s often necessary to think several jobs ahead to reach your goal: not just your next job, but where it can lead you. Consider what you can learn, the experience you can gain, and what you can demonstrate to your employer to help you progress to the next stage. This applies to those pursuing both leadership roles and recognized expert careers.

Are you letting your career drift or are you taking charge?

The more urgent your need for a new job, the greater the risk of becoming adrift in your career. That's why I always emphasize: don’t leave your job without having another one lined up unless it's absolutely necessary. The only time it’s absolutely necessary is if you’re laid off.

Burnout maybe a reason for sick leave, but it is not a reason to quit your job on your own; there are other ways to address burnout. If you’re in an acute job search situation, I recommend that as soon as you secure a new job, you immediately start analyzing the next step, even if it’s 1-3 years away. What skills do you need to acquire? Which industries will be hiring in the near future?

If you want to build your career and grow professionally, rather than just securing the next job as quickly as possible, don’t set tight deadlines for your job search. The most important thing is to set milestones that help you move toward your main goal. Rising quickly in your career can sometimes lead to a quick fall. Do the groundwork well.

Find your direction

If you start to feel pressure without a clear reason, consider the following perspectives:

1. Perception vs. reality

Opportunities can arise quickly, or they can take years. If you send your CV to an executive search consultant, it doesn’t mean they have the right job for you at that moment, or even within the next year. On the other hand, you might get a quick response, but when that happens, ask yourself: Are you truly ready for that particular position? Does it align with your values? Most importantly, does it move you in the right direction? Don’t fall into the trap of flattery: the consultant might be under pressure to fill the role quickly and may not care whether it’s the right fit for you.

Recruitment processes can be painfully slow. On the other hand, if you feel that there are long delays between interviews, it’s time to raise a red flag. Something might be wrong. If they’re interested in you, an employer should respond within a reasonable time frame. Otherwise, you might be a backup candidate, kept waiting while they negotiate with their first choice. 

2. Broaden your perspective

A sense of proportion is a great asset, and it’s hard to succeed without it. Live your life while you build your career—you likely have many years, possibly decades, ahead of you. A few months, six months, or even a couple of years is just a small fraction of that. Instead of grabbing the first “close enough” opportunity, you might later find a unique one. Do not drift through work – instead build your career with purpose.

3. Are you creating the sense of urgency all by yourself?

“How are you?” “Busy, as always!” 

Some of our sense of urgency is self-created. You set strict deadlines for yourself and generate unnecessary stress with goals like “by the fall” or “by the end of the year.”

If you feel pressure and thus urgency, ask yourself if you believe it’s possible to achieve your goal during your working life. If your answer is “no,” then the goal is wrong. If your answer is “yes,” you can relax: the opportunity will come when the time is right. Enjoy the milestones along the way.

Would you like support on your career journey? A job search coach helps you get the next job as quickly and efficiently as possible, while I help you grow professionally toward your main career goal. The journey isn’t always fast but in the end it will be more rewarding than jumping from one job to another without any real purpose.

Invest in yourself over the next few months, and next spring you may land to a job of your dreams and get promoted! Let’s talk! Book a FREE 30-minute call with me and steer yourself toward success!

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