How far do you want to evolve?

Pickled stuff is surprisingly interesting.

I'm not talking kimchi and sauerkraut (though they're great for bloating I'm told).

I'm talking deadly scorpions, giant worms and razor-toothed fish in formaldehyde-filled Victorian jars.?

I spent a fascinating hour at the Cambridge Zoological Museum last week and peered at a lot of weird and wonderful creatures, be they pickled, stuffed or skeletal.?

I know. Kind of macabre.?

But I learned a lot. Particularly about the surprising way different species are related.?

I learned that chickens belong to the same family as dinosaurs. ??

That whales are related to cows. ??

And woodlice are cousins with prawns. ??

Fascinating.?

Because we can't always see how seemingly different creatures could possibly be connected.?

Just as we can't always see what other roles could be related to our current job.?

But jobs are like creatures. They have near relatives. And distant ones.?

And if you're thinking about a career shift, it's worth considering the whole evolutionary scale between chicken and dinosaur to decide how big a change you'd really like.?

Here are 3 kinds of career evolution to consider:

1. Think about adapting your environment???????

Species evolve in response to their environment.?Take polar bears and?pandas.?

?

Both busy doing beary stuff, but one munching seals?in the frozen Arctic and another chewing bamboo in the Chinese uplands.

How much of a difference would it make to your career fulfillment if you just focused on switching?your environment?

?

You could????change team????change?company????change?sector????change?the type of clients you work with????change?the way you work (employed/freelance/own business/portfolio)????change your hours or working pattern

2.?Think about your closely?related "species"???? ?? ??

I'm a?journalist who became a career?coach. Which is unusual. Because a lot of?people who leave?journalism?move into Public Relations or Communications roles. It's an obvious use of our transferable skills.

Just as lawyers become mediators, athletes become trainers, police officers become security advisers, managers become consultants, politicians become lobbyists?... these are closely related careers.?

So brainstorm?ten?jobs people in your profession?naturally evolve into. What are the?six?key skills you can repurpose? What?jobs are your past colleagues doing now and what did your current colleagues do before they joined you??

3.?Think about what's deeper in your?DNA? ??????

If you're wondering about switching to a job that?doesn't - on the surface -?look connected to your previous work, you're?probably tapping into something deeper in your DNA.?

Just as we can't always see why a woodlouse is like a prawn, we can't always understand why an architect becomes a?florist, or a teacher moves into psychotherapy.?

Because what connects people to more radical career shifts is often

- a broader use of their essential?strengths?(such as design, organisation, problem-solving, campaigning) as opposed to their very specific skills

- a powerful?interest?(be that fashion, fitness, travel, the environment ...)

- an important?value?they want to meet (like?adventure, community, creativity, justice).?

Getting clear on what's deep?in your career DNA can help you evolve towards roles you might not otherwise consider.?

So grab?your scientist's lab coat,?and ask yourself:

What?small adaptations?could I?make to my current work?that would have a positive impact on me??

How many new jobs can I list that are?naturally related?to my current profession and my six?key skills?

What are the?deeper strands?in my career DNA telling me about less obvious shifts that could suit me??

Career evolutions can be as big or small as you like. I wonder where you see yourself on that scale ...?

Stay curious,?

Rachel

Whenever you're ready, here are 3 ways I can help you:??

1. Buy my book?"The Career Change Guide: Five Steps to Finding Your Dream Career"?which will take you from procrastination and confusion to clarity and action. It's currently ￡14.85 on Amazon and garnering 5 Star reviews.

2. For personal, super-focused career support, invest in my signature 8 session?"ReWork Your Life" coaching course.?First book?a no-obligation, relaxed 30 minute Zoom call, where we can chat about what you need and see if we're a good fit.?

3. Get my fortnightly career insights direct to your email inbox.?Sign up here and this newsletter will ping in every other Sunday.

#careerchange?#careercoaching?#careerdesign?#careerdevelopment