Reinventing your career

SO you're currently shaped like a square but want to become round? How do you do it?

It's analogous to changing your career really isn't it? If you don't look like the shape of where you're going, it's going to be hard to make that change.

Career reinvention is a hot topic. The pandemic has really caused many of us to imagine what we really wanted to be. We've had more time to think about this. The pangs are getting too painful to ignore.

But there are ways you can shift jobs or even careers without giving up your professional status, according to Dorie Clark , author of Reinventing You and Entrepreneurial You.

"If you're an experienced professional, you've likely accrued two benefits that younger career changers may not have: connections and money," she says.

Whether you've been forced to examine reinvention of yourself as a possibility, or doing it by choice, it can be exhausting and confusing.

In fact, author of Reinvention Roadmap , Liz Ryan, says reinvention is a process. It doesn't happen all at once.

"Reinvention is not a crossword puzzle or a logic puzzle," she says. "It happens at a different level. Your body is involved too, not just your mind."

Those who have undertaken some form of personal or career change know only too well that looking after your physical health is just as important.

Wandering in the desert

"Life is a process of becoming. Where people fail is that they elect a state and remain in it. This is a kind of death" - Anais Nin

Those who experience some form of transition have often referred to it as 'wandering in the desert.' This part of the process is where you feel like having to wander around for a while before finding your new home.

It can be scary to wander in a desert not knowing what you're supposed to be doing next.

But according to William Cowan, author of Building a Winning Career: A Complete Guide to Securing and Thriving in your Ideal Senior Role , it is a necessary phase of making a successful career transition.

He says that people often meet people in their network unprepared and that sets them up for failure moving forward.

"Expanding your network quickly with warm connections is almost impossible to do while you are working in a full-time role," he says.

"Arranging each meeting, doing your prior research and meeting face-to-face might require three to four hours. If you have a job, you do not have this kind of time to spare."

So making the most of this 'messy' time can work in your favour. You just need to use this time to nurture the seeds before they grow, by building your connections, especially if you anticipate crossing into a different field.

The messy transition process

We are changing all the time. All living things change. When water is preparing to boil, the water molecules start moving faster and faster. The molecules become chaotic and unpredictable.

The liquid then turns into vapour. The water has stopped being a liquid and has started a new existence as vapour, or steam. Scientists call this transformation from liquid to vapour a "phase transition".

The same thing happens to people in reinvention. Our movements can be quite chaotic and unpredictable too.

In their book The Chaos Theory of Careers , authors Robert Pryor and Jim Bright propose that the challenges and opportunities of uncertainty can provide unexpected opportunities during career change or job search.

Chance meetings can provide new pointers for a different direction, maybe something you haven't yet considered, that could take you down a different pathway.

Dealing with other people

Our family members and close friends can get anxious about our state. They often want us to settle down and get a job, any job. They liked us the way before.

While they may have good intentions, sometimes they can provide a roadblock to the changes we want to make. Some people may not want to even hear about your reinvention.

So it is important to spend time around people who support you and your proposed reinvention.

You need to answer the hard questions. You need to look at your career and life from a higher altitude.

Look at things in a broader context, from another perspective. Speak to people who have been there before, and successfully reinvented themselves.

Reinvention may be an unexpected and even unwelcome break in your routine.

Your 'why' can't be understated - Paint the picture of your new reality

You actually need to strongly visualise yourself in the new state before you set goals. Goals and new year's resolutions fall into the too hard basket if not propelled by motivation and clarity.

Wicked questions to be addressed

Ask yourself: What does this new future look like? How does it feel being there? If you're struggling with that ask: Am I too closely identified with my current identity? What will it take to let go of that? Am I prepared to move from my comfort zone?

Author of Setting Goals Using the SMARTEST Method , Brian McAleer, says that the traditional SMART way of goal setting can run out of steam if there is no compelling reason or purpose for achieving what you want.

Identifying your purpose can provide the fuel for motivating you when times get tough and it is getting too hard. It's about keeping your eye on the horizon, not the road bumps in front of you now.

Simon Sinek , author of Start With Why says that finding your WHY needs to come before the WHAT and HOW. This is something many people and organisations fail to do well.

It's like that biblical quote, "Where there is no vision, the people perish". You need something that will sustain you to propel you forward when you feel like not continuing or simply giving up.

We'll finish up with practical tips for you to consider.

When you seek a new direction or career reinvention, make sure:

• Your LinkedIn profile is branded to show your future direction clearly, not your past one.
• Your resume or CV is future facing so that employers and recruiters can see you are prepared for the new role or career change, highlighting your relevance and achievements.
• Find people in the field you wish to work, and reach out to them. Join the new tribe. Talk the language of the people you might work with.
• Thoroughly research the area you wish to move into and see whether that resonates with your proposed future direction.
• Do a skills gap analysis of your current skills, what you need for your future role, and decide how you will fill the gaps through further education or experiences.
• Deal with setbacks, and keep in view your compelling vision of where you want to go and establish a reason or purpose for you doing so.
• Have a coach to help guide you and discuss ways on how you can get valuable feedback on what you do well, and applying your strengths.