Transit 2023-24: Hop(p)ing for Greener Pastures?

Transit 2023-24: Hop(p)ing for Greener Pastures?

The new dawn of New Year – 2024 obviously ignites our mundane-cum-mercurial mind meander in quest of newer and more prosperous opportunities so that we could grab better job prospects promising a lusciously lucrative pay package per month/per annum in a bid to lead a dignified lifestyle long-cherished hitherto.

When we mention the idiom ‘Greener Pastures’, it denotes: “A new place or activity that offers new opportunities.”

Further elucidation of ‘Greener Pastures’ states: “If somebody finds their present situation unsatisfying, they may move on to 'pastures new.' Likewise, 'greener' is used to suggest 'fertile' metaphorically.”

While ‘hoping’ expresses ‘desire for,’ ‘hopping’ hints at ‘jumping’, ‘switching’ over. And, here, in this context, we are talking of “a better or more promising position/situation.”?

In a worthy write-up on “Easing Career Changes”, Editor at Linkedin News Polly Dennison has mentioned: “If you want to make a change to your career, it can be difficult to know how to proceed. Change can be hard, especially if a big part of your identity is connected to your work, or you were let go from a job.”

More relevantly, London Business School professor of organisational behaviour, Herminia Ibarra , has written in the prestigious 美国哈佛商学院 (HBR): “There are ways to ease the transition through. A big starting point is figuring out not only what you want to do, but also how to do it. Taking some time to reflect is important.”?

“Careers are highly changeable now, and many big changes are not prescriptive or linear. You might need to figure things out as you go, and it can be normal to go through times when you feel like you’re between phases of your life. Lean into your network for new opportunities as well as your friends and family as a support while you figure things out,” stresses author Ibarra.??

Similarly, noted career coach Christina Loannidou advises, “Revamp your career plan before the end of the year, with a December Career Success Calendar. Look back on what you’ve achieved so far and begin to look forward strategically.”?

Advising further to “use the holiday period to network, besides relaxing with family and friends, updating the CV with accomplishments and experience, setting out priorities, deadlines and milestones for the first quarter”, the career coach has motivated to ”hit the ground running in the New Year.”

Eminent career coach Marlo Lyons , sharing her precious advice with the celebrated HBR, states, “If landing a new job is on your list of to-dos, determine your purpose and values to start the preparations,” besides suggesting to “ask oneself the questions related to the environment one want to work in or the kind of interactions one look forward to.”

Lyons further views, “Once one has identified the roles, consider one’s skills and experiences that can translate into the job, and also update the resume accordingly. One should go through different job descriptions to recognise the keywords and incorporate them into one’s application.”

“Creating a pitch highlighting one’s accomplishments can help during interviews and networking events. Create a realistic plan,” quips the career coach.??

Pertinent to quote here: “A person who feels appreciated will always do more than what is expected.”

One of the most inspiring quotes on human dignity is: “Human rights rest on human dignity. The dignity of man is an ideal worth fighting for and worth dying for.” – Robert C. Maynard.

Hence, let the ‘New’ be the ‘Best Anew’ so that the much-sought-after greener pastures may not be a mirage!

#careercoach #leadership #careershifts #organizationalbehavior