Visionary Leaders on the Move: Simple, Actionable Tips for your next-step Career Change

I’ve just been through a 6 week wind tunnel in search of my next career move. I’ve never worked so hard or been so focused in my life! I’ll lay out here exactly what I’ve done; what’s worked, what hasn’t, and what I’ve learnt.

In my Visionary Leader article, I spoke about getting behind your Vision by having a plan and actioning it. Leadership is all about taking bold, consistent action. Being willing to back yourself 100%. And being relentlessly determined to seek out where you can add the most value and make the most impact.

When I was young, I asked my Dad what I needed to do to be successful. He replied, “hard work, focus and determination”.

So if you want your next career step to fit you like a glove, do this:

If you’re on a tight deadline, take massive action.

·        Set a goal and stick to it. I have a total of 8 weeks to find my dream job. In week one, still reeling from the shock, I applied for around 20 jobs using an updated version of my old CV and burned through some good ones. To date, I have applied for over 480 jobs with exactly two weeks to go. My goal was to send out 75 to 100 a week. This is actually on the low side, and once I got moving I fell somewhere in between.

·        Get your CV professionally done. It’s the difference between turning up to an interview in a crumpled shirt or a freshly ironed one. It’s the smartest investment you can make in yourself. Your CV is the first opportunity for someone to hear your voice. It should be a powerful reflection of who you are. Professionally crafted, it can effortlessly accelerate you to the next level.

·        Get your LinkedIn profile optimised. 90 percent of recruiters rely on LinkedIn to source candidates - it’s your ‘shop window’. I read everything that made sense, then actioned it.

·        Be consistent. Everything we read on how to reach and exceed our goals tells us that taking consistent action is key. The latest research shows that for every 27 CV’s sent out, we can bank on one interview. In my experience, this has proven to be accurate.

·        Get support. I started a WhatsApp group for my L&D colleagues in the same situation as me. I posted most of the jobs I applied for, actively supported them by celebrating the wins and kept in touch individually. I injected as much positive energy as I could into this group, which came back to me in spades from a few kind and caring individuals. Their support has helped more than I can say.

·        Make your list. Put everyone you know on there who might be able to help, whether it’s writing reviews, opening doors or getting you work. Add to it often and work through it regularly. Post in LinkedIn groups, approach selected connections personally and think University groups or school alumni, past managers and colleagues. Leave no-one out.

·        Get focused now: That first week flew by. With Christmas and my rent payment looming, I had to get very focused, very fast!

My 5 pronged approach to create massive momentum:

·        Get them to call you. With my professionally tuned CV, I started using reed and total because they’re one-click apply. I had a standard covering letter with solid achievements and data backing up the main points in the job spec. By the 350 mark, recruiters were starting to call me with jobs. Some of these positions were amazing, and un-advertised. During this time my focus expanded.

Recruiters feedback made me look at my work experience with new eyes and I saw options I’d not thought of before.

·        Critical Mass. Once that happened, I narrowed my focus. Being approached with work meant I could be more selective, and this threw up a few key areas to focus on; Sales, L&D, Commercial Strategy and Leadership. They are my bread and butter. I began applying for work that would harness all of those areas and stretch me.

·        Make growth your goal: I intentionally thought about which new skills I wanted to learn. I came up with Organisational Change and Transformation, and Apprenticeships. To support my growth, I decided to find a Mentor/Manager in my next job. Someone who is willing to nurture me/my skills in return for a greater ROI. This crystallised things for me and suddenly my perfect jobs were everywhere.

“Growth isn’t just about new experiences and courses, it’s also about being guided by someone who can see your potential better than you can.”

·        Talk about what you love. For me it’s Leadership. If I’m not doing it I can’t teach it or write about it. It’s my way of keeping myself accountable. I’ve always loved writing, so I decided to write about Leadership and my other 3 areas of expertise on LinkedIn. Here’s what happened: 1 podcast request, 1 request to build my material into someone's Leadership Training, multiple requests for professional career coaching/mentoring, 1 request to blog and one to re-publish my posts internally.

·        Reach out and make new connections. People are lovely. I have been blown away by the real contacts I’ve made on LinkedIn and I’ve added an extra 2,000 amazingly talented individuals to my network. Keeping in touch and setting up phone calls is one of the best things I’ve done.

I have so much more to write about on job-search, which I’ll be doing in the coming weeks. In the meantime, I’d encourage you to reflect on the following;

·        What are my key areas? Pick 3 or 4 you’re really good at and focus on those in your CV and job-search.

·        Which areas would I like to up-skill in or learn about? Look for jobs where there’s scope to grow into those areas specifically.

·        Would they appreciate the value I could bring? Think of a prospective company like a new relationship, which it essentially is. Do their values resonate with you? How good a ‘fit’ are they? Could you be yourself there?

·        What are my non-negotiables? For me they’re autonomy, creativity, travel, problem solving and making a direct, measurable impact.

·        What are my goals for sending out CV’s? How many interviews do I want a week? Be specific with numbers. I had a goal of 25 CV's yesterday and sent out 30. Once you get into a rhythm it’s hard to stop! Remember, send 27 out to get 1 interview.

·        If I look back in a year, will my new job have harnessed my existing skills and enabled me to fully express my Leadership Vision?

There are thousands of jobs out there and one has got your name on it. As of today, I have interviews for 2 dream jobs coming up, with 3 more in the pipeline and 15 more to follow up on. I have been offered 2 paid positions in start-ups in the New Year and 2 very solid business opportunities. I’m feeling grateful and excited about what the future holds.

If like me, you’re looking to play a much bigger game this coming year, make “hard work, focus and determination” your mantra. 

Alison Roberts is an ex-entrepreneur with 35 years’ experience as a Global L&D Leadership Consultant, Sales Director/Trainer, Account Manager, Executive and Business Mentor and Public Speaker. She is passionate about Women in Leadership and specialises in developing and empowering future leaders and high-potentials. She is at her best when solving complex problems and challenging the status quo. Connect with Alison on LinkedIn, Facebook and the Web  

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