Facing career disruption?

Career disruption creates anxiety. It presents itself in many forms: you feel your influence is waning, there is a potential for layoffs, the company’s performance is missing targets, or layoffs have been announced. These palatable disruptions often cause you to become fearful, more risk-averse, or even to try to become invisible. You should do the opposite: take ownership of your career path. The obvious step is to “buff” up your resume. That is not where to start.

Step One

Identify your “next.” When a person faces career disruption, they often seek a replacement job with another company, like the one they have. They should identify their next career step—what job they want, not what job they have. This journey will often take them to the next tier in the hierarchy, an adjacent role with more influence or potential, or even a new industry. Your job search should focus on advancing to the next stage of your career, not just seeking replacement work.

Step Two

Many roles are transferable across industries. Identify the potential in another sector. Marketing, HR, technology, compliance, finance, project management, and even operations are cross- Thought leadership can be advanced with a mentor who encourages you to think outside the box, go beyond, and think as if there were no box.

 

continue reading »