Career Planning Managing an Unexpected Career Change
If you are one of the millions of people who get an unexpected layoff notice, the fact that you are getting laid off can be terrifying. It does not have to be that way, but many people do not prepare themselves for the eventuality of a career change and prefer instead to coast through life. When market forces or a major illness interrupts their career, they may have no idea how to start a new career.
Let us be clear, you can switch into another career quickly, but not if you do not plan your strategies way ahead of time. Once the emergency hits, you will not have the calm head required to look at all your options objectively. So, do not wait until something happens to force you out of your career, be initiative-taking and start looking at ways to manage a potential career change even if your job seems as secure as the rock of Gibraltar.
In this career planner, several different strategies will be discussed that can help you make a successful career change in a week, should the unexpected arise. They are the foundation for making a smooth transition. Each of these strategies may take time to settle in and that is why you need to do them before you attempt to switch careers.
You want to lay the foundation and be prepared, just like you would if a hurricane were getting ready to strike your town. Do not expect the government forces to be able to reach your door to help you, in that event. Similarly, in a situation where the economy is shaken, you may have fewer federal resources available. Do check them out, but also prepare to take control of your own life.
Some of the items to be discussed will seem like common sense to you. They are. There is no magic bullet that makes one suddenly qualified for a new position at just the right time. It takes a commonsense approach and the ability to plan and strategize for all contingencies. It starts with a willingness to realistically appraise your own skills and the determination to do the arduous work to make your own future secure, without relying on chance or fate. So, the advice given here can help you whether you are laid off or whether you are making a leap into self-employment.
If you have the strategies in place when the time comes to quit your job or leave, then you can utilize the seven-day plan to keep you on the right road to future income. It can give you a feeling of security in rough times and it can help to motivate you.
The worst thing that can happen when you are suddenly without work is that you decide to take it easy for a while. That is not the time to take it easy, that is the time to take out your plan and focus on some strategies to either get you gainfully employed or make a dream come true. It all depends on how much you have prepared in advance as to how easily you can move from having no job to being in total control of your life.
Preparing Ahead of Time
You do not want to get to the point where you have been given notice and have absolutely no idea where to start looking for a job or even what jobs you qualify for. Always know what your skills are and how those skills apply to the present marketplace. This can take a review of your skills, yearly. This should be easy enough as that is normally done in your yearly review, with your supervisor.
Always keep a copy of all your achievements and skills at home. If you are asked to leave a company, you may have little time to take anything with you. So, function as a faithful employee, but keep records at home – always. Do not leave them on your desk at work. You will not be able to retrieve them if you leave suddenly.
Many companies ask you to specify your career goals and then evaluate how you did at year end. This is a great strategy to help you plan on how to increase your on-the-job skills. You should take advantage of any areas that you think will also make you more marketable outside the company and that can also benefit your own company. Always show how your further training can increase the company’s bottom line. If it happens to increase your marketability, that is not something you need to draw attention to, but it can be invaluable during a layoff.
Regards, Coyalita
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