5 practical tips for working through a career transition
Most of us have been there at one time or another.
It might be that you have already secured a new role and are now working out your notice period, maybe you are going through a redundancy consultation process, or perhaps you’ve just had enough and haven’t made any firm decision yet on your next move, but you know you’re not staying where you are.
Whatever your circumstances, you may find yourself having to show up to a job that is leaving you feeling unmotivated and fed up.
And it is hard, very hard, to stay motivated when you’ve got one foot out the door — metaphorically speaking.
From personal experience I remember when I had a particularly bad case of it. I had my dream job but the company I worked for was bought by a much larger organisation. Whilst, unlike many of my colleagues, I still had a job with the new company, I didn’t want it. I was tired, fed up, exhausted and unmotivated. I simply hadn’t bought into the bigger company and couldn’t make the shift. Mentally and emotionally, I checked out despite the fact I didn’t have an alternative job to go to. I didn’t respect my new manager; I didn’t feel like I belonged, and I felt aggrieved by them for taking over my old company.
I would drag myself into work each day and do the bare minimum I could get away with while I decided what to do next.
Career transition comes in many guises, an obvious one being redundancy. During my HR career I had many redundancy/at risk conversations with employees. Being told you are at risk initiates a process of change that you’re not in control of and that can be tough. The Kubler-Ross change curve stages (denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance) are sometimes useful in working out where you are in the process emotionally. Moving forward from a redundancy situation can be challenging and a regular discussion I would have with ‘at risk’ employees was around their motivation.
Feeling incredibly bored was how one senior banker described it to me. He had to come to work every day, a job that he previously loved and was all encompassing and yet now he found his head was elsewhere and he didn’t know how to deal with that, or how to best make use of the time that he had while the ‘pressure’ was off. He was also struggling with feelings related to lack of confidence. He wasn’t sure what to do next — did he want to stay in banking or do something different? From someone who previously had been full of self confidence, drive and ambition, he found himself with unfamiliar thoughts and feelings and that was hard.
My own redundancy experience was a little different. I was ready and willing to go and was looking forward to a change, however there were still moments during that time when I was forced to remember all the chats I’d had with employees and follow my own advice to remain motivated.
If it’s a situation out of your control, like redundancy, how can you turn it into a positive? What can you learn from the experience?
Speaking with an ex-colleague recently, she talked about her disappointment with her current role and company. She expressed difficulty in showing up every day. For her, she has made a decision to leave however it doesn’t just happen overnight. There is a strategy that needs to be thought through for what comes next — role level, type of company etc. In the meantime, she acknowledged that she needs to do her current job, and she wants to continue to do it well.
I do think that when you work in HR and are feeling fed up or unmotivated it is particularly hard because you have employees — your clients — to face and often they are going through the exact same things you are but, you can’t share that. You hold back from having a completely real conversation because you don’t feel that it’s professional.
Like I said at the start, whatever your situation, you’ve worked hard to get where you are and the job or career that once excited you, now leaves you feeling drained.
From a practical perspective it is important to try not to let a few weeks or months of disillusionment overshadow the good.
How can you use the time constructively?
Below are some tips for using your time wisely and to help you improve your motivation or confidence.
Update your CV; It’s something that can be put off because it feels so onerous but take the time to update it and turn your cv into something you’re proud of. Use your cv work to map out your career so far and look ahead at what you want it to look like. Whether or not it’s your decision to leave, think about why you joined in the first place — what was it that initially excited you to the role / company and what of that can you do more of while you’re still there, and what elements do you want to make sure you have in your next role?
Do a skills audit; What skills do you know you already have and what new skills have you developed in your current role. How can these help you going forward? Have a think about which ones you want to grow and which you want to place less emphasis on.
Lean into your network; both professionally and personally. Build up new contacts and reconnect with those you may have let slide.
Take time for YOU. Yes, you still have to go to work and show up, but what can you do, just for you, things that give you joy? The more you are able to create a positive mindset, the more energy you will have and the more fulfilled you will feel.
What is your legacy? Think about the legacy you want to leave behind in this job — how do you want people at work to remember you. Leave on a high!
One final suggestion — have a think about that thing that you are most proud of in your career so far. Why are you proud of it? What skills, abilities and strengths did you use to achieve this thing? Own your role in achieving it. Use the memory, or knowledge from this to help shape your future.
(main photo credit: Anthony Fomin on Unsplash. Motivation photo credit: Drew Beamer on Unsplash )