Uncomfortableness of Career Transition

un·com·fort·a·ble:  1. causing discomfort or distress; 

painful; irritating. 

 2. in a state of discomfort; uneasy; conscious of 

stress or strain.

So, you want me to do all of this hard work just to find a job?  inquired the job seeker. This is really uncomfortable for me – all of this.

I drew a box on a sheet of paper. The job seeker and I chatted about what that box represented to him.

Knowns.

Safety.

Security.

I know what’s going on here in the box.

I know what’s expected of me.

I know what to do and how to get things done.

Me:  So what happens when you are invited to step beyond the comfort, safety and security of the box?

Job Seeker:  I have no idea what I am doing. I have no idea what to do next or how to do this job search business.

Looking for employment, whether you have a job and want to change or don’t have a job and want one, is uncomfortable, indeed.

Remember when you bought that new pair of shoes? Remember how you wore them to the special event and your feet kept getting more and more blistered as the evening progressed? Remember how a few weeks passed and you decided to suck it up and wear them again, blister memories and all? Remember how you kept wearing them more and more until they hurt less and less? And by now, that new pair of shoes has been broken in and you don’t give it a second thought when you slip into them ---much like career transition. Even though career transition conversations may feel uncomfortable now, the more you immerse yourself in the process, perhaps the easier it will become for you to move from Point A to Point B. Here are three things you can do to help yourself if you are in the midst of career transition:

Product Assessment:  Your job search begins with knowing yourself, who you are, what you are made of, what you want and a project plan which includes multiple resources needed to get there.Education. Learn as much as you can about career management, career transition and the job search process. Education is paramount when you are in the midst of a career transition. “Knowledge is a weapon; use it to your advantage.”Practice.  Before you go to market with your product, be certain you know how to speak about it with clarity, conviction and compelling evidence. You will save yourself (and others) valuable time if you become proficient in this task.

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