How To Reset Your Career

Hello, everyone.

Welcome to the latest episode of The Intentional Career Podcast.

I'm your host, Femi Akinyemi, the founder of the Unleased Academy,as well as the host of The Intentional Careers.

Another podcast I host is called The YOU Unleashed Podcast.

The Intentional Career Podcast is all about giving ambitious professionals who've lost their confidence, who are not clear about how to make sure they make the most of their talent and get rewarded the way they should.

I provide tools, tips, about how to do this and make sure you have a joyful fulfilling career, but also rewarding in all ways.

This week I'm going to be speaking about rebooting your career.

Now as someone who's been there, who's been sacked or made redundant a few times and how to rethink my career, I've been there.

There's nothing worse than getting to a point of your career when you feel like, is this the thing I should be doing?

Is this really made for me? Or can I try something else? And then you think, can I try something else?

And fear kicks in.

Confusion kicks in and you're not quite sure what steps to take.

In this very quick podcast. I'll share some very, very quick ideas about how to do that.

Now, before I go on, I will say if this thing is something you find interesting, click on my profile, sign up for my mailing list, and also sign up for where you will get my Career Reset checklist.

And it just gives you some ideas you can apply to yourself that will help you think through how to reset your career.

Now, if you're thinking of a career change, you're in good company because research shows that there's no such thing as a job for life.

In fact, most people change their jobs at least 11 times in the span between 18 and 46 years.

That's between the age of 18 and 46 years, an American research showed that the concept of a job for life is no more. 

We all have to think about pivoting, about being flexible, things are changing.

Industries are changing. The way jobs are done is changing. Artificial intelligence is kicking in, robotics, globalization.

Think of it. Whatever it is, jobs are changing.

So the question is, what does it mean to reboot your career?

Well, sometimes these changes are voluntary, where you decide to be proactive and intentional.

Like I always tell you on this podcast, be intentional about your career.

Don't let the world push you.

You decide where you want to go and we're back to it.

So sometimes it's voluntary, or sometimes it's a result of a life altering event.

You have a baby and you get married. You move locations, your industry changes underneath your feet or you're made redundant.

Whatever the reason you're looking for a job move, or to a new company or to a new industry, sometimes you need to reboot your career. 

So the question is, how do you reboot your career?

And I'm going to be sharing about three or 4 tips, ideas you can well, literally 3, 4 or five things you can do.

If you want more, make sure you follow me. Linkedin, check me out on Club House, or just sign up for my mailing list where I send out the full documents to cover this.

But this should get you started in whichever way.

Either way.

Number one, Admit you need to start over. There's no shame in it.

There is no shame in admitting, I don't enjoy this career anymore. I want to change.

I've been fired. This is an opportunity, saw something new.

I've had a baby, and I want a different kind of career that fits the lifestyle I want now.

I'm married, my wife or my husband, or my partner lives in a different location. I want to support them and be with them in that location. It means a change of career, whatever it is, whatever the reason, and they're all good reasons.

Admit you need to start over because a lot of us like to not confront that, and that's important.

Number two, Identify what you like to do. Decide on your next move by identifying what you love and your current or in your current or previous role.

Ask people that know you from way back. Ask them what you love doing or you yourself.

Explore the market. Find out what it is out there that peaks your interest, but identify what it is you want to do.

Number three, Research your options. What are your options?

Because once you reflected on what you enjoy doing and you've about your formal role, and what you want to do, that out there, make sure you research.

Go on LinkedIn. Check out some LinkedIn groups.

Speak to people, find out what the options are, how to get the skill or whatever, or if it's a viable career option.

Just ask.

Number four, Assess your strength and skills. Now, those who follow this podcast or those who have listened to me a long time know, I am a big advocate of doing personal SWOT analysis.

Carry out a personal SWOT analysis in yourself.

What are your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and what are the threats to you?

This should start to give you a clear idea of where you can play, but you do need to do this.

Number five, Network. If you've lost a job, calling a network of friends, colleagues for support, if you're looking for a new career, LinkedIn is a fantastic way to go about it.

Look for people you know who are in the career you're trying to get into, or people you know who know people in this career and ask them, Is it okay for you to arrange an introduction?

Or you can reach out to them.

Now, there are ways you can do this. There's a sort of art of introducing yourself to people.

As someone who hosts podcast, I do it a lot. I can't share that with you.

But if you sign up for my email list, this is the kind of stuff I share all the time with people.

And people who are members of my Intentional Career Club will know that I give lots of templates that you can use to introduce yourself to people.

This is something you should do. There are ways you can introduce yourself to people that will mean they will 100% welcome you into their circle, welcome into their life, and do what they can to support you on your journey. 

Number six, Find a mentor. Find someone who walks the walk, someone who's been there before, someone who's happy to give you some nuggets, to give you some knowledge, some insight to help you because you want to ease the transition.

Transitioning is hard enough, but this person who's your mentor can share their insights with you.

They can stay you in the right part, and they can expand your network.

Number seven, Set goals. Change can be intimidating, especially if you have lots of important decisions to make.

But creating a short, medium term and longterm plan will help you focus on the steps you need to take.

One of the things I tell people who want to transition is sometimes you've got to accept as part of your goal planning is you might need to take a step back, which means relating to pay, cache, or standing.

You might need to take a step back because you're moving to a new industry, to learn the ropes, and then afterwards you experience your knowledge from another industry, kicks in, it marries in with your new knowledge, and then you fly.

So sometimes you need to have these goals to understand.

Number eight, Be flexible and be realistic. Be flexible.

If you're in between jobs, it might take you longer to find a new job. If you're transitioning, it might take you longer.

But even if you're looking to move within your organization, sometimes you need to be patient, especially during times like this, where there's a pandemic, economic uncertainty, and sometimes you might need to accept.

You might need to take less than you originally want or think you deserve, but it's all part of the plan, more or less. Inside joke.

Number nine, Create your own opportunities. Regardless of where you're considering a move within your own organization or looking for a new challenge, there are countless ways to improve experience.

I always tell people, think about nonprofit or voluntary organizations. These are areas where you can go in there.

Do 1, 2 days a week, part time. If you're keeping your existing job, to hone your current skills.

And then number 10, Stay positive. The most important thing is to stay positive.

In these times, you can be going crackers. You can be going crazy. Nobody's calling you, nobody wants you, nobody's attracting you, nobody's giving you a shot.

It will pay off in the long term. You just got to keep pushing, stay positive, keep going and things work out in the end.

But the key point in all this is that many people change their careers because they want the change of renewal or because of a lifestyle change, or because sometimes they get laid off.

But before you make these decisions, perform a self assessment, find out your network, find out your options, and appreciate that sometimes it can be stressful, but eventually it pays off. 

If you set the right goals and you go through it methodically.

I hope you've enjoyed this session.

I would say follow me on Club House, LinkedIn. Sign up to my email list as per usual so you can get more of this and the tools and templates I share out.

And also, please, please, please, leave feedback for me on wherever you find this.

Or please go into the upper podcast and leave some great feedback for me.

Give us a five star rating if you found it useful and share it with people that you know, this will make all the difference to in their careers.

Remember, be intentional and you decide where your career goes. 

You choose. Have a great week and smash it. Be intentional.