Last night we convened the first meeting of the Career Changers’ Group. A small group of us met at the Townhouse Bar & Grill in Emeryville, CA for a two-hour meetup that was part peer learning, part brain-storming and part group therapy. Each of us was at a different place in our career development–some had taken the leap into something new, others were peaking over the wall but not ready to climb over, and still others, like me, were straddling the fence (enough metaphors for you?).
We began the evening by attempting to identify our “dream jobs” (Mine was “Oprah”; another Career Changer chose “Retired”). We had great conversations about our careers thus far–the jobs we’ve held and what we did or didn’t enjoy about them. We talked about the realities of changing careers versus the well-reasoned and nicely crafted articles and advice we’ve all received. In the end, I left with a few great bits that I intend to put to use in my own working life, and in coaching sessions with my clients.
- Identifying your transferable skills is important when you are trying to figure out your next career move, but they are hard to sell to potential employers (See Transferable Skills Not Translating Into New Careers)
- Small companies are more willing to take a chance on hiring a Career Changer
- Changing careers may require a willingness to accept lower level positions
- Searching for dream jobs based on your passions is great for self-help books, but is not completely realistic in practice (especially if there’s no market for your passion and your passion doesn’t drive you to work like crazy to get what you want)
- Beach vacations are the best (Don’t ask)
And, finally, my favorite take away bit of all…
- Dream jobs don’t have to be forever. Instead of looking for a job we can do for the next 10 years, adopt a strategy that’s been working for dot-comers, first-movers and other opportunists for years. Suck the air out of a pocket of opportunity. Find your dream job of 2 years, 3 years or even 6 months. Then, find another one.
The next Careersthatdontsuck Career Changers Group Meeting is scheduled for October 2007. Visit the Career Changers’ Group website for more info.
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