There are a few things that people tend to dread doing such as public speaking, going to the dentist, or meeting the in laws 😅. These are all fairly common knowledge yet one thing that’s underrated in the dreading category is figuring out what to do next in your career.
The dreaded question of "what to do next" can lead to career paralysis, stagnation and wasted potential as people avoid answering for themselves what to do next for way too long.
It’s understandable. It’s a loaded question that carries with it your entire life’s outlook and standard of living. It imposes on you the responsibility of being a grown up that has everything figured out something you don’t quite know how to embrace and get there.
So here I propose a solution that can help you gain back control of your career and confidently answer the question what to do next like the powerhouse that you are.
The question is so broad that it’s normal for you to feel you don’t know where to start. So consider making identifying your niche the starting point. Identifying your niche means defining some key parameters where you can express yourself professionally with a competitive advantage.
So, what are some of these parameters you may wonder? Consider the following 6 parameters as you decide how to navigate your next steps. To help you work through each of these keys get the free career success roadmap as a guide and template to record your answers as you go. You can refer back to it as you progress towards your next level career.
1. Skills and natural abilities
What skills do you have which make up your strengths and make you stand out from others? Leverage these by looking for career opportunities where you will utilise them regularly. Are you naturally good with numbers? Then further your career in a numerical and analytical field such as accounting and finance. Are you fluent in foreign languages? Then apply to jobs that require these language skills. This has worked well in my own career as I have looked for and secured accounting jobs that needed a French speaker for the past 7 years and found the competition is that much smaller as a result of this intersection of skills and natural abilities.
2. Location
Nowadays, you are likely to work some form of hybrid pattern with a few days in the office and a few days of work from home or totally remotely, yet location can still help you determine your next career move. Define what your preferences are when it comes to where you want to be when you work and select opportunities that offer alignment with your location of choice. Clearly if you want to work remotely full time then getting a job that requires permanent office presence would not work for you. Equally if you still want to go to an office, which country or city do you want to work in? Look for jobs in that city. Just because you currently live somewhere doesn’t mean this is where you intend to continue living for the foreseeable future. So answer this question truthfully: is it time to relocate and where do you want to go?
3. Seniority level
What level of seniority do you want to get into and are you qualified to command. How many year's experience under your belt of transferrable skills you can capitalise on. Is it time for you to make the leap from manager to Director or from Director to the C-suite? Are you comfortable being a people’s manager or you would rather be an individual contributor? If you decide to go for a promotion in your current company, you will find the book Promotion Achieved: Ten strategies to achieve your career success goal of a promotion at work that are recession and pandemic proof really useful as it gives you a tried and tested blueprint that works. You can apply the method readily in your own career journey to secure your promotion and pay rise.
4. Industry
Are you still enthusiastic about the industry you work in or do you feel the internal urge to explore something else. Allow yourself to be open and honest on this one. If you are still enthusiastic about your industry, then you know to keep going. If you have lost all sparks for your current industry, which one do you secretly fancy? Build connections in that new industry and start networking so you can open doors in that direction.
5. Salary level and compensation
This goes hand in hand with seniority level and industry, so research the market to understand what professionals with your profile and those above earn so you can determine the salary and compensation package you want to achieve. This helps filter opportunities, so you invest time in applying to those that meet your financial and benefits requirements. Is it time you cross the six-figure mark basic salary then set this intentionally as your goal and as you work with recruiters you can easily share your salary requirements because of your due diligence.
6. Short-, medium- and long-term plans
Your next move is a canal to achieve your career and life goals. So do you need a temporary job for instance simply because you will be on a gap year, or do you need a job that will give you access to certain benefits that are valuable to you in the pursuit of your goals. Choose a job that puts you in good stead to gain the skills and experience of your long-term career aspiration. Perhaps you need the employer to sponsor you for a qualification that is required to progress in your field e.g., ACCA for accountants or Masters and MBA for senior leaders candidates. Specifically, source employers who have the facility and program to grant you this sponsorship. I did this too in my career and only looked for employers who would pay for my professional accounting qualification. You may want to do a placement abroad to gain international experience and give your CV a boost, then go for companies with offices in other parts of the world you want to discover and who can sponsor you for a work visa internally.
If the above 6 key points have got you fired up and you want to build on the momentum with personalised support in your career then book a complimentary call with me here.
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