3 Reasons You Cant Make a Career Move

3 Reasons You Cant Make a Career MoveYoure not alone if you started 2014 with a entschlieung to find a different job, and youre still in the saatkorn position you were back in January. Even when we drive to work with dread, when we grimace at the sight of another project hitting ur e-mail inbox, when our spouse stops asking about our day because its a given that the answer will be a rantsomehow we stay put.What is that force that keeps us stuck? The bad nachrichten is that it stems from more than one source. The good news is that you can remedy each issue with some simple steps.schwierigkeit Paralysis of AnalysisWhen people come to me for career coaching, theyre exhausted. Theyve been on the gerbil wheel in their brain for so long, they dont know how to begin to identify whats next for them. Do they go back to school? Do they set up automatic alerts on Indeed? Do they apply for an internal promotion?The truth is, most people have flirted with those ideas, perhaps even made a phone ca ll or submitted a resume, but it usually stops there. The vernderliches that impact our careers (income, career progression, location, family timetheres not enough space to capture everything) are so numerous that people may hit on something they really want, but then they spiral into overwhelm.One of my favorite teachers during my coaching training said, Your mind is like a dangerous neighborhood. Dont go in there alone. Its so easy to get lost wading through this topic. Pull on one thread, and the entire tapestry can unravel.Solution Make a list of the 6 criteria your next job must haveand get specific. If its money, know exactly the amount you have to hit. If its location, list where you will live (within 10 miles of Charlotte, Virginias city limits). Six is the magic number to hit for this list. If youre over that number, you eliminate options. If youre under, youre not focused. Precision wins. Supportive boss isnt the same as Boss who sends me links to professional development opportunities.Bonus Tip Flag one of your 6 criteria as your Trump Card. Whats the one variable that will domino your days into ones that make you smile when you get out of bedor if its not present, will tip you into checking Facebook 391 times a day?Problem Your Research Isnt Research Its ImpressionsI cant work for that company they hire only contractors? Really? How do you know? Be wary of making blanket assumptions like this one and ask yourself about the reliability of your intel? How many data points do you have? Is that an impressionor is it based on a conversation with someone who works there now (not 10 years ago)?Most of my clients have firm ideas about companies and jobs they covet, but (especially if theyre looking to make an industry change or shift into a new line of service delivery) those ideas have no roots. Theyre based on hearsay, which usually isnt admissible in court because its like any rumor most likely exaggerated. Wouldnt you rather have the facts from a relia ble source before you eliminate a possibility?Solution Pick 4 target jobs. Dont make them your ultimate choice (see aboveif you wait for lightning to strike with your Perfect Job Idea, youll be like a dog chasing its tail. You can talk yourself out of anything. Were not looking for perfection here were looking for forward progress). Your goal is to talk to people who are doing those jobs right now. Youre not in competition with them or pushing them out of their jobs. Youre just collecting data. Represent yourself very transparently Im exploring whats next for me career-wise, and Id like to get advice from people like you who are in X job (or Y field).Problem You Wont Ask for HelpI cant call my former colleague itll sound like I want something from her. I dont want her to think I call only when I need something. I hear this concern quite often. People are afraid to bother anyone. They dont want to inconvenience people or take up their precious time. Thats actually a great instinct. I ts important to be mindful about the larger picture of peoples lives. At the same time, people are flattered and honored to help when they can. As long as you ask people questions that they can say yes to, theyll almost always take an opportunity to extend a hand. Plus, theyll feel good about helping out.When I was working with a client exploring the financial industry, we cold-called a financial advisor at a major investment firm. Do you have 10 minutes to answer 5 questions about your job and how you got to where you are now? I asked. Sure, he said. We had a list of questions prepared we zipped through them (learned tons), and thanked him for his time. You know the tone that someone gets in their voice when they are pleased with themselves? The warm fuzzy tone? That guy felt good about the time he had spent with us.Solution Always ask questions that get an easy yes from the other person. Dont ever ask people to circulate your resume, dont ask if there are jobs open at their compan y, and dont ask if they have names of others you can talk to. Theyll volunteer that information or make those offers if theyre comfortable and those openings exist. Instead, ask them for advice (who can resist dispensing hard-won wisdom?), follow your natural curiosity, and go into those meetings prepared.Dont wait for 2015 to set another resolution about your job. Get into action now. Take these ideas in bite-sized chunks and get moving Wouldnt it be great to start the New Year with something that fits you career-wise?Maggie GrahamA career change expert, Maggie Graham believes theres not just one answer to the classic question, What do you want to be when you grow up? All of us have many careers and passions in us, and the most important place to focus is on what the next best career move is. Maggie calls her clients Idealists because theyre done settling for monotony and other peoples agendas. Shes supported hundreds of clients in finding their focus and getting serious about engi neering their next career moves http//www.careerdesignandcoaching.com/. Sign up for her free course, 100 Days to Career Clarity, which sends one question to your inbox daily. It ends December 31, so jump in now