Pat Cody, principal adviser of Careers New Zealand's career knowledge hub, points out that although it is common enough for people to experience epiphanies relating to employment, that's not enough.
He suggests people make it a visual process: write or map out ideas.
And if you are attempting to figure out a career change, don't do it in a setting that is work-related. Get out. Head for the beach or the hills. Just going for a walk is good for that thinking.
"People will often store it all in the heads, and that's not helpful because emotions get clogged up on top,'' Cody says.
"Whatever decision is made, I think it needs to fit into a person's life. It's about making an informed decision. And that includes playing out those scenarios, all the steps towards a goal.
"Sometimes, as I work through a person's career ‘landscape', they will come to the conclusion that where they are at is actually fine. And that's valid in and of itself.
"Ultimately, I take it as a given that people will have the answers, but what I term 'noise' gets in the way.
"That noise comprises things such as self-confidence. It's about picking up and challenging those perceptions, so people can put a voice to the ideas.''
Cody typically begins his career assessments by asking people to tell him their life stories.
It's a non-confrontational approach that enables him to glean a lot of information, including qualifications, skill-sets, personal values and interests.
"I find as people get older, their values crystallise. They really determine what is important in their lives and work out how they want to ‘play the game'. People will walk away from jobs depending on their values.''
If there is a strong alignment between a person's skill-set, their job and their values, they'll probably continue in that job, he notes.
"However, what typically happens is people go through a stage where they get to know their craft, eventually master that craft and begin to wonder what else there is to do.
"We want to constantly expand what we are doing.''
A few tips
• Examine why you are seeking change. What are the drivers (e.g., values or needs) that are affecting your decisions?
• Write or map out ideas; add to them over time.
• Do your thinking in inspiring places.
• Get a team around you that will support you through change.
• Do your market research so you can make an informed choice.
