When thinking about your career goals, one of the most important things you can do to get the best results is make sure you are asking the right QUESTIONS. Sometimes it’s not as straightforward as “needing a new job”. One of the most common reasons clients work with me as their Career Coach is because they are looking for a new job. In reality though, oftentimes once we begin to unpack their concerns, we discover together that they may actually be coming to terms with other factors in their life that may need adjustments. Here are some examples of asking the right questions and getting to the heart of what you are truly seeking:
Instead of, “What should my new job be?” the question may be “How can I adjust things in my life so I can be home with my kids and NOT work fulltime?”
Instead of, “What new career path should I take?” the question may be “What new coping skills do I need to learn so I can handle the demands of my job and organization?” or “What can I do to increase my self-esteem so I am not on edge all day, feeling like I am doing something wrong?”
Instead of, “What new organization should I work for?” it is “I am not a fan of my boss. How can my boss and I communicate better so we can work towards our common goals?”
Instead of “I want a leadership position” maybe it’s, “How can I take a lead on more projects in my current role?”.
Instead of “I can’t figure out what I want to do” maybe it’s “I need to address my mental health/ physical health challenges” or “I need to do more work to learn about who I am and what my goals are”.
Don’t get me wrong, there are many times the goal IS most certainly to look for a new job, a new boss, a new organization, or a new career path. But there are certainly situations where it is making sure you are digging deep, asking the right questions first, getting to know what you REALLY want, and what problem needs to be solved.
A good career coach will help you to do this and “call you out on it”, help you craft the right questions, and draft a plan to explore and find the answers. 😊
My wish for you is that you know who you are, what you want, and how to get there, and it all starts with asking the right questions. And the answer isn’t always leaving. Sometimes it’s sitting within the uncomfortableness of your current environment. It’s like pigeon pose in yoga. Finding comfort in the uncomfortable can teach us a lot and show us how resilient we are. Many things can be adjusted with a tweak to your mental mindset. You are Amazing and You got this!
What parts of this post resonate or don't resonate with you? I invite you to share your thoughts in the comment section below.
In Light & Love and continuous self-improvement,
Melissa Carvalho
Holistic Life Purpose & Career Coach/ Yoga Teacher
:)