How to Change the Course of Your Career

Where are you going with your job? Do you know what you expect from your job as a foundation for your career aspirations? Sometimes the first job after college is the one we may stick with because it meets a certain need. Fast forward five years later and you realize that your world or your dreams may have taken a back seat to your true career goals.

If you are feeling disconnected from your current job, consider a “Career Course Correction.” For example, you may be in a role in your organization where your work is routine and your ability to develop new skills is limited because some complacency may have set in. Or, you are so dependable in your current role that your manager may not be willing to let you participate in rotational assignments or training because no one else is trained to fill in for you.

When similar situations like the ones above happen, it is a sign that you may want to sit down and really assess what you want out of a career opportunity. For example, if you are great at designing web sites but you took a job as a contract specialist because they were the only ones hiring then it is time to get your priorities back on track.

Moreover, change is inevitable in your organization and your ability to move forward means two things:

• You need to decide if you are willing to change careers
• You can honestly conduct some self-assessment regarding your skills to become more self-aware

The next phase in a course correction includes communicating your career aspirations with your manager. This will provide an opportunity to share your career vision, obtain insight into opportunities that may be available in your current organization or realize if you need to leave your organization to follow your dreams. Most importantly, you will need to actively listen to the information your manager provides.

Then take a moment to write down what you really want to achieve as part of your personal 5-year professional development plan. Also, identify areas of opportunity and improvement to keep you on a steady and forward motion on your career path.