Six considerations to help you decide on whether to quit your job.

Have you heard of the great resignation? The pandemic has caused many of us to take a step back and consider how we feel about our working day and whether it’s something we want to change. That change is taking place in many forms across the world from small tweaks to resignations and career changes. As many return to the office after almost 2 years working from home, they are considering whether they actually want to return to the office but more specifically whether they want to return to their former office. As you navigate those decisions, here’s six things worth considering to help you make the most informed career decision on whether to stay or go.

What’s causing your job dissatisfaction?

People tend to either stick with job dissatisfaction for fear of change, or up and leave without any strategy which often turns out to be a jump from the frying pan into the fire unfortunately. If you’re unhappy or unfulfilled in your work it’s important to identify the cause of this job dissatisfaction. During my Career Clarity Workshop I encourage asking yourself when the dissatisfaction started as this can often lead to answers. I also encourage people to identify their needs at this stage of their life whether that is flexibility, increased financial reward or interest in the work they’re doing. I encourage people to get really specific, if location is important to you then let’s map out the companies within the radius you’re willing to commute within. Asking the right questions before making a change is a vital ingredient for solid, informed career decision making.

Are you experiencing regular 'Sunday Night Fear'?

I categorise ‘Sunday Night Fear’ as occasional and regular. For me, occasional ‘Sunday Night Fear’ might occur when you have a particular busy week coming up or a presentation to deliver, for example. Where it often becomes problematic is when you’re experiencing the fear most Sundays. This could translate to you dreading something in your work every single week. At this point, it’s really worth taking the time to identify the cause of this fear and whether you can do something about it or if a change is needed. It’s worth checking out my Career Confidence Workshop that can support with taking a more confident approach at work as well as figuring out and working on the areas you’re not so confident with which can really help with the Sunday Night Fear.

What does “change” need to look like for you?

I’d suggest spending some time reflecting on your career to date to identify learnings you can leverage that will help steer you in the right direction. Identifying what you have typically enjoyed during your career so far, what you’d like to avoid as you make a change and what you are missing from your current work situation will help shape your career change. Rarely do we take the time to reflect in order to figure these things out though, do we? Through my Job & Career Change Programme, I provide a virtual environment for people to take stock and take control of their career change rather than proceeding forward on auto-pilot and often making poor decisions.

How do I figure out what I really want to work at?

This is something many people find really tough, particularly as there are so many different jobs and careers to choose from, it can cause analysis paralysis. Like with everything it is a process but a great place to start is asking yourself some very practical questions about what you have typically enjoyed during your career so far, what you’d like to avoid moving forward and what you are missing from your current work situation. Identify what’s in your career toolkit that you can leverage when assessing options. When I run this exercise during my Career Clarity Workshop people usually struggle at first to list their skills, experience and knowledge yet once they get going they realise how many skills they have that will help them choose and transition into a new job. It’s also important to identify what you are missing from your current work situation that will help shape your career change. Rarely do we take the time to reflect in order to figure these things out though, do we? Through my Job & Career Change Programme, I provide a virtual environment for people to take stock and take control of their career change rather than proceeding forward on auto-pilot and often making poor decisions.

How do I know it’s time to resign?

My personal opinion is that if your work is significantly impacting your health, your relationships and your personal life overall, it’s worth taking the time to assess what’s best for you moving forward. Life is so short yet we spend 40+ hours a week in work, isn’t it worth spending that time doing something that adds to your life rather than takes away from your life? With that being said, my personal guide to follow is if a job is taking more from my life than it is providing, it’s time to consider a change. This is a decision you need to carefully consider and make for yourself as only you knows what is best for you in the short and long run.

Things to consider putting in place before quitting your job.

This will differ from person to person depending on individual circumstances. Depending on the impact your work is having on your life at present will typically determine whether you need to take the time to line up your next career move before quitting or leave with the intention of taking some time out. To help with the apprehension that comes with this decision, it’s worth running the numbers to assess how long you can afford to be out of work and how you can manage your bills in between. People sometimes feel they need to have their medium - long term career change lined up before quitting, but another route for consideration is securing a job that will provide you with the time and headspace needed to carefully figure out what direction you want to move your career in longer term. Who knows what you will learn during this time!

It’s such a tough decision to make so take your time and avail of the workshops mentioned on this blog to support with your career decision making. Remember, we have one life but we can have as many careers as we choose to have.

Here’s five things you can do to reduce interview nerves and increase your chance of success at interview.

There are no two ways about it, most people could think of a dozen situations they would prefer to face than an interview. So much time and effort goes into this one hour conversation to potentially be told you weren’t successful. But here’s the thing, it doesn’t have to be that way. With the right preparation and mindset, the dread can be replaced with confidence and excitement about the reward on the other side of the interview, the job offer.

Here’s five things you can do to reduce interview nerves and increase your chance of success at interview.

Fail to prepare, prepare to fail.

I know, we’ve heard it all before but this saying really does ring true. Preparation is key for a successful interview for many reasons, let me show you how this plays out. If you’ve done your due diligence it will be obvious to the employer which will earn you brownie points, you’ll feel much more comfortable answering questions so your confidence will shine through and by owning your story you will instil confidence and reassurance in the interviewer that you are the right candidate for this job. It’s a win win situation!

Get your physical environment right before going virtual.

There are so many perks that come with virtual interviewing! You’re comfortable in your own home, you avoid the commute and there’s room for sticky notes and reminders in view if needed. There’s also some things that can go wrong if not carefully managed so let’s take a look at what can be done to avoid this. First, be sure to test the software in advance of the interview to prevent any last minute hiccups. Second, take consideration when placing your laptop to ensure your head and shoulders are in shot and the natural light is in front of you, which will prevent any shadows. Third, be mindful of what the employer can see around you that might be distracting. Remember, you can always change your background on the online platform. Finally, It’s worth having the phone beside you so that you can quickly dial in incase you face technological issues.

Know the job, know what to say.

I can’t emphasis enough how important it is to take the time to fully understand the job that you’re interviewing for. The more you understand the job, the more you’ll realise what’s important to the employer and therefore, what they will want to discuss at interview. During my Online Career Workshops, I provide a step by step guide to prepare you for a successful interview and one thing people are usually surprised by is how much emphasis I put on leveraging the information provided in the job specification. You should spend some time studying the job description to really get to grips with what will be required of you in order to perform in the job and what the job will actually entail. A lot of people don’t take advantage of the informal screening calls at the start of the recruitment process, which provide a great opportunity to take in as much information as possible about the job, the company, the culture and the hiring managers expectations. You can then use this information to inform and focus your interview preparation.

If you don’t believe in yourself, why should the employer?

What you say is important but how you say it is even more important. While interviewing there are two key objectives at hand, first to identify whether the job and company is a fit for you and second, to reassure the employer that you’re the right candidate for their job. Your chances of

achieving these objectives increase exponentially if you get the delivery write. If you’re not owning your story and oozing self- belief, why would the employer believe you are the right candidate? Too often we get caught up in the nerves that come with interviews and don’t spend enough time identifying and believing in our capabilities in relation to the job. I always tell those that attend my online career workshops not to be afraid to show passion and enthusiasm while interviewing, it portrays confidence and is often what will differentiate you from other candidates. Remember, it’s down to you to show the employer why and how you’re capable of doing the job, don’t leave it up to them to figure that out.

Don’t underestimate the power of relationships.

We all want to work with people we get on with and it’s no different for those interviewing you. Throughout the recruitment process take every opportunity to establish and build a relationship with those you’re engaging with. During the interview be sure to use eye contact, address the interviewers by name throughout and use your tone of voice to portray understanding where necessary. Try to look directly in the camera 70% of the time while using the other 30% of the time to sense check the interviewers reactions on the screen. Relationship building is particularly important during a virtual interview as we don’t have the opportunity to read someones energy as we would in person. I always suggest a follow up e-mail thanking the interviewers for their time and reiterating your interest in the position as it keeps you top of mind while they may be continuing the interview process with other candidates.

I truly believe we are all stronger and more capable than we give ourselves credit for. It is for that reason that I have such faith and confidence in all my clients when they are going for that important interview having prepared appropriately.

If you want to improve your performance at interview and make the most of every opportunity you get to secure your desired job, people find the Career Change Workshop really helpful as it dives into interview preparation aswell as CV & application strategies, salary negotiation, job & company audit and lots more.

Here are five ways to pursue your passion without leaving your day job.

While some are lucky enough to combine their passion with a well paying job, it is not always an option that is available to everyone. Quite frequently, when faced with job dissatisfaction people reach to their interests and passion as a way to fill the missing void of career fulfilment. However, upon their due diligence, they often discover that pursing this passion often comes with a hefty price tag in the form a significant salary decrease. This can be incredibly disheartening as you run the numbers and realise that it may not be financially practical. However, all is not lost, there is more than one way to pursue your passion and experience the career fulfilment that you are striving for.

Here are five ways to pursue your passion without leaving your day job.

Don’t lose sight of purpose.

First up, it’s important to remind yourself what you’re striving for which is that career fulfilment you’re lacking in your current career. Often, people can move too quickly to try and make money from this passion and in doing so, end up spending their time pursing their passion in a way that does not evoke the fulfilment they desire. During my Career Clarity Workshop I guide people through the process of figuring out what aspect of their passion brings them joy and in what form. For example do they like writing about their passion or speaking about it. Exploring questions like this will help to steer you towards career satisfaction as you pursue your passion.

If opportunity doesn’t find you, find it.

Now that you have figured out how you want to work with your passion it’s time to start exploring opportunities to do so. There are so many avenues open to you, it just takes a little digging around to find the right ones for you. Identify who you admire in this space and check out what they are doing to pursue their passion. Have a think about what isn’t being utilised that you could adopt in your approach. Don’t be afraid to ask for help along the way, most of us don’t leverage our network as much as we could or should yet we can save so much time and stress by doing so. This is something I’m always encouraging clients to pay more attention to.

Act now and build for later.

In order to get your passion off the ground, a number of skills will be needed. The good news is, most of us have many more skills than we realise, developed through our upbringing, career and general life experiences. I’m always amazed at how many additional skills people realise they have during my Career Workshops. Take some time to do a stocktake on yours and identify areas that you may need to develop further. This will not only serve your passion project right now but will also future proof your ability to transition your career should you wish. When it comes to skill development, I would suggest a combination of self teaching through online resources, leveraging the experiences of your network and learning as you go as practice really does make perfect. You might find that you’re lacking confidence in some areas as you haven’t utilised certain skills in a while which is completely normal. One of the exercises we work through during my Career Confidence Workshop is figuring out what we feel confident doing, taking learning from how we approach those tasks and perhaps seeing if we can apply similar tactics to the areas we’re a little less confident with.

Prepare for a marathon, not a sprint.

If you’re hoping that this passion project will sustain you for some time, it’s best to treat the journey as a marathon, not a sprint. Allocate regular time to your passion project but be conscious of all of the other life categories you want to be able to nourish along the way such as relationships, your home environment, work, health, etc. If your passion project starts to really build momentum and becomes profitable, you could outsource certain tasks to give yourself back the time to spend on the areas you enjoy most. Remember, no one can be an expert in everything so sometimes it’s worth letting the experts do what they do best while you focus on what you do and enjoy best.

Differentiate between chore and passion.

For many people, the fulfilment and enjoyment that comes from spending their personal time pursuing their passion will give them everything they’ve been missing from their day job. Some may even find that their passion project starts to generate income organically. When it comes to monetising your passion, it’s worth remembering the ways you enjoy working on this project. It can be tempting to turn to the easiest and most obvious ways of generating income, however, that may take away from the satisfaction you’re seeking and make it feel like more of a chore than an passion.

If you’d like to get some support figuring out what your passion might be or working towards making your passion project or side hustle your career, I’d highly recommend completing the Career Clarity Workshop.

Five ways to take control of your Career from the kitchen table

It’s definitely not the 2021 a lot of people had in mind and for some, it’s getting increasingly difficult to stay motivated and focused on career progression while working from home. With that being said, while it’s not the norm for a lot of us, growing a career virtually has been the norm for years for those who work on global teams. It takes a little pivoting and mindfulness but you can absolutely take control of your career from home with a little extra awareness, communication and planning. 

Here’s five ways to take control of your career from the kitchen table.

Get the basics right. How’s your home office set up?

It’s unclear how long we will remain working remotely, so at this stage it’s best to make some changes that will set you up for success in the medium to long term. A good place to start is with your home office set up whether it is situated at the kitchen table or in the spare room. Consider what you can do to create a barrier between your home office set up and your actual home, whether that means packing away the laptop each evening or having your office set up in the corner of the room that doesn’t interfere with your ability to switch off in the evening and at weekends. If you’re working in a busy household, a good set of noise cancelling earphones will be your saviour! Minimal visual distractions can help to prevent procrastination and a notepad is key for jotting down your top priorities of the day to keep focused. Don’t underestimate the power of a change, switching things up every so often can give you the boost you need while we live, work and play within the same four walls. Even changing the direction of your desk every few months so you’ve a slightly different view can freshen things up. Some people like to alternate between sitting and standing throughout the day which can help overcome the afternoon slump! 

Recharge to take charge!

Creating and maintaining work-life balance habits can really support you in switching off each evening to ensure you are in the right mindset to drive your career forward the next morning. Habits such as completely shutting down your laptop each evening, getting out for a walk straight after work and creating headspace for yourself throughout the day through short ten minute intervals can provide the foundations for switching off fully. 

Stay in mind while out of sight.

Avoid the term “out of sight, out of mind” materialising by proactively keeping your stakeholders and managers up to date on your deliverables. Scheduling these “update calls” with management also serves as accountability for you to ensure you complete the work you committed to in time before each call. Without those “water cooler conversations” our informal work relationships can suffer. Think about how you can re-activate those informal conversations virtually throughout your week. Most importantly, while working remotely make sure to keep the virtual lines of communication open with management about your desires when it comes to career progression and take time to understand your managers expectations so you can factor them into your roadmap. 

Do something each day that your future self will thank you for.

People often find it tough to get going in the mornings so planning your day the evening before will get you off to a focused start. A good working day routine is key for ensuring the day goes the way you want it to! Before you finish work each evening, jot down your list of outstanding tasks and decide which three you’re going to prioritise the next day before closing the notebook and forgetting about the list until the next morning. These days more than ever we need something to look forward to, so planning your daily and weekly rewards is just as important as planning a catch up with your boss!

Turn off the auto-pilot mode!

Many of us let our career slip into auto-pilot mode which can lead to career dissatisfaction and uninformed decision making. When is the last time you took a moment to reflect on whether you’re enjoying your work, if you’re getting what you need from your career and what you’d like to learn next? Do you know what you’re getting out of your current job and the impact it’s having on your life and career? Without the answers to these questions, you can’t fully take control of your career and make the right decisions each day that lead to your overall desired career destination.

Check out my online career workshops here if you need a little support working through anything mentioned in this article as your navigate your work, job or career, I’d love to help. You can also reach me on angela@theintegrativecoach.ie

How to make working from home work for you during COVID-19

There’s no two ways about it, it can be harder for some people to stay motivated while working from home. Throw in the uncertainty and apprehension that COVID19 brings and it takes us to another level.

These are some PRACTICAL things that I’ve found helpful that you might like to consider when working from home over the next few weeks.
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•Get showered & dressed in good time before logging on. This will get your into work mode! *Bonus tip - have a slightly colder shower than usual, leaves you feeling bright & bushy tailed ready to take on the day!
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•Motivation doesn’t come easily in the mornings so get ahead of the game and plan your day the evening before. Write your “to do” list and highlight the three tasks you must complete tomorrow. Block off time in your calendar for each task. This will help your stay on track and get “the guilts” if you do start procrastinating.
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•Hold yourself accountable! When working from home we often don’t have as much accountability as we would have in our usual place of work. Take responsibility to book in regular meetings with stakeholder and your manager to update them on your progress and workload. Committing to a deadline to work towards will motivate you to get the work done!
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•Set up a working station for yourself where you will get the bulk of your work done, however, throughout the day switch things up to get a change of scenery. Try standing at the kitchen counter with your laptop and maybe sitting on the couch while studying documents or viewing webinars. Pop into another room during your breaks, get a stretch of the legs outdoors, or have a cuppa out on the balcony!
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•Try working in 25 or 55 minute sprints if you find it hard to keep focused. Give your eyes a break from the laptop screen for the last five minutes of the half hour or hour.
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•Put your mobile on airplane mode or even better, leave it out of arms reach the other side of the room - particularly with the temptation to check the coronavirus updates these days!
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•Stay connected! Call your colleagues for a quick check in or have your usual coffee break with them virtually. Use video call if you can, it helps you feel more connected and means you really do need to get dressed each morning.
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I really hope these tips help you transition into your new normal over the next couple of weeks while working from home due to the Coronavirus.