How many times have you heard your friend say they are miserable in their career and not sure what they want to do next? Let’s get real, in today’s culture we all have a burning desire to discover our passion and determine our purpose.
For me, it was simple. I was doing Investor Relations for a company going through a Chapter 11 restructuring (ouch). I was craving a creative outlet and an exit strategy. I began side hustling in different industries to potentially tap into and took on a board position. You never know who you will meet along the way that will change everything.
Today’s typical career path includes job hopping along with the occasional side hustle. Figuring out the next step in your career is overwhelming and includes a roller coaster of emotions.
So where do you start?
Apply your passion into something that pays.
Try picking up a side hustle to earn some extra cash on the side. Get playful with your skill set and try working in a completely different industry than you are currently in. Keep an open mind, jumping off the corporate ladder to join a startup or pursue your side hustle full time can be insanely rewarding.
Arrange coffee dates.
When you are moving through your day to day routines, you’re busy and you hardly make time to meet new and old faces. Take the time to schedule an hour coffee date because it’s not only fun but extremely beneficial. Take this opportunity to learn about their career path, current projects, biggest challenges, and proudest moments. You’ll immediately start thinking about your career path from a new angle and get a glimpse at other potential positions.
Get inspired.
There are only 24 hours in the day but we all know you may have set some time aside for Netflix. After a long day, as you are indulging in some self-care why not spend a few minutes squeezing in a TED talk to help you think big? There are nearly 3,000 videos for a little career inspiration. Additionally, you are ambitious, driven, and motivated. There are a million self- help books/ podcasts that have inspired and guided me to make a huge career shift. My favorite podcast to follow is NPR, How I Built This. They will 100% add some goodness into your life.
Get involved.
Looking to sharpen a new skill set? Get involved with an organization, take on a leadership role and see what you think! Join a board of directors working alongside other ambitions professionals. See this as an opportunity to learn a whole new skill set and make incredible connections! You will meet individuals across every industry and position and make lifelong friends and mentors.
Self-care is serious business.
While working harder than ever before, we also need to remind ourselves that taking care of ourselves is just as important. How do you turn off after turning up day in and day out? Whether it’s hitting a sweat session, throwing on a face mask or cooking your favorite meal, do it!
Don’t be afraid to reinvent yourself.
Think to yourself: What do I really want? What would make me happiest? What do I really want to do? While you job hunt, there will be certain companies and job descriptions that excite you…these are steps in the right direction! If an opportunity presents itself to and it is outside of your comfort zone…learn more, because there is nothing more exciting!
On my journey, an opportunity completely outside of my comfort zone presented itself to me. I met an incredible local boss babe and our initial lunch date lead to goal planning, strategizing, and a very strong friendship.
I never envisioned myself in the entrepreneurial world. I was raised to attend college, get the perfect internship and climb up the corporate ladder, but today success can be achieved in a variety of ways. My current job has taught me that knowing who you are and what drives you is far more important than checking off every box on your five year plan. Success is not a straight shot, you can absolutely achieve it if you believe it.
Originally published on Ellevate.
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